Ask for Help

When Jesus ties loving God and loving our neighbor together, He teaches us that our love for God is expressed in the way that we love other people. It's very simple, really, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it easy. Proverbs 3 states:
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety's sake.

It is true, when we are in need or hurting, we should ask for help - going before the Lord to present our requests and perhaps even going to the Church for assistance. And, fellow believers should always be ready to give it.  That's the way the body of Christ works, and it's a God-appointed position that we have in the world: to demonstrate the love of Jesus so that people will be drawn to Him.  Our willingness to assist can open the door for the gospel to be shared; it really can result in a physical expression of the gospel.

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As members of the body of Christ, we should be motivated to love and serve one another and to stand ready to help when called upon. Romans 12 says this:
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

The gargantuan task of vaccinating millions of Americans against the coronavirus is well underway, and there have been instances of long lines of people waiting to get their vaccines - a news report I saw over the weekend featured a line of people waiting for hours just to register for a time slot.

Well, this shows that Americans, and indeed people around the world, are ready to be done with COVID-19, but we also have to be reasonable that we have at least a few more months before we get back to "normal," whatever that is. 

Churches have been instrumental in the battle against COVID - some have been testing locations, others have distributed food and supplies for those who have encountered economic hardship as the result of the pandemic.  Still others have allowed vaccines to be administered at their campuses.

Such was the case recently at Seacoast Church in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.  ChristianHeadlines.com reports that...

The vaccination site was so popular with local residents that Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie phoned Chick-fil-A manager Jerry Walkowiak for assistance. Chick-fil-A is well-known for its ability to quickly handle a tsunami of cars. A 2019 survey placed Chick-fil-A No. 1 in drive-thru order accuracy and customer service.

The mayor tweeted out, “When you need help, call the pros."

The manager arrived at the site even before the mayor. The article goes on to say:

The wait time, Haynie said, decreased from one hour to 15 minutes with Walkowiak working at the site. Walkowiak stood under an umbrella in the rain, directing cars to the correct site and ensuring drivers had the proper paperwork, Fox 11 reported.

Over 1,000 vaccines were administered that day, according to Christian Headlines. 

The Fox 11 report said:

Haynie said Walkowiak, while standing out in the cold rain, used the Chick-fil-A method to speed up the drive-thru, including walking up to drivers in advance to make sure they had their paperwork and immediately directing them to a spot to receive their vaccine.

This weekend, dose #2 will be administered.

I want to note that a local church was the place where people were going to get their COVID vaccines, meaning that the church allowed this setup to occur. This is yet another example of the ministry of the local church during the COVID crisis.  The Church has proven time and again over the past year that it stands ready to bring hope and healing amidst the brokenness and fear.  Yet, there are those who want to limit the freedom of religion in their states and communities, fearing that perhaps church leaders will not do what it takes to keep their congregants safe while allowing certain local businesses to remain open. It's been said that the Church is essential, and I think that has been underscored during the pandemic.

Also, this story reminds us to not hesitate to ask for help.  The folks in Mount Pleasant, like we have seen elsewhere, were lining up to get their vaccines, but the wait time was longer than what the mayor desired - so he called up a local business owner who is known for speedy service at the drive-thru. And, he proved the mayor's call was correct.  So often, in our rugged individualism and independent spirit, we want to do things by ourselves - but, it is certainly not always a sign of weakness to ask for assistance. And, for the believer, we don't show that we are weak when we call upon the Lord; as Paul wrote, when we are weak, He is strong.

Growing

In Romans 5, Paul reminds believers that through Jesus, we have peace with God and stand in His grace. And, then he provides a few words about attitude adjustment when we encounter trial:
(3) we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

There will be difficulties that we encounter, and those can be discouraging to the believer.  We can remember that everything in our lives will not go the way we planned it and that we will encounter times of adversity.  Even in our discouragement, we can know the grace of God and rejoice in the knowledge that God is with us and will use our challenges in order to do a greater work inside of us. We have the opportunity to be stronger than before.

