Sandy Hook Nightmare - Do you see Jesus?

I don't really have a lot to offer that hasn't been brought up countless times already from everywhere about the events that took place at Sandy Hook.

But I can't help but ask: Do you see Jesus?

When you look at the kids, no doubt you see him - how couldn't you.

But that's not where I'm asking you to look.

Look Here:

Look at Adam Lanza...the man (yes at 20 years old you are a man, no longer a boy at least) that shot at and killed 20 kids at Sandy Hook Elementary.

I'm sure right off you want to say "no." You might say you see "evil" or "the devil" but you don't see Jesus.  I want to say those as well at times.

But I want you to look deeper, beyond Adam...I can't say (nor will I) that Jesus wasn't "in" Adam that day.  But I do know this: Jesus was with him.

Jesus was right there, heart breaking, pouring out his love upon Adam as he unleashed an almost unspeakable horror. Jesus is always there.

Problem was, maybe, no one else was standing there with Jesus. (but that's a different post)

Jesus is with us, all of us, even when - or especially when - we fall, fail, and falter.  No, most of us won't fall to the degree that Adam did, but that doesn't make us better than him or him worse than us.

Yes, grief for the loss of the children.

But let's not forsake the grief at the loss of Adam - he too a child of God. In this case, yes still a child as we all are.

And yes, I am not forgetful of the fact that I personally am not effected by this and what I say may not come so easily were that a different story.

But we must remember who Jesus loves...all of us.

I don't recall there being exemptions.

Are you willing to assign exemptions to that love?

I'm not.

Jesus loves the lost as much as the found...and, at least at one time - if not again at some other point - weren't we all lost before we were found?

So look at the picture of Adam, of the man who shot and killed 20 children not even a week ago...

Do you see Jesus?

We can't all play the same position.

As much as I would love to be able to: I can't save the world.

Heck, I can't even save everyone in my state, city, neighborhood, block...I have to remind myself of this when I am frustrated at times at the feeling that I don't "do enough" for the world.

But I need to cut myself some slack.  First of all, none of us will ever "do enough" and that is just a plain fact Jack.  Second, we are not called as followers of Christ to do it "all".  We are called corporately to love.  Personally, what God calls us to do.

Many times I second guess what God calls me to do.  Simply because it doesn't seem "enough."  Shouldn't God be calling me to something greater? Bigger? More challenging? More life changing?

It seems to happen to some people, why not me?

Well, who's to say he hasn't?  In my hustle and bustle to "do more" I may have missed a calling.  Certainly I have ignored some as well.  However, that doesn't mean God stops calling us, using us.  But we have to remember, He's God, we're not - he knows what he's doing and he will use us in the best way, if we let him.  Nor can we do it all.

I played 3rd base during my "career" in baseball.  Yes, I played other positions as well, by my primary position was 3rd.  During a game, while a player can play multiple positions, a player can't play them all or even more than one at the same time.  Hard to play 3rd and catcher at the same time.  Or more obvious, pitcher/catcher.

We are placed in a position to play THAT position.  Maybe for just an inning, maybe the entire game.  But when we are placed in that position, that is all we are meant to do.  It would be silly for me at 3rd to feel bad that I wasn't pitching, or playing 1st...I'm playing 3rd, and while at 3rd I will play my best. And when the 1st baseman makes a fantastic diving catch for the last out, I will be happy that they did! Rather than guilty or envious.

Because in reality, we are all in this together like a baseball team. Yeah, the stakes are higher and we make far more errors than are counted, but if we accept our current position we are playing then we allow ourselves to 1) play our position better and to the fullest, 2) are joyful when others play their position and are successful!

I'm not a preacher standing before millions of people (perhaps we should all be thankful for that).  I'm just a guy, ordinary fella', but for today and until otherwise notified it is my position.  Now, I could be resentful that I'm not playing another more 'important' position - however, who's to say my position isn't important at all?  What if, in my position I influence and inspire the next Billy Graham? (that would be cool!)

I can only see the now today, this game....tomorrow is another day/game.  I can only play one game at a time, one position at a time.  Some days I'll play like an all-star, other days I should be benched.  But there's another game, God willing, tomorrow.

I can't do it all, I'm not God (again something we should be thankful for).  I can't play every position at the same time - and I won't get the chance to play every position anyway so I might as well enjoy playing my position and play it to the best, and enjoy when others play theirs (like Billy) well.

