The Journeyman Blog: By Joseph Thompson
Deep in thought (Photo by J SWING, Pexels)
I’ve heard a lot of absurd and ridiculous statements made in my life, such as the hate-laden rhetoric of President Obama’s ‘former’ pastor, but the following excerpt from an MSNBC article takes the cake. The article posted declared:
Protest leader and Islamic cleric Alim Jamil Yahya said he condemned the “brutal killing” of bin Laden and described the al-Qaida founder’s burial at sea as a desecration of his body. He said that although many Muslims did not agree with bin Laden’s methods, they still revered him as a martyr because he fought for freedom against oppression by “the satanic U.S. hegemony.” [emphasis mine]
Seriously? No, I mean, really, seriously??? 9-11 was an unprovoked, unwarranted attack against over 3000 innocent civilians who had begun the morning kissing their spouses, loved ones, significant others, and kids good bye, completely oblivious to the fact that it was the last time they’d ever get to do that. That was hailed by these moronic imbeciles (yes I feel that strongly about it) as a triumph for ‘good over evil.’
What, in their opinions would have been a more humane death for Bin Laden? A plane crashing into his abode? A bomb blowing up in the basement of his ‘hidden-from-Pakistani-military-home’? And what would have been a fitting burial? A pile of concrete rubble and steel? It’s patently obvious that these hate-mongers will stop at nothing short of an attempt to annihilate Western civilization. Fortunately though, history is filled with precedents of others before them who have tried and failed.
They use Western technology, live in luxurious homes, drive luxurious cars, yatchs, and planes, all designed and built by Western technology, while denying their citizens the same comforts. Yet the West and more specifically, the USA is the great Satan? If that is true, I wonder how badly they must feel about being “in bed” with Satan? Judging from their continued use of Western technology; not very badly! There, I’ve said it and I feel much better. Now it’s your turn.
Making Sense of Nonsense
I make so bold as to declare that pain, trials and tribulations, and disappointment and hurt, are all necessary parts of living a good story! For that matter, they are essential parts of God shaping our lives for His purpose. You see, living through these circumstances forces change in us, especially because humans, by nature are not given to readily accepting and embracing change (especially when it moves us out of our comfort zone) without a “prompting.”
Every branch of the special forces of the US military “forces” change by inducing more pain than any normal person thinks they can endure. At the end of their torturous training, ordinary men become precision weapons, and well oiled machines because of the changes they have had to undergo in order to successfully become whatever special force it is they aspire to become. Those who resist or cannot endure the change, are destined to fail, or doomed to repeat the cycle of training until they embrace and fully accept the change necessary for success.
I find it exceedingly difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that, if you want to become a coast guard rescue swimmer, you must first learn to embrace death by drowning. What? If you think about it carefully though, it really makes sense. In order for you to rescue someone from drowning, while yourself contending with twenty foot high waves in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight, you must first know what it feels like to drown so that you can anticipate and prepare for their reactions. Failing this, you may well find yourself drowning too. So in training, they simulate worst case scenarios so that you can experience drowning before you ever really have to experience drowning. Make sense?
God’s broader purpose for us is to be used by Him to change our world so that it embraces Him. In a sense, this cannot happen until we embrace the changes that He’s orchestrating in us. Often, as God’s changes reshape and alter our perspectives and our world view, He also alters our assignments. Gideon went from being a farmer to being a general. Mary went from peasant girl to mother of Messiah. Paul went from local Rabbi to world evangelist. Joseph went from rejected and scorned kid brother to Prince of Egypt. David went from goat herder to king of Israel, and Peter from fisherman to first church leader. In each one of these cases, the process of change was painful, and was not without its unique trials and tribulations, but the “fruit” of each one of their changes is still being felt in our world today.
The premise of my writing is the fact that, contrary to what we might have been taught to believe, pain and suffering, and trials and tribulation, all form part of the fabric that God uses in shaping and molding our life stories. Before you begin to argue the basis of my theology let me point out a couple of verses in 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 which read, “These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye” (The Message). The CEV translation declares; “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. Things that are seen don’t last forever”
An acute understanding of these verses is essential in order to find a place in life’s seemingly arbitrary puzzle for such pain as, the deformity of a child, the magnitude of an earthquake’s devastation, or even a senseless event such as the 9-11 plane “bomb” disasters. The only way to make sense of such “nonsense” is to see these types of events through the lens of an eternal perspective. When we understand that God is writing a story much larger than just our own, when we can embrace the fact that the intersection of life’s difficulties and God’s larger purpose can often hold confusion and misunderstanding for us in the immediate, only then can we understand that what doesn’t seem to make sense in this season of life will make perfect sense in the next. For that matter, what appears to make no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. Proof: you in the womb.
