Human Decency

Growing up on a farm has implications. Because it wasn’t one of those huge “industrial farms” owned by corporations who never experience what farming is like, I learned some things about hard work that have stuck with me to this very day.

My mother often said that the garden my father panted for our family could “feed Berkeley County.” Berkeley County, by the way, is the largest county in South Carolina, and according to its own advertising, is larger than the state of Rhode Island. Summer days of picking green beans, butter beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and other vegetables made me think she was right!

Fast forward a few decades and I find myself living outside the context of those formative days of my life. My lot in Tyrone is too shady to grow too many vegetables, but I give it a try anyway. There’s nothing like fresh, home grown vegetables!

I have discovered that I like to cook and for the past several years I have made more than a few big pots of homemade vegetable soup. Every time I make such soup, I go by the local Publix or Kroger supermarket and buy “fresh vegetables.” They aren’t quite what I grew up with – but pretty close. They are far better for soup making than the frozen or canned varieties.

The simple fact that I can buy fresh vegetables in the middle of winter means that people somewhere are doing the hard work of farming – planting, cultivating, harvesting – that I grew up in the middle of but don’t depend on now for daily bread. But what I know is that the fresh squash, zucchini, tomatoes, turnips, and other vegetables that I put in my soup did not magically appear on the beautifully displayed vegetable sections of a modern supermarket. 

Migrant workers bless my life. I don’t want to give up my day job to become a farm worker. But I also don’t want to not be able to run down to Publix or Kroger and buy fresh vegetables. Growing up on a farm taught me that every “job” or “any work” can be God honoring. No thoughtful Christian will look down on a person whose place in life is in the area of “menial work” and adopt an attitude of superiority because my place in life has “significance.”

The issue of immigration is complicated and I acknowledge that the federal government has a role to play in this area. But for Christians who love to run down to the local grocery store and load up on fresh vegetables to be the loudest anti-immigrant voices in our culture is embarrassing. And, quite frankly, ungodly. The Old Testament prophets Hosea and Amos would have a field day were they alive and on the scene speaking in behalf of God today.

The church needs a prophetic voice that stands in opposition to the powers of this age that reminds us that migrant workers, just like rich and well-placed politicians, are created in the image of God. If you don’t think that has implications – for both sides of that equation – you simply haven’t read Scripture or paid attention to Jesus. 

I love the availability of fresh vegetables. Mere human decency says I should appreciate the hard work of those who make that possible.  My commitment to be a “kingdom person doing kingdom things” means my “prophetic voice” in behalf of hard working immigrants ought to be heard!

Redeeming the World

Years ago, I remember my practical ministries professor in college, Orval M. Morgan, saying that years in which presidential elections were held were difficult years to keep the church on mission. This year after the election doesn’t promise to be easier. I suspect that if he were still living, he would still say the same – perhaps even more. To merely say that this year’s (actually more than a year) political process has created tension would be to grossly understate reality. And it is far from over.

So, as Christians, how do we balance our absolute allegiance to Christ as Lord on the one hand, with all of those reminders that believers should “submit themselves to governing authorities,” (Romans 13), “honor the emperor,” (1 Peter 2:17) and Jesus’ own words when He said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21, Mark 12:17, Luke 20:25)?

Of course the very apostle who urges the Roman Christians to “submit to the governing authorities” would himself be put to death because he would not obey the Roman demand to call the emperor Lord. (See F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, pages 441 ff.)

Obviously I nor anyone else has an easy answer to the challenge. Knowing exactly what the role of a believer who has declared that Jesus and only Jesus is Lord should be in modern western culture and its governments is a hard, but important, question.

But in re-reading William Robinson’s The Biblical Doctrine of the Church, recently, I discovered some very thoughtful advice that can, perhaps, at least set some of the parameters for us as we think about as a new administration begins. His comments are in a section where he says of the church, “She is in the world, not to conform to the world, but to redeem it.” (page 115) That in itself could change to focus of lots of people were it taken to heart. But, Robinson goes on to say of the church:

• “It is clear that the church herself cannot take political shape and become another political entity over against the state.” (115)
• “It is also clear that the church cannot take national shape. She cannot become the handmaid of the nation to serve her national pride.” (116)
• “It is further clear that the church has to struggle for a Christian civilization, which it must be recognized is something quite different from the life of the church herself. A Christian civilization may be described as one in which the main principles of the Christian ethic are actualized, and in which Christians themselves are able to take on the full disciplines of the Christian life without interference from the state..” (116)

Though Robinson’s book was published in 1948 – it sounds remarkably relevant and remains something worth reading! Perhaps that suggests something about the author’s understanding of the Christian gospel and his faithfulness to proclaim it.

