by Maralene Wesner
Almost all beliefs and customs originated for a purpose. They answered some question or filled some need at the time. For example: exclusivism was once pro-survival. Identifying my group as Aright and superior@ and identifying all other groups as Awrong and inferior@ gave Ain groups@ confidence and cohesiveness. Such a sense of unity helped minorities in their struggle against enemies. This Aus against them@ mentality was probably necessary in a primitive society. But as civilization progressed, it became less and less beneficial. In today=s world it has actually crossed over the line and become detrimental and even dangerous.
In a small world, with many diverse cultures, intolerance leads to prejudice, discrimination and even war. Our exclusive religion has forced us to compartmentalize, and that=s tearing us apart. In our daily life, we interact with people of Jewish, Moslem, Buddhist and other faiths It=s impossible to respect and honor these fellow citizens if you really must believe that they are pagans bound for hell.
Yes, I know Jesus did say, AI am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but by me@ (John 14:6). But he didn=t say, AI am the man you must worship.@
Instead, he was saying that he symbolized Atruth@ and indeed, everyone must come to life through Atruth.@ An old proverb says, ALamps are different. Light is the same.@ All honest seekers do come by this same truth that Jesus exemplified. But they may not call themselves AChristians.@
If a personal belief in Jesus Christ by name is necessary, then surely God would have sent him to all cultures. World wide evangelism was literally impossible until this century. Therefore millions of Asians and North Americans who lived and died before communication and transportation were available to reach them never had a chance.
It=s as Helen Keller said when she was told about God, AI knew Him. I just didn=t know his name.@ Therefore Christians don=t have to be exclusive to be committed. .
From the response, I would say we are either totally ignored or totally accepted. There seems to be no middle ground. This is about as we expected.
We are under no delusion that we have all the truth. All we have are our own insights which we hope may be of value to someone else. We welcome any and all comments on our work.
We want to extend the same offer to those who have never seen any of our books. Originally, we tried to send AWhat=s Your SQ?@ to everyone who made inquiries. This book is still available, gratis, for those who have not received it.
We also received quite a number of referrals. This is gratifying. I have been asked by several where we got their name. I wish I had kept track of this information. (I shall do so in the future).
One person asked AWhat is the character before divpress in your Webpage address?CThat is a tilde. It is usually on the first row of keys above the ` at the extreme left of your keyboard.
Another person said, AI=m trying to understand your position on abortion . . .@ Cwe tried to answer this in our first quarter issue of NP. Actually, it=s a sticky wicket and this is not the ditch I want to die in. We=re going to have to let people decide for themselves and not condemn them what ever their choice may be.
AThe Road >Not= Traveled@ is now on our Web page for those who can=t wait for the other installments. I think I can get the balance of this article in the next issue of New Perspectives.
Most of the numbers above your address will be meaningless to you, but one item may be of interest: The number in parenthesis indicates how many people in your city receive New Perspectives.
(Continued from the Second Quarter >99 issue of New Perspectives)
STAGE I: FANTASY AND PERSONIFICATION
Stage one is emotionally oriented. It is the normal cognitive level for pre-school children. Boys and girls at this age are very ego-centric and impulsive. They think everybody is like them. Their tendency toward pretense and make-believe prevents them from distinguishing between fact and fiction. God and Santa Claus, as well as fairies and monsters, are all part of their inner world. Personification is essential. Everything from Teddy bears to angels are identified as Areal@ living entities. The strength of stage one includes its honesty of feeling and its vivid imagination. The weakness of stage one is its tendency toward illusion and irrationality.
Civilization was at this stage during the time of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. These primitive people operated by imagination, superstition and magical thinking. This explains such phenomena as: Eve=s talking snake; Noah=s ark full of animals and Lot=s wife becoming a pillar of salt. Of course, the influence of this level of expression is noted throughout the Scriptures. We must remember that these were honest assessments of reality at the time; but they won=t be meaningful to us unless they are understood and interpreted symbolically.
The AStage one@ viewpoint is reflected in Scriptures such as these: AThe man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden@ (Gen. 3:8).
This description reveals a very simplistic concept of God. It=s obvious that He isn=t regarded as omniscient or omnipotent, if mere humans can Ahide@ from him among the bushes.
