People get sad about lots of things.
Today I am sad again that we are again calling something that is understandable revenge. We are calling justice.
Troy Davis was executed in the state of Georgia. Regardless of apparent guilt or innocence, regardless of the presence or absence of reasonable doubt, and regardless of the emotional pain in the family of the victim no amount of justifiable homicide will ever heal the hurt and loss or appease the internal anger of this act of violence. Nor will it deter future violence. Violence begets violence. Ignoring violence condones violence. "Evil will never be overcome by evil. Evil will only be overcome with a just society holds the perpetrators responsible but does not stoop to their willful and justified behavior.
The family of the victim declared that justice had been served. Troy Davis last words were to ask God to have mercy on those who were killing him.
It is a crime against "sacred life" when any one person for any reason takes the life of another person. The sacred gift of grace and mercy are acts of compassion and kindness not acts of condoning or condemning.
In between the crime of condoning and condemning and the crime of murder and hatred is the road of compassion and kindness alongside of which are the trees of grace and mercy. It is not about ignoring the wrong it si about not letting the wrong overwhelm the right. Justice is present with truth and grace, accountability and responsibility are all embraced without vengeance or violence.
When God says, :Vengeance is mine, I will repay!" we assume that to justify vengeance when all it does is remove vengeance form our responsibility or right. Justice is when all people are respected and held responsible to living in "faith hope and love" for these are the things that last forever. Loving mercy and doing justice are inseparable. To have them you have to walk in humility.
Humbly saddened I offer these thoughts of grace and mercy to all.
About Me
- Don Paine
- I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.
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Paul admonishes us to "present our bodies ( I wonder if he intentionally meant to leave out soul and spirit) a living sacrifice, wholly and acceptable to God which is our reasonable act of Worship!"
What did Paul have in mind? I wonder. He had the idea of Stephen who sacrificed his body to be stoned as Jesus sacrificed his body to be nailed to the cross. Bu they both literally died. Is not that the nature of a sacrifice, to die. They stopped living. It is a proverbial oxymoron. Either you are alive or you are dead. You cannot be both alive and dead at the same time.
What if Paul meant you have to die to the things that weigh you down, burden you, keep you focused on dead things that either do not matter or that they matter just drag you down. What if we learned to set aside or sacrifice the things that we so much want, that we think we need, but not really to embrace the freedom to live free and in faith both firm to our personal convictions but flexible in our compassion toward all others as well. The well of living water will be in us and the weight of death will float up river. The current of the rive of sacrifice will move all stones of stumbling and we will be free to Worship the God who is the Living Sacrifice, in whose steps we are to walk. We bow in surrender and rise to live free of dead things which is our reasonable act of Worship!
Free to Worship and Free to Live and Free to serve all to the glory of God.
I often talk a lot or muse in my blogs. Today I just want to share a question or thought for you to muse on. I will muse another time.
The Red Sox Yankee rivalry is huge in the field of sports. Sports generally brings out the best and the worst in people.
Last week I was in Fenway watching the Red Sox lose to the Yankees. There were a few Yankee fans in the stands. They obviously had something to cheer about. They also were respected by everyone around them in a good sportsmanship way. A red sox player was up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th. They are always great games win or lose and this one was. A hit would change the outcome of the game. As the final out was made, one loan yankee fan began a cheer as he stood up: "Let's go Yankees".
Everyone looked at him and in a few minutes he did sit down. A red sox fan went up to him and said, "really, you think that is a good idea with all the craziness in the world and the reports of violence at sports events, did you really have to do that. The young man admitted, "no".
What life and sports offer us to learn is how to win and lose, graciously and gracefully.
Provocative behavior is not always behind violence but often. The Yankees had won but this behavior of a yankee fan was an in your face insult like rubbing the losing teams face in the mud. Thankfully a red sox fan acted in a healthy and best way simply maturely and respectfully challenging the need for this kind of provocative behavior.
In sports as in life we all have the opportunity to act with a face of maturity and mutual respectfulness, the best, or we can give in to the baser instincts of "in your face", the worst.
The Yankees won the game but that red sox fan won the game of life.
Jesus told the story of a Master who forgave his servant who owed him $10,000. WIth great compassion he wiped the debt clean because the servant begged for grace and mercy. Later that "forgiven servant" began to demand from a fellow servant the $10.00 he owed him. He likewise asked for grace and mercy but the "forgiven servant" refused to forgive this smaller debt and put him in prison. Some of the other fellow servants witnessed this and told the Master who was indignant. He called the "forgiven servant" in and confronted him with "should you not have had the same compassion toward him that I had toward you? He then put him in prison. Jesus then said, "so shall your heavenly father deal with you if you do not forgive your brother in your heart!"
