When I listen to the news, I become so overwhelmed with the violence.
It seems unthinkable that someone's anger, frustration and disappointments would lead to such mass destruction of life. In our own minds we might ask, "What was that person thinking?"
As I open up "my" book, I hear the question from Jesus, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts?"
My brain gets stuck on that word "harbor." I think of a safe place in a cove free from the buffeting winds and waves, a place of rest. Then again, I think of giving a home or shelter to someone or something, and it leads me to the thought of secrecy and care.
As I apply these definitions to this question, the depth and profound probing of this question startles me. Why does anyone give refuge, secret care and hospitality to evil thinking?
Each one of us has a secret internal life of thoughts, dreams, fantasies and schemes. There are some of those secrets I am willing to share with someone in whom I have trust. There are other secret thoughts I must deny attention or discipline and correct. I know the power of my thoughts. Proverbs 23:7 states, "As one thinks in the heart, so he is."
My thought life controls my attitudes, my demeanor, my actions, my relationships, my influence, my emotions. Thus, it is very important to answer Jesus' question; why would I give harbor to; why would I ponder and give strength to; why would I allow time for or consider evil in my heart?
Evil.
When I was in seminary trying to memorize Greek vocabulary, one of the words for the week was the Greek word for evil--πονηρός--poneros, pronounced po-nay-ros. My study group was doing everything in its power to help us with memorization and came up with the phrase "if someone would roast a pony, that would truly be evil."
It would be evil to roast a pony, I thought, as I recalled raising horses in my youth and having a sweet pony who would pull a cart, delighting many children. The only reason I could think of anyone "roasting a pony" would be if they needed it for food.
As my Greek studies deepened, I realize the original Greek word for evil implied "poverty" which led to feelings of sorrow, unfitness, worthlessness which budded into harmful, contrary and wrongful behavior producing the fruit of violence.
Perhaps our silly way of memorizing Greek was not that far from the truth.
What would change in our thinking if, when an evil or mean or thoughtless or judgmental thought crossed our minds, we would ask ourselves, "What poverty in me is leading me down this path of thinking?" What lack, what need, what scarcity or insufficiency allows this thought to be nurtured, cared for, secretly hidden and catered to?
Harbored.
What am I so mad about? What am I trying to justify about myself? What am I trying to rationalize? What brokenness, wound or pain is being touched? What is being comforted or fed by the nursing of this evil thought? What scares me? What is frightening me? What is rising up within me to protect what little I have hoarded for myself? What am I afraid to share because I gluttonously feel I must keep stored and hidden?
Why do I harbor evil thoughts?
Why do I?
Because somewhere inside of me, I am empty.
I am empty, and I would rather fill the emptiness with the poison of evil than patiently hope and wait to be filled with good.
Scripture tells us there is a great banquet available for our thought world to fill this emptiness, this poverty. The menu of "food for thought" is handed to us in Philippians 4:8.
"Whatever is TRUE, whatever is HONORABLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is of GOOD REPUTE, if there is any EXCELLENCE and if anything is WORTH OF PRAISE, let your mind GIVE HARBOR TO these things."
Violence is filling the poverty and emptiness of many people's hearts.
Perhaps a first step toward wiping out the poverty and violence of our culture is to answer Jesus' question. It will take great courage to ask myself, "Why do I harbor evil thoughts?" Where is my poverty? What banquet food is available to feed my emptiness?
And then, as we sit and listen to evil thoughts which others spill out in angry rhetoric or violent acts, maybe we will be able to hear with new ears, see with new eyes and respond with new actions to those around us.
Good question, Jesus. Thank you for asking.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Monday, January 14, 2013
#1 Who do you say I am? Matthew 16:15
Raised in the church and one who is fairly conforming, I easily responded to this question as a young child and teenager with the answer: Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. Supposedly, with that answer, I had a free ticket to heaven and the approval of my parents. I also understood that the answer carried with it the presupposition that I would follow a set of rules and a moral code. The answer seemed quite easy to tell you the truth.
But, when I was a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I became an adult, I had to really wonder what my original answer meant for my life.
Jesus asked this question in Ceasarea-Phillipi, the cultic worship space of the Greek god, Pan. Pan was the god of panic and confusion. If you were a good religious Greek and were going into battle, you would call upon Pan to shake up your enemy with anxiety and lack of focus so you could beat him or her.
In the place dedicated to confusion, Jesus asks this clarifying question: Who do you say I am?
