In the Children's time last Sunday I asked them to tell me what were their favorite Christmas specials. Going over all of the movies and cartoons shown at Christmas, it is no wonder that people are overlooking Christ in Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love all of the Christmas movies and specials. Every year I watch "Holiday Inn", "Miracle on 34th Street", "White Christmas", and "It's a Wonderful Life". They are all wonderful movies with good moral lessons, but none of them talk about Jesus at all. The children's programs aren't much better. I love "Frosty", "Rudolph", and all the rest. Now admittedly Jesus gets a couple of significant nods in my two favorites.
In "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" they choose Christmas Eve to get married, "because it is the holiest night of the year." So Santa at least knows about Christmas being about Jesus in that one. But my favorite is how Charles M. Schultz comments on this very problem in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Charlie Brown is sick of all of the commercial Christmas stuff and the way people are acting and he asks if anyone can tell him what Christmas is really about. Linus steps up and recites Luke 2:8-16 from memory. Kudos to Linus' Sunday School teacher! That scripture telling about Jesus being born totally changes Charlie Brown's attitude toward Christmas, and in the end it makes all the other kids more giving and forgiving, too.
The reason for Christmas is that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." The Christmas story tells of how God loves us enough to want to come and be one of us. That is life changing. With all of the stories of people shooting, stabbing, or trampling each other to get the last whatever from the store, I think that the world really needs to be reminded the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus came to bring peace on earth and good will to all. Christmas is Jesus' birthday. Those presents are reminding us of the gift we were given in Jesus. I don't think that the Prince of Peace would be all that thrilled with the strife we are causing in the name of Christmas.
Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Congressional Time Out
Back several years ago there was a book called "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." I think we may need a refresher on some of them. How about sharing and compromise. If there is only one toy truck in the room and two kids want to play with it, they either have to share it and play together or take turns. If a child started to throw a tantrum saying I want everything my way, then the teacher would put them in time out to cool down and learn that you HAVE to share and compromise. No one gets everything their way...
Ergo, I believe that congress must function below the level of Kindergarteners. No one can have everything they want all the time. You have to share and compromise. And the garbage I have seen floating around the internet where one side says "It's not our fault. What we want is best. Only the other side is guilty." Bull! BOTH parties are trying to get people to believe that. Both parties need a serious time out and need to grow up. They are not hurting themselves, they are hurting the country. They are hurting the very people that they have sworn to serve.
The only good piece of advice I have heard was a radio commercial encouraging everyone to not vote by party next time, but vote out ALL the incumbents. That way letting them know that we have had enough of their stupid partisan fighting.
We all have to live together. Everyone needs to learn to play nice and compromise, or our country is doomed... or maybe I should say our world.
Another way to look at it is that we need a remedial course on "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and how about "turn the other cheek."
The only question is where do we find enough little chairs and corners to put the whole Federal Government in a time out?
I seriously wish and pray for us to all have Grace and Peace!
The best I can do is pray "Lord Help us!"
Ergo, I believe that congress must function below the level of Kindergarteners. No one can have everything they want all the time. You have to share and compromise. And the garbage I have seen floating around the internet where one side says "It's not our fault. What we want is best. Only the other side is guilty." Bull! BOTH parties are trying to get people to believe that. Both parties need a serious time out and need to grow up. They are not hurting themselves, they are hurting the country. They are hurting the very people that they have sworn to serve.
The only good piece of advice I have heard was a radio commercial encouraging everyone to not vote by party next time, but vote out ALL the incumbents. That way letting them know that we have had enough of their stupid partisan fighting.
We all have to live together. Everyone needs to learn to play nice and compromise, or our country is doomed... or maybe I should say our world.
Another way to look at it is that we need a remedial course on "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and how about "turn the other cheek."
The only question is where do we find enough little chairs and corners to put the whole Federal Government in a time out?
I seriously wish and pray for us to all have Grace and Peace!
The best I can do is pray "Lord Help us!"
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Learning to Laugh
A friend and I were joking around about getting Benny Hinn and Benny Hill confused... I joked that if they really had a Church conference based on Benny Hill, sign me up! It would be my kind of conference.
The more I think about it the more I think it would be a good idea. Most of the church takes itself way too seriously. I mean we are condemning and even suing each other. That looks really great to the outside world!
