R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:7-8 (NRSV)

Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly. Proverbs 29:14 (The Message)

I have been reading and hearing a lot about respect these days. In particular, about how some people are suppose to respect the office or respect the tradition or respect the occasion. People are challenging members of congress who are choosing to forgo attendance at the inauguration saying they should respect the event, respect the office of president, etc. I have heard people say that we should respect the president-elect because he is the president-elect. I have heard folks say that we need to figure out how to respect others who hold different opinions. I have heard people say that they aren’t respected. And I was taught that you respect those in positions of authority, your elders, clergy, teachers, etc.

What exactly are we talking about when we are talking about “respect?” I always turn to the dictionary when I start to wrestle with a word and what it means. Respect, noun, a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements: the state of being admired or respected; due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others. The next place I turn is to the Thesaurus. Synonyms for respect are: admiration, deference, esteem, reverence, veneration.

So, to respect someone means that you admire them, recognize their abilities, qualities, and achievements; and have regard for them. I think a quote my dad use to throw about but that I’m sure never know who said it has something to say in this discussion: “Treat people the way you want to be treated. Talk to people the way you want to be talked to. Respect is earned, not given.”  Hussein Nishah (I think this is Shah Hussain a Punjabi Sufi poet of the 16^th century CE but could not find a definitive connection).

For me, respect is a basic human right in that every person deserves to be respected – to have others give due regard for their rights, to be seen as human, etc. But the respect that folks are calling for regarding “the office” or “the tradition” or “their new position” is not this basic respect. It is the respect that is earned. The respect that comes from an admiration for a person’s abilities, qualities and achievements. I cannot judge another and I sure won’t try and figure out if they respect someone else in this way. But if someone chooses to not participate in an event, it has to do with respect but the kind that is earned.

The time of respect for an office, a title, a role, a job, etc. has passed. Whether it was because of the 1960’s “Don’t trust anyone over 30.” Or Watergate, or Roman Catholic priests sex abuse scandal or too many PhD’s who abused their degree, or other such things all I know is that this is gone. Now people need to know what you stand for, what you value, how you treat others, etc. before they will respect you. They must see that your actions and words are the same. They can’t rely on a degree or an office they must know you. I must say that it is possible and even important to respect people who believe differently than you. But they still must pass the abilities and qualities test. They must be decent people who treat others with the basic respect due us all.

I’m not sure this is making a lot of sense. I know what I mean, I’m not sure it’s what I’ve written. I seem to be rambling or having a tough time focusing so I will end this Musing. I’m not sure this loss of respect for a role, title, etc. is a good thing. I’m also not sure that it is a bad thing. But it is the reality of our culture at this time. So, give everyone the basic respect they are due and keep an open mind so that folks can earn your respect.

Dear God, help me respect all people. Help me to say and do things that match. Help me be someone that others can respect. Help all of us to be people that others respect. Amen.

Waiting

I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. Psalms 69:3 (NRSV)

I feel like I am waiting. I’m not sure what I am waiting for. Maybe the end of the world? No, that’s to dramatic and I don’t think I am waiting for this, in fact I tend to think it can’t happen because we will not let it happen. Am I waiting for a divine bolt of lightning to strike my heart and soul and inspire me to grand, lofty spiritual accomplishments? I think not. It feels more like waiting in my car in the Cell Phone Waiting area at the airport. I know something is coming, and I know it is coming on the sooner side I just don’t know exactly when it will arrive. I also don’t have a clear idea of what will be arriving.

I know a component of this is that I am waiting for those in leadership to begin to offer direction and insight. I can only do so much to impact and influence the direction of things, others in positions of leadership and authority also need to do things and I am waiting for them to do that.

I know a part of this waiting is trying to figure out how to make the biggest difference I can in the immediate future as our nation falls into a deeply troubling time. I am not sure how to employ my limited energy and resources for the maximum affect so I am waiting and working on this.

There is also a waiting for God mixed in to all this. Throughout my life, I have found that at critical moments I get into this waiting and one of the things I am waiting for is some inspiration, direction, insight or nudge from God. I cannot remember a time when I have felt the way I feel that a metaphorical voice from heaven hasn’t been a part of moving me along.

