Same

. . . the disciples were all together in one place.

 - From the Second Chapter of Acts

Out of respect for differences, comes intense and highly effective unity. Divinely-inspired Scripture leaves out nothing important. And the miraculous events of the first Pentecost are due to some very specific details, that the disciples got right.

For the first, and last time in history, the people of God got themselves together (physically) into one place, and one accord. The two go hand in hand. The proximity to one another was a prerequisite for the superhuman unity that followed.

The unity of the Apostles ended up modeling, very briefly, God's ultimate vision for humanity: that we would be in perfect fellowship with one another, and it will be great.

Think about athletes, or any professional, that talks about being "in the zone." Everything starts working perfectly. You can read the minds of your teammates, anticipating their moves. You get into perfect sync. Time seems to stand still. You can't do anything wrong.

Performing artists have the same experience. You seem to leave your body while you're on stage, and become an admiring spectator of your own performance. You're not even thinking about the music anymore. It just plays itself.

The same thing happens in songwriting.

It happens in the corporate world. I was on a well-functioning team for about a year, in my entire career of almost forty years. For those few months, our team executed our vision, got things done on time, lifted each of us to higher levels of performance. We all loved going in to work. We surpassed all of our objectives. Once senior management figured out what was going on, it split us up into competing corporate units, and placed our leaders into less consequential positions within the company. (Yes, this happened, and it's another topic).

The apostles spoke different languages, miraculously, so that everyone in that community, a world hub, could understand what they were saying. It was the first time, since before the Tower of Babel, that humans cooperated, without any language or cultural barriers. It was a foretaste of the Kingdom of God, in Eternity.

Think about those few times in your life, that you were "in the zone." That's eternal life. It is definitely something to be desired.

This is why unity is so important - - - we all want to experience super-humanity. It might be worth it to give up some of our prized attitudes and assumptions, in order to get there.

Different

Now there are varieties , , , 

 - From 1 Corinthians 12

Every angry political thread, on Social Media today, is because of a failure of people to appreciate differences. I was just thinking, this morning, about a friend that loves to stick a digital finger in the eyes of his political adversaries, every chance he gets. Of course, his attitude will be to elevate everything done or said by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and to mock and debase President Trump. 

Why can't people see that these are personal attacks on others, not the least of which are . . . friends?

I want to begin asking them a question like this:

You're talking about people that start out by not trusting Governor Whitmer. They voted against her. They believe she enjoys having power over others, and does not have the best interests of people at heart. What do you expected them to do? How do you respond to things Trump does, and why should his supporters react to  you, any differently than you do, to them?

Diversity is either a good thing, or not. If it's good, then we should express our valuing of it, by making some uncomfortable adjustments to our own attitude. If it's not good, then don't go around advocating for it. In reality, the truth about diversity is somewhere between the two extremes, which makes it even more important that we err on the side of listening to the other perspective. 

What do you expect, indeed? Your political opponents are driven by the same things you are: adherence to cherished principles, and a level of distrust of their opponents. 

Give them some slack.

Let's look at a list of gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit animates and motivates the Church. Our response should be in the application of whichever of these gifts we have been given. 

• Wisdom
• Knowledge
• Faith
• Healing
• Miracles
• Prophecy
• Discernment
• Tongues
• Interpretation of Tongues

There is a gift of Healing, which in our present time is talking about doctors, and all people in the health field. This is a Scientific gift, as are possibly the gifts of Knowledge and Discernment. But it should not be assumed that a person with great Scientific Knowledge can match that with an equal portion of Wisdom. I have known young people, lacking even a BA, with a gift of Wisdom. They just seem to be able to mix together all of the competing inputs into a problem, and to advise a win-win solution that would work. 

The Gifts of Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues, may be referring to an ability to interact with people that are different. It suggests that when there are people speaking two different virtual languages (i.e. Conservative versus Liberal), we need to be careful who we are putting forward to interact with that other side. Our cultural problems today are exacerbated by the preponderance of people that are poor communicators to adversaries. They're just stirring the pot and making it hard for the rest of us to work together. We need a person with discernment to come in, and help navigate the difference between groups of people, so that the excellent communicators can bring us even closer together. 

