A Dose of Courage

A Dose of Courage

Joshua 1: 1-9; Ephesians 6: 1-4 

One of the highlights…or greatest misfortunes of my childhood, depending on how you see it, was the annual family vacation to Gatlinburg and Dollywood.  The grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins…everybody came on this trip, and we all stayed together in one large chalet in the mountains. It was like a National Lampoons movie on a good day. I would not say, “A good time was had by all.”  

One year, the house we were all staying at was particularly far up in the mountains on winding, narrow roads with very little signage. There was no GPS in 1992, so we were hunting for our best. It was a true test of my father’s leadership and navigational capabilities, and we definitely found what is NOT in his skillset. With GPS, it would have been about 3.5 miles and 15 minutes. Without, we wandered all over the Smoky Mountains for 15 miles and well over an hour trying to find this place. Had it not been for my mother, I don’t think we would have made it out of the Smoky Mountains.  

Leadership in our society is often vested in the males. Most societies on earth tend to be patriarchal where the male is viewed as the leader. Some societies, such as African ones, will see women as the societal matriarch as she is where life is born. Today we celebrate the gifts of leadership found in men, as it is Father’s Day. Woman also have many gifts, but we look at that in May. Today is for those with a Fathering spirit.  There are three qualities of leadership we see today: be strong and courageous, listen and study, and be worthy of respect.  

First leadership is strong and courageous. The Israelites in our Hebrew lesson had only ever known the leadership of Moses outside of the cruelty of slavery. They had no idea what it was like to be led by anyone other than Moses. And now they have the fearfulness from Moses being dead. God addresses the fear clearly and with finality. “Moses, my servant, is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you [Joshua] to lead these people.” But Joshua didn’t go alone. God’s promises were not just tied to Moses. God’s promises are never ending and without fail.  

Courage and confidence come from trusting in an outcome. In faith, we trust in the outcome of God’s promises and God’s plan. The journey ahead proved that the Israelites would face hardship and trial. But in every struggle, they had God’s promises with them. The same is true of father-figures, leaders, and decision makers in our time. God’s promises never fail, and neither should our courage to step out in faith.  

A few years ago I was sitting on a meeting for the Regional Office. When asked why things were handled in a certain manner, I answered before I could stop myself. I blurted out, “Well, we’ve always done it this way.” That is the death knell of courage, of risk, and of faith. If we never break our patterns of doing and patiently try new ways of being followers of Jesus, we won’t need faith. If nothing challenges or changes, why do you need faith to follow, faith to trust?  

God calls on us to be strong and courageous followers, willing to try and experience new things, willing to journey to new ideas and new places. At one time, all that Jesus taught was a new and risky idea. But every challenge is an opportunity to have the courage found in faith in God. Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged.  

As leaders, father-figures, and people of faith, we must listen and study. God says to Joshua, as a new leader, “Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them…Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.” Good leaders study and know what they are doing and talking about. When I was working in Macon, we had a judge who would read every single thing on every single case. She would say, “I may not be able to be the smartest in the room, but I can be the best prepared.”  

I couldn’t stand here unless I read and prepared for this sermon. A music leader cannot sing unless they’ve looked over the music. God calls us as leaders to be studied and prepared. In and of himself, Joshua did not know how to lead the Hebrew people. But he had God’s promises, and he had words of wisdom and instruction to follow. Joshua became a good leader because he listened to God, and he was well prepared. The scripture is filled with examples of leaders who did not do this, and it tells how their time of leadership ranged from a struggle to catastrophic.  

Leadership and fathering are hard because there is an expectation in our society of knowing every answer, making all the right decisions, and having strength beyond what is often humanly possible. Part of listening and study is being vulnerable to listen to different viewpoints, different ideas. History is too full of father-figures, leaders, and let’s be honest, men, who are unwilling to be humbled enough to listen and understand when they need to. God told Joshua to listen, to read, to understand the instructions and follow them. We are called to the same.  

Lastly, father figures who are leaders are called to be worthy of respect. As a child in a Christian school, We were ALWAYS taught the first part of this Ephesians chapter—Children obey your parents for that is what is right. Remember to honor your father and mother.  I almost never remember hearing us read the second part of this instruction, “Father’s do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.” The two go hand in hand.  

It is impossible to honor a father figure, a leader, if they live in a way that is unworthy of respect and honor. I have a friend whose father was a strict disciplinarian. He ran the house with precision, toughness, and sometimes cruelty and terror. He believed his sole job was to discipline his children into obedience and submission. He ended up alienating them all because there was no warmth, no love, no kindness in his relationship with them. He wasn’t exactly abusive. He was just generally mean and unkind.  

If we think of God as a father figure, promises are kept, comfort and grace are offered, redemption is part and parcel. God can be tough on us, but it is always tempered by kindness, love, and support. That is exactly how the leadership of a father should be—clarity, boundaries, and an overwhelming love.  

In many ways, Moses ended up being like a father to the Israelites. He was all they had known because of the desert wanderings while waiting to come to the promised land. Moses had led them out of slavery in Egypt. Moses had parted the sea in front of them. Moses gave them instruction from God. Moses led them all the way to the very entrance of their new home. He cared for them, disciplined them, and stayed with them all the way home.  

In our society, fathers tend to be seen as the leaders. We live in a generally patriarchic society, which is simply a fact, not a commentary. This leadership must be strong and courageous, must be based on study and willing ears and hearts to learn, and must be worthy of respect. Not everything will be smooth or perfect. It can be a hard learning curve sometimes. But the same God who gives us the calling as leaders and as fathers gives us the strength and wisdom to know how to live and act. So be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For God is with you. And that’s a promise. 

Worship Service video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1513573309670428/

Still Sent

Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19; Matthew 9: 35-10:14 

There are some Sundays that I just really like to step in it and see how much trouble I can get into. So, let’s go full force today. This week, the Southern Baptist Convention held their annual conference. One of the most prominent and important topics was making sure there was a sufficient ban on female preachers. It is already in their doctrine and policy that this is excluded, and they in fact remove churches that place women in roles of pastoral authority. However, this new prohibition would go in their constitution. It also goes a step further in banning women from both the office and functions of pastoral roles.  

The implications are that women will likely be banned from holding any positions of power, authority, or decision-making capacity, nor will they be able to speak to assemblies outside of children. The quiet effect is that people like Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer can no longer speak in Southern Baptist congregations, except in limited circumstances. Now juxtapose that with the words of their newly elected president, who said he is glad they are moving away from these social justice experiments gone wrong. The social justice experiment referenced had nothing to do with women. It was three years ago when they discovered rampant child sexual abuse in churches, and the leadership made much more stringent rules punishing clergy and laity for this misconduct. Perhaps the new president was still unhappy over the fact that he was not elected in 2023 because one of his own deacons was accused of child abuse.  

