When to Doubt Your Religion

Hugh Black (March 26, 1868 – April 6, 1953) was a Scottish-American theologian and author. He was quoted in my daily devotional reading.

“We have cause to suspect our religion if it does not make us gentle, and forbearing and forgiving; if the love of our Lord does not so flood our hearts as to cleanse them of all bitterness, and spite, and wrath. If a man is nursing anger, if he is letting his mind become a nest of foul passions, malice, and hatred, and evil wishing, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

For more about forgiveness see:

The Opportunity of Forgiveness

A World Without Forgiveness

Forgiveness: It Does a Body Good

New Month/New Theme

It took me a while to come up with a new theme for this month — a lot has been covered in the past four years!  However, we’ve started a new study in our adult Sunday School class, and the topic is:  Growing Through Life’s Challenges.  Here are some of the things we’ll be talking about.  They’re experiences we all face:

• Rejection
• Overwhelming responsibilities
• Loss and Grief
• Being in the middle
• Sin
• Depression and Anger
• Pressure to compromise
• Perplexing situations
• Failure
• Weakness

This month I’ll be reading, discussing and praying about these kinds of difficulties.  I hope you’ll come along for the ride, and maybe add some of your own insights!

God loves you and so do I!

Are You Angry?

Almost everyone seems to be angry theses days.  Many are angry about how the pandemic has been handled — some think we should have more restrictions, others think we need less. Rioters are angry with the police and the government.  There are racial and political tensions.  Family members unfriend one another on Facebook because they don’t agree on certain issues.  Even church denominations are splitting and suing one another.  What’s the world coming to?

Maybe you are angry as well, and you may even have good reasons for the way you feel.  However, the Bible has quite a bit to say about anger, and here are a few examples:

“…. let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.”  James 1:19-20

 

“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”  Proverbs 29:11

 

“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!  Fret not yourself;  it tends only to evil.”  Psalm 37:8

In plain words, anger makes us foolish, and leads us into other sins.  When we allow free rein to our anger, we damage ourselves and others.  It tempts us to become unkind, disrespectful and even violent.  It stirs up trouble and disrupts peace.

So, if you’re angry, take a breath.  Stay calm. Practice patience.  Think things over.  Don’t respond quickly.  Don’t dwell on the disagreement.  Pray for insight.  Respect the views of others, even if you believe they are wrong.  Anger does not promote righteous behavior, and it separates us from God and our fellow men.

“Be angry and do not sin;  do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”  Ephesians 4:26-27

For more on the topic of anger see these posts:

A Fruit We All Need — Self Control

Unoffendable

When There is No Clarity Exercise Charity

 

Stand All the Way Up by Sophie Hudson — Book Review

This book was a disappointing read for a number of reasons:

• The style was too conversational.  I guess I’m an English major to the core, because I believe the written word should be at least a bit more formal.  I found myself cringing at the prospect of reading “y’all” one more time.  Maybe you have to be from the South to appreciate this?
• Too much time was spent on material that (in my mind at least) was of little interest or importance.  I didn’t need to read three pages about Sophie’s wardrobe preferences, for example.  Or the time she wet her pants in a parking garage.
• I couldn’t see any clear progression or cohesiveness between the chapters.  Sometimes I wasn’t even sure how a particular chapter related to the overall theme.

That being said, I understand that the author meant to be humorous.  Also, since the subtitle was “Stories Of Staying In It When You Want to Burn It All Down” perhaps each chapter was meant to stand-alone as an essay.  To me, it just came across unorganized and self-absorbed.

The last two chapters on the subject of anger were the best.  I can certainly identify with Sophie’s observation that there is too much anger everywhere today — in the political arena, social media, even at churches.  And that anger can begin to infect those of us who are peacemakers by nature.  We can all take this quote to heart:

“We can’t be agents of change because we’re too busy fuming and screaming and ranting and railing.  Yes, there is a lot of sin ‘out there’ that needs to be called out for what it is, but the Lord was gracious to remind me that there’s also a lot of sin ‘in here’ that needs to be called out and dealt with, too.”

After finishing the book, I have no doubt that Sophie Hudson is a good, Christian lady, and you may find her style hilariously engaging.  It just didn’t do it for me.

