Super Bowl and Solid Faith

God has saved us through his son, Jesus Christ, and He calls us to regard Christ as our life and live in a manner that calls attention to His presence in our hearts.  In Colossians 1, we can read:
21And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled22in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--23if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Romans 1:16 is a critical and inspiring verse as we evaluate the content of our testimony and the willingness we have to share it:
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

There is are so many angles to the Super Bowl that are related to the game in some way or the other...this year, the venue has been a particularly popular subject - outdoors in a Northern city, with no dome.   Of course, there have already been some commercials that have been previewed; Doritos is doing its contest inviting participants to produce a commercial; and there will more than likely be some commercials that we might not want our kids to see.   There's the spectacle of a halftime show, an elongated pre-game that includes Bill O'Reilly interviewing the President.   I would also rate the faith element as a highly important angle to the game as well - more about that later. And, don't forget that one of the greatest players to every play the game will be playing quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

When I was a student at the University of Tennessee, we weren't winning championships - in fact during my 4 seasons at Rocky Top, we were 6-5, 4-7, 5-5-1, and 7-4.    When Peyton Manning arrived in Knoxville, it set off an unprecedented run.  There were 3 seasons of 10 wins or greater beginning in 1995 and culminating with an SEC Championship in 1997.   He actually has a street on the campus named after him.

As columnist Jim Denison puts it, "This season, Manning scored more touchdowns and passed for more yards than any quarterback in history."

You don't hear a lot about Peyton Manning's faith.  Fortunately, some of his solid faith story has emerged in the run-up to the Super Bowl.  And Denison points out:

In his book Manning, co-authored with his father, Peyton tells the story of his conversion: "My faith has been number one since I was thirteen years old and heard from the pulpit on a Sunday morning in New Orleans a simple question: 'If you died today, are you one hundred percent sure you'd go to heaven?'

"It was a big church, and I felt very small, but my heart was pounding. The minister invited those who would like that assurance through Jesus Christ to raise their hands, and I did. Then he invited us to come forward, to take a stand, and my heart really started pounding and from where we sat, it looked like a mile to the front. But I got up and did it, and I committed my life to Christ, and that faith has been most important to me ever since."

Peyton says his four priorities, in order, are: faith, family, friends, and football. He testifies, "My faith doesn't make me perfect, it makes me forgiven." He describes his spiritual life: "I pray every night, sometimes long prayers about a lot of things and a lot of people, but I don't talk about it or brag about it because that's between God and me, and I'm no better than anyone else in God's sight."

In the next-to-last paragraph, Denison writes, "The minister who led a 13-year-old boy to Christ had no idea the platform God would entrust to that young man."  He closes with the question, "What will you do for Jesus today?"

On the opposite sideline, one of the NFL's rising stars will be leading his team, the Seattle Seahawks.   And, Russell Wilson has gone public on how he came to Christ.  The Blaze reports on the video that was funded by Seahawks players called, "The Making of a Champion", in which Russell talks about how he came to Christ:

“I had a dream one night I was at … football camp … my parents were supposed to pick me up on Sunday to go to church,” he said. “I had a dream that my dad passed away and that Jesus came into the room and he was just knocking on my door saying, ‘Hey you need to find out more about me.’”

While Wilson’s parents regularly took him to church, it was this dream that truly moved him to change his ways.

The next day, Wilson said, he went to church with his parents and was “saved” — the popular terminology for when an individual formally accepts the Christian faith.

“I think that just that moment of when I realized that dreams are really real, because my dad ended up passing away six years later,” Wilson said. “I think that kind of got me through a lot of adversity.”

Denison points out that Wilson regularly posts Bible verses on his Twitter feed.   Regarding Wilson's story, he states: "You may not have met Jesus in a dream, but your salvation is no less miraculous and your influence no less eternal than Russell Wilson's. He has learned that 'no one can stop what God has for you.'"

So, the starting quarterbacks of the NFL's 2 best teams will suit it up on Sunday, and we know a little about their respective faith stories.   And, their salvation experiences are different, but their opportunities are very similar...God has granted Peyton and Russell a platform, and they are called to be ambassadors for Christ.  I think we can be reminded that no matter what the circumstances of our salvation experience, it is important that we know and declare that we are saved.  Some can trace it to an exact moment - Peyton walked the aisle in a church service, Russell came forward after a dream the night before.   But, the important thing is to know that you have been born again, that Jesus is your Savior, and that He is giving you the power each day to live your life for Him.  

And, keep in mind that an outward act, such as walking the aisle, does not determine whether or not you have been saved.  The Bible teaches that it is confessing with your mouth the lordship of Christ and believing in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead.  The inward act of a transformed heart is the indicator of true salvation - If we believe, then we will seek to live our lives to the glory of God.  If that desire and the subsequent fruit is missing, then it may be time to evaluate how it is that we can see the character of Christ displayed through us.

Finally, these 2 guys are on the national stage, but we have been placed on a stage, as well.  God has called us to a position of influence and gives us opportunities to testify to His name.  Just as Manning and Wilson will express their faith story differently, so you have a unique approach to sharing your faith.  You may even have a chance in a discussion about the Super Bowl to interject some of this information about these 2 players. There may be someone you encounter who has a need and you can help to share the love and wisdom of Christ in that situation - through meeting a physical need, or by being a listening ear, or by sensitively speaking God's truth.   God has saved you and is shaping you for His purpose, and He enables us to walk in His Spirit each day.

Winter Storm 2014: Surprise, Samaritans, and a Selfless Mea Culpa

In Ephesians 4, we see a template for living in a manner that pleases God, based on the premise of putting off the old and putting on the new, the new nature created in Christ Jesus.  Verse 24 tells us to...
24...put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.25Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
In verse 28, we are given the example of working to do what is good, so that we might have something to give...28Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
And, we are called to communicate with grace:29  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

We can depend on the Spirit of God so that we might live with a sense of grace toward other people.   That will entail a spirit of humility, as we regard the needs of others above ourselves.  And, we can be conscious of communicating truth with compassion as we choose our words wisely and following the promptings of the Spirit within us.   We can be challenged to express and extend grace - in acts and words!

In James chapter 4, we read about the grace that God gives so that we might walk in His ways in a humble manner:
5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?6But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
And, in verse 10, we see these words:10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
And, over the past 2 days, humility has been on display in the wake of Winter Storm Leon.

