Boldness

It struck me in my approval interview the other day that where I was challenged was where I wasn't expecting it. One part of my essay I clearly took a side about singleness and the church. Because I was so boldly on one side of the issue I figured that is where we were going to have a lot of discussion. In fact, where the committee seemed most concerned was my section talking about the war in Iraq, where I didn't really take a side because I don't know if God really takes sides in such matters. If there is a side for God, it is on the side of people...whatever that might mean. What the committee seemed to be looking for was for me to take a side, to boldly take a stand on the issue of the war.

Yesterday as I was waiting for them to finish working on my car there was a television on in the waiting area. Most of the people sitting in the waiting area seemed to get drawn into whatever was on, television has a way of doing that you know. It was TPT 2 and eventually they moved into their children's programming. There were no children around that I could see, at least not in the waiting area watching. Yet interestingly nobody changed the channel, they just kept watching. I am pretty sure that if somebody had grabbed the remote control and just changed the channel nobody would have objected.

As I'm sure you can guess by now I think both of these are related. I think we are looking for leaders, somebody to boldly take a stand. We so often fight to make no stand in hopes of not offending anyone and we end up turning people away. This world is looking for leaders, people to boldly take a stand. We want leaders who have an opinion, who will be bold. I think people like that, they want that, I suspect people are even impressed by that. I think then the challenge becomes how will you go about being bold, taking a stand, having an opinion without forcing it on others, without forcing them to have the same opinion as you? That would be truly bold.

Patriotism

I was watching "The Daily Show" last night and Robert Reich was on making a rather compelling argument on behalf of liberals in America. One of the more interesting things he suggested was that all of these rich people who are sheltering money (i.e. protected accounts in Bermuda, etc.) are actually unpatriotic. By protecting their money that way the burden to pay for the running of America; whether it be schools, the war, etc.; is left upon the working class, which certainly appears to be shrinking. It seems some of the strongest advocates for the war efforts, beefed up security, etc. are those who are also sheltering their money, and I would also argue would consider themselves patriotic. That seems quite the attack.

For years I've considered myself rather unpatriotic. Now, I still don't consider myself overly patriotic but I do think I'm starting to change my view a bit. I think perhaps I've just confused my disagreement with the way the government has done things with a lack of patriotism. When in fact to disagree, to be willing to have an actual opinion, might turn out to be more patriotic, in the spirit of the founding of this nation, than to blindly follow whatever decisions the government makes.

Trust

Trust, it's an interesting, fickle beast it seems. As I mentioned before in regards to my approval interview I got a flat tire coming out of the garage. Since I was due for an oil change as well I just had it all taken care of at the Saturn Dealer. It started out as a repair and then they said I really needed to replace all four tires. Since I'll be driving back to Colorado soon, and doing plenty of driving around there, I figured it was probably a good idea. Yet it also got me to thinking about trust.

I don't really know much about the mechanics of a car whatsoever. When I bring my car in for something and they suggest I need other repairs I simply have to trust them and go with it. I think many of us are in the same boat. If it's not the car mechanic, then maybe it's the doctor, or other people that we find ourselves blindly trusting. It's just simply a part of life. Is not trust a large part of faith? In essence when we trust what the "expert" is telling us we have faith that they are telling us the truth and will do the right thing. Yet how many people will trust their car mechanic, but refuse to trust God, to have faith in God? I know there are a lot of times that I have more faith in a doctor or a mechanic than I have in God. I wonder why that is? The bottom line for me is it doesn't really make sense. I have FAR more reason to trust God, to have faith in God, but there still remain times that I do not. It is somehow easier to put my faith in someone that is a little more tangible to me.

Some More Random Thoughts

Bumper/Window Stickers
On my drive back to Minnesota I was noting how many stickers there were in the back windows of cars with Calvin peeing on various things, including the cross. It's interesting since Calvin is named after the great theologian. I wonder what Watterson thinks of all of this? It just doesn't seem right to me. On the bright side I did see a bumper sticker on the way home that I did like that read, "God bless the whole world...with no exceptions."

Generosity

Staying with a friend on the way home I discovered how wonderful it is to be on the receiving end of amazing generosity. It was a beautiful gift. I wonder how often I've missed out on such generosity because I didn't give people the opportunity to demonstrate it. I'm thinking we generally need to do a better job of allowing people the opportunity to be generous, I think we might find more people being generous to a fault.

Nice

Why does being nice feel like a curse sometimes? We have expressions like, "Nice guys finish last." It can often times feel true. We regularly here people say when looking for a date or someone to marry they want to find somebody nice, or even safe in some instances. Yet it seems that more often they go for more of a "fixer upper" a project if you will. It's interesting since we all know that we can't change people. We know that from our willingness to be changed. Yet I think this nice thing is something more, why does it feel bad to be called "nice"? I know I run from it when people try and put that label on me. Odd because it is a good label, a good thing...

superstitions

I want to know who is responsible for making the rules for superstitions. Whoever it is I would like to put in an inquiry. As a teenager I was taught that when a digital clock read all the same numbers (i.e. 1:11, 3:33, etc.) you should touch the clock and make a wish. I'm wondering if it is about the numbers or about the time? Am I allowed to make a wish at say 8:17 or 10:39? In a sense it would be 7:77 or 9:99, it's just my clock chooses not to read those numbers. Should my luck be so effected by my inability to program?

Humility

Applying for jobs this summer has been a good lesson in humility. Here I am a semester away from a master's degree competing for jobs against high school kids and immigrant workers. In some cases I have had to ask high school kids for job applications. It is a bit of a humbling feeling. Yet, where do I get off thinking I'm better than these other people just because I've spent more time sitting in a classroom? Actually, the experience has reminded me of the book I read over Christmas "Nickled and Dimed". It was an okay book, much of it felt a bit condescending, but I think the author Barbara Ehrenreich redeemed herself a bit with her concluding chapter.

