A new look at Philippians 1:29
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There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. (Phil. 1:29 MSG)
The Message usually makes me think. This sure is something to think about …
Richard III and reputations
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Over Christmas I finally joined the Richard III Society – a group dedicated to correcting his reputation.
Maybe it’s because my own husband’s reputation is being attacked. But it was something I cared about for a long time. Over the years I’ve read a number of books about Richard III – Josephine Tey’s Daughter of Time among them (if you like mystery novels, it’s a great one). He appears to have been a good man. Nothing like Shakespeare portrayed him.
History is written by the winners and the Tudors were notoriously twisted (just think of Henry VIII and Bloody Mary). Their history blames some amazing things on Richard. It seems to me that you can tell more about the man he was by looking at the actions we know were really his – he passed the most enlightened laws on record for the Fifteenth Century:
Laws in English: so the common people could understand their own laws (they had been written in Latin)
Blind Justice: On the first day of his reign, Richard instructed judges and lawyers to dispense justice without regard to a person’s rank, wealth or power.
Presumption of Innocence: He made it illegal to seize a man’s property before he was convicted of the crime. And he instituted bail so that those accused of a crime would be free until trial. “The law shall cease to be an instrument of oppression and extortion.”
Jury System: He reformed the jury system with protections against bribery and tainted verdicts, and declared that anyone who serves on a jury should be of good repute and must own property in the shire.
Clear Title: He instituted Clear Title so sellers couldn’t sell the same property multiple times.
I don’t really think that my joining the Society will correct history. But it’s important to do – not just believe.
It’s the same with faith in Christ. We say we believe, but if we don’t actually step out and stand on that belief, is it real? If our choices and actions don’t come from that belief, is it real? It’s when we believe and do that we grow. That we become more like Jesus.
If someone were to look back to judge our reputation, what would they see? What kind of person would they judge us to be? It’s something to think about …
Cat Courageous?
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You hear stories of cats waking up their people when there’s a fire and other things like that. But I never gave it much thought until yesterday. We have a courageous cat.
Muff was afraid of the vacuum monster. As soon as I got out the cleaning supplies she would run and hide as far away as she could get. In fact all I had to do was start picking up her toys and she would run.
Lilly is afraid, too. But she deals with it very differently.
She’s obviously afraid. She crouches in a corner – preferably a high corner – and doesn’t take her eyes off it. But, yesterday, I noticed that she doesn’t leave. In fact she follows me from room to room.
I was trying to figure out why she would do that. If she’s afraid, why not go somewhere else? Discretion is the better part of valor after all!
Then it occurred to me that she must be protecting me. She follows me from room to room – she doesn’t leave and hide in rooms I go to – she’s not there when I get there. She comes in after me and the monster.
Could she really be keeping watch? Making sure I’m alright? The way cats think is always surprising, but I’m amazed that she would think it through that way.
She’s a gem!
PS: on the petting front – she has decided that she likes it! In fact when we come home she’ll go up on her hind legs (like a meerkat) to reach our hands! Makes you feel like something special!
Avatar
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I keep hearing about “conservatives” hating Avatar. I don’t know if that’s politically correct for “christian” or not. But I wonder at the anger of these people. I don’t really understand it.
There is a native population in tune with nature (reminiscent of the Indians). There are mercenaries willing to destroy a planet’s eco-system to provide what their dying planet needs (reminiscent of our global warming debates and colonialism). The powerful throughout history really don’t have a great track record – is some kind of guilt coming out as anger? What would make these writers/commentators take it so personally – as if it were a personal attack on them?
Anyway – all the things they focus on are peripheral – none of the angry remarks touch on what the movie is about. Makes me wonder if they’re uncomfortable with it.
They ignore the beautiful story of a broken, empty person finding himself and becoming whole. It was wonderful. It was inspiring. It was encouraging. What more can you ask from a movie?
Light
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In England during World War II, enemy planes roared overhead seeking easy prey. Light coming through windows was, literally, a dead giveaway … The Enemy looks for light, wanting to attack that light with darkness. As people living in the light, we are targets of darkness. (Come Closer, Jane Rubietta, p. 153)
A lot of people are told that if they accept Christ their life will be great. Prosperous. Problems solved. I’ve found that it’s not so.
For me it’s been much more complicated. Before, life was simpler. I did what I wanted to and didn’t have to answer to anyone. Didn’t have to deal with my sin. Didn’t have to make things right. In fact right was whatever I wanted it to be.
And not only that, but now I have an Enemy. Someone who wants me to fail. Wants me to give up and think Jesus isn’t enough.
And I’ve watched as my pastors have been attacked. Attacked for trying to show the love of Christ. For trying to do right and shine His light in a dark place.