Every moment of your time in-utero prepared and equipped you for your life here on earth. Your bones solidified, your eyes developed, your umbilical cord transported nutrients into your continually developing frame… why? So that you could remain in the womb? Absolutely, resoundingly, no! Womb time equipped you for earth time. Some of your prenatal features went unused before birth. Your nose, eyes, tongue, toenails, and hair all served no function in the womb. Aren’t you glad you have them now? We often think that certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary, such as suffering, loneliness, disease, holocausts, martyrdom, and even the 9-11 disaster. If we assume that the world exists just for pre-grave happiness, then these atrocities disqualify it from doing so.
But what if this earth is eternity’s womb? Is it potentially possible that these challenges and difficulties serve to prepare and equip us for the world to come? Better yet, what if your current trials and suffering are merely preparation for your next season of life? Imagine what it would be like if you had to go through this life without those features that you developed but didn’t need while you were in the womb, but that are essential to the life you’re living now. Maybe, just maybe, you’re in the womb of your life’s story, being prepared for what the future holds in store for you. Live the adventure! Enjoy your story!!
If, ultimately, the goal of Christianity is to introduce people to Christ by living out the message of the gospel authentically (and indeed it is), then how is that goal accomplished by burning Qurans? In fact, judging from the vociferous reactions from around the globe, if anything, such an act would not only serve to derail the message of the gospel, but it would put many Americans (and Christ-followers) in harms way. For instance, this Saturday (proposed “burning day”), my son’s football team, the USF Bulls will be playing against Florida up in Gainesville. As a result of the antics of the “Quran burning congregation” additional security is required for the stadium and the town. The lives of these kids are unnecessarily endangered, as well as those of the over 90,000 people who will be in attendance simply to watch a college football game. Additionally, General Petreaus has made it abundantly clear that burning Qurans would simply provide unnecessary fodder for the Taliban to engage even more dramatically in harming US troops stationed in Afghanistan. The effects of this singular act would be more far reaching than anyone can imagine.
Amazingly, the pastor of “Quran burning church” has stated that he is simply trying to be obedient to God’s will. I give him the benefit of the doubt! I believe that he is being sincere (yep, go ahead and call me gullible). But I also believe that he is sincerely wrong. I don’t know what his church background is or how he’s been raised, but I do know that the Scriptures make it succinctly clear that neither Islam nor Moslems, nor any other religion for that matter, are the enemy. Jesus died for all people and He made it abundantly clear that the enemy against whom “all people” battle is Satan. The way to win this war is to snatch people who are unwittingly ensnared in the enemies clutches, out of the “enemies” camp and into God’s camp. The only proven way to “snatch” people out of the clutches of the enemy is to try and understand why they are the way they are, and why they think the way they do, all the while loving them unconditionally. That’s the way Jesus did it (remember the woman caught in the act of adultery?), and that’s the way He’s called us to do it.
So, while we’re ranting and raving against this beleaguered pastor, let’s spare a thought and a prayer for him and his family too, recognizing that whatever has made him view God and the Scriptures through the lens that he does, also needs a touch of God’s love, mercy, and grace. Before you begin to attack me for riding the fence on this let me unequivocally state that I’m not a pacifist; I’m simply a Christ-follower learning to live out the love of God that is so desperately needed in our love-starved world. After all, love does cover a multitude of sins, right? And that includes yours and mine too. What are your thoughts about this?
I recently read a book by Garth Stein titled The Art of Racing in the Rain. It’s a narrative from a dogs-eye-point-of-view with the overarching theme being “the car goes where the eyes go.” I’m oversimplifying it of course but it made for a fascinating and intriguing read. I’m not sure what Garth’s worldview is, and if I’m being honest, his afterword would seem to indicate some kind of New Age or eastern mystic philosophy. In case you’re instantly turned off by this I want to clarify that I’m not advocating some kind of Manichean or dualistic worldview, I do however think that Garth’s book is a great read and highly recommend it. But I digress…
I can relate to the idea that the car goes where the eyes go because I’ve literally experienced this truth. I owned a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide, and if you know anything about motorcycles you’ll know that this is a heavy beast of a machine. Even for being a big guy, I sometimes found it difficult to maneuver, that is until I took a riding lesson with the local Police Department. My instructor informed me that if I’m trying to turn the bike in as small an arc as possible, instead of looking at the front wheel or at the ground beside me I needed to concentrate on a point across from me that I wanted the wheel to turn toward. Amazingly it worked! I found that I could maneuver my bike in some of the smallest spaces possible with no fear of toppling over. My bike went where I was looking!!
