Obediah 11-15 - Taking the Time to Understand

Recently, I received a wedding invitation from one of the couples in my small group and the first thing I noticed was that the grooms first name was not what I thought it was. I have always known him as Chase but I learned from the invitation that his name was Ming. The next morning when we were running I asked him about it and he shared that when he was finishing college and looking for internships, he was getting no response from his resume. A friend suggested that he use an American name on his resume...and suddenly the responses started coming in (some from the same places that had rejected his resume previously). I was shocked to hear this. Chase sounds and acts very Americanized and although it is clear he is of Asian descent, he is as American as I am and is a US citizen. I apologized that he had to experience this and expressed my disappointment that employers would get hung up on the name and not get past it on the resume. As I was mulling this over in my mind, he started to tell me a story...

He told me that he had been running/walking at the same beach that we run at the week before with his friend Brian and he also had his and his future bride's 10 month old son in his stroller. As they were going along the beach a woman in a passing car started yelling at them...and then pulled over and flipped them the bird. [I had to chuckle because I could see where it was going...two guys and a stroller...and the irony was that these guys were straight and it was only my friend's baby.] And Chase asked, if this kind of stuff ever happen to Thomas and I. I told him that of course it did. In spite of the fact that we live in Massachusetts near Boston, one of most accepting places in the United States Occasionally we have people yell and shout obscenities at us when we are walking down the street holding hands. I admitted that it is one of the reasons I am not in favor of a public place for our wedding; I would not want the beauty of that day and that commitment marred by someone who is unable to control their opinions. I told him we also have people stop and tell us how great and cute we are. He went on to express that he was scared when he and his friend Brian had experienced this woman. The woman was pretty mad and he and his friend are shorter than average; he was concerned about violence...

The rest of our run I continued to think about these conversations and how God would call us to act. As I thought about it, I was reminded that Jesus spent time with all kinds of people. We read about him in conversation with pharisees (Luke 7:36-50), we see him talking to women (John 4:1-38) and tax collectors (Luke 19:1-10). Jesus taught both in the countryside (Matthew 4:23) and the cities (Mark 11:27). Jesus knew many people, rich, poor, revered, and cast out and he spent time with them all. He took the time to know people. We too are called to know and understand people, being careful how we judge and treat them.

One of the places that I am reminded of this is in Obediah:

11 On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. 13 You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. 14 You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble. 15 "The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. 

 In this case, the prophet is reminding the people not take advantage of others' misfortune or look down on them, because circumstances can change and you might find yourself in that place. Obadiah was reminding the people to have compassion and treat others with dignity and respect, for all people will face God and have their actions examined. 

As I think about this in relation to my friend having to change his name in order to get responses to his resume, I think how foolish it is for someone to make a judgement based on a name. From a name, you can not possibly know if someone is qualified for the position. By ignoring that resume, the company could be missing out on an employee that would bring that company to new heights, all because they couldn't read past the name. What a shame. Possibly it was unconscious, possibly because they thought this person would be stealing a job from a US citizen, or possibly they thought there would be a language barrier...but these things would not have been true. 

When I looked at the experience my friend has with the woman, I can't help but think who was hurt by her assumptions...assumptions that were wrong. She was, because it caused her to feel great anger and I am sure that stuck with her for a good portion of the day. My friend experienced fear, so he was hurt, and I imagine if others witnessed it, it was uncomfortable and raised emotions in them as well. Ultimately, everyone was negatively affected...all for a wrong assumption. But even if she had been correct, what positive difference did she make? None. No one walked away feeling good and no one was moved to change their opinion or decisions to her beliefs.

As people trying to make good and right choices, as people who claim to know and want to share God with others, we must engage with those around us. We need to take the time to understand who they are and we need to focus our energy on loving. Loving does not mean agreeing and supporting everything, but loving works for the good of all people and leaves a path of understanding and respect.

Luke 7:37-38, 47 - A Beautiful Expression of Love

Last week, while I was in the middle of conducting an online webinar, one of my co-workers came into my office carrying a bouquet of flowers and put them on my desk. As I continued the session, I snuck a quick peek at the card which read, "Jimmy, You are Amazing! Love, Thomas". As you can imagine, my heart swelled in my chest and a tear escaped from my eye. These beautiful flowers were not for a special occasion, they were "just because". I felt special. These flowers were a true gift of love.

These flowers made me think of a story in Luke chapter 7. A story of a beautiful expression of love. Love that does not hinge on my behavior, but is given.

³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them...
⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

One of the first things that catches me about this story is the woman's love for Jesus. She comes and humbles herself, pouring expensive perfume onto Jesus' feet and wipes his feet with her hair. A couple things to note:

1. Perfume was very expensive and the amount this woman poured on Jesus would have cost a great deal. This was not an easy gift to give, it would have cost her much.
2. In Jesus' time a woman did not bear her hair in public. If she did people thought she was promiscuous. This woman gave up her dignity to give this gift to Jesus. The personal cost was great.

Clearly this woman had great love for Jesus. She gave up of her fortune and her dignity to lavish love on Jesus. She lavishes love on Jesus. Not because he did something for her but because of who He is. The flowers I received were like that. They were a lavish gift of love, not because I did something to deserve them, but because of who I am.

Jesus responds to this gift, pronouncing her forgiven and further explains that she is able to express this great love because she feels the freedom of forgiveness. The forgiveness was not a result of her love, an expression made possible by her forgiven state.

Jesus goes on to compare the love offered by the woman to that of his host, a prominent religious leader in the village who did not offer to wash his feet, did not offer perfume, nor greeted him with a kiss, all common courtesies of the day when hosting an honored guest.

The host did not see his need for forgiveness and therefore had no great expression of love, the woman did and her expression was beautiful and honored Jesus.