The problem with this theology about women is that it does not advance the Gospel message, nor is it’s not exactly Biblical. Numerically the SBC is suffering. In the last 5-10 years, they have lost over 4 million members. Jesus says in our Gospel lesson, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.” Constricting who is authorized to preach and teach the good news shortens the reach in who hears that good news. In an era where only 30% of Americans attend church regularly, one would think it is imperative to have as many people preaching the good news as possible.  

Jesus also called and sent the disciples with a purpose. We hear of the call Jesus gave to the original twelve disciples: announce and preach the Kingdom of Heaven, heal those in need, cast out evil, and offer generosity. That, in a nutshell, is what Jesus did in his ministry. He told the good news of redeeming love. He healed the sick and afflicted, raise the dead, cast out evil, and was generous to all who came to him. His love and generosity led him to a cross, and in turn, the disciples were led out into the world to do these same things.  

So, does the Bible support that only men can do this? Not exactly. Of course, this work is more male heavy in Jesus and Paul’s day. It was a patriarchal society, and men were more expected to do the harsh travels and present in the Temple. There were extra safety risks to women. But it is also true that the church relied heavily on women, especially Paul, contrary to popular belief.  

Here are a few examples. Lois and Eunice raised Timothy and taught him in the faith. Priscilla and Aquilla are mentioned in Acts as leaders and missionaries closely working with Paul. Priscilla is a woman, and in almost every instance her name comes first in the lead position. In Romans, Paul references Phoebe as a deacon and leader of the church in Cenchrea. Paul also references Junia as the leader of the home church in Rome. Euodia and Syntyche, both women, were church leaders referenced in Philippians. Nympha was a woman who helped lead the church in Colossae. Chloe led a branch of the church in Corinth in her home. Apphia is referenced as a church leader in Philemon.  

While I’m at it, it was the women, after Jesus’s death and burial, who came to the tomb to take care of the body. The men were cowering in the upstairs apartment with the doors and windows shut. They didn’t even accompany the women to the tomb to make sure they were safe. It was Mary who first saw the risen Jesus and went back to tell others. The early church heavily relied on women to organize and keep the churches going. And just as each of those women were called by God to serve, and called apostles and deacons by Paul, so today is the Gospel not a message for one race, one ethnicity, one gender, or one specific sect of people. God is not willing that any should perish, and to accomplish that, God wants everyone to share the good news of grace and love with everyone.  

Teaching and sharing the Gospel is imperative in our society. As our faith, our churches, and our understanding of our faith is declining, we need everyone who feels called and led by God to go out and share the good news. Sharing the Gospel vitally important. Who preaches it is not, so long as they speak truth. Imagine in our church if we said Pam, Doris, Christie, and our other incredible teachers could no longer teach. Imagine if Laura, Joy, and Doris were told they could no longer be elders. Imagine if Carla, Barbara, Angela, and Amanda could no longer be deacons. Imagine if the women here could not share the good news of what God has done in their lives or speak from the pulpit about Disciples Women. If not for women, I don’t think any church would have survived. From the first century, it was their homes, their influence, their skills that nurtured and grew the church.  

I have been particularly blessed by the women ministers in my life. Beginning with Wendy Miles, to Denise Bell, Joan Bell-Haynes, my friend Katie Griffis, whose sermon podcast I listen to on my way down here every Sunday morning. That’s just a sampling of the many women of faith who profoundly encourage my faith, and our faith. I have heard God speak to me in each one of them. We are all still sent by Jesus to preach the good news, and to teach the world how to have a good relationship with God and one another.  

We must keep our minds and spirits focused on the main thing, Jesus, and the message of life-saving grace for the world. Churches need good governance—committees, officers, a bit of decorum and order are all necessary for such an institution to function. We cannot, however, as people of the living God and followers of the risen Savior, let ourselves become obsessed with religious rules. I saw a joke the other day that a bar opened next door to a church. Every week, the church prayed against the bar’s business. One day lighting hit and burned the bar down, and the owner sued the church saying the prayers caused it. The church denied any and all role or liability. The perplexed judge said, “This is a tough case because I have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and an entire church that denies it.”  

When we got caught up in rules, particulars, do’s and do not’s, the legalism of faith, we forget the heart of what we believe: that we are called to teach and preach a right relationship with the God who created and loves all of humanity. We are called to go and make disciples in the faith, and to live as Jesus in this world—with love, welcome, and helping in whatever ways we can to ease the suffering in this world.  

I cannot presume to know who God calls to be a pastor or why. If I were to be honest with you, if I were in charge, I would have never called myself. It was the last thing I ever expected in life. I’d planned to be a fancy and rich lawyer. But this September will be 15 years serving this church, and in retrospect, God was far, far wiser than I ever could have been. I am honored every day to serve in this role.  

For many who are pastors, the men and the women, the words of the Psalm resonate like a prayer of hope. “I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because [God] bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” And most importantly, “I will fulfil my vows to the Lord, in the presence of all [God’s] people—in the house of the Lord.” May this be a prayer and a promise from every pastor called to share a faith which has both saved us and inspired us. 

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1595377548817639/

GRACE AT THE TABLE

Genesis 12: 1-9; Matthew 9: 9-13, 18-26 

As one can imagine, the institutional food at a college or university is not exactly the most appetizing. You might get the mystery grey meat or the potato slurry that looks like it slid off a containment pond at a chemical plant. But there are a few hacks to overcoming the food fails. When I was in college, I signed up for the “table manners” class where you got a delicious multi-course meal while learning the lost art of high society table manners. In fact, I signed up for it three times, till the teacher got wise to my shenanigans. The good news is that I can now discern between 20 pieces of silverware and figure out what to do with my napkin if ever I’m invited to a state dinner in D.C.  

Sometimes finding grace at the table can be a little difficult. You might have the kid that picks his nose or sneezes all over the table, or the uncle who picks his teeth and lays down chunks of food. Or after hours of preparing a delicious pot roast, you discover without warning that part of the family is now vegan. Gathering at the table can be one of the most irritating yet grace-filled things we do. As the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, this, God’s table, is central to our faith, for it is where we see, experience, and understand the grace of Christ for us.  

In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus calls Matthew, the tax collector, as his disciple, then later goes over to Matthew’s home for dinner with the other disciples. At the table is Jesus, his disciples, Matthew, and a host of tax collectors and disreputable people. The Pharisees see this and ask why Jesus is eating with such scum. Likely, because of the pettiness and hatefulness of the Pharisees and very religious folks, the so-called “scum” were the only people Matthew had to associate with, except for Jesus, who saw something in Matthew the Pharisees refused to see, calling him to a life of discipleship.  

Jesus did not see scum. Jesus saw an opportunity to make disciples. It wasn’t the Pharisees who listened to Jesus and followed. It was the tax collector, the “scum.” Jesus begins a series of direct confrontations from this position of sitting at the table for dinner. At the table, he finds grace for the rejected, and he goes from there to show what grace, and the kingdom of God truly mean.  

