We are all in this together

I’d like to think I would do it differently if I could, but clearly you can’t go back. A friend of mine Randy uses a phrase weekly, and it helps me to have a better attitude going forward.

Regretfully, in my 20s & 30s I was more immature than I’d like to admit. Reflecting with some painful clarity, I cringe remembering how rude & arrogant I was -- I was cocky to say the least. Youth, strength, and talent can go to your head, messing with your heart. What I needed back then was a better perspective, a perspective I gained by returning to my roots in concrete and meeting Randy.

When I transitioned in my mid-40s from traditional full time pastoral work to planting a church, I entered a realm new to me by becoming bi-vocational. These last 11 years of my 28 years in ministry I have been in two worlds, so to say. I returned to the work I did before following the call to ministry, concrete construction, and the Lord has blessed our family beyond imagination as we minister and work in concrete simultaneously.

Strangely enough, I’ve learned more about people, myself, and my relationship with God serving bi-vocationally. And, I’ve met some wonderful people I never would have had I remained in traditional pastoral ministry, amazing people like Randy over at Summers and Taylor.

Randy is a dispatcher for a local concrete company, which means he and the team of dispatchers he works with deal with logistics. They schedule with contractors the delivery of the concrete, they coordinate with the batch plant, and the drivers. I talk to dispatch dozens of times weekly. Stressful isn’t a strong enough word for the job they do; their work is like a combination between being air traffic controllers and herding cats. The people they deal with and the responsibilities they carry are demanding. Yet, Randy has a perspective I’ve needed for years, and hearing him each week repeat his mantra helps me immensely.

By the way, you might not know it but the second most used commodity in the world is concrete, second only to water. As a building material, concrete is used twice as much as wood, steel, aluminum, and plastic all combined. Concrete is everywhere, in fact one could easily make an argument that our civilization itself rests on the durability of concrete. We have roads, water treatment plants, structures for industry and education, our very homes, and more, all dependent on the enduring strength of concrete.

As we try to strategize and schedule work, at least once a week Randy will say over the phone, “We are all in this together.” In other words, we are all doing the best we can, we all have challenges, we all need to be patient & understanding and let’s all do our best to cooperate -- like the old saying, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Most everyone we know is facing difficulties and trials. Life is hard and the more we see life as a competition, the more difficult we make matters -- this is true in our churches, homes, places of work, and our communities. Our Political system is probably the “best” example of how counterproductive competition in life is.

There’s a powerful metaphor mixed-up within the word “concrete.” Unpacking its etymology, “Con” meaning “together,” and “crescere” meaning “to grow up,” by deconstructing or taking apart the Latin combined to give us the word “concrete,” we get the captivating imagery of “growing up together.”

The Bible is filled with examples of how we grow transformationally, together. Spiritual maturity requires cooperation and mutual participation through a community. Consider Prov 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” Here’s a “concrete” example from Eph 4:15-16, “15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

All too often we compete with others for status, attention, or position, and in doing so we fail miserably to reach our full potential. Life would be better all the way around if we could only learn to respect each other and cooperate more, that’s why I appreciate Randy’s phrase “We are all in this together.”

Elections/Upcoming Midterms -- Who should Christians vote for?

Every election cycle is portrayed as the most vital one to date; each new election cycle is hyped-up more than the last one. Americans are constantly being told that this is “the most important election ever in our Nation’s history.” We are cautioned, our “Liberty is at stake,” we are warned our “freedoms and way of life” are on the line -- this hyperbolic propaganda is repeated around the clock, all the while ignoring God's role in assigning positions of authority.

Yes, November 8th all 435 seats of the House of Representatives and 35 out of the 100 Senate seats are being contested, as well as our Volunteer State’s gubernatorial election. Should your church leadership tell you who to vote for? No. Should your church leaders tell you which political party to support? Never.

It is divisive to denounce any politician by name or to promote your political party from the pulpit. Ethically, your church leadership has no business telling you who you should vote for -- it is improper and perhaps even illegal for church leaders to tell you who you should vote for.

