Prayed for or Preyed on?

So many are turned off by hypocrites.

It may begin with realizing some who call themselves real Christians are not real people. There is the disappointment that comes with knowing that the ones who use all the right religious words can also be the ones who can cause the most harm and injury to others. That is more serious than just pretense or hypocrisy. I have heard lately about secular employers, as well as churches, letting their employees or staff go, and in an effort to soften the blow and to claim that they are somehow "christian," these same folks who are cutting a person's job will claim they have prayed about the decision, or that they are praying for the soon to be departed.

One word for those who would want to use religious words to sugar coat a painful situation or to cover guilt, or to look good. Please don't do it, even if you happen to be sincere! Don't bring God into the pain of that moment. If you do, you not only injure that person's sense of God, if there was one, but also you can make prayer an instrument of harm. God is not the cause of this action and your referencing God has no place in what may feel like, or may be in reality, being thrown out on the street.

In my opinion, much of what we do in taking God's name in vain is not just ugly or hurtful language (see Exodus 20:7), it is also using God's name to minimize, not to bless others. The CEV reads, "Do not misuse my name." If everytime I hear God and I am manipulated or lied to, then I begin to associate God with being manipulated, lied to, or even abused. So misusing God applies to people who take the name Christian and use it to degrade.

We would be healthier if we just owned it ourselves. Be healthy.

My Hero: Marvin Cropsey

Marvin Cropsey's title doesn't really fit on his business card anymore. Marvin, has been in ministry many years with the United Methodist Publishing House and is an amazing servant of the church. Currently, Marvin is General Editor over all our denomination's Quadrennial Resources (a fancy name the many, many volumes General Conference generates), plus other things like the Mature Years, etc, etc., etc. I recently saw him at our General Conference last week in Ft. Worth; we had a chance to renew our 30 year association dating back to when he was with Cokesbury in Ohio in the late 70's.

In the midst of General Conference, he was easily one of the busiest persons there. The Daily Christian Advocate, one of his responsibilities, covers every word of General Conference. The DCA had a large suite of makeshift offices where the large staff was working for two weeks. Marvin arrived very early each day; he retired each evening in the early morning hours. He was also the one of the first to arrive and the last to leave the city.

Most folks think his job is not fun, but Marvin disagrees. In fact, Marvin's energy remains constant. His stamina is due, in part, to the fact that he loves General Conference and his part in it. Passion really overcomes so much! After reflecting on all this, I wonder if it is not the better part of wisdom to return to our first love, our passion. It is easy to lag behind energy-wise when we forget why we do what we do- and what we loved about it all initially.

I have a sense that the famous do-gooder Ephesians of Rev. 2, the first of John's Seven Churches, would understand about losing the love and passion we once had. Maybe this had to do with "christian" phonies and they got tired of them. I do think it is consequential, not really punitive in Revelation. As love continues to grow cold, the lampstand will be taken away; just as the light we offer to the world will dim and go out when we forget our first love.

Marvin says everyone marvels at the joy and dedication he has for his work, his ministry. Indeed, his energy seemed boundless last week. In this week of recovery,I thank Marvin for reminding me of what it looks like to give from the full cup. And to be used by the Holy Spirit. We all need to see that for ourselves (rather than envy it in others) and to do it.

You fill my cup until it overflows. Psalm 23:5