Secret things, part 2

In the same chapter where Israel is judged and hauled off to Assyria, we see the transformation of the land of Samaria. In Jesus' times, we know the Samaritans were looked down on as half-breeds, who had a form of worshipping the Lord but weren't true worshippers like the Jews. This is the story of how Samaria got in that state.

The Assyrians brought in people from other conquered lands to occupy & farm the conquered land of Israel, whose capitol was Samaria (hence the new name). The land of Judah, with the capitol of Jerusalem, is still intact. When the people settle in, they begin to be harrassed by lions...man-eating lions. They, being spiritually astute, immediately realize that they are not appeasing the god of the land. They send word to the King of Assyria, who sends them one of the captured priests to teach them about "the god of the land." Unfortunately, this priest teaches them what he knows: worshipping in the high places (see previous post). The new inhabitants added this to whatever religion they brought with them. Essentially, they did what they always did, but now also went to church on Sunday because that made their lives look better. In our day, it might be the equivalent of attending church to network for business connections. Verse 34 says, "They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendents of Jacob, whom he named Israel."

Beware of a faith that imitates man. If all you know of God is what you have seen your parents do, or the smattering you get at church, you may be missing Him completely. The Samaritans were not taught the covenant relationship God established with Israel (which included any foreign-born people who wanted in). They did not know that by following His rules they would be His people, and He would be their God. They just sacrificed in His name on a high hill, and did what they wanted.

Let me ask another question: what kind of a priest are you? Do you teach others to sacrifice in high places, but neglect the calling of God? Is "Come to church with me" a phrase equivalent to "Let's get a beer this Friday"? Are you sharing a person or a habit?

Everything comes back to this simple question: do you know Him? Have you listened to how He reveals Himself in His word for yourself? He longs to be pursued by you, and if you do so, you will find Him. Don't settle for something less.

What it looks like to paint

I had the privilege of supervising some very talented people on a mural project in the summer of 2011. Natasha was the brilliant person in charge of the details: the design, the instruction, the correction, the scheduling of various volunteer painters. It was incredible in its scope and beauty, and I, with no painting gifts and a deep appreciation for artists, got to watch things come along. Even better, I got to paint a few stones here and there myself.

I learned a lot of little things from Natasha about painting: you can leave your brushes in water overnight; you can wrap your roller in foil and put it in the frig; you can cover your containers with tin foil and use them again. These things saved us so much time by reducing the amount of labor involved in cleaning. They also drove our maintenance manager a little crazy, because our space looked messy. Sometimes the paint actually dried out, so a little might have been wasted. But I must say, washing the paint out of every container, every brush, every time, also wastes paint.

Now, as I am painting my house--just putting paint in a solid color in the gameroom, girls' bedrooms, the hallway, the exterior (nothing complex or interesting)--I am delighted to use what I learned from Natasha. I have painted lots before, but now I am more confident. I have SEEN someone do this, and I am more solid for the acquaintance.

This phenomenon of modeling is necessary to the Christian. Without seeing, you cannot be solid. You can know what to do from reading and studying, but someone who comes alongside of you makes a huge difference. Subtleties get passed on that your mentor is not even aware of. May you rub off on people as you go about your everyday life, using the skills God gave you. Thanks, Natasha.

Choosing leaders in Corinth

In the Jewish culture, families were the center of everything. As children grew, they learned trades from their parents, were educated by their community. When they were young adults, the community would support them as they got started in life and they in turn would grow to support the community. In pagan cultures, like Corinth, Greece, this pattern was not as prevalent. The religion and trade and work ethic of their society allowed for a lot of behavior that did not encourage responsibility, that did not benefit the character and fabric of their culture.

The Bible has some strict requirements in the New Testament for those who were to be leaders in the church: husband of one wife, godly children, hospitable, not given to drink, not a gossip. In those areas where Christianity grew in a Jewish culture, these men would have been easily identified. In Corinth, probably less so. The characteristics of a church leader were not as valued in non-Jewish cultures. And yet the church still required godly leadership.

Paul, the apostle to Gentile churches, would often send leaders into the area to search for elders. They would pray and seek men that could lead the church. Their concern was godly character, and they trusted the Lord to provide such leadership everywhere they went. One thing they did not do was throw up their hands and abandon the standard. So what if the culture did not encourage the kind of men they were seeking--they trusted that what God commanded, He would supply. Do you think it was easy in Corinth, to find men who qualified? Read 1 & 2 Corinthians. This was a very pagan culture, with all kinds of problems even in the church. But what God commands, He supplies.

Don't lower your standards just because your culture is putrid. God sees you, and He knows what surrounds you. He is very capable of supplying what you need. Pray, keep your eyes on Him, and wait.