The Stewardship of Souls

“Leave people better than you found them.”

(Attributed to many)

The quote above was posted on a friend’s Facebook page several weeks ago . . . and, it has been working on me ever since.  Whenever out in the woods or mountains hiking or camping, the old scouting adage is to “leave the area in better shape than you found it.”  I was not much of a scout . . . made it up to the Webelos (mostly by default) before I gave up on this structured setting . . . but I did learn that statement.  I learned it and have always tried to live by it whenever I am out in woods or mountains enjoying God’s creation.  I always make sure I clean up my mess and the mess of anyone who was before me . . . I attempt to make sure that it was left in the way that I found it, if not better than I found it.  That is just common sense . . . it is just good stewardship.  Thus I was taken back when I read the little twist to the old adage . . . instead of nature it refers to people.

I think that as human beings we do a fairly decent job of being good stewards of God natural creation . . . though I do think that we can do a much better job . . . but, I am not sure we even attempt to be good stewards of our fellow human creations when it comes to stewardship.  I don’t think that we are too good at remembering that we should “leave people better than we found them.”  In looking around the world in which we live . . . witnessing the violence perpetuated against one and other . . . seeing the blatant discrimination and prejudice . . . watching the war that is being waged . . . seeing the hungry who are starving . . . catching glimpses of the “warehousing” of people in society (and this is not a reference only to the prison systems of the world) . . . pushing and leaving others further and further from the so-called acceptable of society . . . I think it is difficult to admit that as humans we are not the best stewards of the human creations of God.  None of us has to look too hard to find this truth as we only have to watch the evening news on television or read the latest edition of the newspaper . . . we are inundated with the evidence that we are poor stewards of God’s human creations.

Which is sad.

Sad because we are called to love our neighbors . . . to love our fellow human creations . . . as we love ourselves.  I would wager that all the major religions tell us this.  I would wager that even those who do not believe in God aspire to this.  I would wager that it is just common sense and good moral living . . . it is the “golden rule”.  Yet, we have a difficult time in doing this.  We are not good at leaving others better than we found them despite the fact that the root of love is to make the “other” better . . . to want the best for the “other” . . . to grow and become who they were created to be . . . to become “whole” and “holy”.  We want it for ourselves, so why wouldn’t we want it for others . . . especially those we say we love.  Yet, the witness of the world in which we live says that we are a long, long, long way from that idea of stewardship . . . stewardship of the soul.

It is also sad because we all do it . . . all of us.

Though I am a follower of Jesus, which in the eyes of many makes me a “Christian”, I believe that all the major religions and belief systems begin in the same place . . . we begin with ourselves.  We are to learn to love ourselves . . . to love ourselves as God created us . . . to embrace that creation in relationship with the God who created us . . . to discover—through God’s eyes—who we are.  Before we can ever love anyone else we must learn to love ourselves.  From there we love others.  Thus it was that Jesus stated that we are to “love one another as we love ourselves.”  As I have said many times before, looking at the world around us, there are not too many people who seem to love themselves.  If this is the case, well then, it is difficult to be good stewards of others in our lives . . . and, that is sad.

We are not good stewards of souls . . . probably ours or others.  Think of life as a journey or a hike.  We move along whatever trail it is that we are tramping down and as we go along we encounter others . . . sort of like natural sites along the way.  Are these “obstacles” or “opportunities” . . . that is the question and dilemma before us on our journey.  For various reasons—some good, some bad, I think that for most of us we view them as “obstacles” or at least “bumps in the road” that slow us down.  In life, as in the journey, we just barrel our way through such things in order to get to wherever it is that we are going . . . we leave them in our wake . . . never realizing the impact we have had on the life of another.  We are not good with others unless they are within our inner circle.

