The Source of Confidence was in un-confirmed Grants and can be no longer

[UPDATE: As of 11/8/08, I still have yet to hear definitively regarding the discussion as noted in the second half of this post, below, on the matter of the $700,000.  I'm going to suggest as this point that there wasn't much that was going to be said definitively until the dioceses of Quincy (now having voted the same way San Joaquin and Pittsburgh did), and presumably Fort Worth following suit also this month.]

(slightly revised as of 10/28, in order of paragraphs)

As stated at the Episcopal San Joaquin Convention this past weekend, the vestry of St. John’s, Tulare, and I are here to assist in helping the diocese grow and develop in the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ, as we hope all would see themselves.  The convention itself offered many examples of people working together to “right the ship”, as Bp Lamb offered in his address.

St. John’s convention delegates, George Sutton and Robert Sutton (not related, BTW), and I have seen immediately that this would be a good place to start, and so we offer the following in that spirit of labor together:

  We call on the members and leaders of the diocese to recognize the need to make our way based on what God has provided us as we go on our way, with good Christian stewardship and hefty Spirit-informed prayer in the Name of Jesus, and without undue reliance on grants from a resource that is seeing measurable financial decline.

Every diocesan treasurer’s moment of pain is when a delegate gets up to amend a line item in the presented diocesan budget.  Or when a delegate comes to the microphone at Convention and says, “This budget is no good.  It’s not balanced.”

Diocesan budgets can be difficult and complex matters, not the least of which is that diocesan conventions are required to pass submitted budgets.  It can be seen, primarily, as an approval vote.  Budgets are not crafted at Convention itself.  The Canons require Diocesan Council to submit a budget to Convention; delegates generally are asked to trust the process Council develops using the Canons as guide.  No matter how “open” you make the process in regard to submission of requests, and hearings, etc., including providing some kind of Q & A at a pre-Convention deanery or convocation meeting as well as at Convention itself, the great bulk of delegates are not involved, nor avail themselves of the process of building a budget.   Rectors and Vicars are included in that voluntary and involuntary disenfranchisement; experienced congregational leaders have also usually found that only a very small percentage of people even have a glancing interest in the ongoing finances of the dioceses — except on hotspot issues like camps, staff wages, youth programs, newspapers, campus ministries, and assessments.   And whether the budget is balanced or not.  So the Treasurer has the responsibility of selling the budget to Convention as something everyone can trust is a valid symbol and tool of the life and ministry of the diocese.  “Trust me.”

When a budget is presented in such fashion it is not helpful to present any facet of which can be questioned and elicits a response of “it is anticipated”, or “we are hoping that”, or “we’ll know next month if”, or “we won’t know until next month”, or “it is unknown at this time”, etc., etc.  It is especially unhelpful in the development of trust to apply those uncertain phrases to the income side of the budget. 

Parish and Mission annual budgets are no different, but often less complicated in regard to underlying agendas, intentions, hidden costs, etc.  Our average, normal small congregation (all denominations) usually is pretty bare bones.  Even there, if the treasurer or rector or vicar gets up at the annual meeting and says in the face of some noticeable difference between income and expenses, “I’m sure it will all work out”, you can count on not a few arteries to get hardened.  Prior to that moment, responsible vestries and bishop committees will provide contingency plans for deficits, which might include Budget A, and Budget B, where Budget A is balanced for the sake of presentation, and Budget B reflects the hopes and anticipations, including the necessary element of Faith.  (There is a difference that can exist between diocesan and congregational budgets when bylaws allow for the vestry (usually) to submit a budget for presentation at the annual meeting that has already been approved and does not require ratification.)

