Mary

 I was pleased when I saw that Netflix was offering a new movie about Mary for the Christmas season.  Her story is one of the most beautiful, best known, and most celebrated in all of history. 

 Both Luke (chapters 1-2) and Matthew (chapters 1-2) record the extraordinary events surrounding the birth of Jesus.  Mary is the most likely source for this information.  Most scholars are agreed that Mary was a young woman when she gave birth to Jesus, perhaps no more than a teenager.  All evidence indicates that she lived a number of years after Jesus’ death. 

 Matthew, as one of the 12, would have been well acquainted with Mary. Luke tells us that he conducted careful research and personal interviews with eyewitnesses. (Luke 1:1-4).  Mary would have been an essential eyewitness. When we read Luke 2, the words reflect the personal touch and feel of one who was there, one who experienced what no one else has ever seen or felt:  the announcement by the angel Gabriel, the visit with her mother’s cousin, Elizabeth; the misunderstanding and confusion concerning her pregnancy; Joseph’s courageous decision to marry her;  the long journey to Bethlehem in obedience to Roman law; the birth in a stable followed by extraordinary visitors: shepherds from the nearby fields and astronomers from the East.  Afterward the couple present an offering in the temple, all they can afford, a simple pair of doves.  They are astounded by the prophecies of Simeon and Anna who recognize the child as the Messiah.  Joseph is warned in a dream to depart for Egypt before Herod unleashes his rage on the infants of Bethlehem in response to the Magi’s message.

 So, we sat down the other night, signed in, and watched Mary with anticipation.  But the writers of the Netflix version went beyond elaboration into the realm of fantasy.  They created an entire prequel regarding Mary’s parents including multiple appearances of the angel Gabriel and Lucifer.  They invented a story about Anna the prophetess and Mary’s childhood in the temple. Some elements of the movie left me shaking my head.  Mary and Joseph riding to Bethlehem in a horse-drawn wagon? Galloping across the desert on a stallion?  And Joseph, a common worker in a stone quarry fighting his way through a fiery battle against Roman soldiers?  What happened to the carpenter from Nazareth?

 I am afraid that our theatrical fantasies have caused us to lose touch with reality.  We have a tendency to confuse historically authenticated records with Marvel super-heroes and imaginary worlds. 

 I am all for using imagination to try to grasp the reality of the incarnation.  I thought The Chosen did a good job of helping us see the 12 disciples as real people living in an extraordinary moment.  I even attempted to do the same in my novel, We Beheld His Glory.  But our understanding of what occurred on the earth 2100 years ago must remain true to the documents produced by those who were there.

 This coming week we will remember that one life that changed the world.  We will celebrate with lights and singing and gift-giving.  The reality of God’s intervention into our world through His Son is the most important event in human history.  Jesus’ birth, His sinless life, sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead changed everything! 

Making Life Meaningful

 Ever since 1988 when Tom Hanks starred in Big, we have enjoyed his acting career.  Forest Gump, Castaway, Saving Private Ryan, A Man Called Otto.  To name a few.   Whenever a new Tom Hanks movie is released, we want to see it, or at least, check it out. So, we went to see Here, his newest movie released in October starring Hanks and Robin Wright who played Jenny in Forest Gump.

 As usual, we were late comers.  The movie had been out several weeks before we found a day and time that worked for us.  When we arrived, the fact that there were only 7 people in the theater should have been a clue.   Despite impressive technical effects, Here has apparently been a Box Office bomb.

 The story line focuses on a particular spot on the earth, “Here,” and all that happened on that spot including a Native American couple who fell in love, had children, grew old and died.  The same can be said for other families that occupied the house built on that spot. Each of them, falling in love in their youth, having children, settling for jobs to make a living, growing old and dying. The stories are told in a non-linear script, with constant flashbacks, and flash-forwards. But in the end the stories are all the same.  When I left the theater, I felt depressed.

 Is this all there is to life? Disappointment, misunderstandings, unrealized dreams, constant struggle to make ends meet, old age, illness and death?  Perhaps this is the way most people live.  I hope not.

