From the UCC Network: 01/21/2011 "Led"

Led

Excerpt from 1 Samuel 9:27-10:8

“The spirit of the Lord will possess you…and you will be turned into a different person.” 

Reflection by William C. Green

We ought to be something we’re not.  I should be smarter, more thoughtful, not so impatient, more self-confident, less risk averse, not so concerned about the approval of others.  The list is endless.  We’re never enough.  So it seems. 

We turn into whatever we need to be when first we know that God is with us, just as we are.  Saul remained Saul but with a difference when he could believe that despite his weakness and inadequacy the spirit of God was with him.  In his case, he became king.

While hard to grasp, God’s presence is not as far from us as we may think.  As with Saul, awareness of this makes a difference: looking ahead becomes a lot more promising.  In the words of the lead character in Wendell Berry’s novel,Jayber Crow: “Often I have not known where I was going until I was already there...Often my fairest hopes have rested on bad mistakes.  I am an ignorant pilgrim, crossing a dark valley. And yet for a long time, looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I have been led – make of that what you will.”

Maybe we should quit thinking of all the ways we should be different and be glad for the difference God has already made.  The grace that has led us this far is not through with us yet.

Prayer

“Finish, then, thy new creation,” O God.  Change us “from glory into glory, ‘til in heaven we take our place.”  Amen.

About the Author William C. Green, a United Church of Christ minister, is the Director of Long Looking, a consultancy service specializing in fundraising and education for congregations. His new book, 52 Ways to Ignite Your Congregation: Generous Giving, has just been published.

Daily Deliberation and Prayer - 01/21/2011

Misguided Trust

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, "You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." Samuel prayed to the Lord, 7 and the Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. 9 Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them." 10 So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; 12 and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. 15 He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. 16 He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, "No! but we are determined to have a king over us, 20 so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22 The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and set a king over them." Samuel then said to the people of Israel, "Each of you return home."

1 Samuel 8:4-22 (NRSV)

To begin, I am deviating from the Revised Common Lectionary readings for today, but encourage you to explore them on your own. Today’s passages were:

• Psalm 27:1-6
• 1 Samuel 9:27-10:8
• Galatians 2:1-10 

In trying to put the 1 Samuel reading into the context of transpiring events, I began my study at 1 Samuel 1:1, and was soon particularly drawn to verses 8:4-22. While carefully examining these lines, and while also considering the news headlines that have addressed the troubles, or perceived troubles (depending upon your personal perception), in our country today, I sensed a familiarity between our present day and that of early persons of Israel.

In short, the people of then Israel were clamoring for a king, just like they had seen in all the nations around them. They were dissatisfied with the leadership of Samuel’s sons, Joel and Abijah, who were the judges over the people. And rightly so was their concern, as both were taking “bribes and perverting justice”, presumably for their own personal gain and positioning. And so the people turned to the prophet Samuel with their desires for a new head of state – a king; much to Samuel’s displeasure.

As any truly wise and responsible leader should do, Samuel turned to God in prayer, seeking God’s wishes for the nation. The Lord’s reply was anything but approving, and went something like this:

“I’m sorry that they are burdening you with this preposterous request, Samuel. Tell me, have you reminded them of all that I have done for them? Bringing them up out of slavery? Faithfully leading them myself for those long and frustrating forty years? Did you remind them that it was me – not themselves – who brought them into a land of their own, and have protected them all these years?”

“Sure did, Lord. But they are still persisting on a king to rule over them.”

“Well then, go and them that if they continue to insist, then this is the kind of king they will probably end up with. One who will draft all their sons (and probably someday, daughters, too) to fight the horrific battles, that the king himself will probably instigate. And then I’m sure that many of them will be forced into the king’s employ; making his weapons of war, planting and harvesting his fields, all at minimum wage, of course. Chances are that this new king will be unsatisfied with his own wealth, and so will take the people’s land and possessions by eminent domain and then use them for his own further gain. Is this really what they want? How have they become so blind to my ways for ALL of them, that they would settle for such bondage again?”

“Okay, my Lord, I’ll make sure it gets passed on. But don’t expect much of a response, as their hearts seem to be made up.”

“I know. I’m been through this with them so many times before. Oh, one more thing, Samuel.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t take any of this personally. You have faithfully worked with me over these past many years, and they are now simply treating you, as they have treated me, with their distrust and short-sighted vision of what they really want. All those years in the desert. All my provisions for life. And all their ceaseless complaints. It all still irks me to no end when I look back upon it. Such heard hearts and unfaithfulness.”

“Thanks.”

“In the end, I’ll let them have what they want, although it will not bring them security like they think it will. I have to give in; for I created all of them for a personal and intimate relationship. Not to dictate their every thought and move; not to lord it over them (forgive the personal pun, Sam). So, be off Samuel, and do your best to warn them with my words about exactly what they are asking for. And let’s you and I just pray for the best.”

