Three Things Jesus Said

Coming from a Christian perspective, I am struck by three things Jesus said, that sort of sum up what it means for me to be a follower of Jesus.

When Jesus was being crucified, in the middle of all that physical, mental and emotional agony, surrounded by scoffers, he turned to them and said: "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."  (Luke 23:34).

There are at least two take-aways from this action. 

One is that Jesus is asking the Father to forgive them for what they are doing. That includes the scoffers, but also the Roman soldiers who had scourged, beaten and verbally abused him. Before hanging him on the cross. 

The other take-away is why Jesus is asking for forgiveness. Because they (the scoffers and soldiers) don't understand what they have done. His empathy surpasses human understanding.

Imagine for a moment how inclined we would be to offer forgiveness in everyday life. Not to mention during a time of extreme difficulty. To say that we can't truly understand this level of forgiveness this side of heaven is an understatement.

I would guess that most Christians tend to focus on the actual crucifixion of Jesus. The ultimate price paid for our sins. I would counter that the forgiveness that Jesus offers while being crucified is equally impressive.

It would seem, then, following this example, that any follower of Jesus would be motivated towards forgiveness, and the fruit that flows from it - like compassion, grace and mercy.

Sometimes it's hard to tell which comes first. In any case, all these virtues should be hallmarks of living a life with Jesus as our example.

It's no secret that compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness are all basic to the Jewish and Muslim faiths as well.

Here's another thing Jesus said, while talking about what the "final judgment" will be like.

In Matthew 25, Jesus describes the "final judgment" as being one in which he separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep are the ones who did his will. And he says to the sheep "Come, you are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."

So, according to Matthew, Jesus set up a very simple criteria for getting into the Kingdom. Based on actions of mercy, not on religious dogma.

I'm not saying that dogma doesn't have its function. But I am suggesting that, as far as the Bible indicates, dogma takes a second place to how we treat each other.

I would guess that the Jewish and Muslim faiths also place a higher, or at least an equal value, on kindness, compassion and mercy than on strict adherence to doctrine.

And here's the third thing that Jesus said. In particular, it's worth noting that the only group of people who consistently got on Jesus' nerves were the Pharisees and other religious leaders of his day who placed doctrine ahead of love. He called these folks "hypocrites, blind guides, children of hell, blind fools..."

Jesus continued, "...What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law - justice, mercy and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things." (Matt. 23:23-24).

Wow!

Strong words.

But also encouraging. Especially in divisive times as these.

To sum up, the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths:

. place a high value on how we treat each other

. this value is at least equal to adherence to a particular doctrine

. the gold standard of if we make it into heaven seems to be how we treat our neighbor.

When it comes to religion, it's really a very simple but profound focus we should try to keep.

Rondell Trevino & The Immigraton Project

Rondell Trevino

Rondell Trevino is the founder of The Immigration Project (TIP). The organization's mission is to love and welcome immigrants. Towards this end TIP engages the church community in its work.

Your own story is quite interesting. It includes traveling to El Salvador to marry your wife, Laura. And then helping her apply for a I-130 Visa. It took over two-and-a-half years for Laura’s I-130 Visa to be approved. Can you describe what the process was like, and why it took so long?

The process was rigorous and painful spiritually. Our process took two years, which is long, but it was also one of the quickest, compared to others who apply for a visa. There’s a current 700,000 plus visa backlog, which leads to a long process of waiting. This is the case right now and another reason why the immigration system is broken.

In 2016 you began working for the Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT) as well as the National Immigration Forum (NIF). Part of your work involved training churches, businesses and law enforcement members on immigration, from a Biblical perspective. What was this work like?

The work focused heavily on building bridges between faith, business, and law enforcement leaders in Tennessee, Florida, and Virginia. A lot of the worked simply cold calling organizations and churches and asking if they would like to sign what is called the Evangelical Immigration Table Principals. The work was wonderful and needed, especially in equipping myself on how to think around policy rooted in Biblical principals.

What did you find to be the biggest challenge in your training work with the EIT and the NIF?

Many folks just didn’t want to engage with the issue of Immigration because it was “too political.” Mind you, this was in 2015, and since founding The immigration Project, I have seen a huge wave of churches engaging the issue of Immigration in a healthy way.

In your work, and in your own life, what myths (misconceptions) have you encountered when it comes to immigrants and the issue of immigration?

There’s too many to count! One of main ones is that “all undocumented immigrants are criminals and murderers.” This is far from the truth—yes, there’s a percentage who are “bad hombres” but the majority statistically and in my personal experience, are good people who love Jesus and make society flourish.

What, from your point of view, is a Biblical perspective on how to treat immigrants and refugees?

It starts in Genesis 1:27-28 where God created everyone in His image and commands them to be cultivators and creators of the Earth. This is a view we must place immigrants and refugees in at all times. Not to do this is to distort the Image of God.

According to a recent Pew Research poll (released in May, 2018), 86% of Protestants say the Church should care for refugees and immigrants (“the stranger among us.” But only eight percent said their church was actively involved in such efforts. In your experience, why is there this disconnect between belief and practice?

