What Is Your Attitude?

The other day, I saw a post on my Facebook page that deeply grieved me. It was a picture of a Forever Stamp celebrating the Islam holiday Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. I Googled the issue and these were the first five sites that I found, and look at the 'issue' from two different, and very divergent, perspectives. They are from Fact Check.org, Bare Naked Islam.com, The American Muslim.org, The Huffington Post, Creeping Sharia. Yes, I did read through those posts. And, to be honest, their perspectives did not surprise me at all. For those who don't know me, I have been deployed to Iraq three times, two of which I volunteered for. I first went to Iraq from 2003-04, when we went north into Iraq, while with the 82nd Airborne Division. The second time, I found out of an open slot with 867th Quatermaster Battalion, of the Nebraska National Guard. They needed an intelligence analyst, which is what my background was, and I was happy to volunteer. The third time was because I transferred from one unit to another. I transferred to the 192nd MP Detachment L&O (Law and Order) in 2009, knowing full well that they were going to deploy to Iraq in a few years. In fact, we deployed to both the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) (most of the unit) and a few of us (including myself) were stationed at the International Zone (IZ). Especially during the third deployment, I interacted with many people of very diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures. And, I had a lot of fun! You see, I have had many rich experiences throughout my high school, college and seminary careers working with people from other countries and with other religious beliefs. Although I might not agree with their cultural and/or religious perspectives, I seek to understand them and to respect them. Because, just as my faith and cultural beliefs are extremely important to me, their beliefs are important to them. In at least trying to understand their perspectives, I find that I earn the right to be heard and respected. Let me share some of the examples that I have personally experienced... While I was in seminary, there were several students from different countries studying at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, including one from Pakistan and two from Africa. One of the things people will note about a lot of people from Africa is that they often do not use deodorant. Contrary to what many think, they do have hygiene standards and keep themselves clean. But, since they don't use deodorant like we do, they have an odor about them. In fact, at least with the two gentlemen that I knew at seminary, they have a distinct odor. In fact, I bet we all do, if we didn't use deodorant! I remember one evening in particular... I was cooking some food in the basement kitchen of the dorm that we lived in, when I heard someone enter the room behind me. I then noticed a smell other than I what I was cooking. After thinking a few seconds, I said, "Hello, Joshua..." (Not his real name.) I then turned around and, sure enough, it was him. And, he had a very surprised look on his face! When asked how I knew, I can't remember what I said. But, I didn't specify why I had recognized him. Although I did find their odor annoying at times, especially in close quarters, I learned to 'get over it.' I accepted it for what it was, a part of their culture. I'm sure they might have sometimes wondered why we smelled like we did! I worked with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution (TSCI), from January 2006 until about July 2011, and again from March 2013 until present. Years ago, I started reading a book One Church, Many Tribes, and was very interested in learning more about the Native American perspective of faith, Christian or otherwise. I was working as the Gym Corporal at the time. Once or twice a week, a group of Native American Inmates would use one of the music rooms, located in the gym, to do their traditional drumming and chanting. I tried to strike up a conversation with several of them to learn more about what they were singing, what language they were singing in, etc. Most of them didn't care why I wanted to know, and didn't say much at all. However, one individual did. I'll call him "Backbear." (Again, not his real name.) At first he was very uneasy with talking with me. But, when I shared what little I knew of their culture and my desire to learn more, he started to open up. After about a month or so, Blackbear would often stand next to me before or after their Native American drumming and chanting, and we'd chat. Although he still felt uneasy at times being seen with me and talking about faith and culture (Blackbear was, I believe, a traditional Native American of the Lakota or Cheyenne tribe), but willing to endure it so that we could learn from each other. Many times, we just talked about current events, or life in prison, not just about our faith backgrounds. Soon after I started working at TSCI again, I applied for the new position of Religious Coordinator Assistant. And, because of my previous work experience there, and because my very rich experiences working with people of diverse backgrounds, I received the position. Although I have only worked that position about 3 weeks out of the last three months, I have thoroughly loved working it. Even during the hard and frustrating days, I loved what I was doing. One day, I was going to oversee the Muslims doing their weekly 'religious study.' The young man, an African American, who was going to be leading the lesson, came in. As I was doing my customary search of an Inmate coming into or going out of an area, I greeted him in Arabic with, "Salam." He looked at me with great surprise on his face for a few seconds, then said, "Oh, yeah.... You're the guard who actually cares about what others believe..." (Or, something like that.) We then proceeded to talk about Ramadan, which they were currently celebrating, and any issues that they may be having. It was a short but interesting conversation. Several other Inmates showed surprise when I shared with them what little I knew about their religious background (Ma'at, Thelama, etc.) and many have been willing to share what they believe, as well as listen to my perspective. While in Iraq, I really enjoyed learning from the many Muslims that I interacted with. Quite a few of them, including the Muslim translators that we had, often didn't call themselves Shia or Shite, only Muslim. They hated the sectarian violence that was going on and wanted all people to live in peace with each other. Yes, there are some that practice extreme Islam and teach hatred of others who don't believe exactly what they believe. Many other faiths, including some Buddhist and Hindu sects, do the same thing. In fact, there are some Christian churches that teach to devalue, even hate, anything that doesn't match their brand of theology. I do not know how God has used me through my interactions with people of other cultures and faiths. While taking various Gifts of the Spirit tests, two that always rank in the top five are evangelism and missions. Because of my many very positive experiences with people of other cultures and faiths, this is not surprising. These two Gifts work well together, being able to articulate my beliefs, and why I believe them (evangelism), and being comfortable among people of divergent faiths, cultures, traditions, etc. (missions). A Scripture passages concerning this is very meaningful to me. It reads:

