The Parable of the Talents...a New Understanding

Two things the Lord has brought to my mind this week...again and again, and, I simply want to share them with you. However, I’ll just recount one at a time...so you don’t have too long of a read!!

The first is the parable of the talents (Matthew 25)--you remember that one? A ruler was going on a journey so he called three of his trusted servants and gave one five talents, the second two and the last one (some trans. say 5,000, 3,000 and 1000 gold coins--either way, a LOT of money). And he left. When he returned, the servants were called before him to give an account of what they had done. The first had doubled his return, as had the second. However, the third had buried his money...because he was afraid of the master. Now, the ruler got really angry about what this third fellow did...and took all of his money away from him, giving it to the others. Often we preach and teach this parable with the understanding that this third fellow was supposed to have done something with the money...and, therefore, he was simply unfaithful. But, I’ve been thinking about that situation...and I think it is that--and more. I have wondered what the ruler would have done if the fellow had invested, or tried something, and LOST the money. What would have happened if he had tried to set up a business...and it failed! I really believe that the ruler would have been less angry...perhaps even understanding--for anything is better than “burying” the money! If I’m right (and I am at times...just ask my family), this parable is not only about being faithful, but also about taking risks. In fact, the whole reason for burying the money is that the fellow was not willing to take any risks.

 What risks are we avoiding? What risks are we afraid to take? I imagine that if fellow no.3 were walking with us today, from his own experience, he would tell us, “Go ahead...take the risk!”

In the last few weeks I guess I’ve been wrestling with this theme...needing to make some decisions that are risky, needing to take that leap...not sure of where I’ll land. The Lord seems to be saying, “Jon, go for it! Don’t just sit on your hands--try it, do something, take the risk.” After all, don’t we have the promise that He is with us always...even if we fail?? Wouldn’t the Lord want us to try something rather than just sit around doing nothing?? I think I’ll take the risk....

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Megan...our incredible 15-year-old daughter finished up her participation this evening in MUNterrey 2009--Model United Nations. She represented Saudi Arabia on the Human Rights Committee, and their topic of discussion was the Israeli/Palestinian issue. We are so proud of her participation in this event, with 300+ secondary school student participants from 20+ schools. And, in addition to her joyful participation, she came home with Best Speaker Award and the Gandhi Award!!! JOY!!!!! So, Megan and the rest of us are floating joyfully into Sunday....

Good to be Forty-Three...

Well, no...it's not my birthday, but I have been thinking lately that it is good to be 43-years-old. It seems that a lot of the clutter of my first 40+ years of life is finally falling away, that I am arriving at some clarity that I had not had before. While some of this may be a direct result of life in missions (probably is!), some of this must just be coming-of-age changes. I heard someone claim to quote Churchill once: "He who is not a liberal at 20 has no heart; he who is not a conservative at 40 has no mind." Well, that may reveal more about Churchill than the truth of humankind, but I do think it captures the truth that who we are at 20 and who are at 40 can be very different people.
I think that I am finding now that the 20-year-old Jon is passed away...and a new Jon is emerging. Oh, nothing terribly radical, mind you, but certainly a different way of viewing life. I was SO certain of all I knew back when...so set in my understanding, in my politics, in my theology, in my practice of faith--in HOW I KNEW we should ALL practice and experience the life of faith. Now, I lack certainty in many areas. The worlds of philosophy, theology and politics have become more grey, more shadowed and elusive. This is not a bad thing in my mind...in fact, it has broadened my world to accept that we who are on this pilgrimage of faith may have differing experiences of God, of the risen Jesus--and that's okay! My experience with my neighbor, Jaime, will be different from those who work with him, from his family's, from those in his church--yet, we all know and love the same fellow. I can't expect everyone to have the same experience with Jesus that I have, to talk with Him in the same way, to enjoy His presence in the same way. Yet, we who walk with Jesus are certain that we know Him...and we would not want to live without Him in our lives, indeed, at the center of our lives.
While we change, while our view of the world may change and how we order reality in our minds may change, there is One Who does not change. We give thanks for our God who is the same yesterday, today and forever...a God Whose grace is extended to all in their various places along the path, in their various levels of relationship with Him. God is good.
Simply wanted to write today about changes in my life...in case you, too, wrestle with change and think you are alone. Pray for me...for us...and know that we pray for you as you walk this pilgrimage of life. Dios te bendiga.... Jon

LatinHeartbeat Dec. 2008

The Latin Heartbeat...

You can find our recent newsletters at:

http://themissionsociety.org/people/herrin/

We'll also be putting more pictures there, so enjoy!

Jon and Jeanne

The Jesus Way...

