Stephen W. Hiemstra's Blog, page 34
October 4, 2024
El Publicano y el Fariseo
Al transcurrir el tiempo, Caín trajo al SEÑOR
una ofrenda del fruto de la tierra.
También Abel, por su parte, trajo de los primogénitos de sus ovejas
y de la grasa de los mismos.
El SEÑOR miró con agrado a Abel y su ofrenda,
pero no miró con agrado a Caín y su ofrenda.
(Gén 4:3–5)
Por Stephen W. Hiemstra
El evangelista Charles Finney (1792–1875), a veces llamado el padre del avivamiento, se formó como abogado y era conocido por predicar fuego y azufre (Galli y Olsen 2000, 67). Comprendió intuitivamente el contexto judicial de la misericordia y el papel crítico que desempeña el pecado original. Escribe:
“El culpable, si desea obtener misericordia del ejecutivo, debe admitir la rectitud de la ley y de la pena. De lo contrario, se pondrá en contra de la ley y la comunidad no podrá confiar en él”. (Finney 1999, 151)
Para el acusado, declararse culpable satisface el requisito judicial de misericordia porque declararse inocente niega que se haya infringido una ley. Declararse culpable también libera al fiscal de la carga de probar la culpabilidad y de un juicio prolongado, lo que reduce el gasto público—una enorme preocupación de los fiscales.
El pecado original es la doctrina que sostiene que aunque fuimos creados sin pecado, el pecado entró en la raza humana cuando Adán y Eva comieron del fruto prohibido (Gén 3:6). Este es un pecado colectivo donde el pecado de los padres se transmite a los hijos. (Éxod 34:7). El ciclo de pecado y culpa colectivos se rompió cuando un Cristo sin pecado murió en la cruz, pagando la pena del pecado por todos nosotros.
La expiación por el pecado colectivo, un acontecimiento predicho por el profeta Jeremías (31:29–30), sólo podía hacerse con un sacrificio divino.
El argumento de que todos somos básicamente buenos (es decir, que no somos culpables del pecado original) niega la obra principal de Cristo, de quien se afirma en todo el Nuevo Testamento que murió por nuestros pecados (por ejemplo, 1 Corintios 15:3). Sin pecado; no se necesita salvación. También implica que Cristo no es divino porque Cristo no podría haber sido un sacrificio sin pecado por todos nosotros a menos que también fuera Dios.
En consecuencia, el atributo de Dios de ser misericordioso se presenta como un argumento crítico para comprender los principios centrales de la fe cristiana.
Como abogado y evangelista, Finney jugó un papel clave en elevar el entendimiento común de nuestra fe cristiana, así como también ayudó a fundar el movimiento evangélico en el siglo XIX.
Para que nadie argumente que la comprensión judicial de la misericordia fue una innovación del siglo XIX, recordemos que la ley jugó un papel más importante en el judaísmo, que sirvió de telón de fondo para el Nuevo Testamento. Los escritores del Nuevo Testamento escribieron sobre el Evangelio en un contexto cultural donde los argumentos legales dominaban la vida cotidiana.
El Fariseo y el Publicano
La manera en que Jesús distinguió entre las declaraciones de culpabilidad y las de no culpabilidad juega un papel clave en esta parábola sobre la oración:
Dijo también Jesús esta parábola a unos que confiaban en sí mismos como justos, y despreciaban a los demás:
“Dos hombres subieron al templo a orar; uno era Fariseo y el otro recaudador de impuestos. El Fariseo puesto en pie, oraba para sí de esta manera: Dios, te doy gracias porque no soy como los demás hombres: estafadores, injustos, adúlteros; ni aun como este recaudador de impuestos. Yo ayuno dos veces por semana; doy el diezmo de todo lo que gano. Pero el recaudador de impuestos, de pie y a cierta distancia, no quería ni siquiera alzar los ojos al cielo, sino que se golpeaba el pecho, diciendo: Dios, ten piedad de mí, pecador. Les digo que éste descendió a su casa justificado pero aquél no; porque todo el que se engrandece será humillado, pero el que se humilla será engrandecido.” (Lucas 18:9–14)
En esta historia, el fariseo claramente cree que no es culpable (se declara inocente) de haber transgredido la ley mosaica, mientras que el recaudador de impuestos se ve a sí mismo culpable (se declara culpable). Aquí Dios desempeña el papel de un juez que da un veredicto de justificado al republicano, pero no al fariseo. Implícito en esta historia está el concepto de pecado original (Sal 14) porque ambos hombres son juzgados, lo cual fue culturalmente inesperado.
