Beyond Our Imagining

Approaching Christmas, and the turn of the year, many of our thoughts go back, like, to a year ago. What were you thinking, hoping, dreaming then? You may find that they are the same things as now. The things you wanted to do, the things you wished were different, all that you wanted to change–maybe it’s the same. This time can be depressing for some. Maybe you’ve even gone through this cycle so often that you can’t imagine how things can ever be any better for you.

This is actually an opportune time to tap into a power that will help you imagine things differently, so differently that, instead of how things can ever get any better, what you can’t imagine is how great things will be.

Mary’s song (Luke 1:46-55) celebrates a God who has acted in the past, and will continue to act, to raise up the disenfranchised and downhearted. Mary–this is critical–can celebrate this God who has acted in and through her as both Lord of history and nature. That is, Mary is a key character in God’s acting in history at this specific time, and as Lord of nature in bringing about her remarkable pregnancy with this oh-so remarkable life in her. Most arguments about the existence of God focus on God as Creator, but Biblical faith celebrates God as Creator as an expression of experiencing him as sustainer and redeemer, a God who acts in a way that brings everything together: history, nature; it’s all one to him. In this way her song is, as is often pointed out, an echo of the Song of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15, when God had acted in history and nature to deliver his people through the Red Sea.

The point is this: If God is experienced as sustainer and redeemer–as “re-creator” of life, bringing hope and new opportunity, it’s a no-brainer that he is also the creator in and behind it all.

This is the God who comes in Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit into the very centre of our lives, at the intersection of our history and nature. The God of all power has acted in a personal way to make all possibilities open to you and me.

Your story matters. He wants to enter your life to give it new meaning and power and possibility, wherever you are in that story right now. You can’t imagine where that can lead.

Image and Worth

Let’s face it. We are all image-conscious. That’s not a bad thing. You wouldn’t want go to a job interview looking like you just got up in the morning. It wouldn’t be good to have no concern about how you are perceived by others, or, more importantly, by yourself. Self-image is important. But there is something even more important, and it keeps self-image from being an unhealthy obsession. We can benefit in this from a Biblical-historical perspective.

John the Baptist appeared on the scene when his nation’s self-image would have been very low. Luke makes a point of providing the historical-political setting in which John appears (Luke 3:1-3). Israel was surrounded in its setting and experience by powerful, unfriendly forces, and this had been the case for a long time, centuries in fact. They were ripe for a hero to lift them to new heights, reliving the glories of old, restoring their image, you could say. But who announces this? One who appears in the desert, a wild figure, pointing to one, Jesus, who is the opposite in appearance of the conquering hero.

Nevertheless, there is something about this Baptizer who recalls Elijah and the hope of the ages. Such hope would not be disappointing, because it all points to the one who alone is worthy to rescue the people–all people–from what really ails us, more than any self-image issues: a sense of worth, which cannot come just from a good self-image. It runs much deeper, and withstands what can easily cause a good image of ourselves to evaporate, say, when we fail badly. Sure we say then that we just pick ourselves and get back at it, but the truth is that not everybody does. There are countless human tragedies stemming from failure of self-image.

What is the answer when, like John’s people in their collective experience, you feel oppressed and beaten down by others, but circumstances, by life itself?

Two handy and apparently popular options are: 1. Wall owin victimization and blame of others. 2. Find victims of your own to oppress, i.e., become a bully.

Or, 3, you can change your mind, how you think and deal with such circumstances. A word for this kind of change is repentance. You can say, I’m not even going to think in such categories as options 1 and 2. No matter what happens, no matter what I have to deal with, I refuse to waste my life on what can only bring (further) pain and pointless, soul-sapping misery. I am worth more than that, not from how I view myself, but from how God sees me, loves me, and accepts me, no matter how I might, at times, see myself.

 

Connected for Peace

What does it mean to be “well-connected?” Most of us probably associate the term with status, getting ahead, knowing the “right” people. Okay, so that all may have its place. The trouble is some of us adopt that as our way of dealing with people generally. There are some very successful-looking people around who have no authentic relationships because the only way they relate to others is to see other people as means to some end. They are, then, constantly posturing, putting on the right practised face, using the set lines and platitudes they have in their repertoire for any situation. How sad.

Such connecting means objectifying people. It’s no different than what countries’ tyrants do to their people, some employers do with their employees–or some employees do with other employees. And when we objectifying people, well, it’s the first step toward any sort of abuse we may find useful. Or it just make us feel powerful. It is at the heart of why there is no real peace in the world. We don’t know how to connect, or, more likely, don’t want to.

The Apostle Paul said, “Let love be genuine” (Romans 12:9 NRSV). Well, that’s not really saying anything, you might observe. He might as well say, “Let love be love.” But the sense is, “Don’t just play a role” (the Greek behind this coming from the world of drama). In other words, Connect for real. He goes on in Romans 12 to list important qualities to that love, that real connecting, in which we actually relate to one another as human beings, created and loved by God.

If we practise this real connecting, it will not only be great for us and our releationships, but may work back into our larger connecting, and the way the world around us connects with itself. It is connecting for peace.

Not for Noble Reasons

I just read a piece in today’s Globe and Mail that puts forth the idea that business has an interest in humanitarian leadership. It is co-authored by the head of a company that helps companies profit from being socially responsible, and a professor at a Toronto business school.

They point out that companies generally do not have policies and procedures for responding to humanitarian causes, such as the current refugee crisis. They cite the head of a German company, who was asked about his response to the flood of Syrian refugees, He said his response is to provide jobs. I don’t think that is as callous a response as some might think. After all, that’s what businesses do. And if they are actually thinking about providing jobs as their purpose instead of just making money (nothing wrong with that in itself either), then more power to them.

