JUSTICE IN OUR SPEECH - Weighty Words

Who in the world can define justice, yet we all have the feeling that we know what it is. We all complain when something is not fair, when our rights or our dignity have been attacked, but do we show justice to others as much as we desire it be shown to us?

One of the litmus tests of a good person is words. Our words indicate what kind of person we are. Are our words sneaky, meant to hide our intentions and our true feelings? Are our words guarded in such a way as to make us look good, while hiding anger, hostility, pain, or deceit? Nothing is more revealing about a person than the words they choose to use. I don't mean swear words, sometimes swear words are necessary, even fun, though some of my more pietistic brethren would disagree with me, but what the h*** do they know. :-)

There is something far more important than just "making-nice" with our words. Do you hear someone running down another person, you can bet they treat all their acquaintances and friends the same way. If someone gossips about one person, they gossip about all. Gossip is not committed by occasional accident, it is a way of life. It is one of those "gifts" that keeps on giving.

What is gossip? It is speaking of another person's problems, flaws, station in life, habits, weaknesses, viewpoints or actions in a manner that, though possibly true (possibly not), is intended to demean another in the eyes of the one with whom that information is shared. Sometimes this is called slander, but that word is too narrow, gossip is more insidious than straight out slander. Gossip has nuances only hell itself has names for. One thing God's Kingdom lacks is the filthy-pleasure of gossip.

One teacher defined gossip as "Sharing information about a third party with someone who is neither part of the problem, nor part of the solution." There are probably some other good definitions out there as well, but we all know what it is and what it is intended to do to another person. It is always meant for harm. It is never meant for good. It is always satanic, it is always evil. (James 3:13-15)

Has anyone ever gossiped to you about someone? You can be absolutely certain they gossip about you too. Gossip is one of the most unjust acts of violence in existence. It is always against another person. No one spreads rumors about themselves. Gossip is an attack against another person - it is suppose to be as secret and as subtle as an IED; and before long, many are mutilated by the explosion. It is especially bad because the person(s) whose character is being calling into question is not present to defend themselves, and they have no body armor with which to protect themselves. That seems to me, very much like punching someone who's handcuffed -- and when it happens to you, it feels like just about as much fun as being water-boarded. It is sheer gut-wrenching torture. So why do we do it?

Until we recognize that this is the only way a coward knows to fight we will continue to be its victims. The coward feels compelled to say nasty things about others behind their back, because they would never dare to say the things they say about others to their face, in polite company, or in the open public. A coward uses words to harm others by sniping at them. All gossips are snipers. All gossip is cowardly. A gossip's words are calculated to hurt, wound, damage, and diminish others. The terrifying thing is, it works, and it works all too well.

I suggest we stop listening to gossips. We might even speak frankly to their face, that we will not permit them to harm others in our presence. Why do we listen to it? Is it that we share their desire to wound others in secret? Does our listening give us a sense of power, of being on the inside, of being privileged to know the dirt others don't? Does gossiping and listening to gossip give us a sick sense of power over others? Do you like to read the gossip columns, or enjoy the wicked things people say about others on the Internet. May I suggest that we would grow wiser and more virtuous if we stopped reading and believing such things about others - whoever the "others" are?

Think of the gossip as a coward who commits acts of violence against people who cannot defend themselves. Does this sound like what spiritual behavior should look like? NO? Well neither does the Bible. God is very specific that the gossip is living out of sync with God's Spirit. For He has never, and will never, speak evil of anyone, no matter who they are, or what they have done. He may speak the truth, and the truth may hurt, but He will speak it to your face, never behind your back. (Titus 3:1-6)

The tongue is an unruly member in our body, James the Apostle tells us. No one is able to tame the tongue. It is a world of evil, full of poison. (James 3:8-10) It is like the spark and flame that set ablaze hillsides, destroyed homes, and cost individuals their lives and livelihoods in Los Angeles this past autumn. It is, in short, a destructively powerful and terrible weapon that we each wield against others as though there would be no consequences to the things we say.

