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Friday, October 30, 2020

What Can Other Nations Teach Us About Combating Covid?

Common concerns about Covid should unite people everywhere, regardless of nationality.

According to a piece in the October 30, 2020, The Week magazine, China has largely halted the spread of its coronavirus epidemic "through a combination of strict lockdowns, face-mask mandates and mass testing and contact tracing." 

China is an authoritarian regime, of course, and is able to impose restrictions in a way that is not as easily accomplished in a society focused on exercising its individual freedoms, even if contrary to the common good. But China may be the only major economy that will achieve positive growth this year, according to the article.

Here are some numbers:

Population

China 1.4 billion            US 328 million

Covid Infections

China 86,000                 US 8.5 million

Covid Deaths

China 4,700                   US 226,000

New Cases In A Recent Day

China 13                         US 48,000

We can always dispute the accuracy of information coming from China, and I welcome your fact checking here. But I hope we can learn from experiences of other countries, including many of the more democratic ones that have been more successful in combating the virus and reviving their economies. 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

When Jesus Stands At Our Door And Knocks

Last week I posted a blog on a 90-year-old prisoner, John Wright, for whom some law students at Washington and Lee and our local chapter of Aging Persons in Prison are seeking parole release and a temporary home. I wasn't surprised that my post got only a couple dozen page visits and that no one responded with an offer of taking this man in for a month or so.

I know all too well why this feels difficult. It would certainly be hard for aging folks like the two of us during a pandemic. And it would require a major commitment of time and effort for anyone, even if a congregational team of people took him on as their ministry of mercy, and even if he could be moved from home to home until some place could be rented or some other arrangement could be made. 

So I understand and share everyone's sense of hesitancy and concern about taking this kind of step. This represents a level of hospitality that may not be for everyone.

Yet there's a side of me that believes that somewhere in a community of so many caring people there might be some homes and hearts that would be able and willing to do this. And that it might be a reasonable goal to have some households provide a place to live for some homeless person, or some released prisoner, for a month or so once a year as a first step toward helping someone in need.

In the only description Jesus gives us of our final judgment, Jesus makes things very simple and personal. In the end, he is saying, what matters is not just what kind of sinner's prayer we've prayed, what kind of salvation experience we've had, or even whether we've invited Jesus into our heart, but it's also about whether we've invited him into our house. He makes it all about how we respond when Jesus comes to our door hungry, thirsty, sick, or as a prisoner in need of our help. 

And this doesn't mean just outsourcing this to other agencies to do this kind of charitable work on our behalf. Rather, Jesus is saying to each of us, Invite me into your heart and into your home, and you can be sure I will freely welcome you into my Father's house.

These are his words, not mine. As someone who will face my own judgment very soon, this gives me pause. 

Wait. Did I just hear a knock on my door?

**************************************

Even if granted parole, Mr. Wright would still likely not be released before early next year. Here's more http://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2020/10/guest-post-request-for-congregational.html

Monday, October 26, 2020

Focus On The Family's James Dobson, In His Own Words--1998 And 2020

James R. Dobson
1998 

"As it turns out, character DOES matter. You can’t run a family, let alone a country, without it. How foolish to believe that a person who lacks honesty and moral integrity is qualified to lead a nation and the world! Nevertheless, our people continue to say that the President [Bill Clinton] is doing a good job even if they don’t respect him personally. Those two positions are fundamentally incompatible. In the Book of James the question is posed, “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring” (James 3:11 NIV). The answer is no." (On the Preservation of the Family, 1998)

2020

"How will Americans, and how will you, decide who to vote for as our Chief Executive Officer? I have heard from dozens of friends and acquaintances in recent weeks who tell me they will base their decision solely on a candidate's rhetoric, tone, style, or likability. Does that describe your thinking process?

Just now, as I was about to react to that idea, my wife, Shirley, brought in an email that she had received a few minutes before from a friend. It quoted an anonymous statement that gets to the heart of the issue, as follows:

'This is not a junior high or high school popularity/personality contest. I'm not voting for the person—I'm voting for the platform!'

