Beauty in the eye of the beholder

On Easter Monday afternoon we had a family trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield. It was my first visit. The YSP is in the grounds of Bretton Hall. From 1949-2001 Bretton Hall was home to Bretton Hall College. As well as the hall itself there are extensive grounds. What was particularly interesting to me is that in the late 40s/early 50s my Dad worked as a gardener at Bretton Hall, and lived in a property in the grounds, along with my Mum and 4 elder sisters (before I arrived on the scene!) The single story property where they lived still exists, although it is now a gallery. It was quite a strange feeling to visit a place where my family lived before I was born. I guess that some of the trees in the gounds would still be recognised by my Dad if he was still alive. I suppose that it's a bit like visiting the Holy Land and knowing that there are some places which have remained virtually unchanged since the time when Jesus walked there.

As for the YSP itself, it is perhaps most well-known for its Henry Moore sculptures, which are situated in various parts of the grounds. It also has extensive indoor areas where various artists exhibit their work. The vast majority seem to be of what one might call the "modern art" variety, which, to be honest, isn't really my cup of tea.

We did spend a little while in one of the exhibition areas and (again, to be honest) I wondered what anyone saw in the pieces of art - they just seemed to me like things a child might have thrown together in a hurry! Yet there did appear to be people who studied them with interest and seemed to appreciate them, which reminded me that we see things in different ways - beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

That led me to think about human beings. There may be some people who we find it very difficult not to dislike, and others who we do our best to avoid. Yet as followers of Jesus we need to remember that in God's eyes every single human being - man, woman and child - is precious and loved.

Knowing the One to give thanks to

The writer of Psalm 106 begins his psalm with these words, "Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Last week I had a very interesting conversation with someone who holds an influential business position. It transpired that our work backgrounds are very similar - we both trained, worked and qualified within a professional office of Chartered Accountants. That's where our "career paths" took very different routes: he is now a CEO of a very well know local organisation, and I am a Methodist minister!

As our conversation progressed, he asked what led me to become a minister. The answer is really very simple: I was responding to God's call on my life. It was whilst attending a conference in Sheffield in around 1985 that I felt very firmly that God wanted me to offer for the Methodist ministry. I many ways I felt ill-equipped for this major life change (and sometimes still do!) However, over all the years I have been a minister (I'm now in my 20th year), even when things have been really hard, I've known that God was with me to give me strength and guidance. Despite my many shortcomings he has been gracious!

In answer to the question about what led me to become a minister, I talked about God's call on my life, and about my faith in him. As I talked about my own personal faith, the person I was speaking to stated, "that's something I don't have". Having been brought up in a Christian family, God has always been part of my life; I can't imagine life without him!

As the conversation progressed, the man talked about how much he enjoys his work, how he has a lovely wife and children. He seemed genuinely happy with his life. And yet, I thought to myself, how sad, so much to be thankful for and he doesn't know the One to thank!

All good things come from our wonderful God - it is good and right to give thanks to him.

United we stand

Each year, the Churches Together in Central Doncaster group organises a series of Lent talks in the period leading up to Easter. Generally, an invited speaker comes to lead the meetings, on a theme of their choosing. This year we have had several different speakers, all from the Focolare movement ("an international movement, inspired by the gospel, working for unity.."). Naturally enough, the theme they have chosen has been unity.

I had been asked to lead the opening part of last night's meeting, and I began by quoting from John Wesley's sermon on "The Catholic Spirit", which deals with the subject of Christian unity. Wesley quotes the words of Jesus to his disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." In other words, the identifying mark of those who follow Jesus should be the love that they show towards one another. Yet Wesley goes on to admit, "Even amongst Christians it is difficult to fine people who love one another in obedience to Jesus' command."

One of the hymns I had chosen for us to sing was a hymn by Charles Wesley (John's brother), "All praise to our redeeming Lord". I chose it because it speaks of the call of Jesus to walk with him and with one another in love. However, I have always had a problem singing one of the verses of the hymn,:

Ev'n now we think and speak the same,
And cordially agree;
Concentred all, through Jesu's name,
In perfect harmony.

