What is mercy?

Dear Family,

We love justice, don't we? Especially if we have had to work hard to get where we are; we really dont like it when someone gets by without doing the same kind of effort. We feel cheated if someone take a shortcut to success; while we had to jump through every hoop and conquer every hill, right? We want people to earn what they get; nothing is free, right?

Many years ago, while i was in high school, there was a rumor of a guy making the basketball team without doing what the others had to do. It was, in my high school, a standard that to make the team, one had to run two miles in twelve minutes or faster. The coach wanted players in shape, because his style was intense and go, go, go. One player, who was a bit out of shape, couldn't seem to make the team, no matter how many tries he had. First time he was about five minutes too slow. Then he got it down to four. Maybe two. And i think he might have even gotten within a minute, but he didn't get it all the way under twelve minutes.

Did he make the team? No one else had? Everyone else had to run the two miles in twelve minutes, including the coach's son. So did the guy who tried like five times to do it; did he make the team?

Yes.

Was it fair?

A thief on the cross receives the same reward as the disciples: an eternity with Jesus; the thief spent his life stealing from people; the disciples serving. Both get the same reward.

Was it fair?

It seems this is the paradox that we live in. The challenge of being fair against the mercy/grace of God. We proclaim that God is gracious, and we do our best to steer our ships along God's path, believing the reward will be great. We understand our need for God's grace. But when someone comes along and doesn't do what we do, and God still gives them the same treatment, blessing, and reward that God gives us; we cry foul!

It seems this is one of the things about being human. We see things dimly through our limited understanding, and that often leads to near-sightedness. But God, like the basketball coach who saw the bigger picture, sees all and knows all. If God, as Jesus does by healing on the Sabbath and offering rest and peace to the pilgrims and picking grain on the Sabbath, chooses mercy for people, why does that matter to us? Why should we care if we labor our entire lives, loving, serving, and honoring God, and in His wisdom, He chooses to reward the laziest and most vile among us just as much as He rewards us? Aren't we still getting what He promised?

We want mercy, but can we truly handle mercy/grace being offered to people that we deem outside the sphere of acceptance? The religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, because Jesus chose mercy, not sacrifice, as an attribute to highlight. Why can't we do the same?

Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

What does it all mean?

Dear Family,
I am sitting in a Barnes and Nobles Starbucks, in Miamisburg, OH, because the snowfall has kept me from making it all the way to the church. So i sit, listening to powerful Christmas songs, reflecting on the meaning of this season. Everywhere i go, it seems people have the Christmas spirit. I think i heard that sales are up. Attendance at the mall is up. People are doing more. It seems, at least this year, that we have emerged from our financial stupor. And that is something we should all celebrate.

But is that the meaning of Christmas? Is Christmas about amassing a horde of presents under our tree? Is Christmas about engorging ourselves with cookies, cakes, and eggnog? Is about looking for that jolly old fat man, you know the one with the beard and the reigndeer? Do these embody Christmas?

Christmas is just over a week away, and we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world, next Friday at 6:30 PM, beginning with fellowship and snacks with worship to follow. It will be a time of sharing our stories, connecting our narratives and journeys with each other, but it will also be about tying our stories to the One whom spent his first few hours, on earth, breathing in cattle dung and hay. Christmas Eve worship should remind us what this season is truly for: honoring Jesus and loving one another.

Should we exchange gifts? Absolutely. Should we tell our children about Santa Claus, of course. And should we be thankful that our economy, even slowly, is recovering? Definately. But we must not allow the church to completely mirror the world's definition and representation of Christmas. For those of us within the Christian tradition, we must use this time to reconnect to God and each other. This is the season the reminds us to recocile with one another, restore broken relationships, and remove the barriers to a healthy, thriving community. These are key reasons for this season, and as Christians, if we are to honor Jesus, we must embrace these truths.

But we must also celebrate like kids. There is nothing wrong with making angels and build snow castles, play is a gift from God. There is nothing wrong with rehearsing Santa's story, sharing a story with kids of all ages honors God. And there is no reason to lament when people buy stuff, especially when we see the joy in the eyes of those who get to give the gifts: joy, giving, and love are some of God's best attributes. So enjoy Christmas but also reflect on the deeper spiritual meanings of this amazing season of preparation.

Have a great Sunday, and i will see you all the evening of the 24th, when we will build a stable and community for those who are hungry: spiritually, literally, communally, and emotionally. Amen..

Shalom
Salaam
Peace...

jerry

Together...

Dear Family,

It has been two weeks since i posted my last blog, and i have missed this time. As much as it can be a chore, to write new words and thoughts, every week, i also find a lot of joy and fulfillment in the process. It enriches my soul to know, even if i cant see you read or engage in a conversation over what you read, that some are reading what i write. I like the small but powerful community we have created from this blog. I believe our future is bright and beautiful, not bleak.

It seems rather irresposible to speak of a future being bright and beautiful, when we are talking about the West Milton Church of the Brethren. I mean we did have less than thirty on Sunday, and that is, without question the lowest of the low, in attendance. I get really anxious when i see those numbers. I get a little ansy. But something overcomes me, quickly, reminding me to have hope, to live in faith, and to trust in our Creator. That's why i have hope. God is still here.

God has not abandoned us. God still runs after us. And God wants so much more for us. God knows where our journey leads, and He has all the faith in us to get there. God believes in us way more than we believe in Him or even ourselves. That's why i have hope. God is still working on our behalf. But how do we get there? How can we turn the corner to become that which God created us to be? How can we stop the seemingly downward spiral of attendance?

I dont have a clear sense of what those answers might be, but i do know this. If we can, like the letter for Sunday points to, go through this TOGETHER, then we can and will emerge more whole: as individuals and as a corporate unit. Together we can hear God speaking. Together we can stop the descent into the abyss of history. And together we will experience a nascent from our past into a brilliant future. TOGETHER God will rewrite our narrative. TOGETHER.

Alone, well we know where that leads. It got us to this point. So why keep it up? Its time to enter into ministry with breastplate of faith, the shield of love, the belt of unity, and the shoes of mission. When we embrace a life lived together for the benefits of the other in our communities, God will restore our church. No. More than that, He will create a new identity and creation out of us, one that is vibrant, lively, and healthy. So let's go. Lets get together and change the world.
Lets get together and change the course of history. And lets get together and change our own narrative as a body of believers. Let's get together and experience the Risen Lord. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

PS just a reminder that our Christmas Eve Service starts at six thirty pm, at the church with a time of fellowship followed by worship at seven pm. The theme for worship: "Welcome to the Stable." Come and be fed. Come and be made whole. Come and experience Immanuel, but come together..

Its Turkey Time..

Dear Family,

We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday, and i hope that you all took time with family and friends, and i also hope that you all took time to reflect on just how blessed we truly are. As i write these words, it seems North Korea is doing all it can to push South Korea, and by proxy and being their ally, the United States of America into war. The last few days have illuminated the acts, desperate acts, of a maniacal leader, and i am nervous where this could lead. North Korea is at a place, economically, that it would do anything to emerge from its financial crisis, even declare all out war. And by the way, North Korea has nuclear capabilities, but we never invaded North Korea to stop them from amassing weapons of mass destruction. Just think about that for a while.

Anyway. As i type, reflecting on the fact that another war could be upon us, i have to take time to be thankful for how blessed i am. When i examine my life, my family, my career, my schooling, and my church family, i feel incredibly touched by God. No amount of uncertainty can change the fact that God has touched my life, immensely. I cannot complain, and i would feel rather self-absorbed and disconnected if i didn't celebrate God's presence and blessings in my life.

Which paves the way for the greatest season of the year: Advent. It is a season to celebrate hope, joy, peace, and love, as we journey towards the birth of Immanuel: God with us. On Sunday we will honor our emergence into Advent by naming what this season promises: hope. And each successive Sunday will illumine another promise of the season, moving us to Christmas Eve, when we will honor Jesus, the promise made real.

Is it enough to worship Jesus who promises hope, joy, peace, and love? Is that all we should focus on during Advent? These are vital to our well-being, but is there more? Should we expect more? Should God expect more of us?

This year, i want us to journey, together, through a series i named LITE. It stands for Love Inspires Together for the benefit of Everyone. This Sunday we will jump into Romans 13, where Paul tells us that love, not legalism, doctrine, dogma, perfection, moral rigidity, but love is the fulfillment of the Law: Love of God/Love of neighbor. But what does it mean to love God? Love our neighbor? Who is our neighbor?

These questions should motivate us to find/discover the answers, because i sense they are going to be different per person, per community of faith, and per season of our journey. No matter how these questions reveal themselves to us, i know we will never uncover the answers, unless we journey, as one body, together, into the depths of whatever ministry God has created us for. Love is only truly love, when our lives, our ministries, and our passions are shared with other sisters and brothers. Only when our lives are shared, honestly, zealously, together, will we experience the true power of the Divine.

And now, more than ever, we need some Divine Intervention. So join me and your other sisters and brothers on an adventure that will change our lives and the world. Amen.

Shalom, Salaam, and Peace...

And in the words of a classic Christmas Hymn: "Joy to the World! The LORD has come.."

jerry

The Church with Low Standards

Dear Family,

I have a friend who tried to get into the PhD program at the University of Chicago. She was wanting to look at how theology could still impact and affect our society, even though many outside the walls of the church simply ignore anything and everything the church might have to say about certain topics. She had the grades. She had a strong reference, from an established and well-respected alum of the University of Chicago. And her written work/ thesis was above and beyond worthy of being published. It seemed a slam dunk, even in the prestigious standards of the University of Chicago. Perceptions are not always realities.

