Polls show that as many as 80% of Americans consider themselves Christian. How is this possible when church attendance is shrinking, Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high, and the moral climate in the U.S. has slid as much as it has? The primary reason is that the definition of what it means to be a Christian becomes distorted when we mix it with nationalism. Unfortunately, Christians are largely to blame for fueling this distortion.
For far too many, the picture they hold of Christianity is equated with American middle-class values. It makes sense. If America is a Christian nation, then the actions of its people must reflect the call of Christ. And that's the reason believers should never refer to any nation as Christian.
The confusion is compounded when Christians identify any political party as being expressly Christian. There may be Christians within that party, and you may like and support what that party stands for, but it is a fallible, human institution and it’s leadership and values may change at any moment. Jesus was careful not to identify himself with any political agencies. God never gives us a model for a perfect political organization. Therefore, we move beyond the teachings of Scripture when we advertise a political party as God's perfect choice, and we confuse a needy world.
This doesn't mean that we cannot be politically active. Our society needs our influence. But we identify with Jesus and his church (an imperfect human institution that points to Jesus, not itself, as the answer while actively serving Christ by serving the world).
The Bible works against the idea of a Christian nation. That idea was abandoned through the work of the cross. Now there is God's Kingdom made up of those who believe and follow Christ. We are now salt and light for the nations, cities, and communities we live in.
When we declare America as a Christian nation, we too closely identify ourselves with the world and it's standards, and we begin to lose our saltiness. When we speak of Christian nations, we are allowing the nation to flavor us, and we are no longer flavoring the nation. That is why the majority of Americans can call themselves Christians while living for the world.
The answer is to see our communities as mission fields. We need to acknowledge that a nation changes when the hearts of it's people change. We should be involved in politics, but it should never be our focus. Reach enough people and politics will take care of itself. In a democracy, our politicians reflect the people who vote. That's a hard pill to swallow because we would like to think they are nothing like us, but remember we put them in place. Jesus never said the Kingdom would come through impersonal politics. There is no buffer. The Kingdom of God comes because we risk with our neighbor. We love. We serve. We share the gospel. Jesus gave us no other way.
The concept of a Christian nation not only confuses people, it also creates an excuse for us to keep our hands clean from the hard but, rewarding and life-giving, work of the gospel. The concept of a Christian nation is both unbiblical and a cop out.
I'll visit this topic one more time on Monday to confided who this effects our youth.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Dangerous Myth of a Christian Nation
The Kingdom of God does not look like any other kingdom or nation. It does not have physical borders and can be found on no map. Ephesians 2:11-22 demonstrates that national and racial prejudice are barriers to God's intentions for us. Jesus steps in and unites us by his Spirit, erasing these false boundaries. In Christ we become part of a new country/kingdom that is made up of those who have given themselves to be disciples of Jesus.
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God was never meant to identified with a human-inspired, physical nation state. When we do, we open ourselves up to error, arrogance, and idolatry.
Error is inevitable when God's Kingdom is confused with human governance and a specific culture. We begin to think that American ethics equals God's ethics, that the way things are done in America naturally reflects God's desires because we are a Christian nation. In some cases our founding fathers are given the status as prophets.
While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America were influenced by Scriptural ideas, they were not divinely inspired, nor were their authors prophets. We should reflect on the nature of faith of these writers. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible to reflect his beliefs. The Jeffersonian Bible or "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" was Jefferson's attempt to purge the Bible of any supernatural references concerning Jesus. He believed Jesus was a good teacher, but denied his spiritual nature. Jesus' morals were to be followed, but he was not to be acknowledged as God, Lord, or Savior. That legacy is still strong in American culture.
The idea of America as a Christian nation leads to arrogance. Are we open to the teaching, rebukes, and corrections from Christians of other nations, or do we believe we are the one light of the world? It is our nature to be somewhat blind to the faults of our culture. Outsiders sometimes see what we do not see. Are we willing to hear prophetic words from beyond our national boarder even though they originate from within God's Kingdom?
Perhaps the biggest danger is idolatry. "My country right or wrong" is always an affront to God. We are called to help our neighbor and our nation prosper, but we are also to call it to justice and righteousness. We are to serve our nation, but we must always make sure that we don't mingle patriotism and faith. We cannot serve two masters.
Perhaps the most vivid example are the pictures of Jesus draped in a flag. A mantle is a symbol of authority. We speak symbolically of placing the mantle of Christ's authority on our shoulders, but it is idolatrous to think that Jesus would place the mantle of America's authority upon his shoulders. This, along with red, white and blue Christmas trees, thoughts of America as the New Jerusalem, and our political leaders as (past or present) prophets all mix up our national history with God's story in such a way as to invite idolatry.
We are first citizens of the Kingdom of God. Christ has allegiance before any flag. I will love and serve the people of this nation because God commands me to. I will participate in this nation because it's my obligation as a citizen. But the Kingdom of God comes first, and whenever cultural wisdom, common sense (worldly wisdom), or the actions of this nation violate the righteousness and justice of God, I will side with God's Kingdom. Not through violence or revolution, but through the love, service, and truth that Jesus has called me to express.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
In the next blog, I will continue this theme with one more danger: the Loss of the Next Generation for Christ.
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God was never meant to identified with a human-inspired, physical nation state. When we do, we open ourselves up to error, arrogance, and idolatry.
Error is inevitable when God's Kingdom is confused with human governance and a specific culture. We begin to think that American ethics equals God's ethics, that the way things are done in America naturally reflects God's desires because we are a Christian nation. In some cases our founding fathers are given the status as prophets.
While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America were influenced by Scriptural ideas, they were not divinely inspired, nor were their authors prophets. We should reflect on the nature of faith of these writers. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible to reflect his beliefs. The Jeffersonian Bible or "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" was Jefferson's attempt to purge the Bible of any supernatural references concerning Jesus. He believed Jesus was a good teacher, but denied his spiritual nature. Jesus' morals were to be followed, but he was not to be acknowledged as God, Lord, or Savior. That legacy is still strong in American culture.
The idea of America as a Christian nation leads to arrogance. Are we open to the teaching, rebukes, and corrections from Christians of other nations, or do we believe we are the one light of the world? It is our nature to be somewhat blind to the faults of our culture. Outsiders sometimes see what we do not see. Are we willing to hear prophetic words from beyond our national boarder even though they originate from within God's Kingdom?
Perhaps the biggest danger is idolatry. "My country right or wrong" is always an affront to God. We are called to help our neighbor and our nation prosper, but we are also to call it to justice and righteousness. We are to serve our nation, but we must always make sure that we don't mingle patriotism and faith. We cannot serve two masters.
Perhaps the most vivid example are the pictures of Jesus draped in a flag. A mantle is a symbol of authority. We speak symbolically of placing the mantle of Christ's authority on our shoulders, but it is idolatrous to think that Jesus would place the mantle of America's authority upon his shoulders. This, along with red, white and blue Christmas trees, thoughts of America as the New Jerusalem, and our political leaders as (past or present) prophets all mix up our national history with God's story in such a way as to invite idolatry.
