The Question

The context is Matt.20, Mark 10, Luke 18. Jesus asks the blind men (read all the accounts) a very important question: "What do you want me to do for you?" Look closely and you will see six elements to the question.

What: The object. Defining the "what" may sometimes be difficult. How specific must we be? What is important? What do I really need? Have I thought it through that if I get what I want will I like it or be prepared to manage it? Most who win the lottery are ill prepared  to handle it and disaster follows. In this case the "what" is sight. No ambiguity-it is clear. But, he could have asked for anything. When the Son of God says what do you want and you know he can do anything the "what" is pretty important to get right.

Do: This is the action word. Did Jesus have the ability and the capacity to do the "what?" If not, then his asking was cruel. Or, did He have the desire to do something for these men? Is Jesus able? Isn't this one of our great questions? We want to know if He can-as well as will. Does Jesus have the power to open blind eyes? He has proven He can, so the blind men ask according to His proven ability.

You: In this case the "you" is two blind men. This is personal. Jesus does many things for everyone, But, just as He raises Lazarus by calling him by name and not everyone in the graveyard, so today He was healing the "you." "It's me, It's me, It's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Not my brother, not my sister....."

Want: Here is the heart of man, the seat of desire. The "want" must be in line with the "what." We have many desires and not all are good and useful. It is hard to sort through our heart's desires to find "what" we will ask for. This is why I like Psa. 27:4: "One thing I ask of the Lord...."

Me: The "me" is Jesus. Jesus is not asking him what he wants others to do for him. Otherwise Jesus could just command someone else to help him. No, the gift was coming from Jesus Himself which required trust by the blind men. We sometimes ask men for what we should be asking Jesus.

For: Jesus qualifies the question to only what is beneficial to the blind men. Jesus wants to do something for them and not against them. How important it is that Jesus always acts for us and not against us. The crowd was not for them-only Jesus asked the question. Let that sink in-"for you."

Good question!

Four Gears of Life

  Sometimes when you counsel people concepts that you have been teaching for years come together in a visual way that helps others to grasp how things work. I am big on wanting to know how things work, especially things pertaining to  our lives. In most areas of life there is the WHOLE and the PARTICULARS. To understand we must address both. So let me give you what I see as the Four Gears of Life.

 

GEAR ONE is PERSONALITY. For years I have administered dozens of Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis tests, and interpreted the personalities of individuals within pre-marital, couples, and individual counseling. Regarding personality, we all have one. We also have personalities that will not change significantly over time. But, we do have personalities that can be understood, and can be managed so that we can effectively live and relate to others. The more you understand your personality, accept responsibility for it, and effectively manage it the more content you are in life.

 

GEAR TWO is BEHAVIOR. We all have patterns of behavior. We do things over and over again, repeatedly (pun intended). We develop preferences that drive choices. We have routines, habits, and styles. We dress certain ways. We pursue hobbies and careers. We say and do things that are peculiar to us. We have skills that set us apart. Some behaviors are moral and some are immoral. It is easy for us to see each other's behaviors and make judgments primarily based on what we see. We condemn or excuse, we promote or discourage, and we endorse or denounce according to our view of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

 

GEAR THREE is PAST EXPERIENCES. Like personality, we each have our own unique experiences. We were raised in certain ways. We may have experienced trauma of varying degrees. We made choices that led to either good or bad places. We had friends, relatives, and teachers who influenced us. We have accidents and illnesses and deaths, all of which help shape who we are. Some of these experiences need to be bathed in forgiveness. Some need to be treated with understanding through adult eyes to correct the mistakes of looking at them through a child's eyes. Some need to be let go of and others need to be cherished and preserved. But, no mistake, we are a product of our experiences.

 

GEAR FOUR is VALUES AND BELIEFS. What we hold to be true is of great importance to shaping our lives. We all have a worldview. That does not mean it is a good one or that it is consistent with itself. But, we all, if given a list of doctrines or moral positions, could answer one of three ways, i.e. agree, disagree, or 'I don't know.' Our values and beliefs may come from a religion, a book like the Bible or Koran, or from a person. Our faith (and we all have faith in something or nothing) drives behaviors, helps us interpret past experiences, and shows us how we should manage our personalities.

