Grain of Salt

Do not pay attention to every word people say,
       or you may hear your servant cursing you- for you know in your heart
       that many times you yourself have cursed others.  – Ecclesiastes 7.21-22

A find this a good reminder to take everything with a grain of salt.  Words hurt, but there’s no reason to take any words to seriously in a sea of so many.

Houses of Mourning

“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.”  – Ecclesiastes 7.2

There’s something about death that makes you think.  Even if it’s the passing great-uncle-what’s-his-name that you haven’t known since childhood, a death and funeral causes you to reflect – and there’s value in that.  Rather than keep living life, a little reflection on death will help redirect us toward life as it ought to be lived.  What a shame it would be lie on your death-bed full of regret.

Disappointed with God

My family went to the doctor’s office a few weeks back, and learned that we’re having our third boy!  I’m happy, my wife if is good, my oldest son is crushed.  He wanted a baby sister so bad, and he prayed like it to.

When we got the car, my wife just held him while he sobbed.  He really had it out with God to, saying things like, “Why won’t you give me a baby sister.  Please God.  I prayed for a baby sister.  Please God.  You’re a bad God.”  He was hurt.  He was angry.  He wasn’t sure what to believe about God.

I’m proud of him for wrestling with theology at just four years of age, but I wish had more answers to give.

Figuring it Out

Call it a product of the modern area, but most of us are bent on figuring things out.  Scientists, research analysts, marketers, counselors, tech industries – we have entire careers built on tapping unknown answers.  We carry this into our personal lives as well, navigating job markets, family situations, and at least amongst many circles I keep, a relationship with God.

Just because there is something new for me to learn, doesn’t mean that it is actually new itself.

 8 What advantage has a wise man over a fool?  What does a poor man gain by knowing how to conduct himself before others?

 10 Whatever exists has already been named, and what man is has been known; no man can contend with one who is stronger than he.

- Ecclesiastes 6.8,10

Higher living does not come from higher knowing.  Even among the most highly praised disciplines of science, we’re just learning what has already been – chemical reactions, cosmos images, origins of species, etc…  I don’t doubt that we can find a fresh telling of what has always been, but it puts us in humble and proper perspective before God to acknowledge that newness and originality are not in our grasp.

Prosperity & Misery

A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.  It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.  Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man - even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

Ecclesiastes 6.3-6

It’s more about enjoying what you have than getting more to find joy.  It’s a repeated theme in the book of Ecclesiastes, but these verses in particular speak loudly to me.  I suppose it’s the imagery – 100 children, 1,000 years, great prosperity; and it’s still possible to live and die in misery.

What Poverty Has to Work With

A hurt, a vision, a relationship, a skill – these are the four things that can get a person out of poverty, according to Chris Parsons of the Schenectady Rescue Mission.  She did a marvelous talk at our church recently on “What every church member should know about poverty.”

I’ve been captivated as of late with what it would take to help people in poverty… I’m a late bloomer, so have some patience with me!  If I were running a downtown development, I’d like to make sure that everyone who had something to give was given something in return.  There are other ways to help people without any skill or vision, but to those who do have it, I think we’d do well to give them a relationship that will navigate and open doors, regardless of class or present standing.  If a city can leverage every asset it contains, regardless of where that asset comes from, I think we’ll discovery a pretty rich and thriving culture… and economy.

More

We are typically bent on a crash course tward more… and crash is what we do. The pursuit of more rarely results in more. Or in the words Sheryl Crow, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got.”

Ecclesiastes 5.10-12,15

 10 Whoever loves money never has money enough;
       whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
       This too is meaningless.

 11 As goods increase,
       so do those who consume them.
       And what benefit are they to the owner
       except to feast his eyes on them?

 12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
       whether he eats little or much,
       but the abundance of a rich man
       permits him no sleep.

 15 Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb,
       and as he comes, so he departs.
       He takes nothing from his labor
       that he can carry in his hand.

Silence

I attended Church of the Incarnation a week or two back in New York City.  It’s a liturgical church that is in its first few months of meeting.  The music was quiet and contemplative, corporate readings were shared, a time of personal silence was given for introspection.  I don’t come from a liturgical background, but I found their worship style very refreshing. 

Passion isn’t always measured in tempo.  In fact, I found my passion for God rising in this subdued atmosphere.  I could think.  I could listen.  I had to do a little searching for God on my own because the message and program wasn’t designed to monopolize my attention.

I’m certainly not at the point of elevating one style over another at this point, but I did enjoy changing the pace, and hearing from God in a new way.

Do not be quick with your mouth,
       do not be hasty in your heart
       to utter anything before God.
       God is in heaven
       and you are on earth,
       so let your words be few. 

- Ecclesiastes 5.2

My Favorite Taylor

I becoming a bigger Taylor Swift fan each year that goes by.  This is my favorite version of her though…

 

Is your Small Group White?

Just read a fascinating discussion on the ethnicity of small groups.  The proposition is that small groups are a “white” thing.  While African American and other ethnicities find community in the flow of life, gathering on front porches, maintaining ties with extended family, etc… whites need external assistance, a structure, a small group program. 

The most provocative statement of the article is that whites do small groups for efficiency – 90 minutes, state the problems, fix the problems, go home.

I have never considered such issues before; just took them for granted I guess.  I’m have a great time pondering it now.