Saturday, December 13, 2014

The Question

The context is Matt.20, Mark 10, Luke 18. Jesus asks the blind men (read all the accounts) a very important question: "What do you want me to do for you?" Look closely and you will see six elements to the question.
What: The object. Defining the "what" may sometimes be difficult. How specific must we be? What is important? What do I really need? Have I thought it through that if I get what I want will I like it or be prepared to manage it? Most who win the lottery are ill prepared  to handle it and disaster follows. In this case the "what" is sight. No ambiguity-it is clear. But, he could have asked for anything. When the Son of God says what do you want and you know he can do anything the "what" is pretty important to get right.
Do: This is the action word. Did Jesus have the ability and the capacity to do the "what?" If not, then his asking was cruel. Or, did He have the desire to do something for these men? Is Jesus able? Isn't this one of our great questions? We want to know if He can-as well as will. Does Jesus have the power to open blind eyes? He has proven He can, so the blind men ask according to His proven ability.
You: In this case the "you" is two blind men. This is personal. Jesus does many things for everyone, But, just as He raises Lazarus by calling him by name and not everyone in the graveyard, so today He was healing the "you." "It's me, It's me, It's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Not my brother, not my sister....."
Want: Here is the heart of man, the seat of desire. The "want" must be in line with the "what." We have many desires and not all are good and useful. It is hard to sort through our heart's desires to find "what" we will ask for. This is why I like Psa. 27:4: "One thing I ask of the Lord...."
Me: The "me" is Jesus. Jesus is not asking him what he wants others to do for him. Otherwise Jesus could just command someone else to help him. No, the gift was coming from Jesus Himself which required trust by the blind men. We sometimes ask men for what we should be asking Jesus.
For: Jesus qualifies the question to only what is beneficial to the blind men. Jesus wants to do something for them and not against them. How important it is that Jesus always acts for us and not against us. The crowd was not for them-only Jesus asked the question. Let that sink in-"for you."
Good question!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Four Gears of Life

  Sometimes when you counsel people concepts that you have been teaching for years come together in a visual way that helps others to grasp how things work. I am big on wanting to know how things work, especially things pertaining to  our lives. In most areas of life there is the WHOLE and the PARTICULARS. To understand we must address both. So let me give you what I see as the Four Gears of Life.
 
GEAR ONE is PERSONALITY. For years I have administered dozens of Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis tests, and interpreted the personalities of individuals within pre-marital, couples, and individual counseling. Regarding personality, we all have one. We also have personalities that will not change significantly over time. But, we do have personalities that can be understood, and can be managed so that we can effectively live and relate to others. The more you understand your personality, accept responsibility for it, and effectively manage it the more content you are in life.
 
GEAR TWO is BEHAVIOR. We all have patterns of behavior. We do things over and over again, repeatedly (pun intended). We develop preferences that drive choices. We have routines, habits, and styles. We dress certain ways. We pursue hobbies and careers. We say and do things that are peculiar to us. We have skills that set us apart. Some behaviors are moral and some are immoral. It is easy for us to see each other's behaviors and make judgments primarily based on what we see. We condemn or excuse, we promote or discourage, and we endorse or denounce according to our view of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.
 
GEAR THREE is PAST EXPERIENCES. Like personality, we each have our own unique experiences. We were raised in certain ways. We may have experienced trauma of varying degrees. We made choices that led to either good or bad places. We had friends, relatives, and teachers who influenced us. We have accidents and illnesses and deaths, all of which help shape who we are. Some of these experiences need to be bathed in forgiveness. Some need to be treated with understanding through adult eyes to correct the mistakes of looking at them through a child's eyes. Some need to be let go of and others need to be cherished and preserved. But, no mistake, we are a product of our experiences.
 
GEAR FOUR is VALUES AND BELIEFS. What we hold to be true is of great importance to shaping our lives. We all have a worldview. That does not mean it is a good one or that it is consistent with itself. But, we all, if given a list of doctrines or moral positions, could answer one of three ways, i.e. agree, disagree, or 'I don't know.' Our values and beliefs may come from a religion, a book like the Bible or Koran, or from a person. Our faith (and we all have faith in something or nothing) drives behaviors, helps us interpret past experiences, and shows us how we should manage our personalities.
 
