Freedom: For Us or From Ourselves?

Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. How powerful is that? Apparently so powerful that most of us cannot grasp it. The other end of this spectrum seems to be that where the spirit of religion or differing viewpoints is, there is condemnation.

We as Americans love to tout living in a free country. We tie so much of our national and cultural identity into this “freedom.” Yet, we still draw lines in the sand over politics, religion, race and a host of other things.  As Christians, we talk about people being “set free” and there being freedom in Christ, yet so many times we won’t express this freedom without a follow-up on how this new freedom should look or act.

What if we lived and conducted ourselves like we really believed in freedom? How would that look? What if we all really believed that as long as another’s actions didn’t cause direct harm to another individual, then they are free to do as they choose? What if we weren’t so threatened by another’s viewpoint, opinions, or expressions?

The Israelites witnessed God reign down plagues on Egypt. They saw God part the Red Sea on their behalf. They saw him provide miraculous meals in the desert. Yet, as soon as they entered the promised land they couldn’t help but beg for a king. Why? Did God not tell them he wanted to be their king? How is this not enough?

That same question is relevant for all of us today. Both as a nation and in the Christian church. Why do we continue to expect the answer for our country to come from the next politician, yet we continue to re-elect all of the same people we’re supposedly disgusted with?

What if the bigger problem is us?  What if we’re turning our politicians, pastors, beliefs, ideals and even our nation into our God?

What if the secret to being free isn’t about others oppressing us at all? What if it’s really about being free from ourselves? Free to be connected with our Creator. Free to be who He made us to be?

It’s so hard to believe God. So hard to take Him at His word. What about the problems in my marriage? The sickness of a family member? The betrayal of a friend? My own inability to break a bad habit or behavior. Does this mean God isn’t faithful?

My pastor, who is also a friend, recently delivered a message to our church about grace. Not the standard grace message, rather one with depth, conviction and what certainly seemed to be an anointing of the presence of God. The whole message dealt with what the sacrifice of Jesus Christ meant to each one of us on a personal level. The real power behind it. The truth is, grace is power. I invite you to listen to the message here: Pathway Longview message from Pastor Marty Strait

I listened to the message twice as my family and I attended the Saturday service and I ushered for our eleven o’clock Sunday service. What I observed from my seat in the back of the room on Sunday was so telling. Had the message been a rousing Bible-thumping attack against specific sins (especially those that opposed the majority of our congregation) then I doubt you’d have been able to quell the “amen”, “hallelujah”, and various other declarations of agreement and support. On the other hand, had the message been full of pie-in-the-sky Hippie Jesus, all is cool, awesome and God wants to reign blessing down on you right now and make you a comfortable millionaire then I imagine an equally warm reception. Probably even some misty-eyed nods of agreement.

However, when you start telling people the God-truth of the sacrifice of His son Jesus, and what that means to each us: That we can trust Him. That we can believe Him. That He really can handle each and every situation. Well, that just makes people squirm. Our minds go to all the times we’ve had an unanswered prayer. The times when we lost someone too soon. The times that someone else’s poor behavior and choices wreaked havoc in our lives. Believing and trusting in Jesus is hard. Does this mean that the problem is God?

As our pastor commonly reminds us, many churches choose to create a new theology or excuse for why things didn’t happen the way we believe they should. A way to excuse us from believing for healing and other miracles. Believing God and taking Him at His word are hard, even for the church. Maybe at times, even more so for much of the Church.

Should we have all the answers? Would that be faith? Would that be believing? Is that trust? If we did have all the answers, wouldn’t that essentially make us God? Oh, there it is. Most of us continue to try to be our own God. Not intentionally. The enemy is good. Really good. Read your Bible. He’s conned the best of the best who saw the best of what God had to offer and still allowed themselves to be persuaded into not trusting God. Like a lion looking to steal, kill and destroy.

Take heart. No matter how much destruction that enemy causes in your life, you’re still no further from God. Why? Because your standing with God has nothing to do with you or what you’ve done and everything to do with Christ and what He’s done.

What if we start believing Him?

What if we as Americans and even more so we as Christians stop being so thin-skinned and insecure to the point of alienating those inside or even outside our ranks who may see things or even behave differently that we do? I’m not asking anyone to accept nor ignore sin, but I am saying the blood and grace of Jesus Christ is the only way it will ever be defeated and made right. The same grace that saved you is available to each and every person.

