something completely different

Normally, I use my blog to work out ideas that are floating around in my head or share some interesting (or bizarre) experience I've had. Lately though the well seems to be drying up, so to speak. While occasionally I do find some inspiring thing to write about, I often feel like I search for quite some time before I can write (at which point I ramble on extensively). So I've decided to try something different today, something that might have to extend through essentially the whole month of August. I thought that it would be interesting to kind of "ask the audience" for some topics, questions, concerns, or whatever. This could be an entirely failed experiment, but at least I will have given it a whirl.

So, what's on your mind? Feel free to share your own spiritual experiences, stories, concerns, prayer requests, issues, complaints, questions or comments... pretty much anything within reason is fair game. If you like, feel free to post anonymously (even if you are a registered blogger). I'll devote a blog entry to each comment, in whatever form it takes, so that I can respond appropriately.

giving where it hurts

Ok, it is a very unpopular topic, and when it is brought up it is either danced around lightly or smashed into your face with a heavy, blunt object. What topic is that? Money.

Many times people point casually to the Bible and ramble something about tithing, or perhaps they prepare a catastrophic scriptural assault that leaves the audience bloody and beaten with trample marks of "10%". Personally, I think either approach is horrible and quite honestly not even close to being Christ-like. Jesus touted a very unique version of giving - he gave where it was needed, not out of obedience to rules or to formulas, but out of love. As such, Christian giving should be 3 things (at least): generous, humble, and loving.

By being generous, a Christian should give what is needed and more according to what they are able. In Mark 14:41-44, Jesus points out to his disciples a poor woman who gave all she had, and praises her above others who gave out of wealth. This is not to say that all should give up everything, but that giving is not something that should be weighed and measured. By claiming that we should all give 10%, we set a bar that for some is too high and for others too low and for both it highlights their status.

To be humble, a Christian should not drawn attention to their giving. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus encourages that charity and good deeds should not be done so as to drawn attention to yourself. He actually goes to the other extreme and encourages that things be done in secret. In being humble, we know that we do good things for love of our neighbor and of God, not for our own gain. I actually love the example that can be found in the book I just read, Joshua. At one point in the book, Joshua buys an extremely poor family about $75 worth of groceries (of his $100 that was to go towards his own bills) in return for their kindness to him. You see the family had no money to buy groceries, the cupboards were all empty, and yet they shared with him the raspberries they had picked for breakfast and gave him a jar of raspberry jam out of sheer love for him. And yet, he didn't want them or anyone else to know he had bought them groceries - so he asked the shopkeeper to keep it a secret and deliver the groceries himself, with merely an anonymous note of thanks in the bag. In this way, he helped the family through a rough patch, saved them from any major embarrassment, and eventually came up with the money to pay his own bills.

Giving out of love was a bit more difficult to find an example of in scripture, but I think a good one would be a combination of Luke 7:36-50 and John 12:1-8. In Luke, a sinful woman washes and anoints Jesus' feet with tears and perfume (probably all she had) because of her great love for him. In John, the same story is recounted but this time it is revealed that the perfume is very expensive and Judas balks because he thinks it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Sure she could have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor, but she instead gave what she had to Jesus out of love for him and to take care of him. One question I have heard asked is why did she wash his feet? And rightfully so, the answer is typically, Jesus walked everywhere so his feet would be tired, dirty, and perhaps a bit rank. A gracious host would usually provide a servant to clean the feet of his guests after a long journey, which this host did not. Something more relevant to today might be, knowing that a friend is working long hours to make ends meet, and offering to clean their home or maintain their yard, etc while they get on top of their finances. Out love you give some of your time, to give them back some of theirs, and it avoids embarrassment of outright offering money.

In short (yeah I know, ha ha, it's not really short by now), Christians shouldn't being budgeting and calculating how to give, we should be prepared to give at a moments notice wherever the need arises and for whatever amount in whatever form is needed. I truly believe that God works through people everyday, and that we will find ourselves in places where we are needed if we only take the time to pay attention.

Here is a little story I just heard this weekend from a friend's father (for sake of anonymity, I'll call him Joe), I think it shows off some excellent spontaneous Christian giving. Joe and his wife were on a vacation cruise in the Western Caribbean, where one of the shore excursions was to Roatan, Honduras. Roatan is a very small, very poor island off the coast of Honduras, essentially the cruise company paid to install the port which helped boost the local economy and provided a rustic, tropical location for cruises. Upon leaving the ship and walking along the docks to explore the village, a boy ran up to them and said, "Hello, my name is Georgie and I'll be your guide today." Joe was a bit skeptical and asked, "and what will it cost me for you to be my guide today?" Georgie sheepishly admitted, "It cost you maybe $2.50?" Joe agreed and Georgie took them around the village, and of course insisted that Joe buy something from his aunt's shop (which he did). At the end of the day it was time to settle up with Georgie, so Joe asked again, "Ok Georgie, what do I owe you?" Georgie beamed and said, "$3.00?" Joe good-naturedly responded, "Wait a minute Georgie, I thought before you said $2.50? What's the story here, tell me about the town and your family." Georgie went on to explain that since tourism was really the only way to make money to survive on the small island, he and other children try to help their families (of which he had 5 or 6 siblings) by being guides. Joe was very touched by the boy's honesty and could see the truth in the situation being that everything seemed to revolve around catering to the visiting tourists. Joe then thanked Georgie for his help, and proceeded to hand him $20. Georgie was shocked, and held the bill up in the air gazing it at it - he was very likely the richest boy in town that day. When Joe recounted this story to me, he told me that in retrospect he wished he could have given Georgie $50.

