Say no to attitudes from platitudes

I am going to dedicate the blogspot for at least the next week to meanderings about the characteristics I found to be outstanding in the account from Mark. I found 9 characteristics. Today's discussion is on characteristic # 4.

Characteristic 4: (S)He understands that there are intrinsic barriers to the reign of God in one’s life that must be overcome.

Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, “You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” (Mark 10.21)

Other textual support for characteristic:10.17-31, 12.28-34, 3.20-30, 6.1-6, 3.31-35, 16.14
Fact from Mark: barriers in trust come from one’s own family, town, or belief community

Beyond the restorative touch needed to return their lives to normalcy, beyond the beginning point of acknowledging that Jesus is God's son in order to rid themselves from the slavery of their addictions, followers of Jesus know that they have to beware always of those traditions and values that they grew up with. Values and traditions pose as foundations for good living, but so often they are masks for a corrupt and rotten system of status quo. Even people brought up in church traditions have to beware that the church traditions themselves are not a barrier to the authentic teachings of Jesus.

In Mark 12.28-34, a man versed in the Jewish law came to Jesus and asked him what the greatest commandment was. Jesus told him. The man agreed with Jesus. Then Jesus told the man that he was not far from the kingdom of God. Jesus didn't compliment the man for being in the kingdom since they had agreed. Jesus didn't invite the man to join the kingdom. Instead, Jesus told the man that he was near the kingdom of God.

Assumedly, a modern person could find himself or herself in the same condition, that is, near the kingdom of God. If so, then perhaps understanding what the kingdom of God is would keep one from only being near it, but allow one to fully participate in it. If one were to be able to fully participate in the kingdom, then one would also know what could be a barrier to that full participation.

The word kingdom is an archaic term, not in the sense that the word has passed from our language, but in the sense that the term is only used of a time period that is not our own, but in the past. Americans hate irrelevance, so another idea that is relevant should be understood. A kingdom is a geographic location for most Americans; perhaps Americans extend the idea to castles, serfs, knights, or other symbols (by metonomy) for what a king has sovereignty over.
Americans are, however, familiar with the idea of a rule of someone over another. If one still needs to feel that some vestige of Jesus' teachings needs to represent the age of the original teachings or the manuscripts that bring those teachings to the modern person, then the idea of reign could be substituted for rule. Thus, to the man who asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied that God's reign in his life was not too distant. Although the man agreed with Jesus, he still had a barrier that kept him from fully participating in the reign of God for him. Mark does not elaborate on the man's barrier like he did for the rich young ruler cited above in the representative sample from Mark. Somehow, though, the man was not vested in the rule or reign of God.

What might keep a modern person from having God's reign in his or her life? Mainly, attitudes. A follower of Jesus accepts and knows the teachings of Jesus. So, the follower should be living decently toward others. But, actions are generated by one's thoughts behind those actions. And, the thought behind the actions comes from attitudes which are derived from traditions and values. So, how does one respond to an insult from someone else? What acknowledgment is allowed if an addiction has taken over a person? When is the best time to go to someone with whom a problem exists? Where is it that one should want find himself or herself on Friday nights? Who is the master one truly serves?

For many, platitudes provide the thought behind their actions. "A penny saved is a penny earned." So, they save, maybe even in miserly way. "Those who make the gold make the rules." So, they work their way up the ladder to make more money. "The early bird gets the worm." So, people are so very busy breaking others backs to get the worm. "Plan you work. Work your plan." So, meetings at all hours abound for planning, and working at all hours and at all costs carry out those plans.

So, when does the follower of Jesus have the time and stamina to know Jesus' teachings? When does the decent living happen in front of families? When does one have time to see the healing taking place in his or her own life? What kind of restoration takes place when so little time is given for recognizing the need for restoration? When does the follower of Jesus have time to reflect on his or her attitudes to know if adjustments are necessary? What keeps one a short distance from participating in God's rule, His reign for one's life? Simple agreement with Jesus' message keeps one at arm's length from the rule. So, it must be more than simple agreement.

If attitudes from platitudes disappear, then the distance to the reign of God in our lives disappears. Jesus' teachings can then be authentic. Then we can go and follow him.

