I have been watching Steve Harvey's new show "Little Big Shots" and loving it!! If you haven't heard of it, basically he has little kids with huge talent, or kids that are just funny. I think he is collecting them off YouTube to be honest.
Kids are so candid. I made an observation that I wanted to expand on a little in my thought process. A couple times I've noticed a certain scenario play out as he interviews the kids. He tells a little girl, "do you know you're very pretty?" and she just replies matter-of-factly, "yes." Now if you fast forward about 15 years, that scenario will play out very differently. It makes me sad. The innocence of childhood is not something we should have to grow out of. No one should be able to convince us that we're not pretty, smart, funny, etc. But they do.
I began to ponder. Kids live in a realm of trust. They have to. They will believe anything you tell them. They simply don't have enough information to not believe. As a baby/toddler, no one (hopefully) is telling this kids they are anything less than wonderful. No one goes up to a 3 yr old and tells her she's ugly, right? So it's easy to see why when Steve tells a 4 yr old she's very pretty, she agrees with him. When does it change? When do girls cross the line into believing instead that so many things are wrong with her appearance?
For me it was 6th grade. I'm sure for some it was even earlier. I was a happy kid with lots of friends in elementary school. The way our schools are set up, the elementary I went to fed into both middle schools, and it seemed most of my friends went to the other one, so I started 6th grade without many friends in place. I don't remember a lot of specifics from that era, but I know that a group of boys started taunting me. I learned pretty quickly that year that I didn't have "the right stuff" to fit in at this school. It came as a shock and I withdrew into a shell that I am still working my way out of 27 or so years later.
Now I'm looking at this with my current eyes and I'm wondering why the words of those specific kids were able to alter my life so significantly. I didn't even know them! They were no my friends, they didn't know me, they didn't matter! They were just kids with a mean streak, probably from their own wounds and insecurities. There were people in my life who did care about me, but for some reason, their words of affirmation weren't enough to take out the cruel words of my peers. It really doesn't make sense. Why do we listen to the opinions of those who don't matter?
I've thought lately about hearing "I love you" from someone. Our parents usually tell us they love us, but somehow it seems to matter more when we hear it from someone that is not "obligated" to love us. That in itself is a silly statement, but I think it feels true. We are silly creatures, swayed by negative words so easily.
Today, years down the road, I'm still struggling with my self worth, trying to believe that people like me, that I'm worth something, that I matter to someone. That who I am, in all my uniqueness is valuable. I started thinking, talking to God about this and He reminded me that no one who gets famous does so for "fitting in." He reminded me that He made each of us totally unique and meant for us to live in that uniqueness. Who told us that fitting in was the goal of life? It's not!! It's amazing how easily that lie has trapped us, bound us up in chains, and destroyed who we were created to be. None of us should have to fit in! This world is boring when everyone is the same. I am different than you, and it is right that it is so. We each have a part to play in this big body of people known as humanity. We can't all do the same things. The "famous people" that we all love got that way by standing out and being different!
When we try to fit in, when we try to do the things we think we need to do to be loved and accepted, we're actually shooting ourselves in the foot. The love and acceptance will never be fulfilling because we're not loved and accepted for who we really are. I've used this concept in talking about dating, but it applies to all relationships. If we are faking something, the love we receive for it isn't really for us. We feel more and more unloved because deep down we know that we aren't really exposing our true self. The only time we can really believe we are loved is when the lover sees our truest self. God always sees us, more clearly than we see ourselves, but with human relationships, we can only be truly loved to the extent we reveal ourselves to another.
How can we reverse the negative word destruction? By daily reminding ourselves of the positive words from people who really know us and love us. Reject the negative words as they come at us, and receive the positive ones. God has given us lots of words of affirmation in the Bible and we can ask Him for more personal ones directly. I am going to work on this more. I want to be aware of what words I'm allowing to have an effect on my soul. I've spent a lifetime believing the negative from people who don't matter, now I want to begin to believe the positive words from people who do matter.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
One Sided God?
I found this on Facebook's 'On This Day' - something I posted in 2011 (before I moved to Redding) - I thought it was worth a read.
This accusation is not only against this particular church, I've personally heard it from others here and there. Christians and non Christians alike, this is a sticky subject. My pastor often mentions what he calls the both/and. This refers to what many would call contradictions in the Bible. Jesus is a lion - Jesus is a lamb. which is it? Both. He has many many aspects to His character and at a first glance, they can seem contradictory. So let me just narrow it down to the one specific instance that was mentioned. God's goodness vs God's wrath.
I was raised in church, so I know all the Bible stories and all the teachings, but all of that never brought be into a personal relationship with Jesus. I didn't trust Him. I was always afraid that He would ask me to do something scary like become a missionary to Africa. ;) I knew that He didn't like sin, so I spent so much of my life being "good" - trying to be perfect so He wouldn't be mad or disappointed. I was never willing to open my heart and share my inner self with Him. Why? Because I didn't know that He was good. I knew what the world in general seems to think. God is waiting to toss a thunderbolt my way if I screw up.
My introduction to Bethel was all about the goodness of God. I was told about His amazing unconditional love. I heard songs sung by worshipers who obviously believed their joyful proclamations 100%. I watched the congregations as well as the singers and speakers. I could see that these people really knew this good God. It wasn't fake. It wasn't hype. They were truly basking in the goodness of God. The more I heard of the teaching, the more I heard a sound that rang true to me. There were always little bits that didn't sit right with me in church growing up. I was young, so questioning the pastors wasn't really an option in my mind. I figured they must know what they're talking about because everyone seems to believe the same thing. It's not that they were wrong, but the teachers at Bethel were able to put words to what I was feeling was off. Their lessons clicked with me. Their Kingdom based teachings were just enough different that I finally began to understand who God is.