What Jesus ultimately sought was people whose hearts and minds would be changed. He replied to the Pharisees, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, sick people do…I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come not to call those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” A friend and minister once said of this scripture, “Be careful you don’t find yourself as the one in the hallway looking in while Jesus is seated at the table.” Though Jesus’s mercy and grace are wide and welcoming, bad behavior and darkened hearts must be changed. Matthew gave up his tax collector ways and followed Jesus. Grace implies the necessity of a changed heart.  

Yet all throughout this Gospel lesson, we see Jesus confronting the doubters, naysayers, and critics with the true power of his grace. We learn next that Jesus is begged by a religious leader to come heal his dead daughter. How ironic that the same religious leaders who critiqued Jesus for his dinner companions now want his help when it’s their turn to be in desperate need.   

On the way, a woman with an illness touches the fringe of his garment with the faith to be healed. And, indeed, Jesus heals her for her faith made her well. Yet again, we see this back and forth of hatefulness and grace. She had a bleeding condition. That made her unclean, and by inference, we know the religious leaders would have avoided her at all costs. That’s why she snuck up to touch the hem of the robe instead of coming directly to Jesus. She feared being rejected again for being unclean. Jesus, though, offered grace and healing.  

When Jesus gets to the religious official’s home, he finds a noisy crowd engaged in a funeral. The scene is chaotic, disrespectful, and undercuts the faith this man had in Jesus to restore life to the dead child. They are all certain of one thing—the girl is dead, and she is not coming back. When Jesus tells them to stop, they turn the chaos into a circus of disrespect and begin laughing at Jesus.  

They are disruptive in the middle of the religious leader’s grief. They laugh at the idea of hope. They insult and mock Jesus in their thoughts and behaviors. Jesus is still ready with grace for them, for the family, and for this sleeping child. In seconds, Jesus ends the chaos, silences the crowd, and raises the dead child to life. Chaos and foolishness are instantly turned to faith as they see the power of Jesus to heal and raise the dead to life.  

What it comes down to is whether we listen for Jesus’s call to come out from the outskirts and sidelines and sit at the table with Jesus. Abraham is a great example of this. In his seventies, Abraham heard God calling him to leave his home and come to the promised land of Canaan. Listening to God helps us to live in grace. Abraham listened and responded by gathering things up and moving to Canaan at the Lord’s instruction. The disciples listened to Jesus and left behind everything they had. When Jesus called, they followed. Though it’s not said, I fully believe the “scum” at that dinner table also found grace that day. There was a reason Matthew invited them. He knew them. And he knew they needed to be in the presence and grace of Jesus as well.  

The grace of Jesus is much like a big dinner party in that we must send invitations. If we do not invite others to know and experience God’s grace, we will soon find our tables empty. We must invite people to experience God’s grace, and to be given grace at the table. And sometimes that means inviting those whom the Pharisees would call scum. A friend of mine was sharing some church gossip with me the other day, oh, I mean a prayer request, not gossip. *Wink and nod. He said the biggest crook and cheat in town came to church that Sunday. (Yes, he’s a lawyer). He was moved, filled with repentance, and dedicated himself to God that very day. My friend said, “Well, I guess he’s our crook, now.” Sometimes it’s hard to set extra places at the table. But that’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do because Jesus did it for us.  

Jesus knew the risk of dining with a tax collector and his friends. Yet not only did he do it here with Matthew, he does it a second time with Zacchaeus in another Gospel story. To their credit, the disciples have the faith to trust and follow Jesus’s lead, though I’m sure they’d rather be anywhere else than a tax collector’s house getting ridiculed by religious leaders.  

While in college, I decided that to get some edible food, I would take the manners classes three times. I learned what fork matches which dish, napkin placement, the proper form for slurping soup, and other little fancy tidbits. But from Jesus, we can learn what it means to show grace at the table. For those whom the religious leaders labeled “scum,” Jesus saw them as children of God. For the tax collector whom others called a crook and a cheat, Jesus saw a disciple. For an old man settled in his home and his ways, God saw the father of many nations. 

Never underestimate the magnificence of what God sees in you and me, and the incredible work of faith God calls us to do. In God’s house and at God’s table, everyone is welcome, and everyone is called. But we are all called to have a change of heart and mind, just like Matthew, just like the “scum” he brought to the table with Jesus. Grace is something that we all need in our lives both for ourselves and for others, just as Jesus is filled with grace. So the question is there for us today, will you come to the table or will you stand in the hallway?  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1606598380437931/

Hymn Sing Service

Join us this Sunday, May 31 at 10:45 AM at FCC for a special worship service of unity and hymns of praise.

Come together as brothers and sisters in Christ to lift our voices and worship God through song.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Everyone is welcome!

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1012102324673351/

When God Shows Up

Acts 2: 1-12; John 20: 19-23 

Growing up in a “Bapticostal” Appalachian church, I often experienced something most churches don’t do these days. No, it’s not snakes. Full stop. At the end of Sunday night services, we would leave about 10 minutes for people to testify. They could get up and say a little bit about what they were thankful for, how God had helped, or how God had shown up in their lives. Usually, it was the same people, unless someone had a special blessing. And we almost always heard the same praises—how God had helped, protected families, blessed, shown love. It was a wonderful moment of seeing God’s presence in the lives of others.  

But sometimes Bea Reynolds would stand up to testify, and we never really knew where that was going to go. Sometimes she would holler “Well, PRAISE the name of the Lord!” in the middle of a sentence. And sometimes, she testified to some “unique” blessings of God. One such went like this… She told us that she couldn’t sleep at night, and she was there in the wee hours of the morning ready to take her sleep medication, but she really didn’t want to because it had a rough effect on her 80-year-old body. So, instead, she began to read her Bible. And I quote the next part exactly, “I read my Bible, and God let me sleep almost immediately. I tell you the Bible will put you to sleep faster than any pill will.” And now you know why we don’t do this here.  

However, just as Peter and the disciples testified about Christ, his love and resurrection and grace, on the day of Pentecost, so must we tell of the goodness of God in our lives. Faith is not meant to be a secret. It is meant to be lived, celebrated, and a part of our testimonies. That is why I have collected your testimonies, and I want to share them with you today. It’s important to hear from each other how God is showing up in each other’s lives.  Here is what you all have written.  

1. had a very serious illness years ago. My three girls were very young. My husband was told to prepare for the worst. After 3 weeks in the hospital and fervent prayers by so many, including myself, God’s love healed me.  

2.  Homecoming—getting back to Macon and experiencing great joy, I get a foretaste of Heaven.  

3. His love shows up for me daily whether I see it or not. I know God’s love is always and omnipresent. Something that comes to me is that he let me say goodbye to both of my parents before he took them home. What a comfort to me.  

4. When has God not shown up? In the love of my parents and family. In friends. In struggles, most often when it’s hindsight that truly revelas that God did show up.  

