Are you wealthy? Or poor?

Luciene update: Surgery yesterday went well, and she is home at Val and Cesar’s house. Pray for pain management today and for God’s provision of $50,000 to pay for the surgery! Thank you!!

But God chose the poor to be rich in faith

Isaiah 3:14-15 The Lord comes forward to pronounce judgment on the elders and rulers: “How dare you crush my people, grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?” demands the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

James 2:1, 5, 8 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? … Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? … Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Strong words from Isaiah today, echoed by James almost 800 years later, reminding us that God’s character doesn’t change. It’s so easy for us, who are among the world’s and history’s most wealthy, to equate poverty with crime, with character defects like laziness, with bad habits and lifestyle choices, with inferior intellect and wisdom. In so doing, of course, we elevate ourselves and justify our own ways of living.

As I sit here, though, a series of snapshots flit through my mind of people who would be considered poor by most standards who have, out of kindness and generosity, deeply blessed my life. Of wisdom and perspective I gained from the fruit of the Spirit shining through people living lives of grace within terrifically difficult circumstances. Of gentle care extended to me as a child by people living in one-room earthen floor thatched roof homes. Of friends who grew up in favelas (urban slums), who were abused and hungry and cold, yet whose hearts were wide open to God’s love and somehow carried forgiveness instead of grudges.

I feel like I’ve had the privilege of at least some insight into God’s tenderness toward his people, the ones he chose to be rich in faith, the poor.

Poverty is such a relative concept. Everyone (almost!) is “poor” when compared to some others—and wealthy when compared to a different set of people. I felt this viscerally when our family spent a year in the US when I was eleven. In our small village in Guatemala, we were considered unbelievably wealthy. Even though our house was small (especially for our large family!), we had a tile floor, and Dad devised a way for us to have running water, heated by our wood stove. We children went away to school. We each had more than one set of clothes. We ate fruits and vegetables. We owned a vehicle. We had games and toys and jigsaw puzzles and a crank record player. We had resources to help other families.

The complexity of two cultures (and ours as a third) with lopsided power and wealth sharing, occupying the same physical space in the town where I grew up (Shutterstock: Stefano Ember)

A week of travel, though, took us to a city in the US where we were considered poor. My classmates wore new clothes, not hand-me-downs. (We joked about the used tea bags included with missionary donations.) When special events came to town, they could attend. Their teenage siblings didn’t have to go to work after school as mine did, leaving me, at eleven, responsible for my four younger sisters and brother, along with housework and cooking. So they could visit each other’s homes and play after school or learn special skills like gymnastics or other sports. At age eleven, I resented being different from my peers.

But was I poor? No, I don’t think so. I had a home to go to, food to eat, clothes to wear. I spoke (to some degree) three languages. I had grown up amid two other cultures that interfaced in complex fashion in my part of Guatemala. (After I left home, my town was caught in the crossfire of a brutal, years-long civil war engendered by these disparities.) My parents were well-educated (Dad that year was earning an advanced degree in linguistics at the University of Chicago) and good at their work of Bible translation. I had been well cared for at my boarding school, learning enough that the academic part of life in the US seemed easy to me (except latitude and longitude—for some reason I could never remember which was which!).

God’s point, recorded by Isaiah, is of course about kindness and generosity, living by the royal law rather than greed and abuse. Today I am filled with gratitude, for the unexpected riches of a zillion blessings, for many opportunities to share them with others. And for daily invitations from the Lord to grow in faith.

Hope for our grandchildren’s future

But God will mediate between nations

Luciene update: Surgery is now scheduled for Thursday. Though it’s painful, Lu can wiggle her toes. She’s finding grace for enduring each day and says thank you for your prayers for her. Her son (my son-in-law) Cesar has found two possible pathways toward funding.

Isaiah 2:3-4, 11, 22 The Lord will teach us his ways … He will mediate between nations … Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. … Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. (Verse 11 is restated in v. 17) … Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath.

The other day I had a conversation with another grandmother, both of us expressing dismay over the world we see our grandchildren growing up in.**

Juliana is now an expert crawler

That’s why I think Isaiah 2 is one of the most thrilling passages in the whole Bible. As I re-read it this morning, I found myself with goosebumps. Have you ever watched someone mediate a dispute, honoring the needs and perspectives of both parties and bringing them to a place of understanding? It’s one of the most beautiful creative endeavors I have ever been privileged to witness.

Imagine, then, the breathtaking beauty of God mediating between nations! Take a minute just to picture this in your mind.

Imagine no more war, with all those resources invested instead in positive purposes. Imagine a world without fear, without the greed for domination and power that propels people to devastate one another.

Imagine people trusting God so deeply that they understand and want what he wants and love what he loves.

With this post I want to honor those who, every day, humbly walk in God’s paths, creating, building, mediating, honoring and loving one another, generating peace wherever they go.

I want to honor the Lord, for giving us hope, a future to anticipate with joy!