 Six years ago, for our 50^th anniversary, I wrote “Our Story” for our children and grandchildren.  We realized that our children and grandchildren know their stories that intersect with ours, but, by and large, they did not know “our story.”  It was a good exercise in reflection.  At the conclusion, after 50 years of marriage and more than 70 years of life, we wrote, “God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams and imaginings. We have loved and enjoyed one another every step of the way. He has blessed us with beautiful children and grandchildren of character and faith. They are kind, thoughtful, honest and generous.” Other friends with whom we started our journey more than fifty years ago could say the same.

 Jesus teaches us all how to make something special out of our lives by forgiving, encouraging and believing in one another.  He teaches us to live our lives with a focus on something more than “getting by” or “making a living.”  Just as Peter wrote,  ^“For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ‘all flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’” (1 Peter 1:23-25).

 Jesus’ promise is ever true. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you,” (Matthew 6:33).  “The Lord is good. His lovingkindness is everlasting and his faithfulness to all generations,” (Psalm 100:5).

White Space

 Life starts out fairly simple.  When my wife and I married we could, quite literally, pack all our possessions in the back seat of our car.  But along the way, we picked up clutter.  The closets and attic overflow. Once, I rented a storage unit so she could get her car in the garage.   “Stuff” seemed to multiply.  It filled every nook and cranny.  It is hard to throw it away.  Worn out baby shoes, broken toys and scribbled scraps of paper represent my life.

 The calendar is the same.  Business, or “busy-ness,” claims every minute. Millions start the day with a swig of coffee while they maneuver onto the freeway munching a breakfast burrito.  Memos, phone calls, meetings and long hours on our feet are followed by a weary commute home to pick up kids for practice sessions.  No wonder we are exhausted. 

 Christians are especially vulnerable. Richard Foster wrote, “We are trapped in a rat race, not just of acquiring money, but also of meeting family and business obligations. We pant through an endless series of appointments and duties. This problem is especially acute for those who want to do what is right. With frantic fidelity we respond to all calls to service, distressingly unable to distinguish the voice of Christ from that of human manipulators."

 We need white space!

 Look at Google’s homepage.  Google keeps it simple.  We need to learn how to live Google lives, with plenty of white space, space in our lives that gives us freedom.  We need deliverance from crammed calendars and cluttered closets. 

 It takes discipline to create white space, room for flexibility and freedom, margins in which to breathe.  Jesus knew how to order life with “white space.”  He took time to listen to children, to help a desperate woman who risked touching his garment, to heal a paralytic passed over by the crowd.  He had time for people.   When he died, his robe was his only possession.  He never punched a time clock.  He did not wear a watch. He was never rushed or in a hurry. 

 It is entirely possible that, with our breakneck race to “get somewhere” that we might end up “nowhere.”  Jesus said, “… you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” (Luke 10:41-42). 

 And again, ““For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ... And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” (Luke 12:22-30).

Best Thanksgiving Ever

 I glanced at the magazines on the rack, and there she was, Martha Stewart, promising the “Best Thanksgiving Ever.”  She was offering a perfect piece of pie while smiling a perfect smile with perfect teeth, wearing a perfect dress with perfect hair, surrounded by a perfect kitchen with an open window that looked out on a perfect garden.  Every wrinkle and excess pound had been photo-shopped away so that she looked decades younger than her actual age.

Unlike Martha, when we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner we show up with wrinkles, warts and all. We look our age. The kitchen is a mess with spilled flour on the cabinet and a sink full of dirty dishes. The food, of course, is great because my wife is a great cook: baked turkey, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, her famous dressing passed down from her mother, green beans, fruit salad, cranberry sauce. Best of all, the pecan pie my granddaughter helps bake using a recipe passed down from my mother!  

But it occurred to me, when I saw Martha Stewarts’s magazine, that Thanksgiving isn’t about the food or the perfect picture. Real Thanksgiving is about the heart. It is difficult for a heart that is not thankful every day to be truly thankful on Thanksgiving Day.