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 12 "For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:6-13, NKJV)

This tells me that, what ever I do in response to God's leading, God will honor that and bless it. Even if it is done very imperfectly, even with my foot shoved deeply into my mouth, God will still honor and bless it. Yes, there are those of different faiths that believe in, practice, and rigorously teach hatred of those who believe differently. But, that is not the case with all of the people who share that particular faith in general. Do we respond in kind to the hatred, or do we respond by teaching love and peace? I believe that Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is a very good indicator as to what God calls us to do. I will always protect myself and others from those who seek to do harm. However, if one is not currently actively seeking harm towards myself of someone else, then I would be a fool to respond in any other way than to share God's love. And, the most effective way that I have found to share God's love is to show respect towards and seek to understand what others believe. In showing that respect to them, over times, I have found many doors opened to me over time. Doors of opportunity where others are willing to hear what I say when I share what I believe. I rarely see much more than either a nod of respect or appreciation of knowing what we have in common. But, since God will honor and bless what I do in faith, when I get to Heaven, I'm sure God will greatly surprise me with what He did through me. How you view other people's beliefs and customs will greatly influence how they will view yours. Show respect to them and what they believe, then it is very likely that, at least eventually, they will respect what you believe. Show noting but contempt towards what others believe, guess what you'll receive back.... Do you really want to be part of the problem?

Lent and Sacrifice

When you think of the word 'sacrifice,' what comes to your mind? Giving up a favorite hobby or food, giving up a freedom once enjoyed, giving up opportunities for something else that's important? Or, does it mean something else for you altogether?

This past Wednesday, February 20th, was the start of Lent for most Christians. It is a time of reflection, of giving something up, and preparation for Easter. Last year, I gave up coffee, except for one cup in the morning, for Lent. A few weeks into Lent, I was let go from my church position. Because of the anger that I felt and all of the turmoil in my life, I didn't bother to continue giving anything up for Lent. Honestly, I didn't see the need because I had been 'forced' to 'give up' my employment. And, in all honesty, last year was the first time that I even did give up something for Lent.

Having been deployed three times since 2004 and having changed jobs several times since leaving Active Duty in 2005, I have not really thought about 'what to give up' for Lent, just contemplating the meaning of Easter as I continued about my life. Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines sacrifice as:

1.      an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially: the killing of a victim on an altar

2.      something offered in sacrifice

3.      a. destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else b. something given up or lost

4.      loss

Keeping this definition of sacrifice in mind, let's look at a couple of examples of sacrifice in our day-to-day lives, and some examples that some of you reading this might not be familiar with. With how busy people are with work and family, something that is often sacrificed for the sake of getting money, or ahead at work, is time with the family. Many people in high school and college will 'sacrifice' sleep so that they can get their studying (or cramming) done. And, yes I've been down the road way too many times in my life, in college and while in seminary!

Others will 'sacrifice' their grades so that they can participate in the sports (or other something else outside of school). On the flip side of work and family, some people will 'sacrifice' a prestigious promotion so that they can continue to spend quality time with their family. Having worked with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I have dealt with many people who 'sacrificed their futures' when they committed a crime. 

