Three Simple Rules

Recently I had my annual physical exam, which consisted of several tests followed by a doctor’s visit. My doctor reviewed the results with me, checked me over thoroughly, asked a lot of questions, and made some recommendations. The week following my physical exam I had my biannual visit with the dentist. The routine was much the same with the dentist as it was with the doctor. I understand that despite the inconvenience of these visits they are necessary to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mouth.

Our spiritual ‘selves’ also need to be checked on every now and then. We ought to have some way to assess our growth (or lack of) as a disciple of Jesus. While there are likely several ways this could be done, I stumbled across a method that I found very helpful. Last year I read a short book by retired UM Bishop Reuben Job titled Three Simple Rules. Job takes the general rules that were written by John Wesley (founder of the Methodist movement) and distills them into what he calls three simple rules. They are:

Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love With God

While these rules are surprisingly simple, putting them into practice is far from easy. I find the rule ‘stay in love with God’ to be the one I struggle with the most. Being a disciple for many years is a lot like being married for many years – there is a tendency to take your spouse for granted. Much the same thing can happen in our walk with Jesus, which is why nurturing our relationship with God is so important for spiritual growth.

In Leviticus 6:12 the command was given to the Israelite priests that ‘the fire on the altar must be kept burning, it must never go out.’ The same is true for the fire of God’s love that burns in our hearts. We must be sure that it never goes out. Perhaps it is time to give yourself a spiritual check-up to see how you are growing and where you need some work. These three simple rules provide a way to see how you are faring spiritually. I often have had to remind myself that if I am not staying in love with God, content to let the fire go out, then not much else I’m doing will matter anyway.

So how is it with your soul? Jesus was called the ‘great physician’ and maybe a check-up with the three simple rules is just what the doctor ordered.

Unsettled by the Word

“God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.” So asserts a bumper sticker that I saw once. Presumably the ‘God said it’ part is referring to the Bible, though I have found that it is not always so simple to discern what God is saying by simply reading the Bible. While I affirm with the church as well as ancient Judaism that scripture contains the living Word of God, I’m not so sure that the Bible was written in order to ‘settle it’ for all time.

Jewish rabbis of biblical times were accustomed to an interpretive method known as midrash, in which they studied, discussed, argued and debated over how particular passages of scripture could be and should be understood. Their major concern was to find out what God was saying to them in the sacred stories that had been carefully handed down from generation to generation. The teachers believed meaning was not just found in the literal reading by one individual – but instead through constant back and forth dialogues. This continual work of interpretation was important not simply because study was seen as an end in itself. The ultimate goal of midrash was to inspire practical action in the world.

We see evidences supporting this idea in the New Testament. Jesus uses a form of midrash in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5) when he says things like “you have heard it said…but I say to you…” In using this technique Jesus engages in interpreting scripture in order that it be understood and applied in new ways. Paul also engages in a form of midrash when he makes a distinction between what God is saying and what he is saying, such as when he writes “I say this, not the Lord” (I Corinthians 7:10, 12). While engaged in writing what will eventually become scripture for us, Paul is careful to discern what was from God and what was from Paul. Shouldn’t our goal as we engage the Bible be the same?

Like Jacob wrestling the man/angel at the Jabbok in Genesis 32, we will likely have a difficult time interpreting scripture unless we are willing to climb on to the mat with the text, grappling with the words and engaging in dialogue with each other (hey, I think I just engaged in some midrash here!) That means it is just as important for us as it was for Jacob to not give up struggling with the words until we receive a blessing! Perhaps scripture becomes the word of God for us not so much when it ‘settles’ things but instead when it unsettles. What we likely need the most is to allow the words of scripture to disturb and disquiet us so that we will change our thinking, our action, and our lives in a way that helps bring God’s ultimate plan, what the Bible often calls ‘the kingdom of God’, into reality. Maybe we all could stand a little less ‘bumper sticker’ theology and a lot more actual time spent ‘in the ring’, wrestling with the Word.

Henry

This is Henry, adopted by our family this summer from a local shelter (and boy did it upset the pink princess). I wish I could explain why we have two dogs now instead of just one, as I was fine with our being a one dog household. Alas, knowing I was outvoted and that Henry, found abandoned in a local parking lot, needed a good home, I relented. My advice--never let your family go to an animal shelter just to 'look'. You will end up with a pet (or 2).

