Solomon wrote, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12). I thought quite a bit about this text over the last few days. The senseless shooting in Oklahoma has reignited a discussion about how things are in this country and how, if possible, to make things better. I don't pretend to be an expert on this issue and I certainly don't have all of the answers, but a few things did occur to me and I wrestled with how to put into words what I think is a critical issue.
To summarize what happened, Christopher Lane was an Australian native who was in Oklahoma City playing baseball for East Central College. He was killed by three teens who shot him in the back because, in their words, they "were bored and didn't have anything to do, so we killed somebody." Since that statement was given, reports of threatening tweets by one of the teens arrested in connection with this have come out, so there may be more to it than just being "bored." However, this statement is troubling at many levels.
It would be easy, as some are doing, to blame the entertainment industry. Violent video games, movies and television shows are widespread and desensitize people, especially kids, with respect to death. Got killed? Just reboot, start over. No problem There was a time, believe it or not, when television shows and movies sought not only to entertain but to reinforce positive messages. I rediscovered that when I found that Amazon Instant Download has episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati and Lost in Space available. I'm sure many kids now would make fun of the Lost in Space show that I watched as a kid, but watching an episode or two last night reminded me that entertainment was different in the late 1960's and early 1970's. However, is it that simple? Is the entertainment industry the cause of what's gone wrong? I don't think so. If anything, it is a symptom.
Some also see this as an offshoot of not valuing life. Blatant disregard for life and the casual way it can be extinguished seems prevalent throughout every strand of society and mocks our humanity. We continue the abortion debate that began, in earnest, in the early 1970's. The horrific practices of Dr. Kermit Gosnell were exposed in the last several months and sickened many. The incredible numbers of those being killed in urban areas of the United States continues to rise. Life appears to be increasingly disposable. While I believe sowing the seeds of devalued human life has brought about a bitter harvest, I think it, too, is a symptom and not a cause.
Some will want to see this and other horrific events as a referendum on the availability of guns. To me, though, that seems like a faulty argument. Guns have been available throughout the history of us as a people. They serve a needed and valued purpose. Like many other things, when used properly, they are wonderful tools. When used carelessly or without respect, they can be deadly. Guns are a thing or an object, not inherently good or evil. I think there is something much deeper that is the cause or issue.
So, what is it then? After five paragraphs I've come to what I believe to be a cause. We have a spiritual problem. We have not always understood what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Many have craved his love without understanding that if you love him, you do what he says. As a church we've allowed ourselves, in many ways, to become irrelevant and as a culture we've adopted the motto, "I do what I want." Biblical living is viewed with skepticism by many. With regard to the passage in Proverbs that I cited earlier, Matthew Henry, a British theologian wrote, "Foolish and profane men consider sin a mere trifle, to be made light of rather than mourned over."
Families disintegrate because they are not built on a biblical foundation. The deterioration of the family leads to all kinds of other issues that God never intended for us to face.
Perverse actions are seen as "indiscretions" and people ignore what used to outrage.
A sense of "right and wrong" has been replaced by a more transient "relativism" in which "right and wrong" depend upon circumstances.
I'm sure there are more things that could be added to this list, but I think the real question now becomes, "what do we do about it?" In my view, a "turn around" begins with a renewed commitment to Jesus Christ. It would be easy to call for a nationwide revival and call out "sinners" to repent. I don't think that's it, though. It starts much closer to home. Let's examine ourselves and rededicate our lives to better service for our Lord. It is a bit cliché, but our world is changed one life at a time. I want to rededicate my life to serving the Lord in a more effective manner. Will you?
Thanks for reading and God bless....
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Are you willing to get wet?
"Maybe being loved wasn't enough; maybe there was something else you needed not to get in trouble." This line is spoken by Drew in Walter Dean Myers' book Game and it has stuck with me ever since I finished reading the book. In the context of the story, Drew makes this statement about a young man in his Harlem neighborhood who has been arrested and is facing trial for murder. There is some discussion in Drew's house about how awful this is for the young man's mother and how much she loved him. "Maybe there was something else you needed to not get in trouble."
I had a lot of time to think yesterday and I thought a little about what is that something else besides being loved that would prevent someone from trouble. Because, let's face it, almost everyone that has ever been in some kind of trouble is loved by someone. All we have to do is watch a little cable television news to see that almost all of those who find themselves in some kind of predicament have someone willing to tell others how much they love them. Though I know it is not a scientific survey, I'm pretty sure most of the guys I see at the juvenile correctional facility and even a few I've seen at the county jail in Columbus can talk about someone who loved them.
