Category Archives: Christian living

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a volunteer ambulance chaplain, I was given this book by my senior chaplain (thanks Paul!), and I am very glad to have read it. In two words: highly recommended.

Before I describe why, however, there is one bugbear to note – questionable use of the Bible.

I’ve often seen that Christian books dealing with counselling or other personal helps tend to read their pastoral situations back into texts of the Bible, and thereby determine what they think a particular Bible verse means.

So here we read of disciples, ‘Struggling with direction, full of doubt and fear, they believe they are alone’ (p.20) – this sounds more like one of the authors’ crisis care situations than an accurate portrait of Matthew 28:18-20. Yes, there are elements of this, but not as much as is claimed. And so Jesus’ closing words (‘I am with you always, to the very end of the age’) become comfort. There is, undoubtedly, an element of comfort. But also of challenge: the one with all authority has given a command and is with us!

This is important because the Bible word lives and is powerful. When Christians adopt powerful emotional ties to wrong interpretations, it’s an unstable help. One of the authors mentions how Hebrews 12:1 is a great comfort to him after his father’s death: believing that the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ witness us, rather than bear witness to the faithfulness of God (p.120). I could not help but think he will be painfully discomforted when someone points him to a more accurate reading of Hebrews 12.

Noting this point, though, I still highly recommend this book.

It has a clear focus on the first stages of helping people in crisis. It has helpful definitions (for example, the difference between critical event and crisis). And it is so very realistic – speaking of the first 48 hours as a first aid-type involvement. That is, first responders don’t need the advanced skills of fully-trained psychologists or psychiatrists.

With presence, sensitivity, compassion, one’s own life experience, and a few fundamental skills caregiving is possible.

The First 48 Hours names these skills, as well as illustrating them with real life examples. Perhaps most importantly, it generously encourages Christians to provide this type of crisis care.

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Don’t do good

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If you find something good to do, please do not do it. It could be an awful mistake.

I’ll give you an example: would you stand up to protect someone’s privacy, especially their medical privacy? I certainly consider medical privacy a good thing!

But try out this report:

Dr Mourik said he would not invite the protesters [to a forum] because “they are not interested in women’s privacy”.

“They believe protection of the baby’s life is worth invading people’s privacy over,” he said.

Mourik wants to move protesters away from the Albury clinic that completes abortions, to protect privacy. Those protesters, without breaking any law, believe something as petty as protection of the baby’s life. How foolish!

If we automatically move to protect privacy we might thereby support killing babies in the womb. To support one good can destroy another good. Which one would you choose?

There are plenty of cases when good things compete, and only one good can succeed. Freedom is good, but we judge some crimes require imprisonment. Opioid drugs are powerfully helpful, but we agree that their distribution needs strong restriction. Speech creates culture, but we know the need for anti-libel laws. Good versus good, and the best should prevail.

There’s a second place in which good is a bad idea, and this is much more common. We shouldn’t do good when we can do better. This is not when good competes, but when goods compare.

For example, you find two charities working in a famine zone, but which do you choose? If their main difference is how much goes on administration and advertising (25% versus 10%), I’d say go for the latter. They’re both good, and they don’t cancel one another out, but one is better.

Comparison and choice of the better seems to be behind Paul not taking Mark on mission with him (Acts 15:38). The choice of what is best time management is every Christians’ duty (Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5). And doing the better thing, even when painful, is fatherly – for both human and divine parents (Hebrews 12:10).

Tragically, so many fellow citizens frantically chase a good that is far from the best. And Christians are as affected as any other group!

Instead of peace with God and love for neighbour we choose: comfortable housing, a career path, educational or sporting ‘success’ as our kids’ priority, travel, and all the temporary things of this world.

So here’s my advice: When you find a good, do not do it, but consider instead what is best. Make best use of the time, because the days are evil.

2 Thessalonians prayer book

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When starting our church sermon series on 2 Thessalonians, I already knew there would be ‘interesting’ material about Jesus’ return, the man of lawlessness, and other apocalyptic content.

I did not know how much prayer and thanksgiving this little letter contains. So here I’ve assembled the relevant verses, as a kind of guide and instruction towards prayer. I hope it helps you as well as me. (Each quotation is from the ESV, followed by chapter and verse.)

Thanks

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 1:3

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 2:13

Requests

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:2

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfil every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ 1:11-12

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 2:16-17

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honoured, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3:1-2

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 3:5

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 3:16

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 3:18

Amen!

