Kingdom Math

I'm guilty of it too. 
I'm guilty of this wretched, wretched math effect. 

I'll admit it now, to start it all off, so no one dare say I'm just ranting and railing against others, while thinking myself impervious.

I've actually spent months and months working my way up to writing this one, because that part of me that hates the idea of looking like a hypocrite is holding me back. But no more.

It has to end, folks. It just has to be put to an end. Taken out. Abolished. Done in. Taken out back behind the shed, shot, buried and forgotten. 

What does?

This horrible, disgusting, maniacal, DISTRACTING math. 

I'll call it "Kingdom Math." And when it's the DIVISION kind of Kingdom Math we're talking about, it creates all sorts of distraction. 

Kingdom Math is whenever someone or something is added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided within the confines of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God has been defined by many as existing wherever the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed, and where believers in Christ are found together. I'm focusing on the people part of this definition. When you and me, fellow believer, are found hanging out together, the Kingdom is there with us. When 50, 500, or 5,000 of us are together in worship inside a building, singing God's praises, hearing the truth of the Word of God, it's definitely there too. 

Here are my examples of the Math of the Kingdom:

Addition: A baptism. A child or adult is brought into the family of believers through this awe-inspiring sacrament involving the element of water and the presence of the Word of God. After a baptism, the Kingdom's tally has just *DING!* gone up by one! Another example: Someone gains tactful and friendly influence in another person's life, uses great people skills to find the right ways to speak difficult truths to them when the time is right, and, through the boldness of their witness when the other person's heart is ready to be receptive to them, the Holy Spirit moves in that person and leads him or her to see Jesus as their Savior. *DING!* Up goes the tally!

Subtraction: This one, while not the focus of my article today, is actually the worst of the math types. Example: A child grows up in a hateful home where parents who claim to "believe in God" abuse their child verbally and neglect to show her love in the most critical, formative times. This child becomes an adolescent and, even though she attends church a handful of times each year and goes through the motions of a Confirmation class in a stale, stuffy church congregation, as soon as she is on her own years later, there is no room for God in her heart. The tiny flickering flame of faith in a God that was misunderstood because of horrendous misrepresentation is now snuffed out. A tally has been erased from the number of those who are bound for heaven. *funeral bell sounds*

Multiplication: Back to the happy stuff. An example would be: A child who has never really heard much about Jesus (except when His name is used in vain around home or on the TV) ends up at a Vacation Bible School in town because his parents want to use it as kid-free time for them to do drugs. After a few days of their son coming home carefree, happy, and carrying a curious twinkle in his eye as he talks about his crayon pictures of Jesus and the kind people caring for him at VBS, the parents decide to get to know the nice folks running it. After a few weeks of thinking, they reflect on their talks with the nice folks at St. XYZ Church who impacted their child, and decide to attend a service. They're surprised at how inviting the casual environment is, almost as if the people organizing the service want it to be for outsiders, not "church people." They feel their hearts stir a little as the pastor delivers a message of hope, and they begin wondering if Jesus loves them like their little boy believes He does. Months later, after more worship services are under their belt, they ask the Pastor to pray with them, and their hearts are converted to the Lord and they become believers in the one true God, Jesus Christ. The changes this new faith sparks are incredible and fire off like a chain reaction. Soon other family members are attending church. The effect of one happy little boy coming back from a church evangelism function with the name of Jesus on his little lips turns into an exponential wildfire of conversion in a family, as many begin to follow Christ because of the ripple effect of the impact. This is when the *DING!* begins to sound like a slot machine hitting a jackpot. 

But then there's another Kingdom Math type. The last. The one I hate almost more than subtraction, because it's performed by Christians themselves when it never should. 

Division:  This one can occur in many grievous forms. It occurs when one Christian criticizes another for how the other's church chooses to conduct worship, when really it's just a matter of opinion as to whether an organ or a rock 'n roll style praise band is better music for church (and by the way, when God's people were partying in the streets with raucous music involving lyres and tambourines and trumpets, as they celebrated war victories He had given them through King David, which type of present day worship does that seem closer to? I'm just saying...). It occurs when the Lutherans look down their noses at the Assemblies of God folks because they assume they can speak in tongues in worship, and when Assemblies of God folks mock the Lutherans for their stubborn traditions and overly-conservative (in their minds) theology on fellowship practices. It occurs in so many settings, and the list goes on. Satan loves this list, and in a moment I'll tell you why. 

Another occurrence of this sad type of Kingdom Math is one that I absolutely cannot stand. I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm guilty of it. I look back in my past and can recall times when I fell prey to the arrogance that causes this. I pray I never do it again so long as I live, and I have fought like everything to outgrow it. 

Here's the example to which I'm referring: One Christian (we'll call him Joe) shares an opinion or view of something that matters to him. Whether on social media, in public, in a classroom, at fellowship hour after church on Sunday, at a picnic or softball game, or at the bar....setting doesn't matter. This expression from Joe might be an idea about how God can bless a certain vocational choice that Joe has been seeking peace about in his life, or maybe it's that Joe expressed lingering sorrow for a loss he suffered (perhaps the death of a loved one). Along comes another Christian (we'll call him Lance) who proceeds to tell Joe a thing or two about how dumb his view or emotion is. In fact, it's not just out of place or misguided, it's sinful. With the way Lance comes across, so matter-of-fact, so point-blank, and so blunt, all Joe can hear is condemnation. He's immediately turned off to whatever Lance has to say, and he's confused as to where Lance perceived there to be an invitation for the admonition in the first place. The two cannot resolve the ensuing dispute because Joe is too hurt by Lance's judgmental position, and Lance is too proud to recognize he's needlessly taken an unexpected withdrawal out of his relationship to Joe, and they part ways and a rift opens between them. Over time, depending on other factors, that rift may form into a cavernous abyss that neither can manage to cross, and it hurts them both for years, perhaps even causing one of them to question their faith. 



