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In response to Doug’s request, I “brought art” for The Refuge last weekend. He and Sage led the conversation on the 1st of the beatitudes: “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” It always warms my heart to hear how much Doug appreciates art as a valuable piece of the worship experience, how for him it makes such a difference in creating a holy space (and moment in time), and gives a focal point to help draw our attention to the intent of our thoughts and time together. So I was glad to partner with him on his Sunday.

I thought I might have something at home previously created that would work well enough, but during the week I couldn’t think of anything that fit. Even though we had a chaotic stressed out week, I wanted to create something about what was stirring for me about the poor, the poor in spirit and the kingdom.

My personal kingdom was being invaded by some very bold mice in the kitchen. I got very creeped out as the experience wore on and so much of our time and energy was used for baiting traps (ugh!), clearing out cabinets, cleaning, and then bleaching everything. I’m still not done after days of it. During this time I have been reading a lot of stories about what Hurricane Katrina victims went through and my bleaching escapades do not compare with what they faced when and if they got back into their homes. The current issue of Oxford American is all about New Orleans 3 years later and includes first-hand accounts of local writers who have a strong connection to the city. One woman tells of her family’s traumatic experience of not evacuating as the water was rising. Many other people also faced dramatic challenges, the devastation of losing loved ones, homes, belongings, jobs, pets, etc. They had little before the hurricane and even less after. How were these folks valued and cared for? Were the delayed and botched rescue efforts an indication?

Jesus says some very radical things in the Sermon on the Mount (in Matthew) as he turns values and expectations on their heads. “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom.” Luke’s version is more like “Blessed are you who are poor.” Both meanings are present in the Hebrew word behind the Greek. In fact, depending on the context, the Hebrew word for “poor” can also mean oppressed, afflicted, wretched, miserable, helpless, humble, patient, meek. Basically completely bankrupt in every way.

Jesus is saying that our emptiness and nothingness before God is not only a virtue, but brings the kingdom of God to us. We cannot look to ourselves because the cupboard is bare, the plate is empty. I had these things in mind while creating the art piece you see above. I was also thinking about how Jesus probably didn’t look “right”, talk “right”, dress “right”, and so forth to suit the wealthy, powerful, and religious in-group. He seemed more closely identified with the working people, those who might be wearing laborers clothes, soiled and ragged.

He was willing to “fellowship” with them in the truest sense, to sit with them at table, and offer them the greatest thing in the world–true love and true life.

His offer is still open. His upside-down values are still in effect. Am I wearing workman’s clothes in the spirit? Am I bankrupt and wanting? I want to be, and I want to experience his kingdom and fellowship with him in the truest sense.

Thanks, Doug, for your request for art. It brought me an opportunity to see God’s Spirit at work during the week as I pondered Jesus’ words.

this is a repost from jenny herrick’s blog. so good. may we be people willing to give up things that limit Jesus.

PART ONE:

I think one of my resolutions this year will be fewer sacred cows. Having been around the Church block a few times, I’ve at times found, adopted, rejected, or ignored rallying cries and doctrinal dividing lines along the way. Years ago I was part of discussions (i.e. arguments) to do with eschatological events and I’ve been fairly certain about different positions on opposite sides of the spectrum at different times! I could back both sides up with scripture. That shows how crazy some of that stuff gets. This is really weird, but I once had my community of faith (during early college years) tell me they “couldn’t fellowship with me anymore” because I was asking questions about the Holy Spirit! They believed charismatic experience was “wrong.” I wasn’t pushed out of the group because I was selling drugs or living with my boyfriend, but for messing with their sacred cow of doctrinal purity according to them.

Another group said I had to be “spirit-filled.” Anything liturgical was surely a sign of spiritual deadness and just head knowledge. Only certain people were allowed to pray for other people. I heard one leader say she wouldn’t let so-and-so (who by the way loved Jesus) touch her in prayer (afraid she would get slimed), thereby labeling that person as suspect, messed up, demonized or whatever in front of all the hearers. I am not talking about spiritual warfare, which I think is very real, but what seems like unkind pettiness.

I’ve heard warnings to be ultra-careful about what words come out of the mouth. A negative declaration may come true. Okay, this is a little extreme, but I know someone who will not say she is catching a cold, only that she is “catching a healing.” Very important to her, but seems a little like fantasyland to me.

These are admittedly my own absurd examples and in no way reflect the wonderful, wise, loving people I have known in all camps. I am so thankful for what I have learned and experienced from many persuasions in my faith journey. I’ve had some excellent mentors, too. It’s easy to look back and in hind sight see absurdity in some cases, but how many sacred cows do I still hold to (and even feed) that I don’t recognize as such? How many times do I think of someone as being “in” or “out” related to my or my group’s sacred cow? Do I alter my behavior to please people (whom I want to impress) over Jesus?

This year I hope to become freer from bottom lines that will not hold up over time. In other words, I want to grow in a knowledge of truth that causes me to root deeper in Jesus and his way (the way of love.) That sounds simplistic, but it is not. It is a process of debunking sacred cows that interfere with that along the way as I become aware of them. And friends, I will need you to help me. Are you “in” or “out”?

PART TWO:

Have you noticed how some people are affected by our sacred cows (methods of evangelism, prosperity message, etc…) Consider a portion of I Take My Chances by Mary Chapin Carpenter from one of my all-time favorite albums: Come On, Come On

I take my chances, I don’t mind working without a net
I take my chances, I take my chances every chance I get

I sat alone in the dark one night, tuning in by remote
I found a preacher who spoke of the light but there was brimstone in his throat
He’d show me the way according to him in return for my personal check
I flipped my channel back to CNN and I lit another cigarette

I take my chances, forgiveness doesn’t come with a debt
I take my chances, I take my chances every chance I get

I’ve crossed lines of words and wire and both have cut me deep
I’ve been frozen out and I’ve been on fire and the tears are mine to weep
Now I can cry until I laugh and laugh until I cry
So cut the deck right in half, I’ll play from either side

 

In Richard Foster’s discussion of Formation Prayer (Prayer, Finding the Heart’s True Home pp.60,61), he describes the active pursuit of humility. After all formation has to do with conformity to Christlikeness, so could it be that there is an antidote to some of our sacred cows that has to do with humility? He says:

…in simple terms, humility means to live as close to the truth as possible; the truth about ourselves, the truth about others, the truth about the world in which we live…

It does not mean groveling or finding the worst possible things to say about ourselves. Humility is in fact, filled with power to bring forth life. The word itself comes from the Latin humus, which means fertile ground. “Humility,” writes Anthony Bloom, “is the situation of the earth.” In one sense humility is nothing more than staying close to the earth. The earth, Bloom reminds us, is always with us, always taken for granted, always walked on by everyone. It is the place where we dump our garbage. “It’s there”, continues Bloom, “silent and accepting everything and in a miracuous way making out of all the refuse new richness…transforming corruption itself into a power of life and a new possibility of creativeness, open to the sunshine, open to the rain, ready to receive any seed we sow and capable of bringing thirtyfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold out of every seed.” Such is the power of humility.

I want to think more about this power of humility. It sounds like a power for freedom, a power for joy, a power that attracts and makes people curious about the life it enables.