Perfect Love?

Last week, we dovetailed Pentecost and loving our enemies, both of which required the Spirit’s help.  This week is no less challenging as we couple Father’s Day with Jesus’ challenge that “we are to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, NLT).  Yikes!  Yikes?

Oftentimes, translation makes a difference. We are reminded again today that Greek doesn’t always translate well into English.  The following two translations bring us a little more clarity”

Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete. – Matthew 5:48 Contemporary English Bible

You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:48 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

That helps, doesn’t it? Not so much about perfection as it is about maturity.  Do you wish, though, that Jesus would let up on the Heavenly Father stuff?  So many people have unhealthy memories or experiences or impressions of fathers.  Why was he so devoted to talking about his Father?

     Since we’re on the subject, and because we all have “Daddy issues”, what are yours?  They can be good, bad, or both, but coming to grips with them is very helpful as we wrestle with God as our Heavenly Father.  How has your experience of fathers shaped your paradigm of God as Heavenly Father?

     Translation, again, isn’t our friend here.  When I hear the word “Father”, I think about someone in authority who is particularly stuffy, not approachable, powerful, not warm, and probably grumpy.  Jesus’ favorite title for God, however, was Abba, the Hebrew word that is translated into Father.  But the better translation is “Dad” or “Daddy”, with all the lovely, related imagery it conjures.  Approachable.  Supportive.  Loving. Kind. Why was this Jesus’ favorite image? Because it was born from his experience.

     What if your vision of God was shaped by profound love?  Love for you no matter what. Love for everyone else, too.  How might you view yourself differently?  How might you approach God differently?  How might you view others differently?  How might you treat yourself, your faith, and others differently?

     Learning to live in this paradigm is a lifelong process of (hopefully) growing and maturing, which is why The Message translation of Matthew 5:48 resonates with me:

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” – Matthew 5:43-48 The Message

     Addison Hodges Hart offers the following in response to Jesus’ instruction:

The objection that most people have to Jesus’ exhortation to love all – as also the objection many have to “forgiveness” – is often based on the false idea that Jesus is saying that one must feel love for all. And, of course, that is impossible for us to do. But we can be prepared to do good to all who cross our path or come within the sphere of our influence, regardless of how we might feel about them. Indeed, the point of the passage, and its parallel in Luke (6:32–36), is precisely that we should work against our prejudices, anger, dislikes, hatreds, and maybe even our desires for revenge, and do good anyway. “Love” is “doing good,” pure and simple, and doing it to all – “the evil and the good,” “the just and the unjust,” or, in Luke’s terms, “sinners.” Frankly, we can do it. We just choose not to do so time and time again. – Addison Hodges Hart, Following the Call, 149-150

     Chiara Lubich offers these reflections:

If we let ourselves be guided by this word of Jesus, we will have new eyes and a new heart for every neighbor coming across our path, every time this chance is offered by our daily life. And wherever we are (home, school, work, hospital, and so on) we will feel urged to be distributors of this love which belongs to God and which Jesus brought to earth, the only love that can transform the world. – Chiara Lubich, Following the Call, 153

     This is delightful yet difficult work, isn’t it?  If anyone thinks it is easy, I wonder if they are being honest, or perhaps they are living in a bubble.  The words of Jesus are an invitation to live by the beat of a different drummer, a higher Way, and greater love.  His words are aspirational, keeping us reaching forward. Yet even he struggled at times to follow his own instruction!  Yet he is remembered as one who, even when suffering the execution of being lynched, spoke words of grace. 

     How is the Spirit of God nudging you in all of this?  What do you sense you are being called to do? What’s at stake if you choose to say yes? If you choose to say no? Who are you becoming? What is dictating your behavior – past pain that robs us of life or a new way of being that fosters wellbeing for all?

 

To a Dear Friend I Disagree With

by Rich Orloff

My love for you is not based on agreement

I do not demand that you see the whole picture

Any more than I am capable of doing so myself

 

I do not need to understand you to love you

I do not even need you to fit the picture

Of the you I sometimes wish you to be

 

Rejecting people I disagree with is such a lazy choice

The excitement of turning a friend into an enemy

Erases history and rewrites the future

 

Besides, if I only hung out with people who agreed with me

And then I changed my mind

I’d be all alone

 

So let us walk together in our pain and fear

Neither of us can control the world

Or force the world to be as we wish it would be

 

I see how you struggle to make sense of the incomprehensible

I hope you can see how I struggle to do the same

My love for you is stronger than the winds of opinion

Beyond any thought is the beauty of your soul

Love Your Enemies?

This week dovetails some key aspects of Pentecost, when Jesus’ followers experienced the presence of God as the Holy Spirit, along with Jesus’ teaching on loving our enemies.  In the Western world, we “think” the life out of everything, including God.  The Spirit of God as a concept/person/subject can be studied, but that’s hardly the point. The Spirit is the living, active presence of God to be experienced.  The “Windy Scripture Meditation” is meant to foster a thoughtful yet experiential encounter with God. Note: I took a little creative liberty with some of the verses to accentuate the core meaning being articulated related to today’s theme.

     The teaching from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount regarding loving our enemies requires more than study – it requires the work of the Spirit to shape our hearts and eyes.  Is the Holy Spirit simply for our enjoyment, or to move us deeper into the experience of shalom and lead us to foster more shalom in the world? I encourage you to read what Jesus said about loving enemies as well as the other quotes.  Take a few minutes to let the Kansas song, Dust in the Wind, remind you of the brevity of life. Do you want to waste time and energy on hate that destroys? Or love that builds up? One of those ways is aligned with the Spirit of God and leads to greater abundance of life.

     The responsive reading is a penetrating prayer that helps reframe enemies in a unique way.  After you sit with all of this for a beat, I encourage you to listen to the classic hymn, Take My Life and Let it Be, and let it be your song.  Enjoy!

Wind Scripture Meditation

Songs:

Rest On Us

Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here

Do you believe the Wind still blows?

Do you believe the Spirit still moves?

Here? Now? For whom? For what?

Holy Spirit you are welcome here.

Rest on us. Enliven us. Lead us.

Jewish Creation Poem:

When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters. – Genesis 1:1-2 CEB

Jewish Exodus Reed Sea Crossing:

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD pushed the sea back by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. The waters were split into two. The Israelites walked into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. - Exodus 14:21-22 CEB

Elijah Swept to Heaven:

They were walking along, talking, when suddenly a fiery chariot and fiery horses appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm. – 2 Kings 2:11 CEB

Ezekiel’s Vision of Revived People:

Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”

     So, I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. – Ezekiel 37:9-10 NLT

God Calls Jonah to Preach to Enemies:

“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. On my behalf, warn them how their actions are catching up with them.  But it’s not too late for my grace.”

     Filled with hatred for his enemies, Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to far-away Tarshish.

     But the LORD hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. – Jonah 1:2-4 (NLT)

Jesus on Life with God:

Unless a person submits to this original creation – the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life – it’s not possible live in God’s kin-dom now. When you look at a baby, it’s just that:

a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.

     So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.” – John 3:5-8 MSG

Pentecost, 33 CE:

When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them. – Acts 2:1-4 MSG

Jesus teaching on loving enemies:

You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

     In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. – Matthew 5:43-48 MSG

Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Far from being the pious injunction of a utopian dreamer, this command is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. Yes, it is love that will save our world and our civilization, love even for enemies... Within the bet of us, there is some evil, and within the worst of us, there is some good... Discover the element of good in your enemy. And as you seek to hate him, find the center of goodness and place your attention there and you will take a new attitude... hate for hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe... Hate distorts the hater... Love has within it a redemptive power that eventually transforms individuals... There is something about love that build up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.  –Following the Call, (142-144)

Theologian Helmut Thielicke:

Ralf Luther once expressed it this way: “To love one’s enemy does not mean to love the mire in which the pearl lies, but to love the pearl that lies in the mire.” So love for one’s enemy is not based on an act of will, a kind of “self-control” by which I try to suppress all feelings of hatred (this would only lead to complexes and false and forced actions), but rather upon a gift, a gift of grace that gives me new eyes, so that with these new eyes I can see something divine in others.… When the people who were looked upon with the eyes of Jesus realized that those eyes recognized in them their lost and buried sonship, they were suddenly changed and then were able to recover. The eyes of Jesus and the eyes of a disciple not only see the pearl but also “release” it, help to bring out the sonship of God in the other person...

     Jesus, who stands over there amongst our enviers and haters, is asking that we take our stand with him and discover the terribly ravaged sonship within our brothers and sisters and with love woo it from its grave. Don’t you see? This is the gospel – with all its difficult and strange talk of loving one’s enemies. That’s what it is. This world which is choking and dying of hate and revenge is waiting for the new and renewing eyes of his disciples. It is waiting for the eyes that see man’s sonship and therefore also see the bridge that leads to the neighbor’s heart and even to the enemy’s heart. That neighbor of yours who gets on your nerves – he is waiting for that look. That fellow worker with whom you are at odds, that son of yours who is breaking your heart and whom you hardly know what to do with, that husband who has changed so sadly and disappointed you so bitterly, and all the others who bring tension and discord into your life. All of them are waiting for you to discover in them what Jesus saw in them and what gave him the strength to die for them. All of them, friends and enemies, the good and the bad, are beloved, straying, erring children of the Father in heaven who is seeking them in pain and agony. – Following the Call, (146-147)

Song:

Dust in the Wind

“Bless My Enemies” - Nikolaj Velimirovic, Serbian Orthodox Bishop and Saint

BLESS MY ENEMIES, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth; enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.

Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.

They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself.

They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.

They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself.

They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.

Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a dwarf.

