The Price Is Right!

"The Price is Right" television game show has been on the air for 35+ years. It is the longest continually running TV game show.   It started in the 70's with Bob Barker and continues today with host, Drew Carey.  Everyone knows those famous words the announcer harkens after calling out a contestants name, "Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn down!" The idea is to get as close as you can to the M.S.R.P of a featured good or item.

It occurred to me that many of us live our lives by the mantra, "The Price Is Right."  We make decisions based upon price.  Ask consumers the most important consideration for a good, product or service and the overwhelming response is "price".  Quality, reputation, and value are important, but we live in a price consumed culture.  If we didn't there would be fewer giant box stores, U.S. manufacturers wouldn't move overseas and China wouldn't  account for nearly 20% of all U.S. imported goods.  We are consumed with price.

"The Price is Right," seems to be what we've settled for in Christianity.  How can I get all of God's benefits for the smallest amount of effort, expense, and output?  Can I publicly acknowledge Christ, get baptized, regularly attend church, be part of a small group/S.S. class and serve as I'm able and still receive the benefits of heaven?  Before you respond or answer think about the costs Jesus talked about of following Him:

• Self-denial, cross-bearing and personal sacrifice (Matt. 16:24-25)
• Renounce all that we have (Luke 14:33)
• Obedience (John 15:1)
• Unconditional love for all people (John 15:10)
• Popularity (being liked by the world) (John 15:18)
• Persecution (John 15:20)
• Being tempted/sifted by Satan (Luke 22:31)
• The right to get even (Matt. 5:39)
• Family relationships (Luke 14:26)

I fear American Christians have settled for cheap grace.  Give us the greatest value for the least amount.  

It's Lent and I'm really praying and thinking about the cost I've been paying compared to the cost Jesus paid at Calvary as we make our way toward Holy Week.  Remember when Jesus went to the garden to pray and He asked the disciples to remain and pray?  He came back not once, but three times and each time they had fallen asleep.  He simply asked, "Can't you guys stay awake to watch and pray with me for one hour?"  The cost for the disciples on that night was a little sleep.  They weren't willing to pay it. And yet by the end of most of their lives they paid considerably for following Jesus.  They figured it out and everything He had said in life suddenly made sense after His death.  

We know the whole story and yet many times we never figure it out.  We continue to pay the least hoping for the best.  Note to self: Stay awake, wait, watch and pray with the Lord.  And remember it's gonna cost a lot and it should!

The Soul of Discontent

The discontented soul is always restless.  It cannot settle, relax, or unwind because it hasn't figured out that peace has nothing to do with what's happening at the moment.  The discontented soul finds fulfillment is always dependent upon present circumstance.  As long as things are going her way this soul is happy.  There's your first clue that something is wrong.

Contentment is not about being "happy".  It contributes to happiness, but it is not based on how we feel.  The discontented soul tries to find happiness through: the acquisition of more stuff/toys; job position/title; personal accomplishments like running a 5K or getting in the "who's who" business page of the local paper; money; power; clothing, hairstyles and even control.  Vanity often accompanies the discontented soul and so does anger, or depression.  What's dangerous about chronic discontentment is that sooner or later there's never enough to bring that much needed and perceived "happiness".

I spent a great deal of my young adult years in periods of discontentment.  Pride and anger were the complimentary attributes of my discontent.  Things didn't go my way so I got angry.  And pride wouldn't let me slow down long enough to realize that contentment couldn't be earned, bought, or achieved.  It took me some time to realize contentment wasn't about what I had/didn't have, or about my stuff, titles, or the numbers that we use to determine success in the corporate and non-profit world.

But one day I realized that contentment is really about inner peace.  And peace can only come from God.  Sappy and predictable answer I know, but it's true.  It wasn't an aha revelatory moment for me, but rather something that came over time.  I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box so it took longer for me than most.  However, the more I walked by faith and true dependence on God, the more content I became.  Oh yes, there have been bouts of discontent along the way, but I've noticed that when I'm angry, depressed, upset, or disappointed about something (the trigger of discontent) it is always when I'm "me" focused.  Someone "hurt" me, someone "upset" me, someone didn't help "me".  And then I realize these are simply circumstances and many, not all, are beyond my control.  Not to mention that I have to accept responsibility for how I choose to respond to them.  I can't blame anyone, or anything else for my response.  We choose how we are going to respond to every moment in life.

