Even Fiction Can Be Heartwarming

I recently posted a video called "Social Network Christmas". It was a very creative retelling of the Christmas story using facebook. It has been making its way around the facebook community with a verity of remarks. One, posted on my home page, has interested me. The gentlemen making the comment is a Universal Unitarian. He said, "even fiction can be heartwarming." Of course the statement in itself is true. The implication is that the story of Jesus' birth is fiction. Universal Unitarians run the gambit of belief, from atheists to theists. They claim to hold loosely the beliefs of people and accept with tolerance what others believe. I am not really sure why this particular man felt the need to make known his disbelief on someones wall with whom he is not even a friend. Yet, he felt the need to reveal his ignorance.

Even if you don't believe that Jesus is God become man, or that he died for your sins, or that his mother was immaculately conceived or that Jesus is God, the one thing that is undeniable -- Jesus is a historical figure. Of course one could deny it but then you would have to deny the the reality of other historical figures who have less historical evidence. But then again people who reject Christianity or the work of Jesus use a different logic than others or even the basis on which they hold their own beliefs.

If anything I have learned about people is that they will either follow or walk away from Jesus. There isn't any middle ground. It doesn't surprise me that there are those who reject the message of the gospel. Even Jesus, who lived, taught, and performed miracles was rejected by people. I don't take it personally; they aren't rejecting me, and their rejection of Jesus doesn't affect my beliefs or my eternal destiny. It is sad, though that their hearts are darkened at a time when the light of the world came so that all of us could come to know God through the forgiveness of our sins.

That's what Christmas is all about.

Reflections of a Sojourner

I have now been in Aledo for almost 2 months. The transition has been good, though not having Rebecca with me makes it incomplete. I have had the privileged of having two of my boys, Steve and David, with me. Their company along with my two dogs has made living in the small, dingy, apartment bearable. We have had a good time together -- they wrote and produced a music video called Aledo Rap. Check it out on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae6u9Y79dH8 .

The people in Aledo are great and my brother and sisters at Grace have greeted us with so much warmth, love, and acceptance I am feeling very much at home. Anytime you make a move adjustment takes time, but their efforts to make us a part of the family has smoothed the edges off the transition. They are constantly asking about Rebecca and the sale of the house. I know they are praying for us and many of the women have even called Rebecca. All of this assures me of being part of the family. It is about bearing up one another.

There is a sense of anticipation as we move ahead to accomplish what God has called me here to do. Change is never easy but always inevitable. We either move with the Spirit or we get blown in the wind. But the Christian life is a process -- a journey. What we are to accomplish doesn't have to be done tomorrow but we are moving ahead with intentionality. Baby steps as we are transformed into the image of Christ and reach the lost for the kingdom.

I am taking my last class for my PhD this next week at Liberty University. I will be glad when it is over and I can start of my research and dissertation. The end is insight! So I will be gone a week from Aledo but the boys will still be here. They will keep an eye on things for me -- I think that is a good thing.

I thank God for His sovereign plan and allowing me to be a part of it.

Paul’s Revolution – Day 11

I am in a conundrum (ever since the TV show ‘7 Days’ I have loved that word). I have been talking about the Christian’s responsibility to participate in the democratic process and the obligation that we have to put forth a biblical worldview for the betterment of our communities. The problem is that politics polarizes people – even Christian people. Here is my conundrum: the Apostle Paul said, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.” Of course, he didn’t compromise moral or theological purity but he was willing to put aside differences for the sake of winning people to Christ.

When entering the political realm there are differences of philosophy, methodology, and perspective, and these differences can polarize people and create anger and bitterness. So how does a Christian, who wants to win people to Christ, participate in a forum that can polarize them from those whom they want to lead to the Savior?
Paul presented himself as a Jew to the Jews, obeyed the law so as not to offend those under the law, when he was with gentiles he set aside the ceremonial law so that he could relate to them all for the purpose of presenting the gospel unhindered.

So, should I be a democrat around democrats, republicans around republicans, and libertine around libertarians? Should I be for taxes and then against taxes depending on whom I am with? I think the Apostle would tell me that there is nothing more important then sharing Christ and everything else (political) belongs to Creaser. He probably would submit himself to any government regulation (that wasn’t contrary to God’s word) and focus on the proclamation of the gospel.

So today I want you to answer my conundrum. Should the Christian stand apart from politics so that he won’t polarize himself from those he wants to reach with the gospel? Should the gospel be the only thing that should offend people? Step up, what do you think?