Miracles and Healing . . . these are two good ones. The first thing to get out of the way is our doubts that Miracles still happen, and that a person could be healed through means that are not according to Science. Some people recover from covid, and others don't, for no apparent scientific reason. Call it what you will . . . but the suggestion that prayer and a simple healing touch works, needs to be affirmed. Miracles and Healing are simply a very Scientific conclusion, that there are some things Science does not understand yet. And we need to be okay with that. 

There are volumes of ways to weigh and compare the spiritual gifts. But they are all different . . . they all serve different needs. And if people have different gifts, it stands to reason that they have different perspectives. We've got to remember that and embrace those other views. (I would love if a thread got started on this blog, in discussion of these fascinating concepts!)

I want to end with another application of the concept. Not everyone is going to consider the covid infection rate, or death toll, with equal urgency. That too is going to have to be okay. The person that does not have the same level of outrage as you, is not necessarily a bad person. They just have their own cause, or need, which they consider equally as urgent. Perhaps they're focused on helping their displaced employees get through things. Maybe they are concerned about their diabetic child, or their elderly relative living in a New York City nursing home. We can each only handle so much stress from outrageous things. 

You take what upsets you, and do something to help. And give others some space. 

Different gifts. Different perspectives. Different activities. Different causes. 

It's all good. 

Scattered

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered!

 - From Psalm 68

Waffle House is one of my favorites. The consistency, the coziness, the personal warmth. The closeness of the patrons and staff. You're continually within six feet of the others, most of whom are total strangers. The place itself makes the familiarity. You feel at home. The staff is genuinely hospitable. When you open the door to enter, they will all shout "Good morning!"

That's a good business model - one that brings people together so closely, so that random people feel totally at ease there, in a spirit of trust.

But I also like the absence of the non-regulars. You can learn a lot about a person, if the topic of Waffle House is brought up. If they get a twinkle in their eye, and share their favorite menu items, you have made a friend. But if they betray an attitude of haughtiness, steer clear. Keep that person as a friend, but only so that, over time, you can teach him or her how to enjoy all human experiences.

I always order my hash browns scattered, smothered, and covered. This means they will be tossed on the skillet, with chopped onions, and then covered with a layer of melted cheese. Very tasty. Prepared by the best short-order staff in the restaurant business.

Hash browns are typically served as a sort of patty, like you get from McDonald's. By scattering them, they end up spread out more, on your plate. It also creates more nooks and crannies for the cheese to ooze down into, or ketchup, or whatever other toppings you choose. It's a vague difference, but it's one of the little things that give variety to life.

In a normal season, the patrons of Waffle House, or most retail/restaurants, are not scattered, if the business is to survive. You want your business packed. Standing room only is nice. At Michigan Stadium, it's a point of pride that they always host the largest audience attending a football game, anywhere in America, on a home Saturday.

We love our crowds. We are social beings. It is our essence. It is what makes us human. When we work together, when we come together, when we get into proximity to each other, magic happens. Any problem can be solved by humans interacting closely.

Even the Coronavirus.

Divide and Conquer is a very simple, and effective military strategy. Drive a wedge between the enemy's offensive line. In football, open up a seam, to give your running back some room to maneuver. Create holes. Find a weak link.

The Battle of Gettysburg was won, because the weakest part of the Union line refused to be broken - the Minneapolis volunteers lost over 75% of their total number that weekend.

The Battle of the Bulge failed for the Germans, because their assault on the Allied center could bend, but not break it.

The Tower of Babylon failed, because cultural and language differences of the builders, were exploited until they could no longer agree on anything.

Our response to Coronavirus has been to scatter us. Granted, the intent of the authorities may not have been on the order of a military conquest. But it's never good when humans are artificially divided and separated. The solution to the problem is in us working together, considering all sides, fostering the creativity that comes from mutual respect and engagement.

When you hear that a crowd was "Scattered" it always means something bad. Bad, that is, for whatever the crowd could have accomplished, whether for good or ill. A crowd scatters because of fear, or hate, or the pressure of an overwhelming force.

People would rather be together. We would rather work together.

When opposition rises up, to your plan, it is time for a different plan. The creation of division is not a good thing.

Waffle House is a pleasant, simple diversion for me, and millions of others. In the worst of times, we need diversions more than ever.

In a Worst Time, the lack of diversions can only make it worse yet.

Not to Know

He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority."

