Fear-less-ness in Christ

First John 4:16-21 (Look it up in your own Bible!)

Fear-less-ness in Christ

A few of the phrases that have bounced around in the news and at the water-cooler lately are: “Panic,” “Selling Frenzy,” “Irrational”. This has to do mainly with the financial troubles that have so quickly developed in our country. Institutions that you would think are as reliable as sunshine suddenly disappear. Households are used to the idea of living “hand-to-mouth,” but corporations? Who would have thought? Add to that the uncertainty of what the next administration will introduce, throw in a natural disaster or two, and there is the tendency toward panic. Humans will reveal where their trust lies when their situation in life changes.

Is there a way to think about these realities as Christians, so that our faith helps us? I think so, but hey, I’m a pastor. Of course I would think so. But most of you are baptized members of the body of Christ, so you probably agree that your faith has something to say.

One of my favorite parts of the New Testament says “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” I tend to think of this little verse many times. Fear has a way of lengthening hesitation, shortening breaths, and hastening anxiety. As I watch my little retirement account get little (much littler!) all of these things start to happen. But what about my faith? Where does it fit into the big picture?

In Christ, as a Christian, the world's final things have less finality. In fact there’s a degree of acceptance or even thanks when finality really comes home, whether it’s in our favor or not. In our faith, we hear about another finality that happens in Christ, and then surprisingly a new beginning in his resurrection, which is free from the bonds that drive us to be fearful. In the resurrected Christ, there is no fear because all the threats have been left behind. Even death.

So I think the perspective that my faith provides helps me to listen and approach these problems with a more level head, not because I’m smarter, but because (to use an investing term) my eggs are in a different basket.

Block-Busted

How do you like this gray store-front? Holy smokes, it didn't take long for it to become an even greater eyesore than while it was in business. Blockbuster. Rows and rows of movies except miraculously that one title idea that sent you to that store in the first place. Blockbuster "east" had already closed down about 4 months ago. Now the second one in town has bitten the dust.

I suppose I could have asked around as to the reason these two stores closed so suddenly. Maybe the owner had family problems, or financial problems (which are still family problems). It would have been more responsible to find the real reason for the closures, but it is more delightful to do a little imagining.

I think it was a local swarm of little red boxes. They're video rental vending machines. Surprise surprise, they are called Redbox. Within a one mile radius, there are three of these little devils. Not as much in terms of selection, but hey, you can reserve titles online, select your neighborhood Redbox, go on a quick errand to pick it up. It reminds me of when I played high school football. The kids that could always tackle me were the short ones who cut me down at the knees. Or do you remember the movie "Bugs' Life"? The grasshoppers grow to fear the ants not because one ant is as big as the grasshopper, but because there are hundreds of ants for every one hopper. Behold the power of little red boxes. Don't feel bad, Blockbuster, it's just business.

Just Ask

In the congregation I serve, from one point of view there is just barely "critical mass." What I mean is that there seems to be a small number of those who are interested in having leadership for an event or a committee. Could be that's what goes on in most worshiping communities. A relatively small number of folk are more vocal, and so they are seen as the most willing individuals. That's how the pastor might tend to interpret the phenomenon.

But what was it that brought those people to that point within the community? I suppose it was a simple "ask" that someone made at some point, perhaps even several years ago. Pretty soon that one person, whether they consider it a gift of theirs or not, finds him or herself in a position of leadership. The community has made an assumption. This is done so the emotional system can efficiently move through the months and years without much thoughtfulness or purposefulness. The togetherness force is powerful. Ultimately the togetherness force (if unchecked) allows people to be non-individual, which implies that those non-individuals are also non-responsible. After a few times around the block, the non-individual is struggling with a sense of emptiness or even frustration. This can be translated in spiritual terms as well.

Just ask. I was contacted by a member of the community who is directing a community thanksgiving meal again this year. A great ministry. This will be the third annual meal for anyone who wants to come. All the food is donated, and there are more volunteers than the facility will hold. It's ecumenical; each church has responsibility for certain parts of the meal. We have sweet potatoes.

There are two gals at church who are usually first to do the organizing of our congregation around this ministry, but they both have other things to do with family, health-related. So I started looking down a list of church members, and as my finger traveled south on the paper, I came across a few possibilities, and then one who I thought would be just right for this job, of coordinating the sweet potatoes. She called back the next day and said, "I think I can do that. I'll make a few calls."

Just ask. This is encouraging, not because I was smart to think of her. Not either because I didn't have to do the organizing. But because there is a new leader, even for a moment, one who will define her temporary task in her own way.

Sometimes individuals like being asked. In their response, at least from the perspective of the church, they move from non-individual and non-responsible to individual and responsible.