She didn't get in. They didn't accept her. They didn't have to. They had a long list of other "candidates" who were more University of Chicago style, and my friend went west, to California, where she earned her PhD at another strong university. I realize that higher education has these standards, these "yokes" if you will, which they place upon prospective students, to ensure the highest standards for those institutions. If one doesn't meet the "yoke," or if one can't carry the "yoke" well then one fails to either get in or one fails to leave there with a degree. These institutions have reputations to protect, and they just cant accept anyone, right?

We don't fault them, do we? We don't condemn for their stringent acceptance policies; we challenge the folks to raise their level of work and meet the institutions standards, but wont this always leave some people out, without a chance to prove their worth? Sure i hear the protests already, there are other places, other schools, so those who cant get the grades, do the work, or meet the requirements, should simply lower their expectations and go where they will fit. But how does this enable even the least likely to succeed to want to move beyond his failures to become something greater?

Which is what Jesus addresses when Jesus says, "Come to me all who are weary, and i will give you rest. For my burden is easy and my yoke is light." Jesus knew how hard it would be, for most of the population, to meet the high standards of the religious leaders, so what did Jesus do? He made an open door policy for any and all that would never be welcomed, accepted, or embraced in those places which require strict adherents to their "yokes." Jesus became the One who would accept and empower those persons who would never meet the standards. And Jesus, yes the One we claim to follow and believe in, this Jesus sought after those persons that not only the religoius leaders scoffed at, but society in general relegated and too easily forgot about. Jesus chased after them and said, "Hey you, yeah you, you, there, in that dusty hat, wearing those dirty clothes, covered in sheep dung, come here, and i will embrace you. I know the world has forgotten and dismissed you, but I, Jesus, want to empower you to build a Kingdom."

There is something powerful and amazing when people who have always been relegated to the margins all of a sudden become the center of what's happening. What is amazing? What is powerful? God moves in.

If thats how Jesus approaches the marginalized, what are we doing for them? If Jesus promises rest for the forgotten, how are we taking care of them. And if Jesus' words about yoke and burdens is true, that His are light and easy, then what demands are we putting on those who want to enter our church family? Can people say of us, the West Milton Church of the Brethren is a place for rest. It is a place where they create spaces for healing and restoration. It is a church family that carries the load with you. And it is a place of refuge. Can and do people say these things about us? They did about Jesus, and the people ran to Him, by the thousands...

Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

What now?

Dear Family,



Are we thankful? Are we truly thankful? I am not talking about what we do every year at Thanksgiving, which, at least for me, has become another reason to expand the American waistline. But are we truly, honestly, earnestly thankful? Do we actually take time, in our busy days, to show our Creator thanks? Do our lives reflect a deep sense of gratitude? And what about our church family/church community, can those outside our walls accuse us of being full of thanks? If not, why not?



Again, i am not wanting to descend into a debate about the role of Thanksgiving, which we all celebrate. No i am not wanting to discuss Thanksgiving. Because truth is, other than expanding our waistlines, i wonder if it, more than anything, paves the way for the Christmas shopping season, so even Thanksgiving, in its truest form, has been long lost. Anyway, what about us? What about our lives? Our churches? Have we lost the gift of being thankful?



It seems Jesus knew this would happen, when he addresses those cities that had experienced His power, and they did nothing in response to His miracles. They simply go about business as usual, which incites Jesus to bring down "woes" upon them. I fear this is our future. I fear that we have forgotten, truly forgotten, the miracles that Jesus has performed, already, in our midst, and our short term memories, more like self-serving memories, would rather attach themselves to that which is not Godly: money, wealth, status, arrogance, comfort, unfaith, complacency, apathy, spiritual malaise, etc. You get the picture.



I think, as i look not only at our church community but the entire western church landscape, i sense a deep malaise, and i wonder if Jesus isn't ready to, once again, condemn us with a series of "Woes."



Why? Because we have experienced the miraculous, and yet how have we responded? Are we making the world better? Do we chomp at the bit to get here on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc, to worship and honor our God? Are we ready to take up our crosses, no matter what? Is our community closer to the Kingdom of God because we are doing what God calls us to do? My sense, at least in my small understanding of what is of Christ, is that these questions would be answered in the affirmative if we honored Jesus.



So what are we about? Faith? Unfaith? Ministry? Judgment? Healing? Disease? Community? Dysfunction? Restoration? Destruction? Love? Hate? Some of these are of God, some of them are not. Some honor the Christ. Others dishonor Him. And some bear fruit. While the others lead to a fig tree withering away, never to bear fruit again. Which are we? Which do we want to be? The answer holds our future, and it is ours to claim.


The cities that experienced Jesus' miracles just went about business as usual, and Jesus brought some woes to them. What does Jesus have in store for us? It is not too late to invite Him to sit at our table and enjoy the fruits of our ministry, with us. Amen.


Salaam, shalom, peace,

jerry

John goes first

Dear family,



There is a famous quote, and i will paraphrase here, "If i succeed at anything, it is because i stand the shoulders of giants." In other words, if i achieve anything, if i leave any sort of legacy, and if i can make any difference, it is because i have stood in the steps of those who went before me, making it possible for me to experience success. We need trailblazers, to ease the rough roads, so we can continue their challenge and further their calling. It doesn't matter if we are talking about cancer research, discoveries in mathematics, building a beautiful garden, or continuing the work of Jesus: Peacefully, simply, together.



And its natural, biblical, to depend on the work of previous generations to guide and direct our work and our ministries. Abraham paved the way for Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Moses paved the way for Joshua and the others. Saul paved the way for David, Solomon, and the kings. Sarah proved women have a voice too, as she illuminated a path for Rebekah, Ruth, and Esther.



Hebrew heroes aren't the only ones showing us how to continue the work, but John the Babtist paved the way for Jesus, who paved the way for the 12, who paved the way for the first century church, who paved the way for Martin Luther, John Calvin, Menno Simons, and our own Alexander Mack. Mack paved the way for migration to the United States and people like Sarah Righter Major, Anna Mow, Ted Studebaker, Dan West, Norman Reeder, Kay Baker, Michael Feely, and Gina Roberts.



Each generation depends on the previous for success. It is natural. It is biblical. It is Godly.



But if the "new" generation remains in the past, well it has not carried the work on. It has, as too many churches are discovering, relegated the entire story, of their church, to a time when people went to church on Sundays and pastors were seen as model citizens and not people who perverted power and society for their own gain. So though we must not forget where we came from and who helped get us here, we must not let their addition to our story be the last words written.



To honor them and their work, their ministry, their mission, and their sacrifice requires us to write new and exciting chapters to what they begun. Jesus did it with John. Jacob did it with Abraham. And now you and i have the awesome responsibility to do with Mack and all the other Brethren voices who have made it possible for us to be here, at such a time as this. But what we do with it, well that will determine what we leave for the next generation.


You see that is the other part of the challenge. We must lay foundations for those coming after us. And we must not let the story end with us. We could lament the declining membership, attendance, and giving, or we could see this for what it is: a great challenge, given by God, to rise up and say no to fear, say no to anger, say no to dysfunction, and say no to doubt. Not us. Not now. Not ever.


We will, like our ancestors, live in faith and ministry, and we will, just like our ancestors, leave a legacy for future generations to pick, carry on, and add to. Are you with me? Only the future of our world lies in the balance.. Amen.



Shalom,

jerry

The Art of Mission...

Dear family,

I am trying to encourage Daniel to jump, but it is a challenge. He has this soft slide/ladder combo that cushions his fall, so we started moving the two pieces further apart from each other. That could, in theory, cause him to jump from one piece to the next, and it gives me the security knowing if he misses the jump or lands on his back, its a soft landing, and he wont get hurt, too badly. Anyway, i encourage, Kendra says push, Daniel to take the leap. Go ahead Daniel, i say, it wont hurt, you can do it. He measures up the distance. He looks up at me. He counts, "1, 2, 3," bends his knees and then steps down. All that build up, i thought for sure he was going to jump out of the room, and nothing. He steps down, safely, securely.

What do i do? I get him back on the top of the steps and invite him to "jump" again. I know he will be safe, but he doesn't. He has to learn to trust me, more, before he will actually jump. He stands up at the top of the steps, counts again, bends his knees, grunts, gets determined, i am sure he will jump. But no. He steps down again and runs back to the steps, yelling, "Again."

His fear of the unknown keeps him from letting go and jumping the distance. Will he make it? Yes he will. I have seen him do it before, with help. Will he get hurt? No. I'm there to protect him, make sure he doesn't hit a wall or bang his head on the floor or really miss the target. I will catch him. I will protect him, in the face of real danger. But for Daniel, who doesn't fully trust that i will catch and protect him, though he is getting there, the fear of the unknown is stronger than his faith and trust in me and himself. And it keeps him from being free.

Isn't that what we all do, in truth, when God/Jesus and the church call us to step out and live in mission? Aren't we afraid of the unknown? What if we can't afford it? What if people don't listen? What if we get really crazy and lose our lives? What if our families abandon us? What if, what if, what if? It seems, as i reflect on Daniel's journey of trying to build up the courage to jump is akin to our own attempts to build up the courage to change the church's narrative and paradigm.

We are comfortable with the way things are, because it is known, it is normal. We have experience with focusing on budget and meeting on Sundays as examples of being church, but Jesus never called us to "meet" and worry about money. No. Instead Jesus says in Matthew 10, "Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey; or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep."

