For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20 (KJV)
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee… Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV)
I am fascinated with science. I think that science and faith are perfectly suited partners. God has made order out of the universe, and faith and science are partners in explaining it. We often do not understand how God does things, but just because we do not fully understand things is not a reason to deny or avoid them.
Take the concept of “quantum entanglement”. This is a process I do not really understand, but to me, the concept is beyond amazing. In brief (because I do not know much more than brief!), sometimes when subatomic particles are measured, they can form a pair. This pair will have a relationship of spin that will always correspond to the other, even though they can be separated by great distances. This persistent “communication” remains intact, and it has not, to my knowledge, ever been fully explained or understood by physicists.
This falls into that category that Einstein himself called “spooky”. (By the way, don’t you just love that Einstein in used the word “spooky”?) Things like this are just the tip of the iceberg of stuff we do not understand. I find it simply more justification for seeing God as the master builder of a marvelous and beautiful plan.
So, we can call it a miracle, or we can say that we just don’t understand it. Either way, it points to a God who can be seen in his creation. Faith helps us to understand that this same God loves us with an everlasting love.
That is not spooky at all.
Prayer: Wow, your creation is amazing! Help us always better see you in it, Amen.
So, if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective Colossians 3:1-2 (The Message)
It is interesting how perspective can change our opinions. If we look at situations from a slightly different perspective, it can completely change our perception, and our attitudes. Just this past weekend, I was watching football and I saw the replay of a potential touchdown. (It seems that every touchdown is now viewed no less that 17 times by officials, commentators, and the guys in the video truck- but I digress.)
On the replay, they showed several angles from different cameras. On at least 2 of the angles, the touchdown was not a touchdown. However, on one angle, it seemed clear that the ball had crossed the end zone line. All of a sudden, the certainty in the announcer’s analysis vanished. He had seen it from a different angle, and he changed his opinion.
I talk about that with clients at times. Some clients in relationships think that they are suffering because of the behavior of their partner- that their partner is being unreasonable. Then I might ask, what if you were to look at this from a different perspective- the spiritual perspective? What if you could decide to take the sacrificial role, and agree that what you are suffering is not fair or reasonable. You can choose to accept that, but not feel powerless about it. Now they would no longer be the victim of imposed unfair behavior, but they would have the option of choosing to accept the situation, and have the more noble goal of sacrificing for their relationship.
When we are in control of decisions, and do not feel that we are the victims of unfair behavior, we are much better able to accept uncomfortable things, and actually feel good about making the personal changes which can make the relationship better.
Please be assured that I am not talking here about abuse, and reckless offenses by one partner to be simply “accepted” by the other. I am talking about some everyday types of annoyances and concerns that may take on a role larger than it really needs to. You know, it’s a matter of perspective. Choosing to frame things differently can change everything.
It’s all a matter of how you decide to see it.
Prayer: Lord, you have given us the ability to decide how we want to react to our environment. Give us the wisdom to see things from your perspective, Amen.
Plymouth was a busy port, but was losing ground to the thriving port of London on the Thames. London was now where all the trade and growth was happening, and the city had grown immensely over the past twenty years. London was by now a city of nearly 200,000 souls, and it continued to grow. People in abject poverty were signing on as indentured servants to ships going to America. Shipments were coming regularly from America, the Far East, Africa, and Italy, and the city was sprawling outward into the countryside. Plymouth, on the other hand, was a port on the wane, beautiful in its own way, but already a symbol of the changing times.
Departures of people from Plymouth to the New World seemed to epitomize the excitement of places other than Plymouth. In a few days, the Mayflower would be departing Plymouth for the New World carrying religious pilgrims to freedoms now no longer found in England. Political and religious foment, formulated in London, could be felt in Plymouth. It was to Plymouth that people gathered to flee the oppression of the crown in London. The destination, America, would receive these pilgrims and give them the chance to start a literal New World.
A lookout in the lighthouse high above the port spotted a ragged ship several miles out at sea heading home for rest from a difficult voyage. He had been alerted by Alvin Toll that such a ship could be coming in the next few days, and that he should be notified immediately of the first sighting of it. The Intrepid was heading into Plymouth.
