Keeping It Real

              This month many of our area UMC ministers have been having confirmation classes for our young people. It has been such a blessing to us as because we have a lively, intelligent class of 26 kids going through this process of confirming their faith.
                If you are like me with no kids at home and over 40, you may have noticed that today’s young people are speaking a different language. Not only that, but that language changes every month or two. I stay behind the learning curve. Just this week I heard a few new terms, one of them was the encouragement to keep it real.
                The person who was using the lingo was a youth leader from one of the churches. And this guy was on the mark; OMG, too legit to handle. The man was totally fly in regards to teen lingo…I mean he could requestion better than anybody I ever heard, all the while chillaxing and fist-bumpin’ with the mix. I was totally wowed how he kept the haters lovin’ and the bouncers from bouncing.
                So I asked Mr. Fly, “What does it mean when you say keep it real”? He explained to me what term meant to the youth.  I was intrigued how even today, our life in Christ is all about keeping it real.
                I got from him that to keep it real means to live with integrity, maintaining honesty, and being able to live a life that keeps oneself from living a life of fantasy and make believe. 
                Confirmation in our church is one of the first places in a young person’s life when they come to grips with their personal (not mom’s or dad’s) life of faith, and how they will live it.

                Jesus was a keep-it-real teacher and preacher. In fact, his life embodied that idea. He was always shoving the make-believe world, which people thought they should live in, to the sidelines. He said things like:

“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged” (Matt 7:1).
“If you want to be perfect, go sell all you have, give to the poor and follow me (Matt 5:44).
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44).

                You can tell when somebody is keeping it real because, it causes people to respond like, “What?!....Don’t judge?! Love and pray for my enemies?! Sell my stuff and give it all to the poor?! Are you serious?”

People said the same things in the 1^st century to Jesus, using different words of course, but the sentiments were the same. The Pharisees made it their life’s work to act as judges. The Romans thought killing enemies was how a ruling power kept the peace and increased territory. The rich spent their time building bigger storage units (barns).

                For keeping it real Jesus also heard the people shout, “Crucify Him.” And that is what happened.
                During confirmation, part of what the young people study is basically what it means to live a life of faith, following Jesus, and being part of our community of believers (the UMC). It is important that they also understand that such a life is a choice they make. We hope to teach them that the life of faith will not always be easy, is not make-believe, and is most definitely real.
                We ministers and teachers walk a fine line sometimes. We want to make the life of faith attractive by telling of the blessings, the peace, and the hope found in Christ, while at the same time identifying the suffering, the restlessness, and the confusion that is also part of our life of faith.
                The good news is: God is there with us through all of our life, helping us to keep it real, even in the face of everything that comes our way. God never ceases to love us, pour out mercy upon us, forgive us, save us and strengthen us when we are weak.
                Join me this month in praying for all confirmands. These young people are soon coming to times of decision, ones which will set the course of their lives. Pray for them to have courage, boldness, and wisdom so that they will be able to keep it real for themselves.

© 2014 Judy H. Eurey

What to get Jesus for Christmas?

Just coming off of a blessed Thanksgiving holiday and launching headlong into the Advent season can leave a preacher a little breathless. You may be feeling the same way. 

The season of Advent, that scurrying, hurrying, flurrying time that comes in the days leading up to Christmas can put even to most sedate and calm person into panic mode as we try to get the many things done that we always do during this time of year.

Since it is the season in which we celebrate the birth of God’s only son, it seems fitting to not only think about a gift, but really try to give that gift to him. So, it begs the question, what would Jesus like to have for his birthday?

Hum…we give him a lot of things. Christmas parties, special visits to folks where we deliver a song and a Merry Christmas wish, cute plays acted out by equally cute children, big, loud, festive parades, concerts of sacred music, special performances with hand bells, piano, organ and chimes, and last but certainly not least, we buy gifts for each other. We do all this and much more for Jesus on his birthday.

Though I know that Jesus appreciates all that we do in celebration of his birth, I wonder…are these things really what Jesus wants for his birthday. I read a comment this week from a colleague of mine who was wondering the same thing. His idea of a perfect gift for the King of kings was that we take a little time and spend it just hanging out with the Lord of lords. I believe that my friend is on to something here.

What would it look like to just hang out with Emmanuel during this most busy time of year? How about a trip to see the Holy One at the soup kitchen? I’m told he likes to eat there nearly every day. Or maybe we might talk to the Christ child as we listen to Christmas carols all by ourselves in the quiet of the house after everyone has gone to bed. I’ve also heard it said that Jesus lives in the pages of his life’s story found in the Scriptures. We could join Savior of the world there. And I know that during the wee hours of the night, Mary’s sweet Jesus is always there to sit with me as my lonely heart struggles to pray.

Whatever we decide to do this year to honor Jesus’ birthday, may we try to remember that it is our self that Jesus most wants. He wants us. For some crazy reason, he loves us. The love is greater than anything we can even imagine. So to hear from us in the quiet of an evening, morning or mid-day will be exactly what pleases the Lord Jesus on his birthday.

So I say…if that is what he wants, I’m going to try to give Jesus exactly that. I will give Jesus me for Christmas. What will you give him?

Wilderness Journey, Day 4

haiku

dark blowing tendrils

blot out his tender gazing

rock strewn earth below