I love this paragraph from an interview last March from Saddleback’s Rick Warren:
1 John 2:9 says “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.” I am not allowed by Jesus to hate anyone. Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.
I usually don’t watch TBN (that statement probably deserves its own blog post), but I happened upon this 2-hour episode of their show, “Praise the Lord” that I think is worth sharing. I have had the privilege of watching (read: “listening in the background”) this episode hosted by Matt Crouch where TBN brought together some of the loudest voices in the ‘Creationism’ conversation for a healthy debate.
Personally, I side with Ken Ham and his “Bible-first” argument (how can we not?), but I think watching the debate is good for us as Christian brothers and sisters. I have much to learn in being ready to carry on difficult conversations like this!
I was watching the Olympics last evening and caught, like many American’s, this little clip from NBC highlighting the parents of Team USA gymnast, Aly Raisman during her uneven bars routine:
If you haven’t seen it yet, please watch and enjoy:
Their reaction got me thinking last night and today on a few different levels. Obviously it’s a humorous look that those of us who are parents can relate to in some way as we’ve watched our children do something that we are cheering them along in – it’s almost a literal, “we feel their pain” type reaction. I loved this peek into the life/emotion of an Olympic family…
I also can’t help but wonder what God looks like as you and I traverse this life on earth as He allows us to make our choices and live our lives. We know He is watching, though we often put it out of our minds. I haven’t heard yet in the media what Aly’s reaction to her parent’s debut on national television in these moments was, but I’d assume after whatever embarrassment might be felt that it has to be comforting to know her parents in the stands are not only watching her, but they are ‘living’ the moment with her – cheering her on – willing her to succeed and ‘stick the landing’.
I believe God is up to much of the same thing for His children.
Psalm 121:1-4 (NLT)
1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
This coming Sunday my message topic is “criticism”.
How fitting that today, randomly, someone (who probably doesn’t like Chick-Fil-A, either) decided to send me this lovely message on Twitter.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 (NIV)
…we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
Approximately 1 BILLION people do not have access to clean drinking water – together we can help lessen that number by just a few and learn to love beyond ourselves in the process.
Check out my CharityWater Birthday Campaign by clicking my pledge here:
