ExtraChristy

The Space Between Always and Never

I fix computers to relax. They are like puzzles for me. Folks know this and bring me their computers to put back together.

The latest wounded beast was a laptop that had visited before. I had set it to ask, “Do You Want to Allow…?” before a user (or a virus!) made a change. The owner knew if the little Robot icon popped up, she needed to consider if she wanted to make this change, or if it was a rogue website or malicious software trying to worm its way into her system.

She brought me the beast because the robot urging reflection had been replaced by a flat out refusal! No options, no consideration allowed, just a no. She couldn’t even change the time on her computer much less install a new program Like most computer conundrums, a little change fixed the problem. However making the small change was involved. You see, it was easy to set the computer to NEVER allow changes and a simple matter to set it to ALWAYS allow changes…but to ask if changes were acceptable…that took some research.

Religion has the same dynamic. It is easier to set up a binary system, ALWAYS or NEVER with nothing in-between. In fact you can find folks who measure their righteousness by how many NEVERS and ALWAYS they can quote and strive to obey. I think some compare and trade DOS and DON'TS like they were spiritual power-up cards. (Even though such card games are often on NEVER lists.)

Setting our computer or ourselves to be mindful of what we are doing, is more difficult. Neither blindly going along with whatever a rogue person or program wants to do with us nor closing ourselves off to all possibilities of change (upgrade?) is a way of faith that involves a person's whole being: heart, soul, mind and strength.

Perhaps that is why Jesus popped up in history, not to restrict or permit, but to call us to consider…is this a change you will allow?

Considering Or Not

Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?' But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, ‘Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.' And they brought one. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?' They answered, ‘The emperor's.' Jesus said to them, ‘Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's.' And they were utterly amazed at him. - Mark 12:13-17

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Deed

The Tool Ark Like a Workshop Noah, if my Dad had anything; he had at least two of them. From several wrench sets to two arc welders, he had the the good one and the other one. Sometimes, he just wanted one tool for the basement workshop and another for the garage, (and maybe one for the car). Other times there was a good deal on a tool and he bought them all. Or one tool was not quite perfect, but not quite worn out, so he bought another but kept the old for sacrificial projects.

Click for more tools

My brothers and I learned early that not only could we borrow tools, but when borrowing, to always ask for “the good one”. Usually, we didn't know what the good one was but Dad knew, and that is the one he gave us.

If someone tells you that God gave them them something bad, from an earthquakes to blunt screwdriver, remember my Dad, for like all good parents, God always gives “the good one”.

Hope you always give your best to God and God's children.

Giving Good Gifts

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” - Matthew 7:7-11

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Believing the Light Will Come You want food when you go to a restaurant. Yet the more popular ones first serve you a electronic hockey puck, a pager that promises to light up and vibrate when it is time to start waiting on food instead of tiny lights to blink and shake. Restaurant lobbies overflow into the parking lot some nights with people waiting on the promise that those pagers will light up calling them into meet the wait staff. While I'm waiting, I like to watch people decide whether to take a pager after they are told how long the wait will be. Some have children (really good parents or really bad?), others run in (why?), only a few consult their partners (The least patient one asks?). Only a few turn away without a pager in hand.

by aconaway1 on Flickr

Allan Boesak talks about his life and witness as a Christian striving for justice. He says at the end of the day, the question is not, “Did I achieve the dream today?” but, “Did I believe in the dream today?”

I hope you take a pager today and believe that the God's light will break out and shake the world again.

Dawn is Coming

By the tender mercy of our God,   the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,   to guide our feet into the way of peace.

- Luke 1:78-79

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

My Pace or Yours? Like the Volunteer Army, Volunteer Fire Departments quickly let you know that the volunteer option ended right after you volunteered. After you join, you are expected, required, to serve. Ohio Pastor Mike Slaughter in his book, Change the World writes about being servants instead of volunteers. Years ago a church member told me that being a volunteer meant you work when YOU want to work. Servant means working when and where you are needed.

Suffield Township Fire Dept.

When the fire alarm sounds it isn't on your schedule. Folks are counting on you to serve those in need now, not yesterday when it was more convenient or tomorrow when you're more prepared.

Pastor Slaughter sees more volunteers than servants, more members than disciples in congregations today. Folks that are filling an hour instead of fulfilling God's dream.

The difference in motivation for servanthood was described by St. Benedict telling of three stonemasons describing a task they were all doing.

The first said,
    “I am sanding a block of marble.”
The second said,
    “I am preparing a foundation.”
The third said,
    “I am building a cathedral.”

I hope you don't volunteer to sand rocks, but serve in building up God's home for humanity.

Going After the Big Fish

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea-for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.- Matthew 4:18-20

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Remember When We Used to Forget? For most of human existence, it was a great effort to remember. Think of time and work involved in cave paintings, chiseling words into stone tablets, etching letters on parchment, or wrestling with paper files before computer records. Viktor Mayer-Schönberger in the book Delete:The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age argues that now it is difficult to forget, or "delete" in electronic terms. The default is changing to remembering everything and requiring a special effort to forget. I know someone who was a victim of an accusation years ago. Even though nothing came of the accusation, the newspaper article is still the second item that appears in a Google search on his name. Just a decade ago, that article would have been forgotten and inaccessible.

Part of what God offers us is not remembering our sins any more. I never thought of the difference between “forgetting” and “not remembering”. Not remembering seems formal and forceful compared to forgetting, like going through old digital photos or emails and deleting the out of focus images and ideas.

I hope you forget what needs not to be remembered and remember that God is more forgiving than Google.

When Forgetting is a Blessing

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more. - Hebrews 8:12

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.