Not too long ago, I was about to enter a hospital to visit someone, a middle aged person approached me and asked, “You are a priest. Tell me what to do because a voice in my head is telling me to hurt a friend of mine.” A few days ago, someone was walking by my office window screaming and shouting profanities to God. You could see many people trying to avoid the man as much as they were able. Another one called me on phone and said that she was going to kill herself.
All three looked very healthy. They wore decently. No one would think of them to be sick. Physically there was nothing wrong with them. The one who heard a voice would have passed as a prosperous business person. The young woman would have been one of members in our church. If the man was not shouting and screaming, he could have been my next door neighbour who would take a walk every day to exercise.
Looks and appearances, however, do mislead us. Their words or behaviours reveal to us how sick they are with mental illnesses. The difficulty is that dissonant visual cues confuse us making us to treat them as if they are dangerous. In most cases we try our best to get away from them as quickly as we are able. We become fearful of anyone whom we do not understand.
In my experiences of talking to many who are mentally ill, I discovered that they are not dangerous especially to me. If anything, often they are danger to themselves more than they are danger to others. Just asking few questions can help us overcome our fears of those who act differently than we.
Initially I talked with them because I felt an obligation as a minister. Soon when I overcame my own prejudices and fear, I began relaxing and was able to talk with and come to know them as who they were: God's people who were suffering not with physical but with mental illnesses.
My personal approach in these situations changed. Now, I do my best to see Christ in them as I do my best to see Christ in me. This way of thinking helps me because when I think this way I can talk to them as if they are my own brothers and sisters who are ill. I no longer see them with fear.
Yes, initially I felt very uncomfortable when someone asked what to do when one heard voices or wanted to harm herself. Now, however, I receive each one as one of God's people who requires my love and attention. I do not offer answers and solutions, but share my time and effort to learn from and be taught by each one who comes to share who s/he is and how s/he suffers with pain and anguish.
What would you do if a stranger came up to you and told you that she wanted to hurt someone or herself?
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
How much can you do in an hour?
Finally I am away from everything. Or am I? I am certainly away from my office not thinking too much of the work I have to do. This is my day off, after all.
Here I am sitting at Starbucks drinking a juice waiting for Rebekah to finish her piano lesson thinking about tomorrow. Then, realizing that I will not be at my office tomorrow because I will be at a all-day meeting in Toronto I have begun frantically sending e-mails away to cover the work I should be doing tomorrow.
What’s interesting is that in the last twenty minutes, I have done more than enough work to cover one-half of tomorrow morning’s work. I finished and sent a report to a committee noting that I will not be attending, sent numerous e-mails to help others make decisions, and now I am writing a blog.
As I am writing, I am constantly checking three e-mail accounts, messaging through Facebook with those whom we have not had contact for a while.
So, how much can one do in an hour? I am finding that before I finish this expensive Starbuck juice, I will have done most of my work for tomorrow. The amount of work that can be done in an hour depends entirely on my ability to focus. I am sure that you are not different. That is, if you make your mind up to focus and do what you have to do, you will accomplish much.
It would not be that much a stretch for me to say that even spiritually if one focuses and works, much would be done in figuring out what God would want us to do. It is just that we often do not think about doing spiritual work with such single minded focus.
I often thought about how much Jesus could have done in his three year ministry. Three years used to sound so short a period for him to save the whole world. Now, it does not seem so far fetched. If you can do so much in an hour, imagine how much you can do in three years if you focus all your mind, soul and ability. Now imagine what God in Christ accomplished in three years when God focused all of God-self in Christ!
The most amazing thing is that God did all that in Christ because God loves you so dearly.
Here I am sitting at Starbucks drinking a juice waiting for Rebekah to finish her piano lesson thinking about tomorrow. Then, realizing that I will not be at my office tomorrow because I will be at a all-day meeting in Toronto I have begun frantically sending e-mails away to cover the work I should be doing tomorrow.
What’s interesting is that in the last twenty minutes, I have done more than enough work to cover one-half of tomorrow morning’s work. I finished and sent a report to a committee noting that I will not be attending, sent numerous e-mails to help others make decisions, and now I am writing a blog.
As I am writing, I am constantly checking three e-mail accounts, messaging through Facebook with those whom we have not had contact for a while.
So, how much can one do in an hour? I am finding that before I finish this expensive Starbuck juice, I will have done most of my work for tomorrow. The amount of work that can be done in an hour depends entirely on my ability to focus. I am sure that you are not different. That is, if you make your mind up to focus and do what you have to do, you will accomplish much.
It would not be that much a stretch for me to say that even spiritually if one focuses and works, much would be done in figuring out what God would want us to do. It is just that we often do not think about doing spiritual work with such single minded focus.
I often thought about how much Jesus could have done in his three year ministry. Three years used to sound so short a period for him to save the whole world. Now, it does not seem so far fetched. If you can do so much in an hour, imagine how much you can do in three years if you focus all your mind, soul and ability. Now imagine what God in Christ accomplished in three years when God focused all of God-self in Christ!
The most amazing thing is that God did all that in Christ because God loves you so dearly.
Monday, September 26, 2011
$10,000
$10,000!
