Mission Faithwalk

               Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love . (Ephesians 4:2)                  Someone follows you into the checkout line and strikes up a conversation about how bad a condition the store is in, how long the lines are, or how someone at home is waiting or is being a pain in the neck. Another cashier comes along and the person behind you pushes over to be waited on ahead of you. Do you pray for the customer when you get in your car a few minutes later? Is there a part of you that evaluates your behavior and informs you that you’ve been good?                Now, we’re told we should be good. It’s good to be good. Yay for goodness! We’ve only recently left a time of year when we sing about being “good for goodness sake.” (Or is it “good, for goodness’ sake”?) But reread today’s passage.                There’s no mention of being good or even of being obedient to God. The only motivation suggested is love for the other person. In a sense, we

                   While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.    He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return…                  “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’                  “He was made king, however, and returned home...                  But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’” (Like 19:11-12, 14-15a, 27)                  John Ortberg discusses this passage in Who Is This Man? I’ve read a number of books like this one, and Mr. Ortberg does a good job, especially with historical context.  Luke 19 is about the time of the triumphal entry or Palm Sunday. We tend to think of palm branches as symbols of peace, but at the time, they we

                 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)                  This is a strange verse from a strange conversation between two strangers. One of the strangers was a Samaritan woman. Different stories have been told about how she came to a well in the middle of the day. What we know is that she was there, and she had had five husbands. The man she was living with wasn’t her husband. No whispering behind hands, folks – she could have been a slave or a concubine with little choice about her status. If she was a slave, she might well have started out as something far better and fallen on hard times. That might bring a woman to the well at a time when other women wouldn’t be around just as readily as her shacking up with some loser.                The other stranger was a Jewish rabbi who had not attended any of the accredited rabbinical schools. As a rabbi, he shouldn’t have been in Samaria. He shouldn’t have talked to a woman

  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13)     “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?   How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?   You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)   I’ve written about these verses before, often enough that I feel guilty for coming back to them. But they were the verses of the day on my online Bible study platform, and they are good verses. Generally, the

                 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)                  True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.                  This is the verse of the day from Biblegateway.com, and it seems there are three possible responses. Ugh. (Guilt or shame) Nope! (Rebellion or rejection) Ah. (Relief, hope)                Consider C.S. Lewis’ statement about humility. Now, apply it. Your goal is to humble yourself, to think less about yourself. How do you think about yourself less without paying constant attention to how much you think about yourself? How do you think less about yourself without thinking more about yourself by monitoring what you’re doing at all times?                 Dallas Willard suggested that often work on ourselves must be indirect. You don’t become humble by focusing on yourself being humble. Instead, as Brother Lawrence suggested,  you become humble by turning your thoughts

  As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.    And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.    She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.   “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”                But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”                  Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:42-48)                  When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”     

                      Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)                  I frequently begin responses to questions on a social media site with “The first step in any discussion is the definition of terms.” In today’s case, we have a few terms for which we probably think we know the definitions, but just to make sure we’re all on the same page:                Sin: that which separates us from God and from others. Often, it takes the place rightfully held by someone else. We might replace God with ourselves, people, objects, etc. We can also move people up to a level they should not occupy or lower them to the place of something that is not appropriate for a person.                Restore: put back into proper position, relationship, and status.                Gently: using no more force than absolutely necessary. This means that qu

                 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you .   But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.    Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:5-8)                  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (I Corinthians  1:18)           One blessing on which we are told we can count is wisdom. But when we ask for that blessing, James tells us that we must believe and not doubt. The question is, why would we doubt? The first answer is that we are likely to doubt because we are weak humans. But the answer Paul gives us takes us a little further.           The second problem is that it’s not instantaneous. God teaches us wis

                 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)             It’s the day after the first art and craft sale I ever administered. It’s also the day after the first art and craft sale in which I’ve ever participated as a crafter. It will not be the last. I’ve already asked for a Saturday next January. The sale (and I) received great reviews, and some criticism that needs to be considered. But the passage above was suggested by Biblegateway.com, so I’m considering the whole art/craft sale thing as a case study.           My selfish reasons for wanting the art and craft sale were so that I could learn to market my books better, so that I would have a chance to sell my books, and to use the proceeds not associated with my books to expand my garden, allowing me to raise more food for myself, fo

