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“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second commandment is like it’ Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37, 39-40
“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending by sending His own Son in the likeness of the sinful flesh to be a sin offering. Romans 8:3
There are two phrases which seem to capture so much of our thoughts and discourse lately. The first is the aspect that “There should be a law…..”. The second is the statement: “Everything I did was legal”. In and with these two concepts; there seems to lie an idea that the law and legalism can fix and judge most if not everything. Sadly perhaps, that rarely, if ever is the case. Why?
The reason laws, in and of themselves, rarely “fix” the society which instigated them, is that laws are really not designed to do that. Laws are meant to be a reflection of the society which passed them versus a mandated control on that society.
Let’s take discrimination on the aspect of race/ethnicity for example. For most of the history of the United States, the bulk of society felt the separation of races was an appropriate and correct characteristic of society. In fact there were a plethora of laws and court rulings which supported the legal separation of the races. Now contrary to what might be popular belief, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was not the beginning of the change of that belief in the United States. No, although all too slow and painful, the heart of society changed when it came to how different races were to be treated. The heart of the nation saw that separate was not equal. However, societies are not, or least the nation of the United States is not, a unanimous moving entity. Society realized (and realizes) that there will be some who do not agree with the “heart” of society and want to go against its wishes. Therefore, to insure that society can enforce the desires of its heart, it codifies those desires into a or many laws so that those who agree with society as well as those who don’t, understand and can be held accountable to the behavior which is deemed appropriate based on the society’s desires.
Thus what we need to understand is that the passing of a law is neither the beginning, or should not be the end, of bringing about the behavior/culture that the society is seeking. For a law to be effective, there should be a will, a “heart of the matter” which is the foundation for that law, that society has agreed to. Additionally, just because a law is passed, does not mean that society’s efforts are finished. For a law to be successful it needs to be only a part of a larger cultural explanation and education process with brings about the most accurate alignment possible with the largest sections of the society with the foundation of why the law was passed. The larger the majority that believes in the law, the more effective the law will be plus the easier it will be to administer. There’s an additional consideration and that is to those who come new into the society. Here I’m talking about children primarily but can also apply to immigrants. It is more important that children learn the moral aspect, for example, that is it is not appropriate behavior to take something from someone else just because you desire it versus there is a law against stealing and the law is why you don’t do it. We need to teach what is at the heart of the law and not just the legal terms used to define it.
The reason that ideas and issues such as gun control, abortion and climate change, just for a few examples, are so difficult to draft laws around, is that our society has yet to come to an understanding of where society’s “heart” is concerning these matters. Oh yes, it is easy to site a statistical poll that most in the society support this or are against that. However, in most contentious issues, when you get past a percentage number, you find that there is a wide variance of opinion on just what that poll number accurately reflects.
Now let’s briefly take a look at a second part, the legalism part. So, we’ve been able to actually pass a law about something. By its very nature, it will have a statute which specifically defines the nature of the law and what constitutes a failure to uphold the law, as well as penalties. However, no law crafted has ever been so wise and carefully worded to be able to foresee all circumstances which might come into play concerning the law. Thus, a person might bring about great harm to another individual or group; however, the circumstances of the particular incident were not taken into account by some seemingly applicable statute. Therefore, the person states, with accuracy, that they did everything according to the law and therefore what they did was just fine. Going back to the previous paragraph, remember a law is meant to capture the spirit, will and/or desire of a society towards appropriate or inappropriate behavior. That the law can ‘t capture every foreseeable act doesn’t mean that the spirit, will or desire of society has not been breeched. Which means that stating some behavior was “completely legal”, does not additionally mean that behavior was not indeed offensive to society and went against what society had desired for appropriate behavior. It only mean that the writers of the law were not clairvoyant enough to predict every behavior one might attempt to circumvent the heart/will of society.
Why bring this up now dear Sisters and Brothers? Because, we seem more and more to look to human derived fixes, like laws to try and solve our societal ills. There is not evil in society; no, there is only a lack of an appropriate law with which to guide society to a more blissful existence. Paul was very clear as he spoke of the laws of commandments given by God. It’s not a particular law, or lack of a particular law that is the issue, it is in our heart and our desire to follow the law which is the issue.
So it is there we must always start; the heart. How is our heart aligned with the Heart of God which brought about the two greatest commandments? The two greatest commandments on which all other necessary, appropriate laws and teachings are based, are commandments of love; love for the Father and each other. That dear Sisters and Brothers is where our hearts must reside. Are we looking to “laws” that are laws based on the commandments of love? Are we looking for some type of legalese which can relieve ourselves from the process of reflecting on our own behavior and intentions based on appropriate love; allowing us to say “Well I wouldn’t have but the law said to do it,”.
Laws aren’t inherently good or bad but can become so depending upon to what extent we’re willing to reflect on the intent of the law and how connected the individual law is to the Greater Commandments of Love upon which all appropriate laws are based. It is by having the appropriate heart, sharing and teaching that heart to others, that we stand the best chances of having just laws and a society that brings praise to our Heavenly Father.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we confess that on our own we do not know how to behave. We are thankful, Most Merciful Father, that you have given us commandments by which we can learn what is acceptable behavior. We further confess that even with Your commandments we fall short of Your desires and are thankful that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to fulfill the commandments, allowing our salvation which we could not do ourselves. Guide us Father when we seek to pass our own laws that they would conform and align with Your commandments of love. Keep us from the temptation Father to create laws in conflict with Your commandments and more in line with worldly desires. That in creating our laws our hearts would be centered on Your Love for us allowing us to live just lives that bring glory and praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen
“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
“to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4: 22-24
Finally, Brothers and Sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Philippians 4:8
Jesus Christ was unambiguous in His reply. This question was being posed by, in the day and time when Jesus walked the earth, a learned man, a man considered wise and perhaps holy; a scribe. This question came at the height of Jesus’s popularity during His time on earth. He had come humbly but triumphantly into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The crowds had cheered Him and the leadership had jeered Him. The religious leadership had been peppering Jesus with question after question trying to trick or confuse Him. Jesus confounded them at every turn. In Matthew it was an evil question meant to hopefully trap Jesus in some faulty answer. In Mark the scribe asked the question to Jesus after hearing Him clearly outwit a gathering of religious leaders. Either way, Jesus was and His message for us today is very clear. Which is the greatest commandment?
Now, for a moment, it might add some clarity to understand the scope of the question. Was the scribe talking about which of the 10 Commandments, given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai? Was the scribe asking concerning the greatest commandment of the roughly 613 commandments which were passed down, derived through the 10 Commandments? There were a tremendous amount of commandments to choose from. Which one or two would Jesus choose?
