I saw on the news the other day that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) had raided a warehouse in North Bergen, New Jersey. I said to my wife while watching, “I have friends in North Bergen! Indeed, I have had many faithful readers from this city, and I was heartbroken to see the intrusion into the lives of people who were simply going about their business. Many people were terrified. Even students on their way to high school were stopped and questioned.

People have their views on immigration, and immigration enforcement. I understand that and I respect it. However, the intimidation and terror sparked by this, and other ICE raids is chilling. Indeed, I believe that it is meant to be chilling by this administration.

The issue of immigration is one that can and should be dealt with in a bipartisan legislative manner. The failures of the past to do this lies on both political parties. However, the process now in place, mass roundups and deportations, even to third countries far from where immigrants originated is, in my opinion, simply wrong.

We can and must do better as a country. Period.

My word to my friends in North Bergen- you are not alone. Many Americans, both Republican and Democrat, recognize the cruelty that you are experiencing. We are with you, we care about you, and we pray for you.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.                                                                                                                    Philippians 4:8

We are deep into the election season, and, of course, the political ads are terrible, and mostly not true or they are at least deceptive. Many of my clients mention a sense of despondence, sadness, and general unease with the current political situation. I too find myself more upset and irritable at times given the steady barrage of dismal news that we hear from most news outlets, regardless of political slant.

We often watch CBS network news at 6:30PM and the last segment is called The Good Stuff. They end the news with a brief human interest story that is encouraging and hopeful. I like that idea!

I have been encouraging my clients to find a zone of peace and serenity wherever they can find it. I have restricted my consumption of political news in the late evening, choosing to end my day without the rattles of political fallout. I read my current book, (a good history of early American settlers and their effect on our culture) and hope to get drowsy and fall asleep. It generally works well. I have suggested to those clients that they find books or shows which are heart-warming, humorous, and/or encouraging. They typically report better sleep and more positive attitudes.

So, my friends, we need to look for the places and resources that build us up. There is plenty of bad news out there, but there is also a wealth of good stories if we just take the time to look.

Prayer: Lord, help us to find the things that build us up, Amen

Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose                                                                                       Proverbs 18:21 (The Message)

In thinking about the subtle nuances of communication, I was reminded of a bit from an old TV show. So, let’s get into the “Wayback Machine” and travel back to the 1950’s.

Some of you of a certain age will remember the Dobie Gillis Show. It was about a young man named Dobie Gillis, and it featured his friends, notably his best pal and hippie forerunner Maynard G. Krebs. Back then, they were called “Beatniks”, but I digress.

Dobie was always at odds with his father, often over money. Dobie had no money, and his father had little himself. One time, Dobie was explaining to Maynard (yes, it was Bob Denver, aka “Gilligan” from you know what show) the absurdity of an idea that Maynard had about Dobie borrowing money from his father. Dobie broke it down like this:

“Me borrow money from my father?” stated Dobie. “None of that makes any sense Maynard. Think about that sentence. Emphasize each word and you will see how impossible that is.”   

 ME borrow money from my father?  (Maybe someone else, not me); Me BORROW money from my father? (Maybe steal it, but he would never lend it to me); Me borrow MONEY from my dad? (maybe something else, but never money); Me borrow money from MY dad? (maybe I could borrow money from your dad, but not mine); Me borrow money from my DAD? (maybe mom, but never dad).

The meaning and nuance of the sentence changes with every emphasis on a different word. A fun lesson in how we determine meaning from even the emphasis on a syllable or word.

So, communication is dependent upon a lot of things, including where we put our emphasis. Words are important, and even the emphasis we place on that word. In this day of lots of words, and attributions of meaning of every nuance of the word, we need to be careful about our words. They give life, and they can diminish it. Let’s make sure our words are used to build up, not tear down.

Prayer: Lord, help us guard our words, their meaning, and their intent, Amen.

