Things I Think…
1. How did the Lord Jesus respond to mockery?
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”” (Luke 23:34 NLT-SE)
2. The question before the house is (or should be) should we as followers of Jesus respond to mockery of Him and us in the same manner?
3. Jesus’s response to those mocking Him while He died indicates that he believed they acted in ignorance of some sort and evidenced compassion for those who were literally killing Him. He did not seem to take offense…because if He had, probably none of us would be here as He was more than capable of uncreating all He had created…
4. From a biblical standpoint…are there other options than emulating Him in sacrifice and sacrificial love? The history of the apostles and the early church says no…
5. Social media is where you go to break the 9th commandment as if God doesn’t notice…
6. Trying to earnestly discern how to follow Jesus in all these social and cultural conflicts automatically gets you labeled as an enemy in a culture that neither wants to follow Him or love their enemies if it means losing an election…
7. To all those who think the church needs to “stand up and do something”…the something is to follow Jesus…it has changed the world in the past…
8. TV ratings and revenue from the Olympics are better than they have been in a long while…all of you who claimed you’re boycotting must be sneaking a peek here and there…
9. I get as frustrated and angry at things like men in women’s sports as anybody…maybe more so…but we have to take our cues on how to respond to such from Scripture and church tradition, not social media provocateurs…
10. A prayer for a very happy birthday to my dear friend and co-conspirator Dr. Duane Arnold…one of the gifts God has given me to get through…
#8 – I’ll confess to watching the NBC PrimeTime with my wife. My sole complaint is the need to do a quick cut to some soft, fuzzy backstory for every U.S. athlete. Half of what I’m watching is video of how they overcame – – – – – -. I’m happy to hear their story, but not so much time there. Plus any and every excuse to show certain athletes over and over again, including in the commercials. I just want to watch the top athletes compete more, without all the ramped up emotions.
#10 – And I also wish Duane a very Happy Birthday! A dear friend for over 50 years and a great blessing in my life.
Good word, Michael! All my Olympic viewing has been the recaps. I am fascinated by women’s gymnastics-how do they do that?-and that is the part I really like. I wasn’t offended enough to boycott.
What you posted today really helped me with is returning to work next week. During the summer session a co-worker accused of actions that could get a teacher fired. She also said she had a whole file of all of my evil deeds. My response was to immediately report to my supervisor to let him know. So, it went up the feeding chain and she has been “dealt with.” She is apparently living in an imaginary world of her own making.
I have been praying for her. I will see her next week and I have been praying about being polite and caring, while not buying into the crazy (as in discussing why she thinks the way she does about me). And, I know I shouldn’t gossip-but it was a low blow and one wants to plead one’s case. But, praying for her and forgiveness are the better way, so I’m working towards that end.
Linn,
Much respect to you.
This stuff is hard…my natural inclinations tend toward verbal and physical violence when need be…and there is still a big part of me that thinks this would be a better world if some folks got the tar kicked out of them.
But…every time I think or feel that way I’m confronted by Jesus…and I know I have to make a choice.
I’m not consistent by a long shot…but the choices are clear.
Terry,
I’m not an Olympics fan…except in the winter games when there is hockey.
I’ve thought about watching the skateboarding, but I’ve yet to figure out when it’s on.
I’m not boycotting anything, just not interested.
Thank you, Michael!
Figuratively, she has had the tar kicked out of her. Apparently there were some other issues (I tend to mind my own business and get my work done), and when they realized she was coming after me, administration had a cow. She has been told to apologize, and I know she did to one person. But, not yet to me (but God doesn’t make my forgiveness dependent on that). We are allowed to make one major mistake at my school (unless it’s an actual crime) and rehab ourselves. The second time you’re shown the door. I am hoping that prayer and time will help her.
I had a Bible school professor who often mentioned he wanted to whack someone up the side of the head in a Christian sort of way. I will confess to having those feelings!
Linn, you’re definitely walking in the Jesus way! Much respect to you, also!
#2 – Absolutely!
#4 – Absolutely not!
#7 – Amen and Amen!
#8 – I’ve never been a sports guy, but I have been enjoying some gymnastics, swimming, skeet shooting and surfing. Boycotts are dumb.
#9 – Same
Linn, the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life.
Thanks, everyone, for the encouraging thoughts!
If memory serves me, there is no room for accidentally bearing false witness
#9,
During the several decades of my voting franchise, I have witnessed Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, and Florida all move from swing states to solid red states. Within the next couple of voting cycles, I expect Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and probably other states to become red states as well.
The alphabet soup mafia, BLM, DEI, snatch and grab, and transition therapy have driven ordinary Christians to hold their nose to vote for an immoral, narcissistic, totalitarian candidate, because they are being beaten down at a local level by abject evil. We want relief. We want safety for our children and grandchildren.
IMO Christians have an absolute duty to stand up for what is right and wrong. If we didn’t have the scourge of all the cultural immorality, I don’t think people would place their hope in the candidate of choice of conservative Christians. But they have concluded that they don’t have another choice.
Jean,
As if that immoral lout is going to change anything…
I am definitely in on the skateboarding. Not really interested in much else. The noise surrounding this one, political crap, it doesn’t interest me anymore.
Michael,
This is a good thoughtful collection of stimulating thoughts. I have been both discouraged and astounded by the propensity believers have towards “sanctified idiocy.”
Just as you mentioned the willingness to ignore the 9th commandment, I think it stems from numbers 1-4 especially worshipping another god, graven images, and taking the Lord’s name in vain. I concluded a long time ago that taking the Lord’s name in vain has much less to do with using it as a curse word and more so joining His majestic and holy name to something vain or worthless. I highly doubt that boycotting and mocking things like the Olympics, or people for that matter, are the causes worthy of joining God’s name.
