pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: harm


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Conflict Resolution

Reading: Matthew 18:15-17

Matthew 15:17a – “If your brother or sister sins against you…”

In Matthew’s gospel, as it is throughout the entirety of scripture, there is an emphasis on loving God and neighbor. These actions are the focus of the shema – a three times daily Hebrew prayer. These actions are identified by Jesus (and others) as the two most important commands of God. And even with all of this emphasis, Jesus must still address the fact that in the church – in the place of love – we sin against and we hurt one another.

Before we dive into verses 15-17 today, let us consider what immediately proceeds Jesus’ teaching on conflict resolution. In verses 10-14 we find the very well-known parable of the lost sheep. We recall that a sheep gets lost. The shepherd goes to great lengths – to any length necessary – to find the one lost sheep. Returning the sheep to the flock, there is great rejoicing both on earth and in heaven. We next consider verses 15-17 with this spirit in mind.

Jesus addresses the consequences of sin within the church in three steps. The first step is one-on-one. It is personal and private. There is no airing of our dirty laundry. It is a loving, honest sharing of the hurt. Without an audience, it allows forgiveness to heal a broken relationship. If this effort fails, we are to engage a third party. They can impartially hear both sides of the conflict and offer unbiased input. There may be something that we need to hear too.

And if this fails, we are to bring the conflict to the church’s attention. This engages more listeners and potential mediators. It becomes a group effort to reconcile a damaged relationship. Sadly, even this step fails sometimes. Jesus’ next step? Treat them as you would a Gentile or tax collector. Keep reaching out, meet needs when possible, maybe even have dinner with them. Treat them as you would a lost sheep, going to any length necessary to return them to the flock. In love, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, conflict! We do not like it. We want to avoid it. But left unresolved, it poisons our intentions, it harms the body of believers, it taints our words and actions. Lord, empower us to be people of reconciliation. In these efforts, make us brave and transparent. Make us good listeners. Make us people that will go above and beyond to heal brokenness. Amen.


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An Obligation to Love

Reading: Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:10 – “Love doesn’t do anything wrong to a neighbor.”

Photo credit: Shane

Our reading in Romans 13 begins with a great line: “Don’t be in debt to anyone, except for the obligation to love.” Paul has been writing about obeying civil law, respecting government authority, and paying your taxes. He segues into a much more important obligation in verse 8 – our obligation to love one another. Obligation is a good word choice. It feels stronger than “call to love” or “invitation to love.” Tapping into their Hebrew roots, Paul adds that loving each other fulfills the Law of Moses. Paul is also channeling his inner Jesus here. Echoing the main point of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18, Paul elevates loving God through loving neighbor as our highest obligation.

In these three passages, Jesus taught the rich young ruler how we are to love God and therefore neighbor. We are to lessen our grip on the things of this world, becoming willing to give freely to others to meet their needs. We can meet needs in many different ways. We can bring a meal or some groceries to an actual neighbor during a hard time. We can spend some time with or give a ride to an elderly person in our community. We can support a child in a far away land or we can give to rescue and relief efforts following a natural disaster. We can teach a Sunday school class or volunteer at a local rescue mission or food bank. These are but a few of the many ways that we can love God and our neighbors.

In verse 10 we read, “Love doesn’t do anything wrong to a neighbor.” On one level Paul is looping back to not committing adultery or murder or… But on another level, this is also about our sins of omission – in this case, those times when we could have met a need and chose not to. When we fail to do good, we are doing harm. May it not be so.

Prayer: Lord God, give us eyes willing to see those with needs – both near and far. Once seeing, open our hands to release what we have. Open our hearts to yield freely what you have blessed us with. And when we are tempted to ignore the obligation to love, may your Holy Spirit shout a little louder and/or nudge us a little harder. Work within our hearts, O God, leading us to love you as we love our neighbors. Amen.


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What Truly Contaminates

Reading: Matthew 15:10-20

Matthew 15:18 – “What goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.”

Heart in Fire and Water Isolated on Black Background. Computer Graphics.

Leviticus 11 through 15 contain the laws of Moses that deal with being clean (or unclean if you break a law.) Many of the laws in these five chapters were concerned with keeping healthy. Eating certain foods, for example, in a time without refrigeration often led to illness. So… do not eat pork. Since five chapters worth of dietary and other cleanliness laws were not enough, the religious leaders added more over time.

“Wash your hands before eating” was one of them. This rule is not found anywhere in the Law. But this manmade rule had power in Jesus’ day. His disciples had just eaten without washing their hands, breaking “the elder’s rules handed down to us.” Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ criticism by quoting from Isaiah 29, where the prophet speaks about “empty worship.”