Esta parábola se centra en la palabra dikaio (BDAG 2005), que se traduce como justificado. Las dos definiciones principales tienen un contexto legal, es decir: Tomar una causa legal, mostrar justicia, hacer justicia, tomar una causa o emitir un veredicto favorable, reivindicar. Si bien el juez en esta parábola pronuncia el veredicto, no se menciona ninguna pena.
Caín y Abel
La ausencia de una pena es interesante porque esta parábola se centra en dos hombres devotos en el templo, lo que excluye a las personas seculares que no están en el templo, cuya pena por no adorar sería culturalmente más obvia. Este tipo de hombres son arquetipos explícitos donde uno es orgulloso y el otro humilde. Podríamos comparar a estos dos hombres con Caín y su hermano Abel, quienes presentaron sus ofrendas a Dios ante el altar. La ofrenda de Caín es rechazado, mientras que el de Abel es aceptado por Dios en su decisión soberana e inexplicable.
En otro contexto, podríamos describir esta parábola como si tomara la forma de una parodia o analogía (Dikkers 2018, 96–104). Como Jesús habló en persona, podríamos imaginar sus expresiones o pantomima mientras contaba esta historia. Incluso hoy, los rabinos pueden ser oradores hilarantes. Incluir a dos hombres devotos en el contexto de la adoración, uno aceptado y el otro rechazado, podría tomarse como un tropo literario del siglo I, tal vez embarazoso para los fariseos y divertido para otros.
Notar un contexto humorístico humaniza a Jesús y refuerza el enfoque en la actitud que se da en la introducción de la parábola.
Referencias
Finney, Charles. 1999. The Spirit-Filled Life (Orig pub 1845-1861). New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House.
Galli, Mark and Ted Olsen. 2000. 131 Christians Everyone Should Know. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
El Publicano y el Fariseo
Also see:
Prefacio de La Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad
Prefacio de la Vida en Tensión
The Who Question
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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October 1, 2024
Calhoun Touches Souls
John A. Calhoun. 2024. And the Souls Felt Their Worth: A Life of Purpose, Policy, and the People Who Inspired Me Along the Way. Brand Spoken Press (www.BrandSpoken.com)
Review by Stephen W. Hiemstra
We experience God in time. The first verse in Genesis makes this point: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen 1:1). Anything with a beginning has end. The Greeks talk about Chronos time, measured by your watch, and Kairos time, when we experience a divine appointment. The journey in life from beginning to end provides life purpose.
In his book, And the Souls Felt Their Worth, John “Jack” Calhoun chronicles his divine appointments. He starts with a Gandhi cite: “I am going to Calcutta;
that’s where the fire is.” (3) The context for this cite is his reason for departing a meeting to talk about change. If you have ever attended such a meeting, you know that talking about change is often a substitute for actually making it happen. Jack clearly gets the point.
Socially-Held Identity
The catch-phrase, And the Souls Felt Their Worth, appears repeatedly throughout Jack’s memoir. The Hebrew understanding of soul differs from the Greek, which we normally quote. For the Hebrew, body, mind, and soul are interconnected, while the Greeks distinguish them as independent. Their understanding of soul is also more than simple a person’s characteristics, worldview, and spirit. Soul denotes something more than the squishy notion of spirit and closer to the postmodern concept of identity. Your identity—soul—is not just a personal attribute; it is also socially held.
The idea of a socially-held identity seems strange to most of us, but it is fundamental to understanding Jack’s focus on social action. My identity in this day and age has to include my profession—one of the first things people ask about a person. I can describe myself as an author, pastor, and economist, but I will not be recognized as such unless I am credentialed by my publisher, seminary, or university. My profession becomes a socially-held part of my identity. Theologically, when I profess Christ as my lord and savior, the Holy Spirit comes into my life and my identity is held by the immortal God. In this sense, I experience everlasting life.
Jack implicitly recognizes that when someone, such as an inner-city youth, is deprived of connection with family, church, and community, their socially-held identity is stunted. In fact, it could become quite negative as various negative terms are applied to such people. Loser, gang member, deviant, delinquent, criminal, and more colorful terms may creep into their social-identity. Our social identity either lifts us up or smashes us down. And it is not necessarily under our own control. Consequently, most of Jack’s essays on social action close with his catch-phrase: And the Soul Felt Its Worth.