There are a variety of issues that we are facing across the Faith Radio broadcast area today.   In the River Region, the roofs and yards are covered in a strange conglomeration of snow and ice, and in South Alabama, including the Wiregrass, a greater measure of ice has resulted in power outages in some areas.   There is still ice on the roads, and residents across the area have been urged to stay home.

In our area, the majority of residents were either at home or were able to make it home when the storm hit yesterday morning, a few hours earlier than had been expected.   In the Birmingham area and the Atlanta metro, the story was quite different for many - where a very small amount of snow had been predicted, the storm hit mid-morning, schools were still in session and a mad rush began - but the streets were clogged with wrecked vehicles and frozen precipitation, and those who were travelling became, and in some cases, are still, separated from their destinations.   Schools kept children overnight and many were stranded in vehicles across the area roadways.   The element of surprise resulted in a dangerous and frustration set of circumstances.

And, in the midst of the storm, the so-called "Good Samaritans" were out in force.  The website, AL.com, kept a running count of some of these instances.   Here are a few examples:

The city of Calera's mayor Jon Graham, as well as its Police and Fire Departments, transported kids home in light of grounded buses.

A group of citizens started a Facebook page, and then a Google document, to organize rescues throughout Birmingham. "Just a wonderful group of people all pulling together," Trey Edwards said of a group organizing the Facebook page, called "Stranded Motorists Help Jan 28, 2014."

A type 1 diabetic good Samaritan who helped stranded motorists on U.S. 31 had gone missing last night, but Kelly Garner has since been found and rescued from a wooded area behind Vestavia Hills' library.

A good Samaritan pushed cars up a hill under the Red Mountain Express Way for 5+ hrs yesterday, and someone tweeted out that she wanted to thank him.

It was a sold-out crowd at the Annual Birmingham Business Alliance Lunch at the Sheraton Hotel Tuesday, but snow meant more than 300 ticket holders were unable to attend. Quick thinking by the BBA and the hotel staff meant the hot meals went next door to the Boutwell Auditorium warming center.

And, there are multiple stories of people who were walking in the cold and someone came to their aid.

These instances can be a reminder to us to be ready to demonstrate the love and character of Christ, just as He taught us it the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Wednesday Meeting House guest Dr. Joe Savage of the University of Mobile relates about being sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He sets the agenda for our days.   There may be opportunities He has in store for us that we may miss if we schedule or program Him out of our days.  You can't say that all of these acts of kindness were driven by the love of Jesus, but they can be a prompting to us to be sensitive to others in need.

One of the frustrating elements for the people of Birmingham and Atlanta was that they did not see this coming.   Weather forecasters, who, even though they have a high degree of technology available to them, do not deal in an exact science.   I am grateful for Rich Thomas and Storm Team 12, as well as Ashley McDonald and the team at the Alabama News Network - they have been working efficiently and tirelessly to keep you informed.  

Over the years in the Birmingham area, people have come to trust James Spann at ABC33/40 and the website AlabamaWX.com.   James is a Christian and I believe recognizes the importance of humility in his life - and his profession.   On his blog, he offered a humble mea culpa regarding his team's forecasting of yesterday's events.   Here are some excerpts...he writes:

As is sometimes the case, the forecast was actually good on the synoptic scale, but the mesoscale placement was bad. By about 100-125 miles. The band of heavier snow that was to have set up over South Alabama (they did get good snow later in the day) initiated over the I-20/59 corridor. Birmingham’s official snow total was 2.0 inches; Anniston’s official total was 1.5″, and Tuscaloosa had 0.3″ (at the Airport… some there had more).

Temperatures were also colder than forecast...

I am convinced the fact that this was the third in a series of brutally cold air masses to move down into Alabama was a big role in the travel issues (making for a cold infrastructure), despite only 1-2 inches of “dry” snow. And, the 20 degree temperature was a huge factor as well. I will say I have never seen this kind of impact on roads with 1 to 2 inches of snow in Alabama in my 35 years as a professional meteorologist. But, now we know it can happen. It usually takes freezing rain (rain that falls with temperatures below 32 degrees) for this kind of mess.

And, then he made this amazing statement: "There was clear human suffering as a result of my bad forecast."

He also states:

Yep, over the last 12 hours lots of social media vitriol has been directed at me, and it is deserved. People who are tired, hungry, in strange places trying to sleep away from their families and children, need to vent. Do NOT vent at school officials or your boss. They make decisions on weather forecasts, and what they got was bad information. I am the one to blame.

And, the apology...

My many years in this chair have given me a pretty thick skin, so the social media hate doesn’t bother me; the human suffering is what bothers me. I take my job seriously, and I will carry on. If i just decide to quit, then the next person who comes in behind me will have the same problems. The occasional missed forecast that leads to a sentinel event.

I have said this to both professional meteorology societies in speeches over the last two years. Humility is missing in our science. There are many things we don’t know, and many things we can’t do. Just about the time you think you are infallible, you will be brought to your knees. For the ones in meteorology and climate that say “I could be wrong”, I will listen and respect their opinion. But, for those that claim no error, we all know their time is coming.

So, an apology from me for a botched forecast. Won’t be the last bad forecast I write, but I will keep working to get better and stronger daily. And, no, for this kind of thing doesn’t “get me down”, it energizes me. Thanks for your support and for those that did write an encouraging note over the last 12 hours...

One comment read:  "Like so many others I was stuck in it for 12 hours but I had a lot of help to get home. You're a wonderful, positive force, and a Godly man, and we love you."

James recognizes his incredible responsibility as a communicator.   And, I can identify, as someone who does a radio program every day.   I am quite critical of myself and have a desire to communicate God's truth with accuracy and clarity.  And, I believe that these moments of transparency from Mr. Spann can be an inspiration to all of us, to make sure we are humble and that we are careful with the words that we speak.   Your influence may not rival that of James Spann, or Faith Radio for that matter, but perhaps God has entrusted or will entrust to you the responsibility of communicating truth in the way that He would intend, that will minister grace in a critical time.

Ark-E-Ology and God's Faithfulness

2 Peter chapter 2 speaks of God's view of sin, judgment, and the promise of a Savior, who has come to rescue us.
4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;5and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly...
That "if" clause also refers to the deliverance of Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  
So, if God destroyed the sinful and rescued the righteous, verse 9 reminds us...9then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment...

