Matthew 7:1 - Stop judging, so that you may/will not be judged.
This is judgment in a negative sense of course. Yet it is not merely finding fault with others! It is more along the lines of bringing someone into court, accusing them of something, judging them harshly and possibly unfairly.
The second part is more taken to court. Stop judging others or they might just find enough fault with you to take you before a judge.
This could be spoken to Americans today. Especially those in the news media and the talking heads. They make their living judging others harshly in public, pretending that their own lives are pure and without fault. Yet we all know that is not the case and they inevitably are caught - and then caught in the publicity web of their own making.
For me personally, this tells me that while my judgment may be correct, I would do better to focus on my own faults. The following verses bear this out. However, there are times when I need to judge negatively for my own or someone else's protection. For example, someone who is cruel to me will not continue to enjoy the pleasure of my company. Someone who is cruel to others will hear about it. This requires not just judgment but action. Avoiding or confronting.
And this brings me to Eric and Debbie and RPPC. Ugh. We received an email yesterday about the upcoming weeks. It all feels very controlled and stifling. The session will be assigning people to committees rather than letting people choose. That seems very wrong. Along with Eric's tone while preaching, it is starting to rub me even more the wrong way than it had before. Of course they are afraid that no one will step up and the church will close. Which is a valid fear. Yet, I do not see trust in God in any of this. Not in Eric's preaching (which is mostly lecturing and yelling) and not in the plan for getting people to volunteer.
It feels very much as though it is being forced down my throat. And that feels icky and abusive. I am not sure exactly what my response to it will be. I suggested to Peter that I may speak up. I still might. But I will talk it over with Joellen and Maria first. They are full of wisdom. I do not wish to just disappear. Yet I want to respond lovingly and with dignity and grace for all. So how to do this without judging negatively? Share my experience. How am I experiencing this process? Let them respond how they will.
B
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Monday, June 15, 2015
Seeking and assurance
Matthew 6:33-34 - Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these will be given to you. So do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow worries for itself. Today has trouble enough.
Seek, search for, feel the need of. First thing in the morning, in the decision making process. God's righteousness or justice. Not purity! Righteousness and justice! God want us to be in communion with her, wants us to seek her out, feel how much we need her. I don't know about you but I have a difficult time functioning without morning prayer and meditation. I had several migraines last week. In some ways it was a vacation. I laid around and did nothing, trying to recover. In others, it was frustrating! I felt useless. Seeking God meant taking care of myself so that I in turn could take care of others.
Justice and righteousness. The justice that I pursue is the poor being taken care of, the laws being just and being administered justly, those on the margins being brought into the midst of the circle. Forgiveness for those who have hurt me - not to let them off the hook, but to give myself space and energy. Justice is hard. It means more than just locking people up. True justice requires that we look at the systemic evils and how they operate, searching for ways to dismantle them, make them more fair for all - not just the rich.
Seeking God and God's righteousness means staying in the moment. Staying in today and what we can do today to address the troubles. Staying in today means looking around us and asking how we can help others. What can we do in our homes, our communities, in our countries that can address the issues we see and those things that are not right. It means speaking up when we see others treated wrongly. Staying in today is hard, too. It means not sleepwalking through life. When i have migraines, I sleepwalk through life because I have little choice. Today I choose to stay in the moment - addressing today's issues rather than those that might crop up tomorrow.
B
Seek, search for, feel the need of. First thing in the morning, in the decision making process. God's righteousness or justice. Not purity! Righteousness and justice! God want us to be in communion with her, wants us to seek her out, feel how much we need her. I don't know about you but I have a difficult time functioning without morning prayer and meditation. I had several migraines last week. In some ways it was a vacation. I laid around and did nothing, trying to recover. In others, it was frustrating! I felt useless. Seeking God meant taking care of myself so that I in turn could take care of others.
Justice and righteousness. The justice that I pursue is the poor being taken care of, the laws being just and being administered justly, those on the margins being brought into the midst of the circle. Forgiveness for those who have hurt me - not to let them off the hook, but to give myself space and energy. Justice is hard. It means more than just locking people up. True justice requires that we look at the systemic evils and how they operate, searching for ways to dismantle them, make them more fair for all - not just the rich.
