"LET'S GO FOR A MILKSHAKE"

Reading: Matthew 18:15

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. 

If they listen to you, you have won them over. "

"Am I in trouble?"

This was my wife Dianne's response to an offer to take her out for a milkshake.

She wasn't in trouble. Dianne had come home from a demanding day of assisting a class with kids with multiple disabilities, only to have the day become a burden as she battled the horrendous Friday afternoon traffic.  I was simply trying to offer something as an encouragement, a.k.a., comfort food.

What Dianne was referring to was a little ritual that our family began when our children were young.  When one of them was behaving in a persistently bad way or we needed to have a heart-to-heart talk about something major, I would invite them to McDonalds for a milk shake.  It was generally a sign that they were in trouble.

We developed that method to make more palatible the need to have a confrontation over a problem that was being ignored.  Some day I'll tell you some of the stories.

People hate confrontation and will do almost anything to avoid it. They will suffer in silence while they're anger grows.  They will leave a relationship (or a church) that is precious to them. They will tell 100 other persons about the problem hoping someone else will handle it.  They'll hire a lawyer.

Confrontation and conflict resolution is a vital skill in the Body of Christ.  Avoidance or transference only drive us to be defensive instead of transparent.  The unwillingness to confront and resolve is a sin before God because it destroys the unity of the Body.

That's why Jesus taught that we should be ready to confront in love - and first by going directly one-on-one to the person who has offended you or sinned against you.

(C) 2012 by Stephen Dunn

MORE THAN A BAILOUT

Reading: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: 

The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Bailout has become a bit of a dirty word in our language.  It implies charitable initiatives intended to help some get back on their feet or stimulus packages to turn under-achievers and failed performers into fruitful workers or industries.  Our recent political and economic experience has generally resulted in failed expectations, some times out and out abuse of our generosity, and more often than not increased cynicism and even despair as we spiral deeper and deeper into economic and national chaos.

The problem with mere bailouts is that they assume by a timely addition of resources (like an infusion of capital) that essentially flawed industries can turn themselves around. They assume that the only flaw in those recipients is faulty judgment or bad breaks instead something embedded in the group's DNA.

The Fall has embedded something relentlessly destructive and deadly into humanity.  It's called sin - and the wages (the returns) of sin is death.  And death always collects its due.  Although we are created in the image of God, sin corrupts our spiritual hard drive even more relentlessly and completely than the most insidious computer virus.  Those of us who experienced such an infection know that at some point the only choice is to completely clean the hard drive or start over with a new hard drive.

When Christ came into the world it was not for a bailout or simple repair.  It was for a transformation, an entirely new creation.  Only when the image of God is   re-embedded through his work of atonement and grace do we have any hope of breaking free from both the power and penalty of sin.

Thank God He provided us more than an incentive or more than a bailout.

(C) 2011 by Stephen L. Dunn

ANGER MANAGEMENT

"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.": - Hosea 11:8

I've spent a lot of time on the road lately ... traveling interstates during holiday weekends ... navigating narrow, congested city streets during rush hour.  My wife would prefer not to ride with me because I have a tendency to grow impassioned about the "inconsiderateness" of other drivers.  I mean, I think a car is a car, not a phone booth.  When the light turns green, you ought to step on the accelerator--sooner than later.  You should know where you're going instead of slowing down to read every street sign you pass.  And more than one car ought to be able to make it through a traffic light.

Since she has to ride with me, Dianne has taken to shaming me.  "Did you ever think of what's going on in that driver's life at the moment?"  Or she tries to encourage reason, "Frustration doesn't get you there any sooner."

Dianne has only been moderately successful in defanging my fierce anger.

Unfortunately when you someone wrongs us -- not only do we feel angry, but the more we dwell on it, the angrier we get.  And let the offender repeat, we might simply explode as that anger grows more and more fierce.

This passage always fascinates me.  People like to the characterize the God of the Old Testament as an angry God.; but as I read the text--his fierce compassion cries out and grips him.  His love is so great that even when he sees us rebelling against him, it is the desire of his heart to show mercy.