I didn't just have the internet teachings and books and music, I met someone that had lived there, been a part of that community for a time. I experienced the human form of that unconditional love in a new way. I watched a life that was just different. I saw hope. I saw a life that had been transformed and was living the way I wanted to believe was possible. I began to think that I didn't have to live this miserable controlled little life anymore. I saw enough evidence of God's goodness that I started to believe it, and that allowed me to open my heart and trust Him. That little tiny act of trust opened the floodgates and I was drenched in His Love and amazing goodness. I experienced it. I felt His Love in a tangible way that brought me well out of the reach of doubt.
So does God have wrath? Does He cast judgement? Yeah, but don't we all? When you get angry with someone, do you have a good reason? Is there ever a place for that? We sure seem to think so. When you watch a movie, don't you love to see the bad guy get what's coming to him? We get that sense of justice from our Father. But the thing is, we never know all the facts. Do we know that the guy that raped and killed all those girls was brutally abused and molested himself as a child? Would that make us a little more sympathetic towards him? Not that his acts were justified at all, but maybe we'd understand a little more that he himself was hurting and acting out of that place. The thing is.... God knows ALL the facts. He is JUST. He is the perfect Father. Our human brains and limited knowledge have no right thinking our judgement of a situation is right.
Many accuse God of letting bad things happen to good people. They accuse Him of pouring out His wrath in the form of natural disasters. I just don't believe that is true. I believe that He set the Earth on it's course, and human kind has made a lot of bad decisions that have had ripple-like ramifications. I believe that Jesus came to take God's judgement in our place. I believe He finished it at the cross. I believe that He loves us soooooooo much that He went to extreme measures to make sure that we could live in His love forever. He's a Father. How many of you as parents nail your kids to the wall for every little thing they do wrong? No, you love them, and you would do anything for them wouldn't you? You overlook so many mistakes b ecause you love your kid. You just want to see them happy and living a good life. Are we better than God? I don't think so. I think that the perception of many is very skewed. Now that I believe He is good, I view all situations a little different and I can trust that He is taking care of everything. I don't have to fight to make sure the "bad" people around me get what is coming, I can trust that my Daddy knows more than I do and He will make sure everything works out in the end.
So what do I think about Bethel's "goodness" focused teaching? I love it!! Without knowing God is good, why does anything else matter? Why would I want to go to a God of wrath? Out of fear? The Bible says there is no fear in love. Fear is the opposite of faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. It also tells us that it is His kindness that leads us to repentence. I don't think that preaching a God of wrath gets the results we really want. If we want souls to be saved, scaring them is not going to work. Without God's goodness, why would anyone want to know Him? I think Bethel is right on in teaching the goodness of God as the base truth for everything else. There is a place for all aspects of God, but without the goodness, we have no way of understanding the rest of it in context. I wouldn't be living the joy and peace filled life that I am if I didn't get this exposure to the goodness of God.
Over the past 2 years, my life has undergone a radical transformation, due in large part to the teachings I encountered from a church called Bethel in Redding, CA. Recently I was led to a website that had a lot of negative things to say about this church and its teachings. I've seen this before about my own church, and it's usually by people who don't really know what is going on. But one of the things this site said made me think. The accusation was that Bethel teaches only about the goodness of God, seemingly ignoring God's judgement and the Old Testament God that had a tendency to smite people that displeased Him. I want to share my thoughts on what I concluded.
This accusation is not only against this particular church, I've personally heard it from others here and there. Christians and non Christians alike, this is a sticky subject. My pastor often mentions what he calls the both/and. This refers to what many would call contradictions in the Bible. Jesus is a lion - Jesus is a lamb. which is it? Both. He has many many aspects to His character and at a first glance, they can seem contradictory. So let me just narrow it down to the one specific instance that was mentioned. God's goodness vs God's wrath.
I was raised in church, so I know all the Bible stories and all the teachings, but all of that never brought be into a personal relationship with Jesus. I didn't trust Him. I was always afraid that He would ask me to do something scary like become a missionary to Africa. ;) I knew that He didn't like sin, so I spent so much of my life being "good" - trying to be perfect so He wouldn't be mad or disappointed. I was never willing to open my heart and share my inner self with Him. Why? Because I didn't know that He was good. I knew what the world in general seems to think. God is waiting to toss a thunderbolt my way if I screw up.
My introduction to Bethel was all about the goodness of God. I was told about His amazing unconditional love. I heard songs sung by worshipers who obviously believed their joyful proclamations 100%. I watched the congregations as well as the singers and speakers. I could see that these people really knew this good God. It wasn't fake. It wasn't hype. They were truly basking in the goodness of God. The more I heard of the teaching, the more I heard a sound that rang true to me. There were always little bits that didn't sit right with me in church growing up. I was young, so questioning the pastors wasn't really an option in my mind. I figured they must know what they're talking about because everyone seems to believe the same thing. It's not that they were wrong, but the teachers at Bethel were able to put words to what I was feeling was off. Their lessons clicked with me. Their Kingdom based teachings were just enough different that I finally began to understand who God is.
I didn't just have the internet teachings and books and music, I met someone that had lived there, been a part of that community for a time. I experienced the human form of that unconditional love in a new way. I watched a life that was just different. I saw hope. I saw a life that had been transformed and was living the way I wanted to believe was possible. I began to think that I didn't have to live this miserable controlled little life anymore. I saw enough evidence of God's goodness that I started to believe it, and that allowed me to open my heart and trust Him. That little tiny act of trust opened the floodgates and I was drenched in His Love and amazing goodness. I experienced it. I felt His Love in a tangible way that brought me well out of the reach of doubt.
So does God have wrath? Does He cast judgement? Yeah, but don't we all? When you get angry with someone, do you have a good reason? Is there ever a place for that? We sure seem to think so. When you watch a movie, don't you love to see the bad guy get what's coming to him? We get that sense of justice from our Father. But the thing is, we never know all the facts. Do we know that the guy that raped and killed all those girls was brutally abused and molested himself as a child? Would that make us a little more sympathetic towards him? Not that his acts were justified at all, but maybe we'd understand a little more that he himself was hurting and acting out of that place. The thing is.... God knows ALL the facts. He is JUST. He is the perfect Father. Our human brains and limited knowledge have no right thinking our judgement of a situation is right.