If a person is having trouble in life or in their relationships, it would be good to consider how the patterns of each gear operate in sync with the other gears to form YOU. The better you know this, the better you can choose in the exercise of your WILL. This is the power source that makes the gears turn. You get to decide where these gears will take you. Now, if I can take the metaphor a little further, you may need someone to help you grease the gears to get them moving freely so you can more easily go in the right direction. That why we have counselors and friends who have an understanding of the FOUR GEARS.

Monday, September 29, 2014

The Ideology War

 What are people drinking (or smoking)? The world is awash in conflicting ideologies. An ideology is "a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy." All ideologies that exist within the world must, if they prove to be correct and worthy of a following, must be in harmony with God's perfect idea.
 
There is much debate today as to whether or nor IS (Islamic State) is either Islamic or a State. We seek to label this group for the purpose of identifying its contents. I would ask, which comes first, the label or the contents? Before Coke can be labeled "Coke" it must be "Coke." IS believes something and professes something and is motivated to its actions by something. What is it? Is it the writings of the Koran, their unique interpretation of the Koran, or a mixture of Islamic tenants and other streams of thought (even revenge for perceived injustices)? Who is more consistent? Those who profess Mohammed as the prophet and his way as The Way yet never preform acts of terror, or IS? That is a debate for Islam. Even though we might have a difficult time precisely identifying IS's ideology we do know they want everyone (even fellow Muslims) to be what they are under the threat of death.
 
As Paul labored to convince King Agrippa to consider the claims of Christ, he said, "King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do." Agrippa replied: "In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian." Paul answered thus: "I would to God that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:27-29) Did Paul want to change Agrippa's ideology? Did he want the king to wear a new label, i.e. Christian? Did he want all who heard him that day to BE what he was in belief and way of life? "Yes" to all. Paul represented a Christian ideology rooted in the Law and the Prophets, the actual words of Christ Himself, and the continued revelation he and others received from the Holy Spirit.
 
What I fear is that those with terrorist ideologies will care more about the spread of theirs that we do about the spread of ours. I fear that not only will they seek to eradicate anyone who does not embrace their ideology, but that many in this world who are seeking a radical ideology that has a semblance of power, strength and success will gravitate to it just to be a part of a movement that stands for something, no matter how misguided. I fear that we who call ourselves Christians and are casual about it will not only not be able to stand against their swords, but more importantly will not be able to give an answer for the reason of the hope that is within us. (1 Pet.3:15)
 
In my opinion, the drift away from the deep truths of Jesus, and the radical nature of the gospel and the kingdom continues unabated. We have encased the Gospel within modern culture to such extent that folks, even those who self-identify as Christians, are inoculated against it. We have been injected with enough cultural antibodies that we cannot catch Jesus. The prophylactic of the secular ideologies prevents us from becoming pregnant with the doctrines of Christ. And even if we do become pregnant with Jesus, society has a pill that will abort Him before he attaches. This is a serious matter. A world where an IS ideology could actually succeed demonstrates how little the ideology of Jesus is succeeding. Our task is to convince not only non-Christians to be what we claim to be, but to convince our casual fellow-Christians to be what Jesus calls them to be. 
September 29, 2014  Rod Myers
 
 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Black and Blue

Still in Luke 18. This unrighteous judge who did not fear God and did not respect man was being pummeled by this weak widow. She would not give up. She kept coming. Maybe she got a petition drive going, or organized a march around the courthouse. Or maybe she had a letter writing campaign or got her friends to post things on Face Book. Maybe she camped out in front of the judges door and called out to him at all hours of the night. Maybe she filled up his inbox with text messages, one after another, like Mike Tyson going after a defenseless opponent.
 
Jesus says he was getting worn out from her continuous coming. Every day she was in court asking if he was going to hear her case. The word for worn out comes from the area just below the eyes on the face. It stands for the part of the face that might get beaten and be rendered black and blue. Paul uses it in 1 Cor.9:27 in talking about buffeting his body to bring it under submission. It is a harsh form of discipline that seeks to coerce. She was pestering him and he was feeling the effect. She was wearing him down. Perhaps this would be a good model for diplomacy. Provide consistent, continual, and well-placed blows to vulnerable parts of the enemy until they are beaten down into submission and cry "uncle." Make them holler "enough."
 
