Occupy Till He Comes

It's troubling and a bit fascinating to see these protesters as they take to the streets in cities large and small in the so-called "Occupy Wall Street" movement - and while there is apparently no central message, it does show the anger and frustration of many people who, for whatever reason, are decrying a perceived lack of justice and fairness in our society.

They decry corporations, but spread their message using tools manufactured by these large corporations.   They want jobs, but then vilify the job creators.   They generalize and rail against corporate greed, and demonstrate a lack of understanding of a free market system that is designed to reward work and to reinforce responsibility.   Sure there are abuses, but these foundational principles have stood the test of time.

They want fairness, but would like to see the non-productive rewarded to the same degree as the productive.  And, many don't feel the government is doing enough to bring about this utopian, equitable society.   I'm not sure what the endgame is here, because certainly corporations, who are accountable to stockholders, are not necessarily going to change their ways due to groups of people that camp out for days in local parks and in some cases, attempt to defy law enforcement.   

The word, "justice" is used quite often - and that was a theme apparent in yesterday's dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial - King and his followers were addressing issues concerning the worth of the individual and real injustice that was being carried out in our society.   But, I don't think you can relate the principles of Dr. King to what is going on with the Occupy movement - there is no clear message, and certainly no clear injustice that is being addressed.  

I have been thinking lately about the word, "occupy".   In fact, Jesus told a parable in Luke 19:13, where the master called 10 servants together and said, according to some translations, "Occupy till I come".  Each received a unit of money, or a mina - one servant, we're told, used it wisely and earned 10 minas.   Another earned 5, but another servant did not use wisely what he was given, and his mina was given to the one with - 10.    This parable shows the value of work, responsibility, and using the talents and resources that God has given to you.    So, from a Biblical perspective, when we're told to "occupy", it means to develop a Kingdom perspective and to use what the Lord has entrusted to us to bring glory to Him - and I believe that does include issues of social justice, because that reflects the heart of God.   So we can ask the Lord, "What would you have me to do, exercising my stewardship responsibility, to make life better for someone else and to bring honor to Your name?"

The Wizard and I

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence ; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

We can draw strength from this passage of Scripture from 1^st Peter 3, especially when we realize that believers all over the world face the possibility of being silenced for their faith.   And, those who espouse a perspective that is consistent with a Biblical worldview in the halls of academia are facing incredible pressure these days.  And, I don’t want to make it sound as if Christians are victims these days, because as believers in Christ, I believe God calls us to a higher standard – to walk with confidence in Him.

I was reminded of some of the cultural pressures recently as I watched the musical that set a North American box office record last week – the touring version of “Wicked” at the Fabulous Fox in Atlanta generated over $2.4 million dollars in sales during its final week.  And, we paid our fair share!!

If you’re not familiar with it, it’s basically the story of the so-called “Wicked Witch of the West” from the Wizard of Oz story – her name is Elphaba, and she’s not really wicked, but misunderstood, in the eyes of the playwright.   

In one scene, a professor at a college, Dr. Dillamond, faces the threat of being removed from the classroom and silenced, because he is a goat!!   You see, there is a nefarious plot in Oz – the animals are being silenced.   Well, Elphaba, one of the students who’s a bit different herself - she’s green, for one thing, and talented…she has certain, well, skills, that could prove useful to the wonderful wizard of Oz.    She becomes an advocate for the professor and really animals throughout the land, and when she is brought to the wizard, she reports this plot, not realizing that the wizard is behind it.   Because she knows the truth, she becomes a liability to the wizard, and becomes a fugitive, and she is essentially vilified throughout Oz, and as she disappears, the stories about her grow more and more exaggerated.

I had to think about the movie, “Expelled”, portraying instances where professors who don’t exactly tow the company line and question the theory of evolution have faced and are facing termination.   I hear about Christians who speak out about their faith and are facing the threat of losing their jobs, their reputations, their  freedom, even their lives – all because they dare embrace the principles of Christ.   A pastor in Iran is facing death because he spoke out against the teachings of the Koran.  

And, like the not-so-wicked witch Elphaba, advocates who stand with those taking a stand also become vilified.   Those who speak truth are branded as being intolerant, or “haters”.    Those who stand with pre-born children who are being murdered in the womb are branded as intolerant of the rights of women.    A student in Fort Worth faced suspension and was charged with bullying just because he expressed a particular, Biblically-based opinion.    We are called to stand with those who are being oppressed.    And, reading 1^st Peter 3, this is not a new phenomenon – but we have to make sure that we are 1) ready to defend our faith 2) communicate with meekness and reverence, and 3) keep a good conscience, so that we will not be discredited.  