Are self aware of your shortcomings? Do you know your need for forgiveness? Do you have a great appreciation for the wholeness and grace given to you by God and others around you? What can be seen in your expressions of love?

Responding To Disappointment

So a month ago, I wrote a post on Disappointment, featuring Romans 5:3-5 and this week I got to live it...

Last Sunday I got a voice mail from the innkeeper where my fiancé and I are supposed to get married next May. When I called back, she explained that she had to sell the B&B and would be closing in November and that the buyer had a different purpose in mind for the property and would not be able to honor our contract. She felt terrible and would be sending back our deposit plus some additional money to help out with our wedding.

What I wanted to do:

• I wanted to get angry and demand to know why she would let us book the place just a couple of months previously. She had to have some idea that this was going to happen.
• I wanted to cry because all our advance planning was for nothing and we had just sent in the designs for our invitations...with all the wrong information.
  

What actually happened:

• I expressed my condolences that she had to close the Inn and thanked her for letting us know early and for her generosity in contributing some additional money to our wedding fund. She also had made some calls to some other local B&B's to see who might be able to host our event, and I thanked her for that. I chose to show understanding and sympathy.

While I was upset and disappointed, I knew that both my spirit and the innkeepers were on the line. If I allowed my anger anger and frustration rule me, both of us would pay a price. For the innkeeper, I would add to her guilt feelings and I would be discounting the kindnesses she had showed in the situation. For myself, I would let anger and bitterness into my heart and possible allow it to mar, what will be one of the greatest days of my life, the day I join my life in the commitment of marriage. Further, I couldn't help but think of the story in John chapter 8 where the religious leaders brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught in the act of adultry:

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” verse 7

I have certainly messed up and disappointed others and I will in the future. When others mess up and cause me disappointment, I try to consider how I would like others to respond to my mistakes and do likewise.

Now as the week has gone on, we have done a great deal of research into other options and venues, I have prayed, and my small group has prayed with me. Many options involve changing the wedding date (and we loved our date because by God-incidence we had scheduled our wedding for the 10th anniversary of legal gay marriage in Massachusetts, the state where we live) and budget seems to be an obstacle for many great locations as we are trying to make it a weekend event. But here are some of the places this week's prayers have brought me to:

• Focus on what is important. I have stepped back to consider what is most important about my wedding. This event celebrates a great love. It does not need to rely on money, a certain date, specific things being present or a specific location. It is about Thomas and I and the love and commitment we share. Whatever works out, those key elements will be there. That day will be amazing for just that! Anything else is added beauty and blessing.
• See new possibilities. As we have explored different options, I have come to look for what new things these different venues offer instead of what they don't offer that were at the Inn. For instance, in looking at a retreat and conference center, I am thinking about the fire pit available and the opportunities for a campfire and s'mores. This was not something we would have been able to do previously and it could be a very different and fun way to spend time with our guests on the eve of our wedding. For those who know me, I am a s'more master and a big campfire fan. Focusing on this helps me to spend less time thinking about the fact that we will have to do additional food planning for this venue to stay in our budget if we chose it.

Thinking about handling disappointments and saying how we will respond when they happen is a very different experience than actually facing it and choosing to respond with love.

Do you have an example of a time when you have chosen to respond with love and patience in the face of disappointment? I would love to hear about it.

Creating a Safe Place for Engagement

Last week, my friend Derek asked me if I was familiar with Andrew Marin's ministry and what I thought of him. I responded that I had heard about him, but I wasn't overly enthusiastic about him because from things I had read from people in the LGBT community he held the belief that homosexuality was a sin and that was underlying in his work.

Then this week, I got involved in a discussion with my small group about judgement and engagement. We were focused on the idea of Jesus reaching out to those around him, regardless of their background. Further, we discussed how the church could better reach those who were outside the church. Ideas such as, no judgement, a safe place, and engagement came up.


As I was thinking about both of these things, I started considering Jesus and his engagement with those around him and a few scriptures and ideas came to mind. First, Jesus engaged with all types of people:

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” John 4:9

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1, 2

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:5

Jesus had people of all different financial backgrounds in his audience, all different education levels, city folk and country folk, and people of all different social positions in the community. Jesus engaged with all sorts of people. His goal was to reach out and touch the heart of each one. He offered God to each and left them to choose whether to accept the gift he had to offer. He made him self safe to each. We can see that all types of people felt they could approach Jesus.

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said... John 3:1, 2

 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2 

 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, Matthew 8:5

Jesus was a safe place. Jesus listened and saw each person before him. he did not send them away or make them feel unwelcome. Jesus did not write them off for their past choices or their current attitudes. But the thing we need to realize is that Jesus did recognize sin in them and encourage them to change and choose relationship with good and live a life a love. He acknowledged faults and without making the people unworthy, and he offered a different path. He did judge them, but he offered them a path to wholeness and relationship with God.

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:14

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:11

“I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” John 4:17, 18

Jesus loved people enough not to let them stay the way they were. He may have been harsh at times, but that was with the people whose sin lay in their righteousness, because they needed to realize their distance from God. For all, he met them in the place they were at and showed them a new path. And this is what we as the church need to be in order to reach people around us. We need to love them where they are at and offer them another path. Our love can't be contingent on them choosing the path we are offering them, it must be genuine love. In this way, we can create a space that is a safe place where we can engage. 

Walking away from my thoughts, I have some further realizations about my opening stories. With respect to Andrew Marin, I realize that he is doing as Jesus did, trying to love people where they are at and offer them a different path, one that he believes is of God. I realize that he and I just have a different idea of what God's view of homosexuality is. While he and I don't agree, I do respect his meeting people in the place that they are at with love. (So if you happen to be reading this Mr. Marin, I apologize for not clearly seeing the goodness of your methods because we see scripture differently on this topic. As for my small group, I think we need to remember that the key is loving people in the place that they are and offering (not forcing) others another path. It isn't a judgement-free environment, but it is a cocoon of love and acceptance.