Jesus tells the 12 that they should just go and get to work and trust that God would provide for them. If people, per custom and expectation for those in first century Palestine, didn't welcome them and take care of them, well the 12 were to wipe off their feet and pretty much offer a condemnation similiar to Sodom and Gomorrah, and we all remember what happened to them for their lack of hospitality, right? Sulfur anyone?

Jesus tells them that they will face persecution. Men will betray them. Their families will turn against them. And when, not if, they deal with pain and oppression, they are not to fear. Why? Because the Holy Spirit, which Jesus is freeing to guide them and empower them, will give them the strength and courage to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. They, the new 12, must trust. Trust that Jesus will keep His word. And as we read in Luke, the 12 return to Jesus and tell Him all that they were able to do. They, like Jesus, changed lives. They were amazed at the power that God had entrusted to them. My sense is that Jesus, like a proud parent when their child feels good after an accomplishment, my sense is that Jesus sat back and enjoyed the report of His disciples. They got it. They had faith, not just in Him but in themselves too.

Oh yeah, which brings me back to Daniel. He just wouldn't jump, not really. So i stood on the steps and showed him. He still hesitated. Then i got desperate. As he stood there, ready to jump, i had an idea. I was going to "assist" him in the jump. As he lifted, slightly, off the ground, i gave him a little more lift and gentle push so he would clear what must have been a chasm to him, and he landed softly, on his backside, on the mat. At first he was stunned then a smile and a cheer and a laugh came out of him. Now he wont quit jumping. He knows he can do it. He knows it is safe. And above all, no matter what he faces, I am there to assist him. Just like God is for us. Amen.

Shalom,

jerry

FAITH moves mountains...

Dear family,

What do we believe in? Honestly. Where do we give our trust? Do we trust in social security for our retirements? Do we believe, honestly believe, that our bank accounts will be strong, secure, and sufficient to supply and meet our needs when all hell breaks loose? Do we have faith in our government, our military, our families? Maybe we trust our health will be good? I dont know. But i do wonder, what do we believe in?

Do we believe Jesus when He says, "Whatever you ask for in my name; it shall be given to you?" Do we take Jesus at His word when he says, "Where two or more are gathered, in my name, i am with you?" And do we hold to Jesus' promise to "always be with you, even to the end of the age?" I ask these questions, because at the core of this weeks text, Matthew 9 second half, are stories about faith. Not the kind of faith that says, "I believe Jesus is the Savior." But. "I trust Jesus to heal my sickness, meet my every need, and guide my steps." The faith found in Matthew 9 moves mountains.

But what do we believe?

Can those outside the walls of our church accuse us of trusting Jesus to meet our needs? Balance our budget? Use us to build His Kingdom? The questions of faith are profound and deep ones, and i wonder, i have to wonder, what truly motivates us. If we are a people of faith, does our budget reflect that faith? If we are a people of faith, does our worship, our ministries, our outreach, and our educational efforts illumine that faith? If not, why not. If so, where is the fruit?

The question was raised, at Tuesday's Leadership Team meeting, are we seeing the fruit (im paraphrasing the question)? Are we experiencing the fruit of God's blessings? The overwhelming sentiment was, whether spoken or unspoken, no. No we are not experiencing the fruits of God's blessings. Which raises the question why not?

Why arent we experiencing the fruit? Faith moves mountains, and as we glean from the biblical narrative, that is a powerful truth of all who live lives of faith. Faith moves mountains. Faith grows. Faith matures. Faith evolves. Faith heals. Faith strengthens. And faith refuses to stay put; faith goes into the world making it better, more Godly, more whole. When faith communities have lived this, statistics prove that fruit becomes their byproduct.

If we have no fruit, are we living lives of faith? Are we honoring Jesus? Are we proving Him to be true? Faith moves mountains. We have plenty of mountains standing before us; we can't get over them, we cant move them, and we cant ignore them. What do we do about them? We trust in the power of Jesus to guide, direct, motivate, and move that which impedes our narrative. Faith moves mountains. Unfaith builds them. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

By Who's Authority?

Dear Family,

When i worked at McPherson College there would be times when i would have to buy supplies for my job. I would have to buy a new battery for the truck or new blades for the lawnmowers or flowers for the gardens, and often times i would make sure i had permission before i purchased anything, because money always stirs issues. But one time in particular, i acted without asking, because i felt the situation was dire enough, i didnt want to wait for permission. And boy did i hear about it.

The first question out of my bosses mouth, "Who authorized you to spend that money?" I said, "No one, but the tractor wasn't working, and we needed it running, because it's supposed to snow in a couple of days." "I dont care," he replied! "You do not have the authority to spend money without my approval!" "Im sorry," i said, and i left.

I realize that many of you face similiar situations, and that this is nothing new to you, in fact we have similiar boundaries in the church, dont we? But all these boundaries got me to thinking, why are they there?

Why do people need authority? Or more troubling, at least for me, by whose authority to most people act? Speak? Represent? The more i think about authority, the more it angers me. Why? Because, at least in the church, too many people claim to have a right to it, and they simply should not. Contrary to popular belief, the church is NOT a democracy. Never has been. And it should never be.

I can hear the mumblings and protests now. Wait for it, please. Though the church needs to listen to all voices, the church is not a democracy. Not everyone who speaks at church has the right to do so. What do i mean? Well, folks, the church is not like the American Government. It is not for the people, by the people, of the people. Nope. The church is a theocracy. For God. To God. By God.

What that means is that God alone has the authority. But God uses people, right? Yes. Yes He does. But we have to be careful who we listen to. Not everyone who speaks represents the Divine Wisdom, and if one who speaks serves to only further their own agenda, well we should, at least if we want to honor God, simply silence them. Yes. You read that right. If someone in the church is speaking only to hear themselves or further their agenda, we need to silence them.

We should give the podium to those who spend hours praying, studying, listening, and doing their best to honor God. Those are the leaders God calls. Sisters and brothers humble enough to name that they do their best to listen to God, they ask great questions of mission and vision, and everything they say, EVERYTHING, can and will be supported by Scripture. If not, well as our tradition holds, then we simply say thank you and move on.

I know this is hard to hear/read, but we have to return to being a theocracy if we are to remain viable, healthy, and fruitful. None other than letting the voice of God speak through and guide us can carry us through this season of struggle. His authority alone matters. Amen..

Shalom,
jerry

One of these is not like the other...

Dear Family,
It has been a wild week in the Bowen household, a truly wild week. We welcomed beautiful Reyna Mae into our home, and what a blessing. Mommy and Reyna are doing well, and the adjustment to a crying baby, all hours of the night, begins once again. This time, though, i know it lasts but for a short while. Just like the song, "IT wont be like this for long..."

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, cards, gifts, and visits. We feel loved and incredibly blessed to be a part of this church family.

As much as we could talk about how beautiful Reyna is, she doesn't exactly make, not yet anyway, good fodder for the message, so we must shift gears and focus on Matthew 8. This is a powerful chapter about ministry in action, and i find a lot of irony in this chapter as well.

First of all the first healing Jesus does, in this chapter, involves a man with leprosy, someone unclean, someone unworthy of affection, and someone who would have to walk on the other side of the road, from society, and yell "UNCLEAN!" It isn't enough that this insidious disease rob this man of life, but society is robbing him of dignity too. This man, this unclean, disease ridden man, becomes Jesus' first testimony of grace, healing, and love. Not how powerful, "right," ministries begin.

Second healing miracle involves a centurion, the enemy. So let's recap: Jesus begins his healing ministry by healing an unclean leper, someone society relegated to the margins a long time ago, and Jesus' second healing miracle involves the occupier, the enemy, the people most hated? And we wonder if Jesus is radical?

All too often, what i have found, is that we want to minister to people that look, that think, that act like we do, because they are safe. There is little risk in ministering to someone from the same neighborhood, with the same political views, or someone who you know well. There is little to no risk. But what happens if we choose, like Jesus did, to minister to those outside our social circles? What happens if we choose to, like Jesus did, minister to our enemies as well as our friends? What happens if our minister resembles more of the radical nature of Jesus than the comfortable, complacent nature that many resemble? What happens?

Could we feed more people? Might our churches be breaking at the seams with people wanting, needing help? Would we experience the power of the Divine? Marriages saved? Children rescued? Diseases healed? Addictions cured? Darkness blinded out by light? Could this, would this be possible, real, if we would only minister to those on the margins, instead of those we feel safer with? I dont know.

But i do want to find out. What about you all?

Shalom,
Jerry

I remember

Dear Family,

One of my favorite hobbies, growing up, was cooking. Yes. It's true. I loved to cook. Well more specifically, i loved to baked, especially cookies. I looked forward to Home Economics, because it meant that i could and would get a chance to practice new recipes at home. I would make sure the cookies were perfect, and in all the years, of home ec, i don't remember earning any grade lower than an A. I loved to cook.

As much as i loved to cook, and as much as i loved making stuff with my hands, one would think that i would have a better knowledge of all things cooking related. Not so.

One evening, as i was preparing for another round of chocolate chip cookies, i rummaged through the freezer door, looking for the normal bag of chocolate chips that i would use to embellish my sweet concoction. Without really reading the bag of chips, i grabbed them. They looked like chocolate chips. The bag was the same. They might have been, as far as i can remember, toll house, my favorite. But when i opened the bag, grabbing my handful of delicious treasures before cooking, throwing the dark morsels into my mouth, i discovered a painful truth.

Not all things are as they appear, and i should always read the package before rushing to judgment about any foods i throw into my mouth. These weren't "semi-sweet" chips, which i love. No. These were those dry, bitter, abomination for chocolate chips we call, "Dark chocolate."

