A Poem for the Day after the 2012 Presidential Election

The Nativity

By: G.K. Chesterton

 

“For unto us a child is born.” — Isaiah

 

The thatch of the roof was as golden,
Though dusty the straw was and old,
The wind was a peal as of trumpets,
Though barren and blowing and cold:
The mother’s hair was a glory,
Though loosened and torn,
For under the eaves in the gloaming –
A child was born.

 

O, if a man sought a sign in the inmost
That God shaketh broadest his best,
That things fairest are oldest and simplest,
In the first days created and blest:
Far flush all the tufts of the clover,
Thick mellows the corn,
A cloud shapes, a daisy is opened –
A child is born.

 

With raw mists of the earth-rise about them,
Risen red from the ribs of the earth,
Wild and huddled, the man and the woman,
Bent dumb o’er the earliest birth;
Ere the first roof was hammered above them.
The first skin was worn,
Before code, before creed, before conscience –
A child was born.

 

What know we of aeons behind us,
Dim dynasties lost long ago,
Huge empires like dreams unremembered,
Dread epics of glory and woe?
This we know, that with blight and with blessing,
With flower and with thorn,
Love was there, and his cry was among them –
“A child is born.”

 

And to us, though we pore and unravel
Black dogmas that crush us and mar,
Through parched lips pessimistic dare mutter
Hoarse fates of a frost-bitten star;
Though coarse strains and heredities soil it,
Bleak reasoners scorn,
To us too, as of old, to us also –
A child is born.

 

Though the darkness be noisy with systems,
Dark fancies that fret and disprove;
Still the plumes stir around us, above us,
The tings of the shadow of love.
Still the fountains of life are unbroken,
Their splendour unshorn;
The secret, the symbol, the promise –
A child is born.

 

Have a myriad children been quickened,
Have a myriad children grown old,
Grown gross and unloved and embittered,
Grown cunning and savage and cold?
God abides in a terrible patience,
Unangered, unworn,
And again for the child that was squandered –
A child is born.

 

In the time of dead things it is living,
In the moonless grey night is a gleam,
Still the babe that is quickened may conquer,
The life that is new may redeem.
Ho, princes and priests, have you heard it?
Grow pale through your scorn.
Huge dawns sleep before us, stern changes –
A child is born.

 

More than legions that toss and that trample,

More than choirs that bend Godward and sing,
Than the blast of the lips of the prophet,
Than the sword in the hands of the King,
More strong against Evil than judges
That smite and that scorn,
The greatest, the last, and the sternest –
A child is born.

 

And the rafters of toil still are gilded
With the dawn of the star of the heart,
And the Wise Men draw near in the twilight,
Who are weary of learning and art,
And the face of the tyrant is darkened,
His spirit is torn,
For a new King is throned of a nation –
A child is born.

 

And the mother still joys for the whispered
First stir of unspeakable things;
Still feels that high moment unfurling,
Red glories of Gabriel’s wings.
Still the babe of an hour is a master
Whom angels adorn,
Emmanuel, prophet, annointed –
A child is born.

 

To the rusty barred doors of the hungry,
To the struggle for life and the din,
Still, with brush of bright plumes and with knocking,
The Kingdom of God enters in.
To the daughters of patience that labour
That weep and are worn,
One moment of love and of laughter –
A child is born.

 

To the last dizzy circles of pleasure,
Of fashion and song-swimming nights,
Comes yet hope’s obscure crucifixion,
The birth fire that quickens and bites,
To the daughters of fame that are idle,
That smile and that scorn,
One moment of darkness and travail –
A child is born.

 

And till man and his riddle be answered,
While earth shall remain and desire,
While the flesh of a man is as grass is,
The soul of a man as a fire,
While the daybreak shall come with its banner,
The moon with its horn,
It shall rest with us that which is written –
“A child is born.”

 

And for him that shall dream that the martyr
Is banished, and love but a toy,
That life lives not through pain and surrender,
Living only through self and its joy,
Shall the Lord God erase from the body
The oath he has sworn?
Bend back to thy work, saying only –
“A child is born.”

