Ordinary Exceptionalism

I am re-reading Philip Yancey's book, The Jesus I Never Knew. It is a great read anytime, but especially this time of year. The first three chapters are a delicious appetizer for the perennial feast of nativity stories that are offered each December. The theme of the book suggests that even serious Christians have often missed the more mundane, the obvious truths that bathe the Christmas story and wash the entire portrait of Jesus' earthly sojourn.

I was particularly struck by Yancey's metaphor to explain how significant was the incarnation, the taking of flesh by very God. Yancey kept a salt water aquarium, a responsibility that requires constant and careful attention. Even though his intentions were entirely thoughtful and beneficial, the fish always hid when Yancey approached the tank. They greatly feared him, even though his every action had always been for their good. He realized that the only way he could convince the fish of his good intentions would be to become a fish and tell them in their language.

Thus did God when He became a man, only infinitely more drastic was the condescension from divine to human than human to fish. Most striking to me was the thought of what Yancey (or you or I) would have felt looking out from the aquarium. And, frankly, Yancey's aquarium was probably more well suited to his fish than first century Palestine was to the Savior of mankind. God's arrival on earth, Yancey points out, was staged in a livestock pen. Though announced by angels, the audience were lowly shepherds, the dregs of Jewish society. The political and social climate was anything but hospitable, particularly for a child whose paternity was shaded by scandal in his home town.

A teen-age mother (most likely) and a twenty-something father (probably) would live every day of the growing boy's life knowing that something quite special was happening, yet nothing out of the ordinary was provided to them, if you discount the early angelic visits. When you think of it, it could not have been otherwise. For the Savior to share in our sorrows, to be acquainted with our grief, he must necessarily have lived a perfectly ordinary life. A super attentive providence would have released the God/man from his primary duty prior to the meeting at Calvary. He had to live a sinless life, but it had to be a normal life -- no special privileges.

This situation is both unbelievable and inspiring. We too are compelled to live mostly ordinary lives. And likewise, we have, if we really believe what the Bible teaches about the Christian life, divine duties and responsibilities. The inspiring thing is that we do have special providence to accomplish our goals. The same Holy Spirit that dwelt within the God/man, Jesus, makes His home in us, makes His power available for our necessary tasks. When you think of it like that, how can any day, any chore be ordinary?

Silent, Holy Night

One silent night in Bethlehem
some twenty centuries distant
the intersection of earth and heaven
was visible for an instant.

For on that silent, holy night,
while men did shepherd duty,
a sudden flood of celestial light
brought both fear and beauty.

It truly awed those humble Jews
that God had chosen them
to be the first to hear the news
of God’s great gift to men.

The music played on heavenly horn
made simple men applaud,
for unto them a child was born,
a Savior come from God.

Far above the pasture glen
outside of space and time,
the Father paced the halls of heaven
awaiting birth divine.

Since Adam, tricked by serpent’s ruse
had led his race astray,
The Holy Father planned to use
this Child to show the way

For sinful man to chart a course
back to the arms of grace.
Thus did the Son, without remorse
forsake His royal place

To pay the debt of sinful man
impaled on cruel tree;
then on the third day, by God’s hand,
He’d rise for all to see.

So on that silent, holy night
redemption came to earth,
and death was robbed of all its might,
by one miraculous birth.

If as a child we trust the One
who came to Bethlehem’s stall,
the long, dark night of sin is done,
and grace extends to all.

By Clair Verway

No Cost / Lo Cost Gifting

If you're anything like me, you may just have a few people left on your gift list. And, like me, you may have run out of funds before running out of list. I would like to suggest some ways to honor the idea of giving without dishonoring a pledge to avoid excessive credit use.

1. Try creative re-gifting. This is not the same as lazy or rude re-gifting. Think of something you have that is still fully useful to the person in mind, but not something you are likely to use again. Tactfully inform the recipient that you are aware of the used nature of the item, but hope to bless by giving. Some suggestions are: books, tools or appliances, glass ware or basketry, pictures or nic-nacs (no white elephants here.)

2. If you are even the least bit comfortable in the kitchen try something like gifts in a jar. A Google search will net you tons of neat ideas. Many of them require only a small expense.

3. Crank up your Works Task Launcher (or the Mac equivalent) and create a gift certificate for something you can offer that involves giving your time such as: babysitting, household chores, yard work (or shoveling), a meal (you prepare), at-home car washes (or wax.)

4. If you expect to be more well-funded shortly after Christmas and will be able to afford "the perfect gift," cut out a picture or print one from the Internet. Wrap it in a suitable size box (weighted if necessary) and put it under the tree. Be prepared to explain.

