R-E-S-P-ECT

Romans 13
13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. ² So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. ³ For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. ⁴ The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. ⁵ So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.⁶ Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

When George W. Bush was in office right wingers liked to pull our Romans 13:13 as a way to tell dissenters to shut-up. Now that a Democrat is in office, they've conveniently forgotten about the verse.

Call me an old fashioned "law-and-order" type, but I think that Rom 13:3-5 says a lot to people on the right wing fringe. There are the Libertarians who want their drugs and the Militia/White Supremacy/2nd Amendment types who cut off any discussion of reasonable and responsible gun regulation with the insistence that the founders "knew we'd need out guns to protect us from government tyranny!"

Look, do you believe the words of Abraham Lincoln or not? If government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people," then you also need to believe the words of a comic strip opossum from the 1950's, Walk Kelly's Pogo who said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us!"

Government in the United States is a tool, that's all. Not a boogie-man. It derives it's just powers from the consent of the governed (that's us). And if you don't like it or disagree with it, if you feel it has become destructive of your life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." 

But guess what- we're blessed enough that we don't do that by armed insurrection, we do it at the ballot box, in the media, and by becoming politically active and involved in our communities.

The word "citizen" means someone who participates in government. Civility is respect, no matter how much you distrust or dislike them, is entitled to the same dignity and respect that you expect to be granted. That's called the Golden Rule, do unto others (Luke 6:31).

My contention is that when governors and politicians show disrespect for public workers and union members, police officers, fire and rescue workers, government employees and public school teachers- they are disrespecting all of us. And in a democracy, we the people, not only our elected officials, are the authorities.

Sure, this may be a confusing analogy, but my point it, we must put EVERYONE's best interests ahead of those of party, PAC, and political career. Granted, in this day and age doing so may take courage, but- say, isn't there a book about that? Profiles in Courage. Hmmmm. Seems I remember John McCain talking once about how much he was influenced by John Kennedy's famous book.

I think it may be about time that the likes of Paul Ryan and Scott Walker started reading Profiles in Courage instead of Ayn Rand. Come to think of it, they might want to read some other books too, like Romans, Luke, Matthew...

Tempted by life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

I'm a total geek when it comes to both religion and civics. So last night, I'm teaching at Vacation Bible School on Matthew 4:1-11, when Satan tempts Jesus in the desert and it hits me. Christ was tempted in every way we are- with the very inalienable rights that Jefferson claimed that He (God, therefore Jesus) endowed us with.

Stay with me.

So Jefferson derived his "Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness" from the writings of royal pediatrician and British natural rights philosopher, John Locke. Part of what Lock believed made us all the same and therefore all "created equal," were what he called natural rights. He believed that he had observed that everyone is driven toward certain things, life, liberty, and property.

Locke isn't the only great thinker to think this. Thomas Hobbes believed that we're all in a constant state of conflict and competition for power and resources. Theologians might call that our state of original sin.

Sigmund Freud felt that we are all driven by the basic survival urges of pleasure and pain, or sex and death.

Abraham Maslow had his hierarchy of needs, including everything from food, clothing, and shelter (the teen equivalent of life, liberty,and property) all the way up to self-actualization.

I try to help eighth grade Civics students understand their common need for civility, reasonable classroom behavior, and Locke & Jefferson's rational of natural rights by discussing psychologist William Glasser's theory that we're all driven by five basic and genetically-driven needs; survival, love, competence, autonomy, and learning.

Before you start thinking I'm on a hopeless tangent, let me bring you back to Matthew 4 in the desert.

After Jesus is baptized by His cousin John in the Jordan, the Bible says that the Spirit led Him into the desert where He fasted for 40 days and then was tempted by the Devil.

First, Satan challenged Him to turn stones into bread... Jesus had a right to LIFE after all. Jesus let Satan know that God's Word, nourishment for the soul is more important than mere food for the body (Deut. 8:3).

Second, Satan led Jesus up to the highest part of the temple and told Him to jump off- why not, God promised that you won't get hurt... take advantage of your LIBERTY. Jesus pointed out in resisting this temptation, that just because God promises to protect us doesn't mean we should push our luck (so to speak, see also Deut. 6:16 & Exodus 17:7).