Seeking God and God's righteousness means staying in the moment. Staying in today and what we can do today to address the troubles. Staying in today means looking around us and asking how we can help others. What can we do in our homes, our communities, in our countries that can address the issues we see and those things that are not right. It means speaking up when we see others treated wrongly. Staying in today is hard, too. It means not sleepwalking through life. When i have migraines, I sleepwalk through life because I have little choice. Today I choose to stay in the moment - addressing today's issues rather than those that might crop up tomorrow.
B
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Anxiety and Trust
Matthew 6:30-32 - So if God treats the grass of the field, which today is here and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, this way, how much more will he give to you, you of little faith? So do not worry saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or What shall we wear?" The gentiles strive after these things. Your heavenly father knows you need them.
Had a migraine yesterday. I'm still woozy and this will be easy today! Yet, how often do we spend hours trying to decide what to wear in the morning or what to eat for lunch. Is it excessive? Perhaps I need to look at how I use my mental energy each day. Not even being anxious, just being indecisive. Food, clothing and drink are not life or death choices.
I think this is why I have an issue with this new "foodie" culture. There is a certain snobbishness around it. It is clearly an indictment of this focus on adventures in eating. The flip side is where is our food coming from. Food can hurt others if we are supporting unjust systems in our food choices. Also, are we supporting food deserts in some way?
Clearly my brain is not working as well as I hoped this morning. There seem to be several issues around food here.
B
Had a migraine yesterday. I'm still woozy and this will be easy today! Yet, how often do we spend hours trying to decide what to wear in the morning or what to eat for lunch. Is it excessive? Perhaps I need to look at how I use my mental energy each day. Not even being anxious, just being indecisive. Food, clothing and drink are not life or death choices.
I think this is why I have an issue with this new "foodie" culture. There is a certain snobbishness around it. It is clearly an indictment of this focus on adventures in eating. The flip side is where is our food coming from. Food can hurt others if we are supporting unjust systems in our food choices. Also, are we supporting food deserts in some way?
Clearly my brain is not working as well as I hoped this morning. There seem to be several issues around food here.
B
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Clothing
Matthew 6:28-29 - And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe the lilies of the field, they neither toil nor spin and Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
This is one area in which I have been really not worrying! I have enough clothes for now. Since I only work sporadically and wear a collar shirt for that, I mostly wear jeans or shorts and t-shirts. I have lots of nice clothes that I need more chances to wear!
Yet, the lesson is the same as before. God's got this. God provides. Living simply is living in solidarity with those who are less fortunate in our society. Eating at the kitchen is being in solidarity with those less fortunate. Buying used clothing helps to not support sweat shops around the world. Not using more than we need.
The other lesson is to look around at the natural world. It is beautiful, more beautiful than we imagine. Nothing made by man can rival the splendor of lilies in the field. Yesterday, Peter and I were walking and we cam across an iris that was such a deep purple. It might have been an orchid, it didn't look as frail as irises usually do. But how wonderful! This too is God's gift to us. Beauty. When we are anxious about things we can do nothing about, we miss our chance to revel in the beauty of the world around us. We miss our chance for peace and serenity.
B
This is one area in which I have been really not worrying! I have enough clothes for now. Since I only work sporadically and wear a collar shirt for that, I mostly wear jeans or shorts and t-shirts. I have lots of nice clothes that I need more chances to wear!
Yet, the lesson is the same as before. God's got this. God provides. Living simply is living in solidarity with those who are less fortunate in our society. Eating at the kitchen is being in solidarity with those less fortunate. Buying used clothing helps to not support sweat shops around the world. Not using more than we need.
The other lesson is to look around at the natural world. It is beautiful, more beautiful than we imagine. Nothing made by man can rival the splendor of lilies in the field. Yesterday, Peter and I were walking and we cam across an iris that was such a deep purple. It might have been an orchid, it didn't look as frail as irises usually do. But how wonderful! This too is God's gift to us. Beauty. When we are anxious about things we can do nothing about, we miss our chance to revel in the beauty of the world around us. We miss our chance for peace and serenity.