Confusion and panic reign in our culture. There are so many choices about so many things, many of us zone out and decide not to decide. Just this morning on NPR, I heard that 1/5 of the American population is not affiliated with any religion. These people are called "NONEs." They are not atheists nor are they theists. They are just undecided and want to stay that way.
Pluralism has given us the opportunity to rub elbows with people from other cultures, religions and experiences. We no longer have the luxury of living in homogeneous societies that support our belief system. Ideas and mores which were once "obvious" are now questioned. And perhaps that is a good thing.
Before Jesus asks this question, he asks, "Who do others say I am?" This question is much simpler to answer. Some say Jesus was a great teacher with some great ideas. Some say he was a prophet like Muhammad or Buddha. Some say he was an anarchist, a rebel. Some say he is one of many options as one is choosing a "personal god." Some say he is irrelevant. Some say he is everything. Some call him "Lord." Some call him "Savior." Some say he was the Jewish messiah. Some love him and live their whole lives dedicated to him. Some loath him. Some die for him still today.
But when Jesus turns the question to me and says, "Who do you say I am?" the answer is not so simple. I have a history of creedal formulas like, "Jesus is Lord of all!" "Jesus is my Lord and Savior." "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God." I have hymns and worship songs which give me answers like, "Jesus is my Friend." "Jesus is King of Kings." And I have scripture: "Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life." "Jesus is the firstborn of all creation." "Jesus is my crucified and risen Lord."
But all those titles have a lot of unpacking to do. Words like Lord, Christ, King, Way, Truth and Life would take a lifetime to explore.
Although I believe all the creedal, hymnic and scriptural phrases about Jesus, for me, it is easier to talk about Jesus realistically and experientially.
Who do I say Jesus is?
Jesus was the one who sat by my side when I was learning scripture and made my heart warm. Jesus still does this for me, showing me things I've never seen before in ancient texts.
Jesus comforted me when I was a senior in high school and didn't get a date to the prom or the lead in the musical. Jesus was my faithful friend when others couldn't be.
Jesus took me on adventures through meadows and forests and pointed out all the lovelies therein. Jesus whispered to me some pretty amazing insights and showed me many wonders.
Jesus guides me along my path, giving me clarity and purpose. Encouraging me in bravery when I want to be a coward. Pushing me to kindness instead of resentment and bitterness.
Jesus showed me that love is not about feeling good and warm in myself, but making hard choices to stick with and even sacrifice one's life for the good and sake of another. Jesus promises me that if I live this way, all will work out one day, even if I never live to see it.
Jesus was with me when I struggled through cancer. He gave me hope one day when he opened the ceiling of my hospital room and showed me heaven. He let me experience complete love and joy and peace. He told me not to worry about my life because all would be well.
Jesus held my hand and caught all my tears when I was mourning over all the griefs of life--lost dreams and disappointments, deep sorrows and loneliness. He whispered peace into my ear which blanketed me in a way I can't explain.
Jesus gives my life all its purpose. He is more real to me than anything or anyone in this world. He has and continues to give me great gifts more valuable than anything material.
Who do I say Jesus is?
Jesus is my everything.
And the one thing I am not confused about.
But, when I was a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I became an adult, I had to really wonder what my original answer meant for my life.
Jesus asked this question in Ceasarea-Phillipi, the cultic worship space of the Greek god, Pan. Pan was the god of panic and confusion. If you were a good religious Greek and were going into battle, you would call upon Pan to shake up your enemy with anxiety and lack of focus so you could beat him or her.
In the place dedicated to confusion, Jesus asks this clarifying question: Who do you say I am?
Confusion and panic reign in our culture. There are so many choices about so many things, many of us zone out and decide not to decide. Just this morning on NPR, I heard that 1/5 of the American population is not affiliated with any religion. These people are called "NONEs." They are not atheists nor are they theists. They are just undecided and want to stay that way.
Pluralism has given us the opportunity to rub elbows with people from other cultures, religions and experiences. We no longer have the luxury of living in homogeneous societies that support our belief system. Ideas and mores which were once "obvious" are now questioned. And perhaps that is a good thing.
Before Jesus asks this question, he asks, "Who do others say I am?" This question is much simpler to answer. Some say Jesus was a great teacher with some great ideas. Some say he was a prophet like Muhammad or Buddha. Some say he was an anarchist, a rebel. Some say he is one of many options as one is choosing a "personal god." Some say he is irrelevant. Some say he is everything. Some call him "Lord." Some call him "Savior." Some say he was the Jewish messiah. Some love him and live their whole lives dedicated to him. Some loath him. Some die for him still today.
