We See Dimly

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinth 13:11-13 NRSV


What a glorious day it will be when we shall see the Lord face to face. But, for now we have faith, hope and love as we wait for the day when the shadow is gone; the shroud is removed and the fog is lifted so that we will see His full glory as we stand before Him.

No matter how dimly we might see now; it is better than not seeing or knowing Him at all. May God open our eyes that we might see and know Him more clearly each and every day.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV A Servant's Heart

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV
We are free to do as we please. St. Paul chose to use his freedom to become a slave (servant) to everyone to win as many to Christ as possible. He did not lord it over others. He became like them so that they would be open to hearing the Word.

If proclaiming the gospel is a priority for us in this world then sometimes we have to give up a few things (die to self) in order that others might be willing to listen and hear. Those who would serve others need to be willing and able to walk, as the saying goes, a mile in the shoes of others.

My husband and I own an adult foster care. Direct care is not one of the easiest professions. Not everyone is called to the health care profession. It takes a lot of patience as well as a lot of compassion and empathy. It takes a bit of dying to self for the sake of others. My husband does the hiring after I review the applications. Since you cannot work in health care if you have certain things on your criminal record, that is one of the primary things I look for along with experience. I check the Michigan Corrections web-site to see if they have spent any time in prison or if they have any arrests for sexual misconduct that they did not report on their applications. They will have to have a more thorough background check later if we decide to hire them. I also always check (I believe most employers today do) Facebook and other social media. I want to know if the attitude I see on their page is all about "me" or if they have a servants heart. If you want to serve the elderly, the physically or mentally disabled know that you cannot do it well unless you are willing to give up a part of yourself and walk a mile in their shoes. Compassion, empathy, and integrity are all necessary attributes for one who would serve others.

We are free to do as we please. But, servants are willing to die for the sake of others. Jesus did.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Cor 7 Marriage or Not?

1 Corinthians 7 NIV
To marry or not to marry, that is the question.

Paul's concern is that whatever it is that we choose that it does not hinder us from serving the Lord. The married person has a family to care for and sometimes that will be the priority. Sometimes, family can be a distraction. Fortunately, most of the time it seems to be a blessing. The unmarried person may be distracted from focusing on service to the Lord by lust or not even always lost; but, just the desire to have someone to share life with.

I have been married for 43 years. And... yes, sometimes my family has distracted me from the ministry to which I am called. But, I was married and had a family long before I accepted that call to serve God as a Pastor in His Church. Paul exhorts us, in such circumstances to remain as we are.

Fortunately, my husband does support me in my call as I try to support him in his call as an administrator at our adult foster care. The main thing is that we both try to be faithful to our call and to the One who calls us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 15 - "Every head is shaved and every beard cut off."

"Every head is shaved and every beard cut off." (Isa 15:2b NIV)

Today's reading comes at a very fortuitous time. Today, my godson, who will graduate from High School next week, will cut his hair for the first time. His habit has been to wear it in a braid down the middle of his back. I like that braid. But, it is his hair and he can do with it what he chooses.

I, myself have worn my hair long most of my life, except for that pixie cut my mother gave me when I was a teen and that brief period in the early 80's when I got tired of my husband complaining about me not wearing my hair like other women my age - short. He wanted me to look my age! LOL! I had it cut to the length of less than an inch. He hasn't requested I cut my hair since then. The last time I actually had my hair cut was when Maurice, a teen at a correctional facility, was being trained as a barber. I was his first client. That was in the spring of 1998. He cut off about 6 inches. There had been rumors among the boys at the facility that I was a Nazarite because of my long hair and the fact that I do not drink - plus I have a few food issues with things like pork. It makes me ill... so they never saw me eat it. The hair cut was a way to show Maurice that I trusted him enough to give him that much power over me. He was, after all, a young felon, standing behind me with scissors, in a facility where he was not allowed to handle even sharp steak knives. I have trimmed a few split ends since that day. But, nothing more.

Long hair has, in many cultures, been a sign of power and strength. Some cultures cut off the hair of conquered enemies to show their control over them - to shame them even further. It was a sign of great loss - a sign of someone without power. The shaving of the hair or the beard was also used as a sign of the grief experienced from losses incurred during war or even natural death.

In today's reading they are mourning the losses incurred by Moab and so every head is shaved and every beard cut off.

I guess, in a sense, it is fitting that my godson is cutting his hair today. He is making a great transition, from High School into the work force (hopefully) and college which he will enter this fall. He will be taking on even greater responsibilities and he will, as all of the young people graduating, lose contact with many friends. Many things change with graduation. Everyone celebrates! But, even as we celebrate, it is also fitting that we grieve the loss of a childhood as they step out into the world as young men and women with all the responsibilities of an adult.

God's Peace - Pr. J