Toll ordered that a sloop be dispatched to meet the Intrepid to let her know that Plymouth would not accept her. The Intrepid was labeled as a ship with plague, and, if she could not prove otherwise, she would be denied entry. Several royal dragoons were sent with a crew of eight sailors to intercept the Intrepid and to inform her of the situation. Toll also ordered the shore batteries to prepare to fire at the Intrepid should she try to gain entry to the port without permission.
Aboard the Intrepid, the exhausted crew was exhilarated upon seeing the welcome sight of port. Food and water were depleted, and port was to be reached with no time to spare. They expected no reception upon arrival, but when people became aware of the exploits of this voyage, there would be adulation, women, wine, and rewards. They were more than ready for all of those benefits.
Mr. North was still quite dreamy from his ordeal, and he was in no shape to command the ship. This task fell to Swailes, who led a crew wary of his command in the final leg of the journey. Shepherd and I were tending to Mr. North, ensuring that he got regular, ample doses of tincture of opium mixed in brandy or rum to aid his sleep and recovery.
Swailes met the boat loaded with dragoons and sailors by hailing them, “Come to meet the heroes, have ya?”
David Marks, sergeant of the dragoons, grimly replied, “I am here to order you to return to sea, or the shore batteries will commence firing upon your ship.”
Swailes was stunned at this retort. Marks continued, “Your ship has the plague aboard and will be denied entry into the port of Plymouth.”
Swailes screamed at the dragoons, “There is no plague on this ship! We shall proceed into port; your guns be damned!”
Mr. Marks had no need to argue with the doomed vessel, and he turned away, ordering his small crew to return to Plymouth. By now, word was spreading through the Intrepid that they were being denied entry into Plymouth. Anger and disbelief were mixed among the crew, but none had the presence of mind to think beyond fighting their way into port. Swailes, fool that he was, seemed unable to take control of the crew. He merely fed off the raw emotions being displayed by his men, and was caught up in the plan to blast his way into Plymouth.
I looked at Joseph Shepherd and Mr. Kelley and asked their thoughts. Joseph Shepherd suggested that we try to reason with Swailes, offering ideas that had not come quickly to his simple mind.
“As the ship’s surgeon, I can offer to attest to the health of the crew,” I said. “Producing a few healthy sailors free of disease might convince a reasonable person that we have no plague. We can offer to be quarantined offshore as long as they provide fresh food and water for a week or two.”
Shepherd agreed with the idea, but his agreement was probably not enough to convince Swailes of the good sense of the plan.
It appeared that Alvin Toll had no interest in such an idea either, or he would have suggested it to begin with. There seemed to be other reasons why this ship was being denied entry to Plymouth of which we were unaware. Meanwhile, the mood on the Intrepid was turning very ugly. Desperate men were ready to plunge ahead into Plymouth to challenge the threat of force that Toll had promised. The crew began to prepare the last of the shot and powder for battle against Plymouth. This crew was now in the grip of fear, coupled with lack of leadership. They had tasted the blood of battle on the sea, and now that seemed to be the only course they trusted.
Swailes ordered the sails to be fully raised, and the Intrepid sailed for Plymouth.
Chapter 14
William Bradford was studying his Bible before settling down for the night to sleep. Bradford was the leader of the Puritan separatists who were preparing for a trip to the New World. Bradford had been reading the book of Exodus, chapter 3, verses 11-12. There he read a conversation between God and Moses at the burning bush. God had told Moses to lead His people out of bondage in Egypt. Moses replied, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
And God replied, “I will be with you…”
Bradford was feeling very much like Moses this night. He had taken on the responsibility of leading a group of religious separatists, known as Pilgrims, to the New World. He was to be the religious leader on a ship called the Mayflower, which would be departing in the next few weeks for America.
“Who am I,” he thought, “to be leading a group of believers across the world? Has God prepared me for such a duty?”
Then he read the twelfth verse of chapter 3 in Exodus, “I will be with you…”
“Surely,” thought Bradford, “that is the only way I can lead people to a foreign land which promises freedom.”
Bradford had been told by his friend and mentor, John Ward, that he was the man for the job, the man God had appointed to the task. Now his friend was in the tower of London, a prisoner of King James for his religious beliefs.
