Hedging Your Bets

Have you ever “hedged” a bet? Have you ever not gone “all in,” holding a little back just in case? Whatever the topic or issue, you have chosen to keep something “in reserve.” Well, I doubt you are alone. I doubt you are the only one who has ever done this. Two main areas of hedging occur in our finances and in our love relationships. In these we tend to be leery of going all in.

This realization hit last week when I heard a song on the radio from many years back. My son said he knew of the song and it was not from the oldies radio station so I felt a little better. It was from Supertramp and it was called “Give A Little bit.” Here is the verse that caught my attention: “Give a little bit; Give a little bit of your love to me; I'll give a little bit; I'll give a little bit of my life for you.” There are times in life when going all is not prudent. I’m not sure how smart you would be to invest heavily in pet rocks or eight track tapes. Those would not be wise investments and I would stay away from any financial manager who recommended such purchases. These certainly couldn’t be good for your portfolio. But we do tend to operate under this philosophy in many aspects of our lives, especially in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We want to hedge our bets, not go all in; just in case Jesus isn’t who he says he is or does not fulfill his promises.  We hedge because we have some uncertainties about heaven or hell. So, just in case, we hold something back so as not to look silly or foolish. It’s a way of saving face. We may even believe it helps our reputation around town and with our neighbors. We won’t be known as a religious “freak” or “zealot.” The ultimate question is, “What does Jesus Christ think about this?” Interestingly enough Jesus had a lot to say on this subject. Jesus never did anything half way and he expects the same attitude from those who claim to be his disciples. Jesus wants us – his followers – to act as he did. When confronted with the seemingly unanswerable question, or at least unanswerable without offending someone, Jesus said that the greatest commandment was this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30) The key word that Jesus used to negate any hedging was “all.” When Jesus said all, he meant all and nothing less than all. If we do not give him our all as he asks we fall short – way short – of what he calls us to do and be. There are times in life when part of something is better than all of nothing. This isn’t one of those times.

If it were possible, this would put us into a quandary. Which part of the blessings of being “in Christ” would you want to forego? This reminds me of some churches that go by the moniker of “Full Gospel” churches. These churches are unique because they have it all, practice it all, and believe in it all. At the same time, this implies that not all churches are full gospel. Thus, some must be partial gospel. I must confess I have attended a couple of partial gospel churches but they would never advertise that fact. These churches would view the blessings and promises of Jesus as a smorgasbord of services and rewards that are available. You choose which ones you want to receive and those you want to do without. Picture yourself in front of Jesus saying, “I’ll have a half healing with a side of medium love and an extra-large mercy! Hold the sacrifice and obedience!” Do you see where that would leave you? Far too many people though are willing to settle for less than all Jesus Christ can and will provide. It’s a shame but it is reality.

This is further compounded by our secret agent status as Christians. We are so deep under cover that nobody would suspect that we belong to Jesus Christ (if we ever truly do at this point!). This too is an aspect of hedging our bets. And, surprise, surprise, Jesus speaks to this also. “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) This is an important issue. If we imagine it from an eternal perspective, where should someone end up who only gave Jesus 50%? Are there levels or degrees in heaven? I don’t think so. Heaven and entrance into it is certainly an all or nothing proposition.  You are either in or you are out.  The entrance requirements are simple – yet wholly complete. In fact there may even be a sign at the pearly gates saying, “NO HEDGERS ALLOWED!” What a disappointment that will be to so many people. At that point it will be too late to correct having been a practical less than 100% disciple. It will be in that moment people will realize that being a sold out follower of Jesus Christ is what it takes to get in.

Think about other relationships you may be involved in. The one that closest resembles what Jesus has in mind is the marriage relationship. Too many couples view marriage as a 50-50 deal. This comes up short by at least 50% each. The marriage relationship is based on an all in mentality with no hedging your bets. This may explain why the divorce rate is so high because people never knew the price they should or would have to pay for their marriage to be successful. Jesus sets the bar high even to the extent that looking on another woman with lust is considered adultery. (Matthew 5:28) If your spouse is not front and center in your thoughts and in your life – constantly – you have to ask yourself if you are really married. Repeated violations of this adds more credence to the hedging your bet principle.

God doesn’t want just part of us. He gave us his all in his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us his all when he died for us on the cross. Imagine for a moment if Jesus had said, just prior to his passion, “Well, I’ve done enough for them. I know it was only a portion of my Father’s plan, but it is good enough. Besides, there are so many who will never believe or commit wholeheartedly. Why should I give them my all?” We would be plumb out of luck! We would be disappointed and without hope. We would still be lost.