VERDICT:  2 STARS

If you would like to purchase this book, follow the link below:

https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/stand-all-the-way-up-P005786069

The Lutheran Ladies received a free copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.  Disclaimer pursuant to FTC 16 CFR part 255

A Fruit We All Need — Self Control

We’ve been using a study in our Sunday School class on the fruit of the Spirit, which St. Paul lists in the book of Galatians. This has been a long study and we’re nearing the end — self-control.  At the beginning of this section, one of the questions was about anger — what circumstances tend to make you angry? Anger is an emotion that often causes us to lose our self-control.  We all have our hot buttons, and one of mine is customer service people, or even people in general, who don’t care about doing their jobs conscientiously.  Maybe it’s because before I retired, I was a buyer, and our supervisor always stressed the need to help our customers — and our customer was anyone who called with a question or needing help.  (Hmmm … sounds a bit like the who is my neighbor question, doesn’t it?)  It was simply not acceptable to say “I don’t know” or “That’s not my job” or just route the caller to some other department.  If we didn’t know the answer, we were to find the answer and call the customer back ourselves with the exact information or person needed.  (Oh my, I fear this is becoming a rant).

At any rate, my devotional reading today was speaking right to me and the way in which I sometimes lose control.  Here is the Bible verse:

“Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.”  Proverbs 25:28

 

In other words, when we lack self-control our emotions can easily overwhelm us.  We say things we regret, and act in ways that are unbecoming to any Christian.  We may think our anger is righteous, but if we look carefully, that’s rarely the case.  Anger is generally all about us and not getting what we want.

The quote from my devotion was written by H. L. Sydney Lear:

“One valuable way of practising self-control is in checking grumbling, and an unnecessary display of vexation at petty inconveniences.  A workman has fulfilled his task imperfectly, some order is wrongly executed, some one keeps you waiting unreasonably;  people are careless or forgetful, or do what they have in hand badly.  Try not to be disturbed;  be just, and show the persons to blame where they are wrong, even (if it be needful) make them do the thing over again properly;  but refrain from diffuse or vehement expressions of displeasure.  A naturally quick, impetuous person will find that to cultivate a calm external habit is a great help towards gaining the inward even spirit he needs.”

Point taken.  I’m going to try cultivating that habit of calm the next time my buttons are pushed.  What about you? Where do you need to exercise self-control?

For more on the fruit of the Spirit see these posts:

Mmm . . . Fruit.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer on the Fruit of the Spirit

Let the Fruit of the Spirit Flow

 

 

Good Words

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”  Proverbs 12:25

This verse appeared in my devotion reading recently and I thought, “how appropriate.”  These days we are feeling all kinds of anxiety.  We’re worried about becoming ill, we’re worried about our jobs and the economy, we’re worried about friends and family we cannot visit, and more.  We’re also feeling isolated, alone, frustrated, and yes, even angry.  It’s easy to take those bad feelings out on others and lash out.  I actually read that divorce lawyers are expecting an uptick in cases filed — this often happens when people are confined in close quarters for longer than usual!

The verse above tells us that in trying times, it’s important to make our words “good.”  Good words can be affirming, encouraging, edifying or helpful.  Good words are courteous — please and thank you.  They lift others up — good job!  you look so nice!  have a blessed day!  They empathize — I’m sorry.  Can I pray for you?  How can I help?  They forgive — it’s okay.  Good words are loving.  They are patient, kind, truthful, hopeful and enduring.  Think back on your own life.  Aren’t the people who spoke those sorts of good words to you, the ones you appreciate and remember the most?

Because of original sin, we’re quicker to criticize, complain and tear down.  Social media makes it easy for us to respond in an instant, in anger, and without facing the consequences of seeing one another in person.  Then those thoughtless words spread around, creating more and more separation and sin.  We become stubborn;  we take sides;  we grumble and allow our discontent to grow.  Don’t give in to the temptation.    Here’s a test I read once to use before speaking:

• Is it true?
• Is it helpful?
• Is it inspiring?
• Is it necessary?
• Is it kind?

In case you didn’t notice, this an anagram — the first letter of each word spells THINK.  So THINK before you speak.  Use your good words.  It’s the wise thing to do.

