However, Christ has given each of us special abilities—whatever he wants us to have out of his rich storehouse of gifts.                                                                                                                    Ephesians 4:7 (Living Bible)

I was recently speaking with a client about a quote from Michelangelo – “I created a vision of David in my mind and simply carved away everything that was not David.” I so liked this quote because it was at once an indication of his humility and his creative imagination. What an amazing way to conceptualize the genius that God had given to him!

God gives us talents and gifts and our job is to give them back to him. We do that by benefitting the world with those gifts, recognizing that they are not ours, but simply gifts that we are entrusted as stewards.

No matter what gifts or abilities we have, our job is to develop them, then use them for the benefit for those whom we serve. I think this is how we can best honor God. By giving back to Him, through the service to others, the full manifestation of the gifts that we have been given. Yes, we are often compensated by others for those gifts, but we must always recognize where those gifts came from, and use them accordingly.

Prayer: Lord, we gratefully recognize that we all have been given gifts given by the Creator, Amen.

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds                             Luke 12:24

As I have mentioned before, I feed birds- and secondarily squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, ducks, and possibly a whole phylum of animals. Who knows who eats in my yard? The point is, I find it to be fun and entertaining to feed God’s creatures. It makes me think of the fact that they have no idea where the food comes from, they just know to show up and eat it.

In some ways, we eat off the land too. The process of how food comes about – the intricate chemistry of photosynthesis, the habits of the animals that we eventually consume as protein, are in many ways still unknown to us. Yes, we can produce crops, raise domestic animals, and even hunt wild animals for food, but the intricacies of nutrition are still being uncovered by humans.

So, I take the provision of my daily sustenance, my “daily bread” if you will, as being produced by God in ways that I do not fully understand. That is what sort of levels the playing field for me with the animals I feed. We are all simply grateful consumers in many ways!

Prayer: Lord, you provide for your creation in marvelous ways, Amen

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.               Colossians 4:6

I recently met with a couple who have trouble communicating without talking over one another and becoming defensive. They love one another, but they both have a seemingly urgent need to get their point across, and this leads to arguments, hurt and distance. They hold resentments for several reasons, but part of that is feeling disrespected and not heard by the other.

I have observed this over the sessions we have had, and I have suggested that they write one another letters. When they are talking, they are too busy formulating their responses and defensive stances. They fail to hear one another. Also, in the heat of the discussion, emotions overcome cognition, and the discussion becomes much more emotional than rational. Neither feels heard, and each ends up frustrated and angry. We then have a full circle of failed communication.

I suggested that they write letters to one another to articulate their point of view. Writing “slows the train down” to the point that each one can put forth a more compelling, rational viewpoint. Each have reasonable point to be expressed, but that gets lost in the heat of the moment. Excess energy produces both light and heat. I suggested that they need more light than heat when they are communicating.

So, maybe because it is because I am a writer that I like this form of communication. Writing out a letter to the other person allows us to get better control of our emotions, and gives us the luxury of editing the final product. When we have gone over exactly what we want to say, we can deliver it to the other, and let them marinate a bit on the response before formulating a defensive retort.  

I understand that we cannot always write out what we want to say, but slowing down the process allows us to have a more reasoned, and often more compassionate response rather than a “shoot from the hip” response that may be harsher than we intend.  

Prayer: Lord, help us to take the time to truly hear one another, Amen

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10

I often give homework to clients that involves taking a few moments during the day for some self-awareness. Just take the time to be still and reflect. It begins by taking control of breathing – inhale 4 seconds through the nose, hold the breath about 4-5 seconds, and exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 or 9 seconds. Do this several times until you feel relaxed, having expelled more of the carbon dioxide which has built up.

Then, just think about how you are feeling at that moment. Be honest with yourself, you need not share it with anyone else if you don’t want to. Become aware of the feelings you may have. Are they negative feelings in the moment? Angry, scared, hurt, sad, frustrated? etc.

Then just accept that those are real feelings in the moment. Perhaps you feel none of those things. Maybe you are feeling happy, grateful, excited, loving. Just be in touch with what is happening at the moment.

Then decide, “what do I want to do with that feeling?” Do I want to record it like a journal entry?  Do I simply want to be aware of my current state and accept it? Is there something that I could/should do with such a feeling?

Just the honest awareness of our current state is healing. There may or may not be anything that one can do at that moment, but the honest reflection allows us to feel control of our current state. That alone is a healing moment.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of presence and self-awareness, Amen

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’                                       Luke 10:27

Our pastor gave an excellent sermon yesterday about reason and faith. His point was that God expects us to pursue Him with our whole selves – with our heart, with our soul, with our strength and with our mind. I do not think that blind faith honors God. He asks us to use the entirety of ourselves to seek him, including our questioning and even doubting minds. Indeed, without doubt, there is no need for faith.

Our pastor pointed out that loving God with all our strength is embodied by loving and serving others. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, came from a university setting, Oxford in England, home of many great scholars. The idea that we can embrace knowing God with our minds and our reason is an especially pleasing concept to me. The God of creation is the God of science- he created it too, by making humans curious and sentient.

We pursue God in every way, and we are blessed by the pursuit.  

Prayer: Lord, we are blessed with creative and curious minds that seek you in all ways, Amen

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens                                                                         Ecclesiastes 3:1

This week, many kids are returning to school. Yes, it is the middle of August, but school beckons, whether children are ready or not. Of course, back in the Dark Ages when I attended school, summer recess was over the day after Labor Day. We returned to school that Tuesday, and the rhythm of life that is the school year had begun.

