Of Dogs and Saints: Mutts One And All

I love dogs. All dogs. Big and small, scruffy, slobbery, refined... having a dog in one's life is one of life's great pleasures.

My last dog was a mutt. She may not have been a show dog (because, after all, one must be a pure bred to be considered worthy of such an honor. Or some such nonsense.), but she was beautiful. Part golden retriever, part black lab, she was short and blonde. She shed her fur uncontrollably. She loved to jump up with excitement whenever my wife or I came into the room. She was well-behaved, loyal, loving. She may not have been some judge's idea of a perfect dog, but she was the perfect dog for us. No breeding certificate necessary.

But just as some people erroneously believe the only worthwhile dog is the one that fits some nonsensical definition of picture perfect, we often wind up with the same view when it comes to God's children. We have this idea in our minds of what a Picture-perfect Christian looks like. How Christians are "supposed to" act. The music they're "supposed to" listen to. How they're "supposed to" dress.

When I was in high school, I had a subscription to a magazine for "Christian" teens. Or at least, the publisher's idea of a Christian teen. I don't remember much about it, but one article -- or at least the visual elements of the article -- is still seared into my head. On the left was their idea of an "extreme" teenager. His hair was slightly in his eyes (this is the 90s, remember). He wore very nice jeans. His tie-dye shirt may or may not have been tucked in. The image on the right was an Amish kid. The other "extreme." In the middle stood the publisher's ideal Christian Young Man: neatly parted hair, wrinkle-free slacks, polo shirt. This, the article suggested, was how one dressed as a Christian. The Uniform of the Holy.

Honestly, it made me wonder whether I could walk with Jesus if I didn't own an iron.

The truth is, though, there are no pure bred Christians. We are, none of us, picture-perfect in any way that actually matters to the Living God. Can anyone honestly believe our sinful wretchedness is more palatable to the Most High if we but listen to the right music, say the right words, and wear the right coordinating socks?

The Apostle Paul was a Jew's Jew. A Chosen Man from among the Chosen People. Here are his words: This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).

Only by the blood of Jesus Christ can I enter the presence of God. And only by my living like Him will I show the World that I am His. We've created all these trappings. All these arbitrary rules for being a Christian. Yet the deepest desire of Christ is for all of us adopted mutts to go tell the rest of the mutts He wants them, too. Fat or skinny. Shaggy or well-groomed. With papers or without. Big, clumsy, sloppy, shedding. He wants you to know He loves you. Come as you are, chief of all sinners, and find Grace.

In Whom We What?!

Did you know that on this date -- July 30 -- in 1956 the phrase "In God We Trust" was adopted as the official United States motto? We meant it so much, we printed it on our money.

Consider those words. "In God we trust." But what does it mean?

Whenever I want insight into a word, my first stop is the dictionary. "Trust," it turns out has multiple, but similar, meanings. For example, it can mean "to have confidence in; rely or depend on." Or, "to believe." Or -- and I love this one -- "to commit or consign with confidence."

So, in God -- the Creator of the Universe, the Salvation of Man, the Provider, the Giver, the Father -- in God we have confidence; in Him we believe. In our God we commit and consign our very lives with confidence.

The important thing here is not how we say it, but that we understand we can do it. We can gladly and confidently commit our lives -- put our lives in -- the hands of God.

Psalm 20:7, says "some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Can you imagine if we as a nation applied that to our national motto?

But what about you, personally? Do you trust in the trappings of the world to meet your needs? Or do you trust in the name of God?

Psalm 52:8-9 says:

I am like an olive tree
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
For what you have done I will always praise you
    in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
    for your name is good.

We serve a God who created us; created this world; created this entire universe. A God who so loved His creation that He sent His only son as a sacrifice and payment for our debt of sin. A God who reaches out, even now, to reconcile with his wayward children.  Do you trust that God with your whole life? Do you trust Him to satisfy your needs? Do you trust His will for your life?

The things we trust in this world will crumble, fade, rust, and die. I choose to trust a God who lives -- and loves -- eternally.

American Laodicea

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
²² “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’” (Revelation 3:14-22 KJV)

If the above isn't a picture of the American church, I honestly don't know what is. How many of us have truly known real need, or lack, of anything? How many of us have truly faced persecution? How many of us have truly had our commitment tested?