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In a stunning passage in 2nd Corinthians 6 in which Paul lists external pressures vs. internal results, we can read these words.
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God:

Then, he concludes the passage by saying:
8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

We are certainly aware of the worldwide influence of Communist China, and it is a country that has certainly become no friend of Bible-believing Christians.  We hear and see reports of church buildings being destroyed, of believers facing arrest, crosses being removed from some church buildings, the replacement of Biblical references with references exalting the country's leader, and increased surveillance of believers which can lower their "social score," and limit some of their activities.

But, attempts to "mute" the body of Christ in this large nation are actually having the opposite effect.  The Church in China continues to grow, and a leader in the Open Doors organization, that advocates for the persecuted church, is offering some incredible potential numbers. ChristianHeadlines.com reports that: "Ron Boyd-MacMillan, director of Strategic Research of Open Doors recently predicted a surge in Christianity in China as the population of believers may increase to 300 million by the year 2030, The Christian Post reports."

The article quotes statements Boyd-MacMillan made to Express UK:

“We think the evidence as to why the Chinese Church is so targeted, is that the leaders are scared of the size of the Church, and the growth of the Church,” he noted.

“And if it grows at the rate that it has done since 1980, and that's about between 7 [percent] and 8 percent a year, then you're looking at a group of people that will be 300 million strong, nearly by 2030,” Boyd-MacMillan continued.

He relates that the leaders in China have long-term plans, with an economic plan through 2049, you can presume that they are observing this amazing growth; Boyd-MacMillan says, "... this bothers them. Because I think if the Church continues to grow like that, then they'll have to share power.”

The article adds:

Throughout 2020, China ramped up its crackdown on Christians despite the pandemic. Last month, Release International, an international Christian watchdog organization for persecuted Christians worldwide, predicted that China will be among other countries who will increase persecution against Christians in 2021.

And, Christian Headlines points out, "According to Open Doors USA, China is ranked number 17 on its list of countries where it is most difficult for Christians to live." But, there is certainly reason for hope. The Voice of the Martyrs Global Prayer Guide found at its website states:

Revival and rapid church growth have characterized China’s churches since the 1990s. About 130 million Chinese are Christians, most of whom worship in illegal house churches. Only about 30 million are affiliated with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) — which, as the only legal church, is controlled by the Communist government. Despite continuous pressure and oppression from the Communist government, house church leaders refuse to compromise the gospel by joining government-controlled churches. Because of decades of government oppression, few Chinese Christians have their own Bible or access to discipleship literature.

When we consider the future of the Church, we recognize that while government may turn up the heat, God continues to turn up His power.  And, as James 1 relates to us, pressure results in perseverance.  Jesus did not call us to complain about opposition, but to rejoice in it.  

The Church is not weakened from without, but from within. So, we have to guard against the schemes of the enemy to divide us. We have to adopt the proper attitude toward our external circumstances and recognize that refusal to compromise can lead to greater impact.  Now, that doesn't mean that we don't speak out on the issues of the day and seek changes in policy that are consistent with a Christian worldview.  But, we have to be pragmatic in recognizing that will not always be the case, and continue to seek God's peace in discouragement. 

100 Days

Proverbs 14 contains some important truth about how our lives are on display and how we are to interact with our civic leaders. We can read:
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The king's favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

We have been placed here to exalt the Lord - we live in a country and a community, and that appointment has been made by the hand of Almighty God.  So what are we going to do with it?  Is it outlandish or nationalistic to want a better country, a country that has a strong morality consistent with the teachings of Scripture?  Through our wisdom, we can make a statement about God's presence with us, and as we display that wisdom, perhaps it will get the attention of someone, even someone in leadership, whom we were meant to influence.

