Perspective

Sometimes I need to be care about the lens through which I see the world and the Body of Christ. Too often I focus my attention on what isn't happening. I see North American church people finding every conceivable reason not to participate in worshipping God, while people in other parts of the world walk for miles to gather with the Body of Christ. I see church folks in our country complaining that churches talk too much about money, while poverty stricken Jesus followers in Mozambique dance with joy to the altar, in order to give what little they have to the work of the Lord. I see congregations on our continent stressing, struggling, and battling to maintain their buildings as if preserving museums, while churches without roofs over their heads grow like wildfire elsewhere. There's no shortage of discouraging stuff on which to focus.

I need to be careful, though, not to focus so much on what isn't happening that I miss what God is doing. The Holy Spirit has directed my attention to some things I've seen in just the last few days. There's the middle school student who said that encountering Jesus in a Confirmation class changed her life. There's the young couple with limited experience with the Bible, who have just completed their first in-depth group Bible experience, and they're hungry for what's next. There's the man who has answered the tug in his heart for the church to reach to those in need outside its walls, who has taken the leap of faith to be a leading example in this. There's the woman who came to a recent small group experience scared to death, who has now decided to learn about conversion. As Henry Blackaby says, God is already at work.

Thank you, God, that the living, transforming power of Jesus finds a way, no matter how much discouraging stuff seems in the way. Keep me focused on what you're doing. Help me to spend more time rejoicing over what is than complaining about what isn't.

I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

Like a Battle Tested Sword

I'm currently plowing my way through Ken Follett's World Without End, an epic novel about 14th century England. A couple of nights ago I read a great line attributed to one of Follett's characters, Caris Wooler, who is a skeptic. She says, "My father hated people who preached about morality. We're all good when it suits us, he used to say: that doesn't count. It's when you want so badly to do something wrong - when you're about to make a fortune from a dishonest deal, or kiss the lovely lips of your neighbor's wife, or tell a lie to get yourself out of terrible trouble - that's when you need the rules. Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn't wave it until you're about to put it to the test." (Ken Follett, World Without End. Dutton, New York. 2007. Page 545.)

In a way, the author is saying that our core beliefs are only as good as they're able to stand when challenged or tested. If that's the case, the core beliefs of many Jesus-followers in North America are being measured right now. Much of mainline Protestantism is on the decline on this continent. That's certainly the case for my branch of it - United Methodism. We cannot presume that the culture around us understands the language we use, much less that it supports or promotes what we believe. We have to present Jesus as a credible and central relationship in a complex world situation of fuel, food, and health crises on a global scale. We can see this situation as reason for despair, or we can see it as the defining challenge and opportunity of our lifetime as disciples.

Pastor Ron Watts is one of our state's delegates to our denomination's global assembly, the General Conference, currently meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. He writes with excitement about the vibrant faith and witness of many of the delegates from outside the United States, particularly from Africa and the Philippines. Many of them coming from poverty stricken and troubled areas, their relationship with Jesus and their desire to offer Jesus to others is a radiant and powerful thing. Faith in Jesus spreads like a wildfire in these places, where their integrity and commitment is challenged daily. They have much to teach us.

In the rough rapids ahead, the chances are high that many of us will capsize or get swamped. It beats paddling in circles in a stagnant pool, though. I'll see you around the next bend.