They shall know us by our... no's?

Unfortunately that is how many people today see those who consider themselves to be Jesus followers, Christians, or those who attend church. Among the many things that people think about Christianity one of them is the simple word “no”. Or maybe the words don’t or shall not. Many times we preach what we can’t do such as “don’t smoke, cuss or chew or hang out with those who do.”  (It rhymes nicely but is pretty bad theology).

That is in itself a problem but what happens next is even worse. We not only condemn the actions but we then go on to give people a label based on their sins. These labels may or may not be warranted. Most times they are given from a distance and based on first impression and not actually because the person is known. Some of the labels that we use are cruel and others we use try to make a point while trying to be “politically correct.” Some of the labels the church has placed on those not inside our circle are “them”, “unsaved”, “non-Christian”, ”un-churched” and these are only a few

While we have made these distinctions and classifications I am not so sure that is how Jesus would label them? First, I’m pretty sure Jesus would have hung with those who smoked, cussed, chewed as well as “sinners”, prostitutes, adulterers, homosexuals, atheists, and agnostics. I mean some of the things such as collecting taxes, prostitution, and being an adulterer are things people did and even the people who did them would not deny it. And many of the actions were not pleasing to God. Even Jesus would agree with that. However is that all they were to Jesus?

But second is that how Jesus labeled people? Did he walk down the dusty streets looking at people and classifying them as unsaved, non Christian, or those people? Or did he look past human labels and even their sins to see something else? This does not mean he overlooked sin or turned a blind eye to it but he did not let the sins define them or accept that that is all they would be. He also did not see people as a project, someone that needed to be worked on. He didn’t make friends just so he could influence people to become his followers and if they didn’t follow him then they were no longer friends. He was truly the friend of sinners.

Now back to the modern day we live in. While Jesus says that the world will know we are his disciples because of our love why is it then that the world knows us for our no’s, our labels, our hate, our judgment? We are good at telling the world what not to do, how not to act, what not to say. There are things that the Bible says are sins, things which go against God. But they also go against us, as people, as God’s good creation. God says not to murder which makes sense because it is destroying a life that God created, leaving heart break to those left behind and a lifelong prison for the one who commits the crime. God says not to commit adultery which again makes sense because it can ruin lives, create hurt and pain, mistrust along with many other emotions. While we are sinning against God we are also destroying and distorting the image of God in which we were created. We become less then what we were created for.

The problem with our no’s is that we never tell anyone what our yes is. Maybe the reason for that is because we (Jesus followers) don’t know what the yes is ourselves. We've gotten so good at telling everyone no that we have not stopped to think about the things we can do. So what can we do? Not everything has to be religious in nature. We can love sports, love music, love the arts, love technology. We can love others. We can offer others forgiveness, mercy and grace. We can stand with those who go through sorrow and the valley of the shadow of death. We can stand against injustice, care for the widow and the orphans. We can free slaves, feed the hungry and clothe the naked. There are so many things that we can do, so many things that will touch and change lives, our society, our world. Isn't that what Jesus meant when he prayed that God’s kingdom would come to earth as it is found in the place where God dwells, heaven?

What about the labels we then place on people? When people walk through the doors of a church or into a home for a small group do they want to be labeled? Do they want the things that cause them shame, hurt and embarrassment placed upon them like a scarlet letter? No but is that what happens? People do not come to church to be labeled or judged by a group of people. They are hoping to find something different, something that they can find no where else but have heard rumors can be found among those who say they are Jesus followers. When they are looking for true love, mercy, and grace do they find contempt, judgment and a 10 step program to get them out of their sinful lifestyle and onto a proper course for God?

So maybe we can change to become people of God not known for our no’s but for our yes. Maybe we can be known for the things we can do rather than what we can’t do. Maybe we can be known by our love, compassion, grace and mercy rather than for hate and judgment. Maybe we can begin to see people not through our unfair labels but through the eyes of Jesus, eyes that see a creation he formed and loves. Maybe we can become people who help establish God’s rule and reign on the earth as in the place of God’s dwelling.

Maybe they shall know us by our… yes.