I have but sacrifice in quotes several times in the previous paragraph because of one perspective of 'sacrifice' is very different from another. For some people in our society, 'sacrificing' coffee or chocolate for Lent, time with the family for a promotion, a promotion for more time with the family, sleep for studying, etc., is all they can really understand in a personal way of what sacrifice means. And, yes, those are 'sacrifices.' But, I now encourage you to really take a deeper look at sacrifice and what it means to others.

As some of you either know, or may have guessed, I have been in the military for many years. I joined the Army in May of 2001, left Active Duty to join the Nebraska National Guard in May of 2005, and will soon celebrate 12 years of military service. Having spent this long in the Army has enabled me to enjoy three deployments to Iraq. The deployments alone have given me a deeper understanding of the word 'sacrifice,' but talking with Christians from other countries has deepened/enriched it even more! But, I'll get this later.

First, with the military.... If you have served in the military, or someone close to you has, you may already have some understanding of what I am about to share. My first deployment to Iraq, I didn't really think about Easter, let alone Lent, until Easter was practically upon me. My second and third deployments weren't much different. Although I knew ahead of time about the upcoming season of Lent, I decided that I was already sacrificing enough with being away from friends and family that giving up any comforts like coffee, chocolate, deserts, etc., was out of the question. Some soldiers did give up something for Lent. I did not.

For those of us who have are presently in the military, sacrifice is a significant part of our lives. We sacrifice a lot of time with friends and family to do our training. I remember back when I was with the 82nd Airborne Division. We would spend at least 7 days each month in the field training. Being a tactical unit, being proficient in field work was essential. But, it required us to sacrifice a lot of time with friends and family, and favorite hobbies, worship time, etc., to prepare for the field, go to the field, and then clean up gear from the field. And, that was just training!

For those of us who have deployed to a combat zone, things get even harsher. I remember my first deployment, where I spent over a month in Kuwait, awaiting the order to go north into Iraq. Long days of great boredom in high heat (at it was very early spring, too), with some training here and there. The occasional SCUD attacks were a serious threat and a welcomed relief from the monotony that we had to endure. But, there's always greater sacrifices than that. I have friends who have been injured because of rocket attacks, being shot at, etc. A very good friend died while deployed to Afghanistan several years ago. Hearing about his death really took the wind out of me, and made getting through work that morning (I worked nights) that much more difficult. But, for those of us who volunteer to protect our rights and freedoms that others are able to enjoy in comfort, it's a reality.

We are prepared from Basic Training and all the way through our military career about the realities of our work, and that it can come at a very, very high cost. Still, for some others, sacrifice of freedoms, even one's life, is just a part of everyday life. I receive a daily E-mail from a Christian organization called Open Doors (serving persecuted Christians worldwide). Every month, they take devotions written by Christians where Christianity is persecuted or share their writings. Some are still alive, but some of the writings are taken from people who have already laid down their lives for their faith. There are Christians facing very harsh persecution in Muslim countries, but those are not the only places. Cuba is a place very close to us where Christians are harshly treated. Also places in South America are hostile to Christians. Did you know that the government of North Korea is trying very, very hard to eradicated all Christians from within their boarders?! I was invited by a senior person in a non-profit organization that specifically ministers to North Korean Christians to apply for a position within the organizations. Although I did not get that job, I have not forgotten the things that I learned while researching for that position.

Although I had read a lot about the persecuted church for many years now, that was a real eye-opening experience! During my last deployment to Iraq, I worked in an office that created security placards for vehicles in the International Zone. It was a challenging but fun and fascinating job. One of the real eye-opening experiences that I had while working there was meeting several Chaldean Christians. According to Fox's Book of Martyrs, (Doubting) Thomas stopped in what is now southern Iraq and started several house churches with descendants of the Chaldean Empire. These people eventually developed into the unit ethnic of Chaldean Christians.

In October of 2010, when they started experiencing very harsh persecution, I had the privilege of talking with several of them about their feelings and reflections. Again, their ethnic groups' experiences with persecution and sacrifice made my knowledge and experiences seem very pale and superficial. You can read more about the Chaldean Church here and the history of their denomination here. I would like to share some relevant Scripture passages. In John 15:12-14, Jesus says: "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you." (NASB) And also, a quote for Paul's Letter to the Romans:

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  (Romans 5:6-10 NASB)

As we go through Lent and prepare ourselves for Easter, I highly encourage you to think about some of these different perspectives of sacrifice. Right now, I am leading the adult Sunday school class that I teach through Dietrich Bonhoeffer's 'Cost of Discipleship.' I highly recommend that you read a book or do some of your own research on the lives of various martyrs, the persecuted church, or things that soldiers deal with on a daily basis pertaining to 'sacrifice.' No matter what each of us may have experienced in our lives, there is so much more we can learn from the lives of others. It is so easy to think that our understanding of 'sacrifice' is deep and profound. But yet, someone else's experience can easily change that. I highly encourage you to learn more so that, by God's grace, you can experience a deeper and more intimate relationship with Jesus.

