Drawing Circles

I think our culture is hurting from drawing circles. Left alone circles are not a serious problem. However, once you step inside and start drawing them you can't stop. Pretty soon no one else can fit in the circle except for the person drawing. A circle mentality to life inevitably excludes others. People draw all kinds of circles: racial, economic, gender related, faith-based, ethnic, education, geographic and much more.

The term fundamentalism didn't really take hold until the early-20th Century in connection with a major theological schism in the Presbyterian Church. Over time, the term spread to include other Christian denominations and the term was loosely applied to describe those who held conservative views in the conservative-liberal debate among Christ-followers. However, the term fundamentalism can be applied to just about anything or anyone today who holds extreme views and seeks to exclude those who don't. Fundamentalism eventually leads to drawing circles, which I would term extreme fundamentalism.

There are Jewish fundamentalists, Christian fundamentalists and Islamic fundamentalists. There are also homosexual, feminine, national, political, racial, and even electronic fundamentalists. The latter for example, holds a high disdain for anyone who can't or won't communicate strictly through electronic means like email, Face book, a Blackberry, texting, etc.

There's nothing wrong with being passionate about your faith, political, cultural views, college team, etc. However, it should never be a license to punish, assassinate character, or physically harm those who do not share the same view. There's another circle drawn. Take politics for example. I live in a county with a strong Republican majority. I have heard many well-meaning people who even profess to follow Christ offer strong words of judgment and condemnation toward anyone supporting or voting for a Democratic candidate. Many of the comments I've heard were even racial, or sexist. Major circle just drawn. The last time I checked, neither of America's major political parties are in the Bible, or endorsed by Jesus. Easy this is just one example and not a blog on politics, I blogged about that during the Fall elections.

You can apply this to college teams, neighborhoods, social issues like health care, abortion, private v.s. public education, tattoos, dress, and on and on. We keep drawing circles (notice the one with the marker determines what's right, wrong, good, bad, etc.) and pretty soon we've excluded everyone. Someone hurts or offends us and we draw a circle. Someone disagrees with us and we draw a circle. I'm not saying we have to adopt or even accept views that clash with some of our deepest thoughts, views, beliefs or opinions and sit by a campfire holding hands and singing Kum Ba Yah. But I am saying we can be civil. We can listen. We can respect. We can even disagree without being punitive, or mad.

Christ-followers of all people need to remember that our leader was the victim of circle drawing. He embraced the broken, weak, sinful, and social outcasts. He even talked to people with whom he disagreed or did not share their beliefs. In fact in one circle-drawing event, He was accused of being a drunk and a "friend of sinners". The circle-drawer's presumed to know his heart and motives. How many times have I done that with those with whom I disagree? Perhaps that's the most dangerous part of drawing circles. We presume we're right and our myopic view not only excludes those with whom we disagree, but it pronounces judgment. Something I believe Jesus said was not even His role, but God's.

Circle drawer's put down your markers. Not every Muslim is out to strap explosives to his/her body and blow up Americans. Not every Hispanic is lazy, drunk or "cashing in" on the system. Not every African American group of boys in a blighted neighborhood is out to rob us, or highjack our car. Not every doctor or attorney is strictly out for profit. Not every Christian is mean and close-minded. Not every person with a tatoo is some sort of freak beneath human dignity. Not every prisoner is without a set of morals. Not every priest is a pedophile. Not every person battling an addiction is beyond hope. Not every NFL, or NBA player is in a night club with a gun, or a thug. Not every person who doesn't speak English is somehow inferior. You get the idea.

Isn't it amazing that the earth is round? One big circle with people who are red, and yellow, black and white, ALL precious in God's sight.

P.S. I never said you can't be passionate, or share your views, beliefs and faith with others. It's how we do it.

Behind the Bars

I have a friend who came to Christ in a nearby county jail while awaiting a felony trial. He has been in prison for six years now. No, this was no jailhouse confession, but the real deal. He is a completely different man than the angry man I met when I visited him in that county jail upon his initial arrest. He has peace and a genuine concern for others, especially other inmates and their families. I've watched him grow in God's Word and heard his precious prayers for many fellow inmates who don't know Christ, struggle or have serious problems. He has an incredible burden for anyone who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Prison was never intended to be a pleasant place. I realize there are serious, repeat, felony offenders who have demonstrated a continual bent for crime and have no earthly intention of becoming a better human. I personally believe these repeat felony offenders should be isolated from general prison populations. But what about those who made a mistake and are trying to serve their time so they can get out and never go back? We need to ask ourselves is the goal to simply to punish them, or to help rehabilitate them so they can contribute to society and make our cities, towns and counties a better place upon their release? If it's to correct/rehabilitate then something needs to change.

From food to health care, employment opportunities, education and basic needs, our prisons are struggling. State governments across the nation are being asked to house more inmates with significantly fewer resources. State revenues are down across the nation and prisons are often the first place cuts are made. Most are so underfunded that asking them to cut is like asking a starving man for a meal. Some systems deny older prisoners education and vocational training opportunities because they reason these inmates are too old to learn. Other systems where prisoners must serve 85% of a felony sentence are denied the opportunity to work which promotes apathy and laziness. "Idleness is the devil's workshop!"

