I admit that I struggle, and struggle often, with judgment.
James was doing a good job of kicking my butt this morning in regards to judging others.
It's something that I need to be kicked in the teeth on, it's something that's not good at all.
The most convicting part:
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12 ESV)
Basically, I am playing God when I judge others. I set myself up on a throne to determine who and who is not worthy of mercy, grace and compassion.
Jesus was very clear about judging others. (Matthew 7:1-6)
How dare I judge. How dare I even remotely try to act or take duties reserved for God. How dare I do something that Jesus explicitly said "do not..."
I'm thankful for James 2:12-13 that encourages me to be quick to be merciful, rather than quick to judge:
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
I'm also thankful for the real people in my life who model that. My girlfriend and one of my roommates in particular, are modeling and teaching me, although I am stubborn and slow to learn, how mercy over judgment is such a better way to treat others and love your neighbor. I don't consider that they're perfect at it, but they offer such a fresh example that points in the right direction of mercy triumphing over judgment.
They apparently have been listening to what James has to say about judgment.
Showing posts with label James. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James. Show all posts
10.19.2009
9.23.2009
vulnerability in community
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16 NIV)
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24)
Vulnerability is not an easy thing. Especially in America in 2009. Our culture is teeming with walled, very individualized, personal individuals. That's fine in one respect, but ends up costing individuals and collective communities in large ways.
I went to a Prodigal God Bible study last night, and this idea came up again and I've been thinking about it.
I feel Jesus was the best model of vulnerability. He left the comfort and splendor of heaven to come down to earth, and yes, while it was His creation, I'm going to say heaven is a far better place to be. He was open with the people He walked and interacted with...how is it that four different men, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record with a unique perspective each ways in which Jesus was vulnerable.
He exemplified this vulnerability by going to the cross, yes, but He also exemplified it by His willingness to talk about others sins. Not only speak of them, but heal them!!
Back to modern day America 2009, I don't think it is our responsibility to heal our brother or sister's sins. That is a ridiculous thought. Only Jesus Christ can do that. Nor am I proposing or am suggesting that people who are uncomfortable to speak about their sins should be forced in any way to speak of their sins. When they're ready. And certain relationships, obviously, sin shouldn't be confessed to the other person, both to protect and prevent further injury.
But if communities are environments of Christ's love, where fellowship is genuine and honest, a willingness to confess sins when appropriate can do so much to strengthen the relationships in those communities! Of course, I don't think it's easy, vulnerability never is, especially not in guard-everything-about-you-America, but it can have a strong cementing, binding, effect to solidify and strengthen communities that they may walk stronger together in the desire to bring Christ's kingdom here to earth.
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24)
Vulnerability is not an easy thing. Especially in America in 2009. Our culture is teeming with walled, very individualized, personal individuals. That's fine in one respect, but ends up costing individuals and collective communities in large ways.
I went to a Prodigal God Bible study last night, and this idea came up again and I've been thinking about it.
I feel Jesus was the best model of vulnerability. He left the comfort and splendor of heaven to come down to earth, and yes, while it was His creation, I'm going to say heaven is a far better place to be. He was open with the people He walked and interacted with...how is it that four different men, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record with a unique perspective each ways in which Jesus was vulnerable.
He exemplified this vulnerability by going to the cross, yes, but He also exemplified it by His willingness to talk about others sins. Not only speak of them, but heal them!!
Back to modern day America 2009, I don't think it is our responsibility to heal our brother or sister's sins. That is a ridiculous thought. Only Jesus Christ can do that. Nor am I proposing or am suggesting that people who are uncomfortable to speak about their sins should be forced in any way to speak of their sins. When they're ready. And certain relationships, obviously, sin shouldn't be confessed to the other person, both to protect and prevent further injury.
But if communities are environments of Christ's love, where fellowship is genuine and honest, a willingness to confess sins when appropriate can do so much to strengthen the relationships in those communities! Of course, I don't think it's easy, vulnerability never is, especially not in guard-everything-about-you-America, but it can have a strong cementing, binding, effect to solidify and strengthen communities that they may walk stronger together in the desire to bring Christ's kingdom here to earth.