On the diocesan level, especially because it can be more complex, a realistic, only-figure-expenses-from-what-the-canons-define-as-revenue kind of budget demands balancing.   And I’ll tell you now in case you aren’t familiar with the appropriate Canon (you should look it up yourself – see the Episcopal San Joaquin diocesan webpage for links, or ask your Rector or Vicar for their printed copy), grants to the diocese via requests to TECUSA Executive Council or General Convention itself are not listed there.   It doesn’t say you can’t ask.   But the fiscally responsible thing to do – even given the irregular situation we are in – is to provide a balanced budget based solely on what revenues can be expected as a regular course of assessments and proceeds from available trusts and investments.  We have no hope of understanding our realistic viability if we do not.  

Broken down to numbers based on the revenue Canon, our Episcopal San Joaquin diocesan budget for 2009 would be somewhere in the $175K to $240K range.  Factor in your episcopacy, and whatever left goes to barebones essentials.  We grow from there.

In any case, a budget was passed this past weekend at Convention for approximately $600,000 (without factoring in litigation costs), that depends on funds being granted through Executive Council (a minimum of approximately $375,000 to $425,000 needed to meet presented budget expenses), which I can only presume was a possibility raised through conversation engaged well before Council first began budget deliberations.  Some kind of narrative would be helpful in such situations.  But the fact that conversations from the summer could not remotely be factored into dollars and cents until after Executive Council heard from TEC Treasurer (last week) and a resolution for such grant requests could finally be moved.   There was no guarantee, except for the benefit of a very high priority on the part of the Presiding Bishop and most of Executive Council for making sure the San Joaquin situation does not fail.  Even then, what was passed by Executive Council was not immediately clear as to the meaning of “up to $700,000″ for four dioceses mentioned - as evidenced by comments made during the consideration of the budget in Hanford on Saturday wondering if that meant the $700,000 would be split “three ways” (people weren’t counting Quincy).   Now that I’ve seen the resolution and commentary (see below, hat tip to Fr. Jim Simons, from his weblog in Pittsburgh), especially the identification of $3M in appreciated income at the end of the Explanation, it is quite possible they meant that each of the 4 dioceses could be afforded the $700,000. 

“Up to” also provides a means for the Treasurer and the Presiding Bishop as the signatories to these funds to say ”yay” or “nay” to any line item in the budget expenses they might question.  I would submit that most of the request for budget grant will be rubber stamped; the possibility of withholding still exists, though, which makes the request not a 100% sure thing. 

But the contingency plan?  What if TECUSA Executive Council had said, “Sorry”, days before heading into our convention?   Even if Diocesan Council or Treasurer Tom (God bless him) had something ready to print up and pass out, we can’t possibly believe that Executive Council will continue to bail out a diocesan budget that continues to budget for more expenses than normal, Canonical revenue/income.   Without saying “We should have had….”, which is not particularly helpful at this point, what would be helpful is an immediate consideration of a 2009 (yes, 2009) budget based only on Canonical revenue definition, disbursed to all congregations for complete transparency, and with the invitation (perhaps the charge) for each congregation at least at board level to discuss the implications of such a barebones budget, brainstorm responses, and get those back to Council prior to when a normal budget discernment process would begin for 2010 budget, just past the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

   Further, we would say right away, besides the recommendation made above,  we pray and work toward a strong “Legacy Program”, a la Diocese of Olympia, as presented in one of the convention workshops by Olympian Carl Knirk.   We will attempt to implement this program in our own parish in January.  Any congregations that would like to do the same might work with us for encouragement and support, and sharing of ideas.

God move in our midst.

 

The following is the resolution of the Executive Council recognising and supporting those in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and San Joaquin, committed to staying in the Episcopal Church. The Executive Council is “General Convention at rest”.

