Perhaps the next time someone asks us to put on a mask and our natural instinct is to get on our self-righteous soapbox about how we live by faith and not fear, we should reconsider two things: first, do our lives really reflect living without fear (and do we really want them to?), and second, is that actually how Jesus would respond?
Category: Reflection
I must do better
Moving forward, I will strive more fervently to “err on the side of love,” as the saying goes. This does not mean I will stop pointing out what I see as uncomfortable truths. I believe more than ever we need that in our current time. But I will seek to be more engaging and less compelling. I will do all I can to not speak out of bitterness and frustration, but instead pursue grace and an invitation to discussion.
A closer look at Luke (Part 13): Worship without following is not discipleship
White American “Christianity” does not follow Jesus. It claims to worship Jesus, but “worship” while refusing to acknowledge his commands and follow through on them is a tainted worship. It’s false. It’s worse than meaningless. It’s more like mockery. It is taking the Lord’s name in vain.
A closer look at Luke (Part 12): Do we prioritize the healing, or the Sabbath?
When we look at protests, do we see the pain of centuries of injustice, or do we see graffiti? When we hear about yet another unarmed Black person killed by police officers, do we see the shedding of innocent blood, or do we seek to find an excuse (such as a misdemeanor on their record that means they were a “criminal,” and, by extension, deserved to die) to justify it? When we see healing on the Sabbath, do we see 18 years of disability come to a loving end, or do we see a violation of religious ritual?
This is your time
The whole world is watching to see our response. It’s only reached this point because Trump’s base of American “Christians” has remained silent (or even openly supported) his long list of prior words and actions that violate everything Jesus lived (and died) for.
Mourning on Memorial Day
May this Memorial Day serve as a wake-up call to bring us back and see if there’s any way to save what we’re in the process of destroying. Otherwise those millions of lives will have been given in vain.
A closer look at Luke (Part 11): Jesus’ ongoing call to selfless living
Today’s closer look at Luke examines another section of lengthy discourse. So many of the things Jesus says tie back to many of the topics we’ve already touched on in previous posts, with the core of the message being a radical faith that is lived out through selfless sacrifice to provide for everyone else. Basically, every step of the way, Jesus’ call contradicts what we naturally choose to pursue and the values of a materialistic world.
A closer look at Luke (Part 10): Prayer and woe
All of these things are rooted in selfishness, arrogance, and greed. And that ties us right back to the key components of the simple prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray at the beginning of the chapter.
An honest question: Do we really want an economic system that makes Jeff Bezos a trillionaire?
We have a chance to actually set America on a path to greatness. Not a greatness as measured by how many billionaires live in our midst, but a greatness measured by how few live in poverty, how few can’t afford medical treatment when they are ill, how few can’t afford education, how few can’t afford a home in which to live.
A closer look at Luke (Part 9): Caring for the stranger
Both pieces – one the story of how Jesus chose to send his followers out to minister and the other a parable to convey the truth that everyone is our neighbor – underscore just how serious the treatment of the most vulnerable is to Jesus. It is the hope of better treatment for them that is at the heart of his good news. Without it, there is no kingdom of God.
Castles in the Sand 