As-salam alaikum.

For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.

But God shoots His arrow at them;
    they are wounded suddenly. Psalm 64:7

Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5

No one is to be called an enemy, all are your benefactors, and no one does you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves. –Francis of Assisi

Ah, Facebook. The tie that binds.

I met Omar Fekeiki, a journalist from Baghdad, Iraq, under the big eucalyptus tree in the backyard one evening maybe twelve years ago when he came over to meet Ali. One evening, and still our lives are linked, and he shares his perspective occasionally, and mine grows with understanding.

Such is Facebook.

And today he shared a post from Abdalla Al Omari, a Syrian refugee who began an art series out of a justifiable frustrated anger, and yet, over time, it turned his heart tender, as each of our hearts should be tender to the vulnerability and brokenness that each human carries deep within.

And today Dre posted someone’s story on Facebook too… that of a former neo-Confederate, who traced the relatively reasonable path of pivotal events and scattered bits of information and just-now-articulated emotions that led him to hold an abhorrent perspective. Just like me, who also has over a lifetime pieced together equally haphazardly stitched together self-evident yet blurred perspectives from which I view the world. And her peoples.

And today I took another breezy walk along the battle trench and read a memorial which read something about of the partisan brigade’s victory over the confused and broken Nazi-Barbarism. Ten meters further along the now-jogging path was another memorial, this one in honor of this sacrifice which remains the last crime of Italian blind hatred of Italian; remember that union generates strength, freedom and the weapons of justice, love and the seeds of life.

 And really it doesn’t matter whose side was whose. There stamped in the marble are the photos and names of beloved young men: sons, husbands and fathers. None of us really know what we are doing.

 And when the LORD God Almighty chose to enter this brokenness in molecular form, He extended wide His merciful arms and forgave the spitters and cursers for they knew not what they did. What we do. What I do.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

It is He who looses the arrows into the depths to pierce the darkness. It is He who casts light. It was by His wounds that we are healed of ours. And it is He who looked up in the sycamore fig tree and called out: Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.

A guest takes off his shoes and enters the doorway of the home, humbly and gratefully receiving what is served while listening to the stories told around the table. Quick to hear, slow to speak.

We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way. –Francis of Assisi

May I today follow in my beloved Savior’s footsteps and in those who have faithfully followed afterwards with their eyes fixed upon Him, undistracted by the specks of dust cast up by the enemy.

Bind them around my neck.

Nada hagáis por egoísmo o por vanagloria, sino que con actitud humilde cada uno de vosotros considere al otro como más importante que a sí mismo, no buscando cada uno sus propios intereses, sino más bien los intereses de los demás. Filipenses 2:3-4

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

According to the Greek, Philippians 1:27 actually says, “Only behave as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ…” thus let us not allow our public dialogue distract from the message of God’s love and Christ’s death and resurrection. This is what matters, and any sidebars from this message most likely is not from God. This plea for unity is followed by a promise that we will indeed suffer for His sake, so let us not cling to our “rights” but have the mind of Christ, who did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

This morning I read an article in Christianity Today by John D. Anazu entitled, “Religious Freedom vs. LGBT Rights: It’s complicated.” And he does a good job reminding us that we Americans are citizens in a pluralistic society, and that Pluralism rests on three interrelated aspirations: tolerance, humility, and patience. And while we American Christians fret and strain at relative gnats and smugly glance over at the bloody non-pluralism taking place in Sudan and Iraq and Palestine, let us be reminded that Jesus (and John and Leviticus as well) very clearly teaches that according to our Heavenly Father, if we hate our brother in our heart we are a murderer. And he spells it out fairly clearly, and repeats Himself if we can’t hear so well, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire,” lest we judge one another.

And really the best thing about my summer writing course is the absolute pluralism present in the class. They managed to collect students, teachers and professors from absolutely every walk of life from here in Tucson, Arizona. And we are absolutely free, even required to discuss any and all topics with tolerance, humility and patience, and we practice it all day long. And since my nametag reads Desert CHRISTIAN School, I am very aware that every word I say, every word I write, every word I speak in my eyes and every word I inflect with my tone reflects on the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have a pretty high bar looming in front of me five days a week, seven hours a day. And this is a privilege and a challenge to not be distracted from the three that remain: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.

May I prove worthy.

And in case you did not hear Me the first time

Porque como están de altos los cielos sobre la tierra,
así es de grande su misericordia para los que le temen^.
Como está de lejos el oriente del occidente,
así alejó de nosotros nuestras transgresiones.
Como un padre se compadece de sus hijos,
así se compadece el Señor de los que le temen^.
Porque El sabe de qué estamos hechos^,
se acuerda de que somos sólo polvo. Salmo 103,11-14

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so is His mercy great upon those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us. As a father cares for His children, so does the LORD care for those who fear Him.  For He Himself knows whereof we are made; He remembers that we are but dust. Psalm 103:11-14

Yesterday in Large Group I read aloud a piece begun on El Camino to answer the essay prompt, Is man good or bad? And I do remember sitting in that little café in Istanbul, and God whispering, “This one, and this one, and yes that one too. Each one is my beloved, yet broken child. For we are but dust.”

