Published Article

I was officially published on the Burnside Writers Collective- check out the article here:

http://burnsidewriters.com/2011/06/27/judge-jury-and-entertained/

Spirit Free Daiquiris

"They talk a good game, but..."

"He's all hat and no cattle."

"She talks the talk, but fails to walk they walk."

"What a wannabe."

Aren't cliches wonderful? Despite being overused (hence the name) these platitudes are also accurate. We all know someone like this. Full of themselves, or advice for you, but they don't do anything. They are brilliant in their own estimation, and they know you better than you. Maybe they aren't jerks about it, maybe they just make promises they never keep, or claim to be something they never actually act like.

There. That's the one. People who claim to be Christians, yet never actually act like one. I know you know this kind of person, because between 75 and 90 % of Americans claim to be Chrisitian. So many surveys and studies have been done to get to this figure over the years, and they all point to the idea that America is a Christian nation. And other cultures have that same view of America as a Christian nation. So, what's the problem?

My friend Rebecca just returned from a trip to Southeast Asia.  She was relating some of the things they encountered in this culture, and this one really stuck out to me.

-- Many students there explain that they equate America as a "Christian nation" where they think every person is a Christian. They combine this with the fact that they have never heard the story of Jesus, and think that perhaps following Jesus is just a cultural thing. (Add to this that many students think that our lives in "Christian" America resemble what they see in "Friends" or "Sex in the City" or some other Hollywood portrayal. That makes things confusing for sure!) Pray that they will latch onto the truth that God, their Creator, so loved the whole world, and wants them to be in relationship with Him. Pray for the bold and important witness of believers from this area to share the Truth with their own people.  (emphasis mine)

Now, I love the show Friends, but if people think that's what a Christian should act like, we have royally screwed up.  Let's put aside the question of the sins they commit- lying, sleeping around, etc.  Just look at attitudes.  Selfishness, pride, arrogance- are these the attitudes of Christ?  The point I'm trying to make is that America seems to want it both ways- to be a Christian nation but not act like it. 

And the blame lies not with Hollywood, but with you and me.

For too long, you and I have said, "Yes, I'm a Christian."  But we have looked the other way when someone 'less than desirable' asks our help.  We have chosen what we want over what another needs- physically, financially, and emotionally.  We have failed to put forth our best effort in our relationship with God and with others.  We have tried to fit God into our life rather than our life into God.

We claim to have faith, but show no deeds.  Or, maybe, we show poorly attempted deeds.

The book of James, chapter 2 spends about twelve verses telling us why its bad to claim faith, but do nothing.  He begins by talking about seeing a person poorly clothed and malnourished.  It's clear that James is saying we see this, and feel bad for the person, but we instead tell them to keep warm and well fed.  I'm not sure if this is just some formulaic salutation given, or the person is 'giving advice.'  Either way, it speaks to the fact that we know (by faith) what needs to be done, but we don't do it.  Verse 17 says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Then, James says that there are those who believe there is one God.  I'd argue that is why so many Americans say they are Christian- they believe in the Judeo-Christian God.  But it IS mostly cultural, I'd argue.  And that even speaks to large numbers of regular church-goers.  James' response is that even the demons (the most evil and despised creatures in all existence, next to Satan) believe that.  And they shudder.  Demons believe in God, and they react.  Do you?

James then goes on to explain, via Abraham and Rahab, that faith is made clear by the actions taken out of that faith.  They believed God, then did what He asked.  It seems so simple.  He concludes the chapter in verse 26 with "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

Kristin and I were recently at Cheddars, a favorite restaurant of ours.  Looking through the dessert/alcohol menu, I noticed a name change for one of the drinks.  Suddenly, Virgin Daiquiris were Spirit Free Daiquiris.  A fruity drink with all the 'good stuff' taken out. 

Isn't that what we Christians are when we talk a good game, but never actually do anything?

We say nice things, things that sound pleasing to people, or challenging to people, but we never actually apply what we say, or what we claim to believe.  Our 'faith' is "Spirit Free."  Like a dead body.  Or a Spirit Free Daiquiri (which, let's face it, is a smoothie).

I don't want you to think this means if we never do anything, we're not really Christians. I believe the Bible is very clear that "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Galatians 2:8-9)  If this is the case for you, then your eternity is locked down.  Why then is it so important that our deeds match our faith?

Because not everyone's eternity IS locked down.  And we may be the only Jesus they see. If we are Spirit Free Daiquiri People, all they will get is the watered down, sweet but empty words of a cultural religion, and none of the good stuff.

And unlike the rum in the Daiquiri, the 'good stuff ' of a true relationship with Christ is lasting.

Clique-it or Ticket

I remember dreading the times when teams were picked at recess.