Finding Points of Agreement With An Atheists

“An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist believes that deed must be done instead of prayer said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated.” Madalyn Murray O’Hare

Recently outside a courthouse in Florida a monument was erected by American Atheists as an opportunity to allow their voice to be heard. The belief is that if Christians or other religions can have their statues then they should be able to as well. My interests is not in whether it is right that Atheists should be allowed to have a monument or if there should be no monuments at all but rather what is found on the monument itself.

There are different quotes that are found on this monument. On one side of the statue is the punishments found in scripture for those who break the 10 commandments. I agree this is found in the Bible. There are other quotes from Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and the Treaty of Tripoli (much could be said about these statements). However, the one quote that struck me was the one from O’Hare. It is not because I disagree with her (although I do on some points). It’s because the opposite is true, I agree with and am challenged by some of the things she says.

“An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church.”

On her first point I would say I have to both agree and disagree. I disagree for as a Christian I believe that churches should be built as a place where Christians, seekers or anyone should be allowed to enter and discover Jesus. I also believe that they should be built and equipped with excellence in mind. However, I believe there is a difference between excellence and extravagance. Many churches have been built for extravagance and yes, I wonder if that money could have been used to make a difference in the world to meet needs. But before we judge other churches let us ask ourselves how much of our/my money is being used to change the world?
In regards to the building of hospitals there are many hospitals around the world that have been built by Christians to meet the needs of the sick and hurting. One such hospital is Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya, Africa. They are doing great work in providing health care but also training children and youth who have been Orphaned by AIDS (for more info go to http://mckmauahospital.org/).

“An atheist believes that deed must be done instead of prayer said.”

Again I have to agree and disagree with her statement. I believe that prayer makes a difference and that God hears the prayers of people. I have to admit though that I do not fully understand how and why God answers prayer the way he does. It’s a mystery and I do not have an answer for that.
However, I do agree that we cannot just be people who pray only with no action. Prayer must be accompanied by deeds. James says this by asking what good is it to see someone in need and to just tell them you will pray for them and do nothing about their need (see James 2:14-18). Yes, we need to be people of prayer but faith without deeds is not true faith at all.

“An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death.”

Jefferson Bethke asks “Why do we pray ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ and then act as if the goal to Christianity is getting out of ‘here’ instead of restoring it?” Honestly, it is a great question. Why are we so quick to want to leave this earth and “go to heaven?” If that was the goal of the Christian life then when we accept Jesus as savior we should leave this earth. However, Jesus said that his prayer was that we not be taken out of this world (see John 17:15). Instead He calls us to be salt and light in this world and to bring His love, true love, to the poor, the hurting and the hopeless. If we want God’s kingdom to reign on this earth (after all that is what Jesus taught us to pray) then what are we doing here and now to show what his kingdom looks like.

“He (the Atheists) wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated.”

This is a continuation of watching God’s kingdom break through on this earth. So what are we doing? While the gospel message is to proclaim Jesus as Lord it should also be shown through loving action. What are we doing to see AIDS eliminated? What can we do to stop poverty, feed the hungry, bring peace, end human slave trafficking and the many other problems we face in this world. These are not issues in which we wait for the government to fix but rather issues that we have to face head on and must decide if we will take a stand .

Much more could be said on each issue O’Hare raises but it should cause us to stop and ask ourselves are we being the church or just “doing” church. Are we being salt and light, His hands and feet? Are we showing this world the love of Jesus in real and practical ways? And so while I disagree with some of O’Hares statements in this quote (and disagree with many of her other statements regarding religion and atheism) there are some things that we can agree on. Maybe before we automatically disagree with someone based on their view we should stop and see what we can learn from others. And who knows we might just agree with some of the things they say.

A Messy Mother's Day

The Bible is a messy book. Sure we want it to be neat and clean but it is filled with accounts that excite us, enrage us, disgust us and can make us blush. It is filled with mystery, horror, deceit, lies and murder. While the authors give the accounts of righteous men and women they don’t hide the ugly side of God’s followers. So what does this have to do with Mother’s day? I’ll get to that in a moment but first what do many mother’s days look like?

 Mother’s day is a day to celebrate moms, to thank them for who they are and what they have done. We buy flowers, cards and candy. We take them to dinner or the movies. There may be 364 days (or 365 during a leap year) where we take mom for granted but not on this day. This day is all about mom.