The big problem with that verse is that I've never experienced "perfect harmony" in any church I've ever been involved with! However, I have come to realise that I can sing it, not because it is yet accomplished, but I sing it in the hope and prayer that we Christians will pray and work to achieve Jesus' desire for us - to love one another as he loves us.

As I came to introduce the hymn at last night's meeting, I was all set to mention the difficulty I have with this verse, when I suddenly realised that in the Baptist hymn book (we were meeting at Doncaster Baptist Church), the verse is omitted! Maybe the editors thought it was too difficult to sing!

Yet, as the speaker said at the Lent meeting, as we draw closer to Jesus, so we draw closer to each other. In a divided and hurting world, there is a tremendous need for Christians to demonstrate the love of Jesus.

When tragedy strikes

Each Tuesday at Priory we have a lunchtime service. This week’s service took the form of a “Songs of Praise”. The lunchtime service regulars had been invited to choose their favourite hymn. One of the hymn choices was an old favourite, “What a friend we have in Jesus”, written by Joseph Scriven. Joseph Scriven was born in Banbridge, Co. Down, Ireland. In 1845 tragedy entered his life when his fiancée was drowned on the night before they were to be married. The grief-stricken young man moved to Canada. There he again fell in love, and was due to be married, when the young woman suddenly fell ill of pneumonia and died.

When tragedy strikes, we have the choice of either blaming God and turning away from him, or turning to him for strength to carry on. Scriven chose the latter, and devoted the rest of his life to helping others. Some time later he wrote a poem to comfort his mother, which he called "Pray Without Ceasing". It was later set to music and renamed, becoming the much loved hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". The hymn is a great reminder that whatever happens in life, in Jesus we have a friends who will never desert us.

Steven Curtis Chapman is a well known Christian singer-songwriter. He, too, experienced tragedy when his daughter Maria died. I have recently bought his album “beauty will rise”, which arose from his experience of loss. It is an amazing album, in which Chapman so beautifully explores the issues of pain, loss, anger, despair, hope, faith. Out of all the questioning comes the ultimate message of the album, hope will rise.

Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t make us immune to hard times, but it does mean that we have One who will see us through. It’s hard to pick out one track from Chapman’s album, but try this one: “Jesus Will Meet You There”

The power of the tongue

Around 10 days ago Sue and I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary (where do all the years go!). We don't tend to make a big deal of our wedding anniversaries, but it is certainly something to celebrate. I bought Sue a bunch of flowers (that gave her a shock!) and she bought me a book of funny football sayings. Here are just a few examples:

'I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the league.' - Mark Viduka

‘I had a lump in my mouth as the ball went in' - Terry Venables

‘I was quite surprised and delighted to take the armband for both legs.' - Gary O’Neil

'I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel.' - Stuart Pearce

'I couldn't settle in Italy - it was like living in a foreign country.' - Ian Rush

'I was really surprised when the FA knocked on my doorbell.' - Michael Owen

‘The important thing is that he shook hands with us over the phone' - Alan Ball

'My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7.' - David Beckham

It's so easy, of course, to say something without thinking, and then immediately regret what has been said. The above examples are quite funny, and maybe, looking back, the people concerned were a little embarrassed. But sometimes our words can have far more regrettable consequences.

There was a saying around when I was a young lad, "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me." What a load of rubbish! Words can be incredibly hurtful. James, writing his New Testament letter, warns, "If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."

I guess that all of us can remember times when we have said something and instantly regretted it. The sobering thing is that once the words have come out they can never be taken back.

The tongue is only a relatively small part of the body, but it has a potential influence (for good or evil) far beyond its size. How much better the world would be if we human beings tried harder to control our tongues!

Naked we come and naked we go

I remember some years ago hearing evangelist J John speaking about a family funeral which he had attended. As the family and other mourners gathered together after the funeral service, one person was heard to whisper "I wonder how much he left." "Everything!" was J John's immediate response! The biblical book of Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 15 reads as follows: 'We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can't take our riches with us.'

