Barney Wiget's Blog, page 38

Exchange Your Weapons For Invitations

Brothers James and John (also in the garden that night) were no better at charming people toward Jesus than was Peter. They tipped their hand when they made a bid to edge the others out for the top posts in Jesus’ administration (seats “at his right hand and left”). Not only that, these were the same two who volunteered to incinerate Samaritans with fire from heaven.

While Peter’s weapon of choice was a sword; theirs was lightening––neither are tools of the evangelism trade! Eventually, schooled by the Spirit, all three exchanged their weapons for invitations. Peter came to understand that the lovingly wielded Spirit’s sword is more effective than any soldier’s blade. And the Sons of Thunder learned to love their enemies rather than cremate them!

– Originally published in Reaching Rahab: Joining God In His Quest For Friends

Millennials Might Just Save the Church Yet!

Fervent Jesus follower,  brilliant legal mind, and co-founder of International Justice Mission, Gary Haugen said:

“25 years ago traditional evangelicals viewed any presentation … [that suggested] we want justice, care about struggles for the poor, fighting abuse and oppression as a distraction for the ‘real Gospel.’ It would have been viewed as lefty political agenda … liberation theology.”

Haugen went on to say that this is no longer the case and that those prejudices and theological objections have abated. And while I appreciate the sentiment, I haven’t found his positive outlook to be an entirely accurate picture of the “First Church of the Boomers.” I hear some of those same suspicions and labeling from among peers in my generation. It’s disheartening at times.

Pastor Matt Chandler said:

“If I preach a sermon out of the book of Isaiah on justice, my inbox would fill with their glee that I would broach the subject. But if I applied it to the subject of race, then all of a sudden I was a Marxist or I’ve been watching too much of the liberal media. If I spoke on abortion, I was applauded as courageous, as a ferocious man of God, and yet when I would tackle race I was being too political … If I quoted the great reformer Martin Luther … never did I get an email about his blatant anti-Semitism. But let me quote the great reformer Martin Luther King Jr., and watch my inbox fill with people asking me if I’m aware of his moral brokenness.”

Similarly, Dom Helder Camara (Brazilian Catholic Archbishop) said,:

“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.”

I bemoan the horrendous blind spot that afflicts much of my generation of evangelical believers in reference to restorative justice. They’ll teach and absorb with gusto on the subject of retributive justice and all but disregard the restorative aspect of biblical justice. They conclude that a just God is consistent in retribution and all but entirely neglect to show how he is also compassionate in the just cause of restoration and distribution for all.

It’s like they are more interested in culpable people getting what’s coming to them than vulnerable people getting what should be coming to them!

It appears they prefer spending their time loving, singing, and hugging one another until all of our problems go away and view the work of justice as ancillary at best, or  at worst, irrelevant . But it seems to me that the more conservative is one’s theology, the more liberal their social conscience should be. Maybe that’s just me.

Upton Sinclair said, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” With the exception of  some professional preachers who are trying to keep their giving base intact, it may not be salary at stake,  but  pride or tradition or maintaining the status quo.

Those who say there’s no connection between the gospel and social justice are being disingenuous. Ask them if they’re against the systemic killing of babies in the womb. Based on their Christian worldview most will say, “Of course!” But isn’t abortion on demand a social justice issue? The verdict then is not, “Is social justice connected to Jesus and the Bible?” but “Which justice issue are we choosing to care about?”

We’re all selective in what matters to us. Unborn babies matter. Agreed! But the question remains, “Are they the only ones that matter to God and should therefore matter to us?”

That said, I am encouraged by Haugen’s claim that Millennials (and younger), in spite of our Boomer political prejudices and spiritual shortsightedness, are the ones who will renew the Church’s vision for justice.  With sighs of relief and cheers of joy I welcome his remark, “They don’t even remember those old days [of social justice bashing], and in their view if you aren’t talking about justice, you’re probably not credible!”

The younger generation gets that there aren’t two gospels,  a salvation gospel and a social justice gospel. They know that they’re one and the same. Over and over Jesus argues that faith in God is always expressed in tangible acts of love for our neighbor, whoever he or she may be. He weaves the spiritual and social into a seamless fabric that shouldn’t be torn in two. Millennials seem to hear his voice more clearly on this.