Let's take it one step further. Bill's View has always been a forum for me to discuss how I see the world and I am unapologetic about the fact that I see it through a Christian lens. So, having established that, it is a theological fact that God loves all people. He loves them unconditionally and was willing to put "skin" on that love in the person of his son Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32 and Romans 5:6-8 among other Scriptures explain that God's love and Jesus' atonement are universal. However, again, theologically speaking, the fact that God loves all and Jesus died for all doesn't, by itself, keep people from "trouble."
That brings us right back to the question "What is that something else?" I don't know if I am qualified to give a definitive answer, but one did occur to me. I was riding the shuttle bus at the Columbus airport out to the green parking lot. I was the only passenger on the bus, so I had a chance to chat a bit with the driver. He was telling me about how much rain Columbus had in just a short time. It was pretty bad for a few hours. I told him, in passing, how tough it must have been to be working during that rain. He smiled and said, "It was no problem. It doesn't mess with you if you aren't out in it."
Later, on my drive home, I thought about that a little. What he was saying was unless you were in the rain itself and getting wet, the storm didn't have much of an effect. I'm going to ask you to stay with me here as I extend this metaphor, so here goes. Unless you are taking in that love (getting wet, if you will) and allowing it to saturate who you are and to direct your actions, then being loved has no effect either. That fact that God loves you; that Jesus loves you makes no difference until you take it in and it begins to take hold of you. The fact that your mother, father, wife, husband, children love you doesn't make a difference until you allow that fact to penetrate into who you are and direct your actions. Only when love is received, internalized and allowed to guide and direct does it make a difference.
I think this is Paul's point in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Christ's love compelled Paul and his companions to minister, to teach and to preach. His greatest desire is for all people to be reconciled to God. If I can summarize this challenging passage, I think it may come down to this. Because Paul knows the love of Jesus Christ, he wants all people, who are also loved by Christ, to be affected enough by that love to give their lives to him and for him.
That "something else" may be the difference between watching the storm, thinking about the rain and being out in it, getting soaked. If I can stay on that analogy, I'm for folks getting wet. What about you?
Thanks for reading and have a blessed day...
I had a lot of time to think yesterday and I thought a little about what is that something else besides being loved that would prevent someone from trouble. Because, let's face it, almost everyone that has ever been in some kind of trouble is loved by someone. All we have to do is watch a little cable television news to see that almost all of those who find themselves in some kind of predicament have someone willing to tell others how much they love them. Though I know it is not a scientific survey, I'm pretty sure most of the guys I see at the juvenile correctional facility and even a few I've seen at the county jail in Columbus can talk about someone who loved them.
Let's take it one step further. Bill's View has always been a forum for me to discuss how I see the world and I am unapologetic about the fact that I see it through a Christian lens. So, having established that, it is a theological fact that God loves all people. He loves them unconditionally and was willing to put "skin" on that love in the person of his son Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32 and Romans 5:6-8 among other Scriptures explain that God's love and Jesus' atonement are universal. However, again, theologically speaking, the fact that God loves all and Jesus died for all doesn't, by itself, keep people from "trouble."
That brings us right back to the question "What is that something else?" I don't know if I am qualified to give a definitive answer, but one did occur to me. I was riding the shuttle bus at the Columbus airport out to the green parking lot. I was the only passenger on the bus, so I had a chance to chat a bit with the driver. He was telling me about how much rain Columbus had in just a short time. It was pretty bad for a few hours. I told him, in passing, how tough it must have been to be working during that rain. He smiled and said, "It was no problem. It doesn't mess with you if you aren't out in it."
Later, on my drive home, I thought about that a little. What he was saying was unless you were in the rain itself and getting wet, the storm didn't have much of an effect. I'm going to ask you to stay with me here as I extend this metaphor, so here goes. Unless you are taking in that love (getting wet, if you will) and allowing it to saturate who you are and to direct your actions, then being loved has no effect either. That fact that God loves you; that Jesus loves you makes no difference until you take it in and it begins to take hold of you. The fact that your mother, father, wife, husband, children love you doesn't make a difference until you allow that fact to penetrate into who you are and direct your actions. Only when love is received, internalized and allowed to guide and direct does it make a difference.
I think this is Paul's point in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Christ's love compelled Paul and his companions to minister, to teach and to preach. His greatest desire is for all people to be reconciled to God. If I can summarize this challenging passage, I think it may come down to this. Because Paul knows the love of Jesus Christ, he wants all people, who are also loved by Christ, to be affected enough by that love to give their lives to him and for him.
That "something else" may be the difference between watching the storm, thinking about the rain and being out in it, getting soaked. If I can stay on that analogy, I'm for folks getting wet. What about you?
Thanks for reading and have a blessed day...
