78. Specks in our eyes

I have misplaced the drafts of pieces that I have been working on, so here I am typing out a new posting.

Matt 7:5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This week I have been reading various on line magazines and came across an article that identified bible verses taken out of context.  It was titled something like “The ten bible verses most often taken out of context.”  The article then went on to list a number of verses that people cherry pick.

          The article included the verse in Matthew about judging others.  Where Jesus says, “Look you idiots, stop judging other people for the little things they do, when you are a complete mess.” (Please excuse the paraphrasing,) The article then states that once we have taken the log out of our own eyes, in other words, have become less of a mess; we are then free to judge others.

          I will not post a link to that article.

I find it interesting that Jesus’ direction to us is that once we have removed the plank from our own eye, we can see clearly to remove the speck from our brother’s eye.  It does not say that we are free to judge our brother or sister.  It says that having stopped our nonsense we are then a position to help.

          At first consideration you might think that I am being too picky and that I am even joining in the act of judging.  But I think there is a truth that is revealed about us, and that would include me.  That truth?  That we are drawn to, or compelled to, judge others.

          It is that religiosity of “Look Daddy, I am so much better than he, or she, or they are!”

The emphasis of this verse, at least as far as I can read it, is moved from judging to helping. Once again, I see within scriptures a command to move towards love.  Once again, I see within scripture an emphasis on making sure that I am obedient to God.  My participation in your life is one of compassion and support, or as Pastor Dan referred to it “One Anothering.”

          I am not called to point out the errors of your ways, I am called to help you in your walk with Christ.

          If I were to take this verse one step further, a reflection of my own belief, my Christianity is lived out in my relationships with others.  While I am rather private in my faith – it is not one of the first things you will come to know about me – it is in how I am with you that I work that faith.  Maybe I take the Bible Camp song “They will know we are Christians by our Love” too seriously.

          We need to take seriously the call to tend to ourselves first.  In a recent study they found that Christians were no more moral than those of other faiths, or even atheists.  Think about that, I have.  If the only thing that lets people know that I am a Christian is my mouth, I am better serving God by shutting up.

Then there was this:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/09/24/foul-mouthed-pastor-heath-mooneyham-ran-the-most-masculine-church-in-america-until-last-weeks-dui/

A church that boasts of being the most "masculine" church in America!! The church comes complete with a full array of weapons, including a sniper rifle that causes the minister to get an erection.

There is still room for judgement.  If I am a steward of my life and all that I have, then it is up to me to ensure that my time and energy is duly focused; as for me and my house we will serve the Lord!  As the above link attests there are very different views of our faith.  Some of those do merit my appreciation and participation, others don’t.

          While I might appreciate an erection producing sniper rifle, I would not construe either the erection nor the rifle as being part of my faith.  I would also be leery of attending a church where assault rifles were needed.  In fact it kinda contradicts Jesus’ instructions to love my enemies.

77. For Whose Benefit?

John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

This week has held another strange occurrence for me; I have found myself agreeing with the Olsteen’s, and in particular Victoria Olsteen.  Joel and Victoria head up an evangelical movement that stresses financial success.  It is only a narrow definition of prosperity that relates to financial abundance.  I just see a couple who market a brand of “Me First” spirituality that is a perversion of the Gospel.

          This week, or maybe it was last, Victoria Olsteen was mired in controversy.  There was a short video (forty-one seconds) released telling those gathered in front of her. “I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we're not doing it for God—I mean, that's one way to look at it—we're doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we're happy.”

This link should get you to the offending video:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=victoria+olsteen+do+it+for+yourself

          I was taken aback by the outrage that her comments unleashed.  Most critics commented that Victoria Olsteen has turned Christian worship into idolatry, an idolatry of self.  Often this comment came after another criticism that “This is why women should not be in the pulpit.”  There was a rather humorous response that included a Bill Cosby video clip – it is worth seeing.

          But I have a question for Rev. Olsteen’s critics.  I know that none of them read this lowly blog, but it is a question worth pondering.  Who do you think benefits from our worship? If your answer is God, then you seriously need to reconsider your own self-importance.  I question who is engaging in idolatry. 

Mark 10:15 “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

          Rev. Olsteen’s comments I think laid open a deeper question of our relationship with God.  Ask any parent what they want for their child.  The answer seems pretty universal, ‘I want my child to be happy.’

