Trust And Obey

July 1, 2017Scott Foote Leave a comment

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. (Isaiah 50:10)

I recently reread What’s So Amazing About Grace by Phillip Yancey. Many will recognize Yancey as a devoted follower of Jesus and a gifted writer. He is a natural storyteller with a wonderful ability to catch and hold our attention. I have read a number of his books and will continue to do so in the future. However, in What’s So Amazing About Grace he writes, “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more … And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.” This is hardly a radical statement for Evangelicals. For example, I heard Rich Nathan, Sr. Pastor Vineyard Columbus, say essentially the same thing in a sermon – “Nothing we do can make God love us more and nothing we do can make him love us less.” For many fundamentalists, this is probably as close to extra-Biblical “black letter law” you will find. A seemingly straightforward paraphrase of the good news of the gospel.

Now I don’t want to be too picky about theological matters on which I am not qualified to opine. And I certainly don’t want to take a heretical stand on a popular and oft-pronounced mantra of our faith. And yet, my mind seizes whenever I hear this repeated because it seems so contrary to Scripture. Moreover, it has enormous practical consequences for how millions of Christians are (or not) living out their faith.

Contrary to Scripture?

On its face, the statement is contradicted by much of what we read in the Bible. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more? There is nothing we can do to make God love us less? Really? The Old Testament tells us that God loves the righteous and hates the wicked. There are far too many examples to make this even debatable. The Psalms are particularly pointed, “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.” (Psalm 11:4-7) And again, “For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest.” (Psalm 5:4-6) And yet again “The Lord loves the righteous.” (Psalm 146:8) There are many other such statements.

Old Testament examples are not limited to the Psalms. Consider, “Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.” (Prov. 6:16-19) And again, “The Lord declares, ‘Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated’” (Malachi 1:2-3) And this is not to overlook God’s judgment on those who did evil in his sight – for example, “Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.” (Genesis 38:7) Hardly the stuff of a God whose love is disconnected from how we live our lives.

And lest it be supposed that Jesus somehow changed all of this, consider how he tied the Father’s love to our obedience, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John:14:21) And again, “Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) Jesus instructs his disciples to remain in His love, which is done by obeying his commands. Jesus thus implies that they (and we) can fail to remain in his love, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:9-10).

A similar thought is stated by Jude, “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 20-21) And Peter is most direct in contrasting God’s love for the righteous and his judgment on those who sin and otherwise follow the desires of their flesh, “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment.” (2 Peter 2:9)

Another Meaning?

In fairness, there is a valid Biblical interpretation of “There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and nothing we can do to make God love us less,” which involves a warning and a promise. The warning, “there is nothing we can do to make God love us more,” is directed towards those who suppose that they can earn their salvation by their own works and not by the grace of God. Indeed, a seminal verse for the Reformation is, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Forever foundational to our spiritual life is that we are saved by faith in Christ, not by ourselves. And so we take it as a warning that we cannot earn our salvation, it is solely by God’s grace.

The promise, “there is nothing we can do to make God love us less,” is that no matter how far we have fallen or for how long we have strayed, there is always a heavenly Father ready to welcome us home. Captured well in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), Jesus describes the heart of God to those who are lost, come to their senses, and return to Him. To hear that God still extends his love to us despite the awful things we may have done, is the amazing hope of the gospel.

Practical Consequences

Unfortunately, the foregoing interpretation must be teased out of the words, since the natural reading clearly suggests that our actions count for nothing, meaning we gain nothing (as far as God’s love is concerned) by living a virtuous life, and lose nothing by indulging in a profligate lifestyle. While God may prefer that we act in a certain way, at the end of the day he is generally indifferent to our actions – at least insofar as our “salvation” is concerned. And this I believe is the state of mind of many in the church today, which is empirically reflected in the similarity of lifestyles between many professing Christians and the culture in which we live. Not that there is an aggressive pursuit of sin as such, but rather that there is not a pursuit of virtue, which often amounts to the same thing. Virtue, you see, does not happen automatically. As noted by N.T. Wright, “The qualities of character which Jesus and his first followers insist on as the vital signs of healthy Christian life don’t come about automatically. You have to develop them. You have to work at them. You have to think about it, to make conscious choices to allow the Holy Spirit to form your character in ways that, to begin with, seem awkward and “unnatural.” (After You Believe – Why Christian Character Matters)

In truth, we live in an age where many in the church understand the pursuit of virtue (obedience) as a “nice to have” but not an essential part of their salvation. Such pursuit being at best a sideshow to the main act of being “saved,” which often reduces to only a heartfelt profession of faith. But, as Dallas Willard has asked rhetorically, “Can we believe that being saved really has nothing whatever to do with the kinds of persons we are?” He has written, “The sensed irrelevance of what God is doing to what makes up our lives is the foundational flaw in the existence of multitudes of professing Christians today. They have been led to believe that God, for some unfathomable reason, just thinks it appropriate to transfer credit from Christ’s merit account to ours, and to wipe out our sin debt, upon inspecting our mind and finding that we believe a particular theory of the atonement to be true – even if we trust everything but God in all other maters that concern us.” (The Divine Conspiracy)

The conundrum for many thoughtful Christians is how to square the agape (unconditional) love of God with the plain teaching of Jesus in the Gospels? Because nowhere does Jesus say that our actions do not matter to God, or that God is indifferent to whether or not we pursue him and a life of virtue. To the contrary, Jesus insists upon trust and obedience to him and the Father, with the promise of a full and abundant life for those who do. Indeed, Jesus teaches extensively on living a life of virtue – from honesty and purity, to kindness and humility. He shows us the futility of focusing on outward appearance over the greed and self-indulgence within. He calls us into radical discipleship with the promise that those who follow him through obedience will know the truth and experience real freedom. He commands us to love others. He blesses those who care for the destitute and hungry, and affirmatively disowns those who don’t. (Matthew 25) All of this he did during an earthly ministry that commenced with a call to repentance and ended with a commission for us to teach the way of obedience.

I submit that what makes God’s love unconditional is that he extends it to all without condition. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son … ” (John 3:16) And, “while we were still sinners that Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). God makes the first move and he never wavers. However, in order to realize his love, we must receive it by faith expressed through obedience. But therein lies the rub. Many Christians today either gloss over the meaning of faith, redefine it to mean some form of mental assent, or understand it as trusting in Jesus for life after death but not life today. James, of course, makes it clear that faith and action go hand-in-hand. And in this way he affirms the two great non-negotiables of the Gospel of our Lord, namely, trust and obedience – pillars of our faith that line the narrow path of discipleship.

Still, many Christians become uneasy when the pursuit of virtue is mentioned in the same breath as eternal life, for fear of the heresy salvation by works. But consider what bad news it would be if eternal life were disconnected from a life of virtue. Holding aside the words of Jesus (indeed the entire Biblical record) that conjoins a life of virtue with a life with God, the practical consequences of not trusting and obeying Jesus portends bad news for all. The idea that a person can live life as they please and have heaven to boot may seem like good news for them but is actually bad news for everyone else. It would be like a student thinking it good news to be awarded an MD without attending class, studying or passing any exams, which would obviously be very bad news for the doctor’s patients. Similarly, it may seem like good news to receive eternal life without any real commitment and effort towards trusting and obeying God, but those who live this way are going to be very bad news for all of those around them.

No Other Way

The fact is that we all must choose whether or not to pursue a life with God. He doesn’t force himself on anyone, but has given us freewill to accept or reject His love (grace) – a love that He extends to us freely and unconditionally, but that is realized by us only through trust and obedience. Indeed, our spiritual journey is reflected in how we receive his love – it is a narrow way we must follow as we repent (turn) from an old life focused on ourselves to a new life of trust and obedience to him. In the words of the honored hymn Trust And Obey – “there is no other way!”

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, but His smile quickly drives it away; not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil He doth richly repay; not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, but is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love until all on the altar we lay; for the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, or we’ll walk by His side in the way; what He says we will do, where He sends we will go; never fear, only trust and obey. (John Sammis, 1887)

The Yeast of the Pharisees

June 1, 2017Scott Foote 2 Comments

“Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees” (Luke 12:1)

Is there a savory treat more inviting than a soft pretzel warm from the oven? I think not. There is something in the way a freshly baked pretzel seduces our defenses that can override the will of all but the most resolute of dieters. For starters there is that wonderful bread-like aroma that infuses the senses and stirs taste buds with the promised flavor of briny sweetness. Our eyes lovingly follow the pleasing curves of a long strip of dough tied in a knot-like swirl. And the springy crust? There is no mountain lake more reflective than the shining coating of a soft pretzel, and no jewels in a monarch’s crown more sparkling than the salt crystals that sprinkle the surface. But the proof of course is in the tasting – and when properly baked, the interplay of chewiness, buttery-sweet covering, and salty finish is irresistible.

