The right motives, the wrong attitudes.

Warning! - This is not a happy post.



Last night I was helping Ricci study and I was incredibly distracted by a conversation going on nearby. A girl wearing a BTHO McCain (don't even get me started on the whole BTHO thing) was talking to another girl about why she was voting for Obama. She was telling this girl (in a very condescending, "you're a moron for not already knowing this" way) about how McCain is taking away womens' rights. She said something to the effect of "You don't care that he's against a woman's right to choose? McCain is for taking away a woman's rights concerning her own body." etc, etc.

Immediately my extreme loathing for abortion flared up. I had gone from accidental overhearer to "I'm about to punch this girl in the face" in about a second.

If you go to my church or have been around me much you know how much I love kids. I love Mother Theresa's quote about how it is a poverty that a child must die for you to live how you want, and one of my very favorite verses is James 1:27. That's not so you think I'm a super-Christian, but so that you understand my heart for kids.

I wanted to get up and walk over and say, "Do you actually believe this garbage you are spewing? You think McCain is trying to take away your rights? What about that child's right to live?! Your mom chose life for you, doesn't that mean anything?! And anyway, when did it become a "right" to kill? When you were inconvenienced by another human being? If that's the case, why don't we have a "man's right" to do the same thing, because he might be inconvenienced by child support for a kid he didn't want?"*

But God is good and he restrained me. I did not get up and say those things. Those things (especially in the tone of voice I would have used) would not have changed her mind. They would not have been productive. And most importantly they were coming from the wrong attitude. Every life IS precious and a miraculous gift from God. We should never allow people who think it is okay to end a child's life to come into power. HOWEVER, we must also understand that the people that think it is okay are lost. It doesn't justify what they have done, but they cannot be expected to hold to the same standards and values that we have as a result of Christ in our lives.

In short, we need to pray for these people, that God would show them the value of human life. Let's push for repealing Roe v. Wade by all means! It's an idiotic ruling, even by standards of how our government should work. But while we are pressing for change, we must do it without an attitude of hatred for its opponents. As much as we love the children we are trying to protect, God also calls us to love those that are blindly supporting the "freedom" to abort a child's life.

This is an area that I (obviously) struggle in greatly. It is so hard for me to love the people that say it is okay to kill a baby. But Christ did it. He loves murderers and rapists. I've seen interviews with family members of somebody who died, where they tell the murderer they forgive them and I just don't know if I could do it.

Actually I know that I could not do it. But if I was willing Christ could bring it about in me. Sorry this post has no profound words of encouragement in this area, but like I said it's something I really struggle giving God the control in. Maybe I don't want to love them because I don't think they deserve it. But...then again neither did I... ;)

Encouraging words or verses that you have found helpful would be greatly appreciated.

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*I would NEVER think this idea was okay. I simply meant that a woman has no more right than a man to take a life for the sake of having a more comfortable life.

Crumbs for Dogs?

22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."

23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."

24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.

26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."

27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

what? Does anybody know what the meaning behind those words about dogs and crumbs is?

Bowing Down to Men

I was reading in Matthew chapter 14 this morning and I came across this:

3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.

6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8 At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9 Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

There are so many things wrong with this scene. Let's not even go into marrying your brothers wife, and watching her daughter do a pleasing dance. Obviously that shouldn't have been happening. But then he makes a promise (one he shouldn't have made in the first place) and it ends up that he has a choice. Do I follow through on this promise that I made in front of all my friends and kill this man (which might cause a riot), or do I say "no" to killing this man and endure the shame of all these guests? In the end he let his decision, the life of a man who hadn't harmed him, be decided by the crowd. Hmm.... that sounds familiar... where else have we heard that?

oh yeah....