In verses 10-20 Jesus addresses and explains what truly contaminates or makes a person “unclean.” To be unclean is to be separated from God. He declares that it is NOT what we put into our mouth that matters. Food just comes out and goes into the sewer. However, “What goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.” What comes out of our mouth matters. And that all comes from the heart. It is in the heart that one finds the sources of sin: “evil thoughts… sexual sins… false testimony… insults.” These are some of the things that have the power to “contaminate” or to make us unclean before God.

Jesus is talking about what John Wesley would later call “personal holiness.” If we practice personal holiness (or holiness of the heart,) then we walk in right relationship with God. And if we walk in a right relationship with God, then we tend to walk in right relationships with one another. Living out our social holiness, we do not harm others. Instead, we do good and practice love, mercy, grace, compassion… And what flows from the mouth is good and pleasing to the Lord our God. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, empower us to look deep within our own hearts. Give us the strength and the courage to root out those things that can separate us from you, leading us to then treat others as “less than.” Transform our hearts and lives, O Lord, filling us with love and grace and compassion and mercy. Then, may these flow from our hearts and may they be upon our lips. Amen.


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God at Work

Reading: Genesis 37:1-4 and 12-28

Genesis 37:26-27a – “Judah said to his brothers, ‘What do we gain if we kill our brother and hide his blood? Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites.‘”

As Jacob’s story continues, trouble brews. A young Joseph is highly favored by Jacob. He tattles on his brothers. He wears a very special robe of many colors that Jacob had made for him. Joseph stays home while his brothers work. Joseph is hated by his brothers. This level of dysfunction often destroys relationships. But God is at work in all of this ugliness. The overarching story is that of God’s chosen people. There is a plan and a purpose at work.

In the second part of today’s reading, Jacob sends Joseph to check in on his brothers. They see him coming from afar and decide as one to kill off this “dreamer.” They’ll never bow down to Joseph. (See verses 5-11 for the dream.) Reuben – the oldest – tries to intervene. Maybe he knows losing his beloved Joseph might kill his father, Jacob. Over lunch, though, opportunity presents itself. Judah says to some of his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and hide his blood? Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites.” Joseph is out of their lives forever as he heads down the road as a slave, destined for far away Egypt. There will be some tears back home, yes. But no more favoritism, no more tattling, no more big dreams, no more Joseph.

Sadly, this kind of dysfunction is not limited to the Biblical account. It happens in families, at work, in school, on teams, and even in churches. Maybe dysfunction is a part of your reality. The question is this: How do we address dysfunction so that the harm ends? The answer begins with allowing our faith to guide us as we seek to redeem what is broken. Through prayer and with a heart attuned to the Spirit, may we allow God to lead and guide us as we seek to bring peace and love and healing and forgiveness to these challenging and difficult situations. May God work in and through us.

Prayer: Lord God, whether in the middle of dysfunction or from the observation level, move us to bring healing and restoration to that which is broken. Lead and guide us: our words, our thoughts, our actions. Use us for the healing of our world. Amen.


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Witness to Truth

Reading: Psalm 15

Psalm 15:1 – “Who can live in your tent, Lord? Who can dwell on your holy mountain?”

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

Psalm 15 begins with two questions. The questions, listed above, set the reader up for hearing a prescription for holiness. These words attributed to David give us the basic do’s and don’ts of faithful living. In verse 2 we get the do’s: “live free of blame, do what is right, and speak the truth sincerely.” From a Biblical perspective it is relatively easy to understand how we are to live, do, and speak in the world. Unfortunately, most of our world does not understand or live from this perspective. We’ve long been living in the “post-Christian” era. Today, though, I read a new thought. Disciplines writer Olena Tovianska declares that we are living in a “post-truth” era. She argues that emotional appeal often overrides the facts. I believe she is correct. In this time in which we are living, I would add the thought that truth is now transactional.

Verse 3 is the beginning of the antidote for today. To not “harm a friend,” to not “damage with talk,” to not “insult a neighbor” – this would be a good start. The correct steps continue in the next verse: to despise the wicked and to honor the honorable. These choices would also work against this “post-truth” era. Next we read of keeping our word, “even when it hurts.” Integrity, honesty, uprightness. Such people would never take advantage of the needy or take a bribe to pervert justice. Such people would live as a witness to the power of the truth.

