This Ol’ House

This morning I begin the long and arduous process of painting our
living room. It is an already difficult task compounded by my lack of
painting skills. Worse of all, our house is old, which means lots of
crumbling drywall, and it's been owned and lived in by lots of people,
which means paint over wallpaper over paint over wallpaper.

So here's my sequence: clear stuff from the room, steam off the old
wallpaper, chip off the old paint, sand down the rough edges, spackle
the holes/cracks, sand some more, clean the walls/trim, prime the
walls/trim, paint the walls, paint the trim, move stuff back into the
room.

You don't take the time to do all these steps if you don't live in it,
or if you're renting, or if you're on your way to somewhere else in a
short while. Not to say that Amy and I will be here forever. But we
do live here, we're not renting, and we plan to be here for a bit. So
we do these things.

There are a lot of analogies I could make here – about committing to a
spouse, about committing to a city, about committing to a community –
but I won't make them here. I'll have plenty of time today and in the
next few days to think about these analogies and, as I toil over a
simple room, strengthen my resolve to work at least as hard on things
that are much more important and lasting.

Predictions for the Not-So-Distant Future

In December 1999, I posted on my website an outrageous prediction for
each of the next ten years. With 2005 almost in the books and 2006 on
its way, let's take a look at how I did.

"2000 – Y2K devastates less technologically-advanced nations like
Russia and China, prompting US, Japan, and Finland to send "relief
aid" in the form of technology experts." The only relief here was
that Y2K turned out to be a non-event.

"2001 –The Internet changes the way we take in entertainment and news,
eliminate radio, TV, and newspapers as we know them now." Well,
technically this is true, but that's too generic of a prediction for
me to really get any credit.

"2002 – Ten percent of Fortune 500 CEO's are women." I don't think
we're there yet, even in 2005; maybe one percent?

"2003 – Virtual reality becomes the next 'killer app,' spawning a new
generation of video games, business conferences, and "Total Recall"
vacations." I'm still dumb-founded that VR didn't take off more,
although flight simulations and gaming graphics are so advanced that
perhaps that's good enough.

"2004 – Public libraries merge with Barnes & Nobles, creating
government-subsidized public bookstores and coffee shops." I'm still
surprised retail bookstores have survived, given how easy it is to buy
books online, how nice some public libraries are getting, and how
expensive rent and inventory is; maybe this prediction is just a few
years away.

"2005 – Sports records are shattered as scientists develop techniques
to maximize muscle use." Well, if by "develop techniques" I meant
"concoct illegal steroids," then I nailed this one.

"2006 -- Major race summit ushers in unprecedented economic equality
and racial reconciliation." There's still hope for this one, although
I think the race summit would have to be preceded by some sort of
major race-based blowout, so if we want to get to reconciliation we're
probably going to have to feel some pain first.

"2007 -- Jetson-style travel is introduced, shooting 'people trams'
along pipes from point A to point B." '07 seemed so far away at the
time that this futuristic ideal didn't seem so crazy then.

"2008 -- First woman president of the United States: Hillary Rodham
Clinton. First gentleman: William Jefferson Clinton." Anything can
happen in the next three years, but right now this isn't so outlandish
of a prediction.

"2009 – Mind-recognition software allows for typing by thinking the
words." We're getting close here, although the technological advances
could be derailed by people queasy about things like MRI's that can
tell whether you are lying or not.

Well, I didn't do so good, did I? Give me credit for sounding a note
of caution about the stock market; here's an excerpt from another
piece I posted in December 1999:

"Everybody's jumping into the market, which is good for all of us. But
not everyone knows what they're doing, which is bad for all of us.
Every other commercial on a major sports telecast is for an electronic
brokerage: eTrade, Ameritrade, Schwab.com. The Internet really has
changed everything, but when the euphoria is over, who will win and
who will lose? Right now, everyone's winning and no one's losing;
that's a sign that something's got to give."

So, any new predictions for 2006, now that we've gotten to 2005? OK,
I'll bite. Here are '06 predictions about '06:

1. America turns the corner on Iraq, but terrorism rears its ugly head
in a new place.

2. Jeb Bush and Condi Rice solidify their status as the front-running
Republican ticket for 2008.

3. Between GM and Ford, one will declare bankruptcy and the other will
be bought out by a non-US carmaker.

4. Google's stock price will plunge.

5. Super Bowl XL will be decided by more than 20 points.

6. There will be two new reality TV shows involving religion.

Going for a Walk, the Urban Version

If we lived in the suburbs and I wanted to take Jada for a walk, I might get in the car, drive a few miles, park in a lot, and stroll her around windy paths at some park. We might feed some ducks, say hi to other parents, and watch other kids play on the jungle gym.

But here in the city and in the Huang household, going for a walk looks entirely different. In the past week, I’ve taken Jada out for walks twice. The first time was Christmas Eve, and the weather was nice, so we decided to hoof it down to Center City from West Philadelphia. We passed through the PENN campus, crossed over the Schuylkill River via the Chestnut Street Bridge, and just like that we were downtown. We looked at the big Christmas tree at the Shops at Liberty Place, passed through City Hall, and stopped in at Lord & Taylor to find out when the next light show was. We had just enough time to zip through Reading Terminal Market, Strawbridge’s, and the Gallery Mall before we got back to Lord & Taylor to find a nice spot inside for the light show, a Philly tradition. Then, a brisk walk all the way home. Total time out of the house: three hours.

Today, we passed through the PENN campus again, crossed over the Schuylkill River via the Walnut Street Bridge, and headed for Rittenhouse Square. From there, we passed by the Avenue of the Arts, Washington Square, Independence Hall, and the National Constitution Center en route to the Federal Reserve Bank, which had a nifty (and free) exhibit on money – Jada even got a free bad of money. (Shredded, of course.) We passed through the Independence Hall Visitors Center, made our way to the Ben Franklin Post Office, walked down Elfreth’s Alley, and found an art gallery in Old City that was doing a “Ben Franklin: American Idol” exhibit. I thought of taking Jada to Penn’s Landing to see the waterfront, since we were just five minutes away from it, but decided it was getting late, so we hopped on the subway and headed home. Total time out of the house: two-and-a-half hours.