9.21.2009
the tongue's power
So over the past few weeks, there have been different incidents where my mouth has led to trouble for me or some pain for other people. Not that it was intentional, but nonetheless, it happened.
I don't think James was under-do-ing it when he used the analogy of a ship's small rudder controlling the big ship. I was going over his words in James 3, and here are some running thoughts as the passage goes on, related to this idea of keeping the tongue in check:
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
My role in life with other people is not to instruct them or tell them what is right or wrong. That is the Lord's doing and the Lord's work. Not to say He can't use us as instruments to do that, He can...but in my zeal to help build others up, living an example of God's truth and His ways speaks far louder than words.
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
James knows human beings. We're going to goof up with our mouths from time to time. Nobody is perfect.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Our tongues should not be used to control or to demonstrate power.
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
All that "sticks and stones may break my bones...but words will never hurt me..." That is the most untrue, horribly in-denial song for the world. Words have an incredibly powerful effect and should be chosen and used carefully.
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Chosen words have the potential, if not checked, to spiral into a horrendous and dangerous snowball with even greater and greater consequences. Remember James points out a bit earlier he knows that all humans are going to mess up and say dumb and hurtful things sometimes. Yet, there ought to be a check in place and a desire to limit or reconcile those words from spiraling into something much much worse.
I don't think James was under-do-ing it when he used the analogy of a ship's small rudder controlling the big ship. I was going over his words in James 3, and here are some running thoughts as the passage goes on, related to this idea of keeping the tongue in check:
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
My role in life with other people is not to instruct them or tell them what is right or wrong. That is the Lord's doing and the Lord's work. Not to say He can't use us as instruments to do that, He can...but in my zeal to help build others up, living an example of God's truth and His ways speaks far louder than words.
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
James knows human beings. We're going to goof up with our mouths from time to time. Nobody is perfect.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Our tongues should not be used to control or to demonstrate power.
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
All that "sticks and stones may break my bones...but words will never hurt me..." That is the most untrue, horribly in-denial song for the world. Words have an incredibly powerful effect and should be chosen and used carefully.
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Chosen words have the potential, if not checked, to spiral into a horrendous and dangerous snowball with even greater and greater consequences. Remember James points out a bit earlier he knows that all humans are going to mess up and say dumb and hurtful things sometimes. Yet, there ought to be a check in place and a desire to limit or reconcile those words from spiraling into something much much worse.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Yikes. Like I was feeling after my incidents, I would rather not ever talk again. It'd save me a lot of frustration, hurt on other people's part. So yes, there is something valuable to biting the tongue and not saying anything at all. Never might be an extreme, but I should speak less.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
This hit me hard. With my words, when I criticize people or gossip or talk negatively about someone behind someone's back, or even to their face, I am basically in God's face, saying, "this creature you made is not that great...not that wonderful." It is way too bold and arrogant on my part for me to dare to do something like this, I should always remember that when I speak of someone, I am speaking of a uniquely beloved creation of Christ.
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? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
I am clearly a person full of contradictions and hypocrisy. Most often, I need to seek the Lord's wisdom, and not my own (the next thing James talks about). I need to live out His wisdom, the knowledge of Christ's grace, and that sort of life should be the life that I am speaking about and living out loud.
8.21.2009
God's Health Care Plan
The health care debate in America is "blowin' up" and getting out of control. Sanity please!
I’m not proposing that I know God’s heart when it comes to health care for America. Public option. Grandma death panels. Increased taxes for small business. I’m not sure what God thinks of those things, but His Word does talk about some really important things that I think are being missed or glossed over during this national debate.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)
First of all, it’s kind of funny that Peter wrote this. The same Peter who wanted to fight the authority forces of power that came to arrest Jesus (and did, cutting off an ear). The same Peter at wits end for denying Jesus three times and then hearing the cock crow (Luke 22). The same Peter who met on the beach with the resurrected Christ (John 21), promising to follow Jesus and striving towards bringing His kingdom here to earth, even if it would cost his life (and it did).
