Week 34: Keep in Step with the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." ~ Galatians 5:22-25

A few weeks ago, God convicted me that in my effort to obey His commands, I had committed the sin of pride. The sin isn't that I'm proud of my obedience. I'm not. If you've been reading this blog, then you know it's more about my failures than my successes. My sin has been in thinking that I could transform my life by my own power---that by sheer will power I could make myself more like Jesus. That's not just been my attitude for the last year. It's been my attitude for my whole Christian life. The truth is that I'm a proud person and like to feel self-sufficient.

God's conviction has at least given me another chance to practice repentance. And, now, a bit of confession to all of you. Maybe you noticed that The James 1:22 Project has been on hiatus for three weeks. The truth is that I've been extraordinarily busy at work and home and haven't had much time for blogging. I've also been thinking and praying about whether I should continue the blog.

Over the last couple weeks, God has repeatedly brought me back to Galatians, Chapter Five. What I've grasped (and this never sank in before) is the Apostle Paul's emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit in changing believers. Many times in my life, I've looked at the list of the fruit of the Spirit---love, joy, peace, etcetera, and resolved that I would change my life to better exemplify those qualities. What has never sunk in before is that all of those things (love, joy, peace, etcetera) are the fruit of the Spirit---not the fruit of human effort. Self-control, for example, is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, self-control is beyond my control! I can't make myself be more self-controlled. According to Galatians 5:18, "If [we] are led by the Spirit, [we] are not under the law." It's doesn't say, "if we follow. . . ." It says, "if we are led."

The Spirit takes the initiative.

The Spirit leads us.

The Spirit changes our character.

The Spirit causes us to obey with right hearts.

We can't possibly transform ourselves. So, what are the practical implications? Is it wrong for Christians to make an intentional effort to do what the Bible says? Should we just do what feels right, depending on the Spirit to give us pure hearts? And, what does all this mean for The James 1:22 Project?

There's another side to Galatians, Chapter Five. According to Paul, we don't play a completely passive role. We are commanded to "live by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16) and to "keep in step with the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25). God commands us (our thoughts, emotions, speech, and conduct), because we have some measure of free will. We don't have the ability to put to death our sinful nature by our own power. God does ask us, however, to choose whether we will trust and follow His plan or pursue the desires of the flesh.

I don't think "living by the Spirit" or "keeping in step with the Spirit" rules out making an effort to obey God's commands. To the contrary, I think that part of keeping in the step with the Spirit is choosing, over and over again, God's plan over our sinful desires. That, however, cannot be the end of it, or we would have a tendency to fall right back into prideful, self-reliant, legalism. To live by the Spirit means to choose, over and over again, God's plan over our sinful desires, while daily repenting of our self-reliance and confessing that we cannot conquer our sinful nature without the Spirit's power.

The James 1:22 Project continues. Stay tuned for Week 35. We're on the home stretch, with six weeks to go.

Week 33: Love Your Enemies

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?Do not even pagans do that?" ~ Matthew 5:43-47

I'm a trial lawyer. On a daily basis, I'm engaged in an aggressive adversarial process. The idea behind the American civil justice system is that when two parties have a dispute that they are not able to resolve, instead of slugging it out or shooting it out, they will hire lawyers who will fight it out in court. Litigation is a civilized proxy for physical combat. Sometimes, however, it's not very civilized. In fact, things can become very hostile and unpleasant. I don't consider every attorney on the opposite side of a case to be my enemy. Despite the reputation of lawyers, many of them are as gracious as possible within the adversarial system. Some lawyers, however, have earned their bad reputation. And, if you're a trial lawyer, you can never forget that even the nicest lawyer on the other side is still on the other side, and his job is to defeat you.

What does it mean for us Christians to love those who oppose us? In this passage, Jesus shows us a couple of practical things that we should do. In verse 47, Jesus indicates that we ought to greet them. In other words, we don't have permission to snub or ignore those who oppose us. In verse 45, Jesus says that God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the unrighteous and the righteous. In other words, God meets the physical needs of those who follow Him and those who oppose Him. If we are sons of God, then we should have the same character. So, as far as we are able, we should meet the needs of those who oppose us. In verse 44, Jesus says we ought to pray for our enemies. How should we pray for them? By following the model that Jeus gives just a few verses after commanding his disciples to pray for their enemies. We should pray for God's kingdom and will to come to the lives of those who oppose us. We should pray that God would lead them to repentance. We should pray that God would meet their needs and show us how we might help them. Finally, we should pray that God would forgive them for their sins, help us to forgive them, and forgive us for our unforgiveness.

