Tag Archives: Discipleship

Paradox of Wisdom

“I’d choose wisdom!”

We were young teenagers and, as teens frequently do, we were asking each other what we would ask for if we could have three wishes granted. (My memory is that we had recently seen the Disney version of Aladin – and we were captivated by Robin Williams’ portrayal of the Genie.) My friends all said they’d wish for billions of dollars, or the like. When I stated my wish would be for wisdom they looked at me like I had ten heads.

I had recently become a Christian and I had taken seriously my spiritual mentor’s encouragement to read a Psalm, a Proverb and a New Testament passage every day. In doing so, I had become fascinated with the benefits of having, and pursuing, wisdom. My immediate thought when my friend asked this question about the wishes was, if I get wisdom first, I’d then know the best way to use the second two wishes.

This is often the way of life. If we have wisdom, we are better positioned to make good choices. Unfortunately, even ‘wise’ people can make poor decisions. But, generally, wisdom brings understanding, an ability to see through the conundrum at the surface in order to address the matters at the heart of a situation.

Wisdom is different from knowledge. I smile when I hear the ‘modern proverb’ that says,

“By knowledge we understand that a tomato is a fruit,

By wisdom we know not to slice a tomato into our breakfast cereal.”

Wisdom rarely fits into a particular mould. Even though one may have wisdom, determining a course of action requires that the wise person understands the context. Wisdom may require action in a given situation at one time, but at another time, in what appears to be the very same situation, wisdom may require a different action. This often-forgotten principle is clearly stated in Proverbs 26:4-5.

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”

I have spoken to many who appear troubled by this seeming contradiction within Scripture. How can the Word of God so blatantly disagree with itself? But, these two verses are not a contradiction. Rather, they are an instruction to look beyond the issues at the surface, to get within the context of the one who is speaking in order to understand the ‘folly’ that is being espoused. The challenge for the wise person, is to attempt to identify, without judgement or accusation, the motives and intentions of the one speaking before deciding if wisdom compels one to enter the discussion. Clearly, it is possible that a decision to enter the conversation could reveal substance as folly-filled as the first speaker. In another context, with different understanding, assessment and clarity, it may be essential to enter the conversation.

In today’s world we will have multiple opportunities to learn how to apply this principle. We are faced with a myriad of opinions, perspectives and points of view that are not always helpful or beneficial. Some are complete folly. Some are spoken by people who genuinely desire and intend to do good but have become confused. Regardless of who speaks or what is said, before we dive into the conversation, it will be beneficial for us to consider the principles within Proverbs 26:4-5.

In doing so, we will do well to remember that this principle is built on the assumption that in all circumstances we’re seeking to display the heart of God and learning to speak with grace, truth, gentleness and respect (1 Pt 3:15) and avoiding the temptation to speak curses over someone made in God’s image (Jms 3:9). For not only is it kindness that leads people to change (Rom 2:4), but it is through the Church that God will display his multi-faceted wisdom (Eph 3:10).

Flight or Fight

Jesus had a remarkable ability to engage and captivate people from all walks of life. The stories he told revealed the nature of God, provided guidance for how to live and correction to long-held religious assumptions.

One of Jesus’ most well-known stories is the Good Samaritan (Lk 10.25-37). The continued popularity of this story, even among those who are not followers of Jesus, is likely due to its universal application and relevance. Jesus told the story to explain how to love one’s neighbour, but, like most of Jesus’ stories, the parable of the Good Samaritan is layered with multiple messages which we should be careful not to ignore.

In response to a question from someone asking, “…who is my neighbour?”, Jesus crafted a story about a man who was attacked, beaten, robbed and left injured on a roadside. Two people of religious status passed by the injured man, but a man who would have been considered an enemy is the one who stopped, gave first aid, transported the injured man to safety and then paid for additional care to be provided.

