We Can’t Have One Without the Other

At first, it took me by surprise, even as a shock. But I’ve discovered there are pockets within the Christian community where it’s being taught there’s really no need to worry about what God says in the Old Testament. That all we need to know for following Jesus Christ is contained in the New Testament. 

Not naming names, but even some prominent preachers are telling their congregations to disregard Old Testament teachings. A post I wrote recently received a comment to that effect. The person stated, “the Ten Commandments aren’t Christian, have never bound Gentiles, and the apostles were clear that Gentiles who become Christians are not…under the law of Moses.”

 

Part of the problem, I suspect, is that Old Testament law has traditionally been divided by theologians into three main categories – moral, ceremonial, and civil (or judicial). Ceremonial laws deal with religious worship, ritual purity, and the sacrificial system. It’s true many of those laws were intended specifically for the people of ancient Israel. These would include dietary restrictions, animal sacrifices, annual festivals to be observed, and physical circumcision. 

 

Many modern-day Jews continue to honor certain dietary laws and religious observances. As for the symbolic animal sacrifices, Jesus’s death on the cross eliminated the need for those. And most followers of Jesus don’t practice dietary restrictions for religious purposes. 

 

However, moral and civil laws presented in the Old Testament remain just as valid today as they were thousands of years ago. Civil law provided the rules that governed Israel as a distinct national community and society, and many of these same laws were instrumental to the forming of the United States, being reflected in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

 

For instance, those laws concerned restitution, courtroom testimony, guilt and innocence, provisions for people in need, and many other things. To this day, such principles have helped maintain the United States as the unique nation it is. Laws established by God are timeless, reflecting the fallenness of humankind and the necessity for establishing guidelines for conduct, both individually and collectively.

 

Perhaps most important are the moral laws given in the Old Testament, which reflect God’s unchanging holiness and character. This is where the Ten Commandments are especially pertinent. In fact, Jesus alluded to them specifically. 

 

One day a member of the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders and teachers, confronted Him: “‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:34-40).

 

Without listing them individually, Jesus was referring to the Ten Commandments, as found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.The first four concern our relationship with God – to love Him foremost; not to worship idols; not to take His name in vain, and to observe a weekly Sabbath day. The remaining six, including honoring parents, not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying, and not coveting what others have, concern how we relate to one another.

 

Another time Jesus made clear His attitude was not, “Well, that was then. This is now.” Rather, He declared His purpose was to be the fulfillment of the laws and prophecies God gave in the Old Testament. In His Sermon on the Mount, He stated, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will be any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18). 

 

Jesus then proceeded to address a number of important moral and legal issues, including murder and malice, adultery, keeping promises, seeking revenge, loving adversaries, and giving to the needy, all of which were addressed in the Old Testament.

 

But the priceless truths of the Old Testament go far beyond the commandments and regulations God prescribed. We learn just as much about His character there as we do in the New Testament. His promises there apply just as much for us today as they did for the ancient Israelites. They speak of His love, faithfulness, perfection, omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience, justice, righteousness, and assurances of His unfailing care and provision.

 

In 1 John 4:16 we’re told that “God is love,” and we see that embodied in Christ – His teachings, actions during His earthly ministry, His sacrificial death, and His resurrection. But we dare not forget that God also is holy and just, intolerant of sin, and unwaveringly determined to mete out justice in His perfect way and time. The Old Testament reveals this so clearly.

 

The refrain from an old song said, “love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage…. You can’t have one without the other.” It could just as easily have said, “go together like the Old Testament and the New Testament” (except it wouldn’t have rhymed). You can’t have one without the other.

Considering Things Jesus Never Addressed

When I was visiting my uncle, aunt and cousins in Houston, Texas after my junior year of high school, Uncle Joe kindly took it upon himself to teach me how to drive. He was amazingly patient as I tried to follow his instructions on the old, orange Chevy pickup truck he called “Aurora.” It had a 3-speed manual transmission on the column, starter button on the floor, and clutch I had to learn to negotiate along with the gas pedal and brake. 

 

It was frustrating early on, figuring out how to engage and disengage the clutch while releasing the brake and stepping on the gas without either stalling out the truck or revving up the engine. Then there was learning to back out of his long driveway. Cars – and old trucks – didn’t have backup cameras then. Eventually I caught on, and his tutoring has served me well.

 

To this day I remember many of the things Uncle Joe taught me about driving. But some things he didn’t need to teach me. For instance, he never cautioned me about texting while driving. The reason is obvious: There were no cell phones in those days. Even if they had existed, he wouldn’t have said, “Yeah, sure, go ahead and chat on your phone. Sounds like a great idea to me. Let the other drivers look out for themselves.” He also never cautioned me about carrying explosive devices in the trunk of my car, or driving blindfolded.

 

Some things are so evident they don’t need to be said.

 

I mention this because increasingly we’re hearing people opine about what somebody else didn’t say. That somebody is Jesus Christ. People – even some within the Church – read His quotations in the four gospels, along with some in the Book of Acts and other New Testament books. (Printed in red in some Bibles.) Then they conclude, “Jesus didn’t have anything to say about this, so He must have had no objections to it.”