                 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.   Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23                       This is another of those frightening passages that reveals that Jesus isn’t always all warm and fuzzy. People who have prophesied, driven out demons, and performed miracles in Jesus’s name might be rejected by Jesus. Nothing in this text suggests that these evildoers only pretended to prophesy, drive out demons, or perform miracles.                     There are times when I wonder whether I am actually saved or whether I’m like the evildoers who did great works, especially since I don’t see myself as having any noteworthy fruit. This is one of the rea

  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3)   This post is partly a rant or a whine, I suppose, but it was the verse of the day for yesterday on Biblegateway.com and it happens to fit my circumstances. By the time you read it, I’ll be at my table at a craft sale that I set up, but this evening, I’m achy, tired, and frustrated. But I’m basically as prepared as I can be. So, as I consider the day’s verse, the first idea that needs to be explored is “trials of many kinds.” I’ve probably said before that I tend to think that the “many kinds” means trials as a Christian, not trials as a human being. It’s not talking about the trials of learning how to set up and run a craft sale. It’s not talking about the trials of dealing with other people – some with more experience and definite opinions about how things should work. And the most frustrating thing abo

                 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)                  Have you ever stopped to think about this? We hear it and may even quote it, but the whole basis of this verse is the question of how we want to be treated. How do you want to be treated? There are some easy answers – with love or lovingly, with dignity, with honor… as adult, capable, competent, courageous, fun to be around, intelligent, needed, responsible, valuable … Feel free to add your own wishes.                At the same time, I strongly doubt that you want every person you encounter – on any day, let alone every day – to enthusiastically sing  your praises to everyone in earshot, or to thank you repeatedly for being such a wonderful person. After maybe an hour, you might want to hide or beat someone about the head and shoulders if they so much as open their mouth. Sometimes, we don’t need the “Oh you’re wonderful”

                 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13)                  Some people go through terrible struggles and abuse as children and grow up to be normal people. Some grow up to be heroes. Some grow up to be victims and others grow up to be monsters. We tend to prefer to think that our struggles cause us to become heroes. If they can’t make us heroes, it’s better to be a victim. The jury is out on whether it’s better to end up “normal” or a serial killer. Of course, no one wants to be a serial killer, but at least if we become that, there’s some drama involved. If one becomes “normal,” how can we claim that our struggles were as great as we think they were? If we tell someone else of how difficult our life has been, and their response is either “You think that’s bad

                   So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”                  Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David . (Ruth 4:13-17)                 A nd they all lived happily ever after. Well, probably not. But notice what the women said. According to the law, Boaz took Ruth to be his wife in order to provide Malon and her with a child to carry on Mahlon’s family line. In that sense, Ruth was a sort of Hagar for Naomi. If Ruth hadn’t been Ruth, she

                 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer [ a ]  he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.                Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”                “I will redeem it,” he said.                Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead

                 “Who are you?” he asked.                “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”               " The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”                  So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a

            One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.   Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”           “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do . (Ruth 3:1-6)                  Naomi is in full matchmaker mode at this point, and what she advises Ruth to do. From what some experts have said, “uncover his feet” has little to do with his feet. She was to uncover him then lay down next to him without touching him, as if

                 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.                  Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”                Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.                “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.” (Ruth 2:17-20)                Ruth went home with what she gleaned plus what she was given, and Naomi was impressed but maybe a little apprehensive. Who was b

                 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus . (Galatians 3:26-28)               I hear a lot of calls for unity, not just within the Church but across the world, but even within the calls for unity, I hear a lot of screams for disunity. Those who are of African descent are to be treated in accordance with their demands. Those of Latin extraction are to be treated another way, in accordance with their demands. Heaven forbid you treat someone Chinese the way you treat someone Japanese, and you’re a monster if  you treat anyone the way you’d treat a person of European lineage. Even in the Church, there are those who believe they are of a specific denomination first, and Christians only secondly – or of a specific race first, and Christians only sec