Logs and specks

Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Fault-finding putdown artists are actors (hypocrites), says Jesus.  They have no intention of facing up to their own shortcomings, but only delight in point those out in others.  There is a preadolescent mindset that begins with the discovery that demeaning others makes one feel powerful and superior.  It’s a lie, says the Lord, for it leaves out the most important ingredient of all – humility.

Motives are cleansed by allowing God to convict and correct.  The trouble is that fault-finders cannot distinguish conviction and condemnation.  They count on condemnation disqualifying and eliminating others, so they cannot allow any scrutiny to be applied to their hearts or lives.  No, says Jesus, “first take the log out of your own eye” – let the truth penetrate your life, be forgiven and freed, THEN you will understand conviction and freedom for others.  At that point, when you remove THEIR speck, it will be out of love and desire for their best.

The teaching does NOT negate care to remove other’s specks.  My own log – however huge and ugly – does not make me unable to help others with their (albeit smaller) issues.

If I am in the business of the putdown of others, I then need to ask about my own state before God.  I can trust this – it’s a leading indicator of my own need for conviction, forgiveness, cleansing/healing and freedom.  If and when my motives are pure – that is, I am no hypocrite but instead fully acknowledge my own imperfection and struggles – I can love people enough to confront them with things they may not see in themselves.  For it’s no mistake the analogy involves the organ through which we see – we cannot see through a speck.

I rejoice in the freedom God gives me and all his children.  It never comes without struggle and the first person’s struggle I deal with is my own.  And then there is victory for us all!

Hard encouragement

Luke 22:61-62 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Peter, impetuous, boastful and proud. Yet, overcome by fear of being arrested himself, he had denied knowing Jesus or being one of his followers three times. Jesus had told him that he had prayed for him to not fall away and then said that he would deny him, as he did. That is, Jesus had seen the whole scene in advance.

And then, Jesus turned and looked across the noisy room of accusers and abusers and stared straight at Peter. The heartbreak and bitter disappointment in himself overcame Peter, and he left in grief. Peter knew the seriousness of what he had done. He had heard Jesus earlier proclaim:

Luke 12:8-9 “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.”

There was then a schism between everything Peter knew about Christ, all in which he had partaken, and where he stood as one who denies. He had himself seemingly been disowned.

But we know the story and it didn’t end here. Peter persisted in faith and was personally restored by Jesus after the Resurrection (see John 21). From our vantage point, this episode can be seen as a necessary lesson in humility and shame that Peter needed to be the person Jesus knew he would become.

There is hard encouragement here. I (and we) have more than one chance to get it right, even to the point of cataclysmic failure. The stare of the Lord is pointed and personal; it arrests us in our tracks and brings us to know we have hurt the One who loves more than anyone else. Woe to me if I do not mourn my sin; let me never be callous about my careless and self-protective words and actions.

Let me learn, as Peter did, about Jesus who intercedes for me to not fall away but constantly be restored and renewed. I need that second (and third, fourth, etc.) chance. And it is granted me, praise God.

Mountains, valleys, crooked and rough places

Luke 3:4-6: … The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

John the Baptist quoted Isaiah 40:3-5 and applied it to his ministry of repentance. Topologically, it reads like one is preparing a landing strip for a large aircraft. Or a railroad bed through the mountains. But John was speaking about preparing hearts to see the salvation of the Lord. So, the valleys and mountains, crooked and rough places pertain to the state of the souls of people. This is profound.

What is a valley of the soul then? A depressed, downtrodden area of shame and abandonment? It would make sense, yes. And a mountain? A proud, too-lofty peak that lords a person over others and even authority. Crooked and rough places are variants of sinful behavior, perhaps known to the person with excuses and justifications such that they were never confronted before.

Repentance takes no prisoners. Sin dies and a person has nothing else to lean on but forgiveness.

But it’s vital to remember that this repentance was in preparation of One who would set captives free. That is, though people may well seek to have sins erased, it is only the work of the Savior that truly frees. Forgiveness and freedom are granted separately, and freedom is of course, a far more hard-fought entity.

It is God’s will that humankind be free from sin, not just forgiven for it. Like it or not, that is a progressive move in the lives of his children. For humankind is deeply bound, realizing it or not.

What, then are my valleys, mountains, crooked and rough places? May the Holy Spirit convict. And how will I be set free, not just forgiven? By God’s grace, accountability and learning to walk a different path, even in my thought life and my words. That God will do it is sure – I’ve seen it for years. Freedom is glorious and worth every step taken to walk in.

Amen.