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.   Philippians 2:9-11

Those are the words that came from the lips of early Christians- “Jesus is Lord!” Those are also the words that caused many of them to die a martyr’s death. Why?  Because in the Roman Empire, one was supposed to name Caesar as lord. It had become the practice that, as a matter of loyalty and submission, people in the Roman Empire would need to acknowledge that Caesar was lord. This began with Caesar Augustus and carried forward from that time. This concept carried through for centuries, in some form, even into the 18^th century when the issue of the “Divine Right of Kings” finally tumbled to the idea of democratic government by the people.

The Romans were a very practical people. They had conquered large tracts of Europe and Asia Minor, and later even into England up to Hadrian’s Wall which separated England from the warrior Scots and Picts to the north. They tolerated many different religions and pagan practices, and assimilated those people into the Empire- as long as they would also recognize that Caesar was lord. This was a way to enforce submission and loyalty to a powerful empire.

Those troublesome Christians, however, would only recognize Jesus as the Lord of all. They would not recognize Caesar as lord- that was reserved for Jesus alone.

We see from the start that Christianity and Empire did not do well together. Only after 312 A.D. when Emperor Constantine declared that the Empire would move forward as a Christian Empire did the persecution of Christians stop. Unfortunately, when Christianity and Empire are aligned in power, each boosting the other, both lose their power.

So, my friends, we see that empire cannot enforce Christianity upon its people, and Christianity must stand as a moral mirror to the actions of Empire. Both government and Christianity can exist together, and even thrive, when each knows its limits and its mission.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see your plans as to how we can thrive in the world, Amen

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.                                                                    Jeremiah 31:3

While cutting the grass yesterday – yes cutting the grass!- I listened to good old Pandora music. I heard so many great songs on the Petula Clark station that I curated. One of them was her classic “My Love”. When I was listening to the refrain lyrics, it occurred to me that this was a pretty good summary of how God loves us.  Here are the words:

My love is warmer than the warmest sunshine

Softer than a sigh

My love is deeper than the deepest ocean

Wider than the sky

My love is brighter than the brightest star

That shines every night above

And there is nothing in this world

That can ever change my love

So, those of you of a certain age will not only read these words, you will sing them, because you can’t help yourself. Insert the idea that this is God’s song to you.

It will make your day…

Prayer: Lord, your love for us is just like that! Amen

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control                           II Timothy 1:7

There once was an old radio show titled Information Please. It was a question-and-answer show that later grew into an almanac of the same name. The show answered the questions called in by curious listeners who wanted specific information on a variety of topics. The title still has resonance with many people of a certain age.

I recently spoke with some clients in couples counseling. The wife has pretty high levels of anxiety, and she gets stressed with even a minimal level of uncertainty. In other words, people with high levels of anxiety need lots of information in order to lower that anxiety. People who have higher levels of anxiety do not like surprises. They like to plan for events that might be upsetting. Hence, the need for a lot of information.

Generally speaking, the higher level of information in a matter allows for more control. More control means lower anxiety. Control is not a bad thing- we all want it, let’s be honest. However, there are many things which we cannot control, and that allows our mind to fill in the unknown blanks, and often to predict some dire consequence of a situation.

I talked with my clients about this concept, and he understood that the more he can give her information about a situation, the calmer she will feel. She would like a plan of action for certain future actions, and, having that information, she will feel relief.

By understanding her needs, the husband can better help her to deal with her anxiety, giving her some relief, and giving both a more peaceful household.

Prayer: Lord, you have created us to be curious and inquisitive. Give us patience when we do not have all the answers, Amen 

 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property Matthew 19:21-22

The passage above is the response Jesus gave to the rich young man who asked him about gaining eternal life. The young man had already given his bona fides about keeping the commandments, so Jesus went right to the heart of the matter- literally. He told the young man to use his riches to help those who could not help themselves. Jesus was looking for a heart that loves people, not simply a follower of the commandments.

This makes me think of the situation today where there is a small percentage of people who own a large percentage of the nation’s wealth. The question for these people is not “how much do you have”, but rather “how much will you keep?” Many people in America today have wealth far beyond need. Indeed, our capitalist society has been incredibly successful in making an economy that could never have been dreamed of in earlier ages. Yet, that same question remains about our heart condition. How much of our wealth do we keep, and how much do we give away?

