Parable of the Lost Earring

I lost one of my gold and opal earrings. It’s very small, about the size of a ½-inch metal nut. After attending years of Christian schools and universities with a no-jewelry policy, and working with schools, universities, and a ministry with the same dress code, I found myself laid off, without a job in this Great Depression of the 21^st century. Honestly, one of my first thoughts as the shock of being jobless set in was, “Woo-hoo, now I can get my ears pierced and no one will censure me as a Jezebel.” So I did get my ears pierced for the first time at age 50, and I can finally wear the little earring sets that were given to me over the years, that have languished in my jewelry box.

I discovered the loss at about 10 pm yesterday, after I'd come back from a short walk to the mailbox, and from rolling the wheelie bin to the street for trash collection. Mundane tasks, to be wearing pretty jewelry, I suppose.

I took out the flashlight and retraced my steps in the dark, walking back to the mailboxes with a side-to-side scan of the flashlight, and looking in the gravel around the trash cans where I'd moved them. I searched the front courtyard, where I’d watered my plants, but all I found were weeds to spray in the daylight. Back inside, I searched the floors and rugs like a CSI technician, looking for a sparkle of gold. I shook out my bedding, and looked in the clothes I'd worn earlier to see if the earring had got stuck in the fabric.

THEN I prayed that if God cared about my missing earring, would he please let me find it. “It's just vain adornment, according to what I was taught, and not important when one considers earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear meltdowns, or killer tornadoes. Not important, when one considers the economy that’s flushed irrevocably down the sewer. Closer to home, how does this loss compare to the ongoing lack of a job, the family member with a terminal disease, the relationships that are broken, the hope that’s been lost. It's not like Jesus' parable* of the woman who lost a tenth of her savings and searched and cleaned the house to find it—it’s just a little piece of jewelry. But you know, if you care that I care, please let me find my earring.”

I put away the flashlight and locked up the house for the night. An hour later, I went to bed and stepped barefoot on my little earring. (It didn't hurt, as the pin was closed.) It had been on the far side of the bed where the bedtime dog treats are. My lesson is that God cares that I care—maybe earrings don't matter, but my feelings do matter to God.  

My friends, thank you for your prayers! I don't think that God answers certain requests because all the “pray-ers” have collectively sent enough energy that they’ve reached some cosmic quota; or that righteous people are more favored than others in their requests. I don't know why he is silent on some things, and shows his hand on others. But it sure does good to the human heart to know that other human beings care enough to take issues to God in intercession for their friends and family. It benefits both the pray-er and the pray-ee. Please continue to pray for the truly important issues, and remember me sometimes when you do.

It does me good to know that the Creator of the universe sent me some love, and some hope that he’s working on my other issues; and at the same time, blew a raspberry at the man-made, non-scriptural “adornment” code. Haha!

Rejoice with me and the angels of God; I have found my lost bauble!

* The Parable of the Lost Coin—Luke 15:8-10

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?  And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Sweeping waves? Surging tides? Bring it on!

(Originally posted elsewhere, November 2008)

The United States has elected new leaders at the national, state, and local levels. Some propositions, notably the ones connected with morality, have made history. The joy and optimism of the majority of voters is matched by millions of people who are deeply unhappy at the election results, and look at the next several years with fear and depression.

And speaking of apprehension… This turnover occurs during a severe, worldwide financial crisis. Financial planners forecast a recession that may not improve for two to four years. The news outlets broadcast a flood of business closures and bankruptcies. Many people have lost their jobs, homes, and retirement investments even though they were carefully managing their assets and resources. Those with savings are prudently holding back on frivolous spending.

While researching this article, I received a “robo-call” that began (before I hung up): “Don’t be alarmed, but this is your last chance to receive a lower interest rate.”

A few days ago, millions celebrated Halloween or Day of the Dead (October 31 and November 1) with not only candy and costumes, but a keen interest in death, monsters, demons, vampires, and rivers of fake blood. What seems incomprehensible is why people live in a state of fear, and then spend money on books and films to frighten them further.

And there are the rumors and conspiracy theories that in case of a security issue or large-scale chaos, we’ll be rounded up, stripped of human and civil rights, and society reduced to a police state. Actually, such fear is not new: remember when Baby Boomers were taught that “duck and cover” under steel and Formica school desks could protect us from nuclear blast?

What we need is a shot of courage. Strength of character that comes from faith that God is in control. Remembrance that the God who calms the cyclone also calms the storms in our microcosms of the world and in our hearts.

Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you…I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. Psalm 42:7-8 NLT.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by impending disaster, and sense the repeated waves of a tsunami threatening your safety and peace, remember that the Lord “pours his unfailing love” on us. The psalmist is not talking about our perception of coming disaster, but (oh, this is good!) God’s life-giving love surging and sweeping over us, and that is occasion for singing and praying! If there’s anything we need, surely it’s the Lord’s infinite, redeeming love carrying us on the crest of the wave.

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! Psalm 42:11 NLT.

