Dave Zuchelli's Blog, page 40

Respect: Find Out What it Means to Me

Years ago (almost 50 to be exact), the Queen of Soul released a hit song. Her name, as you probably already know, is Aretha Franklin. The song is Respect. It put her on the map, and she never looked back.

Apart from the fact that it was a good song, I think it resonated with people. Everyone is looking for respect. For Heavens sake, even the Cowardly Lion wanted chipmunks to genuflect to him. We all want to be viewed with some degree of deference.

“The woman walks over him…”

The interesting thing about “Respect” is its origin. It was written, recorded, and released by none other than Otis Redding (no slouch himself). His version hit the stand in 1965. It didn’t make that much of a splash, however. I suspect part of the reason for that was the tenor of his performance.

The original rendition done by Redding came across as a fraught man imploring his lady friend to respect him. In it, the guy doesn’t seem to mind if the woman walks all over him, just as long as she respects him. Sounds like a bit of a contradiction in terms, but it’s his song after all.

As you know, Aretha’s version portrays an ardent, self-assured woman demanding the respect she deserves. She knows what she wants, and she knows it’s due her. No wonder people (especially the women) back in ’67 were picking up what she was laying down.

In the chorus, Franklin sang these words: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.” To me, these words are the crux of the lyrics. Find out what respect means to me. I don’t want what you’re calling respect. Find out what I view as respect and give it to me.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Therein lies some of our problem today. We often give only what we want to give—and then, begrudgingly. To her credit, she lays it out for her man in the song. Here’s what I’m looking for. Give me the kind of respect I’m worthy of receiving.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have the opportunity to lay it all on the line like that. We just hope those around us will see us for who we are—people who deserve to be esteemed in some small way.

Jesus laid out a simple formula for doing that in what we call the Golden Rule. (Matthew 7:12) Showing respect is simply treating others the way we would like to be treated. We have lost a great deal of that these days.

In our culture it’s almost become a sport to show disrespect to someone. It happens so often, we’ve even coined a phrase to describe it—“You dissed me!” I never even heard that word until a few years ago. Now it’s commonplace. I guess social media has made it a bit too easy to do that and get away with it.

Aretha’s song went straight to number one when it came out. Maybe we need a little revival of it fifty years later.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently the pastor of Smith Chapel, in Great Falls, VA.]

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Castro and the Caribbean Calamity

Fidel Castro forced his way into power when I was nine years old. For some reason, it stands out in my memory. My only other recollection of that entire year is of my family moving from one town to another. I’m not sure what this says about my childhood. A local move and a third world dictator impressed me. I’ll let you fill in any blanks necessary.

Since his recent demise, it’s been amazing to me how many people have praised him. Some make him sound like a hero. I find it astonishing because I have seldom (if ever) heard anything good about the man. By most accounts, he was a brutal dictator who usurped power in a poor country and made it worse.

All this reminds me of the Che t-shirts I’ve seen many college students wearing. You may remember that Che Guevara was Castro’s partner in crime. He was famous for exporting his leftist, revolutionary ideals. He was, in fact, a mass murderer and a thug. Like Castro, he is still revered by many. Personally, I think I’ll pass on that t-shirt.

“ARMANDO”

I recently read an article about Armando Valladares. Valladares was a Cuban Christian who refused to put a three-word slogan on his desk at work. The slogan simply said, “I’m with Fidel.” He was given a thirty-year prison sentence for his dissidence.

“I spent eight years locked in a blackout cell, without sunlight or even artificial light. I never left. I was stuck in a cell, ten feet long, four feet wide, with a hole in the corner to take care of my bodily needs. No running water. Naked. Eight years,” Valladares recalled. “All of the torture, all of the violations of human rights, had one goal: break the prisoner’s resistance and make them accept political rehabilitation. That was their only objective.” (Read more about Valladares here)

Valladares’ story is only one of thousands of victims of the Communist revolution in Cuba. That revolution was a promise of freedom and reform. Valladares himself was an early supporter of Castro. He realized quickly that freedom under the Castro brothers had a much different definition than the one of which Jesus spoke in Scripture (John 8:32).