By recognizing our sinfulness, we can gain a greater appreciation of our need for a Savior.   God has been very thorough throughout the pages of His Word to point out to us what pleases Him and what does not.   He has given us insight into His nature - that judgment accompanies sin.  But, He has illustrated for us His faithfulness to those who call upon His name.   In the 2nd Peter passage, this includes Noah, who was saved from God's wrath because of His faith in Him.  We can be heartened as we think about the God who desires to rescue and restore us, the One who loves us so much that He sent His son to be our substitute for the punishment we deserved.

In Hebrews 11, we see some verses that address the nature of faith, and read about quite a few examples of faith in God.   Picking up in verse 6, we read:
6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.7By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

On this day of a significant weather event for Central and South Alabama, I thought I would call your attention to what you might refer to as another huge weather occurrence - perhaps the largest and most impactful in the history of the world.   40 days and 40 nights of rain, the fulfillment of the promise of God's judgment upon the sinfulness of the whole earth, an event that God has promised will never take place again.

Leading up to this day, the weather experts have been attempting to plot the movement of this winter storm and the possible amounts of snow and ice that we can receive.   In the days of Noah, God telegraphed what He was about to do and instructed Noah to make the necessary preparations, giving him specific details about the construction of a large boat, an ark, that would house the 2 of each animal type, as well as Noah, his wife and his 3 sons and their wives.

Noah has been in the news lately - not only is there a major motion picture coming out this spring, reportedly somewhat based on the Biblical account, but recently, there have been news stories about the discovery of a tablet describing the ark.  CBN News reports that archaeologists say writings on an ancient tablet confirm there was a global flood and an ark that carried animals.

A recently deciphered 4,000-year-old clay tablet, discovered in modern-day Iraq -- which is ancient Mesopotamia -- reveals striking similarities to the biblical account of Noah. The tablet describes a massive flood that destroys the earth and instructions that animals should be loaded onto the craft "two by two."

The tablet differs from scripture in its description of the ark. It tells of a giant round vessel, two-thirds the size of a soccer field. In the book of Genesis, God commands Noah to build a longer vessel, providing specific dimensions that are not round.

Experts say other ancient civilizations adapted versions of Noah's story to their own cultures.

The tablet is on display at the British Museum in London, and engineers hope to build the vessel following the ancient instructions.

Tim Chaffey should know about arks.   Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis introduces him as a writer and researcher for the Ark Encounter project at the Creation Museum in Cincinnati.   He has responded to this "discovery".   Here are some of his thoughts, from the AnswerInGenesis.com website:

He says that Irving Finkel of the British Museum, who publicized the tablet, as well as the journalist who wrote the story from the Associated Press, push the long-discredited “documentary hypothesis,” meaning that they believe Genesis and much of the Old Testament was largely composed during the time of Ezra following the Babylonian exile. Therefore, they automatically assume that the author (or compiler) of Genesis merely copied the Flood account from the Babylonians.

Chaffey states:

The documentary hypothesis is based on discredited evolutionary assumptions about the history of writing and is filled with fallacious reasoning. As such, any theory about the relationship between this tablet and Genesis based on the documentary hypothesis is highly dubious. Furthermore, Jesus Himself nullified the documentary hypothesis by attributing the books of the Law to Moses in several places...Jesus Christ treated Noah as a real person, the Ark as a real boat, and the Flood as a real event...The testimony of the all-knowing Son of God takes precedence over both the opinion of a 21st century cuneiform expert at the British Museum and boat-building instructions recorded on a four thousand year old clay tablet.

He believes that "...this is just another archaeological find that corroborates the biblical Flood account. It is only reasonable that people in cultures the world over—being descended from the eight people that got off the Ark—would recall various versions of the Flood in their cultural memory and traditions. Hundreds of flood stories have been found in cultures around the world. While many of these contain legendary embellishments, it is very obvious that many of them refer back to a real event described in Genesis, many of the details of which were passed down through the generations. Consider some of the other information on Finkel’s tablet that was briefly mentioned in the article:

• A god instructed a man to build a giant boat (two-thirds the size of a soccer field in the tablet); compare with Genesis 6:15.
• The boat was to be reinforced with wooden ribs; compare with Genesis 6:14.
• The boat was to be covered in bitumen; see Genesis 6:14.
• The animals were to board the boat two-by-two; see Genesis 7:9.
• The purpose of all of these things was to survive a devastating flood; see Genesis 6:17."

When you hear about news stories or discoveries that have Biblical overtones, it can motivate us to search the Scriptures.   And, Answers in Genesis has given us solid information as we consider the authenticity of God's Word.  It is clear that various cultures have a version of a Noah story, which lends credence to the concept of a global flood, just as the Bible says.   

Noah's story is carried throughout the Word of God.   And, his story can speak mightily to us today.  For one thing, it is a story of God's faithfulness.  Even though the world was doomed to destruction because of sin, Noah was counted to be faithful.   God had no intention of wiping out humanity and starting over completely - He found a man who was devoted to Him and used his family to further the human race.   

The story also illustrates to us God's view of sinfulness.  Mankind, which was created for fellowship with Himself, had departed from His ways and essentially was under a death sentence because of sin and rebellion.  The Bible is clear that we deserve eternal punishment for our sin, but Jesus came to rescue us from that death sentence and to deliver us into life.

Noah was given specific instructions.  God shared with Noah what He was about to do.   So often, the ways of God can be a total mystery to us.  And, we recognize that His ways are higher than our own. However, He does not want us to walk in darkness - that's why He has given us His Word and His Holy Spirit to guide us.  He has told us in the book of James that if we lack wisdom, that we should ask God, who will give us wisdom "liberally".  The book of Proverbs can teach and inspire us to seek Godly wisdom.   When we feel lost and lack faith, we can turn to the Lord, who can bring clarity and peace to us.

Same Love? What Is "Love"?

We are called by God to display His glory in our attitudes and our actions.   That applies to how we live out our faith in the context of our relationships, including our marriages.  Here is what Ephesians 5 has to say:
31"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."32This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.33Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Paul uses the Scripture passage from Genesis 2 to restate the Biblical definition of marriage.  Jesus also spoke from that passage.  The letter to the Ephesians challenged men and women to regard their marriages as a representation of the relationship between Christ and the church.   If we possess that high view of this God-ordained relationship and put it into practice, how would that transform our homes?    Could it even transform our culture?   God desires for each of us to model His principles and to order our lives based on His absolute truth, so that His character may displayed and people will be drawn to Jesus.

