10-Feb 2007
Sunday school:
Proverbs 27:1&2
Choruses:
Scripture reading: #674
Vespers:
Wednesday class:
I am irritated by politicians who ‘stay on message.’
I heard a political
strategist telling a room full of political candidates, “If someone asks you
‘What are you going to do about Global Warming?’ and your campaign issue is
education – say, ‘I’m glad you asked that. I truly believe that we must do
everything we can to address the needs of children across the state and
providing good, quality pre-K education to them is where we must start.’”
That’s called ‘staying on
message.’ It irritates the soup out of me. I also get really disgusted when
elected officials come to town for speaking engagements where the Q@A is
tailored to hear what the politician is doing rather than let the politician
hear what the people think.
I am also irritated by
Christians who ‘stay on message!’ You know the type. It’s the person who thinks
that every situation is an occasion to be pious and talk the holy talk that
generally centers ‘against sin and sinners.’ It’s the person who believes that
all one needs to do to change one’s life is to ‘repent’ and become a ‘christian’ according to their mold and model.
Those folks don’t want to
hear that there are some problems that won’t be overcome by repentance.
There are problems of
addiction, mental and emotional stress and duress, inequities that have taken
their toll and injustices that have left great damage. These folks need functioning
Christians who are living Matthew 5 - functioning Christians who are living
their lives in such a way that others “see their good works and glorify their
Father, Who is in heaven.”
If we are to function as Christians we must understand
and address the needs around us, not our own agendas and priorities.
Ø
We must see the insignificant who are hidden in plain
sight - because He came to seek and to save.
He saw those the world looked past…
·
the tax collector in the tree;
·
the woman at the well;
·
the little woman who had hemorrhaged for many years.
Ø
We must understand His heart to
determine our path.
What touched His heart must touch ours.
Ø
We must be flexible to be His hand
extended.
None of the prophets fit the mold…
·
John the Baptist didn’t;
·
Jesus didn’t;
·
Paul didn’t…
·
Martin Luther didn’t…
·
nor did Martin Luther King.
Ø
We must have the message that will
touch all His people –
·
not just those who are acceptable.
If it won’t work in the