Greed: A Sin After All

[Jesus] said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Luke 12:15, NLT

In the 1987 movie Wall Street, the character Gordon Gekko says, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” It is clear after reading the verse above that Jesus does not agree with Gekko’s assessment of greed. As the fallout from the financial crisis continues, it seems that one cause of the problem was people who, like this movie character, believed that greed is good. Unmitigated greed is the only explanation that makes sense when we try to understand how corporate executives made millions of dollars while at the same time their companies were going bankrupt. While I’m not sure that I understand derivatives and other financial instruments that seem to have caused the current crisis, I do understand our human tendency to sin. As much as we might like to throw stones at CEO’s and others for their greediness, perhaps these times call us all to examine our own tendencies toward greed.

The official dictionary definition of greed is: 1.excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves 2.reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth. Perhaps what I understand the most about greed is the term ‘reprehensible acquisitiveness’. One way to illustrate: even though I have a perfectly good iPod, I have the ‘excessive desire to acquire or possess’ a new and improved iPod touch (of course, you can feel free to substitute something you really want in place of iPods—this example works with lots of different items). Too many times we mistakenly identify what are most certainly wants as desperate needs, when our true needs are few but our wants can be unlimited. This should be called greed.

In 1974 an economist studying the relationship between wealth and happiness discovered what is now known as the Easterlin paradox, which states that once people have their basic needs met, they don’t become happier as they become richer. Jesus said this, though in a different form—“a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 15:21, NLT). The most effective way for us to defeat our own tendencies to be greedy is to give. When we give to others, whether in time, money, or goods, we defeat greed and remind ourselves of the truth of Jesus’ assertion that “life is not measured by how much you own” (Luke 12:21 NLT).

Many have lost material wealth in this financial crisis. Retirement and investments are worth less, homes values are less, sales and profits are down, and things are bound to get tight financially. In the midst of the tumult, perhaps we will learn that greed is not good but giving is. May we be thankful for the intangibles God has given us that can’t be measured by Wall Street—our health, our families, our church, and most of all lets be thankful for our God, the greatest giver of all.

Too Scary!

When my son Noah was much younger, one of his favorite sayings was “Too scary!” There was much in his world that was new and unknown, often causing him fear and anxiety. We don’t have to look very far these days to find things to be afraid about. The current financial crisis has many on edge, wondering about their shrinking investments and retirement savings. Some are concerned about the possible loss of their jobs while others are unemployed in a tough job market. In addition, the upcoming presidential election has generated anxiety and fears what a new president and administration will bring. Add to these concerns about the wars, nuclear weapons, hunger, poverty, the hurricanes and other natural disasters, and it is a wonder we all get out of bed!

We need to recognize that some fear is healthy. It (hopefully) keeps us from touching hot stoves, feeding bears in the Smokies and crossing the street without looking both ways. Fear can also be unhealthy and cause us to behave irrationally. One acronym for fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. It is wise to thoroughly investigate that which we fear. We may find out our fears are based on false evidence. Paul writes, “God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (I Timothy 2:7 NLT).

Let’s unpack this. We are told God has given us a spirit of power even when external conditions work to make us feel powerless. We have this spirit because we know, as the old hymn says, “Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” This power comes not from within ourselves but instead from our faith in God, who loves us and will sustain us (Matthew 6:25-34). Paul also writes that we are to have a spirit of love. Fear and anxiety can lead us away from love toward hostility or even outright hatred. In times of crisis we continue to respond with love--loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength while also loving our neighbors as ourselves. We remember to share not only God’s love but also our worldly resources—James reminds us Jesus’ command was not either/or but both/and (James 2:15-16). Finally, we exhibit a spirit of self-discipline. Self-discipline means that we maintain control of ourselves and our reactions. Our faith in God keeps us from reacting in fear when we hear “the sky is falling” and see others panicking. Self-discipline means our faith in God steadies us and keeps us working, praying, and giving for the spread of God’s kingdom--in both good economic times and bad, both when disasters strike and when the skies are sunny and clear, both when things look bleak and when things look hopeful.

A search of the biblical word ‘fear’ reveals that most often it is used in the context “fear of God.” The intent of the biblical writers was not to portray God as “too scary!” but to remind us of the importance of maintaining a healthy level of respect for the Lord. One way to manage our fears is to keep praising God, knowing that ultimately all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Many of the psalms end with praise, even when a complaint has been lifted up to God. Remember the example of the tea kettle that, although up to its neck in hot water, continues to sing! So lets sing praise to God, knowing that, “…as we live in God, our love grows more perfect [and] such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear” (I John 4:17-18).

