The Importance of Regular Giving During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Allow me to be clear right up front.  This particular blog entry is intended for those who consider themselves to be committed Christians who’s desire it is to follow God’s word for their lives.  My congregation will often hear me refer to 3P giving as our biblical model for giving to the church.  I didn’t come up with it. I got it from Andy Stanley out of North Point church.  But I think it addresses New Testament giving pretty well.  The 3 “P”s are priority, percentage, and progressive.  That is first we make our giving to the church a priority.  What we give comes off the top.  We give to the church up front before we pay our bills and before we go spending on entertainment for the weekend.  The idea behind this is God is not interested in our leftovers.  He wants our giving to be an up-front commitment.  Second, we make sure we have a set percentage of our income that we are giving to the church.  This is often where the concept of a 10% tithe comes into play.  The 10% tithe is more of an Old Testament concept, so I encourage my congregation to choose a percentage that challenges their faith a little and then give it joyfully.  Following this plan there are some who give even more than 10% of their income.  The final “P” is to remember to make our giving progressive.  That is as we continue to give and as we continue to live biblically with our finances, our margin tends to grow, and we can look to increase our percentage giving.

But what do we do when financial hardship hits as has been the case for many during this pandemic?  Well my short answer is you keep right on giving.  There is no reason why you still can’t practice 3P giving even when times are tough.  I’ve always been inspired by the sacrificial giving of the Macedonian church referred to in 2^nd Corinthians 8:1-3.  We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord. I think we can safely say we are experiencing a “servere test of affliction” right now, but like the Macedonian church we can still be regular 3P givers.  It might look a little different, but we can still do it.  I can think of three ways it might look for you. 

1. You step out in faith and keep on giving the same amount even though what you are taking in has decreased.  That’s not necessarily a recommendation for everyone but depending on your financial circumstances it might well be something you can commit to and feel good about. 

2. You keep giving at the same percentage you always have but because you have less coming in, the amount you give will also be less.  For some of you this may be what you are faced with doing.  Especially if you already didn’t have much margin between your income and your expenses before your financial hardship hit. 

3. You still give regularly off the top, but you have to temporarily decrease your percentage.  If your situation is dire, this may be a choice you have to make. 

But I still can’t stress enough the importance of regular 3P giving.  I put it right on par with reading your bible and prayer as vital spiritual disciplines in your Christian life.  I can remember the earlier years of our marriage when we weren’t making much money at all and God had also clearly led us to international adoption as the way He wanted us to have a family. In trying to save up for the significant cost of adoption the temptation was there to cut back on our 3P giving.  I’m so glad we didn’t!  God provided in some truly miraculous ways for us to adopt our two children.  Perhaps that’s another blog for another time.  It was such a joy to see God provide for that specific need as we continued in our faithful giving. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God honors our faithful giving. Perhaps especially so during difficult times.  The need to give to the church is as great now as it has ever been.  May you keep up your faithful giving during this time, and may you know the blessings God will continue to bring. 

No Choice but to be Pro-Life

I am trying to figure out what’s going on with our country around the abortion issue.  Seeing New York and Virginia in the news lately legislating and promoting late term abortions and even in some cases infanticide has been downright shocking.

I am pro-life.  I am pro-life unapologetically so.  And by pro-life I mean that I am against abortions.  I see abortion as the taking of a human life so that should not surprise you.  What scares me is the thought that some people might see abortion as the taking of a human life and are still pro-choice.  I tend to give people who are pro-choice the benefit of the doubt that they must see what’s in the womb as not a human life (even though it’s not long before what’s in the womb happens to have a heart beat and is able to feel pain). 

And if it’s okay with you I can do without the argument that people who are pro-life are not so pro-life when it comes to issues after a baby has been born.  All that does is confuse the issue.  Everyone should know by now that the term pro-life refers to being against abortions only.  I am happy to have a good rigorous discussion with pro-choicers about all those other issues, but they have nothing to do with the pro-life stance. 

To me in an ideal world everyone would be pro-life.  It wouldn’t even be an issue. Then all the politicians could have their ongoing discussions about what to do with health-care, gun control, welfare, and all sorts of other issues affecting the quality of our life, but everyone would agree that babies deserve the chance to be born into this world and not killed.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.  Psalm 139:13-16

Here’s another reason I am pro-life.  I’m an adoptive parent.  I am eternally grateful to a woman in Vietnam and a woman in Russia who I will never meet, because those two women gave birth to my son and my daughter.  Giving up a child for adoption when you don’t feel like you will be ready to take care of that child is one of the most courageous, selfless, and beautiful acts imaginable.  I’m quite sure it was inconvenient and hard for the birth-mothers of my children, but I sure am glad they did the right thing.  Adoption is a choice everyone should be able to get behind.  Actually, I long for the day when pro-choice would mean something entirely different.  I long for the day when pro-choice would mean either the child is kept or the child is put up for adoption.  That’s a pro-choice stance I could get behind.

So why am I writing this blog?  As a pastor I felt like I had to.  I felt like not somehow speaking up in an environment that is growing more and more toxic towards the unborn would go against my role as a Christian leader.  God put it on my heart to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, and I’m glad I did. 

Is Tom Brady Becoming Likable?

I’ve got my hometown football team on the mind after yet another Super Bowl victory last night.  It looks like that passage from Daniel came true. I saw it (the goat) attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. (Daniel 8:7-8).  I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised.  Daniel is after all a prophet. But let me be clear; I’m not writing this blog to gloat as a Patriots fan.  I’m more wondering about the possibility that Tom Brady is actually becoming a likable guy.  When I say “likable” of course I am not talking about New England fans.  We all love him.  I’m talking about what the rest of the country thinks of him. Was it just me or did Brady come across like an older, wiser, more humble version of himself during this Super Bowl run?  He seemed more thankful and almost dumbfounded that he was playing in his 9^th Super Bowl.  I heard him more and more talking about family and good friends and the things that really matter in life.  And who can forget this classic answer from a young kid’s question about what to do with the haters?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFOxHlyoocY He tells him you have to love the haters and wish them the best. It reminds me of Romans 12:20. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.

Look, I get why people outside of New England don’t like the Patriots and are a little tired of Tom Brady.  I’d imagine if I wasn’t from the New England area and I was rooting for another team I might feel the same way.  But I would like to think that Brady is giving fans outside of New England more and more reasons to at the very least respect him, and maybe even like him.  In an honest moment, I always liked Drew Bledsoe more as a person than I did Tom Brady, but I find lately Brady is giving me more reasons to like him as a person and not just as the greatest quarterback of all time.  I can remember about 3 or 4 years ago the N.F.L. brought out their all-time greats to be introduced before a game.  To me it ended up being a fascinating lesson on the condition of our society.  Ray Lewis, a likely accessory to murder, received a rousing ovation, and Tom Brady got booed. Unbelievable! At that time I think the fans just saw the arrogant pretty-boy quarterback who is married to a supermodel, who is tainted by spy-gate and deflate-gate, and who they were sick and tired of seeing win.  Today I’d like to think they are starting to see him a bit different; as a genuinely good guy who is thankful and even a little bit astounded by his success.  That’s how I seem him anyways. 