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out. Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

– Following the Call, (147-148)

Song:

Take My Life and Let It Be

 

 

 

Overcoming Evil

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. – Matthew 5:38-42 (NLT)

     Jesus’ Instruction in Context: More than being  Mr. Nice Guy.  The plain reading of Jesus’ instruction regarding what to do when mistreated seems simple enough. Be really nice.  Don’t hit back but say, “Thank you sir, may I have another slap across my other cheek?” Don’t get mad that someone sued you for your underwear, give them your pants and jacket, too.  If you’re forced to carry an enemy soldier’s heavy pack for a mile, disrupting whatever you were doing before that, tell him, “Thank you for your service (occupying and abusing our homeland),” and carry it another mile.  Been ripped off from a person who asked for money for home improvements but blew it Vegas instead, only to ask for more? Give them a blank check – that’s what Mr. Nice Guy would do.  Who can argue with being nice, genial, kind, generous?  These are qualities that most people want in their friends.

     The instruction to be nice remains, but there is a deeper current at play in Jesus’ instruction. Recall that Jesus was an “older” Jewish man living in the backwater area of Isreal’s region of Galilee, occupied by the Roman Empire.  Further, Jesus was likely a day-laboring carpenter, hoping for work when and where he could get it. Not Middle Class (that didn’t exist), but rather extremely poor like 99% of the people. As the head of the household after his father Joseph (died presumably many years prior) it was on him to look after his siblings and put food on the table.  The examples he used would have been well-known and widely resonant with his audience – many had experienced these things themselves or watched loved ones suffer the same.

     What we don’t recognize due to the distance of time and context is that Jesus was teaching his followers how to resist those in power with nonviolent response.  When backhanded across the cheek – usually an act of humiliation from a person in power toward their subordinate or servant – to offer the other cheek was to force them to strike with a fist as an equal. It was a stance demanding equality instead of cowering. 

     After getting your underwear sued off your back – which is outrageous in the first place – the law ensured that a person could not have their outer garment taken from them (at least not overnight). To offer it in court was to shine a spotlight on the audacity of what was taking place by becoming completely nude, especially embarrassing the court and the plaintiff (and maybe yourself – everyone will see the secret tattoo you’ve been hiding all these years). 

     Roman soldiers were allowed by law to force occupied residents to carry their pack up to one mile. Anything beyond that was viewed as excessive and punishable by one’s ranking officer.  To carry the pack an additional mile was to shine a light on how awful the limited slavery provision was and get the soldier in a bit of trouble at the same time.

     Giving to those who asked and lending to those who needed to borrow was also a decision to empower others instead of perpetuating a system that favored a few over the many, further dividing the haves and the have nots.

     All the above were forms of nonviolent resistance when you find yourself on the weaker side of relationship in a power imbalance.  You can’t throw your weight around because you don’t have it.  You don’t have the cards to play. You don’t have rights on your side.  Reacting with fight, flight, freeze, or fawn will not improve anything and would likely make things worse.  Nonviolent response, however, turns things on its head to make up for the power imbalance.

     Jesus’ Implicit Instruction when in Power: The Epitome of Mr. Nice Guy.  I am a Middle Class, cisgendered, straight, tall, blue-eyed, highly educated white male in my mid-fifties who also happens to be a member of the clergy.  The clergy title is relevant, because I am not wealthy by Western standards which might give me even more power.  But the earned “Reverend Doctor” in front of my name (not an internet certificate – don’t get me started) still carries weight in our culture.  I carry A LOT of power wherever I go.  I am generally never afraid when I enter a room pretty much anywhere.  I am never self-conscious about my gender, skin tone, ethnicity, or smart people in the room.  With only a couple of exceptions, I cannot relate to the common examples Jesus used to teach nonviolent resistance to those in power BECAUSE I AM THE ONE IN POWER almost all the time.  I wondered what Jesus offered people like me.

     He doesn’t instruct powerful people directly in these verses, yet instruction is implied.  Don’t backhand people literally or figuratively because it dehumanizes them. Don’t use your power and wealth to abuse people you know can’t match your game to belittle them or further ingratiate yourself, because it dehumanizes them.  Don’t abuse people who work for you even though you can get away with it because it is dehumanizing. Don’t withhold support from people based on your own prejudice – it ensures that they remain “lesser” and consequently dehumanizes them.

     Couldn’t a guy with so much education come up with synonyms for “dehumanize”? How lazy can you get! Not lazy – intentional.  When we dehumanize others (because we can) we dismiss the suffering we inflict because they are not quite as human as we are, not quite worth humane treatment.  When we dehumanize the LGBTQ community, women in general, people from different ethnicities, cultures, and skin tones, and (especially undocumented) immigrants, we give ourselves the right to treat them in undignified ways.  This gets political in a hurry. But you who claim to follow Jesus have a higher authority than a red elephant, blue donkey, or a white constitution.  Jesus is our ultimate example as he did his best to give witness to the work of the Spirit of God in his life.

     As we will see soon enough in this series, Jesus will speak directly to those in power from the authority of the Spirit of God.  He will hold them accountable for their actions and call them on the carpet for their lack of integrity and general abuse of power (see Matthew 23).  He did not pull any punches. In addition, his teaching and life’s model witnessed the character and nature of the Spirit of God.  He celebrated and welcomed diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.  It was messy and uncomfortable, yet his disciples got the point. When they became the apostles who would carry the Gospel forward, they took it even further than Jesus.  And guess what? It was messy and uncomfortable. Yet they persisted and prevailed. The Spirit of God continues to lead us into greater diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and when we say yes, we find ourselves on a messy, uncomfortable journey.  And yet it is the path we are called to trod.

     Out of curiosity, I used Artificial Intelligence to churn out (in less than five seconds) how to incorpoate nonviolence when in a position of power.  For those of you who are, consider what AI came up with and do your own reading to go deeper.  But don’t stop reading this post – there is a critical ingredient we must include, otherwise all the practical advice may be rendered moot.

     From Artificial Intelligence: Nonviolence from a Position of Power:

From a position of power, nonviolence manifests as actively choosing to address conflicts and power imbalances without resorting to force or coercion. It's about using the power one has to create opportunities for dialogue, understanding, and positive change, rather than wielding it for dominance. Nonviolent power dynamics prioritize building relationships, fostering empathy, and promoting justice, even when facing resistance or opposition.

 

Here's a more detailed look at what this might look like:

1. Choosing Dialogue and Collaboration over Coercion:

·       Active Listening: Powerholders should actively listen to diverse perspectives and concerns, especially those of marginalized groups or those they may disagree with.

·       Facilitating Open Dialogue: Creating spaces for open, honest, and respectful communication, even when the topic is difficult or controversial.

·       Seeking Common Ground: Identifying shared values and goals to build consensus and find mutually beneficial solutions.

·       Prioritizing Reconciliation: Striving for understanding and forgiveness, even when facing resistance or harm, to heal and rebuild trust.

2. Exercising Power Responsibly and Transparently:

·       Holding Oneself and Others Accountable: Establishing clear standards of behavior and enforcing them fairly and consistently, even when facing pressure or opposition.

·       Transparency and Openness: Being transparent about decisions, processes, and reasoning, especially when those decisions affect others.

·       Prioritizing Justice and Fairness: Ensuring that power is used in ways that promote equity, justice, and the well-being of all.

3. Supporting Nonviolent Movements and Initiatives:

·       Providing Resources and Support: Offering financial, logistical, or other resources to nonviolent movements and organizations working towards social change.

·       Advocating for Nonviolent Policies and Practices: Supporting policies and practices that promote nonviolence and peaceful conflict resolution.

·       Promoting Nonviolent Education: Supporting educational initiatives that teach about nonviolence, its principles, and its effectiveness.

4. Embracing Empathy and Understanding:

·       Acknowledging the Pain and Suffering of Others: Showing empathy for those who have been harmed by systemic injustice or oppression.

·       Understanding Different Perspectives: Seeking to understand the viewpoints of those who may hold different values or beliefs, even when those perspectives are challenging.

·       Fostering a Culture of Respect: Creating an environment where diversity of thought is valued and where everyone feels safe and respected.

5. Promoting Social Change through Nonviolent Means:

·       Supporting Nonviolent Resistance: Offering support to nonviolent movements and activists who are challenging injustice and oppression.

·       Using Power to Advocate for Positive Change: Leveraging one's position to advocate for policies and practices that promote social justice and human rights.

·       Creating Opportunities for Transformation: Using one's power to create opportunities for dialogue, understanding, and positive change, even when facing resistance.

 

The Secret Sauce: Love.  Next week we will go deep into this, but we must acknowledge now that at the core of Jesus’ being and teaching was a commitment to radical love as witnessed in the character and nature of God.  Without love, even the excellent advice above can come off cold, calculating, and ineffective.  Without love, we will not experience much transformation and the problem will likely go unchanged.  Consider the following from Methodist missionary and author, E. Stanly Jones:

Jesus, after talking about turning the other cheek and going the second mile, immediately adds that we are to love our enemies and do good to them that despitefully use us. He links the passive resistance of evil and the active love of the enemy who does the evil and makes them one. Without this active love the method of conquering by turning the other cheek is savorless salt. It may do harm. Without this active love, going one mile, and even going two, may do harm to the oppressor and the oppressed in that it may produce contempt in the mind of the oppressor and may further weaken the oppressed. One may allow himself to be smitten on the other cheek, but in his heart of hearts he may be saying, “Yes, but I hate you and will get even with you if I can.” That kills the active element that would work on the heart of the oppressor and renders the method sterile. Love gives the method life... Even if he does not respond and the method fails, still you have grown tall in the process of stooping. You win in either case.  – E. Stanley Jones (Following the Call,137-138)

     Martin Luther King, Jr., who suffered significant mistreatment as he led efforts in the Civil Rights movement, agreed:

Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King (Following the Call, 140).

 

May you have ears to hear the heart behind the mind of God expressed in Jesus, the one so fully anointed by the Spirit, and find your mind open and your heart softened.