**It’s becoming more acceptable to end sentences with a preposition—hurrah!

I liked what I did

First, an Update on Luciene: Surgery had to be postponed because Lu’s ankle, foot, and leg are still too swollen. Her provisional new date–with a different surgeon–is June 29. Please pray the swelling will go down, that God will give her daily grace to deal with the severe pain and the disappointment of being stuck in a recliner during this special visit to her children and grandchildren instead of doing all the fun things they had planned. And pray for financial provision. All this is costing much more than their travel insurance! If you want to give Lu an encouraging message, send me an email or write it in the comments.

But God says “Listen to me”

Isaiah 1:3-4, 10, 17, 29 My people don’t recognize my care for them … They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. … Listen to the Lord … Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.” … Be ashamed of your idol worship.

On Mother’s Day, one of my daughters wrote me a beautiful letter, listing some of the things she recognizes, now that she’s a mom, that I did for her when she was a child. Things she took for granted, as children do. Perhaps her own daughters won’t appreciate all she does for them until they too are parents.

Isn’t it hard, though, when our little ones turn their backs on us when we’re trying to serve and care for them? This too is a common experience, one that often requires some form of discipline.

A few weeks ago, I carried one of my three-year-old granddaughters—yelling “I don’t want to obey you!”—to her room to sit in a chair for three minutes because she refused to stop doing something destructive. While she sat sobbing in the chair, I rushed to repair the damage while I still could. As I worked, I heard her sobs lessen and stop.

When I returned to talk with her about what had happened, my granddaughter listened to me, then gave a big sigh and said, “Grammy, you might as well leave me here, because I liked what I did, and I want to do it again. I’m not sorry. I enjoyed it. I like the color. I think it should be everywhere.”

I told her, “I see. Well, when you’re ready to obey and not do it again, you can come out of your room and play.” Then I hurried downstairs to place all bottles of her mom’s nail polish where she couldn’t reach them.

What she had done was to “paint” the floor and the furniture within easy reach with, yes, deep pink nail polish.

By the time I had looked carefully to be sure there were no more traces of deep pink glommed onto the floor and furniture, she appeared, hugged me, and cheerfully began playing with one of her “stuffies.” Though I don’t know the exact mental process she engaged, I haven’t heard her reference nail polish since that day.

In Isaiah 1, God offers his people the same option. They’re under discipline, but they don’t have to stay there. They can repent, and receive forgiveness, and return to the rewards of obedience.

So can we. We too can learn to do good. We can learn to live in ways that please and honor the Lord. And one of the main things that pleases the Lord, as Isaiah observes, is our honor and care for one another.

Zion will be restored by justice; those who repent will be revived by righteousness (Isaiah 1:27).

Note: I’ve been asking the Lord where to focus during these months of “Ordinary Time,”—from Pentecost to Advent—and keep having my attention drawn to the Old Testament book written by the prophet Isaiah. I noticed that since starting this blog, I’ve referred to Isaiah 51 times; in some cases, because Isaiah was one of Karis’s favorites. But I haven’t gone through the book systematically, highlighting precious “pearls” left for us by this prophet.

A bit of orientation: Isaiah prophesied over a period of almost sixty years, through the reigns of four kings of Israel (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and part of Hezekiah’s), from 792 to 686 BC. He lived through civil war between Israel and Judah and saw the destruction of Israel in 722 BC. Thus, the first half of his book includes warnings, judgment and tragedy, and we find more comfort in the second half. But there’s a lot in the first half that seems directly applicable to our own time, going on three millennia later! That’s one of the amazing things about Scripture, how timeless it is, reflecting the fact that God does not change—and apparently, neither does human nature.

Enough

But God’s grace is sufficient

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Do you ever have days that seem just too much to cope with?

Wednesday our flight from Newark to Pittsburgh, coming home exhausted from an amazing week in Colombia, was delayed by two hours. It so happened therefore that as our plane was landing, Luciene, my Schalm grandchildren Caleb and Talita’s other grandmother, was running up the steps of Valerie and Cesar’s home here in Pittsburgh to reconnect with a Zoom call which had been interrupted by an urgent message for her husband. Luciene tripped on the steps and broke her ankle, completely doubling her foot backward. The pain was horrific. Five-year-old Caleb commented to me yesterday several times that his Vovó was crying.

Opa and Vovó in Pittsburgh!! Such joy for Caleb and Talita and all of us

So, as we drove home from the airport, my son-in-law Cesar Jr. and his dad were transporting Luciene first to urgent care and then, after x-rays, to the hospital ER. Even with massive morphine directly into her ankle, the pain of having her bones repositioned was intolerable. She was hospitalized, scheduled for surgery the next day (at the same hospital where our daughter Valerie was working).

However, Lu’s ankle was too swollen to operate yesterday, so Lu was sent home to bedrest for a week, in the hope of operating Thursday next week, to install metal plates and screws to support her ankle as it heals.

At the time Cesar Jr. was transporting Lu back to their house from the hospital yesterday and Cesar Sr. headed to our house to pick up Caleb and Talita, I was on an Instagram Live in Portuguese talking about Karis’s zest for life despite her pain and weaknesses, citing her life verse, this one (above) from 2 Corinthians. Lu herself, from the car going home from the hospital, coached me through connecting with the Live since I was having trouble getting on—turns out Instagram looks different in Brazil than here, so Ilaene’s instructions weren’t helping me. Huge panic that I might not figure it out in time! (If anyone reading this speaks Portuguese and wants to join Ilaene and me on next week’s Live, it will be 8:00 pm Brasília time/7:00 pm Eastern time on Instagram at Igrejas Discipuladoras. You can also watch last night’s Live there.)

