Inspiring

Imagine if Christians became known as “the most encouraging, creative, loving, life-inspiring people I've ever met.” What if people far from God said about you, “I want to be around him because he calls out the best in me”? Why don't we see ourselves with that identity?

When I fell in love with Phil,
It was because he made me want
To be more like Jesus.

Could we do that now
For everyone we meet?

If “pointing out progress
Motivates forward movement,”

Would this work for my children?
For my friends?

Just how radical a life would this be?

Zaccheus

Jesus was just passing through Jericho
But he went home with Zaccheus,

Who was also a son of Abraham,
And salvation came to the house that day—

A beautiful story of repentance,
Restoration, transformation.

But I am struck with the offhand comment earlier,
“And when they saw it, they all murmured.”

I was stuck on short Zaccheus of Sunday school song fame,
And I had passed over the intensity of his job.

Chief tax collector.
And, in real time, Jesus had to tell

The Sheriff of Nottingham
That he would dine with him, befriend him.

Holy, loving Jesus going home with the
Oppressor, not yet repentant.

I would have murmured, too.

I say this to my shame.

Incomprehensible

I have made his heart and his servants’ hearts as hard as stone.

When I read the Bible,
Six-year-old Joe is never as attentive
As his older brothers.
Sometimes I wonder if he gets anything at all.

We read today about the Ten Plagues
And Pharaoh’s hard heart.

Joe suddenly started repeating what I had just read.
“God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
God hardened Pharaohs heart?
Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart?
If he wanted the Israelites to leave,
Why did he harden Pharaoh’s heart?”

It leaves me feeling socked in the stomach,
That my child understands that this is a mystery.

This messes with any tidy understanding
Of free will and agency.

Joe encountered the inscrutability of God today.

Stand amazed with me.

Good Samaritan

Seminary students prepared a sermon
On the Good Samaritan.
They were told that an audience awaited
Across campus.

An actor was strategically placed on the way,
Doubled over and moaning.

Of the students told, “Hurry! You’re late!”
Only one in ten stopped to help.

Of the students told, “Take your time,”
Six in ten stopped.

This study brought tears to my eyes.
Are not most of us busy, most of the time?

How could anyone rightly weigh the priorities
Of an impatient audience with the groans
Of an ill man?

If the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few,
Are we too busy to labor?

Even assuming we identify the harvest correctly?

Candy Corn

The little triangular candies
Were not my favorites growing up.

I gained an appreciation when
Some mentioned how they anticipated candy corn.

Then I stopped eating them.
Who needs all that fake color and flavor?

In a care package today,
The “healthy” version, colored with vegetable dye
And flavored with … I don’t ask.

They are too sweet for the rest of the family.

I’m not disappointed to have two bags for myself.

I’ll eat them slowly, over time.
Even “healthy” candy corn has
Sugar enough to make my heart race.

Unseasonal

When the temperature reached 80
And sunny,
I could do nothing but smile at the gift,
And send the boys out to play.

Fall

As a breeze wafts through the window,
I look up from my reading to see
Hundreds of gold leaves floating down
Into the clearing.

Magnificent decay.