Remember this story is about praying and not giving up. Do we have to beat God till He is black and blue to get him to listen to us and do what needs to be done? Actually no. This is a lesson in contrasts. God is not the unrighteous judge who has to be boxed black and blue like a street thug or terrorist in Get Mo to get him to "give it up." God is not some tyrant who could not give a care to your situation and need. But if a punk judge can be made to submit by a relentless widow, then how much more will a loving Father be persuaded to answer his precious children? God is not black and blue from our prayers. He loves to hear us consistently and continuously pray for justice.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Fear and Respect

 It seems the widow got the wrong judge. (Luke 18) If I had an appearance notice I would want to know something about the judge I would stand before. Is he fair? Does he follow the law? Can he show mercy? Does he listen? Is he in cahoots with the prosecutor? When folks are given the power of life and death over others, there is a tendency for this power to "go to their heads." Power eaten too quickly is like eating very cold ice cream too quickly.

The storyteller of Luke 18, Jesus, is quick to say that this particular judge neither fears God nor respects man. This isn't looking too good. The judge himself confirms this truth when the poor, vulnerable widow stands before him. This is not a good combination. Lack of fear of God is a prescription for the making of a fool. Read Proverbs on that one. Fearing God is merely the beginning of wisdom, and it is the first half of the whole duty of man. (Eccl.12) Lack of respect for people, especially weak and powerless people is a prescription for abuse. So we have a fool for a judge who is likely to heap abuse, or at the least neglect, on this poor widow. Her life, her future, her financial security is being weighed in the balance of his court. And, he just doesn't care.

Surely this judge was not born this way. Fear of God and respect for others is really the most natural of ways to live. Observation of God's creation should make it clear without a lot of thought that God is pretty powerful, creative, and wise. And, the interdependence we have with others in this world should tell us without a lot of thought that respect for others is the best way to do business in this world. But somewhere along the line this judge loss the most basic building blocks of human existence. He found a way to compartmentalize God so that he would not have to fear him. He put God in a cage. I don't fear a rattlesnake that is contained behind a foot of bullet-proof glass. I don't fear a lion that is secured in a steel cage. But, my fear level goes up considerably if I know they are roaming freely around my house. God in a cage is not feared.

And how did he lose empathy for people, especially the vulnerable ones among us? The ability to feel compassion, mercy, and love is essential for human relations. What happens when someone just does not care anymore? What happens when this person has power over me and you? This is called tyranny. This is the stuff terrorist are made of.

So here she is. a pitiful, needy widow standing before a fearless and disrespectful judge. He is going to eat her alive right? Wrong! She has a quality of her own and it is called persistence. It is the thing prayers are made of. And if it is effective on this worthless judge how much more effective will it be when made to a God who is feared and respects all men he made.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Getting Through

I've been in Luke 16 for a while. It is typical of many of the teachings of Jesus where He struggles to get through to his hearers. In the chapter He tells a story about a steward who is accused of mismanagement, and foreseeing his firing the steward finds a way to avoid digging ditches or begging. Jesus gives some instruction on the use of money, leveraging the earthly in order to secure the heavenly, using money instead of being used by money. He was talking to folks who loved money, who esteemed what God detested. God provided  several centuries of foreshadowing and prophesies contained in written form in the Law and the Prophets to show what God was doing. This was proclaimed up until John the Baptist who then began to talk about the kingdom that was near. When folks heard this they started forcing their way into this kingdom based on their own misunderstanding of what the kingdom was designed to be. They were trying to get through the door expecting some earthly utopia on the other side. But, then Jesus tells the story of a rich man who esteemed what God detested and a poor man named Lazarus who was the beggar the steward tried to avoid becoming who both ended up on two sides of a great chasm. One was in torment and the other was in Abraham's comforting bosom. The one in torment wanted his brothers to be warned so they would not come to where he was. But, Abraham tells him that they have Moses and the Prophets, the message preached up until John's day, and that is enough. And even if one rises from the dead, which many believed John to be the resurrected Elijah, the message would not "get through."

