The All-Inclusive Temple of God

 

Monday, March 8, 2021

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?  God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.  Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.  As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”  And again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.”  So don’t boast about following a particular human leader.  For everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future.  Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.  1 Corinthians 3:16-23

There’s a truckload of talk about “inclusiveness” these days.  I perceive the overall sense of that word means that every person, with all their thoughts, ideas, quirks, nuances, proclivities, and baggage, is to be treated with respect.   

That’s not a bad thing, really.  It’s something like my mother taught me about manners.  Mom was pretty smart.  She was the Sunday School Superintendent at the church of my youth, and she always used a flannel-graph board with Bible pictures for the opening assembly to teach us kids about following Jesus.  One lesson was about the Golden Rule – treat others the way you want to be treated.  On the surface that seems quite doable.  You just live, and let-live, you know, don’t mess with what’s not yours, and don’t pull Peggy Broadway’s pigtails.   

The problem with that kind of thinking is that it’s largely passive, not doing anything to harm someone else…just leave them alone.  However, consider the Golden Rule from Jesus’ perspective:  treat others – that’s anything but passive; “treat” is a verb, displaying action, or, in the case of people, interaction. 

The apostle James taught the sense of being an active vs. passive Christian:

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing.  What good does that do?     James 2:15-16

The trouble with being an active follower of Jesus is that it requires more.  Just leaving someone else alone requires nothing but a little restraint.  Okay, sometimes a lot of restraint if they have more than their share of “crazy”.  Being an active believer means being vulnerable; you must accept responsibility for meeting needs, defending the weaker ones of the human tribe, and stepping up to the plate in what your brother can’t do for himself.

This is like the difference between Cancel Culture and coming-up with helpful, real-world solutions.  Cancel culture enacted requires nothing…you don’t say this, or do that…it’s all passive.  Coming up with genuine solutions means you must speak, you must act.  To do less is to allow evil the whole stage!

Paul told the Corinthian believers to stop living in delusion.  His real-world solution for evil was to remember that everything created was given to us by God for use, enjoyment, and for helping to take care of every need.  And this means feeding our hungry sister, clothing our naked brother, and visiting our wayward cousin in jail. 

And it’s because all the stuff belongs to us, and each of us belongs to all the others of us, and all of it belongs to God.  No matter what level you prefer in that assessment, wherever you scratch at it, you will find human need, and the hand of God.  If we’re going to be an inclusive bunch on this planet, we’ve got to keep that in mind…and act that way.

For You Today

This whole concept of belonging to, or being part-of the all-inclusive temple of God is a huge concept to digest.  Living-into that is even bigger.  The good news is that you don’t have to eat that whole elephant in one bite.  Just be a little more alert this day to the people and circumstances God puts in front of you on this day.  And leave them both better than you found them.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of Pixabay.com    Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

Essential Rivals

 

Thursday, September 3, 2020

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.  1 Corinthians 12:12a
The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”  The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”  1 Corinthians 12:21
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.  1 Corinthians 12:26

It is all so very connected; politics, religion, love, sex, money, breathing, or anything else you care to name.  The muse for this post is from a Facebook post of a friend, the pictured Native American’s wisdom about wings of the bird as part of the same body.  Of course, the older source would be Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church.  We are, indeed, the body, albeit connected in some very strange ways.  Yup...that same crazy bird in the middle is us…humanity.  We are an incredibly complex dodo bird!  And we need every part!

What plucks this analogy string so annoyingly resonant, today, is this time of year in a quadrennial political season.  Pandemic notwithstanding, the political push has been quieter, but lurking, nonetheless.  It seems to have ramped up lately, as the push toward November elections draws near. 

With limited space, and a huge subject (especially for a 5-minute devotional), let me get right to the point:

If we are so connected, how can we think anyone is useless?

Yet, you hear it every day: 

·       Republicans think Democrats belong in recycling. 

·       Democrats demonize Republicans. 

·       With every mention of, or sighting of Black Lives Matter, the Blue, White, Red, Asian, Gender-specific, Straight, or Whatever Lives cry for equal time. 

Preferential treatment, by definition, places one person’s value over another’s. 

And here’s the rub, in any arena, with any part of the analogy you care to push: 

Wings on the same bird were designed by our Creator to balance each other, to support each other, and keep us moving along, soaring, going higher.

But, when the wings on that bird are so busy swatting each other, that bird is going down!

From a Christian perspective, with all the backing of Holy Scripture to strengthen that previous statement, and empower the church to live it, even with the power to shame us into living it, we still can’t get it right.  Traditional-thinking Christians demonize Progressive-leaning Christians…and the blessing is returned.  And we get better at swatting each other as time passes. 

What a pitiful example of Christ’s love!

For You Today

If you’re of age, and inclination, this November you’ll cast a vote.  The election will be over, there will be a President.  Four years later (if the eagle hasn’t crashed and burned) we’ll do it again.

Keep the perspective that governments, movements, news cycles and your 401K are all temporary; the soul of another person is permanent.  Act with care accordingly!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today.  Have a blessed day!