We often take care to know fully what we are eating before we chow down, don't we? We look for calories and fat content. If we are organic folks, we strive to find those foods that are wholesome and pure, without any added preservatives. If we are bargain shoppers, we study, hard the cost per oz or unit, hoping to get the best deal possible. When it comes to our food, our money, our health, our cars, or our houses, we take our time, doing due diligence of research before we invest. We want to make sure the real deal is the real deal.

If that is how we treat that which is material and without a lot of true value, why do we rush, so quickly, to judgment when we are dealing with people, the most valuable of God's creations?

Jesus speaks to this reality when he says, from his place on top of that big hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee, "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged." And yet, this is so hard to do, isn't it? How many of us, truly, avoid judging others, before we truly get to know them? Or more than that, how often do we find ourselves pointing our noses up at other people, while ignoring the fact that to do that act, to "snub" someone is less Christlike than any sense of morality we claim to adhere to? To be Christlike, it seems, requires something other, something deeper, something holy, right?

If chowing down on chips, which i thought were "semi-sweet" caused a bitter taste in my mouth that took a lot of water to wash out, how much more bitter will the taste be, in our mouths, if we continue to judge all books, God's children, by their covers? Im careful to read the labels before eating any more "chips," let's hope i/we can do the same when we meet those who are different. Amen.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace...

Jerry

BTW: another book that i not only highly recommend, but as i posted on my facebook, i think this book should be in every home library: Bill Moyers, "Moyers on Democracy." Get it. Read it. And let the truth set you free...

9/11

Folks,

We stand before September 11, a day that has changed the face of American history, forever, like DDay, Pearl Harbor, Kennedy assassination, and the Oklahoma City bombing. This day will forever be linked to airplanes, twin towers, and a new, anonymous enemy: terrorists that mask themselves as religious zealots. We all can tell someone where we were when that first plane chose a tower as its final resting place. It is a dark day in our history, but one that we have been given to carry and honor.

The question, for us, is what do we do with this piece of history, our national albatross? Will we continue to endorse violence and a war against a few, enabling our government to bomb, without discretion, innocent persons, in the name and just cause of "war on terror?" Will we question our neighbor because she wears a typical Islamic prayer covering? Will we refuse to let our Arabic friends come into our homes, because we fear their intentions, their religion, their last name? Or will we choose the way of faith?

To live lives of faith we must accept the challenge God has given us. We live in our context, facing the reality of an ongoing war on terror, knowing that our reality, our story, our narrative is a violent one, in this context we are thrust to the forefront asking tough theological questions. What do we do? In a typical marketing campaign: WWJD?

If we are disciples of Jesus, we must choose the road less traveled.

When revenge is the standard answer, we must forgive. When violence becomes easy, we must offer peace. And when fear knocks on our door, doing all it can to handicap and destroy us, we must find faith. Faith knows no fear. Faith knows and chooses God, above and beyond any other choice. The God who provides. The God who accepts. The God who loves. And the God, yes even this God, the forgiving God, the God who forgives even the most heinous act--even planes flown into towers and our pentagon.

Godly people refuse to burn a holy, righteous, and sacred text as a pastor in Florida wants to do. Godly people choose to accept, listen, and open the door for further conversations. Why? Because the God of creation, the God who says, "It is good," still demands we honor that which is good. Godly people welcome the stranger, love their enemies, and forgive those who hurt them. But not only that, Godly people add bricks to the kingdom, making sure that which was good, remains good and will always be good. And they do it, pointing to THE ONE, the only ONE, who sees what they do and honors that which is good.

Tomorrow is a dark day in our story, but as people of faith, we can use it as a springboard into the light of God. Amen..


Shalom, Salaam, Peace,

Jerry

Quick

Folks,

Sure i am two days late, and i am still trying to figure out my schedule, but the blog is up and going, this week. Funny thing happens when we read, pray, and tune our hearts to the power of the Divine, we begin to experience new insights to the biblical story, and that is happening to me. I am, actually, finding it hard to put to words my reaction to Matthew 5. But i will do my best, and in the interest of sanity, keep it short.

I mean really short.

Like almost finished short.

But not quite.

Before i say goodbye, this week, i want to ask you all a question. Have you ever had your world turned upside down? If so, how did it feel? How did you react? Was it positive? Negative? Are you still recovering? And if you haven't, be ready, because God always finds ways to upset our normal cycle of life.

Having our world turned upside down is godly work, it truly is. It could be tragic, so where is God? Sitting with us through our pain. Not just God, but when the church sits with us, God becmoes so real, so tangible, we survive. When it is a blessing, well that's an obvious answer. What does this have to do with Matthew 5?

Jesus came to turn the world upside down. He addresses the old paradigm that all of the people lived by, and then he turns it on its rear. He empowers the powerless. He calls the weakminded and sinner. He protects women. He demands forgiveness and mercy. He requires his disciples to love, just as He loves. That, folks, is turning the world upside down, and that folks, is what we are required to do.

Jesus calls us to stand against oppression, to demand justice, to live peace, and to no longer turn a blind eye to that which destroys life, whether that is a literal/quick destruction of life or if that is a slow/metaphorical descent into the abyss. God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit calls us, as disciples of Jesus, to stop the damage and build a kingdom, God's Kingdom: one of love, peace, forgiveness, acceptance, empowerment, and community. Anything else, anything that deters from this kingdom, is not of God and must be ignored.

To do this, folks, requires sacrifice, major sacrifice. So. What are we willing to give up? If not everything, we will accomplish nothing. But if we leave the world behind, well we will do more than experience a new life, we will build a kingdom, and kingdom building is always great work. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

In the Nick of Time

Brothers and sisters,

I know that this comes a little late, well two days late, but hey its better late than never, right? When life becomes predictable it loses its flavor and excitement, i think. So its really a gift that we never know when i will post a blog, right? At least thats my story and im sticking to it. No but seriously i have worked out my class schedule, and i am making a weekly work schedule, so that this doesn't happen again. And i will be posting the blog on Wednesday mornings, before ten. Hope that helps.

What about this week? I know that we dont have much time to dive into the text for this week, but maybe this last minute blog will keep the text fresh, so when we talk about it in the morning, it will be an engaging, stimulating, empowering conversation. Plus i want to see how many, though i dont expect many to read this, because it is so late, read the blog, because the message will begin to quote the blog, share stories, and just be a continuation of the blog.

But i will keep it short and sweet. Or i will do my best...

In the spirit of the text, i could say that Satan was tempting me to avoid the blog, to see who actually reads, but that would be a cop out that too many Christians have used to justify their behavior, and it would be a lie. No. But temptation does come, a lot, and i have, all too often caved to the tempter, which only stands to make Satan stronger, me weaker, and Jesus less audible.

How? I have shouted/lost my temper. Not sure that honors Jesus. I have gone on binges where i buy a lot of CD's, many which i dont need or use, that doesn't honor Jesus. I have succumbed to the need to draw attention to myself, even manipulating people, often times without the results i wanted, only to push Jesus further away from my heart. And i have done so many things, all too often, that have silenced the author of my faith, the sustainer of my faith, and the reason for my faith, to the detriment of my faith and my whole being.

I wish i could give a great excuse, but i dont have any. I even know how to ward off the temptations: Scripture. But in those moments, i close my mind, my ears, and yes my heart to whatever and however, God wants to free me. Why do i do this? Why do i, like Paul, do what i shouldn't? Why does temptation have such a hold on me? And how does caving to temptation interfere with my ability to fulfill God's call for me?

Temptation steals. It steals my heart and attention and power away from God and empowers the enemy, who has no desire to offer me abundant life. Every cross word, weakens the cross. Every lustful thought, weakens Jesus. Every purchase that is not needed but serves an emptiness enables the evil one to only attack more. And with every failed choice, Jesus fades further into the darkness and Satan becomes that which i serve, even if only unknowingly.

I realize how dark and disturbing this blog is, but folks the truth is this: The TRUTH: Jesus, came to give us life and if we do not serve Him, fully serve Him, we will serve something, or worse, someone else. And more than that, when we give our lives to Jesus, wholly, Satan steps up the attacks. When we don't employ the weapons God gave us to stand against the enemy, we will succumb to the enemy. And that is a road that leads to hell. Not just the place of eternal anguish, but in this world. When we serve temptation, cave to temptation, we become slaves to that hell which becomes our lives. And that, friends, is not what Jesus wanted.

Jesus wants us to have life, abundant life. He wants us to open the door for others to experience that life. And He wants to free us from the pitfalls of this world, of the tempter, which only serve to destroy and rob us of life, true life. So we must battle against the principalities, and we must take up our cross and confront the evil one, face to face, with the weapon of Jesus: Love, Truth, Scripture, so that we can and will put Satan where he belongs: in the pit of Hell...

Amen.

Shalom,
jerry


\

Rest

Dear Family...

I am going to do something i havent done, ever. I am truly going to keep this blog short and sweet. Why? Because it is at the heart of the message.

Sunday's text is Luke 10: 38-42, and it rehearses the story of Mary and Martha, when Jesus comes over to visit. Martha, being a great host, works, works, and works some more, to make sure Jesus, who is her guest, has an amazing experience while Jesus is at Martha's house. Mary, well she just sits down and listens to Jesus. Martha gets upset, but it is Jesus who says, (paraphrase), "Martha, its all good. Mary is doing what is right. She is showing me respect and honor by just sitting here and listening to what i have to say."