In one form or another Jesus message is about "getting through." How does the Son of Man get through to people? How does God through centuries of preparation get through to the hearts of men who are bound up in earthly thinking, earthly comforts, and earthly ambitions? John came preaching the kingdom as did Jesus Himself. It was to be what men would seek first (Matt.6:33). It was to be what people would enter, not force their way into. It was to be what we were to "get." Worries and wealth choke out the message of the kingdom. Daily business crowds out kingdom business. Keeping our house in order spiritually and relationally so that the kingdom can advance is essential for the message of the kingdom to get through to us. Hearts are being walled up today. People are building barriers to relationships and to the Spirit of God. But it was also so in Jesus' day. Jesus, the Son of God, had a hard time getting through to people. The humility and trust it takes to allow Jesus to rule and reign is the key to getting through. He knocks and we have to open. He uses people to walk through our doors, but we have to be open to them.

God to Jesus on His return from his sojourn on earth: "Son was it hard to get through to my people?" Jesus to God: "Father, it was incredibly difficult to get through to them. They have a lot on their minds and a lot of personal business to conduct. Their attention span is not very long. They are distracted by many things. They have a hard time sitting and listening to Our Word. They aren't very smart because they do not study. And, there is little room for Our Word in their crowded hearts. Yes it was hard, and I cried a lot."

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Cure for Restlessness

 I've spent a lot of time in Luke 15 lately. What more can be said about the Prodigal Son? It is an oft-told story. It is pregnant with meaning. It is the type of story that draws you in and makes you think, about yourself, your life, what is meaningful. Among other things it is a story about restlessness, about fight and flight, lost and dead, saved and found. Jesus spoke to our core issue. He nailed our common experience. Humans are restless, contentless, lacking beings. We are seldom satisfied, at peace, and whole. We fight loneliness, insignificance, meaninglessness, and never feeling like we are enough. It is hard for us to be OKAY. We seem to have this sense always that something vital, essential, and important is missing from our lives. We believe that if we could just capture it (what is "it"?) we would be complete. Our strivings would cease. Desire would be rewarded, and we would rest in peace even while we are alive.
 
We have a list of clinical diagnoses for these conditions. We probably have a pill that can simulate the real thing. Even then we think that if we threw away the crutch we could not stand. Restlessness breeds dependence on something to prop us up and make it appear that we are strong even while we carry weakness deep within. We expend huge amounts of energy to cover up the insecurities and the vulnerabilities. We invent and learn to play countless games to insure that no one will know what everyone knows because everyone has the common experience, i.e. we are not enough.
 
Both boys in the story are restless. One runs and the other fights. One seeks it outside the home and the other longs for it inside the same home. When we consider that this home is God, the Father's home, it makes the story even more interesting. It has always amazed me that the Old Testament depicts God as a divorcee and an ineffective father. Israel is His wife and child, and as each they were unfaithful and delinquent. Couldn't God keep His wife and child happy? Yet they both were restless. They ran away from Him and they fought Him. Fight and flight are powerful within the human. But, yet again it was not the Husband/Father who failed. It was the wife/son who failed to see that what they longed for they had all along.
 
Luke 15:31 is the cure. It is the key. It is the essential truth that can provide us with peace, security, and relief from the restless life syndrome. "And he (the Father) said to him (the older son), 'My child you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.'" It may be so simple we miss it. If we could just realize as Christians that we are always with the Father and that all that is His is now ours, would we seek for substitute relationships and substitute possessions? When being with God and possessing His possessions becomes enough for us we will know we are enough, we have enough, and we don't have to do enough for contentment. Both boys had what they were looking for all along. It was right in front of them. It was all around them. Believe it. Enjoy it. Celebrate it.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Worth

 From Luke 15:19. What am I worthy for? What am I suited for? What is my purpose? Why am I even here? Am I only valuable for my talents, my beliefs, or my performance? Or is there something more basic that gives me value? Is it merely the relationship itself? I know you have heard this before, but listen again, and listen carefully. You can know you are valuable because God made/created you and provided for you everything you need. You were not made valuable because of creation and because of the cross. You were valuable to God and that is why He created you and saved you. His creative energies and his salvation energy revealed His heart toward us. It shows us what He gives Himself to, what he invests in.

