Lately my Facebook Feed has been blowing up with news, reports, and posts about racism. Which, is kind of annoying to be honest with you. It's really sad to see that America today is still not only dealing with this, but is also relishing the fact that there is this scourge. That isn't to say that all of the people on my Feed are posting things that are for or against it, but it's still super frustrating to see. I understand that's what is going on in America, but why can't we just stop it?
I think there are several things at play here. First off, I think that there is overt racism in America. I would argue that the KKK and other groups like that are overtly showing racism towards individuals who aren't white. I would also like to suggest that there is a more subvert form of racism where individuals of color who work minimum wage jobs can't get housing they can afford and the like. I know this is mostly an outright form of hate, but it leads to segregation in cities. The last major kind of racism I've noticed is the kind where individuals are just plain treated differently. What does that mean? Well, when we treat individuals with "kid gloves" or whatever you'd want to call it, we end up saying things like of course that's how this people group would act, that's the only way they can voice their opinion. However, I don't think this is the case. Individuals are allowed to voice their opinions in the way that is deemed appropriate and they don't have to choose violence or riots.
I think it's important to become friends with as many individuals as possible who are different than you. That way, you can see their stories, how they think, and what they feel. I know being friends with people who are different than you is hard, but it's the best way to learn about people of different groups.
If you read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, you find that God treats you as His child. One could surmise that anyone reading this passage is God's child. This means that the words that Paul writes in Galatians 5:14, "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself." is not only simply about loving the other individuals, who happen to be your siblings in Christ, but also means that the other laws God gives us are summed up in this little statement.
As a Christian, it's important to spend time finding ways to practically love on those who are different than you, and also pray for them. It's important to find ways to bridge gaps between individuals and discover who they are. We should be loving others in response to the boundless love of God and not to earn God's love. What better way to showcase this, than by loving everyone around you?
Monday, August 28, 2017
Thursday, August 10, 2017
I've Got My Eye on You
Hey everyone, I hope you're all doing well! Today I wanted to spend a little bit of time talking about our sight. I know it's a weird thing to talk about, but I think that it's an important thing to talk about.
Jesus made a very interesting point in Matthew 6:22-23, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" I think this is something that is important to understand because Jesus is saying that we need to think about how we see others. I've found that when I'm an angry person, I see other people as being rude, stupid, and many other negative things. My eyes were clouded by darkness, and it reflected what was on the inside of me.
However, when we as humans are full of the light of Christ, we are able to see people in a way that more clearly reflects how the Father sees them. We see people who need to be shown God's love. We see people that we can serve in various ways. We also see people who are broken just like us.
When we spend time with God, we realize how much we need God. We begin to notice that we can't do enough on our own and it's the love of God that pulls us through. We also begin to understand in a very small way how much God loves us and how much love God has for those around us. We are tasked with the all important mission of loving others in response to how much the Father loves us. However, we can only realize this when we are spending time with God and we are full of light.
Jesus made a very interesting point in Matthew 6:22-23, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" I think this is something that is important to understand because Jesus is saying that we need to think about how we see others. I've found that when I'm an angry person, I see other people as being rude, stupid, and many other negative things. My eyes were clouded by darkness, and it reflected what was on the inside of me.
However, when we as humans are full of the light of Christ, we are able to see people in a way that more clearly reflects how the Father sees them. We see people who need to be shown God's love. We see people that we can serve in various ways. We also see people who are broken just like us.
When we spend time with God, we realize how much we need God. We begin to notice that we can't do enough on our own and it's the love of God that pulls us through. We also begin to understand in a very small way how much God loves us and how much love God has for those around us. We are tasked with the all important mission of loving others in response to how much the Father loves us. However, we can only realize this when we are spending time with God and we are full of light.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
What is Grace Pt. 2
In my last post, I talked about who God is and what sin is. I did this, because we need to understand both of these things in even the most simple way before we can figure out what grace is.
By definition, grace is undeserved favor or a gift that is not warranted. I think an excellent illustration of this is when my nephew, Michael was asking my sister for a piece of candy at my parent's house. My sister, LeeAnn told Michael to ask Papa. So my dad gave Michael two pieces of candy instead of one. LeeAnn promptly asked why he got two pieces of candy; the response was simply, "because he's at Papa's house."
Michael did nothing to earn one or even two pieces of candy, but he got both. It's because my dad loves Michael that he got this present. Christ has something to say about this, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11.
Jesus talks about about being poor in spirit, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3, but what does mean? In the context, being poor in spirit means that you know you have nothing to offer. It means knowing that you are broken and have not one thing to barter with. The kingdom of heaven is in reference to God's blessing more than it is to getting into heaven.
I think in light of Matthew 5:3, we can gather that God delights more in us loving Him than being pious and focusing on being people who just do good. In the Lutheran church there are three means of grace, or ways of experiencing God's love and undeserved favor. These are: Communion, Baptism, and Scriptures. I absolutely love how God shows His love for us through these things. I also think that there are "common" means of grace in the form of fellowship, prayer, and worship. God shows us He loves us through all of these avenues.
God is able to do so much more with us when we admit to not being able to stand on our own. Paul talks about how God's power is perfected in our weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9. This doesn't mean that God is perfected in sin mind you. This means that when we are able to admit that we don't have it all together God can work in our lives much more powerfully.
By definition, grace is undeserved favor or a gift that is not warranted. I think an excellent illustration of this is when my nephew, Michael was asking my sister for a piece of candy at my parent's house. My sister, LeeAnn told Michael to ask Papa. So my dad gave Michael two pieces of candy instead of one. LeeAnn promptly asked why he got two pieces of candy; the response was simply, "because he's at Papa's house."
Michael did nothing to earn one or even two pieces of candy, but he got both. It's because my dad loves Michael that he got this present. Christ has something to say about this, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11.
Jesus talks about about being poor in spirit, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3, but what does mean? In the context, being poor in spirit means that you know you have nothing to offer. It means knowing that you are broken and have not one thing to barter with. The kingdom of heaven is in reference to God's blessing more than it is to getting into heaven.
I think in light of Matthew 5:3, we can gather that God delights more in us loving Him than being pious and focusing on being people who just do good. In the Lutheran church there are three means of grace, or ways of experiencing God's love and undeserved favor. These are: Communion, Baptism, and Scriptures. I absolutely love how God shows His love for us through these things. I also think that there are "common" means of grace in the form of fellowship, prayer, and worship. God shows us He loves us through all of these avenues.
God is able to do so much more with us when we admit to not being able to stand on our own. Paul talks about how God's power is perfected in our weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9. This doesn't mean that God is perfected in sin mind you. This means that when we are able to admit that we don't have it all together God can work in our lives much more powerfully.
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