“The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.”  Ecclesiastes 10:12

For more on kindness see these posts:

A Quote on Kindness

The Kindness Crown

The War For Kindness by Jamil Zaki — Book Review

Martin Luther on Tribulation

Those speak foolishly who ascribe their anger or their impatience to such as offend them or to tribulation. Tribulation does not make people impatient, but proves that they are impatient. So everyone may learn from tribulation how his heart is constituted.

Martin Luther

I’m going off theme here, because I found this quote and I really like it.  These days we might be inclined to substitute “stress” for tribulation.  How do you behave under stress?  If you become angry or impatient, doesn’t that mean the person you’re really angry with is God?  Doesn’t it show a lack of obedience and submission to His will? Isn’t it sin?  Our sin, not somebody else’s?

My problem with stress is different.  I’m likely to worry, fret and sometimes become so overwhelmed I have trouble making a decision or moving forward at all.  This is sin also, just a different kind.  It’s boils down to lack of trust in God’s goodness.

Maybe you’re reaction is different from either of these.  You may have a different sinful stress behavior, or you may be mature enough to let go and let God in times of suffering.  For most of us, it’s something with which we have trouble, something we need to work on. We will experience trouble and tribulation.  The Bible tells us that is certain. We can grow through these times, or we can keep repeating the behaviors that get us nowhere.  Behavior that hurts others and hurts us.  Luther’s right.  Our reactions are our own and we need to take responsibility for them, and learn to do better.  They reveal where we are spiritually.  Next time you’re stressed, take a look in the mirror.  Do you like what you see?

 

What I see.

When it comes to witnessing, I’m thinking some wise, much-older-than-me person passionately and articulately explaining to those who don’t know, just what Jesus Christ is all about. And almost magically channeling God Himself as a crowd gathers round’ in awe. Over to the side in a dark corner, I watch, and I just know I could never be that guy, (Or girl). But witnessing can be evangelizing in the literal sense of the word. I’m begging to learn that I don’t have to be a savant genius christian that knows everything all the time to share God’s love.

“ . . . for My strength is made perfect in weakness,”

Literally through watching, observing, learning, and growing in faith, then sharing my experiences, and adhering to God’s word in action, I can be evangelizing without knowing it. Not that I don’t mess up. I do. A LOT. Still, I know that the same God that created the universe in six days can certainly use me if that’s what he wishes to do.

Now in full disclosure, I’m an adult who’s led a fairly ‘sheltered’ life and not had it all that hard; relatively. My parents loved and provided for me and my siblings to the best of their ability, and I cannot rightly complain about them.

At the same time, I have seen things that have shaped me as human being. I have heard stories and testimonies of others that, sometime later on, I may share with all of you. Terrible things. And I remind my children (in part because of these experiences) that they need to guard against what they see and hear. Those things cannot be unseen and unheard.

One of the things that I’ve seen I think I need to share now. It’s glued itself to my psyche. Bonded with my soul and vividly shows itself like a brightly preserved image painfully reminding me that this world needs good people and simultaneously echoing the anguish of a child that deserved better.  I see a child staring at his adult authoritative figure, as innocent looking as a Norman Rockwell painting. Yet, he had just caused a huge ruckus on my bus which was now parked on the side of a dirt road.

He had just lashed out violently at anyone unlucky enough to be in his path. Pushing, hitting, kicking his way around. I had managed to keep him away from the others now that I was parked. I didn’t hurt him. I didn’t yell at him. I simply put my body between his and the others. I let him climb over the top of the bus seat a couple of times. I even let him hit me. I told him he could hit me all he wanted, but no one else. (He was small it didn’t hurt.) Soon, the school security guard arrived. Who was quite stern. And then my boss, also stern. And my boss is the taller-than-I female he was guiltily staring at. She told him she’d be taking him off the bus. And then I believe God guided me to inform him of something. “She’s not going to hurt you.” I said.

Here is where yet another image was burned into me leaving a permanent mark. I saw a frustrated, broken child break into tears, and put his small arms around my boss’s neck as if he was simply giving her a hug because he was glad to see her. His face now buried into her shoulder, she carried him off and drove him away.

