Relationships

Those Who Dwell In Silence by Ryo,

Sitting in a classroom in second grade, I looked around at the faces of other students, heard a faint sound of the teacher’s voice echoing in my ear, and wondered if I might be from another planet. Everyone and everything in the room seemed alien, foreign, strange. Somewhere I would feel at home and connected, but in this strange place, I felt like an observer, watching and perhaps collecting information for my home planet. A few minutes passed and the moodiness passed as well. I joined all the other children running across the playground during recess.

This sense of being outside, being cut off, being alienated from the world around me is a common feeling among many people. In fact, some people never feel connected and always feel outside, strange, faraway, alienated.

As Paul writes to the Colossians, he reminds them that they were once “alienated and hostile in mind” but Jesus has reconciled them “in his body of flesh by his death.” Recently, as I slowly ruminated through the opening words of Colossians, I was struck how this emphasis on alienation contrasted with the preceding doxology on the glory of the cosmic Christ.
Paul writes,

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Col 1:15-20Col 1:15-20
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: ¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. in...: or, among all ¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; ²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. having...: or, making  

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Paul’s praises of Jesus soar as he proclaims the preeminence of Jesus over all creation. Using language that reminds us of John 1, Paul speaks of Jesus as Creator (all things were created by him, through him and for him) and as Sustainer (in him all things hold together), and as Restorer (through him all things have been reconciled).

From the heights of singing the glory of Jesus as the “image of the invisible God,” Paul descends to address the Colossians as a people who were “alienated, hostile in mind, and doing evil deeds.” Listening to these words, I heard the cold, shuddering wind of “alienation” chill me with icy dread.

The very word “alienation” carries the sounds of separation and forsakenness.

Alienation also sounds so very modern. I hear echoes of Paul Simon singing, “I am a rock, I am island.” This little 60s pop song responds to John Donne’s contention that “no man is an island” by expressing the angst of a person who no longer feels connected to the whole, to the continent, to the human race. That sense of being disconnected, being an outsider, being cut-off shows up in our movies, our music, and in our heroes who ride off into the sunset instead of living in community.

Alienation is not only the feel of being aloof or cutoff from the group, it can also be the very real act of a group seeking to alienate other people or groups. The most obvious act in the last 100 years is Hitler’s attempt to dehumanize the Jewish people, alienating them from the German race and attempting to alienate them from the planet through planned extermination. He sought to strip them of their identity, their dignity, their humanity and ultimately their lives.

This extreme example happens every day in smaller, more benign ways. We use language to alienate the “other” in our midst. We mock those who hold alien political views (liberal or conservative). We notice differences in skin color, in dialect, in economic status, and we form communities of like-minded people who look and talk and act like us.

We not only cut people off, we are cut off ourselves. We are left out of groups because we don’t have enough money, we don’t look right, we don’t have the right job, we’re the wrong race, we do or don’t have children, we are the enemy. At some point in our lives, we have and will know the ache of being outside the camp.

When Paul writes to the people of Colossae, he is writing people outside the covenant. They were Gentiles and not part of the covenant community of Israel. In this sense, they were alienated from God and God’s people.

This gets us closer to the heart of the matter. Alienation is not simply a social problem, it is rooted in our estrangement from God, resulting in estrangement from other people and even the world around us. While Israel is the covenant community that receives the revelation of God’s law and God’s purposes, they still experience this estrangement.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul reveals how both the Jew and the Gentile ended up being alienated from God. The Gentiles worshipped created things rather than the Creator and became corrupted. The Jewish people violated Torah and fell under the death sentence of Torah. Both peoples suffered in their exile from rest in the communion of God’s love.

Isaiah captures the intensity of the exile when he appears before God in the Temple. He cries out, “I am coming undone.” His physical body cannot bear the weight of glory and is ripping apart in the presence of YHWH’s Absolute Otherness.

If we go back to the beginning of the story, we see the root of alienation. Adam and Eve turn against one another immediately after rebelling against God. Their self-imposed alienation traps them in an alien land. They hide in terror from the loving Father who created them.

Adam who was called to govern the earth, the skies above and sea beneath experiences deep alienation from creation:

“…cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19Genesis 3:17-19
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; ¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; bring...: Heb. cause to bud ¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.  

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In his estrangement, man stands at odds with the very planet upon which he lives. Instead of caring for the plants and animals, he often brings harm and destruction to them.

This estrangement breaks the natural bond between siblings. Cain kills his own brother and then must go “on the run” in his alienation resulting from the crime. From one generation to the next, the separation and brokenness continues and is often magnified. We continue to war and strive with our brother and sister humans and nations.

