Reformation Sunday

These Things Matter

Grace Alone, Word Alone, Faith Alone

You Might Be a Lutheran If...

...you only serve Jell-O in the proper liturgical color for the season.

...you didn't know chow mein noodles were a Chinese food.

...when someone mentions red and green (in terms of Christmas), you immediately think of a battle over hymnals.

...during the entire service you hold your hymnal open but never look down at it.

...during communion you hum the hymns so you can see who's at church that Sunday.

...rather than introducing yourself to a visitor at church, you check their name out in the guestbook.

...you think Garrison Keillor's stories are totally factual.

...you have your wedding reception in the fellowship hall and feel guilty about not staying to help clean up.

...a midlife crisis means switching from the old hymnbook to the new one.

...you forget to put water in the baptismal font but never forget to put water in the coffee pot.

...the pastor skips the last hymn to make sure church lasts exactly 60 minutes.

...you make spaghetti at your house with the little macaroni noodles because they're not so messy then.

...you don't make eye contact when passing someone in the hall because you think it's impolite.

...your choir believes volume is a fair substitute for tonality.

...you don't know what was sooo funny about dat movie "Fargo" then.

...in response to someone jumping up and shouting "Praise the Lord!", you politely remind him or her that we don't do that around here.

...you think a meeting isn't legitimate unless it's at least three hours long.

...peas in your tuna noodle hotdish add too much color.

...you make change in the offering plate for a ten.

...your dad's name is Luther N., your brother is Luther Hahn and you are Lew Theran.

...you think butter is a spice.

...the church is on fire, and you rush in to save the coffee pot.

...you have more than five flavors of Jell-O in your pantry.

...you know what a "dead spread" is.

...you talk to someone else and look at their shoes first.

...you have more than three friends whose first names have the letter "j" as the second letter.

...the only open pew is up front, so you volunteer to shovel the sidewalk.

...Ole and Lena are really the names of your relatives.

...you know what a Lutheran Church Basement Woman is.

...you give a party and don't tell anyone where it is.

...you think hotdish is one of the major food groups.

...http://www.luthbro.com is one of your bookmarks.

...your five-year-old recites the Old Testament books as Genesis, Exodus, Lutefisk...

...someone asks you after church if there's any "decaf coffee" and you laugh because you KNOW that if it doesn't have caffeine, it can't be coffee!

...you think anyone who says "casserole" instead of "hotdish" is trying to be uppity (or maybe even Episcopalian!)

...you think the term "Jell-O salad" is redundant.

...you freeze the leftover coffee from fellowship hour for next week.

In all seriousness beloved - do we know WHAT we believe when it comes to being Lutheran and a Christian in this day and age? What matters to us as we live our lives in faithfulness to the call that Jesus has given us?

(As we celebrate the heritage of this church - East Paint Creek synod Lutheran Church can we close our eyes and hear the voices of the past, Pastor's who out of duty to their calling to serve spent hours instructing us in the Christian faith, the teachings and guidance of Martin Luther. The cloud of witnesses that gather today may they be of encouragement to us as we gather around the Word and go forth in service to Christ.)

We Lutheran are an intentional bunch. Look around the sanctuary today. The design of our buildings says much about what matters.

Do our children and grandchildren know what matters? Have we passed on the richness of the gifts that are ever present in the gathering of Word and Sacrament? Do we live as people who bring our children to the services of God's house, teach the things that matter and enrich the faith, and place into the hands of hungering people God's Word? Reformation day is a time for us to pull out a package of brats, taste the greatness of a God who loved us so much as to send His own Son to suffer a brutal death for our sake. A God who makes salvation as clear as the thick black cloud of Asian beatles that gather on my house day after day.

Applying the Word

1. Sole Scriptura / Word Alone
1. Bible Ownership
   Most Americans own a Bible. In fact, 92% of households in America own at least one copy. Of those households that own a Bible, the average number of Bibles is three. This includes not only the homes of practicing Christians but hundreds of thousands of atheists as well. ²
   
   Bible Reading
   Although most Americans own a Bible, use of the Bible varies significantly. In a poll taken by the Gallup Organization in October, 2000, 59% of Americans reported that they read the Bible at least occasionally. This is down from 73% in the 1980s. The percentage of Americans who read the Bible at least once a week is 37%. This is down slightly from 40% in 1990. ³ According to the Barna Research Group, those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the scriptures. ⁴ Barna, "The Bible," data is from 1997.
   