He could have been content to create more universes, more trees, more gardens, more seas, or more earthworms, but late on the 6th day He decided to create people, two to be exact with the capacity and natural desire to make more people. Before He created them He made plans to provide for them, body, soul and spirit. He anticipated their needs-our needs, even the need for a savior. His provision was at great personal sacrifice. It involved an elaborate plan spanning thousands of human years which was filled with great frustration. He also chose to coordinate His plan with human counterparts. Since these humans were given free will they often did not cooperate with His plan. He selected the dearest person to Him, His Son to carry out that plan by dying an excruciating death. Why? To provide for us our deepest needs.

From what I read God's focus has always been on us and how He could make fellowship with Himself possible. If the plan could have been simpler I believe God would have made it so. I have to trust that God designed everything in such a way that there would be the purest and most authentic outcome, a true love relationship. Yet we question our worthiness and value, and whether God simply wants us to be sons and daughters, and not hired hands. One of the greatest hindrances to wholeness is our disbelief that we could be THAT valuable to God.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Coming to Yourself

"When he came to his senses...." (Lk.15:17). Literally "but to himself coming." What does that mean? It is a sober place. It is a place of serious reflection It is a place of resolve and decision. Often people live for a long time in a place of self-justification or regret or denial or pain and victimization or self-doubt or fear or complacency. It is a place where people get stuck in terrible situations, cycles of abuse, cycles of addiction, cycles of cynicism, and cycles of anger. "Coming to one's self" is a place to break the cycle and to get on a new path. It is a place of repentance and redemption and transformation. It is a place of hope and new beginnings. It is the fork in the road and the first step to a new, different, and better life. It is freeing and energy-giving. It is bold and daring and risky. You have to get up and get honest. It is a place of seeing and hearing again. It the point when we realize we are trapped but the door to the cell is not locked. The jailer left the key within reach. The angel shows up and gives us strength to walk out.

Sin, poor decisions, taking the wrong turn, doing something stupid leads us into lostness and despair and folly. We wake up for 100 mornings knowing we are in the wrong place but not having the will that day to make a decision. Then when we do, we play a tape and loop it a 1000 times to drown out the choice. It is easier to stay than to go but it is harder and harder every day to stay.

Coming to ourselves means to return to our design and purpose. It means that we know we were created good and for a reason. We have to claw our way back to that reason and hold on like a newborn at her mother's breast. We have to trust that God will meet us at the point of our true self. He will be there to take our hand and to guide us out as long as it takes. In fact He is there before we decide to escape, waiting for us to arrive. So what are you waiting for? Arise and be baptized, washing away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.! (Acts 22:16)

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Salt Life vs His Life

We are in Luke 14:34. Good salt is effective salt. It has properties which accomplish its intended purpose. . There is a great book called The History of Salt that traces the role salt has played in the history of the world. It is considerable and very interesting. So what would cause salt to lose its saltiness or to become tasteless? The word for tasteless in the text is moranio. Do you see "moron" in this word? It means to make insipid, to make to become a simpleton, become a fool, make foolish, and to lose savor. It is a change in quality and effectiveness.
 
Salt is a very stable compound of the elements sodium and chlorine. They share an electron, and seem to have a very happy marriage bond. Salt exists in crystal form meaning the grains stick together providing more effectiveness and saltiness. But when the salt is put into water the crystals tend to separate, and the individual crystals become diluted. So it is dilution that would cause the salt to lose its saltiness or taste.
 