While Bradford pondered these ideas, he heard a commotion in the street below. A town crier was warning people that a renegade English ship, the Intrepid, was heading for Plymouth, and that ships in the harbor were at risk. Bradford’s thoughts were for the Mayflower, which was the vessel to take his people to the Promised Land.
People began to scramble down to the harbor. Men with flintlocks were clambering out of their houses. Young men with torches were seen coming out of taverns, and women were closing the shutters on their seaside houses. In the distance, the silhouette of a ship could be seen against a large full moon still hovering near the horizon in the late evening. William Bradford sensed that he was to do something – to begin his mission from God, somehow – to help avert this coming confrontation.
Bradford made his way through now congested streets toward the port authority building on the docks. There he encountered a seething Alvin Toll. Toll’s round jowly face was beet red, contrasting with his white breech coat and white collar. He was short of breath from the short trip across the way from the tavern where he had been drinking and boasting that the damned ship Intrepid had better not test his shore batteries. Now that the test might actually take place, Toll seemed as much frightened as angry. As much as he would boast about his shore batteries, they had not been fired in years, and never in anger.
Toll blustered orders to a ragged crew of dockworkers who would now double as grenadiers. Toll ordered them to secure powder and shot from the armory. The small company of dragoons of the King’s Army was placed around the docks at various points. It was apparent that Toll had no idea how to defend against the attack of one lonely fighting ship – a crippled one at that.
In the midst of this emerging chaos, William Bradford approached Alvin Toll with an idea – an idea so very fresh in Bradford’s mind because he just that moment had come up with it.
“What do you want?” inquired Toll of Bradford.
“May I propose an idea to you, Commander Toll?” asked Bradford. Bradford’s disarming friendliness, his tone of voice, and his deferential reference to Toll as “Commander” seemed to soften Toll to hear out Bradford.
“Go on,” said Toll in a restrained tone of voice.
“Commander,” he said, “I am William Bradford. I will be sailing out in a few weeks on the Mayflower with my company of God’s people for America. It struck me that the men on the Intrepid may need to be heard, their story checked out. From what I have heard, they deny that there is any plague aboard the ship. Perhaps we need to verify that first hand. I offer to go to the ship to check out their situation. If there is any evidence of plague on that ship, I will stay on the Intrepid with the crew. May God be with me in that event. However, if there is no evidence of plague, I will notify those who row me out to the ship, and we can allow them entry to port in due time.”
Toll retorted quickly.
“Mr. Bradford, I have it on good authority that the Intrepid is a renegade ship, under the control of a mutinous crew. They have set their good captain Braden adrift, and he only survives by the grace of God Almighty. This ship is not just taken by the black plague, they have the plague of mutiny and murder as well!”
Bradford seemed unshaken.
“Commander Toll,” he continued, “I have reason to believe that God has prepared me for such an encounter. We have nothing to lose by sending a party out there to talk with them. We just gain the possibility that there will be no innocent blood shed if we try. If we fail, better that one man die than many. Besides, we could gain more time for a peaceful solution if we try to meet with them. As it stands now, there could be a blood bath.”
Toll considered Bradford’s brave, if foolhardy, offer. Toll could send another small crew to meet once again with the Intrepid. There would be great danger for such a mission, but it would buy Toll more time to plan a defense of Plymouth. Frankly, he had considered the possibility that the Intrepid would try to come into port violently. Marks and his dragoons had suggested that Swailes and the renegade crew might do anything, including blasting their way into port. Indeed, now that such a scenario was playing out, he was caught with too much bluster, and not enough firepower.
“Mr. Bradford,” said Toll, “if you can get other volunteers to go with you, you may try. I believe that we can send a few of His Majesty’s sailors to accompany you, but you will be without military support on your mission.”
“Commander Toll,” replied Bradford, “this is not a military mission. It is a mission of mercy and peace.”
Alvin Toll was not a religious man, nor did he have much respect for religious people. His brief encounter with William Bradford, however, had touched him in a way to which he was unaccustomed. Bradford’s simple faith, coupled with tremendous courage, was an amazing thing to Toll. He was hoping that Bradford would succeed, but he was more inclined to believe that the time bought by this foolish diversion would allow him to get some help, and to shore up his defense plans.
