Sower, Seed, and Soil Surprise

A post that goes along with my Theology of Surprise writings. I wrote this to share with my church community. Luke 8:4-15

⁴ One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: ⁵ “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. ⁶ Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

⁹ His disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they look, they won’t really see.
    When they hear, they won’t understand.’

¹¹ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. ¹² The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. ¹³ The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. ¹⁴ The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. ¹⁵ And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

This month, I have had the privilege of exploring this passage with the kids at our church. I love that they keep it simple, and I think they are really getting to the meaning of this story. In fact, a couple of the kids said it’s not hard to understand because Jesus explains it. J And, I think they do get it at a very important level, they are…..fertile soil. Last week I asked the kids to think of a person in the Bible and decide which kind of soil that person was and why. Their answers were amazing and thoughtful. Connor answered, Cain, and he said that Cain started out as good soil, but that he got jealous and wanted what his brother had, so he became thorny soil. Yea, the kids at our church are that smart.

Someone else mentioned David, which sparked a conversation about David’s story and how it contains examples of each of the types of soil in it. Scripture tells us that David was at times packed soil, at times rocky soil, and later in his life we see a lot of thorny soil. We also talked about His heart for God which we likened to good soil. This, lead us into a conversation about how each one of us can be any one of the types of soil at various times in our life. Same thing with Noah, who was also mentioned. And, then, Fiona, one of our youngest members mentioned The Bleeding Woman as someone who was good soil. Nolan, another of our youngest members mentioned the Sinful Woman as an example of good soil. Both of them were likened to good soil because of their faith. Those two comments stopped me in my tracks and totally changed the trajectory of my thinking about this parable. I love kids.

We have spent time in class talking about soil, and the kind of soil that we want to be. We have spent a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to cultivate good soil, to be fertile soil. We also talked about how tough it can be to admit when we are packed soil, rocky soil, or thorny soil.  We talked about the Sower, a lot, and we dwelt in pictures that depicted a farmer hastily and generously throwing out seeds. We dwelt in pictures of evil looking weeds choking out plants. Some significant and beautiful conversations have taken place as we cultivated soil during class time. I have no doubt that God was generously sowing, watering, and growing seed as we dwelt in this passage and reflected on many of the teachings that we have engaged over the years.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about Luke 8:4-15. I think sometimes we don’t want to acknowledge our part in the process of cultivation. It makes sense to me, why not leave it all to the Sower, HE is good at it, and it is HE who really makes the soil good anyway. It is God who makes things grow. Other times, I think we overemphasize our part in the cultivation process - we become the weed that chokes out the work that Christ is trying to produce in us. It is interesting to me that so often when it comes to this parable, or others like it, we tend to emphasize a particular aspect of it. It is natural to emphasize the Sower, or to emphasize the Seeds, or to emphasize the Soil. I have heard good sermons on each! But, this month, dwelling in this passage with children has helped me to see the relationship between the three. This parable shows us the divine relationship between Sower, seed, and soil. The truth is….there will be no harvest without a Sower. There will be no harvest without Seeds. And, there will be no harvest without Soil. The relationship between them is special and it is essential to a harvest. The Sower, indiscriminately and scandalously throws out the Seeds, the Word/the teachings, “love your enemy,” “if you want to save your life, you must lose it,” “don’t worry about the things of this world.” That crazy Sower takes a risk, as He sows Kingdom seeds in the Soil, in us, in the world that He loves. It may be good soil, it may not be, but the seeds are sown either way. And, the good soil, we are told, produces a harvest. A huge harvest. How interesting it is to think about the seeds that have been sown already, in each one of us. Seeds waiting to grow. Seeds in the processing of growing. Makes me wonder what God is calling us to do in the process? It makes me wonder, what is the Sower up to?

Of course, we must be cautious about using this parable to labels ourselves, or anyone else, or even our churches. We must also be very careful not to think that we alone can cultivate good soil or produce a harvest. Any farmer or gardener will tell you that planting is a humbling endeavor. It IS God, who makes things grow. But, we must also be willing to hear Jesus’ words in verses 8 through 10. Jesus says that we need to use our eyes, and ears, to see, and to hear. This isn’t the first time that we see this phrase or phrases like it in Scripture. Truly, the relationship between the Sower, the Seed, and the Soil requires seeing and hearing. I think that can be said of all relationships. As it relates to this parable, I think we can make a strong case that good soil is that which is ready to receive, ready to hear Christ, and ready to obey. To do, the things that we have seen Him do, and to do the things we have heard Him tell us to do. If Sower, Seed, and Soil are all references to a divine relationship, then surely seeing and hearing are akin to sunshine and water, they are needed for the production of a harvest, for the bearing of fruit.