When we accept the challenge – and trust me, it is a huge, relentless challenge – to follow Jesus Christ and love him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength we have not hedged our bets or held anything back. The rewards are worth it. Go all in with Jesus and you will never regret not hedging your bet. Why? Because it’s not a bet, it is a sure thing!

Magnitude

Now that Christmas is over and the giving season is at a close (well except for birthdays, anniversaries and other special events) people are probably quickly forgetting who gave them what for Christmas. I would dare say that thank you notes have not even been written for said gifts. Every once in a while, people will be more thankful for other types of favors that they may receive. I am reminded of a story about a two veterans on a train. One has an epileptic seizure during the trip. The other promptly puts his arms around the first vet and holds him tight until the seizure passes. Another passenger remarks about the kind gesture. The second vet responds that the first man saved his life during the war. He goes on to tell about selling all he owned after his friend discovered he had this condition so he could be there for him. The passenger was impressed. The vet stated, “After what he did for me, there is not anything I would not do for him.” This veteran remembered who gave him a gift and spent the rest of his life repaying the gift.
 

There are times when the gift received is so enormous that, no matter what we do, it can never be repaid. If you look at the current US government borrowing, the debt accumulated is so large that it may never be repaid. My head hurts when they start mentioning trillions and actually how large of a number that is. The number is overwhelming and it is hard to wrap your mind around it. Forgiving that size debt would also be overwhelming. Having a debt of that magnitude wiped away is just what God is all about. This was the original intent of the Jubilee Year in the Old Testament. Every fifty years, the Israelites were to cancel all their debts and include the property to their original owners. Also, freeing all slaves was included. The justification for this is stated by God himself, “Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God.” (Leviticus 25:17) It does not matter the reason you had to incur the debt or sell the property, it was forgiven with no penalty and no adverse effect to their reputation.

 

Many people today have accrued large amounts of debt. The economy is not as brisk as it once was and people are receiving the burden of their lifestyle choices in a down economy. The stress from this circumstance adds to the situation in a negative way. Many will never climb out of this mountain of debt. If someone came along and paid that debt, wiped the slate clean and gave them a fresh start, how much gratitude should or would they be expected to show. Lottsa! I was told that is an Italian word for "a whole bunch." How indebted would they feel to the person who paid that debt for them? Again, lottsa. In fact, people would view any expression that borders on anything less as insincerity. Jesus tells a similar story in Matthew 18. It is entitled, “The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.” In this story, a king forgives a servant a vast debt because the servant begged him. Upon receiving this forgiveness, the servant goes out and demands another servant repay him a very miniscule amount in comparison. When the king hears about these shenanigans, he canceled his deal with the first servant and had him “tortured” until he repaid the whole debt. I guess there are many people today who are thankful that mortgage and credit card companies cannot do the same thing to deadbeats. There are times when I am thankful they aren’t able to do it either.
 

Each of us has accumulated an enormous debt that we can never cancel or repay. I am not speaking of the US federal debt here (although Americans for generations do have a rather large sum to repay). I am speaking of the results of our sin in God’s economy. From God’s perspective, sin is sin. He does not have misdemeanors and felonies where sin is concerned. It is all the same in his eyes. You do not get a lesser sentence for one and a larger sentence for another. Imagine a perfect white piece of paper. Draw a huge black circle and a microscopic circle on it. From God's point of view, both are the same. Both circles offend his sense of holiness. All sin deserves punishment, which as God set out, is death. This death is not physical but spiritual. It is eternal separation from God forever. There is no time off for good behavior in hell. If you are not sure what this will look like, read Luke 16, “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” This story gives an accurate picture of how eternity will be for those who go to heaven and those who don’t. It is not a pretty story and there is a way to avoid the fate of the rich man. Being saved is more than just eternal fire insurance. While that is one result of having a relationship with Jesus Christ, it is not the main motivation. As with the story of the two vets, “After all he did for me there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him.”