In Defense of Masculinity

With the latest Gillette ad causing lots of acrimony I thought I would throw in my two cents. First of all, I’m glad they did it.  It’s not that I agree with every single part of the ad.  And let me just say I’m not a big fan of any ad that leaves me feeling like I’ve just been sanctimoniously lectured.  That being said, I feel like the ad has started a meaningful conversation about men and their behaviors.  The buzz-phrase these days is toxic-masculinity.  In the past we’ve used terms like chauvinistic, sexist, and boorish, and if that is what toxic-masculinity is then count me as being against it one hundred percent.  Except that I think on the part of some, these more obvious obnoxious behaviors are not what they are talking about.  I think some are simply equating masculinity with toxic.  As in anything that happens to emphasize your manliness is a bad thing.  That is where I would part company.  You see I believe that God created me as a man and along with that there are certain masculine aspects of being a man that God intended; the good things about being a man.  The bad things happen when our sin screws up what God intended.  I have a verse that I use at the bottom of all my communication with our men’s group that I think sums up what Godly masculinity might look like.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 

1^st Corinthians 16:13-14 (E.S.V.)

Even beyond the obvious command to act like men, you can see how the rest of that verse encourages what I might call a healthy masculinity.  The watchful part brings to mind being protective.  We are on the lookout for people or things that might bring harm to those we love.  The more we stand firm in our faith the more we become men of character and integrity; men who do the right thing when it’s easier to do the wrong thing.  And yes we are called to be strong and that’s okay.  Obviously that is referring to more than just physical strength.  It’s also about being dependable, reliable, and courageous.  Of course we can’t rely on the first group of characteristics without the last and most important part of that command; to let all that we do be done in love.  Therein lies the challenge for all men (and women too for that matter).  When we forget the love part, we start doing things out of self-interest and selfish ambition, and yes, that sometimes can lead to a toxic form of masculinity as opposed to the masculinity God calls us to; the masculinity that this verse calls us to.  Let’s embrace the masculinity of 1^st Corinthians 16:13-14.  And come on ladies; isn’t that the kind of man you want in your life?  It’s anything but toxic.  Its men as God intended.

Kavanaugh and Forgiveness in Politics

I’ve been struggling with this whole Judge Kavanaugh thing.  Here’s what I’m getting at.  What if the allegations against him are one hundred percent true?  And what if he were to admit that and apologize for it?  What if he said something like the following?  “I did in fact make a terrible mistake back in high school.  I am deeply saddened by the pain I have caused this woman over the years.  I was young and dumb but there is still no excuse for what I did and I am truly sorry for it. It was a single moment in my life where I failed to show respect to a member of the opposite sex.  It was the only moment and it was under the influence of a good deal of alcohol.  My life besides that has been marked by nothing but the utmost respect and care for all women as is evidenced by the many who have come to my defense.”

If Judge Kavanaugh came out and said something like that would we forgive him?  Would you forgive him?  And what would that forgiveness look like?  Should he still be allowed to go forward and be confirmed?  If Kavanaugh has shown a pattern of disrespect for women and sexual abuse similar to the Bill Clintons and Donald Trumps of the world that would of course be a totally different story.  If there was a way to do it I think both of those men should have been disqualified from running for public office.  But a onetime offense 36 years ago in an otherwise moral and upright life seems to me to be entirely different.  If you know me and my writings, you know that I lean conservative.  But I think I can sincerely say that if it was Hillary Clinton who got elected and the exact same situation was taking place with a judge she nominated, I would say that judge would deserve to go forward with the confirmation process too.  For many ideological reasons I wouldn’t want to see that judge get confirmed, but would still think he should be able to go forward with the process.

I think if we are honest with ourselves, when it’s someone we disagree with politically we tend to be unforgiving and at times downright condemning, and when it’s someone we agree with politically we are far more forgiving and willing to find excuses for their behavior.  I know that is my inclination but I do my best to fight it.  It was Jesus who said we should forgive our brother 7 x 70.  I realize that doesn’t necessarily mean that the person being forgiven still shouldn’t have some consequences for their actions but in the particular case of Kavanaugh it would seem to me the insistence on punitive consequences is entirely political. 

For the record I am not even close to sold on Ford’s story and I’m disgusted with the timing of this on Feinstein’s part which is a political move for the sole purpose of delaying the confirmation.  But all that aside, my challenge in writing this post is to get us thinking about forgiveness and consequences in the political sphere.  I highly question the allegations against Kavanaugh, but given the scenario I’ve painted I am willing to forgive and forget.  Are you?                 

Still Proud to be an Evangelical

I’m tired…… and sometimes a little angry at all the confusion I see around one word.  That word is evangelical.  When I say there is confusion around this word that’s probably an understatement; more like massive delusions in some cases.  Perhaps it might be helpful to share up front what evangelicals are not.  They are not white.  They are not Republican.  They are not conservatives.  They are not nationalists.  And they certainly are not racist, bigoted, homophobic, and hateful as some like to portray them.

So what is an evangelical then?  I think Ed Stetzer of Christianity Today gives a pretty good summary in listing four distinct beliefs that evangelicals hold. 

·        The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.

·        It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

·        Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.

·        Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation.

Evangelical comes from the word evangelion which refers to sharing the good news about Jesus Christ. So to all of my Christian friends out there I would just like to say if you buy in to the four points listed above you are an evangelical regardless of what your political persuasion.  Based on those points I am proud to wear the evangelical badge.  I think the thing that saddens me most is that more and more I am hearing other Christians speak derogatorily about evangelicals even though using the identification above they are likely evangelicals themselves.

So I guess this blog entry is just a friendly reminder to my left leaning Christian friends that those Christians who may be more conservative then you are not the enemy.  They are your brothers and sisters in Christ.  And yes a decent chunk of them even voted for Trump.  Some did so because they actually liked him as a candidate.  I believe most did so because they saw him as the lesser of two evils that they felt forced to choose between.  Either way I think it’s important to point out that this group of people believes our calling to care for the least of these is just as important as you do.  The Christian left does not have sole claim there.  There are just two very different philosophies as to how you go about doing so and the government’s role is in doing so. 

