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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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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An Embarrassment of Riches

It is widely known among school-aged children that my middle son is an expert on the RMS Titanic.  Age ten is about right to harbor an intense fascination with this epic story I think.  My daughter went through a similar phase when she was in fourth grade.  How could anyone not be at least somewhat enthralled with the tragic events in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912.  For heaven's sake, they even made a block-buster film about it.  

My son can tell you the name of the captain, the year the ship sank, and probably even how cold the water temperature was when it went down.  And he can do it all without using Google.  

This picture perfect memory of his goes so far as to pinpoint the exact angle and arc of the four smokestacks that jutted up toward the sky from the deck of the ship as well.  I'm sure they were an impressive sight at the time of the vessel's creation, and no detail is lost on my little guy.  The truth is, we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to information surrounding the Titanic.  We even have old log books that contain the names and room numbers of all the passengers that were on that fateful voyage.  In fact, I am certain that if I have misquoted any of the facts about the Titanic in this very article, someone, somewhere will probably notice.  

I believe that in similar fashion, we have an overabundance of knowledge at our fingertips when it comes to studying Holy Scripture as well.  We can pull up an article about the various ways that archeology has vindicated Biblical accounts from history for example.  Five minutes spent in an easy chair with the NIV study Bible, and anyone can sound like an armchair theologian.  It is almost too easy.

By grace of God, this wealth of knowledge also extends to the question of how someone can be rescued by Christ, no matter what their circumstances are.  Or as some like to phrase it: becoming born again.  

It is an important topic, and I dare say it may be the most important topic.  Even the non-believer can see that something changes within a person when they accept Jesus.  They are not the same as they were before.  It is the pivotal point where a person decides that it is okay to want more than this world has to offer, and to understand at the same time, that we are imperfect beings in need of grace.  This realization often breeds a degree of discontentment (as I think it should), and can lead a person to look deeper for something eternal and more meaningful.  They truly begin seeking after God, as it were.

My favorite piece of Scripture is Romans 10:9.  It is simple, straightforward, and heartfelt.  To argue about its meaning is silly, and to ignore its implications is equally foolish.  It says this, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

There are no peripheral statements that go along with this edict.  It doesn't say 'declare with your mouth ... and you also need to wear the right type of clothes each Sunday'.  Nor does it say 'believe in your heart that God raised him, and also make sure to correct people if they make a mistake during vacation Bible school.'

It is too simple to misinterpret, and too important to ignore.  It provides us with an embarrassment of riches, at least as it pertains to eternal salvation.  You can Google search it, you can read about it, and you can discuss it on any given Sunday at Christian churches across America, from New York to California.   

What do we do then with this information?  Especially since it is so easily accessible?   I suppose it is possible to ignore it.  We could - if we really wanted to - go through life pushing Romans 10:9 away.  Maybe when we die the lights go out, and that's it.  Maybe all of this excitement about God and salvation ultimately comes to nothing.  Some people do hold to this philosophy.

Yet the question of our own significance in this universe is always there, waiting on the sidelines.  It never really goes away.  You cannot reason your way out of it or talk yourself free from it.  Truth be told, I really don't think you can push the big questions away for any prolonged length of time.  God's still, quiet voice lingers like a music box sitting on a dresser in a dimly lit room.  Try as we might, even if we attempt to hide downstairs in the basement in the opposite corner of the house, we can still hear its simple melody playing in the background.  It doesn't go away; it isn't supposed to.

But do we dare take the time to actually listen to the words of the song (do we actually read and think about Romans 10:9)?  Or is it just easier sometimes to keep away from the dimly lit room altogether?

I humbly suggest that we embrace this abundance of Scriptural availability.  I think that we should not only enter the room with the music, but pull up a chair and write down the lyrics as fast as they pour out.  It is usually better to explore that mysterious room than to avoid it.  If we take the time to look, there is often a window that can illuminate things quite nicely.  The curtain will not pull itself open though - it is up to us to initiate it.

I believe God is ready to take in anyone who is willing to commit Romans 10:9 to their heart.  If this wasn't so, He would not have inspired the author of the book of Romans to write it.  The simplicity of salvation is God's gift to us.  It is His way to connect more deeply with you and I.  To accept Christ into our lives, to profess Him to others, and be baptized in His name.  It is nothing less than responding to the music box, and throwing open the window to let the light in.  