Do you love people like Jesus? 

Philippians 4:8 - Holiness as a Way to Live

What do you think of when you hear the word holiness?

Do you think of something unattainable, something untainted, something that is perfect? Do people such as Mother Theresa come to mind? Do you think of rules and tasks that must be accomplished?

I have been thinking about holiness the last few days after running across an article that talked about different ways to understand holiness: as correctness or a state of the heart.

At first glance, it is very easy to think of holiness as correctness. In 1 Peter 1:16, God calls us to:

 Be holy, because I am holy.

God is correct. God knows all and makes perfect decisions. God is right. This is particularly evident to me in the Old Testament. God tells people what is right and what people should do and there is consequences for not doing those things.

But when I look at the writings of the New Testament, I am drawn to see holiness as a state of the heart that is without obstacles to loving God and others. When God gets up close and personal with us though Jesus, we hear that Jesus knows the heart of God and he and God are of one heart and of one will.Nothing separates Jesus from God.

We also find scripture like Hebrews 12:14:

Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will see God.

 Holiness appears to be related to living in peace with others and it is something to be pursued. I have always seen Philippians 4:8 as a explanation of holiness:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

As I ponder these scriptures, and think about holiness, I see a fundamental difference in correctness and a state of the heart. Correctness involves being correct. It is something you are or are not. A state of heart involves doing. I do things that create a pattern of behavior that indicates a certain state of heart.

So for me, the question comes down to is holiness something that you are or something that you practice. The way you answer that question certainly changes the way you approach life and other people.

But here is the thing, each of us makes mistakes, we can not be "correct". We are left falling short. Our path to holiness as a state of being is through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus paid the blood price so that we can trade the ashes of our mistakes for the beauty of his perfection. The way for us to accept and receive that gift is through our belief and love. We believe that gift is offered, receive it, and our response is love. Our love drives us to pursue the desires of God and create a state of heart that is free of obstacles that prevent us from loving God or others.

So if we attempt to be correct, we fail, we make mistakes. But we can pursue a heart where there are no obstacles preventing us from loving God and others.

Are you trying to be correct at all times and making sure those around you are correct? Do you walk away from situations or people who do not fit your understanding of what is correct? Or are you trying to love God and others with every fiber of your being? Do you run towards people and situations and bring love to them, to show them God?

Luke 15:1-3: Are you a Prodigal?

Have you read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke chapter 11? Do you relate to one of the characters in that story? It happens to be the topic of the study my small group is doing called Prodigal God written by Tim Keller. This week, we focused on the audience who was listening to Jesus when he told this story and how those people (and we) fit into the story:

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable: (Luke 15:1-3)

As we examined the characters in the story and how they were like the groups of listeners, we came up with the younger brothers or tax collectors and sinners and the older brothers or Pharisees. The tax collectors and sinners were on paths of "do what you want" but were now returning to God because they were lost. The Pharisees were standing on the moral high ground and were so focused on doing what was right that they failed to have relationship and were also lost. The problem for this group is that they were too proud to recognize and admit they were lost.

Of course that leaves one more character, the father, who is extravagant in his love to both his sons, just as God is with us. To the younger son, he gives him the inheritance that he asks for and then when the younger son returns having squandered that inheritance and recognizing that he is no longer worthy of sonship, the father gives him a robe and a ring, signifying that he has put him right back to his place of being a son in his household. Not only does he restore him to his place in the family, but he greets him by foregoing dignity and running out to him, not waiting for the younger son to approach him and apologize. For the older son, the father leaves his party and begs the older son to come in and join the festivities. He humbles himself and begs his own son just to celebrate. To both, the father lavishes an extravagant love.

This weeks discussion focused on the need to focus on relationship. In that relationship, we will find an understanding of what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to love. We will not become lost.

I have had these ideas and thoughts rolling around in my head this week and thinking about how that plays out today, for me, and in the lives of others around me. I have also had my Google News notifications filling my inbox with news stories about Exodus International, which is an ex-gay ministry. Let me share a quote from one of the articles on CNN:

"From a Judeo-Christian perspective, gay, straight or otherwise, we're all prodigal sons and daughters," Chambers said. "Exodus International is the prodigal's older brother, trying to impose its will on God's promises, and make judgments on who's worthy of His Kingdom.
"God is calling us to be the Father -- to welcome everyone, to love unhindered."

The organization is shutting down and reforming under a new name, Reduce Fear, with a new mission:

"This is a new season of ministry, to a new generation," Chambers said. "Our goals are to reduce fear, and come alongside churches to become safe, welcoming and mutually transforming communities."

 I want to give credit to this organization for recognizing that they were lost and needed to take a different path. For seeing that the mission of Exodus International made them like the older brother and also congratulate them on the new mission, which is one worthy of the father. I pray my blessings on their faithfulness to this new mission and that they could impact churches to make them safe, welcoming and transforming communities.

Back to my small group, one of the parting ideas we discussed was a health check on how churches were at embracing the marginalized and what they needed to do to improve in this area. It seems that Reduce Fear is on a path to help churches to do this.

Each of us can probably relate to the younger or older son in the story of the Prodigal Son, and possibly both at different seasons in our lives; more focused on "doing it right" or on our "own desires" and neglecting relationship. But it is only in relationship that we have opportunities to spend extravagant love, love that the world would see as wasteful, but we know to be the essence of life.

Let us find ways to be a prodigal, like the father in the story, giving away love extravagantly, spreading it everywhere we go with abandon.

