Reduction
Reduction has been in the headlines quite a bit lately – federal spending reduction, national debt reduction, government size reduction, health insurance cost reduction, overseas troop reduction, foreign oil dependency reduction, even the reduction of Americans’ waistlines!
I recently enjoyed lunch with a pastor in the Idaho community that will soon be our home. It was one of those divine appointments Terri and I have grown to expect and anticipate when we are in our new neighborhood. Bob has a background in youth ministry, has ministered in the area for almost ten years, and is very involved in the community rather than residing in a church bubble, so he has a very good understanding of the dynamics of the area. When I asked him about the relevant issues and concerns among teens there, he replied, “I think they are simply a reduction of those in most American communities.” I think he saw my eyes glaze over, so he elaborated: “You know, like when you cook down a sauce on the stove to make it more concentrated? That’s called a reduction. And the issues among youth here are, for the most part, not any different than elsewhere, they are just more concentrated.”
At the time, I thought that was a pretty astute comment, and more I think about it, the better it sounds. I am into my fourth decade of working with youth, and although most of my time these days is spent with youth workers, I still get the importance of understanding youth culture. The issues and problems that youth face today cannot be minimized – family dysfunction, substance abuse, depression and suicide, and the mess that most always accompanies fatherlessness is all very real and very destructive. And it all can render us overwhelmed, discouraged, or even hopeless - unless a little reduction is practiced.
Matthew tells us in his Gospel that when Jesus looked out at the crowd that had gathered because of His preaching and healing (Matt. 9:35-38) “He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.” I don’t have space here to unpack the meanings of the words “compassion,” “harassed” and “helpless,” but they are much more intense in the original language than in our English translations. Jesus clearly perceived, and was greatly troubled by, the very real and very painful wounds, hurts and needs of the multitudes. But as concerned as He was about the nature of their wounds, hurts and needs, He was even more concerned about the willingness and faith of His followers to meet those needs by ministering healing – spiritual, emotional, physical – in His name and authority and power. That’s why just a few verses later, we see that Jesus sends out the Twelve out to preach, deliver and heal. (Matt. 10:1ff)
Our situation is not all that different today; most of us are surrounded by plenty of wounded, hurting, needy people. Identifying the source and nature of the wounds and hurts and needs can be important, but perhaps we make too much of that. Perhaps we need to do a little reduction: people are needy, Jesus alone can meet the deepest needs of the human heart, and He will use us as His instruments of healing in the lives of others - if we are willing. Jesus didn’t do a whole lot of counseling or diagnosing, but He did do a whole lot of praying and ministering and healing. And while I do want to understand the issues in our new community, that understanding is not as important as “living on assignment,” with the willingness and faith to minister in the name and authority and power of Jesus, 24/7/365. Terri and I are seeing an increasing number of opportunities to do just that, not only in Idaho, but wherever else God has us living - which during this season is lots of places, since our Canby home recently sold!
Terri often reminds me of the importance Jesus placed on childlike faith. You could probably call it reduction faith - reduced to the basics . . . walk with Jesus always, talk with Jesus always, do what He says always. I think that’s part of what He is doing in our lives to prepare us for our assignment in our new Idaho community. And perhaps a little reduction might do us all well as we seek to be messengers of hope in our own neighborhoods, schools and cities.
Thanks, Pastor Bob, for the reduction insight!
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Some of you will remember Pray! Magazine, which had a great run from the late 90’s through 2009 and included a number of articles from yours truly. Economic realities and a changing industry (i.e. electronic media) led NavPress to cease publication of the magazine a few years ago. The original editor, Jon Graf, has started a new publication, PrayerConnect: Connecting To The Heart of Christ Through Prayer, that will feature a combination of print and electronic media forms. PrayerConnect is published by the Church Prayer Leaders Network and PrayerShop Publishing, divisions of Harvest Prayer Ministries, and is also cosponsored by three significant prayer movements (Terri and I are members of the first two of these): America’s National Prayer Committee - (www.nationalprayer.org), the International Prayer Council (www.ipcprayer.org) and the Denominational Prayer Leaders Network. PrayerConnect seeks to be the voice of these groups and a primary connecting point for people of prayer to find news of God’s moving around the world through prayer, plus events, information, and articles and ideas to help you grow in prayer. Please check out www.prayerconnect.net and support this new ministry.
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In the next issue of sondancing – more about the Campus Alliance Call For Prayer, and Lilly’s internship this fall in Jerusalem!
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