Friday, August 2, 2013
Thoughts on this generation and things of faith
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14-15 NIV). These verses speak of Paul's desire for Timothy to continue living a Godly life in the presence of those who do not. In them he describes how Timothy will be able to do so: "continue is what you have learned" and be in "the Scriptures" which can make you "wise for salvation." I've been preaching through 2 Timothy for the last few weeks and have thought about how this letter is Paul's last. It's his "final words" to a young Christian, telling him what matters and what's important. As I've been looking at it, I've also been thinking about how the "church" can and/or ought to reach this generation. What are people in their twenties and thirties thinking about and looking for with respect to spiritual things? What are the young people I coach in Bible Bowl thinking about in connection with faith? How can I, or maybe even more importantly, how can the church reach out to these folks in a meaningful way?
I've tried to do some reading on the attitudes and interests of different groups of people. I am not an expert in any way on this topic, but I thought I'd share a few observations that I'm working through.
Observation 1- To reach people today, faith must be real and tangible. I think people are wanting something that is meaningful. They want to know where to look and to whom to turn when things get really hard. I also think there is a desire for people to be able to demonstrate what they believe. I think this is one of the reasons for the rise of mission trips and the resurgence of interest in missions.
Observation 2- People today are not as tied to history and tradition as maybe they once were. People don't necessarily attend the church or type of church that their parents did. Other factors weigh more heavily in that decision.
Observation 3- The "worship experience" is very important to this generation. It may have been in the past, too, but it is even more so now as I see it.
These are not all that remarkable and you've probably seen them listed and explained better than what they are here. There are, too, some things about our faith that don't change.
1. Jesus Christ is always God's Son and the only way to heaven.
2. The Bible is always the inerrant Word of God.
3. God's desire, throughout the pages of history, is for his people to be holy.
The challenge, I think, comes in trying to balance how we change our approach without changing the things that can't be altered. Can we present the unchanging Jesus in ways that are fresh, relevant and meaningful? Can we be more honest in our pursuit of Christ? Does the word "transparent" have anything to do with this? Can we present ways to serve Christ and display faith that are genuine and make a difference? Can we issue the call to be holy without seeming to be judgmental?
I ask these questions knowing that I am asking them to myself before I ask them to you. I think these questions and probably countless others are worth thinking about as we try to "tell the old, old story" to a continually changing generation. I hope to get to some answers. It is my desire that the church I serve maintain relevancy in the years to come. I want ministries like Bible Bowl and others to continue to challenge and inspire kids years from now. I want mission trips and a zeal to tell and show others the love of Christ to continue to grow. I would by not telling the truth if I were to say to you that I'm not concerned about that. I think if we make wrong decisions or don't consider these questions, we may very well limit the effectiveness of these activities. This is not to say God becomes irrelevant, it is simply an indictment on how effective his church might become.
This is a different kind of post in "Bill's View," but one I hope you'll think about. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day...
I've tried to do some reading on the attitudes and interests of different groups of people. I am not an expert in any way on this topic, but I thought I'd share a few observations that I'm working through.
Observation 1- To reach people today, faith must be real and tangible. I think people are wanting something that is meaningful. They want to know where to look and to whom to turn when things get really hard. I also think there is a desire for people to be able to demonstrate what they believe. I think this is one of the reasons for the rise of mission trips and the resurgence of interest in missions.
Observation 2- People today are not as tied to history and tradition as maybe they once were. People don't necessarily attend the church or type of church that their parents did. Other factors weigh more heavily in that decision.
Observation 3- The "worship experience" is very important to this generation. It may have been in the past, too, but it is even more so now as I see it.
These are not all that remarkable and you've probably seen them listed and explained better than what they are here. There are, too, some things about our faith that don't change.
1. Jesus Christ is always God's Son and the only way to heaven.
2. The Bible is always the inerrant Word of God.
3. God's desire, throughout the pages of history, is for his people to be holy.
The challenge, I think, comes in trying to balance how we change our approach without changing the things that can't be altered. Can we present the unchanging Jesus in ways that are fresh, relevant and meaningful? Can we be more honest in our pursuit of Christ? Does the word "transparent" have anything to do with this? Can we present ways to serve Christ and display faith that are genuine and make a difference? Can we issue the call to be holy without seeming to be judgmental?
I ask these questions knowing that I am asking them to myself before I ask them to you. I think these questions and probably countless others are worth thinking about as we try to "tell the old, old story" to a continually changing generation. I hope to get to some answers. It is my desire that the church I serve maintain relevancy in the years to come. I want ministries like Bible Bowl and others to continue to challenge and inspire kids years from now. I want mission trips and a zeal to tell and show others the love of Christ to continue to grow. I would by not telling the truth if I were to say to you that I'm not concerned about that. I think if we make wrong decisions or don't consider these questions, we may very well limit the effectiveness of these activities. This is not to say God becomes irrelevant, it is simply an indictment on how effective his church might become.
This is a different kind of post in "Bill's View," but one I hope you'll think about. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day...
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