Hebrews 12:1 - Community Connectedness

As I lay in bed this morning, I started thinking about the interconnectedness of people and how throughout the ages, writers have drawn people together by making connections and inspiring their readers with things done by people of the past. Writer's draw these two groups of people who share something in common, but are separated by time and space into a community. When you look at it up close, the people may find themselves to be very different, but on some level, they are connected and therefore part of a community.

I couldn't help but think of all the times in the Bible where the writers remind the readers of those that have gone before, to make sure their accomplishments and mistakes are remembered and held up to help the reader navigate their own life path. One of my favorites is Hebrews Chapter 12, verse 1.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

The proceeding chapter goes through a list of people of faith and what they accomplished by their faith; the trials they endured and overcame because of their faith; the fact that through faith they looked at a goal that was beyond their lifetime and acted toward it.

Then comes verse one of chapter 12 and it draws us into community with these people and calls us to be inspired by their accomplishments and do likewise. In community with these people, we should see the end goal and live a life towards that outcome. To trade the future and long term goodness and harmony for the world at large for the instant pleasures of today for ourselves.

This is not an easy task, but a worthwhile one. One I try to choose each day. Yes, it is a daily choice to do this. Each and every day opportunities come up for us to choose a path that is easy or would bring instant pleasure that would direct us away from a future of goodness, love, and peace for the world.

Since June is Gay Pride month, I couldn't help but start thinking about the connectedness that I feel to the LGBTQ community and realize that it is very similar in nature.

If I look around at the people I interact with on a daily basis, they are mostly straight. I don't find myself spending a great deal of time in "gay" establishments, although I certainly have a proclivity to places and people that are gay-friendly (after all, who likes to spend there time in and around hostile places and people). What I do find is a strong tie of connection for me with the LGBTQ community. I desire for this community to feel at one with all of society and particular desire to build bridges between the LGBTQ and Christian communities (which is why I created Gay Christian Bridges). While I don't intersect with that community on a daily basis, I do find myself drawn to those "family events" that bring that community together. Last Sunday I walked in the AIDS walk. Personally I don't have, nor do I have friends that have AIDS, but it is something that has had great impact of the LGBTQ community and I want to do my part to support my community. Today, I will attend the Pride service at Arlington Street Church followed by the Pride parade in Boston. It is not a community I hang out with frequently, but I feel the connection to the community and am inspired by people in it.

Just as the writer of Hebrews held up people who acted on faith towards an end goal of love, goodness, and peace, the LGBTQ community has people who have striven for an end goal of love, goodness, and peace.

I respect the members of my community that have gone before me and have stood up for the right to love the person of their choice, even if when those around them have not understood that love (just as Noah chose to build an ark when those around him did not understand what it was). I respect those who have chosen and stood up for being honest about who they were as a person, rather than hide in society and be what society wanted (just as Moses refused to deny his Jewish heritage even though he had been adopted into the house of the Pharaoh). These people saw a future where there was love, peace, goodness...and lived a life to bring it about, even though it was not in their lifetime.

Do you see a future? Are you willing to live a life to bring it about, even if that requires hardship or persevering through persecution? Will you be an agent that brings the world of love that God has painted for us?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

John 4:1-30 - The Loving, Empowering Encounter

Have you ever met someone who just gets you? One conversation with them and you feel instantly understood and being around them feels comforting and relaxing; it gives you life!

I can't help but wonder if that is what the Samaritan woman feels like when she encounters Jesus. The thing that initially touches her about the encounter is that Jesus acknowledges her. He asks her for a drink, even though she is a Samaritan. The Jews looked down on the Samaritans and she expected that Jesus, as a Jew, would do the same, but he did not, instead he started a conversation with her.

Throughout their conversation, Jesus shows that he knows her, and cares for her, and wants her to have the best that is available; life abundant and in relationship with God. Jesus does not judge her, but after making it clear that he knows her good and bad, he also makes it clear that he cares and points her towards truth. He acknowledges her, accepts her, and challenges her to be better. Could anyone ask for a better friend?

It can be hard for us to get our head around Jesus as that kind of friend if we have never met people who show us what that is like, and in truth, that kind of person can be rare. People often fit one or more of those, but it is the rare person who fills all three; partly because we don't let someone know us intimately enough. To earn trust takes time, and sometimes it is never fully earned by another. We have those secrets we withhold; we believe we know how the person will react, we feel their judgement before it is spoken.

I expect the Samaritan woman was waiting to hear Jesus' judgement after he outlined her situation in life,

¹⁶ He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
¹⁷ “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

 Yet Jesus did not react with judgement, he continued his conversation with her and revealed himself as Messiah to her. He offered her spiritual life!

I have been blessed with a couple of people in my life that have been and continue to be this kind of friend to me (aside from Jesus and family members). One is my friend PC who has always loved me, maybe not all my choices, but definitely me and has always spoken truth to me; not to condemn me, but to grow me. The other is my boyfriend, Thomas. In spite of my past mistakes and bad choices and my grouchiness, he acknowledges the less than perfect areas of who I am and focuses on the beauty in me. He encourages me to be better and to reminds me when I am about to do something that I will later regret. He always has a hug for me, no matter what.

It is because of people like this in my life that I can better understand and be in relationship with Jesus and understand the encounter the Samaritan woman has with Jesus. She finds that she is valued, she is loved, and the encounter empowers her.

Do you have a person in your life that helps you understand what Jesus is offering you?

1 John 4 - Walk in Love

When I read statements of condemnation and hatred from Christians in the news, I struggle with how to respond. Part of me wants to get angry and cry out against this, but I also don't want to be like the people I am upset with; I want to make sure my response is thought out, so what did I do? I went to the Bible...and came across this scripture in 1 John, chapter 4:

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Reading it definitely caused me to stop and think, in fact it raised a lot of thoughts and questions....so WARNING: Possible stream of consciousness coming.