 - From Acts 1

I've spent a lot of time developing the idea of knowledge for the believer, and knowledge for humanity. We all want to know what we're talking about. We all want to be knowledgeable. And perhaps even more important than being knowledgeable, we want to appear knowledgeable.

There's the little ice-breaker question we occasionally hear:

Of the three, which would you rather have: Power, Fame, or Wealth?

I've always contended: Give me enough of one of them, and I'd have all three. But then I think a fourth choice could be added: Knowledge.

That's a good one. Knowledge seems slightly unrelated to the other three. And yet, with enough knowledge, I could gain Power, Fame, or Wealth. In fact, ample knowledge takes all the guesswork out. You would know what steps you would have to take, to become powerful. You'd easily get yourself in front of thousands of adoring crowds. You could amass enough money to challenge Bill Gates, in a fortnight.

Enough Knowledge could give you super powers to rival Superman, and beyond. That is what made Lex Luthor such a formidable opponent!

Jesus' secret weapon was knowledge. I believe that everything He did, and accomplished, was due to His overwhelming understanding of everything. He disappeared for twenty years, while He was being trained in everything about Time, Space, and the Universe (or so I believe).

Adam had access to all of the knowledge that Jesus wielded. But Adam was immature, lacking wisdom. He was selfish . . . and knowledge in the hands of a selfish human is a powder keg - and the key to every infamous villain in history.

But there are some things we can't know. Our eyes are shielded from seeing some things. Facts and Science that we cannot handle, are kept from us. If our faith is strong, we will be okay with that. We will not crave that which would harm us.

Life is an adventure. I would not want to know the specifics of the dates and facts of the Second Coming of Christ. It's more interesting to be kept in the dark. We can have great conversations about the End Times, because none of us have all the answers. The journey is more important than the destination.

Some people lose their faith, because they become impatient for more information. As the Apostles stood by, watching The Lord ascend up into the sky, two men appeared, and told them, basically, that they have to move on. They'll get all the answers, eventually. But for now, just live in this moment. Focus on the here and now. T

This is the essence of the Christian lifestyle. It's more than enough.

Open

Then he opened their minds to understand . . . 

 - From Luke 24

There's an interesting thread connecting God's first walk with Adam, in Eden, to Christ's final words to His disciples, near Bethany. In both cases, the topic of knowledge is central.

We're pretty protective of our self-image of being knowledgeable people. I think people would rather be told "You're ugly," than "You're dumb." I think it's because our response to how a person looks can have a lot to do with how we feel, in that moment. If the Covid Mask Era has taught us one thing, it's that everybody's face is beautiful, if we could step away from focusing on some details of it.

But we posture, and prim, and pose, and project, all over Facebook, to evade a charge of being "ignorant."

Adam sought knowledge. He craved it. He would not have taken the fruit that Eve offered him, had he not thought for some time, of the desirability of being knowledgeable. We're curious beings. But we're self-absorbed beings. And creatures that are willfully selfish must not be entrusted with great knowledge. I believe that the Tree of Knowledge was basically an iPad and a wireless connection, providing Adam with all of the knowledge from all time, and from everywhere.

It's hard enough for us to handle all of the knowledge (and attitudes) present in 2020 . . . but Adam saw all of it. It was too much for him. The splendor, the riches, the wealth, the talent. . . . The horror, the violence, the degradation, the destruction, the despair.

There's a lot of relevance to the idea that, some things, you can never "unsee." It's a lot easier to do right, to have pure thoughts, if filthy and wicked thoughts had never been placed in our minds, by images that we have seen, on TV, in theatres, on the street, in our homes, on the Internet.

Adam's sampling of all knowledge killed him. You cannot give meat to a newborn.

Christ's Apostles, by learning humility from Him, and trust, and purity, became able to handle such knowledge. They were not given all knowledge, all at once, as Adam was. But they were given the ability to acquire the knowledge, in appropriate steps.

Adam's mind was closed, making it impossible for correct knowledge to permeate his heart as well. He did not have wisdom, or purity, with his knowledge. But Jesus opened the minds of his friends.

There's a lot of depth to the statement "Love believes all things." It's easier to accept others, unconditionally, when your mind is open.

So: facts and science, yes. But if these facts and science are not accompanied by a mind that has been opened by Christ, we fare no better than Adam.