B
Friday, June 5, 2015
Cubits of Life
Matthew 6:27 - For which of you by worrying is able to add even one cubit to your life/stature/maturity?
I like the mixed metaphor. The image of life as a measure of distance. I like the interpretation of pychun as stature and even more as maturity. I don't think maturity is what is meant here as he is talking about worrying about your life. The plain sense is that we cannot prolong our lives by worrying. It does no good.
But looking at the triple definition and combining that with the mixed metaphor the sentence becomes more profound. Not only will worrying help us to live longer, but is will also not help us to be more mature, taller, etc. Worrying won't help anything! No matter what you are worrying about, your worry alone will accomplish nothing. It will keep you stuck and paralyzed, unable to do anything.
Combining this with our meditations of the past few days, I can see that Jesus is calling us to belief in the sense of trust, love, and faith. God has provided, God is providing, and God will provide. I am reminded of a man I met at the bus yesterday. He had obviously been in a fire - his face looked melted. He had no eyebrows and no hair. The skin was smooth and scarred. Yet he was full of such joy! He talked about looking for a job and how good God was. All the time.
My goal in the Christian life is to be able to understand how people in such straits can exhibit such hope. Sometimes I can glimpse it. I want to do more than glimpse such hope. I want to live in it. Worrying will definitely not get me there!
So today I want to put all the stresses of the past week in a box and had it over to God: the finances, the bedbugs, the arguments, the tiredness, Cathy, Bud, Cleveland. All of it. I cannot do anything today and continuing to worry will not move me forward. Instead, today I choose to focus on the next right thing. Somehow all of this will work out. In the meantime, I want to be joyful rather than anxious.
God help me.
B
I like the mixed metaphor. The image of life as a measure of distance. I like the interpretation of pychun as stature and even more as maturity. I don't think maturity is what is meant here as he is talking about worrying about your life. The plain sense is that we cannot prolong our lives by worrying. It does no good.
But looking at the triple definition and combining that with the mixed metaphor the sentence becomes more profound. Not only will worrying help us to live longer, but is will also not help us to be more mature, taller, etc. Worrying won't help anything! No matter what you are worrying about, your worry alone will accomplish nothing. It will keep you stuck and paralyzed, unable to do anything.
Combining this with our meditations of the past few days, I can see that Jesus is calling us to belief in the sense of trust, love, and faith. God has provided, God is providing, and God will provide. I am reminded of a man I met at the bus yesterday. He had obviously been in a fire - his face looked melted. He had no eyebrows and no hair. The skin was smooth and scarred. Yet he was full of such joy! He talked about looking for a job and how good God was. All the time.
My goal in the Christian life is to be able to understand how people in such straits can exhibit such hope. Sometimes I can glimpse it. I want to do more than glimpse such hope. I want to live in it. Worrying will definitely not get me there!
So today I want to put all the stresses of the past week in a box and had it over to God: the finances, the bedbugs, the arguments, the tiredness, Cathy, Bud, Cleveland. All of it. I cannot do anything today and continuing to worry will not move me forward. Instead, today I choose to focus on the next right thing. Somehow all of this will work out. In the meantime, I want to be joyful rather than anxious.
God help me.
B
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Value
Matthew 6:26 - Look at the birds of the heaven. They neither sow n or reap; neither do they gather in barns. And yet your father in heaven feeds them. Are you not worth more than they? Are you not more different than they?
More different is and interesting way to say worth more. But yeah, different in a greater way. Of more worth or value. I would argue that no, we are not worth more than the sparrows. In fact, one thing we are recognizing in this century (again?) is that we are all connected and without all that is here, everything changes. Without sparrows, we are less than human. We are one part in the cog of our ecologies, our environments. Yet we are able to do a lot of damage to those environments and ourselves as well.