I have to ask the question:

Why do we sometimes think being a Christian - being a bearer of God's infallible Word of timeless truth, and someone familiar with God's Law - entitles us to be a jerk?

Why does this happen? Because pride is easy, and people skills require work. Dealing with each other in all things in Jesus' way is a LABOR of love. Human nature is fallen, and our spiritual laziness leads us to hurt each other out of sheer lack of desire to take the harder road through interactions. 

Pride is also ambitious. Within each of us hides a hideous monster called the opinio legis, which is Latin for the "opinion of the law," or, for our purposes, the good ol' self righteousness. When a Christian sees something in his brother that he cannot agree with, whether it's an emotion, an attitude, an idea about something, or whatever, he can take two paths: 1) Make an effort to see where his brother may be coming from, elect the patience and gracious heart of Jesus that doesn't opt to first throw stones at offenders, and keep his mouth shut unless asked, or 2) Insert himself somewhere with no tact whatsoever, shaming the other person, capturing an opportunity to "preach the law" as Jesus did simply because he's been told somewhere that the law is for those in error, and committing arson to the relationship. 

Kingdom Math, Division style, takes place because Lance cannot help but want to feel superior to Joe. He has an upper hand of greater understanding of an issue, or wants Joe to be held to the same standard he feels he's been held to before, and can't stand the idea of Joe "getting away with" his folly. So, in the face of all Lance knows in his heart about the mercy and forbearance Jesus showed to the ungrateful 9 other lepers he healed, the Pharisees, his family members who doubted he was the Son of God, Zacchaeus the cheater, the thief on the cross, and many more, Lance opts for wielding the Law weapon like a bull in a China shop just because it's available for use. He passes it off as being ok because of any number of reasons (it's his personality to "tell it like it is," or God doesn't want us to convey tolerance of something by not calling it out to someone's face the second we see it), and makes no effort to retract or smooth things over when Joe's offense blows up in his face. 

While these various divisions are taking place, the Great Distraction unfolds. 

I mentioned it earlier. Remember? 

"...when it's the DIVISION kind of Kingdom Math we're talking about, it creates all sorts of distraction."

Satan is God's enemy, right? Satan and God are at war for the souls of mankind. (At least that's the way it feels, as we humans watch good triumph one moment, and evil prevail in our world the next. Fortunately, the Scriptures show us the image of the once crucified and dead Christ, rising from his grave to defeat sin and death, thus defeating Satan...Until Judgment Day, Satan merely gets to think he's winning sometimes)

So if Satan, who deep down knows he's already beaten by God, wants to have any victories at all, what is his best chance? He can't take away mankind's salvation. That was bought and paid for by Jesus on the cross, once and for all time, never to be revoked. Salvation stands waiting for all to accept it as a free gift. 

The only thing Satan can take away is....FOCUS. The world's focus, that is. 

When Lance pulls that prideful stunt with Joe, what the world sees is two bickering, petty Christians. They see the egotist, Lance, being a judgmental hypocrite, they'll call him, who can't cut Joe any slack. They'll see Joe fighting back to defend himself, and that's a scuffle that won't end in two seconds. Meanwhile, as the world watches this silly little Christian altercation - this abhorrent Kingdom Math of division, they forget....about....JESUS. 

Brothers and sisters, if there was any argument that trumps all others, as to why we need to err on the side of avoiding division like a zombie apocalypse, it's this: 

WE NEED TO LET THE WORLD HAVE EVERY CHANCE TO FOCUS ON JESUS. 

When unbelievers' attention is taken away from their Savior, the one who loves them dearly and who died to make them His children and heirs of heaven, EVERYONE loses. 

The fighting Christians being divided lose.
The whole of Christianity, who wants the world's attention on Jesus, loses.
The world itself, full of spiritually starving, thirsting, dying people loses. 

Folks, this is what's at stake. Let's be honest here. Is there any room for judgment? 

There is a time and place, as outlined in God's word, for speaking the Law of Scriptures to our brother or sister in the faith. But those occasions are not only few and far between, but more often than not way more good will be accomplished by further winning over the fellow Christian to heaven's cause by uplifting, encouraging interactions, than would be accomplished by a "Lance's" version of fire and brimstone, thrown carelessly into the middle of a situation where it wasn't warranted. 

Enough of the power trips and selfish pride, brothers and sisters. Let's ensure together that the only Kingdom Math being computed in this fallen world is Addition and Multiplication. 

What is Jesus' way? Love. Mercy. Forgiveness. Quiet acceptance of one's brother or sister in spite of their sin or mistakes or off-base opinions. Grace...

Let's end the distraction. Let's keep the quibbling down, and let the world focus on seeing Jesus, their loving Savior and true friend, in center stage instead of us. He is worthy of every bit of attention He can get. 

Not an Exception

Many things are absolutely true, no matter what. Other things are true some of the time. Still other things are rarely true. One thing that's rarely true is that summer is a moderate, pleasant season in the Midwest. Although rarely true, that statement just so happens to apply this year in Wisconsin (so far), with humidity rarely being as sweltering as it often is, and with temperatures rarely getting much above 80 degrees (to those who are sure I've hexed us for the months of August and September, I'm sorry). 

Absolute truths abound in absolute consistency with God. One of the truths about our heavenly Father is that, as He promised, He is always with us and will never leave our side. Life's darker times tempt us to disbelieve that can be true or even possible. We have a hard enough time conceiving of God's quality of "omnipresence" (being in all places at all times), let alone how he'd want to be around some of us all the time - or at all, for that matter!

One of the most beautiful truths about God is something that he expounded to the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah many centuries ago. In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11, God says to them, 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I think this passage ranks right up there in the list of most well known and beloved Bible passages, whether you know the Bible well or not. This is my wife's favorite passage, and its Scripture reference (Jer. 29:11) wound up on one of her license plates years ago. 