RC

Reflections on the Connecticut Shooting

I am sure that I am not the only one out there writing his or her reflections on the incredible act of violence that transpired at the elementary school in Connecticut Friday. Like so many people, I am contemplating how to understand what has transpired. Because of my background, how I have been contemplating such events is a real mixed baggage. If you are interested and willing, please continue reading as I list some of my thoughts. Just be warned, I tend to be upfront with my faith and beliefs, and at times very blunt.

First and foremost, this was a very evil act. To me, purposely going after people who are unable to defend themselves is something that should be very harshly punished. But, to me at least, why did he do it? How could a 20-year-old man consider doing something as cruel as going through a school? Being angry at one's parents, former teacher, etc., is one thing. Whether justifiable because of things in the past or not, one adult seeking to kill another adult is one thing. But, to go around and slaughter children?! That is something totally different. My faith informs me that all of us are imperfect and sinful beings. That is, our natures are corrupt since birth, seeking to gratify our felt desires. Through training, we can manage this to some extent, be we will always have this sinful nature. When we look around, we see some people who go to great lengths to disciple themselves so as to indulge their sinful desires less. But, we also see those who go out of their way to gratify them. Though many do not seek out ways so horrific as what happened on Friday, they still seek to gratify them.

For someone to choose to commit such a crime as shooting innocent children in a school, it seems that such a person would have had to harbor a very deep kind of bitterness for a very long time. In Ephesians 4:26, we read: "26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath," There is something very important to take away from this passage, I believe. When we allow anger to continue to fester in our hearts, it turns to bitterness. As this bitterness grows, it pushes out things like love, forgiveness, compassion, etc. As these things are pushed aside, out of one's life, it becomes more and more easy to consider things like taking one's anger out on anyone who is available, to just lash out. All of us feel angry at some point of time. That is a natural, God given emotion. It tells us that something is wrong (or at least feels wrong) and that something needs to be done. So, feeling angry is not bad, in and of itself. It's what a person does in expressing and/or deal with that anger that is either constructive or destructive.

From what little I have read, two of the victims appear to be his parents. It makes me wonder what his parents had done to enrage him so much. Or, a more likely issue is, what made this young man interpret things in such a way as to become so bitter. In a recent Fox News article, I read that some are speculating that mental illness might have something to do with his rampage. While in college, I took several psychology courses. One of the things that I learned from that is that reasons are never totally clear. Though there can be many influences, it's rarely clear as to what is a 'definite why.' My experiences and training inform me that we all have three facets, the physical, the emotional/psychological, and the spiritual. All three facets are interrelated and what happens to one directly impacts the other two.

On Facebook, I have read many posts about how angry people are about the man's actions in Connecticut. Some people blame guns, some blame education, others are just angry. Many people are struggling with wondering the "why did he?!?!" Others are asking how we could have protected the children.

I've worked corrections and military law enforcement. I am definitely not alone in wishing I could have done something. Being what my background is, I know that I could have done something. But, I often wonder if it would have been good enough? That is not a question I can really answer. Because of how many state and/or local laws are written, if I am not a law enforcement officer then I would not have been able to legally carry a weapon onto school grounds. That means, if I had been nearby and had the means to respond, I wonder if it would have been something that I could have done legally? I know that there are many out there that agree with me in that, were I there and had the means to have use whatever force necessary to stop this young man, I should have. However, I know that there are many out there who take the position that anything that, because I am not a civilian law enforcement officer, any use of a weapon on school property would be considered breaking the law. That is, I would be just as guilty of using a weapon on school grounds as the man shooting the children, teachers, etc.

When such events as this happen, we all struggle with how to understand it. We all struggle with how it could have been prevented and how to prevent future things from happening. There are no easy answers. There are no easy solutions, either. There are some things that are better than others, though.  One of the things that I read in the above-mentioned article was that the car and guns used in the rampage were all stolen. The car, the rifle, and the pistols were all owned by his mother, Nancy Lanza. Whether or not the young man suffered from any mental illness, it is clear that he stole weapons from someone else to use in his crimes. So, trying to justify more weapons control/bans is unfounded. He didn't buy them, he stole them. So far I have not read if he used the weapons to kill his mother or if he killed her by other means and then obtained the rifle and pistols. And to me, it doesn't really matter.

