Practicing Generosity, Peace and Valuing the Right Things

I live in the county that has been called the epicenter of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in my state.  Yesterday I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription…no I am not sick or contagious.  You will not catch any disease by reading this.  I needed to renew an old prescription of a daily medicine.  Many of us older folks take some kind of pill on a daily basis.  Anyway, as I approached the drug store I noticed a sign on the door communicating that they were not allowing anyone in the store for the health of their employees.  The sign had the pharmacy number to call and they would fill the prescription and bring it to your car.  OK, I am getting used to this.  I had the same treatment at the local library. 

However, as I sat waiting for my curbside prescription delivery I noticed that the package store next door had no such policy.  People were going in and coming out at will with their purchase.  I mentioned this to my wife who has been lecturing me because I believe we are living in too much of a panicked atmosphere.  She told me that this was probably because many sick people go into the drug store and they did not want to take a risk of catching and/or passing along viruses.  I responded, “So, I guess it is better for your health to consume alcohol than to purchase medicine?”  Forgive me for failing to learn not to comment on certain things even at my advanced age.  I won’t go into the rest of the conversation because that is not the subject of this moment.  However, I also noticed that the hardware store across the street had the same open door policy as the liquor store. 

Forgive me again but I still did not see the logic of being able to walk in a store to buy nails or liquor and not be allowed to go in to my local drug store to purchase or speak to a pharmacist about medicine.   I did manage to keep my next sarcastic remark to myself…see, I’m learning.  Oh, what the heck, here it is; “So, I guess it is ok to go in and those stores and buy enough nails and liquor to board myself up in my house and drink until this is over?”  See why I should learn to keep certain thoughts to myself?

There is much that confuses me today; hoarding toilet paper probably tops the list!  I have always done much of the grocery shopping in our family.  I was a bachelor for several years and bought groceries before marriage.  Even today when we go to the grocery store she grabs the shopping cart and says, “I’ll push.  You get” (the groceries we need).  We are in the stores often because we never have been people who ‘stock-up’ when buying groceries.  Since I am not good at ‘stock-up’ grocery shopping, I certainly don’t understand the current ‘hoard-shopping’ (my word for panicked virus shopping)! 

I know we live in uncertain times and they can be scary times for many.  However, as I shared in my previous blog, we do not need to live in anxiety or fear.  Fearful hoarding prevents people who actually may need certain items (especially medical items) from being able to acquire them when they are unnecessarily hoarded by others.  In uncertain times we need to be especially mindful of our behavior, toward ourselves and others.  When we live in fear or selfishness we are not able to enjoy life or the day that we have been given.  I know these are serious times but we need to be “wise” or “shrewd” and be “innocent, gentle and harmless” in our dealings with others as Jesus recommended in Matthew 10:16.

So if these times are causing anxiety leading to hoarding, selfish attitudes, wondering what to hold onto or value or worrying about things that can pass away in a blink or things over which you have no control (like your retirement savings); don’t be anxious, fearful and illogical!  Wash your hands, practice social distancing, stay home if you don’t feel well and pay close attention to what those who know more than we do about the best, healthiest, safest and anxiety free way to live…especially Jesus!  I will give Him the last word on hoarding, worrying and knowing what is really valuable in life.  I like the way the Contemporary English Version translates Luke 12:16-34 (the separation and titles are mine).

Hoarding

So Jesus told them this story: A rich man’s farm produced a big crop, and he said to himself, “What can I do? I don’t have a place large enough to store everything.” Later, he said, “Now I know what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I can store all my grain and other goods. Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You have stored up enough good things to last for years to come. Live it up! Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.’” But God said to him, “You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?”  “This is what happens to people who store up everything for themselves, but are poor in the sight of God.”

Anxiety and Worry

Jesus said to his disciples: I tell you not to worry about your life! Don’t worry about having something to eat or wear. Life is more than food or clothing. Look at the crows! They don’t plant or harvest, and they don’t have storehouses or barns. But God takes care of them. You are much more important than any birds. Can worry make you live longer? If you don’t have power over small things, why worry about everything else? Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of these flowers. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t he do even more for you? You have such little faith! Don’t keep worrying about having something to eat or drink. Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father knows what you need. But put God’s work first and these things will be yours as well.