One of the biggest reasons why is because of the fear heightened in culture from the media. The media has a huge influence on the way we as Christians think and react toward immigrants and refugees. Therefore, we will say we should care for immigrants and refugees, but it’s harder to put those words into practice.

According to the Pew Research Center there are about 11.3 million undocumented immigrants living in the US. USA Today reported in April 2017, that the number of undocumented immigrants has remained flat over the past eight years. Yet the current Administration in Washington keeps pushing for a wall across the Mexican border and for stricter enforcement by ICE agents. In your opinion, why is this happening?

At the root, it seems to be because the administration wants to make America safer. In a way I understand because as I have said before, there’s a small percentage that are bad criminals who don’t want to change. However, they are categorizing all undocumented immigrants are bad criminals and detaining as many as possible—44,000 a day to be exact. Furthermore, I would say the push for a wall and stricter enforcement is because the president and his administration don’t want Immigrants in the country at all, especially undocumented.

In 2017 you launched The Immigration Project. Can you describe the mission and the vision of this organization?

Our mission is to love and welcome immigrants. This mission is our WHY—it conveys why we get up everyday and do what we do. Our vision is that every Christian will one-day love and welcome Immigrants while at the same time respect the rule of law.

What about the recent decision of the current presidential administration in Washington to implement a 100% prosecution goal for refugees crossing the Mexican border? And separating children from their parents/families?

Separating parents from children is just wrong, especially if families have been accepted as asylum seekers. They should be able to stay together. Now, if a parent is a convicted felon and/or wanted for murder in their country, it makes sense to detain the parent separate from their child for safety reasons, but the majority of immigrants seeking asylum shouldn’t be separated from family and thankfully this will not happen again because President Trump signed an executive order.

Over the past year, what gains or successes have you seen, in regards to the issue of immigration in the US?

A LOT of Christians have started engaging with  the issue of immigration like never before. I receive emails all the time and phone calls of Christians interested in sitting down and learning about immigration. It’s been encouraging!

If there were one thing that you wish people would understand about immigration and undocumented immigrants living in the US, what would that be?

That the majority are people to love, not problems to solve. The majority are people to love, not projects to save. They are humans with a heart, soul, and mind.

In what ways can people become involved in the issue of helping or advocating for undocumented immigrants in the US?

They can Google “Immigration organizations in my city” and go volunteer. They can donate to organization like The Immigration Project here.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

I love the Church and firmly believe it can be the greatest advocate on behalf of Immigrants and Refugees. It’s possible.

You can follow Rondell Trevino on Twitter.

The Caravan: "I Was A Stranger and You Welcomed Me."

There is a group of people - a large portion being women with their children - about 4,000 of them, on the road from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

They have left their respective countries and are headed towards the US border with Mexico because they are fleeing rampant poverty, gang violence and political instability. Not because they want to invade the United States.

What they are asking for is to be granted legal asslyum. They are not trying to crash the border and enter the US and do anyone harm.

As they travel through Mexico, they have been helped by a variety of sources. Including the Mexican government, which has offered aslyum, granting 2,697 temporary visas to cover the 45-day application process for more permanent status.

There has been lots of coverage of the caravan and it members, but a good portion of the coverage hasn't been accurate.

Our own president has tweeted that there are members of the infamous gang MS-13 and ISIS mixed in among the group. Other ultra-right wingers have fabricated tales of the migrants bringing in serious diseases.

None of this is true.

If you're interested in a factual analysis, the AP has written an updated release which gives a very accurate account of where things stand.

Meanwhile the US president has deployed about 5,000 members of the US armed forces to the Mexican border to keep the members of the caravan out. Inhibiting their ability to apply for aslym legally. He has also said he would like to take away "birth right" citizenship (which is currently protected in the US Constitution). 

Most recently he threatened to shut down the federal government if Congress doesn't give him a minimum of $5 billion in the next fiscal year to help build his wall, as part of a projected total cost of $20 billion. (The president initially promised that the Mexican government would pay for the wall. To date, funding that has been earmarked for the wall has come from US taxpayers. A June Gallop poll revealed that fifty-seven percent of Americans opposed strengthening the wall.)

What's important to remember is that the migrant caravan is part of a worldwide challenge. It includes about 700,000 Rohingyan refugees fleeing for their lives from Myanmar. As well as Syrian refugees and refugees from African nations.

According to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, there are 68.5 million individuals who have been forcibly displaced worldwide. That includes 25.4 million refugees - half of whom are under eighteen years of age.

Interestingly, the top refugee-hosting countries are: Turkey (3.5 million), Uganda (1.4 million), Pakistan (1.4 million) and Lebanon (1 million). None of these countries has a strong economy, but they are reaching out to help others in need.

As this crisis continues, the US has responded by cutting its refugee quota by half in FY2018, when only 22,491 refugees were admitted. That was one-quarter of the number admitted in FY2016. Only in 1977 did the US admit a lower number of refugees.

