June 18, 2022

 

Rules

 

He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.” – Acts 10:28

 

The Apostle Peter was a Jew. He followed the laws he’d been taught and, yet, God called him to something else. First, God showed Peter that it was okay to eat meat Peter had always been taught was unclean. Then, God showed Peter that it was okay to eat with and fellowship with Gentiles. And because Peter followed God, many became believers and were filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

A family I know has been torn apart by the issue of homosexuality. It’s caused such division that the father refuses to speak to his son. This devout family is so focused on its beliefs that it can’t see God’s heart. And the son? Well, he’s now questioning God’s love too.

 

Is homosexuality a sin? I’ve heard all the arguments both ways. I am familiar with the verses. I know it is condemned by the Bible, just as I know the Bible condones slavery and the inferiority of women. In fact, the Bible at times contradicts itself. It speaks so clearly about slavery and yet Paul says this in Galatians 3:28:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

 

People say they want to go back to the sexual ethics of the Bible but I wonder if they’ve ever read the book. I have – in several different versions. I have no interest in polygamy, fathers selling their daughters into slavery, or powerful men forcing women to be concubines and worse. And those are just a few things.

 

So, what about homosexuality? I don’t know. Does God condemn sexual rituals to false gods? I believe that He does. Does God condemn powerful men forcing young men into prostitution and worse? I believe so. But does God condemn two men or two women from a loving relationship? I’m not so sure about that.

 

Jesus told us the two greatest commandments. Do remember them?

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40

 

Love God and love your neighbor. It seems fairly simple to me. I don’t know about the issue of homosexuality. That’s for God to sort out. But I do know that God didn’t call me to judge. God has called me to love.

 

How much better our world would be today if we would remember that.

September 23, 2018

Get Over Yourself

John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” – Mark 9:38

It was appalling. It was a ridiculous situation that played out on Main Street during a downtown festival. It should have been about Jesus. Instead, it became about one man’s ego.

A newly planted church had secured a booth at the event. Someone had given them a box of Bibles to give away. They were doing that. Another man, from a different church, recognized that the Bibles were from an organization he’s affiliated with. He was livid and attempted to stop the church group from giving away the Bibles. His reasoning? Only members of the organization were authorized to distribute the Bibles.

It gets worse. He started screaming at the church members. In the middle of downtown. On Main Street. During an event that draws thousands of people. Gosh. I guess that really made people want to know more about Jesus. Seriously?!

I know this man. He’s basically a good person who loves Jesus. Until you disagree with him. Then he turns hateful and mean and you have to wonder about the overall condition of his heart. Fortunately, that’s between him and God.

Did it really matter who was giving away the Bibles? Of course not. The Bibles were a gift intended to be distributed in the exact way they were being distributed. Were any “rules” violated?” I have no idea. Nor do I care. Jesus lived His life as an illustration of how “rules” can miss the point of true faith.

What did Jesus say to the disciples?

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” – Mark 9:39-40

Don’t stop him. Don’t stop them. Can’t you just hear Jesus admonishing the man for being focused on the wrong thing? It didn’t matter where the Bibles came from. What mattered is where those Bibles were going and why. God’s Word was being sent out to do His will and touch hearts. That was what was important.

Many years ago I had the opportunity to take a room full of books from a thrift store that was closing. They were free. The only catch was I had to take all of them. In the midst of that large stockpile was 20 plus Bibles of various translations and type size. Some were in excellent condition. Some were kind of shabby. I gave them all away.

I had set up tables at a local flea market. I was sure to put the Bibles in one area and other books for sale in another area. I was amazed at the reactions from people when I told them the Bibles were free. One girl had always wanted her very own Bible. Another person secured a large print Bible for a relative in the nursing home who could no longer read regular-size print.

Suspicion clouded some faces. They were expecting a “catch.” They expected me to insist on a name and number or to be blasted with judgement or a sermon. They didn’t get any of that. Just a smile, a kind word, and my willingness to answer questions if they had any.

It wasn’t about me. It was about sharing God’s Word. It was a beautiful experience of what happens when we simply give without expectation.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our “rules” and in our own agendas that we miss Jesus. We need to get over ourselves and work together to spread His love to all who would draw near.

May 30, 2018

Rules Keep Us Safe

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

– Luke 11:28

He is such a cute little fellow. He looks up at me with those big brown eyes. Hopeful eyes. He knows he has disobeyed – again. He also knows I’ll forgive him – again.

Some days he minds what I say just perfectly. He goes where he’s supposed to go. He comes when I call him. He follows every rule perfectly.