Still, it seems there are strategies, in direct public good, companies are advised to embark on, with the goal of improving the bottom line. I was pastor of a church that hosted a weekly soup kitchen. Businesses in the town were eager to support this effort, and even more eager to have it widely known they were doing so. It would be easy to be cynical about this, but the reality was that everybody benefited. Besides, for companies or even individuals who are involved in humanitarian efforts, we can hope that something inwardly happens in the outward action. Somewhat in that vein, I think, Paul did not get distressed even over people preaching the Gospel out of “selfish ambition,” since he saw, nevertheless, the Gospel being advanced (Philippians 1:15-18).

In examining our own motives, however, Christians are allowed no such tolerance: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” (Philippians 2:3). So even if we begin with good works with some ulterior motive (and some us have to begin somewhere!), we can and should look to be transformed within.

Dress Shoes and Shorts

It was the (almost) last leg of a trip home from out of the city for the day. It was early evening, Sunday evening of Labour Day weekend, and I was in the midst of that “I just want to get home” sort of befuddled-fatigue state of body and mind. I was on the subway, where of course you look anywhere but where you risk making eye contact with anyone. Most people are looking at their phone screens. Or you intently read, perhaps memorize, the backlit ads that run along over the windows. I was staring at the floor, and people’s feet, specifically noticing footware. It occurred to me, this being an evening holiday weekend crowd, the style of footwear was a little different from what might be on the rush hour commute.

There were flourescent runners, glitter-covered sneakers, a multitude of sandals (with and without socks) and flip floppy things, along with regular old Nikes and Addidas and the like. And one pair of black dress shoes, with ankle socks, with the wearer sporting cargo shorts. My thought: That’s just wrong. But then, the Lord does seem to love variety, in humanity and in all of creation (Genesis 1).

So fella, go ahead and rock those black dress shoes with your cargo shorts. Not that you need my permission. Someone else made you.

More Reason for One Another

More of us, internationally, are getting some form of dementia earlier. As reported in various media, a study published in the Surgical Neurology International Journal indicates early onset dementia, which used to occur in people in their late 60s, now is found in people in their late 40s.  And it’s not simply a matter of better diagnosis; it is suggested the rate of increase must involve environmental factors.

While it would be great if we could just fix those environmental factors, it is a sign we need, all the more, to practise care for one another, and not just leave it to professional caregivers to look after our loved ones. It is remarkable how often the Bible uses the words “one another.” There are dozens of “one another” sayings in the New Testament alone, among them, in the Epistles, “Offer hospitality to one another” (1 Peter 4:9), “Be devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:10), “Keep on loving one another” (Hebrews 13:1), and from Jesus, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).

Our interdepency is not, however, just a “fallback” position for when things do not go as we plan. It is how we are meant to live all the time. Some things just remind of this more poignantly than others.

A Need for Respect

I note a report about violence against Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) drivers.  This was in the Toronto Star, but it’s not the first I’ve read or heard about this problem. There is a sign at the front of TTC buses that says at least one TTC worker is assaulted daily somewhere in the city. The notice further points out, quite rightly, that this is one too many, and those who commit such violence will be held accountable for the crime that this is, with fine, imprisonment or both, and, in all cases, a criminal record.

There seem to be people on whom it is all too convenent to take out frustations. There is a level of anger that is seen also in road rage, rudeness, and general impatience with others. This is all very wearing for everyone. On the other hand, it is really very easy and simple to practise what another “r” word (other than rudeness) represents: Respect. “Show proper respect to everyone” (1 Peter 2:17).

Moving Mountains

It would seem the massively tragic 7.8 earthquake that rocked Nepal in April actually moved Mount Everest 3 cm. Now, the mountain is moving a bit all the time anyway, but the earthquake moved it in the opposite direction!

We are told we are to have faith such as to move mountains. I think it is probably just as well if we do not take that up literally; we would never agree on what mountain should be moved where! And it’s probably just fine, and majestic and beautiful, and maybe even useful, right where it is. Nevertheless, we do have such power in our midst.

All the power of God resides in Christ, says John (read John 1:1-14), and, through acceptance, Christ resides in us. Some people are deluded to think they have great power of their own strength, and lord it over others, maybe even thinking they are doing a favour to those persons and the world at large. Nothing truly good can come of such ego-driven power, no matter how it is rationalized. But there is such power as to move mountains in the love Christ shares in and through  us.  We are not to think we should or can not make a difference.

Re-Birth Certificate

The Province of Ontario has a new form of birth certificate. It is made of polymer, has some other security enhancements, and is larger than the wallet-sized certificate most Ontarians have, to discourage us from carrying it around.

Some of us have such a thing as a baptismal certificate, but there is a much more authentic and meaningful sign and affirmation of our rebirth, as a new creation in Christ. When we come into union with Christ, Paul says, “God “set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:22).

Through the Holy Spirit, we have both assurenace that we already part of a new reality in Christ, with a guarantee of wonders yet to be fulfilled in us. Who needs polymer?

Person of the Year

CBC Radio had its weekly Cross Country Checkup phone-in show today, asking people their candidate for Person of the Year. There were lots of worthy (and predictable) suggestions.

I have a slightly different nomination, for person of the coming year: You. Whatever has gone down or failed to happen for you in the past, what’s coming can be a time of promise and hope. In spite of how we may feel, you and I have the capacity to make a difference, with one catch: we have to be willing to be changed and filled by and with the love and power beyond ourselves.

The Apostle Paul put it radically: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).