Nonresistance

You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! – Jesus, Matthew 5:38-39a NLT

 

In Middle School, I was shadow boxing with a good friend of mine, Stephen.  He was super fast, half my size, a lot better looking than me, and every girl wanted to be his girlfriend (which didn’t mean a lot in 6th grade).  One of these details is relevant. The others are pure bonus. Unfortunately, I was a little off on my range, and when I went to fake-punch him in the face, I connected!  I don’t know who was more surprised, but I do know who was more pissed off.  It was clear Stephen was unhappy and wanted to return the favor – an eye for an eye.  So, he came at me. I took off running all over the gymnasium and, much to my surprise and his astonishment, I outran him!  Fear-driven adrenaline comes through again!  Praise God!  Eventually he stopped chasing.  I thought it was over. About fifteen minutes later he came up to me all calm, cool, and collected.  I apologized for accidentally hitting him.  He popped me in the face. We were even.

     Many years ago, we were enjoying vacation at Kings Beach with Lynne’s family.  The hotel was right on the waterfront of Lake Tahoe. Looking south you could see Heavenly way across the lake.  Stunningly beautiful.  One sunny, warm afternoon I was talking to Lynne’s sister and her husband who were standing knee-deep in the chilly alpine water.  Very calm, cool, and collected, I grabbed a bucket that was being used for sandcastles, pretended to rinse it out, filled it with water, and doused my poor brother-in-law, Bill.  No accident this time!  Naturally, he grabbed a bucket and came after me.  Adrenaline kicked in and gave me extra speed and quick thinking. I went to the safest place I could find where he wouldn’t dare try to drench me – right behind our mother-in-law, Carolyn.  It worked!  I never apologized, of course, because I wasn’t sorry.  Yet I don’t remember him getting me back.  Maybe he was a better Jesus follower than me.  It seems so.

  This is a challenging statement from Jesus, isn’t it?  It begins a series of instructions about what to do when faced with violence, which we will look at in coming weeks.  It is important to be cognizant of the origin and purpose of the statement he is taking issue with.  “An eye for an eye” represented the principle of proportional retribution: the punishment should fit the crime.  If I punched someone in the face, getting punched in the face in return isn’t unreasonable, but punched in the face and kicked in the jewels – and I believe every brother would agree with me – would seem excessive.  The “eye for an eye” principle was meant to limit inappropriately severe retribution.  Apparently, it needed to be codified. It still does.

     Yet the law didn’t require retribution.

     When we are attacked, we might find ourselves fighting back, fleeing, freezing up in shock of what has happened, and in some cases, fawning over the abuser as a means to get them to stop.  You are likely familiar with all or part of these responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.  How have you reacted or responded to attack? Are you more inclined to one reaction more than another? 

     What was Jesus directing? Certainly not fight, which gets problematic. Was he encouraging us to run away, to take flight? Or freeze in inaction? Or fawn all over the evil person?

     Over my years as a pastor, when this subject comes up, very often we end up talking about Hitler, rapists, and/or serial killers. You know, situations we all face every day of our lives.  I think we go there because it allows us to dismiss Jesus outright.  If we hadn’t stood up to Hitler’s Nazism or Tojo’s Japan with military force, the war would have been lost, and with it our way of life.  Let’s take extremes off the table.  War is failure from the outset and violent military solutions should be avoided at all costs. Rapists and murderers should be defended against.  Jesus wasn’t calling us to be doormats.

     It is also important to appreciate Jesus’ context. He did not enjoy freedom the way we do.  Israel was under Roman occupation. He didn’t have rights. He was not guaranteed due process like we are supposed to in the United States (unless we’re illegally deported, of course, then we’re toast). If the evildoer was a Roman soldier, fighting back would result in death.  Given his context, his advice is quite sage.  If you want to live, do not resist such an evildoer. 

     Since this statement was not in isolation but rather began a section where he talks about specific, nonviolent action to take when mistreated.  Perhaps his prescribed nonresistance is itself a form of nonviolent resistance that may even be a response of love.

     Giovanni Papini, and Italian philosopher and author who spent some time as a fan of fascism and Mussolini, eventually found himself at home in the company and thought of Franciscans:

The fact that someone has wronged me cannot force me to act wrongly...  To answer blows with blows, evil deeds with evil deeds, is to meet the attacker on his own ground, to proclaim oneself as low as he. To answer with flight is to humiliate oneself before him and incite him to continue. To answer a furiously angry man with reasonable words is useless effort. But to answer with a simple gesture of acceptance, to endure for three days the bore who inflicts himself on you for an hour, to offer your chest to the person who has struck you on the shoulder, to give a thousand to the man who has stolen a hundred from you, these are acts of heroic excellence, supine though they may appear, so extraordinary that they will overcome the brutal bully with the irresistible majesty of the divine. Only he who has conquered himself can conquer his enemies. Only the saints can charm wolves to mildness. Only he who has transformed his own soul can transform the souls of his brothers and transform the world into a less grievous place for all. – Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount, Kindle Edition, 131

     Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a brilliant author who noted:

At some thoughts one stands perplexed, especially at the sight of men’s sin, and wonders whether one should use force or humble love. Always decide to use humble love. If you resolve on that, once and for all, you may subdue the whole world. Loving humility is marvelously strong, the strongest of all things, and there is nothing else like it. – Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount, Kindle Edition, 132

     Finally, consider mystic Howard Thurman’s insights:

“No one ever wins a fight.” This suggests that there is always some other way; or does it mean that man can always choose the weapons he shall use? Not to fight at all is to choose a weapon by which one fights. Perhaps the authentic moral stature of a man is determined by his choice of weapons which he uses in his fight against the adversary. Of all weapons, love is the most deadly and devastating, and few there be who dare trust their fate in its hands. – Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount, Kindle Edition, 134

     Considering the wisdom offered, I don’t doubt that love is the answer, expressed at times as nonresistance, even though it is rare. Why are they so few who choose this response?

     Consider our culture’s blockbuster films.  How many of them celebrate nonresistance or nonviolence? Not many. We like the Avengers who kill the naughty, evildoing aliens. We like rooting for the Resistance as work to take down the Imperial regime.  We like to watch Tom Cruise save the day by wiping out the bad guys on impossible missions.  We rejoice when “bad people” get what’s coming to them.  This is the culture we live in that deeply informs us. We love it. We invite it. We mimic it. To deny it is to choose to live in denial.

     But what if we really want to follow Jesus? Won’t that override culture?  What if we even strategize about how we can be nonresistant in the way Jesus is talking about, and nonviolent in our resistance in the ways we will examine soon enough? As leadership legend Peter Drucker quipped, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”  Ugh.  Are we sunk?

     I wonder if our hope resides in our dreams.  Not to say that our hopes may only be realized in our dreams, but that what we dream about, what we truly long for, what we genuinely desire influences the direction of our steps, our speech, our attitude, our passion.  This is a profound truth that, if worked into our lives may have the capacity to be incredibly transformative. The reason we don’t foster it more – I think – is because it isn’t easy and requires ongoing attention. Harder at first, but then with time gets easier.  And since life changes constantly, this truth needs recommitment perpetually because of our lizard brains.

     Our lizard brains are our friends. The response to threat is incredibly helpful in getting us out of burning buildings and away from all manner of threats.  Our lizard brains are activated when we are threatened, and is a key force behind the fight, flight, freeze and fawn reactions and responses.  Most lizards I’ve talked to, however, are sucky friends.  They’re not very mature. I don’t think they can help it because they are lizards.  Now, I know I am generalizing and not being fair in this depiction of our cold-blooded neighbors. No offense to all the mature lizards out there! For all lizards who may be tuning in, please forgive me for maligning your good name!

     When we live from our more primitive wiring, we live on alert all the time.  We read the tea leaves, see danger, and act accordingly.  That is a necessary mode of life in threatening situations, but not a great life, not a life we dream of.  When we live mainly using our primitive hardwiring, we easily become part of the problem we want resolved. We give into the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.

     The Good News that Jesus discovered and then taught and modeled was that there is a more fulfilling life to be enjoyed – that we are invited and empowered to enjoy – that is rooted in the presence of the divine.  It is well-being personified, sometimes despite and in spite of circumstances, so that even in awful situations we may still have love, joy, peace, etc.  To live in that Good News is a choice. We can choose it, or we can choose to ignore it and stay on whatever autopilot that’s more or less working for us right now.  When Jesus would invite people to follow him, he was making it clear – you must leave something behind in order to follow, in order to experience the new.

     In my experience, the biggest shift happens between our ears, in the way we think.  Jesus invites us to choose the way he discovered that leads to an abundance of life, implying that we leave behind ways that don’t.  It means letting go of ways that destroy joy in favor of those ways that foster it.  Believe it or not, it can be hard to stop drinking the poison that is killing us because we’re so used to it. It becomes a part of our lives. Sometimes it takes over and becomes abusive, like drugs, alcohol, and other things we become addicted to.  Like those things, getting out of our destructive ways of being can be very hard to do.

     Richard Rohr, in his seminal book, Everything Belongs, talks about this related to nursing grudges and wounds, holding it over those who hurt us.  He maintains that holding onto these grudges – thus keeping the wounds open in perpetuity – is an act of controlling and demeaning others.  Such a perspective keeps us in the stronger moral position, with our foot on the necks of those who wounded us.  It feels good to exert such power, doesn’t it?  I’m serious – that’s why we keep doing it. Obviously, having our feet on the neck of someone we are in relationship with (of any level or form) ensure that the relationship will not thrive.  What we fail to appreciate, however, is that when we have our feet on someone else’s neck, we are placing a foot on our own necks as well, making it hard for us to breathe.

     We are only able to breathe fully and freely – and thus live fully and freely – when we take our foot off the neck of others (and ourselves).  I think somewhere deep within us, we all know this to be true.

