Christian - in a nutshell

 

The legalist experts of the Old Testament tried to trick Rabbi Jesus into saying the wrong answer when they asked him to name The Greatest Commandment given by God to shape the lives of people. He answered that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart and mind; and, to love your neighbor as yourself [not neighbor above oneself; nor self over the neighbor, instead both equally important]. By fulfilling the second part of his answer, in effect we are pleasing God; God is implicitly being honored and praised by fulfilling the "neighbor" commandment. Among many powerful illustrations of caring for one another there is the Good Samaritan story. An image search for free clipart turns up many iterations, including the ones here.

Baked into the commandment is the question, "who is MY neighbor"? And with the images shown here we have the answer: EVERYONE is your neighbor (etymology is 'neigh' or near + bur or fellow resident). Viewed in tandem with the Bible's assertation that the God of Abraham is not exclusively for the Jewish people, but instead is for all nations, the Good Samaritan story presents somebody passing by the person in distress, and in spite of their ethnic and religious differences, still this person takes care of the one that is hurt.

 

The ordained minister and later children's TV host, Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, put the matter of "who is your neighbor" [how far does one's response and responsibility extend to others] in the form of an invitation, " Won't You Be My Neighbor"? (in other words, we can be friends, not strangers, right?). So when there is doubt about who one's neighbor is, it can best be formed into an invitation: Won't you be my neighbor? Some may reject the invitation, but others may accept the invitation.

 

Thinking back to the Greatest Commandment and also to the most basic expression of what Christian is: in effect it is the Good Samaritan parable. Notice other people and give them your respect [literally, RE + SPECTATE, or "see again" and "take a second look"]. When there is need or distress, offer comfort.

In contrast to this "nutshell" illustration for living a life of Christ-the-servant, a city church moving into the premises of a dwindling church organization made great efforts to personally invite neighbors along many of the surrounding streets, going door to door and a month later following with a colorful 6" x 9" postal card announcement of services and invitation. At the same time a prominent section was marked, THE BIBLE WAY TO HEAVEN. The subheadings were each supported with a few sentences. (1) Recognize your conditions, (2) Realize the penalty for sin, (3) Believe Christ dies for you, (4) Trust Christ alone as your savior. Sadly, though, the parable of the Good Samaritan is nowhere to be seen.

New model church in 2022 - putting new wine into a new wineskin

Thinking of the Bible scene where the Satan tempts Rabbi Jesus by offering The World to him, I am thinking of the observation by others who say that the Devil is not likely to wear horns, tail, and pitchfork. Instead, the Evil One may take the form of this screenshot featuring the compact Internet device in many pockets and handbags. Smartphones promise a world of information, remote control of money and products or services, and eternal memory. It is able to give an answer to any question - validity to be determined, though. In many ways the smartphone deceives, distracts, and steals time and attention little by little, leaving individuals and organizations poorer as a result. By itself it is an inanimate object, but in the hands of experienced and inexperienced users it can cause great harm by immediate impact, by indirect effect, by intentional deception, by self-deception (confirmation bias; echo chamber). All this risk and harm comes with wondrous abilities, too.

What does this have to do with church life in USA since 2005 or 2010? Around that time adults and many children began to do more and more functions of daily life online. Eye-candy of color, sound, and motion tempt the user's attention. Outrage loops and algorithms tracking one's patterns of responding stirs emotions by proxy. And a mix of blind faith (not entirely confident how the apps work, what they extract from one's life) and unnatural self-confidence (because it says so online; am I right or am I right) contributes to greater and greater dependence on the device, each year or two building an appetite for a faster, stronger, more useful (and expensive) model. The net result of all this personalized bubble and imaginary independence is that churches grow smaller as young people occupy themselves in other (virtual) places and older people complete their lifecycle to join the heavenly host.

Everyday many mainline, once well-funded and endowed institutional bodies of believers shrink and fall off the vine, leaving remaining worshipers with a choice between seeking another group to worship with, dabbling with online or TV or radio preaching and teaching, or by doing nothing that has been structured and is built upon tradition. 

Since the society is changing, in great part because of Internet both mobile and based on PC at work or home, a new vision now is needed of church belonging, worshiping, maturing, and expressing God's love of friends and strangers as with oneself.  Churches before the Internet counted on a pyramid of financial and volunteer support: a wide base of light participation, an important middle core of moderate involvement, and a small number of big givers of time, talent, and treasure (money). Now in 2022 the total size of the pyramid is much smaller for many formerly well-established organizational "pillars of community" and "weavers of the social fabric." And the shape is maybe closer to a skinny rectangle with a smaller base of light participation, a proportionately bigger mid-section involved in much of the day-to-day functions of a body of believers, and a small layer of big contributors. With mainline Protestant church attendance dwindling, rather than to fade away, perhaps there is a way to redefine the shape of active church life, not measured by terms from earlier generations.

The society is less inclined to hear, to seek out, or to respond to "God is love" and "Jesus saves" than 30 years ago. And the flow of money into the coffers is less in total and competes with subscriptions, taxes, fees, and costs of food and shelter and transportation. Meanwhile 25% of USA households have children living in poverty on average, some places much less, other places much more. And gun violence and car crashes are the biggest threats to growing up. So with fewer people to attract, and less money from those present, but with never more urgent needs to address (poverty, illness, loneliness, lack of attention to what one says or feels, spiritual desert filled with mirages of distraction, lots of widows -single-parent families- and orphans, substance dependencies and anxieties, dangerous air and water), the question is how can CHURCH redefine itself as a new bottle for the new wine of Christ-followers eager to live their beliefs and touch the lives of others, even while praising God's abiding presence and direction. In other words: what could a new model for congregational life look like, tailor-made to fit these times of constant flux and transition seemingly unable to rest or stabilize?

In the church-planting times of St. Paul there were synagogues (after Temple destruction in 70 A.D. only synagogues) but many times the believers gathered ad hoc in a house or maybe outdoors. After 2000 years the idea of church turned into something really big, formal, hierarchical, institutional, and exulted. Paradoxically, it was exclusive (the gate is narrow; I am the Way) but also inclusive (intended for everybody). A majority of citizens registered with one church or another. When they moved, they requested a letter of transfer to verify their good standing. Post-war in the 20^th century the abundant food and fellowship events were a balm for PTSD after many years of killing and brutality. Now those basic elements of the nostalgic church are weakened, reduced, or gone altogether. Rather than to lament the loss of previous traditions, and to strive valiantly to make things great again, it is far better to seize the moment of change as an opportunity to reformulate the dedicated, committed body of believers in all demographic points in life to carry on the most important functions of church life, while not aspiring anymore to recreate old structures and effects.

