A Thought a Day...
Thursday, March 11, 2004
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9
I don't think I can call myself a peacemaker. I'd like to be. In fact, I have often said that one of my strengths is to be able to bring two sides together with a divergent viewpoint and help them see each other's side. But the reality is, I often have my own agenda, and my "peacemaking" efforts are really to forward my own agenda.
So what is a peacemaker. Being a product of the 60s I immediately think of the protesters who were willing to go to jail while standing up for their belief that the Vietnam War was wrong. For some reason, they don't seem to be the kind of "peacemaker" Christ is talking about here. So what about the Rodney King personality. The one that is constantly saying "Why can't we just get along?" For some reason that doesn't seem to get it either. Is there something in between?
Christ stated, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matt 10:34. Another time, He says, "My peace I leave with you": to turn the other cheek: or if you are taken to court and they want your coat, give them your shirt as well. When the woman was taken in adultery, it was Christ instead of condemning her, spared her. Christ was delivering these words during a time when the world was at peace for the first time in centuries. This was the time of the Pax Romana... the Roman Peace. A peace that was brought about because any attempt to disrupt the status quo was met with ruthless and immediate consequences. Christ knew that people would not always react positively to His message. That families would be torn apart, that believers would be imprisoned and killed. His own cousin, John may have already been in prison when this message was delivered. It seems that Christ is telling us here that we can't control the reactions and attitudes of others, and those reactions may be harsh.
In my business life, I'm often required to initiate change without being overly confrontive. I've had to learn to be persuasive and to change the culture in the companies in which I work. That is not always easy. Sometimes I have to be confrontive, at other times, a gentle teacher.
To me the key may be in the last phrase, "... they shall be called the children of God". Maybe what is required here is that we act like our older brother. We are the King's kids, and everyone is going to be looking to us as to how to behave. In the final analysis, when in doubt, act like Christ. It's simplistic, maybe too much so... but I'll bet it would work.
Lord, I don't have all the answers. I'm competitive, in your face, and when confronted I don't back down. Let me know the meaning of being a peacemaker. Give me the boldness to stand for you when needed, to confront evil and sin... but at the same time be able to say "Let us come and reason together". Most of all, Father, when they see me, let me see you.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8
I'm in a heap o' trouble here, boss. I was thinking about this verse this morning, and I have anything but a pure heart... in fact, it's pretty rotten. I woke up early this morning, a couple hours early, in fact, and was lying there reflecting on this verse. If you use the ten commandments as the rule book for purity, I've broken most of them. And some would say that by working in the Pentagon, I've broken them all.
I used to love to paint. Before starting to paint I'd prepare a canvas by taking Titanium White pigment and covering the entire background. It's called priming the canvas. Some artists use gesso to do the same thing. But Titanium White is so white, that I'd sometimes use just the smallest amount of another color to tone it down... sometimes VanDyke Brown or Burnt Sienna. But once even one molecule of another color is added, it's no longer pure white. So it is with my heart. Once even the slightest sin, that white lie told or I've sped on the interstate, I've lost that pure heart. The part that hurts the most is that the promise is that those with a pure heart will see God.
There's a part of me that says, "God loves me so much that He wouldn't turn me down." I've done
a lot of good things in my life. But then, if I'm reading this correctly, and having a pure heart is a pre-requisite... well, honestly, I don't have a chance.
I'm sure glad that God wants to see me as much as I want to see Him. I'm thankful that He was the original Domestic chemist. Long before Clorox, He had a way that my heart would be bleached and look... no, be... new... pure. Unfortunately, the key ingredient was the pure blood of His only son. Isaiah wrote, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." and "By His stripes we are healed."
My former wife and I were in counselling as a last ditch effort to try to save our marriage. God had "told" my ex that I had committed a number of sins, and she was going down that list in the session. The herapist, being a good family counsellor turns to me and asks, "What is your reaction to this?" My response was "You know, I talked with God just this morning, and He said He couldn't remember a hing!" My response may have been flippant, and my motivation may not have been pure, but I'm so hankful that when it comes to my sin, he has amnesia.
Lord, I've failed you so much. My heart isn't pure much of the time... but thanks to my Lord, Jesus Christ, the sin in my life has been bleached away. The cost was so much, but you love me so much that you are and were willing to pay my way. Thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for making it possible to see You.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7
As has become my habit, I read this verse before going to bed last night. It ruined a good nights sleep. My first reaction was, I got this. This will be easy. But the more I reflected, the more I realized, I've got a long way to go. How do I become merciful... rather how do I become merciful in the way God expects?
Forty-eight hours ago I would have said I show mercy. I'm willing to "hate the sin and love the sinner." I don't want anyone to go to hell. I don't hold a grudge. But am I really merciful? I don't have a problem forgiving those who beg me for forgiveness for a wrong. But what about those who refuse to ask for my forgiveness? An easy example is Martha Stewart. The law is the law. I thought she was being singled out until I found out this week that she had been a stock broker. That's when I realized she knew the rules. She lied to cover up what she knew to be wrong and was caught. My attitude is she deserves to go to jail. Hope she looks good in an orange jump suit. Is that what my attitude should be? I don't think so.
I think the answer to how I should act is in the second part of this verse, in the result. "... for they shall obtain mercy." How do I want God to act toward me? Do I want Him to cast me aside saying, "You knew better... oh, and by the way... during those prayers where you just ask for forgiveness of all your sins, known and unknown... that doesn't cut it. I wanted you to beg me for forgiveness." I don't think so. I want God to unconditionally accept the fact that I've sinned, but that my sins are covered by the blood of Christ. That he will throw his arms around me and love me without thought of my past and how I've wronged Him. Maybe, I'd better start acting that way toward those that wrong me.
