Acting Stupid

Why do people act like they do? It’s one of the great mysteries of the universe!

It amazes me to see people who should know better acting stupid. They make choices and do things that hurt themselves and those they love. And they’re the only ones who don’t see it!

How pathetic. And yet I just described every one of us.

You know and I know it’s true. Vainly we hope no one else suspects us. Yet deep down in our hearts we know. We are all hypocrites.

There. I said it. Hypocrites. Judging others with rules we don’t intend to keep.

Our predicament reminds me of Gerry Rafferty’s song, “Stuck in the Middle With You.” Do you remember it? It’s an oldie that “Stealers Wheel” recorded years ago. The lyrics said, “Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, Here I am, Stuck in the middle with you.”

That’s us! We’re surrounded by people just like us. And we don’t like it for one minute.

Author C. S. Lewis is reported to have said, "People are good at expecting others to live in a manner that they are not willing to live themselves." Ouch--that hurts! But it’s true, isn’t it?

Well, hold it right there for just a minute. If everyone does it, what’s the problem?

The problem is we’re blind to our own hypocrisy and complain about everyone else’s!

We need someone to slap us and say, “Doctor, heal yourself! If you’re so good at diagnosing other people’s problems, why can’t you see your own?” Indeed.

What’s the answer?

Listen to Jesus. He said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye. How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.’”

He nailed it, didn’t he? We’re all super speck inspectors. Nit picking other’s failures and ignoring our own. Acting stupid. Why are we like that?

The problem is our unforgiving hearts. We’re good at excusing ourselves but not anyone else. We expect God to forgive us but we don’t offer others the forgiveness we think we deserve—even though they are just as deserving (or undeserving) as we are.

Face it. We’re all a mess of mistakes. Without God’s mercy we’re sunk. You can’t be good enough for even your own standards and you know it. It’s just a show. Inside you know.

So what should we do? What’s the solution? Is there any help for hypocrites?

Jesus said we should first pay attention to our own shortcomings. That means humble ourselves and admit we make mistakes.

Turning away from the sin we love and asking God to forgive us is the way to remove the plank. Then when we experience his wonderful forgiveness through Jesus Christ, we can offer that same forgiveness to others who so desperately need it.

This simple prescription from Jesus will go a long way toward healing what’s wrong in our relationships. But as long as we think we know better, we’re still stuck in the middle of the clowns, the jokers and the hypocrites. Acting stupid.

So wise up! It’s time to stop running from God and hurting those you love. Come to Christ. He helps hypocrites become forgivers.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Significant Times

To his children he was a father. To his followers, a hero. But to Americans he was a monster.

When he died I was taking a Sunday nap. It wasn’t until the next day that I learned of Osama bin Laden’s death. From the perspective of humanity, just another man had died as a war casualty. But from the perspective of history it was a significant event.

“Now hold on, just a minute,” you may say. “Why is bin Laden’s death so important?”

Last week I heard a television commentator remark that Osama bin Laden’s death was probably the most significant death in a generation. That it is at least as important as Adolph Hitler’s death was to my parents’ generation.

That thought stopped me in my tracks. I’d never thought about what Adolph Hitler’s death meant to the generation that fought World War Two. Or about how significant it was to them.

Up until now, the most historically significant death in my lifetime was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. That was earthshaking to a seventh grader. And then it was followed by the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.

As Americans we thought the world had gone crazy. But, in reality, those events affected our country more than the world. Bin Laden’s death affects the entire world.

The United States went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan because of bin Laden’s scheme on September 11, 2001. As a result, thousands of military families around the world were affected. And al-Qaeda sponsored terrorism has brought fear into the lives of the citizens of many nations.

Osama bin Laden was the most wanted man in the world. But even a $50 million reward for his capture didn’t bring him to justice. So when he was found and killed it was big news.

Most people in the world today understand that Osama bin Laden’s death is an important historical event. (Even though how it will affect the world in the long term is still unknown.)

But when Jesus was killed, the world didn’t pay attention. If the news even reached Rome, it must have seemed like the execution of just another insignificant criminal in a small, remote country. Caesar was probably more concerned about Pontius Pilate’s law and order record.

But what important people saw as insignificant literally changed the world forever. For the first time in history, forgiveness of sin and assurance of eternal life was available to every tribe, people, language and nation!

Speaking of his coming crucifixion, Jesus said, “So the Son of Man must be lifted up that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” He added, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

The Bible adds, “Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”

Previously God’s invitation to salvation involved becoming part of the Jewish nation, Israel. But now forgiveness of sin and eternal life is available to all through faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

I invite you to explore Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God. Because, if it’s true, it changes everything! A good place to start is the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible.