The actions of the characters in the story set up a drastic contrast which confronted the worldview of the listeners. The two people who, based on their vocation and status, would have been expected to stop and give assistance chose not to stop and help. The reasons for their inaction were not mentioned but could have been assumed based on their religious traditions. Perhaps they were on religious business and did not want to become ‘unclean’… Perhaps they feared for their own safety…

Even if the men in the story did not help because they feared doing so would put them in danger, difficulty or inconvenience; their perspective was flawed. By choosing not to help, when they had the opportunity to do so, these religious leaders failed to demonstrate love. At the conclusion of the story Jesus’ answer to the question was clear, the neighbour was the one who demonstrated mercy to the injured man.

In a different lesson, Jesus warned about another group of people at the opposite end of the spectrum; those who deliberately seek to do harm.

In John 16.2 Jesus warned his followers of the harm that would likely come to them at the hands of others. He says, “…a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.”

Here Jesus warns about a group of people who are so committed God they are willing to kill another person and believe doing so is a service to God. From their perspective, these people are convinced of their own righteousness which gives them permission to inflict harm on another person who has a different view, belief, or practice of devotion to God.

In the first story (Lk 10.31) the religious worldview chose to ignore someone who had been harmed, but in the second example (Jn 16.2) the religious worldview chose to inflict harm. Both choices stemmed from a worldview that was based in some form of devotion to God and both groups, it was implied, felt they were justified in their decisions. But Jesus made it clear that both were wrong. In Luke 10.37 he said the people didn’t demonstrate love and in John 16.3 he said the people don’t know him or the Father.

While it may be easy to hear of these two negative examples and respond with something like, “Oh, those are two extremes, I’m not like either of those.” It may be helpful to take time for critical reflection.

Have we ever chosen not to act when we could have done something to help another person who was in need?
Have we ever kept a distance from someone because they were from a different culture, ethnic or religious background?
Have we ever ‘cancelled’, spoken critically of, or distanced ourselves from someone because they disagreed with us?
Have we aligned ourselves with someone who justifies their abusive or violent behaviour against someone else?

We’re familiar with the defence mechanisms of Fight or Flight. In relationships we employ these through the manoeuvres of attack or withdraw. It is important to remember that these mechanisms are based in fear. When we make decisions based on fear, we are not making decisions from a posture of love.

The first group mentioned above operated in Flight. They were, in some way, afraid of what would happen if they got involved so they withdrew from the person in need. The second group operated in Fight. They were afraid of someone expressing their love for God differently from their own and their means of dealing with this fear was to attack, harm or even kill. Neither of these actions are borne out of love. Neither action demonstrates concern or mercy for our neighbour.

At the risk of over-simplifying, our daily decisions lie somewhere along a spectrum between inaction or action, flight or fight. Regardless of our background, culture, or perspective we each have opportunities to demonstrate mercy, compassion and love to someone in need. That person may be a work colleague, someone who lives on our road or someone who is our global neighbour. Right now, many of our global neighbours need us to demonstrate our compassion for them.

Love does not ignore people in need. Love does not harm (Rom 13:10). Love does not fear because perfect love casts out fear(1 Jn 4:18).

Let us continue learning from Our Father, seeking his grace to demonstrate love to others as he has loved us.

Sean Copeland, November 2023

Lessons From a Cedar Tree

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12).

Trees are an amazing part of God’s creation. I love to photograph trees – especially the ones that are old. Recently I was in Lebanon visiting and attending meetings with Tearfund Ireland’s local partner. At the end of a busy week our partners wanted to show us a place that is special to Lebanon. The country has a long history of producing cedar trees and there are several protected cedar tree reserves. The cedars of Lebanon are the trees which Solomon used for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 5).

In the high mountainous regions, the cedar trees grow in conditions that can sometimes be harsh. The winters in the mountains will often be covered with snow, but for several months of the year there is little rain and high temperatures, creating a dry, arid climate. It is the dry, harsh conditions which create the environment for the tree to produce such a strong wood. The dry soil forces the tree to send its roots deep into the soil to garner as much of the earth’s nutrients as possible. Our guide told us, “Nature forces the tree to withstand the harsh climate which creates a resilience.”