Know

. . . so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you . . . 

 - From Ephesians 1

My understanding of Eternity has grown through the years, and I think it is because I have wished it to do so. Our eagerness to learn can directly impact our ability to understand new things. I think that, also, there have been the prayers of others, that have specifically asked for me to grow in knowledge and wisdom, even as they have prayed the same for others.

Their prayers, plus your willingness to grow and change, is key to gaining the awareness of Eternal things.

John Lennon said once, something about his ability to see things clearly, about life and the world, that are right there before him. But while he can see these things, most people cannot. I have heard a lot of artistic and creative people make similar comments. He said "I'm either insane, or a genius!" That's the problem with deeper understanding . . . with understanding can come great disappointment, that we are so far from where we will be, where we can be.

Paul's prayer to the Ephesians is his prayer for us, as well. We are the recipients of all of his letters. If he prayed that their eyes be opened, he has also prayed that your eyes would be opened. This is a prayer we need to say, for each other, especially now in the era of COVID. We need eyes to see, and we need the eyes of our hearts opened. We need the help of God's spirit. He can understand what's happening . . . but we have to pray for understanding, others have to pray for us, we have to be willing, and then we have to want to change, if that's what's required (the "change" piece is the one that proves so problematic!)

There is a lot about life, death, the universe, eternity . . . so many great concepts . . . that we can know more about. Let's have the eagerness to know about these things. For, Eternity is all around us. We are immersed in it. Let us embrace that and apply that perspective to today's problems.

House

I will enter your house . . . !

 - From Psalm 66

It is Sunday morning. Today, across the land, churches will begin opening back up, with restrictions in place, to keep everything in line with what the State has directed. Not since the heady days of the Holy Roman Empire, has Church been so dutifully compliant.

Well, not all churches. Many are opening up, despite the pronouncements of those with temporary authority over the workings of government. Especially in California, where defiance is becoming a thing.

We have been told to "Stay safe. Stay at home." During the centuries of America expanding westward, those on the edges of the frontier always did so at great risk. If the Native Americans weren't unwelcoming, then perhaps bands of violent ruffians gave them trouble. Or if they survived that, the elements would work to destroy their crops, strand them in their homes in the winter time, or flood them out.

But if that weren't enough, mysterious sicknesses would make the rounds with regularity. A plague called the "milk sick" could wipe out entire families.

But still they pushed west. Freedom, and a chance to own property that can feed your family, community, and the world, made it all worthwhile. They paid a very high price: life itself, in order to live a life with great value.

But even in their own homes . . . miles away from any other human, they frequently faced horrifying peril. "Stay at home" isn't always "stay safe." And our ancestors knew this all too well. They faced horrors to make COVID-19 seem like a bad cold (if it doesn't already seem like that).

But - stay at home. Sounds good.

Throughout my life, I have heard preachers call the Church "family," and the church facility "God's house." We belong together, and our One Place to Go, if everything else topples all around us, is the Church. I always told my kids - - - if there's a catastrophe locally and we cannot communicate; get to the church. I'll see you there, and others will be there to help.

Stay at home . . . . Go to church?

I'm surprised someone hasn't thought of that already.

One

From one ancestor . . . 

 - From Acts 17

I would guess that it's the dream of all parents, that their children get along. I can think of no higher blessing in life, to be at the end of your days, with the same spouse you started out with, having outlived both of your parents, and having none of your children precede you in death; and being able to have all of your children - - - all of your descendants - - - gathered together with you, for special occasions. Maybe even, to have them all present when you are on your final deathbed.

I should say . . . all good parents . . . for not all people desire such a thing, and if they don't, I would hesitate to call them good. Any other aspiration above this, bespeaks a person whose perspective on life is flawed and unbalanced.

The word "one" matters a lot to the Lord, and to God's Son, Jesus. The Father and Son both spoke about unity. They knew the scientific properties of the power behind human accord, long before humanity even knew there was such a thing as "Science." It is the ultimate solution to any problem:

Get yourselves together, come to agreement, listen to each other.

I believe the case could be made, that God has promised great effectiveness for us, if we could agree.

Human unity may be described as the Pearl of Great Price - - - the Golden Rule - - - the Fountain of Youth - - - the Key to Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe.

