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Small Fish Big Pond or Big Fish Small Pond

Which is better, to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? Most of us have probably been in both situations at some time. Malcolm Gladwell’s book David and Goliath discusses the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect in several contexts. Basically, the theory says that it is better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. Gladwell give the example of the late 19th century Impressionist painters (Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Pizzaro, Renoir, Sisley), who were the little fish repeatedly spurned by the prestigious and highly competitive Paris Salon (the big pond). Instead of letting the rejection derail their movement, they decided to have their own smaller exhibition, and eventually, their art became the most desirable art movement of all time, today collectively worth billions. They decided to be big fish in a little pond and it worked for them.

The little fish in a big pond struggles to perform, to learn something way too hard, to compete with the big guys on their playing field, resulting in much frustration and rejection. If you were ever one of the last ones picked for the team, you know how you really wanted to just disappear. The harder you tried, the worse off you were because you knew the deck was stacked against you and it was a no-win deal. You arms are too short, you can’t get that math concept, you can’t reach that high note without a screech. We all can name some “I can’t”s, the source of past and maybe even lingering emotional pain. On rare occasion it prompts dogged perseverance until that thing is conquered, but more often, it ends up in defeat and surrender. If you are the little fish in a big pond, you need to get out of the ocean and find a smaller pond. You find that you will suddenly become a whole lot bigger with the support of fellow fish.

The other extreme, being the biggest fish in a small pond amid a lot of little fish, means that you always have to be on your game. No failures are allowed. What would happen to your reputation if you messed up more than the one time that everyone can excuse. You need to continuously do something bigger and better to impress the rest. If you are that oversized fish and it’s overcrowded, you need to find a larger pond to be both successful and challenged.

Successful living is finding the right size pond for what you are called to do or want to accomplish. If you are a little fish in a big pond, you risk feeling unimportant and invisible. If you are too big for your pond, you end up hurting the little fish in order to stay on top of the food chain. It reminds me of the story of Goldilocks and the three bears—the chair was not too little, not too big, just the right size.

I thought about all of this fishy business as it relates to church life. Let’s remove competition here, even though it would be naive to say churches don’t have competition. Some people prefer megachurches (big pond) because they can attend without having to commit to anything. They like the anonymity (little fish in a big pond). However, this really amounts to being a weekly tourist. It’s harder to “blend into the crowd” in a small church. You may gain anonymity, but it is at the cost of the motivation to move toward your destiny. The Church is intended to be a community, a pond where the fish can thrive. Large churches typically have many opportunities for small group ministries (a smaller pond) and usually encourage people to join one or more. Small churches by virtue of their size have space for fish to grow and multiply.

The pond is not only about physical size. It’s also a metaphor for your sphere of influence. The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect works here too. We each have a circle of influence—people we can touch with the gospel and blessing. It’s our pond. If we are the little fish in the big pond, we have no influence. Small fish have no voice in a huge pond. If you are a great big fish, your influence is proportionately larger and the influence in broader. It is in our right size pond that we have the greatest effectiveness.

Should we all strive to become big fish in a big pond? Better than striving for size, we should be striving to become what God has designed us to be and to swim in the pond He has for us. He may send us to a new pond now and then, one larger or smaller than where we are, but then again, He may not. Some are called to swim in the same pond for a very long time to help new little fish grow. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind” (Matt. 13:47). God has a huge variety of fish and ponds, and has a just-right one for each of us.

 

 

Copyright 2016 by Eva Benevento.

All rights reserved.

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4 Habits That Hinder Growth

Snowmaggedon! A snowstorm is coming in two days to the Northeast. Milk and bread are flying off the supermarket shelves. It’s as if milk and bread will become extinct commodities forever. This peculiar behavior goes on every time a snowstorm blows through. Every winter claims at least one major snowstorm, so supermarket owners are happy purveyors as their shelves are emptied. Pavlov would be smiling at this predictable stimulus-response behavior.

We are such creatures of habit. So many everyday things are done without thought by merely the stimulus of routine. Oh, but routine is a good thing, especially for keeping one’s life in some semblance of order and predictability. The down side of habitual behavior is when it gets in the way of individual and/or church growth. Here are some examples.

  1. Sit in the same section every Sunday.

You’ve staked out your territory and marked your place. Nobody better even think about taking your space without the risk of sidelong glares or rolled eyes. Imagine the unaware newbies who plopped in the pew of Brother and Sister So-and-So and who now notice tense body language of people around them. Do you think they are likely to return?

Try sitting in different locations each time. You will find new perspectives and even meet new people as you change your seating.

  1. Hang out with the same people after the service.

I’ve noticed that people tend to group together with their family members and same friends week after week. Small cliques are formed and the vibe says to visitors, “You are really not welcome to return, even though you were greeted with a handshake and a smile and filled out the visitor’s card.”