Many accuse God of letting bad things happen to good people. They accuse Him of pouring out His wrath in the form of natural disasters. I just don't believe that is true. I believe that He set the Earth on it's course, and human kind has made a lot of bad decisions that have had ripple-like ramifications. I believe that Jesus came to take God's judgement in our place. I believe He finished it at the cross. I believe that He loves us soooooooo much that He went to extreme measures to make sure that we could live in His love forever. He's a Father. How many of you as parents nail your kids to the wall for every little thing they do wrong? No, you love them, and you would do anything for them wouldn't you? You overlook so many mistakes b ecause you love your kid. You just want to see them happy and living a good life. Are we better than God? I don't think so. I think that the perception of many is very skewed. Now that I believe He is good, I view all situations a little different and I can trust that He is taking care of everything. I don't have to fight to make sure the "bad" people around me get what is coming, I can trust that my Daddy knows more than I do and He will make sure everything works out in the end.
So what do I think about Bethel's "goodness" focused teaching? I love it!! Without knowing God is good, why does anything else matter? Why would I want to go to a God of wrath? Out of fear? The Bible says there is no fear in love. Fear is the opposite of faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. It also tells us that it is His kindness that leads us to repentence. I don't think that preaching a God of wrath gets the results we really want. If we want souls to be saved, scaring them is not going to work. Without God's goodness, why would anyone want to know Him? I think Bethel is right on in teaching the goodness of God as the base truth for everything else. There is a place for all aspects of God, but without the goodness, we have no way of understanding the rest of it in context. I wouldn't be living the joy and peace filled life that I am if I didn't get this exposure to the goodness of God.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Political Goo
It seems like all we hear about right now is the presidential race for 2016. No matter how hard we try, we're bound to get slimed somehow by all this "news" flying around. So I will weigh in. I will admit I have dreaded wading into the cesspool, so I'm not super informed, but I don't really want to talk too much about the specifics anyway. I want to share my thoughts on what I believe about politics.
I believe that the founding fathers wrote a genius level constitution. Very well thought out path to success, and it worked well for a long time. Over the last 200+ years, people have gotten in the way and reinterpreted what the constitution says and changed a bunch of things that have not made us better. If I remember from high school, a good 20 years ago plus, the federal government was only in charge of infrastructure and defense. I could totally be wrong there, that's just what I remember hearing. Today they run the world. I think that is a pretty far stretch from the intent of our founders.
That being said, I don't believe the government should be running schools, welfare, marriages etc. This belief makes voting tricky at times. From where we stand today, there is no easy fix. We've allowed a very messy web of interconnected Band-Aids to be applied helter skelter all over our society. From the original intent I stated, to where we are now, we can't just go back. We can't just pull government out of all the places it wasn't meant to be. That would leave gaping wounds, oozing with pus. Sorry. :) The government has stepped in and taken over some areas of need that were being neglected by other sectors of society. We have areas that are hurting, and it seems we lack enough decent human beings with the proper resources to help out.
When I look at my ballot, whether it be for issues, laws, or people, I have a hard time deciding. There is often something on there asking for more money for schools, but I don't believe in public school. I think that is too often a horrible, life wrecking, hellhole that we force kids to go to for 13 years. They spend that time just trying to survive the tortures of their peers and the indoctrination of the curriculum. We've created a culture that believes this is what is best for our children. I do not want to give money to that, but ending the school system just creates a ton of other problems. There aren't enough alternative answers readily available. I believe parents should be responsible for the education of their children, but most of them are at work and unavailable. So if we make sure one parent is home to care for the children, the workforce is cut, the income of the family goes down, the economy takes a hit... See what I mean? Fixing one problem just creates a bunch more. I can't see the best way out of this type of situation. So do I vote for more money because I know there are plenty of really great well meaning teachers in there just trying their best to make a difference, or do I vote what I believe is right in the sense of where our tax dollars belong? It's a tough call for me.
So what does this have to do with picking a candidate? I ponder what should be most important? I think the main focus of the media attention tends to go toward the social issues. Gay marriage, abortion, and immigration are always popular topics. But are these the most important issues that we need a good leader to confront? I'll say yes on the abortion topic because killing millions of babies is a genocide that must be stopped! But the others, not so sure.
I see a nation potentially on the brink of disaster. Our economy is stretched to the limit. If that crashes, which many believe it will, do we really think these hot button issues matter one bit? If you have no money, your bank account has disappeared, and you need to feed your family, is it really going to matter to you if gays can marry legally? If the Muslims keep growing in number over here and you have to worry about getting your head chopped off or blown up by a bomb every time you leave the house, it's not going to matter to you if pot is legal. There are a number of issues that people base decisions on that really don't matter in light of the bigger dangers that lurk.
Another genius method of voting is based on completely irrelevant criteria like skin color or gender.
That is idiotic to vote based on something like that. Too many people want to vote for a criminal simply because "it's time." It is also not a reason to not vote for someone. We have to grow up! We have to look at what really matters and stop being mindless lemmings following after pop-culture with our brains turned off. We have to look at the character of the people running and examine their record.
I recently read a blurb by C Peter Wagner (a Christian author) where he said basically that he didn't think it was the goal to vote for the best Christian in the race. He said that is not the measure of success in the political realm. I'll have to admit that he made sense. I would prefer a Christian because I would hope he/she shared the same values I do, but that alone is not enough to lead a nation. Wagner made the point that the measure of success is different on the "7 mountains of influence." For example, in the business world, accumulation of wealth would be how to measure success. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.phpstory_fbid=10205247336453879&id=1560633356&fref=nf
I do believe character matters, because I don't want a leader that will trample people to achieve a goal. Someone like Trump has a record of business success in acquiring wealth, but I ask, at what cost? To me, that disqualifies him to lead the nation. I do believe he could have a positive influence on our economy overall, but I question how many people would be hurt in the process.
