A Really Bright Ruler Shows A Very Dark Side

In a world full of much good and evil, there is also no lack 
of wise and foolish.

If there was ever a time when humanity desperately needed the kind of wisdom that would save it from destroying itself, this is the time. Growing signs of violence, lies, corruption, injustice, pollution, waste and the ever present danger of wars and insurrections are everywhere, threatening the very survival of the planet and the security of its people.

None of these threats are new, of course, but the scale and scope of the world's current crises seem enormous, often resulting in masses of people being drawn to authoritarian leaders they feel will ensure their safety and survival. 

Millennia ago the citizens of the newly formed nation of Israel asked God to give them an autocratic king like those of their surrounding nations, according to I Samuel 8. God reluctantly allowed them to replace their more grass roots and God-led form of government to that of a monarchy, but warned them that a king with the ability to save them would also have the power to exploit them, as in imposing heavy taxes and conscripting them into forced labor, much like they had suffered under the Pharaohs in Egypt.

Sometimes we have to learn the hard way to learn to be careful what we wish for.

The reign of Israel's third king, Solomon, son and successor of David (who had been one of Israel's more beloved and benevolent rulers) got off to a great start, but David's favorite son proved to be a fulfillment of God's warning. Solomon's massive temple building project, which took seven years to complete, required raising huge amounts of revenue and the forced labor of thousands. This was followed by Solomon's even more ambitions construction project, a palace for himself that was far larger and more elaborate than the temple, and required thirteen years, massive funds and even more conscripted labor to complete. 

Which leaves us with needing to gain as much wisdom from reflecting on Solomon's foolishness as we do from the parts of his life in which he did actually honor God, as in, "Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David." We are also blessed with the legacy of his extended and eloquent prayer of dedication for the new temple, and with the collection of wise sayings attributed to him in the book of Proverbs. 

In the dream in which God asked him what he wished for as the newly anointed king, Solomon gets credit for asking for an "understanding mind... able to discern between good and evil," rather than for "riches and honor." God appears to have given him both. But Solomon's weaker side couldn't resist the temptation to use his brilliant mind and his newly acquired power for his own ends. His vast wealth and his many wives become his undoing, "for his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not true to the Lord his God as was the heart of his father David."

In the end the story of his life ends with God raising up neighboring adversaries against Solomon and with the nation tragically divided in two.

In Carl P. Daw, Jr.'s, hymn "Hear the Turmoil of the Nations," we find these timely words, reminding us to draw on the wisdom of the ultimate "Son of David."

Listen, all who govern nations! Rulers of the earth, take heed,

Trust no human scheme or system to determine how you lead.

("Hear the Turmoil of the Nations" Voices Together #201)

Over A Billion People Live In Slums, Along With Anita, Yosiah And A Few Other Jesus Followers

This newly published book should be required reading for every well-to-do person in the world. Order by November 15 for a 25% discount.

"Beyond Our Walls is a powerful, wrenching, inspiring and compelling book. Powerful because it is a mighty call to follow Jesus. Wrenching because it shows with painful clarity what it means to follow Jesus into the slums. Inspiring because Anita's and her husband's amazing faith shine through every page. Compelling because it draws us to live like Jesus no matter the cost. Beyond our Walls is an amazing book that merits millions of readers. Highly recommended!"

- the late Ronald J. Sider, author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

The author of Beyond Our Walls, who uses a pen name for security reasons, has for over a decade been living inside a world most of us would find unbelievably difficult, and here shares the story of how she and her husband (and now two children) have experienced living with Jesus in that place. 

Some of us at our house church have been following this story for years, so having it brought together in this book was of special interest. As I read it I found myself repeatedly asking, How do they do this in the face of the stench, the mosquitoes, the oppressive heat, the cramped quarters, the prevalence of diseases and infections, the floods, the fires and smoke, and the ever present threat of evictions?

It becomes clear that they are there because they find Jesus in that place, in his heart of concern for the poor and in the lives of fellow human beings the rest of the world wants to ignore.

It took me less than three days of spare time reading to get through this compelling story. It will take me the rest of my life to fully grasp what it is to teach me about serving and following Jesus no matter the cost.

Putin Threatens To Use Nuclear Weapons On Civilian Targets

Russia has nuclear weapons that are far, far more powerful
than this one that destroyed Hiroshima.

Vladimir Putin clearly deserves worldwide condemnation for his heartless attacks on vulnerable human targets all across Ukraine. His policy of massive destruction of homes, apartment buildings, hospitals, schools and playgrounds is unconscionable and deserving of being punishable as war crimes.

According to an October 14 AP article Putin defended his actions with, “What is happening today is unpleasant, to put it mildly, but we would have had all this a little later, only under worse conditions for us, that’s all. So my actions are correct and timely.”

"Unpleasant" but "correct and timely" sounds so calculating and cruel for something as barbaric as these attacks have been, as are his alarming threats to use nuclear weapons if necessary to achieve his ends. 

But where and when have we witnessed equally unthinkable holocausts? And committed by whom?

