An Important Film

I had wanted to see Hotel Rwanda ever since it was released, but for some reason I never got around to seeing it. Tonight, I finally got the opportunity to watch it. I don't think I've ever said this about a movie, but this is an important film. Throw aside the fact that it's exceptionally well made and well acted. The story that it tells is gravely important.

I'm going to personally ask that, if any of you haven't already seen it, please make a priority to watch it. Oh, but be prepared. For any of you that don't know, I hardly ever cry in films; it's just not something that typically gets triggered. The tears I shed in this film are more than I've shed in all other films combined.

I was vaguely familiar with the history of the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda (I even remember Anderson Cooper talking about it on Channel One News way back in middle school...did any of y'all watch Channel One in school?). However, as is often the case, this film takes the words and make them painfully real. Nonetheless, across the ocean, seemingly safe from mass killings, such situations often become nothing more than talking points. And what a disservice to humanity that is.

It's pretty ironic...we crave the artificial closeness that technology provides, but we can't help but hide our eyes and ears from atrocities, when technology drops them on our doorstep. My hope is that the Holy Spirit will force me not to turn away.

Speaking of which, do you know anything about Darfur? Do you know of ways you can help?

http://www.savedarfur.org

Behind That Pleasant Expression

Today, Speaking of Faith (see last post) was one of those episodes that I didn't agree with. Guest-dude believed that the spirit itself was a creation of human physiology. Not simple delusion, mind you, but a high-level advancement in our make-up that has allowed us to add another dimension to our consciousness. Completely all our doing. Man, are we good, or what!?! ;)

No matter, because buried in all the blah-blah-blah was an absolutely amazing quote:

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." - Plato or Philo of Alexandria

It was interesting to me that the authorship of the quote is disputed...I guess both Greeks and Egyptian Jews want to claim it. :) Anyway, it made such an impression on me that I wanted to ponder it with y'all.

Do you take for granted the smiles that people give you? What about kind words? I sure do. And I take them for granted in two ways: 1) because I don't thank people enough for them, 2) because I don't realize that those smiles and kind words are coming from people that, at that very moment, are experiencing some sort of inner turmoil.

It's that second point that the quote speaks to, and I love the definitiveness with which it says "...everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." There's no "maybe" or "probably." Everyone is, period. That's such wisdom. No one can escape struggle and angst, and moreover, not even for a split-second is the struggle not there. And, that's the truth of human existence, right? Life really is tough, and none of us make it through it unscathed.

What's interesting is that, when this harrowing revelation became clear, I could immediately see it on people's faces. I walked around the mall this afternoon, and I would catch glimpses of people. There was always tension worn on their faces...never did anybody look "100% A-OK." There was something brooding within each of them. Let me suggest that you do your own experiment. When you're at the grocery store or at work or wherever, take a moment to look at people's faces. (Now, of course, you kinda have to steal a peek without them noticing, otherwise they'll put on that facade that everybody keeps close at hand....that's another blogpost.) I guarantee you'll see the subtle marks of internal pain that you wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

Of course, what is one to do with this burdensome piece of information? The quote lets us know. "Be kind." Since we all have plenty of fiery turmoil already, there's no need to fan the flames further. And, if by chance God gives us the opportunity to throw a little water on those fires, why not do it? I would surely want someone to do that for me.

And, it's that sense of reciprocity that Matthew 7:12 (The Golden Rule) mandates. But, I've got to tell you, no longer for me is the Golden Rule something to live out "just because the Bible says so." It's something to live out because each person is secretly having to fight off something, and that's already enough for them to handle. Further to that point, he or she is, consciously or subconsciously, crying out for a hand. If I am able, it's my responsibility to offer that hand; the same is true for all of us.

However, make no mistake; this discussion isn't restricted to just chance meetings with random strangers (even though it certainly covers those instances). For each of you that read the blog, you're in the midst of some struggle as well. To the extent I may not have acknowledged that fact, or not actively offered to be of support to you, I'm sorry. I don't want that to be the case anymore. At the very least, you need my prayers, in the same way that I need yours. Additionally, let me listen, if you so choose. As God's priorities oh-so-slowly become clearer to me, I don't want to fill my time watching tv or playing a game or wasting time on the Internet, if there are deeper, more important, issues at hand.

I love each of you, and my affection for you and those around us only grows, as I realize more and more that we are all struggling sojourners together.

