My Little Devotional #184: “Human Nature, Human Nurture”

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belief, Bible, change, Christian Life, Christianity, devotional, expectation, forgiveness, God, hope, inspirational, Jesus, judgment, motivational, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, nature, New Testament, nurture, Old Testament, School Raze

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “School Raze”

Have you ever heard of the debate of “Nature vs. Nuture”? Most of us have, but if you haven’t I’ll explain in brief.

In the philosophy of ethics and the sciences of psychology and sociology, an ongoing debate that has lasted for years (and will likely last indefinitely) is the impact of Nature vs. Nurture on human development. Those who favor “Nature” say that one’s demeanor, personality, and morality is ultimately the result of genetics and is, therefore, a simple matter of who that person is from the time of conception. Those who favor “Nurture”, on the other hand, say that the same qualities of a person are a result of their environment and upbringing and therefore can be controlled and shaped by surrounding them with the proper influences at key points in their development.

In truth, either one of these is monstrous if they’re considered to be the sole factor in determining a human being. If it were only Nature, then there would be justification to stereotypes stemming from racism and sexism saying certain individuals can’t do or become certain things. If it were only Nurture, then morality and ethics would not exist as such things would purely be a byproduct of environment, and therefore “good” people couldn’t be praised for their virtue and “bad” people couldn’t be punished for their vice. Therefore, what most people argue for is that one has a greater influence over the other, and this philosophy, in turn, shapes how we see other people and society at large.

Whether this episode intended to or not, it delved right into the issue of Nature vs. Nurture. Consider both Chancellor Neighsay and Cozy Glow. Neighsay was, most clearly, a racist. He believed that simply due to the fact the Student Six were mostly non-ponies that they were innately hostile and treacherous. Later, when trying to frame the Student Six for her own crime, Cozy Glow played off the same idea that non-pony races were innately “evil” to try and sway the student body against them.

It seems, therefore, that the episode was purely pro-Nurture, but looking deeper we find that’s not the case. Again, consider Cozy Glow next to the Student Six. All of them had gone to the same school, which emphasized the ways of friendship, kindness, honesty, loyalty, generosity, and laughter. The whole goal of the school was to instill those values into its student body. And yet, while the Student Six internalized those values, we can see from the season premiere they already embodied them for the most part. By comparison, all of the lessons didn’t change Cozy Glow at all. The episode therefore actually has a pro-Nature message too.

But of the two views, which one is “Biblical”? Which one should the Christian endorse?

Honestly, I’ve seen Christians do both. Occasionally I’ve seen the same individual exhibit both philosophies. I’ve seen one flat out condemn an entire group as not being worth any time or effort because he felt it would be a waste on them due to their genetics. That same individual extended help, generosity, and forgiveness to a career criminal time and again because he knew him personally and he wanted to believe, deep down, that this was a good person who only needed the help to get his life in order.

Different churches have different philosophies too. More traditional, “older” churches and religion seem to want some evidence or proof of a person’s good nature before allowing them fully into their services, while others immediately bring everyone in regardless of their station in life. In doing so, they show that one expects a person to show their good quality before being allowed to be considered a “Christian” (more toward Nature), while another believes the environment of the Church itself is all they need to be influenced into being a more righteous individual (more toward Nurture).

What’s most perplexing to me is that people seem to back one way or the other when there’s plenty of evidence that goes both ways. There are some people people who waste every opportunity, kindness, compassion, and outreach sent their way and continue to destroy themselves and occasionally others. There are other people who most of us would think are “human garbage” who turn everything around and become shining inspirations to us all without much more than them deciding to get their lives in order. Some people become “saints” on their own or require help, and some people are “sinners” either due to what people did to them or simply because they just decided to be that way all on their own.

Yet to me, neither philosophy really matters. What ultimately matters in life, and what ultimately determines how good or poor of a Christian we are, is not whether we think someone is good enough intrinsically to overcome any personal setback or if, properly surrounded by support, they’ll go from a gangster to a model citizen. What matters to a Christian, and especially their world view, is if they can believe people can change.

If a Christian decides to go do the Will of God, but has a fierce belief that some people are “beyond saving” (whether or not that’s true), I have a hard time believing that they’ll be that effective at God’s ministry. God often calls us to go outside of our comfort zone and to push ourselves beyond what we know. Well, if we “know” that this group of people over here or that group of people over there is rotten to the core, then we’re highly unlikely to carry out God’s will or, at minimum, give it a half-hearted attempt. Or if we innately assume that some people will be deaf to the Word of God, or will waste any attempt to give them charity or outreach, or would sooner kill and rob us than build a relationship, we’ll likewise avoid all of those things.

In the time of Jesus, not only the religious leaders but much of society had their own class of “untouchables”. People who were prostitutes or tax collectors were considered the scum of their society and worthy of nothing but condemnation for their immorality and greed (Matthew 9:10-11; Luke 7:36-39; Luke 19:1-7). Jesus, however, went against the culture and reached out to them. He was ridiculed for even bothering with them (Matthew 11:19), but as a result they came to Him and had their lives changed (Luke 19:8-10). I’m sure not every one did. No doubt, they were still plenty of tax collectors extorting their own people and prostitutes who thought Jesus was full of it. But many did, and those many wouldn’t have come if Jesus had automatically dismissed them all.

Even the early Church had issues from belief in the ability of people to change. Initially, the Gospel was preached only to people who followed the Jewish faith. It wasn’t until Peter was given a vision by God that he felt any need to start preaching to Gentiles as well (Acts 10). Likewise, the Apostle Paul, considered one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, got his start being a persecutor and accessory to murder of Christians. So much so that the early Church refused to believe that he could have possibly changed and needed testimony from a Christian named Barnabus first (Acts 9:23-28). Can you imagine what Christianity would be like today if the Church hadn’t accepted that others could change in these scenarios?

It’s true that the world won’t always be sunshine and rainbows, and being forgiving of everyone doesn’t mean wandering into danger cluelessly. Nevertheless, the Gospel still gives Christians a higher calling than the average person, and demands more from them both in attitude and personal risk. That includes occasionally taking a chance on people. As we believe God has overlooked our own pasts and has faith that we can change, we must do likewise to all others.

After all, whether we believe a person is who they are due to genetic or upbringing, the one thing all Christians can agree upon is only God can change the heart.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for the tremendous mercy and marvelous gift of salvation you have granted to me through Christ Jesus. Today I choose to have faith, hope, and love in those that the world has dismissed. Please help me to be as Christ to anyone I have ever unfairly judged as being a “waste of time”, and help me always to be mindful that, as Christ never considered me beyond help, I must always leave a little room to do likewise. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #183: “Words’ Worth”

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anger, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, criticism, devotional, Father Knows Beast, God, inspirational, Jesus, motivational, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, patience, revenge, silence, speaking, speech

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “Father Knows Beast”

This episode took a bit of an odd yet emotional turn toward the end. After Spike met his “father”, a manipulative and lazy dragon named Sludge, and ended up being taken advantage of by him playing on his emotions, the younger dragon was confronted by Twilight Sparkle who suggested the possibility that Sludge may not have had his best interests at heart. Spike, in turn, casually responded that Twilight was only acting that way because she was a pony and not a dragon, and in turn dismissed the role she played in raising him.

Naturally, this sort of thoughtless comment caused Twilight to burst into tears, and goes down in my book as one of Spike’s worst moments. It also illustrates the power and danger of any thoughtless thing we might say.

I rag on the Internet a lot on this blog but…honestly? I love it. And one of the things I love the most about it since I’m so socially awkward and trip over my own words all the time is that it allows me to carefully choose everything I say. Moreover, it allows me to get something impulsive and emotional down in a text box, sit back, look at it for a few minutes, and then decide whether or not I really want to say that or if I should go back on it.

Not so easy in real life. Especially since I often let my anger or sadness run away with me and say things that I may get a thrill out of at the time only to regret deeply later. This has happened with my family, my job, and in public arenas. There are many times I have said something and may have even felt smug or justified at the time, only to go back hours later or lie in bed, and wring my hands in embarrassment or regret and pray to God that the impact of those words be recanted. Especially when I think about how I should have been “as Christ” to someone that day.