Helping unbelief

Mark 9:24-25 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

Jesus replied to the father of a demon possessed boy that all things are possible to those with faith. Convicted of his lack thereof, the man confessed that he did believe, but he also didn’t. Based upon his actions, he at least had faith that bringing the boy to Jesus could well result in his deliverance. But he also lacked faith to take authority over the demonic presence in his son’s life. His cry for help was both desperate and vulnerable.

The application of this story has been corrupted by people – often church leaders – shaming the father and all like him who need help in their faith. If one does not have the faith to deal with circumstances, they quote Jesus with spite: (Mark 9:19) “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?” The remark was critical – Jesus often chided people to believe God for more. But unlike the shamers, he didn’t leave them that way (and learn that shame hinders growth or produces pride).

Jesus helped his unbelief!! Instead of shaming and leaving the man to fend for himself, Jesus caused his faith to grow! This sidebar story to the healing has vast implications.

1. Wherever I am in my faith – and any assessment of faith must take in all its dimensions (LOTS of faith for that, less or none for this), being honest about what I believe God will do is my Job 1.
2. My faith is not in my faith – it’s in Jesus and HIS ability to deliver – from or through – the trial, malady or situation.
3. If I have faith to bring something to Jesus (even that much!) it’s enough for him to work with. But woe is me if I cease doing that.
4. Jesus will increase my faith (and this is NOT the only time people asked Jesus for more faith – see Luke 17:5). If I ask and contend for his salvation and move, I will be like a weight lifter who sees his muscles bulge with continued exercise.

Some prayers and requests are long-term and gut-wrenching in the waiting period. Some in truth will not be answered according to my liking. But the progression of trust and peace in my life can be charted if I care to take inventory. Jesus has helped and will continue to help my unbelief.

Blessing for the outcast

Genesis 21:17-18 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Sarah had given Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to Abraham with whom to make offspring for her (Sarah) because she was barren.  They did the deed and Hagar bore Ishmael.  THEN the promise came from the Lord that Sarah herself would bear a child in her old age, which she did, and named him Isaac (Hebrew for “laughter”).  When the celebration of Isaac’s birth happened, Hagar was in attendance and Sarah saw her laughing.  She was immediately enraged and told Abraham to cast out Hagar and her child from his family.  So he did.

Hagar then went away into the wilderness and decided to abandon her young boy there, leaving him to die.  In anguish she cried out to God, who answered in the verses above. 

The obvious and poignant parallel with the modern anguished decisions to abort a child or give him/her up for adoption is loud and clear.  For abandonment and being cast out from a relationship and all manner of a place to live, raise and care for a child is extremely common in such decisions.  God’s answer to Hagar is tender and full of promise also.  He will make the child a great nation!  Nation-founding will not be the destiny of every child, but destitution and poverty won’t either.  Hope screams from these verses if one is listening.

So, my/our part in the drama is to make the future less frightening.  If someone is pro-life, that person can NOT be just pro-birth, that would be Sarah’s stance and though God granted her request, the great lady hardly stands in righteousness at this point.  For God met Hagar; it’s why we have these verses.  And that counters Sarah’s indignant exclusion with profound grace and mercy.

Culturally, my people and nation have been at extreme odds with the offspring of Ishmael.  God had earlier announced

Genesis 16:12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.

.. which has been fulfilled.  But this scene with Hagar MUST soften my heart towards the Arab people.  God loves them, and so must I.  So I pray for that love to grow, tender yet strong.  For God has made Ishmael into a great nation.

“If you do well” – The acceptable offering

Genesis 4:6-7The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain, the older brother, had made an offering to God.  His younger brother Abel had done the same.  The narrative in Genesis 4 says that the Lord “had regard” for Abel’s offering, but not that of Cain.  There has been much commentary about exactly what was worthy about Abel’s offering that was NOT in Cain’s, but in truth the text does not say “and here’s why”.  The point of the text is that there was now, for the first time in humanity, sibling rivalry.  And it would turn out to be murderous.

It is a familiar trend (that is, a trend of families) that older children are the authority over their younger siblings.  It starts with basic development like walking and talking, but can and does easily extend into adulthood with job skills, achievements, etc.  At the very least, the older siblings tend to do things first.

It’s not reading into the story too much to say that when the younger Abel receives commendation that Cain does not, that would aggravate this older sibling order.  It would be an insult, as indeed it was.  Cain was devastated.

The verses above show a brief word from God towards the angered and sullen Cain that indicates a divine perspective that Cain needed to hear, though he would choose NOT to hear it.  And it is this: That God’s judgment about the offering had nothing to do with picking favorites.  It was simply God’s disposition towards a particular work – an offering.  And for whatever reason Cain’s wasn’t accepted, future offerings certainly COULD be accepted. 