It did not take long for my imagination to explore the analogies with my own life. How many times have I realised that the times of challenge, difficulty and hardship were the scenarios that produced in me the lessons, learnings and opportunities for growth?

I recall a time I faced a particularly difficult set of circumstances. It was painful, confusing and I had not yet comprehended the ‘lessons’ God may have wanted me to learn in that season. During that time, in conversation with an experienced leader, I relayed how I felt I was at the bottom of my myself and the pain of my confusion felt overwhelming. Before she said anything a look came over her face that I can only describe as compassion with a mixture of sternness. “Sometimes you have to dig deeper before you can climb out of the hole.” For me, at that time, in that circumstance, those words rang true. That was not an easy sentence to hear; but it gave me a perspective that I needed.

Walking along the path in the cedar reserves of Lebanon I reflected on how many times I, like the cedar tree, have found the only option is to dig deeper to search for the life sustaining nutrients in the midst of a harsh and difficult environment.

Unlike many other trees, the cedar can live for literally thousands of years. The reserve we visited boasts several trees that have been dated to be at least 2,500 years old – a few are thought to be closer to 3,000 years old! The fact that a single tree can survive for that length of time is staggering.

Our guide told us that when a cedar tree reaches about 500 years old, it stops growing taller. Around this age, the top branches of the tree begin to bend downward and fan outward, creating a canopy protecting the trunk and allows the lower branches to thicken and grow. That outward expansion, rather than upward reaching, is a mark of the cedar’s continued health and growth. When the tree ceases to grow taller, the roots continue growing more deeply into the ground, providing durability as well as access to nutrients.

This reveals a fascinating characteristic of the cedar tree. It has approximately 500 years of upward growth and then, potentially, another 2,000 years of outward and downward growth.

Again, the analogies flow.

Once a person reaches a certain age, there are perspectives within society which cause us to limit, or question, our effectiveness, or relevance. In addition, our culture is full of people who are confused about their own sense of meaning and purpose in life, often resorting to striving upward in our careers. But the cedar tree provides an illustration of individual maturity. Upon reaching a certain age, our role is not to rest or stop growing, which can cause us to wither. But, like the cedar tree, continuing maturity requires a change to our growth trajectory. As the tree redirects its growth, creating opportunities for increasing its own resilience, we too, become more mature as we redirect our goal from an ‘upward’ focus toward an outward focus, creating a canopy for others.

Reflecting on my past relationships, I have been most impacted by people who have achieved a milestone in their career and are equally focused on their outward growth and their ability to create a canopy for others. People who have worked hard to reach a stretch goal, as impressive as that achievement may be, are not always the people who are able to provide guidance, insight or wisdom to those who follow.

I learned a long time ago that I can only give away something that I already have. Whether that be wisdom, experience, skills, time or resources – if I don’t have it, I can’t offer it to anyone else. Like the cedar tree, there comes a point where my striving for the heights of success must be redirected to create a canopy for outward influence. At the same time, I must dig deep so I remain firmly rooted where I can access the necessary nutrients to sustain myself. In this way, I will build my resilience and flourish through the challenges and have something to offer those who come around me. Hopefully, for many years to come!

Sean Copeland, September 2023

Giving Thanks

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5.16-18)

“You expect me to do what?!” My friend seemed incredulous. She was deeply upset. We were discussing her distress and she was seeking my guidance. My suggestion confused her and, I gathered from her demeanour, angered her.

“How could you expect me to praise God for this?”

She had been expressing the lingering pain from a relationship breakdown and I was attempting to help her break the cycle of bitterness that was evident in her language – although she was unaware of this evidence. My suggestion was that she simply begin thanking God for his goodness every time she experienced a painful memory.

This is a practice I have been attempting to form into a habit in my own life.