If the generation to come sees some things that the generation that barely still is doesn’t see, then God be praised! At least they have a chance at reversing the trend that we’ve set, restoring the reputation of the Church and doing the good in the world that we should have been doing all along.

Way to go, kids! Put your hearts, minds, and backs into the work of justice. Pick up the baton we dropped and run with it!

“Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God!” Micah 6:8

For more about biblical justice take a look at these:

Doing Justice to Justice 
James on Justice: An Appeal for Classless Christianity 
Saving Starfish 

Simple Pleasures

It surprised me to find that the term, “pleasure” is the Bible 34 times! So anyone who thought that God wasn’t at all interested in pleasure, for him and for us, was pretty much mistaken. Problem is we don’t get what true pleasure, eternal pleasure, pure pleasure is. And we don’t know how to get it. Soren Kierkegaard said, “Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.”

In this brief podcast I suggest three categories of pleasure: sinful, spiritual, and simple pleasure.

Here’s an outline of the the Scriptures and salient thoughts:

Resisting sinful pleasures

Proverbs 10:23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
2 Timothy 3:4 … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
2 Peter 2:13 Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.
Hebrews 11:25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

Reveling in spiritual pleasures

Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 16:5-6, 11 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Relishing simple pleasures

Take a walk on the beach, in the mountains, in a park, around your block
Listen to or make some music
Make some art
Read a good book (emphasis on “good”)
Get some exercise at the gym, in a pool, on a bike
Eat a healthy meal (not too much now!)
Spend some time with a friend or loved one (No, texting doesn’t count!)
Add your own favorite simple pleasures…

Check out these other posts on Simplicity:

Introducing Simplicity 
Some Symptoms of Simplicity 
Simplicity and Stuff 
Simplicity and Generosity 

“If you confess with your mouth JESUS AS LORD…”

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes,  resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses,  resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

This passage, a favorite of many, I propose is one terribly misunderstood and misapplied for the sake of an easy believe-istic approach to salvation. Just believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, say it out loud and boom, heaven’s your new home! It’s a classic case of tearing the passage out of its historical and theological context like a page out of a magazine.

Paul’s first readers were Roman citizens who were law bound to assert tyrannical Caesar as “Lord” and obey his every dictate or die. Their confession of the Lordship of Christ would then have sounded more like:

“I no longer accept or follow any lord, but the Lord Jesus. He is the only Lord­­––my only Lord. I live for him and not for any person or ideology, whether philosophical, political, or religious. If that makes me guilty of treason to the dominant culture, I admit it. I’m culpable. Do what you will, but I will not bow to anyone or anything but Christ.”

Unfortunately I don’t hear many sinners’ prayers, baptismal confessions, or even testimonies of so-called mature Christians that sound much like that.

Paul wrote to Romans at a time when their emperors claimed divinity and demanded that all citizens in the empire to proclaim, “Caesar is Lord!” Membership in the Caesar-cult, which interwove religion and politics was mandatory for all, and was the means by which he controlled and governed so many regions and cultures. So when they openly confessed their allegiance to Jesus as the supreme authority they did so at their own peril.

Their confession of Jesus’ Lordship clearly subverted Rome’s tyranny. They knew it and Rome knew it!

This bold declaration of Jesus’ Lordship anywhere within the empire would be like attending a MAGA rally and holding a sign that says, “Donald Trump––Not My President!” or standing in front of The Sacred Mosque in Mecca shouting, “Mohamed was a faker!” (OK, I admit the latter would be a tad more gutsy than the former, but still…) In Paul’s day, as in many countries in the world today, you’d have to be willing to be jailed or martyred for your confession that “Jesus is Lord.” Grace might be free but, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer used to say, it isn’t cheap!

The original readers of Romans 10 would have understood that a confession like this was a challenge to Caesar’s lordship. The emperor insisted that he was the Lord of the world, the only one worthy of unmitigated loyalty from his subjects. If Jesus is the true Lord of the world then Caesar is not. Their confession was more than just words and nothing short of subversion to the emperor’s sovereign authority and therefore treasonous!

Confessing Christ is more about loyalty than theology. It’s not just believing the right thing and you’re automatically “saved.” It’s giving singular devotion to him not just as Savior but as Lord. Salvation has to do with allegiance to him rather than some precisely worded profession or prayer.

