I have been mulling over a podcast I listened to last week. Following the news story of the Lakewood Church shooting in Houston, TX, “The World and Everything In It” (wng.org/podcasts) contributor John Stonestreet discussed some of the issues related to the event. Stonestreet spoke of “deaths of despair” and “acts of desperation,” terms I was not familiar with. These are increasing at “skyrocketing rates,” he said, and he rightly attributes that to the logical outcome of a secular worldview. He explains that the “expressive, individualistic secular culture (that) gives them no strong resources of a stable family, a stable sense of identity or anything else” leaves people “grasping for a cause, grasping for hope.” But Stonestreet lands the interview on hope, and it is the hope the church has to offer: “Christianity grounds (us in) dignity and value and purpose.” For the church, “this is a mission moment,” he concludes.
Here is a place I often arrive at: the unique role of the church for you and me. The Church is the God-given structure for bonding believers to Biblical truths and to each other. As we gather and grow, what we know fills our lives and the lives of others we touch. That does not mean that there will never be a searching, confused soul like the woman at Lakewood Church, but more of us will be grounded and confident in God’s design and purpose for our lives and this will have a ripple effect around us.
Each Friday, “The World and Everything In It” podcast ends with a blessing and a charge for the weekend. It is my closing today for you as well: “the Psalmist writes: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 43 v 5) Worship with brothers and sisters in Christ in Church this weekend, and Lord willing, we’ll meet you right back here on Monday. Go now in grace and peace.”
The extensive quotes in this blog post are all from this source:
This is the Church of St John the Baptist in Burford, England. It is not just a beautiful relic in The Cotswolds, it is a functioning church. We were touring on a Sunday and the usher asked us not to come in if we couldn’t stay for the whole worship service. A praise team with guitars were leading upbeat music and a mother had to leave the sanctuary with her fussy toddler. Real church!
Before our September trip to London and Paris, we met with a couple friend of ours to get their insights on Paris. He spent some of his youth there, and they had returned to Paris for a family trip. Being the sweet hostess she is, there was a lovely snack prepared for our short visit. With the snacks, she laid out the “Pardon My French” napkins. I laughed at the unlikely thought that my friend would speak any indiscretions. She laughed too saying she didn’t even think of that, but that her grown children had given her the napkins because of the way she mixed a little bit of French and a smattering of Korean into her English vernacular. Such fun humor!
I read up on culture as our trip approached, especially for Paris. One hears that the French do not care for American tourists. What I read is that the French dislike our brash style. Americans, especially Americans on travel, may lack courtesy as they pursue their travel itinerary, expect to get all they paid for, and move on to the next event or destination. In the American rush, politeness may be cut short. This, I believe, is not the French way, The French are gracious and desire to provide polite service but expect to be approached with due courtesy.
A few years ago, I discovered a book series entitled Madame Chic. The American author, Jennifer Scott, lived with a French family as an exchange student. Scott was taken with the priority for grace and elegance she experienced in the home of her French host family. The hosts were not a family of means, but they took the time to make everyday life elegant. This included setting a nice table for every meal, keeping the house orderly and uncluttered, and taking care to dress and groom well daily. These little niceties created a sense of beauty, enjoyment, and calm in the everyday. The French expression “Joie de vivre,” the joy of living, suggests living well in the moment.
I think we felt this vibe in Paris. Many Parisians dress nicely. For example, an older lady may be seen wearing pumps to walk her dog. The cafes of Paris – there are three on every corner – are filled late into the night, even on weeknights, with folks savoring their meal, their cigarettes, and their wine. There appears to be no hurry; they do not seem to worry that it’s getting late on a ‘school night.’ I rarely saw a laptop open in a Paris cafe, unlike an American Panera where half the patrons are working on their computers or phones.
Espresso is not the size of American coffee!Every corner in Paris!Called ‘red stonefruit tart’, this fresh raspberry tart was extraordinary!