I was smaller than the rest, and not quite as fast, so I was always toward the end of the 'pick.'  I would watch as people slower than me got picked, people who couldn't catch as well (and I was pretty awful), and people who couldn't spell football were higher draft picks than I.  Yes, there was favoritism in pick-up football in elementary school.

And yes, there is favoritism in the church.

Oh, it's much more subtle than getting picked last at recess, though.  You'll be greeted, told "We're glad you came," and shown where to sit and what to do.  We'll probably at least attempt small talk.  But then, the favoritism starts.  People drift off to their seats, with their friends.  Or they turn the conversation to something they feel comfortable with.  Inside Jokes, and shared cultural interests eclipse you, the visitor.  And you're left standing alone in a room full of people.

 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”  have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
                                                                                                         ---James 2: 1-4


I remember when the way we dressed was a source of discrimination in church.  Heaven forbid someone wear jeans.  Thankfully, this is passing now, and every service is more of a "Come as you are."  But we still judge whether this person coming to visit us is rich or poor.  Usually, it's a spiritual judgment:  "Are they spiritually strong, so I don't have to work to love them, or is this one gonna be a toughie?"


The honest truth is, no matter how much we try, we will occasionally show favoritism.  This is something that even though it is a natural thing for us, it shouldn't be something we do.  There is nothing wrong with having some people be closer to you than others, or having a best friend.  There is nothing wrong with recognizing those who do good, nothing wrong with people getting more responsibility for serving well.  But when we create a wall around us that blatantly or subtly says, "Keep Out!" we are in the wrong.  So, I want to ask you to evaluate yourself.  Are you showing favoritism- are you putting people off by ignoring or mistreating them when they come to church?  I ask because all people coming to church are thinking:  "Clique-it or ticket."  In other words- they want to belong to something that matters, to be accepted, or they are on the first bus out of your church. (I'm using the word Clique her because of the close knit nature of cliques.  By the way, cliques get a bad rep.  The good thing about a clique is there is trust and deep relationship.  The problem is that when it becomes exclusive, it ceases to serve the Body of Christ.)


Does Everyone Know Your Seat?  
In Independence, Texas, there sits a little old Baptist Church.  Inside is the pew Sam Houston- governor and president of Texas (not at the same time)- sat at each week.  We know, because it has a plaque.  This is a common thing even today, where you walk into a church, take a seat and are told that Mrs. Curmudgeon sits there and you better move.  She OWNS that seat, after all.  OK, so maybe you don't sit in the same EXACT spot every week, but do you sit with the same people?  And no, sitting with your family doesn't count as bad. Do you ever make it a point to sit with the new face that walked in?  Do you ever even try to sit next to someone who has been attending for a long time, but you've never met?

Visitors who do return multiple times will quickly pick up that that group you're always with is made up of the people that matter most to you.  And they'll know they aren't in it, nor will they ever get in it.  So be aware, and shake things up from time to time.


Do You Have A-B Conversations (So C Yourself Out)?
Sometimes, a deeply spiritual  conversation will occur, and the need for exclusivity is present.  But when it's small talk, and the conversation is littered with inside jokes, or deep philosophical views of the beauty of the Wishbone offence, or the most efficient way to defrag a hard-drive, you're picking favorites.  This one is so subtle, you probably don't even realize it's happening.  You talk about what comes naturally.  And if someone there at church shares an interest, you become laser like focused on that interaction.  But the new person may not give a rip about the fact that they ruined Batman comics when they made Dick Grayson wear the suit at the same time as Bruce Wayne.  So they drift around, or stand there awkwardly nodding like they have a clue what you're talking about.


Church has small talk, it is a key part of growing to know each other.  But the small talk needs to be open to new people, broad topics, and something that can include them.  If you feel the conversation straying and the person feeling in the dark, steer it back to common ground.  If the deep conversation you wanted to have with someone is that important, grab coffee later.  


Do You Ever Let People Sit Alone?


If I see a person sitting alone, I try to sit with them.  Now, I can only do that until I have to get up to teach, but even that seems to help the person be put at ease.  And really, that is what church is supposed to do- make people as comfortable and as prepared as they can be to hear the worship and word of God.


I have been to churches that I felt like an outsider, almost from the word "GO!"  I'm greeted at the door, shown to my seat and then forgotten.  And to be far, I've seen evidence of this modern day favoritism in my own church and my own actions.  It is a struggle to fight those urges to go to what is comfortable, safe and known.  Yet, the call of Christ is to open our arms, and our lives, to others.  To the misfits, the lost, the awkward, the shy, and yes, the outsider.


I think your weekly gathering for worship is as good a place as any to practice the art of anti-favoritism.

Listen(Trust)Do

Leslie looked at me and I could tell she was so not going to do what I was telling her.  She understood it, but there was some sort of disconnect between her listening and doing.