 

And Thou that art still in the cradle,
The sun being crown for Thy brow,
Make answer, our flesh, make an answer.
Say whence art Thou come? Who art Thou?
Art Thou come back on earth for our teaching,
To train or to warn?
Hush! How may we know, knowing only –
A child is born?

Listen to this group, who played and recorded several stanzas of this on their Christmas album, very moving: L'Angelus (Lawn je loose) 

Meek Means?

 

“Blessed are the debonair for they shall inherit the earth.” When the French translated the third beatitude that is how they rendered, “Blessed are the meek.”

            “Debonair” in English means pleasant manners, courteous and gracious. Derived from Old French it means “of good disposition.” The understanding of “meek” remains vital to living out “meek.” What does it really mean? The dictionary defines meek as “humble, patient, or submissive” also as “overly patient; spiritless; tame.” That’s a bit on the wimpy side for my tastes.   

I much prefer many preachers’ definition of “meek” as “power under control.” Moses fits that description—a solid leader, a man who went before kings, a family man. Moses had his faults, but he was viewed as a “very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Jesus described himself as “meek,” and he lived a perfect life, so I don’t see the word meaning “spiritless” in any way.

For today’s Christian, one of the characteristics of a “meek” person means that they remain teachable. When instructed they readily listen to learn. The arrogant, when corrected, might reply with a flippant answer of “Whatever.” Besides not being courteous, that answer reveals an unwillingness to learn, whether it be performing a task or changing a behavior.

            My friend Jan Tickner prays for self-reliant people to “come to the end of themselves.” That prayer opens the door to a university of “higher” learning, where a person recognizes his or her own faults. The, that prayer becomes a launching pad to learn better living habits from others and from the Lord.

            Jesus defined “meek” when he said about himself, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He then said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle [meek] and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

            Jesus invites those who have tired of trying to make it on their own to team up with him, and he is never too proud to step alongside the most unworthy person on earth. He only needs an invitation.

            Imagine yourself in a harness alone and you’re struggling to pull all your burdens against the grade of a hill. Now imagine Jesus slipping the leather straps of the same harness over his shoulders and pulling with you. Shoulder to shoulder, Jesus and you, in sync. Together, you make progress, and you have an all wisdom and compassionate person pulling with you. Now that’s power under control.

The word “debonair” and Jesus seem not to belong in the same sentence. However, when we consider that the word defines the Teacher who will come alongside and help all of us come to the end of ourselves, then Jesus is debonair.

            Hunger for Humility (Week 44): "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (Revelation 3:20 NLT)

            Cathy Messecar welcomes comments at www.cathymessecar.com

“An expert is just a little spurt who is away from home.” I heard something similar from a speaker introduced as an expert in his field. This week, we consider the pitfalls of comparison in regards to humility.  

            Here’s Jeremy Taylor’s (1613-1667) rule fifteen for humble living in the dialect of his day, “Never compare thyself with others, unless it be to advance them and to depress thyself. To which purpose, we must be sure, in some sense or other, to think ourselves the worst in every company where we come; one is more learned that I am, another is more prudent, a third more charitable, or less proud.”

            I didn’t share the rest of Taylor’s original writing about that rule, but he further explores that each of us knows what tempts us most, and many lead to unwholesome thoughts. We could tell our bad thoughts to another person, but most of don’t want to admit our darkest thoughts, even to trusted friends. There is an escape from arrogant and evil thoughts – resistance training: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

            My parents taught me that verse early in life, and it’s been a cornerstone promise because I’ve experienced the good results of resisting evil. Taylor also reminds his readers to keep in mind that none of us behaves perfectly. Someone has said that it’s disheartening to climb the ladder of success and then to discover it was leaning against the wrong wall. Some of us have experienced that. Taylor brings up the subject of Paul’s first passion to capture and punish Christians, and then how God adjusted his ladder, leaned it against a different wall.

            Paul claimed to be chief of sinners, and Paul knew his inmost sins better than others did. He had persecuted and tracked down Christians and killed them. Paul affirmed, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I am the worst. Paul concluded by saying, “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

            Total forgiveness vanished Paul’s past sins. Wherever he preached he could express the patience of because Christ had pursued him. He could extend the same to others. Paul didn’t claim superiority.