When Paul addresses the ancient Colossians, he is addressing us. By the power of God’s Spirit, Paul’s word about “alienation from God, hostile in mind and deeds” resonates in our own hearts. We have known this sense of being cut-off. We have known the anguish of self-imposed exile, of self pity, of self destruction, of self hatred.

Sara Groves sings a heart wrenching song about our selfish tendency to hurt and isolate one another. Expressing the suddenness and absurdity of offense, she sings,

“weather came and caught us off our guard
we were just laughing and feelin’ alright
had such a great time just last night
we walked into a minefield undetected
you took a tone and I took offense
anger replacing all common sense”

Then like a showdown in some wild west film, she sings about the duel to the death between two lovers,

“oh run for you life
all tenderness is gone
in the blink of an eye
all good will has withdrawn
and we mark out our paces and
stare out from our faces
but baby you and I are gone gone gone”

In his fatherly compassion, Paul writes a people who have lived under the crushing pain of alienation. He reminds of the Father who is fully revealed in Jesus Christ when he enters into the absolute pain of this alien world. The Son enters into the human world and in the mystery of His love, he bears our pain in his own body.

Through the death of his body in the suffering of the cross, he steps into and beyond all human separation. In the love between Father and Son, he rises again bringing our once alien humanity into the unspeakable glory of unending love between the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

Paul writes that our hope is hid with Christ in God, and at at the same time, he says that God chose to “make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” By His life, His body, His action, His lovingkindness, His suffering, we are no longer aliens. He has brought us who were outside His love into the unending circle of His love. At the same time, He enters into us by the power of His Spirit, so that even as we dwell in Him, He dwells in us.

Overcome by this ungraspable love that has grasped us, we fall down in praise and glorify the One who is worthy of all praise and glory and honor and wealth and wisdom.

The next time we feel the cool blast of isolation from friends and family and the world around us, instead of falling under the self consuming power of alienation, we might return to Colossae and remind ourselves of this love that we cannot grasp.

From this place of peace, from the place of absolute rest and protection and love, we come to realize that we are not aliens. We are at home. We are safe. We are free to embrace the outsiders among us. We are free to suffer alongside them. We are free to lay down our lives as we follow the gentle call of His ever-loving Spirit.

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A few years ago, I led a retreat on weakness, using 2 Corinthians as our text. As I studied the text, it seemed even more apropos because the letter confounds many scholars and appears to be an amalgamation of two or more letters. So even as we study the text, we begin in weakness, trusting the Spirit to reveal the Risen Christ in our midst. As I read Scripture, I try to read and consider the text as received even when the flow appears uneven or unclear, so my approach to 2 Corinthians is to read it as we have received it today in the form of one letter.

Lately I’ve been paying attention to Paul’s language of “in Christ” and in “one another.” He moves between both ways of talking, and I believe we are encountering a way of life that flows from the Father, through Christ, by the power of the Spirit. In other words, we are encountering “perichoresis,” the dance of life between Father, Son and Spirit. When Jesus Christ speaks of being in the Father and the Father being in Him (John 14:11John 14:11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.  

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Instead of speaking and thinking in terms of isolated individuals, the Gospel reveals the Creator as one God in a mutuality of three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This idea of mutual indwelling or perichoresis shows up all across Paul’s letters. Here is a quick outline of thinking  about 2 Corinthians in a perichoretic way. (I realize this is rough and is not complete in any way.)

1. Comfort and Affliction (Chapter 1:1-11r 1:1-11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans ^{1 1} Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, ^{2 3} Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; ⁴ And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: declared: Gr. determined ⁵ By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: for obedience...: or, to the obedience of faith ⁶ Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: ⁷ To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; with: or, in ¹⁰ Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;  

WP-Bible plugin) – Paul opens with language of comfort that flows from the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are comforted in our afflictions and our comfort then flow to others who are afflicted. The affliction and comfort that we share with other is a comfort and affliction that we also share with Christ in His sufferings. So in a few sentences, Paul reveals a mutuality between himself, the people of Corinth and the Triune God. In this mutuality of suffering and affliction, we may know deep despair that even draws near to death, but we also know the Resurrection life in Christ that flows from the Father by the Spirit.

