We were lost & yet You found us,
Hidden & now revealed;
Disposed & yet You treasure us,
Loved & newly sealed.
You gave us this gift inside to find
A higher purpose to guide our lives.
Dependency on others and beyond our own kind
Leads us to You to be fully satisfied.
It is Your love that beckons us to burdens,
Set in life by You to guide,
To look beyond the sun above us,
And to see The Son sitting at Your side.
We were lost & yet You found us,
Hidden & now revealed;
Disposed & yet You treasure us,
Loved & newly sealed.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
We Need, therefore HE is...correction: HE IS, therefore we need
For a world where independence, self-sufficiency and self-provision are highly sought after, dependency based relationships seem to be not only the norm, but also the necessity.
I have found myself perplexed and contemplating this paradox in thanks to my course readings about foreign aid to developing nations and whether or not it is working, and why or why not. It hit me (thank you Jesus) while reading that we need each other but this world is so flawed that we exploit each other's needs for one another, holding it over people's heads as a bargaining tool, a source of pride, and a false sense of self-sufficiency. Apart from God, our relationships are so messed up that we hurt more people than we help. Intentions are not pure and thus others suffer.
We need, but only God can fulfill. This is a beautiful burden:
Fiscally, if you look at any market it is based on interlaced networks that need one another. People need one another to earn a living: employers depend on employees, businesses on investors, stock markets on businesses and investors, consumers on businesses and vice versa, farmers on consumers and consumers on farmers. If I think back to even my breakfast this morning it is very apparent that I relied on so multiple people: farmers for the oats in my oatmeal, landlord for a place to make my oatmeal, water commission for water to make my oatmeal and all of the employees there, a store which sold me my oatmeal, the cashier, microwave manufacturers and vendors, etc...and that barely scrapes the surface of everyone who made my breakfast possible. (Thank you). We need each other. It is impossible to go through life without depending on another person for survival (and for so much more-happiness, sanity, health)
Why then do we go through life pretending that we can do it all on our own? Not the point of this post, but some food for thought.
The truth of the matter is that intrinsically, we need one another. We live in a world and reality of innate dependency. This is a beautiful burden. Burden in that, if you have ever worked or even spoken with anyone who doesn't think like you or basically is not you, it is hard: miscommunications run rampant, feelings become hurt, misunderstandings flow freely. This has been the basis of how many conflicts? How many wars? How many business splits? How many divorces? Living with other people, needing other people indeed is burdensome (especially when we think that our way is always the right way). BUT, here is the beauty of it: it draws us to the realization that God exists, and more so, we need Him. Let me explain:
How can a world have such interlaced dependency occur by chance? The very fact that I depend on the earth's vegetation and fauna for food, shelter and clothing alone highlights this interlaced dependency that exists not only between humans, but also between humans and the earth. How can such a world be if it was formed without purpose, without design, but by mere coincidence? This beautiful burden of innate dependency draws us (or I believe is intended to do so) to the realization that God exists, that He is Creator, and that we need Him like the people and earth around us. (And I would argue even more so!).
Yes, our web of relationships are not perfect. People and nations and more so the earth are continually exploited by others, justice fails to reign and exclusionary principles segregate nations and people groups from one another resulting in uneven distribution of resources as people seek independence and self--sufficiency. The web is not perfect, but it exists nonetheless. The fact that it is so imperfect, so flawed, is because of its key player-us, man. Our sin distorts the perfect interlaced dependency upon which God spoke this world into existence.
So again, this intrinsic dependency draws the conclusion that we were created to need, we were created to depend, we were created to "love our neighbor as ourselves." Only One can meet those needs, only One can close the web of interlaced dependency that has become broken by self-seeking and independence. That is Christ. Life in Christ is freedom to depend as we were created to. I think the guys of Acts were onto something. "They shared all they had, nothing was considered their own." Again Christ says that we must deny ourselves to live a life to the full, we must depend on One whom is dependable.