As illustrated in the last blog and others, words and/or silence have great power to them. Arguably, they’re the most powerful things about us as human beings. And as such, God has certain demands upon our words.

“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.” (Deuteronomy 23:21)

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:33-37)

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)

The bottom line? God takes the words we say very seriously. And he should. I know from experience that certain things that are said to us when we’re younger are remembered years later, and continue to lodge in our memory no matter how much time passes and shapes who we are. Many people never forgive nor forget certain things said to them, whether it’s something unkind and hateful or something encouraging and memorable. Certain phrases or words can either cast a shadow on our lives or give enlightenment for years to come.

Case in point, in regards to this message, I remember something important my dad told me: “You are the master of your unspoken word.” Simple enough, but very true. Being too quick to speak may mean you have to recant what you say, explain it, protect it from misinterpretation, or try to keep others from spreading it around if they prove to be untrustworthy. Holding your tongue at the right time, on the other hand, saves you a world of trouble.

I’ve talked in the past about the need to watch carefully what we say, but considering that it’s such an important topic, I think it merits repeating a few pointers to keep in mind every time we feel the need to respond to something that makes us feel particularly emotional.

• If necessary (or possible), wait. Especially if whatever was said makes me feel angry or upset. There are very few things I’ve ever said in my life in anger that I ended up not wishing I could take back as soon as I was calmer, and blowing up in rage never does anyone any good…including ourselves.
• Ask yourself if it’s what Jesus would say. There are many times I’ve felt justified or clever in wanting to say things to others but, when I think about it and meditate on the life of Jesus, I realize that ultimately all I would say would end up boosting me but no one else. It wouldn’t serve any useful or beneficial purpose to anyone; it would just give me some temporary gratification.
• Ask yourself if it’s true. As I’ve cautioned before in the past, we do not see the world as it is but as we are. That leads to a lot of distortion, especially when we feel like we were insulted or that a wrong has occurred. Consider the situation more carefully. Look at the evidence with fresh eyes. If necessary, talk it over with someone else. Think hard about whether or not what you believe occurred really occurred or if it’s just the way your mind is framing it.
• Ask yourself if its beneficial. In the right setting at the right time with the right phrasing, a criticism or chastisement actually is not only merited but could do some good. When it’s spoken with an ulterior motive of making ourselves look good, is manipulative, is laced with passive-aggressiveness, or is an attempt to publicly humiliate someone…not so much.
• Ask yourself if it’s worth it. While my last devotional focused on the need to speak in the face of silence, in many person-to-person reactions it might be better to ask oneself if it’s worth stirring a pot over. Granted, there are some things in which it’s better to speak up rather than let a wrong continue, even if it will cause a bit of outrage at first, but in our modern world and especially on the Internet people will say a lot of things just to get our dander up or start an argument for the sake of arguing. Not all of these battles are worth fighting. Sometimes the best move is, rather than being baited into something, to let it go—even if an opponent will boast that it means you’re speechless and that they’ve “won” the argument. As Mark Twain once observed: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
• Always remember the motive. For the Christian, the ultimate motive behind everything has to be to bring glory to God and his Kingdom. That includes everything we say. For that matter, it’s best for most of us to always ask if we’re building it up or tearing it down in everything we say to another, but especially when responding emotionally.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, I thank you again for the power of my words and the ability I have to teach, to show love, to console, to reconcile, and to build up and encourage others that I have through them. Today, I confess all the times I’ve used this ability to tear down others or gratify myself rather than aid people or give glory to you, and I repent of them. Please help me to use this God-given gift as you intend me to use it in the future. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #182: “Silence is Tarnished”

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Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, devotional, freedom of speech, God, inspirational, intimidation, Jesus, motivational, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, oppression, silence, Sounds of Silence, suppression, threats

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “Sounds of Silence”

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I hope this episode doesn’t end up being prophetic.

In “Sounds of Silence”, we’re introduced to the kirins. They are a race of creatures that abandoned the ability to talk for fear of their words getting each other upset or angry to the point of breaking out in violence due to their alternate “nirik” natures. In doing so, this episode speaks volumes about the power of words and emotions but also introduces an interesting concept about silence: in the right situation, silence speaks just as powerfully if not more so than words.

By far, the most powerful and dangerous organ in the human body is the tongue. The ability to speak and transmit complex ideas, sentiments, and feelings simply through our voices sets us above and beyond all other creatures and is likely largely responsible for human civilization. Words can teach, explain, insult, motivate, discourage, comfort, incite, organize, and tear down.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” (James 3:3-10)

It’s small wonder, therefore, that many places in the world seek to maintain power or control over the ability to speak. Freedom of speech, the ability to publicly state your mind about anything (but especially the government or society), is considered a hallmark of free nations; while a lack of freedom of speech is a signature of oppressive regimes. Many places in the world will form protests, mobs, or even riot in response to someone speaking about something that they don’t want to hear. At the more individual level, people can grow incensed when talking about sensitive matters or hearing someone trudge on their beliefs; even enough to grow angry or violent. (Hence the unwritten rule in many families about never talking about politics or religion.)

As a result, silence has quite a powerful force to it as well. Oppressive countries attempt to make themselves look better to the world by forbidding people to even speak of black marks on their history, and claim they have the widespread love and happiness of their own citizens because anyone who says anything against them can be imprisoned or forcefully stifled. What stories are chosen to headline news get national attention, whereas other important matters that simply go unreported are quickly unnoticed and ultimately forgotten. And, as often seen in history, all that’s necessary for widespread evils such as slavery, ethnic cleansing, or genocide to reach the point of becoming national policy is for people to not say a word against them…in which case, ironically, silence speaks volumes.

And of course, almost since the beginning of Christianity, silence has been the primary means of suppression of the Gospel. As Christians we all believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation and that everyone is lost to Hell without His Grace, and that His message is the ultimate good news too important not to share. Yet nevertheless, even for those of us lucky enough not to live in countries where speaking of Jesus can earn anywhere from a jail sentence to a cup full of acid in our faces, the possibility of getting everyone angry and worked up, launching into an emotion fueled debate, and leaving everyone despising us for being “Jesus freaks” is enough to keep us quiet and retain the message to ourselves. On the other hand, nations that do this as a matter of policy use silence as a means of quiet extermination. After all, so long as Christians cannot proselytize but other religions can, their numbers should eventually die out or at least be confined to their families at best.

Today in the USA, however, we face a threat far more unprecedented. With the idea proposed that hearing something unsettling or uncomfortable causes stress, and that chronic stress can have ill health effects, many people have come to the conclusion that, therefore, speech is physical violence. That simply talking not only can hurt emotionally or mentally but actually leave a tangible mark on the human body. Therefore, rather than argue, debate, or simply ignore certain topics, the new impetus from some people is that those topics shouldn’t even be allowed to be spoken in public at all as they are physically dangerous.

Hence the ongoing debate over the idea of “safe spaces”, whether speakers should not only be banned but physically barred from entering college campuses, and even groups as extreme as Antifa who believe the only equitable and rational response to someone’s “violent” speech is to inflict actual physical violence; since by merely saying something they didn’t like the speaker was “physically assaulting” them to begin with.

Most of all, it’s taking the “no politics or religion” to a new extreme and trending more to what’s in this episode—making topics off-limits to the public by relegating them to silence. What this means for all of us is that when something you say gets a group of individuals unhappy, or sometimes just a single individual, the topic ends up banned from even being allowed to be mentioned under threat of violence or reprisal.

I consider this the equivalent of a modern day lynch mob, and dread to think what will happen if silencing people like this becomes official legal policy.

Ultimately, I think this episode illustrated a good principle in a timely manner about what to do about this. I would supplement it just a little, though.

First…

Someone once said something very simple yet very profound to me—how I feel about something may be beyond my control, but what I do with those feelings is always my responsibility. Only a small child throws a fit and screams when they get sad or angry. A person who wishes to be an adult, on the other hand, must take responsibility for their own emotions and express them in healthy and appropriate ways. No one is responsible for your behavior but you.