Notice the way Jesus talked about the confession:

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven,” (Matthew 10:32).

It’s obvious, isn’t it, that he wasn’t talking about mere belief or recitation? “Confess me before men” he said, which is more than a private raising your hand and repeating a prayer.

(I’m not opposed to hand-raising or prayer-reciting at a point of decision to follow Jesus in a church service. But saving faith includes repentant allegiance to Christ, without which a person hasn’t yet turned himself in to God. If those who raised their hand and recited a prayer were turning from Caesar (or whoever their current lords were at the time) to the Lordship of Jesus, then they’re “saved.” Otherwise, they might be taking their first step toward Christ, which is fantastic, but it shouldn’t necessarily be an indicator of their conversion.)

When the Jewish leaders realized Jesus was a threat to their tyranny, they decreed that anyone who “confessed that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.” (John 9:22 and 12:42) Even they understood that their confession was more than mere profession. They were threatened by it because it represented a transference of allegiance from their authority to his.

Paul told Timothy to “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession.” (1 Timothy 6:12)

Notice how he uses Jesus’ confession before Pilate as a model of Timothy’s. Obviously Jesus wasn’t just reciting a doctrinal statement. His “good confession” was his unwavering adherence to the purpose of the Father even though it would cost him his life.

When Paul shared his faith with Felix he said, “I admit (confess) that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect.” (Acts 24:14) This reminds me of Martin Luther’s confession before the emperor 1500 years later:

“Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”

Now that’s a confession!

These passages in addition to the historical/political context in which Paul wrote Romans 10:9-10 indicate that confessing “Jesus as Lord” is much much more substantive than mere intellectual assent of what Christ did and a corresponding verbal assertion.

When the early Christians confessed Christ kingdoms clashed! It was said of them: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world… They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” (Acts 17:6-7)

Is your confession substantive, brave, and reckless enough to elicit such outcry from our empire?
Are you actually following Jesus, your prototypical Subversive and foot-washing troublemaker or just making professions of faith?
What kind of “trouble” do you make and whose decrees do you “defy”?
Do you add Jesus to a short list of kings or is he to you the “King of all other kings”?

Be Worthy!

We all know that our God, just by being himself, let alone such an amazing Self, is worthy of more praise, more love, more trust, more obedience than we will ever be able to give. He’s worthy!

But I was surprised to discover that according to the Bible we’re obliged to live worthy lives more often than God is said to be worthy of our praise. We’re to be worthy followers of a worthy God!

To peruse a few of the passages…

There’s a certain lifestyle that is worthy of the King and his Kingdom. It involves pleasing him, bearing fruit to nourish others for his glory, and constantly deepening our experiential knowledge of him:

…so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, Colossians 1:10

…encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12

… so that you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 2 Thessalonians 1:5

We have to set our sights on living worthy of the gospel, worthy of our calling, and worthy of his invitation to participate in his kingdom:

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling… 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Praying a “sinners prayer” and attending Sunday services won’t gain us access to the “age to come.” We have to be, in some sense, considered worthy to enter and take part in its benefits:

But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, Luke 20:35

Lastly, it’s only cross-bearing Christians that are worthy of him. (Remember, wearing a cross around your neck is not exactly what he calls “taking up your cross.” Crosses are for dying, not for decorating.):

“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38

Don’t let the term “worthy” as it applies to our personal effort to please God throw you off. It should be obvious that we aren’t worthy in a transactional sense, as though we earned our way into his friendship and kingdom.

There’s nothing we can do to be worthy of grace. That’s whole nature of grace, right? Grace is grace because it can’t be earned. Salvation and its benefits are undeserved presents. Our natural worthiness is as repulsive as dirty rags, but when we repentantly believe he dresses us in clean clothes and calls us sons and daughters!

He accepts us “as is.” The thing is, he doesn’t plan on leaving us that way! He expects us to be, empowers us to be, in some sense, “worthy.” What he prescribes has nothing to do with earning or deserving, but rather a worthy response to the deserving God who earned it all for us and works it all into our broken-down souls.

We’re not worthy to be called his sons and daughters, but now that we are we are obligated to act in a way that befits the name! Be worthy.

