SERVANTS

And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave [subjected to the authority of a master] of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”  Luke 1:38

I’ve recently finished reading N. T. Wright’s “The Day the Revolution Began” in which he underscores the purpose of Jesus’ crucifixion.  In contrast to much of our Western theology  that reinforces the concept that Jesus died to save us from hell and to ensure our eternity in heaven, Wright reminds his readers that “It’s not about us.”  Jesus’ death, says Wright, was the convergence of heaven and earth, ushering in his new subjects as 1)servants, 2)image-bearers, and 3) worshippers.  A far cry from our contemporary “sales pitch.”

So much that we hear from our pulpits, Bible studies, and Sunday schools encourage us to pursue God so that we become transformed and have better lives.  As we obey him, love our neighbors as ourselves, do good, and strive to be more earnest, we are blessed and eventually receive the harp, crown, and mansion that have been prepared for us.

But there are so many directives in the New Testament that push us far beyond this self-serving Gospel.  Look at Matthew 16:24, ““If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  Acts 14:22, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God…”  Luke 9:24, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”  Romans 12:2, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship.”  Philippians 2:4  “…not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” And Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than receive.”  And I could go on…

In Colossians 3:22-24, Paul writes, “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”   In the Old Testament we read that some bondservants—slaves—so loved their masters that they had their ear lobes pierced by an awl indicating they never wanted to leave him and would serve him forever.

When the angel came to Mary, she responded immediately with no caveats, “May it be done to me according to your word…”  Mary jumped into God’s will without training or advance warning.  She simply said, “Yes.”

Today, we expect God to provide time for us to resolve our issues, develop a rule of life or set of personal disciplines, heal our memories, plan our futures, and fatten our portfolios before we serve HIM, bear HIS image, and worship HIM.  Where do Jesus or any of the disciples offer this proviso for servanthood?

Time to grow up and put away childish things.  Serve HIM now; bear HIS IMAGE now; worship HIM now.

Father, what a privilege to be invited to participate in your work in the world.  Open our hearts and spirits to serve you.  AMEN.

SERVANT

[Jesus] made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself… Philippines 2:7, 8 (KJV)

 

Aidan, the beloved saint who founded Lindisfarne* in the 7th Century, was known to live and instruct his monks in the way of service. The devout community who lived together divided their time between prayers, study, work, and loving action for others. Aidan “learned to travel lightly, knowing that the less you had the less you need fear being robbed. The more you carried about with you the more anxious and burdened you became.”
Aidan taught his monks to walk among the people, not to ride on horseback where they would be far above them and unable to talk with them. Once the king hand-picked a beautiful horse and equipped it with jewel-studded saddle and tack and presented it to Aidan. With a heavy heart, but grateful for the king’s generosity, Aidan left the palace. He became anxious about robbers, about protecting his valuable new possessions, and about being so high above his people. Soon he saw a beggar standing by the roadside and thought of giving him the valuable saddle, and then it occurred to him that the man would be unable to carry it. Immediately, he resolved his dilemma by getting off the horse and handing it over along with saddle and tack, telling the beggar where it could be sold for a good price.
Occasionally, we hear of contemporaries who have given themselves in service for others. Think of Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, whom we now know as Mother Theresa, a young woman from an affluent family who gave her life to serve lepers, disabled, the blind, and the aged. What about Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade, who was discovered early one morning polishing all the shoes that had been left in the hall by the Korean staff? And there’s Elisabeth Elliott, missionary, whose husband Jim was killed by the Auca Indians – she went back to lead them to Jesus. On and on we could go, listing those who have chosen to give more than possessions; they have given themselves to serve our Lord by serving others.
It is easy to talk and read of service, but the doing requires an inner letting go of pride, of place, of possession, of time, and of self. Where do we begin? Or how do we continue?
Father, as people of the Cross, make us doers as well as hearers of your word. Show us now the door that opens to us in service. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
*Lindisfarne Island (Holy Island) is off the northeast coast of England.

 

ANGELS AMONGST US

For he will command his angels concerning you…  Psalm 91:11

 

 

Have you taken notice of the angels who walk and live among us?  Those wonderful beings who remind us that the Kingdom of God is here and now and all around?