“Life Was Not Enough”

Valladares is a poet and painter. While in Castro’s prison, he penned t his work, “Life Was Not Enough,” dedicated to Pedro Luis Boitel, whom he called “an unforgettable brother.”

Life was not enough for you

in that torture chamber

but there were rifle butts and boots to spare

buckets of urine and excrement thrown in your face.

They could not forgive you

Armando

your labors of light and words

they feared your smile

the eloquence of your hands

they feared the fertility of your ideas

and your manner of being silent

they feared your life, Pedro,

and they murdered you . . .

I suspect there will be an influx of “Fidel” t-shirts soon. I think I’ll pass them as well. Maybe I can find an “Armando” t-shirt somewhere…maybe…

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently the pastor of Smith Chapel, in Great Falls, VA.]

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You Could be Illegal in 53 Countries

My oldest son has a black t-shirt that (in bold, white lettering) announces the shirt is illegal in fifty-three countries. It further breaks down that number by saying it is restricted in forty of those nations and meets with hostility in another thirteen areas around the world. The reason it is illegal is the fact that it prominently displays a cross on the chest.

I’ve always been taken with that shirt. There’s nothing fancy about it. In fact, it’s rather plain as shirts go. But the garment is striking in the message it carries. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder of the kind of world in which we live.

“I find it a bit disconcerting.”

By all accounts, there are less than two hundred independent countries on planet earth. If the message of this t-shirt is correct (and I strongly suspect it is), over a quarter of the nations of our world are overtly hostile to the Cross of Christ—and presumably to Christians as well. Being one of the later, I find that to be a bit disconcerting. You may want to check closely the next time you do a little globetrotting.

This is just another reason to be thankful for the country in which we live. While things are certainly less than perfect here, freedom is still the watchword we live by. Some of us may get annoyed when we’re not allowed to place a crèche on the courtyard lawn, erect a Christmas tree on a mountain, or say, “Merry Christmas.” Still, we’re a long way from getting thrown in jail for worshiping Jesus.

When the institution we now call the church was first formed, she was a loose aggregate of people desiring to follow in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth. She was often referred to as “The Way” and had no aspiration other than to be (and make) disciples of Christ. Despite (or maybe because of) her simplicity and authentic, up-front way of living, she was like a magnet.

“There’s always going to be a certain amount of animosity.”

People were drawn to her, and many who were not so drawn were reported to have said things like, “See how they love one another!” That’s a pretty good witness from a pagan world. Would that we would hear such things said about us today. Instead, we often hear hatred.

I realize there’s always going to be a certain amount of animosity from the surrounding culture(s). Jesus was quite clear about that. Still, he just as clearly pointed out that we are to earn the right to tell people about him. Grabbing someone by the lapels and saying, “Jesus loves you” doesn’t cut it. We are to live among them, be their friends and co-workers, and earn their trust. When we have equal footing, it’s a lot easier to tell them that the Kingdom of God is near. (Luke 10:1-9) That equal footing comes at a price—the cost of discipleship.

May our unity around the manger of the Christ-child hold fast this season. Who knows? Someone might even notice our love for one another.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently pastor of Smith Chapel in Great Falls, VA.]

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The Garage Sale Engagement Ring

One of the things to which I subscribe on Facebook is a site advertised as a local garage sale. Once you’ve gotten it set up, it lets you know when new items are posted. Recently, I saw something I never guessed I’d see there—an engagement ring.

There were pictures of it, and it looked like a pretty good one. I wasn’t sure whether to chuckle or be sad. How does an engagement ring end up in a garage sale? I suppose, once that kind of relationship is over, you have to get rid of the ring somehow.

“We could have done things a tad differently.”

