Into the Light of Love

I am currently reading  The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges right now (a book I highly recommend to everyone). On page 80 of the book, Bridges offers the following questions for meditating on and applying the Scriptures:

1. What does this passage teach concerning God's will for a holy life?
2. How does my life measure up to that Scripture; specifically, where and how do I fall short? (Be specific; don't generalize.)
3. What definite steps of action do I need to take to obey?

I thought these would be handy to use in my own study of the Scriptures, so I applied it this morning as I read 1 John 2. In verses 9-10, God says, "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling."

There are some pretty startling statements made here. The Holy Spirit grabbed my attention with these verses, so I decided to apply the questions above, prayerfully asking the Spirit to help me understand and apply it. What follows will be some of my thought process in these verses.

What This Passage Teaches Concerning God's Will for a Holy Life

This much seems obvious: love your brothers (and sisters). But then the question follows: who are my brothers and sisters? Like biological siblings? All of humanity? Someone else?
It's my understanding that John's use of the term "brothers" applies specifically to other believers. These are those who have been born of God and are therefore members of His eternal family. I'm not saying that we aren't supposed to love others, but this passage isn't addressing that specifically. Rather, this is talking about the way I am to relate to other believers who are united to Christ by faith. So this passage is calling me to love fellow Christians and not hate them.
How Do I Measure Up?
I think more highly of myself than I ought. So this is where I needed the Holy Spirit to shine His light into my heart and show me where I really stand. And my standing wasn't nearly what I thought it was.
First, I realized that there are many Christians that I am somewhat contemptuous towards. This exerts itself on social media many times and how I read stuff that people posts. I deem certain people as legalistic and others as not having as great a knowledge of the truth as I do. I typically don't comment on people's posts about stuff like that, but that hasn't stopped me from looking down on them nonetheless. It is wrong, and I found myself needing to repent about the way I have regarded others especially online.
But then something else came to light. Something that I know has been wrong, but I have treated it as "acceptably" wrong. I didn't feel bad about it even as I knew I probably shouldn't be doing it. And I realized that there are at least three people (that the Spirit immediately brought to mind) that I have shown outright contempt for. This has happened in terms of mocking them with a friend of mine. Sometimes I have mocked them with my wife as well. As the spiritual head of my household, subjecting my wife to this is unacceptable. My behavior is shameful in the way I have made fun of these people behind their backs with my friend. Again, I found myself repenting of the way I have been.
Steps of Action to Obey
The first course of action is, of course, repentance and prayer for the Spirit to cause me to be loving towards my fellow believers, not to be contemptuous, judgment, or cruel towards them. I ask that the Holy Spirit would grow me in love for them flowing out of God's love for me. And that love can be described as a gushing love (see Zephaniah 3:17 for an example of God's love for me). Christ died for them, just as he died for me, and I should likewise love them sacrificially, not judge them or mock them self-righteously.
Secondly, I need to confess my sin to my friend. Coupled with that is also "confronting" his sin of participating in the same thing. We have both been in the wrong, and we both need to stop. Both of us need to cease our mockery and instead speak well of those whom God has redeemed.
I also need to confess to my wife. I don't recall her ever participating in my hateful banter, but I must confess to her that I have been wrong to expose her to that.
Finally, I need to walk in love towards my friends. I need to not mock them and instead encourage them and pray for them. I need to give myself in service to them. I need to truly love them as God lays out in His Word. So I would pray for us all to grow in that more and more in our lives. 

I Am Haman

Photo Credit 

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king's command?” And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. (Esther 3:1-6)