Take a risk and reach out to people with whom you don’t usually converse. Make it a point to introduce yourself and engage in conversation with someone new to the church. You will find some new acquaintances that may evolve into deep friendships. You may even be the answer to their prayers.

  1. Read only certain passages, books, or sections of Scripture.

You are comfortable in reading the gospels and epistles. Every now and then you venture into Psalms or one of the Old Testament stories of the likes of Moses, but Jeremiah is a huge stretch. You claim that Revelation and many of the Old Testament books are too difficult and even somewhat scary, and so you avoid them. It would mean some serious effort and study.

Don’t let pride stop you from personal growth. Ask for resources to help you venture into those places in God’s Word that you perceive to be difficult. More than likely others you know have the same need and would love to journey into the new turf with you.

  1. Pray the same prayers over and over.

Like the automated messages on phone menus, you have a stock of prayers for every occasion. You repeat the same words over your food when asked to bless the meal, and the words tumble off your lips like reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Take a breather from fear, thinking you want to sound reasonably intelligent and holy, and give your attention to the One to whom you are talking—the Lord. Prayer is a conversation with God—giving him praise, thanks, adoration; presenting petitions to Him; expressing your faith in His Words on the matter; and the other side of the conversation—hearing from God. Remain open to His voice and hear what He has to say. It might amaze you.

And while you are at it, keep a loaf of bread in the freezer and some emergency powdered milk in the pantry for weekends like this. Relax and enjoy the beauty of a fresh snowfall before the plows shove piles along the curb and do something different just for the fun of it.

 

Copyright 2016 by Eva Benevento.

All rights reserved.

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To Read Or Not To Read

I just read a New York Times review of Carly Simon’s autobiography, which I will not read based on the information already revealed in the review, a book that appears to be not much more than a memorialization of her sordid past. I have no curiosity about the debauchery in her not-so-perfect-but-very-rich upbringing as the daughter of Simon, as in Simon and Schuster publishing fame, and her rise to fame among sleazy luminaries in the music business. It’s certainly sad enough that she had such a past, but plastering it all over the literary world goes beyond therapy. Sorry, Carly, I won’t be logging on to amazon for it, but I have no doubt thousands of copies will be sold and my non-purchase will never be noticed or felt.

The book review, regardless of the decision to pass on the purchase, did set off my mind thinking about why people like to read about other people’s lives. I, too, enjoy reading a good biography where a real-life person perseveres and overcomes great odds. In fact, I’m just finishing an amazingly well researched but tastefully written biography of Houdini, a far departure from my usual reading tastes. It’s the stuff of heroes and lunatics.

Why are celebrities of every ilk willing to publish “tell all” books? Is it to feed the insatiable public hunger for the details of their dirty laundry that might once more propel them into the limelight when their star begins to fade? Are they attempting to purge the guilt of a backstory of willing degradation exchanged at the cost of fame perhaps urged by a therapist? Is it an attempt to absolve themselves as victims of power brokers cast as promulgators of the seven deadly sins? Is it a triumphal procession comparable to that of Julius Caesar upon vanguishing Gaul that shouts, “Vini, vidi, vici” –“I came, I saw, I conquered”—to the astonishment of all who “knew them when” and are duly impressed because they would have never imagined it? We really don’t know, but hey, it might be as simple as producing revenue.

This leads me to the point of the biblical stories of the heroes of faith. We read them time and again and study them word for word. Why do we do this? Are we vicariously experiencing their triumphs in our imaginations? Why would God want us to know the stories of people who lived in a time and place totally foreign to today’s world? I would argue that Bible stories serve a much broader and greater purpose that that of celebrity tell-alls or the story line for the next epic movie.

Here are some possibilities:

  1. We teach them to our children as inspiration. The stories tell of how God interacts with humans, revealing His character and glory. We use them as moral lessons of when and how to do the right thing in the same way the ancients taught fables to their “younguns.”
  2. Retelling the stories connects us with our past—the good and the not-so-good. We live in the present and look towards a future, but the past defines us and shapes our understanding of the stuff of which we are made. The past tells us that others have felt and done what we are feeling and doing, and even more so, the possible outcomes. Because they are stories of real people, they reveal human nature at its best and worst, but they don’t give scintillating and smutty details that only serve to glorify sin and have no redemptive value. The stories of biblical people serve as a guidepost for the outcomes of action and what God thinks about them.
  3. In our deep studying, we parse every word because they are divinely inspired and we search the mind of God in them. The words come alive and bring revelation of wisdom from the heavenlies. We read the same portion a gazillion times and each time a new insight is revealed. “I never saw that before,” is the “Aha!” moment happening again and again. Indeed, it is a living word.
  4. The stories bring comfort and affirmation in times of trouble. They bring hope to hard situations of life—and death. The story of Gideon tells us that God can use the least likely to do amazing thing when we hear and obey. The story of Samson records the final victory of a man who is willing to once more rise up in righteousness despite sin and failure. The story of Ruth tells of God’s provision in the face of the impossible. The trials and testimony of Paul tell of a man willing to lay down his life for the gospel. I could go on, but you get the idea. These stories are ones where hope and faith triumph at times when life seems so dark. These stories reveal the innumerable characteristics of a God intimately involved in the lives of His creation.