In our lives there are concentric circles of relationships.  In the center stands us.  Radiating out from us are the circles of relationships we have in our lives.  The first circle is for those we are the closest . . . spouses, children, grandchildren, parents.  In the next circle are those who we love, but are not as close to . . . other relatives, friends.  In the next circle are those we work with; the next acquaintances; the next people we know, but don’t know; and, in the last strangers.  As the circles spin outward from our center we spend less and less time and energy on those who occupy them.  We do this to the point that those within the last circle do not even cross our consciousness unless pointed out by another.

Each and every individual in those circles has the same basic need . . . they want to be acknowledged and loved . . . they want to be seen and accepted . . . they want to be a part of the “family”.  We all know this.  Yet, research has shown that the farther that circle of relationship spins the less we “acknowledge” or “love”.  Thus the further out the circle spins the lousier we are at leaving people better than we found them.  I don’t think that any of us wants to be lousy at the care of other’s souls.  I don’t think any of us wants to experience it either.  Yet, we all have experienced it . . . and, we have all been guilty of it.

So how do we “solve” this problem?  How do we become better stewards of the soul . . . especially the souls of others?

One of my favorite words is “hineni” from the Hebrew language.  “Hineni” simply means, “I am here.”  These were the words that Abraham and Moses said in the presence of God—“here I am.”  It is to make one’s self present in the presence of another . . . to set aside all the barriers and obstacles that keep one from being fully in the presence of another . . . it is to acknowledge the other and to make one’s self available—body, mind, and soul—to another.  It is to be “present”.  It is to be still and know.

There is the catch . . . to be still.  We are on a journey.  We have places to go . . . things to do . . . and, maybe even people to see (but apparently not the majority of people we encounter).  We are a busy people.  We are a distracted people.  We are a selfish people.  It is hard to be still, and even harder to be still in the presence of another.  Besides, it is difficult to hit a moving target; thus God tells us to be still and know.

The stewardship of the soul begins with us as individuals.  We be still and know who we are in relationship to ourselves, to God, and to others.  We learn to love who we have been created to be.  We learn to love our relationship with God.  From there we move outward into the world to share this great love with others . . . but, it can only happen if we can be still and know others where they stand.  It is a courtesy that comes out of respect that we owe to all people we encounter on the journey we call life—we are to be still and know them.  We are to practice “hineni”.  It is there that we have the opportunity to leave people better than we found them.  It is there we begin to practice the stewardship of souls.

“To leave people better than we found them.”

I think it is the goal of life . . . the challenge of living a good life . . . something that we all need to work on.  It begins where we are . . . always where we are . . . and, it radiates out from there.  It is the least we owe one another if we are ever going to make the world a better place for others.

Traveling Mercies

At least I can say that I survived.

I survived the brief period of respite in the busy lives of my family as they all gathered at the homestead for the observance of Christmas.  They were all here . . . all ten of us, plus three dogs . . . crowded around the kitchen table, telling stories, laughing, arguing, stuffing their faces, and having a grand ol’ time reconnecting and being family.  And, I survived.

The youngest son, our daughter-in-law, and granddog made the long trek north from Salt Lake City the Friday before Christmas to spend some time with their Montana family . . . brothers and sister, brother-in-law, nieces, and of course the wife and I.  They made their base camp at the homestead where we all gathered multiple times throughout the week to break bread, have a few brews, a few bottles of wine, and make a lot of noise.  It was a blast having them and the rest of the family gathered . . . and, I survived.

This morning the youngest and his spouse packed up and headed south to beat the incoming storm . . . headed south to return where they work and play . . . to where they call “home”.  The weather forecast was predicting a storm coming from the northwest . . . pretty much over the route that they were going to be driving to get home.  Out the door they went as the sun was rising to beat the storm on roads still recovering from the previous winter’s blast of two days ago . . . one that left their route less than desirable for travel.  The kids and granddog said their goodbyes, loaded up, and headed down the road.

As they drove down the street . . . the quietness returned . . . the stillness returned . . . and, it was over.  The Christmas celebration and reunion was over.  Everyone had begun their journey back to reality . . . back to so-called normalness . . . and, I had survived much to the chagrin of the rest of the family.