My son just finished a scaled down version of the Titanic for a Cub Scout project.  He made it out of cardboard, duct tape, and a healthy dose of natural engineering ability (that his father doesn't have).  I was amazed at the attention to detail.  Four smokestacks are accurately represented, slightly tilted in a backward direction to match the old photos of the real ship.  Trust me, this version of the ship won't sink.  And why wouldn't he get the details right?  There is no reason to be confused, he had an embarrassment of riches at his disposal to refer back to.  The blueprints were always there.

Best of all is the fact that he accomplished his goal.  He went ahead with what was at times, an intimidating project.  Just think what a shame it would have been if he had never started building in the first place.  

The music is always better when we listen carefully to the lyrics, and then do what they say.



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The Reality of Easter Sunday

The Easter season is upon us.  It is interesting to talk with people about what they have decided to give up for Lent, or what type of preparations they are making in order to spend time with family.  It is definitely an important holiday.  The discussion often revolves around the topic of egg hunts and bunny rabbits.  This is what makes April such a fun month for the kids.  But it is also a good opportunity to make sure we remember that Good Friday and Easter Sunday were built on firm foundations in the church, and factual historical occurrences.  Egg hunts and rabbits are fun, but the holiday itself is the linchpin of our Christian heritage, not to mention the way we understand eternal salvation.

Take the Bible itself for instance.  It is truly an amazing book. Its 66 books were written by some 40 authors over the span of fifteen hundred years. And through it all, the narrative and thematic principles remain seamless and harmonious. One interesting fact when we talk about Biblical truth - or proving the authority of the Bible - comes by way of fulfilled prophecies. We can trust that Easter is worth celebrating because it is possible to look back throughout Biblical history and review its prophetic truth.  Now by prophecy, I am not talking here about the looser sense of the word used in movies and the popular writing of today. The type of weird or vague platitudes you may see in a Lord of the Rings movie for example.  No, I mean the utterances spoken by the real prophets of God in days gone by, of which the veracity has already been proven (and written down) for all to see.

Lets look at just the prophecies of Jesus Christ alone. There are roughly three hundred of them that can be traced back and proved to have already come to pass! Some critics may offer this type of rebuttal, "Well, maybe Jesus had read these prophecies, and then purposely tried to position himself in the right place at the right time in order to fulfill them publicly." Now this is rather strange, as most of you probably can sense from the outset. Did Christ plan to be born in the right town and at the right time? Did Jesus say to himself, "next week I have to die at the hands of Pontius Pilate on a cross to fulfill Isaiah 53?" I'm afraid that simply doesn't connect.  There is something more going on here. 

Now what do I mean by prophecies fulfilled? Here is a short list of examples below:

Jesus would be born of the seed of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3, 22:18), of the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10), of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12f). The city in which he would be born (Micah 5:2), that Jesus would come while the temple was still standing (Malachi 3:1), that he would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), that he would perform miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6), that he would be rejected by his own people (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7), the exact time in history when Christ would die (Daniel 9:24-26; 483 years after the declaration to reconstruct the city of Jerusalem in 444 B.C.).  This one was fulfilled to the very year by the way.  How he would die (Psalm 22:16-18, Isaiah 53; Zech 12:10), and that he would be resurrected (Psalm 16:10).

So what does this all mean? Is it just old wives' tales that were written in one part of a book, and verified at another part of the same book? That would be a good argument if the book were written by the same author in the same lifetime. But as we mentioned above, it was spread out across generations and hundreds of years. Okay, so maybe all the writers simply looked back across the pages and invented accounts to fulfill the prophecies, right? Remember that the Bible is a historical document as well as an inspired book. The person and existence of Jesus vindicated over 300 such predictions, and did so in ways that defy backward plagiarism.  One does not choose where he or she is to be born, or to what lineage they will be born into, etc.  