Resolved, That up to $700,000 of undistributed accumulated income and appreciation be made available in calendar year 2009 from one or more of the following trust funds established to support the missionary work or mission work of the Church,

TF#756 Lloyd, Ethel. S., Bequest of (1996)
TF#200.2 The St. leger Fund (1909)
TF#492 Hopkins, Theresa B., Bequest of (1936)
TF#723 Zabriskie Memorial Fund (1961)
TF#814 Boyd, Lizzie E. Fund (1978)
TF#656 Monteagle, Lydia Paige, Bequest of (1953)
TF#678 Olden, Sarah E., Bequest of (1955)
TF#860 Gregg, Ellen F., and David McM. Memorial Fund (1982)
TF#540 Seager, Schuyler F., Gift of (1941)

And be it further

Resolved, That these funds be used to provide financial assistance during calendar year 2009 in the Diocese of San Joaquin, the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and other similarly situated dioceses for clergy salaries and other expenses; and be it further

Resolved, That in the light of the action of the Presiding Bishop in deposing the Rt. Rev. Robert W. Duncan as Bishop of Pittsburgh for abandoning the communion of this Church, the Executive Council joins with the Presiding Bishop in recognizing the Rev. James Simons, the Rev. Jeffrey Murph, and Ms. Mary Roehrich as the current Standing committee of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and designates a portion of the funds referred to in the first Resolve be sued to provide financial assistance during calendar year 2009 to the current leadership of the Diocese of Pittsburgh for clergy salaries and other expenses; and be it further

Resolved, That the Executive Council joins with the Presiding Bishop in recognizing The Rev. Keith Axberg, The Rev. Glenn Kanestrom, Ms. Cindy Smith, Mr. John Ledbetter, The Rev. John Shumaker, Mr. Richard Jennings, Ms. Beryl Simkins, and The Rev. Tim Vivian as the current Standing committee of the Diocese of San Joaquin and designates a portion of the funds referred to in the first Resolve be used to provide continued financial assistance to the current leadership of the Diocese of San Joaquin, as well as to the leadership of other similarly-situated dioceses, for clergy salaries and other expenses during the calendar year 2009; and be it further

Resolved, That the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church commends the work of all those involved in supporting the efforts by Dioceses to exercise their pastoral and fiduciary responsibilities in regard to the ownership of properties and funds; and be it further

Resolved, That the disbursement of these funds from one or more of the above trusts be made by the Presiding Bishop and the Treasurer.

Explanation:
Some members of the Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of San Joaquin and Pittsburgh have opted to leave the Church. The remaining members of these dioceses-lay and ordained-find they have reduced resources from which to care for one another and to reach out to those who do not know the Gospel of Christ. Ordained ministers, who provide an ongoing pastoral presence to the continuing Episcopalians, not face insecurity with respect to their salaries.

The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ—through prayer and worship, proclaiming the Gospel, and promoting justice, peace and love. These dioceses have become fertile areas for mission work.

The Executive Council authorized a draw of up to $500,000 to fund similar work in 2008. Through October, nearly $421,000 had been expended to support mission in the dioceses of San Joaquin, Fort Worth and Pittsburgh. These disbursements were reviewed and approved by legal counsel, who confirmed that the disbursements complied with the terms and conditions of the trusts.

The undistributed appreciation in the above named trust funds totaled an estimated $3.0 million as of 9/30/08.

(This copy of the resolution is not a “certified” copy, but reproduced from the hard copy of the resolution in the same language passed by Council on October 23, 2008 in Helena, MT.)

Lection from Sunday: Convention in retrospect

From the Daily Office reading from the Old Testament for Sunday, October 26th, come more than one word of wisdom that were or should have been applied to the business portions of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin Convention this past Saturday.

15 My child, do not mix reproach with your good deeds,
or spoil your gift by harsh words.
16 Does not the dew give relief from the scorching heat?
So a word is better than a gift.
17 Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?
Both are to be found in a gracious person.
18 A fool is ungracious and abusive,
and the gift of a grudging giver makes the eyes dim.

19 Before you speak, learn;
and before you fall ill, take care of your health.
20 Before judgment comes, examine yourself;
and at the time of scrutiny you will find forgiveness.
21 Before falling ill, humble yourself;
and when you have sinned, repent.
22 Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,
and do not wait until death to be released from it.
23 Before making a vow, prepare yourself;
do not be like one who puts the Lord to the test.
24 Think of his wrath on the day of death,
and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.
25 In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger;
in days of wealth think of poverty and need.
26 From morning to evening conditions change;
all things move swiftly before the Lord.

