Taking the Time

It's here...the rest, the pause. Do you notice it? That time the year when time slows down? I just finished all the pre-Christmas tasks. It's very quiet outside and in, and now, for just a few days ahead, I can see that the way is clear...to notice something or someone else, to listen, to be in the moment of now, to enjoy Christmas present. God's gift of time is surely hallowed by the pause.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it...right now.
Peace to you and yours.

Against My Mother's Advice

One of my guiding principals for raising children has been to "catch them being good" and ignore them when they misbehave. My mother taught me this, and for the most part, it's worked well. I have been ingrained with this principal so much that it spills over into the way I treat adults. When people are misbehaving my first impulse is to ignore them, and not give them attention that they might be craving. Most bad behavior in adults doesn't seem to rise to the level demanding my own outspoken criticism.
Being a pastor, this is a hard burden to carry.  I've often been asked to be the "enforcer" of a moral code from some in my flock who think it's part of my job to correct other people's behavior.
 "That so-and-so!...Why can't you say something to them?"
Not many of them want me to correct their own behavior, of course.
So now I'm grieved by my brothers and sisters in Christ whose bad behavior I can't ignore.  I did march with my Muslim neighbors a few weeks ago, chanting "ISIS is not Islam" in front of the White House, because I could understand how they felt. I feel the same way when someone does something despicable in the name of my religion.  Solidarity with them seemed appropriate.
So, now, against my mother's advice, I have to pay attention--and call attention--to bad behavior. I can't ignore ignore it anymore, those--mostly hateful words--that are coming from people who self-identify as Christian.  I'm speaking out, signing my name to various petitions circulating in the wake of the latest round of hate speech, saying that their brand of Christianity is something I don't even recognize. 
On the other hand, I can't help feeling that all this public shaming of bad-behaving Christians is just giving them more attention and amplifying their message.  Does evil need attention in order to thrive?  Mom, I think I can say that we're on the same page about these sorry Christians, but I sure wish that they didn't get all that attention.