Of course, the point was that God loves us and values us just as the sparrow. We are treasured and cared for. There is enough for today. Worry will not help us realize our true value. It is when we realize our true value that we are able to let go of worry - and maybe even some possessions. Things that no longer really serve us well. Things we cling to out of apathy or the desire to hoard. These things are not indicators of our true value or worth, no matter what the world tells us. We have worth because we exist and because God loves us.
Since I am going out on the bus tonight, I will need to remember that!
B
More different is and interesting way to say worth more. But yeah, different in a greater way. Of more worth or value. I would argue that no, we are not worth more than the sparrows. In fact, one thing we are recognizing in this century (again?) is that we are all connected and without all that is here, everything changes. Without sparrows, we are less than human. We are one part in the cog of our ecologies, our environments. Yet we are able to do a lot of damage to those environments and ourselves as well.
Of course, the point was that God loves us and values us just as the sparrow. We are treasured and cared for. There is enough for today. Worry will not help us realize our true value. It is when we realize our true value that we are able to let go of worry - and maybe even some possessions. Things that no longer really serve us well. Things we cling to out of apathy or the desire to hoard. These things are not indicators of our true value or worth, no matter what the world tells us. We have worth because we exist and because God loves us.
Since I am going out on the bus tonight, I will need to remember that!
B
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Life and Love
Matthew 6:25 - Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or drink or about your body, what you shall wear. Is not life about more than food or your body about more than clothing?
Do not worry. Why do I have such a hard time with this? I worry constantly. About money mostly. We are in a slump that way and I'm hoping I can get enough hours at TNM to help out. Plus CPE will cost $850, which is a lot of money. Ooof.
I worry about violence. There was another shooting around the corner from our condo yesterday. Conflicting reports about whether the young man is dead or not. Too much gun violence. Not enough love. I feel for the young men in James' Bible Study. They want to get out and it is almost impossible.
I worry about food and clothing. Even though I have not had to miss any meals lately. I worry because we are so behind on our assessments. I worry because we have plans and we must wait for their fulfillment. Food and clothing is another way of saying money!
Money and violence. Jesus lived in a society that was rife with poverty and violence and he found a way to say - seriously - to his followers not to worry. Life is about more than poverty and violence. It is possible to focus our minds on higher things. It is possible to make room in our hearts for love. Because living is about loving and being in community with those we love and care about. Ironically, those are the things that will help us deal with the lack of peace, security, and possessions.
Of course, it is easy to say, do not worry. How do we stop worrying? How do we remind ourselves daily that God is here and we are okay. Even if we are not physically okay. We are strong and he is strong when we aren't. How do we pray when our hearts break for the lives taken too soon? How do we follow you when we know that following means caring about others and caring about others means pain as well as joy?
Help me take that first step today - to reach out to my community.
B
Do not worry. Why do I have such a hard time with this? I worry constantly. About money mostly. We are in a slump that way and I'm hoping I can get enough hours at TNM to help out. Plus CPE will cost $850, which is a lot of money. Ooof.
I worry about violence. There was another shooting around the corner from our condo yesterday. Conflicting reports about whether the young man is dead or not. Too much gun violence. Not enough love. I feel for the young men in James' Bible Study. They want to get out and it is almost impossible.
I worry about food and clothing. Even though I have not had to miss any meals lately. I worry because we are so behind on our assessments. I worry because we have plans and we must wait for their fulfillment. Food and clothing is another way of saying money!
Money and violence. Jesus lived in a society that was rife with poverty and violence and he found a way to say - seriously - to his followers not to worry. Life is about more than poverty and violence. It is possible to focus our minds on higher things. It is possible to make room in our hearts for love. Because living is about loving and being in community with those we love and care about. Ironically, those are the things that will help us deal with the lack of peace, security, and possessions.
Of course, it is easy to say, do not worry. How do we stop worrying? How do we remind ourselves daily that God is here and we are okay. Even if we are not physically okay. We are strong and he is strong when we aren't. How do we pray when our hearts break for the lives taken too soon? How do we follow you when we know that following means caring about others and caring about others means pain as well as joy?
Help me take that first step today - to reach out to my community.
B
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