We are first citizens of the Kingdom of God. Christ has allegiance before any flag. I will love and serve the people of this nation because God commands me to. I will participate in this nation because it's my obligation as a citizen. But the Kingdom of God comes first, and whenever cultural wisdom, common sense (worldly wisdom), or the actions of this nation violate the righteousness and justice of God, I will side with God's Kingdom. Not through violence or revolution, but through the love, service, and truth that Jesus has called me to express.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
In the next blog, I will continue this theme with one more danger: the Loss of the Next Generation for Christ.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Social?
Trends and technology can change our perception. We have to be alert to these possible changes so we can make conscious choices about them. One current change is in the definition of social. Seattle pastor, Bill Berger, pointed me toward an interesting article ( http://on.msnbc.com/ ). Sales and marketing database NetProspex has just released its list of the most and least social cities in the U.S. Seattle topped the list while Anchorage, AK was at the bottom. What was fascinating about the list was how they determined the ranking.
The ranking was solely based on how many employees were using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When we measure how social a community is, we are measuring human interaction. In the past this interaction had to do with connecting personally and physically (as in being in the same room, on the same street, within yelling distance). The phone allowed social contact over distance but was usually seen as a secondary choice over close interaction. Even more distant was television. Although some people may believe they are socially involved with the Housewives of Orange County when they tune in each week, most of us understand it's a weak substitute for human interaction.
This is not a diatribe against Facebook and Twitter. I make a great deal of use of each, but their use does not necessarily make me social. I love the fact that I have some contact with people I am separated from by great distance and by years, but if given a chance, I would trade a tweet for a visit in a moment. I also know that I have to guard myself from allowing computer contact to substitute for close, personal contact.
Relationships are inconvenient. They mean that I have to go out of my way to look up people. I have to change my schedule to accommodate others. I have to clean up after throwing a party or hosting a gathering. Acquaintances are just a little annoying, friendships are disruptive, and marriage...? Well, the word exponential comes to mind. But the joys, the benefits, and the riches of life together grow with the bother.
I've been to Anchorage, AK. I was born in Alaska - and I find it hard to see it as an antisocial city. Those long winter days with little sunlight demand interaction. Otherwise cabin fever sets in (It explains all the bowling alleys).
In the end, your social life is not measured by how many friends you have on Facebook. It's measured by whether or not you bend your life to get to know the people who live around you. The lost and the lonely don't post their need on Twitter. They may not even have an account. They are connected with, loved, and healed in person.
Keep connect and in touch on the Web. I think it's a great gift. But it's far too clean and filtered to deal with our deepest social needs. The most social city is the one where it's citizens are the most hospitable. Where they inconvenience themselves for the sake of fellowship. Where they aren't too busy to stop and talk face to face, or share a Pepsi (I am not compensated for product placement), and where they choose to party together. I'll keep up with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but I hope I never use them to define my social life.
The ranking was solely based on how many employees were using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When we measure how social a community is, we are measuring human interaction. In the past this interaction had to do with connecting personally and physically (as in being in the same room, on the same street, within yelling distance). The phone allowed social contact over distance but was usually seen as a secondary choice over close interaction. Even more distant was television. Although some people may believe they are socially involved with the Housewives of Orange County when they tune in each week, most of us understand it's a weak substitute for human interaction.
This is not a diatribe against Facebook and Twitter. I make a great deal of use of each, but their use does not necessarily make me social. I love the fact that I have some contact with people I am separated from by great distance and by years, but if given a chance, I would trade a tweet for a visit in a moment. I also know that I have to guard myself from allowing computer contact to substitute for close, personal contact.
Relationships are inconvenient. They mean that I have to go out of my way to look up people. I have to change my schedule to accommodate others. I have to clean up after throwing a party or hosting a gathering. Acquaintances are just a little annoying, friendships are disruptive, and marriage...? Well, the word exponential comes to mind. But the joys, the benefits, and the riches of life together grow with the bother.
I've been to Anchorage, AK. I was born in Alaska - and I find it hard to see it as an antisocial city. Those long winter days with little sunlight demand interaction. Otherwise cabin fever sets in (It explains all the bowling alleys).
In the end, your social life is not measured by how many friends you have on Facebook. It's measured by whether or not you bend your life to get to know the people who live around you. The lost and the lonely don't post their need on Twitter. They may not even have an account. They are connected with, loved, and healed in person.
Keep connect and in touch on the Web. I think it's a great gift. But it's far too clean and filtered to deal with our deepest social needs. The most social city is the one where it's citizens are the most hospitable. Where they inconvenience themselves for the sake of fellowship. Where they aren't too busy to stop and talk face to face, or share a Pepsi (I am not compensated for product placement), and where they choose to party together. I'll keep up with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but I hope I never use them to define my social life.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Abandoning Our Love Affair with Boxes
It's understandable that we want to understand ourselves, but there is a difference between understanding who we are at the moment and using personality tests as if they are horoscopes that predict our future. I have heard many of my colleagues tell me they are a Sanguine or a Melancholy as though that explains their lives to date and defines their calling for tomorrow. We now label generations with a set of characteristics to both tell us who we are and who we will become.
American culture has long encouraged us "to find ourselves" as though we were born with a set on inflexible skills and interests that have to be discovered in order for us to find ourselves. We look for boxes to fit ourselves into. Interestingly, God's focus is on growth rather than discovery. Jesus came to bring us freedom from who we "are" while living a sinful life so that we can become someone we never dreamed of being through life with his Spirit.
Paul tells us that the Christian life entails taking off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). An assessment can give me insight on how I act and function in different situations right now. I think that's helpful. But as soon as I begin to use those assessment labels to describe myself generally, I'm in trouble. I have become a new creation in Christ, and, if I am following Christ in obedience, I'm being constantly transformed. Those labels can make me believe that I am fated to remain as I am forever. At that point, they might as well be zodiac symbols, but as a Christian I believe in growth rather than fate.
Who are we becoming in Christ? That should be our first question. How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth?: should be our second. Scripture guides us through the answer to both these questions.
There are at least two ways to see life. In one, life is like a road that has already been laid down. There is one perfect course for each of us. One job, one perfect mate out there, one set of personality traits, etc. If we can discover it, then we might be okay. The problem is that one step off that road messes up everything. The other view is that life is dynamic. We are born into situations that we couldn't choose, but what we do with life, how we respond, and who we become is a cooperative work that we are deeply involved in.
Our choices are limited without Christ, but with him many new possibilities open up. Fate loses it's place as a meaningful explanation for life. Instead, the Spirit comes alongside us and offers us a new creative collaboration.
In 1992, Neil Howe and William Strauss wrote Generations. It was the first book to describe the different generations of American history and how they impact each other. Much of our current labeling of different generations is based on their work. I highly recommend their work. They didn't write their book as a straight jacket for the future. It was their hope that an understanding of how each generation influences the next would lead us to break the cycle rather than reinforce it, but we seem to enjoy pigeonholing more than growth. Jesus is about breaking the cycle, about new birth, about growth.
We should understand the impact that our past and our environment has on our future, but we shouldn't be slaves to those forces. Your life is a road, but it hasn't been built yet. It's still being built. If you build it with God's Spirit, then you will find he has the power to create in you a life that leaves the labels behind while you continue to grow. In Christ, you don't find yourself. You become yourself.
