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Still Seeking the Wrong Kingdom?

Sat, 3 Apr 2010 12:22:54 -0400

In Sunday school this past week, I was thinking about the differences in what people wanted Jesus to do and be, and what Jesus actually came to do and be.
I wasn’t thinking so much about those who were anti-Jesus and mainly wanted him and his followers to go away. (There are plenty of people today who still feel that way.) I was thinking primarily about the people who were pro-Jesus. Many, perhaps even most of them, wanted Jesus to overthrow the existing government and set up a new kingdom that would be more to their liking.
For good reasons they were tired of being oppressed. The Jewish people considered themselves God’s chosen people, yet they were being treated quite unfairly to say the least. In Jesus they saw someone who would put an end to their suffering. They would take up swords and follow the Messiah to a great takeover. Thanks to Jesus’ power and might, they would be able to overthrow anyone who dared get in the way whether it be politically, socially, militarily, religiously, or whatever. Many were very sincere, faithful, God-loving and God-fearing people. They had plenty of scripture to support their thinking.
But then came the events that we celebrate during this Easter season. The cross was certainly not part of their plan. It changed everything. For some, it meant an end to their hopes and dreams. Others eventually adjusted their thinking and came to understand that the cross was the beginning of even greater hopes and dreams – hopes and dreams that dwarfed their earlier limited thinking.
A couple of thousand years later, it’s easy to smugly sit in Sunday school (or anywhere else) with the knowledge that the people of that day and time were very wrong in their quest for an earthly Messiah. Those poor, misguided people. They didn’t understand the truth about Jesus like we do.
But sometimes I wonder how much we do understand.
It’s hard to read the newspaper or on-line forums without seeing very similar earthly kingdom aspirations from contemporary Christians. The issues are numerous, but the quest is familiar. We Christians should be in charge (in this country at the very least). We’re ready for Jesus to establish a Christian political and social kingdom that will solve our problems.
It’s easy to see why the desire for such a kingdom is so popular:
Does our world have problems? It certainly does.
Should we be committed to helping bring about change and making the world a better place? I think we should.
Would turning to Christ and Christian values make this world a better place? I believe it would.
So why not a political kingdom that would have the power to force the changes we desire? A lot could be written in response to that question, but let’s go with a simple suggestion for now. The cross is a pretty powerful indication that God hasn’t chosen to work this way. Our ways are not necessarily his ways – and I’m pretty sure his are better.
That leaves us with some choices. We can continue in the very old tradition of pursuing our own ideas of what the kingdom of God should be (and we can sometimes be quite contentious when we’re not getting our way). Or we can let the message of Easter adjust our thinking.
It’s not easy thinking. But I think it’s a good way to honor the Christ of Easter.

A Serendipitous Birthday Party

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:12:19 -0500

Tomorrow we are going to the circus. Not just any circus, but Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus – The Greatest Show On Earth. Usually I’m the one in our family who is most wanting to go to just about circus, but this time it wasn’t even my idea. We didn’t plan it this way, but it turns out that tomorrow – February 20, 2010 – is a great day for our family to be going to a circus.

I’ve gone to circuses, carnivals, ice shows, etc. for as long as I can remember. That’s not too unusual. What’s a little more unusual is that my dad worked for all of the above. While in the army, Dad was stationed in Sarasota, FL where part of his responsibility was selling army surplus equipment. Some of his biggest customers were circuses and carnivals that winter quartered in the Sarasota area. He developed a strong interest in the fascinating world of traveling entertainment businesses. After the army, Dad worked for our local newspaper, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, for a while before deciding to take a year off to do public relations work for either a carnival or circus. This was before my time, so I’m not sure of all the details.
As the saying goes, Dad got “sawdust in his shoes” and never came back to the Herald-Journal. (Ironically I worked there many years later as a staff sports writer.) Over the years he did public relations, marketing, and all kinds of press work for some of the country’s largest carnivals, circuses (including Ringling), ice shows, and random tours featuring TV stars like The Lone Ranger and Lassie. As a boy it was fun shaking hands (paws?) with Lassie and getting a silver bullet from The Lone Ranger.
Dad eventually narrowed down his work to carnivals. For many years, in addition to his public relations work, dad worked in top management positions with the country’s largest shows. Somewhere along the way he also started Cox Amusements as a side-line family business. I know it sounds a little strange, but I really did start working with Cox Amusements when I was about five years old. I put myself through Furman with the money I made as manager of Cox Amusements (after many years of working for nothing). Those years of loading and unloading trucks and trailers and figuring out how to set things up and make them work are still serving me well in our ministry with Concoxions. I’ve never denied that I also have sawdust in my shoes. It doesn’t happen nearly enough, but I love to be around carnivals and circuses.
Dad died March 2, 1989 at the age of 69. I realized just last night that tomorrow would have been his 90th birthday. Most of the thousands of people at the Bi-Lo Center tomorrow won’t even know that they’re attending a serendipitous birthday party for a very special man.
Happy birthday, Dad. I miss you.