Oh . . . how we fight with vigor, the idea that we should actually get along! It is, simply put, the desire of all parents. It is the desire of our eternal, Heavenly Father. I believe it makes Him sick to the stomach when we fight each other so ardently.

In the reading, Paul reminds us that there was one parent from which we all came. That is an interesting point, and there are some genealogical fascinations in studying that concept further.

Adam and Eve (the two shall be "one") were that first parent. Surely they had a sense of their critical role. They may have seen the rapid growth of the population, and although the invention of formal mathematics was still millennia away, they must have realized that, in short order, humanity would be filling the planet, to the horizons and beyond. Maybe there were the beginnings of little cities, even while Adam and Eve lived.

They saw how Cain and Abel were . . . and had moments of dread, imagining what it would be like if there were multitudes of their children fighting, and killing, one another.

The answer is in unity. As painful as it may be to contemplate, that simply is the way it is, and the way it has to be.

We do better when we serve each other, and listen to each other. Disagreement does not indicate a failure of some people to understand facts, or Science. Disagreement indicates that we're not listening.

That's all.

And when children are fighting . . . it is natural for the parent to take the side of the younger one, the smaller one, the more vulnerable one, the less experienced one . . . the less educated one. Let's remember that.

One parent. One God. One Family of Men and Women. Pretty simple.

Keep

. . . keep my commandments.

 - From John 14

A casual look at current events shows us how very distasteful it is, to be told to do something, by someone else. Little kids get this, early in life. They resist being told what to do. We don't even think twice . . . we want to push back, rather than yield to the wishes, and whims, of someone else.

The only reasons we do what we're told, are to avoid some consequence that is worse than compliance; or to receive some reward that we view as of greater value than obeying.

And so, we see "resistance" as either a virtue, because it is ennobling of the human spirit, or ugly, if it appears as just unreasoning anger.

Some people would rather just lie, than to follow the directives of an authority figure, not to lie. It's ingrained in our DNA. Our strivings for independence are two sides to the same coin that shows us at our best, and at our worst, depending on one's perspective.

It's hard to follow someone's "commandments," even if they come from a loving God and His Son. And yet, it is what we're called to do, over and over again, throughout Scripture.

Jesus uses the word "keep," to convey the point. And, "keep," in my view, is a nice word. You "keep" things that you cherish.

I had some things in my past, that I cherished deeply - a journal that I kept, from the age of about fourteen, until when in my early thirties an experience with an early relationship lead me to toss it in a dumpster (it's a long story).

As a genealogist, I regret getting rid of a photograph that my Grandmother gave me, ages ago, in which she did not know any of the people. I was a teenager that then assumed it must not be anybody we're related to. I wish I had that photo now, to solve some deep ongoing brick walls in my research.

We keep things we treasure . . . because perhaps we know how we would feel if, years from now, we wished we still had them around.

We call them "keepsakes," which is another nice word.

You might choose to "keep" something, that someone else would throw away. Things we keep have distinct value, maybe only to us, alone.

That's the idea about keeping the commandments of Christ. When it comes from Him, it is not some harsh directive. It's not some exercise of vain power and control, on His part. His commandments come from His supreme understanding of the way things work . . . the way everything works. His knowledge of things comes from being God's Son, and perhaps from fifteen to twenty years of tutelage, during the period of His life that was not recorded.

Christ imparts His very special and intimate knowledge of Creation and Eternity, to us. We call them "commandments." We should treat them as something that we would keep, and treasure.

This keeping of His commandments results in, over time, a greater awareness of the things Christ knows. His Spirit resides in us . . . our understanding increases. And I believe, over time, we begin to touch eternity, ourselves. And this, in turn, makes it easier to understand His commandments, and such mysteries as "Why would a loving God allow suffering?"

Let's not blindly follow Christ, or anybody. But let us keep and cherish everything that He has offered to us. 

Eager

Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?

 - From I Peter 3

The rhetorical question seems to imply that, if we "do what is good," we will not be harmed. But then the entire passage goes on and implies that, yes, we very well may be harmed if we do what is good. We might even be harmed because we're doing good.

In order for good people to be harmed, the people with the power to do harm to you, are going to have to redefine "good," so that whatever you are doing, is bad.