 

The enormous debt, the enormous mercy, the enormous forgiveness I have received because of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ just “blows my mind.” Much like trying to think about the actual value of a trillion, my heads hurts at the magnitude of the gift I have received from Jesus. I am driven to my knees in thanksgiving for something I could never accomplish on my own. The problem I have with myself is that I diminish the magnitude by forgetting. I go about my business with no concern of the forgiveness I have received. I take it for granted and do not do “anything for him.” As the song says, “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.” The best analogy for this is a Kool-Aid stain in the carpet. As a parent, I have seen my share of these. There is nothing you can do to get it out. Our sins are Kool-Aid stains on our lives and hearts. They are so deep and destructive they keep us from having a right relationship with God. Thank God that the blood of Jesus removes the Kool-Aid stain of sin from our lives. I don’t know about you, but Jesus paid a whole lot to cover my misdeeds. And that is only the ones I have done or will do today. I would hate to think about adding in what the rest of my life will bring!
 

The Church (big “C”) tends to forget this aspect of our faith. Too many preachers talk about the victory we have in Jesus and how to live that out. I am afraid that living in victory is very different than living in gratitude. While we live in both, victory tends to make us arrogant and proud. Gratitude makes us humble and thankful. It is a fine line between the two and we need to portray both to the world. Yet, if we waver to one side or the other, we need to waver to the gratitude side. Why? Because “Jesus paid it all for me.” And, after what he did for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him. My prayer for the Church is that everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ will live this out daily and make an impact on this hurting world. After what he did for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him.

 

Not Just a Passing Paragraph

Sometimes things hit you like a ton of bricks. The little light of insight burns dimly even when you finally get it. The wattage of my light seems lucky to get to 25 even at its brightest. It happened while I was watching one of my favorite movies of all time, “The Patriot.” If Mel Gibson had played Rhett Butler he would have starred in all of my favorite movies as “Gone With The Wind” ranks ahead of “Braveheart” and “The Patriot” as my top flicks. “The Passion of the Christ” is a close fourth and Mel did have something to do with that one also. But in “The Patriot” Mel plays the part of a patriot militia colonel who hassles the British army of General Lord Cornwallis throughout South Carolina. The movie ends with the American victory at Yorktown and sealing the future fate of the United States as a country. Watching the movie I realized how few Americans today could tell you anything about this portion of the founding of our country. It is sad and our country is paying a rather high price currently for our ignorance. I realize that as a history buff with a Bachelor’s degree in history, as someone who would rather watch The Military History Channel over ESPN, who could watch “The Patriot” for the umpteenth time and still be interested (except for the part where the cannon ball blows the guy’s head off), I am sort of a geek (or nerd or whatever the current lingo would label me) in this respect. I am well aware of this. But it so discouraging to know that history is a forgotten subject and not studied or known. I find it rather absurd for people to call themselves Americans and not know the true story (not manipulated rewritten version that passes for history nowadays) of how this great country came to be. The blood of all of those who have paid the ultimate price cries out as a testimony against this current misinformed generation.

As I sat watching Mel tomahawk several British soldiers to death, it occurred to me the same thing is happening to Anglicanism worldwide. No, not the tomahawking but the ignorance! We have no sense of our history or our place in it as a church. My son showed me his world history book the other day. The paragraph on Henry VIII spoke of his seeking a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon, as the impetus for forming the Anglican Church (Church of England). This is such a simplistic view but it is probably all that high school students need to know. Unfortunately, it seems to be all that Anglicans need to know or want to know. There is so much more to the story that goes untold. So, people inside and outside the Anglican Church believe this branch of the church was formed to secure the king a divorce. And since then nothing much has happened until the recent unseemly decline (or advance depending on your point of view) the church has suffered for being “inclusive.”

 

 

One of my problems with many churches today that claim to be “non-denominational” is that they have no collective history but for that of the founding pastor and congregation to this point. They are rarely part of the wider Church (big “C” universal or “catholic” church) except in the use of the name “church.” While they may be making in rather large impression on their locales their history could be written in a few short pages. I am not against these churches per se because I know that the main line denominations have squandered their inheritance in this aspect and lost the respect they once held. Since my crystal ball is black and has an “8” on it, I am sure not the one to predict the impact these churches may have in the future or how many histories will be written about them at a later date. But one thing is for sure, they have a long way to go to catch up to the volumes about Anglicanism and Anglicans.

