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Kevin D. Roberts
2006 Graduate - University of Connecticut - B.A. Journalism/Political Science
Torrington, CT 06790
February 5, 2008
Harnessing hydel energy can be an effective way of reducing poverty. China and India have already done that successfully
It is not a fruitful idea to keep discussing as to how much the number of people living below the poverty line has come down during the last five years. Considering that even with the reduced percentage, those suffering from acute poverty are still too many to be left on their own, now is the time to move on and discuss what is the best strategy to reduce poverty and let the economic grow at the same time.
The Planning Commission devised a multi-pronged approach in 2005 in a Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF) to promote pro-poor economic growth. The framework also made a specific allocations of Rs 712 billion and reduce poverty. But the planning gurus seem to have missed the fundamental ingredient of an effective strategy to reduce poverty — providing sustainable and affordable energy to the less developed areas of the country where most of the poor live.
The immediate model in this regard is China where providing people with cheap hydel energy was part of that country’s poverty alleviation campaign in the mid-1980s. A key factor in China’s successful electrification programme through hydel energy was Beijing’s determination and ability to mobilise resource at the local level. Though the electrification programme was backed by subsidies and low-interest loans, it also benefited from the very cheap domestic production of equipment ranging from hydro-power generators to light bulbs. India is another country in the region which has followed the same policy. By developing small hydro-power projects at an accelerated pace, it has addressed the problem poverty in rural areas. During the last five years, India’s central government has completed 90 small hydro-power projects which can generate 270 megawatts of electricity.
Despite these success stories in our own neighborhood, our energy gurus are either stuck with construction of big dams or with experimenting for expensive alternatives like wind energy. It is important to understand that wind energy is not only expensive, it needs a lot of space to generate power. A recent report by US Agency for International Development (USAID), which makes a cost comparison of different technologies to harness green energy in south Asia, proves that hydel energy is five to ten times cheaper than wind and solar energy respectively.
In solar energy Pakistan’s past experience has not been a happy one. Two solar energy stations set up in 1984 and abandoned since then are a strong reminder that we better not experiment with it again. This leaves us with only economically viable option to provide energy to the poorest of the poor and that is through harnessing hydel-power. It is best suited for our unique set of circumstances and long experience of over hundred years in hydro-power generation. We also have sufficient engineering and technical know how to go ahead with it. State-owned Heavy Mechanical Complex in Texila has the manufacturing facilities to make hydro-power turbines.
In the Planning Commission’s development framework, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the Northern Areas (NA) and the northern districts of the Frontier province are identified as being among the least developed areas of the country. Majority of the population in these regions lives in obscene levels of poverty and exhibits lowest socio-economic indicators of well being. These areas have an estimated population of 8.21 million spread over 11,3000 square kilometres. They are poor mostly due to their far-flung locations and inadequate linkage with the more developed areas.
On the other hand, this entire region is known as a goldmine for generation hydro-power. This flies in the face of the fact that most of the population there does not have access to any energy, let alone a cheap one. The efforts by the provincial governments to fill the gap in rural power supply on their own has not improved the situation at all. Some provincial departments and NGOs like Aga Khan Foundation have introduced some community-based small hydro-power stations (producing 20-30 kilowatts of electricity) in parts of the Frontier and the Northern Areas but the majority of the stations they have installed are very basic in design and can be used for lighting only. They do not allow productive use of energy for income generation.
No one, therefore, should be surprised to know the extreme levels of poverty in the Northern Areas, where per capita income is merely 100 dollars and per capita electricity consumption 0.05 kilowatts, the lowest in Pakistan. The principal forms of energy consumed in the area are electricity generated from small hydroelectric power stations generating only 46 megawatts of power which falls much short of 95 megawatts, the actual demand in the areas. This gap in supply and demand is filled by diesel power generators, firewood, kerosene oil and batteries. Non-availability of stable and affordable energy sources is resulting in tremendous pressure on the forests in the areas, causing indiscriminate cutting of trees which, if allowed to continue at the current pace, will eliminate all forests in the next few years. A forestry institute in Peshawar, in its recent report, has warned that the current rate of deforestation in Pakistan is so high that if it goes on unchecked it can lead to complete elimination of forest cover by 2010.
