Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Sixteen Chapters

My wife and I recently celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary.  I wanted to make this occasion special, so I carved out some time just for us.  With three kids, a dog, a cat, and two full time jobs, weekend getaways do not come easy.  This was important to me however, so we dropped off the kids with the grandparents, and away we went.  

It was a fantastic time.  We dined at an excellent restaurant, squeezed in some shopping, and even managed to walk along the river bank on a sidewalk that seemed designed just for the two of us.  My wife has been with me through all manner of trials and all types of unexpected events.  We have shared many wonderful things together as well.  She has been a guiding light for me and the kids from the very beginning.  

Anniversaries are a time to celebrate what you have accomplished, as well as what lies ahead.  Anyone who has been married with children can tell you that you will have both good times and difficult times, but one thing is certain - it is never boring.  Boredom is not an affectation granted to parents!  It is a wild ride, and I have a feeling that is the way God intended it.  

As I look back through these first sixteen years, I cannot help but think of them as interesting chapters in a really good book.  We are sixteen chapters along so far, and I wouldn't change a thing.  How many more chapters will God grant me I wonder?  Will there be a chapter where I get to hold my own grandchildren?  Maybe a chapter or two written expressly for the purpose of living a long and healthy life.  One can only hope.

And how do we make certain that each chapter in our proverbial book of life is lived well?  Is it enough just to do the best we can with what we have?  What part does faith play in all of this?  Can we expect God to partner with us to raise our kids and to help nurture them through times of difficulty?

There is a wonderful piece of Scripture in the book of Proverbs that talks about this very thing.  I firmly believe it is a description of how God desires us to view the world.  A mantle of guidance for how the spiritual man or woman can - on his or her best day - make their way through this strange and wonderful life and be able to look back with satisfaction.

Proverbs 9:10 says this, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  We should pause for a moment to define what is meant by the first part of this passage I think, because to misinterpret it is to confuse its real meaning.

When people in ancient times talked about fearing the Lord, it wasn't just the idea that we should be literally afraid of God.  Something up there so big and powerful that we are to cower under His mighty stare.  No, rather it means that all things being equal, it is best to have an awe and respect for God.  That it is good to obey His commands as best we can, and to revel in the knowledge that we are saved by faith through grace, and that not of our own hand (Ephesians 2:8).  

In other words, living with a healthy reverence for the one who created us ... all the while seeking to learn more about Him.  This is the real beginning of true wisdom.  This is actually one of my firm foundational beliefs.  If we do not participate in some way in this endeavor, then we are "missing it" I think.  We are living the empty shell of a life that was made for so much more.  We are only going through the motions.

I believe that in this way, God's wisdom (the fear of the Lord) can help guide all the chapters in our book.  Both the sixteen chapters that my wife and I have already shared, as well as the next sixteen.  

I suppose it would help to think of it from the perspective of a life lived without such reverence as well.  Let's say for the sake of argument that I lived out the first sixteen years of my marriage without any knowledge or appreciation for Biblical fortitude (and surely this was true for the first few years at least).  I work hard so that I can make a good living, so that we can afford cars and a decent home.  But to what end?  So that I can work even harder as time goes on, maybe get a promotion, and eventually buy a better car and a bigger house?  There must be more to life than this.

Or maybe I raise my kids in a loving environment, but there is no time for church or faith.  The children go from one activity to another.  They play sports and enjoy it, and maybe one of them goes off to college with a scholarship.  But to what end?  Don't other kids in other homes play sports and get scholarships?  Where is the grand importance here?  What meaning does any of it really have if it isn't grounded in some type of lasting faith tradition?  Again ... there must be more to life than this.

Proverbs 9:10 flies in the face of all of this.  It asks us to wake up from our slumber of being busy for the sake of being busy, and it requires us to take action.  It asks us not just what we are doing, but who we are doing it for.  Just how are those chapters in our book of life coming along?  Are the pages woven together by faith and a commitment to something greater than ourselves?  If not, it may be time to pause for a moment and reflect.

These are not silly platitudes, and I sincerely hope that what I'm saying doesn't sound that way.  How we live out the chapters in our life determines where we end up for all eternity, and whether or not we are pointing our children toward (or away) from a life with God.  The stakes are high, we dare not misstep.

I don't know, would I have been happy with the first sixteen chapters if they were Godless?  Maybe marginally.  But as my favorite author and philosopher C.S. Lewis writes in his book 'Mere Christianity': "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."     

The only reason we have chapters at all is because God grants them to us in the first place.  Why not give back to Him by simply seeking His light, and fearing Him the way a child should respect its parents.  We can partner with Jesus in a way that allows for our faith to grow and mature over the course of our life, and in so doing, pass along that tradition to the rest of our family.  We have the ability to transfer this faith to our children, our friends, and even others in the community.  We have a calling to live a Proverbs 9:10 type of life.

As I finish writing this article, my kids are tucked away in bed.  It was another busy day full of rushing around here and there.  I am actually surprised that we got everyone to bed at a decent hour.  It's time for me to turn in for the evening as well.  Time to put the finishing touches on this particular page in my sixteenth chapter.  I am looking forward with anticipation to the next chapter.  I haven't looked ahead yet, and there isn't a table of contents.  No cheating allowed.  Fear God and love him, and that will surely be enough I think.  I wish the same for all of my kids; and for yours as well.  