It’s time to stop being THAT Christian. The church hopper. The take-my-toys-and-go-home Christian. The overall offended Christian. The you’re going to Hell for that Christian. The God is mad at you Christian. If you continue to find yourself offended, the problem probably isn’t everyone else. I think it’s safe to say your mirror has a clear picture of the problem.

It’s time to stop being THAT American. The get out of my country American. The enlightened American that sits on a condemning high horse of who believes the Constitution the most. The American who is more concerned with who respects our flag the most above how much we love one another. Stop putting your patriotism above your willingness to follow Christ.

To be clear, I’m not saying I myself don’t have strong opinions about these and many other issues. I very much do, but they’re opinions. I’ve come too far and been too forgiven to hold onto a my-way-or-the-highway approach to those I’m trying to connect with and reach.

Just trust Him. For everything, in everything. When it hurts and when it’s pleasant. In lack and in abundance. In sickness and in health. Don’t accept the lies, the hurt, the sickness, the brokenness. Trust His word and His promises. Wake up every morning knowing God isn’t mad at you. He’s good. He’s faithful. He loves you. Nothing that happens catches Him by surprise, adjusts His mood, or causes Him to panic. Let’s press in more and more until we’re like that, too.

We should all thank be very thankful that while others see us from the outside, Jesus sees us from the inside. Where it matters most. It’s how He works, from the inside out. So while you, me, or anyone else may stand in judgement or condemnation over outward behavior, only one truly knows and justly judges. Thank God for that, because we always know where we stand when we put our faith in His sacrifice: Holy, righteous and redeemed.

Is that an excuse for sin or a justification for poor behavior? In the words of the Apostle Paul, “God forbid.” It’s simply meant to level the playing field. Just believe and trust in His word. It works if you’ll let it.

Charleston: Home Grown Terrorism

Tragedy. Terrorism. Sadness. All appropriate terms when thinking of the actions by Dylann Roof, 21, when he chose to violate the peaceful assembly conducted by his 10 victims, 9 of which he shot down in a cold-blooded and hate-filled shooting spree.

Mental illness? I’m not sure it’s possible to not be mentally ill when you’re in a place dark enough to allow you to prepare for and carry out such a heinous crime. I’m not sure terrorists aren’t mentally ill. I suppose this debate would be left up to the clear definition of mental illness, which to me changes nothing and is simply an issue of semantics used for someone guilty of these atrocities to avoid capital punishment.

Ignorance. Hate. Intolerance. How the roots of this evil begin. Taught and learned behavior. Scary. The love of money may be the root of evil, but ignorance cannot be far behind.

This young man chose the oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in the south. This same church counted among its founders, Denmark Vesey. Vesey was executed for allegedly trying to organize a major slave rebellion in 1822. The church was burned to the ground and rebuilt by one of Vesey’s sons.

This was a terrorist act. This was, in fact, domestic terrorism fueled by demons allowed to root themselves in the heart of a young man who was very ignorant and misguided. Perhaps that was enhanced by drugs and a twisted ideology. We may never know for sure. What we do know is that this most certainly appears to be premeditated execution of defenseless and peaceful victims.

My dad often used the quote based on 1 Corinthians 15:10 and traced to John Bradford, “But by the grace of God go I.” We all like to think we could never be guilty of an act of this nature and fortunately that holds true for the vast majority. What we can be guilty of though, is the very fabric sewn into the poisonous beliefs that foster these acts of vile contempt and unadulterated evil. History proves ignorance is very fertile soil for fanatical acts of terror.

I am so very thankful that one of the clearest memories I have of being disciplined as a child came from my having called a black woman a “nigger”. I’ll never forget it. The lady did nothing to me to provoke words of any kind. She sat in her car next to me where somewhere in my roughly 9 year-old mind I conjured up the word so often used by one of my family members when speaking of virtually all black people. I remember the lady’s husband coming out and being told what had transpired. Somehow, he collected himself enough to wait on my father to emerge. His encounter with my father was animated. I don’t blame him in the least. I remember my father, as calmly as he could, removing me from the passenger seat of his truck and standing me up to look this man and his wife in the eye and apologize. I still remember the embarrassment and shame on his face. I also remember the discipline and discussion that took place at home.

Thank God this was my father. In south Alabama, in a rural setting, surrounded by otherwise good people that ignorantly used derogatory terms and ideals of black people he was an exception. I never understood why he refused to allow me to hang a Confederate flag in my room. Revisionist history and ignorant people had taught me it was about “state’s rights” and a war of “northern aggression”. Never mind that the primary right in question was whether or not one man could legally own and enslave another and when told no, decide to pick up their toys and start their own country.