I suppose going for a walk in the suburbs is nice, and I’m sure we’ll do that with Jada every so often or when we’re traveling. But give me the urban version any day.

Orphans with Potential

Since the mid-1990's, I've been supporting former street kids in an
orphanage in Kenya through Christian Aid Mission. These are kids
whose parents have died (usually of AIDS) and are left to fend for
themselves and their siblings on the streets. The orphanage that
Christian Aid Mission supports finds these kids, feeds and shelters
them, and then gives those who are interested training in Christianity
and in a trade.

Every six months, I receive pictures and report cards on my kids.
Earlier this year, with the youngest of them turning 18, I asked
Christian Aid Mission to assign me to a new batch of kids. I got my
first pictures of them this weekend. They are all between 7 and 10,
about as old as my first batch when I first got to know them. With
the first group, I was consistent in my financial support but not in
my prayers. I will try to do better with the second group.

After all, I have seen with the first group what a steady diet of
food, love, and Christian instruction will do; all of them are trained
in vocation and follow Jesus faithfully. I have also seen what food,
love, and Christian instruction will do in my very own home, as we see
our daughter, who was once left on the street, flourishing physically,
cognitively, and socially. If our Jada can blossom, I think to myself
as I look at the pictures of these street kids, then so can they.

In Defense of Johnny Damon

Red Sox media darling Johnny Damon recently signed with the archrival
Yankees for $52 million over four years. Red Sox Nation is in an
uproar over such a "traitorous act," while those with less team
affiliation (or perhaps no sports inkling whatsoever) use this as
Exhibit A in their judgment of athletes as heartless, spoiled brats.

I disagree.

Let's deconstruct some of the rants people are ranting. First, that
fans care more about teams than players do. We mourn a devastating
loss after the game, while the players themselves fraternize with the
other team over beer and dinner. We hang in there with our teams
through thick and thin, while players jump ship like they're changing
their underwear. This is what people are saying.

That's the pot calling the kettle black. A lot of people unwind from
stressful jobs by getting together with friends and having fun.
That's not called not caring, that's called being healthy. Or would
you prefer that the social workers in your community agonize every
night over the kids they visit, to the point that they burn out a year
and a half into their work? And people change jobs, firms, and
locations all the time. Does that mean they never cared about the
companies, co-workers, and communities they left behind? Not at all.
Some athletes do a commendable job keeping in touch with former
coaches and teammates. Which is more than I can say about myself, and
I think I work hard to stay connected with people from my past.

OK, what about the fact that fans say athletes are all about the
dollar? Again, hypocritical. People change jobs and uproot their
families to take higher-paying jobs all the time. Does this make them
disloyal people? Sure, some people turn down higher-paying jobs
because they like where they live, but it's usually out of
self-interest rather than altruism. And besides, athletes just aren't
as connected to any community anyway, seeing as that for half the year
they spend half the time living out of hotels.

But we're talking about so much money, you might protest. 52 million
dollars over four years! Why not (in Damon's case) stay with the Sox
for $12 million less? Isn't $40 million and the adulation of an
entire city enough for you, you selfish jerk? I don't want to get too
much into Damon's case in specific, because I'm trying to build a more
generic case, but the Red Sox were Damon's third team. He had only
been there a few years. Fans are just as fickle as players; Damon may
be the darling now, but had he stayed with the Sox, he might have lost
some luster over the years. If we're allowed to boo him because he's
a professional, then he's allowed to leave because he's a
professional.

But 52 million dollars! To play a kid's game! Yes, I know that's a
lot of money. Part of why I'm proud to be an A's fan is that they
spend their money on personnel wisely, and don't throw wastefully big
bucks around. But baseball to the athletes is not a kid's game, it's
a profession. It takes a lot of hard work, and it is murder on the
body. We see the games, but we don't see the practices, the
off-season training, the total surrender of their bodies to the right
nutrition and fitness regimen. It's a high-risk profession – short
careers plus life-altering injuries equals small window for earning
potential – and thus it deserves to command the big bucks. (This is
also why I don't buy the arguments about how big-time musicians don't
need copyright protection because they're already so rich – first,
most musicians aren't rich so they need all the protection they can
get, and second, the low probability of big success means the payoffs
need to be big to justify people going into the business.)

I'm not defending Johnny Damon or the Yankees, per se. I'm just
pointing out that I don't buy what many fans are saying about the
deal. I think with talent and money comes responsibility to use it
wisely. I hate that most athletes are profligate with their spending.
But I also commend those who use their wealth and status to do
wonderfully charitable things like build schools and host fundraisers.
And I also hate it when fans who prefer to point their fingers
outward rather than look inward bash rich athletes for not living up
to standards they themselves won't bother trying to live up to.

Run Fast

I love running. I love the burn I get in my lungs after a good run.
I love the quiet solitude of running, even and especially when I'm
running in the midst of the hustle and bustle of city life. I love
the achiness in my body the next morning. I love running through the
PENN campus, passing by a battleship, or circling Independence Hall.
I love how running clears my head when I'm feeling foggy.

But even good things can become idols. Even good things should be
abstained from for a season, so that we don't mistake worshipping good
gifts with worshipping the Giver. Even good things can and should be
fasted from every so often.

I called this to mind on my run yesterday morning. I had tweaked my
knee about a month ago. It was so subtle I can't even remember when
or how it happened. All I know is that on long runs, by the end my
knee would start to hurt a bit. Then I got sick earlier this month,
so I was off my legs for a spell. Earlier this week, when I decided
to hit the road for my first run in about a week and a half, I thought
to myself that the time off because of illness was a good thing, since
it gave my knee time to heal up.

Only it didn't. My knee was throbbing by halfway through. I gutted
through that run, but the next day I had trouble going up and down
stairs. The day after, I could do it but with much effort. And the
day after that, it was feeling a little better. So yesterday, I
decided to give the knee another go.

I made it about two miles before I called it off, lest I worsen it. I
was bummed to have to cut short my run, worried about how long I'd
have to rest my legs this time, anxious that perhaps I might even need
to see a doctor or something. And then it occurred to me that perhaps
this might be a good time to fast from running.