There was so much emotion involved with all of this that I have no idea whether I said anything coherent or helpful to anyone on the Live. I’m still trying to find emotional equilibrium, devastated that this has happened to Luciene. Maybe that’s why I’m dumping it on you.

But one thing is vivid: the reality of God’s grace, PRESENT in our challenges and weaknesses and limitations and pain. Offered generously by our Lord to me and to you, today. Please pray with us for Lu as she faces (I almost wrote “walks through,” exactly what she can’t do!)–as she deals with some very tough days ahead. May God’s power resting on her be palpable.

At challenging times like this, I find worship in Portuguese reaches my heart more than English. “Tua Graça Me Basta” means Your Grace Is Sufficient. You can soak in the beauty even if you can’t understand the words. If you enjoy this, you can listen to more of Rachel Novaes here.

And here’s another beautiful song giving me comfort right now (in English this time).

One Name

But God is three in one June 7, 2023

Matthew 28:19 Therefore as you go, make disciples of all the nations [or all peoples], baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever wished for a clear, accessible but carefully thought through reflection on the mysterious doctrine of the Trinity? I offer you a remarkable sermon by systematic theologian Dr. Joel Scandrett, just preached on Trinity Sunday. He even throws in a reference to the classic video, “St Patrick’s Bad Analogies.”

Celtic Triquetra

Seriously, have you ever read the Athanasian Creed? I don’t remember ever doing so until we read it aloud together last Sunday. Really, I think out loud is the only way to read it. You can find it here in modernized language and here in an older translation of the 4^th century Latin.

It might be helpful to note that the word “catholic” means “common” or “comprehensive,” or “all-embracing.” This creed is not specifically referring to the Roman Catholic Church.

What most impressed me Sunday was the mystery, holiness, and power of the Name of God, encompassing all three Persons of the Trinity. The day will come when at the Name, every knee will bow. Try doing a search of the Name of God in Scripture (eg. through Bible Gateway). I think you’ll be inspired, as I am!

*Otto and Idagly apartment update: As of today, their debt has been reduced to $9,000, thanks to the generosity of several kind people. So encouraging for them, and for us!! We’ll be with them just two days from now, in Bogotá, Colombia, along with other country leaders of discipling and pastoring of pastors (DPP). We fly out tomorrow morning. If you don’t hear from me for the next ten days or so, please pray for us at this retreat. Thanks!

Does it still matter?

But the Holy Spirit gives dreams and visions June 3, 2023

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

Acts 2:4, 17-19 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit … Then Peter stepped forward … “‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy.

Galatians 5:17 The Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.

With his permission, before this Pentecost week escapes us, I want to quote enough for you of Pastor Kevin Antlitz’s sermon last Sunday to interest you in listening to the whole thing:

“In 1968, Patriarch Ignatius, one of the leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church, spoke at a gathering of Christians leaders from around the world and across denominations and traditions. While he had everyone in the room, he asked a very important question. It’s a question that the church should always be asking:

How can the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus matter today? Put slightly differently: How can the message of the gospel matter for our world, in our time?

Patriarch Ignatius answered: the Holy Spirit. The only way Jesus can matter today is the Holy Spirit. Everything hinges on the Holy Spirit.

Without the Holy Spirit, God is distant, Christ is in the past, the Gospel is a dead letter.

Without the Holy Spirit the Church is simply another organization. Without the Holy Spirit, authority is domination, mission is propaganda, liturgy is nostalgia.

Without the Holy Spirit, Jesus is just a historical figure, and the church is a museum or a social club. At its worst, it is an institution of manipulation and control.

But with the Holy Spirit, the Risen Christ is present. God’s life-giving, life-transforming power is unleashed. With the Holy Spirit, the church becomes a community where people can encounter the love of God, recognize their sins and brokenness, and be healed and empowered to extend God’s grace to others.”

Pastor Kevin showed us how Pentecost redeems Babel. The Holy Spirit speaks every language of the world. He knits the frayed fabric of humanity back together, harmonizing rather than fracturing. Rather than a physical tower, the Holy Spirit builds Christ’s Kingdom with living stones, all who honor Christ as their Lord. We’re each responsible for maintaining Body unity, honoring the Holy Spirit’s work.

As Kevin spoke, I thought of Jesus telling Pilate, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight …” (John 18:36). “My Kingdom is not of this world”—one of Jesus’s last statements. How often do you—how often do I—get this mixed up, reverting to the confusion and division of Babel, when Jesus calls us into an entirely new and different loyalty, to a Heavenly Kingdom where joy, harmony, generosity, kindness, and all the fruits of the Spirit are the recognized currency?

I hope you’ll take fifteen minutes to listen to Kevin’s whole sermon and with me, take his challenge to heart.