#72 Monster Lanie

Lanie started walking just a little bit about two weeks ago. She's come a loooong way in that time, and it won't be long before she's got it completely and she starts running around the house. But before we hit that point, I thought I would be good to document this intermediate stage where Lanie walks like a movie monster. She often holds her arms out in front of her for balance and tends to walks with pretty stiff legs. I'm sure it's a normal part of the learning process and will go away soon (in fact, she's using her arms less already), but, boy, is it hilarious to watch. I crack up watching Lanie totter around. I'm so proud of her, and I love her so much. She's just the best.

Enjoy these photos and a video:

Grace and peace,

BMH

#71 David's Downfall

Lately I've been reading through the book of Samuel—2 Samuel, to be specific. Last week I came to the story of David and Bathsheba. I'm not sure there's another Bible story that disappoints me more than this one. Up until this point, David has come across as pretty close to a perfect human being. David stands up to and defeats Goliath. David perseveres through years of persecution from Saul, twice refusing to kill Saul when given the chance. He leads the people of Israel to victory over all of their enemies. He shows kindness to Saul's grandson Mephibosheth. And David's great desire is to build a temple for God. For twenty-six chapters we've seen David do a remarkable job of living up to his status as God's chosen king, the man after God's own heart.

And then David goes completely off the rails. He sleeps with Bathsheba, who isn't his wife but is instead the wife of one his elite soldiers, the so-called "Mighty Men." When David learns that Batsheba is pregnant, he tries to cover it up by bringing her husband back from the battlefield to sleep with her. When Bathsheba's husband refuses to go home to his wife because his fellow soldiers are still away from their homes and families, David has him killed. Then David takes Bathsheba as his own wife. He doesn't even seem to feel guilty until God sends a prophet to confront him.

I think the fall of David is so frustrating for a couple reasons. First, David's sins are outrageously evil. Not content with committing adultery, he quickly resorts to murder to try to cover it up. Second, David obviously knows better. He immediately confesses when confronted. There's no excuse for his actions, and he knows it. God forgives David and blesses him again in the future, but David is never really the same after this. He seems weaker, frailer, more indecisive. The illusion is gone: we no longer see David the hero, David the legend. We're left with David the man.

That's the thing. In the end, every single one of us, even the best and the brightest, are just imperfect women and men. We all do things that are clearly wrong. We all do things that we know we shouldn't do. If we treat ourselves like heroes, we're lying to ourselves. If we look up to other people as legends, we're bound to be disappointed. By the grace of God, many of us do avoid huge, public scandals, but every one of us fails, falls, and goes off the rails. David's story hurts because it's our story, too. There's sin in our hearts and blood on our hands. We need a savior. We need forgiveness. We need Jesus.

Grace and peace,
BMH

#70 Reflections from Overseas

Five years ago I spent five months living and working in Indonesia. Five years back in the U.S. is long enough that sometimes my time overseas feels like a dream. But five years is also long enough that it's given me some perspective on what my experiences have meant in my life.

To put it simply, I think my stay in Indonesia challenged my self-confidence in two important ways. First, living overseas exposed me to different ways of thinking and living. I grew up in a pretty homogeneous community. Most people that I encountered viewed the world in very similar ways. (I'm sure there were some people with different perspectives, but they normally weren't terribly vocal.) My time in college introduced me to some new people who thought differently and led me to ask some questions about the way I thought. Living in another country took my self-reflection to a whole other level. Things that I had taken for granted my whole life didn't apply in Indonesia. I lived in the midst of people who thought about time and polite conversation and wealth and God Himself very differently that I did. I learned that some things that I had assumed were universal and right were really just one way of doing things. This made me humbler and encouraged me to spend more time listening and thinking. Living overseas helped me question myself. Did I think and believe things because they were right or simply because that was how I had been taught? Neither category was empty, but the first wasn't nearly as full as I thought before I left the U.S.