This theme is applicable to life too. Our attitude largely determines our “altitude.” Now don’t misunderstand me to be propagating some mind over matter mumbo jumbo, as all I’m suggesting is that if we keep our eyes on our circumstances and problems, we’ll find ourselves succumbing to them. However, the Scriptures clearly advocate that God is not surprised by our struggles, and promises that if we keep our focus on Him even when the storms of life loom large and threaten to toss us into the raging seas, He will deliver us. There are ample stories in the Bible that support this truth. Our attitude toward the storms of life will determine whether we stay on course or drift asunder. So, just like in the art of racing, our life goes where our eyes go. What are you looking at?
Here’s what’s happening in our world… (Another open letter to Mr. and Mrs. Christian)
Dear Cousin Christian,
It’s been a while since I last wrote to you regarding the state of our world. At times I feel like throwing my hands up in exasperation and declaring loudly to the world that we’ve failed. Who’s “we” you ask? I’m talking about you and I. Us. We who claim to be Christ’s representatives on earth to a hurting world, that’s who “we” is. Have you looked around lately? No, I mean really looked? No? Well here’s what’s happening in our world even as we purchase our Venti Vanilla/ Carmel Macchiatos. Here’s what’s going on while we revel in our acute global nescience.
Taliban fighters have stormed and taken over the Swat Valley in Pakistan. Their objective: Convert the entire valley to Sharia law whether they like it or not. Their methods: Torture, rape, murder, and wanton destruction. According to Hajji Karim, a 55-year-old bus driver, when the Taliban fighters first entered his village last month, they said they had come to bring peace and Islamic law. The next day two of the fighters attempted to slit the throat of a policeman. Karim’s conclusion: “What sort of people have come here? And what kind of Sharia is this? Cutting off people’s heads has nothing to do with Islam. The people are filled with great rage, and great fear.” Sher Mohammed, a property dealer, stated “I feel like I have lost my mind, I work hard to make a respectable life and educate my children. Now we are living in a camp, and my sons are talking of guns.”
This, my friends, is the real world. The world into which Jesus sent us as lambs among wolves. While the Taliban enervate the people of the Swat Valley, we act as if the biggest problem in the world is the fact that the US economy is unstable, and consequently might affect our ability to upgrade our lifestyles.
Here’s one final snapshot from the relief agency office in Islamabad. On Wednesday, two teenage sisters huddled on a flour sack next to a few cooking pots, covering their faces with veils. They had fled their village four days earlier after their father was warned that the Taliban were coming. “I don’t know what the Taliban are, but everyone was very afraid. I am very worried because my father went back to get my brothers, and we don’t know what happened to him” said one of the girls.
So, cousin, in case you’re wondering why I think it’s important that you know this, here’s why: A spokesperson for a private relief agency based in Swat said, “People in Swat are angry and confused… we are trying to provide them with decent shelter and support, but we need more help so they won’t fall into Taliban hands.” What can you do? You can go, you can give, and you can pray. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves…”
It was former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who declared that he could only act according to the dictates of his conscience and then leave it up to history to judge the efficacy of his life. A couple of months ago, the news media was inundated with stories of Obama’s ineptitude in dealing with foreign leaders. In fact, the media perseverated on this so much that the purpose of his trip was eclipsed by the redundant stories. Rather than see his observance of protocol as irenic, Obama was accused of showing excessive deference to both the Saudi King and the Japanese Emperor. Here are some of the disparaging and truculent comments that various blog and media outlets posted:
• “Someone should have kicked his scrawny ass while he was bent over.”
• “Do we expect anything less from an Islamist?”
• “Shame on Obama. He needs to be removed from office as quickly as possible.”
• “An American president should stand erect and polite, and shake hands like a man. No American should ever show ANY deference to ANY Monarch. All Monarchs, including Elizabeth, don’t have 1% of the legitimacy of an American president. They don’t even come close.”
• “No American should ever bow to any Royal of any family. And it would never be considered disrespect, because they already know Americans do not recognize Royalty.”
• “I wonder if this was planned… no American should ever bow to anyone, much less the President, and much less to a Saudi.”
• “I think someone called ‘BOY’, and he’s bending over to say; ‘SUH?’….”