The bottom line is we are all called to the two greatest commandments Jesus gave us; to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  And if you ask me those four points I listed should be at the core of what all Christians believe; not just those who identify as evangelical.  Personally I always found the term “evangelical Christian” to be redundant.  Because whenever I would read a definition of evangelical I would come away thinking “how is that different than simply being Christian?”  Biblically speaking it’s not.  So maybe we should be done with the term evangelical all together and we’ll just call ourselves Christians.  One big massive world-wide group of people with all kinds of political persuasions with one thing in common; we’ve all repented of our sins to God and have accepted His love and grace in making Jesus our Lord and Savior.  It’s either that or we all work at redeeming the word evangelical together and bring it back to its true Christian meaning.  I could get behind that too but unfortunately at this point I think the former would be a lot easier. 

Pondering College and Student Loan Debt - Time to Stop the Madness

I have one kid finishing up his sophomore year in college and one kid finishing up her senior year in high school with her post-high school decision still looming, so needless to say I am right in the middle of dealing with how to pay for college.  One thing is for certain; as a country we are out of control with college debt.  It seems the more I read about it and the more casual conversations I have with other parents about it the more shocked I become.

There seems to be a prevailing mentality out there that you do whatever you have to do to get your kid through a 4 year college.  If that means taking on massive debt then so be it.  The conventional wisdom is that it will pay off in the long run.  But for more and more young people it’s not paying off the way they thought it would.  It doesn’t necessarily guarantee them a good paying job in their choice of careers.  I was reading just the other day that only one third of college graduates get jobs upon graduation in their chosen career. (https://hbr.org/2016/05/two-thirds-of-college-grads-struggle-to-launch-their-careers) And in 2014 51% of college grads were in jobs that did not require a degree. (http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=10%2F9%2F2014&id=pr846&ed=10%2F9%2F2099) There are more and more baristas and bartenders out there with four year degrees.  Many of whom have large monthly student loan payments. 

I believe young people and their parents need to start asking the tough questions about whether or not college is the right choice.  Many college grads would have been far better off going to a tech school and learning a trade.  The average college debt in 2016 was $37,172 and the average monthly payment was $351.00. (https://studentloanhero.com/student-loan-debt-statistics/).  On a personal level I have talked to many who are saddled with student loan debt far worse than that.  For some it was a worthwhile investment; for many others it has not been.  I actually spoke to a parent the other day who was figuring her child would have to come out of college with around $100.000.00 in debt, as if she had no other choice.

It’s time to stop the madness.  We have lots of other choices.  Community College, Junior College, tech schools, on line learning, enlisting in the Military and letting them pay, and working full time your first year out of high school to save up first are a few options that come to mind.  We need to get away from this idea that our kids are somehow missing out if they don’t immediately go into a 4 year school upon high school graduation.  They will survive and might even learn some valuable life lessons along the way.  And don’t even get me started on the cost of fraternities and sororities.

Since this is a blog with a Christian emphasis let me close with a couple of thoughts based on what the bible has to say about debt.  Romans 13:8b states Don’t’ run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe to each other. (The Message) The book of Proverbs has a good deal to say about going into debt.  I think my favorite one would be Proverbs 22:7 - The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (N.I.V.)  I think that depicts perfectly what debt can do to us.  It makes us slaves.  We have to get through life with a massive ball in chain we call debt.  It’s just not worth it and as parents we certainly don’t want to saddle our kids with it.  I am thankful to be able to say that our son will graduate with no debt and depending on the choice our daughter makes she will graduate with either a small monthly payment or no debt as well.  As parents we all should do what we can to help our kids make wise decisions in this area.  They may not thank us initially, but they definitely will down the road.      

My Personal and Hopefully Christian Response to the Latest Mass Shooting

Another mass shooting took place last night.  So tragic!  My heart and prayers go out to the families of the victims in Parkland Florida.  Understandably with every mass shooting the gun control debate comes up again.  For whatever its worth I would like to see a ban on assault style weapons.  They're just not necessary.  But as anyone who has researched the matter will tell you it would do little to nothing to stop gun deaths in our country.  If you are seriously angry about gun deaths this morning then you should really be directing your anger at the sale of hand guns.  The vast majority of the gun deaths in our country are committed one at a time with hand guns.  Deaths involving assault rifles are around 1%.  Just google "gun deaths with assault rifles verses hand guns” and do some reading. Understandably we are outraged after these mass shootings.  But should we not be just as outraged about the other 99% of deaths taking place with hand guns each and every day?

Most reading this understand that I am a follower of Jesus.  I try to live my life by that old saying that was so trendy a few years back, “what would Jesus do?” Knowing He is the one who told us to turn the other cheek and who told Peter to put away his sword, I’m thinking He might have some issues with the gun culture in our country.  So I guess I part company with my usual more conservative takes on this particular issue.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a believer in the 2^nd amendment.  I’m just a believer in the second amendment with some controls around it.  So I say ban the assault weapons and establish an extreme vetting process for hand guns.  I don’t think hand guns should be banned all together because I realize many law abiding citizens own them for purposes of self-defense.  As a pastor I never imagined I would have to think about the “what ifs” of a shooter coming through our door.  To be honest, taking my congregation through active shooter drills seems a little pointless to me.  What would give me a lot more peace of mind is knowing I have someone in my congregation with a license to carry.

I think these solutions I’m suggesting might make a small dent in our country's gun violence, but to see a significant change we need a lot more than stricter gun control.  More than anything this is a moral issue.  It’s about valuing and respecting life.  It’s about more dads being present in the home and being a good example for their sons to follow because most of those gun deaths are committed by teenage boys and young men.  A significant change in our moral compass would do far more than any type of gun control.  The church can and should play a significant role in this.  And this might sound a little simplistic but perhaps the best way to get that started is to keep posing that question I referred to earlier; “what would Jesus do?”  I can think of no greater respecter of life than He.          

The Sojourner and our Immigration Issues

I’ve been reading through a lot of the Old Testament law lately in my bible reading and I have to admit I’ve been struck by how often the “sojourner” is referred to.  It’s almost always in reference to laws calling on the Israelites to care for and look out for the sojourner’s needs, and often included with the fatherless and the widow.  Since these verses about the sojourner are often referred to in our current immigration debate I thought I would share my two cents on the issue.  Here they are in no particular order.

1.     The sojourner references in the books of the law do not necessarily relate directly to our immigration issues.  Our immigration issues are more about the laws of our land and how people lawfully or unlawfully come to our country, and what we do with them once they are here.  So as Christians we can care for them and help them while at the same time believe that our laws should limit how many can come to our country and which ones should come to our country.  All developed countries have laws for the same purposes.  It’s not uncompassionate at all.  It’s just part of being a country. 

2.     Regardless of what the current law is we will always have sojourners to care for.  Similar to when Jesus said “the poor will always be among us”, so is the case with immigrants.  Hopefully it will be more legal ones and fewer illegal ones, but either way they will always be among us and we will always be able to exercise our Christian obligation to show them care.  No one anywhere is saying we should have no more immigration.  Not in the House, not in the Senate, and not in the White House.  The issue is about how many and from where as it pertains to what is in the best interest of our nation.    