27 One who is wise is cautious in everything;
when sin is all around, one guards against wrongdoing.
28 Every intelligent person knows wisdom,
and praises the one who finds her.
29 Those who are skilled in words become wise themselves,
and pour forth apt proverbs.
30 Do not follow your base desires,
but restrain your appetites.
31 If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire,
it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
32 Do not revel in great luxury,
or you may become impoverished by its expense.
33 Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money,
when you have nothing in your purse.

Prayers for DSJ(E) Workshop with ministry

The following is the description for the early Saturday morning workshop I and others from St. John’s, Tulare, will be presenting and ministering at the Episcopal San Joaquin annual convention this weekend (Oct 24-26). 

9.      Unction, Making Use of the Gifts of the Spirit, as a Team Ministry: Father Rob Eaton and Prayer Team Members from St. John’s, Tulare, CA

We will demonstrate, with workshop participants, how a 2 to 3 member team can provide a healing and prayer ministry, especially within a liturgical setting, such as a Holy Communion service.  Unction, normally understood (see the Catechism in the BCP), is the anointing with oil, and/or the laying on of hands with prayer for the ministration to the sick.  Providing a brief biblical and theological background on healing, laying on of hands, and which Gifts of the Spirit are most useful, and making use of authorized liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Occasional Services, the curious, beginners, and advanced intercessors alike will gain first-hand insight on starting such a ministry or developing one already in existence in their congregations.

Especially because there will be personal ministry offered to workshop attendees (there will be time for maybe 7-9 individuals), I invite your prayers during this workshop.  It begins at 8:15am Pacific time.  For you Eastern time zone people, it means you don’t have to start praying (11:15) until you’ve had a couple of cups of coffee.  For those of you praying in Hawaii, God bless you.  The workshop will last 90 minutes.

Each time of personal ministry will last only 3 to 5 minutes (that’s one of the keys of liturgical setting prayer ministries).  The first volunteer person to receive prayer will be right at the beginning.  The next set of two volunteer persons will be around 9:15am (Pacific), but will include critique of the prayer ministry as it is going on, so about 8 or 9 minutes each.  Then we will put into action two or three or our parish teams for anyone else who would like prayer (including inviting workshop attendees being stand-ins with the teams).  This will begin just after 9:30am (Pacific).  Each team should be able to pray for a couple of people.

The block of time in between the first person prayed over (which will immediately model the form) and the ministry time at the end is the teaching time.

Thank you for your prayers.  We expect to see people healed, and we hope for the establishment of these prayer ministries in the worship services from wherever the attendees come from.

RGE+

The Inside Strategy from Micah’s prophesying

From Micah, Chapter 2, as found in the BCP lectionary for Wednesday, Oct 8, 2008:

12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the survivors of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture; it will resound with people.

13The one who breaks out will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the LORD at their head.

A timely message for those facing an uncertain future

From a book by Barbara Taylor Brown, 2000

Judgment, violence, rejection, death–these are present in our world and our lives. And there is some crazy kind of consolation in the fact that they are present in the Bible as well. They remind us that the Bible is not all lambs and rainbows. If it were, it would not be our book. Our book has everything in it–wonder and terror, worst fears and best hopes–both for ourselves and our relationship with God. The best hope of all is that because the terrors are included as part of the covenant story, they may turn out to be redemptive in the end, when we see dimly no more but face to face at last.

That is the fundamental hope to which all tales of terror drive us: That however wrong they may seem, however misbegotten and needlessly cruel, God may be present in them, working redemption in ways we are not equipped to discern. Our fear of God’s method may turn out to be like our fear of the surgeon’s knife, which must wound before it can heal. While we would prefer to forgo the pain altogether, our survival depends on our trust in the surgeon’s skill. If we believe that the one to whom we surrender ourselves is competent, then, in the words of Julian of Norwich, “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

If we are open to this possibility in our interpretation of the Scripture, then we open to the possibility in our lives as well. Whether the terror is heard on Sunday or lived on Monday, the question remains the same: Do we trust God to act in all the events of our lives, or only the ones that meet our approval?