If these were a true reflection of American sentiments we’d be in deep trouble. Fortunately these are just the inane ramblings of brainless Neanderthals. Or are they? I mean, the racial undertone is bad enough, but to arrogantly assume that America should not follow the protocol of nations that we deal with, smacks of the colonialism that destroyed much of Africa. The notion that we don’t recognize royalty is not only misguided and foolish, but portends the kind of soporific tendency that precedes a rude awakening (9/11 happened in large part because we believed we were impervious to any kind of external attack on our own soil).
As is to be expected, Conservative voices weighed in on what has come to be known as the “Japan bow.” William Kristol declared “I don’t know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it’s not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one.” He further opined that “the gesture bespoke a United States that has become weak and overly-deferential under Obama” Bill Bennett also weighed in on the issue, declaring, “It’s ugly. I don’t want to see it. We don’t defer to emperors. We don’t defer to kings or emperors.”
So, what do we really want? According to ‘popular opinion’ Bush was a “bull in a china shop.” Obama is “too deferential.” It’s so easy to Monday-morning-quarterback from the comfort of our own homes, when we don’t have family members dying to preserve our freedom. When we don’t have to give up anything, or make any monumental decisions that alter the course of human history. It’s true that to rule the most powerful nation in the free-world demands a person with a steely carapace, and that fact lends credence to the saying, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”
Amazingly, amidst all the judgment and criticism leveled at Obama, he’s apparently accomplishing the purpose for which he’s in Japan. Quoting a senior administration official, Politico.com reported, “I don’t think anybody who was in Japan – who saw his
speech and the reaction to it, certainly those who witnessed his bilateral meetings there – would say anything other than that he enhanced both the position and the status of the US, relative to Japan.” I seem to recall that it was actually an American president (Theodore Roosevelt), quoting a West African proverb, who once declared, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” That’s my two cents.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Christian,
I’ve been inspired lately to examine what we do with “Whispers from God”, those impressions of the heart that leave an indelible imprint on the course of our destiny. We live in an era that the prophet Amos wrote about in Amos 8: 11, a time when the word of the Lord is ‘scarce’ and people are running to and fro in an attempt to find answers to the myriad questions that plague us. Make no mistake though, while the word of God may be scarce God is still speaking, it’s just that we often choose to interpret His voice in the light of our cultural beliefs or worldview. John 12: 28-30 gives us remarkable insight into this phenomenon. The Pharisees, who paradoxically, were the religious iconoclasts of their day, (they prevented the people from believing in the Truth (Jesus), by vilifying and castigating his every word) had so brainwashed the people that even when God spoke from heaven to their hearing, they interpreted it as merely thunder.
What do you do with a whisper from God? Do you file it in the category of spiritual jargon and heresy, since God ‘doesn’t’ speak to us today? Or do you simply ignore it because it doesn’t make sense to your intellect? Whatever it is that you may do, the sobering truth is that people’s lives and destiny are hinged on your obedience to the whispers from God that should daily guide your every choice and decision. What would have happened if Samuel had not obeyed the whisper from God to anoint David as king, especially since his better judgment told him that Jesse’s older sons appeared more suited for that role? What if Jonathan had disobeyed the whisper from God to protect David from his father, Saul? Could David have met an untimely death, thus eliminating his lineage from giving the Gift of the Messiah to the world?
Whose life is right now in dire straits because you’ve resisted that whisper from God, dismissing it as ‘foolishness’? Mr. Christian, I must honestly tell you that your self-centered focus is sending your neighbors to hell in a hand-basket. And, while we’re on the subject, Mrs. Christian, your complacent and passive stance toward evangelism might just ensure that your relatives spend eternity in a place that was prepared for Satan and his dark angels. So, my encouragement to you is that you listen carefully for those impressions of the heart that will guide your decision, because people’s lives are depending on you making the right choice.
The idea that we Christians love unconditionally is about as true as the notion that the sun is a warm fuzzy ball. Any one who believes either of those ideas is clearly deluded. The very fact that the Church is exclusionary in its gatherings is in itself proof that our love is conditional. It’s conditional upon you accepting what we believe to be truth, as truth. It’s conditional upon you looking, speaking, and acting in a manner that we deem acceptable by our measuring stick. It’s conditional upon you living your life by the same set of values by which we live ours. Why, sometimes it’s even conditional upon what color the statue of Jesus or the picture of him above your mantelpiece is. If that’s not conditional love then I don’t know what is and I’m the deluded one!