“I shall leave as soon as you can get me that crew of sailors to get out to the Intrepid,” said Bradford. “I have another member of my company who will go with me. James Mullins is a young man of great faith and courage. He is also a physician, and he will be able to determine the health of the crew. I do not even need to ask him, and I know his answer. He will come with me anywhere.”
It was nearly 2 a.m. by the time that the crew was assembled and a rowboat secured for the trip. The Intrepid was now within a half mile of port, and no gunfire had been exchanged. It was apparently Mr. Swailes’ plan to continue his advance toward Plymouth, and call the bluff of Alvin Toll. Evidently, the Intrepid would not fire unless fired upon. The water was very calm, and with the full moon rising higher in the sky, the night was well lit. A handful of inquisitive townspeople bearing torches gave a farewell to the crew in the tiny boat heading out of port. The scene was quite beautiful, yet there was tension in the air.
The plan was to have William Bradford and James Mullins approach the Intrepid and ask for a meeting. If they were invited aboard the ship, they would ask to inspect the Intrepid for signs of plague among the crew. If they found signs of plague, they would signal to the crew in the small boat. The signal would be to jettison two rocks over the port side, one after another. The crew would then turn and head back to port without Bradford and Mullins. If there were no sign of plague, there would be one rock tossed over the starboard side. The absence of plague would be the good news needed for the Intrepid to safely gain entry to Plymouth. Bradford and Mullins assumed that if plague were on board, they would be held hostage, and indeed would have been exposed to it anyway, and their lives were in serious jeopardy. They chose to take this chance to secure peace.
The boat quickly covered the half-mile out to the Intrepid. As they pulled closer to the ship, crewman John Cates yelled to Mr. Swailes, “They’ve sent a boat – eight crew and two others. They do not appear to have weapons.”
Swailes called to Cates, “Find out what they want!”
“We come in peace,” yelled Bradford. His voice carried well in the still night, and the words seemed to calm Cates. “May we board to speak with you?”
Swailes was now with Cates, and the boat was right beside the Intrepid. Swailes responded, “No weapons. We check out whoever comes on board first. You will be covered by my sailors with guns the whole time you are here.”
“We agree,” said Bradford. “Only Dr. Mullins and I will be boarding.”
A rope was lowered to the small craft, and Bradford and Mullins climbed up with some difficulty. The Intrepid crew ended up hauling the two aboard. Bradford spoke directly to Mr. Swailes.
“Sir, we have requested to come aboard to determine if there is any sign of plague on this ship. If Dr. Mullins finds any sign, and he must be given access to every crewman here, you will be denied entry to Plymouth.”
“I agree to that,” said Mr. Swailes.
Bradford and Mullins were stunned by the immediate compliance, and Swailes’ respectful tone of voice. Swailes and the crew were tired, hungry, and ready to come home. Swailes also believed that there was no plague to be found on board, so he felt that he had nothing to lose. There were, however, other secrets, which may not be so easy to overcome. Those secrets should not keep them from coming into port, but they could be a problem later. But that was later.
Mr. North was coming back around from his shoulder injury. He, of course, had felt very little pain since our regimen of brandy, laced with tincture of opium. I had secured a fair amount of this substance from a merchant who had been to China. He told me of the qualities of the compound, but that many people smoked opium all day, staying in a kind of stupor much of the time. I found that, given the proper dosage, it had wonderful sedating qualities, although the aftereffects could be troublesome. I used it only with great caution. I must admit that I was not extremely careful when dosing Mr. North, and at times, I am certain that he received enough to restrain a man twice his size.
“Dr. Greene,” whispered Mr. North from his haze, “what time is it?”
“Mr. North,” I replied, “you might want to ask what day it is, not what hour.”
North in his confusion did not follow that little humor. He truly did not know what day it was, nor where we were, nor our rather strange circumstance of being within a thousand yards of port, but not allowed to enter. His shoulder was healing, but it was, I am sure, still quite painful. It was back in place, not broken, and he had more of his range of motion now available. We would need to back him down from his sedation, and reintroduce him to reality. That would cause another bit of a problem since Mr. Swailes had taken to leading the ship. Mr. North’s odd behavior the prior few days, and his violent temper, had alerted even the simplest of crew members that he was capable of harm. Their only real concern was now to get home, and perhaps to relay to their family and friends a great adventure. Leadership of a ship coming home was not a great concern now.
