Weiners or Steak?

As I watch what is happening all around me, I wonder if a societal disconnect has happened?  I am growing a little suspicious (really kinda disgusted) at our sports channels and a fair number of our athletes.  On College Gameday, there is a segment on "fashion," as the commentators evaluate the virtues of college uniforms and whether they meet the "style standards" of our day.  I watched the pre-game show on one of our NFL games, as they showed clips of famous athletes parading in wearing, in my opinion, ridiculous outfits.  There was more fur and froufrou than one would see in a high-class Parisian bar.  And, added to this, football players are crying over losing games!!! Dick Butkus and Ray Lewis would have their faces buried in their hands, shouting ... "there's no crying in football!"

I wonder if this 'attitude' has permeated society.  That's how I came up with this blog title.  Let me elaborate.  Would you rather have weiners or steak?  That is an easy choice for me!  While weiners are fast, easy, and pretty tasty, they are also unhealthy.  Hot dogs are a bit like Federal Legislation ... sometimes the end product works out OK, but you don't want to be around to watch the process.  What goes into legislation and weiners would not be part of what we would choose to ingest.  In fact, emulsified meat trimmings, seasonings, preservatives, and fillers don't sound appetizing to me!  Steak, on the other hand, sounds really good.  It is straightforward meat.  You see what you get, with few frills and just the right seasoning!  I am a steak person!

You are probably, by now, asking what this has to do with Church?  Here are a few thoughts.  I wonder if many of our congregations have become froufrou and fur, rather than straightforward Gospel? In Acts 13:46, Paul and Barnabas "waxed bold (KJV)."  They said, "It was necessary that we first preach the Word of God to you (the Jews).  But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles."  That statement isn't formed to be froufrou or fur. It isn't a spiritual "hot dog."  That is steak ... straightforward and direct.  Let's pray we will "wax boldly" and tell the truth in love (Ephesians 14:15).

I wonder if our men (that's us dudes!) have been drawn into a gray culture of middle-ground, watered-down truth and "maybes?" I heard our political leaders described as, "grins with a body behind it." Are we like that?  If we examine the Paul and Barnabas of Acts 13, we would use terms like, sincere, "what you see is what you get," bold, structured about God's truth, decisive, and real.  I love that last one ... real. While most weiners aren't Kosher, I wonder if the Jews that ran Paul and Barnabas out of Antioch of Pisidia were Kosher?  When Paul confronted them, God's word said they incited a riot using influential women and 'important' political leaders. They sound like the ingredients in hot dogs ... filler, preservatives, meat byproducts (not actually meat) ... I think you get the analogy! In our era of fur wearing, froufrou-bearing, crying football players, trying their best to be "tough," the real tough guys are just folks ... folks that Jesus taught to "let your yes be yes and your no be no ... anything more than this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37)."

So back to my original thought.  Would you rather have weiners or steak?  Do you want real substance or the fur and froufrou of our culture? Do you seek the boldness of Paul and Barnabas, or the deception and back-biting of the Jewish leaders? Do you want perception or truth? Do you desire the fleeting peace of the world, or the sustaining peace of Christ? Will you live in Jesus' kingdom, where He is King, or in culture where Satan is "the Prince of the air (and airways)".  I am a steak person!  AMEN

Trickle

Last year there was a slight little noise coming from the water tank behind one of the toilets.  I tolerated it for awhile, ignoring it for a couple weeks.  Then, upon receiving the water bill, I was motivated to fix that little leak.  The "trickle" became real when the water bill was over $30 more than usual!

There are two Biblical examples of this analogy being played out.  One is negative.  In Galatians 5:6, Paul warns the church at Galatia about pride.  He reminds us that pride is both "not good (Paul's words)," contagious, and destructive.  "Your boasting is terrible!  Don't you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?"  Pride starts small, but it eats away at the structure of the church.  Paul says, beware!

Another example of a trickle describes the church in the world.  In Ezekiel 47, a trickle of water leaves the temple, flowing to the Dead Sea.  It begins small, but it quickly expands to a river too vast to cross.  It flows from the temple all the way to the Dead Sea, refreshing and renewing all it touches along the way.

In the Pre-Christian world, where people don't know about Christ, aren't aware of His saving power, and are blind to the Kingdom Jesus is bringing "on earth as it is in heaven," we are that living water.  We are the river from the temple!

I know you are feeling a lot like that trickle, making a little sound and adding just a little water to your world.  But take heart!  You are the "strong and mighty warrior" from Judges 6!  You bear the little child that entered this world through a manger in Bethlehem.  And, you carry the power of the Holy Spirit, who is able to fill the whole world with life-giving sustenance.  Let God's river flow through you!  AMEN

Not ME!!

A few months back, I was in Walmart in Eufaula.  I was taking a shortcut to the back of the store and I passed through the pharmacy.  As I walked near the pharmacy window I overheard a woman who was obviously a little fearful of getting what I think was a flu shot.  Being the "nice guy" I am, and wanting to be encouraging, I said, "Oh ... those are nothing.  You won't even feel it.  You can get through this!"  The pharmacy lady looked over at me and said, "Would you like to get your flu shot too?"  My response was quick, decisive, and bold ... "Not me?!"

As I continued my trip to the back of the store, a Biblical image came to mind.  Moses, who encountered the burning bush in Midian, and heard God's voice say, "I am sending you to bring my people,  the Israelites, out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10)."  Moses replied, "Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and bring your people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:11)?"  The English translation here is, "Not ME?!"

Here is where we should look a little closer at this story.  1) Moses wasn't chosen because going to Egypt, rescuing the Israelites, and leading the Hebrew nation was HIS plan ... it was God's plan.  "Yes, Moses, YOU!" 2) Moses wasn't chosen because he was qualified for the job ... he was chosen because God would equip him for the job ... "Yes, Moses, YOU!"  3) He wasn't chosen because of his timing ... he was chosen because of God's timing ... "Yes, Moses, YOU!"

What is your plan?  What are your qualifications?  What is your perfect timing?  Do you/we arrogantly think that these are God's criteria for choosing us to meet a need, do a task, or embark upon a journey? Or do you really believe the prayer Jesus prayed in Gethsemane ... "Not my will but thine?"

It was far easier for me to commit that lady to getting that shot, than it was to submit myself to getting that shot.  Maybe the next time God's Spirit tweaks my spirit to act, maybe I should ask, "Why not me?"