Let the Church Say, "Hey Man!"

"Let the Church Say Amen" is the title of a new gospel song that has an infectious melody and has become an instant church favorite.  It brings to mind memories of joyous Sunday morning services where the preacher beckons the congregation to help punctuate a rousing sermon with a collective, "Amen."

When I think about the travesty that occurred in Florida where Trayvon Martin, a young African-American teen armed with a pack of candy lost his life because he was considered a menace to society, I can't help but want to punctuate my thoughts with, "Hey, man!"

To George Zimmerman, the zealous neighborhood watchman, I say, "Hey, man!" Since when is it a crime for a young African-American teen to mind his own business and walk freely to his own home?

To the local police officials who readily accepted Zimmerman's account of the shooting despite 911 calls and witness statements to the contrary, I say, "Hey, man!" Is this your way of reminding us that Florida is still in the South and that although we are a long way away from the overt racism of the 1950s, there is still an undercurrent of presumed guilt when it comes to African-Americans? Sadly, this presumption seems to have been adopted by persons of all races.

To the official who decided to allow Zimmerman to continue to walk free, I say, "Hey, man!" You are essentially declaring that the neighborhood is safer with an armed hyper-vigiliant, self appointed watchman like Zimmerman roaming free and a talented, responsible young man like Trayvon Martin dead.

To those that think that racism is dead and that African-Americans are just overly sensitive, I say, "Hey, man!" Are you watching the same news reports that I am?  When is the last time a non-African-American was accused of being suspicious or out of place and subsequently killed for walking or jogging through a predominantly African-American neighborhood?  I'm sure it happens occasionally, but most are able to move about with impunity.

If it turns out that Zimmerman has indeed not only killed Trayvon's body but tarnished his name by lying about what happened that evening, not only has he violated God's commandment against murder, he has essentially committed two for one:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Exodus 20:16)

I would hope that those in position to execute justice in this case will keep in mind that, God has declared "a false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall not escape." (Proverbs 19:5)

Many hearts are heavy and grieved over this tragedy.  Let us listen, watch as well as pray for what God is saying and expecting from all of us in response to this situation.  And, after God has spoken, let us do what He calls us to do, say what He calls us to say and be whom He has called and equipped us to be for such a time as this.  Let the church say, "Amen."

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen

Vote for Me Because I'm Not Him

There has been a recurring theme throughout the tiresome reality show that has been masquerading as a Presidential primary.  Over and over the emphasis has been on finding someone who "can beat Obama."

If the President's leadership has been as horrible as the parade of Presidential hopefuls wants us to believe it is, why is there such a frenzied effort to find someone who "can beat Obama?"

It would seem to me that if someone is so far ahead of the rest of the pack that the only way to win the race is not just to do your best, but to do better than the front runner's best, the front runner must certainly be a formidable foe. 

The hopefuls are so consumed with "beating Obama" that they have viciously turned on themselves, attacking one another in a desperate effort to prove that they are not afraid to take on the President.  I suppose they are trying to frighten the President, but so far they have only succeeded in frightening voters.

Instead of providing respectable options for the American people that would allow November's election to truly be a Presidential race, the strongest and most consistent message coming from all of the hopefuls is, "Vote for me, because I'm not him."

Friends, this is not a race for student council.  It's not even a race for county council--which, by the way, can be very issue-oriented races.  As responsible adults, when it comes to electing someone to serve as the President of the United States, how can we seriously consider anyone who makes the blame game and flag-waving the foundation of their platform?

If President Obama was truly to blame for the rising gas prices, why then does he not also get the credit for saving the automobile industry? If he was responsible for the downturn in the economy, why does he not get the credit for the recent upturn in the rate of employment?

We certainly expect any incumbent's record to be scrutinized by those who desire to unseat them.  But, the blame game is a one-sided, close-minded, childish approach that has no place in an election of this magnitude. 
 
The American people all have have eyes, ears and enough intelligence to determine how we feel about the President's performance without a cast of characters casting caustic commentary to camoflauge the crass nature of their own calamitous campaigns.
 
If the candidates are having a hard time running their own campaigns on substance, what makes us think they have the substance to run an entire country?
 
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 11:13)
 
Friends, this is not child's play.  Blind partisanship must give way to godly wisdom, which God will generously pour out on anyone who asks.  God's agenda supersedes any political agenda, and we must seek and trust God through this process.  We cannot lean on our own understanding and we should not allow candidates to lean on weak platforms to earn our votes. 

Anyone who thinks they can take the reigns and do a better job than the President must lay out a solid, credible agenda.  And, hopefully, anyone voting in the Republican primaries and in the November Presidential election will not fall for anyone who essentially declares, "Vote for me, because I'm not him."

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen

Blind Ambition

What are you setting your sights on?

Many of us have been taught that we must strive to be successful at something at any cost.  And, usually that "something" is a career that yields a high income, fame or fortune. 

In the beginning, we may strive to be "successful" to please our families, but once some of us get a taste of success, we start to enjoy the notions and the perks of success enough to chase after it on our own.

MSN cites a University of Notre Dame study in which lead researcher Timothy Judge says, "Ambitious people do achieve more successful careers. But that doesn't seem to translate into leading happier or healthier lives."

Perhaps instead of striving to find success at any cost, we should be striving to lead "happier or healthier lives" and let success find us.

God has given each of us gifts to be used for His glory and for the betterment of our and other's lives. Why then do we find it so hard to believe that those gifts are the most direct path to success?

Why would God give us the gift of writing but send us to a job that's all about crunching numbers?  In some circumstances He might do that to work out patience, trust, faith, or something along those lines.  But, for the most part, I suspect that it is not God sending us on wayward assignments, it's us. Think about it.  Would God's plan for our success include stabbing others in the back or advancing at someone else's expense?

For example, the whole problem with the money changers in the temple was not that they were there conducting legitimate business.  Everything took place in and around the temple, including business.  It was the central hub of life.  The problem was that the moneychangers turned a real need into an opportunity to inflate their prices and disproportionately increase their personal "success" as businessmen.

In God's economy, one person's success should not be built heavily on the stressful sacrifices of another.  Certainly, business owners are expected to make a profit, but when were on the right course, everyone wins.  But, we steer ourselves off course when we begin to measure success by any other standard than our ability to line up with God's plan for our lives.  This is not only true for careers, but for family relationships.

Some people recognize that they are destined to marry, but quickly settle for violent or emotionally abusive relationships without being still long enough to hear God say "Yes," "No," or "Not Now."

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.  Psalm 32:8

No matter how good our natural or corrected vision is, God's ability to "see" is exponentially keener than ours.  So, why do we lean on our own understanding of what we see regarding our future success when God has declared "I will guide thee with mine eye."

Let's face it, when we consider some of the detours and derailments we experienced following our or someone else's definition of success, we have been operating with blind ambition.  In other words, we have been clueless about what we should really be striving for, yet God tells us that we "have not because [we] ask not."

If you are unhappy or unfulfilled where you are in life, talk to God about it, and take the time to listen for His response. I did that in 2001 and it resulted in me leaving my "good Government job" and paycheck to go into ministry. 

As a result, I have had many lean days, but God has always provided.  And, when I consider all of the people I have been able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death with or offer a timely word of exhortation in a time of despair, I have developed a different, richer perspective on "success"-- and success is completely separate from what or whether someone decides to pay me. 

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.  2 Corinthians 5:9

When we make it our aim to please God, success will find us, for then "the eyes of [our] understanding [are] being enlightened; that [we] may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints...." Ephesians 1:18

Viewing life through anything less than the lenses of God's enlightened vision would simply be blind ambition.

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen