Caring III (SA)

 . . . but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her . . . 

 - From 1 Samuel 1

Is "care" the same as "love"? 

I think it is, if we give love the highest definition - that of godly love, or agapē love. 

When you care for someone else, you do so regardless of how you feel towards that person. A nurse provides care to a patient, but he or she is paid to provide care. Granted, the nursing profession may be motivated by sincere impulses. But the clock runs, and the time comes when one nurse goes home, and another comes in to take over. This is "care" yes . . . but not love in the fullest sense. 

A hospital, or nursing home volunteer is even more motivated by true love. They receive no pay. They provide care of various sorts, for people that require it. But they too go home at the end of the job. Their volunteerism is something they do with their discretionary time. This does not minimize the wonderful thing they do. Yet . . . it is not fully love.

We think of ways to care for others. But it is not really caring . . . not until you are at the point where you, personally, are seeing to the needs of another person. You care for the other, not thinking about what it costs you. The care may appear more sincere and true, the greater the imposition on the caregiver. If it takes spoon-feeding a senior suffering from dementia, then great care is required; much more so, if a bed pan needs cleaning, or an adult diaper changed. 

The care can come in the form of providing musical entertainment to shut-ins and the invalid. You are providing quality of life to those that are limited in providing it for themselves. 

But you really can't talk about the need to care for others, until you are actually doing it yourself, personally, sacrificially, joyfully. 

You can't just elect politicians that talk about caring for the needy. You need to provide care, yourself. 

In the reading , Elkanah's preferred wife was Hannah, the one he loved. This is not to say he did not love his other wife, equally. He just loved Hannah, perhaps, in the way we have described. He cared for her. He enjoyed her company. She made him laugh. She reciprocated his affection. She was not spiteful and bitter like his other wife. Perhaps she was not as attractive, and maybe she was not as intelligent, in some worldly, bookish way. But Elkanah loved her . . . and therefore he cared for her with tenderness and sincerity. He enjoyed taking care of her. She made him feel emotionally safe.

And he expressed his care for her by giving her double portions of everything. 

To care for someone else, you have to be personal with them. You have to show up, sacrifice, listen, and act. Show me your love by your acts. Or better yet: Show, don't tell. 

The political approach to caring is all talk and no action. 

But we must care, by doing. And we need society to begin understanding that, and valuing the personal, sacrificial, dutiful, cheerful, and loving care-giver.

Caring II

. . . Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses . . . 

 - From Mark 12

American society in 2018 may have replaced John 3:16 with another Scripture, as the most familiar in our land. Well, maybe no one single scripture . . . but a general theme from both testaments, that we are to welcome strangers (or travelers, or migrants, or aliens - legal or otherwise - into our land). Now, there are a couple of problems with how people are quoting this.

First - the purpose is to shame people that know Scripture better than they do. "What would real Christians do?" And then they quote some Old Testament passage about being kind to aliens. But the context is never in terms of US federal policy. It's talking about welcoming them into your own home and caring for them as you would a family member. We are to treat strangers this way. But not just strangers from foreign countries! Any stranger! The point is to practice godly love, which begins with not ridiculing nor shaming others! (Don't the same people bewail the practice of shaming others?)

Another problem is that these verses about welcoming aliens are rarely alone in a Scripture passage! They are usually combined with an admonishment to care for widows and orphans, and to keep yourself morally pure. Now, we'll get to the morally pure things eventually. But let's just focus on this thing about widows and orphans. And more specifically today - the part about widows. 

It's quite one thing to talk about illegal aliens. It's quite another for a person to draw attention to it, while ignoring the lonely and needy seniors on his or her own street. And I would bet good money that most social justice warriors demonstrating about US immigration policy, haven't spoken to their own grandmothers in weeks. 

If there are elderly people in your life, that you are not caring for . . . then please don't come to me with slogans and anger about the refuge caravan. 

God means for our love to be practical; to serve those around us, whether or not we want to. And there are plenty of elderly people in your life and mine . . . that need a phone call, a drop-in, a Christmas card; to be taken to a movie and to dinner. 

If you want to be a person that cares . . . that really cares, and doesn't just talk about it, how about starting with people that we too easily ignore: our elders!?