In this world, you will inevitably face something that makes you sad, upset, or even angry. Someone will say something that challenges you and incenses you. In fact, if you want to claim you’re truly living, I guarantee that will happen. The only way it wouldn’t is if, like in this episode, we lived in a world of silence. But that’s more than just not being able to chat, laugh, or sing. A world where you never feel uncomfortable or tried in your beliefs or opinions is an egocentric one—where you can go around smugly believing yourself to be perfectly right in every way all the time with no need to self-improve, challenge your own assumptions, or ever think any differently. If you want to grow, your values have to be tested and proven.

That’s why even though I believe Christianity is the one true faith I am completely behind total freedom of religion. My faith is worthless if it can’t stand up to others challenging it, and my own resolve is weak if the only way I can ensure people stay in my faith is by threatening them if they consider leaving it.

Second…

Just as we will all inevitably face something that makes us upset or uncomfortable, we too will all inevitably say something to someone else that makes them upset or uncomfortable (at least, we will if we claim we stand for something). Even if that thing is of lasting value and important to disclose. When that time comes, we may face anger. We may face hate. We may even face violence.

For the Christian, we already know exactly what the most important thing is. And Jesus warned us from the start about what that would mean. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” (John 15:18-20)

The Gospel isn’t always a message that makes people “feel good”; although it often will for the repentant. For those who still cling to their sins, however, it’s a message of conviction…designed to make one uncomfortable so that they will seek repentance and Jesus’ free gift of salvation. Some people will accept it; some people won’t. Keeping silent and not sharing it may be a way to avoid possible scorn and ire from those who won’t, but it’s also a guarantee that people who have never heard it and would have accepted it will go on not hearing it until the day they face judgment.

The truth is, so long as you stand for something, it will inevitably make someone mad or upset. (If it didn’t, change would never happen.) Yet as Autumn Blaze says, “you can’t give up your laughter ’cause you’re scared of a little pain”. For that reason, whenever we know something is good, something is right, and something is important, we can’t let fear, whether internal or external, keep us silent. Especially when it comes to the Gospel for those who need to hear it.

May that be something we are always willing to make a stand for.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for the power of my words, and that within them I have the ability to spread the message of your salvation, to encourage the downhearted, to comfort the grieving, to love the unloved, and to speak the truth in the face of falsehood. Please grant that no thing outside of me and that nothing inside of me will ever keep me from saying what needs to be said or from proclaiming the Good News to the world. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #181: “Good God, Bad God”

Tags

anger, Christian Life, Christianity, condemnation, devotional, God, holiness, inspirational, Jesus, judgment, long-suffering, mercy, motivational, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, patience, repentance, war, warning, What Lies Beneath, wrath

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “What Lies Beneath”

The Tree of Harmony, introduced in personified(ponified?) form in this episode, is the closest thing the MLP:FIM universe has to a deity, and one line she had caught me for today’s devotional.

When she gives the Student Six their “test”, she caps it off by saying they must pass it or “here you will stay”. Obviously, the Student Six passed their test, and we find at the end that the Tree of Harmony might have been expecting them to pass all along.

However, I thought of something on rewatch…what if they hadn’t passed? She said “here you will stay”. What does that mean? That they’d be stuck down there until someone came to get them? That they’d have to repeat the test until they passed? That they’d be trapped down there forever? Would she, in fact, be punishing them for not realizing they were friends? And if she did, would that level of punishment be merited?

Thinking about that eventually led me to thinking about God again and, in particular, the inner conflict a lot of Christians have with their faith: reconciling God of the Old Testament with God of the New Testament.

While many Christians are able to think of the two as one, in my experience many Christians prefer to focus on the New Testament. Truth be told, most of what applies to the Christian faith is found in the New Testament, and there’s a lot in the Old Testament that’s genealogies, blueprints for palaces and places of worship, and the proper way to offer holocausts, peace offerings, and sin offerings—none of which really applies to the Christian nowadays. However, those aren’t the things that I think any of us honestly dislike about the Old Testament. There are passages that are far harder to digest.

I’m talking about when God smote the firstborn of Egypt, even the animals, (Exodus 12:29-30) after he made Pharaoh stubborn enough to refuse to let the Israelites go in spite of the plagues (Exodus 7:3-5). I’m talking about when God told the Israelites to annihilate the nations of Canaan down to the last child (Deuteronomy 15:16-18). I’m talking about how in the Mosaic Law the Israelites were told they could take women and children as “war booty” for themselves after killing all males when fighting other nations (Deuteronomy 20:12-14), and how, while Israelite slaves were to be released at an appointed time, foreign-born slaves were allowed to be retained forever (Leviticus 25:39-46).

I’d like to think any Christian who has ever praised and worshiped about the “never-ending, never-failing, reckless Love of God” and who believes God hates the evils of war, racism, and slavery would probably feel at least a little uncomfortable reading these passages. The fact is it’s a hard thing to reconcile. I myself read the Bible cover-to-cover in my own devotional life, and when I get to the New Testament and start reading passages about God’s Mercies I can’t help but think back to the Old Testament about God’s Wrath. At times, it makes me begin to doubt the former of the two.

I’ve seen Christians try to reconcile this in different ways. One way is simply denial. I know some Christians who rationalize that everything in the Old Testament was written by men of the time and biased, while everything in the New Testament is the “real” Word of God. However, most of us know that’s not true. Paul said it (“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” [2 Timothy 3:16]) and, more importantly, if we start picking and choosing which parts of the Bible are divinely inspired and which parts are made up, then logically our whole faith and belief has to be called into question as there’s no reason not to think that Jesus’ Sacrifice and salvation aren’t lies as well.

An answer that’s more satisfactory for some refers to the fact of God’s omniscience. Naturally, we all believe God wants all sinners to come to repentance, and that only God knows the heart. Therefore, God himself is the best judge of when a person should be shown mercy and when judgment should fall upon them, and all will happen in its proper time according to his Will. Therefore, when incidents of violence and war happen in the Bible by God’s will, it was because it was “a time to kill” (Ecclesiastes 3:3); a point when mercy would no longer be effective and this was the only recourse.

I believe that, but leaving it at that can potentially raise new problems. How do we know when an act of violence, terror, or destruction is an evil to be condemned or is the Will of God? That is, after all, what groups like the Westboro Baptist Church endorse. They praise the deaths of American soldiers as divine punishment for the USA not outlawing homosexuality. It’s also what a lot of extremists who resort to murder to enforce what they think of as God’s Will believe. And if we do get to the point where we start concluding in the modern day that people can execute the Will of God as the ancient Israelites did through war and plunder, then I fear we start to tread dangerously close to one of the oldest Christian (and religious) dilemmas: the Socratic Argument.

The Socratic Argument is one of the primary logical arguments used against religion being morally right. The basic dilemma is: “Is something morally right because God says it is, or does God say it’s morally right because it is?” The argument some Christians make to me sounds much like the former of the two options, and that, to me, is a dangerous precedent to follow. Not only does it make good and evil arbitrary, something I refuse to believe God would ever condone, but it allows any pastor or self-proclaimed “prophet” to come along and say God told them something completely contradictory to the Bible and then say it’s morally right.

To me, God doesn’t tell us not to kill simply because he wants to “do the job himself”, but because it’s wrong. While there are always exceptions or special circumstances, such as defending other people or oneself, a rule is, the far majority of the time, a rule.

So how do I reconcile the two?

I’ll admit, some days I have a hard time doing it even now. However, the best practice that I currently have is trying to take the Bible in its entirety.

While I myself am not a Lutheran, one of the best pieces of theology I ever received from them was the idea that everything recorded in the Old Testament and the New Testament is for a purpose to the people living today. As such, although it is indeed divinely inspired, there are aspects of God’s nature that are accented and magnified in different sections of the Bible for the purpose of instruction rather than the whole picture of God being gained from just one passage, chapter, or book. First and foremost: the Old Testament is a message to sinners about the requirements of holiness and the wrath of God, while the New Testament is about the way to salvation and the mercies of God. One side emphasizes one aspect of God’s nature more than the other, but it’s still the same God.

It’s important to note that while the New Testament is heavy on the love and mercy of Jesus Christ, it’s not without some “wrath” of it’s own. There’s the episode in Acts of the Apostles where Christians are struck dead for trying to cheat the community (Acts 5:1-11), and then there’s the entire Book of Revelation in which most of the terror and wrath comes from angels in Heaven.

