For the Joy of the Journey

Heading Out or Holding On (2)

George February 4, 2021 Faith Challenges 0 Comments

In my previous post, reflecting on my sermon from 2004, I realized how relevant it is today. Although circumstances are different, 2004 and 2020 each have brought crisis into our lives. As my good friend reminded me:

…for CRISIS… the Chinese term for that has 2 characters…
– danger; – opportunity! (Thanks Eva)

In 2020/2021 crisis brings great danger and great opportunity. The question is how will we respond? In my experience, when crisis arises, personally or organizationally, our default is to hold on. To choose otherwise depends upon our ability to discern both danger and opportunity in our crisis.
To hold on, is a natural response … necessary for survival. However, without any vision for opportunity, holding on paralyzes, delaying the enviable. Referencing my sermon notes this post will examine what I believe it means to hold on and some perils of choosing to do so..

In the twilight of my career at Ford, I attempted to mentor a promising young manager. My usual greeting was, “How are you doing?”. His repeated response was, “Surviving!” Without much success, I tried impress on him, surviving doesn’t bode well for climbing the corporate ladder. Perhaps we don’t think of our response to crisis as holding on as much as surviving. To hold on or survive is a difference without distinction. Neither bode well for the future. The following are outcomes of choosing to hold on… survive.

Denial.– Emotional disbelief, “This can’t be happening”, can morph into irrational “This isn’t happening.” and, for some, becomes unassailable truth. In any case, denial assures one of two outcomes: destruction or irrelevance.
Denial is like stopping your car on a a busy freeway with traffic going 70 mph.
For organizations, denial is a Blockbuster strategy.

Hunker Down – A panic response to inherent danger. Seemingly, rational, in retrospect its flaws are revealed. Think of “Heads Up” when dangerous objects are descending, or “Hit the Deck” falling spread eagle on the ground making oneself at better target.
For organizations it is “circle the wagons”.
Biblically it is the one talent man. “… I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.”

Avoidance– Relocate and yearn for what was. A “Jonah” response.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah [crisis]…’Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it …’ But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.” …”I’m out of here!”.
For those with nowhere to go, it is “sticking your head in the sand”.
Organizationally it is the urban church that relocates to the suburbs when faced with societal crisis.

Despair – toss in the towel and admit defeat . Elijah: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”
“Whatever”…”What’s the use?” … “You can’t believe anyone.”…
Hopelessness is a child of failure to perceive opportunity in crisis.

In these times of unprecedented crisis, I have recognize these outcomes, to varying degrees, in both myself and others. This is troubling because I believe God does not want me to Hold On but, Head Out, responding creatively to crisis with its dangers and opportunities.

The next post… Heading Out.

Heading Out or Holding On

George February 2, 2021 Heading out or Holding On 0 Comments

There is an old story about an Arkansas fisherman … legendary for his success and secretive about his methods. The game warden, suspicious , insisted that he accompany him fishing, hoping to learn his secrets.
Fisherman and game warden in a boat, arrived at a prime fishing spot. The fisherman reached under his seat, pulled out a stick of dynamite, and tossed it into the water with a subsequent explosion. Fish floated to the surface and the fisherman began to gather his catch. The game warden, furious, began to protest and threaten to arrest him.The fisherman quietly retrieved another stick of dynamite, lit the fuse handed it to the game warden and said, “Are you going to talk or are you going to fish?”

As I think about the times we live in and realize the magnitude, rapidity and epoch proportions of the changes that are occurring, I feel more and more like that game warden.

I believe we are a rare and unique point in the history of the world. We are in maelstrom of change that only occurs when mankind moves from one age to another. The change is immense and unprecedented. The emergence of the new age is like hurricane Mitch in October 1998. It stalled off the coast of Honduras and pumped 100” of rain. The resulting floods and landslides were estimated to have killed 10,000 people. Change is always constantly happening but what is happening now is like Hurricane Mitch. 100” of rain is not unusual for year but when the change comes all at once the landscape is completely altered. Maps that were previously used are no longer useful. Structures that use to serve become tourist attractions.