Obligatory thanks

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In 2 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul, Silas and Timothy admit to a debt: ‘we ought always to give thanks to God for you.’ That is, ‘When it comes to thanks, we are obligated, we owe it.’ It’s similar in 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

I can see why some say this is not very warm or personal. Almost: if we have to then we will do it. It doesn’t help that the verse includes a second similar idea, ‘as is right’. This could be the I-suppose-I-should moment.

Yet this doesn’t tally with the sense of how close Paul was to the church of Thessalonica, in both 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, as well as Acts. ‘You are our glory and joy’, Paul wrote (1 Thess 2:20).

So how can thanksgiving be both obligatory and personal? Here are two reasons.

First is that these words narrow in on Paul’s relationship with God. Paul is not trying to say to the church, ‘I am so thankful for our relationship’ (even though that would be true). Paul is saying, ‘Father God, your great work in these people make thanksgiving mandatory!’

(Credit: I found this idea here.)

Second, I believe Paul is teaching this church how to give thanks even in troubled times.

2 Thessalonians 1 shows us a church under great pressure: steadfast in persecution, enduring tribulation, suffering, afflicted, requiring relief. I’m not sure thanksgiving would have been at the top of their To Do list!

Despite knowing this, Paul says to the church: It is right and necessary to give thanks. You trust Jesus. Godly love is increasing. Jesus will be revealed and bring justice. Your steadfastness is visible to all.

Paul sympathises with this suffering church, and lovingly lifts their view to consider the magnitude of their blessing – so that both they and he would genuinely thank God. Perhaps they were tempted to bypass thanksgiving for a while. Perhaps they forgot about thanks because of the pressure. But thanksgiving was still obligatory.

Therefore, let’s learn to give thanks today. We can and should be thankful for warm Christian relationships. We also must learn to turn our minds to God and be thankful for all he does. And, by giving thanks, we learn how to live by faith even when life is far from easy.

Spiritual wisdom

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A great, short quotation from Graeme Goldsworthy:

The quest for empirical wisdom is not an optional exercise for dilettantes. Proverbs, and the wisdom literature in general, counter the idea that being spiritual means handing all decisions over to the leading of the Lord. The opposite in true. Proverbs reveals that the God does not make all people’s decisions for them, but rather expects them to use his gift of reason to interpret the circumstances and events of life within the framework of revelation that he has given.

(This is number five of the theological presuppositions of Proverbs, in his article ‘Proverbs’ in the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.)

Solid Christian … keep listening (ii)

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In the first part of this two-poster, I urged well-established Christians to keep listening to God’s word.

Part one is the real meat of this mini-series. So if you only have enough mental space for one blog idea today, ignore this second post.

(There’s a bit of danger in part two: if it’s cut free from listening closely to the Bible, what is written below could become an excuse for ignoring God. You can ask me more about that, if you like.)

Here’s the nub of this post: well-established Christian folk need to keep listening to people.

Those who have been Christians for some time become involved in many ministries. They lead Bible study groups, teach Sunday School, visit people in homes, preach, talk to the grieving, pray for friends, follow-up newcomers to church, … Some people are employed to to these things, many aren’t.

We heard God’s word about Jesus, so we press on as servants of Jesus.

We can, however, become so good at our ministries that we stop listening. We have a answer to trot out. We easily identify the emotions someone is experiencing. We know the theological category that ‘fits’ the problem. And so we speak, without listening.

When youth group member raises predestination, we shoot out a pat answer (instead of asking, ‘Why do you think this is important?’)
When the parent speaks of tiredness, we think first of their poor techniques in keeping discipline (instead of asking how fatigue affects them)
When a friend starts to explain how they are, we finish their sentences

Often our impulse is right – we do have relevant experience, or helpful knowledge. But by not listening we mess up the opportunity to help. We come across as know-alls, rather than as help-alls. We look strong on knowledge but weak on wisdom.

Of course, ministry situations are always routine. There’s nothing new under the sun: the call to repentance and faith, struggling with deep ideas about God, striving to obey God in hard places, despair at continuing sin … they’ve all happened before.

But when a person shares with us their situation, it’s not routine at all – it’s personal. So let’s honour the privilege of hearing by actually listening.

Solid Christian … keep listening (i)

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Here’s half a plea to people who are well-established in their Christian faith: keep listening.

(The second half of this plea is really quite similar, and will be a separate post. But I’ll give you a hint: it’s keep listening.)

There’s something I’ve noticed in Bible study groups, general Christian conversation, sermons (live and on-line), social media posts, … People who I consider as solid Christian people using the Bible very loosely.