Restoring what has deteriorated

I am going to dedicate the blogspot for at least the next 2 weeks to meanderings about the characteristics I found to be outstanding in the account from Mark. I found 7 characteristics that I listed and two more that I didn't list because I didn't think it was the right forum for the other 2. They were more personal in nature. Today's discussion is on characteristic #3.


Characteristic 3: (S)He understands that the message of God is accompanied by a ministry of “healing” for oneself and others.

Representative sample from Mark:
Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk?” I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, ”I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
(Mark 2.11-12)

Other textual support for characteristic:1.30-32, 1.40-41, 2.11-12, 3.5, 3.10, 5.29, 5.4, 6.13, 7.36
Fact from Mark: 16% of all textual episodes in Mark comment on Jesus’ healing.

Jesus did his share of healing others while he was on the earth. He restored sight to blind men. He restored skin to lepers. He restored normalcy to lunatics. He restored natural functions for diseased members of the body. He restored life to bodies of death. Restoration was Jesus' business. Oh, yes he taught his message. But, he restored people so that they could comprehend what his message was about. He had a message of forgiveness, among other characteristics. So that at least one crowd could understand forgiveness in its full form, Jesus healed a person. Once restoration happened, realization took place.

In today's world much of what people get sick with is treated with medicine. So, what the ancient people needed to have healed by someone supernaturally, today is routinely healed by scientific advances. That doesn't mean that God has been displaced from the healing business. We still cannot heal the mind or control circumstances. When loved ones die unexpectedly, medicine cannot touch the mind's hurt. But God's healing touch of perspective for the cause of death is still available. When job loss, people's horrendous treatment of each other, or injury that can't be repaired to a body occur, only a miracle man can step forward to relieve the grief or the pain.

So, one of the characteristics evident in a follower of Jesus is that one trusts Jesus to perform a work of healing in areas of life that humans cannot touch. An oldest son who has to have intervention from the rest of his family to recognize that he has a drug problem trusts that the addiction can be healed if he follows Jesus. A man who loses a daughter in a car accident and a wife to cancer six months later trusts that God's perspective is better than his for why he was dealt a harsh hand, so he prays for God's touch on his perspective. A woman who lives constantly with the mistrust of her husband trusts that if she remains faithful, God will touch the heart of her spouse or make it evident to her that her life will count for something with somebody. Everywhere people need God's restorative touch in order to live out their lives full of his message.

Followers of Jesus know the master's touch on their bodies or in their minds. They follow him whole-heartedly because of it.

Basic assumption

I am going to dedicate the blogspot for at least the next 2 weeks to meanderings about the characteristics I found to be outstanding in the account from Mark. I found 7 characteristics that I listed and two more that I didn't list because I didn't think it was the right forum for the other 2. They were more personal in nature. Today's discussion is on characteristic #2.

Characteristic 2: (S)He understands that the result of “casting out demons” is an acknowledgment of Jesus as the son of the most high God.

Representative sample from Mark:
And whenever the people who had evil spirits in them saw him, they would fall down before him and scream, “You are the Son of God!”
(Mark 3.11)

Other textual support support for characteristic: 1.27, 1.34, 1.39, 3.11, 5.1-16, 6.12
Fact from Mark: 40% of all textual episodes in Mark mentioning healing also mention casting out demons. 4 textual episodes in Mark mention casting out demons without mention of healing.

I know that there is some debate on what exactly Jesus was casting out when Mark refers to casting out demons. But, I would like to ignore the debate for the purposes of this blog. Instead, I want to take a purely modern approach to casting out demons by allowing the phrase to be symbolic in nature. Casting out demons becomes the symbol for anything in a person's life that serves as a detractor from the person himself (herself) or those around her or him to allow a belief in the deity of Jesus. It could be alcohol or drugs. It could be perverted lyric preference. It could be a party spirit, or tobacco addiction, or obesity. It is whatever distracts one from looking at Jesus and seeing liberty from oppression.

When Jesus cast out demons, a number of times it is clear that the demons acknowledged that Jesus was the son of God. Applying the phrase as a symbol, people today can be rid of their distractions. Trust in Jesus begins with the expression of one's soul, "Jesus is God's son." From that point on, placing one's trust in the messenger and the message from God allows the freedom from the slavery of the demon, that is, from the oppression of whatever detracted one from Jesus. The addict realizes that a higher power delivers him or her from the lower power of addictive beverage or substance. The person stuck on death lyrics breathes in life lyrics for a change. The partying young man or woman learns a new kind of celebration. The obese person learns that God uses people in the condition in which they find truth or restores ability to find a stopping point with food.