American culture has long encouraged us "to find ourselves" as though we were born with a set on inflexible skills and interests that have to be discovered in order for us to find ourselves. We look for boxes to fit ourselves into. Interestingly, God's focus is on growth rather than discovery. Jesus came to bring us freedom from who we "are" while living a sinful life so that we can become someone we never dreamed of being through life with his Spirit.
Paul tells us that the Christian life entails taking off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). An assessment can give me insight on how I act and function in different situations right now. I think that's helpful. But as soon as I begin to use those assessment labels to describe myself generally, I'm in trouble. I have become a new creation in Christ, and, if I am following Christ in obedience, I'm being constantly transformed. Those labels can make me believe that I am fated to remain as I am forever. At that point, they might as well be zodiac symbols, but as a Christian I believe in growth rather than fate.
Who are we becoming in Christ? That should be our first question. How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth?: should be our second. Scripture guides us through the answer to both these questions.
There are at least two ways to see life. In one, life is like a road that has already been laid down. There is one perfect course for each of us. One job, one perfect mate out there, one set of personality traits, etc. If we can discover it, then we might be okay. The problem is that one step off that road messes up everything. The other view is that life is dynamic. We are born into situations that we couldn't choose, but what we do with life, how we respond, and who we become is a cooperative work that we are deeply involved in.
Our choices are limited without Christ, but with him many new possibilities open up. Fate loses it's place as a meaningful explanation for life. Instead, the Spirit comes alongside us and offers us a new creative collaboration.
In 1992, Neil Howe and William Strauss wrote Generations. It was the first book to describe the different generations of American history and how they impact each other. Much of our current labeling of different generations is based on their work. I highly recommend their work. They didn't write their book as a straight jacket for the future. It was their hope that an understanding of how each generation influences the next would lead us to break the cycle rather than reinforce it, but we seem to enjoy pigeonholing more than growth. Jesus is about breaking the cycle, about new birth, about growth.
We should understand the impact that our past and our environment has on our future, but we shouldn't be slaves to those forces. Your life is a road, but it hasn't been built yet. It's still being built. If you build it with God's Spirit, then you will find he has the power to create in you a life that leaves the labels behind while you continue to grow. In Christ, you don't find yourself. You become yourself.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Speaking the Truth in Love
Political correctness and civility are two very different things and have two different outcomes. Political correctness is about power. It is telling people they are not allowed to say certain things or express certain opinions because someone in power has told us it's wrong or because a belief might offend someone or make them feel bad. Political correctness cares little for the truth.
Civility has to do with how we communicate truth. It is the practice of discussing truth in a way that affirms human dignity; that takes into account that the people involved in the discussion are made in God's image; and acknowledges that God died for these people and holds out a saving hand of grace to them.
Truth is important if we are going to be truly civil because love, rather than control, is at the heart of civility. I might meet someone at the edge of a cliff who believes it will make no real difference whether they step forward or backward. If there was a chance that they would be offended by my warning and explanation of the truth and consequences of gravity, then political correctness would say leave them be. But that is neither the loving or the civil (civilized) thing to do.
God has placed on us an obligation to seek truth and to communicate truth. We are called to make disciples of all men and women (Mat 28:19, 20) It is the right and the loving thing to do.
I was a lifeguard for several years. Not everyone at the pool liked the rules, but they were important for survival. Some people may not have liked the rules, but no one drowned in that pool. Love and care go together and there they saved lives. I don't have the authority of a lifeguard in other people's lives (so I won't pretend to have that authority), but I still have the responsibility to speak the truth in love.
Political correctness stops the discussion. It gives us the illusion that ignorance is fine as long as we feel all right and sincere about what we do or believe. Returning to the cliff for a moment, someone might sincerely believe that if they step off the edge they will float without falling, but regardless of their sincerity, they will be sincerely wrong. They might feel fine about the decision to step off, but they will feel far worse at the bottom.
It also stops the discussion when the truth is not spoken in love. Our communication consists of more than just propositional truth. Truth spoken, reflecting attitudes other than Jesus', can alienate others from the very truth we hope to communicate. A great deal of the book of James is devoted to this topic, but you can also find it in the most basic book on persuasive teaching. We are to tell the truth with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
To speak the truth in gentleness and respect, though means that we still need to tell the truth. Currently, our culture tells us it's rude to talk about politics and religion. It may be politically correct to avoid these topics, but it's not civilized. Civilization is the result of honest and open discussion. We need to make sure that we don't become cowards, afraid to ask and discuss the great questions of life. It is not loving to withhold the truth that has been offered us, but just like political correctness, rudeness, name calling, and disrespect shut down the conversation as well.
We speak the truth in love because God has called us to share the truth; because he has called us to love others as we love ourselves; and because without love, we really aren't going to get a hearing.
Civility has to do with how we communicate truth. It is the practice of discussing truth in a way that affirms human dignity; that takes into account that the people involved in the discussion are made in God's image; and acknowledges that God died for these people and holds out a saving hand of grace to them.
Truth is important if we are going to be truly civil because love, rather than control, is at the heart of civility. I might meet someone at the edge of a cliff who believes it will make no real difference whether they step forward or backward. If there was a chance that they would be offended by my warning and explanation of the truth and consequences of gravity, then political correctness would say leave them be. But that is neither the loving or the civil (civilized) thing to do.
God has placed on us an obligation to seek truth and to communicate truth. We are called to make disciples of all men and women (Mat 28:19, 20) It is the right and the loving thing to do.
I was a lifeguard for several years. Not everyone at the pool liked the rules, but they were important for survival. Some people may not have liked the rules, but no one drowned in that pool. Love and care go together and there they saved lives. I don't have the authority of a lifeguard in other people's lives (so I won't pretend to have that authority), but I still have the responsibility to speak the truth in love.
Political correctness stops the discussion. It gives us the illusion that ignorance is fine as long as we feel all right and sincere about what we do or believe. Returning to the cliff for a moment, someone might sincerely believe that if they step off the edge they will float without falling, but regardless of their sincerity, they will be sincerely wrong. They might feel fine about the decision to step off, but they will feel far worse at the bottom.
It also stops the discussion when the truth is not spoken in love. Our communication consists of more than just propositional truth. Truth spoken, reflecting attitudes other than Jesus', can alienate others from the very truth we hope to communicate. A great deal of the book of James is devoted to this topic, but you can also find it in the most basic book on persuasive teaching. We are to tell the truth with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
To speak the truth in gentleness and respect, though means that we still need to tell the truth. Currently, our culture tells us it's rude to talk about politics and religion. It may be politically correct to avoid these topics, but it's not civilized. Civilization is the result of honest and open discussion. We need to make sure that we don't become cowards, afraid to ask and discuss the great questions of life. It is not loving to withhold the truth that has been offered us, but just like political correctness, rudeness, name calling, and disrespect shut down the conversation as well.
We speak the truth in love because God has called us to share the truth; because he has called us to love others as we love ourselves; and because without love, we really aren't going to get a hearing.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Blame is Not a Solution
People need to be held accountable for their actions, but we must never lose track of our goal as Christians. We identify problems so that we can help people grow through them and prosper. Too often the goal of blame is to "put people in their place," which most often means putting them somewhere beneath us. Blame is most often about power.