Examine what Jesus taught. Consider the testimony of the eyewitnesses. Then decide for yourself. Know why you believe what you do about the most important man that ever lived.

Osama bin Laden’s death may be significant, but its importance pales in comparison to Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection. What will you do with Jesus?

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

A Mother’s Gift

A mother’s gift begins when her childhood ends.

I suspect most mothers remember the moment their childhood ended. It may have been while feeding her baby or changing a diaper. Suddenly she realizes life is no longer about her but about her child. And her gift of selfless love begins to grow in that moment.

For a man this transition can be more difficult. All he knows is that, after baby is born, the woman he loves no longer has time for him like she once did.

A new father may be a little jealous of the attention his baby receives from his wife. Sure, he’s proud of the little life he helped create. But accepting the awesome responsibility of parenthood and a child’s need for selfless love can take longer for a dad.

A wise person once said, “Parenting is not so much about taking children and turning them into adults as it is about taking parents and turning THEM into adults.”

One of the things that endeared my mother to me was her unselfish love. Selfish love loves for the sake of itself: “I love you for what you do for me.” But unselfish love is unconditional. It says, “I don’t require anything of you. I love you for who you are and I give myself to you.”

We learn that kind of love from our mothers and from God. It’s their gift to us.

Childhood is a wonderful time. But there comes a time to grow up and take a lesson from our mothers: Life is no longer about us. True delight is found in the joy of others.

Just ask a new mother. There’s no greater joy than when her baby smiles and laughs.

Have you discovered the joy of selfless love? Or does your life still have to be about you?

Well hold on just a minute! What if life wasn’t fair to you? Maybe you never knew your mother. Maybe you never got along with her. Or you lost her before you were ready to give her up. Or maybe you had a mother who abused you. What about that?

The truth is that people, even those closest to us, sometimes let us down. But God never does. He still loves us with an unconditional love. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. To be both a mother and father to us, if necessary. God is always there when we need him.

The Bible says that God loves us so much that he gave his very best: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Do you enjoy God’s love and his gift of eternal life? If not, accept it today.

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day. If your mom is living, thank her for her love for you. Take her to church before Sunday dinner and show her you still appreciate her faith in God.

If you have lost your mom, remember the gift of life and the gift of love she gave to you. Then thank God for the mother he gave you.

I’m not suggesting that your mother was perfect. In fact you may have to forgive her for being less than perfect. (You were less than perfect, too. Remember those teen years?) But God gave you your mom. And he gave you to her.

We don’t get to choose our mothers but every one of us can choose to have a relationship with God. The Bible says that if you come to him through Jesus Christ, he will forgive your failures. He will love you like a long-lost child that finally comes home.

Parenting can help us mature in life. But spiritual maturity comes when we put God first in life and choose to serve others. Then you’ll delight in serving them and rejoice in their laughter.

Unselfish love is a great gift to give and to receive. Thanks, Mom. And thank you, God.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Goodbye Jesus

Well it’s that time of year when many people say “Goodbye” to Jesus. Along with packing up Easter decorations and winter clothes in the spring, some will put Jesus away until Christmas. They’re fine without him. Just save Jesus for the holidays.

It’s easy to do. Once spring hits the yard, there’s a lot to keep up with—mowing, gardening, spring-cleaning, and weekends at the lake. Who’s got time for God?

There’s just one problem with that. Jesus asks, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”

What’s the benefit of having the best yard, the finest garden, the cleanest house or the nicest place on the lake? Is it worth it if you end up losing your life in the process?

“Well, hold on for just a minute,” you say. “How can all that cost you your life?”

Good question. So here’s something to think about: Life is about focus.

What you focus on consumes your life. You spend your life to get what you want. And you can’t serve two masters at the same time. Jesus said that.

A relationship with God is about more than celebrating Christmas and Easter. It’s about more than worship on weekends. It’s about loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And loving your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said that, too.

God becomes a priority--not just a pastime for your free time. You can’t fool God. The Bible says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Hey, if you want to spend your life pursuing power, wealth and pleasure, go for it. Just don’t expect much in the way of inner peace, eternal rewards or a lasting legacy.

Jesus, however, calls us to a different focus in life. He says, “Follow me. Take my yoke upon you. Learn from me.” And the life to which he calls us is a life of service.

Describing himself Jesus said, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give his life a ransom for many.” And he calls us to follow him.