Ben Stein's "Expelled"

Writer, author, and actor Ben Stein always surprises me whenever I read his commentaries on current events (most of which you can find here). I was pleased to learn that he has a new movie coming out next month, titled "Expelled". The movie apparently demonstrates how scientists who advocate intelligent design have been continually discriminated against in academia--the very place where one might expect to find a great deal of freedom when it comes to the exchange of ideas. It looks like this movie will shine light on something that I have observed for a long time. Many of those who call themselves liberals, especially those who are also proponents of atheism, are as dismissive and intolerant of differing viewpoints as religious fundamentalists. I continue to be amazed at how the paradigms and arguments used by both the far left and the far right are so similar. Click here to see previews and other information about the movie. I can't wait to see it!

Literal, Metaphorical, or Irrelevant?

My sister called me yesterday to let me know that a former neighbor of ours had recently died. In the course of our conversation, she relayed to me a recent experience from her Bible study group. She attends a large United Methodist church in her county seat town. Recently she signed up for Disciple Bible Study, a video based study of scripture that is extremely popular and has the reputation of being a life changing experience for the participants. The man who is leading her class had given her a tape of a lecture done by Ken Ham, who promotes "young earth creationism."  This belief basically holds that the creation story in Genesis is literally true, coming to the conclusion from this that the earth is really only 6000 years old (check out the website here).  My sister was curious as to what I thought about what Mr. Ham was proposing. 

My problem with Mr. Ham is not so much with his negative view of science but instead the way he understands and interprets the Bible. He feels the strong need to 'prove' that the Bible can be taken absolutely literally when it describes creation in Genesis.  This need for proof leads him to propose theories such as the idea that humans and dinosaurs coexisted, which is of course directly opposite of current scientific thought. There are those who argue against Ham who propose a different creationist perspective, stating that you can believe in a literal interpretation of Genesis without giving up scientific conclusions about how life began. The web site for this other view of creationist thought can be found here. 

My view is that the Bible was not written for nor intended to be used to instruct us in science, but instead is a narrative that describes the ongoing relationship between humanity and a God who revealed himself first to a band of people known as the Israelites and later in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The central idea we need to learn from Genesis is that God created the world (how creation happened or exactly how long it took, I have no idea--I think what is important is to understand that God is the creator). Debates over whether science proves or disproves scripture are useless and counterproductive. We cannot approach scripture unless we are willing to struggle with it.  Some people seek definitive answers and struggling with the text, which usually brings up even more questions, might seem somehow blasphemous. But the Hebrew and Christian traditions are full of men and women debating, questioning, and interpreting the scriptures. That's one reason Jesus was so gifted at answering questions with more questions--it comes from the Jewish tradition he was raised in.

In the book Struggling With Scripture three authors (all top notch scholars in my view) remind us that to truly understand scripture we must wrestle with the texts each and every time we approach them. It is important, the book says, not to confuse biblical authority with biblical infallibility. Just because the Bible is a product of fallible human beings does not mean that it cannot and does not have much to authoritatively say to us about God, the world he created, and our place in that world. My sister related the difficulty she was having in understanding how God could authorize the wholesale slaughter of nations as described in some of the readings she is studying. The truth is that the Bible in both testaments contain passages that are difficult to understand, hard to interpret, and cause some people to simply give up the struggle, writing the Bible off as irrelevant. I believe their is much to be gained in struggling with scripture and in not asking it to do what it was not written to do.

I encouraged my sister to continue her study of the Bible, suggesting both Rob Bell's Everything is Spiritual and Jacob's The Year of Living Biblically to give her some different perspectives on approaching creation and other issues. I find that when we have the courage to wrestle with the texts, we may find ourselves much like Jacob. You will remember in Genesis 32 when he wrestled with the man/angel. Jacob ended up permanently changed by his experience, and I suggest the same will happen to us when we really struggle with the texts. That is one reason why Disciple Bible Study has become so popular, because it helps in the struggle. What I know for certain is that, like the story about Jacob, it seems that to grab hold of the ancient texts and hang on will always lead to a blessing from God. If we will not let go!