The school calendar rhythm stays with us long after our school days. We often tend to see September as the start of new programs, new routines, etc. Then the Fall activities come into play and we are reassured of the routines of life that silently guide us.

So, my friends, welcome again to the reassuring routines of the “school year”. There is a season for everything, and this Fall season is upon us, despite August weather, heat and some lingering vacations. Let’s gear up for another “school year”, knowing that football, Thanksgiving, and the Holiday season cannot be far behind!

P.S for some Americans who are anticipating this seasonal event too- pumpkin spice season is coming close! 😊

Prayer: Lord, we are grateful for your seasons of life, and seasons of the year, Amen

 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.     Philippians 2:3-4

I first became aware of Buck O’Neil when I watched the marvelous Ken Burns series on PBS about the grand game of baseball. Buck O’Neil was a Negro League player and manager, and he became the first African-American coach in Major League Baseball in the 1960’s with the Chicago Cubs.

He should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 with other Negro League greats, but instead, he gave a powerful speech about the inductees without any reference to his own snub. Buck O’Neil was able to celebrate the success of others with grace and joy.

He had his own credentials for induction, and finally received that honor later – much overdue. It is very sad to me when people do not get to experience the joy of being rightly honored in their lifetime. How might he have felt if he had been able to stand at the dais and make the acceptance speech for his own induction?

Yet, he loved the opportunity to see those whom he helped to prosper. He helped to establish the Negro League Hall of Fame in Kansas City, a shrine I visited a few years ago.

Buck O’Neil, a victim of Jim Crow racism found a way to overcome hatred with love of others. I think he embodies Paul’s words in Philippians above. Buck O’Neil loved his God and fellow man. That is the best tribute one can have.

We love you Buck O’Neil!

Highlight, then click on this link below to see the great speech and warm embrace he gave to the crowd in 2006…

 The Greatest Thing – YouTube

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.                                                                                                                           Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)

Have you ever heard of Norman Borlaug? Neither had I. Funny how we often do not hear of the news that is the most uplifting and world changing. It turns out that Mr. Borlaug had a lot to do with the “Green Revolution” of the 1950’s and 60’s which helped to turn much of the world’s arable land into productive, food producing land due to his meticulous research. His work with making hybrid wheats likely has saved tens of thousands, perhaps millions, of people from starvation. He won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

Every day we are inundated with bad news. You need not look far for pain, misery and doom. That is because news essentially singles out such stories because they are both sudden and newsworthy. Bad news arises quickly, generally, and it grabs headlines.

Good news, on the other hand, is with us all the time, and it is not, therefore, newsworthy. It is not “breaking news”, it is normal life. For example, the fact that there is less starvation now worldwide than ever in history, is not newsworthy. Partly, that is also due to the fact that it is hard to celebrate less starvation when starvation still exists in the world.

We cannot blame news media for this phenomenon. News is made up of events that are new, interesting, and important. The fact that there are wildfires and hurricanes happening is absolutely true. Those events are devastating in real time to thousands of people, and it is important to note.

At the same time, there are many, many things and events in the world that are good news, but they are swallowed by other pressing events. That is simply a matter of life. We need to remember however, the important fact that there are many incredible achievements that go unnoticed.

People like Norman Borlaug.

Prayer: Help us remember your grace and provision for us, even in the midst of bad news, Amen

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.               Acts 10:34-35

Western culture is centered around the individual. Eastern culture tends to be more focused on the community. Of course these are large generalizations, but these concepts provide a fascinating look at how we see the world.

As a student in the American educational system in the 50’s and 60’ and into the 70’s, I learned a history that tended to focus on “western civilization”. We had very little exposure, in grade school and high school to Eastern and Asian culture. Consequently, I still have a real deficit in my education. I see the world through “western eyes”.

In terms of spiritual ramifications, I note that when western Christians tried to evangelize other parts of the world, the “individualized” western worldview seemed to emphasize personal salvation, versus community salvation. I believe that each individual must make their own decision about where they stand with God, but this emphasis on individualization caused a bit of a blind spot for the evangelizers.   

For example, in some Native American tribes, there was difficulty in understanding how God could be understood in personal terms versus a collective or tribal way. God would be seen as Nature which provided for the tribe which lived off the land. Personal salvation was a difficult concept. Indeed, personal property ownership of land was also a new concept. The land was what provided for the tribe, not the individual.

I bring this up to consider how we look at people who see the world differently than us. Culture helps form the way we see the world. Christians believe that God has manifested himself in the form of Jesus, coming to Earth as a man. The Bible states that there is only one way to God, through Jesus. While there is one way to God, there are a lot of ways to find Jesus. Jesus can be found in many different ways. Let’s not limit the ways of finding Jesus through our own cultural lens. We cannot set the formula for how people find Jesus. We need to be open to the creativity that God has which is beyond our capacity to understand.

Prayer: Lord, you have created us in your image, but diverse and beautiful in our own way, Amen 

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.      Luke 15:1-2

This verse struck me when I was reading it the other day. It seems that the tax collectors and sinners were interested in what Jesus had to say. Interesting that the Pharisees were there too, but only as critics, not followers.

Those who were outcasts, judged by others, found comfort in hearing the words of Jesus. They seemed to know that Jesus was not interested in casting them away. They had heard the stories of his acceptance, healing, and words of comfort and reconciliation. After all, what is it that sinners and tax collectors had in common? They were outcasts, hated and judged by the community. They needed acceptance and forgiveness.

There is an old saying, “People need love the most when they are the least lovable.”  We need acceptance and forgiveness at exactly the times we are least lovable. Following Jesus sounds like a place of comfort in a difficult time.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the love and acceptance you extend through your son, Amen