So what is it that really matters to me? I want to see a leader that can pull us together as a nation. I see division as a major issue that is destroying us from within. I want a leader that shows integrity and quality in his character. I don't want to have a shady underhanded leader that is out for his own benefit. I am tired of the lobbyists having their way in DC. They are out for profit and they appear to be bribing the politicians to help their cause instead of the people. I want to find a leader who can protect our nation from foreign threats and keep us safe from infiltration by those intent on doing us harm. I want a leader that seeks the to solve the root of a problem instead of just slapping more useless and harmful laws on things. I want a leader who will address the atrocious debt spending that has enslaved our nation. (paying that debt off at a rate of $10 million per day will take 5000 years!) I want a leader who can tackle our economic crisis with wisdom and compassion. I want a leader who will uphold the laws of the land instead of constantly making up his own laws. They really aren't that hard to understand. I want a leader that believes in freedom and honor.
That's a pretty big want. Who can fill those shoes? I have no idea. I don't believe that any one person needs to have all the answers, but a good leader knows how to surround himself with people who think differently and will offer new ideas for consideration. A good leader can look for solutions with an open mind, regardless of their source. Humility is a great quality in a leader. Ability to delegate and seek counsel are more important than having all the answers.
I believe that the founding fathers wrote a genius level constitution. Very well thought out path to success, and it worked well for a long time. Over the last 200+ years, people have gotten in the way and reinterpreted what the constitution says and changed a bunch of things that have not made us better. If I remember from high school, a good 20 years ago plus, the federal government was only in charge of infrastructure and defense. I could totally be wrong there, that's just what I remember hearing. Today they run the world. I think that is a pretty far stretch from the intent of our founders.
That being said, I don't believe the government should be running schools, welfare, marriages etc. This belief makes voting tricky at times. From where we stand today, there is no easy fix. We've allowed a very messy web of interconnected Band-Aids to be applied helter skelter all over our society. From the original intent I stated, to where we are now, we can't just go back. We can't just pull government out of all the places it wasn't meant to be. That would leave gaping wounds, oozing with pus. Sorry. :) The government has stepped in and taken over some areas of need that were being neglected by other sectors of society. We have areas that are hurting, and it seems we lack enough decent human beings with the proper resources to help out.
When I look at my ballot, whether it be for issues, laws, or people, I have a hard time deciding. There is often something on there asking for more money for schools, but I don't believe in public school. I think that is too often a horrible, life wrecking, hellhole that we force kids to go to for 13 years. They spend that time just trying to survive the tortures of their peers and the indoctrination of the curriculum. We've created a culture that believes this is what is best for our children. I do not want to give money to that, but ending the school system just creates a ton of other problems. There aren't enough alternative answers readily available. I believe parents should be responsible for the education of their children, but most of them are at work and unavailable. So if we make sure one parent is home to care for the children, the workforce is cut, the income of the family goes down, the economy takes a hit... See what I mean? Fixing one problem just creates a bunch more. I can't see the best way out of this type of situation. So do I vote for more money because I know there are plenty of really great well meaning teachers in there just trying their best to make a difference, or do I vote what I believe is right in the sense of where our tax dollars belong? It's a tough call for me.
So what does this have to do with picking a candidate? I ponder what should be most important? I think the main focus of the media attention tends to go toward the social issues. Gay marriage, abortion, and immigration are always popular topics. But are these the most important issues that we need a good leader to confront? I'll say yes on the abortion topic because killing millions of babies is a genocide that must be stopped! But the others, not so sure.
I see a nation potentially on the brink of disaster. Our economy is stretched to the limit. If that crashes, which many believe it will, do we really think these hot button issues matter one bit? If you have no money, your bank account has disappeared, and you need to feed your family, is it really going to matter to you if gays can marry legally? If the Muslims keep growing in number over here and you have to worry about getting your head chopped off or blown up by a bomb every time you leave the house, it's not going to matter to you if pot is legal. There are a number of issues that people base decisions on that really don't matter in light of the bigger dangers that lurk.
Another genius method of voting is based on completely irrelevant criteria like skin color or gender.
That is idiotic to vote based on something like that. Too many people want to vote for a criminal simply because "it's time." It is also not a reason to not vote for someone. We have to grow up! We have to look at what really matters and stop being mindless lemmings following after pop-culture with our brains turned off. We have to look at the character of the people running and examine their record.
I recently read a blurb by C Peter Wagner (a Christian author) where he said basically that he didn't think it was the goal to vote for the best Christian in the race. He said that is not the measure of success in the political realm. I'll have to admit that he made sense. I would prefer a Christian because I would hope he/she shared the same values I do, but that alone is not enough to lead a nation. Wagner made the point that the measure of success is different on the "7 mountains of influence." For example, in the business world, accumulation of wealth would be how to measure success. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.phpstory_fbid=10205247336453879&id=1560633356&fref=nf
I do believe character matters, because I don't want a leader that will trample people to achieve a goal. Someone like Trump has a record of business success in acquiring wealth, but I ask, at what cost? To me, that disqualifies him to lead the nation. I do believe he could have a positive influence on our economy overall, but I question how many people would be hurt in the process.
So what is it that really matters to me? I want to see a leader that can pull us together as a nation. I see division as a major issue that is destroying us from within. I want a leader that shows integrity and quality in his character. I don't want to have a shady underhanded leader that is out for his own benefit. I am tired of the lobbyists having their way in DC. They are out for profit and they appear to be bribing the politicians to help their cause instead of the people. I want to find a leader who can protect our nation from foreign threats and keep us safe from infiltration by those intent on doing us harm. I want a leader that seeks the to solve the root of a problem instead of just slapping more useless and harmful laws on things. I want a leader who will address the atrocious debt spending that has enslaved our nation. (paying that debt off at a rate of $10 million per day will take 5000 years!) I want a leader who can tackle our economic crisis with wisdom and compassion. I want a leader who will uphold the laws of the land instead of constantly making up his own laws. They really aren't that hard to understand. I want a leader that believes in freedom and honor.