Could I be cynical and think that Georgie was just pumping people for money - sure, but then why only ask for a simple $2 or $3 at the beginning? When I first heard the story, my cynical side never showed its ugly head, I was simply touched by the generous and loving attitude that was shown to someone who could have easily been overlooked or dismissed.

joshua

Started up a new book this weekend, Joshua by Joseph Girzone, and I must admit it was long overdue - that or it was one of those divinely placed delays that I like to talk about. With everything that I have been through with my faith journey over the past year, I don't think that reading it any sooner would have been as inspiring or enjoyable. As it stands now, I can't wait to finish it and perhaps continue on with some of the other books by Joseph Girzone - Joshua in the City, Joshua and the Children, and many more.

For your reviewing pleasure, here is the book descriptiong that is found on the book jacket and at Amazon.com.

"Joseph Girzone wrote his parable in 1983 and published it himself with neither accompanying fanfare nor expectation of the extraordinary effect it would have on people around the world. With only word-of-mouth for advertising, and by virtue of its siniple message of love, Joshua became an international force of spiritual strength. after its modest beginnings, Joshua and its sequels have millions of readers around the world and continue to bring hope and peace to all who seek nourishment. When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are at first mystified, then confused by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself solely by carpentry and woodworking, and he charges very little for his services. Yet his work is exquisite. Even more exquisite, and even more mysterious, is the extraordinary effect he has on everyone he meets. All who come in contact with him can't help but be transformed by his incredible warmth. The acceptance and love in his eyes and in each actions amazes the townspeople. Who is Joshua and just what is he up to? The answer to that question amazes them almost as much discovery of that same transforming power in each of their own hearts."

constructive spirituality

Home Office Interior - 5 minutes until the end of the work day...

As is typical in the IT world, all requests come in under the wire and at the last minute possible; this particular day was no different than any other in that respect. A message pops up in my chat client, it's my manager and he wants to know if I am available for a quick call. Being a remote employee, I rarely have the change to chat with my manager (let alone see him) so when the occasion merits it, I try to make time. Since I am often complimented on my work habits and the quality of my work, a call from my manager is never a reason for concern and so I answer the phone and launch into the usual round of friendly conversation that starts with catching up on intangibles (work/life balance stuff mostly). Shortly, my manager jumps right in with the real reason for the call - he's got an opportunity for me and wants to know if I am interested (You didn't think I was going to say I was fired did you?). This particular project was offered to me with the caveat that by taking it I would be getting some experience that could very likely lead to my assignment to another related overseas project next year. Anyone who has known me for the past 2 years would know that this scenario was part of the reason I sought out this job - it's practically my dream job. So when my manager laid the whole scenario out I jumped on it without even thinking twice about it - which he laughed about.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not some kind of eager beaver or overachiever doing whatever it takes to get brownie points so I can climb the corporate ladder as far as it takes me. I jump at challenges and new or interesting projects because I truly enjoy what I do - but I've realized that sometimes it costs me dearly. You see, I also had originally planned to take a week off in August to go relax at the lake with friends and family, which is something we try to do every year. However, because of the timing of events, I pretty much have to reschedule that time off and most likely won't be taking any significant vacation in August. Because of this scenario, there is a small part of me that feels like I have failed myself; I traded family and friends for work. Granted, I am probably being a bit hard on myself since in the long run both the wife and I wanted to be able to travel a bit before we truly settle down - so it wasn't a complete family trade off. Besides, while I did jump on the opportunity out of enthusiasm for my job (and not workaholism), the real problem I had with the situation was the way it contrasted with my spiritual journey in many respects.

Think about the same situation from a more abstract level. You are offered a great opportunity to use your skills in a new and exciting setting, but in exchange it will cost you something that you wouldn't normally think twice about (perhaps something you've been taking for granted). Stereotypically this happens most often in the work environment - work takes precedence, and family life suffers (though my situation is far from the extreme it can take). However, in our spiritual life I think we fall victim to this mindset far more often than we would let ourselves believe, and we are often quite unaware of it. The stereotypical preacher/priest/pastor or church leader would throw the guilt trip down in regards to people skipping Sunday/Wednesday services in favor of more "worldly" pursuits - i.e. sporting events, sleep, work, or whatever else they deem as what is currently wrong with society. Personally, I think that argument is complete and utter garbage - especially when most of the time the people spewing the nonsense offer nothing more than verbal admonishment for not following the norm. If you ask me, the real tragedy comes when we waste our talents and resources on fruitless and trivial things. Do I have the money to buy a brand new Apple Powerbook and iPod, which my geek-side is extremely curious to play with and experience? Sure I could probably afford it, but I don't actually need either item. The same goes for a widescreen TV with surround-sound and all the bells and whistles that go with a home entertainment system. Consumerism aside, I also have free time that I will often fritter away without thinking twice; whether it be fiddling with computers or watching re-runs of CSI, I'm sure there is something more constructive I could be doing.