I need to keep reminding myself – what do I expect? A light shining can’t be ignored. A light shining is hated by the Enemy – and it’s a target. It always has been.
That doesn’t mean that the light should stop. In fact the light needs to shine all the more. It’s truth against lies. It’s hope against despair. It’s life against death. And it will show the way out for some.
A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns. They only shine. (D.L. Moody)
Attacks, hurts and trials. Oh my!
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We all deal with trials of one kind or another. Illness. Job loss. Even outright attacks. Whatever it is, it’s hard. And, if it goes on for a long time, you can get tired. You can get discouraged. You can wonder if God will help.
I’d like to share a story with you:
In 1895 Andrew Murray was in England suffering from a terribly painful back, the result of an injury incurred years before. One morning while eating breakfast in his room, his hostess told him of a woman downstairs who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any advice for her. He handed her a paper he had been writing on and said, “Give her this advice I am writing down for myself. It may be that she’ll find it helpful.” This is what he wrote:
“In time of trouble, say,
‘First he brought me here. If it is by his will I am in this strait place, in that place I will rest.”
Next, say, “He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.’
Then, say, ‘He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow.’
And last, say, ‘I am here by God’s appointment, in his keeping, under his training, for his time.’”
(Quoted in Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow, p. 171)
Lord bless you and keep you!
Changing of the Guard
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Twilight Zone turned 50 years old last week. I happened to see an episode they had on to celebrate. It was one I had never seen in all the reruns and marathons.
Changing of the Guard is about a teacher at a boys’ school. He’d been there forever (now teaching the grandson of one of his students). He received a letter that he thought was a contract for the next year. It was a letter retiring him.
He spent hours looking through old year books – at the boys that had so much promise but died in wars. Had all his years of teaching done any good? Why had he spent his life that way? He was about to commit suicide, but a class bell rang.
Habit being what it is, he went to his classroom. It was full of boys.
They were the the ghosts of students who died in the various wars (it was Twilight Zone after all). Each one, in turn, recited something that he had learned in class. Something that gave him the courage to do the acts of heroism he died for. Teaching is not wasted.
We may not all be teachers in the classroom sense. But most of us have a teaching role with someone we know. Moms teach. Dads teach. Even friends teach sometimes.
We may hear thank yous as we go along. Or it may be a long time – maybe not ’til heaven. But never doubt that your teaching matters. The smallest thing may turn out to have the greatest impact on another’s life. It may not even be words, but actions.
Just continue. Continue to be faithful. To be loving. To be kind. Who knows what might stick!
Thots on Jaycee
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I’ve watched and read a lot of the coverage of Jaycee Dugard’s release from that backyard prison. Such an unimaginable horror. So much of it sounds like some awful movie script – you wouldn’t think it could be real.
One of the things that bothers me most (besides the fact that that creep was let out of jail at all) is the weird “Christian” statements he’s made. He says he wants everyone to know the beautiful story!
Jaycee’s picture of Jesus and Christianity must be so dark and twisted. I can’t imagine that she would want to go anywhere near it again. So, I’m praying for a miracle.
I’m praying that Christians can be drawn to her. To love her. To encourage her. To help her. Help her build a beautiful picture of Christ and his followers – to even want to be one herself.
God can bring good out of the darkest place. I know this is not too big for Him!
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)
Odd …
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You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you odd.
Flannery O’Connor
Ever thought about oddness as a witnessing technique?
There are times when we succeed at living our faith and we do seem odd to others. We don’t react the way they expect. We don’t make the choices they expect. We don’t even say words they expect to hear.
I don’t think about it a lot, but people are watching. What I do. What I say. How I react. And sometimes it make them stop for a second and wonder.
They might think about what I’ve said or done. They might think about what they expected. They might even think about what could cause the difference.
And sometimes they ask.
Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. (1Pet. 3:15 MSG)
Hypocrisy – I don’t think so
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Sometimes we must speak the truth even if we aren’t sure we believe it and aren’t at all sure we can live it. Sometimes we embrace what we know without feeling it in our hearts because we know the One who said it in the first place.
(Come Closer, Jane Rubietta, p 26)
It feels like hypocrisy – saying what we’re not sure we believe or can live. But maybe not.
Maybe it has nothing to do with me. Maybe the key is “we know the One who said it in the first place.” If the truth I’m telling is God’s truth then it has everything to do with Him.
He is unchanging. He is faithful. He has a plan. And His truth is true. Always. Even when I’m weak. Even when I don’t feel it. I can still count on it. And sometimes saying it out loud actually helps me believe it.
The picture that comes to mind is someone standing in a boat in choppy seas (not a wise thing to do – but we’ll leave that for another time). Know who God is. Know what He’s said. Then plant your feet firmly on Him and ride the waves that come.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Heb. 10:23)
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