That's a pretty big want. Who can fill those shoes? I have no idea. I don't believe that any one person needs to have all the answers, but a good leader knows how to surround himself with people who think differently and will offer new ideas for consideration. A good leader can look for solutions with an open mind, regardless of their source. Humility is a great quality in a leader. Ability to delegate and seek counsel are more important than having all the answers.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Culture of Dishonor
I, like so many others, dread watching the news. It's full of so much negativity, so much crime, so much devastation. The world looks like it's just getting worse and worse. People are filled with so much fear of so many things. Why? What has gone wrong? Can it be fixed?
I am a thinker, so in each situation I see, I ask myself... 'what caused this?' All too often the answer is 'a dishonorable person.' What do I mean by that? To me the word honor means to consider the needs of others and not push someone else down so you can move up. Violent crime is obvious, but how about the less obvious ones? What about the business world? What about the government? What about the special interest groups? All over we see people trampling the rights and freedoms of others in order to secure their own. Each obviously believes in what they are doing, but I would suggest that maybe some go about things the wrong way. When you are fighting FOR one thing, you are also fighting AGAINST another. Can that be done with honor? Often in our anger at injustice we just create more injustice and hurt more people.
A CEO loves money, so he screws over all the people working for him to line his own pockets, paying minimum wage, not giving benefits, not giving enough hours, all while pocketing all the profit their hard work is earning.
Banks want more money, so they offer predatory loans to people beyond what they can actually afford and the people end up losing their homes.
A teenager wants nicer shoes, so he steals money from his neighbor to buy them.
A man wants sex, so he rapes a girl on the street.
A student feels bullied and outcast, so he brings a gun to school and shoots a bunch of his classmates.
A group feels oppressed, so they rally to create laws and cultural 'norms' meant to punish all those who don't agree with them. Or they riot in the streets and burn down the city in protest.
But what if it wasn't this way ? What if we were a people of honor who took responsibility for our own choices and treated others the way we wanted to be treated? What if....
That CEO chose to take care of his employees and give them enough hours and salary that they could live? Wouldn't they work harder for him and potentially gain even more profit? Or maybe he just realizes that he doesn't need all those extra 0s on his paycheck and sees that he has a chance to make the world a better place by spreading that wealth around to those who helped him gain it.
Banks lent responsibly, empowering people to live within their means. Would those loans actually get paid off and not defaulted on? Would the bank actually make more money from actual payments? Would they have return customers and good recommendations?
The teen goes out and gets a job, being a responsible citizen so he can earn those new shoes.
The man treats women well and establishes a mature and healthy relationship with a woman and marries her.
Students treated each other kindly and made everyone feel welcome and accepted?
People all realize that in order for anyone to have freedom, we all must have freedom.
Just a few thoughts, but I don't think that this is in error. Treating others as we wish to be treated is the bottom line. When you have to hurt someone else to get what you want, YOU are in the wrong. YOU are the problem. We can't force anyone to be a nice person, but if we each choose to live this way, it can be contagious. Every choice we face, we have the opportunity to make the world a better place or a worse one. Sometimes choosing better means we make a sacrifice, but isn't it worth it in the long run?
I know many people look at religion as a prison, a set of rules that extinguishes our freedom, but I don't see it that way. The rules are just like any others, they are meant to help us see how to live without hurting ourselves or others. The Bible says "It is for freedom that Christ set us free." In Romans it says that we used to be slaves to sin - I take that to mean that our default mode is to act selfishly or "sin" when presented with a choice. Watch a toddler for a few minutes if you don't believe that. We all are supposed to learn how to behave apart from our base instincts. It takes a higher level of maturity to choose love over self most of the time. It's easier to steal something than to work hard and save up for it. Most of us grown ups will do that without thinking. Our relationships with the world around us will be better if we choose to use our freedom to love. That is what I think it means. When you live a dishonorable life, you'll find that you're always looking over your shoulder, trying not to get caught or running from those out to get you. That's not freedom.
Love is the higher way. Life in Christ empowers us to make the choice for love every time. We are free to choose love and spread freedom wherever we go.
I am a thinker, so in each situation I see, I ask myself... 'what caused this?' All too often the answer is 'a dishonorable person.' What do I mean by that? To me the word honor means to consider the needs of others and not push someone else down so you can move up. Violent crime is obvious, but how about the less obvious ones? What about the business world? What about the government? What about the special interest groups? All over we see people trampling the rights and freedoms of others in order to secure their own. Each obviously believes in what they are doing, but I would suggest that maybe some go about things the wrong way. When you are fighting FOR one thing, you are also fighting AGAINST another. Can that be done with honor? Often in our anger at injustice we just create more injustice and hurt more people.
A CEO loves money, so he screws over all the people working for him to line his own pockets, paying minimum wage, not giving benefits, not giving enough hours, all while pocketing all the profit their hard work is earning.
Banks want more money, so they offer predatory loans to people beyond what they can actually afford and the people end up losing their homes.
A teenager wants nicer shoes, so he steals money from his neighbor to buy them.
A man wants sex, so he rapes a girl on the street.
A student feels bullied and outcast, so he brings a gun to school and shoots a bunch of his classmates.
A group feels oppressed, so they rally to create laws and cultural 'norms' meant to punish all those who don't agree with them. Or they riot in the streets and burn down the city in protest.
But what if it wasn't this way ? What if we were a people of honor who took responsibility for our own choices and treated others the way we wanted to be treated? What if....
That CEO chose to take care of his employees and give them enough hours and salary that they could live? Wouldn't they work harder for him and potentially gain even more profit? Or maybe he just realizes that he doesn't need all those extra 0s on his paycheck and sees that he has a chance to make the world a better place by spreading that wealth around to those who helped him gain it.