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People throughout this planet have quite a bit in common - we are part of the human family, and are placed here for a purpose.  And, God calls believers to serve where He has placed us. Paul said in Acts 17:
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

We are now in the second month of 2021, and perhaps you have set some new goals for the year; maybe you are following a plan in order to facilitate spiritual growth or to improve physical health.  Plans are good and can keep us on track.  Maybe you are on a trajectory to read the Bible completely this year.

Kirk Cameron has a plan, and it involves the health of our nation.  Movieguide.org reports that Kirk said on his "American Campfire Revival" series on Instagram: “Rather than waiting for someone else’s 100-day plan to unfold and bite our nails to see what’s going to happen, let’s get on the offense and roll out our own 100-day plan..."  The actor is playing off the concept of a President's first 100 days in office, and is described by The Christian Post as a "prayer event."  

The Movieguide article relates:

Cameron maintained that America is built on godly principles and claims that “TV shows and educational curriculums want to completely twist and pervert the true history of this godly nation.”

The article says that "Cameron noted that people have fought for biblical principles throughout the life of the church and America. It is paramount that Americans revisit their nation’s history, Cameron maintained."

Kirk echoed the themes of history and freedom in the Post article, which said:

Cameron said the freedom was paid for with “the blood of Jesus and reaffirmed by the blood of the martyrs and the blood of those brave patriots who fought for these principles and these freedoms that you and I now enjoy.”

"God says it's absolutely necessary, in order for us to have a new birth of freedom and blessing in the nation, to go back and remember how we lost it in the first place,” he said, emphasizing the importance of history.

Kirk Cameron has been known, especially for the past few months, as a voice against COVID-19 restrictions in California and was part of an event called, Non-Essential, which was to counter the notion furthered by some government officials that the Church was not essential in our culture.

Well, we know that it certainly is.  And, because of the presence of Jesus, we know that the Church will continue to have an impact, regardless of the trying times that it has been facing, and, I believe, will face to an even greater degree in the future.  The COVID pandemic, the frequent attempts to censor and silence speech, and the direction of the federal government over the past few weeks are signs that we need to be vigilant in prayer and devoted to being strong in Christ. 

And, we can remember from where we have come - as the Church, established by the blood of Jesus, with Christ as the head, and as a nation, established through the blood of those who were willing to give their lives on a foundation of Biblical principles. We should love our nation, for it is wonderful testimony to the power of God; and we should always love God more.  But, when those who do not recognize that history or even try to downplay or ignore it are placed in charge, we can drift from God's intent.  But, I believe that He still has a plan for our nation and all nations - that Christ might be glorified and that His Word may be established.

Credibility

We should be seekers and speakers of truth, devoted to being reliable and credible in the words that we say, and being attentive to the Holy Spirit when He leads us to information that can provide caution for us as we navigate this world. Philippians 4 provides insight into governing what we place into our minds:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

In our exposure to information, we perhaps will come across statements that might seem untrue or exaggerated - when we find those, it's important to verify, to look to multiple sources, and to not quickly relate what we discover. But, there may be information that we need to know in order to act responsibly, even though it may be hard to believe.  We don't need to become a free-flowing fountain of flimsy facts, but we also can allow God to direct us so that His people are knowledgeable and wise.

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We should be diligent to pursue and to communicate truth with credibility, honoring the name of Christ. Proverbs chapter 4 says:
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

The subject of what are called "conspiracy theories" has received some play in the media, even Christian media.  And, LifeWay Research decided to do a survey about it, which indicates that half of pastors surveyed have heard congregants repeating so-called "conspiracy theories."

The survey summary relates:

A new study from Nashville-based Lifeway Research finds 49% of U.S. Protestant pastors say they frequently hear members of their congregation repeating conspiracy theories they have heard about why something is happening in our country. Around 1 in 8 (13%) strongly agree their congregants are sharing conspiracy theories, defined by Merriam-Webster as “a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators.”

Pastors in larger churches - those with more than 250 members, are more likely to agree that this is occurring - at 61% vs. the average of 49. Half of white pastors and a-third of African-American pastors say they frequently hear conspiracy theories being spread by congregation members.  

