The Art of Illustration

Human communication is a fascinating thing. People employ methods using flags, lights, dots and dashes, music, alphabets, and a multitude of different types of sound. Some people are much better at it than others. Language is such a flexible, intangible medium. A person's skill at transferring an idea to another becomes readily apparent in many different ways, but two specifically come to mind; those of Instruction and Illustration. If you'd like to try a fun exercise testing your ability to Instruct, do the following:

1. Get together a small group of middle school children.
2. Give each of them a large blank sheet of paper and a pencil.
3. With your back to them so that you cannot see what they are drawing, give them step by step instructions for drawing a tulip. You may have one drawn up first to use as reference, but do not allow them to see your picture.
   
4. You may not use any identifying words like: flower, tulip, leaves, stems, petals, etc. You may use line and basic shape terms like: diagonal, curved, oval, short, etc.
5. When you are finished, compare their drawings with your own. How close did you get?

The pictures the children drew are a fun gauge of your communication skills and the results are quite obvious. It is much more difficult to determine the effectiveness of Verbal Illustration. Any time you draw comparisons you are making a verbal illustration. Public speakers, teachers, pastors, and parents use illustration often to clarify a point or give added insight. We're going to focus on pastors and Bible teachers, but not because I'm picking on them. Anyone who is trying to communicate the concepts of Scripture uses illustration to bring understanding to absolute Truth, which makes their skills all the more important.

When a Bible teacher uses an example from sports, home life or the working world to bring clarity to a text, you are going to understand that illustration because it comes from your life or something that is real to you. That is the nature of the illustration. Whether you will be able to accurately transfer the meaning of the illustration to the truths of God's Word is an entirely different matter.
For example, Holy Scripture itself speaks of God as a Father and Christ as a Son. All humans beings should understand the concept of Father and Son, so that illustration is natural and makes sense. However, each of our own personal experiences is going to color that understanding. Is your father angry, or absent, or abusive? How will that effect your view of God? You will know that a pastor or teacher effectively communicates the idea when you come away with the knowledge that we should not compare God with earthly fathers, but rather hold the Heavenly Father up as the standard to which all earthly fathers should be compared.

Because it relies on human understanding and human terms, all illustration is going to break down at some point. In the above example, the breakdown is obvious: not everyone's father is a blue ribbon Dad. In other illustrations the flaw may not be so apparent. Imagine the tragedy if the truths about Redemption, or Faith, or Grace were unknowingly communicated incorrectly.

Those of us in teaching positions need to be vigilant in our use of illustration. Are we illuminating truth, or obscuring it? Scripture often clarifies itself without the need for outside examples. It is far safer to rely on other passages to bring light to the subject than to risk introducing elements that will only confuse. On the occasions when it is necessary to expand the available information, we should be careful in our choices and make sure that our examples are understood as we intend them. That means not assuming that your audience knows what your are thinking.

Trying to communicate truth and realizing my own shortcomings (an immediate effect, I might add) gives me a great appreciation for those who do so effectively on a regular basis. Illustration is an Art. And just like drawing or painting with watercolors, it is much harder than it looks.

The Art of Silence

Somewhere out there someone knows how many personal electronic devices there are in existence. I don't really care about the particulars. For a long time, I resisted being assimilated, but now, like many others, I own an iPod. And I love it. It has given me the capacity to listen to music, Scripture, and sermons countless hours on end on the mower and treadmill, and for that grace, I am thankful.