Kristin and I had decided that this summer we would work on teaching the kids to swim.  We bought season passes to the pool, new suits for the girls, and stocked up on sunscreen.  Pretty quickly, it was clear that Kenna, the four year old, was content to just hang at the pool, occasionally throwing us a bone by grabbing the sides of the pool and kicking.  But toss her a pool noodle and the "Uh-No" face came up.  So, patience there.  But Leslie, the six year old, she was ready.  Last summer she had mastered swimming with the noodle (we don't do floaties), so this was definitely the time.  We were making some progress on treading water, and so we moved to learning to float on the back.  This is where things went south.  Leslie would lay on the water, flat- and stiff- as aboard.  She would not lay her head back in the water for some reason, even though she had already gone completely under the water for more than 5 seconds repeatedly.  I instructed her to relax and stop being stiff or she'd sink.  She'd do that, but the second she felt my hand leave her back- stiff, then sink, then flail.  I know she was listening, because she would attempt to do what I said.  But when the time came to go into actual action- glub, glub,glub.

I, of course, grew frustrated.  It's what I do when things don't go the way I expect or hope.  Leslie got upset.  The lesson sunk fast.  

Later that weekend, preparing for our church's message on listening and doing from James 1, I replayed the scene.  Here's Leslie, listening.  Here's Leslie not doing.  Oh, how that so paralleled:  Here's Chad listening.  Here's Chad not doing.  So often, I read the scriptures, or feel an urge from God, or hear a song or message that is clearly God speaking to me.  I listen, get excited, then do...nothing.  

James 1:22-25:
 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.  

Why do we- and lets face it, we all do this- just listen and not do?  Why do churches pack'em in by the thousands, but never affect real change?  Why do we read thousands of pages of books- the Bible included- and never apply what we learn?  Why do we choose to sink, when we could be swimming?

We fear other things too much and don't trust Him enough.

I saw this in Leslie when she wouldn't do what I said in the pool.  I believe my daughter trusts me, completely.  But even her depth of trust in me was outweighed by other factors like the water that would go in her ears, not being sure of what floating really is all about, and honestly, probably the fear of "What if THIS is the time my Dad lets me down?"

God asks us to do things all time.  We feel that nudge to go talk to someone, or stop and pray or read something specific.  These are basic, easy, relatively low risk things.  Like me asking Leslie or Kenna to let me carry them on my shoulders, or let me meet one of their friends.  Daily things.  But God asks us to something new, something we view as unfamiliar or even a little dangerous.  If He hasn't, He will.  There is a natural, normal, pause we give to that.  We weigh the cost of it, as the Bible tells us (Luke 14:25-34).  But we only proceed if our trust in God outweighs our fear of the other factors.  And honestly, I think even if we have trusted God with the big stuff before, there is a nagging question of, "What if THIS is the time my Father lets me down?"

The truth is, for us to practice Listening and Doing- Trusting has to be a part of the equation.  Because ultimately, our own understanding is what can keep us from doing what we've listened to.  God's response to that:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
   and lean not on your own understanding; 
 in all your ways submit to him, 
   and he will make your paths straight

                                           -Proverbs 3:5-6

Listen to Him.  Trust Him.  Do as He says.

PS- Kristin took over with Leslie after the failure of my teaching.  For some reason, floating on her belly was easier to take than her back.  So she'd float for a bit like that.  Then I tried something- I told her to kick and move her arms like we'd worked on.  She trusted me- because her trust was greater than her fear of the unknown- and took off swimming!

But I'm not giving up on her learning to float on her back.

Trials and Temptations

They are the tag team of life.

You get hit by one thing after another.  The car breaks down.  The mortgage is late.  You get laid off.  You get 5 stitches in your finger, then get a $600 bill AFTER insurance has paid (personal experience there).  All these are relatively minor compared to the trials of a divorce, a death or a serious illness of a loved one or yourself.  Trials tear your heart, they bend your mind, and they work on breaking your soul.  And God's answer to this:

Consider it pure joy.

That's right, God says when life hands you lemons, make the best lemonade known to man.  Now, I don't expect anyone to stop praying for their trial to be over, but I don't think we should expect trials to end quickly.  They can, but God uses these times of stress to grow us, to mature us.  So the question is- what would God have us pray?

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.--James 1:5-6


He would have us pray for wisdom- wisdom to deal with the adversity laid at our feet.  And He wants us to pray and believe He will answer our cry for wisdom.  This is not a "pray for health and wealth and TRULY believe and you will have it."  This is a prayer for the spiritual blessing of wisdom.  It's about growing your character, not your dividends.  It is about believing that no matter what is going on around you, God desires for you to have victory in the midst of it.  God is also telling us something in His command to ask for wisdom:

He knows the next part of the tag team is coming.