We could really use some classes on:
"How to laugh at yourself 101"
"How to deal with hecklers" (That is at least a 200 level course!)
and "Enjoying God's sense of humor" (If you don't think God has a sense of humor you need to 1. read Jesus' parables and 2. go to the zoo and really look at a platypus.)
Most of the problems in the church come about when Christians take themselves too seriously. We are all sinners bumbling through this life. (Cue the Benny Hill Soundtrack...) We need to stop, take a deep breath, and understand that we can't be right all the time, and we will NEVER be perfect. Why not try to relax and enjoy your brothers and sisters, rather than judging and condemning? You might find life a lot more fun that way!
Grace and Peace!
The more I think about it the more I think it would be a good idea. Most of the church takes itself way too seriously. I mean we are condemning and even suing each other. That looks really great to the outside world!
We could really use some classes on:
"How to laugh at yourself 101"
"How to deal with hecklers" (That is at least a 200 level course!)
and "Enjoying God's sense of humor" (If you don't think God has a sense of humor you need to 1. read Jesus' parables and 2. go to the zoo and really look at a platypus.)
Most of the problems in the church come about when Christians take themselves too seriously. We are all sinners bumbling through this life. (Cue the Benny Hill Soundtrack...) We need to stop, take a deep breath, and understand that we can't be right all the time, and we will NEVER be perfect. Why not try to relax and enjoy your brothers and sisters, rather than judging and condemning? You might find life a lot more fun that way!
Grace and Peace!
Monday, August 26, 2013
I Feel Like an Ogre Mom
I was raised according to Proverbs 22:6, "Train Children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray." My parents set rules and we were expected to obey them. When they were broken, we knew that there were consequences. So when Jon-Paul and I decided to start a family we talked about how we wanted to raise our children and set down some rules.
Before our kids were even old enough to say, "But mom, everybody else can do it" we noticed that not all parents were as strict as we were. Sometimes I felt like an ogre. But when the pediatrician said that they needed a certain number of hours sleep a night, I made sure they would get it. They had a bed time and had to abide by it.
We would not let them buy a new computer game or go to a strange web site without checking it out first. And if any of the language that they heard on TV, at school, or in video games crept into their speech, they were warned, and if it didn't stop, punished. We even called them on language when their friends were over! They were mortified. We got many an eye roll when we would insist, "We are not their parents, so we can't make the rules for them. But we ARE your parents and you WILL abide by our rules." Often I asked Jon-Paul if he thought we were too strict. No one else seemed to have as many rules as we did. I felt like an ogre.
I went to the presentation for parents at Alexander's new High School and was flabbergasted at what they kept stressing. You need to make sure they come to school. You need to make sure they do their work. And since our school district gives each High School student an IPad, they wanted us to know that if they caught any child with porn or other inappropriate content on their IPad, it could take up to two weeks for them to get it back while the tech department cleaned off the inappropriate content. Let me tell you, if I find porn or inappropriate content on my kids' computer or I device, it will be more than two weeks that they are without it! We paid for it, we have the right to enforce our rules on it. So, I must be an ogre.
But what really got me was an open letter of apology to her children's teachers that some mom started circulating around the net. The gist was she was sorry her kids were unprepared and didn't want to go back to school.... Her first point was that she didn't make them pick up a book or pencil all summer... My kids have had summer reading assigned every year since about second grade. We get the book and make sure it is completely read before class starts in the fall because we know it will be tested that first week of school. This year it was "The Princess Bride" and all summer I would ask where he was and what was going on in the story. I wish I had fun summer reading like that when I was in school. But, needless to say, as an ogre mom, my kids were never worried about their first big test grade of the year. They had it down cold.
During the school year homework came before play. If they had trouble, we would sit with our boys as long as it took to get it done right... Funny thing, the mom writing the letter talked about how much her kids dreaded school and cried when they had to go back. Our kids always had a backpack full of new pens, pencils, paper, and everything they needed. They were sent off with an "I love you! You will have a great year." They always looked forward to the start of school. They felt confident and ready.
Another point in the apology letter was that they would be tired, because they let their kids stay up as late as they wanted all summer long. We let our kids stay up later in the summer, but they still had a bedtime. We did tell Martin when he turned 18 that he could set his own bed time, but he was expected to get up when he was supposed to, and no falling asleep in class or in church. I don't really want my kids online after midnight. I know who is online that late at night. I know what kind of language they use. I do not think it is an appropriate place for my kids to be... I must be an ogre.
