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A Little More Compassion

The backbone of the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is compassion.  Three people see a half-dead man lying by the side of the road.  Two of them pass by, doing nothing more than laying eyes on him.  Only the third stops and does something to improve the victim’s situation.  The Samaritan.  He not only saw, but he had compassion (v. 33).   Compassion is what inspired all of the actions that followed.  And without compassion, none of that would have been possible.  The word compassion means to “suffer with.”  The literal Greek word in the New Testament used here contains the word for “guts” in it – as in, to feel “in the gut” the suffering of another.   

The way we experience compassion, therefore, begins by looking within.  Before we can comprehend the world “out there,” we must be willing to take a look at the person within our very selves.  Compassion is about connecting with the suffering in our own life; thinking of times in our lives when we’ve been on the mat; when we’ve lost (a job, a relationship, a loved one); when it felt like the walls were caving in around us.  How did we feel when at those times?  Not what did we do, but how did we feel.

Compassion starts here, because there is a something called a “similarity-in-difference” in these lives we lead alongside one another.  Though each of our lives is uniquely different, there is a similarity in how we experience them.  You never knew my father, who died of a heart-attack 20 years ago.  And your lost loved ones didn’t pass away in the exact same way he did.  But if I talk about my love for him, and my sadness of losing him, it can connect with you – and the feelings of love you have for your paretns or children, and it can connect with your feelings of grief for the people you’ve lost.  We can connect with the hurt and pain of others, even if we don’t know anything about them, when we are aware of our own hurt and pain.  That’s compassion. 

I was having a conversation on facebook about these thoughts last week and one wise commenter noted that it is easier to find “similarity-in-difference” the less “different” someone is.  How true!  Generating compassion for those we know comes much more naturally than it does for those we don’t.  That’s why one of the most important details of the story of the Good Samaritan is what is not said about the man who fell into the hands of robbers.  We don’t know his enthnicity or what he looks like.  He’s half-dead, which means he’s likely unconscious and unable to speak.  Which further means that we can’t tell if he’s speaking a different language, or our own with an accent.  We cannot determine if he’s “from here” or not.  He’s described as being “stripped.”  Therefore, he does not have any identifying clothing with which we could assign him to a particular societal sub-group.  Jesus doesn’t allow us to deny him compasison because of something external; because she “speaks a different language and therefore must be here for disingenuous reasons;”  or because “he’s dressed like a gangster and is probably dealing drugs.”  It is though Jesus wants us to see past the labels and the external things that characterize us and experience this man exactly as he is.  As a man.  A human being.  Broken, beaten, hurting and in need of compassion. 

Having compassion for one another will certainly always be easier the closer we are to them.  But compassion has a way of bringing us together – bringing us closer to one another and us closer to God.  Because compassion, by definition, emphasizes the “similar” more than the “different” in “similarity-in-difference.”  And in our contemporary societal climate of polarity and divisiveness, couldn’t we all stand to be drawn toward one another?  Could there be anything wrong with experiencing a little more compassion?     

Second Chances

Do you really believe everyone deserves a second chance?  That question was posed to me by a congregant in the Friendship Center following worship this past Sunday.  I had just preached on the Demoniac in Mark 5 who was given a second chance at life by Jesus when his demons were exorcised from him.  And I even used the phrase, “In the kingdom Jesus is building, everyone deserves a second chance.”  It seemed natural that someone might want to raise this question.  Especially this man, who had spent a career in law enforcement and admitted that he had “seen too many things” to think that everyone – literally everyone – deserves a second chance.

We chatted briefly, our conversation most amiable, and in just a few moments we acknowledged several things:

• Preaching can be a difficult event for the both preacher (who can’t cover every possible question a listener might be thinking) and listener (who can’t really respond, as preaching is very much a one-way communication experience)
• When we say “second chance” we should be clear about whether we truly mean a second chance or the repeated giving of chance after chance after chance.
• There are truly heinous acts that fall under a different category (as outlying cases should do)

But I believe his question deserves a bit of a longer answer than a quick back-and-forth after worship can afford.

“Second chances” – whether we are talking about our earthly relationships with one another or our relationship with God – are about exactly that.  Relationships.  And in relationships there is always a role for accountability in addition to the grace and forgiveness of a “second chance.”  Giving too many chances without any kind of accountabitly in return can lead to enablement of undesired behavior.  Conversely, too much accountability without a chance to live anew is abuse and oppression.  For the relationship to be such that the individuals in it have the opportunity to live up to their potential, there must be a balance between grace (“second chances”) and accountability (a change in behavior).  Jesus said this very thing in John 13:34  I will give my love to you (grace), he said, and the expectation in return is that you love another (accountability).  In this respect, I would have to say, I don’t believe in giving a “second chance” without some kind of change in behavior in return.

