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

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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.