The truth behind what God was promising in this passage, though, is something that I have to realize again and again throughout life that I lose track of. When hardships are wearing out their welcome in particular seasons of life, the lack of self esteem we may have mixes with a twisted sense of logic about what we think we're seeing around us, and its result is like a chemical reaction of eroding spiritual damage. 

Yeah, must be nice for the Israelites....But God isn't doing that for me, I think. 

Maybe God uses crappy situations to bless others, but mine is just a mess of a life. 

He's turned the down times into good later on for those who really have something to offer, or those who have stronger faith, or those He loves more...but it doesn't look like it's in the cards for me. 

These thoughts have raged through the human heart many times, in everyone's life. When the foreboding clouds of darkness hang low over my head for a long enough period of time, I eventually consider throwing in the towel on hope, prosperity, or any kind of bright future. 

But have you ever considered what's taking place when deep cloud cover is pierced by the sun's rays, like the picture at the beginning of this post? Whenever someone sees that happen, they declare that heaven is literally shining its light down - it's that beautiful of a contrast. 

Have you, like me, forgotten how profound it is that the clouds' existence is the only reason that concentrated beam of light piercing through looks as striking and heavenly as it does? If not for the clouds cluttering the sky and temporarily - I say it again, temporarily - obscuring the view of the sun, there would be just normal, everyday sunshine permeating the sky. We're all used to that. 

Without the dark storm clouds of life that must hover overhead, at times so ominously, and for so long, we would take the sunlight for granted. Without the thick, enveloping shroud, there would be no hole through which the heavenly rays could beam down to remind of the beauty and illumination of the source of that light. 

This is a truth for everyone. 

There is no exception. I am not an exception. Say it with me: 

"I AM NOT AN EXCEPTION."

What God meant for the Israelites thousands of years ago in Jeremiah's day, when they were languishing through the oppression of the Babylonian Captivity, He means just as much for you and me. 

The human heart is a fickle and tricky thing. Its ability to emotionally distort the facts, and meddle with the processes of the mind that knows God's truths, is sorrowfully uncanny. In those times when my circumstances are penning me in, when disappointment breaks my heart, or when the guilt of my sin is feeling like a millstone tied around my neck, dragging me down to the depths of the sea, I must remember that Jeremiah 29:11 is for everyone, and that includes me. 

I am not an exception. The Israelites didn't deserve God's goodness any more than I do. Their history of smiting the Lord with complaining and idolatry mere moments after miraculous events was appalling. Jacob, another forefather of the faith, didn't deserve God's grace any more than I do. He tricked his father Isaac into assigning his brother's birthright to him instead, tearing a rift in their family for years. Daniel was a man whose heart had sin in it just like all of us, yet God saw fit to use his inherently miserable situation as a hostage of a pagan conqueror as a path to great influence. Abraham seemed to rarely trust God, and repeatedly lied to kings whose lands he passed through that his wife was his sister, so as to avoid personal harm, yet God always mended those disasters and allowed him to leave that country richer than before. Paul, in the years after Christ was on Earth, was one of the greatest persecutors of Christians and oversaw their malicious deaths, yet after his stunning conversion to the true faith, God used him to lay the foundations for the entire Christian church in the known world at the time, by way of his mission work. 

God is so awesome that he has forever and always been utilizing messed up, sinful people with messed up, sinful situations to accomplish His will for mankind, and to even bring good to the lives of those people who are smack-dab in the middle of the mess. 

Is your life a mess right now? Is there something about your world that just feels all wrong? I've felt that way too, often. I've felt a void. I've felt betrayed by life itself. I've felt unfairly wronged, and cheated out of the opportunities I once expected life to offer me. I've felt stinging remorse over my sins that brought me to my knees. I've felt lost and unable to hear the words my God wants to tell me, to help me see a way through it. I've felt....hopeless.

But God knows the plans He has for me. Even when my life feels like a cage and I'm captive to the circumstances I can't shake off or understand, behind the gloomy, confusing, scary clouds lurks the almighty purpose of God, waiting for His time, when it will be the right moment to burst through the shroud and illuminate everything with the beauty of His designs. 

His plans contain hope for you, and a future lived out in the sunlight of His mercy and blessing. His plans include joy and the warmth in your soul of knowing His peace no matter what happens. His plans include the satisfying growth of your spirit within, as you learn through these storms of life to just plainly believe that He is there. 

He has made this promise true so many times, for so many of his dearly loved children. He has done amazing things, and He will do it again. 

You and I are not an exception. 

Middle Ground Peril

Sometimes middle ground is the most dangerous place to find yourself. 

Sometimes middle ground means you're following the herd right off the cliff. 

Right now, conservative voices have plenty to sound off about in bewilderment and concern, when it comes to messages coming from the byproducts of the pop culture machine. Whether it's the horrifyingly raunchy idea behind the "50 Shades of Grey" movie coming out next February (which was, of course based on a women's erotica novel series, more or less), or whether it's stupefying, vulgar lyrics or themes of music that manages to top the charts (special thanks go to rap and hip hop here, usually), there's plenty on the end of the spectrum that's Defcon 5 type stuff for the mind and soul. 

Obviously, the life of a Christian, who wants to always be focused on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8), is comprised of a multitude of choices that impact our level of "sanctification," that is, how holy and God-pleasing we're being in our conduct, habits, and attitudes, etc. Out of thankfulness to our God for all He's done for us, we want to lean towards the obviously upright things whenever possible. 

But isn't it true that there are lots of not-so-completely-evil-looking things out there that our lives run up against? 

A recent example I'm thinking of is a song I heard on a mix CD I made awhile back, called "Same Direction" by Hoobastank.

