CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS - Herod

Herod the Great

One of the key players in the story of the arrival of God the Son on earth is King Herod. Although his part seems minor in the whole story and he is often overlooked I wanted to take a closer look at this man. The Bible refers to him as King Herod, history knows him as Herod the Great.

Herod was born in 73 b.c. to an Idumean man named Antipater and a woman named Cyprus who was the daughter of an Arabian sheik. Antipater became a political ally to Julius Caesar, for which he was rewarded with an appointment as regent and received the Roman citizenship in 47 b.c. He soon secured the appointment of his son Herod as governor of Galilee. 

In time despite his political savvy, Antipater was killed. But with some Roman help, Herod killed his father's murderer and was named king of Judea by the Roman Senate in 40b.c. By 37 b.c. Herod had crushed all opposition to his rule with Roman help. He was wealthy, politically gifted, intensely loyal, an excellent administrator, and clever enough to remain in the good graces of successive Roman emperors. He also patronized the Jews by directing money to their cities and towns. He remitted taxes on the people when the times where tight, and when a famine struck in 25 b.c. he melted down his own gold plate to pay for bread and other supplies for those who were in in need. The Jews never really accepted Herod because he was appointed as king by the Romans, yet he was not Jewish himself. Although his father had been a pious man and sincerely worshiped the Jewish God he was not Jewish so the Jews thought of him as impure and unacceptable as their king.

Caesar Augustus

Toward the end of his time as king he became suspicious to the point of paranoia of everyone around him including his own family. He executed his own sons, Aristobulus and Alexander, whom Antipater, his son by Doris, had accused of plotting to kill him. He also murdered his favorite wife Mariamne, her mother and later, his eldest son Antipater who was accused and convicted of having prepared poison for his father and executed. Before Herod died he gave orders to have the men of influence in the country arrested and brought to the hippodrome at Jericho and slaughtered as soon as he had passed away. He knew that no one would shed a tear when he died but he wanted to be sure that tears where shed when he died. His orders were not carried out and instead the Jews celebrated his death. Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor, who for years had confidence in Herod, finally acknowledged that it was safer to be Herod’s pig than his son.

When I think about the neurotic paranoia that Herod displayed towards the end of his time as king, the extreme to which he went to be sure his throne was secure, I have to wonder why God sent his Son when he did. Jesus could have arrived just a couple of years later and had the same impact. Maybe his father could have had cold feet and delayed the marriage for a season or two. Why did God send his son to the doorstep of a delusionally paranoid ruler? Of all the places and all the times Jesus could have arrived why at a time when the ruler of the region is likely to do whatever it takes to keep is kingship intact, including murder?

Upon reflection, I suppose God demonstrates that no matter how difficult the circumstances appear on the surface, no matter how unlikely the desired outcome seems, God is present in the difficulty and the darkness. When the angel appears to Mary, he says the baby who would be born would be called Immanuel, which means God With Us. God came to earth when times were tough so that humanity could feel his comfort in those tough times. God did not come when it would be easy, He did not come when he could have all kinds of fame and global name recognition through social media. He did not come at a time when there was some assurance that he would not face difficulties or challenges. He came in dangerous times, to no name parents, in a small hamlet of a town in an undesirable region.

All this so that you and I could know that no matter how small or seemingly insignificant we feel, and no matter how overwhelming the challenge may seem, God can say I know what it is like, I've been there. Whether it is cancer, or a pink slip, or another week of not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from the God of the Gospel is Immanuel. 

Jesus arrived at Herod's doorstep so that we could be assured that we won't go through anything that God himself would not also go through. Not only that, but He says he will go through it with us.

Just a Meandering Thought...

BETWEEN Part 2

So you have graduated... big deal... There are apparently far fewer people out there who are excited about that fact than you thought there were. So how do you stay sharp in the time between receiving your diploma and receiving that invitation to the job you were wanting?

First, read BETWEEN part 1.

Second, here are the next three things I have decided that I need to work on. Three ways I can set some goals for myself without a real framework for setting goals. Blogger won't let me begin the numbering from "4" so I am going to have a chat with them about that...