To continue to seek independence is to continue to seek self-destruction. Me, this day, I shall seek the Lord, and I shall depend.
I have found myself perplexed and contemplating this paradox in thanks to my course readings about foreign aid to developing nations and whether or not it is working, and why or why not. It hit me (thank you Jesus) while reading that we need each other but this world is so flawed that we exploit each other's needs for one another, holding it over people's heads as a bargaining tool, a source of pride, and a false sense of self-sufficiency. Apart from God, our relationships are so messed up that we hurt more people than we help. Intentions are not pure and thus others suffer.
We need, but only God can fulfill. This is a beautiful burden:
Fiscally, if you look at any market it is based on interlaced networks that need one another. People need one another to earn a living: employers depend on employees, businesses on investors, stock markets on businesses and investors, consumers on businesses and vice versa, farmers on consumers and consumers on farmers. If I think back to even my breakfast this morning it is very apparent that I relied on so multiple people: farmers for the oats in my oatmeal, landlord for a place to make my oatmeal, water commission for water to make my oatmeal and all of the employees there, a store which sold me my oatmeal, the cashier, microwave manufacturers and vendors, etc...and that barely scrapes the surface of everyone who made my breakfast possible. (Thank you). We need each other. It is impossible to go through life without depending on another person for survival (and for so much more-happiness, sanity, health)
Why then do we go through life pretending that we can do it all on our own? Not the point of this post, but some food for thought.
The truth of the matter is that intrinsically, we need one another. We live in a world and reality of innate dependency. This is a beautiful burden. Burden in that, if you have ever worked or even spoken with anyone who doesn't think like you or basically is not you, it is hard: miscommunications run rampant, feelings become hurt, misunderstandings flow freely. This has been the basis of how many conflicts? How many wars? How many business splits? How many divorces? Living with other people, needing other people indeed is burdensome (especially when we think that our way is always the right way). BUT, here is the beauty of it: it draws us to the realization that God exists, and more so, we need Him. Let me explain:
How can a world have such interlaced dependency occur by chance? The very fact that I depend on the earth's vegetation and fauna for food, shelter and clothing alone highlights this interlaced dependency that exists not only between humans, but also between humans and the earth. How can such a world be if it was formed without purpose, without design, but by mere coincidence? This beautiful burden of innate dependency draws us (or I believe is intended to do so) to the realization that God exists, that He is Creator, and that we need Him like the people and earth around us. (And I would argue even more so!).
Yes, our web of relationships are not perfect. People and nations and more so the earth are continually exploited by others, justice fails to reign and exclusionary principles segregate nations and people groups from one another resulting in uneven distribution of resources as people seek independence and self--sufficiency. The web is not perfect, but it exists nonetheless. The fact that it is so imperfect, so flawed, is because of its key player-us, man. Our sin distorts the perfect interlaced dependency upon which God spoke this world into existence.
So again, this intrinsic dependency draws the conclusion that we were created to need, we were created to depend, we were created to "love our neighbor as ourselves." Only One can meet those needs, only One can close the web of interlaced dependency that has become broken by self-seeking and independence. That is Christ. Life in Christ is freedom to depend as we were created to. I think the guys of Acts were onto something. "They shared all they had, nothing was considered their own." Again Christ says that we must deny ourselves to live a life to the full, we must depend on One whom is dependable.
To continue to seek independence is to continue to seek self-destruction. Me, this day, I shall seek the Lord, and I shall depend.
Ezekiel 34:11-31
New International Version (NIV) (biblegateway.com)
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.[a] I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord."
17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.[a] I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord."
