Jesonian … October 2nd, 2018

 Jonathots Daily Blog

(3813)

Christine and Brett.

You may not immediately recognize the names. They have been referred to as “Doctor” and “Judge.”

Doctor: a person with a diagnosis and a treatment for illness.

Judge: an individual who sifts through facts and pronounces sentences.

They have also been categorized as Democrat and Republican.

Woman and man.

Victim and abuser.

Innocent and guilty.

But in the Mind and Spirit of God, they are Christine and Brett–two human beings on a planet of eight billion others, who have a conflict with one another.

The way our government and our society have decided to resolve this difficulty is to separate them, bring them into a room, have each one tell their story and let the public decide. Since this approach has ended in a fiasco, it might be interesting to consider the Jesonian technique–the way Jesus would assess Christine and Brett, separate from Doctor and Judge or woman and man. How might he suggest they come to reconciliation?

THE WILL OF THE FATHER

Jesus, in the 18th Chapter of Matthew made it clear (just in case nobody was certain or was questioning): it is not the will of the Father in Heaven that anyone should perish.

We mere mortals have a tendency to choose sides, kiss our favored and hurl rocks at the cursed. Not the Father.

Here’s the process Jesus suggested should happen:

PERSONAL CONTACT

When Christine realized that she had an unresolved conflict with Brett, and he was about to take a very, very important job, she should have contacted him personally. It would not have to be on the phone–it could be a letter or an email. She could have sat down with her husband, the members of her family and even some attorneys, and drafted a note with the following three elements:

1. Brett, what you did to me many years ago is still troubling.

2. I would like to know that this is not part of your behavior going forward, so that I can be supportive of your selection to the high court.

3. I would appreciate it if you would contact me, let me know of your memories of this event and what you feel about it looking back.

Yes, Jesus said that every human deserves to first be confronted privately. Christine was not emotionally healed to such a degree that she was able to do such a thing but the truth is, her own restoration should have already begun and be completed with Brett’s apology and her forgiveness.

BRING WITNESSES

If Brett decided to ignore her, say he didn’t know what she was talking about, or even deny her story, then she should have called in her witnesses. These are the people who were either there or they knew Brett’s situation very well. With this testimony standing strongly behind her, she should once again contact him and give him the chance to recant and admit his involvement in the situation.

Unfortunately, Christine did not bring witnesses, and all the hoopla we heard through the grapevine about these bystanders favored Brett. It may not be true. It just means things were mishandled, and no witnesses were produced to back up the original story.

This travesty of emotional mayhem played out on television last Thursday.

BRING TO THE PUBLIC

In the plan of Jesus, if Brett decided not to be agreeable to Christine and the testimony of the witnesses, at this time she should go to members of Congress and place him in front of the nation for review.

Arriving in that Senate chamber, she would have evidence that she had contacted him personally and she would have witnesses to the incident.

Christine should also have insisted that they both be in the Chamber at the same time, so it would not be an oration of two spurned adolescents, but rather, a human drama playing out in real time for all to discern.

If this path that Jesus suggested had been followed, it would not have been a case of “he said and she said.” Rather, “it has been said, confirmed by witnesses, presented to the accused, and he has refused to respond.”

If there had been an attack and Brett knew he was wrong, admitting his fault after thirty-six years would have only increased his stock.

As you can see, it would be a completely different scenario.

So for those individuals who think that Jesus is a religious icon with “holey hands and holey feet,” continuing to bleed for the sins of mankind, may I offer the possibility that he is a victor who lived a human life and presented the very best ways to do so.

*****

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Hope: Good v. Bad … September 11, 2013

Jonathots Daily Blog

(2003)

I suppose, technically speaking, that hope is viewed in a positive light–something perpetually draped in white linen, espousing good. I certainly do not want to portray in this morning’s essay that I am opposed to something as universally enshrined in purity as hope, yet I must tell you–there IS such a thing as “bad hope.”

When hope is ill-placed or fails to evolve through the leading of the Spirit,  it becomes “bad hope.”

For instance, we live in a time when the two words “I can” are continually touted as the symbol of confidence–the battle cry of the victor. Here’s the problem: what if your “I can”  is really and truthfully an “I can’t?” What if claiming an ability you HOPE you have does not conjure it into existence? What if you believe you can dance, but really possess two left feet? Will your continual proclamations of superiority make you a better hoofer? Or are you opening yourself up to disappointment with a side dish of ridicule?

Secular society dupes the public into believing that merely stating a desire makes it come to pass as long as you “keep on believing.” Tain’t so, Joe.

Somewhere along the line, the advertising that falls off your lips with “I can” needs to audition on the stage of competition and prove its merit. At that juncture, many people walk away not only disillusioned, but also angry at those who are better than them.

The second “bad hope” comes from the religious community, as those with beatific expressions lift their eyes to the heavens and shout, “HE can!”

It amazes me that we believe we have the right to declare the will and preferences of God, especially as pertaining to our prosperity and future. There are folks who think if they become fervent enough, they can force the hand of “Our Father, which art in heaven” to do their beckoning. What God is able to do and what He chooses to do are two different things. You do not impress the Creator of the Universe by quoting Bible to Him.

So what IS “good hope?”

As I head off tonight to share with the folks at Good Hope Lutheran Church in Garden City, Michigan, I want to make sure they understand that their edifice of worship is well-named–as long as they pursue the correct style of hopefulness.

Good hope happens whenever we promote the truly heavenly notion that “WE can.”

“I can” will fail based upon my talent.

“He can” often dribbles away due to presumption and pride.

But when we finally arrive at the “we” part of the Kingdom of God, we discover the power of hope.

Here it is in a single sentence: I need you, you need me, we need God and God needs us.

That’s it.

As long as you choose that line of logic, you will find that hope is a very fulfilling and delightful exercise.

• I may be able to do things but that doesn’t mean I don’t need you.
• You may have great gifts, but truthfully, you probably require my involvement.
• We all could benefit from picking the brain of the Guy who came up with the idea of earth.
• And He has no intention of doing anything without coming into covenant with human beings.

It’s just the way it works. If you’re not going to bring your five loaves and two fishes and hang around to see what happens, don’t expect God to multiply it out to the thousands.

So there IS “bad hope:”

Any time we believe that merely saying “I can” puts a shudder of fear down the backside of the universe, we are on a fool’s journey. And also, on those occasions when we bow our heads and piously proclaim, “HE can,” with no intention of changing our own personal calendars, we are equally as dumbfounded by the less-than-promising results.

But when we realize that I need you and you need me, we come to the conclusion that we need God and we see that He has decided to need us, then whatever we hope can become faith, which has proven, over time … to have the power to move mountains.

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