Yes, I am guilty of gossip, maybe more than most. It has caused me enormous heartache, and has wounded friends and family. May God forgive me -- but more -- may God deliver me from the careless words I speak. This is my prayer. May God teach me the justice of good speech, and may my words become both just and fair, wise and winsome. My I always speak well of others.

My mom use to tell me, "Dan, you better sprinkle lots of sugar on those words, 'cause someday, I guarantee you, you will have to eat them." Yes, mom, you were right. I wish now I had put more sweetness in them. Some of the things I've said have been pretty bitter and pretty sad.

Here's to sweet words, and fair speech, and good reports about everyone. Paul says, "Speak evil of no man." May God teach me this lesson, not only for my tongue, but for my heart as well.

GOD IS NOWHERE - GOD IS NOW HERE

Where is God?

Odd, that we don't ask that question very often when things are going well.

"Where is God?" is usually our question in our tough times, not our the easy times. I wonder if it is because we feel that God exists to make our lives better - easier - more successful - more prosperous - more of everything we LIKE and less of everything we fear and loathe.

Years ago, I saw this interesting spelling GOD IS NOWHERE and GOD IS NOW HERE. It stuck with me. Where is God? Where does He live? Where does he work? Some time back, Jone Osborne asked the question in her song, "What if God was one of us?" It was a penetrating lyric with excellent music to match. I have that song on my iTunes playlist, and I play it from time to time. It always moves me, because . . . God IS one of us. The man Jesus is, as the Nicene Creed declares, "is Man of true man, God of true God . . .." Along with that, God tells us clearly where He is, where He lives, where He works, and where He hangs out.

God is in the midst of His people. God speaks to us intimately through the Bible. God is even in nature, showing us His eternal power and deity (Rom 1:18-21), and God is in the world working every day. He is not far from anyone of us, He is near. GOD IS NOW HERE.

But for those who require Him to show up where they want Him to be, there will be only silence and disappointment. Go where God IS. You will find Him in His house. You will find Him in the midst of His people. If you say you love Him, then love His bride, His church, His family, His friends. If you want to be near Him, you can be. Go to God's house this week. Find a church that believes His word and embraces the mystery of intimacy with His Spirit. Go there. Many churches believe and practice "knowing God." Find one. Go with an open heart. You will find God waiting for you with open arms.

ARTISTS; RESIDENT IN THE CHURCH?

The Artist-in-Residence program at Durham Cathedral is a testimony to the enduring legacy of the need for artists in the church. You can observe their program at their website, and get a sense of its history as well as its contemporary relevance. http://www.artschaplaincy.org.uk/projects/air.html

The works of these artists transcend a merely self-centered notion of person creativity; these artists are producing works that are connected to a centuries old tradition that ministers to others and glorifies God.

Their work becomes timeless, because they are joining their lives and their labors to something bigger than themselves. They are, in a sense, hitching their wagon to a star, and because of this their works will remain a testimony of their own creative spirit as it is joined to the work of countless others through the life of the Church.

In these works one sees a continuity with the artists of the past, energetic contemporary expressions of living creativity, and fellowship in an artistic tradition that will stand the test of time. Would to God, more churches employed the arts in their worship, in their sacred spaces, and in their plans for the future.

It would be wonderful if more "artist in residence" programs were established. If you love the arts, talk to your church leaders about including them more integrally into your regular worship. If you are really bold, encourage your church and its leaders to look into creating an "artist in residence" program. It need not be grandiose. You can begin simply. Any enrichment of the worship experience is better than none. Begin where you can, and see the wonderful places that journey will take you.

Look for more information about this subject in coming blogs. Creating such programs is possible, and well worth our time, resources and energy to investigate. Imagine the rich possibilities and the diversity of advantages for humankind if churches returned to the arts, and art was once more created for the glory of God. There is not a single facet of the Church that would not directly benefit. There is not a single area of culture that would not be greatly enriched.