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
RE: Paradox of Social Justice and Secularism
Jeffrey Sachs, a huge secular proponent of social equity and justice is a firm believer...not of Christ's, but of humanism: mankind's ability and willingness to do good, be good and stay good. His perspective is illustrated in his economic salvation plan guide of "The End of Poverty" where he makes a case for the ability of the world to wipe out global poverty by the year 2025. Bold. It was captivating and intriguing to say the least to see someone blatantly state the absurdity and harm of religion, then go on to argue that we need to look out for one another and help the underprivileged and forgotten as a whole human race. The whole time I was reading I couldn't help but ask myself, why Jeff-erh, Mr. Sachs, why do YOU care about eradicating global poverty. What motivates this passion within you? My arguments from below kept creeping into my mind as I turned page to page to see where this economic equity pro fell. Chapter 17 conveniently addressed just that why question for me...What a professional in the social justice and secularism had to say for the great why:
"Hard evidence has established strong linkages between extreme poverty abroad and the threats to national security. Poverty abroad can indeed hurt us at home, and has repeatably done so. To answer the earlier question, yes, countries do occasionally act altruistically, helping other countries to address their basic and social challenges. Indeed, they have done so for generations, as with the magnificent U.S. Marshall Plan. Foreign policy strategists have long recognized that acts of altruism-ending the slave trade, supporting countries in their independence from empire, extending assistance for reconstruction and development, providing humanitarian relief after natural disasters-are all acts of enlightened self-interest. That self-interest does not diminish such generous acts. Moral precepts, after all, are rules of behavior that establish a basis for cooperation and reciprocity on which civilization depends." (emphasis added)
Interesting.
"I believe that the richest of the rich can comfortably make such a contribution, and that they will understand that it will be a profound and meaningful demonstration of our generation's unique moment to secure global well-being."
His strategy for eradicating global poverty as expounded upon in the rest of the book is for rich countries and individuals to give out of their pockets to the poor nations. He is calling for the rich to selfishly act selfishlessly. Short term, they take a hit but long term they get to live in a safer globe. A would-be wonderful example of "loving the Lord your God above all else, and loving your neighbor as yourself" if everyone's motives were in the right place. I hate to say it, but with this argument for social equity I can't help but see the vanity of it. Eradicating poverty will never eradicate sin, nor disease, nor war, nor disparity. Man is still man at the end of the day no matter what coin(s) are in his pocket. I don't believe in a safe globe because I don't believe in the goodness of man apart from God. Thank you Mr. Sachs for shedding some light on the paradox of secularism and social justice. I appreciate your honesty, perspective and optimism in the goodness of man, I respectfully fail to agree.
"Hard evidence has established strong linkages between extreme poverty abroad and the threats to national security. Poverty abroad can indeed hurt us at home, and has repeatably done so. To answer the earlier question, yes, countries do occasionally act altruistically, helping other countries to address their basic and social challenges. Indeed, they have done so for generations, as with the magnificent U.S. Marshall Plan. Foreign policy strategists have long recognized that acts of altruism-ending the slave trade, supporting countries in their independence from empire, extending assistance for reconstruction and development, providing humanitarian relief after natural disasters-are all acts of enlightened self-interest. That self-interest does not diminish such generous acts. Moral precepts, after all, are rules of behavior that establish a basis for cooperation and reciprocity on which civilization depends." (emphasis added)
Interesting.
"I believe that the richest of the rich can comfortably make such a contribution, and that they will understand that it will be a profound and meaningful demonstration of our generation's unique moment to secure global well-being."
His strategy for eradicating global poverty as expounded upon in the rest of the book is for rich countries and individuals to give out of their pockets to the poor nations. He is calling for the rich to selfishly act selfishlessly. Short term, they take a hit but long term they get to live in a safer globe. A would-be wonderful example of "loving the Lord your God above all else, and loving your neighbor as yourself" if everyone's motives were in the right place. I hate to say it, but with this argument for social equity I can't help but see the vanity of it. Eradicating poverty will never eradicate sin, nor disease, nor war, nor disparity. Man is still man at the end of the day no matter what coin(s) are in his pocket. I don't believe in a safe globe because I don't believe in the goodness of man apart from God. Thank you Mr. Sachs for shedding some light on the paradox of secularism and social justice. I appreciate your honesty, perspective and optimism in the goodness of man, I respectfully fail to agree.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Paradox of Social Justice and Secularism
Can you logically have a secular point of view, and hold a deep true passion for social justice and equity world wide? I don't know, it seems too much like a paradox to me...