Likewise, the Old Testament is far from being void of God’s mercy. Even in Genesis, God outlines how as little as ten righteous people in a city filled from top to bottom with evildoers would be enough to make him overlook their wickedness (Genesis 18:23-32). Jesus’ “new commandment” in the Gospels (John 13:34) is nothing more than a commandment from the Mosaic Law that was overlooked (Leviticus 19:18). In the Book of Jonah, God didn’t sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh with the intent of telling them all of their impending death but to save their lives by spurring them to repent, which they did. And to Ezekiel, God explicitly said he doesn’t take any pleasure in striking sinners dead. Instead, he takes pleasure in their repentance (Ezekiel 18:23 and 33:11).

In both examples, the Bible shows that just as the God of the New Testament is the same God with terrible holiness and anger in the Old Testament, it also says that same God from the Old Testament possesses the mercy and love of the God of the New Testament. This I choose to have faith in as much as I have faith in Christ.

My prayer for today is that we all may never lose sight of the totality of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and that we are all able to accept all of the Word of God as useful for our own instruction and building up…even the difficult parts.

After all, if Christianity was meant to always be easy, Jesus wouldn’t have warned us about it (Matthew 10:22).

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for your Word as contained in the Bible and its message to all people—to the sinner, the warning of God’s judgment, the demands of the Law, and the sentence of condemnation; to the Christian, the victory of Lord Jesus, the overwhelming power of God’s mercies, and the promise of eternal life. Help me to cling to both and never embrace one so much I forget the other. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #180: “Hitting Rock Bottom”

Tags

A Rockhoof and a Hard Place, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, depression, devotional, encouragement, God, hopelessness, inspirational, Jesus, love, motivational, New Testament, Old Testament, Rockhoof, support, Yona

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “A Rockhoof and a Hard Place”

This episode gets into some pretty dark territory, but important territory. The idea of a character on the show actually contemplating suicide was around as early as Season Six’s “No Second Prances”, but it didn’t come as true to real life as it did here. Although Rockhoof was only talking about being turned into a statue in a reversible situation, the implication was very real. Especially more so when considering the background. A stallion who had missed out on the last 1,000 years and came into a world where everything he had ever known was gone, dead, and buried for centuries. He went from a time where he was heralded as a hero and a champion to, within a blink of an eye in his view, a place where he was a klutz and a failure who couldn’t even get the most menial of jobs.

The situation fits the mentality that many veterans, including those returning home from war to this day and especially those with PTSD, have: what place is there for them in a world where their greatest talent no longer means anything? The answer that many of them come up with, as well as many others experiencing similar feelings, is that there is no place at all. And when that happens, many people end up drawing the same conclusion Rockhoof did…that if there is no place for them in the world, they should take themselves out of it.

I’ve had some very dark times in my life, as alluded to in my earlier devotionals. I’ve been in some low places. And at those times my mind has turned to the lowest choice of all. I will say I never got to the point where I made a serious attempt on it. (The farthest I ever got was I had made the noose and picked out a place to hang it.) As one who has been in that situation, though, I can say two things.

1. The last thing you ever want to do to a person contemplating suicide, especially if they’re a Christian, is to try and scare or even threaten them out of it by telling them God will send them straight to Hell for it. That might work in some cases, but if the person is already feeling so low and worthless and unloved by everything in Earth and Heaven there’s a chance that last statement might be the last thing they need to convince them that God hates them and, therefore, they have absolutely no worth and nothing to live for. So they might as well go through with it if they’re going to Hell either way.
2. Far more importantly, the biggest thing that made the difference between me being sunk in depression and entertaining thoughts of ending it all was a feeling of total worthlessness. I was convincing myself that no one, including my family, my friends, my parents, God, Lord Jesus, etc., had any need to have me around and that my very life had no meaning to them. That I had nothing to offer anyone anywhere and I was essentially a lump of flesh taking up space.

Rockhoof was definitely feeling the second of these things. He was ready and committed to end it all; thinking it was better to let his memory die while he was still a hero rather than spend the rest of his years being nothing.

What brought him out of it, though? A little girl coming up to him and telling him how much he meant to her, and that she wanted to be just like him when she grew up.

It didn’t snap him out of his funk all together. He was still depressed and still thinking about ending it all. However…it did make him think that maybe he could hold off long enough to tell one more story.

Similar to me, my depression didn’t magically go away from what one person ever said to me. Not even when they came up to me and told me how sad they’d be if I was gone and how much my time with them meant to them. Nothing ever works quite that fast. However, it did make me think: “Maybe I should hold on until tomorrow…see how I feel then.”

Feelings of worthlessness, the thought that one has nothing to offer anyone and that one has no value to anybody, are some of the worst feelings imaginable. If you’re young, you may think that you’re immune to them. That you can just keep yourself happy forever and that you’re fine being alone. One day you will wake up, look around yourself, and ask yourself what impact you’re making on the world and what people would remember you when you’re gone. You’ll ask yourself if you really did make the world better for anyone or if anyone would miss you if you weren’t there. I hope the answer at that time is positive, but I myself have had it be negative and I know what that’s like. It’s not a good place to be.

However, the nice thing about all this is that this is one of the easiest things we can counter in others.

Yona demonstrated that in this episode with her flattering essay to Rockhoof, but it doesn’t even take that much. Just being conscious enough to say you enjoy seeing someone, that you like spending time with them, that you appreciate their presence…small little things here and there…it makes all the difference in the world. Taking time out to build someone up just a tiny bit. Not just when a person is at rock bottom as I’ve said above. Some days I’m in a foul, horrendous mood. I’m grumpy about everything and feeling discouraged and irritable. All it takes is one unexpected talk with a friend or family member or a nice comment on one of my fanfictions to suddenly make me feel better about everything. To be ready to seize the day once again, and even to “take up my cross and keep walking” again. (I can attest that I was perfectly ready to give up on something before, I heard one nice word, and all of the sudden I was ready to tackle it all over again.)

When Paul wrote to the church of the Thessalonians with advice on how the community could live a Christian lifestyle, he included: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Likewise, one of my favorite Proverbs is: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25) I would go so far as to say probably the easiest and simplest way to be as Christ to both the community and to everyone around us is to simply say an encouraging word or two every day to those we meet. Not to mention I can’t think of anyone I would rather like having around than someone who always made it a point to build up people around them.

My suggestion for this devotional is for everyone to start making a word of encouragement or gratitude for a person just “being themselves” a healthy habit. Especially to those you may have noticed you haven’t said anything in a while to or people in your life who seem to constantly be down. You might end up making someone’s day, week, month, lifetime, or, just maybe, eternity.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you that you have vowed never to leave me or forsake me, and that you have loved me with an everlasting love. Thank you also that this does not change regardless of my fears, doubts, failures, and anxieties. If I find myself beset by these, help me to cling to this fact and focus on what you have envisioned for me. And if I am feeling well, then I pray today I may be your word of encouragement to everyone who is currently suffering from depression and hopelessness, and that I may never take those around me for granted. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #179: “The Next Best/Worst Thing”

Tags

Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, devotional, goals, God, greed, inspirational, Jesus, Lightning Dust, money, motivational, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, occupation, Old Testament, purpose, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, The Washouts, vocation

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “The Washouts”

When kids are young, most adults in the Western world like telling them that they can grow up to be whatever they want to be–if only they try hard and devote themselves to that goal. At some point in life, however, we get a dose of reality such as was in a brutal scene in this episode. Scootaloo pointed out, rather angrily and bitterly, that she can never fully look up to Rainbow Dash as a role model because, due to her disability, she has no chance of ever becoming a Wonderbolt or even a flier like her.

The same is true for everyone in one sense or another. While in many cases it’s a matter of determination and will, the fact is there are some things we will never be able to do. Even if we like to sing, not many of us are ever likely to become pop stars. Even if we’re good at sports, odds are most of us aren’t good enough to get college scholarships let alone into professional careers. A lot of fanfic and amateur writers out there, myself included, will likely never be published other than for free on websites. And if a disability is involved such as blindness, deafness, or paralysis, that adds a whole other dimension.

Maybe it’s lack of sufficient talent, physical shortcoming, circumstances, or the advancement of age, but at some point in all of our lives we will realize that one (or more) of the doors that we thought was open to opportunity is closed.