AJacob . . . took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted@ (Gen. 30:37-39.
This strange explanation made sense in an era that was totally ignorant of genetic processes. It=s based on the old idea that fetuses can be Amarked@ by what the mother sees or does.
AThen the LORD opened the donkey=s mouth, and she said to Balaam, >What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?= Balaam answered the donkey, >You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.= The donkey said to Balaam, >Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?= >No,= he said@ (Num. 22:28-30).
This is an example of Aanimism@; which attributes human like qualities and abilities to inanimate objects, plants and lower animal species. Children accept bears that talk and birds that cook, without question.
AThe sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day@ (Joshua 10:13).
Belief in such a literal miracle isn=t surprising in a pre-scientific age that had no information about the universal laws of astronomy.
ASo Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. >Consult a spirit for me,= he said, >and bring up for me the one I name.= Then the woman asked, >Whom shall I bring up for you?= >Bring up Samuel,= he said. The king said to her, >Don=t be afraid. What do you see?= The woman said, >I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.= >What does he look like?= he asked. >An old man wearing a robe is coming up,= she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground@ (I Sam. 28:8,11,13-14).
This type of sorcery to conjure up spirits is still considered possible by a few credulous individuals; but it was a prevalent practice in the ancient world.
AStage One,@ with fantasy and personification, appeals to those who are very immature or those who have distorted thinking patterns. People at this level are very susceptible to suggestion. The delineation between imagination and reality is not clear, so they may move back and forth across the boundaries. Sometimes such outlooks and reactions result from childhood trauma, extremely strict teachings or an authoritarian background.
Some native tribes in isolated areas, as well as a few individuals with very limited knowledge and experience may still be at this stage. Fanatics that engage in Asnake handling@; cults that expect comet space ships to take them away, and fringe groups that Asee@ angels and demons, make up a rather small percentage of the modern population. Nevertheless, elements of this stage are found in some charismatic, Pentecostal and prophecy based doctrines. Armageddon battles, physical raptures, crying statues and visions of saints reflect stage one needs. These groups enjoy entertainment and informal services. They emphasize Agood feelings@ and emotional experiences, and are rather lax and forgiving as to doctrines. In fact, there are not many splits and divisions among churches at this stage, because exact moral rules and specific beliefs aren=t crucial aspects of their theology.
At AStage One,@ interpretation of the major doctrines is very fanciful:
GOD is considered to be like an all-powerful parent or a fairy godmother.
PRAYER is not introspective. Children merely repeat the prescribed words as they would chant a nursery rhyme or else they Atalk@ to God as they would to a friend and sometimes even expect an audible reply.
There is no concept of SALVATION other than an expectation that God can rescue us physically when we get into trouble.
As to SIN AND VIRTUE, evaluations of bad and good are based solely on what Ahurts me@ or Ahelps me.@
IMMORTALITY is often assumed, since death is not fully comprehended.
In order to minister to those who operate at this level, churches must:
1. Tell and dramatize Bible stories;
2. Use visual aids and demonstrations whenever possible;
3. Repeat simple, meaningful rituals to illustrate significant doctrines;
4. Provide wise mentors who can guide toward independence;
5. Encourage warm relationships with patient, caring associates.
STAGE II: LEGALISM AND CONCRETISM
Stage two is morally oriented. It is the normal cognitive level for elementary children. Boys and girls at this age need rules rather than principles. They obey in order to escape punishment or in order to earn rewards. Concrete objects are used to help them grasp meaning. For instance, math is learned by counting apples or adding beads to a string. Abstract thought about complex concepts is still impossible. These children are not as imaginative and free spirited as pre-schoolers. That=s partly because they have begun to realize that causes have consequences. This moves them into a preoccupation with regulations. They love to Atattle@ on each other and are very hard on classmates who Amisbehave.@ They are very competitive and quite anxious to get the approval of their teachers and other authority figures.
Adults, fixated at this spiritual stage, are also into regulations. The commandments, laws and doctrines are very important. They Atattle@ on fellow members and associates by judging and condemning. Their competitiveness shows up in their Aholier than thou@ attitudes. They, too, are desperate to get the approval of God and his earthly representatives.