I think something all American Christians understand on some level is that there is a prevalent problem in American churches. The real problem isn't that we are judgmental or apathetic. It isn't that we're too wrapped up in tradition and resistant to change on the one hand, or too willing to compromise the Gospel on the other. Rather, these are symptoms of the greater sin in the American Church. 

The sin of the Church of America -- as in the Laodicean Church in Revelation 3 -- is complacency. Mediocrity. Willingness to settle for so much less than what God has to offer, and to give so much less than we can offer back to Him. The American church has had it easy -- too easy -- for so long that we've forgotten how to need passionately and rely fully on the grace and power of the Almighty.

But God is an all or nothing kind of God. When it comes to Grace, He holds nothing back. Instead, He gave all of Himself -- even the life of Jesus Christ, the Son -- to bring His children back to Him. He is generous in compassion and mercy. Jesus said in Matthew 7 that as much as we, sinful people, hold nothing back from our own children, "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Is it any wonder, then, that He asks the same from those who claim to serve Him? He set before us a perfect, unattainable example. What He asks of us is that we give Him everything we are, as imperfect as it is, and let Him use it all for His glory. 

Christ didn't go halfway when it came to His love for us. There is no halfway when it comes to serving Him. 

Instant Coffee Christianity

I may have mentioned once or twice, I'm a coffee drinker. Actually, I'm what some might call obsessive about my coffee. When I can afford to be, I'm even a coffee snob. As one might expect, given my feelings about coffee, I have an equally strong opinion about instant coffee. In short, I believe it is a crime against humanity.

Basically, to get instant coffee, manufacturers brew actual coffee, and then freeze-dry it. You take it home, add it to water, and viola, "coffee." If you're into that sort of thing. I recall a commercial several years ago, where an instant coffee company claimed they were going into a restaurant and replacing actual coffee with their instant concoction and seeing if anyone noticed. Of course, none of the paid actors did -- and some even suggested it was the best cup they've ever had. Anyone who's ever drank both instant coffee and the real thing, however, knows that this is obviously nonsense.

It's not that it isn't real coffee -- it is. But it lacks something. A robustness. A depth. Compared to a quality cup, brewed from freshly ground beans, instant coffee is just... thin. Instant coffee certainly has its uses -- the satisfaction of a quick caffeine fix -- but flavor isn't one of them.

Similarly, many Christians are content to settle for a kind of instant Christianity. They'll attend church twice a week. Sing songs. Listen to a sermon. Put some money in the offering plate. But throughout the week, they lack relationship with God. Life gets in the way. Work, kids, social obligations... our day fills up pretty fast. This is me on many, many days. A quick, silent prayer, my God fix is in, and I get on with my day.

It works, I guess. Gets the job done. But oh! What a shallow faith that is! To go to church and enjoy the worship of authentic Christians, only to freeze dry the experience and supply myself with a watered-down version throughout the week!

I wonder: if I was as demanding in the quality of the time I spend with my God as I am when it comes to quality of my coffee, would my devotion pass the test? Would I find a faith deep and robust, rich and satisfying? Would my faith be a realization of Christ's promise of an abundance of life? Or would I find it thin; a tinny-tasting approximation of the real thing?

Of Rats and Their Flutes

Most people are familiar with the fairy tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The infamous rat catcher, who lured rodents from the village with his magical pipe, was then denied the fee he had requested. Enraged, he led the children from their homes, just as he had the rats, never to be seen again. What wonders, what delights, the children must have imagined when they heard him play! Whatever it was, they heard his music, and followed him, destination unknown.

I used to converse with a woman who claimed to be psychic. I asked her how she knew she was talking to the spirit of the dead, rather than, for example, something demonic. "Well," she responded. "You trust your feelings. Good spirits give you a feeling of warmth and love, while evil spirits make you feel anxious or afraid."

That explanation, I'm afraid, doesn't make sense on any level.

Wouldn't it be nice if bad people acted in such a way that you just immediately knew they were bad? The Deposed Prince of Whereeverstan, for example, could start his constant emails to you with, "Dear sir or madam, I'm a con-man, and I'd like to give you the opportunity to send me your bank account information so I can steal from you." But that's not how it works. Instead, they try to appeal to your nature: your greed, perhaps, or even your generosity. They find a way into your life, and then turn you against yourself and reap the rewards.