Several summers ago I spent three days on a barrier island where loggerhead turtles were laying their eggs. One night while the tide was out, I watched a huge female heave herself up on the beach to dig her nest and empty her eggs into it. Afraid of disturbing her, I left before she had finished. The next morning I returned to see if I could find the spot where her eggs lay hidden in the sand. What I found were her tracks leading in the wrong direction. Instead of heading back out to sea, she had wandered into the dunes, which were already as hot as asphalt in the morning sun.

A little ways inland I found her: Exhausted, all but baked, her head and flippers caked with dried sand. After pouring water on her and covering her with sea oats, I fetched a park ranger who returned with a jeep to rescue her. He flipped her on her back, wrapped tire chains around her front legs, and hooked the chains to a trailer hitch on his jeep. Then I watched horrified as he took off, yanking her body forward so that her mouth filled with sand and her neck bent so far back I thought it would break.

The ranger hauled her over the dunes and down onto the beach. At the ocean’s edge, he unhooked her and turned her right side up. She lay motionless in the surf as the water lapped at her body, washing the sand from her eyes and making her skin shine again. A wave broke over her; she lifted her head slightly, moving her back legs. Other waves brought her further back to life until one of them made her light enough to find a foothold and push off, back into the ocean. Watching her swim slowly away and remembering her nightmare ride through the dunes, I reflected that it is sometimes hard to tell whether you are being killed or saved by the hands that turn your life upside down.
Our hope, through all our own terrors, is that we are being saved. But this does not mean we lie down before the terrors. For as long as we have strength to fight, it is both our nature and our privilege to do so. Sometimes God’s blessing does not come until daybreak, after a full night of emptying ourselves and wandering in the wrong direction. Our job is to struggle with the terrors, neither surrendering nor stealing away until they have yielded their blessings.
…………..No one who has heard the story of the Passion can mistake where following Jesus will lead, which makes the gospel itself a text of terror for all who wish to avoid suffering and death. For Jesus, there is no escape. The vultures are perched low now; friends have vanished and the enemy is everywhere.
The good news is that Jesus does not dissemble, but continues to speak the truth, although it brings all the empires of the world crashing down on his head. According to John, Jesus does not give up his life until he knows that “It is finished” (19:30). Whether or not he knows what will happen next, he knows that he is part of something beyond himself, something he has brought to fullness by surrendering himself to it as the incalculable, incomparable will of God.

Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest. She has taught religion and philosophy at Piedmont College in Georgia. This excerpt is from an article from Exilic Preaching: Testimony for Christian Exiles in an Increasingly Hostile Culture. Copyright 1998 Trinity Press International, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Tales of Terror, Times of Wonder, March-April 2000

h/t www.textweek.com

Using this for Sunday 9/21/08 after Philippians lesson

Fred Pratt Green’s hymn, “Pray for the Church, Afflicted and Oppressed”, using the hymn tune by Jean Sibelius, Finlandia (hear a beautiful choral rendition of it in its original context using this download), as it is appropriate for the lesson, but also, considering the recent action of the House of Bishops, regarding the unsettling precedent in The Episcopal Church in the United States of America reflected in verse two.

Pray for the Church, afflicted and oppressed, for all who suffer for the gospel’s sake, that Christ may show us how to serve them best in that one kingdom Satan cannot shake. But how much more than us they have to give, who by their dying show us how to live.

 

Pray for Christ’s dissidents, who daily wait, as Jesus waited in the olive grove, the unjust trial, the pre-determined fate, the world’s contempt for reconciling love. Shall all they won for us, at such a cost, be by our negligence or weakness lost?

Pray that if times of testing should lay bare what sort we are, who call ourselves his own, we may be counted worthy then to wear, with quiet fortitude, Christ’s only crown: The crown that in his saints he wears again the crown of thorns that signifies his reign. 

