Why "Reflections?"

I have been asked why I call these e-mails "Reflections" and why my blog shares the same title. So, I thought I would share my answer. As you might predict, it begins with a bit of history. 

The ancient city of Corinth was positioned off the Mediterranean sea. It was the gateway into Greece and the West. Trade routes from Africa and Asia would traverse the sea and dock into Corinth where merchants would then acquire goods from all over the world in order to sell them in markets throughout the known world. 

Aside from tangible goods like salt and clothing there was also art, music, cultural rituals, politics, military tactics, etc. were also traded. Corinth, thus became one of the central hubs for the global exchange. Mirrors were also one of those items traded throughout the empire. As any culture discovers, when you have the free time to explore philosophy and art, you have time for vanity. So mirrors became particularly popular among the elite who had the financial resources to pay for elaborate clothing and make-up. If you spend a fortune on items that will make you look good, mirrors were one way of knowing for sure. 

Made from melted silver and dried on the flattened edges of crudely cut rocks, these ancient mirrors were certainly not as polished as they are today. The reflected image was cracked an impartial. It would only stay clear for a limited time until the silver got scrapped up.  The crude mirrors would travel the world and appear in nearly every culture and land in the known world. 

Paul picks this image up to his congregation in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 he writes. "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known," In other words, even with deep conviction and trust in God, Paul recognizes that on this side of life, our vision and understanding is limited. 

Therefore, when it comes to interpreting scripture or wrestling with theology, I must recognize that I too am seeing the world and God through a murky mirror--limited, and less than perfect because I am limited and certainly imperfect. Reflection, therefore, is different from absolute conviction. There is room to confess that I could be wrong. Reflection is thoughtful consideration based upon as much information as one can acquire. 

In a divided world, and politically severed nation, it might be helpful to think of those ancient mirrors. We all see dimly into our future. No one can see perfectly, and if they do perhaps they aren't really looking at all. When our certainties drive us to hate rather to love, then we are more confident in our own insights than into the Holy Spirit. For Paul continues the very next verse by saying, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." Despite our finite and limited vantage point, we are called to have faith, confirm our hope, and perfect one another in love. 

For Orlando....and Columbine, San Bernardino, Sandy Hook, Jonesboro, Oklahoma City, Boston, and so many more...

When will enough be enough? I recently read Sue Kiebold's book "A Mother's Reckoning"a few months ago. Kiebold is the mom of one of the Columbine shooters. The fact that I only need to use the word "Columbine" to explain the significance of Kiebold's book tells you something about our culture. In fact, I can say Sandy Hook, Fort Hood, Jonesboro, or Planned Parenthood and horrific images will likely pop into your head. Moving beyond guns, what if I said Oklahoma City or Boston Marathon?

Kiebold's range of emotions on April 20th, 1999 and the years that followed are powerful. From sadness to rage to grief to embarrassment, etc. I can only imagine what she felt on Sunday June 12th, 2016, when she more than anyone else recognizes that the gunman was somebody's son, somebody's friend. As the parents of Sandy Hook's children can attest, the victims were also someone's children, partner, husband, friend, wife, co-worker, etc. These are lives, all of them, cut short for no good reason.

A truth that is hard to argue is that we live in a violent culture. Citizens of the United States own 42% of all civilian owned guns in the world! Yet, we are only representative of 4.4% of the world's population. Yes it is true that we are a great nation, blessed with an amazing democracy and constitution that has allowed us to flourish for over 200 years. Warding off tyranny and oppression, we have been a free people who are allowed to flourish and thrive within the world we create (At least most of us, there a millions for whom this is not true--but that is another story) The famous first two amendments (Free speech, right to "bear arms") have been hallmarks to that freedom (Interesting that they were amendments and not part of the first draft huh?!) Despite the arguments about whether that 2nd amendment was written for musket carrying days or for the modern assault rifles, the spirit remains the same, we as the American people are granted the privilege of some level of freedom when it comes to defending ourselves, even from ourselves.

The only way these freedoms are secured is by having parameters, certain laws that protect ourselves from ourselves. If we remove all stoplights, it won't be long before we no longer have the freedom to drive safely. Parameters restrict movement so that life can move forward. Try having a rose bush that you never trim; eventually the bottom will die out because of a lack of sunlight. Trimming has a necessary purpose, a parameter that shapes it into growth.

So, when will we decide to make a move forward on gun control? When will we decide that a person with known allegiance to terrorist organizations should not be allowed to buy a gun? I grew up in Southeast Missouri, a place where meth is the drug of choice for many. An ingredient of meth (so I hear) can be found in Sudafed. You are now limited in how much Sudafed you can buy. Therefore, as an 18 year old in 2003, a month before my High School graduation, I was not allowed to buy Sudafed for my cold, but I could buy a handgun and bring it to my graduation.

I am not against weapons necessarily (I am against war and unneeded violence though). Even Jesus tells his disciples to buy a sword in Luke 22:35-38:

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is seen making a whip in order to clear out the temple. Weapons have their place, only in our broken and sad world mind you, and their time. I dream and anticipate for the day in which as Isiah 2 says, "we beat our swords into plowshares." In other words, when weapons are no longer needed as peace reigns supreme, we use our weapons for altogether new purposes.

