Happy Friday:
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus, Matthew 6:34
I often wish I could see around the corner. It turns out, God knows best. I’m not sure what I would have done had you told me 18 months ago that COVID would disrupt a third school year. And I really can’t imagine what I would have thought if, back in 2001, you had told me the Taliban would be surging twenty years into the future. It is a great mercy that the Lord shields us from the future.
Repent: I’ve been dressed down more than a few times, but nothing quite as devastating – or as public and lasting – as when Jesus looked at Peter and said, “Get behind me Satan.” Ouch. Though Peter had left behind his boat and his nets, he had been unable to leave behind his old nature. Thankfully, he kept growing. Peter owned his actions, repented, and continued to follow Christ. We must not forget, two men denied Jesus. Only one repented. Be a Peter not a Judas.
It’s That Time: A pastor friend of mine told me that this is the time of year he likes to stop by the Metra station and watch the trains come and go. When I asked why, he said, “It’s fun to see something start moving forward without me standing behind it and pushing.”
Our Time Horizon: In the last few years, it’s become trendy to talk about “human flourishing.” I understand why. Who doesn’t want to flourish? But the term needs to be unpacked. If you ask me what I need to “flourish in the next 30 minutes,” I’m likely to mention a donut and a nap. If you ask me what I need to be flourishing next month, I’ll probably talk about the money I need to fix a problem. But if you ask me what I need to flourish in light of eternity, I’ll eventually admit that a trial is likely what would help me the most. We grow during suffering. Because Jesus plays the long game, he doesn’t talk about donuts and naps. He talks about “dying to self,” “turning the other cheek,” and “offering ourselves as a living sacrifice.”
The Move to 14: I remember when a staff member asked me to start printing documents in 12 font instead of 10. I didn’t understand why, and when she explained it, I thought, “Wow, are you old.” FYI, I recently started asking people to print my documents in 14.
Kennedy Had it Right: In his memorable inauguration speech, JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Yes. Societies that work talk more about responsibilities than rights. Furthermore, they are more heavily populated by givers than takers. Earlier generations understood this. Indeed, this is why some – Patrick Henry and George Washington among them – wanted the state to fund churches. They realized a country needs virtuous people to survive, and reasoned funding churches was the best way to get virtue. I’m glad they lost out to Jefferson and others. (State churches do not thrive.) But we should note, no country survives for long without virtue. And our modern views of freedom are trouble. They are dismissing the inconvenient bonds that are holding things together.
The Book: One of the benefits of doing One Hundred Plus – the history podcast I started last year – is the ongoing reminder about the resilience of the Church. Many have tried to stomp it out – and there have been moments when it looked like they would. But as the bumper sticker reads, The Church: Outlasting Oppressive Governments Since 33 AD. While we’re here, let’s note that the same can be said about the Bible. It has not only been derided and dismissed, but it has also been banned and burned more than any other book in history. And yet… the Word of God remains the perennial best seller. Have no doubts. God wins. The Church prevails, and the Word of the Lord will last forever.
Speaking Of: I seldom read a book twice. There are exceptions – I read MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail every year. I also read a number of C.S. Lewis books over and over. (And FWIW, I’ve read The Brothers Karamazov twice and still do not understand it.) But most books do not hold my attention past the first read. The Bible is an exception. Christ’s words remain “mic drop moments” even on the 100th pass.
This Week’s Sign of the Apocalypse: So many people grew so tired of seeing their face on Zoom, that they are now seeking cosmetic surgery. The condition is called Zoom Dysphoria.
Be Patient: I was going to list my Ambient Anger Index this week, but I think I saw less anger than I saw fear and weariness. Be patient and share hope. I’ve heard it said that everyone you meet is hiding something. It is not that they’re being deceptive. It’s just that some wounds are too personal to talk about.
Self-Care: Given the weariness blanketing the land, let me note: if sleep doesn’t bring rest, if play doesn’t bring joy and if work doesn’t bring results, you need to ask for help.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, who sees in us nothing that you have not given yourself, make my body healthy and agile, my mind sharp and clear, my heart joyful and contented, my soul faithful and loving. And surround me with the company of people and angels who share my devotion to you. Above all let me live in your presence, for with you all fear is banished, and there is only harmony and peace. Let every day combine the beauty of spring, the brightness of summer, the abundance of autumn, and the repose of winter. And at the end of my life on earth, grant that I may come to see and know you in the fullness of your glory. Amen. (Thomas Aquinas – 1225-1274)