I wish I could tell you that I have this elaborate ritual of serious spiritual discerning, time in contemplation and deep prayer that centers me and opens me to hearing the voice of God and finding what I have been waiting for. Well I don’t have these things, or at least not in any real traditional sense. I give myself permission to just sit and gaze out the window. I allow for some time for music and arts to speak to me. I go to the Japanese Garden and the Chinese Garden and just walk around. I reflect on what I have been reading, watching, and paying attention to. I let the invitations to conferences, training events, etc. come and maybe spark an interest in me. Basically, I just wait.

And I don’t like waiting. The hardest thing for me to do is wait for a particular time to arrive before I can do what I need to do. I really find it hard to just wait without a clear and definitive end point for the waiting. I don’t like waiting without knowing what I am waiting for. And yet I am deeply enmeshed in a vocation and institution that requires just this kind of waiting. My tradition is a tradition of waiting. Waiting for inspiration, insight, guidance, direction; waiting for the voice of God.

I know that these times of waiting are often followed by something significant. It could be in my personal life. It might be in my pastoral ministry with my present congregation. I could be a call to go to a new place. And I could be a shove to delve deeper into who I am and what God needs and wants from me. What it is just isn’t clear yet. So, I wait. It can come relatively quickly or it can take months, even a couple years to become clear. And this is part of why I don’t like this waiting. But the truth is I can do nothing else because I have learned that there is no way to push, manipulate, or force this waiting to end. It just must take whatever time it needs and I have to just wait for it.

And so I wait.

Dear God, help me to wait for you. Help me to be at peace as I wait. Help me to be open to the ways you communicate with me. Amen.

Practical Presents

Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want." So he urged him, and he took it. Genesis 33:11 (NRSV)

Christmas has come once again and with it the never-ending drive to find the right gift for those you love and care about. It would seem that one gift option you are to avoid is that practical item. It seems to say that you don’t love the recipient enough or that you are not paying attention to what they want or that you don’t want to take the time or make the effort to give something to them that is from the heart. Maybe it’s because I am a man or I am insensitive or I lack some deeper level of empathy but I think a practical gift can be meaningful, an expression of deep love, and come from a place of intimacy. A practical gift can be the best gift you can give someone.

Ok, I don’t mean a new toilet seat for Christmas – my dad did that once for my mother when the toilet seat broke a week before Christmas, not his best choice. But there are practical things that really are some of the best gifts you can give someone. The difficulty with practical gifts is that you really do have to pay attention to the wants and needs of the person you are considering. Giving a practical gift means you know what they need, what they really would like to have but for some reason are not able or willing to get it for themselves. Often times this has to do with the seemingly frivolous nature of the item or the need it addresses. The other reason usually has to do with the feeling that they can “get by without it.”

If someone cooks a lot and they comment that chopping onions is a bother and wouldn’t it be nice to have an electric chopper but they never seem to want to get one that may be a great practical gift. Amy got me one and it is used a lot and it is a treasured gift even if it is just a practical item. Amy doesn’t like the dark halls and corners of our house during the day. She loves lots of natural light. We can’t cut a bunch of windows into hallway walls so she often comments on those “can” skylights as something to consider. When I suggest we get one she always has a reason why it isn’t a good time. So, I got her one and she regularly comments on how nice it is that we have it and thanks me for that gift, even after several years.

I know that age has something to do with this. I also know that financial limitations come into play. Practical gifts are often things that are wanted but seem just beyond what would be necessary. Socks and underwear are practical gifts that are also necessary. In our family, they regularly appear at Christmas but they aren’t what I am talking about here. I am talking about those things that aren’t necessary for life but that are necessary to make life just a bit nicer, easier, better. I have set myself a goal of at least once a year getting everyone I care deeply about one practical gift that makes their life a bit nicer, easier, better. I am having a hard time doing this for my sons but I will figure it out as they too transition into a phase of life where that practical item really does impact their life and is appreciated more than the latest gadget or trendy item.

So, my advice to you is to give a practical gift, but make it one that really reflects the person you are gifting. This takes works. It means you must pay attention and notice things. It means that you must risk the initial reaction for the longer-term appreciation. And it does not let you off the hook for finding and giving that less practical gift that also reflects the recipient’s wants, needs, and indulgences. Being a good gift giver takes work and it takes balancing the special, unique and practical.

May you receive just the right practical gift this Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a blessed and hope-filled New Year.

Dear God, help me to give the gift that others need to make their life better. Help me to receive whatever gifts I am given with a gracious and loving heart. Help me to remember that it isn’t the gift, it’s the act of giving that matters. Thank you for the gift of your Child and the gifts he inspires in us all. Amen.