Outside the Walls

The words of Jesus in Matthew 11:6 - "Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

This past weekend, our family visited a rather large church in Atlanta, the nation's 2nd largest, as a matter of fact.  And, after hearing Andy Stanley preach, I can see why he is a very in-demand speaker with a tremendous following.   I even said after the message, "that one will end up on In Touch one day."

Andy was addressing how to respond when God seems inattentive, and he used as an example John the Baptist.  John, from prison, sent messengers to Jesus, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Now, that's odd, because this was the cousin of Jesus, the one who had introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God, who took away the sings of the world.   But, John had been imprisoned by King Herod, and perhaps in his isolation and because of the fact that Jesus had not come to release him, he was exhibiting a bit of vulnerability in his faith.  Jesus then said, in verse 4 of Matthew 11: “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor."

Andy Stanley said when God seems inattentive:  1) Look back and remember what God has done in the past, and 2) Look outside your circumstances and reflect.   Jesus told John the Baptist's messengers that God was working - in a mighty way...the activity of God was continuing to take place, even though he could not see it.


Jesus delivered those words:  "Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”  In other words, He reminded John - and us - that even though we don't necessarily see how God is at work, or how, we can continue to trust in Him, and not stumble.   When it seems as if God is inattentive to us, it's helpful to know that our personal circumstances do not necessarily coincide with how God feels about us.   God's love for us was expressed on the cross - and that love never changes.   God may seem inattentive, but we can continue trust that He's still at work.
 

Are You Ready for Some Free Speech?

Jesus said in Matthew 12:37 that "³⁷ For ^[a]by your words you will be justified, and ^[b]by your words you will be condemned.”

Have you ever said something that you wish you could take back?   I have to admit, when you speak hundreds of words a day to an audience on the radio, I have had numerous times, in the process of self-examination, when I wish I hadn't said something or want to say it in a different way.   And, I think a great rule of thumb for all of us, as representatives of Christ, is to think before we speak and quickly take stock on whether or not what we're about to say will bring honor and glory to Him.

There's quite a controversy that has emerged resulting from some words spoken by country legend Hank Williams, Jr. - on "Fox and Friends", he used an analogy that President Obama playing golf with House Speaker John Boehner was like Hitler playing golf with Benjamin Netanyahu.   The point is well-taken - they are political polar opposites, but perhaps that is not the best way to say it.   Williams' opening song for Monday Night Football on ESPN was subsequently pulled and he has now unrepentantly released a song containing criticism for "Fox and Friends" and ESPN.   Sure, he was exercising free speech, and I think that pulling his song was not the right decision for ESPN - it has brought attention to the network that it probably didn't want.   And, if the analogy had been say, former President Bush and someone like John Kerry or Al Gore being likened to the two aforementioned figures, I wonder what the ESPN position would have been.
Welcome to the world of political correctness!

But Williams was an ambassador, in a sense, of ESPN, and as a private sector corporation, they have a right to exercise some control over those associated with them.    Sure, he has free speech rights, but those rights extend to the public square, but not necessarily the world of commerce.


Now, while I believe we have a constitutionally protected right of free speech, as Christians, we have to be careful that our "freedom of speech" doesn't become a stumbling block.   The apostle Paul drew a distinction between lawfulness and profitability - in other words, we might have the freedom to say or do something, that doesn't mean it's the best thing, and doesn't mean that it's God's will for us to do it.   That's why we have the Holy Spirit, to guide our actions and to provide the power to control the tongue.   I think of the words of James, where he cautions believers to be quick to listen and SLOW TO SPEAK!  Words spoken can have permanent effects, and that is why, as ambassadors for Christ, we have a high standard regarding the words we speak, and the Lord will direct our tongues as we surrender to His leadership.  

Put Me In, Coach

^{24 (A)}Faithful is He who ^(B)calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.  (1^st Thessalonians 5:24)

It’s said that when a team is not living up to expectations, that the most popular member of the team is the second-string quarterback.   And, when you’re the Denver Broncos and you’re losing, your backup quarterback is a folk hero and a college football legend – well, it makes the plot all the more interesting.    Yes, the admirable, unflappable Tim Tebow has been warming the bench in Denver, waiting for an opportunity.   When starter Kyle Orton flopped during the first half Sunday against San Diego, coach John Fox played the Tebow card in the second half and the former Gator led his team to a second-half comeback, almost defeating the Chargers.