This creates ironies of its own. The development framework offers a roadmap for increasing the national forest cover from 4.8 per cent to 4.9 per cent in 2005 and 5.2 per cent in 2010. These targets cannot be realised without analysing ground realties and providing alternative sources of energy to people living in and around forests. According to some estimates, 206 megawatts of power are required to preserve the forests of the Northern Areas alone by 2016. This can be easily met by installing small hydro-power projects which, when and if they become operational, will can have a maximum capacity of producing 579 megawatts of electricity.
Though the government’s development framework acknowledges that hydel-power generation from the Indus river and its tributaries can become a major source of development in the Northern Areas, not a single penny has been allocated for the purpose. Perhaps the authorities are waiting for a complete vanishing of the forest before they swing in to action.
If this hydro-power generation potential can be realised it will also reduce, almost eliminate, the local people’s dependency on kerosene oil and diesel which reach these areas after their market price is further increased by the heavy transportation cost to bring them to this hilly and remote region. Provision of cheap energy through hydel sources will also decrease eye and respiratory diseases, which are very common in the Northern Areas due to excessive use of oil and firewood for cooking and heating. In the absence of clean energy sources, families are condemned to live in a single smoke-filled room.
How cheap hydel energy helps to eradicate poverty is shown by the success story of an entrepreneur who installed a one-megawatt hydel power project in Chitral in the year 2001 along with complete distribution network for the southern part of Chitral city. The project has changed the socio-economic conditions of the area by providing electricity to run machinery and equipment for the manufacturing and processing of local goods. This locally-generated energy is also creating skilled job opportunities in the power supply system as well as in workshops for making electric appliances and fixing electric installations. Small and medium industries like wool weaving, walnut oil extraction, walnut juice pressing, fruit drying and its preservation and packaging, chilling stores, marble and slate cutting and polishing and cutting gems cutting can immensely benefit through this cheap energy.
If cheap hydel-power generation through small, local power generation and supply systems, can be successfully realised it will help the government save money needed for linking remote areas with the national grid. This money in turn can be used for other productive, poverty-alleviation purposes.
The writer can be contacted at abbasi@sdpi.org
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The writer can be contacted at abbasi@sdpi.org or ahabasi@gmail.com
February 3, 2008
At Ford Motor Company there are some big changes happening, namely Bill Ford is stepping aside the CEO position to Alan Mulally who is a former Boeing Commercial Airline Division CEO. In fact Mulally is credited for turning around Boeing as it flew out of one of the biggest down turns in commercial aviation manufacturing. So, he understands advancing technology and re-designing factories, dealing with labor unions, getting the job done while pleasing Wall Street. But some wonder can he do it, as filling Bill Ford?s shoes is a big job.
Change management at Ford Motor Company at the top level is not without its own set of crisis and some question how well Mulally will do. Others see Alan Mulally as the right man in the right place at the right time at Ford Motor Company. Ford has already indicated a tough run of layoffs, selling some of its acquired brand names such as Range Rover, Austin Martin and Jaguar to raise funds and balance its assets.
No matter what happens at Ford Motor Company you can be sure that this will be a case study discussed in business management and MBA schools, colleges and Universities for decades to come. Will Mulally pull it off? If so how and how long will it take wonder investors? Only time will tell and we do live in interesting times. Consider this in 2006.
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‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
The American Family Foundation (AFA) is one of the most highly-visible and controversial groups involved in the effort to uphold traditional family values. It was founded as a conservative, Christian non-profit organization in 1977 by Rev. Donald Wildmon as the National Federation for Decency. It is based in Tupelo, Mississippi.
The AFA regularly publishes articles which promote traditional nuclear families and the main tenets of Christianity. The group is also a staunch supporter of Christian missionaries and strongly opposes abortion, homosexuality and pornography. In addition, the AFA promotes ‘clean entertainment’ as well as the values of being thrifty with finances and against excessive debt.
The AFA is well known for its ability to organize its members in boycotts and letter-writing campaigns aimed at promoting socially conservative values. To date, the organization has launched boycotts of against Abercrombie & Fitch (on the grounds that is uses ’softcore pornography in company catalogs’), Movie Gallery (which it refers to as a ‘distributor of pornographic videos’), Kmart (for its role in the ‘Sale of adult-rated music CDs’) and Nike (for ‘promoting a back door move to legalize homosexual marriage’)
The AFA also has a rich track record of promoting boycotts against television shows, movies, and businesses that have promoted ‘indecency’. Among the targets of such boycotts are prominent brands and companies such as Crest, Volkswagen, Tide, Clorox, Pampers, MTV, Burger King, the Carl’s Jr., Kraft Foods, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Old Navy, NutriSystem, and American Airlines.