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!” (Matt 27:22-24)


How many times throughout history have innocent people died because of men who were afraid of the crowds? As believers we shouldn't fear death, and we should be encouraged when we are counted worthy to suffer for Christ. But that doesn't make it okay when people in authority bend to the crowds demands. I think we should all consider this with the election right around the corner. Will the candidate we choose have the courage to stand up and say "no" for the good of this country, even if a large portion of the country will hate him for that? I thank God everyday that he hasn't called me into politics. I know that if He had, He would equip me for that, but it is not a responsibility that I would ever want to bear the weight of. I think I'm beginning to ramble so I'll wrap this up. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Why I love the internet

I have nothing against the pope. This picture just made me laugh. As it should everyone

Parables

Thanks to Ricci for helping me make this page look cool without being all girly. It makes me feel like a lumberjack. I want to go tromping through forests, felling trees with a single swoop of my mighty axe....

Sorry I got kinda lost in the moment there.

Today's passage is from Matthew 13. It's a bunch of parables that Jesus told to His disciples and to the crowds. Here's the thing I guess I never got as a kid: Jesus didn't explain them to the crowds. He just told them and then let them try to figure out what those stories meant. Only when the disciples came asking did He explain the meaning, and why He spoke to the people in parables.

18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (NLT)

So I guess from this we get three things:

1. When you read the Word, make sure you understand it. Use a study Bible or cross-references. Compare two different translations. Ask somebody. There's always something new to learn from a passage, but don't walk away going "What was that about? Oh well..." That's a waste of your time with God (time that He intended for something.)

2. Dig in deep. Dive into God's word and make sure you have other believers to help you learn and be strong, so that when persecution comes you can stand strong for Christ.

3. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth

This one is too easy. And yet still difficult isn't it? We so often let the dumb inconsequential things get in the way of living this life we've been given for the one that gave it to us. We let the desire for things become more important than loving people.

You know, I said three things, thinking the good soil was default if you take out all the bad things. But it's not is it? Making sure we are open and receptive to what God is teaching doesn't come naturally. Often it's exactly the opposite of what we want to hear. So here's the fourth thing, and it's something Jesus said repeatedly:

He who has ears, let him hear.

I know I've said "you" a lot in this post, but I'm just as guilty of these things as anyone. I read scripture and get confused and walk away. I close my heart to what God is saying to me too sometimes. It's always a growing process. As always feel free to share.

Mercy not Sacrifice

I have been reading in Matthew recently and I have really enjoyed it. I relate to Matthew because he presents things logically. Everytime something happens, he says, "this is what the scriptures meant when they said [insert prophecy from OT]". He wants the reader to understand the degree to which God keeps his promises and how everything has a meaning.

Unfortunately my buddy Matt isn't so great at pointing out references to Old Testament scripture. I guess it was assumed we would know it? That's why I'm thankful for things like BibleGateway. I guess I should start over because I'm getting ahead of myself. In Matthew 9, when Jesus called Matthew, the pharisees asked why Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners. Of course they didn't have the guts to ask Jesus themselves. No they went and asked his disciples, but that's another issue. Anyway, Jesus responds by saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Mercy, not sacrifice? Interesting....

I didn't think much of it, but then it showed up again in Matthew 12. Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field on the Sabbath. The disciples got hungry so they picked some grain to eat. Big deal. The pharisees got mad and made a big fuss about how that was unlawful on the Sabbath. Always having the best comebacks:
3He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

I'm thinking " Ooooooh! Pharisees got toooold!". But wait a second.... 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' There it was again. So I got on BibleGateway and searched "mercy not sacrifice".
You may have figured it out already, but the first time it's said is in Hosea chapter 6. Hosea is rebuking the people of Israel. They were doing the sacrifices and things that the law required but their heart wasn't in it. They couldn't care less what God wanted them to do, they just did whatever they felt like and then sacrificed so they weren't punished. But God doesn't care about the sacrifice if we aren't actually concerned with following His will.

Unfortunately, I still don't get the mercy thing. I mean God is merciful towards us for sure. But I looked up the definition of mercy just to make sure I wasn't missing something. It's all compassion, favor, kindness and benevolence. Not something coming from the heart of a sinner. I would understand if He wanted "true brokenness not sacrifice", but mercy? If you have some insight please share.

First post

I'm still not great at this kind of journal entry thing but I figured I should try, since it's the cool thing to do now.

This will mostly be me sharing what God teaches me as I transition from a boy in college to becoming a married man.