Saints in a Secular World: Archive Posts| Parental Refreshing | | Posted by Michael on Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 12:14am | Every now and then there are special moments experienced in life. These can cover any number of areas, but I’m particularly sensitive to those having to do with faith and family. Recently, the two combined for me in a simple but special, wonderful experience. It made me reflect on something I had witnessed before.
Some six years ago I attended a worship service where I witnessed an older pastor of this church sitting with his family. I watched the family – parents, children, and grandchildren – sit together and enjoy the worship experience. Watching these adult children enjoying the worship experience along with the patriarch of the family presented a warming scene.
I once heard an interview concerning the Cosby Show. Mr. Cosby was defending the reality of the Huxtable family’s life as depicted in the sitcom. It seems that some critics considered this a “far stretch” – especially for African American families. Yet, there I was at that worship service witnessing an African American family genuinely enjoying an in-tact, tight-knit relationship guided by the principles of Christ. I doubt if they had “Huxtable” money, but what they had was worth much more.
My recent special moment was simple but memorable. I was invited to speak at a faith conference some 5 hours away. Upon hearing of the event, my two sons were more than ready to accompany me. One drove us there, and the other drove us back. Both were my constant companions throughout the entire trip – making sure I had what I needed, that I was professionally treated, and that I was well-supported. No father can be more proud of his sons than am I of mine!
I think it worth reminding us that Christian principles for family are not pie-in-the-sky teachings. If we are patient with our children and consistent in our admonishing and nurturing, we can expect to enjoy the gracious reward of our parental diligence. This recent experience is but one of many that God has graciously granted our family, and I know that He has sent these times of refreshing to many more. Parents – never allow the difficulty of the mundane to strip you of the future experience of the extraordinary.
As for me…the rental car was about $160. The hotel rooms were about $125. The high cost of gas was about $110. The meals were about $80. But the time spent with my boys-who-have-grown-into-Christian-men…absolutely priceless!
 Christian Living
| | | | | Cornbread, Earl, and "Me" | | Posted by Michael on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 8:48am | One would have had to be hiding under a rock not to have heard of the furor over Trayvon Martin’s death. The lines are being strongly formed on either side of the issue, and it is nearly impossible to avoid choosing a side.
When first hearing of this case, I thought of the 1975 movie, "Cornbread, Earl, and Me." It was a movie depicting classic racial bias in the death of an innocent Black youth. It moved me to think of my own experiences. As a Black man, I shudder at the thought of being profiled by anyone. I’ve lived long enough to remember being followed around the five and dime store while innocently looking for something to buy. I’ve been pulled over for DWB (Driving While Black). I’ve had to deal with racial slurs. I’ve experienced and witnessed several instances of racial bias that have given me a heightened awareness of this throughout my professional career – and my experiences pale in comparison with those of so many others.
I recently drove down a neighborhood street and passed by a group of young Black males. They looked to be between the ages of 13 and 15. It’s spring break, and the group was walking down the street tossing a football around. I had immediate fears of the trouble they might be heading toward. Recent home invasions heightened those fears. It didn’t help that my week for community watch is coming around soon, and we’ve been asked to be more sensitive to anything looking suspicious. I soon personally sensed the other side of the Martin tragedy.
It seems that our perspective on this case can change depending on what glasses we are wearing at a given moment. We don’t want to be the victims of injustice – no matter the perspective. No one can easily step back from this horrible tragedy, and finding objectivity is proving to be nearly impossible. I really think we are going to need some “Jesus 101” here. I think we are going to have to have a strong mixture of agape-justice that forces us to turn over every stone to ensure all the pertinent evidence is revealed and due process takes place. We have to make sure that extraneous things don’t cloud the fact that a young life is tragically lost…and several others – including Zimmerman’s – will be permanently altered. This is a time for fervent prayer for all involved…and for communities near and far.
Seek Justice, Peace, and Healing!
Doc B.
Miscellaneous | | | | | Battle of the Sexes? | | Posted by Michael on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 10:56am | My recent personal Bible studies and group studies with the congregation I serve have unearthed some very interesting discussion. These center on the relationship of men and women in general and Christian men and women in particular. Interestingly enough, this topic has been at the forefront of my studies for the past 6 years. It continues to be a challenging but fruitful endeavor.
I find it remarkable that our understanding of male and female relationships is so indelibly tied to our theology. Though most are not cognizant of it, our thoughts on gender issue reveal how we understand ourselves as God’s human creation. We often “do theology” without thinking theologically…and it tends to confuse things.
