This week, I attended (for the first time) the Maine Adult Education Association (MAEA) Conference. A central focus of the conference was the current push to make a "one-stop" of adult education, career centers, vocational rehabilitation, GoodWill resources and the like so that, when an individual in need seeks assistance from one of these places, he/she is actually accessing the services of all. Coordinating services will not be a simple task. It will require additional effort to establish connections and set routines such that services are not redundant and do not cause extra frustration to the individual who already has enough to deal with as he/she takes care of personal and work responsibilities (not to mention any physical, emotional and/or addiction issues).
Because of the grandness of this work, it was easy to feel overwhelmed. Organization at this level requires consideration of so many factors, and a few expressed understandable frustrations of the demands especially with ever-increasing shrinkages in funds. Yet many were also quite enthusiastic, sharing ideas for coming together and supporting one another as we aim to assist those in need of our help. And by the last night of the conference, there was a celebratory feel as attendees ate together and recognized past accomplishments.
This fashion of working together towards a common goal was a theme of this week's readings. First Chronicles 12:38 talks about how David's men went to Hebron "with a whole heart" and that the people of Israel were "of a single mind," determined to see David as their king. They came together "bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep" (12:40). Such congruity is awe-inspiring. One wonders, "How can they be stopped?" This is probably why Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10 appeals to his brothers and sisters to "be united in the same mind and same judgment." So much more can be accomplished when people work together instead of distracting ourselves with bickering and boasting and a "me, me, me" mentality.
Numbers 16 demonstrates how quickly things deteriorate when a lack of unity exists. Here we see the men of Korah - chiefs among the Israelites - being envious of Moses' and Aaron's leadership positions and complaining and causing dissention. Though God has worked through Moses and Aaron to save them from slavery, they forgot such accomplishments and became envious. As a result, "the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up" (16:32). Jeremiah too establishes consequences for people who promote discord and strife. Chapter 34 tells the story of how the people in Jerusalem agreed to a proclamation of liberty and released their slaves only to bring them back into subjugation shortly thereafter. The Lord's anger broiled against them for their duplicity and lack of humanity, and He proclaimed, "[...] I made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, '[...] you must set free [...] who has been sold to you [...] but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you set free according to their desire, and you brought them in subjection to be your slaves. [...] You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence and to famine" (Jeremiah 34:13-17). Apparently, when actions promote friction instead peace and suffering instead of benevolence, we subject ourselves to other unpleasant experiences besides disharmony and schism - ultimately, disease and death.
Now does being united towards good mean that we lose our individuality? Does being of one mind and striving for a singular goal mean that we relinquish our unique features and passions? Hardly. First Corinthians 7:17 states, "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." Just like the different services at the MAEA Conference, coming together to provide more effectively, we too should bring our circumstances and talents to the table. If we are to assist in "redeeming lives from the pit" (Psalms 103:4), we must engage in peaceful collaboration, one that respects each person's contributions.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Sunday, June 19, 2016
What the Question Should Be
This week on NPR, I listened to coverage of the Orlando shooting aftermath. These radio segments tried to address the specific order of events, Omar Mateen's (the gunman) motives, and the president's and presidential-candidates' responses. Personal stories were also shared. Mina Justice, mother of Eddie Justice, one of the victims, released the last text messages she received from her son while he was trapped in a bathroom with several other victims (Lush, 2016). It is difficult to imagine being on the receiving end of those texts, let alone finding out that my child was a part of such massacre.
The prey of this murder were attendees of a gay club called Pulse. LGBT individuals were targeted. Admittedly, while I do have colleagues and friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, these sexual orientations are foreign to me. I am a heterosexual and have worked hard just to be comfortable in my own skin.
The best reading I have encountered on the issue of sexual orientation and the treatment of people who are "different" comes from Philip Yancy's (1997) What's So Amazing About Grace? In it, he shares personal stories of his gay friend Mel, interviews he did during a march for gay rights (not as a journalist or a marcher but as Mel's friend), and conversations he had with high-profile Christian speakers. Yancy concludes that we are all sinners who have fallen short of God's grace (p. 171), and as such, the question should really be about how we are to treat one another (p. 174).
Highlights from this week's readings support this sound idea. Psalm 97:10 begins, "O you who love the Lord, hate evil!"and Revelation 22:11 declares "Let [...] the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." How a person acts towards others should never be about anything but being like Jesus and doing what's right. Yancy (1997) notes, "A prostitute, a wealthy exploiter, a demon-possessed woman, a Roman soldier, a Samaritan with running sores and another Samaritan with serial husbands - I marvel that Jesus gained the reputation as being a 'friend of sinners' like these" (p. 175). We should be focused on our own choices and actions and the good that we can accomplish, not distracting ourselves by judging others. Jeremiah 31:21 states, "Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went." This is excellent advice. To act rightly can sometimes require more than a simple choice. A right choice is rooted in right living. Thus, we must ready ourselves daily - in what we say, read, see, and do - to do that which makes us recognizably God's children, to treat others as we would like to be treated, to love them like ourselves.