And, at times like that, many of us may respond in one way or another as Scootaloo did with the Washouts.

It wasn’t simply the cool-looking stunts and death-defying feats that attracted Scootaloo to the group. What really sold her was that you didn’t have to be a great flier to be one of them. They represented something that her talents could do that would let her shine; giving her a way to live her dream of being a “cool” stuntpony. Because of that, Scootaloo overlooked everything else involved–such as the very real chance she could get seriously hurt and that Lightning Dust really didn’t have her best interests in mind.

Thinking of this brings to mind the end part of the Gospel of John in the New Testament, in particular with Peter and the disciples who, after the death of Lord Jesus, “went fishing” (John 21:1-3). For Peter, a former fisherman, the last few days had not been kind. After following Jesus for three years as one of his inner circle, not only of Apostles but the “circle within the circle” of himself, James, and John, he saw the man he had come to accept as the Messiah and that he had hoped would lead to a new age for Israel sentenced and put to death by both the religious and political authorities. This was a horrible shock for all of Jesus’ disciples, but him especially as he had a disastrous moment when he found himself put to the test at Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. Only a few hours earlier he had vowed that he would follow Jesus anywhere, including to the death. Instead, exactly as Jesus had told him he would, he vehemently denied Him publicly three times. The event left Peter so crushed he wasn’t even there for the crucifixion itself. By the time Jesus was buried, Peter was probably feeling about two inches tall and that he had failed in every possible way.

So, as it turned out, Peter went back to what his old “talent” was and went fishing. Maybe because he was comfortable with it. Maybe it was because it was something he knew. Maybe because he couldn’t think of anything else to do with his life now. Or maybe because he wanted to do something he knew he was good at after seemingly failing at being a disciple of Jesus.

I mentioned in earlier devotionals that I had gone through a number of failures trying to become more active for God and find a ministry I could join. For example, trying to help out at food kitchens didn’t work out that well for me because my social skills were terrible. That wasn’t a decision I arrived at after one failure, though. I went back multiple times and tried to develop it, but it never got any better. This had only been one of several incidents in my life that gradually made it clear to me that certain things were just not going to work out for me or, at my current stage in my life, I was not ready to perform them.

When it came to wanting to be active for God, however, I was at risk (and still am in similar situations today) of making the same mistake that Peter or Scootaloo did. I became so obsessed with my failure, my closed door, or my missed opportunity I couldn’t get back that I ended up backsliding too far. In that situation and others, the risk is always the same…that I would lapse back into something that was comfortable and familiar, but also something that was either subpar to what I was pursuing for God, going nowhere toward his Kingdom at all, or, worse yet, carried a lot of rather un-Christ-like or self-destructive/defeating things along with it.

The problem is I still prefer to pursue those paths and interests in those situations because they make me feel better about myself. They are things I can succeed at and, more importantly, I know I can succeed that. And as a result, I continue to pursue those interests and life choices and gratify them, gradually becoming less Christ-like in my behavior, while what I wanted to do to become more passionate for God gets replaced by a false goal and lets the original one fade out or die.

This was evidently a danger to Christians even in the earliest times, as shown by the following passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:17-19) And, again, in his first letter to Timothy. “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:9-11).

In a more all-encompassing sense, there was Jesus’ parable of the sower (Matthew 13) in which He used a metaphor of seed on various types of ground to point out the types of people who hear the Word of God. Among the groups of seed that failed to bear fruit (a metaphor for those who heard the Word of God yet failed to be improved by it) was the seed that fell among thorns and was choked as it tried to grow. This represented people who were unable to be productive for God because of, in the words of Lord Jesus Himself, “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth”(Matthew 13:22).

This was a danger not only in the New Testament but remains a danger to Christians today, especially in the Western world where, ironically, we usually have far greater means available to us. While the passages above mostly focus on the pursuit of wealth, it can apply to anything that catches our attention and captures our devotion.

For example… Have you ever experienced a moment where you saw a Christian group, or any group, advertising something for a street cleanup or short term mission trip or ministry that involved some hours of a week, and you began to realize you couldn’t do it either due to lack of time or talent in that area? My guess is most of us who went through that, myself included, didn’t look for an alternative or try to find an alternate way to volunteer or assist the same endeavor, but (at least in the Western world) decided to do something that would make money to donate instead. Or maybe, at a juncture where we were looking at pursuing a life or, at least, long term choice that could make an impact for the Kingdom of God, we decided to take a job that we believed would benefit a lot of people instead. Or we tried to focus on getting ourselves secure in our life standing so that, in a few years from then or even later in life, we would have all the time we needed to volunteer.

While money does come in handy for many of these ministries, it’s people who eventually make them happen and people who form the personal connections involved. Furthermore, there are lots of ways to make money in the world–both good and bad. By making money the end goal of our endeavors, even if we plan to use the money to provide for other people, as Paul cautioned it’s very easy from that point to become devoted to and even obsessed with the idea of having financial security; forgetting the role of God in truly providing for us and that he gave us what we have in the name of being good stewards. Not to mention, so long as the ends provide money, a lot of things could satisfy that criteria and leave a lot of “wiggle room” for ourselves and our own pursuits.

Likewise, there are many jobs that benefit, or can benefit, people. Going back to Peter, people do need to eat, and there’s nothing stopping a fisherman from giving a portion of his catch away to whoever wants it after he’s taken care of his own needs. But was that what Peter could really do to help people? Or what he was called to do? Or would it have just been a substitute for something greater that was still open to him?

As for personal security, I know from experience that there is never a “stopping point” when it comes to material gain or savings. One will always think: “just a little bit more…just that one thing…if I can just pay that one item out…”. And one will never truly be able to feel happy over getting what they want because, so long as there is discontentment in life that doesn’t stem from material goods that we nevertheless attempt to satisfy with material goods, there will always be something else we want. Attempting to reason otherwise is a recipe for misery. (Case in point, I have one relative who I have grown increasingly worried will be a slave to his job until his dying day; because he eventually grew so scared of poverty and ruin not only for himself but his children and grandchildren that now he’ll work forever to ensure all of them are paid for, and keeps pushing off his retirement in spite of his declining health…)

The problem in all of these situations is the same problem that Peter faced: losing sight of the goal, which is Christ. The examples I listed above are all ways of “dealing” with that by shifting the focus to the way to get to that goal. It’s analogous to looking down and watching the path you’re walking on to see if it looks good without seeing if you’re even headed for your destination or off a cliff. In these cases, people wish to pave their own road to God rather than focusing on God first and letting him direct their paths. This is neither a situation where God is “your copilot” or “in the driver’s seat”…it’s a situation where we’re driving ourselves to some town and then texting God to see if he’s ok with us being there after we already rented ourselves a hotel room.

My suggestion for this week is for all of us to perhaps take some time out and sit down to think about our lives and where we’re putting our time, talent, and energy. Perhaps we need to stop and evaluate what we’re currently devoting the most time to and if, in fact, we need to consider whether or not we’ve gotten off track or enamored by the wrong thing.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, I thank you for the blessings you’ve given me in terms of my talents and means available to me, and I give thanks to you even more in light of whatever I find myself seemingly lacking in. I choose today to commit and trust these things to you along with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength. As I do, please guard me from concerns, worries, feelings of self-doubt, and anxieties that would choke me from giving you everything that is your due. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #178: “Chilling Out”

Tags

Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, Church, community, despair, devotional, empathy, encouragement, faith, God, hope, inspirational, Jesus, motivational, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, Road to Friendship, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Lulamoon

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “Road to Friendship”

As you may have noticed, I spent a long time trying to think up a message for this one. I ended up having to watch the episode again for the review before I saw something that struck me.

My head had been going over and over this episode, but I only focused on the arguments between Starlight Glimmer and Trixie Lulamoon when their attempt at a road trip for Trixie’s show degenerated into a nightmare due to their constant missteps and disagreements. The second time I watched it, however, I noticed something different. Although their entire trip was plagued with misfortune, it wasn’t until later in the trip that the misfortune actually became a problem. Early on, especially through the more dangerous legs, the two remained friendly and on good terms while working together. As a result, the trip actually went, from their perspective, very smoothly. In fact, later in the episode, when Starlight tried to go the same way alone, she realized she didn’t notice how hard and miserable the trek was before when she had Trixie along.