The strength of stage two includes its careful discipline and dedication to duty. The weakness of stage two is its tendency toward absolutism and judgement.
Civilization was at this stage during the times of Moses and the Judges. The Ten Commandments and the specific ceremonial requirements provided the people with the necessary external discipline to lead safe and productive lives. Of course, again, elements of this type of worship continue throughout the Scriptures. This explains such phenomena as: Sacrificial rituals; arbitrary taboos and specific ordinances. These concrete actions were essential at that stage of development.
The AStage Two@ viewpoint is reflected in Scriptures such as these: AThe tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the Lord by fire. These are the Lord=s appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the Lord by fire--the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day@ (Lev. 23:27,37).
Since it took physical deeds to make intentions clear, exact, detailed and pedantic instructions for worship procedures seemed important.
A If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured@ (Lev. 24:19-20).
At this time retaliation was considered essential, and Afairness,@ not mercy, was the goal. Therefore, a Atit for tat@ justice system was required.
AAfter Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die . . .@ (Num. 4:15).
Superstitions, unreasonable taboos and illogical prohibitions were used to control people.
AGideon said to God, >If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised Clook, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.= And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew--a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, >Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.= That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew@ (Judges 6:36-40).
Since the conscience or Holy Spirit within was unknown, worshipers expected God to show them His will through dramatic and miraculous signs.
AAnd Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: >If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord=s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.= When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, >Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.= >My father,= she replied, >you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites= @ (Judges 11:30-31,34-36).
This almost unbelievable account shows that even immoral and irrational Avows@ were considered to be of more importance than common sense and human life. Rules were rules. There were no exceptions.
AStage Two@ with legalism and concretism appeals to quite a few people. Dualistic thinkers are eager to believe in absolute rights and wrongs. They judge by external standards and this leads to a rule oriented ideology that requires no analysis or evaluation. Also, the punishment and reward system is attractive to those who don=t really want to be responsible. Many uneducated groups, as well as individuals that are not autonomous and self-motivated may still need the structure of this stage. To these very Amatter of fact@ people, symbolism is equated with pretense; myth is equated with fiction and allegory is equated with falsehood. That=s why they reject any suggestion that miracles may possibly be viewed as wonderful works, rather than supernatural events.
Groups that have definite overt requirements for membership are easier to understand than those that expect individuals to make their own moral decisions. Elements of stage two are responsible for the Seventh Day Adventist=s insistence upon ASaturday worship@; the Church of Christ=s emphasis on Baptism and the Lord=s Supper; and the Baptist=s strict taboos about women in leadership roles. Churches at this level are prone to conflicts and splits because rules and formulas are of paramount importance. There is little latitude for individual opinions.
At AStage Two,@ interpretation of the major doctrines is very literal:
GOD is anthropomorphic or human-like. He is pictured as a glorified man similar to Christ.
PRAYER is usually a monologue that includes a lot of requests and Abargaining@ techniques.
SALVATION is obtained by fulfilling a prescribed formula. People must believe certain tenets or perform certain rituals to abolish their sins and appease God=s anger.
SIN is disobedience. It involves Abreaking the rules@ through physical acts.
VIRTUE is obedience. It involves Akeeping the rules.@ Motives or mitigating circumstances are not considered relevant. Everything is either Aright or wrong.@ Situational ethics is anathema.
IMMORTALITY is tied to a reward or punishment system. Heaven is envisioned as a particular place with desirable Aearthly@ features such as golden streets and pearly gates. Likewise, Hell is envisioned as a particular place with undesirable Aearthly@ features such as torturing fires and frightening darkness.
In order to minister to those who operate at this level, churches must:
1. Encourage the memorization of Scriptures;
2. Study and emphasize moral precepts;
3. Use analogies to connect concrete events with deeper meanings;
4. Teach basic psychological principles;
5. Introduce new or abstract concepts carefully and slowly.
(Stages 3, 4 and 5 will appear in next quarters issue of New Perspectives.)
If this intrigues you and you can’t wait until the next issue, look for "The Road ‘Not’ Traveled" in its entirety on our web site.
"The Road "Not" Traveled"
Thank you for sending Vol. 8 of NP. It=s gracious of you to apologize of sending it unsolicited but, in my case at least, you did the right thing.