 

Seems they’re assuming Jesus’ words in the Scriptures represent the totality of everything He said and thought about during his 33 years on earth. This is ludicrous. If we were to take every one of His statements in the Bible and put them together, they probably wouldn’t amount to more than a week or two of conversation, if that.

 

The words of Christ in the Scriptures aren’t everything He ever said. They are, however, everything the Lord deemed necessary for the writers of the New Testament to include as they recounted His life and ministry. Just as the Bible doesn’t comprise everything there is to know about God – but it’s everything He determined we need to know about Him. All the libraries and bookstores in the world couldn’t begin to contain all the information about the infinite, eternal God who created the universe. 

 

The apostle John wrote, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).

 

What I’m getting at is the way some folks offer opinions of what Jesus would say about myriad topics, ranging from abortion and illegal immigration to lifestyles that would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago. As if to say, “Since Jesus didn’t comment on it, He must not have a problem with it.”

 

Jesus never said anything either about kicking puppies, jumping out of airplanes without a parachute, running with scissors, taking up two spaces in the mall parking lot, or leaving the seat up on the toilet. Does that mean He would advocate such things?

 

When someone asked Jesus about what He considered the greatest of all commandments, He replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:38).

 

In other words, if we can succeed in following these two commandments, we’re doing well. Some choose to put extra emphasis on “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but Jesus said the greatest commandment of all is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Our thoughts, our actions and our words should all be governed by this mandate.

 

Another time, near the beginning of His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus asserted that His intent was not to cast aside the teachings that had been clearly established in the Old Testament, which comprised the Scriptures at that time. He declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).

 

Jesus was affirming that Old Testament teachings on such things as sexual immorality, stealing, murder, envy, and many others were not being nullified. He had come not only to serve as the atoning sacrifice for such sins, but also to provide us with the strength and freedom to overcome them.

 

The entirety of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the revealed Word of God. In essence, the very words Jesus would speak to us today. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness.”

Considering How You Would Want to Be Treated

We see it all too often: People berating a customer service associate or cashier. Students displaying disrespect to their teachers. Faceless individuals typing insults or mercilessly bullying others on social media. Protesters shouting epithets, sometimes engaging in acts of physical violence.  

TV commentators showing little patience or respect, shouting down each other’s statements and opinions. Athletes spitting on each other. In some cities, looters breaking into stores and carrying out goods of all kinds. Hostile politicians grandstanding to demonstrate opposition to the speaker.

 

The list could go on. Depending on who they happen to agree with, observers either applaud such actions or condemn them. A couple lines from the 1966 Vietnam-era protest song by Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth,” summarized what we’re still seeing 60 years later:

“There’s battle lines being drawn

Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong…

A thousand people in the street

Singing songs and a-carrying signs

Mostly say hooray for our side….”

 

Sound familiar? Why has our society come to this? What has spawned this age when incivility has become the norm; acrimony is viewed as acceptable, even commendable behavior; and common manners and decorum have been cast into the dumpster?

 

In a time when people across the political spectrum build arguments based on their own interpretations of “the rule of law,” it seems we’ve forgotten – or dismissed – a far greater rule. It’s what we commonly know as “the Golden Rule”: “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31).

 

Jesus Christ addressed this in a variety of ways. Matthew 22:36-40 records an occasion when the Pharisees, religious leaders who prided themselves on external rules-keeping, asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Perhaps they presumed He would select a particular favorite from the Ten Commandments.

 

His response wasn’t what they expected. “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

The first is foundational for everything, but let’s focus on the second. Jesus’ words, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” were another way of saying, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ as the King James Version translates it. The phrase is repeated elsewhere in the New Testament, including Romans 13:8-9, Galatians 5:14 and James 2:8. 

 

Unfortunately, the prevailing mindset these days seems very different, more like, “do to others before they can do it to you.” Do whatever you feel like doing; worry about the consequences later.

 

What does it actually mean to “do to others as you would have them do to you”? Maybe the best way to answer that is to look at the last part and ask, “How do you want others to treat you?”

 

Would you want people to politely hear and respect your opinions, even if they don’t agree with them? Whether in your home, at work or another setting, would you want someone to genuinely listen to what you had to say? If you were a teacher and had spent hours preparing the lesson for the day, would you want your students to be attentive and desiring to learn? 

 

Looking at it another way, if you were a sales associate in a department store, would you want someone angrily accosting you about some grievance, even if you had nothing to do with it? If you were a law enforcement officer, would you want folks throwing objects at you simply because you’d been assigned to that area to maintain order? If you owned a retail business, would you want people breaking windows and stealing everything within reach?

 

This brings to mind the adage attributed to native Americans about walking a mile in the moccasins of another individual. Doing to others as we would have them do to us involves putting ourselves in their place, trying to understand their needs and feelings, and responding appropriately.

 

Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) illustrates this perfectly. A man, a Jew, had been robbed and beaten, left for dead. Two upright religious leaders, a priest and a Levite, saw the man but moved to the other side of the road, acting as if they hadn’t noticed them. Obviously, they never considered what if they had suffered the same plight.

 

Then a Samaritan came along and even though Jews and Samaritans weren’t exactly bosom buddies in those days, he attended to the wounded man, took him to an inn nearby and promised to pay all expenses for his care. Whether he knew the commandment or not, the Samaritan literally did for another what he would have wanted someone to do for himself.