I think this is true, but the Gospel of Luke always seems to lead to a surprising ending for its audience. It is a great thing for us to decide that we want to be “good soil.” This is the turn that this parable seems to lead us to, right? The question….What kind of soil are you? What kind of soil do you want to be? The good Christian wants to be good soil. Right? Absolutely! YET, who is it that hear and see, and cling, and bear fruit? In Luke’s Gospel, they are women who bleed, they are men who collect taxes, women with sinful lifestyles. They are, Roman soldiers, prisoners, and children. There it is again, the Gospel truth is that the folks bearing fruit in these stories are not the religious – they are the poor, the lame, and the blind who have heard the Word, who have seen the Word, who have believed the Word, and who have responded in faith. What has convicted me most in this passage is that the people in Luke who bear fruit are the people who believe they NEED the Sower, and that they NEED the Word. They desperately need God. They desperately need to touch Jesus. They need Jesus to come their home, or speak a word of healing. They need the Sower. They need the Word. Do I?

The kids at my church have me thinking that perhaps what Jesus is saying in this parable, is that good soil begins with a heart that is ready to see, and to hear, and with the recognition that we too, we too, are in some way, poor, lame, and blind. We are the disciples who fall away when troubles come on account of the Word, we are the rich young ruler, unable to part with our riches, we are the religious leaders who hear, but do not understand. We struggle with callousness and selfishness. We are the believers who struggle to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

So, let us endeavor to be good soil, but, let us also remember that good soil is the product of divine relationship between Sower and Seed, and Soil. Let us remember that it is absolutely dependent on our willingness to see, and to hear, and to recognize our need for Sower and Seed.

I think the most hopeful word in this passage is in verse 15. It says that, “they patiently, produce a huge harvest.” The word patiently has been a word of mercy for me this month. I struggle to see, to hear, and to act in faith. Yet, I find hope in knowing that the divine relationship is one of patience. The fruit that the Lord wishes to produce in me, is fruit that He also bears. The Sower is patient. May we be good listeners. May we recognize our need for Sower and Seed. May we be people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. 

Theology of Surprise

The last few years, I have been a diligent note-taker, or ethnographer. I write things down on paper. Things I hear. Things I see. Things I read. Emotions. You name it. As I look back at these writings, the one word that can describe the last 4(ish) years of living in Portland is surprise. I have been surprised by people, all kinds of people, and in many ways, good and bad, and for different reasons. I have surprised myself by going through a process of spiritual recovery, learning to accept myself, both the good and the bad, and working towards wholeness. I have surprised myself by leaning into my imperfections, not being at peace with them, yet not being ashamed of them, hiding them, or running from them, but facing them. Mostly, I have been surprised by God. God has blown me away the last four years. I don’t quite know how to put this into words yet. What I can articulate is my belief that God is busy in the world, very busy in fact, and surprise-surprise, working in places, and through people, that I never expected. God is in the boundary-breaking business, the blow-your-mind business, the mending business, the healing business, and is always about the business of justice, mercy, and faith. God always has been. The ways that God chooses to demonstrate this, and the people that God uses to demonstrate this, have continued to surprise me. Most of the time, those surprises are pleasant, other times I have to remember that God doesn't really care about my addiction to the predictable and familiar.

I have been journaling about this and am calling it the Theology of Surprise. More posts to come, for now, here is a Communion Reflection that I wrote for the recent Women in Ministry Conference in Kansas City.

Read: John 4:27-42

²⁷ Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

²⁸ Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ²⁹ “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” ³⁰ They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

³¹ Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

³² But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

³³ Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

³⁹ Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹ And because of his words many more became believers. ⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

The text says that Jesus’ disciples were surprised to find him talking with a woman. Why were they surprised? Well, there are many intriguing takes on that question. “They were surprised because she was a woman.”  “They were surprised because she was a Samaritan.” “They were surprised because she had a history.” There are many reasons that the disciples may have been surprised to find their teacher speaking with a woman, but, what it all adds up to, is that it was simply not traditional in any sense of the New Testament world. So, it surprised them to see Him speaking with a woman (incidentally, the longest recorded conversation that Jesus has with anyone)…….I don’t think we like surprise in the church. No, I don’t think we like surprise at all. We like predictability. We like familiarity. We don’t like surprise.