I'm voting for the Second Amendment. I'm voting for the next Supreme Court justice. I'm voting for the electoral college. I'm voting for the Republic in which we live. I'm voting for the police and law and order. I'm voting for the military and the veterans who fought and died for this country. I'm voting for the flag that is often missing from public events. I'm voting for the right to speak my opinion and not be censored for it. I'm voting for secure borders. I'm voting for the right to praise God without fear. I'm voting for every unborn soul that is at risk of being aborted. I'm voting for freedom and the American dream. I'm voting for good and against evil. I'm not just voting for one person."   (October 2020 newsletter)


Sunday, October 25, 2020

November 2020 Newsletter

 House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church                 November 2020

An Election Reflection        - Harvey Yoder

We’re hearing a lot about how all-important this US presidential race is, as though the very survival of civilization rested on the outcome.

     I agree that the choices offered  are important, and that how (or whether) to exercise the one vote each of us has deserves a lot of prayerful thought. The following is an attempt to put things in a larger perspective, to look at the bigger historical picture and not just that of our own small corner of the globe.

     First, the United States is only one of 230 nations in the world, and represents less than 5% of the world's people--even though it currently controls the majority of the world's wealth and military might. From a biblical perspective, all nations are of minor consequence in comparison to God’s worldwide, eternal kingdom. As world citizens, we need to think less of governments simply ruling us and more about urging all of them to rule in more just and in less violent ways.

     Second, we need to remind ourselves that a US president is the chief presider and leader of only one of three branches of a federal government, and that the judicial and legislative branches are equally important. This three-part federal system, in turn, shares power with 50 states and commonwealths, each made up of county and municipal governments, and each responsible to the people being governed.

     In other words, we are electing administrator of one branch of one part of a democracy made up of citizens, not choosing a monarch or dictator over a kingdom of mere subjects. Each president's four-year term is less than 2% of this nation's relatively brief history, one that represents only 5% of the total span of civilization as we know it.

     Finally, we (US Americans) are not a “chosen people” whose culture and way of life is superior to everyone else’s. Take our national language, for example. Our one official tongue is English, mostly the language of white Caucasians. While English is popular worldwide as a second language, it is still only one of nearly 7000 spoken around the world. There is no superior race, language or nationality.


Notes, Prayers and Praises


WE CONTINUE TO MEET ONLINE Sundays from 4-5:30. For a phone connection (audio only) dial 646-876-9923. For video click on  https://zoom.us/j/2849269967. Problems? Call 574-606-8917.


PRAY FOR KENT PALMER, who is to have some reparative surgery done at the UVA Medical Center November 18.


NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Neal Nelson 11/2, Paul Swarr 11/10 and Guy Vlasits 11/21. Neal and Elly Nelson’s anniversary is November 26! Let’s send cards to Neal Nelson, 512 Houston St, Staunton, VA 24401 and Paul Swarr at VMRC, 1401 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802.


November Study “Building on Solid Rock”


1   Matthew 7:13-23

8   Matthew 7:24-29 

15 Matthew 5-7 summary

22 Leader’s choice

29 Leader’s choice


November Services, 4-5:30 pm 


1  Location: on line 

Worship and Sharing Lewis Overholt

Bible Study Harvey Yoder


8 Location: on line 

Worship and Sharing Harvey Yoder

Bible Study Roy Hange


15 Location: on line 

Worship and Sharing  Kent Palmer

Bible Study: Wrap up of Sermon on the Mount Study c/o Harvey Yoder


22 Location: on line 

Worship and Sharing  Lois Rivera-Wenger

Bible Study Elly Nelson


29 Location: on line 

Worship and Sharing  James Stauffer

Bible Study Dick Dumas

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Should We All Become Single-Issue Voters?

After an initial spike in recorded cases after Roe v. Wade,
total numbers have thankfully been in steady decline ever
since, regardless of which party has been in power.
Faced with an array of pressing concerns over how the nation treats its immigrant neighbors, how to make healthcare accessible and affordable during a pandemic, and the apocalyptic effects of global warming, many of the friends I love and deeply respect cast their ballots primarily on the basis of which party promises to do the most to restrict abortions. 