I certainly admit that I can tend to be in a rush, especially when we lived in DC, especially when I was working. I caught myself barging into an office or classroom, in a hurry to meet a student, blurting out a request, not taking the time for a kind greeting. I get impatient in inefficient lines, rather than saying a friendly word to someone else who is also waiting. Jesus’s disciples had a similar tendency: anxious to find food or in a hurry to move on to the next stop, missing the mission of the moment. Jesus, on the other hand, savored His earthly time. He stopped to heal, paused to engage (with Zaccheus, among others), welcomed children. The Apostle Paul wrote that we should “make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5 v 15 & 16) The words God speaks through Paul may not be emphasizing the large quantity of things to be done, but rather the value of quality pursuits, using time wisely for God’s kingdom, relishing opportunities rather than rushing through them. What do you think? And yes, these are ominous days.
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This month many folks must endure workplace propaganda that contradicts their personal beliefs. Friends have told me how tiring and oppressive the continuous onslaught can be. I am no longer employed but similar promotions appear in businesses and media I come across. ‘Pride’ ideology is massively divisive. For this reason, my post features words directly from the Author of Life, letting Scripture speak for itself to the issues at hand. My compilation spans the Old and New Testaments and various Biblical genres of history, poetry, the Gospels (of Jesus) and the Epistles (letters). The prudent practice of comparing multiple passages is referred to as “the whole counsel of Scripture.”
Genesis 1 v 26-27 NIV
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Genesis 9 v16-17 NIV
16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” 17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
Psalm 139 v 13 – 16a NLT
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born.
Proverbs 8 v 13 ESV
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
Matthew 19 v 4 – 6 ESV
4 He [Jesus] answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Romans 1 v 21, 24 – 27 ESV
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Galatians 6 v 14 CSB
14 But as for me [Paul], I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.
2 Timothy 3 v 1 – 5a CSB
But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.
To briefly summarize, some of you may think these are intolerant words. I believe them to be God’s perfect plan for what He created. God’s way is worth celebrating! As the Apostle Paul put it, we take pride only in God’s work on the cross for us. With humility, Brenda.
*Note – the abbreviations following the references indicate the Bible translation used: Christian Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation.
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Our family celebrated a long-awaited June reunion.
Traveling home on the last leg of a recent, long road trip, we stopped to eat at an Arby’s in Ruther Glen, Virginia, off I-95. I placed my meal order with a very upbeat cashier. Repeatedly she interjected “m’ dear,” an endearment quite typical in Southern speech, as she confirmed my selections. The sweet expression felt good as my husband and I were in need of rest and refreshment at this point in our many miled journey. Next to me, a handsome young Black man also placed his order and a few minutes later a woman in a cute yellow dress joined him.
Ruther Glen is big enough to have an Arby’s but too small to be named on the exit sign. Photo by Doug Kerr, from the site Mapcarta.
Our meal came and we sat in a booth, the fast food satisfying our hunger. Being the people watcher that I am, I saw that the African American couple sat in the booth next to us. As they too ate their meal, I overheard playful banter in their conversation that spoke of love and a healthy relationship, nothing course or lewd about it. At some point, her man and mine left our tables and she spoke to me. She commented that she noticed us and thought we showed a mature and seasoned relationship. I told her that indeed we had recently celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary. She congratulated me with seemingly genuine happiness for us. I asked about their life together and she answered that they were at the twenty-year mark. “Wow,” I responded. “You look too young for that!” Our little chat ended with wishing each other many more years of loving commitment in marriage.
About this time, the cashier from up front began circulating the dining area with a broom. She too engaged in conversation with me. It was almost Mother’s Day weekend and I think that’s where she started. She shared about all the gifts she got for her mother and couldn’t wait to give her on her day off. I think one of the gifts was a plaque or decorative family tree because she began telling me the names of her kids and siblings and step-siblings. It was clear that she adored her mother and planned to generously express her love through gifts.
It struck me that both women initiated conversations with me. Did I look lonely or lost? I doubt that was the reason: the Southern way is just warm, friendly, and casual. The Southern way has also been associated with prejudice, yet both Black women felt comfortable and interested in talking to me, a white stranger passing through town. Life’s commonalities drew us together. I was a wife sharing fast food with my husband, and I was a daughter, possibly also a mother, to the talkative cashier. We found a connection by sharing those life roles. The connection provided a measure of kindness.