Jesus is always interested in our heart. Is it directed toward the needs of others, or do we look away and hoard our wealth?

Prayer: Lord, you look upon the heart of people. Help us to do the same as we look at ourselves, Amen

Never tire of loyalty and kindness. Hold these virtues tightly. Write them deep within your heart Proverbs 3:3

We have been slowly losing the virtue of civility in American society. Clearly, we are not seeing it in the highest elective offices in the country. I worry about the deep cultural changes that have speeded up the loss of this important virtue. In the past we had seen civility modeled by our leaders, but now, anger and retribution have replaced civility, compassion and empathy.

I even look for civility in little actions-like taking an extra few steps to put the shopping cart in the cart corral at the grocery store. Maybe it is just taking the trash in your hand and depositing it in a garbage can rather than littering.

Little actions build upon themselves, and they help us to define who we are. If we act like a kind, caring person to our fellow community members, we begin to see ourselves as that way, and it starts a strong, upward cycle which reinforces itself.

On a little larger scale, it may be showing tip generosity to restaurant servers, volunteering at a church or service organization, or donating blood at the local Red Cross or blood center. These are just some examples of civic and social responsibilities that one might expect of their fellow citizens which make life a little better for all.

We are, perhaps, the most educated society in the world. Higher education is available to almost all in our society, yet education is not the answer to civility.  Education does not ensure that virtue is inculcated into our daily life. That is the province of families who love their children and teach them to love others. Teaching those values and virtues is critical in maintaining a society that can sustain itself, and indeed to touch positively the more vulnerable members of that society.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be aware of ways to show kindness and civility to others, Amen

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”                                                                                      Luke 4:18-19

We are in the middle of a mid-term election campaign in the United States, and we find there the most outrageous actions by our politicians. Many are racing to “out-Christian” their opponent, claiming that their Christian bona fides are better than their opponent. Some candidates are even trying to challenge their opponent on theology. You know, in essence asking, “who has the better Christian doctrine?”

I liked the older style of electioneering when candidates talked about issues such as the economy, foreign policy, public safety, taxes, etc. Now we hear vile attacks on the opponent, half-truths, and labels, smearing the opponent as a “communist” or an evil person who hates America.

A steady diet of such transparently baseless and destructive rhetoric demeans us all. First, we know most of what is said about the other candidate is likely not true, or at least lacking context. More corrosive is the takeaway that all people running for elective office are incompetent and evil. It slowly destroys the belief in critical institutions and the electoral process itself.

In a democracy, we have very different viewpoints, both sides deserving some attention. Compromise then becomes a necessary process of governance. The current level of vitriol we now see vilifies the opponent, and makes compromise seem impossible, even destructive.

My prayer is that people see beyond such destructive rhetoric and recognize that political rivals are opponents, not enemies. We need this distinction to be able to live together after the election results.

Finally, remember that Jesus was crucified because he defied empire. He came to deliver good news to the poor and healing for people. Empires always require submission. They exercise power for the sake of power. Jesus came to give dignity and relief for the powerless.

 Let’s remember that.

“I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”                                                                                        Abraham Lincoln, (excerpt from his first inaugural address)

These words were spoken by Abraham Lincoln, the revered and possibly the best of our Presidents, along with George Washington. He spoke these words on the eve of the Civil War. He was desperately hoping to appeal to the “better angels of our nature” in order to avert such a disaster. He trusted that perhaps by exhorting his people, a calamity might be avoided. It did not work.

In these difficult times in America, we again exhort those better angels to prevail in strange political times. Just last week, the Secretary of Defense announced that there would be a public execution of a mass murderer, by firing squad, on live streaming media. Civilized countries do not do such things. When we celebrate violence as a society we diminish the culture.

This harkens back to actions of ancient empires that needed to exercise ultimate power with a show of ultimate public violence. I am hoping that there can still be an appeal to the “better angels of our nature” to stop such a travesty from taking place.

Prayer: Lord, give us the wisdom to deal justice in a meaningful manner, Amen