As an assignment for one of my classes my professor asked
each member of the class to write what influenced us to enter into the field of
public health, more specifically global health. I thought it was an interesting
exercise and was excited to not only reflect within myself and put my motives
on paper, but also to see what had drawn my classmates to the seats beside me.
At the beginning of class the professor read quite a few of the answers anonymously.
I was blown away at the remarkable number of people that put "a desire to fight
for social equity and social justice worldwide" as their motivation and number one influencing factor. Many cited
the church or Catholic practices as the birthplace of their exposure to helping
others, though they made it quite clear that they did not choose to pursue this
field because of any religious belief or church. (In fact, my professor has made it quite clear that he does not believe in a God accompanied by many nods of agreement from my classmates) Interesting…all this talk of social
justice and human's rights without a God got me thinking...is that paradoxical?
What is social justice and do all humans deserve it? Do all
humans deserve the right to education, health care, clean water, electricity,
plumbing? Are there basic human rights? If so, who came up with them? Who said
that each person is entitled to a set of universal rights strictly because they
are a person, alive? (In fact, the UN has a Universal Declaration of Human Rights)Why do we have rights? Why are we?
I think it is all about your perception of who people are, what a
person is. From a secular point of view, I really just don't get it. Please help me to
understand: Why fight for social justice if you don't believe in a logical reason for justice, if
you don't believe in God, if you believe in the 'American dream' mindset, if you believe in logic and intellectual reason over mysticism? If
you don't believe in a Creator and family among the human race, why care so
much about others?
According to evolution (or spontaneously accidental creation), man formed
overtime beginning with a hot mess of chemicals and
elements some billions of years ago. Throughout time, the theory of survival of
the fittest ensued and only the species that learned to out survive, out run,
out think, out plan other species, indeed survived. So we get to man from this
soup along the evolutionary bio-chain.
Within the human race, would you predict that the survival
of the fittest to still hold true? Maybe. That would explain the huge health
disparities observable between continents, countries, even counties and
districts within nations. That would explain a lot. BUT it would fail to
explain social justice and why people fight for that, why people are even aware
or sensitive to the idea of social justice. If it is survival of the fittest,
why would you want to 'help a brother out?' Go out of your way to serve another,
love another, fight for another if there is no observable benefit for yourself
or your own personal survival (or survival of loved ones)? Maybe on an
emotional level there is the benefit-to feel better about oneself, giving you
an emotional edge over other people? The happier a person is, the longer they
will most likely live? (what is happiness anyway?) So by helping other people,
fighting for others' 'rights', you indeed are extending your own longevity, your own survival? That is
one way of looking at it, I guess…
Alternatively, maybe survival of the fittest isn't so much a
concept on the individual level, but more so on a species or communal level.
Lions travel in prides right without killing each other? Birds in flocks, and
fish (naturally the most intelligent) in schools. As a species maybe we feel
the need to band together and fight for one another so that we, the human race,
will endure for all eternity (or until a huge meteor from space takes us out,
ice age part 2 anyone?). To me, this theory
would make more sense (again, from a secular point of view). That would do a
better job of explaining why people fight for social justice…though it still
does little to resolve the issue of where these so called human rights come
from, and why as a human being we deserve or should be warranted such rights.