I have mentioned before on my blog that I have for some time been an eBay user. I have bought and sold quite a few things over the years. I particularly enjoy old books, but on occasions I come across other interesting items. I wonder if you recognise the person in the image? A few days ago I happened to come across an eBay seller who was selling quite a number of items which used to belong to the late Mo Mowlam MP (the image is of an oil painting of Mo). It appears that when Mo's husband died (subsequent to her own death), the eBay seller purchased some items from the estate, and decided to list them on eBay. There were some fascinating items, and they attracted quite a lot of bidding.

Some may think it a bit morbid to be buying items from a dead person's estate! It certainly got me thinking about the reality of the verse from Ecclesiastes. The truth is that all the material possessions we might accumulate in this life are ours on a purely temporary basis. All the things we regard as "ours", we will one day have to leave behind. We would be wiser regarding ourselves as temporary stewards of what we have rather than permanent owners.

When Mo Mowlam died, she had to leave behind all her possessions, which included many items related to her period serving in the Northern Ireland Office. She appears to have been a significant figure during the lead up to the Good Friday Agreement. In early 1998, when negotiations in Northern Ireland had reached an impasse, Mowlam took a significant political risk. She entered the Maze Prison near Belfast, to speak to convicted Irish paramilitaries face-to-face, when it became apparent that the peace process required their backing. Following her visit with the prisoners, their political representatives announced they were rejoining the talks. Shortly after, the Good Friday Agreement for Ireland was secured on 10 April 1998.

I am sure that all the awards and presentations meant a great deal to her when she received them. But what do they mean to her now? In other words, what is it that matters ETERNALLY? Ultimately what matters is our relationship with God, for that transcends earthly life. That's why God sent Jesus, so that through Jesus we might know God, now and into eternity.

Unique and known by God

At Priory, which is my town centre church, we have something called Restawhile. It has been going for many years, since long before I arrived in Doncaster. On market day mornings the church is open to serve tea and coffee. It is a service offered to anyone who is out and about in the town centre. Restawhile has proved to be very popular, and attracts folk from around South Yorkshire and even further afield. Over the course of an average year over 20,000 cups of tea or coffee are served (and that’s a lot of washing up!)

Just as important as the actual serving of light refreshments is the opportunity Restawhile provides for social interaction. Quite a number of Restawhile regulars meet up and spend time with friends over a cuppa. The Restawhile volunteers, who serve the tea and coffee, get to know the regulars and build up relationships with them over time. Trying to be welcoming and friendly is very much a part of the Restawhile philosophy.

Whenever I have opportunity I like to pop in to Restawhile and have a chat with some of the customers. It gives me the opportunity of meeting and getting to know some of the folk who come onto our premises. A few days ago I had a fascinating conversation with one lady who I had known for some time. During the course of the conversation she told me something about her family history; how her family had lost almost everything in the great depression, and how as a girl she was brought up by a single mum with very little by way of material comforts.

The story continued into her adult life, marriage, childbearing, bereavement, and on to her grandson who has behavioural difficulties. I was fascinated by this lady’s story, and suggested that she write her biography! It is unlikely that she will do so, which is a shame because life stories like hers would, I am sure, be of interest to many.

As I later reflected on that conversion, into my mind came the thought that EVERY human being has their own unique story to tell. Indeed, every human being is God’s unique creation, created by him and in his image. In God’s sight every human being is special and precious, and every human life is of value. How easily we group people together: “the elderly”, “the disabled”, “the French” etc., when in reality every group is made up of individuals.

I was interested to hear of Virgin Money’s plans to create new high street banks in the traditional style, where customers are treated as individuals (not numbers!) and are able to know and be known by their bank manager. I guess that many people will appreciate this new/old approach. But isn’t it wonderful that Almighty God, who created all things, knows each one of us intimately, treats us as individuals, and longs that we might know and love him?