If we can trace back this type of truth historically, it allows us to make the assertion that all of these dates and events leading up to Easter are also true.  And most importantly, that Good Friday and Easter Sunday were real events as well.   If they are not, then the church may as well pack it in right now.  We would be nothing more than a building to house Wednesday night dinners and conduct social clubs.

Weak arguments exist to deny Biblical truth, but so do strong rebuttals. At the end of the day, I'm afraid we are left with good evidence for the veracity of the Bible, as well as proof that it was inspired by God. Not only do the prophecies tell us that Jesus was the real deal, but they also tell us that God knows His plan for the past, present, and future - and knows it well. As author C.S. Lewis put it in his book 'Mere Christianity':  "we have reason to be uncomfortable [that something extraordinary is at work here]."  Or in the case of the Christian believer, we have reason for our assurance in Easter.  

It is good to celebrate this holiday with friends and family.  It is good to visit your local church to honor the God that has given us so much.  It is best, I think, to remember it actually happened - and has little to do with eggs or rabbits.  It is nothing less than an account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I can think of no other truth so instrumental to the well being of mankind. 

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A Peculiar Fear of Singing

I have always been nervous when it comes to singing in public.  God has gifted a great many people in a variety of ways, and the Scriptures tell us that some are given to mission work, others to teaching and preaching, and still others have the gift of music.  My particular set of spiritual gifts, however, do not include song.  When it comes to music, I should probably stick to listening.  

Normally I am okay with this reality.  When I hear a song that I like on the radio for example, I make sure the car windows are rolled up before I belt out a tune while driving down the road.  This is for the benefit of those around me in the other cars, as well as any innocent pedestrians that may be out walking when I drive by.  You can thank me for this later.

Recently my son's Webelos Cub Scout den was challenged to fulfill a unit entitled 'Duty to God and You.'  It sounded fun, so I offered to lead the kids in this area.  The boys and I had to create, plan, and perform a worship service in public.  Things were going well, but I did notice there was one part of the service that included music.  

After laying out the sermon message and some other small details, I looked around for people who possessed some type of singing voice - at least a better voice than I had.  To my chagrin, there was no one to be found.  For this moment in time, it was up to me to lead the song in front of a room full of people.  Though I rather enjoy public speaking, I have to admit I was apprehensive about the singing.  This would be something new for me ... there was no turning back now.   

Although insignificant by comparison with the many other things going on in the world today, this anxiety reminded me what it is like to have to trust that things will work out okay.  Whether you are leading a song in front of an audience, or doing something else for which you feel under-qualified - there remains a trust issue at the heart of the matter.  We all have a choice whether we will allow fear to lead us into anxiety, or not.  

I also believe it is a fair question to ask what the Bible says about the need to trust God and  hope that things will work out for the best (even if it doesn't feel that way at the time).  We are given a curious Scripture in the book of Romans.  It says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28).     

There is quite a bit to unpack in that one sentence, and we will address it shortly.  But I want to throw in another relatively famous piece of advice from the book of Proverbs.   It reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding." (Pr 3:5).  

I am beginning to sense a theme here.  Are you?  We are to trust in the one who made us.  The one who created everything wants us to know that we are loved, and we are to rest in the knowledge that if we allow him to, he will guide us to a place of safety.  But what about when things do not appear to be going so well?  What about when the Christian believer is cast into a sea of doubt, or when we are confronted with the prospect of persecution for our faith?  The road then becomes more difficult to navigate I think. 

Stephen was one of the first followers of Christ to be martyred for his faith.  The book of Acts records his final speech, and it is one of most poetic soliloquies any believer has ever recited.  Unfortunately, the end result of Stephen's testimony was ominous, to say the least.  He was a victim of the ancient form of corporal punishment known as stoning.  The astute reader will also note that Christian martyrdom still goes on in our world today.  It may not be a top news story anymore, but people are still dying for their faith, even in the twenty-first century.  This reality hasn't changed much in the last two-thousand years.

Whom then do we trust, when we come to an impasse in our lives and it appears that all roads lead to a dead end?  Who do we trust when we are laid off from our job?  When we are going through a divorce?  When we find ourselves on the proverbial road less traveled?