The Choluteca bridge is a 484 m. long bridge in Honduras in a region notorious for storms and hurricanes. The bridge, completed in 1998, was a modern marvel of engineering, designed to withstand powerful forces of nature. But as it turns out, in the same year that the bridge was commissioned for use, Honduras was hit by Hurricane Mitch, which caused considerable damage to the nation and its infrastructure.
Many other bridges were damaged, but the Choluteca bridge survived in near perfect condition. However, roads on either end of the bridge completely vanished, leaving no visible trace of their prior existence. More impressively, the Choluteca River (which is several hundred feet wide) had carved itself a new channel during the massive flooding caused by the hurricane. It no longer flowed beneath the bridge, which now spanned dry ground. The bridge quickly became known as “The Bridge to Nowhere.”

Change brings crisis. The word for crisis in Chinese means danger and opportunity. The Hebrew word for crisis is mash-ber, a word which is also used for birth stool, a seat upon which a woman in ancient times sat as she gave birth.

What we have before us is both great danger and great opportunity. The question is how will we respond?

I believe there are two basic strategies. The history of Christianity could be written in two volumes. One would feature the story of those who, answered the phone and when they got the message, hung up, got moving and headed out. The other would feature those who never hung up and just hold on.

Full disclosure.. the previous was the introduction to a sermon I preached on December 26, 2004. I stumbled on it looking through old files and was struck by its relevance to 2021. The imagery of Choluteca bridge is apt metaphor. I, like many, am feeling like “A bridge to nowhere”. Intact, but stripped of things that I have relied upon for meaning, purpose and direction.
Even more than 2004..
What we have before us is both great danger and great opportunity. The question is how will we respond?

In succeeding posts I will share my sermon thoughts about what it means to Hold On or Head Out. Sermon transcript is available upon request 🙂

Not remembering 2004 clearly, I was not sure what precipitated my sermon topic, perhaps it related to church and personal circumstances. However, researching 2004 I was surprised at the breath and depth of events that year. Here are a few:

The CIA admits that there was no imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Simultaneous explosions on rush hour trains in Madrid kill 190 people. Five suspects blow themselves up.
A World Aid Report tells of 5 million new cases in 2004 and 3 million people died
Japan is hit with multiple earthquakes and multiple typhoons causing major loss of life and major damage to the economy
Siege at a school in Beslan, Northern Ossetia. At least 335 people (among which at least 32 of the approximately 40 hostage-takers) have been killed and at least 700 people have been injured.
After striking Grenada, Jamaica and Cuba Hurricane Ivan strikes mainland US with winds in excess of 130MPH causing massive damage and loss of life.
Hurricane Jeanne killed over 3,000, most in Haiti.
First Same Sex Marriage Performed in Massachusetts
The strongest earthquake in 40 years originates from the Indian Ocean close to Indonesia, measuring 9.3 on the Richter Scale. Creating tsunami waves that sweep across much of the coastlines of Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. At least 290,000 people are confirmed to have died from South Asia to as far as South Africa.
Janet Jackson’s breast is briefly exposed by Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl halftime show
Facebook is launched as a social networking site only open to students from Harvard in February by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow students Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. It is expanded first to other colleges in the Boston area and other Ivy League Colleges
Fox Hunting is outlawed in the UK

Still on the Journey

What is true and Real? Transcendent Moment

George January 31, 2021 What is True and Real 1 Comment

This morning has been a transcendent experience, filled with awe, joy, sadness, wonder, thanksgiving and hope. Far from ordinary it will be a precious memory. It was true and real. Because of its deeply personal nature it is not readily transferable. I am incapable of replicating it but hopefully I can provide a glimpse.
As I watched the sun rise, God’s hand delivered this song:

We, buried dreams
Laid them deep into the earth behind us
Said, our goodbyes
At the grave but everything reminds us
God knows, we ache
When He asks us to go on
How do we go on?
We will sing, to our souls
We won’t bury our hope
Where He leads us to go
There’s a red sea road
When we can’t, see the way
He will part the waves
And we’ll never walk alone
Down a red sea road
How, can we trust
When You say You will deliver us from
All, of this pain, that threatens to take over us
Well, this desert’s dry
But the ocean may consume
And we’re scared, to follow You
So we will sing, to our souls
We won’t bury our hope
Where He leads us to go
There’s a red sea road
When we can’t, see the way
He will part the waves
And we’ll never walk alone
Down a red sea road
Oh help us believe
You…

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11

Still on the Journey, more hopeful than ever.