But it is not just the wonderful aroma and flavor of soft pretzels that excites me, but the fond memories it evokes of my childhood in Philadelphia. I don’t know about other large cities, but Philadelphia in the early 1960’s was a pretzel town. Pretzels were available everywhere – hard loop pretzels at the corner grocery store, log-style pretzels at the little league ballpark, jumbo fluffy pretzels at the Pennsauken Mart, and quintessential Philly soft pretzels at ubiquitous corner pushcarts. It is the pushcarts in particular that I remember most. At Christmastime we would take a train from Northeast Philly to the heart of downtown. Amid the bustle of holiday shopping, we would always stop at one of the many Market Street pushcarts stuffed with steaming hot pretzels. One for a dime or six for fifty cents, a bagful was quickly consumed, often in the marble-clad central atrium of Wanamaker’s. Of course, this being Philadelphia, it was more or less obligatory to spread our pretzels with yellow mustard before consumption – not an unpleasant complement, but a practice I have not carried forward.

While I am generally uninformed about the chemistry of baking, I know that having a well-conditioned dough is essential to the final product. Critical to the dough making process is the addition of yeast, which effects a wondrous transformation of the ingredients. Yeast consumes sugar producing carbon dioxide, alcohol, and other organic compounds. The carbon dioxide entrains gas in the dough causing it to rise. The alcohol and other organic compounds further react with the dough to generate complex flavors when baked. Although scientifically more complicated than this, suffice it to say when the end product is a soft pretzel, I love the marvel of yeast!

And so, I am surprised that Jesus uses yeast as a metaphor to describe the Pharisees. How can something as wonderful as yeast come to characterize Jesus’ antagonists? Unfortunately, the Old Testament does not prepare us for the metaphor because references in the OT to yeast (or leaven as it is known) are always literal. The prophets of old did not refer to yeast figuratively to my knowledge. Rather, yeast is a substance – variously considered to be a positive (give the priests leavened bread), negative (don’t put leaven on the altar), or a neutral substance (unleavened bread for Passover).

Therefore, again, I am unprepared when Jesus speaks critically of the “yeast” of the Pharisees. For example, he says, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.” (Luke 12:1). Similar warnings are sounded in the synoptic gospels: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6); and “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod” (Mark 8:15). As most of us know, the Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect who followed a strict observance of traditional and written law. They were not inherently bad people. Indeed, they were scrupulous in keeping the law and their traditions. Yet, the very word Pharisee has come to mean “a self-righteous person” and a virtual synonym for hypocrite, which pretty much summarizes the individuals whom Jesus criticized in the gospel record.

Indeed, Jesus specifically says that the yeast of the Pharisees is hypocrisy (Luke 12:1), which is defined in the dictionary as “the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.” For the Pharisees, the moral standard they claimed to have was that of living righteously before God. Their actual behavior, however, consistently fell short. Jesus gives a number of examples of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (see particularly Matthew 23), which seem to be of three different types or perhaps even stages because there is something sequential about how one type of hypocrisy leads to another. For, you see, in the same way yeast cells work their way through the entire batch – methodically and completely, the yeast of the Pharisees works its way through the soul.

In the first stage the Pharisees allow their focus to stray from God onto secondary matters. Jesus identified a number of instances. For example, the Pharisees emphasize things like tithing over more important matters of the law such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness; external appearance in prayer and clothing over internal heart matters such as greed and self-indulgence; and swearing oaths over simply telling the truth. (Matthew 23:16-26) Jesus does not say that tithing, or appearance, or the use of oaths is inherently wrong, and no doubt these were used by the Pharisees to provide structure for their obedience to God. The trouble comes when the forms become detached from the deeper purposes of God and his kingdom, and assume a life of their own.

In the second stage the Pharisees elevate their unique forms of worship to the only acceptable forms. In so doing, they position themselves to be morally superior to others, being highly critical of anyone who believes differently. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for converting others into their own image rather than God’s, thus excluding those who hold different views. (Matthew 23:15) It has been observed that “The problem with the Pharisees was not that they were big sinners, they were the best of people, but they tended to think only those like them had any value in the sight of God. The yeast of the Pharisees is narrow-minded religious exclusivism, it is sectarianism. It is the attitude that says only those who believe and behave like us are saved, everyone else is damned or at least of no consequence. (Of course it’s not only religious people who have those sorts of attitudes; the secular equivalent would be extreme tribalism or nationalism.) The yeast of the Pharisees makes people more concerned about who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’ than just trying to get on and do the will of God. It makes people continually define themselves over against others.” (John Hemer)

In the third and final stage the Pharisees not only see those who oppose them as having no value in the sight of God, but as evil and thus to be eliminated. Jesus describes how the ancestors of the Pharisees killed the prophets even as he predicted the Pharisees would do the same. (Matthew 23:29-34) The Pharisees of course fulfilled Jesus’ words as they participated in his murder. In so doing their corruption became complete as they became the antithesis of the godly people they started out to be.

As I reflect on Jesus’ warning about being on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, it is very easy (and convenient) for me to assume it applies only to the Pharisees, the Jewish religious faction of his time. Or perhaps I might apply his warning to certain “extreme” legalistic groups in the present age. Yet, if I am honest, the yeast of the Pharisees is as prevalent today as it was two thousand years ago. It can grow within the community, the church, and even my own soul.

The community is affected by the attitude of the individuals within the group. Negative comments beget other negative comments, critical remarks lead to gossip, selfish actions result in more, and so on. Before long, what was once unthinkable has become normalized. Nowhere is this more evident than in the political arena where the words and actions of leaders come to define what is acceptable. Increasingly, individual beliefs are so hardened that those who disagree are not only seen to be wrong, but corrupt or immoral. At this point, the words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn should be a healthy corrective, “Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either – but right through every human heart – and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. And even in the best of all hearts, there remains … an unuprooted small corner of evil.” (The Gulag Archipelago) Unless we recognize our individual capacity for evil, the yeast of the Pharisees will grow in our community.

The church has its own unique challenges stemming in part from the choices made about forms of worship and spiritual practices – it cannot be avoided. Some people like loud and enthusiastic worship, while others prefer a reflective service. Some like freeform liturgy, and some structured. Some prefer top-down organization, and others bottom-up organic arrangements. Some large gatherings, some small groups. The yeast of the Pharisees is reflected in an attitude that says “ours is the only true form.” For example, the Orthodox church in Macedonia not only believes that being Orthodox is necessary to one’s salvation, but only those who are Macedonian Orthodox will be saved. This is not limited to them. “One sometimes meets Christian fundamentalists who are quite sure that all those who are not like them, who don’t belong to their sect, who haven’t been ‘born again’ are going straight to Hell for all eternity. The problem here is what such attitudes do to the individual’s personality and how they misrepresent the true spirit and intention of Christ’s teaching. The desire to exclude others has continually bedevilled the human race, but when it masquerades as religion, indeed as the only true religion, it becomes deadly, and we hear too much about religious intolerance to be in any doubt about that.” (John Hemer)

As for me, the challenge is to constantly be alert to my own pharisaical tendencies. Am I more interested in looking good and presenting a favorable impression than sincerely caring for others? Do I spend more time tracking the “spiritual” things I do in a day or week than honestly addressing sin in my life? Am I more attentive to my ministry than to my wife and family? Jesus makes it clear that this is a most serious matter when he warns, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matthew 23:13) There is something about hypocrisy that God really doesn’t like. Perhaps this is why Jesus was so much more patient with prostitutes and dishonest tax collectors than with the Pharisees.

Well, there may be trouble in River City, but there is joy in Centerville. In fact, joy of joys – a new “Philadelphia style” pretzel bakery opened here a few months ago. And when Pat surprised me with some freshly baked pretzels, my defenses immediately collapsed and I indulged. The pleasure of eating these delightful yeast products reminds me that Jesus also speaks of yeast in a favorable metaphor in a parable about the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:33) In the same way that yeast works its way through all the dough silently and completely until a transformation is accomplished, so too God’s kingdom grows from the inside out until his purposes are accomplished. Evil is overcome by good – it is the only way. Just as surely as we can taste whether a pretzel is good, so too we can taste and see the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8) We see this in many ways, not least of which are many of our Christian brothers and sisters who are like yeast – seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and slowly working God’s goodness through their relationships. Such people emit the irresistible aroma of grace.