5. Arrange for a gift subscription to a magazine the person will truly enjoy. You can do this now and ask the publisher to bill you later. You can usually find these offers in the magazines themselves (check out the newsstand) or at the mag's online site.

6. For a few of you, it may be appropriate to write a poem, paint a picture or create an artistic expression in your chosen medium. Make it personal and you will have given something better than money could buy.

7. For family or close friends, write a note about something that will be important for the person to know. It might start out, "I will always remember when..." or "You will never know how much I appreciated..." If you are a senior member of a family, make a record some meaningful things from your younger days . I regret that I never learned anything about my parents' and grandparents' youth. These stories may be more of a blessing than you realize.

To Thine Own Cause Be True

Today I received a forwarded email from a well-meaning friend. It pictured a tombstone with the epitaph of the United States and dates July 4, 1776 -- November 4, 2008. The article then listed several astounding facts concerning the election of 2008. While I am no friend of the current U.S. administration, I prefer to wield the sword of truth against error rather than spread lies. The other side is known for the lies; we should stand for the truth. The article which followed the tombstone was reportedly written by Joseph Olson of Hamline University. It is almost totally false. First of all the general body is taken directly from a fabricated article concerning the Presidential election of 2000. Joseph Olson denies any connection. Secondly, even the statistical information as reported is mostly false according to Snopes.

If you have already seen the email I am referencing and forwarded it to others, please send them this correction. I agree completely with the concept that USA will soon RIP if we don't wake up. We are a divided country with most of the supporters of the progressive Democratic agenda being in urban areas while the bulk of conservative support comes from smaller communities and rural areas. There is also a great deal of historical support for the idea that people who are dependent on government will vote for anything as long as it appears to promote their selfish interests.

The post-modern philosophical atmosphere we live in today causes many people to disregard the need for truthfulness in all things. Many believe there is no basis for truth, no overriding moral structure from which we may judge the rightness of another person's actions. This notion is in direct contradiction to the beliefs that drove our founding fathers to create on this continent a new nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights.

These rights demand a foundation in what is called "natural law," the idea that there is absolute right and wrong as established by a transcendent moral code. That code was thought to be best expressed in the Ten Commandments of the Judeo-Christian tradition and the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. We must not fall prey to the notion that anything that advances our cause is acceptable. We must fight for the standards upon which our great United States were founded. To do any less will mean failure even in the midst of possible success.

Our Blessed Perseverance

I truly appreciated an article in Ligonier's Tabletalk magazine this month. My wife and I are going through some real struggles right now, and Dr. Guy M. Richard's words of encouragement under the title, "Our Blessed Struggle," were timely. I would like to engage in a friendly, public debate over Dr. Richard's understanding of "Israel" in the context of Genesis 32 however. I disagree that "struggler" is the best understanding of the name Israel precisely because of the context. I think that "Prince of God" is a fitting translation for Israel.

Certainly, Jacob was a struggler, a striver or grabber after the heel. I believe the contrast the wrestling "man" at Peniel intended with the new name was that the struggler had persevered. Note the explanation which is given immediately following the renaming in verse twenty-eight. Also, the root word from which Israel is derived came to mean prince (or princess eg. Sarah, in its feminine form.) The King James translaters got verse twenty-eight right in the sense that the prince or princeps (in Latin) was the first of God. (I hear Star Trek's Enterprise Captain Piccard calling for his "Number One.") He who came out second at his birth, now turns to God (the meaning of "Peniel") and attains first place as prophesied.

There is a wonderful application in this Old Testament typology for New Testament Christians as well. We are in the already/not yet state, struggling here below, yet heavenly victors in Christ. As Jacob I have little hope of success, but as the Israel of God, I know I will persevere in the final day. We must not let go of the bruised heel to which we cling, for we trust that our King is even now preparing a crushing blow to the head of the one who would defeat us. I see the entire sweep of redemption history captured in the simple act of changing the name of Jacob to Israel.

In this season of celebrating the birth of our Savior, it is good to remember that He came to earth in lowly circumstances. A cattle stall, not a palace was His nursery. Shepherds, not regal attendants witnessed His arrival. And yes, a cross, not a crown stood waiting for Him at the end of an earthly sojourn filled with trials and tribulations designed to create sympathy for the ones He came to save. From struggle through perseverance to victory: cradle, cross, crown.

Have Plane, Will Travel

President Obama is in Oslo today to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm not even going to begin to comment on the vacuous nature of the award; the President and his ilk think it is worthy (more commentary on their standards.) This President's penchant for traveling seems to be unprecedented. Next week he'll be in Copenhagen, then it's off to Hawaii for Christmas.

