I used to spent a long time pondering why Jesus used such simple parables and metaphors in sharing the blueprint for building the Kingdom of God. It all seems so basic and simple, yet we are still so far from the goal. This is how I explain why: if we can’t begin to see God in the smallest scenarios of our own lives, and apply those simple truths to everyday experiences, then there is no possible way for us to begin to apply them on a grander scale, or to use his parables, like planting a seed in shallow ground, or those who pray for just show. Jesus’ stories eliminate every excuse we can manufacture for why we don’t live God’s dream for us everyday. So, while I do try to learn from those simple parables, I try not to focus on my failures but become inspired in even the simplest of tasks I can do that work for change and growth. Who knows what the result will be far down the line, but it is encouraging to know that every small effort is part of something infinitely larger, that even in my small way I help create the stuff that dreams are made of. I may not live long enough to see the fruits of my labor, but I am thankful that my effort, whatever comes of it down the line, can be like the mustard seed that Jesus spoke of, so small, but when planted deep into good soil, and nurtured will become something much bigger and greater.
Month: March 2014
Pugnacious Pernicious Putin
Seriously, what sane person who has ever seen a teenage movie, can’t recognize this plot and character archetype: the tough guy who bullies others, lets fear reign and because of his deep seeded secret insecurities finds a way to blame some other guy he is secretly threatened by and plots to turn the school against said guy only to be exposed in the end by the girl he loves because she discovers that the scape-goat is really a hero after all, and proceeds to dumps the bully who ends up in a corner sucking his thumb. To me, that is Putin…and to all those Americans who have fallen under the spell of the rhetoric that plays him up as a strong leader….go watch a John Hughes movie so you can see how this sad story ends…and yes, while I am being hyperbolic, there is some major truth to the reference
Leadership is not measured by testosterone and how high you hike up your pants. It is not about taking what you want and making up the reasons afterwards to justify how you took it. I’ve been to the Ukraine, twice. Once while it was still the USSR, and once afterwards. They were and are, proud to be Ukrainian, not Russians. I spent time in Crimea, on the Black Sea, it’s a vacation spot…a place that was rich in tourists, money and access. I could say more on that, but will reserve it for another time…because this is more about Putin reeling in resources that he thought he had in the bag with the relationship he had with the former president Yanukovych, and when the people rebelled, he had to make up another reason to get what we wanted all along.
Here’s the thing…we in the United States judge what goes on abroad from our own bias. Those who lived under the control of the former Soviet Union would never want to go back there. While it may sound like an outrageous statement from one who spent a total of less than two months there, I was surprisingly aware of how much the people loved the west and the idea of self-realization, from celebrating the religion they wanted to, to being able to speak freely without the threat of big brother putting them in jail, which I was witness to. Life under the former regime wasn’t good for anybody except those who held power…like Putin did, and I don’t believe it was a result of his exceptional abs or inherent leadership qualities, Justin Bieber beats him by a hair on that scale.
So, when I hear language that calls out the weakness of our leadership in America and cajoling them to act with as much foolishness as Putin, I remind you of what happened in those movies…things are not always what they appear to be, bullies never prosper, the truth always wins and the good guy gets the girl in the end. One more thing…to infer that Obama’s “mom pants” are a sign that he is weak? Well, I have to say…I’m a mom, and anyone who would attempt to take my family (which is what Ukraine is) without my permission? I would seriously cut you. Next time pick a better metaphor.
Finding Fun
Yes, its been awhile….but I was taught that if you can’t say something nice, or at least of substance, don’t say anything at all. I think this ungodly winter just did me in. So I tried to find fun in cooking new things, reading good books and writing a play I’ve started. And while those things certainly are proactive ways to hold on to the little sanity I have left, they really weren’t that noteworthy. Last night, though, I was lucky enough to delve back into the fun kind of art that we used to do as kids, (except with wine). There is this place where you can go with a group of friends and drink wine and paint a replica of a famous painting. What blast! I have not picked up a paint brush since high school, and while I am still without talent, I do remember how much fun it was mixing colors and splashing them on a canvas. It was pure fun and I highly recommend it to everyone! I have never promoted anything here, but this is worth it, the name of the company is Cheers Pablo, if you simply want to unleash your inner child and experience laughter and pure joy, Google it. The first painting is the original, the next is me hiding behind mine…
Mastering Ordinary Love
The song “Ordinary Love” by U2 sparked a notion in me that substantiates a belief that I’ve had for a long time. Here is the link:
These particular words strike a chord:
“We cannot fall any further if we can’t feel ordinary love, and we cannot reach any higher if we cannot deal with ordinary love”
It seems all too often, that many Christians bypass mastering the skills of ordinary love to claim expertise in the extraordinary love of God… in reality, if we can’t master the basics, if we bypass the difficult process of learning to love as Jesus taught us, the simple everyday expression of patience, kindness, slowness to anger and judgement, walking in another’s shoes etc., we can NEVER comprehend the extraordinary love of God, and love as God does. In a sense, it is like bypassing all that comes before any high achievement and claiming entitlement to the prize anyway.
Let me be clear, mastering ordinary love is different from sharing in the grace bestowed on us by Christ’s great sacrifice. That gift isn’t earned, it is free to all, but mastering love only comes with often painstaking practice and experience. Grace is the conduit to an endless source, which only is as powerful as our ability to master ordinary love and infuse it into the world. That is what Jesus meant when he said: “they will know you are my disciples by how you love one another.” It doesn’t have to be complicated…it’s all laid out in the Gospels. It is putting it to work every single day, as strenuously as we would an exercise program, with no shortcuts, that creates a Master.