In the second day of the Journey I find myself among John’s disciples. Just as a editorial note, what I say along the journey aren’t deep commentary on scripture, but are just thoughts as I interact with it. Like I said in the introductory page these are notes on a Jouney I am making as I pray through scripture. I encourage you to read and consider scripture prayerfully and interact with it as you would a novel or literary classic.
I imagine these disciples are just soaked as they are standng in the water baptizing with John, when Jesus walks by and John stands up to look and say “behold the Lamb of God”. I find it odd that that statment would inspire the ancient disciples. the first century disciples were looking for a religious and political leader to lead Israel back into the glory of Solomom. I wonder why this term refering to a sacrifical animal attracted their attention? Obviously these are deeply religious people, looking to deepen their own devotonal life. I wonder how long it took them to get out of the water and run along side of Jesus? How ever long it took they got there and asked where are you staying? And His responce was come and see. Come and see.
Isn’t that the same responce Christ gives to us. Come and see. I think back on all the decisions I have made through my life. Most weren’t really major decisions but they did change the direction of my life. For instance, I had the oppertunity to teach English at the American English Institute of Ukraine one summer. How would I teach English, to be honest English isn’t my strong subject. I was thinking it sounded fun but was it really something I could do? Come and see. That is just what I did. That one trip one summer changed the direction of my life. I was a shy guy, I rarely spoke to anyone but I loved people and to listen. What happened that summer was God put me in the position where I had to change. God provided the place, the strength, and He changed my life. The shy guy from the center of Kansas was teaching English and sharing his faith in Odessa, Ukraine. When I came home the farmboy studying crop science was in a new position, I had to choose a new direction. What was I going to do continue down the same path I was on or run down a path cleared by God. He called me to come and see what life might look like living in His sevice. Now I am a pastor in a Friends Meeting. The guy that bearly spoke a word now preaches sermons and teaches bible studies. Who would have seen that coming.
Come and see…I imagine the campsite and the conversation that those three had. I imagine Jesus talking about John their friend and His cousin. They laughed and enjoyed a camp fire. Come and see. That campout with Jesus changed their lives, it gave them a different idea to entertain in their minds. What would life be like if I learned from this man? In an instant the world changed. It was no longer the same because God had called the first of a long line of people to carry is mesage to the world.
Where is He calling me? As I walk along with Him in my own Journey what is he asking me to come and see? What might happen if we willing to actually follow and see what and where we would end up?
There are always a few very intresting people to read about in the bible one of those is John the baptizer. In other Gospels he is seen wearing camel hair shirts and eating locus and wild honey which I’ve read is intresting no matter how you look at it. But in the Gospel of John we don’t read this…in this Gospel, John is just a regular guy. Maybe someone you may even want to talk to. I spent some time considering the conversation these religious leaders had with him and it has really gotten me to think. They ask him a question, “Who are you? Are you the Christ, Elijah, the prophet?”. In my mind’s eye I interview John about this interigation and wonder what he was feeling and considering. His response is a confession, not a denial. He said who he was a voice proclaiming.
He got me thinking who am I? I can respond in denials or give an number of response, but do I ever confess? Do I proclaim boldly who I am or do I find things, groups, ideals to hide behind. John is comfortable and fully aware of who he is, he is a voice crying “make the way straight for the coming of the Lord” he doesn’t care what other think of that and clearly he doesn’t care what their reaction will be he has a mission and a purpose which he embrasses fully.
Who am I? I am a child of God. I am called to be in a relationship with God and to live with Him. To go where I am lead and to preach and share the message and live He directs. I’m a pastor. That is who I am. I’m unashamed, confess, proclaim that I am called to preach and encourage those I live among to exploretheir own relationship wth God. But who are you?
We live in an age where the words honest and integrety are not in the vocabulary of many people. I work (as a suplement to my pastoral roles) in a major retail outlet and we have a policy to allow people to return items under a certain price without a receipt, which is very good for many people but this policy leaves the company open to abuse. How has this been abused? Small thefts, people will steal low priced items like dvd’s, cosmetics, and other items go outside and then go to another location return those items for actual cash. I sit and wonder what happened to integrety?
One of my favorite aspects of the Friends Church has been its devotion to honesty or integrety throughout our history. It is found in our most ancient times in the jailings of our founders for not swearing oaths because they felt that every word spoken should be truth and an oath implies that dishonesty is the common language of our culture. It is also seen in the plain speach stances among many others. This devotion to intergrety has probably been the most influential aspect of Friends to the culture, leading many companies to use the name of Quaker to bring better business. Unfortunatly I feel we have neglected this in our contemporary age. What have we replaced it with? I read many of the items presented by various committees of Friends they focus on our testimony of peace or equality. Both are very important but I feel we have neglected integrety to achieve gains in these areas.
We have commitees urging the support of political stances and individuals that support defunding military and equality, yet many of these groups have track records lacking integrety. I say this of both major political parties. Integrety is sorely needed in our culture.
Integrety is important because affects all aspects of our lives. Fiscal integrety keeps our businesses and organizations working. It also keeps our families in our homes and fed. I am saddened when I see so many Friends supporting charity yet saying nothing on financial integrety to those they assist either through their Meeting or in government programs. I do not say helping is wrong in fact I believe we need to help more but as we help we need to encourage integrety in their finances.
Plain speech is also a very important aspect of integrety. Plain speech isn’t speaking in olde English, but truth. We live in a culture of lies. Just recently the president of the United States allowed a long period of questioning and debate over his citizenship status, I found that the whole process was rediculous. He could have easily quieted the issue months ago by speaking plainly. The idea that we can’t speak plainly runs deep in our culture, but when we honest speach is used we do gain respect in the community.
Our actions need to speak as well. I love the idea promoted by St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel always and when necissary use word.” If we promote peace, equality, and integrety we lose all respect when our words aren’t reflected in our actions.
I challenge all Friends to again embrace integrety. Without true integrety our testimonies of peace and equality will fall on deaf ears.