How we treat one another and how we expect to be treated by one another is birthed from our understanding of how God made us. Whether the issue is racial, cultural, or gender conflict, this fact remains true. Conflicts in marriage, couples dealing with pre-marital skirmishes, gender debates in churches, and even battles between the sexes on the job all connect to the common thread of what we think God had in mind when He took some dirt and formed Adam…and then took from the formed dirt to form Eve. Here is a theological framework that I think can give us a better way forward.
Most believers would accept that God is Trinity. Another way of referring to this is the term, “Godhead.” In the Godhead there is unity, equality, and diversity. The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit – yet God is one. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit operate in different roles – yet God is one. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit share relational peace – because though diverse - God is one. Humanity was created out of this divine unity, equality, and diversity to be one. Sadly, sin works against God’s creational intent and has us fighting for our individuality and self-affirmation…sometimes at any cost. Thankfully, in the church, God is working in us…reeducating us, and transforming us to function in oneness despite our diversity of gender, race, culture, and even roles in the church and the home (Galatians 3:26-28).
So as we deal with one another as husband and wife, as pre-marital couples, as male and female church members, and even as male and female coworkers, lets allow this understanding of our creator be the arbiter in our fallen-nature disputes. We don’t have to be “the same” in order to be equal. Our roles don’t have to be “the same” in order to be equal. We don’t have to have “the same” abilities in order to be equal. All of this means that we can have relational peace…because we are diverse…yet equal. This can help our understanding of the biblical narrative concerning God’s instruction for the functioning of husbands and wives, non-married Christian men and women, and of genders in the local church. It can help in making the church a beacon of light to a dived world in search of relational peace.
Just a Thought!
Doc B.
Practical Theology | | | | | It's About Life | | Posted by Michael on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 6:43am | I walked into the office today to meet some shocking news. A teammate that sat across the hall from me died of a massive heart attack yesterday. I remembered that I hadn’t seen him at work yesterday, but I’d not thought too much about his absence. People normally take off from time to time. The man looked quite healthy, and I never had any indication that he would be at risk for anything health wise. Nonetheless, he is gone from this life, and I just had to take a moment to pray for his family.
This is just another reminder to me of the preciousness of life and the need to be prepared for the next life. It is so easy to get caught up into the things of life that we forget about…well…life! Taking advantage of moments to cherish family and friends, developing and following a sensible diet, keeping our bodies moving with regular exercise, taking regular vacations…even those of the 15-minute variety, and of top priority…getting and remaining in communion with our Lord all constitute life. Unfortunately, life often gets crowded out by the things of life.
I hope that you are being mindful of life. I hope that you are not allowing the things of life to choke out that which is most important. Jesus’ words to Martha are really worthy of our constant reflection (Luke 10:38-41). We cannot live by “serving life.” We can only live by serving the Lord.
Christian Living | | | | | Making Investments | | Posted by Michael on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 6:23am | We continue to witness and experience the difficulties of America’s economic woes. If you are fortunate enough to have a 401k, or some other savings plan, you may be hesitant to look at your quarterly statement. However, even in the worst of times, it’s still worthwhile to invest in your financial future. This is because much is at stake. The same can be said for our investment in the lives of others.
My late Father was a man of great wisdom. Like many of his ilk, he was very careful with money. He and my Mother provided our family with an environment of love sadly missing in many contemporary homes. My siblings and I enjoy a rich heritage from our parents – one that is measured in ways that money cannot buy. I thank God for the investment our parents made in us.
My late wife and I were blessed with three tremendous children. God blessed us with a fourth one in the person of our daughter-in-law. We reared our children with the same objectives as those of our parents…seeking to invest all that we could in their lives. We both lived to see this investment earn remarkable dividends.
Incredibly I have reached into my 37th year of ministry. Throughout these years I’ve sought to make investments into the lives of those I’ve served. Not each investment has been good, and a few have been clear losses. Still, the overwhelming majority of these investments have been wonderfully profitable.
As we are still early into 2012, I encourage you to think of the investments you are making in the lives of others. Be it your spouse, your children, your extended family, your fictive kin, your church members, or even your co-workers, these investments can be most rewarding. Yes, there are times when the “market will be down” and you will lose some sleep and even some patience, but in the long run, most of these investments will pay off. Perhaps this is a slight twist on the parable of the talents. I don’t know how many the Lord has placed into your care, but making proper investment into that number is good use of your time, your efforts, and His gifts!
Christian Living | | | |
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