As Mr. Bradford and Dr. Mullins walked around the ship, they saw some of the ravages of pirate battles and storms. Below deck was a complete disaster, with swirling water, rotting food, fouled powder, and splinters of the main mast floating about. We had become accustomed to the odor on the ship, but Bradford and Mullins nearly retched several times from the smell. The crew was told to comply with medical examination from Dr. Mullins.
Dr. Mullins sought me out after Mr. Kelley directed him to me as the ship’s physician. Mullins told me of the plan, and I was relieved to hear that, somehow, reason seemed to prevail in this chaos we had been living in.
I spoke again to Mr. North.
“Captain North,” I began deferentially, “the crew will be given medical examinations by a doctor from Plymouth to determine if we can land there. They believe that there is plague on this ship, and if that is found in any crew member, we will be forced to remain at sea. I am asking of you that you order me to be part of the medical examination on your ship as your ship surgeon.”
I guided Mr. North in his order to Mr. Swailes. I made sure that Mr. Kelley was nearby when I brought North to see Mr. Swailes to give the order. Mr. North actually sounded plausible in his order to Swailes to have me assist Mullins and Bradford. Swailes agreed, since he did not want trouble in front of a crewmember, and in front of our visitors.
I now had the opportunity to get the aid and attention we desperately needed from Mr. Bradford, and Dr. Mullins.
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
Proverbs 23:18 (NIV)
There is one thing that is essential in all counseling relationships- giving hope. People often come to counseling as a “last resort”, having lost hope in themselves, and maybe hope in the relationships they have. Perhaps they have lost hope that they can deal with an addiction, or that there is any future for them because they have had so many failures.
While there are many things that counselors can do in terms of teaching ways to combat anxiety, depression, trauma, and to help restore broken relationships, the first and most important thing is to establish that there remains a hope for the future.
We model this hope and we give encouragement. We affirm the individual value of each client. We get to be the ones who will work alongside them so that they can have better tools for overcoming pain and loss. We have the privilege of affirming to them that God loves them right where they are, and that they need not do anything but meet God at the place of obedience for healing.
Yes, there is hard work in the process. Clients may need to hear some hard things and confront some personal attitudes and behaviors that have caused them problems in the past. They may need to practice hard disciplines to learn to have respect for themselves again. All of these things are hard, but they can be done.
None of this work though can go forward unless there is hope for a better future. And there is.
Prayer: Father, you have given us hope for the future, no matter what we face. Help us to see that, especially in the darkest times, Amen.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life Proverbs 13:12
As some of my readers know, I have a small pond in my back yard. It has a simple, small waterfall which provides nice sound for the days when we can sit on the patio and enjoy it. The pond is populated by at least one fish (who has called it home for about 6 years now), two frogs, at least two snakes (hence, only one surviving fish), and numerous plants including beautiful water lilies.
The pond is a simple pleasure of mine. This year, I found myself deciding not to turn around the pump so that the water circulates only internally. I had always done that to make sure that the living critters have enough oxygen supply, even if part of the pond were to freeze over. This year, I decided to keep the waterfall flowing. I wasn’t even sure why I did that- until a week or so ago when it became clear. This year, I did not want winter to take something away from me.
This year, I wanted to be able to look out and see the waterfall. It has become a little sign of resilience and hope. This winter, the pond will still show life, even though the fish stays deep on the bottom, waiting out the cold weather until spring; even though the greenery is not green; even though the frogs are nowhere to be seen. My waterfall persists.
Yes, I did have to get a little floating heater in the event things get REALLY cold, and yes, I have had to use it twice so far. But I am feeling pretty good about my decision to defy winter this year. This year, more than any I can ever remember, we need all the little signs of hope we can get.
My question to you, dear readers is this- what are the little things you are doing to remind yourself of the hope that we need to weather (pardon the pun) the current situations we face? Find those little oases of hope and remind yourself,
“It’s gonna be OK!”