The overall summary, unfortunately, fails to define any specific theories - and we all know that it is convenient and common for people to label a point of view with which they disagree a "conspiracy theory."

But, there was a well-known conspiracy theory that traveled throughout the Church for quite some time - in fact, it was so pervasive that Faith Radio ran an announcement letting people know it was not true.  Bobby Ross wrote about this recently at GetReligion.org:

In that July 2001 piece, I highlighted the claim that an atheist group formed by the late “Madeline Murray O’Hare” had collected 287,000 signatures and was pushing to remove all Sunday morning worship service broadcasts.

“The good news is, the prayers have been answered — many times over,” I wrote. “Since the false petition related to the late Madalyn Murray O’Hair (that’s the correct spelling) began circulating in the late 1970s, the Federal Communications Commission has received more than 35 million signatures asking it to block her efforts.”

Two decades after that column ran, well-meaning religious people’s susceptibility to conspiracy theories has not waned.

After those comments, he stated that social media has made things worse. Quite frankly, from that point on, I thought the article took a downward turn, but I did appreciate the reminder about the O'Hair rumors.

In the LifeWay summary, Christian apologist Mary Jo Sharp is quoted; she says: "Irresponsibility with information unravels the impact of a Christian’s witness to those in their community, and, with social media, to the broader world,” adding, “The non-Christian may begin to believe or become further ingrained in the culturally popular belief that Christians are anti-intellectual, including anti-science.”

So, credibility should be a concern for believers - the Bible warns against gossip and slander, which you could consider in the same category, and calls for us to adhere to truth.

But, I have observed a tendency to label points of view with which a person disagrees as "conspiracy theories."  If two people research the same topic or historical events and come to different conclusions, does that mean that one of them is a conspiracy theorist?  That does seem to be the nature of the game that is being played.  We've seen it with information relative to the pandemic, to the election and its aftermath, and other areas in our social consciousness.  I guess you could say that each of us needs to be responsible for what we share and make sure that the points we make or questions we raise do not lead to our being discredited as Christian believers.

Certainly, there are those who want to capitalize on what they call "misinformation" or "conspiracy theories."  But, do we need government to decide what is true and what is not?  FoxNews.com reports:

The New York Times is turning to the Biden administration to "help solve our reality crisis" and calling on the new president to appoint a "reality czar" to combat "disinformation."

Times technology columnist Kevin Roose sounded the alarm Tuesday about the popularity of right-wing QAnon conspiracy theorists, the unsubstantiated election fraud claims President Trump pushed ahead of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot, and what he called "the baseless theory that Covid-19 was manufactured in a Chinese lab."

CBN.com states: 

George Orwell's novel "1984" was a warning about his dystopian vision of a government that will do anything to control the narrative, creating a "Ministry of Truth". Such a suggestion for a "reality czar" shows that Orwell's work appears to be timelier than ever.

So, the new "reality czar," to combat what he or she considers "disinformation," decides what is true?  What if this person is hostile toward Christianity and decides that our belief system is a myth?

Well, there is at least one applicant for the job...Gary Bauer of American Values writes:

Well, if Biden is accepting applications I'm happy to do the job. But I'm going to begin with the reality that there are only two genders or sexes, not dozens.

I would point out the reality that life begins at conception.

I would note the, reality that the climate has been changing long before the combustion engine and the advent of fossil fuels.

And, he believes that public officials changed election laws, resulting in a tainted election outcome, a view that has been branded as a "conspiracy theory."  Interestingly enough, I saw yesterday where you have a number of states where election laws are being addressed legislatively, which is where election laws should be changed, under the Constitution. 

We should not be quick to embrace everything we hear, certainly.  But, there may be trends and occurrences in our world that we should not dismiss, either.  Believers should set the examples and be passionate seekers and defenders of truth - the truth we find in God's Word and developments around us that have factual evidence.  And, we can guard against allowing the enemy to divide us because of convictions or even opinions.  But, if something sounds outlandish to us, we should have a network of trusted sources to which we can go to discover more facts - do your due diligence.   

