Law, rules, and priorities

Some thoughts this Monday morning June 9,2020.

 

These are some of the most confusing times in the history of the United States when values and rules that the nation was founded upon are being changed, threatened, or ignored.  I admit it is difficult to know how to walk through the circumstances of our lives and maintain the mindsets that we have had regarding previous values and rules and foundations of this society and our lives.

 

I read an article yesterday by Brittany Breese wife of NFL Drew Breese. It got me to reconsidering some of my "values" in light of things going on in this world.  What are my "values" based on and what role do "my values” play in my interactions with my fellow human beings?  

 

Recently a friend of mine shared her take on the now often mandated "face mask" issue. She said she isn't going to wear them and put her decision within the framework of what the scriptures say about eating or not eating foods offered to idols.  

 

Do I agree with her? I am beginning to realize that whether I agree or not, my first responsibility as a believer in Jesus Christ IS NOT to hold up MY standard of values in relationship to hers, but to listen to her and seek to have insight into what she is concerned about and perhaps struggling with.

 

I tend to be one that holds up high standards of right and wrong IN MY OPINION.

And as things begin to crumble around this society, I realize that I have failed to put relationships above standards.

 

This morning I read a post where a top executive in government slammed a person who took a stand to put relationship issues above a previously "personally determined standard" which the executive himself held in high honor.  And Holy Spirit spoke pointedly to my heart that I often do this.

 

My daughter who lives in Seattle where there have been 10 nights of riots/looting/fires following protests called me on the choices of priorities that I chose to speak about. For I had pointed to the riots/looting/fires as consequences of the protests, and she shared that I was missing completely the hurt and pain and frustration of the human beings that were protesting legally. Like Drew Breese who at first said that kneeling at a football game was dishonoring the American flag and then apologized realizing in this day, that honoring the American Flag is not the ultimate priority in life...that he realizes today, that kneeling is a way of communicating to those that are hurting and feeling oppressed that someone is listening. Communication and listening above a highly held standard of the flag’s value.

 

I know well within myself, that my values and standards OFTEN stand between me and hearing and listening and showing personal interest in folks whose values and way of life might be different from my own.

 

A new friend recently told me how her daughter who was a drug addict and lived on the streets and liked her freedom to come and go and do what she wanted finally got through to her. “MOM.... quit telling me to live the kind of life you do. I don't want to have to go to work and be consumed by a job like you do, or live a lifestyle like you do. True, I don't like the consequences of my life style, but I don't want yours. Mom, I don't keep telling you to come try my life style...that yours is wrong. Mom, I just want you to be with me, to hear what I am doing like I like to hear what you are doing even if it isn't what I choose as my life style.”

 

How do we validate a human being who is in a lifestyle that violates our own standards and values?  

 

One of the things that I hear the Lord saying to His Church in these conflicted days, is HUMBLE YOURSELVES.... turn from your wicked ways, praying...THEN I will hear from heaven and bring healing to your land.

 

He doesn't speak to the homeless who are "comfortable" in their life style or the drug addict or alcoholic to change so he can heal this land...but to us who proclaim His Holy Name.... that we are to come to the conscious awareness that we are human just like the people under the bridge, the protestors, the rioters, the criminals in our prisons.

Many of my fellow believers don't even know what it means to be human...and therefore it is impossible for them to be humble. Often we excuse our humanity by saying, I'm just human. I make mistakes.  While that is an aspect of our humanity.... my humanity says, I am flawed, at the core, and there is nothing you do as a human that I am not capable of.

 

Jesus made it clear as he dealt with the difference between the way the Law, which is holy, looks at things and the way God's Love and Life in Christ Jesus addresses things.

Ok, I haven't murdered anyone...I'm ok under the Law...but Jesus said...if you call a person a fool...you are guilty of murder.   Yikes.... if you look on a person with lust and desire, you are guilty of adultery/fornication.  

 

A few days ago I listened to a local pastor talk about his time in the woodshed with the Holy Spirit. And God was dealing with him with his anger...and he shared with his people, the struggle he has in laying down his anger.... which by the way is the result of our "judgment" of a situation that it is not "what it should be."  Ultimately, the problem with anger, which is an emotion that comes from my thinking/mindset about a situation, is that most of us validate our anger based on our assessment of what is right or wrong according to me.  Or maybe it is according to what I think God thinks.

