Les Misérables and small things

My wife and I finally got to see the new musical film version of Les Mis last night.  There are great movies out there, but this one was striking…in the gut and heart.  From the first time I saw the 1998 version (that we’re watching in English right now) I was struck by the bishop’s actions at the beginning.  The rest of the story shows Valjean’s transformation, but it all started with one man’s kindness.  That bishop had been stolen from and hit (at least in the 1998 version) by a man that he welcomed into his home and had been so gracious to.  Yet, he covers for him when Valjean is apprehended and says such amazing words: “Now don’t forget.  Don’t ever forget it.  You promised to become a new man.  Jean Valjean my brother, you no longer belong to evil. With this silver, I have bought your soul. I've ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now I give you back to God.”

That act changed everything about how Valjean saw himself and then how he saw others, even those that gave him reason to hate.  This is like the beautiful act of our sweet God who gave himself for us. 

What little acts can you and I do today that will touch a life forever?  But before we get so heroic, let’s not forget that it is the small acts of love that make the difference.  Mother Theresa once said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

True Believer

There’s nothing that gets my attention like raw honesty.  That’s what I felt like we got on Tuesday from Coach Bancroft.  There was a man taking the risk to bare his soul and I think people felt it.  He brought an interesting term: true believer.  He felt like he made a transition from a believer to a true believer this year. 

What was the difference?  When he was a believer, he said that he believed in God, but felt like the way to make it through life was to keep positive and trust that everything would work out.  He said when life was really crappy that concept fell apart.  It’s interesting that something negative was what made him draw close to God in a new way.  That’s why I feel like becoming a true believer, or, as I would put it, connecting with God on a personal level is really the most authentic way to live.

In this way of living we own up to the fact that things may not always turn out nicely.  We acknowledge that real life and real relationships (even with Him) are often messy and take lots of work, but…these are the places we find the deepest and most satisfying meaning.  And in that struggle we don’t wish, but instead we trust that God wants to know us intimately and will work through all the things life gives us to make us the person He (and we) longs for us to be.

The Three Letter Word-Part 7

Let’s address a big topic that no one likes to talk about.  It has lots of humorous (or disturbing) nicknames, but the official name is masturbation.  What is a Christian to do with this issue?  It has been said that half of all males do it and the other half are lying.  Plus, it is not always just a male issue. 

I do have an opinion on the subject.  It has changed dramatically from what I once thought.  But, that being said, I’m not going to state it here. 

I just want to present to you the fact that there are a variety of opinions on what Christians think about the subject. 

First, the traditional Christian view is this: masturbation is sinful.  There are varying reasons why some Christians believe this.  Some argue that it is impossible to do without lustful thoughts and that’s the problem.  Others say that it is addictive and therefore a bad idea.  Still others say that you increase your struggle with lust by masturbating.  And finally, others say that one should not experience sexual pleasure outside of marriage even if you’re by yourself. 

Second, a growing trend amongst Christians is the view espoused by James Dobson, former president and founder of the well-respected Focus on the Family ministry.  He believes it is a natural thing.  It should only be done occasionally as a way to release tension that is biologically driven.  People who propose this view often argue that it helps males (though it may help some females too) to avoid getting involved with other unhealthy sexual behaviors because masturbation allows you to take the edge off.  There is one caveat here and that is that this view believes that it should be done without fantasy (lust, in their view), or images.

Finally, there are some who feel that masturbation is quite honestly a non-issue.  Like the above theory they feel it is a natural part of most males and even some females.  The question of what exactly is lust is something I’ll try to address in an upcoming post.  These Christians, like some of the others, are concerned that there is too much unnecessary guilt in this area that leaves believers feeling distant from God.  They feel this is not right and only separates us from our ability to share our sexual journey with our Savior.

So what should you do?  Refer to the post where I mentioned sources of wisdom.  Talk to God about it, read up on it, and, if you can, talk to some people you respect. 

Test Anxeity

It’s funny.  I wrote the previous post giving advice on how to lower anxiety about exams, but when I was in high school I was a poster-child for anxiety problems!  Those crazy butterflies drove me nuts all day long when it came to tests.  I would sweat and quiver, the whole bit. 