God felt the same about connecting with us. He sent His Son Jesus to experience our humanity. Jesus willingly gave up the glories of being God, to share life’s human realities on earth, including the eventual agony of death. At this point, some of you will recognize these as truths from Philippians 2. I was part of a discussion on that passage on Sunday. I love how one person said it: God who is eternal and omnipresent (is everywhere at once) subjected Himself through Jesus His Son to our limitations of time and place.
Three years ago, at this time, our country experienced a terrible fissure. What appeared to be an unnecessarily harsh police arrest incited an uproar of protests. Thousands rioted in city streets to voice their indignation, even as churches and schools were shut down, parks and beaches were closed, and many jobs were suspended. Fear of a virus and social isolation fueled the reaction and rage.
As grievous as the Minneapolis incident was, my encounters at the Ruther Glen Arby’s happen more often. I believe when kindness or empathy occur, it is a small reflection of the great image of God’s kindness, as explained in Philippians 2; how Jesus demonstrated the ultimate emptying of His divine rights and privileges. We can receive His saving grace (which Scripture defines below as bending the knee and verbal consent), and common grace can be imparted to those with whom we walk this earth.
~from Philippians 2 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
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The Christian community lost a giant yesterday. Tim Keller, preacher and author, died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 72 – we would have wished for another decade or two of his unparalleled contributions to The Church. He pastored a church in New York City for 28 years and wrote over thirty books.
Dr. Keller significantly impacted me and three generations of my family. My parents, who lived in the suburbs of NYC, began attending evening church services to hear Keller preach in the 90’s. As different family members visited my parents, they joined in the late afternoon trip to the city and to Keller’s church. Once, while with my parents on that very outing, my husband and I ran into Dr. Keller, who was leaving the coffee shop we were entering, catching a meal between church services. The five of us had a brief chat and he was gracious in speaking to us though he had to continue on to preach again. We expressed our appreciation for his ministry. Dr. Keller’s intellectual giftedness and logic, his unbelievably wide scope of reading, and his keen understanding of culture and thought, brought an unmatched depth and applicability to his Biblical teaching. My father, an intelligent and widely read man who was selective with words and not prone to exaggeration, described Keller’s influence on his own life-long faith as profound.
Tim Keller’s congregation consisted of young NYC professionals, and he was able to connect with that age group. His preaching and writing resonated deeply with the third generation of my family. Our family rarely took a road trip that Tim Keller didn’t join us on, as we listened to his sermons either on CD or online while we drove. My kids have read more Keller books than I have! So yesterday was a day of shared sorrow in our family at the news of his death.
We grieve because we feel a loss and an end, but we also know well that this is a beginning and a victory for Tim Keller. Followers of Christ look forward to seeing and spending eternity with Jesus, the Savior they served. Dr. Keller said recently of his expected death, “There is no downside for me leaving, not in the slightest.” We shed tears but all is not lost. Thankfully, he left a legacy of sermons and writings that will continue to challenge and inform us. I trust that God will raise up others who will rightly continue to inspire His kingdom on earth … bearing the torch until Jesus returns! AMEN
Here is a link to one of Tim Keller’s sermons “Christ the Final Word.” It is classic Keller: his depth of Biblical insight, his humor, his connection to culture and the modern mindset, and landing on the Gospel! I hope you will listen to it through to the end (and it begins with a Scripture reading by someone else). If you get lost a little, hang on. You’ll catch up; he goes deep, but it is real! His website is http://gospelinlife.com
Two years ago this week, we moved into our new home near Wilmington, North Carolina. We left the DC area in the fall of 2020, but lived in temporary housing for several months, while we oversaw the building of our house. It was the height of the pandemic and we also lost my mother-in-law during this time. So I like to think of March as our real move anniversary.
Wilmington is a small, port city located on the Cape Fear River. UNC Wilmington is a major university, and the film industry is a presence in the area. Our town is on the outskirts of Wilmington. It has less city influence and a more rural southern personality. Farming and fishing were once the main businesses. While things are quickly changing here, the homey ways intrigue me.
