Tag: courage

Accept Accountability (Genesis 35:22-29)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

So then, each one of us will be held accountable. (Romans 14:12)

While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had resided as aliens. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. And Isaac breathed his last; he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days, and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. (New International Version Updated Edition)

For me, one of the great tragedies of the human experience is that we share so little of ourselves to and for one another. And that especially goes for those times when we fail, make a poor decision, or feel guilty for not being a better person.

It seems that in those times we gravitate toward covering up whatever misdeeds we have done. Why do we do that? There’s a myriad of answers to that question. There are many folks who simply do want to be held accountable for their wrongdoing – not to mention the shame and embarrassment the action may bring to them. They would like to keep some sort of manufactured pristine image to project for the world, instead of what’s really going on.

I like that the Bible is mostly straightforward about issues concerning accountability (both at the personal, and especially at the corporate level). It’s hard to live in a safe and enjoyable society whenever there is a lack of accountability within the community.

In today’s Old Testament lesson, we get this seemingly isolated verse thrown into the mix of a Scripture story. But it’s an important insertion. It has consequences to its actions, with the sort of ramifications that reverberate throughout time.

Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob – which carried with it a whole set of responsibilities, as well as privileges. Yet, Reuben did something that left him accountable before both his earthly and heavenly fathers. He “lay with” his father’s concubine (that is, a lesser wife) who was not his own mother.

We aren’t told why Reuben did it. But I think we are meant to read between the lines enough to know why.

What eventually happens is that Reuben loses his family status. At the end of Jacob’s life – as he was doling out blessings to each son – he had this to say about Reuben:

Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob;
    listen to Israel your father.

Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might and the first fruits of my vigor,
    excelling in rank and excelling in power.
Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel
    because you went up onto your father’s bed;
    then you defiled it—you went up onto my couch! (Genesis 49:2-4, NRSVUE)

Unfortunately, this fails to sound like the sort of blessing one would want to hear at the end of his father’s life. But that’s what accountability does; it makes sure that the offense is put squarely on the perpetrator, and not the victim.

For me, one of the maddening things about today’s political climate is that personal wrongdoers, along with the institutional evils surrounding them, have no thought or appetite for being accountable to the very people to whom they are supposed to be serving. It’s as if public service and the value of the nation’s common good isn’t even in the current presidential cabinet vocabulary.

However, accountability will have its day. And it’s not only in government. Business corporations, healthcare organizations, financial systems, educational institutions, and much more are rife with all sorts of clever ways to get around being accountable to others for their unjust activity.

I have personally experienced it myself, multiple times. And right now, today, there are millions of people whom no one knows is going through hell at their job because of this very issue of the powerful using their position at the expense of the powerless.

“Accountability breeds responsibility.” Stephen Covey

Please hear me when I say this, even though it can be a very scary and intimidating thing: Not naming the person or persons or institutions which perpetrate injustice protects those perpetrators from the accountability they need. Investigations into unethical and/or illegal activity cannot happen unless it is identified and named.

Not everyone is a deliberate knucklehead who goes around hurting people. Sometimes they just need a whistleblower to call them on their injustice. And once that happens, behavior and attitudes change. That’s how it’s supposed to work. Yet, we all know that it doesn’t always work like that – which is why it is important to have plenty of support through your own unwanted and fiery experience.

Taking a lesson in accountability from Jacob toward Reuben, he didn’t attack his son, but stuck to the issue which brought his downfall from firstborn status. In other words, it’s always best to attack problems, not people. If not, we ourselves end up becoming the very sort of perpetrators we try to expose.

And, by the way, if you are observing or seeing a pattern of illicit behavior, keep a journal of it; write it down; document what actually happened and what kind of impact it had on you. In today’s society, failing to have appropriate documentation usually means the perpetration is going to go unaccounted for.

One of the reasons there is not a full-fledged soap opera account of Reuben’s act with Bilhah is the nature of Holy Scripture itself. The Bible leaves lots of details out with open stories in order for us as readers to understand with our imaginations what’s going on; and to envision the potential outcomes of particular actions.

What “really happened” is much less important than the lessons we are meant to learn from any biblical story. We may consider large gaps in stories as an annoyance, yet I believe those gaps are quite intentional.

Holy Scripture is meant to not only be an individual reading experience, but is a valuable opportunity for robust moral and theological discussion about contemporary realities as they relate to ancient wisdom traditions.