It’s just another reminder of how things don’t always work out like we thought they would. I’m sure it’s no secret to any of you that life is full of adventures that sometimes go awry. With the derailed ventures, we often collect collateral damages—broken relationships, nicks and scars, and bruised egos. That’s just how life works.

Sometimes we look back  and think we could have done things a tad differently. We could have made better decisions or treated people a little more nicely. Maybe we should have avoided an option that was a bit too easy or a move that was obviously way too self-serving.

On the other hand, many times we just couldn’t see it coming (whatever it may have been). We go over and over things in our minds and don’t see anything we could (or would) have done any differently. Things just don’t always go our way. “The best-laid plans,” and all that…

“I know the plans I have for you…”

If you’re a Christian, at least you’ve got a fallback plan. It’s not your plan or a “Plan B.” It’s the one the Lord has for you. He won’t let you down, and his plan is always the best for you (like it or not).

There’s a famous passage in Jeremiah that says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

“You are a living testimony…”

Even broken engagements, broken relationships, and broken lives can be mended in God’s plan and in his impeccable timing. There’s always hope, and tomorrow’s always a new day. These, of course, are old cliché’s; but they have survived for a reason. That reason is they’re true.

I suspect many of you are a living testimony to these truths. You’ve survived something you thought would destroy your life. You’ve come through on the other side—not always unscathed, but mostly for the better.

Jeremiah discovered hundreds of years ago that if we sought God out and called on him, his plan for our future could be realized. It’s good to know that hasn’t changed.

It makes me wonder if anyone picked up that ring at the garage sale…

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently pastor of Smith Chapel in Great Falls, VA.]

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The Human Experience: On a Collision Course with God

During the early part of the last century, there was a French Jesuit priest by the name of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. He was the philosopher who said, “We are not human beings trying to have a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings trying to have a human experience.” Bless his heart.

It’s a really cool saying, but I’m not totally sure it means anything. The fact is we’re both. We’re spiritual beings, and we’re human beings. We exist as humans, so we will have the human experience. We’re also spiritual, so we’ll have spiritual experiences as well.

“We are consumed with the physical.”

It seems to me, however, that we are usually consumed with the physical experience. We taste, feel, and satisfy as many human desires as we can. This normally comes immediately after we’ve satisfied any human needs we have.

If we are really sensitive to our spirituality, we go after the spiritual side of things. From my perspective, however, that doesn’t happen nearly as much as it should. Being one of those odd creatures called the Christian Pastor, I am (of course) biased. Still, I don’t think I’m alone on this. Many people outside of the realm of the clergy seek to satisfy the spiritual longings within themselves. What a lot of us probably don’t realize is how naturally (or should I say supernaturally) much of this happens. Day-to-day experiences and circumstances can lead us into the spiritual life depending on our responses to them.

Take Mary and Joseph for example. They were two, run-of-the-mill, Jewish folks living out the final months of their betrothal. An angel visits one of them—the other has a dream about an angel. Their responses changed everything.

Think of their circumstances: in betrothal about to be married, she discovers she’s pregnant (while a virgin), she has to tell Joseph, he decides to forego the (then legal) stoning and divorce her. Things were turning sour quite quickly.

An angel tells Mary the baby is from God’s Holy Spirit. Joseph doesn’t believe her until he has a dream in which another angel tells him it’s okay to marry her. Just name the baby Jesus (meaning God saves) because he’s going to save the world.

“I might chalk it up to the pizza.”

Now it’s their turn. They can believe God (and the angels), or they can listen to their own human experience. That experience tells them this whole scenario is going to be a very bad scene. They could avoid all the unpleasantries they were about to endure, or they could do it God’s way and enhance their spiritual lives. Tough choice.

Apparently, they made the right one and chose to marry and carry Jesus to full term. They suffered for it, but they became the earthly parents of God Almighty.