See how exhausting this can be?  You are always blaming someone, or something else and you never get a break because life is ALL circumstance and if we don't figure out how to live with balance we will constantly be "responding to" instead of learning to "be".  The circumstance can be good/bad, but when we allow it to dictate the attitude of the heart we become reactionaries instead of people with purpose.

What's our purpose?  Is it happiness 24/7, 365?  If it is we are going to be very disappointed and empty because no one is happy 100% of the time.  Purpose is deeper than an emotion or feeling.  Purpose keeps us going despite how we are feeling at any given moment.  Solomon said, "Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

The ancients of faith battled far more than you and me, but they were content.  They had peace despite their circumstance.  Are you discontent?  Here's a hint on where you might want to begin:

Thus says the Lord:

“Stand by the roads, and look,

    and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way is; and walk in it,

    and find rest for your souls. (Jeremiah 6:16a)

(photo of Black Mountain by Mike Jewell)

Somewhere......

 Somewhere a mother has sacrificed her kids to fulfill selfish desires...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a brother is drowning in alcohol and drugs...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a teenage girl believes sex is proof she really loves her boyfriend...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a desperate man is alone with a gun regretting his life...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere an elderly adult is being neglected by an adult child...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a student is being cyber-bullied...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a man is about to cut and run on his marriage...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere the Gospel is being rejected...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a father has lost his temper one too many times...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a Christ-follower is disobeying the Father...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a child of God’s is settling for less than His purposes...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere human flesh is being trafficked for profit...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere someone is getting too friendly online with someone other than their spouse...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a seeker is being turned off by legalistic, judgmental religion...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere two church members are gossiping about another woman...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a parent is acting out the same emotional abuse he/she received as a child...

And God’s heart aches

Somewhere a broken, flawed sinner like me is crying out to God...

And God smiles

Somewhere the Gospel is being shared...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is doing small things with great love...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is really trying to follow Christ...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is taking the first step and seeking help...

And God smiles

Somewhere a wayward child is reaching out to a parent...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is crying out for help with an addiction...

And God smiles

Somewhere justice is being sought for suffering women and children...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is giving preferential treatment to others instead of self....

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is forgiving someone who has wronged them....

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is seeking forgiveness from someone they've wronged...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is exercising self-control, patience, kindness and gentleness...

And God smiles

Somewhere someone is practicing humility...

And God smiles

Somewhere a heart is broken for the things that break God’s heart...

And God smiles

Rest in Jesus Prof!

Dr. Howard "Prof" Hendricks went home to Jesus today and left a legacy of love, discipleship, and wisdom to those who studied under him, listened to him speak, or read his books.  He was totally committed to his calling to disciple, shape, equip and prepare students for ministry.  This 2003 quote says it all:

“You’re looking at a completely fulfilled human being. If I died today having produced some of the people God has given me the privilege of shaping, it will have been worth showing up on the planet.”  —Prof Hendricks to the Dallas Morning News, 2003

His teaching, preaching and books touched my life in ways beyond description.  His humor and biblical insight were unparalleled.  He spoke truth in love years ago at a PromiseKeepers rally for pastors and God used it to help me re-evaluate my priorities.  It saved my marriage, family and ministry.

Lent: The Attitude of the Heart

I've been in the Sermon on the Mount for devotional reading during Lent and something keeps popping up.  Jesus keeps talking about actions and the attitude of our hearts.  Mercy, forgiveness, prayers, giving to the needy, fasting, worry, and much more are all tied to the sincerity of the heart.  Lamps, trees, wide and narrow gates, wise and foolish builders, salt and light, are all used to turn everything previously known and practiced inside out.  It becomes clear that "religion" is not the motive for living.  It's the heart:

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  (Matthew 6:1)

Jesus didn't oppose or change the religious laws.  He expanded the interpretation of them.  He turned them upside down.  No longer is the act of a sexual affair the sin of adultery, but lusting toward another as if you desired an affair is the same as adultery.  Murder is now seen beyond the violent act of killing someone, but it is expanded to having murderous thoughts.  Wishing someone dead is the same as killing them. Having that kind of hatred within is the same as acting on it.  Over and over Jesus keeps pounding the attitude of the heart.  What we feel and believe in our hearts is reality, not the outward motions of hypocrisy that often betray what we really believe.  

And the very grace, mercy and forgiveness we want from God must show up in our actions and attitudes toward others, even enemies, or those who've wronged us.  We say we believe in and value mercy, grace and forgiveness, but its ultimate value is found in our capacity to grant it toward others.   We can't be high grace receivers and stingy grace givers.  For example, picking at the speck of wood in our brother or sister's eye is actually hysterical when we've got a 4x4 post sticking out of our own eye.