3.     Disparaging other Countries is not helpful to the ongoing conversation.  And that’s all I’ll say about our president on that.

4.     Calling people whose opinions are different than yours racist is not helpful to the ongoing conversation either.  It’s weak, tired, and intellectually lazy.  If you are such a person who has done so, I encourage you to sit down with someone who disagrees with you.  Get to know them.  Get to know their passions and their heart, and why they believe the way they do.  I guarantee if you do you will come away with a much better opinion of that person and you’ll be the better for it. 

5.     I think DACA makes sense.  Our country is all these dreamers know.  They were born here and live here just like the rest of us.  I personally don’t want to hold their parents wrong doings against them.  Give them a path to citizenship even if it costs us more as a country to do so.  It seems to me the Christian thing to do.  It’s an act of grace and our God is a God of grace.

As someone who travels in a lot of Christian circles I have spoken with well-meaning folks on both sides of this issue.  If you find yourself on one extreme or the other, just remember that the Christians who see it differently than you do are your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  They are not the enemy.  Remember Colossians 3:13-14 - Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.  May we all maintain that bond of love; even in our differences…… no especially in our differences.

What are we Learning from the Sexual Misconduct Epidemic?

Here we go again.  Driving to work this morning I put on the radio and heard about the latest celebrity/politician/person in power to have lost his job due to sexual misconduct.  Perhaps this time it’s the biggest name of all; Matt Lauer.  He has been a part of many American’s morning routine for 20 years. The list of sexual deviants is getting hard to keep track of.  It seems like there’s been someone new every week for a few months now.  Frankly, some are easier to process than others.  Harvey Weinstein was easy.  He was just a name.  Then we all started seeing his face, and he kind of has a dirty old man look about him anyway.  But not Matt Lauer; he represents America as much as baseball and apple pie. 

I suppose if we’ve learned anything it’s that we shouldn’t be surprised by anyone.  But I hope we’ve learned more than just that.  I hope our country has learned some other lessons.  The one I’ve heard most is that we have a new found respect for women in the work place and all areas of life.  I for one, certainly hope that will be the case.  With all these accusations coming out I’d like to think men will think twice about their behaviors, and that’s a good thing.  But in the end I’m afraid that doesn’t address why men behave that way in the first place.  If only there were some teaching somewhere about our sexuality and relationships, and how to honor and respect the opposite sex.  Oh wait.  That’s right.  There is.  It’s called the bible; the very book that many in Hollywood who are so upset about all this sexual misconduct make a mockery of.  Only prudish Christians would follow that book right.  Well I’m sorry but I think it might give us a little better direction than what we are learning from our movies, TV, and music.  Our culture on the whole is a porn addicted, swipe right, hook-up culture, and it is greatly influenced by the entertainment industry.  My only point is if a whole industry does nothing but promote immoral living, than we shouldn’t be all that surprised when we see immoral sexual misconduct surface among those in that industry. 

I get that it’s not just Hollywood and the entertainment industry dealing with all this.  We can point to all types and all persuasions when it comes to this problem.  It’s just that when I look at Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general that old saying “you reap what you sow” comes to mind.  Actually that would be Galatians 6:7 - “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”  

Being respectful of women is a good place to start, but pulling that off is still going to be difficult for many men if they don’t first have a change of heart.  And that change of heart comes from committing your life to the God of the bible.  God has shown us how to honor, respect, and love others through His son Jesus Christ.  God has shown us the proper context for sexual relations within the confines of marriage.  That might sound fuddy-duddy to some, but if we were all following God’s direction in this area there would be no sexual misconduct.  I can’t help but wonder what all those people who were making fun of Mike Pence and his rules for being alone with women think now.  Those rules have helped him honor God, honor his wife, and honor other women.  There’s nothing wrong with that. And as long as he keeps following those rules you will see no sexual misconduct coming from our Vice President.  It’s my sincere hope and prayer that some folks will make the connection from their behavior to a God who loves them and created them and who want’s what’s best for them in their relationships. Then and only then will we start to see true change.      

Boycotting Boycotts

That’s it!  I’m fed up.  I am outraged by all the outrage.  I’m done.  I am boycotting boycotts.  What brought me to this decision you ask?  The other day I was sharing on Facebook my frustration with the quality of Starbucks breakfast sandwiches and after some lighthearted banter one of my friends chimed in with “I don’t go to Starbucks at all because of the C.E.O.’s view on Christians.”  So much for our lighthearted banter.  Don’t get me wrong.  As most reading this know, I am a Christian myself, and I’m sure I wouldn’t be very thrilled about whatever the Starbucks C.E.O. has to say about Christians.  But can I be honest for a moment?  Deep down, I really don’t care what he has to say.  I just want a good cup of coffee and a decent breakfast sandwich (turns out I have to go down the road to Dunkin Donuts to get the latter).  Maybe that makes me shallow.  Maybe that means I don’t care enough.  I don’t know.  But the more I think about it, if I’m going to boycott every company that might go against my Christian faith in some way shape or form, I may not have a lot of options left.  Just for fun I decided to google “Companies Christians should boycott” and I came across an article listing 132 companies to stay away from, and for good measure it gave me 42 celebrities not to support.  Who has the time?!?  And if I’m going to make a list of companies to boycott, Starbucks might fall pretty far down that list.  What about Nike, and all those other companies that have been known for using child labor?  I should probably start there.  From what I hear, shopping for clothes in an ethical manner can become a very difficult task.  So for me to boycott Starbucks and the occasional other company that disagrees with my Christian perspective on the latest social issue just feels a little inconsistent.  I feel like I should either be all in or not bother with boycotting at all.  Since I don’t have the time or energy to be all in, I think for now I will just go with not boycotting at all…… but if it's alright with you I'm still going to frequent my favorite Christian restaurant, Chick-Fil-A.         

Vain Pursuits

I’ve been going through the book of Acts with my congregation lately.  It’s been a lot of fun as we see the many miraculous ways God grew the early church through the apostles.  Of course the apostle who gets the most coverage would be Paul.  This Sunday we are up to chapter 14 where Paul and Barnabas heal a lame man in the city of Lystra and the locals proceed to treat them like gods and they try making sacrifices to them thinking they are Zeus and Hermes.  To their credit Paul and Barnabas would have none of that.  I must admit I might have been tempted to enjoy that adulation for at least a little while if I was in their shoes…….. or sandals.  Paul and Barnabas however exclaim in verse 15 Friends why are you doing this?  We too are only human, like you.  We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these vain things to the living God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.  Essentially they were saying “don’t’ worship the created (in this case Paul and Barnabas).  Worship the creator.”  Treating Paul and Barnabas like gods was a vain pursuit.  It was worthless senseless and foolish.  That’s what a vain pursuit is.

