When you are demonized....

Perception is everything these days.  Facts seem to be meaningless.  Perception has become the new fact.  How do you handle a situation when someone controls the perception of your ideas and beliefs?  How can you live in a manner that will overcome the specific action by others to demonize you because of your beliefs?

One of the best places to find such an example for us is in the Biblical book of Daniel.  We all know about Daniel and the lions den.  We know about the fiery furnace.  But what in Daniel have we missed?  He is a guy who lived as a difference maker in ungodly Governments.  He lived and he rose to high levels of influence in these Government systems without compromising his faith in God and the practice thereof.  Daniel had rulers call upon him to solve major issues.  And this was done knowing who Daniel was and where Daniel stood.  There are some timely lessons for us from the life of this man.

Purpose to be a Difference Maker 

Daniel was not out to make points and show his righteousness off for all to see.  He determined at a young age to impact people regardless.  We love scoring points.  We love to put something out to the masses that "hits the mark"!  But do we realize that our points make little impact?  And if no impact is made - why are we making the point.  Andy Stanley in an interview recently about his invite to preach the pre inaugural message in DC, made the following statement:

"Make a difference. Don't be satisfied with making a point." It's easy to make a point. If you have a computer, a blog, a Twitter account, you can make a point. But you're not going to make a difference with your points. We have been called to be difference makers."

This statement highlights exactly what I am speaking about in Daniels life.  It would have been easy for Daniel to make points about all of the evil doings in the ungodly Governments he lived under.  Equally, Daniel could have decided that he would go public and bash all leaders who did not agree with him and his beliefs.  Daniel had truth on his side.  But Daniel took a different path.  He determined to be a difference maker.

Purpose to Edify even in Confrontation

To easy for many of us is the trap to forget that our words matter.  The Bible says that we are to be slow to wrath and always edifying.  We know this is not an easy thing to do.  Yet when we edify and speak with with words of respect and value, we gain favor.  We tear down walls and open doors for greater influence.  All because of how we speak.  To encourage is to to earn the opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with those we may disagree with.  A harsh point made loses the opportunity for further discussion and speaks to a desire for no influence at all.  The apostle Paul said:

Col 4:6
6    Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
(NKJ)

This type of speech is not easy when we are under attack.  Our emotions rise quickly.  Our warrior instinct swells to a point of battle readiness.  And yet it is at this moment, we risk the most.  When we are demonized we stand at a major crossroads.  We must remember this:

It means nothing for me to win a debate.  It means everything to earn the right to develop a relationship and become a difference maker in someones life.

For we are called to be Difference Makers!

 

The tough road of a conservative is...

If you are a person who believes in conservative values; financial, moral, Biblical, etc., then you probably know how difficult it is to voice the beliefs you cherish without a push back these days.  The road for a conservative today is looked upon like a dirt road surrounded by interstates - out of date and only used by those out of date themselves. This road is tough and it is not going to get smooth quickly.

The liberal bias in all branches of the media around the globe aid in the conservative struggle.  Love, compassion, intellect, and practicality seem to be captured only by liberals in our daily lives.  A simple mention of cutting spending, lowering taxes, abortion being murder, marriage between a man and women, no living together etc., will probably result in strange stares from people you work and attend school with.  The conservative values are easy to live out in this environment but are becoming increasingly difficult to share.  And we have only just begun!

How do you share the values you hold dear?  How do you promote these values to people who's lives are wreaking the consequences of their absence?  How do you share the values of your life with people intolerant of those very values?

It is no secret that our national media has long supported values and principles that are defined as liberal.  Yet today, our media is now joined by a growing young adult population, rapidly growing ethnic population, and locked in under 60 age population that share in their disdain for conservative values.  America has changed much!  We conservatives know we have poorly reached out to these other groups.  And when a reach did occur, we simply told history and our views.  We missed the opportunity to tell the conservative narrative with ties into peoples lives.  A truth and consequence if you will without the judgement present.  And this is the trap!

For conservative values to spread our approach of sharing must change.  Our current population is obtaining information quickly these days and from sources not norm to many aging conservatives.  When we jump into conversations with our values we must be sure of the illustrations being used and the statistics being quoted.  We must also understand the limits of usefulness to our stories and statistics.  People are not impressed.  There is a need for connection.  People long for a connection to be made before they will embrace or give thought to anything we share.  And connecting we have not done.  Conservative values are polar opposite what the vast number of people today have grown up with.  And as is so often the case, our methods of sharing are outdated and filled with little to draw people to contemplate and study.

Here are some simple things that will assist in sharing these values:

1.  Do not judge or be judgmental. 
2.  Listen much before speaking - you may learn more than you thought possible.
3.  Don't tell your story, connect with other peoples stories.
4.  Live what you share - people will see the difference and want to know more.
5.  Admit failures in the conservative journey.  Not all has worked perfectly.
6.  Know that many view you and your beliefs as hostile to their freedom of beliefs. 
7.  Kindness will get you further than preaching and arguing any day of the week.

These are just a few things that will help as you seek to share your values with others. 

In our next post we will discuss how to overcome being demonized. 

