The Interesting Intolerance of ‘Tolerance’

English is a very curious language. Case in point: the word “tolerance.”

 

Over the years I’ve had several friends that were involved in the manufacture of industrial machine parts. Regardless of the purpose or use for the parts they were making, they shared one common term of great importance to them: Tolerance.

 

That’s because machine parts – to work and mesh together properly – must be made to operate within a very precise, limited tolerance. Specifications for those parts allow for little or no variance. Just one millimeter too much or too little is unacceptable. If not designed to a very rigid tolerance, the machine won’t run and the parts will wear out quickly. “That’s close enough” is a recipe for disaster.

 

There’s a different use for the word tolerance that we often use. We talk about people having a high or low “tolerance” for pain. In other words, an individual’s ability – or lack of same – to withstand levels of pain and discomfort. Some people have a fairly high tolerance for pain, but that doesn’t mean they like it. Even for folks capable of dealing with considerable pain, when they speak about tolerating it, it means the sooner it’s gone the better.

 

This is why I find it interesting how society has embraced a completely different sense of tolerance. When we typically hear people speaking about “tolerance,” they mean accepting, condoning, or even heartily approving all manner of diversity, ranging from lifestyle behaviors to differences in culture and ethnicity. This definition seems very different from the other uses of the word as cited above. 

 

No one has approached me about being an arbiter for English word usage, but I’ve never thought tolerance is a good choice in this context. To me, being “tolerant” of people – regardless of who or what they are – sounds at best condescending, at worst insulting. I wouldn’t feel at all complimented if I heard someone say, “Oh, that’s Bob. I’m tolerant of him.” Someone declaring their tolerance for my writing isn’t likely to be one looking forward to my next column or blog post.

 

At the same time, when folks talk about being tolerant, it often comes across as a mandate, that one is required not just to acknowledge diversity – in whatever form it takes – but also to provide wholehearted, unquestioned approval. Ironically, they’re intolerant of those who don’t align with their idea of tolerance. 

 

That started me wondering what God thinks of tolerance. As I’ve studied the Scriptures, it seems evident that He aligns with all three different usages. Speaking of tolerance in a very narrow, even rigid sense, Jesus Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He didn’t say He is one of many ways, that it’s multiple choice, or “it doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you’re sincere.” No, Jesus declared He is THE way, adding that, “No one comes to the Father (God) except through Me.”

 

As for the sense of tolerance being able to withstand what we don’t like, the Scriptures repeatedly reveal God’s hatred of sin. Toward the end of the opening chapter of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he declares, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their own wickedness…. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God or gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened…. Furthermore, 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” (Romans 1:18-28).

 

However, the Bible also looks toward a time when acts of evil will cease, when God’s tolerance of sin will end: “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found…. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming” (Psalm 37:10-12).

 

Then there’s the final understanding of tolerance, the one that seeks to embrace any and every person. Even though God has an absolute hatred of sin in its many forms, in His Word we discover how He desires to extend His love, mercy and grace to everyone willing to accept it.

 

In His parable showing how a good shepherd desperately cares for each of his sheep, to the point of leaving his flock to find one that has strayed, Jesus states, “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost” (Matthew 18:14).

 

Much earlier in the Scriptures we read these words of assurance: “‘As I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live’” (Ezekiel 33:11). The same truth is expressed in 2 Peter 3:9, where the apostle writes, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

 

So, is God tolerant? Yes, the Bible tells us over and over. Amazingly so. But He’s also intolerant, finding sin and sinners unwilling to repent and receive His gift of forgiveness and eternal life utterly repugnant.

That should give us pause, because in the timeless words of preacher Jonathan Edwards in 1741 during the First Great Awakening, we risk being “sinners in the hands of an angry God.” He’s tolerant – until the time when He won’t be. 

For Everything There Indeed Is a Season

Did you hear about the teacher who asked little Jimmy to name the four seasons? Having been raised in a family of cooks, Jimmy quickly responded, “Salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.” Probably not exactly what she had in mind.

