In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke to discord saying, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift" (Mt 5:23-24).
His answer to our anger is to lay down the rod of reprisal and raise the bar of human conduct to the level of Divine redemption, which calls for more than simply resisting retribution that in itself may give rise to a begrudging spirit.
Instead, our Lord calls us to seek reconciliation so that both parties may blessed by applying a salve to the wound rather than allow it to remain open and fester through long-term neglect or indifference. The Divine aim is not simply to establish civility in the midst of discord, it is rather to re-establish the chords of mutual care and concern.
Perhaps there is someone you have not been able to forgive because of your frail humanity. Why not seek Divine forgiveness to be channeled through you, coming from the Father who loves us all to the individual you have trouble loving at all? It is His call for you, therefore He can cause it to happen through you. Jus' Say'n.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Monday, February 20, 2017
Following Jesus
One might assume that as Jesus promised "I will be with you always...", he will follow us wherever we go. Doesn't he even go on to say, "I will never leave you as orphans" (Jn 14:18)? Surely these are solid proof texts that he will indeed follow us always and everywhere. Yes, they are wonderful "proof texts" but as so often with proof text that would be out of context.
Are the verses above really suggesting that Jesus will go with us into every venture we undertake? Do you suppose he will go with with you when you "go off" on someone else? Do you think he will come on over when we are "getting over" on the unsuspecting? Can you not think of some place you have gone that you doubt Jesus went, maybe even hope he wasn't present?
In the parable known as "The Prodigal Son," does the Father follow the son who chooses to leave his father behind and go to a far away land where he fills his days with drunkenness and sexual promiscuity? No. But did the father leave him? No. The father does not do the leaving and when the son chooses to return, the father welcomes him home (cf. Luke 15:11-31). But the father does not follow the wayward son in his sinful pursuits.
The context of Jesus never leaving us is in the following of him, not in him following us. The call of the Lord is not, "wait up, I'm right behind you!" The call of Jesus is "come follow me" (Mt 4:19). We are further challenged, "take up you cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24). Our call is to a course correction to turn around (repent) of going our way and begin to follow in his path. And, when we do, he will never go off and leave us behind, regardless of how we struggle and stumble along the way. He will wait for us, help us up, set our feet back on solid round. He will never go off and leave us, though we may well leave him behind as we follow ungodly paths. Jus' Say'n.
Are the verses above really suggesting that Jesus will go with us into every venture we undertake? Do you suppose he will go with with you when you "go off" on someone else? Do you think he will come on over when we are "getting over" on the unsuspecting? Can you not think of some place you have gone that you doubt Jesus went, maybe even hope he wasn't present?
In the parable known as "The Prodigal Son," does the Father follow the son who chooses to leave his father behind and go to a far away land where he fills his days with drunkenness and sexual promiscuity? No. But did the father leave him? No. The father does not do the leaving and when the son chooses to return, the father welcomes him home (cf. Luke 15:11-31). But the father does not follow the wayward son in his sinful pursuits.
The context of Jesus never leaving us is in the following of him, not in him following us. The call of the Lord is not, "wait up, I'm right behind you!" The call of Jesus is "come follow me" (Mt 4:19). We are further challenged, "take up you cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24). Our call is to a course correction to turn around (repent) of going our way and begin to follow in his path. And, when we do, he will never go off and leave us behind, regardless of how we struggle and stumble along the way. He will wait for us, help us up, set our feet back on solid round. He will never go off and leave us, though we may well leave him behind as we follow ungodly paths. Jus' Say'n.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Delegate and Defer
When Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, saw the great number of people who came daily for Moses to settle disputes, he wasn't impressed with the sacrifice of time and energy. Rather than extol how much Moses was willing to sacrifice for the people, he said instead, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone" (Ex 18:17-18).
Jethro went on saying that Moses should appoint reliable men over groups of 1,000s, 100s, 50s and 10s in order to divide out the labor for his own benefit and the benefit of the people who were waiting from morning to night for a very worn out leader to try and decide appropriately. Only the most difficult cases would be held over for Moses allowing the people to be attended to more expeditiously and Moses to judge more fairly.
