There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus                                                                                                                                   Galatians 3:28

Hellenism– A way to understand the world through the use of human reason and intellect

Hebraism – A way to understand the world through that which we cannot explain- mysticism

Each of these viewpoints can take the same phenomenon and explain its cause in a different way.

The great poet, professor, and cultural critic Matthew Arnold wrote an essay titled Hellenism vs. Hebraism in his book Culture and Anarchy (1869). I remember reading the essay in college, and it struck me as an intriguing way to see the world. I suppose my professor would be pleased that one of his assignments stuck with me for over 50 years! 

Arnold explained that there are two world views which dominate our understanding of the world. While this model is somewhat simplistic, I think it helps us to see how our thinking is shaped. The Hellenistic view was inspired by the civilizing Greek culture of antiquity. They emphasized a way to understand the world through the lens of human reason and intellect.

The Hebraic world view allowed for a more mystical way to understand the world- that not all phenomena can be explained simply through reason and logic. Of course, the Hebraic view was that of a Jewish culture that was heavily reliant on a spiritual understanding of life. God was the spirit that animated the world, and that is how we can understand things, even if those things are not explainable through empirical explanation.

Of course, both views have merit, and both need one another to have a fuller understanding of the world. There is a need, especially these days, to embrace world views that are not typically how we may see things. Depending upon where one stands, and the lenses through which we see things, we may have only a partial understanding of a situation. Embracing the possibility of another viewpoint is critical to deeper understanding.

Science alone cannot explain the world. Theology alone cannot explain natural phenomena. Together, we begin to see a more complete picture.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us resources to better understand the world and the Creation you formed, Amen

 My brothers and sisters, do not assault each other with criticism. If you decide your job is to accuse and judge another believer, then you are a self-appointed critic and judge of the law; if so, then you are no longer a doer of the law and subject to its rule; you stand over it as a judge.  Know this, there is One who stands supreme as Judge and Lawgiver. He alone is able to save and to destroy, so who are you to step in and try to judge ?                               James 4:11-12

This passage talks about the many ways that arrogance can rear its ugly head in our thought processes. James uses several examples to let the saints know that they have no right to judge a brother or sister. Often, the Law was used as a way for the “righteous” to determine how others failed in keeping the law perfectly.

James also told the brethren that they were not to slander one another. Slander is defined as: “the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation”. While this is the somewhat narrow definition of the word, I believe that James is not defining slander that narrowly. Rather, I believe that he extends the meaning to “don’t spread gossip about your brother or sister which may bring them harm- you have no right to do so”. The strictest sense of slander is “spreading a falsehood”. I would contend that James would include it wrong to be “spreading any word about another, true or not, which can bring them harm or diminish their character”.

The higher law he invokes is the law of love. The law of love encourages us to build one another up, and to help one another avoid occasions of sin.

James also takes people to task for presuming upon tomorrow. We cannot assume that we will get tomorrow. While we need to plan as if there WILL be a tomorrow for us, it is to be done in the attitude of holding it loosely, knowing that in a moment, God can call us home. So we talk and act in the manner that says, if God gives me tomorrow, it will be His, for His good and for His plans.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your Law of Love, which covers our sins completely. Help us to defend our brothers and sisters by guarding our thoughts and our tongues, Amen.

To understand the life of Jesus, I must first give you some background history, events that occurred when Herod ruled Judea for the Roman Empire. Zacharias was serving as a priest in the temple in Jerusalem those days as his fathers had before him. He was a member of the priestly division of Abijah (a grandson of Aaron who innovated temple practices), and his wife, Elizabeth, was of the priestly lineage of Aaron, Moses’ brother.                                      Luke 1:5 (The Voice Translation)

You, my dear readers, know my love of history. In Luke’s gospel he found it important to give some historical context so that his readers may better know Jesus. I think national histories are also understood better in true context. Today I look at how knowledge of history can influence our future.

In a sequel to his best-selling book the Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell discusses the Jewish Holocaust, among other topics. His latest book, Revenge of the Tipping Point, states that the 1978 NBC miniseries, (Holocaust), became a tipping point for renewed discussion of the Holocaust’s horrors.

Many of us remember that miniseries and its impact. More Holocaust museums opened after that series than ever before. More significantly, the series, when aired in West Germany, sparked a renewed interest in exploration of the dreaded atrocities of the era. Many young Germans saw for the first time a lengthy discussion of the Holocaust and its devastation.  