Although I am a military police officer with the Nebraska National Guard that does not mean that I can carry a firearm onto school grounds, with or without a CCW (concealed carry weapons) permit. There are so many people and places that are anti-gun that for those who choose to go through the training and application process for a CCW, it's difficult to be legally able to use that training. To me, that's sad. It also angers me. Many of us not only have a passion to help and protect others, even if that is not our primary job in life but have the training and experience to do so.

I don't know about others, but I would be very, very angry if any person who choose to risk their own life to stop someone like this shooter and were they prosecuted as a criminal because they also brought a firearm onto a school. Unfortunately, heroes like that are victimized because, in order to stop someone from committing a crime, they had to break a law. Instead of thanking the person for doing so, they are put in jail. It doesn't make any sense to me. Which is worse, carrying a firearm onto school grounds to stop an active shooter or the actions of the shooter? What is really justifiable? Which is a greater evil? We have Good Samaritan laws to protect those who try to save the lives of others. Why don't we have similar laws to protect citizen who would be willing to risk their own lives to protect others in a shooting situation?

I've been deployed to Iraq many times. I've studied Scripture for years and prayerfully seek God's help in applying it to my life. I have worked with convicted felons in a state prison, having to deal with some people who genuinely do not care about others, but only want to gratify their own selfish, even perverted, desires. I have also worked military law enforcement. I have been on a use of force team on numerous occasions because an inmate refused to follow the rules and force was necessary to correct the situation. I have had to spontaneously use force on a few occasions in order to protect myself or someone else. I have sat at the bedside of someone who was so distraught with life that they tried to commit suicide and had not succeeded. I have talked with friends and family members of someone who had suffered serious injure or had died because of a bad decision that they had made or because of someone else had. In some ways, all of these experiences help me to personally deal with such events. But, only so much.

All in all, I still struggle with such events. I am angry with the person who did such things. I am angry that people want to punish law abiding citizens who have not committed crimes just because someone else has. I am angry that there are those who would want to punish a person who would be willing to do anything and everything they possible could to protect the innocent because of how they stopped a criminal. I am saddened that young children were murdered by someone who, for whatever reasons, took his anger and bitterness out on them. I also want to understand how such a thing happened or how to prevent such a thing from happening in the future.

Many ask how a loving God could allow such a thing to happen. I do not know why. But, I do know that God is in control. What happened was evil. But, I do know that God can bring blessings out of it.  I know that many people will be very angry with the statement that I just made. That is fine with me. Looking back at my life, I know that I have made many bad decisions. We all have. But, God has shown me grace and helped me to learn from such mistakes. I know that God has done that in other people's lives. I also know that God can bring good out of this situation, too. For me, the big question is, are we going to seek to punish others for the sins/mistakes of one person, or are we going to seek how God wants to show us His Grace? Are we going to be willing to accept what God wants to give us or teach us? I don't have the answer for that either. I just hope and pray that whatever God wants to do with this event in my life, that I will be obedient. I pray that you, the reader, will do so as well.

RC

Election Day

Note: I started writing this entry during the morning of Election Day on the family tablet. Because of various issues going on, I was not able to finish writing this entry on Tuesday. Therefore, I wanted to quickly finish the thought I was writing and then close out this entry. Hopefully soon, I will be able to write another one. RC

Today is Election Day in America. I am waiting for my oldest to finish his breakfast. After that, I'll be getting them ready to go out so that I can vote. Having been both Active Duty Army and with the Nebraska Army National Guard since 2001, I am proud to perform my civic duty. Like many Presidential races, this one has been a pretty heated process the last few months. Some of those running for what-ever office have been worse than others. But, pretty much all of them have been negative about others to some degree. But, that isn't what concerns me the most. As we read in Romans 3, all of us have sinned and have fallen short of God's glory and holiness. Because of this, all people who are seeking election are sinners. Therefore we will always be voting for the 'lesser of the two (or more) evils.

Some people have beliefs that are more in line with Scripture than others. God call us to love others, seek justice, and to protect the innocent (those who cannot protect themselves). Others seeking an office of some sort are more blatantly against how God calls us to live. As I've been reflecting on today and the days that led up to it, a Scripture passage came to my mind. It is 1 Samuel 8, and I invite you to read it.

