On 23 Feb 2015, Humans of New York posted this picture on Facebook, along with a fascinating quote: “I’m a rabbi. But I don’t try to provide any answers. I tell people what tradition says, and if they find meaning in it, and it works for them, then they are welcome to apply it. If not, we’ll look at other possibilities. I think that every generation has a responsibility to create its own understanding of religion. I believe God can grow as we do. I could be accused of diluting Judaism, but I think that if it has no relevance to people’s lives, Judaism will cease to exist.” It's a timely quote, along with Rob Bell's rather unfortunate statement that if Christianity remains committed to its core values, it will fade away and die. However, the Rabbi isn't striking at the core values of Judaism like Bell struck at the core values of Christianity - instead, this Rabbi actually bolstered Judaism, and provided a workable model for Christianity as well. But there's a statement in there that … [Read more...]
The greatest commandment
I was thinking about what Jesus said the greatest commandment was: to love the Lord your God with everything you are... and what does that mean? Here's the text from which it's drawn: 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:34-39 ESV) Here, Jesus is referring to Deuteronomy 6:5: 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV) Now, this is simple text, right? It has some axiomatic concepts that are pretty obvious: The Lord exists. (Otherwise, what is to be loved?) You exist. (Otherwise, wh … [Read more...]
Thoughts for being leaders for our families
The men's study for Monday nights has started back up. This week, the fellow speaking (one of my church's pastors) asked for a more interactive session, where men contributed some of their ideas for being "lead learners" for their families. The text was the Sh'ma (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). In English, from the ESV: 4"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. "Pioneer Christian" is meant to be similar to "pioneer parent," a parent who's breaking a family cycle to "go out on hi … [Read more...]