Banks lent responsibly, empowering people to live within their means. Would those loans actually get paid off and not defaulted on? Would the bank actually make more money from actual payments? Would they have return customers and good recommendations?
The teen goes out and gets a job, being a responsible citizen so he can earn those new shoes.
The man treats women well and establishes a mature and healthy relationship with a woman and marries her.
Students treated each other kindly and made everyone feel welcome and accepted?
People all realize that in order for anyone to have freedom, we all must have freedom.
Just a few thoughts, but I don't think that this is in error. Treating others as we wish to be treated is the bottom line. When you have to hurt someone else to get what you want, YOU are in the wrong. YOU are the problem. We can't force anyone to be a nice person, but if we each choose to live this way, it can be contagious. Every choice we face, we have the opportunity to make the world a better place or a worse one. Sometimes choosing better means we make a sacrifice, but isn't it worth it in the long run?
I know many people look at religion as a prison, a set of rules that extinguishes our freedom, but I don't see it that way. The rules are just like any others, they are meant to help us see how to live without hurting ourselves or others. The Bible says "It is for freedom that Christ set us free." In Romans it says that we used to be slaves to sin - I take that to mean that our default mode is to act selfishly or "sin" when presented with a choice. Watch a toddler for a few minutes if you don't believe that. We all are supposed to learn how to behave apart from our base instincts. It takes a higher level of maturity to choose love over self most of the time. It's easier to steal something than to work hard and save up for it. Most of us grown ups will do that without thinking. Our relationships with the world around us will be better if we choose to use our freedom to love. That is what I think it means. When you live a dishonorable life, you'll find that you're always looking over your shoulder, trying not to get caught or running from those out to get you. That's not freedom.
Love is the higher way. Life in Christ empowers us to make the choice for love every time. We are free to choose love and spread freedom wherever we go.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Happy Holidays! I love Christmas!
I was stocking a gift wrap endcap today at work and noticed that one gift bag that said "Happy Holidays" had an item number of 666. I laughed thinking how many folks might "ah-ha!" that as a sign or something silly. Then my brain took off down that rabbit trail.
This time of year you see the religious folk posting their memes shouting loudly that we must say "Merry Christmas" and the outrage about taking Christ out of Christmas. Do they even realize how silly and petty they sound? Sure, I may prefer to say Merry Christmas, but I don't feel the need to be offended by someone who chooses another greeting. There are a few fun holidays all run together, so is it really required to pick just one?
My biggest point to be made here, and probably the only one, is that Christmas really isn't about Christ anyway! It's NOT Jesus' birthday. We may choose to remember His birth at this time, but most research shows He was born in the summer, or maybe September. If we want to get really honest, we can research how it was actually a Pagan holiday that was commandeered by the Christians to stop the heathens from celebrating what they wanted to celebrate. So really, aren't WE the ones that stole the holiday? hmmm....
I love this time of year, and I even work in retail! I call it Christmas because that is what it has been called all my life, no agenda, no religion. I love Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, and yes, I even love Santa!! People are often more friendly and happy and excited about giving. The kids love getting presents and it's fun to watch their glee as they marvel at the wonderfulness that is Christmas. I don't see it as being much about Jesus, but all in all, it's a positive holiday that promotes a lot of godly principles, so I like it! There is nothing wrong with love, joy, peace, generosity, and enjoying life with the awe and wonder of a child. That is why this is my favorite holiday. So be happy, have a holiday, and love your neighbors, no matter what words they use to share the ideas that are Christmas.
This time of year you see the religious folk posting their memes shouting loudly that we must say "Merry Christmas" and the outrage about taking Christ out of Christmas. Do they even realize how silly and petty they sound? Sure, I may prefer to say Merry Christmas, but I don't feel the need to be offended by someone who chooses another greeting. There are a few fun holidays all run together, so is it really required to pick just one?
My biggest point to be made here, and probably the only one, is that Christmas really isn't about Christ anyway! It's NOT Jesus' birthday. We may choose to remember His birth at this time, but most research shows He was born in the summer, or maybe September. If we want to get really honest, we can research how it was actually a Pagan holiday that was commandeered by the Christians to stop the heathens from celebrating what they wanted to celebrate. So really, aren't WE the ones that stole the holiday? hmmm....
I love this time of year, and I even work in retail! I call it Christmas because that is what it has been called all my life, no agenda, no religion. I love Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, and yes, I even love Santa!! People are often more friendly and happy and excited about giving. The kids love getting presents and it's fun to watch their glee as they marvel at the wonderfulness that is Christmas. I don't see it as being much about Jesus, but all in all, it's a positive holiday that promotes a lot of godly principles, so I like it! There is nothing wrong with love, joy, peace, generosity, and enjoying life with the awe and wonder of a child. That is why this is my favorite holiday. So be happy, have a holiday, and love your neighbors, no matter what words they use to share the ideas that are Christmas.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Trust
I have been pondering this idea a lot lately. Trust has become my answer for "what is the bottom line of Christianity?" Trusting God is something I've been learning, but I have also been thinking about trust between people. I think we are sorely lacking in that arena as well.
When someone tells you your spouse has been cheating on you, how many of us will brush that off as just a nasty rumor? I doubt the numbers would be high, and that is sad. It seems like our natural first instinct is to believe a horrible story like that, even if the spouse never gave any cause to mistrust. How many of us could hear that and think, "no, I know him/her and I trust him/her, so I'm not going to just simply believe this story." ? With this issue of ultimate betrayal, trust is forfeit and fear takes over.
Let's step back a bit. What if you are a teenage girl wanting to date this super cute boy at school, and your father is against it? You've had a wonderful relationship with your daddy for 16 years, he's taken care of your every need and has loved you well, always encouraged you to pursue your dreams and passions and provided many opportunities for you to do so. Suddenly he's just out to destroy your happiness and ruin your life!! Um... Probably not. Trust would tell you that maybe he knows something you don't, maybe he is still that wonderful father that wants the very best for you. Trust wouldn't believe that he has suddenly turned into a monster.