5. In my search for a mate, I spent several years kissing a lot of frogs! In my frustration I turned my search over to my Heavenly Father, saying, “These are the characteristics I wish to find in a mate. If I’m supposed to have this, please send him to me, since I am finding it very difficult to find him. If those characteristics are not appropriate, please show me what I need. IN a matter of days, I saw a young man who drew my attention, but I dismissed him as probably a military man who would be gone to serve in the conflict in no time. Three weeks later I encountered him again when I heard a voice saying to me as I was writing something, “Excuse me, I know this is the oldest line in the book, but haven’t I seen you before?” I looked up and saw the same young man. He asked me out and a year and a day later, we were married. He met all of the qualifications I had asked God to send me. Our marriage was filled with love, kindness, and fun. It lasted 48 years until the death of that young man separated us.  

6. Waking up in the morning. During a devotion in the morning. Before breakfast. After breakfast. Driving to work I the morning. Before lunch. After lunch. During the afternoon. Before dinner. After dinner. Before retiring for the night. God shows up all the time.  

7. God shows up in leading me back to church.  

8. All through my life, in the best of times, the worst oftimes, I have felt God’s love.  

9. I think the question for me is "Where has God NOT shown up?"  The sun rises every day.  I have food, clothing, shelter.  I am reasonably healthy even though I see contemporaries of mine going on to their reward every day.  Now retired, I reflect on a wonderful career in a profession where I was able to see God's hand at work in it.  I celebrate a wonderful marriage and great kids.  I have a family of faith where I worship with friends who are diverse and godly people.  Our church welcomes everyone and we follow a Savior who showed us how to do that.  Our Pastor is a friend to each and all of us.  Our denomination stands up for justice and peace. We have continuing opportunities to participate in mission and outreach led by an active group of Christian women.  In my view, God does not show up but rather is a constant presence that I only need to look around to see. 

10. When I got a divorce, God’s love let me know that I can make it on my own with Him. God’s love has shown up for me when I joined First Christian, when I met the members, and most of all I thank God for this. God’s love has shown up when I met you.  

11. And a final one shared theirs as a prayer, “Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for you love in encouraging me, through our current sermon series, to show love, respect and kindness to all others, whether they are fellow Christians, friends, or even foes and enemies. We need to be like Jesus, and as a Christian professing to be a follower of Jesus, must be loving and caring to all others in all of our thoughts, words (written, spoken, or even shared through social media) and deeds. Otherwise, each and every time we fail to do so, we grieve the Holy Spirit. In Jesus, holy, precious name. Amen.  

When the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples, they began to speak in many tongues, languages, and with great power and conviction. In the Bible Study, the other night, we talked about how important and powerful it was for Paul to share his personal story and testimony of how Jesus showed up in his life and changed his cruel direction.  

It is our stories of faith which testify to the power with which God shows up in our lives. We’ve heard today about healing, comfort, presence in starting over, finding happiness in life. Each of these stories is what draws people to faith because it takes the theoretical and makes it real. People today need a “why” when it comes to faith. The why is not a long, theological discourse. It’s the stories you tell of how your faith and your trust in God and following Jesus has made a difference in your life.  

The life-breath of faith is the Word that God breathes in us to tell the good news and testify to the incredible goodness of God in our lives. Who in your life and within your orbit needs to hear your story of God’s goodness and grace? Just as the disciples received the Spirit to speak and preach the good news, so too does the Spirit work in our lives to speak in and through us into the modern world we live in. So may our words tell of the goodness and redeeming love of God, and may our lives echo the story in this world.  

Ending Dysfunction: Anger, Danger, Discipline, and Joy

Ps. 68: 1-10; I Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11 

Here’s a little story about anxiety and danger. This week, while in Macon on Tuesday, I decided to get coffee because I was sleepy. While rounding the corner from Third Street to Poplar, a truck swerved into my lane, I quickly swerved right and turned on Poplar, but I bounced into the sewer drain and blew out my back tire. There I sat, waiting for roadside assistance, only to learn that new vehicles do not come with a spare tire in the back. There’s space for it, but no tire.  

Because all the tire places are now closed, I have the car towed to the church, then have it towed again the next morning to Discount tire. That took till afternoon because the tire had to be ordered and there were two road emergencies necessitating the towing company to drive around with my car on the back responding to these emergencies. Six hundred and fifty dollars later, it was fixed. There was one bright spot in all of this. I called Doug and Angela for help, and they showed up within minutes and offered the use of their car to get home. I think that was the only thing keeping me from insanity along with the prayer and medication.  

Life is often going to send us trials and troubles. They will come at the most inconvenient of times, when we are least prepared for how to handle them. With this will come anxiety, perhaps danger, fear, and maybe even feeling like we are being disciplined or punished. Not one of us is going to be spared heartache and trouble in life. It may come as a failed relationship. It may come as financial woes. It may come as illness or struggles of the mind. Perhaps it will be addiction struggles. Or it may be just a big old flat tire in the middle of the road and all you can do is drink your now cold coffee and roll your eyes. Life is filled with troubles and trials from now till we see heaven.  

What makes our faith so rich for us is that we never suffer apart from God. I Peter tells us that when we go through fiery trials, “be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering.” We cannot forget that Jesus has an intimate familiarity with human struggle. Life’s trials are not meant to drive a wedge between us and Jesus. That comes more from anger and blame than some kind of divine smiting. Trials and trouble are simply a hazard of human existence. God does not cause them, nor does God delight in them.  

When we face harrowing things in life, that is simply because of how things age and happen in this world. We live in many ways as broken people, and none of that brokenness is because God orchestrates evil in our lives. Instead, we are offered the benefit of drawing close to Jesus who understands because he experienced the inherent brokenness of this world too. A friend of mine is dealing with his grandmother’s last days. She has become bedbound, but she refused to give in to the trial. She said, “Jesus was bound to a cross in pain. At least I am bound to a soft bed.” That’s a greater peace and faith than I think most of us could summon up, including me.  

The apostles knew and understood suffering and struggle. There is no hint in any of the gospels or epistles that we can magically make life’s struggles disappear for good. But we are taught ways to manage and get through the trials we experience in this life. I saw a joke the other day. It said, “God, why do you give me your toughest battles!?” The response was, “You literally just have to fold the clothes you took out of the dryer. Come on.”  

I Peter tells us to humble ourselves under God’s power, give our worries to God, stay alert, stand firm, be strong in faith, and remember you are not alone in struggles. We’re not given the advice to circumvent or get around our trials. We are told how to, instead, plow right through with the strength of God. Humility and giving cares to God speaks to our dance with pride. Sometimes we lead, and sometimes we are led by our pride. In giving over to God, we have to lay down that pride that can cause our trials to be magnified. Why try to handle ourselves, what God is prepared to help us with in God’s own strength?  

Good advice also includes staying alert and standing firm. These can be very hard to do when we feel under the pressure of a life struggle. I am far more prone to abject panic and running around crazily. Thank you to God, prayer and medication for helping with that. But we must find the courage to gather ourselves and be alert to what is coming our way. We cannot let trials pull us apart and knock us over, and when we struggle to stand firm, we can remember that God is standing in strength behind us! 