My thoughts lean towards what a moral/spiritual response, on our part, towards the caravan headed towards the Mexican border, could look like.

. Instead of threatening a government shutdown over $5 billion for a wall, how about using that same amount of funding to provide aid to the caravan members? 

. Instead of sending 5,000 US military troops to the border to keep the caravan members out, how about sending 2,500 social workers to help the thousands of families already held in detention centers across the US? Along with providing 2,500 immigrant lawyers/judges to handle the severe backlog of cases involving immigration that already exist?

. Instead of continuing to cut the number of refugees allowed into the US, how about reversing the process so that the US at least keeps pace with Uganda, Pakistan or Lebanon? Each of these countries has admitted over a million refugees, and their economies are not nearly as strong as the US.

Spiritually speaking, I could think of lots of scriptures that point to helping out the stranger among us.

In Matthew, Chapter 23 Jesus speaks to the religious leaders of his day, calling them hypocrites, snakes and sons of vipers.

He then offers a couple of stories (the parable of the ten bridesmaids and the parable of the three servants/slaves) before winding up with his version of the final judgment.

Starting with Matthew 25:31 Jesus lays out a situation where he has come back to earth. He's sitting on the throne and everyone else ("all the nations") of the earth stand before him. Then Jesus separates the people "as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."

And Jesus says to the sheep: "Come you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you... For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."

The sheep ask Jesus, "Lord, when did we ever feed you, or give you a drink, or show you hospitality, or give you clothing or see you sick or in prison and visit you?"

And Jesus replies: "When you did these things to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"

It's quite astonishing that Jesus would base entrance into heaven upon this singular criteria - actively helping "the least of these."

Jesus wasn't alone in insisting upon paying attention to those in need. The Muslim and Jewish faiths contain similar emphasis. Buddhists believe in karma, recognizing suffering and helping to alleviate it.

I wonder what it would look like if we saw the caravan members inching towards the Mexican border as an opportunity to bring the kingdom of God onto our little portion of the earth?

Photo Credits: #1 Johan Ordonez AFP/Getty Images; #2 Spencer Platt, Getty Images; #3,4,5,6 Nick Oza USA Today Network/Arizona Republic

Eugene Peterson: A Tribute

Eugene Peterson passed away last week at 85 years of age.

He had been a scholar, teacher and pastor during his lifetime.

But most of all, he is best known for authoring The Message, a colloquial translation of The Bible that was an international best seller. More importantly, The Message helped readers gain a deeper understanding of scripture while encouraging them to apply its meaning to daily life.

If there was one thing that set Peterson apart it was his way of bringing God down to earth. He was scholarly (having taught Greek and Hebrew) but decidedly homespun and approachable.

In an interview with Krista Tippet, for her podcast, ON BEING, Peterson noted his preference for attending a small church. Because it forced the members to get to know each other - warts and all.

He was not a fan of mega-churches or the prosperity gospel.

And in fact, he didn't particularly like using the term "spiritual," because he found it too vague.

He could come across as everyone's favorite grandpa - but he didn't hold back  when pointing to what he perceived to be the moral dilemma of America. "American culture is probably the least Christian culture that we've ever had, because it's so materialistic and it's so full of lies. The whole advertising world is just intertwined with lies, appealing to the worst instincts we have. The problem is, people have been treated as consumers for so long they don't know any other way to live."

He could be disarming, but tremendously on-point. He once wrote: “Jesus said “Follow me” and ended up with a lot of losers. And these losers ended up, through no virtue or talent of their own, becoming saints. Jesus wasn’t after the best but the worst.” 

Although imminently wise, he nonetheless had a healthy distaste for the term "spiritual direction." Instead of picking a credentialed spiritual director, he suggested: "Why don't you look over the congregation on Sundays and pick someone who appears to be mature and congenial. Ask her or him if you can meet together every month or so - you feel the need to talk about your life in the company of someone who believes that Jesus is present and active in everything you are doing. Reassure the person that he or she doesn't have to say anything "wise." You only want them to be there for you to listen and be prayerful in the listening. After three or four such meetings, write to me what has transpired, and we'll discuss it further. I've had a number of men and women who have served me in this way over the years - none carried the title "spiritual director", although that is what they have been."

Peterson was distrustful of faith based on feelings. He wrote: “We live in what one writer has called the "age of sensation."' We think that if we don't feel something there can be no authenticity in doing it. But the wisdom of God says something different: that we can act ourselves into a new way of feeling much quicker than we can feel ourselves into a new way of acting. Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship. When we obey the command to praise God in worship, our deep, essential need to be in relationship with God is nurtured.” 

He once wrote, "To be human is to be in trouble." But Peterson was also capable of  amazing prophetic hopefulness, stating: "We underestimate God and we overestimate evil. We don't see what God is doing and conclude that he is doing nothing. We see everything that evil is doing and think it is in control of everyone."

RIP Eugene!

Photo Credits: top - The Rabbitroom. com; middle - hallels.com; bottom - youthministry.com.