Choices

May 1, 2017Scott Foote 1 Comment

Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)

Pat and I attended a memorial service last week for my Aunt Jean. Jean died just a month shy of her 92^nd birthday in the close company of her family. She grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, came of age during World War II, pursued nursing as a profession, married and raised four children. Her life was marked by numerous physical and relational challenges within her immediate and extended family, and in her later years with her own failing body. Yet her life was not defined by these, but rather by her extraordinary kindness towards others. For, you see, despite her external circumstances Jean was a kind person. And it will be for the sacrificial kindness she extended to other people that she will be remembered. It mattered not whether she was attending a suffering patient, binding a child’s wound, caring for a needy family member, or simply mentoring a young mother, she always had an easy smile and a giving heart. The circumstances of her life were challenging, at times heartbreaking, yet she somehow transcended these externals and chose to live a life of compassion and kindness towards others.

As I listened to various eulogies at the service, I couldn’t help but marvel at the strength of character it took to live this sort of life. I wondered how it was that she grew into the person she became? It is tempting to assume that the virtues a person exhibits either come naturally to the individual, or are the inevitable consequences of their environment and nurturing. Perhaps. But I think more often than not it takes work and perseverance to develop a noble character. I have no doubt that Jean struggled at times to serve others sacrificially. Her character was not formed by a one-time, binary choice to be kind to others. Rather, it was a series of small choices everyday of her life to forsake her own needs in favor of another. My memory of her is that of a woman in motion – always working, always serving, but never too busy to care for someone in need. A veritable combination of Martha and Mary to my way of thinking.

It is the function of our heart to make the sort of choices Jean did to help others. As N. T. Wright has written, “Virtue … is what happens when someone has made a thousand small choices, requiring effort and concentration, to do something which is good and right but which doesn’t “come naturally” – and then, on the thousand and first time, when it really matters, they find that they do what’s required “automatically,” as we say.” (After You Believe – Why Christian Character Matters). I believe Jean reached a point in her life where kindness was an automatic response, a habit of holiness so to speak.

“Small ball” is an expression in baseball that emphasizes getting runners on base over power hitting. It is a style that concentrates on singles and walks and stealing bases rather than a muscular lineup of home run hitters. In a similar way, we develop habits of holiness by making small choices everyday of our life that aim to make right responses automatic. We certainly need to aim at the right goal, as Jean did over the years. But the implementation requires smaller steps that are within our immediate control. This is easier said than done because our feelings are powerful drivers of our actions – so if we don’t feel loving towards someone we tend not to act in a loving way. But as Eugene Peterson has written, “the wisdom of God says something different: that we can act ourselves into a new way of feeling much quicker that we can feel ourselves into a new way of acting.” (A Long Obedience In The Same Direction) Our culture would tell us love is a feeling, but God’s truth is that love is a choice. (For example, see John 14:15)

It has been said that we tend to overestimate what we can do in a day, and underestimate what we can achieve in a year. In a similar fashion, I believe we tend to underestimate the changes that can be made to our character over the long haul by the little choices we have before us everyday. Lent, which is a time to recall and reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, has traditionally included some form of fasting for forty days to disrupt the normal patterns of living and move the believer into a time of self-examination and reflection. In our day, an increasing number of Christ followers are choosing a Lenten fast from our electronic world by disconnecting from the Internet, social media, etc. What can seem like a nearly impossible task on Ash Wednesday gets easier as one day yields to another and Easter approaches. Perhaps we should reconsider the impact we could have on our relationship with a friend or family member if everyday for a month we chose to be intentional about our interaction with him or her. Perhaps a hidden act of service, quality time, a word of encouragement, or simply a kind word. For it is on such actions and words that the kingdom of God is built.

I am encouraged to know that there are people like my Aunt Jean in our world today. People who choose to live a different sort of life – one that is other-centered, one that eases the journey of those in need, one that is giving. Such people make the world a better place. And I am challenged to make the small choices everyday to pursue kindness as a virtue worthy of the blessings I have been given. Or as Paul wrote, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

I end with this postscript – Jean’s caring extended even unto death as she chose to donate her body to medical science.

The Inner Life

April 1, 2017June 1, 2020Scott Foote 2 Comments

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

I had a farm in Maine, on the banks of the Sebasticook River. Actually, it was an abandoned farm, fallowed and given up years earlier to blackberry bushes, unpruned apple trees, and wild turkeys. The previous owners lived out-of-state and used it as a summer place. After the farmhouse was torched by local youths, the property was put on the market in 1973. When I first saw it on a hot June day that year, I was enthralled. From the approach down an old country road, the land sloped gently to the southwest and towards the river. This slight elevation afforded a panoramic view of distant hills with only a pair of faraway blue silos to suggest this was not wilderness. An ideal mixture of fields and woods in a remote and private setting was precisely what I was looking for. And so, by September I had made the purchase – fifty acres of God’s country for five thousand dollars.

When I moved to the property in the spring of 1974 the overgrown land was quickly reverting to its natural state. Where the old homestead once stood, trees had sprouted from the foundation. Old stone walls that in an earlier day had marked the boundaries of cultivated fields were overrun by brambles and thickets. And the hint of an apple orchard with its once tidy rows had long since been shrouded by native vegetation. Yet, to my young heart there seemed only endless possibilities for living close to the land. In this regard Pat was a kindred spirit, so when we married in 1975 and moved into a hastily constructed cabin, we energetically plunged into clearing a permanent home site.

It was hard physical work, but also an exciting time filled with a vision and hope for our future. All of the clearing was done by hand and I remember long days uprooting trees, big and small, to slowly expand the footprint of where the house would one day stand. I quickly discovered that trees are not created equal when it comes to their root systems. Cedar trees have shallow roots and can easily be deracinated by simply cutting one or two lateral roots and yanking the tree from the ground. Apple trees are much more challenging – even after every lateral root is cut the tree will not budge. Only by undercutting the trunk and severing the taproot can an apple tree be defeated.

I learned a lot about trees that summer and came to appreciate the silent invisible world of roots lying just below the surface. Ironically, even as I was learning about the hidden life of trees I gave little conscious attention to my own inner life. While I was digging up and exposing so many root systems, my inner life was languishing – unrevealed and unexamined. Selfishness, anger, and lust had free range in my soul with hardly a thought on my part that anything was wrong. Unfortunately, it would be many years before the truth about my character began to dawn on me, and many more years until I began to understand the difference and interplay between my outer life and inner life and the critical importance of the latter.

The outer life of course is familiar territory. It is where our body intersects and interacts with the world around us. It is our daily transactions with others, our comings and goings, our chores and jobs, our leisure activities, our words and expressions. Hearing, seeing, tasting and touching are all senses of the outer life. Our outer life consists of the things we do, the words we speak, the people we meet, and the actions we take. Increasingly, we mediate and shape our outer life through electronic means such as social media – over one billion daily active users of Facebook testify to the attention we spend managing our outer life. But, alas, the outer life feels physical pain, the outer life gets sick, the outer life breaks down, the outer life eventually dies. It is a visible world.

The inner life, in contrast, involves the mind and the will. It is the world of thoughts and emotions. It is where we process sensory inputs. It is a battleground for our desires, but also a receptor for transcendent moments of beauty. It is a dusty road where dreams are crushed, but also the soil from which hope springs. It is the domain of despair where regrets can pierce the heart, but also a land of visions where a song or kindly act can make the spirit soar. It is the breeding ground for hate, but also the wellspring of virtue. It is a great sea where storms of emotion can shipwreck a life, but also a safe harbor where the anchor of faith can hold firm. It is an incinerator or incubator for love. It is where our kingdom and God’s kingdom touch. It is the province of our soul. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is an invisible world.

