'tis better to give

Matthew 5:40-42 (New King James Version)

⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

My conviction based on this passage is to give to anyone and everyone who asks of me. This is a hardline approach, but that’s the kind of guy Jesus is. His words are crystal clear, “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

Jesus doesn’t put any provisions or conditions on this principle. They ask, we give. Black and white, plain and simple.

I know the objections that are mulling in your mind. “But what if they use the money to buy boos, or drugs, or a copy of The Shack.”

Well, first of all you cannot control other people’s actions. Neither can you always accurately judge others motivations. Your responsibility as a disciple of Christ is to give. What they do with it is on them.

Even if their motivation is to take advantage of you, you are still to give in love. In fact, we are called to give above and beyond what they ask.

“And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”

I am by no means a perfect practitioner of this principle. My heart is to give unto the Lord. However, I sometimes miss opportunities, and other times I act out of legalism and not love. My heart is to consistently apply this command of Christ in a loving, cheerful manner.

This principle, I believe, encompasses everything from the homeless guy begging on the street to the girl scout selling outrageously overpriced cookies at my door.

Give to everyone who asks. Give more than they ask, and do more than they require. Such is the job description of every follower of Christ.

"Pastor Yanked From Capitol Over 'Jesus' Prayer"

A Baptist pastor in North Carolina was “relieved of his duties as an honorary chaplain of the state house of representatives after he closed a prayer by invoking the name of Jesus.”

He was told not to “use the name Jesus. We have some people here that can be offended.” Read the whole article here.

This baffles me. If Christianity is offensive to them, then why are they praying? It would be better to just stop the charade and give up the hypocrisy. They might as well pray to the naked statue of Lady Justice. It would probably offend less people.

Pastors pray. Pastors pray in the name of Jesus. That's their job, its what they do.

To ask a pastor not to would be like asking a structural engineer to design a building without using any math. After all, some people don’t understand math and are offended by it (especially fractions).

Or its like going to a doctor and asking him to treat you without using any of that offensive medicine stuff. It just don’t make no dadburn sense.

I am encouraged, though, by this pastor’s actions. He fought the good fight of faith in the face of persecution. I pray (in the name of Jesus Christ) that God will bless him for it, both now and in eternity.

Spiritual Gift Cop-Out

It sometimes seems that we are too concerned about what our specific spiritual gift is. We take batteries of multiple choice tests to determine our spiritual gift aptitude. We categorize ourselves into predefined groups and put on or respective “prophet” or “server” t-shirt. We can then begin to serve God, but only within the limits of our newly discovered gift.

This strategy does make sense, especially in the corporate world. It is efficient to find the strengths and talents of your human resources and put them into a job in which they can excel. The problem with this approach is that it pigeon holes the believer, not leaving room for God.

So next time the offering plate is passed to you, don’t think,”Oh I’m a teacher not a giver.” And don’t show up to the next work day to only show mercy while everyone else paints or cuts grass or repaves the parking lot. In other words, don’t use your spiritual gift as a cop-out.

Even though we all have our individual gifts, we are all called to a variety of service. My advice is to not worry so much about what your particular gift is, and just willing and humbly serve wherever there is a need. All that other jive will follow. After all, God has already prepared your good works beforehand. Your job is simply to walk in them.

Inked

Is it a sin to get a tattoo? Should Christians get tattoos? Are tattoos wrong? What does the Bible say about tattoos?

There has been resurgence in the popularity of tattoos in the US. According to a 2006 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 36% of 18 to 25 year olds and 40% of 26 to 40 year olds have at least one tattoo.

The art and practice of tattooing dates back almost as far as recorded history. Mummies with tattoo markings have been discovered in Egypt, and Julius Caesar described the Germanic tribes of Northern Europe as being heavily tattooed. Tattooing was prominent in many ancient cultures around the world, including the Japanese, Chinese, Polynesians, New Zealanders, Persians, and Native Americans.

Tattooing must have also bee prevalent in Old Testament Palestine. Leviticus 19:28 forbids cutting the body for the dead and receiving tattoo marks. So what does this implication have for Christians today?

“Ahh” you might say, “but we are not under the law but under grace.” And you would be correct. However, it is important to investigate the reason why God forbade this practice.

All of the tattooing cultures have one common thread: paganism. Tattoos have historically been a trademark of pagan worship and ritual. One purpose of the Levitican law was to distinctly separate the appearance and persona of God’s chosen people.

As Christians, we too are called to be noticeably different from the surrounding pagan culture. Therefore, it is my opinion that Christians should not get tattoos. I am by no means implying that the heart with Mom tattooed on your bicep is an express ticket to hell. I also understand that many believers have tattoos left over from a bygone era of pre-salvation darkness. Praise God for His grace, because we all carry baggage (consequences) in the remnants of our flesh.

However, post-salvation tattoos are unwise, and do not honor God. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices, temples of the Holy Spirit. We are God’s adopted children, a holy priesthood, a royal race, and as such we are to be markedly different from the world.

for His glory,

DJ