We all run the risk of getting too caught up in vain things.  The reason for this is because God created us to be worshippers.  We all worship something or someone whether we realize it or not.  This little story in Acts chapter 14 is a good reminder to keep our worship where it belongs; on God.  So all this got me thinking what are our vain pursuits?  We live in a country with a whole lot of them.  Material possessions and a celebrity culture are everywhere we look.  I also see it in politics where people can get way too caught up in the political process and political figures.  In some cases the political process is one’s religion and certain political figures become their god.  Don’t believe me?  Watch any presidential election night and specifically all those shots of the side whose candidate did not win.  The weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth can be a little over the top.  It is almost like they have placed their salvation in their particular candidate.  I’m not saying we shouldn’t be involved in the political process, I’m just saying it shouldn’t become our religion.  I’m grieves me to say I’ve seen this take place with a number of Christians.  It starts innocently enough with their faith informing their politics but somewhere along the way things get turned upside down and there is little doubt that their politics are now informing their faith.

Another place I see the pursuit and even worship of vain things or people is with our celebrity culture.  This especially seems to be the case with rock stars.  I have only been to one secular concert in my life.  Some friends of mine convinced me to go to an R E M concert with them back in college.  The concert was decent and I had some fun with my friends but there has always been something that bugs me about concerts.  It just seems too much like worship to me.  At least at most Christian concerts the emphasis is on worshipping God and not the people playing on the stage.  So I’ve been just fine with my decision not to attend a secular concert since college.  This is just me, and I’m not saying if you like to go to secular concerts that you are committing idolatry.  And it’s not like it’s even a hard and fast rule for me.  I suppose if someone came up to me and said “Pete I’ve got two tickets to U2 tonight. You want to come?” I would probably accept.  I also hear Bruce Springsteen still puts on one of the best shows in the business.  That sounds like it could be a fun evening.  Still though, I’m sure there are many at such concerts who would be worshipping those singers and bands, and the thought of that still bugs me.  And don’t even get me started on the traveling around phenomenon that goes with such bands as The Grateful Dead and Phish.  So for now I’m glad I have not attended a secular concert in a very long time.  I’m thankful that all of my concert experiences have had a focus on worshipping God.

I share all of this simply as an observer of the human condition and I readily admit there are things I need to watch out for; specifically the Patriots, the Red Sox, and the Celtics.  For now I’d like to think I haven’t put Tom Brady or Mookie Betts or Isaiah Thomas on the same pedestal as the folks from Lystra did with Paul and Barnabas.  But I’ll still take the lesson that compared to worshipping the one true God all of these things are vain pursuits indeed.         

Thoughts on Immigration and Social Media Politics

The other day Ray Schellinger (a missionary and friend of mine) posted the following on facebook.

I am putting together a biblical reflection and I need a little help from my conservative Christian friends. For those who believe we should build a wall, enforce a Muslim ban, or deport a large number of undocumented immigrants, what are the biblical foundations for your positions? And can you tell me how you reconcile those passages with the call to welcome the stranger? What are the other values/tenets that underlie your position? I am asking this in all sincerity and promise that this will not be used to belittle your position, but rather to better understand it. 

So I decided to respond.  Here it is almost verbatim…..

Okay. I'll take a stab. 1. I'm not entirely convinced we need a wall but I'm okay with the philosophy behind a wall which is all about law and order, stopping the flow of illegal immigrants, and the flow of illegal drugs. It would seem to me that liberals and conservatives alike should agree with the philosophy behind the building of a wall. Maybe there just needs to be some walls in certain places and not the entire border. Maybe there are some much better ideas than a wall. What's not helpful is liberals throwing around terms like "racist" and "hateful" because some think a wall will be helpful with these issues of law and order. It's entirely possible to have a wall and still welcome the stranger and care for the least of these. 2. It's a ban on countries that happen to be predominantly Muslim as opposed to a Muslim ban. Calling it a Muslim ban has not been helpful for constructive dialogue. It's a temporary ban. It's not a ban on all countries. Unfortunately we live a world where lots of countries have refugees. As Christians and churches we can still identify those in need from countries that are not banned and welcome them and care for them. What's not helpful is liberals throwing around terms like "racist" and "hateful" because some think there might be value in a temporary ban. It's entirely possible to have a temporary ban on a few countires and still welcome the stranger and care for the least of these. 3. As far as I can tell, the primary effort has been to deport those with criminal backgrounds as has been the case with previous administrations. My impression is the Trump administration has ramped up those efforts and there have certainly been cases where some have been deported that shouldn't have been. But again, we are still talking about illegal immigrants. What's not helpful are liberals throwing around terms like "racist" and "hateful" because some think efforts should be made to deport illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds. It's entirely possible to deport illegal immigrants and still welcome the stranger (especially the legal ones) and care for the least of these.

Perhaps you might be noticing a theme.  First let me say as I look again at my response I feel bad about using the term liberal.  I’ll be the first to admit that these labels are not helpful.  Not that the term liberal is even bad but it’s just another way to bunch us into broad categories when as people there is so much more to us than just a label.  That being said I stand by my position that I’ve seen a lot of reckless language thrown around lately by those who tend to identify more with a liberal point of view.  I know there are plenty on the right who do the same and I believe they are just as much a part of our political problem.  But I think we can safely say there is something about the Trump presidency that has brought animosity to a whole new level, and that is part of what I was addressing in my response to Ray’s post.  It’s just not helpful.  And I’ll just say it; it’s very unchristian.  By the way I’m saying that about both sides and I am very aware of our president’s role in all of this.  But perhaps all of us could take a page from our former first lady regardless of what politics we most identify with, and whenever someone goes low we can go high.  What if we applied Philippians 4:8 to our political discourse.  “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”  It sure would make some of our facebook feeds look different.

So what about my response to Ray?  Actually I’d like to elaborate on it just a bit, but I’ll save that for next week’s blog post.  As a preview I’ll just say it will primarily be about how we apply the passages that talk about welcoming the stranger and caring for the least of these and their place in our national policies.  That’s all for now.  In the meantime know that I value and care about everyone reading this regardless of your political opinions.  We are all God’s creation, and He created us all unique and with different gifts, abilities and personalities, which no doubt in some part has led to the political positions we hold now.  And that’s all good.   

Who was Aaron Hernandez?

I’ll say up front that I did not know him personally so I suppose this blog post is pure speculation, but like many other current events I do have some thoughts on the matter based on the evidence he left behind.