Understand this, neither the question nor the answer were new. Loving God with all that you have; heart, body, soul and mind was the first commandment that Moses gave to the people in Deuteronomy when the people of Israel thought they were about to cross over into the promised land. Moses was explaining, how it was that they would be able to stay in the favor of God Almighty if they lived by these precious precepts and did not turn away from them or forget them. Earlier in Luke’s Gospel, a man answered a question posed by Jesus by quoting these two same commandments. The man went on to ask Jesus: “Who is my neighbor?” , and Jesus proceeded to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan.
They lived in a fractured world back in the time of Jesus’s walk on this earth. Jew and gentile, Pharisee and Sadducee, freeman and slave, Roman and the rest of the world; were only some of divisions which existed in the land of that time.
Now fast forward some 2020 years later. Ho Boy, do we have divisions. As this blog is read around the world, I would mention just some in my country; conservatives and liberals, migrants and native citizens, man and woman, gender specific and gender flexible, and..and…and. We have a lot of division in our country and our world. So here’s the challenge; not so much that those differences exist, but the way we treat those who believe differently; as wrong, as evil, as hated, that drives differences into divisions, which destroys groups as small as families and as large as nations.
Notice, neither in the Old Testament or with Jesus, Himself, was it declared, you will love those who believe like you do, who look or act like you do or who vote like you do. Jesus Christ makes it clear, both in His teaching and His living, talking with a Samaritan – a woman no less – or healing a Roman Centurion’s servant, that neighbor has a very broad and universal meeting. A neighbor can be a person who has lived next to you for 30 years or a stranger standing next to you in a shopping line.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Jesus makes it clear, love; love toward our neighbor, whomever they might be should be our default position. There is only one greater commandment; to Love our Heavenly Father. Why? The power of love. As we love our neighbor, we’re not likely trying to harm them. Our blood pressure or anger doesn’t go through the roof as we love our neighbor. A loving neighbor carries no brick, no molatov cocktail, no semi-automatic weapon to use against their neighbor. Love is the Power of God. Loving like Him allows us to share in that power.
Okay, okay, you say, then I’m going to go out and do it. Today I’m going to start loving all my neighbors, just you wait. In some cases it may be tough love, maybe, I’m going to be loving them while I smack some sense into them but I can do this, I’m going to love them.
If we’re going to have a shot at this at all, we have to understand a few things. First to become this way takes a transformation. The world and those of the world will never be able to find it within themselves to love thy neighbor as Jesus describes. As Jesus explained to Nicodemus it takes being born again. It takes taking off the old self and putting on the new self. The only way to truly accomplish that is to be in Christ Jesus.
Abiding in Christ, experiencing Christ’s love and His power to change us allows us then, to exemplify Christ in our love for our neighbor. As written in Ephesians, only by putting on the whole armor of God can we combat the evil of this world to see clearly a better, more loving path forward.
Each day we’re likely to come in contact with many neighbors. Some of those neighbors will be in person, some virtually. Some will be neighbors we’ve known for decades, some will be strangers who cross our paths. Let us not look to world power; the power of distrusting and hating those neighbors who seem different, wanting for and maybe taking part in their destruction. Instead let us embrace the Power of God Almighty and His second most important commandment to love that neighbor, even if the love is not returned. Knowing that the Power of God and His love can never be defeated and by loving in Him we bring praise to His Holy Name.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we proclaim that You are God and along, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, the only True God. Thus You are right and just to have commandments. We thank you Most Merciful Father that Your greatest commandments are to love; first You, then our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us when we neglect these commandments or try and narrow our definition of neighbor to exclude those we decide are not worth our love. Pour out Your Spirit on us that we might resist the worldly definition of love and neighbor to, instead accept Your definition and the power that goes along with that definition. Allow us to be beacons of Your love to all our neighbors that we might be peacemakers and healers to this world and bring praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord how many times shall I forgive my brother who has sinned against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, ‘I tell you not just seven times, seventy-seven times.'” Matthew 18:21,22
“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. Matthew 5:28
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent and praiseworthy- think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
Why seventy-seven times? In another translation, it reads that Jesus Christ responds seventy times seven times (I’m running out of finger and toes to get up that high). Think about how many times Jesus talked about, not only He being a servant, but how important it was that the disciples think of themselves as humble servants as well.
On the sermon on the mount, Jesus Christ warns it not just about committing the actual act, murder or adultery, it about contemplating the act or working up toward the act, in the case of anger, that is an equal danger. Why?
Throughout the letters that the apostles sent to the early churches and new beginners, they urged thought on things from above and abolish thoughts and acts of earthly or worldly things. Why pray without ceasing?
I am not one who finds a conflict between thoughts of science and thoughts of spirituality. Oh sure, there are some within the realm of science who ascribe to the idea that science has disproved the existence of God. But it’s not science fault that some would use it incorrectly the same way it is not Christ’s fault that some have done unspeakable evil in His name.
We are creations of God, including Jesus Christ so thus, our Creator knows us and how we work intimately. He knows how our brains function (or dysfunction at least at times in my case).
So why seventy-seven times or 140 times? Scientists studying the brain have discovered a process in its operation called neural plasticity. Now please understand, as I am no theologian, I am also not a brain surgeon or scientist. Yet I’ve always been fascinated about how the brain operates and how amazingly complex it is. Well in the concept of neural plasticity, with my limited understanding, it is the idea that as we have thoughts, and/or as we take actions; we are producing connections within the brain. These connections become pathways. Additionally, these pathways are not destroyed after one thought or action. As we have the same or very similar thoughts or actions, those pathways get stronger, more easily accessible.
Now here’s the thing, if we deem those thoughts or actions to be positive, helpful or pleasurable, then we are more likely to go back to them over and over again. Each time we go back, the pathway gets stronger. Think of it (no pun intended) this way, your brain is like a forest. Quite often if you’re walking through the woods/forest, you look for a trail that’s been cleared out that makes it easier, more pleasurable to walk. While overly simplistic, that is an aspect of this concept of neural plasticity and its impact on our thoughts and behavior.
So let’s take forgiveness. It may not be all that easy or natural of a thing to do. Someone does us wrong. Should we think or act on taking revenge or getting even with them, we’re creating a pathway. If that thought or action feels good, we’ll tend to think or act that way more and that pathway gets strengthened. Jesus Christ knows this. Again He is our creator. So Jesus declares we’re to forgive and keep on forgiving. It may not feel comfortable or good at first, but as we keep doing it, five times, 10 times, 77 times, 140 times and more, we’re building and strengthening that path. Before you know it, voila, that path becomes strong enough, that we find ourselves thinking and acting that way.
Additionally, that’s why Jesus Christ and later the Apostles, warn against the underlying thought and not just the action. Indeed, it truly is the thought that counts. For it is the looking in lust, the being angry and thinking of harm or killing that starts the pathway. To the extent we tell ourselves, there’s no harm in looking or only thinking; neural plasticity would say that we’re wrong. There is a credible harm, a changing of our brain just in the thinking.