Which brings up a concern about Thanksgiving. Our tradition of gathering around bountiful tables with family and friends seems more like a brief interruption to the more important business of shopping.  We can hardly push back from the table fast enough to hit the stores for Black Friday door busters that start on Thursday.

 Apparently the earliest “Black Fridays” took place in Philadelphia in the 1950s when hordes of shoppers descended on local stores ahead of the Army/Navy football game. The national push started in the 1960s. It gained momentum and became a well-fixed tradition by the 21^st century.  While most stores still remain closed on Thursday, others will throw open their doors on Thanksgiving.  Black Friday has become a 5-day marathon including Cyber Monday.

 Our forefathers knew nothing of this.  They hunted and harvested and cleaned and cooked, but they never stood in lines in front of glass doors waiting for the opening bell. They never rushed through aisles searching for treasures that were sure to disappear.  They never stood in check-out lines that stretched to the back of the store. They had it easy.  I relent, however, when I see how happy my grandchildren are to go shopping with their grandmother.

 Nevertheless, I am nostalgic for the traditional American Thanksgiving we knew when I was a child. All the stores were closed. Workers spent the day with their families. No one had to shop for presents or send cards. All we had to do was enjoy getting together with those we love and be thankful.

 I hope this holiday season we cultivate a thankful heart and grateful spirit and take time to truly “be” with family and friends so that this is “the best Thanksgiving ever.” (Colossians 3:15)

For Thanksgiving, Bill Tinsley's book, We Beheld His Glory FREE as an eBook on Amazon November 26-27.

What Is God Like?

 What is God like? It is an important question. Our answer determines our worldview, how we see ourselves, how we see others and how we measure what is important.

If God doesn’t exist, as some assert, we can only view the world as a collision of random accidents. We live accidental lives on an accidental planet in an accidental solar system moving through accidental galaxies. Ultimately our lives have no reason or purpose. We simply are, for a few short years, and when we die, we are no more.

Others see God as the “prime mover.” He designed the physical laws of the universe and set it in motion like a wind-up clock or toy. But, He is not involved in His creation. It is simply unwinding itself, spinning along according to its primal design. We each live our lives as infinitely insignificant cogs in the master machine.

Some view God as an “all seeing eye” watching us. He is personally cognizant of our lives and our actions and He is watching everything we say and do. We each live our lives like Truman Burbank, Jim Carrey’s character in “The Truman Show.”

Still others envision God as a god of vengeance. He delights in taking note of our sins and punishing us. Our journey on this earth is little more than a process of being beaten into submission by a god who punishes us for every sin we commit. Entire religions have been built around methods of sacrifice and penance to appease this angry god.

Jesus had a different answer. If you want to know what God is like, Jesus said, think of your father. Of course, not all fathers are good. There are some deadbeat dads out there who spoil the image. But most fathers love their children and would do anything for them. I was one of the fortunate ones to have a good father. He was, and is, my hero. He was neither famous nor rich. He had no lasting achievements. He died when he was 53. But he was a good man, one of the best men I ever knew. He corrected me when I was little and did wrong things. He taught me a better way and set a better example that has served me for a lifetime. If I needed anything, he was there to help. That is why Jesus said, “Don’t worry. Your Father who is in heaven knows what you need.”

Now that I am a father with children and grandchildren, I better understand what Jesus meant when he said, “If you being evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give what is good to you!” This helps me enormously. If God is like that it changes how I see myself, how I see others and how I see the world.

 Better yet, what if God is like Jesus?  Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.”  “He that has seen me has seen the Father.”  John, His youngest disciple wrote, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us," (1 John 1:1-2).

Replenishing the Earth

 The first photos of earth sent back by the Apollo crews in the 1970s dramatically impressed us that our tiny blue planet rotating in space is precious and fragile. The thin layer of air that surrounds us not only contains the oxygen essential to life but protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays and regulates earth’s temperature.  Three-fourths of the atmosphere lies within 9 miles of the earth’s surface.  Outer space is considered to exist 62 miles up. We are dependent on an amazingly thin film of atmospheric gases to sustain life on our planet.