Don't mind me....Just waiting it out. Ok, are you all better now? Yes, their band name is Hoobastank. Don't ask me. Just go with it. Musically, they're actually quite talented and worth taking seriously. Anyway, in this song they sing about the woes of being caught up in the current of what they consider to be a pervasive culture of conformity to singular philosophy on something. As lyrics usually go, they keep from specifying the exact characteristics of the herd they don't want to follow. But it's clear that they have some real disdain for those who want them to go along in their footsteps. Here are the lyrics:

Whenever i step outside, somebody claims to see the light
It seems to me that all of us have lost our patience.
'cause everyone thinks they're right,
And nobody thinks that there just might
Be more than one road to our final destination

But i'm not ever going to know if i'm right or wrong
'cause we're all going in the same direction
And i'm not sure which way to go because all along
We've been going in the same direction

I'm tired of playing games, of looking for someone else to blame
For all the holes in answers that are clearly showing
For something to fill the space, was all of the time i spent a waste
'cause so many choices point the same way i was going.....

So why does there only have to be one correct philosophy?
I don't want to go and follow you just to end up like one of them
And why are you always telling me what you want me to believe?
I'd like to think that i can go my own way and meet you in the end.

But i'm not ever going to know..........

Nothing terribly alarming there, right? If I hadn't said "boo" about the theme of the song in a way that alluded to my scrutiny of it, and if you were to be along in the car while we cruise down the road and have this tune cranking, the purely rock 'n roll elements of it would likely distract you from the actual lyrics themselves. Let's face it, unless the vulgarity of the lyrics is so obvious and so crude that it jumps out at you, you're likely to miss anything negative almost regardless of how many times you hear it. 

But this song is a great example of how the middle road can be just as dangerous, if not worse. It's not the high road of a beautiful worship song by someone like Chris Tomlin, and it's sure not Beyonce's "Drunk in Love" (the lyrics to which I would rather NOT include in my blog, we'll just say) on the other end of the spectrum. But this middle-of-the-road song offers a dangerous idea when you look closely enough for it. 

"So why does there only have to be one correct philosophy? I don't want to go and follow you just to end up like one of them."  

Many people today have taken hold of the ideas of postmodernism. In an effort to appear supposedly more enlightened, tolerant, and non-judgmental, an ever-increasing majority of people throughout the world - or certainly in Western civilization - choose to live by the mantra that "what's right for you is right for you, and what's right for me can be right for me too." 

This philosophy even creeps into some corners of religion, usually the type practiced by folks who don't have a sound theological basis of any brand, or aren't very church-going. They'll speak of how "all steeples point to heaven," and so forth. After all, how fair would that be if some folks could live their whole lives and be wrong about anything? How fair is it that we should have to seek out actual truth and be sure that we're on the correct side of important issues, especially one like where we're going after this life? (This seems to be a possible explanation to "Same Direction"'s line "And why are you always telling me what you want me to believe? I'd like to think that I can go my own way and meet you in the end...")

It's sneaky how this lyrical content works. It doesn't make your ears turn red. It doesn't curl your toes or make you look over your shoulder to be sure no one with a clerical collar and Bible under-arm is nearby with a disapproving frown. It isn't the kind of content that warrants the RIAA to put "Parental Advisory" labels on the packaging of the CD. 

But just because there aren't cuss words, disgusting talk of sex acts or violence, or drug references, doesn't mean a parent wouldn't want to educate their child on the harmful nature of what some parts of the lyrics mean. 

We shouldn't just shy away from PA labels, R rated movies (especially R rated comedies - Why should humor ever need to be R rated??), strip clubs, and cult seances. Things on the middle ground, several degrees removed from the verboten end of the spectrum, can often be just as detrimental to our faith or our thinking. 

One could even make the argument that this seemingly-harmless, subtle, middle ground media we come across all the time in music, on TV, in newspapers and magazines, and in common conversation among our peers, is even MORE dangerous than the stuff our parents warned us against growing up. Think about it. If your moral guard is down while the input is allowed to come at you again and again because you don't really see a need to censor it out, over time you'll be permeated by that input and you'll run the risk of accepting it as truth. 

If it makes no typical warning sirens go off when you read or hear it, over time it may become part of you. 

Over time this idea that sneaked in under the cloak of a vulgarity-free rock 'n roll anthem of not conforming to society (or parts of it you don't agree with) could, if your foundation weren't strong enough in the first place, slowly convince you that truth is in the mind of the beholder. Just like that, one small, innocent-sounding input converted you from an advocate of objective truth and, by extension, a believer in a single true God with one offered path to heaven, into a wishy-washy postmodernist who just thinks it's cool to fly a flag for independence from the herd, just like Rob of Hoobastank. Maybe you'll even wear your hair down over one eye, buy a leather motorcycle jacket, and add some metal to your face to complete the liberating stereotype of originality. 

It's worth keeping an eye out for even the little things. Is it absolutely, downright sinful to own and listen to music like what Hoobastank puts out, or attend a PG-13 (or R rated, for that matter, in some cases) movie, or tune in to the evening broadcast of CNN? No, not necessarily. But it IS gravely important that we guard our hearts and minds from ideas that could change us subtly and gradually too, with the stealth of the middle road innocence. 

As for Hoobastank's lyrical statement in this song.......

"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive."

                                                                      C. S. Lewis

Last Role Model Standing

Anyone 50 years old or older can correct me if I’m wrong, because mine is a younger perspective… But, used to be there were a lot more good role models around for men, weren’t there?

From local civil servants like police officers and firefighters, to sports figures like Harmon Killebrew, Fran Tarkenton, Barry Sanders, Grant Hill, Phil Mickelson, and Tim Tebow; from celebrities like John Wayne to politicians (yes, there have been a few) like Ronald Reagan or George H. W. Bush, there have been men in the spotlight with qualities worth emulating. Men with sturdiness, bravery, and class. Men with humility, yet strong enough to take a stand. The kinds that conquered the West, scored touchdowns with busted limbs, and ran the gauntlet of complicated and odious human dealings without compromising who they were. The kind who stood up for their women and made romance an art form, protected their children and property, and rolled up their sleeves when the going got tough.