Just down the street from us on the main highway of our town is a pawn shop. I see bikes, lawn equipment and surf boards propped up for sale in front of the store. I ventured into the store because I noticed a sign for jewelry repair. Sure enough, past the case of pawned jewelry and watches, and the inventory of sports equipment and power tools, I turned the corner through the guns and ammunition section, to find the small work space of a jeweler.
The jeweler wears a large leather cowboy hat and decorates his niche with neon-lit western motifs. His space is neat, and he is soft spoken, especially when you consider he’s from Long Island. He assessed my broken chain and gave me an estimate. I left it for repair and in a few hours got a text from him with a photo of my necklace draped on a lovely velvet model, saying, “Here she is!” The idea that my necklace was repaired by a New Yorker in a cowboy hat who works in a pawn shop where they sell guns and ammo amuses me.
Just a few buildings down the highway from the pawn shop is a paint store. We were sent there by our builder to select the interior colors for our house. “Go talk to Jimmy, ” we were told. Jimmy and his business partner, who both sport gray ponytails, run a no-fuss paint supply store. Without fanfare, they carry all the paint brands in all the colors. A gentle cat keeps them company and one of them drives a vintage truck always parked out in front. Neither of the guys ever wore a mask during the mandate period.
There’s also a warehouse fish market off the highway strip where I occasionally shop. The place is wet and stinky but I think I get fairly fresh catches there, though I’ve never tried the alligator. They fly the American flag on the porch, carry homemade birdhouses and advertise bushels of crabs for Mother’s Day. Young kids, probably relatives of the owner, run the counter. In deep southern twangs they can advise you on flavor and cooking methods.
This culture is new for me; so different from the cosmopolitan suburban area we left. I enjoy the downhome feel of the unincorporated town where we now live. It is appealingly unpretentious. That’s how I find the true local people too: down-to-earth, authentic, likeable. Don’t get me wrong, there are also many conveniences and amenities that I miss greatly now! But as I said, the area is changing quickly due to
rapid growth and many outsiders who, like us, are moving in. I hope in our time here, it doesn’t completely lose its southern, country soul.
At the two year mark, my husband and I marvel that we are here, that we transitioned away from DC during such a crazy time. We are confident this is the new place for us now and thank God for His good provision. Like the Psalmist David wrote, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” (Psalm 16 v 6). Read all of Psalm 16 for insights into God’s goodness in this life and in eternity.
This year my birthday fell on Sanctity of Life Sunday. The irony was not lost on me: the day my birth is remembered, we remembered how important all life is and lamented the loss of millions whose lives were extinguished before the chance for a birth day. The Pro-Life stance has been maligned and labeled as oppressive, but God’s Truth completely ordains the infinite value of all life and qualifies God as sovereign over the beginning and end of all life.
The issue of life, or of abortion, has hit unparalleled rending in America. The elections of 2022 especially seemed to escalate the “right to life” divide, disregarding all other candidate credentials and capabilities. Likewise, it precipitated an unprecedented lawless leak in the highest court of our land. A sad moment for the integrity of the Supreme Court.
If I haven’t already lost you on this divisive topic, stay with me while I share something about the abortion argument that I only recently learned. A common talking point for those favoring abortion rights is the case of the life of the mother. To save a mother, the life of her baby should be taken, it is argued. In very rare instances, pregnancy might threaten a mother’s life. If a pregnant woman’s life is at risk, her doctor will attempt to save her life, not destroy the life of her baby. In other words, the necessary procedure is not at all an abortion but is a premature delivery. Her doctor will end the pregnancy by inducing labor or by performing a Caesarean section. The baby, depending on its gestational stage, will be treated and saved, or if it is too early, will not be viable and will die of natural causes. In both cases, parents of the baby can experience their baby’s birth or passing, demonstrating love for the precious little life. This is not a talking point that I had ever heard expressed in any secular discussion of the life issue.