     Jesus’ instruction reminds us to not live as neck-steppers, to not be tempted into the very natural yet primitive way of restricting breath – wanting death – for our enemies, because it strangles us at the same time.

     The shift? It’s hard – fasten your seatbelt.  The move is love.  Love your enemies.  Desire and dream shalom for those who have harmed you. Pray for that. That’s why Jesus says do not resist an evildoer – because we become evildoers when we do. It is only when we opt for the divine way of love that we truly thrive. This may be hard. Letting go is hard. But a life of nursing grudges is harder and robs us of the life we’re trying to protect. It’s not living the deepest dream – it’s perpetuating the nightmare.

    What are you nursing? Is it time to let go and choose. A bigger dream of shalom? Wishing shalom even for our enemies, because that is the only way that will bring life and peace.

Truthfulness

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one. - Matthew 5:33-37 (NLT)

Do you remember the childhood game, Simon Says?  A leader barks out orders to follow – raise your right arm, march in place, stick out your tongue, etc.  But the only orders participants are to follow are those that Simon says.  Two words make the command real or not. Paying attention to those words leads to failure or victory.

     When Jesus offered wisdom related to making vows, it was at a time when people were appealing to oaths to validate what they were saying.  The implication was that if they didn’t swear by God that what they were saying was true, it was almost like them saying they had their fingers crossed.  Jesus was simply pointing out how ludicrous such living is – don’t believe me unless I take an oath!

     Sometimes we human beings say things, commit to things, and never follow through.  We feel good in the moment when we agree to do the thing; same with the person we just told we would do it.  And then we don’t do it.  We can get away with this a few times based on the graciousness of the person we said we would help but didn’t.  Too many times, however, and we find ourselves not being asked to help again because they know the likely outcome, that we will not live up to our word.  We have the capacity to ruin our word over time.  It’s like the next time an opportunity arises, we have to put our hand on a Bible and promise we’ll come through, otherwise we will not be believed. That’s a sad state.   We can build trust back, but it takes a long time.

     The US court system treats honesty seriously, at least in theory.  In a range of settings – not just a courtroom – people swear, taking an oath that what they are saying is true. If they are found to be lying (not just mistaken), they are guilty of perjury, which can land you in jail for five to seven years.  Why does lying carry such a steep penalty? Because lying gets in the way of justice.

     The old adage, sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me is deeply false.  It may be good for brushing off rowdy fans calling you a bum while you’re up to bat, but in many other cases, words can be deeply hurtful, creating wounds that last far longer than many physical ones.  Columnist Earl Wilson once quipped, “If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.” Perhaps as a journalist he was all too aware of the power of words.

     Jesus is calling us to be honest.  Simple enough.  Or is it?

     In an episode on the hit sitcom, Seinfeld, characters Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer are faced with a challenging situation: Do they simply tell the truth or not?  The context: their friends invited them to the Hamptons for the weekend, in part, so that they could meet their recently welcomed baby.  The problem?  Apparently, the baby wasn’t particularly cute.  How do you respond when doting parents are asking you if you think their ugly baby is adorable?  Jerry and Elaine were able to hide their facial expressions. Kramer?  Not so much...

     We’ve all been there in similar situations. A kids’ artwork.  A friend’s outfit decision. Someone’s breath, dance moves, unzipped fly, terrible cooking, pigsty house – how many can you name?  Simply stating the truth is a nice truism, yet in real life it’s more complicated.  Did you know that even Jesus apparently violated his own rule? When asked by his brothers if he was going to attend the Festival of Shelters in Jerusalem, he said he wasn’t, even though he was (John 7).

     There is more to consider, isn’t there?  Solomon, in his offering wisdom in his book of Proverbs, wrote that “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1 NRSV).  Perhaps this is also why the author of the New Testament book of James advised readers to “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19 NLT).  Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Ecc. 3:7) – likely for good reason. Not everything we think or want to say needs to be said, does it?

     Yes, James agrees with Jesus’ instruction, himself saying “don’t take oaths – just let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no”, and yet he also had much more to say about the power of our words and the use of our tongue:

     Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.

     A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

     It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

     This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!

     My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you? – James 3:1-12 MSG

     Thanks, James, for making it clear that we have little hope in taming out tongues.  What are we to do? What is the rule to follow beyond “don’t take oaths”?

     At CrossWalk, we talk a lot about the Hebrew word and concept of shalom.  I believe it represents what motivates God to create everything, is the vision to which God’s Spirit constantly woos, and is also the means and tone with which God whispers invitation into our ears to co-develop in every corner of our lives, even when faced with ugly babies.  Shalom is all about deep peace – not just the absence of conflict. Shalom is about wellbeing and harmony. Shalom is also about truth, yet always seeks to express it from love at its depths.

     Thomas Merton offered his insight to our ongoing conversation:

In the end, the problem of sincerity is a problem of love. A sincere person is not so much one who sees the truth and manifests it as he sees it, but one who loves the truth with a pure love. But the truth is more than an abstraction. It lives and is embodied in people and things that are real. And the secret of sincerity is, therefore, not to be sought in a philosophical love for abstract truth but in a love for real people and real things – a love for God apprehended in the reality around us. It is difficult to express in words how important this notion is. The whole problem of our time is not lack of knowledge but lack of love. If we only loved one another, we would have no difficulty in trusting one another and in sharing the truth with one another. – Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together (p. 128). Kindle Edition.

     The writer of Ephesians agrees: “Let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things like Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)” (Eph. 4:15 AMPC).  Apparently, this is not a simplistic, binary equation, but one that calls us to greater and greater maturity.

     May you and I be wise as we consider when to speak and when to be silent. And when we choose to open our mouths after first listening, may our words be crafted with love, delivered with love, and received as love.

HARBOR for Community Cravers

CrossWalk HARBORS a Gathered Community.  We aren’t here by accident.  We are not all the same, yet we have found ourselves drawn together by CrossWalk’s unique gravitational pull.  Can you guess what are among the leading reasons people find and choose CrossWalk?  The leading reason people come to CrossWalk, based on feedback from CrossWalkers over multiple surveys, is what we teach.  How we think about God, how we interpret and apply the Bible, and how we think about a range of critical issues are core reasons why people find and stay at CrossWalk.  This is why we promote ourselves as a progressive alternative – the words identify who we are to Google, which is used by everybody looking for a church like ours.  Our commitment to following Jesus has us stretching our minds, kneeling in service, standing for and with other in need of grace and justice, communing with God and connecting with others in community.  We welcome all into this HARBOR, yet, quite naturally, those who call it home are those who resonate with our commitment to believing in the love of God so deeply that we love everyone fully.

     The second thing that draws and keeps people at CrossWalk is a direct result of the first: our service to the community.  As has recently been noted, 90% of CrossWalk campus use is for non-CrossWalk-specific use! CrossWalk is as much a community center as it is a community church!  While we are still able to use our campus for CrossWalk purposes as needed, our theology compels us to think beyond ourselves to meet the needs of the community at large.  We are well-known for – and proud of – our level of service!

     Once people find themselves here, the reasons for staying build on those two foundation stones of believing and serving.  Parents are thrilled that their kids love to attend KidsCrossing for elementary students and The 412 Lounge for middle schoolers.  People find ways to serve. People find ways to connect. Friendships are formed.  Community is created and recreated.

     CrossWalk HARBORS a Diverse Community.  When you attend a service at CrossWalk and look around the room, diversity might not be the first thing that comes to mind given the white majority present.  In our culture, our eyes are trained to measure diversity by ethnicity, or skin tone representation.  Napa is predominately white, which CrossWalk reflects. Yet Napa County is 42% Latinx, which we barely represent.  Ethnic diversity is something we’d love to improve to add to the voices around the table yielding a greater variety of perspectives.  We are stronger with plurality.  Yet, despite our imbalance, we are proud to celebrate the ethnic diversity we do represent, which includes folx of African American, Asian, European, Latinx, and Pacific Islander heritage.

     But before you assume we aren’t very diverse, think again.  We are quite diverse in terms of age, educational achievement, gender identification, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, income levels, relationship diversity, and political persuasion.  CrossWalkers come from a wide range of career backgrounds: professional, the trades, science, all levels of educational instruction, business, the medical field, environmental sciences, theological, the arts, mental health, retail, full-time parenting, agriculture, health services, students, hospitality, and more.  This makes CrossWalk a rare collection of human beings – great diversity drawn together by shared belief and commitment to living out faith through service.  CrossWalk’s Board of Stewards reflects this diversity, allowing for great representation of the congregation as well as broad insight feeding into our leadership conversation.

     CrossWalk HARBORS a Loving Community.  Love is a choice.  Love is an investment. Love is an ethos.  Love is pervasive at CrossWalk in very real ways.  When people tackle the courage-required task of deconstructing and reconstructing faith, questions and ideas-in-process are welcome – a sign of loving encouragement.  When people find themselves facing painful seasons of life like divorce and death, compassionate support shows up in conversations over cups of coffee and long walks.  When people find themselves struggling after losing a job or a home, they are met with resources to help bridge the gap or find their way forward. Joys are higher and sorrow is supported when loving community is present.  It takes investment of work, risk, time, and vulnerability, yet yields one of the most coveted, meaningful aspects of life: genuine relationships.  Shalom is a Hebrew word, an umbrella term that holds space for love, peace, wellbeing, and much more. It’s the goal CrossWalk seeks to cultivate and the means to achieve it. Shalom is the heart of God, and it beats here.