 Thirty-three years ago, we took our children on one of those vacations-of-a-lifetime to Disneyland in Los Angeles.  We bought a used van for the summer and coaxed it across the desert to the west coast.  When we took the kids to the beach, we were unable to see the surf on the horizon because of the greenish-yellow haze trapped against the coast.

 At some point TV weather forecasters in Dallas added reports on the day’s pollution index to the routine reports on temperature, rain and humidity. For years I commuted to work listening to reporters often declaring orange and red alerts for air quality.

 In 2013, the smog alert in Beijing, China went off the charts.  Visibility dropped as pollution blocked out the sun.  Tops of buildings disappeared in the murky haze that settled over the city. The air smelled of coal dust and car fumes.  Most stayed indoors and ran air purifiers to escape the toxic conditions.  Those who ventured out greeted one another behind masks. 

 It appears we have made progress.  According to Environmental Protection Agency the U.S. has achieved a 37% reduction in air pollution since 2000.   Since 2013 China has achieved a 30%-50% reduction. Most industrialized nations have seen improvements as well. But the challenge remains. 

 Like many in my generation, we are concerned about the earth that we will bequeath to our grandchildren.  When we retired in 2012, we bought a hybrid Prius that achieved up to 50 mpg.  After 100,000 miles we replaced it with a more comfortable hybrid that took us another 100,000 miles.  A month ago, we leased an all-electric Hyundai Ioniq-5.  I told our children we wanted to go out “on the cutting edge.” 

 The Bible clearly predicts that the earth will “wear out like a garment,” (Isaiah 51:6).   Of course, I also know that one day I will wear out. We are all mortal. None of us lives forever. But my own mortality doesn’t mean I should start smoking, drinking, indulging in high fat foods and refusing to exercise.  Instead, I am motivated to discipline my body so that I can experience greater health and longevity.  In the same way, we must learn to discipline ourselves regarding the creation that God has entrusted to our care.  In the very first chapter of the Bible, with His very first words to mankind, God instructs us to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 1:28, KJV).

Flying In Formation

 I was outside on our deck at sunrise in Colorado.  An hour before, a meteorite streaked across the sky among the brilliant stars before they faded and disappeared.  The morning star was still visible. The eastern rim was streaked with crimson and gold against a faint, robin-egg-blue sky. 

 I heard geese in the distance and watched as a long line winged their way against the dawn.  Then more.  Hundreds of Canada geese continued in small and large groupings, one squadron emerging behind another in vee formations, sculling the air with their wings, honking their encouragement to those who led them south and west.  I suppose they were headed to feed in the foothills. Migrating geese is one of the things I love most. Another aspect of nature’s beauty and mystery. 

 Who taught them to fly in formation?  Scientists who study this phenomenon say the V formation reduces drag and adds lift for each goose.  By flying together in this way, they increase their range by 71%.  And, since the lead birds must put forth the greatest effort, they rotate the lead position. They do this voluntarily.  No one commands them.  No one trains or instructs them.  It is their God-given nature.

 Watching the geese at sunrise reminded me of the unique global challenges we all face including global warming, poverty, famine and the aftermath, whatever it is, of this week’s election.  To survive and thrive we need to fly in formation.  During Covid, that meant wearing a mask, washing our hands, remaining six feet apart. We did a pretty good job.  It always means adopting environmentally friendly practices, providing for the poor, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, opening doors of opportunity for the underprivileged, encouraging the young.

 The Bible consistently teaches us the importance of “flying in formation.”  John the Baptist who introduced Jesus said, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same,” (Luke 3:11). 

 Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” … “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40).

 The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do nothing out of selfishness or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you looking to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

 Peter gave us these instructions: “Applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,  and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (2 Peter 1:5-8).

Tinsley's book, The Jesus Encounter, is FREE as an eBook on Amazon November 5-6.