Happy Friday,
When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Luke 5
As someone expected to keep a church solvent, I’ve read this passage and wondered, “Who paid to repair the roof?” I’ve also wondered how I’d respond if someone cut a hole in the ceiling at Walgreens and tried to drop in the pharmacy line in front of me. But mostly, I’ve been challenged by the friendship and faith this passage displays. Lord, make me that kind of friend and help me develop that kind of faith.
A Good Week: In the US: COVID deaths and infections are down, those who want vaccinations can get them and restaurants are opening. On top of this, if the drop in numbers we are seeing at the food distribution sites that we staff are indicative, the number of desperately needy is also down. Oh, and there is more good news: both the Cubs and the White Sox are in first place. Go Chicago.
COVID Related: It will be interesting to see how historians assess our COVID response. At the moment, some – see this TED talk – think we overreacted. Others argue that governments must be willing to do more – indeed, that they must be willing to do “anything and everything” to save even one life. For the record, I value human dignity, but the Bible suggests there are things we should prize above physical survival. In a recent First Things piece, editor Reno argues that justice, beauty and truth are more important than preserving a life at any cost. In his writings, Solzhenitsyn likewise dismisses communism’s “survival at any price” mindset. I do not think we are well positioned to have some of the conversations that need to be had.
A Tale of Two Responses: A friend decided to watch – and compare – two relatively brief commencement addresses. The first – which is 12 minutes long – was given by Mitch Daniels at Purdue, where he serves as president. (He is the former governor of Indiana.) The second – which is 18 minutes long – was given by Vice President Kamala Harris. She is speaking at the US Naval Academy. They reflect two approaches to risk.
Jesus: One of the fascinating things about Jesus is the attraction He held among “sinners” and “spiritual outcasts.” As Skye Jethani recently noted, “They flocked to hear him teach, they invited him to their weddings and introduced him to their friends at parties. All while Jesus spoke openly about their sin and need for repentance.”
Question of the Week: Given the state of today’s news media, is it possible to stayed informed without being malformed?
Humility: N.T. Wright notes that in his letter to Philemon, Paul suggests that perhaps the reason Onesimus was separated from him was so “he might be able to have him back forever.” Wright goes on to note how refreshing it is to hear a spiritual leader suggest that “perhaps” he “might” be able to see what God was up to in this situation, rather than claiming he was certain. Many today seem certain.
Without Comment: 1) 43% of millennials “don’t know, don’t care, don’t believe God exists;” 2) According to LifeWay Research, during Pre-COVID 2019, more US Protestant churches closed than opened; 3) We are 1,000X more likely to be in a car accident on the way to the airport than we are to die in a plane accident; 4) Average new home sale prices are continuing to set new record highs; 5) Christianity is spreading so fast in China that some think the country could have more Christians than the US by 2030, and be a majority-Christian country by 2050; 6) Before the Industrial Revolution, the principal sources of noise were thunder, church bells and cannon fire; 7) Those who keep a gratitude journal: exercise more, report fewer physical symptoms, feel better about their lives and are more optimistic about the upcoming week than those who do not. Psychology professor Robert Emmons calls gratitude “the forgotten factor in happiness research;” 8) Anger appears to be a more acceptable and popular response to today’s challenges than sadness.
Quotes Worth Requoting: 1) Ask people what they must do to get into heaven, and most will reply, “Be good.” Jesus’ stories contradict that answer. All we must do is cry, “Help.” Phil Yancey; 2) Imagine how much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller in it. You would break out of this tiny and tawdry theatre in which your own little plot is always played. You would find yourself under a freer sky — in a street full of splendid strangers. G. K. Chesterton
Opposites Can be True: Western Civilization is based in part on the Law of Noncontradiction – that is, that it cannot be raining and not raining in the same place at the same time. Along with the idea of objective truth, this “Law” is now dismissed by some. Not by me. However, we must remember, it is possible for two “opposites” to be true – e.g., things can be getting better and still not be acceptable.
Closing Prayer: Forgive them all, O Lord: our sins of omission and our sins of commission; the sins of our youth and the sins of our riper years; the sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies; our secret and our more open sins; our sins of ignorance and surprise, and our more deliberate and presumptuous sins; the sins we have done to please others; the sins we know and remember, and the sins we have forgotten; the sins we have striven to hide from others and the sins by which we have made others offend; forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all for his sake, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, and now stands at your right hand to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (John Wesley – 1703-1791)