Most importantly we must remember that we are not alone in our trials and troubles. Just as Jesus knows and understands, Jesus is also with us. We often use prayer and going to Jesus as the last resort when all else we’ve done has failed. But prayer should be the preparation, not the Hail Mary. As the hymn tells us, “Are we weak and heavy laden? Take it to the Lord in prayer.” Don’t let trials from a broken world pull you away from your faith and from Jesus. Draw closer, read your Bible more, study more how Jesus lived and loved, and lean into that human life of holy work, especially in these times when we feel like all the world has gone crazy.  

Lastly, remember that God often shows up in a crisis in us. I Peter tells us that “after you have suffered a little while, [God] will restore, support, and strengthen you, and…will place you on a firm foundation.” The Psalm also tells us that God will provide a bountiful harvest to a needy people. It was Mr. Rogers who said, “When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Indeed, very often the presence of God is seen in and through us. When you show up with a casserole, when you offer a prayer, when you call someone who is sick, you are showing up with care, love, and the presence of God with you and within you.  

What we have to remember is that the phrase, “Look for the helpers,” is intended for small, frightened children. As adults we learn what it means to be the helpers. We can still look for the helpers around us to join with us and give us reassurance, but there comes a time when we must stand firm as I Peter says. Looking for the helpers applies when we find ourselves in the midst of trials and need God to show up in some way in our lives.  

It may be minor, or it may be a bit trouble. We may need a friend to check on us, to have a cup of coffee. We may need a bit of prayer, or a visit at a hospital. Or we may need someone to come to our rescue when the tire blows out because so many Macon drivers seem to have gotten their license at Sears and Roebuck instead of the from the State. Either way, God calls us at times to stand up and be the helpers for those who are suffering, but God also calls on us to have the humility to accept help when we are struggling ourselves. Pride goeth before a fall, and sometimes you cannot get back up. But perhaps if we are willing to accept help when it is needed, putting aside our pride, we can avoid the fall.  

I want to leave you with a story about Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. Pooh shows up, sitting down on the log next to Piglet, and he says today was a difficult day, but he doesn’t want to talk about it. Piglet, in his wisdom offers that he understands difficult days, and he, too, does not feel like talking about it. Piglet goes on to say, “But goodness, difficult days are so much easier when you know you’ve got someone there for you. And I’ll always be there for you, Pooh.” As Pooh sits there swinging his legs with Piglet, we are told he “thought that his best friend had never been more right.”  

Each day is a new day for trials to come our way. But each day is also a day where God can do amazing things in our lives. May we have the faith to show up for those who need us and the presence of God in us. But may we also have the grace to let others show up for us, bringing the presence of God with them.  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/949549221043745

Oh Mother

Proverbs 23:22-25; John 2: 1-11 

Mother’s Day is the one time per year I can carte blanche tell stories about my mother. The rest of the time I skirt the edges of trouble in telling family stories. I think, sometimes, as teenagers we get too worked up and feel like parents, and in particular mothers, embarrass us. When I was in high school at the tender age of 16, I most certainly took myself too seriously.  We were shopping for school clothes, and Mom and I were at Aeropostale or American Eagle.  

I was somewhat in between sizes, so I was waffling between a large and extra-large. An associate helped us try on the sizes and eventually I was able to make a decision. On the way out of the store, my mother mistook the worker at the front for the worker who had helped us and said, in what my memory says is a very loud voice, “We decided to go with the extra-large!” Teenage me was mortified, destroyed, ruined, thrown into unbelievable angst never to recover from the emotional damage and social injury. We have laughed about this story for years. And as an adult, I’m pretty unfazed, leaning much more into the humor, and I can roll my eyes and say, “Oh, Mother…” 

I imagine it was the same for Jesus. He had a complicated relationship with parenting. Mary was most certainly the mother of Jesus, but imagine having God as your father! We only get glimpses of the family dynamic. One incident is where Jesus disappears as a younger boy to teach in the Temple, and Mary and Joseph have to go back looking for him. The other time is here at the wedding in Cana. When Mary informs Jesus that the wine has run low, which would have been a major social shortcoming in that day, Jesus says, “Dear woman, that’s not our problem.” I imagine Jesus smiling and saying, “Oh, Mother.”  

Two things we learn: first, Mary understands that Jesus has the power to work miracles, and it seems like a demonstrated power; second, she knew he would do it anyway because she prepared the servants to act even though Jesus had said no to her. But it seems that Jesus was very inclined to listen to his mother and do what she said, even if it wasn’t exactly in his plans.  

The fact that Jesus acts to turn water into wine speaks to how much he was willing to listen to his mother. It shows the power of a mothering nature to shape an individual. I know some have had a hard time with the biological mother in your life. And I know some have had struggles with motherhood which never came. But a mothering nature goes beyond simple biology—it’s a reflection of God’s love. I know very often we talk about God as father. But in many ways that nurturing, encouraging, grace-filled love of God feels much more like the correct love of a mother.  

Today we celebrate the many ways in which God’s love is shown and demonstrated through a mothering love and a mothering nature. This is seen in the power of prayer, shared meals, forgiveness and kindness, remaining a family even when we may not always agree, and encouraging when such help is needed. That is just what Jesus does—breaks bread, prays and blesses, challenges, and lifts up when people are broken. That love of Jesus and the love of a mothering presence in our lives is nourishing and nurturing to us in life and in our lives of faith.  

But we must also listen to the wisdom of the mothering figures in our lives. As our Proverbs lesson tells about parents and families, we hear, “Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.” In many ways those three can be rolled into one. Listen to the wisdom of the strong, mothering women in your life. My mother, grandmothers, and mother-figures shared a lot of wisdom that I cherish: don’t cook candy when it’s raining, a little caffeine can actually help a hyper-active child and speak to everyone from friend to the cashier at the store you just met among other things.  

One of the most powerful things my mother imparted to me was every morning before dropping me off for school, she would say, “Remember the most important thing.” I would answer back, “I love you, and do good.” Once we discussed whether it should be “do your best” instead. But the truth is instilling the idea of “do good,” created a much stronger sense of values and faith because it speaks to practice.  

Jesus might not have been ready to start his miracles, ministry, and witness throughout the world, but his mother said that it was time. In one of the most humanizing parts for Jesus in the Gospel, we see him tell his mother no followed by doing exactly what she tells him to do. Jesus might have gotten the miracles from God, but he seems to have learned a healthy dose of wisdom from his mother, Mary. The true test of wisdom is not knowing everything, but it is a willingness to listen and then to do good in response.  

In later years, the mother figures in our lives may come to a point where they need help. Time and age are not always our friend. We should count it joy and a privilege to return care to those who have helped, mothered, and inspired us in such a strong way. Proverbs says, “Don’t despise your mother when she is old.” When people age, it can be hard. Movements slow down. Cognition may not be 100%. Our mother figures may need help more than we are used to, and we have the added silent pain of watching our heroes and mentors slow down and become more vulnerable. It absolutely is hard.  

