Jesus out-socialists the socialists

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Following on from yesterday’s blog post All you have to do is live your life comes this gem from Oswald Chambers:

“Jesus Christ out-socialists the socialists. He says that in His kingdom he that is greatest shall be the servant all. The real test of the saint is not preaching the gospel, but washing disciples’ feet, that is, doing the things that do not count in the actual estimate of men but count everything in the estimate of God.” (My Utmost for His Highest, February 25).

Both quotes question our definition of success. Is a good life that quietly leaves a wake of happiness rated below a great life that is noticed and acclaimed?

Is being visible and acclaimed as preacher (or celebrity) to be more highly valued than the simple humility of servanthood? Is it possible to be both good and great?

What of the partly reformed alcoholic standing next to me, singing his lungs out and often teary because of how much he feels loved at his little church? Is he a picture of success greater or lesser than a large auditorium of well-heeled, attractive young people with hands raised?

What “count[s] everything in the estimate of God” in your life? Can you esteem it highly too or are have you given away the high ground of goodness and servanthood to greatness and worldly success? PH

All you have to do is live your life

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“‘Oh Val,’ said Father. ‘All you have to do is live your life , and everyone around you will be happier.’
‘No greatness, then.’
‘Val,’ said Mother, ‘goodness trumps greatness any day.’
‘Not in the history books,’ said Valentine.
‘Then the wrong people are writing history, aren’t they?’ said Father.

From Ender in Exile, by Orson Scott Card.

Red castanets and other amazing things

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Yesterday my father lay in intensive care having come through a long and delicate operation to remove a tumour on his spine and to repair the damaged vertebrae. With wires and tubes protruding everywhere, and a neck brace surrounding his head, he raised his eyes and in his post-surgery  voice said, “He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities… and by His stripes we are healed. Thank you, Father. You know its amazing that this God of ours is called Father.” And tears came to his eyes as he contemplated the love of God. Faith well in tact I’d say…

Today as I walked through Leichhardt I came across an old man, grey hair and beard, skinny legs protruding from crumpled shorts, walking with stilted step. He gazed around with a slightly bewildered look and with each step he shook a bright red castanet. As I continued down Leichhardt St, I could hear the regular shake of the castanet as he slowly followed my path. Strange? Perhaps. But give me a red castanet over the hammer and knife wielded on the same streets just days before.

On King St south Newtown we followed a golden Honda Jazz with its back windscreen covered by an intriguing web address – www.yumchaatyourplace.com.au Now there’s a thought….

And the most unbelievable thing of the week – I took my father’s car to the Kmart Auto in Annandale to investigate possible problems with the brakes and some strange noises. After a thorough inspection, Peter told me the car was perfectly safe and although some work was required in the future, “it would be a waste of money to do it now”. Bring it back in a couple of months was his suggestion, “And, there’ s no charge today. I hope your old man is ok.” A mechanic choosing not to do some work now but send you home with no charge. That’s mighty unusual… but beautiful! PH

Finding our way forward

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“Scars remind us of where we have been but do not have to determine where we are going.”
David Rossie (Joe Mantegna), Criminal Minds

“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within us out into the world, miracles happen.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Leaders order their hearts and minds so as to acquire more than what they currently need, because they know they will need more than they now possess.”
Pastor Timothy Jack

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.”
Apostle Paul, Philippians 3:12

“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew 26:39

Smoking Jesus, disgusting priest and church going leaders

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Christianity often has a torrid time in the secular media but some of today’s references range from downright bizarre to disgusting to groundbreaking.Read More »

Do Unto Others and to Yourself

Peter Hallett1 Comment

‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ This is a powerful call to kindness and mutual respect. By gaining insight into the value of others, relative to our own, we act more justly.

‘Do unto you what you have been expecting others to do for you.’ This is a powerful call to take responsibility for our own well-being rather than demanding others to fill our needs, which they never can. By choosing not to blame or bargain, we mature as people and allow others the freedom to give kindness, unhindered by demand.

Neither statement can be fulfilled by humankind without the grace of God abounding in our hearts, restoring true humanity. PH

Rage, blood and death on the street

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Awake 6.30, cool of the morning
Maragogype coffee beans lure me downstairs
Before returning, cup in hand for my wife
And the first strains of ABC news

Man stabbed and dying in Marion St
Like Heart? Leichhardt? Where I live?!
And the story unfolds as the day does too
Of a man hammered, and chased, and killed 

Between hospital visits
Which is a whole other story
I walk in the bright sun to the spot
Where another human bled and died.

Parents with prams amble by
As do children from school
While two old men in nursing home trance
Stare at the Channel 7 car, satellite dish raised

Can I comprehend that before the heat
There was night, and men angry, raging
In their cars and on their feet
Rushed to steal another man’s life

And the sky is so blue.