In the quietness of the day I have caught myself wandering around the stillness of the house.  The Christmas music is still playing . . . the lights are still shining brightly from the free . . . the snow has provided a blanket of beauty across the yard where Morris the Moose shines on in the approaching darkness . . . and, yet, there is a restlessness that stirs me to wander in the quiet stillness of the house . . . I am thinking of my family—near and far.  Isn’t that what happens when the noise of the celebration ceases and the quietness descends . . . we contemplate, we think, we wonder, and we offer a prayer.

The informal belief in our family is that “family is all that we have”, and because it is all that we have we have to love and support one another in the journey of life . . . for better or worse.  As a family we succeed fairly well for the most part even though there are some parts that we still need to work on . . . a few relationships that need to be mended and re-established . . . a little more grace and a little less animosity . . . and, I imagine that in time it will come or I will die—whichever comes first.  But, for the most part we do a good job of being a family . . . about as good as anyone.  Yet it is in this belief that we cling tightly to one another . . . in the good times and in the bad times . . . to love and support one another despite the fact that each of us is on our own journeys to be who God created us to be . . . to be ourselves in a world that would rather we all be carbon copies of one another.  Thus we cling and hold on tightly to one another because we care . . . because we love one another.

With the crunching of the car’s tires going down the street, the children left.  Quietness descended . . . and the immensity of the whole thing overwhelmed me . . . what an awesome responsibility any of us has when we are a part of a family.  Despite enjoying the quiet stillness of the homestead after the Christmas tsunami, I miss them all.  Our Christmas gathering was a wonderful respite in the journeys that each of us are on . . . a wonderful break from all the noise of the world around us . . . a joyful occasion to break bread, drink a little wine, tells stories, to laugh, and to bask in the warmth of a family’s love. 

But, life must go on.  We all must pack up our belongings from the respite of family gathering and head back into the reality of our own journeys.  There are jobs to be done.  Children to be raised.  Relationships to be worked on.  Dreams to dream.  Doctor’s appointments.  Bills to be paid.  Choices to make.  Each of our journeys takes us down the paths of life--some well-traveled, some not even blazed—in different directions.  Some will draw us closer, but others will draw us further apart.  Some will be easy, some quite difficult.  There will be victories and defeats.  These are journeys that we have to make in order to discover who we are . . . what our purpose is . . . and, to dream the big dreams.  Often we must make them alone.  We all have to go back to the journey.

I am amazed at the journeys of the members of my family . . . amazed at the resilience of each and every one of them.  Amazed that they have rejoiced in the good times and ridden the waves of the difficult times.  I stand in awe of them each carving out their own paths through life.  Amazed at their dreams . . . and, honored that they allow the wife and I to be a part of the stories that are being lived and written. 

And, so, it makes me contemplate in this quiet stillness . . . I think of how much I love them . . . I think about how much I want to succeed in their pursuits . . . I think about their happiness . . . I think about their safety.  Above all things I want them to be safe . . . safe, because the journey of life is not for the faint-hearted.  It can be hard and dangerous.  As the youngest and his wife pulled away . . . in the quietness of the house . . . I uttered a simple prayer: “Traveling mercies.”

I uttered it for all my family . . . wherever they might be . . . “traveling mercies.”  Yeah, I survived the family onslaught . . . the family celebration and gathering; but, thanks to the words of “traveling mercies” said for me throughout my life, I have also survived the journey thus far.  That is my desire and wishes for all my family . . . that God may surround them all in their journeys and keep them safe.

We all need a little “traveling mercy” in our lives . . . in our journeys.