All too often, especially in our culture, we think the more work we do the greater reward. There is no day that people simply do not work. We celebrate 24 hour stores and burger joints. We love that on Sunday, when it used to be hard to find a place open, we can go anywhere and have a good meal. It is any wonder how the family is becoming more and more stressed and affected because we have lost the art of dining and sitting and just being with one another, just as Mary just sat and enjoyed being in Jesus' presence? What can we do?

Well we can do what we should. We are going to have worship and fellowship at PJ and Jerry's house, and all you have to do is bring a dish and just enjoy the day. No need to go to Applebees or Ruby Tuesdays for lunch, we will serve you. No need to worry about what to do, we will have plenty of stuff to do. And no need to worry about who to call and meet, because your entire church family will be there. You and I will have plenty of friends to eat with. So join us on Sunday and simply be. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Prepare the Way!

Dear Family...

How many of you have been to a concert? Then you know that when they introduce the headliner, you know the band you really came to see, they hype it up. The announcer, usually a local dj, comes out and proclaims all the wonderful music that the artists has done, in an effort to get you ready. The dj might even yell, get excited, hoping to entice the same kind of energy with you, letting you know it is time to get ready to "rock." The lights go out, and bam the music starts...

And if the band is big time, like U2, well their entrance is going to be memorable. The one U2 concert i went to, i cant afford their tickets now, they came through the crowd playing, "In the Name of Love..." It was amazing to be standing, with the audience, and see Bono and the Edge walk right past me, only six to ten feet away. They had me at that moment, and i was a fan for life.

The larger the band, the larger the show, the more outrageous the introduction, and that is how it should be, right? I mean they earned the right to have their name at the top of the billboard. They earned the great introduction. And they earned the right to enter with thousands of screaming fans, waiting for Bono to burst into a classic song. That's how famous people take the stage, in the real world. But not Jesus.

Jesus' introduction comes through a wild man, a man dressed in camel's hair and eating honey. That's odd. U2's introduction draws you in. John the Baptist, the one who was called to "prepare the way," he has a tendecy to push people away. Its a different approach to introducing royalty, a messiah, or even a popular figure. But it is just the path God takes.

But more disturbing, at least from the perspective of what great people do and expect, instead of walking out to applause and people bowing before Him, including John the Baptist. Jesus walks up to John, knees down, and invites John to baptize Him. Talk about scandalous. The King of kings, the Lord of Lords, the Messiah, chooses to humble himself and be baptized. That's beyond worldly. That's. That's. Well that's nonsense really. And yet, it is what Jesus does.

In fact, isn't most of what Jesus teaches and commands nonsense? Love your enemy. Pray for those who persecute you. Blessed are the poor. The last shall be first. Sell everything you have and give the proceeds to the poor. Peace and mercy and grace over revenge, justice, and right. Jesus is countercultural, so it makes sense that his entry into the world and his ministry, would stand opposed to what most people expect from greatness.

But that's Jesus. And that guy with the camel's hair, he is John the Baptist. What's that got to do with us? EVERYTHING! John wasn't just a zealot preaching repentance, he was a faithful man of God doing what God called him to do. Even if it meant making a fool out of himself. Why? Because John understood that the work John was doing, baptizing and calling people to turn around, was the beginning work of ushering in God's Kingdom. Folks, God and Jesus and the Holy Spirt have called us to do the same: usher in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Are we doing it? Are we willing to make fools of ourselves? Are we giving up our need to be recognized and honored so that we can honor the author of our salvation? If we aren't, we will not experience the fullness of God's Kingdom. But if we are, well we might just find ourselves knee deep in a rushing river, calling people to repent. John did, and look how it turned out for him... He baptized Jesus. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Names.... again?

Dear family,

I have been wrestling with something a few years now, and i have even vocalized it a few times with you all, but i dont think i do a very good job of communicating what my struggle is. From my brain to my mouth, a lot gets lost in translation? Or maybe from my mouth to everyone's ears? Somehow something gets lost, and i still have this nagging feeling in my gut about our church family. We aren't truly a family, a community of Jesus Freaks.

And that, sisters and brothers, worries me.

Because the health of the church depends on our being a truly connected, interdependent community of brothers and sisters. That being said, though, my sense is that we dont understand what that means, truly means. And i dont know why. Is it because i dont explain the core elements of community? Is it because you are all tired of hearing my hot air, so when i speak its like that boring teacher in school that everyone hated, but loved going to because it meant you could sleep? Or is it something else?

I ask these questions, because even though we have had a vision and mission statement for the last five years, and we have transitioned our leadership style to a more team oriented model, i still think, as a church, we suffer from an identity crises. And this concerns me.


More than anything, what troubles me, is how quickly i find myself doing what i find as destructive to the community. Gossip will kill a community, and yet i do it. Side taking is a quick way to create dysfunction, and i do that too. Maybe we do these things in our homes, in our families of origin, but those situations may suffer from this behavior, but the family systems will survive, because we are all committed to our families of origin. But our church family, the West Milton Church of the Brethren, thats a different story.

Why are we willing to sacrifice our church family, or our role in that family, but we will go out of our way to restore, rescue, and protect our family of origin. Folks, you, my church family, have been our only family for six years, and yet i wonder who else feels this way? Who else wants our church family to be healthier, and more vibrant than our family of origin? If you do, like i do, than it takes recreating our identity. We must live, authentically, the name of the West Milton Church of the Brethren family. We have to be tied to each other. We have to work together. We have to spend time with one another. And when we do, when we genuinely care and live for each other, than the world will see something unique in us, and the world will run to us.

But we have to be together, and i dont know how that happens. I really dont. I know i haven't helped by taking sides and joining in the gossip. I havent helped by allowing the gossip. And i havent helped by sitting back, choosing comfort over right. And for my own complicity in not being above and beyond the gossip and side taking, i beg your forgiveness, but i also ask you to pray for me. Pray that i quit and risk losing it all to do what is right. Pray that we all do that. Because until we are ready to risk it all, for Christ and His church, we will continue seeing our numbers decline and our fears heightened... so pray with me. Create with me a new identity for our church. And lets jump into the world of mission, together. Amen.

Shalom.. and May God's Shalom overwhelm us..
jerry

Youth

Dear family,

This Sunday we have an incredible opportunity. The young people of our church family will lead us in worship. They are creating it. They are leading it. They are choosing the music. And they will bring the message. It is, even for those trained in areas of worship and message development, a stressful time, but for four persons who have no experience, it can be down right frightening.

And yet, they cant wait to do it. They can't wait to lead us. They cant wait to share their experiences of NYC and how God moved and touched them during their two week excursion into the west. And they are anxious for all of us to get on board and join them in this exciting journey we called faith. They have a passion and a deep desire to follow God, and my hope is that we join them, no more than that, my hope is that we follow their lead and let them become the stars of this congregation.

But all too often my experiences, in previous congregations and previous NYCs, is that the energy and power of National Youth Conference gets swept under the rug or dismissed as emotional fervor with no real reason to pay attention to it. We cannot and must not do this to our young people this time. We must throw our inhibitions away and listen to what God has to offer, even if it means turning our world upside down. Folks, i know i have said it before, and i cant say it enough, but we should feel the desperation of this moment.

We are desperate. We have little resources. We have fewer numbers. And daily it seems bad news comes through the papers or television warning us that life, in the "Rust Belt" is only going to get tougher. The economy, in our communities, continues to struggle, and that truth creates a culture of anxiety in our church. No money coming in means what? Fewer persons attending equals what? So we are desperate. Right?

And if we are desperate, which i sense we are, why not listen to new ideas, from our young people, letting them inspire and lead us? What do we have to lose? Come to church, this Sunday and every Sunday, with an open mind and willingness to hear, to see, to experience God in new ways. If we come to worship, letting our lives be our offering, our act of worship, we can and will experience God in powerful ways. But more than that, we can overcome the western tendecy to make worship be about us. It isn't. It is about the Creator.

So. This Sunday, listen, worship, and give yourselves to God and let our youth lead you. If all goes as planned, they will illumine a similiar path to the ones each of them walked a week ago, and what an amazing journey it was. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

The Dichotomy of Life

Dear family,

I write to you from the "Red Carpet Room" on the campus of Colorado State University, while working hard at National Youth Conference. It has been a chaotic first four days, and my sense is that it is going to get even crazier. We have two more days, and each day is going to push the young people of the Church of the Brethren further along their faith journeys. They have learned to embrace who they are, what it means to acknowledge their own brokenness, and today they/we wrestle with the audacity of grace. Sitting here, trying to wrap my mind around all that is happening, i feel a need to name a strange dichotomy.

In the midst of this amazing life-giving experience, our church family, once again, is dealing with loss.

But that's life, right? We cannot escape the inevitable: life ends at some time.

Which, for me, at least, raises the obvious question: what will we do with the life we are given? How will we spend our days? What relationships will we nurture? What relationships will we let fade away like a bad dream? When faced with death, whether a loved one or an acquaintance, we often, once again, return to our own mortality, and that usually illumines questions we have carried for a long time. And it is good, very good, that viewing our own mortality causes us to ask questions of our life. It is healthy. It is necessary. And it is Godly.

So what will we do? Will we weep with Connie, YES! Will we miss Nelson and his wit? OF COURSE! But if we are to honor his story, and if we want to support Connie in the healthiest way possible, we must not only struggle with our mortality, but we must also live. LIVE! Truly LIVE! And for us, as a people of faith, that begins with our common story as followers of Jesus.

