Fake news

Today all we have to do to attract attention is to proclaim something is fake news. Then what happens is that everyone and I mean everyone follows what is happening. That really is all we have to do proclaim something is false or fake and we will have all sorts of people visiting us. However, as Christians we build on foundations of honesty and the truth. Of course there is the question of whose truth and what teaching is false. The Colossian's letter is quite specific regarding the fact that we must be constantly on our guard against 'hollow and delusive speculations, based on traditions of human teachings' (Col 2.8). So, how do we tell who is right and who is wrong in terms of how we speak of God.

There are those who will speak of biblical inerrancy and even those who will suggest that there is only one way to read the scriptures whether from the Hebrew original texts or from the New Testament as they are God inspired. Problem is that when we start to pick apart the scriptures and cherry pick what we believe then we are subject to our own interpretations of the text that is 'God inspired'. In looking at this we need to understand that all of our interpretations are 'fake' Good News as we are not God nor are we necessarily God inspired in the way that those who wrote the scriptures (as some would believe). So what is the criteria that distinguishes from fake news and its continual draw upon ourselves and the truth that we proclaim.

Do we prostitute the Gospel for our own purposes?

If we look at the prophet Hosea (1.2-ff) we can see that despite everything, his love or God, determines his course. It is a course that would have brought all sorts of stigma onto him and yet just as in the Gospel (Luke 11.5-10) there is a persistence in Hosea's living and loving arrangements. He is upright before God and is deep within his covenantal relationship. So when we come to determine between fake and Good news we need to look for that persistence in the covenantal relationship with God. In other words our whole character is based in Christ whom we have taken on in baptism. It is our foundational relationship that is of prime importance as this has to be grounded in Christ (Col. 2.7). This is the important understanding that it is in Christ who is Jesus and not the other way around. The importance of God is paramount when we come to speak of the Gospel. Once we start to place the humanity first we begin to lose our way and proclaim those things which are part of our misunderstanding and thus part of that which is Fake.

In the Lord's prayer, which is a reiteration in some respects of the shema, we re-insert ourselves into that covenantal relationship as we ask God for his presence in our daily undertakings. This is the covenantal persistence that we require to ground ourselves in Christ. In doing so we reiterate the relationship that is found in the Godhead. In undertaking this relational undertaking we become part of the body of Christ, not Jesus, and bring God's light into the world. In communion with each other we join the hospitality of the Godhead around the table and invite those that are external to ourselves into relationship with the community that is embedded in Christ. This community which may become the Church, is one that portrays the truth of Christic, covenantal love by accepting all no matter who they may be for it is not for us to bring judgement. Only when we are in as deep as Hosea can we understand the presence of God that is fully present.

Busy lives and God's presence

The Martha and Mary story brings division into the ranks of those who read it, decrying Christ's words or trying desperately to ensure Martha's place as being worthwhile (Lk 10.38-42). Perhaps we should just sit back and acknowledge the fact that busy lives do detract us from God's presence. Maybe we should acknowledge that the opportunity to sit at the feet of God is one that is good if we were only to discern it in our busyness. Or perhaps we should be angry because nobody is helping us put things together so that we can be a family. So that we can eat together and then have the opportunity to sit together in God's presence. The more hands on deck will get things done faster to give us more time. Then there are always only a few that actually get things done while everybody comes to celebrate not having lifted a finger to help. Yet, we know that we allow our busy selves the opportunity to create more concerns to worry about and be busy about, so we never actually stop to smell the roses.

We need to take time to smell the aroma of God in our lives

There is a small book that was written during the 1600s which perhaps tells us a different story. A story that all of us in our busyness need to understand and is something that readers of the Lukan text also miss in Martha's interaction with Christ. These writings were collected by an abbot and published after the death of the author in 1690. Brother Lawrence spent most of his spiritual life in a kitchen (somewhat like Martha). He cultivated what he called the presence of God. In the Lukan passage God is present in the form of Christ and this is what is at issue in terms of Martha. Martha can only see her busyness not the relationship that is present in Christ. Brother Lawrence determined that he had a low spirituality but developed the understanding that no matter where he was or what he was doing he was in the presence of God.

In our busyness we forget, like Martha, that God's presence is close if we were only but to discern it. We loose ourselves and say that what we are doing is important and cannot be not done. Yet, like Brother Lawrence we need to cultivate an understanding of God's presence in our lives at all times, even in the most busy time. In our busyness we think that we are honouring God, just as the Israelites did at the time of Amos (8.1-12). They could not wait until they had left the temple and the offerings to get back to what they thought was more important. They forgot that God was ever present in their lives, just as we do. In doing so they alienated themselves from God. They formed broken communities that were untrustworthy. They relied on guile rather than on love. It is when we begin to take in the fact that God is present at all times that we can show love to our neighbour. Brother Lawrence highlights our attitudes of busyness with his ability to find God in the present no matter what that present circumstance was. In opening ourselves up to a relationship we allow God to be close to us even in the midst of our own busyness. Only then will we understand the critique of Martha in Christ's presence, not for her work but for her lack of understanding that it is God's presence that is important nothing else.