Many years ago, I wise friend guided me through the reasons for being intentional in giving thanks to God in all circumstances. I had experienced a deep hurt which had impacted every area of my life. The pain and confusion would regularly return and, it felt, I would never really ‘get over’ it. One of the significant healing moments was when a friend asked me, “Is God only worthy of your thanks when things are going well?”

His question made me realise that when I focused on my own hurt, I did not relate with God very well. In fact, I usually forgot he was with me. When I felt the pain of the memories, I became self-absorbed. I would often repeat the conversations and each replay provided further reasons to feel justified in my hurt which increased my anger, which led, I’m sorry to admit, to a growing bitterness. My friend’s question forced me to realise that not only was I behaving very selfishly, but I was also ignoring God at a time I needed him the most.

Since that realisation, I have attempted to practice the three instructions Paul gives the Thessalonian Church: Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks. These three practices, taken as a group, are a wonderful way, I have found, to break through the walls of bitterness and dismantle the infrastructure of self-reliance.

Rejoice always. I have much to celebrate. Even if life throughs me a curve ball or I come up against an unforeseen obstacle, there is great freedom in remembering that all things will work out for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). And, the act of rejoicing, even in difficult times, is quite different from optimism. While optimism may be broader trait, or tendency of personality, rejoicing is a decision, an intentional act.

Pray without ceasing. I will not pretend to have grasped this but the writings of Desert Fathers, and contemporary mystics have created in me a thirst for a life of prayer. Daily habits of scriptural meditation, scripture memory and trigger prayers are helping form within me an ongoing awareness of God and interaction with Holy Spirit. The more I am able to consciously work toward this unconscious consistency, the less I find myself able to indulge in the harmful negativities of life.

Give thanks in all circumstances. To grasp the import of Paul’s instruction more fully, it is essential that we move beyond merely having an attitude of thankfulness. Having an ‘attitude of gratitude’ may be helpful baseline, but I believe we must learn the discipline of actually giving thanks – of verbally expressing thanks – in all circumstances.

This is where I felt the challenge from my friend all those years ago. It is easy to thank God for a situation that has worked out well, a particular blessing, or a joyful experience. But it is not so easy to give thanks to God in a difficult situation. Even though I would say he is always good, when I’m in a difficult situation it can be hard to stop and remind myself to give him thanks. But doing so, gives him honour, helps me keep my eyes off my circumstances and helps me realise that the entirety of my life is bigger than what I feel in this singular moment.

The fact that we are in a singular moment in time leads to possibly the most important principle to the act of thanking God in all circumstances. Regardless of how long it may feel, the time we spend in a struggle, a painful experience or a loss is a relatively short period of life. I am learning how beautiful it is to give God my thanks and praise when I’m in the middle of difficulties. My intentional choice to verbally thank God for his goodness while I’m hurting, confused or struggling is a gift I will never be able to give God once these emotions pass. Once the moment passes, I will be able to thank God that he was there while I was in the challenge. But when I’m in the challenge, struggling to find a way through the fog of confusion or wrestling with gut-wrenching disappointment, my ‘sacrifice’ of thanks expresses my thanks for his goodness with a genuine authenticity and humility that I’ll never be able to recreate. I want to become a man who can honour God with the glory he is due, regardless of how I may feel in challenging circumstances of life.

“I’m doing much better. I feel a new freedom and my relationship with the Lord is more real.” It had been several months since I’d seen her, and she looked like a different woman. “I’ve been trying to give thanks in all circumstances, and it is changing my perspective.”

She, too, is learning the blessing of rejoicing always, praying consistently and giving thanks in all circumstances.

Sean Copeland, September 2023

Reflection and Reset

This blog is an excerpt from some writing following the deaths of my father and my mother-in-law; both of whom recently passed away within a few days of each other. This writing focuses on ways those who have passed have informed my life choices, but I wish to alert the reader that the topic of death is discussed.

We have an uncomfortable relationship with funerals. We know they are part of life, yet we often try to avoid the awkward conversations about them. We recognise the importance of making the time to be present at a funeral no matter how distant the relation or acquaintance. When the funeral is for a loved one, we cherish the expressions of condolence whether written, spoken or demonstrated through presence.