I'm reading a book entitled, The Jesus Way: a conversation of the ways that Jesus is the way, by Eugene Peterson (author of The Message). It is one of those books that really takes me in, not only through the message of the book but also through the style of writing. Mind you, if you want a "fluff" read to reinforce your own world-view, or if you're looking for sugar-coated Christianity...well, you'd do better to read something else or someone else. Like all of the Peterson books I've read, The Jesus Way is challenging, confronting, and at the same time a delight to read.

If you are looking for a good read this Fall or for during the winter months, and you're not afraid to have your world-view challenged a bit, I recommend you take up The Jesus Way. It's the kind of book that you can hardly sit to read a chapter--that's almost too much. I'm reading pieces...a little a time, digesting, turning over, pondering. A church staff would benefit of doing an extended book study...but it seems dangerous--it's the kind of book that can really do a number on a church. But, I think it'd be worth it.

Hope that your reading is going well. If you find a really good read, let me know. I'm out of the loop on this end...and have to trust the suggestions of people on that side to let me know what is new, what is good. Happy reading!

A Chance to Live the Faith...

Of course, it has been in the news. My guess is that it's the headline of most newspapers--the "financial crisis" in North America (and Europe). The government is talking about "bail-outs" for both financial institutions and individuals. Predictions close to "the Great Depression" abound. People are worried...and things look grim. What a great place for God's people to be!!

What do I mean? Well, let's see.... The Scriptures indicate that we are to be a people of joy, of hope, of faith. Fortunately for the world, the call to be such people does NOT come with a caveat! We can't turn from our responsibility of being people of good cheer, of kind words, and joyful faith just because things are falling down around us.

When we read the accounts of the Christians being sent to the lions in Rome in the 1st and 2nd Centuries, we find that they entered the arena singing and praising God. Were the scared? Probably terrified on some level...a terror that most of us will never know. But, they knew that they were called to be a people of faith and confidence...and that their faith and confidence was not to be found in swords or governments or people. Their confidence was in God...that He was working all things together for good, that He would receive them and bless them upon their death.

Well, we may feel that our economy is being fed to the lions right now...but even if that is the case, as people of God, shouldn't we, in this day and age, also enter the arena with confidence, with joy?? As the crisis continues, I hope and pray that Christians across America will not give in to all the nay-saying, to all the gloom and doom. May we stand tall, smile and bring words of grace and hope into the national conversation. For we know that our future extends beyond retirement, that our final hope is not in Wall Street, and that "joy" does not come from nor is sustained by money.

May God bless us in new ways...may we joyfully place our trust in the right place. Jon

How Shall We Live?

Well, the question came up as a matter of course in our "Christian Stewardship" class at the seminary. And, well...the answer came a little slowly and a little painfully....

We find ourselves in a consumer world...in a world where advertisements are calling us to bigger, better, faster, sleeker, prettier,...everything "-er." But, as faithful Christian stewards, should we buy into that...and if we say, "NO," then why not?

Part of our answer in class came as we studied Genesis 12:1-3 where God calls Abram...promising to "bless" him with the goal of blessing the world through him. Now, some will say that this is just God's promise to bring Jesus through Abraham...somewhere way down the road. In our class, we determined that God was laying out a pattern/promise/provision for all--God blesses us that we might bless others.

Thoughts, questions and conversations led us to determine that perhaps Christians should not only reject the consumerism of our times but intentionally LIVE BENEATH OUR MEANS in order to bless others. So often when we get a pay raise, or move up to a better job, or get an inheritance check...we decide that God has blessed us so we can BLESS OURSELVES with new toys!! What if Christians really took this idea to heart, the idea of living beneath their means?? What if we bought a house that was enough, but not all we could afford? What if we drove a good used car rather than buying the new one we could afford? What if we chose to stay in a decent hotel on vacation instead of the four or five-star?? What if we chose to eat out less and eat sandwiches more...even if we could afford to eat out all the time??

This is not to say that we would NEVER buy things for ourselves, for we believe that God does want us to be happy and blessed as well. But, to spend all of "disposable" income on ourselves? I think not. We would still be able to enjoy the blessing of God...but we could also do what we are supposed to do with our blessing...we could bless others. We could give to others, do for others, buy for others...we could bless their lives in wonderful and exciting ways. If you've ever taken the opportunity to bless someone else, you already know the joy it brings to both the giver and receiver. What if we adopted a life-style of blessing others?!?!

Well, we found this challenge exciting...even world-changing, if Christians would adopt such an approach to life. Tithing would be easy, giving to others--a joy. And, we probably wouldn't worry as much about our "stuff" if we just had less of it.

May the Lord bless you richly...as you bless others. J