Is this what Jesus died for?

 The other day, I ran across a show on the web called “Red Letter Christians.”  These are mostly young people who are striving to live a life more directed by the teachings of Jesus, especially the Sermon on the Mount.  They are often criticized by political conservative Christians because they support initiatives that are most often associated with liberal politics. Regardless of what you think of their particular stances, they raise a good question: are we living the life that Jesus taught about?  Is our church a place, for instance, where the last is first?  Far too often, we are just a nicer version of the world.  We are motivated by the same things that the world is motivated by: we just tack Jesus on the end.  We want wealth and Jesus.  We want power and Jesus.  Is this really what Jesus died for? 

Honoring Silence

The other day, I was driving a colleague to the airport.  We were talking for about fifteen minutes when we both fell silent.  It was one of those lulls in the conversation.  Though it only lasted a few seconds, it felt like it lasted much longer.  I felt like I was failing at something.  Shouldn't I be a good host and nurture the conversation? Instead of honoring the silence, I began to talk just to fill the air.  I am sure that in the next few minutes I said nothing of any consequence and probably said some things better left unsaid.

Sometimes, when ministering to those who are hurting, I feel a compulsion to verbally console them.  Something in us makes us want to make things better.  It is a compassionate desire to want to take away the pain, but we usually can’t.  Especially with grief, it is important that the stages be completed. In those times, it is best to be silent and minister with a compassionate presence.

Silence is not new to me.  I spend much of every day in silence.  Still, there is a silence when I am alone and a silence when I am with others.  The other day, I was at work helping some coworkers prepare for an event.  I looked up at them and said, “Are we done yet: I am feeling chatty and have nothing to say.  That usually gets me into trouble.”  We are a very gregarious society.  We are inordinately chatty.  We have forgotten how to be together and be silent.

We need to recover the ability to be fully present and silent with each other.  There is a time for talk, but there are also times when the talk gets in the way.  The wise person knows the difference.