Other days, well, not so much. He can’t seem to help himself as he chases a calf around the pasture. His wandering feet lead him where he isn’t supposed to go. The fun of it all keeps him from coming when he’s called.

I know he doesn’t understand why I insist on his obedience. He doesn’t realize that the rules are there for his safety. That calf has a mama that can seriously hurt him in an instant. He doesn’t see that. He doesn’t see the mama cow at all. He’s too intent on “playing” with the calf.

He also doesn’t see the danger in exploring areas away from me and his siblings. He’s never seen a snake. He doesn’t know what a coyote is. I tell him repeatedly not to engage anything. He doesn’t understand that disobeying could cost him his life.

It’s another reason I insist he come when I call. I’m not trying to dictate his every move. My intent isn’t to keep him from having fun. It’s just that I see dangers he doesn’t understand and sometimes obedience is the only way to keep him safe.

I wonder if that’s how God sees us. He’s set up rules, the Ten Commandments and other guidelines, to keep us safe and happy. Still, we push back against those boundaries. We make excuses. We venture where we are likely to get hurt, changed, killed.

God tries to keep us safe but we don’t see that. We can’t see the true freedom that comes when we walk His path. We focus on what is denied and forget about all that is allowed. Like Eve in the Garden of Eden. She lost sight of all the fruit she and Adam could eat and focused on the one tree that was forbidden. She didn’t understand the cost until it was too late to change course.

My little boy regularly gets put in timeout. He must stay in the backyard alone while his siblings and I work on the farm. I don’t know what he hates most: missing his adventures or being left behind. He gets the point. He learns his lesson. At least, until the next time something entices him to a place he’s not supposed to go.

We aren’t much different. We amble along, doing what we want, telling ourselves that we are staying well within the boundaries created by God. Until something seems too good to pass up. We’ll do whatever we think we must because, after all, we “deserve” it. Then one day we wake and realize that we’ve turned down a road we never intended to take.

God is faithful. He never changes. He always waits for us to turn around, to cry out, to run toward His waiting arms. Just as I wait for my little guy, just as I seek him out no matter what he’s done, God waits for us. There is nothing that would ever keep Him from welcoming us home again.

God’s rules are meant to keep us safe, to cause us to prosper and live in peace with others. We only harm ourselves when we move away from what He only ever intended to be used to keep us safe.

May 21, 2018

Be Open To Change

“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” – Luke 20:46-47

Th Pharisees were something else, weren’t they? They probably meant well. They studied hard to know all the rules. Hadn’t they earned the right to look down on others? Shouldn’t others think as highly of them as they thought of themselves?

No matter how many times they claimed the law came from God, it was their own manmade rules that governed them. It was one reason they disliked Jesus so much. Our Savior came to shake things up, to challenge the norm, to point people back to God Almighty.

That threatened the Pharisees. They liked things the way they were. They were in charge and they were comfortable with that. They planned to do everything they could – including killing Jesus – to keep their rules and their control firmly in place.

We would never be that rigid. Would we? We would never turn away from something good just because it didn’t come from us. Would we? We would never let our own pride cause us to do something wrong. Would we?

Sometimes I think churches are the absolute worst when it comes to change. I’m not talking theology here. God’s Word speaks truth. Always.

No, I’m talking about how we do things around the church. It can be criticizing contemporary versus traditional music. It might be following the Sunday school curriculum verses current topics from outside sources. And it can be something so simple as how we organize a program.

We get so caught up in how it has always been done that we miss the opportunity to open our hearts to what might be. I’ve watched churches die because the older members, the ones who had devoted their lives to that church, wouldn’t change anything to welcome younger people into their fold. We all know that our faith’s future lies with the children, with their parents, with those who come behind us.

I’ve seen huge fights over the order of a program, when a video should be aired, and how tables are decorated. Really. Because when we start making suggestions, when people start pushing for change, there is a natural inclination to push back. We don’t really like change, do we? But comfortable places aren’t always where we’re supposed to be.

We’ve been having some discussions at our church about trying a few new things. Will they work? Will we see success and reach new people? Will more people become involved, truly invested in our church? We don’t know. We can only pray for the Spirit’s guidance and work hard. The rest is up to God.

I’m not really sure how these new programs will be received. Nothing has changed or likely will change. We’re just adding on, as the saying goes. We’re opening up new opportunities. But here’s the thing: We really need everyone to help and support us. What’s a generational dinner without all the generations represented? What’s a new Bible study without a diverse group to participate?