But when Jesus turns the question to me and says, "Who do you say I am?" the answer is not so simple. I have a history of creedal formulas like, "Jesus is Lord of all!" "Jesus is my Lord and Savior." "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God." I have hymns and worship songs which give me answers like, "Jesus is my Friend." "Jesus is King of Kings." And I have scripture: "Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life." "Jesus is the firstborn of all creation." "Jesus is my crucified and risen Lord."
But all those titles have a lot of unpacking to do. Words like Lord, Christ, King, Way, Truth and Life would take a lifetime to explore.
Although I believe all the creedal, hymnic and scriptural phrases about Jesus, for me, it is easier to talk about Jesus realistically and experientially.
Who do I say Jesus is?
Jesus was the one who sat by my side when I was learning scripture and made my heart warm. Jesus still does this for me, showing me things I've never seen before in ancient texts.
Jesus comforted me when I was a senior in high school and didn't get a date to the prom or the lead in the musical. Jesus was my faithful friend when others couldn't be.
Jesus took me on adventures through meadows and forests and pointed out all the lovelies therein. Jesus whispered to me some pretty amazing insights and showed me many wonders.
Jesus guides me along my path, giving me clarity and purpose. Encouraging me in bravery when I want to be a coward. Pushing me to kindness instead of resentment and bitterness.
Jesus showed me that love is not about feeling good and warm in myself, but making hard choices to stick with and even sacrifice one's life for the good and sake of another. Jesus promises me that if I live this way, all will work out one day, even if I never live to see it.
Jesus was with me when I struggled through cancer. He gave me hope one day when he opened the ceiling of my hospital room and showed me heaven. He let me experience complete love and joy and peace. He told me not to worry about my life because all would be well.
Jesus held my hand and caught all my tears when I was mourning over all the griefs of life--lost dreams and disappointments, deep sorrows and loneliness. He whispered peace into my ear which blanketed me in a way I can't explain.
Jesus gives my life all its purpose. He is more real to me than anything or anyone in this world. He has and continues to give me great gifts more valuable than anything material.
Who do I say Jesus is?
Jesus is my everything.
And the one thing I am not confused about.
Asking Questions
It seems that as soon as a youngster is able to put a couple of words together in an intelligible way, the combo of words becomes a question. Ask any parent of a toddler and they will tell you they are assaulted with questions all day long.
Questions are one of the ways we learn and make sense of our lives. They also provide the probing and pushing we need to go deeper.
Before the age of technology, my elementary teachers spent the hour before school writing questions on the chalkboard. It was my job as a student to spend most of the rest of the day discovering the answers to those questions. The questions were my fodder for the day's journey through social studies, math, science and reading.
Socrates used question after question to push his students deeper and deeper into thought. Rabbis questioned their students to push them to clarify their arguments. Lawyers use questions to lead their witnesses to a certain conclusion. Parents use questions to often help their children see the obvious.
Jesus asked questions. Sometimes they were rhetorical. Sometimes they asked for deeper commitment. Sometimes they pushed for a choice.
One could read Jesus' questions as a spectator, waiting for others to answer, or as one actively engaged with Jesus. This is my challenge in this blog. To take 100 questions Jesus asked and try to answer them honestly. I'm not sure where this will lead, but I hope to be truthful, even when the question stumps me or points out my doubts or weaknesses.
I hope you'll join me.
Who knows what we will learn in this classroom?
Questions are one of the ways we learn and make sense of our lives. They also provide the probing and pushing we need to go deeper.
Before the age of technology, my elementary teachers spent the hour before school writing questions on the chalkboard. It was my job as a student to spend most of the rest of the day discovering the answers to those questions. The questions were my fodder for the day's journey through social studies, math, science and reading.
Socrates used question after question to push his students deeper and deeper into thought. Rabbis questioned their students to push them to clarify their arguments. Lawyers use questions to lead their witnesses to a certain conclusion. Parents use questions to often help their children see the obvious.
Jesus asked questions. Sometimes they were rhetorical. Sometimes they asked for deeper commitment. Sometimes they pushed for a choice.
One could read Jesus' questions as a spectator, waiting for others to answer, or as one actively engaged with Jesus. This is my challenge in this blog. To take 100 questions Jesus asked and try to answer them honestly. I'm not sure where this will lead, but I hope to be truthful, even when the question stumps me or points out my doubts or weaknesses.
I hope you'll join me.
Who knows what we will learn in this classroom?
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