 

But here we are at the start of another season. Recently I noticed a sign in the fitness area of our local YMCA that read, “Fall Prevention Meeting.” I shrugged my shoulders and thought, “What’s the use? Autumn is going to come, just as it does every year, whether we like it or not.” No way to prevent it, right?

 

Okay, all seriousness aside, the arrival of Fall – along with the other seasons of the year – serves as a reminder that time marches on, that the heat of summer will eventually end and that the chill (or deep-freeze) of winter can’t be too far behind. This reminds me of a passage in the Bible which declares, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

 

Back in the mid-1960s the Byrds, an American rock band, recorded a tune called “Turn! Turn! Turn!” that had been written by Pete Seeger in 1959. The song began, 

“To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep….”

 

Researching the origins of “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” I discovered Seeger had based the lyrics on pieces of text he’d written in his pocket notebook. He described the words he had copied from the Bible as “verses by a bearded fellow with sandals, a tough-minded fellow called Ecclesiastes.” Well, he was partly right. The words came from the book of Ecclesiastes, attributed to Israel’s King Solomon, who almost certainly had a beard.

 

Seeger used the wording of Ecclesiasts 3:1-8 almost verbatim but turned his composition as a protest song of sorts, adding the words, “A time for peace; I swear it’s not too late.” When the Byrds’ version came out during the height of the Vietnam War, it became a smash hit.

 

For those of us who have lived long enough, we know there indeed are seasons to life – many of them. There are the chronological seasons of infancy, toddlerhood, adolescence, the teen years, early adulthood, mature adulthood (at least for some people), and finally, “Wow! You look good for your age!” We go through seasons of schooling, starting and forging careers, and retirement.

 

The remainder of the passage in Ecclesiastes sums the scope of life very concisely: “a time to tear down and a time to build…a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

 

But there’s another phrase that quickly follows this passage that’s sometimes overlooked. It says, “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Sometimes as we’re slogging through a particularly difficult season of life, it seems anything but beautiful. But through the wonders of hindsight, we can discover that despite the pain or stress or anxiety that “season” might have caused, God truly was using it to create something beautiful in our lives.

 

In my own life, I’ve lost track of all the many seasons I’ve gone through. Childhood is but a faint memory; my high school and college years I’d describe as youthful foolishness; marriage and parenting have been seasons of much learning, with some lessons still being learned. And since I left full-time employment and became a grandfather, that’s been a completely different season of its own.

 

I’d like to think that, like the apostle Paul, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me” (1 Corinthians 13:11). But I still have my moments, I must admit.

 

The point it, no matter what season of life you find yourself in – in the midst of planting or reaping, laughing or weeping, keeping or throwing away – God does have a purpose for it, even though you might not appreciate what that is until you can view it in retrospect. So if you’re currently mourning, there will yet be a time for dancing and vice versa. To everything – turn, turn, turn – there is a season.

Light Is Always Brighter the Darker It Gets

A friend of mine likes to hike the hills near his home in the wee hours of the morning. Obviously in the darkness it’s hard to see and be seen, so he wears a headlamp to light the way and alert people nearby of his presence. When he encounters others on the hill, they are usually doing the same.

 

He observed that in daylight, his little lamp is hardly noticeable, but at night or before sunrise, it shines almost like a beacon. Reminds me of the longtime favorite children’s song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine….”

 

It’s interesting that “light” is one of the metaphors Jesus used to describe His disciples. After stating that they are “the salt of the earth,” He added, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:13-15).

 

But Jesus’ most significant point came in the verse that follows this description: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Why is this important? Because one of the things our society – and the world – need these days is light. Not the kind of light we get from the rising sun or a switched-on lamp, but light that serves to dispel the darkness that seems to be closing in around us.

 

For more than two years, every aspect of our lives has been darkened by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. We can’t turn on the news or read a newspaper without being bombarded by reports about acts of violence in its many forms. I’ve lived a long time and can’t remember a time when the levels of hatred and animosity between segments of society were higher.

