Individual Responsibility

As I scraped the latest layer of ice from the windshield, I looked at the winter wonderland surrounding me. Snow hadn't fallen for days, yet trees still remained flocked, and piles of snow sat as large and as white as the day I'd made them. Temps have been in the teens, locking everything (including me if I didn't absolutely have to go out) in place. Only the occasional gust of wind rattles limbs and sprays snow from the trees and shrubs. It was such a gust our youngest was awaiting as I readied the car for his short ride to school. When it came, he jumped and waved his arms. It's snowing! he shouted, reliving the joy of those first few moments of snow when it arrived days before. As quickly as it began, however, his little blizzard had ceased, and he stood awaiting the next. The snow had been carried away on the wind, and the tree that rose above him was now bare and brown once again. Watching this scene, I was reminded of Eph. 4:14,

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting

Okay, so the verse is smack dab in the middle of one of the Apostle Paul's characteristic looooong sentences. But the point the Holy Spirit, through Paul, is making here is that through various men and various means, we are to submit, become equipped, mature, strive to reach "the stature of the fullness of Christ," stay the course, that the entire body of Christ might be exalted and matured. 

Snow, carried on the wind blows everywhere, whirling and colliding. It cannot form a snowman; it cannot choose its direction. It goes wherever it is pushed: no plan, no will. Sadly, there are those who have heard the truth of Jesus, who He is, what He has done; perhaps they attend church regularly, maybe serve on the board; but He has no place in their daily decisions or even their conversation. He's their Sunday suit, their panic button, their last resort. The Holy Spirit has set over them teachers and shepherds and evangelists; they have Scripture at their disposal --maybe more than one dusty Bible in their home. But they refuse to tap into it. They get their theology from Facebook or from their wives. They love tradition and religion, but the simple pursuit of Jesus, the desire for progressive holiness, the correction and admonition of Matthew 6:19-21 or James 4:7-10? To them those things are for the fundamentalists, the Bible-bangers, the church leaders. Hmmm, the church leaders. Those who lead others and not follow. Those who have purpose and direction and will. Those who are not driven by people and their beliefs but lead others in the things of God. They lead their wives, they lead their children, they lead their coworkers and their neighbors. They know the truth and follow it. As they do, they encourage others to follow it as well. They lead with knowledge and integrity. And the entire body of Christ is edified.

I looked at the limb above our young man's head. Bare and brown. Like the snow that had been tossed to and fro, churning and colliding franticly, there was nothing noble about it. No fruit, no growth. The wind had come in a frenzy and left behind nothing but a barren branch. As religion so often does. It carries away those who are not fixed, rooted in the Word of God, and leaves nothingness in its wake. The conclusion of Paul's very loooong sentence encourages us with the result of the effective work by each person doing their share, taking responsibility for their own growth: "growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." Purpose found only when individuals take responsibility.

Review: Word for Word Bible Comic's Song of Songs

A couple years ago, I had the privilege of reviewing a copy of Simon Amadeus Pillario's Jonah: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV. To put it simply, Mr. Pillario and his team illustrate Bible text in graphic novel format; but it really is so much more. The illustrations clarify, complement, and in the case of his latest work, really add depth to the text. He does not deviate from Scripture in his drawings, in its interpretation, or in the text itself, and we have enjoyed his books so much, we have purchased several as they became available. All that being said, Mr. Pillario has made available complimentary review copies of his most recent comic, and I am once again privileged to comment on it. His newest work, Song of Songs: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV, is available to order directly from his website at Shop — The Word for Word Bible Comic . (The graphic novel in physical format will be available worldwide on March 5, 2024).

In the email I received, the artist describes his own work this way:

This 64-page graphic novel presents every word of this Old Testament Scripture word-for-word and is intended for adults and teens, having an advisory age rate of 12+... The images are accurate to the historical, ethnic and cultural setting to make it as true a representation of the story as possible.

