Caring VIII

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap . . . 

 -  from Malachi 3

If I could only be like a refiner. Or like soap, to others. If only I could sear the rough edges of their spirit, and incinerate away the blemishes, and the imperfections. It would be great to be able to cleanse the impurities from another person - to wipe away their mistakes from the past, that linger deep in their souls until the end of their lives!

Fire presents a horrific agony to its subjects. I can only imagine the shrieks of horror, heard just outside the smelter's oven; that is, if his handiwork is people. Strong soap, harsh soap, the kind that can eat away stains once thought permanent, is also corrosive to flesh. Some soaps may leave the skin intact while removing the stain, but the pain involved may still be toxic to the point of death.

It's hard to get to perfection without hard work and pain. A skilled artisan may use harsh chemicals and a flaming furnace, to get raw material to a finished product of beauty.

Maybe that's why we resist God so much. You resist what hurts or makes you uncomfortable. 

Cats resist a bath.

Kids resist vegetables.

Married couples resist therapy (and end up divorced).

And we resist the refining fires, and fuller's soaps, of the Lord we claim to serve. 

(So we'd better check again, on our use of the word "resist.")

And yet, if I really cared for you . . . really cared for you . . . I would somehow get you to pass through the fire, and allow yourself to be washed, so that you could be pure, free, and perfect. 

But I don't. I don't like being told I'm "mean." Or thought of as "hateful." I like seeing people smile. I do not want to be the source of pain and agony for others . . . even if it's exactly what will turn them around, and make them whole, happy, and successful. 

Perhaps this idea of "caring" is not what we think?

Caring VII (SA)

One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God,

 - From 2 Samuel 23

King David set the mold for God's Kingdom. 

The Nation Israel became the paradigm of what the eternal Kingdom of God will be like. It was prosperous, and its people had a quality of life that was unsurpassed ever since. They were at peace, and justice reigned supreme. 

King David established this expectation - - - The Kingdom of God is what we dream about. 

Any nation that is strong and prosperous, and that values freedom for its people, gets a taste of God's eternal Kingdom. 

The Law of Moses would be practiced, and a taste of what God promised, through His prophets, would be the result.

God, Who is a God of Love, is a God Who cares. And the way for God to care is to have everything written down, and in order. It turns out, that God is very logical. He has given us His wishes, via the written Word. He has given us a logical process: If x, then y.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

He will hear. He will forgive. He will heal.

God cares, because He hears.

These social justice themes are present throughout the Old Testament: Fairness and caring, primarily. But they go hand-in-hand with following God: being pure; respecting authority; and being loyal. 

David showed us how it's done. And Christ was the eternal fulfillment. Our King cares. And He starts with the Word of God. 

Caring VI (SA)

For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

 - From John 18

It's hard to make sense of the world today; hard to understand what people are actually advocating. 

On the one hand, we want justice. But not just any justice. We want social justice.

But on the other hand, we want people to have what they "deserve." All children deserve and education. All people deserve health care. All asylum seekers deserve entry. All people deserve to vote. All veterans deserve all basic needs: housing, healthcare, a job. 

But on the other hand, we want active management of the climate. It is a top priority. 

But on the other hand, we want all people to be treated with respect and dignity, unconditionally.

But on the other hand, we want people silenced that disagree with us. 

But on the other hand, we want no borders.

But on the other hand, we want strict barriers placed around countries like Russia. 

But on the other hand, we want to make decisions according to Science. 

But on the other hand, we want to make sure we don't hurt any feelings.

Now . . . 

I had a professor of an advanced writing class at the University of Michigan, in 1979. I had used the phrase "On the other hand," in my narrative. He wrote in the margins, in red ink:

"NO! You must have two hands!!"

Because I had not written "On the one hand."

But here I just violated that rule (and it's a good one), by giving myself nine hands!

But really . . . we have so many options, so many viewpoints, so many needs, so many resources, so many choices, so many demands . . . and so little time!!

Are we supposed to check our privilege? Or attend the best colleges and universities? Must we do our charitable work out in the open, or anonymously, or vicariously, through how we vote?

On Christ the King Sunday, we go to the Gospel lesson from the Book that begins "In the Beginning was the Word" (Logos). Or idea of God. Or His plan. Or his narrative. God's Word is more real than we are. It says that the word, or truth of God, was God Himself . . . and that the Truth became a man: Jesus. 

We somehow miss all of that. The gospel of John is about Truth. Facts. Wisdom. A Plan. A Process. An idea. And it got written down, first in old testament scrolls. And then in the Person of Christ. And then on our hearts.

After all has settled down, and we have gotten completely overwhelmed with all of modern society's demands on us, to do this, be that, stop this, and start that - - - to check this, and own that - - - all of that Truth and Science ends up getting boiled down to One Person: Jesus Christ. 

When asked if He were the King of the Jews, has answer was that He came to testify to the Truth. And that people that follow the Truth hear His voice. 

Science? Justice? Truth? Wisdom?

Just simplify all of that and follow Christ. 

Caring V (SA)

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone . . . 

 - From 1 Timothy 2

We talk a lot about how to care for others. We're supposed to have a heart for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, the unemployed, the suffering, the bereaved, the underprivileged, the unclothed, etc.

And how do we manifest this care? Well, usually, by announcing the name of the politician for whom you will vote, or have voted. 

That's it. I have a bumper sticker for Candidate A. Therefore, I care. And it's not enough that I care. I care more than you. 

But why are we supposed to care so much? 

I think the reasons are numerous. But I think the most honesty answer is that we all had a period in our life - a fateful period - where we felt like we were not receiving the care we should be receiving. We were mistreated unfairly by someone. Someone was mean to us. We decided to become someone that "cares." But not only that . . . we will make sure that people know that we care. 

We're also supposed to kind of mock the idea that prayer is an important way to help others. 

The Apostle Paul writes about the first thing, the priority - - - supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings - - - is what we should do first.

But how does that help? Okay so here's a starving person. Shall I pray for him, only?

Not exactly. The prayer process, done first, focuses our minds on the needy person. 

It focuses us on the face, the name, the particular need, of the person - the individual - the live human. 

How can we pray for people we don't know? Our first focus us to pray for them - - - and the only people we can really pray for, are people that we know. And then notice that the people we don't know, for whom we should pray, are our leaders. 

Are we people that care? Then let us be people that pray; and then let us be people that start with the ones we know. 

Caring IV (SA)

He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap . . . 

 - From 1 Samuel 2

"To care" is different than "to love."

Brotherly love is a great feeling, in which you have a synergistic relationship with someone else. You love them like a brother - - - there is a bond in which you enjoy spending time together. You like the same activities.

Romantic love is selfish. (Let's face it). You become romantically involved with someone because you desperately hope for some benefits.

But you can't truly care for someone else, without there being some sacrifice on your part. To care means to put yourself out, expecting little to nothing in return. It is the truest form of love. It is godly love.

So that, if we want to be people that care for others, we want to love as God loves.

God seems to have a special passion for the needy, the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the poor. He promises that they will be lifted up . . . they will live like royalty. And we know this is the case in eternity.

But what is expected of us, in this life? You can't count on taxes and government to lift the station of the poor. You have to do it yourself, personally, sacrificially.

If you say you care . . . if you value caring for others . . . and you don't care for others, yourself, then your values are vain and ineffectual. Putting up yard signs for politicians that "care" is not how it's done. Go find a poor person and make sure they are better off at the end of the day, than they were on the morning that you found them. Invest in them. Work with them. Share with them. House them.

This is really what it takes. The world's problems disappear if just a few of us start doing this.

But if you don't, then please don't act like your political talk and votes are the same as caring.

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.