However, the question is thus posed that if this is indeed true and we as a
race feel an innate need to band together for the survival of our species, why
did disparities even form in the first place? What made man first feel the
sensation of entitlement and superiority causing others to fall out of reach from the socioeconomic
ladder or below the poverty line while they ran ahead in fields of opportunity and advancement? Why are we not all living in equal luxury or lack of
luxury? According to this theory, disparities
should not be among us. We should look for the survival of our species
as a whole…or maybe our idea of 'species' has evolved into a new definition, to
instead refer to our own population or nation or cohort. I mean we now have
culturalism, patriotism, racism, nationalism right? Where we take pride and unite with our own nation, race, culture, etc. But again, that would lead
to yet another unresolved question of why fight for social justice for a
population or cohort other than your own? Why? Why travel abroad, why leave comforts,
why demand equal rights for all if that 'all' is not solely encompassed within your
immediate vicinity? I just don't get it. What makes you aware of these
injustices and what is justice? Have we evolved yet again to just thrive off of
a sense of adventure? Do we long so bad to feel good about ourselves and thus
help others? That does not explain the passion I see on news' reels of marches
and protests, it does not explain the urgency eminent on my classmates faces
when the topic of equity and social justice arises in classes. So much
unexplained…if you don't believe in God.
Maybe people want to help others because they are searching for a hope in the meaninglessness of life. They reason that if they can bring hope to another, bring good and change into someone else's life, that will give their life meaning and purpose. Otherwise, as a being created from a heated chemical stew, our lives are quite frankly meaningless and just random chance. There is no hope. People long for meaning and purpose, and more so the hope of that. From a secular point of view though, there is no hope. Once again, social justice is not a logical cause even if on conquest for a sense of hope. Hope simply can not exist apart from God.
The Bible explains all of this. It is very clear that no one
deserves a thing, we don't deserve the right to medicine, or technology, or
clean water, or love, or justice, nothing! Yet, we have it. That is by the
grace of God, our Creator, who loves us thus has bestowed all of these upon us.
Yet disparities exist. Does this mean that those with advantage or more access
to their 'rights' are more loved by God? Does the existence of disparities
question the goodness and love of God? Absolutely not. God has empowered the
human mind with knowledge which has led to the creation of technology,
economics, medicine, etc. Again, a gift from Him. It is how humans have used
this gift that has created the disparities we see today. The fact that health
and socioeconomic disparities exist is merely a reflection of the sin inside of
man. The desire to serve oneself over others, and the desire to feel superior
by excluding others. Quite a paradox then to fight for social justice. War and
hate, sin and a desire for entitlement is in each man's heart. This has led to
the limiting of access and available opportunities for advancement worldwide. This has segregated populations, nations, cultures and brothers globally and locally. While man has the
propensity, the desire to be good, he cannot. (with Christ we are made one with
Him and thus overcome our sin). Maybe man fights for social justice
because he wants to be good, he has that desire. He knows, he feels that there
is something not quite right with the world today, things aren’t as they were
intended to be. And they aren't, this isn't the way God intended for Creation
to go (though He knew it would). Maybe that instinct of wanting to be good is what leads non Christians
to fight for social justice, to feel and believe that each human has a set of
universal rights though they can't yet explain why. They are trying to fix the
wrong of this world, the reflections of sin in this world. But they can't. Not
without God. "If a man abides in me and me in him, he will bear much
fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing!"
While I still have no idea why a non Christian would be
passionate about social justice or more specifically choose to go into the
field of global public health, I know why Christians do. "He has shown you,
O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and
to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God." "Love your
neighbor as yourself." "Love even your enemies." "They will know you are His by your
love." "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in
humility consider others better than yourself." "Therefore go and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit and surely I am with you until the end of the
ages." "Dear brothers, let us not love with word or tongue, but in
actions and in truth." We have a responsibility as Christians to love the
unlovable, to bring hope to the hopeless, to seek the lost, and to open doors
of opportunity and joy to the broken and abandoned. That is why I am in Public
Health. To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God that all
the earth may know that He is. That, my friend, is no paradox.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
In Transit-Are People Good?
From daily making use of public transit in Boston, the MBTA, I have come to the conclusion that people want to be good, maybe they just don't know how. Yes, our natural inclination is sin and selfishness and disobedience (the Bible, and my unchecked actions, are very clear on that), but from watching people I think that our natural inclination is also to fix that, to try to be good.