For this answer I think we must turn our gaze back toward Jesus himself.  In chapter 16 of the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his disciples that, "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  

He has overcome the world even when it doesn't look that way, and even when it would be easier (or more reasonable) not to believe it.  This statement is so much more than  some empty platitude implying that 'things will get better' at some point in the near future.  In fact, these Scriptures point to the promise of eternal life that the Christ follower can bank on.  God is reminding us that there is something better than the temporary problems of our earthly lives. If God has overcome the world, then he has done so forever.  Even if we are experiencing turmoil here and now, we are given this spiritual guarantee that in the end, things will turn out okay.  One day we will wake up and the world will make sense again.  We need not take a position of hopelessness.  We weren't meant to.  

By the end of our Webelos worship service, the entire room had erupted into song.  Some of us had printed pieces of paper with the verses listed off, and others simply remembered the hymn from days gone by.  I began the chorus, and others joined in to finish it.  Soon enough (and much to my relief), my own voice blended into a cacophony of fifty other voices.  

Ultimately the service went well I think.  The boys did a great job, and the time went by quickly.  There were smiles on people's faces.  No one went deaf. 

It appears that sometimes in life, we will have to lead the song ourselves.  It can be a scary proposition, but we must do it anyway.  It will often appear that things are not going our way, but we must press on toward the goal.  We are to trust in God.  After all, he warned us that this world will sometimes bring trouble.  No need to be anxious though, he is an excellent singer.



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The Problem of Evil in a Civilized World

I am almost afraid to turn on the television and watch the news anymore.  It is difficult to hop around on social media lately as well.  Something has changed.  Someone is always angry with someone else.  It seems like there is either a war going on somewhere in the world, or at least the threat of a war.  I am reminded of a famous phrase from a popular movie from long ago ... 'There is something strange afoot.'

I think that we often read the words in the Bible that say "the thief comes to steal and destroy", but we gloss over them. Many of us may think that these words represent some mystical ethereal being called the Devil, but that they are more symbolic than factual. We think that spiritual warfare doesn't really happen, and most of the evil in the world can be attributed to human nature, war, lack of education, or something to that effect. But is that really all there is to the story? What if there were actually a real undercurrent of evil which exists in our world? Something stronger and more focused than just human nature?  Many feel it is outdated to think about the problem of evil in a spiritual way I suspect, especially in the twenty-first century.  But bear with me as we delve a little deeper into this subject matter, I think it will be worth your while. It will help make sense of some of the sobering things we see going on around us.  It is definitely an interesting time to be alive. 

I remember watching a documentary called 'Worse Than War' not long ago.  It did an excellent job of outlining some of the reasons behind genocide and the mass killing of entire segments of the human population. I'm not talking hundreds of people here, I'm talking millions. Nazi Germany, or even the Bosnian War in more recent history for example. Not to mention current headlines about Aleppo.  Wikipedia defines genocide like this: the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. An adequate definition I suppose. But now imagine that you lived in Darfur and you witnessed your neighbors, friends, and family being dragged into the street and murdered in front of you - only to realize that you were probably next. Or lets bring it even closer to home.  You are pulled out of your car at the stoplight, waiting to go to the mall to do some shopping, or on your way to work. Suddenly your life is in danger for no other reason than the color of your skin or your ethnic background.  You get the idea. An academic definition is good as far as it goes, but then reality comes rushing in. Compare the black and white films we used to watch in high school about the German gas chambers, and then contrast that with talking to a holocaust survivor. The problem of evil is real, pervasive, and widespread. It appears to be here to stay.

The film-maker in this particular documentary went and interviewed one of the men from Rwanda who participated in roaming groups which went into communities and wiped out families. You may remember this atrocity from news headlines years ago.  What he said was difficult to accept.  To paraphrase, he said "We would go in with machetes and [dispose of] whoever got in our way first. If they were fast and made us chase them for too long - we would purposely cause them more pain prior to death. If they submitted willingly to us, we would kill them quickly, or occasionally even let them live. Sometimes it was tough, because you would encounter young babies who would just start to learn to smile. They would smile at me, and then I would murder them."

When asked what caused him and his fellow militia soldiers to act like this, he said "I don't really know. I don't have an answer for this. We knew we were doing it, we were fully conscious... but it was like a kind of fog enveloped us. A current of great cruelty overtook us, almost like it was controlling us."