Aaron Hernandez was a bad man.  Let’s be real about this.  The guy was serving a life sentence for murder and it’s quite possible if not probable that he killed two others.  Taking another person’s life is messed up.  It’s evil.  There are no two ways about it; it’s wrong.  I realize he had a tough upbringing and I realize that he lost his father at the age of sixteen.  I wouldn’t wish his life circumstances on anyone.  But still our world is loaded with people who have had tough upbringings and they still have managed to overcome them; people who in spite of their circumstances find a way to do the right thing and who live relatively moral upright lives  It seems on many levels Aaron Hernandez consistently did the wrong thing.

Aaron Hernandez was an amazing football player.  Being a football fan and specifically a New England Patriots fan it was downright fun to watch him play.  He could get open at will and his “run after the catch” skills were incredible.  He really did have hall of fame ability.  Around Boston people like to talk about another amazing athlete and what could have been before he died of a drug overdose not long after being drafted by the Celtics in 1986.  His name was Len Bias.  Most people in these parts speak of him in hindsight as the superstar we never got to see.  But really who knows.  There have been plenty of early first round draft picks who turned out to be busts.  Hernandez on the other hand gave us enough evidence playing in the NFL.  I am comfortable with saying he could have been one of the best ever at his position.

Aaron Hernandez was a sinner saved by grace.  I started out by saying Aaron Hernandez was a bad man, but do you know who else is a bad man?  I am.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m thankful to have not gotten involved in all the things he did, and I suppose some people might think of me as a good man, but they would be wrong.  Like everyone else in this world I am a sinner.  There may never be a made for TV movie based on my sinful life but I have fallen short in too many ways to count.  To name a few (without getting into the gory details) I have lied, I’ve been greedy, I’ve been self-centered, I have been lustful, I’ve been envious, I’ve coveted others and their possessions, I’ve done bad things in my anger, I’ve been prideful……….. you get the idea.  I’ve also grown up in a loving Christian home and always had a good caring support system of family and friends.  If I didn’t, who knows what else I would have to add to my list?  I’m just thankful I’ve been saved by a loving God who has shown me His grace through His son Jesus Christ.  And it’s quite possible Aaron Hernandez was saved by God’s grace too. I think he had John 3:16 written on his head and had his bible opened to that passage for a reason.  I think he wanted the world to know that in spite of his sinful life he had gotten right with God at the end and he had accepted God’s love and grace for him through Jesus Christ.  If that is the case, Aaron Hernandez was like a modern day thief on the cross.  If you are familiar with the story you know there was a thief being crucified next to Jesus and he was repentant to Jesus about the sinful life he lived, and Jesus said to him “today you will be with me in paradise.” 

Perhaps Aaron Hernandez is with Jesus in paradise today as well. How does that make you feel when you think about that possibility?  To be honest sometimes my initial reaction is not very sympathetic.  I start thinking about how such a bad man doesn’t deserve to be in heaven.  And then I remember that I don’t deserve to go there either but I still get to because of God’s grace.  The main difference between me and Aaron Hernandez is that I’ve been blessed to be able to live a fulfilling Christian life for many years now.  Comparatively he only got to know what it was like to know Jesus in this life for a very short time.  When I think of it that way it makes me feel bad for him.  I wish he could have known the joy that I have known throughout my life because of my Christian faith.  I suppose if he did we’d still be watching him on the football field today.  But that’s okay.  The time we have on this earth is fleeting for all of us.  Eternity on the other hand is forever.  With that in mind I’m choosing to think of Aaron Hernandez not as a bad man, but as a sinner saved by grace spending eternity with our Lord. I look forward to seeing him when my time is up.  I hope we’ll have footballs.         

Should I Send My Christian Kid to a Christian College?

This is a follow up to last week’s blog post “What Makes a Christian College Christian?”  It’s all well and good to try and define what a Christian college is but I got to wondering whether or not parents would want to send their Christian kids to a Christian college in the first place.  My initial response would be that you should definitely look into it.  That doesn’t mean that a Christian college will be the best choice for your son or daughter, but they won’t know that for sure without looking into one or two.  Here are some good reasons to do so.

1.     An education with a biblical world view – For me this is one of the most important reasons. It seems many secular schools are becoming little more than echo chambers with a narrow and liberal focus.  Unfortunately there is not a whole lot of diversity of thought.  I realize that is a generalization, and one might argue that Christian schools are echo chambers as well.  That might be the case, but if a school is going to have a narrow focus when it comes to its world view, wouldn’t you want that narrow focus to be based in the truths of scripture?

2.     Students can be with likeminded students – It’s nice for kids to be able to share the same faith and values.  That being said, I should note that just because they share the same faith and values that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for plenty of diversity.  Christian kids can be Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, NASCAR fans or ballet fans, into sports or into the theatre, upper income class or lower income class, Baptist or Episcopal, and so on.  In the midst of all those differences it’s nice to share the same faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.   

3.     Lots of opportunities to grow in your Christian faith – Between ministry opportunities, short term mission trips, inner-city service projects, special worship services, chapel, and bible studies, there is no shortage of opportunities for Christian kids to grow in their faith at a Christian school.  I readily admit there are opportunities for kids to grow in their faith at secular schools as well.  Especially if it’s a larger school down south.  Through organizations like Intervarsity and Cru students can easily find a good Christian environment.  At other schools it can be a bit more difficult.  Can a kid grow in their faith at a small New England college with little to no Christian clubs or organizations?  Yes they can, but they would definitely have to make more of an effort.  Ultimately, whether or not a Christian college kid grows in their faith during their four years of college depends on just how much they want to.  If they are at a place where they are not taking their faith very seriously than it probably doesn’t matter much where they go.  I was a youth pastor for 17 years and during that time I saw plenty of kids go off to secular schools and end up thriving in their faith and I saw plenty of kids going to Christian schools and end up struggling in their faith.  But in general the ones who went to Christian schools tended to flourish in their Christian faith more (for numerous reasons).

Some of you as parents at this point might be saying to yourself “I would love for my kid to look into a Christian school but I just don’t think he or she is interested.”  Here is my suggestion for you.  Encourage them to look into a Christian school anyway.  Notice I said encourage and not force.  There’s always that delicate balance between it being your son or daughter’s decision and it being your money.  As parents you have the right to gently nudge them in a direction you think is good for them.  I would simply say up front that part of the process will include looking at and applying to at least two Christian schools.  You are not forcing them to go to any particular school but you are at least exposing them to that option.  And let’s face it; most kids really don’t know what they want when it comes to looking at colleges.  They may not think they want to go to a Christian school but once they visit one they could totally change their mind. 

For me personally, my son is currently in his freshmen year at a Christian school down South.  He applied to two Christian schools and two secular schools.  I’m thankful that he seems to be doing quite well.  My daughter is a junior in high school and we are starting the search process all over again with her.  I don’t know if she will end up at a Christian college or not.  All I know is I will follow my own advice in this blog and pray……… a lot!