Second, living in Indonesia made me much more aware of how much I depend on God and other people. Being in an unfamiliar place in the midst of people who spoke a different language meant that I couldn't get very far relying on my own skills. I needed help. I spent a lot more time praying for God's help and looking for His work in my life than I ever had. Again and again God delivered. He kept me safe; He helped me through homesickness; He encouraged me. Most of all, God provided for me by giving me friends. I had to learn to let go of my pride and self-confidence and ask other people for help over and over and over again. And normally this wasn't the kind of help that I could pay back later. I had to humble myself and simply show as much gratitude as I could. Since I've come back to the U.S., I've slid a little bit back toward my old, self-reliant ways, but I definitely still feel further along than I was before I left for Indonesia. I'm much more comfortable asking for help and much more eager to learn from others. And even though I'm back home, God is still helping me grow. Hopefully each day He'll make me a little less self-reliant and a little more attentive to where He's at work.

Grace and peace,
BMH

#69 White Jesus

Let's talk about this guy:

That's white Jesus. Of all the portrayals of Jesus that I've seen in my life, probably at least 95% of them have the skin color you see above. My daughter Lanie received a wonderful Nativity set for Christmas. She loves it, and I love it. It reminds us that Jesus, the Son of God, was born as a weak, poor baby who had to be laid in a manger because that's the best space His parents could find for Him. But the baby Jesus figure in this Nativity set is shockingly white.

Here's the thing: Jesus wasn't white. The Bible is unflinchingly clear that Jesus was Jewish. His mother Mary and her ancestors lived in modern-day Israel and Palestine (with stints in modern-day Egypt and Iraq). Based on what we know of people native to those regions, Jesus' skin would have been an olive or brown color. He probably would've looked more like this:

It's important for us to remember that Jesus was Jewish. Otherwise pretty much the whole Old Testament (and large portions of the New Testament) won't make sense. Jesus was born to fulfill the promises that God had made to the Jewish people. The magi were correct to say that Jesus was born king of the Jews.

So Jesus was Jewish. But it's also true that the work God did through the Jewish people and especially through Jesus is for all humanity, people of every skin color and ethnicity. Jesus lived in a specific time and place, but He came to be the Savior of the whole world throughout history. So white Jesus isn't totally bad. White Jesus can help white people better understand that Jesus is human like they are and that Jesus came to save them. But if we're going to depict Jesus as a European, we can't stop there. We also need Sioux Jesus and Indian Jesus and Korean Jesus and Sudanese Jesus. We should depict Jesus in every skin tone. If our churches are going to have artwork of Jesus, it would be best to have a wide variety of portrayals of Jesus to remind us that He doesn't belong to any specific race or nation or ethnicity. Jesus is for everyone; Christian artwork should help us remember that.

Grace and peace,
BMH

#68 Blood

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had wonderful holidays.

We had a blood drive today in Kanawha. In fact, we have a blood drive on the first Tuesday of every odd month. The staff and volunteers are very friendly and caring. They are also on the ball when it comes to scheduling. I basically have a standing appointment around 4:00 for every blood drive, and I know many others that have a similar setup. At this point, I've given the equivalent of 10 pints in Kanawha. I've gotten used to giving blood, and I've come to more or less enjoy it. Having a needle stuck in your arm isn't the most pleasant experience, but it's not too uncomfortable. The screening process can take some time, but the donation itself is pretty quick. And afterwards there's always snacks. As a pastor in a small town, a blood drive gives me the opportunity to be visible in the community and interact with quite a few of my neighbors. I really appreciate those connections.

When it comes down to it, giving blood is a pretty easy way to help other people. Your body naturally replenishes what you donate, and donation is not very invasive at all. The American Red Cross says that someone in the U.S. needs blood every 2 seconds. About 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, but only about 10% of eligible people donate. I only gave blood a couple of times before moving to Iowa, and I really regret not doing it more regularly. If you're able to donate blood, please do so. Find a blood drive in your area and make an appointment. You can probably even walk in at a blood drive. Giving blood is a moneyless way of giving to those in need. And if you aren't able to give blood, consider volunteering or donating money to the Red Cross or a similar organization. There are lots of ways that we can love our neighbors. I think giving blood is a simple and impactful way to love others. If you can, I think you should try it.

Grace and peace,
BMH