Betrayal by Belief

Every so often I will read something that gets me to thinking.  The August 4, 2014 issue of Time magazine had an article that caught my attention and created a rumbling in the ol’ rock garden I call my mind.  It was an article about atheist churches and their growth in popularity . . . even in the Bible Belt!  Basically it stated that atheists are gathering into church-like organizations where they gather once a week for something that resembles—minus the dogma and ritual—church.  They just drop the religion and God out of the gathering.  From what the article stated there is not much difference between what the atheists are doing and what a lot of people experience in their church . . . just none of the religious propaganda. Everything but God.

And, the atheists are loving it . . . they are eating it up . . . and, apparently, the movement is growing.

So, what is it about the “church” that they are embracing while refusing the rhetoric, theological dogma, and ritual of the church.  From what I gathered a typical atheistic gathering would start out a lot like the “church”.  There would be music (but no congregational singing as that is too churchy), greeting of one another, listening to a message, some more music, and then lots of fellowship.  Though they will not call it “church”, it sure sounds a lot like “church”.

The author of the article, Josh Sanburn, seems to think that the purpose behind the birth of these non-churchy gatherings serves to make connections between people who believe in a similar manner . . . to create a support system for one another . . . to discuss issues and topics relevant to what believe.  It is to find a place where one belongs . . . to have relationships . . . to connect.  One individual who leads such a non-church gathering stated: “. . . if we don’t offer regular human community and support for nonbelievers, it would be detrimental to the movement.”  As the author wrote in the article, there is strength in numbers. 

Sounds like the atheists have finally caught up to the “church”.

The article got me to thinking . . . and, that my friends, is a scary proposition.  Made me wonder about what it was that atheists found in the “church” that was of importance . . . enough importance to imitate it in their own way.  What did they find that was relevant and necessary for its own purpose and survival that was equivalent to those who claim to be “religious” . . . who claim to be among the faithful?  What were the commonalities?

Having read the article several times the number one thing that I found was that both the “church” and the atheist version of the non-church was . . . relationships.  The atheists came to the realization that it needed relationships to survive . . . to exist.  It needed to find people of the same mind set . . . no beliefs, mind you, because that smacks of religion . . . to get together with to relate to.  It needed to find community.  Community being a word that I usually define as being a group who gathers under a “common unity”.  It thrives, just like the “church”, on relationships between people . . . between connecting with another. 

Now, that is the foundation of what I believe as a believer . . . as a follower of Jesus . . . as, heaven forbid, a Christian.  Relationships.  As a follower of Jesus the first and most important relationship is between me and God.  The second, and actually just as important, is my relationship with others.  Jesus told us followers, us believers, that these were the two most important commandments . . . loving God and others.  Under these two fell all the laws and other commandments.  Because of that I think that relationships are the most important . . . the actual foundation . . . of what it means to be the “church”.  Relationships are important.  Plus, as the author stated in the article, there is strength in numbers.

Everything else that the atheists embrace from the “church” are actually secondary methods of creating relationship.  So, it comes down to relationships.  The atheist non-church church comes together in order to relate . . . to relate to one another and the common good of all.  The only thing missing is God . . . or is God missing?

It seems to me that what the atheists are embracing is the same thing that the religious folk are embracing . . . relationships.  Through relationships people learn how to care for others, how to listen to others, how to love others, and now to be community.  Through relationships people grow . . . they grow to discover a bigger and broader world around themselves . . . they grow to learn more about who they are and how they fit into the bigger scheme of the world around them.  Through relationships they learn to love themselves and others.  Through relationships they find purpose and meaning.  Through relationships . . . well, they have a reason to live.  As it is with the atheists, so it is with the religious . . . with the faithful.

The author states that this weekly ritual of gathering that the atheists are beginning to embrace is simply a part of human nature . . . but, he writes, it is something more.  He writes: It is something they can all believe in.

That got me to thinking more.  M. Scott Peck once wrote that there are no atheists in the world because all people believe in something.  According to Peck whatever a person believes in becomes his or her religion . . . his or her faith . . . his or her purpose.  He goes on to write that to be a true atheist a person could not believe in anything, including him or herself . . . there would be no reason for living . . . no purpose.  Thus, he argued, there are no atheists.