Restorative Justice
A theme in Jack’s work is the concept of restorative justice. Normally, we refer to the justice system in America as the criminal justice system, which implies that the penalty for criminal acts is punitive. Restorative justice seeks to reform offenders, not punish them.
The primary example of restorative justice lies at the heart of good parenting. When I stole a candy bar from a grocery store at the age of five, my mother made me return to the store, apologize, and hand the candy bar back to the cashier. The purpose of this exercise was to teach me social responsibility and it worked. I never stole again.
Restorative justice is based on at least two principles: forgiveness and teachability.
Historically, the church has taught forgiveness. When Dylan Roof entered a prayer group at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina and shot to death nine members of the church only because they were black, the church later made a point of publicly forgiving him (159-161). The pathway to healing begins many times with forgiveness, something increasingly rare in our society today.
Teachability has historically been assumed with regard to juvenile offenders and most often neglected in the case of adult offenders, even when appropriate. This distinction is less valid today than in the past, both because juvenile offenders have gamed the system and because adulthood is harder to define in a boundary-free culture. If finding work and entering into marriage are increasingly out of reach for many young adults, how do we mark the transition into adulthood? It is often hard to judge who is mature and who remains teachable in this environment.
Whether or not you understand and support restorative justice projects, the distinction between restorative justice and criminal justice provides a helpful organizing concept for identifying the issues that we face today in dealing with crime.
Background and Organization
John Calhoun is a graduate of Brown University, has a Masters of Divinity from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, a Masters of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Heidelberg College in Tiffin Ohio (192).
Jack has served in a number of high-profile policy roles, such as the U.S. Commissioner of the (Carter) Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (191). He writes in twenty-eight chapters, organized chronologically.
Assessment
John A. Calhoun’s And the Souls Felt Their Worth: A Life of Purpose, Policy, and the People Who Inspired Me Along the Way is both a memoir and a chronology of efforts to reach troubled youth since the advent of the Great Society in the 1960s.
For those of us who grew up in this period, Jack’s memoir offers rare insight into events that most of us only read about in the newspaper. While reading through these essays, I continually had flashbacks to my college days when I was a Nader’s Raider, worked on several political campaigns, and served briefly as a community organizer. This work convinced me of the social need to study economics so I transferred schools and concentrated on establishing a career.
Jack’s memoir is well-written and it is likely to inspire others to take up the call to action.
Calhoun Touches Soul
Also see:
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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September 30, 2024
Barren Trees: Monday Monologues (podcast), September 30, 2024
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
This morning I will share a prayer and reflect on Barren Fig Trees. After listening, please click here to take a brief listener survey (10 questions).
To listen, click on this link.
Hear the words; Walk the steps; Experience the joy!
Barren Trees: Monday Monologues (podcast), September 30, 2024
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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September 29, 2024
Prayer for Barren Fig Trees
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
Almighty father,
All praise and honor, power and dominion, truth and justice are yours, because you taught us the meaning of mercy and practiced forgiveness before we had any idea of either.
We confess that we are slow learners, especially when it requires us to forgive others. Forgive our hardened hearts, slothful minds, and lazy hands that never seem to get it right.
Thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus of Nazareth on the cross. Teach us to emulate his sacrifice for those around us.
In the power of your Holy Spirit, grant us strength to endure sacrifice, grace to share with others, and the peace that passes all understanding.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Prayer for Barren Fig Trees
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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Oración de la Higuera Estéril
Por Stephen W. Hiemstra
Padre todopoderoso,
Toda alabanza y honor, poder y dominio, verdad y justicia son tuyos, porque nos enseñaste el significado de la misericordia y practicaste el perdón antes de que tuviéramos idea de ninguno de los dos.
Confesamos que aprendemos lentamente, especialmente cuando se requiere que perdonemos a los demás. Perdona nuestros corazones endurecidos, nuestras mentes nubladas y nuestras manos perezosas que nunca parecen hacerlo bien.
Gracias por el sacrificio de Jesús de Nazaret en la cruz. Enséñanos a emular su sacrificio por quienes nos rodean.
En el poder de tu Espíritu Santo, concédenos fuerza para soportar el sacrificio, gracia para compartir con los demás y la paz que sobrepasa todo entendimiento.
En el precioso nombre de Jesús, Amén.
Oración de la Higuera Estéril
Also see:
El Rostro de Dios en las Parábolas
Prefacio de La Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad
Prefacio de la Vida en Tensión
The Who Question
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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September 27, 2024
The Barren Fig Tree
For no good tree bears bad fruit,
nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,
for each tree is known by its own fruit.
