Having spent far too much time meticulously watching local news reports out of Pittsburgh, I have come to the conclusion that most of the reported crimes are committed by people wearing dark-colored hoodies. For the life of me, I can’t imagine why someone hasn’t moved to ban them. I think that light and bright-colored hoodies would still be acceptable—as long as criminals don’t begin to use them when the dark ones can only be found on the black market.
No, this isn’t a sarcastic statement on gun control—a little levity now and again can help us from being overwhelmed by the weight of such issues as violence. However, I do want to again emphasize that we rarely focus on underlying issues because we are the problem.
Over the next few posts, I plan to highlight each of the three primary roots of the human heart that create conflict between us. The only real difference between violence and conflict is that violence is somewhat further down the same tumultuous road. I’ll also highlight how the Gospel provides the only truly effective antidote for each deadly root.
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way. James 4:1-3 (Message)
The Message Bible isn’t always the most accurate, but there are times when I think it does a great job of communicating the intent of the original writer. In this case, James was strongly challenging his readers that selfish lust is a primary source of conflict–even to the point of violence.
Nowhere is the contrast between a worldly and a kingdom mindset greater than when it comes to selfish desires. The message of our world is, “You can have it all! You deserve it! You owe it to yourself! Put yourself first!” On a daily basis, we find ourselves bombarded by thousands of advertisements intended to play upon the selfish tendencies of human nature, compelling us to spend our money on a vast array of products.
In contrast, the message of the Gospel is one of selflessness—of laying down our desires for the benefit of others. After all, isn’t that what the heart of love involves? Certainly, the Gospel is about God’s amazing love for us, but we dare never forget that we are called to deeply love God and others in return.
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40 (NASB)
To our detriment, we have tried to shape the Gospel to fit our Western consumer mentality. How can we expect people to be unselfish when all we do is proclaim what Jesus can do for them? How often do we hear altar calls in which potential responders are challenged to fully count the cost of becoming a disciple of Christ before making a decision to receive Him (see Luke 14:27-33)? Almost never.
Would fewer people respond if they were compelled to count the cost first? Absolutely! But in the process, the Church would begin to look much more like the Church should look. Rather than fighting amongst ourselves because of envy over who got the bigger blessing, we would be alive with the power and vitality to make a real impact in the world around us.
How can we influence the world around us to become more peaceful and loving when conflict due to selfishness so heavily colors the fabric of our churches? Love is the answer—not only God’s love for us, but our love for Him and others in response to all that He has done for us. May we never minimize love’s importance or fail to realize love’s amazing power to transform even those who wear dark-colored hoodies!
Every time a mass shooting occurs in the U.S., our government leaders rise to the occasion by proclaiming the need for change. Those who are sincere will usually push hard for gun control while ignoring the root causes that have brought such sickness upon our society.
Why are our politicians so slow to look at the real issues? There are times when gazing into a mirror can be very unsettling.
In examining the Scriptures we find that the primary problem with human nature is an innate desire to be like God apart from God. This defining drive of the human heart finds its expression through three primary roots—self-centeredness, the lust for power and control, and a constant yearning for self-glorification. All three fallen tendencies drive the world of politics, but rather than potentially implicating themselves by addressing the real issues, our leaders and legislators will look for any scapegoat to deflect the attention from their own shortcomings. It is all simply a matter of human nature.
I share these thoughts not as a disgruntled American full of disdain for our government leaders, but as a Christian who fully recognizes that these self-absorbed tendencies are common to the entire human race. If ours is a government for the people and by the people, at least to some degree, our government leaders serve as a reflection of the general populace.
All of this brings us to yet another factor in the rise of gun violence in the United States—the declining influence of a vital Christian Church in America. I cannot agree with those conservative historians who try to paint virtually all of our Founding Fathers as devoted Christians, but I can say that the men who fought for freedom from tyranny and who framed our Constitution were profoundly influenced by Christianity.
