Jesus – the man’s man?

What? You sent my camel’s hair coat to the cleaners!  How could you, I was planning on wearing that to church Sunday!

In the April ‘08 edition of Christianity Today there is an article by Brandon O’Brien entitled “A Jesus for Real Men – What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong.”  It is a fascinating read. Not because I consider myself over-flowing with testosterone, rather because it points to a movement – however engaging – that really is ridiculous. It reminds me of those bumper stickers that you see, “Real Men Love Jesus” or “Real Men Love Their Wives.” “Real men” as opposed to what – not real men?

The article quotes a couple popular books and highlights two movements that are apparently alive and well either in the community at large or the local church; “Church for Men” and “GodMen.” The premise of this movement is fairly simple – woman have taken over the church and neutered the real Jesus making him a sissy. Creating an effeminate Christ – one that no “real man” would ever or could ever identify with. Hence, “real men” are not found, in any significant numbers, in the local church. Therefore it is the intent of these groups to “Re-Masculate Jesus.”

I’ll not walk through the article, it’s best you read it for yourself. However, I will say it is a sure sign of how desperate many churches might be to present a Christ or gospel that reaches the heart of men – “real men” of course.  Let me explain.

This Sunday, scan your worship service and compare numbers – men to women. After you have done that, attempt to determine, by body language if nothing else, whether it appears those men are there because they desire to be there as followers of Christ, or they are there because their wife desires that they be there.

Naturally the above exercise will not qualify as an official survey, but it may turn a cog or two in the brain. Then think about the ministries in your church that are directed toward men. Usually you will find a “men’s group” – if you’re like our church it’s an early morning group because real men get up early to face the day. No real man wants to study the scripture with other men in the afternoon or evening. Beyond that you may have to search hard to find anything else beyond the Building and Grounds committee.

There is something odd about this whole thing, a re-masculated Christ. I consider myself a real man, a follower of Christ, and yes, I am not opposed to punching your lights out if that is what is necessary. But does that make me a real man or merely a man in the process of being transformed into the image of the real Christ?

Let me end by sharing a quote from Mr. O’Brien

The way to recover the biblical image of Jesus is to submit ourselves to the Scriptures and let them discipline our preconceptions. In the process, we must remember that the purpose of discipleship is not primarily to become fulfilled men and women, but rather to be transformed into the image of Christ. (CT April 2008, 52)

Ponder This

Yesterday, I wrote about the concept of pondering when pondering a course of action. Now I would like to explore the idea of pondering when pondering how God ponders our paths.

He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake.

I suspect most will recognize that as a stanza from the Christmas carol, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” It is often used to impose a certain level of terror into the hearts of kids in order to extract good behavior leading up to a gift giving extravaganza.  Once we reach a certain level of maturity we realize that Santa is not that all-knowing.

Well, ponder this –

For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.   (Proverbs 5:21)

This is a great example of “context” and biblical interpretation. In this verse, as opposed to 4:26, it is the LORD who is pondering. What is He pondering? “A man’s ways” is what the verse tells us. In fact it goes on to say the LORD ponders “all his paths.”  His cannot refer to God because He has no need to weigh his character or behavior, so it definitely refers to man. In addition “path” and “ways” compliment one another.

The word “ponder” is the same word we looked at in the previous writing – it means to roll flat, weight, or, based on context, weigh – as heavy in thought.

Bottom line…there is no way our way is not observed by God and given consideration. As the Psalmist said, “If I ascend to heaven your are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there (Psalm 139:8)!”   The way we conduct ourselves; what we say, what we do, what we think, does not escape God’s awareness.  We may think we have pulled the blinds, turned out the lights and closed the door, but all to no avail.

Now the nub of this is that December 25th is not necessarily our day of reckoning. If we do not ponder our paths, God surely does. The consequences may be manifest now or later, we may be ensnared tomorrow or die “for lack of discipline” (Proverbs 5:22-23). The point is, God knows and He is not idle with that knowledge.

When I ponder that, it engenders a bit more attention than Santa Claus coming to town!

 

NOTE: By no means do I imply that correct conduct is only corralled by fear of God’s punishment. What I do intend to say is that all actions have consequences. God is not blind to who we are, what we do and what we think. And we can be sure that, to a certain degree, what we sow we will reap.  As “Dear Abby” once said, “We cannot sow our wild oats and then pray for a crop failure!”

Cogitate and Contemplate

Recall the most recent time when you simply sat down to think deeply about something. Chances are it was more related to work than character of life. I suspect that is the case with many of us. We cogitate problems related to our livelihood more than our living. Then of course, for many, their work is their life.

In Proverbs 4:26 the writer says, “Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.”

We don’t ponder things much any more in our culture. We usually just do. We are more reactive than proactive. More response oriented than contemplative. “Do it now” has become the motto.

When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, the mother of Jesus, it is said she “pondered” his greeting (Luke 1:29) . When the shepherds came and told her about the angel that appeared and heralded the birth of Jesus, “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19).” She did not merely accept or reject, she pondered what these things could mean for her.