Even cartoons have not been spared by the AFA. In 2004, for instance, the AFA went after the movie Shark Tale, because the group believed the movie was designed to brainwash children into accepting gay rights. In 2005, it attacked the company American Girl, a distributor of dolls and accessories, because of a charity that the company supported, as well as Target for its lack of the word ‘Christmas’ in its advertising.
The AFA has certainly received its share of critics, mostly liberal organizations and groups like the American Civil Liberties Union. On the other hand, some so-called conservative Constitutionalists have also opposed the AFA for supporting government regulation that is viewed as unconstitutional.
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Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including
Family, Relationship, and
Women.
February 2, 2008
With 70% of our U.S. Economy driven by consumption, what will happen when there is a cutback, of any proportion, in consumption? And, at what point does a slight reduction in our over consumption in this country beget an increased snowball type momentum of an already apparent slowing economy?
The following quote from a recent Reuters article titled, ‘Consumer confidence slides to 9-month low’, provides some perspective.
?The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index tumbled to 99.6 in August, from an upwardly revised 107.0 the prior month. That was the lowest reading since November 2005 and fell well short of Wall Street’s 103.0 forecast. It also marked the largest one-month decline seen since September 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.?
Perhaps it is time for some different prescription glasses as the rose colored ones are not working as well.
What if folks stay home more and hold back from purchasing more doodads and doohickies? What if the inbound and distressed housing bubble flight, projected by some to come in for a soft landing, were to miss the runway all together? This could prove to be quite meddlesome for some projections being made that the economy will continue with less, but still some, growth.
Bill Bonner says, in his recent article, ‘US Housing in Trouble’,
‘The boom has lifted the US economy in three ways: it has boosted residential construction, it has made people feel wealthier and so encouraged them to spend more, and it has allowed homes-owners to use their property as a gigantic cash machine, taking out money by borrowing against their capital gains. Merrill Lynch estimates that the three together accounted for more than half of America’s total GDP growth since last year. Counting construction, finance, and estate agency, the US housing boom has been responsible for one-third of all the jobs created since 2001. If house-price rises level off, GDP growth could dip below 2% in 2007. If prices fall, expect a steeper slowdown.’
The typical U.S. household is in negative financial territory. Meaning, most Americans, in general, spend more than they earn. Where does the extra money come from to fund this over consumption? Credit funds it. Whether it is revolving credit cards, cash out refinancing, home equity loans, or 2nd mortgages. It?s borrowed money. This onslaught of borrowing and easy credit has fueled the economy along for several years. Many of us have been good little consumers and done our part in helping the consumption driven economy to keep its engine running and fully fueled. But, does it make sense to have a negative savings rate? Does it make sense to buy stuff using credit that you pay interest on that automatically increases the price of what you just purchased? At what point does this all just add up to a huge drain on you, your time, and your quality of life?
With consumer sentiment dropping, a negative savings rate, a housing market that is cooling off (at best), and home owners no longer able to use property appreciation as fuel for further consumption, perhaps it would be wise to get our financial house in order.
At Consumer Recovery Network (CRN), I interact and assist consumers, daily, that are distressed and at the tail end of the ?more money going out than coming in? scenario that plagues the average American household. The purpose of this article is not to paint a gloomy economic picture - that canvas is full. Those of you reading this that are strapped and financially strung out already know it. The purpose is to raise awareness that just as a household cannot survive by spending into debt, a debt driven economy cannot go on forever.
If you are living within your budget and it allows for savings and you’re either debt free or paying down debt at an accelerated pace, more power to ya. While you’re at it, take a stroll next door, wake up your neighbors, and let them in on your secret.
January 31, 2008
Common Ground
According to the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit was supposed to be a blessing from the Father to unify His children. Consider three of the apostle?s exhortations.