In the good old days, the annual cycle of church holidays, functions, committees and boards, fellowship and flower dedications, program of music, Sunday school events, and so on would involve each congregant in different ways and during different phases of life. The doors were open to all to join in, whether pursuing a membership class or not. However, seldom would a stranger venture a visit without a preexisting social link to people already present in the pews - relatives, neighbors, workmates, and friends might take an interest or respond to an invitation to worship or attend an event. In 2022 there now are far fewer worshipers, but still some of the core functions can proceed in new ways: Preaching and teaching can take hybrid form (both online and in-person; as a congregation and in small groups for Bible or book study). Praise and thanksgiving feels most satisfying in person, but some indirect joy comes at a distance online. too. Engaging in outreach beyond the walls of the church is more complicated when people's routines are scheduled by consulting online events and notifications and last-minute invitations. Instead of groups of people to engage with, today the communities are virtual and fragmented across many places. But since the modern-day sorrows are so many and so entrenched, problems not solved by throwing money but by giving attention and care, then still now there is a need and opportunity to be God's hands and feet, ears and eyes. Life events and rituals still occupy an important place, so that can continue into the future, too.

In summary, what exactly is different between the new model(s) church and the old model of "boards and committees" and pledge-drives with fund-raisers? Worshipers today are fewer but now are more eager for personal growth and seek opportunities to try out their stronger spiritual muscles. The physical footprint (and carbon footprint) of the church infrastructure is smaller and more multi-purpose, much like nimble workplaces and flexible family life, too. Smaller, lighter-weight, faster to respond to opportunities and emergent needs, more alert to peer (collaborative or mentoring/mentee) churches, and with thoughtful online presence, too. These are some characteristics suited to 2022 different to 2000. Proactive in-reach (not hosting outreach events but directly, purposefully reaching in) sets apart the new model church in society, too. Each of the festering and persistent social problems listed, above, needs a different plan of in-reach, but surely there is a way for God seekers to be present as witnesses to listen and learn, to respond and contribute.

Concluding thoughts on a new model for being a Christian and belonging to a new model of church in our times: (1) resist the urge to grieve the old ways or to recreate those times in disregard for 2022 social needs and conditions, (2) revisit again and again this conceptual work of fitting the core Christian functions into a new body shape tailored to the new society [kaizen =continuous improvement, readjustment], and (3) rest in God's love, knowing that human effort is limited but God's effort is unlimited. Not many people live to see a moment offering fundamental reassessment and reformulation of what we call church life. This chance to work things out, not to merely survive, but to thrive, is something not to squander but to wrestle with like Jacob did in the night before the morning light came and God named him Israel ['wrestles with God']. Dreaming a new shape of "doing" church is something to do now.

Quirky USA interpretation of Christian traditions

Immigrant societies like USA, Republic of South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland depend on personal identity derived from achieved status (occupation, creative output, enterprise success). This contrasts with "the old country" where who you are is not confused with what you do. You are a member of a family lineage and location. Identity is BE not DO-based. When meeting a person in the context of an immigrant society, one of the first questions is "what do you do," not "who are you."

Social scientists have explored some of these curious characteristics. but there are ramifications for Christianity, too, since the central idea is relationships. God is love and serving others is based on knowing them personally, not anonymously. For immigrant societies where a culture of (tangible, visible, external) achievement (including 'virtue signaling') is so prominent, it is relatively easy to make friends. But those friendships often are shallower than counterparts in non-immigrant societies. Foreign visitors to USA, for example, or people who mingle with expatriate USA citizens often remark that these North Americans are "so friendly" but that friendships are easily discarded to make room for the next one. By extension, it would seem that the relationship-foundation for Christian love of one's neighbor and indeed of one's Creator is also quick to form, but easily discarded. 

The second observation about USA immigrant-composed social patterns is that ego seems more prominent; one is A Person before one is Belonging to a Group. Imagery of "rugged individuals" and "making one's own luck" and "pulling oneself up by the bootstraps" are examples of this praise for single-handed protagonists. On the one hand, when "I" is so inflated, at least some people will become self-aware of this and therefore take steps to establish habits of seeing and hearing that dwell on non-self or minimal ego. That is likely a small fraction of the popular culture, though. When movies and folklore are hero-centric, young people take this as normal and worth aspiring to become. To outsiders it might be comical to see people striving to be the biggest and best, as if respect or worth comes from peer accolades alone. With regard to implications for Christianity interpreted in USA, the idea of Jesus washing the feet of his apostles and underscoring humility is just one more "topsy-turvy," paradoxical illustrations of growing as a Christian.

Naturally the seemingly simple teaching of Christianity that God is Love, and that one's highest calling is to love one's neighbor as oneself has a slightly different accent in each society and language and historical moment; perhaps there are systematic different angles of view for men versus women, too. But sticking to the immigrant societies where identity is problematical (required to be expressed; not something born with) and built upon Ego and Achievement, and where friendships are temporarily formed with little friction, these few observations in this article suggest that the USA version of Christianity has several quirks. Among these peculiarities is the burden of Ego getting in the way of a Servant's Heart. Many selfless Christian brothers and sisters can be found in USA, too, of course, but as a national scale generalization this preoccupation with promoting oneself does stand out. Likewise the relationship heart of Christianity takes on a different form in USA where relationships are so readily made, but also readily abandoned.

The habit of noticing God at work in the world, present in all places

Huff Park wetland from observation deck (Grand Rapids, MI)

Habits may form with sustained effort or by accident. When it comes to looking for opportunities to act as God's hands or feet out in the world, far from the Sunday church pews, many people are unaccustomed to seeing their world that way, at least at first. In this first photo, it is not too hard to look across a large patch of natural habitat, especially when it wakes up from winter sleep as the days grow longer, and hear the many forms of life - in sights, sounds, smells, and textures. The multiplicity of Earthly creation is  a vivid expression of God. The life force sends sap up into the cold branches finally touched by the springtime sun. Birds pair up to build nests and lay eggs. Bees do bee things. Surely, the author of the universes (multiverses?) is present in all of this. But moving from nature preserve to places dominated by human manipulation, like the nearby residential streets, God's presence is not as directly and immediately obvious.

Westward view of newly sold church; elementary school beyond that

The bare trees line the city street with overhead utility wires singing in the gusty wind. An American flag flaps in front of the house at the right edge of the photo. Perhaps some residents attend church worship services nearby or due to Covid transition online, they continue on this Sunday turning their attention and intention to things of God by means of Internet. Other neighbors on this street may no longer affiliate with organized forms of religion or maybe never did. The slender steeple in the distance belongs to a church that dwindled during Covid restrictions and demographic aging out or retirement migration away. So a different body of believers of a different denomination decided to leave their existing location for this address in the north part of the city. Partly in view behind and beyond the church is the neighborhood elementary school. In all these places - street, homes, church, and school God is present, whether acknowledged, looked for, or overlooked by ignorance (or possibly denied from animus). Continuing on this tour of city life and looking out for God, the last picture shows a section of a busy road nearby that hosts a number of businesses, some franchises and others local creations.