Look at verse 7 and notice that is says that EVERYONE who loves is born of God and knows God. Anyone who loves, and I don't know anyone who has never loved, is from God and knows God. We all have something inside of us connected to God. For some, that may draw us to God and for some that may be an ignored or not understood part of our being. But consider, if everyone is born of God (or comes from God), that everyone should be treated and revered as God's creation. If you are trying to live as God asks and love, this verse does not allow for us to pick and choose which people we respect and treat with dignity, it tells us that all who love are of  God. So where does hatred and condemnation come in???

In verse 8 we see, "God is love". If God is love, than each act of love is God revealed. SO God is revealed through another person's loving actions. The person may not always be loving and we may not always agree with the person, but at least part of the time, that person is revealing God to us. If you separate yourself from that person, you are separating yourself from the opportunity to have God revealed to you by that person...and consequently receiving less revelation of God. Is that what you want? Less God? At least most Christians claim they want more of God. So how do you accomplish experiencing more of God if you are spouting hatred and condemnation?

I love what verse 10 tells us. It says, :This is love." It is getting ready to hear what love is, but it starts by telling us what it isn't. It isn't that we love God. Why isn't it? Well, our ability to love is flawed. Point in case, we say things which condemn and express hatred for others. Our love is tainted and impure. So what is love? Love is that God loves us. Here we are, impure and sinful, but God gives up Jesus to be sacrificed so that we may be seen as pure. Love is something pure and holy. What we express is a shadow of love because it is not fully pure. What God expresses is love, pure and holy, and the example of love we strive for.

Verse 11 encourages us to follow God's example of love. If we are receiving pure and holy love from God, we need to try to reflect that out to people. This is not done through hatred and condemnation but through encouragement, discipline, and acceptance of people. This does not mean you like or love everything about a person, sometimes they disappoint you, or reject you, or hurt you, but we need to respond in love. Sometimes people disappoint, reject and hurt God too. God so loved that god sent Jesus to die for us that we might be forgiven and seen as pure and holy. 

Judgement is for God, for God has full and complete understanding, only God is worthy to judge and we need to leave that to God. Instead of hatred we need to speak and act in love. Instead of condemning, we need to reach out and accept people and let God worry about the rest.

So my response? LOVE. In love if I have access to the people speaking out in hatred and condemnation I can point out that there words aren't loving.  I can make sure I am not passing on these statements, thereby growing the problem, and I can speak words of love and encouragement into these situations.

Will you join me in walking in love?

Matthew 7 - There's a lot Underneath the Surface that We Don't Know About

Last Saturday, a friend shared a story with me about her daughter's first dentist appointment. When the dentist office said they were going to take x-rays, she was a little worried about how that was going to work, but it worked out fine and she was explaining the awe of seeing adult teeth sitting underneath her daughter's baby teeth and all I could think was, there is a lot under the surface that we can't see.

I have been running that idea through my head this week as I think about people and things I see. I was drawn to a couple of ideas in Matthew 7. The first is the idea of not judging others which Jesus talks about in verses 1-5 of the chapter:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

As I thought about this, I was reminded of those teeth, sitting under the surface, that we can't see, and I think about people I know, with many things sitting under the surface too that I don't know about. Are they good? Are they bad? Is it mine to determine? 

I think the truth is that it is complicated. These verses remind me that I, too, can be judged and I know that I am not perfect. There are plenty of labels that I wear, that people could hear or learn and paint their own picture of who I am. They could also witness one soundbite  and determine my character. Would they be accurate? They could be, but probably not. There is a lot going on under my surface, in my mind and my heart. 

Let's look at two labels I wear, Christian and gay. Part of me doesn't know where to start with what ideas and images people might have of me given these two labels alone. These labels evoke many ideas and emotion in our current society, but here a few negative ideas or thoughts I have heard and run across:

• You can't be Christian and gay
• Gay...flouncing fairy
• Christian...judgmental holy roller

The interesting thing about these is that they just don't fit. First of all being gay is your sexual identity and being Christian is your set of beliefs. They can easily exist in the same person. Christian beliefs guide my actions as a man everyday. And I am pretty sure that people who know me would not say I am a flouncing fairy or a judgmental holy roller. 

Instead, most people would say that I am pretty normal, although possibly quirky, with geeky tendencies. Also, people have remarked on how open to hearing and understanding others I am. I don't believe we have to agree to love and care for each other, but I do believe in respect and understanding. And there is a lot under the surface that you don't know about. God has me on a journey and even I don't know where it ends up or all the ways I will be shaped along the journey.

Matthew 7:1,2 is often associated with the idea of walking a mile in another person's shoes. I agree with that. I don't think you can truly understand the place a person is coming from without dialogue with them and you can't appreciate where their ideas come from without taking time. If a person is a part of your life, it is important to understand who that person is. Labels, which we use as a quick way to understand people are not really effective because there is a lot going on under the surface that we don't know about. 

But where does that leave us? I think the answer to that is to see what fruit the person bears.

¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Take the time to walk a mile in a person's shoes and observe the fruit of their life; following both of these ideas will help you evaluate a person and your response to them. 

It makes sense to us to do this for the people who are family, friends, co-workers...people who are engaged in our lives, but that is not where it ends. In this season, where we in the US are preparing to elect a president and soundbites and labels abound. Will you determine a person's worth based on soundbites and labels or will you walk a mile in their shoes and examine the fruit of their life?

There is a lot under the surface that we don't know about.
 

Ephesians 4 - An Attitude Check

So have you ever thought about a situation and realized that you need an attitude check? Boy, have I ever, and I am feeling it right now. Over the weekend I got one of those, I would like to talk face-to-face. Not the, hey, we need to catch up, but the heavy, personal subjects that we don't see eye-to-eye on. This would probably not be so bad if it didn't feel like we had been around the ring with these same topics before...but I guess the good news is that I recognized my need for an attitude check. 