I will read the stories in my Bible many more times for just these reasons and maybe some others. I will continue to underline words that pop out at me. My dad’s old Bible has more underlings than not. It even has underlings of underlings. I will continue to highlight in yellow. Maybe one day the pages will be all yellow and I will have to use pink. I will also continue write little notes in the margins of things I notice. That’s what we do, but why we do it has all to do with the voice of God that speaks through the words. Selah!

 

 

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Is your relationship with intercession spiritually healthy?

I’ve been thinking about supplication—the asking kind of prayer, a type of intercession. Whole ministries are dedicated to intercession in many churches where intercessors have finally achieved recognition and status as a church department. The argument for having an intercessory prayer team is pretty strong, so shouldn’t we take advantage of these willing souls storming the spiritual world on our behalf? After all, aren’t believers instructed to pray for others?

Intercessory Prayer as a church ministry, however, can be confusing and misunderstood. These teams have been variously touted as the powerhouse of heavenly anointing, the go-to team for unloading one’s troubles, the stormtroopers against demonic threats, and a strategic force for achieving victory. When operating with integrity, well-grounded in the Word of God, and humility, it can be all of these and highly effective.

In the worst case scenario, it’s a source of glorified gossip, a dumping ground for people who can’t seem to find purpose in church, or a place for eccentric personalities that are attracted to behavior that is downright weird. Nobody starts out with the intention of starting a group that borders on the bizarre, but it happens when its members are not firmly grounded in God’s Word and rely more on how people feel or their current “inspiration” without biblical discernment.

The nature of contact with the spiritual world can look a bit strange and the world of intercessory prayer groups can be an easy target of the enemy to create havoc. I have seen individuals that are overzealous-and-not-so-well-grounded, but have good intentions, run with ideas that are of the flesh and wacky. Flaky stuff rides out its popularity and then eventually dies out. It’s a good thing God is not so easily offended. But let’s assume that’s not the case in your church community.

  1. What does a spiritually healthy relationship with intercession look like?

Besides supplication (a form of intersession that involves asking God for something), intercession is often described as “standing in the gap” on behalf of someone else (Ezek. 22:30). It’s a common enough phrase, but what is the gap, who is in it, and what are the two sides? I’ve heard people “pray” as if God is holding out on people and they plead for God to intervene or impose on someone’s free will—not likely to happen. It’s as if the intercessor is standing in between God and the person staving off God’s anger with pleading. Yet God’s Word says that God’s mercy is new every day, His gospel of grace is available to all, and His love never fails.

The gospel message is that of love and grace extended to humanity, but it never compromises someone’s free will, nor does it present God as a tightwad doling out blessings on a whim that requires pleading and fasting to move His hand. Nothing could be farther from truth. So, the kind of “prayer” that asks God to force another person to believe or that someone’s misfortune is somehow God’s divine will is completely misdirected.

What, then, is the gap? Is the gap between the demonic realm and the person? What does Scripture have to say? Yes, we really do have an enemy, and it is not God (Eph. 6:12, 1 John 5:19). We have been given power (dunamis) and authority in the Name of Jesus to put the enemy to flight (Matthew 28:17-19, Mark 16:17, John 14:13–14, Acts 1:8). So, yes we do stand in the gap between the enemy and another for deliverance as we drive out the enemy with the Word of God and the authority of Jesus’ Name. I prefer to call it what it is—deliverance, not prayer, because I see prayer as communication between people and God.

  1. Are you outsourcing prayer* to intercessory groups and relinquishing your individual communication with God because it requires commitment you may not be willing to give?

The word “outsourcing” is usually about as welcome as foot fungus. It means loss of jobs and customer service agents speaking unintelligible English only after pressing a seeming endless series of numbers to get to a live voice. Outsourcing is when you subcontract labor outside your business to do work you don’t want to do or to lower cost for the labor by people willing to do it for less money. The whole point is that it decreases the cost of doing business, thereby increasing the bottom line. Considering the consumer frustrations related to outsourcing, it’s a wonder that the net effect of customer loss is not higher than it is. Is this what we are doing with intercession?

Being a Christian is all about getting to know God more each day. We find out about God in His Word and in the “secret place” where we fellowship with Him. We develop our story with God as we believe His Word and see the works of His hand in our victories.

Completely giving over our concerns and needs for others to bear is abdicating our privilege to speak to God and hear from Him for ourselves. Yes, there is a place for asking others to stand with you for strength, especially when you feel weak, but it is not a replacement for your relationship and communion with God. We need both—a personal prayer life and a communal prayer life.

  1. Does the intercessory group have some special insider practice or connection to the heavens that the rest of us don’t have?

