O, My God!

When my children were young and we would encounter profanity either in the media, movies or neighborhood I would quickly respond in a teaching moment to say, “We don’t use that kind of language.” I would go on in my best here comes a lecture from Dad voice to reinforce that profanity from the vile to the air headed, “O, my God!” –was a sign of either ignorance or laziness. I protested that individuals who have a command of the English language are able to express and articulate their thoughts and feelings without resorting to common and vulgar speech. Besides it’s much more fun to fire back at the enemy with calling them incompetent knuckle dragging Cretans than to use profanity or hand gestures. And to be perfectly frank most profanity makes very little sense and certainly doesn’t distinguish one as the sharpest pencil in the box. My protest has suffered from time to time with a society that has entrenched itself in the first amendment right to free speech. With total disregard for the intent of the founding fathers, the powers that be have upheld that one can spout any venom they please, view any prurient image their heart lusts for and malign anyone with the most crass tirade that decent moms would call potty mouth. Unfortunately many of the patrons of this profanity are notable individuals from professors to politicians.

So, where do we draw the line or do we refuse to give in at all. My father refused to let my brother participate in his third grade play because they sang the lyrics, “Zoom, golly, golly, golly, zoom, golly goll.” Dad explained that “golly” was just a euphemism for God and it would be wrong to use His name in vain. My brother compromised and sang bally. We were confused later on when my Dad would laugh at Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle saying, “Golllllleeeeee!” But here is what I’m not confused about and where I think we need to stand… the name of the divine is precious and sacred and must never be used in frivolous or vulgar ways. The only “My God!” that should pass our lips needs to be the Thomas type that acclaims the sovereignty of our Lord (John 20:28).

One of our greatest blessings is to know that God is OUR God! He watches over us and has graciously provided for us eternal life through His Son. O, yes… He is MY God and in Him I live, move and have my very being! I’m proud to be His son and will do my best to never take it for granted or to defame His name in any way! -DAN

Vetted

Are you as tired as I am with all the mudslinging, political maneuvering and elbowing for face time that dominates the primary race this political season? The he said, she said gossipy dribble that persists in a witch-hunt for a sound byte that will give one candidate a leg up on the other is odious. It has become wearisome and childish. Frankly, it has become a bad reality show gone awry! I heard an interesting twist on this malaise of vitriolic backbiting by one of the candidate’s spouses who put the political spin on this bickering by saying, “By election time the candidate will have become thoroughly vetted.” I assumed they mean that such scrutiny will exorcise all the demons and release the skeletons from the closet so the victorious candidate will be squeaky clean. However, I think there is a difference between scrutiny and mudslinging.

Merriam Webster dictionary gives the following as the second definition of vetted:

2 a: to subject to usually expert appraisal or correction <vet a manuscript> b: to evaluate for possible approval or acceptance <vet the candidates for a position>

The idea of one being proven or tested is not only a sound idea (i.e. I’m glad people have to be proven before they offer services like surgery, driving, construction, etc.) but it is also a biblical idea as well. We are to test the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4:1). Those holding office in the church must first be tested (1 Timothy 3:10). One should self examine themselves in regards to their motives (1 Corinthians 11:28) and their understanding (2 Corinthians 13:5). Socrates is right when he said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” One should be vetted in this life… but the important issue here is the spirit in which the examination is given. If it is for the purpose of defamation or personal gain then the first truly becomes the last. That is, old plank eye proves he has no re-speck (Matthew 7:3)! The Pharisees were not wrong because they paid attention to detail (Matthew 23:23) but because they disregarded the greater matters, that is, they vetted their world not to reveal God’s glory but expose failure. Examination is less about weeding and more about a harvest of righteousness (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43; Romans 14:17).

So… Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you –unless, of course, you fail the test? …For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth (2 Corinthians 13:5, 8). -DAN

Negative Space

I was watching the news and a reporter was interviewing a gentleman who had on a t-shirt that at first look like it had some kind of computer generated Hebrew or Mandarin characters written across his chest. Then for some reason I squinted my eyes a little and the negative space revealed the name of Jesus. Our natural point of reference is to look at the positive space in our field of view. One way of saying this might be that we see the foreground before we see the background or in terms of movement we see the active before the inactive. In general we are drawn to those things that signal for our attention either by their prominence, actions, color or dominant voice. However, it is the negative space, the background, and the harmony that brings beauty to the horizon and richness and texture to make the common art. I believe that the magnificence of Jesus is in how he fills the background of life. Life with Jesus is not about center stage or slick presentation… it’s “if anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all (Mark 9:35).” In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus cautions us, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them… do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do… do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing (Matthew 6:1-3).” Spirit led lives produce not flashy gold star routines but servant hearted values like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (cf. Galatians 5:22,23).

