The five Marines who were killed in an ugly display of evil last week in Chattanooga are some of the reasons we live in the land of the free. The Marines, along with the rest of our military, help ensure that we are a nation that enjoys freedom. Our founding fathers set the United States on a unique course at that point in history: that we would seek freedom for all. I am so grateful for the men and women that defend freedom on my behalf and on behalf of much of the world so that I can live a comfortable life in suburban America. I am forever indebted to them. I mourn for the families of the Marines who lost their lives. I'm saddened for the people of Chattanooga, a community in which I have dear friends, because their freedom was interrupted with tragedy.
If there is one thing that I believe America has gotten right -- it's freedom. Freedom is the gift God gave humanity. We are free to choose good or bad. We are responsible for our freedom. People often want to ask in the face of tragedy like we saw in Chattanooga, "Why would God allow such evil or allow such a thing to happen?" Well, God allowed freedom. And we're either free or we're not. There's not really an in-between. We're free to choose good or chose evil. But we have to live with the consequences of that freedom. The man that killed those five Marines had the freedom to make a tragic choice. God gives us that freedom because God wants us to freely choose Him.
We can certainly have laws that protect people, but we will never, ever be able to legislate people choosing wisely, because we always, ultimately have the freedom to choose poorly. So what do we do? We use our freedom for good. We have the freedom to choose good every single day. We honor the Marines who died in Chattanooga by using the freedom that service men and women have given us and that have been endowed to us by our Creator for good. And choosing good makes a difference.
Recently, I've seen what I believe to be a father jogging around Grayson, but he's not alone. He pushing his handicapped teenage son on a 3-wheel bicycle contraption. He is always sweating and he is always smiling. He could choose anger or bitterness. He chose good. He's choosing to soak up as much time with his son as possible. He's choosing fitness and joy. And I think about the stresses I have about parenthood. They are meager. I have the freedom choose good every day as a dad. I can't change what happened in Chattanooga. I can choose good. And I believe that choosing good honors the freedom we've been given and inspires others. It's all we've got. Choose God. Choose good. Who knows how one decision might change someone's life to choose good the next time they are considering choosing evil? That's how we make the world a better place.
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Monday, July 20, 2015
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Hidden Brokenness
Yesterday, I had about the funniest moment I've ever had in a public restroom. It would not have been funny had I been on the other end. I was in one of my favorite restaurants, um, taking care of some business. I notice someone waiting to enter the stall. When I opened the stall door, a woman was waiting. The second she saw me, she was mortified. She had made a terrible mistake. About that time another gentleman entered the restroom, only adding to her embarrassment. She shuffled out as quickly as she could and me and the other guy had a good laugh. I've entered the wrong restroom before, but I don't think I've ever waited in line at one.
She had obviously been oblivious to the sign on the door. She had been oblivious to the urinal. She thought she was right. It was an honest mistake. It was not meant to be hurtful or harmful. It was not malicious. It was just innocent. She wasn't paying attention, was too busy looking at her phone or maybe had something else in her mind. For a good minute or two, she had no idea that she had made a mistake. In fact, she was convinced she was right, until she abruptly found out differently upon my exit from the stall. But no matter how unintentional or innocent, she was wrong. No matter if she thought she'd made the right decision, she'd made the wrong decision.
Let me tell you what scares me about my own brokenness: I could be making wrong decisions that I think are right. Because my intentions are broken. My heart is broken. My will is broken. My mind is broken. I am broken. I could be oblivious to the fact that I'm going through the wrong door simply because I'm not paying attention. My mind is so cluttered that it's entirely possible I'll be embarrassed at some of the decisions I've made when I find out how terribly wrong I've been. But this isn't just my problem -- it's you're problem, too. We are all broken.
We spend a lot of time (and rightfully so) working through our hang-ups, addictions, and nagging sins. We try to submit to God the parts of our lives that we KNOW to be outside His will. What concerns me, though, is that we are the woman in the Panera restroom. We are mindlessly wondering through life not knowing how wrong we are. We are too busy to stop and think if we're making the right decision. We have lost focus and are just entering whatever door seems closest. Sometimes, we even are convinced we're right, but we're just flat wrong. We saw things incorrectly. Does it ever occur to us that we could be seeing things incorrectly?
There is hope. His name is Jesus. This is why we need a Savior. This is why we can't fix ourselves. This is why we can't be left to work this out. We don't even know how to work this out. We are broken. We need grace and forgiveness -- for the mistakes we KNOW we're making and the mistakes we DON'T EVEN KNOW we are making. This is why I'm so thankful for Christ, because I'm a mess. I don't even know how big a mess I am. I just know I need Jesus. We all do. And, this is why we are reminded to be alert and mindful in the Scriptures. I believe as we embrace Jesus more, we can become more aware of all our intentions, attitudes and motivations. But we won't straighten it all out. We're broken in ways that are hidden. Yet, Jesus makes us whole.
She had obviously been oblivious to the sign on the door. She had been oblivious to the urinal. She thought she was right. It was an honest mistake. It was not meant to be hurtful or harmful. It was not malicious. It was just innocent. She wasn't paying attention, was too busy looking at her phone or maybe had something else in her mind. For a good minute or two, she had no idea that she had made a mistake. In fact, she was convinced she was right, until she abruptly found out differently upon my exit from the stall. But no matter how unintentional or innocent, she was wrong. No matter if she thought she'd made the right decision, she'd made the wrong decision.
Let me tell you what scares me about my own brokenness: I could be making wrong decisions that I think are right. Because my intentions are broken. My heart is broken. My will is broken. My mind is broken. I am broken. I could be oblivious to the fact that I'm going through the wrong door simply because I'm not paying attention. My mind is so cluttered that it's entirely possible I'll be embarrassed at some of the decisions I've made when I find out how terribly wrong I've been. But this isn't just my problem -- it's you're problem, too. We are all broken.
We spend a lot of time (and rightfully so) working through our hang-ups, addictions, and nagging sins. We try to submit to God the parts of our lives that we KNOW to be outside His will. What concerns me, though, is that we are the woman in the Panera restroom. We are mindlessly wondering through life not knowing how wrong we are. We are too busy to stop and think if we're making the right decision. We have lost focus and are just entering whatever door seems closest. Sometimes, we even are convinced we're right, but we're just flat wrong. We saw things incorrectly. Does it ever occur to us that we could be seeing things incorrectly?
There is hope. His name is Jesus. This is why we need a Savior. This is why we can't fix ourselves. This is why we can't be left to work this out. We don't even know how to work this out. We are broken. We need grace and forgiveness -- for the mistakes we KNOW we're making and the mistakes we DON'T EVEN KNOW we are making. This is why I'm so thankful for Christ, because I'm a mess. I don't even know how big a mess I am. I just know I need Jesus. We all do. And, this is why we are reminded to be alert and mindful in the Scriptures. I believe as we embrace Jesus more, we can become more aware of all our intentions, attitudes and motivations. But we won't straighten it all out. We're broken in ways that are hidden. Yet, Jesus makes us whole.
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