 

 

As the aforementioned history buff, this subject may only interest me. In our modern times, hero worship seems to involve more of knocking people off their pedestals than remembering their great feats. A recent show about Abraham Lincoln made a point of talking about how he slept with men when Mrs. Lincoln was not around. It was as if this was more important that the role he played during the Civil War. However, there are many heroes whose names and faces we do not recognize or even know about. Just watch any History Channel story about some battle that was instrumental in the victory and the cause they are reporting on. In a country with such a storied background, this is so true. The same is true for Anglicanism. Many of the names and stories are not recognized for their contribution to history. When speaking of Anglicans and their contributions the list is extensive. The likes of Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Francis Bacon, Marconi, John Locke, Charles Darwin and many others all had some connection to the Anglican Church. In the literary field the likes of John Donne, George Herbert, Dorothy Sayers and C.S. Lewis all had Anglican roots. The influence of this church reaches far and wide. There are just too many people to name.

 

 

As an ordained priest in the Anglican Church, I have a special affinity for those who were ordained and championed the faith. Included in this list are Charles and John Wesley, George Whitefield and even Desmond Tutu. Many died for their stance but their influence has lasted through the centuries. The father of the Book of Common Prayer, Thomas Cranmer, is one of the foremost in this category. He was a tireless warrior during the Reformation in England and was burned at the stake for his participation in it. The Book of Common Prayer (BCP), no matter what version or edition you choose, is the glue that holds the Anglican Church together. The idea of the people being able to worship and participate in worship is a uniquely Anglican innovation. The BCP is based on Scripture and reformed in theology. Cranmer authored prayers in the early versions that are still be used today. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is not bound by time or location. Those prayers still evoke the same experience and sense of awe in our God and his Son as they 450 years ago. Unfortunately, Cranmer was burned at the stake on March 21, 1556. He was placed there by Queen Mary, otherwise known as “Bloody Mary” for her burning of over 300 Protestant “heretics.” This date has been claimed as the day that Roman Catholicism died in England. As the flames grew hotter and higher, Cranmer stuck his hand into the flames first. He wanted the hand that signed several of the recantations of the Protestant doctrine to suffer the first loss. In his death, he recanted his recantations and died solidly convinced that his life accomplishments were well worth the effort. Two other victims of Queen Mary were bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer. They were placed on trial along with Cranmer and they were burned at the stake on October 16, 1555. Bishop Latimer is reported as saying to Bishop Ridley, just as the flames were rising, “Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” He never realized how true his words would be.

 

 

I am not saying the being an Anglican is the best choice for everyone. I am a little prejudiced in this regard. Although, I am convinced that entrance into heaven will be alphabetical by denomination. Thus, Anglicans will get in ahead of the Assemblies of God and the Baptists! My friends in those branches of the church hate it when I say this and I know (and hope they do too) that it is not really true. Like America, the Anglican Church has a rich history and tradition. Too many people fail to remember or understand how we got where we are today. I love being connected to the past. I am thankful for all those people who paved the way for me. I am especially thankful for all of those who paid the ultimate price for everything I enjoy today, be it my denomination or my country. Our history is not just a passing paragraph but a living expression that carries us into the future. As Edmund Burke wrote, “Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.” History is our friend. We learn from it and we are encouraged by it. Take some time to learn about the people who forged the faith you practice and the country where you practice it. It will be worth your time and effort because it was worth theirs.

New Year’s Resolutions Anytime!

You have to admit that around January 1^st, hope springs eternal. People make resolutions and attempt to make a commitment to change certain things in their life for the better (usually). They look forward to the new year being better than the one that has just past. Very rarely do you hear someone say that they want the New Year to be the same as, or worse than, last year. Almost everyone has high aspirations and wants to achieve more this year than they did previously. Many set goals with the optimism of achieving them. Some will, some will not. Most give up or forget about their resolutions before the month of January closes. But that does not deter us from making new resolutions next year. We try to convince ourselves we will do better and try harder because the change we seek will benefit us and those around us. As I said, hope springs eternal.

 

The problem with these resolutions is that we think that just because there was a change in the digits on a calendar, it will change the outlook and disposition of our life. I will not say this is foolhardy but it does seem to be inconsistent. What makes us think that a vow in January is going to have more impact than a change in July? There are not too many heart transplant patients – or other vital organs for that matter – who would say that they would wait for their transplant until next year because they are going to make a resolution to live healthier in the up-coming year. This past year we heard much about the Mayan calendar and the end of the world as we know it. While the loss of Twinkie and Ho-Ho production is a major setback to humanity, the world is still here and plugging along much as it has for centuries. In our arrogance we seem to believe that our calendar is the correct one. So, when it changes the numerals of the year, we think it is a brand new start. Yet, even our calendar in not in sync with the motions of the galaxy. We have to have a leap year every four years to compensate for the variance in accurate time measurement. While this little adjustment solves our problem it still is not perfect.