I welcome and support their concerns. I well remember when it was mostly Roman Catholics who vocally opposed abortions, based on church tradition going all the way back to the Didache, a first century document which states, "Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not corrupt boys; do not fornicate; do not steal; do not practice magic; do not go in for sorcery; do not murder a child by abortion or kill a newborn infant."

Yet prior to the conservative political movement that followed the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, most evangelical Protestants in the US either had little to say on the subject or actually defended the right of a woman to choose.

For example, in a November 8, 1968, edition of Christianity Today, Dallas Seminary professor Bruce Waltke made the case that scripture is largely silent on abortion, and that “the Bible does not equate the fetus with a living person," but adds that "it places value on it” (CT, Vol. XIII, No. 3).

And in 1971, the Southern Baptist Convention actually passed a pro-choice resolution, committing themselves “to work for legislation that will allow the possibility of abortion under such conditions as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental, and physical health of the mother.”

Soon after the Roe v. Wade court decision, the highly respected fundamentalist pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, W. A. Criswell, made this surprising statement: “I have always felt that it was only after a child was born and had a life separate from its mother that it became an individual person and it has always, therefore, seemed to me that what is best for the mother and for the future should be allowed.”

Meanwhile, most U.S. Anabaptists like myself have remained committed to a consistently pro-life or “whole-life” stance, including being opposed to war, the death penalty, torture and euthanasia. And in 2007 my denomination (Mennonite Church USA) adopted the following statement regarding abortion:

• Human life is a gift from God to be valued and protected. We oppose abortion because it runs counter to biblical principles.

• The fetus in its earliest stages (and even if imperfect by human standards) shares humanity with those who conceived it.

• There are times when deeply held values, such as saving the life of the mother and saving the life of the fetus, come in conflict with each other.

• The faith community should be a place for discernment about difficult issues like abortion.

• Abortion should not be used to interrupt unwanted pregnancies.

• Christians must provide viable alternatives to abortion that provide care and support for mothers and infants.

• The church should witness to society regarding the value of all human life.

Professionals whose ministry involves dealing with the moral dilemmas of abortion and reproductive technologies need our support.

Many of us have been heartened by evangelicals becoming more "pro-life" over recent decades. But it is also true that conservative movements in the ’70’s used the issue for political purposes, effectively persuading many Christians to oppose candidates like evangelical Jimmy Carter in favor of Ronald Reagan, for example. This was in spite of Reagan, a Hollywood star and a divorcee, having supported some of the most liberal abortion policies in the nation when he was governor of California.

Ever since, majority of evangelicals cite their desire to decrease the nation’s abortion numbers as the primary factor affecting their vote. Interestingly, there were enough such Mennonite voters alone (several thousand) in Sarasota County, Florida, in the year 2000 to help eke out a George W. Bush win in that state over Al Gore, where a razor thin margin of 537 votes in that state decided the outcome.

Neither candidate was a perfect choice, of course, but what might have been the far reaching consequences of that particular election on other important issues? For example, had more Sarasota Mennonites simply stayed at home on election day, would the nation have become mired down in the two longest wars in US history? Would the Kyota Climate Accord have been ratified by the United States, thus helping mitigate some of the devastating effects of climate change we see today? Would a change in the makeup of the Supreme Court have decided the Citizens United case differently, the one that gave corporations the same ability to influence elections as individual citizens? And could the national debt have been reduced rather than significantly increased due to the effect of the Bush tax cuts and the staggering cost of waging two unfunded wars?

We may never have definitive answers to such questions, but rather than automatically leaning toward becoming largely single-issue citizens, should followers of Jesus make sure we support “whole-life” policies across the board? These should certainly include honoring and protecting precious human life in the womb, but also keep in mind that there are more commands (36 in all) to welcome and protect the lives of aliens and strangers in our midst than about any other single issue in the Torah.

We also need to hear the words of Catholic Sister Joan Chittister, who writes, "I do not believe that just because you are opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed... And why would I think that you don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth... We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.”

Thankfully, there has been a steady decline in the number of reported abortions in the US since the spike following Roe v. Wade. And this has been equally true under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and in both Red and Blue jurisdictions.