What Makes A Christian College Christian?

I was with a group of fellow pastors the other day and we were talking sports. Somehow the conversation turned to Baylor University and their not so positive headlines lately.  This led to a discussion around Baylor being a Christian college.  I wasn’t so sure but I did end up learning about many points of Christian emphasis at Baylor from one of the guys who had close ties to the university.  For that I was thankful.  The whole conversation got me thinking though; what makes a Christian college Christian?  I’ve managed to come up with two requirements.

1.     For a Christian college to be Christian it must advertise as being Christian. – Let’s face it; if a school isn’t even willing to advertise itself as a Christian school than why should the rest of the world consider it so.  Is being a Christian school a point of emphasis on their brochures and website?  Does it have a motto that is distinctly Christian?  I believe there should be something (if not many things) on the homepage of their website that communicates that they are Christian.  It’s all well and good if you can go to a tab and find out about their many student ministries and a thriving religious life, but that’s not the same as distinctly proclaiming itself as a Christian school.

2.     The staff, faculty, and board members need to be Christian. – These are the people who promote the school, run the school, and teach the students.  If they are not Christian than the overall emphasis of the school and education is not going to end up Christian either. 

So that’s it.  Just those two requirements are what are needed in my opinion to be a Christian school.  A couple other issues did come to mind though.

1.     What about requiring chapel?  I think that is more of a philosophical issue.  Personally I think a Christian college should have some sort of chapel requirement.  It doesn’t have to be overly strict, but something that manages to get students together for worship at least once a week.  That being said, there are many in my family who attended North Park University in Chicago (A Christian school by my definition above) and they take pride in knowing that their chapels are not required but many students attend anyway out of their desire to grow in their faith and to encourage the numerous students who are involved in running it.

2.     What about Christian Codes of Conduct? – In other words, what about rules that encourage/force students to follow a particular school’s understanding of what it means to live a Christian life?  When you think about it, all schools have rules.  The Christian ones just tend to be a bit more thorough.  To me that is a good thing.  So many secular schools have gotten carried away with trying to be amoral about how they run their schools that they end up doing things that make little to no sense.  I mean come on; who in their right mind thinks having co-ed bathrooms is a good idea?  Someone was telling me the other day that their kid’s school has a rule that a person of the opposite sex can only stay overnight for up to 3 nights in a row, and then they have to stay in their own room for a night.  Really?!?  How’s the third wheel roommate feeling about that rule?  But back to rules for Christian living in Christian schools.  Of course that’s a good idea, but you need to find what makes the most sense to you.  I personally am not a fan of the overly fundamental Christian schools with strict rules, dress codes, curfews, etc.  The more fundamental they are, the more the student is living in a Christian bubble and not the real world.  That being said, I know many people who have attended Liberty University, and who currently attend there and they have no problem whatsoever with Liberty’s stricter rules and they love the experience they had or are having there.  They knew what they were getting into and that’s how they wanted it.  In summary, any Christian school is going to have a code of conduct with a Christian emphasis.  It’s up to the student (and parents) to decide how comfortable they are with its level of strictness.  Allow me to suggest my alma-matter’s (Gordon College) old motto as what I think is a good guideline to life on a Christian campus.  It was “Freedom within a Framework of Faith.”  I think they followed that pretty well with their conduct codes.  Enough rules to emphasize Christian living, but not so many that it felt like you were not in the real world.

So I have no idea if this was helpful or interesting for anyone reading it.  It was just something I was thinking about.  I almost became a guidance counselor instead of a pastor, so maybe that’s where this blog entry is coming from.  If you’ve managed to stick with me to the end, perhaps you will also enjoy my next entry – "Should I Send My Christian Kid to A Christian School?"  Stay tuned.  

Corporations are People

I was out and about running errands today when I came across a bumper sticker in the BJs parking lot.  It said “Corporations Are Not People.”  Next to it was a “Hillary for America” sticker, so I think I got a pretty good understanding of where she was coming from, but I must say a bumper sticker like that is part of what’s wrong with our political process.  It makes your opponent faceless so you can vilify them easier.  The reality is corporations ARE people.  I’m guessing she didn’t get the irony that she was in the parking lot of what is a major corporation.  The guy behind the deli counter, the woman at the register, the kid organizing the shopping carts, and the guy punching her receipt (What’s the deal with that policy anyway?) are all a part of a corporation.  I’m sure if I had the opportunity to ask, this woman would have told me that corporations are just greedy entities made up of fat cats and the one percent, but it’s just not accurate.  Those corporations also have administrative assistants, janitors, I.T. guys, cafeteria workers, middle managers, receptionists, etc.  Also it should be noted that most corporations are not the colossal fortune 500 types, they are actually small businesses; the “main streets” as opposed to the “wall streets.”  In summary, it was just a dumb bumper sticker that upon closer examination makes little to no sense.

I push my blog as a Christian one, so what’s the Christian perspective on all of this?  Here’s what I am thinking; if corporations actually are people, then Jesus loves them and cares for them.  He even cares for those rich one percenters that help make some of those corporations run, because Jesus came to this earth not to condemn it but to save it.  And He didn’t just die for the lowly, the down and out, or whoever else the woman with that bumper sticker may have in mind.  He died for people who work for corporations; many of whom are in my congregation.  They work hard, come to church, and are faithful givers.  We in turn take that money they’ve given and use a good chunk of it to support those in need in our community and around the world so that even more people can hear about how Jesus died for them too.  Corporations are not faceless.  They are not evil.  They are people.  We should all be thankful for them and the good they do.  

A Prayer for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

This Sunday I’m preaching through 1^st Timothy 2:1-8.  As is often the case, as I was preparing my message God started convicting me.  This time around it was in verse two with a clear call to pray for our countries leaders.  I wasn’t convicted so much about our current leaders as I was the ones who are aspiring to the nation’s highest office.  It occurred to me that I had not said a single prayer for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.  I’ve spent my fair share of time bashing both of them among friends and on social media, but not a single prayer on their behalf.  So please allow me to remedy that now.

Dear Heavenly Father, first off I would like to say I’m sorry and ask for your forgiveness.  I have been more concerned about expressing my opinions about these two individuals than I have been about praying for them.  God I acknowledge that you created Donald and Hillary in your image.  I acknowledge that for all the faults people may find in them, I believe they are both in the presidential race because they desire to make our world a better place.  God I acknowledge that I am a sinner just like them and we all have fallen short of your glory.  Lord, barring your divine intervention it’s very likely that one of them will end up being our president and so I want to lift both of them up to You.  I pray that You would draw them close to You.  I pray that You would help them to know and understand Your heart.  I pray that they would follow the example You have given us in Your son Jesus Christ, and that they would be true servant-leaders; governing from a place of humility and not pride.  Lord, would You also help them to understand more and more what it means to be holy and set apart.  I pray that you would convict them when it comes to integrity and honesty; may they govern with clean hands and a pure heart.  Lord, I thank You that You are a God of redemption.  You have redeemed your followers, You can redeem any of the mistakes either of these two have made, and You can redeem the ugly spectacle this election has become.  Lord, whichever of these two come into office I pray that You would help them help us as a country to put away our anger and dissension, and to follow You and love You as we seek to love and serve others.  In Jesus name amen.

