Losing Your Balance

Photo credit:  Melinda Sue Gordon/Sony Pictures

An interview with actor Brad Pitt highlighted an ongoing problem in Christianity.

Recently as I drove to meet my wife for lunch, I heard a familiar voice on the radio.  After listening for a few minutes I remembered that the voice belonged to the American actor Brad Pitt.

In the interview, being conducted by NPR's Terry Gross, Mr. Pitt recalled how Christianity made an impact on his early life, but also how he ultimately went away from it.  He said that there were "many other reasons" for his departure, but one of them that he chose to highlight caught my attention because it resonated with some of my experience with Christianity, and maybe it will resonate with you as well.  The reason can be explained in one word, exclusiveness.

The Balancing Act

Many balancing acts exist in Christianity, a key one being the balance between exclusiveness (being separate) and inclusiveness (being inviting).  The Bible speaks many times of the need for a distinction between believers and nonbelievers.  We read in the Old Testament section of the Bible where God and His prophets repeatedly tell the nation of Israel how and why it needs to be separate from the surrounding nations and their false systems of worship.

We also see the separation in the New Testament in many of the teachings of Jesus especially in the parables recorded in Matthew 25 (foolish vs. wise virgins, resourceful vs. lazy servants, sheep vs. goats). The apostle Paul spoke of separating from those who did not believe the truth; especially from those who had a superficial theology (as we will look at later in this post).  So the Bible states that a time and place exists for exclusivity, but what happens when this exclusiveness becomes unbalanced?

Why Don't They Get To Go To Heaven Then?

You have people asking questions like that one.  This question came from a young Brad Pitt as he struggled with Christianity.  The full quotation goes as follows.

"I was very curious about the world even at a young age, and I don't know at what point I became aware that other cultures believed in different religions, and my question was, 'Well, why don't they get to go to heaven then?' And the answer was always, 'Well, everyone gets a chance — meaning at the word of God as it was described to me then. And that didn't sit well with me then."

Many people have asked that question or at least have had a sense of uneasiness about the subject.  That group included me, at least until I discovered this passage in the book of Romans.

"For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life."  Romans 2-13-16 (NLT)

In this passage, the apostle Paul highlighted this concept as a way of contrasting the behavior of apparent outsiders (the Gentiles) with the proclaimed insiders (the Jews).  Key thoughts being that the Gentiles did not have to hear the law to fulfill its requirements, and that God will judge people by how they live, not by what they have heard.  So if such relatively plain texts exist then why do we still have the exclusive/inclusive argument, are we neglecting the root of the problem?

The Root of the Problem

Behind an imbalanced view of the exclusive/inclusive concept, a much deeper one exists; an incomplete picture of God.  Why do people have an incomplete picture?  They get it from His professed followers.  Followers of an inviting God often use religion as a barrier between God and those who want to come to Him.  They like things the way they are, and don't want any "sinners" to interfere with life as usual.  The very same problem that the Roman believers had centuries ago continues today with similar results, people hungering for something more are left feeling empty and isolated.  So how do we solve such a problem?

Solving the Problem

To paraphrase a popular saying, we need to be the change that we want to see in the world.  If we want a more balanced Christianity, we must ourselves be more balanced.  If we want Christianity to be more inviting, we need to be more inviting.  If we want people to have a complete picture of God, then we need to have one ourselves.  All this only comes from having a deeper relationship with God.

What incomplete picture of God did you once have or continue to have?  Share in the comments section.

Looking for You

"Seeking the Lost Sheep in the Mountains"
courtesy La Vista Church of Christ

God is looking for you, even if we don't think we are worth the effort.

There is one fact that I want you to be perfectly clear about, and that is that God loves you.  We have heard people say a lot about God loving the world (if we hear even that much), and often lose sight of the fact that He loves us as  individuals.  It doesn't matter what we have done, or even what we are doing right now, He still loves us; loves me; loves you.