   
   Which gender is more faithful at reading the Bible at least weekly? The prize goes to the women. Women (42%) are more likely than men (32%) to have read the Bible in the past week. What version do people prefer? As of 1997, those who read the Bible preferred the King James Version to the New International Version by a 5 to 1 margin. ⁵
   
   Bible Study
   When it comes to going beyond merely reading the Bible to actual study of the Bible, the numbers decline sharply. Only one in seven Americans report an involvement that goes beyond just reading the Bible. Fourteen percent of Americans currently belong to a Bible study group. ⁶ This is down a full one-third from 1990 when 21% said they were involved in a Bible study group. ⁷
   
   Bible Knowledge
   How about knowledge of the Bible? According to Gallup, "Despite the impressive statistics concerning Bible reading and study, it is apparent that ignorance about its contents is widespread." ⁸

   He gives evidence for this conclusion:
   --	Only half of adults interviewed nationwide could name any of the four Gospels of the New Testament.
   --	Just 37% of those interviewed could name all four Gospels.
   --	Only 42% of adults were able to name as many as five of the Ten Commandments correctly.
   --	Seven in ten (70%) were able to name the town where Jesus was born, but just 42% could identify him as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount. 9

1. "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
2. The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid. Martin Luther.
   
3. Treasure the Word of God in your hearts. Live in the promises offered in these pages. Dwell richly in the Christ we encounter who declares freedom!
   

Grace alone

1. ²¹But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith.
2. Ephesians - WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART TODAY. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
   
3. And its all because of God's amazing grace.
   
4. Martin Luther ran smack into the face of his own frail nature. No matter how hard he tried to be perfect, how hard he tried to find attonment for his own sins - the Word of God came to his heart in a powerful way.
   
5. Remember beloved when these words of scripture became real in your own life.
   
6. PAID IN FULL.

Faith Alone

1. Three frogs sat on a lilly pad. One decided to jump off. How many were left?
   Three. He only decided to jump off, but never took the leap.
   
   It's not enough to make a decision. You've got to take a leap of faith and follow through with it.
2. "For we hold that a person is justified (made right in the eyes of God) by FAITH part from works prescribed by the law."
3. It takes faith to believe that God can move mountains!
4. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for....

These things matter - scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone. Everything else is well, everything else. We are a church that is built on these three things. Now go live it!

19th Sunday After Pentecost - St. John Luana and Waterville Lutheran

Amos 5:6-15

Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it. Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground! The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name, who makes destruction flash out against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress. They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time. Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Psalm 90

Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart. Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!

Hebrews 4:12-16

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Mark 10:17-31

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Who then can be saved?
Discovering the True Path to Salvation

In the words of Waylon Jennings:

I was looking for love in all the wrong places
Looking for love in too many faces
Searching your eyes, looking for traces
Of what.. I'm dreaming of...

Are we Looking for salvation in all the wrong places? Endlessly overdoing ourselves to be sure that we are saved:

The Pathway to Salvation which seems perfected according to the law - doing the right things at the right time for all the wrong reasons.

He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”

The Pathway to Salvation through reminding God about our sacrifices.

Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

Our attempts to find salvation through whatever means possible may leave us empty in the end. We may try our best but in the end find ourselves hopelessly lost and empty like the young man and Peter in the Gospel. The prosperity Gospel of Joel Osteem and others leads us down a pathway of finding salvation through the greatness of success and not through the "eye of needle" as Jesus sees it. Ever see hurse pulling a trailer? We cannot take this greatness that we gather in this world with us - the calling to sit down and chew the texts today is ever important. Salvation and the means to the throne of grace is ever important and critical. We Lutherans have a grasp on this salvation stuff. We have a great means of preaching Gospel that is real and resounds with hope. We don't keep a salvation score card but an identity with the Word of God that points to true salvation through a life lived by "taking up ones cross, dying to self each and every day, claiming the grace found through daily diving into the waters of Holy baptism - "that in holy baptism our gracious heavenly Father liberates us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is time to claim our Lutheran identity with confidence and understanding - knowing that we have something to offer to the conversation. Sometimes I think we here in church are at an AA meeting when it comes to owning our identity, "I my name is Kris, and.....and.... I am a Lutheran."

We got lost at times I feel in the conversation over religion - what it is suppose to do for us. Let's face it - some of you are here at church today burnt out because you have been given the task of carrying the torch, the weight of the church, the mission and continuance of ministry here. In desperation we cry out - if it isn't about knowing the law, remembering the creeds, the Lord's prayer, the catechism, the Bible - then what? If it isn't about keeping the letter of the law and dropping our nets to follow - sacrificing all for Jesus - what then are we doing? It is in desperation that we come to Jesus crying out with desperation and perhaps a tinge of anger - "Who then can be saved - it seems impossible." And then Jesus dives into the realm of images - symbolism.

Jesus, O Jesus:

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Then WHO can be saved?

Applying the Scripture to Daily Life

The preacher just finished his sermon for the day and proceeded toward the back of the church for his usual greetings and handshaking as the congregation left the church. After shaking a few adult hands he came upon the seven year old son of one of the Deacons of the church.

"Good morning, Jonathan," the preacher said as he reached out to shake Joanthan's hand.

As he was doing do he felt something in the palm of Jonathan's hand. "What's this?" the preacher asked.

"Money," said Jonathan with a big smile on his face, "It's for you!"

"I don't want to take your money, Jonathan," the preacher answered.

"I want you to have it," said Jonathan. After a short pause Jonathan continued, "My daddy says you're the poorest preacher we ever had and I want to help you."

Realize that Jesus looked at him, loved him - and it is through this love that Christ confronts us.