Much of the way we express our faith reflects this notion: If you accept all the things we accept, and live exactly the way we live, then we extend our ‘hand of fellowship’ and welcome you warmly (That’s why in America we think being Christians and Republicans are part of the seven sacraments). If on the other hand, you are a non-conformist and insist on questioning everything we believe, then you’re an outsider and we generally extend to you the “left-foot of fellowship.” Oh, don’t get me wrong, we definitely pay lip service to the idea that we love, embrace, and welcome everyone, but that is the theory. In practice the reality is much different as evidenced by the clear lines of demarcation along racial, denominational, and various other ‘measurables’ during our Sunday worship hour. I realize that I’m generalizing and there’s always a danger in doing that, but the larger point is clearly found somewhere in the middle of these ideas.
I recently read a blog post by Brad Johnson that chilled me to the core because of it’s simple but profound truth. Now I could paste the hyperlink here and go on to restate the same ideas, but that would be redundant. Instead I decided to directly quote some of his observations since he stated the big ideas more succinctly than I ever could. The writer made the following observations:
“I can’t shake it. It’s a phrase that haunts my thoughts at night, like some ethereal creature floating just out of my reach, taunting me. There is this on-going debate going within me about this phrase. It’s a war. My soul says, “Yes, this CAN be.” My heart says, “I so WANT this to be.” My logic and observations declare, “This will NEVER be.” The troubling phrase? From the lips of Jesus: “Father, let Your will be done on earth…JUST AS IT IS…in heaven.” What does that mean? What would life on earth be like, if even parts of Jesus desire came true? Questions lifted my thoughts to heaven. What is heaven like? What will relationships be like? Heaven will be filled with pure love and freedom from shame, and acceptance and peace with our selves, peace with others, and peace with God. In heaven, we will live life with no reservations about others, where love prompts us to hope and believe the best about one another, expect the best, cheer for the best? There, perfect [unconditional] love will cast out fear; fear of being rejected, judged, disliked, hurt.
I can’t get this thought out of my mind, this angst out of my heart. Jesus EXPECTED that we could have some of the attributes of heaven, right here on earth. I could. You could. So, why don’t I, in my life, in relationships, in interactions and conversations? Why don’t we in our sanctuaries, our cathedrals, our churches, our services of worship? Why isn’t the rule of heaven…well, the rule of the day? To have heaven’s love existing between us would be a vision of revolutionary grace and mercy. To have heaven’s love would find odd-pew partners side by side, engaging in conversation and laughter and hugs and worship. There would be wounded marriage partners, bathing each other in forgiveness. There would be adulterers and adulteresses, now clean, walking in the freedom of new life, free to experience new, honorable love and meaningful love. Addicts would be healed from shame, embraced by Christians, moving sober into a wonderful new day. Republicans and Democrats would lay down agendas of their parties and find common ground under the rule of heaven.” (Word in bold parenthesis above is mine)
Here are a couple of quotes from the book “Blue Like Jazz” that struck a chord in me:
“The problem with Christian culture is we think of love as a commodity. We use it like money…. With love, we with(o)ld affirmation from the people who d(o) not agree with us, but we lavishly finance the ones who d(o)…. When we barter with it (love), we all lose. When the church does not love its enemies, it fuels their rage. It makes them hate us more.” “Nobody will listen to you unless they sense that you like them. If a person senses that you do not like them, that you do not approve of their existence, then your religion and your political ideas will all seem wrong to them. If they sense that you like them, then they are open to what you have to say.”
This brings me to a very personal story I’d like to share with you. I will warn you in advance that if you don’t follow this story through to the end you might conclude that I’m being arrogant and self-serving, but if you’ll patiently endure the details of the story, I promise you that the point will be well made. One more disclaimer: I must also warn you that it will make some of you uncomfortable, as these are issues we’d rather pretend aren’t there because it’s not politically correct to talk about such things.
I’ve never liked Winn Dixie. Maybe it’s because it always struck me as a “poor man’s” store, and since I didn’t like the way it made me feel I just didn’t shop there. That is until I was forced, for, shall we say reasons of convenience, to shop at the Winn Dixie nearest my home in Lake Mary. I don’t know if it’s an official policy, but Winn Dixie hires a lot of handicapped and disabled people and this store appeared to be trying to win a competition for how many such people they could have on their team at one time.
Each time I went there I would notice how many disabled staff people wandered around and would throw a friendly wave in their direction then pat myself on the back for being such a ‘good’ Christian. After all, most of the other folks in the store simply ignored them and went about their business. One day I decided to introduce myself to a quadriplegic that I’d often noticed in an elaborate recumbent wheelchair. He would often position his chair strategically by the store entrance looking stone-faced at busy shoppers going in and out in a hurry as they lived out their busy lives. Ostensibly his job was to welcome people as they entered the store but his demeanor made most shoppers look the other way. I walked up to him and said, “My name’s Joseph, what’s yours?” “David” he replied, beaming from ear to ear. Then he continued, “I’ve often noticed you coming in here but you always looked so scary and mean.” Ouch!!! My Christian ego had just taken a deflating beating.
