Truth Matters – Part II

The scripture speaks of two truths…one is a spiritual truth, such as “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” That truth is the universal truth of God in Christ, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for sin, and his resurrection from the dead.

Then there is truth as we normally think of it – moral truth; veracity, genuineness, honesty. Such verses as “speaking the truth in love” or “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” are good examples of this. This concept of truth involves both character and speech.

Moral truth has difficulty without spiritual truth. Spiritual truth is fleshed out in moral truthfulness.

Moral truthfulness, even for those of The Truth, is a difficult quality to master. Indeed, it is evidenced as a challenge in the Old Testament within the community of Yahweh, just as much as the  Acts community. It appears anytime there is a relationship – casual or formal, personal or impersonal, among many or few, living, speaking and dealing in truthfulness can be a challenge.

In the New Testament, Paul makes it clear, speech such as slander, obscene talk and lying should all be eradicated with the old self. Most of us know how hard it is to rid ourselves of the “old self” and continue to be transformed into Christ-likeness. Nevertheless, the command and obligation to do so is apparent.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie (literally “stop lying”) to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Col. 3:5-10)

Paul emphasizes being transformed by the renewing of our mind, and putting on the new self. What might have been acceptable living habits before, are no longer acceptable for the believer. That kind of transformation requires radical action.

In May of 2003, Aron Ralston, then 27, was climbing in the Colorado mountains. His arm became pinned beneath a thousand pound boulder. It was apparent that he was not able to free himself and he would certainly die there out of view of any rescuers.

Ralston became trapped on a Saturday, by Tuesday he had run out of water and after two more days he decided the only way he would survive is if he amputated his arm. Using a pocket knife that is exactly what he did.

When Paul says, “Put do death therefore what is earthly in you” the action indicated is exactly like that experienced by Mr. Ralston. In other words, do whatever it takes to get rid of what is “earthly” in you, related to both thoughts and words. Then, “Put on the new self with its practices which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Jesus put it more succinctly, if your right eye offends you, pluck it out. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. Take whatever action necessary, radical action, to shed the old self and put on the new.

Is it any wonder integrity (truth in character) and honesty (truth in word and deed) are such rare qualities?

Uhm…where did I leave my pocket knife?

Truth Matters

It is irritating me like a nagging itch I cannot scratch. And for the life of me I cannot figure out why. Part of it may be a reaction to this “tell all” book by Scott McClellan. Part of may be the whole political scene surrounding the upcoming election. Part of it, I suspect, may be my own haunting past of deception. Whatever the number of parts, and the role I may or may not play, I am perplexed and bewildered.

There may be a relative issue when it comes to truthfulness. I am not certain. But it seems to me, saying “yes”, if my wife asks me, “Does my hair look okay?”, even when it may not, is unequal to saying “yes” if my boss asks me, “Did you fill out your timecard accurately?” and I did not.

Perhaps what is irritating me is that people – seemingly important people – are knowingly deceptive and everyone knows it. Like politicians saying they are not going to raise taxes. The news media saying the present fair and objective reporting. Or religious leaders refusing to make public their financial records.

None of this is a surprise so much as it is so flippant. So obvious. So cavalier.

Does truth matter only when it serves an agenda, or does it matter period? Are the American people willing to neutralize truth in favor or getting something in return? Do I understand the value and long-term benefit of truth and am I willing to stand up for it, no matter what?

It’s an itch I gotta scratch.

Now Play Nice!

Apparently there is no lack of ignorance in Hollywood. Big shocker there, right?

Here is a snippet from an Internet posting regarding actress Sharon stone

“I’m not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don’t think anyone should be unkind to anyone else,” Stone said Thursday during a Cannes Film Festival red-carpet interview with Hong Kong’s Cable Entertainment News. “And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you’re not nice that the bad things happen to you?”

Now I don’t want to compound ignorance by making an ignorant comment about an ignorant comment made by what appears to be an ignorant person. But what does the Chinese government’s treatment of the Tibetan people have to do with the thousands upon thousands of innocent people killed in that quake and the hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes?

And how in the world did “karma” get dragged into the whole mess?

Yes we reap what we sow and perhaps no one should be unkind to another person or people groups. But does the Chinese government give a rip about what Sharon Stone thinks?  I venture not.

Often times I forget that there is a world outside the continental US. I forget that there are cultures different than mine, belief systems incongruent with mine, and governments more corrupt than ours. Nevertheless, life is what it is.

My heart hurts for both people groups, the Chinese and the Tibetans, but bad karma? I don’t think so.  God’s judgment? I’ll not judge that. Population control? No comment. An act of nature? Now we’re getting somewhere.

Playing nice is a hard thing to do when people don’t see eye to eye on basic issues. If you’re involved in a local church, you know that’s true. If you pay any attention at all to politics you definitely know that is true. Compromise is a hard thing to achieve when basic ideologies are in conflict.