Next Sunday our church will be discussing and vote on a motion to give $10,000 from our Pat Meikle Endowment Fund to the Presbyterian World Service and Development. There have been two major views on this discussion: 1. it is better to help those who are suffering terribly in many parts of the world; 2. it would be more prudent to keep the money in the endowment fund and raise money separately from our members and send whatever we collect—keeping the money will insure that the future needs of the church will be met from the fund.
(Presbyterian World Service and Development is a relief agency within the Presbyterian Church in Canada to carry out Christ's ministry among those who are suffering and in need. The link will show you how this agency of the Presbyterian Church in Canada on our behalf works in troubled regions of our world.)
This discussion is helpful for all of us because it makes us think about our reason for being as a Christian community. Should we put the good of the world ahead of financial security of our church? The debate is raging on. I have a full confidence that people will make a decision that is from God.
How do we discuss these kinds of important matters in a Christian community? How do we bring about decisions that will truly show that we are carrying out the ministry that was shown through Jesus Christ?
To make sure that our decision will reflect God’s loving action in the world, we have set for ourselves a guideline to discuss the proposal;
We pray that God will help us in this task. Remember that as Christians you are party to this discerning process. As God’s people we discern together. Even in our diversity we bring forth God’s love in and through the unity of decision.
Blessings to all!
Next Sunday our church will be discussing and vote on a motion to give $10,000 from our Pat Meikle Endowment Fund to the Presbyterian World Service and Development. There have been two major views on this discussion: 1. it is better to help those who are suffering terribly in many parts of the world; 2. it would be more prudent to keep the money in the endowment fund and raise money separately from our members and send whatever we collect—keeping the money will insure that the future needs of the church will be met from the fund.
(Presbyterian World Service and Development is a relief agency within the Presbyterian Church in Canada to carry out Christ's ministry among those who are suffering and in need. The link will show you how this agency of the Presbyterian Church in Canada on our behalf works in troubled regions of our world.)
This discussion is helpful for all of us because it makes us think about our reason for being as a Christian community. Should we put the good of the world ahead of financial security of our church? The debate is raging on. I have a full confidence that people will make a decision that is from God.
How do we discuss these kinds of important matters in a Christian community? How do we bring about decisions that will truly show that we are carrying out the ministry that was shown through Jesus Christ?
To make sure that our decision will reflect God’s loving action in the world, we have set for ourselves a guideline to discuss the proposal;
- 1. The money that is entrusted in our care belongs to God. It is not ours. We are given the privilege to make the decision because God trusts us as a steward to do God’s will.
- 2. The decision is to show forth God’s love for the world now and for a long time to come.
- 3. The discussion is accepted as our efforts to discern God’s will. It is not an attempt to get one’s view imposed on others. Therefore even in the midst of heated argument we remember that we are seeking God’s will.
- 4. All views are expressed to advance Christ’s love in the world. We are engaged in this discussion to do what is best for Christ and his Church, to which we belong. In all circumstances our decision will show our love for God and for our neighbours—in hearing about our decision others will say that indeed Christians made the decision in love for one another and for the world.
We pray that God will help us in this task. Remember that as Christians you are party to this discerning process. As God’s people we discern together. Even in our diversity we bring forth God’s love in and through the unity of decision.
Blessings to all!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Who am I?
If we want to run a marathon, we follow fairly strict exercise training schedules that are designed based on each person’s ability. To keep a good figure, we exercise regularly to burn off calories and tone our muscles. Even to keep a minimal level of health, we exercise.
So, if we want to live life spiritually, what exercise should we do to maintain our spiritual well being?
Well, let’s be honest! We don’t often think about our spiritual health. It would not be wrong to suggest that most people do not even think about living life spiritually.
Yet, we know we are spiritual beings. That is, we are more than collections of cells that have a certain length of life span. We are more than what our appearances tell others. As human beings we are thinking beings. We assume that we are already pretty knowledgeable about being spiritual. Only problem is that when we need articulate about being spiritual, we get stuck. We have a hard time defining “spiritual life” to others.
We think of Pope or Buddhist monk or those wise people who tell us about what life and death are as spiritual. The truth is that everyone is spiritual. Some are more aware of spirituality than others. Some people become more articulate on spiritual matters because they have a disciplined way of living their lives.
Spiritual stuffs have a lot to do with thinking. However, not all activities related to thinking are spiritual. Being spiritual is far more than knowing how to add numbers, observe stars, and feel the beauty of sunsets. It has much to do with seeing our world in ways that relate us not only to one another, other living beings, but also to all things that exist in our universe and beyond. It points us to something beyond ourselves and helps us to answer the most difficult question, “Who am I?”
The first (and the most basic) spiritual exercise is to ask this question, Who am I? It is an exercise that requires a discipline because the answer is not evident and gets more complicated as we get more serious in finding the answer to it. It can easily frustrate the person who asks it; it offers no easy and quick response; and it forces the questioner to see oneself more deeply than ever before.
There are few things to keep in mind; 1. The answer to this question changes each time we ask it; 2. The one who asks is the only one who can answer—no one can give the correct or right answer to your question (you have to do the hard work); 3. This question leads to many questions which take life time to answer; 4. The most important thing to realize when you ask this question is that if you do not know how to love yourself the answer you get will be the wrong answer; 5. Asking this question requires monumental amount of patience and strength to wait for the answer.