Yet, I’ve heard folks tell me: “Well maybe so for some, but that wouldn’t be me” or “that doesn’t apply to me”. I’m not wise or omniscient enough to tell anyone that they’re wrong in what they know about themselves. All I do is point out the real danger in the aspect of thinking: I’ll try that drug just once, I can quit that website anytime I want, I wouldn’t have done it – I was only thinking it and other justifications we give ourselves for risky and/or destructive behavior.
Thus dear Sisters and Brothers, once again science reinforces a basic concept to positive living that Jesus Christ laid out thousands of years ago. In the end it is best just not to go there. Try to keep your brain from building those connections that concern the debasing, destructive aspects to life. To the extent that the pathways may exist, stop using them.
In the articles that I’ve read about neural plasticity, seldom used pathways, fade in their importance. New pathways can be forged based upon the thoughts that we have and the subsequent actions we take based on those thoughts.
Finally, we’re not left on our own. The world has a whole lot of demeaning, destructive pathways it wants to build in our brains. Jesus Christ instructs us to connect to our Heavenly Father through prayer to Him and study of His word. In that Heavenly connection, through His power, we can be victorious over the worldly thoughts and pathways which want to lead us to our downfall. Jesus Christ promises the Holy Spirit will come to us and empower and embolden us to keep us thinking as we should and lead us back should we stray.
Ironically, being on the straight and narrow path is not just a completely allegorical concept. There are literal brain paths that, if we commit to relying on Jesus Christ to show them to us and empower us to stay on them, then we can live powerful lives of peace and joy that bring praise and honor to our Heavenly Father as well as us.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, if we are open to it, we praise how our understanding of science reveals Your underlying truths to us. Pour out Your Spirit on us that we would be receptive to Your revelation and obedient to Your instructions for us as given by Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive us when, in our arrogance, we believe that we can go our own way and that our power is sufficient to keep us from harm and evil. Lead us back to Your path, strengthening the correct path and obliterating the wrong path. That in thinking about and then walking the right path, we might live lives of praise and thanksgiving to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
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“Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.” Psalm 25:20
“Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Mark 13
“Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11
“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9
October is National Bullying Prevention Month in the United States. There is also an international Stand Up to Bullying Day, which is normally held in February with the next one being February 22, 2019. With the emphasis on bullying and bullied in mind is there something to be gleaned from scripture concerning it?
I’ve heard a couple of paramount themes in the recent years as it concerns bullying, especially with my wife being a fifth grade teacher. First, while bullying has always been around, today it is much more widespread, virulent, with ever greater damaging results. There is a second, more whispered, hidden yet strongly felt belief that there’s not more bullying; we’ve just become too soft. That if we’d only stick to the mantra, “suck it up, buttercup”, then we wouldn’t have so much of a problem.
So while few would argue that bullying is some sort of new phenomenon or behavior; some recent statistics provide a rather stark assessment of the impact of bullying in today’s culture, especially among youth. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the third largest killer of young people in the United States. A Yale University study found students who were bullied were 2-9 times more likely to consider suicide. A study in Britain found up to half of the suicides committed there by young people were due to bullying.
In my experience, one of the major differences and impact of growth in bullying has to do with social media. Because bullying has always had a stigma associated with it, the behavior was most often carried out outside of public observation or scrutiny. The bully or bullies would find the private place, behind the school, in the restroom or some other out of the way place to execute their nefarious deeds. If the bullying was by communication only, it was done by whispers in small groups or closely guarded notes. The bully wanted to exert their power without being caught by an authority who could and would bring an end to their practices.
Yet our social media culture makes the initiation and spread of bullying easier as well as the ability for piling on ever more hurtful expressions as simple as a few keystrokes and a click. With the plethora of social media platforms, a vicious rumor, unkind picture or personal attack can be initiated and spread through literally hundreds of people and countless locations in an amazingly short period of time. What might have been limited to a few dubious people in a classroom or an office, can zoom around at the literal speed of light to multiple social media addresses and platforms.
But what about the old “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”, response to bullying. Well that can be all well and good when the “words” used to come from one or two people. However, now when it seems that most if not the entire office, team, school or group may be in on or at least sharing those words, those words become more devastatingly impactfull. That can be especially true when someone’sz privacy has been betrayed and some intimate detail is paraded out and around.
So what are we to do? Where are we to turn? What is an amazing truth is that God knows about bullying. Now being all powerful and all knowing, you might think that His only knowledge would be that of the bully. After all, can you really bully God? Well, we sure tried.
You see, God became flesh and blood in the person of Jesus and when He did, He became the subject of an amazing amount of bullying. Jesus was bullied from all quarters; family and friends, the government and many a stranger who never really heard of Him. Yet it was not just Jesus, David was bullied by Goliath and his own family for being the youngest, the smallest and not being all that attractive. Mary, Jesus’s mother, was at an extremely high risk or bullying, becoming pregnant before she was married. The apostle Paul was bullied significantly because, when his name was Saul, he mistakenly persecuted the early church, sending people to jail and worse. When Saul converted and became Paul, he was subject to bullying from others who did not believe in his conversion. There are many more examples throughout the bible.
Yet please understand this, in all cases, God is on His throne. God will be and is refuge enough against the fiercest of bullying. God does not allow the bully or the evil of bullying to last or to prosper. Think of some of histories most notorious bullies; Roman Emperor Nero, Hitler, Stalin, Senator Joseph McCarthy, Saddam Huessein for some examples. While there was a time they seemed to be at the pinnacle of power and perhaps popularity; their evil deeds did not go unpunished leading to ultimate ruin. That is what awaits all unrepentant bullies to some extent. God does not suffer the innocent to be oppressed for long and evil doers to go unpunished.
Thus if you’re in the circumstance of being bullied, reach up and out to God. Ask Him for His help and deliverance and know He will be right by your side. The bullying of Goliath and his brothers didn’t stop David. God sent angels to protect Mary from any harm. Jesus Christ intervened on behalf of Paul.
If you’re being bullied or seeing another bullied, be careful about seeking retribution on your own or for the sake of someone else. Jesus Christ could have utterly and easily crushed those who tried to bully Him but chose mercy and forgiveness instead. Through Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy, God declares “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay…….” Wait upon the Lord and He will act. It may be that you might be called to be an instrument in the Lord’s Will but wait upon the Spirit to lead versus making that assumption. God is able, remember what happened to the bullying chariots of Pharaoh when they were going to attack the Israelites on the shore of the Red Sea. God will prevail.