My young friend Blynne met an angel just when she needed her.  Blynne is a single parent who lives with a life-threatening illness that frequently puts her in the hospital and that causes her young son great concern.

After one of these extended episodes, Blynne and her mother were walking Sonny to his classroom at the start of the school week.  When they reached the door, little Sonny started crying hysterically and fastened himself around his mother’s legs, refusing to let her leave.

Blynne and her mother had kept the school apprised of the medical updates with each event, and, apparently, the school had assigned an angel to watch over young Sonny.  His teacher walked up quietly to Sonny and gently began to peel his small fingers and arms from his mother and then bent over him as the two ladies exited.

Before he could protest, the teacher told Sonny that she needed his help.  Would Sonny be willing to work for her?  At that, his attention was diverted and he warily asked what she needed.  The teacher explained that she needed someone to welcome parents to the room as they dropped off their children and to ensure they had signed in their student.  Did Sonny think he could do that?  Well, yes…he would help.

That started Sonny’s new job and new purpose which continued throughout the school year.  Every morning when Sonny began his day, he reminded his mother that they had to hurry so that he wouldn’t be late for work.  And if the teacher were otherwise occupied when Sonny arrived, she would excuse herself to go over to greet her assistant.

We all want to do big things that make a mark in the world while we sometimes miss the small things that could significantly change someone else’s universe.   Why not be open to the little things?   Little acts that God can powerfully use if only we make ourselves available?  Opportunities for ministry abound, and there are ample openings for angels.

 

 

Father, make us faithful in the little things that we may receive great joy in serving you through serving others.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

ABOUT HELPING

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.  Proverbs 11:25

 

 

The majority of my work is cross-cultural; I work with people whose lifestyles, behaviors, and world view is often different from mine.  I am a professional servant.  My job is to direct, teach, fund, recruit, orient, pray, and do numerous other ministries in preparing missioners for being the hands and feet of Christ in other countries.  And conversely, I work with indigenous folks who are our partners in mission.  There are other activities in which God has placed me:  mentoring, teaching, showing hospitality, encouraging, and living out the faith he’s placed in me.

I am still amazed after all these years to discover that the helping, the mentoring, the teaching, the orientation, and all the things I mentioned frequently seem more directed toward transforming me than flowing out of me.  Although I know God has various tasks for me, he often has to stop me short to see that the challenge I’ve accepted is more for my benefit and growth than it is for the person I think I am helping.

When John admitted that he must personally decrease so that Jesus could increase in him, he, more than likely, didn’t realize that he would be facing death for the cause of Christ.  And that’s what God calls us to more and more—death to ourselves, our desires, our indulgences, all the non-Christ-like-ness that remains in us.  While we may think ministry is all outflow, I’m thinking that God’s grace assures that the flow goes two ways—out and in.

It’s really humbling and wonderfully joyous to be caught up abruptly and made to recognize that something we take on in faith and perhaps a bit of apprehension is just another vehicle through which God will form us into his image while he’s pouring out his blessing for another.  Instead of complaining about that person who doesn’t understand, doesn’t cooperate, doesn’t do it right, is different, has different ideas, and so on, perhaps we might begin asking What do you want to teach me in this?  What spiritual fruit might be needed for this ministry?  How can I humble myself so that Christ’s love flows out for his purposes rather than my ideas of best practices?

Helping goes both ways.

 

Father, when we find ourselves in uncomfortable positions when we think we’re helping, cause us to realize that you are also working in us and not just through us.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

BLESSING

 

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.   Proverbs 11:25

 

Blessing can be both a verb and a noun.  Just now I’m thinking of blessing as an action that we intentionally do to bring encouragement or joy to someone else.  Too much of the time we are intent on being the recipient of a blessing, but “to whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

Willie, one of our church’s college ministers, joined me for lunch last week.  Willie was telling me how much he enjoys working with young people on campus and said that part of his assignment is to intentionally bless someone every day.  I asked if that would continue with him after he moved to his next assignment.  With a look of astonishment, he replied, “Yes, I’m trying to make that a habit.”