To me loving our neighbors and loving each other, often despite vast differences, sound more like worthwhile causes that the Lord enjoys taking part in. Just my two cents. Plus, I am too busy since I have taken a job where I try to help people from all walks of life rather than be bogged down and angry with mob style rubbish, even if it is supposedly, Christian driven.
BTW, I have never been a fan of the Olympics. However, as I waited for my daughter’s Pizza to be made in a local establishment, I watched the men’s gymnastics on that horse thingy and was amazed by their agility and feats of strength.
Michael,
That immoral lout has already changed something: Anheuser-Busch and Target have shut their alphabet soup promotion, and you don’t see other national brands jumping on the queer bandwagon either. And Disney is no longer promoting homosexuality in Florida. Apparently, all these brands now see an economic cost to endorsing perversion.
Jean,
Read up on Project 2025 and get back to us.
That immoral lout is a Putin wannabe. But if there are no abortions, gay marriage, and the like that makes it OK. But in this case instead of Kiril and Putin, you have Evangelical leaders and Trump.
After Trump said himself at a Turning Point USA rally, Christians won’t need to vote anymore (gee I wonder why?):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOGTCKQklPQ
Even when Laura Ingraham (hardly a leftist) was not reassured when she pressed Trump on what he meant by it. Let’s hope the US military puts an end to Trump’s dictatorial ambitions before they come to fruition.
Former President Donald Trump is using hard-to-pin-down language to telegraph authoritarian ideas. We ought to be vigilant about how Trump knows exactly what he’s doing in these situations — and why it’s such an insidious rhetorical strategy.
And the Evangelicals just lap it up.
Michael,
Thank you… but you are the gift.
R’as al Ghul,
People who know me here, know that I have been a consistent never-Trumper since before the 2016 election. I would never in a million years vote for him. That being said, Trump panders successfully to the Christian right. He takes advantage of them and they take advantage of him (or actually believe in him).
I lament the fact that Democrats have no opening to orthodox Christians. I feel like the Democratic party has ceded orthodox Christianity to the Republican party. The Democratic party has become an incredibly small tent. Given the make up of America, I don’t think there are enough leftists and radical progressives to remain competitive over the medium to long term.
Call me crazy, but I don’t see anything resembling orthodox Christianity in either party.
I understand and even share some of Jean’s frustrations….but the solutions may be more damning in the long run than the sins…
Michael,
I agree with you on the solutions.
Michael,
I don’t see much of any “orthodox Christianity” in either party either. However, the Republican party has been quite successful at attracting and inviting in orthodox Christians, making it look like they are the party for them. The Democratic party, on the other hand, more times than not openly communicates their disdain of orthodox Christians. Politically, it would seem to be a stupid move by the Democrats. However, functionally, both parties are still just reprobate in the end.
Thank you for this post. I’ve been pondering it since I first read it. I think I’ve read it 5x with continued meditation. It was a breath of fresh air for me.
Something I thought of in meditation of this:
Taking offense and complaining are the ways of the flesh. Compassion and prayer is the way of Christ.
Tom,
Totally agree with you on that. Taking offense and complaining is taking up way too much head space for me. I gotta be done with that.
R’as al Ghul,
Project 2025 actually scares me. I actually have been reading it. I don’t feel qualified to speak on it yet. But people need to read it.
I just don’t get it, what do evangelicals see in that man (Trump)?
“what do evangelicals see in that man (Trump)?”
Let’s see:
Pro-life? Nope. All his GOP competitors were pro-life. In fact many or all were more pro-life than Trump.
Fiscally conservative? Nope. Trump has gone on the record to not touch SS. Not sure about Medicare, but probably that too.
So what distinguishes Trump, from his GOP competitors?
Likes and admirers Putin.
Will call had political adversary’s wife ugly.
Will accuse his political adversary’s father of being part of the JFK assassination.
Will call his adversary low IQ
Will question the sitting president’s country of birth.
Will question his adversary’s race.
Will claim to be smarter about military matters than his generals.
In short, evangelicals want a total prick who plays so fast and loose with the truth that he he wouldn’t recognize it if it dropped straight on his bone spurs. Any sane pagan watching evangelicals grovel over Trump would probably steer clear of anything they have to say.
Juxtaposed with Project 2025, Agenda 2030 is the shibboleth for the Right, though it sounds better on paper.
Jean,
There are also those that are just taken in by the cult of personality.
And now for something from Calvary Chapel land:
https://julieroys.com/embattled-calvary-chapel-pastor-abruptly-resigns-days-trying-sell-church/
Since the senior pastor owns the dove and the name of the church (and is principal of the LLC), then it is rather easy for him to try and unload the property and not anyone know.
R’as al Ghul @ 11:46 am,
Fundagelical religion is one of the best rackets you (generic you) can be into.
Ancient Corinth was just as bad and in many ways worse than Paris 2024. But what did Paul say to the Christians in Corinth in chapter 5 of his first letter? It is not his business (or ours really) to judge those outside the church, but rather deal with immorality and dumpster fires within the church.
Yet I find interesting that many of the “Christian” leaders, churches, and groups outraged at Paris 2024 are the same ones having problems with church sexual abuse (Cough, Cough: SBC and RCC). Then throw in the politicians (mostly MAGA) trying to score political points with said groups (You know the same ones that are OK with TFG “Grab em by…”). Can you say projection and deflection? I knew you could. And all the Evangelical brain-addled sheep fall for it yet again.
“It is not his business (or ours really) to judge those outside the church, but rather deal with immorality and dumpster fires within the church.”
This is true because God will judge those outside the church. However, John the Baptizer warned Herod Antipas of his sin.