It’s OK To Wish Me “Happy Holidays”

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:51:38 -0500

I personally really like "Merry Christmas." But it’s OK to wish me “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Hanukah” or even “Festivus For The Rest of Us.” I promise not to think less of you, bite your head off, or respond with a terse sounding “Merry CHRISTmas” in a condescending, rebuking tone.

I don’t expect this to be a particularly popular post, especially judging from the number of people who have joined facebook groups supporting the idea that “Merry Christmas” is the only non-blasphemous greeting for this time of year.

To put this in perspective, I’m a Christian. Not because I was born in the USA of non-Jewish parents. Not because I go to church on Easter Sunday. I’m a Christian because I made a conscious intentional decision to invite Jesus into my life as Savior and Lord. I have trusted my life to him and have committed my life to loving him, pleasing him, and serving him. I don’t believe that all religions are equally valid or that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere. I think it’s pretty significant that Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life – no one comes to the Father except by me.” I think it’s vital that we share the good news of Christ and make disciples.

As a quite young boy, it bothered me whenever I saw the abbreviation “Xmas.” A few years ago I was griped when I saw a business catalogue that included only two card choices that referenced “Christmas” among the couple of hundred holiday cards available. Throughout all but the earliest years of my life, it has been very important to me to keep Christ the focus of Christmas.

So why am I not on the “Merry CHRISTmas” bandwagon or sleigh or whatever it might be? Because I do believe strongly that we should keep Christ in Christmas. Not the weak fragile Jesus that some of us have created in our own image, but the original Jesus who was God incarnate. I’d sure like the world to meet and get to know him.

Sadly, I think some of the efforts to Keep Christ in Christmas are instead driving a wedge between Christ and many who need to know him. While I’d like to think that many of our motives are sincere, too often we come across as arrogant and uncaring. I fear that we often act out of a misguided conviction that as Christians we have to be constantly standing up for our rights.

Isn’t a big part of the Christmas message that Jesus gave up his rights in order to dwell among us? Fast-forward 30 years and we still see him identifying with the non-religious populace and clashing with those who cared more about their religious traditions than about caring for others.

Some of us are demanding our right to live in a Christian nation. That is not our reality. It never has been and probably never will be. Why should we expect people of other faiths or no faith at all to conform to our way of celebrating? I don’t think we “win” people to faith in Christ through intimidation or majority rule. I can’t think of anyone who has ever been forced into the kingdom. I can think of many who have been loved into the kingdom.

I’m not suggesting for a minute that we do away with “Merry Christmas.” It’s a very meaningful and in many cases appropriate expression. My concern is when we use the phrase (or scorn those who don’t) in a belligerent or insensitive way.

With all the problems in the world, do we really want our most notable campaign of the season to be the battle of “Merry Christmas” versus “Happy Holidays?” Hopefully that’s not where most of are, but it seems to be a pretty major concern for others.

Pardon my radical thinking, but what if we found a peace about letting everybody express good will with the words of their choice? And if we really want others to know that we stand for Christ, we might just take his words as recorded in Matthew 13:34-35 seriously: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Warning – loving each other may require more effort than expressing a two-word phrase.

There are always multitudes of people whose hurts and problems don’t take a holiday at this time of year. For starters there are obviously many who are hungry, homeless, lonely, sick, discouraged, and lost. Right now we have more people out of work than ever before and many more who haven’t become a statistic, but who are privately struggling to hold on to their homes, businesses, savings, etc.

I can’t prove it, but I think Jesus cares more about us doing whatever we can to help those in need than whether or not his name is on a card.

And a kind, non-judgmental word for even those with whom we disagree just might honor him more than antagonism.

I sincerely wish and pray that everyone could have a merry Christmas. But if that’s not where you are, I still joyfully extend to you season’s greetings and hope you have happy holidays.