Jesus isn't saying we receive grace, mercy and forgiveness based on our heart condition because God's grace is amazingly free.  He's saying that those who've received such grace have transformed hearts and can't help but extended grace to others.  With great grace comes great responsibility!

There's nothing new, or exhaustive here in terms of interpretation.  Just a simple reminder that the bottom line is the attitude of the heart.  And the work of Lent calls all of us to get alone with God in our prayer closet and ask Him to show us what needs to be changed.  If we sincerely ask and sincerely listen He will!

10 Tips for Battling The Darkness

Are you down, burned out, depressed, sad, anxious, or uncertain about the future?  Over the years I have counseled a lot of people who battle depression, fear, darkness, sadness, and anxiety.  Not to mention my own personal experience!  Here’s my 10 tips for battling the darkness.

      1.  Find a Divine mentor in scripture like David, Jeremiah, Paul, or someone acquainted with darkness, struggle, fear and defeat.  Read their words. Run to David’s 22^nd Psalm when he was on the run from the madman, Saul.   Take encouragement and direction from their story.  Let their words speak the cry of your heart and pour them out to God in prayer.

2.    Spend meaningful time with a small child, dog, or cat.  If you don’t have one find one, or borrow someone else’s for small spurts.  Okay you don’t borrow a child it might get you into trouble with the parents.  The idea is to experience pure unconditional love.  Dogs, cats, and small children embody innocence, trust and unconditional love.  Lean into them and let go of your junk.

3.    Check with your doctor.  Something may be going on physically.  Your endocrine system and hormones could be out of balance.  Your serotonin levels could indicate a misfire upstairs.  If your car has an unbalanced or low tire you seek professional help.  Why would your personal health be any different?  Get over the pride and accept the fact that God has gifted bright men and women in medicine to help us.  If you are already on meds you may need an adjustment.  Don’t self-diagnose!

4.    Do something that’s not you.  Something out of your routine.  If you don’t hike find a friend, or someone who does and go.  If you’ve never ridden a horse, go find a stable and take a ride.  If you’ve never planted flowers then plant some.  Ride a bike, walk along a river/lake, fish, chop some wood, go bowling, visit a museum, or zoo.  The idea is simply to get out of your self to gain a different perspective. 

5.    Get a journal, or notebook and write down what you are feeling.  You may not be a writer, but just try to pour out what you are experiencing on paper.  Get it out.  Process, vent, rant, cry and laugh through your journal.  Journaling is great therapy.

6.    Volunteer and serve.  Either at your church through a ministry, or a non-profit organization.  Serve food at a homeless shelter.  Offer your services to a local hospital, American Cancer Society, Habitat, or some worthwhile organization that is helping people.  You may not feel like it but that’s the whole point.  Get beyond yourself and help someone with a greater need.  Serving is one of the most therapeutic acts because we begin to focus on the needs of others and take the spotlight off ourselves.  

7.    Exercise!  Make yourself go to the gym, take a walk, run, ride a bike, hot yoga, swimming, hiking, whatever you need to do.  And do it for at least three weeks, not one time and say, “This isn’t for me, I’m not seeing any results.”  It takes time, but the indisputable benefits of exercise are well documented.  All kinds of chemicals get released into the blood stream that help the body.  Cortisol levels and blood pressure respond positively to regular exercise.  Sleep patterns are improved.  You slowly begin to feel better. 

8.    Don’t make snap/quick decisions, impulse purchases, etc., when your soul is heavy.  Just like after a medical procedure when they tell you, “Don’t drive, or sign any legal documents, or make important decisions for 24 hours.”  Why?  Because the anesthesia affects decision-making.  When you’re in the darkness it’s not time to unexpectedly quit your job or, buy a new car, vacation condo, or go gadget crazy.  Why?  Darkness affects our decision-making.  You are seeking emotional satisfaction in something that will soon be old and tried.  The shiny new car, or gadget we just “had to have” will not hold the same thrill a year from now.  It prevents us from constructively facing the real issue and root of our problem.  If you can’t see it, but people who love you are telling you not to do something listen up!  They aren’t against you.  They are simply seeing things more clearly and objectively.  If we wait until we are in a better place we may decide altogether we don’t need it, or we will move forward for the right reasons.  I did this a lot in my 30’s and 40’s and can attest that it did not bring fulfillment, or cure the real issue.  In fact it often brought regret. Today, I smile when I am able to exercise restraint on such impulse, or emotionally driven decisions because that wasn't always the case.

