Swedish Death Cleaning and the Poor (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

The first time I heard the phrase “Swedish death cleaning,” I formed a mental image: people who cleaned up a crime scene after CSI had finished processing it for clues ... in Sweden. Weird as that sounds, there actually are such people; hired to make a crime scene appear as if no crime ever occurred. Hotel rooms come to mind.

The Sweden connection? Not so much. 

Still, that mental image remained for quite some time. Eventually, though, I discovered Margareta Magnusson’s bestseller, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, a book with absolutely no connection to CSI. 

Magnusson lives in Sweden and is aged, she says, “somewhere between 80 and 100.” Her little (very readable) book tells her story of how she thought about and then executed her plan to reduce her possessions. Her motivation was to lighten the stress on her children when she dies. By significantly reducing her possessions to what she truly needs and truly wants, she hopes to spare them much head-scratching and hand-wringing when the time comes. 

 

It is a lovely book, a truly gentle reminder (for us all) of an inescapable truth and how we can show we truly care ... somewhat like the comment Jesus made in this week’s reading about “the poor” in Mark 14.

 

Some have misunderstood what Jesus meant when he said, “For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.” He was not telling his listeners (or us) to not care for the poor. On the contrary, Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 15:7-11, and He was saying it to a group of listeners who understood exactly what He meant.

 

Care for the poor was a fundamental part of Israel’s cultural fabric. It was incorporated in the early and most foundational parts of the Law given to them by God. 

 

When some expressed anger that the expensive perfume had been "squandered" on Jesus, He caught them in an attempt to sidestep their responsibilities to care for the poor. Not a single one of them said, "Seeing this expensive perfume used this way reminds me I need to spend some of my money on the poor." No, they just wanted to point out that someone else’s money had not been used to help the poor. [In John 12, the leader of these complainers is Judas Iscariot, the eventual betrayer of Jesus.]

 

So, here is the gentle truth: whenever you wish, you may take some of your resources and share them with the needy. In fact, you are encouraged to do just that. Should others direct some of their resources to the needy? If they want to follow the teaching of Jesus, they should. But you never need to wait to see if someone else does it. The poor surround us, and will continue to do so. You only need eyes to see and ears to hear.

 

You may or may not be ready to start death cleaning, but you can immediately start caring for the poor. Just apply the gentle art of truly caring. 

_________________________

 PHOTO: Steve Orr

Join us at 8:00 Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. What happens in the hour we gather is unique. We explore the scriptures on which the coming Sunday’s sermon is based. We read, we discuss, and we laugh. Truly, an hour like no other. 

Contact me for the Zoom link.

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera if you don’t wish to be seen and to mute the microphone if you don’t wish to speak.

Blessings,

Steve

SCRIPTURES FOR THE COMING WEEK

Find them on the table, here: 

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//lections.php?year=B&season=Lent

March 28, 2021 - Sixth Sunday in Lent

Liturgy of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalm 31:9-16

Philippians 2:5-11

Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39 (40-47)

Liturgy of the Palms

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16

Clear Eyes. Clean Heart. Can’t Lose. (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

The first time I heard Keith Green sing, he was already dead.  

I didn't know he was dead. I didn't know he had been somewhat controversial. And I certainly didn't know that he had written, co-written, and performed many best selling songs. All I knew at the time was what I heard on the radio that day. His voice was, well, not exceptional in any way. He just sounded like a guy singing. I found myself wondering just why this piece had made it to the radio, at all.

I considered changing stations. Something about the lyrics, though, held my attention. I felt I knew them from somewhere. 

Create in me a clean heart, oh God

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence, oh Lord

Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation,

And renew a right spirit within me.

In time, I realized the man was singing scripture: part of Psalm 51; and almost verbatim. I was used to songs about things in the Bible, but this —this singing verses without forcing them into some kind of rhyme— this was something a bit new to me.