The United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, killing between 129,000 and 226,000 people, mostly civilians. Nine American prisoners of war in Hiroshima were also victims.The bombings of these two cities represent the only use of nuclear weapons in history.  Wikipedia

A Home-going Celebration For Nephew Pablo Yoder, Author And Missionary To Nicaragua

 

"Where, O death, is your victory, Where, O grave, is your sting?" 

Eunice, to the left of Pablo's casket, with their children and grandchildren.

Oh Paul, our beloved Pablo

    called to be an apósto 

a missionary bearing Good News

to those God loves in an untamed 

and breathtakingly beautiful land--

God's servant and lover of God's creation in far off Nicaragua

Oh Paul, our beloved Pablo

autor... of over two dozen widely read books

     pastor... to all in need of God's love and care

     padre... to two sons and four daughters 

     abuelo... to nine beloved grandchildren

     marido... to his one and only Eunice

     

Adiós, amado y fiel servidor...

Farewell, beloved and faithful servant!

Here is Pablo's obituary as read at his memorial service (translated from Spanish by his brother-in-law Duane Nisly):

Today we gather to celebrate the life of a Christian warrior, Pablo Yoder. He was born on the 23rd of May, 1958, and died on the 14th of October, 2022, having lived 64 years, 4 months, and 22 days. May he rest in peace.

Pablo was converted at age 15 and served his Lord fervently until the Lord called him home to rest at 64 years of age. He served as pastor in the Pital Mennonite Church in Pital de San Carlos for 11 years. He was sent to Nicaragua as a missionary in 1995 where he died, having served as pastor for 27 years in the church in Waslala. In gratitude to God, Pablo has asked that his vigil and funeral service be a celebration to God and that it would also serve as an invitation to sinners who would desire to make their life right with God.

Pablo was preceded in death by his father, Sanford Yoder, his son-in-law, Jonathan Miller, and a nephew, Nathan Nisly. His surviving family grieves his death. First is his wife Eunice

(Swartzentruber) who served faithfully at his side for 39 years of married life. Jacinto, the oldest son, married to Kendra (Stoltzfus) who live in Zapote Kum, Nicaragua. Jessica, married to Abner Esh live in Quebradón, Costa Rica. Janie lives at home in Waslala. Luana, married to Eddy Montenegro live in Zapote Kum, Nicaragua. Cynthia, married to Josías Villalobos live in Quebradón, Costa Rica. Kenneth lives at home in Waslala. His 9 grandchildren will miss their grandfather greatly.

The family has endeavored to make the most of the last 60 days of his life after it was discovered he suffered from an advanced stage of kidney cancer. They proclaim with confidence that Pablo has triumphed in his Christian profession and that he is enjoying a place far better that his earthly one. It is in that place that the family waits to join with Jesus and with Pablo someday and live there forever.

A procession of vehicles and people on foot stretched for a half mile as it wound its way through Waslala to the cemetery.

An estimated one thousand people attended Pablo's viewing, funeral and burial services, with hundreds being fed after the viewing with a steer Pablo requested be butchered for the occasion.

Pablo 64, soon after he learned he had stage 4 cancer, with Martha his mother, beloved wife of my brother Sanford. Sanford, a lifelong missionary in Costa Rica, passed away at his home in February of this year. His son Pablo died at his home in Nicaragua October 14.

We Each Have The Power We Need To Help Bring About Needed Change

"All power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

- Sir John Dalberg-Acton 1824-1902

In my opinion, this oft-quoted statement is only half true. While excessive power in the hands of would be dictators definitely corrupts, a perceived lack of power on the part of the rest of us cripples.

We all have power, which is simply the means by which we accomplish things. Without it we would be as useless as a vehicle without an engine, an engine without fuel, or an electrical appliance without access to the grid. So having effective power is not only a good thing but an absolutely essential thing.

In my years of working with counseling clients, members of congregations and other friends and fellow citizens, I’m often struck by how many people, sometime including myself, see themselves as powerless in relation to public officials and others they see as elevated above them.

This shouldn’t be surprising, in that in the first formative 18 years of our lives we’re all in a clearly one down position, controlled by people twice as loud and far stronger and more influential than we were. We may have even been frequently reminded that “as long as you’re in this house you do as you’re told, period.” 

Back then we may have imagined that on our 18th birthday we would magically experience the stature and confidence needed to function as fully empowered and equal adults, but for most of us, that didn’t happen. We continued to feel insecure and unsure of ourselves in the presence of others we perceived as having greater power than ourselves. We continued to believe our voice wouldn’t be heard, that our suggestions would fall on deaf ears. As a result we failed to become actively engaged in the affairs of our community, our congregations, our schools and our work places, other than just complaining—or “going along in order to get along.”

But what if we each believed we had all the power we needed to accomplish whatever we were put here on earth to help change for the better?

We’ve all had access to valuable educational opportunities like free public schooling and the availability of all kinds of additional education and training.

We’ve each been given amazing minds capable of identifying and addressing problems, and to do so creatively, assertively and effectively.

We live in a country in which we have far more material assets than most of the rest of the world, and one that offers freedom of speech and assembly and a voice in local and national affairs.