Our way of voting is rather new. The Bible was written in the historical context of monarchies and Theocratic imperialism. If you search your Bible forever you won’t find the words “Democratic elections” or “Voters rights.” Instead, we read:

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (I Timothy 2:1-2)

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:1-2)

“Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (I Peter 2:13-17)

In other words, from these three passages, it is not up to us to establish the political leadership. It is our obligation to be submissive to political leaders and to pray for them, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with them.

Could your church, can your church, teach you how to vote like a Christian? Yes, they can and should. The pulpit isn't the place to shame or coerce people into voting your party’s way, instead churches should help their congregations learn how to vote like Christians.

How could Christians vote more faithfully? For starters we should pray for guidance from God, and then be willing to pray for all of our political leaders, even the ones we disagree with after they take office. As a matter of conscience, we should prayerfully consider casting our votes carefully. Secondly, I do believe our voting is based on character and principles, the person in office matters as much as their proposed policies.

As you ponder who to vote for in November, consider Jesus’ response to Pilate’s interrogation in John 18:36-37, “36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Our churches have an obligation to guide us to live faithfully, even in a world rife with political corruption -- we are blessed today with unimaginable freedoms that allow us to participate in our elections, this serious obligation is not to be taken lightly. Ultimately, as we vote, we must consider, our kingdom isn't of this world, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ...” (Philippians 3:20)

Just another hater?

 

Maybe God nudged you, maybe you studied your way out, maybe you just got tired of it.  You moved past hating and judging churches you disagreed with as a child.  You realized the Kingdom was bigger than your little group.  But, have you traded your Pharisaical card in for a Sadducees card?  

The question is, who are you hating or judging these days, or have you really moved on from your roots?  Who is the target of your contempt & distain, or have you given up on trying to fix everyone else and you are ready to get to work on the real need for change, you, changing yourself?  

It's easy to think we are progressing and growing spiritually, when in reality all we have done is traded or exchanged the set of people we are critiquing.  Judging is judging, shaming is shaming, it doesn't matter if your scorn is aimed at the people outside your circle of believers or at the people who look and act just like you do.  

Harsh, critical, condemnation, dished out smugly is still ugly & unloving no matter who you're aiming it at.  Simply shedding ultra-conservative fundamentalism only to hate & condemn people stuck in their supposed ignorance isn't progress, it's procrastination  -- it's holding on to our immature feelings of superiority, the ones we tried hard to run from in the first place.  

Who you complain about the most says a lot about your state of mind.  Don't "grow up" to be just another hater.  

Embrace this simple key to happiness

 

In this picture you see cat paw prints, prints that once angered me greatly.  Tammy and I have done a few decorative concrete projects at our home, and in this case, as I applied a broomed texture to our colored concrete sidewalk, our outdoor-stray cat hopped off the porch and tramped across the wet concrete walk, forever leaving her prints -- in that moment of anger I may have said a few words I'm not proud of.  

Anger results from feeling weak/vulnerable, feeling like we have no control over the situation.  Over time, unresolved anger does more damage to us than the problem that angered us did. 

Today as I blew the early fall leaves off our walk, seeing those cat prints made me smile.  Why?  I have no idea.  But today it felt funny seeing her prints.  Seeing those silly little paw prints brought a little bit of joy to me.  I paused from blowing leaves for a moment and soaked in the healing.

Strangely, with time we can laugh at our mistakes, hurtful offences, and the past pain we've suffered.   The key to happiness isn't saying too soon we are at peace with the pain, or making light of the problem that wounded us.  That would be denial, and that is unhealthy.  

You can't rush acceptance.  But, you shouldn't deny its presence when acceptance knocks on your heart's door either.  

The key to happiness is embracing the laughter and easy feelings when they do hit us, don't fight the joy, embrace the laughter when it comes.  It's natural to be defensive and to try to hold tightly to your unique pain, as any victim would.  Embrace the acceptance in the moment, and you'll be happier.  