So, are you ready to do this exercise?
If you are a beginner, start slow and give yourself a lot of time. In the same way you train for a marathon, begin this spiritual exercise by spending a small amount of time asking the question and answering. Consistency is the key; spend few minutes each day and increase the time that you spend in seeking the answer after few days. Soon you will be comfortable in spending more time seeking the answer.
Try!
If you need help, let me know. I am here to help you do it.
As a Christian, I have discovered that everyone is spiritual and that the starting point of pondering about God, human being and everything in the world is asking this question of me. Being spiritual is getting engaged in the process of searching for the answer to this crucial question. Without this exercise a person ends up creating one’s own image, thought-world, and universe that are shallow and prone to destruction. In my view Christianity within me does not become real until I begin to ask this question seriously.
So, if we want to live life spiritually, what exercise should we do to maintain our spiritual well being?
Well, let’s be honest! We don’t often think about our spiritual health. It would not be wrong to suggest that most people do not even think about living life spiritually.
Yet, we know we are spiritual beings. That is, we are more than collections of cells that have a certain length of life span. We are more than what our appearances tell others. As human beings we are thinking beings. We assume that we are already pretty knowledgeable about being spiritual. Only problem is that when we need articulate about being spiritual, we get stuck. We have a hard time defining “spiritual life” to others.
We think of Pope or Buddhist monk or those wise people who tell us about what life and death are as spiritual. The truth is that everyone is spiritual. Some are more aware of spirituality than others. Some people become more articulate on spiritual matters because they have a disciplined way of living their lives.
Spiritual stuffs have a lot to do with thinking. However, not all activities related to thinking are spiritual. Being spiritual is far more than knowing how to add numbers, observe stars, and feel the beauty of sunsets. It has much to do with seeing our world in ways that relate us not only to one another, other living beings, but also to all things that exist in our universe and beyond. It points us to something beyond ourselves and helps us to answer the most difficult question, “Who am I?”
The first (and the most basic) spiritual exercise is to ask this question, Who am I? It is an exercise that requires a discipline because the answer is not evident and gets more complicated as we get more serious in finding the answer to it. It can easily frustrate the person who asks it; it offers no easy and quick response; and it forces the questioner to see oneself more deeply than ever before.
There are few things to keep in mind; 1. The answer to this question changes each time we ask it; 2. The one who asks is the only one who can answer—no one can give the correct or right answer to your question (you have to do the hard work); 3. This question leads to many questions which take life time to answer; 4. The most important thing to realize when you ask this question is that if you do not know how to love yourself the answer you get will be the wrong answer; 5. Asking this question requires monumental amount of patience and strength to wait for the answer.
So, are you ready to do this exercise?
If you are a beginner, start slow and give yourself a lot of time. In the same way you train for a marathon, begin this spiritual exercise by spending a small amount of time asking the question and answering. Consistency is the key; spend few minutes each day and increase the time that you spend in seeking the answer after few days. Soon you will be comfortable in spending more time seeking the answer.
Try!
If you need help, let me know. I am here to help you do it.
As a Christian, I have discovered that everyone is spiritual and that the starting point of pondering about God, human being and everything in the world is asking this question of me. Being spiritual is getting engaged in the process of searching for the answer to this crucial question. Without this exercise a person ends up creating one’s own image, thought-world, and universe that are shallow and prone to destruction. In my view Christianity within me does not become real until I begin to ask this question seriously.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Spiritual Health (1)
To be healthy, regular exercises and nutritionally balanced meals are essential. Doing regular exercises does not mean hard workouts, but doing 30 minute exercise for three times a week. Also eating nutritionally does not mean a hard regimen, but eating moderate amount of meat and vegetables—unless you are a vegetarian. Knowing about the benefits of exercise and eating well, however, does not mean that we actually follow our plans in our busy life. We often skip meals for many different reasons. We do not even think of doing a short exercise when we are tired at the end of the day.
Think, then, how much easier it is for us to forget about caring for your spiritual health.
"Say what?" you say.
Yea, you heard me right—“spiritual health!”
Most of us accept that each person is not only a biological being, but also a spiritual being. (By “spiritual” we mean that there are things that are more than physical and emotional. We use the word to refer to being aware consciously and/or subconsciously. (Because of the limitation of space, in this discussion we will assume that you know what I am referring to when I use “spirit” or “spiritual”.) Being spiritual is to be more than listing everything we know.)
Like anything else, spiritual health does not come because we know many things, nor because we are compassionate and kind. We do not become mature spiritual being simply because we are who we are. Incidentally, attending worship services may help, but do not necessarily help our spirits to maintain good health. To be spiritually healthy, we have to train and feed our spirits with appropriate exercises and nutrients.
What are appropriate exercises and nutrients?
The most basic exercise is to take yourself away from everything and examining who you are. For Christians, this means that by taking ourselves away from everything that we have been accustomed to and see ourselves for the first time as who we are. This exercise leads us to discover who we are. Of course this journey leads Christians to what all other Christians learned—that we are created in God’s image with limitations and imperfections, yet beautifully reflecting through all of our beings who God is.