That, in turn, made me think of a different message.

As you may have guessed from earlier devotionals, I am anything but a “social butterfly”. I tend to prefer my own company, that of my family, or one-on-one interactions with friends. That being said, I know the value of having a friend to talk to and be at your side. I’m sure there are people out there, especially young people, who will maintain that there are some individuals out there ideally suited to a solitary existence or being loners. At this point in my life I no longer believe that; especially not for the majority of people. Whether you consider things from a biological perspective or a Biblical perspective, humans are made to be social creatures. Even if one tends to enjoy being alone, there are times where they need human contact to feel validated, accepted, appreciated, or encouraged. People need relationships and communication with others in order to grow and, in some cases, even to challenge them to become more than what they are alone. And, as this episode illustrated, having a friend by your side can always make a terrible situation more bearable.

Even in the earliest parts of the Bible, the Creation in Genesis, it points out how the first human was unhappy in spite of having the favor and friendship of God and all the creatures in creation as companions. It wasn’t until God created a second human that he felt satisfied, because now he had a relationship with another person (Genesis 2:18-24). Likewise, there are several references in the Old Testament to the need for friends and companions and the virtues of having one.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiates 4:9-10)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

Furthermore, while there are many strong men and women of the Bible who exemplify virtue, very few of them ever operated completely alone. Moses had his assistant Joshua and his brother Aaron. David had many upstanding warriors and counselors in his service that stuck with him through thick and thin. Even Elijah, a prophet who had to do most of his own mighty work alone, had a protege and successor named Elisha who followed him everywhere.

Yet the true emphasis on the dependency upon others, to me, is not until the New Testament. The Church community that Lord Jesus died for is often referred to as “the Body of Christ”; indicating that the community itself (empowered by the Holy Spirit) is the true means by which Christ moves and acts in the world now. While the need for repentance and conversion is on the individual level, the life of the Christian from then onward is often emphasized as their place in the Church and in working together with other Christians.

While it’s not as much of an issue in the Western World, one of the most important roles of the Church both in the Bible as well as in countries where Christians face persecution (and can be hurt or even killed with impunity and no legal recourse) is simply to act as support for one another. But even in places where this is not true, the role of the Church is vital to the Christian’s well being. When a Christian is feeling discouraged, it’s up to the community to build them up and encourage them to keep going. When they’re dealing with trouble or fears, it’s the community’s job to comfort and strengthen them. When they feel they are called to an insurmountable task or ministry that grows overwhelming and taxes them to their limits, it’s the community’s job to bear their portion of the load and to provide emotional as well as physical support.

Most of all, when a Christian is going through depression, feels no answer from God or his presence, and is plagued with doubts, despair, and thoughts of abandonment or self-destruction, it’s the mission of the Church to be there for that person. Not necessarily with any inspiring quotes or verses or anecdotes, but to simply be present and weep with them.

As the Church is the “Body of Christ”, so is it its duty to represent Christ “in the body” to all of these individuals. To let them know His presence is there because they are there. There is no overstating the importance, both for the Christian and for everyone, of how great it is to know that someone is there mourning with you; validating both your pain and suffering as well as you being worthy of consolation and concern.

As this episode pointed out, even if it doesn’t actually resolve the difficulties in your life, simply knowing that someone will always be there at your side for the ride, to pick you up when you’re down or cheer you when you’re feeling miserable…or simply just to go with you the whole way no matter how long or dreary…makes all the difference in the world. It makes the tasks and trials we must face not only seem more bearable but, in some cases, even possible to overcome. It’s small wonder that Jesus Himself pointed out the value of having just one friend by your side to feel His presence. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

The analogy that I saw in a different message once is a fireplace filled with hot coals, in which one is removed and set alone by itself. The coal may remain hot for a time, but eventually it will cool and become dull, lifeless ash. It’s only when it’s brought in contact with others that are “on fire” that it regains its own heat and blazes forth. In the same way, when an individual is feeling discouraged, defeated, or their own faith has “grown cold”, it’s through the community of believers in the Church, whether that be a group or simply another faithful individual and friend, that their flames are reignited, their spirits are restored, and their hope is renewed.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank you not only for your assurance to always be at my side no matter what, but for all the times that others have been at my side and helped me continue when I felt at my lowest or like quitting. Please help me today to act in the same way. Whenever I see someone beset with loneliness, despair, or hopelessness, help me to be a true friend who will stay by their side just as I know you always stay by mine, and grant that we may bear each other’s loads and keep each other’s ‘fires burning’. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #177: “Minimum Qualifications”

Tags

availability, Bible, calling, Christian Life, Christianity, devotional, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, mission, motivational, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, righteousness, Yakity-Sax

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “Yakity-Sax”

I’d like to think most of us at some point in our lives will find ourselves in Pinkie Pie’s shoes; namely in doing something that we personally love but aren’t necessarily terribly good at it (or possibly even a bit bad). While a great deal of this episode focuses on Pinkie’s depression on realizing she isn’t any good at something she likes and her friends responding to it, when considering a message for this episode I focused on the resolution.

While Pinkie was definitely upset to hear from her friends that she was pretty tone deaf when it came to playing the yovidaphone, the real reason for her depression was because she realized that she was bad at playing it, and it wasn’t simply a matter of opinion. And as a result, she was more than understandably nervous to want to play the instrument in front of a yurt full of yaks as, demonstrated time and again in the series, they tend to go ballistic when you try doing any of their traditions and not make it absolutely perfect. Nevertheless, encouraged by her friends to do it as something she loved, she ended up most unexpectedly getting a round of cheers from the audience as it turned out the true spirit of playing the yovidaphone “perfectly” is doing it in a way that makes one happy. In that case, even not being good at that particular talent turned out to not matter; only that Pinkie made the effort to play.

Most of my devotionals have focused on the idea that people are ideally unique and made for certain situations, and that the call of God and what he wants us to do with our lives from day to day will often reflect what talents or aptitudes we possess. However, I want to stress that while I believe God will never call us to do something that we can’t handle provided we trust in him, he won’t necessarily always call us to do something that we feel we can handle with or without him.

While I highly doubt most of us will ever be called to do something incredibly stupendous and totally contrary to anything we have ever done or experienced in the least, to the point where the only way we could possibly pull it off would be divine intervention (like, for example, me being called to perform triple bypass surgery when I haven’t the slightest idea how to operate on anything), as early as the book of Genesis God makes it clear that what he really wants out of people is obedience…the willingness to make oneself available to God for him to use. It’s not raw talent, a person’s bearing, or how influential or powerful they are that God desires. It’s the ability to submit to him and his Will when he wants to make use of you. Furthermore, God also emphasizes that he desires individuals such as that more than those who are able, because it is when God acts through them, through people who seem to have no ability or fortitude that makes them stand out or capable of anything special, that he truly manifests his power.

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

There are several Biblical examples of this. Big ones include King David, who started off as the youngest (and therefore least-favored) of the sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:1-13). There was the judge Gideon who, by his own admission, was the “lowest of the low” in Israel (Judges 6:11-16). Amos the prophet was a sheep herder and a fig farmer (Amos 7:14-15). Among the Apostles there were a variety of non-religion-based occupations, like fisherman (Matthew 4:18-22), tax collector (Matthew 9:9), and even revolutionary (Luke 6:15). Jesus Himself was considered a carpenter (Mark 6:5), and His mother was a poor girl (Luke 1-2).

And of course, earliest of all, there was Abraham. While he was a man of considerable wealth, he was told by God to pack up and leave everything he knew behind so that he could become a “father of nations” when, at the age of 100 and by pretty much all accounts well past “dead”, he was still childless. Why did God end up blessing him? Abraham lived prior to the Mosaic Law and the ministry of Jesus, so there were no commands from God to keep or established sacrifices to present. In Abraham’s case, what made him a blessing, what made him the father of the faiths of most of the world today, what indeed gave him billions of descendants (either directly or through adoption of religion), was simply because he had faith in God’s blessing.

“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

He went where God told him and he did what God told him to do, even when he had to go somewhere he didn’t know and was told to kill his own long-sought-after son. In the end, God credited it as righteousness simply that Abraham was willing to go on nothing but faith. And that righteousness had a lasting impact to this day.