In today's passage, the Lord talks about the Scribes that "devour widows houses." This happened in my own life recently. A cadre of realtors, builders, and the trustee of a neighbor's will, began impacting the land around a certain woman's home . . . within weeks of the death of her husband. The woman is an octagenarian. She has health concerns. The changing landscape around her became an area of great stress to her. The cadre never bothered to check with her. Would she like to purchase any of the property? What are her concerns about noise, eye-sores, boundary issues?

Any time you can help an elderly person have an easier life is an opportunity to practice real care, godly care. 

I don't want to hear how much you care, if you don't care for widows. 

Caring

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 - From Hebrews 10

A lot of people believe that the following are good deeds:

• Posting on Facebook something about how hypocritical Christians are
• Hating Donald Trump
• Joining with tens of thousands in protest over something
• Being outraged when someone uses hate speech
• Getting out the vote
• Wrecking the appearance of your car, with bumper stickers
• Unliking someone
• Getting a politician elected
• "Educating" people about some controversial cause
• Ridiculing someone with a different viewpoint

I could probably add to the list, doubling or tripling it. The author of the letter to the Hebrews said to "provoke" one another to love and good deeds. Provoke. I would take that to mean push them. Egg them on. Stir them up. Prod them. Irritate them. Shame them. Guilt them. 

If the desired outcome is love and good deeds, it would appear God will give you some slack if you come across a little too strong. 

You can't love someone with a bumper sticker. It is not a good deed, if you have made someone angry and resentful, over your political views. 

And in the list above, there is not a single example of love, or good deeds. The Apostle Paul wanted us following Christ. And Christ met people face to face. He dealt with their present, immediate needs. He cared for the person. The whole person. He taught crowds, but touched individuals. He healed them in small numbers. 

And I marvel that so many believe that doing something like in the list above, qualifies you as "good."

Research shows that most people make value judgments about others, based on how much they care. If someone helps you out, sacrifices a little time and money for you . . . that means they "care." You could consider them a "good" person. A Democrat can hurl vulgarities all day long, at the deplorable qualities of some Conservative, to the point the Conservative cannot stand the Democrat. But if the the Democrat give the Conservative a ride when his car breaks down, just like that, the Democrat becomes a "good" person in the eyes of the Conservative. 

People don't care how much you know. But they can know how much you care. And that's really the only thing they care about. 

So many of our on-line and political arguments are due to the speaker feeling he or she is being ignored . . . not listened to. 

Show me a person that listens, and I'll show you a person that cares. 

Drop the politics. Drop the anger and the divisive behaviors. Is there some injustice in the world? Don't tell me about it! Go do something about it!! But do it lovingly! 

At least act like you care!!

Be Right X

Then I should not be put to shame, when I regard all your commandments.

 - From Psalm 119

More than one of my spiritual mentors have pointed out to me, that even if you weren't a believer, if you followed a biblical lifestyle, you would be happy and successful. And more often than not, you would have a long life. 

Think about it.

You wouldn't lie or cheat.

You would be loyal to your friends. 

You could be counted on to be faithful to your spouse. You would be an attentive parent. 

You would not catch any venereal diseases, nor probably a whole set of other ailments. 

You would never have a drunk driving ticket. 

You would work harder at your job, than any of your workmates. 

You would save more than enough money for retirement. 

You would be probably more charitable than anybody you know. 

Your home would be warmly thought of, with your open door and kind hospitality. 

There would never be any grounds to sue you. 

You would be a vocal and generous supporter of teachers and artists. 

You would get all the rest you require.

You would live for the moment, and not for the weekend or the next holiday. 

No one would ever hear you mouth something cross about anybody else. 

And so on. 

And yet some people would consider this all "boring." Really? I have described a person who has challenged him or herself to the most adventurous life possible! Every single moment is something to be enjoyed. Every experience is a learning experience. Every person you meet is a person of great value to you. 

It is not at all boring. Enhancing the lives of others is the most exciting thing you can do. 

No one ever takes on a person like that, as being "ignorant." Because, people that are considered trustworthy are, by default, considered people that are smart. 

In my music classes and lessons, I teach kids that music helps you develop a very important life skill - the skill of "listening." And that if you can become a good listener, you will be successful, happy, and you will have a lot of friends. I could almost guarantee that to kids.

I know a man that has always been careful to follow the law. He takes the commandments of God, seriously. It was said of him, by his friends (I am changing the name): "Go ask Tom for advice. He knows."

It's almost like magic. The ways of God. The knowledge of God. The commandments of God. Put them in the proper priority in your life, with ample humility, of course, and you will be someone who "knows." You will be someone that is right. 