 

New Year’s Resolutions have their place and many people need them to focus and commit to needed changes. Becoming proactive to correct a lingering problem may take time but the effort will be worth it. Unlike the Lenten practice of giving up something for the duration of Lent (40 days prior to Easter), New Year’s resolution changes are sought to be permanent. I met an Anglican priest once who gave up smoking cigarettes for Lent every year. It was a laudable and noble endeavor. However, when Easter arrived and Lent was over, he could be seen lighting up just before the Easter services. He made it through Lent but his sacrifice was not life changing and he returned to his old unhealthy habits. This too occurs with New Year’s Resolutions. We quit before we are transformed, before the changes have a chance to make a positive impact on our lives. If we do follow through, we are blessed and thankful that we tried and succeeded. In and of themselves, these resolutions are not bad or ungodly. It does give us hope that we can change and change for the better. But, what does God have to say about this subject?

 

Nowhere in Scripture are New Year’s Resolutions mentioned. Basically I believe that since God is eternal and outside of time as we know it, calendars have no influence on him at all. Time was invented by God for our sake to keep everything from happening at once. Linear time is a creation of God for the benefit of man. I think of time like a piece of string. It has a definite beginning and a definite end. God holds both ends in his hands. He can see the beginning and the end at the same moment. So, from his perspective, the years all run together and there is really no clear delineation from one year to the next. Just because our calendars end and numbers change, time rolls on and on and on until Jesus comes back. It does not matter when you make a choice to do anything. God sees when you do it and he sees the results of that choice in the same instant.

The Bible is clear that God’s mercies are new every day. (Lamentations 3:23) Every day is a new start and a chance to have a different kind of life, a different quality to life. We don’t have to wait until the first of the year. God doesn’t wait and we don’t have to either. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Our resolution should be to daily carry our cross and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23) When that resolution is entered into, things come into proper perspective. I have quoted the saying many times about “loving Jesus and doing what you want.” I don’t know who to attribute it to but it is worth repeating. When you love Jesus to the fullest extent, with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), your wants and desired get rewired. You no longer desire to do the things you used to do because you love Jesus. We do not have to wait for the New Year to come to change this in our lives. You never know what may happen in the intervening period. Do you really have time to wait?

Even though New Year’s for 2013 has officially passed it is not too late to make a resolution. According to some study somewhere, it only takes 21 days to make something a habit. If you started today (January 2^nd), whatever you endeavor to do could become a habit before the next Super Bowl game (February 13^th). But even if you don’t do it before the Super Bowl, that does not make it too late. Resolutions can and should change your life. They should change it for the better. That is what God wants for you. It is what God wants from you. If you do not know Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, today is the day to accept him. January first only comes around once a year and after it passes you will have to wait 364 days (365 in leap years) for it to come around again. Can you afford to wait? Make that resolution right now. If you do know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, is there some issue that is blocking, delaying, or stunting your spiritual growth and maturity? Make that resolution here and now to change that issue. Three hundred and sixty four days is way too long to wait. As Nike used to say: “Just do it!” Resolutions are hard to keep. We may achieve them and feel good about ourselves. But the true life transforming resolutions, the ones that have eternal consequences, have Jesus at the center of them. Do not let the change in numerals on a calendar restrict you from making decisions, modifications and transformations that will bring you eternal security. The best year of your life can start at any point. It can start today. The great thing about Jesus is that he is not bound by a calendar or a falling lighted ball in Times Square. He will take your resolution for him anytime, anywhere. In Christ, every day is a new day, every year a new year. He is a resolution you will never regret making or keeping because hope in him really does spring eternal. Start today and see what happens because Jesus is the Lord of Life.

Prince of Peace

It is still the Christmas season and contrary to current culture the season begins on Christmas Day and goes on for twelve days. Thus, the twelve days of Christmas take us through Epiphany, which is January 6^th, not the pre-Christmas sale season. Since we are still in the season it is okay to talk about the meaning of “the season.” There has been much talk lately, due the secularization of this holiday, to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. This causes much consternation with the secularists because anything to do with Jesus is verboten. But, having come from a denomination that claimed to be Christian yet held Jesus Christ to be optional, one has to ask: “Which Jesus?” There are many neutered versions of Jesus that have nothing to do with the Son of God whose birth we celebrate on December 25^th. This is especially true when he is labeled the “Prince of Peace.”