“welcometomoooooooooes”

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:50:46 -0400

When Moe’s first came to town I wasn’t much of a fan. But since others in the family did like the Southwest Grill fare, I tried to be a good sport and soon learned which of the strange-sounding menu items were most palatable to my palate (Joey Bag of Donuts being the current favorite). It really didn’t take too many trips to Moe’s before I went from tolerating Moe’s to looking forward to eating there. Especially on Mondays. The Moe’s Monday special has become a weekly part of our culinary routine, and even became our Seesalt staff’s new Monday lunch spot in Myrtle Beach this past summer.
When you walk through the Moe’s front door, you are immediately “greeted” by at least 3-4 Moe’s employees letting out a fairly loud “Welcome to Mooooooooes.” That’s still a long “o” sound like what you do to your grass, not the sound made by bovine animals who eat grass. The need for the extra o’s is because of the consistent way that all Moe’s employees are obviously trained to draw out the name of their restaurant to a length usually required for four or more syllables, not just four letters and a silent apostrophe. We’ve eaten at Moe’s Southwest Grill all over the southeast and the sound of the greeting is the same. Go through the front door of the Moe’s website and you get the same.
As a matter of fact, it’s about as personal on the website as it is in person. If the intent is to create an audio icon for the Moe’s experience, it is working. If the intent is to really welcome customers in any way beyond what a sign on the door would do, it is not working.
At the Spartanburg Moe’s, we usually sit the tall tables right beside the serving line. That means, whether we want to or not, we get to see and hear the greeting close up throughout our meal – in addition to the time spent going through the serving line. It would be nice if every once in a while a well-programmed greeter would at least look up and glance in the general direction of the greetee. A directed smile and welcoming countenance would add greatly to the illusion.
None of this is meant to cast aspersions toward individual Moe-ites. Many are very warm and personable people who already have their hands and brains full trying to get our food prepared properly. If they can get rice, pintos (not black beans), chicken, cheese, lettuce, and salsa rolled neatly into my Joey in a pleasant manner, then I’m really OK.
So what is “welcometomooooooes?” Depending on who you are and what kind of mood you are in, it might be fun and entertaining, obnoxious and annoying, or meaningless background noise that is just part of going to Moe’s. Overall Moe’s doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, so there’s probably no intent or delusion of being warm and sincere.
But what about us? How many times do we greet each other and even express concern for others with not much more substance than “welcometomooooooes.”
“Howareya” … “Whatsup” … “Howzitgoin’” … “Goodtaseeya” … “Whatshappenin” … “I’llbeprayin’forya” …
Some of those phrases call for a “?” at the end, but in most cases we’re not really looking for much of an answer. It’s not a question so much as it’s a “welcometomooooooes.”
On at least some occasions, I’m afraid I’m guilty of using every one of those comments with all of the depth of a busy burrito builder. But I often use the same words to express a sincere gladness to see someone or a genuine concern. It’s scary to wonder how anyone can tell the difference if the words and even the inflection is the same. As I busily welcome someone to Seesalt or Chillipepper or whatever and tell them in some way that I care about them, is sincerity evident or is it just “welcometomooooooes?”
I’m going to try to let each Moe Monday be a reminder to slow down and be more intentional and personal in even my casual interaction with others. Hopefully the genuineness is usually there, but when it’s not, I pray that I’ll place an order for some warm sincerity. Feel free to join me.
Otherwise we’re all just going through the Moe-tions.

The Palm Chop

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 15:55:22 -0400

It seems like just yesterday that my two little boys were big Atlanta Braves fans. And if you remove the word “little” it was just yesterday. (Good seasoning opening game, Braves.)

Back in their little big Atlanta Braves fan days, I vividly remember a Palm Sunday at church when all the little kids got palm branches (or at least a reasonable faxsimile thereof). Braves fans are probably already way ahead of me at this point.

I’ve never forgotten the sight and sound of Christopher and Taylor coming down the hall toward the sanctuary “waving” their palm branches in classic tomahawk chop fashion and singing/humming the Braves rally chant. I’ve seen other children reprimanded for such “disrespectful” behavior, but I freely admit that I found it quite amusing and enjoyable. I think it was a very appropriate child-like understanding of what was taking place as Jesus entered into Jerusalem.

Baseball fans are known for being rather fickle. Some are worse than others. But it’s not unusual for “fans” to jump on the bandwagon and become almost rabid in cheering for the team when things are going well, only to turn into ostrich-sized boo-birds as soon as anything goes against their liking.

That’s a pretty good analogy of the crowd that greeted Jesus. As long as he was feeding the multitudes and healing the hurting, they were happy to be his cheerleaders. When the game changed, it didn’t take long for many to trade their “hosannas” to “crucify hims.” Probably many more just stopped cheering and quietly went away without going to that other extreme.

It’s easy for us to sit here in derision of such shallow fickleness. But how often do we follow that crowd a couple of thousand years later? It’s easy to be a hosanna hollering Christian within certain crowds and situations. That’s OK. It’s not OK for the attitude and action to change when the crowd and situation changes.

I believe that God’s perspective on us transcends time in ways that we can’t fully understand. He knows when our palm chopping is little more than fickle fan fun. I don’t much think he enjoys that parade.

So what does please God? Instead of a long attempt to answer that very important question, let’s keep it short and simple. How about consistency? Consistently loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and body; and consistently loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.

No matter what the score, the record, or the inclination of the crowd.