 

Years ago, people wore WWJD bracelets representing the question, “What would Jesus do?” Maybe we need to start wearing bracelets that read, DUOAYWHTDUY – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It could help to usher in a new season of civility and compassion.

Want to Be Great at Something? Can You Spare 10,000 Hours?

Rules. Most of us don’t like them, except when we can use them to our advantage. I’m thinking of the cynic who defined the Golden Rule as “he who has the gold rules.” He had a point – doesn’t it seem the folks with lots of money are wielding the greatest influence these days? 

But getting back to rules, we see evidence at how much people abhor rules (or laws) almost every day. The persons who not only defy the highway speed limit, but also weave recklessly from lane to lane just to get a few feet ahead of the next driver. I observed several of those just the other day. (No, I wasn’t one of them.)

 

Kids are notorious for disliking rules. Tell them something reasonable, like ‘Don’t touch the stove,’ and that only makes the stove top touch even more enticing. Rules like, ‘You have to clean up your room before you watch TV’ or, “You can’t have dessert until you finish your dinner’ are sure to ignite their rebellious streak. No parent in the world ever said, “I’m going to raise a little rule-breaker,” but that’s what typically happens.

 

We might blame such behavior on childish innocence or naivete, but as we grow up, we maintain our propensity for breaking rules. Often, with experience we get more skilled at concealing our ‘un-ruley’ behavior.

 

My typing skills have progressed a long
way since the days of 'a-s-d-f-space.'

This thing about rules goes all the way back to the Old Testament, when God was giving the no-longer-enslaved Israelites literal marching orders. When the Lord presented the Ten Commandments to Moses, as recounted in Exodus 20, the Israelites initially welcomed them and promised to keep them. ‘Sure, Yahweh, whatever You say!’

However, they soon found the commandments – only 10 – much too restrictive. So, in very short order they succeeded in breaking every one of those divine rules. Not once or twice, but so many times they lost count. You could say the remainder of the Old Testament is the story of God’s chosen people’s insistence on enthusiastically breaking all of His rules. 

 

Then, after a prophetic silence of hundreds of years, Jesus Christ arrived to become the ultimate remedy for chronic rules-breaking. At one point, someone asked Jesus to identify the greatest commandment. Perhaps thinking about how 10 commandments had proved too burdensome for most folks, He boiled them down to two: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

 

Pretty simple, huh? Love God with everything we’ve got, and love others just the way we would want them to love and treat us. What’s so difficult about that? I suppose it gets back to our propensity for breaking rules – we can’t even consistently keep two of them.

 

Years ago, I discovered an interesting rule that God didn’t originate, at least not explicitly. In his book, Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell explored what he termed the “10-000-Hour Rule.” He cited neurologist Daniel Levitin who concluded after exhaustive research that, “The emerging picture…is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert – in anything.”

 

Levitin said this applied to any discipline: “Composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again.” His studies showed that amount of time spent in practice and preparation didn’t guarantee success, but “no one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time.”

 

I’ve thought about this a lot. When I took personal typing as an elective class during my junior year of high school, I had no idea I’d spend my entire professional career with my fingers flying around a keyboard. I’ve far exceeded the 10,000-hour rule – to the point where if you were to ask me where a specific key is located, I couldn’t tell you. But thanks to countless hours of practice and muscle memory, my fingers know.

 

That’s why accomplished pianists devote so much time to practicing the scales, and outstanding basketball players spend so many hours practicing free throws. Aware of it or not, they were applying the 10,000-hour rule.

 

But how does that relate to things like the Ten Commandments and growing spiritually? I believe there’s a direct correlation.

 

More than 40 years ago, when I first became involved in parachurch ministry, I’d attend Bible studies and marvel when the “veterans” would spontaneously refer to relevant Scripture passages. ‘How do they do that?’ I wondered. 

 

Then I determined to read the Bible daily, even setting goals to read through the entire Word of God over the course of a year. At the same time, I resolved not only to read and study the Scriptures but also to memorize specific verses, meditate on them, strive to apply them, and endeavor to share them with others whenever opportunities presented themselves.

 

Now I understand how those godly business and professional leaders of years past could be so adept at knowing and teaching the Scriptures. Intentional or not, they’d been applying the 10,000-hour rule to their spiritual lives.

 

In effect, Deuteronomy 6:6-9 affirms this principle. Moses told the Israelites he was leading, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts…. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up…. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

 

If one were to practice this faithfully over the course of a lifetime, the 10,000-hour rule would be long surpassed – and spiritual maturity would be a very likely byproduct. Are you willing to put in the time?

Finding Freedom Within the Boundaries

Are you a fan of soccer? I must admit I’m not, even though it’s called “the beautiful game” in many parts of the world. Nevertheless, having had several grandchildren actively involved in soccer, I’ve watched a lot of it. The fact that they’ve been good at the sport has made the watching more enjoyable.

Soccer’s not my cup of tea because there’s too much back-and-forth without tangible results. Kind of reminds me of the party game in which you try to pick up cotton balls with a spoon while blindfolded. You keep scooping, but rarely do you succeed in capturing a cotton ball. That’s how I feel when I watch soccer – or “futbol,” as it’s often called by its devotees.