What is True and Real? (6)

George January 28, 2021 What is True and Real 0 Comments

ABSOLUTE TRUTH

In my previous post, I implied that absolute truth is at the heart of our divisive culture. After pondering that idea for a few days, I am still holding that conclusion. In this post, mostly a stream of consciousness, I want to explore the idea of absolute truth and perhaps clarify my conclusion.

In full disclosure, I believe there is absolute truth. I know some will breath a sigh of relief and a few will wince.

The subject of absolute truth is a trigger in post-modern culture. The following quote helps frame the issue:

Whatever happened to the truth?! In our world, the idea of ultimate truth — something that is true at all times in all places and has relevance for our lives — is about as extinct as the dinosaur. In fact, nearly three out of four Americans say there is no such thing as ultimate, or absolute, truth. And the numbers don’t look much better among those who claim to follow Jesus.
In a society where ultimate truth is treated like a fairy tale, an outdated idea or even an insult to human intelligence, the motto of the day becomes, “WHATEVER!” Believe whatever you want. Do whatever seems best to you. Live for whatever brings you pleasure, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. And of course, be tolerant. Don’t try to tell anyone that their whatever is wrong.
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/church/absolute-truth/

Ironically, everyone believes in Absolute truth.
When someone says, “There is no such thing as absolute truth,” that person is actually making a statement that he or she believes to be absolutely true. Contradictory, isn’t it?
Christianity has come to be defined largely its commitment to culture wars, battling assaults on absolute truth. The opposition’s absolute belief that there is no absolute truth is a Maginot Line. This is a frightening proposition. When one believes they possess absolute truth, any action can be justified to protect truth. Therein lies the basis for concluding that absolute truth is a root cause of division. Logic will not permit any compromise. If A is absolutely true, then B is absolutely false. The conflict has evolved into trench warfare

Mutually assured destruction is not imminent, Christianity has adopted the secular ethos of “whatever”. It’s a lot easier to to declare …”whatever, believe whatever you want”… especially since their ultimate reward is eternal hell. “Whatever” is not a solution, it it is a diversion, it is the political equivalent of “love the sinner, hate the sin”. The truth is, when either side’s absolute truth is threatened they will be a fight to the death. Truth matters and is worth fighting for.

Mutually assured destruction may not be imminent for our society, but it is a present reality for families and churches. On a personal level, absolute truth is nitroglycerin, mishandle it and family, friends, spiritual bonds can be destroyed.

The challenge for me, a believer in absolute truth, is how to properly handle Absolute Truth. In considering that challenge here are some thoughts I am pondering in hope of developing proper procedures for the safe handling and use of Absolute Truth.

I found one writer’s puzzle metaphor helpful.

If all existing truth (ontology) were represented by a jigsaw puzzle, what we know (epistemology) would only be a few pieces from the puzzle. This means that what we know can only be known in varying degrees of probability, since after all, we only have a small portion of the entire puzzle—we are always drawing conclusions based off of partial information. (Zachary Broom)

Reality is, what I hold as absolute truth may well be true but it’s not absolute. Ironically , my “absolute truth” is only a few pieces of the puzzle, but mishandling it has dire consequences.

As my friend said when asked if he believed in absolute truth, “Yes, but not absolutely.” The first and foremost rule in handing absolute truth is “Handle with Humility”. The essence of truth is perfection. The essence of our humanity is imperfection.

The thought that humility is the first step in safe handing of absolute truth does not give me much optimism. It does, theoretically, give Christians an advantage in handing absolute truth.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2 – NIV

More to come, lots of questions.
Still on the Journey

So Much to Think About

George January 25, 2021 Notes Anthology 0 Comments

Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you. Job 36:4

Good News
Final words written by Michael Spencer
The are a lot of different kinds of Good News, but there is little good news in “My argument scored more points than you argument.” But the news that “Christ is risen!” really is Good News for one kind of person: The person who is dying.
If Christianity is not a dying word to dying men, it is not the message of the Bible that gives hope now.

Taking a Photograph
Taking a photograph is a way of disciplining the way we look on the world;
a moment of intentional appreciation;
an acknowledgement of our connectedness to that which is not us;
a knowing smile as we recognise the signature of the Creator;
a gentle defiance of a culture that thrives on noise, possession and the enthroned ego;
an aide memoire of an encounter that has nourished, provoked and summoned us;
an act of trust in the worthwhileness of the ordinary, the daily and the routine;
a form of prayer which merges the contemplative, the active and the imaginative.