The First Great Awakening was a move of the Holy Spirit that changed the fabric of the American colonies in the 1730s and 40s. That experience, combined with longtime frustration with authoritarian monarchies, deeply impacted the hearts of America’s 2.4 million residents. The result was a new form of democracy replete with freedoms of all sorts, including an emphasis on the freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and, of course, the freedom of religious practice.
Even though the Founding Fathers may not have all been Christians, they all lived in a culture that had been colored by the Christian faith. The result was an ideal—the belief that if all pursued the greater good, they could build a society like none other. In the process, men like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington established a system of checks and balances to protect this new ideal from the self-absorbed tendencies of human nature. Almost amazingly, the social experiment that we call the United States of America worked quite well until the moral influence of a vital Christian Church began to wane. With the decline of the Church came the lifting of the societal standards which stood against self-centeredness, the lust for power and control, and the constant yearning for self-glorification. Human nature, in other words, has become increasingly free to run its course. And just as it was when Cain killed his brother Abel, grief, tears, and extreme heartache are now our lot.
Again, I want to be clear that my primary criticism is not of our government but of the Church at large in the U.S. Non-Christians will do what non-Christians will do—and all the more so without the steadying influence of a vibrant Christian Church. For those who profess Christ, we are now left with a choice. We can whine and complain and lament the loss of what once was, or we can lift up our heads, bow our knees, and pursue Christ with our whole hearts. Instead of being selfish, we can walk in love. Instead of seeking power and control, we can seek the advance of God’s kingdom. Instead of seeking our own glory, we can proclaim His through both word and lifestyle.
Will we be able to turn our nation back to the point where freedom truly thrives? In all honesty, I don’t know. But I do know that one life fully surrendered to the King of Glory can have a powerful impact on the lives of untold others. If even one potential mass murderer is won to Christ, not only is his life saved, the lives of all of his potential victims are also spared.
No matter who you are and no matter what your status, if you are truly alive in Christ, you will make a profound difference in the lives of others. What better legacy can we leave for our children, grandchildren, and the others who follow after us?
The air was thick with tension, but our hearts brimmed with hopeful optimism. Our beloved Pittsburgh Steelers had fought a tough game against their arch-rivals the Baltimore Ravens. Now the game was coming down to a doable 42-yard field goal attempt for the Pittsburgh win.
The Steelers began to line up, but then ding-dong–our doorbell rang! We live in Western Pennsylvania where most residents are Steeler fans and so we wondered who would be at our door at such a crucial moment in the game?
Photo by anna_gutermuth — CC BY 2.0
It turned out to be Mary (not her real name), a single mother of three young adult children. She had come to ask to borrow some money for a few days. This was not one of those scenarios where a drug-addicted mother was trying set up her next fix; Mary’s need was genuine. Years ago, when their kids were younger, her husband suddenly left her for another woman. Since that time, she has struggled to do her best to keep things together, but significant behavioral issues by one of the boys sent the family into another tailspin.
None of this was news to us, but I was struck by Mary’s comment that she knew she needed to get back to church, only she felt embarrassed because of the problems she was having with her kids. That, in turn, made her feel guilty, and thus hesitant to seek God. So here she was, needing and wanting to draw near to her Savior and His people, but staying at a distance due to a crushing burden of condemnation.
Photo by diamondmountain — CC BY 2.0
If you have ever watched a jackhammer at work, you have seen an effective illustration of how condemnation affects us. It is not simply like a hammer with an occasional or even steady bang, bang! No, condemnation is more like a relentless hammering in rapid and continuous succession. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Condemnation does not just crack the foundation of our confidence; it destroys it to the point that our faith begins to crumble, making all of life to be exhausting. Challenges and problems that we might be able to face and overcome on a normal day suddenly appear to be insurmountable.