Even in the comics there have always been manly figures who displayed courage, sacrifice, integrity, and a will to lead others around them. What boy growing up didn’t like the idea of being Superman, Batman, or Captain America?

Don’t look now, but the quintessential male role model is fast becoming an extinct symbol of American culture. Well within my own relatively brief lifetime, it’s gotten to the point where the majority of sports figures seem to be all about chest-pounding and taking to Twitter to verbally spar with opponents over trivial nonsense. It’s gotten to the point where there’s cowards and cheaters and criminals within every aforementioned group: corrupt law enforcement officials, crooked and back-pocket-stuffing politicians, addiction-riddled or – dare I say it? – “fruity” male celebrities (or actors who themselves may not be sell-outs, but who, in many of their shows, play spineless wimps of men who let their homes run them – see Ray Romano in “Everybody Loves Raymond).

Well, at least the masculine tradition of the world of comics has remained intact. Wait. What’s that you say? Ahem, I stand corrected. Ladies and gentlemen, this just in:

Thor is now a woman.  

 

That’s right, you heard me correctly. Marvel Comics has just changed the character of Thor – the mighty, hammer-wielding, Norse warrior/god of longtime mythology – into a woman. Not gave him a female counterpart. Not renamed Thor as Thorina, the female version….Replaced him. As if to say Thor never was a man. As if to show that he should’ve been a female from the beginning.

It’s certain that the social media world and online forums will be ablaze with outrage and debate and speculation as to why on Earth Marvel Comics decided to do this, and all the ramifications that stem from this big change. That is NOT the purpose of my mentioning this. My point, instead, is simply that male role models are vanishing.

By the way, permit me a quick aside: I write all this today not to infer that females don’t need a role model (because they do), nor to convey that the exact same isn’t happening to womankind (because, I’m sure, to an extent it could be). I write this because the only perspective I’m experienced with in this matter is the male’s, and, more importantly, because I subscribe to the belief that God established men to have a massively important leadership role within not only the family, but also society.

That aside serves well, actually, as an introduction to what I’m truly driving at here.

For, if all the available traditional male role model sources are being weakened, tarnished, or otherwise eliminated or replaced (like Thor), what happens when men start to wonder where they should turn for examples that inspire them to live?

Without Jesus Christ, I propose you would really have nowhere to turn for that answer. You would be in a heap of trouble.

These days are troubled ones indeed. Things like the changing of Thor from a man to a woman by the comic industry leaders are just a small, albeit poignant, symptom of the epidemic overtaking American culture over the last half century or more. But this serves as an excellent blessing in disguise. In years past, it was natural for a majority to be or seem Christian. Even though Christianity has never been an official national religion by law, the traditions of this country that were set up even from the time of the founding generations put into motion a culture of Judeo-Christian expectations for living, and it’s taken all this time for that foundation to be eroded down to the topsoil. Now, as Christianity has been marginalized nationwide, and other countries are sending missionaries to us because they see America as so Godless (and they’re right!) , we have a very different scene. Now, men everywhere have to step back and re-evaluate where they get their foundations from.

This gives the opportunity for a miniature spiritual renaissance to take place, where men everywhere have to go back to the drawing board and rediscover one very critical idea:

We never should have looked any farther than Jesus for a great male role model.

It’s great to be able to see men acting honorably or inspirationally in society, in entertainment, in politics, and hopefully most often within our own homes. Praise the Lord when we see them acting as they should so that their share of the limelight is being used for good. But ultimately, even men at their best are never going to provide the best example. Men, even at their best, are flawed, and their flaws are ever so tragic. Men, even at their best, are inflicted with a sinfulness that leaves them gasping at the foot of the cross of Jesus, weeping for forgiveness.

But Jesus Christ himself, although he was fully man, was perfect. His perfection, something only God incarnate could accomplish, not only played a part in his life’s mission of redemption of fallen men and women, but it also serves as the only, and best, example for men today to follow.

Need a superhuman example of courage, dedication, and bravery? See Jesus, fending off days of relentless temptation by Satan himself as he traveled through the desert, fighting fatigue, starvation, and thirst. See Jesus, standing up to hateful crowds and going about his work of ministry all while knowing that jealous men plotted his demise every step of the way. See Jesus, foreknowing his death on the night before it would occur, praying feverishly in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking God his Father to take away the task, but continually resubmitting himself to whatever was necessary. See Jesus, being led in prison fetters, mocked, spit on, knocked around, and jeered during a late-night rigged court case. See Jesus, kneeling to accept the vicious, ripping sting of the whips Roman soldiers used on him at Pilate’s command to have him flogged. See Jesus, carrying his cross for the nearly half mile journey through Jerusalem, up onto the hill called Golgotha, where he was crucified and gave up his life.

 

Need a superhuman example of humble tenderness, empathy, and friendship? See Jesus, taking the time everywhere he went to heal diseases, speak with outcasts of society, and let little children gather around him to learn and enjoy his glowing mannerisms. See Jesus, standing among the influential people of his time, speaking about difficult and challenging topics like taxes, women’s important roles in society and the church, and how to truly serve God more than just lip-service. See Jesus, understanding the loss of a great companion like Lazarus, weeping outside his tomb before bringing him back to life.

See Jesus, issuing kind and patient words to those who came with endless requests, troubled hearts, or ill-gotten motives and needing direction. See Jesus, preaching to crowds while tired, making sure people were fed, and never letting a teachable moment pass by. See Jesus, gathering to himself a tight-knit group of men from the surrounding communities, mentoring them, teaching them how to lead the church they didn't even know yet that they were going to run, and passing to them the institution of the Holy Sacraments. He shared his life with them and he did it selflessly, with complete integrity, and with endless love in his heart for those around him.

 

Pro athletes, politicians, actors and entertainers, firefighters and policemen, soldiers, and every other kind of everyday man caring for his family, running a business, serving in his church - - let them all strive to be great role models of what men should be.