Fasting is a controversial subject, because it can certainly be
misconstrued. People have fasted for self-righteous reasons; others
have made it a form of self-control that has become disordered, like
what anorectics and bulimics in managing their food intake.

But fasting is commanded in the Bible, and it is an invitation to
something far greater than puffing oneself up or gaining an unhealthy
control over one's body. It is a way to draw closer to God, to grow
in your hunger for Him and for the things that make His heart beat.
It is a healthy and necessary spiritual discipline for any Christian
person, any Christian group.

The leaders of my church have called us to fast of late, sensing that
God has things to speak to us if only we will slow down enough to
listen. As a group, we are fasting from many activities, with the
thought being that for as good as all these meetings and dinners and
gatherings are, they can so busy us so as to squeeze the spirituality
out of our lives. Individually, people are fasting – from food, from
TV, and other things – so as to have more time and more hunger for God
and His leading.

So perhaps it is time for me to fast from running. As good as running
is for me physically and spiritually, it isn't sacred. Sometimes it
is a source of pride that I am taking good care of my body. Other
times I track dates and miles with the unhealthy obsession of an
eating-disordered person who might do the same with food and calories.
I should be able to give up anything – even good things –for a spell.

This is what I thought to myself as I was walking back home yesterday
morning. Instead of running, I could walk – and the slower pace would
make it easier for me to speak to God. I could pray for the city
which I was walking through, for friends and family who did not yet
know Jesus, for whatever else came to mind. I could listen for God,
and hear and experience Him in everything around me – harder to do
when you're whizzing down the street.

So I tried this. Five minutes later, I thought to myself, "My leg is
feeling better," and I tried to run home. Didn't work. Leg still
hurting. Better take this fast more seriously. Just as it is hard to
fast from food, it will be hard for me to fast from running. I will
get cranky. I will miss the burn, the routine, the escape. I will
have to dig deeper into God. I will find myself with more time to
pray, to meditate, to listen. It will be a good thing.

Better Outcomes

A nice article in the Daily News about how the city's Department of
Human Services is doing a much better job getting kids out of the
foster care system and into more permanent care options. My school
has been working with DHS for the past few years to put into practice
this notion of "performance-based contracting," that is to say that
agencies DHS works with should be paid based on how well they're doing
for the kids, rather than just getting a flat per-kid fee regardless
of their performance. It was and is a debated notion, but it looks
like it is helping produce better outcomes for the kids. It's always
good to hear that all your hard work is making a difference for kids
in need.

Why Protest the WTO

Explain to me why people would protest an organization that seeks to
increase the amount and freeness of global trade. I can understand
why the French hate globalization, because it hurts their
social-welfare economic model (even though that's a short-sighted
strategy). I can understand why the unions hate globalization,
because it means less jobs for their members in the short-term (never
mind that it means more jobs for their members in the long-term).

But the anti-WTO crowd, I'm assuming, wants to make sure poorer
countries and smaller companies don't get squashed by richer countries
and bigger companies. But the more trade there is and the freer it
is, the better chance poorer countries and smaller companies have of
succeeding. Restricting trade or putting all sorts of regulations on
it only drives out those the anti-WTO would seem to be lobbying for.

If you really want to look out for poorer countries and smaller
companies, you should be coming alongside the WTO. Of course not to
carte blanche agree with everything they're doing. But rather to make
sure their work in increasing the amount and freeness of global trade
is going down in the right way such that everyone's getting their fair
share. For example, channel that passion towards helping the WTO talk
down richer countries who give into political pressure and prop up
their farmers with subsidies that make it impossible for farmers in
poorer countries to compete.

Why protest the WTO when you can work with them and accomplish more
effectively what it is you're passionate about in the first place?

Political Scenarios Posted

As promised, I've posted on my personal website (leehuang.cjb.net) the
many political scenarios I wrote up this semester. I've alphabetized
the topics below, although they're not in this order on the website.
Please note that these writings do not necessarily represent my
personal views – in fact, sometimes for the purposes of the scenario,
I took a position I did not agree with, just to better understand the
topic. Enjoy – and comment!

My Political Journey
On Airline Deregulation
On Economic Development
On Eminent Domain
On Eminent Domain
On Fixed-Route Transportation
On Non-Profits
On Partisan Analysis
On Performance Measurement
On Political Corruption
On Privatization
On Profligate Township Spending
On Public Administration Programs
On Scientific Research
On State Economic Development
On Taxing the Internet

The Virtues of Being a Point Guard

Last weekend, I took my daughter, my sister, and her husband to the
National Constitution Center, where there is a special exhibit on
Benjamin Franklin, in honor of his upcoming 300th birthday. It was a
fun look at a fascinating man (or was it a fascinating look at a fun
man?). Everywhere you turned, you found out about something he
invented or founded or somehow helped get started – universities,
hospitals, insurance companies, fire stations, and the list went on
and on.

Another interesting aspect to Franklin's life was his sense of
morality; ironic, given that he was probably the sauciest of our
Founding Fathers. But everywhere you turned, there were quips and
sayings about things like temperance and honesty and thriftiness.

I didn't realize how much of a chess nut Franklin was. There were a
lot of chess references in the displays. I found online an essay he
wrote called "The Morals of Chess," in which he upholds chess as a
virtuous pastime because it teaches us so many things about how to
live a good moral life. The essay, though high-minded about morals,
is written in Franklin's easygoing manner. It extols chess as a way
to better living, and instructs chess players to play the game of
chess and the game of life in an honorable manner.

I found myself resonating with Franklin on a lot of things, including
his love of chess, his keeping of a scorecard on morality, and his
drive to always be productive with his time. In honor of Ben, I'd
like to pen a little essay of my own, in the same vein as "The Morals
of Chess." I call it "The Virtues of Being a Point Guard."

***

Basketball may seem like a trivial pursuit, or a physically beneficial
one at best. But it can do your mind and soul good, too. Since high
school, my natural position has been the point guard. At first, it
was because I was always the shortest person on the team. But later,
I learned that the point guard position suited me for more reasons
than my lack of height. And so I give you the virtues of being a
point guard.