Debi and I gave Mary some money, took the time to pray with her, and then directed her attention to the latter part of Hebrews 4:
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB)
The key to silencing the jackhammer of condemnation is to understand that our heavenly Father does not condemn us, but gladly extends to His children the scepter of His grace. Jesus walked this earth for 33 years and then willingly took upon Himself the full weight of our sin, failure, and sickness. God thoroughly understands our struggles! There is nothing we can go through that He cannot empathize with—and that He has not already paid the full price to cover.
Years ago I learned a truly invaluable lesson—that we could come to God with the same measure of confidence regardless of how we were doing spiritually. In other words, a person in the midst of a miserable, self-absorbed week, could still approach Him in prayer with the same confidence as if he or she had been doing everything exactly right. Why? Our ability to draw near to God’s throne of grace is not based on our performance, but upon the favor that flows our way through the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross.
It is always through—and only through—the cross of Christ that we have free access to the very throne of God. When we understand these things and develop such confidence, we begin to realize that the very best thing to do when struggling is to quickly run to God. The very worst thing, on the other hand, is to keep our distance from the only One who has the ability to make all things well.
Do you want to silence the jackhammer of condemnation? Stop trusting in your own efforts to please God and rest the full weight of your confidence in Jesus our high priest. The result is even better than a Steeler victory!
I tried to pray on Wednesday morning after the election, but found myself having trouble getting through. Apparently so many angels had been watching campaign ads run by TheWorld Will End If Obama WinsPAC that they were inconsolable when the final election results came in. Angels are a high priority with God, of course, and so He was awake for much of the night doing damage control. When it came time to hear my prayers, the lines were jammed, leaving me without guidance or strength for several hours. Scary times!
Regardless of how any of us voted (or did not vote) on Tuesday, I hope that we realize the importance of putting everything in perspective. One man did not create the problems that we face as a nation and one man will not be able to fix them. I know that many of my friends were deeply grieved by the election results, but it is not like Mitt Romney was going to wave a magic wand and return the U.S. to some romantic yesteryear that never really was.
Photo by Mikamatto — CC BY 2.0
I am not saying that certain current trends are not disturbing. It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that the sense of animosity that divides us as a nation continues to intensify. We were all put off by the caustic nature of the recent campaigns, but if our government is representative of our people, it says something about what drives the average person. We are not dealing, however, with hatred for hatred’s sake, but rather an animosity driven by fear. If there is anything that was woven into the fabric of every negative campaign ad, it was fear. Even with the election over, the residue of that fear will continue to linger for a very long time. Fear is the fourth and final trap that I want to highlight in relationship to Christians and the political arena.
I have always been intrigued by the Parable of the Sower, now seeing it as one of the pillars of Christ’s teaching ministry.
And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world [age] and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13:22 (NASB)
Photo by jenny drowning — CC BY 2.0
The seed suppressed by thorny weeds refers to those who have willingly received the message of the kingdom. Unfortunately, not all who embrace Christ will produce the necessary fruit of His kingdom.
The worry of the age is that collective sense of anxiety that accompanies the large scale problems of any era. As Christians, we are especially susceptible because we care. But if we allow a sense of worry to build a nest in our hearts, it will choke the vitality of our lives, rendering us fruitless.
I have the privilege of interacting with Christians from a variety of spheres in the universal Body of Christ and a common thread I see running through most of their lives is an underlying sense of discouragement due to the collective worry of the age. But I don’t believe that God wants us to grieve for our nation and our world as much as He wants us to believe for our nation and our world. It is our faith-filled prayers and not a foreboding sense of fear that will move mountains.
Photo by Lincolnian (Brian) — CC BY 2.0
If there is anything that is going to turn the tide of unrighteousness in our world, it is a vibrant Church. But if the people of God are mired in fear and worry, what platform do we have to make any real and viable impact on our culture?
The key in all of this is not to remove ourselves from the political arena, or to simply ignore the issues around us. The key is learning to take the things that burden us to Christ and to prayerfully roll our concerns onto His more than capable shoulders. You and I were never meant to carry the weight of the world. Let’s not allow campaign induced fear to build a comfortable nest in our hearts.