Upon hearing this, it dawned on me that I had been familiar with a couple in this scenario. Their unborn baby was diagnosed with a serious prenatal condition. Even with advanced technology and specialist doctors, the condition rapidly worsened putting the mother and baby in danger. A C-section was performed but tragically, the baby was stillborn at birth. The consolation in the loss was the parents’ time of bonding and grieving, holding their tiny infant in their arms. The procedure did not result in a dismembered human body to be disposed of. It is important for all to know that the right to save a mother by medical procedures to deliver her baby is not outlawed in this country.
Just this week I again came across the familiar first five words of the Bible. Genesis 1 v 1 goes, “In the beginning God created.” Yes, He did. He created life. He determines the beginning and end of life. We cannot understand all the hard things some people experience; I have no easy answers for the myriad of difficult life stories out there. What I lean on is God’s sovereignty; He knows and I must leave it at that. I value life because God gives life, all life. And let us be warned that not valuing the life of a pre-born baby quickly spirals beyond: beyond to questioning the value of the aging, the diseased, the cognitively impaired, even a race or group that another race or group deems unwanted or disposable. In Jeremiah 17 v 9, God warns us of the endlessness of evil; so we “stand firm,” as God’s words through the Apostle Paul encourage us (2 Corinthians 15 v 58).
I originally posted this blog piece on November 27, 2022 through social media. At that time, my blog was down. I continue to work on my blog to restore it to full functionality. I believe there are still software and hacking issues. Sadly, this post is timely again after another rampage in California:
Poor Virginia! My heart aches for the Commonwealth I called home for most of my life, after two multiple murder rampages, and a senseless shooting in a Lynchburg restaurant between the two. But it’s not just Virginia. There was killing in a nightclub in Colorado and slaughter in a college town in Idaho. In an underreported update, fifty-five police officers have been shot and killed in 2022, as of October 31, according to the Fraternal Order of Police. Thanksgiving was upon us but impacted families and communities faced shock and grief.
Questions race through our minds. Who does this? Why is this happening? Answers don’t come easily but one factor stands out to me: our familiarity, even glamorization, of gunfire and violence in this culture. How can something to be played, a game, be called “Death Race” or “Bulletstorm?” Why is there a music group named “The Killers?” Songs and music videos, especially Rap and Heavy Metal, glorify all types of violent behavior. Movies, videos, and apps like Tic Toc stream disturbing, vulgar, and bully-inducing material that young children can access. I’ve noticed that even if you go to a cleaner movie in the theater, you will be subjected to violent and sexual content in the previews: the stuff you and your families wanted to avoid!
On the flip side, how many families regularly gather for togetherness and screen-free dinner hours or game night (the safe kind, for fun!)? Do young adults enjoy outdoor adventure and healthy indoor interaction over late hours at a bar or beer bash? Most importantly, who is in church on Sunday morning enjoying worship, community and sound preaching rather than sleeping off a Saturday night of binge-watching Netflix or scrolling through social media with morning coffee? According to statistics about American church attendance, the vast majority are the latter.
Services at my church this morning beautifully combined the gratitude of the season with clear teaching from Scripture, and ended on a note of doxology and praise ushering in the Advent season with “Behold Your God … Come let us adore Him.” (Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, Stephen Altrogge; Sovereign Grace Worship, see YouTube link for the song below) I pray for peace in our land, but know that ultimately it only comes as we commit to peace with God through Jesus’ work on the Cross.
This photo says “America” to me. The white exterior could be a rural farm or ranch home, or an urban rowhouse or the classic suburban neighborhood. The fence could be split rail, aging wrought iron or picket. Red roses and the American flag are timeless across our nation, befitting any dwelling. I’m thankful for the US of A and its strong foundation: the Declaration of Independence defending “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all citizens, the Constitution, and a Bill of Rights guaranteeing many important freedoms. May our nation always hold fast to these ideals.
Happy Independence Day! Romans 13:1-5
Quilts speak Americana too, especially this red, white and blue one made by dear friend Robin Lathroum.
In the last entry of my “Hindsight is 20/20” trilogy, I leave you with thoughts that helped sustain me in the trials of that year. I wrote about the pandemic crisis and the racial uprising in parts one and two, and part three could have covered the contentious presidential campaign and election which completed the trifecta of trials in 2020, but I share, instead, words of strength and comfort from that year.