First, the point guard is the extension of the coach on the court. Of
course, the players have to execute, but it's the coach that comes up
with the strategy that will determine if the team will win or lose.
And the point guard is the conduit between the strategy on the
blackboard and the success (or lack thereof) on the court. He or she
calls the plays, sets the formations, and even does some intangible
coaching on the floor – exhorting a teammate to trust her jump shot,
or chewing another teammate for being out of position. For those of
you who are God-believing, this is not a bad way to view your role in
life – to translate a winning strategy from on high into well-run
plays in between the lines, and to speak on God's behalf words of
encouragement and rebuke.

Second, the point guard has to see the whole floor. Other players
have to, too, but the point guard more so. In fact, the game to the
point guard is just a series of snapshots: where are the other nine
players, where are they going, and what are they going to do when they
get there. With each action that a point guard takes – passing the
ball to the left, dribbling the ball to the right, or simply standing
still waiting for other players to move – he or she is looking ahead
at what the snapshot will look like after the action is completed, so
that the next action can be performed. This kind of vision – to see
the whole floor, and to see snapshots of the future – is a pretty
useful skill in life and leadership.

Third, the point guard's job is to set other people up. I still
believe in this kind of point guard, not the kind that uses his or her
control of the ball to hoist up shots or drive wildly to the basket.
I love setting other people up: getting to know where they are going
to have the most success, and then helping dictate the sequence of
actions that will lead to me getting them the ball in that place and
time. The neat thing about this seemingly unselfish attitude is that
it is the most fulfilling thing. Even better, it becomes contagious:
everyone on the team, not just the point guard, starts to work to set
up each other for success. Teams in life would be much more effective
and fulfilled if they approached their work in this way.

So don't pooh-pooh b-ball playing as a waste of time. It might just
teach you a thing or two about life.

Bible Memory Verses

In my quest to better redeem the 2-4 hours I have every week walking
from Point A to Point B, I have decided to take a crack at Scripture
memorization. I'm going to work my way through the 108 Bible passages
I wrote devotionals for in my book for urban disciples, "Somewhere in
Between." Some of the passages are long, so I'm pessimistic that I'll
be able to memorize them (save for numbers, my memorization skills are
poor). But memorization for memorization's sake isn't the goal,
anyway, but rather that I'm marinating on God's Word.

The neat thing that I'm hoping for is not only a better understanding
of the Bible but (especially since I'm using the verses I used for my
devotional for urban disciples) that as I am thinking on passages,
I'll see them in play right before my eyes as I survey the various
urban landscapes that make up my walks to and fro.

I'm you're interested in following along, I've pasted below the
Scripture references (and the titles I attached to them in my
devotional). I'm going to try to do two passages a week, so this will
take me a hair longer than a year to get through. May God help us to
understand His Word and to live it out in our cities.

SECTION II: A CITYWIDE LOOK
CHAPTER FOUR: URBAN -- Christian Perception and Biblical Reality
WIDE-OPEN SPACES: WHY AMERICA LOVES ITS SUBURBS Genesis 11:1-9THEY
LOVED GIVING: A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN THAT GLORIFIES GOD 1 Chronicles
29:6-9, 20-22
I SAT DOWN AND WEPT: OVERWHELMED BY A CITY'S RUIN Nehemiah 1:4-11
GREAT IN YOUR MIDST: GOD'S BLESSING ON CITIES Isaiah 12:1-6
HOW LOVELY: GOOD NEWS FOR THE CITY OF GOD Isaiah 52:7-10
IS THERE ONE: LOOKING FOR THE RIGHTEOUS IN CITY STREETS Jeremiah 5:1
SAVE THE CITY: A PROPHET'S DESPERATE PLEA Ezekiel 9:8-10
THE MIGHTY CAN FALL: WOE TO THE GREAT CITY Nahum 3:1-7
AN ETERNAL CITY: WHERE ALL OF THIS IS GOING Revelation 21:10-11a, 22-27

CHAPTER FIVE: SIN -- Personal Choices or Evil Systems
FOR ONE RIGHTEOUS: THE LEAVENING EFFECT OF ONE CHRISTIAN Genesis 18:22-33
ABSOLUTELY WRONG: AN ENTIRE CITY HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SIN Deuteronomy 13:12-16
YOU ARE THE MAN: CAPABLE OF GRIEVOUS SIN 2 Samuel 11:1-4, 12:7-12
COLLATERAL DAMAGE: THE DESTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN Lamentations 1:1-2
I DELIGHT IN LOYALTY: OBEDIENCE, NOT SACRIFICE Hosea 6:4-6
WAGING WAR INTERNALLY: FIGHTING OFF THE DESIRE TO SIN Romans 7:21-8:1
FREE TO BE FREE: ENSLAVED TO SIN AND VIOLENCE NO MORE Galatians 5:1
A HIGH CALLING: PURSUING PERSONAL HOLINESS 2 Peter 1:2-8
KEPT: NOT BY PERSONAL CHOICE OR HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, BUT BY GOD'S
MERCY Jude 1:20-25

CHAPTER SIX: RACE -- Old and New Prejudices Playing Out in Cities
ONE UNIVERSAL DEITY: SPIRITUAL CONVERSION, NOT CULTURAL 1 Kings 8:41-43
BROTHERLY HATE: A MULTI-GENERATIONAL CONFLICT badiah 1:10-12
I REFUSE TO GO: SENT TO A HATED PEOPLE Jonah 1:1-3
WE'VE HEARD GOD IS WITH YOU: WELCOMING OUTSIDERS INTO THE BODY Zechariah 8:20-23
FIVE SCANDALOUS WOMEN: ETHNIC SKELETONS IN JESUS' CLOSET Matthew 1:1-6
GOING OUT OF THE WAY TO REACH ONE: BREAKING OUT OF RACIAL MYOPIA Mark 7:24-30
RACIAL JUXTAPOSITION: A RESPECTED JEWISH LEADER AND A HATED SAMARITAN
OUTCAST John 3:1-2, 4:3-7
AN EARLY RACIAL DILEMMA: DO YOU HAVE TO BE JEWISH TO BE CHRISTIAN Acts 15:1-11
YOU ARE BEING BUILT TOGETHER: GOD'S MULTI-ETHNIC DWELLING PLACE
Ephesians 2:18-21