 9.    Find someone you can talk to and process the stuff you are writing in your journal.  A pastoral counselor, mentor, your pastor, or someone who can remain objective.  A professional.  Not a friend, or family member.  We need help and objectivity.  Someone emotionally divorced from the situation that can really analyze the situation and provide an unbiased view.  And by the way, this takes time.  Sometimes we have to try more than one until we are comfortable.  It also takes several months, not just one or two visits.  You can’t unpack a lifetime of behavior, family of origin issues and emotional pain/struggle in two hours.  Recovery groups are good too.

 10. Consider the suffering children in those UNICEF; Feed the World, CARE, or Compassion Int’l commercials and ads.  Seriously!  Take stock of your life and consider how blessed you really are compared too much of the world.  It sobers me.  As a Christ-follower it encourages and inspires me to hear the life-threatening struggles of fellow Christ-followers in oppressed countries.  Their sacrifices put my circumstance in proper perspective.  I begin to see that my “persecution/pain” while real, is nothing compared to what these people face every single day in the Sudan, China, Iran, Syria, etc. Cancer helped me to really appreciate just how blessed I am.  Again, it’s perspective.
  
     There is no magic bullet or wand when it comes to walking in darkness.  These are simply things people have repeatedly tried and have found they really help.  The first step is up to you and me!  We have to be willing to honestly try instead of expecting dramatic results for doing the same thing over and over.  The temptation is to sulk, pout, withdraw, hibernate, disconnect and wallow in our pain.  And that hurts the ones we love most.  From my personal experience it’s an excuse and it’s cowardice!  The mature, seasoned, and growing among us deliberately choose to face the process of coming out of the darkness even when they are afraid.  These brave women and men are the ones that have the guts to make tough choices and forge ahead with God’s help so they can see the light.  I beg you, I plead with you, if this is you, make the decision to change.  Take the first step. 

      A final note: If you suspect you may, or have been diagnosed with clinical depression get with a medical and mental health professional first!  These steps can help, but they are intended for those struggling with seasons of depression, pain, struggle and heartache, not clinically, or chronic depression/mental health issues.

Happy Birthday on Ash Wednesday

Happy Birthday to my mother, son and granddaughter!  And on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent to boot!  Three generations of joy!

A Season of Preparation Draws Near

The Lenten journey begins Ash Wednesday, February 13th.  For Christ-followers it is a season of reflection, renewal, confession, repentance, self-denial and spiritual growth rooted in God's Word.  Christ-followers have been observing Lent for centuries in preparation for the observation of Holy week culminating in the celebration of Easter.  But Lent is more about pouring the Word of God into our lives than it is about giving, "something up for Lent".  We are to take a cue from our leader and Savior.

The 40 days of self-denial and spiritual reflection is based on Jesus' 40 days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness when He was tempted by the Satan.  Remember Jesus' response to every single temptation?  Scripture.  He responded every time with the Word of God:

⁴ And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” ⁵ And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, ⁶ and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. ⁷ If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”⁸ And Jesus answered him, “It is written,“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,    and him only shall you serve.’”⁹ And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,¹⁰ for it is written,“‘He will command his angels concerning you,    to guard you,’¹¹ and“‘On their hands they will bear you up,    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”¹² And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ¹³ And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

As we move through the season of Lent rooted in the daily reading of God's Word we will also learn how to respond to and resist temptation like Jesus.  The Word of God is a powerful tool in the life of the Christ-follower.  It can do through us what we are incapable of doing as flawed humans by ourselves.  As we spend these 40 days saturated in the Word (more than a mere 5 minute devotional reading of someone else's words about the Word), we will emerge stronger, more devoted, joy-filled and humble as we begin the observation and celebration of Holy Week (Palm Sunday-Easter).  

Remember how Jesus emerged from his time of fasting, spiritual preparation and even his temptation?  Luke's version:

¹⁴ And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.

May God use this special season to shape and mould us as well so we can return from the desert of personal reflection "in the power of the Spirit" to minister and live in Jesus' name!  

What Pushes Your Button?

What pushes your hot button?  Lousy drivers?  Your team losing? Mean people?  Failure?  Mistakes? Negative comments? Not getting your way?  Having to wait?  It's important to know what pushes our buttons.  Everyone (no exceptions) has a button.  Some people have several.  All of us have a button that sets us off.