          Could it be that all of what we read in the Bible, the direction to Love God, and each other, and do charitable acts, and share our struggles, and our triumphs, and all that, be about making us happy?  Could it be that God takes pleasure in our obedience because it makes us happier? (Yes, I am aware that I am close to saying that whatever you find pleasurable is God’s will for you – but I am not saying that.)  Could it be that God’s desire for us is to be happy?  Why would that be idolatry?

           I have a set of rules for my kid.  He does relatively, but inconsistently, well with following them.  The rules I have set out are based on what I think is best for him, not me.  He has a curfew because I know that really nothing good can come about from being out on the street wandering aimlessly at midnight.  Yes, there is an aspect that the curfew is for my comfort – I would not sleep that well if he were not home.  Despite that, the curfew really is for his benefit.

          What Victoria Olsteen has done is shift the focus on our life with Christ from the footing of avoiding punishment, to a foundation of joy and love: where obedience is about a display of gratitude, not an act of contrition. I suspect it is therein that lies the problem for her critics. It calls into question the nature of God, the nature of our relationship with him, and his desires for us.

          How many of these critics have as the focus of their worship the appeasement of an angry God?  How many of these critics want us to remain subservient to the demands of God, instead of responsive to his love and generosity? 

          I am not saying that Rev. Olsteen’s comments were meant to imply all that I have taken from them.  Nor do I endorse her and her husband’s theology.  But I do think that for a moment (forty-one seconds) that she revealed a deeper truth. 

"When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God really. You're doing it for yourself, because that's what makes God happy." – Victoria Olsteen

76. One of those days

It is one of those days when I wonder what I am doing?  We are told we see through a glass darkly, but truly it seems like I am sitting in a darkened room trying to guess the outside world by the echo of footsteps and the muffled voices I hear.  It is one of those days that the arrogance whereby I pretend to know the truth becomes laughable.

          This is the point that faith kicks in.  It is easy to be a Christian when there is confidence brimming over and the world is in the rainbow hues of Love, Joy and Grace.  But in the grey light of uncertainty, faith is all that keeps me going.  It is one of those days when I fear that Calvin was right and only a select few are chosen – and I am simply a desperate soul trying to slide in unnoticed.

          I arrived at this place honestly enough.  The question posed through my morning reading, squeezed in between games of my singing monsters and Huffington Post articles, was “Do I really want to be transformed?”  Which in turn lead to my consideration of how many ways I limit the transformation power of God in my life.

          Honestly, I have settled for a handful of enjoyable defects, or sins as you might call them, and am contented to plod along doing nice things for people.  But don’t mess with my enjoyable hindrances – after all after it is unknown whether Poutine is served in heaven and the prudent course of action is to ensure that I consume an eternity’s worth while still on earth.

          I think back to my drinking days.  I know now that the biggest obstacle to getting sober and staying that way was me.  Even though one watching me might see with clarity the destruction that alcohol and other drugs were causing in my life, I was not ready to let go.  Now such is the insanity of addiction that I there was not much freedom to choose, but I still choose drinking over the Love of God.  The transformative power of God was limited by my choice – even though the power of choice had been flawed by the insanity of addiction.

          The series of blog posts I am currently writing addresses in very really and tangible ways how we, or at least I, limited God in my life.  And it seems to me, the real struggle is not in the ways in which I limit God, but in the whys of the way I limit God.  For as long as there is a reason why I limit God, I will invent ways of limiting him.

          So...I wonder....

Instead of simply saying, and during church, singing, and professing my desire to follow the Lord, what if I was honest?  What if I said, “God, in my heart of hearts I really don’t trust you.”?

          What if I said, “Jesus, I really do love you, but I am not willing to stop doing the repugnant stuff that I still enjoy.”?

          Not only is it more honest, but it changes the conversation.

I have had those conversations with my kid, and other people, where although the words were being heard, they had absolutely no effect.  Those conversations of “I promise I will never do that again.” And as the person is saying it you know they are so full of it that their breath smells like a fart.

       The conversation with God, and what is prayer but not a conversation, is now more expansive, and leads to more interesting prayers.  Stuff like...

“Dear God, sorry for being a being of limited insight and intelligence, but the only life I can really be sure of having is the one that is before me now.  It is more than a little challenge to treat this life as disposable in the interest of following you.  Please, mend my distrusting heart, and lead me into a fuller understanding of you.  And if you could add Poutine to the celestial menu that would be greatly appreciated.”

         

After all, if God does desire an intimate involvement in my life, and I am kind of skeptical about that, then he would already know what is in my heart.  And, if he doesn’t know what is in my heart, what better place to start being totally honest?  I think it is in the laying of my life open, that I can be most open to the transformation of the Holy Spirit.