In November it was Asia: Japan, China and Korea. That was after jetting separate times to New Jersey, Wisconsin, Texas, and Alaska. October saw the President fly to San Fransisco, New Orleans, Texas, New York, Hackensack, Boston, Connecticut, Florida, and again to New Jersey. September's jaunts included a vacation to Camp David, then Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Lordstown and Pittsburgh, Maryland, Troy (NY), New York City for UN speeches, and back to Pittsburgh for the G-20. August began with a weekend at Camp David, then trips to Elkhart (IN), Guadalajara (Mexico), New Hampshire, Montana, Colorado, Phoenix, Cape Cod (a day at the shore), and Boston for Edward Kennedy's funeral. Egypt, Germany, Russia, Italy, Saudi Arabia filled the President's summer travel schedule in June and July.

Okay, maybe that was overkill. I teach my English Comp students that concrete examples are necessary to fully make one's point. The frosting on this cake is that Michelle Obama often travels with her husband, which is fine. But in the case of the one day trip to Copenhagen (which was so last minute it didn't make the calendar,) to pitch Chicago's bid to host the Olympic games, the first couple took separate flights, both private. This extravagance is exclusive of the extra 747 that follows the President with his entourage anytime he goes overseas. That's three jumbo jets to Europe for a forty-five minute presentation shilling for the Pres's home town.

Somebody with more time, research ability and math skills than I should do the comparison chart with other Presidents. I could be wrong, but I suspect that Obama would top the chart for miles, days away from Washington and money spent on trips. I know that the Asia, Europe and Africa trips could be considered valuable foreign policy junkets. I would feel better about them if our leader hadn't bashed the US at virtually every stop, though. And the US trips, for the most part, were oddly reminiscent of campaign appearances. Most of the time, he was plugging health care reform.

One begins to wonder what this President thinks his job is. Brave men and women are fighting and dying in Afghanistan while the Commander-in-Chief dithers for three months about plans to reinforce the effort as recommended by his generals in the field. The economy continues its decline as unemployment rises and the President can only talk about how much worse it would be if his party were not mortgaging our descendants' futures. Even his plan to spend our way out of recession is going so slowly that the majority of the money won't hit the streets until midway through 2010, coincidentally just ahead of the elections in November.

What I think is happening is that we are getting what we deserve. (Yes, we. No, I didn't vote for Barak Obama. But neither did I work very hard to see that more acceptable people were running and being elected instead.) We chose a man who looked good and spoke well. Now he is enjoying his reign as the first black President, clean and articulate, as Joe Biden once commented. I think Barak and Michelle believe they have hit the community organizer jackpot, like winning some national lottery of political success. They are milking it for everything they can get away with, expenses be damned. After all, I suspect they reason, they deserve it.

Every day I pray for my President. Every day I wonder exactly what to say to my Father in heaven. I usually start with the ancient wisdom that teaches us that the king's heart is in the Lord's hands. This is some comfort, until I remember that the heart of the Babylonian king was in God's hands just before the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem. I often recite the Apostle Paul's comment that the authorities which exist do so by God's ordination. I trust that by praying for my leaders, we may live quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness and reverence, as Paul suggests elsewhere. I can't help but wonder if I am more in the line of Jeremiah or Simeon; they were both praying for the salvation of Israel, you know. Only one of them died happy.

Arguments for (Religious) Idiots

Glenn Beck has a segment on his radio show and now a book called Arguing With Idiots. Beck is making an effort to arm his readers/listeners with the facts necessary to defend a conservative position in an increasingly hostile society -- hostile to conservative ideas, anyway. A recent Bible study, an e-mail debate and my personal devotions have simultaneously raised the question of how Christians should deal with (pardon me, Father) idiots.

Right, the Bible doesn't use the term idiots; it calls the people to which I refer fools. The thirteenth Psalm reports that the fool says there is no god. The ancient word translated "fool" in Scripture is the foundation from which we get our word "moron." So while the etymology may be different, our modern use of the word "idiot" corresponds with the Biblical "fool." Basically, all the terms describe someone who is without knowledge, to put it kindly.

So how do you argue with a person who is lacking knowledge? One answer is not to argue at all. The Apostle Paul recommends that Timothy avoid "foolish, ignorant controversies." (2 Timothy 2:23 ESV) Yet the Apostle Peter commands that we always be prepared to give "a reason for the hope" we have. (1 Peter 3:15) The Proverbs likewise caution against foolish arguments, yet suggest wise interaction is acceptable. Allow me to offer a Beck-like solution in abbreviated form. Here are some suggestions for arguing with religious idiots.