Plainfield Avenue was an Indian road pre-colonization

Just like the nature preserve, God is in the air and the creatures living in the occasional decorative tree or landscape shrubs. God is in the architect's hands, the builder's attention to detail, and the customer's greeting in reply to the shopkeeper's welcome. The busy commuter's belong to God's kingdom and whatever joys and worries (or lack of same) fill the person, God is there, too. 

It is all very well to project God's creative touch and boundless love for all the creatures, but at the same time there is danger in willfully imposing interpretations onto every little thing. It is not mistaken to believe and accept God's hand in all that we can sense, and even in things we cannot sense. But it is a mistake to collapse and conflate the complicated life stories, circumstances, context, and psychological baggage carried by many people. All those details do matter, and in the mind of the observer or in the mind of the person moving about the world, maybe those details trump any credit that God owns. 

Getting into the habit of seeing God all around is healthy and fulfilling. But that habit should not come at the expense of disregarding all the personal and particular details that are present and sometimes in direct conflict with God's Will. The very best way to notice and appreciate God's abundance and eternal, unrelenting love for all the creatures inhabiting this creation, is to start looking, start appreciating, and enjoying God's abiding presence in ordinary times and places, as well as in the rare moments and settings. Yes, do get used to seeing God everywhere big or small. No, do not impose God-only vision onto everything without also acknowledging the presence of personal and worldly dimensions, too.

Fruit of the Spirit in a personalized light

Fruit (of the spirit) clipart search - what valuably matures.

Galatians 5:22-23 famously lists some of the ways that a loving heart is expressed in day to day situations, gradually growing more fully as one's love matures. Each of the outward and inward facets of a loving heart can be scaled to modern life and daily routines. In this exercise, below, two different translations lead, then in blue there is a daily-life application to consider or to fit to one's own terrain.

 The Fruit of the Spirit
is translated the following way in the New Revised Standard Version - at https://www.biblegateway.com/

[Hawai‘i Pidgin rephrased lines, Fo Da Galatia Peopo 5:22-23]

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit [But if we stay tight wit Godʼs Spirit,]

is love, [he give us plenny love an aloha fo everybody.]
-----<in daily life; example> View strangers and friends all in a warm light, worthy of admiration

joy, [He make us guys stay good inside.]
-----<in daily life; example> Look in wonder at the glorious things all around, but be not blind to unglorious parts, too

peace, [He make our hearts rest inside.]
-----<in daily life; example> Be grateful and accept there is much beyond your control, responsibility, knowledge.

patience, [He help us wait fo da odda guy an stay cool.]
-----<in daily life; example> Step out of your tiny frame of reference to see impatience as a trigger for looking Godwards

kindness, [He help us tink good bout da odda peopo,]
-----<in daily life; example> So little is left from your time on earth, so count the small acts in your power to do as treasures

generosity, [an like do good kine stuff fo dem.]
-----<in daily life; example> Count the small acts in your power to do as treasures

faithfulness, [He help us do wat we promise.]
-----<in daily life; example> Integrity comes from speaking sincerely, like you mean it and fulfill it

23 gentleness, and [He help us make nice to peopo an do um wit good kine heart.]
-----<in daily life; example> Act only in good spirit, not from obligation or shame

self-control. [He help us stay in charge a ourself.]
-----<in daily life; example> As with gentleness, first calm yourself before engaging others

There is no law against such things. [No mo rules dat say you no can do all dat kine stuff.]

Consonant with Galatians 5, many of the chapters in Oliver Burkeman's book, "Four Thousand Weeks: Time management for mortals," put into perspective the short time frame most people fall into, whether they know it or are in denial. By keeping the passing days in perspective, so much of the Fruit of the Spirit stands out as the best way to go through one's days, numbered as they are like the hairs on your head..

Putting several metaphors together to form a bigger picture

Underlying and assumed in some of the imagery arising in the Men's Bible Study each week are hints at what kind of kingdom and connection to God each person has and why that matters. Another way of putting this exercise at trying out "x-ray vision" to look at the metaphors is for the purpose of glimpsing "the nature of personal relationship (knowing) to God" and all of creation.

<> The place of sin. On the one hand we learn that Jesus as sacrificial lamb of God has paid for everyone's sins (past, present, future). So how should we identify and respond to sin still today? METAPHOR: each person steers their own sailboat on the sea with prevailing wind direction dictating how to trim the sail. By adjusting sail and rudder, your path can be straight and true. Sin is the buffeting distraction that takes a person off course. Therefore, while grace generously accepts a person with imperfections and failings included, the sins and temptations and distractions do not stop. Instead, the person seeking to be righteous in God's way must be vigilant and readjust, moment by moment to avoid steering off track.

<>Result versus process. Too often a person evaluates their worth in God's eyes according to quantifiable results. Some lives can achieve more on Earth than others, as judged externally. Likewise, humans readily rank some sins as being larger or smaller than others, despite the teaching that all sins are equal in God's eyes. ANALOGY: Just as all sins are equal (not 'fair' in secular thinking), perhaps all accomplishments are equal in God's eyes, too (not 'right' in secular thinking). The reason for sins being equal is that anything big or small that takes a person's focus off God, gives the same separation of self from Creator. The reasoning for accomplishments being equal is that God's measuring stick is for one's heart; the intention one strives for. The actual performance may vary, but what is in the person's heart is what counts; not the external condition achieved. The story of the "widow's mite" showcases the primary attention to what is in the heart, not the size of a person's coins. And the story of the workers harvesting grapes joining at different hours of the day, but being paid the very same wage (not 'fair' in secular logic) also illustrates how God measures things differently to humans' way of seeing things.

 <>Free will versus God's time-vision. One way of seeing God's nature is the matter of time. Short-lived creatures like people separate past from present and future. But others have pointed out that infinite power and presence of God, and eternity puts past-present-future as co-existing, rather than the linear experience of human life. According to human logic it seems at first contradictory that God allows human choice and voluntary response to the offer of grace given, but at the same time knowing all the hairs on a person's head & numbering all the days of one's life. Foreknowledge differs from preordaining or predestination, of course. But perhaps this METAPHOR shows this intersection of omniscience and free will. Imagine a river flowing (God's plan) from point A to B with each person in a small boat afloat and padding as much or little as they wish (free will). The individual has the power to move sideways, go upstream, stop all together, collide or avoid obstacles - each course of action has consequences, but the river does not cease or does not separate itself from the vessel that the person is powering. The result is that God is always with the person, no matter the choices (or lack or thinking and effort made) by each soul.

<>Active participation in God's kingdom versus not. While grace is given to all and redemption has been paid for all, not everyone has heard the Good News. Others have heard, but reject or are in disbelief, or worse, are indifferent. And yet, it has been said that God makes use of all things. Apparently even Lucifer has a place in the scheme of things. Certainly, evil, malevolence, burdens, abuses, and all sorts of terrible things go on. Similarly, God accomplishes his will despite or in spite (or to spite?) the obstacles that humans fixate upon. METAPHOR: medicines contain ingredients listed on the label as "active" ingredients (corresponds to God's people who actively seek His Will, 'feed his sheep', and love both friends and enemies). But the same medicine also contains "inactive" ingredients, and possibly some necessary catalyst that may introduce bad side-effects. This mix of active, inactive, and maybe even harmful elements in the social landscape is a kind of illustration of how God works with all, whether the person is active or inactive (inert).