Man's anger does not produce the righteousness of God. God has provided the cross for us to lay our anger down on and allow the power and life of Christ in us to come forth according to HIS MIND, which He paid the price to dwell in us.

 

My friend today was struggling with the issue of whether to go to church services where it's required to wear a face mask along with having to call and indicate what service one will attend in order to have proper social distancing.  She admittedly hadn't heard from the Lord yet.... and to my failure...I admit that I suggested that if she'd lay her "standard" of wearing a mask down at the cross, she might hear from the Lord. So I ended up doing just exactly what I've been talking about.  I didn't identify with her struggle to know how to relate in the midst of a confusing time.... instead I gave an unsolicited suggestion which in itself just “laid out another judgment.”

 

The protests that are going on around the world are awakening many in the Body of Christ to something that has long been deficient in our community and fellowships.

 

How often someone shares something and we reply with a seemingly appropriate "bible verse" or admonition?  Yep, guilty here.  How hard it is to even lay our right scriptures down at the cross...let go of "our rightness" and maybe just hug someone...(in violation of social distancing even, maybe?)  I notice the protestors are so concerned about the injustice they have identified with that social distancing and the fear of getting covid19 is way down on their "value system"...though it appears the utility of wearing face masks is way high because it keeps them from being identified and protection from tear gas!

 

So what am I saying?  Humility/humbleness humbling ourselves before the Almighty God means that we are free to be human and in total need of Him, in total need of His love to even love someone. And more, that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which we personify in laws and in THE Law...kills us. It keeps us from being free to be the weak and frail humans we are that God has chosen to indwell and pour His spirit upon. All law tells us we aren't good enough...and encourages us to keep making an effort to be good and do “right” which ultimately we can never do 100% because I am human.

 

I hear Jesus saying this in the story of the rich young ruler. And some of you may be at odds with me over this understanding of scripture...The young ruler comes to Jesus...but he isn't recognizing him as LORD, Messiah, but...a good man...a good teacher...1st mistake which Jesus immediately addresses...why call me that? No one is good but the Father...and then the young man asks what more he can do to "please God" as he's done all he could in keeping the law. And how does Jesus respond? Jesus responded to him as someone who is looking to the law to save him, to approve him so in that vein, Jesus says, “OK...young ruler...go sell all you own and give it to the poor.” and the young rich man went away sorrowful.

 

Under the law...there is NO END. There will always something else we will have to do to please the Father.... because the law was given to show us our humanity, our inability to please God.  Pleasing God isn't possible except by the Spirit of God working in us.

 

He alone makes us acceptable to God.

 

Jesus died to make all men acceptable to God. Until we recognize our base humanity...and realize the death that reigns in our human flesh, we will have no fellowship with anyone.... because that is the only ground to really recognize our humanity...to be humble and truly relate to other.  It is where and only how I can see my fellow human beings as equals, equally corrupt in heart and therefore FREE OF MY JUDGMENT. Ouch.

 

And the neatest thing is that it is also the place where I AM FREE of my own anger, resentments, and expectations...free to admit them and lay them down rather than carry them as weights and anchors of my soul.  Here I can relate to my fellow humans who are hurting, those who carry weights and have their souls twisted from years of injustice....

 

Does it mean I go out and protest on the streets? I can't even respond to that because that is something each person much assess according to whether or not he's willing to pay the price to do or not to do...just as I must. But can I listen to him if he choses to protest and I don’t? What if he's caught up in rioting or porn or addiction?

Can I relate to him where he is?  Probably not unless I live and move and have my being in Christ Jesus...because He does relate to every human being for whom He died, whom He created to live in Him.... But what if they reject Jesus...then I ask...Father what are you doing and how do I co-labor with you in that person's life?  Will I weep with those that weep even if maybe they week in loud voices of protest?

 

Even writing this from the comfort of my 40 foot Fifth wheel surrounded by flowers and green trees and the quietness of a rural setting...I have to ask once again, Lord how am I relating to You, to your children, to my fellow believers, to those who are angry? It comes down to how do I relate to my husband who is angry? to fellow believers who are angry with the angry protestors? Those who are angry that they are told to wear facemasks and they don't like to be told to do anything, much less wear facemasks that makes it hard to breathe normally?  

 

These are things each of us must work out before and with the Lord Himself and His word....otherwise we just put up another "law" or "rule" by which to insulate our own beings from the reality of our human nature and our total need of Him.

 

Meri Ford