As readers and interpreters, we must fully engage the story, paying attention to what’s there, and what’s not there. Then, figure out together how we might (or ought) to fill in those gaps of what’s missing.

And for me, I see all sorts of ways in which all of us must be surrounded by and surrendered to accountability. Being accountable to others means that we accept responsibility when it is ours to accept, thus strengthening the bonds of community.

What’s more, accountability fosters courage and humility, as well as stopping the blame game in its tracks.

When it comes to the Church, we have a collective responsibility because of our baptismal covenant to strive for justice, peace, and the common good of all heavenly citizens. That means we will continually work toward observing the dignity and worth of every human we encounter – even the ones we don’t much like.

Blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, help me to be honest with myself and release the excuses that hold me back.

Give me the strength to take responsibility for my actions and the courage to choose growth over comfort.

Renew my mindset so I see challenges as opportunities, not reasons to delay.

Align my thoughts and actions with purpose, discipline, and truth.

Teach me to be consistent in the small things,

and to follow through on what I start, even when it feels difficult.

Help me to trust my ability to grow,

and to move forward with confidence instead of doubt.

Guide me to move forward with clarity, ownership, and intention,

becoming the person I am meant to be, in the power of your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Showing Kindness (Ruth 2:10-14)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Calling in the Gleaners, by Jules Breton, 1859

Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!” Then she said, “May I continue to find favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.”

At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some of this bread and dip your morsel in the sour wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. (New Revised Standard Version)

Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi were widows, living in the land of Moab. But Naomi decided to go back to Judah, to her hometown of Bethlehem. She and her husband had originally left because of a great famine.

Naomi had encouraged Ruth to remain in her own country, among her own people. But Ruth insisted on remaining and being with Naomi. But just because the two of them had each other, and they were in Naomi’s native land, it did not mean things were going to be easy or better.

The truth was that that Ruth and Naomi had next to nothing. It was common that during the harvest, the less fortunate folk would walk a ways behind the workers who were gleaning the fields, in order to pick up what was left behind.

Picking up after the workers in the field is precisely what Ruth went out to do. Naomi was too old for the work, so it was up to Ruth. The field that Ruth ended up walking, belonged to a man named Boaz.

Depending upon the owner of the land, the poor folk who came to walk the fields were treated either with kindness or contempt. Boaz was the sort of person who was attentive to God’s law, and sought to do what was right. He knew what Torah said:

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’” (Leviticus 23:22, NIV)

Boaz had taken notice of Ruth. He approached her and told her to remain in his field and stay close to his workers. Boaz also commented to Ruth that he instructed the young men working for him to leave her alone and not bother her. He let Ruth know that she could drink from the vessels appropriated for his laborers.

This was a kindness which was overwhelming to Ruth. As a foreigner and a widow, she was not expecting anything from anyone in Judah. And yet, here is this man extending mercy to her.

One of the reasons Boaz showed kindness to Ruth is because he had heard about her commitment to Naomi, and admired her courage and spunk in coming to a land which was not her own.

Indeed, the picture we gain is that Ruth was a modest and faithful person, upright, diligent, and full of kindness. She understood who she was, where she was, and she was willing to do whatever she could for the sake of her dear mother-in-law.

Ruth had faith that Naomi would lead her well, and to a life of commitment to both God and God’s people. Ruth’s bravery and willingness to submit to Naomi is a beautiful portrayal of faith, hope, and love.

We can be inspired from such courage. For we, too, must take risks and allow ourselves to venture out into places we aren’t familiar with.

We will do well to understand that it was Ruth’s willingness to act, and her commitment to the life she chose, that helped bring about a family and an adopted community which she did not think possible.

It would be good for each of us to take the time to get a long look at our own lives. We must decide what risks we will take, and which things to avoid, and then go out in faith and perform those actions to the best of our ability, and with the grace which God grants us.

In stepping out and acting with kindness and commitment, Ruth discovered God’s care when she and Naomi were in poverty.

The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
    and their inheritance will endure forever.
In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. (Psalm 37:18-19, NIV)

Boaz eventually found the blessing of family through his own act of kindness toward Ruth. He was well-off and had plenty, yet he used his privilege to bless others.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19, NIV)

So, whether we are poor or rich, underprivileged or privileged, we all can find ways to show kindness and live on this earth in peace and goodwill.

How, then, will you live?