Wallace Alcorn, Ph.D., Austin, MN
I am fairly liberal in many of my religious beliefs and usually find things I agree with in NP . . .
Jon Kauffman, Baudette, MN
Fresh approach. I=m tired of the prevalence of fundamentalism..
Gertrude Landon, Madison, OH
My guess is that you got my name from someone associated with CBF . . . Thank you so much for coming into my life . . .
Leonard J. Richards, Stillwater, MN
I have kept up with your liberalism as it was like mine from the SBC (for 50 years). But I had to be completely free and joined the UU and now, at 79, I serve 2 churches: Valparaiso and Panama City, FL. I have never regretted it!
Our concepts parallel the recent findings of Dr. Funk and the Jesus Seminar, as well as Bishop Song=s work.
Why not state it as it is? Symbolism and myth is the foundation of Christianity. Literalism must go if we are ever to be honest and teach our children the Truth and release them from guilt, fear and fundamentalism.
With appreciation for your struggle!
Harold L. Hawkins, Tallahassee, FL
I enjoyed your newsletter greatly.
Eric Harvey, Los Angeles, CA
Your book AOpening a Can of Worms A was the best yet. I greatly appreciate your line of reasoning and the honest and candid way you put your ideas on paper. . .
Richard Atkins, Winter Park, FL
Why do you self-publish?
The first reason is that the AFundamentalists@ took over Broadman Press after we had published three books with them. We had one book, When God Can=t Answer,@ in the pipeline ready to sign a contract at the time the Fundamentalists took over. In spite of his enthusiasm about it, our editor, Forest Jackson, had to return it.
The second reason is that you have to compromise so much to get published. Our editor agonized for 18 months to get our manuscript, AA Fresh Look At the Gospel@ published. This was our first book, and we felt like Ahalf a loaf was better than none@ so we deleted objectionable passages. (Even then, in 1983, the Fundamentalists were looking over our shoulder). Our second and third books fared no better.
Some of the objectionable passages have found their way into other books, others are still awaiting their turn. Here are some of those deleted from our books: (I=ve long since forgotten from which they were deleted.).
ACould we accept Christ as a 20th century personality? After all, locations, clothes and language are not sacred. If this were the time of his coming, he would dress and talk as we do. Such a mental image may be disconcerting; but the only way to make his message relevant is to get him out of white robes, take him off the donkey, and let him speak to us! Archaic terms and obsolete conditions tend to blunt the impact of the gospel. If our lives are to be affected, we must have the courage to transpose Christ into contemporary America.
The experience may be revolutionary, because if Christ did come today, he probably wouldn=t be allowed to join any church in the United States! He was simply too lax on piety! He was associated with intoxicating beverages and socialized with disreputable characters . . . He ignored religious rules . . . He alienated influential members . . . He praised children rather than rabbis . . . He elevated poor women over rich rulers . . . In short, this worldly Christ was a trouble-maker, a nonconformist, and therefore highly >Suspect.= Few have dared analyze his distinctive life style and unique philosophy; but discovering this gospel is imperative if Christianity is to survive in the 20th century . . .
The artificial formulas and phrases which so monopolize evangelical attention are a far cry from the life affirming principles announced by the Carpenter of Nazareth. What emerges when we disentangle the thoughts, words and deeds of Christ from the jungle of jargon that stifles them, is a startling contrast to the religion we=ve become accustomed to. . .
We are so fearful that God=s omnipotence might be questioned, we don=t even dare discuss evolution . . .
THREE WAYS TO GOOF!
(Philippians 3:12-14)
Someone said, AEverybody makes mistakes, but if the eraser wears out before the pencil, you=re making too many!@ Yes, most of us are experts on goofing. But answering these questions can help us avoid some of the problems:
What=s your one great dream? What deep desire gives you a sense of direction? What is your life purpose?