Perhaps they throw a single Bible phrase at a complex problem as if it solves the whole question. Perhaps they rote-speak a big Bible idea (‘Christ died for us’) as if we need to say this so the conversation can get to the really interesting stuff. Perhaps they hijack a Bible passage to use it as a hook for their latest hobby horse (and ignore what the passage really says). Or perhaps they complete a Bible study with no need of a Bible – every comment is a pre-digested ‘lump’ of theology dutifully regurgitated.

Preachers become enamoured with some philosophy, or the major ’cause’. Committed church members find more pleasure in serving that learning. Initial Christian instruction feels like enough thought to last a lifetime. The activity of life makes slow pondering feel like a waste of what’s precious, our time.

Whatever form it takes, my (half) plea comes from this observation: I see solid Christians lose the wonderful joy of discovering new things in God’s word.

I understand how we can become almost too familiar with some Bible words. ‘You must be born again.’ ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ ‘Jesus Christ is Lord.’ ‘The Lord is my shepherd.’

When we feel this over-familiarity, we need to remember the problem is in us. These truths are still wonderful, still life-giving, still refreshing. Every passage is newly a challenge – even if it’s most familiar.

See how the delight of the psalmist brackets active dedication to meditation on the Lord’s teaching:

In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
(Psalm 119:14-116)

Let’s not just see this delight and meditation in our printed Bibles. Let’s see it also in ourselves – and all the more as we mature in faith. Keep listening!

YOLO? YODO!

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I started a sermon talking about YOLO, one of those trendy abbreviations perfectly suited to electronic communication.

YOLO: you only live once. That’s the simple meaning, the set of words that match each letter. But, of course, the saying has more than mere words. YOLO arrives with a feel, an attitude, and an implicit spur to action.

And that spur is towards folly. “I decided to jump, because, you know, #YOLO.” “Yeah, maybe that was dumb, but #YOLO.”

As I said in the sermon, the reality of only one life is a strange excuse for activity likely to end life early.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

So I suggest an alternative, an alternative direct from Jesus’ upside-down invitation into true life. He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” To follow Jesus – which is life itself! – is to accept the invitation to die.

My alternative: YODO, you only die once.

Since we only die once, make it a good death. Make it a real death, death to self. Make it a worthwhile death, from following Jesus not following the crowd.

Will this catch on as the latest hashtag? Of course not! But I’m not worried, because, like, #YODO.

Warning! Volunteer week

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It’s National Volunteer Week.

I am grateful and comforted by community volunteering. I can call the SES if winds damage my house. Volunteer coaches help my kids at sport. Dedicated locals provide food and a friendly face to those in need. People go into classrooms to assist those troubled in reading. The list of volunteering positions is endless.

It’s great to say thanks to generous volunteers.

Churches are places of some of the most intense volunteering. Paid ministers get ‘seen’, but the hugest effort is voluntary: praying, visiting, feeding, setting up, administering, teaching, singing, encouraging, inviting … Thank you to all faithful volunteers. And thanks to God who equips and strengthens all his servants.

But there’s danger. Christian ministry has to be careful not to adopt all the practices of National Volunteer Week.

In particular, we should be wary of what heaps of volunteers say when pushed in front of a microphone. Again and again people urge us to volunteer because, ‘You will gain so much from the experience.’ The message? Volunteer because you will benefit: fun, friends, skill development, teamwork, contacts, meaning, and purpose. All these will be yours! Who knows where volunteering will take you?

If this were to become a common Christian way of motivating volunteers, then we will have stopped being Christian.

The gospel message is of grace, freely given. God’s gift is not a purchase or transaction for mutual benefit – it’s all of him. Grace is not the same as making a bank deposit – allowing the bank our money for a while so we can gain interest.

Jesus said, ‘It’s more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). Current inspiration to volunteer communicates, ‘If you give a bit you’ll receive heaps.’ There’s a world of difference between these two ways. The first is gospel, for it lives out grace. The second is essentially selfish.

If you are a Christian volunteer, and if you invite others to volunteer, make it gospel-shaped volunteering: give without seeking a return, give love to others freely and abundantly.

Oops

A blog by Chris Little

Category Archives: Christian living

Quick review: The First 48 Hours

2 Thessalonians prayer book

Obligatory thanks

Spiritual wisdom

Solid Christian … keep listening (ii)

Solid Christian … keep listening (i)

YOLO? YODO!

Warning! Volunteer week