"I'm a killer", said a friend of mine describing a circumstance where an angry person was becoming more intense with his misunderstanding of the role my friend played in the eventual demise of his marriage. "You don't know me, I'm a killer," my friend retorted. I wasn't there, but I think it's safe to say that the discussion or the irritating accusations soon subsided into more civil conversation. What I learned from this individual was, that one who has murdered, most times, will acknowledge that the next moment of intensity will move killing to the front of possible options for solving a threatening situation.
The New York Times Opinion section July 4,1991 from a June L. Aulick, in her response to the Topic of the Day:" Death Penalty Speaks Society's Moral Outrage: To Murder Again," brought out this passionate response: 'Murderers -- Jack Henry Abbott, freed from prison, shortly thereafter he killed again.'
"Whatever inner drive causes this behavior, nobody knows. But one convict aware of his tendency, said on television, 'I know that if I am let out of prison, I will kill again', Let's forget costs of executions, and give thought to the cost in human welfare."
This publicly shared opinion is deeply carried by many a church villager. The quiet but often acted out belief that once an evil action is done, the evil doer cannot really get rid of the drive to do it again. Much documented research reveals that the root cause of one who murders, is anger. Simply put, unresolved and cultivated anger will eventually lead to destruction of another person's life. Whether out of revenge, bitterness, or power to control, anger unchecked, will cause humans to do some crazy things, the ultimate to take a life. Murder has come to church and propped itself on the front pew. It hangs out with the deacons, elders, and even the pastor of the flock. We don't see people being shot or beaten to death within the holy confines of the sanctuary, but the tongue can certainly ruin and devastate a saint or sinner for that matter.
"I'm a killer" is not just the self description of one who has taken the life of another. It has become the description of angry church goers. Their weapon of destruction today? Cyber space. No longer do self proclaimed Christians have to embarrass one in person; or confront an adversary on the phone or in the pastor's study. An office, home, library will do, so long as there is a computer innocently awaiting the fingers of religious assassins, controlled by bitter rage toward another human being.The combination can be deadly. A saint can let it fly becoming trigger happy, not with the hard material of mass destruction; but with one push of the send button, and can murder another humans' reputation, character, and opportunity to serve community or church. Murder of the ugliest kind, is fueled by intent and premeditation.
Heaven sees, but deeper still Heaven knows the motive. Once again, like most murderers of physical life, when you have killed once, it's easy to do it again. Good people can take justice into their own hands and "fix" a person or a situation by being "real and open about truth." But in the end when every one's life has moved on from the shock of a situation, in the wake lies a corpse. A child of God who has made mistakes and needs forgiveness and restoration, has been placed in a coffin of ridicule and shame, never to rise again. The murder takes place with an attempt to be inconspicuous. Like the powerful, called and appointed leader, Moses in the book of exodus. He describes himself when faced with an Egyptian in an altercation with one of his people, as having "looked this way and that way," before killing and burying the Egyptian. He sought to kill secretly. It's easy to look this way and that way when in the comfort of your room and then secretly press send. And a successful erasing of one who has disappointed you or caused you stress and frustration has been accomplished.
Or has it? God has been watching all along. He is never about destroying a sinner, but providing an opportunity for redemption. Galatians 6:1 points out that if a brother is caught in a fault or sin, "ye which are spiritual restore him".... A vibrant church acknowledges sin, but spiritually sets out to restore the sinner.
Anger harbored, lodges itself in the mind and like a growing tumor, brings corrosion to its host. A church goer filled with anger unchecked, will filter everything about life through the dulling eyes of rage. Ministry becomes nearly impossible, and is less spiritually impacting by an angry saint. Fellowship is altered. Too often, many marriages find one partner attempting to move forward on a foundation of unforgiveness, but waiting to spring hatred by any means necessary til the object (spouse) of their rage is completely destroyed.
Matthew 5:19-22 reflects Jesus attitude about justifying our rage to the point of killing another person: "Trivialize even the smallest item in God's law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom.
Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom...