Finally, Satan offers Jesus the world. Literally. All the power, wealth, and fame He could want (PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS/PROPERTY), if He's just forsake God the Father and bow down to Satan, acknowledge who really ran the show. To which Jesus cited Deuteronomy 6:13 "You shall Fear the Lord your God, serve him only..."

So you see, Jesus knows what we need and He knows what it's like to not only need these things, but to desire more of them than we need. Hoarding any of these things, that is ruthlessly pursuing our own "rights" at the expense of detriment of others- that is selfishness, that is greed, that is sin, THAT is tyranny!

All you need is love

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.”These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. 

~Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)

So if you won't take Jesus Word for it (Mark 12:30-31), will you at least listen to St. Paul?
(No, I don't mean "Sir Paul," although he sang it pretty well too.)


My point is, fearing, judging, denying rights, taking advantage of, isolating, marginalizing, arming ones self to the teeth, neglecting, disparaging, lying about, defaming, mis-characterizing, thinking your superior to... doing all of these things to your neighbor are not the same as loving them.

...workers need to be paid

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Romans 13:6 (NLT)So the Tea Party is pretty much anti-God? Obviously Scott Walker and Grover Norquist don't read their Bibles.

Liberal Values

Liberal values ARE Biblical values. See if you can't spot these values in the following passage of Scripture: Empathy, Community, Compassion, Responsibility, Peace, Love, Humility, Integrity, Equality, Dignity, Respect.

What's missing? War, Revenge, Privilege, Apathy, Indifference, Fear, Anger, Indignation, Selfishness, Bigotry (both latent and overt).

Romans 12:14-21New International Version (NIV)14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited. 

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 

19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Get Fruity!

When you think about it, these are like Jesus' character traits. Why wouldn't anyone want to be more like Him? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you develop these in your own character and life.

Source: Uploaded by user via Ted on Pinterest

Relativism vs. Absolutism

Conservatives are always railing on what they think is the greatest evil of our time, relativism.

Ya know what? They may be on to something, because I believe that there are at least a few real absolutes in this world; God's grace, God's mercy, God's kindness, God's patience, God's forgiveness, and most absolute of all, God's unconditional and undeserved love.

Thank God for how absolutely amazing these are. And may God use us to share them with others. Amen?

Anger Management

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. ~Ephesians 4:26-27

A lot of people have used part of this verse as marital advice and rightly so. Couples that make a point of resolving their arguments avoid building up resentment and building up walls between each other.


But this verse is important to so many more people for so many more reasons.


Anger is Normal


Anger is not necessarily a bad thing, unless we get carried away with it or try to quench it in unhealthy ways. Jesus got angry with the money changers who had changed His Father's house into a den of robbers. 


God the Father was angry throughout much of the Old Testament. Some people mistakenly think this is a bad thing or that He's somehow a different god than the New Testament God until you look closely and see what He got angry about; injustice, idolatry, cruelty, self-indulgent hedonism with wanton disregard for other human beings, rape, human sacrifice to false deities, etc. etc. 

"But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." ~Romans 2:7-9

Anger is just a feeling. God has emotions just like we do.


God is jealous and wants us not only to love Him, but to love others as ourselves. He created us for relationships and community, interdependence. He has every right to be angry or indignant when we deny, defile, and disparage Him, His creation, and those He created in His own image (everyone).


Psalm 103 promises that "He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his angerforever;" and that " The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."

Bad Examples


People often site the Apostle Peter as an example of a Christian who struggled with anger issues. This should not be used as an excuse to let ourselves get carried away with anger. I'm sure Peter would tell us he wished he didn't get so angry so quickly so often. Call it impulsiveness, zeal, passion, or over-enthusiasm, he could be like a charging bull until Jesus rebuked him.


Peter's not the only example of Biblical figures with anger issues. Moses struck the rock in anger and frustration without giving God credit for His miraculous provision of water in the desert for the Israelites. 


Paul's thorn in the flesh may well have been guilt over how as Saul (before his conversion), he so zealously pursued not just persecution of the early church, but virtual genocide. One might call what motivated him indignation, "defending" his Jewish/Pharisee faith from the infidels, or you could call it anger & hatred, religious bigotry.


