Week 12 2013 Responsibility

About a week ago I flew from Florida to California.  This was not a pleasure trip, though there have been pleasurable experiences.  No, this was a trip to take care of our storage shed.  Our daughter has graciously allowed us to place our shed in her backyard for nearly four years.  But, now she is moving, so the shed has to move as well.  So, I came to take care of the project.  We know that our daughter and her husband would have taken care of it, but our shed is not their responsibility – it’s ours.  As such, I felt an obligation to move it to another location.  This was no small feat!  It required the filling up of a Ford Crown Victoria, with only enough room left for the driver, twice, and two trips with my friends pick-up truck – not to mention that my friend, Ben, and I spent several hours dismantling and reassembling the shed.  But, we got ‘er done, and I will rejoin my bride Wednesday morning in Florida.  Praise God!

This venture got me to thinking about how often we tend to shirk our responsibilities.  It would have been so much easier for me to have let Shannon and Stephen take care of the shed.  And, as stated earlier, they would have done so.  If we look hard enough, we can always find someone who will take care of our responsibilities.  Our welfare rolls are full of people who are depending on the government to take care of their responsibilities.  That is not to say that there aren’t legitimate cases of need where people are unable and need the help.  But, there are many who are able and are simply content to push it off on the taxpayers.  I once had a student who said, “Mr. Keen, I don’t need to know how to read.  I’m just gonna grow up and be on welfare.”  Where did he learn that piece of wisdom?

What about those who are quick to make excuses, passing the blame for their poor decisions on to someone else, instead of taking responsibility for their own choices?  Our prisons are full of these kind, those who blame a bad childhood for the way they turned out.  Unfortunate circumstances come into a lot of lives.  We can’t choose our parents, and some people should not be parents.  Many people grow up in less than charmed households.  Some have poor school teachers and role models.  However, there comes a point in life when we must accept responsibility for our own lives.  It is much better to overcome life’s circumstances than to be overcome by those same circumstances.  Furthermore, it is within our grasp to do so!  There are very few people who are unable to overcome.  And, for these, it is our responsibility to help them.

There is hardly a week that goes by without some news story about someone who has overcome some tragedy in their life.  Conversely, there is also hardly a week without some story of someone who has allowed their circumstances to dictate the evil they have committed.  We need to be teaching responsibility to our young.  The hope for the future of our nation depends upon them learning this valuable character trait.  It isn’t always easy to be responsible, but it is always necessary.  The benefits far outweigh the inconvenience.

Week 11 2013 Passion

What is your passion?  Oh, I know that people often associate romance with this word, but I think it is so much more than a romantic interlude.  I have many passions, but only one is romantic, and I’ve joyfully shared that passion with my bride for more than thirty-seven years.  However, there are other people, places, activities, and things that I am passionate about.  For instance, my current hobby, turning wood, is something that I am passionate about.  I spend hours working on a pen, bottle stopper, stylus, eggoscope, or bowl.  It is enjoyable, creative, and it diverts my attention away from my chronic pain.  If you follow me on Facebook you have seen much of what has come from this passion.

Una and I are passionate about our travels.  We live in such a fascinating country!  As we make our way from one destination to another, we are reminded of how blessed we are to live in America.  God has truly blessed this great nation!  We are often asked where our favorite destination is.  And, our answer is always the same – we aren’t sure.  There is beauty everywhere we go, and the people we meet are just so special, they warm our hearts.  Of course, we try to follow the weather, avoiding extreme heat or cold.  But, we have still experienced snow in late May, and humid heat in January.  However, we take it as it comes as we continue to travel and enjoy.

Another of my passions is my family.  My children, grandchildren, and their families mean a great deal to me.  I am so passionate about my family that I would do anything to keep from hurting any of them, or preventing them from being hurt, if it is within my power to do so.  Yet, they are sometimes hurt.  Unfortunately, that pain can unwittingly come from me or others they love.  It seems that the nature of relationships is such that we sometimes hurt each other.  The really wonderful thing about familial relationships is that our shared love is generally strong enough to help us through the pain of a misunderstanding or unintentional hurt.  Primarily, because we share this passion for family.