I don't do this enough, but I'm learning to let myself laugh at what once made me angry.  I encourage you to give it a try.  

What's expected when outsiders move in

Much has changed over the years since my dad fled the impoverished mountains of Southeast Kentucky, along with a generation of disillusioned Appalachians who crossed the Mason-Dixon searching for work. The promise of industrial jobs offering higher standards of living lured tens of thousands away to Cincinnati, Chicago, and Detroit.

More people participated in that mass-exodus than any other migration of Americans in our Nation’s history. The path north from Appalachia was dubbed “The Hillbilly Highway.” When my dad landed in the Chicagoland area he and many others were not welcomed with open arms. Slurs, altercations, and alienation left them feeling unwelcomed, to say the least.

It’s funny how life often comes full circle. Now that our region is on the radar of people who once rejected hillbillies with the same hateful vitriol as any form of racism our Nation has known, we are presently their prime destination.

Here in Tennessee, Nashville isn’t the only area being inundated, every week there are multiple families moving into the Tri Cities from California, Illinois, New York, and other such places. They are attracted to our lower-priced real estate, absence of a State income Tax, and other great incentives. My wife and I moved our four sons here nearly 20 years ago for many of the same reasons -- this is a great place to raise children.

Change is hard & intimidating, especially unsolicited change -- the problem today is, as we are being flooded with outsiders moving in, many here are worried about their politics/liberal values. Worst yet, we wearily wonder, how will their presence influence change here in our area?


Our region is known for being suspicious of outsiders, and rightly so. Read, if you haven't already, Harry Caudhill’s 1960’s, “Night comes to the Cumberlands.” The book vividly describes in painful detail how the Appalachian region has historically been depleted, taken advantage of, and plundered by outsiders.

I’m confident the influx and steady flow of people moving in will not slow down. In fact I expect what we’re experiencing to increase as word continues to get out. The new casino opening up, large tracts of land on the market, steady employment here, not to mention how beautiful the mountains are around here all lead us to ask: How should we respond to this massive arrival of new people/what’s really required of us now more than ever?

We have an opportunity to share our slower pace of life (Yes, as an expatriated northerner I can now say ours, it only took about 5 years to feel enculturated and at “home” here). We can influence these latest outsiders with some of the traditions we are known for here, like family values and strong church ties. We can and should take advantage of these opportunities to share the Good news of Jesus and help change lives -- after all these people came here to escape lifestyles and locations they didn’t like.

Our real challenge today? To practice Biblical Hospitality. We now have unprecedented opportunities to love new neighbors like never before -- here’s a helpful passage worth reflecting on for all of us, “8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace” (I Pet 4:8-10)

The allure of trolling on Social Media

There are some gift speakers, thinkers, and writers who somehow have the ability to consistently generate fresh ideas.  Then, some less talented people who can sometimes blend other folk's ideas into something rather new & interesting.  Then, there's the group who wants to sound profound -- by tearing apart and critiquing everyone else: Trolls.

There's no stopping the trolls, but perhaps by ignoring them, they will lose what they feed on, attention.  They want the accolades, affirmation, and attention the truly creative people are gaining, and so much like a playground bully, they push their way into the fray.

I don't know why, but negativity seems easier to generate then productive content.  People are fault-finders by nature, I guess?

It's much easier to poke holes in an idea than it is to come up with a new idea.  For example, think of the preacher who pours 10-15 hours of preparation into a 30 minute sermon, only to be corrected at the conclusion of the day by someone who has never spoken publicly in their life, but they gleefully caught your one mistake.  The same can be true for a good post, well written article, or a good video.  Unpublished people who haven't "made it" somehow think they have the right to judge the rest, by tearing apart those ideas/people they are clearly jealous of.

The people who try so hard to sound profound, and are always critical of those who are creative/productive, mistakenly think they have audience when the rest of us interact with them.  They crave more attention and need more approval, they simply are going about it all wrong.  