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Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Catfishing for a Counterfeit Jesus

It's time for me to make a public confession.  I think I may be addicted to the MTV television show 'Catfish.'  This is a reality based program starring two young men named Nev and Max who travel the country helping people investigate suspicious Internet activity regarding dating and relationships.  The show has brought to the forefront an entire sub-culture of scam artists who dedicate their time to luring unsuspecting people into relationships by creating false online depictions of who they are, often using fake profile pictures and phony geographic locations.  Much of the time, these people even lie about their gender.  The innocent victim invariably ends up hiring Nev and Max in order to investigate those instances where something sounds a little too good to be true, and then the race is on to find out who is really on the other end of that computer.  Unfortunately, most of the time each episode ends in heartbreak for the love-struck protagonist, and a rude awakening for the identity thief. 


I suppose the appeal of the show comes from observing all the unique and inventive ways that these scam artists invent in order to seduce people into starting a relationship.  The metaphor is apt, as they are truly fishing for victims.  Once hooked, these poor unfortunates can spend months (if not years) pouring out their heart to someone they don't really know at all.  

With the popularity of this show, I'm surprised anyone attempts Internet dating at all anymore.  But they do, and many of them get 'catfished' in the process.  It happens over and over again.   

It is difficult for me not to draw comparisons here regarding the battle being waged for our spiritual allegiance these days as well.   We have various groups (both religious and otherwise) fishing for new members and promising people anything they want.  We have recent news stories about hundreds of people taken in by cults - remember David Koresh and the disaster in Waco, Texas?  As of late, we even have people speaking out about Scientology, and how its proponents forced thousands of its adherents to hand over large sums of money in order to stay in the church.

No doubt there are people out there who have had similar catfishing experiences when it comes to finding a church home.  

The Bible has much to say about this.  I am reminded in particular of Ephesians 4:14, which says, "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming."   Or 2 Tim 4:3, which frames the problem like so, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but with itching ears will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their peoples' own desires."  

There are good reasons to be skeptical when it comes to religion.  To paraphrase something C.S. Lewis once wrote: when it comes to spiritual matters, we are often sheep among wolves.  There are those who consciously seek to malign the word of God, trick people into following false principles or seductive lies, and who cannot wait to catfish anyone who may be swimming by.  Though it definitely isn't the fault of those who succumb to these scams, Scripture does seem to imply that we have a responsibility to investigate what type of water we are wading into, prior to leaping off the diving board.  And really, how easy is it to be hooked in - especially when it is often our own ears doing the itching?

We have at our disposal some Biblical warning signs about false religion and bad doctrine as well.  We are to recognize the proverbial catfish by its fruit.  In other words, what legacy is being left behind by certain religions or sects?  What is the end result of what they are doing and saying?  Are people being uplifted and encouraged by these belief systems, or are they being oppressed and dehumanized?  Does a church discourage going outside their own four walls for fear of losing control of its members?  Or do they promote going out into the community and sharing ideas with others?

It is sometimes very difficult to discern truth from fiction, and in fact the people that reach out to Nev and Max on the television show are often powerless to make right judgments.  They are too far gone, and too much time has been invested.  Something feels wrong, but they cannot quite put their finger on the source.

When I read through the Bible I cannot help but think that not only did God realize that discernment would sometimes be difficult, but He sent one magnificent and influential sign to humanity so that no one could miss it.  Jesus is God's supernatural mouthpiece.  He was someone who screamed to the world "Follow me, and I will show you the real God."  

Other leaders from history have claimed God's special dispensation also, but none were resurrected on the third day, in accordance with prophetic Scripture.  It was as if God knew that spiritual confusion would abound, so He sent someone for whom it would be impossible to dismiss.  We may love Christ or hate him, but we cannot ignore him.  We must all make a choice as to what his existence meant. 

I believe Christianity to be one of the only religious endeavors that doesn't shy away from asking hard questions.  It has stood the test of time, and has welcomed investigation from all manner of people groups for the last two thousand years.  In fact, if your church doesn't permit you to ask questions about its doctrine, then I would suggest you may want to find a new church.  The Bible has answers to difficult questions, logical constructs to correct supposed inconsistencies, and even an offer of eternal life for those brave enough to accept Jesus.  It is a belief system worth looking into, and I believe it was designed with that in mind.  It is okay to look around and kick the tires, and it is okay to ask questions when it comes to the Bible.  

Every great once in a while an episode of 'Catfish' actually ends well.   Nev and Max will set up a face to face meeting with a mysterious person who actually turns out to be the real thing.  A budding romance may start at this point, and everyone goes home happy.  "It was worth the trouble," the love struck person will say.  So is our journey to find the real God.  No counterfeit Jesus will suffice in this situation, and none were meant to.  

If you are in an online relationship that sounds too good to be true, you may feel inclined to call Nev and Max after reading this article.  If you are searching for God, please open the Bible and poke around a bit.  Ask questions, and look for truth within its pages.  I have a feeling you will find what you are looking for, and a budding romance may even begin.



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