Treasures in Heaven

My little group of disciples, don’t be afraid! Your Father wants to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves purses and wallets that never wear out. Make sure your treasure is safe in heaven, where thieves cannot steal it and moths cannot destroy it. Your heart will always be where your treasure is.

Fear Not

I grew up in Mississippi.  I have not found the documentation yet but I firmly believe the old joke about the last words of a redneck originated in my home state.  Surely you don’t have to Google it…”What are the last words of a redneck?  Hey Y’all, watch this!”  While that joke/statement is not always funny or followed by a funeral it is usually followed by a silly stunt that has not been well thought out…if thought out at all.  My first experience with this tradition of yelling that famous phrase to a group of friends before throwing caution and common sense to the wind was concluded with a mad dash to the emergency room and a large cast on my broken left arm.  I was almost certain that although I had never tried it, I could perform that Olympic Gold medal gymnastic somersault on the swing set in the yard.  It looked fun and easy on TV.  I was 8 years old. 

As I grew older I learned, perhaps a little slowly but remember I am from Mississippi, that there is often a fine line between being courageous and being just plain stupid.  For example, trying to do a flip on water-skies just moments after being upright on them for the first time is not courageous.  Some of us take longer to learn the difference between bravery and stupidity.  I was a teenager then and at least I had learned that the water would break my fall better than the ground broke my arm as an 8 year old. 

Eventually I did grow older, more careful and hopefully wiser however; I still never wanted to live a life in fear.   I may not have been a Rhodes Scholar but I had learned that fear and anxiety can choke the joy out of life.  Many years after surviving those foolish days of my youth I was in a conference with my wife.  The speaker was addressing an auditorium filled with ministers and their wives on ways to overcome fear and anxiety in the ministry and life.  He asked us to use the pad that was provided and take a few moments to list all the things that cause anxiety and fear in our lives.  Everyone in the room began writing furiously making their list.  After a few moments my wife noticed that I was not writing.   I was finished…after listing only one item that caused me to have fear and anxiety; “I am afraid I will miss something!”   She rolled her eyes…not the first time for that reaction but this time I was really not trying to be macho or funny.  That was my honest answer. 

I have always wanted to live life to the fullest and experience the most that God has for me each day.  My first sermon text, John 10:10, was very intentional.  It has been my guide in life ever since I was that young blonde kid growing up learning about life, fear and faith.  Jesus was contrasting the destructive work of Satan with His way of abundant and full life.   “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Fear and anxiety cannot exist in the same realm as an abundant full life. 

Thankfully, although I did my share of stupid things growing up, I did eventually learn that while it is never wise or spiritually mature to live or act in a foolish manner, it is always wise and spiritually mature to trust God and live without fear or anxiety.  It may not be the easy pathway but when we trust our lives to God and are content with His direction and outcome we can always find peace which leads to an abundant and full life. 

God never does anything on impulse and is never caught off guard by anything that happens.  I have searched the scriptures far and wide and consulted with religious leaders from different faiths in different parts of the world and have never found God saying; “Wow!  I didn’t see that coming!”   I have discovered that all that happens in our lives is not caused by God.  The source of many, if not most, of the problems we encounter in life can be found in the mirror.  However, if we will seek to trust and follow God’s will and wisdom through and in all things that happen we can find His peace and comfort. 

God is always sending us messages to calm anxiety and give us peace.  Why do you think He created angels?  The Greek word άγγελος or ángelos; from which we get our word, angel literally means "a messenger" (from the word angello, "to deliver a message").  So an angel is literally a direct messenger from God with a message for the moment straight from God.  I used to say an angel is like a telegram from God. Wow, does that show my age?  Now I would say an angel is like a text directly from God. 

Again, it is not by accident that the first words of an angel are always; “Fear not!”  I think there is a two-fold reason for this initial consistent angelic proclamation.  First, I think it was initially uttered as calming statement.  An unexpected angelic encounter could be quite startling.  Can you imagine that group of shepherds watching their sheep one night, thinking it was only the sheep and them alone in the field when the quiet night was suddenly interrupted by a choir of angels singing “Glory to God in the highest”?  Of course, the primary message of the angels was the birth announcement of a savior being born that evening in Bethlehem but they also brought the timeless message from God…”Fear not!”   God never wants us to live in fear or anxiety. 

