"What good is it?"

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?             James 2:14-16 

"What good is it?" That question bookends the challenge. Beth Moore points this out in James, Mercy Triumphs. It is the question that stuns me today. "What good is it? What am I doing that is the fruit of my faith? Do my actions give life and breath to my faith? Do my actions make a difference, not to me, but in the lives of other people?"

Humbling question. 

And what is my motive for doing "deeds" and taking action. To "get" or manipulate some response? To receive accolades? To accumulate? 

James uses the example of caring for, providing for someone else's needs. That's the test. 

The First Miracle and the Servants

Thank you, Deacon Diana Shirley, for pointing out that the people who witnessed Jesus' first miracle were servants. The gospel reading several Sundays ago was John  2, the wedding at Cana. I never noticed that Jesus changed water into wine in front of the servants, not in front of the host, or the steward, or the guests. Servants not only got the front row seat, they participated in the miracle.

Jesus could have done the deed in front of the guests. He could have had a crowd. That would have been the way to make a statement, to make sure that a large crowd witnessed the deed.

Jesus could have brought the host into the kitchen to impress him or to beholden him. "Hey, I see that you're running out of wine. Could be embarrassing. I can fix that for you, if you'd like."

Jesus could have let the chief steward in on the miracle. "I bet this party has been a logistical nightmare with planning for this crowd. Guess you underestimated how much wine you needed.  Could be bad for you. I'd hate to see you lose your job over this. Let me  help you out. Bring me some water."

No. Jesus didn't "perform" a miracle to impress those who most of us mortals want to impress--the "important" people, the crowd, or the ones whose station or job we covet. No, Jesus did the miracle in front of the servants. In fact, he included them in the miracle. They brought the water.

What was the effect on those servants? What did they experience? Amazement Awe? Gratitude for the gift of this moment? Were they inspired to take pride in their work and encouraged to do their best, even as servants? I'd like to think that they lifted their heads a little higher that day. Jesus had affirmed them. They were worthy.

Seems to me the setting and witnesses of this miracle foreshadow the lessons we hear later from Jesus: give without pomp, pray in private, do one's work quietly and without expectation of reward or acknowledgement. Jesus turns water into wine in the scullery, in the back of the kitchen while the bridal party and guests laugh and celebrate. It's a lightning bolt that shatters the old growth tree, that ignites the barn, and destroys the old ways. Here is humility at work. Mercy for the least. Jesus' actions saying, "It is for you that I am here, for you who struggle, who are ignored, who work while others enjoy leisure and comfort. You are blessed."

4 Minutes Left in Day 2

What to say about today?

Darkness and tenderness
Tears and hope
Crushing anguish and searing grief.
But love prevails and
God is sovereign.

Laughter in the hallway, tears in the corners.
Heavy burdens and tender mercies
Moments of blessing and the armor of light.

Today, tonight I lift the armor of light and wear it for another
Amen and Amen

30 Day Commitment for 28 Days

Try Something New for 30 Days, a Ted Talk by Matt Cutts, posted in 2011. As a  certifiable Ted Talk junkie during the spring and summer of 2011, I frittered away many an hour under the pretense of "learning," "mining for new ideas," and "pushing my thinking." Matt Cutts' piece stuck with me after the initial buzz.

Cutts' premise is that change sticks when it's small, manageable, and applied daily for 30 days. He offers examples of cutting out sugar, walking 10,000 steps a day, riding a bike, refraining from television. It's the wisdom of "one day at a time."

When I first saw Try Something New for 30 Days I was inspired. It was the middle of the month, so I chewed on my options and waited for the page to turn on the calendar:

• no coffee
• push-ups/day of the month 
• no sugar
• new vocabulary word each day
• take a photo a day (something Cutts did)
• go for a run every day

When the first of the month rolled around, I hadn't made up my mind about what to try. "One decision followed by action each day," might have been a good first challenge.

The first of the month lulled into the middle of the month. Indecision and inaction reigned. Another month crept over the horizon. Still no decision. Still no action. A third month and still no decision or action. By now I decided that what was a good idea was a good idea for someone else. No decision. No action. No commitment. I'm OK with moving on. I can accept my limits and my shortcomings.

Then last month my sister started taking a photo a day--something Cutts referenced in his talk. She had seen the video, was inspired, and did something (she's a better woman than I!). Her action prompted me to revisit Cutts' challenge and try something new for 30 days. 

(Deep breath. Inhale. Exhale.)

So, here it is. I'm putting it "out there." I'm going to write here each day for (a-hem, sorry but February is a short month) 28 days.

I'm not making any promises about quality of content. But I am making a promise to take action and do something that I say I want to do daily--write. Put out "there" some idea, word, thought that may or may not catch the wind. What's important to me is that I engage in the process and practice the discipline of writing on a daily basis.

Small steps on a daily basis = Behavior change that sticks.

Day One. Done.



Here's Matt Cutts' Ted Talk. Enjoy. What can YOU do for 30 (or 28) days?

Armor of Light

I've been exhausted by the trials and troubles in the world lately. Civl war in Syria. Rebels rising up in Congo. Fighting between Palestinians and Israelis. Loved ones struggling with health and history. Friends standing up against hopelessness. Congolese sisters and brothers thrown into insecurity and danger. It's heavy. It's hard.

