Much More Than We Know

I have a sign in my office at work that offers me a potent reminder each and every day. Small, hand painted and hanging above my file cabinet (a solid metal block full of facts) it says simply, “Don’t Believe What You Think.” It illustrates the truth that our thoughts are influenced by many things – false tales, famous artistic images, preferences and prejudices, history and alliances. Nowhere is that more evident than our views of biblical people and stories.

We’ve taken our mental image of Jesus largely from art depicting him with long (but very meticulously groomed) hair, an angular face and whiter-than-likely skin. Many in faith believe Mary the Magdalene was a prostitute, which the Bible neither says nor implies, simply because of an ancient tale. We assume the woman at the well who had 5 husbands to also be filled with shame and guilt, although there is no indication as to why she had so many – maybe they died, or maybe she was barren. Yet we cheerfully pack her into the bad girl box and go on with the story.

Today’s scripture from Mark is another place we let images and old sermons influence us, and in doing so we lose a part of the great lesson of dignity and faithfulness. The Widow’s Mite is a story as full of myth as it is meaning. Let’s start with the word “mite”. There were no “mites” in the time of Christ. The word describes a small copper coin that was used during the time of King James (when the word “mite” entered the translation). The Greek word used was “Lepton” – a coin that was actually a fraction of the lowest denomination of currency. I guess if the bible were translated in the time of King Edward, I guess we would call the “ha’pennies”. But – there are tons of handy dandy websites that will sell you “Widow’s mites” – even though that’s not a correct name.

Not only are we susceptible to shady marketing, but lost meaning as well. Years upon years of sermons have taught us about how poor this widow is – as if that’s the point – that the poor give everything and the rich give only a token. By the time she’s described to us – we can see her clearly – in our collective consciousness we see her as old, in worn (if not tattered) clothes, shuffling into the court of the treasury through the dark shadows, her head bent in awareness of her poverty around the rich Pharisees. By the time preachers are finished with her she looks in our mind’s eye like the Disney Crone from Snow White or a desolate sunken-in, sullen obedient figure . We figure she must have definitely felt the shame of having such a small amount to give in front of the puffed up rich people.

But what if she wasn’t? What if she were a young mother, or young bride whose husband died from infection or a threshing accident? What if she were wearing clean everyday robes – simple but functional? What if she walked to the trumpeted bowl and put her two leptons in with her head up, with her walk steady, and with her confidence intact. What if she gave her offering with the same surety and joy that you give yours? Wouldn’t that be something? What if she looked more like this:

("The Widow's Mite" by Gustave Dore)

What if when Jesus says “this widow hath cast more in” – that he means more than money? What else could she have casted?

A giant shadow

The first part of this lesson begins before the widow comes along. Jesus talks about the tendencies of the rich and privileged to abuse and take advantage of the people and the temple. Jesus said all this while sitting “opposite” the treasury. This position not only gave him a vantage point to see the giving that was taking place, but also the imagery of being opposed to the treasury and the way the treasury demanded money from the very poor while giving status and the best seats to the very rich.

Mark 12:40 says:

40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”

Really? They ate houses??? Well, not literally (this is the Bible, not Hansel and Gretel). What this refers to is the practice of temple staff, “teachers of the law” to eat at the homes of people. Because temple staff were not paid for their work (beyond all the perks) they often would go to someone’s home and demand to be fed or housed or spend Sabbath with the family. Frequently they would go to the houses of widows who were more vulnerable and while there eat all that the widow had to sustain herself. This practice of taking from the poor was something Jesus clearly had an issue about.

Now – lets go back to our widow – not the old crone one, the one who looks at home putting her money in the collection bowl. Imagine the pastor from your church showing up at your door, demanding to be fed and housed and while there eating everything you own without apology and even demanding you get up and make some special dessert – pawn some furniture if you need the fixins’. Then, imagine the next day is Sunday. Are you going to take your offering envelope and give the church whatever you have left? Probably not! When the choir announces its time to stand and take offering – you’ll be thinking “I already gave more than I wanted. Forget it!”