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) he came as a doctor for the sick (Luke 5:31). This means that Jesus did not come to humiliate people or crush them under his heel. He came to love, act, and serve in such a way that people could prosper.
Not everyone (an understatement) welcomed Jesus' help or his definition of prosperity (we still try to wedge our definition of prosperity into his words), but Jesus' goal was to act and communicate in such a way that he wouldn't create additional barriers to repentance. Jesus did not humiliate people , but those who understood who he was and what he was trying to do, gladly humbled themselves before his wisdom and authority.
In a passionate moment, one of my friends in college declared that he would love to see an especially vile singer burned on a stack of his records. He was wise enough to recognize that his attitude was not Christ-like. He humbled himself before Jesus and began to pray for him. If he hadn't lived a thousand miles away, the next step would have been to find ways to serve and speak to this singer.
So now the tough question. Do you want to see Obama fail? Or during the Bush presidency did you want to see him fail? I'm not asking if you disagreed, but did you want them to go down in flames, to be publicly humiliated, broken? Did you make jokes about them? Call them names? If you did, then most likely those same attitudes were directed toward other people you consider problems in your life. People notice.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Jesus gave up his life that we might live, and he has called us to do the same.
"But this is different," we might complain. "These people deserve our contempt."
James states, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." (James 3:9-12)
Can the same mouth that belittles and slanders others, whether President or next door neighbor, truly worship God? Would Jesus treat others this way? Are these actions led by the Spirit of God or the spirit of man?
Blame and bitterness kill. Blame is not the same as a solution. Jesus' solutions bring life rather than just leave victims. This is one of the reasons so many youth are leaving the church. They can tell the difference between the truth used as a club and the truth spoken in love.
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) he came as a doctor for the sick (Luke 5:31). This means that Jesus did not come to humiliate people or crush them under his heel. He came to love, act, and serve in such a way that people could prosper.
Not everyone (an understatement) welcomed Jesus' help or his definition of prosperity (we still try to wedge our definition of prosperity into his words), but Jesus' goal was to act and communicate in such a way that he wouldn't create additional barriers to repentance. Jesus did not humiliate people , but those who understood who he was and what he was trying to do, gladly humbled themselves before his wisdom and authority.
In a passionate moment, one of my friends in college declared that he would love to see an especially vile singer burned on a stack of his records. He was wise enough to recognize that his attitude was not Christ-like. He humbled himself before Jesus and began to pray for him. If he hadn't lived a thousand miles away, the next step would have been to find ways to serve and speak to this singer.
So now the tough question. Do you want to see Obama fail? Or during the Bush presidency did you want to see him fail? I'm not asking if you disagreed, but did you want them to go down in flames, to be publicly humiliated, broken? Did you make jokes about them? Call them names? If you did, then most likely those same attitudes were directed toward other people you consider problems in your life. People notice.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Jesus gave up his life that we might live, and he has called us to do the same.
"But this is different," we might complain. "These people deserve our contempt."
James states, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." (James 3:9-12)
Can the same mouth that belittles and slanders others, whether President or next door neighbor, truly worship God? Would Jesus treat others this way? Are these actions led by the Spirit of God or the spirit of man?
Blame and bitterness kill. Blame is not the same as a solution. Jesus' solutions bring life rather than just leave victims. This is one of the reasons so many youth are leaving the church. They can tell the difference between the truth used as a club and the truth spoken in love.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
How Far for Jesus?
There are important Scriptures that are ignored because they seem to clash with our tradition ridden faith, and they are ignored at our personal peril. There is religious wisdom that is neither from God or wise that robs us of both the adventure and power of faith. One of these often overlooked passages is 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
We are to identify with those in need, but the temptation is to distance ourselves. The Pharisees complained when Jesus got close to sinners in a party (Luke 5:27-32), when he let a prostitute touch him (Luke 7:39), when he favored tax collectors and "sinners" with his presence. They believed they were better than others and would be polluted by with them. Sadly, the same is often true today.
Paul has learned that to live in obedience we must identify with those God is reaching out to. If we distance ourselves, then we are not following Jesus example or command to us. In other words, we are rebelling against Jesus. But it doesn't stop there. We are not only to identify with them, we are to become like them.
Really!?! In what way?
Paul says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." first, that phrase, "by all possible means", is important. From the rest of Paul's writings we know this means that he avoids active sin. While I can minister in a bar without sinning, I cannot minister in a topless bar without sinning. That's just the way I'm made. So I avoid that. If I struggled with alcoholism, I would also avoid the bar. I will also avoid becoming drunk in response to God's command. Wisdom is not thrown to the wind.
What Paul is saying is that he becomes as much like the people he ministers to as possible. He adopts their customs, their food, their speech. This doesn't mean that he begins to curse around those who curse, or that he believes that he has to drink to fit in with those who drink, but neither will he flee from those who curse or drink. Too often today, Christians are uncomfortable with those who merely disagree and will avoid them. How short that falls from Paul's definition of active faith.
Paul has a reason for his actions. He has given himself to Jesus. Jesus is now his Lord. He wants to follow Jesus. And what is Jesus doing in the world? Why did the Son come to earth in the first place? He came to reach the lost. He inconvenienced himself for the sake of others, and he calls us to do the same.
A faith that revolves around personal salvation alone seems pretty selfish when compared against Jesus' call. He has called us to become fishers of men and women, and we are to alter our lives to be true to that call. Anything less and we miss out on so much of what Jesus has to offer. A life of faith is not safe or convenient. It clashes with the American dream so often. But it is dynamic, powerful, and, every time God touches someone through us, incredibly intimate. What seems like sin to some of the "religious" turns out to be the holiness of God.
How close are you to the people around you? How many preChristian friends do you have? How often do you invite them into your life, or respond to their invitations? How often are you in the party with Jesus?
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
We are to identify with those in need, but the temptation is to distance ourselves. The Pharisees complained when Jesus got close to sinners in a party (Luke 5:27-32), when he let a prostitute touch him (Luke 7:39), when he favored tax collectors and "sinners" with his presence. They believed they were better than others and would be polluted by with them. Sadly, the same is often true today.
Paul has learned that to live in obedience we must identify with those God is reaching out to. If we distance ourselves, then we are not following Jesus example or command to us. In other words, we are rebelling against Jesus. But it doesn't stop there. We are not only to identify with them, we are to become like them.
Really!?! In what way?
Paul says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." first, that phrase, "by all possible means", is important. From the rest of Paul's writings we know this means that he avoids active sin. While I can minister in a bar without sinning, I cannot minister in a topless bar without sinning. That's just the way I'm made. So I avoid that. If I struggled with alcoholism, I would also avoid the bar. I will also avoid becoming drunk in response to God's command. Wisdom is not thrown to the wind.
What Paul is saying is that he becomes as much like the people he ministers to as possible. He adopts their customs, their food, their speech. This doesn't mean that he begins to curse around those who curse, or that he believes that he has to drink to fit in with those who drink, but neither will he flee from those who curse or drink. Too often today, Christians are uncomfortable with those who merely disagree and will avoid them. How short that falls from Paul's definition of active faith.