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
As a teenager in the 1970’s, I remember the Mid-East peace process being a big deal in the news. Coming on the heels of the Vietnam War, people were beyond tired of the killing; weary of losing loved ones to what at times seemed like endless and senseless conflict.
In 1971, I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) was recorded for a Coca-Cola commercial. This instantly popular song was re-recorded without the Coke reference by two other bands–both copies of which became hits. The ideal struck a chord in hearts all over the world.
Album Cover Copyright United Artists
In 1975 the American Funk band War released their hit album titled, Why Can’t We Be Friends?–the title track being one of their biggest hit singles. The point was pretty simple: why can’t we put aside our greed and prejudice and all just get along as the human race?
Other similar songs have been recorded and released in subsequent years—each with the same general message of unity for humanity.
I would guess that if asked, 99 out of 100 people would say they want world peace; that they cherish close relationships; that they would prefer to avoid conflict and all of its associated pain. If asked.
Reality, however, differs significantly from our wishful thinking. In 2010, several of the original members of War sued Pepsico for $10 million for using “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” in a commercial without permission. Members of the British band Oasis were sued for using some of the music and lyrics from “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.” without permission. And, unfortunately, after more than 35 years of persistent effort, hatred and killing still abound in the Middle East.
It’s obvious that the world can’t get this right. Interpersonal harmony and world peace continue to be wonderful, but elusive notions.
Diagram by Stevertigo - CC BY-SA 3.0
When Jesus walked this earth, He set a high ideal for human relationships. Today, many of His followers are sharply divided. No clear count is available, but scholars contend that there are between 20,000-43,000 Christian denominations across the globe. It’s not extreme to say that many of them can’t stand each other.
I don’t like it, but I can understand the conflict between those who don’t know Christ. I cannot, however, accept this degree of division within the Church as I find it to be terribly dishonoring to God.
Jesus once said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:34-35 (ESV).
It’s no wonder that in many parts of our world the Church has little to no influence on the culture. By our own Leader’s words, our inability to love one another shows our faith to be a sham. Blunt, I know, but painfully true. At least the world thinks so.
Why can’t we be friends? I’ve blogged about Christian unity before, but in this upcoming series I’d like to spotlight some of the root causes of our conflict. Feel free to weigh in if you have any thoughts!
My guess is that most of us have heard of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. There’s an interesting part of the story, however, that is rarely told.
13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” 14 He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15 The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15 (NASB)
What an intense story! In all likelihood, it was an angel that stood face to face with Joshua.
So often we develop a forand against mentality. It’s all about us versusthem. The angel would have nothing to do with that mindset. He was for God—period! The real issue was about approaching the Creator of the universe with humility, fully subjecting oneself to His holiness.
Over the past several months I’ve been developing a study titled, The Search for Wisdom. Through the process I am more clearly seeing that one of the keys to knowing God and His ways is to fully surrender one’s self-will to the heavenly Father, just as Jesus always did (John 5:30).
The battle of the will is the most difficult struggle any of us will ever face. Each of us is cut from the same cloth in the sense that we all want what we want.
For me, this is especially difficult when it comes to ministry. I’ve invested (and sacrificed) so much in doing what I do. I care about people and certainly believe that my ministry has noble foundations. Even still, all of my efforts need to be surrendered to the Father. In order to bear real fruit His work can only be done in His way and in His time.
Essentially I am saying that my personal opinion doesn’t really matter all that much. My heart genuinely goes out to the pain and struggle of those in the GLBT community, but I cannot with a clear conscience say that God is honored by sexual activity outside of a marriage covenant between one man and one woman. It’s not about what I want or how I feel—I simply can’t find anything in the Scriptures to the contrary.
