Some Advice from Bildad, One of Job's Friends

I have been reading JOB. It is a fascinating book of the Bible which I recommend reading regularly. JOB challenges any idea that if we follow God then we will be blessed with good health, great wealth, and continuous happiness. That did not happen with Job and Job was a God-follower. Job’s friends tried to explain God’s actions. Such attempts at explaining God have never made sense and still does not work despite generations of thoughtful studies by theologians and proclamations by preachers. Nevertheless, those friends of Job did say some important things. In the 8th chapter and verse 4, Bildad says, “If your children sinned against him (God), he delivered them into the power of their transgression.” (NRSV) “Thank you, Bildad.” I think that is true. If we sin, our sin’s consequences bring their own trouble on us. It isn’t God who does the punishing; it is the results or consequences of our choices. If someone abuses alcohol, for example, alcohol will bring its own consequences to that individual as well as their family and friends. Gluttony, lust, greed, etc. bring their consequences and their consequences are usually not very good or healthy. My belief is that God is a loving God not a punishing God.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today our nation celebrates the prophet, Martin Luther King, Jr. In the early and mid- sixties, I was in college at a denominational school in Oklahoma. I watched the news and knew a little about Dr. King’s work. In my hometown, as well as in the community where the university was located, there were very few African Americans. In a sense I was isolated and shielded from what was happening. When I graduated the University and moved to Southern Seminary in Louisville, I was no longer shielded. Some students and faculty from the Seminary were much involved in the open-housing marches in Louisville. I became involved with an inner-city mission. I saw the conditions in which African American families lived. I heard their stories of discrimination. I knew them personally. I began to recognize my prejudices and ignorance. I joined the Louisville open-housing marches. I began to learn from Martin Luther King, Jr. and he introduced me to Gandhi. My spirituality was growing from just a personal and “folk-religion” (what my “folks” taught me) to becoming both socially active and interfaith. I try not to isolate and shield myself from what is happening in our city, nation, and world. I think to become prayerfully concerned and involved is a significant aspect of what Jesus meant when he said “Come, follow me.”

God Is Mystery

Our concepts of God are our most significant impediments to knowing God. Jesus never invited others to know about Him. He invited them to follow him. God is the divine mystery. God is not defined by our concepts of God. Our concepts are merely poor fingers pointing to God. Our concepts are not God. We are tempted to substitute the signs of God for the reality of God. The signs are only signposts pointing us in the direction of the reality of God. Jesus, the incarnation of God, invited us to follow Him. Our concepts of God can be the “boxes’ into which we think we have placed God, after which we do not need to follow because we think that we have God figured out. Moses asked to see the face of God and God refused. Instead, God told Moses to hide in the rock’s cleft and God would pass by. Our concepts may only be the shadow portions of our experiences of the backside of God’s activities. I think the lesson is to be cautious around anyone who says they have God all figured out. The reality is the invitation to follow Jesus into a relationship with God which is more about mystery than completely understanding.

What Is Silence?

Beatrice Bruteau in her book, Radical Optimism, gives an expanded description of silence. (“Yes,” I recommend her book if you want to do deep and serious theological thinking). Silence is more than just ‘not talking.’ Silence is letting go of or relaxing the need or obsession and compulsion to talk. Silence asks myself “Is what I want to say necessary? Silence lets go of the ego’s need to talk about myself. Silence is relaxing the desire or need for approval and/or admiration. Silence is also letting go of the ego’s desire to demonstrate my success, power, wealth, and control of others. Silence is letting go of needing things to go my way. Silence is letting go of desiring not to be inconvenienced or humiliated. Silence gives up the need to have the last word. Silence is a self-discipline which relaxes the ego’s demands or expectations of ourselves and others.