Change, God and Mama Dove

As I walked out of the house this morning, coffee and laptop in hand, the warm humid air hit my face, revealing that another South Texas Summer is quickly setting in.  As I wiped the almost instantaneous sweat from my brow, I glanced up at the large palm tree to the left.  As has become the routine lately, I anticipated my eyes meeting those of my new friend; "Mama Dove", as we've affectionately called her.  About two feet above eye level, resting in the nook of a couple of dead branches, are usually the small dark black eyes that cautiously watch my movements as I pass by.  There was more nervousness in her glances when we first discovered her, but as the days passed by, she soon relaxed, realizing that neither me nor my family were much of a threat.  There seemed to be a silent trust that had developed.  She seemed to know that we all knew what she was up to and appeared to be comfortable in her new temporary home.  I began to enjoy greeting her as I came and went.  "Hey, Mama Dove!  How are those babies doing?  When's the big day?"  Over the last couple of days, by her relaxed glances, it was almost as if she was sharing her experience with me.  I enjoyed having her around. 

But this morning, instead of seeing her welcoming face or tale feathers, depending on her position of choice, I saw only an empty nest.  I would have assumed that she was simply making a food run, but apparently nesting doves have a very specific routine, and those don't take place until evening, as the sun begins to set.  After setting down my coffee and backpack, I walked outside and into the garage to get my ladder, still expecting her to swoop down any second and assume her maternal post.  But as I set the ladder near the tree and made my way up toward the nest, I quickly realized that it was empty and the realization of what was going on set in.  She was gone and the eggs had hatched.  Nature had upheld it's end of the bargain and the anticipation of life finally came to fruition.  The wheels on the bus go round and round.  

There are literally thousands of birds born each and every day.  There should be no reason that I lament the absence of Mama Dove and the two eggs that she patiently and dutifully watched over for so long.  But as I picked up one of the shells that I found on the ground cover below, I felt a little sadness at the change that just occurred.  Something that I had come to depend on, look forward to and even enjoy, was removed from my life and I felt the subtle sting of "change".  And change can suck sometimes.  None of us really like it, but it happens none the less.  And this little window into nature revealed that change occurs in all aspects of life; even those that seem to have nothing to do with us.

Mama Dove's big change had become a small change for me.  The system of God's creation transpired in this little birds life and by chance, and blessing, I was able to be a part of it.  Nature has no time tables.  Nature has no schedules.  Nature has no dependence on anything other than itself and it's self-reliance, and this got me thinking about a much bigger picture.  These small pictures of nature, God's sovereign creation, reveal to us just how little control we have to what happens to us.  Mama Dove's eggs would hatch, whether she wanted them to or not.  And as long as she did the job that God created her to do, everything would go as planned.  Why is that simple concept so difficult for human beings to grasp?

All of nature, besides man, seems to have a trusting grasp on the perfect flow of nature and the creation that surrounds them.  Just because we might have superior intellects, does that give us the privilege of worry and the authority of control?  Just because the mind delves into reason, does that allow us to usurp what God has already perfectly set in motion, without flaw or glitch?  Or could it be that we are the flaws and glitches to the process?

I wonder is God has been revealing Scripture to me, just outside my front door.  Has He been whispering to me through Mama Dove, " Jake, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; what you will write today or who you will minister to; or about your body, what you will wear; or about your hair and how it's falling out.  Is not life more than food, books, hair and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; look at Mama Dove; she doesn't sow or reap or store away in barns, in fact, she just sits there all day long, 24/7, and yet I feed her.  Are you not much more valuable than her?  Is not your family?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" - Matthew 6:25-27 (Paraphrase mine)                               

A Lost Passage From The Gospel of John: Jesus Teaches on the Kingdom of God

From the Gospel of John.  Chapter a verse unknown

On his way to Galilee, Jesus and his disciples saw a man sitting on the side of the road.  The man appeared troubled and was weeping.  Jesus approached the man and sat beside him.