 

But in the midst of all the bad news that seems to be getting worse, there’s hope. Like my friend’s small headlamp that glows brightly in the blackness as he hikes, we as Christ followers have the great privilege and opportunity to shine the light of His truth in our darkening world. And it may be that the Lord is allowing this darkness to deepen so that His light can shine more brightly.

 

As His earthly ministry was drawing to a close, Jesus told His followers, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light” (John 12:35-36).

 

Our challenge is to walk as closely to the Lord as we can and strive to live in such a way that we don’t dim the light of Christ that shines through us. As Jesus exhorted those following Him, “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you” (Luke 11:35-36).

 

The apostle Paul expressed it this way: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). If we’ve been born again into the family of God, He not only desires for His light to shine within us but also to radiate through us into the world here we live and work every day.

 

It’s easy to lose heart as we observe the evil lurking all around us, wondering where God is in the midst of everything that’s going on. But the people of Israel faced similar problems, largely brought on by their determination to disobey what the Lord had taught them and disregard all He had done for them. But the prophet Isaiah offered assurance that despite the depths of His people’s sin, God’s love, grace and mercy would prevail in the last days. 

 

He said, “The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted” (Isaiah 30:26).

 

The prophet later also conveyed this promise: “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory” (Isaiah 60:18-19). 

In His Word, God promises that brighter days are ahead. In the meantime, it’s our responsibility to serve Him as “the light of the world,” shining in such a way that people can see Him through our actions as well as our words. 

Tried and True Tip for Not Falling Apart

The leather binding was wrinkled and torn, and the pages were tattered and faded, all signs of a Bible lovingly and well read for many years. A friend brought this with her to our small group recently, a family treasure she’d inherited from her grandmother. Reminding me of the “show and tell” presentations we did in elementary school years ago, she used the old Bible as a visual aid in telling her spiritual journey.

 

This copy of the Scriptures, practically an antique, was a visible testament to the departed matriarch’s steadfast faith. It served as tangible evidence of how her devotion to the Lord continues to shine many years after her passing.

 

Have you ever seen someone carrying a tattered, extremely worn Bible? If so, what was your reaction? Did you think, “That guy (or gal) needs a new Bible”? Perhaps. But on the rare occasions I see this, the adage comes to mind that says, “When you see someone with a Bible that’s falling apart, it’s usually being carried by someone who isn’t.” Because in most cases, that’s the truth.

 

Since I like to highlight key passages and make notes in margins, I prefer to start fresh with new Bibles once they’ve reached a certain stage of use. Fortunately, during the 17 years I served as a magazine editor for a parachurch ministry, I occasionally received review copies of Bibles. So, I’ve had the luxury of being able to study an assortment of translations and editions of the Bible.

 

However, I still have my very first King James Version Bible, which I received as a confirmation gift at the church I attended during my youth. I literally read it cover to cover during my senior year of high school as a personal goal, even though I must admit to not understanding much of it at the time. I also have the first modern translation Bible I ever purchased, in the New American Standard translation.

 

I’ve since learned that the front-to-back approach isn’t necessarily the best. Genesis and Exodus, with their rich narratives about God’s chosen but very flawed people, offer engaging reading. But for me, trying to wade through Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy often felt like I was wandering in the wilderness with the Israelites. It helped when I discovered the practice of reading from both the Old and the New Testaments concurrently. When the going seemed to bog down in an Old Testament passage, shifting to the New Testament for a while felt like coming up for air.

 

Getting back to the idea of someone not falling apart that possesses a Bible that is, I’ve encountered a number of such folks through the years. Maybe they weren’t so dedicated to making notations while they were reading, or just regarded their well-used Bibles as old friends – and how can you discard old friends who have spent so much time with you?

 

In any case, the common denominator for them all was they had a solid grasp on the Word of God – and more importantly, God had a solid grasp on them.

 

This isn’t to suggest that possessing a worn-out Bible is a guarantee that a person is godly, a devout follower of Christ. But if someone’s only copy of the Scriptures is still in mint condition, with its pages still stuck together, it sure wouldn’t hurt for them to crack it open from time to time. God might just have something interesting to tell them.