Forgiveness is a matter of the heart. It is not that I forgive my brother in the sense that what he did is oaky. It is that my heart is okay toward my brother. When forgiveness transforms your heart then from and in your heart you have forgiveness toward your brother. The "forgiven servant" was not transformed in his heart. therefore did not have a heart of forgiveness. He was already in an internal prison of "un-forgiveness". It is nice to have our debt forgiven but if we are not transformed into being as God is toward all, "forgiving" then we are still in prison. It is not just about being forgiven, it is also about having a heart of forgiveness toward all. It is also about being released from "a heart of unforgiving" which is incongruent with a "forgiven heart".
In effect Jesus is saying to Peter and all of us, It is not just about being forgiven, it is about being transformed in the heart to a state of compassion toward all regardless of anything. We are to forgive others just as God for CHrist sake has forgiven us. How is that? God forgives us by having a heart of forgiveness toward us. We are nor truly forgiven until we ask for forgiveness, until we are transformed in our heart and offer that same compassion to all.
It is not about forgiving anyone what they did to us as if that is okay. It is about having forgiveness in ur heart toward our brother regardless of anything because I do not regard their sin as against me but against them. They are in prison I am free of the prison of un-forgiveness and have the prism for forgiveness. the prism fro forgiveness sees everyone with compassion and colors everyone as forgiven in my heart. They are not fully forgiven until they are released form their prison.
Free to be compassionate is truly free.
Recently I preached in the flood ravaged area of the Schoharie Valley of New York State. Flood waters to 10 feet and when those waters receded they left 2 feet of mud in their sanctuary.
It was also the 10th Anniversary of September 11th. They were remembering the past devastation of the day and resilient under the present devastation of the flood. The service included a tribute to the bravery and resiliency of both times, the loss of life in both tragedies, and the service of responders in both. At the end of the service we sang a popular Christian song, "Shine Jesus Shine". It includes a line, "flow river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy". I was asking them to do a hard thing: to set aside their experience of the rising river and the resulting flood that caused devastation, and imagine the river of God's eternal and everlasting grace and mercy flow like a river.
So imagine a "river of grace and mercy flooding all the nations of earth". All people of earth would experience what there heart yearns for the love and acceptance of a flood of grace and mercy. Some would say that some do not deserve grace or mercy. Is not that the definition of grace and mercy. Grace is giving what a person does not deserve, unconditional and agenda free loving. Mercy is not giving what a person does deserve, punishment. Could it be that hidden in the obnoxious atrocities of hatred and the justified acts of withholding kindness and forgiveness is the scandalous and transformational truth that all of us benefit from and non of us deserve: that "just as we are" we are loved and that transformational "grace and mercy" creates an overwhelming flood. Those flood waters wash away all the things that we think are necessary and important and leave behind the thick mud of God's transformation. Could it be that that mud that Jesus put on the blind man's eyes would help us all to see each other not from the human assessment of deservedness but from the divine acceptance of "grace and mercy". If we see all people as God sees us we would see all people as already forgiven and set free from their anger that directs them to hate and be unforgiving and set free of their fears that restrict them from loving or forgiving.
These flood waters offer to victims and villains of all nations of all people the same transformational grace and mercy. All nations and all people and all victims and villains are welcome into the flood waters of acceptance that transforms the best among us into better and the worst among us into the best.
Flow river flow fill the nations (all nations, all cultures, all religions, all people) with grace and mercy.
I thank God for the experience of being with these courageous people and for the lesson God teaches the preacher from the people and all of us in the tragic events. Maybe that is how God turns the worst into good.
There is coming a time and it is already here when the true Worshipers of God will worship not in a place, or a particular idea, on this mountain or in Jerusalem, but true Worshippers will Worship in Spirit and in Truth for God seeks such to Worship them.
-Jesus
So what did Jesus mean when he spoke these words in the context of breaking all the religious rules in John 4?
In the flood waters of Middleburgh, NY the people are learning and living as they learn or is it, learning as they live. THat what really matters is not the form, the frame or even the faith of the Worshipper that is important. What is really important is that people let go of what they think is important and embrace the God of Love and feel God's embrace. Then to offer that same experience to all and receive it from all.
So being in the Spirit of community and loving kindness toward all and to be truthful with oneself about what is important releases us to Worship in the Spirit of Love and in the Truth of internal honesty and humility.
Worship that tis free and formative is transformative. In Worship we touch the hem of the garment of praise the God of love and power comes in and goes out. The wonder of Worship is the witness of Wonder to the world.
We Worship in Spirit and Truth.