2. Paul and Corinth (Chapter 1:12-3:3r 1:12-3:3
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. with: or, in ¹³ Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. among: or, in ¹⁴ I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. ¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. in them: or, to them ²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: so...: or, that they may be ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. ²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵ Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. more: or, rather ²⁶ For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: ²⁷ And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. ²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; to retain: or, to acknowledge a reprobate...: or, a mind void of judgment or, an unapproving mind ²⁹ Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ³⁰ Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: without natural...: or unsociable ³² Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. have...: or, consent with ^{2 1} Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. ² But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. ³ And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? ⁵ But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; ⁶ Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ⁷ To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: ⁸ But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, ⁹ Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; Gentile: Gr. Greek ¹⁰ But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: Gentile: Gr. Greek ¹¹ For there is no respect of persons with God. ¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³ (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴ For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) their conscience...: or, the conscience witnessing with them the mean...: or, between themselves ¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. ¹⁷ Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, ¹⁸ And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; approvest...: or, triest the things that differ ¹⁹ And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, ²⁰ An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. ²¹ Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? ²² Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? ²³ Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? ²⁴ For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. ²⁵ For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. ²⁶ Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? ²⁷ And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? ²⁸ For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ²⁹ But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. ^{3 1} What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? ² Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. ³ For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?  

WP-Bible plugin) – Paul transitions to a key theme that resurfaces at the end of the letter: his relationship with Corinth. As he introduces the relationship, he highlights a bond between him and Corinth that is established by God in Christ (2:21). This relationship, in the mist of the challenges, is a relation of mutual indwelling that has been created and is sustained by the Father in Christ through His Spirit. Paul reinforces the mutuality of relation by highlighting how those whom Corinth forgives, he also forgives. He is bound with them in Christ.

At the end of this section, Paul discusses how the people at Corinth are the “letter of recommendation” concerning his authority and ministry. This twist is fascinating because he does not point to external documents or some hierarchical form of authority but a relational authority that is still valid even when there is tension in the relationship between him and Corinth.

3. Mutuality in Covenant (3:3 – 5:10) – Paul’s mention of the letter of recommendation written on hearts transitions to a discussion about the mutuality of covenant with God between him and Corinth and between the contemporary followers of Christ and the ancient people of Israel who followed God through Moses by Torah. The law that was written on stone is now written on hearts but it is the same spirit who is bringing His people into life and glory even as they face suffering and pain. Even as our bodies weaken, we are stilling dwelling in Christ and in one another by the power of God’s Spirit who is bringing us all into glory.

4. Mutuality in Reconciliation (5:11-7:16) – Even as Paul celebrates God’s covenant binding of HImself to His people in Christ, he emphasizes how this is externalized in a life of reconciliation. We are reconciled to God and we are called to reconcile the world to God in Christ. Even as Paul talks about reconciliation, he also talks about his own relationship with the people at Corinth. This reconciliation is not simply between God and man, but must take form in relation between Paul and the people at Corinth.

In the midst of this discussion of reconciliation and Paul’s “open heart to the Corinthians,” we hear a warning about being unequally yoked. Paul raises the idea of relationships that are not based on mutuality in Christ but actually opposes the mutuality in relationship in Christ. While the idea of being unequally yoked is often applied to marriage (and rightly so based on some of Paul’s other comments), I think he is talking about relationships that break up the covenantal love of God’s people. And I think he returns to this later in the letter.

At the end of this section, Paul expresses his love and comfort in relationship with the people of Corinth. This comfort is from God mediated by Corinth through Titus (7:6-7). Paul finds joy in Titus who has found joy in Corinth, and this joy is but the grace of godly repentance by the Spirit. So all their lives are intertwined by God’s Spirit. They are being made into the prayer of John 17.

5. Mutuality Between Communities (8:1 – 9:15) – Paul now steps back from his relation with Corinth to focus on the relation between Corinth and the other churches. There is a mutuality of life shared between all of God’s people, even when they don’t know one another personally. This mutuality takes expression in sharing of life and resources. So even as Corinth prospers, they can strengthen other communities that are weak. Interesting that this passage is often used for giving to the church. Paul is encouraging giving, but the focal point of this giving appears to be from communities rich in resources to those who are in need of resources.

6. Mutuality of Adam and Eve (10:1 – 13:14) – In the final sections, Paul returns to his relationship with Corinth. He works out from the argument that just as the Corinthians are in Christ, so Paul is in Christ, and his authority derives from this relation (10:7-16). Then Paul does something that is shocking and fascinating, he connects his relationship with Corinth to the bond between a man and wife, and even further he connects specifically to Adam and Eve. I think Paul proceeding argument is based on the mutuality of husband and wife and the responsibility that Adam had to protect Eve (and according to Genesis he failed).