Jesus changed Peter tremendously.
Maybe it was coincidence that Peter, with no medical training, became an amazing physician himself, healing a lifelong cripple in an instant (Acts 3). No, it wasn’t an accident. Christ was the reason that Peter was empowered to take care of such a sick man.
I point this passage and Peter’s story out to ask: are Christ followers doing and being health care in America, or are they just arguing, complaining, and debating like the rest of the world?
The passage in 1 Peter emphasizes “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men…Love the brotherhood of believers.”
When was the last time Christ followers took care of widows and orphans? (James 1:27)
Are Christ followers serving the needy out of a desire for wordly recognition or a passion to love Jesus? (Matthew 6:1-4)
Do Christ followers pray in the morning that their leaders during the day will be seeking to make health care decisions that are after God’s own heart? (1 Timothy 2:1) Doing this because they know that the Lord Mighty God is completely in control?
Are Christ followers giving more of themselves to others, losing their life by the world’s standards, than they are expecting or taking from others? (Luke 9:23-27)
It’s great to be zealous and passionate about certain proposals regarding the future of health care in America. Yet, Christ followers can set a greater and more powerful example for health care reform by living out Jesus’ example and His teachings on health care, and not just debating it.
I’m not proposing that I know God’s heart when it comes to health care for America. Public option. Grandma death panels. Increased taxes for small business. I’m not sure what God thinks of those things, but His Word does talk about some really important things that I think are being missed or glossed over during this national debate.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)
First of all, it’s kind of funny that Peter wrote this. The same Peter who wanted to fight the authority forces of power that came to arrest Jesus (and did, cutting off an ear). The same Peter at wits end for denying Jesus three times and then hearing the cock crow (Luke 22). The same Peter who met on the beach with the resurrected Christ (John 21), promising to follow Jesus and striving towards bringing His kingdom here to earth, even if it would cost his life (and it did).
Jesus changed Peter tremendously.
Maybe it was coincidence that Peter, with no medical training, became an amazing physician himself, healing a lifelong cripple in an instant (Acts 3). No, it wasn’t an accident. Christ was the reason that Peter was empowered to take care of such a sick man.
I point this passage and Peter’s story out to ask: are Christ followers doing and being health care in America, or are they just arguing, complaining, and debating like the rest of the world?
The passage in 1 Peter emphasizes “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men…Love the brotherhood of believers.”
When was the last time Christ followers took care of widows and orphans? (James 1:27)
Are Christ followers serving the needy out of a desire for wordly recognition or a passion to love Jesus? (Matthew 6:1-4)
Do Christ followers pray in the morning that their leaders during the day will be seeking to make health care decisions that are after God’s own heart? (1 Timothy 2:1) Doing this because they know that the Lord Mighty God is completely in control?
Are Christ followers giving more of themselves to others, losing their life by the world’s standards, than they are expecting or taking from others? (Luke 9:23-27)
It’s great to be zealous and passionate about certain proposals regarding the future of health care in America. Yet, Christ followers can set a greater and more powerful example for health care reform by living out Jesus’ example and His teachings on health care, and not just debating it.
6.08.2009
Christ followers and their roles with orphans...?
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27 NIV)
I feel like that verse is pretty straightforward in what it is saying to Christ followers. It comes out of a larger section in James that is talking about walking the walk, putting faith into practice and being the hands and feet of Christ.
I'm thinking about orphans now, which I have to admit, I haven't ever really done much of...I watched a documentary yesterday entitled "War Dance." It traces the stories of three kids, some of them orphans, in Northern Uganda who have been displaced by rebel uprisings and war.
I'm not really an emotional person, and I don't really do crying. I didn't cry yesterday watching the film, but I was close a couple of times, if that says anything. The film really tore some inner heart strings.
I looked up how many orphans are in the US today, and it is approximately 3 million (according to UNICEF statistics). Another article I found said there are about 150 million orphans in the developing world as well. Taking all the nations of the world together, that's a lot of kids...way too many to be orphans!