I drove him to school one more time. This time in a suburban with no other passengers. We spoke as if nothing happened. And something I remember him saying, that I can’t unhear, was that, I wasn’t as angry as his mom. I didn’t understand, so wanting to encourage a relationship I told him that all moms got angry sometimes. After that he was silent. And I’ll never forget his thoughtful little face looking out the window.

I went back to his house one other time. They said he had an appointment so I didn’t get to drive him to school. Then, when asking my boss about picking him up again, I learned that I would not be doing that anymore. His parents were now in jail, and he and his brother were now in his grandmother’s custody. He and his brother were victims of physical abuse. I think about him almost daily. And he is the only student I’ve ever shed a tear for.

Yet here this memory stands, as a witness to me, and now you. And I believe my boss and I gave that boy a glimpse of what it meant to be loved. For a moment in time he saw kindness when my boss carried him like mother would. And he was witness to our patience and gentle examples. I pray that those things are what sticks with him. And even though I can’t tell you his name, I think sharing his story may cause someone else to have just a little more patience with that ‘difficult’ child in their life.

I don’t know how God is planning to use me. And I still say I’m not very good at witnessing in the traditional sense. But I do know I can type a little better than I can speak, and I can share in this way what I’ve seen as I try and set a good example.

Unoffendable

This week I took some books out of the library on forgiveness, so that I can immerse myself in our theme for the month.  The first one I picked up is Unoffendable by Brant Hansen, who is a Christian radio host.  His basic premise is that Christians should strive to become “unoffendable.”  In other words, we should have a mindset that allows us to forgive  others in advance.

 

Here’s a quote:

“Whenever there’s an injury to a relationship, a hurt, a broken heart, or even a broken thing, and you are willing to forgive, you are saying ‘I got this.  I’m going to pick up the bill for this.’

This is, of course, precisely what God has done for us.

Hansen is absolutely right:  we hear it every week in church when the pastor announces the forgiveness of our sins.  It’s not a reward for our confession, it’s a statement of what has already taken place.

When we give up our anger, Hansen says, we are making a sacrifice which allows us to love others in unexpected ways.  (Isn’t it amazing how our monthly themes are all fitting together?)  He also maintains that when we choose ahead of time, “before conversations, before meetings, before our day begins–to be unoffendable, we’re simply choosing humility.” When we give up our anger, when we put other first, when we admit that we don’t understand their feelings and motivations, we have come to the place where we can minister to and serve them.  Isn’t that what the Christian life is all about?

So what do you think?  Can you spend some time each morning praying to be unoffendable all da

How Should a Reborn Christian Think?

Michele talked about how a reborn Christian should act, but if you spend some time with the Scripture, you will find that not only should we act a certain way, we should think a certain way.  Jesus himself says in Matthew 5:27-28.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

There is a rather well known story about an Indian grandfather and his grandson.  The grandfather tells the child that there are two wolves inside of him:  one is compassionate, generous, loving.  The other is cruel, selfish, angry.  These wolves constantly war within us.  The boy asks, “Grandfather, which wolf will win?”  His grandfather tells him, “the one you feed.”

The thoughts and feelings we feed are the ones that will manifest themselves in our lives.  Lustful thoughts are likely to lead us into lustful actions, maybe even adultery.  Angry thoughts lead to quarrels, division and violence.  Anxious thoughts lead us to distrust everyone, even God.

Of course, there is a remedy for this and it is also in the Scriptures.  Listen to these verses from Romans 8:5-6:

“…those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  To set the mind of the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Here’s another verse from Colossians 3:2

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

In case you’re wondering how to set your mind on something, it’s really pretty simple:

^.”….whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

If I spend the day thinking about how my husband (or friend, or fellow church member) ignores me, hurts my feelings, doesn’t do what I think he or she should, what will be likely to happen?  Next time I see that person, I will probably let them have it!  I will behave in angry, vengeful ways. Maybe I will gossip about them and try to undermine them with others. If, on the other hand, I dwell on that person’s good traits, and try to understand their behavior in light of their life, I will end up praying for them, being helpful to them,  and even (guess what) loving them!

Once again from Romans (what can I say, it’s the book I’ve been studying)

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit …If the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11

Today I’m going to try to live like the reborn person I am.  I’m going to banish the bad wolf and set my mind on what is right.  I’m going to put on Christ.