Most prisons have a store where inmates can purchase personal hygiene items, clothing, shoes and even snacks through money they earn working inside, or from funds friends and family deposit in their Pay Pal account. A pair of shoes that costs under $30 on the outside can cost as much as $60 on the inside. Deodorant you can purchase at a dollar store for under a buck can cost as much as $3! Fruit is removed from many prison cafeterias because inmates have been known to stash it in a cell and ferment it to make wine. However, this deprives the prison population of some daily nutritional basics. And many other foods are off the list because they don't want the inmates to "bulk up" on carbs and proteins. This is understandable but what about the simple distribution of a daily multi-vitamin?

Overcrowded prisons + Lower State Funds + Stressed Guards & Inmates = A Time Bomb.

Let's be honest. Most of the people in correctional facilities are there because they made a bad choice and they are reaping the consequences. Whether the sentence is just, or not is nearly always subjective and best left to the judicial system. But what about those who really want to improve their life circumstance and be contributors to society upon their release instead of taker's? The old saying that everyone in prison gets religion may be true, but the authentic are known by their fruit and devotion on the inside just as those of us on the outside who profess Christ are known by our fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Think about exercising: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control within the confines of a prison? Now that will test the most sincere person of faith! I'm proud to say I know one man who has not backed down one inch from his profession and love for Christ while serving a long sentence. To this day he continues to grow in Christ. Would to God that I would be as faithful given the same circumstances!

Read again the words of Psalm 146:7:

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,

P.S. If you come away thinking I'm against the penal system you missed the whole point! I just think it needs a lot of attention from people who are a lot smarter than me.

Blog Break

Blog Break til January 5th! Happy New Year

Labor of Love

Ponder God's gift to the world through the Virgin Mary as Jill Phillips sings Andrew Peterson's "Labor of Love".

Pondering

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19)

Of all the verses surrounding Jesus' birth in the gospels, this one line in Luke's story shouts to me from the Word of God. Can you see her? It's hard to envision her when we're surrounded by store ads with the latest and greatest gift ideas in the newspaper and on the Internet and television. The Sony Wii is getting a lot more attention than her.

Focus. Try real hard to look through the ornaments, trees, gift wrap and endless lists of Christmas gift ideas. She's there. At the foot of a manger. She's tired, her body is depleted of blood, water and energy. She has just given birth to her salvation, and ours. She did it without a labor delivery room, doctor or even a midwife. No epidural and the smell of manure is in the air. Her husband, an honorable and faithful man who must have had as many questions as her stands by her side with a bunch of animals. Shepherds come to see the child and explain how angels told them the news.

Hearing their story and reflecting on all that has happened since the angel, Gabriel visited her with the news, she stops and ponders. She is taking it all in and she is treasuring it all in her heart. What are you thinking about? What are you pondering? In the years to follow her Son would say these words in perhaps His greatest sermon: "For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also." She is treasuring this incredible story of faith and God's sovereignty. What are you treasuring this Advent? We would do well to follow her lead at Advent. She simply made herself available and willingly served God to accomplish His purpose for the world. So should we. God bless you Mary, mother of Jesus, our Savior. Thank you for your example and faithfulness even when you didn't fully understand. May we be as faithful!

A Christmas Cult Classic

Enjoy the sounds and harmonies of "Straight No Chaser", a vocal ensemble from Indiana University who sang together in the late 90's and were brought back together by popular demand from You Tube and other blog posts. They have just released their first Christmas album. Turn up your volume for the best, or at least most creative rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas you've ever heard! (Click on the song title for link)

The Kneeling Santa

A few years ago as both of our parents were preparing their wills they asked us (and our siblings) to identify any of their possessions we might want upon their passing. Yeah I know, it's kind of morbid in one respect, but in another it's really smart. I could have chosen anything, but the one item I wanted more than anything else has adorned my mother-in-law's mantel every Christmas for years. It's called the "Kneeling Santa". It's a Santa figurine kneeling in prayer at the manger. I remember when Aunt Joan gave it to Mom (her sister) one Christmas many years ago. It caught my eye and heart immediately. It still does.

Now I know there are a few "anti-Santa Claus" Christ-followers and that's okay. I respect their choice and would hope they would respect my view as well. Fantasy and innocent fun have never been a problem for me. I grew up writing letters to the North Pole and we never hesitated to get a picture of our kid's with the jolly red-suited man at the mall. But let me be clear, in my formative years and with our own children, Santa was never a substitute for Christ at Advent. For me, this figurine represents an appropriate attitude toward Advent. It conveys an attitude of humility, submission and it centers upon the Christ-child. The kneeling Santa reminds me of Paul's words at the end of his beautiful "Hymn to Christ" in Philippians:

...so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I can handle a St. Nick who humbly kneels at the manger and reverently bows to pay homage to the Christ-child---the real Reason for the Season. The red-suited guy who's consumed with, or is used to peddle affluence, presents and possessions is fun, but it seems we have used him to woo our hearts from the One whose coming we celebrate. There are several websites you can browse to research the real St. Nicholas. The Bishop of Myra who came to be known as St. Nicholas embodied the ideals of Advent: charity, concern for the poor, the less fortunate and children. Now there's a Santa I can believe. I'd love to hear your views on Santa.

Stay tuned as the Advent journey continues!