We have all heard of or experienced churches where offering was a touchy issue. It is not unthinkable that a person would say, “I’m not happy with this program, pastor, church building project…and I’m not donating until there is a change!”. There are churches where subgroups put the money in a bank account until a pastor leaves and others where members struggle with the concept of “over and above giving”. There are people with some mixed up ideas about donation and devotion. But not this widow.

She walks into the temple (even though she might have been the victim of one of these teachers of the law and their luxurious dinners) and she puts her offering in the bowl. She recognizes that offering is not about money and it’s not about the temple. It’s about doing what God wants you to do with your treasure. She doesn’t offer excuses, justifications, rationalizations, or an itemized list of deductions. She takes her offering and deposits it faithfully. What a huge contrast to those sitting in the treasury who have lost sight of what is really important. They should shrink from the light of her dignity and her grace.

A generous heart

Not only did our widow give to a place that she had every reason to be resentful about, but she gave far more than she was required. Temple tax was commonly a minimum of one coin fitting your status in society. Historians record a basic temple tax was desired to be paid in silver coins. But the impoverished were allowed to give lesser coins. Still, they only had to give a representative offering which could be required as anything up to half their assets at any given time. So, she could have gotten by with tossing ONE of her leptons into the bowl.

But not only does she see offering as a part of her relationship of obedience to God, she goes one further. She gives both the coins she has left. She balances the scale perfectly – one coin for duty; one coin for generosity. In other words, she illustrates an idea all people of faith should remember – don’t do anything half-way. The widow seems keenly aware that no matter what the temple may “require” God enjoys our all – all our attention, all our devotion, all our gifts – poured out not to be seen or earn favors – but to create a culture of generosity befitting the people of a God who gives abundantly.

A living lesson

What happened to those teachers of the law who were standing around sneering and staring? Can you name them? Can you remember anything they did that inspired you? Can you go onto ebay and buy “teacher of the law coins”? Do you hear about them every Stewardship Sunday as an example to follow? Nope. They may have gotten the best seats in the temple, and had some awesome meals, but all they are to history is a list of “attitudes not to have and things not to do”.

The widow, on the other hand, is still talked about, raised up, learned from and sought for inspiration. Through her act of obedience and generosity she does something amazing. She never preached a sermon, wrote a best-seller, built a gymnasium, sponsored a charity event, or even had her name etched into one of the stones in the temple. Yet we remember her to this day. She didn’t need all the symbols of acclamation and success. All she needed to do was to live her faith and follow her heart.

So when we hear about this widow – lets wipe away the tattered old crone withering under the gaze of temple officials and remember her for the strength, vision and generosity she truly embodied in Christ’s time and in our time.

When we have an understanding that our offering to God is NOT about our relationship to the church, but about our relationship with the Lord; when we give what God desires instead of just what is required; when we live our faith instead of talk about it – we will hear our Savoir lean back and say we have “cast much more in than anyone can imagine.” Let it be so with us.

Elect Jesus?

Lectionary Scripture: Psalm 146

There are a lot of things to love about fall in Central Virginia. Driving around our rural area today I saw all the signs of the season – trees adorned with leaves of red and gold, squirrels gathering nuts for winter, and political signs. Lots and lots of political signs. Mostly square blocky blue and red signs with the names of preferred politicians. Then, going down one country lane I began to see a number of signs with the same lettering, shape and positioning as the political signs in people’s yards. Only instead of a democratic or republican candidate for Governor the name on the sign was JESUS CHRIST. Underneath it said in block lettering , “IS MY LEADER” and across the top were the words, “ALWAYS” and “FOREVER”. It was kinda shocking at first. Especially when I passed a yard that had a blue McDonnell for Governor sign, A red Bolling for Lt. Governor sign, and then the Jesus Christ sign. If I didn’t know who Jesus was, I would think he was running for Attorney General.