In Jesus' context here salt stands for the discipleship bond. Just as sodium and chlorine bond to form salt (or individual salt grains bond to other salt grains to form a crystal), the disciple and Jesus bond to form a healthy, effective relationship which accomplishes the purposes of discipleship. The bond is very stable but when diluted by 1) stronger relationships, even family (14:26); 2) even by one's own self-preservation (14:26); by putting our cross down and failing to follow Jesus (14:27); or 4) allowing possessions to distract us, it loses its saltiness. So if we categorize these four we have dilution by 1) Earthly relationships; 2) Self-preservation; 3) Trackless living; 4) Distractions. These four cause tasteless living. People who encounter Christians diluted by these things will be impressed by the salt of Jesus. They taste Jesus through us. Maintaining taste is essential to living an effective Christian life.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Rethinking An Ilustration

This is from Luke 14:31-32. Jesus gives an illustration of a king over 10,000 men going to battle against a king with 20,000 men. What does the first king do before he sets out into the fray? 1) He sits down; 2) takes counsel; 3) then he either fights or sends a delegation asking for terms of peace. Rushing into a battle you cannot win is foolish, even suicidal. Or is it brave to believe you can overcome the odds-we do celebrate this daily.
 
So is Jesus suggesting the smaller army should go into battle bravely and fight harder than the other king and his larger army? There are many stories in the Bible where this kind of action was supported by God, e.g. David and Goliath and Gideon's army come to mind. Or is Jesus suggesting that we play it safe and ask for a peace treaty? Maybe He is not suggesting either option but merely suggesting that before you make a big decision like taking a 10,000 man army up against a 20,000 man army you should first sit down, get counsel, and decide if you can finish the fight once you start it. Maybe Jesus is suggesting that the smaller army must decide if they are prepared to die for what they are fighting for.
 
I have always thought Jesus was saying they should not fight and make a truce. But, now I am not so sure. He could be saying the opposite. Remember this section is about starting and fishing the job you begin. But, for us Christians today, don't the odds seem against us in this life-the challenges are great! And we should soberly consider the nature of the battle and how difficult it will be, but we should not shrink back in the day of battle. We are overcomers, not quitters, and greater is the one in us than in the world. We have a strength and power they do not have. In spiritual reality the 10,000 man army is greater than the 20,000 man army, If the 20,000 man army is led by Satan we must not seek terms of peace with him. We must fight even when it seems we are outnumbered. Think about it.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Bearing a Cross

 The Text is Luke 14:27. So what does bear a cross mean? Pick it up and walk. We get it from one place to another so that an execution can take place, ours. You don't carry it to show off or to parade or to impress or to demonstrate. You carry it to die. A cross had one purpose, i.e. to kill people. By following Jesus who ended up on Golgotha so we end up there. It is our destiny to die-to be consumed by death-death is swallowed up in victory. But we must walk the Via Delorosa. It starts by picking it up, touching that vile instrument of suffering and pain. Why would you? What would make anyone shoulder it? But, He had to-why would we? Do we have to? Perhaps if we do, we have to. No one would unless they had to-I must! But it is heavy and I am not sure I can carry it all the way. What if I stumble? He did. What if I need help? He did. There is no shame. There is only victory in death-death to self. But, people will stare and some might rejoice to see my death, and others might feel sorry for me. What am I to do? Trudge on. Finish. Climb. Get up. Drag it. Push it. Pull it. Do what you have to do to follow Him. Shed blood. Drop sweat. Cry. But, don't stop. There is victory in death. There is resurrection and eternal life on the other side. Rest will come, renewal of strength will be given. But for now-Bear it. This is discipleship. This is our school. This is learning. This is following Him. No turning back. I have decided.
 

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Whether Visible or Invisible

 The two parables of Luke 13:18-21 are simple. Contextually they follow the healing of the "bent over" woman in the previous verses. The connection might not be so clear. In one parable mustard seed is thrown into a garden. Though small, the seed is visible and exposed. In the second parable the leaven is hidden in three pecks of meal, more than a bushel of meal. One lies seen on the ground, and the other is hidden within the meal. Both have potential to influence and affect their respective environments.
 