SECTION III: A GODWARD LOOK
CHAPTER SEVEN: SHALOM -- The Concept and Practice of God's Will in
Urban Settings
JUBILEE: GOD'S VERSION OF WELFARE Leviticus 25:10-17, 39-41
IF MY PEOPLE: PRAYING FOR HEALING FOR THE LAND 2 Chronicles 7:12-16
RESIDENTIAL TITHE: MOVING INTO THE CITY Nehemiah 11:1-2
WISDOM FOR LIFE: THE LIFESTYLE THAT PLEASES GOD Proverbs 21:1-3
A PROPHETIC WISH: THE CITY AS IT OUGHT TO BE Isaiah 65:17-25
A THREE-GENERATION URBAN COMMITMENT: STAYING LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THE
CITY'S SHALOM Jeremiah 29:4-7
MANY TONGUES, ONE BODY: COMMUNITY AS IT OUGHT TO BE Acts 2:1-11, 42-47
SANCTUARY: RENOUNCING PAST SIN FOR FUTURE GODLINESS Titus 2:11-15
LOVE AND OBEDIENCE: THE COMMANDMENT FROM THE BEGINNING 2 John 1:5-6

CHAPTER EIGHT: GOSPEL -- Winning Souls and Feeding Bellies
REVERENCE, NOT USURY: WHY INTEREST IS FORBIDDEN IN THE BIBLE Leviticus 25:35-36
FREELY OPEN YOUR HAND: GENEROSITY TO THE POOR AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP AND
OBEDIENCE Deuteronomy 15:4-11
MAY HE KISS ME: THE BLISS OF DIVINE INTIMACY Song of Solomon 1:2-4, 2:8-13
I HATE YOUR RELIGION: WHAT GOD REALLY DESIRES FROM US Amos 5:21-24
I WILL CALL TO THE CITY: A PUBLIC MESSAGE OF SALVATION AND SOCIAL
CHANGE Micah 6:6-9
AN UNBELIEVABLE PROMISE: THE TEMPLE GREATER THAN THE FORMER Haggai 2:1-9
FEEDING JESUS: CONNECTING WITH THE DIVINE IN OUR SOCIAL MINISTRIES
Matthew 25:31-40
WHATEVER YOU DO: FINDING FULFILLMENT IN THE HERE AND NOW Colossians 3:17, 23-24
PURE RELIGION: WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO GOD James 1:22-27

CHAPTER NINE: JESUS -- Lessons From an Itinerant Urban Preacher
JESUS, STREET PREACHER: OUR SAVIOR'S URBAN ITINERARY Matthew 9:35, 11:1
JARS OF CLAY: INCLUDING FEEBLE MESSENGERS IN A GREAT COMMISSION Mark 3:13-15
I MUST DINE WITH YOU: SUPPING WITH A HATED PUBLIC FIGURE Luke 19:1-10
THE WORD BECAME FLESH: THE GREATEST CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONS TRIP EVER
John 1:1, 14
ONE BODY: MANY PARTS, ONE HEAD 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 26-27
JESUS FOR ALL: A BLESSING THAT REACHES ALL CULTURES Galatians 3:13-14
EMPTIED HIMSELF: AN EXAMPLE OF BEING POURED OUT FOR OTHERS Philippians 2:5-11
EVER VICTORIOUS: HUMILIATING THE ENEMY EVEN WHEN THINGS LOOKED THE
WORST Colossians 2:13-15
HE IS ALL THAT: THE RADIANCE OF HIS GLORY Hebrews 1:3-4

SECTION IV: AN INWARD LOOK
CHAPTER TEN: CALLING -- Discerning and Obeying God's Call to the City
A SPECIAL GIFT: ANOINTED TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL ART Exodus 35:30-36:1
WE SHALL SURELY OVERCOME: HAVING CONFIDENCE IN GOD Numbers 13:25-30
WHEREVER YOU GO: BEING ENCOURAGED BY GOD'S WORD Joshua 1:1-9
NOT AS MAN SEES: DIVINE VERSUS HUMAN CRITERIA
1 Samuel 16:6-13
I SEARCHED FOR A MAN: WILLINGNESS TO STAND IN THE GAP Ezekiel 22:29-31
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT TOWN: NOT DRIVEN BY IMMEDIATE NEED Mark 1:35-38
IF ANYONE COMES TO ME: SEEKING TRUE FOLLOWERS, NOT POPULARITY Luke 14:25-27
IT IS FINISHED: KNOWING YOUR ROLE AND YOUR PLACE John 17:4-5, 19:30
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: WHAT PAUL MEANS WHEN HE SAYS HE'S DONE 2 Timothy
4:6-8, 16-18

CHAPTER ELEVEN: ROOTS -- Dealing with Success and Failure, Acceptance
and Rejection
AS FOR ME: CHOOSING TO TRUST GOD FOR VICTORY Joshua 24:14-15
I REPENT: LETTING GOD BE GOD WITHOUT DEMANDING AN ANSWER Job 42:1-6
TRUST IN THE LORD: TRADING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE
Proverbs 3:5-8
GLORY IS ON THE WAY: WAITING FOR GOD'S VICTORY Zephaniah 3:14-20
WHO CAN ENDURE: GOD'S JUDGMENT UPON EVILDOERS Malachi 3:1-6
ONE THING: SITTING AT JESUS' FEET Luke 10:38-42
HONEST TO GOD: TRUSTING JESUS WHEN HE MESSES UP John 11:1-4, 40-45
THAT NO ONE SHOULD BOAST BEFORE GOD: CHOOSING THE FOOLISH AND WEAK 1
Corinthians 1:26-2:5
DISTINCTIVES ARE POOP: WHAT WE TRULY OUGHT TO BOAST IN Philippians 3:4b-11

CHAPTER TWELVE: BURNOUT -- Poured Out for Others or Guarded From
Compassion Fatigue
JUST ENOUGH FOR TODAY: GOD'S DAILY PROVISION Exodus 16:12-18
I WILL LEAVE 7000: WE ARE NOT ALONE IN MINISTRY 1 Kings 19:9-18
THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE: NEVER OUTNUMBERED IN MINISTRY 2 Kings 6:15-17
THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS: GOD FIGHTING WHEN WE CAN'T 2 Chronicles 20:5-15
HE RESTORES MY SOUL: AN OASIS OF A PSALM Psalm 23:1-6
SOWING IN TEARS, REAPING WITH JOY: FINDING HOPE AMIDST TRAGEDY Psalm 126:1-6
HOW LONG: PERSISTING WITH A SILENT GOD Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1
MIRACULOUS FEEDING: SERVING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES Luke 9:12-17
TRUE PROFIT: THE GAIN IN GODLINESS 1 Timothy 6:3-6, 17-19