Doesn't it make sense that the enemy of God would work the same way? Doesn't it make sense that, if Satan were to appear to you in an attempt to lead you astray, he would come in a way that would be comforting and inviting? Doesn't it make sense that the wrong thing to do would be made to seem like the right thing?

And indeed, not only Satan, but all who work (knowingly or otherwise) in his service act in exactly that manner.

 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Sin seems right. Nobody wants to think of himself as a "bad person," and so we convince ourselves of the rightness of what we want to do. But do not be deceived. Sin feels good for the exact purpose of leading you away from God's will. False teachers tickle your ears and make you feel good about yourself because they (whether they know it or not) are leading you away from God. God's truths are hard. The way to Heaven is narrow and difficult. Ear-tickling sermons and feel-good temptations are nothing more than a pied piper, leading you away from the Truth of God.

A Perfect Family

Have you ever have a friend, while you were growing up, who you thought belonged to the perfect family? You know the one: Mom and Dad seemed to have it all together. The kids were happy. They seemed to want for nothing. Maybe, for some of your friends, yours was that family.

My own family was for many of my friends. But we were no Rockwell painting. Dad never called me "Sport" or "Champ." There were arguments my friends never knew about. There were things we wanted, or wanted to do, that we simply couldn't afford. However, looking back, that wasn't the sort of thing my friends envied anyway. What they saw was a lucky kid with two parents who loved fiercely and completely; who went out of their way to provide, when they could, for their children's happiness; who loved one another and were unashamed of it.

No, an earthly family can never be picture perfect. But a family built on a foundation of love doesn't need to be.

As a part of the Family of God, I often wonder whether the world peers in our church windows, longing for the joy they see in the house of God, in the same way some of my friends longed for the togetherness and fellowship they saw in my childhood home.

It sure seems like they should be.

As long as we're in a fallen world, maybe a perfect family -- even a perfect Church family -- isn't possible. Yet, Acts 2 gives us a glimpse into a day in the life of a family I know I long to be a part of.

 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)

Imagine if the world looked through our windows, and saw the family of God looking like that. Can you imagine anyone not wanting to come in and be a part of it? Or their joy upon being invited to do so?

Wrong Way, Israel

Today is Wrong Way Corrigan Day: a day created to celebrate as a hero a man who is famous for flying in the wrong direction.

Douglas Corrigan, a pilot in New York, had applied to fly from there to Dublin, Ireland in the mid-1930s, only to be turned down because his plane was in poor condition and he didn't have the necessary experience. He applied again, and was again denied. So, he applied for a flight to California instead. The story goes, onlookers were surprised as he headed east instead of west. As he dropped below the clouds again, he was, he says, shocked to find himself above the ocean. Miraculously, he ended up in Dublin -- right where he'd wanted to fly in the first place. Upon his return, his pilot's license was revoked, but he was thrown a ticker tape parade in New York City and welcomed back a hero.

If the ancient nation of Israel is famous for anything (I mean, besides being specifically chosen by God to carry out His will for mankind), it's for consistently going the wrong direction. Yet, in spite of their constant disobedience to God, and in spite of wandering homeless in the wilderness for 40 years, they eventually wound up right where God wanted them.

Samson, a Judge of Israel and set apart as a Nazirite, also messed up constantly, finally even allowing himself to be so defiled as to lose the strength given to him by God. Yet this mistake put him in a position to destroy many of Israel's enemies, the Philistines.

King David allowed lust to control his actions, committed first adultery, and then murder. But the woman whose hand he won in these misdeeds, Bathsheba, would mother the direct line of Jesus Christ.

God has a place for each of us. A plan for our lives. We mess it up, inserting our own frail ideas, and may well find ourselves off-course. Circumstances may arise to make us believe we'll never fulfill God's plan. But through His strength -- and not our own -- He will ultimately bring us exactly where He wants us to be. Even if we have to wander around 40 years to get there.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:28-29)

Only The Lonely

I can't speak for everyone, but it seems the darkest periods in my life were when I was at my loneliest. It's a
funny thing, loneliness. Okay, maybe not "ha ha" funny, but it's strange. You can be surrounded -- even by friends -- and still feel a deep longing and sadness. Nearly my entire Sophomore year in college was marked by this sort of inexplicable depression. I had friends -- great friends! I belonged. And yet, I was lonely.