In Titus 2, we see the admonition regarding how we should live in a world that does not embrace our faith or our values:
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,12teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,13looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

If you had a chance to consume broadcast television last night, you may have had quite a shock.  On one network, you had a wedding that was born out of the reality show, "The Bachelor", featuring a couple that had decided to wait until marriage.  You had a wedding that incorporated some traditional elements, including the heartfelt exchanging of vows and the pronouncement by a pastor, who was the groom's father.   Even though I can't completely endorse the whole process leading up to the televised event, I do think that Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici, as well as ABC, deserve some credit for highlighting their decision to wait.

But, if you happened to tune in to CBS for the Grammy Awards show, you may have seen a different sort of ceremony.  According to Fox News, 

This year, the Grammy Awards weren't just about the music, they were also about making a political statement in the same-sex marriage debate currently dividing much of America.

In a turn of events heavily hyped in the hours leading up to the CBS telecast, 34 couples - both gay and straight and of different ages and ethnicities - exchanged rings and said "I do," as officiated on stage by Queen Latifah. The actress/rapper/talk show host was recently deputized by Los Angeles County to legally conduct wedding ceremonies and will sign the marriage certificates for each couple.

The event took place on a stage set to resemble a giant chapel with stained-glass windows during a performance by hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, in which they sang their hit tune "Same Love," a song that was universally embraced by the LGBT community last year.

I have read the lyrics to "Same Love", and I'm offended not only by the suggestion that gay love is equated to the love between husband and wife, or generally couples of the opposite sex, the mockery of religion that is contained within it, even including the quotation of "love is patient, love is kind" from 1st Corinthians 13 at the end.   Fox News goes on to quote some of the lyrics that were belted out by the group on stage, ""The right-wing conservatives think it's a decision/And you can be cured with some treatment and religion/Man-made rewiring of a predisposition," Macklemore rapped. "Playing God, aw nah here we go/America the brave still fears what we don't know/And God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten/But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five hundred years ago."

Madonna later joined the matrimonial moment in an all-white suit, singing a portion of her heyday hit "Open Your Heart."

Switch back now to Sean and Catherine.   There's an excellent piece on the CharismaNews.com website about their relationship.  Lowe is described as a proud Christian, and has even called himself a “born-again virgin.” Though he's had sex in the past, he recommitted to his faith and has taken a vow of celibacy until marriage.

“I believe what the Bible says, basically to sum it up,” he said in a conference call.

His bio on the ABC website said that Sean “wants to propose once, be married once and live a faithful family life, like his parents, who have had a loving 35-year union...He wants to be the patriarch of a family that is centered on faith, love and laughter.”

The Texas native, who is part of a non-denominational Christian church, said in the conference call that his faith community provided a lot of support to him during his time on The Bachelor.

Lowe's fiancee, Catherine Giudici, reportedly started attending a non-denominational Christian church in suburban Seattle, said she grew up learning about “different religions” and has always believed in God.

She said she was “excited to learn about Christianity and be a believer.” She added, “It's something that is important to our future and our family.”

Lowe became a Christian in sixth grade, was a member of The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and was actively involved in his church's youth group. He was also sharing his faith with fellow contestants on The Bachelorette.

“I brought my Bible and my devotional to the show,” he told Priscilla Shirer of Going Beyond Ministries. “I’d sit outside, read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, and then spend time in the Word. Eventually, I found myself reading the book out loud, and soon enough, five or six guys would sit around and listen to it.

“Every day, I’d have guys ask me to borrow the book,” he continued. “I had awesome opportunities to share my faith, and eventually I gave the book to one of the guys because he couldn’t keep his nose out of it.”

Now, you may disagree with the premise of that reality show and some of the nuances of the televised special last night, but doesn't it provide a contrast with the distorted parade of so-called marriages that were part of the Grammy number?   And, we could certainly use more of that on television and in the media we consume.

There are plenty of takeaways for us as we consider last night's TV juxtaposition.  For one thing, as believers, we have to seek to model a Biblical view of relationships.   In our culture, things have become so confused with all this talk about gender identity and the redefinition of marriage.   And, I believe God's plan, His prescription, remains true:  boy meets girl, they strive for purity in their relationship and save themselves until marriage, they become engaged, enter into the traditional marriage relationship, and stay together, "until death do us part".  And, during our lives together, we seek together to please God and one another, with a firm sense of commitment, not willing to jump out if the going gets tough.  That's a far cry from a culture that minimizes the concept of lifelong marriage between and man and a woman and where people reject God's model and His best.


We also have to recognize that music has an opportunity to convey a message.  "Same Love" is a song from a group, Macklemore and Lewis, that won 4 Grammys last night.   The crowd was reported to be enthusiastically supporting the number they performed.   I think this should be a challenge to each of us to be responsible in our entertainment choices.   At Faith Radio, our intent is to provide not only Biblical teaching that can help us grow in the Lord and to be able to discern and live out truth, but also to play music that can create an awareness of God and an atmosphere of worship.   I am thankful for the Grammy Award-winning artists in the 5 Christian categories, including Mandisa, who took home 2 statuettes last night, who offers such positive, affirming messages as, "You're an overcomer/Stay in the fight ‘til the final round/You're not going under/‘Cause God is holding you right now/You might be down for a moment/Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You/That you're an overcomer..."  Philippians 4 talks about thinking on messages that are consistent with Biblical truth, and music can carry in a powerful way those types of messages, as well as those that contradict Scripture or even pervert it. We have to be discerning and not allow ourselves to become desensitized to the way that God would want us to live.

In the Image of God

We are called to be people of mercy and to regard others as fellow human beings, created in God's image - and if we recognize that every person, every life, is a precious creation of God, it will shape the way we view them and how we act.  Remember the words of Micah 6:8:
8He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

We believe that our lives are in God's hands and we can acknowledge that we were wired in a certain way. Because we were each created in the image of God, we have been given the capacity to know and love Jesus.  Not all will make that choice to follow Christ, but Jesus gives the invitation to follow Him.   We are conduits of the mercy of God, and if we recognize that all bear His image, then we can begin to view others through His eyes, we can reach beyond the imperfections or the differences and extend mercy to all.