We live in a world that has been inhabited by sin which means that life can be difficult, scary and uncertain at times.  However, God continues to tell us that we don’t have to live under those circumstances.  Fear and faith cannot occupy the same space.  That is the message of John 10:10.  While there is a destructive and evil force in this world there is also a savior who was sent to give us an abundant and full life.  God gives us countless communications to move from fear and anxiety to trust and abundance in everyday life.  I would encourage you to find a favorite message and memorize it.  One of my favorites is found in Philippians 4:6-7.  I like the way the Contemporary English Version states it; “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.”

If something simpler would be helpful, remember I am a product of the Mississippi public school system.  Simple is always good!  Here is something I learned from a young child.  EVIL is actually LIVE spelled backwards.  So when the difficulties of life in this sin-scarred and often evil world seem to be coming in every direction causing fear and anxiety that are choking out the joy of living a full and abundant life remember that God has always been in the business of turning EVIL around so we can LIVE!

“Everybody counts or nobody counts”

Harry Bosch is a detective for the LAPD who is obsessed with solving murder cases.  He is driven by his creed that, “Everybody counts or nobody counts”.  That means that every murder victim, whether they are a homeless drug addict or a leading well known citizen of Los Angeles, is treated with the same respect and energy as he relentlessly seeks to find their killer.  Harry Bosch is a factious creation by author of detective novels and other crime fiction, Michael Connelly.  Harry Bosch may be a work of fiction but I find real truth and value in his creed.  Everybody counts or nobody counts is a great way to view and treat everyone.  While I only recently came across the quote from Detective Bosch, I have long tried to live by my own ‘creed’ that I should treat everyone the same.  That may not sound very profound but we live in a world that has historically made exceptions in giving the VIP treatment for the rich, powerful and famous while ignoring those without power, wealth influence or a strong voice to speak for themselves.  I, and Harry Bosch, believe that the waiter should be treated with the same courtesy and respect as the person who may be a celebrity owner of a chain of successful restaurants. 

This type of approach did not come easy considering the place and time of my youth.  I grew up in the 60’s in Mississippi.  Discrimination and segregation had been the culture for generations.  Everybody counts or nobody counts was not a popular philosophy growing up in the South of the early 60’s.  In fact, it was an unknown concept as privilege was commonly shown to some while mistreatment (to put it mildly) and unequal rights for others was socially accepted.  Racial decimation and segregation was actually proclaimed from some pulpits.  

The violence of the Civil Rights movement came to a boil three days before I celebrated my 12^th birthday in Columbus, MS.  Just eighty one miles from my home in Philadelphia, MS; James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were murdered.  The murder was planned and organized by Edgar Ray Killen along with 17 co-conspirators; many who were some of Philadelphia’s leading citizens and law enforcement officers.  Killen was a KKK "kleagle," (recruiter and organizer) and also an ordained Baptist preacher.  Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner’s only crime was seeking equal treatment for black citizens of Mississippi. 

Although I was not yet a teenager I am grateful that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to such injustice and evil.  One does not need to spend much time in church to learn ‘The Golden Rule’; “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)  I guess Edgar Killen missed that summary statement from Jesus concluding ‘The Sermon on the Mount’.  I also assume Edgar Killen didn’t get much of the rest of that sermon…or anything else Jesus taught or the Bible said about loving your fellowman.  Although many years have passed since those evil times and I am glad to say that my beloved home state has moved away from those horrible days, we still often need to be reminded of the way we should treat our fellowman.  Mistreating and devaluing the life of others seems to be a constant struggle in human history. 

Mahatma Ghandi said “A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.”  Jesus went a step further in Matthew 25:40 when He said, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  In other words the way we treat ‘the least’ is in reality the way we treat Him.  If we are going to sing “Oh, How I Love Jesus” then we also have to sing, “Oh, How I love that guy who just cut me off in traffic!”  How about that as a drastic way to get to the point?  It may not be easy, especially when they cut you off in traffic, but we must constantly choose to see everyone else as a person of value.  We must value and look at everyone as a unique and special creation of God…especially those who have little or no power to speak for themselves. 

Everybody counts or nobody counts does not mean that everybody is always kind or without fault but if we start discounting the value of anyone it leads to a dangerous slippery slope that was eloquently described by Martin Niemöller in his poem, First They Came, as he spoke of the importance of speaking up for others and counting everybody as the same;   

First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me.

“Everybody counts or nobody counts”