I Am a Muslim

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 (NRSV)

I want to apologize for the hit and miss delivery of my Musings over the last few weeks. The election results and my mental and spiritual reaction to them has made it hard for me to get my head, heart, and soul around a subject that I would like to share about. I cannot tell you when I might be back to a mostly regular weekly Musing but until I am I will continue to send them out as I feel I have something to say.

The threat of a registry for Muslims and people from the Middle East has got my attention. It smacks of the Jewish ghettos of Warsaw and the yellow Stars of David in Nazi controlled areas during World War Two. It carries the stench of the internment of Japanese peoples on the west coast of the USA during that same era. It echoes the McCarthy Era and the Committee on Un-American Activities, the work of J. Edgar Hoover, and the Hollywood blacklist. All these moments in time are resoundingly condemned for their inhumane treatment of people and the sanctioned racism they produced and the fear they caused innocent people just because they happened to look a certain way, believe a certain way, or exercised their Constitutional freedoms. And just to make this even more clear, with the passage of the Civil Liberties Act in 1988 our nation admitted that such action is unjust and contrary to our values of liberty and justice for all. (This is the letter President Clinton sent to those who were interned.)

Social Media has been buzzing with this topic for days. One action that seems to have gained a lot of attention is how non-Muslims might react if a registry is instituted. That action, to register as a Muslim even if you are not. This may seem a silly thing to do or one that does little but think about for a moment. It has the potential to put millions of names into the system that would have to be vetted or verified. It would make it harder to figure out who exactly are the “real” Muslims. It would show our Islamic neighbors and friends that they are not alone. And what is most important, it would display your willingness to put yourself on the line for another – a way to love your neighbor – a way to witness to the all-inclusive and universal love of God.

The Bible states over and over and over again that our God given responsibility is to care for, protect, and serve the stranger, sojourner, foreigner, orphan, widow, poor, disenfranchised and otherwise powerless persons in our midst. This is what we are called out from among the peoples of this earth to do. This is the character of our God, this is what our God values. Look at Exodus, look at Leviticus, look at Isaiah and Micah, look at the Psalms, look at Jesus, and look at Paul. In every place, you will find that the one, overriding definition of being faithful is caring for the least and powerless. As Christians, we must see that singling out a group of people for no other reason than baseless fear and discomfort with differentness places that group squarely within the realm of those we must serve, protect, and care for. And therefore, registering as a Muslim is one action we can take to faithfully live out our connection with God and Christ.

I know that there may be risks associated with doing this act of civil disobedience. It may take time and money on our parts to get ourselves freed up from the limitations such an act might place upon us. But we must be willing to place ourselves in difficult positions to be faithful to God’s call upon our lives and God’s desire for the powerless to be supported and cared for. We cannot sit this one out. We cannot allow for this to take place and if it does, despite our best efforts, then we must act in ways to subvert and render it ineffective. It is what God would have us do.

I believe the time for action is now. I believe that if we are to say “NO!” to fear and evil we must find the places and do the things that speak loudest against this darkness. And we must listen to John Lewis, President Obama, Hillel the Elder, and many others who have said in one way or another, “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” The time for faithful people to be upfront, open and honest about their beliefs is upon us. If you truly are a partner of God and Christ seeking to transform lives and the world you must enter the fray and to feel as Don Quixote does when he sings in Man of La Mancha:

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest

To follow that star

No matter how hopeless

No matter how far

To fight for the right

Without question or pause

To be willing to march into Hell

For a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true 

To this glorious quest

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm

When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To reach the unreachable star

Dear God, help me to love as you love, to risk myself for those who are powerless, and to be faithful. Be with anyone who fears for their freedom and their rights. Amen.

Musing on the Day After the Election

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. - Matthew 23:37-38 (NRSV)

Alright, I am such a mixed bag of emotions that it might be hard to be coherent but I’m going to try because I want to share with you what is happening with me in hopes that it will somehow speak to you this strange and unsettling day.