Paul’s Revolution – Day 10

Pit-bulls are neutered free. So when I took my dachshund to have him clipped I introduced him as my Pit-bull. They didn’t believe me. Well, the other night (at my sons college) some of the students wanted to see my dogs, who were asleep in the Jeep. So I took them out and let the dogs run around while everyone admired them. No one noticed the pit-bull who stealthily came up behind us, except for my dachshund, Tobi. He lunged after the pit-bull ferociously barking and snarling. I was like, NOOOO! One bite and my dachshund would be just a dach with no shund. Stephen took Mysti (the black lab who was totally unaware) and I went for Tobi (trying to keep myself from being bit). To my surprise the pit-bull moved quickly away from Tobi. I couldn’t tell if he was slightly scared, surprised, or merely annoyed. But my vicious little dachshund won the day.

It was a David and Goliath moment. That is how I feel when it comes to my relationship with the government. Who am I to say anything or do anything that will really matter? They are so big and unmovable. All I will do is irritate them and they will come after me and bite my head off. That’s why most of us don’t stand up for right when the government intrudes in our lives unfairly or unjustly. We don’t want to end up on their bad list.

For evil to triumph all it takes is for good people to do nothing. We have a right and responsibility speak up and speak out. We don’t have to be rude, disrespectful, or mean, but we need to be passionate, reasonable and persistent. So where does it start? That’s a good question and I am glad you asked.

I have never been one to be involved with local politics but that is where we can have the greatest impact. Local governments are more responsive to their constituents because they live in the same communities. Some of the highest taxes are our property taxes. We have to hold our local government responsible to keeping the budget in check and our taxes to a minimum. Of course that will depend on what the community believes is a need, a necessity, or a right in relation to community services. The more we require of the government the more our taxes will go up. We can’t have it both ways—low taxes and an abundance of government services.

The larger the community the more people disengage as participants in their local politics and then when taxes are out of hand or the government’s intrusion is unbearable we scratch our heads and wonder what happened. What would it take for us to be more active in our community politics? Start by being informed. We have a right to know what our city spends money on and why they collect the fees and taxes they do. Be informed and then help inform other people. We each have to be responsible for our own finances, and we have a right to hold our politicians to being responsible with the money we have entrusted them with. It’s not their money to do with whatever they want. It is our money given in trust for the common good. Don’t stick your head in the sand – be informed. Now, where is that pit-bull? I think it needs a leash.

Paul’s Revolution – Day 9

There comes a moment in every revolution where the dark secrets of the revolutionaries must come to light. It is therefore necessary for me to come clean. I must confess -- I like Country Music! Which brings me today. As I travel from Houston to Illinois I switch between talk radio and whatever local country station I can find. A new song to me was “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert. The singer goes back to her childhood home hoping to connect with her roots. She hopes that by remembering her roots she would be able to live through the pain in her life. Of course, her home had been filled with love and acceptance.

A democracy (or really any government) will stand only as strong as its basic unit – the family. When the family begins to fall into disarray there is moral drift, and moral drift leads to narcissism and narcissism leads to relativism. When a country embraces relativism there can never be consensus on what is important because importance is determine by the individual. In the confusion those who control power will lead by default and the downfall of a democratic society secured. Society becomes the family and the decisions that are made are for the benefit of the family (often at the expense of the individual).

The only way for American Democracy to survive is to focus on the family, passing laws that support the family, and creating infrastructures that are pro-family. It is within strong families that children learn the moral values of caring, compassion, justice, self-sufficiency, honesty, and community. Yet, there are no easy remedies. The family has been fragmented by a culture that is more interested in producing quality cars than quality kids. Our children grow up with babysitters, sit in front of television, left alone to surf the net, and spend countless hours playing video games. The average teen from 18 to 22 years of age spends 25.6 hours a week on the Internet. I asked some college students about this statistic and they were surprised it was so low.

Most families couldn’t return to a single income family if they wanted to. Because of our insatiable hunger for new and better stuff we don’t have time to build character into the lives our children. In fact we have given that task over to the school system – and the state becomes the parent. I am not calling for a return but to a renewal; a commitment to teach our children the value of hard work, sacrifice, and supporting themselves and eventually their own families. Our culture believes that new is better, but like the scriptures say we need to return to the ancient paths for they are good. Sit down with one of your children today or tomorrow and talk with them about what they would like to see the world to be like and begin teaching them the character necessary to get there.

Paul's Revolution -- Day 8

The Ukrainian parliament was in an uproar. People where fighting, eggs were being thrown, and people being trampled. Is this how civil people behave in a civil society? Of course different cultures do have different ways of interacting politically. The British Parliament is often loud with those on opposite sides yelling in disagreement. In the US there seems to be a little more decorum on the floor with clapping for favorable responses and the occasional booing or even the rare “He’s lying”, but more often then not it is rather boring. A little fisticuffs might liven things up.

