Laughing at the Lack of Justice

 

There's usually not much to chuckle about in the face of an innocent person being railroaded by the justice system. This is especially true when thinking about the arrest and trial of Jesus.

And yet...

According to Mark 14, even though Jesus had spent all week acting like a messiah, starting with riding into Jerusalem on a donkey on Sunday and throwing moneychangers out of the temple on Monday, the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were having a hard time getting any hard evidence or corroborating testimony pulled together that would justify a conviction worthy of the death sentence they so deeply desired.

They were doing so horribly, Jesus finally had to give it to them on a silver platter.

Mark 14:61-64 (CSB)

The high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
“I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy."

But the religious leaders' incompetence (and the main reason I find this funny) didn't stop there. When they took Jesus to Pilate to get Rome's stamp of approval on their plan to kill Jesus, things got...awkward.

John 18:29-30 (CSB)

So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”
They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”

Imagine a beer-gutted Southern sheriff sliding his arm around the Roman governor's shoulders: "Piiilate! Ol' buddy ol' pal...This Jesus guy is nothing but trouble. Truuuust us!"

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...Not even I could find this funny if it weren't for knowing how the crucifixion isn't the end of the story. Spoiler alert: Jesus wins!

Alas, Poor Peter, I Know Him Well

 

The apostle Peter was a man of extremes.

There they are in the upper room celebrating Passover when Jesus gets up from the table, strips down to his loin cloth, wraps a towel around his waist, and starts going around the table washing 24 feet. He gets to Peter who humble-brags, "You shall never wash my feet!"

Jesus replies, "If I don't wash your feet, you won't have anything to do with me anymore."

So Peter does a one-eighty, cranks up the intensity, and says, "Well, then, not just my feet! ♪♫ All of me! Why not wash all of me? ♫♪" (John 13:2-9)

Then later, when Jesus drops the bomb that somebody in the room is going to betray him into the hands of the religious leaders who want to kill him, Peter gets all defensive and says, "Not me! No way! I would die before betraying you!"

Imagine how completely broken Peter must feel just a few hours later when someone as non-threatening as a servant girl causes him to revert to his sailor-talking self and swear that he doesn't even know Jesus, let alone follow him. (Luke 22:31-34; 54-62)

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...I know what it's like to do something you swore you would never do. And like Peter, I know what it's like to be forgiven and accepted and loved anyway.

A Word I Have No Need For

 

This is the 14th time Truth Is... has featured a word from John Koenig's The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, and it's the first time I've chosen a word  -  not because it resonates deeply within me  -  but precisely because I do not experience the "obscure sorrow" it talks about.

What word, you say?

redesis (Middle English rede, advice + pedesis, the random motion of particles. Pronounced "ruh-dee-sis.") n. a feeling of queasiness while offering someone advice, knowing they might well face a totally different set of constraints and capabilities, any of which might propel them to a wildly different outcome  -  which makes you wonder if all of your hard-earned wisdom is fundamentally nontransferable, like handing someone a gift card in your name that probably expired years ago.

There's another word that figures into why I've never experienced redesis ... at least when considering the advice and information I dispense in these here parts.

What word, you say?

Whosoever.

As in the King James Version of John 3:16...

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

No waffling around with thoughts of "My truth may not be your truth" or "You've got your opinion and I've got mine."

No. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...No matter what "set of constraints and capabilities" you're living with, Yahweh offers everlasting life to you. No redesis about it.

I'm Undependable

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

Thomas à Kempis really sat me in my place this morning with what I read in The Imitation of Christ (compiled and edited in today's language by James N. Watkins).

Because grace and understanding are often lacking in us, we cannot place any confidence in ourselves. There is little light within us, and what we do have we quickly lose by negligence. Often, we don't recognize how great our inward blindness is. We often do wrong and, worse, excuse it. Sometimes we are moved by human passion and count it as godly zeal.

It's so bad, even the things I depend on and put trust in are untrustworthy.

Sadly, we will fall away from God if we set our value on any worldly thing. Let nothing be great, nothing high, nothing pleasing, nothing acceptable to us except for God himself or his works. Consider any comfort absolutely useless if it comes from a created thing.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...There have been many times when I have (dare I say we have?) thought that we could finally be happy, content, and secure if only we possessed this one thing more or just reached this one income level or experienced this one relationship or event. But things, money, and experiences are not a dependable source of joy, security, or contentment...and you can depend on that.

Church? I Don't Need No Stinkin' Church

 

You've heard it before. You may have even said it yourself.

"I love Jesus, but I'm not religious."

"I follow Jesus but I can't stand church."

And I get it, I really do. If your concept of being religious is shouting "Praise the Lord!" about every bit of good fortune or every clever turn of phrase, I don't blame you for choosing to tone it down a bit.

If your experience of church is a group of people looking down their noses in judgment and self-righteousness at those they consider to be outsiders, no wonder you don't want anything to do with it.

But when I say religious, I'm thinking more along the lines of what James 1:27 says: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

And when I think of church, I think of what Acts 2:42 says: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. I think of what Galatians 6:2 says: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...sometimes a meme is just funny, but the following one rings out with Truth.