Be careful about the goals you choose, because you=re likely to hit what you aim at! Once a young confused college student approached his English professor and explained his reason for not attending class in recent weeks. He said that he had been Atrying to find himself,@ because he didn=t Aknow who he was.@
The professor replied, AWell, I know who you are. You=re a freshman named Max Brown.@
Stunned by the complete absence of sympathy for his position, the young man stammered, AYes, I know my name, but I don=t know where I am in life!@
The teacher answered, AWell, Max, I know where you are. You=re in my English class.@
Thoroughly rattled and frustrated by now, the student said, AYes, professor, but I don=t know how I=m doing.@
His teacher replied, AMax, I=ll tell you how you=re doing. You=re failing English.@
Life is like that when it lacks purpose. Solomon gave some excellent advice to all of us, but especially to young people just getting started. He said, ALet your eyes look directly ahead, And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, And all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.@ (Prov. 4:25-27, nas).
Now, some people stay on this productive path and others don=t. If we look around, we can see criminals; we can see failures; we can see suicides. In short, everywhere we look we can see dysfunctional lives. There are basically three reasons for a dysfunctional life. There are three ways to goof:
I. FIRST, WE CAN HAVE A DESTRUCTIVE GOAL.
We may decide to be a thief or a drug dealer or a prostitute. There are many ways to break the nation=s laws and there are many ways to break God=s laws. Hosea said, AWho is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them@ (Hos. 14:9).
If our goal is to jump off a cliff without a parachute, that=s a destructive goal. If we have a destructive goal, then of course we will have a dysfunctional life. Of course, a destructive goal doesn=t have to be a crime or a sin. It may be a perfectly acceptable goal for someone else, but if it=s not right for you, then it=s destructive. Your goal should take into account your talents and abilities and interests. It also requires the proper use of those talents, abilities, and interests. We can misuse even good things. What if we gave someone a hammer and instead of using it to hang pictures, they used it to smash the frames. Would we say, AThat=s a lousy hammer?@ No! It=s a good hammer. It=s just not being used productively. Some people use their abilities in destructive ways. A destructive goal is one that hurts people, destroys property, contaminates the earth, wastes time or diminishes our own spiritual and moral character.
So, what are your goals? Do they include excellence, compassion, generosity, service and growth? Think about your work and your hobbies. Are they God centered and people centered?
Don=t goof by having destructive goals. Instead, get constructive goals.
II. NEXT, WE CAN HAVE UNREALISTIC GOALS.
We may decide that we will be a millionaire in three years, even though we=re unemployed. We may decide that we will be a world famous rock star, even though we=ve never been musically inclined. We may decide that we=ll be an Olympic champion, even though we=re non-athletic. There are many, many totally impossible Apipe dreams.@ If you have unreasonable goals, your life will be like trying to inflate a balloon with a hole in it. Fanciful ambitions and expectations of instant gratification are not possible. Solomon said, AEvery prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool displays folly.@ (Prov. 13:16)..
James said, AYou want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want . . .@ (James 4:2a, lb).
If our goal is to go to Mars next week, that=s an unrealistic goal. If we have an unrealistic goal, then of course, we will have a dysfunctional life.
An unrealistic goal is one that ignores natural laws or isn=t reasonable as to time or place, or else one that is clearly beyond our capabilities. What are your goals? Do they make sense? Are they practical? Do they feel right? Do they take advantage of your strengths? Do they fit your personality? Think about your jobs and your activities. Do they represent the very best use of your resources.
Don=t goof by having unrealistic goals. Instead get realistic goals.
III. FINALLY, WE CAN HAVE TWO CONFLICTING GOALS.
We may decide to qualify for medical school and to be the college party animal simultaneously, or we may decide to buy a BMW and to save for retirement on the same limited salary; Or we may decide to be both a dedicated Christian and a racketeer. Jesus spoke about such conflicts. He said, ANo servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money@ (Luke 16:13).
If our goals are to go to Los Angeles and to New York City at the same time, then these are conflicting goals. If we have two conflicting goals, then of course, we=ll have a dysfunctional life.
We need goals that complement rather than nullify each other. What are your goals? Do they all point in the same general direction? Are the physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual aspects of your life integrated? Are your efforts focused? Can you achieve your purposes without undue stress?
Think about your deepest desires and intentions. Are they consistent? Do they support each other? Don=t goof. Set compatible goals.
So, how can we avoid goofs? How can we have a functional, rather than a dysfunctional life?
Well, our goals must be productive and constructive. Jesus said, AEnter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it@ (Matt. 7:13, nas).
