Love Your Neighbor

Love Your Neighbor

(“For the one who eats and drinks without careful regard for the body eats and drinks judgment against himself.” 1 Corinthians 11:29)

With the grease of roast lamb running down your beard
and the newest wine filling your gut
you decided you wanted to tell me about Christ.
You pushed ahead so that nothing was left save
a few crusts of bread and the vinegar squeezed from some grapes.
You carried your gun tucked into the back of your belt;
I gave me sword away years ago.
You took the seat no one else took; you sat at the head
of every table you found.
You left the floor for the waiting poor, you left the door
open
so they could leave quickly. The cold night air stung
those sitting so close to the door ajar.

I heard there was a day (haven’t seen it yet)
I’ve heard there is a dream (haven’t held it yet)
I’ve heard of family (haven’t felt it yet)
I heard there was a meal (the richest served first).
I dared not raise my voice,
I shrunk even further behind the children you pushed
to the back of the line. I had been waiting to
enjoy a meal with humans just like me.
I had no double-breasted suit to wear,
I had few coins to cash in on my attendance,
I had few words to demonstrate I was part of the family,
I had left my voice behind the last time a church like yours
told me I was welcome

And then ignored my hopes,
teased my dreams,
and left me behind while you schmoozed with
the pastor and his wife.

I know my car has seen better days,
I know my jeans are torn,
I know my kids don’t always behave,
I know that Jesus told me to love my neighbor

And I’m trying. I only wish you would
love your neighbor
too.

So Rural and Plain

 

So Rural and Plain

(“How many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling!” Luke 13:34b)

The day was
fog and grainy photos.
There may have been a storm outside,
there may have been a crowd.
There may have been wheat in the fields,
there may have been a few who
drove on past without reviewing the
scent of new-mown grass.

The day spoke
hush and silent movies.
There may have been a flock of geese,
there may have been an eagle.
There may have been sparrows on the lawn,
there may have been rabbits
who mindfully paired up just inside
the neighbor’s fence.

The day slowed
climb and crescendo.
There may have been too much to listen to,
there may have been a marching band.
There may have been loaded picnic tables,
there may have been families
thinking the old ways were so much better
than all this fuss and nonsense.

The day stopped
clear and motionless.

While waiting for the next breath
something swept across the frequencies
of time and sound, of light and relativity--
a day to fill all days, a diorama,
a shadow-box hung on the walls of our
consciousness.
It was an invitation so rural and plain
we mostly ignored it. We went back to
our everyday, convinced that deity would
be above metaphors of poultry and feathers.

The day was…

Weak with Love

Weak With Love

“I charge you, young women of Jerusalem, ‘If you find my beloved, what are you to tell him? Tell him that I’m weak with love.’” Song of Solomon 5:8

It’s all well and good to tell Christians “You should fall deeper in love with Jesus.” But do you know how many times I have seen people who love to sing, who raise their hands swaying to “He Loves Me, Oh How He Loves Me”, who then go out and vilify people they do not like? What is wrong with this picture?

Fully 80% of white evangelical men still support a president who falsely claimed Obama was a Kenyan-born Muslim, who bragged about groping women and who cannot stop throwing accusations at people he views as “enemies”. While he gripes about “fake news” and calls other people names, he wants to change libel laws because journalists write things he does not like.

This is not a political post. Here is my experience: I have seen this behavior happen in the evangelical church decades before Trump campaigned for President. I see it on Facebook every day, and so do you. Good “loving” Christian post inflammatory articles about Muslims, gays, “liberals” and “atheists” and protesters. They leave churches or make it extremely uncomfortable for pastors who simply want to express the love of God in Christ.

I have seen worship leaders, who wanted extended times for people to “love on God”, who lie about other Christians, gossip about people they have come to disagree with, and make start division among God’s people. Anyone who is “other” is outside their circle of love.

Yet, they love to “love on Jesus”.  The time has come for me to no longer be subtle. I can no longer support an entire movement that says we “love God” all the while looking like we hate whole groups of His creation. It is time for a revolution; a revolution of love. It is time for revolt; a revolt against trying to religiously one-up everyone else. It is time for “repeal and replace”. Repeal the commitment to fighting “culture wars” and replace it with compassion of grace!

Sunday, I will begin a new series in the Gospel of Matthew. We often skip the genealogy in the first chapter. Would it surprise you to note that, included in the Son of God’s pedigree are prostitutes, adulterers and adulteresses, pagans and people “outside” the circle of faith? And, if you were a first century Jew, you would be highly offended that four women are included in that genealogy!

But, by the Spirit, Matthew will have none of our spiritual nose-turning. This is family dysfunction, and it is God’s family! It’s high time we stop talking about “loving on Jesus” if we cannot also “love on our neighbor” with the same passion.

So, if you find my Beloved, please tell Him I am weak with love. I am weak-kneed over every neighbor He has put in my life as well. The deeper I love Him, the deeper I love those who are also the objects of His love.

Father, I am so sorry for the times I have thought someone else needed my anger instead of Your grace. Deliver me from saying how much I love You if I won’t also be known as a lover of people.

All Your Commands

All Your Commands

“May my tongue sing of your promise, for all your commandments are righteous.” Psalm 119:172

We do not often think of “commandments” as a reason for singing. I cannot recall any Top 20 songs recounting the joys of speed limits or lyrics happily recalling a summer of shoplifting restraint. Perhaps that is the reason that even as followers of Jesus we do not always see the commands of God as reason to rejoice.