 

When we encounter the people in the Bible God had chosen to lead His people, they were always people who spent a lot of time with Him and His Word. Three times in the first nine verses of the book of Joshua, God tells the book’s namesake, “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6,7,9). How was he to do that? Nestled in the midst of those verses is this admonition: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).

 

To meditate on God’s Word requires becoming very familiar with it, thinking about it and reflecting on it often. Even though King David was known as “a man after God’s heart,” that didn’t mean he was perfect by any means. But he wisely observed, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:9-11).

 

I think of one other passage that serves as a reminder that if our Bible is the worse for wear, we’re all the better for it. Challenging his protégé Timothy as a young man in ministry, the apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

A car with the tread worn down on its tires might not be a good thing, but a Bible showing signs it’s traveled many miles along someone’s spiritual journey is almost always a good thing. 

The Persuasive Power of a Satisfied Customer

Suppose you’re looking to purchase a new car and are having trouble deciding what to buy. Who would you trust more – the salesperson at the car dealership needing to make a sale to earn a commission or a good friend who recently bought a car similar to what you’re considering? Probably the friend, right?  

Most likely it would be the same if you were shopping for a new state-of-the-art TV, a large kitchen appliance, or even someone to do major renovations in your home. It always helps to ask the opinion of a “satisfied customer” who can speak to a product’s merits from personal experience.

 

The same can be said for matters of faith. With the chaotic state of our world today, with gloom-and-doom dominating the evening news, more and more people are becoming aware of their spiritual needs, the yawning vacuum in their lives the material world seems ill-equipped to fill. At the same time, most of these folks aren’t rushing to church on Sunday mornings.

 

Why is that? There are many reasons, but for one thing, with the plethora of denominations coupled with a multitude of local congregations large and small, the “seeker” hasn’t a clue about where to go. Even if they surf through the channels to find TV preachers, they encounter a vast array of personalities, well-polished speakers who often seem to give contradictory messages. So, who should seekers believe and trust? Is it multiple choice – the old saw, “There are many ways to God. All that matters is that you’re sincere”? Or are there bedrock truths that provide answers for their spiritual questions?

 

This brings us back to the value of a “satisfied customer.” I remember years ago when I was trying to make sense of life in general and my own life in particular. I’d always believed in God in an intellectual way, and the stories I’d heard about Jesus Christ seemed interesting. But was there more to belief in God than sending up occasional “flare prayers” in times of crisis?

 

I had visited some churches and they each had their own rituals and traditions; but one said this while another said that. Who was right?

 

Then God took me and my family to Houston, Texas where my uncle and aunt lived. I had great affection and admiration for them, so when they invited us to their church, we agreed to go. Being new to the area, we didn’t have any better ideas anyway.

 

What I heard at that church resonated with truth. Equally important, it was something my relatives clearly believed in and lived out in their lives. Without question, they were satisfied customers who understood what it meant to know and follow Jesus Christ. Over time that influenced me to take a serious look at the Bible and what it revealed about Jesus. 

 

On TV we often see testimonials from persons (usually actors) who supposedly use and endorse various products, ranging from health insurance and prescription drugs to cereals and laundry detergent. “Take my word for it!” they assure us as they pocket their endorsement checks. Obviously, companies wouldn’t spend big bucks to produce and air commercials for their products if they didn’t work. 

 

As Christ followers, we can give testimonials, too, except we call them testimonies. And we do it not because we’re paid, but because as satisfied customers of the Good News of Jesus Christ, we’re eager for others to know about it as well. We can explain what we believe and tell of the difference it has made in our lives. As 1 Peter 3:15 instructs, “…Always be prepared to give an answer to every who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have….” 

 

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to do this on two separate occasions, first at a funeral for a member of our extended family and then during an interview with someone conducting research on religious beliefs. I don’t know the impact of what I had to say, but all we’re responsible for is giving our answer when someone has asked about what we believe.

 

This is why the remainder of 1 Peter 3:15 and the verse following are so important. They say, “…But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” To be clear, no one spoke negatively about what I expressed, but my desire was to share my faith respectfully with sincere concern for those who were listening.