Love - You can't give what you ain't got.

Listening to a Greg Boyd sermon yesterday (or the day before) Greg said, "you can't give what you ain't got!"

And it struck me in several ways.

This is true to two levels: material and spiritual.

Materially, I think, is quite self explanatory.  If I don't have a dollar, I can't give a dollar. If I don't have a coat, I can't give a coat...etc.

However, spiritually, this isn't so obvious - or at least, I don't know that we act as such.  That is: we still try to give what we don't have AND we can hide the fact that we don't have it as well.

I may SAY that I have love in my heart for my fellow man, or my enemy - however, what I have is anger, or apathy or hate.  I can put a smile on my face, act nice, do all the "loving" things that I should do - but I'm not really giving love am I?

To truly GIVE love, we must HAVE love.  Which type of love?  Well, the love Jesus shows us, and expects from us.

Unfortunately, w(m)e don't always possess this love.  For many reasons: fallen world, sin, etc...you know the list.

Yet, we still try to "give" this love or make it seem that we do.  However, in reality, we know we are going through the motions.  We give to a charity for helping the homeless ("love") yet we turn around and chide and make disparaging comments about a man holding a sign on the street begging for spare change.

We say we love our enemy, yet speak ill about them with like minded company...

(this was especially true during this past election - how many people said something not so nice about Republicans/Democrats?)

Love is a funny thing because it isn't just a "feeling" it's a FORCE - we can feel it.  Deep down we know this to be true.

How often have we heard or said, "I could just FEEL the love."

Yes we FEEL love, but that isn't the best word to describe our interaction with it - we EXPERIENCE love.

People can FEEL love behind an act, just like you can hear a smile over the radio/phone.  You know it's there.

But if it isn't there...

So where do we get love?  Where does love come from that we can HAVE it and SHARE it?

Sadly, we can't just create love.  It doesn't work that way.  WE - you and I - cannot make love "out of nothing at all" as the song goes.

Only God can.

Only through Jesus can we GET love.  Get the love that we need to have and to share.  And thankfully Jesus has an endless supply so we can love freely and with wild reckless abandon!!

And that is EXACTLY what we are to do!

We are to give love FREELY and WITHOUT hesitation or restriction - and why not?  We can always get more from the source!  We will never run out because HE will never run out.

Yet we don't love that way - not always.  I certainly don't - though more and more I try to, and do, but if I am honest, I will never be perfect at it as HE is perfect at it.

But that shouldn't stop us, that should SPUR us!

On the days we have abundant love - give it away as if there is no tomorrow (for there might not be).  And when have little to no love?  Turn to the one that ALWAYS DOES.

Love can do miraculous things, but it needs to be shared, given, shown, etc.  and if we don't have it within us - we certainly cannot give it, share it, show it...

Don't have love for your enemy (or just for today)?

Jesus does and he will be more than happy to give you that love as well...

But there is a catch (isn't there always?):  we have to ask for it, and more importantly we must truly WANT it.

Jesus will not force love upon us - love doesn't act that way.  While it is a FORCE it is NOT FORCED.

We must truly want it and want to give it, share it, and show it.

Then we will see miracles happen.

Black Friday - The most selfish day of the year!

Hey, I like a great bargain just like the next guy - maybe even more so.  My two favorite words are: Free and cheap.

The clothing label I always buy: Clearance.

However, today - the deal day of deal days - is quite a different bird than being thrifty.

Let's be honest, it's about STUFF -  not the just the deals.

I have even seen some reports that say that quite a bit of the shopping done on Black Friday is not even related to Christmas - that is, while we might pick up some gifts, the majority of the deals/gifts are bought for ourselves.

And in that regard I'm guilty as charged as well.

But in the end, regardless, the day itself is a testament to our Western (material) culture.  People wait in lines, HOURS BEFORE stores open - to such a point that stores this year opened a day early!  Why not?  The shoppers would already be there, why not let them in and get their money sooner!

I'm not saying we shouldn't participate - though, it might not be a bad idea: Buy Nothing Day

I know the stores NEED this day, but is that really a good thing?  A perhaps that's a question for a different day.

Instead, what I'm offering, challenging, is simply this:  after all this shopping (regardless if it's for gifts or ourselves) let's not forget about those who are REALLY in need.

While we stand in line to get a great deal on a TV (that we really don't need), let us not neglect those who have no line to stand in for even fresh water.