First response to the House of Bishops’ action 9/18

The reading from the Book of Common Prayer lectionary that I read in the evening today (Thursday) is from Job 28. I had to check it twice, since we’ve just finished reading through Job (the lectionary skips and jumps through the whole book, but we did read from the last chapter, 42, yesterday). But this is indeed the correct reading for today.

14 The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ 15It cannot be gotten for gold, and silver cannot be weighed out as its price. 16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. 17Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. 18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. 19The chrysolite of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20 “Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? 21It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air. 22Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’ 23″God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. 24For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens. 25When he gave to the wind its weight, and apportioned out the waters by measure; 26when he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the thunderbolt; 27then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. 28And he said to humankind, ‘Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’”

  One of my deep concerns regarding The Episcopal Church in the United States of America * is what I have discerned as a pitiful lack of Wisdom, either in reference to the spiritual gift of a Word of Wisdom (see 1 Corinthians 12), or in the larger sense of the acquisition of divine Wisdom by maturity in Christ, the transformation of the Mind so that we can agree with Paul that we “have” the mind of Christ ourselves (corporately or individually).
I believe that what happened with the Standing Committee in San Joaquin, and in the decision to call for a Special Convention even before Bp Schofield was (not really) deposed, the unwillingness to go back and correct the mistake (even Congress will do that), and now manipulation of the House of Bishops into a vote of deposition for Bp Duncan, are all signs of the lack of making use of or even asking for a “Word of Wisdom”, and the lack of a collective sense of transformative Wisdom in the House of Bishops - which, yes, implies an underdeveloped Mind of Christ.
As much as I have become a stickler for the proper use of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church in the USA and of each diocese for the sake of the essential need to define the metes and bounds of our lives together, I also know that Wisdom can provide the solution for how to use the knowledge. But if you take the knowledge (in this case, the Canons) and weave them or the interpretation of them in a different way or direction, then you are engaging somehow in the opposite of Wisdom, which ultimately comes to be seen as Human Will, or Wisdom. And that’s what brings me to share this portion of Job 28 as a first response to the House of Bishops action re: Bp Duncan. I’ll say a little more tomorrow.

*  I use the official designation U.S.A. because there are other “Episcopal Church”’s around the Anglican Communion, and it seems quite myopic and, yes, arrogant, to suggest (by using only “The Episcopal Church”) that we are the only or most obvious one.

Job says it for me

As in the preceding post, scripture meets me at my moments of both pain and joy, and gives words to my inabilities to do so, or at least provides the platform to help me express myself in both prayer, and conversation with others.   I believe this is the case for all who read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to them (us) through those words.

In this current case, I recently shared with a person with whom we have a mutual grave disagreement, ”My theology tells me that God could well have a hand in your being here and your position.” 

They agreed. 

And they did not reciprocate.  Either because they could not see or say the same for me, or perhaps my statement caught them offguard enough so as not to even think of returning a similar gesture of Grace.

Either way, it does beg the question of how they could they agree in the first place.  It (my statement) was satisfyingly absorbed, yet not fully considered.   A tragic, yet so common, flaw in today’s Church.

 

Job 19:1-7,14-27 (NRSV)

Then Job answered: 2″How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words? 3These ten times you have cast reproach upon me; are you not ashamed to wrong me? 4And even if it is true that I have erred, my error remains with me. 5If indeed you magnify yourselves against me, and make my humiliation an argument against me, 6know then that God has put me in the wrong, and closed his net around me. 7Even when I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I am not answered; I call aloud, but there is no justice. 14My relatives and my close friends have failed me; 15the guests in my house have forgotten me; 17….. I am loathsome to my own family.  19All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me. 20My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. 21Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me! 22Why do you, like God, pursue me, never satisfied with my flesh?