To the Corinthians ? In his characteristic way of starting with truths he shares with his readers, Paul reminds the Corinthians that the possession of the Holy Spirit is one of the main things all of the Christians have in common. The Spirit?s divine presence should pull them together, not tear them apart. Paul observes:
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by [or in] one Spirit into one body?whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free?and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ?1 Corinthians 12:12?13
Note the alls in these verses. Despite all of their differences, the Corinthian Christians had one thing in common, the Holy Spirit. All of them were soaked in the Spirit at their baptism and at that time, all of them received the Spirit as if drinking Him in like a desert wanderer gulps water at an oasis well. As far as God is concerned, there is no such thing as a distinction between a ‘Christian’ and a ‘Spirit-filled Christian.’ All true Christians are Spirit filled according to this passage. He is what they all have in common.
To the Ephesians ? Paul urges the Ephesians to maintain the unity God has achieved for them. He writes:
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit?just as you were called to one hope when you were called?one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ?Ephesians 4:3?6
The seven ones that the apostle lists, including the one Spirit, constitute once more what all Christians have in common. All of them, by the way, are gifts from God, not human achievements. Paul urges us to hold on to what God has already done for us. That’s what he means by ‘keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ His charge is not for us to achieve unity, but to hang on to what God has already achieved for us through Christ.
To the Philippians ? Following a similar line of argument, Paul insists that the Philippians recognize what they have in Christ and avoid disrupting or destroying their oneness because of a desire for personal recognition or advancement. Based on the common ground they share (expressed by the ifs), Paul offers some practical wisdom:
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ?Philippians 2:1?5
We could turn each of those conditions in the opening sentence into a question: Is there any encouragement from being united with Christ? Do we find any comfort from His love? Do we share in the Spirit? Do we experience as a result tenderness and compassion? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding, joyful YES! Given all of those gifts we share from God, Paul calls on us to have the attitudes and make the effort to maintain the unity we ought to have as a logical consequence of our redemption.
Unity of Primitive Church
The Book of Acts indicates that the primitive church experienced this kind of unity. For example:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. ?Acts 2:42?48
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. ?Acts 4:32?35
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. ?Acts 9:31
The final passage in this series of quotations explicitly connects the unity of the early disciples with the Spirit, but the other two do so implicitly (see Acts 2:38-39; 4:31).
‘What God Hath Wrought’
We could summarize all of this quite simply:
- Christ died to redeem sinners, all sinners!
- He calls them to submit to Him as Savior and Lord.
- To all who respond in obedient faith He gives the same gifts:
- Cleansing from sins
- His own righteousness to wear.
- His Holy Spirit as a divine presence in the heart.
- Membership in God?s family and kingdom.
- Purpose for living: to bring praise to God through Christ
- Assurance for eternity: resurrection and inheritance.
- Because everyone whom Christ has redeemed possesses the same gifts, they should be united.
None of us is better than anyone else, since everything we have and are we have received from God (see 1 Corinthians 4:7). God?s Unity Agenda has divine power to accomplish His purpose ?to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ? (Ephesians 1:10).
Fractured, Splintered, Fragmented
Yet the religious world has never been more divided than it is today. A website that tracks statistics for the religions of the world, Adherents.com, divides the churches of Christendom into Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Jehovah?s Witnesses, and Latter-day Saints, and each one of these broad categories can be divided and subdivided again and again. Some estimate as many as 40,000 denominations and sects that all claim connection to Christ and Christianity.
Nor has the rise of the Pentecostal movement (starting around 1900) and the Charismatic movement (also called the Neo-Pentecostal movement and arising in the 1960s) brought about unity. Pentecostals themselves have divided into Assemblies of God, the Church of God (Cleveland), apostolic churches, and United Pentecostal Church, among many others (Wikipedia lists 37 groups under ?Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America’). In addition are hundreds more sects ranging in strength from one to a dozen or more churches. Charismatics remain within the major denominations, but often they form distinct sub-fellowships.
This demonstrates an obvious disconnect between what God intended to be the effect of His giving the Holy Spirit to all Christians and what has actually happened, especially in modern times. Why is the Spirit a cause of division rather than the basis of unity? Why do some believers tend to ignore or avoid any discussion of the Spirit, while others seem to focus on the Spirit so much that other topics are neglected? What can we do to change the situation and bring about a spiritual renewal that includes broad agreement about the Holy Spirit?
We need three things for this unity to occur. First, we need to recognize our common ground: all the spiritual blessings accomplished for all sinners in Jesus Christ and applied to each obedient believer by the Spirit. Second, we must accept our responsibility to maintain this unity with the attitudes of humility and mutual respect that the Spirit prompts in our hearts. Third, we need to gain a deeper understanding of the Spirit by careful Bible study.