Scripture speaks of function gifts to the body of Christ—pastor, teacher, apostle, prophet, evangelist, administrator, deacon, bishop. Intercessor is not on the list. It is not a special function for a select gifted individual. They do not have a special hotline to heaven that is inaccessible by other believers. Intercession is for all believers, but some believers understand prayer better and give themselves to praying for others more so than others. These are the prayer partners that join with you in faith and expectation for effectiveness in their prayer.

  1. Do you ask others for prayer in hopes that someone else’s prayers will be heard because you think they are more “anointed” or their prayers more powerful?

The authority in prayer, deliverance, and declaration given by Jesus is for all believers. Furthermore, because a person uses eloquent language in their public prayer does not guarantee their prayer is effective. We should never be intimidated by the fact that someone else can pray with eloquent passion. A simple prayer that is faith-filled and anchored in God’s Word is highly effective. Prayer is an issue of faith (James 5:15), whether or not expressive language is used .

  1. Is more better?

Does asking for the same thing over and over or adding more people amount to nothing more than sustained unbelief*? God does not demand us to beg for His grace and mercy over and over just in case He didn’t hear. How many times should you ask God for the same thing? Isaiah 43:25–26 NASB says, “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, 
And I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance, let us argue our case together;
 State your cause, that you may be proved right.” Putting God in remembrance of His Word and the many times He has come through for you is not because God forgets. It is because we forget and need to remind ourselves of His faithfulness and promises. So, when we “pray through” to victory, we repeat, declare, and confess is His Word on the matter, not pleading or begging. It is the fuel that feeds our faith.

So, what is the point of prayer and intercession?

Prayer is a conversation with God that may include such things as giving thanks, expressing adoration, and bearing one’s soul of concerns to our Creator. It may include making requests on behalf of someone else (supplication—a form of intercession)—healing, deliverance, mercy, and the like. God invites us to ask of Him in faith believing that what He has promised, He shall deliver. That of course, requires us to know what God has promised. So as not to be confused, intercession that is not prayer per se may involve deliverance and declarations of God’s Word into the spiritual world.

Prayer is also hearing what God wants to say. He speaks to us many ways—in the inspiration and revelation in His Word, in the prophetic “still small voice,” in dreams and visions, in signs and wonders, just to name a few. This is why we need to have a solid prayer life, a life of communication with the Lord, as well as joint prayer times with people of like faith—expressing our adoration, thanks, and supplication as a body of believers. Together, as intercessors, we share in the proclamations of faith and in the declarations of God’s promises that overcomes the enemy of our faith for ourselves and others.

 

*Special thanks and acknowledgement to Dr. Geoff Wattoff for the phrase, “outsourcing prayer,” and to Dr. Rolland Baker for the phrase, “sustained unbelief.” Both phrases prompted my musings and capsulized some thoughts.

Copyright 2016 by Eva S. Benevento. All rights reserved.

 

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Auld Lang Syne

If you are awake at midnight on New Year’s Eve, you will hear the song “Auld Lang Syne” sung or played wherever you are. It is a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788, translated into English and set to music. It is traditionally sung to bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the new one (Auld Lang Syne = Old Long Since, meaning Times Gone By). It is a moment highlighted by good wishes, toasting to prosperity, a smooch here and there, but most of all, it is a moment of looking forward to a fresh start, a new beginning.

In case you have ever wondered about the original, here are the English and original Scottish versions side by side.

 

Auld Lang Syne – English version

Original Scottish Version
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne*?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin’ auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin’ auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.

To what are you bidding farewell, and what are you welcoming into the new year? Typically people examine their bad habits and resolve to change them. Sadly the resolutions often don’t make it past January. Old habits are so resistant to elimination. So often they are sparked by familiarity—people, places, and things—that set off the compulsion.

But what if the “bad habit” is outright sin? We need to be able to identify the difference between a bad habit and sin, which could be a tricky thing. They could be either or both. Whether or not cheating on a spouse is habitual, we can agree that it is sin. Nail biting is a bad habit. On first thought, I would say it is not sin, but then again, maybe it is. I wouldn’t make a doctrine out of nailbiting, but sin simply defined is thinking or doing that which is harmful in body, soul, or spirit to God, self, and others.

How do we righteously define what is sin? Is it only transgressions and wrongdoings against God and His Laws? Matthew 18 indicates that it is willful harm done to another. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother (Matt. 18:15). Peter asked Jesus about sinning against people, “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (Matt. 18:21). Jesus answered seventy times seven times (490), a metaphor for forgiveness without end.

Sin is not always an action. It could be an attitude or frame of mind. “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). It could be the ruminations of impure thoughts. “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28).

Generally, I am not one to focus on sin because Jesus came to free us from sin consciousness so that we can focus on God consciousness. What, then is the solution when sin does occur? It is really a simple one—forgiveness extended by the victim and forgiveness received by the offender.