To read civil war history in textbooks that were taught in southern states up until the 1950’s and in some cases the 1960’s is nothing less than shameful and embarrassing. We didn’t teach “some” people this. We taught all our children these backward, racist, revisionist versions of history.

This happened in Charleston, SC. A beautiful city steeped in the tradition of the old, Confederate south. One of the last few holdouts that still flies the Confederate flag. To black Americans this flag is a symbol of oppression, regardless of its history. Does it still fly for education and acknowledgement of a troubled history or does it fly as a symbol of pride and salt in the wound of those who were oppressed under that very flag?

This troubled young man with hate in his heart needed somewhere to direct his sickness, his anger, his disease. Somewhere, somehow in Charleston he found something to blame. He found somewhere to direct his vitriol. He found something to blame his discontent on. That thing happened to be disdain and hatred for another race. His haunting words spoken to the person who pleaded for him to stop, “No, you’ve raped our women, and you are taking over the country…I have to do what I have to do.” Sometimes we realize we’ve not come as far as we like to think.

Am I saying that revisionist history and flying a Confederate battle flag make for lunatic rampages that leave people gunned down in cold blood? No. What I am saying is we have a serious and festering underlying issue in this country. We all want to ignore it. We want to point fingers. Truly, people this sick will always find some justification, but how is race still available as the basis of such evil?

The vast majority of us would rather draw a line in the sand and point fingers. Be they at welfare recipients, people of a differing race, religion, political party or any other assorted difference that leads us to not just disagree, but actually have contempt for those who disagree with us.

We all choose to excuse our prejudices and hide behind the various reasons mentioned above. How much time do we all spend trying to separate our biases and understand the position of the other side? One thing I know is that it’s not just the other side’s fault. It’s both sides. It’s the rigid, line drawing refusal to compromise, grow and understand together.

I want to see the first color-blind generation. We’ve made much progress but we still have so far to go. It won’t happen without some very difficult conversations, education, open-minds and more important than all, love. It’s time to wipe the slate clean and see people as people. That’s it. People trying to make their way in a dark and fallen world, just like you and I. Make eye contact, smile, forgive, laugh, lend a helping hand, hug your family and tell them you love them.

Bring love back. Perfect love is what casts out fear. This world needs Jesus, even when it wants to ignore Him, disprove Him or develop an alternative. Not religion, your creator. Pray for the victims and families in Charleston. Pray that this young man’s crime doesn’t become a rally cry for other broken and angry white kids looking desperately for an outlet to channel their aggression. Last but not least, pray for our nation.

Baltimore: Yet Another Wake Up Call

This won’t unite the world. It probably won’t even change anything. But if one single person reads this and decides to let go of their biases and prejudices and put some thought into these issues then maybe, just maybe they’ll open someone else’s eyes and so on. Nothing will be solved and things won’t improve with pointed fingers and lines drawn in the sand.

I am in total agreement that it makes no sense to protest a police killing with rioting and overall mass destruction. I understand Freddie Gray was far from an innocent victim. Did he deserve death? No. Could this have been an innocent mistake on the part of the police? Perhaps. As messed up as this all is though, it’s more than Trayvon, Michael Brown or Freddie Gray. They’re just figureheads and names in the spotlight for serious issues that have threatened to boil over and rear their ugly head for quite some time.

This country is two generations removed from segregation. Seriously, think about that. We all act shocked that a portion of our populace would react to an issue this way. Ever stop to consider that what’s happening stems from a complete lack of trust of the system? The very same system that was used to tell these people they couldn’t vote, use the same restroom or even drink from the same fountain?

What’s happening is wrong. I’m not defending rioting, looting or vandalism, nor excusing it. All I’m saying is this issue is so much deeper.

Do we conveniently forget that predominantly white college students often riot and vandalize after their school wins a big game? Do we forget Black Friday stampedes, predominantly white, that leave people dead and sometimes stores damaged? This isn’t about people just being stupid and barbaric. It’s about angry and scared people who don’t trust the system in place to protect them.

I’m not an apologist. I don’t feel guilty for being white; however, I am real about it. I don’t expect an entire race to recover from nearly 400 years of abuse overnight. Especially when even long after segregation was “ended” systems of oppression still remain in place, no matter how much you want to ignore that reality.