References
Lush, T. (2016, June 12). 'I'm gonna die': Mother receives texts from son during Orlando shooting. Boston Globe. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2016/06/12/gonna-die-mother-received-texts-from-son-during-orlando-shooting/SPbn7881pirR9zPEPkH6TO/story.html
Yancy, P. (1997). What's so amazing about grace? Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
The prey of this murder were attendees of a gay club called Pulse. LGBT individuals were targeted. Admittedly, while I do have colleagues and friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, these sexual orientations are foreign to me. I am a heterosexual and have worked hard just to be comfortable in my own skin.
The best reading I have encountered on the issue of sexual orientation and the treatment of people who are "different" comes from Philip Yancy's (1997) What's So Amazing About Grace? In it, he shares personal stories of his gay friend Mel, interviews he did during a march for gay rights (not as a journalist or a marcher but as Mel's friend), and conversations he had with high-profile Christian speakers. Yancy concludes that we are all sinners who have fallen short of God's grace (p. 171), and as such, the question should really be about how we are to treat one another (p. 174).
Highlights from this week's readings support this sound idea. Psalm 97:10 begins, "O you who love the Lord, hate evil!"and Revelation 22:11 declares "Let [...] the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." How a person acts towards others should never be about anything but being like Jesus and doing what's right. Yancy (1997) notes, "A prostitute, a wealthy exploiter, a demon-possessed woman, a Roman soldier, a Samaritan with running sores and another Samaritan with serial husbands - I marvel that Jesus gained the reputation as being a 'friend of sinners' like these" (p. 175). We should be focused on our own choices and actions and the good that we can accomplish, not distracting ourselves by judging others. Jeremiah 31:21 states, "Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went." This is excellent advice. To act rightly can sometimes require more than a simple choice. A right choice is rooted in right living. Thus, we must ready ourselves daily - in what we say, read, see, and do - to do that which makes us recognizably God's children, to treat others as we would like to be treated, to love them like ourselves.
References
Lush, T. (2016, June 12). 'I'm gonna die': Mother receives texts from son during Orlando shooting. Boston Globe. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2016/06/12/gonna-die-mother-received-texts-from-son-during-orlando-shooting/SPbn7881pirR9zPEPkH6TO/story.html
Yancy, P. (1997). What's so amazing about grace? Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Creator Crosses the Finish Line
Yesterday evening I watched the Belmont Stakes. All eyes were on Exaggerator, a sleek, chocolate brown horse who won the Preakness three weeks ago. He was the "favorite for much of the pre-race buildup" (Brady, 2016). Little attention was paid to Creator, a white and grey speckled racing horse in the last post. Based only on the opening of the race, one might argue, "With good reason." Creator started out in 12th position and didn't really move from the bottom half of the pack until three-quarters of the race. After the final turn, Creator's legs stretched and lengthened. In moments, he was second, and then suddenly he was crossing Belmont's finish line a nose ahead of another grey horse name Destin. Exaggerator finished 11th out of 13.
For sure, this race made for an exciting two minutes and fifty seconds. However, what astonished me more was the weather during the trophy presentation. Immediately following the race, the clouds unlocked their bounty, and it started to pour. The announcers were drenched as they presented the Belmont award, and then, within moments of the trophy hand-off, the sun breached through the clouds, and a vivid rainbow graced the race track.
Creator won. It rained. The sun surfaced. A rainbow appeared.
I am not a fan of hyperreligiosity. I know it is unwise to constantly read into events, experiences, etc. more than is truly present. That being said, I know it is also foolish to disregard one's sense of wonder and awe, and I was simply stirred by the conclusion of the Belmont.
This week's readings were admittedly disheartening, not inspiring like the Belmont. Numbers 11 describes how the Lord's people complained about their misfortunes. Even though God saved them from brutal slavery and provides for them daily with manna, they bemoan the absence of meat and melons. Instead of being thankful or even humbly requesting diet variety, the people grumble about the current "misfortune" of daily cake, left for them each morning after the evening dew. Then, in Jeremiah 23, we are told of reckless prophets - leaders of God's people - who misrepresent God, "stealing" his words and "using their tongues" to lead the people astray. Revelation, with its apocalyptic imagery, shows no improvement. Instead of turning away from the repulsive, the earth is fascinated by the perverted. The "beast," who employs haughty and blasphemous words, and the "dragon," who marks all with its name and intimidates with death threats, are favored, while God in Revelation 16, whose angels employ bodily ailments (sores) in an attempt to get people's attention, is cursed. In the beginning, middle, and end of the Bible, God is basically told "You are NOT what we want." Instead, we want Egyptian slaveholders, we want liars who tells us what we want to hear, we want the serfdom of beasts and dragons.
I don't know about you, but the times I have been told I'm unwanted (which thankfully isn't nearly as often as God has been told he isn't wanted) have scarred me. When I have been unfairly complained to, unjustly misrepresented, and viciously sworn at, I understandably experience the kind of indignation that God expresses in Jeremiah 23:39, "... therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers." It reminds me of the furiously determined wife in the George Strait song who says, "Just give it away." Why would God want anything to do with us if we are so determined to have nothing to do with him??