 

Once we’ve communicated about our faith in Jesus and what He’s done in our lives, we can leave the results to God. As the apostle Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Paul knew he wasn’t the one doing the saving.

 

Reading the book of Acts and several of Paul’s epistles, we find he truly was “ready always to give an answer.” Or as another translation expresses it, “always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you….” 

 

On numerous occasions the one-time zealous persecutor of Christians spoke boldly before government officials and religious leaders who challenged him about his dramatic change of heart. In fact, he wrote to fellow believers in the city of Ephesus, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Ephesians 6:19-20).

 

As the spiritual need intensifies in a world that’s turning into a spiritual wasteland, are we willing to do the same? Does anyone know that you’re one of Jesus’ “satisfied customers”?

Why Submission Doesn’t Need to Be So Difficult

There’s a word in the Bible that tends to make the hair stand up on people’s necks. That word is: Submission. Because there’s something within each of us, no matter how old or young, that wants to respond, “Submit? Not me! No way!”

 

I’ve seen this exhibited in each of our children and grandchildren. As soon as they develop past the point of total dependence, they somehow arrive at the conclusion that they don’t have to do whatever mom or dad, or the grandparents say. Even when we’re clearly asking (or telling) them to do something that’s for their own good, they purse their lips, fold their arms or strike some other pose of defiance.

 

“Eat your food?” “No!” “It’s time to go to bed.” “No!” “Put that cookie down.” “No!” “Come here, put on this shirt (or dress or pair of pants).” “No!”  Believe me, we didn’t have to teach any of them to do that. They learned it all on their own.

 

It doesn’t get any better as we become teenagers or adults. The idea of submitting, whether to parents, teachers, bosses, law enforcement officers, or even the government, makes us cringe. As a result, we find the biblical commands to submit quite troublesome.

 

We find admonitions to submit to spiritual leaders: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17).

 

Then there’s the command, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1). That’s a tough one, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican. But it’s affirmed in another passage: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority…” (1 Peter 2:13).

 

Submission in the realm of work is another biblical admonition: “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh” (1 Peter 2:18). We might not be slaves is a literal sense, but it’s hard to submit to bosses when we’re treated like slaves, isn’t it?

 

Marriage isn’t excluded. In fact, for many this is the most problematic area of submission, since the Bible says, “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). Many wives read this and think, “You’ve got to be kidding. Submit to HIM?! Just as soon as they confirm that the moon’s made of gouda cheese!”

 

But did you know husbands are given a command that’s every bit as demanding, perhaps even more? Because a verse that follows says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Consider the extent to which Jesus loved His Church, offering up His own life. 

 

And those verses directed toward husbands and wives are preceded by the admonition that we’re to “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).

 

Recently I heard a speaker offer a helpful insight into this matter of submitting. He pointed out that ultimately this means being willing to subordinate oneself to a common mission – sub-mission. 

 

Think of a football team as an example, since that’s the particular sports season we’re in at the moment. The goal of each member of the team is to move the ball down the field and score points, while keeping the opposing team from doing the same.  The center can’t decide, “I’m sick and tired of hiking the ball to the quarterback!” And other offensive linemen can’t stop doing their jobs because, “It’s not fair that the running backs and wide receivers get all the glory!” 

 

No, they all willingly – and eagerly – perform their specific assignments because they’re united in a common mission: Outscoring the opponent and winning the game. To submit to one another in that sense does not diminish the importance or value of each. Because when one or more fail to do their jobs, their combined mission is unsuccessful.

 

As followers of Jesus Christ, we shouldn’t step back in resistance when it’s time to submit to one another. Because ultimately, our mission is to glorify God and advance the work of His kingdom on earth – with a look toward the “new heaven and a new earth,” as described in Revelation 21:1 and 2 Peter 3:13.

 

With these things in mind, we can “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (James 4:7-8).

 

Romans 12:1-2 does not include the word “submit,” but it’s implied: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Instead of singing, as Frank Sinatra did, “I did it my way,” we understand that it’s better, more joyous and more fulfilling to do it God’s way – even if it means submitting. 