I've always tried to be kind and courteous to opposing attorneys. For me, this passage places spiritual significance on those relationships. We ought to be kind to others, not based on a hope that cosmic karma will return that kindness to us, but out of obedience to our Lord and based on trust in Him.

This passage has also been a call to pray for my adversaries, which I've never done before this last week. As I've tried to pray for those who oppose me, the prayers have sometimes been difficult to speak. When someone has been unkind, rude or dishonest to me, it's difficult for me to wish them well. My natural tendency is to want to see them punished. I want justice, darn it!

From where does the power to sincerely bless our enemies come? I believe it comes from faith in God's justice. Several times this week, God has reminded me that He is just and that justice belongs to Him. For those of us who follow Jesus, God's justice for our sins was satisfied on the cross. As for those who reject Jesus, there will be justice for their sins also.

Week 32: Share With God's People

"Share with God's people in need. Practice hospitality." ~ Romans 12:13

Back in April and May, I spent several weeks focusing on "one another" commands: encourage one another, serve one another, offer hospitality to one another, and greet one another with a holy kiss. These commands show us the way to live out the great command to love one another. They are specific, practical instructions about how we Christians are to live together.

One thing I'll take away from The James 1:22 Project is a stronger than ever conviction that God calls Christians to have deep affection for one another and to be in deep fellowship. You can't be a Christian all by yourself. Being actively involved in a community of believers is not merely beneficial to Christians; it's absolutely essential. As Christians, we're called to share with one another everything God has given to us: words of encouragement, talents and abilities, time, and affection. The call to care for one another and share with one another extends to our physical resources, including, as we see in Romans 12:13, our homes and our money.

The Book of Acts gives us a picture of what Romans 12:13 looked like in practice in the first century church:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47.

Following the example of the early church in 21st century urban/suburban America is a huge challenge. The truth is that, in our church (CityLights) we're not physically "all together"---not even close. My family lives 37 miles east of the church, and other families live almost as far away to the north, west and south. As a result, authentic Christian fellowship is a huge challenge. Putting Romans 12:13 into practice takes planning and effort. For my family, it happens mostly (although not exclusively) in the context of small group life. Every Thursday evening our little band of Jesus followers (regular people with jobs and kids and other commitments) comes together to study God's word, to pray and to fellowship. It's made all the difference for Christina and me, and I'm so thankful for our dear friends in small group.

When Josie was born, we saw a great example of Romans 12:13 in practice. People from CityLights brought us meals for a month! A month of meals! And, keep in mind, we're a smallish church---only about 150 people on Sundays. Also bear in mind that we live about 45 minutes from the church. Some folks were driving over an hour to bring us a meal, and a lot of people did that twice. By the way, the food was excellent. The meals not only filled a need for us, but also made us feel loved. They made us feel, more than ever, a part of CityLights. This last week was about giving a little back to a couple families in the church---not out of a sense of indebtedness, but just because that's what Christians do.

Weeks 30 & 31: Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice; Mourn With Those Who Mourn

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." ~ Romans 12:15

A few weeks ago, Christina and I attended a 25th wedding anniversary party for some very dear friends who have devoted their lives to loving God and His people. A couple Sundays ago we attended a baby dedication for our new niece and nephew---miracle babies that, according to medical science, should never have been conceived. No doubt these were occasions worth celebrating.

I've always tried, however, to avoid those types of occasions---the big events with a crowd of people. I'm an introvert. It's not that I don't like people; I just like them in small doses. I'm recharged by being alone or with a few close friends. I'm drained by being in a large group of people. When it comes to weddings, I always tell Christina the same stuff: "What difference does it make if I go? There's gonna' be 200 people there. Nobody will notice whether I'm there or not."

In the last few weeks, however, God has used these commands to convict me of my selfishness and self-centeredness. He's shown me how petty my rationalizing is and how pathetic my excuses. These commands (rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn) call us us Christians out of preoccupation with self and and away from self-oriented thinking.

Being comfortable isn't the point. Being noticed certainly isn't the point. In fact, maybe sometimes being uncomfortable and/or not noticed is the point. God calls us to forget about ourselves and our convenience and to join with the feelings of others.

