Clement's First Letter to God's Community at Corinth - Section 2

                On top of all of this, you all were prime examples of humility being not at all arrogant. None of you had to have it your own way - you were all givers instead of takers. What God had given you was enough since your meditation and practice of his way - especially of how he had suffered for you - filled you from the inside out. Because of this, you all received an obvious and plentiful peace. You all constantly wanted to do more good and the Holy Spirit empowered everyone of you to do so. All of your minds were so focused on God's greater plans that, if anyone did make a mistake and acted wrongly, then that one would turn to our powerful God with honest remorse and confidently seek his mercy to right the situation. With every waking hour, you all sincerely desired that everyone who would be a part of God's community would be freed from brokenness and set right by his mercy. You all were genuine without faking it in any way - forgiving each other in every situation. Arguments causing divisions and the forming of cliques were not acceptable to any of you. When anyone's neighbor acted wrongly, you all felt the pain of it as if their weaknesses were your own. Each of you was constantly at the ready to go and do something good without complaining about being called to performing any act of kindness. Every one of you sported a good character and devoted life, being consistently mindful of God's will in everything any of you did. Each of you demonstrated that the words of our Lord had impacted you deeply and were a part of your very being.

Clement's First Letter to God's Community at Corinth - Section 1

Explanatory note: I was finally able to pick up the 38 volume Early Church Fathers series (a rearrangement of the Edinburgh collection of translations) for personal study/devotional time. Tonight I felt like doing a paraphrase of the first "chapter" of the "first" epistle of Clement to the Corinthians and I feel like posting it here. I'd like to do this again, so I probably will. It helps me to meditate on the content if I paraphrase as I go. Also, even though I'm busy with work, I miss blogging.

Those of God's community who are, for but a brief time, in Rome, to those of God's community who are, for but a brief time, in Corinth - all of you who are right now being set apart for the special service to which each of you is called by God's will, which can operate in all of us through our Lord, Jesus, the One who has always been set apart:

                May God look upon all of you favorably and, from his unending power, cause peace to grow in you all through Jesus, the One set apart.

                A recent series of unfortunate events has delayed us in addressing your questions. We specifically regret the delay in our responses concerning the embarrassingly disgusting (especially to those whom God has set apart) mutiny begun by those who have gotten cocky and rushed blindly into starting up a big fuss that has greatly damaged your good reputation - a reputation which ought to have been admired by everyone. Seriously, hadn't everyone - even those who had barely met you all - seen how real your faith was and how productive it had been in making you all grow strong in character? Who didn't admire the clear and sensible thinking that came with your being made more like the One who has always been set apart? Who didn't brag on you all about what great hosts you consistently were? Who didn't get excited about the perfect and well-founded knowledge you all have? You all did everything without worrying about anyone's "status." Together, you followed God's directions all the way, even when that meant obeying authorities with whom you may not have readily agreed, and you all showed proper respect to the leaders God had placed in your lives to help you learn more about and follow him. You all encouraged clear, rational thinking in your young men. You all taught every married woman among you to do everything justly - keeping a clean conscience in mind - and to respect her marriage by loving her husband and by making thoughtful, appropriate decisions for the household.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 15 - Peacemakers

Once upon a time in China, two rival lords were entangled in grueling land and trade negotiations. As discussion progressed, one lord felt as if the denial of certain concessions by the other had dishonored him. This lord decided to avenge himself, gathering the entirety of his troops and moving toward a hillside on the border between the two territories. The other lord, hearing of this movement, gathered his troops and camped in the plain a ways off from the hillside. This lord had managed to muster a more impressive army than the other yet the avenging lord still sought war.

The night before going to battle, the avenging lord sought the advice of a local sage. This sage had also heard of the plans and that the lord was coming to him for direction. The sage knew, too, that the lord was set on action and was unwilling to withdraw. When the lord approached him, the sage arose and began walking toward the camp. The sage declared, "Come. We must work quickly to finish before the sun rises. I will arrange your troops in a formation that will assure true victory and you will rest to prepare to receive it." The lord followed the sage back to camp, excited about his upcoming victory. He put the soldiers at the sage's command and went to his tent to rest.

As daylight broke, the lord emerged from his tent in full dress for victory. He saw that his troops had been arranged in a strange row formation over the course of the night and he smiled at the thought that this would bring him what he desired. Shortly after sunrise, the other lord sent over a delegation to speak with him. "Good," he thought. "This formation is so fearsome, I have already won."

The other lord sent the following declaration: "Greetings. When I had heard that you had gathered troops to advance on my territory, I became furious and gathered the force you see across the plain. However, having seen your message displayed upon the hillside this morning, I know now that I was mistaken. I offer to you the concessions that you requested in our meetings in light of this. I see now the sincerity you give to our alliance. There shall be peace between us as long as we both shall live."

The lord stood, looking at the hill. The sage had arranged the troops in a formation that assured true victory.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." - Matthew 5:9

A peacemaker, like the sage, knows that a force that cannot be stopped must be redirected.

As far as I know, I just came up with the story above so: Copyright 2011 by Shannon Nichols.