When we meet Haman in Esther 3, he is immediately a dislikable guy. We get pretty quickly that he is the villain of the story, the one who will once again challenge God by plotting to destroy his people. So what's his grievance? Mordecai won't bow to him. This guy is willing to commit genocide over one man not showing him the respect he thinks he deserves. So it's easy to see why we don't like him. Why we can't like him. We can also be quick to assume that we are not like him. That is, until this morning.
As I stared into the mirror of God's Word this morning, I saw my reflection in the attitude of Haman. No, I'm not plotting to wipe out all who won't bow to me, but his "I deserve this honor and respect and you'd better give it to me or else" attitude? Guilty. As. Charged.
Working in public services can sometimes be a thankless job. Sometimes people ask for my help by snapping their fingers and calling me to them without a word. Sometimes I ask how they are doing and they ignore the question and make their request or they will just stand there and say nothing. And it bothers me to no end. I complain about it. I sometimes think about offering free "flying lessons" through the windows behind me. I mutter insults under my breath. I whine and complain. It's no less than the same attitude that drove Haman. I think I deserve respect that people aren't giving me. And that just makes me angry.
It sounds immature, but I wonder how many of us are any different. As I saw myself in Haman this morning, I felt broken. I couldn't believe that of all the characters in the story, I was more like the bad guy. And I found myself confessing and repenting.
And I also found myself remembering the One who did it right. Honored by His Father, Jesus came down into our world. Though He well deserve our service, He came to serve us. He deserved our bowing, our willing devotion, and our utmost respect. Instead, He received our unbelief, our insults, and our anger as He was crucified. He did this for you and me, so that if we believe on Him, our sins will be forgiven, and we will be His people.
The Bible tells us that we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). And so when our old Haman-like attitude creeps in and we are tempted to demand the respect of others, let's turn to our Savior and let His humility remind us of how to respond to others in love and service. I leave you with God's Words from Philippians 2:5-11:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Tools not Toys: The Gift of Technology and the Glory of God

In C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Father Christmas arrives bearing gifts for the Pevensie children, but he cautions them that they are "tools, not toys." This is probably a good reminder, especially since Peter received a sword - one he would later use to kill an evil wolf. Several years ago, I made this same connection between Father Christmas's words with technology. Over the past few years, much ink has been spilled discussing technology addiction and the dangers of too much screen time to the expense of our lives here and now. I, too, have fallen prey to the dangers here. I think many of us have.
This morning, John Piper's podcast Ask Pastor John addresses the question of how John Piper uses technology - iPhone, iPad, laptop, social media, etc. As a huge Piper fan, I always love hearing him weigh in on things, especially as he shares from his seasoned perspective. Piper breaks it down in the following ways:

1. Bible
2. Prayer
3. Reading for spiritual and intellectual growth and enrichment
4. Listening for both entertainment and enrichment
5. Awareness of what is happening in the world in culture and evangelicalism
6. Relationships with family

I would encourage you to listen to or read the transcript here, but there is one part that really struck me from what Piper said. As Piper reflects on the technology before him, he says:

But maybe in closing I should say I regard my computer that sits here in front of me on my desk and my iPad and my iPhone as an incredible gift from God. I mean I could almost come to tears over how precious they are to me.

It would be easy to see the overuse and misuse of technology and leap to the conclusion that all technology is bad. But Piper reminds us taht this extreme is not helpful. We should utilize technology that God has given us, It is a precious gift and can be used as we seek to bring glory to God as we love him and love others. I am still trying to figure out the balance between use and overuse for me. There is no "one size fits all" rule to follow; we must each seek to live with and use our tech for God's utmost glory in our own way. But let us not reject this gift from God; let us embrace and wrestle with it to find how to maximize its potential for good in our lives.

To Ponder

1. How do you use technology to glorify God?
2. How can you better use technology for the glory of God and service of his kingdom?

We Need Each Other

Ethan and I after running the Turkey Trot year before last. He has gotten a little taller since then.

A while back, Ethan and I started running together. Later we began working out together at our local YMCA. And I gotta say, we work well together. Without each other, neither of us would be where we are. You see, Ethan and I both have difficulties in working out. Ethan has a problem with mornings. Well, he probably wouldn't mind them if they started at like noon. So it works well that I make sure he is awake for workouts. I have my own struggle as well. I tend not to push myself. I hold back. But Ethan? He pushes it. Just this morning, he led me to add ten pounds to a lift. It might have been the male competitive spirit or something, but because he pushed himself, I stepped up too. So I get him up, and he pushes me forward.

We need each other in life. You and I have weaknesses and blind spots, and we need people who will help us see and deal with those areas. We also need to be in the lives of others, challenging them to grow and make progress in the faith. Without others, we will drift. The author of Hebrews says:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

This speaks to our need to be in the lives of others, so that they will not drift from the faith. But we must be aware even of our own tendency towards drift. Again, the author of Hebrews nails it: 

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV)

You and I are prone to drift. Sin is deceitful and blinds us to the reality of our condition. That's why we need people speaking into our lives and challenging us to keep pressing on. The Christian life is meant to be lived with others. Alone we cannot do it. We need people building into us and we need to be building into others. That's how we grow as followers of Christ. 

Who is building into you?

Who are you building into?