ONE

ONE

¹¹ And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 

²⁰ “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. ²² The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, ²³ I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me. (Jn.17)

Jesus prays (in John.17) for unity of the Twelve, and then, the unity of all subsequent disciples down through the ages.  That prayer has not been realized, in many ways, since that time in the life of Jesus.  As a child, growing up in the American Restoration Movement, I sat and listened to many a sermon about this text.  The RM was, originally, an attempt to “unite believers in all the sects”.  Those familiar with the RM know that unity is an elusive goal, not really attained.  The RM has divided repeatedly in this search for unity.  Recently I sat and listened to a Holiness Church preacher work through this text, again.  But, even they do not all see “eye to eye” even though they emphasize the role of the “Spirit of Unity” in their fellowship.  A cursory review of their history will reveal two churches with the same name with two different headquarters!  Dig a little deeper and the differences are more than just names chosen.

Confessedly, my mind wandered as the Wednesday Bible class meandered.  I began to ask myself what it means to be “one”, what it looks like to be “one”, how does one attain and/or maintain this state of “one”.  I worked through different categories.  Then, I began to wonder if a complete paradigm shift was needed?!

1.                   First, I scribbled, SOUND ALIKE?  I work with good old boys that love “southern gospel” – only!  My daughter attends a church that has a rock concert every Sunday!  Their preacher explains that the music is not for “us” but for “them” – an attempt to “become all things to all men…”?!  Then, there are translations-wars.  I remember buying my children NIV’s so they could understand what they read; but, my traditional parents insisted they must have KJV’s.  There is room for much discussion in this matter. (and also multi-generational parenting guidelines!)  A corollary of this is the jargon of churches that is so foreign to outsiders.  And, we are just dealing with the English-speaking part of Christendom!  Some would like it all in Latin.  No, we will not be “one” even if we all sound alike.  [Hosanna – Jesus Saves; Hallelujah – PTL; Maranatha – Come, Lord Jesus!]

2.                   So, maybe we’d be “one” if we LOOK ALIKE?  “suits and ties are mandatory” – well not so much anymore, but there are some diehards about this.  Then, there was the “long hair” deal of my teens.  I hope that the next generation has gotten past this.  Some of them seem to have a problem with my hair style choices, though! (what little bit is left)  Maybe we could talk about tattoos and piercings?!  More seriously, different ethnic groups in this melting pot seem determined to keep their distinctive past the baptismal pool.  I do like my cowboy boots.  But, if somebody else wants to wear uggs or sandals, more power to them.  And, if somebody wants to wear a dashiki, more (black) power to him!  I may wear a kilt?!  I have Indian friends that wear saris.  What I have in common (“one”-ness) with them is not what we look like, at least not on the outside.  Wonder if the Twelve dressed alike?  But, I do not have a robe, other than a bathrobe.  [(me and Maurice); “in pain until X be formed in you…”  (Gal.4:19) – look alike on the inside!]

3.                   So, then I jotted down, THINK ALIKE.  That is mostly what I heard when growing up.  What I found that to mean was more like “do not think, just say what I say” or something like that.  It was consistent, seemingly, since many of the mouthpieces had no connection to any genuine or personal thinking.  Questions were often not really welcome, especially follow-up questions that went behind pat answers.  I dove deeply into systematic theology and strove to get the big picture with all the various nuances ferreted out of their rabbit holes.  But most of the ads I saw just wanted a “sound gospel preacher” on their payroll.  I ran into elders that did know “Generations from Revolutions” nor a TULIP from a DAISY.  “Orthodox” might mean some sort of foot powder, as far as they are concerned.  And I work with Baptists who “are not Calvinists”?!  (that is really strange to me)  Maybe it about “boiling down” to the essentials and fundamentals?  But, then defining “faith, hope, and love” would become divisive, I fear.  I once knew a sister who moved to India with her husband for his job.  They found Christian fellowship with differently-striped believers, surrounded by a majority population of Hindu people.  They had to focus on their common ground and ignore the peripheria.  Maybe, it would be a good unity exercise for all believers to assemble with others with whom they disagree, for at least six months?!  I despair becoming “one” because we all “think alike”?! [Lk.18 “…have mercy on me, the sinner…”  there is our one-ness – all sinners! Ground level at foot of Cross!]

4.                   ACT ALIKE?! Seriously?  The “holy rollers” look down on others who do not shout and raise hands.  The “mainliners” look down on emotional outbursts and academically-challenged teaching.  The Pietists stress the heart.  Presbyterians are a head-game.  Act alike in-house, or always?  Sunday behavior and Monday behavior is so often inconsistent, within any of these sub-groups.  Cross-group Monday behavior may be more similar?!  I have known sincere disciples that love ritual, and, others who despise predictability.  Who is to say?  And, all this is just in the “Bible Belt”!  I’d love to worship with Chinese underground churches, then African deep-jungle believers, then Amazonian disciples of Jesus, then a Bronx storefront church, then … all in the same month!  I seriously doubt they’d “act alike”?!  Yet, they’d be “one” on some level?  [all act like Jesus – WWJD?! ; Patheos 12-month Jesus study -> 52 weeks?!]