When you follow Jesus, the rewards are much greater than the sacrifices. You will know the joy that your life is making an eternal difference. You will have peace that transcends all understanding. And you will feel so blessed you won’t know what to do!

True, the way of Jesus is not the way of wealth, pleasure or power. It’s the path of denying self. It may also be a path of suffering and hardship. And it doesn’t appeal to everyone.

To follow Jesus, you must give up your rights in order to serve God and others.

Think Mother Theresa and not Martha Stewart. Billy Graham and not Donald Trump.

If your Jesus is a holiday only Jesus (or even a weekend Jesus), don’t kid yourself that you’re a true Christ follower. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross DAILY and follow me.”

We can’t have it both ways. Jesus didn’t promise rewards for a part-time commitment.

Take an honest look at your life. What’s your focus? Is it all about you?

Ask God to show you a better way. Ask him to make your life count. If you’re serious, pick up a Bible and start reading the New Testament. Begin with the Gospel of John and keep going.

Here’s how the Bible describes its purpose: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

So, instead of ‘Goodbye,’ say ‘Hello’ to Jesus--and maybe I’ll see you in church next Sunday.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Easter Poser

Are you an Easter Poser? According to the dictionary, a ‘poser’ is someone that acts a certain way to impress others. So an Easter Poser hopes to impress people at church on Easter Sunday.

You know what I’m talking about. Put on new clothes, go to church, smile and act pleasant. Sing the hymns. Close your eyes during prayer. Take communion. Pose as a Christian.

It makes your family happy but you don’t have a clue what all the fuss is about.

The pastor talks about a relationship with God but you feel lucky to have a relationship with another human being. Christians talk about answered prayer but you feel like your prayers just bounce off the ceiling. It’d be nice if it was true, but how can anyone know for sure?

Now it’s the week before Easter and you’re trying to decide if you’re even going to go to church this Sunday. Somebody’s been asking you to go but your family is getting together and you’ve got a lot to get done beforehand. Maybe there’s even an Easter egg hunt for the kids.

Why bother with church anyway? Easter seems like just another Sunday. Candy for the kids and a nap for you if you’re lucky.

Besides, how can anyone believe that a resurrection even happened? And if it did, what difference does it make?

Well, hold on just a minute! Go back to that resurrection question.

Have you ever personally investigated the resurrection of Christ? It’s the central fact of Christianity. Even the Bible admits that. The Apostle Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

So there it is. If the resurrection didn’t happen, don’t waste your time thinking about Easter. But, if the resurrection is an historical fact, then Christianity is true, Christ is God and you’re faced with a decision to accept or reject Christ. You can’t ignore such an important event.

Frank Morrison was a skeptical journalist who wondered why so many people believed in a resurrection when it’s contrary to the laws of science. He decided to investigate the historical record and a write a book disproving the resurrection as a myth. He ended up writing “Who Moved the Stone?” I recommend it to you for some thoughtful reading.

What Morrison found as he examined the historical records astounded him. The evidence for the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ was overwhelming. Even for a skeptic.

One of Morrison’s more interesting observations is that there is no historical evidence to contradict Jesus’ followers’ claims that the tomb was empty. There were only false assertions by Jewish authorities that somehow the disciples stole the body (in spite of armed guards!).

Read for yourself the Gospel of John in the New Testament and ponder Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God. Ask God to show you the truth. Write down your questions and ask a church leader who knows the Bible to answer them. The God of the Bible welcomes seekers of truth. He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

The Bible clearly proclaims, “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!” His resurrection from the dead proved his power over death. It validates his offer to give eternal life to all who will trust in him. That’s why the apostles preached, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

So why keep posing when you go to church? The reality of faith in Christ is a greater joy than a poser can ever pretend to know. Truth is its own reward. Keep seeking until you find it.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Fabulous Fakes

Fakes are all around us. There is fake butter (margarine), fake sugar (artificial sweetener) and fake cream (nondairy creamer). They might fool some, but they’re not what they appear.

My first time on a movie set, I was amazed at how much was not what it appeared to be. Rocks, props and much of the set were all fakes. But they looked real and fooled the camera.

Many movie stars and other wealthy people wear fake copies of their expensive jewelry so there is less risk of robbery. The fakes look authentic and fool all but an expert’s eye.

So it shouldn’t surprise us that most churches have fake Christians—people who look, talk and act like real Christians, fooling the church. Fabulous Christian Fakes, if you please.

“Hold on just a minute,” you say. “Fake Christians? How can there be fake Christians?”