Many factors can cause this topic to raise emotions and grief. There are many realities of the world in which we live which do not reflect God’s intended design or desire for creation. Disease and death are realities of a broken world infected by sin. So, somehow, we must attempt to wisely and humbly live in the tension between what Scripture reveals as the purposes of God and the myriad of injustices that exist within the world we inhabit.

A funeral is often a time for reflection; an evaluation of one’s past choices and consideration of one’s future options. When we pause to honour the life of someone close to us or someone we respect, these assessments have potential to carry opportunities for significant decisions.

As a young man I wrote a personal mission statement (yes, I am one of those people!). I did not think this was unusual until I got older and realised a majority of people have never done this. I use Scripture in most of my goal setting. One of these Scriptural goals arises in my thinking at the time of a funeral. The disciple Peter, in his second letter said, “…I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things” (2 Ptr 1:15). For a long time, I have endeavoured to pass on to those within my circle of influence what God has spoken, in a way that can be remembered and applied in their life.

A few years ago, I attended the funeral of someone who impacted me – and a lot of other people. This man did not have an impressive job title or a long, high-powered corporate career. He didn’t drive a high-end car, nor would anyone have considered him wealthy. But he had a deep impact on the lives of many people. He did this by investing time in others. He would come alongside, support, encourage and, when he thought necessary, he would challenge. Many of the people in whom he invested are now in positions of significant influence and they have, in turn, continued impacting the lives of even more people.

At his funeral it was evident this man’s influence reached many people across a wide cross-section of society. Sitting alongside those whose names would be recognised sat the nameless, faceless people who, in equal measure, benefitted from this man’s sincerity, integrity and desire to leave the world a better place.

During his funeral one of his pre-selected scripture readings was from 2 Peter 1:12-15. My heart stirred as the verse was read. This man recognised his purpose. He knew his life held a greater purpose. He, too, was committed to doing all he could to ensure we would remember what God has spoken. He did this through his simple lifestyle, purposeful relationships and sharing his wisdom so others would grow in their own experience with God. I am convinced he believed his influence would be multiplied through those who benefitted from his personal investment – but he was humble enough to not allow that be anything more than an objective outcome of his efforts.

Two funerals of close family in recent weeks have prompted me to venture into some periods of deep personal reflection. Saying goodbye to a parent, thanking the Lord for them and embracing the grieving process with my family and my extended families has been a difficult, but good and healthy process. In the weeks since I find myself benefitting from what a friend has called the supportive, relational scaffolding provided by family and friends.

At the same time, my reflections have allowed me to review my major decisions, actions and impact on others. How am I using what God has given me to benefit, inspire, equip or challenge others? In what ways is my love for, and apprenticeship to, Jesus growing? My conclusions from these considerations have reinforced my convictions. I will continue pursuing my transformation through the renewing of my mind as Christ is being formed in me, so I can live up to what has been attained. And, through the fruit of the Spirit, I will live as a child of God, doing all I can to help others remember all Jesus taught so we can grow mature and, somehow, experience the whole measure of the fulness of Christ.*

(* see Rom 12:1-3; Gal 1:20, 5:14-24; Phil 3:12-16; 1 Jn 3:1-3; 1 Ptr 1:15; Mt 28:18-20; Eph 4:11-16)

Sean Copeland, August 2023

Risking Love

The noisy cafeteria went instantly silent. I could feel my heart pounding inside my chest as I locked eyes with the ringleader of the three bullies who, two seconds ago, had been laughing. I was enraged. I was also frightened as I my mind raced through multiple scenarios of what could happen next – most of those scenarios involved me getting hurt.

But I had taken my stand and I knew I could not back down. I could feel the attention of every eye in the cafeteria as I stood between the three offenders and the nearby table where their victim sat.

