Monday, October 25, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Where you are loved
As I walked over to my friend Christie's office at the Downey Moravian Church in Downey California I noticed a little blue paper, it is from a publication of the Moravian Church in North America in the 1980s, and says "The Moravian Church...where you are loved." Wow! There is no regulation, expectation, or judgment in that statement. What does it look like when congregations are places where people are loved? Have you seen congregations that you believe characterize this statement? As I follow God's call to begin a new congregation on the south side of Indianapolis, it is my hope that this will be true of us. That before we get into the details of doctrine, practice, or worship style we are a community where people are loved.
It is funny, I grew up in the Moravian Church and the message on that publication characterizes my experience. I was loved. Even when I was an annoying teenager or disrespectful kid or a questioning pastor in training I have known without a doubt that I am loved here. There is something of being loved when you are known, even at your worst. I don't know that this is everyone's experience, I doubt it is which makes me sad. But the freedom we have when we are loved first and known through that love is amazing. Love changes our perspective, allows for us to see things that are overlooked without love and it helps us to look past the things that the world would pick out to separate us from one another. Love may give us rose colored glasses but not to ignore the reality of pain, struggle, or disappointment. We are given the rose color that allows for those things to come in on our list of priorities where they belong.
If we find ourselves loving first I believe that we will experience more depth of relationship, transformation and hope. Jesus said lots of wonderful things but he began with LOVE. I will pray and strive to create a congregation whose witness and life will affirm that Zacchaeus' Tree is a place where you are loved!
It is funny, I grew up in the Moravian Church and the message on that publication characterizes my experience. I was loved. Even when I was an annoying teenager or disrespectful kid or a questioning pastor in training I have known without a doubt that I am loved here. There is something of being loved when you are known, even at your worst. I don't know that this is everyone's experience, I doubt it is which makes me sad. But the freedom we have when we are loved first and known through that love is amazing. Love changes our perspective, allows for us to see things that are overlooked without love and it helps us to look past the things that the world would pick out to separate us from one another. Love may give us rose colored glasses but not to ignore the reality of pain, struggle, or disappointment. We are given the rose color that allows for those things to come in on our list of priorities where they belong.
If we find ourselves loving first I believe that we will experience more depth of relationship, transformation and hope. Jesus said lots of wonderful things but he began with LOVE. I will pray and strive to create a congregation whose witness and life will affirm that Zacchaeus' Tree is a place where you are loved!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Happy Birthday Elie Wiesel!
Today I found a quote, for my facebook page, by Elie Wiesel. I love quotes because I feel like they catch us off-guard and make us think and consider in ways that a whole speech, conversation, or book does not. I guess this, for me, is an example of less is more. This particular quote (which I will share here...later) speaks of indifference which is interesting because today I heard people talking about apathy and how it can cause problems because we simply do nothing, essentially we have no opinion, and make no difference through our actions. As I think about Jesus, I cannot think of a time in the Gospels when Jesus is indifferent. He is always engaged in the action of compassion, or seeing to the needs of those around him!
In Revelation 3:14-22, John writes that the church in Laodicea is neither hot nor cold. They do not stand for the Gospel or against it. While many people take this a sign of judgement, maybe so but that is really for God to decide, I think it is like a litmus test for our lives. If our lives are filled with indifference we may see that even our "values" don't appear to be part of our actions. I make lots of decisions through indecision; letting a deadline go by, just not offering my opinion, or simply by forgetting to decide. I realize too late sometimes that I had an opportunity to say something or show something important and because I wasn't really paying attention I missed that chance. The Good News is that the world never has nor will it ever depend on me...I would be an inadequate savior that's for sure. However, the more I endeavor to intentionally make decisions in light of the God of Love who guides me, the more I will be able to demonstrate the love that God has shared with me and that God shares with the world.
There are lots of protesters in our world, some I agree with and many I don't. I can't see Jesus going out of his way to demonstrate hate. But Jesus was always on the forefront of demonstrating love, speaking out in the face of injustice, and challenging the world order when it missed the point. As Christ(ians), people who strive to live in Jesus' way, we are not called to an indifferent witness. We are called to choose; to cry out for justice, peace and in all things love!
So whether you take opportunities to protest with signs and pickets or with words in a blog, or through the daily living in community, I pray that we all consider our own areas of luke warmness...how would Jesus react? Where can we grow in our living out of the Good News? What do people see in my life that tells them about God's love for them? I would guess that this conversation is better had with friends and people you can trust, so they can mirror back to you their experience and understanding of you as you move closer to the image of God who calls you to follow.
As I work in my own life to follow Jesus better I hope I keep these words in my mind,
In Revelation 3:14-22, John writes that the church in Laodicea is neither hot nor cold. They do not stand for the Gospel or against it. While many people take this a sign of judgement, maybe so but that is really for God to decide, I think it is like a litmus test for our lives. If our lives are filled with indifference we may see that even our "values" don't appear to be part of our actions. I make lots of decisions through indecision; letting a deadline go by, just not offering my opinion, or simply by forgetting to decide. I realize too late sometimes that I had an opportunity to say something or show something important and because I wasn't really paying attention I missed that chance. The Good News is that the world never has nor will it ever depend on me...I would be an inadequate savior that's for sure. However, the more I endeavor to intentionally make decisions in light of the God of Love who guides me, the more I will be able to demonstrate the love that God has shared with me and that God shares with the world.
There are lots of protesters in our world, some I agree with and many I don't. I can't see Jesus going out of his way to demonstrate hate. But Jesus was always on the forefront of demonstrating love, speaking out in the face of injustice, and challenging the world order when it missed the point. As Christ(ians), people who strive to live in Jesus' way, we are not called to an indifferent witness. We are called to choose; to cry out for justice, peace and in all things love!
So whether you take opportunities to protest with signs and pickets or with words in a blog, or through the daily living in community, I pray that we all consider our own areas of luke warmness...how would Jesus react? Where can we grow in our living out of the Good News? What do people see in my life that tells them about God's love for them? I would guess that this conversation is better had with friends and people you can trust, so they can mirror back to you their experience and understanding of you as you move closer to the image of God who calls you to follow.
As I work in my own life to follow Jesus better I hope I keep these words in my mind,
“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. --Elie Wiesel
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