Musings on Marriage

Month: October 2020

Throwing Clods and the Election

Dear Daughters,

One of summer job titles I held as a high schooler was Clod Picker.  It was definitely not glamorous, but I earned an income while working the potato harvest in Idaho.  The job went like this: A huge potato harvester was brought into the field of ripe potatoes.  On top of the harvester was a conveyer belt bringing up stones, dirt clods, sand and potatoes from the land beneath us.  My primary job was to discern which were potatoes and which weren’t – tossing out the latter.  Difficult as it was, I must have caught on quickly because Mr. Hohnhorst kept me on for the entire harvest.

Oddly enough, as I watch the election process in our country, I am reminded of my summer job decades ago. I am saddened at the judgment and blame that is being tossed from side to side.  Stones and dirt clods are thrown around and especially toward those who differ from our opinion.

I have read many op-eds from various viewpoints and I lament that Christians are sounding way too much like the world.

As I remember, Jesus never criticized or condemned Ceaser Augustus, Herod, Pontius Pilate, or any other governing leader of His time. I also don’t recollect anywhere when we as the church are instructed to go out and ridicule, debase, or mock our leaders.

 Jesus never disparaged the barbaric Roman government in which He was under authority.  He never said,

Those Romans, they are the most unjust, deplorable people ever.  They uphold racism, have no respect for life, taxes are out of control, in fact the old man King Herod even tried to kill me when I was a baby, causing me and my family to become refugees and flee to Egypt.”   

Instead, He told his followers to pay their taxes without complaining:

Give Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s.

The Roman government completely ignored Jesus of Nazareth, except when he was born, and when he was sentenced to death.  At his death they were stand offish, washing their hands of the situation or simply looking for a fascinating miracle to be performed in their presence.

Kari Matthews

Jesus knew He belonged to another kingdom, not of this world.  His kingdom was one of self-sacrifice, humility and love, and He Himself was under the authority of His Father the True King.  He prayed for wisdom, trusted his Father and went about doing good, obediently as the Son of God.

I wonder what this world would look like if instead of judging, slandering and dissecting every news clip, we prayed for those in authority over us as instructed in the Paul’s letter to Timothy:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.   Pray this way for Kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives, marked by godliness and dignity.  This is good and pleases God our Savior…

And also in his letter to Titus:

Be subject to rulers and authorities, obedient, ready to do whatever is good.  Slander no one, be peaceable and considerate, showing true humility toward all men.

The Bible is quite surprising and intrusive with its use of the word all. We are instructed to pray for all those who are in positions of authority over us, just as we are to show true humility toward all.  Unfortunately, there are no exceptions given for anyone any time. 

As Ravi Zacharias has so practically stated:

When you throw mud at someone else, you not only get your hands dirty,

but you lose ground.

We all have different opinions and are quick to malign those who disagree with us, but we must remember that it is the same God and Father who created us all. We are different colors, have different beliefs, different enjoy different food types, have experienced different parents and lifestyles – yet we are all made in the Image of God.

I am reminded of a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:

The real problem is that through our scientific genius we’ve made of the world a neighborhood, but through our moral and spiritual genius we’ve failed to make of it a brotherhood.

Kari Matthews

Our social media tells us we are the most connected people in the history of the world.  That may be true, but only in the electronic realm.  Our hearts are far from each other, far from unity, far from caring about people who differ from our beliefs.

Now as Christians, if we are a part of another Kingdom – the Kingdom of Heaven – shouldn’t we behave differently from the ways of the Kingdom of the United States of America?

I wonder – if we started humbling ourselves, confessing our own sins instead of pointing out those of others, praying for those in authority, caring for the weak – what change would occur in our country?

I’m willing to do my part, will you join me?

Love, Mom

Photosynthesis and Rest

Dear Daughters,

It’s a beautiful time of year to arrive back in the colorful state of Michigan.  After being here for almost a month, my eyes never tire of the brilliant yellow, radiant red and every foliage shade in between.   Some days the skies are blue, sometimes gray, yet the leaves brighten up even a dreary rainy day of clouds.

Moving is hard work, I don’t care what anyone says.  Packing up, making decisions, saying good-bye and driving cross country is a challenge.  Some days tempers flare, misunderstandings erupt, and differences of opinion on which stuff is important and which is not.  A few days ago someone told me the cardinal rule for her and her husband is to let go of anything said 30 days before and 30 days after a move – which sounds quite sensible at this point.

So now we’re here and still many decisions need to be made, accounts need to be opened, learning where the stores are – still plenty to think about – yet the deadline is over, the boxes wait patiently to be opened and emptied.  There is now rest of sorts.  Not total and complete rest, but rest in a renewal sort of way.  There is family to reconnect with, new friends to make, relationships to deepen, which is in some ways the same, yet different from our Idaho way of life.

A few days ago, I was reading about the miracle of photosynthesis.  I confess I don’t remember much from my science classes decades ago, but I do remember the word, and having something to do with leaves changing color in autumn. 

Apparently, during the winter there isn’t enough water and light for producing food, so the trees take a rest.  As they do, the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves revealing bits of yellow and orange that have been there all along.  We just can’t see those colors in the summer because they are covered up by the green.

I find it fascinating how bright and beautiful colors come only when efficiency shuts down. 

Shutting down. 

Resting.

Many people in our society view productivity as the only way to show our worth, prove we are capable of earning our way.  Demonstrate that we are worth the air we breathe, verify the validity of our existence here on the planet. 

Jesus always took time to rest. In fact, thousands of years ago God commanded that we rest one day a week.  How gracious. He knows our humanity is not able to keep on going and going and still be able to create, restore and renew. 

Some of my most healing times have come when I rest.  Simply laying on the couch, chatting with a friend, reading a book, journaling.  It is only then, when I slow down, ask God for wisdom and listen to His voice, that I can be revived.  It is true that much of my resting time comes uninvited, some days I have no choice, yet my most renewing times have come when my activity comes to a halt.

Unless we take time to sit in silence, ponder the big picture and seek God’s wisdom, we will continue to be busy busy busy, yet feel more ragged, drained and critical.

Remember to rest, let your productivity lessen, and allow the beautiful fall colors to be seen in you.

Love, Mom

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