Paul has a reason for his actions. He has given himself to Jesus. Jesus is now his Lord. He wants to follow Jesus. And what is Jesus doing in the world? Why did the Son come to earth in the first place? He came to reach the lost. He inconvenienced himself for the sake of others, and he calls us to do the same.
A faith that revolves around personal salvation alone seems pretty selfish when compared against Jesus' call. He has called us to become fishers of men and women, and we are to alter our lives to be true to that call. Anything less and we miss out on so much of what Jesus has to offer. A life of faith is not safe or convenient. It clashes with the American dream so often. But it is dynamic, powerful, and, every time God touches someone through us, incredibly intimate. What seems like sin to some of the "religious" turns out to be the holiness of God.
How close are you to the people around you? How many preChristian friends do you have? How often do you invite them into your life, or respond to their invitations? How often are you in the party with Jesus?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Your Date with the World
Imagine the following date:
Charley doesn’t really like Sara very much. He has said so on many occasions to anyone who would listen. This dislike has led him to spend a great deal of time to find reasons to defend his dislike. He even went so far as to write an editorial complaining about the annoying way she sucks her teeth in public.
One night, Charley shows up on Sara’s doorstep with a book in hand. The book is entitled 100 Things Sara Needs To Change To Become A True Human Being. He rings the doorbell.
When Sara answers the door, he shoves the book at her startled face and declares, “I’ve decided it would be best for you if we date. When you finish reading this, I’ll be waiting in my truck.”
Or perhaps we can look at Sam’s love life.
He is attracted to Cheryl, but he has never gotten up the nerve to tell her. After all, who knows how she might react? She might laugh in his face and tell him to get lost. She could suddenly sprout fangs and, with a voice of sulfur laced sarcasm, tell everyone else what a pathetic worm he is. Or worse yet, she might say nothing, confirming once and for all his worst fear that he is not worthy of even the slightest notice. But even though he is held back by fear, he continues to dream.
Finally, the dream is too much. He has to act. He has already rehearsed her every objection. He has prepared a series of witty responses. But he still can’t risk facing her. He might lose his nerve. So, late at night, he stands in Cheryl’s front yard and yells up to her second floor window all the reasons that she would be stupid not to love him.
So why the voyeuristic glimpse into these two dates gone wrong? Because they resemble a great deal of modern Christian evangelism. In many cases preChristians are made to feel like undesirable irritants that need to be dealt with a lot like mosquitos. No one wants to be treated like pests. Far too much Christian media is aimed at making Christians feel good about themselves by slamming anyone who disagrees, making them look silly, stupid, or evil. This is the especially seen in talk radio in most of its manifestations. This attitude is a poison for the soul, far from the example and attitude of Jesus, and should be avoided.
The second example reflects a growing fear that many Christians have of preChristians. Jesus has planted a love in us for those far from him, but we have let irrational fears planted by the enemy grow in us. These fears distort our neighbors in our eyes. We begin to believe that they will respond like monsters at the mere mention of Jesus. Our comfort and reputation clash with the love of God. The tension can lead us to explode in inappropriate, and often very distant and impersonal, blasts of communication.
Evangelism is central to the call of Christ. I'll examine that in the next blog. But evangelism does not have to come in the form of harsh "turn or burn" diatribes. In fact it shouldn't. Our communication of Christ's love should actually reflect Christ's love. We should be working on our dating habits.
Charley doesn’t really like Sara very much. He has said so on many occasions to anyone who would listen. This dislike has led him to spend a great deal of time to find reasons to defend his dislike. He even went so far as to write an editorial complaining about the annoying way she sucks her teeth in public.
One night, Charley shows up on Sara’s doorstep with a book in hand. The book is entitled 100 Things Sara Needs To Change To Become A True Human Being. He rings the doorbell.
When Sara answers the door, he shoves the book at her startled face and declares, “I’ve decided it would be best for you if we date. When you finish reading this, I’ll be waiting in my truck.”
Or perhaps we can look at Sam’s love life.
He is attracted to Cheryl, but he has never gotten up the nerve to tell her. After all, who knows how she might react? She might laugh in his face and tell him to get lost. She could suddenly sprout fangs and, with a voice of sulfur laced sarcasm, tell everyone else what a pathetic worm he is. Or worse yet, she might say nothing, confirming once and for all his worst fear that he is not worthy of even the slightest notice. But even though he is held back by fear, he continues to dream.
Finally, the dream is too much. He has to act. He has already rehearsed her every objection. He has prepared a series of witty responses. But he still can’t risk facing her. He might lose his nerve. So, late at night, he stands in Cheryl’s front yard and yells up to her second floor window all the reasons that she would be stupid not to love him.
So why the voyeuristic glimpse into these two dates gone wrong? Because they resemble a great deal of modern Christian evangelism. In many cases preChristians are made to feel like undesirable irritants that need to be dealt with a lot like mosquitos. No one wants to be treated like pests. Far too much Christian media is aimed at making Christians feel good about themselves by slamming anyone who disagrees, making them look silly, stupid, or evil. This is the especially seen in talk radio in most of its manifestations. This attitude is a poison for the soul, far from the example and attitude of Jesus, and should be avoided.
The second example reflects a growing fear that many Christians have of preChristians. Jesus has planted a love in us for those far from him, but we have let irrational fears planted by the enemy grow in us. These fears distort our neighbors in our eyes. We begin to believe that they will respond like monsters at the mere mention of Jesus. Our comfort and reputation clash with the love of God. The tension can lead us to explode in inappropriate, and often very distant and impersonal, blasts of communication.
Evangelism is central to the call of Christ. I'll examine that in the next blog. But evangelism does not have to come in the form of harsh "turn or burn" diatribes. In fact it shouldn't. Our communication of Christ's love should actually reflect Christ's love. We should be working on our dating habits.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Tolerance Gone Bad
Definitions are important. Words shape our understanding, and words used poorly distort our thoughts and actions. When intolerance of people who do not yet have faith becomes a virtue, we have left the gospel of Jesus far behind us. I have already written on this (Tolerance is not Approval). But when we make tolerance in matters of truth a virtue, then we have left productive thought behind. We can value pluralism in matters of opinion, but never in matters of truth.
Open-mindedness means that we are willing to explore and test new ideas. Open-mindedness is not the belief that everyone's grasp on truth is equally accurate. That is usually defined as gullibility (not one of the great virtues). Just because you believe something does not make it true.
Truth is something that conforms to reality and demonstrated or arguable facts. Truth does not allow for contradictions. The idea of a square circle is just as unacceptable as saying there is only one way to God (as Jesus did) and many roads lead to the same mountaintop. Either there is one way to God or many. While both could be wrong, they both could not be right. They contradict each other.
We should be tolerant of opinion where opinion is appropriate. Your taste in food, clothes, and music are matters of taste. While I may have different tastes, my tastes are not better or worse than yours. This same tolerance does not extend to matters of truth.
Intolerance to error does not mean we live a life with blinders on, hiding from new or different ideas. I am not God. I don't possess perfect knowledge. I need to continually challenge what I think I know. Truth exists outside of me. I am an explorer. I search out and expose myself to thoughtful people and new cultures in hopes of growing while at the same time I poke what I think I know with a stick to test its strength.