Yes. This is Advent. Time of reflection and penance. But penance seems insufficient for the suffering and grief. I've been overpowered by anger, buried by sadness.

Yesterday I read the prayer appointed for the week (collect for 1st Sunday of Advent):

Almighty God, give all of us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Put on the armor of light. That's what struck me. That's what nudged me to move forward yesterday. And today. To put one foot in front of the other. To keep walking.

The armor of light. Light isn't always the breath, the sword of truth, brightness piercing the dark of night.

Sometimes light is heavy. Sometimes light is armor. It's defense. It's not healing. It's a shield. It's full-body armor against the ugliness and ruin and hatred. We have to pick it up and put it on. And it's hard and heavy. But sometimes it's the only thing we can do in the face of the evil and the ugly.

It's the only action I can take today.

End of the UCBC School Year

Preparing the grounds

It's a cool morning here in Beni. The city is just beginning to wake up. But there are workers, cooks, students, staff and family members of the UCBC community who have already been up for some time. Some have stayed up all night. Today is UCBC's 2nd graduation. UCBC has been a busy place these last weeks. Exams and deliberations, preparations for the General Assembly (Congolese board),and preparations for graduation for graduation have consumed time and focus.

And more preparations

UCBC is like any other school when it comes to graduation preparations. Grounds people have been busy cutting, trimming, and weeding, painting and cleaning. Faculty and staff have been correcting exams, organizing logistics, writing and practicing speeches, assembling awards and diplomas, and confirming invitations and seating arrangements. At 8:00 pm last evening, people were still the setting up sound equipment and chairs. Remember…there is no exterior campus lighting. Cooks worked through the night preparing food for the celebration. 

The General Assembly (GA) concluded its work yesterday afternoon. We met for three very productive days. The primary order of business was working through the CI-UCBC 5-year strategic plan. There was excellent discussion, learning, some adjustments and additions, and all-in-all a thoughtful process with God's hand at work.

GA members at work

One of the questions the leadership asked the GA to consider during its review of the strategic plan was, "Do the objectives and activities take into account the protection of the environment, protection of children, and equality of gender." As a result of that question, we decided to specifically articulate two new objectives (not the correct language, but here's the essence): (1) to be intentional in seeking out qualified women to fill teaching and administrative positions; (2) to employ universal design techniques in our building and landscaping to allow full accessibility to all people, regardless of age or ability; (3) to demonstrate environmental stewardship in our building and landscaping. These are important and unique intentions for this context. Men dominate the landscapes of teaching and leadership in Congo. Men hold the positions of pastors, administrators, mayors, parliamentarians, university personnel. Yet, CI-UCBC is a holistic answer to the challenges and opportunities of Congo. We have a 40/60 female/male student ratio. We are eager to bring more women into the classroom as teachers and into the offices as administrators, not only as examples to our students, but to encourage the creativity that comes from diversity. There is more to say about this topic, of course...but, I was glad we had this conversation!

The General Assembly

Articulating commitments to accessibility and environmental stewardship is also significant and unique to CI-UCBC. For the most part, people who are not able-bodied are stigmatized in this region. People with physical disabilities are shunned from the community, excluded from education opportunities, ignored for leadership positions, and often left without any means for their own support and care. Sadly, many people suffer physical disabilities simply because of lack of medical care that would otherwise prevent or correct matters that become life-long burdens. One of our own beloved GA members, Pastor Peter Amani, a wise, joyful, bright, compassionate elder, suffered the amputation of his leg after an otherwise minor and treatable wound resulted in infection and nerve damage. That CI-UCBC proclaims all as members of the body, and that CI-UCBC is going to be intentional in all of its practices to include, invite, make accessible its facilities and programs is yet another beacon of light in the region and the nation.

DRC is rich in natural resources. But those resources are being exploited in ways that damage communities, individuals, and the environment. From the beginning, CI-UCBC has envisioned as fully-sustainable and green a campus as possible. Now we have articulated that in our strategic plan. We recently received the full report and plans from eMi that will direct our campus development. In that plan are recommendations for a hybrid power system that includes solar, hydro, and biogas. There are also recommendations regarding building orientations to take advantage of sunlight (of which we have plenty) and natural breezes. But what makes this unique is that these practices are not part of local culture. In an area with seemingly endless supplies of water and trees, people use without consideration of future needs. These practices are no different from what the majority world has modeled over the last couple of centuries. We decimated forests in the name of progress and polluted our watercourses because there were plenty of streams and rivers and lakes. The same occurs here. That CI-UCBC is making a stand and setting a different example is yet another light.

But back to graduation...It's today. And there's great excitement. "To God be the glory."

Morning

This morning was cool and grey. A lilting fog hung in the air. Women and children filed along the roadside, bundles on their heads, loads heavy on their backs. Men pushed bicycles with loads of charcoal and wood. Moto drivers bundled up in winter coats.

The UCBC campus was quiet when I arrived.  John and Kapitula were the only people to greet me when I came through the gate. Kapitula, with his glowing smile, sang to the radio while he filled a bucket with water from the spigot.

The doors to the Academic Building were open. The tile floors, freshly washed, reflected the light. Jacques, one of the workers, hummed gently as he wiped the floor. At the end of the other hallway, Musiande sang another song. Someone outside whistled an arpeggio.

"God's mercies are new every morning."