Yet, this thought alone misses a larger point.  “Second chances” – whether extended by God or among people – are about faith.  The reason we grant grace to one another is because we believe the recipient of that grace is capable of producing something good for others; something that will improve relationships and community.  When we fail to grant grace – or when we are hesitant to give a “second chance” to someone – it is because we doubt their ability to do this.  So perhaps the better question is not “Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?” but rather “Does God believe everyone is capable of producing something good for others?”  To this I would respond “Yes.  I believe God does.”  This is why God grants grace to us – not just a “second” time – but again and again and again.  Such is God’s faith in us to produce good for others. 

Navigating the waters of “second chances” and accountability – in our families, in the workplace, and in every conceivable way in a wider society – will always be difficult.  Only when we seek to find the balance between the two will we truly thrive.  And only when we are motivated by God’s faith in us – and by God’s grace to us – can we hope to find it.        

From Elderberries to 3D Ministry

For decades the seniors of this church gathered together for a meal on the second Wednesday of the month. A group of dedicated women worked to provide a home cooked meal, very often with a theme to go along with the    season – Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas. It was a chance for folks to meet together around tables to fellowship and enjoy a wonderful meal. After the meal there was a program of interest to educate or entertain. For many, Elderberries was an important event.

In recent years, fewer people have come to these events. To accommodate the changing attendance patterns the meals have been offered every other month or seasonally. The past few times there has been a program at 11:30 before the meal. The food is still great and the fellowship meaningful—it just doesn’t  happen as often.  In addition to the meals, this group has gone on short trips to Little Theater on the Square, the Reagan Museum at Eureka College and Allerton Park, to name a few destinations. These excursions happened on the church bus, allowing for comradery with other riders.

Elderberries was the name for this group of seniors, always advertised as  available to anyone 55 or older. The discovery was made that many folks firmly set in that age range did not want to attend a group that had the word “elder” in the name. It apparently gave the impression that this was only for old  people. So, in order to make these events more appealing to the general  population, we have CHANGED THE NAME!!!

We now have a program called 3D Ministry: Enhance Your Vision.  We will meet the 2^nd Wednesday of the month (though perhaps not every month). These events will still be led by Don Martin who will still be there to greet you. That will not change.  

• 3D ministry will provide periodic meals of good food and great fellowship. That is the DINE portion.
• 3D ministry will organize short excursions to places of interest in close-by communities. That is the DASH piece.
• 3D ministry will provide programs that will entertain and inform. Some of these will happen on days when the meals are served. Some will happen at other times. That is the DISCOVER part.

3D ministry is designed to welcome people of various ages. There will always be advance notice of each event in the Visitor and you will have opportunity to sign up to reserve your spot. (You will still be welcome if you miss signing up!) This is a good opportunity for you to invite a friend to come with you, there is a good chance they will thank you for the invitation. 3D Ministry is presented with YOU in mind.

Our next event will be Wednesday, February 13 at 11:30 a.m.  More details provided on page 1.

Blessings—Michael

New Artwork in Friendship Center

The ending statement in last week’s minister’s column read, humility will draw each of us nearer to Christ.  In that spirit the amazing capstone of our church’s 2016 renovation is finally installed in the Friendship Center and ready to help us do just that - draw nearer to Christ.   After nearly two years of collaboration, Artist Teresa Camozzi (https://www.teresacamozzi.com/) of the San Francisco area has created a one-of-a-kind work of art specifically for Central.   One of Teresa’s core beliefs is that “the beauty of nature lifts us toward a higher state of spirituality” and, hopefully, that is transmitted to each of us when we look up at our powerful addition.

We hope that the mixed media, multi-dimensional artwork invites everyone to stop, look up and interpret the piece for themselves.  The goal of the artwork was to be religious in nature, but not necessarily overtly religious.  We wanted the artwork to draw observers in by its use of symbols which, by definition, can be interpreted broadly.  That said, when you look at the artwork, you may recognize the foundations of our Disciples’ faith in the individual panels as well as the collective layers of the artwork.  Take time to “see” the deconstructed communion table - images of wood, wheat and grapevines – conveying one of our core Disciples’ beliefs that all are welcome here.   You may find that the water image is representative of baptism or cleansing or the essence of all life.  You might see the dove as the descending Holy Spirit; the “cellular” motif as the basic building blocks of all life, or possibly as stones in a path that the cross calls us to follow; and the clouds as creation or openness.  Whatever your individual interpretation, we hope the artwork helps you to “draw nearer to Christ” again and again.

We look forward to celebrating the artwork with a church-wide dedication in the near future.

On behalf of the Artwork Committee, comprised of Pamela Bednar, Donna Dash, Steve Funk, Suzie Miller, Mary Jane Oliver and ourselves, we thank you all for your support and prayers throughout this faith-filled process.