Because he is God, not man--the Holy One in our midst.  Maybe we would be able to manage our anger better if we were more like the Holy One in our midst.

(C) 2011 by Stephen L Dunn

ON THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED ....

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” -  1 Corinthians 11:23-24

"On the night he was betrayed ..."

What horrible, haunting words.  With these words the Apostle Paul begins his words of instruction to the Corinthians regarding the practice of the Lord's Supper.  The section contains a powerful statement of purpose and promise for all believers. 

Nonetheless, it is introduced by those six troubling, accusatory words.

Paul was referring to Judas' betrayal of Jesus but we would be spiritually remiss if we think that's all the text suggests.  For Judas was Jesus' first betrayer. He was not and is not the last.  On this Maundy Thursday I find myself drawn to those words.  I ask myself, "Am I one who betrays him?"  Not that I sold him to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver.  But are there not other ways I betray him by callously or lightly ignoring what He has done for me and the price He paid for my sin?

Do I not betray him ....
     When I operate from selfish pride instead of sacrificial humility?
     When I use my faith to satisfy my own needs and ignore the lostness of my neighbor?
     When I hold onto my anger and withhold my forgiveness?
     When I grow silent about my faith when others speak openly and scornfully?
     When I try to blend into the world and its values instead of risking it for the sake of the world?
     When I think that going to church or even belonging to one is the same as authentic discipleship?
     When I excuse persistent sin instead of confessing and surrendering to His transforming power?
     When I pursue 30 pieces of silver rather than giving all for Jesus?

As you come to the table of the Lord tonight, ask yourself, "Do I still betray him?"

(C) 2011 by Stephen L Dunn   

THE STORY OF AMAZING GRACE

Here's a bonus for those of you who get the on line version of THRIVING IN CHRIST.

DO YOU HAVE A CONSCIENCE?

“Do You Have a Conscience?”

Reading: 1 John 1:9

It must have been a blistering sermon. In fact, to this day I don’t remember the topic or the text. I do remember Jody coming by me in the receiving line and saying, “Do they teach you guys in seminary how to make people feel guilty?”

“Yup,” I quipped. “Guilt 101!”

As she headed past she responded over her shoulder, “You must have gotten an A.”

To this day I don’t know whether that was a complaint or a compliment. Whatever it meant, it told me, “The woman has a conscience.”

People do not like being made to feel guilty. Heck, I understand that. I don’t like feeling guilty. It is one of life’s more unpleasant experiences. But it also may be one of life’s more important experiences.

Rebecca Manley Pippert says “Human beings have an infinite capacity to rationalize or to deny.” It is perhaps because we believe the lie that human beings are basically good. More likely it is because we know we’re not. We just don’t want anyone else to know it.

Yet living daily in the presence of sin, we come subtly under its influence. Undealt with over the long haul, it begins to change us. Like a virus that makes a subtle connection with your computer, it alters things and changes it so that it does not function properly. It corrupts the original design. It may even introduce new and even more unwelcome elements into our lives.

Our conscience is a gift from God. It is that spark of God’s image that the Holy Spirit breathes on to ignite a fire of holiness within us. It is God’s tool to help us remember that originally we were created in His image and intended to reflect His goodness and unconditional love.

I love this quote from one of this nation’s Founders and Framers.

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."
--George Washington

That’s where guilt comes in. It pricks our conscience when we step across the line. Sometimes it hits us between the eyes to remind us that there is a line. Christians believe that acknowledgement of our guilt is the first step towards transformation into new people, better people, God’s people.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – I John 1.9

A pastor once asked his flock, “What must we do to receive the forgiveness of sin?” After a bit of silence a little boy responded, “First, you gotta sin.”

Frankly, we have no problem meeting that requirement. Our conscience remembers that by allowing us to feel guilty. People of no or little conscience steal pension funds, abuse children, pollute the environment wantonly, manipulate elections, ignore the poor and needy.

Thank God we have a conscience and thank God it reminds us to feel guilty. For more often than we’d like to think – we are guilty.

(c) 2010 by Stephen L Dunn