SECTION V: AN OUTWARD LOOK
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: BELONGING -- Not Feeling at Home in Old or New Cultures
REJECTED: LEADERSHIP BACKLASH Numbers 13:31-14:4
AN OUTSIDER LEADS: MOBILIZING THE PEOPLE INTO ACTION Ezra 9:5-7, 10:1-5
THUS I WILL GO IN: PETITIONING A PAGAN KING Esther 4:13-17
MY SOUL IS IN DESPAIR: LONELY AND MISSING HOME Psalm 42:1-5, 43:5
DECIDING TO BE FAITHFUL: TRUE TO GOD IN A FALSE PLACE Daniel 1:1-8
A PEOPLE WITH NO NAME: THE FIRST CHRISTIANS Acts 11:19-26
LIMBO: THE FAITHFUL HAD TO WAIT, TOO Hebrews 11:39-40
A FIERY ORDEAL: SUFFERING AND LONELINESS IS THE NORM 1 Peter 4:12-19, 5:8-11
HE KEEPS US: OUR HEAVENLY PROTECTOR 1 John 5:18-21

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: ALLIES -- Useful Partners for Urban Ministry
THEN THEY WILL REBUILD: EMPOWERING THE DOWNTRODDEN Isaiah 61:1-11
THE LABORERS ARE FEW: PRAYING IN NEW PARTNERS Matthew 9:35-10:1
I MUST SEE YOU: AFFECTION FOR PARTNERS Acts 20:36-38
CHEERFUL GIVING: GENEROUS PARTNERS 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
UNTIL WE ALL ATTAIN: ACHIEVING FULLNESS TOGETHER Ephesians 4:11-13
OUR JOY AND CROWN: WHEN THOSE WITH WHOM WE SERVE BECOME DEAR 1
Thessalonians 2:17-20
WARNING: BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHO YOU WORK WITH 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
THE CHURCH PLANTER AND THE EVANGELIST: A WORKING PARTNERSHIP Philemon
1:1-2, 17-18
A PERSONAL LETTER: AFFECTION IN RELATIONSHIPS 3 John 1:13-14

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TRAUMA -- Seeing the Divine in the Wreckage of Life
RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES: THE TRAUMATIC CONSEQUENCES OF RELATIVISM Judges 21:25
CALL ME BITTER: AN IDENTITY OF SORROW Ruth 1:19-21
I'VE POURED OUT MY SOUL: HONEST BEFORE GOD 1 Samuel 1:9-15
A CRY IN THE DARK: HONEST PLEA BEFORE GOD Psalm 88:1-2, 14-18
TOO MUCH HURT: OPPRESSION THAT BRINGS YOU TO TEARS Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
HAS ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED: A CALAMITY THAT BRINGS US TO OUR
KNEES Joel 1:1-3
THE WHOLE STORY: TAKING THE TIME TO LET THE HURTING SHARE THEIR LIVES
WITH US Mark 5:25-34
NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US: LOVE THAT WILL NOT LET GO Romans 8:31-39
IN ALL OUR AFFLICTION: THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Longing, Fulfilled One Day

The 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation has got to be the most
glorious prose ever written. John, the author of this book, has been
given an inside look – into the future, into heaven, into an
allegorical parallel of what is happening or is to happen here on
earth, it's hard to say, but it's a fantastic and vivid perspective.
For he sees God being worshipped, Satan being defeated, judgment being
rendered, and bad guys being eternally punished.

And then we come to the 21st chapter. And the absence of evil and the
presence of God make for a wonderful place. I would say that it is
heavenly, except that it is indeed heaven. It is the New Jerusalem, a
city rebuilt and redeemed. It is bejeweled and gilded. Death is no
more, crying no more, pain no more. Nation after nation streams in to
offer its best. The city has no need of a gate, for it is perfectly
safe; no need of light, for it is perfectly lit. Because the fullness
of the presence of God is there.

It is appropriate that the Bible ends with the very next chapter, and
that the very next chapter ends with a prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus!"
Indeed, given how glorious a place heaven is, and glorious it will be
to be in the very presence of God and in the utter absence of evil,
how appropriate it is for us – even more this Advent season, which is
all about longing – to also pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!" And one day,
that deep longing of ours for Him to come, for that glorious place to
be here and that glorious time to be now, one day that deep longing of
ours will be fulfilled.

The Wonder of Political Pluralism

Well, the Iraqis have voted. The counting will probably be contentious, and the results more so, but at least they have voted. It looks like all three ethnic groups – Shiites, Kurds, and Sunnis – turned out in large numbers to make sure their sides were covered. I understand that there’s still a lot left to do in Iraq, but still I have to smile that votes have been cast and people are selecting their leaders.

Naysayers will pooh-pooh my optimism, saying that the diverse interests of the three groups will inevitably unravel the march toward democracy. I sure hope not. The wonder of political pluralism isn’t that nations assemble around like viewpoints but that they are able to hold divergent ones in tension. The great thing about our own formation as a country is that rather than settle once and for all whether we would protect states’ rights or a strong central government, we let the argument play out. And 200+ years later, it’s still playing out.

Some may argue that letting it play out is akin to not facing up to tough issues, and there is some truth to that. The Constitution does not mention slavery because of compromises and deals that were cut during its drafting. Of course, the issue of states’ rights came to head over slavery barely a couple generations after this, leading to a torn nation and thousands killed in war.

But I would argue that the ongoing argument is better than a final resolution. In our two-party system, we are best as a nation when the party out of office is a strong one, not a wounded or weak one. In fact, we are at our worst precisely when one side has too much power. And I can hardly think of a time I was proudest of our country than when Al Gore, having exhausted his options over the disputed votes in Florida, gave his concession speech and extolled the US for being a nation where the highest office can change hands peacefully.