 

 

Having heard it read at Christmas each year, many of us can recite Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming of the Christ-child. Isaiah 9:6 says: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Now, he is called more than Prince of Peace but that is the title that has come under much distortion. The notion of “peace” has been so skewed that we cannot envision what it truly means. Since we live in a fallen and tainted world we have never experienced true peace. There are many definitions of peace that we may have experienced personally. Some from Merriam-Webster are: a state of tranquility or quiet; harmony in personal relations; a state or period of mutual concord between governments; a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity. But none of these go far enough to describe the peace that Jesus brings. The Prince of Peace brings a peace that “transcends all understanding.”(Philippians 4:7) It goes beyond our wildest imagination.

 

 

I cannot count the number of “peace treaties” that have been entered into by warring factions during my lifetime, and I'm not really that old (contrary to what my kids think!). Sometimes those treaties last a long time and sometimes the ink doesn’t even dry before they start attacking each other again. Either way, a cessation of hostilities, while one definition of peace is not the peace we will experience when Jesus comes and ushers in his kingdom. For many of us we just remember the Arab-Israeli conflicts and their attempts at “peace.” Their hatred for each other – or at least the Arabs innate hatred of Israel – makes true peace impossible. The animosity continues even when the bombs and bullets aren’t flying. While they are not physically attacking each other, the hatred remains. While there may be mutual concord they are devising new ways to get retribution. The conflict is not occurring externally but inwardly the battle rages on. What really happens is that people try to pretend that everything is copasetic - the Rodney King gospel of “why can’t we all just get along?” – but they are just waiting, hoping for an opportunity to try to overwhelm and overpower the enemy. The opposition remains because deep down they continue to be enemies. When one reads Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) we find the rules for kingdom living, living in peace with one another. It can be summed up as turning enemies into friends. That is when true peace is possible.

 

 

The prophet Isaiah gave us a vision of how this peace that Jesus brings will finally be lived out on earth. In two different chapters he gives us this picture of peace. Isaiah 11:6-7 tells us: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” And later in chapter 65, he says: “The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.” (v. 25) Think back on any National Geographic special about Africa or the wilds anywhere for that matter. How many times have you had tears in your eyes because a young animal has become food for another animal that is too ugly to appreciate? The picture Isaiah draws for us is something that is humanly impossible. No human endeavor at peace could ever achieve this kind of harmony in nature or civilization. But the animal kingdom will one day live at peace and harmony together. I maintain that part of the fall was having carnivores. And Isaiah 65 seems to add evidence to this conclusion. It is hard to conceive of Isaiah’s perfect world when we look at the world around us. A friend in seminary told us his dad, an overly educated man, finally agreed that he saw no hope of man ever perfecting himself. It took the collapse of the World Trade Center to bring him to that pronouncement.

 

 

Like much in this life, people are looking for peace in all the wrong places. They want to have “the peace that passes understanding,” without having the one person who is capable of giving it, Jesus Christ. This is impossible and we have a whole decade to prove it. The 1960’s were called the decade of peace. Many people adhered to the mantra of making peace not war. (Some advanced the notion of making love not war because that was easier to do than to make peace.) They took John Lennon’s song “Imagine” as a sort of proto-Isaiah portrait of the peace they so desired and wanted to work towards. “Imagine” is a sentimental version of peace. The song itself is certainly a godless version of peace and fairly impractical. It is a partial truth because it does not take into consideration the underlying cause of the problems of the world: fallen humanity. It is a partial truth because it does not consider the ultimate solution: Jesus Christ. He is the peace that Isaiah foretold would come. While the song contains some laudable objectives, many of which will one day happen, they cannot be come into being apart from the person and work of Jesus Christ. He will be the one who will bring about those achievements. St. Paul summed it up perfectly. In his letter to the church at Ephesus he wrote, “For he (Jesus) is our peace.” (2:14) He does not impart peace, teach peace or inspire peace. He doesn’t preach about it, write about it or pontificate upon it. He is it. He IS peace, he IS the Prince of Peace. It not just part of his character, it is who he is. Looking for peace anywhere else or in anyone else is futile. You can imagine all you want but it ain’t going to happen. The peace we seek, we desire, is available in one and only one place, one person, Jesus Christ. All other forms of peace are counterfeit and will not satisfy our desire for peace. This Christmas you can find the “peace that passes understanding.” But you can only find it in the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. This year, don’t imagine it, experience it!

