Not Too Hard

“Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you . . . "

 - From Deuteronomy 30

The saying, quoted above, was not a direct word from the Lord God. These are Moses' own words. He is encouraging the people. Or maybe admonishing them. They were like us. Moses had given them a few commandments from God, and Moses knew, he just knew, that they would complain.

And he was right. They did complain. They whined. Perhaps they were offended. Maybe it got in the way of their time with their games and playlists. They were partial to their vices and selfish thoughts. 

"It's too hard for us. Why can't God just take care of us, no matter what we do or think?" (Actually, that's exactly what He does).

And yet . . . people pursue their bucket lists with a religious fervor. They'll read every New York Times best-selling self-help book they can get their hands on. But God's Word is too inconvenient, or hard, for them.

I encounter this all the time, in working with youth. There was a fourth grader once, that only had to write four or five sentences about what he did over the weekend, in order to complete an assigned task. He sat at his desk for 45 minutes, looking at the paper, and didn't write even a letter. 

What is this about us? If the Fountain of Youth were discovered outside Barrow, Alaska, waves of millions of people would brave the climate and terrain to get there. They would spare no expense, and exert whatever it takes, to get there.

Yet, they won't get their eternal life through a simple act of faith.

God's commandments really aren't hard. Love one another? Really? That's all? 

Don't lie? What's wrong with that?

Don't steal? What serious person has a problem with that?

Take care of the old, the sick, the young, the traveler? (These are dignified words that God uses for these people. The world calls them "the weak"). Now, it may be taxing so to care for others. But, really, why would we argue about this?

God's plan is not too hard. 

Give me a break.

Thanksgiving II: Pareto

But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God . . . ?

 - From Luke 17

I believe that the language in God's word is important; the words used, the details. 

In the story of the ten lepers (this was not a parable), Jesus healed all of them, but only one returned to give Him praise, and thanks.

The Pareto Rule states that "most of the results in any situation are determined by a small number of causes." (from Google). More specifically, it has been called the "80-20 Rule," in that 20% of the investment or effort is responsible for 80% of the outcome. Or, 80% of the population makes 20% of the income, etc.

But God is not so demanding. He looks for 10% only . . . and out of that, miracles happen. 

Did you read it right? 

God can work with 10%, and do miracles. 

He only asks 10% of your income. And only 10% of the healed lepers returned to Praise God. That one leper was responsible for one of the most memorable events in History.

Lepers live wretched, horrible lives, in filth, poverty, and squalor. They are shunned from society. When they're healed completely, it's like being born anew. 

When such a life-changing and wonderful thing occurs, it does seem like people would appreciate it. Of the nine that did not return, surely a few of them realized it was because of Christ. And perhaps a few knew they should thank Him. A handful probably intended to go back to praise the Lord. But they never did.

How many people, on this Thanksgiving Day, will really, truly thank God for the life they have been given? For the health? For the accidents avoided? 

Maybe one in ten?

Are you one of the ten percent?

Thanksgiving I

You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God . . . 

   - From 2 Corinthians 9

The paradoxes of God, and of truth. 

Blessed are the poor . . . 

The first will be last . . . 

The greatest among you must be your servant . . . 

=====================================

If you want to be thankful, be generous . . . 

You may not be feeling thankful this season. It has been a hard year.

You're tired of not getting ahead financially.

You wish someone would notice you.

You had too many recent losses - divorce, bereavement, illness.

You wish people in the Church would act right. 

You're sick of war, and terrorism, and random violence.

You've had it with politics, and Social Media.

You wish people that cared about the poor, sick, needy, and marginalized, would care about the poor, sick, needy, and marginalized, and not just be attention-seeking Social Justice Warriors. 

Your friends and family let you down.

But that's not the way God set it up. If you're generous, you will be made rich. And out of that, almost unwillingly, you will become thankful. Not just thankful in concept - - - but a sincere, jubilant thankfulness that floats out from you, and infects those around you.

There's plenty to do.  No matter how bad your circumstance, there is someone very close to you, that's worse off. There is someone you can help; something you can do; some problem to fix . . . and you are uniquely gifted to fix it, primarily because you are right there. 

As the old song said "Do what you can where you are."

Show up. Help. Be there. Be outward focused.

And the result will be your best Thanksgiving ever.

