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.  You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.                  Acts 10:34-36

Yesterday was June 19^th. It is the new American national holiday, Juneteenth, which celebrates the date in 1865 when thousands of African-American slaves in Texas found that they had finally been set free. Many of my international readers may not be aware of this event, and indeed, until somewhat recently, a fair number of Americans probably were not well aware of it either.

It was not taught in the schools I attended, and I was about 21 years old when I learned about the significance of that event. My work partner was an African-American woman who explained to me this date, this celebration, as a part of Black culture.

American slavery is not a subject that White America wanted to discuss or make efforts to remember. In fact, the less it was discussed, the less guilty we felt. However, I think it is important to remember the past, not to simply feel guilty, but to understand ourselves and our country in context and in fact. We need to remember that African-Americans, and the indigenous peoples of America suffered greatly as the North American continent was slowly absorbed into an American culture that favored certain ethnic and racial groups over the years.

Yes, America was known as the “Great Melting Pot”, but that was a nice concept that often did not really ring true. Certain groups were favored over the years, and certain people groups were systematically excluded. That is the simple truth.

 So, as Christians, we celebrate the value of people in God’s eyes- that he loves everyone, and is no discerner of people. We are human and we fail in this concept, reverting to our tribal mentality which unfortunately can triumph over total acceptance of others, especially if they do not look like us.

Let us celebrate the beauty of diversity, and use holidays like Juneteenth to do that very thing every year.

Prayer: Lord, you have made us different, but equally important to you- you love us without distinction, Amen

Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity                           Proverbs 20:28 (The Message)

I recently spoke with a young man who was asking about leadership, and the best ways to be a leader to his young family. I appreciate the heart of this young man, and we discussed his temperament, and the need to be genuine to who he is, and not try to assume a type of leadership role that is not congruent to who he is. Leaders come in all types of style, and his job is to lead with integrity based on who he is.

I further talked to him about the basic decision that leaders need to make. It is based upon the question, “For whose benefit is this?” Leaders make decisions based upon the needs of their family, not primarily their own desires.

Finally, I spoke with him about his own disciplines. I told him that one cannot lead others without leading themselves. In other words, a person has to be able to make good personal decisions about their own health, their emotional state and their spiritual state before they are fit to lead others.

The fact that he asked this question shows me that this young man is going to be a fine leader. I am happy to see that.

Prayer: Lord, give us the wisdom to be the leaders you would have us to be in our family, Amen

A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well.” The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.                                   Mark 5:25-29

We recently heard a sermon at church about the time that Jesus healed a woman who had been hemorrhaging for 12 years. We do not know the cause of this, but she possibly had some complication of menopause. The point is, when women were menstruating, they were considered unclean, and she would not have been able to enter the Temple. Indeed, according to Jewish law, whomever she touched would also be considered unclean.

In desperation, she reached out to simply touch the cloak of Jesus as he passed by her. She exhibited great faith in this gesture. When she became healed, Jesus called her out. My speculation as to why Jesus did this was one of compassion. This woman was known to have been unclean for many years, and certainly, she was shunned by others as being ceremonially unclean. Jesus wanted to restore not only her physical health, but her social standing. He wanted others to know that this woman was healed. She could now fully participate in Temple life and she would not be shunned.

I think that healing takes place on all the levels on which we function- physical, spiritual, and emotional. Jesus healed her physically, allowing her to participate in her religious as well as her social life again.

The Creator of the universe wrote the rules of healing, and he was teaching them to us as he walked the earth.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the complete healing that you offer us, Amen

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.                                                                                                             Psalm 139:14

Just a quick note today as I complete my client records. I am struck once again by the resilience of my clients, and the life stresses they endure. The human spirit is both fragile and strong at the same time. Often, I am struck by the strength that my clients show in the face of some very difficult traumas and life stresses.

My friends, I do not know what you are facing, but I know that you likely have the strength and resilience to handle whatever you face, because the human spirit is made just that way. As God said to Moses at the burning bush, “You have everything you need in your hand…”

Prayer: Lord, bless my readers today to remind them clearly of the strength that they have, Amen

A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick         Proverbs 17:22

I told my kids it does our hearts good to see our family acting the way they do toward one another. It just happened coincidentally that on the same day our son flew to Kansas City to see his older sister, our oldest grandson flew to Colorado to see his younger sister. Seeing the pictures that they sent – the warm smiling faces of their joy of being together- did our hearts good!  

Later, I began to think what it would be like if my parents could see this reunion of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren?  Wilder still, what if my grandmother and grandfather (the ones that I knew in my lifetime), could have seen this? They could not, I’m sure, conceive of this prospect. Their progeny, decades after they are gone from this earth, still carrying on the loving family connections that they had carried on from their ancestors in their own way.  

Well, the point is, such connections of our children, and their children, is such a joy. I wanted to share this, dear readers, as a reminder of our need for legacy. We are building legacies with our actions in our families. Stop and think of how powerful that is. Think about 50 or 75 years from now when perhaps those people in similar pictures will look back at you and say, “I wonder what they would have thought about this…”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the blessing of family, Amen

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done. Proverbs 19:17

So, how inspiring is it that the book of Proverbs is explaining the nature and character of God in this way? In the days when that book was being compiled, the current way of relating to a god was a very transactional process. People would find a deity who was the giver of certain gifts (fertility, good crops, health etc.) and, should one make sacrifices to that god, they might be rewarded. There were even societies that made child sacrifices to the god Molech to appease this evidently angry and powerful being.   