As I often encourage my blog readers, regular time spent reading the Bible grounds us. During the pandemic and shutdowns, I leaned into time in God’s Word for solace and direction. A couple of phrases from the Bible stood out to me at the time. One of them was portion – “the Lord is my portion.” It is found a couple of times in Scripture (Psalm 16:5, Psalm 73:26, Psalm 142:5, Lamentations 3:24). I don’t know the historical background of the word and its connotations, but I thought of portion as the serving size. We hear about portion control, not overeating but not starving ourselves either. I felt comfort in the idea that I could be sure God was my ‘enough.’ In a time of uncertainty and isolation, God was enough for me. He had promised me that and I felt hopeful.
Another phrase in Scripture that I came across was “hold fast.” It is not commonly used these days, but we know it to mean a tight grip or a strong bond like that of a good glue. Sometimes the Biblical phrase refers to how we are safely in God’s grip (Psalm 139:10). There’s a newer hymn entitled “He Will Hold Me Fast.” I had the sheet music and played it often on the piano. The lovely tune and meaningful lyrics representing concepts found in Scripture, brought me comfort and strength in the trials of 2020. God did hold us fast as we faced unfathomable changes from Covid and other upheavals in that stressful time. See the youtube link below for “He Will Hold Me Fast” performed by Keith & Kristyn Getty.
At church this past Sunday, the worship reading contained another “hold fast” Scripture. Hebrews 4:14 says, “Since we have a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” In this case, we are the subject encouraged to complete the action. We are directed to hold firmly to our profession of faith in Jesus.
Statement signs have become popular. I saw this one professing part of the Apostle’s Creed.
The year 2020 is far behind us, but the fallout lingers. As I stated in part one, I am sure hindsight is not 20/20 this time. There still isn’t agreement on what happened and what should have been done. I look back and rest on the full confidence that God held us fast in 2020 and that our role now is to hold fast onto Him in all things and at all times.
Part 2
In part 1 of “Hindsight is 20/20” I addressed the pandemic of 2020, but the year 2020 held more difficulty for us to process and the church to deal with. In May of 2020, suspect George Floyd died in police custody. A highly publicized video of the disturbing event set off protests that turned into violent, destructive, and deadly riots lasting for weeks across this country. Vocal and more highly publicized activists blamed the situation on racism and injustice. The outcry was for “social justice.”
Again, the church struggled to respond. Some Christians claimed that the Bible was all about social justice and that the Gospel was a message of racial reconciliation. My own church at the time quickly launched a five-week class on the issues, which became very controversial. I cannot claim to be an expert on these matters in Scripture but after a lot of listening and reading there are a few things about the Bible and social justice that I can confidently state.
The word justice (but not social justice) is frequently found in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. It is very often paired with the word righteousness. In Scripture, God clearly condemns dishonest scales and witnesses, unjust judges, bribery, and taking advantage of widows, orphans, and the poor. God’s Word also praises kings and leaders who treat people justly. But a closer look at the use of the word justice in Scripture reveals that usually the term is referring to the justice of God: the fact that disobeying His ways requires consequences. God’s justice demands a ‘payment’ for sin. The Gospel is not the idea of fixing human problems like racism: the Gospel is the Good News that Jesus’ death is the payment for sin, giving each of us access to full forgiveness and reconciliation to God! Much of this transparency was muddled in attempts to be sensitive to the unrest that was going on.
During that summer of the pandemic with its lockdowns and racial turmoil, I sat next to a young Black man on a flight. Through our masks, we exchanged small talk. I was heading home, and he was headed to DC for a commemoration of the MLK “I Have a Dream” speech. Despite our differences in race, age and gender, the conversation was respectful and friendly, a vast contrast to the narrative of hostility and inequality that was being pronounced everywhere. These positive encounters, sadly, are not highly publicized.
I continue to see regular displays of diverse folks getting along, even in a Southern town where prejudices may have once run deep. I’ve noticed the older white man insisting on lifting a case of bottled water for a Black woman, though the Costco employee was also ready to help. In a busy medical waiting room, I heard the white receptionist mispronounce an African American name and then further mistake another African American for her relative, but she felt no offense, only smiled and returned to her smartphone. On the other side of the lobby a woman of color was knitting and eventually gathered a circle of white ladies interested in her project. I overheard part of the conversation, chimed in and she gave me her business card. So, it seems to me that hindsight is not black and white either.
