Warnings: Unwanted, But Necessary

How do you react when you receive a warning? One way is to continue doing what you’re doing, reasoning, “Well, that doesn’t apply to me.” Another way – especially when it comes to dire weather predictions – is to think, “Yeah, right. That’s what they said last time, and nothing happened. That’s why they predict 80% chance of snow. Because that means 20% chance that it won’t snow, so they’re right either way.” 

 

Then there’s the more stubborn approach to being warned: “Hey, you’re not the boss of me! You can’t tell me what to do!” We might actually say this, or at least think it, determined to disregard what we’ve been told to do.

 

There’s the story of the motorist in an unfamiliar part of the country who drove past a person holding a sign that said, “The End is Near!” The driver smugly looked at the person, glanced at the warning, and proceeded, thinking, “Just another of those religious nuts!” Sadly, he didn’t realize until too late that the bridge on the road ahead was out.

 

Most of us don’t like warnings, whatever they happen to be. Because we like our freedom, our autonomy. But even though they’re not wanted, warnings are usually necessary – and often given with our best interests in mind.

 

While the COVID pandemic was in full force, we received lots of warnings: “Wear a mask.” “Get the vaccine.” “Wear two masks.” “Get the boosters.” “Social distance.” “Stay home.” Perhaps the most literal warning was, “Avoid people like the plague.”

 

At first, most of us readily complied, glad to help in “flattening the curve.” What’s a couple weeks of sacrifice, temporarily accepting the “new normal,” right? But when the weeks dragged into a month, then months, a year and more, those dire warnings grew old and tiresome. Some of us probably thought, “Okay, I heeded your warnings. Where did that get us?”

 

Much of the time, warnings we receive are for our good. The parent warns the child, “Hold my hand in the parking lot. Cars are coming,” or, “Don’t run into the street without stopping and looking both ways.” Can you remember your mom or dad warning, “Don’t touch the stove”? They didn’t say that to restrict our freedom – they were concerned about our safety.

 

As we read through the Bible, we find it filled with warnings. The first warning God ever gave is recorded in Genesis 2:16, when He told Adam and Eve, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

 

That seemed simple enough. Any tree in the garden of Eden was available to them, except for one. Sadly, for all of humankind – like the toddler told not to touch the hot stove but does it anyway – they decided to sample the forbidden fruit. Until then the first couple had not known about evil, but suddenly they did. The result was a divine eviction notice, along a succession of tragic consequences that continues to this day.

 

We could regard the Ten Commandments not only as rules given by God for us to follow, but also as warnings – guidelines for living happy, fulfilling lives. They begin with one that all of us, in one way or another, have violated: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). We might not have physical idols displayed prominently in our homes or workplaces, but at times we all have “worshipped” other gods, whether they be spouse, children, the pursuit of success, possessions, even our favorite sports teams. (I know, I might have just quit preaching and started meddling.)

 

Why is this a warning? Not just because God doesn’t want to share His glory and adoration with anyone or anything else. It’s also because every other “god,” at its best, is flawed and certain to fail us.

 

The fourth commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8), was given not only to commemorate on a weekly basis God’s work of creation and that He rested on the seventh day. It's also because better than anyone, He knows how much we, with our limited physical and mental capacities, also need rest and times to become refreshed. Stress, exhaustion and illness are common byproducts of people refusing to hit the “pause” button in their everyday schedules.

 

One of my favorite books in the Bible, Proverbs, is filled with warnings from our Creator. For instance, Proverbs 21:23 offers this advice: “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.” Have you ever said something, whether in anger or out of impulse, that you immediately regretted, only to realize the damage had already been done?

 

Speaking of anger, we’ve all experienced the impact of that destructive emotion. One way to avoid falling prey to it, either as perpetrator or victim, is not to hang around angry people. As Proverbs 22:24-25 warns, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.”

This is one of the things I value from reading God’s Word, which I regard as His “owner’s manual.” He made us, He knows who we are – our frailties, faults and flaws – and has graciously provided us with a comprehensive guidebook for successful living. We ignore it to our peril. Proceed at your own risk. Consider yourself warned! 

Replacing 10 Lines With 17,000 Pages?

Whenever we are confronted by a complex, convoluted problem, there’s always a danger in trying to offer simplistic solutions for them. At least solutions that seem simplistic. But recently I came across a profound quote that made me think, “That pretty much sums it up!”