(Painting above: The Annunciation by: Edward Burne-Jones, a Pre-Raphaelite)

ANCIENT - COMPELLING - RELATIVE

There is a kind of mania in the churches today about being relevant to the culture. Frequently that means being new, fresh, trendy, culturally hip, faddish, or edgy. Relevance is rarely that in any case except for those contexts where trendiness is the over-arching paradigm.

Who today would think of St. Augustine as being relevant to the current and prevailing cultures of the west? Probably not many, but a closer look will find this man someone not merely to venerate as a saint, but one who ought to be considered as truly relevant for believers today. His works transcend time and culture, remaining a great source of inspiration and wisdom.

Augustine was, in his early years, a profligate and an intellectual. He was formally trained as an orator and became a teacher, but his personal life was a moral mess. One of his most famous statements often quoted was, "God, make me chaste, but not yet." We smile at the honest foolishness of that request, and see our own desire for God as it is often eclipsed by our reluctance to fully follow Christ.

Augustine is one of those saints who has caused more soul-searching and controversy than most others. That alone qualifies him for examination. Any religious person who wants to fit in and make nice will not like what Augustine has to say. Those who want to be thought spiritual while living like hell will out and out despise what he has to say. But, those who have an open heart, unafraid of the mystical vision he preaches will find in Augustine a fountain of refreshment and inspiration. Read Augustine. He is not just ancient, he is also relevant and compelling for our own day.

Here is a link to a teaching by John Piper about the life of St. Augustine and what it might mean to us today. Piper is speaking to a group of ministers, and he refers to numerous early church controversies with heretics as well as references to the "Reform" churches and Reform theology, but never mind all that . . . those are references intended for that particular audience. Just ignore that, but listen closely to the things he has to say about Augustine himself. I think you might find it a bit more than interesting. I hope you find it compelling as well. http://www.danielriceart.net/AUGUSTINE/

When you get to the folder you will see a single file. Just click on the MP3 file to download or open the subject matter. Note, this is a 40 meg file, so it may take a minute (or four) to download it if you have a cable connection. Piper's entire message is over an hour, but listen to what you can. You will get the feel of it pretty quickly. This is superb content on Augustine, delivered by a passionate and intelligent contemporary public speaker.

PATRON SAINTS OF ARTISTS

There are a number of patron saints of artists. They are St. Catherine of Bologna, St. Bernward, Fra Angelico, Michael the Archangel, and St. Luke, the writer of the gospel of Luke, the book of The Acts of the Apostles, and traveling companion of St. Paul on his missionary journeys.

In Renaissance Florence, St. Luke was a favored patron saint for the painters, goldsmiths, gold workers, stained glass workers, lacemakers, brewers and sculptors.

( http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintl06.htm)

In the 11th century, St. Bernward was a remarkable artist and churchman who accomplished amazing things in the creation of sacred spaces and for the beautification of the worship of God. His story is truly impressive. (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb44.htm)

I love the idea of having patron saints of the arts, because the arts should be thought of as sacred in nature, and blessed by heaven. This may not seem true in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in the general public - not yet anyway, but it will - especially as common artists like myself and my friends have anything to say about it . . . and we do.

Many believers working in the arts today are beginning to make a difference in the art world. New York City now has the Museum of Biblical Art (http://www.mobia.org/about/), of which I hear some good things - and Gordon College houses the CIVA organization. CIVA stands for Christians in the Visual Arts (http://www.civa.org/), a worthy effort for the arts among believers. Publications like IMAGE Magazine and Relevant Magazine (two very different kinds of publications) are raising the consciousness about excellence in the arts.

There is so much going on that churches too reluctant or too afraid to patronize the arts; or unwilling to become supporters of artists in their midst, and patrons of their works may discover that they missed a great opportunity to be in the middle of what God is doing in this generation. They missed their best opportunity to connect to the culture, to bless their world.