<>Wanting to understand God's way, God's will. It is natural for eager followers of Jesus' model and readers of God's Word to want to progress and see their understanding differ to earlier stages of knowing God. But by definition a finite being cannot encompass or understand an infinite Creator. That does not mean one should give up or stop the attempt to dig deeper and wider, or to apply something learned to new settings. METAPHOR: basketball players use a "head fake" to cause the opponent to go in the direction the player's head appears to lead, but in fact the player moves in the opposite direction. In other words attention and awareness can easily hold onto the wrong thing. When it comes to understanding God's way and God's will, much like the 5 blind men in the South Asian folklore, we each hold onto a different part of God's truth, thinking that we have a firm and complete understanding. And yet others seem equally convinced of their own, very different, view of things. In sum, from our limited capacity to grasp truly big and complicated things, we can slip from righteous to being self-righteous. And the fact that our knowledge and experience is incomplete is not the part that matters (even though that is what we fixate on). The part that matters is (a) the attention paid and effort spent to seek even more understanding, and (b) not letting go of the little piece that we are grabbing onto - while admitting humbly that our grip is far from the whole picture.

<>Striving to sin less versus striving to love (loving-kindness) more. It seems logical that getting closer to God can be improved by sinning less often (keeping on track; in touch; tuned in) or alternatively by loving (agape love of one another; neighbor equally to self) more. METAPHOR: sin is part of the earth atmosphere, like nitrogen or oxygen (or seasonal flu virus, oceans of rhinovirus in common colds, or now Covid-19). So mitigating risk is the strategy; not eradicating it. We do live with sin, but we can minimize transmission and serious reactions. Showing God's love to friend, stranger, and even one's enemy perhaps is a related strategy of displacing the available locations for sin to arise and grow. In other words, rather than obsess about lists of things NOT TO DO, it may be far more effective to emphasize things, yes, to do: not worry over admonitions but instead pursue positive steps. These two standpoints are connected. They are not either/or approaches.

Looking back at these figurative ways to grapple with some of the prominent characteristics of God's ways and God's kingdom, what is the overall picture that emerges from the assumptions baked into these images and metaphors? First is that God's logic is far from human logic. Anybody who wants to get to know God from the episodes written in Old and New Testaments should notice and find value in purposes that seem alien or unfamiliar to normal habits of seeing and thinking of 2022. Next is that God's love for his creation and its creatures is abiding; any separation from God comes from the human side, not from the rest of the creatures; not from those who actively seek out his presence. As well, people best know God by getting over themselves; listening and watching more than talking and striving (ego, pride, self-righteousness). This includes the over-reliance on verbal  skills of reading, debating, analysis. Those are sharp tools, but God is much bigger than all that. We can confuse goals with processes and vice versa. We may judge a failure when God sees an opportunity. Doubtless there are more metaphors that serve as data points to uncover some of the underlying features and functions inherent to God's being, presence, way, and will. But the ones above make some good starters.

Relationships for getting to know God and God's Way

 

Relationship of two parts overlapping [clipart for "Venn diagram"]

Again and again Jesus demonstrates that God's love is a personal, direct, hands-on, relationship thing; not something rule-based or a statute-derived way of being among friends, strangers, and even enemies. But when latter-day followers of the Nazarene Raboni talk about a "relationship with God" and seeking "to know God" more deeply and clearly, what does that mean more precisely? In other words, using a human frame of reference there are many kinds of relationship. They differ in duration, intensity, context or purpose, among other things. Some grow wider and deeper, while others are much more modest or even unchanging. 

In the English language the word 'know' blurs two very different senses that other languages separate with distinct words: know a fact (e.g. Spanish 'saber') and to know a person or place or subject by experience (e.g. Spanish  'conocer'). As a result, the goal of "knowing God's Will" in the English construction can and does carry a bit of both: knowledge of information and decision-making, but also "being acquainted with, or getting familiar with." Certainly, there is room for both dimensions of 'knowing' when grappling with God's word and the examples of his people. But since God incarnated in flesh is not exactly the same as ordinary mortals, it is hard to understand fully what a relationship looks like and how it grows. Some clues come from person to person relationships --husband to wife, parent to child, sibling to sibling, ruler to subject, self to stranger, host to guest, business partner, church friend, colleague, teacher to student, and so on. Among mortals there are first impressions, official title or position, uniform or other identifier, special vocabulary and knowledge, and other status markers and dimensions that form the First Impression. 

Going beyond that surface interaction, common points of interest or mutual stakeholding may bring the persons together in common cause or heartfelt cares past or present. The simple accumulation of shared experiences, easy or hard, adds layers of memory and increased ability to gauge the other's likely reaction to any given situation, too. If there were a science of relationships (therapist? counselor?) then that might offer tools for documenting, comparing, and talking about the nature and shape of relationships - not only the interpersonal kind, but by extension the person-to-God kind, as well.

So much of Jesus' life, parables, and person is about 'heart'. It is no wonder that imagery across many centuries and generations shows 'sacred heart' and 'passionate heart' and 'broken heart' and 'flaming heart' to signify the layer of love that forms in relationships of quality and durability, ones with deep trust lived out in good faith. The one about the widow's mite carrying greater value than the rich man's heavy gold coins teaches several things, including the worth that comes from great sacrifice (not the face value of the coins, but the importance within the giver's own heart). Elsewhere we learn that God wants us to lend our hands and feet to do holy work; the Great Commission ends with the command to "feed my sheep" (flocks of people). It is not that any one person's contribution is indispensible. No, God's Will can succeed no matter who does or does not help. The value from each generation's participation in God's World comes from being present in mind (attention) and in body (embodied: taking up volume, having mass). 

In summary: knowing God better and better is similar to personal friendships in some ways. Mutual respect, responsiveness, sustained common cause, and so on fill out the framework to make it alive. Specific examples are marked out for special attention: "care for the least of these," and "caring for widows and orphans," and "preach and teach when others ask of you." But beyond the actions, words, and thoughts/attitudes closely attached to the embodied religious experience of moving through time in a body that changes from young to old, the Bible seems to be most concerned with one's heart. As a heart grows cold or hard, it needs to be broken or softened so that the lives of others can touch it and thereby add life to one's own life. Beyond the real-world improvements, relieving suffering, and dispelling ignorance, the pattern of (spiritual) growth of a person's heart seems to be a way to gauge how well one knows God, above all other gods, the Great I Am. Growing from being timid and fearful to being generous with the abundance of God's Love is one indicator that one has gotten to know God in a personal kind of way.