“Oh, great!  That’s helpful!  My teacher was a stress ball too?!  What hope is there?!!”  Actually, I share this to let you know that you’re not weird…well, ok, I was at least AS weird J.  My advice on all of this (like the previous post) comes from, honestly, decades of intentionally working alongside the Spirit to live a life without fear and worry.  I have come so far from where I was and I would never go back.  A lot of the things I learned in my post-high school life. 

But one simple thing that I did a lot when I was in your situation was this: I memorized, recited, and repetitiously wrote on my notebooks the following verse.  “Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.  I prayed it, recited it, even visualized ‘casting’ my worries on Him.  So, you may need to do that today, just like I did. 

Sincerely,

A recovering stress ball  

The Final Exam

Are you freaked yet?  I remember the feelings well.  It’s nerve-wracking.  One test is enough, but now you have to take a test for every class in just three days!!!  Anxiety!  Fear!!  Worry!!!

I'm not helping am I? J Fear reveals things about ourselves.  It lays plain where we find our center.  Our ‘center’ is where we look for confirmation: am I all right?  Am I good enough?  Do I belong?  John put it well in 1 John 5 “Fear has to do with judgment.”  The things that we are afraid of (outside of logical danger) are things that will expose us to judgment, evaluation. 

Many judgments come from how you fare on your exams.  Judgments from teachers, parents, relatives, siblings. 

But John says, “There is no fear in love.  Perfect love drives out fear.”  I encourage you to make that perfect love your center.  When that is your center you can face judgment differently.  Yes, you will be evaluated, hopefully fairly, in different situations, but your center, the full depth of who you are as a person will be safe.  I love Psalm 62.  I have held onto its words in many times of my life.  It says, “My soul finds rest in God alone.  My hope comes from Him.”  In another part, the writer seems to talk to his own soul and says, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.” 

When you begin to feel afraid as exams, or any tough things, approach, you will find yourself afraid of how you will be judged by the results.  Talk to your soul.  Say, “No.  Don’t go there.  Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.”  You are loved so perfectly, without reservation, by such a wonderful Abba Father.  Find your center there.

Oh, and study for the exams too.  That always helps J. 

Don’t “Get Your Head in the Game”…yet

Remember the High School Musical song “Get Your Head in the Game”?  That’s what I tried to do several times in the last week while trying to recover from some sort of flu.  I started feeling sick last Thursday, but figured I could just get my ‘head in the game,’ and so I went to school the next day. 

Bad idea.

I felt worse as the day went on, particularly as the bathroom became my closest friend.  I rested that night and Saturday morning big time.  I’m good!  So I started working around the house. 

Bad idea.

I got worse, but kinda felt better as the evening came.  I decided to go ahead and keep my assignment to teach Sunday school the following day. 

Bad idea.

By then I was just plain out of it.  I had to call off going to school the next day.  I rested like crazy the rest of Sunday and Monday.  I legitimately felt better by Monday night, but this time I listened to God’s voice (also known as my wife’s voice) and stayed home from school on Tuesday as well, just to make sure I had truly recovered.

Why share this?  For one, it explains a little of why I disappeared from my blog since mid-December, but also I saw a parallel to our lives here.

Psalm 1 talks about a person who loves the Lord and His teachings as being like a tree planted by a stream that “bears fruit in season.”  I think we all tend to think we are perpetual motion machines that should just keep on going at the same rate.  Instead, we are seasonal.  Our lives fluctuate.  We experience different seasons, and we would do well to embrace the seasons instead of just seeing them as random blips to move past. 

What season have you been in?  Maybe it has been a great one.  That’s good!  But maybe it has been a more challenging one.  Maybe you’ve experienced a loss lately.  Maybe you’ve been crushed by some disappointment in other people or even God.  It could be any challenge.  Don’t be took quick to ‘get back into the game’ like I was with the flu.  Sometimes that just makes it worse.  When you lose someone or a friendship, for example, people will sometimes say “just move on” or “forget about it.”  But grieving is a season.  And if you don’t grieve you just bury parts of yourself that will come back at some later time. 

So, yes, God can, and will, help us get our ‘heads back in the game,’ but this season is part of His plan too.  Be patient and listen to Him in this season.  It says later in 1 Peter “Humble yourself, therefore, under His mighty hand and He will lift you up in due time.”