Early last week I rode the 47 bus, as I typically do, to class. Each time I have taken that bus or another or even the T, I have noticed a sort of subculture forming within the bus. A subculture of comradory that transcends racial lines, socioeconomic status, and even age and gender identities. A subculture developing merely because of our shared environment and experience: riding the bus somewhere between Ruggles Station and the Boston Medical Center. When an elderly individual walks in, immediately people stand to allow him or her to sit, or someone with a cane (even if they look slightly crazy). People help one another, shouting if the door closes before some poor softspoken girl can get off as she rushes to the front through the packed out T. People want to be good people. Thank God. Thank God that He put that desire within us, if He had't can you imagine what this world would look like given what it looks like now?
However, people wanting to be good just isn't good enough. We are still selfish and innately unrighteous. More times than not our selfishness outweighs our desire to be good, especially when no one is looking on. It is easy, excuse me-easier, to do the right thing in a bus full of people with others looking on as an elderly individual boards. The motivation to stand and offer your seat may not come from a desire or wanting to be good but more so a desire to look good, not be a good person but appear as a good person. The latter showing in fact the absence of true goodness within, true goodness lies in the motivation for good actions. The actual act of getting up though does show a desire to want goodness, even if that desire comes out of selfish motivations. The problem then is that we can't be good no matter how hard we try because the truth is, our selfishness gets in the way. After a long hard day one may be less inclined to get up from their seat with a justified thinking that "someone else will rise to the occasion, my circumstances warrant me a deserving right to sit down." We can't make ourselves selfless, we can't make ourselves perfect, without wrong, we can't make ourselves good all the time no matter how much we may want to, or want to appear that we are. We are selfish.
It gives me hope that people do try though, try to be good. By trying, that insinuates a desire to change, a desire to find a solution. That solution is Jesus Christ who makes us perfect and holy and sinless through His redemptive obedience on the cross and the subsequent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each believer. Thank God that I can be good, not on my own accord, but with dependence on and action of the Holy Spirit within me. I can be good even when I am alone, even when I am not on a packed out bus with eyes watching on. The hard part though, is choosing that goodness. Choosing the Holy Spirit over my selfishness. That choice is hard and usually uncomfortable, but not impossible (thank God). Selfishness is comfortable and easy. So then, it is a daily choice to be good, a daily choice to utilize the Holy Spirit, a daily choice to depend. Thank you God for the choice, for the desire and for the possibility to be good as I desire to be. The more I choose God's goodness the more I want to choose God's goodness because I realize that choice allows me and enables me to live to the full potential and opportunity that God has called me to, through His abundant grace.
2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
John 15:5, 8 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing...By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
1 Peter 1:14-16, 22-23 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."...Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth from a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God."
John 7: 38 "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
Early last week I rode the 47 bus, as I typically do, to class. Each time I have taken that bus or another or even the T, I have noticed a sort of subculture forming within the bus. A subculture of comradory that transcends racial lines, socioeconomic status, and even age and gender identities. A subculture developing merely because of our shared environment and experience: riding the bus somewhere between Ruggles Station and the Boston Medical Center. When an elderly individual walks in, immediately people stand to allow him or her to sit, or someone with a cane (even if they look slightly crazy). People help one another, shouting if the door closes before some poor softspoken girl can get off as she rushes to the front through the packed out T. People want to be good people. Thank God. Thank God that He put that desire within us, if He had't can you imagine what this world would look like given what it looks like now?