Coal Again!

In the Christmas season we find a more than usual amount of accountability about what we have done during the year. I cannot tell you how many parents I have heard coaxing their kids by saying that if they aren’t good Santa will not bring them anything on Christmas. This Christmas coercion usually begins about the Black Friday. The other night I was kidding a young man about a video game he was playing. The idea of the game was for Santa’s reindeer to kick him in the bottom and knock him down the chimney. I jokingly said to the kid that if he knocked Santa too much he would get coal in his stocking. I guess it was the vacant stare I received that made me realize he had no idea what I was talking about. Being raised on “A Charlie Brown Christmas” I knew too well the supposed disappointment at having a stocking full of coal. The idea of coal in the stocking was to signify that the person who received the coal was not good during the year. However, it seems rather cruel to give someone coal so it is not done much, if at all.

The impetus behind coal is the recognition that our behavior has consequences. It seems we only worry about this just before the Christmas season. It is only then that we worry about our conduct and what it may mean to our stocking contents on Christmas morning. It reminds me of a story about the Visigoths. When they became Christians they would have four priests – two on each side of a river – and the Visigoths would walk through the river holding their swords above the water line. They would be baptized up to their swords which allowed their swords to continue to conquer and pillage without eternal consequences or reprisals. They devised a loophole to continue their way of life and still be “Christians.” We contort things to avoid an avalanche of coal on Christmas.

 

Our accountability ends up being a year-end review. We see this examination as a chance to rationalize our actions throughout the year and try to justify them. It is amazing how short our memories are when we are involved in this type of situation. It is also amazing at how lucidly we can create rationalizations for each and every misstep. Personally, I can barely remember last week, much less last month or last January. While I am sure this saves me from suffering from too much guilt I am sure it does not saves me from the need for confession and repentance. This is why it is good to keep short accounts with God. I may not remember what I have done but God surely does. If the contents of my stocking are based solely on my year-long behaviors, without Jesus Christ in my life I would get coal, coal, coal! In fact, there is not enough coal in all of West Virginia to fill my stocking to the level of my misdeeds. Even if the coal deposited in the stocking was just symbolic, the stocking would still need to be full. Coal is actually a sign of our need for a Savior, even one born in a manger. There is a song by the Newsboys that says: “When we get what we don’t deserve, it’s a real good thing. When we don’t get what we deserve, it’s a real good thing.” This is especially true on Christmas. Just think of the run on coal if all of loved ones had to be honest and give as our deeds deserve. Thank God he does not act like that. 

When we repent and confess, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. (1 John 1:9) The Bible has three promises about our sins that offer us a sense of relief. It says that God puts them as far away as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12); he puts them behind his back (Isaiah 38:17); and he remembers them no more (Jeremiah 31:34). If you look at the earth, going from north to south you eventually hit the opposite direction. This does not occur however when you are going from east to west. You can keep going east as far as you would like and you will never reach west. When God puts our sins behind his back it means they are no longer in his sight. Now, my mother always said that she had eyes in the back of her head. This doesn’t mean God is incapable of seeing behind him but that once he places them behind his back they are no longer in his line of sight. Finally, the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more. This does not mean he is a giant senile grandfather in a rocking chair and he can’t remember things he should. This is a choice on God’s part that once confessed he will erase the board clean and not recall them ever again. This is eternal coal abatement for those of us that deserve coal in our stocking. So, as we approach Christmas and hang our stocking by the chimney with care, or wherever you hang them if you don’t have a chimney, remember this: God will not give you coal this Christmas. He will give you a Savior!

It’s Just Not Fair

As I drive my son to taekwondo there is a stretch of road that is under construction. One evening while going home, I was fooling with the GPS in the car and not paying the proper amount of attention to the road or that traffic signs. We were taking this route for the first time so I wasn’t familiar with the thoroughfare anyway. Seeing four lanes I just gunned the engine and went. I was traveling at 42 MPH, so I have been told. Until of course, the nice police officer decided to flash his colorful lights in my rearview mirror. He was nice and understood my dilemma about driving my wife’s car, the new road and speed limit and thus he only gave me a warning. I was very thankful because being in a “work zone” the speeding fines are double. In Oklahoma, the law calls for double fines in any speed zone regardless of whether there are workers present or not. That’s just not fair! It’s not like that in other states. Regardless, I got a warning and not a fine. Now, I know there are people who will say, “That’s just not fair!” You may be right. But nonetheless I was upset and I obsess about the speed limit through that section of road every time I drive it. I get upset when I get passed on that section of road by vehicles ignoring the big sign that advises of a speed limit of 25 miles per hour. I cry to the Lord for justice and fairness that they would get stopped like I did. I appeal to his sense of fairness and good that there would be a police officer anxious to apprehend speeders just over the next hill. That indeed would be true justice. That indeed would be fair! It rarely happens (okay never!).