Tears streamed down her teenage face and her hair was littered with pieces of the lunch the offending boys had been throwing at her while they laughed. I had seen it happen. She cried as she yelled at them to stop. They laughed some more. Lots of people watched them throwing food at her. No one did anything. They were big, muscular and had a particular reputation. She was a girl with special needs, recently mainstreamed into our inner-city school. This was wrong. I didn’t think of what I was going to do before I got out of my chair, I simply knew I had to do something to stop them.

I don’t remember the exact words I said to the ringleader, but he stared unblinkingly back at me. Offender number three stood to square up to me. Offender number two looked for direction from offender number one, who silently, slowly shook his head. Number three quickly sat down with a tirade of words he probably didn’t understand.

It was over. Indistinct chatter refilled the cafeteria and a few of my friends took the crying girl to help her clean up.

The lessons I learned that day were foundational to my formation. Sometimes doing the right thing involves taking a risk. I often think of this episode when I’m confronted with decisions of right and wrong, standing up against injustice or protecting the vulnerable even if there is a threat to my personal safety.

When I read the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) I frequently think back on my cafeteria experience.

Jesus used a story about a man who was attacked, beaten, robbed and left injured on a roadside to illustrate how he expects us to behave toward our neighbour. In the story, Jesus included individuals who would have been expected to help but did not stop to help the injured man.

Familiarity with the story can, if we’re not careful, bring us to swift judgment about the two representatives of religion who demonstrated a lack of care for the injured man. Likely the men feared for their own safety. Perhaps they considered this a trap, the injuries were fake, and the actor’s co-conspirators were ready to pounce on them. Or, possibly, they were on their way home from religious duties and wanted to see their family. If they touched an unclean person, they would then need to isolate themselves according to laws of purification and this would delay them being able to see their family. Regardless of the reasonable-ness of their motives for inaction, Jesus highlights their choices as falling short of his values and expectations.

I’ve often heard this story used to explain a model, or standard, of how love is exemplified. This is understandable because the conversation began with a reference to the commandments about loving God and loving our neighbour (Lk 10:27). But at the end of the parable, Jesus did not ask the enquirer, “Which of the three showed love to the injured man?”. Rather, his question was, “Which of the three proved to be a neighbour?” (Lk 10:36).

At its simplest, the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates the expectation that being a good neighbour is challenging, inconvenient, even risky. This raises an uncomfortable question for me…. if this story illustrates neighbourly behaviour, then what does real love look like?!

Reflecting on my cafeteria confrontation, at no point in those moments did I consider the philosophical, theological or sociological nuances between being a good neighbour or demonstrating loving behaviour. I simply knew I needed to do something to protect the vulnerable girl and stop the bullying and injustice.

In the journey of life since that day I’ve had numerous opportunities to make similar decisions. I frequently pray that the record of my actions will outweigh that of my inaction. Through it all my desire is that my love for the Lord will become so encompassing that it permeates my interactions with others to the point there is no distinction between love for my neighbour and general neighbourly behaviour.

Sean Copeland, June 2023

Justice and Righteousness

We are living in times of significant upheaval and change. The societal and economic disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, worsening weather-related disasters and numerous conflicts around the world have displaced millions, affected food supplies, and destabilised economies. The scale and magnitude of the problems can feel overwhelming at times. But we have confidence that God is good.

‘God is good’ – this statement is not some trite platitude or merely a nice idea. Neither is it a flippant disregard for the challenges people face.

In Tearfund Ireland we have confidence in the nature and character of God. We believe Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the one who restores broken relationships and reconciles all things to God. We also believe He has invited us, His Church, to participate with Him in His mission.

However, when we see evidence of so much that is broken, wrong and unjust, it can be difficult to know where, or even, how to begin.

Jeremiah 9:24 gives us an insight. God, speaking through the Prophet says, “…let the one who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

In this verse God himself provides a very clear description about his nature. Not only does He exercise kindness, justice and righteousness, but He delights in doing so. He enjoys demonstrating His kindness. He likes it when righteousness is established and, when things get off balance, He delights when justice is carried out.