Corinth is in danger of being unequally yoked with people and ideas that are in opposition to mutuality in Christ, and ultimately are in service of Belial (7:14) or the seduction of the serpent (8:3). Satan is testing, tempting Corinth, and Paul will defend and protect his beloved no matter how much shame and humiliation it causes him. He is willing to humble himself if the community is exalted (11:7). He is willing to suffer humiliation, stoning, beating, imprisonment and more for the sake of this call in Christ. Of course, we can never forget that Paul is writing out from the mutuality of relation he shares with the Father in Christ by the Spirit. Even though he may rebuke at times, his heart is for building up the community at Corinth and not tearing down (13:10).

As we consider what does it mean to life in the reality of the Triune life of God, 2 Corinthians fleshes out an image of mutual indwelling in Christ in the midst of severe challenges and threats from inside and out. We also see a picture of Adam defending and guarding Eve with his life. This same image is fully revealed in Christ who steps fully into the suffering of the cross on behalf of his Eve.

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Joyeux Noel (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424205/)

The other night as I was sitting with friends discussing faith, movies, poems and more, one lady asked about Jesus’ statement,

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matt 18:20Matt 18:20
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  

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She was wondering how does this verse relate to the idea that we are “in Christ.” If we are “in Christ,” what is the difference with His promise to be in the midst of us. Isn’t He already in the midst?

One man began talking about how that statement precedes a discussion about forgiveness and how Jesus connects his presence to unit divided people in Him. (There’s much to ponder in this). This discussion spilled over into today (via email) and the film Joyeux Noel came up as a dramatic representation of this. As I listened and pondered the various thoughts, I made a few notes this morning and thought they’d fit here.

If you think about this in light of the Lord’s prayer, you’ll note that the prayer is in the plural pronoun of “our.”

Our Father who art in heaven…forgive us our trespasses….deliver us from evil

The modern world has had difficulty thinking in terms of “us” and instead focused on “I” (as in the individual). But Jesus and the Father reveal a way of life that both affirms personal existence while placing that personal existence in an inseparable relational context (onto-relational). It might be interesting to notice all the ways Jesus speaks of our existence in relational ways as opposed to individualistic ways. The Eastern world gets the idea of the group, but often loses the idea of the person. There is a longing to merge into oneness with the cosmic spirit. Even some Christian mystics used language like this.

But Martin Buber helped me see the the goal of communion is not lose of personal particularity but step out into encounter between the I and the Thou. So we live in Christ, we live in one another, we pray in one another, we suffer in one another, and yet we are each members (arm, foot, tongue, ear, hands, etc) with distinctive particular gifts. In one sense, this is a form of the Triune life revealed by Jesus being lived out in the midst of His people (His body). From distinct personalities to distinct bodies and distinct histories, each of us is unique. But our uniqueness is not to be understood outside of “one another.”

Our particularities are meant for one another (Rom 12, 1Rom 12, 1
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
12 ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  

WP-Bible plugin Cor 11), so to pit my particularity against another person’s particularity in competition is absurd in light of who we truly are in Christ (thus the letter to the Corinthians). Thus it makes no sense to speak of “my own personal Jesus.” Because once I am grafted into the vine, I am grafted into the community of faith in Christ and into one another. For me, the Gospel of John and the letter to 1 John capture the essential nature of who we are as being in one another (in Christ, in one another). The so called post-modern culture focuses on a longing for connectedness that was absent in the modern world of the individual. This makes our ears alert to this call to community. Yet outside of the Triune revelation of God, this impulse toward relationship and community will change individualism to tribalism. The interdependent community becomes a self-contained unti pit against other communities. (Buber calls these communities of affinity.)

My community vs your community. Red state vs Blue state. Home church vs traditional church. Man vs Woman and so on. Each community of affinity builds part of its identity by noting the communities they are opposed to.

Only in Christ can we discover the way (the truth and life) to live as distinct persons in relation with other distinct persons in a distinct community in relation with other distinct communities. This is the fulfillment of the 12 Tribes who are not at war with one another but join under one head, King David. King Jesus brings and is bringin all the tribes of the world under one head.

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A Big Hug (flickr photo by jen_maiser)

Richard Wurmbrand writes,

Jesus saves not only from sin, but also from the solitude that oppresses so many. You will enter close communion with the saints of all ages, the angels, and more: you will walk continually in the companionship of the Lord Himself. You will also find loving brethren and sisters in the faith.

Wurmbrand highlights an aspect of the gospel that is sometimes overlooked. Salvation is so often considered in terms of afterlife and heaven vs hell that we lost sight of the promise of relationship. While the culture continues clamoring for diversity, the Christian faith affirms genuine diversity by confessing faith in the Triune God who is particular and universal at the same time.