Number Your Days

The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty . . . 

 - From Psalm 90

The entire Psalm 90 is rich with wisdom and perspective. It is about the brevity of our lives. It is realistic about our destiny - we are dust. We came from dust, and to the dust we will return. I am called a "child of earth," and so are you. 

Lest we despair, that death is the end of it for all of us, the Psalmist reminds us that a thousand years in God's sight are like yesterday when it's past. So that, although we may die, and dry up and merge back into the ground; it will seem but an instant, when Christ returns and we are resurrected into new bodies.

I get an opportunity today, to reflect on one statement in particular, the one quoted: that we were built to live about 70 years . . . maybe 80 if we're in great shape.

We are, this month, remembering the one year anniversary of the time that we learned that our Dad, Richard Darr, was dying. They found cancer in him, which launched a slow descent which accelerated in March, and in a flash, he was gone.

But he was 84 years old. And the only time, in my memory, that I will ever remember him as "sick," will be the last ten days of his life. He lived almost a generation beyond 70. His father made it to close to 70, as did his mother. 

But he was strong and made it to 80. He was even stronger and made it to 84. And finally, died . . . in a way that kept him cheerful up to the end; that enabled us all to say our goodbyes . . . the way that good men leave us. Quietly. With dignity.

Psalm 90 closes with the words of advice: to number our days, and apply our hearts to wisdom. Not to money. Not to fame. Not to education. Not even to social justice. But to wisdom. And wisdom is valuable because it is rare. It does not reside on Wall Street. Not on Main Street. Not in the Dean's office. Not in the laboratory. Not in the classroom. Not on the stage. Not on the screen. Not even in the pulpit.

Wisdom is rare.

And chances are you are not following it, not really. Not with all your passion, all your certainty, all your intelligence, all your outrage and indignation. No . . . those qualities are evidence that you are probably lacking wisdom. 

So search for wisdom. It takes a lifetime. 

Had Enough

Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, and of the derision of the proud.

 - From Psalm 123

The Psalmist, speaking for the Hebrews, has had enough. David was not the writer of this one. Perhaps someone wrote it during the time of Nehemiah, when the people were being mocked for building a wall.

The on-line dictionary defines "indolent" thus: "wanting to avoid activity or exertion, lazy."

So it's not just any rich people: it's "lazy" people. And people today, in the year 2017, have forgotten that there are different kinds of rich people. Just as no person fits into a neat partisan package. The industrious and charitable rich person is okay. But we don't care about that. We want to hate all rich people. I guess because it's so easy to hate, and blame others for our problems (what indolent poor people do). 

But we know the feeling: doing what's right, but being mocked for it. And of course a great mass of people in the middle of society are going to take the side that results in the least pain. We want to be comfortable. We don't like surprises, and we just want to be left alone. So that, the winner in any society is whatever sliver of a movement wants to work the hardest, get organized, and use the dirtiest tricks to intimidate people. 

Before you know it . . . just a handful of people are left, setting the proper example, doing the right work, and having very little to show for it. 

But in the time of this Psalm, people had had enough. This had been going on for generations. A prosperous and free nation had fallen into decadence and self-absorption, and materialism. When followers of the Lord tried to remind the nation of the values, and the practices, that got them to such a point of comfort, the majority rose up to denounce these troublemakers. 

Why do people do that? Why do they so hate such attitudes as selflessness, self-discipline, and devotion to the Creator? Why do they not care, even if society begins to crumble about them?

Well, that's a point for discussion, and perhaps the readers of this post today will engage with a few of their own comments. 

Had enough?

You're in good company. 

Silver and Gold

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them.

 - From Zephaniah 1

There is a logic to God's Plan . . . it only becomes clear through years of study. Slowly it begins to appear, like an optical illusion, it's contours take shape, and soon it all makes such sense.

God obviously does not value wealth. You're not supposed to seek it, but if you end up with it, you're supposed to give it away. The 80-20 rule works: If only 20% of wealthy people gave away all but what they needed to live on, directly to the poor, there would be no poor. And I would bet that the tithing principle would even work - all it would take is 10% of the wealthy. They could still have big homes, hobbies, and vacations. They could still take care of their future generations. But the poor would cease to be. Why should God take care of everybody, when He has given us the means to?