Step one, recognize the the bad attitudes and their need to change.

So, recognize, that I have a bad attitude, one which has put up walls and makes me not want to have a face-to-face conversation. What are the problems...well, in the end, I fear that I will be hurt and two, because I am anticipating that, am concerned that I won't be able to hear the other person without hearing it through my lens of previous hurt and who knows what I will say through that same hurt. So to scripture I went, and found myself in Ephesians 4.

As I read this chapter, several places stood out to me. The first was those first 3 verses.

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

First, Paul reminds that at the time of this writing, he is a prisoner. The voice in my head is saying, "You think you got it bad, remember where Paul was...and he kept a good attitude." Paul reminds me to walk in love, patience and work toward a peaceful, spiritual unity. I surely can't do that and hold past hurts and disagreements in my mind. I need to release them. I need to be able to speak in love and hear in love, bitterness and resentment can have no place in this conversation.

Of course, inside, I am whining a little bit, "But, I don't want to. I have been hurt and I am tired of making myself vulnerable and being hurt again." Now if this was an abusive situation, I might give into that and say that God's best for me is not to allow myself to be abused, but this is in no way that kind of situation. It just is hard for a non-confrontational person to walk into discussions that are a source of conflict and uncomfortableness.

And then I read verses 31 and 32, a direct answer to my concern about what I might say.

³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Paul is pretty straightforward about saying that all those negative emotions and instincts need to be put away from you. They just can't be around if this conversation is to be one of love and peace and gentleness. And furthermore...all those past things I want to hold against that person...well verse 32 has got that covered. Drat, that forgiveness thing.

So I can't hold on to the past wrongs, I can't speak through anger and hurt and I need to have this conversation in love and patience. And now you see where the attitude adjustment is necessary.

Next step, give all the thoughts, hurts, fears, anxieties over to God.

This is the hard part for me, but the only way I know how to do this is to pray. To pray hard and to pray long!!! Possibly in my favor is that I live over two hours away from this person and my schedule is pretty tight for awhile, so I can't actually do a face-to-face right away. So there will be a lot of prayer for this. And I don'[t mean, procrastinate until it gets closer, I mean start today and pray, pray, pray! (and maybe you will pray for me too).

A change of attitude does not usually happen over night, but holding on to a bad attitude hurts us more than anyone else. Our joy is stolen and our focus is on negative things.

And while you are working on step two, bring in step three, replace the bad attitude with a positive one. 

As I pray, I also need to fill my head with reminders and scriptures that remind me to focus on what is pure and good, to know that I am loved, to remember to seek peace and healing for all those involved. Fill your head with so much good attitude that there is no room for a bad attitude. So while I am praying, I will be writing myself little scripture notes and reminders for a positive attitude. (feel free to share your positive attitude scriptures and reminders with me).

Do you need an attitude check?

Is so, remember:

• Indentify and acknowledge the bad attitude.
• Give it all up to God.
• Gird yourself with a positive attitude and thoughts.

1 John 4:18 - 4 Stories of Courage

A bunch of things that have been going on in my world have caused me to think a lot about courage. I have realized that courage wears many faces and sometimes doesn't feel like courage to the person who is doing it.

I have four stories I want to share that deal with courage. They all share a common thread but all the people don't share the same views, but each one is motivated by love and probably some of the people involved do not see what they are doing as courage, but I have come to see each one as courage, and each one drew me back to 1 John 4:18:

 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

The first is my story, about a week ago, my boyfriend and I were walking to meet some friends, holding hands (a normal thing for us) and a guy stopped us to ask about how long we have been together and if we were married...by this point, his husband had walked back to join him. They were going out to celebrate their third anniversary but the guy explained he had to stop us to comment on us holding hands, wishing that they had the courage to do that. What was a normal, every day activity for us, wasa sign of courage to them.

The second story is about a missionary from South America who happened upon my boyfriend and I about 10 PM one evening, walking down the street, holding hands. She greeted us in her broken English and began to politely, kindly, and with love tell us about Jesus. She explained that love between two men was wrong and urged us to seek Jesus. She was gentle, she was kind, and she spent perhaps 15 minutes talking to us, urging us to seek Jesus and at the end of conversation, parted with, God bless you. Now, I admit, I struggled with this one because when I said that I knew Jesus, she insisted I did not, but I was reminded to see her love in what she said and the time she spent by my boyfriend, and he was right. It was late at night, she was all alone, and there were not many people around, but she spoke in love, not fear. She displayed courage.

The next story is about a mother. Her son is gay and she loves him dearly. All her life she was told that being gay was wrong, but now she is forced to confront feelings and understandings within herself. She chooses to examine those feelings and wrestle with them to understand, all the while maintaining the friendship she has with her son. In addition to wrestling with the feelings within herself. she finds herself advocating for understanding from her husband, not for their son, for he too loves their son, but for her son's boyfriend to be welcome in their home for holidays. Her courage in facing what she has been taught all her life and creating uncomfortableness in her home, is motivated by love. While it can be scary, she walks a path of love.

The last story is about a pastor. She has a church that is only a couple of years old. She has built the congregation from the beginning, moving from a house church to a church with a permanent location. She has a gay man who has offered to start a small group in the church. In conversations with the pastor that mentors her and the small group coordinator of the church she started from, she gets a mixed reaction to having a gay man in a leadership role. She knows that she might face conflict, questions, and uncomfortableness, but she weighs all the factors to look at the person as a Christian man with leadership skills and evaluates his walk and what he has to offer over the label of gay that society places on him. She has courage to stand on the side of love and risk the criticism of Christians.

