MC

Is it hard for you to give a gentle answer? Yeah, me too at times. Do you welcome wrath and stir up anger? Yeah, me too at times. Do you say wise things? Yeah, me too at times. Do you say foolish things? Yeah, me too at times. See, we are not so different. Here's a couple verses about this phenomenon: “Agentle answer turns away wrath, But aharsh word stirs up anger. Thetongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, But themouth of fools spouts foolishness.” -Proverbs 15:1-2 Regarding a “gentle answer” Adam Clarke, a famous British theologian and Bible scholar, once said: "Gentleness will often disarm the most furious, where positive derangement has not taken place; one angry word will always beget another, for the disposition of one spirit always begets its own likeness in another: thus kindness produces kindness, and rage produces rage. Universal experience confirms this proverb." _________ I think most can agree that kindness is more desirable to rage for so many reasons. Mr. Clarke's commentary about the disarming power of gentleness is hopefully something on which we can find common ground. Likewise, I suspect we have all been on both the giving and receiving end of kindness and rage through our personal experiences. Assuming most of us prefer gentleness and kindness, what are some ways we can cultivate these two spiritual fruits in our lives?

Would it kill you to hug someone? No, seriously, would it? Some of you may believe that. Some of you may be contemplating whether answering “yes” puts you on the side of common sense. Such is life in ‘Rona times. Others may recognize the importance of contact, through touch or communication, and keep hugging in your arsenal when it comes to interacting with fellow humans. Hugging yourself, stuffed animals, or trees is just not the same. Isn’t it amazing that simple actions like hugs, which we once agreed were vital to show our acceptance and/or care of other individuals, are now considered by some an act of bioterrorism? In what other areas are we letting fear take over? Are we allowing fear to stop us from taking active steps to show care for or love one another? What other previously considered healthy activities are we neglecting? For the non-touchy-feely folks out there, perhaps something like a hug has always been intimidating or less than satisfying. Now that hugs are potentially laced with Covid, you may view an incoming hug as an attempt on your life. Maybe you are even tempted to call the authorities on your local hug dealer for spreading that poison around, especially those bold miscreants who embrace others with *gasps* nothing covering their faces. All kidding aside (or am I serious?), there are so many ways that you can help others know they matter or give a boost to their day. Even just some words of affirmation sent another’s way or lending your ear to someone for a conversation from near or far (no nearer than 6 ft of course), can make the difference in some way. With reported high levels of “deaths of despair” maybe the difference you can make is THE difference someone needs. Please give that some thought.

Some guy named C.S. Lewis (anyone ever heard of him?) once said, “You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” Do you believe that? I think I can to an extent. Since we don't have the ability to travel back in time, the first part must be true. But how about the second part? Do you believe you have the power to change the future with your actions today? Is your path pre-planned like some kind of destiny or can you shape it into how you'd like it to be based off your actions? Is there some greater power at work while you labor or are you merely a compilation of the consequences of your personal decisions? How do you prepare for the unexpected? My oh my, so many variables to consider! I think we can agree there are external factors that affect our lives which are beyond our control. The “who” or “why” behind those happenings may ultimately escape us, but perhaps the “what should I do?” doesn't need to suffer the same fate. No matter what brought us to the current moment in which we find ourselves, it stands to reason that we ultimately decide how we will move forward. So, what gives your life meaning? What principles do you choose to live by? Where do those principles come from? On what or whom are they founded? Are they just for your own good or for the good of others? Ask yourself, are you stuck in the PAST or living in the PRESENT thinking about how you can positively affect the FUTURE of yourself and those around you? Are you devaluing yourself because of BEGINNINGS or adding value to some ENDINGS?