And what if we turn the tables. What if your husband really was cheating? What if your best friend in the world was the one to tell you about it? Do you trust her as you always have? Or do you fly into a rage and throw her out of your life? Did she suddenly turn against you?
We've all seen scenarios like this play out and they're all pretty disastrous. So what am I getting at? Trust isn't automatic. Trust isn't a given. Trust is built over time and made stronger by history. It is my hope that we would all consider our level of trust with the people closest to us. Do we know their hearts? Do we know their character? I know that some people are good at deception, but do we really want to start from there? I think that trust is deeply important to our lives, so I am pondering how that works, who should I trust? How do I monitor my levels of trust with the various circles of relationships in my life? It's tough, but I think it is important enough to warrant more attention.
When someone tells you your spouse has been cheating on you, how many of us will brush that off as just a nasty rumor? I doubt the numbers would be high, and that is sad. It seems like our natural first instinct is to believe a horrible story like that, even if the spouse never gave any cause to mistrust. How many of us could hear that and think, "no, I know him/her and I trust him/her, so I'm not going to just simply believe this story." ? With this issue of ultimate betrayal, trust is forfeit and fear takes over.
Let's step back a bit. What if you are a teenage girl wanting to date this super cute boy at school, and your father is against it? You've had a wonderful relationship with your daddy for 16 years, he's taken care of your every need and has loved you well, always encouraged you to pursue your dreams and passions and provided many opportunities for you to do so. Suddenly he's just out to destroy your happiness and ruin your life!! Um... Probably not. Trust would tell you that maybe he knows something you don't, maybe he is still that wonderful father that wants the very best for you. Trust wouldn't believe that he has suddenly turned into a monster.
And what if we turn the tables. What if your husband really was cheating? What if your best friend in the world was the one to tell you about it? Do you trust her as you always have? Or do you fly into a rage and throw her out of your life? Did she suddenly turn against you?
We've all seen scenarios like this play out and they're all pretty disastrous. So what am I getting at? Trust isn't automatic. Trust isn't a given. Trust is built over time and made stronger by history. It is my hope that we would all consider our level of trust with the people closest to us. Do we know their hearts? Do we know their character? I know that some people are good at deception, but do we really want to start from there? I think that trust is deeply important to our lives, so I am pondering how that works, who should I trust? How do I monitor my levels of trust with the various circles of relationships in my life? It's tough, but I think it is important enough to warrant more attention.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Faith - what does it mean?
What does faith look like to me? I see and hear so many comments from those who don't believe in God that imply that they believe we Christians have completely blind faith in someone we have no evidence of. Like we're just hoping that there's someone out there and we're trying to behave a certain way to please this unknown, possibly imaginary God. I guess to someone without the experience, that is the most logical explanation. I also assume it's why they get so cynical and upset when pastors have nice things. They might think it's quite a racket that this guy gets enough money for that nice car by selling nonsense. I guess I can see that, but let me tell you what faith means to me, because I've only recently begun to get it myself.
Over the last three years I have had some very real encounters with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. There's been a really cool feeling, there's been a voice, but most of all there's been action. Let me try to lay out my journey.
I was brought up to be very independent and to take care of my own needs. I was pretty successful in this endeavor. I had a job, a home, and really wasn't lacking for anything. My job was not super consistent, so some weeks money was a little tighter than normal, and I was living paycheck to paycheck mostly. So at some point I started getting credit cards. I lived with those as my backup for years til I was enslaved to my debt. It was always something, a car repair, a medical bill, something big that I didn't have enough for. Eventually I am at a place where I'm still living paycheck to paycheck, but $200-300 is going to my debt!
About a year and a half ago I had a revelation. For me, the credit cards were replacing faith in God to provide for me. My pastor Bill Johnson said one day, "how much money is too much? However much replaces your trust in God." That really hit me. I saw that though I don't have much money, having a credit card was where my financial trust was. If something came up, I had that card to pay it with. So I stopped. I told God I was going to trust Him to provide for my needs. I haven't used them since. Things come up, but I've never not had enough. I've had multiple car issues in this time period, but for each one, I had just enough.
My income tax refund came just before a big repair was needed. I was a little disappointed because I had hoped to by a new camera and computer with that money. But guess what? Over the next few months I found a $250 camera on clearance for $60 and a computer drastically discounted down to $200!! So I spent the money on my need, and then saw God provide super deals that just popped up in front of me, so I actually spent less on those items than I would've had I bought them right away with my refund.
I can't tell you how many times I've taken my car to the shop and walked out without owing a cent. I've paid for a few, but I've had them turn out to be under warranty, or such a small fix the mechanic just didn't charge me. If it was just one, maybe you could call it just good luck, but I'm probably approaching 10 times this has happened.
Housing is the other area where I've had some crazy provision. Summer of 2013 I was in temporary housing and had to be out Aug 15. I was online answering every ad I could find for almost 4 months with every single one being "no." I was freaking out! About 2 weeks before my deadline I felt like God told me to just stop. Stop answering ads and posting ads. Just sit there and trust Him. That was a ridiculously hard thing to do for someone so used to taking care of business. Aug 15 arrived and I had nothing. I had all my stuff packed and my friends were coming at 4:00 to get me out of the house. Around 10:00, I got an email asking if I needed a place to stay. I didn't know this person. I went to the house at noon and met the other roommate and got the place!! No pet deposit either! I loved that house, it was so perfect. That was my first big super obvious God provided moment.
Those are the two biggest examples I have for how God has proved Himself to be a good Father, and very very real to me. Faith is the act of not acting so to speak for me. Instead of trying so hard to do it all myself, I have been learning to sit back, not worry, and let God provide for me. It is hard, but the more time that I do it and He shows up, the more it builds my expectation for the next time. Faith is not belief, it's trust. He promised to take care of me, so now He just asks me to trust Him.