Together we must continue the work of prayer and persuasion in our efforts to see that trend continue, not necessarily through criminalizing abortions and driving them underground, but by joining together to decry abortion as a form of birth control, by making better education and healthcare available to all, by expanding options for people waiting to adopt children, and by making men fully and equally responsible for the care and support of the children they father.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Competing With Porn

Human beings come in a wonderful variety
 of shapes and forms, each incomparably
beautiful.
“We can’t possibly make ourselves as appealing as all the voluptuous images our men have access to,” is a lament I often hear from women whose partners have become hooked on pornography. 

They have a point. Real women seldom resemble the surgically altered nymphomaniacs portrayed on screen, always young and alluring and always instantly available.

And speaking of available, when I was growing up there were some 1000 US theaters nationwide featuring X-rated movies. Most were in undesirable sections of town, and to go inside was to risk one's good reputation. 

Today there are literally millions of such “theaters” in the  form of personal computers and smart phones available everywhere, each with an instantly available array of X-rated fare. As a result, the number of men (and some women) addicted to it has multiplied, with large numbers of ever younger adolescents now hooked on this material. 

That’s the bad news--and it's far worse than bad. We may never fully know the devastating effects of this plague on the stability and durability of long term relationships and on the wellbeing of families.

Is there any good news in the picture?

Yes, starting with one simple truth everyone needs to hear loud and clear: All of this X-rated hype is fake. In real life, the characters portrayed aren’t any more interested in sex than the rest of us, just greedy for the big bucks they can make--or the attention they can get--pretending to be. 

In the end, pornography is all about using deception for the sake of obscene profits. In reality, it is to good, satisfying lovemaking somewhat like WWE wrestling is to an Olympic event. If we’re looking for fantasy, we can find plenty of it here to fix our eyes on and to fire up our imaginations. But in the end, the actors and actresses involved are as pathetic and needy as are the consumers of their shabby products.

Unfortunately, a lot of addicted men, infantile in their need for this kind of virtual fix, have lost their ability to appreciate the difference. According to feminist author Naomi Wolfe, a disturbing number of them have come to expect their wives or partners to look and perform like porn stars. “Real women,” she says, “who come in a wide variety of body styles, and who aren’t downloadable and then deletable at will, and who aren’t dying to have instant sex with whatever male body may be at hand, are seen as just not being exciting enough to satisfy today’s pornographized expectations.” Wolfe adds that today “sex, like the fast food industry, is about everything being super packaged and super sized, where the more appetites are stimulated by poor-quality material, the more junk it takes to satisfy.”

But if we prefer truly satisfying and lasting bonds, real men and women like you and me can outperform the competition hands down. With God’s help, we can affirm things like “I love you,” and “I’ll always be there for you,” and really mean it. We can actually keep sacred promises like “in sickness and in health,” and “until death do us part.” We can offer reassuring touch and warm hugs to the love of our life, and receive the same. We can form a lifelong relationship and help create a loving family that can bless the world.

That’s real, unlike anything the dark and fake world of porn can offer. And in the context of a committed and blessed wedded life, we can celebrate times of ecstasy and intimacy far superior to anything offered on screen--with pure delight and no regrets.

That’s priceless.

Monday, October 19, 2020

Local Jail Claims That Inmates Are "Residents" And Are Exempt From Wearing Face Coverings



The above is in response to a grievance filed by an inmate at our local jail asking for better protection from the coronavirus. But the Sheriff believes inmates aren't required to wear masks because the jail is their legal "residence," and that jail employees are exempt because they are a part of a "law enforcement agency." 

This raises some interesting legal (and liability?) questions.

Your comments are welcome.

Sunday, October 18, 2020

HARD TIME VIRGINIA Vol. 5, No. 4 (an occasional newsletter for friends in prison)

Lady Justice high above our
local court house.

