"I Forgive You"

Forgiveness is not talked about much.  The only time I remember a really good sermon on forgiveness was in college.  It was right in the first few weeks of college and we were in the middle of "Spiritual Renewal Week". 

It may have been interwoven into the five sermons or just one message. 

I don't remember a lot about what was said, but I left that week with a huge burden to forgive people who had hurt me and to learn and grow.  I realized a few things in the next few years after that:

1. Forgiveness is sometimes needed for sinless situations.  Sometimes a person makes a choice that is fully within their rights and no where near sin.  That choice still hurts you, even though the other person was within their rights.  You need to move on.  Choose not to hold that choice against them or let it have control over your choices.

2. Forgiveness needs to be spoken.  People need to hear that they are forgiven.  Saying "that's okay" doesn't actually help.  What does that even mean?  They need to hear the words "I forgive you." 

3. Forgiveness needs to be lived out.  We often think of saying the words "I forgive you".  Doing so is extremely important, but that is not the end.  Forgiveness is not a one time thing.  It is a continual decision to act respectfully around someone else.  It is a line, not a point.  

4. Forgiveness takes time.  It may take you a while to be able to forgive someone.  Take that time.  Pray for them, not just yourself.  I find that praying for someone I am mad at helps me forgive them.  Ask questions about the situation to God and to friends.

5. Forgiveness is an attitude.  This is something that must be part of your mind, heart, and choices.  Write yourself a reminder that you are forgiving them.  Keep it on your mind for a while.

I have been working on putting this principals into practice.  I am not perfect at it.  But I am coming along.

The Perfect Hero

So, the last, oh, six months or so I've been experimenting.  When I have time at Barnes and Noble, I find a graphic novel by either DC Comics or by Marvel Comics.  Some of the ones I've been reading have been compilations of comic books, others just have many comic book characters (such as Batman, Iron Man, the Green Lantern, etc.).

I remember the guy who won the first season of Who wants to be a Superhero.  He commented on how comic writer Stan Lee had almost been a father to him through comic books (this gentleman did not have a father growing up).  He had learned about handling responsibility and respect for others from comic books like Spiderman and X-Men.

Stories have a way of changing us.  That is why Jesus used parables to get His message out.  What I have found with my new readings is that many good themes/ideals come not so much from fiction but do show themselves in fiction.  I haven't been changed noticeably by these comic books, but I have noticed something.

Life is complex, hard.  The Bible is honest about that.      You know, through the whole Bible, only two main characters never have anything negative written about them: Jesus and Daniel.  That is a lot of pressure.  Out of all those big heros, Abraham, David, Paul, Peter, Jeremiah, Noah, Moses.  Only 2 received the blessing of not having a sin or negative issue written down in history.  So are the comic books I've been reading.  They show that even "supers" make mistakes.  In one story I read, Superman had locked himself up for 10 years and not come out to help anyone.  Some "heros" later on had a huge battle that led to a nuclear explosion that decimated a city.  In Civil War, Captian America, at the end, admitted to a mistake.  "We aren't fighting for the people anymore.  We are just fighting."  While fighting for his right to hide his identity, he had lost view of the real war.

How often do we expect our heros to be perfect?  I mean, really perfect?  We ask them to walk day by day, second by second without making a single mistake.  What do you expect from your heros?  Do you expect your parents, friends, pastors, and mentors to make zero mistakes?  Does someone automatically become a villain for one mistake? 

Drafted to play video games?

So, I realized how much of a nerd I am today.  Directv plays the Championship Gaming Series.  A series that is essentially a video game championship.  They treat it just like the NFL, NBA, etc. 

Right now I have on the Champion Gaming Series Draft Show.  Yes.  They actually have a draft show just like football or basketball.  Interestingly these people are being picked to play video games, not to run around and get a ball to a specific point. 

It's funny because I play almost none of the games they cover in the series.  In fact, I may not play any of them.  But, I watch the series.  Now, I am watching the GMs (Game Managers) pick players. 

They have a lighting rig that some techs would kill to have, including moving lights.  The possible players are al sitting in a big area tense, one girl even crying. 

Along with all this silliness, one starts to realize: these people will get payed to play these games.  I'm not sure what is worse.  Getting played to play football for the NFL when people in Africa are starving.  Or, getting played to play video games while people in China are dealing with loss from an earthquake.

What makes someone a "good person"?

This is a hard question to answer.  I am trying to figure out if this is the right question or not.

We meet lots of people from various walks of life and religions who treat you well.  Many muslims have great hospitality.  Many Buddhists do their best to treat all people with respect.  Various ethnic tribes will greet never before seen guests with more food than they would keep for themselves.  Rich people help people out and poor people have joined the army and rescued men and women from Nazi camps.

So, many people do actions that would make them "good people".  So, if lots of people are good, why is that so special?  Jesus once said "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?...(Matt. 5:46 & 47).

I don't think we should try to be "good people".  I think we should try to be transformed people.  The big difference is in changing who you are.  But we can't do that alone.  Many people have tried to quit smoking, stealing, and cussing with no avail. 

And yet Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  That could mean learning to love those who treat us poorly.  How is your mind renewed?  James tells us about a man who looks at himself in a mirror and forgets what he looks like.  In that same passage he tells us to do what the Bible says.  So, what is a transformed person?

   

I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

Expensive Spaghetti

Today was funny.

My parents and I went to a spaghetti dinner after church that is a fundraiser for a mission trip to Zambia.  After I payed for my fam and put in some more donation that I had budgeted to be given toward it, my Mom and I found our seats and waited.  As we were waiting, the Children's ministry director came and said she had paid for us.  Apparently my brother was supposed to tell us.  Well, he didn't.

After we got home my brother came in.  "Hey, I guess like four people payed for us at that meal."  Yet I didn't hear a thing about it until afterward.  I don't know if they all pitched in a few bucks each or if multiple people tried to pay separately, but it sounded like multiple people tried to pay for us each separately.

Some people would have gone and asked for money back.  I was glad to see so much money go to the cause.  Our church has established a connection with this village that is helping feed hungry mouths and fight the AIDS pandemic, as well as presenting the Gospel.  Because of this training, a "Trust" has been set up that provides some business/life training and also provides food and other resources for its participants.  Our church has been told that if we had not, as a church, payed for this Trust, a drought that happened last summer would have killed 300 people!  That is the kind of work they are doing.

So, next time you hold a spaghetti fundraiser, you will be much more successful if funds will be raised by paying over and over for the same 4 people to come.