One of the great dangers here is that we combine an intolerance of error with an intolerance of people. We are to persuade and convince each other while still demonstrating God's love and service. "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." (1 Peter 3:15-17)
It is also important to remember that intolerance of error is a private matter. We should not be at work to suppress or censor false ideas. There is moral conduct that is harmful and should be suppressed (rape, for example), but we should not be involved in the suppression of ideas. Instead, we should discuss and argue false ideas and give people a reason to abandon them. As Christians we should be thinking, growing people; unafraid to test new ideas; while presenting the truth in love. We should be loving and tolerant of people while intolerant of error, beginning with ourselves.
Open-mindedness means that we are willing to explore and test new ideas. Open-mindedness is not the belief that everyone's grasp on truth is equally accurate. That is usually defined as gullibility (not one of the great virtues). Just because you believe something does not make it true.
Truth is something that conforms to reality and demonstrated or arguable facts. Truth does not allow for contradictions. The idea of a square circle is just as unacceptable as saying there is only one way to God (as Jesus did) and many roads lead to the same mountaintop. Either there is one way to God or many. While both could be wrong, they both could not be right. They contradict each other.
We should be tolerant of opinion where opinion is appropriate. Your taste in food, clothes, and music are matters of taste. While I may have different tastes, my tastes are not better or worse than yours. This same tolerance does not extend to matters of truth.
Intolerance to error does not mean we live a life with blinders on, hiding from new or different ideas. I am not God. I don't possess perfect knowledge. I need to continually challenge what I think I know. Truth exists outside of me. I am an explorer. I search out and expose myself to thoughtful people and new cultures in hopes of growing while at the same time I poke what I think I know with a stick to test its strength.
One of the great dangers here is that we combine an intolerance of error with an intolerance of people. We are to persuade and convince each other while still demonstrating God's love and service. "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." (1 Peter 3:15-17)
It is also important to remember that intolerance of error is a private matter. We should not be at work to suppress or censor false ideas. There is moral conduct that is harmful and should be suppressed (rape, for example), but we should not be involved in the suppression of ideas. Instead, we should discuss and argue false ideas and give people a reason to abandon them. As Christians we should be thinking, growing people; unafraid to test new ideas; while presenting the truth in love. We should be loving and tolerant of people while intolerant of error, beginning with ourselves.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Virtue of Compromise
There are two types of compromise. One is a necessary virtue and the other a weakness to be avoided. Today, there is a tendency to villainize all types of public compromise while turning a blind eye to personal, moral compromise until it blows up in scandal. This reversal of values and practice has led to public division and an erosion of character.
Compromise is necessary whenever two or more people interact. We each have goals and desire that often encroach on each other's lives. If we demand our way in all things, then we each become petty dictators at war with all those around us that interfere with what we want. Compromise is reached through communication and understanding. It's finding a way to live peacefully with each other by balancing and curbing our desires. It is an essential part of love... And of growing up.
Marriage is a good example. Two people come together who have a lot in common but are still bound to have competing goals, habits, and desires. In order to experience the best that marriage has to offer, they must communicate, decide what is most important to them, and bend a bit to make room for each other. We've all seen couples that refuse to do this. One or the other acts as a controlling bully, aggressively lording it over the other.
We see this in modern politics when a party insists on getting its way and "winning" instead of finding solutions that will work for the people they serve, but in all honesty, this also reflects a lack of civility that is growing throughout our society. The Christian values of love and service - even to our enemies - are seen as weak. Uncompromising dominance has become a perceived Christian virtue, and one which - make no mistake - God opposes. Paul was obedient to God by becoming all things to all people so that he could reach as many people as possible (1 Cor 9:19-22). Too often today, Christians are demanding others act just like them before they will even talk to them.
I desire to follow Jesus before I follow my desires or my culture's mandates (I wish I was better at it, but that is the growth point in all our lives). He desires that I reach out in love to reach those far from the gospel. I can't do that if my uncompromising nature has built walls against those who don't agree with me. A culture with room for diversity and different views may be messy, but it allows me access to those who still need to hear the gospel.
Compromise becomes evil when it is the compromise of my personal values and convictions, when I know what is right, but tell God I'm the exception. Jesus comes to us as Lord as well as savior. In fact, he only becomes our savior when we surrender to his Lordship. It is only in those things that would insist on behavior that would violate my relationship with God that I can't compromise.
But here's the rub. If I refuse to compromise with those around me so that we can live in peace (as long as the compromise does not include active sin on my part), then I have placed my wants and comforts before God's desire that I be salt and light. In other words, in rejecting relational compromise, I have compromised my personal relationship with God. That's getting it backward. That's sin.
Compromise is necessary whenever two or more people interact. We each have goals and desire that often encroach on each other's lives. If we demand our way in all things, then we each become petty dictators at war with all those around us that interfere with what we want. Compromise is reached through communication and understanding. It's finding a way to live peacefully with each other by balancing and curbing our desires. It is an essential part of love... And of growing up.
Marriage is a good example. Two people come together who have a lot in common but are still bound to have competing goals, habits, and desires. In order to experience the best that marriage has to offer, they must communicate, decide what is most important to them, and bend a bit to make room for each other. We've all seen couples that refuse to do this. One or the other acts as a controlling bully, aggressively lording it over the other.
We see this in modern politics when a party insists on getting its way and "winning" instead of finding solutions that will work for the people they serve, but in all honesty, this also reflects a lack of civility that is growing throughout our society. The Christian values of love and service - even to our enemies - are seen as weak. Uncompromising dominance has become a perceived Christian virtue, and one which - make no mistake - God opposes. Paul was obedient to God by becoming all things to all people so that he could reach as many people as possible (1 Cor 9:19-22). Too often today, Christians are demanding others act just like them before they will even talk to them.
I desire to follow Jesus before I follow my desires or my culture's mandates (I wish I was better at it, but that is the growth point in all our lives). He desires that I reach out in love to reach those far from the gospel. I can't do that if my uncompromising nature has built walls against those who don't agree with me. A culture with room for diversity and different views may be messy, but it allows me access to those who still need to hear the gospel.
Compromise becomes evil when it is the compromise of my personal values and convictions, when I know what is right, but tell God I'm the exception. Jesus comes to us as Lord as well as savior. In fact, he only becomes our savior when we surrender to his Lordship. It is only in those things that would insist on behavior that would violate my relationship with God that I can't compromise.
But here's the rub. If I refuse to compromise with those around me so that we can live in peace (as long as the compromise does not include active sin on my part), then I have placed my wants and comforts before God's desire that I be salt and light. In other words, in rejecting relational compromise, I have compromised my personal relationship with God. That's getting it backward. That's sin.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
What Do You Desire?
I often hear two extremes within the Christian community when it comes to the subject of dreams and desires. One is that humility demands that we abandon our dreams. We should give up ambition, desires, or plans that would make us stand out. Mediocrity is wrongly associated with humility, but our God is not a mediocre God. On the other hand, there is a popular theology that God is there to make all our heart's desires come true. Unfortunately our heart can be misinformed and deceitful, and our desires can be in conflict with God. Neither of these extremes reflect the truth of God's work in our lives.