The button can activate anger, depression, silence, shouting, pouting, and more.  It makes us leave our "normal" pattern of behavior and sends us over the edge.  The button is different for every person.  Knowing your button is the first step in making sure it doesn't activate the launch sequence.  Once launched we are inevitably in trouble.  Every time a button is pushed and launch sequence of emotion is activated we come to regret it.  Once the smoke clears and the sun rises we realize it wasn't that bad and we overreacted.  Usually someone gets hurt and usually it's people we love.

For example.  Let's say your button is anger.  Someone or something happens during your day and it sets you off.  To others it's not a big deal, but to you it's major.  Years ago, Dr. Andrew Lester wrote a book entitled, "Coping With Your Anger: A Guide for Christians."  Great read!  Truly enlightening.  He noted that when we get angry we need to ask ourselves: Why am I so angry?  The idea is to identify the cause of the anger.  Someone cuts you off in traffic and you get mad, but that's not the root of the anger.  The root is way beyond a guy we don't even know who just acted selfish.  The idea is to peel back the layers, do the hard work of discovering the cause of anger.  Men typically have a greater issue with the anger button than women.

Knowing our "hot button" is important.  When we recognize it, when pushed we can retreat, reflect and ask ourselves important questions.  We can analyze, take a breath and ask:  "Why am I acting this way? Why is this issue making me sad, depressed, angry or anxious? Why do I feel threatened?"  We create distance from the cause.  Distance allows us time to breathe so we aren't reacting, we are thinking.  And thinking is never a bad thing.  We can begin to act proactively instead of reacting from pure emotion.

Years ago a seasoned, mature boss taught me a valuable lesson.  Our organization had been cheated so I wrote a very hot letter.  My boss read it and agreed with the sentiment.  Then he asked me to put it in my desk, pray and sleep on it.  He told me to return in the morning and if I had peace about sending it to go ahead with his blessing.  Guess what?  Yep, I came into the office after much prayer and rest and read what I had written again.  I was shocked.  And I was embarrassed.  I didn't send the letter.  However, I've got to admit writing it was fun!  Ole Bill knew what he was doing and his wisdom didn't fall on deaf ears.

What pushes your hot button?  Ask your family if you are having trouble finding an answer to the question  Trust me, they know.  Now, take that information shared in love and begin the hard work of reflection, prayer, contemplation and self-awareness.  You will be amazed at the results.

Man, I'm so glad a wise man caught me before the mail went out and helped me realize that my response, while true, was not appropriate.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.  Psalm 37:8

Follow Me by David Platt - Tyndale House Publishers

Trailer for David Platt's new book "Follow Me".  Penetrating and thought-provoking!

Who's Watching the Gatekeeper's?

Who’s watching the “Gatekeeper’s”?  You know, the self-appointed people who make it their business to determine what is right, wrong, good, bad, legal/illegal for everyone else.  My Libertarian leanings are acknowledged here.  However, there is more going on in the regard to simple human freedom and the responsibility that accompanies individual freedoms. 

Stay with me.  I’m not endorsing or advocating some of the things under attack, or being “gated,” but I am simply asking who is watching those who are in charge of what is acceptable and what isn’t in culture, government, policy, morality, etc.?

Most recent is the game of football.  There is a movement to get rid of the game.  Don’t laugh if you are from the South.  It’s real and it’s not going away.  Concussions are bad.  No one would argue otherwise.  Football needs to be as safe as possible and especially for students.  However, it seems those using the NFL head injury cases (Junior Seau, etc.) as their base are ignoring the fact that every one of the players currently suing the NFL over head trauma made a personal decision to play the game.  Not to mention the fact that they benefited financially from it.  And many are flat broke by other decisions they freely made.  They chose to put themselves at risk.  They knew football was potentially dangerous and violent.  It’s like driving 120 MPH, knowing full well it’s against the law, crashing and then suing the guy you wrecked.  C’mon man accept responsibility. 

Why aren’t these “Gatekeepers” going after UFC, wrestling, boxing, or for goodness sake “X” Games athlete’s?  How about skydivers?  What about mountain climbers?  And let’s not forget those crazy Red Bull human flight contraptions jumping off cliffs in California.  And dare I mention riding motorcycles without a helmet.  Watch out Harley owners you will be next!  Personally, I think riding a motorcycle without a helmet, or driving a car without a seatbelt simply lacks commonsense and ignores the facts.  But it’s your body.  You make the choice.  But be willing to accept responsibility for the choice! 