Do We Dare Release the Fading Memory of 9/11?

A new tower stands at the World Trade Center, along with
historic Trinity Church that was spared of destruction on 9/11.

Sept. 11, 2001 started off as what seemed to be just an ordinary day. Millions of people going to work, to school, the grocery store, the gym, the doctor, the auto repair shop. By midmorning, however, it seemed as if the world had been turned upside-down – at least in the United States.

Four commercial airline jets had been hijacked and commandeered, three crashing into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the west side of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and because of heroic efforts of passengers, a fourth crashed near Shanksville, Pa. before it could reach another destination for destruction and mayhem.

 

In all, 2,996 people died as a direct result of the hijacked plane crashes, not only passengers and occupants of the buildings but also firefighters, paramedics and police officers.

 

Sadly, in the more than two decades since, the sense of horror and disbelief has become a fading memory for many people. There are memorials at the site of what’s become known as “Ground Zero,” but aside from the unending annoyance of passenger screening at airports that didn’t exist prior to ”9/11,” there’s little to remind us of what transpired that day.

 

An entire generation of young people who weren’t even born at the time know little or nothing about the terrorist acts. In fact, a U.S. congresswoman once referenced the Sept. 11, 2001 events as “somebody did something.”

 

The evening of 9/11, and for days and weeks afterward, churches across America were jammed with mourners, frightened Americans and persons seeking answers for the orchestrated acts of hatred. However, within a month or two, the temporary spiritual fervor had waned as people calmed down and returned to “life as usual.” Today, instead of flocking to the nation’s churches, it seems throngs of people are leaving them, apparently convinced they don’t need God.

 

Should we release the diminishing remembrances of 9/11, dismissing them as “that was then, this is now”? Simply as “somebody did something” and leave it at that?

 

The answer should be a decided and unequivocal “No!” Just as we dare not abandon the painful yet important histories of slavery, the Holocaust, and other terrible times in the annals of humankind. Not to stir up renewed anger and festering bitterness, but to remember the individuals who died, the families devastated that day – and the terrifying example of the evil possible when God is removed from the equation.

 

As we read the Bible, especially the story of the Israelites in the Old Testament, we learn the consequences of short memories. The Israelites saw God perform great miracles in freeing them from four centuries of bondage in Egypt – creating plagues that eventually convinced Pharaoh to let them go; parting the Red Sea as Egyptian chariots and horses pursued them; providing water, manna and quail to sustain countless thousands of men, women and children. Yet, during times of prosperity, they quickly forgot what He had done.

 

We see the Israelites faithfully serving and worshiping God when led by humble prophets and godly kings, but once those leaders died, the people quickly turned to idolatry and pagan practices. Memories were extremely short, especially during good times when they forgot they needed God. As the book of Judges concludes, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

 

Things haven’t changed much in the many centuries since. In the days after 9/11, some expressed the opinion that one reason the Lord allowed such unbelievable acts of evil was to get our attention, to remind us of our need for Him. Perhaps for a moment or two He did have our attention, but it appears we have turned our focus to other things. For many people, God is a mere afterthought, if that.

 

Not long ago I read a compelling quote from the late Aleksandr Solshenitsyn, a famous Soviet author and outspoken critic of communism until his death in 2008. He was arrested for his dissent and suffered for eight years in the notorious Russian gulag system. He wrote novels about Soviet oppression – one, The Gulag Archipelago, won him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970. Here’s what he said:

 

“Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: 'Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.' Since then I have spent well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: 'Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.'”

 

We live in perilous times today. As dark memories of 9/11 fade, as more and more people live ignorant of such acts motivated by fathomless evil, we’re also losing the conviction of our individual and collective need for God. All around us, we are reaping what we’ve sown.

 

Proverbs 29:18 carries a cautionary message: “When there is no vision, the people perish….” Another translation states it this way: “Where there is no [prophetic] revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.”