This regeneration journey I am on found its beginning in my pondering the condition of my life and realizing that the path I was on was not productive to my soul. Now there are many days as a result of reading God’s word, that I contemplate my steps, my progress, my thought process. Sometimes that is revealing, other times it is repressing.

“Ponder the path of your feet…” That word ponder comes from a Hebrew word that basically means to roll flat. Similar to making a road and using one of those huge heavy rollers to press the surface flat, minimizing or eliminating bumps and ruts. That is what the writer is calling the reader to do. Think deeply about where you are “walking”. Give weighty concern to the path your feet are on. If it is the correct path, “Then all your ways will be sure.” If not, expect problems and difficulties.

Does that mean simply by pondering we prevent problems. Absolutely not. What it means is, the path of right living is an affirmably productive path in apposition to “evil” or morally corrupt behavior. Evil consumes a life (Proverbs 4:16-17) righteousness confirms a life (Proverbs 4:18).

“Ponder the path of your feet” then anticipate firm footing.

Father, it is not often that I reconsider my path. I regularly take it for granted which I know is dangerous. Let me ponder the path I am on and make certain that it leads straight to You.

Life Applications

Far be it from me to speak for anyone other than myself, but there are times when reading the Bible can be downright intimidating. Or should I say “convicting?”

It is not unusual to find those who would make the words of scripture more convoluted than necessary. Often times the basic meaning of a passage is just that, the basic meaning of a passage. This is seldom more true than when reading Proverbs. Most of the verses are what they are. Consequently, it becomes rather elementary to draw application from what we read.

In Proverbs 3:25-32 there are a series of commandments which can resonant with even the most casual reader. Some, based on today’s culture, might be points to take issue with, but the bulk of them are rather straight forward. One seemed especially appropriate for today’s culture.

“Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.”   Proverbs 3:30

When I read that I thought immediately of “road rage.” Perhaps it is not an affliction that weighs on you, but it is one that haunts me consistently. Often, the person that enrages me, has done nothing wrong per se, they have merely inconvenienced my path or progress. So it becomes my job to teach them a lesson.

Okay, let’s cross that verse out. Pretend it is not applicable to the living standards of today.  There, I feel better already!

Naturally we cannot do that. We can certainly ignore that verse, or pretend it has nothing to do with us, but I suspect there may be many who can identify with “my” problem and say, “I suppose I am guilty of the same thing.”

I do not need a “Life Application Bible” to have a point of scripture eat at my conscience. I simply need to be open to what the Bible  says.

Father, I stand guilty as charged. Grant me patience and understanding with other drivers. Help me to know they intend no harm, they simply are void of common courtesy and driving skills. And at times, so am I.

The Biggest Loser – No Make that Winner

It is a challenge to avoid knowing about the show The Biggest Loser. Across the country there are towns, cities, counties even entire states that are getting involved in helping people loose weight.

The thing about that program is the regimen the contestants find themselves pursuing. It involves everything – workouts, competitions, diet and retooling their rethinking in order to shed pounds.

When you watch the early weeks of the show people are bitching, moaning, and complaining about the workouts, the food, and the competitions. Nevertheless, as they continue, they see the benefits involved in all three of those disciplines as the pounds disappear.

When competitors are voted off or at the final “weigh in” here is a paraphrase of what you hear most often. “It helped me to think differently about how I eat, how I see myself, and it taught me the discipline necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

It is true the people voted off are told “You are not the biggest loser” and the person who wins is hailed as THE biggest loser, the reality is, they all win! They have learned things about themselves they would have never learned outside that experience. Why? Because they were under an umbrella of discipline that pushed them beyond what they thought were their limits.

The writer of Proverbs says, “My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights (Proverbs. 3:11-12).” These verses are quoted by the writer of Hebrews when he talks about discipline and how it “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews. 12:3-11).”

God disciplines us for specific reasons. Not because he delights in the exercise, rather because He delights in the beneficial outcome of the exercise. He wants us to stretch ourselves beyond what we think are our limits. I don’t always see it that way. Like the contestants on the television show, I complain, resist and lament my circumstances. Yet, like most, in hindsight, I often see clearly how the discipline was “for my good” (Hebrews. 12:10) but while it is going on, I seldom regard it as beneficial.

“Now discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).” That word train is the Greek word “γυμνάζω” or goom-nad-zo. It is the word from which he get gymnasium. We all know what happens in a gymnasium and it ain’t tea parties!

If millions of Americans across the country can discipline themselves to work out and shed pounds wouldn’t it be nice if the Christian community could take the same approach to spiritual disciplines? To react with enthusiasm toward the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” that comes from being trained in God’s gymnasium.

It may not be pleasant at the time, but one thing we can be assured of, our parents “disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he (GOD) disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness (Hebrews. 12:10).”

Father, there is no doubt that I resist your discipline. I often even rebel against it. Help me to see that it is for my good, to generate a certain level of holiness and the peaceful fruit of righteousness.