We tend to set aside many painful historical facts and we replace them with cultural myths. Take for example our own history of Thanksgiving, which has turned into a heartwarming story of Pilgrims and Indians sharing a feast around a large table. The real story was not quite so simple or serene, but cultural myths catch our attention and tend to color or even replace actual historical facts.

We all like a narrative to explain our past. Civilization is replete with such stories, and some of our great literature is based around origin stories and comfortable narratives. A courageous dive into history is important in order to clarify facts. Every nation has bold sagas and uplifting stories of its heritage, and people groups are naturally proud of their origin stories. However, an objective look at history is necessary to gain perspective and guidance for the future.  

We always need to remember that our proud history in the United States is also filled with horror stories from those nations and peoples that we shoved aside or even devastated in our collective belief in Manifest Destiny. Good histories delve into all aspects of history- some of which we love, and some of which we overlook.

So, actual love of country entails an objective look at its history in order to improve its future.

Indeed, the truth of our origins sets us free to make a better future.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage to look honestly at our history in order to protect the future, Amen

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.                                            Matthew 8:3

Immediately after Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, he came down from the mountainside and he was approached by a leper. Leprosy, of course, was a dreaded wasting disease prevalent in the middle east climate. Lepers were avoided, cast out, and left to die in miserable camps outside of cities and villages.

A man with leprosy approached Jesus and knelt before him asking for healing. The fact that the leper approached Jesus at all says first, that he trusted that Jesus could heal him, and secondly, that Jesus would not cast him away like the rest of society. Then Jesus did the provocative and dangerous action – he touched the leper. The leper was healed immediately.

When Jesus moved on to Capernaum, he encountered a centurion who sought Jesus on behalf of his paralyzed servant. The centurion, showing faith far beyond the religious leaders of the time, asked Jesus to heal his servant with “just say the word and my servant will be healed”.

The centurion’s servant was, of course, also healed. The contrast to me is striking. Jesus could have healed that leper the same way- just said the word. But Jesus chose to touch the leper, healing him not only physically, but spiritually and emotionally as well.

What must it have been like for the leper to be touched by another human being? He had been shunned and isolated by a fearful society who had banished him outside of the city walls. Jesus knew that this man needed a touch for healing in so many ways.  

In Jewish law, one who touched a leper became unclean. In the Kingdom Jesus came to usher in, those whom Jesus touches become clean.

Prayer: Lord, help us to reach out to those who need a healing touch, Amen

Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.                                                                                      Proverbs 16:24

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.                                                                    Proverbs 17:22

There is, of course, great wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Even though it was written perhaps 2500 years ago (or so), it contains wisdom that is timeless. In today’s blog, I am looking at the power of words. As the book says, words have the power to lift up a spirit or to crush a spirit. From the same mouth can come blessings or curses.

I note that the passage from Proverbs 16:24 indicates that words are like a honeycomb. Later in the book of Proverbs, it alludes to the fact that a “broken spirit dries up the bones”. While this language is meant to be figurative, I really think that there was an allusion to literal physical health. Depression feels like it goes all the way to the bone. We also know that the health of our very blood manufacturing process takes place in the bone marrow. That marrow in the bones is like…a honeycomb.

So, just maybe, those kind words can “get into our bones”- deep into our soul, and heal us. Maybe it is not such a stretch to say that words can be healing and health-giving. Proverbs tells us that words are health to the body, and that a joyful heart is good medicine.

I’m going with words can literally be healing to one another. The more we use those words of encouragement, the healthier we all are.

Prayer: Lord, you have literally given us the power to heal with our words. Help us to use them wisely, Amen

If you are angry, do not let it become sin. Get over your anger before the day is finished.                       Ephesians 4:26 (New Life Version)

I spoke yesterday about a client who is dealing with anger. Indeed, I see a number of clients who have concerns about their anger. Often, that concern is spawned by a loved one who has experienced that anger. My new client is here because his anger is getting in the way of a relationship.

Anger is an insidious emotion. We all have it and are capable of it- that is part of being human. Managing it well is another story. The first step is to be able to recognize and own our anger. We often mask it, or call it something else. For example, “I’m not angry, I’m just frustrated!”