Repeatedly Jesus forgave sin and tells us to forgive. It does not necessarily mean that there are no consequences of lawbreaking even when forgiveness is offered. For example, if people are caught burglarizing a home, they will most likely have to pay the penalty of law even when the homeowner forgives the wrongdoing. Forgiveness, however, frees the one who is harmed from building a wall of offense and frees the perpetrator of deep guilt. Forgiveness frees and empowers us to make the changes in our lives to live victoriously as God intended.

Auld Lang Syne speaks of remembering the best of days gone by and a reunion from a long parting of the ways. It reminds me that we have opportunities for remembering the goodness of God and that He invites us to rejoin His fellowship even when we have parted ways. My family and I extend to all of you our best thoughts and blessings to you and yours for 2016. May it be your best year ever and filled with expectations for more. God bless you in abundance.

 

Copyright 2015 by Eva Benevento

All rights reserved.

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Adeste Fidelis – Oh Come All Ye Faithful

The Nativity story never grows old. Adeste fidelis – “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” bids us to come adore the living Christ. Multiple Millions of sermons and teachings have been spoken about the events surrounding the coming of Jesus, and the wonders of it still inspire and bless the hearers. Humanity finds itself in the story—young mother Mary, kind Joseph, travelers and innkeepers, shepherds, magi, a cruel king. For some, it was simply another child born in humble circumstances—no big deal. For simple country folk tending sheep on the Bethlehem hillsides, it was a miraculous encounter with the angelic host of heaven. For a wicked king, it was a threat to his reign. For the magi, astronomers and prognosticators, it was an auspicious event displayed in the night sky that was worth their enormous effort to pursue.

How is it different today? To some, it still is no big deal, and in fact, a nuisance of a holiday gone out of control. For His followers, it is deeply spiritual—“joy unspeakable and full of glory,” as we celebrate the cornerstone of our faith. Some feel such colossal threat to their philosophies, they make intense efforts to stamp out the most remote reminder of Jesus. For others, finding the Christ is the fruition of a long journey of search and wonder that culminates in humble worship.

            And the Glory of the Lord Shone Around Them

 The shepherds’ story in Luke 2 is one of simple folk just going about their business when suddenly, they have a divine encounter of such intensity, that they became afraid. Angelic visitation and divine glory is not exactly an everyday experience, and the other-worldliness of it rocked them to the core.

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Mercy prevailed and the angel quickly comforted them with the prophetic words of comfort and explanation. I find myself in the story in that when I’ve had intense divine encounters, they too have been filled with glory, wonder, and prophetic words.

10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The words of the angel did not fall to a deaf ground. The shepherds were quick to act on the encounter. They made haste to Bethlehem to behold that which the angel foretold. We are not told what they did with the sheep. More than likely, they left the flock encamped on the hills until their return. Sheep can slow you down. (I think there is a message in there somewhere.) They found the child exactly as the angel had told them.

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

What could have been their reaction to encountering Mary, Joseph, and the child Jesus swaddled and lying in a manger, a trough of sorts used to feed animals? I have serious doubts that it looked like the crèches on display on your neighborhood lawn. It was dark, grimy, and smelled of animals. It’s a funny thing about difficult environments. I have found in my travels that when you are in the center of God’s will, the discomforts of the most harsh and primitive surroundings fade, and the glory of the moment consumes you. It must have been something like that for that holy nativity scene.

The humble shepherds were the first evangelists. They spread the good news (gospel) of Jesus in the surroundings of Bethlehem and it was well received. The good news is meant to be spread by everyday folks—like you and me.

17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

It certainly is a lot to take in for a young mother, and Mary was no exception. She had a divine visitation of epic proportions and gave birth to the promised Messiah—certainly much to ponder. It was not in grand spaces of a palatial home. It was in the lowliest of places, yet the glory of the Lord transformed a stable into a king’s nursery. It’s what God does with us. He transforms grimy, smelly, lost souls into glorious children of the Most High God as we receive Him by faith.

I love the carol, “Oh Come all Ye Faithful,” especially in Latin (brings back precious childhood memories).

Adeste fidelis

Laeti triumphantes

Venite, venite in Bethlehem

Natum videte regem angelorum

Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus Dominum.

Today, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

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Thoughts on Graduation

This past Friday was my graduation and doctoral hooding ceremony at United Theological Seminary. No words are sufficient to express my joy and overwhelming sense that I witnessed greatness in my fellow graduates. At some points it felt somewhat surreal. I have had the honor to journey through my seminary experience with divinely appointed fellow travelers—friends forever.

Musings about the meaning of our graduation raced through my head throughout the day’s events. Some may see it as a final hurrah. I’m more inclined to have a NASA perspective—it’s a launching pad to parts unknown. It’s a declaration that some preparation on a proving ground has taken place that verifies your equipping to move to the next big thing. It allows you to speak with some authority in the field of endeavor, but certainly not that you have “arrived” and know everything there is to know. You find out that you will never stop learning and the way you will learn has been changed, refined, informed.