It turns out that in addition to being a quadriplegic, David also suffers from a mild case of cerebral palsy and Down’s syndrome. Down’s syndrome is associated with some impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth as well as facial appearance. I proceeded to have one of the most amazing conversations with David, all the while thinking how smart and well spoken he was. I’d made a judgment about David the first time I laid eyes on him. I assumed he wouldn’t be coherent and he’d be severely mentally handicapped. The ‘single story’ of people afflicted with Down’s syndrome not being smart or intelligible, had led me to believe that David had nothing to contribute to my life. The funny thing is, I know the feeling of back-handed compliments, yet I was doing exactly the same thing as I expressed my surprise at how well David spoke and processed ideas.
All my life living in the West I’ve been judged on the single story: The story that black Africans generally speak with thick, heavy accents and are definitely not as smart or intelligent as their white contemporaries. When people have a conversation with me, they are ‘shocked’ at how well I communicate and process big ideas, and they are quick to tell me how much they love my voice and my “accent.” Now I know that these people are well meaning and all, but the truth is their ‘compliment’ is based on a set of preconceived ideas they have about what people like me should sound like. After all, you won’t find people paying compliments to a white Englishman for sounding English.
I wonder if David feels judged by the single story every time someone walks into the store and completely ignores him, hence his stone-faced expression. Many of us define people by the single story and miss out on so much more. There are numerous dimensions to every person and the more we unconditionally love a person, the easier it is to find out their multi-dimensional stories. As I’ve built a relationship with David, I’ve learned that he was in hospital for three months because he broke his hip trying to move from one wheel chair to another, and the pain is still excruciating as the doctors have told him it will take two years to fully heal since he can’t rehab it. Yet David is at work everyday because that’s the place where life happens. His eyes light up every time I walk into the store and he’ll tell me exactly how many days it’s been since I was last in. We’ve had conversations about the NBA Playoffs, the Superbowl, college football and every thing under the sun, and he is remarkably knowledgeable. David cusses like a banshee (whatever a banshee actually is) and has really pungent breath, but David is a delight to know and talk to. He forces me to put my life in perspective and to be thankful for the things that I can do, especially on the days when I’m throwing a tantrum because I’m mad at my circumstances.
David’s outlook on and approach to life humble me and make me realize that, in the human context, unconditional love may well bring a greater benefit to the one loving than it does to the one receiving love. You see, knowing David has changed my paradigm about the way I view and judge people based on the single story, and so it makes it easier for me to deal with each person on their own individual merit. I don’t know if any of this makes sense to you because I know it’s my journey, but I’m truly thankful for Winn Dixie, David, and unconditional love.
I was recently reading an Old Testament Bible story that has spoken volumes to me over the years. It’s the story of Abram and Isaac in Genesis 22: 1-18. In case your recollection is fuzzy, this was before he became the great progenitor, as at this time his only progeny was Isaac. The primary problem facing him though, was the fact that God had apparently instructed him to kill Isaac, thereby removing the only source of his becoming a great progenitor. This story has always motivated me to ask certain questions about Abram’s psyche and emotional struggle as he walked this seemingly dark road from which there was no escape. Here are some of my questions (and by all means please feel free to add some of your own):
• What motivated Abram to action, even to the point of being willing to kill his own son, for whom he had waited so many years?
• What did he say to his son to convince him that it was okay to let his own father kill him with a knife? (Bear in mind the Scriptures tell us he placed Isaac on the altar and lifted the knife ready to kill him. Nowhere does it suggest or state that Isaac resisted or that Abram drugged him so that he was in a coma)
• What made Abram so certain that he had heard God’s voice?
The truth is we can only speculate as to the answers to these questions. What we do know for certain however is where and how it all began. In Genesis 12: 2 God declares to Abram, “I will make you into a great nation.” However Abram interpreted that promise, it was the one thing he held onto in the midst of the crisis. When all else fails, only one thing stands sure in the midst of the uncertainty: His promises. Abram knew that God’s word was surer than money in the bank (or cattle on the range), and he wasn’t about to doubt God’s promise of making him a great nation. Whatever that looked like to Abram at the time of receiving the promise, I’m sure it didn’t entail his son on a sacrificial altar.
But he did it anyway!
