Do You Steal?

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Day 540: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 2 of 6:  Romans 2:21b You who preach against stealing, do you steal?     Thoughts for Today:   I was on a plane returning from a grueling twelve day overseas trip. Just before landing the flight attendant passed out the Customs Declaration Form for us all to fill out. I had been on this particular flight for the last seventeen hours -- the final leg after two days of travel from Nepal to Los Angeles and home. To say I was in a hurry to see my wife, daughter, and the comfort of my own bed is an understatement. I looked at that Declaration form for a full five minutes -- I envisioned the long lines waiting for me if I answered the questions truthfully. Endless bureaucratic delays. I fantasized about lying on the form, then sending in a letter from home including a check in the amount of the duty I owed -- apologizing for my oversight. What harm could there be? I intended to pay the duty -- right? I was just making paying the duty a little more convenient. Then reality kicked in, I filled out the form correctly, and when I got off the plane -- I took my place in the appropriate line. Surprisingly the line moved quickly. When it was my turn the Custom's Officer asked me: "Do you really want to declare this much?" I answered: "Yes, it's what I bought -- I have a big family." He asked: "Is all this from Nepal -- not Bangkok (I had a stopover in Bangkok)?" "No," I answered. "Well you're in luck, because no duty is due from Nepal. You are free to go." I stood there in shocked silence -- it taken all of two minutes -- start to finish, yet I had agonized on the plane for over an hour about how long I would be delayed. It is always interesting to me how we can so easily rationalize our decisions to steal. Yes, that's right -- not paying duty is stealing -- just like so many other things we do or are tempted to do. I have seen normally good, ethical, Christian men and women who think nothing of taking something which doesn't belong to them. A pen from a restaurant, office supplies from work, pirated copies of a new movies, hotel towels, unauthorized music downloads, etc. Small thefts but stealing none-the-less. In our passage today Paul asks, "You who preach against stealing, do you steal?" I think that's a good question for us all to answer.     Questions to Ponder:   What do you consider stealing? Many times I hear people rationalize thefts: "They can afford it," or "They expect you to take stuff -- it's included in the price." Stealing is stealing whether it's a home break-in, theft of an auto, or packing a hotel towel in your suitcase. Where do you think God draws the line on acceptable thefts? Or is a theft a theft, no matter how minor the cost or who it belongs to ?

Do You Not Teach Yourself?

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Day 539: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 1 of 6: Romans 2:21a ...you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?     Thoughts for Today:   We just finished a four part series which was titled: "Questions of Responsibility." Paul now asks six more questions which have to do with the "Evidence of Responsibility" as demonstrated in our lives. Today we deal with the first of these: "If we know God's Word so well that we teach it to others, then why don't we teach it to ourselves?" A few days ago I had some words in anger with a guy who did something I wished he hadn't. The problem was threefold: what I said, how I said it, and what I felt -- none of which were good. Unfortunately the situation was compounded because my eight year old daughter Amanda overhead a large portion of it. Not only did I need to apologize to the guy for my words, ask God for forgiveness and pray for Him to change my heart -- I also had to sit down and talk about it with Amanda. I decided the direct approach with Amanda was the best: "I was wrong to say what I said. No matter what someone else does it is never right to use unkind words." Amanda responded matter-of-factly: "I know." Then I asked her: "Will you forgive me for being a poor example?" Amanda answered: "Of course I will -- we all make mistakes, that's why we need Jesus -- right Daddy?" I have to say I didn't feel too good about my behavior that day, yet somehow God turned the ugliness into a teaching experience for both Amanda and myself. Paul's words came to me: "You who teach others, do you not teach yourselves?" My answer is: "Yes, even when I make a mistake."     Questions to Ponder:   Too often when we make mistakes, rather than confess and ask forgiveness we seek to cover and excuse. On that day I could have easily covered my behavior with self-righteous indignation. If I had done so, Amanda may not have said anything, but she was watching -- she knew what I did was wrong, and just as important, she was paying close attention to how I handled my error. Confess and seek forgiveness or cover and make excuses -- it's a choice we make in these types of situations. Fortunately I did the right thing even in my error.   How do you handle your errors?   Is there anything you need to clear up and take responsibility for right now?

God's Judgment: Fear, Ignore or Deny ?