Of course, racial problems exist. The human heart is not pure and easily tends toward animosity, but our hearts also have an awareness of what is good. While the tragic was sensationalized in the George Floyd case, the norm in this nation is often good and fair. We can thank God for that and continue to pray for and act with understanding. The Gospel transforms hearts, which is the ultimate answer.
To close, here are two Scriptures describing the equality of the Gospel on earth and in heaven. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” Galatians 3:28, and “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb (Christ),” Revelation 7:9.
Part 1
Two years ago this month, the pandemic became real to me. Without forewarning, the school district where I was teaching, closed its doors on Friday the 13th of March 2020! It took weeks to implement an on-line instructional plan and train us to teach virtually. Our nation then experienced a gradual shut-down of most places: stores and other businesses, restaurants, schools, offices, and even medical facilities and houses of worship. Government orders prohibited assembling. Hindsight is 20/20 and at the time, scientists, medical experts, and politicians had no idea how to handle a new and different virus.
The church, too, struggled to respond. In most cases, local and state mandates regulated, mostly banning, in-person gatherings. Later, a Presidential directive declared religious groups as “essential,” thereby allowing some church ministry. Church leaders quickly rallied calling for Christian courage and I heard more than one pastor reference the sacrificial and heroic courage of 3rd century Christians during a deadly pandemic in Rome. Eventually however, a trending pandemic mindset took over and churches followed suit. My own church cancelled in-person services prior to local mandates to do so and months later reopened with stricter protocols than were required. A year into the pandemic, I watched a nationally known minister state that his congregation would not gather in-person due to continuing local COVID cases. “We wouldn’t want anyone to die,” he explained. What a shocking remark as a Christian who lives not for this temporary life on earth, but for the reality of eternity in glory, like Paul wrote of in Philippians 1:23! Of course, Christians do not recklessly endanger their lives, but we have much to joyfully anticipate, not fear, in eternal life.
In 2020, the church strained under a myriad of pressures, but it is founded on Scripture, which commands us to gather together as Christ followers (Hebrews 10:25). In fact, the statement takes an unusual negative position: “Let us not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some.” According to Christian author and respected preacher Timothy Keller, this ‘gather’ term entails far more than attendance. It suggests deep connection in community, something built only through personal interaction.
If law and policy collide with Biblical principles, how do Christians respond? That is a huge question that a blog post can’t tackle but I will point you to Scripture. The Bible tells us that God ordains government for the good of society (Romans 13:1-2). It also tells us that God’s law supersedes man’s laws. Christians obey God, over man, when they conflict (Acts 5:29).
Yes, hindsight is 20/20. More is known now about the virus, its transmission, and treatments but a lot remains unknown. And all of it remains polarized. I wonder if hindsight is not as clear as we would hope, in this case. Will we ever know all the facts of the virus and motives of resultant policies? I think not. I end with these words that I think explain our lack of clarity: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Answers await us in eternity.
Before our September trip to London and Paris, we met with a couple friend of ours to get their insights on Paris. He spent some of his youth there, and they had returned to Paris for a family trip. Being the sweet hostess she is, there was a lovely snack prepared for our short visit. With the snacks, she laid out the “Pardon My French” napkins. I laughed at the unlikely thought that my friend would speak any indiscretions. She laughed too saying she didn’t even think of that, but that her grown children had given her the napkins because of the way she mixed a little bit of French and a smattering of Korean into her English vernacular. Such fun humor!
This photo says “America” to me. The white exterior could be a rural farm or ranch home, or an urban rowhouse or the classic suburban neighborhood. The fence could be split rail, aging wrought iron or picket. Red roses and the American flag are timeless across our nation, befitting any dwelling. I’m thankful for the US of A and its strong foundation: the Declaration of Independence defending “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all citizens, the Constitution, and a Bill of Rights guaranteeing many important freedoms. May our nation always hold fast to these ideals.