5.                   Maybe, VOTE ALIKE?  For years churches have tried to be a-political.  The IRS demands it.  The Democrats push gay-marriage, abortion, …  The Republicans push greed, inhumanity, white-supremacy … (these are not my stereotypes)  I know serious, sincere believers who line up on different sides of this complicated dichotomy.  I really do not think the answer to this world’s problems is going to come out of Washington.  I fear, no matter how we vote, this world machine is picking up speed.  Unless we fly with wings from above, we will never be “one”. [“give to Caesar what is his and to God what is His!”]

6.                   Next, I jotted down MARCH ALIKE.  By this, I mean cult-like uniformity.  I hear, even from well-meaning, growth-oriented leaders, words such as “maybe this is not the church for you…”  I was once a part of a mega-church that had a program Amway would have drooled over.  It reminds me, in retrospect, of the Borg. (think Star Trek)  With a HQ and military-chain-of-command, the adherents are “one”!  But, who is decide between Rome and Constantinople? Between Anderson, IN and Cleveland, TN?  Are clones what He wants?  But, look! “CL-ONE”?! [the Twelve upset that an outsider was doing Jesus-work – “…not against me is for me…” (Mk.9:40)]

7.                   Slightly different, maybe we should SERVE ALIKE and then we’d be “one?  Within our ranks we have the Salvation Army who do not serve like the Moral Majority who do not serve like the UBS who do not serve like the Gideons who do not serve like … But, not everybody is a foot, now an eye, nor an ear.  The listener is one with the feeder is one with the teacher is one with the helper? [greatest is servant of all]

8.                   LIVE ALIKE  was my next thought.  Today we have metrosexuals, rednecks, the hood, … I once called them city-slickers and such.  I personally like the thought of the rugged, individual frontiersman!  “New York City” about as close to Hell as I want to get! (ha!)  Now we have “green” people.  I am an animal lover – fried, roasted, grilled …   We will never all live alike.  I have a dnl who reminds me of Zsa Zsa with the Beverly Hillbillies when we have holiday gatherings.  She likely thinks they should have named me Jed, not Jerry.  There is not “one” Christian way to live. [only a narcissistic megalomaniac would demand everybody be like himself?!]

9.                   LOVE ALIKE?!  Surely, we, as children of God, who is love, should all, alike, love.  But, this is not the same as if we were to “love alike”.  Some will speak kind gentle words.  Some will silently drop off a casserole.  Some will give away a washer or dryer to a needy single-mother.  God is love.  This how we prove we are His disciples.  There are innumerable ways to love.  Pick one! [this is the place to start in our dream of being “one”!]

A different paradigm is difficult to visualize.  What does it look like to be “one”?!  I remember seeing a strange tree in a seed catalog.  It was a six-in-one tree.  Some call it a “fruit cocktail tree”.  (by now, you may be thinking I am fruity?)  They had grafted different varieties of fruit into one tree! I have to wonder how such a tree would cross-pollinate and what hybrids would grow?!  And, there are nine “fruit (singular) of the Spirit”?!  Paul says we are “grafted in” wild olives?!  (some are green, some are black?! [yeah, I know “ripe”])  Jesus calls upon us to “bear fruit”.  He is the vine and we are the branches.  Hmm.

Also, consider circles:  1.  Venn diagram with overlapping areas that are crucial; or,  2.  Concentric circles with self in middle, and all others at different radii from your center;  or,  3.  Jesus as the circle, (He is the “One”!) and, all others moving toward Him, and getting closer to each other at the same time?! (I vote for #3)

FOURTH QUARTER

FOURTH  QUARTER

                I sat alone on a bench in a smelly dressing room, bemusing the thought that it was almost over – not practice, but my football career, not going past HS gridiron.  Coach had grabbed me up by the shoulder pads from the practice field sidelines.  I had been clipped at the ankles, rolled over and jumped up with the momentum of the pursuit, and made a second-effort tackle, smashing the running back into the fence before giving in.  “That’s what I’m talking about!  Cornelson, go on into the showers; you get to skip sprints today…”  My brooding premonition of the last game was stealing the moment.

                Moses wrote, “10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Ps.90)  He continued, “12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  Only a fool thinks that the party never ends.  And, only a fool thinks it ever ends.  We live on.  But, there are winners and there are losers.  I play to win.