What will we do? If our faith is real, then we will embrace the teachings and challenges of Jesus, so that, along with the saints of yesteryear, we can add our names to the amazing family tree that finds Jesus as it root, trunk, and support. We will add our names to the likes of St. Augustine. St. Paul. Mother Teresa. Martin Luther. Teresa of Avila. Anna Mow. Alexander Mack. Sarah Righter Major. Ted Studebaker. Dan West. And so many more. When we anchor our narrative, our own personal narratives into the greater narrative of God, in Jesus, we become part of an amazing family tree with sisters and brothers that stretch beyond the confines of human history. It is time, folks, to anchor etch our names into Jesus' family tree. He awaits to add your name, my name, and so many more names to the extensive lists of his brothers and sisters.

And here's a beautiful truth when we write our names into Jesus' family tree, Jesus transforms us. We go from lost to being found. We go from being blind to having sight. And we go from not being able to hear to having ears that listen to the Master's song. More than that, we change. We evolve from narcissistic beings into selfless servants, chasing after more and more persons lost in this broken world. Included in this transformation is a new way of looking at life.

We embrace the reality of our mortality, and when loss hits us like a cold snowball that makes us shiver, we do not deny death. We take this chance to grieve. We take this chance to tell stories. And we take this chance to remember. But more than that, we also take this chance to know that life has a greater purpose, and if we, those left behind, want to honor our loved ones, we will do what Jesus commanded. Let love guide us and let our love define us. When we let love guide and define us, not even death can stop us.

We all love to tell stories of our family trees, and most of us are rather proud of where we came from. So why not tell the greatest story of our common family tree: Jesus. And while we do, let's make sure we continue to nurture this tree so that others, those who follow behind us, can add their names to this tree. It is more than big enough, and there are plenty of spaces waiting for our sisters and brothers.

Mourn for Nelson, we lost a good friend. Support Connie, she needs it. But then make room for the next great comic to emerge in our midst, reminding us that laughter is greater than our deepest sorrow and most painful hurt. Amen.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace,

Jerry

PS I know this is long. But i have so many thoughts stirring around in my head right now, and i feel moved and inspired, which is always a great thing. Remember Matthew 1 is our text for this Sunday. PLEASE READ! Read more than once. Read daily. Make it so familiar to you, that you can recite it by memory. See ya Sunday.

Adventure...

Dear Family,

I am writing this blog from a wonderful home in Centenniel, Colorado. We are getting ready to pack up and enjoy a nice relaxing day of site seeing and shopping, before i get dropped off at Colorado State University for NYC. We have been together for five days, already, and it has been an amazing journey, so far. We still have another week, before we return with stories of laughter, faith building, new friendships, and life.

So where do i begin? Do i talk about the mosquitoes in McPherson that was of Biblical plague proportions. I am not joking. They are so thick that we had to run to buildings to avoid being attacked by a swarm of vicious, man-eating insects. I think we got a sense of what Moses and the Eqyptians went through, only i dont think locusts eat human flesh, but those critters in Mac sure do enjoy biting us.

Maybe i could talk about the barbecue with my family in Buhler, where again the plague of mosquitoes attacked with incredible fervor, but we also had a chance to eat great food, share stories, and walk through my Uncle Ronnie's wilderness house. Ask the guys for details about my uncle, the hunter, and how his house resembled more of a hut with dead animals everywhere than a typical Kansas home.

I could even talk about the drive from Ohio to Mac or Mac to Denver, which included listening to great music, seeing amazing things, and standing under a 30 foot prarie dog. I might talk about arriving in Denver, only to realize that our hosts had to leave earlier than planned, so our barbecue was replaced by Golden Coral and an all you can eat extravaganza. And then there was yesterday.

Yesterday we journeyed up to Idaho Springs, where we jumped into a raft and navigated the rushing waters of Clear Creek. It was exhilarating. It was refreshing. And it took us through some of the most beautiful, God created landscape in the world. All of us loved every minute of that experience, even when our guide dumped us into the 37 degree creek, just because he could. Well Jonathon stayed in the raft because of a fat pastor that was a great buffer between the water and the dryness of the raft.

I could talk about all of these things, and i have. But in truth they are all part of a greater picture. Sure they are great stories, individually, but pieced together they help create a tapestry of what God can and will do when we work together to do something amazing. I believe life is meant to live, and we should and must jump at every opportunity to suck the marrow out of every inch of life. This trip, i hope, plants the same passion for life, in our young people, that i share, so that after this trip, they live life.

But more than that, i hope they realize that this adventure and life as a whole, is best lived and shared, together. Alone i could have had a great time. But sharing these stories with four other amazing men makes this a godly, unforgetable experience. And those kind of adventures always make for the best stories anyway.

We miss you all, and we look forward to sharing more of our experiences around the table... Amen.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace,
jerry

what now?

Dear family,

Who doesn't like to party? I dont mean like frat boys party, but i mean who doesn't enjoy spending time with other people, without any other purpose, but to enjoy each other's company? Maybe a good barbecue makes it possible? Or a birthday party? I have been to retirement parties, anniversaries, graduations, etc. We like, as a people, to have reasons to celebrate. We enjoy parties.

And as we close the book of Genesis, we need to party. The Jewish people had over five times, a year, that they would gather together and party. These special celebrations lasted days and some as long as a week, but they would come together and just enjoy not having anything else to do. No work. No chores. No bills to pay. Nothing to do but laugh, love, and dance. Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of their parties, was that they were centered around religious celebrations. For the Jewish people, then and now, these festivals were times to gather together to honor God. They partied. More than that, their partying was a form, an intimate expression of their love of God. They came together to worship, and their worship looked like a communal party.

My oh my how we have lost our way.

I dont know who is to blame: the Puritans who took the fun out of Christianity or the Calvinist, especially in America, who made life about work, moving ahead, earning a dollar, etc, or the prohibitionists who thought outlawing liquor was God's will. Really? Didn't a specific miracle include changing water into wine?

Whatever the reason, my sense is that we have lost the art of partying as a form of worship. We have lost the art of dancing as if no one cares. We have lost the art of laughing as if no one is around. And we have lost the art of gathering together, without an agenda, as if just being with one another was good enough. We have made church and worship so mechanical that we have lost the beauty, the mystery, and the awe of it. And along the way, i believe, we have lost a little bit of ourselves.

But we can reclaim it. And so we must. This Sunday, at eleven AM, in the Fellowship Hall, we are going to party. We are going to laugh. We are going to eat. Tell stories. And enjoy each other's presence. And the greatest part of this morning is that through it all, we are going to worship. Worship a creative and loving God. Worship the God of the harvest. Worship the God of wine and water. And worship the God of all creation, thanking him for just being alive. This Sunday, we are going to return to our roots and throw a party, just for us, to honor what God has done as we close the book of Genesis and open the Gospel of Matthew.

Thank you for being so patient as we journey through a difficult and long book. Now i ask that you commit and covenant with me to stay ahead and read Matthew along with us. That way we can all be on the same page and when we close Matthew, we can party and we will party, once again. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Six Months Left...

Dear Family,

In the movie, "The Bucket Lists," Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson find themselves wondering what to do before their time on this earth is through. They make a list of all the things they have never done, but they want to, before they "kick the bucket." My sense is that this is not a new phenomenon. In fact there are songs about "live like you are dying." Or other references to how you live, if you knew you only had a few months to live. And as i rehearse these movies, songs, and books, i realize something: these aren't stories about dying. They are stories about living, and i wonder how much living we really do.

In our text for today: Genesis 49, Jacob blesses all of his sons, because Jacob knows the time is near. He makes sure they know he loves them. He makes sure they have what they need. He is making sure that his legacy, through them, will live on and that they will carry the family name and narrative into the future. But as i reflect on Jacob's blessings, on his deathbed, i wonder what would his life had been had he spent everyday of his life blessing people? What would his life had been like if he, instead of waiting to his death bed, lived each day like it was his last? What might he accomplish? How many lives might he bless? How would his relationships be? Many questions, and no way to find answers.

Except the questions remain, don't they? What would we do if we had only six months to live? What would our bucket lists look like? What have we been putting off, claiming there is always time? And how many relationships would we restore, believing we may never see these people again, and we want to go into our eternal life with no regret? I want to challenge each of us to think about our own bucket lists. I want us all to think about what if? What if we only had six months to live, what would we do?

And instead of living like we were dying, i want us to live, truly live. The reality is that i dont know what six months from now holds, but my sense is life will continue beyond that, but if all i do is the same, mundane, day to day routine, without living, without embracing life, or without fulfilling what i want to do, then i am already dead, aren't i? Was life meant to be lived for only the last six months? OR...

Were we created to live our entire life as if it were our last six months?

How much more full would our live be then?

And one other question that has puzzled me and confused me a lot, lately. Let me get this right. I want to save up, work hard and long now, save as many pennies as possible, not spend, put away, put away, and put away, live like a miser, for what fifty years? Until i am seventy and want to retire? Is that the plan? So lets do the math. I work my butt off, save and sacrifice for FIFTY years, so that, at seventy or a little older, i can retire and finally enjoy life, which means i might, if the average holds, have another twelve to fifteen years of living? Which sounds more like insanity? Sacrificing for fifty or enjoy my entire life, all eighty years of it?

Just a thought..

Shalom,
jerry

Father's Blessing

Friends,

My good friend Matt, who i have found more and more to be much wiser than i, practices something, every night, with his kids. He has a son, Braxton, who is three and a half, and he has a daughter, Sadie, about eighteen months, and he is an amazing father. But it is what he does, every night, that struck as truly a loving, caring, fatherly duty. Every night, after reading to his kids, after praying with his kids, he blesses them. He blesses them.