So how do I become a better background player? It starts with paying attention to details. No…not like the Pharisees and teachers of the Law that dissected, parsed and deflated God’s will of its Spirit but rather a sympathetic awareness of your surroundings. Such produces not squeaky wheels and soapbox complainers but those who look for opportunity to offer a cup of cold water, wash travel tired feet and creatively find ways to fill a need! Because you’re committed to living in the background your anonymity allows you to hear and see the real world instead of the scripted and sanitized politeness of superficial living. Thus you not only pay attention to details but you are able to be still and know that He is God. That is, you can become a gentle answer to turn away wrath or iron that sharpens iron as you keep the focus not only the problem or the players but on the Creator.

In a sense there’s nothing negative about living in the background space where Jesus spends His time. It’s the most positive thing you can do to mature faith and conform to the image of Christ! -DAN

Nitpicking

If you’ve ever had the joy of dealing with head lice then you know that nitpicking (removing the eggs of the lice) is tedious, time consuming and requires a good eye to spot all of the hair follicles embedded with these eggs. Thus, it’s easy to see how the word has come to mean any concerted hunt for small hard to find imperfections. This past weekend I heard one of the speakers at the Spiritual Training Workshop at Cordova mention they avoided giving certain information to a notorious nitpicker because they would… yes, nitpick it to death! Nobody likes a nitpicker. Hey, even Jesus castigates the Pharisees for their nitpickish ways!

So, I was surprised when I found myself balancing on the razor’s edge of nitpicking hairsplitation. Let me explain. At the area-wide worship we not only got to sing together but our coming together was personified in the communion as brothers and sisters throughout the Sacramento area were privileged to share in the Lord’s Supper as one body. When the bread was passed the usual chrome plate was filled with individual portions of tiny pillow shaped unleavened bread. I immediately thought to myself that I was being cut off from “breaking bread” and denied the symbol of the one body! After all, the words spoken before we received the bread, underscored that though we were many congregations we were one body in Christ and now before me was a scattered precut loafette. I must admit that as almost as quick as those thoughts came so did this horrible rumble in the pit of my being that gasped, “O no, I’ve become a one cupper!” You see, suddenly, I realized that I had no problem with individual cups and not for a moment felt cheated when they were passed. O, I still like one loaf and it’s visual but I never want to be a nitpicker that swallows camels and chokes on gnats!

Now don’t get me wrong… I think it is important to pay attention to details. However, the greatest detail to get right is the why we do what we do! I want to be led by the Spirit, inspired by the Word of God and under the Lordship of my Savior. Such requires an open heart and mind not a guarded nitpicking myopia. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm… (Galatians 5:1).” -DAN

Dated

I often get mail that says, “Dated Material.” Apparently, if I do not open these treasure troves of information they will become useless and obsolete. When I watch HGTV with Pam the various programs go on and on about how dated this kitchen is, that bathroom is and those hideous paneled walls are. If that isn’t enough I look at my office walls and I see wedding pictures and family pictures and I realize how dated they are. I have pictures with people who have passed on and little guys that have grown up to be adults. I guess all this means that I’m dated. Hopefully I have not become useless and outmoded… just dated. I concur with my father who would say, “I may be getting older but that sure beats the alternative!”

So, here’s my top ten reasons why being dated isn’t all bad: 1) With age hopefully comes wisdom and if not wisdom then the benefit of the doubt; 2) A dated life reveals in scars, wrinkles and the defoliation of the cranial dome, that there’s been some living, working, thinking and weathered storms; 3) Time passed hopefully seasons the wood so that it is valuable for the comfort of others; 4) Time traveled reveals which paths have led to higher ground and which paths have meandered off into tangled growth and unstable ground; 5) A dated soul may wonder what the expiration date may be but is sure that it is as fresh as when first packaged; 6) The winds of the past often refresh the present lifeless lull; 7) Twinkle takes some time to build up in a real star; 8) Love is a forest rich with old growth trees; 9) to date –it’s never wise to make fun of a bald headed prophet (cf. 2 Kings 2:23-25); and 10) every tick gets its tock but not every tock wants a tick!

At the ripe old age of almost 56 it may seem a little premature to be speaking of being dated. However, I know that my kids think I’m ancient and well acquainted with the dinosaurs by name. Whatever reality might be… I know that time is something that everyone, no matter his or her age or disposition, should embrace every moment of every day. This is more than carpe diem –it is looking for opportunity and prospect to serve God and man (cf. Colossians 4:2-6). -DAN