In the last half century, the idea that the ultimate purpose of our lives is leisure and recreation has metastasized into a virtual axiom of the modern mindset. We see it when people declare they are “working for the weekend.” We see it in when people look past their current endeavors toward “retirement,” a mythical paradise of inactivity and whatever level of hedonism their 401k will permit. And, sadly, we see it in the Church as well.
It shows in how we think about heaven, but it has also poisoned our understanding of why God called us in Christ. Rather than saying that we are saved from hell so we can enjoy our lives, Ephesians 2 tells us that the reason God gave us this free gift was so that we should walk in the good works we were created for.
There is much work to be done according to God’s Will, and it’s hard to see how neglecting it will honor His purposes or Glorify Him. Being born again and being retired are opposites, not synonyms.
TOD 11.07.07
Some favorite expressions of people who wind up in Hell:
- “Everybody’s doing it, how bad could it be?”
- “God already knows what I’m going to do, and He’s already forgiven me for it.“
- “God helps those who help themselves.“
- “To each his own.”
- “All paths lead to the top of the mountain.”
- “I’ve done a lot of good things in my life, so God will cut me some slack.”
- “As long as I don’t hurt anyone, whatever I want to do is okay.”
- “How is that my problem?”
- “I’m basically a good person.”
- “I don’t need anybody else to tell me how to live my life.”
- “Every man for himself.”
TOD 11.06.07
Words are like the clothing for ideas. So learning how to dress our ideas effectively starts with picking the right words and avoiding the wrong ones. And just as clothes have function and style, words have logical and emotional content. For instance, how should you respond when someone says, “Well, I don’t believe in discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation?”
First, recognize the dangers. Although “discrimination” is a perfectly good word (I discriminate between lying and truth-telling and between coffee and tea), it has come to imply unfair oppression. “Evaluate” is better because it lacks the baggage. Likewise, “sexual orientation” is a flawed term because it ignores the distinction between desire and behavior. So a linguistically savvy response might be, “Well, I believe it’s wise to evaluate people on the morality of their behaviors, don’t you?” A slightly stronger version might be, “I believe it’s unwise to ignore a person’s immoral actions.”
The first step in showing beautiful ideas to others is refusing to allow your opponents to dress them for you.
First, recognize the dangers. Although “discrimination” is a perfectly good word (I discriminate between lying and truth-telling and between coffee and tea), it has come to imply unfair oppression. “Evaluate” is better because it lacks the baggage. Likewise, “sexual orientation” is a flawed term because it ignores the distinction between desire and behavior. So a linguistically savvy response might be, “Well, I believe it’s wise to evaluate people on the morality of their behaviors, don’t you?” A slightly stronger version might be, “I believe it’s unwise to ignore a person’s immoral actions.”
The first step in showing beautiful ideas to others is refusing to allow your opponents to dress them for you.
TOD 11.05.07
What would you say about a person who claims to love his wife but rarely spends recreational time with her? Or about a person who claims to have a heart for the poor but rarely donates anything to charity, or who claims to value education but rarely reads a book? What about a person who claims to value health but rarely exercises?
The common thread is a lack of integrity; not the character defect that we usually associate with that term, but the technical defect in which the values a person is speaking don’t match the values he’s behaving. One may wear stripes or one may wear plaid, but one may not wear them together. Likewise, every choice we make with our time either matches our values and builds our integrity or clashes with our values and tears it down. It’s not that people are lying in these examples so much as it is that they just haven’t practiced integrity enough to look like they’re telling the truth. And the good news is that we can always start moving in that direction at any time.
This, in part, by the way, is what the Bible calls repentance.
The common thread is a lack of integrity; not the character defect that we usually associate with that term, but the technical defect in which the values a person is speaking don’t match the values he’s behaving. One may wear stripes or one may wear plaid, but one may not wear them together. Likewise, every choice we make with our time either matches our values and builds our integrity or clashes with our values and tears it down. It’s not that people are lying in these examples so much as it is that they just haven’t practiced integrity enough to look like they’re telling the truth. And the good news is that we can always start moving in that direction at any time.
This, in part, by the way, is what the Bible calls repentance.
TOD 11.02.07
Elizabeth writes, “I found some time to pray in my busy schedule and it occurred to me that I don't do that nearly enough, especially with [some major events coming up in my life]. There simply aren't enough hours in the day. The first of God's worshipers offered sacrifices of fatted calves and grains, the best of what they had, that on which they lived, that which was most important to them. I could be mistaken, but isn't this the origins of tithing?
The modern interpretation [is] that I give 10% of my income to my church, but perhaps there is more to tithing than just my paycheck? Money isn't really that important to me. If I set up an automatic payment to my church straight out of my paycheck, I don't even notice. What if I gave 10% of the food I buy to the food pantries or 10% of my clothes each season to the homeless?
If I think about what is truly the most important to me, it would be my time; and I know I don't give 10% of my time to God. Perhaps two and a half hours a day devoted to God would be more precious than gold.”
Nice thought, Elizabeth.
The modern interpretation [is] that I give 10% of my income to my church, but perhaps there is more to tithing than just my paycheck? Money isn't really that important to me. If I set up an automatic payment to my church straight out of my paycheck, I don't even notice. What if I gave 10% of the food I buy to the food pantries or 10% of my clothes each season to the homeless?
If I think about what is truly the most important to me, it would be my time; and I know I don't give 10% of my time to God. Perhaps two and a half hours a day devoted to God would be more precious than gold.”
Nice thought, Elizabeth.
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