I don't think these commands are just about attending the big events, although my perspective on weddings and funerals will probably never be the same. I think it's also about celebrating and mourning the small victories and losses suffered by others. In my life, the call to rejoice with those who rejoice is not only a call to rejoice over weddings and births, but also a call to rejoice with my son over success on a spelling quiz or over a really neat paper airplane that he's made. The command to mourn with those who mourn is a call to be there for those who have suffered a tragic loss. Sadly, last week we attended the funeral visitation for a dear friend's brother who died far too young. On a daily basis, however, the call to mourn with those who mourn is a call to be there for those who suffer smaller but still significant losses. The command is a call, for example, to sympathize with a co-worker who has just suffered through a difficult phone call with a rude and insulting person. It's a call to sympathize with my spouse who has just had a very difficult day, even though I've also had a difficult day.

Something else I've noticed is what God does not command here. He doesn't command us to give advice to those who mourn. He doesn't command us to solve the problems of those who mourn. He doesn't even call us to speak encouraging words to those who mourn. There is a time for words of encouragement, and there is a time to speak the truth in love. In choosing our words and our timing, I believe we must be guided by Godly wisdom and the leading of the Holy Spirit. But let's not forget that the right response to those who mourn is often simply to join hands with them and to share in their grief.

Week 29: Honor Your Parents

"'Honor your father and mother'"--which is the first commandment with a promise--'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth.'" Eph. 6:2

What is it like for you to pick out Father's Day or Mother's Day cards? There are the sappy Father's Day cards with pictures of sailboats or dad and lad playing catch. They say things like: "You were always there for me...," or "Thank your for your wonderful example." Or, the Mother's Day cards with flowers that talk about how kind and gentle mother is. For me, sentiments like that feel dishonest and insincere. And, so, if I purchase a card at all it is always a comical one. In recent years, I've just foregone the card and had my folks over for dinner. The greeting card industry is not very good at doing what God commands---honoring imperfect parents. The command, after all, is honor your father and mother. Not honor your father and mother, unless . . . . There are no exceptions.

You can't really blame the greeting card people. It's a very tricky thing. Over the years, I've given a lot of thought to this command and to the issue of honoring imperfect parents. I'm left with more questions than answers. How does one honor an alcoholic father? Does honoring him mean pretending that there's nothing wrong? Does honoring him mean forgetting about the past? Or hiding his sins and my hurts?

I wouldn't know what to tell someone about how to honor, for example, a physically abusive parent. For me, I feel that honoring my parents has been about forgiving them for their mistakes and thanking them for what they were able to give me. And, then, it's been about giving them my love, time, service, hospitality and encouragement. Sometimes, it has meant giving them those things even though they don't know how to receive them.

Sunday was my parents' 46th Anniversary. It's been a hard 46 years, but through it all they've somehow stayed together. Their committment to marriage is something worth celebrating and something that I'm sure has profoundly blessed me in ways that I can't begin to understand. Christina and I invited them over for Sunday dinner. I told them that 46 years was a big deal and something that we wanted to celebrate with them. I made some of their favorite things: steaks, twice baked potatoes and grilled veggies. They spent a little time with their grandkids. We had ice cream. They left. I don't have an ideal relationship with my parents, and I probably never will. I don't think honoring my parents requires me to deny that. I don't think "honoring" means pretending that everything is the way it should be. It does not mean buying the sappy card. I've come to believe that honoring my imperfect parents means moving beyond my regrets and sense of loss and giving thanks for the parents God gave me and loving them as they are the best that I can. I pray that someday my kids can do as much for their very imperfect dad.

Week 28: The One Who Asks

"Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." ~ Matthew 5:42

This week's command started me thinking about panhandlers. We don't see many of them out here in the suburbs, although I've noticed a few more lately hanging out at the Interstate off-ramps and outside of Wal-Mart. In St. Louis, where we go to church and often visit friends, we see them frequently. For short periods of time, I've lived in other places, including Chicago and the Balkans, where rampant panhandling existed.

Over the years, with a few exceptions, my strategy for dealing with panhandlers has been to walk (or drive) quickly past them without making eye contact. I'm not without compassion for the poor, but I hate being taken advantage of. A lot of panhandlers are not what they seem. Most are not homeless. If you give money away to panhandlers, some of them will turn around and use it to buy drugs and alcohol. Some panhandlers are also making a pretty good living at it. If you want to learn a bit more, check out this article from SeattlePI.com.

Many groups that advocate on behalf of the poor ask people not to give money to panhandlers, but rather to give money to worthy organizations that help meet the basic needs of homeless people. In St. Louis, it doesn't get more worthy than The Bridge.

So, the panhandler issue seems pretty clear. It's just not wise to give to panhandlers. Right? Once again, I'm running up against the uncompromising nature of these Biblical commands. There's no loophole in this command. There's no room for excuses and justifications. It's simply: "Give to the one who asks you."