Listen up! Most of you have not had the “pleasure” of living under authoritarianism. I have. Let’s just say society looks much different and is a lot less free than the American society to which we are accustomed. Do you like your freedom of speech? Well, it’s not free. If you are even allowed to say something, it comes at a higher and higher cost. If the government or the online censors don’t get you, your trusty neighbor might be the one to turn on you. Do you like your freedom of commerce? What happens when the government wants to stomp it out through their enforcers? You think you are safe just because the tech oligarchs are privately owned…for now? It doesn’t matter. Pick your poison. How about your local health department? They’ll be happy to take you down too in the name of public health. Why not?! How about banks and credit card companies? What’s your political affiliation? Oh, Republican? Wrong answer. We are closing your account, canceling your credit cards, and don’t even bother applying for that loan. Nah, that won’t happen…right? Hear me when I’m telling you, the Democratic Party leadership in America is nearly indistinguishable from the Communist Party of China (CCP) at this point. The Republican Party isn't going to save us either. This is not a personal ideological statement as much as is an observational assertion based off personal experience. Ignore me at your own peril! You may “enjoy” seeing people on the other side of the political aisle take it on the chin a bit as we speak. But what if you find yourself in the crosshairs of THE Party? What if some day the powers that be get sick of mob rule and take you out too? Oh, but you were just a spectator, you weren’t part of the violent mob, you didn’t do anything wrong, they wouldn’t do that would they? You mean like how 99.9% of the people at the Capitol last week were spectators and were just exercising their first amendment right to peacefully assemble? None of those people are publicly shamed right? None of those people are living in fear right now wondering if their employer or the authorities will come after them simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, right? There is absolutely no pressure for businesses not to employ, serve, or work with people who are not with THE Party, right? Please stop fooling yourselves thinking you are some warrior in the American Revolution. At best, you are joining in a French Revolution that ends up with your head on the guillotine just like mine. At worst, you are caught up in a Communist takeover of not just the greatest country in the history of mankind, but their attempted takeover of the world. In reality, it’s probably some sick combination of the two styles of revolution, both antithetical to the American spirit. You want to sing about unity? Ok, well what are you uniting yourself to and what if we don’t want to attend the party you are inviting us to? Do we deserve to be cast out of society? What are YOU going to do when you fall short of complete allegiance to THE Party? Whatcha gonna do when they come for YOU?

Let’s talk about our grievances. What do you say? What’s the appropriate way to do that? Please consider the following with me: 1st Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. Declaration of Independence: “…In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress, in the most humble terms. Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define atyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people…” Questions to Ponder: 1) What do we do when it seems there is no redress for our grievances? 2) Is the “talk to the manager” (AKA “Karen”) phenomenon a proper way to petition our grievances? 3) How do you feel about Google, Apple, and Amazon teaming up to silence Parler over the weekend? To whom should they petition their grievances? 4) Christians, are we serious about FIRST petitioning our grievances to God?

Forgiving people isn't fun. It's hard. Condemning people can be much more fun. It's easy. Being forgiven is much more fun. It feels good when someone forgives you, showing you grace after you have wronged them. Being condemned doesn't feel so fun. It hurts when someone condemns you, even after you have admitted your wrong and asked for forgiveness. Which one would you rather choose? Which one DO you choose with your usual actions? Do you support one or the other based on whether you are on the giving or receiving end? “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other,just as God in Christ also has forgivenyou.” -Ephesians 4:32 NASB “Bear with each otherand forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” -Colossians 3:13 NIV “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ―C.S. Lewis

It’s a beautiful thing to consider the author of our liberty, our Creator. As much as some want to try, God can’t be removed from the founding of America. We are always at our best when we not only don’t try to silence those who fear God, but let them lead, especially during trying times. I think of great examples like Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. who all spoke of their reverence for God and the Declaration of Independence as they faced hardships that most of us can only imagine. One of the greatest things about America is that even those who have decided to reject God still got to enjoy the blessings God bestowed upon America partly because of the God-fearing men who have come before us and still want to lead us. Maybe instead of trying to purge God and his followers from society, we could invite them to have a role in restoring some sense of unity. Just a thought. My Country ‘Tis of Thee My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims' pride, From ev'ry mountainside Let freedom ring! My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills; My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above. Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song; Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake; Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong. Our fathers' God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing. Long may our land be bright, With freedom's holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King! Declaration of Independence: “…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…”

Let's talk about inciting a riot! No, I'm not advocating for one, but let's have a conversation about what that means and doesn't mean. Here's the definition: Under federal law, a riot is a public disturbance involving an act of violence by one or more persons assembled in a group of at least three people. Inciting a riot applies to a person who organizes, encourages, or participates in a riot. It can apply to one who urges or instigates others to riot. According to 18 USCS § 2102 "to incite a riot", or "to organize, promote, encourage, participate in, or carry on a riot", includes, but is not limited to, urging or instigating other persons to riot, but shall not be deemed to mean the mere oral or written (1) advocacy of ideas or (2) expression of belief, not involving advocacy of any act or acts of violence or assertion of the rightness of, or the right to commit, any such act or acts.” Source: https://definitions.uslegal.com/i/incite-a-riot/

A quick look at criminals next to Jesus. Please have a listen and reflect with me. But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews . One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:23‭-‬43 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.23.23-43.NIV

I'm not ready to flush America down the toilet are you? Times may seem tough, but don't give up hope. God is still in control!

January 6, 2021 is a historic day. This is my appeal to my fellow Americans. Election integrity and our constitution deserve more respect than a play in a football game.