Many stories exist that, in one way or another, try to illustrate that love.  The one I read most recently involves a man who owned some sheep, a hundred of them to be exact.  Now at the end of the day when he brought all the sheep in from grazing, it seems as though one was missing.  He counts again, and sure enough, only ninety-nine sheep.  He could have thought that it was too much trouble to go out into the darkness to find this one sheep.  He could have thought that the lost sheep will get what it deserves for wandering away.  He could have thought up so many excuses not to go out, but instead he chose to look for that one lost sheep.

A storm started to brew, but that did not deter him.  It only served to increase the earnestness of his search.  Despite the darkness of the night and the danger of the path, he searches until at long last he hears the faint sound of his lost sheep.  He can tell that if he doesn't get to it soon it will be too late, and with great joy he at last finds it.  He doesn't scold or punish the sheep, but rather takes it in his arms and brings it to the place of safety.  It didn't matter what the sheep had done, he was simply glad to bring it home.

One writer put it this way

"Desponding soul, take courage, even though you have done wickedly. Do not think that perhaps God will pardon your transgressions and permit you to come into His presence. God has made the first advance. While you were in rebellion against Him, He went forth to seek you. With the tender heart of the shepherd He left the ninety and nine and went out into the wilderness to find that which was lost."  Christ's Object Lessons pgs. 188-189

One of the greatest lies going around is the one that states that we have gone too far, committed too many sins to be loved by a holy God, but that could not be further from the truth.  However far we have gone, He will go even farther to bring us to Him.  Don't worry about trying to fix yourself ahead of time, simply allow yourself to be found, and He will find you because He is looking for you.

The Ultimate Valentine

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 KJV

As of last night and especially this morning I had a desire to write something about Valentine's Day.  I didn't know exactly what to write until just a few moments ago.  If you only remember one thing from this post, I want it to be the fact that Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Valentine for you.

As is often the case, when a holiday comes around I like to look at its history.  So yesterday I went to the good people over at The History Channel to see what they had to say.  Here is what they said.

 

I won't go repeat much of what you just saw except the line at the end which states that even though you may not be able to purchase the gift that you want to give, the poets were right.  Love is really all you need.  It is the Ultimate Love that I want you to have.

Too much of this day is focused on the things of this earth:  gifts, cards, flowers, etc.  These things are all well and good, if done responsibly, and especially if you have someone to give these things to or receive them from.  For many people this day is a day of loneliness, a day of frustration, a day of despair.  If you are one of these people, and even if you are not, the Ultimate Valentine is for you.

The Ultimate Valentine is, naturally, Jesus Christ.  According to the Bible verse written above God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory.  Jesus Christ is the instrument in which God supplies all our need.

The Valentine gifts we receive and give are but tokens of our love and affection, but the gift God gave in the person of Jesus Christ was not merely a representation of His love, it was His love for us.  So if you are in need of something or someone this Valentine's Day look no further than the One Who emptied heaven itself so that we could have all the things that He has, and (most importantly) someday soon be where He is as well.

The Final Arrest

No man, even the apostle Paul, is an island.

Well, those evil Jews were at it again. I really shouldn't be surprised at the lengths these men went through to get rid of Paul, but this surprised me. In this chapter it is written that they accused Paul of setting Rome ablaze. The anti-Christian sentiment was so strong at the time that it didn't take much to make the accusation stick. Paul was arrested, and instead of a nice house, he was put into a gloomy dungeon.

Many of his friends had left the city for one reason or another, and he valued those who stayed that much more. A key person was Luke who "was a great comfort to Paul and enabled him to communicate with his brethren and the world without" (pg. 490). Another friend who stayed was Onesiphorous.

This warmhearted Ephesian did all in his power to lighten the burden of the apostle's imprisonment. His beloved teacher was in bonds for the truth's sake, while he himself went free, and he spared himself no effort to make Paul's lot more bearable. pg. 490

We all need each other. Even Jesus wanted the sympathy of His disciples while at Gethsemane. Those who spend their lives in service of others still need to be ministered to once in a while. May we all be more attuned to the needs of others and do our best to fulfill them.