King David wrote Psalm 51 after the Prophet Nathan told him a story. In the story, a man —a rich man; one with plenty of everything; power, wealth, accolades— stole, slaughtered, and ate a poor man's only lamb. Reacting, David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!" (2 Samuel 12:5 NIV). Then Nathan, who knew that David had secretly had sex with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband to be killed in battle, turned on David and declared, "You are the man!"

Ever have one of those moments? That awful slice of time when it’s shoved in your face that what you’ve done is not only wrong (really, really wrong), but known! 

It was a shocking wake-up for King David. And it made an impact. Finally remorseful for his actions, David felt the full force of being cut off from God by his sin. He wrote Psalm 51 to express his remorse and his desire to be forgiven.

You may have done some terrible things in your life. David certainly did. Don't let those decisions and actions keep you from God. Embrace the words of Psalm 51 as your prayer of forgiveness and reconciliation. Yes, there are always consequences for our actions, and our bad actions can come with some pretty horrific consequences.  

David's did.  

By the time Keith Green finished singing his song, I began to grasp what he undoubtedly already knew. With that particular song, the words are far too important to let them be overshadowed by anything, even by the music ... even by the performer. What I learned is this: if I am willing to change, God is willing to forgive, to restore and renew. 

And even create in me a clean heart.

_________________________

PHOTO: Steve Orr

DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast is Friday morning. Our official start time is 8:00, but sometimes a few of us come a minute or two early. Our official end time is 9:00, but we’re having such a good time, it’s really hard to leave. Join us. 

Blessings,

Steve 

Contact me for the Zoom link.

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera if you don’t wish to be seen and to mute the microphone if you don’t wish to speak.

SCRIPTURES FOR THE COMING WEEK

Find them here: 

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//texts.php?id=75

Fifth Sunday in Lent (March 21, 2021)

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16

Hebrews 5:5-10

John 12:20-33

Snakes on a Plain (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

Poisonous snakes. 

Usually a problem. Almost always a problem in the Bible; whether they appear as serpents, vipers, or just plain snakes. 

There's the serpent in the Garden, the facilitator of man's fall. Snakes are part of the drama surrounding the exodus from Egypt. Snakes kill the Israelite complainers on the hike to Moab. A snake bites the Apostle Paul on the island of Malta. And, let's not forget the "great dragon" of Revelation. All total, the Bible mentions snakes over 80 times ... and not in the good way.

This week's scriptures include two about the same story: Numbers and the Gospel of John. Numbers tells the story. 

The Israelites are near the end of their journey (though they don't realize it, yet). On a long hike from Mount Hor to the Plains of Moab, they have to go around the country of Edom instead of walking a straight line through the middle of it. Being who they are, they once again begin to complain. God punishes the complainers by sending poisonous vipers to bite and kill them. When they repented, Moses made a bronze snake and, per God's instructions, lifted it high on a pole. Those who looked upon the bronze snake, lived.

Two things here: (1) even though God provides relief, scripture does not say he removed the vipers; just that, upon being bitten, the afflicted Israelite had to look up to the snake on the pole in order to survive the bite. (2) The methodology of the relief (bronze snake) was related to the mechanism of the punishment (death by viper). We saw this before with Noah: he and his family were borne upon the flood that destroyed the world.

However, when we get to the John passage, Jesus compares himself to the bronze snake. He, too, had to be "lifted up." And because he was, we can all be saved from the affliction of sin. He did it so the whole world might be saved through Him.

So, when the vipers of this life afflict you, look up to the one who is our salvation. You're likely to still experience vipers from time to time, but the cure has been lifted up so anyone can see Him.

_________________________

PHOTO: Flag of the World Healt Organization (Public Domain)

How the modern EMS symbol might tie to Moses: 

https://watchjerusalem.co.il/540-does-the-serpentine-symbol-of-healing-have-a-biblical-origin

_________________________

Don’t expect some dry, dull study at DaySpring’s Friday morning Lectionary Breakfast. Along with delving into scripture, we share our lives and our laughter. We start at 8:00-ish and wrap up at 9:00-ish.

Contact me for the Zoom link.

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera if you don’t wish to be seen and to mute the microphone if you don’t wish to speak.