But that is when we put to practice the wisdom that they have taught us, and the wisdom and guidance we get from God. Even as Jesus neared death on the cross, he knew he had to provide for his mother. So, he looked at her and the disciple and called them mother and son. She lost her son that day, but she became a mothering figure to a disciple who took her in and cared for her for the remainder of her life.  

In our Gospel lesson we often focus on the big picture of Jesus turning the water into wine. We hear lessons like Jesus saving the best for last or turning the polluted water into the perfect wine. But I pray we don’t miss an important side lesson in this Gospel story—the effect Jesus’s mother had on his ministry. Jesus said, “I’m not ready.” His mother believed differently. She laid the groundwork and preparations because she knew her son. And she knew her son was ready. Jesus may be the Son of God, the perfect example of hope and redemption, but he also needed the wisdom of a mother figure during his time on earth.  

There are times where we are going to be eternally flustered by our mother figures. They may tell stories about us. They may drum up old pictures that we wish would never see the light of day again. And they may even spit on a tissue and rub dirt off our face in public. But there’s also a great depth of wisdom in the women and mothers in our lives.  

For those who had a mother who was more troubling and toxic than a parent, know that there will be women in your lives who will love you, help you, and pray for you. Biology is less important than the faithful and Godly mother figures God sends your way to teach you about love, nurture, and prayer. To those who never had children of their own: birth does not define motherhood. There are plenty of women I know who may not have had their own kids, but who have been the absolute best mother figures in my life, and in the lives of others. Biology does not define a mother. Love, faith, and the bond of family do.  

Years ago in a clothing store, I thought I would never recover from being mortified by my mother announcing my size increase to a random stranger. Nowadays, we laugh about it, and I simply say, “Oh, Mother.” There will be times in your lives where you begin rolling your eyes at your mother or the mother figure in your life. Remember from today that Jesus did that too, but he still knew to listen, and so should we. 

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/3028084744049098

Ending Dysfunction: The Pain of Deceit

Gen. 27: 1-27, 30-36; II Thess. 2: 2-4, 9-12 

In the movie Wicked Little Letters set in 1920, Edith Swan is a devout Christian lady caring for her elderly parents in their English home. One day she begins receiving nasty and hateful letters causing incredible distress to the whole family. The main suspect is her Irish immigrant neighbor, Rose, an unmarried mother. Pretty soon the whole town begins receiving the same nasty and hateful letters and Rose is arrested.  

Now, spoiler alert. Through some incredible sleuthing, a true deceit is revealed. Edith, the good Christian lady, upstanding and righteous in all things, has been the one sending the letters all along. She has let Rose take the blame for it because of anti-Irish immigrant feelings. Edith’s controlling and emotionally abusive father doesn’t believe it until Edith curses him to his face as she is led away for her crimes. Being deceived is hard for us because it ruins our trust in the deceiver and in everyone else sometimes. Three lessons we can learn from the scripture today on deceit are these: deceit hurts everyone around you, being deceived is not your fault, but, willingly staying in deceit is a form of idolatry which ultimately harms our relationship with God. 

First, deceit will hurt everyone around you. Jacob and Esau had a tense relationship as brothers. Jacob had effectively swindled Esau’s birthright by trading it for food. Now, their mother has plans to deceive an elderly Isaac into giving the blessing of the first born to Jacob as well, leaving Esau with nothing. This was achieved by tricking the blind Isaac into thinking that Esau was in front of him by dressing Isaac up to seem like he was Esau. In the end the trickery works. Isaac blesses Jacob leaving nothing for Esau.  

Look at how much havoc this deceit brought to Isaac and his family. Jacob has to flee into exile because Esau wishes to kill him. Esau becomes hateful and murderous. Rebekah has chosen favorites and forever damaged her relationship to Isaac and Esau, whom she must continue to live with. Isaac is now broken and heartsick in his old age and will never see Jacob again. One decision to choose deceit instead of honesty broke this entire family for years and years.  

How many families, friendships, and relationships are ruined because someone chose deceit over honesty? A husband sneaks around on his wife and ruins life for himself, his wife, his kids, and sometimes event he extended family is broken. An elderly parent is deceived by a con artist and loses all of the life savings they have worked so hard for over the years. How many families are torn apart or live in a state of discomfort over politics in our country—their disagreement too much for the relationship to bear? How many people subscribe to bad theology that teaches anger, hate, and cruelty instead of the love and redeeming grace of Jesus? Lest we forget God is not willing that any should perish. And neither is God pleased when we are torn apart instead of finding a common mission in Christ Jesus.  

Whether we are a deceiver or the deceived, that untruth in our lives will lead to anger and destruction. We often hear the truth shall set you free. But if we are truthful, honesty and truthfulness can often be a very hard road. Sometimes small lies make life a lot easier in the moment, but they end up destructive in the long run. Deceit doesn’t just hurt us, it hurts everyone around us.  

Secondly, if you are a victim of deceit, know that it is not your fault. Second Thessalonians tells us about the powers of a skilled con artist. He will exalt himself. He will act with counterfeit power, show the people signs and miracles. He will be full of deceit, trickery, and use every device at his power to deceive. It is easy to be conned by someone that skilled. I think of many of my fraud victims. In hindsight they see the warning signs, the problems, and the schemes. But the reason fraud works is because it’s so hard to see in the middle of it. They also carry a lot of guilt and self-blame. Fraud is always the fault of the fraudster, not the innocent victim. Schemes work when someone takes advantage of our vulnerabilities, just like Jacob took advantage of Isaac age and visual impairment.  

The way to combat spiritual frauds is to come back every time to the words of Jesus. When ministers, teachers, or even personal mentors say something, we should hold them accountable to the words of Jesus. Perhaps the first and best sign is whether someone exalts themselves or Jesus.  The Gospels tell of the importance of being humble and not desiring to be first in the kingdom of God. We must be diligent in our desire to follow Jesus and live our lives by the Gospel word and Jesus’s example. Believing in Jesus may be the ticket to salvation, but if we squander every effort to live for Jesus, can we honestly say we believe it, or do we deceive ourselves? Do we sacrifice self and comfort for Jesus, or do we sacrifice Jesus for our own self and comfort? Being deceived by a committed fraudster is never our fault, but there does come a time when such behavior crosses a line.  

The third lesson is that willfully staying in deceit, when we know the truth, is idolatry and damages our relationship with God. In the midst of his deceit, Jacob has to answer how he was able to find the wild game so quickly. His reply is “the Lord your God put it in my path.” Jacob knew about God, but living in his world of deceit, trickery, and self-interest, he didn’t really know God. But the biggest tell of this issue is in the epistle. If people want to continue in their deceived ways, God will allow it, but they will earn condemnation for enjoying lies rather than seeking truth.  

One of the most prominent scams in my work with elder victims is the romance scam. A con artist pretends to be a love interest and asks for large amounts of money. The problem is many folks who are deceived by this choose the deception even when the con artist is exposed. In Wicked Little Letters, even after Edith fully admits to writing the letters, her father keeps saying, “I know you didn’t do it, shut up.” He would rather live in the deception rather than the truth because the truth hurts.  