Almost every book in the New Testament deals with relationship issues in one form or another. On more than one occasion we are implored to love one another, deal kindly with one another, speak respectfully of one another, forgive one another and uplift one another. Talk about playing nice! Yet those very concepts continue to be the biggest thorn in the side of contemporary churches and our ability to live out our faith effectively, for the world to not only see, but admire.

Father God, help us to play nice with one another.”

Prayers and Praying

It was several months ago that I posted a piece on prayer. The focus was centered a bit on my own frustration about why God was choosing not to answer our prayers regarding a specific issue in our life. Something that He is about to do shortly, I believe.

Prayer, for me is one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life. Yes, we all pray in one form or another. We even pray often about the same need(s) seeking either God’s direction or His action. Often these prayers seem to go unanswered. And, it is in my nature to question why that might be.

This past Sunday, our pastor addressed the issue of prayer. Specifically, he offered his thoughts regarding the passage in Matthew where Jesus states with some certainty, that we should ask, seek and knock. For in doing so we will receive, find, and a door will be opened.

That teaching of Christ has been befuddling to me for many years. As a pastor, in order to reconcile the difficulty of the truth, I took the avenue that said we receive, find, and doors are opened only when we are in right standing with God and pray according to what fits within His will. Neither of which are qualifiers that Jesus states, or implies.

Now, before I explore my Pastor’s comments, let me say that my observations are merely on the basis of interacting with what I hear from the pulpit – something I think everyone should do. I seldom, if ever, just absorb what I hear without filtering it in some way.

Therefore, what my pastor had to say about the verses in Matthew 7:7-11 ( he also added vs. 12-14 as a part, which I have yet to figure out) was this: 1) We must pray a righteous prayer and 2) we must be living a righteous life for this passage to have its full impact. I suspect these points, or some variation of these points, are not new to anyone regarding these passages and others.  After all, we must be able to explain in some way, why prayers are not answered with the immediacy Christ implies.

Is it when I am in right standing with God that I can expect my prayers to be answered? Is it when I have some insight to God’s will and pray accordingly, that what I ask, seek, and knock for will be granted? Well yes — to some degree.

It is true that the prayer of a righteous person avails much, that impudence has its place and asking without selfish desire all play a part in prayer that brings the desired response. However, in the Matthew setting, perhaps something different is in mind.

Could it be that what we (and the disciples) are encouraged to ask, seek and knock for, are the very values and characteristics Christ has been enumerating up to this point? That the “good things” are those qualities of Christ likeness spelled out in the Sermon on the Mount? Naturally, desiring those qualities leads to a certain righteousness. Living those qualities brings a certain harmony with God’s will. However, I suspect the cart is indeed before the horse if we emphasis quality of life and prayer as the starting points. They are the fruit. It is when we “seek first the Kingdom of God,” that needs will be met and desires fulfilled.

The whole point about the Sermon on the Mount is not so the general public will be uplifted and motivated. It is that Christ’s followers will understand what is expected in their lives. I suspect that the entire closing remarks, Matthew 7, bear that out.  At least in Matthew’s mind as he caps this segment of Christ’s teaching.

Father, let me ask until my poor spirit is made rich. Let me seek until I find meekness in my life and not bravado. May I knock on the door of a pure heart until I find it open. Let me be light and not darkness.

God Bless Our Soldiers

As I grow older I develop a stronger sensitivity and appreciation for the men and woman who protect our freedoms every hour of every day. It matters not to me whether they might be emptying a waste basket at the Pentagon or engaged in small arms fire on the streets of Baghdad.  Everyone contributes to the effort.

Last night, on television, I was watching an account of WWII and the testimony of several men who survived that horrific war. It gave me pause to consider.  I have no idea what it takes to engage an enemy face to face, to shoot someone and watch them fall before my eyes. To be on a ship one minute, than lose over 500 of my friends and shipmates in a single strike, finding myself floating in the ocean trying to dodge the strafing of enemy fire from the planes overhead.  I have no idea what it takes to fly a plane loaded with supplies over the “Hump”, knowing that each flight could literally be my last. I have no idea what it would be like to march 90 miles with little food or water in the scorching heat, watching men die all around me or see them taken off to the side of the road an shot because they could not keep up. I have no idea.

Yes, I can judge a war from the sidelines. I can protest the death of young men and women. I can wish none of it was necessary. However, as long as humankind has ideals – however distorted or abusive – as long as there are values that do not coincide with other people’s values, there will be war.  It can be fought with words or weapons. But I will never discount the commitment of those in the past, those in the present, or those in the future who choose to defend my right to have and express my ideals and values.

God Bless our Troops and God Bless America.