Additionally, don’t become the bully, either in response to a bully or in some mistaken sense of righteousness. Do not believe that we have the right to act in some judgmental, hurtful manner to stop some transgression. Remember how Christ chastised the bullies who wanted to judge and then stone the woman caught in adultery.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, whether being the recipient of or witness to an act of bullying, do become lost in a sea of disillusionment or despair; even if that bullying should come from a religious institution, leader or person. Call upon, have confidence and find peace in the Comforting Arms of our Heavenly Father. He will be your refuge and protector as well as seeing to the demise of the evil at hand.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we live in a world where so often, there is an attempt by the seemingly powerful to unjustly wield that power upon the innocent. You did not create this world to be that way and for us to treat each other so. We pray that You would be swift to come to the aid of those oppressed by bullies, shielding them from the injustice and abuse of the evil perpetrated against them. We also ask that You would enter into the heart of the perpetrator, the bully, to turn it away from evil designs and actions. Yet let Your justice come against the unrepentant that refuse Your mercy and desire to continue their destructive ways. That in protecting and restoring the innocent, turning the perpetrator from evil or bringing Your perfect justice down upon them; we would bring unceasing praise to Your Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12
“Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.'” John 5:19
I happened to be watching a funeral ceremony for a noted person this past weekend. I found it ironic that this person, of late, was known for being a champion of civility and compromise when necessary. It was also true the person was known for sticking to their values in the face of opposition from friends and foe alike. Yet as the casket was leaving the church, perhaps giving the final impression of this person; Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “My Way” was playing. I found that ironic.
However, I did not find it unusual for our age. Much are the celebrated stories of self made people and the people who did it, accomplished it on their own. So much are these stories celebrated that I believe they have risen to the level of modern day mythology. Mythology defined as a group of stories that are associated with a particular time in history. There are many stories about the idea that started in a dorm room, a technology that started in a garage or basement and/or a business that started on a dining room table top. Now please understand, myth does not necessarily mean completely untrue. Those ideas, technologies and businesses exist. Additionally, there were individuals who played a singularly significant role in formulating, inventing, promoting and shepherding those ideas, technologies and businesses to success. However, the role of the individual has been trumpeted and extolled to such a great extent, that the “go-it-alone”, “I know best”, “I’ll break all rules and ask forgiveness upon success”, theme and mantras and the limelight and fame that goes with them have become the holy grail or golden fleece pinnacles of our modern day consciousness.
So why does this matter; what impact does it have? Lately I’ve witnessed and experienced far reaching and system wide impacts. For I’ve worked with leaders at some significantly high levels who both believe that their successes, achievements and promotions are a direct result of almost solely their individual efforts. Consequently this provides them a unique talent to run everything from meetings to entire organizations as “my” meeting, “my” team and/or “my” organization. While they would never articulate that they are infallible or perfect, the only ideas that can be entertained are those ideas that align with their worldview and most all other personal and professional characteristics are judged acceptable based on their perception and reasoning. The outcome, I’ve witnessed to this approach is more fractured teams, frustrated individuals and sub-optimal outcomes.
Okay, I could now launch into some business lesson or course on the power of teamwork and the positive attributes of a good team player but this post concerns something more pressing than that. This post concerns our very lives for all eternity.
If anyone in history could lay claim exclusively to the term “self-made man”, it would be Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us Jesus was right there at the beginning with God, that He is God and all things were created through Him by God. Having no earthly farther and conceived by God, being God on earth, it could be argued He was truly “self-made”. Yet Jesus was never about claiming glory for Himself. Consider this, Jesus never claimed that what He was teaching, the miracles He accomplished or the plan He was following was of His making. Jesus was very clear that all of what He was doing came from the Father, based upon what the Father wanted done. Okay, so there was someone above Him but at least on earth, Jesus demanded the best of all things and servitude from all. One wonders if we can imagine the self made titans of today, getting down on their hands and knees and washing and drying their employees feet, even the feet of a person He knew was going to betray Him? If or when attacked, would they stand out in front, shielding and protecting their followers from any harm? And yes, Jesus did proclaim that He was the way; but He was not the end or the pinnacle to the way. He is the way to the Father.
Thus if Jesus Christ is not to claim the title of self made man or instead of adopting the “My Way” song for His theme song, instead proclaim that it is all about and sing the praises of the Father; who are we to believe that self made is the way to go. Dear Sisters and Brothers whether we use the term made or created, we must understand there is a Maker or Creator. We were not made/created to go it alone in anything. Understand what Jesus is warning us about. It’s not that if we go it alone, if we reject Him and follow ourselves or each other, that we’ll lose out on somethings, we won’t go as far as we could have, we might be successful but have fewer or lesser successes. No, Jesus Christ is clear, apart from Me, you can do NOTHING! NO THING!
However, it’s not all negative. Jesus Christ declares; you want to do great things, even greater than I’ve done; then believe in Me. Believe that I’ve come from and have returned to the Father and you will receive untold blessings from the power the Father longs to share with you and show through you.
Finally “self-made” is short term, no matter what. There is no salvation through the self. There is no eternal life through the self. A worldly self made life is an eternally self made loss. Please, embrace the reality of being Jesus Christ made, thus Father approved. In that way the great things we will indeed accomplish through Christ, will bring honor, glory and praise to the Father and blessings to His creation.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, from the very beginning it has not been about One but about the Father, Son and Spirit. We are awed, humbled and eternally grateful that You, in Your Mercy and Grace, have decided to share Yourself with us, Your Creation. You have promised the Holy Spirit to be in us, to guide us, correct us and sustain us. You have given us Your Son Jesus Christ as a perfect sacrifice in our place to be our Salvation. Forgive us Father, when we are tempted to and sometimes turn away from You to chase the worldly concept of “self-made”, hoping to bring praise and glory solely to us. Show us and lead us back to You where we know that through Jesus Christ, in You, that is the only way we will ever achieve anything. That in living lives abiding in Christ, we may carry out Your Perfect plan and bring glory, honor and praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen
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“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?'” Mark 4:38
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!'” Matthew 14:30
“He replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.'” Matthew 15:26
Just wait a second, Doug; you may start out to respond to the title of this post. Did Jesus not feed over 5,000 once and over 4,000 another time? Didn’t Jesus heal the sick and bring sight to the blind? Didn’t Jesus go into the houses of the outcast and be seen with lepers? How can I ask this?
Well isn’t possible that Jesus’ miracles were just things that he did? Things so very easy for God here on earth that they came with hardly any thought? Maybe for Him it’s the same as when we mindlessly say: “How’s it going?” to a colleague as we pass in the hallway or likewise say “Have a nice day.”
After all wasn’t Jesus sleeping as a storm raged, threatening to pitch the disciples out of their boat and into a tempest of sure doom? Didn’t he care about the disciples? Or what about Peter; didn’t Jesus, who knows everything, know that Peter was going to get scared walking on the water and start to sink? Why would He let that happen? And what about the poor lady whose child was suffering terribly, Jesus at first refused to help her making a statement that compared her to being a dog? None of those show a caring, engaged Savior do they?