In Christ, the barriers to genuine relationships of reciprocal love are demolished. In the cross, the Jew and the Gentile become one new man. This is not simply two groups becoming one but all particularities, all diversities, and possible distinctions that might divide: male and female, rich and poor, black and white. The distinctions of race, culture, gender, and class block true mutuality in human relations. We see this in Romeo and Juliet, the political theatre of every age, and even the Hatfields and McCoys.

One barrier that we rarely consider is the historic barrier (which Wurmbrand addressed). One age is often in contention with another age. The present judges the past with unsympathetic and anachronistic arguments, while failing to actually listen to those who we now consider less advanced than us.

In the Cross, relations across time and space are united. Now we love in and through the cross of Christ. This mutuality is not based on my own will or advanced ethical state of being but on the redeeming action of the creator in the midst of His creation. As Rene Girard has explored in his thoughts on scapegoating throughout history, God in Christ becomes the other, the scapegoat for all our human striving.

By trusting in the scapegoat, I am freed from the prison of my own superiority or inferiority. I am freed to love one who is unlike me, who disagrees with me. And as Wurmbrand writes, I am bound in familial relation with others in Christ who span the ages. I am part of an extended family that even as we learn how to love one another, we are learning how to love all of creation.

Do we fail? Of course. The church has never lived up to the call or promise of true reciprocal love in Christ. But because we have failed in the past and still fail in the present, we do not abandon the call, the hope, the standard in Christ. Rather, we press on toward the mark of our high calling in Christ. May we rest in His love and move in His love and act in His love as a people embraced by the great Father who has embraced His family by His Spirit and is transforming us in His love.

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My day started with a mouthful of smile as I read a note posted by the JTV Friends on Facebook. These shiny happy people love jewelry, gemstones and people. They posted a note of appreciation for the time I spent helping start a JTV community online.Their kind words made this bright day just a bit brighter. We rarely catch of glimpse of the impact our lives have on others, so it’s a nice surprise when we discover our lives have touched someone else.

While many spend their lives pursuing fancy job titles, power, or boatloads of cash, I’d rather make a few friends along the way. Thanks JTV Friends for surprising me with some smiles today.

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Yesterday, I heard a man say “Merry Christmas” and then apologize switching to “Happy New Year” instead. But he was really right the first time. We’ve entered Christmas “time,” and today is only the sixth day of a 12-day feast. During some seasons, Kelly and I have chosen to exchange a gift for each of the 12 days, helping remind us of the extended season of feasting.

Since I love getting presents this makes for a good tradition. While I realize that it is better to give than receive, I find it delightful to get…lots of presents. Presents and Christmas just go together. Some of my fondest memories from childhood include sitting under the Christmas tree and stacking up all the gifts that were labeled, “To Doug.”

During my early childhood, we’ve lived up in New Jersey. Every year we’d receive several large boxes from Tennessee, and each box was filled with presents from all our relatives.

What a delight I had to tear into the boxes, unpack the gifts and stack them under the tree. During the days leading up to Christmas, I’d sit by the tree and gather the “Doug” gifts, shaking, weighing and wondering upon the contents of each pretty package.

Sometimes I think I enjoyed the presents more before I opened them. The fancy papers, the colored bows, the odd shapes, and the varying weights all were a feast for my young imagination. Augustine’s idea that true happiness is found in anticipation of the good was being proved even in my childlike world of wonder.

In a way, this may be why Christmas sometimes seems like a letdown for some children and adults. The anticipation of the event is far more delightful than the actual experience. We discover like Augustine that the good we longed for is still ahead of us and not found in the mere gifts we exchanged.

As he reflected upon our longing for the “good,” Augustine came to believe that this good must be outside of us or we wouldn’t long for it. Then he assumed it must be something greater than what our outer world could supply. Because all our earthly goods never live up to the longing we have.

As he wrestled with this unfulfilled longing, Augustine came to see this greater good as something or someone that would fulfill the “desire” within us that drives us to long. And eventually Augustine came to realize that this “good” must be God, and that true happiness was found on earth in the anticipation of God who is beyond us.

For him, true earthly happiness was found in the longing for the “beautiful vision” of God. We merely touch hints of this vision in present life and will only enjoy the complete vision in the life to come. So even in the delight of a Christmas present, Augustine might see hints of God’s wondrous love.