It started me thinking as I drove along. Could Jesus get elected Governor of Virginia? I decided to start there because he would certainly want to have more political experience before trying out for the White House. I don’t think many folks would have an easy time voting for Jesus. On one hand, he seems to have very socialistic and economically liberal policies (“do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you”. Matthew 5:42; “I was hungry and you fed me”. Matthew 25:35.). On the other, he seems very traditional and law driven (“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17). He associated with radical preachers (one of whom happened to be his cousin), and his taste in friends left a lot to be desired from the establishment’s point of view.

No, I don’t think Jesus could get elected Governor of Virginia. Which is just as well – because he really didn’t come to earth to be a politician. He came to be a savior. The lectionary Psalm for this Sunday, Psalm 146 shows us a good grasp of the difference and where our consciousness of having a “leader” and a “Messiah” ought to be.

Psalm 146:3-6

3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord, who remains faithful forever.

What Leaders Can’t Do

The Psalmist of this particular hymn is pretty clear. There is no mortal, even one with slick media presence and high opinion polls, who can create enough power to truly save anyone. Not even himself or herself. It’s not wrong to be involved politically, that’s part of being a citizen of any country. But it is wrong when we look to politicians, and political office, to make the kind of changes that will make it “on earth as it is in Heaven”. Those changes have to come from an eternal being – the Creator, Christ or Holy Spirit. “People die”, the Psalmist tells us. “And even their best plans die with them.”

In America we seem to be trapped in a circle of disappointment when it comes to our politicians. No matter who we voted for, we have either been disappointed they didn’t win, or disappointed with them once they won and didn’t do what they said, when they said, how they said. I talk to more people who tell me who they didn’t vote for, than who they did and I’ve seen more people leave a church because of political disappointment than join a church because of political inspiration. That’s why we are warned not to tie our faith relationship to any politician or political struggle. It chains our belief to the here and now of what is humanly possible, instead of freeing our spirit to soar with what is Godly and utterly possible.

What God Can Do

The Psalmist gives us great comfort because while we lament what humans cannot do, we can take comfort in what God can do. “God is faithful” we are told in verse 6. In other words:

There is never a moment when God is not God.

What good news! So what can God do for us?

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

God can make the wrong things right, and the right things happen. God looks out for those we routinely do not see, or even oppress through our own human short-sightedness. God heals where healing seems impossible, and God lifts those who have been thrown down because of their status, or difference.

God has so much more intention than just a “leader”. God doesn’t do any of these things for votes, favors or even a lasting legacy – (since all creation is God’s legacy already). God does these things for one simple reason: love. God the creator continues to lovingly prune, weed, nurture and grow creation.

What Should We Do?

Lets face it – if Jesus was President, it wouldn’t be very long until someone started:

1. Questioning his policies (free healing???),
2. Complaining about his staff (fishermen and cronies!),
3. Commenting on the White House guest list (sinners and Samaritans????),
4. Complaining about his lack of action to end wars immediately (what did he say about Roman occupation? Nothing!),
5. Formulating some false scandal or way to get him out of power and put a person in office who followed a more accepted agenda.

So since political office is not the way God chooses to lead, then we – God’s hands and feet and children-- must do that too. I’m not suggesting it’s our Christian duty to run for office. Heavens no! But it is our duty to be leaders where we find ourselves – at home, in school, at work, at church. In our own daily lives as the image of God we should be making sure we do not oppress those who are hurting, outcast or different. Instead of claiming “grace” for ourselves then demanding “justice” for others – we should lead by example as a people who act justly, and give graciously.

Jesus wants us to show his sovereignty by the evidence in our life, not the signs in our yard.