But then again... We dropped Martin off at college last week. If we were such strict ogres of parents he will surely run amuck, right? So what did Martin do his first says on campus? He went bowling with a Christian group on campus, walked around campus to find all his class rooms so he would know where to go, went to a Bible study and posted his thoughts on the feeding of the 5000, and on Sunday, even though it was not listed on Google Maps, he managed to find the church he wanted to try and attended worship. I am a very proud mama ogre!
And last night, Alexander's last night before High School we called up to ask him what he wanted for dinner. What was he doing? He had spent two hours going over his Algebra notes from last year, "Because they would be using some of the formulas in Geometry." We didn't suggest it, he decided to do it on his own. Then, he brought down his fully loaded and organized back pack. Again, I am a proud ogre mom!
My boys are almost all grown up. They are to the point where they make their own choices. Many parents dread this time. Now that I am seeing the choices that they are making on their own as young adults, I am very glad that I was an ogre! After all Shrek and Fiona didn't have it all that bad, now did they. So if you are worried that discipline may harm your child's creativity or their potential to be happy kids, don't! Some day they may thank you for being an ogre when they are successful, well adjusted adults!
Peace!
Before our kids were even old enough to say, "But mom, everybody else can do it" we noticed that not all parents were as strict as we were. Sometimes I felt like an ogre. But when the pediatrician said that they needed a certain number of hours sleep a night, I made sure they would get it. They had a bed time and had to abide by it.
We would not let them buy a new computer game or go to a strange web site without checking it out first. And if any of the language that they heard on TV, at school, or in video games crept into their speech, they were warned, and if it didn't stop, punished. We even called them on language when their friends were over! They were mortified. We got many an eye roll when we would insist, "We are not their parents, so we can't make the rules for them. But we ARE your parents and you WILL abide by our rules." Often I asked Jon-Paul if he thought we were too strict. No one else seemed to have as many rules as we did. I felt like an ogre.
I went to the presentation for parents at Alexander's new High School and was flabbergasted at what they kept stressing. You need to make sure they come to school. You need to make sure they do their work. And since our school district gives each High School student an IPad, they wanted us to know that if they caught any child with porn or other inappropriate content on their IPad, it could take up to two weeks for them to get it back while the tech department cleaned off the inappropriate content. Let me tell you, if I find porn or inappropriate content on my kids' computer or I device, it will be more than two weeks that they are without it! We paid for it, we have the right to enforce our rules on it. So, I must be an ogre.
But what really got me was an open letter of apology to her children's teachers that some mom started circulating around the net. The gist was she was sorry her kids were unprepared and didn't want to go back to school.... Her first point was that she didn't make them pick up a book or pencil all summer... My kids have had summer reading assigned every year since about second grade. We get the book and make sure it is completely read before class starts in the fall because we know it will be tested that first week of school. This year it was "The Princess Bride" and all summer I would ask where he was and what was going on in the story. I wish I had fun summer reading like that when I was in school. But, needless to say, as an ogre mom, my kids were never worried about their first big test grade of the year. They had it down cold.
During the school year homework came before play. If they had trouble, we would sit with our boys as long as it took to get it done right... Funny thing, the mom writing the letter talked about how much her kids dreaded school and cried when they had to go back. Our kids always had a backpack full of new pens, pencils, paper, and everything they needed. They were sent off with an "I love you! You will have a great year." They always looked forward to the start of school. They felt confident and ready.
Another point in the apology letter was that they would be tired, because they let their kids stay up as late as they wanted all summer long. We let our kids stay up later in the summer, but they still had a bedtime. We did tell Martin when he turned 18 that he could set his own bed time, but he was expected to get up when he was supposed to, and no falling asleep in class or in church. I don't really want my kids online after midnight. I know who is online that late at night. I know what kind of language they use. I do not think it is an appropriate place for my kids to be... I must be an ogre.
But then again... We dropped Martin off at college last week. If we were such strict ogres of parents he will surely run amuck, right? So what did Martin do his first says on campus? He went bowling with a Christian group on campus, walked around campus to find all his class rooms so he would know where to go, went to a Bible study and posted his thoughts on the feeding of the 5000, and on Sunday, even though it was not listed on Google Maps, he managed to find the church he wanted to try and attended worship. I am a very proud mama ogre!