(Lk 6:43-44)
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
Jesus talked frequently about fruit as a mark of identity. Just as a tree is known for its fruit, the heart is known by its actions. He said: “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7:20) Believers and prophets alike are to be measured by their fruits. John the Baptist was even more direct, measuring repentance by the actions that followed—presumably penance—in the context of divine judgment (Matt 3:8).
The Apostle Paul also talked about fruit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-23) He contrasted the fruit of the spirit with the desires of the flesh and the works that follow:
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” (Gal 5:19-21)
The controlling idea here is that the desires of the heart are revealed in the actions of the body. The Apostle James underscored this same relationship and tied to the patience of a farmer who had to wait after planting seed for the rains to come and the plants to grow (Jam 5:7).
Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Jesus told this parable:
“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? And he answered him, Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” (Lk 13:6-9)
Notice the three actors in this parable: a landowner, a vinedresser, and a fig tree. The conversation here is like a discussion between God the Father (the landowner) and Jesus Christ (the vinedresser) about a certain person (the fig tree). Here the vinedresser is arguing for more time for the fig tree to yield fruit and offering to weed and fertilize the tree. The tree has no inherent value other than to yield fruit and it is not currently yielding fruit.
The landowner offers mercy to the fig tree in the form of additional growing time, but this mercy has limits—one more year to grow. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the mercy offered was also limited—the servant whose debt was forgiven was expected to offer similar mercy to his own debtors, a kind of fruit of repentance as John the Baptist required (Matt 3:8).
Mercy as a Divine Attribute
As described above, mercy serves as a test of those receiving it with the implication that judgment will follow for those that fail the test. God’s mercy is not carte blanc: It describes who he is, but it also comes in the context of obligations and limits on our own behavior.
In law, we find two kinds of justice: Criminal justice and restorative justice. Criminal justice serves to punish offenders and leaves it up to them to abide by the law in the future by weighing the costs (suffering penalties under law) and benefits (avoiding the penalties) of compliance. Restorative justice focuses on reforming the offender. Typically, juveniles face restorative justice, while adults face criminal justice.
The Bible presents God as generally offering restorative justice. The story of Cain and Abel is an example of this restorative justice. When Cain gets angry with his brother, Abel, God advices him to deal with his anger (Gen 4:6-7). When Cain then kills Abel, God curses him to be a wanderer (4:12). When Cain complains that he cannot bare his punishment, God protects him from the revenge of other men by placing a mark on him (Gen 4:15). Had God imposed the penalty of death on Cain, it would have been criminal justice (Gen 9:6). As it was, Cain received restorative justice even though he never actually reformed.
In the parable of the Barren Fig Tree, I have always wondered how many years the vinedresser didn’t argue with the landowner for the fig tree. In our backyard we have a barren persimmon tree. I have for years argued to cut it down and for years my wife has told me: Give it one more year. Knowing the heart of God, I expect that a similar outcome would follow.
The Barren Fig Tree
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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La Higuera Estéril
Porque no hay árbol bueno que produzca fruto malo,
ni a la inversa, árbol malo que produzca fruto bueno.
Pues cada árbol por su fruto se conoce.
(Lucas 6:43–44)
Jesús hablaba frecuentemente del fruto como señal de identidad. Así como un árbol se conoce por sus frutos, el corazón se conoce por sus acciones. Él dijo: “Así que, por sus frutos los conocerán.” (Mateo 7:20) Tanto los creyentes como los profetas deben ser medidos por sus frutos. Juan el Bautista fue aún más directo y midió el arrepentimiento en términos de las acciones que siguieron—presumiblemente la penitencia—en el contexto del juicio divino (Mateo 3:8).
El apóstol Pablo también habló del fruto: “Pero el fruto del Espíritu es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fidelidad, mansedumbre, dominio propio; contra tales cosas no hay ley.”(Gal 5:22–23) Contrastó el fruto del espíritu con los deseos de la carne y las obras que siguen:
“Ahora bien, las obras de la carne son evidentes, las cuales son: inmoralidad, impureza, sensualidad, idolatría, hechicería, enemistades, pleitos, celos, enojos, rivalidades, disensiones, herejías, envidias, borracheras, orgías y cosas semejantes, contra las cuales les advierto, como ya se lo he dicho antes, que los que practican tales cosas no heredarán el reino de Dios.” (Gal 5:19–21)
La idea dominante aquí es que los deseos del corazón se revelan en las acciones del cuerpo. El apóstol Santiago subrayó esta misma relación y la vinculó a la paciencia de un agricultor que tenía que esperar después de sembrar la semilla a que llegaran las lluvias y las plantas crecieran (Sant 5:7).
