Fluency

In order to engage our culture in a strategic way, we must invest our influence with intentionality.

In thinking through this concept we may at times walk a tight rope. So let’s look at biblical instruction on this issue.

First, notice the progression in thought

1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 10:23 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. (ESV)

As we seek to be influencers and as we seek to help our children be influences we must understand that some activities (good or evil) may be enslaving–may take control. But we should only have one Master.

Other activities are not evil but they are not what is best for us.

Second, notice the context into which we are to be influencers

Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (ESV)

Romans 16:19b but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. (ESV)
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. (ESV)

These passages make it clear that there are things in the world or culture around us that we must understand and need to be able to deal with wisely, yet in purity.

So how do we not only engage but influence our culture? A few key ideas:

Key #1: The Power of Integrity
An authentic life of integrity speaks volumes even to the most antagonistic.

Key #2: The Power of the Word and the Spirit
The ability to influence our world doesn’t come primarily from us, but from God by way of the Spirit through the Word. We must know the Word and live the Word.

Key #3: Building community—the Power of Love
Our culture is one of isolation, so we as believers need to understand that love is a powerful influencer. We should not simply see people as target of the gospel message, but as people loved by God, created for His glory.

Key #4: Focus on the Essentials—the Power of Priority
Focusing on minutia makes Christianity look weak and useless. We need to understand what the fundamental truths are, and while we can believe many more things, and we should seek to continually grow in our understanding of God and His Word–we shouldn’t expect the world to believe as we do. Let’s not fight the world for all our beliefs, but let keep investing our influence in the most strategic ways possible.

People want to know if a relationship with God really works, will it help them, will it give meaning to life, will it place them into community. We can provide those answer, we can influence those around us, but it requires intentional investment.

How should we relate to our culture?

This is a subject that comes up regularly in the church as well as in conversations with parents.

Since our culture does not espouse the same values we do, and in many instances is opposed to our values, how should we relate? What should we allow our children to be involved in?

When we think about this subject it is not just about moral values, but philosophical or thought processes as well. And it appears to me that there are at least 5 reactions or responses:

1. Ignore—it’s just a fad, it will go away
2. Fight—it’s evil, let’s try to push back the philosophical time clock
3. Acquiesce—it’s the way it is, let’s make the best of it
4. Accept—it’s the way it should be
5. Engage—it’s here, let’s interact, learn and make a difference

Put another way:

I thing some people see culture as intimidating and so they seek isolation. They fear the affects of culture on themselves and their children, so they seek to create an isolated environment to protect their children. And while there may be some things we need to protect our children from (like sinful behavior), is isolation the best solution?

Others are not fearful, but definitely weary of the affects of culture so they seek to instruct their children so as to provide insulation from the affects of the world around them. This is how I often thought of my role as a parent. To instruct my boys in the way they should go–not fearing the world, but trying to prepare them to not be affected by the world.

Now that our boys are older, I think there is another approach. Rather than isolation or simply insulation I want my sons to be influencers. This requires intentionality–intentionally influences others. Rather than the reactive approach–insulate them so they will not be affected by the world. I want to be proactive–help them intentionally influence those around them.

There may be a place or a time for each of these three approaches. But I think the last is the ultimate goal. Too often we seek isolation simply for our own benefit and forget that we have been place here to be witnesses (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). When we simply seek to instruct for insulation we again forget that God as called us as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). The intentionality I am speaking of means that we (and our children) need to evaluate the use our time, money, and energy to determine how best to invest our influence. This may require choosing not to do certain things (even isolating from certain activities) in order to do better things.

In the next post we look at ways that we and our children might be intentional influencers.

For the past two weeks I’ve been on vacation.

In our society, when you say your “going on vacation” the natural question is–”Where are you going?”

Last summer as a family (along with my parents, my sister and her kids) we “went on vacation” visiting great canyons and mountains out West.

It was a wonderful trip and while the distance from work was great, I didn’t feel totally refreshed.

This summer we choose to take two week “off.” We have not really gone anywhere (except a few day long activities). Our intent was to rest, spend time as a family, and do projects around the house.

So, some quick observations and lessons:

1. On rest–I realize I do not rest enough. Normally I have not needed much rest. But getting old and dealing with chronic medical issues, I find that I need more rest. It took me several days to wind down (unusual for me).

So I need to rest more.

2. On family–I have two teenage sons, who are developing their own activities that will keep us occupied for the next several years. But we only have several more years to invest and enjoy them before they truly are on their own.

So I need to buy up the time with the boys.