The most basic nutrient we require is love. It is the love that frees us to love ourselves as God in Christ loved us. That is, you need to accept yourself and come to love you with all your limitations, faults and imperfections. Only then, you will come to share love beyond yourself. This love of Christ as the most basic nutrient assists you in loving yourself as God intended.
Tomorrow, let us discuss more on the exercise that will enhance your spiritual health.
Think, then, how much easier it is for us to forget about caring for your spiritual health.
"Say what?" you say.
Yea, you heard me right—“spiritual health!”
Most of us accept that each person is not only a biological being, but also a spiritual being. (By “spiritual” we mean that there are things that are more than physical and emotional. We use the word to refer to being aware consciously and/or subconsciously. (Because of the limitation of space, in this discussion we will assume that you know what I am referring to when I use “spirit” or “spiritual”.) Being spiritual is to be more than listing everything we know.)
Like anything else, spiritual health does not come because we know many things, nor because we are compassionate and kind. We do not become mature spiritual being simply because we are who we are. Incidentally, attending worship services may help, but do not necessarily help our spirits to maintain good health. To be spiritually healthy, we have to train and feed our spirits with appropriate exercises and nutrients.
What are appropriate exercises and nutrients?
The most basic exercise is to take yourself away from everything and examining who you are. For Christians, this means that by taking ourselves away from everything that we have been accustomed to and see ourselves for the first time as who we are. This exercise leads us to discover who we are. Of course this journey leads Christians to what all other Christians learned—that we are created in God’s image with limitations and imperfections, yet beautifully reflecting through all of our beings who God is.
The most basic nutrient we require is love. It is the love that frees us to love ourselves as God in Christ loved us. That is, you need to accept yourself and come to love you with all your limitations, faults and imperfections. Only then, you will come to share love beyond yourself. This love of Christ as the most basic nutrient assists you in loving yourself as God intended.
Tomorrow, let us discuss more on the exercise that will enhance your spiritual health.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Greetings
This morning, I noticed that it took many tries before I gave up recording a new greeting for the church voice mail system. Finally, I chose a very generic info packed greeting. Why was I struggling so much? Was it because I was trying to put so much info on it?
We use many different types of greetings. When addressing strangers, our “Hello!” contains cautious and respectful tone. With friends, the same word expresses our joy of being together. When exchanged within one’s family it has intimacy and understanding that is very deep.
Another interesting thing about our greetings is that it reveals who we are at the moment of exchange. It signals whether we are glad, sad, angry, friendly, hostile, gentle, and so on. That short exchange communicates so much of us to others.
No wonder, then, people try to peer into our mood, well being and feeling when they receive our greetings. This is why I find myself keep recording to find that right tone as I greet people through our answering machine.
Because I do not know in advance who will use our voice mail, I try to bring tones and words that express in a way that listeners can not only say that our recorded message was okay, but also go away having been welcomed by a community of Christians.
Can in a voice mail message a stranger be welcomed as if she was welcomed at home? Can in those few words a person feel the love of Christ we share? As a Christian community, it turns out that these questions do matter because we represent not only who we are but Christ who loved the world.
In a same way, greeting classmates, sales clerks, cashiers, friends and others can be occasions to share God's love or it could be simply a detached word that tells everyone to stay away from us. It could be inviting or rejecting of others. It takes courage to find ways to show not simply your friendliness in general but share a bit your yourself as God's image to others.
We use many different types of greetings. When addressing strangers, our “Hello!” contains cautious and respectful tone. With friends, the same word expresses our joy of being together. When exchanged within one’s family it has intimacy and understanding that is very deep.
Another interesting thing about our greetings is that it reveals who we are at the moment of exchange. It signals whether we are glad, sad, angry, friendly, hostile, gentle, and so on. That short exchange communicates so much of us to others.
No wonder, then, people try to peer into our mood, well being and feeling when they receive our greetings. This is why I find myself keep recording to find that right tone as I greet people through our answering machine.
Because I do not know in advance who will use our voice mail, I try to bring tones and words that express in a way that listeners can not only say that our recorded message was okay, but also go away having been welcomed by a community of Christians.
Can in a voice mail message a stranger be welcomed as if she was welcomed at home? Can in those few words a person feel the love of Christ we share? As a Christian community, it turns out that these questions do matter because we represent not only who we are but Christ who loved the world.
In a same way, greeting classmates, sales clerks, cashiers, friends and others can be occasions to share God's love or it could be simply a detached word that tells everyone to stay away from us. It could be inviting or rejecting of others. It takes courage to find ways to show not simply your friendliness in general but share a bit your yourself as God's image to others.
Friday, September 16, 2011
TGIF
Friday!
For most of us Friday cannot come quick enough. For many people “weekend” means being away from regular work. There was a time when weekends were not different from regular working days. People did not break from their daily works because Friday, Saturday, and Sunday came upon them. It was not until medieval times when the Church insisted on keeping Friday separate from all other days to remember the death of Jesus. Many Christians remembered the event by not eating meat in some countries. They chose to eat fish instead on Fridays. Sunday was celebrated as the reminder of the resurrection of Christ. Saturday was kept as Sabbath by few Christians, but did not become important for the majority of Christians.