The poetic lyric about "I drink from the saucer because my cup overflows with God's Love" seems to say it all. Sin is not so much a recordable offense as a distraction from looking for; looking at God. "Missing the mark" (as in archery) is one of the images that goes with sinning. In the end, it is worshiping God that started everything in the Garden of Eden; making man in order for man to worship God. So the better we can know God and God's Will, the more we will continually focus and give attention to God winks, God's marvelous creations of land, sea, and air, and indeed the life of God's only begotten son, the Son of Man, Living Word and Prince of Peace.

Trust but verify... Mark 9:38

Acting in Jesus name & heart, good work is for all to do.

 

In the late '80s when U.S. President Reagan met face to face with USSR President Gorbachev, the "trust but verify" phrase was made famous in the discussion of missile deployments and nuclear warhead agreements being made. But the same principle seems apt on the field of interpersonal relations and the eternal vigilance needed to look out for false teachers and prophets, whether they are off track on purpose or unbeknownst to themselves and their followers, too. Then in the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament there is the visual interpretation of wisdom to resemble a snake in its sharp-eyed way of evaluating things. In other words, there is an important relationship seen in Jesus' living example between loving forgiveness and righteously judging.

Like Jesus, we should live in the  physical world to embody and live out God's teachings rather than to sit idly by in meditation alone. Part of that exertion and exercising of body and mind comes from looking with care and love upon sins of self and others with a view to close scrutiny and discernment. When it is appropriate and there are "money-changers in the Temple," then we should call it out and make judgement; not the preachy, hypocritical, or judgmental kind but a firm and loving kind. Put another way, while God judges each person in some ultimate sort of way, during each person's sojourn on Earth, judging others should be practiced - not carelessly, but judicially. Not with the goal of excluding, condemning, or damning the person, but rather with the purpose of accountability that leads them on course correction back into God's Way. Judge, discern, look closely - but always with a heart of love and for the purpose of redeeming salvation that comes by God's own grace, not something given by human powers that be.

In the words of Ronald Reagan, in order to sustain the relationship between us, we should trust each other but at the same time never stop verifying. Be ready to forgive but not to forget sins. Be ready to judge, but not necessarily blurt out unthinkingly. In all things, though, it is on God's authority and message, not on one's own: Judge but not judgmentally, be righteous but not self-righteous.

A personal scale for "be in the World but not of the World"

From the tree with knowledge of Good and Evil in the world?

The Jesuits (Society of Jesus) are closely associated with the aim to be "in the World, but not of the World." The idea is to do God's work in relationship with the high and the low of society but remain slightly at a distance in order to keep from being swept up or tripped up by the messiness and incompleteness found there: go into the trenches to wage battles with sin, but avoid being buried in the mud. Now instead of trying to grapple with the tension between mingling and holding one's distance, the scale of the tension can be shifted from the philosophical or the organizational to the boundaries of one's own body.

"Deny the flesh" is a phrase used to describe the discipline gained by being vigilant about one's motivations and the attractions to puffed up Ego, conspicuous consumption to wow others, and wasteful ways that contradict the Bible's instruction to be good stewards of the land, seas, and air. In a sense, this body-sized, corporeal medium is a place for striking a balance between "Delight in all of Creation" and "Deny the Flesh." This echoes the "be in the World" (garden of Earthly delight) tension with the "be not of the World" (deny the flesh). Maybe the ancient philosophers of Greek said the Golden Mean best, "in all things moderation."

By enjoying the pleasure, wonder, and rainbow of emotional responses to being a person in the world of nature and society and ideas, but at the same time seeking heavenly value and purposes, the result is a sort of "feet on the ground and head in the clouds." God is immanent in the people, places, and things of the World, but those tangible things are only place-holders or signposts that point to God's glory that runs through it all. The sated senses are only the surface of things; not a destination or stopping point. They are instead a gateway or entry to the fuller meaning of The World and of God's Ways.

How to "pray without ceasing" by using trigger phrases

autumn clouds late October sunny afternoon 2021

Paul writes (1 Thessalonians 5:17) to pray without ceasing. Clearly the image of forming a prayer and giving one's attention to one's Creator has a wide range of forms it can take; not just knee bent and head bowed. Rather, he describes a constant awareness of gratitude and knowing God's abiding presence in good times and bad, and all the other times, too, that are not particularly good or bad. Some write that the instinct to pray in this wide-meaning (heart of gratitude; mind of loving) should be like breathing; automatic and hardly requiring effort; the basis for sustaining life. But the question is what that might look like; who in one's daily round of activity demonstrates this example? In other words, what might be some ways to put the "pray without ceasing" into practice?

One clue comes from the realm of parenting classes 20 years ago. For times when a child challenges the parent with a complaint or refusal, the teacher suggested the phrase, "That may be so.... but [parent puts forth the opposing position]." In other words, reaching for that simple phrase allows the parent to acknowledge the child's position, and then to step around and past the obstacle in order to go forward. Likewise in the case of "praying without ceasing" there may be some simple linguistic phrases that make it possible to overcome the rut of everyday, consumer thinking and compartmentalization of "God's day is Sunday, not the other days." Here are a few examples that each reader can improve upon, take as food for thought, or adapt for purposes fitted to personal circumstances.

<>"Thank you, LORD" is a good one if something unexpected, not planned, distracting, irritating or frustrating intervenes in one's train of thought or best of intentions. Take a negative (steered off track) and regard it as a source of stopping and looking around; a chance to count one's blessing so far and then to get back on track again. St. Paul thanks God for the thorn in his side (or whatever the physical complaint is that he refers to).

<>"Beautiful!" is the reverse of the one above. Instead of acknowledging a distraction or detour from one's intended purpose, use a positive break in the train of events as an opportunity to pause long enough to acknowledge the delight or surge of joy. Not every bit of wonder or beauty needs to be photographed to share on social media. Sometimes the sparkle on the river, the flicker of starlight, or the raucous sound of a bluejay is there as a gift; a kind of private blessing for your pleasure to be truly thankful for.

<>"Walk with me, God" is a natural reaction for moments of anxiety, fear, or perceived danger for self or others.

<>"Help me, Jesus" is closely related to the previous, but instead of asking for company the need is more direct; a cry for outside intervention or guidance.

In general, the idea behind a compact set of well-worn phrases is that you can reach for them automatically, almost as easily as breathing or taking a cool drink of water. Whether it is a "God wink" during your day, a small or big crisis looming or one that you are in the midst of, or just a small annoyance, by drawing on formulaic phrases such as these examples, the door is open to engaging with God in a no-nonsense, unadorned, honest and personal way. In other words, something as human as language now becomes an everyday way to spend time with God without ceasing.