Cold and callousness seem to be very human traits that so often rear their ugly heads, especially in our contemporary society. Sometimes we blame lack of time, sometimes we blame the fact that we “didn’t know”, yet the reality is that all too often we flat just don’t care about our fellow person; especially enough to actually act. Jesus Christ became human so maybe he had that trait as well?
Absolutely, positively NOT! In no way was Jesus being cold or uncaring in any of these situations or other situations that might be brought up. For indeed Jesus declared that He had come to save the world and we would learn just how far He would have to go to accomplish that task.
Jesus didn’t care that the disciples were going to drown? It looked that way from the disciples point of view. What they did not understand at that point was they were never in any slightest danger to begin with. The creation, in this case rain, wind and waves, can never threaten or endanger the Creator. Jesus was able to sleep peacefully because He knew that there was no peril that could ever come against Him. Jesus was well aware of His omnipotent nature and demonstrated His power effortlessly. The disciples were equally as safe, though they had little to no power over the storm at all because they were with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ cared so much to make sure that they were all, even Judas Iscariot who would betray Him with Him and therefore would be totally safe from harm.
Okay, but Jesus didn’t really care about Peter did He? In another instance with water, Jesus called Peter out of the safe boat to attempt the incredibly risky, virtually impossible feat of walking on water. Sure enough after a few steps, Peter got scared, started to sink and Jesus then saved him. Why did Jesus call Peter out in the first place? Seemingly it was not Jesus plan to have Peter walk on water. For Jesus to walk on water was no big thing. Again, the Creator of all things can manipulate the created to allow for any action He deems necessary. After teaching a great group of people, over 5,000 and, oh by the way, miraculously feeding them, Jesus had told His disciples to get into a boat and go across the lake while he dismissed the crowd and went off to pray. Jesus would catch up to them later. That’s exactly what happened. Walking on water, even in the midst of strong wind and significant waves, Jesus walked near the boat. In one translation it says Jesus was going to pass by the boat and keep going to the other side. Yet again, this was almost too much for the disciples. Men, even great men simply do not walk on water. This must not be flesh and blood but a ghost or spirit of some kind. When Jesus called out, the disciples seemed to recognize His voice but still could not wrap their heads around the idea of Him walking on the water. So Peter decides to put Jesus to the test. If the apparition walking on the water really is their Master, Jesus, then He should be able to call Peter out of the boat and allow Peter to walk on the water too. Instead of rebuking Peter, Jesus rewards his risky but semi-faith filled request, with an invitation to join Him out on the water. Peter, again showing some significant faith, believes Jesus, steps out of the boat and actually starts to walk on water. Jesus is showing His power, not only to Peter but to the rest of the disciples as well. Jesus is showing that His power is not just for Jesus, but through Jesus, the disciples can do miraculous things as well. If they will completely believe in Jesus and follow Him, even out onto the waves. Walking on water ugh, waves ugh, and Oh My Gosh the wind!; ugh, I can’t believe I’m doing this! Peter thinks. I shouldn’t be able to do this, Peter thinks and when he takes his focus and eyes off of Jesus, Peter starts to sink. Yet Jesus has no intention of letting the least harm come to Peter; the “rock” upon which He plans to build His church. Jesus wants to show the amazing accomplishments that can happen, the unbelievable requests that will be granted, through faithful obedience to Jesus as Christ. However, the world will attack that faith and should it waiver, then disastrous consequences can occur. Yet even if our faith does ebb and, in our doubting, we start to fall or sink; Jesus Christ is right there to lift us up to safety.
Thirdly, displaying faith can often be difficult requiring determination and perseverance, where we should realize we may find obstacles placed in our way by the very organizations, like the church, who should be making it easy. A woman has a child in trouble. The woman wants to see Jesus for His help. She believes that Jesus can cure her child. There’s just one problem, she’s the wrong nationality. This woman was a Canaanite, a vilely hated group by the Jews. Jesus did not immediately acknowledge or reply to the woman. Seemingly immediately the prejudice and bias of the disciples kicks in asking Jesus to send the woman away (without helping her). Jesus appears to acquiesce to the disciples command, comparing the woman’s request for His help, to giving precious food meant for a child (the Jews of which Jesus belonged) to a mere dog. That would be a waste. The woman could have at the point, been stung by the rebuke, turned and walked away. Today, she probably would have screamed ugly responses to Him while pulling out a cell phone to video record the whole thing. Instead, the woman still has faith. Okay she reasons, I’m not a Jew, I know I am counted less by the Jews, but I have the faith that this Jesus has the power to help, so I will humble myself, acknowledge my lowly state and still ask for His mercy. Jesus doesn’t just annoyingly send her away, or sneak off to grant her request where no can see Him interact with her. No, instead for all around, especially His disciples to hear; Jesus compliments the woman’s great faith and heals her stricken daughter.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Jesus Christ cares. Jesus Christ promises that should we abide in Him, though storms toss us and the situation seems lost; we will never perish for He has the power over all storms. Likewise, through the power of Christ, we are allowed to ask for incredible things, seemingly impossible things, like walking on water; which, if we stay in faith Jesus Christ can easily make happen. Also, should our faith falter, Jesus Christ’s mercy will not and He will catch us. Finally, practicing our faith may take risks, may be uncomfortable. Some may tell us we don’t look right, think right, act right, love right, believe right. They may try to dismiss us and turn us away. Sadly some who do so might be members or leaders in Christ’s church. Do not be discouraged but have faith. What the world may say no to; Christ may declare; “Your faith is great so let it be as you asked”. Jesus Christ cares. He took all our sins upon Himself and died in our place. And now He lives, in caring love to see us come to our full fruition in Him.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we are so very thankful and praise Your Holy Name for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ. We are in awe of the caring that He, the Creator of the Universe, with You, have for us. Forgive us, when in times of darkness or despair we may be tempted to doubt the caring and love of Jesus Christ. Grant to us the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith, keeping us abiding in Christ and living lives that bring honor and praise to Your most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
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“Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham! Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you. …….Do not lay a hand on the boy Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son……and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:1,2,18
“The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him.” Matthew 4:1
“And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him…” Matthew 22:35
There are some who are reading this they may actually enjoy being tested. Some enjoy it because they love the thrill of the challenge and thrive under pressure. Some enjoy testing because they are supremely confident in the outcome and look forward to the reward and adulation of a high achieving score. I fall into to neither of those categories or any other rationale that would find tests enjoyable. In some instances I would say that I go as far as to get text anxiety.
There is a school of thought that says, we as Christians, will never face testing, at least not from God. I can’t say that I am one that follows that particular theology. I do believe that it is plainly written that God, Himself will not bring about temptations to sin. Those temptations come from the enemy. Yet temptation and tests are not the same thing.
It is not that I am speaking for God (heaven forbid); but simply referring to God’s own revealed Word in the bible. It is plainly stated that God tested Abraham in Genesis. It was Satan who tempted Jesus in the wilderness, but the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to face the test of temptation. Then there are the worldly tests that we throw at each other and even sometimes at God, which is what a lawyer did to Christ.