“If you do well” is a conditional that of which Cain no doubt knew the meaning.  But he was so clouded in the presently felt rejection, he couldn’t hear it.

“If you do not do well” is the flip side of that conditional and it is accompanied by the outplay of sin.  And Cain immediately demonstrated what that meant as he murdered his brother over a rejected offering.

Do I battle for my offering to be accepted?  To be honest, in the intricacies of rivalry, I have long fought that way, though the instruction from the Word is very clear:

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.

Though my offering is acceptable, my eyes can still be fixated upon those who appear to have an even MORE acceptable offering.  And in that is the “If you do not do well” for my life.  The resentment that arises from such comparison never produces anything righteous.  Even if it causes me to surpass those I strive against, my motives become so polluted as to make my offering far less than holy and thus, far below what is pleasing to God. 

Let me begin thinking that God chooses many, many favorites and that I am certainly one of them.  The exclusive favorite concept is for the Olympics and the Superbowl, not for my life’s offering before God.

Let me learn again to humbly offer and give, ignoring the noise of comparison and all its trappings.  Amen.

Little man in a tree

Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Zacchaeus was a traitor.  In the occupied nation of Israel, he chose to work for the enemy, the occupying force, exacting taxes from his countrymen.  The people hated tax collectors like him, and from his testimony, he was hardly upright even in siding with the Romans.  He ripped people off.

When Jesus came to his neighborhood, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to get a view of the prophet as he passed.  He did not call out to Jesus, but Jesus called out to him, singling him out for a home visit (yes, Dr. Jesus makes house calls).  We don’t have the conversation recorded between them but if one questions the art and need for compassionate, confidential confrontation and counsel (hey look, 4 C’s) in ministry just know Jesus did it regularly.

As a result, Zacchaeus emerged from it promising to repay anything he had stolen times four (that would be good interest on one’s money) and to give half of his possessions to the poor.  He became thumbs up to the rich young ruler’s thumbs down (see Luke 18:18ff) regarding surrendering his goods to follow Jesus. 

Those looking on scoffed at the idea of Jesus visiting the short man, calling him a “sinner” due to his occupation and practice.  They were right.  Yet, Jesus’ statement that salvation had come to his house (a pun really because Jesus’ name means “Salvation”) and that he too was a son of Abraham advances a proposition that no one, NO ONE is excluded or shunned from saving grace.  His statement that He came to save the lost goes perfectly with his initiating street-to-tree contact with Zacchaeus from the outset.  It was intentional and absolutely consistent with His purpose.

Who do I exclude, calling names and placing him or her outside grace?  I’m dead wrong when I do that, because Jesus calls such a person out of their perch and into love.  What group does culture or political tribe say is untouchable by grace?  Dead wrong again, that group is the target and early recipients of grace.

How can we (and I) change from an individual who came into Christ as a beggar for mercy turn into a judge and/or soldier keeping people out of our bunker and inner circle?  We have no basis for exclusive pride, but only thanksgiving, because:

Romans 5:8 … God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

There are neither gradients nor varieties of sin in that verse because without Christ, we are Zacchaeus up in a tree.

Leaving scorn behind

Acts 17:9-10 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.  This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

There are those who make the decision to become a rock in your shoe.  Often, they are searching for prominence and affirmation that has been lacking, so they go on the attack.  Other times, they cannot assume the humility that is required to walk with Jesus, aligning it with human shame, which is a very bad mistake.

The one being led of the Lord in life becomes subject to their scorn and the life-giving message is cast as foolishness or worse.

Paul’s response was to simply leave and go somewhere else.

He spoke for two years in the lecture hall of Tyrannus!  Given his pedigree of scholarship and academic theological acumen – the guy loved to teach – that would be the equivalent of graduate study at a seminary, the absolute finest training one could receive.  Students can spend multiple semesters studying just one of his letters.  Those in Ephesus received the letter itself, spelled out and expounded upon by the author himself.

And his audience was not a contentious group of aspiring graduate students, it was the common Greek folk of Ephesus.  They would bear great fruit for Jesus and become arguably the strongest church outside of Jerusalem.  Yet they would also need to have their love restored later (see Revelation 2:1-7).

There is no need to put up with abuse. That extends way beyond preaching and teaching the Word, but it is particularly true when the discipleship of God’s people is going on, and I would argue discipleship happens in all kinds of places and circumstances.

Also, the fruit borne by giving one’s gifts with abandon far exceeds the investment of time and energy.  When there is an open door, if one is measured in giving, the church is cheated out of part of its inheritance, for Jesus did not give a toe or finger for the church, he gave his life’s blood and entire body surrendered on the cross.  That bought my salvation; may it inspire my giving all.