Let me just say, that really doesn't cover it. The time and research put into each one of these books is evident not only in the illustrations, but in the Introduction and the Appendix. Because his latest work is poetic in nature, Mr. Pillario includes commentators' thoughts on some of the idioms found in the Song of Songs, and he takes the time to explain his process of interpretation through art based on the clarity of the text itself. He consulted commentaries and did visual research. You can be sure the illustrations, though obviously the result God-given talent, are made possible by the pursuit of historical accuracy and a desire to bring glory to the Lord. Pillario explains his methods of maintaining continuity with each frame and the Appendix includes answers to questions I'd never even think to ask. In short, this artist does his homework, and it is obvious the great reverence he has for God's Word by the effort he puts into it and by the finished product. 

As mentioned, this novel does have an advisory age rate of 12+ based on the somewhat mature content of the Song of Songs, but it is in no way vulgar or crass. As a matter of fact, in reading my review copy, I was reminded how pure and revered our marriages should be, how tenderly we are to treat one another, and how respectfully we are to regard one another. Pillario's renderings of the bride and her groom are passionate and sweet, a reminder to us all of the good things God intends for a man and a woman in marriage. 

So, if you're looking for a new way to experience Scripture, or you need a gift for someone having a difficult time understanding the Word, or maybe you're searching for some new material for a school or church library, I encourage you to check out Word for Word Bible Comics. And, if you love them, perhaps you'd like to be a part of helping Pillario and his team on their next project, Acts of the Apostles. You can join their crowdfunding campaign here: Acts of the Apostles: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV by Simon Amadeus Pillario (A Morgan) — Kickstarter

 

One Word: Period!

Recently, I wrote about summing my 2023 up in one word. Since then, I've seen devotionals and posts on social media with regard to going into this new year with a one-word focus. Keeping things simple is great, and one word or concept can help us narrow the field and keep us on task; however, just a word of caution: when God speaks, listen. In other words, just because every sermon you heard in January spoke of peace, and every one of your favorite celeb's posts was about peace, and that new song you heard --the one you just love --is about peace, doesn't mean peace is your thing for the next three hundred sixty-five days. First of all, what are you hearing about peace? Do you need to make peace with a coworker? Do you need to seek the peace of God? Are you to meditate on peace, teach others about peace, or work toward peace in your neighborhood? Context is important. When we take off running with only a portion of the message, we're not really walking in obedience. We've latched on to what inspires us or gives us that rush; we're plotting our own course based on a thumbnail. If God only whispers one word, that's fine, but we have to be sure there isn't more to the message before we begin wearing out #peace. And really, are we interested in what God has to say, or are we just trying to remain relevant?

So, what if it is peace, and what if it is that thing with a coworker? What if you obey, and by April the relationship is restored; he is your new bestie? What do you do for the rest of the year? Or, what if he's having no parts of it, or he transfers out of state? What do you do about the whole peace thing then? Track him down, put him in a half-nelson until he wants to be friends? Of course not! (No, I mean it; do not do it.) If you only expect God to speak to you once a year and you're only anticipating a one-word conversation, you're setting the bar really low. God created time: He doesn't obey it. He can speak to us as much as He likes any time He likes; but we have to be quiet and poised to listen. January is a great time for setting goals and doing new things, but so is February and so is June, so is Sunday and so is Tuesday. Time is a measurement, a tool, not a taskmaster. God takes us through the seasons --whenever they begin or end --He chooses. The first three weeks of January may be your season of reconciliation with a specific someone. By the end of January, you might enter a season of giving. Let's not let an app on our phones or the dawning of another day restrict what God has for us.

And there's one more point I want to make about this focus thing. In the past two weeks or so, I have found five (five!) brand new cigarette lighters and one candle-style lighter as I've been out walking. That's a bit strange. As I was praying one morning, the phrase Light of the world came to mind, and a friend on social media posted something based on Matthew 5:16, something about letting your light shine. Is that it? Light? Is this my word? A day or so later, the word integrity kept popping up all over my reading and my conversations. Another friend posted how God is challenging her to intentionality. A national radio station personality has announced God has tasked her with doing the hard things. Listening to the Lord --or listening for the Lord --is not a singular, spontaneous event. What I mean is, listening for God's voice is something that is cultivated through our personal relationship with Him. We don't necessarily plop down on the sofa, open Snapchat or poke our finger at a verse on the first page to which our Bible falls open and receive Divine revelation. The challenges or commands received by others are not necessarily those designed for us. Jesus died that we might each have a personal relationship with Jesus; it is within the bonds of that relationship instruction is received, purpose is revealed, and plans are followed. Absent a daily, ongoing, praying continually style of relationship, we are throwing darts at a board, picking up whatever the wind is blowing. 