In Genesis 1, we see a passage of Scripture that reinforces the notion that every human being bears the image of God:
26Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

This week, we've been touching on some topics relative to how we view other people, especially those with whom we disagree.  I highlighted some of Dr. King's comments on loving our "enemies" and I shared about Ravi Zacharias and his visit to the Mormon Tabernacle over the weekend and his willingness to speak to those who have a different theological perspective than he.

Keeping with that thread, there is a new initiative, or movement, that has begun, and it was started by some rather high-profile Christian leaders with the intent of reinforcing the notion that all people were created in the image of God, no matter what biological characteristics they exhibit or lifestyle or other choices that they might make. It's called "Imago Dei", and it was formed by Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Jim Daly of Focus on the Family,  "The Bible" miniseries producers Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel and the Liberty University Law School, and James Robison of "Life Today".

Sarah Pulliam Bailey has an explanatory piece on the ReligionNews.com website.

In it, Rodriguez is quoted as saying that, “If we had the image of God in mind for every human being, we could change the world...I want Christians to not be known for what we oppose but for what we propose.”

The campaign states, “For the image of God exists in all human beings: black and white; rich and poor; straight and gay; conservative and liberal; victim and perpetrator; citizen and undocumented; believer and unbeliever."

The biblical emphasis of Imago Dei stems from Genesis, where God said he would make mankind in his own image. Evangelicals have signed similar kinds of statements in the past, but this campaign is more focused and simple, said Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family.

Stanton is quoted as saying, “If someone says something out of line, someone else can say, ‘Hey remember this, how you signed it?’  Each one of us are image bearers in the sense that each one of us bear the image of God that others don’t.”

Rodriguez and Daly were also part of that movement of religious leaders that created the Manhattan Declaration, which emphasized upholding the sanctity of life, affirming traditional marriage, and emphasizing religious liberty.   Bailey points out that the document included a section on the idea that humans bear the image of God.

The website, ImagoDeiCampaign.org, states that By signing up for the Imago Dei Campaign, you are committed to changing the world by recognizing that we are all made in the image of God, without exception.

I like this section from the website.  It says:

What do Christians do?

This campaign will enable us to answer with the following:

We love

We forgive

We turn the other

We bless our enemies

We walk in integrity

We live abundantly

We quench the thirst

We clothe the naked

We feed the hungry

We welcome the stranger

We preach in and out of season

We worship in spirit and truth

We shine the light

We do justice

We love mercy

We walk humbly before God

We change the world!

This new initiative can serve to remind us that we have been placed on this earth with a call to reflect God's character.  If we do not walk in love, then our hearts are not in line with the attitude that God has ordained for us to have.   Love is the starting point - receiving the love of God and devoting our lives to adoring and serving Him.  And, as we seek to walk in love, then He helps us to place the needs of other people above our own.   Even those with whom we disagree can be drawn to the presence of the risen Christ in us as we love.

And, even though everyone is created in the image of God, none of us are perfect; but we are called to love in spite of our imperfections and the flaws of others.   This campaign is not advocating the toleration of sin, rather it is challenging all of us to share our lives with other people, no matter their political perspective, their social status, or their lifestyle choices.   We are called to lift up Jesus by the way we love!

Engaging the Scriptures, Engaging the Culture

In Luke chapter 24, after we read the account of the two men whom Jesus met on the road to Emmaus, he was taken to one of their homes and revealed Himself to those gathered there.  He then appeared to His disciples, and he said beginning in verse 45:
45And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.46Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Each day, we can make it our goal to gain a greater understanding of who Jesus is...as we appreciate what He has done for us in His death, burial, and resurrection, and as our understanding is opened to comprehend the Scriptures, then we recognize that He has placed a call on our lives to share what He has done for us with other people, to demonstrate His love and to proclaim the hope that comes from knowing Him.  We are called to know and grow in the love of Christ and in our knowledge of the Scriptures, so that by His Word and Spirit, He will shape our lives for service to Him.

As Paul was telling the story of his conversion before King Agrippa, he related that when Jesus appeared to him, He gave him this assignment. according to Acts 26:
17I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

One of America's leading apologists, whom you hear on Faith Radio daily at 12:25pm on Just Thinking, Ravi Zacharias, had quite an assignment, in a rather unusual setting this past Saturday night.   He was a featured speaker in, of all places, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City!    This came after speaking as part of Brigham Young University's "Faith, Family, and Society" lecture series.

According to the RZIM website, Mormon leader Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, praised Dr. Zacharias for his “uncompromised witness of the divine and powerful use of the Word of God,” and called him “a dear and special friend.”

Holland explained that “No joint ecumenical statement of any kind is being attempted here” and acknowledged that “there are doctrinal differences,” but emphasized that “We are witnessing a diminution of religious expression that is unprecedented in Western culture and certainly in American culture” and “the very least we can do is know and understand each other better than we do.”

Ravi Zacharias in 2004 became the first evangelical to speak in the massive structure since D.L. Moody in 1899.   On this occasion, Fernando Ortega was the musical guest.  Last time, it was Michael Card who provided music.

In his address at the Mormon Tabernacle, Zacharias read from 2 Kings 21-22 and examined King Manasseh, who led the Israelites to practice child sacrifice. Of Manasseh and other demagogues he suggested, “It is possible for one person to lead millions into untold evil.” Zacharias contrasted Manasseh’s destructive reign with the leadership of King Josiah, who upon hearing the Book of the Law, tore his clothes in repentance and instructed it to be read aloud before the nation.

“We must build our lives upon things that are eternal,” said Zacharias. “Stay with the Word because the Word of God is what turned the heart of a nation around.”

He observed that if we are to impact society, “Our hearts need to be transformed…. We need a new birth,” and continued, “Only Jesus can give you the power to change. Has your heart been redeemed by Christ?”

“Redemption is prior to righteousness. You cannot be righteous until you are first redeemed,” Zacharias emphasized.

Zacharias asked the diverse audience a series of questions and challenged them to make the personal reading of scripture a priority. “Do you know what life’s purpose is? That you may have communion with the living God, your Maker,” he said, and continued by highlighting the sufficiency of Jesus Christ in salvation. “Do you have the Son? We are complete in Him.”