I don't want this to become a rant against technology, but I do have one caution regarding such tools.
Without quiet, Thought becomes difficult. In the chaos of sound, the voice of the Holy Spirit can be drowned out. Creativity is distracted and meditation is impossible when it is noisy. And noisy doesn't just mean loud. Personal, human relationships are stunted when technology moves from being a tool that is skillfully wielded to a drug or a crutch that cannot be lived without. Silence is a necessity. In order to hear the "still, small voice" the whirlwind must cease.
I have not done any studies to back this up (although I'm sure someone has), but I'm guessing that our brains and bodies need quiet in order to be healthy and function in an optimum way.
Our society promotes the idea of a "green hour", or a time when you and your household stops the consumption of energy in order to help the environment. (resisting the urge to jump on that soapbox...) Imagine what might happen if you instituted a "quiet hour". How would that effect the environment in your home?
Make it a point to weave some silence into your life and the lives of your children. Unplug. Walk in the woods. Swing on the porch. Use the opportunity to preach grace and repentance to your soul. Tune in to the subtle noises in your surroundings. Have you ever been amazed by something a child hears long before it comes to your attention? You would be astounded at the cacophony of sound present in silence.
By all means, use the available tools when they can be an asset. Just be cautious that they are not interfering with relationships or hindering your thought life. Set up some guidelines and stick to them. And make sure to turn it off every now and then. I dare you.

Power Struggles without the Struggle

Life seems to be full of paradoxes for me lately, and my latest "discovery" about discipline is no exception.

If you have children, then you have engaged in a power struggle. Whether it is an infant who doesn't want his diaper changed or a teenager that wants to wear something you don't approve of, being in control seems to be a mandate for all human beings.

A couple of months ago, I wanted the girls to do something new as part of their schoolwork. They made it immediately clear that what I asked wasn't something they were willing to do. But I was tired and didn't feel like arguing and I dreaded the escalation of wills that seemed inevitable and the consequences that I would be forced to implement. So I just walked away. I told them what I expected of them, that I didn't care how it happened but that it was going to happen. And then I simply left the room. And after about 5 minutes of palpable silence in the other room, I heard them acquiesce and do what I had asked, as I had asked them. No defiance. No raised voices. No "because I said so" or "Do it or else".

I have tried this tactic multiple times since then, and rather than being a one time success it has worked the same way every time. I clearly state my expectations and then leave. Sometimes there is some quiet internal struggle, but my request is always fulfilled eventually. I'm not sure why it works. Perhaps not having someone to argue with diffuses the situation before it can even start. Perhaps walking away allows them to respond in a way that they feel is more on their own terms; allowing them a measure of control. Perhaps staying in the room gives the impression that the request is optional, or a point to be negotiated and leaving removes compromise from the table. Maybe it is simply a matter of putting the responsibility squarely on their shoulders.

Whatever the reason, I am extremely grateful for the grace that God has given my girls to make choices that glorify Him more often than not. I pray that He will give Chad and I the wisdom to raise them in a way that will encourage a zeal for His Truth.

An Unconventional Tithe

Cassette tapes are quickly going the way of the Dodo and the 8 track, but there is a beloved favorite in the van that will be mourned after it plays for the last time. One of the songs talks of

"All the Sundays the offering plate's gone by,
And as I gave my hard earned dollars,
I felt free to keep my life."

Another favorite tape holds a sermon that I heard during the first week of my college career in which Dr Fred Mortz preached from Isaiah 44:14-17.

He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it.
Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.
Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!"
And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"

The short version is that this man takes a tree and uses it to build a fire for heat and for food and then with the garbage left over, he makes an idol to worship. The question asked of us by Dr. Mortz was "Are you giving God the garbage?"

These two tapes have been used in my life by God as tools for conviction on numerous occasions. Couple that with the realization of the magnificent amount of time that I have wasted on the computer lately and you have the makings for some radical life changes. Starting today, I am going to attempt to tithe my time. A traditional 10% tithe of a 24 hour day is just under 2 1/2 hours. That seems a bit intimidating to start out with, so I'm going to take my SiL's suggestion and try tithing my waking hours in the beginning, or 1 hours, 36 minutes...give or take a few.

DH and I have set a time for evaluation after a one month trial period. How I continue will be determined by how my family feels about it and how my house looks. I'm trying not to get too excited, but I started this practice today and still had time for school, finishing the taxes, washing windows and (don't tell) folding all the laundry. More importantly, I wonder what my life will look like?

More on this in days to come, I suspect!

A Challenge for Pastors

I Timothy 4:13
"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching."