I’m not sure if this prayer did anything for you, but I know one thing for sure; I feel a lot better for having written it.  And let us never forget, regardless of who wins this election, God is still sovereign and on His throne.    

Grace + Truth = A Christ-like Life

This Sunday I’m preaching on the first half on John chapter 1, focusing in on verse 14.  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  I am so captivated by this idea of Jesus being full of grace and truth.  It’s practically all I’ve been thinking about for the past week, and that’s not just because I’m preparing a sermon on it.  I keep asking myself “what does it mean for me to be full of grace and truth?”  I figure if I’m a Christian that means I am a follower of Jesus and I desire to learn from and emulate his exemplary life.  Therefore I think I need to be doing all I can to live a life full of grace and truth.

I think depending on our personalities we all tend to lean one direction or the other.  I’m a bit more of a truth guy myself.  Whatever the issue is I tend to hone in on what I think the truth of the matter is, often times without a lot of understanding or compassion.  I’ll never forget when I was getting my Masters many years back; I was in a class that was discussing crime in our society and I made the mistake of using the term “dirt bags” when referring to a lot of those people who contribute to our societal ills.  I got in a little trouble with the professor that day.  Thankfully I think I’ve grown a little since then.   A more graceful person would have wanted to understand more what has contributed to said “dirt bags” actions and how can we better help them.  Although a grace leaning person can sometimes go too far as well; often looking to excuse behaviors that are plain and simply wrong. 

Here’s something that’s probably a safe generalization.  When looking at the faults of others we tend to lean more towards truth, and when looking at the faults of ourselves we tend to lean more towards grace.  Back to Jesus; He was full of both.  He called people out for their sin and didn’t back down from that.  At the same time He was full of grace, offering forgiveness and a new way of life.  Perhaps we see His fullness of both truth and grace at its best in the account of the woman caught in adultery.  Jesus identified her sin as sin and told her to go and sin no more, but he also said he did not condemn her.

So how do we let the fullness of grace and truth play out in our own lives?  For those of us who profess the Christian faith I have at least one suggestion.  I think the Church would be far better off if we could learn to focus more on the core truths of our faith and show grace in all the rest.  By core truths I mean belief in the one true Triune God, that we are sinners and belief in Jesus Christ as the sole way to salvation, and belief in the bible as God’s word to mankind.  And that’s about it.  Everything else is secondary.  We can have great discussions about such things as inerrancy, end times, creation, Calvinism, fundamentalism, worship styles, miraculous gifts, faith in politics, sexuality, baptism, how we should share our faith, and more.  I also believe we should have well-formed opinions on such things based in our study of the scriptures.  But to be full of grace in these areas means that we accept that there are those who have studied the scriptures just as much if not more and have come to different conclusions than we have.  And when that happens we resist those judgments that come to mind, dismissing the other as a wacky fundamentalist or a liberal social gospel nut (to name just a couple).  We also seek to keep things civil and respectful in our conversations and especially in our social media dialogue. I say that preaching to myself.  It’s so easy sometimes to take a “tone” in the written language we use on Facebook.  Let’s remember the rest of the world is watching us.  We all need to ask ourselves “how am I coming across to others?”  The Church is a big tent with room for all types and we need to lead the way as Christians; holding consistently to our core truths and being full of grace in all the rest.            

Colin Kaepernick's Right to Ignorance

Let me say right up front, my apologies if the title to this blog sounds a little harsh.  For whatever its worth, I’ve toned it down a bit.  My original title idea was Colin Kaepernick’s right to be a stupid idiot.  I’ll start by saying everyone gets that he has the right to sit down during the national anthem.  I don’t know of a single person who doesn’t fully believe in the first amendment.  So there is no argument here, or anywhere that I’m aware of, saying Kaepernick doesn’t have the right to sit.  My argument is that he reveals his ignorance in doing so.  I’m quite sure his heart is in the right place and he thinks he is doing a good thing drawing attention to a social problem in our country.  He rightly believes that black lives matter and he also believes there are some police officers who don’t feel that way who have oppressed and even killed black people.  Now Colin and I might have a quibble or two over how much good the black lives matter movement is doing but that’s not the point.  Even if I agreed with him 100% about the state of black lives and policing in our country I still think he is wrong to sit during the national anthem.  If I could talk to him face to face this is what I would say.

You know what Colin?  Our country is not perfect. There are all kinds of issues where we could do better.  For you; you’re upset over a tiny minority of police officers who have killed black people while in the line of duty.  You don’t seem to be upset over white people who have been killed by police, but I guess that’s another argument for another day.  But either way, sometimes cops screw up.  You have that right to be upset and speak out about that.  Just like everyone else has a right to be upset and speak out about what upsets them.  People who are pro-life and believe life starts at conception have the right to be upset and speak out about those millions of innocent lives lost in our country.  People who want to see an end to the abuse of animals have a right to be upset and speak out against abuse and killing of animals.  People who believe we might be sending our children and grandchildren to an early grave because of global warming have a right to be upset and speak out about that. People have a right to be upset and speak out about human trafficking, and drug pushers, and pedophiles, and…… well you get the idea Colin.  There’s no shortage of issues in our country.  So if this is your issue Colin, then more power to you.  You just chose the wrong way to speak out and in doing so you showed your ignorance.  Because when you sit down during the national anthem, the issue is no longer about black lives mattering, the issue is now about disrespecting your country.  It’s about disrespecting the lives lost of those who would fight for your freedom in so many wars over the years. It’s about disrespecting a land that even with all its faults is still the best at giving all of its people opportunity.  You, a millionaire athlete of all things should get that.  Don’t you think it’s a little odd that you are the only one doing this?  With all those issues people have to get upset about that I mentioned earlier, you are still the only one who chooses to sit for the National Anthem.  Do you think your issue is somehow more important?  You are not the only athlete who has ever cared about a cause.  And yet still, all the rest stand.  It’s because they get it, and they are thankful to live in the United States of America.  And they can promote their cause in interviews, and press room conferences, and blog posts, and social media, to name just a few.  And so can you Colin. You can make your point without disrespecting our country.  But it’s up to you.  It’s your right to sit or to stand.  Just know that the more you choose to sit, the more respect you will lose, and less good you will do for your cause.