            Taylor calls us to consider our inclinations that we are better than others are. I see this in everyday life with the most trivial things. One woman thinks she knows best how to peel potatoes. Another thinks she knows best how to discipline children. A man in the passenger seat thinks his driving habits better than the driver’s habits. We participate in silent thoughts of patting ourselves on the back, while thinking our companions don’t quite measure up to our standards. That’s a tough habit to break. However, humble living demands that we look for the good in others. If we’re comparing ourselves and we think we’re better, then we have put the habit of comparison first, not the other person.

            A large stone can cause a stumble or it can become a steppingstone. When in the presence of others, give them a step up. From the book, “Rees Howells Intercessor,” I appreciate what Howells said about forgetting self and embracing the discipline of the Holy Spirit, "I began to side with the Holy Spirit against myself, and looked on the stripping [of self] as a deliverance rather than a loss."

            It will take some adjusting, but it’s best to think of ourselves as “little spurts.”

            Hunger for Humility (Week 42): “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3)  

            Cathy Messecar welcomes comments here or at www.cathymessecar.com

Politcally Correct or God Corrected

Prayer may be the most humble act of dependence we’ll ever experience.

            I watched an independent three-year-old tie his shoelaces -- “all by myself.” I offered help but he refused. He knotted the two laces, over looped, under looped, twisted, and tucked. Satisfied with his work, the laces perched in two tangled masses on top of his shoes. I knew the strings wouldn’t do their job after five steps.  

            Unfortunately, the I-can-do-it myself spirit never completely goes away. At mid-age, we remain enamored with ourselves, thinking we can “handle” whatever comes our way. By our senior years, we don’t want to bother others, and we wish to take care of ourselves. We like our independence. I like mine, and I imagine you like yours.

            I’m oversimplifying what has happened in our nation, but I think dependence on self has caused most of our woes. When we think that we know better than Almighty God how to live our personal lives and govern a nation of peoples, we fall into the decline of idolatry. Self becomes god.

            More laws would not help. We know that morality cannot be legislated. Laws exist against driving while under influence of mind-numbing substances. However, the law on paper doesn’t keep those drivers off the roads and endangering the lives of others. Only personal convictions of the heart can do that.

            Our choices have caused a downward spiral. Personal worlds inflated with self as god turns to illegal drugs (prescription drugs, too) to numb their senses. One drug cartel in Mexico reaps one and half billion dollars because we are addicted to pleasing self. Thousands have died from drug overdoses, and thousands more have died in the drug wars as cartels maneuver to ship drugs into the United States. We have their blood on our hands because of our insatiable desire to escape our undone lives. Independence from God has a high price tag.

            While some in government seek the counsel of God, others tout blatant sins -- the opposite of Judeo and Christian values. It’s no secret that we allow the killing of unborn babies for the sake of convenience. The general media seeks to influence and “entertain” us with stories of sex outside of traditional marriage, of men marrying men and women marrying women, throwing humor into the mix so we’ll swallow the ungodliness.

            Those who cling to God and traditional values (that God put in place for the good and safety of humankind) experience the ridicule and labeling of “old fashioned” and “out of touch with the postmodern world.”

             The surmounting problems of not only our lives, our nation, and the world seem overwhelming. Questions come to mind: When did we become politically correct, instead of God corrected? What can I do? How can one person do anything to influence change for a better world, a better nation?

            The answer remains simple. We can depend upon God, exercising the privilege of prayer and voting. We can stop spouting political views, arguing, and forwarding nasty emails about candidates or our president. How many have equaled their prayers with the forwards of derogatory emails? This is what I’m praying these days: “Lord, I give up. I have no wisdom about this. Please place in office the one who will bring us back to you.”  

            We’re an old nation that has lost its bearings, and we need a Caretaker, someone besides our politicians. Join nearly 50,000, already praying Sept. 28 – Nov. 6 using Max Lucado’s prayer guide. It’s not politically slanted prayers. They admit dependence upon sovereign God. The acronym USA aids in remembering to pray three things: Unite us, Strengthen us, and Anoint and Appoint our next president.