Anointing and the Power of Touch

Scripture: James 5:13-16

Every day many a well-meaning Christian mom will pack her kids off to school with their Veggie Tales lunch boxes, singing one of Psalty’s choruses as they go out the door, then she’ll sit down with her Women’s Study Bible to complete a devotional where she writes in her Purpose Driven journal with her Purpose Driven Pen after sipping coffee out of her Purpose Driven mug. She reminded her husband about the Dynamic Marriage class – week 8 - at church but she’ll forget to say the Prayer of Jabez which is magnetically attached her fridge, because that’s old now and few folks really remember it. How does it start? “Oh God that you would bless me indeed…” In all our Christian fad-ism and marketing, there’s one thing that mom should get but wont, because it hasn’t quite risen to the top of faith consciousness – a massage. Not only would a massage ease her stress or heal her heart, it would connect her to the history of our faith in a powerful, beautiful way.

Now, I know there are some quizzical looks on the faces of my friends, slightly shocked that Rev. Kellie “I hate to be touched” Rupard-Schorr is advocating massage. But just as the Bible assures us that “iron sharpens iron” – it is also true that massage can soften even the crankiest heart. (But don’t be too worried about the world turning upside down – strangers touching and hugging me is completely out of the question, and I still hate to get my hair cut). Anyway…back to the topic of massage, or more appropriately, healing touch.

Healing Touch and the History of Faith

While massage and Christianity seem to go together like a Jumbo Meal with a Diet Pepsi, healing touch has been a part of faith from its earliest times. Although a couple instances of touch are recorded in the Old Testament, primarily as a means of transferring spiritual authority or power to a person, common day-to-day touch was not the norm. In fact the 613 commandments of the Old Testament spend much more time talking about who you can’t touch, than who you can. Touch becomes such a “touchy” issue (sorry, I couldn’t resist that) that the Gospel writers make a point to stress how much Jesus touched other people – for healing, comfort and spiritual freedom. Jesus touched just about everyone on the No Touch List – women, Samaritans, sinners, sick people and dead folks. It’s hard for American Christians to grasp – but the hymn “He Touched Me” would be more appropriate as a testament to his rebellious and change-making behavior, as opposed to just an affirmation of Christ’s ability to affect our lives.

However, while Jesus was touching people and making waves all over Jerusalem, another force of touch had been sent on a collaborative course. Asclepiades of Bithynia was a Roman orator from Asia Minor who had learned many techniques of touch and massage while still in East. He plied his trade approximately 125 years before Christ. He failed as a rhetorician but became renown as a healer by using hydroptherapy, massage (what was then called “anointed rubbing”), and dietary changes. Pliny the Elder[i] describes his influence on Roman culture to be so pervasive that he is now considered a “Father” of psychotherapy, hydrotherapy, physical therapy and therapeutic touch. Schools sprung up all over territories controlled by Rome of people teaching his method of anointed touch. His methods found their way into the Roman religious circle – including assigning the task of water carrying to Vestal Virgins, water rites and rituals in many temples, and the temple of Athena (Roman name: Minerva) had an entire group of healers who practiced something called “tactus juxta medica” – touch like medicine.

During the 1st century as the early church began to bring Gentiles into the faith and spread across cultures, the place of touch was firmly rooted in ritual and daily practice. Stories in Acts show the Apostles touching and healing, and Paul’s letters to churches – many in Asia Minor – feature a staple of touching and “anointed touch” as an appropriate form of healing for the community.

It should be noted the word “anointing” in the ancient world did not mean putting a drop of oil on someone’s head as a symbol of God’s power to heal. It meant rubbing oil (or milk, water, mud or balm) onto a person or into a wound (In fact, the word “anoint” comes to English from French from Latin – “inunguere” – meaning “to smear into”. In the first century, oil was one of the most common healing tools there was, and the rubbing of it into the skin was an act of medicinal healing, good hospitality, and care.

James 5:13-16
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

So what does all this mean to us now?