However, the seed on the ground is vulnerable to the very birds who could benefit most by leaving the seed alone. A bird could eat the mustard seed lying on the ground and forfeit future branches and future seed that this seed would produce. How often do we eat our seed instead of investing it for future benefit? The bird who eats the seed often destroys it. The synagogue ruler did not want the practice of Jesus, i.e. healing on the Sabbath, to become the norm. He did not want this mustard seed of example to turn into a tree. So he sought to devour the seed and to render Jesus' example null and void. It was too late. The vulnerable seed on the ground was already germinating in the hearts of the crowd. They were already beginning to nest in its branches. It is also true that even when birds do devour plants, they often inadvertently spread the seeds through their droppings. Acts 8 is a good example of how those who tried to destroy the faith only spread it, and the very one who tried the most to stop its spread was the very one God used to spread it throughout the Gentile world. Ironic isn't it?
 
Now the leaven is more subtle. It is not visible. It is hidden in the meal. It will so integrate with the meal that you will not be able to tell one from the other. This is the secret workings of the kingdom. We often do not know what effect something has until years later. We don't see how a word hidden in some one's heart is growing and what it might produce. The evangelism of Acts 2 which resulted in 3000 baptisms was outward and dramatic. The teaching of Eunice and Lois hidden in the heart of young Timothy was more subtle. Which had more kingdom effect, Peter's one sermon or Timothy's life?
 
The lesson is clear. Both visible and invisible means are used by God to further the kingdom. A bold act may produce dramatic results. A secret kindness may also. We know the reaction of the synagogue ruler and the healed woman, but was there a little child there in the crowd that day who saw, heard, and never forgot, and who grew up to change the world more than all the others? God knows. For us, we must never stop throwing seed into the garden and hiding yeast in the meal.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Bent Over

 Eighteen years is the span of time from birth to high school graduation. That is a long time to be bent over. This daughter of Abraham (Luke 13) suffered and cried for a very long time. In my ministry some of my greatest sympathy is reserved for folks with back problems. When my back hurts I get an adjustment or two and I am okay, but many find little relief day in a day out. There is no way to lie down that does not hurt. They can't stand long without hurting. When I think of "bent over" I think of my grandmother Hattie Myers from Kentucky. She had a hump on her back. I never knew it to slow her down, but as I see it through adult eyes today I know she must have been in great pain most of the time. Yet she quilted, washed clothes in a ringer washer out back, made a garden without a tractor, kept chickens, mended the roof with grandpa (this was the only time I saw her in pants, overalls to be exact), and upholstered furniture. She sat humped over a sowing machine for hours at a time.

The woman of Luke 13 was doing what she always did on the Sabbath, attending synagogue. Did she know there was a visiting Rabbi that day? Would it have mattered? She was going to "church" because that is what you do on Saturday (or Sunday). Jesus was into His lesson. We are told what the topic was that day. This is when he spies this hunched over woman in the crowd. At that precise moment what crossed over the mind of the Savior of the world? What was the "mind of Christ" as He looked out from the pulpit? Was he thinking of agendas, schedules, completing His message, what others would think, the order of worship, or getting out on time? Here is what I see.

Jesus thought: "I am not too busy with teaching to put into practice what I am teaching." Which is more important, teaching or putting the teaching into practice? Well both are important, but if we are constantly teaching and never obeying, what good is that?

Jesus thought: "I feel compassion for that dear old lady in the second row who cannot straighten up." Jesus was not so into His message that He could not see the pain of another and feel something.

Jesus thought: "I know why this woman is bent over like that, and I know what to do about it." Jesus saw more than curvature of the spine. He saw spiritual affliction caused by a spirit directed by Satan himself. Jesus saw a battlefield. Others saw an old woman.

Jesus thought: "I will heal her now and deal with objections later." Jesus knew what day it was and He knew what kind of reaction He would get from the Jewish leaders, but this did not stop Him from doing the right thing. Jesus cared not for what others thought.

Jesus thought: "This is a teachable and worshipful moment." Jesus stopped His teaching to create a teachable moment that neutralized the evil powers in the spirit realm, enraged the spiritual opposition of the Jewish leaders, produced worship led by a woman, and caused an entire crowd to rejoice.

A woman had been humiliated by Satan. A synagogue ruler was humiliated by Jesus. A woman was freed by Jesus. A synagogue ruler was indignant and enslaved by his own pride. A woman stood up straight and walked out of that synagogue. A ruler was bent out of shape and walked out bent over.