The modern understanding of weekend originated from the practice of keeping Sabbath holy (holy as in setting it apart for sacred purpose). People of Israel, who practice Judaism, always kept Sabbath holy—Sabbath started at Sundown on Friday and ended at Sundown on Saturday. Christians practiced Sunday as their holy day from very early on.
Initially not all Christians could take Sunday off from work to keep it holy like the Jews. Many Christians were slaves in Roman Empire. Many would slip out from their daily duties on Sunday to gather together to worship and return back to do their work. In Book of Acts we read that Paul even went to riverside to find Christians gathering on Sundays.
When the Roman Empire became officially Christian and the Church had much influence, Sunday was declared and kept as the day of worship. The idea behind it was based on one of the Ten Commandments that Sabbath was to be kept holy and that no one ought to work as everyone was required to remember God’s love for all.
In the 20th century Canada, no one worked on Sundays. Everything was closed except churches for worship. This practice of keeping Sunday holy changed in the 1960s and 1970s as more and more shops, theatres, and restaurants began opening with the change of provincial laws. Now in the 21st century, it is not clear who is not open on Sunday. What this means is that we as a society is not resting and taking a day off as we used to. We have gotten away from the practice of keeping one day a week different from all other days to nourish our spiritual needs.
It takes a special understanding and courage to be different from our friends to keep one day open for sacred activities that would fill our souls. Once you decide to say that one day a week you will take time off to love God and others, you face challenges of not doing what you used to do. This is very difficult. It takes a discipline and effort.
I try my best to keep one day that is not filled with anything. On Tuesdays I go away from doing anything. This is not only to demonstrate that I am nourishing my personal need, but more importantly to learn and live out the faith. On this day, I try to love God and neighbours as best as I can. I do my best not to worry about doing things I usually do on regular work days.
Can you really take a day off and nourish your spirit and soul? Can you really live your faith out saying that one week day out of seven you will do what God asks of you—that is, not doing what you need to but simply be loved by God and others and love God and others? Try. Soon you will really look forward to that one day that is holy (different than all other days because you depend on God).
For most of us Friday cannot come quick enough. For many people “weekend” means being away from regular work. There was a time when weekends were not different from regular working days. People did not break from their daily works because Friday, Saturday, and Sunday came upon them. It was not until medieval times when the Church insisted on keeping Friday separate from all other days to remember the death of Jesus. Many Christians remembered the event by not eating meat in some countries. They chose to eat fish instead on Fridays. Sunday was celebrated as the reminder of the resurrection of Christ. Saturday was kept as Sabbath by few Christians, but did not become important for the majority of Christians.
The modern understanding of weekend originated from the practice of keeping Sabbath holy (holy as in setting it apart for sacred purpose). People of Israel, who practice Judaism, always kept Sabbath holy—Sabbath started at Sundown on Friday and ended at Sundown on Saturday. Christians practiced Sunday as their holy day from very early on.
Initially not all Christians could take Sunday off from work to keep it holy like the Jews. Many Christians were slaves in Roman Empire. Many would slip out from their daily duties on Sunday to gather together to worship and return back to do their work. In Book of Acts we read that Paul even went to riverside to find Christians gathering on Sundays.
When the Roman Empire became officially Christian and the Church had much influence, Sunday was declared and kept as the day of worship. The idea behind it was based on one of the Ten Commandments that Sabbath was to be kept holy and that no one ought to work as everyone was required to remember God’s love for all.
In the 20th century Canada, no one worked on Sundays. Everything was closed except churches for worship. This practice of keeping Sunday holy changed in the 1960s and 1970s as more and more shops, theatres, and restaurants began opening with the change of provincial laws. Now in the 21st century, it is not clear who is not open on Sunday. What this means is that we as a society is not resting and taking a day off as we used to. We have gotten away from the practice of keeping one day a week different from all other days to nourish our spiritual needs.
It takes a special understanding and courage to be different from our friends to keep one day open for sacred activities that would fill our souls. Once you decide to say that one day a week you will take time off to love God and others, you face challenges of not doing what you used to do. This is very difficult. It takes a discipline and effort.
I try my best to keep one day that is not filled with anything. On Tuesdays I go away from doing anything. This is not only to demonstrate that I am nourishing my personal need, but more importantly to learn and live out the faith. On this day, I try to love God and neighbours as best as I can. I do my best not to worry about doing things I usually do on regular work days.
Can you really take a day off and nourish your spirit and soul? Can you really live your faith out saying that one week day out of seven you will do what God asks of you—that is, not doing what you need to but simply be loved by God and others and love God and others? Try. Soon you will really look forward to that one day that is holy (different than all other days because you depend on God).
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Patience
Standing on a line waiting for a cashier to stop talking to customers and do her work so that I can get my stuff requires patience. On a highway clogged with cars moving at a parking lot speed forces us to face the fact that we are very impatient. Patience is often not in our minds because we do not like waiting. We want things to be done when we want them.
In a way, cell phone culture is a nice metaphor for the world that is impatient. People cannot wait to meet and talk: they have to talk now. People wonder why you are not answering or returning their phone calls now even when you are busy. People interrupt conversations to answer their cell phones immediately and expect others to do the same. Instant culture has no patience.