 

I find one aspect of the game fascinating, however. It’s the goal. The official dimensions for a soccer goal are 24 feet wide by eight feet high – 192 square feet, or 27,648 square inches. That seems like a large target, but not when you have an agile, athletic goalkeeper standing in the way of each shot on goal. This is why when a player does succeed at scoring, the announcer ecstatically shouts, “Gooooooooooal!”

 

When player take a shot at the goal with foot or head – no hands allowed – they’re aiming at a 192-square foot target. If they’re able to get the ball past the goalkeeper, anywhere within those boundaries, they and their teammates are entitled to a spontaneous celebration.

 

For folks like me, matches might be more fun if the goal were 12 feet high and 36 feet wide, but that probably would make scoring too easy – and less suspenseful for avid fans. Still, offensive players do have nearly 200 square feet to work with. Top, bottom, sides, or corners. Doesn’t matter, just as long the goalkeeper can’t stop the ball before it gets within the goal and crosses the goal line.

 

A similar principle applies for every follower of Jesus Christ. Some people regard the commandments and statutes that serve as the foundation for Christian living as too limiting, too restrictive. However, they actually provide much latitude. For instance, when some asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second it like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40).

 

In other words, love God as much as you want, as much as you can. And love your neighbor as you would love yourself, as much as you want, as much as you can. That doesn’t sound very limiting or restrictive, does it?

 

However, in another sense becoming and being a disciple of Christ is unapologetically restrictive. Jesus told a large crowd of people, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

We live in a society in which many folks choose to make their own rules, to live out their own “truth.” They live by the mantra, “If it feels good, do it. Follow your heart.” But feelings are fickle, and the heart is deceptive. In fact, the Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). 

 

So, the “wide gate” and “broad road” may seem like the right route to follow – until you discover too late there’s a huge sink hole in the middle of it and you tumble in.

 

We hear a lot about freedom these days, but what people often have in mind instead is license – doing whatever you want, no questions asked. That’s not freedom; that’s anarchy and rebellion. The Scriptures teach that God designed us and knows what’s best for us.  This is why some of His commands are “do,” and others are “don’t.”

 

Within the parameters of the Lord’s sovereign and moral will He gives us great latitude. Like a soccer goal, anything within it is good. It allows for love, joy, fulfillment, meaning, and most of all, an eternal relationship with our loving, merciful, gracious and forgiving God. Anything pursued outside of that, however, leads to destruction.

 

As with soccer, we might not like all the rules. We’d like to change them or do away with them altogether. But God’s statutes and standards are perfectly designed for His purposes – and for our good.

What Better Standard for Treating One Another?

Several years ago, a friend recommended reading The Founders’ Bible: The Origin of the Dream of Freedom, compiled by historian David Barton and general editors Brad Cummings and Lance Wubbels. Along with the complete Bible in the New American Standard version, it contains hundreds of articles and extensive commentary about what our Founding Fathers thought about Christianity, the Bible, and their role in the shaping of our nation.

 

My family bought me a copy of The Founders’ Bible as a birthday present a couple years back, and I’m finally starting the enjoyable and enlightening process of reading through it. One commentary I came across recently concerned the “Golden Rule,” which Jesus Christ presented in Matthew 7:12, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

This Bible’s contributors cited statements from several leaders that figured prominently in our nation’s history who affirmed that principle. One was John Adams, our second President and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who said, “One great advantage of the Christian religion is that it brings the great principle [of the Golden Rule]…to the knowledge, belief, and veneration of the whole people.” 

 

Another was Frederick Douglas, a minister, statesman and abolitionist, who declared, “I love the religion of our blessed Savior!... I love that religion that is based upon the glorious principle of love to God and love to man (Luke 10:27) – which makes its followers do unto others as they themselves would be done by (Matthew 7:12).”

 

The commentary closed with the statement, “Today, two thousand years after Jesus initially delivered it to His followers, the Golden Rule remains the best standard for how we should treat one another.” Indeed, where – whether in vast realms of religion, philosophy, sociology or psychology – can we find a better standard for treating one another?

 

At the same time, this concept was not some brainstorm Jesus had 2,000 years ago during His earthly ministry. When asked – actually challenged – by a religious leader to specify which was the greatest of all commandments, He responded by referring to Old Testament teachings. 

 

He said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36, Luke 10:27). These were taken from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, passages the Pharisees and others in the religious hierarchy of that day would have known very well.

 

While similar perspectives might appear in other belief systems, Christianity is unique in making these statements foundational for faithful belief and practice. Exodus 20:1-17 gives us the Ten Commandments, but in a wonderful economy of words, Jesus gave a clear and concise summation of them, the first four commandments addressing our relationship with God, and the subsequent six describing how we should interact with one another.

 

It's been said that in the seats of power, such as politics or business, there’s a very different “golden rule” espoused: “He who has the gold, rules.” But that’s not at all what the Lord had in mind when He gave this teaching to both His disciples and His detractors.

 

We find this truth permeating the Scriptures. We’re taught to fear God – holding Him in reverent, worshipful awe, acknowledging His greatness and power – and to love our “neighbors,” anyone we encounter over the course of our lives from day to day, even to the point of sacrificing our best interests so we can put others’ needs and concerns ahead of ourselves.

 

That’s what Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan is all about, even though as our society has drifted further and further from having the Word of God as its anchor, many people would be hard-pressed to identify where the term “good Samaritan” originated.