However, people wanting to be good just isn't good enough. We are still selfish and innately unrighteous. More times than not our selfishness outweighs our desire to be good, especially when no one is looking on. It is easy, excuse me-easier, to do the right thing in a bus full of people with others looking on as an elderly individual boards. The motivation to stand and offer your seat may not come from a desire or wanting to be good but more so a desire to look good, not be a good person but appear as a good person. The latter showing in fact the absence of true goodness within, true goodness lies in the motivation for good actions. The actual act of getting up though does show a desire to want goodness, even if that desire comes out of selfish motivations. The problem then is that we can't be good no matter how hard we try because the truth is, our selfishness gets in the way. After a long hard day one may be less inclined to get up from their seat with a justified thinking that "someone else will rise to the occasion, my circumstances warrant me a deserving right to sit down." We can't make ourselves selfless, we can't make ourselves perfect, without wrong, we can't make ourselves good all the time no matter how much we may want to, or want to appear that we are. We are selfish.
It gives me hope that people do try though, try to be good. By trying, that insinuates a desire to change, a desire to find a solution. That solution is Jesus Christ who makes us perfect and holy and sinless through His redemptive obedience on the cross and the subsequent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each believer. Thank God that I can be good, not on my own accord, but with dependence on and action of the Holy Spirit within me. I can be good even when I am alone, even when I am not on a packed out bus with eyes watching on. The hard part though, is choosing that goodness. Choosing the Holy Spirit over my selfishness. That choice is hard and usually uncomfortable, but not impossible (thank God). Selfishness is comfortable and easy. So then, it is a daily choice to be good, a daily choice to utilize the Holy Spirit, a daily choice to depend. Thank you God for the choice, for the desire and for the possibility to be good as I desire to be. The more I choose God's goodness the more I want to choose God's goodness because I realize that choice allows me and enables me to live to the full potential and opportunity that God has called me to, through His abundant grace.
2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
John 15:5, 8 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing...By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
1 Peter 1:14-16, 22-23 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."...Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth from a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God."
John 7: 38 "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
We are enabled to live a holy, righteous, being-good life by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through Christ's sacrificial act of the cross. Not because of us, but because of Him. (Eph 2:8-10)
Friday, August 31, 2012
While I Wait: Micah 7:7 "But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me."
Transitions are scary times, they are scary because they
imply the eminent future to be full of unknowns. Unknowns are scary because,
well, they are unknown. They explicitly highlight our inability as humans to
know everything, to plan and predict the future, to be all-knowing. We thus
become dependent on others for help as we transition to the things we do not
know. We must ask questions, spend time familiarizing ourselves with the new,
and adjust from old habits to form new that work in our new environment. Asking
for help, now that is scary. That is scary and hard especially in a world and
culture that urges us towards self-reliance and 'pulling yourself up by your
own bootstraps' if you will. Asking for help is typically seen as a sign of
weakness, but is it?
I guess it all depends on your perspective.
I like to refer to this whole idea of needing help as the Burden of Not Knowing. It is a burden because,
it sucks. BUT it is a beautiful burden because it is a hardship that causes us
to realize, recognize and rely upon God. We don't know everything that we may
seek the One who does, God. This is one of many burdens (see Eccl. 3:10) I see
that God has placed in man's life for him to recognize His presence, and
respond appropriately.
As I move forward to follow Jesus where I feel that He has
called me, I find myself filled with fear, but also with peace, mostly with
peace. That is how I know I am doing the right thing by moving, because a peace
like this can come from none other than Jesus Christ. Thank you God. This peace
I know I have received because I have asked for help from the One who knows
all, and more than that, I trust Him. Waiting on the Lord has been a common
theme I have thought long and hard on these last couple weeks or so because in
the unknown it is necessary to not only ask for help, but to also wait for a
response. I have asked for help…now I must wait on the Lord for an answer. But
what does waiting on the Lord really mean? Am I to just sit here, and do
nothing until I hear clearly the Words of God? I don't think so, I think there
is more to waiting than just passing time.
Waiting...the very verb to wait
brings about such a negative connotation. We wait in line at amusement parks
bored, we wait in painful suspension at doctor's offices and hospitals, we
frustratingly are forced to wait in traffic as we rush to get from point A to
point B. We wait only when we have to because of circumstances. No one
purposefully chooses to wait.