David assesses such people , stating, “Whoever does these things will never stumble.” While this mostly true for those daily seeking to walk with the Lord, I believe that we are at a point where our overall witness is so important. Living as Psalm 15 describes, we will help others not to stumble. This matters because there is a whole lot of stumbling going on these days.

Prayer: Lord God, guide our walk today to be steady and true, honest and upright. Send us out into the world as truth-bearers, as witnesses to Christ’s way of being, doing, and speaking in the world. And when the world pushes back, when it’s about to hurt, strengthen and encourage us through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in each of us. Bearing light and love and truth to the world, make we bring peace and stability to our world. Amen.


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Make Some Noise

Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-4

Habakkuk 1:2 – “Lord, how long will I call for help and you not listen?”

We begin the week with two days in Habakkuk. Today we begin in chapter 1, where the prophet brings his complaint before God. In verse 2 we read, “Lord, how long will I call for help and you not listen?” The wicked Babylonians are growing in power and are moving in Judah’s direction. The prophet sees the injustice and idolatry prevalent in Judah. The prophet questions the collision course that seems to have been set in motion by God. In light of all this, the prophet asks the “How long…?” question.

Living in the last years of Judah’s existence before defeat and exile, Habakkuk sees a lot of injustice in the land. The wealthy and powerful have turned from God and the Law. They are causing harm to God’s faithful, to those trying to live righteously. This creates the violence, strife, and anguish that the prophet names. To Habakkuk, this warping of justice us not right. God must act.

Habakkuk offers us a model, a way to address injustice in our time. In our world today there is surely injustice. As just one example, some children are living in war zones and others are living in places of great poverty. Both lack the basics needed for daily life as God intends it to be: food, shelter, water, health care, education. Often those in power dismiss the injustices done to these suffering innocents as collateral damage or as the price to pay for some “greater good.” Habakkuk saw the injustice in his land and he cried out to God, getting God’s attention, asking God to do something about the injustices. May we too make some noise today, joining a long line of saints who have stood for what is right and just. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, we do not have to look far or for too long to see injustice in our world. Lord, yes, move our hearts and lips to action, calling on you to act, calling out those who cause injustice. And, God, move our hands and feet to action when we can be a part of the answer to our prayers and cries against injustice. Amen.


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Disciplined Faithfulness

Reading: 2nd Timothy 2:8-15

2nd Timothy 2:15 – “Present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker… one who interprets the message of truth correctly.”

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

In today’s reading Paul is encouraging Timothy to pass on the message of the good news faithfully and correctly. In verses 8-10 Paul reminds Timothy of the example that Paul has set. Paul’s focus is on Jesus. This focus has led to suffering (he is in prison) yet Paul endures so that others “may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Paul’s faithfulness has allowed others to know the good news of Jesus Christ.

Verses 11-13 present the reality of our faithfulness when held up against Christ’s. When we do live faithfully – dying to ourselves, enduring suffering – then we live and rule with Christ. When we deny these things, living for self, then Jesus denies us too. In sin, we create this separation. Hope comes in the last verse: even when we are disloyal, Christ is faithful – that’s just who Jesus is. This is why Jesus is always there, always present to us.

Verse 11 engages the fourth step of Ignatuis’ Examen: repentance. Paul appeals to Timothy and to readers of this text to “die together” with Jesus Christ. This involves making the choice to die to those sins, both words and actions, that deny the Christ within us. Confession and repentance naturally flow out of step three (review) and they bring forgiveness, which brings us back into living faithfully with Jesus. To this end, Paul encourages Timothy to “not engage in battles over words” that cause harm. Such good advice for today! Paul then says, “Present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker… one who interprets the message of truth correctly.” This connects back to Paul’s words in verses 1-7, where he offers examples of disciplined faithfulness. This faithful daily living allows us to not only interpret the message correctly, but it also helps us to live it correctly, bringing God the glory and honor and praise.

Prayer: Lord God, on the good days, we are able to live faithfully, witnessing to your love and grace. But when life gets hard or when we suffer, the walk is more difficult. In these times, make your power and presence known in our hearts. Empower us to the disciplined faithfulness that allowed Paul to endure all things. Amen.


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Fire and Water

Reading: Psalm 66:5-12

Psalm 66:10 and 12 – “But you, God, have tested us – you’ve refined us like silver… we’ve been through fire and water.”