 

Imagine if by some miracle, people actually began treating other people the way that they themselves would want to be treated; that they actually started loving their fellow man and woman just as they’d like to be loved themselves, unconditionally and without reservation.

Indeed, if that were to be the case, we could probably strike half of the laws off the books – maybe more than that – and no one would ever know the difference.  

‘Tis Always the Season for Sowing and Reaping

Here many of us are in the dead of winter, gazing at barren tree limbs, dormant flower beds and maybe even a coating of snow on the ground. Because of this, most of us probably aren’t giving a lot of thought to things like planting flowers or vegetable gardens. But one doesn’t need a green thumb to be actively engaged in the process of sowing and reaping year-round.

Recently I was reminded of this while reading a familiar quote tagged at the end of a friend’s email. It read:

Sow a thought, and you reap an act.

Sow an act, and you reap a habit.

Sow a habit, and you reap a character.

Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

 

This isn’t talking about little seeds and different forms of vegetation; it concerns something much more important. It’s about the little things we do each day which don’t seem to matter, but if cultivated, repeated and nurtured over time, make a dramatic difference in the course of one’s life.

One example many of us can easily relate to is snacking at night. My wife and I will be watching TV, only an hour or so after eating a hearty dinner, and I’m thinking, ‘What can I eat?’ It’s often because I’m seeing folks on the TV screen eating something, or I’ve just viewed a commercial about potato chips or some fast-food restaurant. My stomach is still full, but suddenly, I’m “hungry.”

 

If this were just a one-time or occasional occurrence, it wouldn’t be a problem. But it happens night after night, same scenario. I had the thought initially, then I acted on it. When I acted on it again, it started to turn into a habit. If the habit becomes a dominating part of life, it affects my character. Then, potentially, it can affect my destiny.

 

We could apply this behavioral progression to many things, ranging from spending practices to alcoholism to viewing salacious content on the computer. Name the controlling behavior and you can bet it started as a simple thought, advanced into an act, turned into a habit, slowly shaped a character and then, perhaps, transformed into a destiny. From a negative perspective, that’s how addictions are created.

 

“You reap what you sow,” it’s said. But in truth, we reap much more than we sow. Whoever planted a kernel of corn with the intention of reaping just one more kernel of corn? Or placed a tomato plant in a garden with hopes of it producing a single tomato?

 

The key, it seems, is not to steer clear of the sowing and reaping principle, but to be cautious about what it is we’re sowing. This is one reason Proverbs 4:23 warns us to, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” What are your affections? What are those things that dominate your thoughts and attention?

 

In Proverbs we find several passages that deal with sexual temptation, with good reason. While they’re directed toward younger men, these warnings apply equally to men and women. After observing that, “The lips of an adulteress drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword,” the writer sternly warns, “Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house…. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent” (Proverbs 5:3-11). A grim image, for sure.

 

The Ten Commandments are viewed by some as a series of do’s and don’ts, rules and regulations handed down by a spoilsport deity. But in reality, they’re guidelines for successful, joyous living. They prescribe for us where we should direct our hearts – and where we shouldn’t. If we ever wonder, “How should I guard my heart?” the commandments provide answers.

 

As recorded in Exodus 20:1-17, commandments 1-4 address our relationship with God, making Him the foremost priority of our lives: Have no gods other than the one true God. Don’t worship idols. Don’t misuse or profane God’s name. Designate a day for rest and renewal, just as He rested after His six days of creation.

 

The remaining commandments concern our relationships with others, including our parents, neighbors and strangers. The sixth commandment instructs “Do not murder,” a teaching Jesus later clarified in His “sermon on the mount” to include harboring angry, destructive thoughts toward others. “You have heard that it was said to people long ago, ‘Do not murder,’ and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment…” (Matthew 5:21-26).

 

Commandments 7-10 address adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting the possessions of another. In each case, these are actions that most likely don’t arise from random impulses, but have followed the pattern of sowing first a thought, then an act, then a habit, which shaped a character, and perhaps led to the formation of a destiny.

 

So, while gazing from the warmth of our homes at a cold, bleak outdoors, it would be wise to remember that we’re still cultivating, sowing and reaping. Are we guarding our hearts by following Jesus’ admonition to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… [and] love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31), or are we sowing negative actions and habits that will result in regretful consequences?

Thinking About Others in a ‘Selfie’ World

We’ve all heard the saying, “There’s no ‘i’ in team.” For sticklers on spelling, that’s true in the most literal sense. But the best teams also seem to be able to minimize the focus on “me” and “I”; players understand that they’re part of something much greater and work to support each other, subordinating their own personal goals.

 

Achieving this might be more difficult than ever in our “selfie” world, with so many people preening and taking photos of themselves from every possible angle with their smartphones. I get it. I’ve done it myself. People like to use photos to chronicle where they are and what they’ve been doing, but this non-stop focus on self can’t be all good.

Recently a friend recalled an observation from a speaker who cited two words we often encounter that do include the letter “i.” In fact, it’s right in the middle of both: Anxiety and pride. I can think of another one: sin. And it’s definitely related to the two others.

 

There’s lots of “I” in the ways we use these words. Like practically everyone else, I’ve experienced anxiety – maybe more than my share – over the past couple of years. I admit that when feeling anxious (yet another word with an “I” right in the middle!) my focus is usually on how I’m feeling, how stresses and uncertainties of living in a pandemic-riddled world are affecting me.

