Closer to Perfect

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

Philippians 2:14-15

Ok, I’ll tell you right now that I was ‘complaining’ today…and I was NOT ‘shining like a bright light.’ Here’s the situation. We arose from bed this morning to find that the a/c was not working in our apartment. It was going to be hot again today, so I promptly called the office. After a couple of hours, I called again…and then a third time around 2:30 pm when the temp in our apartment had reached 85 degrees. Now, I was able to remain nice & calm with the staff…but between phone calls and in my home I found myself becoming more and more irritable. I’m not a small individual and I am not comfortable in really warm environments. My mood was quickly deteriorating, and all because we didn’t have working a/c.

What kinds of criteria usually need to be in place for your mood to be affected? What challenges your Christ-like character?

I would argue that it’s good for us to be tested like this once in a while. The hope is that we are able to do some self-inventory…and then grow from the experience. This is what I’m doing right now. Sitting in my living room with the a/c now running great, it’s easier to reflect.

This is a large part of what it means to be one of God’s children. We’re not created to be perfect on this side of Heaven, but we do strive to develop closer to perfect than we were yesterday.

People-Pleasing Predicament

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10

If you have ever wondered where Paul got his bold reputation, it’s partially from making statements like this. And if you’ve ever been in any form of leadership in the church, then you know the magnitude of Paul’s tone and position on the issue of ‘people-pleasing.’ Are there benefits to gaining favor with the people around you? Absolutely. This allows you to speak and have influence in the lives of those you come into contact with. It boils down to setting priorities.

Regarding this text in Galatians, I would suggest that there is one huge lesson embedded in Paul’s statement. It is not possible to fully serve Jesus & fully aim to please people. Striving for both will only lead to mediocre results for both. This came as Paul was addressing the issue of circumcision of Gentiles. Some religious leaders were teaching that this was necessary in order to be included in God’s family. They were holding on to the traditional law…not accepting that we can now obtain eternal life by simply having faith in Jesus Christ.

In this portion of scripture, the issue was circumcision that was keeping some from accepting the free & undeserving gift of grace and salvation. What might Paul be dealing with in today’s society regarding people thinking they need to earn the right to be included in God’s family? Regular church attendance…tithing…serving meals to the homeless…honoring the Sabbath? While Jesus instructs all believers to do all of these things, none of it will gain us eternal life without faith. As believers, may we never place what we do above who we are in Christ. May we be seen as Godly people…not merely shallow doers.

Dear Pastor Jones!

As we approach yet another somber anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on American soil, I felt compelled to address the internationally scrutinized intentions of a pastor in Florida to burn Korans on Saturday. On the surface, one might try to admire Pastor Terry Jones’ determination and enthusiasm for what he believes. But, to me, this is gravely overshadowed by his unfortunate ignorance in understanding the role of a pastor and the heart of God. I would like to ask Pastor Jones if he thinks that God loves Muslims. I would hope his answer would be, “Yes, of course.” God is Love….plain and simple. We are told that ‘Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good’ in Romans 12:9. Notice that ‘love’ and ‘things which are good’ sandwich the ‘evil’ part in this passage. By burning one or even a few Korans this Saturday, Pastor Jones will not be ridding the world of this book forever…nor is he communicating sincere love, Christ-like love, to anyone! So I ask…what’s the point?

Muslims are not to blame for the horrific attacks of 9/11. A group of hyper-religious, radical activists, full of hate and evil, are responsible. The fact that they were also Muslim does not give us sanction to condemn an entire nation of people…..people who Christ died for just as much as for you or I.

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27 (NLT)

Let us not be corrupted by the distractions of this world. And may we also stay focused on things that are pure, good, and acceptable in God’s sight. Pray for Pastor Jones’ safety this weekend…as well as for the safety of our country.