For myself, I can say without revocation that my knowledge base on biblical studies and theology has been enormously broadened through much study and research. I also am quick to note that great minds have spent a lifetime of study revealing a reserve of understanding that is most humbling—some of whom, I might add, never even set foot in a seminary. I don’t want to devalue any of my accomplishments, but at the same time, I know deep in my “knower” that much more lies ahead to be discovered. The wonder of God is endless.

Here are some of my big “take-aways”:

  • I have met the most amazing people in my cohort—world changers. They have struggled with me on our journey together, laughed with me, prayed with me, and inspired me. I am eternally grateful for each one of them.
  • I have had the privilege of amazing discussions with brilliant professors who have devoted their lives to help students deepen their love of God and understanding of His book. I hope they continue.
  • My search and re-search skills have escalated to greater proportions. So much information is now available with new technologies that would have been hidden or extremely difficult to access in times past. Cut, paste, delete, click and move, insert, footnote, and format, just to name a few functions on my computer have been invaluable, especially when I conjure up memories of my pre-World War II Remington manual typewriter that was my technology for my bachelor and master degrees (seems like the Dark Ages).
  • My research, having as its theme the power of touch in impartation, was a good choice for me. It allowed me to noodle around in new territory. Going an inch wide and a mile deep has both trials and rewards along the way, but the satisfaction when your writing is finished, printed, and sent is pretty awesome.
  • My greatest take-away, however, is experiencing the faithfulness of Holy Spirit. (I don’t say “the” because Holy Spirit is person, not a thing.) Time and again, when I was stuck I was inspired to press through to new revelations, new insights, and expressiveness, by none other than the voice of God, sometimes still and small, other times loud and assertive. The vision for my life and work has expanded to proportions that, for me, are epic.

At the beginning and oftentimes during the past three years, I asked myself, “At your age and with retiree resources, what on earth were you thinking to sign up for this package?” I don’t doubt that others had similar thoughts. Why have we subjected ourselves to this level of intensity? I can only say for myself, that it was in obedience to the call of God. This rare opportunity of study presented itself to me rather miraculously and I knew it was right out of the throne room of heaven. I’ve asked, “Why me?” and was answered, “Why not you?” So I have to believe that it was for God’s purposes that are revealed as life proceeds day by day. Life with God is far from boring. It’s simply the walk of faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).

My encouragement to my readers is that God has plans and purposes for each person. It is unique to each of us and so, also requires each of us to commune with God for direction. His plans and purposes are way better that what we can imagine, even those with big imaginations. We don’t always know the outcome at the beginning of a directive, but the all-knowing Almighty God does, and so we put our faith and trust in Him, regardless of age or circumstances. “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope”(Jer. 29:11). Go for it! Dream big, my friends.

 

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Cerca Trova – Seek and Find

Cerca Trova, Italian for “seek — find,” is a phrase Giorgio Vasari painted on a green flag way at the top of his enormous fresco of the military successes of the Medici family’s Cosimo I against Pisa and Siena in the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundred in Palazzo Vecchio) in Florence, replacing the missing Leonardo da Vinci mural of the Battle of Anghiari. The meaning of Vasari’s words has been the source of much mystery and speculation among art historians and even Dan Brown in his book, Inferno. To what was Vasari referring? Was it an allusion to Inferno in Dante’s epic poem, Divine Comedy, or perhaps the fate of da Vinci’s work?

“Seek and find,” is deeply imbedded in the makeup of human beings. We all like to uncover mysteries, figure out puzzles, make discoveries, and satisfy curiosities. This thought brings me to some tricky Scripture verses about seeking and finding God, which need more than a first glance. “But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deut. 4:29 KJV). Is God playing a game of hide and seek? Is God intentionally quiet so that seekers make an effort? Or is it that people treat encounters with God like finding a treasure that had been purposely hidden because of its rarity or value? Is finding God like a holy quest fraught with overcoming obstacles that prove one’s worthiness?

At a quick surface reading is could appear that God is playing hard to get, yet all that we know of God in His Word reveals a God that is very accessible, always present, but also one who does not violate the will of humans. We seek and find what is already always there, more like removing a blind spot searching the universe. God says, says, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17 NASB). The word “shall” is a clue to the strength of the intent. It is the strongest word in English to represent a commitment to future action, expectation, and command. It means that there is no possibility for it to not come to pass.

Consider the strength of the word “shall” in Jeremiah 29:13 NASB, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” There it is—an issue of heart and will. Whoever finds God is the one who earnestly seeks. God does not withhold His presence from real seekers. Think about the ones you know who have no interest is pursuing God or only search for God in the midst of trouble when all else fails, but forget about it when the trial is over. God is not hiding from them or anyone else. Their own will prevents them from seeking God, who is the answer to each heartache, pain, and lack.