Ordinary miracles everywhere

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I stood in a hospital ward on Friday night and listened to my 76-year-old father give his medical history to a junior doctor at Prince of Wales Hospital.

This was after he had explained, slowly and deliberately, to the young doctor, that he was a man of faith, had been a minister most of his life and believed in the healing power of Jesus.

His medical history began with having his tonsils out when he was a boy. (I thought, “We could be here for a long time…” I was wrong.) He had them out twice in fact – they either grew back or they didn’t get them all the first time.

Also as a boy, he had an abscess behind his knee. He thought for a while and then recounted his next item – a hernia operation in his sixties. As an after thought he remembered dislocating his elbow.

“Dad”, I said incredulously, “that was when I was about seven – over 40 years ago… and I can’t believe you can remember an abscess on your leg as boy.”

The doctor asked if there was anything else, and there wasn’t. Not bad for someone a few years short of 80.

Then the doctor asked what medications he took. This list was even shorter. “A vitamin C tablet, a vitamin E tablet and a fish oil tablet.”

The doctors stared, wrote something down, and nodded. “That’s very good. You are very healthy.” 

Dad, by way of explanation, told him that he didn’t drink or smoke although he had drunk heavily until he became a Christian aged 32, when “God and I agreed I’d done my fair share of drinking.” He has not touched alcohol since.

Tomorrow my father will have a very delicate operation to strengthen a vertebrae in his neck largely destroyed by a tumour. Once they strengthen his neck, they’ll worry about the tumour. He has spent his time in hospital while waiting for the operation reading the Bible, a book called Faith Like Potatoes, and praying.

When doctors first saw the size of the tumour, its location and the damage it had caused, they could not believe the lack of pain and other symptoms dad had been experiencing.  They felt certain he should have had a range of neurological symptoms but all he has had is a bit of stiff neck.

Dad has said several times that God has told him he will be healed. Who could argue with a man who is already a walking miracle? Please pray for him tomorrow. PH

Does God forgive Tiger Woods?

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In a world where private moments are played out on a global stage, nothing is certain about Tiger Wood’s statement today.

Is it a carefully stage-managed step towards restoring his golfing career and endorsements, or the honest confession of broken but recovering man?

Hopefully it is the latter, and if so, the apology part of his statement contains two important parts of repentance.

Firstly, he takes full and complete responsibility for his actions and did not attempt to blame anyone else, especially his wife.

Secondly, he acknowledged that the truth of his apology can only be judged by his actions over time.

To the extent that someone, who has lived a double life for years, can be sincere, these sentiments are important first steps to recovery.

Does God forgive someone who has betrayed his marriage vows numerous times in the most wanton fashion? The answer is yes, if through faith in Christ, he turns from those things.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

The same scandalous grace we need in our more private lives is available to internationally acclaimed golfers. And everyone else…

However, given that Tiger’s mother claims he has re-embraced Buddhism, a religion in which God does not really feature, the question is not so much, ‘Does God forgive him?’ but ‘Does Tiger Woods know God and even comprehend his need for God’s forgiveness?’ PH

The naked face of human emotion

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“The face is not a secondary billboard for our internal feelings. It is an equal partner in the emotional process” writes Malcolm Gladwell in Blink.

He is referring to the discovery by researchers that not only does our face spontaneously express our emotions, but that our emotions are impacted by the expressions on our face.

Scientists working to collate the full range of human facial expressions spent hours perfecting facial muscle movements, including those that would usually express, sadness, anger and other negative feelings. They began to realise that on those days, they began to feel terrible emotionally.Read More »

‘No wonder Abbott believes in God’

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Miracles made their way into the Editorial of today’s Daily Telegraph, courtesy of Tony Abbott’s close call with a semi-trailer:

“NO wonder Opposition leader Tony Abbott is so convinced in the existence of God. His survival yesterday – in fact, the survival of an entire carload of people – was miraculous.

“Instead of a terrifying accident, Abbott was later able to use the event to highlight his road-safety campaign. Beyond today’s politics, the footage of this episode may assist young drivers in understanding just how dangerous our roads can be.”

Good to see one of Australia’s major dailies indicate a healthy regard for the providence of God. Someone must be praying for our leaders…

Hold on and look onward and upward

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Ever felt like you are just holding on? That life's on the edge? At times like this, looking up is better than looking down. In any case, just holding on is still holding on! Photo by PH, Mt Pilatus, Switzerland 2009

How will Christians vote in the next election?

Peter Hallett2 Comments

With the Federal Government ‘stockpiling’ double dissolution “triggers’ and a normal election possible from August 7 2010, political parties are well and truly in election mode.

The Christian vote has become more visible in recent years with the strengthening and growth of political parties claiming to represent Christians, not to mention candidates in other political parties highlighting their Christian faith.