So now, I feel like He's calling me to move to another city. I need to find a place, get a transfer for my job, and fill my room here, all in the next week. I was offered a temporary home, and I'm ready to leap. I don't know that I'll find a permanent home, I don't yet have the job transfer confirmed, and I don't have anyone lined up to fill my room. Am I stressed? A little. But not nearly as much as one would expect. I know that God has provided for me every time I've needed Him, and usually at the last minute, so I can relax and trust that He has this one covered too.
I've come to believe that the bottom line of it all is trust. In the Garden of Eden, God gave them everything, but forbid just one tree. Love requires a choice. When Eve was tempted, the serpent told her that God was withholding something good from her. The choice she made was to trust someone other than the good God she'd spent so much time getting to know. Her momentary lack of trust cost mankind everything. So today, we are on a journey back to trust. I have always believed, but trust is a new thing for me. God is not a jerk, so He understands where we are in our journey. I know He's always been around, I can see His hand at work throughout my life, but as I made more direct effort to get to know Him, He has called me deeper. He knows trust doesn't come easy for us, so He very gently gives us opportunities to trust Him. As we see Him as faithful, the opportunities get a little more difficult. Each time we choose to trust Him, our faith grows, and the next challenge is a little easier.
Imagine the level of faith that Abraham had to embark on a journey up a mountain with the instruction to sacrifice his only son, the son of the promise, on the altar. He knew that God would never ask such a thing of him, yet he proceeded anyway knowing that God would provide another way if he just followed the path. To know God so well, I can only imagine. I'm on that journey to discover deeper depths of my Amazing Heavenly Father.
Over the last three years I have had some very real encounters with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. There's been a really cool feeling, there's been a voice, but most of all there's been action. Let me try to lay out my journey.
I was brought up to be very independent and to take care of my own needs. I was pretty successful in this endeavor. I had a job, a home, and really wasn't lacking for anything. My job was not super consistent, so some weeks money was a little tighter than normal, and I was living paycheck to paycheck mostly. So at some point I started getting credit cards. I lived with those as my backup for years til I was enslaved to my debt. It was always something, a car repair, a medical bill, something big that I didn't have enough for. Eventually I am at a place where I'm still living paycheck to paycheck, but $200-300 is going to my debt!
About a year and a half ago I had a revelation. For me, the credit cards were replacing faith in God to provide for me. My pastor Bill Johnson said one day, "how much money is too much? However much replaces your trust in God." That really hit me. I saw that though I don't have much money, having a credit card was where my financial trust was. If something came up, I had that card to pay it with. So I stopped. I told God I was going to trust Him to provide for my needs. I haven't used them since. Things come up, but I've never not had enough. I've had multiple car issues in this time period, but for each one, I had just enough.
My income tax refund came just before a big repair was needed. I was a little disappointed because I had hoped to by a new camera and computer with that money. But guess what? Over the next few months I found a $250 camera on clearance for $60 and a computer drastically discounted down to $200!! So I spent the money on my need, and then saw God provide super deals that just popped up in front of me, so I actually spent less on those items than I would've had I bought them right away with my refund.
I can't tell you how many times I've taken my car to the shop and walked out without owing a cent. I've paid for a few, but I've had them turn out to be under warranty, or such a small fix the mechanic just didn't charge me. If it was just one, maybe you could call it just good luck, but I'm probably approaching 10 times this has happened.
Housing is the other area where I've had some crazy provision. Summer of 2013 I was in temporary housing and had to be out Aug 15. I was online answering every ad I could find for almost 4 months with every single one being "no." I was freaking out! About 2 weeks before my deadline I felt like God told me to just stop. Stop answering ads and posting ads. Just sit there and trust Him. That was a ridiculously hard thing to do for someone so used to taking care of business. Aug 15 arrived and I had nothing. I had all my stuff packed and my friends were coming at 4:00 to get me out of the house. Around 10:00, I got an email asking if I needed a place to stay. I didn't know this person. I went to the house at noon and met the other roommate and got the place!! No pet deposit either! I loved that house, it was so perfect. That was my first big super obvious God provided moment.
Those are the two biggest examples I have for how God has proved Himself to be a good Father, and very very real to me. Faith is the act of not acting so to speak for me. Instead of trying so hard to do it all myself, I have been learning to sit back, not worry, and let God provide for me. It is hard, but the more time that I do it and He shows up, the more it builds my expectation for the next time. Faith is not belief, it's trust. He promised to take care of me, so now He just asks me to trust Him.
So now, I feel like He's calling me to move to another city. I need to find a place, get a transfer for my job, and fill my room here, all in the next week. I was offered a temporary home, and I'm ready to leap. I don't know that I'll find a permanent home, I don't yet have the job transfer confirmed, and I don't have anyone lined up to fill my room. Am I stressed? A little. But not nearly as much as one would expect. I know that God has provided for me every time I've needed Him, and usually at the last minute, so I can relax and trust that He has this one covered too.
I've come to believe that the bottom line of it all is trust. In the Garden of Eden, God gave them everything, but forbid just one tree. Love requires a choice. When Eve was tempted, the serpent told her that God was withholding something good from her. The choice she made was to trust someone other than the good God she'd spent so much time getting to know. Her momentary lack of trust cost mankind everything. So today, we are on a journey back to trust. I have always believed, but trust is a new thing for me. God is not a jerk, so He understands where we are in our journey. I know He's always been around, I can see His hand at work throughout my life, but as I made more direct effort to get to know Him, He has called me deeper. He knows trust doesn't come easy for us, so He very gently gives us opportunities to trust Him. As we see Him as faithful, the opportunities get a little more difficult. Each time we choose to trust Him, our faith grows, and the next challenge is a little easier.
Imagine the level of faith that Abraham had to embark on a journey up a mountain with the instruction to sacrifice his only son, the son of the promise, on the altar. He knew that God would never ask such a thing of him, yet he proceeded anyway knowing that God would provide another way if he just followed the path. To know God so well, I can only imagine. I'm on that journey to discover deeper depths of my Amazing Heavenly Father.
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