The Physical is Spiritual

In the centuries since the early church readily embraced anointing touch as a medicinal, spiritual practice our relationship with both touch and faith have changed. (For a view of that history see the very awesome “Church History in 4 Minutes”). Instead of generously pouring from a jar or flask, “anointing oil” now comes in tiny little vials you can buy at the Christian bookstore – and use a drop or two on someone’s forehead.

American Christians have a much less touch-centered community (in fact, with the current H1N1 flu pandemic some churches are asking people not to shake hands or touch at all!). Some communities have become so separated from touch (and each other) that they simply say “stay in your seat and stretch out your hands”. That is unfortunate when we realize the whole point of Jesus – as an incarnation – is to be the “word made flesh”. He was the word of God in a body, and meant to be among us, touching us, healing us, teaching us and hearing us. Jesus, Emmanuel, God With Us, is a confirmation that the spiritual IS physical and conversely the physical IS spiritual. A faith without healing touch is disincarnated and unanointed.

How do we recapture touch?

We can move beyond the concept of the “laying on of hands” as something to only be done by the ordained for sacred rites and re-discover the power of generous and anointed touch in our day to day lives. People with families usually experience far more touch – hugs from kids, kisses from spouses – however, we need to encourage those tactile affections to have a priority in relationships and never become lost in the shuffle. We can become aware of the touch hungry among us – widows and widowers, single folks, and people with chronic illnesses (because of unfounded fears, people with HIV/AIDS frequently go without touch). Maybe, when flu season is over, giving someone at church an extra hand-shake, pat on the back or hug would be a blessing you can offer. Finally, for those with broken bodies or damaged spirits, therapeutic massage from a trained and certified massage therapist can be encouraged and explored as an option.

From the standpoint of biblical authority we see in James 5 not simply an admonishment to a dry and formal ceremony performed by clergy, but a directive to all Christian people to understand and participate in healing as a communal act. It is the essence of that thing called church to join the sick with the well, and the hurting with the healers. Remember those schools of Ascepliades I mentioned earlier? Roman history (particularly from Galen) records some of the places they were found as Ephesus, Rome, Colossae, Phillipi, Corinth, and Thessaly. Do those names seem familiar? Look across the tabs on your bible listing the epistles and you might see them again. Touch as healing existed in all those places, including the churches Paul encouraged through his letters to lay hands on one another, anoint one another, and give the occasional greeting of a “holy kiss” (I won’t be tackling that issue any time soon).

So what would I tell that Christian mom as she finishes up her devotional reading and gets ready to carry her stress through her Purpose Driven day? I would tell her to be “called” not “driven”, to laugh – because laughter is a sacred sound, to be hopeful, and to be healed through her faith community, through prayer and through touch. In John 9, Jesus made some mud and rubbed it on a blind man’s eyes (anointing him). He sent the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam and the man’s vision was restored. I could tell you from the authority of personal experience that I learned what he learned when I allowed healing touch into my life – “I was blind, but now I see.”

_____


[i] Pliny the Elder – yes yes yes – I know he made up much of what he wrote as history – however Ascepliades and his practices and schools are also confirmed by Galen and other more reputable historians.

A Rare and Precious Gift

Scripture: Luke 6:20-26

“Don't throw the past away
You might need it some rainy day
Dreams can come true again
When everything old is new again”

Peter Allen wrote that song in 1979 for the musical “All the Jazz”. The further time goes by the more true it has become. Movies are more likely to be re-makes or re-hashes of familiar themes than original stories. Songs are re-done or “sampled” (the horrible practice of playing part of an established song into your song then claiming you made a “new” thing). Political scandals, public romances and private divorces – all go round and round.

It’s not all bad, though. Sometimes more than bad films or obnoxious songs come back from history. Sometimes a beautiful idea is re-captured and presented to a whole new generation. One such idea is the Lachrymatory. Glass blowers from all over the globe have discovered the ancient tradition of the lachrymatory – a tear bottle – and have begun making them again. There are many places where you can buy modern versions of these tiny tear holders all created as a “blast from the past”.