What does it mean to bless someone? It is not the obligatory, "Bless You," after someone sneezes, though that is important. No. To bless someone requires something from the Divine, and the Bible is full of Jewish blessings that have been passed on from generation to generation. And now Matt gives one of these blessings, whatever he finds in the Bible, to his children. Over the last week, i have implemented the same practice for Daniel. Every night, after reading, praying, and before we rock, i say to him, "May God's face shine upon you and give you peace..."

It feel amazing to look into my son's eyes and say those powerful words to him. I am giving him something beyond praying for him. I am inviting God's presence to rest upon him and overwhelm him in peace. This is a good thing folks. And after reading Genesis 48, i realize it is more than a good thing, it is a fatherly duty to bless his children.

Jacob, not Joseph, after adopting Manasseh and Ephraim, blesses them, and he blesses Joseph too. And as the patriarch of the family, as the holder of God's promise to Abraham and Isaac, Jacob's blessings carry a lot of weight. It is as if God were speaking through Jacob and affirming the blessing being bestowed upon Jacob's sons. And when i think hard about this, one clear powerful thought comes to mind. God is there. God is in that blessing, just as God is in every blessing. Why?

Because God loves to bless his children. More than that, God understands that to be a good father/parent, He must continually offer his blessing upon His children. It is a parental duty to shower our children with blessings, and God wants to continue to prove His worth as the greatest parent ever.

So now i offer you all a challenge. When was the last time you thumbed through the Scriptures to find a blessing that you could speak to a friend, a spouse, or even a son or daughter? If you haven't done it in a while, return to the practice. Because to bless someone enables the blesser to feel God's blessing all the more. And if you have never spoken a blessing to someone, try it. You will find a lot of peace and love and awe in the blessing you share.

Sunday is Father's Day, so dads lets return to our title as spiritual leaders in our families. Lets return to our job to bless our families and our children. And lets lead by example, so that a new generation of Jesus followers will experience the love of God through the love of their earthly fathers. We, dads, have been absent long enough. Its time to reclaim our role, and what a role it is. Amen.

Salaam, Shalom, Peace,

jerry, or as Daniel says, "my daddy, my daddy"

Hesed....

Dear Family,

In the movie "Saving Private Ryan," Tom Hanks leads a group of soldiers, during World War II, into the heart of Europe, to rescue one man, the man: Private Ryan. This order to rescue Private Ryan, in the heart of the battle of WWII came to be, because Ryan's three other brothers were killed in action, and his mother got the notices pretty much all at once. The US Government recognized the need to rescue Private Ryan, so his family could have some hope, some belief that things could go on. Hanks and his fellow soldiers had to track through serious battles just to save one person. And they did.

But it was at a serious loss. Most of the men, in the original company, were killed in action. They gave their lives for one man, one young man, in the middle of a war, who no one would ever have thought twice about had they simply stated that they were too late. He had been killed, or they just couldn't find him. For these men, however, their word to follow Hanks and the US Government meant more than their own lives. That faithfulness, that loyalty is what the Hebrews call "Hesed."

And in our chapter for this week, my sense is that "Hesed" is at the foundation of what is happening. First Joseph's "hesed" to God enabled Joseph to be in a position to save his family and the rest of the Israelites from the severe famine. While Egyptians sell themselves into slavery, the Israelites prosper. Joseph's "hesed" to God produces fruit. Joseph proves that God's promise to walk with us, guide us, anoint us, enable us to bear fruit in all seasons is true, if we, like Joseph, remaine faithful, or give God, "hesed."

Joseph's "hesed" doesn't stop there. At the end of the chapter, his father, Jacob, asks Joseph to swear an oath, a "hesed," to Jacob. What was that "hesed?" That when Jacob died, Joseph would bury Jacob with Jacob's father: meaning Joseph would take Jacob home. Jacob trusted Joseph's word, because Joseph's life reveals a person of incredible character and loyalty. Jacob knew that Joseph would show "hesed" to him, if Jacob asked for it. And Joseph kept his word.

In our world, we hesitate to let people in. We lock our doors. We stash our cash. We block our cell numbers. Why? Because we don't trust people. We don't trust their intentions. So we build walls up, literally and metaphorically, to keep people out. And that's sad. It really is. Whatever happened to God's people being a people of incredible "hesed?" Our world needs it. We need it. It will change our lives. And change, whether we want to hear it or not, is a good thing. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Journeys..

Dear Family,

When you blessed me with a chance to spend two and half weeks in Israel/Palestine a year and a half ago, you have no idea how you changed my world, my life. Why? Because you gave me an exciting chapter to add to the narrative that is my life. You made it possible for me to have experiences that enhanced my journey, and those stories have become memories that will remain with me until i journey home. Your grace allowed me to live life, truly live life. And i will forever be grateful for that opportunity.

I rehearse that now, because Genesis 46, with an initial reading, has little to offer. It is in three sections, but it seems to be filler material, or a segue until something greater, more exciting happens, which makes Genesis 46 easy to forget and quick to gloss over. But after rereading it, for the third time, something caught my attention, something that i had looked past twice before. Though this is a chapter that serves as a segue, almost, between the promise of Abraham and the end of the story of Jacob to the Exodus with Moses, it does serve a very real purpose. It reminds us that life is not about reaching a "destination." It, life, is about the journey.

And as God revisits Jacob, before Israel/ Jacob enters Egypt, we are reminded that behind every challenge, every joy, every disappointment, and every celebration is our amazing Creator. He stands ready to remind us that if we remain faithful, and we trust in His promise, His promise, in His time, will come to fruition. We might not see it, as Jacob didn't. But we can have faith that it will happen.

More than that, as Jacob traversed the land with his entire family, nearly 70 in all, it reminds us that journeys are meant to be shared with other persons. No journey, whether facing tear gas in Hebron or uniting under God's vision as a struggling church, no journey works alone. We must share our journeys, or they simply become caveats and not the chapters that God intends them to be. We must invite others to share in our life stories.

When we do, when we unite under God's love, then nothing can stop us from making the most of our time on earth. We, each of us, have but a few years, and if we share those years with sisters and brothers, in a life altering faith, we will make the most of them. We might not see the Promised Land, Moses didn't, but we will know our lives existed for a purpose, to bring glory to God. That knowledge, that knowing, will give us the peace we need to enjoy each day God gives, together.

So get ready for a new adventure, a new exciting journey as the West Milton Church of the Brethren. I dont know, still, where God will take us, but i dont need to. If you join me, thats all i need for the trip. And we will make the most of what time we have and what God gives us to do. Amen.

Salaam,
jerry

This time...

Family,

In the past, if i missed a blog, it was because of poor planning or poor management of time. I name it. This time, however, it had nothing to do with planning or time managment. Kendra and I got back from Kansas Tuesday night, and then the journey into returning back to work, catching up on the immediate things, took over. But we had some hurdles to overcome. One, because of an unplanned change in childcare, Daniel didn't have anyone to watch him Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, so Kendra and I took turns.

She watched him Wednesday, which allowed me to come to work. The first day back, after vacation, is always a catch up day. What has happened? How did worship go? I heard it was amazing! Who is doing ok? Do i need to check on anyone? And we had a busy week, apparently. Praise God that everyone is home, at least to my knowledge, and all are doing ok. Well Thursday was my lucky day: I got to spend the day with Daniel. I had planned on Friday being my day to blog, but life took over.

Im not sure whether it was something i ate or something else, but early Friday morning i started to cramp in my stomach, and it has carried on to today. I only write this, because i need your prayers. I thought it was a short day of just not feeling right, but i still dont feel well, and there are more symptoms now than before. I am, as odd as it sounds, praying for food poisoning, so it will go away, but if it doesn't, then tuesday morning i am off to the hospital.

That's why there hasn't been a blog, yet. I just wasn't able to do it. Sorry life got in the way.

But it always does, doesn't it? Doesn't life always get into the way? We meant to go back to school, but it just wasn't time. We meant to go on vacation, but we didn't save up enough. We meant to start a family, but the job promotion was offered. Good intentions have a way of paving a treacherous road to somewhere less enjoyable.

Joseph is no different. He meant to make his brothers suffer, at least a little, in the same way he did, so he could enact revenge, but life got in the way. Or more correctly, God did. When Joseph had a perfect plan in place, God shocked Joseph. Jacob, Joseph's father, was still alive. The one person Joseph was closer to than Benjamin, his father, was still alive. That revelation changes everything.

Revenge was not necessary; reconciliation and reunion were. Staying angry and feeling sorry for himself was trumped by "God meant for good..." And so it should be for us too. When are we going to quit relying on our own will and ability to accomplish things and surrender, totally, to God's? When we do, truly give ourselves over to God, then we can, just as Joseph did, view the world through God's eyes. These are eyes that see good in evil, light in darkness, and hope in despair. And it is these eyes, this faith that will enable us to move forward and become who God created us to be.

In Joseph's case, it led to a family reunion that moved him to tears. For us it could be something greater more amazing, but we won't know unless we let God lead. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Even if...

Dear family,

I am not leading the message on Sunday, Todd Hammond will be, but i did read Genesis 43, and i want to share some of my thoughts. First of all, my sense is that Joseph is beginning to show his true colors to his family. He feeds them. His servant reassures the brothers that the silver was a gift from God, and they had nothing to worry about. And when Joseph finally sees Benjamin, well Joseph has to leave and weep. Even those who have, seemingly, hardened hearts, are still human. They still weep when something moves them. For Joseph, this was the reunion with his brother, Benjamin.