I hope that in the mess of politics and violence and spin in Iraq, that the Shiites and Kurds and Sunnis will learn how to co-exist in tension. If so, we can look back to December 2005 as a time they cast their first vote in that direction.

The War is Over

I felt so sick this morning that I did something I've done less than a
dozen times in the last five years: I watched a movie.

For whatever reason, I'm not much of a movie-watcher. Whether going
to the theater or watching at home, I've probably seen about ten
flicks since I got married. But this morning, I was strangely in the
mood to sit and stare mindlessly at the boob tube. So I popped in
Matrix Revolutions.

As the humans did battle with the machines, I thought about how
convenient this conflict was for our consciences. It is easier to
fight an enemy when we don't have to think of it as human. Even our
fleshly adversaries, whether on the big screen or in real life, are
easier to hate when we associate them with outright evil.

At the end of the movie this morning, the machines are finally
vanquished and a teenager excitedly runs through the crowd yelling,
"the war is over!" The main characters bask, dumbfounded, in a peace
they've waited all their lives for but can't seem to figure out how to
respond to now that it is here.

I shed a tear. For as I have been reading in the Book of Revelation
at the very back of the Bible, there is a war, and it is against an
adversary that we can correctly associate with outright evil. And
someday, we will hear, "the war is over!" And just like in Matrix
Revolutions, the sun will come out and we will stand there,
dumbfounded, in a peace we've waited all our lives.

Someday, the war will be over. Evil will be vanquished, strife and
suffering will end, and there will be no more tears. Only unlike in
the movie, we will know exactly how to respond. For we will be in the
presence of the One who has secured that victory over evil, before
whom we will have the honor and privilege of basking for the rest of
eternity. Oh, how we long for that day.

Political Scenarios

In two of the three classes I took this past semester, we had to write
three-pagers in response to some fictionalized political scenario. We
dealt with a number of topics – eminent domain, fixed-route
transportation, and the Internet, et al – and were forced to write in
a number of genres – briefing paper, letter to editor, speech at
community association, et al. I found this assignment style to be a
good way to integrate the theoretical and practical things we were
learning in class with real-world application. I'll be posting some
of my three-pagers on my website (leehuang.cjb.net) later this month
(there is a possibility that some students are still working on their
scenarios for class, so I don't want to post anything until the
semester is officially over). I hope you enjoy them.

Redeeming the Time

I have been challenged by this book on holiness that I am reading to
redeem the loose moments I have in each day by using them to meditate
on Scripture. The author decided to use his time driving around in
the car to think about Bible passages and try to memorize them – and
more so that just memorize them for the sake of memorizing them, but
to really marinate on them and let their truths soak into his life.

I thought immediately of all the slivers of time that I am walking
from Point A to Point B in the course of a week. On an average week,
I might have 15-20 of these one-way trips, lasting anywhere from five
to fifteen minutes. I have to admit that I don't do much with that
time – usually I'm daydreaming about sports or fussing about something
I need to do when I get to my destination. I'd probably be better off
using that time to contemplate something from the Bible. I mean, if
you add it all up, you're talking about two to four hours a week of
time!

Using that time to think on God's Word would be good for my soul.
Does anyone have a good list of Bible passages I can work my way
through?

Diversity’s Resource Challenges

My church is a very diverse one in many ways, most notably in age,
socio-economics, ethnicity, and religious background. It's a
wonderful thing that we all praise God for, but it's not without its
challenges. You might think I'd be referring to misunderstanding and
tension and things of that sort, and certainly we have our share of
such conflicts.

But sometimes it's purely a matter of resource allocation. There are
any number of celebrations and events that our church can host and has
hosted over the years: Easter breakfasts, meals for the hungry, Maundy
Thursday service, and the list goes on and on. There are any number
of ministries and groups that our church can have and has had over the
years: homeless Bible studies, small groups for young singles, toddler
worship, and the list goes on and on.

Each of these activities is meaningful to somebody, but the church
budget can easily be strained and peoples' schedules easily taxed if
we try to do them all. The challenge is, if indeed we need to prune,
what do we prune without someone feeling like something important to
them has been unceremonially and abruptly cut. A church that strives
for diversity must be sensitive to the diverse needs of its group, but
a church that seeks to be a good steward of its material resources
must be able to make tough priority decisions.

(Some of the same dynamics come into play for cities and states. It
is a wonderful thing to have a geographic region that is swimming in
diversity, but it can make things hard for the budget officers and
lead politicians to figure out what gets a fiscal bump up and what
needs to get cut. Now that I've studied what it's like to be on the
government side, I'm much more sympathetic to headlines about
important programs having their budgets cut or zeroed out. It's not
always the right decision, but it's not always the wrong one, either.)

What I've liked about our church is that we've tried to be as broad as
possible in offering outlets for the myriads of people and groups
represented within our congregation. And we've tried to organize
these many activities under a few core themes and principles, so that
people don't get lost in so many things that they lose sight of the
important few things.

Mostly, we just keep on celebrating. And when you have a congregation
as diverse as ours, that celebration might look funny to outsiders
(heck, sometimes I laugh out loud myself), but it sure as heck is
pleasing to God.

Ahead of His Time

Let me be the last person to fete the late management guru Peter Drucker.  I was always a fan, but after his death I scrounged up some of his books to get a closer look.  As I read chapters and essays from 20-30 years ago, I marvel at his prescience, as evidenced by the topics he covered and the points that he made: the information age, globalization, Social Security, and even performance scorecards are written about as if he had the hindsight of living in 2005.  And I'm lucky if I read something I wrote from last year that still makes sense.  The man was surely ahead of his time.

Idols in Front of Me

I've been reading through the last book of the Bible, Revelation, in my morning times with God.  Contrary to popular notion, the dominant theme is not crazy imagery or obscure prophecy but rather the transcendent glory of God. 

 

In the passage I read this morning, the author gets a glimpse of worship in heaven, and it is awesome.  Myriads of angels and creatures and elders.  Bowing down over and over again before God.  Crediting God with supreme holiness and worthiness.    