Welcome Home

In Luke 6, in a passage that could be described as a modified Sermon on the Mount, we find Jesus teaching these valuable principles:
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake.

Jesus taught us to be prepared - that will be a concept related by a guest on today's Meeting House, who shares about how she was strengthened by the Lord even before she encountered a tragedy. In an age in which Christians are being ridiculed and we find that there are those who want to silence our voice, we can go the Word, we can draw strength from the Scriptures, and be fortified by God's holy presence - He provides what we need in order to face opposition.  And, even if this is not a season of trial, we can get ready for when the next one comes.

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In the midst of a world where a hostility toward Christianity can be found, we can continue to draw near to God and remember those who are suffering for His name. 1st Peter 3 provides encouragement:
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled."

In 2014, in the nation of Nigeria, the terrorist group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from a boarding school in the city of Chibok.  According to The Christian Post: "Some of the schoolgirls fled soon after the mass abduction in 2014, while others were released as part of a deal with the Nigerian government in 2016. Dozens more were released in 2017 as part of a prisoner exchange."

That leaves more than 100 girls who have not been released.  But there is hope.

One of the young ladies came home recently, according to that article, which reports that Halima Ali Maiyanga has escaped and returned home - she was kidnapped at the age of 15, meaning she's now 22. The article quotes from her brother:

“Halima was in tears. She told us she was with the military and needed some clothes because she had nothing,” her brother, Muhammad Maiyanga, who spoke to Halima on the phone, told The Wall Street Journal. “We never thought we’d see her again.”

The Journal article said that she had escaped during a military operation against Boko Haram in the northeast part of the country, and it reported that Halima's older sister had been released back in 2017, along with an infant son, who had been fathered in a "forced marriage."

The article notes that Boko Haram had kidnapped almost 350 boys last month from a school; thankfully, all were rescued.  The Post states that "Boko Haram grooms the boys it captures to become terrorists. Save the Persecuted Christians Executive Director, Dede Laugesen, had told The Christian Post that in some cases, the group forces children as young as 8 years old to execute Christians.

Meanwhile, Leah Sharibu, who was abducted along with over 100 other girls back in 2018 in Dapchi has not been heard from recently. There have been varying reports, most from around a year ago, that she was still alive, but information about her whereabouts seems to be scant.  Those captured with her were released, but she was not due to her refusal to convert to Islam because of her Christian faith.

The plight of Nigerian Christians remind us that there are sections of the world where persecution of Christians is rampant.  In China, that is extended to other religious minorities, such as the Muslim Uyghur people.  We can find that when the dominant worldview is hostile to those who do not accept the minority faith practice, those that do not "tow the line" face prison and even death.  We certainly need to pray and act as God gives leadership. 

We live in dangerous times, and the pressure on Christians to be less bold for the name of Christ could be turned up a bit.  We have to be prepared - after all, Jesus said that the person who wishes to live a godly life will be persecuted.  But, we can count it as an honor to be chosen to face opposition due to our faith.  We know the pressure may come, but we know God has given us the resources to continue to live and stand for Him.

Spare the Drama

In the 14th chapter of the book of Romans, Paul addresses how our personal privilege can be a stumbling block to others and disrupts the practice of peace. He says:
15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

We should all possess personal convictions, rooted in the Scriptures, and all of us were created differently by our Creator. So we will have personal preferences, and that's OK. Yet, we have to remember to treat others with grace and not allow our conviction to become arrogance or even dogmatism or legalism. We can even respond to those with whom we disagree with a measure of grace and seek to display the love of Christ through our willingness to listen and to accept them unconditionally.

