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Stereotypes

If you read yesterday's post you will have watched the TV advert for the AA.

Did you notice that all the people who broke down in the advert were women? Obviously if you break down and are a woman you need the help of the AA man. Presumably if you are a man you are more than capable of sorting out the problem for yourself.

On Sunday we looked at the story of Deborah from Judges 4. Deborah was a woman who was leading the people of Israel.

There are times when we come across stories in the Bible that should challenge our stereotypes and prejudices. They should make us think.

In our E100 Bible readings this week we also read the story of Ruth - a foreign woman, who has lost her husband, who displays the characteristics of a true disciple and who finds herself the great grandmother of king David and a distant, but direct relative of Jesus.

A couple of weeks ago we read about Rahab, a foreign woman, who was a prostitute. But a woman who displayed great courage and faith and who is mentioned in the New Testament in Hebrews 11 - listed amongst those who demonstrated great faith.

Sometimes we have a picture in our heads of the kind of people God uses. Usually these pictures are the result of our life experience. Some people may be a part of a church where only certain kinds of people get all the key roles - maybe, for example, professional men. This can result in a number of thought patterns.

Those who are professional men (in this example) then either consciously or unconsciously overlook others in the church because they don't fit.

But also those who aren't professional men assume that God doesn't want to use them and therefore find themselves on the fringe of the church rather than involved at it's heart.

Hopefully stories like Rahab, Deborah and Ruth should alert us to the fact that God can use anyone and wants to use anyone. The key is not our background but our willingness to be obedient to God. Are there people you have overlooked because of unconscious thinking? Is God asking you to do something but you've always resisted because you see yourself as the wrong kind of person?

Help - I need somebody

How do you think about God? Is it something like this?



For many people, God is a bit like the AA man (Automobile Association) - he's there when your car breaks down on the motorway, but when your car is working fine you don't give him a second thought. When we experience a crisis in our lives we call out to God for help, but when things are going well we hardly give him a thought.

This week in our E100 Bible readings we have been reading from Judges and Ruth. And in Judges the people of Israel go through this cycle of good times - they forget about God and follow false gods - they are oppressed by their enemies - they cry out to God - God rescues them - they experience good times - and the whole cycle repeats itself.

There are a whole range of reasons why we experience crisis in our lives. It is not the case that we can simply say that suffering and hardship are God punishing us for sin. In the New Testament, Jesus, the disciples, and the apostle Paul are just some of the people to experience hardship because of their obedience to God.

But sometimes it may be the case that God sends a crisis in order to get our attention. We are happily following a road that will lead to destruction and God wants us to stop and choose the road that will lead to life. But the only way at times for God to get our attention is when we reach rock bottom - a bit like the prodigal son.

It is good to know that if we have reached rock bottom and there is no where else to turn, no matter how far we've walked from God, no matter how long we have been away - God is loving and forgiving, and has promised that if we turn around he is there to welcome us back and give us a new start.

To be continued...

No chains on me

Last week I was given Chris Tomlin's latest album, 'And if our God is for us', which went straight on to my iPod and has been pretty much the only thing I've listened to since then. Those of you who visit this blog regularly will know that Chris Tomlin is one of my favourite singers/writers - but even from my biased opinion there are some great songs on this album.

The other day I was listening while out running and I decided to run an extra mile at the end of my run just so that I could listen to some more! And if you're looking for something to raise the tempo during a run 'No chains on me' should do the trick...

I've started - hopefully I'll finish

A few posts ago I mentioned that I was hoping to read Virtue Reborn by Tom Wright - having failed to read any of the books on my 2010 'to read' list.

Well, I've started. I've only read one chapter, the first 24 pages, but that chapter was enough to make me want to read more.

What is the book about? I think it is going to be about developing character, specifically Christian character.

Tom Wright has set himself a few questions to try to answer, and they are really good questions.

There is the 'what am I here for?' question - what is a Christian supposed to be doing between the point at which they become a Christian and the point at which they die.

Then there is the tension/balance between those who believe that life is about following a set of rules, or should that be Rules; and those who believe that following Jesus frees us from rules and that we should be true to ourselves and authentic.

There are the questions related to the moral choices we make.

And then there are the questions of how this relates to our wider world which is reeling from the financial crisis, and (within the UK at the time of writing) the MPs' expenses scandal.

Tom Wright argues that what we are supposed to be doing as Christians between belief and death is the transformation of character - so that we do indeed keep the rules, but not out of a sense of duty but out of the character that has been formed within us; and we do indeed follow our hearts, but only as those whose spontaneous decisions and actions reflect what has been formed deep within. And in the wider world how do we develop a fresh generation of leaders in all walks of life, whose character has been formed in wisdom and public service, not in greed for money or power.