 

If a person is having trouble in life or in their relationships, it would be good to consider how the patterns of each gear operate in sync with the other gears to form YOU. The better you know this, the better you can choose in the exercise of your WILL. This is the power source that makes the gears turn. You get to decide where these gears will take you. Now, if I can take the metaphor a little further, you may need someone to help you grease the gears to get them moving freely so you can more easily go in the right direction. That why we have counselors and friends who have an understanding of the FOUR GEARS.

The Ideology War

 What are people drinking (or smoking)? The world is awash in conflicting ideologies. An ideology is "a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy." All ideologies that exist within the world must, if they prove to be correct and worthy of a following, must be in harmony with God's perfect idea.

 

There is much debate today as to whether or nor IS (Islamic State) is either Islamic or a State. We seek to label this group for the purpose of identifying its contents. I would ask, which comes first, the label or the contents? Before Coke can be labeled "Coke" it must be "Coke." IS believes something and professes something and is motivated to its actions by something. What is it? Is it the writings of the Koran, their unique interpretation of the Koran, or a mixture of Islamic tenants and other streams of thought (even revenge for perceived injustices)? Who is more consistent? Those who profess Mohammed as the prophet and his way as The Way yet never preform acts of terror, or IS? That is a debate for Islam. Even though we might have a difficult time precisely identifying IS's ideology we do know they want everyone (even fellow Muslims) to be what they are under the threat of death.

 

As Paul labored to convince King Agrippa to consider the claims of Christ, he said, "King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do." Agrippa replied: "In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian." Paul answered thus: "I would to God that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:27-29) Did Paul want to change Agrippa's ideology? Did he want the king to wear a new label, i.e. Christian? Did he want all who heard him that day to BE what he was in belief and way of life? "Yes" to all. Paul represented a Christian ideology rooted in the Law and the Prophets, the actual words of Christ Himself, and the continued revelation he and others received from the Holy Spirit.

 

What I fear is that those with terrorist ideologies will care more about the spread of theirs that we do about the spread of ours. I fear that not only will they seek to eradicate anyone who does not embrace their ideology, but that many in this world who are seeking a radical ideology that has a semblance of power, strength and success will gravitate to it just to be a part of a movement that stands for something, no matter how misguided. I fear that we who call ourselves Christians and are casual about it will not only not be able to stand against their swords, but more importantly will not be able to give an answer for the reason of the hope that is within us. (1 Pet.3:15)

 

In my opinion, the drift away from the deep truths of Jesus, and the radical nature of the gospel and the kingdom continues unabated. We have encased the Gospel within modern culture to such extent that folks, even those who self-identify as Christians, are inoculated against it. We have been injected with enough cultural antibodies that we cannot catch Jesus. The prophylactic of the secular ideologies prevents us from becoming pregnant with the doctrines of Christ. And even if we do become pregnant with Jesus, society has a pill that will abort Him before he attaches. This is a serious matter. A world where an IS ideology could actually succeed demonstrates how little the ideology of Jesus is succeeding. Our task is to convince not only non-Christians to be what we claim to be, but to convince our casual fellow-Christians to be what Jesus calls them to be. 

September 29, 2014  Rod Myers

 

 

Black and Blue

Still in Luke 18. This unrighteous judge who did not fear God and did not respect man was being pummeled by this weak widow. She would not give up. She kept coming. Maybe she got a petition drive going, or organized a march around the courthouse. Or maybe she had a letter writing campaign or got her friends to post things on Face Book. Maybe she camped out in front of the judges door and called out to him at all hours of the night. Maybe she filled up his inbox with text messages, one after another, like Mike Tyson going after a defenseless opponent.

