Lamps on a Lampstand

Originally written for First Lutheran Church, Morris, Minnesota - August 2004 newsletter

The week of July 12-16, 2004, twenty-three junior high youth and a varying number of adults spent five days on a camping trip near Duluth, Minnesota. It was a good time. No one fell out of the raft when we went whitewater rafting, no one got hurt, no one got lost, and I believe everyone had fun. In other words, it was a successful trip.

The Bible study theme for the week was taken from Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

During the week we concentrated on what it means to spread the light of Jesus' love to others. Instead of doing just one service project as we usually did on the Junior High camping trip, we spent three mornings doing a variety of service projects.

On Tuesday morning we helped assemble journals and decorate journal covers at a Crisis Shelter for youth. Wednesday morning we pulled weeds at Jay Cooke State Park. And on Thursday morning we played Bingo with residents of a nursing home on Minnesota Point. Now while none of these sound like earth-shattering, life-changing service events, they were all greatly appreciated by the people for whom we worked.

Our afternoons and evenings were spent having fun and exploring the Duluth area. When the day was done we gathered for Bible study and campfire. On Tuesday evening the Bible study activity involved recognizing someone in the group for something we had seen them do that spread the light of Christ.

Sounds easy, right? But think back on your own day, today. When did you see someone spread the light of Christ? When did you spread the light of Christ?

Just like you, no one else knew I was going to spring that question on them. It had even slipped my mind until I took a quick look at my lesson plans for that night. But I was lucky. While we were out walking in Duluth that day, a little boy riding his bike, lost the chain on his bike and one of our youth stopped to help him fix it.

At campfire that night, this was the youth I first mentioned. I announced that this young man had been caught doing something good. He froze and this puzzled look came over his face when I mentioned his name. He wondered "What? What did I do?" Even when I reminded him of his good deed, the young man in our group looked like, "yeah, so what's the big deal?"

True, it wasn't any earth-shattering, lightening bolt experience. Chances are good that Jesus' name never even came up in the conversation they had. But the light of Christ was spread all the same.

As we went around the circle that night, everyone had the opportunity to tell someone else how they had seen that person spread the light of Christ. Again, there were no big lightening bolt actions mentioned; it was a glass of water given, a smile, a listening ear, a candy bar shared, an invitation to go on the trip - all little things that had made a big difference to someone.

Each time the person and the deed were mentioned, the person receiving the recognition barely remembered the incident because what they had done was such a natural thing to do. Their actions were a part of who they were; lamps on a lamp stand.

A lamp is something steady and consistent. It gives a light that can be depended upon. If it is a good lamp, the flame does not waver but gives a clear, true light. We are called to be that lamp. We are called to let the light of Christ shine through us - a steady and consistent light; a clear true light that does not waver. We are called to do good deeds not to seek recognition or praise but because it's the thing to do.

In this, the light and love of Christ is spread. When the young man in our group stopped to fix the little boy's bike, he didn't do it because he was told to do it or because he expected to be recognized for this achievement (and he certainly didn't expect to end up in a devotion); he did it because it was the thing to do. I'm not sure the little boy even asked for help or said, 'Thank you'. But the young man in our group helped because he knew the boy needed his help and he had the ability to do the job.

God has given all of us the abilities to do what needs to be done. Martin Luther once said that we should do every job, every task, as if we were doing it for Jesus. Then, whether we are washing dishes, mowing the lawn, working at our jobs, or even fixing a little boy's bike, our everyday tasks become earth-shattering, potentially life changing experiences.

If we do our tasks and live our lives as a service for Jesus, then the light and love of Christ is spread. We become an example of what it means to be a Christian. We become that city on a hill; that lamp on a lamp-stand. May we all let Christ's light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.

Love, Love, Love.... That's What It's All About

"Love, love, love
That's what it's all about.
'Cause God loves us we love each other
Mother, Father, Sister, Brother
Everybody sing and shout!
'Cause that's what it's all about.
It's about love, love, love."

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (Minnesota to be exact) I learned that song in Sunday School (like I said - a long time ago!) It may be a simple children's song but like so many other things we teach our children it carries an important message - it IS all about love.

As I write this, it's Valentine's Day. This was never one of my favorite holidays. Oh, the anticipation was great... and I always hoped for one of those wonderfully romantic times on this day. But too often my anticipation never quite matched the reality.

There was one Valentine's Day when the man I was dating tried very hard to make it that 'storybook' Valentine's evening. He drove the 75 miles from where he lived to where I was living, brought a beautiful bouquet of red roses, the perfect card, took me out to a quiet restaurant known locally for it's romantic atmosphere and good food..... And I fell asleep.

I was working a new, temporary job that meant long hours, stressful working conditions, and very little sleep. There had been no time to catch a quick nap before he arrived; I barely had time to clean-up and get dressed. I fell asleep in the car on the way to the restaurant, kept dozing off during dinner, and was sound asleep before we were even a block from the restaurant as he drove me home. He walked me to my door and said goodnight. Needless to say, the relationship ended soon after that date.

If I had really loved him as much as I thought I did, I would have called him earlier and asked if we could celebrate another time - when I was more awake. Because that's what love does. It takes note of the human condition and adjusts as needed.

In his letter to the Romans Paul writes, "Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord." (Romans 12:9-11 NRSV). I like that last statement - "serve the Lord." - because if we are really loving each other, then that's what we are doing.