And then Jethro added, "If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” (v. 23). The final and most important part of Jethro's plan was to defer it all to God. If Moses would delegate the work and defer the responsibility to God, then God, if so willing, would bless the efforts.
It wasn't just a matter of making the best decision and following said plan; success was found in taking that plan to God, laying it at his feet and following his will on the matter. Then all would be well with Moses and with the people for God will always do what is best and right.
Jethro went on saying that Moses should appoint reliable men over groups of 1,000s, 100s, 50s and 10s in order to divide out the labor for his own benefit and the benefit of the people who were waiting from morning to night for a very worn out leader to try and decide appropriately. Only the most difficult cases would be held over for Moses allowing the people to be attended to more expeditiously and Moses to judge more fairly.
And then Jethro added, "If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” (v. 23). The final and most important part of Jethro's plan was to defer it all to God. If Moses would delegate the work and defer the responsibility to God, then God, if so willing, would bless the efforts.
It wasn't just a matter of making the best decision and following said plan; success was found in taking that plan to God, laying it at his feet and following his will on the matter. Then all would be well with Moses and with the people for God will always do what is best and right.
Letting go and letting God, as the mantra goes, is not about taking a seat and letting God take care of everything. It is to choose to do the right thing and then leave the outcome in His hands. In Moses' case it was to entrust the work to others by delegation and then trust God by deferring to His Sovereign rule. We would all do well to listen to Jethro. Jus' Say'n.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Picture That
Jesus is called "...the image of the invisible God..." (Col 1:15). Image, from the Greek "icon," carries the meaning of an exact representation, which is where the name "Nikon" came for the popular camera suggesting that it will capture the exact image of what you are shooting on film (well, at least my Nikon did, yours today captures it digitally).
The point is that Jesus was referred to as the exact representation of God, who so perfectly reflected Him that he could rightly say, "Anyone who has seen me (Jesus) has seen the Father" (Jn 14:19). And, you might be thinking, "Of course, after all, he is the Son of God." True, but who is our Father? Is it not to "our Father in Heaven" (Mt 6:9) to whom we pray? Did not God "create mankind in his own image" (Gen 1:27)? So then, ought we not reflect that His image?
We should reflect His image but we will reflect the image that we hold most closely - that which makes the greatest impression on us, somewhat like "Silly Putty" that you could press on the newspaper and capture its image in the glob.
If money makes the greatest impression, we will reflect greed. If it is power, we will reflect control. If it is sex, we will reflect objectification. As someone once said, "That which we perceive is that which we believe and that which we believe is that which we become.
Like the film of a camera exposed to an image or Silly Putty pressed onto a page, whatever it is that we focus on or press in to the most, that is the image we will bear and others will see reflected. If it is God we hold closely in our hearts, we will bear his image and others will see reflected. And they will know, Christ followers, that "God is really among [us]" (1 Cor 14:25). Jus' Say'n.
The point is that Jesus was referred to as the exact representation of God, who so perfectly reflected Him that he could rightly say, "Anyone who has seen me (Jesus) has seen the Father" (Jn 14:19). And, you might be thinking, "Of course, after all, he is the Son of God." True, but who is our Father? Is it not to "our Father in Heaven" (Mt 6:9) to whom we pray? Did not God "create mankind in his own image" (Gen 1:27)? So then, ought we not reflect that His image?
We should reflect His image but we will reflect the image that we hold most closely - that which makes the greatest impression on us, somewhat like "Silly Putty" that you could press on the newspaper and capture its image in the glob.
If money makes the greatest impression, we will reflect greed. If it is power, we will reflect control. If it is sex, we will reflect objectification. As someone once said, "That which we perceive is that which we believe and that which we believe is that which we become.