I have been intrigued by the notion of fairness lately as it is an overused and misunderstood word. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines fair as: “marked by impartiality and honesty: free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism or conforming with the established rules: allowed.” Fairness to me means that it is not arbitrary or showing favoritism to one party over another. Fairness should be equal to all without regard to any other factors or influences. It should affect all parties to the same degree and proportion. Keep this in mind when reading the following. Ask yourself, is it fair?

 

There is a lot of talk politically about the “rich” paying their fair share. While in the US, over 80% of all taxes are paid by just 10% of the population, the battle cry now is for the rich to just pay their fair share. In this parlance, fair means more because that would just be fair. After all, they can afford it. Yet, their tax rate is currently higher based solely on the fact that they make more money. If fair means equal in proportion and degree, then the tax rates would be the same for everyone regardless of how much they make. If fairness means not arbitrary then the rich are already paying more than their fair share. When we look at the Bible, we don’t see God expecting some people to give more just because they have been blessed to make more. The tithe is proportional at the same level for everyone regardless of how much they make. God didn’t give everyone the same amount of talent, but he does expect each person to maximize their potential based on the talents he has given them. God expects each person to return to him the same percentage of what he has allowed them to make as everyone else. The tithe is God's standard and he applies it equally to all based on that standard and not on where or how they obtained it. I must confess that I have been part of congregations that thought that the richer members should carry more of the churches financial burden thus relieving the other members of having to tithe and contribute their fair share just because they can. This is man’s idea not God’s.

 

I also hear frequently that same sex marriage would be fair. It would offer the same privileges and advantages to same sex couples as their married heterosexual counterparts. The rationale behind this is that love has no barriers so the church and the government should not erect barriers either. How can it be fair to love someone and not receive the benefits and societal protections that other heterosexual couples enjoy? Here fairness has more weight and thus the argument gets cloudy. However, in the quest for fairness the culture is scuttling several thousands of years of tradition. While it may seem fair from one point of view, is it really fair to devalue and tamper with all that history. Can something be fair for one party and not the other? Whose values are to determine which is correct and valid? In the United States, until this recent election, every state that had a marriage amendment on the ballot passed them by overwhelming margins. Is it fair for courts to overturn the will of the people in the name of fairness? Now the Supreme Court will be settling the issue. You know after their decision, someone will cry, "It's just not fair!"

Another cry is that it's just not fair that everyone will not enter heaven as if entrance should be based on some arbitrary, human notion of fairness. God would never be that exclusive, restrictive and judgmental. After all, God is a loving and just God and he should want everyone to “get in (which he does by the way). While this sounds good, it goes against the very nature and character of God. God has set the bar high because he is holy and righteous. He cannot even stand to be in the presence of sin, whether it is a small tiny spot or a large cankerous blotch. Neither can sin ever be in the same space God inhabits. Since heaven is God’s dwelling place, since he is the one who created it and resides in it, he sets the requirements for admission. While many people want to impose on God their view of fairness it does not mean God will accept it. Fairness seems to be a moving target based on what we want. If we do not get what we want, it's just not fair. If it is beyond our ability to reach it, it’s just not fair. If someone who has more talent and ability has “stuff” we want it’s just not fair. Something must be done to level the playing field in the name of and for the sake of fairness. If we don’t like God’s standards because he sets the bar so high, we just need to lower the bar instead of raising our expectations and endeavors. We confuse fairness and love with caving in and being underachievers. Like much of what has been discussed here, it is not God’s plan. It is not God’s intent to lower his requirements to make us happy or give us a sense of fairness. We want the creator and sustainer of the universe to bow to our wishes instead of the other way around. Now, that’s just not fair! And I am sure God has a few things to say about that. The next time you want to complain about fairness, try looking at things from God’s perspective. He sacrificed his Son for us and yet we ignore him, deny him or just plain don't give him a second thought. If anyone has a RIGHT to cry, “it's just not fair!” it is God!