Be Right IX

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.

 - From Deuteronomy 6

There's no getting away from it:

God's words bring life. 

In the ancient world, all of these strange and even ugly rules from the Mosaic Law, as wrong as they may seem today, actually led, in a straight line, to long life for the Israelites. It meant prosperity, wealth, freedom, and strength for their nation. 

But that's the way it is with all great nations, from the dawn of history. The spiritual life is strong as it grows. The discipline of believers is essential to a rising superpower. And of course, the road to freedom and wealth is paved with injustices and evils that, if we're honest, are necessary, if you want to expand such concepts as liberty and equality. 

This is all just to say, the word of God is hard. It's harsh. But it's life. 

Faith and Science go together. Facts and faith are nearly the same. Words, and knowledge, lead directly to life. 

And the author of all truth is God. 

If you are advancing towards the Lord, you are advancing toward truth. You are becoming more and more right .This doesn't mean you will be mistake free. The path to God is epic. And our failings on that path are active, too. 

But you can't get away from it.

If you want to be Right . . . you must draw near to the One that invented "right."

Be Right VIII

Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, for there is no help in them.

 - From Psalm 146

It has been said that "religion" is the cause of most of history's wars.

This is a convenient analysis for skeptics. But it doesn't explain how Hitler invaded England, to expand a religion. It doesn't elaborate on how the American Civil War was due to one section of the US, wanting to expand it's state religion over the other. 

Can it not also be said that romantic "love" also caused a great deal of wars? And yet we don't hear politicians seeking an end to lustful behavior behavior. 

We can perhaps agree that most wars were started by a handful of political rulers that could not solve their problems peacefully. A famous scene in the motion picture Shenandoah shows a grieving Jimmy Stewart talking to his deceased wife's,, Martha's, burial plot; he says, of war, "The politicians are the only winners."

We may not be able to blame any wars on Science. But Science certainly is largely responsible for the great divide today, widening between two great cultural factions of the American people. Science, you see, has decided to insist on people choosing sides. Are you with me, or against me?  Or you pro fact, or pro error?

And woe be to they that choose other than Science! Yet . . . as we have shown, the faithful are the most scientific of all, for they allow the existence of all reality, including that which Science has not yet discovered!

Our problems are largely due to choosing one leader or the other; one party or the other. People demand that we choose. 

It's a good thing Trump ran for President. Now we know which of our friends are actually horrible people. 

Right. 

There is no help in trusting worldly leaders. And there's a whole lot of trouble.

We wisely place our trust in what is real. The real information, the truth, is not found from some human. All the other humans are going to disagree with out chosen human, anyway. But God . . . the Creator . . . the Watcher . . . the Overseer . . . He does have the truth. And we can only handle small portions of it at a time. 

He has said that the greatest truth is Love . . . and that Love "believes all things."

That's good, right? When you believe all things you are free not to choose sides in temporal politics. You can be on both sides. 

Since God, too, is on all sides of every issue (he is on YOUR side, if you are with him), then we can be on all sides, too. And the cornucopia of perspectives you will expose yourself to, will continually enhance your understanding of Everything. 

"To the Romans, I became a Roman; to the Greeks, a Greek. To the Jews, a Jew."

Be Right VII

Those who trust in him will understand truth . . . 

 - From Wisdom of Solomon 3

I don't see how someone can be wise and proud at the same time. Like Scientists, with their lists of degrees, certifications, and accomplishments - soon they become enamored of their own intelligence, that they cannot conceive of there being knowledge beyond their capabilities. 

In our times, we toss around the world "Science" quite a lot. The snarky comment attached to many "scientific" articles in support of one political view or the other - "Because Science," is intended as a BAM! type of note that should end debate.

How can you argue with Science? Isn't Science all about facts?

And yet Scientists were wrong about the alignment of the planets, about racism and slavery, about the cause of disease. Science is only as accurate as the most recent understanding of something. 

Surely, our Science today will be treated as narrowly misguided, a thousand years from now. 

And Scientific research done at the bidding of a political party is the worst yet. 

We don't know it all. If Science is the acceptance of reality, then the most Scientific people of all are the Community of Faith. When your Science is framed by an allowance that we will never have all the information (but Someone does), then you are ready to advance to Scientific discovery that matters.

Be Humble. Be Real. Be Right.