Mother’s are also celebrated at church. They may receive flowers or a small gift from the church and may be recognized during the service. Kids make crafts for their mom that she can take home with her and cherish even if she is not sure what it is or what it has to do with mother’s day. The pastor, or speaker gives an inspiring sermon about the joys of being a mom, of having a mom,  the ways we can honor our mom or why kids and teens should obey their mom (wonder if the speaker gets money before hand from mom’s who ask them to include this in their message)? Proverbs 31 is a good text to use. Honor your father and mother is another.

And while many rejoice and celebrate the mom’s in his or her life there is another group that smiles and painfully sits through another Mother’s day service cringing when they hear the word mom. Or maybe its anger. Or maybe it’s the thought of what could have been or what could they have become. This is the messy side of mother’s day. It’s the part of mother’s day that gets lost in the midst of celebration and festivities. It is ones who pray that Monday will come quickly.

The Bible is full of messy accounts of those who would have hated mother’s day. Take Elizabeth for an example. Luke 1:6-7 "Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old." Two people who loved God, lived for him, served him in the temple and yet were not able to conceive. Where many had joy in children, Elizabeth had to endure the stares, the whispers and the questions. Why is God mad at her? Surely, if she would confess her sin God would give her a child? Maybe if she would pray harder or if she would fast. I glad I am not like Elizabeth. Maybe if see sowed seed into a ministry… (ok maybe not that last one but you never know).

I wonder how many times Elizabeth prayed. Not just quick prayers but deep prayers from the depths of her heart. I wonder how many lonely nights she had when her husband was away ministering at the temple and she would cry and plead with God to have a child. I wonder how many times her husband comforted her and he silently prayed silently with tears in his eyes “why God why?” I wonder how many times she gave up hope as year after year passed and still no child.

Elizabeth was not the only who would have hated mother’s day. Hannah was in a similar situation (see 1 Samuel 1). She could not have children either. She prayed at the temple and endured scorn from others. She prayed so hard the priests thought she was drunk. Her husband even asked if he was better than 10 children (just like a man to ask such a question). Yes she loved her husband but she wanted a child, she wanted to have a son or daughter. She wanted to watch him or her grow up and she wanted to tuck them into bed and dream of what he or she would grow up to be. Yes life was good but the one thing she wanted but did not have was to be known simply as mom.


If those stories aren’t depressing enough then let’s look at Matthew 2:16-18: When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”



Maybe someone just had a child or was dreaming of what their child was to become. Suddenly soldiers come knocking on the door. They ask how old their child is. He just turned one she says confused at the odd question. The solider grabs the son and leaves. The mother is horrified, crying, screaming “my baby, my baby.” She screams “what are you doing, where are you taking him.” And this joy given to her will be no more as she realizes that her child has been killed because of the crazy jealousy of a king who would do anything to hold onto his throne and his power. He was the true king and not some new child. He wanted the power and the glory of the kingship and nothing would stop him not even the screams of  moms who would lose their son or daughter. They didn’t want comfort they simply wanted to hold their child.

“Praying for female friends of mine who find Mother’s day a painful reminder.” Kara Powell

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15.

A messy mother’s day means that we  take time to rejoice and celebrate mom. We celebrate the children they have and the joy they bring to their lives.

But a messy mother’s day means we mourn. We mourn with those who find no joy but only painful childhood memories. We mourn with those who grew up without mom whether she may have passed away, abandoned them or abused them. We mourn with those who recently lost mom. We mourn with those who have gone from foster home to foster home and wonder if they will ever be able to call someone mom. We mourn with the orphan.

We also mourn with the women who so desperately want a child, who beg and plead with God and yet for some reason has not happened. We mourn with the mom’s who have lost children, who feel like the mom’s of Israel that had their children ripped away from them long before they ever should have. We mourn with the mom’s who wonder on this day what their child may have been like if they did not have a miscarriage. We mourn with the mom’s who feel the guilt and shame because they chose to have an abortion (maybe if we stopped calling and referring to people who had abortions as murders that some may actually want to come to our “loving and accepting” churches).

So today take a moment and think about those who do not rejoice on this day but rather for those who mourn. Maybe take it a step further and come to their side. To come by their side and weep with them. To come by their side and listen to their story. To come by their side and offer God’s love, grace and mercy to wash away guilt. To come along side and plead to God on their behalf with tears. To come along side of them and mourn with those who mourn. This is what God’s love in action looks like. This is what a messy mother’s day looks like.