I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent. Paul, Philippians 1:9f
Good vs. God: We must learn to discern between “the good” and God. This requires knowing His voice – which requires Bible study and prayer – and it also requires love. At least that’s what Paul says in the passage above.
The Gratitude Ladder: Last week wasn’t just packed with turkey, it was packed with articles commending gratitude. We were reminded that: God commands gratitude; listing our blessings improves our outlook; happiness does not lead to gratitude, but gratitude does lead to happiness; and more. In rereading a few I think I see the suggestion of a “Gratitude Ladder.” The bottom rung is about being grateful for fun things. We then step up by: 1) expressing thanks; 2) acting with grace and gratitude towards those who might return a favor; 3) acting with grace and gratitude towards those who cannot; 4) being joyful for blessings others have that we want but lack; and 5) expressing joy during times of trials.
Surrender: We may believe that money, power, education, eloquence or connections improve our value, but Mary had none of these and was highly favored by God. The world exalts Caesars and Herods, but God is with the lowly and invisible.
The State of the State: Here is the draft of a letter I plan to release soon. It’s aimed at pastors serving in Illinois and basically says: the state’s public pension shortfalls will soon force cuts in social programming. This will hurt the poor, homeless, elderly and mentally ill. The church needs to get ready to help. I’m not a pol or an economist, so I’ve been reluctant to go public with this. But most who’ve read the first draft think I’ve got the economics right. If you read the letter and have any thoughts / counsel, I’m all ears. (NOTE – what is attached is a draft. I am not interested in any copy editing at this moment. The feedback I am looking forward are around the ideas in the letter and the value of posting it).
Down: There was a time when I thought that with God’s help, I would climb high, run fast and have more. I now think the path forward is about lower, slower and less.
Worth Reading: Two articles of note: 1) a New York Times piece called How Loneliness is Tearing America Apart; 2) an Atlantic Monthly piece on the spike in exorcisms. The later claims the percentage of Americans who believe in the devil is up from 55% in 1990 to 70% in 2007.
Overheard: I spent two days this week in Vancouver, WA attending a conference on wisdom and listening. It was a rich time for many reasons, and it will take a while to process all I heard, but as I am flying home, I’m pondering three questions: What will it take for me to expand my definition of neighbor? 2) how much of my life is lived as a functional atheist? And 3) given how few people end well – e.g., Solomon, who was noted for his wisdom – what am I doing to increase the likelihood that I will end well?
The Bible Project: One of the benefits of the event was a chance to reconnect with friends. One was Ken Weigel, who leads The Bible Project. If you’re not familiar with their work, you need to be. Click here for an example of what they do.
This Week’s Sign of the Apocalypse: Earlier this week Chicago got hit with a foot of snow, which is hardly news and certainly not apocalyptic. Why mention it? Because it got a name. When I heard that Winter Storm Bruce was headed our way, I assumed it had been named because it was huge. Category Five at least. We’d be snow bound for weeks. No. It turns out that the weather channel now names storms. Everyone – even snow storms – now have a marketing department.
Prayer Request: In recent weeks, both China and India have grown increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. I recently heard that under Modi’s administration, 12,000 Christian ministries have closed down in India. China and India are not just any countries – together they represent over 1/3 of the world’s population.
Prayer: Jesus, my feet are dirty. Come even as a slave to me, pour water into your bowl, come and wash my feet. In asking such a thing I know I am overbold, but I dread what was threatened when you said to me, “If I do not wash your feet I have no fellowship with you.” Wash my feet then, because I long for your companionship. Origen (c. 185-254)