The Root of the Obvious American Problem

It is not wise for one to offer something as a sure fire answer to everything.  A know it all type person has little influence in the lives of others.  Much of the discussion these days relating to the vast changes occurring before our eyes in America fits this know it all baseline.  If not that, it most assuredly comes across as holier than thou to those listening and reading.  Yet ignored due to the preceding is the answer to the problem that we see and know is growing.  What is at the root of it?

I will offer two areas that I think will assist us in seeing the roots that are allowing all of this change to occur. 

First, we lost the battle on the homosexual issues by not understanding the homosexual agenda.  The agenda put forth was one of being recognized as a minority.  Since the late 1970's this idea has been allowed to fully develop without any challenge from those who differ.  More so, the silence from true minorities has been a booster shot to the homosexual movement.  By embracing the minorities, and the minorities embracing the homosexual agenda, the agenda has actually captured an apparent victory. 

To qualify as a minority, one must reproduce the same.  Homosexuals do not reproduce.  Homosexuals are NOT a minority.  They never have been and never will be, unless we change the definition of "minority"!  Had we simply begun the discussion, and continued it with this principle of fact, the influence of the agenda would have been severely held back.  We chose to argue and condemn and were thus easy targets to be labeled as hateful.  The influence of a behavior group would have been easily slowed had we kept the discussion here.  We should have been assisting the minority groups in their struggle while protecting them from this usurping.  We failed.

And yes, minority groups allowed this behavior agenda to steal the day and they have lost much as a result.

But something occurred inside many churches that equally allowed for the changing thoughts on sin and other things in America.  American churches became soapbox churches.  We have those who rally around the Bible and shout about people NOT living moral lives while we ignore the sin within.  We loved the shouting and failed to reach people with Jesus Christ.  We also have those that were/are determined to reach people and began to offer a more pragmatic form of teaching that led to little discipleship and an embracing of little moral truth.  These soapbox type churches are now a majority in America.  One may find it difficult to hear any clear teaching on the simple things of life, including human life, for fear of offending.  And when one finds truth, often it is wrapped in self righteous indignation and not in the power and love of the Holy Spirit.

The soapbox approach has developed due to one simple practice among us preachers. 

Most American Pastors have abandoned Expository Preaching and most Bible Study groups are more focused on felt needs!  We we fail to teach the Bible from cover to cover, verse by verse, and so we produce little in discipleship.  And what little is done, is extremely weak. I have found it amazing to teach through Genesis and discover the depth of truth about understanding creation and life that is so easy to see and equally applicable today.  I don't have to go off on a soapbox.  The Bible speaks for itself with grace and in love to all who will receive. And Genesis actually covers homosexuality!

And don't forget, the Bible even tells us the itching ears and the leaving behind of sound doctrine will occur as we approach the return of Jesus Christ.  We should not be so surprised that we are seeing it. 

We should also be quick to repent of the fact that we actually aided in the progression of such.

Celebrating Grace While Judging Anothers Sin

Life is full of contradictions. It is better said this way; "all of life is full of contradictions and Christianity is no exception." I often wonder why we can see things that are so clear and still miss what we are seeing. One of the things that excites me about heaven is the fact that ALL will be revealed and the humility of mankind will be so ever present that NO confusion will be found. Our eyes will see more than we ever dreamed.

When the Bible speaks of "...God is not the author of confusion..." normally the ping pong contest begins. Confusion sets in like a bolder dropped from miles above. Paralysis of mind, eyes, and brain are triggered. Logic is lost. Craziness becomes the norm. We are right and others are wrong. The confusion is present due to ungodliness on others - not us! In the confusion the spirit of self righteousness is fed.

A Pastor friend asked me yesterday about the idea that Christians can and do celebrate one who has sinned in a public manner while judging another at the same time. His question was serious. The confusion of thought was clear. The dichotomy of our day and the pluralization of so many people highlights this growing trend. From Theology to how to cross the street. We live in a day of self righteous hypocrisy.

Why is it?

I honestly do not know! I have some ideas but I cannot follow those lines of reasoning else I would enter into the same cesspool of confusion that is drowning out the Gospel of Jesus of Christ.

I read today where an individual was defending himself from statements made by someone about him who has never met him. The truth of the defense was iron clad. No one should bear false witness against another. No one should speak for another. No one should pretend to know the heart of another. The individual who wrote the article was right.

But wait...

Why is it that some can claim to promote a picture of grace and present such a clear path of right and wrong and yet be guilty of the same? How is it that some can claim a "work of God" while judge another and NO grace be allowed? Why have we entered into a day when people think it is there job to be judge, juror, and executioner? We see it in churches, families, and the work place. We call it childlike when we see it in our children but we adults are far more guilty than they. We are actually perfecting the art for them.

I know a passage of scripture that fits. In fact, I got to thinking today that maybe all of us should examine this passage a little more often. And maybe after doing so, the confusion would not be found. Maybe in it's place would grow a masterpiece of the work of God by His own hands in a consistent picture of truth, justice, humility, and brokenness lived out in each of our lives.

Can you imagine with me for just a moment how incredible that picture would be? Think about it! And while thinking, read the following:

1 John 1:5-10
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin , we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
NKJV

I like to celebrate. God has done so much for us in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I think we all need more celebration of the totality of this GREAT work and less judging of people. It is a shoe that fits both feet, all sides, and all people!

It is the truth that ends all confusion.