VIDEO

Title image Facebook post from a friend, Fran Grabowski 9/1/20  The title for this post borrows on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s work, Team of Rivals, how Abraham Lincoln turned his political opposition into a team that helped save America as a union.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

For other posts on 1 Corinthians 12 see: We Are the Body of Christ and Holy Mixtures - Part 5

 

An Honorable Life

Friday, May 1, 2020

For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed.  For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.  It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.  For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.  Respect everyone, and love the family of believers.  Fear God, and respect the king.  1 Peter 2:13-17

Adolph Hitler, the Fuhrer of Germany in the early/mid 20^th century was a passionate man who had little or no compassion for others.  He knew what he wanted to accomplish, and his actions proved his methods built a life and legacy without honor; the man was a monster.

It matters WHAT you accomplish with your life, but, frankly, it is just as important, and perhaps, more important, HOW you do it.  All the good (supposedly) intentions in the world are useless unless they are met with actions which honor the good you intend to do. 

It is said that an honorable life is where integrity for doing right meets living.  Peter expressed this in six memorable words:  Fear God, and respect the king.  Of course the word “fear” means to honor, or revere, in the sense that we keep in mind God is sovereign, holy, and almighty; we fear (or honor) God, by not neglecting God’s way in our own actions.  In so doing we put to silence foolish accusations.

There have been plenty of movements in recent years that are honorably conceived, such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and others of social-justice, that have plenty of strong basis in Scripture.  Accomplishing racial, gender, and economic parity in the realms of freedom and human dignity are goals worthy of Godly standard.  But, as stated previously, HOW these are achieved are also vitally central to the results.  When a protest against some ungodly oppression, or practice of one group toward another turns ugly, there is little honor for our God. 

A prime example of this is the collapse of decency and restraint in the early 1990’s when the “Rodney King riots” in Los Angeles errupted over a police chase and savage beating of the suspect was caught on video.  The ensuing inconclusive action by the legal system preciptated violent riots in which more than 50 people lost their lives over 6 days.[1]

It is one thing to protest violence, but when your protest is conveyed by violent means, it isn’t fighting fire with fire; it’s adding more unholy fuel to a raging downward spiral of hatred, fear, and unleashed evil.

The apostle Peter had a moment like that in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Judas led the Roman Guard to arrest Jesus, betryaing the son of God with a kiss on the cheek.  Peter protested by swinging his sword and cutting off the ear of Malchus, servant of the High Priest[2].  Peter’s intention to prevent the crucifixion of Jesus was righteous; his actions were not.  Had Jesus not stopped the hostilities by healing Malchus’ injury, there might have been a dozen crucifixions that day.  Added violence never solves anything; it certainly can neve be called “honorable” in anyone’s life.

For You Today

The difference between loving peace and making peace is as wide as night and day.  Loving peace merely requires thinking and supposing you’re right in the way you conceive peace ought to look.  To be a peace maker requires putting your motives and methods on trial in your heart every waking moment, and living with what the court of conscience rules.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO 

Title Image:  Military.com      Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

For other posts on 1 Peter 2 see Honorable Behavior Part 1 and Part 2

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[1] Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles Began on This Day In 1992

[2] John 18:10

The Utah Compromise

[1]   

Friday, March 13, 2015

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.   Romans 12:18 (NLT)

The New York Times reported yesterday[2] that:

“…with the backing of Mormon church leaders, the Republican-dominated Utah Legislature passed a bill on Wednesday night that would ban discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in housing and employment, while also protecting religious institutions that object to homosexuality.

The legislation, known as “the Utah compromise,” has been hailed by Mormon leaders and gay rights advocates as a breakthrough in balancing rights and religious freedom, and as a model for other conservative states. But leaders of some other churches oppose it, saying it would not sufficiently protect the rights of individuals who have religious objections to homosexuality.

Regardless of your position on homosexuality, this is quite a story.  I don’t follow politics too closely (haven’t got the stomach for most of it).  But this is really something else.  When you consider that a conservative group like the Mormon Church, in concert with a Republican (very conservative) Legislature took the initiative to pass a law that favors progressive thinking (i.e. rights for LGBT persons)…WOW…just WOW!

Again, I’m no “politico” but every now and then I see something that gives me hope for a return to sanity in this country.  This might be the strangest of ways to present this, but I have been waiting for two “opposing” sides to finally act with a little common sense.

What the Utah Compromise wins for both “sides” is, on the progressive side there is non-discrimination in basic human needs (housing, employment).  And, on the conservative side the win is protection of the right to think differently without being charged with a “hate crime.”

Ordinarily a “compromise” means nobody got everything, but everyone gets something.  I think it is just that here. 

And more.

I think the “more” is that there is a “win” for humanity.  That “win” is respect for the dignity of the image of God on every human soul.  Two very diametrically-opposed groups saw the light at the end of the tunnel to (as Paul wrote) “live together in peace”.

I am still of the opinion that homosexuality is contrary to Scriptural teaching, but dehumanizing people over their choices is as wrong as anything else called sin.

To live in peace with all people means straight people accept with respect that gay people are entitled under law to their choices.  On the other hand gay people must respect the right of straight people to hold to their conscience.  In short, both “sides” realize that when the sun comes up tomorrow, it will be God who judges and we all have too much homework with that one to be wasting time bashing each other.

For You Today

If you never thought you’d write a letter to the Speaker of the House in the Utah State Legislature….well, neither did I. 

But I’m going to do just that; I’m going to tell him I support trying to live together in peace.

Join me?

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[1] Title Image: Salt Lake City & County Building By w:user:BigBen212, via Wikimedia Commons

[2] See NY Times Article here:  Utah Passes Antidiscrimination Bill Backed by Mormon Leaders