As I walked this morning in the dripping fog and dark I was consumed by the results of the presidential election. I found myself focusing on three basic responses:

1. Violence – I heard echoing in my mind the call from Les Misérables “Man the barricades” or something to that affect anyway. I was focused on revolution – rising up in arms against the tyrant who will be president. I wanted to plot an overthrow, find likeminded people who were willing to die in the effort to wipe this evil from the face of the earth. I wanted to find a way to mobilize the militia and call all caring, compassionate, loving people to arms. (I know that sounds wrong but we’re talking about how I felt.) I knew that the one and only way to ensure the future of our nation was to eliminate this spawn of the devil.
2. Give up – I almost sat down in the middle of the path and gave up everything. I wanted to just drop there and let myself fade away. I could see no hope for our nation or our world. I felt wrung out and wasted, without an ounce of energy left to try and continue to love, be compassionate, work for justice, etc. “Why bother?” I asked myself. Over my lifetime I have been sorely disappointed too many times in elections and this blow just took the wind out of whatever sails I had left. I just couldn’t see how anything I could do would make a difference. Our great nation, this grand experiment had failed and the end of the world must surely be coming. So, I wanted to give up and just stop, just cease to be. I would not be a part of what is to come so why even try to live through it.
3. Get busy – Kübler-Ross and others talk about the stages of grief and I know these three echo some of those stages. But as I showered and dressed and thought about how to put one foot in front of the other today I realized that this election, this man becoming president was a call to action. As a partner of God and Christ working to transform lives and the world into the place of justice, righteousness and peace that God dreams for it I have work to do. Many of the leaders of my denomination that I respect (I will be honest there are many I do not) are calling for vigilance in living faithfully the call of God and Christ to love and service, work for peace and justice and to be the change our world needs. There is a lot of fear and anxiety out there and it may be very well founded but my task is to live hope, love others, work for peace, advocate for justice and do all I can to raise up those being beaten down by the oppression of others.

Now I know I will vacillate between these options in the hours and days ahead. But I will work hard to stay focused on the third option – getting busy being the light and love of God and Christ for the world. I’m not sure yet what forms and actions this “getting busy” will take. But I am sure that they will include love and compassion and empathy and justice and peace.

I am afraid that we have started down the road that leads to what happened in Germany in the 1930s. I want to work hard to keep us from getting to the end of that possible path. A man, Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps wrote this famous statement which I will and I think we all need to keep in mind:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

So, as you run through the vast spectrum of emotions that are coming your way in this post-election grief most of us are experiencing keep true to yourself. Live as the true Christians you are: loving others, working for justice and peace, treating others with compassion, advocating for those without a voice, serving those who are without enough, witnessing to the way of God and Christ that is the way of life, of enoughism (look it up here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=enoughism) , and of love. Remember, together we are stronger than going it alone and that in the end love will win and God’s dream for creation will come to pass.

I end with a tweet from this morning from Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton):

“Let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and... more work to do.”

Dear God, give me comfort. Give me peace. Give me the determination to keep going, to keep loving, to keep working for you and your dream for me and all creation. Help me to be gentle with myself and others. Help me to put one foot in front of the other and continue down the path that Jesus calls me to. Be with those most directly impacted by this election and provide comfort and assurance to those who are fearful for themselves and those they love that you are with them and that others are with them too. Help me to breathe, help me to love, help me to not give into despair and help me live as your beloved child now and always. Amen.

Democracy

 "But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I'm speaking to you this way so that you will be saved.” John 5:34 (The Message)

In a blog post “The Principles of American Democracy” writer and novelist Joel D. Hirst writes: There is perhaps no term more used, misunderstood and abused than the word ‘democracy.’

Abraham Lincoln’s democracy was encapsulated in his quote, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy”; while Gandhi said, “The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of heart”; and Aristotle is quoted as saying, “If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost.”

Yet what is democracy? The dictionary definition of democracy is simple: “Government by the people.” … In my opinion, democratic governance in America can be summed up in five elements…The first element is the mechanism of representative democracy…it is also essential to have a professional, non-partisan civil service that provide these services to the people…the third component of American democracy: the principal of separation of powers…The fourth is the principal of limited government…none of these principles would have any value if they were not woven around a nucleus of hard, civil and political rights which, enshrined in the bill of rights, guarantee the individual within American society certain “inalienable rights” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-d-hirst/the-principles-of-america_b_1397365.html)

As we all prepare to exercise one of our basic rights, to vote, let’s remember that we are a part of a democracy and that for it to work and work correctly all parties need to agree to its validity. There are some troubling things happening – a major party candidate not willing to pledge to support whatever the outcome of the election is, Senate leaders pledging to not approve Presidentially appointed justices and judges, etc. Voting is just a part of our role in a democracy. We also must vote well. We must hold elected officials accountable. We must call for our elected officials to do their jobs. And we must expect that participants in the democratic process will abide by the outcomes.