     It takes a lot to provide HARBOR for such desired community, including financial support to keep the daily operation going.  Thank you for any support you can provide to “keep the lights on”.  The campus CrossWalk calls home also requires support.  Generations ago, people experienced similar HARBOR and invested time and money to create the bones of the buildings we use today.  Over time each space has been updated and refreshed to keep it viable for the next generation.  Right now, CrossWalk needs a strong boost of support to make sure our roofs keep the elements out, and the parking lot makes it easy to find space here.  Thank you for helping CrossWalk provide HARBOR for all the people served day in and day out.  With everybody generously helping as they can, we can ensure this HARBOR will be open for generations to come.

SAFE SPACE for Recovery/Resurrection Seekers

CrossWalk offers SAFE SPACE for recovery seekers, which has everything to do with Easter.

     Easter is everything for the Christian faith.  On a Friday afternoon (33 CE) after Jesus was wrongfully detained, refused due process, mistreated, jailed, and sentenced to death, he was lynched just outside Jerusalem’s city wall on a hill named Golgotha.  The public nature of his death was a warning to his followers – this will be your fate should you challenge the status quo (even if it’s killing you). It worked – most of the disciples cowered in fear as Jesus hanged until he died before sundown.   But something happened Sunday morning. Women supporters of Jesus went to tend to his corpse and discovered an empty tomb.  They were met by messengers from God telling them that Jesus was resurrected, living on.  Multiple encounters of Jesus’ resurrection were experienced by his early followers. Because they interpreted this as God’s vindication of Jesus, their faith was emboldened. They left their hiding places to proclaim, “He is risen!”  He is risen indeed.  Christ lives on.

     Easter gives us hope that the love of God awaits us after death.  The overwhelming majority of people on the planet believe that Easter’s hope is true, emboldened by their own experiences of life that transcend flesh and blood.  When we face the subject of death, Easter reminds us that there is hope in the loving, welcoming embrace of God beyond our last breath.  Those in power tried to prove Jesus was wrong with his lynching. Easter proclaimed God’s love was bigger than whatever those in power threw at them – even bigger than death itself.

     The Apostle Paul wrote that Easter is everything. He wrote that if the resurrection didn’t happen we are to be most pitied among humanity (1 Cor. 15:19).  Of course, Paul never met Jesus – only the living Christ several years after that first Easter.  Yet he experienced the power of Easter firsthand, leaving behind a destructive life in favor of a resurrected one.  He traded a death-filled existence for transformed living.

     Easter is about life right now, not just after we die.  In fact, the bigger message of Easter is that new life is what God has offered throughout time.  Learning and living the faith allows us to shed old, dead ways of life for new, meaningful, rewarding lives.  Easter isn’t only about resurrection post-grave; it’s about resurrection right now. That’s the Good News Jesus came to proclaim – God loves us fully, completely, right now, just as we are, and invites us to discover what life could look like built on that love.

     Resurrected life is possible and happens a lot right here at CrossWalk!  Did you know that we host 40+ “Resurrection Labs” every week?  You may know them by other names, including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Al-Anon. Al-Ateen, SAA, ACA, OA, and others.  Most people refer to these as “recovery” groups.  But what do you think is being recovered?  Recovery leads to new life, better than the one before! Death of our false selves giving way to our real, true selves.  Transformation. Resurrection!

     The Twelve Steps offer perhaps the greatest roadmap to experiencing resurrection long before we die.  For many people, nearly dying because of personal addiction or the effects of a loved one’s addiction is what wakes them up to their need and desire for resurrection.  Resurrection is not a return to the same life, it is growing into a transformed, new life.  This is what faith is all about. It is meant to save us from death for life at its fullest and best now and forever. 

     What is encouraged in these many Resurrection Labs that meet at CrossWalk? The process begins with an honest admission that we are all addicted to something (at least our egos) that is killing us or robbing us of life.  From there, the Steps walk us through the process of leaning on God’s love to help us sort it all out, heal ourselves, heal our relationships, heal our faith, and eventually land us in a new life where we work to help others heal which supports our own ongoing thriving.

     When you support CrossWalk, you support these Resurrection Labs.  When you support CrossWalk’s Capital Campaign: A Shelter in Life’s Storms, you literally ensure that CrossWalk will keep a roof over the heads of these resurrection/recovery seekers and a level path leading them to the door.

     Have you realized yet that you need the hope Easter provides?  May you sense the Spirit of God whispering to you the same truth that wooed Paul into resurrection: there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God that can weave your past together in a way that adds up to a whole and lasting life marked by wellbeing.  The good, bad, and the ugly can be transformed into something beautiful if we’re open and willing to follow.  May you find yourself on the Way of Jesus that guides us there for all the rest of our days, right on into the arms of eternity.

HAVEN for the Mistreated

Today marks another Palm Sunday, when we remember Jesus’ so-called Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  I think the title of the passage – which were added over time – is at once brilliant and misleading all at the same time.  It’s misleading because it reeks of an Imperialism that ruled the Church since the 4th Century that now fits into our Neo Imperialistic vision born from our being influenced by our Superpower U.S. culture.  Jesus as King coming into Jerusalem with fanfare feels right to us on some level. We have fashioned our idea of what we call the Second Coming similarly, where Jesus returns to rule and judge the whole earth and everyone in it. When our vision of Jesus is that of an omnipotent King, it makes sense.  But I maintain that on the surface of it, this vision is misleading, and thus, a poor title for this story.

     Yet the title may also be brilliant.  Jesus was apparently aware of the desire to welcome him into Jerusalem with pageantry that sought to publicly declare him to be, at the very least, king-like.  People lined the streets and shouted their approval, laying down their garments like the Oscars lay down a red carpet for Hollywood royalty.  They waived palm branches as they cheered –makeshift, natural rally signs of support. The whole thing may have gone unnoticed by most of the people attending Passover festivities, but Jesus’ supporters – and his biggest critics – were certainly paying attention.

     Jesus recognized the opportunity to make his own statement with the parade I’m not sure he even wanted (I doubt he did).  The people of Israel were longing for a strongman – a John Wayne tough guy who was going to ride into Jerusalem on his trusty steed and take care of business, draining the swamp. The dream was that he would kick Rome right out of their Capitol and reestablish Israel as the center of the universe. Judaism would get cleaned up, too.  This was a kind of nationalistic dream before such words existed.  Instead of coming in on a stallion, however, Jesus chose a never-ridden donkey.  Instead of a beefed-up Ford 150 tricked out to ooze testosterone wherever it went, he chose a budget-friendly, four-cylinder sedan that might be able to climb its way to Tahoe if there was a strong tailwind. In other words, a wimpy, humble ride. 

     Jesus had no interest in the popular role many wanted him to play. Instead, his entrance into Jerusalem was aligned with how he lived his life: humble, unassuming, accessible, approachable, kind, maybe even a little silly. That’s why it was brilliant. He turned the vision on its head, trading Imperialism’s crown for egalitarianism’s block party.

     As the week wore on, Jesus remained the same man, embodying shalom and extending a broad welcome and big God for all who had ears to hear.  The inclusion was too wide and too much for many who preferred a narrower view that excluded people who made them feel uncomfortable.  By Friday of that same week, Jesus found himself literally and figuratively beat up, standing before an angry crowd of haters who demanded his execution. He was to be lynched, hung on a tree of sorts for all to see – a warning for all who dared to dream like Jesus.

     Palm Sunday was the beginning of the end of Jesus’ life, brought to a harsh conclusion because he was too gracious, too loving, and too inclusive, which was all too dangerous for the status quo.  Palm Sunday calls into question our own vision of who Jesus was and who God is, asking us whose vision guides our lives? One vision makes us feel powerful over our perceived enemies. The other makes us uncomfortable by calling us to see everyone through eyes of love.  One is more popular than the other (and always will be, I think). One will get you lauded; the other might get you killed. One of those looks like Jesus.

     The global Church has always represented pioneers of change as well as those who stand firmly against it (and everything in-between).  Gender equality is championed by a relatively small percentage of the Church while most churches treat women as second class.  Even though Black, indigenous, and all people of color (BIPOC) are heralded as brothers and sisters by many churches, congregations and pastors remain silent in the face of inequality and inequity. The tragic irony is that the Church claims to be Christian – literally “little Christs” – even as most churches struggle to follow in Jesus’ footsteps of radical inclusivity.  Instead, the general public views Christianity as the opposite, standing in the way of love and acceptance of all.

     Ten years ago, Pastor Pete offered a teaching titled Jesus and Homosexuality in which he made the case that God does not view homosexuality (or its expression) as inherently sinful. Further, since same gender covenant is essentially built on mutual love, “gay marriage” is not sinful and is therefore blessed by God.  The most divisive issue facing the Church today is related to LGBTQ+ inclusion.  Tragically, most churches reject LGBTQ+ persons no matter how welcoming they appear, and with severe consequences. 

     Today, LGBTQ+ youth are more than 4X as likely to attempt suicide because of how they are mistreated.  Recently, efforts have been made – and in some cases realized – to limit or eliminate protections for LGBTQ+ citizens in the US.  The Church has in many cases fueled these efforts instead of standing with our LGBTQ+ neighbors as IMAGO DEI – fellow human beings made in the image of God.  (Note: DEI is GOD).

 

Key points to consider:

·       The Bible contains 31,102 verses. Just seven refer to homosexuality directly, and they refer to rape and exploitation, not consensual, loving sexual expression between freely choosing adults.

·       Jesus taught and modeled radical inclusivity, inviting people into fellowship who were not welcomed based on who they were: religion, ethnicity, culture, gender, health, labels, abuse, etc.

·       Jesus’ earliest followers took the inclusion even further, modeling the way for future followers.

·       The Rabbinical tradition that formed Jesus and the Apostle Paul invited multiple perspectives and welcomed information from external sources to keep biblical interpretation current and relevant.

·       Jesus and Paul did not consider the Bible to be inerrant, infallible, or so inspired by God as to erase its human authors’ influence and worldview.

·       Current interpretation must include cultural, linguistic, and historical exegesis, theological reflection, current understanding from science and other disciplines, lived experience, and intentional openness to the influence of God.