Hope, thankfully, remains. Psalm 94:9 (ESV) says, "He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?" Our Creator, the one who makes covenants with colorful bows, pays attention to those who do want him. Psalm 95:7b-8a states, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts [...]". It is important to note that, even though God does rightfully push away a people who has ignored and cursed him, he still provides opportunities for restoration. And it is my sincerest prayer that I don't harden my heart like these people in the books of Numbers, Jeremiah and Revelation.
Work Cited
Brady, J. (2016, June 11). Belmont Stakes results 2016: Full finishing order. SBNation. Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http://www.sbnation.com/2016/6/11/11910478/belmont-stakes-2016-results-finishing-order
For sure, this race made for an exciting two minutes and fifty seconds. However, what astonished me more was the weather during the trophy presentation. Immediately following the race, the clouds unlocked their bounty, and it started to pour. The announcers were drenched as they presented the Belmont award, and then, within moments of the trophy hand-off, the sun breached through the clouds, and a vivid rainbow graced the race track.
Creator won. It rained. The sun surfaced. A rainbow appeared.
I am not a fan of hyperreligiosity. I know it is unwise to constantly read into events, experiences, etc. more than is truly present. That being said, I know it is also foolish to disregard one's sense of wonder and awe, and I was simply stirred by the conclusion of the Belmont.
This week's readings were admittedly disheartening, not inspiring like the Belmont. Numbers 11 describes how the Lord's people complained about their misfortunes. Even though God saved them from brutal slavery and provides for them daily with manna, they bemoan the absence of meat and melons. Instead of being thankful or even humbly requesting diet variety, the people grumble about the current "misfortune" of daily cake, left for them each morning after the evening dew. Then, in Jeremiah 23, we are told of reckless prophets - leaders of God's people - who misrepresent God, "stealing" his words and "using their tongues" to lead the people astray. Revelation, with its apocalyptic imagery, shows no improvement. Instead of turning away from the repulsive, the earth is fascinated by the perverted. The "beast," who employs haughty and blasphemous words, and the "dragon," who marks all with its name and intimidates with death threats, are favored, while God in Revelation 16, whose angels employ bodily ailments (sores) in an attempt to get people's attention, is cursed. In the beginning, middle, and end of the Bible, God is basically told "You are NOT what we want." Instead, we want Egyptian slaveholders, we want liars who tells us what we want to hear, we want the serfdom of beasts and dragons.
I don't know about you, but the times I have been told I'm unwanted (which thankfully isn't nearly as often as God has been told he isn't wanted) have scarred me. When I have been unfairly complained to, unjustly misrepresented, and viciously sworn at, I understandably experience the kind of indignation that God expresses in Jeremiah 23:39, "... therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers." It reminds me of the furiously determined wife in the George Strait song who says, "Just give it away." Why would God want anything to do with us if we are so determined to have nothing to do with him??
Hope, thankfully, remains. Psalm 94:9 (ESV) says, "He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?" Our Creator, the one who makes covenants with colorful bows, pays attention to those who do want him. Psalm 95:7b-8a states, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts [...]". It is important to note that, even though God does rightfully push away a people who has ignored and cursed him, he still provides opportunities for restoration. And it is my sincerest prayer that I don't harden my heart like these people in the books of Numbers, Jeremiah and Revelation.
Work Cited
Brady, J. (2016, June 11). Belmont Stakes results 2016: Full finishing order. SBNation. Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http://www.sbnation.com/2016/6/11/11910478/belmont-stakes-2016-results-finishing-order
Sunday, June 5, 2016
The Primary Post
Most would probably argue that this is the best path. However, one potential consequence that I have begun to fear is that many may pass through my life never fully knowing who I am or what I stand for. Furthermore, my faith has brought me such great joy and a depth of peace. Isn't that worth sharing?
So I have decided to undertake a task. I am currently in the process of reading the entire Bible in a year. I am using a reading schedule my mother created. The schedule is unique - there are five readings each week, representing five different concepts (Torah, Prophets, Writings, Worship and Wisdom, and Messianic). Indeed, plenty of well-researched, grandly themed, Bible-in-a-year reading plans exist. I have browsed through several and participated in some. For this project, though, I desire the originality of my mother's schedule (haven't seen one like it yet). Plus, I aim to allow my daily experiences and encounters to drive my discovery of the text. I realize that the result may, at times, be imperfect, rough and confusing, but I am hoping that several gems - fresh insights and interpretations - may be found along the way.
I have purchased a new Bible. My go-to version is the New International Version (NIV). I have one that contains annotations from my teen years, and another that represents my twenties. For this undertaking, I have chosen the English Standard Version (ESV), one I am less familiar with. The Bible contains wide-margins (extra space for notes). On the inside cover, I wrote the title of this blog. I am hoping that, by this time next year, this Bible, along with this blog, will be a solid piece of evidence of my time and efforts to humbly share what I believe.
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