Speaking In Love Revisited

We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love……Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. (Eph. 4:14-16 & 29)

Interesting!  No one choose to respond to my last blog on speaking in love.  I wonder if that is because it is an impossible endeavor?  Impossible to even venture into thinking about?  Because it is something that we find difficult to continually succeed in doing?

I mean even Jesus failed at it.  

I think of Jesus’ frustration with the disciples, especially Peter, at their continual misunderstanding about what Jesus was trying to teach them -- or tell them.  At one point he even calls Peter Satan. 

²³But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’(Matt. 16) 

Or  when he was walking along, in the temple, overturning tables and making angry accusations at the venders.

15 ….he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves;…“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?   But you have made it a den of robbers.’ 

Or when he denounces the scribes and Pharisees calling them snakes, brood of vipers!(Matt. 23:33) 

33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? (RSV) 

That same verse, in the NRSV, simple calls them “hypocrites.” Then tell them: ²⁴You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!

There is something very human about putting our mouths in gear,  speaking, before thinking.  It is almost like a knee-jerk reaction. 

I know, myself, that there are moments when I want to swallow my tongue right after saying something I immediately regretted.   And, I don’t think there is anyone alive who has not done that.

Not even Jesus.

So, perhaps, like in all things, there needs to be a balance.  Something that creates a space of grace; a place of understanding and compassion.  

Jesus demonstrated this place of grace, in John 21.  It is after his resurrection when he appears to his disciples on the beach after a long night of unsuccessful fishing:

 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

We can learn a tons of information from Jesus simple words of grace.

This was the kind of grace Paul wrote about the the Ephesians:

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

Jesus took his, most strong minded and stubborn follower, who challenged him throughout their time together, and brought all of his teachings down to one single point.  Telling Peter that no matter how much Peter resisted, denied, argued and generally spoke without full knowledge.  That only one thing mattered.  That one thing was Peter’s passion and faith and love in who and what Jesus was.

If you love me, then you will feed — care for, love and build up — my sheep.

This was the kind of grace Paul wrote about the the Ephesians:

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

What Does It Mean To Speak In Love?

This morning I am asking you to think about what the Apostle Paul might have meant when he wrote these words to the Ephesian: to speak “the truth in love” so that “your words may give grace to those who hear.”

I ask you to think about this because, in many ways, it is a request that sums up all of the lessons that Jesus came to teach us about living in peace and grace with each other.  

I am thinking that it might be helpful to me, and others, if I had other perspectives than my own. 

So I invite you to reflect on:  What would it look like or feel like, to you, to practice this simple request?  And how do you think it would change the dynamics of the environment in which you live?

Now remember, this is not just when everything is  nice and going well.  This would also be in tough time, or in very present conflict.  Conflict like family feuds, or with co-workers, or as we are all facing, political advertising for a coming election, or in social settings.

But as in all of my wondering, I appreciate it when folks keep the question on a personal level. That is, on how and what it would be for you to speak in love bring grace to those who hear your words. Not pointing fingers at the behavior of others.

We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love……Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. (Eph. 4:14-16 & 29)

Intuition or Spirit?

I received this question in my email yesterday morning:

“Do you think there’s a connection, a relationship, or commonality between notion of intuition and guidance from the spirit?”

My immediate thought was yes.  And after a little more thought I still will respond yes.

I’ll say that God’s Spirit is able to use any part of us to communicate. 

We hear/feel God's message in nature.  

And we are told in scripture that God speaks to us is dreams and visions.  That is written about thought out the Bible, Old and New Testament alike.

I am thinking that God’s voice, the Spirit, is not always verbal.  That is in words we can actually perceive.

We receive God’s messages in all of our senses, through a touch, an action, a sight.

God’s voice came to the Disciple’s in tongues of fire and a mighty wind on the day of Pentecost. (Act. 2)

He spoke to Elijah in sheer silence.  

Paul tells us this:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.(Rom. 8)

And again in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Paul tells us something quite amazing:

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

God's Spirit -- God's breathe -- reside inside of each of us.

So if thats true, and I believe it is, then there is no limit to how, when or where God’s Spirit can communicate with us.

I hope that helps.

Where Can We Find Peace And Calm?