And last night, Alexander's last night before High School we called up to ask him what he wanted for dinner. What was he doing? He had spent two hours going over his Algebra notes from last year, "Because they would be using some of the formulas in Geometry." We didn't suggest it, he decided to do it on his own. Then, he brought down his fully loaded and organized back pack. Again, I am a proud ogre mom!
My boys are almost all grown up. They are to the point where they make their own choices. Many parents dread this time. Now that I am seeing the choices that they are making on their own as young adults, I am very glad that I was an ogre! After all Shrek and Fiona didn't have it all that bad, now did they. So if you are worried that discipline may harm your child's creativity or their potential to be happy kids, don't! Some day they may thank you for being an ogre when they are successful, well adjusted adults!
Peace!
Friday, August 9, 2013
Isn't There Enough Wrath Already?
Sometimes I wonder if people just need things to protest about. The PC(USA) is coming out with a new Hymnal in September. I have seen the hymn list and think it is awesome! It has more gospel songs, more songs from around the world, more folk songs, and more contemporary choruses without losing any of the old favorites. They have almost twice the songs as the current blue hymnal by giving the congregation just the vocal part and harmony and having the accompaniment in a separate spiral bound book.
This should be exciting! This should be bringing Presbyterians together. It should be something to rejoice about. So what articles are being published about this wonderful step forward?
Conservative Presbyterians are screaming that it is liberal propaganda. Why? Because the committee choosing the hymns asked a contemporary song writer if they could change the line "The wrath of God was satisfied" to "the love of God was magnified." The writers said, "NO!" and so after much debate they decided not to use that praise song and put in another instead.
One song... There are still plenty of hymns talking about God's wrath and Jesus' saving act. They have even put in a blood hymn or two. There is more variety in this hymnal than every before. So, because they decided to skip one song (Which any church that has a CCLI license can still use every Sunday if they want to...) the committee is now "pushing a liberal agenda".
Give me a break! This is why the world outside the church thinks that we are petty and crazy.
Why on earth would you label a person or a group of people just because they don't like a song that you like? Seriously people!
Jesus came to bring the love and forgiveness of God and we are dumping wrath all over each other in public over one line in one song. Get over yourselves!
I think that the Presbyterian church is wonderful because it doesn't tell you that you have to be liberal or conservative. They leave that between you and God. Yes that does make it harder to pick hymns for the new hymnal without offending someone. Oh well! In the grand eternal scheme of things what does one line matter. It is not like they tried to have a line changed in the Bible.
Regardless of whether or not you like the song I think the committee had one thing right. The PC(USA) needs love to be magnified much more than it needs wrath to be satisfied.
Grace and Peace!
This should be exciting! This should be bringing Presbyterians together. It should be something to rejoice about. So what articles are being published about this wonderful step forward?
Conservative Presbyterians are screaming that it is liberal propaganda. Why? Because the committee choosing the hymns asked a contemporary song writer if they could change the line "The wrath of God was satisfied" to "the love of God was magnified." The writers said, "NO!" and so after much debate they decided not to use that praise song and put in another instead.
One song... There are still plenty of hymns talking about God's wrath and Jesus' saving act. They have even put in a blood hymn or two. There is more variety in this hymnal than every before. So, because they decided to skip one song (Which any church that has a CCLI license can still use every Sunday if they want to...) the committee is now "pushing a liberal agenda".
Give me a break! This is why the world outside the church thinks that we are petty and crazy.
Why on earth would you label a person or a group of people just because they don't like a song that you like? Seriously people!
Jesus came to bring the love and forgiveness of God and we are dumping wrath all over each other in public over one line in one song. Get over yourselves!
I think that the Presbyterian church is wonderful because it doesn't tell you that you have to be liberal or conservative. They leave that between you and God. Yes that does make it harder to pick hymns for the new hymnal without offending someone. Oh well! In the grand eternal scheme of things what does one line matter. It is not like they tried to have a line changed in the Bible.
Regardless of whether or not you like the song I think the committee had one thing right. The PC(USA) needs love to be magnified much more than it needs wrath to be satisfied.
Grace and Peace!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
My Best Friend Is...
Today I had a revelation thanks to a comment by a teenage girl. My son, after hearing the Supreme Court decisions this morning, was commenting how he as a white, male, heterosexual, Republican agreed with and stood behind the court's decision, and was taking some flack for it. In his defense, one of his friends said, "One of his best friends is.." (referring to herself.)