Lord, this morning you've thrown another monkeywrench in to the workings of my mind. My notions of what you want me to do has come crashing down around me. When am I enabling the unacceptable of others? When do I need to show "tough love" to be a catalyst for others to change their behavior. When do I draw the line? Give me the wisdom to apply your word, the sensitivity to know how to be effective to others and allow your Spirit to work on me as learn to be more merciful to others. Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Monday, March 08, 2004
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6.
I've been so incredibly fortunate. I don't ever remember being really hungry... I don't think I've ever had to miss a meal in my life that I didn't want to miss. When I read this verse, it leaves an impression of starving. I can't help but think of ole Doc. Doc had been a WWII prisoner of the Germans. He wouldn't talk much about his experience, but one time in a class on fasting he did mention that while in prison camp he had gone many times for many days without eating. But it wasn't the lack of food he found to be the most uncomfortable, it was the cold that bothered him the most. I have fasted before. But fasting is not a discipline for me. I rationalize it that I'm a diabetic and for health reasons I need to be sure to eat regularly. But then, I'm overweight and could sure use skipping about half of those meals. I've been doing better with controlling my food intake, but I have a long way to go. But that isn't what this verse is talking about, is it? It says, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. For many of the people to whom Christ was talking that day on the mountain, they would have understood hunger. Many were working just to subsist. Many would not have known where the next meal was coming from that day.
I love learning new things. While on vacation, I'm brushing up on my computer programming skills. My favorite television channels are the Discovery Channel, TLC and the History channel. You could say that I have a passion to learn. So, why do I find it so hard to be passionate about righteousness? I find myself oftentimes trying to figure out what is permissible to do as a Christian... What I'm allowed to do. In effect, I'm constantly trying to figure out how far I can move away from Christ without crossing the line from right to wrong. Excuse me! What's wrong with this picture? It should be just the other way around. I should be trying to figure out how close I can be getting to the Lord. Trying to figure out how right I can be living. It should be a passion. It should be my life motivation. I think that's what this verse is trying to tell me.
And there's more. The passage says that if I am passionate about finding righteousness, I'll be filled. It'll be like going to a buffet where when you are done eating, you think, I'll never eat again... At least for a few hours. We often say our hunger is "satisfied". The word used for "Blessed" can also mean "Happy". I could then paraphrase this verse as "You are happy when your passion is to seek what is right in the Lord, and when you do you'll be satisfied". Then why are my priorities so often out of whack. Why do I constantly crave junk food?
Lord, make me hungry for your will. Convict me of the areas in my life that are not what they should be. You have forgiven me of my sin and given me a clean heart. Sensitize me to your Spirit's call to seek you more. Make put me on a diet and give me the strength to stick to it... A diet of righteousness living.
Sunday, March 07, 2004
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5
I lived in Marion County, Florida for almost 20 years. Marion County is noted for its horse farms... It's the Lexington, KY of Central Florida. When I first started in the field of computers, the first vertical market I had an opportunity to work with was the Horse Industry. Whether it is a Thorobred, an Arabian or a quarter horse, they are amazing animals. The are powerful beasts who are trained to be talented, unique athletes. I have a friend named Mary who was one of the top female jockeys in the country. She quit riding after a near fatal injury when the horse she was racing became spooked on the home stretch and slammed her into the inside rail at 40 miles per hour. Mary told me, it was not a matter as a jockey of IF you would get hurt, it was a matter of WHEN. Mary comes to mind when I read this verse.
I've heard the word translated "meek" in the King James; "gentle" in some other translations, is a word that carries with it the concept of strength under control. Like a stallion who has been trained to be a race horse, the energy of the steed held under the control of the rider until released when needed.
That's a far cry from what I think of when I think of meek. I'm generally thinking of some passive, nerdy kind of guy that allows everyone to run over him. But then when I think of the perfect example, Christ himself, I begin to get a picture of what was intended. Christ was "meek and lowly" and that is generally our picture of Him... One who went to the cross without saying a word. Who said, when you are struck on one cheek, then turn the other one. But this is the same Christ who lashed cords together to make a whip and went through the temple overthrowing the tables of the moneychangers and driving them out of the courtyards. That's gutsy if you ask me. And it's a far cry from being run over and passive. Anyone who has seen the movie "The Passion of Christ" would have to agree, you could not be a pansy and endure when He endured on our behalf.
I don't normally think of the quiet ones being the owners of the earth. I was once told my strength in business was that I was often underestimated. Another person told me this week they didn't know how I had the patience to deal with the politics at the Pentagon. I wish I were that way due to meekness... But I'm not. My attitude is often not good. I'm more condescending than meek... and my patience comes from an arrogance that really means, when you have something worth saying, let me know. And that won't show anyone Christ. I am how I am because it works and keeps me out of the malarky. I could see where a truly meek person could be very powerful. But is that what Christ is promising in this verse? Is this promise of inheriting the earth referring to the New Heaven and the New Earth, or is this for today and now? I guess I'm going to have to work on my gentleness to find out, aren't I.
Lord, this verse raises more questions for me than it answers. When you were meek, you were tortured and misunderstood. Pop-psychology tells me I have to be assertive and ego-centric. Your Word tells me to hold my strength and attitude in control. I like the results you promise more than what the world offers, but then is that being greedy? Lord, let me work your work in me. Help me to understand the meaning of meekness and how it is to be applied in my life today.