As I mentioned in a previous blog, frustration is anger, plus a sense of no ability to resolve a situation. It is a sense of feeling powerless. Just being able to articulate that feeling gives one the power over their own emotions- we have recognized it and owned it. It does not resolve the situation, but we have more clarity and therefore a sense of control to some degree.

Another indicator of anger is sarcasm. Sarcasm is socially acceptable anger. Sarcasm is a way to express anger in a humorous way, and therefore to dissipate it more or less harmlessly. Look at comedians who are so successful in expressing inner hurts and anger in this way. They have found a way to monetize their anger!

So, more to come on this topic in the future.

Blessings!

Prayer: Lord, help us to see the times that we are angry and express it properly, Amen

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.             Galatians 5:22-23

I was speaking the other day with a client and we discussed anger control. The truth is, anger control starts long before the precipitating event of the anger, but that is another story. I will get into that in another blog entry.

As we discussed his anger triggers with his wife, we discussed the fact that he needs a brief “pause button”- he suggested 60 seconds, and I think that was good. He knows himself, and if he says 60 seconds, we can go with that. In those 60 seconds, I asked him to do the controlled breathing that I have discussed in this blog before. That controlled breathing consists of four seconds of air intake through the nose; a pause of holding that breath for about five or six seconds; and exhaling slowly through the mouth for about eight seconds.  

In doing this, one takes voluntary control of an involuntary body function (breathing). In other words, he regains control of his body. In so doing, he feels to be in more control of himself. In addition, during that five or so seconds of holding his breath, he is to say a brief prayer for spiritual connection.

Therefore, in those 60 seconds he talked about, he can do this breathing exercise several times. In that span, he has changed his physical state (more oxygen and less carbon dioxide), his emotional state (more peace), and his spiritual state (a quick God connection). He is back in control of his entire self.

So, taking control of breathing can give rise to a sense of more total control of self.

Prayer: Lord, you have made us in marvelous ways. Help us to take care of all parts of ourself, Amen

“You’re a good man, Charlie Brown”  

Charles Schulz                                                                                                                                                             Twenty-five years ago today, February 12, 2000, comic strip artist Charles Schulz died. He was, of course the creator of the beloved comic strip Peanuts. He was known for iconic characters such as Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and a host of other charming visitors.

He was also known for the famous TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. That show, simple yet charming, had the boldness to devote a lengthy segment to the reading of the birth of Jesus as told in Luke chapter two. Schulz resisted some network efforts to cut that segment from the special. He noted that this beautiful story is the essence of why we celebrate Christmas. The segment stayed.

The comic strip Peanuts helped to bring some humor and human kindness into everyday life. As I was thinking about this, it reinforced the idea that no matter our profession, our position in society, or our own sense of influence (or lack of it), we all have a way to make our society just a little better, a little more humorous, a little kinder.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the little things in life that make us smile, Amen

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”                                                                  Luke 18:1-5

In the book of Luke chapter 18, Jesus told a parable about a “persistent widow” to illustrate God’s response to prayer. In the parable, he told of a judge who was apparently a pretty aloof and uncaring person. In the story, the poor widow hounded him continually to seek justice from an adversary. The judge, tired of her constant pleas, and in order to get rid of her, finally granted her request.

The judge in this story was simply interested in saving himself from a woman who bugged him day and night. He responded to her not because he was interested in right judgment, but because he wanted to be unburdened of her requests. Jesus had told this parable to illustrate to his disciples that they should “pray and not give up”.

The point of this parable is not a comparison between God and the judge. It is a contrast between God and the judge. Jesus was instructing that we should indeed continue to pray and not give up, but the idea is not to somehow change the mind of a reluctant giver. It is to illustrate that we are praying to a God who is willing and able to grant our requests. We are encouraged to continue to seek God in the process.

Does God answer all our requests the way we would like, and when we would like? No, he does not. Does he hear and want to give us what is best for us?

Yes, he does.

Prayer: Lord, we trust in your provision for us, Amen

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day            Genesis 32.24

We are called to live in radical love with a broken world. We are called to love others who do not show that same love to us. We are called to speak truth to power at times when that may not be understood. So yes, we are called to wrestle.

What is the alternative? To avoid the suffering of others? To simply live in our own safe spaces? Indeed, many people in the world do not have such safe spaces. We are called to be living out a love for people in ways that we have been uniquely equipped by the Creator.

So, my friends, what is the wrestling that you need to do?

Prayer: Lord, how would you be calling us to wrestle with you today? Amen