I've looked back on this period in my life often, with great curiosity. It took me until years later to realize that the enemy -- Satan -- will use whatever arrows are in his quiver to keep you from doing as God desires. If you allow him, he will whisper in your ear tales of worthlessness and friendlessness, doubts about the friends you have, questions about your value to others. And when you listen, that loneliness creeps in, slowly at first, and building into something almost intolerable. It's broken many, and still more will walk with a spiritual limp as a reminder of the struggle.

By the grace of God, I remain unbroken, and most days the limp is barely noticeable. There are days, to be sure, when a shadow of doubt will still creep in. As my arthritic knees -- constant reminders of an injury in my youth -- will creak and ache on humid days, so my limping soul will under certain conditions begin to seize and groan with the memory of past hurt.

But we're not alone. No matter what the Devil is whispering in our ears, no matter how bleak our lives can look while we're in the midst of a sea of self-doubt, our God is standing with His hands reaching out. Just as He reached for Peter when his doubt caused him to sink in the raging waters, He grasps our hands and waits for us to refocus on Him and climb back to His level.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us "God is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Who is hurting in your life? Is there one who is lonely or brokenhearted? We -- you and I -- are the arms of Christ. The physical manifestation of His love for His children.

James 1:27 reminds us that the very essence of religion is ministry to the lonely.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

We are never alone. When we are at our loneliest, the enemy says nobody cares. But it's a lie.  You have value. You have value to God, and you have value to those around you. Don't believe the words of an enemy who wants to see you fall. Believe instead the words of the God who made you, who loves you, and who can't wait to have you by His side.

Oh Lord, Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Expanded Edition)

The case of Justin Carter -- a Texas teen jailed for making an unfortunate sarcastic comment at the wrong time in history -- has prompted me to return to a familiar theme. This, minus some additions added below,  was originally posted in September of last year.

Oh, Lord, Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

We live in a technological age which makes it both easy and convenient to communicate without speaking. This has not, of course, come without a price. I dare say while our ability to communicate has increased exponentially,  our skill at doing so has suffered greatly. We talk about everything -- our pets, our fears, our baggage -- without actually saying anything. And when we do have something to say, meanings can be lost in a digital world of typewritten words without voice or inflection. We have gained efficiency at the price of nuance.

What I mean to say is, thanks to technology, we can now be misunderstood, misrepresented, and accidentally offensive at greater speeds and rates than ever before. Turn that into a marketing slogan.

Some of being misunderstood, of course, is the fault of the listener. Communication is, after all, a two-way street. Sometimes this is willful misunderstanding -- a person may simply choose to ignore what you mean in order to attack what you said (we'll explore those motives another time). And sometimes, it is simply a genuine misapprehension.  This is something with which Jesus dealt throughout his entire ministry. His own disciples, in fact, were notorious for just not getting it.

The key, however, to being understood more often lies, not with the listener, but with you: the speaker. How easy it is to say the wrong thing! And when the internet, or a text message is involved, even easier. Because then, you don't have to see the face of the person. You're not held responsible, by that look of hurt or passing anger,  for the things you have said, no matter how well-intentioned.

But the Bible warns us about the danger inherent in our tongues. That, in fact, communication is itself potentially a deadly weapon. Proverbs 12:18 says, "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." 

If Solomon had known about Facebook,  maybe he would have mentioned fingers, too. 


And now, an addendum.  

As easy as it is to say the wrong thing online, it's just as easy to point an accusing finger. To infer meaning in what was said and become offended over our own interpretations -- whether they are accurate or not! In a world where clarification seems to be key, it's so much easier to make assumptions about meaning instead of simply asking; to ignore the evidence of past encounters, and assume the worst about the person who made the offending comment. 

In short, while we've lost the fine art of nuance in this new, digital age, it seems that, in a world of instant information, we've also lost our capacity for Grace.

Independent?

Ask somebody with an addiction whether they believe -- truly believe -- they are free. I've heard a lot of people who have said they have no interest in Christ because they want to live their own lives... but it sort of begs the question, doesn't it? There's an assumption that a relationship with Christ is some sort of shackle, but that, without religion in your life, you're "free" to do what you want. But is it true? Ask somebody addicted to alcohol, or gambling, or pornography, or nicotine... ask that person whether they are truly "free."

Bob Dylan famously sang "You Gotta Serve Somebody," noting that, no matter who you are, you live a life serving somebody. From ambassadors to gamblers to rock stars, "well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you’re gonna have to serve somebody."