            One verse always seems popular during election times, as a guide to a past straying nation, it hinged on the word “if.” Read it afresh today. The outcome of our nation depends on how you will comply with that word “if.” “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).  

            Hunger for Humility (week 41):“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

            Cathy Messecar welcomes comments at www.cathymessecar.com

The Priest and Leprosy in MId-1800s

The ten-square-mile Makanalua Peninsula juts into the Pacific below the world's highest sea cliffs. An internet site about the island says, “It's been blessed by nature's grandeur and cursed by humanity's ignorance and fear.” To this day, it remains home to forty elderly patients sent there many years ago because they contracted Hansen’s disease, the proper term for leprosy. At least one humble priest learned contentment there as he served those less fortunate.  

     This week, we look at rule number fourteen from Jeremy Taylor’s (1613-1667) nineteen ways to live humbly. He encouraged all to rejoice when others rise to higher positions or achievements:  “Be content that he should be employed, and thou laid by as unprofitable; his sentence approved, thine rejected; he be preferred, and thou fixed in a low employment.” Key words in this rule about humility are “be content.” The longer I live, the more I realize that life goes downhill and uphill again. This pattern repeats throughout life, challenging us to remain contented even if others receive seemingly better assignments from God or man.

     If we can focus on helping others instead of our misfortunes, it’s easier to be content. I recommend renting or buying the movie “Molokai: the Story of Father Damien” (available on Amazon) or reading the book.  

     In 1865, leprosy plagued those living in Honolulu, and officials shipped the ill to the desolate Makanalua Peninsula. There, they dwelt in makeshift shelters and caves, living with the bare necessities of life. Seven years later, Father Damien volunteered to go and help knowing that he might contract the disease. Instructed not to touch the diseased, he purposefully touched them as he fed and cared for them.

     For fifteen years, he labored almost single handedly to alleviate suffering. He pled for supplies and extra help, but few had the heart to face the constant sorrows and weary work. King Kamehameha V brought into law the “Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy.” About 8,000, between the years of 1865 and 1969, went to live as exiles on Molokai. Today, about forty aging people, who have the disease (no longer contagious, but some disfigured), have chosen to remain on the island, although they are isolated from most of the world.

     Hansen’s disease is the most misunderstood disease in the world. Myths and ignorance about the disease were rampant in the mid-to-late 1800s when Father Damien volunteered to help. Today, medical science knows that about 95 per cent of the population cannot contract the disease. With proper diagnosis and treatment, it is no longer debilitating. The diseased person remains noninfectious after only a couple of doses of medicine and may remain with family even though treatments last for several years.

     The United States documented only 213 new cases in 2009. The social stigma still exists in most of the world and may be more difficult to deal with than the physical illness.  

     What if the clock turned back to the year of 1876, and a call for volunteers went out to serve the colony of ill. If we had no physical obstacles, would we have the inclination to serve others, supposing that we could contract the disease?

            Jesus gave an upside-down message to those who sought greatness in God’s kingdom. They were to serve. He taught his disciples that they were to approach any with this question on their minds, “How may I serve this person?” We can consistently seek the higher good of others, even though we live within a culture of self-indulgence. Be inspired by Father Damien’s story, who allowed others to ascend to hierarchy as he became lowly in spirit and content to dwell among the lonely and hurting.

     Hunger for Humility (week 40): “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26)

     Cathy Messecar welcomes comments at www.cathymessecar.com

Servant, the Better Assignment

The ten-square-mile Makanalua Peninsula juts into the Pacific below the world's highest sea cliffs. An internet site about the island says, “It's been blessed by nature's grandeur and cursed by humanity's ignorance and fear.” To this day, it remains home to forty elderly patients sent there many years ago because they contracted Hansen’s disease, the proper term for leprosy. At least one humble priest learned contentment there as he served those less fortunate.  