Then you have the one true God worshipped by the ancient Hebrews who gave them a moral code that looked quite different. The true God, Yahweh, said that if his people took care of the poor, it was like lending to him, and he would reward those who cared for the “least of the brethren” in the community.

That is still a concept that is true. In the New Testament, there are dozens of assertions that one loves God by loving others. That is a radical concept. Yet, when you think about it, why would anyone want to follow any other Supreme Being? We worship the one who loves those that society discards and marginalizes.

That is all the Truth I need.

Prayer: Lord, what a plan to have us love you by loving your creation, Amen

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.                                                           Romans 12:9-13 (NIV)

In reading the book of Romans, I see that the writer, Paul, encourages us to “honor one another.” One of the things that is so remarkable about the Bible is that it is a book which gives excellent instructions for how we should treat one another. While it is a guide to understanding God and his creation, and his relationship to that creation, it also is very practical advice for how to truly survive in a world that is not always easy to navigate.

In this passage, Paul is reminding believers that they are to honor one another. That is, we are to show respect for one another by listening carefully to what they say. We are to show that respect by giving eye contact, warmth, and affirmations where we can. We are to give others the benefit of the doubt and not be quick to judge them. We are to let them know that they are valued by us and by God. We are to recognize that they have gifts and strengths that are to be celebrated.

Those are ways that we can “Honor one another above ourselves.” Paul did not say to lower our own esteem, but rather, when we honor others, it lifts us up as well.

So, it appears that the Bible is a pretty good manual for counseling as well!

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the inspiration given in the Bible which helps our relationships, as well as giving honor to you, Amen.

 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 

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.’

The man replied to Jesus “Who is my neighbor?

Luke 10: 25-27

I am reading an excellent, thoughtful book entitled The Ethics of Encounter, by Marcus Mescher. The book is based upon the parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told, as recounted in the book of Luke. The parable was in response to the question of a follower who asked the definition of “neighbor”. Jesus had just explained that one gains eternal life by loving God with one’s whole heart, and loving one’s neighbor as one’s self.

The nature of the question seems to be one of trying to define limits to the generosity one must extend by limiting the definition of “neighbor”. We are used to thinking of neighbors as being people we can summon by shouting out our door. Those that hear us are neighbors.  Pretty small definition, right?

Jesus expanded the whole story by not only not limiting who can be considered a “neighbor”, he upped the ante by making the story’s hero a hated Samaritan. He doubled down by having a Priest and a Levite disregard the fallen victim. Jesus knew how to stick the needle into those who would stubbornly try to limit the length of love to be extended outside their own tribe.

We will talk more about this in future blogs. For now, just read the passage in Luke, and take in the beautiful irony that Jesus uses to make his point.  

Prayer: Lord, help us to expand our own definition of neighbor, Amen.

This is a reprint of an older blog to enjoy while I take some time off for vacation. Hope you enjoy it…

I looked back in some old files and found a document that I had written just after my wife and I had led a leadership group for a select group of 17-year-olds from our city. In that program, we introduced them to community leaders, showed them how a number of non-profit agencies in the community worked together to help people, and taught them things we had learned from our own experience as we lived and worked in our town.

After that program, I wrote a list of the 10 things that I wished someone had shared with me when I was 17 years old. Here is that list that I shared with those young people…

1. It takes so little to be above average. An extra 15 minutes a day spent in reading, journaling, self-reflection, or writing a note to someone can set one apart as “above average”
2. Whenever possible, do not use the word “they” when talking about a group or place of employment of which you are a part. Try to use the word “we”. It implies ownership of what is going on, not shifting blame when something goes wrong.
3. Other people generally want to be liked as much as you do.
4. Life is about people, not projects, not success, not grades, not money.
5. Jobs come and go, but you only get one family.
6. Employers are usually looking for character more than skill. They can teach skills, not character
7. If you can laugh at yourself, you will receive grace from others.
8. Be able to say “I’m sorry”
9. Praise people in public, and correct them in private.
10. Don’t take life too seriously, you’ll never get out alive!

So that’s it. Plenty more things that 17-year-olds need to learn, but that is my hot list for today. What’s yours?

Dear brother Christians, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and my reward for my work. My beloved friends, stay true to the Lord. And now I want to plead with those two dear women, Euodias and Syntyche. Please, please, with the Lord’s help, quarrel no more—be friends again.

Philippians 4:1-2

We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.       Benjamin Franklin

Seems that quarrels in the church have been going on for a long time. Paul urged two early church women to end their quarrel and be friends again. Yes, those early church leaders were just that- broken people who end up disagreeing and even holding grudges. Sounds like the church of today.

The Church these days is in turmoil, as some go off on differing political directions, splitting over policy issues, and taking hard stances on how to respond to differences in sexual orientation. There have always been lines drawn in the sand about the “right ways” to respond to issues in the world, and how we should discipline church members, etc.

I think Paul saw that a young church could not survive if it began splitting. I was reminded of Benjamin Franklin’s quote above about staying together as young revolutionaries in the face of British reprisals.

We have differences in how we see the world, our role as a Christian church, behavior of church members, etc. Paul said that Euodias and Syntyche should strive to patch up their differences.

Good idea…

Prayer: Lord, help us to seek peace and reconciliation rather than needing to be seen as “being right”, Amen