Scripture says, whether we know it or not, we're already slaves. And I think when we're really honest with ourselves -- in those dark moments of self-doubt and hidden guilt -- we get it.

¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
 ...
²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!  (Romans 6)

But Jesus declares (Luke 4:18) He has come to "proclaim freedom for the prisoners!" He makes us independent from the heavy burden of sin by yoking us to Himself instead. And unlike the weight and consequence of a life of sin, He says, "my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30)."

Certainly, Paul declares, in Romans 6, that when we are in Christ, we are slaves, instead, to Righteousness (vs 18).  But, as it turns out, you gotta serve somebody. The wages of sin is Death. And, let's face it, the consequences in life aren't always all they're cracked up to be either. But in Christ is freedom from the burden, guilt, and shame of sin. In Christ is life. 

When we depend on Christ, we can become independent of our sinful natures. For those critics who say we're just trading one master for another, here's the difference: in sin, we are shackled. In Christ, we are yoked together, working as one, with the One who created us, loves us, and leads us to Life. 

God Forgot

"Love is patient. Love is kind." You don't even have to be a biblical scholar to be familiar with the description in 1 Corinthians 13, of all the things love is. Chances are, if you've attended a wedding, pretty much ever, you've heard these words. "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (vs.4)" But did you know love is also forgetful?

True story. Listen to verse 5: "It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

If there's a better description of forgiveness, I don't know what it is. It's not a mere matter of accepting an apology. Love eliminates the wrongdoing from the dynamic of the relationship.  

Now, we know from 1 John 4:8 that God, Himself, is Love. It's not just that he loves us, it's that Love is who He is. It's his very essence and nature. This means that, when we read 1 Corinthians 13 -- the Love Chapter -- what we're really getting is a crash course in the personhood of our Heavenly Father. God is patient and kind. And God keeps no record of wrongs. 

This means that, once we recognize the sin in our lives, recognize God for who He is, accept our blame for what we've done and the Grace of Christ who died as a final sacrifice, we are reconciled with God, and our past is gone. In our humanity, to be sure, we still deal with the consequences of what we've done... but as far as our relationship with God is concerned, our past sin is simply no longer a part of the equation. 

Now here's a mystery: we know from Scripture that God is omniscient -- that is, all-knowing. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10 and Luke 12 that even the hairs on our heads are numbered. Yet, He does not remember our sin. How is this possible? How is it possible that a God who knows everything has separated us from our misdeeds "as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12)," and remembers them no more (Isaiah 43:25)? 

Put simply: Because, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the grace of the Almighty, those sins no longer exist.

Looking Backward -- and Looking Ahead

Today marks the beginning of the second half of the year. Just another six months remain of 2013. Seems like it's a good time to take stock of where we are now. For me, the new year represented a chance to recommit my life in service to God.

So how have I done in that pursuit? Have I made the effort to walk closer with Him, or have I merely paid lip service to the idea of serving Christ more? Like, I think, many of us, I fear I have to admit there were plenty of days in which I simply wasn't deliberate about acting out my faith. Days when, given the choice between finding ways to serve or doing nothing at all, I chose the couch over the mission field.

Make no mistake: serving God is a choice we make -- and it's a choice we make daily. Eventually -- maybe sooner than we think -- we will be called to account for the gifts we've been given. Like the three servants (Matthew 25:14-30), we will be asked what we did with the Talents -- the time, resources, and skills -- we were given. Did we hide what we had in a hole? Did we make a minimum investment? Or did we take the step of faith in the God who gave us those resources, and use them to further His kingdom?

When my wife sold Mary Kay cosmetics, I remember she had a couple of inspirational pictures she would look at. Goals, more or less. Things that would help her mark success as a Mary Kay consultant. The pink Cadillac SUV was one. This is a fairly common practice among those who work to achieve a goal: find a way to visualize that goal, and keep it in front of you, as a way to inspire success.

Paul suggests similar inspiration in Philippians 3: "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (vs 14)."

Paul's words to Timothy are my Pink Cadillac.  When I don't want to go on... when I'd rather sit in front of the TV than serve my community and my God... I have in front of me the example of Paul. He had plenty of trouble -- certainly more trouble than mere apathy -- yet, he chose daily to serve his God in such a way that, when he knew his time was coming to an end, he could look back without regret. He could look on the life he lived, and know that, when it came down to it, he had spent his life in service to God and His church.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)