Step Beyond Our Narcissistic Laziness

      The execution of a television reporter along with her cameraman by a black, homosexual, ex-employee with anger and perhaps guilt issues in southwestern Virginia yesterday was indicative of the moral corruption in our country today. Very sad to say, and no doubt a very generalized condemnation, but simply true. Perhaps, from this tragic, foolish incident can come a bit of recognition by all of us of our need for spiritual and moral rebirth.  Sin is sin, right is right, wrong is wrong. We must quit playing games with morality and stop making excuses and acknowledge we're on an ever-increasing downhill slope.  

      Answers are not simple or easy. But, a greater recognition of the mental and emotional problems of people is essential. More awareness of  these folks and more effort to help them is required. But, government money thrown at them is not the answer, and restrictive control of firearms isn't either. Bureaucrats have nearly nothing to offer us (example after example). We must step beyond our narcissistic laziness.
      Our view of the value of life itself must become more focused. Churches must step forward in this effort. "Loving God and loving each other"---must become our guiding light---and we must be perfectly clear in explaining this. The Church must start elucidating core elements of right behavior and do so courageously and loudly and constantly. Pastors must be braver! Pastors must start telling their spiritually ignorant (sorry, I mean as in ignoring the truths around them) congregations what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior very clearly. This general degradation in America serves as unfortunate evidence of the failure of the Church to fulfill one its major roles---to display Godly behavior. It's time to re-think; it's time to re-commit; it's time to clean house. Let's do it!

I Must Learn More of God's Patience

     Webster defines lawlessness as:  "not regulated by or based on law; not regulated or controlled by law; unruly."  Our nation today is un-rule-ly:  often lawless.  I suppose to say lawlessness rules would be considered an oxymoron, but mainly, it would simply not be true, as well.  Almost all, if not all, humans follow a set of rules; perhaps, not too well, but follow nonetheless. However, it's not the following that matters; it's the rules (laws) themselves that

really matter.  God's gift of free will allows us to pick and choose which rules we will follow, even though He recommends His own, best viewed through the filter of His love.

     Some rules are basically, at least usually, of little importance, such as the 45 mph speed limit, as opposed to a 40 mph speed limit. Others, such as restrictions on killing people, are almost always gravely significant.  Whose law do we follow? Which law(s)? And why? Is our choice solely dependent upon the teaching of our parents and culture?  Then, parenthood becomes terribly important; has the weakness of the family unit in this century led to a more lawless society?  I do know that when the rules are anemic and disrespected and strong, righteous sheriffs are few, the outlaws reign. 
     Biblically, the "man of lawlessness" is often interpreted to be the Antichrist.  I don't get much into such speculation, but I do wonder what our world would be if no one followed any rules other than their own passions.  Maybe, that's what most people are doing now---or, for that matter, maybe it's always been that way. I don't know.  I visualize this large 3-D map which is morality realized, and everyone stands somewhere on that map.  I evaluate people by where they seem to me to be standing on that map; then, decide various things about them.  Call it "judging" if you will, but I will do it, and I will judge you by where I believe you stand. I'll do my best to love you wherever you are, but I definitely will rate you.
     So . . . I rambled all this time and really established very little. I simply marvel at my God and wonder in awe that he would allow such weak creatures as we humans to make our own choices---when it's obvious, I believe, that we will so often make poor choices! We ordained a new deacon at our church today, and my prayer for him was that he would learn patience. God's patience is a quality that I believe I will study more closely.

     

     

We Must . . . Peg the True Brokenness

    As I traipse through the course of any day around people, I overhear so many listing the pains that they are experiencing. Sometimes, those pains are nearly crippling, and sometimes, beyond a doubt, they come from people who merely need attention—any kind of attention. Much confusion surrounds the cause-and-effect: A blonde, who had just recently dyed her hair brown, went to the hospital because her whole body hurt. She told the doctor that wherever she touched herself it hurt. The doctor told her to demonstrate. She touched her nose and it hurt. She touched her stomach and it hurt. She touched her back and it hurt.The doctor studied for a while, grabbed her hand, then asked her if she was a blonde, and she confessed, yes. "Look here, Lady, your finger is broken!"  . . . 
       I apologize for the “blonde” nonsense, but we humans often just don't quite “get it.” Pain---real pain---is never humorous, but “imagined” or “self-enhanced” pain actually is comical. Certainly this “manufactured” pain is sadly demoralizing and frustrating to those who have to listen while others discuss and describe it over and over again.