For a good series on the Chinese written language:

How to Write 'Friend' in Chinese -- powered by ehow

30 Days of Thanks - Day 13 - Community

I am thankful for community [1]. I am thankful that we were never meant to go it alone; that the first thing God says is "not good" is for a man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). I am thankful that God exists within a Community unto Himself and thus why He recognized this. I am thankful that there are many types of community - the family, the team, the club, the class, the group, the church, the Church [2]. I am thankful that we are called to support, encourage, build up, care for, provide for, correct, teach, guide, submit to, receive, love, and strengthen each other. I am thankful that what is commonly called "The LORD's Prayer" or the "Our Father" uses the inclusive language of community:

Our Father . . .

Give us this day our daily bread . . .

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us . . .

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil . . .

I am thankful that this community known as the Kingdom of Heaven - the Kingdom of God - is opened to us by a God who wants to be in communion with us and wants to repair the separation we have ultimately caused [3]. I am thankful that we can join together, that we can work together, and that we can make peace.

[1] I am not talking about the television show which I have never seen.

[2] Note the capital C.

[3] Caused between us and God as well as between ourselves.

Rabbit Hole Verses - I Peter 3:8

"Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind." - I Peter 3:8 (NRSV)

I have a habit during service of turning to the passage being discussed, catching sight of a verse, and mentally getting lost in it for the next few hours. Thankfully, I have a multi-threaded mind so I can continue to follow along in the service and conduct myself in other functions. Usually I just mull these over and then move on without recording the instance. Today's verse I feel compelled (and have time) to analyze and write about. Let's break it down:

First of all: "Finally"

It may be odd to begin at an end but it is important to note that this verse comes at the climax of a guide that began as an encouragement to those who, having not seen, still believed during the trials that they continued to suffer. "Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." - I Peter 1:8-9 (NRSV).

Peter instructs his audience to recall the prophets of old who, though made aware that this promise was to culminate at a latter time, still rejoiced in their labor toward that glorious day (10-12). From this foundation, he puts forth that our minds must be prepared for action so that we may live in the promise and not return to ignorance and its fruits (13-16). Peter also explains that we are capable of living in this way because Christ picked up our tab (17-21). With this he introduces his major topic and the secret to enduring this time of trial before the glory is revealed: "Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart." - I Peter 1:22 (NRSV)

And there it is: the secret is love. Peter is writing to let us know that, because of Christ's sacrifice, we actually have an excuse (and an ability) to love each other and that this is what will help us to continue. Our souls have been purified through obedience and that which will sustain this state within us is love, is community.

Peter gives instruction on cleaning inner-house (2:1), on developing a positive self- and communal-image (2-10), in dealing with living in an antagonistic society (11-25), and in preserving peace in the union of marriage (3:1-7). But then we come to "Finally . . ."

Second of all: "all of you"

This is where Peter signifies that this is not optional. It's not a "well that works for you, but I've got my own way" type of thing. This isn't merely relative to a specific time or place or sub-group, this is a universal command to those who would claim Christ.

Third (and, technically, fourth) of all: "have unity of spirit, sympathy"

Sympathy means (from dictionary.com):

1.harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another.

2.the harmony of feeling naturally existing between persons of like tastes or opinion or of congenial dispositions.

3.the fact or power of sharing the feelings of another, esp. insorrow or trouble; fellow feeling, compassion, or commiseration.

4.sympathies: a.feelings or impulses of compassion. b.feelings of favor, support, or loyalty: It's hard to tell where your sympathies lie.

Here Peter calls us to truly be a community - feeling with one another and sharing in each other's struggles. He calls us to be considerate, to be compassionate, and to be loyal to one another. There is a charge here to think; a charge to put my mind to serving the man to my left and the man to my right because they are more than just loose associations - they are a part of who I am. Consider: when you get a cut on your foot, you adjust the way your body operates to help that foot to heal. Some parts carry more weight, some parts move into action to apply aid. Your entire body is affected. If this didn't happen, that cut would continually rip open, becoming deeper and more severe each time. The cut would eventually become infected and either be lost or act as a gateway to a greater disaster. If the body doesn't choose to act, it will be forced to act. In the same way, we - as a body - must choose to be compassionate to the other parts of the body or we will be drug down with them when they fail.

Fifth of all: "love for one another"

This call for mutual love is not merely a weak echo. Love, like faith, is often a word we treat as a simple noun and not as the action verb that it is. This is a call to choose the action of love. A call to remember that our responsibility is to do everything that is in our power (which we have been given in great abundance) to love each other. Although we cannot control the actions of others, we can - and must - control ourselves to strive for peace and, most of all, truth. Love cautions; love corrects. Love is not silent. Love builds up. Love maintains. Love sustains.

Sixth of all: "a tender heart"

Peter calls for awareness - that we should not be blind or deaf or numb to that which afflicts the rest of the body. Again, we must be considerate, compassionate, and loyal that the body may survive and grow. We should not ignore the needs of our greater family be they physical, mental, or spiritual - even needs of discipline.

Seventh of all: "and a humble mind."

You're not perfect. Deal with it and move on. You can be wrong. To survive we must be teachable; willing to take the correction from those of tender heart - those who have felt the suffering we may have even come to ignore. As Solomon passed on to his son, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body." - Proverbs 3:5-8 (NRSV)

And, if you just skimmed through that last verse thinking, "Oh, I've read this before, I know it," then look again. Read it and let it sink in. Take on the humble mind, drinking in deep the beauty and novelty of the passage (and noticing that I didn't cut it after verse six as many are in the habit of doing).

Get lost in the Word and come out with a story to tell.