And what does he do? He gives them a feast, not unlike what the prodigal son received when he came home. Joseph extends fellowship, hospitality, and acceptance. I had a friend, growing up, that he would do his best to be mad at you. He would scowl. Growl. And just do his best to make you feel his anger, but in reality, right after the scowl, no matter how hard he tried, my friend would laugh and say, "I cant be mad at you. You are my friends."

My sense is that when we have deep connections to one another, truly Godly connections, it doesn't matter what we do, because the love we have for one another is stronger than whatever damage we perpetrate onto each other. If Joseph can lavish this love upon his brothers, what can we do to each other? My sense is that when we hurt each other, in the church family, it is not intentional. We are simply not aware of how our words and our actions affect others. We mean well, but we are human. We will alienate and hurt each other.

But if our relationship is grounded in Jesus, then we can move past this misunderstanding and return to the table and break bread together. Returning to the table doesn't dismiss the hurt, but what it does do is make reconciliation and reunion possible. In order for these to be authentic, though, the victim of the hurt must offer the perpetrator the following: Forgiveness. Redemption. And a chance to rebuild the relationship. Because if we are anchored in Christ, then we will find ourselves saying, "I cant stay mad at you..you are my sister, you are my brother."

Pastor Todd will talk about redemption on Sunday, and my sense is that it will be a poweful message about the power of God to redeem even the most heinous act. But for us, redemption, based in forgiveness, overwhelmed in love, becomes the means by which we rebuild our relationships inside and outside the church. But for us, it means we invest time, energy, love, and effort into making the table open for friend and alienated friend alike. Let's eat. Let's laugh. And lets love. When we do, we will experience the power of God's redemption. Amen.

Shalom,
Jerry

Curious

Dear Family,

I have wrestled with our text all week, and i dont have any clear approach to the text. If you have had the chance to read Genesis 42, you know that it is the rehearsal of Joseph's brothers journeying into Egypt for food, only to have Joseph, whom they did not recognize, speak harshly to them and treat them as suspected spies. Again, we are in the section of Genesis that is more often worked through, so we are more familiar with the texts than we might have been otherwise. But that doesn't mean we should just gloss over it and assume it has nothing new to reveal to us. Because i think it does.

The small group looked at the narrative through the lens as "what goes around comes around." And that Joseph had every right to treat his brothers that way. Some claimed Joseph was setting the stage for his dad, Jacob, and his brother, Benjamin, to make the trip, so that Joseph could have his entire family there. And others feel like Joseph's replacement of the silver was a trap to make the brothers feel worse and be more paranoid. One mentioned Reuben's willingness to give up his two sons, so that they could go back and and do as Joseph commanded.

Whatever we glean from this story, my sense is that it has plenty to say to us, today. I have a friend who refuses to forgive McPherson College for what he perceives is a wrong they did to him, specifically, he refuses to forgive the former athletic director and a president that was in the administration when my friend was slighted. My friend still jokes about how to "get even" with those persons who hurt him, and to some extent he is serious. He wants them to feel his pain, even if he has to inflict pain upon them. At times it can consume him.

Joseph seems to be, at least to a certain degree, consumed by the need to inflict as much pain on his brothers as he has felt, and i wonder if this is honorable? Is it right to punish those who hurt us? Is it right to make them feel as bad as we do? Is it right to hold a grudge? Is it right to verbally destroy or abuse someone when they hurt us? Is it right to treat anyone, no matter who they are, as if they were some social parasite that needs to be extuinguished?

I dont think so. But how hard is it to forgive AND forget? Without God, i say impossible. But it is a commandment, from Jesus, so perhaps we should get moving on that forgiveness thing? I know I have a lot of work to do before i honor the commandment to forgive those who hurt me, completely forgive them. But then so does Joseph. Here's the beautiful reality of walking with God, as Joseph proves, God enables us to forgive and move on and see those who hurt us as blessings. Isn't it time we live that way too? Then ask God to remove our scales of anger and hurt and give us eyes to see ALL as He does. Amen.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace...

Jerry

PS. Please continue to pray for the clean up efforts in the gulf, pray for the people of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama as they recover from the floods, and pray for our church that we might, once again, catch the fire of God. Thank you for being my fellow pilgrims on this amazing journey...

Finally

Hey family,

In the movie, "US Marshals," Wesley Snipe's character, Mark Sheridan, is wrongly accused of intentionally killing two federal agents. Sheridan spends the majority of his life trying to run from this allegation and the impending jail sentence that follows. By a series of random acts, Sheridan is on the run, and the U.S. Marshal are after him, led by Tommy Lee Jones' character: Sam Gerard. It is exciting. It is wonderful. And it keeps you guessing. And just like normal Hollywood endings, this one ends on a good note--Sheridan is exonerated and freed.

Sheridan is a new man, and the movie illustrates his joy and his excitement about having a new life, one that he should never have lost. Sheridan's story is simliar to Joseph's. Joseph didn't choose to be in Egypt. His brothers sold him into slavery, selling him, forcing him to be an alien and a slave in a foreign land. No family. No religion. Joseph truly is alone. But he does alright. In fact God is with him and Joseph produces a lot of fruit.

That's tragic enough for any story, but Joseph's gets worse. His master's wife accuses him of taking advantage of her, a charge worthy of death, and Joseph finds himself in prison. Like Sheridan, Joseph is innocent. Its a false charge. While in prison, as chapter 40 illustrates, Joseph begins to lament his position, his life. But he doesn't lose faith. And God never leaves him. Right?

After interpreting dreams: one good and one bad, Joseph sets the stage for his freedom. As much as God is with Joseph, and everyone knows it, Joseph would spend the next two years, in prison, for a crime he didn't commit. Even the cupbearer, who was given good news about his dream, forgot Joseph. But not entirely.

Then we stumble upon Genesis 41, and this begins Joseph's vindication. The cupbearer, after Pharaoh has some haunting dreams, remembers Joseph. Joseph changes clothes. Interprets the dreams. And instructs Pharaoh on how to survive the seven years of drought that God is going to bring to the world. Pharah rewards Joseph by making Joseph head of the state. Joseph gets to make a lot of powerful decisions, and Joseph no longer has to worry about status, position, or some dilipidated dungeon. Joseph, like Sheridan, is finally free and has a real life to live.

I would have been bitter. Not Joseph. He finds joy in the moment. He finds peace in the moment. He names his son Manasseh, which could translate to forget, as an illustration that Joseph lives in the moment, not the past. Joseph sees how God was with him every step of the way, even in the hole his brother threw him in to and especially in the dungeon that was Joseph's home for years. Joseph never lost faith. Joseph persevered.

And God rewarded him for it. This story, for me and the small group, illustrates many things. But first and foremost, it shows that no matter what we are going through, if we gird ourselves in God, God will see us through. God will bring us through the other side. God is faithful. No matter what we might face, God is faithful. Faith is easy when life is easy. But when we face challenges, like a dungeon, whether that is a literal one or a dwindling budget and fewer worshippers, when God's children face adversity, how they respond speaks volumes about them and their faith.

Will we, like Joseph, continue to do good and trust God to vindicate us, bear fruit through us, and restore us? Or will we choose to do things our way, losing faith in what feels like a distant God, because we can balance our budget better. We can make better choices. We know how to keep the building going. Which is a faith-filled life and which is the self filled life? Joseph was full of faith and God restored him. Churches guided and directed by radical faith find themselves overwhelmed with people needing Jesus. We know God will do the hard work, why can't we do the easy work and just seek Him, trust Him, and be patient with Him? Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Joseph, Joseph, Joseph

Hey Family,

Our community has been hit hard by the factories disappearing like moochers when the dinner bill comes. And that is disturbing and creates an enormous amount of anxiety inside of us, doesn't it? When we realize that a friend, a family member, or even we are losing a job, we get anxious, panicked, stressed. It's natural. But what happens if we find out through the news instead of being told face to face? How does that affect us?

How do we do with bad news? Tragic news? Terminal news? Do we lose all perspective? Or do we deny it? What? No one, i know, is immune to having to hear tragic news at least a few times in their lives. Loved ones pass away. Relationships end. Jobs go overseas. And even Seinfeld came to an end. So we are going to get terrible news, right? Is there anyway to soften the blow? Is there anyway to keep the news from destroying us? I say yes.

What would happen if we found a humane, or dare i say, Christian way, of relaying tragic news? What i mean by that is this: Joseph had to tell the baker that the baker's dream meant death for the baker, right? But did Joseph avoid telling the baker? Did Joseph have the warden tell the baker? Did Joseph leave a note, like the Dear John letter i got from my high school prom date? No. Joseph did the most loving thing he could. He was honest. He went to the baker and told the baker the full truth. Regardless of how tragic the news was.

For me at least, to know is better than not knowing and being surprised, out of the blue. For the employees of NCR, who found out through the press, how did they like finding out about their futures through the Dayton Daily or News Channel 7? Probably not much. But its how heartless people, unloving people, operate. They choose dishonesty and passive aggressive means to get what they want. They are too afraid of facing the object of the bad news, so they avoid it, all together. And it creates more victims than if they were just willing to be upfront and honest.

But to give bad news, no matter how painful it is, must be done in a loving way. We have to be honest, but we have to be gracefilled as well. That, my friends, is a difficult path and balancing act. However, if we are to call ourselves Christian, it is an act we must engage in, fully. To not do so, is to honor the king of this world: Satan, while denying the power of the King of kings: Jesus. I would rather honor the King of kings than align myself with Satan. What about you?

Shalom,
jerry