The day before, at BYU, Zacharias stated, “I want to give you the Christian answer to this question of what it means to be human and remind you how important it is that we understand how critical these definitions are,” said Zacharias, lamenting that “the great loss in our time as been the loss of definitions – of good, evil, humanity, sacredness of sexuality, family, and home.”

“If we don’t understand life’s purpose, then all other questions become just footnotes,” said Zacharias, emphasizing that “the intrinsic value of human life comes from being created by God in his image,” and that “ultimate freedom comes from knowing what Jesus Christ has done for you.”

Richard Land of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Richard Mouw, formerly of Fuller Seminary, and Assemblies of God leader George Wood have also visited BYU in the past few months.

In these encounters between Mormons and evangelicals, some of them public and others private, there does not seem to be an attempt to de-emphasize clear differences in theology, including beliefs on who Jesus is. 

Al Mohler of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, when he spoke at BYU plainly said, "I am not here because I believe we are going to heaven together, but I do believe we may go to jail together."  He said that, "I do not mean to exaggerate, but we are living in the shadow of a great moral revolution that we commonly believe will have grave and devastating human consequences."

Mohler said, "I come as a Christian theologian to speak explicitly and respectfully as a Christian -- a Christian who defines Christianity only within the historic creeds and confessions of the Christian church and who comes as one committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to the ancient and eternal Trinitarian faith of the Christian church. I have not come as less, and you know whom you have invited..."

Mohler is scheduled to appear at the Tabernacle next month.

Even though it would be very easy to question the presence of such noted individuals in an environment so closely tied to a religion that has traditionally been regarded as out of the mainstream of orthodox Christianity.   I believe that as evangelicals, we should attempt to engage those with whom we disagree. And, it is clear that these gentlemen are intent on sharing the love of Christ and His true, gospel message with those who hold to a different teaching.   With regard to issues such as the family and religious freedom, Christians and Mormons can stand together - and with regard to doctrine,I think it is important to learn about and understand the perspective of people who adhere to a different faith, or no faith, so that God can use us to share the truth of His message.

A couple more thoughts:  Do you understand the deeply held beliefs of other people and are you willing to engage them regarding matters of faith?  We have to make sure that we do not carelessly dismiss the faith perspective of others as being incorrect and make no attempt to humble and gently attempt to discuss our relationship with Jesus.   

And, finally, If you received an invitation to the Mormon Tabernacle to speak, what would be the content of your message?  I think that's an interesting premise, because it could tell us a little bit about what's in our heart and what we believe.  I do think that you always honor the people who invite you to speak and that confrontation should generally not be the ultimate aim of a faith conversation.   That may inevitably ensue, but whether publicly or privately, we are called to be firm in our convictions, persuasive in our own dialogue, but always grateful for the grace that we have been given in Christ so that we communicate with a sense of grace and understanding.

A Story For Everyone

In his despair, Job recognized the sovereignty and the nature of God.   When considering the plight of those who were his servants, he reflected in chapter 31:
13"If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,14What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?15Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

The Bible tells us that each of us have been fearfully and wonderfully made.  And, from the point of conception, when life begins, God is writing a story for each man, woman, boy, and girl.  Unfortunately, there are those who would want to terminate that life and that story, and some 56 million have lost their lives before they had the opportunity to leave the womb - what great potential that has been eradicated, what a sad story!   But, I am thankful for the families that have made that decision to give life - those that have accepted truth and recognized that there is life within that mother.   And, I am thankful for those who share the story of God's love and how He has created each life in His image.   It's a time to reflect not only on the sadness brought about by a Supreme Court decision 41 years ago, but also to reflect on the incredible provision that God has brought about for lives to be saved, for babies to be born, and for the plan of God to unfold for them and their families.

Here's a great Scripture for us today as reflect on the preciousness of every single life, and the story that God desires to write for and through every child brought into this world.   Here are the words of Psalm 139:
13For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.14I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.15My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

On this day commemorating the 41st anniversary of the fateful decision by the U.S. Supreme Court resulting in the legalization of abortion in America, I want to share a story about the effects of one family's decision to choose life.  

Each year, WORLD Magazine publishes an annual issue focusing on pro-life progress and regress over the previous year.   The cover of this year's magazine features a picture of a child who was saved through the work of a pregnancy resource center.   Photos are being solicited by the publication for pictures of babies whose lives were saved.

This edition, which also features the piece that Daniel James Devine was talking about recently on this program about a woman who is in the process of starting a center in Gary, Indiana, a city that has not had such a pro-life ministry.

There's also the story of young Christian Buchanan.   He's the 2-year-old son of Lacey and Chris Buchanan from Woodbury, Tennessee.  During Lacey’s pregnancy, ultrasounds revealed their pre-born son had a severe cleft lip and palate. Doctors gave Lacey an 85 percent chance of miscarrying and predicted other problems. But no one knew until the day of his birth in February 2011 that he was blinded by cleft eyes which had never formed in utero. It’s a rare condition that doctors told the Buchanans has affected only 50 babies worldwide in documented medical history. The cleft also left part of his skull exposed.

One nurse expected the Buchanans to utilize a state law that allows parents to leave their baby, up to 3 days old, with a hospital employee—no questions asked. When Lacey posted a picture of Christian on her Facebook account, an acquaintance told her she was a horrible person for not aborting, calling him a “drain on society.”

Lacey and Chris never considered abortion or abandonment as options. At 4 days old, Christian had surgery to close up the skin around his skull and insert a gastrostomy tube that would allow him to eat. He spent his first month in the hospital, often inconsolable with pain.

Venturing out in public proved challenging. People within earshot at the grocery store, pharmacy, or bank pointed and whispered about Christian’s face. “You could see this look of disgust,” Chris said. They began covering Christian’s stroller, but some begged for a peek. When Lacey relented, the response was always a gasp, followed by, “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

For Chris, these excursions became “heart-wrenching.” After a few months, Lacey realized how discouraged she had become: “I was complaining. I was mad at God. All of the sudden it hit me that I should be thankful that Christian is even alive.” Circumstances began to change too: Christian grew past the difficult newborn stage. He started playing and laughing. When Lacey ran errands, his giggles won over town critics: “He has a charm about him that draws people.” 