                Jesus prayed, “…And now I am no more in the world…” even as he lived and breathed among us.  But, he knew the game clock was running out.  The game was nearly over.  We needed a miracle if we were not going to lose.  Talk about a “hail mary”!  All Hell was celebrating their victory as the “superstar” hung on the cross.  But, He raised his bloodied head and yelled, “tetelestai”!  (Jn.19:30)  The angelic host erupted into a frenzy.  And, all hell was quiet and still.  From our perspective, it was three days later that He came out of that tomb that could not hold the “Resurrection and Life”.  From eternity, there was never any doubt!  We are more than conquerors!

                The Hebrews’ writer rejoices, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb.12:2)  Look at Him – “for the joy”  “despising”  -- sounds like an athlete, beaten and bruised, rising up in defiance and winning the championship!  Jesus was no quitter.  He played to win, giving it all, whatever it took!  With a guttural growl, with more pride and chutzpah of any “Oorah” of any leatherneck, the Superstar, finished in championship style!  The demons of hell left the field, cursing and swearing.

                How will I finish?  As I near my seventh decade on this orb, I have to think of the homecoming dance.  It is just not the same for losers.  With four raised fingers, I enter the last quarter!

THE STRAIT AND NARROW

THE STRAIT AND NARROW

Do the difficult.  If it is easier to say “yes” then “no” is likely the right answer.  And, contrariwise, saying “no” if it would be easier to say “yes” often is the high road.  Climb uphill.  Swim upstream.  Run into the wind.

                Jesus challenges, “13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Mt. 7)

                The “herd” may offer protection, but not if you run with lemmings!  There are “herds” and “packs”, but a “nest of rats” is not the same thing.  Again, Jesus intones, “if the blind lead the blind …”  Remember where is their inevitable destination?!

                Jesus warned, “beware when all men speak well of you.” (Jn.17:14)   One can tell a lot about a man by looking at his friends.  But, more can be determined by looking at his enemies.  It should come as no surprise that the world hates the disciple, since it hated the Master!  One is in blessed society when persecuted, for so persecuted they the prophets!  “Fitting in” grows to be loathsome.

THROWING PENNIES

Throwing Pennies

            Saw a man slinging pennies around at a shopping mall.  He was outside Sears when I first saw him, while I was waiting on my wife.  I like to sit in the common areas and people-watch.  One can see all types!  Teens texting on I-phones, mothers strolling with toddlers, old folks getting exercise, toughs strutting, wolves trolling for babes, …

            This gray-haired, old man was reaching into his backpack, and throwing a small handful of pennies across the floor when he thought nobody was watching.  He would smile when the little kids found one of the pennies.  When the clean-up lady stopped to sweep up the coins, he would frown, and kind of look away, as if he had nothing to do with the situation.  Sometimes folks would pick them up, make a wish, and toss them into the mall fountain.

            My wife came by and said Belk was next; I smiled and said I would wait right there.  I walked around the fountain and sat beside the old fart.  He smiled and nodded back when I raised my hand in a gesture of greeting.  I could not help it and began to talk to him, “penny for your thoughts?”  He was glad to chat and began to answer my question about his penny philanthropy.

            “I do what I can to make this a better place.  I know I don’t look like it, but I have a M.B.A. and once worked with Morgan Fargo.  I was pretty good, made quite a bundle!  But, somehow, I got off track.  I really do not know what happened.  Maybe I never should have gone into finance …  but, I did like to help people with their retirement plans.”

            I asked him how he became the penny-thrower.  What was he doing?!  Why did he go around town, taking pennies out of his backpack, and sling them on the ground, hoping somebody would be helped, if nothing more than giving them a smile and a wish?

            “I thought I was going make everybody rich while I did my thing as a financial adviser.  It seemed to work for a while.  But, the company was less interested in really helping folks with investments, and more interested in helping themselves to the folks’ investments.  I lost my altruism and became disillusioned.  I decided to party with them and even try a few snorts.  That powder is strong stuff and a soul-stealer.  I went to some dark places; but, thank the Lord, I survived and escaped.  It must have been Him that delivered me.”

            I was perplexed and amused.  I was enjoying the conversation, but something inside me wanted to understand how he got to be a strange little man with a bag of pennies.  So, I probed deeper and asked him to explain his funny hobby.

            “Well, I was let go from my job.  I have a loving wife who has stood by me through thick and thin, keeping me together.  We do what we can, when we can, if we can.  We give away secret gifts.  We have an orphan fund we support … we do what we can.  I cannot solve all the world’s problems; but I can bring a smile to children and well-wishers!  Do you think I am crazy?”

            He smiled, got up and walked toward the exit, dropping pennies as he strolled outside.  I thought I heard him say something about a cup of water?!

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.  (Mt.25)

“And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42