     This week, we look at rule number fourteen from Jeremy Taylor’s (1613-1667) nineteen ways to live humbly. He encouraged all to rejoice when others rise to higher positions or achievements:  “Be content that he should be employed, and thou laid by as unprofitable; his sentence approved, thine rejected; he be preferred, and thou fixed in a low employment.” Key words in this rule about humility are “be content.” The longer I live, the more I realize that life goes downhill and uphill again. This pattern repeats throughout life, challenging us to remain contented even if others receive seemingly better assignments from God or man.

     If we can focus on helping others instead of our misfortunes, it’s easier to be content. I recommend renting or buying the movie “Molokai: the Story of Father Damien” (available on Amazon) or reading the book.  

     In 1865, leprosy plagued those living in Honolulu, and officials shipped the ill to the desolate Makanalua Peninsula. There, they dwelt in makeshift shelters and caves, living with the bare necessities of life. Seven years later, Father Damien volunteered to go and help knowing that he might contract the disease. Instructed not to touch the diseased, he purposefully touched them as he fed and cared for them.

     For fifteen years, he labored almost single handedly to alleviate suffering. He pled for supplies and extra help, but few had the heart to face the constant sorrows and weary work. King Kamehameha V brought into law the “Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy.” About 8,000, between the years of 1865 and 1969, went to live as exiles on Molokai. Today, about forty aging people, who have the disease (no longer contagious, but some disfigured), have chosen to remain on the island, although they are isolated from most of the world.

     Hansen’s disease is the most misunderstood disease in the world. Myths and ignorance about the disease were rampant in the mid-to-late 1800s when Father Damien volunteered to help. Today, medical science knows that about 95 per cent of the population cannot contract the disease. With proper diagnosis and treatment, it is no longer debilitating. The diseased person remains noninfectious after only a couple of doses of medicine and may remain with family even though treatments last for several years.

     The United States documented only 213 new cases in 2009. The social stigma still exists in most of the world and may be more difficult to deal with than the physical illness.  

     What if the clock turned back to the year of 1876, and a call for volunteers went out to serve the colony of ill. If we had no physical obstacles, would we have the inclination to serve others, supposing that we could contract the disease?

            Jesus gave an upside-down message to those who sought greatness in God’s kingdom. They were to serve. He taught his disciples that they were to approach any with this question on their minds, “How may I serve this person?” We can consistently seek the higher good of others, even though we live within a culture of self-indulgence. Be inspired by Father Damien’s story, who allowed others to ascend to hierarchy as he became lowly in spirit and content to dwell among the lonely and hurting.

     Hunger for Humility (week 40): “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26)

     Cathy Messecar welcomes comments at www.cathymessecar.com

God Gaze or Scar Gaze

“Scar Gazing” was the title of a devotional I read in “Power for Today.” Immediately, I was intrigued with how the change of one letter in a common phrase sent me on a different learning path. In that devo, Steven Lemley, co-editor, focused on Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians where Paul gave an attitude update on himself, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14).

            Dreadful pasts, have poisonous drawing powers beyond our understandings. Why do we return in our minds to hurtful times and replay them again. I think that’s what Lemley had in mind when he dubbed such events as “scar-gazing.” After reading his thoughts, I recalled an Old Testament story, reflecting scar-gazing and moving forward.

            Several times in Israel’s history, they looked back and longed for their former miserable lives. Exodus 14, describes one such scene. God had led the Israelites away from Egypt and out of generational bondage, lasting for over 400 years. He purposefully had Moses cause the hundreds of thousands of people to encamp “between Migdol and the sea.”

            God knew that Pharaoh would think that the Israelites were wandering aimlessly in the desert, and Pharaoh, having his umpteenth change of heart, would order his army to pursue the newly freed slaves. Apparently, the former miracles performed in Egypt were not enough to convince the Egyptians of God’s sovereignty.

            When the Israelites camped beside the sea, fearful and cautious, they looked behind them. I don’t blame them. The past chases us down sometime. They saw all Pharaoh’s six hundred best chariots and all the other chariots bearing down on their encampment. “They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.” They also complained to their leader Moses as they did a bit of scar gazing: “Was it because there were not graves in Egypt that you brought us out into the desert to die? What have you done to us?” Did graves in Egypt suddenly look better than the unknown plans of traveling with God?