Wiser wordsmiths will be able to make short, easy to use phrases even more practical and powerful than these examples, but these words illustrate the point: short expressions (maybe even non-verbal expressions work, too), repeatedly used, and spoken or mentally used with no fanfare or performance anxiety. Like the earlier case of parenting class and deft use of "that may be so, but..." here in the case of "pray without ceasing" the deft use of a short prompt can make the relationship flow more smoothly; communication can resume in a healthy, wholesome, holy way.

Beware... elders, chief priests, teachers of the Law

In the weekly Bible study it was Mark 8:27 that started the discussion and train of thoughts with reflections by the handful of men on Zoom and in-person. For some reason the part about Jesus predicting his suffering and death by the hands (or mouths) of elders, chief priests, and teachers of the Laws [Pharisees] stood out. Stopping to consider the status or foundation of authority in each class of person categorized here, 'elders' take authority by genealogy entitlement, 'chief priests' by title held, and 'teachers of the Law' by virtue of intellectual merit. As the passage continues, Jesus communicates that none of these automatically confer righteousness or holiness. While it is possible such a ranked person can be pleasing to God, it is not a given; in fact, the baggage of perceived self-image can be a burden that gets in the way of such a person being able to see or hear God's will.

Stepping back a little further, this pattern continues in which Jesus is showing and telling that the relationship of This World (consumerism of the 21st century, too) to God's Kingdom is topsy-turvy; paradoxical; upside-down: the last shall come first, you much lose your life to gain it, the vinyard workers paid equally no matter how long they spent in the fields, and so on. Perhaps the "sound byte" verson of Jesus' teaching begins with "God is Love" (but so much can be unpacked from that compact statement) and then could be summed up as "things are not how they look." So be thoughtful to discern if you truly are hearing God's voice or some other source. Be vigilant ('trust but verify' as President Reagan told Premier Gorbachev) when someone claims to speak God's teaching or will. In the end, Jesus does not want the "mountain-top experience" that he has with Peter, James, and John. Rather, it is going down to the valley where the Gospel work is to be done. In other words, The World is not a place to shy from, filled with distraction and other forms of temptation; nor is it to be embraced blindly. It is imperfect, but since Christianity is an "embodied" (lived in time and space, requiring physical effort and friction and obstacles to overcome) form of religious practice, it is precisely in "The World" where one's spiritual muscles can exercise and the place where growth is possible.

As the passage is put in BibleGateway.com in the translation by Hawai'ian Pidgin English, here, those with ears to hear and eyes to see should beware of "the older leaders" (elders), "the main priest guys" (chief priests), and "the teaching guys who teach God's Rules" (teachers of the Law). That is a lesson to all who seek after God's presence in the world past, present, and future.

What’s left of church after removing layers of customs & cultural traditions?

 

screenshot of image search for "Mark 7"

Men’s study of Mark only got a few lines into chapter 7 before one tangent after another came up to understand Jesus’ interaction with the Sadducees and Pharisees as a demonstration of God’s authority and power. Each week this lively conversation is a high point in person or via Internet. Here is one question: Jesus faulted the church leaders for obsessing about handwashing (not part of Leviticus or Old Testament instructions from God) rather than obsessing with something that matters for expressing and receiving God’s love. Modern-day worshipers eagerly reach for routines and comfortable expectations week after week, rather than fixating on the main prize: God’s love, spiritual maturity, care for one another. It is impossible to worship like free-floating “jazz improvisation,” although Quaker silent meetings do that sometimes. But to obsess about rigid liturgy is misguided if you read Mark 7 as an indictment against worshiping institutional features instead of worshiping God’s power and untamed wildness. Putting God’s words into a well-worn box or Sunday morning time slot does not help anybody to embrace and grow and reach out to others. So there is the question: what would it look like to peel off the customs so that only the teachings remain visible? Would worshipers clean themselves up for church on Sundays or instead “come as you are”? Would favorite seats in the sanctuary matter much? And would the same cycle of functions, efforts, and concerns preoccupy people between one fiscal year and the next? Maybe the Puritans were on the right track by obsessing about purity and discounting anything that gets in the way of God and his people. Then again, they were puritanical sinners, too. 

On top of this balancing act between externals like Order of Worship and weekly worship with others & the most important thing: hungering to know God better, there is a biographical dimension or growth path for each person: “going from the spiritual milk to the spiritual meat” as experience, knowledge, suffering, and love extend into one’s life. Some beginners DO need simple externals to grab onto that later are less necessary for relating to God, hour by hour and year by year. In other words, customs and traditions might not be Christianity, but they present a source of meaning and express (Worldly) certainty.

Another question that came up is about “gatekeepers” who set standards or expectations about what it looks like, sounds like, feels like to “be” a Christ follower and God seeker. On the one hand Jesus, again and again, criticizes the “white washed tombs” of death that the Pharisees represent, saying that those kinds of sanctimonious externals are wrong-headed and can lead others to the wrong idea, as well. It is not what sacred foods you eat or impure things you avoid that matter so much as what is in your heart. Heart not stomach is what counts in Mark 7. So this idea that God can work with just about anybody and any situation is another way of saying that there should be no gatekeepers; the bar is set very low to encourage everyone to come into relationship with God. At the same time, though, we read “the gate is narrow” as a visual image to mean that, yes, anything is acceptable if your heart is in the right place, but that The Way calls for effort and devotion. Another related image that came up during the discussion uses the radio receiver analogy: God is broadcasting eternally, but each of us needs to turn on the radio and tune the dial to hear the Word. It is there for everyone day and night, but so few make a commitment or know the first step to take.

Finally, branching off the Mark 7 passage about the difference between externals (like Sadducees washing hands in a ritual formula) and what is in a person’s heart, the analogy from legal trials came up. When a person dies as a result of someone’s action (or inaction), then judges want to determine if this is Murder (1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree) or Manslaughter. For the deceased and all  those who are bereaved as a result, calling the event murder or manslaughter makes little material difference. But if the killing is a premeditated ambush versus spur-of-the-moment versus completely unintentional then the perpetrator is labeled differently and will see him or herself differently, too. When it comes to actions & intentions, maybe the same is true of worship routines: going through the motions (your heart is not in it that day) differs a lot from doing it “like you mean it.” The same is true of weekly Bible study – showing up and going through the motions yields less fruit than being fully present and speaking purposefully with words well chosen. Necessarily, this summary of September 28, 2021 only scratches the surface of the tangents, ricochets, and fireworks that go off in the space of one hour. It is not a conversation to be missed.

The Living Word, Way, Love, Light ---diverse images

 

"Trust" in Japanese: person (red dot) stands by word (blue)

When reading the Bible with others in a small group, certain interpretations are offered and fine-tuned in dialog as each person brings insights, life experience, outside readings and other sources to the discussion. Gradually a fresh understanding comes into view, sometimes unexpectedly. English language versions of the original Greek (New Testament) and Hebrew (Old/first Testament) carry some resonance of modern times by choice of word or way of phrasing the meaning on the page. Likewise, other languages do something similar, not only rooted in a culture and a landscape, but also reflecting the moment in history (compare King James to the Good News Bible). This role of language in both bringing God's word closer, but paradoxically separating us from the full and long-lasting meaning is a topic that came up today in the Men's Bible Study on Zoom (and in person, for those at the church this morning).