Though God understands and offers compassion when we are deceived, God will hold us accountable when we would rather live in deceit than come into the light of God’s truth. Deceit creates dysfunction, and it damages our relationship with the God who loves us. At the training this week we learned about how we can be deceived into thinking all is okay in life. We become so consumed by work, routines, and aspects of life that we forget and neglect our relationships, our faith, and ourselves. When someone lies to our face, we tend to be upset by it. But we often have a comfort and tolerance for being able to deceive ourselves.  

When we lie to the world and ourselves saying, “I’m fine,” we do more damage to our relationships and faith than we realize. Instead, we must be honest in life with our loved ones and ourselves But, that isn’t the complete goal. We must also put in the work to be well, to have good relationships, to accept shortcomings, and to live in this world in the way God calls us. Saying that you are not okay is a first step but never doing the work to be better and to come back to God’s will is still living in a place of deceiving ourselves.  

In Wicked Little Letters, the whole town was rocked by the deceit of Edith Swan, and it nearly cost an innocent woman her freedom and her child because of the deceit and the prejudice. Deceit damages everyone within its influence, but being a victim is never our fault. Where we must work, however, is to address those places we are deceived or engage in deceit and work through the trouble to grow in our relationship with God, to follow Jesus, and to help others who are hurting. In doing so, we find strength in our faith, and healing in our Savior.  

  Worship Service Video  https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1660552368310323

Ending Dysfunction: Cruelty of Others

Ending Dysfunction: Cruelty of Others : Gen. 16: 1-6; 21: 8-19; Eph. 4: 29-32 

One of the more shocking moments in my journey as an organist was when I was asked to play the hymn “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near.” Having grown up in the fundamentalist brand of the Baptist church, I thought I had heard some pretty severe hymns. This one, however, took the cake. Here’s a little verse or so: “The day is surely drawing near, when Jesus, God’s anointed, shall with great majesty appear as judge of all appointed. All mirth and laughter then shall cease, when flames on flames will still increase.” And further, “Then woe to those who scorned the Lord and sought but carnal pleasures…at the judge’s stern command to Satan be delivered.”  

Now, does that technically track with the book of Revelation? Yes. Does it really need to be said that way? Probably not. Does the melody to which this hymn is sung feel like one has been delivered to Satan’s chief musician? Yes. I struggled to play it, and the congregation was woefully un-thrilled to sing it. It is a reminder, though, that often we hear and experience cruel things in this world. Sometimes that comes from the very words and actions of a person who professes the Christ who said to love one another even as he has loved us. How do we deal, as followers of Jesus, with the cruelty we see and that we often endure in this world?  

We read about unkindness and cruelty in our Genesis lesson. Hagar was the slave of Sarah or Sarai. And Hagar is treated harshly by Abaraham and Sarah. Because God has promised many descendants, but Sarah has not yet had children, she offers Hagar up to Abraham to produce a child and heir. This was common practice in ancient days—slaves would be used to produce children that would then be taken by a female master who could not bear children of her own. This would have happened with or without Hagar’s consent.  

Hagar begins to treat Sarah with disrespectfully after she becomes pregnant, so the angry Sarah treats Hagar so harshly it runs her off into the desert. She does come back and have the child, but after Sarah has a child of her own, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away with only a small amount of food and water, presumably to die in the wilderness. Abraham would have been a very wealthy man in terms of that time, and he sent both of them away with nothing, knowing that they would likely not survive for long.  

We often think of Abraham and Sarah as heroes of the Hebrew scripture. But they were not without fault. Several times we read of God having to admonish Abraham and Sarah or smooth over the mistakes they make. Hagar did not ask for any of the suffering she endured at the hands of Abraham and Sarah. The cruelty stems from Hagar having an attitude and Ishmael essentially teasing his half-brother. But women were seen as property, and as a slave woman, Hagar was seen as expendable property. Even her name, Hagar, translates to “the immigrant,” given her Egyptian heritage. She is stripped of any real identity. 

What makes this hard is that the cruelty, the unkindness comes from a heroic figure. It is hard both when we are on the receiving end of cruelty and unkindness, but it is equally as hard when a person we feel is a mentor or hero becomes the bad actor. The good news in all of this suffering is that God was still present and still had a plan.  

Though Hagar thought this was the end for her and Ishmael, God saw her, and God heard her pleas and her distress. In the wilderness, when she thought she would soon die, God created a well of water to keep her and Ishmael from death. Things did not work out the way Hagar wanted and expected. Things did not go the way she hoped or planned, but God still provided for her, cared for her, and loved her and her son enough to bless them abundantly.  

Sometimes, we don’t get to avoid the suffering. Sometimes we have to wait in agonizing patience for God to move and work. Sometimes the suffering, the cruelty, and pain can be real, but God is still speaking. God is still working. Just as God saw Hagar in her distress, God sees us in our distress and trials. Life can be very hard when people are cruel to us in words and actions. It is especially hard when that comes from friendly fire.  

A pastor friend of mine once said, “Some of the meanest people I’ve ever met have been in church. But they never pushed me to give up on God or on church.” Seeing Abraham and Sarah through a more villainous lens may tarnish those old Sunday School stories that taught us faith and hope and blessings through the stories of Abraham and Sarah. But we must remember our faith and hope are in Jesus who was perfect, not in other Biblical characters who were human, who had faults and failures, but who can still teach us lessons, good or bad. A friend summed up the struggle of human relationships like this, “Don’t lose your hope, just learn a lesson if things get bad.”  

Ephesians gives us the lesson, as God’s faithful, in how to live in love with others. Don’t use abusive language. Be good, helpful, and encouraging in what you say to others. If there is anything that is cruel, abusive, unkind, prejudiced, or just plain mean, we need to get rid of it. Unkindness cannot lead to redemption. Abusive words cannot draw others unto grace. Hatefulness in one’s heart cannot save a soul that feels like it’s drowning in this world. The late Maya Angelou is quoted as saying, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." And they should feel like they have encountered Christ in and through us.  

When I went to college, I began attending First Christian Danville, Kentucky, and my piano teacher talked me into joining the choir. I sat in the tenor section next to Tim, and I will never forget him. The first year of college was quite a wild transition for me from small town to college campus in a town similar to Georgia College in Milledgeville. Every Wednesday when I went to choir in a church full of strangers, Tim made a point of speaking to me. He asked how life in Danville was going. He asked about my classes, and occasionally he shared some good church gossip. We didn’t become life-long best friends or anything like that, and we barely keep in touch these days beyond Facebook. However, his kindness, graciousness, and understanding was exactly what I needed as an 18-year-old trying to find a community and a place of faith where I could grow.  

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us. This is our call as God’s faithful and as followers of Christ. Sometimes that is not what we find in this world. And sadly, sometimes that is not what we find in our churches. I am sure that every single one of us could tell some story of a pain we carry from a church experience that went sour. But even when we see humankind fail, falter, and slide into unkindness, God still sees us, an God is still guiding our lives.  