I was talking with a friend yesterday about finding peace.  He is finding it difficult to find peace, these days, with all the past “sins” that he has placed on himself.  He was wondering how to find peace and calm.

It is not an uncommon wonder.  I would guess that we have all experienced that wish, to find peace, from time to time. 

After talking to my friend I read, the Old Testament reading for the day, from 1 Kings 19:

He (Elijah) got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’

He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ….Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus;…….(1Kings 19) 

And I began to wonder if this inability to feel the peace,  the peace that God offers, is our own inability to believe that God actually forgives us when we ask.  

In my years of doing First Communion retreats with grade school children; or with older confirmation kids,  we would talk about this issue of feeling forgiven.    Believing, not just knowing, that God forgives us even if we don’t feel worthy enough to be forgiven.

The little kids have no problem with feeling forgiven.  Their little minds are so clear.  Yes God forgives me.  Is the normal response.  If God says he forgive me then I am forgiven.  After all Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so, sort of thing.  

Little children are so open and willing to believe.  Their minds have not yet been cluttered with all the world’s expectations yet.

However, as they grow older and life becomes more complication.  And their  little blunders become more serious.  And they realize that they have affected others in bigger ways.  Forgiveness become a more unmanageable in their limited minds. 

You can tell a burdened person, until you are blue-in-the-face, that God is understanding and knows that they are sorry for what they have done.  And that God does forgives them.  But for them to actually believe it is a whole other ball of wax.  

Because,  we can’t forgive ourselves. It seems doubly impossible to believe that God can.

That is the great divide between the human mind and God.  We don’t give God credit for being bigger and wiser and more gracious then we are.  

That is where we are completely, absolutely, incorrect about God.  Because we are told more than once that God’s thoughts and ways are higher, and mightier, and wider, and much further away from the human mind’s capability to allow.  Could ever imagine.

‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’

How do we hear God? 

It is not in the turmoil of our mind — the mighty wind that blows.

It is not in the not in the broken areas of our being — the earthquakes.

It is not in the damaging activity that destroys completely — fire.

It is in the silencing of our own blaming and arguing.  When we stop, shut-up, and let God into our muddled brains.

It is only in the sound of sheer silence.

It is only when we finally allow our minds to quit.  Quit shouting over the wind, earthquakes, and fire.  Quit playing the victim, poor me, game.  When we quit beating ourselves up.   Only then can we begin to listen in the precious silence in which God’s voice comes to us.  

Then the peace of God is made possible.

Lady Wisdom Speaks

Rebooted June 8,2022

4 "To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. ... 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 

Lady Wisdom is wise beyond our knowing. She was at the beginning of creation.  She knows the workings of God inside and out.  And she offers us just a peek at the depth of her treasures.  

All she asks is that we take her words to heart. To believe that she knows what she is talking about.  That she can help us to live a rich and full life without all the trappings of the silver and gold we think we need.  

Actually, she offers us all that we could ever want or need.  All that is truly important, and extremely helpful, for our living in a world that offers the opposite advice.

She offers strength!

     She gives us insight!  

                And she delivers justice!

                       She promises pure wealth! 

The wealth of peace of mind and the joy provided by her presence.  

Her wisdom out weighs anything that this world has to offer. 

Wisdom is on the side of those who want to live according to God’s will. 

She is here to walk with each one of us though all the arrogance and prideful behavior that surrounds us daily as we move about on this earth.  

I don’t know about you, but it seems a whole lot easier to listen to Lady Wisdom than the bullies that roam our world.  The bullies in our personal lives and those we don’t know, but affect our environment. 

Listen to her invitation!

4 "To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. 6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right; 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 9 They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge. 10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. 12 I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I attain knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. 14 I have good advice and sound wisdom; I have insight, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 by me rulers rule, and nobles, all who govern rightly. 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries.(Proverbs 8:4-21)

Meet Lady Wisdom

I draw your attention to the words of Lady Wisdom.  

Lady Wisdom speaks to all who will listen.  She has many things to say to us about why she thinks it is important to know God.   

In the passage today she is establishing her part of the three persons of God:  

22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

There are some who want to suggest that Lady  Wisdom is Jesus.  But others — including myself — think that Lady Wisdom is the Holy Spirit.  The one that Jesus left us with to guide us into all truth.  