Like the film of a camera exposed to an image or Silly Putty pressed onto a page, whatever it is that we focus on or press in to the most, that is the image we will bear and others will see reflected. If it is God we hold closely in our hearts, we will bear his image and others will see reflected. And they will know, Christ followers, that "God is really among [us]" (1 Cor 14:25). Jus' Say'n.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Plumb Wrong
I haven't heard the expression in a while but I grew up hearing it and using it quite a bit: "That's just plumb wrong!" It refers to the use of a plumb line that suspends a "bob" from a down along a wall to determine if it is exactly vertical. Why bother? Why not just "eyeball" the wall and decide for yourself if it is vertically straight? Why must we go back to a standard of orthodoxy set so long ago?
Why? Because exactly straight is objective, not subjective. Straight is straight and level is level. The standard is used because it is actual and factual, not relative to individual interpretation or personal preference. If builders eyeballed walls, we'd have a lot of off-plumb and unsafe buildings because the naked eye is subject to individual interpretation, which is often off-plumb.
The apostle John wrote, "the one who does what is right is righteous (1 Jn 3:4) and "the one who does what is wrong is not a child of God" (v. 10). He is plainly saying that there is a plumb right and a plumb wrong in God's sight. God, despite how much we might want to waffle on right and wrong, "does not change like the shifting shadows" (Js 1:17).
Despite our fickle cultural mores, there is and always will be an actual right and wrong, good and evil, true and false. It is not up to us to determine those values but rather to discover them by searching the Word of God, seeking His Spirit, observing His Creation, and using the truth therein as a plumb line. Jus' Say'n.
Why? Because exactly straight is objective, not subjective. Straight is straight and level is level. The standard is used because it is actual and factual, not relative to individual interpretation or personal preference. If builders eyeballed walls, we'd have a lot of off-plumb and unsafe buildings because the naked eye is subject to individual interpretation, which is often off-plumb.
The apostle John wrote, "the one who does what is right is righteous (1 Jn 3:4) and "the one who does what is wrong is not a child of God" (v. 10). He is plainly saying that there is a plumb right and a plumb wrong in God's sight. God, despite how much we might want to waffle on right and wrong, "does not change like the shifting shadows" (Js 1:17).
Despite our fickle cultural mores, there is and always will be an actual right and wrong, good and evil, true and false. It is not up to us to determine those values but rather to discover them by searching the Word of God, seeking His Spirit, observing His Creation, and using the truth therein as a plumb line. Jus' Say'n.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Rule Keepers
Growing up I understood religion as more or less keeping rules. I saw thing in a setting of black and white "Thou Shalts" and "Thou Shalt Nots." As I grew into adolescence, I was taken by how many "Thou Shalt Nots" there were and began to think of the church as the "Thou Shalt Not Church." There is even a mantra that jokingly captures the sentiment: "We don't smoke and we don't chew, and we don't date girls that do."
The problem with reducing faith to rule-keeping is that rule keepers are drawn to becoming rule enforcers and rule enforcers find it difficult to love rule breakers, while God calls us to kingdom life that has as a cornerstone loving a world full of ruler breakers: "For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only begotten Son that whosoever believe on him shall not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn 3:16).
This "love over rule-keeping" is so paramount that the apostle Paul drove a spiritual stake in the ground saying, "The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 13:9-10).
The Christian Faith is not about discovering, defining and decreeing rules to keep and enforce; the Christian Faith is about discovering the love of God and living a life in which that love is reflected to the world about us: "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us" (1 Jn 4:11-12).
The point is that God has not called us to be judges or lawyers or policemen - God has called us to be witnesses of his great love poured out into our lives. And love needs no rules, it naturally leads us to discovering and doing the right and best thing for the objects of our love, which are to be God and others.
When we love, we will not kill, steal, lie, etc. because we do not want to bring harm to those we love. We will worship, honor and follow in the steps of our Lord because we love and respect him. Love equally does not lead to judgment but rather to relationship that shares faith rather than enforces rules. Biblical faith causes us to value the sinners about us rather than resent them for being rule-breakers.