Augusta Inmate Discovers Omissions In His CORIS Record


In July of this year a prisoner at Augusta Correctional Center received yet another of repeated denials for parole, this one stating he needed further participation in institutional work and/or educational programs. After speaking with many of the staff there he was finally shown what was documented in the CORIS Database System from his hard file. It showed that after nearly four decades of incarceration he had only completed three programs and earned his G.E.D. In fact he had consistently maintained employment, taken advanced vocational studies and earned certification in numerous trade skill programs. He had also earned a Certificate of Recognition for 20 years of being infraction free, and graduated magna cum laud from a community college program with an Associates Degree.


His experience has led others at ACC to have their CORIS records examined, often  with similar results. This individual is appealing his recent turn-down for release by the Parole Board.


The Incarcerated Can Apply For CARES Act Funds


A federal judge recently ruled that the U.S. Department of Treasury and the IRS may not prevent inmates from receiving CARES Act stimulus funds. The deadline for applying is October 30, 2020.


Here is the link for applying on the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here

     

Here's a link to print off a form to mail to those behind bars to fill out and mail:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf

    

And here is a link for those over 65 years of age:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040s.pdf


Deerfield CC Reports 60% Of DOC’s 33 Total COVID Deaths

 

The virus hit Deerfield Correctional Center in April and May with 76 cases, four hospitalizations and one death. At that time, all of these were confined to one pod. After a two-month lockdown, the restrictions were relaxed in June and July, but things exploded again in August, and by mid-September the official count rose to 465 cases, 21 hospitalizations, 35 staff cases and 10 deaths. The National Guard was called in to help, and inmates who tested positive were moved to one of a number of "red zone" pods. Those who tested negative were moved to "yellow" pods. There is no way to social distance in the sleeping area dormitories as the bunk beds are roughly 3 feet apart. 


Meanwhile, the DOC sent in state doctors and nurses to take over medical. As of October 15, the 825-bed facility reported 19 deaths.


Earned Sentence Credits Bill Passes!


On October 14 the first major criminal justice reform legislation in 25 years passed in Virginia and was sent to the governor's desk for his signature. The bill is to take effect on Jan 1, 2022.        


This Earned Sentence Credits Bill is primarily for those charged with "nonviolent" offenses, and unfortunately has 119 exclusions added by the House of Delegates, strictly along party lines. Senator Boysko was able to add the following to the final version: "the Department of Corrections shall ensure that educational, vocational, counseling, and substance abuse programs for earning sentence credits are available at all state correctional facilities."  These programs will be available to help everyone whether they qualify for expanded sentence credits or not.


In January 2021 there will be new efforts to 1) amend the bill to allow more people to earn an earlier release, 2) reinstate parole for all and 3) create an oversight committee for the DOC.  The goal is to give everyone behind bars the opportunity to earn a second chance.  


Editorial: Let's Repeal And Replace Our Criminal Justice System


In a recent series of podcasts, state Senator Mark Obenshain lamented the number of parole releases granted by the Virginia Parole Board in March. He and three Commonwealth's Attorneys, along with a former Governor George Allen (who in 1995 signed the "truth in sentencing" law that eliminated parole) all agreed that the sentences imposed by courts should be carried out in full, with 15% of time granted for good behavior.


I fully understand the need victims and their families feel for retribution or revenge after having suffered some traumatic loss. But if justice calls for everyone sentenced to life in prison to remain on a de facto "death row" until they die, there seems to be little point in offering classes designed for their rehabilitation or for learning trades or skills they will never be able to use. And by their logic there would be little point in even having a Parole Board at all.


The fact is, even multiple life sentences would never be enough to compensate for the trauma of a rape or the terrible tragedy of a brutal loss of human life. Only genuine repentance on the part of a wrongdoer, met with tough love, amazing grace and ongoing accountability, is a viable alternative.  Here are three critical ingredients for a repentance-based system:


Restitution: Courts should be redesigned to focus on repairing harm rather than merely meting out punishment. Restorative justice processes would focus on the needs of victims for reparation and restitution, with offenders being mandated to work in whatever ways necessary and for as long as necessary to right their wrongs. Wherever possible those with jobs would continue their employment and continue to support their families, wearing electronic monitoring equipment if needed, and would be supervised, mentored and counseled by trained professionals and by members of their families, congregations and other appropriate agencies and organizations.