 

Similarly, more often than not, pride puffs up a person. We concentrate on things such as, “What do people think of me?”, “See what I have?” or, “Look at what I have accomplished. Anybody noticing?” Having a measure of self-satisfaction in what we’ve done isn’t wrong, but in excess it can lead to patting ourselves on the back so hard we risk breaking our arms.

 

Throughout human history, long before “selfies” became a thing, inordinate focus on oneself created all manner of problems. The mythical tale of Narcissus provides a classic example. It’s about an impossibly handsome young man who fell in love with his own image when he saw it reflected in a pool of water. We could say this tragic fellow’s thinking was all wet. But to this day we call people narcissists who become obsessed with themselves. Perhaps a few names immediately come to mind?

 

The Scriptures don’t address selfie mania specifically, but they do offer many warnings about the pitfalls of getting controlled by our own interests and desires. When Jesus instructed His followers to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31), He wasn’t giving friendly advice; He was dead serious. He personified that principle by willingly dying on a cross to become the atoning sacrifice for our sins: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

 

Another time the Lord said, “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). When His disciples saw Him nailed to the cross, this statement must have echoed loudly in their minds.

 

Thankfully, living and acting contrary to selfie culture doesn’t usually require literally dying for others. We can demonstrate orientation toward others in many ways. Philippians 2:3-4 admonishes, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” That seems to cover just about everything we might do.

 

Years ago, we heard the mantra, “You have to look out for No. 1! If you don’t, who will?” And there’s a measure of truth to that. But biblical admonitions seem to be saying that as we look out for others, even putting their needs and interests above our own, we’re ultimately helping ourselves as well.

 

Many of us remember Jesus’ admonition, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). This is a wonderful virtue on its own, but it also communicates that when we help others, in effect we’re helping ourselves as well.

 

We find this truth affirmed in Proverbs 11:24-25, “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” This doesn’t guarantee a dollar for dollar return on our generosity, but there’s great joy in knowing God is using us to help others.

So, the next time you feel the urge to take a selfie to make a record of where you’ve been, maybe on vacation or attending a major event, or capture a moment with a special person, go right ahead. But we can also keep in mind that an even better “picture” would be of us stepping forward in ways that put the needs and interests of others ahead of our own. 

Tweet Unto Others As You Would Have Them Tweet Unto You

Social media. I have a definite love-hate relationship with it. Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and even Twitter have been great for staying connected with people I don’t see on a regular basis, as well as reconnecting with folks I hadn’t seen or talked with for many years. What a way to quickly reach out to old friends! 

 

But the social media also have their dark side. Behind the safety of their screens and keyboards, some people use these forums to say things they would never think of speaking in public, especially face-to-face with their “targets.” No wonder our society has become increasing negative, even snarky. With the flick of a finger, people can bully or demean without fearing repercussions. And social media definitely  aren’t the place to conduct a civil discussion or debate.

Which leads me to the topic for today: Most of us are familiar with the so-called “golden rule.” And I don’t mean the one that goes, “He who has the gold, rules.” I’m referring to what Jesus taught in His “sermon on the mount,” as well as His response when religious leaders challenged Him, asking Him to specify which commandment in Jewish law He considered to be the greatest, or most important. 

 

Addressing a large crowd of His disciples, as well as many curious onlookers, Jesus was teaching about relationships, especially with those they would regard as enemies. He taught that instead of responding to their unkind or even evil treatment with the same kind of behavior, instead they should pray for them and, whenever possible, do good to them.

 

He said, in the King James translation I heard as a young person, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31). That’s clear enough, but I like the way a popular paraphrase, The Message, expresses it: “Here is a simple, rule-of thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them” (Matthew 7:12).

 

Jesus also stated this principle another way. After asserting that the greatest commandment of all is, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” He added, “the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39).

 

Imagine for a minute if, before they impulsively texted something hurtful, sent a nasty email, or crafted a nasty response to someone on a social medium like Facebook or Twitter, everyone paused long enough to consider, “Is this the kind of thing I would like others to say to me? Is this the way I’d want other people to treat me?” 

 

They could also check themselves by self-inquiring, “Is what I’m preparing to post (or text) a reflection of the love I have for myself – and what I’d like others to demonstrate to me?”

 

As I’ve read through the book of Proverbs, I’ve found many passages that concern how we communicate with one another. For instance: “Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips” (Proverbs 4:24). And Proverbs 11:12 states, “A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.” 

 

Proverbs 12:18 affirms, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” I could cite dozens of other passages, in both the Old and New Testaments, but the one I think sums it up is Ephesians 4:25, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

 

Maybe, for communication’s sake, we should rephrase the Golden Rule to, “Tweet unto others as you would have them tweet unto you.” And if you think I’m preaching, even meddling, please know my No. 1 audience is myself.

The Day That Changed Everything

Was the first Christmas really on Dec. 25? No one knows for certain. Some experts on biblical history (old authorities?) claim the Christ Child was actually born in the spring. Others think that even if the amazing Bethlehem event did occur in the winter, it might have been on a different date. No matter. What does matter is what happened after that.