 

Jesus says he was getting worn out from her continuous coming. Every day she was in court asking if he was going to hear her case. The word for worn out comes from the area just below the eyes on the face. It stands for the part of the face that might get beaten and be rendered black and blue. Paul uses it in 1 Cor.9:27 in talking about buffeting his body to bring it under submission. It is a harsh form of discipline that seeks to coerce. She was pestering him and he was feeling the effect. She was wearing him down. Perhaps this would be a good model for diplomacy. Provide consistent, continual, and well-placed blows to vulnerable parts of the enemy until they are beaten down into submission and cry "uncle." Make them holler "enough."

 

Remember this story is about praying and not giving up. Do we have to beat God till He is black and blue to get him to listen to us and do what needs to be done? Actually no. This is a lesson in contrasts. God is not the unrighteous judge who has to be boxed black and blue like a street thug or terrorist in Get Mo to get him to "give it up." God is not some tyrant who could not give a care to your situation and need. But if a punk judge can be made to submit by a relentless widow, then how much more will a loving Father be persuaded to answer his precious children? God is not black and blue from our prayers. He loves to hear us consistently and continuously pray for justice.

Fear and Respect

 It seems the widow got the wrong judge. (Luke 18) If I had an appearance notice I would want to know something about the judge I would stand before. Is he fair? Does he follow the law? Can he show mercy? Does he listen? Is he in cahoots with the prosecutor? When folks are given the power of life and death over others, there is a tendency for this power to "go to their heads." Power eaten too quickly is like eating very cold ice cream too quickly.

The storyteller of Luke 18, Jesus, is quick to say that this particular judge neither fears God nor respects man. This isn't looking too good. The judge himself confirms this truth when the poor, vulnerable widow stands before him. This is not a good combination. Lack of fear of God is a prescription for the making of a fool. Read Proverbs on that one. Fearing God is merely the beginning of wisdom, and it is the first half of the whole duty of man. (Eccl.12) Lack of respect for people, especially weak and powerless people is a prescription for abuse. So we have a fool for a judge who is likely to heap abuse, or at the least neglect, on this poor widow. Her life, her future, her financial security is being weighed in the balance of his court. And, he just doesn't care.

Surely this judge was not born this way. Fear of God and respect for others is really the most natural of ways to live. Observation of God's creation should make it clear without a lot of thought that God is pretty powerful, creative, and wise. And, the interdependence we have with others in this world should tell us without a lot of thought that respect for others is the best way to do business in this world. But somewhere along the line this judge loss the most basic building blocks of human existence. He found a way to compartmentalize God so that he would not have to fear him. He put God in a cage. I don't fear a rattlesnake that is contained behind a foot of bullet-proof glass. I don't fear a lion that is secured in a steel cage. But, my fear level goes up considerably if I know they are roaming freely around my house. God in a cage is not feared.

And how did he lose empathy for people, especially the vulnerable ones among us? The ability to feel compassion, mercy, and love is essential for human relations. What happens when someone just does not care anymore? What happens when this person has power over me and you? This is called tyranny. This is the stuff terrorist are made of.

So here she is. a pitiful, needy widow standing before a fearless and disrespectful judge. He is going to eat her alive right? Wrong! She has a quality of her own and it is called persistence. It is the thing prayers are made of. And if it is effective on this worthless judge how much more effective will it be when made to a God who is feared and respects all men he made.

Getting Through

I've been in Luke 16 for a while. It is typical of many of the teachings of Jesus where He struggles to get through to his hearers. In the chapter He tells a story about a steward who is accused of mismanagement, and foreseeing his firing the steward finds a way to avoid digging ditches or begging. Jesus gives some instruction on the use of money, leveraging the earthly in order to secure the heavenly, using money instead of being used by money. He was talking to folks who loved money, who esteemed what God detested. God provided  several centuries of foreshadowing and prophesies contained in written form in the Law and the Prophets to show what God was doing. This was proclaimed up until John the Baptist who then began to talk about the kingdom that was near. When folks heard this they started forcing their way into this kingdom based on their own misunderstanding of what the kingdom was designed to be. They were trying to get through the door expecting some earthly utopia on the other side. But, then Jesus tells the story of a rich man who esteemed what God detested and a poor man named Lazarus who was the beggar the steward tried to avoid becoming who both ended up on two sides of a great chasm. One was in torment and the other was in Abraham's comforting bosom. The one in torment wanted his brothers to be warned so they would not come to where he was. But, Abraham tells him that they have Moses and the Prophets, the message preached up until John's day, and that is enough. And even if one rises from the dead, which many believed John to be the resurrected Elijah, the message would not "get through."