A Roman Lachrymatory - circa 100 AD (CE).

A modern Lachrymatory, from Timeless Traditions, 2008

A lachrymatory is a tiny glass or pottery bottle people would use to catch their tears in when someone died. After the bottle had been cried into, it would be placed on the crypt, burial place or memory stone of the loved one as a testament to how much that person (usually a child) meant. It started as an ancient practice, and many Hebrew scholars feel Psalm 56:8 “Put my tears in your wineskin” is an allusion to the idea. By the first century the Roman Empire and its conquered lands used lachrymatories as a culture rite of passage. In fact, rich people even hired mourners to cry into a lachrymatory so the deceased would be honored by a bottle filled with tears. For the poor, who did not usually have the luxury of a “tear-for-hire” service, friends and neighbors would gather their tears to place inside the bottle. After gathering tears in a bottle, they would present it to the widow or parent and say formally and compassionately, “Condolesco adactus” –“ I suffer with you.” (that’s where we get the word “condolences” from).

Imagine that – after a tragedy giving your neighbor the gift of tears. Certainly not something the good folks at Hallmark or flowers.com would encourage. Yet what a powerful thing it would be indeed - To grieve with someone - to mourn with someone.

We don’t value tears in our culture as much as we should. The weekend after the Virginia Tech Tragedy I saw a large banner at a concert I attended where people were encouraged to sign it in support. There were a lot of hopes, and “I’m praying for you” kind of sentiments – however I don’t recall seeing one note that said “I am crying for you” – although crying was what many of us did – and knowledge of that was a great healing gift to those who mourned and lost a loved one. Anyone can laugh with you, or pray for you. But it is a true brother or sister of spirit who can cry for you.

Even when we cry for ourselves and our own sorrows we tend to hide that fact. We don’t tell people about the times we cry over mean words, long silences, or serious betrayals. We don’t let on that we cry in the car on the way home from a bad day at work, and we rarely even admit the times we are so grateful for someone’s mercy or forgiveness that we cry then too. We are a family made of hiding criers.

The New Testament, particularly the stories of Christ, show how important tears are to the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and would encourage us not to hide them. Think of the many narratives about crying.

Jesus weeps over the sins of Jerusalem
A woman’s weeping softens his heart to her plight and he heals her daughter
Jesus weeps tears like blood the night before his passion
A woman washes Jesus’ feet with her tears

And in the list of blessings in Luke (a synoptic version of the Sermon on the Mount) we are told:

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21 NIV).

Even Paul talks frequently about the tears he cries for the churches he loves and nurtures. Want to see how much he cries? Go to the http://www.biblegateway.com/ and type the word “tears” and choose “New Testament” – a whole list of Paul’s teardrops appears.

There is no worse feeling in the world that helplessness. When our friends or loved ones endure something we can’t fix, or experience something we can’t change that creeping awful helplessness crawls into our hearts and buries its deep fruitless longing. In those times its good to remember – if you can’t fix it, and you can’t change it – you can pray about it, you can support through it, and you can cry over it. Its not a bad thing – it’s a gift. The anger of helplessness is a natural reaction. Crying for someone is a spiritual action. Which do you think most befits the people of God?

So the next time someone tells you of a past event that’s harmed them, instead of wishing you could go back in time, find the person who caused the harm and pop them in the nose (a natural reaction) – cry for them, or cry with them, and pray for their healing and be inspired by their strength. The next time someone you love faces an illness, a job loss, a loneliness your care can’t seem to permeate –instead of slogans and suggestions designed to “fix” them (a natural reaction)– cry with them, cry for them, and pray at their side –holding their hand.

You don’t need to save your tears in a small glass jar for them to be of value – but when you recognize the value in tears you will be a part of Christ’s family, bringing the care of heaven to the children on earth. Tears are a rare and precious gift.

What Does It Mean To Believe?