As he continued to weep, Jesus put his arm around the man and drew him close.  So the man leaned against Jesus and began to weep even more.

Jesus' disciples approach them and said, "Rabbi, who is this man to us?  Why should his troubles concern us so?"

"The weight of a mountain lies on this man's shoulders, " said Jesus, "a weight so heavy that he is not able to bear it any longer.  It is for this reason that our paths have crossed.  Where else are would we to go at this moment?  For you, the Kingdom of God lies in Jerusalem, in the streets where all can see and praise awaits you.  For you, the Kingdom of God lies in Rome, beholding a great military victory.  For you, the Kingdom of God lies in a destination.  Somewhere we must go to.  But I tell you the truth.  The Kingdom of God is here, in this moment, lifting the burdens from this man's shoulders and carrying it for him.  The Kingdom of God is here and now."

At this, Jesus' disciples were amazed and said nothing more.  They sat down with Jesus and the man and asked Jesus to teach them more about the Kingdom.  They also made a fire and prepared a meal to share together.

Jesus said to them, "Are you still unsure of what I have told you?  There is nothing more you need to know of the Kingdom of God, but what you see here.  You're questioning and doubts only delay us."

After they shared a meal together, the man looked at Jesus and said, "Lord, I see the Kingdom of God.  It is at hand and I believe in the words you speak.  I will follow you."

Jesus looked at the man with compassion.  "You do believe and you will follow. But for now, my path is not your path.  Leave your burdens here.  Go and reveal the Kingdom of God, just as you have seen it, for where you go, the Kingdom will be."

Immediately, the man got up, picked up his cloak and went on his way, praising the Lord and declaring the Kingdom of God.

Jesus' disciples said nothing, but left this place, also praising God and declaring His Kingdom in it's fullness."         

Lenten Reflections - Being Good Enough

Isaiah 6:1-8

"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.'

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

I found myself reading through this passage of Isaiah this morning as part of my devotions for Lent. My first thought was that God was speaking directly to Isaiah when He said, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” But I realized that Isaiah only overheard God while He was calling out to these bizarre flying creatures that surrounded him. What's a "seraph" anyway?  It was Isaiah that took the initiative to answer God’s call. Isaiah wasn’t forced into serving God. No one twisted his arm or made him feel guilty. He only heard the call of God, realized that the stakes were high and answered. No questions asked, just “Send me!”

How often do we find ourselves thinking that we are just not good enough to serve God? How often do we think that others are more qualified? How often have we thought that our past failures or screw-ups keep us from being used by God?  We can see from scripture that Isaiah wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t necessarily ready. There may have been others more qualified. But God revealed to Isaiah that the only requirement for serving Him was something we often forget: being available.

God needs people who will readily answer the call simply because it is Him who asks. And He doesn’t need us to pass a test first and He doesn’t want us to dwell on our past failures. He wants imperfect people that will humbly receive His forgiveness, and impulsively and radically answer, “Send me!” God isn’t looking for ability, as much as He is looking for availability. As we celebrate Lent, let us meditate on what it means to be available, and answer when He calls, regardless of the cost.

KONY 2012 and Invisible Children

By now, I'm sure that most of you have heard of the KONY 2012 movement.  Several people have asked my opinion on the issue and to be honest, I haven't really developed one at this time.  There have been some very legitimate concerns regarding allocation of finances, Ugandan military support and questions regarding the organizations overall intentions.  However, regardless the questions that have developed, at the heart of this issue, there still lies the evil of Joseph Kony and the overwhelming tragedy stemming from his actions.  From a Kingdom of God perspective, this is not something that can be ignored followers of Christ or the Church in general.  The best thing to do before deciding to support any charitable action is to of course spend time in deep prayer and meditation on the issue.  Then spend some effort on researching the background of the issues at hand and the organizations behind the movement.  I've decided to dedicate the remainder of this blog to a blog by Rachel Held Evans, who has done the best job so far in chronicling the details, facts and opinions of the KONY 2012 issue in a very open and non-bias format.  You can read her blog below, or at her website to join the discussion.