1. Coffee Chat - Getting together once a month for coffee with someone who is in the field is a great way to do a couple of things. First, it helps you stay up to date with what people are doing in your field. Second, the more people know you are out there; the more ground your name covers, the better your chances of some who is hiring hearing about you. You just have to keep a couple of things in mind when you get together with someone. First of all, these guys (and ladies) are busy so don't waste their time. Arrive with a list of questions or talking point, but don't make it too long. Next the whole idea for this get together is for them to talk and for you to listen. Ask questions that are open ended and well thought through. Lastly, remember part of this time is for you to actually learn something, part of it is for them to catch a glimpse of who you are.
2. Be a student - there are all sorts of ways for you to continue to study and learn. Journals of various sorts, conferences, symposiums, and other gatherings are ways for you to continually grow your knowledge base.
3. Proficiency at one new skill - This is a chance for you to grow your personal skill set. It may be web design, photography, the culinary arts, whatever. Two things to keep in mind as you consider becoming proficient in one new skill. First, make it something you actually enjoy doing, or one of those things that you have always wanted to try but never had time to, or the resources to take on. You may need to take some time to save money so that you can purchase one important piece of equipment, but don't take too long and don't spend too much. Check out craigslist.com Second, try to make this something that is in some way connected to the field you are looking to get into.

Good Luck as you embark on these next three and hey, if you end up doing any of these let me know how it goes. I will be working on them as well, and I will let you know how it goes.

Just a few Meandering Thoughts...

BETWEEN Part 1

Not too long ago I walked across a distinguished looking stage, with a group of distinguished men and women sitting on it, all wearing distinguished robes and caps... I was wearing one too. I received a very official looking folder in which will go a very distinguished piece of paper that I will likely later put into a distinguished looking frame.  I spent a lot of time and a lot of money for a graduate degree and I loved every minute of it but now... reality is setting in. I suppose I am experiencing what a lot of graduates are experiencing whether bachelors or Masters... how do I find a job that is a good fit for my interests, training, experience, and passion?

I wish I had an easy answer but it seems to vary depending from field to field. But these are not "meandering thoughts" on how to find your dream job, instead these are my ideas on what to do in the time between finishing your education and landing that dream job. 

I have been asked, "what are your plans now?" or "what goals do you have for yourself?" To be honest it is hard to set goals when there is no real framework in which to set goals. What do you try to achieve, how do you improve your performance what do you shoot for when you are still looking for a job to perform in?

To help me answer these kinds of questions I have put together a list of nine things I (and anyone really) can work towards in the time "between" times. Now, I share with you how we can navigate the time between ending one chapter in our lives and beginning another; how we can "improve our performance" by setting measurable and attainable goals. These are the first three I came up with. ( I was hoping to get a nice round number like ten, but nine is what I am stuck with. If you have an idea share it with me.)

My goals for the time between times:

1. Steward my Opportunities - I may get occasional opportunities to work on some projects that are directly connected to my area of training and education. I need to make the most of those opportunities and use them to showcase what I can do. I need to do my best work here. These chances are where I get to demonstrate who I am and what I am about.
 
 
2. Stay at the Cutting Edge - Identify ten thinkers and writers who are at the cutting edge of my field and read everything they write. This will keep me at the forefront of the thinking and conceptualization in my field. I will have a grasp on the direction and the depth of my area of expertise.  
 
 
3. Remain Relevant - Find ways to use basic skills in my field in what I am doing right now. I need to know a few things that I can do now that I will also need to be doing years from now. I am in sales now so talking with people and developing a rapport with them is one of the things I need to continually work on.
    

Just a few meandering thoughts...

My next three will be coming soon...

OCCUPIED

So I walked around Boston today getting some footage for a video project I am working on.  Part of my afternoon was spent walking along the Greenway which curves around the length of where the rt93 tunnel. I saw a large group at the end of the greenway, I decided to check it out. Turns out it was forty or fifty tents and a couple hundred people all part of Occupy Boston. The Occupy America movement is a fascinating sociological event with a branch in our backyard. People (mostly students) staying in tents, with signs for various political, socioeconomic and other issues, and regardless of Republican or Democrat everyone seemed to be getting along. I took in a group meeting to discuss the greatness of Marxist philosophy, there was a veterans for peace tent, I saw a tent where clothing was being given away, they even have a library. Folk music was being played for everyone's enjoyment and it was actually pretty good.