Homosexuality is such a hyper-sensitive topic that we must exercise great care and patience in dealing with those who may disagree with our perspectives—regardless of how strongly we may feel. And certainly, God’s love calls us to treat all men and women with honor and respect. Thus, I readily applaud those who would challenge the church in these areas.
Photo by gingerpig2000 - CC BY 2.0
At the same time many of us feel compelled to stand for traditional marriage because we believe it stands as a holy ground without which our culture will continue to unravel. It’s not about being against homosexuality per se; most Christians have no agenda with the GLBT community in its cross hairs.
When it comes to life, I would much rather be defined by what I am for rather than against. If I had my preference, I wouldn’t be against anybody, but if being for God’s wise design for sexuality somehow puts me against the opinions ofothers, it must be so.
In closing this series I would challenge each of us to honestly consider a few lingering questions. Are our attitudes and actions defined by what we are for or what we are against? Are we willing to surrender all aspects of our lives in pursuit of God and His ways? And finally, I can’t help but feel that Joshua’s question is especially poignant in our day: What has our Lord to say to His servants? Do we really want to know?
This is the third and final guest blog post by my friend Gary Buterbaugh.
Photo by Chris Morgan - CC BY-SA 2.0
I find that I am a part of two VERY different communities. One is the church – I became a Christian at an early age and have been very involved in the church since my teen years. I do not endorse everything the church does and since the church is such a diverse organization, I do not feel that I can speak for the church as a whole.
The other community is the gay community. I have never been active in this community and like to say that I have only visited it. I have not had a commitment to the gay community’s agenda nor have I been involved in a gay relationship at any point in time. I am also in disagreement with much of what the radical gay community says, does and represents.
However, by nature of my struggle since my teen years with same-sex-attraction (SSA), and involvement for many years in homosexual activity, I am in fact part of that community. In that community I readily identify with other gays and lesbians who have experienced God’s grace and seen His redemptive power in their lives. As a member of both communities, I think I am in a unique position to identify what I see as those issues that the two communities should be able to most easily agree on and those which they would probably most easily disagree on.
Both communities agree to the basic premise that all persons should be treated with respect, although many within both communities frequently use language and slurs to demean those who hold views different than their own. If the church is to have significant ministry in the gay community to proclaim the good news that Jesus offers forgiveness of sins and wholeness, it must begin by asking forgiveness for the way it has treated individuals within the gay community. Where individuals and local churches have done this, God’s grace has been able to bring healing.
But the gay community routinely labels all evangelical Christians and the churches to which they belong as homophobic and hateful. This is not only not helpful, but untrue. There are a few who deserve this label, but most Christians harbor no ill feeling towards gay people; they simply do not know what to say (or not say) and worry that their actions and words might be taken as offensive or ridiculed.
Photo by Charlie Nguyen - CC BY 2.0
Both communities should also be able to agree that because of discrimination on the part of others, as well as personal internal conflict, those who deal with SSA and homosexuality have a special need to be loved and understood. (The high suicide rates among teens who deal with homo-sexuality are widely reported.) The church has not always treated those who deal with SSA and homosexuality with the same love that God showed when He gave His only Son. I believe the church needs to repent of this.
But there are several things on which both communities may never agree upon. This does not mean they cannot respect those in the other community.
The church says that there are things that are right and things that are wrong, and that the Bible speaks clearly on sexual issues. The gay community is more likely to believe that right and wrong is relative and that sex is the way to express love and experience pleasure.
Many in the gay community (all in the more radical gay community) believe that children should be taught about the gay lifestyle while most in the church believe that children should be taught about moral values and sexual issues in the home and church.
The church would lean towards beliefs that homosexual behavior is an expression of one’s sinful state. The gay community would lean toward the belief that individuals are born gay.
The gay community would tend to think that it is okay to act-out on SSA feelings (although some may say this should be done within the confines of a committed relationship). The church teaches that sex outside marriage between a man and a woman is both sinful and destructive for the individuals involved and the institution of the family.
The church believes that God has the power to change. The gay community would be more likely to believe that there is no need for change.