I think a hard question to ask and an even harder one to answer, but one seriously worthy of some intentional thought:
What role do intentional Christ followers here in the US have to play with a) orphans in the US and b) orphans in the rest of the world?
I'm not implying that Christ followers should be nationalistic to a particular country, I think Christ followers should recognize they carry a passport of Heaven that sees no earthly nation-state lines...but I ask the question in parts because the reality of the situation is that we do live in recognized nation-states, and so borders, and laws, and customs, and language do factor in.
I don't know if Jesus specifically refers to orphans in this passage, but I can see Him having a really compassionate heart for these children who could be orphans:
"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there." (Matthew 19:13-15 NIV)
I feel like that verse is pretty straightforward in what it is saying to Christ followers. It comes out of a larger section in James that is talking about walking the walk, putting faith into practice and being the hands and feet of Christ.
I'm thinking about orphans now, which I have to admit, I haven't ever really done much of...I watched a documentary yesterday entitled "War Dance." It traces the stories of three kids, some of them orphans, in Northern Uganda who have been displaced by rebel uprisings and war.
I'm not really an emotional person, and I don't really do crying. I didn't cry yesterday watching the film, but I was close a couple of times, if that says anything. The film really tore some inner heart strings.
I looked up how many orphans are in the US today, and it is approximately 3 million (according to UNICEF statistics). Another article I found said there are about 150 million orphans in the developing world as well. Taking all the nations of the world together, that's a lot of kids...way too many to be orphans!
I think a hard question to ask and an even harder one to answer, but one seriously worthy of some intentional thought:
What role do intentional Christ followers here in the US have to play with a) orphans in the US and b) orphans in the rest of the world?
I'm not implying that Christ followers should be nationalistic to a particular country, I think Christ followers should recognize they carry a passport of Heaven that sees no earthly nation-state lines...but I ask the question in parts because the reality of the situation is that we do live in recognized nation-states, and so borders, and laws, and customs, and language do factor in.
I don't know if Jesus specifically refers to orphans in this passage, but I can see Him having a really compassionate heart for these children who could be orphans:
"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there." (Matthew 19:13-15 NIV)
2.24.2009
a good heart check
So last week, I started to see lots of fliers up for a documentary showing put on by the Gay and Lesbian group here at Vanderbilt. The documentary was "For the Bible Tells Me So" and looks at what the Bible says about homosexuality. The film showcases intense evangelists screaming at the top of their lungs and calling gay people "an abomination" and that they passionately deserve the wrath of hell for their homosexual sins. In the end, the documentary takes the view that the Bible permits homosexuality.
I believe firmly, and I think the evidence is overwhelming, that Scripture clearly states that homosexuality is a sin and is not part of what God would deem holy or righteous for His people.
Based on this belief, and the overwhelming sense that our culture continues to grow in the acceptance of homosexuality, I was gearing up for attending the showing, thinking of all sorts of intelligent arguments in my head that I could use to showcase that the Bible does not teach acceptance of homosexuality for the discussion time that would follow. I was firm in my belief that I would do this in a manner starkly different than the preachers shown on the film and the traditional behavior of the church -- loudly and angrily condemning homosexuality. I kept telling myself, and really believed, that I would really seek to be more like Jesus in trying to deliver all these good arguments that I had thought up in my head. In a gentle manner, not condemning.
Well, Thursday came around, and right before the showing was to begin, I decided not to go. I really felt convicted that I wasn't in the right Spirit. A heart check examination clearly revealed to me that it wasn't in a state to humbly love and serve. I was in a frame of mind to "intelligently argue"...which in the end is just like the angry yelling preachers condemning homosexuality.
I was motivated for God's righteousness for the wrong reasons. I wanted to use what I thought were good rhetorical skills and angles of argument to defeat this pervasive cultural belief.