I thought, "You know, everyone needs to have best friends who are different, even opposite to what they are." That would solve a lot of the world's problems. It would stop almost all prejudice, because "that group over there" would no longer be a stereotype.
A couple of childish examples from my own childhood. One of my best friends in my kindergarten ballet class was Jewish. She was very devout and even touched the Mezuzah on her door on the way in and out of her house. (Thanks to my good Presbyterian Sunday School teachers, my five year old self even knew what that was!) But we lived in an area where some nasty jokes and slurs about Jews were common. Even at 5 years old I became offended when someone referred to "St. Jewish Park" instead of St. Louis Park. They were not insulting some unknown group. They were insulting one of my best friends. I could not go along with it, even though our faith was different. She was my friend (or to put it in Jesus' terms, she was my neighbor) and I loved her.
In Junior High I lived in an area of Pittsburg that was split between Polish and Italian immigrants. My best friend was Polish, and you had better not make any Polock jokes in front of me. It didn't matter that she wasn't from the same ethnic background as me. She was my friend (neighbor) and she did not fit their stereotypes.
While I was an Associate Pastor I served with some pastors who were very conservative and some who were very liberal, and even a few who were somewhere in the middle like me. I learned that you didn't always have to agree with their theology to love them and be their friend. But having friends all over the religious spectrum did help me to learn to LISTEN and to love people where they were.
The same is true with politics. I think that every Right Wing Tea Party member needs at least one best friend who is a flaming liberal, and vice versa! I have friends all over the spectrum in politics, too. That is one reason that I do not post many political comments because no matter what side I take I would be offending half my friends. But again it teaches me to listen and try to understand their perspective.
You don't stereotype your best friend. They are not some religious fanatic or some political freak; they are your friend with whom you may not always agree. It really does change your perspective. Think about it. Think back to when you were young and naïve. Was it easier to think badly about someone with different color skin before you had a friend of a different race? Was it easier to think of someone as a Muslim extremist if you didn't know anyone of the Muslim faith? Was it easier to look down on homosexuals when you didn't know any? The problem is that a lot of people won't make friends with someone who is different, and it goes both ways. I am sure that many homosexuals would be reluctant to go up to that Rightwing Fundamentalist and ask them to coffee.
In general humans usually seek out people like them to be their friends, and I think that is sad. I don't know how I managed to collect such an eclectic group of friends, but I thank God for them. When ever I hear a stereotype in the news or even at coffee hour I stop and say, "wait a minute... that isn't true." It gives me a more accepting perspective.
Now, this is supposed to be a religious blog, so where does God come into this. I think that there are two obvious connections. As I mentioned earlier, when asked "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus answered with the good Samaritan story. A person who was ethnically, religiously, and nationally hated by the Jews. Jesus might answer the question today with the story of the Good Taliban. For Jesus' answer to who we must love as ourselves, he threw every prejudice and stereotype in their faces. That is who you must love, the ones your culture says you should hate.
Then we come to the argument many religious groups have. "Yes, but they are sinners. I can't be friends with sinners. I can't love sinners..." Well watch out with that one! You had better be ready to hate yourself. Paul reminds us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You know what? Not every church and not every Christian interprets the Bible the same or agrees on what is sin. I am proud to be a Presbyterian where they uphold each person's right to interpret the scripture for themselves. It is between you and God! So, yes there are many dear Christian friends that I strongly disagree with and that I think are wrong! The catch is that they think I am wrong, too, but we are still friends. (Occasionally frustrated with each other, but still friends.) So, since we are all sinners, I assume that all of us are right sometimes and wrong sometimes, and that is OK. Only God is right all of the time. We are NOT God.
So, I encourage you the next time you are looking at a group that is different from you, whether political, religious, or nationally ask yourself if you have any best friends in that group? Before you go believing a stereotype get to know someone. Make a friend! You don't always have to agree with your friend, but you usually give them the respect to listen to them. It is easier to love them as we are called to. It is easier to see them as your brother and sister, because after all they are God's children, too.
In my opinion the only one who is allowed to make a tasteless joke about a group is a member of that group. Hence I can make jokes about my blond roots showing (because it actually is blond under the red dye somewhere), but you can't unless you too are blond. If you need someone to make fun of, try yourself because as sinful humans we all do some rather funny things.
Grace and Peace!