Friendships are much like familial relationships, often being as strong or stronger.  I have friends with whom I have shared more years of my life than many of my family members.  Our joint memories offer a commonality that is difficult to duplicate.  Those that I have laughed and cried with, going through the valleys and peaks of life, are friends that I hold on to passionately.  These are ones that I would give my life for as quickly and easily as I would for my family.  Most of my deep friendships are those with whom I share a common faith in the Lord.  Yet, there are few who are outside God’s saving grace for whom I am in constant prayer.  Because, you see, those relationships with which I am passionate about are ones that I hope to carry on throughout eternity.  Which leads to that which is probably my greatest passion.

I came to the Lord about thirty-six years ago.  I know that many people remember the exact day they entered into a saving relationship with Christ.  I don’t.  I just remember being scared.  Oh, I had known that God existed and that the church was where believers gathered.  In fact, I had often gathered together with those believers.  However, I had never had a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The relationships I had had with churches were not pretty.  But, I recognized that there was a difference between that kind of relationship and a personal relationship with God.  I also knew that if I were to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior that it would involve a lifetime commitment.  I knew that once that step was taken I could never turn back.  Not knowing what was on the other side of that step is what scared me.  Yet, as scared as I was, I had a suspicion that it was not only the right thing to do, but that it was essential.  So, with trepidation, I made the decision to follow Jesus, and I did so with great passion.  Had I known before I made that step how wonderful life in Christ would be, I would not have been afraid.  My view of the church has pretty much remained the same.  As an institution, the church is still just as ugly as it was before I was a Christian.  The divisions, hypocrisy, and hatred demonstrated by many who represent the church is just as unappealing as it was then.  However, because I have this passion for Christ, I now see the church as His bride.  He is clothing her in His righteousness, and she isn’t fully clothed yet.  In her earthly state she is clothed in rags.  But, some day He is going to return.  When He does, He will replace those rags with His righteousness, and she will be more beautiful than any of us can imagine!

So, yes, I am passionate about the Lord and His church.  With what life I have left I will seek to bring as many lost souls as I can to the Lord.  And, it is my prayer that the church will continue to move toward unity, demonstrating the love of Christ to each other and to the world.  It is my prayer that we will have a passion for those who are brokenhearted, downtrodden, and taken captive by sin.  Jesus felt that we were worth dying for, even though I often wonder why, so I hope to share in His passion.  Along with the promised eternal life, it has been my experience that life here on earth has just been that much sweeter having the freedom that can only be found in the Lord!  I have had people ask me how I would feel if when I die there is no God or heaven?  Well, first of all, if that happened I have to ask if I would know it?  Secondly, if that were the case, I would have no complaints, because my life as a Christian has been so much fuller than it was when I wasn’t a Christian.  Thus, my passionate life in the Lord is a win win proposition!

Week 10 2013 The Rest of the Story

Noah was nearly the only righteous person God could find in his time.  He built an ark and saved creation for a new start.  Abraham fathered a nation.  Moses led the people out of bondage and delivered the law.  David was a man after God’s own heart.  He was such a great king that Jesus is referred to as the Son of David.  Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, outside of the Lord.  A Samaritan woman led a whole town to Jesus.  Peter was given the keys to the kingdom and established the church.  Paul wrote more books of the New Testament than any other and he brought the gospel to the Gentiles.  An amazing roll call of saints!  Right?

Now, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story.  Noah had a drinking problem.  Abraham fathered a son with his servant.  Moses murdered an Egyptian.  David committed adultery and murder.  Solomon practiced polygamy like no other.  The Samaritan woman had been married five times and was shacking up with a man when Jesus met her.  Peter was a hot-tempered fisherman who cut a man’s ear off.  Paul persecuted the church and consented to the murder of Stephen.  Wow!

It isn’t really amazing that God can use anyone for His purposes.  However, it is amazing that He does.  It is doubtful that many of our church leaders would use people with this type of baggage.  We would welcome them into our churches and allow them to serve, but lead?  Probably not.  It’s a shame that we fail to recognize the value of a hurting person, someone who has experienced the failings of a fallen world and come out of the darkness into the light of the Lord.