For most of the world, the modern calendar traces back to the estimated birth of Christ, which is why we have B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini, or Year of our Lord). Every time we make a financial transaction using coins, currency or a check, they bear dates that hearken to Christ’s birth. The cliché, “no room at the inn,” is taken directly from the Christmas story.

 

Many other common references and terms we use today, such as the good Samaritan, the prodigal son, walking on water, turning water into wine, the Lord’s Prayer, faith the size of a mustard seed, the widow’s mite, salt of the earth, and the Cross, are drawn directly from Jesus’ life and teachings. 

 

In addition, He gave us familiar saying such as “judge not lest you be judged” (Matthew 7:1-2), “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31), “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31), and “it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24).

 

In these and many other ways, our lives would be very different if it were not for that unique, divine day in an obscure Middle Eastern town. However, that’s not the greatest difference.

 

Over the years I have met countless men, women and young people whose lives have been changed for all eternity by Jesus Christ. I am among them, as are many members of our family. Because faith in Jesus is far more than a matter of personal opinion or individual ideology. It means experiencing a literal, life-changing event that alters the course of one’s life for both now and once we step onto the other side of eternity.

 

Speaking to the Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council called the Pharisees, Jesus made the astounding statement, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Being born again, I have learned, means much more than a changed attitude or a new way of thinking. As Jesus elaborated, “…no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit…. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:5-7).

 

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the apostle Paul stated this in a different way: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!... God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

 

Then, in another of his letters, Paul looked back not to Jesus’ birth but to His crucifixion and resurrection, without which that first Christmas day would have been just another ordinary day: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

 

So as we celebrate Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus, “Immanuel – which means ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23), we mark the singular, watershed moment for mankind. Jesus declared, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). It’s available to every one of us – the greatest Christmas gift of all – just for the asking.

Crises Create Extraordinary Opportunities for Kindness

We see it over and over – a major crisis arises, and almost immediately the very best of humanity begins to emerge. We’ve observed this following natural disasters, such as floods, tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes. People and organizations mobilizing almost immediately to offer assistance in various forms. And we’ve been seeing it manifested as well in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Maybe many of us weren’t aware of it, but thousands of children from impoverished homes depend on free meals they receive at their schools daily. When the schools were closed because of health concerns, that left a void – and potentially empty young stomachs. But compassionate, ever-resourceful individuals and businesses have been stepping up to fill it.

One of my daughters took her children to a locally owned pizza restaurant for lunch. While they were awaiting their to-go order, she witnessed an extraordinary act of kindness. A mom with her little boy came through the door. The business had publicly offered a free meal to any child needing one, so she had brought her son to take advantage of the gracious offer.

A member of the restaurant staff looked at the little fellow and asked, “Are you hungry?” He nodded and quietly replied, “Yes.” “What would you like, a slice of pepperoni or cheese pizza?” the staff person asked. After he answered, she also handed him a paper bag containing a sandwich, crackers, apple, banana and grapes, along with small cartons of milk and juice. This act of generosity, as I understand it, has been repeated many times at the restaurant.

My daughter was so impressed by the gesture that when she paid for her own pizza order, she added a substantial tip to help offset the cost of the free food the restaurant was distributing.

I also read about a woman in another city who, in paying her restaurant bill, left a “tip” of $2,500 to be divided among the store’s employees, since many of them would be receiving reduced pay because of restrictions being enacted to contain the virus.

Then there was the major restaurant chain that delivered hundreds of meals for hospital staff working long hours to treat victims of COVID-19. In normal times, it’s so easy to focus on instances of selfish, self-centered behavior we often see displayed in society. But at times of crisis, it’s so heartening to see how people respond to opportunities to demonstrate care, compassion and generosity.

To me, this provides simple, straight-forward evidence that we’re not the products of some mindless, random, evolutionary process. Rather than taking a survival-of-the-fittest attitude, many of us rally together and find ways to help one another. Which points to the Judeo-Christian values that have served as the foundation for our nation since its beginnings. 

We have Jesus’ command to “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31). Perhaps you have been a recent recipient of someone else’s kindness. Even if not, wouldn't we all appreciate such a gesture if we found ourselves in great need?

When asked to define the greatest commandment, Jesus responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Then He added, “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”  (Matthew 22:37-39). Is there a better way to love our neighbors than to offer them our help?

Another passage gives a similar exhortation: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). It is one thing to speak about the love of Jesus Christ; how much more powerful and effective it is to put the love of Christ into action when occasions arise. 

And the best thing about it, we don’t have to wait for another crisis. Even if we’re still practicing social distancing, it’s never too early to start envisioning some simple, caring acts. Kindnesses extended just because we should. If you ever wonder, “What would Jesus do?”, that’s something He would do – because He did them all the time.

Being Neighborly Has Become Increasingly Difficult

One of the better known passages from the Bible is “love your neighbor.” The statement appears at least seven times in the New Testament, and once in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18). But for a number of reasons, this is one of the commandments that’s easier said than done.

For one thing, it’s hard to love someone you don’t even like. If we pay attention to what’s going on in our divided society these days, it doesn’t seem as if there’s a lot of loving our neighbors going on. Epithets and curses being exchanged by opposing sides, lots of shouting down and very little listening. This is one reason Jesus, in discussing the command, made this seemingly outlandish admonition: 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may sons of your Father in heaven…. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not the tax collectors doing that?” (Matthew 5:41-46).