Lies, treachery and faithfulness

Mark 15:32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.

The insolence of unbelief is striking.

For sure, even those who had walked with Jesus for the past three years were shocked and bewildered by the turn of events.  Though he had spoken repeatedly about his upcoming death, they had either completely misunderstood him or filed that away as an event in the distant future.  But here it was and they were devastated and horribly disappointed.

But this statement was spoken by those advocating his death, those whose religiously and economically oppressive system was threatened by God’s Son.  And they, in their moment of triumph where they had proven Jesus was just like any man in his suffering and mortality, gave conditions for their faith in Jesus.  To this day obstinate humankind gives its terms for a truce with God.  By no means is surrender a part of their program – it’s just letting God be their vassal, personal benefactor.  A powerful slave, a genie.

Jesus in fact did come down from the cross, first as a corpse to rise again in three days.  And to be sure some of those who killed him did come to faith in Messiah – in the way provided by God.  They laid down their conditions and received forgiveness for their hubris.

But – and for sure to this day – the rest went home satisfied that there was no reason for calling this man special, for reverencing him or listening to what he had to say.  To this day, they dismiss claims about his resurrection as a fanciful continuation of a string of lies and give no mind to the survival of the faith he authored and sustains and grows before their eyes.

For those scoffers, they will see Jesus who came down from the cross, and they will believe.  It is hardly the judgment of small-minded (and like them, cruel) humans they will fall under.  Let all believers lay aside their petty stories how it will end for it is written that every knee will bow and every tongue confess to his Lordship.

Rather, let me make sure I am not positing conditions for my belief.  For though I am God’s child, I can be as spoiled a brat as any human, foolishly insisting God be my circus dog jumping through my fiery hoops.  I would never SAY it like that, but I certainly would pose my conditions as if I had chips to bargain with.  I have none.

I have needs and I have One who will meet those needs.  I praise Him for His faithfulness.  But my Father has no interesting in letting me escape discipline crafted to mold me into the image of His Son.  Whenever I face that, let me not bargain but learn.  Let me not claw for dignity or stature or standing, for all that lies eternally in Jesus.  For he HAS come down from the cross.  He HAS risen for me and those who love him.  He HAS called me as son, husband and father and now, grandfather.  Instead of giving conditions, let me rejoice in his delightful condition of faith and embrace all he has done and all he is doing.

Great is Thy Faithfulness O God my Father.

One act of righteousness

Romans 3:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

It was only one piece of fruit.  One time.  “How bad could that be?” asks all of humanity.  Well, it was an act of rebellion that led to the condemnation of all men.  If I would deny God a central attribute of holiness, I would certainly insist on the primacy of my own ethics, rules and perspectives.  If God does not conform to my compromises and indulge my pleasurable tastes, however they progress and escalate, then I want nothing to do with that God.  For it is not only one piece of fruit.  It is an endless orgy of fruit, and one that I delight in discovering, uncovering and feasting on, my mouth dripping with juice.

Why does this condemn?  Isn’t fruit good?  If I entertain there is a Creator, wasn’t it then created for my enjoyment?  What kind of spoil-sport God would show me a tree and its fruit then deny its consumption?

The kind of God whose limits and boundaries are for my good, not my harm.  The kind of God who desires my trust through obedience.

It is a chief fault of mine if I fail to see the reason in this verse.  I made choices.  They were NOT good, no matter how I revel in them and point to other factors in making them.  And Holy God does not endorse rebellion or rebels like me.  I have separated myself deliberately, even exuberantly.  God finds me hiding behind a tree in the garden and I decide to miss out on the most pleasurable walk in the company of One so intimate and loving.  I leave behind the most precious time I have ever known and could ever know, in the cool of the day with God.  Oh, what I’ve traded for my indulgence!

It was only one man, perhaps erroneously killed by oppressive authorities who were jealous of his persuasion over the people.  That injustice was scarcely unique, and is not unique to this day.  Yet the dying man had said prior that his death was voluntary, that there is no greater love than someone who dies for his friends.  He called himself the Good Shepherd and his sheep were people.  He taught denial and lived it and died it.  His proposition was that in giving up his life he was purchasing mine.  And even in that, granting me the volition to say yes or no to him.

That “one act of righteousness” speaks through time.  Hallelujah!  God did not leave me this way.  Blood drips from the veins of the crucified One, not any man but the dying Messiah.  The pleasure fruit and its effects die with him, along with the shame that I bore and curse I swore.

My rebellion is justified, paid for and I am reconciled to take that walk through the garden in the cool of the day again.  My obedience doesn’t come at once, salvation is progressive and my depravity deep and pervasive.  Yet his cleansing deeper still.

My life is his; there is no one else.