J.R. Miller, a Christian pastor described the difference between our outer and inner selves: “In every man there are two men. There is an outer man that people can see; there is an inner man that no human eye can see. The outer man may be hurt, wounded, marred, and even destroyed, while the inner man remains untouched, unharmed, and immortal. Paul puts it thus: ‘Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.’ He is referring to his own sufferings as a Christian. His body was hurt by scourgings, by stonings, by exposure. It was worn by toil, and by endurance of hunger, of hardship. But these things which scarred his body, leaving marks upon it, making it prematurely old – had no effect on the inner man. His real life was not wounded by persecution. It even grew in strength and beauty as the outer man decayed.” (J.R. Miller, 1895)

My inward journey has been a slow affair with fits and starts too numerous to mention in one writing. Suffice it to say that after praying a “salvation prayer” in 2000, I became increasingly aware of the gap between my professed belief as a follower of Jesus and my daily swirl of thoughts and emotions. I remember feeling particularly convicted when attending a conference where a speaker confessed her greatest sin was not so much any specific transgression; rather her overarching sin was that she “lived a compartmentalized life.” In other words, it was less about individual sins and more about the fact that she was able to put her transgressions in one basket and her spiritual beliefs in another. I found this enormously helpful because it explained the cognitive dissonance I was experiencing in my life. Looking back, this insight propelled me forward by turning me inward.

I suppose it was inevitable that eventually I would have to look honestly at my inner life. The Bible says that God looks at our inner life, “the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7) And God’s word clearly insists that the inner life is the source of our actions. For example, Jesus tells us it is the source of our words, “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) James tells us it is the source of our conflicts, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1) Paul tells us that our thoughts control our spiritual growth, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

Moreover, the goal of the Christian life, which is to become like Jesus, necessarily focuses primarily on a renovation of the inner life. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29) We call this process spiritual formation, which is simply the formation of our inner life. Dallas Willard put it this way, “Spiritual formation for the Christian is a Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self – our “spiritual” side – in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself. In the degree to which such a spiritual transformation to inner Christlikeness is successful, the outer life of the individual will become a natural expression or outflow of the character and teachings of Jesus. We will simply “walk the walk,” as we say.

In retrospect, I believe it was the Holy Spirit who led me to writers such as Willard and Richard Foster who explained Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God, and describe the nature of the inner life in a compelling and encouraging way. They also introduced me to the writings of Christians who throughout the ages have grown in their spiritual life by first looking inward. As one observer describes it “To judge by their writings, Christian authors of all generations have concerned themselves deeply with a specific aspect of the human experience, what they refer to as the ‘inner life’ of human beings. Their exhortations encourage each reader to tend to his or her ‘inner life’; to become ‘alive inwardly’ and to perfect the ‘inner virtues.’ Though it admittedly sounds a bit mysterious and mystical, I think there is great practical wisdom in what these authors are suggesting.” (Marshall Bartlett) I too found great practical wisdom in attending to my inner life, distilling from my study and practice two principles that have guided me on my journey.

First, I attend to my inner life simply by thinking about it, by reflecting and meditating on it. To think about what I am thinking about. To think about my emotions and the thoughts that are causing them. To think about what I really believe about my values, relationships, and goals. To think a lot about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. To think about my direction by reflecting on questions such as, “Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.” (Oswald Chambers) In short, to seek greater self-awareness. But I have found reflection of itself to be of limited usefulness unless coupled with specific activities of the outer life, which is my second principle.

Namely, I attend to my inner life by selective external activities, which are sometimes referred to as spiritual disciplines – reading the Bible and great literature, praying, writing and meditating on God and His word, exercising – perhaps a walk in a woods, volunteering, building friendships. These are not inherently righteous acts, so they are never done for outward appearance. They are only sanctified by God when used to redirect and refocus the inner life.

A few years before Pat and I sold the Maine “farm,” I planted several lines of Maple trees to mark off a driveway and parking area. These I had found in a grove of saplings that had sprung up under a gigantic Maple tree growing nearby. I literally ripped about a dozen of these from the earth and then settled them and their tiny roots in holes I had dug twenty feet apart. They looked pretty pathetic when first planted and I did not give them much chance to survive. Well, after Pat and I moved, we were able to return to the land periodically and observe their progress. Hope upon hope, the trees not only survived, they thrived. Despite high ledge conditions the trees had slowly and silently spread their roots. After thirty-five years, their trunks were straight and proud and their crowns wonderfully intermingled. And every fall the hidden years of root growth were reflected in a colorful and glorious display of foliage.

For some of us, the autumn of our life is at hand. For others, it may still be spring or summer. But the great news is that wherever we are on the journey of our outer life, it is never too late to attend to the inner life. This after all is where our life with God starts and ends, and his promise of an abundant life in His kingdom is surely as good today as ever.

May the Lord reward you with insight and imagination as you journey inward.

Forgiveness

March 1, 2017Scott Foote 3 Comments

“Forgiveness is a beautiful word until you have something to forgive.” C.S. Lewis

A friend and I were walking out of church a few weeks ago when he expressed skepticism about our ability to truly forgive other people. While he didn’t doubt in God’s forgiveness, he questioned how we could possibly do the same for those who have seriously aggrieved us. As I paused to gather my thoughts, he proceeded to ask how it was possible to forgive a wife who had been unfaithful, forgiven, and then unfaithful again? Or, he wondered, how to forgive a business partner who had systematically embezzled money from the business for twenty years? I suspected these questions were neither hypothetical nor rhetorical; rather, they reflected a deep struggle to apply Biblical truth to two crushing betrayals.

The Biblical truth, of course, is that the Lord commands us to forgive those who have wronged us. Jesus tells us that we should pray to the Father, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” And lest we miss the point, He emphasizes it saying, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” To which He adds these chilling words, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) Indeed, God’s directive to forgive others is a cornerstone of life in the kingdom of God. Yet the challenge remains, which is how we can pull this off in the face of treachery and betrayal. Or even, how we can pull this off for the myriad of other offenses, great and small, that confront us daily.

And so today I write today about Forgiveness – not because I easily forgive others or because I have a naturally forgiving heart, but precisely because I don’t. I write because at times I struggle to forgive others when they have hurt me, and I believe there are many other Christians who, like my friend and me, struggle likewise. And finally I write because, other than humility, there is no Christian virtue that is more critical to our faith journey and yet more lacking in our world than forgiveness.

Who among us has not had his or her own struggle with forgiveness? A spouse who habitually makes you late, a friend who gossips about you, a sister who takes heirlooms that your parent promised to you, a child who borrows money and doesn’t repay you, a boss who fires you, a parent who neglects or abuses you, etc. The list of “unforgivable” offenses is infinite. Many seem silly to an outsider, like a disagreement my grandmother had with her sister over ownership of a ceramic dish that resulted in them not speaking to each other for fifty years. Some are beyond our comprehension, like the murder of a child. And yet, wherever our particular grievance falls on some imaginary continuum of offenses, there is always a deeper story of hurt that seeks to justify unforgiveness. Indeed and regrettably, few among us can say they “keep no record of wrongs.”

Why is it that forgiveness is so difficult? Why do we struggle to overlook even minor transgressions? Why are we instinctively defensive when offended? Why is our automatic response to injury retaliation? Why do we store up wrongs like so many artillery shells to be deployed in the future? As Christians, we know the short answer is that we are sinners who live in a fallen world and who keep bumping into other sinners like so many steel balls on a pinball machine. But really we have to dig a bit deeper to gain some understanding.

The thought process here is two-fold. First, is to recognize that the principal obstacle to forgiveness involves our feelings. Our feelings are powerful and as Dallas Willard has pointed out “People nearly always act on their feelings, and think it only right.” And so, movement towards forgiveness requires that we take an honest look at our feelings, specifically those feelings of injustice, pride, and/or fear, which fan the flames of our anger. Our goal is not to deny our feelings, but to start shifting our underlying thought patterns. Second, is to look at the specific choices that lead to forgiveness. The concept is that forgiveness is ultimately not a feeling, but a choice we make involving four promises.

