What's More Important?

I run into something now and then that completely pisses me off. Yes, pisses me off. It's putting things like nationalism, freedom, government, and its laws on this pedestal, making them false gods and using them to excuse actions, or lack of actions, and a bad attitude.

We do that kind of thing a lot when we start sentences with "you can't" and throw in a "because". You can't sleep here. You can't come in here dressed like that. You can't come in here at all. You can't live here. You can't, you can't, you can't. Why? Because. Undoubtedly "because it's against ", be it anything from company policy to federal law.

You know what though? I don't believe that's the real reason at all we use that standard line. If people had that much respect for rules and laws to chalk them up as real reasons for "you can't", we'd drive a whole lot slower on the freeways, stop talking on our phones while we're doing it, and never jaywalk. None of that's ever going to happen. Instead, I believe far too often we hide behind rules and laws as an excuse -- something to cover up the fact we're uncomfortable with the situation and just really don't want to be loving our neighbor at the moment. If we justify it with a "you can't" and a "because", the problem goes away so we don't have to think about it or deal with it without feeling bad.

We in first world countries do this kind of crap all the time to the many types of outcasts in our society, often without realizing it. Maybe we don't like coming outside of our box to see the real world around us. Maybe doing that makes us realize that there are people in need and we should be doing more and giving more, but we won't want to hear that. Maybe doing that makes us think we'll have to give up a bit of what we think "is ours" and we don't want to do that. Instead, we hide behind a system.

It's hogwash. Did not David eat the bread of the presence from the temple? Did not Jesus heal on the sabbath? Did not the disciples glean on the sabbath? Why? Lawbreakers going against the system! Why? Because human need is more important. It is more important to God and it should be more important to us.

So before anyone hides behind some policy, protocol, or government, including myself, I suggest they take a look at the people involved and the motivation behind their actions. Generalizing, detaching, and passing the buck and the blame to faceless systems is sinful, plain and simple.

Grace and Peace

Another False Idol

I sinned against the LORD and my wife today. Granted, I do that pretty much every day without knowing about it, but today it was blatantly obvious. Thank the LORD for grace, patience, forgiveness, and mercy! In the spirit of taking a bad situation and pulling something good out of it, and least I came to realize something that hopefully can be useful to another brother or sister.

Among the many false idols that we must be wary of, reason can be one of them as well.

Specific examples aside, here is the situation. My wife wanted something done. Just a not-too-difficult task that came out of an off the cuff remark. The task seems to be pointless. It seems to be a waste of time, a little bit of money, and encourages something else that seems to be a further waste of time. To appease the logical side of my brain, a reasonable reason needs to be given! My wife thinks the asking in itself is enough of a reason.

Guess what? She was right.

After sinfully contributing to my end of the ensuing argument and sucking joy out of our lives, for a short time, for both of us, I got the reason I was seeking. It was a valid one. It contributed to further bonding between her and some members of the family she is trying to get closer to. Perfectly valid, as relationships are very important.

However, she was still right. I didn't need to know that. The asking in itself should have been enough for me if I was loving her correctly. Christ didn't say "ask, present your case in a good amount of detail, and it shall be given". Our dad in heaven doesn't just answer the prayers that have a rock solid court room style defense laid out for our requests. So who am I to demand more than God?

No, sometimes loving our wives also means trusting them and seeking to be a blessing when opportunities come up -- even ones we don't understand. We don't need to understand, whether or not there is a good reason to be had.

I'm so glad the Spirit convicts us soundly when we do wrong. Praise the LORD for his correction, his patience and his love!

Grace and Peace