But wouldn’t it be great if the primary characteristic of such role models was to be men who point to Jesus?

Men out there, listen up! Don’t sweat the troubling signs in society… Athletes will always say the wrong things with a mic in their face, or get DWIs and get suspensions for performance enhancing drugs. Politicians will always lie and neglect upholding the promises they made hollowly while running for office. Celebrities will be troubled and seek solutions for their inner confusion just like the rest of us do who don’t live around cameras. Other men, no matter who they are, will always fail us. But let’s keep showing our sons and the men-to-be of our communities how Jesus was the real way to live like a man!

Let’s focus on being the change we want to see in the world, but more importantly, being the messengers the world needs to see Jesus.

When Jesus is the superhero we most look up to, the tears about Thor’s sex change can be dried more quickly. When things like that happen, it can feel like Jesus is the last real role model standing.

The truth is, he was the first. And he is the only one that counts. 

Redirection

Sometimes we need to simplify in life. I was inspired by a dear friend and fellow blogger to reconstruct my original blog, eliminate an additional one I'd created just for spiritual topics, and begin anew. 

Going forward there is no more "Jeff's Leadership Journey" blog, and, separately, "Reflections From the Fire" blog. At this stage, I'm recalling once again that everything I am, everything I stand for, and everything I think about and talk about falls under the umbrella of my God-given mission and purpose in life. 

My mission is gradually unfolding before me. I used to regard it as something as simple as "following the Great Commission" (for those of you not from lifelong Christian backgrounds, that refers to Matthew 28:19-20...go look it up!). I used to swear by what my dad always said when I was a young boy: "We're pretty much here for two things - To come to faith ourselves, and to help others do the same." Not that such a perspective was ever misguided or wrong for me. It's just that I've learned over the past few years to appreciate the complexity of life's journey, and the abundance of opportunities that lie waiting out there, for how, where, with whom, and for what one can live their life. 

In other words, I'm seeking to constantly diversify my understanding of my mission in life. I will always have as my overarching mission and core goal the desire to fulfill said "Great Commission." However, along the way, I feel that God has placed some other desires within me that are unique, subtler nuances of what will take place as I leave my mark on the world.

Want to know what I'm getting at with all that enigmatic talk? Well, feel free to continue following along with my posts, or retrace my steps therein if you're here for the first time, and discover it for yourself. Maybe my meanderings will shed light on the path you've been needing to see for yourself, too. 

Henceforth, my blog will speak of many topics, but it will all circle back around to the theme of the beautiful unfolding of what God is doing in my life. Really, I'm not the main character in my story anyway. Jesus Christ is. What he did for mankind, and what He is all about still to this day, is on center stage. The rest of it is details. Some intriguing, some painful, some mystifying, some dark and foreboding, some sorrowful, some hilarious or uplifting, and some sublime...but really just details. 

Enjoy the ride. Not even I know what's coming next. 

Clearly. 

True Freedom

(Originally published 7/5/14)

On Independence Day, the 4th of July, Americans pause in life to celebrate the memory of the day when our nation declared itself "free." Our political freedom, and the great many individual freedoms that stem from that in the years since, is an amazing blessing. Thousands upon thousands of brave men and women have given their very lives for this cause, and it's something about which to have hands lifted in adulation to our God. 

But what about you? Is there another kind of freedom you might be missing? I know I've noticed it quite often in myself.

Yesterday's daily email Scripture passage from our local Christian radio station's website was about spiritual freedom. 

"I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments." - Psalm 119:45 (NLT)

Have you ever noticed the times in life when you feel the most trapped are probably the times when you're not really living God's way? Maybe you haven't. But in my life, it's definitely been true that when I stop in the middle of a real spiritual losing streak, and I just don't feel like I'm free in my life, it's because there's things within me that are holding me back. The besetting sins that I give into, the attitudes about things like my job, my family life, or my social life, they can all keep me enslaved the longer I allow their inertia.

What's ironic is that we tend to live outside God's rules for our lives when we're consistently believing Satan's biggest lie: God does not want what's best for you. 

Remember this one? That's right, it was the first lie ever told. God's enemy, in serpent form, approached the female half of the first couple in the Garden of Eden and got her to believe that maybe God was playing his cards too close to the vest. What happened? She fell for the lie with a bite of the fruit of the forbidden tree, and Adam foolishly followed his wife's cue, and all mankind has been permanently fallen since. 

Satan has been continually fooling mankind for all of history, into the lie that God's way isn't always in your best interests. So when a Christian goes about their day with those famous Ten Commandments, and the teachings of Jesus from the New Testament, in the background of their mind, there are two options when presented with moral choices: 

1) Believe that what God has told me to do is for my good, for my blessing, and personal preservation for eternal life, and act accordingly, or...

2) Believe that God is just a curmudgeon who's all about keeping me from having a spectacular life, and act accordingly.

The truth is, God's commands are meant to bring us blessing, and set us free. When we choose our own way, it leads to enslavement. The more we follow the path of our heart's choosing - in whatever ways are contrary to God's ways - the more we get ourselves into trouble and let those things take us over, making us slaves of those sins, those attitudes, and those habits. 

Do you want to experience a life of complete freedom, and the truest freedom? 

Then God is inviting you to take the recommendation of the writer of Psalm 119, by devoting yourself to God's commandments. When we strive to keep the rules of the Lord and not break them, we'll be in greater harmony with our Heavenly Father through pure worship (1st through 3rd commandments), and have healthier relationships with our fellow earthly citizens (4th through 10th). 

This isn't about earning God's favor, mind you... Christ has already done that on our behalf through his work of redemption on the cross. Really, what this is about is living in a way that shows God we are who we say we are. If we're grateful that we've been made part of God's family through faith, then we need to sport the family traits and let our Father in heaven see our thankfulness through our actions. This life of adherence to God's commandments becomes our living sacrifice as a thank offering of joy. 