People may think that they have to clean themselves up to approach the divine, which is really impossible and is a deceptive device to keep people from God. Works can never be good enough to earn God’s favor; faith pleases Him, even in doing the good works. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). We come to God in faith and then Holy Spirit continuously cleans us up like we cannot even imagine. We call it sanctification.

We also don’t find God in religious tradition or formulas. This is the point Jesus made to the religious leaders who equated obedience to religious activity with relationship. “The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. Therefore Jesus said, ‘For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’” (John 7:43–36). Whereas rituals and traditions may celebrate God, they are not the means to finding Him. We find God with a repentant heart and faith.

Seek after God can sound and even feel like He is someplace else to be found, but ironically, He is always present. Scripture says, “that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us:” (Acts 17:27 NASB). It’s our awareness, our yieldedness, our desire for Him that opens the door and He welcomes us to the secret place of the Most High God (Psalm 91). Matthew 7:7–8 KJV says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” It shall—no possibility of failure or denial.

The Lord’s desire is for you to commune with Him. What is keeping you from enjoying the fellowship of the living God? Why put off enjoying the fullness of God? Cerca trova—seek and find.

 

 

Copyright 2015 by Eva Benevento

All rights reserved.

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Nothing Is New Under the Sun

I like to read biographies, but my choice is rarely that of a politician. I happened across Lomask’s incredibly well researched first of two volumes on Aaron Burr, Vice-President under Thomas Jefferson’s administration, and mostly known for his duel with Alexander Hamilton in Weehawken, New Jersey. The book focuses on the years between 1756 and 1805, tumultuous ones to say the least, in the forming of a new republic.

As I read the book, I was astonished by the facts of complex political intrigue, conspiracies, and political stratagem of the founding fathers steeped in securing personal gain, power, and frequent outright greed. It is far from the romanticism portrayed in history textbooks we encountered in elementary and high school—heroic narratives of selfless courage in the face of colonial oppression on behalf of the ordinary citizen. It is an entirely different story that made my head spin, the same response upon reading close narratives of the likes of Washington and Lincoln.

We can certainly make allowances for the country’s newness, and that the guys at the helm were experimenting with never before tried concepts of law and order. Nevertheless, it was a time marked by divisiveness entrenched in party affiliations to secure government positions and power, much like what we are witnessing in government two centuries later. John Quincy Adams wrote in his memoirs, “The country is so totally given up to the spirit of party, that not to follow blindfold the one or the other is an inexpiable [incapable of atonement] offense.”

The moral compass of leaders at the time of the founding of our nation was not much different from today. Each had positive character traits and exhibited passion for the nation to succeed in its fledgling years, but to characterize them as moral giants or paragons of virtue is pure fantasy. It was not uncommon for politicos to engage in scandalous affairs both moral and financial, to manipulate the power of the press with libelous writings, and to engage in plotting that came dangerously close to sedition. It is the fate of all nations—none are free from the squabbling over power.

It is a wonder, and I would go so far as to say miraculous, that we have survived our turbulent past to create a nation that has the eyes of the world upon it. We are a nation born out of revolution. We are most unified in times of deep distress and attack. We lay down our passionate differences and personal emolument for a greater cause—survival. As a nation, are we at that place of needing to unite against a common enemy once more?

As I ponder this big question, I am drawn to the source of divine wisdom in Ecclesiastes, a billboard for the foibles of humanity. “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Eccles. 1:2b NASB) and “That which has been done is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So, there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles. 1:9 NASB). History testifies to the truth of this statement, particularly when it repeats. This, I believe, is the power of the historical books of the Bible like 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. They reveal the character of flawed humanity, particularly in crisis, and the desperation for reliance on God for repentance, strength, direction, and restoration.

Our nation, our people, our way of life, and our freedoms are being challenged and our resolve is precarious amid the political voices regardless of party affiliations promising a new direction. Certainly more than ever in my lifetime, the future is at stake. What brings peace to the soul in times of unrest and gives us strength to endure with hope? If we lose hope, we are indeed finished. Our faith and hope cannot rest on the promises of humans, even those with good intentions, because they are subject to disappointment with the changing tides of events. We can, however, look to the rock of our salvation that gives us strength and assurance. We can stand on the immutable Word of the living God. We can seek His wisdom and direction to navigate the raging seas of a world that seems to have gone mad, with full confidence that He does not withhold any good thing from His children.

Ecclesiastes concludes with these words:

“But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writings of many books is endless, and the excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Eccles. 12:9–14).

 

 

Copyright 2105 by Eva Benevento. All rights reserved.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Winterfest

By now Christmas cards have been sent, homes elaborately decorated with lights and puffy inflatable characters, trees elegantly trimmed awaiting “oohs and aahs,” and presents wrapped to dazzle and tease their recipients. Special cookies are baked, tempting eager holiday revelers to overindulge. Santa Clause in all his versions with assorted elves, Rudolph and his reindeer cohort, and Frosty, before he melts, have made their appearances in malls and store displays.