Did the Lord allow the tragic events of 9/11 to serve as a wakeup call to a nation – and a world – turning their back on Him? That’s up for debate. But we can’t ignore the reality that absent of an understanding of God’s design for us and standards for living, people indeed are casting off restraint and ultimately perishing, empty and hopeless. That’s what happens when, as Solzhenitsyn wrote, “Men have forgotten God.” 

Can’t Put a Price on Honesty and Integrity

Recently on social media there was a video circulating of a convenience store owner who apparently decided to test the honesty and integrity of his customers. What transpires is something that could bring tears to chunk of granite.

 

The store owner is shown placing money – it appears to be four or five $20 bills – between two bags of chips close to the door. A boy probably about 10 years old comes in a few minutes afterward and, as if on cue, grabs the top bag of chips. He spots the money and picks it up, looking a bit confused.

 

“What’s he going to do?” the viewer wonders. The answer comes quickly. The young boy takes the chips and the money to the checkout counter, then gives the money to the owner. There’s no audio, but apparently the person at the checkout counter thanks the boy for his honesty, then walks away, takes a small drink cup and puts the money in it without the boy seeing what he’s doing. He covers the cup with the bag of chips and gives it to the boy.

 

The boy leaves, but just outside the door looks into the cup, sees the money and after a momentary pause, turns and re-enters the store. He walks up to the counter and again presents the money with a puzzled expression, thinking there must be some mistake.

 

In the last scene, the video shows the boy in tears, having been told that because of his honesty he can keep the money.

 

Wow! I’m presuming this video was genuine, but even if it were staged, isn’t it a refreshing image for us to ponder? Especially in these days when so many people feel entitled; when cities have experienced terrible riots along with rampant looting; when factions in our society are telling folks they’re not responsible for their own poor financial decisions. 

 

But what struck me most after watching the video was this youngster must have been raised in a home where values like honesty and integrity have been imparted very strongly.

 

Remember the old days of “Finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers?” It makes me wonder how we would react if any of us were in a similar situation. Would we regard it as “found money” and stealthily stick it in our pockets, or would we do as the boy in the video – mature beyond his years in terms of values – did in trying to find its rightful owner?

 

The video reminded me of a story in chapters 41-45 of Genesis, the Bible’s first book, even though the circumstances were very different. Joseph was sold into slavery by his older brothers, but through a series of events was elevated to a rank of authority in Egypt second only to Pharaoh. When a severe famine struck the entire region, the brothers were sent to Egypt by their father, Jacob, to purchase grain. Unbeknownst to them, the person they would have to deal was the brother they had betrayed. 

 

As governor, Joseph was in charge of grain distribution. Since many years had passed, the brothers didn’t recognize him, but he immediately knew who they were. Joseph chose not to reveal who he was, but interrogated them harshly, battling to restrain his emotions. 

 

Finally, he agreed to sell them the much-needed grain, but with a couple of twists. One was they leave behind one brother, basically as a security deposit, while they returned home to get their youngest brother whom they had told Joseph about. The other was the secret order he gave that the silver they had used to pay for the grain be covertly put back into their sacks.

 

On their way home, the brothers discovered the silver. “What’s up with this?!” they wondered, suspecting something was amiss. They already lacked brother Simeon, left in Egypt until they could return with their little brother, Benjamin. At their father Jacob's insistence, they soon went back to Egypt with young Ben, along with double the amount of silver to prove they weren’t thieves. From there the story gets even more complicated, but that’s for another time.

 

The chapters don’t specify exactly what was going through Joseph’s mind, but it’s likely his actions were prompted by spite and residual anger. However, they also might have been his way of testing his brothers’ integrity. Because in a sense, integrity and honesty are a little like being pregnant – either you have it, or you don’t. He wanted to know whether they had experienced a change of heart.

 

Integrity is a big deal with the Lord. David, long before he became king of Israel, was described as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13;14). Why? Psalm 78:72 gives us one indication. It says, “And David shepherded [his sheep] with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”

 

The Lord also wants this noble trait passed down from one generation to the next. Speaking to King Solomon after he had completed building the temple and the royal palace, God said, “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish our royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father…” (1 Kings 9:4).