Let’s look at the context of Abraham’s testing. God had promised Abraham, he would be a father of nations. God was leading Abraham to the promised land. While, Abraham did not have an heir by his wife, he had prospered in many different ways. Finally, in a miraculous event; Sarah, Abraham’s wife conceived and bore Abraham a son and heir when she was older than 90 years old; Isaac. Thus now Abraham had all the blessings he had been promised by God and was exceedingly successful. Plus, God still planned to keep His covenant with Abraham to be the father of the chosen people of Israel. But, would Abraham stay true to the covenant? God knew the hearts of men and knew that often, once exceedingly successful, men will turn from God to follow their own ways and seek their own glory. Would Abraham turn? God tested Abraham and Abraham passed.
It appears obvious that God, in His spiritual form can not be tempted. Yet God did not stay in a purely spiritual form as He allowed Himself to be begotten of a mortal woman and be born of true flesh and blood as Jesus Christ; God’s Son. Hence, God being flesh, experienced things like hunger, exhaustion, human emotions and yes, so that He could truly experience the human condition, temptation. The only difference is Jesus Christ overcame all temptation which can not be said for any solely or souly human. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we have an advocate who is not unfamiliar or has not been tempted. What a grace filled plan that God would allow Himself to be in a situation where He would be tempted by Satan, just to have the human experience of it.
Finally in the third referenced test above; it is solely human in nature. Humans test for many reasons; most of which are justifiable in nature, such as to measure a person’s understanding or level of mastery. Yet we can also test for illegitimate, nefarious reasons, hoping and even planning for the test taker to fail so we can unleash a harsh judgmental punishment. That is what the lawyer attempted to do to Jesus and was abruptly and completely silenced.
So we have the how’s and whys of testing; let’s talk briefly about taking the tests. Again starting with Abraham, notice that he did not have the answer to the test within him. He knew God promised him a child and Isaac was that child. God had said that Abraham was going to be the father of a great nation but how could that be if Abraham had to sacrifice his only child? Was this some clever riddle to be solved? If so, Abraham possessed not the wits to solve it. Even when Isaac pointed out, as they started their trek, that they had no animal for the sacrifice, Abraham’s only answer was “God will provide”. Not only was that the only answer it was the right answer as well. Abraham didn’t try to bargain with God or runaway from God with Isaac, he didn’t try to substitute some other young man hoping God wouldn’t notice. Abraham relied completely in God in faith and passed the test and was rewarded with the continuing covenant.
In Jesus’ case, remember He was God and human. Jesus had the power of God and would often times use that power to overcome demons. Yet, to thwart the temptation of the devil, Jesus didn’t use His own words, but the words of His Father; “man does not live by bread alone”, “you shall worship God only” and “do not put the Lord your God to the test”. The great power in these replies is that we have access to those same exact words. Those words weren’t just for Jesus but for all of us. God, through His immeasurable grace, has given us the same tools that His Son used to defeat the devil.
However, we are not God on earth. What that means is that, unlike Jesus Christ, we will fail a test or tests at some point. All human beings are fallen except Christ. So we fail, we don’t faithfully wait on God; we are not only tempted but give into the temptation and sin, now what? Once we have failed we are open to and will rightly receive the full judgement and wrath from our Just Heavenly Father! Is that right?
Well maybe that is what would seem to be the right outcome to have. Maybe that’s how we would want to handle other people’s failures for tests we implement. Yet the one who was tested and did not fail, freely took upon Himself every single one of our failures. Jesus Christ, takes upon Himself all our test failures and washes them away, erases them by the blood of His Perfect Sacrifice. Grade book closed.
The enemy would have us believe we are tested because God hates us and wants to judge and condemn us. Nothing could be further from the truth. God wants us to learn. God wants us to rely on Him and see how through faith in Him we can overcome any test. The enemy wants us to believe that when we fail, we are separated from God for all time to come. The risen Jesus Christ testifies to us that we are eternally cleansed and forgiven for all failures and He stands ready to bring us through any test we may face.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father help us to understand that it is in Your wisdom that we are tested to allow us to learn how to rely on You and Your Word in all tests. Forgive us when we lack the faith to turn to You and try to pass the tests on our own or worse yet are perfectly content and/or relish in our failures. We praise the name of our Savior, Your Son, Jesus Christ, that He freely takes upon Himself our sins, that our failures are wiped clean by the blood of His sacrifice. That in the testing we may grow ever stronger and prosperous, living lives that bring glory and praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
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“She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse……… because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.'” Mark 5:26, 28
“Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,……Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.'” Luke 18:39-40, 42
“Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ‘” John 11: 24,25
In my previous full time work, I’ve undertaken significant research and developed several programs concerning organizational and personal improvement. There is considerable research in many arenas, including Dr. Peter Senge from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that has determined teams are the primary element for productive improvement and accurate decision making. I have found that to be often the case but the purpose of this post is not to delve into the reasons that might be the case.
The purpose of this post is, given the power of teams, to discuss the pros and cons, the impacts positive and negative, of our decisions about what teams we feel are our primary resource for living and how we approach them. Of course, by its very nature a team requires more than one so we might often use the pronoun “we” in discussing our team. I further submit that there are two broad types of we; the “w”e is the we made up only members of secular world with a secular outlook. The other “we” is the “W”e which has as its primary member, Jesus Christ, plus one or more human members.
Now while I started out talking about my background in business the “w”e teams come from all over society: man&wife, families, friends, clubs, churches, sports teams, business teams and many other types of gatherings. It is not my intention, nor my belief to state that all these types of “w”e teams are evil or completely ineffective. Yet my belief is that any and all “w”e teams by their very make up lack the power and the impact of the “W”e team and to the extent we rely solely or primarily on “w”e teams, we will find our plans and outcomes to be less than optimal.
For example, in the first scripture reference above, I don’t necessarily believe that the “w”e team of doctors and others who had tried to help the woman had been evil and just trying to steal her money. It is very possible that they tried to the extent of their limited medical education of the time to solve her problem. However, even with their best efforts the “w”e team had failed.
Now to the extent that a crowd or other impromptu gathering can be a “w”e, then their intentions may not be the best for all the members. In the second scripture example, there was a member of the group who was in need. However, the way the man was trying to get his need met was an irritant to the rest of the group, the greater “w”e. Maybe the man was always yelling out at inopportune times or had some other obnoxious, disruptive tendencies. Whatever the reason was, the group decided when they saw the man’s initial call to Jesus was not responded to, instead of trying to help his plea reach Jesus, they instead, wanted to silence the man and end his irritating (at least to them) behavior. Had that “w”e group gotten their way, the man would have stayed silent and more importantly blind.