Back to the point, as Christians, I believe, our job is speak prophetically into a violent culture, to say with a loud voice that my right to carry a gun is not as important as keeping people safe. Sure some will say that citizens carrying a gun can provide safety for other citizens, but I must confess that I fear a populous with numerous hidden weapons more than a crazed maniac with a gun. Here is why: 

Almost all terrorists in our country have been domestic--born and raised in the US. Sandy Hook, Columbine, Timothy MvCey--all home grown. Sure terrorists can enter the country and plot violence. Sure people suffering from mental illness can do unthinkable acts for a variety of reasons. Sure people bent on violence will find a way despite whatever laws come into play. 

But this is undeniable, we live in one of the most violent countries in the world, when it comes to gun violence. To not act is in fact to allow the violence continue unchecked. To not act is to actually act, by allowing evil and suffering to grow without question. So it isn't about acting or not acting, but about what kind of action will we take. To seek to be responsible, to give up a portion of our rights so that flourishing can continue, or to do nothing and see where this all goes? 

For me, from my own small corner of the world, I can do three things:

1) Do a random act of Kindness. Be kind and don't let fear win. 

2) Write to my Senators advocating for those in authority over our country to take responsible action. To enact new legislation that in some way will help to avoid such violence in the future. (The best part is that we will hopefully never know if it works) You can find contact info for your senators here.

3) Voice your own thoughts. Social media has given voice to millions of people. I wonder how different the civil rights movement would have been had Facebook been around then? To be quiet is to give voice for the status quo. 

Together, I believe, we can and will make a difference. 

P.S. I did not bring in the LGBTQ issues that were clearly a part of Orlando's shooting. While discrimination toward LGBTQ persons is clearly a problem, the issue of violence is much larger than these issues.  In no way, do I intend to minimize the severity of the pain this community must feel as they were specifically targeted. As a Christian pastor, I welcome all people into the grace of God (as if I have the power to not welcome someone in to God's presence, but you know what I mean), and stand in solidarity with all people during this time of suffering and pain. 

Ever have those moments when God speaks to you at the right time? Those moments when you are reminded of what is most important? If you are like me, those moments are fairly uncommon. Sure I can think my way into understanding God's desire through interpreting scripture, using reason, tradition, and my own experience (Wesleyan Quadrilateral for us Methodists), but those moments that seem to just speak directly into our souls seem to come out of no where. Like Moses' burning bush, (exodus 3) sometimes God seems to appear from nowhere and change the course of our lives.

If we continue the story, however, Moses does something that I am not sure I would do, he simply walks up to this burning bush. He doesn't run in the other direction, he simply gets in front of it, takes off his sandals, and listens. He places himself in the best possible position to hear from God. I don't think you can manipulate God or force movements of the Holy Spirit, but I do believe, like Moses, that we each have the capacity, to place ourselves in position to be open to receive a word from God. 

I think of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. She is the mother of Samuel, but before Samuel ever entered the scene, she was the barren wife of a man named Elkanah. She was so desperate to have a son, an heir to her beloved husband, and it pained her that she couldn't. Every year on the pilgrimage to Shiloh to worship the Lord, she would stop and spend some time in prayer. Year after year, while other wives would be thankful for their kids, Hannah would lament her barrenness. She would plead with God to provide a son. In the glimpse we have in 1 Samuel 1, she stops to pray with a bit more gusto, to the point where the priest Eli thought she was drunk (1 Samuel 1:14). 

Like Moses, however, she positioned herself to hear from God. In her case, it was in front of the empathetic priest Eli who would later comfort her by saying, "Go in peace, may the God of Israel grant your request." (1 Samuel 1:17). Sure enough, upon returning home, she would become pregnant with Samuel. She would later, after he was weaned, return him to Eli and allow him to be raised there as a lifelong servant of God. Samuel would anoint Saul as the first king of Israel and later the great king David.

Here is my point, what would it look like for you to position yourself to receive a word of God for you? How might you change your attitude from pessimism to optimism, anticipating God to move and to act in your life? How will you know if you see your burning bush, or a place to be still and to pray as Hannah did?

I will end with this story. Growing up there was a woman who we would call "Granny" even though she was not our grandma. When my parents went to work she would watch over me and my siblings, take care of us, and feed us. We loved her and she loved us. I remember quite vividly that in her garden in front of her home were these seemingly huge "elephant ear" plants. I didn't have any of those near my house and her garden was the only place I ever saw such awesome plants. Every time I would enter her house, those plants were there to greet me, to welcome me. They remind me of the warmth of her house (and the smell of her cinnamon rolls-another story for another day).

Earlier this year, a woman in my congregation (Maryann Williams) gifted me a bulb of this plant. So, I carefully planted it, put it in a place where it would receive a lot of light, watered it, and hoped. To be honest, it did nothing for a while. It just sat there staring at me, mocking me. Then I went to Annual Conference (an annual gathering of clergy and lay United Methodists) from the state of Missouri. When I came back, it greeted me with this:


That hearty green leaf brought a great deal of joy to me. It just popped up, unexpectedly. It may sound really corny and cheesy to you, but for me it was God's own way of saying to me, "All will be well". It was a reminder that you can fall in love with God, not to change the world. Reshaping the world is the by-product of falling in love with God, not the primary aim.
This was my burning bush. It re-ignited my passion for ministry, for the Kingdom of God. You cannot manipulate God, but you can be ready to receive God. So how are you positioning yourself? How are you seeking that burning bush or utilizing the space in your life for prayer and devotion? In what aspects of your life might you anticipate God to work?