And so the story goes. Despite everything that Samuel shared with them, and despite his begging them to let the Lord be their king, the people insisted, and God did grant their wish. Saul would be anointed as king by Samuel himself; and then all the trouble would begin. Countless wars and the forced inscription of the people into the armies. False offerings made to God; seeking the Lord’s help because of his own political blunders. Even the erection of monuments to glorify himself and demand the people's allegiance. This king, for whom they had long desired, was not turning out to be the leader they had imagined and hoped for. Of course, you can’t say that they weren’t warned.

My sense is that throughout all these events it was never the government that needed reforming. The real change that was needed was of the very hearts of the people themselves. Everyone; from the judges on down. All had turned from their faith in the God of their ancestors, and had instead turned to trusting in the ways of the world – in governments like everyone else around them – in political power and stances. Despite all signs that this would not bode well, including the warnings of God through Samuel himself, the nation turned its back on trusting their very existence to the God of Life. Well, the rest is recorded in the sacred texts of history.

Therefore the questions need to be asked. In whom do we trust in this time of national chaos? Our God, or the political parties that vie for power and influence? In whom do we place our futures? In the Lord of Creation, or in those who lord it over others and work to legalize morality into hard and fast laws, which only benefit their personal ends? As we face the people-dividing issues of our time, are we on the side of our God who honors and respects all people of all backgrounds and diversity, or are we on the side of narrow-minded interests groups who are seeking to embolden only their own beliefs while ignoring the beliefs of others of God’s children?

In short, where and to whom is our allegiance? In whom do we place our ultimate trust? Into whose hands will we place our very lives?

The answers are unquestionably crucial for us today; just as they were for the future of the people to whom Samuel addressed God’s words.

Holy God of my ancestors – of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – of the faithful that have gone before me; may my eyes never turn from your sight. May my ears forever be open to your life-enriching word. May my longing spirit always seek your will and wisdom, as I live each day in the company of all your people everywhere. Empower me, I anxiously pray, to walk always in your ways, and not in the ways of the world. Hear my prayer, O Lord.

Amen.

Rev. Michael Kirchhoff

More than a million immigrants land U.S. jobs (Cross-Post)

More than a million immigrants land U.S. jobs

 - Business - U.S. business - msnbc.com

Please, don't let the headline fool you, and leave you running off to rant about present conditions and how immigrants are to blame for our economic demise.

First off, the article focuses primarily upon legal immigrants to this country; those who have gone through the proper channels and have met all the requirements for entry into the United States, although this expose does touch on undocumented immigrants as well. The present unemployment issue, coupled with the cry for immigration reform from all quarters, is a very contentious subject for us all, and must continue to be carefully and civilly addressed and refined.

So, before we start going off the deep-end here with boisterous, mistrustful and degrading judgments about others, we should focus our attention on a couple of the prime reasons presented here which helps us see why we are in the unemployment mess we are in.

"Employers have chosen to use new immigrants over native-born workers and have continued to displace large numbers of blue-collar workers and young adults without college degrees," said Andrew Sum, the director of the Center for Labor Market Studies.

"’One of the advantages of hiring, particularly young, undocumented immigrants, is the fact that employers do not have to pay health benefits or basic payroll taxes,’ said Sum.”

Now, it certainly must be said that not all U.S. employers are guilty of such practices. However, it has also become clear that, especially in these difficult economic times for everyone, that greed for greater earnings does run rampant all across the business boards. Too often – much too often – the desire to boost bottom-line profits, at the expense of unemployed American citizens, prevails. Layoffs continue, so as to maintain high levels of profitability. Jobs are still being transferred overseas, to cheaper wage markets, in order to protect the bottom-line profit margins. Such decision – especially now – do not lead to a stronger, more productive country.

In this particular period in our nation’s history, it is imperative that we all pull together as a people and find the means and ways of bringing our struggling sisters and brothers back into the full employment workforce. A focus primarily on profit margins will not achieve this needed goal for our nation.

Another very distressing fact that is pointed out is the large number of uneducated, untrained and unskilled Americans there are, who are trying to compete for the few jobs openings that are out there.

“But Ezequiel Arvizu, the compliance and diversity representative with federal contractor Sundt Construction in Arizona, said his company had hired new arrivals over the past three years simply because they often have experience that native-born Americans lack.”

As the present Administration has emphasized over and over again, there is the need to clearly focus on education at all levels, for everyone. This calls for a concerted effort to improve – not defund – our public education system, and to provide the resources necessary to make it possible for our high school grads to continue on to college in order to specialize in fields of knowledge that will again someday produce business and social leaders who are the brightest and the best. Along with this, there also must be an expansion of job training programs – with the resources available to make that happen – that will prepare high school graduates for "immediate" entry into the workforce, if they so choose. Education, and the learned skills that come from such, must become a unified national priority.

Our failure to intellectually and constructively confront both of these crucial issues – corporate employment practices and vastly improved educational opportunities – will only lead us deeper into the recession mess than we currently find ourselves. A breakdown in efforts by all of us to cooperatively succeed together in correcting both of these injustices, will only lead to more finger-pointing and blaming of others for the ills we refuse to address.

Rev. Michael Kirchhoff