Of course you should not be ruled by wealth, because "you can't take it with you." But here's another reason: When judgment comes . . . or any disaster, your wealth will not help you. It can't make you immortal. It can't prevent you from finally getting sick to the point of death. It can't make you young again. It can't reverse your youthful indiscretions.

And the concept of charity is not about tax policy and voting for politicians that promise to raise taxes on the wealthy and take care of the poor. I know plenty of people that vote that way, and brag about it, but that live in homes that are too big, and take lavish vacation that most people can only dream of. If you're focused on your own charity, you're not going to even care about politicians and government social programs.

It's very obvious, if you are someone that thinks your wealth is going to save you from judgment. I can see if by the house you live in, the cars you drive, the vacations you take. Yet within your own family, and neighborhood, there are people with desperate needs .Your schools are filled with kids that need one adult to really care about them. Your prisons are filled with angry young men that gave up counting on others. 

Your silver and gold isn't doing any of us any good, really. 

Evil

Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help...

 - From Judges 4

Over and over again, in the Old Testament, we find God's children forgetting everything that had happened before, and departing from His ways. The language is used: "The Israelites did evil . . . "

And, our understanding of evil comes from what God had said, over and over again, what He wished they would do:

* Take care of orphans and widows
* Be hospitable to aliens in their midst
* Be sexually pure

And if they stopped doing those three, for a period of time, God would lose patience and deliver them into the hands of their enemies. God's favor comes with a special portion of His protection. This is the only way to make it, when you're surrounded by enemies.

So we can conclude that, by the time of the Prophetess/Judge Deborah, in Judges 4, that Israel had been letting orphans and widows starve and go homeless (which means they were probably too busy having fun). They were probably practicing the racism of mistreating foreigners in their land (because they had become too selfish), and they were way too loose and libertine with their sexuality (because they were having too much fun and had become too selfish).

That's evil.

Maybe the key to true selflessness is to practice sexual abstinence and overall self-denial.

Ya think?

Maybe there's a reason the three go together. Like the Vulcans of Star Trek: advancement and progress for humanity must go hand in hand with the conquest of one's own drives and hungers. 

Before Deborah came on the scene, though, it says that Israel had suffered for twenty years, under the cruel hand of the Canaanites. Finally, after a generation . . . finally . . . the people cried out to God, to deliver them. He listened, and He did, in the form of a great and courageous leader, Deborah.

It's too bad when you let it get so bad that the entire country joins in prayer to God. A twenty year wait is the same as throwing an entire generation under the bus.

That's selfish.

Delay

As the bridegroom was delayed . . . 

 - From Matthew 25

This may be one of the most unnoticed, but important, little phrases in all of Scripture. It is an essential element in the Parable of the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom was delayed.

At first, those of us that tend to show up to things a little late, can gain some satisfaction from it. Even Christ Himself could be late (wasn't He late when Lazarus died?). If the King of Kings can be late, then it must be okay? 

What could possibly make Christ late? Obviously, He has more important things to do. He's building His Kingdom, He's acting in the lives of millions of people. steering them on the path to eternal life. He's communing with the Father. Perhaps He's building up His reserves for the great Final battle!

But the Son of God can be late if He wants to. He is not obligated to tell us why. And this is part of what faith is all about. Stop pining over "Why has Jesus not returned yet?" Have faith. Live in this moment.

I have a friend that departed from the Christian walk, because of a book he read that built the case as to why Jesus should have returned during the lives of the Apostles. Since He didn't, it was all a lie, and a fraud. But this is silly. Jesus said, right here, to the Twelve, that the Bridegroom will be delayed. And thank God He has been delayed! Every child yet born, will therefore have a chance to enter eternity with us!

I want to stress this point: The Bridegroom will be delayed. And the bridesmaids that did not prepare oil for their lamps are the ones that were not planning for it now, anyway. Over time they got tired and began forgetting that He was coming back.

I look at today. And in less than one generation (two, at most), a tradition that was rich in my own family and church culture, has been all but wiped out, in our malaise. We have gotten so engaged in money-making, entertainment, being cool, being "happy" (which we deserve, right?), taking sides in politics, that we have allowed the Church to become divided and without purpose.