For Christians living in this instant and impatient culture is difficult because the very first word that describes is love. That is, as the people who loves God and others, we are to be patient in the impatient world. Our life, therefore, becomes totally counter cultural. Instead of demanding instant reply to our e-mail, we are patient in waiting for the reply. Instead of counting every second of passing moment for that return phone call, we love them by being patient.
Patience also works when we react to people who are angry at us because their demands are not met by us instantly, when we deal with impossible people who only think of themselves and their own conveniences, when we meet those who rush things because rushing is only thing they know, and when we minister to one another in most circumstances. Patience as one of the virtues of love requires much discipline and resolve. Yet, being patient demonstrates that we as Christians are loving and live life of love.
Remember that being counter-cultural and standing out in this world of impatient loving is all about being patient.
In a way, cell phone culture is a nice metaphor for the world that is impatient. People cannot wait to meet and talk: they have to talk now. People wonder why you are not answering or returning their phone calls now even when you are busy. People interrupt conversations to answer their cell phones immediately and expect others to do the same. Instant culture has no patience.
For Christians living in this instant and impatient culture is difficult because the very first word that describes is love. That is, as the people who loves God and others, we are to be patient in the impatient world. Our life, therefore, becomes totally counter cultural. Instead of demanding instant reply to our e-mail, we are patient in waiting for the reply. Instead of counting every second of passing moment for that return phone call, we love them by being patient.
Patience also works when we react to people who are angry at us because their demands are not met by us instantly, when we deal with impossible people who only think of themselves and their own conveniences, when we meet those who rush things because rushing is only thing they know, and when we minister to one another in most circumstances. Patience as one of the virtues of love requires much discipline and resolve. Yet, being patient demonstrates that we as Christians are loving and live life of love.
Remember that being counter-cultural and standing out in this world of impatient loving is all about being patient.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Meeting people meaningfully
Listen
How do we meet a stranger and have a meaningful relationship even for a brief moment? How do you get to really experience someone so intimately that you would never forget that experience and cherish that moment for the rest of your life? Is such meeting possible in our busy and complicated world?
Of course, it is not easy. We usually take long time to get to know someone to be close—never mind being intimate on any level (we reserve intimacy to people who are very close to us). It takes a long time to be close enough to share a little about us because revealing one’s true self is not that easy. Yet, once in a while we meet a person with whom we can be close right away as if we have been friends for a long time. Through experiences, we know this kind of closeness does not happen often.
Yet, for some of us, close intimacy is possible with many people. This is so because those who accept us are very open and willing to be vulnerable with us. We experience such intense closeness even with strangers when we are vulnerable and open to them. For example, when we go to help people in poor countries, we go there knowing nothing and with much fear. When we are vulnerable, they welcome us with open arms and allow us to be close and intimate with them. They help us with their openness and teach us to be intimate with them. We can also experience it when we visit friends in hospitals, or be with them when they are going through difficult times. So why can we not experience it regularly?
Many of us do not like to show our emotionally vulnerable side. We think that being vulnerable is like showing the world that we are weak. That is why we do not cry in front of others, do not display our angers, and do not share our sadness with just anyone. We feel uncomfortable showing our true selves. This guardedness also gives out the message to the world that we do not want others to share their vulnerabilities with us.
As Christians we think it is important for us to be honest, compassionate and being open to share with others all that we are. However, this view is hard one to live by in the world where we guard ourselves to show others that we are strong and have everything together.
One way of establishing this intimate relationship even with a stranger is to remember that everyone is created in the image of God. If I welcome, listen to and care for a stranger the way that I would with Christ, this intimacy is possible.
The difficulty is, we always see people the way they present themselves to be—not the way God created them to be in God’s own image. We do not spend our energy and effort to see beyond what they want us to see. Their make-ups and designer clothes hide the image that is of God from us in the same way we hide ourselves from others. If we spend time and energy listening to and being with a stranger as if we welcome God, then, our openness will invite even strangers to be vulnerable and share who they are, what they fear, love and care for in life, how they face life’s difficulties and why they have not been free to be who they were intended to be.
I see God’s beauty in each of you. I see how God instilled in you an image that is very special revealing God-self through your uniqueness. I hope you get to see others in the same way.
How do we meet a stranger and have a meaningful relationship even for a brief moment? How do you get to really experience someone so intimately that you would never forget that experience and cherish that moment for the rest of your life? Is such meeting possible in our busy and complicated world?
Of course, it is not easy. We usually take long time to get to know someone to be close—never mind being intimate on any level (we reserve intimacy to people who are very close to us). It takes a long time to be close enough to share a little about us because revealing one’s true self is not that easy. Yet, once in a while we meet a person with whom we can be close right away as if we have been friends for a long time. Through experiences, we know this kind of closeness does not happen often.
Yet, for some of us, close intimacy is possible with many people. This is so because those who accept us are very open and willing to be vulnerable with us. We experience such intense closeness even with strangers when we are vulnerable and open to them. For example, when we go to help people in poor countries, we go there knowing nothing and with much fear. When we are vulnerable, they welcome us with open arms and allow us to be close and intimate with them. They help us with their openness and teach us to be intimate with them. We can also experience it when we visit friends in hospitals, or be with them when they are going through difficult times. So why can we not experience it regularly?