A Nation Divided, a Faith United

 

Depending on who you talk to, the United States of America is either on the verge of collapse and chaos or on the cusp of a new era of effectiveness and glory.

Depending on which political party has captured a person's allegiance, the United States of America is led by either a narcissistic megalomaniac or a genius visionary.

One thing is for sure, though.

The United States of America is NOT united.

But that's not what concerns me today. The issue that brings me to my computer with a heavy heart is that the conflict and division I've just described is not only affecting politics.

There are men and women...people who are doing their best to love Jesus...who have built figurative walls between each other because of what they think about government spending and executive orders.

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

James 3:9-10 CSB

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...Politicians whither and governments fade away. Entire nations rise and fall. But there is only one name known to mankind by which we must be saved. Only one who has promised and proven to be with us always...even to the end of the age. I pledge to keep the main thing the main thing. I will continue to lift up Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, as each soul's savior, and I look forward to seeing him draw everyone to himself.

Light vs Darkness: No Contest

 

First John 1:5-7

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

What I am about to say may seem controversial, but I am convinced of its truth:

There is no such thing as darkness.

What we think of as darkness is just an absence of light. For instance, we have these magical sticks where you can press a button or click a switch and a beam of light shoots out. They are called flashlights.

However...

There is no such thing as a flashdark.

And contrary to what some movie reviews may say, there is no classic contest between dark and light. You turn on a flashlight and the beam of light doesn't struggle to get out. It doesn't have to slowly and with much effort push back the darkness.

No.

When it comes to darkness. Whenever light shows up, light wins!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...That's the way it is with Yahweh, too. What did John say? "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin!" Let the light of God reach every remote corner of your soul and you can celebrate being purified from all sin!

Learning from Experience

 

If you're in the middle of a pickle or located in another fine mess and in need of some confident hope, you could do a lot worse than turning to the Psalms. Often, King David exudes confidence in Yahweh's loving care for him.

Case in point, Psalm 27:1-3 (CSB)...

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—

whom should I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

whom should I dread?

2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,

my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.

3 Though an army deploys against me,

my heart will not be afraid;

though a war breaks out against me,

I will still be confident.

Why is David so fearless?

The answer is right there in the middle two lines. David could review his personal history and recall times when God came through for him. Yahweh had helped him...indeed, saved him...in the past. There is no reason to suspect Yahweh will fail him in the future.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...Past protection leads to current confidence.

Sure As Hell

 

Once considered foul language but now, apparently, barely eliciting a PG rating, the phrase "sure as hell" strikes me as...well...odd.

The phrase is meant to express that the person is absolutely sure about something or is 100% convinced of something, but I mostly hear it being spoken by someone who I'm not convinced is all that sure there even IS a hell.

Now Jesus...he could use the phrase with integrity because he often talked with certainty about the existence of a realm where God is absent and weeping and gnashing of teeth is present. But I just can't imagine Jesus trying to convince his listeners of the surety of a future event by saying something like, "And it's as sure as hell that I'll be with you always."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...I'm pretty sure that some of you are at least a little uncomfortable, perhaps even offended, by this train of thought. And I can't say I really blame you. But I'm as sure as all get out that Jesus understands my warped curiosity and lack of filter and will continue refining me until the new Jerusalem arrives. My prayer is that you desire the same thing for yourself.

Why Do We Wander?

 

A former co-worker messaged me out of the blue:

Asking for myself  -  why do we sometimes wander from God? Why do we get caught up in the world? Just some deep thoughts this morning.

My response:

Deep in the realm of My Personal Take here, but I do think these thoughts are Scripturalesque-ish. We sometimes wander from God because we are bent toward sin. Our human nature is one that wants its own way. We are NOT basically nice people who sometimes "make mistakes". Without Jesus, we are dead set against the things and ways of God. And I do mean dead.

Now, when we accept Jesus' work on the cross, we are instantly forgiven and justified...just as if I'd never sinned. But the work of being sanctified, actually being made holy, is a longer process. We LEARN to walk in step with the Spirit, but there are many missteps along the way.

The ways of the world are right here in our face 24/7 and we ARE called to be in the world...just not to be OF the world. To live in the midst of something but not accept its wrong motives/desires/priorities is challenging.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...I am grateful for this opportunity to focus on the fundamentals of faith. It reminds me to be thankful for Yahweh's everlasting love and overwhelming grace.

Muhammad Ali Poem Packs a Punch

 

Yes, I know World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali was a Muslim, but that doesn't preclude his poem about truth from being worth considering. Put this in the same category as Paul quoting Greek philosophers in his sermon on Mars Hill.