I want to take the second extreme first. The world is constantly feeding us dreams and desires that are at war with God's wisdom and righteousness. This is especially true when faith and nationalism are mixed. The American dream has much to be said for it, but we must never forget that it was the invention of fallen men. No matter how well informed any founders are, their vision must still be developed, adjusted, and transformed by the gospel. The desire for peace and prosperity can become excuses for selfishness and abusive self-protection if they are not tempered by a strong desire to see God's justice realized for all.
Too often, today's American dream is shaped by consumerism. We are told in numerous commercials and billboards what success is. We are sold an ever-changing and superficial image of beauty to sell products (compare the magazine images of women from different decades to see just how much our vision of beauty is manipulated). We are told daily what we should desire if we want to be seen as significant.
God is a good father who gives good gifts. He will not give us everything we desire because he knows some of those desires will diminish, twist, and even kill us. We need to take time to slow down and bring our desires out into the light. Sit down in prayer, with paper and pencil, and let God help us see what is driving us. God is kind and gentle. His goal is not to humiliate us, but to help us see what is driving us, so we can make conscious decisions about our lives. The harmful, dark, and conflicted desires will be weakened by the light, and the power of his Spirit will allow freedom and growth.
But this doesn't mean the death of dreams. We are made in the image of God. We are to be creative and loving people that make a difference in the world. Too often democracy is twisted into the idea that no one should stand out or do better than anyone else. In fact, we are gifted to stand out in very different ways. We are one body with individual gifts that add value to each other.
I work with students who dream of curing major diseases someday. That's a good dream and should never be hidden. I have also known men and women who have used their gifts to transform neighborhoods, to serve in PTAs to help shape the lives of students, or as scout leaders. They have changed the character of the life around them and should never be dismissed because others thought their ambitions too small. The body of Christ, the village, the city, the nation, even the world needs it all. It's all significant.
That's why dreams and desires are so important. It is important that we choose them well, because they have the power to build up or destroy. They define so much about you. It is also why we don't rank each other's dreams if they are from God. We don't despise a dream because we think it's too grand or to ordinary. If they are from God, they fit and they are important.
Our dreams are too important to be neglected or to leave them unexamined. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23) Dreams shape our heart. If you take your dreams out, examine them with God, and ask for his guidance, he will shape your dreams. But you need to take the time.
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:3-4
I want to take the second extreme first. The world is constantly feeding us dreams and desires that are at war with God's wisdom and righteousness. This is especially true when faith and nationalism are mixed. The American dream has much to be said for it, but we must never forget that it was the invention of fallen men. No matter how well informed any founders are, their vision must still be developed, adjusted, and transformed by the gospel. The desire for peace and prosperity can become excuses for selfishness and abusive self-protection if they are not tempered by a strong desire to see God's justice realized for all.
Too often, today's American dream is shaped by consumerism. We are told in numerous commercials and billboards what success is. We are sold an ever-changing and superficial image of beauty to sell products (compare the magazine images of women from different decades to see just how much our vision of beauty is manipulated). We are told daily what we should desire if we want to be seen as significant.
God is a good father who gives good gifts. He will not give us everything we desire because he knows some of those desires will diminish, twist, and even kill us. We need to take time to slow down and bring our desires out into the light. Sit down in prayer, with paper and pencil, and let God help us see what is driving us. God is kind and gentle. His goal is not to humiliate us, but to help us see what is driving us, so we can make conscious decisions about our lives. The harmful, dark, and conflicted desires will be weakened by the light, and the power of his Spirit will allow freedom and growth.
But this doesn't mean the death of dreams. We are made in the image of God. We are to be creative and loving people that make a difference in the world. Too often democracy is twisted into the idea that no one should stand out or do better than anyone else. In fact, we are gifted to stand out in very different ways. We are one body with individual gifts that add value to each other.
I work with students who dream of curing major diseases someday. That's a good dream and should never be hidden. I have also known men and women who have used their gifts to transform neighborhoods, to serve in PTAs to help shape the lives of students, or as scout leaders. They have changed the character of the life around them and should never be dismissed because others thought their ambitions too small. The body of Christ, the village, the city, the nation, even the world needs it all. It's all significant.
That's why dreams and desires are so important. It is important that we choose them well, because they have the power to build up or destroy. They define so much about you. It is also why we don't rank each other's dreams if they are from God. We don't despise a dream because we think it's too grand or to ordinary. If they are from God, they fit and they are important.
Our dreams are too important to be neglected or to leave them unexamined. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23) Dreams shape our heart. If you take your dreams out, examine them with God, and ask for his guidance, he will shape your dreams. But you need to take the time.
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:3-4
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Awash in the Image of God
Last night I joined 800,000 people along the banks of the Charles river to watch the 4th of July fireworks. I was awash in a sea of humanity that had gathered together to celebrate all we had in common. When the program was over and the applause faded away, that sea of humanity became a sudden flood of people moving through the streets like a river that had jumped its banks. That is the part of the night I like best.
The subway is free after the fireworks, but it takes forever for 800,000 people to squeeze down the stairs and then try to force their way into already filled train cars. I opt to walk a bit further. Starting at MIT, we walk from Boston to Cambridge to catch the train at Harvard Square. That walk is incredible.
First, Boston is a town that rolls up the sidewalks at 9:00 PM. Outside of Fridays and Saturdays, there aren't many people about. But on the 4th the streets are full of people. Every kind of person imaginable. Boston has always been a city of immigrants. There are still well-defined Italian and Irish neighborhood, although the old European lines are fairly blurred. Today add Brazilian, Ethiopian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Australian, Nicaraguan, and... you get the picture. The city is a riot of diverse dress, food, language, and custom all brought together by the desire to prosper together, and on this night, they all move together filling the midnight streets.
I walk with them, and I am fascinated. So many different hopes and dreams. So much creativity. So much love, hope, and - sadly - despair. So much of the image of God displayed in its many facets. It must make Jesus smile.
We often under rate humanity as though it were a mistake that God made on one of his less than inspiring days. But God is an amazing Creator. He never has an off day. He made us as a work of art in his own image. We disrespect God when we see others as a blight, an inconvenience, as enemies, invaders, or just a drain on resources. We honor God when we treasure his image in others. Love is at the center of all he commands. Love for God and love for others - even those who go out of their way to be our enemies.
Human sin doesn't let us off the hook. God so loved sinful humanity that he sacrificed his own Son for them. For them? For us. Those of us who don't recognize our own sinfulness and the great generosity and sacrifice God expressed to meet our need are not yet able to pass that grace on. The main point James wants to make in his book to us is that our faith begins with a powerful act of grace that transforms us into gracious people. If we are not gracious people, then James questions if we know faith yet.
I see too much fear and self-protection in America today, even in the church. This nation is at a crossroads. Do we wrap our fears in religious language and become hostile? Do we prejudicially decide the nation between Democrat and Republican, fifth generation immigrant versus first generation immigrant, free or slave, Jew or Gentile?
Jesus is our peace who has broken down every dividing wall (Eph 2:14) uniting people from every tribe and nation through the new life he brings.