I like that because my delight with Christmas presents might be seen as an act of spiritual devotion. Then again, it might be my unbridled selfish desires. And oddly enough, I suppose it is really a mixture of both. And God in his grace is working and transforming me in spite of my selfish motives.

But for now, let me go back to the presents! I have a question for you. What is the most memorable present you have ever received? I asked myself this several days ago, and oddly enough, it’s not an easy question to answer. All the presents blur together in my mind. Sweaters and pants and shirts and toys and boxes and bows all jumble together in one confusing mix.

So I’m not sure I can answer the question. After a few days of consideration, I have begun to remember the Bozo riding in the Bozo car that still sits in my house to this day. Then I remembered a Fisher Price circus set and a golf ball yo-yo and a train. Oops now the memories are flooding my mind: multiple race tracks, G.I. Joe dolls, magic tricks, a chemistry set, and a Tootsie Roll machine. Now I can’t stop. On and on I could go for pages listing trinkets and toys that delighted me for seasons of my childhood.

I failed to mention that the first gift which came to mind was a broken toy: a little car with broken wheels. I hated this gift but remember it more than any other gift. My sister and I were attending a youth choir Christmas party. We exchanged gifts using numbers we drew from a hat.

When I opened my little package, I was shocked to find a used and broken toy. Sad to say, I burst into tears. “Why me Lord?” “Why in heaven would someone have given me a broken toy?” As usual, my sister came to the rescue. She quickly pooled some money with another girl, and they ran down to the bookstore to buy me a puzzle.

I appreciated her kindness but somehow always felt a tinge of guilt playing with that puzzle. Why was I so sensitive and selfish over such a small thing? The memory stills haunts me on occasion.

I still wonder, “What is the story on that broken car?” Who thought bringing a broken car as a gift was a good idea? Were they too poor to buy something? If so, maybe this little broken car was actually a treasured gift, and they were giving me something of great value.” I’ll never know the story before it came to me, but I can tell you the story after I received it. Discarded. Trashed. But not forgotten.

Every gift is not simply a gift. It is actually a story in motion. It had a story before I got it and in one way or another it becomes part of my story once I receive it. For every gift that someone bought for me over the years, there was a moment or many moments of wondering, “What would Doug want?” Or possibly, “What can I get the best deal on?”

A whole series of thoughts might have occupied someone’s mind: “What size does he wear?” “What color does he like?” “Maybe I’ll just get him a goofy toy and call it a day.” For every gift someone bought for me, a thought or series of thoughts passed through their mind about me.

Now I realize something rather odd about the gift. It is actually an extension or symbol of the relationship I enjoy with that person. They took a few minutes to think about me and to find a gift for me because I am in relationship with them (even if that relationship consists in simply feeling some obligation to buy something).

Now this might seem odd, but I come to realize that gifts are but symbols for persons in my life. The wonder of gifts might not only point to some deep longing for the God, they might also point to the wonder of human relationships.

Looking around me at all the people in my life, I realize that I am surrounded by all shapes and sizes of gifts. Some talkative. Some quiet. Some big. Some tiny. Some friendly. Some a bit grumpy. And yet, in the mystery of God’s grace all these people are gifts of love and relationship God has granted me in this life: hints of His divine and all-surpassing love.

I can admire the packages. Or I can open up the gifts. How? I listen, enjoy, appreciate the wonder of the people around me. I can realize that each of these people have a story that extends far beyond me. But in some mysterious way I am part of their story and they are part of my story.

Every person in my life will change me and I will change them. I can celebrate them and thank God for them, or I can act like I got a bunch of broken toys. And ask, “Why me?”

I hope I’ve learned that even broken toys have mystery and wonder and stories that may unfold surprising hints of God’s goodness and grace.

As I celebrate the 12 days of Christmas this year, I am opening up gifts. Not physical boxes, but the amazing wonder of people in my life. From family and friends to the mystery of the stranger in the story, I am surrounded by gifts of wonder and glory. May I have eyes to see this wonder and sense the stirrings of a love from deep heaven that binds us together in grace.

Doug Floyd

“From a human perspective, when you compare [God] to the other gods of the other religions in the world, you have to say our God is really sort of odd. He uses the most common of people, people that aren’t any different from any of us here; he comes in the most common of ways, when by his Spirit an anonymous young woman is found to be with child. And the strangest thing is that he comes at all—he’s not the Above-Us-God, too holy to come down. This God’s love is so immense that he wants to come down. And he has proven his love by the fact that he did come down and touch our ground.”
James R. Van Tholen, Where All Hope Lies (cited from ChristianityToday.com)

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Here’s an oldie but a goodie:

Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Fr many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others. – Ecclesiastes 7:21-22Ecclesiastes 7:21-22
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: take...: Heb. give not thine heart ²² For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.  