The documentary offered some different explanations for this type of cruelty: blind obedience, bias, racism, etc. These are all true, in so far as they go. But the answer that this man from Rwanda gave was much more haunting. It seemed to defy secular categorization.

The Bible tells us that evil is real. That it isn't just some aberrant behavior carried out by small portions of the world's population due to lack of education or divisive belief systems. There is something more going on, and none of us are immune. Americans are lucky in some ways.  My generation hasn't had to deal with conflict on our own soil really, apart from the events of September 11th in New York city. But this relative peace won't last forever. That great evils have occurred in the past, or that they will occur in the future - or even that they are currently happening - doesn't concern me as much as the reason they occur. If you answer that it is just part of human nature to seek out conflict, you may be right to a degree. But what happened to mankind, who can be loving and generous one moment, then awful and vengeful the next?  How have we fallen so far from the mark? I believe it was a fall indeed. The book of Genesis talks about the fall of man as a result of original sin, but not only that.  There are spiritually dark undercurrents that do exist in our world.  It is a problem that cannot be overcome (much less solved) without addressing the spiritual realm.  

Ephesians 6:12 says "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

There appears to be more going on behind the scenes than many of us feel comfortable thinking about.  And as such, I believe we must combat this malevolent force in a way that entails much more than simply bolstering our military might or securing our borders.  It must begin with the ardent prayer of God's people for peace.  It must begin with an understanding of what we are really dealing with, and a willingness to combat it on more than just a physical level.  There is a time and a place to use force as a method to protect ourselves and our family, and we cannot disregard that.  But it is not the only method. 

Fortunately for us, there is also good news.  If there is such a dark reality in our world, then there must be the opposite of that evil which exists also. There is always a balance.  We cannot call true evil bad, unless we know the greater good that is also at work. This I believe, at least in a round-about sort of way, points directly to the existence of a loving God. Do not let the fact that planet Earth can be a violent place sometimes wash away the fact that it won't be like this forever. The Bible tells us that there is a God, that He loves us, and that He has promised not to abandon us. We can focus on Jesus, and in so doing live out that part of our human nature that is divine and good. As a people we don't stay in our homes and hide from the outside world, afraid to venture out or unlock our doors.  But rather we go out into the world, and bring with us this light from above.  

Few people would doubt that true evil exists. But we are not given a spirit of fear either.  God has provided us with a knowledge and a picture of what is truly good and righteous in the Bible. And I believe that if we seek after it and cling to it, He will use us to reverse this dark undercurrent slowly but surely, one person at a time, and in ways we cannot yet fathom.




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Better Left Unsaid

Words have a profound impact on our lives, and also a power in and of themselves.  Consider that in the beginning (if we look back at the book of Genesis in the Bible), God literally spoke things into existence.  God said, “Let there be light” or “Let there be an expanse between the waters”, and it would actually come to pass.  This is an enormous power to possess, and of course God used it wisely.  But what about you and I?

The Bible also tells us that the tongue is untamable by our own accord.  In other words, we cannot conquer it on our own.  Have you ever tried to go an entire week without engaging in gossip of any kind at work?  Or try to go a month without inadvertently annoying your spouse by saying the wrong thing.  If you cannot do either one of these things, then don’t feel bad – neither can I!

So, to frame the problem thus far, I think it is safe to say that we have something within us that has its own power, is disproportionately influential, and is untamable on our own.  This is a true problem, and one that I think is self-evident.  We can perceive this by simply looking around and listening to some of the things that people say to each other in the checkout line at the grocery store, at the office, or even in our own homes. 

Indeed the Bible says that the tongue also “makes great boasts”.  In other words, it often writes checks that our body can’t cash.  It gets us into more trouble than we would like to admit, and it often allows us to admit only that which gets us into trouble publically.  Think how much more we run our mouths in private, never getting caught!

In a famous piece of Scripture from the New Testament (James 3:6), it is said that the tongue can often corrupt the whole of a person.  And earlier in Matthew 15:11, we are told that “what goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”  What is coming out of your mouth?  What is coming out of mine?  How does the church communicate with the outside world, and with each other?  Are we sometimes starting more trouble than not?