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Day 522:  Romans 2:2a Now we know that God's judgment...     Thoughts for Today:   Most people (Christian and non-Christian alike) would agree, that some of history's greatest villains (Jeffery Dahmer, Adolf Hitler, etc.) deserve eternal punishment for their acts while on this earth. Our passage today begins with the words, "Now we know", for Paul is discussing every man is born with the inherent knowledge one day we will be judged by a power higher than ourselves for the way we have lived. It is curious to me how many people will say when discussing a person (OJ Simpson for example), who appears to have done wrong yet escaped punishment, "He'll get what he deserves in the next life." Then in the same breath, argue against God's right to judge their own sinful acts. "I'm a good person," is what I hear most often. So does that mean God won't judge us? Does God hold up a scale and place all of our good and selfless acts on one side and all of our lies, gossip, insults, etc. on the other -- and make His decision accordingly? Do we get to choose what is sinful and what is not? I don't think so. Here is what the Bible says about God's judgment: Psalm 9:6, "The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment." Ecclesiastes 3:17, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked." Jeremiah 2:35, "You say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.' " Matthew12:36 [Jesus speaking], "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." This coming judgment of God is something we either fear, avoid thinking about, or completely deny. Many people in our country have deceived themselves into believing judgment by God is an archaic and uneducated concept. However, regardless of how we feel about it -- it is something all will face. 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."     Questions to Ponder:   Do you believe in eternal life? What about God's judgment? I know when I die and appear before the Lord, my sins will have been paid and washed away with the blood of Jesus. Do you have the same confidence?

If You Are Convinced You Are a Guide...

Day 538: Questions of Responsibility, Part 4: Romans 2:19-20 ...if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth...     Thoughts for Today:   Today is the final of a four part series titled: "Questions of Responsibility." Paul clearly wrote these words (Romans 2:17-20) to the Jews, however I think we can learn a lot if we apply them to ourselves as well. In many ways, we are just like the Jews -- two thousand years after Jesus died, Christianity is no longer an upstart religion -- it is well established with numerous traditions of its own. Unfortunately if we are not careful, we too can totally miss Jesus when we spend our time trying to follow rules rather than the Lord. We started in Part One with who we are: "If you call yourself a Christian, then what are some of your responsibilities?" In Part Two, we looked at our attitude about being a Christian, "If you brag about your relationship with God, then there had better be a lot of fruit in your life (or it's just empty boasting)." And Part Three asked a leading question: "If you know God's will" -- In other words, do we read and study God's Word ourselves or do we just follow the opinions of others. We conclude today with Part Four: "If you are convinced you are a guide." Not long ago, Amanda, Sherry and I were at the airport where we met a woman who trained "helper" dogs -- dogs taught to assist the elderly, handicapped, or the guide the blind. Of course Amanda, who loves dogs ran right up to the dog to pet it until she read a sign on its back asking parents to keep their children from doing so: "I am a working dog." While we waited for our plane we talked with the woman at length about the dog's training -- a large part of which was re-education: it was no longer a pet, had a very specific role, and it's duties must always be performed. As we talked it got me to thinking about my responsibilities and how and why they had changed over the years. When I left college to get a "real job" I had to get up early, shave, shower, and put on a suit including a freshly laundered shirt and tie (sandals, a tee shirt and shorts were no longer appropriate attire). When my first child was born, my sleep was interrupted with midnight feedings -- ones which I couldn't ignore -- and as a parent I had a whole new set of responsibilities which further redefined me as a person. When I became a Christian, my responsibilities again changed forever. I always find it interesting to see how Christians answer this question: "How have your responsibilities changed once you became a Christian?" A lot of people answer with: "I pray, read and study the Bible, attend church, sing in the choir, etc." But what about the other responsibilities Paul describes in our passage today: "a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, (and) a teacher of infants"? Are you fulfilling those responsibilities as well?     Questions to Ponder:   What does the Bible say about our responsibilities as Christians? We have been given an amazing gift, but what are you doing with it? When was the last time you shared your faith? Is your life a light in a dark and desperate world? Do you point the "lost" to evidence of a Divine and Holy Creator? How well versed are your children in Biblical truths? Are you convinced you are a "guide" for those who have been blinded to the "embodiment of knowledge and truth" in Jesus Christ?