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We have a high level of responsibility to represent our Savior and to not follow the ways of the world and human impulses. 1st Peter 2 states:
1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

It looked for a moment, albeit a brief one last week that perhaps members of Congress had reached critical mass.  In the midst of the action taken by stock trading app Robinhood in light of the grassroots investment in GameStop and other companies to halt the trading of those stocks temporarily, two lawmakers, who, incidentally have shown a propensity to agree in the past, despite their ideological differences, demonstrated their agreement on this issue. The lawmakers: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ted Cruz.  As CBN.com reported it:

The brief reprieve from the division came when Cruz responded to a tweet from Ocasio-Cortez, who had called out the financial investing company Robinhood for its controversial decision “to block retail investors from purchasing stock while hedge funds are freely able to trade the stocks as they see fit.”

Cruz quote-tweeted his Democratic colleague in the House of Representatives, noting he agreed “fully” with her criticism.

Remember what I said last week, based on those issues George Barna was talking about where people could find "common ground?"  Well, here is an example of an effort to find such ground rebuffed.  Back to the CBN story:

The Texas senator sent his tweet at 11:47 a.m., and, 59 minutes later, Ocasio-Cortez fired back. But, rather than embrace the senator’s cordial gesture of solidarity, Ocasio-Cortez, a Twitter aficionado in her own right, accused the Republican of “trying to get me killed.”

“I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where there’s common ground, but you almost had me murdered [three] weeks ago, so you can sit this one out,” she wrote to Cruz. “Happy to work [with] almost any other GOP that aren’t trying to get me killed. In the meantime, if you want to help, you can resign.”

There is, of course, no evidence to suggest Cruz ever tried to have the self-avowed socialist lawmaker killed.

While some media outlets seem to be obsessed with a particular House member from Georgia who is pro-life, and pro-2nd Amendment, but has, prior to her time in Congress, allegedly promoted strange ideas about historical events and even violence toward politicians, on the other side, there is a Congresswoman who is accusing a senator of attempted murder.  Texas Representative Chip Roy wasn't buying it, writing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter that appears on his website:

As a member of this body who disagreed with “objections” to the electors and who has expressed publicly my concerns about the events leading to January 6th, it is completely unacceptable behavior for a Member of Congress to make this kind of scurrilous charge against another member in the House or Senate for simply engaging in speech and debate regarding electors as they interpreted the Constitution. I ask you to call on her to immediately apologize and retract her comments.

Roy also said that if Ocasio-Cortez does not apologize, it would force "alternative means" to be used - not specified.  Meanwhile, the afore-mentioned Marjorie Taylor Greene got into a shouting match with another Representative, Cori Bush. Who instigated the conflict is a matter of debate, although there is a video shot by Greene sometime during the incident; Bush has requested a move to another office.

Is this the playground?  Or the "People's House?"  The Speaker isn't "lowering the temperature," either. The Blaze quotes Nancy Pelosi as saying, "I do believe, and I have said this all along, that we will probably need a supplemental for more security for members when the enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about in addition to what is happening outside." Former member of Congress Tulsi Gabbard said on Fox on Laura Ingraham's show: "This kind of broad, inflammatory rhetoric is like throwing a match into the tinderbox," adding, "If this is a criminal threat, let law enforcement deal with it...If there is no evidence of what she is talking about, and if it is not true, it is inciting further division and further harm potentially and further destroying the possibility of our country coming together."

I am uncomfortable with several elements of this story - elected members of Congress should not be making threats or accusing their fellow lawmakers of advocating or perpetrating violence.  And, the rhetoric of expelling elected leaders because of these types of allegations is concerning, as well. That's not to endorse Marjorie Greene's embracing of a wide variety of conspiracy theories or using heated rhetoric about taking out elected leaders, as have been alleged.  Nor, AOC's attempt to play the role of champion of the oppressed, excusing the actions of looters last year who were just trying to get supplies they needed, or using climate scare tactics in order to pass legislation.

What can we do?  Well, first of all, as the apostle Paul directs in 1st Timothy 2, we can pray for our leaders - pray for peace and understanding. Voters seem to want lawmakers to work together, which is why we have a narrowly divided Senate and House. And, the views of "We, the People" should be respected. But, the vitriol toward millions of voters who supported one particular candidate and to make them out to be threats to our democracy is unacceptable.