One of the memory verses burned into our minds is “perfect love casts out all fear.” This text, in context, bridges the centuries since John the Beloved wrote it, and speaks to us just as freshly today: And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect [complete/mature]. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. 1 John 4:17-19 NLT.

Again, we are reminded that God loves us. Jesus meets fear and vanquishes it with love. God has graciously given us adoption as His beloved children (by creation) and heirs (by adoption and the death of Jesus). Out of the beautiful passage in Romans 8:14-19 is this jewel: You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.

There’s a belief that the Bible contains 365 occurrences of “do not fear,” one for each day of the year. A concordance search will show that it’s not a true count. It’s actually an underestimation. The Bible is packed with literally thousands of phrases like “fear not,” to “be of good courage,” to “be still” or at peace, that the Lord calls us by pet names, that He is our Shepherd and we lack nothing, that we are loved and protected, that He rescues and saves us, that there is now no condemnation, and that He’s coming soon.

There is a wonderful piece of advice that the mature, experienced Paul gave to young and inexperienced Timothy, who would be ministering during turbulent and extremely dangerous times. He wrote, I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NLT.

That is the roadmap for times like these. This is the right time for the message. The milestones are prayer, helping, interceding, giving thanks, and bringing people back to fulfilling relationship with each other and with God. The destination is reconciliation. And remember, although we walk through hard times hand in hand with God, the end-time tribulation is not for us – we are sheltered under God’s wings. We are aliens in this world, but citizens of an eternal kingdom.

Jesus is the One who brings wholeness to our lives. He, being the Spirit of love, casts out fear. If He is for us, who can be against us? Jesus is the tsunami of love and grace (Psalm 42).

That means you should take off your shoes, roll up your pants legs, and dive in, shouting triumphantly all the way, “Bring it on! No fear! No fear! No fear!”

Sign me on!

Forget for a few moments that you are already a Christian and know your Bible answers as well as you know your own name. Forget that you know the correct answer to Jesus’ questions, “Who do the people say I am?... And you – what are you saying about me?” Mark 8:27-29 MSG

For a moment, listen to the voice of a young man who is socially unskilled, jobless, and not well-educated: “I was in a car accident today, and I have to say that I am lucky, although my car is totaled, my clothes were cut off me, and I have a nasty bruise and some soreness in my neck. I started to go into shock. The hospital visit wasn't fun, I was breathing heavy in the ER, and my heart rate was in the rafters. I wasn't relaxed. I am glad Pastor Bob was there and for everyone's prayers. Pastor Bob was holding my hand at the hospital; I keep thinking about that. Does God care that much about someone like me? Think about it: girls run away from me. I don't blame them – I call too much, come on too strongly, and I can be just plain stupid in my social attempts. I have gotten mad and said things I wish I never did, but why would God care about me? But if this is what God is really like, if He will hold my hand when I am scared for my life and filled with anxiety, then sign me on.”

So what is this young man saying about Jesus? That he experienced the physical touch and presence of Jesus Christ. That Jesus accepts the socially unacceptable, and tenderly holds his hand, and won’t leave him. That’s who Jesus is. His love shows up in actions and attitude, not only in words.

Jesus’ brother James, who once had considered Jesus deranged and was embarrassed by his Brother, is sometimes derided by our culture as being a legalist who is at odds with the concept of salvation by faith in God’s grace. But early in his epistle, James echoes the themes of the Sermon on the Mount, and says that those who are loving people are blessed. He counsels understanding and acceptance instead of judgment. Then he writes the most famous and controversial parts of his letter, the discussion of faith and works.

Consider that John wrote that “God is love,” and Paul wrote that three things abide: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love. And: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”Galatians 5:6 NASB

So what if, when you read James chapter two, you substitute the word FAITH for LOVE? Try it this way:

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has [love] but he has no works? Can that [love] save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so [love], if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, ‘You have [love] and I have works; show me your [love] without the works, and I will show you my [love] by my works.’ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that [love] without works is useless?” James 2:14-20 NASB

That makes faith and love less ethereal and more concrete, doesn’t it? Love, without action, is useless. It’s unemployed, unengaged. It’s not working. For love or faith to mean anything, they must be in motion: working, helping, holding the hand of the fearful and broken, cheering the hopeless, nourishing and refreshing the hungry and thirsty with meals of Jesus’ righteousness. In other words, expressing your love by your works.

Is there anything more endearing than when you’re embracing a child or a pet, it lays its head on your shoulder and sighs happily? When Jesus’ love flows out of you, through that hand laid on the fearful person, you are also blessing the Lord. It’s one thing to say, “Praise the Lord, bless His holy Name,” and another to do so by your acts of kindness and love to His children, even the “nerdy” ones. Their response will be, “If this is what God is like, sign me on.”

That is evangelism. Changing the world by “signing people on.”

You have it in you to make Jesus happy (blessed) by showing Him in your acts of love. Lay your head on His shoulder and sigh, and hear His heartbeat of love for you. When Jesus whispers to you, “Who do you say I am?” your answer will be: “You are Love, and I love you with all my heart, soul, and mind.” And He’ll remind you, “And you love your neighbor as yourself. As I do.”