The result: a better life. A freer life. 

Because of Jesus, we've been set free from sin and an eternal death sentence. We're free to follow where God leads us, and then watch the fruit of that obedience blossom!

God, give me strength to be devoted to you and your ways! I crave freedom!

Godly Galoshes

(Originally published 4/28/14)

“Rain, rain, go away…

Come again another day…”

I’ll begin today with a little disclaimer: I am one of the worst complainers I know. Much as it pains me to say so, one of my greatest weaknesses, as a highly analytical and critically-minded person, is my propensity to spout negativity over a lot of things. So when I use generalities in today’s blog message, or throw out a few “we” pronouns, please know that I wrote this first and foremost for my own sake, and to preach to myself as chief of sinners in this regard.

There are few things that can get Midwesterners down in the early spring months like a good, long, dreary week of mostly rainy days. Such a one is in my local forecast right now, starting with today. It’s as if we feel like there’s some injustice in this “wetter” form of precipitation after we’ve endured another long, harsh, biting winter season. Where I live in Wisconsin, many of the folks who’ve lived here a while will readily tell you this winter past was one of the harshest they can remember since – well, probably before I was alive. So, for winter to finally be done, only to be followed by a very rainy spring (as is so often the case), seems like punishment from above.

Maybe that condemning and melodramatic analysis of rainy weather is more facetious than anything else, and it’s probably not true that many people really feel deep-seated anger over rain. But it’s worth dissecting the prevalent sentiment of being ungrateful or bummed about rainy days. After all, to just say in passing “Oh, I know rain’s not actually so bad” doesn’t do enough to eradicate the all-too-common, knee-jerk nature of this negative reaction. Let’s face it: Our default position about seeing rain in the forecast, or to waking up to an unexpected rainy day, is almost always one of ire. So let’s meditate on it a little more, and come up with a better reaction to start from.

The anger or indignance reaction to rainy days is really just not rational, when it comes down to it. Negative reactions are really only justified, in theory, with stimuli that are inherently…well, negative. To have an indignant reaction to bad news, like another crime in your neighborhood, or selfish and reckless behavior by drivers on the road you’re traveling, is understandable (though God asks us to still process even all of this with a better mindset, with forbearance for our fellow man, and with an eternal perspective that “God works out everything for the good of those who love Him.” – Romans 8:28).

But should such a negative reaction be assigned to rain? Is rain inherently bad? Does it deserve our ire and indignance? Absolutely not!!

Let’s look at rain through the eyes of our Maker, who, by the way, sends that rain.

It’s the Scripturally inspired conjecture of some theologians and Christian historians that, prior to the great flood that Noah’s family and a pair of each species of animal survived, there may have never been rain on Earth.

“⁶ And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” ⁷ So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. ⁸ God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day”. (Genesis 1:6-8)

Since the flood, though, when that conjectured canopy of water above was released in the worldwide deluge, it would seem that rain has been an historical reality for all recorded time. So, it’s always been God’s tool for watering His creation, His handiwork. Just as I tell my sons when they ask why it’s raining against their window while we drive in the car, “It’s raining because God wants to water the grass and trees and farm fields today!” Funny how the explanations we have available to use to teach our children are always the positive ones – the ones that reveal the truth, and the right way to view God’s world.

Safe to say we can all agree that, if God sends the rain, and God is good, then rain is good. Even to the atheist, who says rain is merely a meterological byproduct that just so happens to result in catalyzing soil nutrients and aiding photosynthesis, it’s inescapable that rain waters the earth. Research what took place in the infamous Dust Bowl in America’s 20^th century history, or the “Dirty Thirties,” as some called it. Ask anyone who lived through those awful years of drought in the bread basket of our country, and they’ll tell you just how important and vital rain is, coming from the knowledge of how destructive its absence can be.

If rain is good, how could we complain about it?

When those water drops fall, God Almighty is doing right by mankind. It might not be as easy to keep that perspective when it falls in such massive quantities that it turns to flooding and washes out crop fields. But nothing can change that rain itself has intrinsic positive value, and the Lord deserves our praise and thanks for every rainy day.

Ok, so rain is a good thing. Why am I going on about this point? Because, my friends, isn’t the same true about the proverbial rains of life?

Each of us has endured our share of storms. Each of us has lived through the days, weeks, or even years of life when it was impossible not to feel like a personal thunderstorm cloud was following us around and wouldn’t let up. Just as it’s hard to feel like we can enjoy the parade, the softball game, the weekend cookout, or the camping trip when it’s torrentially downpouring on us, so too is it hard to remember invaluable Bible passages like the aforementioned Romans 8:28, or other passages that explain God’s unending goodness, when cancer strikes the home, or a pink slip is handed out, or a vehicle breaks down, or a spouse divorces you. The temporary, circumstantial discomfort of the downpour cannot change the fact that vegetation will still grow from it. Without the growth of crops, grass, and trees, we can’t eat, feed our livestock, receive shade from blistering summer heat, etc…the list of ramifications is endless. Rain creates life.

When my Heavenly Father allows life events to bring rain pouring on top of me at various times, all he is doing is watering my seeds of faith. If those seeds of faith can’t sprout to bring on more vegetation of maturity or the shade of spiritual growth, I’ll die inside.

Rain droplets will undoubtedly fall from the sky. Only I can choose my attitude about that. May my default reaction be trained by the truth of the Spirit into one of deep gratitude, that God, in that very moment, is blessing me and my fellow citizens.

When those metaphorically rainy times sweep through my life too, and drench me in pain, sorrow, confusion, disbelief, or temptation, I can remember that my sin and the demise of my fallen world that taints my view of those things does not remove the truth – that God will use that rain storm to help me grow. He yearns for those rains to grow a massive, verdant, beautiful garden of mature faith in me, so I can walk step in step alongside my Savior, Jesus.

