emPHAsizing the Wrong syllABle

It's important to pronounce someone's name correctly. One of our Chinese friends asked us to call him, "Lee." My husband pressed him for his personal name (instead of his common family name). Finally he said that when Americans say his Chinese name, it is offensive because we rarely get the correct inflection. At the time we had no idea what he was talking about. Now we know enough to graciously call international friends by their chosen name.

Putting the emphasis on the right syllable makes a difference. Most American names emphasize the first syllable: Jordan, Caleb, Jessica, Anderson, Kreuger.... But many Spanish names emphasize the second syllable: Ramon, Sofia, Rodriguez, Dominguez....

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-day-cultural-diversity-dialogue

The same can be true of our relationship with God. When we put the em'phasis on the wrong syllab'le (as my mom used to say), it makes a difference. As a child, my impression of God and His expectations was all about doing the right thing. As a first-born people-pleaser, I know how to make that happen most of the time. Once I understand the expectations and parameters, let me at 'em. I will do my best to exceed the standard.

The problem with applying that to the Christian life is that it's all wrong. That was the point of the whole Old Testament--no matter how good, important, or earnest an individual or nation was, they couldn't "get it right." No one could keep God's law. No one meets the expectation. So why has that become a goal in our lives and churches? In my way of thinking, it's the right place to start, especially with children, but there has to be more.

Just as we get to know individuals and pronounce their names correctly, as we get to know God, we learn that His emphasis is on love, not doing, or performance. It takes a while for us to come to the end of our pride and efforts, throwing ourselves on His grace. It takes repeated failure before we humble ourselves and acknowledge our limitations, cry "uncle," and rest on Jesus' complete payment for all sin.

We cannot, we will not, love others without kickback. If there's nothing in it for me, I have no time or interest in someone else's needs (see Romans 3:10-12, John 15:4-5). Loving others at my expense is a supernatural, God-empowered response to His love for me. Until I am aware of, embracing, and basking in God's love for me, I will never love others. That is why love is the true test of Christ (John 13:35). If you wonder how you're doing, ask the people you live with. No love. No Jesus. Know love. Know Jesus. It's that simple--and that impossible.

To emphasize holiness and right living at the expense of love is to miss out on God Himself.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.


No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:7-16)

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40)

On the Road Again

This may be a negative post--or a realistic one. I'm not sure.

As I lingered in the "fast" lane behind someone who couldn't get traction and move ahead of three semi-trucks on the interstate this week, I found myself chanting, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." It wasn't particularly productive. Getting frustrated wasn't helpful. All I could do was wait and pray.

And as I followed, 10 cars behind, I began to wonder if maybe the person in front was an optimist and I was a pessimist. The longer it continued, the more I realized it's an American problem called "delusions of grandeur," maybe greed, maybe pride. We all struggle with it to one degree or another--and it stands in stark opposition to Jesus Christ.

In the good old days, perseverance led to progress. The goal wasn't self-directed or self-realized; it was achievement for the everyone's benefit. The little blue engine was delivering good things to the boys and girls on the other side of the mountain. He wasn't in it to say he made it to the top; it was a service for others.

In a feel-good, self-esteem-led society, individuals have taken the mantle of "I can be whatever I want" or "I can do whatever I want," at the expense of others. And, guess what? We can't--not without consequences, regret, and destruction.

On the interstate, a car can only go so fast. Each driver has experiences, capabilities, fears, and inhibitions that affect his or her driving. Each driver's choices affect others and an inability to gauge reality puts others at risk. When a person puts him or herself at the center; his or her desires ahead of others, the result is chaos, confusion, and every form of evil (James 3:16)--i.e. school shootings, suicide, self-harm, murder, the opioid crisis, domestic violence, the list could go on.

Reality, to the contrary, recognizes limits, abilities, resources, and opportunities. We are who we are--physician, mechanic, teacher, musician, farmer, secretary--where we are, doing what we do. No one has more or less value. Jesus, (God), considered each of one of us ahead of Himself and that's a very different kind of reality--one that only God can accomplish.

To be like Christ is to value those around me at the cost of His life--and mine. The call is to be who I am for the glory of God; to serve those around me, loving them, for the glory of God; to live in a way that values and benefits others to the glory of God.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Do all things without complaining and disputing... (Philippians 2:3-14 NKJV)

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

Because It's There!

While shoveling snow last week, God revealed my hear desire to "git er done" and "do it my way." Yesterday I lost my "to do" list and realized how dependent and driven I am to get things done and check them off the list--maybe you're one of those people, too.

I can evaluate, over-think, and question my motives: Why is it so important to get things done? Is my greater concern what others think of me or what God thinks of me? Where is my value? Am I living out my position in Christ, resting in His love, or am I trying to earn it? The sidelong glances of others make me wonder if I'm on the right track... so I camped there for a while and here is the result:

Those aren't bad questions to ask (or answer) every once in a while. As I've worked through my heart, thoughts and attitudes, interacted with Scripture and other Christians this week, I concluded that one of the benefits of knowing my "bent," the way I'm wired, my "way" or preference, is that I can harness and use my design for the glory of God, knowing that my choices and outcome will be different than anyone else's.

My desires (referenced in James 1:14-15; 4:1-5) are often neutral: comfort, relief, peace, happiness, acceptance, order, accomplishment. They are not bad--in fact, they're God-given, God-reflective desires. But when a desire takes precedence over God, when any one of them becomes my goal, my savior, my chief objective, that's when I think, speak, and act sinfully. Seeking peace at any cost will result in sin. Choosing relief at the expense of responsibility will result in sin. On the other hand, praying for peace or relief and trusting God in the face of difficult circumstances or relationships will lead me to pray, think, and act in a way that honors Him.

The beauty is that as I live, read His word, and pray, I learn more about who I am: what I value and how I respond to the world around me. As I learn more about who God created me to be, I have opportunities to activate the Word of God and the Spirit of God to do the work of God in a way that only I can. One friend, in a moment of loss and grief, shared the gospel around a hospital bed. Another friend is exhibiting God in the midst of a strained marriage relationship. God has uniquely designed and placed each of us according to His good will and purpose.

In learning to be me, the key is to live by the grace of God instead of comparing myself to others or allowing their expectations to shape and form my becoming. Struggles with sin, wrong motives, wanting to please others, speaking when I should listen, expressing enthusiasm inappropriately, etc., are uniquely mine--and God is faithfully presenting opportunity to confess my sin and change. Seeing and knowing my sin is one of God's tools of humility, and that's not bad; it's good. He is using even my sin to make me more like Christ: humble, dependent, aware of my limits. That, too, is His hand on my life, teaching me how to glorify and honor Him with my response to His unique design in and through my physical body, intellect, abilities, nature, and desires.

Each of us is responsible to God. Others can (and should) help us see ourselves clearly. We can (and should) pray for one another, encourage one another, confront, and lovingly rescue one another. But life is a process of learning who I am, what makes me tick, and how God has designed me to honor and glorify Him, reflecting, more and more, the image of His precious, one-of-a-kind Son, Jesus Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:1-11)