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Reminds me of something Maximas the Confessor says in his Four Centuries on Love. He cautions us not to remember the evil words or actions of our friends for in doing so, we will make it harder to love them purely. It’s so easy to be offended. But so much more fruitful to love forgetfully.

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I’ve written before about the idea of how each of our lives represents a span of time that we called a Lifetime or Lifespan. In one sense, each of us live within a particular time because we have particular memories and particular visions. We move in time between memory and vision. This particular movement between memory and vision unfolds in our language, our responses, our actions in the world around us.

If I remember being bit by dogs in the past and I expect that encounters with dogs in the future could result in being bit, then I will have specific responses to the dog in front of me right now that will be different from someone with a differnt timespan of memory and vision in relation to dogs.

But our lifetime is not determined in this sense because surprises can happen. One friend told me that she had a fear of dogs her whole life. While visiting family, she was sitting a bed when the family dog slipped and started to fall from the bed. She instantly responded by catching the dog to break the fall. This act changed her response to dogs. In a single action, she changed and became someone else.

We live within one time, but some-times we can step out of time and change, entering a new time (new memory and vision).

With that said, I do think that there are patterns common to all lifetimes (or most lifetimes). James Jordan suggests that we move in patterns between faith, hope and love. This is a pattern that also appears in Scripture as the movement between Priest, King and Prophet. While I will touch of some of his ideas in the posts about this theme, I will not attempt to develop his idea completely, but will explore some aspects. If you want to see his full thoughts, read From Bread to Wine (see the catalog on Biblical Horizons).

Now to consider patterns think of childhood. There are phases of dependence and trust, growth and exploration, and times of expressing self and defining relation. These phases may not be as clear cut as I lay out here but they do happen and there is a bit of repitition at different ages.

The newborn is totally dependent for clothing, food, care and so on. This is a phase of absolute dependence; an initial phase of trust or faith. While a child is dependent through adulthood, there are some points of particular dependence such as when their first born. Another time of intense dependence is when they first do away to school.

They leave home and now must trust a figure outside the home to function as a surrogate parent. Just of their dependence on the parent helped shaped their identity, this dependence on the surrogate (such as Kindergarten teacher) will also impact their identity. Rules of the classroom and rules in grammar, math and so on become foundational for them to make sense of this new world.

Newborns grow into a toddler phase characterized by growth and exploration. They discover their fingers and toes. They move from sitting/rocking to crawling to walking. They grow from making noises to forming initial words. Some early development is taking place in their body and mind. They are learning and a very early form of reasoning is displayed.

This season of growth and exploration will happen again around 9-14. This is when they shift from being a boy to being a young man and from a girl to a young lady. They become aware of differences and constrasts between family, the sexes, the neighbors and us, the kids at school and our family. Using their developing reasoning skills, they are more willing to argue with other kids (and with parents).

Another phase can be seen in the 3-4 year old as they tell mommy again and again how much they love her. They may become clingy to one or both parents. They start asking “why” hundreds of times a day (which prepares them for the rules phase).

When a child moves into teenage years, the “why” question becomes more pronounced. Their asking harder questions and getting ready to do more reasoning, but their also extremely emotional. They may begin flirt with the opposite sex. They move between highs and lows with sudden emotional outburts. They’ve experienced similar passions at a younger age but these were directed to parents. Now their emotions are directed outwards to friends and potential loves (as well as enemies).

While the phases may not be so clear cut, there repeated seasons where children are totally dependent, form identities in relation to authority figures (and eventually in relation to peers), experience dramatic growth and development, ask questions, shift from thinking to feeling, learn new rules, apply old rules in new ways, break rules. And so on.

The child is growing and repeating patterns again and again–developing their lifetime (memory and vision) which will shape their ongoing formation in adult years. At the same time, there are always possiblities along the way for dramatic invasions from outside their memory and vision that will shape their lifetime for both good and bad.

These pattern of rules, relationships, reason, emotions, growth and so on occur over and over throughout our lives. So in one sense, our lifetime is similar to the circular motion on a clock. Repeating hour after hour. At the same time, unexpected events can alter the cycle or challenge us to step outside one cycle and enter a new rhthym. An retired widower may suddenly decide to learn the the blues and travel around the world.