In other words, we must accomplish good in the world. Our goals must also be attainable and realistic. Jesus told of a king who was about to go to war against another king. He said, AWill he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace@ (Luke 14:31-32).
In other words, we must be reasonable.
Then, our goals must not be mutually exclusive. They must not cancel each other out. They must not fragment us and pull us apart. Jesus said, AIf a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand@ (Mark 3:24-25).
Paul experienced such a conflict. In a moment of frustration he said, AI do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do --this I keep on doing@ (Rom. 7:15,19).
He found peace in Christ. In other words, focus on the possible and persist until it is accomplished.
You know, we only have one life. We must not blow it. So, do you have constructive goals, realistic goals and compatible goals? Are you in occupations and organizations that help people? Many men and women are not. Our society often has strange and contradictory priorities. Last year, a television comic/actor made $6 million, while a home health-care nurse made $20,000. Do we value a few laughs a week that much more than we value health care for our loved ones? Last year, a young singer made $40 million, while a teacher made $30 thousand. Do we value hearing a few songs that much more than we value the education of our children? Last year, an actor made $25 million, while a public-utility worker made $25 thousand. Do we value entertainment a thousand times more than we value receiving electricity, gas and water in our homes? A professional quarterback made $7 million last year, while a minister made $36,000. Do we value football over two hundred times as much as we value church?
You see, we get about what we pay for: glib, erudite TV commentators and overworked health-care professionals; glamourous singers and mediocre teachers; supercilious actors and disgruntled utility workers; over-rated football players and under-rated spiritual leaders. No wonder we have children having babies and teenage mobsters shooting up schools.
Yes, we only have one life and there are many ways to goof. As we prepare and make choices about our future and our occupation, we need to plan for eternity. An old story is told of a missionary named Samuel Morrison, who, after twenty-five years in Africa, was returning to the United States to die. As it so happened, he traveled home on the same ocean liner that brought President Teddy Roosevelt back from a hunting expedition. When the ship pulled into New York harbor, the dock where it was to tie up was jammed with what looked like the entire population of New York City! Bands were playing, banners were waving, choirs of children were singing, multicolored balloons were floating in the air, flashbulbs were popping, and newsreel cameras were poised to record the return of the president.
Mr. Roosevelt stepped down the gangplank to thunderous cheers and applause, showered with confetti and ticker tape. If the crowd had not been restrained by ropes and police, he would have been mobbed?
At the same time, Samuel Morrison quietly walked off the boat. Not one person was there to greet him. He slipped alone through the crowd. Because of the crush of people there to welcome the president, he couldn=t even find a cab. For just a moment, he thought, ALord, the president has been in Africa for three weeks, killing animals, and the whole world turns out to welcome him! I=ve given twenty five years of my life in Africa, serving You, and no one even knows I=m home.
But then, in the quietness of his heart, a gentle voice whispered, ABut My dear child, you are not home yet!@
You see, fame and material success are not permanent. Jesus said, AWhat good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? . . .@ (Matt. 16:26).
Yes, there are many ways to goof; but the worst goof of all is to choose the broad way of the world instead of the narrow way of Christ and miss your spiritual opportunity.
A Graduation Prayer
For the joy of discovery,
The excitement of knowledge,
The satisfaction of new skills,
We thank you, Lord.
For the insights of history,
The wisdom of thinkers,
The wonders of science,
We thank you, Lord.
For teachers who cared,
For counselors who listened,
For friends who encouraged,
We thank you, Lord.
For the freedom to disagree,
To debate,
To doubt,
We thank you, Lord.
That we may apply
what we have been taught,
And keep on growing,
We ask your help.
That we may learn how to live
as well as to how to make a
living;
That we may learn wisdom
as well as knowledge;
That we may be concerned about
our souls
as well as our minds,
We ask your help.
Amen!
----Adapted
Colossians 3:12-14
A visitor was watching a farmer plow. AI don=t want to butt in,@ he said, Abut you could save yourself a lot of work by saying >gee= and >haw= to that mule instead of pulling on the lines..@ The old-timer mopped his brow. AYep, I know that. But this mule kicked me six years ago and I ain=t spoke to her since.@
Who are we spiting, when we won=t forgive? The mule or us? Who is still suffering, the mule or us? The one we=re mad at probably couldn=t care less; but refusing to forgive leads to resentment, and that hurts us.