Maybe someone will come along, as King Josiah did, and read some of the old writings about the Return of Christ and all the truths that attend it. Maybe they'll feel a great pain of guilt for letting their forbears down for letting it slip! They'll have to fight a temptation to resent their parents, for not taking it seriously enough.

The Bridegroom is delayed. We should have known about this and lived accordingly.

Therefore

Therefore encourage one another  . . . . 

 - From 1 Thessalonians 4

The word "Therefore" should always have a very important significance. It should be the concluding statement to a set of premises. What are the premises of Thessalonians 4, which lead to the "therefore?" Well here are a few of them:

1. Jesus died and rose again
2. God will bring the dead with Christ at His return
3. The living will be part of this
4. This sequence:
• God will give a command
• The archangel will call out
• A heavenly trumpet will sound
• Christ will descend from above
• The graves will cast out the resurrected dead
• As they rise up to meet the Lord, the living will be carried up with them
• We will live forever

...THEREFORE...

"...Encourage one another!"

There are so many things that church people (including pastors) will say to people to cheer them up, or give them hope. But how frequently do you hear anybody today, when wanting to boost someone's morale, say "Jesus is coming back!"?

In these times, you'd have to go over the sequence listed above, all over again. People just have no reference point for the Return of Christ. But since the days of my youth I have known exactly what it means: "Jesus is coming back!" This means that the dead will be raised, too, and we will live forever!

Eternal life!! With everyone else that has died!! This is Very Good News! This is the essence of the Gospel. When the Apostle Paul wanted to encourage people, what were his premises?

Jesus is coming back!

The dead will be raised to live forever!

That's it!

Not happiness now. Not health care. Not equality. Not housing. Not a college education. 

As important as those things are . . . none of them have anything to do with what should really encourage us. 

Crazy, right?

Of all the things in the sixty-six books of the Bible, that should give us focus and commitment, this is it:

"Jesus is coming back."

Therefore, encourage . . . 

Heavy

Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?

 - From Psalm 43

"Heavy" is a powerful word. It can sound quite poetic. "He ain't heavy . . . he's my brother." Something that is "heavy" is something that is difficult to move, or carry. 

The 43rd Psalm continues a theme that was present in the 23rd Psalm . . . it is about going through troubled times. It talks about things like: When we're already down, why do even worse things happen to us? We are we always kicked, when we're down?

The Psalmist does offer up a smidgen of hope. He is begging God to get him to that place of rest . . . the Psalmist can't wait to praise God for carrying him to safety.

Jesus said that He would carry our yoke for us, and yokes are heavy. Why then, does the Christian walk feel so heavy, so much? Psalm 43 tells us that we are not alone. Always remember that. No matter how bad it gets, remember that Christ has taken it on for us. And even though we remain sick, or battered, or worried, or scorned; we can dig into that reservoir of faith and realize that it really isn't a problem. 

The Psalmist had a limit to his faith. He was not able to place himself in that spot where, no matter what's happening to him, he can be at peace . . . so certain he is, that Christ is there with him. The Apostle Paul was a little better at that; rather than cry out to God to save him, he sang hymns, while wearing shackles in a Roman prison. 

So, two points: We all go through hard times. Even (and probably especially) the heroes of the Bible. The second point is: Jesus really does carry your burden. In the worse of times, somewhere deep within you is a fountain of peace and joy. Find it. I think that the biggest problem is that we forget that, when we need to remember it. 

Life can be unbearably heavy for is. But that's okay.

Price

...its priests teach for a price ...

 - From Micah 3

In Micah, we read a resounding denunciation of corruption in high places. The charges could just as easily be leveled against the modern political Right, as well as the Left. 

I have a deeply-held view, that I have not shared openly, much. It comes from decades observing the political landscape from both sides, and especially from the Center. It is a very cynical view, that conflicts quite harshly with my normal sunny disposition. But if I observe something honestly, that to me is crystal-clear, it is not the same as putting people down, judging others, or expressing disdain for humanity. We need to be able to assess things accurately and candidly, without it being assumed that there is "hate" behind the assertions. Far from it! Love is honest and forthright. Hate hides in the shadows; it buries the truth, at great risk.

It is this: We are motivated, almost totally, by base, selfish instinct. Whether by food, or sexual drive, or money; we choose our path, and our values, according to what we can get in return. And our preference is for things that make us "feel good." Material wealth feels good. Power feels good. 