Because I am writing this entry on a tablet, I won't be quoting it or attaching a link to it. In nutshell, the Israelites wanted to be like the other nations and have a king. Because of this, they were rejecting God. When our Founding Fathers created this country, almost all of them were very active in their respective churches. Although they may have had differing religious views, they all agreed on a few essentials. First of all, because all people are made in the image of God, all people are to be cared for and enabled to live a fulfilling life (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness). They also knew that all people were sinners. Because of this, they knew that, while we are capable of doing great things, we are also capable of great evil when not constrained. Because of this, they created The Constitution with many checks and balances. That way, one branch will be less likely to become too powerful.

Our Founding Fathers also believed very strongly in choosing people with very high moral and ethical standards. People with high standards are more likely to lead by serving, seek to protect the innocent, empower others instead of making them dependent on entitlements, etc. How many of our leaders really embody any of this? I think that our country's current status is evidence enough. Unless we are willing to select moral and ethical leaders, people who bare selfish and power-hungry will lead us. Power hungry people do not want people that they rule over to think for themselves, to be able to protect themselves or their loved ones, to follow God, etc. Power-hungry people want foolish, unprotected, people without religious conviction, etc. to rule over. Such people are much easier o control. As I reflect on current events, I become more and more concerned. As a nation, we are more interested in entitlements than empowering others to pursue employment and productivity. We are more interested in avoiding responsibility for having sex then we are protecting innocent life. We are more interested in taking what we can from the government instead of actively working for a better future. Lord, have mercy on us! Help us to repent of our selfish ways and return to you!

RC

Hearing and Obeying

While catching up on some E-mails, I came across a devotional from the United Methodist Church and thought I would share that this morning.  The Scripture passage is James 1:19-27, and I encourage you to read it first.

Part of the reason why I wanted to share this, is because a good friend of mine from seminary shared some Scripture concerning anger and allowing God to work the circumstances of our lives.  Being that this passage starts out talking about this, I thought it was appropriate.

Verse 19b-20a says:  "But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."  Let's think about that.  It does not say:  "Never be angry..."  Anger is not necessarily a bad emotion, but a lot of times, the anger we feel about a situation is in response to realizing that something isn't right, or that some has done an injustice to us.  Anger, like fear, are an 'emotional warning system,' of sorts' to let us know that something isn't right.  So, in that sense, anger and fear are not bad.  It's how we respond to situations, either because of fear or anger, that indicates what we value.

The way most people respond to fear and anger is to immediately attack the cause of it.  If one is feeling fear and/or anger because one is being attacked, then responding to that threat to protect one's self or someone else is probably the right thing to do.  Each of us has to make that judgement call if and when the time comes.  However, that is not always the reason why we will respond to something in an angry way.

An excellent example is road rage.  How often have you been cut off by someone on purpose?  I have several times.  I remember one time while driving to Omaha about a year ago, two different people behind me had ample time to pass me when it was safe and legal to do so (i.e., we were not in a no passing zone).  However, these two people decided to shoot around us while in a no passing zone, and when there was oncoming traffic. In fact, one of the two returned to the north bound lane (it was a two lane highway) with an on coming care less than 100 yards in front of him/her.  And this person passed me right after the no passing zone started, and forced me to have to slow down so that he/she could get back into the lane safely.  Pretty rude and dangerous, huh?  Both times, I commented to my wife that it was times like this that I wished I was a law enforcement officer in an unmarked car.  That way, especially if I had the opportunity to turn on the internal camera system, I would be able to document their reckless driving, pull them over, and either cite them or arrest them for reckless driving/reckless endangerment.  It would depend on how the laws of that area read.  Instead of trying to respond to them like they had treated me, I acknowledged my anger and let it go.  I also prayed that God would take care of the situation, protecting others and either helping that person to make better choices or to enable the right people to see what they were doing and correct the situation.

Life will never work out the way we want it to.  Because of sin, things will go wrong.  As a military policeman with the Nebraska National Guard and while I was with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I experienced numerous times where other people's actions angered me.  In some situations, I actually had to respond using force to protect myself or someone else.  Most of the time, though, the person was simply trying to 'push my buttons' to make me angry enough that I would react to him/her and do something stupid.  Very hard to resist, and even harder, sometimes, to discern the difference between situations that require us to respond to a dangerous situation and when people are trying to antagonize use to do something wrong.  I believe that this is part of what James is saying.

According to James, worthless religion is having an unbridled tongue (verbally lashing out at others) or responding to situations in a way that does not honor God.  However, when we strive to serve God by take care of widows and orphans (those who are historically taken advantage of, and symbolize all of those who are not able to defend themselves).  Sometimes, that means helping them find work, providing for their physical and/or emotional needs, etc.  Sometimes, it means taking those to are trying to abuse or take advantage of them to court or to law enforcement officers.  Other times, we may actually have to step in to protect them.  It takes discernment to know what to do and how to do it.  That's where we need to be correctly connected to God through prayer and reading His Word.