How should Christians respond in the midst of political upheaval? After all there is a difference between making your position known passionately and being down right rude. Two passages of scripture, I think, should guide a Christian’s public discourse: 1) Jesus said, “love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you.” 2). “Speak the truth in love.” Yeah, even 3). “Leave room for the wrath of God.”

Jesus’ statement of love towards enemies was directed to Jews who hated and loathed the Roman Empire. It would seem that in Jesus’ mind there was no room for violent revolt but rather of confrontation through love. In this way Christians are to heap burning coals on those who are against them. Love always seeks the other person’s interest above our own, and of course the biggest concern for all non-believers is that they hear the truth of the gospel of Christ.

However, in a Republic such as ours we have the civic responsibility to speak out when we don’t like what the government is doing. The question is how that is done. When the scriptures says that we are to speak the truth it qualifies the tone in which we are to make that declaration – love. Truth stands on its own, and it can be spoken passionately, but if that passion conveys contempt, hate, bitterness, etc., then the believer has crossed the line. I was listening to a TV preacher rail against the President, not in reasoned tones, but in angry mockery. It was a tone that stirred his followers but not one that was for the purpose of reasoned debate, reconciliation, or even redemption. Politics sometimes is a means by which people club others with self-righteous indignation.

The scriptures say that we are not to seek revenge but rather leave room for the wrath of God. As believers speak the truth in love they will face subtle and overt opposition. Some will retaliate with words and others with violence. Believers are to respond in love, hands open, not fists up. Does this mean we should never exhibit righteous indignation? There are times and issues that we should, but because we are constantly wrestling with this sinful flesh we need to be very careful to judge whether our anger is without sin. However, if we leave judgment to God then we can utilize our energies to speak truth in love and move people closer to Christ, and thus, enact real change.

This goes to my final point. President Obama is our president and we should respect the office even if we don’t respect the actions and beliefs of the individual. The scripture says we are to be subject to the governing authority and pray for them. Dare I add that we should speak with kindness and respect and give the President his due. We would ask no less from others if a true Christian conservative were in the Whitehouse. Can there really be civility in a civilized nation? Christians need to lead the way.

Paul’s Revolution – Day 7

Trying to maintain a revolution while packing to move isn’t easy. There are so many interruptions. It makes one wonder how any revolution got off the ground. Right when I think I am ready to move forward Rebecca calls me to take out the trash. Even revolutionaries have to do household chores.

One reader has asked: Even if President Obama doesn’t conform to biblical Christian ideals, does that mean there isn’t anything that he does good that Christians can work with?

The Scripture says that God has established every government. God raises and brings down governments according to His will and plan. Especially in the Old Testament we see that God uses pagan governments to accomplish his plan. Of course most of the time he uses them as a tool of judgment or discipline on His people Israel. It is God’s sovereignty that provides hope when Christians have lived under repressive regimes.

The United States is unique (democratic governments in general) in all of history. The scriptures were written in a time when Christians had little or no say in the affairs of government and therefore their obedience to their authority (as long as it did not conflict with God’s will) was an example of their obedience to God. Today, however, we live in a country where we have the right to voice our praise or objections as part of our obligations as citizens. Christians have an opportunity to participate and shape the type of civil and political culture in which we want to live. If we retreat from this participation then we have no right to voice disapproval about things we don’t like, but as we participate we have a right to be heard and have our views considered.

The challenge is that in this form of government we are brought together with others who do not have our belief system or moral convictions. How do you work to accomplish the common good with people who do not have the same convictions? The one extreme is to take the passage that says we are not to be unequally yoked to mean that we should isolate ourselves from all those who think and believe differently and form small Christians communes. The other extreme is to embrace (tolerate) everything because peace is of greater value than moral and theological purity. Neither, really, is acceptable. Christians are called to live in the world and not be of the world, which means there is a constant tension we have to endure while trying to create change for all.

Ultimately, as Christians, our goal is to bring the good news of Christ to all that they might come to know the Father through Jesus’ redemptive act. To truly have a moral culture a changed life in Christ is the only remedy. We can legislate morality but that won’t change people (though laws are important to stem the tide of evil). So, are there things that pagan people bring to the table that are good and useful to a civilized society? The answer is (drum roll please) – Yes. All truth is God’s truth and there is much that can be learned from those outside the faith. So while working with unbelievers to better our society we need to live within the tension that the good they have to offer will only be of temporary value, because unredeemed man will always spiral into sin and destruction. It is the proclamation of the gospel that will truly bring about a changed culture. Jesus said he came to bring a sword. I believe what he meant was that the gospel is so radical that those who oppose it will ultimately do so with hatred and vengeance. Those who put themselves in the public forum and hold true to the gospel will always find themselves being attacked. But blessed are those who are hated for His Name sake.