In this statement God not only reveals three things He values, but He also extends an invitation. Inherent in the idea that those who know God will understand His ways, is a call to lean into Him, to observe and to learn. The more we know the Lord, the more we will understand why He delights in justice and righteousness. God is reminding His people of what He spoke through the author of Proverbs 28:5, “evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully”.

It is easy for us to understand that God delights in displaying kindness on the earth. Many of us have frequently heard teaching about his Love, goodness and mercy so it follows that we would be comfortable with the idea that God desires to display His kindness.

But it can often be a challenge to apply a similar level of comfort to God’s delight in exercising justice. Perhaps our understanding of justice has been tainted by hearing others’ appeal for justice for a particular cause? Perhaps we limit justice to a purely spiritual element of our faith? Whatever the reason, justice is not often included the first words we use to describe God or how he interacts with the world.

Yet Psalm 89:14 says, “Justice and righteousness are the foundations of your throne…”. This passage adds some clarity to God’s delight in exercising justice and righteousness. In doing so, He is demonstrating the fundamental principles on which His Kingdom is established. Where the Kingdom of God is present and established, justice and righteousness should be evident.

In Tearfund Ireland, we believe that God is good. The display of His kindness is a demonstration of His goodness and love. We also believe that God established a standard of righteousness when he created all things, and, when that standard is not upheld, justice is required to restore what was broken. For these reasons, we articulate one aspect of our work as a demonstration of God’s goodness, love and justice to the marginalised and vulnerable around the world. Through this work people are lifting themselves out of poverty, refugees are being welcomed, children are growing up in families rather than orphanages and those who have been silenced are now being heard.

In the face of global uncertainty, we can say with confidence that God is good. In the midst of conflict, wrongdoing and poverty we can say with confidence that God delights when justice is done on the earth. Because we believe these truths about God and His nature, we strive to demonstrate His goodness, love and justice to those most marginalised. Will you join us?

Visit www.tearfund.ie for more.

Originally posted on www.tearfund.ie in May 2023

Wisdom of the Righteous

I was busily getting things out of the car so we could get down to the beach. It was a gloriously warm afternoon. We were on holidays in Spain and had been in the car all day. We were all ready for the water. As I was pulling bags from the car one of the kids gasped while another said, “I can’t believe he just did that!”. I turned around to see what was causing the commotion and saw a very old-looking man walking away from a car. My wife said, “He’s just taken the keys out of that car”.

I hadn’t seen what happened but the rest of my family did. The owner of the car had left the windows were open. The man was walking away from the car in a hurried manner. He was old and used a walking stick – so even though it was clear he was trying to walk quickly he wasn’t making speedy progress. My wife repeated what she’d seen and, with an authority that only wives can muster, resolved that something must be done. Her brave conclusion was that I had to stop him and get the keys back.

It was all a bit surreal. This was a small car park beside a beach. It was in the middle of the afternoon. I hadn’t seen the man take anything. I just wanted to go swimming.

With my wife’s increasing determination, and my children watching to see how I would handle the situation, I knew I had to do something. I searched my memories to see if I could remember confronting a thief who was caught in the act. I wasn’t sure what I would say to him. I know enough Spanish to get by on a family holiday. Uno momento…. La quinta por favour…. Gracias…. But I hadn’t learned anything like: “Excuse me sir, but did you just take something from that car?” It simply never occurred to me that I’d need to use such a sentence on my holiday.

Still unsure of what I would say, I made my way toward the man. I intercepted his haltingly rapid exit and, pointing at the car, asked him (in English) if he had taken something from the car. Muttering something in Spanish he looked from me, to the car and back to me. I hesitated because I didn’t know what he was saying, but he just stood there looking at me. It was clear to me he didn’t speak English but I pressed on. Once again I pointed at the car and then to him and then back to the car while asking him if he took something from the car. Whatever was going through his mind he seemed to know what I was saying because he took a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to me. He continued mumbling untranslated Spanish as he turned away and resumed his hasty retreat.