Parábola de La Higuera Estéril
Jesús contó esta parábola:
¨Cierto hombre tenía una higuera plantada en su viña; y fue a buscar fruto de ella y no lo halló. Y dijo al viñador: Mira, hace tres años que vengo a buscar fruto en esta higuera, y no lo hallo. Córtala. ¿Por qué ha de cansar la tierra? El viñador le respondió: Señor, déjala por este año todavía, hasta que yo cave alrededor de ella, y le eche abono, y si da fruto el año que viene, bien; y si no, córtala.¨ (Lucas 13:6–9)
Nota las tres actores en esta parábola: un terrateniente, un viñador, y una higuera. Alegóricamente, la conversación aquí es una discusión entre Dios Padre (el terrateniente) y Jesucristo (el viñador) sobre cierta persona (la higuera). Aquí el viñador pide más tiempo para que la higuera dé frutos y se ofrece a desherbar y fertilizar el árbol. El árbol no tiene ningún valor inherente más que el de dar frutos y actualmente no está dando frutos.
El terrateniente ofrece misericordia a la higuera en forma de tiempo adicional de crecimiento, pero esta misericordia tiene límites: Sólo un año más para crecer. Al igual que la parábola del Siervo Inclemente, la misericordia ofrecida es limitada: Se esperaba que el siervo perdonado ofreciera una misericordia similar a sus propios deudores, una especie de fruto del arrepentimiento que exigía Juan el Bautista (Mateo 3:8).
La Misericordia como Atributo Divino
Como se describió anteriormente, la misericordia sirve como una prueba para quienes la reciben, con la implicación de que el juicio seguirá para aquellos que no pasan la prueba. La misericordia de Dios no es una carta blanca: Describe quién es Él, pero también se presenta en el contexto de obligaciones y límites a nuestro propio comportamiento.
En derecho encontramos dos tipos de justicia: La justicia penal y la justicia restaurativa. La justicia penal sirve para castigar a los infractores y les deja en sus manos el cumplimiento de la ley en el futuro sopesando los costos (sufrir penas conforme a la ley) y los beneficios (evitar penas futuras) del incumplimiento. La justicia restaurativa se centra en reformar al delincuente. Normalmente, los menores se enfrentan a la justicia restaurativa, mientras que los adultos se enfrentan a la justicia penal.
La Biblia presenta a Dios ofreciendo en general justicia restaurativa. La historia de Caín y Abel es un ejemplo de esta justicia restaurativa. Cuando Caín se enojó con su hermano Abel, Dios le aconseja que enfrente su enojado (Gén 4:6–7). Cuando Caín mata a Abel, Dios lo maldice por ser un vagabundo. (Gén 4:12). Cuando Caín se queja de que no puede soportar el castigo, Dios lo protege de la venganza de otros hombres poniéndole una marca (Gén 4:15). Si Dios hubiera impuesto la pena de muerte a Caín, habría sido justicia penal (Gén 9:6). Así las cosas, Caín recibió justicia restaurativa aunque nunca escuchamos que realmente se reformó.
En la parábola de la higuera estéril, siempre me he preguntado cuántos años no discutió el viñador con el propietario por la higuera. En nuestro patio trasero tenemos un árbol de caqui estéril. Durante años he discutido para reducirlo y durante años mi esposa me ha dicho: Dale un año más. Conociendo el corazón de Dios, espero que ver un resultado similar.
La Higuera Estéril
Also see:
Prefacio de La Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad
Prefacio de la Vida en Tensión
The Who Question
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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September 24, 2024
Lee Chronicles Little Captain John
John E. Lee, Jr. 2014. Born Rich: In a Time That is Gone Forever. Aliceville, Alabama.
Review by Stephen W. Hiemstra
How do you honor your past? In the Hiemstra family it was common knowledge that the farm was a better place to raise kids because it provided the time and space for children to play, get to know the family, and develop life skills that are often taken for granted. The simple acts of preparing garden soil, planting seeds, tending them, and watching them grow to maturity, for example, teaches hard work and patience in the face of adversity, attributes often neglected in the city.