Introversion
Introversion – along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness – is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology. Introverts living in the Extrovert Ideal are like women in a man’s world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we’ve turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.”
Susan Cain

Deafened Christianity
Perhaps the most deadening aspect of our Christianity . . . is that we live it with twenty-twenty hindsight. We know the story. We know how the plot comes out. We know who the winners are. . . . The Bible contains the complete and divinely authorized biography of Jesus and furnishes the complete guide to what [we] should do to become his disciple. Everything needed for [our] personal salvation is right there. . . .
When we approach the [Jesus] story with the attitude, “I’ve heard that already, I know what that means,” we fall asleep rather than allowing ourselves to be shocked awake. . . . For all such spiritual sleepwalking bypasses that crucial first step, that moment when the heart has to find its way not though external conditioning but through a raw immediacy of presence. Only there—in “the cave of the heart,” as the mystics are fond of calling it—does a person come in contact with his or her own direct knowingness. And only out of this direct knowingness is sovereignty born, one’s own inner authority.
Richard Rohr

Therapy Matters
…there’s more to life than mere stewardship, there is the abundant life found only in God. Beyond the therapeutic there is the grace and Life available to you in God. Sin isn’t just not taking proper care of yourself, sin is also turning away from the grace available to you in Christ through faith, hope, and love.
Therapy matters. And so does God.
Richard Beck

Blogs
Conversations on the blog are far less explosive. In the world of social media, a blog can be like a quiet meeting in a lecture hall, or seminar room, with questions, answers, and comments largely measured with self-control and thoughtfulness. Facebook is often like a shouting match in the town square.
Fr. Stephen Freeman

Truth
The love of truth is similar (and related) to the love of beauty. The truth is not found through suspicion, anger, hearsay, or such things. The truth ultimately is a gift from God and strengthens the heart. It is better, when we cannot arrive at the truth because of suspicion or such, to say, “I don’t know,” than to grasp at things we suspect or imagine.
The origin of conspiracy theories begins in a heart that cannot bear the shame of its own ignorance.
Fr Stephen Freeman

Story
Clarissa Pinkola Estés writes:
Stories set the inner life into motion, and this is particularly important where the inner life is frightened, wedged, or cornered. Story greases the hoists and pulleys, it causes adrenaline to surge, shows us the way out, down, or up, and for our trouble, cuts for us fine wide doors in previously blank walls, openings that lead to the dreamland, that lead to love and learning, that lead us back to our own real lives . . .

Belief echoes
I find that exposure to a piece of negative political information persists in shaping attitudes even after the information has been successfully discredited. A correction—even when it is fully believed—does not eliminate the effects of misinformation on attitudes. These lingering attitudinal effects, which I call “belief echoes,” are created even when the misinformation is corrected immediately, arguably the gold standard of journalistic fact-checking.
https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI3564225/

Lives without substance
Our lives, for all of their angst, are often without substance. And for all that, we still do not weep and repent. The passions never give substance to our lives. They are like parasites on the soul, giving rise to a false self. They do not give us peace. We cannot rest in them. They contain no beauty and never satisfy us. Oftentimes, they simply leave us empty, even when the object of our passions is obtained. None of the passions represents true eros, true desire. The soul desires beauty, truth, and goodness (all of which find their utter and complete fulfillment in God Himself).
Fr Stephen Freeman

a recipe for gladness
a recipe for gladness, especially when we don’t feel like it. We are glad God loves us and sees how hard life sometimes is; we are glad because all around us, if we look for it, is the beauty and fruitfulness of God’s creation; we are glad because, in a world as broken as ours, we affirm as a resurrection people who worship the God of Hope, the Lord reigns; we are glad because today, we are alive, this day is God’s gift, and God has work for us to do.
Jim Gordon

Admonitions for the immediate
Be an ordinary person, one of the human race.
Be polite with everyone, first of all, family members.
Be faithful in little things.
Do your work, then forget it.
Be simple, hidden, quiet, and small.
Think and talk about things no more than necessary.
Flee imagination, fantasy, analysis, figuring things out.
Don’t try to convince anyone of anything.
Have no expectations except to be fiercely tempted to your last breath.
Fr Thomas Hopko

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Still on the Journey