And as my way continued its way through Italy, France, Spain and back again, that presence of Love was with me, pointing and centering. And Matteo’s parting prayer was a declaration of truth: "Oh Lord, our short life is just a lesson for us to finally learn how to Love."

The big thing in our writing workshop is pointing and centering. And it is really, really hard for us teacher-types to avoid evaluating words like good and bad. And the phrases, “I like…” and “…needs more development.” We even get dinged for things like “powerful” and “effective.” Pointing involves listing words or phrases that stand out. Noticing. And Centering is focusing on the unifying truth or heart of the piece. And we practiced a lot, yesterday.

And yesterday I was able to pause, like my Savior, and look at the eyes and listen to the stories and poems of aching dusty souls. Stories of condemned yet innocent brothers and stepping outside of the family faith and being fat in middle school.

Nicole told a story yesterday, about a very straight-laced Wheaton football player type whose work companions were smirking at him in the background as he stepped forward to serve a very obviously and towering tall transvestite. And all he had to do was look her in the eyes, and his heart flowed with God’s love without a hint of awkwardness.

And as I work my way through Stott’s The Sermon on the Mount: Christian Counterculture and weigh the words that prefaced the lament of Jesus, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?” I am faced with a high calling: Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

And one thing about all of this traveling, I have a much better sense of how far the east is from the west.

So be it.

Of motes and men

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Matthew 7:1-2

This is one of those verses that I am wont to quote.  Actually it first struck my heart and mind ever so many years ago when I was the dorkiest seventh-grader ever memorizing the King James version of Matthew because I was on the Bible Quiz State Team for Tennessee.  

However I have been reflecting, meditating, on it yet again for the past twenty-four hours.  What does this really mean, in the darkest corner of my mind that so longs to label and sort and order and yes, even judge every single other person? So I can find myself in the lineup.  

And I often find this same myself using such a very ugly low bar that no one could possibly crawl under it. So quick to point at the mote in my brother’s eye.  

The example floating around in those days to explain the “For all have sinned” bit was the image of all of humanity standing on the beach in Southern California, and needing to swim to Hawaii.  And the old sickly people would drown first, but eventually even the strong and beautiful would die.  No one would make it on his own.  

I sure get that image.  We are all drowning.  In the swirling nightmare of brokenness of the world–the wars, the famine, the injustices, the hatred–the heartbreak of each soul piled high and crying out, Why, Oh LORD God, Why?” 

Why did You have to plant that stupid old fruit tree in the garden in the first place? Why in a world that You declared, “Good” was there the evil to be known? And while I am asking, “Why,” what about that Law? Does the rhyme and rhythm of it really point to a loving and wise God?  Creator of all the Universe? A deep dark line in the sand dividing Us from You?

But maybe, just maybe, I get an occasional glimpse of What is True.  Not as bright and shining as Lewis’ joy. But a glimpse.  A knowing that is beyond our shattered words, shattered since the tower of Babel when Man first challenged God. 

In the secret hollow of my heart, away from the madding crowd, I know Love.  Experience its clarity, its peace, its grace. And if there is nothing outside of this roiling cosmos, from whence did this Comfort come?  And the scientist within knows that if I measure and pour and observe and measure my test tubes here in front of me, I am discovering principles and laws that can be equally measured elsewhere. Principles and laws that govern this universe and describe the forces holding it together. Thus, it is no hard matter to extrapolate this Love tucked within my depths to For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son.  

Which leads me back to judging and poking at motes. In while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  And destroyed the Law.  And broke the prison of sin, the knowing of good and evil.  And in His presence, with my eyes fixed on Him, and Him alone, the storm calms.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

The silence is deafening

Thou hast known my soul.  Psalm 31:7

To be known.  Truly.  To the depth of the soul.  The broken communication patterns set first in the garden instigated by the sly whispers of the Evil One continue today.  How to smash through faulty perceptions, crooked judgments, rotted memories into love?  All of the good intentions in the world trip and stumble into hurt silences and “you always.”  

Judge not lest ye be judged.  Forgive and it shall be forgiven.

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

God Himself.  Knows.  And in this knowing He shows mercy and grace and forgiveness.  And it is only as I disentangle from self that I can know as He knows.  Both myself and the other.  And extend His mercy and grace and forgiveness.  From Him, His Spirit through me His child. Gentle rain from heaven.

And in the quiet stillness of heaps and heaps of piled-up Vermont snow there is a peace.  Silence.  White laced forest criss-crosses in all directions.  White upon white, the earth blends seamlessly into the sky.  And in this hushed world I am known.  

Be still and know that I am God. 

May the flaming hell-fire voice be quenched in this deep comfort of calm, and may I respond to this knowing. To know Him.  And His.  With mercy and grace and forgiveness.  Unstrained. From Heaven.