If You Know His Will

Day 537: Questions of Responsibility, Part 3: Romans 2:18 ...if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law...     Thoughts for Today:   A few days ago I went scuba diving with two of my friends. When diving, just before leaving the surface of the water it is important to take a compass reading in the direction of the intended dive site. This is done so you can find it while under water since there are no landmarks (visibility is usually limited to 15 to 20 feet). In other words, it is easy to get turned around and lost while under water without an accurate compass reading. On this particular day, for whatever reason, I did not do so -- I relied upon my friends. Down we went to the seabed fifty feet below -- one of my friends started swimming and I began to follow him. After about ten minutes I realized we were all following one another in a big, random circle. No one was leading -- everyone was following. Finally, I grabbed one of my friends, took a reading off of his compass, then signaled for everyone to follow my lead. Fortunately, we found the dive site that day, and our way back to the boat. If only life were that simple. As I read our passage today, I thought of my scuba diving experience -- Paul is almost posing a question: "If you know God's will, then how and why do you get so off track?" Answer: Their compass was initially pointed at the Lord -- but over time it became directed at each other (they relied on their own interpretations of the Law and lost sight of the Lord's leadership). Good intentions but poor results. It's easy to do and is one of the many ways we get off track as well -- we want to follow the Lord -- instead we end up just following one another in big, random circles.     Questions to Ponder:   It is important for each of us to take our direction directly from the Lord. So many get off track because they follow men rather than the Lord. It's how cults are developed and also one of the reasons the original Ten Commandments morphed into thousands of laws and rules for the Jews to follow. Following men versus following God.   Do you know God's will? Have you been reading and studying your Bible? Does the leadership in your life come from the opinion others, or the Lord? What is your responsibility to know God's will?

If You Brag About Your Relationship to God

Day 536: Questions of Responsibility, Part 2: Romans 2:17b ...if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God...     Thoughts for Today:   I met a young man last summer who redefined the term "braggadocio" (Encarta Dictionary: empty boasting and swaggering self-aggrandizement). It seemed no matter what the subject or activity he was an expert and had done it all -- only better. If talk was about ski jumps, he recounted going off a hundred meter jump in Saint Moritz last winter and "stuck the landing" (he didn't crash); if the discussion went to white water rafting, he talked of class six rapids (highest level) he had accidently entered by canoe and navigated with ease. I thought, "For a twenty year old kid, you sure have some colorful experiences." I also wondered how much it was real versus invented. The conversation then turned to wakeboarding -- which of course he was expert at as well, and had recently received offers by unnamed sponsors to turn pro. Since it was summer in Idaho I just happened to have my boat docked behind the house -- I offered to take him wakeboarding with me the following day and perhaps he could provide some pointers. He just looked at me. Finally, after a little gentle prodding and urging by my friends (who were the parents of his girlfriend), he reluctantly agreed to go. Let me suffice it to say we were all less than impressed. I think this is what Paul is speaking about in our passage today: If you are going to brag about something -- you better be able to demonstrate it. Clearly Paul was less than impressed with the evidence of God demonstrated in the Jews lives. He will soon be asking them: "Where's the fruit?" Scripture is the promise of a relationship with God, but where's the proof?     Questions to Ponder:   Paul writes in Galatians 6:14, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."   In other words, Paul's vision was changed when he saw the world through the prism of the cross. Have you looked at your life lately through the cross of Jesus? Does your life reflect the abundance of the Lord? Is it empty boasting or is God's love demonstrated to and through you?

If You Call Yourself a Christian

Day 535: Questions of Responsibility, Part 1:

Romans 2:17a

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew...

 

 

Thoughts for Today:

 

A number of months ago I was faced with a difficult problem -- one I wrestled with regularly yet couldn't bring to conclusion. I had trouble sleeping, I developed an eye twitch (for me a symptom of stress), my stomach became sensitive to all sorts of foods, and little things irritated me easily. I prayed, "Lord, why doesn't this situation get resolved? Is there something else I need to do?" Then the Lord answered, "It is not your problem it is Mine."

You see I called myself a Christian, yet I had forgot one fundamental responsibility -- being a Christian isn't following a set of rules, laws, values or principles -- it is loving and trusting God. I think that's what Paul begins to speak about in our passage today -- the Jews could call themselves Jews, but what did that mean exactly? For me, being a Christian means letting God lead in all areas of my life while trusting Him with the results. Where I went wrong -- my job description didn't include worry.

 

 

Questions to Ponder:

 

Have you been losing sleep lately ?   Feeling a little stressed ?

After you've done all you can do, are you still unsettled?

What does being a Christian mean to you in this circumstance?

 

Consider Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

 

And also, Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"