I have been asked to write a book about my life.  Some people think that I have lived an interesting life and that I should share it with others.  The most difficult part in the project is writing about my life before Jesus.  I feel I could echo Paul in saying that I am the chief of sinners.  There is much in that prior life that I am not proud of, and I’m not quite sure that I’m ready to bare my soul.  However, my supporters assure me that my past makes my life in the Lord shine that much brighter.  I wonder.  As I write my memoirs, should I include the rest of the story?

Week 9 2013 Being “Absolutely Right”

We all seem to have some innate passion to be right.  Our definition of what is right varies from one individual to another, but whatever the definition, we strive to achieve that pinnacle.  The definition I am most familiar with comes from my religious experience.  Christians long to be as righteous as Jesus Christ.  It is a goal that is beyond our reach.  Nevertheless, we feel it is worth the effort.  Indeed, our quest does tend to make us better people.  However, there is a line that is all too often crossed as we move toward personal excellence.  That line is our expectation of others who may view the journey from a lense that is different from ours, demanding that they follow the same set of rules that we follow, judging them upon the platform we have established and built.  While it is true that we believe our platform to be the same one the Lord has, our supposition is flawed because we are flawed.  It often comes down to an interpretation of scripture and what we choose to bind upon ourselves, not necessarily what Jesus has commanded.  This concept really gets complicated when we base our salvation on our platform.  In doing so, we also judge the salvation of others based upon our own flawed interpretation.  While it is best to base any such judgment upon the Lord’s teachings, we must keep in mind that such judgment must be based upon all of His teachings, not just one or a few scriptures pulled out of context.

Perhaps the best place to start is with the word “righteousness.”  This is, after all, what the whole discussion boils down to.  I recently listened to a sermon where the preacher titled a picture of his grandson with the inscription: I must be “absolutely right!”  His sentiment was pure and noble.  He was saying that in his words and actions he must provide an example that is right for his grandson.  Don’t we all feel that way?  All of my life I have striven to provide the best possible example I can for my children, grandchildren, other family members, friends, acquaintances, etc.  I have done this knowing full well that I am inadequate for the task, knowing that I fall short every day, understanding my own human weaknesses.  So, how do I overcome these obstacles?  How do I still provide a good example when I am so flawed?

To those who were intent on keeping the Law, Jesus provided a wonderful sermon where He broke down various aspects of the law, providing the legal provisions along with the Godly intent.  We often refer to this sermon as the Sermon on the Mount.  It is a wonderful sermon!  I have often referred to this as the sermon Jesus preached to Christians before there were Christians.  As he methodically takes each legal requirement and reduces it to its base element (for example, murder becomes hatred toward another) it becomes clear that He is talking about the condition of the heart.  In other words, it isn’t simply the sin, but the intent behind the sin.  It isn’t just praying in public to be seen by others, it is the longing to be recognized as someone more righteous than others who have prayed, more pious than others in our giving, prideful of our not committing the physical act of adultery, even though lust is in the heart.  From the beatitudes to building our foundation on the rock, Jesus addresses the condition of the heart, the motives behind our actions.  He is developing a theme that forces us to confront our faith, and with whom we have placed that trust.  Is it ourselves, or is it the Lord?

Over the years I have had the opportunity to study with a number of people who were approaching the end of their earthly existence.  Due to erroneous teachings, many of these would express fear of dying.  Not because of death itself, but because of the uncertainty about what comes after.  Oh, sure they knew that there is to be a judgment, followed by heaven or hell.  However, they had doubts of their own eternal destination.  Usually these doubts stemmed from their knowing they had not been “good enough” for heaven.  When any of these would express that particular sentiment to me, I would respond with, “No, you haven’t been good enough.  But, praise God, Jesus was!”

Which brings me back to the Sermon on the Mount.  As stated earlier, the Lord’s primary theme from beginning to end was to address the condition of the heart, the basis of our faith and trust.  The crux of the entire sermon is found in Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  There is only one right response to this verse.  In recognition of our inability to fulfill its mandate, we should be driven to our knees, proclaiming, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!”  While we may long for His perfection, our faith and trust cannot be in our own righteousness – it must be completely held in the righteousness and perfection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  He is our only righteousness.  As the prophet Isaiah says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) When we come to this realization, we can then know the impossibility of our judging anyone else, and we can be “absolutely right,” as we teach and model the grace and love of the Lord.