 

How have you been taught to consider biblical texts? Does it reflect Jesus’ approach?

The Biology of Sexuality

Rebecca Helm, Biologist and Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina, Asheville.

 

     Friendly neighborhood biologist here. I see a lot of people are talking about biological sexes and gender right now. Lots of folks make biological sex seem really simple. Well, since it’s so simple, let’s find the biological roots, shall we? Let’s talk about sex...

     If you know a bit about biology you will probably say that biological sex is caused by chromosomes, XX and you’re female, XY and you’re male. This is “chromosomal sex” but is it “biological sex”? Well...

     Turns out there is only ONE GENE on the Y chromosome that really matters to sex. It’s called the SRY gene. During human embryonic development the SRY protein turns on male-associated genes. Having an SRY gene makes you “genetically male”. But is this “biological sex”?

     Sometimes that SRY gene pops off the Y chromosome and over to an X chromosome. Surprise! So now you’ve got an X with an SRY and a Y without an SRY. What does this mean?

     A Y with no SRY means physically you’re female, chromosomally you’re male (XY) and genetically you’re female (no SRY). An X with an SRY means you’re physically male, chromosomally female (XX) and genetically male (SRY). But biological sex is simple! There must be another answer...

     Sex-related genes ultimately turn on hormones in specifics areas on the body, and reception of those hormones by cells throughout the body. Is this the root of “biological sex”?

     “Hormonal male” means you produce ‘normal’ levels of male-associated hormones. Except some percentage of females will have higher levels of ‘male’ hormones than some percentage of males. Ditto ‘female’ hormones. And...

     ...if you’re developing, your body may not produce enough hormones for your genetic sex. Leading you to be genetically male or female, chromosomally male or female, hormonally non-binary, and physically non-binary. Well, except cells have something to say about this...

     Maybe cells are the answer to “biological sex”?? Right?? Cells have receptors that “hear” the signal from sex hormones. But sometimes those receptors don’t work. Like a mobile phone that’s on “do not disturb’. Call the cell, they will not answer.

     What does this all mean?

     It means you may be genetically male or female, chromosomally male or female, hormonally male/female/non-binary, with cells that may or may not hear the male/female/non-binary call, and all this leading to a body that can be male/non-binary/female.

     Try out some combinations for yourself. Notice how confusing it gets? Can you point to what the absolute cause of biological sex is? Is it fair to judge people by it?

     Of course you could try appealing to the numbers. “Most people are either male or female” you say. Except that as a biologist professor I will tell you...

     The reason I don’t have my students look at their own chromosome in class is because people could learn that their chromosomal sex doesn’t match their physical sex and learning that in the middle of a 10-point assignment is JUST NOT THE TIME.

     Biological sex is complicated. Before you discriminate against someone on the basis of “biological sex” & identity, ask yourself: have you seen YOUR chromosomes? Do you know the genes of the people you love? The hormones of the people you work with? The state of their cells?

     Since the answer will obviously be no, please be kind, respect people’s right to tell you who they are, and remember that you don’t have all the answers. Again: biology is complicated. Kindness and respect don’t have to be.

     Note: Biological classifications exist. XX, XY, XXY XXYY and all manner of variation which is why sex isn't classified as binary. You can't have a binary classification system with more than two configurations even if two of those configurations are more common than others.

     Biology is a complicated. Be kind to people.

To watch the full, unedited Robert Simmons interview, click here.

To listen to the full, unedited Robert Simmons interview, click here.

To download the resource, Spectrum of Sex and Gender, click here.

To download the resource, LGBTQ+ Terminology Recommendations, click here.

REFUGE for the Evacuated

For decades CrossWalk has served as Napa County’s first-to-open, last-to-close evacuation shelter.  In 2014 my family was jolted out of bed.  We turned on the news to learn that an earthquake hit not too far from Napa.  My whole gang immediately got dressed and headed to church where we found lots of broken glass in our kitchens.  My office was totaled, with furniture thrown around the room.  After we knew it was safe to enter the buildings (no gas leaks or structural issues), my son and I worked to get the gym kitchen cleaned up because we knew it was just a matter of time before we would be called upon to open as a shelter.  CrossWalkers just showed up to help and make sure the church was okay.  One evacuee, Bruno Bardet, found the hospitality so lovely that he began attending church.  He joined and is still an active member to this day!

     Napa County, City, and nonprofit organizations found out how unprepared they were for a major disaster.  At that time, a new organization was conceived in CrossWalk’s sanctuary: Community Organizations Active in Disaster.  The COAD now fulfills  a critical role connecting government and NPO’s to serve the needs of Napans.  When not activated, the COAD helps the community become more prepared by fostering neighbor-to-neighbor caregiving and training for NPO leaders (and more).

     I remember when the fires came in 2017. I got a call in the middle of the night from the County Sherrif’s office that we needed to open.  Thirty minutes later, we were open and getting ready for hundreds upon hundreds of evacuees.  Once again, CrossWalkers simply showed up to help direct traffic and offer assistance as needed.  The first folks to arrive were from evacuated resorts who had the means to find other space, so they were only with us a few hours.  Then another wave of people came who didn’t have the same capacity.  Many stayed for a week, others even longer.

     In 2020, lightning ignited massive fires that caused widespread damage around Berryessa, into Vacaville and well beyond.  Still under the COVID pandemic restrictions and scorching hot temps, we were inundated with hundreds of evacuees from Calistoga.  There was no way we could provide social distancing.  I was sure it would be a super-spreader.  The gym and the sanctuary were packed as people waited to get vouchers for hotel rooms.  Eventually, all but a few got placed – we had a handful who stayed on campus for a while before moving back home.  CrossWalk’s own, Karen Kenny, lost her house overlooking Lake Berryessa.  She noted that the fire didn’t spread on the ground but in the air.  Her house was no match.  Gratefully, she was able to stay with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter until she was put up in a hotel for six months until she bought a new home.

     We are proud to serve in this capacity, and we have invested significant funds to improve our campus so that we can better serve those who come our way.  After the 2020 fires, we recognized that we needed to improve our locker room showers to accommodate neighbors with access and functional needs.  We created accessible shower stalls.  In our gym lobby, we remodeled our bathrooms to provide accessible stalls.  That renovation cost tens of thousands of dollars coming mostly from CrossWalk, but also from the Community Foundation, our denomination, and a memorial gift. 

     One massive, recent improvement that will allow us to serve more fully is the complete renovation of our gym kitchen.  Before, we could only use our kitchen for storage – it was not permitted for food preparation.  (Napa County is adamant about food safety with evacuees – nobody is served well if food poisoning makes its way into the meals provided.)  Now a fully permitted commercial kitchen, CrossWalk can provide meals prepared onsite.  The funds for this project came largely from Federal grants channeled through Feeding It Forward (who have full access to the kitchen for their purposes), CrossWalk funds, our denomination, memorial gifts and donor-restricted contributions.

    Why do we work so hard and invest so much for people we will likely never see again? Because that is the Way of Jesus. The Good Samarian came across a beaten up, left-for-dead victim of a robbery and chose to sacrifice his time and money to care for him, even though he knew the unconscious man likely reviled him. We do it because it’s the right thing to do, the loving thing to do, the Jesus thing to do. Our hope is that the improvements we make with thisCapital Campaign: A Shelter in Life’s Stormswill allow us to continue to serve fully and well for decades to come.

OASIS for the Faith Seekers

This week we kick of CrossWalk’s Capital Campaign, A Shelter in Life’s Storms. Each week, we will celebrate how CrossWalk offers shelter for many as they endure myriad forms of storms.  Our hope is that we will be reminded of how critically important CrossWalk is for so many, and how important it is that we take care of this space so that the work can continue indefinitely.  We hope it sparks a deeper level of generosity as we consider all the lives that are impacted.  During a chaotic time in our country when we don’t know what to do, we can be confident that CrossWalk’s vision-born mission will be a voice and a light of shalom, healing, hope – shelter no matter the storm.

     Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that a significant number of people find their way to CrossWalk because they are looking for different ways to understand and practice their faith.  Many have found CrossWalk to be an oasis for those faith seekers who find themselves in the desert of deconstruction and reconstruction.  A part of that journey requires a taste of persecution – a focal point of one of Jesus’ beatitudes:

You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort, and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. – Matthew 5:10-12 (MSG)

     If you’ve chosen to pursue deconstruction and reconstruction – often because you could no longer thrive in other expressions of faith – you have tasted persecution in one form or another.  We face it from the company in which we dare raise questions. We face it in different ways from the loudest voices of Christianity proclaiming that they own the truth.  We face it from well-meaning people we love.  We face it from not-so-well-meaning people we struggle to love or like, because sometimes they can be mean.  Of course, we also face internal persecution that comes with self-doubt as we recognize that we are barbecuing  holy cows.  While at times incredibly freeing, life-giving, and exhilarating, the journey can also be daunting, lonely, filled with emptiness and despair.  Is it just me, or does any of this ring true for you, too?

     We are not alone in our quest to find more.  Jesus himself underwent the process. So did his followers.  There is a fascinating account experienced by the Apostle Peter found in Acts 10.  The story begins with a non-Jewish man named Cornelius, a Centurion in command of at least 100 Roman soldiers, stationed in the port town of Caesarea.  Known for being an honorable, generous, and prayerful man, he experienced a vision.  Pay attention: the Roman Centurion experienced a vision. Let that sink in.  The message received was to seek out Peter to hear his message.  He sent a couple of soldiers to Joppa – 30 miles south of the Caesarea.