The church sees God primarily as a God of love, love is His very essence. The gay community is more likely not to describe God (and especially His church) as being loving because of the struggle they have experienced.
There is a good chance that we will always disagree on these issues. But as a member of both communities, I can’t say strongly enough that everyone and their opinions need to be respected, and their right to speak them needs to be upheld!
Pluto Protest and Counter Protest by Fanboy (Public Domain)
This is the second of three guest blog posts by Gary Buterbaugh.
Have you ever heard of being plutoed? We’re not talking about Pluto the proper noun, but the verb to pluto—the American Dialect Society’s 2006 word of the year. Many of you probably remember learning about Pluto as the ninth planet in your grade school science lessons. You may have even constructed your own model of the Solar System at one time or another. Well, you may need to climb back into your parents’ attic to yank out that last crumpled ball of aluminum foil, because on August 24, 2006 the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto from the status of beloved ninth planted to dwarf planet134340 Pluto.
According to Max Lucado, minister and prolific author, to be plutoed means to be “demoted or demeaned like the former planet Pluto – one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out.”
Most of us – if not all of us – at one time or another have felt plutoed, but perhaps no group of individuals have experienced this more than those who struggle with homosexuality and same-sex-attraction. Young boys who may be more effeminate in their mannerisms, or more oriented to things on the soft-side, get used to being called faggot or sissy, and made to feel they are not accepted by their more macho friends. The same is true for young girls who are more athletic or masculine in nature, and are called dyke or lessie by other children. When a teen guy or girl comes out that they are gay or lesbian, or when anyone who struggles with homosexual feelings at any age shares with friends and family about their struggles, they are more often than not met with rejection and ridicule. It is difficult in our culture to go through a day without hearing a demeaning joke or comment about homosexuals.
Photo by NASA (Public Domain)
But perhaps the greatest amount of plutoing is done by those who should demonstrate just the opposite of demoting and demeaning, those who are called to share and demonstrate the love and grace of Jesus Christ—the church.
On one extreme the fundamentalist church bombards homosexuals with the message that their actions are an abomination and that they, having no hope of salvation, will end up in hell. On the opposite end of the spectrum lies the liberal church in its proclamation that homosexuality is a God-given gift to be accepted and embraced. In between these two extremes lies the vast majority of Christians who simply try to ignore the subject of homosexuality, treating those who struggle with homosexuality and same-sex-attraction as if they simply don’t exist.
But to those who do wrestle with such feelings, there is good news! God is not a plutoer—even though at times the church may fail to show the true depth of His amazing love. As eternal as God’s holiness may be, His love continues to boldly proclaim, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV).
When we turn to Him He does not respond with rejection. He responds with love and the power to heal and forgive, and the redemptive power to change the way we process life.
The Lord continually calls those who have embraced Him, having given their lives to His control as Lord and Savior, to love the world’s plutoees with the love that sent His Son Jesus to Calvary. Are you willing to share that kind of love and the message of redeeming grace with those who struggle with same-sex-attraction, or will you continue to pluto them? I hope that my story somehow helps to influence not only your behavior, but also your motives.
Ladies and gentlemen, the worst professional sports team over the past 20 years is now contending for 1st place in the Major League Baseball Central Division of the National League! The Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has done an amazing job with what seems to be an ever changing group of young athletes. Clint would certainly have my vote for Coach of the Year!
Have you ever wondered why every sports team has a coach? Probably not! It’s readily understood that every team needs coaches to instruct, motivate and organize its players. Having spent all of my life in the sports-rich area around Pittsburgh, I’ve come to clearly see the value of a skilled and effective coaching staff. The players realize the value as well. Many of them long for the constructive input they need to become champions in their sport.
But have you ever wondered why this type of input isn’t welcomed more in other arenas of life?
This summer we’re launching a new Bible study titled The Search for Wisdom. If all goes well, it may be in book form by this time next year. During this week’s study it became quite clear that insecurity can easily become an arch enemy of wisdom.