Injustice is the screaming headline of my soul whenever I have been hurt. I believe we all possess an innate sense of fairness and justice. Indeed acting justly is a virtue that God commands of us. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) However, trying to balance the virtues of justice and forgiveness can be exceedingly difficult at times. Although we are told that “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13), still the unfairness of the situation keeps running through the mind. The business partner who systematically embezzled for twenty years simply must be made to suffer proportionately – it’s only fair. But in reality, the circle will never be squared – even if the partner were to repay the money with interest, there is no justice that can ever even the score on betrayal. So we absorb the injury and trust instead in God’s ultimate judgment, knowing that in doing so we will receive the good life in the kingdom of heaven. For we believe Jesus’ promise, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)

Pride is often creeping at the door when I have been wronged, but it is harder to recognize (or at least to acknowledge) than injustice. Pride, of course, is a sin – the sin referred to by CS Lewis as the Great Sin – the sin at the root of all others. Pride is the number one defense shield against wrongs perpetrated against me. It emerges automatically when I have been hurt. It says, “You dare to cross me? Don’t you know how important I am!” Pride is often masked by feelings of injustice, so it takes some honest reflection to recognize and acknowledge it. The corrective here is a decision to follow Jesus when he says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25) Easy to say, hard to do, but such is the narrow path we must follow to know the blessings of the kingdom. For as Jesus tells us, “blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

Fear is a defense mechanism that also emerges when I have been hurt by another person. Fear says, “I have been hurt, I don’t like being hurt, I don’t want to be hurt again, so I will have nothing further to do with you.” It is the emotion that underlies the adage, “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.” In other words, take countermeasures now before I am hurt again. To forgive means I have to take the risk of being hurt again. Fear counsels me not to take the risk. I have seen this dynamic play out in my own family where a mother’s anger and critical nature so poisoned one son that he has nothing to do with her, except perhaps for an occasional phone call. When I told him how his actions were hurting her, his exact words were, “I don’t care if she is hurt because I am hurt.” The son is not a bad person, he is a hurt person who fears being hurt again. Jesus’ counsel here is straight forward – Do not worry, trust Him, and above all “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33)

Anger is a natural response when we have been wronged. And nowhere does the Bible tell us that anger is inherently bad; rather, we are instructed not to allow our anger to become destructive. When Paul cautions “in your anger do not sin,” (Ephesians 4:26) he is recognizing that while anger may be an automatic reaction to conflict, we should not use it as an excuse to harm others. And what can we do to avoid anger from becoming a sin? He counsels us – watch your words, get rid of bitterness and malice, and above all “forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Botox is a modern wonder drug for treating everything from facial wrinkles to chronic migraines. Amazingly, it is derived from the same toxin that causes a life-threatening food poisoning called botulism. When I am wronged by another person the anger I feel is like Botox – a little bit can be healthy but not when taken in large doses. And so I try to take the “Botox” approach to my emotions – I acknowledge them but don’t let them run wild because if I do they will lead to sin and eventually poison my soul. In other words I try to find a middle ground between denying my emotions and totally succumbing to them. It is in this middle ground where forgiveness is born and healing can take root.

Coming to grips with our feelings is the first great movement towards forgiveness. However, forgiveness itself is decidedly not a feeling, rather it is a choice we make. This is good news for me because it means I can take specific steps of forgiveness while I am not feeling particularly forgiving. Ken Sande, author of The Peacemaker, writes that forgiveness is essentially four promises: 1) Not to dwell on the incident; 2) Not to bring the incident up and use it against the offender; 3) Not to talk to others about the incident; and 4) Not to allow the incident to stand between or hinder the personal relationship with the offender.

The first promise is Not to dwell on the incident. My natural response to conflict is to brood over it, to replay it like an imaginary recording in my mind, to attribute evil motives to the other person, and to fantasize how I might get even. The problem is that I have never resolved any matter by brooding over it, nor do I feel better after doing so. And this is one of the many ironies of dwelling on an offense, namely that I am the one who is hurt. Some years ago an unknown author wrote, “Unforgiveness is the poison we drink hoping someone else will die.” Dwelling on a matter simply stirs up all of the negative feelings and I get trapped in a cycle of anger and unforgiveness.

A woman I know believes that forgiveness is a sign of weakness, and so she seldom forgives offenses. Sometimes in the middle of a normal conversation the mere mention of a person’s name or incident will set her off into an extended diatribe about how that person wronged her. No doubt she has suffered hurts in her life, but not apparently out of the normal. Her remarkable memory for names and places seems to be a burden at times when bad memories of seemingly insignificant events trigger a wave of bitter thoughts and words. Not surprisingly her attitude is poisonous and drives off people, including her own family.

The second promise is Not to bring the incident up and use it against the offender. This is the essence of “love keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Cor. 13:5) When we decide to forgive an offense we give up our right to use it against the perpetrator. A common misconception about forgiveness is that it means forgetting. This is not Scriptural, and it defies common sense. Our memories record what has happened in the past, our hearts choose how we are to deal with those memories in the future. I know people who carry past offenses around like so many arrows in a quiver, ready to be pulled and used at a moments notice. I am so grateful in my marriage that Pat does not recall the egregious acts that I have committed over the past 45 years. Indeed, if she did it would be a ponderous pack for her to bear.

The third promise is Not to talk to others about the incident. Of course, sometimes it is necessary to involve others in attempting to resolve a matter. In fact, Jesus gives us a procedure in Matthew 18 for confronting someone who has harmed us. The process starts one-on-one and slowly adds others to help in the resolution. But at some point the process ends and forgiveness is extended. This means no rehashing of the matter with others. The first promise of forgiveness is not rehearsing the matter with myself, the second promise is not repeating it to the offender, and the third is not replaying it for others. The idea here is to tamp down the memory, or in the words of Proverbs, “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Proverbs 26:20)

The fourth promise is Not to allow the incident to stand between or hinder the personal relationship with the offender. This may be the hardest of the four promises because it depends upon so many factors. If there was no close relationship in the first instance, there is no Biblical call to create one now. In the case of serious betrayals, the other person may have no interest in rebuilding the relationship. Indeed, even Jesus and Paul recognized times when divorce is permitted. Other examples abound – the perpetrator has disappeared or is dead or is unknown. Nor is there any Biblical call to place oneself or others into an abusive situation. In all of these examples, and others, one can truly forgive even though the relationship cannot be restored. My goal is to have an attitude of forgiveness that releases the other person from chains of guilt and releases me from chains of perpetual anger and bitterness.

Honestly examining the underlying causes of our anger when we are aggrieved and choosing to make the four promises can go a long way in helping us forgive others. However, we Christians don’t have to forgive under our own strength. We have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth and to help us grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Some years ago I was struggling to forgive an acquaintance with whom I was having conflict. As I was praying to God about my frustrations, the Holy Spirit revealed how an unrelated incident fifty years earlier had set up a lie in my mind that was generating emotional turmoil in some of my then current relationships. The revelation was a cathartic moment in which I experienced supernatural healing. And as I look back, I now see it as a turning point in my spiritual journey that has helped me to more easily forgive others.

I end today with the timeless Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi – Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O heavenly Father, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

On Vision

February 1, 2017February 28, 2017Scott Foote 1 Comment

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18)

Change Or Die is the provocative title of a 2007 book by Alan Deutschman. It describes the difficulty people face in making lasting lifestyle changes – even if failure to make these changes could result in death! For example, in the U.S. roughly two million people annually undergo angioplasty or heart bypass surgery. During recovery they are informed by their doctors that their surgeries will ultimately fail unless they alter certain habits – typically diet, exercise, and/or smoking cessation. In effect they are told to change or die. One might think this would be a major wakeup call and motivation to change, and indeed many patients make some initial adjustments in their lifestyle choices. Nonetheless, two years post surgery fully 90% have reverted to their previous habits, a number which has been corroborated in multiple studies.

If the specter of physical death is not sufficient incentive to change one’s lifestyle, we may wonder at how difficult it is to transform the habits that comprise our character? That is to say, if an exercise regime is unattainable despite the near certain knowledge of clogged arteries and likelihood of death, where is the hope of growing in virtues such as gentleness, or goodness, or self-control? Or if poor eating habits are too hard to change, how are anger and lust to be overcome? This is hardly an academic question given the state of many professed Christians. For example, a 2007 Barna study concluded, “When measured for other moral behaviors, born-again believers are not much different from non-born-again adults.” Hardly a resounding description of a holy or abundant life.

And so we ask, how is spiritual change possible? Is there a path for those who truly desire to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience as directed by Paul? In other words, is there a way in which the habits of holiness are acquired?

A helpful reference point is found in the secular world of heart patients described in Change Or Die. In one experiment of over 300 patients, a medical doctor devised a program that nearly reversed the conventional statistics of failure, so that after three years, roughly 75% of patients in the trial had made and kept the necessary lifestyle changes recommended by their doctors. One of the key insights of the study was that helping patients develop a positive Vision for their lives was a far greater motivator than the fear of dying. This was so because often bad habits were a way patients coped with other emotional issues. The way it was phrased in the book was “Who wants to live longer when you’re in chronic emotional pain?” The goal then was to help the patients change their thought patterns or narratives that controlled their lives. In other words, to help them be “transformed through the renewal of their minds.” (Romans 12:2)

In the study there were other things that helped the heart patients successfully develop habits for healthy hearts, such as a support group and repeatable actions. Similarly, there are other building blocks that help Christians develop habits for healthy spiritual hearts, such as a community of believers and spiritual disciplines. These I have and will continue to explore in postings. But for today, I focus on a critical influencer of spiritual health, namely, the Vision one has for his or her Christian character.