 

And in the wisdom book largely written by Solomon, it states, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (Proverbs 11:3), and “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner” (Proverbs 13:6).

If only we could find many others like the young man in the convenience store, who valued integrity much higher than any personal gain he could have justified as “found money.” We need more of that and much less of the duplicity and deceit demonstrated so publicly every day in our world, especially among our leaders. 

What’s Even Worse Than Being Lost?

Some years ago, my wife and I spent several days visiting various sites in New York City. Among them was the American Museum of Natural History, an amazing array of displays that could occupy one’s time for days. From dinosaur bones and other prehistoric fossils to presentations about astronomy, it’s a magnet for the scientifically minded.

 

We enjoyed what we saw, but after a while decided that if you’ve seen one old bone you’ve seen them all. So, we exited the museum and headed across the street to Central Park, 1.3 acres of nature sprawling in the midst of an incredible concrete jungle. We planned to walk about a bit then go back to our midtown Manhattan hotel. One problem: I forgot to bring Gladys Penelope Snodgrass (GPS) with us.

 

We were enjoying the trees and flowers, along with Central Park Lake, presuming that before long we’d come out the other side and head toward Times Square. But navigating our way around the park wasn’t as simple as it seemed – especially for one directionally challenged as I am. We were making great time but going nowhere fast. 

I tried to ask a couple of joggers if we were going the right way, but quickly learned native New Yorkers aren’t inclined to offer any kind of assistance to strangers, no matter how harmless they might appear. So, we kept walking for about an hour until we saw a busy street, thinking we’d finally found our way. Only problem was, right across the street was…the American Museum of Natural History. We’d basically been lost, walking around in a circle, but didn’t know it.

 

That moment confirmed for me one basic truth (besides my directional disorientation): The only thing worse than being lost is not knowing you’re lost. Wandering around the park, we thought we knew exactly where we were, but we didn’t. 

 

Sadly, this is the plight of many people today, whether they’re trying to find their way around sprawling acreage like New York’s famous park or negotiating the journey through everyday life. They’re lost – but don’t know they’re lost.

 

A friend who was a very effective personal evangelist talked about the challenge of taking the good news of Jesus Christ to people. “Sometimes people have to get lost before they realize their need to be saved.” 

 

Imagine of an ambulance arriving in front of your home. There it sits, lights flashing and siren blaring, and you’re wondering, “What’s it doing there? I don’t need an ambulance. I’m fine.” But what if, unbeknownst to you, a heart attack was just minutes away?

 

In Luke 15, Jesus told three parables about lost things: Lost sheep, with a frantic shepherd leaving 99 sheep in his flock to find one that had wandered away; a lost coin, whose owner swept her house until she found it; and probably the most memorable, a lost son. 

 

In the latter parable, commonly known as the “prodigal son,” a young fellow had tired of waiting for his wealthy dad to die. So, he asked for – actually, demanded that he receive – his inheritance in advance. Talk about ingratitude and disrespect!

 

If you recall the story, this younger of two sons “squandered his wealth in wild living” (Luke 15:13). Unfortunately for him, his reckless spending came to an end when dad’s money ran out. Oh, dear, what to do? About this time, a severe famine struck the country he was in, so Peter Prodigal latched onto a bright idea – he would hire himself out to feed pigs. Talk about a drastic change in social standing! He even envied the slop the hogs were eating. Do you think he was lost?

 

Finally, in despair the young man decided to swallow his pride – which probably required a massive gulp – and crawl back home. Maybe his father would be merciful enough to make him one of the hired men.

 

The parable has the happiest of endings, with the father spotting the wayward son from afar, running to him and welcoming him back into the family. It’s a wonderful story that represents how God in His mercy and grace is eager to save and restore every “prodigal” who recognizes his or her lostness and returns to Him in humility and repentance.

 

But as my friend said, we must come to a realization that we’re lost before we can understand how desperately we need to be saved. This applies to each one of us, as well as people we know who are wandering around the confused, chaotic world somehow unaware that they’re lost.

Then we can sing with gusto the words of the beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace” – “I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind, but now I see.”