I define wisdom as the ability to see and live skillfully in such a way that I know and honor God, releasing His blessings for my life, my loved ones and my circumstances.
We all want the benefits of wisdom, but many of us are not teachable because even constructive criticism is often taken as an attack upon who we are. Why is this?
In part we’re conditioned by the massive amounts of cruel and uncaring criticism levied each and every day. From late night monologues to virtually any type of talk radio, our culture is consumed by our efforts to analyze and demean the weaknesses or shortcomings of others. But our problems reach further still!
Every person’s compulsion flows from the desire for personal glory apart from God. This glory is found by reaching for standards of perfection through what we do and how we look. Being less than perfect means that we are inglorious—something we simply cannot stomach. Hounded by the fear of the pain of imperfection, we jump ship from rational thought into the often irrational world of self-preservation. The fruit is not good!
Photo by ChickPhilA - CC BY 2.0
How do athletes tolerate constructive input? A wise athlete realizes that skillful instruction paves the path to glory.
I can’t help but wonder how much more glorious the Church would be if every local church environment embraced the ideal of wise input and discussion. How would our worship teams change? Would our church services captivate more hearts? Would we taste more of God’s glory?
Identity isn’t just another issue for us to navigate. In many ways it is the issue that has influenced human behavior since Adam & Eve ate from the tree.
Personally, I am really trying to swallow my pride so that I might see and live skillfully in such a way that I know and honor God, releasing His blessings for my life, my loved ones and my circumstances.
Have you watched the news recently? The increased frequency of natural disasters is insane!
April of this year marked a record number of tornadoes across the U.S. and unfortunately far too many deaths. Crazy happenings in an increasingly unstable world!
The natural instability of our climate seems to correspond with the political and spiritual instability of our world. We do indeed live in tumultuous times!
Some folks would say that the unity of the Church is a nice, but unattainable ideal for us to maybe try to pursue as we are able. I say that Christian unity is a matter of life and death—especially on two particular fronts.
1. For those who do not know the saving grace of God. One of the primary missions of the church is to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). In recent years this has amounted to getting people to make a decision for Christ. The two can be painfully different. A disciple is someone who is a learner of Christ and connected to a local body of believers. It’s within this context that true transformation takes place.
What is it that draws unbelievers to local churches? Love!
Jesus Himself said, “By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (NASB)
The converse is also true. When people don’t see us loving one another, they will quickly assume that our faith is shallow or even fake. They’ll be pushed away from Christ instead of being drawn toward Him.
All of the most well-designed outreach programs in the world will amount to very little if we do not love one another. Christian unity is a matter of life and death for the unsaved.
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2. Unity is a matter of survival. I believe that we are slowly entering a time of increased Christian unity to be accompanied by a last days’ harvest of souls. But not all will be saved and the ideal of the universal unity of mankind cannot be achieved without compromising our faith. As a result, there is an F5 tornado brewing and the Church of Jesus Christ will be right in its cross hairs. The day is coming when Christians will need one another simply to survive the onslaught.
In times of intense persecution denominational lines mean little, but if we do not begin to build cross-denominational relationships now, we’ll be ill prepared for the coming storms.
As important as these two arenas may be, there is a third reason to pursue unity that should deeply stir our hearts—our love for our God. He desires that His people would be one even as He is one (John 17:22). If we truly love Him, we’ll love one another.
Regardless of our primary motivation, every one of us is called to preserve the unity of His Spirit in the bond of peace!
Years ago I learned a truly invaluable lesson—that we could come to God with the same measure of confidence regardless of how we were doing spiritually. In other words, a person in the midst of a miserable, self-absorbed week, could still approach Him in prayer with the same confidence as if he or she had been doing everything exactly right. Why? Our ability to draw near to God’s throne of grace is not based on our performance, but upon the favor that flows our way through the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross.
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