Ridiculous Christmas ditties fill the radio airwaves like “When Santa Got Stuck in the Chimney,” and “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” Parents dutifully sit through the “holiday chorus performance” of their cherubs singing holiday selections, all in compliance with school multicultural policies. Holiday parties with work colleagues have been dutifully planned and executed.

Literally hundreds of movies containing Christmas content are available for “holiday spirit” viewing with enough sappy emotional sugar to give you a mental coma. Can you miss one December without viewing some version of Scrooge, or Ralphie’s passion for the Red Ryder B.B. gun in A Christmas Story. Not to be outdone by Hollywood, workplace parties, family gatherings, and church celebrations have been planned with anticipation of much merrymaking, and in some cases, too much, outdone only by New Year’s Eve a week later.

Oh, and about the shopping—the economics of Christmas almost defies description. Retailers depend on a strong Christmas shopping season as the core of their yearly profits. Midnight on Thanksgiving Day is a frenzy of wild-eyed shoppers who trample each other in eagerness to grab bargains off store shelves and even from the arms of other shoppers. Phone videos have gone viral.

Gift lists are all about how much to spend and the quality of the gift for each person on the holiday roll call, typically based on an even exchange. “What would so-and-so think if I didn’t spend about the same for a present or even outdo them?” Re-gifting is a social taboo. Credit cards are burning through slides and debt will take all of next year to pay it off with interest rates higher than loan sharks. Hey, it’s all about the “Christmas Spirit.” Should you decide to tone it down, you would have to relinquish the validation of “Oh, you shouldn’t have,” for that expensive gift, even though they would be disappointed if you didn’t.

Imagine what would happen if everyone decided to take the same amount of money they spend on Christmas presents and give it to a favorite charity on behalf of the person to whom they would normally give a gift? Missionaries would not have to itinerate for support. There would be enough to do all of the great charitable work both religious and secular in our communities, and donors would even receive a tax deduction (at least until IRS decides to remove it). Feel free to take a hint here.

Is finding Jesus in the Christmas frenzy like “Where’s Waldo?” How much of what we do is Christ-centered, the whole point of Christmas, and how much is purely cultural tradition out of control? I’m not against celebrations. I like good food, a festive atmosphere, happy people, and gifts. I like outdoor decorations, but it seems that every Christmas we hear about some town’s conflict between putting up non-descript winter decoration like monstrous snowflakes instead of the creche that had been there for 30 years. It tempts us to tap the “like” button for the “Keep Christ in Christmas” Facebook memes sometimes posted by the very people who keep the holiday gerbil running on its wheel.

Here’s a thought: If all of the secular stuff that is called Christmas would be given a different name, the conflict between the sacred and profane would be eliminated and we would not be hearing rants about how we should be wishing people “Merry Christmas,” not “Happy Holidays.”  Let’s just call it Winterfest or some other euphemism that works for the season. Like Harry Potter, Santa Claus can remain as a fantasy character who slides down chimneys that don’t exist, deposits presents made in a toy workshop in a polar region visible only to imaginary friends, and eats cookies and milk on his way back up the chimney. Isn’t it ironic that the same people who object to the Harry Potter books perpetuate the Santa myth with their kids. Let’s not even go to the Easter bunny and Tooth fairy.

We can set a different date to celebrate the fact of Jesus’ birth in a more Christian context, even in a different season since most biblical scholars agree that Jesus was not even born in December. We could create completely new traditions that are more in keeping with the meaning of Christ’s arrival. We can keep the old ones that actually agree with Scripture. A real Christmas–what a concept! Back to reality.

Before I’m written off as a close relative of the Grinch, let me assure the holiday loving world that my annual family newsletter is printed, Christmas cards written and addressed, and all mailed on time hoping they are not mistakenly routed to the North Pole among the sea of letters to Santa. Cards and greetings I receive will be read and reread with smiles and gratitude before becoming part of the Christmas decor. The few decorations that have managed to survive multiple garage sales have been unearthed and put into place. If Christmas is still on for this December, I plan on baking Oma’s special cookies while listening to Bing Crosby’s Christmas album like I always do. I plan on inviting family and friends for a sumptuous meal, and purchase gifts without blowing next year’s manicure budget. I will also watch Bedford Falls pour their love for George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life and sneak a peek at Alistair Sim’s portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption. The Nativity Story will be read with joy, gratitude, and prayers for peace on earth and good will to humanity. Some traditions are worth keeping.

Whatever traditions we keep and maybe start new ones, let’s do them and pass them on with a glad heart and sane mind. I wish you a happy season of selfless generosity, warm company of family and friends, and in remembrance of the One who came to Earth for the sake of peace.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

May your Christmas celebration have as its centerpiece extravagant worship and joy in the presence of the King of kings, our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

 

Copyright 2015 by Eva Benevento. All rights reserved.

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