Spiritually, I frequently feel like there is something else I could be doing with the time and money that I have to encourage or help others on their journey (and mine at the same time probably). Sadly, my spiritual journey sometimes takes a backseat to many things of lesser importance - although they say knowing you have a problem is the first step towards addressing it. Seriously, I highly doubt this is something that only affects me, so I will struggle with this idea for a while and see what happens. I mean realistically, in the "long run" scale of importance there isn't anything with a longer run than your spiritual journey now is there?

twisting up love

If I speak eloquently in any language in heaven or on earth, but do not have love, I am like a loud gong or a crashing cymbal; noisy and meaningless. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I sacrifice my body, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant or rude; love is not self-serving, easily angered or resentful, it keeps no record of wrongs; love does not rejoice in unrighteousness or injustice, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails...
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (blended translations)

If you've been to church or a wedding, you've probably heard this read many times. These verses have been the basis for defining the paramount attributes of love, the building blocks of marriage, and quite honestly I think we've missed the boat. Certainly many of these things speak quite pointedly at familial relations, without which a family will tear itself apart, but what's wrong with taking a look at this from a 10,000ft level so to speak? Couldn't this apply to more than just marriages? Shouldn't this passage be the definition of what it means to love your neighbor?

Jesus told us to love our neighbors, and it seems the first thing questioned every time is the definition of neighbor - rarely if ever do we ask first how to love. We always seem to be more concerned with who we must interact with, rather than how - which oddly enough follows rather well with the way we've analyzed, categorized, and programmed Christianity into rules, regulations, and formulas. We focus more on knowledge, and less on action.

So how should Christians act according to the aforementioned passage? We should be kind and patient, not pushy or rude. We should be selfless, not selfish. We should be humble and forgiving, not resentful, elitist, or grudge-bearing. In everything we do, there should be no subversive motivation; there should be only a loving heart that seeks to serve other's needs before our own. We are to be joyful, loving servants to the extent that each is able.

Remember, love never fails - despite our expectations for a certain outcome, we do not fail if we love. For example, we may not make that breakthrough that brings someone to Christianity, but if we were generous with our love (in whatever form it takes - time, resources, etc) we will have at least shown that we truly care about them, and it leaves the door open for another time and perhaps another person. We reap what we sow... are we truly sowing love?

This whole entry might sound like my own Treatise on Christian Love, but that is not the intention. I heard this passage of scripture over the weekend (during a wedding), and in a quiet moment of meditation and prayer it dawned on me that I had rarely ever heard these verses outside of a sermon preached on family values, marital values, or some other individualistic (i.e. one on one) setting. Rarely, if ever, have I heard someone speak on a more global scale using these concepts. Certainly we all understand that we should love our neighbor individually, but what does it look like to have a community that loves neighboring communities? When one person steps out as a Christian servant, a few are touched by the experience - but when an entire Christian community steps out in service, imagine the possibilities!

Think along the lines of Brian McLaren's The Story We Find Ourselves In - an entire church that reaches out to the local Muslim community in the wake of 9/11, by first having the women offer their time and friendship to the Muslim women so they can leave their homes without fear of being attacked because of racial biases. This wasn't done only to help out for that specific moment in time, it was the opening of relations with a group of people whom were stereotypically avoided by Christians. The attacks may have sparked the actions, but they were not the prime motivation, it was done out of love and the desire to begin a friendship that was long overdue. I can think of a few other groups we might need to think about loving and befriending...

free ipods - for real

So I hopped on the bandwagon, figuring I would give it a shot. All this advertising about free iPods, free MacMini's, and such is overwhelming if you surf the Internet for any length of time - and to be honest I was always very skeptical about the whole thing. It turns out someone I actually know in real life went through this system to get a free Apple iBook (est. $1200 value), and did receive it about 6 weeks after he signed up. You obviously have to do a couple of things in return, but the truth is, you actually can get the goods free (or nearly so if you sign up for pay services).

For example, a free iPod only requires you to complete one marketing offer (one month of Blockbuster Online, free month of Audible.com, credit card offers, or one of the ubiquitous CD clubs), and then get 5 other people to sign up for the free iPod as well. Its not a pyramid scheme, since the goal is not to get other people to pay money, but yes they must sign up at the site and complete an offer as well. It's really not all that bad, since for example, if I had not already been a paying member of Blockbuster Online, I would have signed up for that one. Also, there are usually a couple of free offers, such as a one month free trial of some online service.

That being said - I've added a referrer link to the blog. So if you want to help me get a free iPod, and start the process of getting one yourself, check it out.

Click here to sign up for a Free iPod
In First Year of Operations, freeiPods.com Gives Away 17,000 Free Apple iPods

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.