As I walked through the encampment I got the sense that this was a place for the free exchange of ideas and life philosophy (well, I did not see any representatives from corporate America there). I am pretty sure that there was even a small group freely sharing some ganja; they seemed really happy.

This gathering of people in Dewey Square and the hundreds of people who show up for the scheduled General Assemblies tells me a few things about people in general and Boston in particular. First, there is an undercurrent in Boston (and probably every city in America for that matter) of discontentment with "the system". The system is the conglomeration of impersonal regulations, guidelines, parameters, etc. that seem to be arbitrarily superimposed on society and dictate how a person should live their life and spend their money if they are going to be successful. Discontentment has spurred Americans on to technological innovation for generations, it has spurred community organizers on to bring change to their neighborhoods, it has even spurred corporate executives to make shady deals behind closed doors. People from all walks of life experience some degree of discontentment. We all wrestle with a lack of contentment at some point. Discontentment must simmer for a while before it motivates us to try and bring change to something. What is your simmering discontentment?

The second is that people are desperate to be heard, young and old. Everyone has an opinion, but a cause like "Occupy America" gives people a chance to put a megaphone to their ideals and opinions and be heard much more so than if they stood alone. The need to be heard is what many people from North African nations are fighting for right now. When you are heard you are validated; your station in life has legitimacy. All people long for validation, they long to be heard. People want to be heard. Who listens to you??

Third, I discovered that not everyone there was there for the stated purposes of the movement. Some where there because their friends were there and they wanted to support their friends. Some were there because it is where the attention is and they simply want to be a part; they want to belong. Everyone wants to be part of something big, a cause to fight for. It gives us a sense of identity. In some places in the world the cause is your family; you stand for your family and they give you identity. Here in America it is often your ideals. Your ideals give you something to fight for and give you an identity. When you don't have either of these you long for them, you look for them in anything. Many a high school student and college student has gone through this "looking to belong" stage. From what do you derive your sense of identity??? Is it enough? Are you fulfilled?

In some ways these are the longings of every person who has ever drawn breath on planet earth; they make us human. Being discontent, the desire to be heard, and our sense of identity will shape us and define us. We will be healthy people depending on what our source is for these three aspects of our soul. You may be looking for money, or love. You may be motivated by greed or loneliness. The longings of your soul says something about who you are. How you fulfill those longings says something about who you are willing to be and who you are becoming.

Just a Meandering Thought...

CHAPEL

Monday morning, July 4th was my first shot at speaking to the whole college. I was given the opportunity to speak during the morning chapel service. Chapel services here are one hour but that is not a true sixty minutes. You see, everything is spoken in both English and Hindi. If it is spoken in Hindi, it is translated to English and vice versa. So my thirty minute time slot was really fifteen minutes. It has been a while since I spoke through an interpreter but it went pretty smoothly. It is all about knowing when to stop and when to continue your thought. These guys do it everyday. Sentence structure in Hindi is largely the reverse of English. So you have to finish a sentence for them to be able to adequately translate.

If you are a part of Common Church in Boston you will know what I spoke about. If not, here is an overview. I spoke from the Book of James in the New Testament, the first chapter, and the twelfth verse. Here is a little background for those who are unfamiliar. The writer of the book of James is, you guessed it, James. Most scholars believe this James was the brother of Jesus. (Can you imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother? Hide and seek would definitely not have been fair.) Anyways, when Jesus began his time of ministry his family felt ashamed that he was going around claiming to be a Messiah; the third chapter of the book of Mark actually records a time when his mother and his brothers came to take him back home. They were actually telling people not to pay any attention to him because he was crazy! My family has said that about me, but I am not the Messiah and they were probably right anyways. All that to say, that at one point James was ashamed to be associated with Jesus; but something in his life changed.