Each of these people is operating in love, love for another person or love for people in general. It is unclear whether they think of what they are doing as showing courage, but it has become clear to me that each one is walking in courage and not in fear.

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Do you have a story of courage? I would love to hear about it.

Psalm 62 - The Unshakable Cornerstone

Do you have an event in your life that you stand on and gives you perfect certainty about something. Possibly it is a moment in time that you stand on and makes you sure of some one's love for you. Possibly it is an moment in time that made your career path a certainty. Do you have an event in your spiritual life that is the cornerstone of your faith? Maybe it is something that leads you to know something as truth or maybe it is something that leads you to know something is not truth. (Take a few minutes and reflect on that).

As I read through Psalm 62, I couldn't help but notice a section that repeats itself:

¹ Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
² Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 

 ⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Right from the beginning, the author makes a statement, and then a few verses later affirms it, with the one difference of saying, "my salvation comes from him" in verse 1 and, "my hope comes from him" in verse 5. 

As I read these verses, it is clear that  God is the writer's fortress and the  writer holds a truth that can not be shaken; that God is the writer's rock and salvation. I wish I knew the story behind the writer coming to that truth and place.

It is a beautiful thing to know something absolutely and completely. For me, it helps to have that experience that I hold in my mind that is the cornerstone of that knowledge. For me, my faith cornerstone  is an experience that happened when I was 13. The circumstances are a story of their own, but I was in the house alone and I heard a distinct and audible voice. God said to me, "I love you and this is not what I want for you." This had a profound impact on me. First and foremost, it was the beginning of developing a faith that was my own, not the faith of my parents or of the church that I attended. Secondly, I knew that God existed, was active, and desired relationship with me. That was profound for me and changed everything. Now, I admit that I can not provide you with scientific evidence of my experience or of the existence of God, and I can't even begin to fully understand or attempt to describe all that God is, but I know that God loves me, God exists, and God wants relationship with me. I have other beliefs about God, but I also know they are based on experiences of mine as seen through the lens of my understanding and environment. I do not classify them as a part of my cornerstone which can not be shaken.

Today, I invite you to consider what is the cornerstone of your faith and where it comes from. Is it unshakable and it is something you own? Can you turn to it when doubts and confusion present themselves to you?

I would love to hear your story, if you care to share it and maybe in the sharing of our stories we will both be changed.

 

Bridge Building

One of the things that has been on my mind this week is the Matthew 28:19 commission of making disciples. I hear and read about  this command, and then I read about things like walking up to people on the street and asking them, "If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?" and all I can do is cringe. Have you ever been a part of this kind of evangelism? I have. Not that it was ever something I wanted to do, but I was part of a group that was going out and doing this. 

Recently, I have been thinking about that commission a lot. The more I think about it, the more I feel like some people have understood it wrong. They see it as a command to go to other people and tell them about Jesus. Now you may be saying, that sounds right to me, but please wait, while I talk a little more about this, because I believe that this commission was given for us to do, "Jesus style". I think it is important for us to understand this commission, using Jesus as the ultimate example.

So let's look at what Jesus did. Jesus traveled to different places to teach. While he taught in the synagogue or homes when invited, most often Jesus taught places that were informal, often in the countryside (Matthew 5:1, Matthew 14:13,14). When Jesus taught, he went to a place and taught. He went to a place, but the people came to him. I think that is a key point. Jesus made himself available to people. he didn't accost them on the street and force anything on them. He went to a place and then let people come to him if they wanted to hear him teach. Now some of those people heard his message and didn't understand at all, some heard and thought they understood and some heard and stayed to ask more questions. Now, you may point out some exceptions, but I think it is important for us to examine the whole of Jesus' ministry.

Ultimately, I think it is profound to note how Jesus operated. He went to a place and healed and taught. Those who wanted to see or hear him, came to Jesus (even in times when he would have rather have a time of rest). Many came, many heard, some understood.

Partway through his time of ministry, Jesus sent out his followers to minister (Matthew 10:1-15). In verse 14, He gives them this instruction, "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet." Jesus tells them, not to force themselves on anyway. If they aren't interested, leave and move on.

I think Jesus' model is important to remember when sharing teachings and understandings, not just in sharing the religious teachings, but in sharing all views. Imagine how you respond when some one comes at you with an opinion or idea and forcefully explains it to you until you either walk away or agree with them. Maybe it was a situation where you asked for their thoughts and it just went beyond sharing for understanding, or maybe their thoughts were unsolicited. How did you respond internally to this? If you are like me, it left a sour taste in your mouth, and either the desire to avoid this person, or to start hearing their ideas with a chip on your shoulder. (Well, maybe not the first time, but likely the more it happened the more distasteful it became.) 

I beleive that we are called to be bridge builders. We are called to share what we understand, but share it in the way that Jesus did. Let the people come to us. I don't think this is always easy to judge...but I think it is important to consider how you are sharing your message. Are you doing it in a way that offends people who have not chosen to to come hear you (the offensive sign you are carrying in public that a person did not come to see)? Or have you found a place to share your message where people can come to you if they want to hear it and not have to hear it if they have not chosen to come? 

If we consider how we are choosing to share our message and we work to share our message in love, we can be bridge builders. I choose to strive to be a bridge builder. Do you?

Psalm 59 - Powerful Love

^{Hmmm...so here we have another Psalm that speaks of judgement of the wicked..another psalm written by David while he was running from Saul and his followers. There seems to be a lot of this in my readings this week. The interesting thing is that in seasons of my life, I have needed just that. I have needed to be reminded that others felt persecuted, that others got angry and just wanted God to take care of the people around them who were choosing to be wicked. In this season, I find myself wanting to slide over these passages because they don't connect with how I feel in this season of my life. Instead, I want to read verses that encourage me to grow in love, to grow in service, and to grow as an influencer of my environment. Of course I could jump to another portion of the Bible, and I may do that in the future, but today I want to wrestle some more with these psalms.}

^{David's words tell about the injustice of the situation he is in.} 

³ For look, they lie in wait for my life;
The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
⁴ They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.