You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder', I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill"
The appeal in the village today is for the reader to address personal anger. Check and see if you are consumed with the suffering of those who have caused you pain. Ask God for His character which hates sin but loves the sinner. Erase the cyber messages aimed to prove you're right by pointing out the evils of others. Remember that a day will come when you will cause pain to others, and the train of cyber murder will recklessly head to your own house. Place the people who have caused the deep hurts at the top of your prayer list; asking God to give you the disposition of Christ while looking down from the cross on his stabbers and mockers, interceding for their salvation. Finally, pray that God removes the anger so that you can be used by him in a mighty way. Turn cyber murder into cyber restoration and witnessing to the glory of God in your life. The village will rid itself of evil doers and be populated by kingdom seekers.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
DINNER WITH JESUS
What qualifies one to have dinner with a powerful and popular person? Is it prestige? Money? War hero? Sports champion? Entertainer? A political figure? Perhaps any or all who have one or more of these media loved positions of influence and VIP status can get you a seat at the President of the Country's table, or certainly will keep you from standing in line at any restaurant. But making it to some one's dinner as an invited guest is a special privilege not many get in their lifetime. The phrase, "it's not what you know, it's who you know" is now updated and upgraded to, "it's not what you know or who you know, but who knows you." In the business world it is an accepted practice that many deals get done on the golf course, and often over a meal. Who you eat with says a lot about you. There's something that qualifies people to take the time to sit down and share this personal and yet fulfilling occasion with another. Very few people pass up a prepared meal, and still fewer pass up an already paid for meal. If our table partners are people we like, our fellowship feast is more relaxing and more often than not more palatable. But what does it say about us when we openly eat with the "thems" of the world? How much of our trustworthy stock goes down when our dinner companions don't measure up to the community approved "good and acceptable" standards? Ex cons, prostitutes, pimps and crooks.
Today, after nearly thirty years of being in ministry leadership as a pastor, teacher and administrator, I have concluded something about myself, at least temporarily. Reflecting back and seeing inclement weather in recent moments of leadership life: one of my children is serving time in a state prison; He ran away from home at sixteen; I was removed from an administrative position as a result of an investment project that didn't go well. I am soon to be divorced after twenty eight years of marriage resulting in an untimely resignation from ministry. Having a little talk with myself and giving myself permission to share my recent discovery about myself, I boldly declare that I am a living bonafide crook. A white collar con man. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!! TRUST ME, (OK you can't trust a crook), bear with me. Your jewelry, money, stereo, big screen TV, car, and women are all safe. I'm not in the business of ripping off stuff or people, although a seemingly life long investigation is trying to prove otherwise. What I'm getting at is that in evaluating my ministry and life journey, I wish that I could have some decisions back. I wish that the appearance of evil, would have been more avoided. I wish that apologies would have been more timely. But the truth is it didn't go that way. Like a crook, it just seems like very few people remember anything good you've done. Thank God for the five people left in this world who don't mind eating with me still!! They are reflectors of Jesus.
"After this He went out and saw a man named Levi at His work collecting taxes. Jesus said, 'come along with me' and he did-- walked away from everything and went with Him. Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their Religion Scholars came to His Disciples greatly offended.' What is He doing eating and drinking with crooks and sinners?' Jesus heard about it and spoke up. ' Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders -- an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out'" Luke 5:27-32
It really disturbed the religious church goer, that those who did not know God were collecting taxes from them. This Roman rule was too much for the nation expecting the deliverance from economic and civil slavery by a Messiah. They were waiting and wanting to take over the world and put the Romans in their rightful place, under their feet!! So to pay taxes to this government just got under their skin. But what was more heinous and almost unforgivable was for a Jew to work for the Roman government as a tax collector!!! Treason and the utmost in betrayal was this employment seen among the chosen people of God. To have a key position and then help to advantage yourself financially was white collar con at its best. The self righteous Pharisees saw crooks. Jesus saw disciples.
It would have been easier to say that I'm a sinner saved by grace. That is the true but safe tag we give ourselves in the religious church going community. It keeps us tilted on the heaven side of the scale when we evaluate our works performance of the week. But how does one become a crook? Looking closer at Luke's narrative, we find that the crooks don't call themselves crooks. The Pharisees call them crooks. They are offended that those who they have placed in a lower spiritual position than themselves and only poison the church, are even at the dinner. They want to know why is Jesus eating with the very people they have been trying to keep out of the church, because by their measuring stick, these particular guest don't qualify to be near the front, or top of the ladder of respect and holiness. How dangerous for the church of God. If it's left up to those whose sins are greater but not seen, to label others who don't measure up as crooks, therefore disqualifying them for any hope of salvation, then God will not have a vibrant church to display the good news. Jesus' response is simply, those who need the doctor I'm here for, those who don't need one I can't help. The very ones pushed out are the very ones Jesus eats with.