 

Simplicity and Stuff (Part 3)

“The inward reality of simplicity involves the life of joyful unconcern for his or her possessions.” Richard Foster

This 13 minute podcast is my final offering on Simplicity and Stuff. I trust that it will remind you of the Scriptural-ness, if not the benefits of living simply.

The great circuit-riding evangelist and founder of the Methodist Church John Wesley said, “Money never stays with me. It would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands as soon as possible, lest it should find its way within my heart.” And Henry David Thoreau said, “A man is rich in proportion to the things he can afford to let alone.”

The question isn’t, “How much do you have?” It is rather, “How much does it have you?”

Happy simplifying…

Peruse the rest of my podcast for more on Simplicity and a bunch of other themes including “Simplicity and Generosity” and “Simplicity and Pleasure.”

Another “Man Card” Myth

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The moment I hit the button to post about the preposterous marketing claim that men can get their “Man Card Re-issued” by purchasing a semiautomatic weapon a number of other examples of male bovine you-know-what that men buy into in order to feel like real man in our culture. The scam that stands out above all others is what has finally come to light that says for their sexual pleasure men have the inherent right to take whatever liberties they want over women whenever they want. Anyone with even the most infinitesimal spec of conscience realizes that though gun laws may be controversial, sexual assault is not!

Let me be quick to point out that it’s not just unbridled and entitled pleasure that most men seek when harassing or assaulting women. Psychologists and criminologists have long known that it’s more about lust for power than lust for sex. Whichever the reason or combination of reasons, this ludicrous “Man Card” meme appeals to many men that seem to think women are on the earth to make them look and feel like real men.

The #MeToo movement has highlighted the horrific prevalence of male sexual exploitation. Predictably, some men have pushed back on it because some of the allegations of assault have proven––or seem to have been proven––false. Of course there are always going to be some of those, but the appalling numbers of clear abuse way––way––outnumber them.

I’ve also heard a number of men deflecting the conversation by engaging in anti-feminist rhetoric about women just trying to take over the culture, and how that we men have to stand against this onslaught. Big deflection!

Our own president has had affairs with prostitutes while his wife was pregnant and paid them to keep it quiet, to say nothing of nineteen different women accusing him of sexual assault. This president said, “It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p—-. You can do anything.” Not for nothin’, he then has the audacity to call Mexican immigrants “criminals and rapists.”

In public and with impunity he called a woman a “dog” and another a “fat pig.” He said another woman had “the face of a dog” and another was “disgusting.” He tweeted about one woman that she is “unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man- he made a good decision.” He once said, “It really doesn’t matter what the media writes as long as you’ve got a young, and beautiful, piece of ass”? He also said on a national stage during a campaign debate, “My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well documented, are various other parts of my body.”

I absolutely DO NOT lay the blame for America’s chauvinistic sexual deviancy at the feet of Donald Trump, but what he says and “preaches” without shame on his Twitter account, on Fox TV, and in his MAGA rallies is morally indefensible and degenerative. It lowers the bar for what is and isn’t appropriate treatment of women by men in our culture.

The Catholic Church is now in huge trouble with their day-late-and-a-dollar-short treatment of the massive numbers of priests who have been molesting children and women for decades. The entertainment industry is also rife with cases of sexual abuse. In each of these instances: the president, priests, entertainers, and the rank and file of men trying to get their “Man Card” re-issued is a clear issue of power abuse.

At least one conservative radio talk show host tweeted that the #MeToo Movement was “created to bring down Donald Trump, but instead it has brought down a host of liberals. #HYPOCRITES.” It’s this kind of politicizing of immoral social behavior that prevents us from moving forward. Claiming that everything we object to is a political conspiracy keeps us stuck and sinking in quicksand.

I approached a pastor friend of mine about the problem when the #MeToo movement was just getting started. I indicated that pastors should address this issue from the pulpit and teach what God says about how men should treat women. I assumed we’d be the same page about it but was surprised by his response. His excuse for not doing so was that before he started following Jesus he was a womanizer and was often so inebriated that he didn’t even know what he might’ve done with women. I guess he thought bringing it up would make him feel hypocritical or that someone could come out of the woodwork and expose his past.

I wonder if this is why other preachers are reluctant to address this issue directly with their congregations. I would remind them first of all that God has forgiven them of their past and that nothing can muddy their clean record before him. I would also remind them that it’s “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20) for which they are responsible, not just the things that don’t make them and their people squirm a little. We need more faith leaders to break the silence on domestic and sexual violence and teach their people God’s perspective on it.