It is said that the governance of the USA is an experiment in democracy. Will we continue down the path of refining and learning while the experiment goes on or will we reach the end of the experiment, write up the conclusions and move on to another thesis statement? The key for our system to work is for those elected to understand themselves as representatives of everyone. They are not representing Democrats or Republicans, they aren’t representing the Tea Party, they aren’t elected to do what is best for a certain constituency but for the common good; the good of our city, region, county, state and nation. They get elected because they support ideas, options and programs that the majority of those who vote identify with but we elect them and expect them to “vote their conscience” and not look to donors or special interests or party but to their inner commitment to do what is the best thing for all the people. It is this basic understanding that worked in the past to get things done, even when parties disagreed about it, they were willing to compromise and find a solution that seemed best for everyone.

I think a lot of the dissatisfaction people are feeling toward our elected officials has to do with this breakdown in fulfilling the role they are elected to. I wish I had a way to legislate or make this happen but I am not sure how we move things from the contentious and manipulative present reality into something that truly works for the good of the nation and its people. What I do know is that voting matters and electing people who will try to do what they can to get us back on course and caring more about the common good then about personal wealth, status, or narrow agendas is a way forward. So, vote and pray and let’s hope that miracles happen and work to make them become real.

Dear God, help me to put aside my selfish wants, needs and desire and focus on what is best for all. Be with the people of my nation as we vote, open our hearts, minds and spirits so that we can move beyond selfishness and greed. Be with all those elected and give them hearts to do what must be done for the good of all. Be with those who loose and help them accept the outcome and do what they can to support those elected. Amen.

When the Power Goes Out

 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. - John 1:5 (NRSV)

No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. – Matthew 5:15 (NRSV)

First off let me apologize for not doing a Musing these last couple of weeks and not telling you I won’t. Nothing serious going on, just didn’t manage my schedule well enough to get everything in.

Last night I was preparing dinner for about 20 people at my church. Each year I “sell” and event at our church auction and sometimes these events include meals. This year I am doing 6 evenings with dinner and a presentation. Well anyway, last night the power when out in the area around the church. A power line was down and I think a fire was involved but the outcome was no electricity and total darkness when the sun set about 6pm.

Luckily I had already prepared the main dish and had it sealed up tight in a roaster keeping it warm and the dessert was made and we were having salad and tortillas. I wasn’t able to get the quinoa cooked but other than that dinner was ready. So we went ahead with the dinner by candlelight using candelabra and candleholders placed all around the room.

Two things struck me as folks gathered and we ate our dinner. One is how much light you get from just one candle. It is said that the human eye can detect the light of a candle as far away as 1.6 miles (https://www.technologyreview.com/s/539826/how-far-can-the-human-eye-see-a-candle-flame/). So even a little light from one candle flame can make a room brighten up. If you add many candles the room comes to light. Now using candelabras and such means the light is lower down so it gives the room a special glow and a comforting mix of soft light and soft shadow. There really is something nice about being in a safe place in candle light. And it gives special meaning to the scripture from John 1. Darkness cannot overcome the light of a candle.

The second thing that struck me had to do with the resilience of people. Now we were not in a terrible disaster nor were we ever in danger but still this group of folks came together in less than ideal circumstances and overcome them. We enjoyed our dinner. There was lots of laughter and conversation. The meal – though hard to see in detail – was eaten without a hitch. The presentation wasn’t the magnificent PowerPoint I had put together but from my notes I was able to share the substance of what that presentation held and doing so by candle was in a way fitting since we were talking about ancient Mesoamerica.

This power outage and our time together has reminded me of just how special people are and how we can get along without all our modern conveniences. If dinner hadn’t been mostly ready, we still could have ordered pizza and had a great time or just eaten the salad and tortillas. I like being reminded of this. Being the host and cook I sometimes get caught up in wanting everything to be “just so”. I worry that things will not be what I envision them to be. So it is good for me to be reminded once in a while that I really am not in control and that wonderful things can still happen when the best laid plans and all my great designs cannot come to life. It does me good to be with a group of people that rise to the occasion and make the best of what is given them.

As we head into a weekend that might bring other opportunities for fun in the dark and using candles these reminders are good for me. I hope you stay safe and have a good weekend.

Dear God, thank you for moments that help me remember that I am not in control. Thank you for resilient people who can make the most of a situation. And thank you most of all for your presence in all the dark and light moments of my life. Especially, O God, be with those who have experienced some of the worst of life with hurricanes and typhoons and flooding and with those who are helping them. Amen.