Anger is often a reaction to hurt or fear


Think of an animal backed into a corner. Ever seen a cat or an opossum hiss? Generally it's because they feel threatened. Bears, honey badgers, rattle snakes? Same thing.


I contend that most people who claim to be Atheists aren't. If someone genuinely doesn't believe in God, then they may be incredulous of believers, but mostly they're indifferent about religion. 


Most people I've know who claim to be atheists are seething with anger. Sometimes they have a right to be angry with human institutions like churches or religious or political movements, or perhaps with their parents or some pastor or other religious figure who were hypocrites.


But sometimes I think that they're wounded or disappointed and blame God for not doing things differently. 


Be Proactive, not Reactionary


Legendary UCLA Basketball coach John Wooden told his players that emotions could be their enemy during a game. He wanted them to be prepared for anything, to be so well practiced, that their reactions would be automatic. Getting too caught up in emotional responses to situations could impair their judgement.


When we allow our anger to determine our behaviors rather than Godly principles like love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, etc. we are prone to get ourselves into trouble- not to mention do a lot of damage. 


Think about when you most often succumb to temptation- or for that matter, go looking for it. Often it is when you're angry. 


When do people resort to violence? Use profanity? Make over-generalizations? Use racial slurs? Indulge in pornography? Over eat? Abuse drugs or alcohol? Impulse buy?Take advantage of other people? Become most highly competitive? Commit adultery? Cheat? Vandalize? Steal? Slander people? Start rumors? Conspire against someone? Over react? Demand our own way?


Yep. When we're angry. At least I know that's when I'm most likely to sin or make bad choices. I bet if you think about it, this may be true for you as well.

We use anger to justify putting our own interests ahead of other people's rights, needs, and desires.


Oh, you might say that people do those things when they're sad or lonely or hurting or depressed or feeling sorry for themselves and you might be right, but what is depression? Isn't it self-hatred? Someone once called it anger-turned-inward.


When you get down to it, anger is often about feeling resentful that you aren't getting your way. Bottom line, it's often triggered by selfishness. Wanting control. Lucifer wanted that. Adam & Eve wanted that. Cain wanted that. Anger and pride go hand in hand. Anger can lead to idolatry.


Ironically, Coach Wooden would tell you, giving in to anger takes away the very control that it seeks. Anger can make you reckless.


You can't dig your way out of a hole


As soon as you try to feed your anger with sin instead of seeking God's help, you are "giving the devil a foothold." Often we give our spiritual enemies leverage to use against us by giving in to our anger and pursuing it rather than surrendering it or finding ways to dilute or dissipate it. 


If some one budges in front of me in line, will shoving them back make things better or just escalate the problem? Two wrongs don't make a right, right. If one partner is unfaithful, does it really solve anything for the other partner to "get even" by cheating too? 

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate:only love can do that." ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Strategy for Chilling-Out


Anger management is not just a new Charlie Sheen sitcom. It is slowing down and thinking things through. One trick is to count down from one hundred backwards, another is rhythmic breathing, and a great one is just taking a deep yoga cleansing breath.


There's an old trick that recovering addicts have found that sometimes helps them. When they most have an urge to give in to their old addiction- they tell themselves to HALT. 


They ask themselves, what could be causing these feelings? Is it hunger? Low blood-sugar makes people cranky, even irrational. Just like anger. Grab a snack to help you feel better. Just like those Snickers commercials.


Are you genuinely angry? Is there a good reason for you to be so angry? Are you justified in your anger? If so, wouldn't it be better to be rational, deliberate, and strategic about how you deal with the issue? Think it through, talk to wise people you trust for advice, and especially pray about it.


Lonely? Seek fellowship with those who will bring you back to joy rather than anger, with those who will encourage you and build you up- not contribute to the negativity or indulge your self-pity. If nothing else just get out and be with people rather than sitting and stewing. So what if they're shallow acquaintances rather than anyone you have some deep intimacy with. Social interaction is vital. So what if they're platonic friends and not some romantic ideal? The key is being with people. And remember that you're never truly along because God is always available. Always, always pray- no matter how angry you think you are. God has a way of calming you down.