Frankly, if an angel spoke to me in a dream, I think I might chalk it up to the pizza I ate before I went to bed. I’m glad Joseph was a bit more in tune with the spiritual than me for all our sakes.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently the pastor of Smith Chapel, in Great Falls, VA.]

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A Blog by Any Other Name…

Shortly following the presidential election, I wrote a blog, which stemmed from the violence that ensued the announcement about who had won. I won’t get into the main topic of said blog. If you’d like, you can read it for yourself. The title of the posting was, “Fifty More Shades of Gray.”

 

After some of the dust had settled, one of my readers voiced her dismay over the title I had chosen. She felt that it was a not-so-veiled reference to a less than appropriate movie. She was, of course, correct…well sort of.

It was actually a not-so-veiled reference to the book. Frankly, I had forgotten all about the movie that had been made from the book, Fifty Shades of Gray. Who could forget the uproar and splash made by that publication a few years ago? People still talk about it.

“I never saw anyone study so intently.”

During the height of its popularity, I was sitting on a plane next to a young lady who was reading what was obviously the very definition of a page-turner. I never saw anyone study so intently. I couldn’t see what she was scanning, so when we landed, I took the liberty of asking her what it was.

She apologetically told me it was Fifty Shades of Gray. She then proceeded to tell me she just wanted to find out what the big stink was all about. All her friends were reading it, and she just had to investigate. Investigate she did. She must have devoured half the book on the flight from Chicago to DC.

Anyway, back to the reader of my blog post. I responded to her and told her I certainly understood her concern over my choice of titles. I further explained, however, that to get people to read a blog floating along in cyberspace, the title had to grab people’s attention. Otherwise, it tends to get lost in the shuffle—regardless of how good (or bad) the content might be. I have been accused over the years of being a prude, so I guess the choice of that title may have been a big leap for me.

“My readership tripled in size…”

To drive home the point, I checked my readership totals for that blog after it had gone public. Sure enough, more people read that particular one than usual. In fact, my readership tripled in size with its posting. Let that be a lesson to all you bloggers out there.

I’ve been blogging for fifteen and a half months and have noticed a pattern. Readership dramatically increases when my titles hint at two things—death and sex. As a preacher, I try to stay away from sexual topics—that’s not where my expertise lies. But a veiled reference to it in the title definitely attracts attention. My blogs with titles like “Going Topless” and “Spiritual Nudity (or X-Rated Marks the Spot)” were reader magnets.

So, with apologies to my fellow prudes, I can’t write about death every day. Creating titles is a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently pastor of Smith Chapel in Great Falls, VA.]

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King Solomon & the Vanishing Facebook Posts

I have my Facebook page set to shoot me an e-mail when a friend posts on my wall (or whatever you call that thingy that pops up initially). It saves me the trouble of actually having to go to Facebook to check these things out. I suppose that sounds a bit lazy, but time is money (as the wise ones say).

Because of that practice, I’ve discovered an interesting phenomenon that would have otherwise gone unnoticed (by me, at least). Occasionally, I’ll wake up in the morning to an e-mail telling me that Jack Doe (names have been changed to protect the innocent) has posted on my page. Eager to know what Jack has said to, about, or for me, I click on the handy-dandy link and head over to the ever-popular Facebook.

The Vanishing Post

This works like a charm. On rare occasions, however, by the time I land on the spot of the post, it has magically disappeared. At first, this was not only befuddling to me; it drove me crazy trying to find the delinquent missive. Then one day it dawned on me. The post had been deleted.

King Solomon

It often takes me a while to actually understand these things (especially when they involve technology). But I figured it out in part because I’ve done the same thing. I’ve posted what I think is a clever, funny, or wisdom-filled message only to regret what I’ve said ten seconds later. At that point, I’ve gone back in and deleted the post. By that time, of course, the e-mail has been dispatched, and I’ve been outed. My post is not seen, but my lurking has been disclosed.