In the New Testament the Apostle Paul speaks to a crowd in a secular city.  He speaks to them in a sort of community gathering place with lots of statues dedicated to the gods of many religions . . . including one to the “unknown god”.  It is to that “unknown god” that the apostle directs his statements proclaiming to the people that they are not that far from believing.  So it is that atheists have been betrayed by their own beliefs as they embrace that which resembles the church.  In pursuing relationships they are ever so close to being religious.  I would argue that they are religious since they actually do believe in something that calls them to be a community.

I think there is a lesson for the “church” to learn from this movement within the atheist ranks.  I think they highlight what it is that is the foundation of the faith . . . relationships.  At least that is what I think.  This is not a deep analysis of the issue.  These are just ponderings of a wayward mind whose curiosity was piqued by an article in Time magazine.  I am sure that it could be ripped to shreds by the academics . . . also by the conservative fundamental believers; yet, at the same time I think that the religious . . . the faithful . . . the “church” needs to take this movement serious as it considers what we have in common that actually brings us closer together.  It seems we are all working our way back home, though some of us are not really sure there is a “home” to get back to.  But, the one thing that we can agree on is that relationships are the foundation of whatever it is we are attempting to live up to.

As usual, we aren’t all going to get there the same way.  Sometimes what we believe in betrays what we feel within our hearts.  Sometimes we just need to live and let live as we help one another in whatever journey we are on.  The journey is always easier when we walk together.  Maybe the time has come to trash the word “church” and focus on community . . . that which we have in common.  In such relationship we will discover what it means to relate and love one another.  Well, at least that was what I was thinking after I read the article . . . on well!  

Multiplicity of Faith

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

(Luke 10:27)

It has been over 40 years that I have been making this journey of life with Jesus.  And, as the Grateful Dead sing, “What a long strange trip it has been.”   The more I think that I understand . . . the simpler it seems to get . . . the more complicated it becomes.   Yet, I really do not think that God ever intended for faith—any of our faith—to be complicated. 

One year my mother gave me a framed needle point picture of a turtle with the words: “Keep It Simple Stupid”.  The “KISS” philosophy . . . and, no, my mother did not think I was stupid . . . she just liked the philosophy.  She wanted to remind me to keep things simple.  Ever since then I have attempted to do that.  The lawyer that Denzel Washington plays in the movie, Philadelphia, tells each of his clients that he wants them to tell him their story in words that a third grader would understand.  He believes that if a third grader can understand it then any jury or judge in the land will be able to understand it.  It is the KISS philosophy . . . keep it simple.  And, again, I have embraced that idea when I am trying to share the faith . . . keep it simple enough that any third grader can understand so that everyone can understand.  I think that is what God intended . . . it is we humans who go and complicate the whole matter of faith.  It is humans that seem to screw it up and make it harder than it has to be.

Because I want to keep it simple I pretty much have embraced the quote above as the purpose and meaning to being a follower of Jesus.  We are to love the Lord completely . . . and, love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  I think that Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message, says it in a way that makes sense: He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”  As Jesus told the lawyer who was challenging him, “If you do that, you’ve got it covered . . . you’ve got it made.”  Just go do it!

That is what I am striving to do . . . love God completely with everything I’ve got . . . love my neighbor just like I love myself.  It sounds so simple, wouldn’t you agree?  And, it really is . . . it is just not easy to live on a daily basis.

I can honestly state that I have spent a good portion of my journey with Jesus with my nose stuck in a whole lot of books . . . ministers have to do that.  They have to read a whole lot of book on theological  topics . . . “theo” meaning God, the “ology” part meaning the study of . . . I have read a lot of books on the study of God in hopes of getting to know God better.  I have shelves and shelves of theological books and books explaining the theological books.  It is mind-boggling the number of books there are about God for the faithful to follow.  But, boy do they complicate things.  It is like following bunny trails.  And, I have to be honest, I really, really liked reading theological books . . . but, a person could spend a lifetime reading about God and never experience God. 