            They were “used ruthlessly” as slaves under harsh Egyptian taskmasters (1:14). For goodness sake, only a generation back the Egyptians threw the Israelites’ newborn sons into the Nile River like yesterday’s garbage! Atrocious annihilation! Hadn’t God proved his majestic capabilities? Even so, they chose to look back to their wounded past. Sometimes, what we’ve known seems better than an unknown future.

            Faithful Moses assured the people that God would not abandon them in this current crisis. He told them, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” He went on to say they would never see the Egyptians again. He added, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

            I love what the Lord God said to them after Moses’ instructions to stand firm and only be still. In seeming contradiction, God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me, tell the Israelites to move on.” God instructed Moses to stretch his staff over the sea, and all that “night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land.”

            The Israelites found themselves with no seeming escape. They couldn’t physically get to another place, but maybe God was asking more of them. Perhaps he was asking for a heart change, a different mindset. Maybe he was asking for faith-growth – upward to God, to move on in their minds. With God’s rescue from Egypt, evidently he had them in his radar. In addition, they had assurance that God could also move them from fearing and thinking about the Egyptians.  

            I wouldn’t have wanted to be a slave back then, even a rescued slave, but I admit to wishing I could have been present for that night’s unfolding events. The pillar of cloud that had previously led Israel moved and became a barrier between them and the Egyptians. To the enemies, the pillar appeared as blackest night blotting out all. On the other side of the pillar of cloud, fire illuminated the Israelite’s camp.

            Scar-gazing, too much and we drown in past mistakes and sorrows. Blessed is the humble follower, who chooses to God-gaze, imagining future possibilities within his amazing grace.

            Hunger for Humility (Week 39): “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)

            Cathy Messecar welcomes comments at www.cathymessecar.com

Mr. or Mrs. Friend

My best-known identity is that of friend.

     I am a wife to one, David. I am a daughter of two, my dad and mom. I am a mother to two, Russell and Sheryle. I am a sibling to three, a sister and two brothers. I am grandmother to five. However, I am a friend to many.

           If you are like me, your best-known identity is that of friend. As we do life, we have a limited number of relationships that come about because of the relatives God presents to us. As we know, blood kin can produce some of our closest friends.

           Throughout lifespans, we encounter others who become friends, rising to significant numbers. I imagine we all have yet to meet some friends we will dearly treasure. Turn a metaphorical corner in life, and boom, we meet different people, and encounter probable new friends.

           Enemies don’t form friendships, or people with opposite opinions don’t think alike, so they prefer not to spend time with each other. Friendships occur among those who have something in common. A number of avenues bring us to friendships: church, politics, sports, hobbies, support groups, medical problems, kinship ties, careers, armed services, schools, social clubs, service organizations, neighborhoods, or providential meetings.

           Sometimes it takes very little in common to make a friendly alliance. Sydney Smith said, “Madam, I have been looking for a person who disliked gravy all my life; let us swear eternal friendship.”

           I’ve found that friendships, which have grown from mutual agape love, have helped to keep me sane through some of life’s darkest moments. Friendships enrich our lives. The characteristics of healthy friendships are many, here are just a few: humor, reliability, accountability, sharing, kindness, listening, and respect.

           At a conference this week, I watched a short video about poverty, where the narrator asked people what they thought poverty meant. They answered lack of food, lack of money, lack of shelter, and transportation.

           Then he asked another question to those same middle class citizens, if you lost all today and had absolutely no resources, how long would it take you to find food, shelter, and employment? Most answered that they could find food in a couple of hours, shelter within 24 hours, and work within a week’s time. Why? They said they could depend on friends to help them.

           I got it. I understood that for the desperate who have nothing a friend is the most valuable thing in life. In addition, for those who have everything – same answer. Friends are our most valuable asset in any economic situation.

           Some friends come into our lives and stay until we draw our last breath. Others are not so permanent. We can think of friends who only had relationship with us for a while. For many reasons, they were short term. Perhaps they came into our lives for a reason, for us to help them or them to help us. Other friends are seasonal friends, such as my dear friend Bev Grayson. I knew her only six years before she left this earth.  