One day, Lacey recognized the story that she had to tell - she recorded a 7-minute video with her phone, featuring Christian in a blanket, telling a little bit of her and Chris' life story through pictures and hand-written note cards.   Near the end, the papers read: “The judgmental glances and whispers don’t really bother me anymore. Because I know he is beautiful. Inside and out. I also know I did the right thing by not aborting Christian. He is the love of my life!”

The video has gone viral, with over 11 million views.  And, doors have open for Lacey to speak. At last year’s Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco, Lacey addressed more than 50,000 people. They have over 175,000 followers on Facebook. After seeing Lacey’s video and Facebook page, one woman emailed her that she had changed her mind about aborting her pregnancy. Instead, she gave birth to a boy and named him after Christian.

Christian’s impact also led Lacey and a friend to start a nonprofit, “Heart of Tennessee Pro-life,” in an effort to reach Middle Tennessee women. They have organized the first “Walk for Life” in Murfreesboro, TN., to coincide with the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Christian will lead the charge: “He’s become a local hero,” Lacey said.
 

Christian has advanced far beyond what the doctors had expected.   Life has been challenging for Chris and Lacey, no doubt - with surgeries, sparring with insurance companies, and, I would imagine, questions about the future.   But there's a purpose in it all.  

Chris is quoted as saying, “After everything we’ve been through, we have a lot more compassion for families who deal with disabilities. It’s something you can’t fully understand until you’ve been through it,” Chris said. Lacey is currently taking night classes to earn her law degree, a lifelong dream with new meaning: She hopes to provide counsel and support for parents of children with disabilities.

Lacey says, “God has a plan for Christian...His defects do not diminish the value of his life.”

A great story with some great encouragement for each of us.   It reinforces for us the sanctity of life.  The Buchanans chose life and they are continuing to rejoice in that decision.   And, they are demonstrating the importance of telling their story.   Lacey no longer is apprehensive about taking Christian out in public, and even though there are some that would look down upon him as defective, she is bold and unashamed and has the right perspective.   She recognizes that God has a plan, and they have been given the precious gift of a child who brings joy to hearts.

The Buchanans do not regard Christian as somehow an inferior child - he is a precious creation of God, made in the image of God, in the way God intended.

I am thankful that God did not reject me, and has not rejected you because of defects.  None of us are perfect.  You know, the thought occurs that all of us could be regarded as defective - we were born in a state of need for a Savior, into a world of sin, with hearts that had not been regenerated by Christ.   But, God did not look down on us or reject us - He is our Creator, and loved us unconditionally, looking beyond our imperfections to bring us into His perfect love!

Let the Words of My Mouth...

In 1st Peter 4, we read a powerful passage of Scripture that can instruct us about the words we use, the condition of our hearts, and our position toward others.   
8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.

We have to be so careful with what we say about other people.  I believe as Christians, that we have a responsibility to speak words that are coated with the love of Christ - that doesn't mean that we are not firm in our convictions, but we have to be so careful that when we speak of others, that we do not cross over into gossip or slander, which the Bible warns against.   So, our hearts have to be right - if we are harboring bitterness and/or resentment toward another person or group of people, then that may be reflected in our words, which will not reflect the glory of God.   And, we have to be sure that we are not trying to position ourselves in a haughty or arrogant way, but rather that we are walking in humility before God and people.

Yesterday, I shared some of Dr. Martin Luther King's statements on the nature of love, true love, rooted in the teachings of God's Word.  I used a passage from Romans 12, and I return to that chapter today, to an earlier portion:
2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.3For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Be careful what you say about other individuals or groups of people - because as a Christian, that's a poor reflection on us.

And, there are two people right now who have made some seemingly outrageous statements that I would think they would want to reconsider.   One actually has apologized, as I understand.

First example of how not to paint certain groups of people with a broad brush and summarily dismiss them: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who, in a recent interview, denounced, “extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay,” and said, “They have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.”

Marvin Olasky of WORLD says,

Hmmm. Once upon a time Catholics were unwelcome in New York. (See the “Native American Party” of the 1840s and 1850s, or Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York.) So were Italians, specifically. (See Andrew and Mario Cuomo, ancestors.)

Other questions arise. Should New York exclude pro-lifers? (See Mother Teresa and millions more.) If we took a time machine to any New York era before the current one and removed everyone who was “anti-gay,” wouldn’t the state have been virtually uninhabited? Does Cuomo want his state police to round up the pro-assault-weapon folks, whoever they are, and machine-gun them?

WORLD's Emily Belz relates that Cuomo backtracked from his comments later in a letter to the New York Post, saying his words were “distorted,” and he was saying that “an extreme right candidate cannot win statewide.”

She quotes Kirsten Smith with New Yorkers for Life, who said Cuomo was wrong to paint New York pro-lifers as all “conservative Republicans.” She added that he could not characterize himself as a champion of diversity in his state while excluding pro-lifers. She pointed to polling that shows upwards of 40 percent of New Yorkers describe themselves as pro-life.

“Why would the governor find so appalling those who stand up for the right of an unborn baby?” Smith said. Referencing Cuomo’s Catholic roots, she added, “He was raised in that tradition, it’s not like he hasn’t understood that position.”

Christian author Eric Metaxas, who lives in New York City and whose wife Susanne Metaxas heads up the Midtown Pregnancy Support Center in Manhattan, called on Cuomo in a tweet to resign.
Pro-lifers are currently engaged in an intense struggle against the governor's proposal to expand the legality of late-term abortions and remove criminal penalties associated with botched abortions, 2nd degree abortions, or the murder of a pregnant mother. New York currently offers legal protections to babies in the womb who are older than 24 weeks. The bill would allow an abortion at any point in the pregnancy for the sake of the mother’s life or health, which includes emotional health.

Then there's the much talked-about post-game rant by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.  In case you missed it, San Francisco was driving for a potential game-winning touchdown, quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw a pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the end zone, and it was deflected by Sherman into the hands of linebacker Malcolm Smith to preserve the 23-17 win.  Here's NFL.com's report on the exchange of his postgame conversation with FOX's Erin Andrews::

"I'm the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that is the result you are going to get. Don't you ever talk about me," Sherman shouted.

Andrews then asked, "Who was talking about you?"

"Crabtree. Don't you open your mouth about the best, or I'm going to shut it for you really quick," Sherman screamed.