In one form or another Jesus message is about "getting through." How does the Son of Man get through to people? How does God through centuries of preparation get through to the hearts of men who are bound up in earthly thinking, earthly comforts, and earthly ambitions? John came preaching the kingdom as did Jesus Himself. It was to be what men would seek first (Matt.6:33). It was to be what people would enter, not force their way into. It was to be what we were to "get." Worries and wealth choke out the message of the kingdom. Daily business crowds out kingdom business. Keeping our house in order spiritually and relationally so that the kingdom can advance is essential for the message of the kingdom to get through to us. Hearts are being walled up today. People are building barriers to relationships and to the Spirit of God. But it was also so in Jesus' day. Jesus, the Son of God, had a hard time getting through to people. The humility and trust it takes to allow Jesus to rule and reign is the key to getting through. He knocks and we have to open. He uses people to walk through our doors, but we have to be open to them.

God to Jesus on His return from his sojourn on earth: "Son was it hard to get through to my people?" Jesus to God: "Father, it was incredibly difficult to get through to them. They have a lot on their minds and a lot of personal business to conduct. Their attention span is not very long. They are distracted by many things. They have a hard time sitting and listening to Our Word. They aren't very smart because they do not study. And, there is little room for Our Word in their crowded hearts. Yes it was hard, and I cried a lot."

Cure for Restlessness

 I've spent a lot of time in Luke 15 lately. What more can be said about the Prodigal Son? It is an oft-told story. It is pregnant with meaning. It is the type of story that draws you in and makes you think, about yourself, your life, what is meaningful. Among other things it is a story about restlessness, about fight and flight, lost and dead, saved and found. Jesus spoke to our core issue. He nailed our common experience. Humans are restless, contentless, lacking beings. We are seldom satisfied, at peace, and whole. We fight loneliness, insignificance, meaninglessness, and never feeling like we are enough. It is hard for us to be OKAY. We seem to have this sense always that something vital, essential, and important is missing from our lives. We believe that if we could just capture it (what is "it"?) we would be complete. Our strivings would cease. Desire would be rewarded, and we would rest in peace even while we are alive.

 

We have a list of clinical diagnoses for these conditions. We probably have a pill that can simulate the real thing. Even then we think that if we threw away the crutch we could not stand. Restlessness breeds dependence on something to prop us up and make it appear that we are strong even while we carry weakness deep within. We expend huge amounts of energy to cover up the insecurities and the vulnerabilities. We invent and learn to play countless games to insure that no one will know what everyone knows because everyone has the common experience, i.e. we are not enough.

 

Both boys in the story are restless. One runs and the other fights. One seeks it outside the home and the other longs for it inside the same home. When we consider that this home is God, the Father's home, it makes the story even more interesting. It has always amazed me that the Old Testament depicts God as a divorcee and an ineffective father. Israel is His wife and child, and as each they were unfaithful and delinquent. Couldn't God keep His wife and child happy? Yet they both were restless. They ran away from Him and they fought Him. Fight and flight are powerful within the human. But, yet again it was not the Husband/Father who failed. It was the wife/son who failed to see that what they longed for they had all along.

 

Luke 15:31 is the cure. It is the key. It is the essential truth that can provide us with peace, security, and relief from the restless life syndrome. "And he (the Father) said to him (the older son), 'My child you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.'" It may be so simple we miss it. If we could just realize as Christians that we are always with the Father and that all that is His is now ours, would we seek for substitute relationships and substitute possessions? When being with God and possessing His possessions becomes enough for us we will know we are enough, we have enough, and we don't have to do enough for contentment. Both boys had what they were looking for all along. It was right in front of them. It was all around them. Believe it. Enjoy it. Celebrate it.