“Sermons announce a church’s priorities,” says Jenna Barnett. “By preaching from the pulpit on domestic and sexual violence, pastors send a message to survivors that they are seen, believed, and that the church is working to be a trauma-informed space that can nurture your healing and connect you to other experts in your community.”

There’s a worship song called “In Labor All Creation Groans” that I like but never expect to hear it in a church service except the one time I led it where it went over like a lead balloon. One of its verses goes like this:

In labor all creation groans till rape and murder cease / Till women walk by night unharmed and Christ is this world’s peace

Here’s an amazing list of sermons by courageous pastors on the subject of sexual abuse inside and outside Church.

Brother, be a man and treat women with respect!

 

Simplicity and Stuff (Part 2)

“Possession is an illusion in the light of the Kingdom. What do you possess? Wait a few years—we’ll see how much you possess when you’re six feet under! You don’t possess anything.” Richard Rohr

This 10-minute audio podcast is Part 2 of 3 episodes on Simplicity and Stuff.

Some suggested simplifiers (adapted from Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline)

Give something important away…Find one possession that you value, and ask God, “Am I growing too attached to this object? Is it becoming a treasure to me?”
If you make more than you need, ask God to show you what to do with the surplus… giving…
Buy things for their usefulness rather than status; for their utility not their prestige…
Don’t buy something new before you need it. Use things till they’re worn out…
Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
Develop a habit of giving things away… De-acculmulate… Simplify!
Refuse to be manipulated by the media into believing that they know better than you do about what you actually need.
Don’t be duped by the salesmen of modern gadgetry…
Learn to enjoy things without owning them. Share stuff with others… Enjoy the beach without feeling you have to buy a piece of it.
Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation. It’s usually free of charge!
Avoid buying more than you can afford on credit… Be patient…You don’t have to have it now…
Try a week-long “Fast” of all unnecessary shopping/buying/spending…Don’t buy anything except what sustains your life (like food and supplies)…

Happy simplifying!

Unconscionable, Immature, and Oxymoronic

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A good leader motivates, doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.

Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation.

Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.

An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives; you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that.

Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives; they’re like spring rain and sunshine.

Proverbs 16:10-15

You think the president might be a tad bit fixated on borders and frustrated he can’t make them more impenetrable? Here’s a teensy timeline of his efforts:

He imposed the Muslim travel ban a week into his presidency.
He considered an unconstitutional plan to end birthright citizenship, the right to citizenship for non-citizens’ babies who are born here.
He focused his campaign on a border wall that proved logistically and financially infeasible.
He continued to insist on the wall, leading to the 35-day government shutdown.
He threatened to close the southern border, which even Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said would have a “potentially catastrophic economic impact.”
Now, maybe be the most ludicrous of all, he wants to move migrants to far-off sanctuary cities throughout the country!

  Check out these recent tweets:

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I call this idea unconscionable, immature, and oxymoronic! (These are the most diplomatic terms I could come up with.)

It’s unconscionable to turn human beings, especially the poor and vulnerable, into political pawns. Playing games with countless lives in order to score political points is what I call a conscience on the fritz.

Only an immature person would make a threat like this. “If you don’t do things my way and insist of making me look bad, I’m gonna just take my marbles and go home. Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!”

As for the oxymoronic nature of the idea, check out the next day’s tweet:

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You see the irony here, right? For years now the reasoning has been, “These are dangerous people and I’m going to keeping them from coming here. I am committed to keeping you safe.” Now it’s, “If you don’t let me do what I want the way I want, well, I’m going to dump these dangerous people on your doorstep!”

He’s been claiming that we need a wall to protect the country from gang members, drug dealers, traffickers and criminals. Now, because he doesn’t get his wall he wants to bus those same allegedly horrible people (and I’m not conceding that they are) into the country?!

A classic case of the oxymoronic, or just moronic, if you will. (Those who quick-read this and accuse me of calling POTUS a “moron,” please note that I identified his behavior as moronic, which is not the same as calling him a moron. I only do that in my head when I can’t stand another moronic act of his!)