But then the passage also references the value in doing good - - - if our attitude is right, if we are humble, if our hearts are pure, then we will persuade a lot of people and change a lot of minds.

Christians must be in touch with their surroundings, be ready to respond, place the good, the serving of others, above all else.

Servanthood is not considered "good" in our times. I've found that people are not at all interested in serving others, in putting others first. They have turned these godly virtues into worldy and legal vices. Even consistent and reliable Christians are setting aside real servanthood, in order to take sides in the increasingly dangerous political partisanship gone amok.

But the opening statement is not talking about actually doing good . . . it's talking about being "eager" to do good. And we're all "eager" to be good. Everybody wants to do good, and everybody pretends that they are, in fact, doing good. In this particular season in 2020, it seems, epidemiologists get their turn at being relevant, historic, ground-breaking. They are making stories to tell their grandchildren. They are in the middle of the fight. They're doing good. They are good. And we thank God for their expertise at this time.

We all hope we get to experience this type of life-changing, historically-relevant moment in our careers. It gives our lives meaning. And we want to matter. As Sally Field once exclaimed: "You like me! You really like me!"  We all want to be liked. We all want to be good. And we all think we're good, if it will help.

But just being eager will not cut it. And it's true . . . you probably will not be harmed if you're only eager to do what is good. Because that way, you might even be admired for speaking your mind, while having enough "wisdom" not to act on it . . . because that might be "selfish," or even "hateful."

The doing of good is risky. It is even dangerous. But we've got to go beyond just being eager to do good . . . from just talking about it; to actually doing it. For whatever reason, the world really seems to hate when actual good is actually done.

Disagree?

Next time someone complains about poverty, sickness, homelessness, or the Coronavirus and wants someone (probably government) to do something about it . . . invite them over for coffee, specifically to discuss what you and he or she can do, together, to solve the problem

Conspiracy

Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me.

 - From Psalm 31

King David, one of the most beloved and revered figures in history, seems to have had some problems coping with life in the centuries before Christ. All he ever seems to do is talk about his problems. Somebody's always out to get him. He's always trying to hide from . . . something. When will he suck it up and just deal with it?

Psalm 31 is full of this stuff. Sure, he has some praise for God in there, but that's only because he wants God's help getting around, and away from, his presumed enemies, these people that are "secretly" always trying to take him down.

I thought David was a likable guy? Doesn't he have it all? He even got away with murder, from a legal standpoint. Murder and adultery. It takes some moxey for him to act like he has such big problems from his privileged standpoint.

But the problem is . . . there were conspiracies to get him. One of the most noteworthy #resist campaigns during David's reign, was led by his own son, Absalom! Really, now . . . who could David trust?

His entire life was typified by him, for the most part, trying to do right. And for the most part, he did, in fact, do right, almost all of the time. His chief characteristic is that he was a good man and a good king.

And yet . . . someone was always out to get him.

His brothers.

King Saul.

His son.

He had every right to be paranoid. Except that you can't call it paranoia. You can call it being realistic.

It's okay for people to be paranoid, in a way. There simply are plenty of people out there, wanting to take others down. We've known that since childhood. There will always be people that want to ruin it for others, for no apparent (good) reason. As we get older, it is naive to assume that they basically change for the better. In some ways they do . . . . but at the same time, many of them end up with money and power. And when you combine money and power with unresolved issues from childhood, you've got trouble.

If David could be wary of the world, then so can we.

Let's not be so quick to put down conspiracy theorists (the new "bullies" seem to be just like the old bullies. The advantage that they now wage is their supposed "expertise" and/or scientific credentials that we all should yield to, unconditionally).

Conspiracy theories are driven by the root values of a person. And your fundamental values are a good thing. No wonder people embrace "evidence" that supports their basic worldview. We all do it. We just may not be on the right side of society all the time - the side that is presently in favor.

It's Mother's Day. When it comes to conspiracy theories, I like what my Mom always said about it: "What if they're right?" It wouldn't hurt us all, to pepper our view of current events, with just a little skepticism. King David would approve.

Covered

But they covered their ears . . . 

 - From Acts 7

Stephen, Christianity's first martyr, was simply preaching the Gospel. You know, the basic stuff - - -

• We fear death and would long to live forever
• We would like to know why we die and how to defeat death
• While we're going about doing that, we will feed the hungry, house the homeless, heal the sick, clothe the naked, educate children, serve others
• And it's all connected together in the Person of Christ

Such horrendous ideas! Oh wait . . . I left out a very important one . . . 