The power of vision became real to me when I was in 8th grade. In my first two years of junior high school, I was the class clown – always looking for outrageous things to say or do to make my friends laugh. I did not spend a lot of time at my studies, preferring sports and being the center of attention. During the end of the school year I applied for an elite high school in the city – one that my older brother was attending. When I was rejected based on my grades, I was crushed. Indeed the pain and shame was so intense that I resolved never again to fail due to lack of effort. And so when I arrived for the first day of school in the fall of 9th grade, my classmates barely recognized me. Outwardly I was wearing a tie and jacket, but inwardly I was clothed with a new attitude. No more fooling around at school – I was all business. And at home, literally all of my time was devoted to my studies. I started studying and working on homework assignments Friday afternoon and did not stop until Sunday night. Weeknights were spent with the same level of intensity. As a result of my efforts, I achieved a measure of academic success. In subsequent years I have read similar stories of students drifting through school and then suddenly getting a vision of something they really wanted in life. Perhaps an interest in a certain profession, or a desire to follow someone they admire. My vision, which was simply to avoid rejection, was not particularly noble as it was driven almost exclusively by my pride. Yet, once the narrative of my life changed from being a failing clown to a diligent student, there was literally nothing that I let stand in my way.

At the time, I did not realize the deeper spiritual truth of what was happening, namely, that I was being changed or transformed by the renewal of my mind. I was literally rethinking the way I was doing life (or at least how I was approaching my studies) and deciding upon a different approach. When John the Baptist heralded the coming Messiah and when Jesus started his ministry, their call went forth to “repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2, 4:17) Many hear the word repent and believe it means to apologize for one’s sins. Perhaps so, but it is much deeper than being sorry because it literally means “to change one’s mind.” More specifically, “to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.” As Dallas Willard has written, “As we first turned away from God in our thoughts, so it is in our thoughts that the first movements toward the renovation of the heart occur. Thoughts are always the place where we can and must begin to change. … The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon.”

Realizing the centrality of Vision is key to change. But how do we develop a positive vision? How do we change the ideas and narrative controlling our life? This is not easy. As Willard has written, “To change governing ideas, whether in the individual or the group, is one of the most difficult and painful things in human life.” Thinking deeply about our thoughts, actions, and relationships is certainly a good starting point. I once heard a speaker (in describing the process of spiritual growth in young people) assert that the most important thing we can do with our youth is to help them to develop a “moral imagination.” By this she meant that we should help them reflect on two questions: What kind of person do I want to be? What kind of life do I want to live? These are great questions for people of any age, and particularly for those who claim to be followers of Christ.

About fifteen years ago I found myself growing increasingly impatient with other drivers. It seemed to me that everyone was out to cut me off in traffic or drive too fast or too slow. Many mornings I arrived at work so angry from my commute that I was literally sweating. Things got so bad that some days I did not want to get behind the wheel. And really, at one level I felt that if I didn’t become patient I would die. Although Paul says that “love is patient” (1 Cor. 13:4), my initial goal had nothing to do with loving other drivers and everything to do with my own survival. In other words, my goal of becoming patient was based entirely on self-interest. Nonetheless, as I prayed about the matter and started taking simple steps to become more patient, I gradually experienced some healing. This proved not only therapeutic but ultimately gave me more compassion for other drivers. The steps I took were important, but my point here is not the steps per se but the seminal role of vision to stimulate and initiate radical change. My key insight was that I had no chance of changing the behavior of other drivers, that my anger at other drivers was hurting only me, and that my single hope was to overcome my anger with patience.

Jesus described the kingdom of God in terms such as a pearl of great value and a buried treasure, and he claimed that those who follow him would have an abundant life. He has given us a glorious vision for the good life, but yet it can feel so elusive. Perhaps the reason spiritual change seems difficult is the lack of a strong vision for the virtuous life. In fact, we often have narratives that are starkly opposite. I had a friend who struggled in his marriage, yet when I asked him about it, his response was, “it will never change.” Obviously, when one’s overriding narrative for a difficult marriage is that it will never change, it won’t. I wonder if he ever thought about what a good marriage would look like for him? What changes could he make to improve it? Were there ways he could love his wife that did not depend upon her response? How far would he be willing to go to love his wife better?

“Vision” is a word that I have not always valued. I found it particularly off-putting during my years working in a corporation where we periodically crafted “vision statements” for our job assignment. For me, it was a waste of time because I never believed in the vision I was helping to create. Oh sure, I could come up with some grand sounding words, but it was for show and not for real. As far as I can tell the same principle applies in the spiritual life. Grand sounding words are not enough – I need to hunger and thirst after righteousness. Only then will I be filled.

Lord, reveal to us the ways we have strayed from Your path; show us the way forward with a powerful vision for a virtuous life; and empower us by the strength of the Holy Spirit to live as people worthy of our calling.

On Friendships

January 1, 2017Scott Foote 4 Comments

“Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” (Proverbs 18:24)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

“MARLEY was dead, to begin with.” So goes the opening line of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – a wonderful tale of redemption and transformation of the human soul. As most of us know, this is the story of the reclamation of Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist, who when we first meet him is emotionally, spiritually, and relationally dead. Scrooge, described at the outset as, “A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.” To say that Scrooge had no friends would be an understatement. Indeed, he was a man to be avoided. So much so that, “Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, ‘No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!’”

Marley, as we discover, is Scrooge’s deceased partner who is condemned to roam the earth in penance for his sins; and who returns on Christmas Eve to prophetically warn Scrooge that he will be visited by three other spirits that very night. As the story unfolds we find the spirits revealing to Scrooge various scenes from his past, present, and future life. Much is made of Scrooge’s presenting sin of greed; indeed, his name is synonymous with the sin of avarice. Perhaps, though, the most poignant aspect of the tale is how lonely Scrooge is. As the First spirit reveals Scrooge’s backstory, we discover that as a child he was spurned by his father – a father who sent him to a boarding school where he languished even over Christmas holidays when other students went home. Sometime later in his life Scrooge is pitifully observed as being “Alone. Quite alone in the world.”

Is there anything more hopeless than being described as “quite alone in the world?” I have gone through times in my life when I felt alone. And I have known other men, particularly in their later years, who seem almost desperately alone. The consequences of being alone are becoming a serious problem for older people. According to the U.S. Census Bureau over ten million, or about 30% of people aged sixty-five and older, lived alone in 2010 – a number that will only increase as people get older. Additionally, more and more older adults do not have children, which increases the likelihood of being alone. While there are no easy or quick fixes, I believe it is possible to develop and nurture friendships – an activity that I believe is not only important to mental health, but an essential aspect of our spiritual journey as I will explain.

Building relationships with other men is something that I have become more intentional about in recent years. In fact, I have asked and met one-on-one with about a hundred men over the past eight years. I have had no agenda other than getting to know and be known by few men. I never expected the number to grow as it has, but my curiosity in meeting other men and hearing their stories has become a most natural thing to do. From these connections I have three observations about developing friendships with other men. While I certainly don’t present these as universal truths, I have some confidence in their validity at least to men in my generation – baby boomers. And although I suspect these principles apply to women as well, I would not overgeneralize.

Vision

First is having a vision for developing friendships. As with all Christian virtues, progress will be difficult unless there is an underlying belief in its importance to life in the kingdom of God. I don’t know how one comes to believe this should be a priority. For Scrooge it was a Christmas Eve reverie in which he observed and felt the pain and consequences of his isolation. For me, it was a sermon by Pastor Pete many years ago where he commented, “Did you know that there are some men who have no friends!” I was startled as much by the incredulity in his voice as I was with his point. At the time I had no friends (wife and family aside), and I don’t recall thinking it was at all strange. I thought that my business contacts at work were sufficient, although in retrospect these were limited to the workplace and there was none I counted as a close friend.