AND, we can each join forces with members of our families, congregations, civic organizations and multiple other groups to add to our voice and our influence to help bring about desired changes.

In short, while we may not have identical forms of power, we each represent a unique set of assets we should never bury, deny they exist, or otherwise fail to use to help make the world a better place.

Jesus was seen by many in his day as just another itinerant Jewish rabbi with little power, the son of an ordinary carpenter living in a Roman occupied and undistinguished part of the world. He once gave the illustration of a poor widow, who would have been considered an even less powerful member of her community, as someone who effectively used the power she had, as follows:

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” 

Luke 18:1-8 New Living Translation

Let’s be like this seemingly powerless widow, practicing the kind of faith that not only prays but practices the power of persistence and persuasion.

Above all, joined with others who are called to help bring about God’s justice and extend God’s mercy, let’s get over feeling powerless.

Those Who Wield The Nuclear Sword Risk Perishing By It

The Bulletin Of Atomic Scientists' "Doomsday Clock" is
currently set at 100 seconds to midnight. 

Developments in the escalating Russian-Ukraine war are raising new concerns about whether it might trigger a nuclear Armageddon.  

According to a Wikipedia article on the Doomsday Clock:

"The clock's original setting in 1947 was seven minutes to midnight. It has since been set backward eight times and forward 16 times for a total of 24, the farthest from midnight being 17 minutes in 1991, and the nearest being 100 seconds, from 2020 to the present."

It is way past time for all nations concerned to use every means possible to end the current arms race in the region and to invest time, energy and all out efforts at diplomacy to end this terrible tragedy. 

As much as I affirm the right of the people of Ukraine to their homeland, I am still unable to justify the use of weapons of war to defend that right. If "defend" were really possible, as in simply preventing an invasion and avoiding the unbelievable bloodshed and suffering caused by bombs and missile strikes, that would be desirable, of course. But can the escalating use of weapons of massive destruction really be called defense? 

A fortress wall is a defense. A locked and secure home is a defense. Body armor is a defense.  But what we have come to call defense is really a horrific, terrifying and unimaginable offense, a death dealing holocaust of destruction and devastation. Sadly, the US is supporting it to the tune of billions of dollars invested in a war that can never be won without the untold sacrifice and suffering of countless numbers of God's beloved children on both sides.

Would it be better to offer only non-violent resistance to the Caesars, Napoleons, Hitlers and Putins of this age rather our engaging in equally ruthless and barbaric acts of terrorism? 

A hard question. How might Jesus, who lived under Roman occupation, answer it?

Kyrie Eleison. Lord have mercy.

Christmas Crèche Brings $1200 At Relief Sale

This unique nativity scene was handcrafted from materials put together from inside a Virginia prison, popsicle sticks, glue, shoe polish, toilet paper (for paper mache figures), body powder, craft paints and floor polish.

Of the hundreds of items sold at auction Friday evening and Saturday, few generated as much interest as this manger scene. Here's the statement about it provided by its creator, who wishes to remain anonymous:

ABOUT THIS ITEM:

This Nativity Scene has been donated to the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale as my tithe for the year 2022. I am a wayward son still trapped in a foreign realm. But like the Prodigal Son in Jesus Christ's parable, I have come to my senses, returned to our Father and have found encouragement and support amongst God's children, many of you here today who are a part of my Mennonite heritage. 

I have made this Nativity Scene with the talents and skills God has given me, as an expression of my gratitude to God and to those from this community who walk with me through my desert, a journey that will keep me away from this community nearly another decade. It is for God and my sojourners that I have made this Nativity Scene that marks and celebrates the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. 

Time is a commodity that I have in full measure, and I have spent more than 500 hours working on this creation. My only tool was a two-inch-long fingernail clippers used to cut nearly 2000 popsicle sticks, a nibble at a time, to create the Nativity Scene. I also used four wooden corn dog skewers, ten four-ounce bottles of Elmer's Glue, two containers of cornstarch-based shower powder (figurine plaster base), one metal paper clip (hinge pin), miscellaneous acrylic paints and a clear coat finish. Wood stain is made out of Kiwi shoe polish (brown) with flat black acrylic paint added. The substrate used for making the walls, bottoms and lid of the box that turns into a stable comes from retired books that the librarian breaks down for recycling, giving us crafters the hard cover book backings.

I made sanding blocks out of seven layers of popsicle sticks, coating them with sifted sand glued in place. I coated the surface of the sand with Elmer's Glue after it dried to the popsicle block as well. The sand came from the outdoor volleyball court, and I would estimate I used a total of an 18 oz. peanut butter full of sand on the stable floor and on the many sanding blocks refurbished during the project. I made and procured various tools, gigs, squares, rubber bands and miscellaneous materials that are tolerated at the institution where I currently reside.

I'm thankful for this outlet for my restless energy and for the expression of my gratitude for those who sojourn, commune and mentor me on my life journey. It is my prayer that this creation blesses the person who it captivates and prompts to bid the highest on it when it is auctioned. 

May it all be for God's glory!

In spite of the unpleasant weather caused by Hurricane Ian, the 2022 Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale generated over $324,000 according to the initial report on its web page. Contributions can still be made online.