I think blessing was so much a part of Jesus’ nature that he didn’t have to think about it.  His being exuded compassion, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, love, and all the wonderful characteristics to which we aspire.  Jesus didn’t have to think about blessing because he was a blessing.  Goodness flowed from him, and people were changed.

Today during a work session, Susan told us about a teacher who had taken an interest in her father, a first generation American whose father was a coal miner.  Not only did the teacher watch over her father when he was in her class, but she followed his career throughout school, encouraging him to go on to university.  World War II interrupted the young man’s senior year with a draft notice, and he petitioned the university to let him test out of his last semester to receive his diploma.  The school was agreeable with one caveat:  He had pay $16 for the testing fee, a fortune to this struggling young man.  Somehow, the teacher heard of the need and blessed her former student with the funds needed for testing.  He repaid her confidence by passing the test and later repaying the $16.

Often, we may not know when we are blessing, but that doesn’t exempt us from presenting ourselves every day for service to the Lord – menial or grand.  Just a cup of cold water will have its reward and can make a big difference to a thirsty person.

 

Father, open my myopic eyes to all the needs around me.  Cause me to freely and willingly give of myself as a reflection of you.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

MEMORIAL DAY

 

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  Psalm 91:2  (KJV)

After much cajoling, my brother Jack reluctantly allowed me to polish his boots.  His ROTC unit was having a major inspection the next day, and he wanted to look his best.  I was confident a girl could make his shoes shine as much as any guy, so I spent the evening brushing and rubbing and buffing until the boots looked almost new.  And it worked.  I was commended for my efforts.

Not long after that, America became engaged in a brutal war in Viet Nam, and the draft was re-instituted.  Jack joined early on, following the tradition of his uncles on both sides of the family during World War II.  As he tends to do with all his undertakings, Jack focused on being prepared for battle in a place that had only recently become part of our daily news.  He graduated from basic training with top honors, and when he finished OCS as the top graduate, my father took his first airplane ride to see his son receive the commanding general’s award.

Deployment soon followed.  Jack had trained to be a Special Forces soldier, so we knew he’d be living in harm’s way throughout his assignment.  That’s when our mother, Momo, told us about the soldiers from her church.  With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, men all over the country (and from her small community church) formed lines to join the military.  (Those were the days of high patriotism:  nations were allied to preserve freedom; women went to work to fill the vacuum here in industry; rationing was instituted; and people prayed.)  Just before the young men deployed, their pastor called them all forward.  The congregation gathered ‘round, and they all prayed the 91^st Psalm, the Soldier’s Psalm.  Every day during their absence in far-flung places around the world, the congregation prayed.  And every one of those boys returned.

The Sunday before Jack was to leave, our pastor called him forward, and the congregation prayed over him.  And our family prayed Psalm 91 for him every day:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,

and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:

his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;

nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;

but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge,

even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder:

the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:

I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

This weekend I sent a long email to Jack that he shared with his buddies from Viet Nam days to thank him and them for their selfless service to our beloved country and to thank God for protecting and keeping them safe.  Jack continues to pray the 91^st Psalm for himself and his two boys who are now deployed.  God has blessed us with his mercy.

Father, your loving care is overwhelming.  We’ve all been through danger and difficulties but none like our military men and women.  Thank you for people who are willing to make the utmost sacrifice to keep us free, and keep them in your love .  God bless America.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

HELPERS

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.  Romans 14:19 NLT

“I can do it,” my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter told her grandmother. Tish was sitting on Momo’s kitchen counter stirring her first cake batter, firmly convinced she had all the expertise necessary to produce a fine cake.  At two-and-a-half.  That’s understandable for a small child, but have you ever seen an adult who could do it all and never needed help?  Or have you been that person who, as the old saying goes, is independent as a hog on ice?

Do you know people you’ve offered to help–something as simple as giving a ride, setting a table, assisting with a task–who can’t seem to acknowledge the smallest need?  We build walls around ourselves so that we maintain an air of invincibility and inaccessibility.  As long as we’re self- sufficient, no one can require anything of us.  Our pride is nurtured when we delude ourselves into thinking we don’t need anyone.  And we can pretty easily shut everyone out.

