Month: August 2020

Feeding My Mind for the Next Level

If someone could read my mind, I would be embarrassed. No, not for reasons you might now be thinking. I would be embarrassed at how selfishly mundane my thoughts are at any given time. They would go, “Boy, I could really use a nap.” Or, “I wonder what I should have or lunch.” Elevating stuff like that.

Probably more out of my concern for creature comforts than for social/contemporary issues, I noticed a report this morning that Metro, the grocery chain, is reporting a 10 percent increase in sales from a year ago. I’m happy for them and their employees. It is said to be a sign that during the pandemic people have been eating more at home. I immediately think that’s a good thing, but then, yeah, the restaurants and service industry workers, what about them? Nothing is simple.

“Give us this day our daily bread,” Jesus said we should pray in one way or another (Introducing what we call the Lord’s Prayer he said this is how you should pray, meaning, I think, we shouldn’t be just repeating it without taking it as a kind of template). However we go about it, it seems God wants us to be fed. At the plainest level, God doesn’t want anyone going hungry.

Since we never look at any bit of Scripture in isolation, we recognize that this comes right after, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Tellingly, Jesus does not get us then to say to the Lord, “And good luck with that.” No, he then says we should pray for our daily sustenance. Implication, as I would take it: God is ready to equip and sustain us for having part in seeing that God’s will is done on earth. Taking an even higher elevation view, we see this is part of the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the Beatitudes and  their character of compassion and peace-making and love of neighbour on earth.

When I answer my idle mind with its prompting to check what’s in the fridge, I resolve to be reminded what I am really being sustained for — especially with much of what passes for Christianity these days consuming itself with us-and-them-ism.

In Praise of Doing Our Best

Lacking perfect solutions for pretty much anything, most of us do our best. With a new school season upon us, parents, teachers, everyone involved is striving to do what is best, in spite of, in some jurisdictions, politicians who obviously are just doing their best to look out for their own interests. In fact, they don’t give a poop about anything else.

Church leaders I know are doing their best. In most situations I am aware of, churches are going slowly and very carefully in opening their buildings again, even though they are allowed to, with certain conditions. Meanwhile leaders who are not at all familiar with the technology and new approaches are learning new ways. I admire that. They are doing their best.

Speaking of church, in that setting you may have encountered people with pet ideas or projects or worship elements they have an interest in that you recognize right away really do not fit with your organization’s stated mission. They may say, “Well, God can use it.” Yes, God can. But this is what I call a “sun is hot” argument. You know, someone arguing something says, “Would you agree that the sun is hot?” You say, “Uh, sure.” They say, “Well then, you must also agree that …” Silly? Sure. But there are persuasive, influential persons who get away with this kind of argument all the time. 

We are to offer our best, not just count on God to make the best of what we do. That is an insult to God, and to people who are really struggling to do their best in very trying circumstances.

This is no time for an “Oh well” attitude, or “I guess this will do” approach to anything. You are doing your best. It’s worth it.