My wife & I found the car’s owner and explained what had happened as we returned the keys. On the walk to the beach we reminded our kids of how it didn’t matter that we didn’t speak the same the language because the man knew he had done something wrong. I told them that knowledge of right and wrong is not restricted to English or Spanish – it is understood within the language of the heart.

As we spoke to them I was reminded of a recent time of prayer. I’d been reading Luke 1.17 which speaks of the “disobedient being drawn to the wisdom of the righteous”. I had asked God to teach me about a wisdom that would cause the disobedient to seek out the righteous. What level of wisdom would it take for those who are disobedient to be drawn to, attracted to the righteous? As is typical for me, I presumed I would need to tap into some higher level of wisdom or some yet unexplored level of divine creativity that would cause the disobedient to experience an “Ah-Ha” moment.

But this experience with the Spanish man and the car keys was not some mystical feat of divine engineering. It was a simple matter of right and wrong. God used it to teach my children. He used it to teach me. I hope the old man has learned a lesson too! The bonus for me is that this was not only an answer to my prayer – but it is an illustration of how God intends for His people to display His wisdom (Eph 3.10) in such a way that those who don’t yet know him would be drawn to him (Lk 1.17).

Experience & Becoming

In my job I do a lot of driving. I may be visiting customers or trying to gain new ones, but I will often drive to locations I’ve never been. In recent years I’ve become a fan of Google Maps. Not only does it give good directions (apart from mispronouncing Irish names & locations!) but the ability to switch to street view is real benefit. Being able to ‘see’ the geography around the customer’s location makes the last few minutes of a journey much easier. Seeing a photograph of the entrance to the building before I arrive helps me know what to look for which saves time and potential hassle.

But, no matter how beneficial a photograph may be, I would be foolish to presume I know all there is to know about the geography around the location. For starters, the photo may be several years old and the environs may have changed. Even if it hadn’t changed, there are any number of things which could make my experience different from the perceptions I made from a photograph.

Just because I ‘see’ something doesn’t mean I understand all there is to understand about it. Even if I know the destination from photos, maps or descriptions of others, I won’t actually ‘know’ it until I’ve experienced it for myself.

This principle is applicable to so much of life and it is especially true of our relationship with God. Just because someone shows us a picture, or tells us a story, about God does not mean we have a full, complete, understanding of who God is.

One of the biggest challenges for Christians today is the access we have to content about God. It is possible that we could be the most biblically educated generation in history. That may be an overstatement but the prevalence of teachings, books, devotionals, variety of translations, on-line videos and smart phone apps means we can be exposed to as much biblical material as we desire.

Yet, I still wonder, how much do we truly know of God from our own, personal experience of Him? How deep have we gone with him in the privacy of our own prayer closet? How intimately do we know Holy Spirit’s voice? How responsive are we to follow, simply because we recognise it is Him speaking?

I don’t want to be someone whose history with God is based on the stories told by someone else. I don’t want my experience of Him to be reliant on a ‘photograph’ of a destination taking by someone else. Nor do I want the extent of my experience in Him to be curtailed by the limits of others. I have never been one to settle for the status-quo and I refuse to accept mediocrity in my journey with Jesus.

I will pursue His Word and the life-giving promises He’s given. I will seek to believe, to learn and to understand all He has spoken so I can live worthy of the calling I’ve received. I will seek the presence of His Kingdom that I might know the whole measure of His fullness within me. I will pursue the growth of my faith through the declaration and demonstration of His love, power and wisdom. Where my faith is lacking or my understanding falls short I will fall on the grace and mercy of the One Whom I believe.

I extend an invitation to all who share similar desires. Let’s explore the possibilities of faith together. Let’s ask Holy Spirit to stir up a hunger and passion for more of Him. Let’s commit to encourage and support one another in this journey toward transformation. And let us know the One we believe so we can become all He desires us to be.

SeanCopeland.org

Learning to Live Up to What We've Already Attained