           A fragrant, sugar crusted loaf of friendship bread doesn’t last long in my household, but friendships fueled by the ingredients of heaven endure and have an eternal shelf life. Friendships remain an integral part of our lives because Triune God lives in community and created beings capable of community with him and each other.

           Many scriptures give guidance for friendships, a component of friendships is humility, because it takes a humble person to learn from another and to allow a friend to help.

           This week, when you gather with friends, leave them better than you found them, because “As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

           Hunger for Humility: “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the
man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:10)

          

          

 

Quit Quaking

     "It has been said that somewhere in the Psalms can be found a reflection of virtually every religious experience known to man, and the person familiar with the Psalter can find balm for every wound." Anthony Ash quoted that, however he admits that this statement may not be strictly true, but it does reflect the high regard for the Psalms from those who have experienced camaraderie and good-fellowship with the authors.

     Within Psalms, we find a blending of theology, worship, and daily living. One of my favorite psalms is 46 and begins with these words, "God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble." This psalm covers three troubling areas: natural disasters, political upheaval, and battle fatigue. During any of these events, we may lose sight that God remains aware of circumstances and remains in control, never to dethroned.

     The third stanza portrays war and battle fatigue, and God gives directions near the end. He says to the weary, "Be still, and know that I am God." That seems a daunting request when worry assaults as fast as a Ninja. However, for those who accept the challenge and stop worry, they find solace and anchorage for their souls because God keeps his promises.

     Through media, we’re bombarded with disturbing news, in our backyards and abroad. Shellshock has taken on a new definition. In our day, we experience virtual shellshock.

     Who doesn’t need a break from warfare? My heart breaks for the citizens of countries who actually live the headlines, news stories of rebellion, street attacks, and revolution. If you need a refreshing break from worldwide chaos or hometown commotion, take a deep drink from the Psalms this week. You can choose from 150 psalms.

     In 1529, the 46^th psalm inspired Martin Luther to write the words and music to a well-known hymn. You may recognize the first phrase "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing." The same psalm that inspired Luther still instructs today’s believers.

     "Be still, and know I am God," isn't a take-it-or-leave-it instruction. It's a gentle invitation to bring about blessings through participation. This week, we could pray that phrase for the troops from our community, military personnel worldwide, President Obama, this country, and our enemies.

     Lean on the strong shoulders of the psalms for comfort, resolve to be still, and depend upon God to perform his promises. Join me in an act of humility as we admit our smallness in prayer, “You, O God, are eons beyond our imaginations. We trust your unfolding destiny for this earth and for us.”

     Hunger for Humility (Week 37): “In my alarm, I said, ‘I’m cut off from your sight!’ Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.” (Psalm 31:22)

    

Speak Volumes in Words or Silence

Words or silence – both speak volumes.

            Joy ignites smiles when clever persons respond with humorous replies. We need good clean fun, and dry-witted people often provide that. In addition, pleasures arrive when a person responds with the right answer at the right moment. Several stories about word usage come to mind from a favorite book of mine, “Viva la Repartee,” a collection of “clever comebacks and witty retorts from history’s great wits and wordsmiths.”

            Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth president, was a man of few words, earning the nickname, “Silent Cal.” After returning home from church one Sunday morning, the First Lady, Grace, asked, “What did the preacher speak about today?”

            Coolidge replied, “Sin.”

            Disturbed by his lack of detail, she wanted to hear more news of the sermon she’d missed, “Well, what did he say about it?”

            Apparently enjoying the moment, Coolidge replied, “He was against it.”

            In the 1900s, Joseph Choate and his wife lived in England while her husband served as ambassador. While at a London party, the host suggested they play a game. She asked partygoers to name the person they’d most like to be if they were not themselves. When Choate’s turn came, he stood and glanced toward his wife before providing his diplomatic answer: “If I could not be myself, I would like to be – Mrs. Choate’s second husband.”

            As refreshing as clever words are, silence can prove stronger than words. When an intellectual discussion goes over my head, I dive out of the conversation and swim into the shallows of silence. There, I can seem contemplative instead proving my ignorance by speaking. “Blessed are they who have nothing to say, and who cannot be persuaded to say it,” said James Russell Lowell.