Reading: John 6:28-29

I attended a workshop on treating teenagers with HIV and AIDS this last week and heard a sad and stunning story from a pediatric AIDS nurse from New York. She told us the story of “Ben” – a 14 year old who died from AIDS.

His CD4 count cascaded dramatically downward and medical intervention seemed helpless to stop it. After his death, his grandmother who had raised him searched his room. She found two very telling objects: a diary of sorts, and pills. She found pills under his mattress, stuffed in his dresser drawers, hidden in books, and behind bookshelves. She found pills everywhere. Why had he died so young? The answer became clear. He hadn’t taken any of his medicine. But why? The diary held that answer.

“They keep telling me to take my medicine. They say I will die if I don’t take my medicine, but I don’t think I’m really going to die. The only time I even feel sick is when I take the medicine.”

The nurse then spoke of the challenges faced getting teenagers with HIV to take their medicines and follow a very complicated medical regimen. It’s very hard when your disease as no symptoms (until its too late to stop it) to convince teenagers they need the pills to keep from getting sick – particularly when the pills have side effects that make them feel sick.

Ben died, in part, because he didn’t believe:
* - He didn’t believe he was sick. His disease had no symptom of its own.
* - He didn’t believe he would die. He was still in the “immortal age” teenagers go through that tells them they will live forever.
* - He didn’t believe the medicine was helping. The medicine made him feel worse, not better.
* - He didn’t believe there was anyone he could talk to who would understand. So he stopped taking the pills in private.

In John 6:28-29 the disciples ask Jesus for work and he tells them, “believe in the One he has sent.”

For the disciples – it wasn’t too hard at that moment to believe in Jesus. He was standing there with them. He had just feed 5,000 out of a loaf and fish kid’s meal. He had just walked on water in front of them. They were already amazed, and in awe. They already believed.

But soon belief in Jesus would require work for the disciples.

* - They believed he was invincible – and he would get tricked like a common thug and arrested.
* - They believed he was immortal - the messiah – and he died right before their eyes.
* - They believed he was going to change the world – and soon they were hiding from both Romans and Pharisees.

Their easy beliefs became hard for at time – but they held together and kept working at the belief in the One whom God had sent.

To believe is not to have an idea. We sit and talk about what we believe all the time. And while we are having enlightened conversations – the poor starve, the oppressed are beaten, the widows mourn, and the children suffer. We can talk ourselves blue about what we think about God, faith and the bible – but if that’s all we do – we don’t really believe.

To believe is not to close the doors to change. Too often once we decide what we believe – we don’t want to hear anything to the contrary or even consider it for a minute. We shut off literature and lessons from other cultures. We scoff at the faith stories of people not like us. We know what we believe and don’t want to be influenced. But just as people grow and change from the moment of conception to the day they die – our beliefs must also grow and change.

To believe is to live. Believe is not an adjective – it’s an action verb. To believe means you step out on a truth and know it will hold you up. To believe is to get new ideas and test them with your life and discover their change and merit. To believe is to love with the love of Christ – not in our talk, but in our actions.

Recently the state of North Carolina commissioned a “Christian” license plate. It has a stained glass window and a cross. At the bottom of the plate it says I BELIEVE. Some say that’s a violation of church and state – other are worried about the hypocrisy that drives people from faith when they see an “I believe” car cutting them off on the highway or speeding through an intersection. When I was asked my comment was, “I think our world would be better off if we had less Christian stuff, and more Christian people.”

Believing in the One who was sent – means living like the fact Jesus is alive makes a difference – and makes you different. Believing means working to see God even in the dark times when God isn’t so evident. Believing means going out of your comfort zone and into God’s world. Believing means you accept the fact that death occurs and after life exists.

Believing is the hardest work, for the best reward, you will ever do.

So when you are concerned, confused, or resentful – don’t let your disbelief make you isolate yourself and make decisions that affect your relationship with God and your life on earth. Talk to others, seek God’s wisdom, and believe in the One he has sent.