How can we process issues that are of importance that are often difficult to resolve? Left unaddressed they potentially can lead to anger, alienation and anxiety in our relationships. God's Word helps us with this simple admonition in Proverbs 12:18, "Reckless words pierce like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing".
We are invited in James 1:5 to come to God with this carte blanc promise, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God who gives generously without finding fault and it will given to him." James 3 addresses the power of the tongue and concludes in 3:13-18 with these principles.
1. Our wisdom is reflected in our humility, 3:13.
2. "Bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" produce a wisdom that is "earthly, unspiritual and of the devil", 3:15.
3. "Disorder" (sometimes experienced as dis-unity) results from ignoring God's wisdom and embracing "worldly" wisdom", 3:16.
4. God's wisdom is "pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere", 3:17.
5. The product of endeavoring to "sow in peace" is a "harvest of righteousness", or, right living, 3:18.
Why not rewrite these verses in your own words? From verse 17 make a list of all of the descriptive phrases for godly wisdom and use these as a way of defining how you will communicate when divisive issues are on the table.
And then say "grace"...because it's essential to the process of resolution.
'
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
A tradition of repression...?
Two events occurred in the last week that may seem disconnected but are inextricably linked together. Brendon Iche, the recently installed CEO of Mazilla, resigned under pressure from the inside (board members) and the outside (liberal users) when it was revealed he had contributed to Proposition 8 in California, the initiative to preserve traditional marriage (which, lest we forget, passed with 52% affirmation). The second incident was the Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case of the New Mexico woman's appeal to not provide services videotaping a same sex marriage ceremony for which she had been summarily fined by the state.
As we are aware, such issues continue to be debated in the public arena and before various levels of judicial government. We are awaiting a summer verdict on Holly Lobby's refusal to provide insurance that includes abortion options because it violates their Christian belief system. Other less well-publicized issues include a florist's concern about providing flowers for same sex marriages as well as a cake maker's refusal to provide its services for the same. These all fall under the banner of first amendment's free speech protection, or, the freedom of religious expression.
We are still awaiting word about what action, if any, Congress will take against the IRS for its obvious targeting of conservative groups with regard to denying their tax exempt status or encumbering the process in acquiring it. The Senate Committee has listened to a litany of frightening stories from those who felt the heavy hand of the IRS and who were, "coincidentally", individuals or corporations supporting conservative and often Christian causes. The podcast, THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IT, a product of World Magazine, does an excellent job of reporting on these and other issues that often escape the national news media.
A central feature is the issue of preserving traditional marriage. Marvin Olasky, a frequent contributor to World Magazine, suggests that Christians have already lost the culture war and must now identify creative means of communicating our deep concerns so that we can discover anew how to be "salt" and "light" in a darkened world. Admittedly, a growing number of states are recognizing same sex marriages. What this portends for our country is a redefinition of the family as we know it, and, as a result, we are already experiencing some of the painful repercussions of the emerging values of a dysfunctional social structure.
Sadly, what appears on the horizon--if not already on the scene--is a new tradition, a tradition of repressing free speech if it violates the current secular agenda, or, what are characterized as certain human rights issues. The aggressive repression of the right to free expression and free speech for Christian organizations and businesses is married to the idea that anything contrary to the current social philosophy is hostile, discriminatory and, therefore, unacceptable. We have fallen a long way from our forefathers who said, "Congress will make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or, prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
As I coach and counsel I am aware of the very fragile environment in which we live, and the hostility experienced by many Christian families seeking to live by their personal convictions while at the same time recognizing the freedom of others to live differently. As Christians we are called to honor God's Word and to follow its teachings, giving expression to our faith without repressing the rights and opinions of others. Will we be able to continue to do this in an environment of escalating repression in the marketplace, and, ultimately, how much will it affect our freedom to worship, to raise and lead our children and to be fairly represented in the court of public opinion?
As we are aware, such issues continue to be debated in the public arena and before various levels of judicial government. We are awaiting a summer verdict on Holly Lobby's refusal to provide insurance that includes abortion options because it violates their Christian belief system. Other less well-publicized issues include a florist's concern about providing flowers for same sex marriages as well as a cake maker's refusal to provide its services for the same. These all fall under the banner of first amendment's free speech protection, or, the freedom of religious expression.
We are still awaiting word about what action, if any, Congress will take against the IRS for its obvious targeting of conservative groups with regard to denying their tax exempt status or encumbering the process in acquiring it. The Senate Committee has listened to a litany of frightening stories from those who felt the heavy hand of the IRS and who were, "coincidentally", individuals or corporations supporting conservative and often Christian causes. The podcast, THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IT, a product of World Magazine, does an excellent job of reporting on these and other issues that often escape the national news media.
A central feature is the issue of preserving traditional marriage. Marvin Olasky, a frequent contributor to World Magazine, suggests that Christians have already lost the culture war and must now identify creative means of communicating our deep concerns so that we can discover anew how to be "salt" and "light" in a darkened world. Admittedly, a growing number of states are recognizing same sex marriages. What this portends for our country is a redefinition of the family as we know it, and, as a result, we are already experiencing some of the painful repercussions of the emerging values of a dysfunctional social structure.
Sadly, what appears on the horizon--if not already on the scene--is a new tradition, a tradition of repressing free speech if it violates the current secular agenda, or, what are characterized as certain human rights issues. The aggressive repression of the right to free expression and free speech for Christian organizations and businesses is married to the idea that anything contrary to the current social philosophy is hostile, discriminatory and, therefore, unacceptable. We have fallen a long way from our forefathers who said, "Congress will make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or, prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
As I coach and counsel I am aware of the very fragile environment in which we live, and the hostility experienced by many Christian families seeking to live by their personal convictions while at the same time recognizing the freedom of others to live differently. As Christians we are called to honor God's Word and to follow its teachings, giving expression to our faith without repressing the rights and opinions of others. Will we be able to continue to do this in an environment of escalating repression in the marketplace, and, ultimately, how much will it affect our freedom to worship, to raise and lead our children and to be fairly represented in the court of public opinion?
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