O Lord, give me strength today to show kindness in all that I do. Help me to open my arms to those less fortunate and extend my hand to those who may need it, so that they may see You in my kind words and actions. Amen.

Approach Everything with Humility and Wisdom (Esther 5:1-14)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Esther, by Marc Chagall, 1960

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

“Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”

His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up. (New International Version)

Esther Comes Before the King, by Johann Boeckhorst (1604-1668)

Three days of fasting by Esther and her attendants, along with all of the Jewish people in the Persian capital city, came to the point of approach and confrontation. But it was not confrontation in the sense of in-your-face; that would get you killed in the emperor’s court.

One did not approach the king without being asked to do so. Yet, Queen Esther was the only person in a position to try and speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. A royal edict had been pronounced; a day was coming when they would be slaughtered and plundered. Something had to be done. And that something became a someone: Esther.

Although Esther was a queen, it was not by her own choice. She was brought into the royal court through a long process of finding a queen for the king. Esther was taken from her home; she had to participate.

It seemed as if she had no agency of her own. But there came a time when Esther had to find that personal agency and speak her own voice – even though it was at great risk to her own life, as well as the life of her people.

Perhaps because Esther had no ability to seek status, she seems to have come to the conclusion that she could be used where she was – that somehow she came to the Persian court for just such a time as this, the saving of many lives.

Queen Esther evidenced a spirit of collaboration and wisdom. She knew she could not directly confront the king concerning Haman’s evil scheme to rid the earth of Jews. She needed to approach by coming in the side door of humility and gentleness.

Thus, Esther requested the presence of King Xerxes and his right hand man Haman to a banquet. There was no arrogant demanding of justice or rights. There was only a genuine spirit of trying to do right.

All of us have others who hold positions of power over us. They make decisions which impact us significantly, whether for good or for ill. The way in which we deal with people in authority can make all the difference, not only for ourselves, but also for many other folks as well.

Power dynamics exist everywhere, in every organization, institution, family, workplace, neighborhood, and faith community. We are not in control of those structures. Yet, you and I have control of ourselves. We can choose how to respond to any given situation.

We have the opportunity to decide whether to be respectful or disrespectful, patient or impatient, wise or foolish, encouraging or discouraging, helpful or obnoxious.

Esther chose wisely. Haman chose foolishly. He was self-centered, power hungry, status conscious, angry, and downright arrogant.

Haman was obsessed with everyone giving him honor. So, when Mordecai didn’t bow to him, Haman made it his personal mission to do away with him. But that wasn’t enough. He also created a devious plan to kill all Jews.

The misuse of power is one of the most devastating sins a person can do, namely because it affects so many people and makes their lives miserable, if not dead. Abusers are typically, at their core, insecure persons who overcompensate for feeling better by pushing others down.

Abusive persons in authoritative positions is a very bad combination. The only human life they value is themselves. And they don’t care who they destroy to get what they want to feel secure and important.

Unfortunately, those in high positions sometimes (maybe oftentimes) have no idea how to properly assess the character and competence of those who want authority. Xerxes was a terrible judge of character, choosing Haman for high office and listening to him.

There are far too many persons in this world, in our own societies and institutions, who are not fit to hold any sort of public office or responsible position of power. They may talk a good line on the outside, but inside they have a hollow spot where there soul should be.

Yet, we elect them, or are okay with them in office. There’s no pushback. We can even stump for some of those morally stunted individuals. It should not be that way. We can most certainly do better, in this day and age. King Xerxes isn’t around, and there isn’t any supreme sovereign emperor calling all the shots.

We need to take responsibility, first and foremost, by developing a just and wise character within ourselves.

One’s own spiritual growth and emotional maturity will help to make wise decisions and right judgments. It is imperative that we have enough discernment to judge between the genuine article and a charlatan; and between one who has authentic potential, and one who has none.

Haman was no good for anybody but himself. And that, he even screwed up. But Esther was the right person for the right time. She evidenced a solid character, a listening spirit, and moral sensitivity.

May her tribe increase.

O Spirit of God, we ask you to help orient all our actions by your good and wise inspiration, and carry them on by your gracious assistance, so that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from you; and through you be happily ended. Amen.