I thought, "You know, everyone needs to have best friends who are different, even opposite to what they are." That would solve a lot of the world's problems. It would stop almost all prejudice, because "that group over there" would no longer be a stereotype.
A couple of childish examples from my own childhood. One of my best friends in my kindergarten ballet class was Jewish. She was very devout and even touched the Mezuzah on her door on the way in and out of her house. (Thanks to my good Presbyterian Sunday School teachers, my five year old self even knew what that was!) But we lived in an area where some nasty jokes and slurs about Jews were common. Even at 5 years old I became offended when someone referred to "St. Jewish Park" instead of St. Louis Park. They were not insulting some unknown group. They were insulting one of my best friends. I could not go along with it, even though our faith was different. She was my friend (or to put it in Jesus' terms, she was my neighbor) and I loved her.
In Junior High I lived in an area of Pittsburg that was split between Polish and Italian immigrants. My best friend was Polish, and you had better not make any Polock jokes in front of me. It didn't matter that she wasn't from the same ethnic background as me. She was my friend (neighbor) and she did not fit their stereotypes.
While I was an Associate Pastor I served with some pastors who were very conservative and some who were very liberal, and even a few who were somewhere in the middle like me. I learned that you didn't always have to agree with their theology to love them and be their friend. But having friends all over the religious spectrum did help me to learn to LISTEN and to love people where they were.
The same is true with politics. I think that every Right Wing Tea Party member needs at least one best friend who is a flaming liberal, and vice versa! I have friends all over the spectrum in politics, too. That is one reason that I do not post many political comments because no matter what side I take I would be offending half my friends. But again it teaches me to listen and try to understand their perspective.
You don't stereotype your best friend. They are not some religious fanatic or some political freak; they are your friend with whom you may not always agree. It really does change your perspective. Think about it. Think back to when you were young and naïve. Was it easier to think badly about someone with different color skin before you had a friend of a different race? Was it easier to think of someone as a Muslim extremist if you didn't know anyone of the Muslim faith? Was it easier to look down on homosexuals when you didn't know any? The problem is that a lot of people won't make friends with someone who is different, and it goes both ways. I am sure that many homosexuals would be reluctant to go up to that Rightwing Fundamentalist and ask them to coffee.
In general humans usually seek out people like them to be their friends, and I think that is sad. I don't know how I managed to collect such an eclectic group of friends, but I thank God for them. When ever I hear a stereotype in the news or even at coffee hour I stop and say, "wait a minute... that isn't true." It gives me a more accepting perspective.
Now, this is supposed to be a religious blog, so where does God come into this. I think that there are two obvious connections. As I mentioned earlier, when asked "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus answered with the good Samaritan story. A person who was ethnically, religiously, and nationally hated by the Jews. Jesus might answer the question today with the story of the Good Taliban. For Jesus' answer to who we must love as ourselves, he threw every prejudice and stereotype in their faces. That is who you must love, the ones your culture says you should hate.
Then we come to the argument many religious groups have. "Yes, but they are sinners. I can't be friends with sinners. I can't love sinners..." Well watch out with that one! You had better be ready to hate yourself. Paul reminds us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You know what? Not every church and not every Christian interprets the Bible the same or agrees on what is sin. I am proud to be a Presbyterian where they uphold each person's right to interpret the scripture for themselves. It is between you and God! So, yes there are many dear Christian friends that I strongly disagree with and that I think are wrong! The catch is that they think I am wrong, too, but we are still friends. (Occasionally frustrated with each other, but still friends.) So, since we are all sinners, I assume that all of us are right sometimes and wrong sometimes, and that is OK. Only God is right all of the time. We are NOT God.
So, I encourage you the next time you are looking at a group that is different from you, whether political, religious, or nationally ask yourself if you have any best friends in that group? Before you go believing a stereotype get to know someone. Make a friend! You don't always have to agree with your friend, but you usually give them the respect to listen to them. It is easier to love them as we are called to. It is easier to see them as your brother and sister, because after all they are God's children, too.
In my opinion the only one who is allowed to make a tasteless joke about a group is a member of that group. Hence I can make jokes about my blond roots showing (because it actually is blond under the red dye somewhere), but you can't unless you too are blond. If you need someone to make fun of, try yourself because as sinful humans we all do some rather funny things.