I think that she is the Holy Spirit, because it was the wind — ruah (Hebrew word for wind) — that swept over the face of the deep in the beginning.  When the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep….(Gen. 1)

It is common knowledge that the Spirit is God's breath. The Greek word for Spirit is pneuma.  Which means wind, breath, life.

Question!  Have you ever given any thought to the possibility that God is still creating in our world today?

Maybe not land or sea, flying birds, or crawling  creatures.  But rather new information, new understanding , new circumstances,  new attitudes?  

Personally, I believe that God's Spirit is quite active in all of those areas of our world today.  And most probably many other areas!

 1 Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out:….. 22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth— 26 when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world's first bits of soil. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race. (Prov. 8:1-4,22-31) 

Tomorrow we will hear more from Lady Wisdom.

Question On The Holy Spirit.

I wrote blogs in February — 13th,14th & 15th — talking about the Holy Spirit.  One of those blogs was titled: How Might the Holy Spirit Speak To Us?  But I never truly answered the question. For some reason I just repeated the Blog: Lady Wisdom Speaks. 

I think I would have answered that question --  How Might the Holy Spirit Speak To Us? -- by saying something like:  We are not told how the Spirit communicates with us.  At the same time we are told that the Spirit does guide and lead us. 

I personally believe that God’s Spirit comes into our thoughts at any given moment.  

I know there are times when I have been tapped on brain by a message or a word that, I will say, did not come from me.  It often happens during conversation with others.   

Sometime when I am working on a possible sermon. It often happened while driving in the car.  Driving is a great way to fine inspiration.  I have used many a fast-food napkins to write on during my driving time.  Is that safe?  Probably not!  But it has worked for me for many years.

So, having answered that unanswered question; let me continue with our readers thoughts:

1) “Seeking guidance allows the spirit to move through us out into the world.  To sit and pray that everything is in God’s hands feels to me to diminish that responsibility to think beyond myself.  

2) The spirit moves through all of us in different ways.  At this time of our lives, we are tiring and have less energy.  It has been time for you to pray and write, after your many years of helping as a pastor.  

3) The spirit is working differently in me I guess, and I’m trying to listen to what is next.  

4) Maybe you could think about how the spirit moves differently in each of us to work on the needs of our world today.  Or not.

 5) Curiosity is one of our greatest gifts.  (Maybe that’s a topic to think about).”

The Holy Spirit, to me, is the key to all of theology ( the study of God).  The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of the Creator God.  

For those of you who might not be familiar with the Hebrew meaning of Spirit, it is considered “wind.” The Greek is “Breath.”  

It is, in my understanding, the part of God that breathes life and knowledge into the human being. 

In the beginning of time it was the “wind” that blew over the face of the void.

1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, (Gen. 1)

We are also told of this Spirit In the Book of Proverb:

22 “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. 24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30 Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. (Prov. 8)

In the New Testament the Spirit is the gift that God leaves us with when he leave his physical body:

25 "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. (John 14)

Let me first address your thought on prayer verses responsibility.  In my way of thinking these two are not separate.  Instead they work together.  By being attentive in prayer the Holy Spirit becomes present to our conscience; and prompts us to be and do what is needed.  That is to do those things that match the gift that God has blessed us with ( that I wrote about a few days — or weeks ago).

I heard a sermon on this some years ago.  The point of the sermon was something like:  ‘We asked God to do for us, and make decisions for us, and be there for us.  But have you ever thought about the fact that God may be waiting for you to act — to do something?’

God expects us all to do.  To do our part to make the world a better place.  A better place according to God.  Not us!

As for your 2nd, 3rd & 4th points:  Yes, the Spirit’s movement is never, hardly ever, the same for any of us.  Because we are all like snowflakes — all different -- he Spirit honors our individual needs and purposes.  

You end with:  “Curiosity is one of our greatest gifts.  (Maybe that’s a topic to think about).”

Of all the reason that people search out God, curiosity is probably the number one ingredient that prompts us to search and wonder. 

The old-saying: “Curiosity killed cat!”   Is a misnomer!   I think it was part of what my mother, and your mother, would call “the pinko plot.”  It was away to get children not to be too nosy or precocious.

I now see it as away to control behavior that could create problems.  Problems mostly for the parent or the teacher.  Not the child.

In my humble opinion God love a curious mind.  

But, what do I know really?