The follower of Jesus takes a journey with him throughout life. But, the first step of the journey begins with the utterance, "Jesus is the son of God." The rough part of the journey depends on the absolute, raw truth that self-reliance does not kick in, that reliance on the supernatural is first nature. Call it psychology of religion 101 or the cardinal principle of Jesus' teaching or the basic assumption of every follower. One has to be rid of distractions so that one realization becomes crystal clear. Jesus is the son of God most high.

It's the first step out of the boat onto the waves of a large lake across which Jesus is walking. Trust in Jesus replaces distracting oppression. The power of the detraction succumbs to the power of one name—Jesus. It's not hocus pocus. It's every follower's basic assumption.

Knowing and modeling

Recently I was involved in a study of the fabulous story of Jesus as presented by Mark. The men who were asked to study the various accounts of this story were asked to come up with the characteristics of a follower of Jesus based on the account they were studying. Today those men all met again to bring forth the characteristics they had found. It was interesting to see how the accounts mirrored the walks of life each one had taken. But beyond that, they brought out what they had studied over a month's period of time.

I am going to dedicate the blogspot for at least the next 2 weeks to my meanderings about the characteristics I found to be outstanding in the account from Mark. I found 7 characteristics that I listed and two more that I didn't list because I didn't think it was the right forum for the other 2. They were more personal in nature. So, I start with characteristic #1

Characteristic 1: (S)He knows the tenets of the message of God’s reign and knows (s)he must exude it.

Representative sample from Mark:
We must go on to the other villages around here. I have to preach in them also, because that is why I came.
(Mark 1.38)


Other textual support for characteristic: 1.38, 2.2, 3.34, 4.1, 4.33, 6.6b-7, 6.34, 8.31
Fact from Mark: 37% of all textual episodes in Mark contain the teaching of Jesus.

If I were asked what Jesus' reason for coming was, I would have answered that he came to seek and save the lost. But, after reading Mark's account, I see the statement above. And teach is what Jesus did. He went all over the countryside around his hometown teaching. He crossed lakes and walked miles to villages near and far. He sent his selected 12 out in pairs to a number of villages to get his message out. Mark's account is rife with teachings about human behaviors from people divorcing to people trying to show that they deserve the kingdom of God.

But, just because Jesus taught, does it mean that his followers should follow suit? Well, let's call it "teaching." Under finer analysis, it is probably closer to knowing for ourselves the tenets of what Jesus taught so that our behavior is consistent with those tenets. What we know from Jesus' lessons and how we act ought to be consistent. Some of Jesus' most castigating words were reserved for the educated elite who said one thing, but did another. So, knowing the message so that we can model it is paramount.

And the message is not merely a series of good lessons. Its provenance is from the kingdom of God, so the path on earth his lessons put us on end in our entering the kingdom of God. I think there is a bit of a problem with that idea for Americans. We are not "kingdom" people. The word is in our language and we understand it. But it is so archaic that we don't make a true association with it. An alternate word is "reign." It is an old term as well, but Americans have more of an association with its idea than "kingdom." We all are held accountable to somebody or we report to some "boss." So a word like "reign" carries with it the idea that we are held to a set of expectations by someone or some company.

So, the idea is complete. Jesus taught the message of God's reign in a person's life. We accept God's reign and show it by modeling the behavior asked of us by the various tenets of the message. Our behavior, in turn leads us to our home where God reigns. In that manner, then, we teach as Jesus taught. We know the tenets of the message of God's reign and exude it for others to desire to emulate it.

Block peace

The block I live on is everyone's block. Mine is not special in any way. That's what makes one generation the same as the last or the next. That's what makes one culture the same as the next. People are people. They basically have the same nature—the human nature. But for all the despair I may see on my block, I also see the striving on my block for there to be peace in people's lives. They are decent people seeking to live in harmony with their neighbors. Viva block peace!