Jesus predicted that among his followers there would always be fakes--people that are hard to tell from genuine believers. Followers like Judas. Later the Bible warns the church to look out for false leaders and teachers whose only goal is to gain a following and reap financial rewards.

One Christian leader I know has been in many churches across America. He said that, in his opinion, just 15 to 20 percent of the people at most churches were true Biblical Christians.

Well how can you tell if you are a ‘real’ Christian? What’s the evidence?

Does walking an aisle and praying a prayer make you a real Christian? Does catechism, baptism, church membership or any other experience show you are truly a Christian? What if you claim to be (or someone says you were) ‘saved’ or ‘born again’? Does that make it real?

Many evangelical church groups refer to true believers as ‘saved’ or ‘born again.’ They take these terms from the Bible. Jesus said, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” He went on to describe a spiritual re-birth resulting from faith in him.

The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The context makes it clear that being ‘saved’ is from sin’s effects, consequences and punishment.

So the first part of being a Biblical Christian involves putting faith and trust in Christ for salvation and forgiveness from sin. It also involves a turning away from sin and towards God.

But this internal act of belief always results in an external change of behavior.

Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Others should be able to observe in his followers the same compassion and the same selfless, sacrificial love Jesus showed.

As the Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” It’s not perfection but transformation—a new motivation to please God and serve others.

God warns Christians, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The proof of believing is in the doing. We obey God out of joy and not duty.

Many people in America claim to be Christians. Some attend church occasionally. They tell themselves, “I believe in God, I pray and I go to church. I’m a Christian.” Sadly they have settled for a ritual instead of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Often they’re very religious people. But they’re Fabulous Fakes—fooling others but not God.

What they need to do is to humble themselves, trust Jesus with simple childlike faith and receive him as their Lord and Savior. Then it will be a delight for them to obey God, read the Bible and allow it to change their lives. Added bonuses include eternal life and divine blessings!

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Vampire Religion

Do you practice a vampire religion? I hope not. But some do and call themselves Christians.

“Now hold it right there for just a minute,” you say. “Isn’t that sacrilegious?” Maybe. But it’s worse if it’s true. (No, I’m not talking about drinking someone’s blood—Give me a break!)

Vampire religion is a shortsighted focus on salvation, on being a ‘Christian’ to the neglect of becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. So says Dallas Willard in his book, “The Great Omission.”

Willard’s point is this: “The individual says to Jesus, in effect, ‘I’d like a little of your blood, but I don’t care to be your student…in fact, won’t you just excuse me while I get on with my life, and I’ll see you in heaven.’”

In other words, “Thanks for dying on the cross for me, Jesus. I’ll accept the blood you shed for my sin. I’ll even remember it through the Communion cup. Just don’t ask me to change my life, give up my sin or live for you.”

Such a ‘Christian’ is more interested in the benefits and blessings of God than in becoming a Christ follower. And that’s selfishness at it’s worst.

To follow Jesus involves more than just a confession of faith. It’s a whole new focus for life.

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

For the Christ follower, if faith in Christ is worth anything, it is worth everything.

Jesus does not call us to a life of ease but to one of self-denial, complete dedication and willing obedience. And it is a joy to follow him because of his unconditional love for us.

Being a Christ follower is not about memorizing the Bible. It’s about undergoing a profound transformation in our hearts and minds where we become more and more like Jesus Christ.

The result will be what Jesus described when he said, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”

Sadly the church’s emphasis on Communion and Confirmation has failed to produce such a relationship of transformation. For the most part it has produced Vampire Christians.

If your focus is on your own life, what you can get and what you can keep—in the end you lose. You leave it all behind. But if you give your life to Jesus Christ, put him in charge and become his follower—you gain everything that is important, including eternal life.

Missionary martyr Jim Elliot said it best: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep in order to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Instead of a self-centered life, Jesus points us to a God-centered life of serving others. He calls us to deny ourselves the comforts of life to achieve a mission far greater than riches: The eternal salvation of the world. And what you gain is far greater than what you lose!

Jesus sacrificed himself to give the human race an eternal hope and future. He calls us to do the same--to live so that our life points others to the Savior who lived, died and arose from the dead. Then they, too, may experience peace and receive the gift of eternal life.

If you are a Christian, I don’t mean to discourage you from taking Communion. Take it as Jesus intended when he said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” The cup reminds us of his blood shed for our sin. And that’s especially meaningful as we approach Holy Week and Good Friday.

So follow Jesus. Stay close to him. And don’t be a ‘Vampire Christian.’

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!