Reactions

When a rich man gets something valuable ripped out of hands, beyond his will for racist remarks made in the privacy of his own home, its gonna send reaction ripples over a grand gossip-hungry stage.  Most feel a sense of perverse pleasure that he went down in flames in such an act of sinister betrayal by some so-called associates or friends.  This man had been hated by many for a long time for a reputation of being a complete jerk, bigot and all-round lousy person.  With all that aside, I was still shocked to see how quickly judgment was passed in the court of public opinion, and ultimately in the loss of ownership of his NBA franchise.  He probably had this coming for a long time, and certainly the punishment fit the crime.  My concern is what happens to us when we cry justice for the other guy, and mercy for ourselves.  America revels in harsh punishment for public figures who often carry the same character flaws we do, and maybe gets too much pleasure in watching the house burn.  Racist bigotry is dark and insidious, a mindset that is instilled in some mindsets at a very early age.  They are indoctrinated into the lies of priviledge and prestige over another race, and can't help but fall deeply in love with the benefits and the feelings of superiority that  this mindset affords.  What they don't realize, is that in most circles of America, their thoughts are looked at as repugnant ignorance, deeply distasteful and should never be shared.   America's justice structures today are not into harsh, swift judgment, especially for the upper class rich, and holding someone accountable for even their private comments is shocking none the less.  Publishing private conversations and moments of indiscretion in LA is nothing new,  and usually ends with that person becoming some type of 'cult hero' and buzz of the week.  Sadly, the gossip magazines know this, and it allows the public to 'rate' the transgression and carry on making of it what they will.  There is a story in the Bible, however, that casts a very different reaction in the public when someone is given swift and harsh judgment for their sin.  In Acts 5,  a man named Ananais and his wife Sapphira recieve the death penalty instantly for attempting to lie to the Holy Spirit, and a group of believers about a property transaction.  Verse 11 drives the point home when you read about the reaction of those who witnessed the punishment:  "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."    I am not drumming up sympathy for this LA team owner,  but more a heart check when we witness the fall of the proud, the bigots, the morally bankrupt figures of our day and age.  We should always cry out to God for justice to be done swiftly, but for the greater purpose of sending fear into the hearts of all sinners as a reminder that we must all give account one day for every word idly spoken.  

The Past

Someone recently said to me that their past is still a part of them.  When I heard that, the scriptures came flooding in that refute this seemingly innocent truth that our past holds sway over us in personality, character and more.  It caused quite a bit of heartache in me personally, because I look at sin as a 'sticky substance,'  something to be repented of, but also to be free of as well.  Christ forgives us, but he also sets us free through death.  How many times in scripture does the writer use the word 'death' to describe our relationship to the past?  Why does our past self need to suffer a death for us to 'live' in the future God has for us?  Why must we reckon ourselves 'dead' to the former self, and cease to long for that person to rise again?  Just taking quick 'peeks' of remembrance to my former self makes me cringe sometimes, and horrified at the level of corruption, selfishness, and cunning at which I operated in this world at such a young age.  Sin is like an advanced form of cancer, not waiting around to infect and destroy every vital organ.  If that 'self' wasn't killed at the cross of Christ, the world would not be a better place with the advanced form of me years down the road.  I celebrate daily the fact that I 'died', and God's righteous seed in me took root and began to grow when I surrendered to His Son.  Every part of my past is not dark, but every part of my past was laced with sin, and sin affected every part of my existence.   So the word 'death' to my former self no longer sounds so harsh, and newness of life and true hope spring out of that.   This verse, along a vast number of others, sums up the thoughts in Romans 6:6- "For we know that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

A day further on...

Recently I have been meditating more on the thought of what I want to leave with my wife and kids as an indelible mark should something happen to me, and they carry on with life.  I think every father wants to their words to be remembered, but ultimately we need to marry our thoughts and instructions with our actions and example in daily life.  I love teaching on what is learned about the endless grace of God to my family because I am passionate to see them walk in a greater revelation of grace. To not only live forgiven and free of crippling condemnation, but empowered by that same grace to say 'No' to sin and selfishness.  More and more it seems to me its the most important life lesson and application to fully grasp what it means to 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling.'  A weak understanding of God's grace, which either makes it cheap (not applying it to say no to sin), or destructive judgmental attitudes towards yourself or others that arise from a lack of applying undeserved favor.  I don't report myself as an expert in the understanding or example living of a grace recipient, I just know there is more to come and is at the center of redemption for us all.  God gives us all light to walk in, and who wouldn't want those we love to have that same light to walk out their own adventure and story.  I do want my kids to remember my words, what I taught, but also remember the times of transformation and a man who could be imitated for his faith.  A faith that is imitable is a useful faith, as others come along for the fruitful journey.