Another One of Those Days...Kind of...

This morning I woke up after having arrived home safely after 1:00 a.m. last night. As I was enjoying a nice cup of coffee and reviewing my approval essay it dawned on me that I had forgotten my dress shoes back in Colorado. Not a realization you want to have when you are about to go to an interview that determines whether or not you will be allowed to follow your vocation of calling. You just never know, Chuck Taylor's might be just the thing that somebody picks up on and attacks you and decides that is why you cannot be a pastor. I didn't have time to run to the store as I had a meeting with a professor. As I left the driveway for this meeting I realize that I now have a flat tire. I rushed back in the house and stole the keys for my parents car. Mind you these are the first two big events I was wanting to experience before the interview. I got to my meeting and I had to postpone because another faculty member snuck in demanding the time. This day was not going anywhere near the way I had anticipated it going.

I ran out of time for lunch and it was off to the interview. Despite my having to wait 20 minutes for them to get things in order so we could start, I think it went pretty well. In the end I was approved, with what appeared to be some enthusiasm from the group. It was nice to receive such stellar support. I know I probably shouldn't be surprised, but you just never know what to expect from these things. It was nearly a 180 degree reversal from the beginning of the process where I was postponed for entrance. So I guess it was better to run into the road block then as opposed to now. As things stand now I will have one more semester and I will be assigned a region and synod next October. It'll be nice when January comes and I will hopefully be doing ministry again in a more permanent location.... It's late, perhaps we can catch up more tomorrow.

Upon Further Review

Sunday number two preaching in Gypsum is now behind me. I think it went better than last week. If nothing else the children's message flowed much better. How can you go wrong when you give away candy? I think the main message hit the context better as well. Now I need to learn how to push it even further. That aside I am happy.... As an aside I will be beginning my journey back to Minnesota this evening so that I can be approved by the synod and then run Grandma's Marathon. Being on the road I will be quiet for a while (kind of shocking, eh?). After I get in late on Monday evening, I will hopefully have some stuff to share come Tuesday. Until then I actually wrote out my sermon for the week, the first time I've done that since Thanksgiving of my internship year. So for those who are interested here it is. If you're not interested, hopefully I'll see you back here again some time....

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Consequences

Actions have consequences…of course you know that because your mother has told you that for years. This week I thought I would write the sermon up at “Hanging Lake.” If I had turned on “Dead Horse Trail” there would have been negative consequences. If I had forgotten to bring water there would have been negative consequences. Instead I took the right path and remembered my water and there were positive consequences.

Sometimes we don’t recognize it but our actions still have consequences. A friend of mine who is a pastor was watching a game show with his kids one night. He and the older boy were having a grand time laughing at the wrong answers by some of the contestants and making the “Loser” sign with their hands. The next morning as my friend walked in to worship during the first hymn he walked by his family and the youngest boy flashed him the “Loser” sign.

Our actions have consequences. Our first story from scripture today is the end of the story of David and Bathsheba. David, one of the holiest men in the Bible. David, a king chosen by God. He had money, he had power, he had it all. When one day he steps out on his deck and notices a beautiful woman taking a bath on the roof next door. Despite having everything he could ever want and more, David says to his people, “Bring her to me!” After having an affair he realizes, somewhat, what he has done and he tries to cover it up. So he calls her husband Uriah back from the war he is actually fighting for David. David feeds him and gives him lots of wine and says, “Go, spend the night with your wife. I bet you miss her, it’s been a while.” Uriah doesn’t think it’s fair that he should have that time with his wife when the other guys are off fighting away from their wives and he sleeps outside of his doorway. So David come up with another plan. He sends Uriah back to the front lines with a note that says, “Put this man at the front of the fighting and then slowly pull everybody back.” Essentially David has Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, killed. That’s where we picked up the story with Nathan telling the story of the sheep to get David to see what he had done. Consequently David and Bathsheba’s first son died.

Our actions have consequences. We as a society worship celebrities and sports heroes. Consequently we have children’s lives ruined as they are pushed into classes and pageants. We have parents getting into fights with other parents and umpires at little league games. We worship money and possessions and so people are working two or more jobs to provide “stuff” for the family. Because they are not taking the time for the people in their family we see dysfunctional families, and people getting divorced, left and right…despite all of this work for the family. We choose not to follow God and our lives are more difficult.

Our actions have consequences, and sometimes they’re surprising. A woman, a known sinner, interrupts dinner with Jesus and his friends. Given the laws of the time there were very serious consequences for her actions. Instead Jesus’ followers got admonished and she got blessed. It reminds me of the story I got via e-mail this week that tells of a young girl who invited a master piano player to her recital. He came and she completely froze. She was unable to play. After the recital the master piano player patted the little girl on the head. Had she not frozen she likely would not have received the pat on the head from the master. Just as if the woman had not interrupted dinner she likely would not have received a blessing from Jesus. Just as if we don’t sin we don’t receive his forgiveness and blessing.

One of my favorite quotes from Martin Luther is “Sin boldly, but believe even more boldly.” We are sinful people by nature, prone to act in ways that cut ourselves off from God, that turns our focus on ourselves. Consequently we get wrapped up in our actions and fear the consequences so much that we end up not doing things, some of which are good acts, are pleasing to God. Luther is telling us to not worry about it, but instead go and live. Know that you are going to mess things up, but have faith that God will work through you despite your nature. Now as we go and boldly live our lives we will sin, but when we sin we will also find forgiveness. For you see, our actions have consequences. Amen!