G K Chesterson said, "when tragedy and loss strike we are tempted to turn form God, In heaven's name to what? This past weekend we were in MIddleburgh, NY which had been devastated by the flood waters of Hurricane Irene. I was preaching in a Lutheran Church that as a testimony to their faith and to their community, gathered in Worship in the presence of the ravage of the storm. They turned to God in grace.
In Genesis 6 the account and goal of the flood was not to destroy the creation as destructive as it was, its purpose was to call people of faith to gather together and affirm their faith, love and hope as God's purpose always is. Noah, saw grace in the eyes of God so he found grace in his day. That is what worship is: looking into the eyes of God and seeing God's grace greater than all the storms, destruction and trauma of life.
My wife and I were privileged to be part of the wonder and witness of Grace in this devastated part of the world.
God was full of grace before the flood, in the flood and after the flood. As I spoke those words to this congregation I could see the pain of loss on their faces embraced grace in this place and space. There are three things that last for ever and they are faith to see beyond the loss and pain, love to help one another in the loss and pain and the hope to know and experience the Grace of God in fullest measure.
Not only are these people demonstrating the faith of grace, they are acting in faith toward all around them. True Christianity does not just receive undeserved grace but it extends to all regardless of what they may or may not deserve, Grace! Grace in living and grace of living make Christ present in the darkest of hours in the most loving ways.
Grace to you all.
I walked out of church with my good friend from old days. Stepped into a cab that would bring me to the airport.
For the next 45 minutes we spoke truth into each others life. It was not telling each other what we wanted each other to know.It was about being together in a way that invited the story. It was not about telling him a truth that I know that he needed to know.What I know is the truth that I know is only important to me and if I try to impose my truth rather than exposing my heart.I err in the practice the true practice of faith. Story telling is what we as human used to do because there was no knowledge written.I wonder, as I write, if it would be a better world if we had no knowledge. If we only had the inner wisdom of love and peace would this be a better world.How can we learn to be willing to put all the knowledge aside and just be in peace and love with another human being.I did that today in a small measure and a huge measure of wonder filled my soul. I may never meet this man again but he added to my living and I wantto believe I added to his. How did it happen? He was born in Ghana, Africa and was driving cabs in DC, I was born in Massachusetts a white anglo saxon.The wisdom of loving others as we know we want to be loved and being at peace with other each other stories from our lives that contributed to our living.Our conversation began rather normally. He asked me why I was in DC. I explained I was at a conference presenting a workshop. He asked on what? I gave him a short capsule: I was presenting on accepting all parts and all experiences of life as instructors in the course of living life. Like Jesus who had welcomed all people regardless of anything and helped them achieve peace of heart regardless of anything they had ever done. He asked for more details revealing that he was a Christian plagued by guilt for 40 years We talked more about God's grace. About how God wants us to look him in the eye and tell him what we did wrong and accept the and grow through the consequences. We people let us off the hook they do not do us a favor for being let off the hook though gracious does not relieve us of guilt and shame. I reviewed the Genesis 3 story. I had a part that felt like I was giving him too much stuff but another part of me saw his attentiveness. He nearly stopped the can tuned around and told me that I had just helped him to understand something that he had never understood before He asked me if he could tell me a story that he had been plagued with since his youth an to this day feels guilty about.We spoke to each other not out of judgement but out of open heartedness. I had come from a conmference where I had spoken about things I think are soimportant for people to know. But my "know it part" has learned that it is not as importnatn as it thinks it is. It is not my knowledge that people need it is theauthentic experience of authentic presence. It is "with" and "in" an openhearted way that we spoke. We talked about lots of things and eventually got to speaking about deeper things.I am temtped here to tell you the reader things about our conversstation as if you need to know them or I need to tell them. But it is not about me, nor is it about needs,It is about divine energy of being present without agenda and with no conditions then letting the moment create itself. It did.So here is one story that came to me in a fresh way due to his story which he chose to share with me. I told him I would see that story because it was better to makethe point I had than anything I had so he had improved me and my clarity of the compassionate message I want to bring to the world. Not the world at large.But it is the small world of my human existence. People like Larbi who I meet on my journey are most important. Everyone likes people coming to hear them speak at a workshop but that is incidental to these providential meetings. It is not people who come to hear me or even who read this blog. It is People connecting with people with stories, that is what living is energized by.Larbi told me that at 16 he cut down a neighbors orange tree becasue it had one big juicy orange on it and he wanted that orange. Inside of him he knew it was wrong. 