Choices about the Holy Spirit
I believe that a great proportion of the biblical doctrine of the Spirit can be summarized into a series of either-or questions. Searching for and finding the answers to these questions will result in a significant gain in clarity regarding the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit, which in turn should lead to fundamental progress in how we all can harness the Spirit to accomplish His purpose to bring believers together and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some of these questions are:
- What is the Spirit?s effect: uniting or dividing? (this essay)
- What is the Spirit?s identity: person or force?
- What is the Spirit?s contact with our world: active or passive?
- Is the Spirit?s outpouring exceptional or usual?
- The Spirit?s conduit: mind or feelings?
- Does the Spirit?s leading involve developing wisdom or ‘fleecing’ God?
- Does the Spirit come to each believer by grace or by works?
- Is the Spirit?s main work His fruit or His gifts?
- Was the Spirit?s proof the tongues of men or the tongues of angels?
- Is the Spirit?s focus Christ or the Spirit Himself?
- Is the Spirit?s lifestyle to be satisfied or to be thirsty?
- Are the Spirit?s people spiritual or carnal?
- Is the Spirit?s deposit a present blessing or a future hope?
Series on Holy Spirit ChoicesIn future essays, we will seek answers each of these questions. To give you a preview, in each one of these either-or choices, I believe that the first is the correct answer rather than the second, and I will strive to demonstrate that truth from Scripture. Our study will range through the entire Bible, for the Spirit is mentioned in the first paragraph of Genesis (1:2), in the last paragraph of Revelation (22:17), and hundreds of times in between.
God wants us to reach unity about the Spirit, and if we can, then perhaps a greater unity will no longer elude us.
Whose Fault Is It?
Conclusion: God intends for His Holy Spirit to unite all Christians. If we are divided, the fault is ours, not His. The starting point for that greater unity He wants us to have is to find unity regarding the Holy Spirit.
Want to go deeper?
I highly recommend the following books about the Holy Spirit and Pentecostalism:
Bruner, Frederick Dale, A Theology of the Holy Spirit: The Pentecostal Experience and the New Testament Witness. Originally published: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1970. Reprints: Unicoi, TN: Trinity Foundation, 2001; Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2006 (still in print from both sources).
Bruner is a non-Pentecostal who nevertheless documents the teaching of Pentecostalism from its own literature and then compares it with a careful exegesis of Scripture.
Synan, Vinson. The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the U.S. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1971.
Synan has written a number of other books on the Pentecostal movement since this, his doctoral dissertation, was published. One of the most recent is The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal, 1901-2001 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006). He is a lifelong student and historian of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement and is regarded as a prominent Pentecostal theologian. He is Dean Emeritus of Regent University.
I will share more resources on the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit as this series continues.
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Copyright ?2006 Steve Singleton
Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an preacher, Bible teacher, editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean.
Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore ‘The Shallows,’ plumb ‘The Depths,’ or use the well-organized ‘Study Links’ for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free ‘DeeperStudy Newsletter’ or ‘DeeperStudy Blog.’
Hurricanes and Wild Fires; what do they have in common? Sure they are both natural disasters although about half of the wildfires are started deliberately by arsonists or accidentally by carelessness. Just drive down any freeway in a hot region and see the dried brush that has been burnt from obviously flicking of cigarette butts out the window?
But most wild fires are started from lightning strikes in many regions and that is definitely weather related indeed. What else do wild fires and hurricanes have in common? Well consider if you will that when storm surges come and wipe out all the trees, lots of dead wood remains and can catch fire. Consider also the heat in the summer months. All that burned wood could become fuel for the fires? How do experts know? Well those in Oregon know all to well that if the underbrush is not kept under 20 tons an acre the fires tend to burn really hot and are extremely hard to put out.
In fact did you know that FEMA and the USDA Forest Service is looking into this problem right now and developing computer modeling to guestimate where these might occur and then concentrate on those areas to clear brush? Makes sense right? Indeed, so consider all this in 2006.
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‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
Sometimes we liberal Christians have a difficult time with the miracle stories found in the Bible because they don’t fit our post-modern progressive theology. We tend to either ignore them completely or say they didn’t really happen the way they are recorded, stating instead the author was using poetic license to authenticate his point about God’s power or Jesus’ divinity by telling the story.