I came across two articles on the Axios website that described members of Congress as "The Mischief Makers" - one article dealt with the House, the other with the Senate.  Some of the names I've mentioned today are found on one of these lists, whether justified or not.  So, is our intent as the representatives of the living Lord in this earth to be "mischief makers" or "problem solvers?"  I encourage believers to stand strong and speak out without doing harm to the name of Christ, but we can cross a line when our words and actions become counterproductive.  We should be known for our convictions as well as our compassion.  We gain trust by acting on our convictions, we allow the Spirit to open hearts as we act with compassion.

Love Acts

The expression of Christian character is outlined in 2nd Peter chapter 1 - and it begins with our profession of faith in Christ. We can read this list:
(5) giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, from our starting point of faith in Christ, we are ushered in to the discovery of various elements consistent with the presence of Christ in us.  The last characteristic is love - true love, with affection for God and attention toward other people.  We should be motivated by that love, which flows from our true identity in Christ - if we are growing inwardly, we can manifest His grace outwardly and make a strong statement for the Lord each day, showing that He is with us.

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We can live in a consistent state of being prepared for action, to do the work of the Lord, or better said, to allow Christ to do His work through us. Readiness is a big part of that. James 1 states:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

The love is Christ is a powerful force in our society, and God's people can seize the opportunity to communicate it effectively.  A Pittsburgh-area church posted this message on Facebook:

GROCERY STORE TAKEOVER! Throw your FOURS up, Family! Earlier today, we blessed 200+ @gianteagle (Southside) patrons by paying up to $50 towards their grocery bills! Not only that, we also blessed each employee there with a $50 gift certificate to various popular outlets. We wanted to recognize these front line workers and show them that we appreciate all they do in this season. We're able to be a blessing in our communities because of faithful givers like YOU! Thanks to all staff & volunteers as well as the management at Southside Giant Eagle for making this an excellent initiative. #CommunityOutreach #GiantEagle #BeyondTheWalls #DreamAgain #mcop

The Christian Post reported on the event, stating: "Macedonia Church of Pittsburgh, a predominantly African American congregation founded in 1903, held what it called a 'grocery store takeover' on Saturday at a local Giant Eagle." The church's senior pastor, Brian James Edmonds, said, “our world is hurting right now," adding: "We are battling multiple pandemics, people are grieving lost loved ones, and frontline workers are putting their lives on the line. We thought this would be a powerful way to give people hope and demonstrate the love of Christ during uncertain times..."

And, catch what the pastor said to the Post, that this action, was "rooted in our understanding that the church should also tithe into the communities that it serves.” The pricetag for the outreach was $13,000, and the pastor added, “This is what it means to be a good neighbor. As a part of this particular outreach, we also gave $40,000 to local nonprofits who are doing transformative work..." In fact, the church had dedicated  its weekly offerings to local nonprofits on occasion.

Pastor Edmonds has a message to share to his community: “that they are not alone, that they are appreciated, and that the love of God just might surprise you at the grocery store.” To put it in perspective, he said, "Our prayer is that someone’s faith is birthed, strengthened, or restored, as we are faithful to our calling to be the church..."

This is true Biblical Christianity on display, and it's important that we try to get it right.  The pastor talked about someone's faith being "birthed, strengthened, or restored."  The aim of the action, whatever we do is to glorify Christ and to allow people to see His love.  Our good works should be infused with a gospel motivation.

We do serve an active God and we are called to be the arms of His action, the hands and feet of Jesus. It may the simple act of showing kindness in the neighborhood or a church-wide presence in the community.  God will give us the creativity and the resources in order to carry out His mission - it may sometimes be a one-time big event or a continuous attitude of service.  

But, in the aftermath of our action, we can see the fruit of His presence. Now, we have a chance to minister hope and see God bring about lasting change due to the faithfulness of His people to love Him and love other people.