Here’s the bottom line with “w”e groups; they are limited. The “w”e groups have limited resources, limited intelligence, limited strength just to mention some of their limitations. Thus to the extent we rely solely or primarily on these groups, our outcomes will necessarily be limited as well.
Then there is the “W”e groups. In this case it is a group who not only includes, but places as it Highest Member, Jesus Christ. The woman with the long term medical condition decided to forego anymore “w”e, earthly groups and instead, humbly act to bring Jesus into a group of He and her with the hopes or being healed. The outcome of that “W”e team did not disappoint her. Additionally, a “W”e team can have an impact on a “w”e team. Jesus ended up hearing the blind man calling to Him and ordered the blind man be brought to Him. Once Jesus got involved, the “w”e team that had been ostracizing man for calling out, changed their tune and told him to be of good cheer. In the final example, Martha’s brother Lazarus has died. As Martha ponders the “W”e team or group of Jesus, as the Messiah, Martha, Lazarus, she still doesn’t understand the full power of Jesus as Christ. When Jesus tells Martha that her brother will rise again, Martha believes that Jesus is talking about an end time of a mass resurrection. Yet Jesus instructs her that He is the resurrection for this and all time and proceeds to raise Lazarus from the grave.
The last example illustrates a key characteristic of the “W”e team versus the “w”e team. In the “w”e team, all the team members maybe equals, peers, where they are free to feel they have an equivalent say or power. In the “W”e team we will be sorely incorrect if we believe that the team members are equal. The true power of the “W”e team comes from the fact that Jesus Christ is omnipotent, omniscient and only through His magnificent Grace, are we allowed to be part of the “W”e. Yet that doesn’t mean we don’t have a responsibility in being part of the “W”e. First we have to believe in the He of the “W”e; in other words we have to believe in Jesus as Christ, the only Begotten Son of God. As the lady and the blind man did; we have to approach or call out to Christ, to have a true desire to be on the “W”e team. Finally the “W”e team shouldn’t be a haphazard membership sort of thing. The “W”e team should be our primary resource.
One more thing, the “W”e team doesn’t just have to consist of two members; Christ and you. A husband and wife, a family, a church, even a work group, any or all of these can be “W”e teams. All it takes is, regardless of the number of members, is that Christ is the head and the rest of the team is committed to serving Christ and each other. Who puts in more of the effort? Who is it who has taken all of our sins upon Him, died as a sacrifice in our place and rose again to be our Advocate with the Father? As you read this may it be that in some sense we become a member of the “W”e team, plugging into His power, striving to bring about His plan and living a life that brings praise to Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we praise You that You would be so grace filled and merciful that You sent Your Son that we might be able to abide in Him and be a part of His team. Forgive us when we disregard You and instead want to rely on our earthly teams. Pour out Your Spirit that we might be strengthened to focus on being constantly on Your Team with its blessings and promise of ultimate victory. That in living that life we would bring praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen
“Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen Me do. John 14:11
“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'” John 20:29
Seeing is BELIEVING! I believe this to be true. Yet too often we emphasize the seeing, believing that it is in the seeing that the true believing happens. Sadly that is not always or even most often the case.
Yet before we get there; let’s quickly discuss the emphasis on seeing in our culture and how the visual permeates our society. While it is true that a few people can always seem to make their written opinions command attention; especially through applications like Twitter. The vast majority of written posts are barely read by those have clicked a follow button, let alone been seen by the masses. Now, you take an ice bucket and dump it on your head, jump out of a moving car and start dancing along side it, be a societal figure known for rigidity but lip sync to some hot new song, wear a wookie mask and start laughing hysterically or find a cute kitten or puppy scene and you capture it on VIDEO, you may very well find yourself being an instant media sensation. Why? Because we get to see it and seeing it means everything. Hey, and I admit, I love a cute, kitten, puppy, baby goat jumping around video as much as anyone.
Yet as fun as some of those things can be; it is the believing concerning what we are seeing or how what we are seeing is shaped by and in turn shapes our subsequent beliefs that is fundamentally important. Yet today, in our Computer Generated Imagery, anyone with software can manipulate almost any image, Tom Hanks in the movie Forrest Gump receives a Congressional Medal of Honor from President Johnson and it looks real and we have deceased stars still acting in our movies after their death, kind of world; we often have to question just what it is we’re seeing. For example, I was watching a commercial (for what I don’t remember…age thing) where two dogs flanked a little girl and they were doing something extraordinary but not physically impossible (not speaking words in English). Now I could have been in awe of the trainer who was able to get the dogs to sit like that and cross their legs, oooorrrrrrrrr, I could just pass it off as really effective CGI.
However, once we can come to the readily accepted conclusion that what we’re seeing is a real happening; then seeing is believing? I will grant that, yet the truth is that doesn’t mean that we will all believe the same thing from the same image. Most watch the moon landings with awe and appreciation, where a few watch the exact same images and see fraud and forgery. Very recently I’ve witnessed the reaction of people to body camera video from police officer involved shootings. Remember these cameras were put in place to try to quell disputes over the actions of officers. Yet I’ve watched people watch the exact same video and come to the passionately fervent conclusion that the officer was at fault and others that the person being detained was at fault. They watched the SAME EXACT VIDEO.
What to take from this. First, understand that the saying is not seeing is proving or seeing provides indisputable conclusions. No seeing is believing and what we believe we see is what is going to lead to our conclusions……….and our actions.
Jesus Christ knew this well. Jesus was not about being a showman, making a spectacle out of Himself or His actions. Many of His miracles; the raising of the religious leader’s daughter, walking on water, healing the man at the tombs were witnessed by a very few. Yet He did feed over 5,000 at one sitting and healed a man with a withered hand in the middle of the temple. Yet in the end, with so many having heard and many actually witnessing the miracles that Jesus performed, they still demanded a sign. And in the end, they still shouted for Jesus to be crucified.
One has to wonder about the Pharisees and other religious leaders who were standing around mocking Jesus as He hung, dying in agony, on the cross. They proclaimed that if Jesus would only save Himself and come down from the cross, then they would believe He was the Messiah. I wonder, if Jesus had come down from the cross and confronted them; would the religious leaders bowed and cowered in penitent, sorrowful, repentance for their sins against Jesus? Or would they have marched over to the Romans and derided and chastised them for screwing up the Crucifixion and allowing Jesus to escape?
Jesus knew and knows that belief doesn’t come from seeing. Too often we only see what we want to see; what fits neatly into our preconceived idea of the truth and all else is discarded.