Forming community in adversity

There are times when we need to come together in seemingly adverse conditions. At least adverse for someone and thus there is a reluctance to participate. In the Gospel passage there is a story of a a person from the opposite culture who has the love to provide the cooperation necessary to bring healing (Lk 10.25-37). Often we become discouraged and easily give up our efforts relying on others to do the hard yards. Yet we are called from baptism to begin the formation of community in a manner that does not create tensions but rather accepts the other.

The Luke passage is clear on the formation of a loving community. In fact our initial steps in the creation of a community begin when we are very young. This is why it is so important that we have sponsors, godparents, to support our growth in community. It is the family that is the basis of our own forays as a faith forming community. Only the model of the family's love can serve us in the wider implications of community forming. Our acceptance of the other begins within the family. We can clearly see that if our teachers within the family do not uphold what it means to be as Christ then how can we mirror that in our own lives as we interact with those around us. It is the family, no matter how formed, that forms us in our youth. Whilst in a tight knit community the presence of the other is not really required unless death is a constant presence that can irreparably destroy the bonds of family. It is for this reason that we have Godparents who are set to guide and strengthen us on the path of Christ.

Offer the hand of love and restore the community

The Godparent is there from our birth into a new life to assist the parents in guiding their child(ren) into the life that is promised by dying to sin. These are substantive people who are outside of our own familial context who are present to show us the needed understanding of giving of self to the other. This is in some respects something of a violent act as it draws us apart from the familiar into a new understanding that is based on the other. In the adversarial context of an other who is outside of the family the person baptised to Christ is confronted in a loving manner that opens their own world view that is, ultimately from birth, one that is centred on self. Thus by bringing a loving enemy into our midst we demonstrate the understanding of giving to the other who is not us. We are taught that not only does the family give but also those who are outside of the family, which allows us to sacrifice ourselves and give in return.

This does not necessarily mean that everything is easy. Sometimes it requires persistence and patience to obtain the gift of love whilst at others it demands of ourselves a sacrifice that is more than we expect (Amos 7.7-17). In demonstrating our power to love those that are different and condemning those that appear to be familiar we open ourselves up and allow the possibility of hurt. Yet, being in the presence of Christ we are able to achieve the binding of the other to ourselves and to God's will for a harmonious community. Our vulnerability becomes our sacrifice to the other allowing a new understanding to form and so build community. We could create tension by bypassing the other and only keeping to ourselves. In this way we may hold a semblance of community but we do not have a viable thing as it is ripped apart by division. Only when we are prepared to face the other in the strangeness can we find true community.

Belief - the ability to take a step into nothing

It is always an issue when we cannot see our way forward into the future. There is a point in time when we get to a nexus, a place of choice, and we cannot discern which road or path or way or career or... to take. It is a point where all our apparent opportunities and future possibilities seem to have dried up to become nothing and yet we have to make a choice to achieve our dream. In terms of faith this can perhaps be seen as the long dark night of the soul or some other graphic formulation. It is a place where we struggle within ourselves and try to discern a path forward. Sometimes, like Naaman (2 Kings 5.1-14), it means taking an opportunity which appears to be below our dignity and stepping out with a belief that our challenges will be overcome, At other times it is a more simple approach such as faced the disciples (Luke 10.1-12), is all that it takes.

In both of these scenarios the attitude that was taken is one of belief. Both the disciples and Naaman took a step into an unknown future and came through in to a new life engendered by God's presence in their lives. At the time I am sure that the thoughts in Naaman's mind were confused and up for debate. He saw himself being belittled in his status and severely insulted. In any other culture he would probably have taken Elisha's head without any qualms. Yet, the conflict in his mind was defused by some wise words and a thought that was God sent that allowed healing and a new life to begin. In our struggles when we come to that point we are often so overwhelmed by our own thinking and by the thoughts of those in authority that we forget to listen to God's voice prompting us to take a more humble approach rather than relying on our own fame, fortune, authority, etc.

Belief in God's presence leads us into new life

In the disciples case there is a difference they are following a plan which Christ has laid out for them. A plan that brings the fruit of the Spirit into the lives of those they interact with. The plan is simple it is to go out into the neighbourhood and bring the Good News into the hearts and minds of those who were willing to listen. This means that they went out to form community in the disparate communities that they entered into. They brought life with them and it was their joy that turned the hearts and minds of those they interacted with. For they were led by God's Spirit into communities that were dry. Their success depended on themselves and God's presence. To go out and become incarnational Witnessing to God's love. Those that disabused them they left on the side. We so often allow ourselves to be drawn into the abuse and hurtful ways of the world. In being so drawn in we allow those ways to direct what we do as holders of the faith in the community so that our faith rots from the inside. It is a single belief in God's guidance and direction that leads us forward into a community that is willing to step forward into the unknown.

Paul rightly states that it is what we sow that we reap (Gal 6.7). We sow discord and discontent in our lives we will reap discord and discontent. We sow God's love into the community we will reap the benefits of that love in our lives. Only when we fully live to Christ and bend our lives to Christ's goals will we begin to understand the wonders that God's love brings to our lives. There will always be those nexus points, which can turn us to any direction, but the clearest route for us to take is the one that God guides us down. It is often difficult to wait for God's direction but often this comes in a manner we least expect but so often forfeit as we ignore the possibility it presents. We want our solutions rather than believing in God's solutions. We see the darkest hour not realising that the dawn is just a moment away and so slip into despair.