     Peter was in Joppa, visiting a friend who was tanner. The home/business was a place that was inherently unclean giving the prevalence of dead animals. Read: not a holy space where God would choose to show up.  While he was in prayer around noon, he experienced a vision. Three times in a row, a sheet was lowered from heaven full of non-Kosher “foods” which Peter was instructed to eat. Each time, Peter refused out of his strict adherence to his Jewish tradition forbidding it.  The voice from heaven countered him, however, telling him “not to call unclean what God has made clean.”  Pay attention: the voice challenged long held Jewish traditions and went against scriptural teaching.  What an experience! Nothing could have prepared him for it.  The inner turmoil surely tormented him.  Did he persecute himself for even thinking such thoughts?

     As he was still thinking about it, the soldiers sent by Cornelius arrived, asking for him. Peter sensed the Spirit telling him to go with the men to Caesarea and share what he knew about Jesus with them. So, he went.  Pay attention: Peter willingly went with Roman soldiers on a two-day hike to meet with Captain Cornelius.  How terrifying!

     Cornelius prepared for his arrival by bringing together his family to listen to whatever he had to say.  As Peter was teaching them, Cornelius’ family experienced a baptism of the Spirit of God that had them speaking in tongues (a sign from Pentecost).  Seeing what was happening, Peter invited them to be baptized into the Jesus-following community, which they all embraced.  Pay attention: Peter just baptized an entire household of Gentiles. Roman soldier Gentiles.  This was crazy. Yet he remembered the lunchtime vision – do not profane what God made clean.

     The Jewish Jesus followers in Jerusalem heard about it.  When Peter was in town, they let him have it.  I’m sure that was a pleasant conversation, right? A taste of persecution for doing the thing he sensed God was calling him to do. A taste of persecution for extending grace. Pay attention: honoring the nudge of God may not sit well with other God-followers, even friendly ones.

     Taking heat is part of the deal, I think, even if it’s for grace.

     As long as I have been in any form of Christian leadership, I have experienced pushback when I have called for movement from and toward different expressions of shalom.  I am certain that I am not perfect (which undoubtedly contributed to the pushback at times). Personality aside, however, in many (if not most) cases, the central issue was about choosing a better way over a good way.  The status quo wasn’t necessarily bad, yet shalom beckoned forward.  Heeding that call was the better move, but naturally resulted in change, which always stirs things up.  My experience going through it has pretty much always included inner turmoil, external pressure, self-checking, and moving forward.  This is the process.  It lasts the whole of our lives. This is good news – it means that the faith we seek is increasingly knowable no matter how deep we go.

     Shalom’s depths are unfathomable, and so long as there is a lack of shalom in the world, the call of shalom will be with us, too, inviting us to take risks on grace, to stand with and for those who need our support.  To make some “good trouble” (John Lewis).  IF we’re not making joyful, shalomy noise, we may be missing the mark.  Pastor and Professor Gene L. Davenportwrites about consequences of starting and getting in good trouble: “Disciples are never punished by the state simply for violating this or that law, although for purposes of legality an indictment will be based on one or another specific law. They are punished because they threaten the entire system. The true offense is the disciple’s very existence” (70).

     Jesus got in a lot of good trouble.  He broke long-held traditions and got pushback every time. His very being challenged the system.  Yet he couldn’t help himself. He noted that he only did what he saw Abba doing.  He was living in shalom and therefore was impelled and compelled in all he thought and did to promote shalom.  He was living in what already was in God’s realm.  When we have breakthrough moments of epiphany and live into it, we find ourselves breathing new air.

     A friend decided one day to stop believing in God.  He immediately felt liberated! I don’t think it’s because there is no God, but possibly that the construct he had of God was so incomplete, so boxed-in with traditional thinking, that it was more of a straitjacket than a wingsuit.  He was (and we are) meant to fly. That declaration of atheism, an act of heresy, was the most God-honoring thing he could have done.

     Oscar Romero was steeped in shalom, giving him clarity on how much good trouble needed to be started in El Salvador.  Romero’s person and presence calling for shalom cost him his life.  He extends the invitation beyond individual faith seekers to churches, encouraging them to get comfortable making its people and the world uncomfortable (71-72):

A church that does not provoke crisis, a gospel that does not disturb, a word of God that does not rankle, a word of God that does not touch the concrete sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what kind of gospel is that? Just nice, pious considerations that bother nobody – that’s the way many people would like our preaching to be. Those preachers who avoid every thorny subject so as not to bother anyone or cause conflict and difficulty shed no light on the reality in which they live.

     CrossWalk is not that kind of church, is it?  I’m not that kind of pastor, am I? CrossWalk is an OASIS for those seeking more – even at the cost of breaking with tradition – in part because I have been in the process myself and cannot help but keep going.  I know how hard the process is, and I know how important it is to speak into the thorny subjects.  I also know how helpful it is to be in an environment that supports the dialogue.  We matter.

     We don’t always connect deconstruction and reconstruction with this kind of thinking, yet we should.  I have not discovered anyone who has undertaken the task of pursuing a truly deeper, more expansive faith only to make their worldview smaller. From what I’ve seen in myself and others, the growth leads us to be less self-centered and more compassionate toward all others.  Which is costly and risky in a radically individualized, self-centered culture. As Jeane DeCelles, a leader in the Catholic Charismatic movement noted, there is a price to pay (73): “Discipleship does have its costs – anyone who has dared to bring the gospel to bear on his or her own life knows that. Whether we feel it or not may be a good litmus test for discerning if we are truly following on his path or pursuing a false trail.” 

     Jesus did say that his Way was easy and his burden light, but he was comparing himself to the perfectionist agenda being promoted by Jewish leaders of his day.  Jesus also told people to pick up their cross and follow him.  The Way of grace is easier, and yet shalom takes us into risk.

     Aramaic translator, Neil Douglas-Klotz, in his helpful little book, Prayers of the Cosmos: Reflections on the Original Meaning of Jesus’ Words, translates encouraging words from Jesus’ Beatitude to all who are on the reconstruction journey: “Consider adversity as an incitement to take another step.”  And as you do, know that at CrossWalk you are in good company as you make good trouble.  Here is a space for you to rest, regroup, recenter, recharge, reevaluate, and recollect yourself with other on the journey.  Here lies an OASIS for you and other faith seekers looking for more.

 Watch the teaching related to this post on our YouTube channel (YouTube.com/CrossWalkNapa) or listen via your preferred podcast provider (search CrossWalkNapa).  Unless otherwise notes, references noted are sourced from Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together, which will inform CrossWalkNapa teachings throughout 2025.

Pure in Heart

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Matthew 5:8 NRSVUE

Here are some questions to think about before we wonder about what Jesus was teaching:

  1. What distracts or derails us from being our truer, better selves? What helps us stay centered and grounded?

  2. How are our truer, better selves differentiated from cultural norms and paradigms?

  3. When have good things gotten in the way of better things?

 

     What do you think it means to be pure in heart?  What might Jesus mean when he says the pure in heart will see God?  It may help to know that in ancient psychology, the heart was a person’s core, the location of thoughts, feelings, and decisions. A pure heart, then, is the opposite of deceit or trickery, but refers to integrity and sincerity.

     Sometimes other translations of the text help flesh out the meaning. The first three below are ways to interpret the Aramaic version which Jesus would have spoken, versus the Greek language of the written text (Prayers of the Cosmosby Neil Douglas-Klotz).  Take time pondering each of these:

 

Healthy are those whose passion is electrified by deep, abiding purpose;

they shall regard the power that moves and shows itself in all things.

 

Aligned with the One are those whose lives radiate from a core of love;

they shall see God everywhere.

 

Resisting corruption are those whose natural reaction is sympathy and friendship;

they shall be illuminated by a flash of lightning:

the Source of the soul’s movement in all creatures.

 

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. – Eugene Peterson, The Message

 

     I like how all these together help us see, yet again, that Jesus was stating something obvious from his experience that is profound yet simple.  For his hearers then and now, I believe this was good news.  As we stay centered and grounded, tied into the flow of God, we will be more likely to recognize the flow of God around us.

     How do we stay grounded?  What informed Jesus?  When he was asked what the greatest commandment was, he surely remembered the following passage (Deuteronomy 6:4-10 CEB) that would have been familiar to Jewish people everywhere:

Israel, listen! Our God is the LORD! Only the LORD! Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your being, and all your strength. These words that I am commanding you today must always be on your minds. Recite them to your children. Talk about them when you are sitting around your house and when you are out and about, when you are lying down and when you are getting up. Tie them on your hand as a sign. They should be on your forehead as a symbol. Write them on your house’s doorframes and on your city’s gates.

     Clearly, the writers recognized that focus was required to foster such enduring, holistic love for God.  Apparently, without focus, our capacity to stay grounded even on something we care deeply about can get swayed.  Love of God, I think, goes beyond feeling, but represents a passionate allegiance.  The experience of being connected deeply to the Divine, and thus our truer, better selves, is powerful. I don’t think we’re just simply called to sing worship songs all day and call it good.  It’s not easy to stay in that God-centered pocket, which is why we are instructed to remember using various tools.  We can be tempted away from God as well, which happened to Jesus immediately following his baptism:

Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving. The devil said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

     Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread.” [Note: this was a temptation to live life led by our physical cravings instead of from a more thoughtful, centered space.]

     Next the devil led him to a high place and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said, “I will give you this whole domain and the glory of all these kingdoms. It’s been entrusted to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. Therefore, if you will worship me, it will all be yours.”

     Jesus answered, “It’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” [Note: this was a temptation to gain power or get what we think we want using a shortcuts that derail us from our grounding  in God.]

     The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here; for it’s written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.”

     Jesus answered, “It’s been said, Don’t test the Lord your God.” [Note: this temptation was to manipulate God, which is an act of usurping or being God.]

     After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity. – Luke 4:1-13 (CEB)

     Jesus faced these temptations as he prepared to enter his public ministry.  How different would his ministry have been if he gave into his off-centered passions as a very popular speaker and healer! How different if he had chosen to gain greater power through force!  How different would his story have been if he had chosen not to honor God’s vision, which led to suffering and death at the hands of those in power whom he challenged.  Nobody would remember that Jesus. 