Hearing the Groans

Psalm 102:18-20 ¹⁸ Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: ¹⁹ "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, ²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death."

Even though God is in heaven, He is not immune our suffering down here on earth.

Psalm 102 is and interesting psalm. The subtitle is "A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD." It is a mixture of suffering and salvation. I'm focusing on my chosen passage mainly because the author of the psalm wanted people to remember the statement recorded there. It is much like a person today giving a speech and saying, "If you remember one thing, remember this." We are a people prone to forget, so I hope that by focusing on this text, we may remember it a little more easily.

The thought put forth is an important one, and one that is often forgotten when we are suffering. It is that the God in heaven is affected by our suffering here on earth. Not only does He hear the groans of those who are literally prisoners and condemned to die, but He also hears the groans of those who are prisoners of sin and condemned as a result. He has compassion upon us and will release us from our bondage.

God is not, as some people have said, a sort of heavenly watchmaker who wound up this world and left it to its own devices. He personally cares for each and everyone one of us down here. That fact alone should give us hope. That fact alone should give us peace. That fact alone should give us a reason to praise the Lord. We are not alone.

I am Not Alone

Psalm 55:16-19 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.  Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.  He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.  God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them—men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.

It's empowering to know that God is always available.  That I am not alone in the battles of life.

I don't know about you, but when I call an organization, I like to talk to a person.  Automated systems are O.K., but when I need assistance with something, I prefer to have a flesh-and-blood human on the other end.  For example, not too long ago, I called a government organization to help clarify some paperwork I received.  Not only did I not get to talk with a person, I didn't even get an automated system where you press numbers for specific situations.  I got a recorded message, and then got disconnected.  Needless to say, I had a very empty feeling knowing that I was pretty much on my own.  Eventually things did get cleared up when I got a response to an email that I had sent about five days earlier, but things could have been less stressful if I had gotten help earlier.

In this passage, David states that when he asks God for help, the LORD saves him, and it doesn't matter when he calls, God is always there to ransom him from the battle.  Other versions of the Bible use words like "rescue", "deliver", and "redeem".  It's difficult for me to put into words the peace that I feel when I realize that in the battles I face in life He is always there to help me.

I am not alone.

Hidden in Plain Sight

If we just keep our eyes open to the world around us we would be surprised what we could see. I had recently bought a watch online, and as things often go, the band was too large for me. I took it to a local jeweler, and long story short, it got adjusted. Simone and I left the jeweler and were walking a short distance to a nearby grocery store to buy some miscellaneous items. As we were walking, I just happened to look a little bit down and to the side, and I noticed something. Less that two feet off my path, there was sitting on a bench in the shadows a young woman. Her face, illuminated by the bleak light of a nearby street lamp, was downcast, and her eyes were moist as though she was in the midst of crying. There was a couple things that struck me in that brief moment. 1) Aside from her saddened appearance, she seemed like a very average person. 2) There was probably nothing I could do to truly alleviate her suffering.

So many people today are suffering in relative obscurity. They are not languishing away alone on hospital beds. They are not homeless, wandering the streets in ragged clothes, or sitting at intersections with cardboard signs. They are people we pass by every day who seem to be doing alright who are actually wracked with pain, and for the most part, there is nothing we can do about it.

This pain is so often hidden beneath a facade of whatever mask they decide to wear at that time. It is only in darkness that many feel free to truly reveal what is inside, and even then only for a brief moment. If I had been bold enough to sit down and ask this woman what was wrong, the probability is high that not only would her mask have been put back on, but also she would have fled from my presence. Which brings me to the second point that there was probably nothing I could have done to truly help her. I could only pray that somehow she would find relief.

Despite compassionate hearts and good intentions, we just cannot help everyone. We can't even help the majority of people. We can only truly help the few, and leave the rest to God.

Lord help us to know who are "the few" in our own lives.