On the one hand the Gospel, including God's only begotten son as a Living Word, is how humans learn new things and interrelate to one another. Just pointing out the limitations of spoken and written words, and the strong urge to frame logical propositions in linear chains, does not mean that non-verbal forms of knowing God (loving God) and getting to know one's Neighbor (love they neighbor; love they self, equally) are discounted. It seems natural and normal and transparent to privilege the verbal medium, especially when comparing it to alternatives like musical expression, immersion in the glory of the natural world, and visual art forms. From the printed page and spoken teaching/preaching we learn how to be God's people, the hands and feet of the Lord on earth, functioning as witnesses and agents authorized to enact God's love. And yet, on the other hand, words have limitations and can be pulled up from their context or be seized in ways that are unloving so as to be used to puff up one's pride or diminish another's worth. Spiritual babes hunger for clear lines of demarcation and simple formulas to follow. But with wider and deeper experience and knowing Jesus' life and examples and teachings, that same person may grow and require less of the "spiritual milk" and more of the spiritual meat so that what may have seemed at first contradictory, paradoxical, or baffling now can be seen without any fear or sense of threat. Differing ways and interpretations, so long as they hold to the core understandings that unite seekers of all kinds, can now be viewed for their value on their own terms, not be discarded for failing to fit into one's own container. 

Mere mortals may try (and should try) to encompass God's meanings and God's will. But clever words or hearts hardened by fixating on one narrow interpretation will never understand all of the Truth. Only humility, vigilance, and persistence will take a person closer to the goal, even when nobody can fully know God in a totalizing and infinite way. Words are what we rely on, but these same words can lead to delusion or instead to clarity. Heavy handed versus having a light touch when wrestling with God's meaning can lead to different outcomes. Perhaps the truth, when it comes to the limits of words, is to be found when the words are treated like temporary vehicles to a larger and much bigger meaning; knowing the words is only part of the way into God's meanings. By memorizing a passage or by rereading a text or by vigorously wrestling with it in the company of others those words sometimes begin to blur and instead there is sometimes a sense of reading "between the lines" (what is not articulated; what is conspicuously absent) and word-roots, Hebrew imagery or Greek choice of words may intersperse with the passage being scrutinized. The result is the words on the page begin to melt and mingle with related meanings and instances from elsewhere in the Bible and in outside sources, too. As such the Word turns into a liquid; something alive, not frozen solid.

Great care, scholarly effort, publishing history has gone into the Bible and many translations to distribute copies around the world's many languages and locations. That is surely important. But while it is necessary, it is not sufficient. The Word of God lives in people's hearts, not in the ink marks on dead trees pulped and bleached for paper. And without people to wrestle with those words according to the lives they live, then the Word is not being lived or being enlivened. Only when the Word meets readers and listeners and those who reflect on it will something valuable arise. Hence, God DOES need people in his universe, not just as hands and feet to carry out teachings, obedience, and be the "show and tell" of Christianity. There is a kind of mutual dependence: People need God, but also God needs flesh and blood, fallible mortals to be the ones who (voluntarily) accept the grace being offered when sin was paid for by Jesus' sacrifice. And His Word (the one between the covers of the bound edition of the Bible) only has reality and consequence when humans open the covers and wrestle with it: Word + engagement = living interpretation rooted in a time and place and language.

Circles of logic - rings of reason

Online weekly conversations with a fellow Bible study man brought to light the curious tension between self-identity and efforts at righteousness that comes from deeds/doing, not based on simply being. Particularly in USA, and maybe above all among men, there is an equation that weighs one's worth according to (visible) achievement. In other words, to be without use or purpose is to be without worth or value: useless is worthless. Feeling no purpose feels like having no meaning or consequence or point; not mattering. And yet, to the extent that all life is loved by God, it is enough to be; to exist; to occupy space and time in order to be in relationship with others.

On the one hand, there is the idea of "Works salvation," as if one can earn God's love and the redemption paid by Jesus for all nations' sins. "Faith without works" is said to be incomplete or empty; without substance or consequence. On the other hand, there is the idea that God's project will not crumble if one person fails to be righteous or does not accomplish the task held in that person's heart or mind. God can use sorrow, joy, stubborness, and kindness to accomplish all things. The point about actions and Earthly accomplishments is not that God depends on what is produced; nor that those involved need to prove their worth in God's eyes and to each other. Rather, the function of doing things lies in the doing: the process brings people together in the making and, once finished, in the operation of the thing. By enacting God's love a believer can bodily express righteousness; the world of Works completes the teachings and allows those involved to express their love in tangible ways. Christianity is an embodied faith, one lived out, not just reflected on or studied or discussed.

Getting back to the worth of one's life as measured by "doing" compared to assessment of "being," it seems that both dimensions of human experience are important. There is worth in being God's person out in the world. And the grammatical form of ...ing suggests action or process, so that BE+ING suggests a dynamic experience, maybe like treading water: one is in motion and yet a steady state is all that is visible by an outsider. It looks like the person is not moving. And, yet, under the surface of the water the arms and legs are not standing still. Likewise, "being" God's person or "being" a human being sometimes gives the appearance of just sitting there, not doing anything ("don't just do something, be there"). But under the surface, perhaps, there is a lot of activity going on in order to maintain the steady state of being there in dynamic equilibrium.

Although it might seem like a clever sleight of hand, discovering one's worth in "being" rather than by collecting trophies from "doing" great deeds really does seem to be BOTH inaction (just existing; occupying space and time; quietly metabolizing, seeing others and being seen by them) AND also activity that produces a steady state of being. In God's estimation, being and doing are two forms of the same righteous thing, sort of like Einstein's assertion that E=MC squared: matter and energy equal different forms of the same thing. Matter is not destroyed, it just changes from one form to another. Likewise, "being" and "doing" share a common relationship to God's Will. Righteousness comes both from being and from doing.

Even if one could dedicate all waking moments to being in-tune with God's Way, there are outside distractions, obstacles, sleep-cycles, and preoccupations and fascinations that interfere. Instead of striving to be in total thrall with God's abiding presence and Will, perhaps it is more practical to tailor one's form of righteousness and the kind of prayer to the condintions that ebb and flow during the course of a day, indeed during the course of a lifetime. There are so many ways to pray and each one may be suited to different times of one's life: crisis, calm, impatience, joy, sorrow. The biorhythm of one's daily cycles may also make certain forms of reaching out to God better than others: when focus and presence of mind is sharpest then maybe deep communion with God works best to exercise one's heart of love. When senses are dull, then perhaps it is labor and physical forms of spiritual exercise that work best. In between the times of least and greatest focus, maybe an intermediate form of prayer works best: a mixture of visual imagry (non-verbal engagement) with some spoken or written patterns.