Fox is still non-committal on whether or not he’ll start Tebow in the Broncos’ next game, in Florida one week from Sunday against Miami.   The fans have made their choice known, chanting “Tebow! Tebow!” as his final pass that would have given the Broncos the victory fell incomplete in the end zone.  

As ESPN attempts to put Hank Williams, Jr. in the rear-view mirror, Tebow talk has become a major item from the world of sports…and a source of inspiration for us.

God is faithful, and He is the one who determines the call for our lives – we may want to do something for God, and that desire may be God-inspired, but He is the One who will bring it to pass in His perfect timing.   In the meantime, we are instructed to be faithful, growing in the grace and knowledge of God, and when there is an opportunity for Him to use us, we will be ready – in fact, He may not open doors until we are ready.  

October 10, 2011 - Columbus and His Calling

This is the day set aside to commemorate the landing in 1492 of Columbus in the West Indies, the New World, and while Columbus didn’t exactly discover America, there are some compelling facts that we can think upon this day:

Columbus wrote in his Book of Prophecies, "It was the Lord who put into my mind--I could feel His hand upon me--the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies . . . All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me . . . There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because he comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures . . . For the execution of the journey to the Indies I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics, or maps. It is simply the fulfillment of what Isaiah had prophesied ..."

I used to think that referred to where Isaiah spoke of the world as the “circle of the earth”… and some have surmised that the purpose of his journey to prove the earth was round – but that had been done centuries before – Columbus was inspired by the writings of Isaiah, and was determined to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

He personalized passages from Isaiah, such as: "Listen O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; unto the end of the earth." (Is 49:1,6)

His name meant Christ-bearer, and while his interaction with the people he found in this hemisphere was less than perfect, there was a Christian motivation behind his actions.   He named the place where he had landed San Salvador, which means “Holy Savior”, and upon its dedication, prayed:

O Lord, Almighty and everlasting God, by Thy holy Word Thou hast created the heaven, and the earth, and the sea; blessed and glorified be Thy Name, and praised be Thy Majesty, which hath designed to use us, Thy humble servants, that Thy holy Names may be proclaimed in this second part of the earth.

A great question for us today as we celebrate discovery – what does God want us to discover about Him today?  Isaiah 55 is a great challenge for us:

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
   and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Have we become complacent in our knowledge of God – are we seeking or standing still?

September 2, 2011 - Embracing Biblical Truth

New survey shows that 10 years after 9-11, we need to embrace Biblical truth

Are you familiar with this phrase? "We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up."

In a new survey, 63 percent of U.S. adults incorrectly attributed that Bible verse from 2nd Corinthians 4:8 about overcoming suffering and hardships to civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., former President George W. Bush or comic book hero Captain America rather than the Bible.   Martin Luther King Jr. received the highest percentage of attributions.

The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of American Bible Society to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11 and the release of The Freedom Bible also found that:

Despite significant security measures taken since Sept. 11, only 9 percent of Americans feel safer today than they did prior to Sept. 11. Thirty-six percent felt safer prior to the attacks of Sept. 11 than they do today.

Only 4 percent of Americans rely most on professional counseling to help deal with trauma. Four times as many (16 percent) rely most on the Bible.

Despite living in a predominantly Christian nation, 82 percent of Americans who have dealt with trauma rely most on sources other than the Bible to cope, including 6 percent of whom say they do not rely on anything.

Geof Morin, the American Bible Society's chief communications officer, says, "Though 10 years have passed since the attacks on the U.S., many of us vividly recall the images and emotions of that day...In the aftermath of 9/11, we at American Bible Society saw firsthand the power of the Bible to help people deal with unfathomable trauma." 

The Society is based in New York City and responded to the families of the victims and the first responders.  In the aftermath of the tragedy, God's word, delivered by His people, provided hope and truth.  Morin also said, "Sept. 11 forced us as individuals and as a nation to choose between being prisoner of the trauma of that terrible day or finding the hope and freedom to move forward...For thousands of Americans, the comfort offered through the Bible allowed them to choose freedom."

Press release from American Bible Society