Blessings,

Steve 

_________________________

SCRIPTURES FOR THE COMING WEEK

Find them here: 

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//texts.php?id=74

Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 14, 2021)

Numbers 21:4-9

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

Ephesians 2:1-10

John 3:14-21

The Magic of Hawaiian Rainwater (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

He had us hanging on his every word. 

Prior to the Pandemic, we were lucky enough to be able to do some ocean cruising, to see some of the world and expand our understanding of other peoples and cultures. We had been making a point of choosing excursions that got us out of the port and away from all the touristy money-sucks. We preferred to support local families, business owners, and, most especially, farmers. On one cruise, we spent an entire day working at a coffee collective high up in the mountains of the Dominican Republic. 

On our first day in Hawaii, our tour was of a small, locally owned, coffee farm, well up in the hills west of Hilo. Because of its size, we were a lot closer to some of the processes than we had been in the Dominican Republic. This was exactly what we wanted to experience. 

Some people just know how to tell a story. And our guy was certainly one of those. He was unhurried, comfortable to be with, and he was open to any of our questions. His knowledge of the coffee process was unmistakable. It probably helped that his family owned the farm. Now, no two coffee operations work exactly the same. These folk, for example, used the wet method of coffee bean processing versus the dry method used in the Dominican Republic. 

And that’s the step we were learning about when our guide said those magic words. 

We were standing next to open vats of coffee beans floating in water. He explained that their commitment to natural processing included allowing the beans to soak for a few days in ... Hawaiian rainwater. 

He paused. 

As a group, we said, “Ahhhhhh.” How special. How unique. I imagine we were all thinking something like: “Wait until I get home and serve my friends this coffee. I can’t wait to tell them what makes it so special.”

It was a dramatic moment. 

And then he said, “Or, as we like to call it here in Hawaii: rainwater.”

Perspective. It’s important. For us —at least for a moment, there— Hawaiian rainwater was magical. However, it’s a rare day some rain doesn’t fall in Hawaii. From his perspective, Hawaiian rainwater was, literally, an everyday occurrence.

How we think about the coming week's passages is all bound up in our perspective. If we perceive the Ten Commandments as dictatorial, we will likely respond negatively to them. Alternately, if we perceive them as an invitation to a better life, to wisdom, and to a good relationship with God and one another  ... well, that’s a pathway toward spiritual maturity. 

If our perspective on Jesus cleansing the Temple is that he just “lost it” and began beating everyone and everything with a whip ... we’re likely to come to a self-defeating conclusion. On the other hand, if we perceive these people to be thieves who had inserted themselves between the people and God, then we could find ourselves on a path toward wisdom.

We need the wisdom discussed in 1st Corinthians. Otherwise, our perspective has no compass. It has no idea what to do with the received stimuli, and it is just as likely to fight or flee when neither is the best action. No matter how perceptive one might be, without the reflective qualities of wisdom, without that spiritually informed rubric for decision-making, we simply respond to the stimuli: slap for slap, eye for eye, life for life.

God gives wisdom. All we need do is ask. God gives us ears to hear, and will bless us with vision, when we seek it. Perspective. It’s important.

_________________________

PHOTO: Steve Orr (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Ka’u Coffee vs Kona Coffee: 

https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/kua-coffee-region-hawaii?amp=true

Article about Hilo Coffee Mill: 

https://keolamagazine.com/business/hilo-coffee-mill/

Hilo Coffee Mill website: 

https://hilocoffeemill.com/

_________________________

Friday’s coming! Join us for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. It’s a pleasant hour of Bible, discussion, prayer, and laughter. Bring your breakfast! We Zoom at 8:00.

Contact me for the Zoom link.

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera if you don’t wish to be seen and to mute the microphone if you don’t wish to speak.

Blessings,

Steve 

SCRIPTURES FOR THE COMING WEEK

Find them here: 

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//texts.php?id=73

Exodus 20:1-17

Psalm 19

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

John 2:13-22

Third Sunday in Lent (March 7, 2021)