Have you ever heard of Ravi Zacharias? If you haven’t, you ought to get acquainted with his work – his messages and books. Zacharias is an Indian-born, Canadian-American Christian apologist, a wise thinker and defender of biblical teachings. I’ve never met the man, but have discovered that listening to one of his messages for even a few minutes will provide you with more wisdom than you could glean from watching a month of commentaries on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, 24/7 .

You can Google him and find dozens of his quotations, but here’s just one example – the one that speaks to the conundrum we’re facing today as a society. He said: “The reason we have 17,000 pages in our law books is because we cannot follow 10 lines in a tablet made of stone.”

The stone tablet he’s referring to is the one God gave to Moses bearing the Ten Commandments. I have no idea where Zacharias got the number 17,000, since it seems more laws are being written and enacted every day. There have to be more pages than that. But the point is clear: When the Lord gave us the Ten Commandments, He was saying in essence, “Keep it simple, stupid!”

Like the ancient Pharisees, who took great pride in inventing new laws and adding onto old ones, we seem to have laws governing just about everything. But they don’t keep us from behaving badly. I’m not sure there’s any regulation about blowing bubbles with bubble gum, but I suspect now that I’ve mentioned it, someone will write one.

The sad reality is, if our lives depended upon being able to recite the Ten Commandments – regardless of which version of the Bible we chose – most of us would composing our final farewells. Including many who profess to be followers of Jesus.

For a refresher, here they are, straight from Exodus 20 (and Deuteronomy 5):

1. “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol (graven image)….”
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (misuse His name)….”
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy….”
5. “Honor your father and your mother….”
6. “You shall not commit murder.”
7. “You shall not commit adultery.”
8. “You shall not steal.”
9. “You shall not bear false witness (give false testimony) against your neighbor.”
10. “You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Actually, God made the commandments even simpler. When asked what was the greatest or most important commandment, Jesus replied, "“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). In other words, that’s all God asks of us. If we can keep just those two laws, no sweat!

The problems with this – and the reason we have many thousands of pages of laws – are obvious. Simple as they are, the Ten Commandments and the two greatest commandments cut against the grain of sinful humanity. For instance, there are so many other gods to choose from. Not only the imaginary ones for whom idols and statues are made, but also things like money, our careers, our children, our favorite sports teams – even ourselves. 

Sadly, in an age of increasingly fractured families and irresponsible lifestyles, too many kids don’t even know their fathers to honor them. As for the “false witness” part, it’s become the operational standard for too many professions. And coveting, it seems have become the national pastime. We could continue going down the list.

So, nope. Let’s just keep churning out more laws, ones that people will continue to ignore or abuse. What’s a few thousand more we can disregard? Why try to do it God’s way when we can do it our way? 

Do We Really Need More Laws?

When was the last time you heard someone say, “There ought to be a law!” concerning some problem? These days it seems we need more and more laws, to control guns and address escalating violence; restrain people from distracted driving; protect children from all manner of dangers, and many other things that come to mind.

Laws are necessary. If we didn’t have speed limits, what would keep people from driving 100 miles per hour through residential areas? If we didn’t have patents, copyrights and trademark laws, people could steal and capitalize on the hard work of others. If the FDA didn’t monitor food production, how would we know things we buy at the grocery store are safe to consume?

But having laws doesn’t mean those regulations will be obeyed. Some of our largest cities have the most stringent gun laws, yet hundreds die from gun violence there every week. Many states have created legislation prohibiting texting while driving, and yet we often pass someone trying to drive while exchanging texts with friends. Speed limits don’t seem to affect drivers who pass us on 55-mile per hour interstates driving 90 miles an hour or faster.

I have a radical thought: Why don’t we just do a better job of obeying and enforcing the laws we have. And maybe, consider revisiting old laws we’ve cast aside that served humanity well for many centuries.

Take the Ten Commandments, for example. Back in the 1960s, court rulings and legislation began systematically removing all references to God in our public schools and institutions. When I was in school back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, we began each day with a brief reading from the Bible, a short prayer, and I dare say, we might even have made occasional reference to the Ten Commandments. As a result, principals and teachers had to deal with such heinous acts as chewing gum in class, running in the hallways, and throwing spitballs.

Fast forward to today, when certain segments of society have smugly succeeded in eradicating any reference to the Ten Commandments and other biblical teachings, all in the name of political correctness and “tolerance.” Isn’t it scandalous to be taught and reminded of such precepts as “honor your father and mother,” “you shall not murder,” “you shall not steal,” “you shall not give false testimony” (lie), and “do not covet” (harbor envy over other people’s stuff)?