Resentment means Ato relive. Now, hurts are a part of life. But we only have to be hurt once. Reliving the experience at the dinner table that evening, or while lying in bed that night, or when we try to relax the next day means that we are hurting ourselves over and over. If we indulge in brooding, we are letting someone else control our lives. We are letting someone we don=t like disturb our sleep, destroy our appetite and ruin our health and happiness.
The story is told of two men who traveled through life with sacks on their backs. Each time a hurt was received they would place it in what they called their Ainjury sack.@ One man=s sack became so heavy he couldn=t walk without pain. The other man=s sack was light. AHow can your Ainjury sack= be empty?@ a stranger asked. AHaven=t you ever been hurt?@ AOh, yes, I=ve been hurt many times, the man replied, but once, when my sack=s weight became unbearable, I asked a wise friend to help me carry it. He refused, saying, ANo one can help you carry your load of hurt, but you can get rid of it. Take the scissors of forgiveness and cut the bottom out of your sack, and your load will fall away.@ That=s what I did. Since then, I still place my hurts into my >injury sack=: but now they simply slide out the bottom. That=s one load I choose not to carry.@
Refusing to forgive is like carrying a big bucket of garbage around with you day and night. As time passes it becomes more and more disgusting.
Yes, hatred is a heavy load. Someone said of Abraham Lincoln, AHe never forgot a kindness, and he never remembered a wrong.@ So, what did Jesus do about forgiveness and reconciliation?
I. FIRST, HE REFUSED TO PASS JUDGMENT ON SINNERS.
Jesus knew people are weak and imperfect. He also knew that harsh judgment never effects positive change. In fact he was often criticized for being Asoft on sin.@ Once the Pharisees brought him a woman caught in adultery. They asked, A >Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?= They were saying this to test Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him . . . But when they persisted in asking Him, He . . . said to them, >He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, with the woman, where she was, in the midst. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, >Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?= And she said, >No one, Lord.= And Jesus said, >Neither do I condemn you; go your way . . .= @ (John 8:4-8, 9-11).
When these Ado gooders@ dragged this woman to Jesus and self-righteously quoted Moses= Law of retribution, the Lord expressed his deepest convictions about the Ajudging habit.@ He advised that the only one who is qualified to judge, condemn, or punish his fellow man is the one Awithout sin.@ Since none of us is without sin, we are to be absolutely non-judgmental!
Over and over Jesus said, ADo not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven@ (Luke 6:37).
Over and over he refused to take on a judging role. Once he said, A >Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you (and your brother)?= @ (Luke 12:14).
AYou judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one@ (John 8:15).
He paralleled the old saying, AThose who live in glass houses shouldn=t throw stones.@ Our sinful nature or Aglass house@ makes us vulnerable to counter attack. AIn the same way you judge others, you will be judged . . .@ (Matt. 7:2).
Also, the sin we haveCthe beam in our eye, so to speak, distorts our perception and clouds our vision, so that we are actually incapable of honest evaluation. Any judgment we render will be prejudiced.
So, if we=re doing what Jesus would do, we should refuse to pass judgment on sinners.
We must get facts before jumping to a conclusion. We must consider our own blind spots. We must see the other person=s good points and understand the hurts that caused his bad points. AFull understanding@ would eliminate much judgment.
Suppose you are driving your new car along a country road. You see a small boy waving his arms. As you pass him, he throws something at your car. A crunching thud resounds and you realize he has hit your car with big clod of dirt. You jam on your brakes, climb out and start toward the kid. With each step you get madder and madder. That boy must be punished and his parents must pay for the damage. By the time you reach him you are boiling. There he stands, tearful and frightened. He looks up and says, AI was sorry to do that, mister, but it was the only way I knew to stop your car.@ Then he points to a figure in the deep grass and adds, AMy little brother has been hurt real bad. Will you help him?@
Now, what happens to your righteous indignation? It immediately vanishes because you understand why this boy did this. If we fully understood why people do things, it=s easier to forgive.
We need to refuse to pass judgment. That=s what Jesus did!