Love to all, readers! Keep up your hope!
Prayer: Lord, you give us the gift of hope, especially by your presence. Help us to remind ourselvesof that hope daily, Amen
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many lives. So now, do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:20-21 (MEV)
Coming home this morning from my walk, I found that my glasses had become quite foggy. No surprise there since I wore a mask to cover my freezing nose, and the result was a blinding fog on my glasses. When I got home, I removed my glasses, and ironically, of course, I could see much better. The remedy for my impaired eyesight (glasses) had become the problem. The problem was solved by removing what had originally been the solution to the problem.
Then, when I removed the glasses, I used the steam on the glasses to clean them. The problem itself (the steam) became the solution to the problem. I realized that there must be a story in there. I think the lesson is this- sometimes things that appear to be problems can be solutions, and what appear to be solutions can become problems.
We are experiencing problems on many levels in our country right now. Maybe those problems can become the start of solutions. The travesty of the storming of our nation’s Capitol which we witnessed this week, can become the catalyst for healing a nation so deeply divided by political rhetoric. This painful episode of our history can be used for good or evil.
Let’s make sure we use it for good.
Prayer: Lord, you can redeem any pain and trouble into our good. Help us see that and work toward that end, Amen.
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! Psalm 139:14 (The Message)
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalm 139:14 (KJV)
Our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” as the Bible states in Psalm 139. That means that our bodies are engineered in an incredible way. We still do not fully understand many of the ways that our bodies work, despite vigorous and detailed research, especially over the last two centuries.
The theory of the inflammation model of disease, and our robust immune response to invaders, has been the object of intense research over the past decade or more. Indeed, COVID-19 seems to bring forth an over-robust immune response, leading to serious problems.
In a larger sense, the concept of the body’s inflammation response to invaders of any sort calls into mind the fact that our immune system is a strength which, to an extreme, is a weakness. Sound familiar? I noted in the past that this is the basis of “Strength Theory” which says that our strength to an extreme becomes a weakness.
As we respond to threats to our well-being, whether they be physical or mental, we may end up “over-responding”, and causing problems by the very remedy itself. Our bodies may do this with COVID-19, and the body may do this with stress as well. Our over-response to stress may cause more problems than the trigger event itself.
Think about anxiety. A threatening event may cause us to have some fears which can trigger anxiety. This is a defense which calls us to respond by gearing up to defend ourselves. Taken to an extreme, the defenses may persist long after the threatening event has passed. We keep thinking about the event, even when it is no longer a threat. This, over time, causes a chronic state of alert and a sense of threat. That chronic state of anxiety can cause widespread inflammation in various parts of our body, which over time, can ruin our health.
Ultimately, we need to find ways to regain peace, in order to let the inflammation die down, and restore long-term health. We need to find ways to seek peace to let the inflammation subside.
We’ll discuss this more in future blogs.
Prayer: Lord, we are incredibly made, more than we can imagine. Help us to find peace in the places that may cause worry and anxiety, Amen.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26
January 6, 2021- a day that will live in infamy? Maybe so. Probably so. The mob attack on the U.S. Capitol was shocking, and indeed traumatizing. As I watched it unfold, I was appalled, angry, sad. So were you. Our beloved Capitol building, historic, and symbolic of our government, was being overrun by a mob. It was a national trauma.
So, approaching from a counselor’s perspective, in dealing with trauma, we need to be mindful of some principles which can help us to heal. First, we need to talk about it and let some of the steam off. There is plenty of talk right now about this in the media, but I am suggesting that we personally process our feelings about it with trusted others. This really does help for perspective and for support of one another.
Next, we need to redeem this pain into something valuable in order to make it a healing event, not just a meaningless tragedy. We need to determine what we can learn from this, and make it our national purpose to never let it happen again. Protests are fine, but mob violence is hideous and destructive. So, let’s be honest and call the event what it was- mob violence.
We can learn many things from the events of January 6, 2021. Crucially, we need to learn that hatred and mob violence is not the answer to social or political problems. Hatred only begets hatred. Our party differences are real, even necessary parts of a pluralistic and representative Republic, but those differences must be honored with respect for differing viewpoints.