While I have had very few Hallmark Valentine's Day celebrations in my life, I have been blessed with friends who show the meaning of true love. God has given me friends who help me move (again and again and again and....) - even when they know I won't be completely packed when they arrive. I have had friends who brought me food when I was sick, comforted me in grief, stood by me in trial, helped me see the funny side of a bad situation, laughed with me, cried with me, and just sat with me. They have listened to me share the joys of having new children and grandchildren. They have let me vent when the frustrations of life have me tied up in knots. They have advised me - even when I tend to do the opposite of what they advise - and they have listened patiently when all I needed was an ear to hear me. My closest friends have the uncanny ability to know when each of those - advice or the listening ear - is needed most. Again and again they have proven that their love is genuine.

But best of all - they have shared their lives, hopes, dreams, laughter, and tears with me. We have worked together, played together, laughed together, and cried together. We have shared that "mutual affection" of which Paul was speaking. Friendship is always a two-way street - I am as blessed by being their friend as I am by them being my friend. That is love; it doesn't fit on a mushy card, it can't be contained in vase - and it's more satisfying than the most sumptious banquet. That IS what it's all about - love, love, love.

May God fill our lives with his love and the love of friends.

Loving Weeds

(Originally written for First Lutheran Church, Morris, MN)



When I lived in St. Cloud, Minnesota, we had a garden that ran the length of our house. My family always teased me because as I would plant the garden, I would color coordinate it. Red yarn was strung between sticks showing the rows of beets, orange yarn for carrots, green for beans, a darker green for spinach... it wasn't that I liked a colorful garden, it was that I usually couldn't tell the young plants from the weeds. I needed to know if that four-leafed plant coming out of the ground was really supposed to be there. More than once I pulled up a carrot or a bean in my enthusiasm for weeding.



I remember one summer I started weeding right away. Those weeds weren't going to get ahead of me! Well, I only managed to weed about half the beets before I was called away from the garden. Fortunately, it was almost a month before I got back to weeding. I say fortunately, because in my overzealous attention to getting every little weed, I had pulled up almost half of the young beets, too. Freshly sprouted, those four little beet leaves looked a lot like the four little leaves of some weed that also claimed my garden as a home. The hole in my garden was a good reminder to me that I needed to wait for the beets to grow and develop a little so I could tell the beets from the weeds.



In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who sowed some wheat. But during the night, an enemy comes and sows weeds among the wheat. This was a terrible crime against Roman law; a definate act of terrorism. As the plants sprouted and grew together, the farmer lovingly and carefully cared for both. Together the wheat and the weeds soaked up sun, rain, and nutrients from the ground. Together they faced the wind, insects, and any storms that came. Together they were loved as one crop. To look at the field as it grew, one would not know that weeds grew in amongst the wheat.



It wasn't until the crops started to ripen that the difference in the plants began to show. By this time, the plants were growing so closely together that to separate them would have done damage to the wheat. There was nothing that could be done until the harvest. Only after the wheat and weeds were cut would it be possible to separate the two without doing damage to the wheat. In the meantime, the plants would continue to grow together as one, both lovingly cared for by the farmer.



When the disciples asked Jesus to explain the parable, he told them that, "the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:36-42)



The field is still the world in which we live. Every person in the world is a part of the crop in the field. We are all loved by God and have been saved on the cross by Jesus' death and resurrection. At this point in the growing season, there is no distinction between any of us. In a world that places labels on everything it is tempting to try to identify among us who are the weeds; who in this field isn't quite as 'righteous' as we feel we are.

In our efforts to identify the weeds, we look at our neighbors who don't come to church as often as we do, or those who don't tithe. Maybe we single out those who have chosen to decorate their bodies in different ways. Or we may discriminate based on lifestyle or style of worship. We may differ on politics, denomination, or interpretation of scripture. Too often, we see differences and we think, "weeds".

God sees only a crop waiting for a harvest. God is the only one who sees into the heart of who we really are. And it's only the heart that really matters.Tempting as it may be we can't look around us and point fingers, claiming someone is a weed and bound for the fire. We can't tell the wheat from the weeds. While we may look at someone we are sure is a weed because of their words or their actions, we have no way of knowing what is in that person's heart - or how they may change before the harvest.

Instead of pointing fingers or excluding someone because of their differences, we are called to love all because we can't tell the weeds from the wheat. We are called to accept and affirm everyone regardless of our differences. The crop is not yet ready for the harvest. It needs more time to grow and develop.

We are surrounded by people who need the love of Christ showing through us to grow to their fullest potential. We don't know when that love and acceptance can make a difference in someone else's life.

One pastor I heard speak at a youth leader training event, believes that every time we have a student who acts out in class, instead of looking at them and threatening to throw them out of class, we should look straight at them and tell them, "You're going to seminary".

Tell someone that enough times and that rowdy student headed for reform school may actually become a pastor who helps keep other students from becoming weeds. Talk about an herbicide that really works! The love of Christ is the ultimate herbicide for this field we call humanity.

Accepting and loving those who are different isn't easy. Sometimes we fear the weeds. We can easily think of people who have caused pain and suffering or who live a life we call sinful. But are these people truly weeds? If so, we are all weeds. Because each of us at some point in our lives has hurt someone else. And no matter how hard we try to live a good life, we sin. We can't help ourselves.

For this reason, not only are we wheat, but we are also weeds. The good news we need to remember is that Jesus died for our sins and the sins of all people. Christ's death and resurrection totally washed away the sins of humankind. When we ask for forgiveness, God takes an eraser to our hearts. The sin is totally gone from his memory; it no longer exists.

Christ has sown the seeds of new life. We grow amidst the weeds of sin. At times we resemble weeds. At other times we resemble grain. The harvest is coming, but it is not close enough for you and I to tell the wheat from the weeds. That's not our job. Our job is to continue to grow in Christ, loving our neighbor as Jesus first loved us; loving weeds and wheat as one in the same, allowing this field to grow until the harvest, when the "righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." (Matthew 13:43)