I am reminded of a letter I read in an article in the Huffington Post called, Dear Hypothetically Gay Son. In it, he writes the letter he would hope to write to his future son if that son were to tell him that he was gay. The phrase that I was reminded of while I read the above words in the psalm were,

Our home is a place of safety and love. The world has dealt you a difficult card. While LGBT people are becoming more accepted, it is still a difficult path to walk. You're going to experience hate and anger and misunderstandings about who you are out in the world. That will not happen here. You need to know with every fiber of who you are that when you walk in the front door of your home, you are safe, and you are loved.

^{This father is acknowledging that his son is on a road that will lead to misunderstanding and persecution, but promises that his home will be a place of safety. The father goes on to say that he will be the son's defender, for he loves every part of who his son is and would go to war for him.}

^{David also finds himself  in a place of persecution, calling on God for help.}

⁹ I will wait for You, O You his Strength;
For God is my defense.
¹⁰ My God of mercy shall come to meet me;
God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.

 Just as the father in the letter promises to be his son's defender, David knows that God will be his defender and responds with trust and later with honor for God.

¹⁶ But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.
¹⁷ To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.

So, in making this connection between the letter and the psalm, I am reminded of several things:

•  Reading about persecution and judgement reminds me that even though I may not relate it in my life, it is important for me to be creating a safe place for those who are feeling persecuted. I am called to compassion and love.
• I am also reminded of the beauty of love, the father for his son and God for David. The love that fully accepts and stands ready to defend others. A love that I strive for.
• I am also reminded to be grateful for the people in my life who operate in this love. Those who have stood by me, created a safe place for me, and have stood as my defenders.

Why might God have you reading these messages...this blog...what's message is in it for you? 

Obadiah - Desctruction and Restoration

I decided to take a quick break from the Psalms. We have been having a series at church on the minor prophets and last week was Amos. Since I won't be in town this Sunday, I decided to read Obadiah (which I am assuming this week's message is on) and share my thoughts.

One of the interesting things about Obadiah is that it is just one chapter. Like many of the messages by the minor prophets, it speaks about God's wrath toward the wicked and  the loving discipline that will be laid on them, as well as providing a message of hope for the faithful. Since Obadiah is a single chapter, you see all of these in a short amount of writing.

In Obadiah, the people who have turned away from God are the Edomites. The early verses talk about the pride of the nation.

³ The pride of your heart has deceived you,
    you who live in the clefts of the rocks
    and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself,
    ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’

Subsequent verses mention the things that God will take from Edom as as a part of their destrution, that are prized by the nation. These include, hidden treasures, her allies, her wise men, and her warriors. All things that Edom relies on, instead of God.

Obadiah goes on further to describe the things Edom has done to the nation of Judah. 

¹⁰ Because of the violence against your brother Jacob,
    you will be covered with shame;
    you will be destroyed forever.
¹¹ On the day you stood aloof
    while strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates
    and cast lots for Jerusalem,
    you were like one of them.
¹² You should not gloat over your brother
    in the day of his misfortune,
nor rejoice over the people of Judah
    in the day of their destruction,
nor boast so much
    in the day of their trouble.
¹³ You should not march through the gates of my people
    in the day of their disaster,
nor gloat over them in their calamity
    in the day of their disaster,
nor seize their wealth
    in the day of their disaster.
¹⁴ You should not wait at the crossroads
    to cut down their fugitives,
nor hand over their survivors
    in the day of their trouble.

Edom and Judah have a history, for sure. They are nations descedent from Jacob and Esau, two brothers. Jacob manipulated Esau out of his birthright and, while the two brother's reconciled, their descendants have held onto bitterness.

(The last verses tell that God's people will once again rule and possess these lands and the message of hope for the faithful is included in this chapter.)

But I want to draw you attention to the last part of verse 18,

There will be no survivors
    from Esau.”
The Lord has spoken

As a human and a Christian, I want to cry out, where is the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness for the Edomites? Don't they get a chance to change and find restoration?

A part of this is because I can recognize times when the sin of pride crops up in my life and I certainly don't want to read the message as, I am doomed to complete destruction.

So let me instead offer up some thoughts I have on this. First, as I mentioned, the nation of Edom had a long-time pattern of enmity towards the nation of Israel.  And Obadiah tells us they were filled with pride and had turned their back on God,. The essence of their identity seems to be wrapped up in their pride and their belief in their ability to make it on their own without God, or a need to show love and mercy to all those around them, specifically the Israelites.

For a moment, let's just jump for a moment to Saul of the New Testament. He had his identity wrapped up in pride.

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.(Philippians 3:4b-6)

And he did not show love and mercy toward the followers of Jesus. Saul was stripped of his pride, repented and reconciled with the followers of Jesus...and became Paul. The essence of who Saul was, was utterly destroyed and Paul was born out of the ashes, a phoenix-type experience. In his own way, Saul was an Edomite and was destroyed utterly and reborn as a new person, Paul, one of the faithful who was restored.

Now back to the Edomites and the question of an opportunity for change and restoration, I believe they too had and have the opportunity to be reborn as a new people, ones in relationship with God, filled with love and mercy for others.

If you haven't already traveled there with your thoughts, let me pose the idea that Edomites are all people who, filled with pride,  believe that they are independent of the need for God, the Divine presence that calls us into relationship and speaks to us of love and mercy towards others.

Certainly I am on a journey to utterly destroy my pride that leads me to operate outside of a relationship of love and mercy with others and relationship with God. How about you?