Are you fascinated by the people around you? Do you want to get to know them? Do you desire to have God meet their needs through you? Does the idea of walking through streets filled with people of every color, language, and culture excite you? Then you have been touched and transformed by the kiss of God. Pass it on.
The subway is free after the fireworks, but it takes forever for 800,000 people to squeeze down the stairs and then try to force their way into already filled train cars. I opt to walk a bit further. Starting at MIT, we walk from Boston to Cambridge to catch the train at Harvard Square. That walk is incredible.
First, Boston is a town that rolls up the sidewalks at 9:00 PM. Outside of Fridays and Saturdays, there aren't many people about. But on the 4th the streets are full of people. Every kind of person imaginable. Boston has always been a city of immigrants. There are still well-defined Italian and Irish neighborhood, although the old European lines are fairly blurred. Today add Brazilian, Ethiopian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Australian, Nicaraguan, and... you get the picture. The city is a riot of diverse dress, food, language, and custom all brought together by the desire to prosper together, and on this night, they all move together filling the midnight streets.
I walk with them, and I am fascinated. So many different hopes and dreams. So much creativity. So much love, hope, and - sadly - despair. So much of the image of God displayed in its many facets. It must make Jesus smile.
We often under rate humanity as though it were a mistake that God made on one of his less than inspiring days. But God is an amazing Creator. He never has an off day. He made us as a work of art in his own image. We disrespect God when we see others as a blight, an inconvenience, as enemies, invaders, or just a drain on resources. We honor God when we treasure his image in others. Love is at the center of all he commands. Love for God and love for others - even those who go out of their way to be our enemies.
Human sin doesn't let us off the hook. God so loved sinful humanity that he sacrificed his own Son for them. For them? For us. Those of us who don't recognize our own sinfulness and the great generosity and sacrifice God expressed to meet our need are not yet able to pass that grace on. The main point James wants to make in his book to us is that our faith begins with a powerful act of grace that transforms us into gracious people. If we are not gracious people, then James questions if we know faith yet.
I see too much fear and self-protection in America today, even in the church. This nation is at a crossroads. Do we wrap our fears in religious language and become hostile? Do we prejudicially decide the nation between Democrat and Republican, fifth generation immigrant versus first generation immigrant, free or slave, Jew or Gentile?
Jesus is our peace who has broken down every dividing wall (Eph 2:14) uniting people from every tribe and nation through the new life he brings.
Are you fascinated by the people around you? Do you want to get to know them? Do you desire to have God meet their needs through you? Does the idea of walking through streets filled with people of every color, language, and culture excite you? Then you have been touched and transformed by the kiss of God. Pass it on.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Summer Reading Fun
Summer and reading go together. Hopefully, you get some break in your normal routine to relax and pick up a book, so I thought it might to be helpful to throw out a few fun suggestions. The books that made this list had to be an enjoyable read. If you need an encyclopedia next to you in order to get through the book, that's not a fun summer read. I also chose books that were upbeat and inspiring for this list. I think those are good ingredients for a summer read. Oh, and they tend to be shorter books. No 800 page books here.
Generous Justice, by Timothy Keller. Keller did his homework on this one, but he didn't feel it was necessary to display all of it (there are footnotes for fact checking). Justice is a central theme of both the Old and New Testament. Justice shows that God really does care. As always, Keller focuses on and enlightens the gospel demonstrating once again that God is good.
The Christian Imagination, by Thomas C. Peters. G. K. Chesterton was an imaginative and witty Christian writer. He was known for both his fiction and nonfiction. Peter uses Chesterton's words and stories to explore the value of imagination in a Christian's life. This selection of Chesterton's thoughts is a humorous, creative, and insightful window into one of modern Christianity's most influential writers... and it's short.
Finding Darwin's God, by Kenneth R. Miller. For the scientifically inclined Miller, a Christian professor at Brown University, lays out a simple to understand picture of modern biology's current understanding of our human genetic history. He also explores what the Bible has to say about human origins. This could have been a contentious book, but Miller's tone and respect for those who might disagree with him (while never abandoning a strong defense of truth) make this an enjoyable read.
Fiction is always my favorite. Here's a few fun reads:
The Man Who Was Thursday, by G. K. Chesterton. An imaginary fantasy romp through early twentieth century London. There are spies, disguises, anarchists, and mysterious masterminds enough for anyone. All this while exploring significant theological issues on what it means to follow God.
Monk's Hood, by Ellis Peters. For the mystery lover, Peters created one of the great detectives, the monk Cadfael. A soldier, adventurer, and great sinner turned monk, Cadfael solves mysteries that often contain theological and moral significance.
Monsignor Quixote, by Graham Greene. An probable descendant of a fictional character goes on a cross country trip with a communist mayor. During the trip they discuss God, conviction, and the purpose of life. This comedy explores just what windmills are worth titling with.
For the essay lover, I offer one of my favorites: Teaching a Stone to Talk, by Annie Dillard. Most of these essays come from a period when Dillard was a visiting professor at my alma mater, Western Washington University. This is a series of witty, creative, and startlingly insightful essays about our response to God. It's not unusual to hear God chuckling as he reads over your shoulder.
Just a few ideas. I hope they are helpful.
Generous Justice, by Timothy Keller. Keller did his homework on this one, but he didn't feel it was necessary to display all of it (there are footnotes for fact checking). Justice is a central theme of both the Old and New Testament. Justice shows that God really does care. As always, Keller focuses on and enlightens the gospel demonstrating once again that God is good.
The Christian Imagination, by Thomas C. Peters. G. K. Chesterton was an imaginative and witty Christian writer. He was known for both his fiction and nonfiction. Peter uses Chesterton's words and stories to explore the value of imagination in a Christian's life. This selection of Chesterton's thoughts is a humorous, creative, and insightful window into one of modern Christianity's most influential writers... and it's short.
Finding Darwin's God, by Kenneth R. Miller. For the scientifically inclined Miller, a Christian professor at Brown University, lays out a simple to understand picture of modern biology's current understanding of our human genetic history. He also explores what the Bible has to say about human origins. This could have been a contentious book, but Miller's tone and respect for those who might disagree with him (while never abandoning a strong defense of truth) make this an enjoyable read.
Fiction is always my favorite. Here's a few fun reads:
The Man Who Was Thursday, by G. K. Chesterton. An imaginary fantasy romp through early twentieth century London. There are spies, disguises, anarchists, and mysterious masterminds enough for anyone. All this while exploring significant theological issues on what it means to follow God.
Monk's Hood, by Ellis Peters. For the mystery lover, Peters created one of the great detectives, the monk Cadfael. A soldier, adventurer, and great sinner turned monk, Cadfael solves mysteries that often contain theological and moral significance.
Monsignor Quixote, by Graham Greene. An probable descendant of a fictional character goes on a cross country trip with a communist mayor. During the trip they discuss God, conviction, and the purpose of life. This comedy explores just what windmills are worth titling with.
For the essay lover, I offer one of my favorites: Teaching a Stone to Talk, by Annie Dillard. Most of these essays come from a period when Dillard was a visiting professor at my alma mater, Western Washington University. This is a series of witty, creative, and startlingly insightful essays about our response to God. It's not unusual to hear God chuckling as he reads over your shoulder.
Just a few ideas. I hope they are helpful.
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