The affairs of the block I live on

The neighbors surrounding my house are a motley crew. The people on one side of me live day to day with a menial job in today's society's view. As far as I can tell they have no church affiliation. The lady across the street from them is an old maid. She was moved in by her daughter from out of state. She rarely comes out of her house. One never knows whether she is home or not because she always keeps her car in her garage. She apparently has no religious affiliation. The couple directly across from me are Mormons, very active ones. They are the kindest people you will meet and are hard workers in their yard and in their church. They have tried sharing their faith over the years several times. The people next to them are raising two children. The father is a hard worker and an alcoholic. The son inherited his father's party spirit. The mother is so nice and tries to be sociable with her neighbors. The man next to me is on hospice. His sight left him several years back. I haven't seen him in about 2 years, but I visit with his children when they come to see him. He's Methodist, but has not gone to a church building in the 12 years of my living on this block.

It's quite a state of affairs on this block I live on. People are doing what it takes to stay alive and put food on the table. But, I don't know any of these people very well although we are all nice to each other if the occasional yard visit is the measuring stick. I know the Great Teacher moved around a lot when he taught. He would go through the cities of a region teaching. I don't know how he would have gotten his message out if he had lived in my neighborhood. I do know however, that one of his teachings works in any neighborhood. "Whatever you would like people to do for you is what you should do for them." It has worked in neighborhoods for a couple of thousand years. I don't see it failing now or failing me when I enact it. It's a phenomenal, supernatural teaching.

A decade in the life of ...

"What a difference a year makes" is a common expression. One can imagine what a difference a decade makes. I have lived at my current residence for 12 years. My neighbor to my left housed a couple who were in their 70s. The man there died after 3 years after we moved in. His wife died last spring. Now a whole new family lives there. The man and his wife across the street from them and diagonal to me took care of his wife for 5 years after we moved in. I saw her only once before she died. The man lived in his house for 3 years after that, moved to his daughter's house in another state and died about 2 years after that. Another person lives in that house now, but it stood vacant for at least a year. The people directly across the street had two children at home in high school when we first moved here. They're now long gone and married. The neighbor and his wife on the other side of me have had their share of difficulties. He grew blind within 7 years of our moving here. His mind also has been deteriorating over the last three years. His wife has been making monumental efforts at watching after him. But, she died last week, and he was put in the care of hospice.

Oh! My household? We are not untouched. Both of my kids were in grade school when we moved here. Now both are out of school. My son graduated only to break out with cancer and die at age 19. My daughter has been seeing a phsychiatrist and/or a psychologist ever since. My wife was a practicing alcohlic for all but the last 3 years in this house, but has since lived each day that comes her way as a sober alcoholic. My father died 3 years ago 8 days before my son did after a cognitive illness of 11 months.

And that's just me and the block I live on. Multiply this times about 6 billion people on the earth. What does it take to be the Creator of heaven and earth? I have no idea. But, somehow he shows that he cares about me. He sends encouragements amidst hardships. He inspires determination and commitment. I am thankful that somehow he cares about me and the block I live on. Not in his spare time. And not with just me and my block people. I truly have great respect for the way he handles everybody's business in the whole world. It's supernatural.

On embracing sin

Alexander Pope said that first we abhor sin, then we tolerate it, finally we embrace it. He is talking about how people are influenced by the tainted world around them. I find this to be true for my own walk in life, but it doesn't bother me. I think Pope had the wrong angle on the situation. As a young man, I tended to see the world in black and white. Something was either according to the moral law I had grown up knowing from teenage years or it wasn't. But, I matured and watched carefully how older people in the world behaved. Matters weren't just black or white. Next, I figured that the world was a big place, so I could walk to the beat of my own moral law and not have to hold anyone else responsible for it—just me. Then, I matured and noticed how situations were never according to any moral law. Good situations were nearly always tainted by evil and evil situations nearly always had some noble element about them.

That being true, I realized that striving for some fictitious moral code that no one ever observed was ludicrous. I might as well let life play out. Where I could be the good part of an evil situation, I would be. Where I could act on behalf of good even though a situation was mostly bad, I did. I know to someone looking in it might seem that once upon a time in my youth I abhorred evil and that as I matured I began to tolerate evil, only to finally embrace it. I would rather think as an insider that I finally understood the human condition and the other-worldly principle that a little leaven, leavens the whole lump. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.