It turns out that my experience was not uncommon. In her book You Just Don’t Understand, Deborah Tannen states, “When asked who their best friends are, most women name other women they talk to regularly. When asked the same question, most men will say it’s their wives. After that, many men name other men with whom they do things (but never just sit and talk) or a friend from high school whom they haven’t spoken to in a year.” While there is nothing wrong with a spouse who is a best friend, it can place a lot of pressure on the marriage dynamic. In which case, having other friends can help us process some of the ebbs and flows of a marriage. Pat and I have each found the other to be a better companion as a result of us having our own circle of friends we meet with regularly.

Life in the kingdom of God is about doing the will of the Father. His will in regard to our relationships is not subtle or hidden – it is a clarion call to live selfless lives in community with others. For example, the many “one another” commands in Scripture presuppose that we are intentional about developing friendships. From love one another and encourage one another to bear with one another and forgive each other, I submit that it is impossible to live these out unless we are living in close association with others we call friends. But this is not about clenched teeth obedience to God’s word; rather, it is a path to the good life. No truer words are written than “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Prov. 27:17)

Initiate

Second is to take the initiative. In my experience it is rare for a man to initiate a meeting with another man to simply sit and talk. Over the past eight years, I honestly can’t remember a single time another man has asked me to meet for the sole purpose of getting acquainted (the notable exception being men that I have previously met with). On the other hand, I cannot recall a single man whom I have asked who hasn’t agreed to meet, and generally quite readily. I think this is an amazing empirical data point: Over the past eight years, I have asked about a hundred men to meet for breakfast or lunch – and everyone has agreed. Yet, over that same period, I have not received a single ab initio request to meet. The takeaway for me is that if developing friendships is important, then one must take the initiative. Carpe diem!

As an aside, if meeting around a meal, go Dutch. While this is a pathetically prosaic thing to mention, I have found that this is a surprisingly important detail that holds some men back from taking the initiative. (It is also highly revealing as to our desire to avoid indebtedness towards others.) I find that I position this when I approach another man by simply asking, “do you want to meet sometime for breakfast? ” And when we meet, I ask the server for separate checks. In this way a potentially awkward social situation is avoided when the time comes to pay. The only exception I make is when the social imbalance is too great. For example, if I ask a college student to meet, I make it clear that I will be paying.

Interest

Third is to show interest in the other person – finding out about their job, their family, their interests, etc. Be curious. This after all is the purpose for meeting – to get to know another person. It is amazing to me how shallow many men can be in a social setting. I was in a men’s small group for the better part of a decade and yet we scarcely knew the backstories of one another’s lives. It was not anyone’s fault, but rather an unfortunate pattern that we drifted into until it became part of our group culture. That said, when meeting, it is important to make time for small talk – it is hard to get to deeper matters before some preliminaries. The question isn’t whether all talk is going to be “deep” but whether any talk is going to be deep?

As a final comment, I have found it best to keep expectations low regarding follow-up meetings. Asking someone to meet is no guarantee that a friendship will form. There are simply too many factors in building a relationship to expect too much. Gratefully, I have developed three close friendships – men that I meet with regularly one-on-one; and I have a couple other relationships that are trending in that direction. Each one of these is unique, but all are based on mutual respect and a real interest in the life of the other.

At the end of A Christmas Carol, we see a new Ebenezer Scrooge – one who is deeply concerned about other people and who builds community with them. We may wonder about how Scrooge developed new friendships but we know that he did. We are told, “Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.”

May the Lord strengthen you in the New Year with the courage to reach out to others. And may He richly reward your efforts to push back the darkness of loneliness with the comforting light of friendship.

Fear Not

December 1, 2016March 28, 2018Scott Foote 2 Comments

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

Fear Not are words that abide in our collective Christmas memory. Fear Not, the angel says to Zechariah when the preternatural birth of John the Baptist is foretold. Fear Not, the angel reassures Mary when his enigmatic greeting troubles her. And again, Fear Not, the angel declares to the shepherds when the glory of the Lord blazes around them as they keep a night watch over their flocks. Simple words, fear not, yet with power to calm a soul. Who among us has not at one time or another desperately needed to hear, hope and hold onto these words? Surely I am not alone in yearning for the faith of the Psalmist who says, “Although the earth erupts in quakes, we will not shake or fear; though glaciers crash into the sea, our God is always near. And though the oceans roar and foam, and breakers crash and swell, though mountains sway and split in two, we know that all is well.” (Psalm 46:2-3)

Fear Not are words of Advent that beckoned me into the nativity narrative the past several weeks to think about the lives of Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds. Beyond their encounters with the angels, which we are told triggered initial fear responses, what other things or people did they fear? For example, did they fear King Herod, the dark and foreboding antagonist in the narrative? Perhaps they were thrilled by his building of a great wall to protect the Second Temple in Jerusalem, his spending on infrastructure as he constructed the port at Caesarea, and his defeat of the Arabs. Or perhaps they despised him because he flouted the Mosaic law, was not Jewish, and lived off of their taxes.

Scripture only hints at such fears. For example, in her glorious song of praise Mary sings, “The Lord has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their throne but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” (Luke 1:51-53) Was Mary praising the Lord for His past deeds in scattering the proud, bringing down rulers, and sending the rich away empty? Or was she equivocally prophesying that the Lord would bring down king Herod? We know that within the year Mary would be forced to flee to Egypt with Joseph and the baby Jesus to avoid Herod’s genocide of male children; yet just a few years later Herod himself would be struck down by a horrible disease (quite possibly a cancerous infection called Fournier’s gangrene).

Irrespective of their views of Herod, and notwithstanding the shock of being visited by an angel, these were real people with concerns and fears, big and small, which undoubtedly affected their daily lives. Zechariah (and his wife Elizabeth) had lived righteous lives yet were childless in their old age. Mary was very young, perhaps less than fourteen, and about to enter into an arranged marriage. The shepherds were living a hardscrabble life in the open fields exposed to the elements and surrounded by predators that menaced their flocks. And, of course, all of them lived under Roman rule that was capricious at best to non-Roman subjects. Without doubt they had much to fear. Which makes their response to the angels’ words, fear not, so fascinating. For not only were their hearts calmed, but they pressed through their fears and redirected their hearts, minds, and actions to a movement of God. Zechariah praised God and allowed his miracle son John to live an isolated life as a harbinger of the Lord the way the angel had prophesied. Mary acquiesced and bore and nourished the Christ child. The shepherds abandoned the fields and journeyed to find the infant.

It is glorious to be comforted, but it is transcendent when obeying God redeems anxiety for His kingdom. For whatever their fears, there is a palpable sense of expectation and excitement as they enter into the unfolding events. Zechariah rejoices that he and Elizabeth will have a son in their old age who will prepare the way for the Lord; Mary moves from acceptance to worship knowing she will bear the Son of God who will reign forever over His kingdom; and when the shepherds find the baby Jesus, they spread the amazing news of the birth of the Messiah.

By believing God’s word and acting accordingly, Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds beheld the kingdom of God that was beginning to stir. A baby being born in a stable would soon turn the world upside down. The long-awaited Messiah was coming, and indeed was at hand. Not as a king from of old but as a humble child born in a manger. This was Jesus, the One who would announce the kingdom of God, manifest its power, and teach us about its nature. He was indeed the King of kings. Earthly kings had good reason to fear Him – even the mighty Roman empire itself would be wiped out within several centuries. But of His kingdom there would be and will be no end, as one day loud voices in heaven will declare “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.” (Rev. 11:15).

The Advent narrative reveals the comforting words of angels saying fear not. But the lesson I take is that fear is conquered by trusting the Lord and then obeying. Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds did not remain in their fear, but simply acted in obedience to the word they heard from God. Of course, several decades later Jesus Himself would affirm this by declaring that the key to banishing fear was to seek His kingdom above all else. As recorded by Matthew, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31-34)

Herod commanded a Roman army and ruled a vast kingdom, yet he succumbed to his fear of an infant and at his word a generation of male children was slaughtered. Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds were humble citizens living in uncertain and dangerous times, yet by trusting God they transcended the daily fears of existence and played out critical roles surrounding the birth of the Messiah. Fear, unexamined and unrestrained, will always lead to evil. Fear, redeemed by the Farther, will always lead to goodness. When I forget this central truth of the Gospel that evil can only be overcome by good, I miss the essential meaning of Advent and the word of the angels.

I thank all of you who have been faithful readers of my monthly musings this year. I am encouraged by your kind words, and I am grateful to know many of you as kindred spirits. I wish you all the best this Advent season and a very Merry Christmas. May your hearts be revived, your minds refreshed, your relationships renewed, and your souls restored. And above all may you receive the encouragement of angels, Fear Not the Lord is with you always.