This isn’t about Freddie Gray. It’s bigger, deeper. It’s about a system that has repeatedly failed a race time and again. Maybe not in this instance, but it has.

This is about the outcry and backlash of poverty-stricken and oppressed people who feel they have no voice and nothing left to lose. Having no hope makes people very dangerous. Dangerous and often hell-bent on destruction and being heard. Not very often is this manifested in a positive manner either.

What I do know is if we want a slam dunk strategy to make sure things stay this way then let’s just keep using ignorant labels for each other. All whites are racist and all blacks are thugs. How pathetic is this? We’re better than that. We can all do better.

The root of these issues stem first and foremost from broken people. Lots of broken people. It may make you feel better to shrug these riots off as simply the actions of thugs who are nothing but leeches of society or as entitlement minded heathens who care about as much for each other as they do for the property they’re damaging and lives they’re taking. You can choose to think of it that way, but that’s a shallow view that doesn’t want the truth.

The answer may not be best achieved through these acts of violent destruction; however, these people are tired of having no voice. Unfortunately for them they have no Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They are stuck with self-serving, out of touch, hypocritical blowhards like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson.

If you still haven’t decided to open your mind to the reality of situations like these, do me this favor. Drop your child off in the nearest ghetto. Pick them up when they’re an adult after having lived a childhood based on primal instinct in order to survive. Dog eat dog where the weak are crushed. Then, see how ready they are to go become productive members of society. I’m not saying it can’t happen as in the case of those such as Dr. Ben Carson, but I am saying the odds are strongly against it.

We can stop being played by the media and by politics (BOTH sides) and start educating ourselves and others. We can accept that we alone won’t change this but we can start the process of change by changing ourselves, our judgments, our thoughtless words and assumptions and trying to see things from someone else’s point of view.

Most importantly, we can put ourselves aside, in order to love others. Because ultimately this is the solution. Love. The kind that casts out fear and breaks chains. The kind that causes us to have real encounters with ourselves and others. The kind that requires action and quite often gets messy. The kind of love Jesus had. That love doesn’t just change those we show it to, it changes us.

Ferguson: My Take

None of you really need my thoughts on this but hey, it’s my blog, right? It won’t change anything but maybe, just maybe it will cause thought. We don’t have to agree and that’s okay. So with that said, here’s my opinion. Proceed with caution:

This country is two generations removed from segregation. Seriously, think about that. We all act shocked that a portion of our populace would react to an issue this way. Ever stop to consider that what’s happening stems from a complete lack of trust of the system? The very same system that was used to tell these people they couldn’t vote, use the same restroom or even drink from the same fountain?

What’s happening is wrong. I’m not defending rioting, looting or vandalism, nor excusing it. All I’m saying is this issue is so much deeper.

Do we conveniently forget that predominantly white college students often riot and vandalize after their school wins a big game? Do we forget Black Friday stampedes, predominantly white, that leave people dead and sometimes stores damaged? This isn’t about people just being stupid and barbaric. It’s about angry and scared people who don’t trust the system in place to protect them.

I’m not an apologist. I don’t feel guilty for being white; however, I am real about it. I don’t expect an entire race to recover from nearly 400 years of abuse overnight. Especially when even long after segregation was “ended” systems of oppression still remain in place, no matter how much you want to ignore that reality.

This wasn’t just about Michael Brown. It’s bigger, deeper. It’s about a system that has repeatedly failed a race time and again. Maybe not in this instance, but it has.

With that said, justice may very well have been served. I respect a grand jury that can make that decision and not cave to the pressure. I prefer riots to a system that sacrifices an innocent man to avoid scrutiny. Rioters, looters and the like should be stopped and when possible, prosecuted. I’m not debating any of this because I don’t know, nor do you.

What I do know is if we want a slam dunk strategy to make sure things stay this way then let’s just keep using ignorant labels for each other. All whites are racist and all blacks are thugs. How pathetic is this? We’re better than that. We can all do better.

We can stop being played by the media and by politics (BOTH sides) and start educating ourselves and others. We can accept that we alone won’t change this but we can start the process of change by changing ourselves, our judgements, our thoughtless words and assumptions and trying to see things from someone else’s point of view.

Most importantly, we can put ourselves aside, in order to love others. Because ultimately this is the solution. Love. The kind that casts out fear and breaks chains. The kind that causes us to have real encounters with ourselves and others. The kind that requires action and quite often gets messy. The kind of love Jesus had. That love doesn’t just change those we show it to, it changes us.