When life seems so uncertain, you must simplify and go back to the beginning, so that the pain and anguish don’t speak louder than the promise. Do you really believe that it was easy for Abram to lift a knife against his beloved son? Abram’s obedience was a direct result of his confidence in God’s sovereignty, and so he obeyed God’s instructions even when they didn’t seem to make sense to his natural inclinations. You know the rest of the story: God provided a sacrificial lamb (Lamb) in place of Isaac, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, who became the father of the twelve sons who became the nation of Israel. “I will make you into a great nation,” God had said, and that, is exactly what He did.
Okay, before you begin to accuse me of breaking my word, I said I was done writing any political posts about the elections. I did not however say that I was done writing about our new president, and my observations regarding his potential policies and their spiritual implications. Let me preface all that I’m about to say with the clear warning that I am addressing these issues purely from a spiritual standpoint as I perceive them to be. If you’re looking for a place to argue your intellectual and political position regarding these issues, slowly back away from the Journeyman and head over to a blog that is geared towards such speculative hubris.
Christians and Christianity have long been defined as intransigent, yet if the truth be told we are all to some extent, dogmatic about what we believe in, whether that be our partiality to a particular flavor of ice-cream or our penchant for a specific political position which we believe to be right. Regarding one such position MSNBC reports,
“Obama himself has signaled, for example, that he intends to reverse Bush’s controversial limit on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, a decision that scientists say has restrained research into some of the most promising avenues for defeating a wide array of diseases, such as Parkinson’s. Bush’s August 2001 decision pleased religious conservatives who have moral objection to the use of cells from days-old human embryos, which are destroyed in the process.”[emphasis mine]
The pro-life position, which President Bush believes in, does not look at embryonic stem cells as merely beneficial research, but as human lives worthy of a chance at survival. The pro-life position does not think of human embryos in terms such as “which are destroyed in the process” but as “people who are killed in the process.” Both positions are intransigent, and indeed should be, based on a person’s worldview. This means that the Church has a more powerful role that goes way beyond deciding which position we adhere to over the next four years based on a vote. Our role is to influence the lives and hearts of those who think of life differently than the Bible interprets it by living our lives “out loud” with love. That way the battle is fought and won where it counts most…against principalities, powers, wicked spirits in the heavens and the rulers of the darkness of this age. Remember, people are not the enemy.
Inattentional Blindness!
I’d like to consider a concept that I refer to as inattentional blindness. This is simply a term describing the idea of a loss of fascination with things that are ordinarily fascinating. This loss of fascination resulting from things becoming so familiar that we cease to notice them is often the bane of humanity. For instance, when’s the last time you were fascinated by the idea of the earth revolving around the sun while rotating on its axis? Exactly! That’s my point. Now consider this: The earth, according to Isaac Asimov’s accepted calculations, revolves around the sun at a speed of 18.5 miles per second which is 66,600 miles per hour, while rotating on its axis doing one full rotation every 24 hours (It’s literally enough to make your head spin). By comparison the fastest jet plane in the world is reportedly the SR-71 Blackbird, which flies at Mach 3.3 (or 3.3 times the speed of sound in air) which is 2,460.64 miles per hour.
In order to fly this supersonic aircraft, you’re required to wear special gear that prevents you from passing out due to the gravitational forces acting on your body (G-forces). You can find information about the SR-71 just about anywhere on the internet, largely because human flight at such supersonic speeds still holds a particular fascination for us. In reality though, it’s a miniscule feat considering we’re all riding on a planet that’s traveling at 66,600mph (and that without specialized suits). Or how about the idea that, as you read this, there are people walking in space orbit at about 380 miles above us, wearing specialized suits that cost millions of dollars, which prevent them from vaporizing in the unforgiving atmosphere of space. In addition, the precision of the mathematical algorithms that are required, to ensure that the astronauts are able to enter back into the earth’s orbit at precisely the right angle so as not to bounce off the earth’s atmosphere and be lost in space forever, are mind boggling. But we have become inattentive to this and now take it all for granted. Hardly anyone even pays attention to the fact that we have people walking in space above us working on a telescope that can transmit precise and detailed images of coruscating stars that are millions of miles away.
Is it remotely possible that we might have done the same with God? Is it potentially possible that we have lost our fascination for the amazing act of love demonstrated in Jesus dying on a cross? Could we have begun to take for granted the fact that the One who holds the waters of the sea in the palm of His hands is the same one that calls us His own? Or are we blinded to the fact that the creator of the heavens and the earth (the One responsible for revolutions and rotations and coruscating stars) is actually our Father? If we are, it’s as a result of inatentional blindness. We’ve stopped seeing the wonder of His love and creation and, like we do with the astronauts walking 380 miles above us, we have come to take Him for granted. If that shoe fits you… don’t wear it. Take it off and fall in love all over again with the Lover of your soul.