Introduction
In his memoir, Born Rich, John Lee Jr, known by those who knew him best as Little Captain John—because he was a junior and his father was known locally as Captain John—chronicles his life in form of short stories about growing up in Darcy, Alabama. These stories are neither boring nor random but instead outline the folk wisdom often expressed in rural families, as Lee explains:
“My family did not always have an abundance of food … but we never really went hungry … I was never a fashion trend setter … but I always had clothes on my back … I haven’t lived in mansions, but I have never been homeless … I had a storybook childhood … I have endless opportunities that enriched my life and challenges that strengthened me.” (vii)
It is hard to remain a spectator in your own life when you know that food won’t go on the table unless you grow it, clothes won’t be on your back unless you sew them, and the roof over your head won’t keep out the rain unless you repair it.
Still, self-reliance has its limits—crushing poverty removes the means to maintaining this standard of care. Part of the uniquely southern experience is to recognize one’s advantages, as Lee observes:
“… much of my childhood revolved around black friends, playmates, workers on our farm and just neighbors. Whites were a distinct but privileged minority in the rural area of Alabama where I grew up.” (ix)
Part of the life lesson of growing up in the Lee family was to value the sense of connection to the community and obligation to those less fortunate (14). Thus, self-reliance and a compassionate character need to be balanced, if one is to live a Christian life in the midst of trying social circumstances (22).
The Two Levels
Lee’s memoir bears reading on at least two levels. The first level of reading, which corresponds closely with the primary title—“Born Rich”, follows family life primarily over the course of the 1930s and 1940s, as seen through the eyes of the young man living it. Against a backdrop of family anecdotes dating to the nineteenth century, Lee writes formative and humorous stories about misadventures of a farm boy learning agricultural wisdom, running small businesses, and participating in community life.
For example, what’s the difference between sweet corn and corn for grain harvest? Lee writes:
“Roastin’ ears were ears of corn that were pulled still tender and juicy—good for eating but not mature enough for grain.” (72)
What’s the difference between grits, meal, and flour? It depended on how closely the stones in a grist mill were set together in grinding corn (222).
The second level of reading, which flows from the subtitle—“in a time that is gone forever”, follows more subtly from the detailed descriptions of rural technologies, as seen through the eyes of a seasoned economist. Lee notices, for example, the influence of the construction of new road or rail-line on local businesses (23-25) and notes the demise of the share-cropper system as employment picked up after World War II (195). What is surprising perhaps is the extent that the rural economy in Alabama was as dynamic as it was during this period—causal observers often picture the rural south as being trapped in a screen-set for Gone with the Wind, which is certainly not the case. Because of the attention to technical detail of Lee’s accounts, this memoir could easily be mistaken for a case study of rural life and economy.
Having studied the cattle industry during my own doctoral research, I found Lee’s comments about raising purebred Shorthorns fascinating. For example, how long is the gestation period for a Shorthorn cow? 270 days (199). What do you do when a cow gets screwworms? Lee writes:
“…screwworms [were] nasty little worms that hatched from eggs laid by flies in wound in a cow’s skin. Sometimes we had to tie a cow down and pick out the worms with tweezers, then pour a thick protective medicine into the wound.” (200)
How would you like to be assisting with this operation when you were in high school?
Assessment
John Lee, Jr’s Born Rich is a memoir of family anecdotes, rural stories, and descriptions of community life in Dancy, Alabama in the 1930s and 1940s. Written primarily for a family audience (the paperback is a limited edition not available online), this memoir is nonetheless of interest to students of rural development and regional studies of southern agriculture. In my case, I just found it a great read—perhaps you will too.
Footnotes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_wi....
Also see:
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
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September 23, 2024
Unforgiving Servant: Monday Monologues (podcast), September 23, 2024
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
This morning I will share a prayer and reflect on the Unforgiving Servant. After listening, please click here to take a brief listener survey (10 questions).
To listen, click on this link.
Hear the words; Walk the steps; Experience the joy!
Unforgiving Servant: Monday Monologues (podcast), September 23, 2024
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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September 22, 2024
Prayer of Mercy
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
God of All Mercy,
All praise and honor, power and dominion, truth and justice are yours, because you forgive our sins when we repent of them and keep your promises.
Forgive us of our own inconsistent emotions and behaviors that lead us to sin and to neglect our promises.
Thank you for the gift of forgiveness granted to us because of Jesus’ death on cross.
In the power of your Holy Spirit, draw us closer to you day by day that we might draw strength from your strength, grace from your grace, and peace from your peace.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Prayer of Mercy
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/school_Sep2024, Signup
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