• We will live pure lives devoted to self-control and the taming of our own fleshly desires.

That's the one that got the crowds. Stephen never said anything about making other people act right. He just simple announced that he was going to strive to live that way. 

And it drove the crowds crazy. They beat him up, dragged him out into the country, and then stoned him to death.

When he began to preach, the people in the crowd covered their ears. 

That was two thousand years ago. We should have come a long way. 

The crowds, either through their own mob behavior, or preferably via the government, will always try to force people with Good News to stay quiet. The human spirit longs for fellowship with its Creator . . . it just doesn't want to do the heavy lifting required to get there. And it does not like others pointing it out, through their words and example. 

But like caricatures of dopey, ignorant mobs, they covered their ears so that they COULD not hear Stephen's words. 

It's very, very bad when people refuse to listen to others. And quite likely, it's dangerous. 

God made us all different so that we could learn from each other. In an environment where there is open inquiry and the free exchange of ideas, problems get solved faster, the people prosper, happiness abounds. But you have to teach people to be okay with that. 

COVID-19 may or may not be as serious as all the pronouncements. But if it is, it is incumbent upon us to listen. The solution to every problem is found in the open exchange of our unique perspectives. And quite often, the breakthrough idea does not come from an expert. In fact, it rarely does. 

But you can't have breakthroughs if you go around, like a dope, covering your ears. 

Abundantly

 . . . that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

 - From John 10

I get into some trouble with people, because I do not agree, instantly and convincingly, in their unkind characterizations of the political opposition. Nobody likes to be insulted, or offended. It can hurt you in a physical sense. We resist that kind of pain. We strike back aggressively, in hopes that we are not hurt again.

And when a political figure is insulted, and one of her supporters is nearby, I know that the supporter takes the insult personally. You might as well be saying the same thing about the supporter. And in a very real sense, you are. Maybe I empathize more than most - - - we all have unique talents - - - but very often I can feel that pain myself, when political discussions turn nasty. And more than the average, I feel it personally, no matter who is being attacked.

This is why Jesus said not to take insults personally. They are actually targeted at Him, not you. And going a little deeper . . . maybe every insult is actually targeted at some other person, or experience, or thing, not present. We just like to put a face on our pain . . . we're actually hoping the other person will feel it like we do, therefore we insult.

But there's another problem that I have noticed, when it comes to taking a higher road in political discussions, and it is this: Good people, smart people, say the same things about the opposition and it's leaders.

Did that point get through?

People are saying the same things about each other. Good people are calling other people all kinds of horrible names. Smart people are ascribing the same bad qualities to other smart people!

Maybe we all just need to step back and think this through.

In the Era of Covid . . . how can we tell which expert to listen to? Are all scientists more trustworthy than our spiritual leaders? Are purveyors of "facts" more reliable source than our own understanding of universal values and principles? Should we even take sides, or is that, itself, a bigger problem than a virus?

Everyone's talking about savings lives. That has become the main objective. But Jesus talked about saving our lives . . . but He said we would have life "more abundantly." What does that mean? Isn't "life" enough?

It probably isn't, if you live in pain. If you have struggled with loneliness your entire life . . . maybe it is not something you want preserved. If I can't sit at the bedside of my dying parent, loved one, or friend, sans a punch of "PPE," but as my true, genuine, unvarnished self . . . in what way is that "life"?

I'm hitting 60 years of age this year. I am aware of the passage of time . . . and two months cooped up in the house is a very, very long time. It is precious time. My life is spared, but am I living?

Abundant life has an eternal component. And the person that is convinced he will live forever looks at pandemics in quite another way. But the abundant life also focuses on the present: this very moment. It's on the here and now. It's the immediate situation . . . and people in that situation are caring for others . . . not themselves. And they are not worried about tomorrow. They know that good deeds done today just ripple outward into the future.

A good way to separate the reliable voices from the narrow, inwardly-focused voices coming at us, is - - - which person seems to have that understanding of abundant life? If he or she seems to get that we must live to the fullest, now, while having an eternal sense . . . then perhaps that is the voice of calm, reason, and even Science, that should prevail.