But by dismissing them without further investigation, we risk missing out on the possible lessons they have to offer us. So in order to avoid that trap, I’ve found it most helpful to do something John Spong suggests, which is rather than ignoring the miracle stories or spending time debating whether or not an event really happened, ask yourself from the perspective of the authors as well as of the compilers of Scripture, why did they include a particular story or event, keeping in mind their culture and historical framework? And what can those stories say to us today, in our time and place?
With that in mind we turn to the story of Jesus’ feeding the multitudes, which is one of my favorite miracle stories in the Bible. The version of the story I like best comes from John’s gospel, but it is worth noting that a miraculous multitude feeding story appears in all four gospels - which gives it more credibility in the sense that something involving a large crowd and shared food, whether it really happened or not, was considered worthy of being included by all four gospel writers. So as we look at the story, let’s do so through the lens of what Spong suggests, asking ourselves what compelled the gospel writers to include this miracle as part of their sacred story about Jesus, and what truths, if any, can be found within the story for us today.
In John’s version of events, a large crowd followed Jesus to a nearby lakeshore because they heard about his healings and wanted to catch a glimpse of him. In their haste to be near Jesus, they brought no food or provisions, and Jesus wonders out loud to Philip how they are going to be able to buy enough food to feed such a large crowd. Philip responds that not even six-months worth of wages would be enough to buy food to feed such a large group. Here’s where the story takes a different turn from the other three gospel accounts. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the disciples have already had the five loaves and two fish - there is no mention of where it came from, but it seems as if they already have it with them. In John’s version, after Jesus asks Philip how they’ll feed such a large crowd, Andrew shares that there is a young boy with five loaves of bread and two fish that he’s willing to share. As soon as the words are out of his mouth he realizes the ridiculousness of that statement, because it appears he then covers by saying that of course the crowd is much too large for that small amount of food to make a bit of difference. But Jesus ignores him and tells the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the grassy area where they are gathered, and he takes the loaves and fish from the boy, gives thanks to God for them, and passes out so much bread and fish to the thousands gathered that even after everyone has had their fill, there are twelve baskets of leftovers.
When I said that I love this story, let me be clear that I don’t care whether or not it really happened. The miracle of the feeding of the multitude means nothing to me from the aspect of interpreting the story with Jesus breaking the laws of nature by multiplying a small amount of food to feed over 5,000 people - in fact if the story were somehow ever proven to be factually true, it would lose its power for me. The miraculous aspect of the story for me, through my 21st Century eyes, is that Jesus inspires people in such a way that everyone shares what they have, and when they do, there is more than enough for everyone - in fact, there is surplus left over. Because how I choose to interpret the story is that after the young boy shared his food, it inspired others to look into their own hearts and pockets to share whatever meager offerings they had, instead of hoarding it for themselves. And when they put it all together, they found that instead of not having enough to go around, they had more than they needed, much like the ‘Stone Soup’ story. For me that is a much more compelling interpretation of the story than the occurrence of any physical phenomenon, and much more miraculous, because believing in the miracle of sharing that may have happened means that it isn’t just a one-time occurrence. The miracle of that event can continue to be experienced.
Sharing with others is risky business. They boy sharing his food with Jesus and his disciples could have meant that he would go hungry, because if we share we may not end up with enough for ourselves, which is the fear-based motivation most of us live with. Rather than realizing that by sharing we may end up with more than we started, we tend to base how we live on what we perceive as our own scarcity or insufficiency, writes Charles Hoffman in Christian Century magazine. ‘We hoard and save and worry and end up living life in small and safe measures. We give in to our fear of a shortfall rather than exercising faith’ in the abundance of life. So maybe what we need to do is change our definition of what abundance means, from ‘having more than enough,’ or ‘having too much,’ to ‘having enough to share with others.’ Maybe we need to change the definition of what abundance means to something dealing with attitude rather than quantity. Maybe it’s like what Wayne Dyer says, ‘abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.’
So what does this story say to me? It says to say that whenever we are in the company of Jesus it seems as if there is always more than enough to go around, enough for everyone. That life with Jesus means living an abundant life - which means a realization that we do have enough to share with others.
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Susan Ryder is a progressive Christian pastor, and an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ - which is a site for Writers.