How would you rate yourself in doing this? I’m afraid I wouldn’t get a passing grade on this, at least at times. This is one specific area where I’m still very much “working out (my) salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

Another factor is how we define the word “neighbor.” In Luke 10:25-37, an “expert in the law” decided to confront Jesus about how to attain eternal life. The questioner summed up the Mosaic law in two commands, “‘Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind,’and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Jesus replied, “You have answered correctly…. Do this and you will live.” But then the religious leader asked for more clarity. “And who is my neighbor?” In response, the Lord told the parable we know as “the good Samaritan,” a term we commonly use still today to describe a stranger’s act of kindness toward someone else in need. 

In the story, Jesus was saying our “neighbor” is anyone to whom we might have an opportunity to provide an act of service, whether we know them or not.

Recently, however, I was reminded of a reality that also impedes our ability to love our neighbors. It was “Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor” Day, and one of those online questionnaires asked about familiarity with neighbors, the folks who live right next door or across the street. The survey asked a simple question: “When was the last time you interacted with a neighbor?” The results were interesting:

21% of the respondents said “within the last 24 hours.” 

22% said “within the last couple of days.” 

16% said “within the last week.” 

20% said “it’s been awhile,” and 2% said they don’t have any neighbors.

As a boy growing up, we had front porches for catching the evening breeze, and it was rare when we didn’t see and interact with our neighbors. We didn’t have air conditioning to keep us huddled inside to keep cool. We didn’t have a plethora of TV channels, not to mention apps on smartphones and tablets to keep our eyes looking down instead of outside to see what the neighbors were up to. We were much more inclined to have occasional neighborhood get-togethers.

It’s not unusual today to have neighbors just down the street whom we’ve never met. And it’s not just our own reluctance to take the initiative to socialize; the neighbors seem equally reticent. So we spend many of our days without seeing or hearing from our neighbors; how can we love our neighbors when we don’t even know who they are?

I’m as guilty of this as anyone, so I’m not preaching – unless to lecture myself. Somehow, despite societal pressures to isolate, we need to do a better job at reconnecting with our immediate neighbors, as well as “neighbors” we might happen to encounter during the course of a typical day. 

Mr. Rogers said, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood,” but how can we know unless we look out the window or step outside our doors to confirm it? 

Gaining from the Grit and the Grind

One of football’s unique appeals is that teams play only one game a week, which means players have six days to prepare and fans have just as many days to anticipate, analyze and agonize. To build excitement for the next game, a lot of universities have their media departments produce “hype videos” showing clips from practices and games recently played.

My team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, create their own hype videos, filled with athletes sweating during training sessions, making spectacular plays, and participating in celebrations afterward. One recent one carried a tag line I liked: “It’s not the swag and the shine – it’s the grit and the grind.”

We as fans only get to see the finished product, our team performing on Saturdays and hopefully, capturing a victory. But as the video reminds us, big moments and gamesmanship are only possible because of hard work – the blood, sweat and tears we so often hear about – throughout the year and every week before each game. 

I can’t help but think there’s a lesson in this for each of us, even if we have never donned a football helmet, shoulder pads or the colorful uniform of good ole State U. Because as much as we like to revel in our accomplishments and life’s successes, most of the time they’re not the result of “luck” but rather the “grit and grind” of striving toward a cherished goal.

Take marriage, for example. On the wedding day, bride and groom are glowing, grinning from ear to ear, eager for the ceremony and reception to end so they can enjoy their first moments of “happily ever after.” Unfortunately, honeymoons don’t last and the sometimes grim realities of every day start to set in. Now the hard work begins.

When God declared, “a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), He didn’t guarantee a perpetual picnic. When they vowed to stay united “for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health,” they became destined to experience some of both. And for the guy, the admonition, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25), at times seems like the impossible mission. Maybe the words “grit and grind” should be added to the vows to inject a measure of reality.

For many of those couples, sooner or later children will be added to the equation, bringing grit and grind into a whole new dimension. In an age when some parents regard smartphones and tablets as technological babysitters, God’s calling for mom and dad is to teach them, lead them and guide them so they will grow up to become responsible, fruitful adults. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells us, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Parenting isn’t supposed to be a passive, easygoing experience. Often it amounts to hard, intentional work – but work looking toward a positive outcome.

Finally, there are the three other major areas of our lives – personal, professional and spiritual. The Scriptures have much to say about these, but its teachings could be summed up in two passages.

When a Pharisee, a Jewish religious leader, asked Jesus which of the commandments was the greatest, He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”” (Matthew 22:37-39). Pretty simple, huh? Just follow those two commandments perfectly and all will be well. Yeah, right. Easier said than done! That’s where the grit and grind part comes in.

The other passage concerns everything we do, whether we’re on the job, digging in the garden, talking on the smartphone or spending time on the computer: 

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:17, 23-24).

There you have it, in a biblical nutshell. Understand now what I mean by the grit and grind of everyday life? Part of us wants to cry out, “But I can’t do that!” That’s why it’s so reassuring to read what the apostle Paul wrote, about himself and us: “I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). 

We can’t – but He can, through us! If we’re willing to put in the hard work, empowered by the Lord, it’s bound to show for others to see.