Whatever happens in these tension filled days of political discourse, may we all remember that when all is said and done, the church is here “to redeem” the world!

When A Good Man Dies

What would be the best word to describe my former dentist, Dr. Gil Sale, who died last week? Not only was he our family’s dentist – since 1976 until his retirement not quite two years ago – but he was a friend. Even though he grew up Methodist and remained a Methodist, he and his wife Margaret often attended First Christian Church when I was the preacher and after I left when Billy Rowe was the preacher. They were generous to First Christian and Dr. Sale often did things that enabled Billy and me to help out families in great need – especially at Christmas. 

Though the word southern gets batted around in a pejorative fashion a lot these days, those who think “backwards, simpleton, and “not with it” when they hear “southern” evidently never met Gil Sale. It is in that way that when I think about his life, I think southern is one of the right words. Kind and courteous, Gil Sale was a gentleman to the core. You never sat in his dental chairs without first answering questions about yourself, your family, and common friends. That curiosity was rooted in authentic concern for others. So, yes, Gil Sale was certainly a southern gentleman.

But to say the name Dr. Gil Sale and not say the word generous would be to completely ignore reality. I know personally of his generosity to me and my family – and to some of my best friends in ministry. I know about students from Atlanta Christian College/Point University for whom he generously provided dental care. I know about families whose children had Christmas gifts because of Gil Sale’s generosity. My guess is that we would find the number of people blessed in this life by his generosity stunning in its size.

I’m not sure how anyone else reading this feels about going to the dentist, but for me, I can think of a dozen other things I’d prefer to do. That’s why, when I think of Gil Sale as a dentist, among the first words that come to mind in calming. He just had a way of making you feel comfortable enough to be calm – no matter what procedure he was performing. You knew he would keep checking – “Still okay?” And you knew he would do everything possible to [a] not hurt you and [b] fix whatever the problem was. Dentist and calming may not be partner words in many contexts – but they were in Gil Sale’s office.

For me, it is hard to think Gil Sale without saying “Gil and Margaret.” Most often when I went to an appointment with Dr. Sale, my first encounter was with Margaret, a dental hygienist. I have no idea how many times she cleaned my teeth and often complimented me on my flossing! Together they created an atmosphere in that office that was comforting from the time you walked in the door until you left.

One more word – ultimately the most important one – when I think of Gil Sale I think Christian. Dr. Sale wasn’t one of those pompous, self-righteous people who like to beat you over the head with their Bible. He didn’t try to model some sort of fake spirituality that you could see through from a mile away. But he did model – in so many ways – what a life looks like when the Jesus Story has transformed it. When I think about some of the people I know that were patients of Dr. Sale, I think of one in particular who may have been the most contrary, difficult person I’ve ever known. He was that way at church, at work, among “friends.” Contrary is actually a polite word. I can only assume his core character came out when he was sitting in Dr. Sale’s chair. But it wasn’t unusual for Dr. Sale to ask, “How’s . . .?” and express great concern as serious illness began to impact our mutual “friend’s” life. To me, that speaks to the way Dr. Sale discovered what it means to say “I follow Jesus.” 

I once told Dr. Sale that I was pretty sure there would be no cavities in heaven – and God has a plan to make teeth more lasting in eternity. He laughed and said something like “Good, that means I won’t have to work when I get there.” For a guy who worked as a dentist well beyond when most of his profession retires, I’m not sure what Gil Sale plans to do in heaven. But I’m pretty sure if, when I get to the proverbial “pearly gates,” that I stop and listen, I’ll likely hear a deep, rich baritone voice laughing in the joy of whatever it is he’s doing up there!

Blessings to Margaret and her family. Thank God for the Dr. Sale kind of people with whom we cross paths in this life. I will – along with countless others – miss that great voice and even great person.