So if waiting is such detestable
and avoided activity, why would the Bible tell us to wait on the Lord? Even
more so, if it is such a waste of time, why would He call us to wait? Doesn't that sound a little counter intuitive for
spreading the Gospel, the very thing Christians are beckoned to do. Jesus did
say to us, "follow
Me." And, "GO therefore an make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the
end of the age." Yet, Scripture also tells us to WAIT on the Lord. How can we wait, and
still follow and go?
Dwelling on this I came to realize that waiting isn't so much an
inaction that God is asking of us, but more so a reason for action. Waiting on
the Lord is meant to more so be a mindset we have. "For we focus not on
what is seen, but on what is unseen." As Christians, naturally we are waiting,
waiting for the second coming of Christ. But in our waiting, we are to live,
and live life to the fullest in fact! Our waiting for Him is to bring us hope
because we have overcome the world through Jesus thus we take on life with all
of its hardships, mishaps, adventures and joys with confidence and a no regrets
attitude because we have hope that we are waiting for something, someONE that
redeems, rescues, and makes all of our living while waiting full of purpose,
the very purpose we were created for: to proclaim God's praise. So, waiting on
the LORD is a mindset. It is an action, not an inaction. It is an attitude we
live life with.
To wait on the LORD is to Walk
with Him, Acknowledge Him in all
things, Invest in others, and Tell of His deeds.
So, as I move from the beautiful 2 year season that was my time at
TEAMeffort Missions in Georgia to the unknown academia that awaits me in
Boston: I will ask for help in the unknown, and I will wait. As I wait I will
walk with Jesus, following His footsteps instead of making my own new ones. It
is so easy to think that waiting on God means lots of quiet times at coffee
shops and solitary times of prayer locked away somewhere. While those quiet
times are good and can be essential in an individual's relationship with
Christ, they are not the essence of a Christian life. Waiting on the Lord means
to seek Him, when I seek Him I am moved out of myself to the world and
community around. Even if I do not feel
His presence, I must continue to step out in faith and not stand still.
Standing still leads to complacency in faith, complacency leads to apathy
towards our faith in Christ. There is no growth in apathy. Waiting on God
should cause growth, not apathy. This is why I know I must move, I fear
becoming stagnant. So, to wait on God means that I must walk, I must move, I
must make my inactions actions towards Him and towards growth. This requires
much prayer.
Waiting on God means seeking Him and thus being in constant communion
and communication with Him, pray continually. "In all your ways acknowledge
Him and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:6) We must proclaim
God always and give Him all the glory. This means recognizing Him in every
aspect of life: every new morning, every conversation, every beauty of nature,
every laugh, every tear, God is near.
When we wait on God we must also invest in those around us. Jesus said
that the law could be summed up in two commandments: Love the LORD your God
above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself." We love ourselves
easily, we are a naturally selfish people. But, to love others means looking
out for their well being, their needs, their wants. When we wait on Jesus'
return He desires for us to build relationships with those around us, love
them, and live out Jesus before them. This will attract them to Christ. Then
they can wait on Him as well! Especially as we tell of all the amazing things
He has done in our lives. Remembering what God has done leads to reverence for
Him, and a readiness to go out and tell the world!
And so, I will continue to write (I think) while I wait. While I wait
for Christ's return, I will live. Bring on the adventure!
I can hardly wait, can you?
Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the LORD; be strong and let
your heart take courage; yes, wait
for the LORD."
Micah 7:7 "But as for me, I
will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me."
Isaiah 40:31 "Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new
strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get
tired, they will walk and not become weary."
Romans 8:25 "But if we hope
for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for
it."
Psalm 130:5-6 "I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My
soul waits for the LORD more than
the watchmen for the morning; indeed,, more than the watchmen for the
morning."
Lamentations 3:25 "The LORD
is good to those who wait for Him,
to the person who seeks Him."
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