     We are still talking about him and trying to follow him because he maintained his connection with God, which allowed him to see God everywhere and in everyone and everything. Seeing with such eyes changed how he engaged everything: he couldn’t help but do life differently, taking the path of love for all. Perhaps that’s why, when asked about the greatest commandment, he offered up a second: to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Being centered on the love of God leads to loving others.

     Jesus wasn’t the only one tempted.  His friends, Mary and Martha, sisters of his dear friend Lazarus, were faced with an interesting situation that isn’t as trivial as it might first appear:

     While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So, Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.”

     The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

    Poor Martha gets painted in such a terrible light, doesn’t she?  Everyone reading it is saying, “C’mon, Martha! What’s your problem?”   Yet the story is more complex than that.

     In sitting at Jesus’ feet to listen, Mary was committing a social foul. Women were not allowed to be in that context, which was reserved for men.  She chose a seat that was supposed to be for disciples only, who were also always male. Did she do the right thing?

     Jesus said nothing, which tacitly endorsed her behavior. Did he do the right thing?

     Martha knew the custom and knew that Mary was out of line. Mary was supposed to help with hospitality – wasn’t she as shirking her responsibility?  Wasn’t Martha right to call her out?

     I think what we see here is faced by people in myriad ways throughout life.  We come into complex situations where we must determine what the better option might be.  Mary discerned that listening to Jesus was worth breaking the tradition, risking pushback. Jesus didn’t challenge it, which meant he agreed and endorsed Mary’s decision.  Martha, instead, remained committed to a good course of action, but not the better.

     Martha wasn’t an awful person in this story.  She leaned into a perfectly predictable and socially approved way of thinking.  We don’t know a lot of the details of this story – we are left only with broad strokes.  It is possible that Martha’s personality really thrived in hospitality, and not in listening to a lecture, which may have fit Mary perfectly well.  Her question betrays her heart, however – she apparently had attitude. She asked Jesus a question that first should have been directed toward Mary. Plus, the question she asked was more of a statement than and inquiry, more accusatory than inquisitive. Whatever her logic, she was not in the flow. Her frustration got the best of her. She missed seeing the divine because she was focused on a good thing more than the better thing.

     We face the same challenge every day of our lives.  Cultural influences would have us simply follow our cravings, grab more for ourselves with shortcuts and bad deals with the devil, usurping the guiding presence of God.  Yet if we don’t pay attention – and foster the paying of attention – we will easily give in and miss the opportunity to see that we are swimming in the flow of the Spirit all the time. In missing such a sight, we also might miss opportunities to experience the better and settle for less.

     Considering Jesus’ Beatitude which offers so much hope and promise, consider again the following questions:

  1. What distracts or derails us from being our truer, better selves? What helps us stay centered and grounded

  2. How are our truer, better selves differentiated from cultural norms and paradigms?

  3. When have good things gotten in the way of better things?

Have Mercy

Enjoy this teaching featuring Rev. Dr. Angie Barker-Jackson, based on Jesus’ Beatitude, “God blesses those who are merciful, of they will receive mercy.”

"God has not called us to be warriors. God has called us to be wombs."

Satiated

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. – Matthew 5:6 NLT

 Sometimes when I read the Beatitudes, I want to call “Bologna”.  I see how divided we are in our country – and in the Church globally – and wonder where the satisfaction is.  The word play got my attention, though, and got me thinking differently.  Hunger.  Thirst. Satisfied.  I think of the word satiated as an appropriate substitute for satisfied.  It recalls times when I might be hungry or thirsty and finally get to eat or drink to satiation, to fullness.  Quite satisfying.  And then, in due time, I get hungry and thirsty again.  It’s a never-ending cycle, this hunger and thirst needing to be satisfied.  Perhaps my desire to see injustice finally and fully remedied has robbed me of some good food and drink in the here and now as we work toward the long-term dream.

     The Gospel of John gives witness to this very phenomenon.  In the fourth chapter, we see Jesus calling his disciples to take an unpopular route back home to Galilee from Jerusalem.  Most Jewish people took the longer route following the Jordan River, avoiding the region of Samaria altogether.  Jewish people had a centuries-old hatred of the Samaritans – they hated them more than any other group.  Jesus said that they “had to go” through Samaria, not because Google Maps wanted to avoid traffic, but because shalom impelled and compelled him to cut directly through the region of the enemy.

     In the heat of the afternoon, they came to an historic well that both traditions knew well.  Jesus stayed there while the disciples went into a village to get food – they were all certainly hungry after their long trek.  While they were away, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus started a conversation (a cultural faux pas).  She rebuffed him. He persisted. Jesus knew that the woman was not in a good place. She was drawing water all by herself in the heat of the day. Such daily tasks were handled in the coolness of early morning, with women carrying water together for safety and mutual support. As the story unfolds, we discover that the woman was likely shunned from her community, forced into isolation for no fault of her own.

     At one point, after Jesus correctly identified her situation, she tried to distract him with a theological fight that would have sent any Jewish person into a tailspin rage.  Yet Jesus was unflinching in his pursuit of justice. He recognized that she had been treated unjustly by her community. Further, he recognized that Samaritans and Jews had treated each other unjustly. This was an opportunity to stand for grace and justice on both fronts.

     Because Jesus stayed the course of shalom, even going so far as to let her be the first to hear him say that he was the anointed one Jewish people were waiting for, she left transformed.  The weight she carried to the well was off her shoulders.  She rushed back to her village a new person. The community that shunned her noticed the difference and even heeded her plea to see Jesus for themselves – and they did! It is remarkable what the love of God can do for a person.

     When she was headed back to her village, the disciples certainly passed her on the way back to the well. They had lunch ready to offer Jesus. His response surprised them: “I have a kind of food you know nothing about. My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing God’s work.”  Jesus was satiated.  Jesus’ hunger and thirst for justice in that moment was fully satisfied.  It didn’t solve all the world’s problems, but it changed the world in that village in Samaria. It changed the relationship between the villagers and the woman. It changed how the woman felt about herself.  Shalom was cultivated, providing a feast.

     I take heat from folks who have left CrossWalk because they think I am too political and want to keep politics out of the church.  But if we claim to be followers of Jesus, throwing political issues out of the church will require us to throw Jesus out, too.  The desire to not see this truth or follow Jesus’ invitation is in part why so many social ills are still as pronounced as they are today.  The decision to ignore Jesus’ teaching and calling is why Martin Luther King, Jr. had to write Letter from a Birmingham Jail, which was largely an indictment against mostly white churches who were telling King to “tone it down.”  Jesus was told to tone it down, too.  It was not met with acquiescence.  Rather, it was met with a stern, “Get behind me, Satan!”

     To be followers of Jesus is exemplified in the Samaritan woman’s story.  By the way, note the intersectionality of her situation.  She was a woman, of a different ethnicity, of a different faith tradition, and in her own way undocumented. She was blind and then saw.  When she saw, she spoke. When she spoke, more people saw and believed for themselves. Justice was realized.  To say yes to Jesus’ invitation to follow him in standing up for justice is not to abandon our spiritual connection to God but rather the opposite.  She was a beautiful example of following Jesus fully. And I bet she was satiated, too.

     I wonder if the reason some Christians are so starving for more of God in their lives is because they are ignoring the buffet right in front of their faces, rejecting it as “too political.”  More worship songs will never satisfy like actually following in the footsteps of Jesus.  Maybe it’s time to learn from this woman, of color, of a different tradition, who was undocumented, who was transformed by Jesus only to find herself serving the transformation for others.

     How have you been overwhelmed by shalom? Shalom is overwhelming.  How have you been transformed by shalom? Shalom is transforming. How have you followed Jesus in sharing the overwhelming, transforming shalom?  The way you do this is as unique as you are. The satiation is assured. Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? The buffet awaits.

     Take some time to learn how Benjamin Lay – The Quaker Comet – was overwhelmed and transformed by shalom who then used guerilla theater to stand up for grace and justice with his anti-slavery efforts.

     Take some time to appreciate Napa artist John Hannaford’s painting, “Birthday/Last Day” – a haunting critique of the unnecessary suffering a world away caused by hunger while others are full.

     How will you allow shalom to more fully overwhelm and transform you? How will you heed the call of shalom to cultivate its growth wherever you are?  From shalom, toward shalom, with shalom.

 

Things you can do...

·       Download the Five Calls app that gives you the ability to contact your representatives quickly and easily.  Contact them with your concern!

·       Show up. If there is a nonviolent gathering taking place for an issue you care about, show up!

·       Be an advocate.  White people, pay attention! Feeling guilt and shame regarding racial prejudice is not the goal. Becoming increasingly aware of its presence and stating its reality challenges voices that deny it and emboldens others to own it and do something about it.  Do your work!  Courage required! It’s the shalom thing to do! It’s the patriotic thing to do!

·       Support organizations that are doing good work on many fronts – you can’t do it alone, but a million people donating even $5/month can do a lot!

·       There is so much more you can do, of course. Part of the process is doing your own research to find out more.

 

Watch the teaching related to the post below on our YouTube channel (YouTube.com/CrossWalkNapa). Or listen via your preferred podcast provider ( search CrossWalkNapa).  This post is informed by, and references noted are sourced from (unless otherwise noted) Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together, which will inform CrossWalkNapateachings throughout 2025.

Got Meek?

Enjoy Rev. Dr. Angie Barker Jackson's teaching on Jesus' provocative Beatitude, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  See below for the resources she referenced.

 

Check out the covenant Angie referenced from The Poor People’s Campaign (PoorPeoplesCampaign.org/covenant-of-nonviolence) – and why not say yes to its invitation?

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