Some Resources on the Invisible Children Controversy:  Rachel Held Evans   

When I shared the Invisible Children’s now-viral Kony 2012 video on the blog this morning, I had no idea it would be so controversial. At first I was surprised, then frustrated, then—after hearing from so many of you—strangely encouraged by the fact that we’re actually getting passionate and worked up about something that matters! 

If you haven’t already heard, the charity Invisible Children launched a campaign this week to make Joseph Kony, the Ugandan leaders of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) famous. By making Kony famous, they hope to mobilize millions to pressure Washington to continue assisting the Ugandan government in their efforts to hunt down and arrest Kony for his war crimes against children.
It was Invisible Children that first made me aware of the plight of child soldiers around the world, and so I’ve always been sympathetic to their cause.  However, some have raised legitimate concerns about Invisible Children’s strategy and finances, suggesting that IC may do more to hurt the situation than help it. 

This is an important conversation to have, and I’m convinced we can have it without questioning one another’s motives or resorting to personal attacks.  I think it’s safe to assume that the overwhelming majority of those who have devoted their time and money to trying to help families suffering injustice have done so out of compassion and a sincere desire to help.   We can’t let naivety on the one hand or cynicism on the other prevent us from seeking a peaceful resolution to this conflict. 

So with that in mind, here are some of the most helpful resources shared by readers on Twitter, Facebook, and the blog. 

I’ll be updating this as new ones come in, so be sure to check back. 

Background...

 

The New York Times: Topics/Archives, “Lord’s Resistance Army” 

The Washington Post: “Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army: A Primer”

The New York Times: Video, “On the Hunt for Joseph Kony” 

Foreign Affairs: “Obama Takes on the LRA” (this artcle includes one of the earliest criticisms of IC) 

International Crisis Group’s November 2011 Report on the LRA 

Lisa Ling reports on the LRA for The Oprah Show

Christianity Today - "Deliver Us From Joseph Kony"

From Invisible Children...

 

Invisible Children Web Site

Invisible Children Team

Invisible Children Financials

Kony 2012 Video

Kony 2012 Campaign 

Facebook response from John Rudolph Beaton, Crisis Tracker Project Developer for IC

Invisible Children - Official Response to Critiques *NEW*

Critiques & Responses...

 

Visible Children

David Sangokoya (Nigerian American aid worker) – “Selling Old Newspapers Shouldn’t Be Profitable” 

Solome Lemma (Innovate Africa) – “You Don’t Have My Vote”

Justice In Conflict – “Taking Kony 2012 Down a Notch” and “Kony 2012: The Invisible Children Advocacy Campaign to Catch Kony” 

James McCarty – “Christian Ethics, Invisible Children,  Kony 2012, and International Advocacy”

Joshua Keating (Foreign Policy Magazine) - “Joseph Kony is not in Uganda and other complicated things”

Angelo Izama - “Invisible Children’s Campaign of Infamy” 

Musa Okwonga - “Stop Kony, yes. But don’t stop asking questions”

Dianna Anderson - "On Kony 2012 and Thinking Critically" *NEW*

Press Coverage...

 

Washington Post: “Invisible Children Responds to Criticism  About ‘Stop Kony’ Campaign"

NPR: “Ugandan Warlord Joseph Kony Under Spotlight Thanks to Viral Video”

Christianity Today: Why Joseph Kony is Trending *NEW*

Other Resources...

 

Charity Navigator’s Report on Invisible Children

Charity Watch – “The Best Ways to Assist in Providing Emergency Relief in Uganda”
When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert

(Note: I’ve not yet read this book, but it comes highly recommended by folks I respect) 

From the Blog...

 

“Poverty Tourism, Poverty Elitism, and Grace” (seems relevant) 
And we've been discussing the issue over on my Facebook Page as well

I'll continue updating this page, so check back for new information. (I'll indicate which articles are new.) 

What are your thoughts on Kony 2012 and Invisible Children?