Add to this the growing, if begrudging, respect being given to the Australian Christian Lobby, and we have a fascinating story emerging for voters who seek to vote in a way that reflects their faith.

Two states – South Australia and Tasmania – are going to the polls in March and it will be interesting to see the performance of  parties such as the Christian Democrats and Family First, relative to the Greens, Democrats and other minor parties.

I am writing an article for Alive magazine which will give an overview of the state of Christian politics in Australia, so keep an eye out for it in the April/May issue.

Micah Challenge has its Voices of Justice conference at Parliament House, Canberra on June 19-22 when young people will meet with dozens of elected representatives, lobbying for justice for the poor. In the shadow of an election, this timing could prove strategic. PH

Too casual about casualties

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One result of the constant stream of death and mayhem reported in our media is a numbing to the loss of human life. Real people become numbers and information, which represents a loss of dignity for those suffering.

A side-effect of this is that people quoted in the media make comments in the context of loss of life that, when we take a step back, can be seen to highlight the brutality of our thinking.Read More »

Too close to the river to care

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Kenyan pastor Evans Mkala Mage, speaking at Eternity today,  had three points he believed God wanted Australian Christians to hear:

1. This land is a refuge ( he didn’t elaborate but the implications are profound when you consider our history and current issues.)

2. We have been given a great deal but need to live with balance.

3. God loves us so much and we need only to reach out and receive this love.

He told a Kenyan parable to highlight these points.

“In Kenya we have a saying: if you a visit a home near the river they will not have any water. This is because they know the river is near and say, ‘I can go and get water anytime’. If you visit a home a long way from the river, you will find they always have water to share with a stranger or those in need. This is because that know how difficult it is to get water, so they make sure they always have a supply.” We are a people living near the river of God’s goodness and abundance but are in danger of taking it for granted and failing to value our supply and share it with others. PH

Temptation comes and SMH falls

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The Sydney Morning Herald has today run an article about an upcoming defamation case in the Supreme Court involving the Annandale Anglican Church and an aggrieved former member.

Easily succumbing to the temptation to take a swipe at Sydney Anglicans and conservative Christian belief in general, the story almost entirely advocates the former member’s position. While that may be in part due to the reluctance of the Anglican Church to comment on specifics, the emotive language chosen and widening of the target to include the “strict Anglican doctrine of the Sydney diocese” shows another agenda at work.

Even the heading places responsibility for the “Anglican stoush” with the “Pastor’s ban” when in reality the ban came only after a long period during which concerns escalated.Read More »

1 dead fashion designer vs 217,000 dead Haitians

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Watching and reading various media sources today I noticed a general order of news priority:

  • The death of fashion designer Alexander McQueen
  • Revised death toll from the earthquake in Haiti to 217,000
  • Celebrations and comment surrounding the 20 year anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.

We live in a world where a relatively small number of inhabitants are overwhelmingly preoccuppied with the luxury of appearance while an overwhelmingly large number of inhabitants are preoccupied with surviving.

Perhaps you might argue that both the Haitian earthquake and Nelson Mandela are older news and so naturally will be less prominent. Perhaps you could argue that fashion is not just clothes but art and a commentary on our times. Perhaps you could argue that this snapshot of media priorities is not a true reflection of Western cultural values.

Perhaps…
PH

No knee caps

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“How are you going today, George?” I ask while standing in line for a meal at the Lambert St Lunch, Camperdown.

George is 60ish with long gray hair and unshaven face; is wearing a t-shirt, too-small shorts and joggers and carries his walking stick.

“Oh, not that good. I nearly fell over on the way here.”

“That’s no good,” I reply. “What happened?”

“Have you ever had your leg just slide out, like this, while your walking,” he says while demonstrating a strange sideward leg movement, precariously. A lunch volunteer, plate of food in hand, is watching as our conversation unfolds.

“Maybe George, but have you had that happen?”

“All the time,” he says seriously. “It’s probably because I’ve got no knee caps, so I’ve got to be careful.”Read More »

Be exhausted for God

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The word exhaust literally means to empty or drain completely of resources. We use it to mean we are very tired but it goes deeper than weariness, and includes an emptying out of any capacity we have to give.

Sounds like something to avoid but Oswald Chambers has this to say today in My Utmost for His Highest:

“He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him.”

If we think of exhaustion as being tired, this doesn’t sound very useful. But if we consider that we have been gripped by God to be poured our for His purposes and filled endlessly by His grace, we find more hope.

This is why Chambers asks us to consider: “Where did you start the service from? From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption of Jesus Christ.”

Sympathy is easily exhausted and rarely replenished. The Redemption of Christ is a high vantage from which to view and ceaseless well of refreshing. Live there and exhaustion or anything else will not beat you. PH