While driving home recently from a church softball game, I humbly sensed that in some way I was on my way to Levi's house. There were times past I've been on the Pharisee side, wondering how can we vote to keep such lowlife and mistake ridden people just outside the walls of the church. Now it's feeling like I'm on the crook side of the table. I'm imagining a new assigned label, and wondering if church is the place right now to fellowship. But thank God for friends who continue to minister to my family and me during this estranged part of the ministry journey. I'm grateful for prayers and support. I'm grateful for your presence, and your boldness to break bread with this side of the threshold of the church. So what are the qualifications to get a dinner date with Jesus? According to the Pharisees it turns out to be quite simple after all. You have to be a sinner and or a crook.
Today, after nearly thirty years of being in ministry leadership as a pastor, teacher and administrator, I have concluded something about myself, at least temporarily. Reflecting back and seeing inclement weather in recent moments of leadership life: one of my children is serving time in a state prison; He ran away from home at sixteen; I was removed from an administrative position as a result of an investment project that didn't go well. I am soon to be divorced after twenty eight years of marriage resulting in an untimely resignation from ministry. Having a little talk with myself and giving myself permission to share my recent discovery about myself, I boldly declare that I am a living bonafide crook. A white collar con man. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!! TRUST ME, (OK you can't trust a crook), bear with me. Your jewelry, money, stereo, big screen TV, car, and women are all safe. I'm not in the business of ripping off stuff or people, although a seemingly life long investigation is trying to prove otherwise. What I'm getting at is that in evaluating my ministry and life journey, I wish that I could have some decisions back. I wish that the appearance of evil, would have been more avoided. I wish that apologies would have been more timely. But the truth is it didn't go that way. Like a crook, it just seems like very few people remember anything good you've done. Thank God for the five people left in this world who don't mind eating with me still!! They are reflectors of Jesus.
"After this He went out and saw a man named Levi at His work collecting taxes. Jesus said, 'come along with me' and he did-- walked away from everything and went with Him. Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their Religion Scholars came to His Disciples greatly offended.' What is He doing eating and drinking with crooks and sinners?' Jesus heard about it and spoke up. ' Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders -- an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out'" Luke 5:27-32
It really disturbed the religious church goer, that those who did not know God were collecting taxes from them. This Roman rule was too much for the nation expecting the deliverance from economic and civil slavery by a Messiah. They were waiting and wanting to take over the world and put the Romans in their rightful place, under their feet!! So to pay taxes to this government just got under their skin. But what was more heinous and almost unforgivable was for a Jew to work for the Roman government as a tax collector!!! Treason and the utmost in betrayal was this employment seen among the chosen people of God. To have a key position and then help to advantage yourself financially was white collar con at its best. The self righteous Pharisees saw crooks. Jesus saw disciples.
It would have been easier to say that I'm a sinner saved by grace. That is the true but safe tag we give ourselves in the religious church going community. It keeps us tilted on the heaven side of the scale when we evaluate our works performance of the week. But how does one become a crook? Looking closer at Luke's narrative, we find that the crooks don't call themselves crooks. The Pharisees call them crooks. They are offended that those who they have placed in a lower spiritual position than themselves and only poison the church, are even at the dinner. They want to know why is Jesus eating with the very people they have been trying to keep out of the church, because by their measuring stick, these particular guest don't qualify to be near the front, or top of the ladder of respect and holiness. How dangerous for the church of God. If it's left up to those whose sins are greater but not seen, to label others who don't measure up as crooks, therefore disqualifying them for any hope of salvation, then God will not have a vibrant church to display the good news. Jesus' response is simply, those who need the doctor I'm here for, those who don't need one I can't help. The very ones pushed out are the very ones Jesus eats with.
While driving home recently from a church softball game, I humbly sensed that in some way I was on my way to Levi's house. There were times past I've been on the Pharisee side, wondering how can we vote to keep such lowlife and mistake ridden people just outside the walls of the church. Now it's feeling like I'm on the crook side of the table. I'm imagining a new assigned label, and wondering if church is the place right now to fellowship. But thank God for friends who continue to minister to my family and me during this estranged part of the ministry journey. I'm grateful for prayers and support. I'm grateful for your presence, and your boldness to break bread with this side of the threshold of the church. So what are the qualifications to get a dinner date with Jesus? According to the Pharisees it turns out to be quite simple after all. You have to be a sinner and or a crook.
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