It Sounds Good, But...

Sometimes we need a wake up call. Sometimes we need to put some thought into an idea, movie, message, book, or quote. 

I need to do this often. I thoroughly enjoy making others do it as well. 

A couple of months ago, during the Sunday School class I was teaching, I asked the students to tell me everything they could about King David. They come up with a huge list. But, it was mostly good stuff. I had planned for this response and had a question ready. 

What did David pay King Saul as a bride-price for Michal? (see 1 Samuel 18:25-27 for the answer). 

I went on to point out the severely messed up, and mixed up, life of David, and concluded by asking why we, and the scriptures, call David "a man after God's own heart." Interesting discussion ensued!

Then today, again during the Sunday School class I was teaching  I borrowed a thought from John Stackhouse and asked the students if they had ever thought about ridiculous Christianity can sound. 

"We believe in God. But not just any God. Our God became a man, a Jewish carpenter turned Rabbi over two thousand years ago. God did this, becoming man, in order to save the world. He succeeded in saving the world by dying on a cross and then rising from the dead; that is how he paid for our sins. He promised to be with us always, and we talked to Him this morning actually, and he promised he would come back one day. And if you want you can talk to Jesus too, and invite Him into your heart whenever you want!"

Now, as part of an entire narrative, it all makes sense. And I believe it. But laid out in a series of propositional sentences, it can sound ridiculous. 

Other examples I have used include the Twilight series (barf!), Kung Fu Panda (the power is inside of you! you just have to believe! there is no secret ingredient! Booyah....), and the false gospel preached at History Maker Conference last year.

Today, I came across yet another chance to make people think.  How many of you have ever heard this quote: 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson in her book "A Return To Love" (which is an examination of, or reflection upon, "A Course in Miracles") {new age distorted spiritualistic garbage}

If you have seen the movie "Coach Carter" then you have heard this quote. Sounds good, doesn't it? But it is complete nonsense.

Whatever our deepest fear is (for we fear both rightly and wrongly), our deepest problem could be stated precisely in terms of our inadequacy: we are sinful and incapable of saving ourselves, our lives are inadequate to 'earn' forgiveness, reconciliation is beyond our reach. Only God can save us. We are not powerful beyond measure; we are finite, fallen, broken, and fragile human beings. And it is not our light, or our darkness, which ought to most frighten us but the light of God (John 3:19). As for being brilliant, gorgeous, talented, or fabulous, these are not the goals of life. We are to be faithful, hopeful, and loving. God has created us all unique, and called us to our very best, whatever that looks like; though we are all incredibly loved and valued, beyond anything we can imagine, by God. You are a child of God, and you ought precisely to humble yourself before Him so that he can lift you up; playing big will serve the world even less than playing small (though false humility is still unhelpful). We are meant to shine by reflecting the light of Christ into the world; no other light will help anyone (Matt. 6:23).  It is as we throw ourselves wholly on God that we free others to do anything worthwhile, and it is as He liberates us from our fears, through His perfect love, that we can become ministers of reconciliation and liberation to those around us.

So I urge you, think! Think about what you hear, see, read, and take in. Much will sound, or look, or smell, or taste, or feel good, but...