How To Be A Christian Without Being A Jerk

Faith in real life

Category Archives: commentary

Hearing from the Shadows

May 29th, 2013

 

(This post is not about a band from Chicago, but I like their logo.)

When God wants someone to hear from him, and the person really wants to hear from God, generally the two get together. God speaks mainly in our thoughts. Many of these thoughts are written down in the books that make up the Bible. Sometimes, the authors heard an audible word from God, but the vast amount of “hearing” occurs in the mind.

When people write down words from God they usually have meaning in their present context. The book of Psalms has many examples of this. King David and others who created the Psalms frequently speak to their own everyday life situations. When these words are finally written down, they become resources for God’s people in worship and study. Sometimes, these words are used in a new context when they are cited in the future. People will refer back to these words during a future key event.

Such is the case with Bible passages in the New Testament that take on a new light, usually in the life of Jesus. Look at two examples from Psalm 69.

First, Psalm 69:9.

It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;    the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

This verse is quoted by the Bible writer, John, who refers back to it when Jesus drives the moneychangers out of the Temple. John 2:17:

17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

This wasn’t the context of the original passage in Psalm 69. It takes on new light in the life of Jesus. When this happens, we can call the Psalm passage a “shadow” or “shadow prophecy” of what comes afterward. A prophecy that is meaningful in the present context of the Psalm and a foreshadowing of a future event.

The second example from Psalm 69 is verse 21.

They gave me poison for food,    and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

This passage is used by all four of the Gospel writers in the context of the crucifixion of Jesus. Of course no one is referring back to poison food, only sour wine (vinegar). Another shadow prophecy.

The warrior who is my brother-in-law, Mark

April 30th, 2013

My brother-in-law, Mark, died on Friday. He had been battling liver cancer since being diagnosed in November. We were together as family with him in a hospice outside of Denver. His body finally wore out and we lifted up our thanks in the middle of the pain and sorrow.  Mark is now with Jesus: no more pain, no more suffering, with the full glory of healing now and forever.

 

The love and support for Mark and his children, Paige and Matthew, by my in-laws, Sharon and Alden, my wife, Nancy, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, John and Eileen, my wife’s cousins, Dana, in particular, and Mark’s former wife and mother of the kids, Karin, were all awesome to behold. Mark was covered, yes, engulfed in love.

 

We are all in a battle for our lives and we fight against Satan and the powers of evil. We will all lose the battle in the end, but we win the war. Covered by Jesus, the Captain of our faith, his victory over death is our own. He is the first born of the new creation, and we, too, will be resurrected from the dead when Jesus brings in his Kingdom for good, when earth and heaven become one and the new creation is complete.

 

In the meantime, we know that Mark receives a hero’s welcome in the heavenly dimension, having battled till the end, leaving behind an amazing legacy, seen most clearly in my niece and nephew. Mark leaves his mark on us all and we know we will be with him some day in glory.

 

 

 

How about with us?

December 6th, 2012

Teaching a parent’s workshop for a local public school. We met on our church campus. After talking about extended family, a couple moms said, ” I don’t have close friends. Where would I go to find them?”…It’s not a given that people equate Christian communities with sources of friendship. But, it will be…a given…soon

Chik-fil-A, Dog and Suds, and A Good Donut…my take on the controversy

August 3rd, 2012

If I were running a fast food restaurant chain, I would try to recruit the best and brightest potential employees to work for my company. I would not have someone’s political position on “gay marriage” as one of my criteria for employment eligibility. Not legal for a business and not smart, either. Chik-fil-A management would agree with me.

 

If I were running a fast food restaurant chain, I would welcome with open arms anyone who is hungry and has money, regardless of political position on “gay marriage.” That wouldn’t be legal and it would be dumb.  Chik-fil-A management would say, “Ditto.”

 

I would, however, draw the line and require shoes, shirts, and no dogs. Except service dogs, of course.

 

Wait a minute…Allow me a little side trip down the rabbit hole.

 

If I could get away with having a “dog friendly” fast food chain, it might not be such a bad idea. I am not aware of a chain like that. We had “Dog and Suds” when I was growing up, specializing in hot dogs and root beer, but it wasn’t about people and their dogs. Come to think of it, I can see the neon sign out front…

 

“Dog and Suds: No, Really!”

 

That’s it! A restaurant chain/ brewpub for people and their dogs! Welcoming customers with dogs to spend time eating, and sampling micro-brews (Sorry, Fido, humans only). Perhaps brews with dog names, like Poodle Pilsner, Beagle Bock, and Abyssinian Ale (I know Abyssinians are cats, but it is the one cat that looks cool enough to be a dog). And when you leave, you could even take home a growler!

 

I think I may be on to something. If you take my idea, just remember where you heard it first.

 

Alright, I’m back…

 

Because I am a follower of Jesus, He defines who I am and He did not tell me to define myself by my political position on “gay marriage” or “traditional marriage,” not by my political views in general, and not by my “sexual orientation.” I will not have political rhetoric dictate who I am.  I will not have post-enlightenment labels created in university psychology and linguistic labs in the last 150 years or so, be my primary identity choices and tell me how I have to define myself, either.

