Buzz King: Grace & Joy thru Scripture

Many adults have grim memories of being raised by alcoholics who were not present emotionally for their children.  A common theme among adult children of alcoholics is that they have a very difficult time showing love and concern for their alcoholic parents as they age and become infirm.  I use the example of one such woman who was struggling with her relationship with her mother to discuss the freedom we can obtain when we have full trust in God.

When I was a in my early twenties, I had a job as a programmer.  We worked in a subbasement.  One of the other programmers, Tommy, another young guy, had to have full length casts on his legs for eight weeks.  We used to have "Tommy races", where we saw which team of two could carry Tommy up and down the stairs the fastest.  I use this story to discuss the joy that we can feel when we serve other people.

Moses delivered the Ten Commandments, but there was more that the Israelites needed to be taught, and this added material that Moses preached to the People of God is called the Book of the Covenant.  I use the example of a drug user who died during surgery to motivate a statement made in this part of Exodus, which says that a righteous person should never be put to death.  

We look at Revelation, at the promise of a New Jerusalem, where there is no evil and everything is refreshed, to consider this: at any time we want, we can enter the new Jerusalem.  This is because God always forgives.  God always lets us wipe the slate blank and start totally over.  I learned this lesson myself in my life.

A schizophrenic man once told me how to find the entrance to a wormhole.  I use this story as a vehicle for talking about the Lord's command to go forth into the world while depending only on God to provide for us.

I talk about two men who were both caring for chronically ill wives, both sick with diseases that would ultimately take their lives.  Both men saw themselves as having purposes in life that would be impacted by their obligations.  But the two men had very different attitudes about their responsibilities.  I discuss the fact that God has a purpose for all of us - but it's God who decides that purpose, not us.

Once, at the hospital where I work, I had a woman who was an atheist become irate when I introduced myself as a chaplain.  I use this story to talk about being a "citizen chaplain", someone who is prepared to help anyone they come across who needs help - even if that person has beliefs very contrary to their own.

When I was a young guy I bought my first car with a steering column lock on it.  That lock suddenly engaged while I was going around a curve on a freeway at 75 miles per hour - sending me flying off the freeway.  I use this story as a vehicle to talk about how we should all handle those moments of panic, and how it's important that we are prepared in advance for dealing with them.

I had a friend who was terminally ill with cancer and who had to make a decision about whether to continue with agonizing chemo treatments.  I use this story as a vehicle for talking about the need for each of us to develop a personal theology that guides us through every decision we must make in life.

I look at the issue of New Testament authorship.  There are those who say that because Paul might not have written 6 of the 13 letters attributed to him, or that other books were not written by the people to whom we have traditionally attributed them, the Bible is in some sense partly "fake".  But what should be the true standard for including a book in the Bible?

When I was in second grade, I got on the wrong city bus on the way home from school - and found myself very far from home.  I use this story to motivate two important teachings of Scripture: 1. be kind to others and 2. don't look for acknowledgement or reward.

As a chaplain, I often encounter homeless people who have been cast aside by society and come to the hospital for medical help - but only when they are extremely sick.  I talk about a homeless man who was very grateful that I was willing to touch him.  I use this to motivate the lesson learned in the story of the woman who was healed simply by touching the fringe of Jesus' garment.  I discuss an easy way to learn to connect with God many times a day, very briefly - by touching the fringe of God's garment.

Often difficult events in life can turn into uplifting, even funny moments.  I look at the Book of James and the author's command to use "troubles" as a reason to find "great joy."  I use a situation where a graduate student from France accused me of hating French people as a stepping stone toward examining this passage from James.

I had a very short Boy Scout career - because I used dynamite to blow up a hillside at a Scout jamboree. I use this story to talk about how a Christian should use their spiritual ears to listen to God.  We don't have the benefit that the Old Testament Prophets had: we do not hear an audible voice from God.  But if we take our time and use a disciplined approach to praying, we can hear God's voice through our spiritual ears.

When my father's mother, who was a Portuguese speaker, was near the end of her life, she gave me her prized possession, her childhood ceramic-and-leather, hand-painted doll.  I use it as a vehicle to talk about giving.