How Much Is Enough?

Greed may be the original sin of Adam and Eve.  Some of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the church believed this.  These early church leaders thought that Adam and Eve were not content with what God had provided.  There was something more that was within their reach and that was desirable.  So, they took it for themselves.  That's greed.  It seems to me that greed is underneath the other deadly sins such as lust, gluttony, anger, envy, etc.  Just because something is desirable and within one's reach doesn't always mean that we should take it.  Greed is the spirit within us that hasn't answered the question, "How much is enough?"  Greed doesn't seem to have a 'stop button.'  Erich Fromm, a Psychoanalyst and Social Philosopher wrote, "Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction."  Paul had evidently discerned the answer to greed when he wrote, "...for I have learned to be content with whatever I have." (Phil. 4:11, NRSV.)  Greed haunts us like a demon seeking to destroy our lives, families, churches, communities, etc.  We seem to have more and more than we really need, yet we are not content.  The answer to our searching is evidently not outside of ourselves but, inside our self where our relationship with God is created and sustained.  

Grades and Grace

I like my teaching opportunities. I teach two courses at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky and occasional courses at the Lexington Theological Seminary. I enjoy preparing the syllabus and the class lectures/discussions. I like the interaction between the students as well as with myself. I feel exceptionally blessed to be teaching in my assigned fields. My trouble with teaching is giving a grade. I have the students do book reviews, reflection papers and case studies. So, what is the difference between an A and B on a book review or case study paper? I'm not sure. I tend to give a lot of A's. I give a C when it is pretty clear that the student didn't make much of an effort. So, effort counts a lot with me and my grading scale. I've thought about giving exams, but I would have essay exams which puts me back in the same dilemma. I want to know how a student is thinking more than whether or not they know an answer. They've bought the textbooks so, even years from now they can look up an answer if they've forgotten. All of this is on my mind because in a couple of days I have to turn in grades for the Intensive Pastoral Care and Counseling class I taught at LTS during January. Since I ask students to do a lot of theological reflection, I'll do the same with my dilemma. How would Jesus grade the work the students did in that class? Which raises the greater question, if Jesus gave grades I wonder how He would grade my work for the Kingdom? More significantly, I wonder if He would grade my relationship with Him? Honestly, I don't think Jesus gives grades and I call that grace. Everyone who desires a relationship with God, passes! Yes, I like that. Grace says, let's do away with grades. Unfortunately, I think the Seminary will still require that I "grade" those papers laying on my desk.

The Times They Are A-Changing

In the summer of 1961, Judy and I (who were seriously dating at the time) drove to Glorieta, New Mexico with three college colleagues to participate in Student Week at Glorieta. We stopped in Amarillo, Texas, to get some lunch. We were not seated. The owner of the restaurant came, told us we would have to leave and escorted all of us to the door. One of our friends was black. In the fall of 1962 another friend and myself from Oklahoma Baptist University tried unsuccessfully to buy tickets to admit us into the OU and Texas football game. Since we were already in the area, we decided to stay over on Sunday and go to church to hear a rather well-known Baptist Preacher. The Church's usher told us we could not sit on the main floor, so he would take us to the balcony. My friend was black. We skipped church that day and drove back to Oklahoma Baptist University having neither seen the football game nor gone to church. Today, some fifty years later, our nation stops to celebrate a holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an Afro-American Baptist Preacher. Also today, our nation inaugurates an Afro-American President for his second term of office. In 1964, Bob Dylan was singing, "The times they are a changing." Yes, how the times have changed. Deo gratis!

 

Where are the Answers?

I’m a Marriage and Family Therapist as well as a Pastoral Counselor.  Over the years I’ve sat with women and men who were abused as children.  They ask me, “Why won’t God protect innocence children?”  I don’t have an answer to that question—didn’t then and don’t today.  What efforts I’ve heard seem to be trying to protect God and God’s reputation.  If God needs our protection, we don’t have much of a God.  I think God has a lot to answer for when we enter the eternal realm.  With the murder of the children and adults in Connecticut, that question is fresh in my mind.  I choose to continue to believe, pray and look into the scriptures.  I’ll continue wrestling with the question.  Whatever faith is all about, at least it is trusting in a reality, i.e. God, who won’t let you make sense of the reality.  That’s doesn’t seem fair.  Today I’m grateful for some of the imprecatory Psalms, such as Psalm 44—note the “but” in verse 9 that changes the tone of the Psalm.  My prayer is from Psalm 44:26 “Wake up God and help.”  These Psalms of lament let me know that I’m not alone with these questions about this God.  

Violence, enough already!

I’m both incredibly sad and very angry this weekend.  I’m sad and full of grief because of the death of the children and their teachers in Connecticut.  Their grief is unimaginable to me.  I pray for them and that community regularly throughout the day.  I’m also angry.  I’m angry because our policies don’t put money into mental health programs.  We have a difficult time funding quality education.  I’m angry because of the violence in our culture.  Violence is not the answer to our frustrations and lack of power.  I’m angry that we have allowed large groups with powerful influence and money, such as the National Rifle Association, to buy the silence of our leaders regarding sensible gun control.  For the sake of our children, we can no longer be silent.  Let’s make the commitment to contact our leaders and say, “Enough!”  The possession of a gun may be used for sport or self-defense, but it seems more frequently to be a dangerous response to a feeling of impotence.  If we permit violence to grow in our culture and our hearts, there aren’t enough weapons to protect ourselves and our children.  The Christian model is the person of Jesus, our Redeemer, who was non-violent.  Lord, in your mercy.

Hearing God?

I've heard folks say that God has told them such and such.  On the one hand I'm envious because I've never been that certain.  I'm suspicious.  It is too easy to confuse my own ego needs with God's desire for me.  I've been reading Francis deSales' Introduction to the Devout Life.  Even though I've read it several times, it is one of those books to which I often return. Francis was the Bishop of Geneva during the time that John Calvin's followers were creating religious and political havoc in that area by insisting local governments govern according to the morality as the Calvinists interpreted the scriptures. Francis wrote a number of letters to individuals with instructions about keeping one's spiritual life alive in the midst of conflict, persecution and lack of support. He writes, for example, to Philothea (lover of God) saying that she is to seek spiritual guides, teachers, mentors, partners, etc. who "must be full of charity, knowledge, and prudence, and if any of these qualities is lacking there is danger."  As I approach the end of 2012, I've been wondering and praying about continuing with my spiritual director. That's an evaluation I do at the end of each year.  Father Michael, whom I've been seeing at the Abbey of Gethsemani for a couple of years, is full of charity, knowledge and prudence. Perhaps the Lord has answered my question or maybe it is just one of those things that happen. 

 

The Election is Over

The Elections are over and I'm glad. I had long grown weary of the ads, especially the attack ads. It is a bad sign when someone promotes themselves primarily because their opponent is worse. What was witnessed during those attack ads, I would call verbal and mental abusive behavior.   At the Counseling Center, we remind folks that such abusive language may mean that the client is not far from physical violence and abuse if they don't learn to deal with their egos and anger. Whether or not your preference was elected (most of mine were) I hope that all of us will be praying for all of our elected officers so they can govern with the common good in mind rather than their egos, political party, personal political future hopes, etc.