There is nothing that makes my spirit sink more than hearing from the pulpit, "...but we're not going to take the time for that now." This usually happens after the speaker has just referenced a longer passage of Scripture.
Forgoing the reading of these passages implies several interconnected things.

• It implies time constraints on the Holy Spirit. Sure, the Holy Spirit is allowed to work in the pastor's heart or the hearts of the people in the congregation, but he only has until straight up noon or until time for kick off.
  
• It implies that everyone in the church has ADHD and can't possibly tolerate listening to longer portions of God's Word. (There are any number of times in the Old Testament that we are told that the nation of Israel listened to the reading of Scriptures for hours at a time, all while standing.)
  
• It also implies that the speaker cuts the reading short in order to use the time for his own words. Which, in turn, implies that his words are more important than God's.

So what exactly is the challenge for pastors? Don't short sheet the Bible reading! Take the time!!

The parallel challenge for the laity? Don't short sheet your pastor's Bible reading! God's purpose for us is to be conformed to the image of his son and not conformed to this world (Romans 8:29, Romans 12:2). This world is concerned with time and fleshly pursuits (like football and whether the roast is burning). The pastor's job is to shepherd the flock in spiritual concerns. He should not feel pressured to cut out portions of scripture just to get us out "on time". Leave your watches at home. And take down the one in the sanctuary!!

There are also applications of this in our private lives as well. Do you spend more time reading what man has written about the Bible or reading Scripture itself?

**note** This has nothing whatsoever to do with anything that has happened in my church and is not directed at anyone in particular.

Heritage Lost

A terrible truth came to light last Sunday night. The great hymns of the Christian faith are being lost. Maybe I have known this for some time, but been in denial. Sitting in front of the youth group during a hymn sing last week brought this reality home.
Now, I do have to say that I was impressed with some of our young people. On the songs that they did know, they sang. But how sad to hear one of them admit that they had never even heard "Wonderful Grace of Jesus"!

I blame this on the church at large. So many worship services are completely neglecting the rich songs of our heritage in favor of the quick choruses. It's just too much work to read and understand the old hymns, and there's way too many verses, and, well, they're just Old. That mentality makes me want to cry. The hymns have been a great source of encouragement as well as conviction in my life. I can't imagine worshipping without them. The old hymns hold a great deal of doctrine and deeper meaning than many of the more shallow choruses. Many of the choruses are also centered around man and not God.

I am not opposed to new songs. There are quite a few of the newer songs that are rich in doctrine and a joy to sing. The Bible itself tells us to "sing a new song". I believe that is not only speaking of singing a song that is different than the world, but also singing new, fresh music. But not at the expense of losing a part of the tradition of the church that has been with us for a very long time.

So I have a two-fold challenge to the youth groups in our churches today:

1. Learn the old hymns. Not all of them, but some of them. If you determined to learn one song each week, it would only be a couple of years before you knew 100 hymns!
2. Write new songs. Do it alone, or together. We don't have to depend solely on the music companies for the music that we sing in church and in our private worship. You don't even have to have a degree in music to write music.

We have already started to do this in our family. I am going to compile a list of "The Top 100 Hymns of the Christian Faith" and we will teach them to our girls. I will also post them here. What hymn do you think should be on the list?

God is Good All the Time

Remember the post about obeying God even when we don't understand why? Well, I got to see my Bro, SiL and nephew this week! Of course they were here because our Grandmother was having open heart surgery, but it was still great to spend time with them!

G'ma is doing well. There are some minor bumps, but for the most part she is making a speedy recovery.
The morning of the surgery was a truly incredible time. I have experienced it before, but those times of praise and worship in the face of difficulty are always particularly precious. We had family in from all over the country, and even the ones who live close don't always get to see each other as often as we'd like. But gathering around G'ma Monday morning and singing and praying with them blessed me in a way I can't describe. To hear the faith of a loved one expressed to God in song or word, without pretense, is a more binding experience than hundreds of birthday parties and holiday celebrations.

As wonderful as that was, I can't begin to imagine what it will be like to glorify our Father before his throne in heaven--without the pain and trials that distract us here. And I can't wait!