fruit – Thinking Faith Cafe

Spirit-filled Debate

Chuck — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:28:00 +0000

As election day draws closer, the aggressive nature of the campaign continues to escalate. There is a steady stream of venom spoken in the public sphere. A parade of television and radio messages declare the litany of reasons why opposing candidates are the apparent incarnation of evil. Every mistake is magnified and used to demonize the opposition, which inspires a multitude of loyal followers to enter into their own attacks on Facebook and Twitter.

I’ve listened to the cruel comments made in the media and read a myriad of equally vicious comments on my social media sites. I’ve also wondered if the authors of these words considered the impact of their comments on the individuals they attack, or their families. Then, I wonder if there was ever a moment of pause to consider the effect those words would have upon the people who support the candidates they so vigorously oppose.

Personally, I am amazed at the number of my social media friends who think nothing of making inflammatory statements that attack whole groups of people, often including me. These are people I know who stand up against injustice, cry out for equity, and take bold stances against aggression. Yet, it seems that their values are suspended when it comes to political debate. Gone is civil discussion, replaced by hateful attacks and vicious generalizations. It would seem that bullying is acceptable when you are the bully.

I can’t help but think that this is not the way God desires we treat one another, and yes, many of the comments I referenced are from people who claim that spiritual relationship. In some cases, faith is the justification claimed for their words, or spiritual convictions laid aside because, “this is politics.”

Instead of entering into heated arguments that fuel the fires of anger and increase the level of cruelty in these debates, let me offer a few guiding principles I believe are central to faithful civil debate:

1. All people are created in the image of God and are of sacred worth. This includes those who think like we do and those who do not. All people deserve to be treated as valuable, even when we disagree with them.

2. You cannot judge everyone by someone. Every political party has extremists and people who exercise poor judgment. This does not mean that every member of that party endorses those behaviors. Making sweeping generalizations of everyone because of the comments and actions of some is unfair and unjust.

3. Jesus is not Republican, nor is he Democrat. You cannot read much of the gospels before you realize that Jesus did not choose political sides. He simply stood for what is right!

4. Our world is not the whole world. Our national, state, and local elections affect the world, but represent only a small portion of it. Jesus spoke truth about national leadership, but always kept the perspective that the kingdom of God is where his true loyalty was fixed. Likewise, Christians should use their freedoms as good stewards, but not lose sight of the big picture.

5. Check the fruit. In Galatians 5:22-23, we are reminded that the fruit of the Spirit is, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Our lives are meant to express these virtues at all times, even on Facebook. As those who have given our lives to Christ, what we say represents him. Therefore, we must exercise our freedom of speech in ways that do not compromise these virtues. If what we are about to say, or write, would violate these standards, then we must not put it on our lips or on our social media walls.

There is great room for sensitive debate in our political discussions, but we cannot abandon our values in favor of our agenda. It is in the midst of these times and discussions, that we have the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the high calling of Jesus Christ. We are not called to look and sound like everyone else. Personal agendas and petty politics must always be placed below our witness as disciples of Jesus Christ. For when we stand before God to, “give an account of every idle word,” the focus will not be if our side won, but if God was rightly represented in our lives.

May you have spirited, and Spirit-filled debate and conversation that leads God’s kingdom coming here on earth as it is in heaven.

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What You Sow

Chuck — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:54:00 +0000

You reap what you sow! It is a biblical truth, and one worth remembering, just not always in a negative way.

The context of this quote does speak of mocking God and reminds us to consider that our work will be shown for what it is. This is an important caution, for all of us have times when we are a little “plastic,” trying to hide our real feelings and motives behind a good image. We may fool some people at times, but God sees the heart and the fruit of our works will ultimately be seen for what it is.

This is a heavy truth, but it also points to a tremendous blessing. For if our poor choices yield a harvest of poor fruit, then it is also true that our good choices will yield a harvest of good fruit. When we sow good seed in our lives, our families and our ministries, we experience the blessings that naturally follow.

Someone once said, “Who you are today is the result of the choices you made yesterday.” If I do not like where I am at today; if I do not celebrate my thoughts, actions, or harvest in my life, I can immediately begin planting the seeds of change by sowing into what I dream for tomorrow. Not all seeds bear fruit overnight, and there may be weeds to uproot, but the conscious decision to sow the seeds of life that come from God will lead to the life abundant.

Today is a good day to examine the fruit of our lives. It is a good day to be honest about where we are. It is a good day to celebrate our harvest of life, and to sow new seed in the areas that are dead or dying. This is the day the Lord has made and in it we can choose to plant something good for our tomorrows.

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The Journey to Harvest

Chuck — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

“First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn shall appear.”

These words many of us sing around this time each year, are from the hymn, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.” They are also the words from Matthew 4:28. A clear reference to the agricultural process, they are certainly appropriate when we begin to think of Thanksgiving and the harvest season. As we celebrate the blessings of our lives, we can also give thanks for the process that brought us here.

One of the things that I hear in these words is: “process.” In a culture that seeks immediate results, often with little effort, it is important to remember that the order of creation demonstrates the process required to receive those results. The harvest does not just happen, not even when we wish for it very much. The harvest comes after seeds are lovingly planted, nurtured and watered. The results come after seasons of patient waiting for the crops to mature and faithful protection of those crops against a variety of natural dangers.

What makes this agrarian image such a valuable teaching is how closely it parallels the harvest of faith and righteousness in our lives. Our path toward perfection and holiness is a process. Our journey in faith is a process. Our maturity in all aspects of our lives comes as the result of a process. All that is growing in our lives requires patience, perseverance, and persistence. There is no real shortcut, and we should be thankful for this truth, for much of what really matters on our journey is the journey itself.

Many people love to travel and experience new places, but some of the best travel memories they share involve the travel time itself. Simply “getting there” is not the real goal. It is the experience of getting there, being there and coming home that holds the real value.

Education echoes the same themes. It is important to achieve key steps in the process, and moments like graduation are deeply meaningful and significant. However, much of the real leaning, along with the most valuable lessons, happen outside the classroom, and are not found directly in the curriculum. It is the places we struggle with discipline that make us stronger. It is conversations outside of class that help us to learn more than was expected. The relationships we make along the way can be a source of joy and strength for life. The process is as important, if not more important than the product.

Ultimately, it is our faith journey that can benefit most from our attention to the process. Too often we are so busy trying to “get there,” wherever there happens to be, that we miss what God is doing in and with us on the way. Frequently, when I talk with pastors who are in the process toward ordination, I hear them say things that imply that they cannot wait to be ordained so that they will be able to minister. I understand and remember those feelings, but the truth is, we all have the opportunity to minister every day, not just when we achieve a particular goal. We are all ministers of the Gospel.

Likewise, we would all like to come to the place where we have fully matured in our faith, but honestly, it will not happen, for we will always be maturing. With each new accomplishment, there will be at least one new opportunity calling us forward.

As we celebrate the harvest this year, let’s not lose sight of what it took to bring that harvest to fruition, and while we are sharing thanksgiving for all we have, let’s remember to be thankful for the process that brought us here. Then, when we look toward the future, we can celebrate our goals, but we can also celebrate the process that will take us to them, and then we can enjoy the journey as we go.

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