As we continue through the second month of 2024, let's not fixate on what's trending, let's not take off running without the didact of spiritual disciplines and context, let's not be bound by the confines of measurements and tools, let's not attempt to render God or His plans down to a single thought or word; let's seek a deeper relationship with Him than we have ever had. Period!

He's Got a Bucket

I once lived in a much more rural area. The farms that surrounded the property leached nitrogen into our local water supply. Neighbors recommended we use bottled water or water from a nearby spring for cooking and drinking. We diligently saved gallon milk jugs to collect the fresh water. At the spring, there were new jugs available for purchase, and fresh water was dispensed from the spring through several spouts. A trough collected and recycled any overflow, and there was the occasional splash or splatter just over the edge. Dented and misshapen jugs littered the nearby ground, extras left for anyone to use. The benefit of clean, fresh water from a mountain spring is something I fondly recall about those days, but the importance of having a vessel in which to put it is a lesson as old as the Bible.

In John 4, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman. Now, I wasn't quite sure whether the Samaritans were looking forward to the coming Messiah in the same way the Jews were, so I checked a few commentaries. It seems they were (and those who remain today, still are) looking for a Prophet Messiah, one with divine wisdom, more than a Messiah King. Not to jump too far ahead, but if you've ever read the account, you know Jesus revealed to this woman lots of things about her life that, unless He was divine, He would not have known. She responded by acknowledging He was a prophet. It's in those moments before all of that, though, they had a discussion about water. As she stood by the well, Jesus asked her for a drink. Now, what would you think? Here's a thirsty guy, right? Her mind went right to the water in the well. Cool, wet, clear. But she was also focused on the physical differences between this man standing before her and herself: she was a Samaritan woman, He a Jewish man. The two just didn't exchange pleasantries or anything else in their cultures, and she pointed out to Jesus the obvious contrasts. Jesus' response was to explain to her, their encounter (and, if I might add, every encounter ever had with the Son of God) was about so much more than water or physical attributes. If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked Him; and He would have given you living water, Jesus said to her. Her understanding of His request was terrestrial, earthly, and as a result, she judged the propriety or impropriety of His request by what --or who --she thought she saw before her. As a result, she responded by telling Him, Sir, you don't even have a bucket.

I thought back to those days at the spring. Had someone approached me and asked me for water, I would have looked at him incredulously. Had he offered me water after making such a request, I would have given him the same response as this Samaritan woman: Didn't you just ask me to draw water for you? Water is flowing from this spring, available to any who wish to draw from it, and you --with no bottle, no bucket --are telling me I should be asking you for a drink? Am I missing something?

In the chapter just before John records this encounter, he documents Jesus' meeting with Nicodemus, a Pharisee. Jesus tells Nicodemus, Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, and explains being born again means repenting of our sins and following in faith the Holy Spirit's call. Faith is the first step to better eyesight. Unless we have faith in Jesus, we can't see what He is doing; we are blind to what He is able to do. Like the woman at the well, we can only see things as they exist in the physical world: we see cultural differences, or dried up riverbeds, or empty bank accounts, or a vacant seat at the table, or a shelf full of medications, or the absence of a bucket. Rest assured, Jesus has a bucket! There is no situation that escapes His notice; there is no tribulation He has not overcome. But we are unable to see the fruits of His work without the discipline of faith. When we see things through our faith in Him and who He is, we discover those "terrible things" that happened might have been vessels necessary to teach us a valuable lesson, or the cashier who caused our delay may very well have been the vessel Jesus used to keep us from being part of the accident that occurred seconds before we left the parking lot, or the employer who unjustly fired us was the vessel used to lead us to a better job. But we must have faith first. Faith in Jesus; faith in His character; faith in His words to us. It is faith that enables us to see the bucket.