There is something else of great importance that we should ponder from this. What are we looking for? What are we demanding to see? Are we longing for some visual sign to strengthen our faith or solidify our belief? We must see the error and danger in those type of demands. First we must understand; we are in no position, have no right, as the created to demand any sort of proof or vision from our Creator. We are not equals to God and our belief or lack thereof, has no bearing or impact on the success of God’s Perfect Plan. It is by His Grace and Mercy that He goes to the lengths that He has, including the sacrifice of His only Begotten Son, to prove His love for us. Additionally what filters are we using to analyze the things we do see around us? 12 young soccer players and their coach survive for weeks in a flooded cave and are all rescued; a toddler dangles helplessly off a balcony and a man climbs four stories without any help to save the child, an airliner crashes and all 103 people on board survive. Miracles? Hand of God? Luck? Fate?
The love in the eyes of your child, your spouse, mother, father, brother, friend; just a chemical reaction in the brain? Or is it the blessing of our Almighty Father? Or what about that spectacular sunrise/sunset; simply meteorology or cosmic blessing?
Jesus Christ asks us to believe. Believe in God the Father. Believe also in Jesus Christ, His only Son. Believe that the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father. Believe Jesus Christ came to earth, died, was resurrected and lives today; all for love. Jesus Christ asks us to use the phrase; Believing is Seeing. Faithfully believing opens our eyes to see the blessings, mercy, peace and most importantly love; that our Heavenly Father wishes to show us, to have us see, each and every day.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we proclaim and praise You that You have seen fit to show Yourself to us. That through Your Son Jesus Christ, You want us to witness and then be testifiers to the unending mercy and love You have for us. Pour out Your Holy Spirit that we would truly see Dear Father. We also confess that we often do not look to You through eyes of faithful belief but through eyes of worldly skepticism and doubt. Forgive us Dear Father when we are blind to you and do not allow us to be led astray. Pour out Your Light that we may truly see You and follow You in the path that leads to praise and glory to Your Name. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen
“Give me an understanding heart that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.” 1 Kings 3:9
“The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you.” John 14:25
“For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6
I have stated before and this post is not meant to in any way shape or form be anti-science, anti-academic, or anti-intellectual. Science and medicine and those who are well versed in those topics and subjects have done great personal feats for me and I give thanks to God for them. This post has more to do with our mindset as we pursue greater intellectual knowledge and how we think about the process of attaining it as well as how we feel about ourselves once we’ve attained it.
Prizing education and academic learning is nothing new and seemingly today the demand for it, those seeking to obtain it, the costs associated with attaining it and the thoughts about those who don’t have it are ever more in the forefront of our societal consciousness. Academic institutions, especially those for profit and their marketing are a significant presence in all of our media today. The having of a degree, several degrees, advanced degree or degrees is more frequently a requirement or at least preferred characteristic that many employers are seeking out for their organizations.
While none of those current societal trends are troubling or secular in themselves, I believe we have to be very careful about how we see ourselves both in the process of attaining “higher” education and once the degree or certification has been obtained. For the way that it is too often portrayed is that the attaining of higher level of learning is a testament to our own talents, desires, “work ethic” or vision. Also, once we’ve attained the higher degree, we are somehow more worthy, entitled to some greater reward for our efforts, should be sought out and listened to more. In a word we are “better”; not only better than we were before attaining the degree but also “better” than those who don’t have our level of learning. It is all too easy for our pride to swell through the process and attainment of higher education.
Let’s take a look at this for a moment starting with the process of attaining higher learning. Isn’t the process a testament to my desire for self improvement an accolade to my diligence and self motivation, proof of my desire for self fulfillment? As I take my classes, isn’t this a compliment concerning my tenacity? Aren’t the grades I receive, truly and solely, “my grades” worthy of acknowledgement and glorification? Here are some self-reflection questions I might need to ask and answer to validate those opinions. At what point during my development in the womb did I decide and take steps to insure that my brain would function in such a way to allow me the understanding and capacity to seek this higher learning? As an infant or a toddler, what plan did I conceive and implement that allowed me to have sufficient prerequisite learning to continue into an advance state? Let me review my complete plan of all the parents, educators, administrators, mentors and many others that I perfectly put in place that led to my successfully being able to further my education.
Upon completion of this increased education, I am entitled to some or much personal glory, perhaps depending on the level I’ve achieved. I am deserving; deserving of higher pay, greater promotions, more plush offices. I deserve to not only be sought out for my opinion, also listened to with less questioning and my opinion should always be given greater weight than those lessors who have not achieved the education that I have.
Yes these are the fruits of “my” singular labor. Woe to those who are not willing to give me my dues.
Solomon, known biblically and in even general lexicon (i.e. many speak of “The wisdom of Solomon) as one of the wisest living persons knew about the need for wisdom/learning and his lack of it. His Father David was one of the greatest kings of Israel and upon his death, wanted Solomon (as was God’s plan as well) to reign after him. The challenge was that Solomon was very young. He knew he didn’t have the knowledge to satisfactorily govern such a vast and powerful kingdom. So when God asked Solomon what he wanted from God, Solomon could have asked for riches, a long life, many excellent wives and children; Solomon asked for a wise heart. He asked for knowledge to lead God’s people well, knowing good from evil. God was very pleased with Solomon’s request and granted it to him.
Jesus Christ had been extremely diligent in teaching His disciples. Yet at the last supper, He knew that His disciples still lacked the critical understanding that they would need to carry Christ’s message into the world. So Jesus promised to send a “Friend”, a “Helper”, the Holy Spirit who would provide all the necessary knowledge and insight needed to carry forth the Gospel of Christ. Jesus went on to say the Holy Spirit was not just for the disciples but for all who would come to Christ and, through Him, seek the wisdom of the Father. The world, otherwise could never receive the Holy Spirit because they would not believe that Christ asked for Him to be sent.
Thus it would seem that, while we may indeed know, understand and desire the attainment for a greater knowledge, a higher degree, the fulfillment of that desire is more of a gift of Grace from God, than it is solely a result of our own efforts. I do not contend that it does not take effort, yet that effort builds on God given talents. Even to have the opportunity is a blessing from God. It may take some humility to come to that understanding but it will align us more accurately with He who provided us the talents in the first place and Whose plan our gaining in wisdom is fulfilling.
Also, having attained some greater learning/education, we need to understand that it is not about being served as a reward for that attainment but finding a way to serve with the gained knowledge. We need to remember what Christ stated that to one who has much given, much is required.
So, if we are so led, let us go and learn. Let us strive and achieve. Always being mindful of as well as thankful for, the blessing and gift that there is in the opportunity for and acquiring of, greater knowledge. Let us give glory to the Name of Him where all glory, honor and knowledge resides, living a life of loving, sharing and serving to our Heavenly Father.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we affirm and declare that all knowledge and wisdom resides in You. We are so very thankful that in Your Mercy, You have seen fit to share some of Your knowledge and wisdom with us. We pray, as Solomon did, that You would guide us to use that wisdom and knowledge in Your service as a blessing to this world. We also ask Your forgiveness when we see the achievement and wisdom in a prideful way, seeking our own glory. Guide us we pray and allow us to use the wisdom You so freely provide in a way that will be praise to Your most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
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