Don’t let fear of change hold you back from giving something a try. Don’t cling so tightly to your perceived power that you miss out on a wonderful opportunity from God. And don’t get so uptight with how it’s always been done that you push away the younger generation who are eager to help and to learn.

It really isn’t about us. It isn’t about rules and the way things have always been done. It’s about a Savior and a King. It’s about service and sacrifice. It’s about God’s love for us and how we’re supposed to love others. Give change a chance. You might be amazed at what God can do with an open heart.

April 15, 2018

Don’t Bring Your “Rules” To Church

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. – James 4:11

I wonder what would happen if we looked to see the good around us rather than focusing in on what is wrong. I wonder how we would all change if we bit back our critical words and instead offered words of encouragement and strength?

I know this has been a column theme for several days. It keeps showing up all around me. God’s Spirit leads me to focus in, to see, to point out, all the ways we use words to destroy rather than build up.

Am I guilty? Absolutely. This column isn’t about me looking down on others but rather about seeing the guilt that belongs to all of us. And we are all guilty. We have all used words to slander others. Anger. Hurt. Bitterness. Rage. They’re all factors.

Some people say that when you criticize someone else, you’re really criticizing yourself. We see our flaws in other people and it upsets us so we lash out. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I do believe we sometimes lash out at others to hide our own flaws, our own hurts, our own disappointments.

The Pharisees got it wrong. So do we. How often do we get so focused on what we want that we miss what God wants?

Our pastor recently shared something on Facebook about children in the church. The commentary encouraged people to bring their kids, to sit up front, not to hang our heads and be upset if they were noisy or didn’t always pay attention. Kids are kids. Welcome them as Jesus did.

Not everyone sees it that way. They expect every child to be perfectly behaved at all times. That’s not realistic. Does it mean children and their parents should stay home? Of course not! But every time we cast a disapproving glance their way, every time we make an ugly comment about their unruly child, every time we shake our heads, that’s exactly what we’re telling them.

One of the reasons I like the contemporary worship service I attend is the mixture of folks who attend. Some are dressed in the traditional suit and tie. Others come in jeans and flip flops. Nobody cares. Everyone seems to know God is more interested in our hearts than our attire.

It also solves another issue that many people don’t understand. Those who can’t afford fancy clothes don’t feel out of place. Are you shocked? Don’t be. A sweet friend tells about a young family with three small daughters who didn’t attend Easter services at her church. The reason? The family couldn’t afford three new dresses and the mama didn’t want her children to be the subject of comments and putdowns. It’s sad. I’ve heard those comments. I’ve witnessed the ugliness when some believe that the “rules” of the church have been violated.

Sometimes it seems that we’ve lost our focus and the purpose of Sunday worship. We focus on the things that don’t matter – like dress, style of music, and children crying – and forget to worship God and cleanse our own hearts of filth.

The law is a good thing when it accomplishes God’s purposes. Don’t use it to dirty His message with your own views.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Plant His Word In Your Heart

"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands." -- Psalm 119:10

Did you know that Psalm 119 is the longest psalm? It's also the longest chapter in the Bible. I remember that every time I read it because it is important to read it, to study it, to meditate on its message.

Over and over again, the writer (some think it was Ezra) talks about God's laws. He repeatedly asks  God to plant His Word in the writer's heart so that he can resist temptation. Yet another reason to memorize scripture -- even those of us who feel far too old to retain much of anything anymore. It makes sense though. When temptation beckons, knowing God's views can help give us the willpower to resist the satan's pull.

Of course, we must first know God's Word before we can apply it to our lives. That comes from reading and studying the Bible. Some people prefer to guess what God wants. Some people listen to what other people say and assume it must be correct. That's scary because it is so easy to be misled. It's always best to seek God's laws and directions from Him.

I love to study the Bible. Sometimes I think I'm racing to catch up with all those folks who have studied the Bible since they were children. Will I ever know all they know? Will I ever know all I need to know? Not likely. I think I'll always be learning and growing in God's Word. I hope so anyway. I don't ever want to quench my thirst for His Presence and His Voice.

My heart yearns for His Word. I want to know His Voice and feel His Presence. I want to know what to do, when. I want to act according to His Will. And I really want Him to hold my tongue every time it races ahead of my common sense. Thankfully, He is also quick to forgive and pick me up when I fall short of His Will for my life.

One of the joys of reading the psalms is knowing that others have hungered for His Word. It is understanding that no one -- except Jesus -- has led a perfect life. We all fall short and He is always willing to help us up again when we stray from His Commands. Such love He has for us. It's amazes me. It really does.