It's hard to come up with new ideas, new perspectives, fresh content time & time again.  It's a lot easier to pick apart the thoughts and ideas other people post.  Do I feel sorry for the trolls?  Nope, not at all.  I feel sorry for the people who are vulnerable enough to share their creativity, only to have some hack slobbering bravely over their keyboard, just waiting to pounce.  

The problem with "Identifying" as what you aren't

                                                      (Timesnews religion column 4/29/22)

Imagine as you are being seated aboard a commercial flight a 14 year old passenger proclaims, “I’m a pilot. Show me to the cockpit, I’ll fly this plane.” Then, like a scene out of the Twilight Zone, the flight-crew accommodates this childish whim -- but none of the other passengers budge. Would you have the courage to deplane?

Speaking of flying, as a four year old I dressed up as Superman for Halloween. My costume was as comfortable as pajamas, and since I was only four, I wore it for days. Soon I went from pretending I was Superman, to believing I was. Eventually I asked my mom if I really was Superman; she indulged my immature imagination and said, “Yes, yes you are.”

Being an irrational four year old I wanted to fly, so I climbed to the top of our bunk-beds and called my mom to my bedroom. I said, “If I’m really Superman, then I can fly. Right?” Thankfully my mom had the sense to end my fantasy, “I wouldn’t try that if I were you.” she said.

Can we fabricate every outlandish transformation we desire? If I “identify” as a Pulitzer prize winning columnist, am I now entitled to be called one? What about those students supposedly identifying as “Furries?”

There was a false rumor circulating about a school board meeting with an agenda item for adding litter boxes to the school bathrooms for the students identifying as “furries.” In actuality, Michigan, Iowa, and Kentucky schools recently have reported situations with teenage students acting like cats and dogs, walking on all fours, barking and hissing at other students.

To any worried teachers: Perhaps you could “identify” as the Principal and forbid it, telling these students they need proof that their veterinarian vaccinated them for rabies, that animals do not receive driver's licenses, and there are leash laws. Perhaps add, being “furry” requires fur.

What happens when teenage students “identify” as school administrators and demand to start making their own rules? If we continue down this path, our classrooms won’t be far from Golding’s “Lord of the flies.”

When is enough, enough? How far will we go, how long will we indulge the fantasies of delusional people who claim to identify as something other than what they actually are? Why is this even important -- what’s at stake when society caters to these fraudulent identities?

We are embattled over objectivity, and our strongest weapon is the Truth. If we can erode confidence in objective reality then it becomes acceptable to say, “That’s your truth,” or, “That’s true for you, not for me.” If you can destroy objectivity, you either take away our ability or at least make it nearly impossible to make truth claims, such as, there is only One God and only one way to God — through Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the Truth, and the Life.” Either He told the truth or He lied, He didn’t merely “identify” as a Messiah.

The battle for “identifying” as something other than what you are ontologically isn’t about personal choices, or being gender fluid, or living in a fantasy realm. It’s a distortion that leads towards destroying our civilization, not by personal choices that affect only an individual, but by forcing everyone to acquiesce to a total lie. These concessions weaken the Truth with a capital T -- continually violating our conscience is causing a crippling cultural cognitive dissonance.

Paul’s words in II Cor 10:3-5 seem more relevant now than ever, “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ...”

These are not impolite, uncompassionate, or intolerant questions. These days, sharing our opinions about these matters is courageous. Some people will shame/bully Christians into silence, but we need to be able to dialogue about this. I do not want to take away anyone’s right to choose their identity or persecute Trans-people, I simply want the right to civilly voice our disagreements.

Honestly, medically speaking, if you examine a person scientifically you can deduce from their organ structure, skeletal structure, and DNA what species/gender they are — regardless of what the individual believes. Also, doctors do not “guess” a baby’s gender at birth.

Some will accuse us of hate speech. When the Emperor was showing off his new clothes, was it hateful to point out his lack of clothes? How long until we say enough is enough? If we are forced to agree that people actually are whatever they claim to be when in fact they aren’t, brace for impact -- our culture is in for a crash landing.