II. NEXT, JESUS REFUSED TO HOLD GRUDGES AGAINST FRIENDS.
It=s easy to become bitter over personal betrayals, but Jesus didn=t. Peter personified the ultimate disloyalty. When Jesus warned his disciples that they would run away, Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.= . . . Jesus answered, >this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.= But Peter declared, >Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you . . ." (Matt. 26:32-35).
But later, when things got rough, Peter denied Jesus with an oath: "I don=t know the man!= When someone said, >Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.= And he began to . . . curse . . . and he swore to them >I don=t know the man! . . ." (see Matt. 26 72-74).
Even so, Jesus never changed his attitude toward Peter; he didn't even demand an apology. Later, he said, A >Simon . . ., do you truly love me more than these?= >Yes, Lord,= he said, >you know that I love you.= Jesus said, >Feed my lambs= @ (John 21:15).
So, if we=re doing what Jesus would do, we should refuse to hold grudges against friends.
We must not keep people tied to their past. We must realize that people can change. Forgive those who have failed you and were not there for you when you needed them. Forgive the gossips who aired your problems to everyone in the vicinity. Forgive those who let you down. Do it for yourself, as well as for them.
A fisherman told about hooking a big fish. He said, AI was using a light-weight leader, so I couldn=t exert much pressure and I had to play him cautiously. As I sat, waiting him out, rain clouds moved in. Soon it began to pour. Within minutes I was soaked to the skin and chilled to the bone. I was also very hungry because I had skipped lunch. In fact, I was miserable. Any reasonable person would have packed up and left under those conditions. But I wanted that fish.
The longer I played him, the wetter and colder and hungrier I got. Then it hit me: I hadn=t caught that fish. That dumb fish had caught me and was holding me captive! I could keep waiting him out. I could yank on that line and inflict more pain on him, hoping to make him as miserable as I was; or I could just cut the line and let both of us off the hook.@
That=s what forgiveness does. We need to refuse to hold grudges. That=s what Jesus did!
III. FINALLY, JESUS REFUSED TO HARBOR HATRED TOWARD HIS ENEMIES.
Jesus extended forgiveness even to those who crucified him. The Scriptures say, ATwo other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, >Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing= . . .@ (Luke 23:32-34).
Later, Peter said, AAnd while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously@ (I Peter 2:23, nas).
Peter reminds us that when people hurled abuse at Jesus, he didn=t descend to their level and return it in kind. When he suffered at their hands, he didn=t imagine their destruction and make threats of getting even. Instead, he entrusted the matter to God. The word entrusted means placing something that you can=t manage into the hands of another to manage on your behalf. So, Jesus handed over all his hurts to his Father, leaving Him to manage them. This is the way every believer can forgive.
So, if we=re doing what Jesus would do, we should refuse to harbor hatred toward our enemies.
We must see hatred as useless and destructive. We must not lower ourselves to the level of others. We must believe that good will eventually overcome evil.
A few years ago, an old Jewish man carrying a basket of fruit asked permission to pass through a checkpoint set up by Israeli military forces. The guards were going to refuse him, but the officer in charge let him through. When asked why, the officer explained, AWell, during the war the enemy killed his daughter. But, for the past year he daily takes a basket of fruit to Bedouin shepherds in the nearby hills. He said that war and killing didn=t work, so he=s trying another way.@
That=s what we need to do. We must refuse to harbor hatred. That=s what Jesus did!
When it comes to forgiveness and reconciliation, Jesus refused to pass judgment on sinners. He refused to hold grudges against friends, and he refused to harbor hatred toward enemies.
Therefore, if we=re doing what Jesus would do, we should refuse to pass judgment on sinners. We should refuse to hold grudges against friends, and we should refuse to harbor hatred toward enemies.
These three suggestions will help:
1. The first stage of forgiveness is to feel the hurt and admit the pain.
2. The next stage involves experiencing and dealing with anger because of the cruelty that was inflicted.
3. The final stage moves toward understanding, healing and letting go of resentment.
A wise man said., AThe person who despises the Pharisee soon becomes one.@
Can you understand and empathize with the weak and ignorant who have fallen into disgrace? Can you keep grudges from marring your relationships? Can you refuse to seek revenge toward those who have injured you?
If we can answer, Ayes@ to these questions, then we are doing what Jesus did!
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