So bring on the rain. I will keep my mind right about the weather of life, and I’ll just keep the galoshes ready by the door. God is good, all the time.

Especially when it rains. 

Like a Sore Thumb

                 (Originally published 4/23/14)

"What you've called me to do

is the opposite of hide

Oh God, I want to break through

When I'm surrounded by midnight

Just like the stars..."

The words above, lyrics written to a song called "Torch," by Russian Christian rockers Everfound, pretty much sum up how I feel lately. I know that hiding my faith is not a conscious phenomenon, but it still happens so often. 

There's no real reason to hide my Christianity. I don't have the excuse of the young men in the aforementioned band, whose motherland hosted harsh persecution for Christians in past generations. I don't have to keep it all underground or disguised under secular forums like Christians in China these days. I don't have to worry about being ostracized like I would if I were a Christian in an Islamic territory. Sure, the United States is becoming increasingly more hostile towards Christian values and thinking, but not towards Christians themselves. 

Yet I still find myself being more adamant about my principles when I'm discussing something with another Christian. I still find myself being bolder about the passions of my faith when I'm driving down the road, thinking about scenarios that may not happen. And I sure have fire in my soul when I'm at church, lifting up worship with the safety of 300 other Jesus-followers on a Sunday morning. 

But when was the last time I went on trial for my savior?

When was the last time I let myself stick out like a sore thumb?

I'm reminded of a story I heard many years ago in a sermon. A lumberjack went away to work in Alaska for a summer, leaving his family and friends behind. He was a Christian, so he wondered how tough it would be to blend in with all of the rough-and-tumble of the lumber industry crowd. When he returned home months later, he was filling his family in on all of his adventures and learning experiences, when one relative asked, "So, what was it like being a devout Christian in an atmosphere like that? I've heard that's a pretty crude bunch to associate with." The man shrugged, thought for a moment, and said, "Well it never really came up. I guess I blended in just fine." Then his face fell, and he realized why that was....

Sometimes I wonder if I would have to give the same report about myself in my job or how my life goes in public. Do I content myself to count on people merely thinking I'm a nice guy? Do I hope that it's good enough that I'm kind and respectful and agreeable, most of the time, and expect them to draw the conclusion on their own? 

Or do I fall for the lie that I shouldn't want to stick out in an awkward way and be "one of those people," the type that nobody can relate to because all they talk about is God? Do I fall for the lie that it's just best to be politically correct in the workplace and do as all supervisors or sales trainers will tell you: "Avoid the two big no-no's - religion and politics"?

Late this last Saturday night, the night before Easter, I was walking out of a movie theater after viewing the movie "God's Not Dead" with my brother. A cinematic experience to remember in itself, to be sure, but also a poignant and inspiring reminder. I guess I ducked the swift punch many young adult Christians get blasted with on the American university scene, by choosing to attend a small, quaint, Lutheran ministry college. But I've certainly had my share of opportunity in years since, to witness how darkened are the hearts of men and women in this land. I've had my fair share of moments when I've felt enshrouded by the midnight of a fallen generation and the pitch black of a society that has truly turned its back on the one true God. 

But I wonder how embarrassed I'd be if I saw a highlight reel of all the moments I missed when I could've played the part, in my own way, of the college freshman in the movie "God's Not Dead," who stood up to his atheist philosophy professor, refusing to denounce his religious views for scholastic purposes. 

But that's what it all boils down to, isn't it? Embarrassment. We seek approval of others at such a high cost that we begin to care more about what they think of us, or how we'll fit in with them, than we do about what our own Creator thinks of us. In those multitudinous missed moments, we fear being embarrassed before men more than being embarrassed about the gospel or our life-and-death relationship with Jesus Christ.

"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven," Jesus said in Matthew 10:32. 

This passage was referred by a pastor to the young man in the movie who was preparing to debate his professor on the existence of God. In light of straightforward Scripture verses like this, how could I ever forget to be watchful for opportunities to live my faith and speak it before others as well? 

It's not about seeking martyrdom. God doesn't want needless sacrifice, lest we fall into the lie that some flamboyant display of piety will be enough for God to favor us. Our hearts are naked to the Almighty God, and he knows when our intentions are pure as well as when they're phony. What we can do, though, is calmly be prepared to simply state the truth as we know it whenever the moment arises. We must be like any responsible citizen who, when asked to bear testimony about an act committed in public, simply and honestly tells the facts. Christians must tell it like it is, in respect to Jesus Christ. 

Granted, all of this falls under the umbrella of wanting to be able to forge meaningful human relationships with those who need the benefit of our testimony. But we will not be timid when God's presence, truth, or name are affronted, as is so often the case in our culture. We will not shrink back when someone asks why we feel the way we do about a topic, and the answer simply has to be "Because God is my source of truth and he says that it's this way....." And we must never stop being lights - torches, if you will - shining as brightly as is needed in the midnight. Even when we go about our daily activities in daylight, make no mistake about it: in spiritual terms, we walk about in this world in constant darkness. The darkness consumes all those whose souls don't yet belong to Jesus. They are inevitably hopeless and feel their demise looming near. Without our blazing torches passing by closely enough and brightly enough, how can they see where light and hope are to be found? Without our light beaming brightly enough, how will they find their way out of this midnight into the arms of their Great Shepherd? 

"And if it rains or pours,

I'm screaming I am Yours,

And no one will ignore

who I'm living for...

I'm carrying the torch."

-Everfound

Lord, God, give me the courage I need, which I so often lack,

to stand tall among the unbelieving throngs around me.

Help me remember all that you went through to obtain me from

the darkness, and how dearly it cost you to be able to call me 

your own. Help me to stop valuing the approval of men 

more than my relationship with Jesus, and YOUR approval, Father!

Help me see those opportunities to shine brightly, and 

lead those who are lost in the darkness into your loving embrace

through my testimony and bravery to acknowledge you!

Help me carry my torch for you, and stick out

like a sore thumb if need be!

Amen.