Relocation: In cases where offenders are unrepentant, are unwilling to work and to make restitution and/or are clearly a danger to others, individuals would be moved into secure rehabilitation centers where they would be taught job skills, civic responsibility and be offered psychological and drug treatment. Some individuals might literally be relocated to other communities and offered support and help as outlined above.


Rehabilitation: In all cases the ultimate goal would be to restore people's lives, support them in repairing harms they have caused, and to help them become fully responsible, tax-paying and constructive members of their communities.


Everyone wins when that happens.                                              - Harvey Yoder


Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Guest Post: A Request For Congregational Sponsorship Of A Parolee

We should not only ask "What Would Jesus
Do?" for the incarcerated, but what should
we do if he himself were behind bars?
This is from my colleague Wynonah Hogan, young co-chair of the Shenandoah Chapter of Aging Persons in Prison:

"…I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."  

- Matthew 25:35-36

John Wright is a 90-year old prison inmate who has been incarcerated for over 40 years. Now, at the end of his life, he would like to return to society and spend the rest of his days as a normal citizen. But he, like many of his peers, has no family or friends available to help him make that transition. Without a place to go and a network of support, the Virginia Parole Board is likely to deny him his freedom once again. 

John’s only hope lies in the compassion of God’s people. He urgently needs a congregational family to welcome him into society. John is eager to participate in such a community upon his release.

This would involve the following for a one-year (12 month) commitment: 

• Welcome Mr. Wright into the congregation, providing him with transportation/access to services. 

• Provide money or in-kind donations for basic needs like clothing, etc.

• Provide temporary housing (1-2 months) for him in the home of a family or couple. John is eligible for Social Security, so he could pay for room and board once his application is complete. APP-HRC will assist the sponsoring congregation with a long-term care and housing plan. 

• Provide two or three members of the church as support persons. They would build a relationship with him through correspondence until his release from prison, and provide him with transportation, paperwork assistance, and emotional support during the first year after his release.

Mr. Wright is in relatively good health for his age, although he is hard of hearing. He gets around in prison with the assistance of a walker and performs janitorial duties on a part-time basis. Please consider welcoming him, or someone like him, into your church family!

If you are interested in this opportunity to serve, please contact Wynonah Hogan, co-chair of the Shenandoah Valley chapter of Aging Persons in Prison: shenvalleyapphrc@gmail.com

Sunday, October 11, 2020

When Walking We Gain Forward Momentum Through Well-Managed "Falls"

According to my pedometer I
experience over 4000 potential
"falls" every day.

I recently became aware that our ability to walk (or run) is based on our having mastered the art of momentarily giving up our balance, then immediately regaining it. By repeating this rhythm over and over again we achieve, with the help of gravity, the momentum that propels us forward. 

This fact becomes obvious when we try stopping suddenly, or if something unexpectedly disrupts our stride and we actually do risk having a fall (we trip, for example). And when we first learned to walk as a "toddler" (an aptly chosen term!) we did in fact fall time and time again.

As someone always on the lookout for an illustration for a sermon or an article, I've been thinking about how this applies to the "walk" that represents our life journey. 

One simple truth is that the only way we can avoid the risk of falls or failures is to remain stationary. But since most of us choose to be actively engaged with others and with the world around us we experience our share of things that cause momentary disequilibrium, that can potentially throw us off balance. 

So what if we could accept those kinds of experiences as being normal and to be expected--and as having the potential to help move us forward rather than causing a devastating fall? Maybe our progress and our growth actually depend on a steady rhythm of equilibrium and disequilibrium, on partially losing our balance and then regaining it again.

In my old age I've come to believe that in God's economy nothing has to go to waste, that even the inevitable bad things that happen to us can be transformed into assets that can aid our growth and add to our progress.

I love this piece by Augustus Toplady, written in 1772, one that employs a similar metaphor:

If on a quiet sea toward heaven we calmly sail,
With grateful hearts, O God to thee
We'll own the favoring gale.

But should the surges rise and rest delay to come,
Blest be the tempest, kind the storm,
Which drives us nearer home.