Shortly, I will be sharing more with you about the patron saints of the arts and what that might mean for us today, regardless of one's spiritual affiliations.

REPRODUCTIONS OF THE MASTERS

These reproductions of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling are charcoal on toned board, dimensions: 5.75" x 6.75"; perfect for classical decorative elements in your home or office, and delightfully unique gifts for your cultured friends and family members. Do you have a favorite artist? Daniel can reproduce their work in a variety of ways, from large wall murals to cameo-sized accents like these unique handcrafted translations of great masterpieces.

To see more of Daniel's work, visit http://www.danielriceart.net/

EMBARRASSING AS HELL

Hell isn't what it use to be . . . at least in its place within society. People seem to be embarrassed to talk about hell, and preachers rarely discuss it or talk about it. When asked about one's belief in hell, many people hesitate and blush. It is an embarrassing question, especially for people who think of themselves as intellectually enlightened.

This painting is from an amazing fresco called "The Triumph of the Name of Jesus," by an artist named Gaulli. This is just the lower corner of the enormous ceiling painting. I saw this fresco in 2006, on my last visit to Rome. This portion of the painting depicts devils and the wicked being cast down to their condemnation.

It seems curious that the topic of hell, once so common in churches and theological discussions, has become an almost forbidden topic. It is hard to talk about hell without people expressing their strong emotions, or energetic objections to the subject. Why is this?

Even Evangelicals' ideas and belief in hell has slipped from what it once was. Where once most of Evangelicals believed in hell, now most are conflicted by the subject. There are some very strong feelings about this subject, and it makes me wonder why there is such a strong reaction . . . and reaction it is.

Not all beliefs in hell are identical. There is the eternal conscious punishment version. There is the nihilistic version of it. There is the idea that hell, and/or Purgatory, can be redemptive rather than entirely punitive. Then there is the view that no such place exists at all.

Ask almost any Christian these days, regardless of the denom, and you will find a generally uncomfortable response to the question of one's belief in the existence of hell.

Of course, a belief in the existence of hell is not a requirement for entry into heaven, or at least I don't see it listed as such anywhere in the Bible, but there are, nonetheless, quite energetic feelings about this subject.

Strangely, the subject of hell is one of those topics that can provide one comfort as well as a sense of dread. If one has suffered injustices, or if one has intractable enemies, it is oddly comforting to think that perhaps your enemies will end up in hell.

There are clever statements in films where someone will tell their enemy, "I'll see you in hell!" and there are those witty retorts when told to go to hell, the response is, "You first." Which is usually followed by someone killing the one who insulted them.

Hell can be a convenient doctrine to bandy about. Infidels always end up in hell. Ask any faithful Muslim. Jews, however, have very different views on the subject. Christians have mixed feelings, and various views, and the general population has reached no consensus on the subject at all -- yet people remain very emotional about the subject.

The notion of hell, however, is not relegated to the three Middle-Eastern religions, other cultures and various religions have their own idea of hell. It could even be said that Buddhistic concept of reincarnation is not a happy idea, but is their idea of hell. One really does not want to come back. One is trying to break the cycle and to get out of the endless repetition of life and death. That to the Buddhist is Nirvana . . . which is more about release into nothingness than it is fulfillment of personalty.

I'd love to do a painting about hell, but it is difficult to conceive of an idea of hell that would be meaningful for this generation. The subject matter, as an artist, fascinates me.

I am interested in people's emotions about this topic almost as much as I am in the subject of hell itself.

Why do you think people get so worked up about the idea of hell?

What is it that lies beneath the emotions that provokes such strong responses?

Does the subject bother you?

Have you ever argued one side or the other? If so, why?

What is to be gained by such discussions on the existence of hell?

Why do you think we all feel that this subject is an important subject?

I'd like to know your thoughts on this.