Now nobody worries about gum-chewing, scampering through hallways or tossing harmless wads of paper. Nope, classrooms are in chaos, and even the best-intended teachers find themselves hard-pressed to instruct rebellious students. Drugs, guns, knives and other tools of mayhem are concerns they must confront on a regular basis.

Any teacher worth her or his salt will tell you one of the most effective ways to teach is through repetition. Through consistent review and practice, facts are memorized, principles grasped, and methodologies mastered. Maybe what society needs is an undiluted, steady dose of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, God’s laws that He established not to be restrictive, but for our own good.

True, the “olden days” of education were hardly perfect. Kids got unruly from time to time, stealing wasn’t unheard of, and an occasional fistfight broke out. But we all shared a common sense of right and wrong. When we did wrong, deep down we knew it.

Laws don’t stop bad behavior; they only consciously inform us of what we already know subconsciously. As Romans 5:20 tells us, “The law was added so that the trespass might increase….” If there’s no posted speed limit, for example, and I drive 90 miles an hour down a street, I already have a sense I’m going too fast. But when I see a sign that says “Speed Limit 35,” that confirms it.

Of course, the biggest problem with the Ten Commandments are the first three, stated in Exodus 20:3-7 and Deuteronomy 5:7-11: “I am the Lord your God…. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything…. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God….” These commandments remind us we are to worship and serve the one true God, which irks many of us no end. Who does God think He is, anyway?

But these commandments focus not only on behavior, but also on the condition of our hearts. When someone asked Jesus what He considered the greatest commandment, 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 Laws and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). 

He was saying, in essence, “Do these two things and you’re good to go.” Until then, we can pass all the laws we want, establish ever more stringent regulations, and we’ll still have to deal with human depravity in all of its depths. As Romans 1:28 declares, “since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.”

Faith is More Than Being a Fan

Every Saturday during the fall, millions of fans crowd America's
football stadiums. But the commitment level of fickle fans can waver.

If you’re into spectator sports, chances are you’re a fan of a particular team, maybe several. How did you choose which teams to cheer for?

Sometimes being a fan is “inherited,” as in “my family has always rooted for XYZ team, so I do, too.” Maybe it’s because of where you have lived. Growing up near New York City, I became a Yankee fan, and later I also rooted for the Mets. Or perhaps it’s because of your alma mater – the high school or college you attended. My family and friends know I’m an avid Ohio State fan, and I’ve been one from the time I enrolled in 1967 and later received two degrees there.

Not everyone’s a big sports fan, of course. But chances are you’re a fan of some entity  – it could be an actor or artist, some other kind of celebrity, a political party, or even a car manufacturer. And in all likelihood, if you’re a fan you feel very strongly about it.

The point is, being a fan, supporter or advocate of someone or something is largely a matter of choice. Even though I’ve live in SEC country for more than 35 years, I’m not a big fan of the Southeastern Conference. Even though I lived in the Northeast as a boy, I didn’t have to become a fan of any of the New York sports teams. And there are particular entertainers I really like, and others I don’t, but no one is forcing me to give them my unquestioned allegiance.

In some ways it’s similar spiritually. Geography might play a role in what we believe. If raised in the Middle East, one’s definitely going to be exposed more to Islam than any other religion. People in the Far East are more typically oriented toward Buddhism, Shintoism or Hinduism, again depending on the nation and culture in which they live. But since faith is a matter of the heart, as well as the head, no one can coerce a person to believe one way or another.

This, however, is where the similarity between sports fandom and spiritual faith ends. Because if my beloved Buckeyes win, I’ll feel happy, and if they lose, I’ll feel sad. I could even choose to no longer root for them. Nevertheless, their successes and failures don’t define who I am or how I live. My faith, on the other hand, does.

Kyle Idleman wrote a book called Not a Fan, in which he explained the difference between being a nominal, once-a-week “fan” of Jesus Christ and being a committed, 24/7 follower. As we survey the contemporary church scene across America, it appears there are many fans of Jesus, but not nearly as many true disciples. This is one reason He cautioned, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

A “warm fuzzy” form of faith, one that’s not too demanding and doesn’t require much of us, has a certain appeal. We can check into the sanctuary periodically, even spend a few minutes in the Bible once in a while, as long as we’re not asked to alter our lives or priorities too much.