1. Remember Whom you represent. Remain calm, cool and gentle (meek, if you like) so that if possible you might lead the person to a saving knowledge. God is not glorified by ranting, raving lunatics.

2. Find out first where your idiot's lack of knowledge lies. Is he a true atheist? These are few and far between. More likely you have landed with an agnostic; these folks don't think there is a supreme being, but are not really sure. The two classes can not be dealt with alike.

a. If your idiot really believes there is not, can not, could not possible be a being whom one would call "god," you are dealing with an irrational person. Really, a true atheist can not exist logically. Here's why: to say with absolute conviction that there is no god implies that one knows everything there is to be known in the universe, and that complete knowledge eliminates the possibility of god. Obviously, no one can know everything that can be known, so this position is totally illogical. If your idiot refuses to buy your argument, smile, say a silent prayer for him and find someone else to talk to.

b. If you get your idiot to admit there might be a god, you have an agnostic to deal with. These folks are at least being reasonable, and reason is a God-given tool we can use. At this point you need to find out what your idiot knows about the Bible. Pure reason can bring a person to an admission that a god exists, but only knowledge of the God of the Bible will get a person into Heaven. It is not likely that your agnostic believes the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God, so you must start with your argument at this point.

3. Defense of the Bible, proof that it is unlike any other book ever written is complicated. Entire books have been written on the subject. Perhaps I am the idiot for trying to summarize such an important topic this briefly, but I must try. Here are five arguments for accepting the Bible as a supernatural revelation from the God who created everything. Do your own study on each if you wish to improve your skill at defense.

a. Historical and archaeological accuracy

The more we learn about the peoples and times of the Bible, the more accurate the Scripture record proves to be. Whole cities and people groups that were once thought to be Bible myth have subsequently been discovered, proving the accuracy of the ancient writings.

b. Internal consistency

I can attest to the difficulty of staying consistent throughout long written passages. I spent several years writing my first novel, and it was a struggle to keep characters and situations consistent from start to finish. The Bible was written not by one, but by over forty authors spanning well over one thousand years. In spite of this, the message proclaimed in the opening chapters is developed and finally completed in the closing words written centuries later without a single inconsistency.

c. Fulfilled prophecy

Archeology and textual criticism have combined to verify that the words written in the Old Testament were penned centuries before the events they foretold. We are not dealing with vague allusions like Nostradamus here, but hard facts that can be corroborated. And this is not one or two, but scores of legitimate prophecies which were fulfilled in provable ways. The mathematical probability of just two or three happening as foretold is astronomical.

d. Logical necessity

If we suggest that a supposedly loving Creator exists, it is only reasonable that He would communicate in some way with His creatures. This is a somewhat circular argument, I know. If a caring god exists, then a revelation proving his existence is inevitable. Just ask your idiot if it doesn't make sense that a Father would want to get in touch with his children, especially if he has some really great news for them.

e. Human experience throughout history

Many serious agnostics have attacked the Bible intending to prove it false only to wind up being converted. (Consider C.S. Lewis.) Most people you will encounter are either being irrational (see 2a. above) or they haven't really examined the claims of the Scripture. An honest, open-minded look is sometimes all that is necessary to win the argument.

4. Ask your idiot if he is a true materialist. Many agnostics think they oppose the idea of anything super-sensory (or supernatural.) In fact, no one can think any thoughts at all without the immaterial: the mind. We know mind is not the same as brain; we suspect the mind needs the brain, and we believe they are related, but we know they are not identical. You may want to cautiously suggest that since our human mind exists in an extra-material plane, it is not unreasonable to hypothesize that a greater being could also exist outside of our five senses.

5. Ultimately, of course, faith is required (believing is seeing.) This should not dissuade you from approaching idiots. Even quasi-scientific matters like evolution and many aspects of quantum physics require a healthy dose of faith to assert that they are true. It all comes down to what or whom you choose to believe in. Science has proven notoriously unreliable: flat earth -- sphere; sun moves around earth -- earth revolves around sun; surrounded by ether -- space is empty; like charges always repel -- positive protons bond in atomic nuclei. God on the other hand has not changed in all of human experience, if the record of His existence in Scripture is to be believed. It all boils down to a choice.

You, Christian, have a choice as well: be ready to take the idiots to task with kind reason or don't. Whatever you choose, always remember your purpose on Earth is to glorify God (see point 1. above.) Remember also that the God whom you choose to "defend" is already the winner of every argument, in the final analysis. He also promised you the supernatural help of His Spirit if you decide to enter the fray. Suit up and good hunting; there are plenty of idiots out there needing your help.