Tired? Yeah, guess what, just like hunger, fatigue and sleep-deprivation also make us really irritable. Crankiness looks a lot like anger. Get some rest. As a matter of fact, while it may not be good to "let the sun go down on your anger," it may be better to let the dust settle and sleep on it for a while and look at things from a fresh perspective in the morning.


The best thing about the HALT trick is that it reminds you to be responsible for your behavior- rather than letting it be controlled by your feelings or your physiology.


'Let go and let God'


Why is it so important not to let yourself get carried away with anger? Not only does He tell us not to take revenge (Romans 12:19), but "human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." ~James 1:19-21

Too often many Christians allow themselves to be motivated by fear and anger. We thinks somehow that we have to "defend the faith." I for one would much rather have God defending me. God doesn't need you to fight His battles for Him, but we would do well to let Him fight our battles for us.




PRAYER


Dear God,
Shape my being into earnest kindness,
A reflection of Your perfection.
Grant me the grace of self-control,
That I may not display any anger.
Should I have such an outburst,
Instantly remind me to seek redress,
For such is offensive to You.
In Jesus' name,

Amen

Prayer from  http://www.catholic.org/prayers

Breathe in me, Breath of Heaven

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine

Love by Serving

"Go my children, fed and nourished, Closer to Me;
Grow I love and love by serving, Joyful and free. Here My Spirit's power filled you; Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go my children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free."
~Luth. Service Book #922

Confirmation, Welcome to the Grown-Ups' Table

I remember my confirmation. Maybe I was too into King Aurthur, or the Chronicles of Narnia, but it is such a solemn right that I couldn't help imagining that confirmands were receiving a special anointing, like knighthood, we were being commissioned as members of God's kingdom into His service.

It is been hard to hear kids gripe about the requirements of confirmation class. When my wife and I were youth counselors and when I taught high school Bible study class it was discouraging when kids didn't attend or didn't want to participate in youth group.

There's a line in our denomination's confirmation liturgy that always gives me shivers; "Dear Baptized in Christ,. P: Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confes- sion and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?" This is a BIG commitment, as big or bigger than marriage. I wonder how seriously most 12-14 year olds (and their parents) take it?

These first few comments sound full of law, demanding, maybe even judgmental or condescending. I don't mean to be. After all, "see what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!" 1 John 3:1

Jesus loved you enough to die for you. What an amazing thing it is to publicly declare that you're grateful for that and that you want to continue to be connected and engaged with Him in an active relationship! And that you want to begin taking on grown-up responsibility as a participating member of His family via your congregation/fellowship!

My hope and prayer for all the kids around the country getting confirmed this time of year, including my nephew (and next year my daughter) will see this as a launching point, the starting line for the great race that Paul talks about in Philippians, not merely as just another rite of passage.

"What is confirmation? Confirmation is the rite by which a baptized person renews his baptismal vow, publicly confesses his faith, and is received into communicant membership by the congregation." (from 1943 LCMS Catechism)

"What is confirmation? Confirmation is a public rite of the church preceded by a period of instruction designed to help baptized Christians identify with the life and mission of the Christian community. Note: Prior to admission to the Lord's Supper, it is necessary to be instructed in the Christian faith (1 Cor. 11:28). The rite of confirmation provides an opportunity for the individual Christian, relying on God's promises given in Holy Baptism, to make a personal public confession of the faith and a lifelong pledge of fidelity to Christ. Matt. 10:32-33 & Rev. 2:10." ( from 1991/2005 LCMS Catechism)

God's blessings on this weekend's confirmands and their families. Remember, this is not "graduation" from Sunday School. May this be only the beginning of a lifelong, committed and always growing relationship with Jesus and lifelong, commitment to active participation in the body of Christ, His church!

May God bless you and keep you as you continue to grow in" faith toward Him and fervent love toward one another," in Jesus name, Amen.

Evening Prayer for the Weary

"Be present, merciful God, and protect us through the hours of the night, so that we who are wearied by the change and chances of life may find our rest in You: through Jesus Christ, our lord. Amen"

~Compline service, page 257 Lutheran Service Book