To make a long story short, he is eventually asked to be the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. He accepts. The challenge he must face is the persecution of Christians and the fear that many were living with. Many were leaving Jerusalem to find safer cities to live in. It is to the church in Jerusalem and to the many that had fled he wrote his letter. Verse twelve, which was my main text, has three simple components which were the points of my talk. First James encourages the Christians to endure and persevere. When everyone else was fleeing for their lives James had committed to stay behind and care for and tend to the ones who decided to stay; so he was familiar with the idea of enduring. Second, James challenged the believers to stand when facing trials, like persecution. James was familiar with their hurt and difficulties, but he also knew the value of standing when it would be easier to cave under the pressure. In the last part of the twelfth verse James infuses his message with some hope. He wrote to some, perhaps fearful and nervous Christians, that when we endure and stand when facing difficult times, God acknowledges the effort and sacrifice, and gives us a crown.

It is interesting to think of Jesus as growing up with brothers. To have a letter written by one of them makes for interesting reading. I received several compliments from students which was nice, the ones that I appreciated most were from the staff though, and I did get a few of those too.

The rest of the day was relatively quiet, I attended a couple of classes, I taught English in the afternoon. I did hear that one of the classes discussed my talk for a portion of their class time. I thought that was kind of cool.

Not sure when I will speak again in chapel, a few people have asked me. When I do I will likely continue my walk through James...

SUMMIT

About a Week ago I hiked up my favorite mountain in the North East, Mount Adams. It is not high compared to the mountains you read about in magazines, or see in news reports but it is an intense mountain. The reason I like it is because along with being the second highest peak in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and part of the Presidential Range it is the only one that comes to a "pointy" summit. At 5,799 feet it peaks about 1,200 feet above treeline which means that the last mile or so of the hike is very exposed to the elements. As we approached the summit my comrades and I experienced winds sustained at about 60 to 70 miles per hour. What added a mystical element to our experience was that once we emerged from the trees we were above the clouds... yeah the skies were "under-cast" where we were. As the sun set it lit up the clouds. It was beautiful. What some people don't realize is that these mountains are some of the most dangerous in the U.S. The reason is because many people under estimate the conditions there in the Whites. Until a recent cyclone off the coast of Australia, the fastest wind speeds in the surface of the earth had been recorded in the Presidential Range.

As I stood there braced against the wind and biting cold on the "Airline" ridge I thought for a moment that there have been very few people who have stood where I was standing and have seen the view that I was seeing. Then I looked at a sign post and was reminded why so few people make that hike in the middle of winter to experience was I was experiencing. The high winds and extreme cold temperatures create ice formations like this one. What does it take to have experiences like this one. What does it take to have an experience that so few people have? The Answer is quite simple, by going where so few people go. By being willing to do what so few others are willing to do. By doing something difficult, that takes some effort, perhaps to the point of exhaustion.

One of the writers of the New Testament, Paul, writes about how perseverance will bring about character. "...we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4. So few people are interested in Character these days so few people persevere. Anything that involves our own sweat or effort or sacrifice is the sort of thing we put effort into avoiding. We would rather have someone else do it for us. The only draw back to that approach is that whoever does the work eventually gets to enjoy reward, or in my case the view at the top. Whoever perseveres gets the character growth. Not always right away but in the end your efforts catch up with you. No one can grow your relationship with God other than you. No one can put in the effort and get results for you other than you.

I could have sent some one else to the summit of Mount Adams and had them take pictures all the way, but I would not have seen it for myself, I would not have felt the wind on my face, or touched the snow laden branches with my own hands. I would have to settle for pictures. The real thing is so much better yet many times we settle for a two dimensional experience rather than a four dimensional experience. It is four dimensions because the real thing involves time and space, whereas three dimensions only involve space. The real thing with God is the kind of thing that can only really be experienced in person; temporally and specially. We cannot do it through someone else, not even our parents our friends, our religious leaders, or anyone else. Doing that takes personal character, to get character we must learn from and work through difficult circumstances. In order to learn and grow we must experience difficult circumstances... kind of like trying to stand up straight in 60 to 70 mile an hour winds.

So if you find yourself there, in difficult circumstances, and wishing you were somewhere else, like anyone would, hang in there, keep going, persevere. The view farther ahead is most certainly worth it.

Just a thought...