Here is an ad that I never saw aired on TV. It has most of the key ingredients for a successful commercial: Decent music, attractive people, and a very clever storyline.
Be sure to watch right to the end.
In the words of Sheldon Cooper: “Bazinga!”
A tragic misunderstanding exists.This blurred vision drives people to regard Christianity as merely one more avenue toward high, idealistic morality to be shelved beside those of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Buddha, Tao, and others. The name “Jesus” is simply added to the list of “History’s Great Teachers,” typically receiving a middle-of-the-pack position, surrounded by peers of superior and inferior status.
When Christianity is reduced to a moral path or ethical code, it becomes no more than a variant theme of “Goodness, Beauty, and Truth” to which many through the ages have aspired. Here is where the misunderstanding becomes glaring.
To hold Jesus primarily as a “goodness guru” will drive one to encourage, “Look to the example of Jesus.” But any sharp thinker quickly recognizes that there may be nothing in the world so discouraging as the example of Jesus. The immensity of his moral stature and the absoluteness of his perfection are despair-inducing. The very best of us stand hopelessly condemned before we set out. To speak of “imitating Christ” is the zany zenith of nonsense. I cannot satisfy my own standards. I am incapable of meeting my own demands, and I regularly disappoint others’. Imitate Christ?! This is the language of the lunatic.
Much of this is unsurprising: The extent of failure, both others’ and our own; the departures of some from Christian churches, and the perceived moral collapse in cultures around the globe. What else is expected when the ethical instruction of non-Christian sources or of neutered-Christian teaching builds squarely upon the strength and power that no human being possesses. The architect of such a blueprint can expect lawsuits.
Christianity is no mere code of ethics. If this is the version of faith which you have perceived or received, I apologize for the pitiful counterfeit you have held, with either affection or affliction. Just as a forged fifty will net you nothing beyond disappointment or detention, a crap-copy of Christianity delivers disillusionment or worse. Mark it down: When Christ gets counterfeited, people get cheated.
Numerous educators and influencers will turn to Christianity as a source for inspired instruction. They may come with guards up against anticipated narrow-mindedness, with minds inquiring, “Christians, what are your dearly held beliefs about life-factors like money, power, sex, and pride?”
The answer is that what I believe about money, power, sex, pride, or any host of other factors is of little consequence. My adding to the pile of perceived knowledge is not nearly so needed as the arrival of power sufficient to deliver men and women from the mastery and control of such things as these.
“It is not knowledge we need; it is power. And this is where your moral ethical systems break down and fail completely. They have no power to offer, none at all.”
WHAT’S YOUR TAKE? Join the conversation below.
A WORD: To any who read this post with disappointment, with realization that such power has never been perceived, let me plant a seed of hope in your heart. It DOES exist. The drudgery of duty is what killed the soul of the older brother (Luke 15). This is not the destiny of those who are “in Christ”. Seek your Father with your heart; He is eager to share His joy with you.
Simple fixes are usually trash.
My cynical side regularly roars in and devours such suggestions before they can even escape the womb from which they were born and find their feet in the soil of reality. [Apologies for the graphic “Discovery Channel” imagery.]
But this one (from Sybil Chavis at LifeHack)? I’ll let this cute little fuzzy idea get a breath.
In fact, I’ll even pause in the midst of my day and catch one myself.
And you should too.
Welcome to some weekend “Wandering & Wondering”.
In an effort to add some information and inspiration to your Saturday, today’s Six-Pack follows the usual guidelines. Most articles are faith-focused or ministry-geared, with the “disorderly pile of who-knows-what” tagline at the top of this page catching everything outside of that!
Today’s collection:
1) Twelve Months, Twelve Religions
Out of Ur provides this springboard into more extensive blog reading OR the buying of a book. If you only have one click to spend on this story, some of the comments after the short article are worth the time.
2) What the Holy Spirit Can Do for Your Preaching
Jim Cymbala sees radical need for churches to be powerful witnesses for Christ in our world. What does your preaching really need to fuel and feed toward this end? It needs the Spirit of God.
3) Prayer is Hard Work
Though prayer is instinctive, it is also difficult labor. David M’Intyre makes and explains this point in his book The Hidden Life of Prayer. Tim Challies provides this excerpt.
4) By What Standard?
A few years ago, a documentary called Collision was made where Douglas Wilson debated Christopher Hitchens on Is Christianity Good for the World? Hundreds of hours of footage was shot and edited down to 90 minutes of solid debate and conversation. Discussion and highlights of this work can be found here.
5) Eulogies and Dyslogies for Charles Colson
Colson passed away last month. I found no better post dedicated to his life and passing than this one from InternetMonk. If, for whatever reason, you don’t know much about Charles Colson, this post will still contain plenty for you.
6) 14 Action-Inducing Lessons from Benjamin Franklin
Dumb Little Man has provided a “get moving” post here that features some great quotes. Provocative enough to nudge the most planted butt off the couch. Read it, and get rolling!
That’s a wrap. Treasure the day, friends–renew yourself and reverence God.
We all hit the wall.
Original thoughts dry up.
Fresh perspectives fizzle.
Creativity dies.
But there WAS a time in life when that never seemed to happen. In our efforts to recreate creativity, what can we learn from revisiting childhood rhythms and rituals?
The folks at Lifehack say, “More than you might think!”