 

Labels like “homosexual,” “heterosexual”, “GLBT”, “homophobe,” “heteroist,” and such, have often become a means to marginalize someone else. Or these labels have become some overarching “Identity May Pole” that I need to dance around to be cool, so the “man” can tell me who I really am.   (Whoa there…Sorry, no pagan ritual or innuendo intended with the “May Pole” comment. Just a phrase, like, “Rally ’round the flag,” but, wait…whose flag?? See how hard this label thing is? O, and the use of the word “man?” If it’s a bad thing, it’s still good to use masculine nouns)

 

Jesus tells me to define myself by my Father’s love. I am His beloved! God is a Father who loves all- those who know Him, those who don’t, and especially those who don’t love him back. The concept of love includes “giving yourself for the sake of the other.” Who is more “other” than someone you differ with, or even more, someone who considers you the “enemy?” Think Jesus left a fairly clear example of this kind of love in his model of living and his journey to the Cross.

 

My central identity has nothing to do with the fact I am married to my wife, Nancy, and we have three awesome kids (note to loved ones: y’all are part of my bonus package, but I’m just saying…). My central identity is all about Jesus and joining Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit as we go out on a love adventure! Hallelujah!  Loving my Father with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving my neighbor, as myself. Glory! Doesn’t get much better than that!

 

My neighbor is everyone. Especially people who think way differently than I do. Honestly, if I am not in relationship with people who have viewpoints and lifestyles way different than my own, how will we discover how many shared values we do have in spite of our differences? That is a fertile field for even greater love. See, being open and respectful attracts love. It’s all about what we have in common. And, while we are at it, how will I get to see how amazing God is when He draws those are not far from Him to me who is not far from Him- or them, either?

 

So, stop with the labels. Stop with the angry and aggressive spirits that eat your soul. As rapper Brother Ali spits (that’s “says,” for my white over 50 friends out there. Wait, sorry- this no-label stuff is tough!),

 

“First of all, Scooter, take the bass out your voice.”

 

You are not being Christlike if I am describing you; if that means something to you. And if Jesus is not a model for you, take it from me, you still look totally unattractive and shallow. No, really, everyone, stop!

 

You want a label? Why not try, “Friend?” Radical, huh?

 

Now, here is a bonus, especially for those of you who are my brothers and sisters in Jesus. Friends not in that category, please go ahead and read along anyway. It won’t take long.

 

On Boycotting Businesses or Rallying Around Businesses as Political Discourse: “I’ll See Your Disney and I’ll Raise You a Chik-fil-A”

 

First, put aside your political positions or freedom of speech speeches on this issue. This is a restaurant chain and the market will decide the success or failure of the business. Always does.  Chik-fil-A will be fine. No one needs to bail them out, quite yet. We are talking chicken, after all, not cars.

 

It is not necessarily a compelling, persuasive gesture to eat at Chik-fil-A, now. It is understandable. Especially if you appreciate them. Maybe it will stir the political pot a little, just in time for the elections, but it is not that compelling from a faith influence standpoint. With one exception.

 

If Christians who support “gay marriage” would line up at Chik-fil-A, that would be something. That would preach.

 

You see, I have a little secret of my own. Something I do often. I seek out businesses that are owned or connected to people who have viewpoints or lifestyle choices way different than my own. I seek them out.

 

Again…

 

I WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE VIEWPOINTS AND LIFESTYLES WAY DIFFERENT THAN MY OWN (Please no comments about strip clubs and such. Why did you go there right away, huh?).

 

Why do I do this?

 

Simple. When I frequent your business, it is a positive gesture, even if it is subtle, or even if you don’t see it as such. It’s not all about you; it’s about me, too.

 

“Loving my neighbor” certainly includes being gracious and respectful to people, and the more I have to stretch, the better. More opportunities to bless them which becomes a blessing to me. And more opportunities they have to bless me directly, which again, blesses them. I don’t get my affirmation or validation from how people respond to me. I am already my Father’s beloved. But, it doesn’t hurt to discover new friends.

 

I’ll tell you what else happens.

 

Frequently, walls begin to crumble- all around.

 

So, if you are a baker who is hostile to followers of Jesus in general, or who thinks Christians are absolute hate mongers, if that’s you, then, as Doc Holiday said (in “Tombstone” w/ Val Kilmer),

 

“I’m your huckleberry.”

 

Where is your bakery and when do you open? I’m so there. And you don’t have to have huckleberry Danish, but it wouldn’t hurt!

 

And this certainly includes brothers and sisters in Jesus who may see things different than me. For example, if you own a bakery with the name “Manna from Heaven,” and you have a fish on your sign out front and a “Beam me up, God” bumper sticker on your car out back, and you might look rather askance at a brother who is a slightly irreverent/ Old Earth creationist/ mildly sarcastic/ “intellectualist” on occasion/ pentecostal-type- all with Lutheran roots showing- Whew! Let me catch my “labelist” breath here- Well, if you can bake a cruller that melts in my mouth, I will be there directly and I am bringing friends. We are going to get along just fine.