In studying God's Word and conversing with Him in prayer, we gain a better understanding of how God views our actions, our intentions, and how God expects us to respond to things.  And, since God is outside of time and knows everyone's minds, God can clearly direct us with how to respond to situations.  Because we can't see all things, there are a lot of unknowns in life.  But, when we purposely seek to know and follow God, He will give us His Holy Spirit to guide us.  We will not always understand what God is doing in our lives, but that is why it's called 'walking in faith.'

But, it's not enough to simply read God's Word and pray.  Simply doing so without allow God to change you is an empty religion.  It's all 'head knowedge' without any change in your life.  It's like having an instruction manual and never opening it, or protective gear and not putting it on.  It's worthless if not actually used.  This is where 'hearer and doer' comes in.  When we read God's Word and seek God's help in applying it to our lives, and allow Him to change us, it's like using the owner's manual to correctly use a protect.  Or, it's like using the correct protective gear during work or sports.  Or, more simply, it's like using a tire iron and a jack to change a car tire instead of trying to wrestle it off while all four tires are still on the ground.

Empty religion is the kind that does not change a person's life.  It is simply 'head knowledge' that does not affect how one actually things and acts.  If that is what we have, we are more of a weed in God's garden, not be effective and not producing a crop for Him.  But, in actually being obedient to God, allowing His Word and the Holy Spirit to change us, then we become effective and fruitful for God's service.  I believe that is, in a nutshell, what James is talking about.  Being changed by God so that we are fruitful for Him and obedient to Him, not merely doing what we feel like.

Is it easy?  Definitely not!  But, in the long term, is it worth it?  I believe so.  In fact, I believe that in being obedient to God, we are fulfilling God's calling and purpose in our lives and honor Him.  Although setting aside our desires and will and embracing what God has for us is extremely difficult, the eternal rewards are worth it.

Buffet Religion

While waiting for some videos for a job application to upload onto YouTube, I was reading through some of my E-mails. I've been so busy with family and job hunting that I have many E-mails that I haven't read yet. Actually, truth be told, I have many E-mails (mostly commentaries that have not been high priority most days) have piled up for several months. Any ways...

The article that I will be talking about is from BreakPoint.com, with the actual article called God Kits. As I read it, I was reminded of many conversations that I've had with different people over the years. Many people that I've talked with over the years often describe themselves as 'religious.' But, their actual 'religious beliefs' are picked from many different sources. Some others claim 'Christian,' but instead of accepting all of Scripture, they pick and choose what they like.

Our country typically prides itself on its individualism, creativity, adaptability, and resourcefulness. And, that is not necessarily a bad thing. For example, when the pioneers settled this Nation, they had to be very creative and resourceful to be able to have a chance to survive. When I was with the 82nd Airborne and 'went north' from Kuwait into Iraq, there were many times where we had to be very resourceful. I remember one guy from my unit who made a good shelf out of pieces of wood and duct tape.

But, when it comes to one's religious beliefs, is that a wise thing? I do not think that it is a wise idea at all. First of all, when you pick and choose what you want to believe from a variety of sources, you are in danger of two things. The first one being either not understanding the historical context and original meaning of the 'belief' that you are adopting. And, when you take something out of context, that can be very unflattering at best, or even dangerous. The second thing is, if you adopt various beliefs from religions that are very contrary to each other, then you can look the fool. For example, claim something like Jesus' love and forgiveness, and also adopt a Satanist idea that it's good to gratify your desires.

Then, there's also the importance of the context of the beliefs that you've adopted.' For example, let's take Jesus and the Holy Bible. I have talked with many people over the years who claim to be 'followers of Christ Jesus.' But, some of these people regularly had sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman, regularly cheated on their finances, thought it was 'evil' to give money to the church, didn't go to church at all (private religion), etc. According to Matthew 5:18 (NAS), Jesus said: "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished." What Jesus was referring to were the different accent marks used in the Hebrew and Aramaic writings. If something so minor as accent marks were not going to change, then the rest of the laws and prophecies were definitely not going to change. But, that's not the only thing I want to look at.