 

I could not help but join in.  Although I am not usually an expressive (in Christian circles, you might call it "charismatic") worshipper, I decided to get on my knees right there at my desk.  It felt as if I was joining this worship scene described in the text, albeit with a fuzzy perspective into the scene.  It was good to render to God the awe that is due His presence.

 

While still on my knees, I opened my eyes, and immediately noticed that I was looking directly at the three things I have up on my desk: a schedule, a list of goals for the year, and a picture of Jada.  I thought at once about how these three items represent the three things that are easy for me to put in God's place in terms of what I order my life around: my time management, my accomplishments, and my daughter.  

 

It was a good thing I was on my knees.  I stayed there, thanking God for these three things and asking for more of His blessing in these three areas.  Also, praying that He would keep me from making them idols that I would put ahead of Him; that I would be ever mindful of His Lordship over my life, even and especially in my time management, my accomplishments, and my daughter. 

 

 

Be Holy Like Dad

I can't help but hope that my positive traits rub off on my daughter.  That she'll be shrewd with money and good at planning and disciplined about her time, for example.  I hope she'll see me do these things, and when the situation allows it, that I'll teach her how to do these things. 

 

I'm reading The Pursuit of Holiness, a great book on personal holiness.  In the very first chapter, the author talks about God's holiness, and how God desires that we emulate that same holiness. 

 

I first read this book twelve years ago and it was a real help for my spiritual health.  Now, as a father, this call to be holy like God takes on new meaning.  As I desire Jada is like me in the good things about me, imagine a Perfect Father and how much His heart longs for His children to be like Him in all the things about Him.  I pray I'd be a good child and do so, and that in doing so I'd be a good example for my child.   

The Three Things I Focused On

At my previous job, I had a wonderful working relationship with a wonderful boss.  We were quite a one-two combination.  As I have had some time away from this work experience, I have reflected often on the things I've learned.  One of the things my boss told me early on in my time there was that as the leader of the organization, she had three things to focus on: casting the vision, funding the vision, and staffing the vision.  And so for all the big and small responsibilities that go along with being the executive director of a non-profit organization is complex as ours, those three were the ones she tried to not lose sight of.

 

It got me thinking: as her #2, what did I focus on?  Some days, looking back, I felt I had no focus – constantly flitting from one responsibility to another, only to be interrupted by one fire or another.  But I think I can say with some truth that I had some focus, too.  I feel like all of my actions circled around a few main goals, as well:

 

Translate the vision.  One of my most important roles was to translate my boss' vision to the rest of the staff, so that the clarity she saw they saw, and the energy she had they would have.

 

Define, measure, and evaluate the jobs required to fulfill the vision.  Here is the quintessential leader/manager dichotomy: the leader sets the vision, and the manager makes it happen.  Of course, it is rare that the roles are split so cleanly, and in fact there was a lot of overlap with me and my boss.  But I do feel I spent a fair amount of time in implementation and control.

 

Equip people to do the jobs required to fulfill the vision.  From offering emotional support to clarifying the tasks to providing the resources, this was another major burden I sought to carry as I floated around my various tasks and responsibilities. 

 

It will be interesting to see these main buckets of responsibilities in different work settings.  I certainly had a blast seeing them play out in my last one. 

When More Vulnerable Means More Safer

There's an urban planner movement in America that originated in Europe whereby once dangerous intersections are made safer not by increasing lines and signs but by decreasing them.  This counterintuitive action can make sense if you think of two parallel situations.  One is with motorcycle helmets.  While I advocate that riders wear them, I buy the argument that some of those who want to ride without helmets make.  They say sometimes by wearing a helmet, a rider can subconsciously forget to be safe in riding.  Whereas a helmet-less rider is much more aware (even if the awareness is subconscious, if that makes sense) to be careful while behind the wheel.

 

Another example is the typical street scene in Asia.  Cars, scooters, horses, and pedestrians whizzing by, criss-crossing one another, some quite wobbly by Western standards, and yet hardly any accidents, even though it appears no one is really looking out for the others.  And yet, subconsciously, they are.  Cars are smaller and will get wrecked easily, scooters offer no protection, and pedestrians and those pulling animals are most vulnerable.  So they make sure to not do anything really stupid, because they know they could get hit and possibly killed.  Contrast that to the big SUV's and crash-tested cars driven in more developed nations.  We have ceded our need to be careful, and accidents ensue.

 

So back to the urban planning thing.  When you approach an intersection with lots of lines and signs, you may actually be more prone to unsafe driving patterns.  Because the contrast is an intersection with few or no lines and signs, before which you'd slow down because you realize that who goes first and who's going where needs to be negotiated at the intersection between all the people arriving there, since it isn't being negotiated for you by lines, signs, and lights.  And I buy this line of thinking, paradoxical as it might sound.  The more vulnerable you are, the more safely you'll behave.

 

 

Postal Monopoly

Since the day before Thanksgiving, our postal carrier has left our mail on our front step instead of sliding it through our mail slot and into our house.  This infuriates me, because that means sensitive legal and financial documents have been sitting outside our house in plain view; someone could've taken them and we never would've known they'd arrived.

I didn't think it was possible to get madder, but the process of trying to complain to the post office did the job.  First, I went to their website.  They said you could email them or call them.  The email prompts didn't even have a choice for "complaints," so good luck trusting that that message is going to get read by the right person.  So I called the number.  An automated voice gave me five choices, none of which were either "complaints" or "speak to a representative."  A look at the Yellow Pages and a search for local post office locations yielded me the same phone number.  Finally, I put the letter in the mail and mailed it to the post office.  

But what am I going to do if there's no good response?  To walk away from the Postal Service and choose another carrier would mean to move outside the US.  In other words, they have a monopoly on us customers.  And I know well enough to know what happens to customers and customer service when there's a monopoly.

So that's the story from the customer side.  In studying government, I end up doing a lot of thinking and strategizing about how to work the other side.  It's harder than I first imagined: governments are designed to work according to rules even when rules gum up progress, innovation and therefore going the extra mile for customers is not rewarded and therefore rarely pursued, and the work that's left for governments to do is the stuff that's complicated and hard to measure and easy for people to get upset about.  So while I'm upset with the Postal Service, I understand this stuff is hard.  I hope I and others can work on the government side in some way to make it better on the customer side.