Feeling cornered by a command that I really don't like, I turned to John Piper this week. I was hoping that Piper, one of our great living Christian Bible scholars, could put this command into context and help me understand why I don't need to give to panhandlers. No such luck. Here is what Pastor Piper has to say:

Suppose you die and you're standing before Jesus Christ, who surrendered his body to spitting and shame and torture and death so that undeserving sinners (like you and me) might be drawn into eternal joy, and he inquires how you handled the people who asked you for money - you know, panhandlers, beggars, street people, drunks, drifters. What would you say?

. . .

[Y]our'e not going to feel very good about saying, "I never got taken advantage of. I saw through their schemes. I devloped really shrewd counter-questions that would expose them. So I hardly ever had to give anything." Do you know what I think the Lord Jesus is going to say to that - the Lord Jesus, the consummately, willingly, savingly abused and exploited Jesus? I think he is going to say, "That was an exquisite imitation of the world. Even sinners give to those who deserve to be given to. Even sinners pride themselves on not being taken advantage of."

John Piper, Palm Sunday Sermon, April 13, 2003

I'm stuck. There's no denying what this command requires. The only question is whether I will follow Him, or not. For us Christians, obedience is not optional. To paraphrase Martin Luther, if you're not going to do what your Bible says, then just throw it in the garbage with the banana peels and the used coffee filters.

To be honest, however, I still don't feel very good about handing cash to panhandlers knowing that many of them will use it to supply their drug and alcohol habits. Certainly there is room for wisdom and discernment as we seek to apply God's commands in our lives. I think it's a question of motives. If we're holding back from giving because we can't stand the possibility of being taken advantage of, then our hearts are wrong. If we're reluctant to hand out cash because we don't want to enable substance abuse, then I think that's OK. So, here, for lack of a better word, is my "compromise."

I've loaded up my wallet, my Honda, and our family Swagger Wagon with McDonald's gift certificates. They come in one-dollar denominations. The plan is to give a couple gift certificates to panhandlers, in lieu of cash. There are over 31,000 McDonald's restaurants in the United States, which means that if you're near civilization there's one within walking distance. McDonald's has a lot of stuff on its $1 menu, including yogurt parfaits (my favorite McDonald's item), cheeseburgers, fruit pies, small drinks, and side salads. I haven't run into any panhandlers since I picked up the gift certificates, but I'm excited about being prepared to respond with some practical help.

The McDonald's Dollar Menu:

Week 27: The Man with Eight Tunics

John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." ~ Luke 3:11

John the Baptist paved the way for Jesus, calling people to repentance. And, of all the things he could have identified as evidence of true repentance, he focused on conduct related to money and possessions. If we have extra clothing and food, then we should share with those that don't have enough. Tax collectors and soldiers should not take more money, John said, than what they are legally entitled to. John 3:12-14. The message is clear: having faith in God and His promises changes how one accumulates and manages wealth.

Everything that we have is from God and belongs to Him. If we really believed that, then it would be naturally expressed in how we make money, give it away, save it and spend it. We wouldn't need any further instructions. In God's great wisdom and knowing that we are still works in progress, He gives us some specific guidelines. The tithe is one example. It's one thing to say that everything you have belongs to God, it's something else entirely to give the first ten percent of your income to His church. As we live out God's commands about money and possessions, our hearts turn towards God and our faith in Him grows. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34.

For the next few weeks, The James 1:22 Project will focus on commands related to giving and caring for the poor and needy. John the Baptist gives us a good starting point. If you have more clothes or food than you need, share with those who have less than they need. This isn't a call to sacrificial giving. It's a call to give out of your surplus. It's "Giving 101."

A few times each year, City Lights, sponsors a "free day" for needy families in our community. Church members are invited to donate food and new and gently used clothes. A couple of incredibly diligent and gifted young women put in a lot of work behind the scenes getting things organized and recruiting helpers. It's a practical way for City Lights to help families in our community and a great opportunity to practice obeying this command.

It's a bit tricky to blog about giving. We're not supposed to announce our giving with trumpets to be honored by men. So, let me just make this confession. I had eight coats. Eight! A few of them I had received as gifts. One was an Army issued overcoat that hasn't fit me for about ten years. But, regardless of how I got them, I had eight coats hanging in my closet. We've been doing "free day" at City Lights for a few years. Christina and I have always made a donation, but it's never occurred to me to give away some of my surplus coats. My failure wasn't due to greed. I didn't really want all of those coats. Keeping them, rather than giving them away, was a result of neglect and thoughtlessness, pure and simple. The lesson for me this week is that I should be more mindful of the surplus that God has given me and more intentional about giving from that surplus.