3. Projects–Houses are meant to be lived in, not work on. Well, that’s what I would like to believe. But after five years in our house, we are now replacing everything. (Not really it only seems that way: cloths washer, dishwasher, lawn mower, repairing the water heater, the dryer, broken chairs.) But I did get an office out the work.

So I need to go back to work.

Christians need to be counter-cultural. Not simply by voting or participating in the political process, but even more significant by living counter-culturally. What are the moral inclinations of our society? What philosophy is being propagated in our culture? How do the moral values of our society clash with the God-given values of the Bible?

A Counter-Cultural Christian’s Relationship must reveal . . .

A Counter-Cultural Christian’s Character must demonstrate. . .

A Counter-Cultural Christian’s Thoughts must be . . .

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (ESV) Philippians 2:1-4

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (ESV) Galatians 5:22-23

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV) Philippians 4:8

“People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

D.A. Carson (For the Love of God, Vol 2, January 23rd.)

“Grace-driven effort” is an interesting phrase. It seems to be biblical, but difficult to find that balance between effort and grace. God, through Christ has done so much for us–the salvific work has been accomplished. Our glorification is assured. Our sanctification, our transformation into the image of the Son is clearly a goal of our salvation. But with all that has been done, we are not done.

2 Peter 1:3-11

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (ESV)

Have you ever heard someone say, “the devil is in the details”?

Some people say it’s the inverse of, “God is in the details.”

What is meant by “the devil is in the details?

One definition I saw explained the phrase by saying, “small errors may add up to big trouble.”

The “Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings” by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996) shows this phrase as a variation of “God is in the details – Whatever one does should be done thoroughly; details are important. The saying is generally attributed to Gustave Flaubert (1821-80), who is often quoted as saying, ‘Le bon Dieu est dans le detail’ (God is in the details). Other attributions include Michelangelo, the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and the art historian Aby Warburg. ‘The Devil is in the details’ is a variant of the proverb, referring to a catch hidden in the details. ‘Governing is in the details”and ‘The truth, if it exists, is in the details’ are recent variants.

So, who is most likely to say it? Those who are detailed or those who aren’t?

As one who deals in details–or has to deal with details–both in administration (not fun) and in the study of the Bible (great fun), I find it interesting how people respond to details. )It’s similar to statistics –since anyone can use and misuse statistics.) We tend to like the details when they are in our favor and ignore them when they are not in our favor. But can we have it both ways?

While there is much to say about details in administration–I’ll refrain from venting.

But when it comes to the study of the Bible, the little details often make a big impact. And for that reason, maybe the phrase, “God is in the details” is more appropriate.

God gave us everyone word and therefore we should care about the details.

Just off the top of my head, I thought of three passages where the details matter (and there are hundreds more):

2 Corinthians 5:14 the little word “for” has the meaning of substitution–that’s very significant

Galatians 3:16 Paul focuses on the fact that in “seed” is singular

Even in Bible translations, the little details can cause big problems, for example the “wicked bible”–which dropped the word “not” from Exodus 20:14

I pre-ordered Aaron Shust’s newest album, Whispered and Shouted.

My whole family even likes it!

So if you don’t know his music, let me post one of his best known songs.

It’s amazing how a little tooth can cause so much pain.

For three days this week I was dealing with a toothache or rather a throbbing-wake me up in the middle of the night-can’t eat or drink-tooth pain.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful dentist who was able to squeeze me in and quickly diagnosed that I needed a root canal in a molar. And thankfully I was able a couple hours later to see an endodontist who performed the root canal.

After getting the anesthetic the pain was gone. I wondered if I really needed the root canal. How quickly the memory of the pain was gone. Today, other than some residual discomfort, the pain is gone.

As I reflect, having had a number of contraptions in my mouth (even smoke coming out a couple times)–I wonder about how quickly the memory of the pain goes away.

Some painful events truly make us who we are. God grows us through those deep waters and transforms us more into the image of His Son–humble, surrendered, committed, and grace-filled.

But other painful events don’t seem to say around long enough. And I wonder if that is why when I sin, repent–think I have felt the sorrow of what that sin has done to my relationships with God–why I so quickly forget my promise to “not to it again.”

For those painful events which God uses to transform us, Paul instructs us that we are comforted so that (purpose) we can comfort others who suffer.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Should it be any different with sin?

Should we not share the lessons learned from sin, repentance and restoration?

Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Psalm 32:8-11

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Having confessed and received forgiveness, David teaches others.

Isn’t the authentic life more powerful than the perfect life?