And yet…surprise is present throughout Scripture. It is laced throughout the Old Testament, and it emanates from the New Testament, particularly the ministry of Christ. “Moses, you are going to lead my people out of slavery.” Surprise! “Esther, you must talk to the king to avoid the genocide of your people.” Surprise! “Mary, you are with child.” Surprise! “Zacchaeus, I’m coming to your house today.” Surprise! “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Surprise!

Brothers and sisters, we need to expect to be surprised by God. If Jesus is involved, we will be surprised. Let’s stop fighting it. Let’s stop working so hard for predictability and familiarity. Let’s anticipate surprise. Let’s expect the unexpected. Let’s count on it. Some of the best surprises in Scripture can be found around a table. Surprising guests lists at surprising venues....the home of a prominent tax collector....a woman with an alabaster jar....an upper room and the washing of feet....the Body of Christ....the Blood of Christ....leading to a cross....

And then.......an empty tomb. Surprise!

May the Bread, and the Cup remind us that Jesus has done and will do surprising things. May the Bread and the Cup remind us that God commissions His body, you, and me, to do unexpected, yes, surprising things. May a hurting world, a hurting city, neighborhood, or family, be surprised by our level of engagement, our dedication, and our love, as we image a great and surprising God.

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” -John 4:34

Father, as we reflect on the Bread and the Cup, and the woman at the well; Your goodness, Your compassion, and Your mercy astound us. Father, may we also be a people who expect to be surprised by You. May we be a people who evoke surprise in others. Thank you, Father, for doing the hard work……thank you, for doing the hard work. We are the beneficiaries of your labor of love. Help us to labor with you as long as we have breath. And Father, please continue to surprise us. Amen.

Why Does Your Teacher Eat with Tax Collectors and Sinners?

It's been so long, I almost forgot my password! In any event, I have come out of hiding, very Bobby Fischeresque (if only I played chess), to post a book review because this particular book has captured my attention and I have been unable to stop thinking about it.

Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? This is the poignant question that Richard Beck addresses in his book, Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality. Beck is an experimental psychologist and professor of psychology at Abilene Christian University in Texas. Unclean explores the relationship between notions of purity, mission, theology, and psychology in light of Matthew 9:9-13, in which Jesus is questioned by some Pharisees for eating with tax collectors and sinners. This book is Beck’s attempt to get to the root of Jesus’ statement to the Pharisees, “Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Unclean is written to and for the church as an admonition to become aware of the psychology of disgust and how it is manifest within our churches. Disgust psychology is that innate part of us that feels revulsion toward anything deemed unclean, such as bodily waste, dirty food, people, actions, etc. Disgust psychology creates within us the desire to separate ourselves from things or people who are deemed unclean or impure. It causes us to build walls in order to maintain our own purity, and serves to protect us from foreign and unclean substances and diseases. This innate reflex has some positive protective aspects. However, it also strongly, and detrimentally, influences us at a moral level causing us to exclude those that we view as the “other”. What does this have to do with theology? Beck purports that there is, “An affective, experiential, and psychological aspect to theological reflection. We are pulled toward certain theological systems and repelled, even repulsed, by others.” (5)

Disgust properties create sociological barriers and motivate acts of exclusion, which is what we see happening in Matthew 9. The Pharisees’ “disgust properties” are shown as Jesus rejects long-held psychological, sociological and theological barriers by eating with those deemed by the Pharisees to be unclean. I found this to be quite compelling because I have always considered the Pharisees’ hatred of Jesus as stemming more from His oppositional theological stances. Beck made me dig a bit deeper into the psychological aspect of that tension. There is more at work here than just religious and social norms, Jesus is also messing with psychological constructs. Beck asserts that disgust psychology is still at work in our churches as it protects the “sacred and holy” from descending into the “vulgar and profane.” Ultimately, Beck argues that this psychology inhibits hospitality and leads to missional failure because it comes in direct conflict with the character and actions of Christ. Jesus rejects this form of “holiness,” pushes for mercy, and at the same time, Jesus purifies the contagion.