Rather than being like Jesus, seeking to be humble, wanting to go with a Spirit of self-sacrificial love, I was proud and arrogant. Which is just like the rest of the world, and starkly different from Jesus and what He offered (and the way He offered it).
The Apostle James really gets at this in James 4:1-12. I was certainly "double-minded" and where he writes "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble," this was certainly true in this case.
While I still firmly believe that homosexuality is not part of how God wants His people to live, and while I passionately desire the righteousness of God to break down the chains of bondage in our present day society, it's not going to happen with proud, double-minded hearts that seek their own way and forget Christ's perfect example of love.
I believe firmly, and I think the evidence is overwhelming, that Scripture clearly states that homosexuality is a sin and is not part of what God would deem holy or righteous for His people.
Based on this belief, and the overwhelming sense that our culture continues to grow in the acceptance of homosexuality, I was gearing up for attending the showing, thinking of all sorts of intelligent arguments in my head that I could use to showcase that the Bible does not teach acceptance of homosexuality for the discussion time that would follow. I was firm in my belief that I would do this in a manner starkly different than the preachers shown on the film and the traditional behavior of the church -- loudly and angrily condemning homosexuality. I kept telling myself, and really believed, that I would really seek to be more like Jesus in trying to deliver all these good arguments that I had thought up in my head. In a gentle manner, not condemning.
Well, Thursday came around, and right before the showing was to begin, I decided not to go. I really felt convicted that I wasn't in the right Spirit. A heart check examination clearly revealed to me that it wasn't in a state to humbly love and serve. I was in a frame of mind to "intelligently argue"...which in the end is just like the angry yelling preachers condemning homosexuality.
I was motivated for God's righteousness for the wrong reasons. I wanted to use what I thought were good rhetorical skills and angles of argument to defeat this pervasive cultural belief.
Rather than being like Jesus, seeking to be humble, wanting to go with a Spirit of self-sacrificial love, I was proud and arrogant. Which is just like the rest of the world, and starkly different from Jesus and what He offered (and the way He offered it).
The Apostle James really gets at this in James 4:1-12. I was certainly "double-minded" and where he writes "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble," this was certainly true in this case.
While I still firmly believe that homosexuality is not part of how God wants His people to live, and while I passionately desire the righteousness of God to break down the chains of bondage in our present day society, it's not going to happen with proud, double-minded hearts that seek their own way and forget Christ's perfect example of love.
2.04.2009
seeing more clearly...
Over the past couple of weeks, I feel like my "spiritual vision" has been improving. I've been seeing more clearly...
This is both good and bad.
Bad because I'm seeing more and more how corrupt and wretched I really am. My sinful and selfish ways are often earthly and unspiritual. I often run on the wisdom of the world, rather than relying on the pure wisdom that comes down from heaven. The thing that has become extremely clear is the envy and selfish ambition wrapped up inside me.
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:13-18 NIV)
The good part of all of this is that in seeing the sin and wretchedness, it is more abundantly clear day after day how great is God's faithfulness, and how His grace is really more than enough; it's everything! There have been so many good things that have come up and happened in my life in these past two weeks. So I'm writing this more as a testament to God's faithfulness even in the midst of a corrupt and sinful one.
Psalm 89:1-18 captures God's faithfulness of what I'm talking about.
Great is your faithfulness Oh God!....
This is both good and bad.
Bad because I'm seeing more and more how corrupt and wretched I really am. My sinful and selfish ways are often earthly and unspiritual. I often run on the wisdom of the world, rather than relying on the pure wisdom that comes down from heaven. The thing that has become extremely clear is the envy and selfish ambition wrapped up inside me.
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:13-18 NIV)
The good part of all of this is that in seeing the sin and wretchedness, it is more abundantly clear day after day how great is God's faithfulness, and how His grace is really more than enough; it's everything! There have been so many good things that have come up and happened in my life in these past two weeks. So I'm writing this more as a testament to God's faithfulness even in the midst of a corrupt and sinful one.
Psalm 89:1-18 captures God's faithfulness of what I'm talking about.
Great is your faithfulness Oh God!....
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