Having experienced this myself, I’m now assuming this is what happens to my vanishing Facebook posts. Though it may be assigned to some weird, computer glitch, I’d rather stick with the deleted post theory. I do so because it’s very Biblically sound. Allow me to explain.

“I now find it comforting to discover a deleted text.”

King Solomon is credited with amassing all sorts of wisdom from around the known world of his time. One of the axioms he collected was, “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” (Proverbs 17:28) He included many other such proverbs that dealt with remaining silent such as, “The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.” (Proverbs 18:7) Proverbs 12:23 and 20:3 also come to mind.

With this Biblical wisdom in tow, I now find it comforting to discover a deleted text. It means (at least in my own mind) that someone thought enough of me to avoid the offensive word (albeit at the last second). They were also wise enough to avoid looking like a fool in the eyes of the Facebook world.

It has also informed my own postings. I hate sounding foolish and certainly don’t mean to offend. As Honest Abe once said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently pastor of Smith Chapel in Great Falls, VA.]

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She Never Hears “No!”

Some people have driven personalities. When they get something in their minds, they go for it. They don’t let anything get in the way, and they don’t take no for an answer.

When you have some influence or sway with a person like that, you need to understand the hearing problem they have. You can say, “No,” all you want. They will never hear it. They’ll only hear, “Yes, maybe, or not right now.”

I know this to be true because I married one of these people. My lovely bride never hears “No!” We’ve been united in holy matrimony for nineteen years now, and I seldom use that two-letter word anymore. It’s fruitless and a waste of breath to do so.

“These individuals are great to have around.”

The great thing about these kinds of folks is their tenacity. They never give up. They are persistent and determined. They are doggedly tireless and resolute in every quest that means anything to them.

These individuals are great to have around. When everyone else is throwing in the towel, they are just beginning to plot, scheme, and connive their way to glory. It’s rather uncanny to watch. Everyone needs one of these guys or gals on their side. Winston Churchill once said, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” He was another who never heard, “No!”

Jesus once told his disciples that it’s “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24) His disciples were beside themselves and asked if anyone could be saved. His answer was, “with God all things are possible.”

I’m convinced that many of us give up all too easily. That’s particularly true when we’re fighting a spiritual battle or seeking a spiritual answer. We succumb all too quickly to a simple “no” from the enemy.

“Giving up is not a good option.”

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul tell us, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) The “him” is the Lord—the Holy Spirit of God. Passages like this should help us get beyond “no” to the answers and victories we seek in life.

We are not destined to be spiritual failures. We are not called to be losers. Jesus gained the victory for all of us. Following in his footsteps ensures our victory as well. Giving up is not a good option.

That’s not to say we’ll never make a wrong decision and land in some dead end. It does mean, however, that mistakes can be corrected and correct paths chosen. In Christ, we are overcomers. So (as we used to say in the old days), keep on keepin’ on. No is a small word in comparison to the God of the impossible.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently pastor of Smith Chapel in Great Falls, VA.]

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Techno Gods of the Twenty-First Century

I kind of like technology. It can be fun, and certainly can be quite useful. It’s definitely great for communication. This blog is cyberspace evidence of that.

It doesn’t have its drawbacks, however. I suspect you’ve heard various people bemoan the negatives (and you’ve probably done that yourself on occasion). I’ve heard some call it downright evil.

I’m not really techno-savvy myself. I know enough to get by. I probably know just about enough to be dangerous.

I’m an Addict

I saw a meme once (or twice) that said, “Come on over to my place tonight. Some of us are getting together to stare at our cell phones.” It happens.

I resisted getting a cell phone for many years. I didn’t see the need to be constantly connected. I figured if someone really needed me, they could find me somehow. We did it for years.

Then one day, my boss told me they were getting me one. He said the company should be able to contact me whenever they needed me. At that point, I had to relent. Shortly thereafter, I was hooked (like everyone else).