Realizing that such reading was mostly “head” knowledge, I switched . . . I switched and started reading other forms of books . . . literature, fiction and non-fiction, biographies and autobiographies, history . . . books about people and their experiences with life and God.  This was a different type of reading . . . it was reading for the heart . . . reading for the soul.  Finding truth in other people’s stories.  But, once again, this is still burying oneself in books and not really experiencing God.

Prayer . . . being still and knowing God . . . listening . . . just being.  That helps a lot in knowing and experiencing God.  Worship . . . praise . . . thanksgiving . . . fellowship.  These help a lot in knowing and experiencing God.  In doing these things, one cannot hide behind the printed page . . . one is out in the open with no one else except him or herself and God.

In a roundabout way, I guess what I am saying is that I feel fairly comfortable in the first half of the quote from above . . . I am doing a pretty good job of loving God with my whole being.  I work pretty hard on my end of the relationship with God . . . I am not perfect at it (at least not yet), but I have such a relationship with God that God appreciates the effort, understands that I am human, and that I will keep trying no matter how many times I blow it.  I think that is part of God’s love and grace.

The more difficult part of the quote from above is not the part about “loving your neighbors”, but the part about “loving your neighbors as you love yourself.”  That is the more difficult part.  As I look around the world today . . . listen to the news on the radio or television . . . read it in the newspapers and magazines . . . watch people relate to other people . . . witness the senseless wars and crises of our day . . . and, I wonder why we—all of us—have such a difficult time loving ourselves.  If the reality of the world around us is a reflection about how we love ourselves because of the way that we treat one another; well, then, all of us need to work harder at loving ourselves.

I can admit that there are days that I do not like myself, much less love myself.  I can admit that I am not always the nicest person to other people . . . who is?  I can admit that I have my prejudices that color the way that I react and respond to others.  I do stupid things . . . say stupid things . . . react wrongly . . . get mad at people . . . use sign language while driving . . . Hey! I can admit that there are days that I have a hard time loving myself . . . so, how in the world am I supposed to love my neighbor.  And, I am not the only one with this problem . . . we all have it.  Look around and you can see it.

I guess I should have read the fine print at the bottom of my baptism certificate . . . should have read the legalese before jumping in and getting all wet.  But, it all sounded so simple . . . so easy . . . all I had to do was to love God and others.  Easier said than done.  Love and relationships are hard . . . hard because they involve more than one . . . it takes two to tango.  Whenever two or three are gathered . . . no, it is not what you think . . . whenever two or three are gathered someone always spills the milk.  Arguments happen.  Opinions are expressed.  Feelings are hurt.  And, relationships fall apart.  If you have ever really tried to be in a honest and open relationship with another person, you know how hard it is. 

Yet, it really is simple.  Love God.  Love yourself.  Love your neighbor.  Everyone is our neighbor.  Everyone is a child of God.  All we have to do is to love . . .

Faith is simple . . . love; well, love is a whole other story.  Jesus had the gall to tell the lawyer to do this and hit the jackpot.  The problem is that once you start loving you can’t stop.  It grows in you and around you.  It multiples with more and more relationships being experienced and born.  It is like that little mustard seed Jesus spoke about . . . a simple, itty bitty, tiny seed that when it is nurtured and loved grows into a mighty bush that is big enough to support birds and their nests . . . it grows!  Suddenly it is not so simple this simple idea of loving God and others.  It is enough to make one’s head spin.

Then I remember . . . keep it simple.  To focus on God . . . to love God completely.  To focus on me . . . to love myself for who God created me to be.  To focus on others to know this love that makes us connected to God and one another in such a way that we cannot help but to share it.  Not in the words that we say, but the actions that we take . . . love is not a bunch of words . . . love is how we care for one another.  It is as simple as that . . . but, watch out!  It could multiply and get complicated if you really live it.  It is as simple as that.