You can do the homework.  From tobacco, school lunches, coal, sugared colas in NYC, football, gun ownership, and corporate or personal opinions on morality that are now deemed “hate speech” simply because a business or individual holds a different opinion than the Hollywood agenda.  Isn’t it interesting that alcohol kills far more people than guns, or football and NO ONE in this group goes after the alcohol industry!  Why?   I guess too many “Gatekeepers,” imbibe! 

I’m not advocating behaviors and life decisions that mean death.  I don't like sugared colas, but can you guarantee that coffee won’t be next on Bloomberg’s list?  I am simply asking at what point did the exercise of personal freedom have to go before a panel to determine what is permissible and what isn’t?  Here’s the problem.  At some point everyone and every activity will be drawn out of the circle!  Legalism has always been this way.  The Apostle Paul fought it all over Galatians.  The legalizers kept drawing circles tighter and tighter.  Freedom scared the bejeebers out of them.  They couldn’t stand someone being able to believe something different and letting them be responsible for it.  Conformity became the dominant name of the game. At the end of the day it’s ALL about one word: CONTROL!  The Gatekeepers believe they know what is best for you and you don’t.  So the only way to get you to conform is through policy, law, or public condemnation that closely resembles character assassination.  Those who believe in the exercise of freedom believe the culture/market ultimately self-corrects.  The truly bad ideas become like tape that didn’t make the show on an editing room floor.

 

My car speedometer goes to 140 MPH.  Do I drive 140 MPH?  No.  Could I?  I suppose (but the engine would blow up first, LOL), but I don’t.  I exercise judgment.  I choose not to go 140 MPH.  If I do, I risk being arrested for speeding and reckless driving.  Just because I have 3-4 regular Cokes in my fridge doesn’t mean I’m going to drink them.  In fact I don’t.  However, someone may come to my house that prefers all that sugar and caffeine to one of my diet drinks.  I will gladly serve them one upon request.  However, should they develop diabetes, heart trouble, or obesity, they will face the consequences for their choice and the exercise of their freedom.  Their free choice of a sugared drink is not my responsibility.  But some believe it’s not only their job, but their calling to “police” the rest of us.

Let’s push this even farther, but before you read on this isn’t a “Right to Life” rant.  The “Gatekeepers” adamantly support the right to abortion.  You don’t have to be rocket scientist, or doctor to surmise that the actual act of abortion is violent to the fetus. Watch one and tell me otherwise.  Yet, in America it is perfectly legal.  Every day women make decisions, hopefully with responsible medical professionals and counselors about this issue.  They are free to act.  They must accept the consequences regardless of their choice.  But let’s be clear, they make the choice. 

Yes, I am pro-life (all the way, I don’t support the death penalty because I am truly, Pro-Life, which might even surprise the “Gatekeepers”), but if a woman makes the decision to get an abortion it’s my role as a pastor and Christ-follower to provide unconditional love, counsel and support to her, just as I must to the woman who chooses not to have an abortion.  I don’t even get to judge according to Scripture.  That said, I would not counsel abortion, but neither would I brand a woman who has had one with a scarlet letter.  She must accept responsibility for her free choice and she will live with it the rest of her life. 

Now isn’t it ironic that the very people choosing to gate keep on gun control, football, food, tobacco, marriage and a host of other issues allow the exercise of freedom for terminating a life, when in 38 states it’s felony murder to kill a baby inside a woman’s womb by harming her by way of gun, beating, vehicle, etc.?   I’m with Paul, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.” 

Freedom is messy.  It’s what makes our country and my faith choice different.  You can stand on a street corner with the proper permit and blast Christianity, Islam, or Atheism.  You may be wrong, but you are free do exercise free speech.  And while I may find your speech offensive and hateful, it is the exercise of your freedom that allows me to exercise my freedom of a polar opposite view.  And that freedom comes with great responsibility!  It’s a freedom that actually embraces your right to be offensive to me without trying to control you. 

I find great irony in the fact that most ideologues spout the free exercise of the exchange of ideas, but they are unwilling to let it play out, unless you share their view.  And what is the definition of arrogance and narcissism?   By the way, before you dismiss this, as a rant for one side of the political aisle, don’t! “Gatekeepers” live on both sides of the political aisle.  They hold freedom hostage.  It’s just my opinion so feel FREE to disagree.