In today’s verses from Psalm 66, the author invites the reader to remember how “awesome” God’s works have been. The specific event remembered is the crossing of the sea. With Pharaoh’s army in hot pursuit, God “turned the sea into dry land” so that Israel could pass through the waters. The nation rejoiced in God’s power as the water closed back in on the Egyptians, freeing Israel. The rebellious leader (and his army) that had exulted self over God was no more. Israel took this as a word of warning against exulting self over God.

The third step in the Examen is “review” – the practice of looking back over the past day. While the corporate review of a major act of God is good for Israel and for our faith, it is the daily reflection that will shape and form us more intentionally. In reviewing the past day we ask ourselves questions like these: When did my words, actions, and thoughts bring healing or hope or light into another’s life? When did my words, actions, or thoughts bring harm to another or to myself? Where was God present? When did I miss or ignore God’s presence? How was I blessed? When did I bless others? When and how did I sin or otherwise fall short?

While the psalmist first celebrates God’s saving acts (relish), the second part of our reading reveals thoughts on these kinds of “review” questions. In verses 10 and 12 we read, “But you, God, have tested us – you’ve refined us like silver… we’ve been through fire and water.” The movement of review reminds us of the waters and fires of our previous day. Both the blessings and the struggles have things to teach us – most profoundly when we are very intentional in our time of reflection. May it be so for us each day as we practice this deep spiritual discipline.

Prayer: Lord God, be with us in Spirit as we pause to reflect on our past day. Help us to be honest – both with the good and with the bad of the day. Guide us to be truthful with ourselves and with you. Lead us to see where change and faith can be applied in order to deepen our walk with you and with one another. Amen.


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So Many Times

Readings: Matthew 6:14-15 and 18:21-22

Matthew 6:14 – “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Today’s two passages from Matthew are about forgiveness. This practice is essential for all of our relationships. We are, by nature, sinful and selfish creatures. Because of this nature, we will harm, hurt, anger… one another. Sometimes this is unintentional. Sometimes we don’t even know that we hurt one another.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 are an addendum to the prayer that he teaches the disciples to pray. We know this prayer as the Lord’s Prayer. These words are really just a restatement of verse 12: “Forgive our sins as we…” So why repeat it? Why again say, “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you?” Maybe because that’s the only part of the prayer where we have an active role. God’s got the other stuff. But us? Yes, Jesus knows how hard it will be for us to forgive as God forgives us.

Chapter 18, verses 15-20, contain Jesus’ teaching on how to deal with a brother or sister who sins against us. The questions from Peter, “How many times?… Up to seven?” comes from his thoughts on this teaching. These are questions we ask ourselves. Jesus’ answer and the parable that follow illustrate how God forgives us and remind us that forgiveness is a two-way street. Jesus tells Peter, “Not just seven times, but rather as many as 77 times.” Seven was extravagant – way above the Jewish social norms. In practical terms, Jesus is saying, “Every time.” Forgive a lot and then forgive lots more. Like God’s forgiveness of us, our forgiveness of one another should be without end. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, yes, it can be hard to forgive. Really hard. But then I think of the many times when others have had to forgive me for my hurtful words or my harmful actions. And then I think of the millions and millions of times that you’ve forgiven my sins – how gracious and loving you are! Lord, empower me this day and every day to reflect this kind of forgiveness in my life. Amen.


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Faithful Actions

Reading: James 2:14-24

James 2:24 – “So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone.”

As we come to a close reading scripture and applying is to John Wesley’s “Three Simple Rules,” we turn to James 2. This short passage works well to illustrate how doing no harm, doing good, and staying in love with God should work together in the life of a believer.

Our passage begins with a question: What good is it to say you’re a Christian if you don’t act like one? To claim to have faith does nothing. James points to wishing well someone in need without meeting those needs. You are, then, in fact, doing harm to the image of Christ.

As he continues, James argues that one cannot separate faith from your actions. Yes, he says, to believe is good. But our faith cannot stop there. It must flavor or impact all areas of our lives. James cites Abraham as an example of one whose faith was “made complete” by his actions. Nearly sacrificing his only son Isaac, Abraham’s obedience to God through faithful actions brought him to the place of righteousness. To faithfully follow God’s word, nudges, whispers… leads us to do good for the image of Christ.

Woven into Abraham’s example is one who stays in love with God. Abraham listened to the voice of God. He chose to worship God alone – elevating his love of God over his love for his own son. In summary, James writes, “So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone.” May this be what the world sees through our faith as well.

Prayer: Lord God, interweave into our lives these three practical pieces of faith. Guard us against doing harm and lead us to do good. Fuel both of these practices through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. May our love for you arch over all we say, do, and think, drawing others into the great love that you have for us all. Amen.