To be continued...

So that's where my money goes

Those of you who are familiar with a Baptist church might well be aware of the international work carried out by BMS World Mission. Many Baptist churches will support BMS workers overseas, or provide financial support for specific projects or regions through a special collection at Christmas or Harvest. BMS also have a Relief Appeal through which practical and essential help can be quickly provided to areas in the world experiencing disaster - making use of financial donations from across the world, but channelled through local workers and partner organisations who are already present in communities hit by crisis.

Last financial year BMS provided relief grants to places and situations that hit our national news here in the UK, such as Haiti and Pakistan. But also many grants were made to other situations that many of us knew nothing about. This short video shows how homes in Chincha, Peru were built with BMS relief grants following an earthquake.

BMS World Mission send their thanks to all those who make this kind of work possible through generous giving. To find out more visit www.bmsworldmission.org/relief

BMS Relief Appeal - After the quake from BMS World Mission on Vimeo.

I know my place

In yesterday's post we looked at the encouragement of Paul's letter to Philemon. But then there was the challenge.

The main part of Paul's letter is taken up with a guy called Onesimus. Onesimus was a slave, and he had run away from Philemon. He had encountered Paul and become a Christian. And now Paul was sending him back to Philemon. But the punishment for a run away slave was death - something that both Onesimus and Paul wanted to avoid. We can't know whether or not Philemon would have considered the death penalty for Onesimus - but Paul urges Philemon to accept Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a brother, and to forgive him.

Philemon's values, now that he is a Christian, are going to impact every area of life - including the way he thinks about a slave. Verse 16 describes the slave as a fellow man, rather than a simple possession.

It can be easy to miss just how radical some of these instructions in the Bible are at times. The early church was made up of a whole range of people, who would have all known 'their place' in society. But Paul shakes it all up - everyone is equal - brothers and sisters, because of Jesus.



I wonder if Paul was writing to you today, whether there are people who you struggle to think of as dear brothers or sisters. What would Paul ask you to do?

Character Development

Last week we took a break from our E100 Bible reading programme, so that, for our all age service, we could link in with the topic the children have been looking at in their Sunday School classes. The children are currently looking at some of the letters in the New Testament that help to illustrate what it means to live as a follower of Jesus.

Last Sunday we looked at the little book of Philemon. This letter was written by Paul, in about AD 62, from prison, to a Christian in a place called Colosse. The letter begins with some encouragement for Philemon, before the challenge of the second half.

Paul begins by writing about the encouragement it is to hear about Philemon's love and faith. I wonder what Paul could write to you if he had been following your journey of faith over the past year or so. How has your character developed in that time? In what ways are you more like Jesus now, than 6 months ago? Think in terms of your character rather than things you do. Things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. If you can't think of anything - what about asking someone you respect and trust to see what they've seen.

Failed

The really observant, regular visitors to this blog will have noticed that I have removed my list of books to read in 2010 from the right hand side of this page. And I can (not so) proudly report that I didn't manage to read a single one of them. I bought a couple of them, but they are still sitting on my bookcase - but they remain unread.

Not that I didn't read last year. I read quite a lot that was related to stuff happening at church. And I read a reasonable amount of fiction too.

So, not to be defeated, I have bought some more books with some outstanding book vouchers. And first on my list of books to read is Virtue Reborn by Tom Wright. I thought his previous book Surprised by Hope, which I must have read in 2009, was excellent, so I am looking forward to this book.

I'll let you know how I get on - feel free to ask if I've started it if you don't hear anything by March!

Send somebody else

Yesterday we saw how God wanted Moses to be the answer to his own prayers. God had heard the cries of the Israelites and he was concerned - but his plan was to send Moses (Exodus 3:10). I'm sure this was the last thing Moses' expected to hear when the creator of the universe showed up.

So Moses did what many of us do - he made excuses. He couldn't do it because he was no one special, because he didn't have the right gifts, because no one would listen to him - ultimately he wanted God simply to ask someone else to do it (Exodus 3:11-4:17).



How do we respond when God asks us to do something? How did you respond yesterday to the thought that God might want you to be the answer to your prayers? God has heard and his plan is to...send you!

Is our first response to make excuses as to why we can't do it. Who am I? I can't do it? What difference can I make? I don't have time? So and so - they're much more qualified. What if I mess it up? I'm not ready yet!

God promised to be with Moses (Exodus 3:12) and God promises to be with us. If God asks us to do something then God will make sure that we have all we need to do it. But being obedient to God involves faith - which involves risk - stepping into the unknown, going beyond our limits, doing things we've never done before...

But God is with us when we obey him and take a risk. Don't miss out by asking God to send someone else.