Finally, as with any trauma, we cannot let the traumatic event define us. We must be overcomers, not victims. Our country can recover from this trauma with better clarity if we decide to learn from it and not to hold grudges and use this as another dividing point. Let me also be clear, those who broke into the Capitol building and can be identified on camera, should be prosecuted fully. Their behavior was dangerous and reprehensible.
But let’s not use this event as a way to claim victory for a particular viewpoint. Let Democrats and Republicans relearn how to reach across the aisle. Let voters be responsible and civil in our duty to learn about issues and candidates, from several sources, and vote our conscience. Let us begin the process of healing.
I want to share again excerpts from perhaps our greatest President in his second inaugural speech on March 4, 1865…
With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan–to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.
The people of Berea were more open-minded than the people of Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive God’s message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true Acts 17:11
One of the cultural trends that has been brewing for years, perhaps decades, is the blurring of entertainment with truth. Not that the two concepts are mutually exclusive, it’s just that these days, there has been so much blending of the two that people have difficulty distinguishing the difference. Radio talk shows, “news shows”, social media etc. have drifted so distinctly to entertainment (a magnet for sponsor’s dollars), that truth has often been left behind, or used conveniently (spun), simply for the value of listener or follower ratings.
Evidently, our culture is so starved for entertainment that we can’t get enough of it. We want it like we want sugar- in everything that can be consumed. So, truth gets buried, or worse yet, blurred so that we cannot distinguish truth from entertainment.
For example, we read regularly about, and indeed, interact with, people who do not believe that COVID-19 is real, or that it is only an inconvenience. Just let that roll around in your head for a moment. We do not need to see news reports about overcrowded hospitals, temporary morgues, and closed schools which are the result of the pandemic to know that the virus is all too real. Now, effects of the virus are so ubiquitous that we all have first-hand knowledge of its deadly results. We merely need to recall that neighbor, friend, client etc. who has died from COVID or who has had a nasty bout with it. It is all around us. Yet, there are those who would minimize it, or possibly even deny its existence.
Where can we turn for truth? There are ultimate standards for truth, and I personally trust the Bible as a source of truth. The passage above from Acts commends the Bereans because they sought out ways to verify what they heard in order to determine its truth.
Similarly, I urge all of us to diligently search for the truth. We can’t blindly follow one news source, for example, nor can we simply accept things as true because a politician says so. We are called to search for truth, and to use the lens of the Holy Spirit to let it seep into our soul.
That takes work and persistence, but it is worth it. The truth does set us free in every way.
Prayer: Father, we are flawed in all that we do, yet we ask for your discernment to help us seek after, and to see truth, Amen.
You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
Philippians 4:15-17 (The Message)
Yesterday I talked about the sense of entitlement that we somewhat naturally slip into when we have been surrounded with certain blessings. There are many people around the world who do not have the “first world problems” that we joke about. They have significant struggles daily just to survive. I mentioned the problems that we all face to a degree, about the infrastructure to actually receive the Coronavirus vaccine. In many parts of the world, people will not ever receive the vaccine, or will wait great lengths of time before an opportunity for inoculation.
What can we do to help, both where we live and elsewhere in the world? First, we understand our blessed position and thank God for what we have. Next, pray for others who do not experience (from our perspective) the same abundance.
Then, find solid non-profit organizations which specialize in helping people who are medically indigent. I am a strong believer in tax-exempt non-profit organizations (typically 501(c) 3 entities) which have a strong focus on their specialized mission. Such organizations can be nimble in their response due to fewer bureaucratic barriers, and they are typically well prepared to carry out their mission with zeal. When you have identified the organizations which you want to help, exercise generosity.
Volunteer at local organizations and churches which are responding to the current needs of people hurting due to the pandemic. There are many opportunities in this category.
Call on (phone, text, email etc. in these minimal contact times) people who are struggling with anxiety, depression or other emotional responses due to the pandemic.
Finally, when you get a chance to get a vaccination, get one. I am already anxious to roll up my sleeve!
Blessings to all my dear readers. These are hard times, but we will get through, and we will be stronger for it.
Prayer: Lord, we trust in your provision for us. Show us ways to reach out to others well, Amen.
Reflections of a Counselor 