Many of us do not like to show our emotionally vulnerable side. We think that being vulnerable is like showing the world that we are weak. That is why we do not cry in front of others, do not display our angers, and do not share our sadness with just anyone. We feel uncomfortable showing our true selves. This guardedness also gives out the message to the world that we do not want others to share their vulnerabilities with us.
As Christians we think it is important for us to be honest, compassionate and being open to share with others all that we are. However, this view is hard one to live by in the world where we guard ourselves to show others that we are strong and have everything together.
One way of establishing this intimate relationship even with a stranger is to remember that everyone is created in the image of God. If I welcome, listen to and care for a stranger the way that I would with Christ, this intimacy is possible.
The difficulty is, we always see people the way they present themselves to be—not the way God created them to be in God’s own image. We do not spend our energy and effort to see beyond what they want us to see. Their make-ups and designer clothes hide the image that is of God from us in the same way we hide ourselves from others. If we spend time and energy listening to and being with a stranger as if we welcome God, then, our openness will invite even strangers to be vulnerable and share who they are, what they fear, love and care for in life, how they face life’s difficulties and why they have not been free to be who they were intended to be.
I see God’s beauty in each of you. I see how God instilled in you an image that is very special revealing God-self through your uniqueness. I hope you get to see others in the same way.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Sad, Angry, Hope-filled
Listen here.
I am sad. I am sad because a new friend told me about how cruel Christians are. Christians not only fight with each other over power and control in churches, but also hurt each other by being judgmental and being self-righteous. Fighting, hurting, and shaming do not demonstrate Christianity. Yet, we as Christians cannot seem to stop doing these terrible things.
Imagine a situation. You and your non-Christian friend are driving through a small village in upstate New York. You notice that you are running low on gas. You check to see what you have; a credit card that has expired, a gas card from a Canadian company, and some Canadian dollars. You realize that neither the credit card from the Canadian gas company nor Canadian dollars are any good. Naturally you ask for a direction to a bank.
At the bank you are told that they would not exchange Canadian dollars to American unless you have an account with them. You find out the bank will be closing very shortly. As you go outside with your friend to figure out what to do, you see a woman walking out of bank. You explain to her your situation and ask her if she could change some Canadian money for you at the bank.
Instead of saying, yes or no, out of the blue, she asks you if Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour. You answer her saying that you are a Christian and that you believe in Christ as the Lord and Saviour. She, then, asks you to say a prayer for your need since God would answer your prayer. You pray with her. After the prayer, instead of helping you to change money, she tells you that God will solve your problem. She also tells you that a man should never ask a woman to do such a thing and berates you for parking your car wrongly and walks away.
This was what happened a week ago to my new friend. Hearing this story made me very sad. Sure, a person may be suspicious about those who were asking for help in front of the bank, but was this the way a Christian ought to treat another Christian? Why ask to pray and say that God will answer your prayer—just not through her? What example did she set for a non-Christian friend when he witnessed this exchange between two Christians?
Unfortunately, Christians do hurt each other terribly. Christians are cruel as they criticize and judge one another and others because others do not meet their standard of being Christians. As Christians we are petty, controlling, and spiteful to one another in many ways. We even fight over what kind of musical instruments are acceptable for worship or not. Some people have told me often that if they see drums in the sanctuary, they are never coming back to the church. Love, forgiveness, and reconciliation are missing in Christian communities. Instead our churches are filled with controlling, self-righteous, selfish, and unbearable people. All these things make me sad.
I am also angry. I am angry that we do so little about their terrible behaviours. I am not talking about we judging, punish or be more self-righteous than them. I am thinking that we ought to do more in demonstrating patiently what forgiveness, reconciliation, and love are in Christ Jesus. I am angry that Christian communities are so reluctant in confronting all these bullies with love.
Yet, I am very hope-filled. Every time I think of every one of you, I am filled with hope because each one of you see how wrong these (judgemental, self-righteous, selfish, self-centered, uncaring, hurtful) behaviours are. You not only want to do nothing with those with these behaviours, but also try your best to be forgiving, healing, reconciling and loving in your actions. In many ways you are not afraid to speak up about how wrong these pain giving behaviours discredit who we are. In your own way, you try to be patient, kind, not boastful, not insist on your own way, and not resentful.
Though I am sad and angry because of so many Christians hurting others, I am hope-filled because you are doing more and will do your best to love others. Keep up and be courageous in loving always.
I am sad. I am sad because a new friend told me about how cruel Christians are. Christians not only fight with each other over power and control in churches, but also hurt each other by being judgmental and being self-righteous. Fighting, hurting, and shaming do not demonstrate Christianity. Yet, we as Christians cannot seem to stop doing these terrible things.
Imagine a situation. You and your non-Christian friend are driving through a small village in upstate New York. You notice that you are running low on gas. You check to see what you have; a credit card that has expired, a gas card from a Canadian company, and some Canadian dollars. You realize that neither the credit card from the Canadian gas company nor Canadian dollars are any good. Naturally you ask for a direction to a bank.
At the bank you are told that they would not exchange Canadian dollars to American unless you have an account with them. You find out the bank will be closing very shortly. As you go outside with your friend to figure out what to do, you see a woman walking out of bank. You explain to her your situation and ask her if she could change some Canadian money for you at the bank.