So while I have talked in great detail about God matching us to who we are and our talents, I don’t want to leave this behind. The message for today is that God ultimately desires obedience and surrendering to his Will, even in times where we are nervous and uncertain. Ultimately, if God is telling us to do something, then we have a confidence that so long as we commit to be available that it will work out both for our good and the Kingdom of God.

Remember…while it might be true in many situations that there are people who would have greater aptitude for a task, be bolder, stronger, more well-spoken, or any of a host of other things where we find ourselves called, those people aren’t the ones in that situation. It’s us, and it’s our responsibility to make ourselves available when it happens.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for your Word, which assures us that when we are called to do something beyond our power and seemingly beyond hope, all you truly require of us is to trust in you and step out. Please help me to cling to this when fears, doubts, and anxieties hold me back from doing your Will. By the grace of God, I choose to always make myself available and step out boldly in faith when you call me. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #176: “Wake Up!”

Tags

bias, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, criticism, devotional, God, grudges, inspirational, Jesus, motivational, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, self-awareness, self-deception, self-improvment, truth, viewpoint

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “The End in Friend”

In this episode, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, triggered by an argument as to the validity of their friendship when they seemed to have nothing in common, ended up quite upset at one another and their hostility threatened to drive a wedge between them. To try and get the two to find common ground, Twilight suggested that they use one thing they mutually liked, reading, to do a book swap with one another in an attempt to get them to abandon their squabbling and reconnect.

However, both were mad at each other and, as many foolishly do, worked to keep their grudge going instead of turning toward reconciliation. Rather than even actually read the assigned book, let alone put any effort into the exercise to try and understand one another, both simply made a preconceived judgment about the selections that justified their own opinions, stood behind it, and even defended it as genuine criticism. At that point, one could hardly even argue that they had an opinion that was defendable. It was simply unreasonably hating something to begin with and shutting out any attempt to get them to think otherwise. Frankly, it was an act of being pigheaded on both of their parts.

There’s an urban lingo term thrown out around a lot nowadays…the idea of being “woke”. The term is a throwback to the movie “The Matrix” in which the majority of people on Earth are blind to the fact they are living out a digital computer simulation while being kept in suspended animation, and that when they “wake up” they become aware of how the world really is. What it means to actual society is the idea of someone becoming aware of how something really works or is when society/media/others say it functions a different way. (It’s somewhat analogous to the older term: “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid”, implying not to just go with the flow and buy into whatever people tell you about something.) Often this applies to cases of suspected racism, sexism, political bias, classism, etc.

Among the millennial generation, of which I am a member, “being woke” is a prized status symbol. Being woke, or aware of an incident of racism, sexism, political bias, classism, etc., that was “cleverly disguised” as being fully innocuous or normal, is considered to be a high point for one’s intellect. A person is smart enough to see the proverbial man behind the curtain. They are enlightened enough to realize what this is doing to other people. Most importantly, they are upstanding enough to present this to society so that it can be rooted out, and even better if they organize large public outcry about it. In other words, while on the surface this may appear to be purely public action or protest, it’s also a very uplifting and personally gratifying thing for those involved as it demonstrates to others how much more aware, upstanding, forward-thinking, and proactive they are.

The left gets the most flak for this nowadays, but really I’ve seen it on both sides of the political spectrum. (Honestly? If you want to see more of one or the other just get the opposite party into the White House…) To me, it all stems from the same thing I’ve hit on before: modern Internet culture. Everyone believes their opinion is worth more than it is and prizes people responding to it. The best way to make your opinion stand out is if it’s unique; and the easiest way to get it to be unique is to find some wrong in the world, whether it’s there or not, and shout about it.

I’m not trying to make the case that all of this is unjustified. Furthermore, the fact that a minority of people are particularly loud and even violent about it is no excuse for the majority of people to remain apathetic. What I am wanting to draw attention to, however, is how many of these individuals justify themselves; which ties into this episode. No one really cares about a fact that “is mostly correct, but occasionally doesn’t apply” or an injustice that’s only alleged. Likewise, no one wants to point out that they formed an opinion on something which is better in some ways and worse than others compared to what’s happening right now. People want to be right. They want to be fully justified. They want to have the one answer. They want to be the side that’s on top of things and not the side that’s stupid and clueless.

That leads to how modern debate goes about these sorts of things, if you can even call it that. Protesters, demonstrators, and proponents of an idea have no interest whatsoever in pointing out where their particular idea falls a little flat, talking about the tradeoffs, or seeing if there’s an element of their idea that applies and not the rest–let alone compromise. They don’t bother with the opposite side, and, in most people’s minds, they don’t have to. They believe they’re right already and that the other is wrong.

In this situation, when someone believes they are in the right and has some animosity toward an opposing viewpoint, debating with them usually not only doesn’t work but can’t work. That’s because people ignore anything good about the opposing viewpoint and embrace every bit of criticism and bad they can find and form their whole mental framework around that. Everything else is mentally excluded at the point of hearing it. Through a series of logical fallacies, they pardon away all other evidence that opposes their view and cement so much in their minds that such is reality that eventually they deceive themselves into thinking there isn’t an alternative viewpoint at all…just idiots who know nothing and people like themselves who are “woke”.

Worse yet, they do just the opposite with favorable evidence for their own point of view and let it all in without filtering or judgment. This is even if it’s based on nothing or is a bold-faced lie. I see this all the time on social media. As you may have guessed, I’m a conservative by nature as is most of my family, but some of the things they re-post as supposed “bombshells” or breaking reports are blatant misinformation. Some are clear photoshops while others are statistics that were pulled out of thin air or outright made-up fables. I don’t really care if they supposedly “support” my viewpoint when they’re blatant, obvious lies, as that not only doesn’t support my viewpoint but casts my viewpoint into doubt for people at large, but they go ahead and post them anyway simply because it justifies their thinking. And since they’re right, then anything that supports their view, even if it’s nothing but tripe, must also be right. Meanwhile, any genuine article that is against their viewpoint, even if backed with proper information and source, is either excused away or declared “just a lie”. It must be fake, because it doesn’t support their view, and therefore isn’t worth even considering.

As I’ve said several times before, we do not see the world as it is but as we are. If we choose to see something as good we will tend to overlook anything bad associated with it, whereas if we choose to see something as bad we will ignore anything good associated with it…all so that it perfectly fits our view of it. We’ll even claim the same is reality as I just illustrated. This sort of delusional thinking can lead to a lot worse than angry social media blogs and protesting. It can lead to totally warped senses of reality and even violent actions; all of which are assumed to be appropriate and justified. (Look no further than a group like Antifa, who prides themselves as being against any form of hate, violence, and intolerance…and uses hate, violence, and intolerance to supposedly “combat” the same.)

For the Christian, while there is always an element of social justice and a need to call out sin, in particular in individuals who are trying to justify themselves or behaviors for society at large, Lord Jesus had an emphasis on personal holiness and resolving the sin in one’s own life first. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5) This was especially true for those who claimed to be justified or “holy” without acknowledging their own evils and wrongdoing (see Matthew 23:1-33 for a lengthy condemnation of the self-righteous by Jesus). In the preceding passage, when taken with the Gospels as a whole, I want to point out that the priority is not so much on not condemning evil, but instead in being cognizant of one’s own evil as well. To not be so meticulous about finding what others are doing wrong that you ensure you are blind to what you yourself are doing wrong.

And that makes sense, because ultimately the only people we ever have control over is ourselves. And only to the degree that we are mature and complete will we be able to see not only the world clearly but also form relationships with others that are mature and complete, including with God. Most importantly, we will only see truth in regards to how much we keep our “lenses” free of warping, including truth God is trying to reveal to us.

Odds are if you ever hear criticism about your opinions or even behavior, your instincts are going to be to not take it well even if it’s justified. Particularly if it’s about a strong political or moral opinion you have. Admitting to yourself and acknowledging that you probably won’t like what you are about to hear can go a long way toward resolving your own bias; even if you don’t end up agreeing with it in the end. Owning up and taking control of one’s feelings and prejudgments is not only an important standard for a Christian, but for any mature adult. That means using our reason and self-discipline to realize when we truly see something that either supports or counters our strong opinions and when we are simply selectively listening to the messages that we want to hear, no matter how pleasant or unpleasant.