The strongest and most thought-provoking part of Beck’s book is his compelling assertions about the universalizing power of the Eucharist. The Lord’s Supper is the central act of worship. It is the place where all are invited, guests with no merit, by our gracious and merciful Host, Christ, to a fellowship of solidarity, unity, and mission. Yet in many places, past and present, the Table is a place of exclusion and hierarchy. This was not the way Jesus treated the Table. Beck states, “The Lord’s Supper universalizes language of family and kinship. People dislocated by race, blood ties, and socioeconomic class are embraced and included through their participation in the Lord’s Supper.” (113) Indeed, Jesus’ ministry of table fellowship challenged notions of superiority by proclaiming radical egalitarianism within the Kingdom of God. Beck purports that the Lord’s Supper speaks into our notions of purity and separation. Communion is deep and powerful psychological intervention. (114)

I found Beck’s thoughts on Communion to be convicting and empowering. I had not considered the profound notion that the Eucharist alters, remakes, and re-configures my psyche, the psyche of my church! Beck states, “The Lord’s Supper, through its metaphors and the missional practices it promotes, is a ritual that is fundamentally altering and remaking the psyche. The Lord’s Supper reconfigures the way we experience otherness. More specifically, the Lord’s Supper is a practice that dismantles the psychic fissures within the heart that create otherness.” (113)

Unclean is a compelling book. It caused me to think about the hospitality of God and my church. It caused me to consider my nature - am I a hospitable being? (I do have a very high gag reflex when it comes to smells. This was quite entertaining when our kids were still in diapers). Unclean also made me think about the places in my life where I have seen the radical and boundary-breaking work of Christ. On Thursday nights in Portland there is a large group of Christ-followers, from all denominations, that meet under the Burnside Bridge to eat with and care for the increasing population of homeless persons in the city. This is a place where I see and experience the dismantling of psychic fissures that create otherness. It is not uncommon to break bread with a drug addict, paint the fingernails of a prostitute, or wash some seriously dirty feet. I hate feet. They gross me out. (Insert gag reflex here). Yet, I have sat under that bridge and washed the dirty, smelly feet of a 19-year-old homeless kid with HIV. I am certain that this is the dismantling work of Christ. I love looking around that bridge and seeing the diverse group of people, “clean” and “unclean” breaking bread together, washing feet, cutting hair, and praying together. Truly, Jesus is cleansing all of us. Beck helped clarify that for me.

I am thankful to Beck for challenging me to think deeply about hospitality and mercy, about psychology, theology, and mission. Beck asserts that, “Hospitality is about selfhood. It is that space where the dignity of every human person is vouchsafed, embraced, and protected deep within the heart of the church.”(140) This, is the kind of space that I long for my church to be, that I long to be. Beck has further opened my eyes to the realization that hospitality and welcome requires self-assessment and intentionality on our part. He has caused me to see the power in Jesus’ words, “mercy, not sacrifice.” I believe that we all need to look at ourselves and our churches critically, particularly in light of the life and teachings of Christ. We must ask, “Why does our teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And, we must ask, “Why don’t we?”

Anger Induced Walkabout

I’ve been going for a bit of a walkabout in Hebrews. You know, Crocodile Dundee style, where you take off and spend months wondering around getting to know the lay of the land, and ultimately yourself. It is a gooood book. So much to chew on, that is, if you are looking for some good solid food (Hebrews 5:11-14). I guess you could just read it through, but it’s best to bring a shovel and dig in, confront the adolescent within you, emerge a woman! (Or man, as the case may be).

I should start by saying that it was anger that prompted this journey. Cancer. Another beloved relative. Again. Those words seem so big, and so devastating. It didn’t take long for me to find Hebrews 3:6, “But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” I needed this message badly, and stayed here for a good long while. Christ is faithful, we are His, have courage, hold on to hope. When I find myself asking why, or getting angry, this is my prayer. Each time I say it, I feel a little more honest, a little more comforted, and a little less alone. The author of Hebrews is right, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (4:12-13).