            In this year of studying, reading, and searching out humility, I’ve concluded that silence becomes trademark of a humble person. However, silence can be the wrong response whenever we see evil and our integrity demands a rebuttal. At those times, we must gather the courage to respond, but for this day, we address the good nature of silence.  

            Consider these effective ways to practice silence: Within a small gathering of people, when someone has received praise, remain silent and allow them to bask in the rewards of their labors.

            How about swallowing pride and backing out of opinion based squabbles by saying, “You could be right,” and then remain silent and listen to the other person. However, don’t stew in silence: truly contemplate their stance on the issues.

            When you ask a trusted person for advice or to evaluate your job performance, become silent, listen intently, and consider all spoken observations. A simple thank you will suffice when they are through. Don’t let bitter thoughts invade. Pray to receive and accept any truths they relate.

            Mend arguments with apologies. However, after a sincere apology, allow the controversial issue to drop, even if the other person continues to lecture. Remain silent and practice humility. You don’t have to get in the last word. Silence can often be the most sincere answer.

            I am moved by the many times, Jesus told evil spirits and storms, “Be quiet.” He stopped their rackets and trumped evil by calling for silence. I am moved when I remember how his disciples “kept quiet” when Jesus asked what they had been arguing about. They kept silent because they were guilty of arguing about “who was the greatest.” In poignant reply, Jesus sat down, called the disciples to join him, instructing, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35).  

            Silence deserves a larger stage. Try lifting the curtains on it among your family and friends. When you stop a volley of words, they might want a curtain call.

            Hunger for Humility (36): “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15).

            Cathy Messecar welcomes comments at www.cathymessecar.com

 

What to do?

            I hear myself saying this sentence more as I age, “I have no wisdom about that.” When our family encounters a problem that has no probable solution, or two good choices come along in life, I refer to my go-to mantra: “I have no wisdom about that.” Read what Old Testament King Jehoshaphat did when faced with an advancing army, people to protect, and he had no apparent knowledge of what to do.

            The account of his kingship, in 2 Chronicles chapters 17-21, shows the king’s prayer-response to an advancing enemy against Judah. A report brought to King Jehoshaphat announced a “vast army is coming against you from Edom” (20:2).

            When the message arrived, the enemy was still at least 25 miles away. The news of impending attack spread from farmer to farmer from merchant to merchant, household to household. The citizens surrounding Jerusalem rushed into the city to “seek help from the Lord.” The urgency caused men to bring their unprotected families with them.  

            Alarmed by the news of enemies on their tunic tails, Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast for all of Judah, and afterwards he faced the temple and prayed. During his talk with God, the king reminded God of his promises. God had previously assured his people that when they sought an audience with him he would hear.  

            The final words in Jehoshaphat’s prayer express a common feeling of helplessness when our piddling wisdom and resources run out. The king admitted to God, and before his citizens, his lack of wisdom: “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.” He continued his plea, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (20:12). I’ve adopted the last sentence of Jehoshaphat’s prayer about personal issues, our country, and its people: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”

            Too often, we let the daunting troubles that our eyes see sway us toward fear. We forget that God is mightier than any problem or foe we will ever face in life. The last line of Jehoshaphat’s prayer acknowledges our smallness and lack of wisdom. His words also confess that God is God and man is man.

            What was God’s response to this humble leader who knew he didn’t have the answers or the power to protect his people: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” Then the Lord gave King Jehoshaphat an assignment, “[S]tand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you” (20:17). Read further in these chapters to find how conflict in the enemies’ ranks caused them to slay each other.

            Until the end of December, we’ll keep focusing on disciplining ourselves in humility. To help in our efforts, adopt Jehoshaphat’s verbal confession of faith and reliance. Almost daily, we see life stick out her foot to trip self or someone we know. We will have that “what-now?” look on our faces again. When that happens, remember God says, “Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). Make a habit of praying the short prayer of King Jehoshaphat. Pray it for self. Pray it for the nations of the world and for our country: “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

            Hunger for Humility (Week 35): “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)