The face of truth is open

The eyes of truth are bright

The lips of truth are ever closed

The head of truth is upright

The breast of truth stands forward

The gaze of truth is straight

Truth has neither fear nor doubt

Truth has patience to wait

The words of truth are touching

The voice of truth is deep

The law of truth is simple:

All you sow you reap

The soul of truth is flaming

The heart of truth is warm

The mind of truth is clear

And firm through rain and storm

Facts are but its shadows

Truth stands above all sin

Great be the battle of life

Truth in the end shall win

The image of truth is the cross

Wisdom's message is its rod

The sign of truth is Christ

The soul of truth is God

Life of truth is eternal

Immortal is its past

The power of truth will endure

Truth shall hold to the last

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...If I were given the task of editing this, I would change the third line to "The lips of truth are NEVER closed," but it still is a fitting personification. Almost as good as fixing our eyes on Jesus: the way, the truth, and the life.

James Taylor and My Identity Crisis

 

I recently had a kind of cultural identity crisis.

Because of a song snippet that came tumbling out of my mouth, I discovered a twenty-something co-worker of mine has no idea who James Taylor is. So I strolled over to a thirty-something co-worker and said, "Guess what. Twenty-something Gal doesn't know who James Taylor is."

To which, Mr. Thirty-something replied, "Who?"

So I clarified, "Twenty-something Gal...right there."

Only to be gobsmacked by hearing, "No...I mean who is James Taylor?"

"You know...'Fire and Rain,' 'You've Got a Friend,' 'How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You'?"

Nothing but blank stares.

When I told all this to Beloved, she pointed out that those songs are all around 50 years old and asked how many songs from the 20s did I know when I was in MY twenties?

So I did a little research and found out she was spot on.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

There is a pastoral application for this. When I'm talking to an individual with little to no church background, or addressing a group that could very well include such individuals, if I say something like "You know, it's like in the parable of the sheep and the goats," I could very well be met with blank stares.

Truth is...Never assume everyone knows what you know or has experienced what you have experienced.

Wondering About My Footprints

 

Mashing together the Japanese words for "I" and "footprint," John Koenig, in his book The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, has created a noun for the feeling that led me to travel 600 miles for a three-hour event.

I had been invited to kind of a youth group reunion for folks who had been high school students at my home church during the time our youth director was a woman called Page. (Historical Note: In our church in the mid-1970s, there's no way a person of the female persuasion would be called a youth minister.) One of our classmates had invited Page to their house for a Saturday afternoon and the plan was to surprise her with our presence and happy stories of our memories of her influence on our lives.

I decided not to go. Driving ten hours to Indiana and ten more back to Minnesota for a single event didn't sound like a lot of fun.

Then I attended the funeral of the former lead pastor of my church in Minnesota. Several people stood to talk about him in the most glowing of terms.

I thought..."Wouldn't it have been nice if Jim could have heard these nice things when he was still alive?"

And that's when I decided to make the trip to Indiana.

Here's the word that relates to all this:

watashiato (wah-tah-shee-ah-toh) n: curiosity about the impact you've had on the lives of the people you know, wondering which of your harmless actions or long-forgotten words might have altered the plot of their stories in ways you'll never get to see.

Truth is...Because I experience watashiato from time to time, I think there are plenty of pastors and former pastors who feel the same way and I wish I could arrange for each of them (and yes, even for me) the same kind of get-together that Page got to enjoy. At the very least, let me encourage us all to take the time to make sure the people we love and appreciate know how we feel about them.

Dear Jesus

 

Dear Jesus,

How do you put up with it all?

I mean...every day, thousands upon thousands of people make social media posts that pretend to understand what you've said and what your priorities were while living on the planet. And every day, thousands upon thousands of people attribute to YOUR heart whatever notion THEY are committed to.

Your name is used to express contempt for everything from human trafficking to getting cut off in traffic.

We swear to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and then pray for you to help us get even with those who disagree with us about how we voted in the last election.

I talk a good talk about starting my day with you in my heart and your word in my lap, but somehow, checking to see how many Likes my last post got takes precedence.

I honestly don't know how you put up with it.

I mean...with me.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is (P.S.)...If you didn't love us all so much, you wouldn't be so quick to show us grace and mercy. And all I can do is be grateful and pray for the power of the same Spirit that resurrected your dead body to stand me up, brush me off, and push me in the right direction again.

And again.

First Prayer of the Year

 

If I want this year to be one of spiritual health, I could do worse than to pray this prayer from Thomas à Kempis in The Imitation of Christ, as updated and edited by James N. Watkins:

Lord, you care more for me than I care for myself. When I don't cast all my care upon you, I do not stand firm and secure. So, do with me whatever you desire, for I know your purpose cannot be anything but good. I bless and trust you when you leave me in the dark. I bless and trust you when you bring me into the light. I bless and trust you when you comfort me. I bless and trust you when you cause me to be troubled.

Lord, I will willingly bear for you whatever it is you desire to come upon me. Without complaining, I will receive from your hand good and evil, sweet and bitter, joy and sadness. I will give you thanks for all things that happen to me. Keep me from all sin, and I will not fear death or hell. Only do not cast me away forever or erase me from the book of life. Then no troubles and trials which will come upon me will do me any harm.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...It wouldn't hurt me to pray this  -  not only at the start of the new year  -  but at the beginning of each day.