       Yep, I too am guilty of moaning and groaning about my aches and pains. But, much true pain does abound all around us. One website (not sure how valid) suggests that one person commits suicide every 14 minutes in the U.S. each day. If true, think of the brokenness in that! Forlorn—lonely—brokenness. Gut-churning emptiness! Brokenness compared to my moaning---makes me feel ashamed in some deep-down-inside way. Some hard facts:  suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24; more teenagers die from suicide than cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and lung disease---combined.  Combined!
       So . . . I don't know . . . at least, quit moaning and groaning about your aches and pains (quit sharing them with the whole world) and start listening for and seeing  the real brokenness around you.  Start looking "outward" and quit focusing on yourself so much.  I know: Speak to yourself, clown!  (Hey, I'm willing to claim my guilt.)
       It is so important to be aware of what's going on around us. Yet, much of our activity---from television to cell phones---tends to focus us inward onto them.  I'm not going to decry the faults of these devices; I truly enjoy them.  But, somehow, we simply must force ourselves always to be aware of the people around us and discern their circumstances and needs. We must wade our way through the typical complaining and peg the true brokenness . . . and reach out to help.
       We must.

Monstrous Vehicles Out to Get You

       I apologize in advance that  this starts a little ugly---but life is, at times, a little ugly.  Jan and I were driving down the highway the other day with a car a bit of a distance in front of us.  The view, though, was clear on either side of the road; so, we were driving fairly fast. Suddenly, a large dog (perhaps, a boxer) came zooming headlong from the right-hand side of the road, looking straight ahead. He darted in front of the car before us and was hit by their front left bumper.  All we could see after that was the dog spinning in circles round and round all four feet pointed toward heaven on his back across the road and off the other side. It all happened very quickly. It had a bit of warped whimsy to it; it seemed almost unreal.

         I couldn't help but think of all those times I've had squirrels dart out in front of my vehicle, swirling back and forth indecisively. Not all the time, but many times that is the end of the squirrel's life. What's with those nutty critters? One has no way to help them at all when they do this.

        It's a bit of a stretch to liken these events to human activity, but not too much.  The boxer's fate was determined in big part by his timing. (Time and again, he could have flashed safely across that roadway.) How often does the timing of human activities have ultimate results! The squirrel's indecisiveness, partially, caused his untimely death. (He could easily have chosen a course of action that would have led to safety or chosen not to cross the road in the first place.) How often, again, does human indecisiveness cause ultimate and unalterable effects?!
       I'm not at all sure where I thought this post was going to go or, actually, where it went.  But, look back on your life, I suggest, and consider how often timing and decisiveness were important elements of your history---sometimes, without your even recognizing it.
       Have a great day and beware monstrous vehicles out to get you!
          

A Convertible and Two Platinum-Haired Ladies

     People are so odd. (Hold it! I'm a people). Well, anyway, our idiosyncrasies distinguish us one from another, so perhaps they're necessary. We need something to make us feel special. The ones I worry about are those who create their own quirkiness (e.g., our Dept. of Energy secretary's hairstyle), then live as though those abnormalities are ultimately important and categorically distinguish them from other humans.

     More than these are the ones who have lost all sense of morality (e.g., our philanthropic abortionists)---who, if presented with a choice, cannot determine right from wrong or make no effort to fix upon a right or wrong. I don't demand that everyone chooses my views, but I want you to operate by some code of proper behavior. Then, I can locate you.  Then, I can determine where we are juxta-positioned on the morality map. Then, I can have at least some sense of who you are.

      An opened-to-the-air convertible with two platinum-haired ladies came up behind me the other day as I was driving into our town and, then, turning into the local bank. Their horn blasted and arms were raised and wildly waving with middle fingers shining as they sped away to their super-cool horizon; I was moving too slowly to suit their hyper-lifestyle, I suppose.  I wonder where those two are located on the morality map (somewhere near the edge, I'll bet)? They seemed to feel pretty highly of themselves.  I can't (fairly) evaluate them (but I will) with so little interaction, but they didn't seem to care much about what I thought or felt. I wonder what the news media would say about the incident if they had shot and killed me as they sped away into happyland? Would they cover the story?  Would they get it right?  Would the incident have any meaning to anyone other than our immediate friends and acquaintances? Not sure we can count on our news media for anything and guess we never could.

     Their behavior was inappropriate and immoral---unacceptable. It was not civil. It lacked moral truth and authenticity. Your behavior is either right or wrong. Do you believe that?  Right or wrong.  Can't you judge yourself, rather than excuse yourself! Why do you believe that others should excuse and approve of your stupid behaviors? What makes you special? Oh, that's where I started this rant.

       I can tell you what makes you special. What serves as the base of your standing here on earth.  You were created in the image of God. Beyond that, you have NO "self"-esteem. Oh-oh, platinum-haired ladies, we're actually talking God here. Oh to find the words simple enough for simpletons like you. Pray for a merciful God. And I pray His mercy upon you. And I ask for your anonymous forgiveness.