For Such a Time as This (Esther 4:1-17)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai,“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. (New International Version)

Mordecai and Esther (Bible Project)

King Xerxes was the royal sovereign over the greatest empire up to that time in history. Haman was the king’s right hand man who arranged a sinister plot to destroy the Jewish people. Queen Esther was a Jew, for which neither Haman nor Xerxes knew; she rose from obscurity to become the queen. And Mordecai was Esther’s cousin, having taken her in and raised her.

The Jewish people were exiles, due to the Babylonians capturing Jerusalem and taking the people into captivity. Although the Persians, who overthrew the Babylonians, began allowing some of the Jews to return to Judah, there were still many diaspora Jews who made a life for themselves in Persia.

Esther was an unlikely candidate as both a queen and a heroine. She was an orphan and not well-known, even within her own community. Yet, Esther was taken from her foster home with Mordecai, and was thrown into all the perturbations of Persian life in the empire’s court and the nation’s culture.

She was the ultimate outsider, thrust into insider status. Esther was a minority in a majority culture; a resident alien; and a foreigner to Persian society and royalty. It was a lot for her.

Try and put yourself in her shoes. Do you hide your Jewishness, or make it known, and how much? How do you navigate being raised in a culture very different than the one you are being immersed and assimilated in? Who am I? What am I really supposed to be about? Why am I here?

Expressing one’s spiritual identity requires some significant consideration and careful application. And it will be dynamic, with ongoing considerations of how to grow and sustain a healthy sense of self so that it will be impactful and lasting.

We may reflexively think that since Esther was queen, she could freely exercise power and leverage her position to achieve anything she wanted. However, Esther was in a totally new reality. She didn’t enter it with political savvy or understanding about how things work or get done. Esther was very much subject to the whims and plans of King Xerxes.

Queen Esther must have thought she was in an impossible position. Haman had hatched a strategy to rid the empire of her own people, the Jews. And they were beside themselves. Mordecai entreated Esther to do something. But Esther was green and scared and way out of her element.

And yet, the heroine was inside her all along; it just needed the proper experience to bring her out.

We might understand if Esther saw herself as a mere orphan Jew who was just trying to fake-it-till-you-make-it in a world and a situation that was way over her head. We could understand if she saw herself without any real agency to effect anything in a large overwhelming empire.

Yet, here we are, all these millennia later, talking about Queen Esther and her bravery. There is even a Jewish holiday, Purim, celebrated because of her extraordinary courage… But I am getting ahead of myself. Today’s piece of the story begins in tension, and ends with even more.

Mordecai arose and gave a coach’s speech to Esther. He told her that she must step up and step into this particular historical moment in time. Providence had led her to be in her unique position; and the Jewish people were in an awful position.

It was precisely the right time for Esther to dig deep and release the heroine within. Esther could save her own people. Nobody else could. Only her.

Like it or not for Esther, her Jewishness was part of the whole gnarly situation. She could deny it and hide it – which would mean suppressing and stuffing the heroine. Or she could put herself out there, speak truth to power in love, and let the consequences come what may.

What impresses me about Esther is that not only did she listen to Mordecai, but she took the further step of calling upon the support of her own Jewish community. Esther was straightforward in telling them exactly what she needed from them, and what she would do herself.

Esther staked out her identity and faith, and risked her life for an entire nation of people… but we are not to the end of the story yet.

For now, we need to sit with this painful and awkward tension between life and death. Three days of sorrowful and heartfelt prayer. Three days of darkness. Three days of seeming as if one is in a grave with a huge stone boulder in front of it.

Like Esther, it is important for us to struggle with our own identity, and to take risks in soliciting the help of the believing community. We all must grapple with the nature of faith, the challenges of living in this present culture, and the politics of it all.

We need to take a good hard look at ourselves and discern who we truly are – people created in the image and likeness of God, who have majesty stamped on our very souls; and who truly have it within ourselves to make a difference in this big world of ours.

If we are to truly become aware of our majesty as people, we shall be willing to take the risk of helping those who are vulnerable, powerless, and threatened. That’s because our identity shapes our choices and actions. We live into who we believe we are.

By realizing that we belong to God, we avoid becoming complicit in evil. Instead, we leverage our place and position in life to do what is right, just, and good. There is confidence, even if afraid, of doing what is right.

I am wondering if you can think the thought, and embrace the reality, that you were sovereignly placed here on this earth by God “for such a time as this.”

Just and right God, you sent your servant Esther into a life of privilege, so that those without would be taken care of. In our privilege, show us how to advocate for those who have less, so that your world might be peaceful and good. Amen.