To Protect and To Serve

I don't recall if I've mentioned it before, but I really enjoy a radio program called Speaking of Faith. Conveniently, it comes on Mississippi Public Radio (yes, I listen to public radio) in the hour that I drive from Ripley to Tupelo on Sunday mornings. It's the perfect way for me to center my focus on God before arriving at Sunday's Bible study and worship service. The show is weighted toward Christian topics, in alignment with the demographic that it serves, but not exclusively Christian. It provides a nice way to compare/contrast Christian beliefs with other faith traditions; it also displays the vast spectrum of perspectives held within the Christian church. All in all, it's a fresh source of spiritual information for me to take in and think about. I know that there will be things I agree with, as well as things that I disagree with, so I know I have to be paying attention. And that excites me. :)

(Incidentally, if any of you would like to check out the radio program, you can go to their website: speakingoffaith.publicradio.org. You can listen to each weekly show online, or if you have an iPod, it can be sent as a podcast for free.)

Now, having said all that, today's show was about Faith and Environmentalism. The primary guest, Calvin DeWitt, has been a leading evangelical voice for environmental protection and conservation for several decades. He and the host, Krista Tippett, had an insightful discussion on the topic. (Bear with me; it’s about to get a little technical.)

A verse of scripture that came to the forefront was Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." And, as I was taught in Sunday School, this is the “we’re in charge” verse. God has bestowed the Earth to mankind. The Hebrew word “kabash” is what is translated into “subdue,” and it literally means “to bring into captivity.” Many scholars hypothesize that this verse actually was a guiding force in Christendom’s rise to industrial prominence, since it seemingly puts the natural world in a subservient position to mankind and its inclinations.

DeWitt then made reference to Genesis 2:15: “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Here, the Hebrew words “abad” and “shamar” are used to describe Adam’s role in “dressing” and “keeping” the garden, respectively. “Abad” means “to serve,” and is often used in the Old Testament to denote man’s service to God Himself. “Shamar” means “to preserve,” and is typically used to describe the Hebrews’ keeping of God’s commandments, as well as God keeping his covenant with the Hebrews.

When I looked up those two words, I was really floored by the emphasis God places on Adam dearly caring for Eden (and, as a result, our own care for the Earth today)...I mean, on par with His own covenant with His people! It’s in stark contrast to the picture painted by Genesis 1:28 alone.

That’s not to say that the first verse isn’t important. It squarely put the responsibility on our shoulders. We really are in charge. But, in charge of what? That’s where the second verse comes into play; we’re in charge of caring for, preserving, and even serving God’s creation. It’s a kind of servant leadership that nicely parallels with the example provided by a certain someone from later on in Scripture...

What am I doing to serve God’s creation? Not much...and that sin really hit me hard today.

My Self-Constructed Storm Cloud - God's Silver Lining

This morning, I heard something that was uniquely encouraging...

God is always up to something good.

Now, conceptually, the statement doesn't say anything that's necessarily shocking, but it presents the information in a way that perfectly captures how we relate and don't relate to God.

I mean, to say that God's up to something implies that He's being covert...sneaky, even. And, from our vantage point, doesn't it feel like that sometimes? Most of the time? For me, I have a constant pile of question marks that, to be honest, rarely get addressed. They're just there, and they fade in and out of prominence in my mind. Moreover, I'm seemingly most at peace when they're faded out. What does that say? Should I pray for mental oblivion? Well, perhaps going that far isn't the best choice. ;) Nonetheless, letting go of things, choosing not to fret over them, seems like a better goal. Hold on to that thought for a second...

Back to God being sneaky. When I'm in a foul spiritual mood, one of the most common thoughts that pops into my head is that God's holding out on me. I create the notion that I'm entitled to some level of knowledge, and God's withholding that knowledge for some reason. It's like those vicious group projects from high school. Of course, I'm the leader of the group, since I'm a control freak. ;) God's responsible for the research--the research that, at the end, I will magically craft into the final product. Anyway, from my twisted perspective, in those moments of bitterness, God's not bringing the goods. He's not doing His part to enable me to shine. If this was a group project, I'd just do the research myself, but that's not possible in this case. Oh, the streaks of pride that run all through that progression of thought! It's almost laughable.

But it's so true. I frequently think of the aspects of my life as some sort of project. And, since it's my life, it's my responsibility. I can make an A at my life if I'm not hamstrung by God. What an amazingly sad thing to think...that God hinders us. When the Enemy gets us to believe that God's working against us, or even just working separately from us, we're left with nothing of much worth to fend off feelings of isolation, ineffectiveness, and apathy.

And that brings us back to the idea of letting stuff go...of not having to understand...of simply living life, not trying to figure out life, not trying to plan life.

Now, "not trying to plan life" sure is a nice idea, but it sure doesn't seem like a feasible notion, does it? Life requires us to plan, to some extent. Nonetheless, the more things we can wrestle free from our grasp, the better that things will be. Why?

God is always up to something good.

It fits really well with a familiar verse I heard elsewhere this morning:

"Trust the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

It's not a sentiment for cynics, but it's pretty good for those who want hope. :)