Grace and Peace!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Throwing Stones
I had a conversation with a friend yesterday where he had been upset by a comment by a coworker. His coworker insisted that one of his friends was committing an unforgivable sin and was going straight to hell for it. I will not mention what the "sin" is because I don't want this blog going off in the wrong direction...
I do not believe that there are any "unforgivable sins." Mass murderers can be converted and repent and be forgiven. You are not going to go to hell because of what movies you decide to see, or if you go out for a beer after work, or if you decide to go dancing on a Sunday. (Gasp!) There are some churches that would condemn me for saying that, but then again they would condemn me for being a woman and daring to speak in church, too.
So, my thoughts on pointing fingers and calling others sinners... In John 8 Jesus had a prostitute dragged in front of him by a lot of self righteous people. They wanted to stone her. That is the punishment for adultery, after all. (Personally, I want to know where the person was that she was caught with... It takes two to tango, so to speak. Why wasn't he there in danger of stoning... but I digress...)
Jesus told them. "You who are without sin, throw the first stone." At least they were all smart enough to realize that none of them were perfect. They all put their stones down and left. Jesus then forgave the woman and let her go! All through the Gospels the people Jesus got the angriest at were those pointing out another person's sin. The Pharisees were so proud of how they "followed all the laws" and Jesus wouldn't stand for it. We are all sinners. Jesus died for all of our sins. If Jesus died so that my sins would be forgiven and washed away, who are you to say that Jesus can't forgive me?
Every time someone tried to point out someone else's sins to Jesus, the person he condemned was the one pointing their finger. The people who put down their stones, realized their mistakes were lucky. Jesus didn't have to chastise them.
Why do we always want to point out the sins of others? What is so attractive about being Pharisaical? Maybe putting others down makes us feel bigger or better about our sinful selves. So the next time you want to point out someone else's sins, remember what Paul said. "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Yes, Jesus died for your sins, but he died for the person you are pointing a finger at, too...
Maybe it would be best for us all to try to see to our own faults and failings and leave the judging to God. Now, I am not saying that it is wrong to give gentle and loving advice, if you see someone going the wrong direction, but have you ever seen anyone improve their life or attitude because they were told they were horrible and evil?
Remember that Jesus suggested that before we take the speck out of our brother or sister's eye, we need to take care of the log in our own. (Mt. 7:3-5)
Grace and Peace!
I do not believe that there are any "unforgivable sins." Mass murderers can be converted and repent and be forgiven. You are not going to go to hell because of what movies you decide to see, or if you go out for a beer after work, or if you decide to go dancing on a Sunday. (Gasp!) There are some churches that would condemn me for saying that, but then again they would condemn me for being a woman and daring to speak in church, too.
So, my thoughts on pointing fingers and calling others sinners... In John 8 Jesus had a prostitute dragged in front of him by a lot of self righteous people. They wanted to stone her. That is the punishment for adultery, after all. (Personally, I want to know where the person was that she was caught with... It takes two to tango, so to speak. Why wasn't he there in danger of stoning... but I digress...)
Jesus told them. "You who are without sin, throw the first stone." At least they were all smart enough to realize that none of them were perfect. They all put their stones down and left. Jesus then forgave the woman and let her go! All through the Gospels the people Jesus got the angriest at were those pointing out another person's sin. The Pharisees were so proud of how they "followed all the laws" and Jesus wouldn't stand for it. We are all sinners. Jesus died for all of our sins. If Jesus died so that my sins would be forgiven and washed away, who are you to say that Jesus can't forgive me?
Every time someone tried to point out someone else's sins to Jesus, the person he condemned was the one pointing their finger. The people who put down their stones, realized their mistakes were lucky. Jesus didn't have to chastise them.
Why do we always want to point out the sins of others? What is so attractive about being Pharisaical? Maybe putting others down makes us feel bigger or better about our sinful selves. So the next time you want to point out someone else's sins, remember what Paul said. "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Yes, Jesus died for your sins, but he died for the person you are pointing a finger at, too...
Maybe it would be best for us all to try to see to our own faults and failings and leave the judging to God. Now, I am not saying that it is wrong to give gentle and loving advice, if you see someone going the wrong direction, but have you ever seen anyone improve their life or attitude because they were told they were horrible and evil?
Remember that Jesus suggested that before we take the speck out of our brother or sister's eye, we need to take care of the log in our own. (Mt. 7:3-5)
Grace and Peace!
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