Trying to get a handle on mastering what we say matters quite a bit.  It doesn’t have to be a hopeless endeavor.  Society may often claim that we should just do the best we can, and if people get offended, then that is their problem.  This is what our culture often says I think.  The loudest talker gets the most attention.  But I think it goes deeper than this.  James also writes this in verse 9 of his letter to the church (and this is the real clincher): “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be.  Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” 

So, here is what we are given to ponder.  We cannot be a spring yielding both fresh and salt water at the same time, it isn’t possible.  And when we really stop to think about it, that duality doesn’t make sense.  We must choose to act (and speak) either for God or against Him.

There is a story I heard once about a man who visited a pastor and asked for forgiveness after speaking harshly to his wife.  The pastor offered him solace, as well as an option to repent from what he had done.  There was only one catch.  The man was instructed to walk out into the town square and cut a small hole on the end of a feather pillow.  As he did this, he watched as the small feathers spread out all over the town – carried one way or the other by the wind.  He thought little of it, and went home and apologized to his wife, thinking the whole thing a bit odd.    

The next day he visited with the pastor again and told him what he had done.  The pastor smiled, and then said all that remained for him to do was walk around town and retrieve each one of those small feathers, hence acting as a symbolic way to retract each of his negative words.  The man immediately knew the preacher’s meaning.  It would be impossible to track each one down and then put them back into the pillow.  Once those words were out into the public sphere, they were out for good!  Forgiveness was offered, repentance was accomplished, but the damage had already been done.

So if we are imperfect beings (and surely we are), and if we cannot hope to master our tongue on our own (and the Bible says we cannot), then what is the solution?  How do we keep our own feather pillow from tearing open and spreading all over town?  How do we manage to stop hurting the ones we love with the things we say?

The answer is to bring our entire being into line, by working on controlling the mouth first.  Because you see, when we act to govern the things we say with God’s help (when we are slow to speak) … it is a mark of spiritual maturity.  We become walking and talking testimonies to a good and Holy God; and people around us will notice.  I once heard it described that you and I may be the only Bible that some people read.  In other words, their only interaction with God’s Word may come through watching what we do and what we say in public.  How about that for some pressure?

The only way to become a spring that produces fresh water on a consistent basis, is to submit to the renewal of the heart that only Jesus can provide. Because if Jesus saves us, then He saves us completely – our speech included.

Now don’t mistake me here, this doesn’t mean that we will never screw up again, or that we never say the wrong thing at the wrong time.  But it means as we grow in the spiritual grace that God has given us, the cruelty of our language begins to lessen.  We begin to crave gossip less and less.  We begin to favor the Word of God, instead of everyone else’s words.

We become, in effect, bearers of light in a sometimes dark and dreary world.  As sure as a spark can ignite a forest fire, so can words motivated by love, ignite the spirit.

So what does a renewed and redeemed voice sound like?  What does this “fresh water” look like?  When considering what to say, think about these things.  Are your words timely?  Do they come at the right time, when someone needs them?  Are they Spirit driven?  Were you listening to the prompts of God when you said them, or were you listening to your own will to fight back or get even? 

How about encouraging and loving?  Do your words uplift people?  If you see a church leader do you help to build them up verbally, or do you remind them of the few small errors they may have spoken during the sermon last weekend? 

The apostle Paul says that if we have not love, then we are merely banging gongs and crashing symbols.  The world has plenty of crashing symbols, be a bearer of light instead.  Choose your words wisely.

Finally, the Biblical account of James also says this, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”  When we listen well we are emulating Jesus.  Jesus saw clear through to a person’s heart the minute he met them.  Though we may not always be able to do the same thing, at least by listening more than we talk, we are demonstrating the same type of spiritual maturity and humility.  We are actively working to preserve our own feather pillow.

Be slow to speak, quick to listen.  And sometimes, honestly, maybe things are simply better left unsaid.  I pray that this holds true for everyone reading this article, and that we operate from a renewed heart and a fresh water spring.  Not a judgmental nature or a proud heart.  Always easier to keep a feather pillow intact, than to drive around town gathering up feathers I suspect. 

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