Three Little Words...

"Climate change is real." "It's a hoax."

"Eating meat is unethical." "People were meant to eat meat."

"Gays are going to hell." "Gays were born that way."

"This recession is caused by (fill in the blank)." "No, it's not, it's cause by (-----)."

I think if we all occasionally used three little words we could end so much fighting. These words could stop the battle over gay marriage dead in its tracks. They could end the debate over creationism vs. evolution. And whether there's a hell (and who's going there). They could go far to patch up some big world issues, too.Who knows, maybe they could end wars! So, have you guessed yet? These three little words are...

I don't know.

See, by claiming to know everything about everything (which implies that people who disagree know nothing about anything) we make enemies. We build walls between "right" and "wrong." We push more and more of our friends to the other sides of those walls until we're alone in our tiny fortresses. Issues become more important than people. And we're unable to use those other three little words:

I love you.

When we do use those words, there are strings attached, and it's more like "I love you when you agree with me."

It's okay to say you don't know everything about everything. It might be hard at first, though, because you'll have to put your pride aside. You might occasionally even have to use three more little words. "I was wrong."

I'm not talking about actual decision making here. We have to learn as much as we can, so we can vote intelligently act ethically. I'm talking about endless debates and arguments, the kind you see on the internet that often end up with participants hurling insults in both directions. I'm talking about political rhetoric that ends up driving people farther to opposite side of issues until meeting in the middle is impossible.

Inability to use these words soon degenerates into pride. Sadly, pride doesn't solve problems.

If admitting you're not perfect seems hard, it gets easier. In my belief system, I have a fallback position; sort of a cushion under my tightrope, and saying "I don't know" isn't hard. I believe God knows. It's in his hands anyway, and I can sleep at night knowing I don't have to solve the world's problems.

Peace, Love, Serenity

I Gave Up Chocolate. So what?

In my church, people give something up for lent (chocolate, coffee, french fries) or do something we wouldn't ordinarily do, such as helping at a local soup kitchen. I gave up chocolate and I'm involving myself in extra activities at church.

But why chocolate? I'm not hungry, as I would be if I went on a "real" fast. I'm not really suffering. (I'm not. I'm not!) And I'm not doing a whole lot of good. I'm not even helping the Girl Scouts out by buying their Samoas and Thin Mints. (Curse their bad timing! Or is this intentional temptation?) I do put a little extra money, the cost of a month's worth of chocolate, in the tithe. That's something, right?

Christians aren't commanded to fast, though the Bible says it's good to do. Jesus' own disciples didn't fast (Luke 5:33) but the book of Acts mentions disciples fasting.

The point of fasting should not be for any worldly gain for myself, so when I "brag" about going a month without chocolate, I'm probably detracting from the intended point of the exercise. I'm not getting any brownie points there. (Mmm... brownies...)

I can't help but dwell on the fact that, compared to this puny act, Jesus' sacrifice was HUUUGE. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 And I'm gently nudged to do a little more... and a little more... to help my own fellow humans.

The reason to fast is to devote time to prayer. So whenever I think about going for a chocolate bar, or a bowl of ice cream, I stop and pray. And I think about chocolate a lot. so... This month I'm praying a lot.

Peace, love, choco... I mean prayer.

Perfect Like God

Today is "Leap Day." Every four years we add a day to our calendar. Why? Because the calendar can't quite be coordinated with the astronomical year. It takes 365.24219 days for the earth to get around the sun. So... since we can't have a quarter-day, we're forced to add a day ever four years. A lunar year is different yet, about 357.37 days, which is why the moon cycle doesn't last a month.

So, if God is perfect, why did he make such an imperfect year? He could have made it 364 days long: divisible by four. There. Nice and neat.

But he didn't. Hey, I don't have to understand it. I just have live my life.

And not only that, but He made people with different colored skin, and people who believe different things, and people who dress differently... and He told us all to love one another.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

That's not so complicated, is it?

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Peace, Love, Perfection

God Wants You

Yet even now, says the Lord,

Return to me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

Rend your hearts and not your clothing.

Return to the Lord, your God,

for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,

and relents from punishing.

Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,

and leave a blessing behind him,

a grain-offering and a drink-offering

for the Lord, your God?

Joel 2:12-14

What I’d like to say to the people of Westboro Baptist Church:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43...

But they wouldn't listen anyway. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8

God is love.

God IS love.

God is LOVE!

Peace, Love, Coexist

My Head Hurts

Recently, in trying to research what I believe (that sounds a bit absurd already) I've had all these new terms thrown at me... Emerging Christians (or is it emergent?) neo-charismatic, radical center (I kind of like that one), substitutionary atonement... My head is spinning.

While I really admire theologians for all their hard brain-work, I'm not a theologian; I'm a pretty simple-minded human. Sometimes I just want to curl up under the sheets and forget about it all.

Meanwhile, I'll just do the best I can: love God and love my neighbor, as the Bible says to do. (Luke 10:27) Some days that's all I can do.

Am I wrong? Will I go to hell if I don't understand the nature of the Trinity? I don't think so. I don't think God expects us to fully understand Him. After all, He's bigger than we are.

Peace, Love, Hope

Q. Does God answer Tebow's Prayers?

A. Yes. He says, "I'm not that much of a football fan. I'm into baseball. Go Angels!"

If you don't know who Tim Tebow is, you're probably not a football fan. (I'm not, so I had to look him up.) He's a football player who's known for praying on one knee before and during football games, and for pointing up at "God" when things go well on the field.

I'm indifferent to over-the-top grandstanding. It might attract positive attention to God, but it will more likely attract negative attention. Here's why: Tebow prays. Tebow wins games. Christians attribute his wins to his prayer, not to his natural abilities, (not to mention the abilities of the other people on the team!) When the team wins, God wins! Yay! When the team loses (as they did last night...)

Was God watching another game?

Was He mad at Tebow?

Does He even EXIST?

Or... maybe God doesn't work that way at all. Prayer is great, and I'm all for it, but this kind of "Look at me, I'm praying" is dangerous, especially when mixed with frenzied fans. No one questions a player wearing lucky socks if he or she loses, but if a Christian loses, that's fodder for those who are looking for us to fall.

The moral: Tebow; keep praying, and keep practicing. God wants you to have faith in Him. He just might not care if you win the game.

Peace, Love, Touchdown!