Instead of saying, yes or no, out of the blue, she asks you if Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour. You answer her saying that you are a Christian and that you believe in Christ as the Lord and Saviour. She, then, asks you to say a prayer for your need since God would answer your prayer. You pray with her. After the prayer, instead of helping you to change money, she tells you that God will solve your problem. She also tells you that a man should never ask a woman to do such a thing and berates you for parking your car wrongly and walks away.
This was what happened a week ago to my new friend. Hearing this story made me very sad. Sure, a person may be suspicious about those who were asking for help in front of the bank, but was this the way a Christian ought to treat another Christian? Why ask to pray and say that God will answer your prayer—just not through her? What example did she set for a non-Christian friend when he witnessed this exchange between two Christians?
Unfortunately, Christians do hurt each other terribly. Christians are cruel as they criticize and judge one another and others because others do not meet their standard of being Christians. As Christians we are petty, controlling, and spiteful to one another in many ways. We even fight over what kind of musical instruments are acceptable for worship or not. Some people have told me often that if they see drums in the sanctuary, they are never coming back to the church. Love, forgiveness, and reconciliation are missing in Christian communities. Instead our churches are filled with controlling, self-righteous, selfish, and unbearable people. All these things make me sad.
I am also angry. I am angry that we do so little about their terrible behaviours. I am not talking about we judging, punish or be more self-righteous than them. I am thinking that we ought to do more in demonstrating patiently what forgiveness, reconciliation, and love are in Christ Jesus. I am angry that Christian communities are so reluctant in confronting all these bullies with love.
Yet, I am very hope-filled. Every time I think of every one of you, I am filled with hope because each one of you see how wrong these (judgemental, self-righteous, selfish, self-centered, uncaring, hurtful) behaviours are. You not only want to do nothing with those with these behaviours, but also try your best to be forgiving, healing, reconciling and loving in your actions. In many ways you are not afraid to speak up about how wrong these pain giving behaviours discredit who we are. In your own way, you try to be patient, kind, not boastful, not insist on your own way, and not resentful.
Though I am sad and angry because of so many Christians hurting others, I am hope-filled because you are doing more and will do your best to love others. Keep up and be courageous in loving always.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Home and Worship
I have been thinking about ways to converse with you. You can suggest topics of discussion. In the meantime, I will post things that are in my mind.
Today, I have been thinking about the fact that all of you are away from home.
Audio-if you want to listen
Home by Young Friends is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at younyfriends.blogspot.com.
Today, I have been thinking about the fact that all of you are away from home.
Audio-if you want to listen
Home is a place where we return to rest after being away for a while. It is also a place that we leave behind again because we know it waits for us to return. It is that comfortable place where you can be you in any way you choose, wear whatever you like, look the way you feel without make-ups and still loved as who you are. It is where you let all your joy, sadness, laughter as well as tears, hurt, pain, anger, and brokenness hang out in their beauty and ugliness. No matter in what shape you are, you return and are welcomed, cared for, and loved just as you are. And... when you are ready for the world again, you go because you know you will return soon enough.
As a Christian, I learned early that worship service is like being at home. It sounds a bit strange to say this out loud, but it is true for me. Wherever I went, even in different countries where cultures were unfamiliar, being part of worship made me belong and be part of the family there as if I arrived at home. In worship I found out that I shared my presence and spirit with all those who were at that worship, was cared for, nourished, restored, and was sent away with love filled with expectations of many joyful reunions.
Initially when you enter any building that is new, including churches where we have never been, you feel very uncomfortable. It feels awkward as if you are entering into someone else’s space. You become a visitor and try your best to be a good visitor. When you go to a church near where you have moved to for the first time, the newness of surroundings make you feel that you do not belong there.
It took a long while before I realized that this was not the way to approach a worship service. It dawned on me that I belonged in all worship services as much as anyone else because I was one of God’s people. I was baptized in the name of God the Creator, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I was called by Christ and have been living as a Christian. There was no reason for me to think that I was a visitor crashing into other people’s holy activities. Since that realization, I have attended worship services not as a stranger or a visitor but as a family member returning home. Worship service is a very place where I get to hang with Christ and his people. Because I am one of them, they are my sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, daughters, sons, (sad to say because I am getting that old) and grandchildren.
Sunday worship services are like weekly gathering of my spiritual family. When I enter to worship, I feel as if I have entered my own home. There, I can relax, be accepted as who I am, share joy, happiness, and all that was wonderful during the week. I also feel secure and loved enough to share sadness, tears, hurts, difficulties and pains because I know everyone, especially God who is present, loves me and cares deeply for me. There, I am given a place of welcome, restoration, care, compassion, and love whether I want them or not.
At the end of the service, when I have to return to the world, I am able because I feel rested enough, strong enough, filled enough with hope, and loved enough to face another week. This is why I go to worship whenever I am able.
I know that you feel like a visitor in a strange church gingerly trying to be a good guest. But what if you think of attending worship as returning home for an hour or so? Because you are coming home as a child of God to the house of God... You are as much a Christian, loved and given life by Christ and was created in God’s image. You are not a visitor, but a family member. At worship, I hope you find home. It is my prayer that you feel and experience home when you worship wherever you are.
Home by Young Friends is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at younyfriends.blogspot.com.
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