August Attire

The month of August these days ushers in thoughts of school and academic requirements, professional sports and the appropriate attire to match team allegiance, hot weather and working air conditioning. Recently at the church where preach, as we discussed 1 Timothy chapter 2, we considered what Christians should do and what we should wear as we seek to live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. The first consideration was to pray, to worship, with “holy hands,” backing up our claims about Jesus and our efforts on his behalf with a lifestyle and attitude that demonstrate dedication to him. Pray, the apostle wrote, without arguing and disputing. The second consideration was to attire oneself with “good works,” not because they save you, but because God has prepared good works for Christians to do (Ephesians 2:10). Be known for dressing modestly in this way, rather than wearing jewelry, expensive clothes, or wearing braided hair. Strangely, we tend not to describe jewelry and expensive clothes as being immodest. We are more likely to describe them as “church clothes.” What Paul is pointing out in 1 Timothy is that wearing of clothing for attracting attention, whether attracting sexual attention or identifying with idolatrous or immoral causes, distracts us and others from serving Christ and one another. Christian women (and men, too) should be known for what they do for Christ more than for what they wear (or don’t). The Bible doesn’t provide us a detailed dress code by providing approved hem lengths for women or grooming procedures for men. The way we dress does send a message, and we can send messages that confuse others about what we believe by what we wear, but the Bible focuses more on our attitudes and our actions as we serve Jesus. So, as you engage in your August activities, how will people know that you follow Christ? Do your activities communicate that you are dresses in appropriate Christian August attire?

Taking Time to See the Greatness of God

God’s spectacular creation has overwhelmed me at times. The total darkness of an overcast night in the Mojave desert far from any light, the snow-capped mountains that surround Kabul, Afghanistan, the crystal blue of the Adriatic sea, and the myriads of stars visible in the sky above Arizona’s Sonora desert have all awakened in me a sense of awe. On the other hand, hiking trails in Arizona and Tennessee mountains or running on German forest trails confronted me with vibrant green foliage punctuated by brightly blooming flowers. A deer pausing as it attempted to avoid my notice or a squirrel scurrying up a tree reinforced my wonder at God’s creative power. I understand, however, all too well the point that some rabbis suggested when they said that God had trouble getting Moses’ attention because he was too focused on the sheep. I wonder how many of us have the same focus on everyday responsibilities that distract us from a burning bush equivalent, a sight or experience that would envelop us in awareness of God’s otherness and nearness if they would only pause to notice. I have been distracted in that way. Besides my running, my reading has also reminded me that God’s glory surrounds me. One story that has helped me to regain my bearings is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Each year I search for a new film version of it in hope of a fresh reminder of proper priorities. Occasionally, I encounter people who I expect to appreciate God’s wonder because of their experiences, but who seem to have a spiritual twin of tone deafness. It takes me aback, and usually jolts free a memory of my own obtuseness in the presence of wonder. I have had trouble lifting my eyes to see the beauty around me after several jarring events in my life. I’m thankful for the times I have opened my eyes to behold the wonder. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Pause and marvel at the wonders God has created.

Reflects on the Boston Marathon Explosions

In less than a minute, hundreds of runners and many more family members or friends had the reaching of a lifetime goal transformed into a memory of horror in Boston. Having run in a marathon, having trained two weeks in a trauma center, and having counseled and helped identify the dead in the aftermath of two helicopter crashes, I have some sense of the physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil many must be experiencing now. I also pray for them and for members of the Massachusetts National Guard, some of who were on the scene. I served alongside Massachusetts Guardsmen in Afghanistan; they will do well, as they did yesterday, running to rescue and assist those injured by the explosions. We don't know yet who executed this horrific act, but many have rushed to assert their speculations. Some, I think rather strangely, have expressed their opinion that the government is considering them as suspects. In time, evidence will emerge and hopefully perpetrator(s) identified. However, even then, regardless of how concrete the evidence, some will cling to their pet theory, their favorite specter of evil. Why do some people seem to relish conflict, to enjoy speaking evil of others, to deny truth when it does not match their imaginations? Why do others (and there may be some overlap in the two subsets) love to harm others, rejoice in the death of innocent bystanders, and clamor for recognition as murderers even when they did not perform the act? One truth I know: this is not a new phenomenon. When a tower fell and killed others in the time of Jesus, some assert that the dead surely had sinned against God. Jesus rebutted their claim (see Luke 13:1-3). Most people who experienced the explosions in Boston or were affected directly by them will bear emotional and perhaps also physical scars for a long time. Some of them, like a father whose eight year old son died¸ whose wife and daughter were severely injured will grieve and second-guess themselves about their presence there that day. Sights, smells, and sounds will linger and haunt. Many will recover as they help one another, as they search for meaning in life, as they learn to love again and to forgive. Still, some people will gloat. They will celebrate horror, death, and amputations of people they never met. Others, much like them, will grieve if the actual murderer is not from the group they suspected. How may we help? Pray. Love. Forgive (It will help us heal.). Serve. Search for true answers. Be patient with others while doing our best. Whether the explosions were set by a foreign or domestic terrorist, a deranged individual who didn't understand what they were doing, or a prankster (Let us pray it was not the last.), horrible evil has happened. We must not allow the evil to envelop our own souls. As we seek justice, we ourselves must avoid hurting the innocent and slandering the investigator. We do not have to become terrorists to overcome terrorism. We must however act, not cower, as we go forward. Comfort the suffering. Honor the dead. Live with courage and integrity. Be agents of good in a context clouded by evil.