There’s a file cabinet in my broadcast studio where I keep most everything I use for the show. Last night, when I was closing up shop, I happened to notice something missing from the back of one of the drawers. Well, obviously the idea of people rummaging through my stuff and actually taking something was pretty unappealing. And since numerous people come in and out of the studio when I’m not here, I started worrying that other things might also go missing.
Then it occurred to me that one of my friends might have borrowed it without saying so. Since this explanation was both more likely and also more comforting to imagine than the alternative, I chose to believe it and emailed to ask. Sure enough. The reply confirmed they had needed it for a client. Problem solved.
But here’s the funny thing. Even though there was a perfectly good explanation and there is no more evidence today than there was yesterday that we have a security problem around here, I’m still feeling less secure simply because I lived with that possibility for a few hours. Truly, the human imagination is a powerful and irrational faculty.
Thought of the Day 09.15.09
Have you ever been driving along the highway when someone tries to merge right in front of you, cutting you off? I know, right? What an idiot! I’ll tell him how stupid he is with my horn.
But what if you took a second look and realized it was one of your good friends, whose car you just hadn’t recognized. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed and maybe even offer an apology later?
Have you ever been trying to merge onto the highway but discover that there’s no room for you? So you speed up and nose your way in front of the inconsiderate jerk who wasn’t paying attention? What? He honked at me? How dare he! That guy really needs to know Jesus!
But what if you took another look and realized that he was actually one of your friends, whose car you just hadn’t recognized. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed and maybe even offer an apology later?
Because we feel anonymous in the car, we often both behave worse ourselves and judge others more harshly than we ever would in person. Even if that other person isn’t actually my friend, pretending he might be will probably make me behave slightly more like a Christian should.
But what if you took a second look and realized it was one of your good friends, whose car you just hadn’t recognized. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed and maybe even offer an apology later?
Have you ever been trying to merge onto the highway but discover that there’s no room for you? So you speed up and nose your way in front of the inconsiderate jerk who wasn’t paying attention? What? He honked at me? How dare he! That guy really needs to know Jesus!
But what if you took another look and realized that he was actually one of your friends, whose car you just hadn’t recognized. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed and maybe even offer an apology later?
Because we feel anonymous in the car, we often both behave worse ourselves and judge others more harshly than we ever would in person. Even if that other person isn’t actually my friend, pretending he might be will probably make me behave slightly more like a Christian should.
Thought of the Day 09.14.09
George Barna recently wrote a book claiming that American Christianity is in a crisis because so many born again Christians are living as sinfully as non-Christians. His solution is to reexamine every aspect of institutional church practice and, essentially, reform them all.
In response, John Piper has written a book challenging Barna’s core assumption: that anyone who says he is born again is in fact born again. Because accepting this would mean rejecting the Biblical doctrine that being born again always results in a radically changed life, Piper instead concludes that vast numbers of American Christians must not really be born again.
The elegance of this response must not be understated. Whereas Barna presumes that human incompetence can ruin the plans of God, Piper shows that human arrogance about our role in salvation is the source of the seeming paradox that so many people can declare their own salvation even while anyone else looking at them would surely doubt it.
In response, John Piper has written a book challenging Barna’s core assumption: that anyone who says he is born again is in fact born again. Because accepting this would mean rejecting the Biblical doctrine that being born again always results in a radically changed life, Piper instead concludes that vast numbers of American Christians must not really be born again.
The elegance of this response must not be understated. Whereas Barna presumes that human incompetence can ruin the plans of God, Piper shows that human arrogance about our role in salvation is the source of the seeming paradox that so many people can declare their own salvation even while anyone else looking at them would surely doubt it.
Thought of the Day 09.11.09
My wife recently started selling some of my books online, and, amazingly, 8 of the 25 sold in the first week. As a result, she’s been going to the Post Office a lot and has learned all about mail options; “media mail” usually being the best choice.
To avoid waiting in line every time, she asked if there was another option, and the clerk recommended using the automated kiosk. Unfortunately, the kiosk doesn’t dispense media mail postage, which meant she had to wait in line again on the next visit. So this time she asked if she could buy postage online, and was told she could. But again she discovered that the website only offered first class and priority mail, so it was back to the line again.
When she told me this saga, all I could think was: this is what happens when the government runs something. Sometimes people are great, but other times people are incompetent to a degree you don’t expect in an ordinary retail store.
And it’s experiences like this that influence my thinking when someone tells me that the best approach to any of our problems is to let the federal government solve them for us.
To avoid waiting in line every time, she asked if there was another option, and the clerk recommended using the automated kiosk. Unfortunately, the kiosk doesn’t dispense media mail postage, which meant she had to wait in line again on the next visit. So this time she asked if she could buy postage online, and was told she could. But again she discovered that the website only offered first class and priority mail, so it was back to the line again.
When she told me this saga, all I could think was: this is what happens when the government runs something. Sometimes people are great, but other times people are incompetent to a degree you don’t expect in an ordinary retail store.
And it’s experiences like this that influence my thinking when someone tells me that the best approach to any of our problems is to let the federal government solve them for us.
Thought of the Day 09.10.09
I absolutely love Christian charity, the act of sacrificing some of your own lifestyle so that you can support someone else in need. There’s just nothing like imitating my Lord Jesus Christ in this way by giving out of my abundance to others who haven’t been as fortunate as I have.
For instance, there is this one small family I’ve been helping support for a few years now. It’s a mother and her three young children who live in a really barren part of the world where life is basically miserable all the time. But because of my support, she’s able to feed her children and even give them clothing and shelter. As is common with such programs, I have some pictures of the kids, and whenever I pray for them, I just can’t tell you how much it fills my heart to know that my generosity is blessing them and making their lives better.
But I think the best part of this particular program is that it allows me to see firsthand the impact I’m making when I tuck them in for bed each night and kiss their mother, who happens to be my wife.
For instance, there is this one small family I’ve been helping support for a few years now. It’s a mother and her three young children who live in a really barren part of the world where life is basically miserable all the time. But because of my support, she’s able to feed her children and even give them clothing and shelter. As is common with such programs, I have some pictures of the kids, and whenever I pray for them, I just can’t tell you how much it fills my heart to know that my generosity is blessing them and making their lives better.
But I think the best part of this particular program is that it allows me to see firsthand the impact I’m making when I tuck them in for bed each night and kiss their mother, who happens to be my wife.
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