No, I'm not trying to go the guilt route here (though if you do feel guilty, perhaps you should do some self-reflection as to why) but just to keep our minds in check.  Most, if not all, of what we buy today is NOT a necessity to us.

A great way to help is through World Vision.

They got lots of cool gifts you can buy that will actually help someone, in many ways.

Peace and Love

Chris

Where the heck have I been?

Been gone far too long from here...will be back soon - in  a couple of weeks with more regular posts, etc.

Chick-Fil-A Employee Takes the High Road

I'm sure you've heard the news story about the man who ranted at a Chick-Fil-A employee (Rachel Elizabeth) during a drive-thru visit for his free cup of water.  He recorded the incident then posted it, then got fired.

Now, this employee could have gone on TV and played the victim game, could have blasted the man live on national TV, embarassed him to no end...instead: she forgave him and even feels sorry for him that he lost his job.

Read the full article on her HERE.

Mike Gallagher is Evil!

Today on the Mike Gallagher Show he spoke of the audio clip of the abortion doctor ranting and raving at pro-life protesters.

Mike asked if this man (and Democrats as a whole) are evil because abortion is evil and they support abortion - and if we only rely on the rant of the doctor, he is racist too - another tally in the evil category.

One of his early callers - if not the first caller - was Mary.  And Mary took the stand that while racism and abortion are "evil" she hesitated to call the man evil.  Even went so far to say she "used to" think that Hitler was evil.

Mike was flabbergasted by Mary.

Mike had a hard time seeing how a person could NOT be judged evil - in light of one's actions.

Mary tried to make the case, but failed.  She appealed to the authority to a theologian that showed her that the person isn't evil.  Mike flat out said the theologian was wrong and wrong for telling Mary that.

But Mary is right.  WE - you and I - DO NOT get to judge people as evil.  That is, if we are followers of Christ.

I attempted to call Mike to throw in my support for Mary and to point out what, I believe, she was really trying to say.

I was put on hold, but my call wasn't taken.  The segement ran out of time (though two calls supporting Mike's position were taken, especially a person who cherry picked the Bible and misusing it to support judgement).

now, I only point that out not to say that I was 'ignored' (as I told the screener I was calling to support Mary) on purpose - but in a later segment, Mike made this statement about a similar topic "If you disagree, call me, I'll put you to the front of the line."

So how is Mike Gallagher evil?

I can't say.  Why?

1) as a follower of Christ, we are not given AUTHORITY to judge people.  NO MATTER WHAT.  Ther is no case, no situation, no nothing that Jesus gives us the authority of judge a person - and calling a person EVIL is a judgement.  Jesus, however, DOES give us this warning: judge not, lest ye be judged.

2) we are sinful and fallible.  We are not perfect.  We ALL sin and fall short, so none of us has ANY standing to judge the sins of another.  We are told to be mindful of the "log" in our own eyes, before worrying about the "speck" in anothers.

3) our command, from Jesus, is to do NOTHING MORE than love.  And when we turn to love and love only, we find that this requires A LOT from us.  Love, as we are commanded to do, does NOT judge in any way or form.

I sent Mike and email and challenged him to find a command of Jesus that says we can and SHOULD judge people....hint: he won't find a SINGLE ONE.

Only God can judge, and when WE judge - we are telling God, move over, we know who's good/bad.  We play God.

I would venture that Mike would beleive himself to be a loving person - I assume he's a Christian.  However, in this case he is being UNloving and NOT following Jesus' commands to us.

Now, I like Mike Gallagher.  I listen to his show when I can.  However, in this case I have to severly disagree with Mike and point out that HE is wrong.

We can call an action evil, but we CANNOT JUDGE a person evil - only God can, as only God knows the heart and soul of a person.

Not me, not you, not Mike Gallagher.

Not that you'll read this Mike, but if you still believe that you are supposed, can, and have the authority to judge someone evil, I would love to discuss it with you and hope to change your mind.

justoneministries@hotmail.com

attn Chris

Love is tough, and as the blog says love is offensive - Mike, your position shows just HOW offensive love is, especially the love of Jesus.

Please reconsider you position Mike and look to Jesus for how we are to deal with evil.  Love is our weapon, NOT judgement.

Judgement is God's alone - you are not God. Neither am I.

Love is our weapon against evil.  Jesus commands this.  Narrow (love) is the way...I hope you chose it.