Another important thing that Jesus said was in John 1:1-5, 14. To summarize, God literately spoke Himself into being. Just as our words reflect who we are and what our values are, so Jesus would literately reflect who God is and what God values. To emphasize this, in John 8:31-59, Jesus is teaching in Jerusalem about Him being the Truth. During the ensuing argument between Him and the people, He references Abraham, who logically is dead. When Jesus claims that whomever keeps His words will never see death, they mock Him. He then says, in verse 58: "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM." Here, Jesus was referring to what God said to Moses in Exodus 3:13-14. For Jesus to claim such a thing, to be God, He was either a liar, a lunatic or He was, indeed, telling the Truth.

So, for someone to claim that they are a 'follower of Christ' but yet reject what Scripture says, they are either purposefully lying or do not realize that they are only following a god of their own making. That is, a Jesus in the image that they want, not the Jesus of the Old and New Testaments.

Now, no one will be perfect followers of Christ, because we are all sinners and fall short of God's glory/expectations. (Romans 3:23) But, because of His love for us, God reaches down to us, gave us a perfect way of redemption through Himself (Christ Jesus' life, death and resurrection) and provides a way to follow Him in obedience. That is, by having the Holy Spirit dwell within them. Like a seed taking root and growing up into a plant, so does God's Spirit take root within us and, as time goes and we purposely allow God to cultivate His will in our lives, we grow to be more and more like Him.

When we pick and choose what we want to believe, whether from one religion or from several, we really short change ourselves. Most importantly, when we pick and choose, we neglect or even totally ignore the historical significance of what was written and why. Like misquoting people, we misquote our values and expectations of others and life itself. If we are going to be serious about or 'spiritual beliefs,' let’s make sure we are accurate in what we believe, and why. If not, we set ourselves up for looking the fool. And, who wants to wear some dorky 'dunce cap' just because he or she is to lazy to really understand what they claim to believe? I don't!

Beliefs and Behavior

Recently, a person I know on Facebook shared a picture of a chalkboard with "Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does," on it. My immediate response was: “Since your actions come from your thinking, the do matter. If you genuinely think something is true, your actions will reflect them." That got me thinking about that disconnect that is all too common...

How easy is it to believe something that may be true, but is unpopular; and, because it's unpopular, your actions are often contradictory? Take the issue of the sanctity of life, for example. May people say that they are 'pro-life,' but yet they either endorse abortion on demand, or choose to remain silent. Because it is often unpopular to be pro-life, may people choose to be silent.

A case in point from my own personal experience while in seminary. Because of my conservative/evangelical beliefs, I see abortion as being morally wrong. While there may be some individual cases, because of the immediate life of the mother or because of incest, where abortion may need to be an option, it should never be the 'only' option. But, at my seminary, it was very unpopular to not endorse a 'woman's right to freely choose' what happens to 'her' body. Because of this and many other reasons, I was looked down upon by many of the faculty and students.

For my, my belief system is based on Scripture, which I believe is God's Word for us. It is not a selection of 'mere fables' that we can choose to accept or not. It is God's inspired Word (God breathed, literately) to instruct us on how to have a personal relationship with Him and with each other. So, when God says that we are created in His image and, therefore, all have inherent worth, ending a life without reason, because one does not want to suffer the consequences of their own sin, or only because of 'connivance' for their own lives or plans is utterly wrong.

For some people, like Christians living in the Middle East or North Korea, having unpopular beliefs is literately, a matter of life and death. For example, in North Korea, all people are to worship the state and its leader. That's what Communism, like Fascism, is all about, utterly following the leadership, no matter what. To be a Christian in North Korea means risking your life to read Scripture. Why? Because Scripture teaches that there is only one God and that one's ultimate loyalty is to Him. Service to an honorable government is expected, but when a government calls you to live in sin (in this case, idolatry), one has to put God first. A totalitarian government cannot allow that to happen and still remain a totalitarian government. Therefore, it has to strike out against those who believe in God's Word.

If we believe something is true, then it needs to affect how we live. If our actions do not reflect what we believe, then are those beliefs genuine? Is it something worth laying your life down for? Or worse yet, in the minds of some people, one's own reputation or social status?

Quite frankly, I believe that if what you believe does not directly influence how you act, then your belief system is a worthless religion. Granted, places like North Korea make living your faith extremely difficult, but there are ways. If you genuinely trust God, then He will provide ways for you to live your faith in obedience to Him. But, there are also times when He calls us to live our lives in such a way that our lives become a sacrifice.

So, how does your belief system affect how your life? Do your beliefs directly influence how you act? Or, are they just a belief system that you like, but yet are disconnected from how you actually live? If it's the latter, do you actually and genuinely believe them?