Peace Be With You

"Peace be with you".  Growing up in the Roman Catholic Church, I remember this traditional greeting during mass very well.  What I remember most is that it actually did bring me peace, even as I nostalgically look back.  Within a brief moment of time, barriers were broken and the peace that Christ offers all of us was shared and experienced.  I often wonder why other denominations don't adopt something similar during worship services.  For those of you unfamiliar with the liturgy, just before celebrating Communion, the following order is observed:

 

Priest:  “Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.”

All:  Amen.

Priest:  “The Peace of the Lord be with you always.”

All:  And also with you.

Deacon or Priest:  “Let us offer each other a sign of peace.”

I’ve always found it interesting that one section of the liturgy is dedicated to “peace”, and often ponder the fact that many evangelical churches have possibly lost a precious aspect of worship.  Over the last month or two, I've been convicted about the lack of peace that surrounds my life.  Maybe you experience the same thing.  We live in a chaotic culture and sometimes it seems that the circumstances that surround us encourage less peace and more division.  It's ironic because I don't think there are any of us that would deny that we long for more peace in our lives.  I firmly believe that peace is an essential aspect of how we were created.  A deep seated aspect of creation that has become especially vulnerable to the effects of a fallen world.

As I pondered peace and how illusive it seems to be, I made an interesting observation: Peace has nothing to do with outside circumstances.  Could it be that it's not so much that peace cannot be found, but we subconsciously refuse to seek it?  Or is it possible that peace is not something that we even should consider seeking, but rather should be seen as something we possess, but refuse to utilize it to its full potential?  Do we keep peace to ourselves and fail to utilize the power of peace because we refuse to initiate it?  Like owning a self-propelled lawn mower and choosing to cut our grass with scissors?  Like a cure for cancer being found and not released to a waiting and dying world?  Could it be that we are peace's worst enemy?  Personally speaking, is peace up to me, and only me?

Just before Jesus was betrayed, arrested and crucified, He spoke to His disciples, communicating the essential truths that would sustain them after He was gone.  As He comforts His friends, assuring them that His power would still flow through their midst, by the Holy Spirit, He says to them, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." (John 14:27).  Think about those words for a moment.  Jesus doesn't promise that they will have peace.  He doesn't claim that peace will come to them eventually.  He tells them that they have peace.  They possess peace.  He gives it to them, and as followers of Christ, He gives us that same peace.  We have peace.  It lies in our hands.  It's up to us how much peace that we see around us and how much peace flows through our lives and communities.      

Paul says in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  I have to admit that this is very humbling for me.  As far as it depends on me, there is much more I can do to promote peace among my communities.  I don't live at peace with everyone and there are many opportunities that I've missed to create peace rather than division.  For those times, and the people that have been affected, I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness. 

This morning I went on a long walk with my dog.  As I meditated on this topic and prayed about how I can be more of an instrument of God's peace, I began to do something strange.  I began to wave and every single car that passed me on the road I was walking along.  Not much of a big deal on my part.  Waving at strangers is not going to change the world, but what was more important is the reaction that I witnessed from the people I made brief contact with.  Literally every single person that saw me, not only waved back but returned with a smile on their face.  It was obvious and overwhelming.  People that may have been on their way to work, heads down and robotically focused on the road in front of them, broke into a smile, some even seemed to laugh.  It was amazing.  Maybe they just thought I was strange and got a kick out of it.  I don't know.  But there was a viable and apparent reaction and I had a blast!  I found myself smiling more, chuckling and waving more eagerly!  

Years ago, there was an old Asian man that sat on the curb of the busiest road in my neighborhood and just waved at everyone.   Every morning at the same time, he was there.  He became part of my morning commute and a welcome sight as I made my way to work.  I waved back to him every time I saw him and we both shared a smile.  We both connected in an informal greeting.  We both shared peace.  The peace that he had, he offered me, and the peace I possessed, I returned to him.  I don't see this man anymore.  He disappeared a few years ago, but I still think about him when I drive past his corner of greetings.