He was dead wrong. It's not the commandments we follow or don't follow, the sermons we listen to or balance our checkbook through, its not the things we do or don't do - "we confess our bondage to sin and we cannot free ourselves, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone." He went away grieving for he had many things.

Missing the mark - try these "trick" driver's license questions:

When you are merging onto the freeway, you should be driving:

At or near the same speed as the traffic on the freeway.

5 to 10 MPH slower than the traffic on the freeway.

The posted speed limit for traffic on the freeway.

Visualizing the point through everyday images. Camels and needles. Sinners in need of grace. Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer. The assurance of salvation comes not in our greatness but in the greatness of the triumph that happened on Easter morning. Not in the things we can say or do or fail to do. Embrace the fact that by ourselves we cannot earn or gain eternal salvation - but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” esus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Seek the Lord and live

True greatness comes not in who we are but through gaining a proper perspective of WHOSE we are. As Jesus laid down his life freely and abundantly for the sake of others - to gain salvation for the world we come face to face with the call to take up our crosses and follow Him who has lead the way."for the sake of the Good news." True greatest comes in knowing that we may be last, we may face persecution, and we will find grace! Stand in the amazing presence of a Savior who grants salvation to the gravest of all sinners, a savior who meets us in our weakness and challenges us to see that it is not our looking good, doing good, or being good that accomplishes salvation - it is knowing and believing in the one who grants eternal life through the words, "I am the way the truth and the light, no one comes to through the Father but by me."

18th Sunday After Pentecost - St. John and Waterville Lutheran

First Reading / Genesis 2:18-24

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” ¹⁸Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” ¹⁹So out of the ground the LordGod formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. ²¹So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.²²And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” ²⁴Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Psalm 8

¹O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

²Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

³When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;

⁴what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

⁵Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,

⁷all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,

⁸the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Second Reading / Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. ³He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

⁵Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. ⁶But someone has testified somewhere, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? ⁷You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, ⁸subjecting all things under their feet.” Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, ⁹but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹²saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

Gospel / Mark 10:2-16

²Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” ⁵But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. ⁶But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.¹¹He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; ¹²and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Ring of Fire or a Pile of Ashes?
Moving from hardness of heart to discover God's intention in Marriage

"Ring Of Fire"

Love is a burning thing
and it makes a firery ring
bound by wild desire
I fell in to a ring of fire...

I fell in to a burning ring of fire
I went down,down,down
and the flames went higher.
And it burns,burns,burns
the ring of fire
the ring of fire.

The taste of love is sweet
when hearts like our's meet
I fell for you like a child
oh, but the fire went wild..

But then what happens? We discover our partner snores, leaves towels on the floor, forgets to take the hamburger out for supper, leaves the TV on, falls asleep while reading the newspaper, balances the checkbook like a game of darts...

We idealize relationships. Men and women envision marriage to be something it can never be. As pastor I witness the greatest tragedy and triumph on wedding days. The tragedy of human emotions coming together - the let down after months of planning - and the triumph that beyond this day we have what it takes at least for now to make it.

Have we struggle lately in our relationship with our spouse? How about with others? What is God saying to us today?
Hardness of heart creeps in and clouds our view. The anger and resentment over past hurts, failures, and disappointments leaves rooms for distance to develop and before we know it we are signing papers and labeling things like a supermarket gun.

Applying Scripture

1. God's Intention
1. v.18 "Not good for man to be alone so a helper is to be made."
2. We are built for relationships - with others, with our world, and with our pets - yet sometimes are pets get better treatment than our partners.
3. A man clings to his wife and they become one flesh - something repeated later by Jesus.
4. What did you learn about God today - "His name is Andy." "Andy walks with me."
2. Human condition
1. Moses allowed a certificate of divorce because of the hardness of heart.

2. A judge was interviewing a woman regarding her pending divorce, "What are the grounds for your divorce?"

   She replied, "About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property."

   "I mean," he continued, "What are your relations like?"

   "I have an aunt and uncle living here in town, and so do my husband's parents."

   He said, "Do you have a real grudge?"

   "No," she replied, "We have a two-car carport and have never really needed one."

   "Please," he tried again, "is there any infidelity in your marriage?"

   "Yes, both my son and daughter have stereo sets. We don't necessarily like the music, but the answer to your question is 'yes'."

   "Ma'am, does your husband ever beat you up?"

   "Yes," she responded, "most days he gets up earlier than I do."

   Finally, in frustration, the judge asked, "Lady, why do you want a divorce?"

   "Oh, I don't want a divorce," she replied. "I never wanted a divorce. It's husband. He says he can't communicate with me."
3. Divorce was never God's intention. The pharisees see a trap for Jesus to fall into.
   
4. Hebrews 1:1 declares that the new revelation of God's love and perfect power comes to us through Jesus - the same Jesus that declares marriage and human divorce a sad tragedy and result of our human sinfulness.
3. The solution
1. Unfortunately like it or not divorce is a reality in our nation, our community, and in our church.
   
2. "Receive the kingdom of God as a child would - a child comes as one who is seen as week and unimportant."