And that’s the kind of “woke” we could all stand to be.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for your Word, which emphasizes the need to never be so preoccupied with recognizing evil in others that we fail to recognize it in ourselves first. Where I have grown blind, ignorant, or have ‘fallen asleep’ in regards to my own wrongdoing or lack of ‘rightdoing’, please help me to awaken to that and enact the changes I need to make to better serve you and others. No matter how painful and uncomfortable it may be. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Little Devotional #175: “Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place”

Tags

Bible, blackmail, coercion, devotional, faith, fear, Friendship University, God, honesty, inspirational, integrity, Jesus, motivational, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, New Testament, Old Testament, threats

Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “Friendship University”

In this episode, Twilight Sparkle stages a not-so-secret infiltration of the Flim Flam Brothers’ “Friendship University” on a more-than-justified hunch that they’re running another money-making scam. Eventually, her overt espionage is discovered and exposed by the brothers, who threaten to go public with the information that the “Princess of Friendship” was so distrustful and unfriendly that she tried to ruin a legitimate rival school to keep it from competing with her own.

More interesting, however, was later in the episode when Twilight (and Rarity)’s work bore fruit and discovered how the Flim Flam brothers were charging exorbitant fees for stolen lesson plans. However, even now having evidence of the brothers’ wrongdoing, the crooked brothers still tried to use the fact they had caught her in the act spying as leverage to keep their own misdeed from going public.  It might seem like they don’t have a leg to stand on at first but, if you keep in mind the context of the episode as well as how things operate in real life, you can quickly tell that threat was all too real.

It should be more than obvious if you take a look around at news stories in the modern day or any day that sometimes all it takes is an accusation to ruin someone. It doesn’t matter if the accusation is totally untrue–all you need to do is have it look at least plausible, and then let gossip and society do the rest. This is especially true if, like in the case of Twilight Sparkle, you already have “enemies” in high places. Individuals like Chancellor Neighsay would have been all too happy to back and reinforce any claim on misconduct on the part of Twilight if it meant ruining the reputation of her alternative school, true or not, and given the profile of the new “Friendship University” it would have been publicized largely. She knew, and the Flim Flam brothers knew, that even if the truth came out that the newer school was a con-job the damage would have already been done.

In the same way, around the world, people every day manage to ruin others, shift blame onto their victims,  or sink their opponents by simply making accusations that are flimsy or blatantly untrue.

Politicians in America do this all the time; especially during election season. Even if they are unable to back them up in the end, they continue to say the mere “seriousness of the allegations” is enough to merit looking at a rival with distrust; even if it’s a total lie. (That’s like me being able to accuse anyone I want of murder and everyone should immediately distrust them because it was a “serious accusation”.)

While racism and sexism do indeed exist, people also make wild claims about them against innocent people to shift focus away from any misdeeds they are doing–sometimes going so far as to make outright accusations of heinous crimes because they know full well the victim will spend loads of time and money defending against it and still will never escape the stigma. (I find these particularly insidious, because that ends up hurting real victims of racism and sexism in the long run.)

Sensationalist stories continue to resonate with people’s memories far longer than the truth, especially in the case of people who have done past, lesser wrongdoings because if someone is guilty of one sin everyone is quicker and easier to blame them for greater ones. Take, as case in point, Ty Cobb. While his own behavior and demeanor were far from ideal, to this day he is still considered one of the most despicable players in the history of MLB for racist crimes, including a totally false one alleging he murdered an African American busboy, even though they’ve been proven to be nothing more than fabricated stories (later in life, Cobb was actually in favor of integrating baseball). As another example, Sarah Palin. After her gaff on answering a question asking which magazines she read, in which she said “all” the magazines, there were people who believed she also once declared: “I can see Russia from my house”…which was never her at all but rather a joke on SNL by Tina Fey.

My personal peeve in the modern day is the wave of anti-vaccination…which, much to my horror, is actually so predominant that proponents of it march on Washington. Many anti-vax claims originated from an unrepeatable, poorly-founded study suggesting a link between vaccinations and autism. If you know anything about how viruses work, you know perpetuation of this ridiculous lie is harmful not only to people who don’t vaccinate but to people who have been vaccinated as well. That hasn’t stopped people from continuing to cite this bogus study and back it, however, because how sensational its claim was.

This is very serious business. People can forfeit their jobs, lose the support of their neighbors, friends, and family, receive constant death threats, or worse as a result of mere accusations. In some countries around the world, especially with partial justice systems that only allow certain people to testify, people are permanently robbed of their rights because all one has to do is accuse them and they’re guaranteed a conviction as the accused has no legal foothold to defend themselves.

Because of this, many people in the world protect themselves and their own bad behavior by taking a page from the Flim Flam brothers and threaten to accuse their accusers. And this threat is real enough to keep people very quiet. Adults often guarantee the silence of abused children by threatening to get them into deeper trouble on trumped-up charges; knowing that society will take their word over that of kids. Whistleblowers are discouraged from becoming public when an employer can make up any old excuse and claim it’s unrelated to the whistleblowing action to get them canned and rejected from any other business. And, once again, in some countries, simply reporting on a factual event is enough to get the government to accuse you of spreading inflammatory lies and being a secessionist…which in turn is enough to get you a jail sentence.

This is by no means a new tactic. On the contrary, it’s throughout the Bible from the very first book. When Joseph, operating as the slave of an Egyptian master, was encroached on by his master’s unfaithful wife trying to seduce him, she escaped her own wrongdoing by simply accusing Joseph of instigating the whole affair and got him thrown into prison for years (Genesis 39). When Jeremiah the prophet spoke against the corrupt actions of the ruling elite in Jerusalem, he was falsely accused of desertion in order to silence him (Jeremiah 37:11-15). Lord Jesus Himself was accused of being a revolutionary (Luke 23:2), a madman (John 8:48), and even consorting with demons (Matthew 12:24) when He began to call out the religious leaders of His day on their hypocrisy.

One account that always comes to mind for me in regards to false accusations is not from the Bible but involved the Israelites during the time of the Babylonian Exile. The story is about a pious and beautiful Israelite woman named Susanna. A pair of Israelite judges conspired to rape her in her husband’s own garden, and threatened her to either consent to the grotesque act or they’d use their own position to accuse her of adultery and have her put to death; knowing full well people would believe them as two witnesses rather than her. In that case, as in similar cases, a person was threatened to keep their mouth shut in regards to evil and submit to it, or be seriously hurt or even destroyed by a false accusation.

However, faced with this terrible option, Susanna was able to keep one thing in mind. For her, she realized this boiled down to a choice between being blameless before society or blameless before God. She chose to keep her eyes on the latter (screaming for help instead), and as a result not only preserved her integrity but was eventually vindicated from her foes (who themselves suffered the penalty they planned to inflict on her according to the Mosaic Law).

I have no idea where you are in life or if you find yourself in Susanna’s sort of situation–a time when we’re encouraged to overlook something or walk on eggshells around something because we fear the reprisal we’ll receive. Such a time is a true test of conscience and morality; a time when we have to decide if doing the right thing is worth it when there will be nothing but pain and personal hurt as a result.

For the Christian, if they intend to be able to do the right thing they must concentrate on doing what is noteworthy or blameworthy in the eyes of God, not man. In the end, it is what God thinks about us that matters and, as the Bible says, he always provides a way for those who trust in him (Psalm 91).

The more we are able to focus on that and adhere to it, the more our decisions will be based on doing the right thing no matter how people see it.

For those faced with a difficult situation in which they are in between “a rock and a hard place”, faced with two options that seem equally horrible and pressured by the threat of punishment to keep silent, my suggested prayer today is for you.

Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, I thank you for all the strong and courageous men and women of the Bible (and history) who, by their perseverance and example, showed us that it is ultimately more important to be clean in your sight and to stand by doing the right thing than to live in fear of human reprisal. When the world seems to turn against me for something I haven’t done wrong, to punish me for walking in integrity, or I am terrorized with what others will think of me or will do to me to cripple me from doing the right thing, help me to see only your face and to walk in your light. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”