So much depends on how we set the sail.

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Hoarding Treasure In The Bank Of Heaven

Our hearts are always fixed on where our treasures are stored. 
"Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bank robberies, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. The place where your treasure is, is the place you will want most to be, and end up being." 

- Luke 12:33-34 (the Message)

Some of the good folks in our neighborhood are compulsive savers, so on one of my regular walking routes down next to the railroad I marvel at their amazing arrays of old cars, vans, pickups, U-Haul style trailers, rusted lawn mowers, and multiple storage sheds, all of which appear to be packed full of all kinds of earthly treasure. One of the homes is on a double lot surrounded by an iron fence that protects nearly an acre of possessions, including a second (abandoned) house and a sad looking RV. Everything is guarded with padlocked gates and with numerous "Private Property," "Keep Out" and "No Trespassing" signs, and the area has become so overgrown with decades of underbrush and tree growth that its treasures are barely visible to passersby.

I find this both intriguing and puzzling. What drives people to extreme forms of hoarding and saving? On the plus side, they never have to mow their back yards, and as long as they aren't creating a health or safety hazard, I'm not complaining. And, after all, all of these decrepit objects were once brand new, highly prized, and of showroom quality.

All of this got me thinking about whether, from God's perspective, many of the rest of us are equally guilty of holding on to far more things than we need. Of course, we may keep our "stuff" in far better condition and better organized, but most of us are avid collectors of some kind of treasure, whether in the form of baseball cards, porcelain salt and pepper shakers, walk-in closets (bulging with enough shoes and clothes for multiple lifetimes), or ever growing stashes of investments in mutual funds.

To all of us collectors, saving "valuables" always seems necessary and desirable, regardless of how others might see it. But from a fifty-year-from now perspective, how much value will they really have? Even our retirement funds are only as good as the viability of the economy in which they are invested. There is no guarantee that any of the wealth we invest in our future security will be worth even as much as a collection of rusty lawnmowers when we need it for retirement or nursing care.

So maybe there's great wisdom in Jesus favoring our investing in the needs of the poor, including our own daily needs and those of members of our families and congregational families. Could it be true that it is only the things we give away, and don't keep for ourselves, that in the end are the treasure we get to keep and enjoy forever?

I'll never forget a Readers Digest story I read many years ago, called "Wealth Beyond Diamonds," in which a young couple decides to give up buying a diamond for their engagement and to give the money to a friend who was about to have to drop out of school because of not being able to afford the tuition. The return they saw in their investment, in the gratitude and in the remarkable future success of the person they helped, led them to a lifelong practice of giving and lending to as many worthy students as possible, resulting in a lifetime of enjoying rich rewards through the blessed lives and futures of those they supported.

Jesus once told the story of a financial manager, who when he was about to be fired for mismanaging his master's funds, immediately went about reducing the indebtedness of some who owed the estate large sums, thus gaining their friendship and their willingness to help him out after he lost his job. In the story, the owner of the estate actually praises the man, not for being dishonest, but for his shrewdness in managing his master's "mammon" in a way that was truly in his own long-term interest. In a similar way, Jesus said, we should invest our worldly wealth in ways that gain friends for ourselves, so that when our lives and our money come to an end, we'll be welcomed into "eternal dwellings." (Luke 16)

If you think about it, the only investments we make that are truly eternal are in people, who in the arms of God live on forever. Everything else we value as treasure has an expiration date.

Monday, October 5, 2020

(Warning: Serious Satire Alert!) Archeologists Discover Fragments Of A Missing "US Gospel"


With tongue firmly in cheek, I submit the following version of a wished for "Kingdom of US" Gospel, one that recently came to light during one of my times of early morning insomnia:

Fragment I includes an upgraded version of the Beatitudes, including such welcome words as "Blessed are the privileged, the protected, the pampered," etc., followed by assurances like "for they shall inherit the earth," and "great is their reward in heaven."

Fragment II contains a heretofore lost prophecy, as follows: "It shall come to pass in the latter days that brave explorers will discover a pristine new world, decimate its native population, exploit its forests and other resources, and with the help of slave labor and cheap immigrant workers, establish  the "Kingdom of US" as the most powerful nation on earth, with hundreds of military (and missionary) outposts all over the globe."