Now I can’t go anywhere without it. Everything is on that phone (including a GPS app to get me where I’m going in the shortest amount of time). I’m even getting telemarketer calls on that baby now. I guess I’ve arrived.

There’s an interesting aspect to being connected all the time. Though we’re connected to the outside world, we often end up on an island of our own. We’ve got our phones out and we’re checking our email, reading posts on Facebook, or playing some addictive game. Being connected ends up cutting us off from those nearest to us.

We already live in a society where most of us don’t even know our next-door neighbors. Technology tends to wall us off even further. It seems like most of us are beginning to worship at the altar of the techno gods. These gods consume us to the point where we almost become human sacrifices. Our time is unquestionably surrendered to them. They are billed as “time-saving devices,” and yet they suck our free moments away.

“Let’s put these down and talk.”

There have been more than a few evenings when my lovely bride and I have caught ourselves with the TV on, a cell phone in my hand, and an electronic tablet in hers. We’ve both submerged ourselves into our own little worlds and have to fight to come up for air. It’s all we can do to say to each other, “That’s it! Let’s put these down and talk.” More times than not, we end up back on some device before the evening is over. It’s pathetic.

I seldom read a paper Bible anymore. I have umpteen translations on my computer. It’s faster, easier, and more efficient.

That same Bible (both paper and electronic) teaches us to fast and pray. I’m starting to think we need to fast from electronics sometimes. There’s one big problem, though. It might be harder than actually fasting from food.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently the pastor of Smith Chapel, in Great Falls, VA.]

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Final Election Thoughts From a Beleaguered Preacher

All the votes are in, most of them have been tabulated, and the results are pretty well documented. We are now well into the post-election, smoothing-out period—NOT. It seems like things have gotten even viler than they were in the months leading up to the big day. Now, instead of the candidates attacking each other, the citizenry have picked up the sword.

As one of those nondescript beings the press calls “independent voters,” I look with chagrin at what is going down around me. As one of those lowly creatures the church calls “preachers,” I am horrified. I knew the political class would never really relent, but I always thought the voters would quickly bury the hatchet. I guess that shows my naiveté.

The unlikely knight in shining armor…

When I was a kid, John Kennedy won a razor-thin election when his father reportedly spread just enough money around to tilt a few precincts his way. For whatever reason, Richard Nixon (his opponent) never contested the election. For one shining moment, this man (who would later become one of the most reviled political figures in our history) became a knight in shining armor. I can’t imagine that happening today.

I used to be a political junkie. It was a hobby of sorts. I found it entertaining and even amusing at times. Watching and listening to all the pundits trying to spin their views to actually make sense was great fun.

It’s not fun anymore. It’s downright tragic. I can’t even watch the TV news these days because the actual news is never reported. What we get is someone’s opinion about what the news means (or a debate from two extremists who forgot what objectivity is all about).

We like to say this is all “just politics as usual.” But I think it’s gone far beyond that now. People are getting trampled, friends are becoming enemies, and common sense and decency are going by the wayside. Tolerance has come to mean, “I’ll tolerate you as long as you agree with me.”

“…no one is allowed to win…”

As a pastor, my biggest gripe is that people are getting hurt. I thought I was above the fray, but even I seem to have become a casualty of this war of words. No, I’m not playing the “victim card” here. As the wounded Black Knight in the movie, “In Search of the Holy Grail,” so famously said, “I’ve ‘ad worse!” I’m a big boy, and I can take it. Watching the innocent bystanders get rolled under is what makes my heart ache.

In a society where no one is allowed to win or lose, I guess this was inevitable. It’s inevitable because there really are winners and losers. Raising our kids to believe they (and everyone around them) are always wonderful is dishonest and ultimately frightening.

Years ago, Noel Paul Stookey wrote and recorded a song entitled The Winner. In it, he said, “There’s one thing brings us together…invite the Winner into your heart.” Jesus is the real winner. Without him, we’re all losers.

[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is currently the pastor of Smith Chapel, in Great Falls, VA.]

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