 

O.K. Friend?

 

Alright, that’s enough for now. I’m getting hungry. I can’t help myself…

 

Does anyone know where I can get a good chicken sandwich?

 

 

An essay for the fourth of july

July 3rd, 2012

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)

I hear this verse often quoted by Christians at times like the Fourth of July. The assumption they make is if America will just get down on her knees and pray, God will make America “great” again. Or to be more specific, consider this possible paraphrase.

If Christian prayer would just be mandated in public schools and other public forums, and all Americans would turn from their wicked personal sexual and wild lifestyle sins, then God will forgive America and things can get back to like they were in the olden days; or back to the 50′s at the very least.

Is that what this verse means? Let’s see what the Bible is actually saying…

“my people”

In the context of this scripture, “my people,” is referring to the people of Israel. With the coming of Jesus, “my people” becomes the Church. Followers of Jesus. So, it is Christians who are called upon to humble themselves and pray; not all Americans.

Nowhere does Jesus or the early New Testament Church speak of a “Christian nation” ruled by “Christian laws.” We have no basis for this. Wherever we live, we are “citizens of heaven,” as well as citizens of the nation in which we happen to reside.  America has never been a “Christian nation.” We are a nation populated by many Christians.

“restore their land”

In the context of 2 Chronicles, “land” is the nation of Israel being ruled by King Solomon. This is an actual place during an actual time. This is not referring to America.

The “land” of followers of Jesus is wherever they are representing God as they do His Kingdom work. The Bible gives us an example of what this might look like wherever we live, even if it is a land of  ”wicked ways:”

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV)

We don’t want to go back to the “olden days” anyway. We always want to look forward to better days. If you don’t agree with this, think about it this way.

You don’t hear Black Americans pray if only things could just be like they were in the “olden days.” They aren’t praying,

“God, may America be great like she used to be. You know like when my great-great grandmother was a white man’s sex slave. Like when my father’s relatives were being lynched. Make us proud of America again…”

You see, it is all a matter of perspective. It’s only White Americans who would find themselves praying, “Let’s get back to like it was with our Founding Fathers,” and such. Every generation has it’s awful “sins of choice.”

What we pray for is making progress in being a blessing. Always looking forward to see what God is blessing today, and joining Him there, not looking back at some “Golden Age” that never really existed in the first place.

America continues to be a great nation precisely when she seeks the good of others and stands up for those who are oppressed and downtrodden. Great because of the tremendous opportunities available for all people and the freedoms that make it possible for her people to live free.

America has always blessed the world way more than she has cursed it. America is the greatest of nations precisely because God has worked through Christians who have sought Him, and has worked behind the scenes through those who aren’t Christian, influencing their consciences which He designed. It is in this way God continues to bless the world as God blesses America.

God bless America!

I Don’t think he was teaching jewish studies…

June 25th, 2012

O, joy…

The new Muslim Brotherhood-candidate President of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, was a CSUN (Cal State Northridge) professor in the 80′s, where the goal of MB in the US, according to position papers, is,

“settlement,” defined by the brotherhood as a form of jihad aimed at destroying Western civilisation from within and allowing for the victory of Islam over other religions.”

Can’t say more, as I didn’t have Professor Mori…I did take Jewish Studies at CSUN in the 80′s, but somehow I don’t remember him teaching the course…

Soda Wars

June 20th, 2012

Enough of this soda thing. Another news story coming out of my own neighborhood. Why can’t the Coca-Cola lobby just make it all go away!

What I already know:

1. We are a settled-in-front of a screen society, and there is an issue with obesity in America.

2. I know that psychologically, if you limit the amount of beverage you can get at one time (16 oz. max rather than 44 oz. gigantic gulp or whatever it is) this will ultimately cut down on how much you consume. It just works that way.

3. I also know that fruit juice is filled with sugar, too. Why the pass?

4. I know that city parks and libraries need to provide more drinking fountains with colder water so City Councilman’s daughters can just have a go at the bubbler (Note I used two slang terms for  a water releasing public drinking apparatus, because I don’t know where you are from), rather than deciding to buy from a beverage machine and then having her dad end up proposing another ban. Though I do like her dad.

Everything is really a spiritual matter anyway. If you want to be healthy, you will work at being healthy and learn to say, “No,” to that which you want, but may be harmful for you down the road. It isn’t in our human nature to say, “No,” but it is in God’s nature to make us into the kind of people who can say, “No.” if we allow Him to. By saying, “No,” to other things.

No amount of government intervention is ultimately going to save us from getting what we think we absolutely must have. It starts on the inside and a change from within.

And government officials? Let’s keep our eye on the economic ball for a while, shall we?

How To Be A Christian Without Being A Jerk

Faith in real life