But isn’t it interesting that the King of Kings was supported by women (Luke 8:1-3); that someone else was his banker (John 12:6); that he allowed Mary to wash his feet (Luke 7:38); that he asked his friends to pray with him (Matthew 26:49); and that Simon carried his cross?  The One who created all things humbled himself to permit others to help him.  He provided the space for intimacy that emerges when we open ourselves to being served.   His greatness disallowed pride but opened instead the door to love.

We sometimes erect walls to avoid pain but in so doing, we inflict pain.  Jesus “knew human nature” thoroughly (John 2:2), and still, he chose Judas.  And Peter.  And Thomas.  He lowered his own drawbridge to welcome flawed human beings in familiarity and mutual exchange.  Jesus’ sacrifice came long before his execution at the cross:  He gave himself—his time, his thoughts, his privacy, his preferences, everything—from the very beginning.  And from his loving sacrifices emerged the Church.

Father, we need your help in pulling down the barriers we’ve erected for selfish reasons.  Cast out our fear of being taken advantage of, and help us to become vulnerable, trusting in your protection.  Cause your love to open our hearts so that we gladly receive as well as give.  Thank you.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

CHEERLEADING

 

 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  John 13:34 NIV

 

Love is more than sentiment.  At its best, it’s an action verb.  Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages lists ways of showing love:  affirming, touching, giving, serving, and spending time with the beloved.  One can love without all the fuzzy emotions we sometimes equate with romantic love by simply doing those things that build up that other person and letting him or her know that he or she is special, is cared for, is thought about.

 

Cheerleading, forming your own one-person fan club, is a potent way of demonstrating love.  Think of all the ways we can build each other up (I Thess. 5:11) once we get out of ourselves.  And think of all the people who desperately need love.  We can praise, compliment, encourage, pray with and for, be available, do random acts of kindness, demonstrate thoughtfulness, and on and on.

 

But we have to move beyond our intense concern for ourselves.  I’ve discovered that the more I become aware and sensitive to the needs of others, the more obscure my own issues become.  The more I embrace others, the more joy and freedom I experience in my own life.  The more transparent I become in loving others, the more reciprocal the relationship becomes.  And healing can even take place when love flows.

 

Think of the transformations in which we might participate if we chose to forget about ourselves and become more interconnected to others.  Of all the unfortunate people imaginable, Job tops the list.  Having lost everything (but his critical wife) and being surrounded by unfeeling friends who only compounded his misery, we’re told that after Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes (Job 42:10) …  When Job moved beyond his own suffering to see the vacuum in his friends, he was able to pray, and God responded by working in Job’s life.

 

William Carey, the “father” of modern missions (18^th Century) faithfully worked, carrying the Gospel to India and translating the Bible into many Indian dialects.  Many people know of Carey, but few know of his sister who was bedridden and unable to use her limbs for about 52 years.  Every day, Carey’s sister prayed for him and maintained a vibrant correspondence by writing with a pencil in her mouth.  Such was her love for her brother.

 

Who can we actively love today?  How can we sacrificially give our time to affirm someone?  How can we, through God’s love, leave our own cares and be cheerleaders for someone else?   The biggest cost is our own self-interest, but that begins to diminish as we get into the big world of GOD’S LOVE.  Find somebody to love.

 

Father, show me who needs my love and give me creative ideas for encouraging, affirming, building up, and healing.  I want to be your cheerleader.  Thank you.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

SAM IN GOLI

…a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6

I was assigned to serve in Uganda for about seven months. For years, Grandson Sam had accompanied me to work in a church community center, so it wasn’t unusual for him to accept my invitation to spend the summer in Goli. Sam was about to turn eighteen, and I’d gotten a placement for him in the village clinic with Sister Kim.

That summer Sam worked in the tiny lab peering at slides of native bacteria and local diseases, learning more than he would have from a text. He worked in the pharmacy dispensing drugs, and he accompanied doctors on their routes around the district and watched them perform surgeries. (He even picked up some of the local “bugs” on his visits.)