As a bonus to unconscionable, immature, and oxymoronic, that this asinine action is fiscally infeasible. (Again, no name calling, just behavior identification.) Didn’t he recently threaten to pull federal funds from sanctuary cities? Now he wants to depend on those defunded municipalities to fund the mess that he himself created? The logic is similar to taking aid away from Central American countries in fiscal and social free-fall and then complaining when a stream of people fleeing for their lives from those countries end up on our doorstep. This is where unconscionable, immature, oxymoronic, and fiscally infeasible overlap!

Lastly, I might quote a couple sanctuary city citizens:

“This might well be one of Trump’s better ideas. It’s vindictive, and premised on ignorance, but it could be more dignified and humane for the immigrants seeking asylum, and in the end will probably just mean more economic growth for those cities.”

“My sanctuary city already has a network of support organizations ready to help new people get settled – we have been doing just that for decades. The reason we are a sanctuary city is because we understand these two things: – Helping people who are in need is the right thing to do, and – The vast majority of migrant people contribute to their communities and make things better. We would step up, even though the president is in bad faith and trying to cause chaos.”

Could their intentions be a tad unrealistic and a little naïve? Probably. Nevertheless, we need someone in the White House with a functioning conscience, with sufficient maturity to offer grownup and fiscally sound solutions to social problems.

“You don’t lead by hitting people over the head-that’s assault, not leadership.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

In light of all this, take one last minute and reread Solomon’s counsel regarding wise leaders at the top.

 

 

 

 

Come On People Now!

Sitting in a coffee shop today wiping tears from my eyes listening to Lizz Wright’s version of the ‘60s song made popular by the Youngbloods, “Get Together.” I defy you to listen to it as much with your heart as with your ears, thinking of the world we now live in, and do it without some emotion. Whatever you feel, sadness or hope or both all mashed together.

Though a child of the ‘60’s the lyrics never struck me so profoundly as they did today. Maybe it took a newer version of the song to give me a fresh appreciation for what it conveys. Listen to it while following along with the words. Whatever your generation, whatever your politics, and whatever your spirituality, I think we could use an anthem such as this for our time.

Love is but a song to sing

Fear’s the way we die

You can make the mountains ring

Or make the angels cry

Though the bird is on the wing

And you may not know why

 

Come on people now

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try to love one another

Right now

 

Some may come and some may go

We shall surely pass

When the one that left us here

Returns for us at last

We are but a moment’s sunlight

Fading in the grass

 

If you hear the song I sing

You will understand (listen!)

You hold the key to love and fear

All in your trembling hand

Just one key unlocks them both

It’s there at your command

Of course, as a Christian, my eyes fall first on the clear biblical phrases:

When the One that left us here

Returns for us at last

We are but a moment’s sunlight

Fading in the grass

Jesus will come back and fix it and fix us! In the meantime, we have to pay attention to the stark contrast and inevitable consequences of both love and fear.

Love is a captivating song and fear is how we are held captive and die emotionally, socially, and spiritually…
How we love or fear one another makes mountains sing or make angels cry…
And while our hands may tremble we can still hold and use the key that locks up fear and unlocks love… Seems a simple enough proposition.

Our time, in my opinion, is as tumultuous as when this song was popular half a century ago. Then we had an ill-conceived conflict in Viet Nam, a Cold War with the USSR, the Kennedy and King assassinations, Nixon’s lies and crimes, horrific racial strife, corporate corruption, class wars, and strife (to say the least) between the generations…

Today we’re terrified of terrorists (real and imagined), plagued by mass shootings in places of worship and on school grounds, a chaotic national administration, immense stress between the loyalists of both parties, racism (which has either made a comeback or has emerged out of the shadows), climate change which disproportionately threatens the poor, a national homelessness crisis, the greatest gap between the rich and poor ever, discord between the sexes, a humanitarian crisis at the border, a tanking educational system, the largest percentage of uninsured people in decades, immigration policy chaos, truth decay in every level of government, Russian interference in our democracy, media and social media wars, and on and on…

Friends, it’s time to cease fearing and start genuinely loving one another! Not in some hippie dippy way that only works under the influence of psychedelics (not that I know anything about that!). I’m talking about being under the influence of the God who is love.

We have at the tips of the fingers of our trembling hands the key to a better world. If we’ll just listen, we’ll understand!

Come on people now

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try to love one another

RIGHT NOW!