On this walkabout, I am learning about a great priest who is able to sympathize with my weaknesses, and in whom I can find grace and mercy in a time of need. During Holy Week, I lingered in Hebrews 9 and 10, and was encouraged by the Mediator of a new and better covenant. I read about the limitations of sacrifices, and about the limitless love and power that encompass one final sacrifice. And, I am learning about faith, and my need for more of it. I am less angry, most days. But, the most significant thing I have come to know, is that I am not alone on this journey, Christ is with me. Likewise, my loved ones do not suffer alone, Christ suffers with them. It’s been raw, and tough, and a more than a little comforting, so far.

Today, I’m hanging out in Hebrews 12, wrestling with the things in my life that can be shaken, and the things in my life that cannot. I’ll be here a while.

26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our "God is a consuming fire."

Good Friday, I'm in Love

The Cross is on my mind today, enough to prompt a new post to this long neglected blog. My head is a mixed bag of emotions……which one should I write about? Maybe it’s the sun trying to peek through the clouds on this otherwise rainy day, or maybe it’s the optimistic beat of the song Pandora is playing for me, but I’m going with Thankful. I’m thankful that a couple thousand years ago, God chose to do something that still changes my life today.

Admittedly, I have a lot to learn about discipleship, I’m not a great student. But, I love my Teacher, and I’m thankful. I’m thankful for every nail, for mercy, for freedom, for purpose, and for hope. I’m thankful that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord. Truly, the implications of The Cross are as pervasive today as they ever were. It’s Good Friday, thank Goodness!

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22

Great Expectations

One of the things I love most about PUMP Church is that worship is planned by many of our gifted worship lovers. Therefore, worship often contains unexpected blessings that contribute to the worship experience. I love coming to worship and singing with my brothers and sisters, and I also love the unexpected songs, videos, and artistic pieces that often accompany this worship. You never know what might happen during worship at PUMP. Our God is creative.

We enjoyed this video during communion on Sunday. Song by the Dave Matthew's Band, and video by Ike Graul.

Something Stinky This Way Comes

A couple of weeks ago we went on our first Oregon camping trip. The campsite was beautiful, right along the Clackamas River. We enjoyed the gorgeous drive and were excited to arrive and find such a lovely scene to call home for the weekend. BUT, it didn't take long for us to learn that camping in the Great Northwest is a little different from camping in New Mexico.

NW Camping Tip #1 - When you go camping in New Mexico there is a slight chance that you will need a tent with a good rainfly. Here, you would be wise NOT to go camping unless you have an exceptionally good waterproof tent. Here's why.....it rains here....A LOT! Lucky for us, we had brought along air mattresses, so we just sort of floated around in our tent. Folks, these types of tents are costly, but let me tell you, they are worth it.

NW Camping Tip #2 - Duct tape, though one of the best inventions of our time, does not fix holes in air mattresses, no matter how much you use.

NW Camping Tip #3 - When raccoons get sprayed by skunks, they don't like it, and might just run shrieking through the forest in the middle of the night and smack into the side of your cheap, wet, New Mexico tent, where you lay floating with your spouse, and 3 young children, and scare the heck out of you. This, skunk sprayed raccoon, might then bounce off of your tent, only to then smack into the other side of your tent, before finally taking off shrieking in a different direction. This brings me to...

NW Camping Tip #4 - Cheap tents are NOT water OR skunk-smell resistent. BUT, they do trap water and skunk smell inside pretty well.

NW Camping Tip #5 - If you have survived that first night, and have decided to stay for a second night, keep track of how many doritos your kids eat. Otherwise, when you finally go to bed that night, and finally fall asleep, one of your children might start vomiting up doritos all over his bed, your wet stinky tent, and his younger sister, and you might find yourself straddling a partially filled air mattress, holding your last rain soaked towel, and having no idea what to do next, besides stand there and blink.

NW Camping Tip #6 - It's a good idea to go camping with good friends, so that when you morph into the Griswolds, they will still love you, and not give you a hard time for taking off in the middle of the night to bathe your wet, smelly kids, even though you accidentally take some of their camping supplies with you in your mad dash to leave.

Despite the things that went wrong, we had a great time and learned a lot. We were fortunate to have some veteran NW campers with us who helped tremendously. We are now in the market for enormous tarps, miles of rope, and a good tent! The plan is to go camping again this summer, better prepared, and with a great story to tell around the campfire!