B. Hussein Obama – the Terrorist?!
The idiocy of tracing US President Barack Obama’s ‘ties’ to terrorists during the US Presidential campaign was a remarkable display of how uninformed, yet blind allegiance can sometimes turn the best of intentions into the most embarrassing displays of foolishness. American Christians were singularly devoted to putting McCain (or was it really Palin?) into the White House at the expense of objectivity and sometimes honesty. They were quick to point out and consistently use Obama’s middle name, Hussein, so that it remained foremost on everyone’s minds that he had Islamic ties. Frankly, I found this rather bothersome largely because I am personally acquainted with quite a few Moslems that I would trust with my life before I would any number of Christians I know. The problem is not with Moslems in general, but with Radical Islam, yet the use of Obama’s middle name and constant references to his Islamic ties would seem to indicate that it lent credence to possible terrorist ties.
My given middle name is “Abdullahi.” It is of Arabic descent and it literally translates as “Son of Allah.” In addition, I have been in the Middle East on previous occasions. Ergo: I’m potentially associated with terrorism? Oh, I omitted to mention that I am senior Pastor of a US Church congregation. That’s how foolish the arguments regarding Obama and his potential terrorist ties sound too! Why on earth do we think that he could have legitimate terrorist ties, yet in his 2-year run for the office of President of the United States, with all the extensive background checks done on candidates, neither the FBI nor his political opponents found any damning evidence to prove that fact? It was one thing to stand vehemently opposed to a person’s worldview and disagree with his choice as president on the basis of that. It was quite another, and in fact entirely disingenuous to raise unfounded speculations as if they were proven facts, just to push our agenda of preventing him from attaining the highest political office in our nation.
For us to sink to the disparate level of indulging in such underhanded tactics by referring to Obama’s middle name, yet never making mention of McCain’s (whatever it may be), is to suggest a hidden agenda which ultimately does not promote godliness or God’s greater purpose being fulfilled. Here’s how one commenter in the Feedback section of the November 2008 issue of Charisma magazine put it:
“I usually agree with J. Lee Grady’s editorials, but not the one he wrote about Barack Obama (Fire in my bones online). Grady had no problem using Sen. Obama’s middle name, Hussein, yet he did not use Sen. John McCain’s middle name when referring to him. It is my prayer that we would refrain from furthering the slanderous remarks made about Obama and his supposed Islamic ties.”
By blindly drawing attention to an insignificant detail in order to create a desired impression, we are in danger of becoming the very thing that we fight against. How are we any different from the pro-choice movement who will stop at nothing (no method seems beneath them) to promote their agenda? To highlight their cause they refer to themselves as being pro-choice. To highlight ours, we refer to ourselves as pro-life. In their unveiled attempt to deflect attention away from the real issue of human lives being arrogantly expended, they choose to refer to the pro-life movement as anti-choice. Wouldn’t it be more appropriate that they be called pro-abortion, since that is the larger issue at stake? Why are they not referred to as anti-life as a direct opposite of pro-life? After all to be fair, both sides should get equal billing. If one side will be referred to as anti-choice in direct opposition to pro-choice, shouldn’t the other be referred to as anti-life in direct opposition to pro-life? Reality though is much different than what should obtain, and we must recognize that there is a bigger “war” being waged behind the scenes that cannot be won through rhetoric and incendiary remarks or comments.
Radical Islam is no doubt giving Islam a bad name the world over and many progressive Moslems are waking up to the need to take a stand against religious extremism. It seems only logical that the rest of us hear them out rather than exclude and isolate them until all they have left are the radicals for company.
About the Journeyman:
A Nigerian by birth, I am an avid traveler who loves learning about new cultures and as my extended family is spread across three different continents, I always have a place to hang out when I travel. I am passionate about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to experience an intimate relationship with Him. I’m on a journey. It’s a race against time. I’m learning from my past while trying to catch up to my future. I despise mediocrity but admire resilience. I’m an avid reader, learner, and teacher. Proud to be married to Sola (I definitely overachieved), we have three kids who call me dad and a church that calls me pastor (though I still marvel why). This blog is a representation of my journey. It’s where I am today so please don’t hold me accountable for it tomorrow. Enjoy it while you’re here and do come back. Who knows, I might even be better tomorrow than I am today?