And then, even deeper than that . . . we want these good feelings because we're insecure. We're afraid of being sick, or cold, or lonely, or marginalized. We want to be liked. We want to be noticed. We want to stand apart. When we don't feel good, we start to dislike ourselves. "I must be a bad person. Nobody likes me. I must be ugly. I deserve more than this."

As George Harrison said: "I, Me, Mine."

But here's the good part - - - the point of today's reflection is not to make us all brood about how animalistic and worthless we are. It's about liberating ourselves from all of that, by at least admitting that it's true. I can affirm this truth, and it not ruin my day. I take it, and then proceed from there. You can't fix what you won't admit is a problem. And the recognition alone can go a long way to making us feel a lot better . . . but in this case: feelings that come from the good side of our spirit: Feelings that are truly loving; feelings that are rooted in eternity, and not in the next chemical rush.

The wealthy and corrupt culture is dominated by people that have a price. "Its priests teach for a price." Teachers and professors are the modern "priests" of this sort; the people tasked with learning. Can it be that the political leanings even of teachers - the most altruistic profession available to us - are driven by what they are paid, and who pays them? What if Conservatives changed their tune, and began advocating vast increases to public school teachers and professors, but said "You're going to have to moderate your message a little bit." 

Is the answer really just to throw money at our problems?

Could be. Money talks. 

Realize, today, that we are driven more by selfishness than we have ever wanted to admit. Even our political views are based on what it will get us in return (some people even declare, out in the open, that they vote according to their own interests. WWJD? I don't think so). 

And having made this observation to yourself, turn the corner and start focusing on others. 

Like . . . really focus on them.

Straight

He put their feet on a straight path.

 - From Psalm 107

From a life of working with all ages, and all types of people, I have seen the problem of distraction, over and over again. We are all subject to it, at some point.

And yet, people that we would call successful, would attribute focus and hard work as being responsible for their success. We know that if we just focus, we will do better. Then, why do we let ourselves get distracted so easily?

A volume of research might be put together, demonstrating the linkage of distraction, to sin.

If we could just stay on a straight path, we would get to our destination sooner. And we would not let ourselves be taken down a wrong road, by snares along the way. And roads are "wrong," because they can lead us to physical, moral, and spiritual harm.

According to the Psalmist, the key must be that we cannot walk the straight path on our own strength. We need God to put our feet on it. He has to place us there. We can't do it ourselves.

We make excuses for our distractions: "This will be more fun." " I can afford to do this for a while." "I deserve this." "It's how I was made." "Everybody deserves to be happy." Etc., etc. 

We know better than God. 

For one week, start each day with the prayer "God, set me on a straight path." And see what happens. 

Second Banana

I will be with you as I was with Moses.

 - From Joshua 3

It's always hard to be the first to follow greatness. Hosni Mubarak had the misfortune of following Anwar Sadat as President of Egypt. True, he lasted decades, while Sadat was assassinated only a few years into his term. But where Sadat was electric and visionary, Mubarak was stale and unimaginative. 

Adams followed Washington. Johnson followed Lincoln. Bush followed Reagan. It's always hard to follow greatness.

When Moses died, the Hebrews must have felt a wave of fear and doubt. How could anybody match up to Moses and his legendary status? But it's interesting . . . . Legendary figures do indeed set the bar very, very high. But visionaries are normally only good at casting the vision and inspiring the people. They are not often very great when it comes to administering and . . . actually . . . running things. 

So God had to keep the people confident, by way of a show of favor and strength to Joshua. And as you read on, you will see that Joshua did, indeed, have some skills as an administrator. But first God had to do something akin to parting the Red Sea, by creating a land bridge across the Jordan River, to get them solidly into Canaan. Interestingly enough, there was a city on the banks of the Jordan, in the area where they crossed, called "Adam." They have returned to a place of beginnings. The name, literally, meant "red." Twice, God has miraculously enabled the Israelites to cross a red sea.

Now God doesn't take care of all leaders, as He did Moses and Joshua. But he does train us, when we need it. The goal always is, eventually to hand off the management of God's people to humans that can do the job. 

If you ever have to follow greatness, especially when you weren't expecting it, remember to pray. That is one position you may find yourself in, where God's help is essential.