The business director of the diocese was a regular morning visitor in our little cinder block house and loved to share our hot tea and chapatti (local flat bread). When Rev. Martin discovered that Sam played an unusual instrument, a violin, he asked if he would play for Sunday service in the cathedral. Sam was thrilled and practiced a lovely Beethoven selection. He was already a local favorite, so when everyone learned that he would be playing a “western” instrument for church, there was great anticipation. That Sunday, the music stand was set up, Sam tuned his instrument, and began to play. Not a sound was heard other than the beautiful notes from Sam’s gifted fingers. And then the giggling began to ripple through the congregation. No one had ever heard such an instrument. Sam played on and on and finally ended to great applause and laughter.

Sam’s popularity grew, and he was often assaulted by the children who loved to pull him into their games. He hung out with the bishop’s children, and they all became fast friends. When he came down with malaria, despite taking his preventive meds and lathering himself with Deet, the whole diocesan compound was alarmed. Malaria was not something muzungus handled well. Sam was confined to his bed with fever, weakness, and all the dangerous symptoms brought about by the bite of an Anopheles mosquito. Nurses from the clinic came to treat him, and Sister Kim directed her cook to make special broths for Sam. Villagers made enquiries about him. But two of my Ugandan friends did even more. Evaline and Esther sat up all night praying for him. No fanfare. No big deal. They prayed until they sensed Sam would get better. No one was surprised when he made a full recovery.

The time passed too quickly as we worked throughout the warm days and read to each other late into the night. One day we sat together in our little cinder block house sharing a companionable meal in silence. The doors were left open to catch any passing breeze, and our dogs and an occasional goat wandered in and out. I had given up on teaching our sweet cook how to prepare some of our familiar dishes, so we learned to take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables growing all around us.

In the middle of this idyllic situation, Sam spoke up. “Grandma, these people have nothing.” I waited. “But they’re happy,” Sam added. I had to agree. Did Sam recognize that the faith they had was worth more than any material blessing we Westerners value so much? “I’m so happy,” Sam went on. “I’m glad I’ve learned this at my age.”

How soon that summer was gone, and Sam left, taking with him the treasures he had gathered in Goli.

Father, you told us a little child would lead us. Sam saw and lived with God’s joy evidenced through the lives and love of our Goli friends. May he never forget, and may we always cherish those eternal things that can never be taken away. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

COOKIE’S CALL

[He] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us… Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

Cookie is home to renew her visa. She has to return from Haiti every few months so that she can go back to work with orphans in their hillside sanctuary. Two years ago she responded to God’s call to go – just for a few months – and now she finds herself returning again and again.

Cookie is an English teacher committed to helping every one of her students learn to communicate in English. She knows that speaking English in Haiti is almost a sure guarantee of a decent job in the stressed economy. But that’s not why Cookie continues to return to Haiti after every break. This afternoon she elaborated on one of the many ways she sees God at work.

Some months ago a young mother came to the orphanage to confess that she had thrown her newborn into a garbage dump—about twelve hours earlier. Cookie and her fellow missioners had become inured to finding little ones who were discarded for one reason or another, but it was unusual for a mother to come with such news.

The small group of missioners hurried to a large trough, sixteen feet deep, where the baby had been tossed earlier in the day. One of the young men was able to climb into the pit, rummage around, and find the plastic bag that contained the baby. He hauled it up and put it on the ground as the others gathered round to pray. An inert little arm fell out of the bag, and as they prayed, they heard the sound of a massive intake of breath and then a cry. Miraculously, the baby girl was alive, unscratched, unmarked.

The missioners brought the little one back to their compound and cleaned her up, all the while thanking God for sparing her little life. One of the missionary couples was moved to adopt the baby and named her Faith, and she is now a thriving six-month-old toddler who is loved and coddled by all the missioners on campus.

And so, Cookie keeps going back to Haiti.

Father, thank you for reminding us of your great power as we call to you in faith believing. Thank you for Cookie and all those who reach out to touch lives in your name. Help us to faithfully “touch the one in front of us.” In Jesus’ name. AMEN.