All in all, the many forms of being and doing have some worth and as such are a good basis of "worth-ship" (i.e. Worship). Likewise of making prayers: there are many ways, each suited to different frames of mind in one's day or lifecycle. One's heart and body may shift in condition, but what is unchanging is God's Word and the eternal effort needed to seek righteousness that does not stray into sin. Learning to appreciate "just being" in self and in others, rather than to evaluate accomplishments and achievements according to Earthly habits can be a challenge. But it one that is worth the effort to know better one's self and one's God and one's neighbors.

Avoiding rust by using one's talents - being in fellowship

Street repairs stopped Friday; Saturday's rain made Sunday's rust.

 

T-shirts and bumper stickers sometimes repeat the folk wisdom, "use it or lose it," meaning that a muscle, a skill, or an expertise needs to be exercised to remain useful and perform at top-level. The same logic seems to apply to the bucket of this front-end loader. When the city workers stopped Friday night and left the equipment parked on site during the weekend, heavy rains fell on Saturday night and by Sunday noon the shiny base of the bucket, polished by hundreds of loads of sand, dirt, and gravel now shows a vivid coat of orange rust. By extension to seekers after God's Way, there is a similar imperative to be active in one's use of talents, mental and physical powers, and the place in the world one occupies: not to sit still (although there is a time to meditate, and a time to vegetate, too) but to engage in the people and environment at hand. The photo is a good reminder to minimize rust by keeping active in fellowship, in study, in service, and worship, and so on.

The Zoom meeting of the First Congregational Church of St. Johns, Michigan for the first Sunday after the April 4 celebration took the book of 1 John, chapter 1 as the starting point to talk about how to be "Easter People," the Christ-followers who center their lives around the example of resurrection; born all over again, born from above. The concluding thoughts in the sermon put fellowship with God as something to aim for day to day and something to enjoy by fellowship with other Christ-followers. This is not an exercise in mutual self-righteousness; instead, it is a habit of interacting with others who share in common a humble, open-hearted, and other-responsive posture and mind-set. By living this way with fellow Christians, but also engaging in others not yet seeing and hearing God's love, the result is Kingdom Experience right now on Earth as it is in heaven. The kingdom of God is within you, but also when fellowshipping with others equally humble, open-hearted, and other-oriented, this same kingdom is put into flesh-and-blood form, even if imperfectly. No matter how short one falls from the ideal, by striving (one must use it) the goals come closer (not lose it). The corollary to "use it or lose it" also comes from folk wisdom, "It is better to wear out [from frequent use] than to rust out [not put to use]."

Word play - "out of love"; also Christian "nice"

Researchers of ESL, teaching English as a Second (or Foreign) Language, sometimes point to the observation that more than 3/4 of the meaning in language comes from context (place, time, non-verbal cues). Another large portion comes from prosodics (that part that is not vocabulary and grammar): tone of voice, pace, accent, rise and fall, and so on. Relatively minor in the grand scheme of things is the contribution made from word choice and correct conjugation and punctuation. These insights can be applied to the phrase, "out of love," when speaking of how one Christian reaches out to another -- indeed reaches out to a fellow human, regardless of affiliation with a spiritual tradition.

One interpretation is OUT of love; that is, the interaction should be built upon a foundation of love for one's neighbor equal to love for self.

One interpretation is OUT OF Love; that is, the medium in which the interaction is composed should integrate loving manner and meaning.

One interpretation is out of LOVE; that is, commonplace secular "love" should be ejected so that Agape Love can fill that void.

Based on the passage in which the original text (in ancient Greek) is used, the dominant meaning should be identifiable - one of these examples, or something altogether different. And yet, by the logic of "word play," even when the speaker or writer intends just one dominant significance for a phrase, since the overthinking mind can use mental gymnastics to conjure other possible meanings, perhaps the phrase can be both: it can carry the speaker's main purpose at that time in addressing a particular recipient of the message. But the meaning can also support these latter-day interpretations at the same time. The original use is the melody and the echoes of alternate interpretations are harmonic or overtone waves of expression that come with the phrase. In that case of sympathetic, passive reverberations, then "out of love" can carry along all these meanings.

A different kind of word play comes from scrutinizing the instruction to "be nice" to others. Of course, Christians are not the only ones who can do a good turn to strangers and friends; act, speak, or think charitably of others; or turn the other cheek and return kindness when hit with meanness. But somehow the self-identity of church goes involves demonstrating to self and others that one can "be nice." It is not only fellow believers and one's own self that needs to witness this way of approaching the world, but also in the eyes of people of other religions or of no religious affiliation that "being nice" must be demonstrated. But in one's mind, words, and actions is "being Christian" and "being nice" largely the same thing?

Curiously, "nice" is a word that has traveled from one extreme to the other in linguistic history. Four or five hundred years ago to be "nice" meant to be ordinary, common, not refined or elevated in any way. The connotation was bad, something like the archaic usage, "he is so common in his tastes for music" (meaning low-brow, mean or low). Gradually the word "nice" shifted from pejorative to neutral and now to its positive connotation as something desirable and approved of. So when people alive today use the expression, they fully intend a sort of halo effect or positive glow for the person or thing being judged as "nice." And yet there is the legacy of that earlier, low-down and negative meaning (fighting words). Like anybody else, Christians can exhibit both senses of this "nice" trajectory: mean or well-favored.

Returning to the question - is "being nice" an accurate way to characterize what Christians are/do/speak - is seems like "being nice" is a throw-away term. On the surface it seems benign and normal and positive. It is like the response, "I'm fine," to the automatic and often unthinking greeting, "how're you doing"? The banter of "all ok?" and "fine, sure" operates at the surface, not probing the depths and the roots. So, too, the description of what Christians are: "oh, they are nice people" or " who we are is nice people." Here, again, the meaning is simple and on the surface, not digging down to learn more. In some situations to dig around feels invasive or unwarranted; in other cases, such unrelenting engagement is what is valued most. So it is less about being nosy and more a matter of one's attitude (caring enough to inquire) and (self-) awareness (that skimming the surface is a danger to watch out for).

On the outside, from the spectator's seats, what the Christians do, say, and what is internal may superficially be no different that any old person "being nice," the similarity may well diverge, since the Christian will be reminded of Jesus' example; of the idea of grace undeserved; and of mercy to others and for oneself. The non-Christian may or may not touch on some of these other things, in a fragmented way, or by chance as a bundle of meanings that connect closely. At the receiving end of "being nice" perhaps all this discussion is "distinction without difference" and the end result is about the same. But at the giving end of the "being nice," certainly, the experience of engaging with another Child of God will have particular meaning different to a non-Christian. In the end, doing right things in a right way and with a right heart is not exclusive to Christians. But for the Christian who is taking part there will be specific and resonant meaning the hearkens to Bible, to Jesus' example, and to a foretaste of what may be expected of heaven as on Earth.