January 27, 2008
With the retirement of Norman Mineta from the Department of Transportation we see a new nomination to be approved by the Senate. President Bush has nominated Mary Peters. But is she the best woman for the job? Some say they do not like her stance on toll-ways, as they hurt the economic vitality of our nations transportation and distribution infrastructure. Where as I tend to agree with that in a broad sense, I do believe that Mary Peters makes sense for other reasons.
You see I am against toll-ways owned by the government, but have no problem with corporate infrastructure built for return on investment being built and financed over time thru tolls. So, why do I like Mary Peters? Well I have watched the Arizona Department of transportation deal with their excessive growth over the years and have been in impressed with they way they had handled the transportation needs there with the 202 and 101 loops, as well as the I-10 expansion projects. And how all these worked with regional airports and Sky Harbor in PHX.
Additionally the transportation hubs, corporate distribution centers and airports are all working good together. All in all Arizona has done a good job of retro-fitting old infrastructure with the new demands of the exploding population growth there. So this is why I am pro-Mary Peters. And think this is a very good choice. Consider all this in 2006.
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‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
January 24, 2008
‘God promised he would never flood the Earth again,’ says Katie, age 7. ‘He put a rainbow in the sky. God told Joseph to build an ark. It was hard for Joseph, but he did it.’
Katie, you left out the part about Joseph painting the ark many colors. Actually, it was Joseph’s coat that was many colors and Noah who built the ark. You might forget who built the ark, but it’s easy to remember God’s promise when you see a beautiful rainbow.
We live in a time when promises are easily broken. That’s why attorneys do so well. A promise is no better than the character of the promise maker. God has perfect integrity and the power to carry out all his promises.
I like the way Ashlyn, 5, described God’s promise after the flood: ‘God promised to never let the Earth suck into water again.’ Ashlyn, you probably meant ’sink,’ but I don’t doubt that the ark passengers heard many sucking sounds as the huge vessel lifted and began its voyage. God started afresh with one righteous man, his family and a boat full of animals.
‘I think the most important promise God ever made was that when the time comes, if you are a Christian, God will come and take you to live your life in heaven with him,’ says Haley, 11.
One of the most amazing promises Jesus ever made came during the Passover meal with his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion. As he stared a cruel death in the face, he comforted his disciples with these words: ‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also’ (John 14:2-3).
Few things are more comforting than knowing a home exists where you’re loved and welcomed. Several years ago, I followed my friend Pat into a homeless hotel in New York City where she conducted a Bible club. Pat said some of these children were so traumatized from living around drug dealers and wacko parents that they couldn’t speak when she first began to teach them.
Pat assured them that even though their homes were unstable, God loved them and had already prepared a glorious, eternal home for those who believed in his son. Gradually, God’s love penetrated their fearful hearts. Pat saw God’s love and the promise of an eternal home transform these children.
‘I think the most important promise God ever made was to give his son for our sins,’ says Mikelle, 11. ‘Jesus died and shed his blood for us. Before that, people killed sheep, cows and other animals for sacrifices. But when Jesus died, his blood covered us all.’
This is the contrast between two covenant promises. Under the first covenant, the blood of bulls, sheep and goats could never remove sins permanently. The high priest’s sacrifice for the people’s sins in the holiest place of the tabernacle had to be repeated annually.
‘Once’ is the key word in the Book of Hebrews. ‘Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many’ (Hebrews 9:27).
The New Testament covenant promise has been sealed with the death of the Lord Jesus as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. John the Baptist called Jesus ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).
Think about this: When Jesus promised eternal life and a glorious home for all who believe in him, he fully realized that his own life would be the purchase price of his promise.
Memorize this truth: ‘Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many’ (Hebrews 9:27).
Ask this question: Do you believe in God’s promise of eternal life for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?
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Carey Kinsolving is a syndicated columnist, producer, author, speaker and website developer. To see Carey’s Kid TV Interviews and more, visit http://www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org/ The Kids Talk About God website contains free, online content for children and families. Print free lessons from the ‘Kids Color Me Bible’ and make your own book. Watch for free the adventures of an 11-year-old girl traveling around the world, visiting missionaries in the Mission Explorers Streaming Video. Print Bible pictures drawn by kids that illustrate Scripture verses. Receive a complimentary, weekly e-mail subscription to our Devotional Bible Lessons. Bible quotations in this column are from the New King James Version.
Copyright 2006 Carey Kinsolving
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