23 “O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book! 24O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever! 25For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; 26and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, 27whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

Praying through the empathetic words of Psalm 55

Capturing the thoughts and emotions of such a difficult breach in trust, by those before, and those who have found it true since, and showing us how to chart a proper and safe passage through the reef, here is David writing from his capture by the Phlilistines at Gath….

joining in at verse 12…….

12 It was not an enemy insulting me. . .
       I could stand that.
    It was not someone who hated me. . .
       I could hide from him.
 13 But it is you, a person like me,
       my companion and good friend.
 14 We had a good friendship
       and walked together to God’s Temple.

 15 Let death take away my enemies.
       Let them die while they are still young
       because evil lives with them.
 16 But I will call to God for help,
       and the Lord will save me.
 17 Morning, noon, and night I am troubled and upset,
       but he will listen to me.
 18 Many are against me,
       but he keeps me safe in battle.
 19 God who lives forever
       will hear me and punish them.     Selah

    But they will not change;
       they do not fear God.

 20 The one who was my friend attacks his friends
       and breaks his promises.
 21 His words are slippery like butter,
       but war is in his heart.
    His words are smoother than oil,
       but they cut like knives.

 22 Give your worries to the Lord,
       and he will take care of you.
       He will never let good people down.
 23 But, God, you will bring down
       the wicked to the grave.
    Murderers and liars will live
       only half a lifetime.
    But I will trust in you.

Implication: The “cool spirit” is not necessarily the “non-anxious presence”

The following reflection and mini-study was released recently by Dr. Gil Stieglitz (who has provided permission for its reproduction).  The “Implication:” title for this post was provided by Surrounded.  This particular devotion by Dr. Stieglitz can be accessed by pointing your browser here. - RGE

 

Proverbs 17:27 – Dr. Gil Stieglitz

 

He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
 
restrains his words:   This is the Hebrew word chasak which means to withhold, refrain, lessen, hold back.  Each of these ideas — when applied to speech — means that you say less than you know.  You hold back all that you want to say.  Many times we get ourselves talking and we speak beyond what we know.  Or we say things that we wish we had not said. 
 
Solomon is suggesting that no matter how much talking we normally do that we lessen it to some degree; that we hold back on letting every thought we have drop immediately or quickly out of our mouth.  Develop a new joy in not doing all the talking and/or in not saying all that you know about a subject.
 
When you’re in a meeting or gathering today, restrain your words.  Open your mouth only to ask questions.
 
knowledge:   This is the Hebrew word daat which is the standard word for information, skill, and knowledge.  When you really have it, you don’t have to draw attention to yourself.  There is a quiet confidence in your information, skill, and knowledge.
 
This is the opposite of what we often think. We think that the person who talks a lot about what they supposedly know is the person who really knows a lot, but Solomon correctly points out that it is the person who is less talkative who knows more.  They hold back their claims and attention and instead collect more information and realize more connections.
 
cool spirit:   This is the Hebrew word qar which means cool, cold.  It is used in this case connected to one’s spirit or the Hebrew word is ruach which is breath, wind, spirit, temper, heart.  It clearly is the idea of a person who is not quickly reactive.  Words do not easily set them off. 
 
It is interesting that Solomon here speaks about a cool spirit from the point of view that it is controllable through understanding, through what one knows about others and the connections between things and people. 
 
Quick-tempered people are high expectation people with low thresholds of discipline.  They expect what they want to happen and do not know how to hold back their anger, disappointment, and bitterness if it does not.   The reason a person gets upset is that they have unrealistic expectations for that situation.  Usually it means what they wanted to happen did not happen and they did not factor into their expectations that things will often not go exactly as you planned.   One has to realize that when a hope becomes an expectation, one will often be disappointed and become angry. 
 
Sometimes our expectation may even be the right or noble expectation, but that does not mean it will happen.  You need to prepare in your spirit for various results so that you do not become needlessly worked up.  
 
A cool spirit is one which has looked at a situation and thought through a number of the possible scenarios and is prepared for each.

 

G.S.

 

Cross references:

1. chasak : Prov 10:19; James 1:19
2. qar : Prov 14:29