In a text message to ESPN's Ed Werder on Monday, he said, "I apologize for attacking an individual and taking the attention away from the fantastic game by my teammates ... That was not my intent."

His subsequent interviews have been subdued, by comparison, but he still contends Crabtree is mediocre and that he's the best cornerback in the league.  But, some would contend that's just Sherman being Sherman, he's known for being rather, let's say, provocative, on and off the field.  

By the way, he shouldn't be regarded as the example of the team's behavior and attitude.   By contrast, long snapper Clint Gresham organized an effort to make a video called, "The Making of a Champion", inviting people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  It features QB Russell Wilson and other team members and 2 coaches.

Governor Cuomo generalizes groups of people.  And, even though he has attempted to soften the blow, the harsh words remain.  Richard Sherman is attempting to put a softer spin on his postgame rant, but that video will be out there essentially forever.   These two instances can teach us about our words, our hearts, and our position.

First of all, our words.  The Scripture is replete with references about speaking words that please God, that build up and not tear down.   We are called to walk in love, and as we talked about yesterday, that is in effect for those who we might term our "enemies".  I believe that the approach of "love" could apply to people with whom we might disagree.  I think we have to watch ourselves and not go around denouncing another person or persons when our course of action would more rightly be to engage them personally or not engage at all.    The Bible is clear about gossip and slander, and in our humanity, we can find ourselves prone to speak ill of another person without stopping to think about the effects.  We will find ourselves on opposite sides of issues with other people. In the pursuit of and education about Biblical matters, we may have to stand on truth and point out areas that run contrary to Scripture.  

Next, our hearts.  Jesus said out the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  We have to make sure that we are not harboring ill will toward another person.  Apparently, there have been some unkind words spoken between Michael Crabtree and Richard Sherman.   I would say the best course of action would be to try to work things out and make things right, especially now that it has gone public.   And, we should work to make sure that certain issues between ourselves and others don't "go public" or get other people involved. A sure way to pursue peace is to check our hearts and make sure that we don't have resentful emotions in our hearts.

Finally, our position.  The Bible warns against thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.  We are called to humility - before God, and before other people.   None of us has the corner on truth, and we have to be careful when we find ourselves passing judgment on someone's character, motives, or actions. We have to make sure that we are aligned, as best we can be, with the standards of the Word of God and that we are attempting to live by the truth - that would exclude inflammatory language, even against those with whom we have a disagreement.  We have to make sure that we would not rather spend time degrading a person than praying for him or her.  In Christ, we are called to walk in love - that doesn't mean we don't speak truth, but it does mean that we are very, very careful in our approach.

The Words of Dr. King: Love & Freedom

We are called to abide in the love of Christ, and His love extended toward us and received in our hearts can transform the way we regard other people.   Here are some words from 1st John 4:
7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.8He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.9In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Love is more than just being nice or even displaying kindness.   Love is born out of a relationship with a God who saw your need and desired what was best for you and sent His Son to die to purchase your redemption.  He saw that a changed heart, infused with His presence, was what could make things right with Himself, so He made a way through His death and resurrection to inhabit the human heart.  Love is transformational; and love sets us free - free from the burdens that way us down, free from the sins that keep us from God - He has set us free to love Him, to walk in His ways, to experience His joy, and to love others as He has loved us.   We have been given love, and we have the freedom to exercise it.

In the concluding verses of Romans 12, we see these words from the apostle Paul:
17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.20Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Today, we celebrate the birthday of the great civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - and one of the dynamics of this holiday is to encourage people to do works of service.   Over the weekend, you saw young people on the streets of Montgomery doing good for others, and no doubt there are those types of activities that are taking place today, as an expression of laying down self and loving others. 

King spoke of a tangible, non-self-serving love, even expressed toward one's enemies.   According to Rich Tucker on The Foundry blog of the Heritage Foundation:

Christianity teaches that people must love one another, and even before he began his crusade for civil rights, King frequently preached that people must love their enemies and forgive those who attempt to harm them. The marches, rallies, and boycotts he organized all featured non-violence, because they were born in Christian love and hope.

One such instance that he references is a sermon preached in Montgomery at the church he pastor, now called Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church - stored on a site administered by Stanford University, here is just a portion of the message, "Loving Your Enemies".  As he neared the conclusion of that sermon, he said that:

...love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. That’s why Jesus says, "Love your enemies." Because if you hate your enemies, you have no way to redeem and to transform your enemies. But if you love your enemies, you will discover that at the very root of love is the power of redemption. You just keep loving people and keep loving them, even though they’re mistreating you. Here’s the person who is a neighbor, and this person is doing something wrong to you and all of that. Just keep being friendly to that person. Keep loving them. Don’t do anything to embarrass them. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with bitterness because they’re mad because you love them like that. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.

Tucker points out several aspects of the teachings of Christianity that provided a basis for Dr. King's approach to the civil rights issue.  He writes:

King explained that “just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town.”

King’s faith supported everything he did, and his vision for America arose directly from his Christian ideals. “If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong,” he declared.“If we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong.”

He was able to identify and address a need within the human spirit, a thirst for freedom. In his final speech, in Memphis just before he was assassinated, King spoke these words:

The nation is sick, trouble is in the land, confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. (All right, Yes) And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men in some strange way are responding. Something is happening in our world. (Yeah) The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee, the cry is always the same: "We want to be free."

Two concepts for us today: 1)  the power of sacrificial love, a love that we can know by an encounter with and a relationship with Jesus Christ.  But, it's a love that not only can we experience for ourselves, but we can give it away.   That love can transform our countenance, and when put into action through the capacity we have in Jesus Christ, it can transform relationships - bringing forgiveness, healing, restoration, and even mutual respect.   It's a love that can show us how to walk with and relate to people with whom we disagree.

Another concept is:  2) the power of freedom.  Jesus said you would know the truth and the truth would set us free.   Freedom is not the license to do what you want; for the Christian freedom is being released from burdens and barriers in order to please Almighty God.   There is a longing for something greater, for something more, for a deep experience with something or someone outside ourselves, and we can have that freedom to pursue this passion, the object of whom we have identified as Almighty God.

So, today, as we hear about or participate in King Day events and experiences, perhaps we can take some principles from his teachings and apply them in our own lives.