Hagar endured great suffering in her life. She experienced cruelty, unkind words, harsh treatment, and untold stress. Yet, God did not let the struggles destroy her. We may be tempted to ask, “Why did God allow this?” But I challenge you instead to ask, “Why did Abraham and Sarah, called by God, do this.” And in our own lives we must ask, “Why do we allow or tolerate it?” Unkindness and cruelty have no power when they are swallowed up in the light and grace of Christ.  

And so when we face the unkindness, the cruelty of this world, may we remember Hagar, whom God did not abandon, whom God did not let die in the wilderness, but used the evil done to her to make a blessing happen. As a much more gentle and loving hymn reminds us, “All I have needed Thy hand has provided, great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.” Amen.  

Worship Service Video: https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1907818616535638

Family Dynamics: Listening Skills

Dysfunction: Listening—Genesis 47: 1-11; James 1: 19-27 

We continue our series on ending dysfunction this week. Today we are focusing on listening skills and how we can be better followers of Jesus through our ability to listen rather than being quick to speak. A prominent Southern Baptist leader, Russell Moore, wrote an article a few years ago about the struggles pastors face when speaking some of the harder words of Jesus. 

Several pastors had complained to him that after preaching the Sermon on the Mount, including all of the blessed statements, turn the other cheek, and so on, the congregation would come up and ask, “Where did you get that mess?” The pastors would say, “It’s the literal words of Jesus. In red. In the gospel.” And the reply would be, “Yeah, but that doesn’t work anymore. That sounds weak. Stop preaching it.”  

As a society, we’ve come to a point where we don’t want to hear or listen to things that are too challenging or push us to question too much. Listening closely inevitably requires us to evaluate and consider things that may contradict what we believe. Hearing Jesus speak certainly did that in his day. But critical evaluation is meant to push us closer to Jesus, not makes us frustrated. Today we look at three ways of listening that can help us grow in our faith: listening to understand, listening to respond, and listening to act. Each of these can be needed in different situations. The lessons for today give us guidance on when to use them and in many cases, why.  

First, we consider listening to understand. When Joseph tells of his dream of the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him, he is pointedly rebuked by his father. I am sure for a few minutes, his father realizes that Joseph may be a bit spoiled by all the favoritism. His father, however, does have a strong dose of wisdom and experience in dreams and signs from God, so after the initial irritation, his father wonders what it could mean. The wiser part of Jacob knows that God speaks in dreams, and he realizes that he should listen to understand what is being said. 

This is an art form we have lost in our modern society. We tend to only listen to debate or rebuke. I see it in my cases where the pleas and outcries of victims, especially children or persons with disabilities are ignored or discounted. We all see it when we attempt any kind of political discourse in our society. We’ve become so focused on being right that we don’t often hear the pain or confusion or worry that might be behind another person’s challenging words. And, may I add, if we cannot pause to listen to each other, how can we ever listen to God? How many of us even doubt that God is still speaking?  

Jacob had a gut reaction to Joseph’s dream. It hit Jacob hard, but he also knew that there may be something important for him to know. Listening to understand means we hear not just the words a person says, but the who behind the words and the why. When someone speaks words of challenge from a place of vulnerability, they are coming to us as followers of Jesus to help them. It costs us nothing to say, “I hear you. It’s hard to listen to. But let’s talk about why you feel this way and how it’s affecting you.” God calls us to listen to understand, not just what God says to us, but to listen to one another as well.  

Other times we need to listen to respond. We read several times of the brothers’ hatred of Joseph and how they couldn’t say a kind word to him. We read of their ever-deepening hatred after Joseph’s dream. Now, I am certain that none of this was a secret. If they speak in unkind words, engage in hatred, and are bad to Joseph, everyone had to know. Joseph is also a bit of a tattletale. I’m sure he would have said something. Yet it never gets addressed. Sometimes when we hear words and actions that are unkind and unjust it begs of us to speak up and say something.  

When I took training on mediation, we were told that sometimes people need to simply vent, and you have to just sit and listen. Siblings often need to do this, I’m sure. But there comes a point where we have to stand up and say, “You’ve said enough. It’s time to stop.” If we think back to being teenagers or parenting teenagers, I’m sure we remember that moment when talking (or sassing) had to cease. Had Jacob or his wives addressed the brothers’ words and behaviors, perhaps their hearts might not have gotten to such a dark and dangerous place.  

Every election season, I feel like saying, “That’s enough, please stop talking.” As followers of Jesus, we have a calling to speak truth and speak the word of God. If we are timid about speaking the words of Jesus, then who will do so? Sometimes we have to speak the hard truths when folks may not want to hear it, even if it is chapter and verse right out of God’s word. It’s a bit step towards boldness if we tend to be the quiet one in life. And yet we know that God gave the strength to speak, to preach, and to teach to every disciple through the power of the Spirit.  

Lastly, we must also listen to act. The book of James tells us, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” For James, faith is active and engaged. It’s not just an endeavor to talk about. That stands to reason. What is the point of believing and knowing about faith if we don’t live it? Pope Francis once rather famously said, “You pray for the hungry, then you feed them. This is how prayer works.”  

One of the hallmarks of Jesus’s ministry is that he always called out the powerful and the prideful, but he spoke words of love and care to the broken, the hurting, the poor, the sick and the “least of these” as we’ve come to call them from the Gospel of Matthew. We must also remember in the Easter story we just heard that Jesus was poor, broken, hurt, and ultimately killed unjustly. He borrowed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. He suffered under the Roman punishment. He was spoken to viciously by the mob and religious leaders. And ultimately, he died brutally and horribly. Perhaps that is why we are told that however we treat the least in our society is how we are treating Jesus.  

God’s word calls on us to act in ways that testify to the grace and goodness of God. The Bible is more than just a study book. It is a call to action for us to live faithful, Christ-centered lives in this world where wickedness often prevails and where bad actors win when we feel the need to “tone it down.” May worry and intimidation never win out over the voice of God stirring us to live out our faith in this world. For again, if not us, then whom?  

There are three ways to listen as God’s people which overcome our limited and sometimes dysfunctional behaviors. First, we listen to understand. For those who need us to see and hear beyond the words and into what hurts the soul, our understanding and willingness to hear and heal is crucial. Second, we listen to respond. There comes a time where must encourage those who dwell in words which fall short of God’s grace to reorient themselves back to words of truth and love—for themselves and others. Finally, we must listen to act. Dysfunction, chaos, and evil run amok when we aren’t willing to stand up and do something.  

The words of the Gospel may at times be challenging. To hear all of Jesus’s teachings can be very hard in modern society. We want to fit in, blend in, cling to what makes us comfortable. But the Gospel should be anything but complacent and comfortable. A writer I follow on Instagram summed up how the Gospel words should affect us as we hear them, listen to them, and do them. She writes, “[W]hen I meet my maker, I hope my hands are dirty from building something better. I want to hand back a life used fully. Scratched. Scarred. Lived.” And so, may we listen even as God continues to speak.  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/959029773543364/