Guard Your Heart (Redux)

November 1, 2016March 29, 2018Scott Foote 1 Comment

Above all else, guard your heart, it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

One week from today the election will be over. Thanks be to God.

Our house phone has been ringing for a month with pleas for support, while everyday the mailman brings yet another stack of political missives. In some respects this is no different than previous presidential elections – each side marshaling the most negative attacks against the other and assuring us of certain calamity if the other person prevails. Nonetheless, it does feel like there is something different going on this cycle, and not just the fact that the overriding sentiment in the country seems to be negative voting against one candidate or the other rather than an affirmative vote for one of them. We are witnessing a political firestorm that is burning a deep divide within our country, our church, and our families.

In the midst of this cultural conflagration I’m desperate to place the blame on one of the candidates, or the media, or other definable group. There is no shortage of scapegoats nor lack of voices to bolster my proclivity – one only needs to flip channels between FOX and MSNBC to validate. Yet, if I am honest, I know that the election propaganda is merely revealing something that is already in my heart. If I am angry it is because I have unresolved anger in my heart. If I am fearful it is because I have allowed fear and worry to become rooted in my soul. If I feel hopeless it is because I have placed my hope in earthly things. Fear, anger, hopelessness – all of these I see in others, but unless I am honest before God I cannot see them in myself. For while I prefer a narrative that I see the issues objectively, in truth, there is a fire burning in my heart over this election, and I am alarmed. What can I do to guard my heart? Is there anyway this potentially consuming fire can be transformed into a refining fire?

Earlier this year I wrote about guarding the heart with a focus on the discipline of fasting from criticalness. I have long believed that we Christians are at our worst during elections, being unrepentant in our vocal criticism of candidates we oppose. At times such as these, the practice of being non-critical of others would be of great value. This is particularly true this year given the emotional turmoil many of us are experiencing. James saw clearly the firestorm that can be caused by critical words. “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-6) If one word can cause such destruction is it any wonder our nation is in an uproar given the unrestrained cacophony of negative, condemning and often vulgar words.

Controlling the tongue is an important discipline for the Christian life and essential for guarding the heart. Yet, to truly extinguish the embers smoldering in my heart there is more I can do with God’s grace. Here then are my three, electoral year resolutions for guarding my heart.

First, to take heart – God is still God. He is in control. Isaiah put it this way. “God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.” (Isaiah 40:22-24)

I recently asked my friend Bill how he handles the anxiety of the election, and without hesitating he said that he takes a “higher view” of the electoral process and the direction our country seems to be taking. In particular, he says that in times such as these he finds comfort in focusing on the sovereignty of God. No doubt this is why Paul exhorts us believers to “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

Second, to humble my heart – in victory or defeat. The approach here is to seek to understand and reconcile with those who see the world differently than I do. For example, praying for our leaders – that they will lead well and prosper. Paul put it this way, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

I have never been a particularly good loser and by profession am conditioned to arguing my case. But this is not right; I am told to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4) Easier said than done. I am feeling estranged not just from our leaders but also from certain friends as a result of our opposing views. Apparently I am not alone as I read that many on Facebook are “unfriending” those who support opposing candidates. Thus, I am committed to pray not only for our leaders, but, as Paul says, “for all people.” And importantly that God will not allow the election to turn my heart away from any friend.

Third, to rededicate my heart to building the kingdom of God. Rather than hunkering down nurturing fear and anxiety, I would commit myself to God’s divine conspiracy, which is to “overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) Jesus explained the kingdom significance of our actions in practical terms when He spoke of his return, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)

Pat and I are actively exploring ways to “double-down” on our volunteer activities after the election. We are praying about different opportunities to serve those in need. We believe this is the only way forward, the only way for healing.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to violate God’s command against worshipping idols, Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into a fiery furnace. What a shock it must have been for the king to observe a man dressed in a white robe join them in the inferno, and then see the three emerge without so much as a hair on their heads being singed. (Daniel 3). We rightly love this story about their obedience, courage and faith and about God’s rescue. Yet when we are the ones facing a fire (metaphorical though it may be) we can lose heart and be tempted to violate God’s word for our life. At times such as these we need to press into Jesus, the man in the white robe, the only one who can bring us safely through the flames.

Love Is The Way

September 29, 2016October 1, 2016Scott Foote 4 Comments

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35)

Pat and I returned from Macedonia last night – a ten day visit with our daughter, her husband, and four children who live in the capital Skopje. I am ashamed to admit that I had little enthusiasm to make the journey. Not that I don’t like being with our family because I do. It’s just that I am intimidated by the rigors of travel, especially being on the road nearly twenty-four hours each way. And while jetlag is manageable, I find changes in normal patterns of eating, sleeping and exercise distressing. Consequently, I wrestled with the decision of whether or not to go, which was an internal struggle between my heart and my flesh. My heart said go; my flesh said no!

And my mind? Well, my mind was a two-edged sword in this battle between my will and my body. On the one hand, my mind reassured my heart that traveling was the right thing to do. These are our children and grandchildren. Having us visit would undoubtedly be a great blessing for them. They have sacrificed much to be missionaries to Macedonia. They are literally following in the footsteps of the apostle Paul who blazed this trail 2000 years ago. Pat of course was “all-in;” having framed her life around her family; her heart was set on seeing her only daughter and four of our grandchildren. So by going I would be honoring her as well.

On the other hand, my mind also rationalized my fleshly desires. Was I not warranted after a lifetime of business travel to stay at home? I dislike flying, jostling through the crush of people at airports, and inching through security and custom lines. I am a creature of habits, particularly sleeping and eating, which are the first casualties of long distance traveling. Not to mention other potential struggles with travel such as flight delays, tight connections, lost baggage, bad weather, illness, etc. Stress upon stress. And what about the ministry and family commitments we have at home?

I didn’t ask God what He thought because I honestly didn’t want to hear his answer. And while I’ve learned from the Psalmist that God knows our thoughts before a word is on our lips, I didn’t know that God answers us when we don’t specifically ask him. I should have known there is no escaping the Hound of Heaven. Because even though I didn’t ask the Lord what I should do, I clearly heard His answer: make love my goal – not my comfort, not my desires, not my perceived happiness. Simply set my heart on love and follow it. In other words, go to Macedonia.

One of the earliest teachings I recall on how to live a Christian life was by Keith Brown, then Sr. Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He explained how Jesus, in his last night on earth, concisely summarized all that He had taught his disciples,“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Keith’s message was simple, yet profound – if we want to hear at the end of our lives, “well done, good and faithful servant,” then we must make love our aim. Don’t make happiness our aim, don’t make money our aim, don’t make things that bring us pleasure our aim. Don’t even make being loved our aim – this is futile, we have no control over this. If Jesus is right, the only thing that really delivers is the practice of His love, come hell or high water – no matter how difficult it is.

And so Pat and I made our plans, bought our tickets, and journeyed to Macedonia. Although our travel was not perfect, it was less arduous than my fears. Most surprising, I discovered that in blessing our family we ourselves were blessed. We had the honor of watching a family in love with one another in daily interactions – from our daughter patiently handling little crises of four small children to a joyous reunion when their “dada” returned home at the end of a weeklong conference. We saw a family living life in a deep community of believers helping one another through daily trials and the rigors of expat living. And we saw a family deeply in love with God and spreading the good news in a challenging part of the world. Yes, there were physical burdens to be sure. Yet God was faithful to take us there and back again, exhausted in our bodies but greatly renewed in our souls.

The city of Skopje is surrounded by mountains, the largest of which is Vodno. On its summit is the Millennium Cross, which at 217 feet towers over the city. Shining by day, illuminated at night, and visible from most places in the city – it is an ever-present reminder that God is always watching, always protecting, and always showing us the way to go. It became for me a visual representation of the words of the Psalmist:

Is there a place that I can go where You won’t follow me?

Can I escape Your Spirit, Lord, or from Your presence flee?

If I climb to the heavens, Lord, upon the highest stair,

Or if I plunge the lowest depths, I know that You are there.

If I should rise on wings of dawn to find a place to dwell,

And settle down across the sea, I’ll find You there as well.

For even there Your hand will guide and help me here below;

And with Your right hand holding fast, You will not let me go.

(Psalm 139: 7-10)

The ear of God ever hearing, the eye of God ever watching, the hand of God ever guiding, the Spirit of God ever present.

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Pursuit Of Virtue

An Exploration of Christian Values

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