See, trials soften us up, make us distracted, make us spiritually weak if we aren't careful.  Then temptation swoops in and goes for the kill.  When we can say "I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears." (Psalm 6:6) then we are primed to fall into temptation.  Our defenses are down from dealing with the other junk going on, and lust, or greed, or selfishness, or lying seems much easier to go to than God.  And remember, it's not God who is tempting us- we must remember that.  We also must own our own role in falling to temptation.

"...but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed."  
                                                                                                --James 1:14


We allow ourselves to ponder, or think on a temptation, then it grows.  Perhaps one of the greatest temptations that comes when facing trials is to give up- on rescue and on God.  He doesn't seem to answer, He seems to have left us alone.  So the temptation is to tell God- "ENOUGH!"


God's answer to that- to any doubting of His character- is "Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." (James 1:16-18)  


God is working for our good.  Yes, He inexplicably allows us to suffer- but He offers us wisdom to deal with it.  Yes, He allows us to choose temptation- but He offers an unshakable rescue.  

So, yeah, Trials and Temptations are tag teaming you.  But don't forget who the other (greater) half of your tag team is.

Rotten Fruit (of the Spirit)?

"Do you ever not smile?"


"I knew you were a Christian because you were always so kind and happy."


I hear these words from my past as I look in the mirror, getting ready for work some mornings.  They come from a time when I was in college, and I guess life was simpler.  Now these words play behind eyes that have lost a some of that happiness, some of that kindness.  I don't smile as much, and I could blame a thousands things for that.  I don't meet the new day with expectation, and peace is something that often seems far away.  Far too often I replace gentleness with anger.  And for self control- I'm trying to give up Dr. Pepper for a trip to Colorado in July.  It's not easy.

The problem is:  shouldn't those things like self control, peace, kindness, gentleness, joy (which I kinda believes appears on the surface as happiness to other people, although Joy is a much deeper thing than happiness) and all that come naturally to a Follower of Christ?  Doesn't the Bible say:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. -- Galatians 5:22-23?

For years, I took this to mean if you are not displaying these things from the time you first accepted Christ, you were not genuinely His.  Well, that's not true, I never really believed that, but I was around a lot of people  who said they felt that way.  "If you have the Spirit, you should be displaying them.  That's how people know you are a Christian, after all."  Don't even get me started on the issue of people making it their business to judge your salvation.

I've started kinda understanding the fruit of the Spirit as, well, fruit.  If you imagine the Spirit (aka the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost depending on your tradition) as a seed, planted in your heart when you accept the gift of Christ, then imagine that seed grows.  Now, no seed is planted then immediately bears fruit, some will grow fast, others slow.  This depends on varying degrees to the type of soil it is in, and the environment around it.  But over time that seed has shoots that break the ground and grow into a plant- for the purposes of this illustration, lets say a tree.  Now, this being a fruit bearing tree, eventually one expects fruit, right?  Key word is eventually.  I'm no horticulturist, but even I know it takes time for fruit to appear, let alone ripen.  The other thing I know about fruit is that it doesn't look like we'd expect it to right away.  It grows into the image of the apple or the orange that we know, but it takes time.  I also know that a fruit that just hangs on the tree/vine will rot if it is not taken off and used.

With that in mind, the fruit of the Spirit- I believe- takes time to mature and grow.  Some people are more naturally disposed to be patient, so that part of the fruit of the Spirit is evident early on for them.   That one is not me.  By the contrast, for some people there is a horrific pre-Christ life for them that can make joy an unimaginable thing- it will take time for this fruit to ripen.  So, I don't expect every person who professes Christ to be fully displaying the entire fruit of the Spirit at the same levels.

I also know that many people who have the fruit of the Spirit but never share it with others become rotten.  Their joy fades from view, they lose gentleness for anger, they can't stop doing stuff they know they shouldn't.  Fruit must be tended on the tree/vine, and fruit must be tended in our lives.  We must feed the fruit of the Spirit, engaging these aspects of new identity that Christ wants us to grow in our lives.

But people will say:  "I'm an abrasive personality, that's who I am.  I am not gentle."  The Spirit comes to indwell us and refine our person- our character.  Sometimes the things we think that makes us who we are are actually the things that keep Christ at an arms distance.  Distant from us and distant from others.  We must not actively fight against the growth of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we must recognize that He must become greater, I must become less.

This is not a one time thing, either.  Once Joy or Self Control is evident in our life, it doesn't mean we are set.  Those fruit can grow rotten, or get used up in serving others, so we need to let the Spirit grow it back in us.  In other words, we can burn out, we can grow weary.  Not unlike an actual fruit tree that has a season and then new fruit must come, we need restoration, rejuvenation.  New seasons.

As I look into the mirror these days, I recognize that if that joyful face from college is not there, I need to tend to the Spirit- I need to spend time with my God, I need to serve Him, I need to worship Him.  This is the fertilizer of the fruit of the Spirit.