We are free to change within our lifetime. This freedom to step out of one cycle and into another is part of what makes us human. And yet, even as we step between cycles, we will still face internal and external periods focused on identity, relationships, rules, growth, questioning, stories, and so on.

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The Bible is not simply one story but many stories. And these stories form patterns that are repeated again and again. For example, the creation story appears in Gen 1 and Gen, but then variations of the creation story reapper throughout the scripture in places like Job, Proverbs 8, John 1 and Romans 1. Each story reflects a different aspect of the pattern.

Some of the many stories appearing in the Scriptures include:

The story of the Law

The story of Sojourn

The story of Slavery and Exodus

The love story between a Groom and Bride

The story of Father’s and Sons

The story of rebellion and redemption.

These are just some of the many stories that appear, reappear and reappear again. All these stories might and probably would have seem disconnected. But Jesus comes and fulfills/embodies every story. All the stories are flowing in and out from Him.

These stories might also be thought of as bardic songs. The ancient Celtic bards would sing songs of adventure and love and nature and war to the people. Their songs not only entertained but also helped forge a common memory of the tribe.

As we read the story (and sometimes realize we are acting in some of the story patterns), we also discover that we are being forged into a common memory of a family that spans time from beginning to end.

Hans Urs Von Balthasar speaks of the complexity of interwoven stories. He calls this a “symphony,” ” a dance fo sound.” Here are few of his thoughts on symphony from the classic treasure, Truth is Symphonic – Aspects of Christian Pluralism.

In his revelation, God performs a symphony, and it is impossible to say which is richer: the seamless genius of his compositions or the polyphonous orchestra of Creation that he has prepared to play it. Before teh Word of God became man, the world orchestra was “fiddling” about without any plan: world views, religions, different concepts of the state, each one playin gto itself. Somehow there is the feeling that this cacophonous jumble is only a “tuning up”: the A can be heard through everything, like a kind of promise. “In and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets…” (Heb 1:1Heb 1:1
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The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews ^{1 1} God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,  

WP-Bible plugin). Then came the Son, the “heir of all things,” for whose sake the whole orchestra had been put together. As it performs God’s symphony under the Son’s direction, the meaning of its variety becomes clear….Initially, (the musicians) stand or sit next to one another as strangers, in mutual contradiction, as it were. Suddenyl the music begins, they realize how there are integrated. Not in unison, but what is far more beautiful–in sym-phony.

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There is a sweetness in the writings of Dumitru Staniloae that draws me into the love of God. This precious Orthodox theologian opened the gift of relationships within time and space for me. I was struggling to understand the problems of the West and the modern world in the way we articulate and understand time and space when I first discovered Staniloae.

Instead giving me the answers, he caused me to raise more questions. And I am grateful for that holy stirring in my soul. Like Heschel, Staniloae suggests that the modern world tended to spacialize time and invert the proper order of time over space. When writing about time, Staniloae says that time is the interval between the offer of love and the reciprocation to that offer.

But maybe I better back up a moment. Staniloae introduced me to another aspect of Maximas the Confessor beyond the four hundreds texts on love. He develops the creational vision of Maximas in his writings. Staniloae suggests that when God chose to create humans (in his image), God created time and space as to planes where humans could move (in differing ways) towards love. Thus time and space provide a plane of motion for movement toward love in relationship with God and with other humans.

At first this may be a little difficult to wrap around, but I encourage to let it simmer in your thoughts and heart. It will unfold riches of the beauty of this creation. As a way of offering some glimpses into Staniloae’s writings, I am posting a segement from his little pamphlet “The Victory of the Cross.” This 20 page treasure opens in the riches of the cross in ways that most of us completely miss.

Here is the opening paragraph from this meditation on the cross of suffering in our lives:

The world is a gift of God, but the destiny of this gift is to unite man God who has given it. The intention of the gift is that it should be continually transcended. When we receive a gift from somebody we should look primarily towards the person who has given it and not keep our eyes fixed on the gift. But often the person who receives the gift becomes so attached to the gift that he forgets who has given it to him. But God demands an unconditional love from us for he is infinitely greater than any of the gifts which he gives us; just as at the human levels the person who gives us a gift is incomparably more important than the gift which he has given and should be loved for himself and ot only on account of his gift. In this way every gift requires a certain cross, and this cross is meant to show us that all these gifts are not the last and final reality. The cross consists in an alteration in thie gift, and sometimes even in its entire loss.

I am planning to put some notes on his themes on the cross soon, and I’ll post them. But I’ll pause now simply to say thank you for the gift of writing you gave. May I move beyond the gift to love God and others more fully.

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