Your Corner of Creation

Genesis 1:26

“Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our own image, according to our likeness; and let them ha e dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’”   

As many of you already know, my wife and I recently adopted a new puppy.  Melbie is part Australian Shepherd, a large part Blue Heeler and perhaps some Border Collie.  (One might say she’s an Australian Border Heeler…).   We don’t own Melbie.  At least I’ve never felt that way about any of the dogs who have shared my life over the years.  Melbie is a part of our family.  It is our responsibility to care for her, train her properly, make sure she gets the proper nutrition, exercise, and health care.  Our relationship is not about possession.  It’s about compassion and forgiveness (especially during house training!) not about control and punishment. 

I think that’s what Genesis 1:26 means when it says that human beings are to have “dominion” over the creatures of the earth.  “Dominion” does not mean “domination.”   It does not mean the creatures of the earth are ours to use (and abuse) as we see fit.  We don’t own the earth.  God does.  For centuries we have gotten this wrong…  and the earth bears the scars of our error.   Like an owner who thinks beating a dog is the best way to control it, like a despotic ruler who murders his own people, we have left the planet cowering in fear.

According to the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, humanity was created to reflect the creative love of God and to represent God’s beneficent rule over creation.  That’s what “dominion” means.  It means extending God’s love, grace, forgiveness and mercy to whatever little piece of God’s creation is our domain.  It means being in a just and loving relationship with the world around us…  from the tiniest creeping thing to our human neighbors. 

We desperately need to reclaim this understanding of “dominion” before we destroy our environment any further, condemn our descendants to the ravages of climate change, and continue to perpetuate socio-economic systems that crush some and privilege others.  We might not be able to change the whole world…  but if each of us looks for ways to impact the little corner of God’s creation we were created to care for, the cumulative effect has amazing potential.

Nothing belongs to you.  Not really.   But, you are God’s image and likeness, God’s representatives and governors, wherever your life is lived.  That is an awesome responsibility…  but God promises to bless us and empower us for that work.  This summer, take some time to think about the dominion you’ve been granted, the relationships and responsibilities that implies and what God is asking you to do to care for it.

Peace,

Bishop Mike

Thanks for reading! 

In the Language of Each

Acts 2:1-21

“…Each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.”  --Acts 2:6

I have spent the last couple of days at the annual “Reconciliation in America Symposium” here in Tulsa.  The Symposium is sponsored by the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation.  (If you don’t know who John Hope Franklin was, he is worth googling!)  It has been a worthwhile,  educational, meaningful and enjoyable event.  Not only have I learned a great deal, but have been privileged to meet a whole range of people working in concrete and specific ways toward racial reconciliation in Tulsa and other places. 

One of the symposiums I attended focused on the ways  teachers express care for their students, specifically, how they express care for their students of color.   Sharing her research, the presenter discussed how cultural differences can shape how we give, receive and experience caring.   The majority of students long to be cared for by their teachers, and the majority of teachers want to care for their students.  However, that desired caring relationship can fail when the teacher and student are culturally out of sync with each other.   

The principals presented in this symposium extend well beyond the classroom.  If we are not culturally aware, our best intentions can result in negative impacts.  Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what our intentions are.  If we hurt someone, even unintentionally, they are still hurt.  It is the impact of what we say and do that takes precedence in our human relationships.  If we are going to communicate our love for another, we need to do it in a language the other person can understand.

It has always struck me that, in the Pentecost story, the “devout Jews from every nation” are not all made to understand Aramaic (the first language of the disciples).   Instead, the miracle of the Holy Spirit was that those gathered in Jerusalem heard the Good News of God’s love and life in Jesus Christ in their own native languages.  The Spirit changed the apostles.  In so doing, the Spirit bridged the cultural divide so that speaker and listener would be in sync and true hearing might be possible. 

There is a lesson here for the Church today.   Today, we live in a multi-cultural world – even in our smallest communities.  If we are truly interested in building the relationships of hope, love, grace and justice that I think Jesus intends for us to build we need to learn how to speak the cultural languages of the people around us.  If we truly want to invite and welcome all people to join us in our communities of faith, we shouldn’t expect them to become like us, to speak our language…  we need to welcome them for who they are - for everything they are – including all their cultural uniqueness.  We need to see that cultural uniqueness as the gift from God that it is.  Only then can genuine caring take place. 

The good news is that the Spirit is still helping us translate the Good News, communicate across barriers and build bridges of understanding that lead to reconciliation.   I’ve seen the Spirit at work in the people I’ve met these past few days…  and it is still a wonder to behold. 

Peace,

Bishop Mike

Thank-you for reading.   Have a blessed Pentecost Sunday!

In the Upper Room

Acts 1:6-14

Somewhere along the way, I think the Church decided that the end goal of our mission was to see how many people we could gather into our church buildings.  We are endlessly impressed with the so-called “mega-churches” and their thousands of members.  We regularly ask, “so how many do you worship?” (The correct answer to that question, by the way, is “one.” Think about it.)  We fret about declining membership and wonder how we can “attract more people” to our congregations – especially families with children.  Somehow we seem to have come to the conclusion that the Upper Room was the end of the disciples’ journey with Jesus rather than a stopping off point along the way.   

The disciples and Jesus gather in the Upper Room three times in the Gospel stories.  Each time the gathering is a prelude to a significant event in the unfolding of Jesus’ ministry for the sake of the world.  First, Jesus and the disciples gather in the Upper Room prior to his betrayal, crucifixion and death.  There, he offers himself to the disciples in bread and wine.   He teaches them the meaning of servanthood by washing their feet.  He commands them to love one another.  He promises them that they will not be abandoned and that he will send an “Advocate” to guide them.   Second, the disciples gather in the Upper Room during those terrible three days following their master’s execution.  They gather in fear and uncertainty not knowing what to do next.  Suddenly, Jesus comes among them.  He offers them his peace.  He shows them his wounds.  He opens their hearts and minds to grasp the wonder of the Resurrection.  He tells them to wait for the coming of the Spirit.   Fifty days later, they are gathered in the Upper Room again.  Jesus has ascended into heaven and they are waiting and praying.  In wind and flame the  promised Spirit comes and they are driven out into the streets of Jerusalem to bear witness to the Good News that death has been overcome with life and that God’s Reign is breaking out.  They go to the four corners of the world to continue Christ’s work of healing and compassion and welcome.

The Church of Jesus Christ still gathers in our “Upper Rooms” week after week.  And so we should.  We gather around bread and wine and experience Christ’s presence among us.  We are reminded of Jesus’ Way of servanthood and love. We share our fears and our anxieties, our sorrows and uncertainties with one another.  We wait and pray.   We celebrate and give thanks for the Good News that death has been overcome by life.  But, the weekly Gathering is just a way point - not the point - on our Christian journeys.  The Spirit blows anew and we are sent out in service and in witness.   We are sent out to the far corners of our worlds to live the Good News that has given us life, and to invite others to join us in Christ’s work.

Peace,

Bishop Mike

Thanks for reading!