Fragment III hails this future "Kingdom of US" as offering "freedom and justice for all," with "all" being variously defined over time by its legislators and jurists.

Fragment IV is considered by some scholars to be from a later source, but many "US" citizens embrace it as an indisputable part of their Gospel, as follows: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”

Fragment V includes extensive plans for building a secure wall (one their neighbors will pay for) along the southern border of the Kingdom as a defense against rapists, drug dealers and other criminals, and accompanied by policies regarding "aliens and strangers" that often separate desperate families from their children. A northern wall is also prophesied, one that will keep such evils as socialized medicine from entering the realm.

Fragment VI is an addendum to Jesus's teachings about the sanctity of life. It explicitly states that since all life begins at conception, that even using a morning after pill in the case of incest or rape would be the exact moral equivalent of the cold blooded murder of a living, breathing newborn. This fragment resolves without question the age-old debate over when a life being fashioned in the womb becomes a "living soul" and thus becomes one of "the least of these sisters and brothers of mine." *

Fragment VII, a revision of earlier gospels, offers God's permission to pledge our lives and allegiances to both Caesar and Jesus, and to serve both God and Mammon--as long as we do so as honest, law-abiding citizens.

Is that good news or what?

P.S. Setting all satire aside, I sincerely hope no one takes offense at my amateur attempt to remind us all to carefully distinguish between the Kingdom of GOD and any version of a "Kingdom of US." Meanwhile, don't we all wish Jesus had spoken more explicitly about current issues such as abortion, racism, earth care, homosexuality and war-making?

* If you want to know more about where I stand on abortion, please take time to read this: https://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2019/02/yes-i-am-pro-life-and-oppose-abortion.html

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Guest Post: Compassion For The Least Of These

I post this with permission from BCS and the
Evangelical Immigration Table.

I was deeply moved by the following piece, "Pray For Unaccompanied Children":

Around 34 million children are forcibly displaced from their homes. They have escaped violence, trafficking, and starvation – horrors that no child should ever experience. Each of these 34 million children are made in the image of God, each of them matter deeply to him, and each of them should matter to us. The Psalmist reminds us of this writing, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

I have been working with organizations that support displaced children for 45 years and have met thousands of children who desperately want to be with their families again. Many others have been orphaned and need temporary families and a little support. I wish you could look into each child’s eyes as they share their story.

I am often reminded of two sisters who I met in 2018. They were 15 and 11 and were raised by their grandmother in Guatemala. Their mom lived in the U.S. and regularly sent money back home so that the girls could be fed, clothed, and attend school. It was not long before gang members visited their home demanding protection money. The price for their protection eventually surpassed their ability to pay; their grandmother was told her innocent granddaughters would be sold into trafficking to pay the debt. The girls fled, desperately searching for safety. As unaccompanied children, they ended up in our care at Bethany Christian Services where we found their mother and helped them become a family again.

Unaccompanied children entering the U.S. need what all children need—a loving environment where they are cared for and safe. But it can take a few months until they are reunited with their family. That is why Bethany Christian Services offers transitional foster care with help from generous, compassionate families who are willing to care for these children in their homes.

If these sisters fled to the U.S. today, this beautiful reunification may not have happened. Since March 20, the law that was designed to protect children like them has been suspended. Instead, children are being expelled to the country they fled from — back into the arms of those who threatened their lives.

Bethany has been able to help thousands of unaccompanied children stay safe with temporary foster families while working to reunify them with their own families. God designed families for children, and a family can change everything for a child.

I urge you to pray for the children who are denied safety at the U.S. – Mexico border, for the children alone in a refugee camp, and for the families who continue to be kept apart. Pray that our elected officials set policies that protect vulnerable children around the world. Pray for the foster families who are caring for refugee children and that many more will answer the call to be the hands and feet of Jesus for the children who need them. Take heart in the words of Jesus when he took a child in his arms and said, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Thank you for your prayers,

Dona Abbott

Vice President of Refugee Services

Bethany Christian Services