But “warm fuzzy” is anathema to the calling God places on each of His children. We see this repeatedly in the Old Testament, when superficial belief – being a “fan” – is dismissed. Deuteronomy 6:4-5, for instance, says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

As his leadership of the Israelites was coming to an end, Joshua declared to the people, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

The world around us presents a multitude of “god” options – possessions, power, status, careers, ideologies, hobbies, family, even sports teams. Any of them can consume our lives and thoughts.

So we have a choice. We can be a fan of Jesus, turning to Him in times of crisis or when seeking specific blessings, while continuing to conduct our lives independently, or choose to follow and serve Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). Because as God instructed the Israelites upon giving them the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3)

As Joshua and his family did, we also must choose this day whom we are willing to serve.

Not THE Root . . . But Definitely A Root of Evil

“I’ve been rich, and I’ve been poor – and I’m here to tell you, bein’ rich is much better.” No, I didn’t say that. I’ve never been rich – in a savings account or stock portfolio kind of way. Although I would say I’ve been rich, and still am, in ways that don’t show up on a bank statement.

But honestly, while money can’t buy everything, it can buy lots of things. And if you don’t have money, you have little choice but to do without things you’d like to have. Not having money can present real problems. So why do some people say, “Money is the root of all evil”?

This image which has been circulating the Internet
makes a creative statement, but isn't quite accurate.

If you answered, “Because that’s what it says in the Bible,” cue the buzzer: BUZZZ! You’re wrong. Similar to sayings like “Cleanliness is next to godliness” and “God helps those that help themselves,” this oft-used quotation doesn’t appear in the Bible. Not quite.

The Scriptures do declare, “For the love of money is a root of many kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). There are numerous other “roots” of evil, sometimes related to money and sometimes not – jealousy, envy, anger, laziness, lust, gluttony, and more. All of them, as C.S. Lewis observed, are anchored in what he considered the ultimate sin, pride.

That being said, it’s amazing how much evil the act of loving money can stir up. There’s greed, leading to conclusions such as “too much is never enough,” as well as answering the question, “How much is enough?” with, “Just a little bit more!”

There’s selfishness, the unwillingness to share one’s abundance with others for fear economic collapse or global catastrophe or unexpected personal setback could transform that abundance into a shortage. So, the miserly rationalize, it’s better to keep a tight grip on what you’ve got and let other people find theirs somewhere else.

How about unbridled ambition? The quest for a bigger paycheck can motivate people to accept work less fulfilling than their previous jobs or turn them into Peter Principle participants, putting them in job roles beyond their levels of competence and capacity. We sometimes do nonsensical things while grasping for more money.

Then we have the unholy alliance of lust and envy, wanting the latest and greatest high-tech device, a newer car with more awesome accessories, or a bigger, showier house. Not because we need them, but because someone else has them and we feel equally deserving – or just want to keep pace.

In mentoring men over the years, I’ve found they will speak freely on virtually any topic. Except money. When financial issues come up, more often than not they clam up. “My money is none of your business” is their implied message.

Money issues, more than any other cause, are blamed for divorces, with the stress of bills and overreaching lifestyles proving more than the bonds of marriage can endure. And when financial obligations mount, to the point where resolution seems hopeless, desperate decisions can be made, ranging from gambling to high-risk loans.

So no, money really isn’t the root of ALL evil. But it’s often involved in many of its forms. Jesus spoke frequently about money and financial issues, not because it consumed His thoughts but because He understood how devastating money’s temptations and abuses can become. He devoted a substantial portion of His so-called Sermon on the Mount to the subject.

For instance, Jesus warned against unhealthy preoccupation with riches. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21-24).

Even charitable giving, according to Jesus, can be tainted by wrong motives. We might wish to be recognized for our “generosity,” and even feel annoyed if it’s not sufficiently acknowledged. “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men…. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:1-4).

As for our own daily needs, which usually require money to obtain, Jesus again urged His followers not to let that become their focus. Closing out a lengthy discourse on the topic, He said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear/’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:31-33).

The Bible doesn’t denounce money, or condemn people that have it. But in hundreds of passages it emphasizes it can indeed become the root of many kinds of evil. It has a diabolical tendency to become an idol, even a god unto itself.

And when God declared, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3), He was including the almighty dollar, peso, pound, Euro, and any other form money takes around the world. The old saying advises, “Buyer beware.” It’s also wise to be wary of what you’re using to buy things with.