41 years later he still knows it was wrong. His father made him go to the person and look him in the eye and tell him that he knew it was wrong but did it anyway. He was just hungry.He just wanted the orange but it was wrong to cut the tree down. He acted without thought for anyone else but his own appetite and need.The owner of the orange tree told him it was okay as the tree was old and had only one orange on it. A part of me wanted to scream because saying it is okay when it is not okay contributes to confusion. It was true that for the owner it was not a big deal but that does not make it okay. This is where the social system while intending to be gracious becomes confusing and chaotic.The system of the world only works when there is balance of all truths and balance only works when all parts of the truth are spoken with equity and equanimity.It dawned on me that this cab drive just gave me the perfect illustration to make a point that God had introduced me to. I asked him if i could use it and told him thatit was better that the story I had used to make my point. He looked at me with curiosity and asked me to tell what it was that I was teaching. I had by listening to him,valuing his story earned the right to speak a truth. ANother truth became clear through this experience. We cannot just tell people truths that we want them to know we need to be invited by our authentic presence in tothe opportunity to speak of truth. Even then I was careful to speak the truth, that was in me, not as the truth but as a truth. In the multiplicity of truth there is a greater truth. This is not relative truths but truths from different [perspectives and perceptions that form different conclusions. This keeps the welcome door always open, to a part in another person that wants to say no or yes or let me think about it, to anything I say.So here is the teaching as a story:When God came into the garden of Eden the day after Adam and Eve had sinned. Nothing had changed in God. They (an inclusive way of referring to the male vs female imaging of God - God is not maternal or paternal God is eternal and supernal) that is came into the garden that day the same way they came in every preceding day. The only change was in the mind and heart of Adam and Eve. They were in hiding. Were about to step over the threshold of peace and love into the world of blame and shame. No one told them this. They felt it inside because they knew inside that they had done something against themselves and the blessing of life as god had prepared for them. They went into hiding because they could not face the God who they had disappointed and inside they had sinned against their own existence.What died that day was their natural sense of peace and love for all God had given. The original blessing was still there. It was not lost. What was lost was the capacity to see it clearly. As an injured part that felt shame and to defend itself resorted to blaming someone else. Thank fully God was above all that and still is.Larbi told me the following story. As a 16 year old he cut down an orange tree because he wanted an orange. He knew it was wrong , no one needed to tell himit was wrong. He did it because it looked good to eat and he knew that it would be good to eat. What was wrong was that he cut the tree down to get the orange. What was not wrong was his desire to eat, to be nourished. It was a seed bearing fruit so had all the seed of God in it but also the seed of human desire and human fear. What was wrong was the 16 year old boys willingness to risk wrong but not willing to face the eyes of those he had offended. He wanted to hide, deny, protect rather than admit, be responsible and respectful.When people do wrong they know inside that they have done wrong what they do not know is how to come clean, accept their offending part and with compassion and kindness shift the focus form judgement against the behavior and punishment for the behavior but present a loving acceptance toward the person nurturing the experience of being loved and cared for rather than judged and punished. AS John spoke: "perfect loving cast out all fear".Larbi knew he had been wrong but he needed his father to force him to look at his part that did this, and at the person who he did it against. In both instances the loving caring presence that transforms the conflict of judgment into the compassion of acceptance was present. What was missing was the consequence for his behavior. He did not want to get off scott free. Or rather a part of him while glad for the immediate forgiveness knew it was wrong and the owner telling him that it was okay was not right. As my mother used to say, "two wrongs do not make a right". I was careful here and told him that it was not that he needed to be punished. Punishment does not help. Neither does just forgive it. He needed to welcome this grieving guilty part and let it know it was right to look in to the eye of the one he offended and tell him he was sorry. Then when the owner of the orange tree said it was okay, he needed to say no it is not, let me work on your farm for a day to show you that I accept my responsibility and accountability for wrong. Just being forgiven is a mistake we often make. It is when you forgive yourself for what you did that you are set free. He looked at me as if a weight had dropped off his shoulders. I nervously asked him to stay focused on the road. I will not take from God forgiveness that does not contain accountability and consequences. Truth and grace are both necessary for true freedom to be experienced.Imagine what would have happened if Adam and Eve after plucking the orange off the tree and eating it, choose to stay in the garden sitting on the bench and when God came into the garden they said: "Oh God are we glad to see you. We know we did something wrong in defiance of your standard but we knew you would not be angry or punish us but be present with us, to come alongside of us, to help us to figure out what we do now came into the Garden. What caused Adam and Eve to go into hiding was their shame, their blaming of each other, and their guilt. God came into the garden that day in the same way that God did every other day. With loving presence God came into the garden with compassion and calmness. It was the inability to look in the eyes of God and be honest and humble.Larbi thanked me for helping him to get free of a 40 year burden. I thanked him for giving me a story that makes it all fit together. It was not an apple. Apples do not grow in that climate, oranges do. Oranges are peeled to get to the juice, the truth and to the seeds of life. We had done that together. I thank my friend as well who challenged me to not "do mu plan" but be open to another way. Little did I know God was in that way.