I'm not saying we should accept, embrace or even tolerate sins. What I am saying and know the Bible teaches is that we should love and accept the sinner, while trying to help free them from sin and its consequences calling them rather than condemning them. Jus' Say'n.
The problem with reducing faith to rule-keeping is that rule keepers are drawn to becoming rule enforcers and rule enforcers find it difficult to love rule breakers, while God calls us to kingdom life that has as a cornerstone loving a world full of ruler breakers: "For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only begotten Son that whosoever believe on him shall not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn 3:16).
This "love over rule-keeping" is so paramount that the apostle Paul drove a spiritual stake in the ground saying, "The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 13:9-10).
The Christian Faith is not about discovering, defining and decreeing rules to keep and enforce; the Christian Faith is about discovering the love of God and living a life in which that love is reflected to the world about us: "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us" (1 Jn 4:11-12).
The point is that God has not called us to be judges or lawyers or policemen - God has called us to be witnesses of his great love poured out into our lives. And love needs no rules, it naturally leads us to discovering and doing the right and best thing for the objects of our love, which are to be God and others.
When we love, we will not kill, steal, lie, etc. because we do not want to bring harm to those we love. We will worship, honor and follow in the steps of our Lord because we love and respect him. Love equally does not lead to judgment but rather to relationship that shares faith rather than enforces rules. Biblical faith causes us to value the sinners about us rather than resent them for being rule-breakers.
I'm not saying we should accept, embrace or even tolerate sins. What I am saying and know the Bible teaches is that we should love and accept the sinner, while trying to help free them from sin and its consequences calling them rather than condemning them. Jus' Say'n.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Hardening Hearts
In reading the account of the plagues brought on Pharoah, we read that he hardened his heart but in Exodus 9:12, we read, "But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses." This statement has caused some to question God's judgment against Pharaoh: "One of you will say to me: 'Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?'" (Rom 9:19).
The apostle Paul did not give a defense for God's action, he simply said, "But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' ” (v. 20). Paul asserted God's sovereignty in what he does. However, we also know that God is just. So, would a just God make someone do wrong and then punish him for it?
I believe He could if that were His choice but I don't believe he does or did in Pharaoh's case. I don't believe God took away his freedom of choice at all as evidenced by the 10 separate opportunities to obey. I believe that God hardened Pharaoh's heart by simply making the demand, "Let my people go!" By setting a positive command before him, God set in motion Pharaoh's negative response.
People are tempted to touch a bench with a sign reading "Don't touch, wet paint!" We are tempted to step over a line drawn in the sand. Just tell someone that they must or must not do something and watch the reaction. Being told what we must or must not do often motivates us to do just the opposite. In that sense our hearts have been hardened by the one making the demand.
However, God who created us has the sovereign right to make demands. He is just in making them and just in judging us when we bow up against His will or harden our hearts. God has no need to defend himself, but we have a need to understand God's justice and his sovereign will over our lives. Jus' Say'n.
The apostle Paul did not give a defense for God's action, he simply said, "But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' ” (v. 20). Paul asserted God's sovereignty in what he does. However, we also know that God is just. So, would a just God make someone do wrong and then punish him for it?
I believe He could if that were His choice but I don't believe he does or did in Pharaoh's case. I don't believe God took away his freedom of choice at all as evidenced by the 10 separate opportunities to obey. I believe that God hardened Pharaoh's heart by simply making the demand, "Let my people go!" By setting a positive command before him, God set in motion Pharaoh's negative response.
People are tempted to touch a bench with a sign reading "Don't touch, wet paint!" We are tempted to step over a line drawn in the sand. Just tell someone that they must or must not do something and watch the reaction. Being told what we must or must not do often motivates us to do just the opposite. In that sense our hearts have been hardened by the one making the demand.
However, God who created us has the sovereign right to make demands. He is just in making them and just in judging us when we bow up against His will or harden our hearts. God has no need to defend himself, but we have a need to understand God's justice and his sovereign will over our lives. Jus' Say'n.
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