Christmas time is here my friends, that special time of the year where we bake exorbitant amounts of cookies, buy gifts for our family and friends, decorate both the inside and outside of our houses and [hopefully] spend time reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, which is of course the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!
One of my family’s other traditions involves watching several Christmas movies on a yearly basis, and one of our all time favorites would have to be “It’s A Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey. Over the years, as I have watched this movie, I am always moved [like most people I’m guessing] by the ending. However, last year I began to realize that George Bailey’s whole life reflected and paralleled the life of the Old Testament Biblical hero Joseph, in a couple of different ways.
For example, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt a land that he certainly would never have chosen to reside within, as they were a pagan nation that did not in any way worship the true God of Israel. (see Genesis 37) George Bailey from the beginning of the movie states that he wanted to ‘shake the dust of this small town’ of Bedford Falls and live in a big city where he could ‘build things.’ However, due to his father’s early death, George is instead stuck in Bedford Falls managing his father’s small building and loan business, where he probably felt like a slave in some ways, though he certainly was not in an horrendous a situation as Joseph, because he still was surrounded by family and friends.
As many of you who know Joseph’s story probably know, God was still with Joseph in Egypt, even when he was wrongfully accused of seducing his master’s wife and thrown in jail (Genesis 39:11-23). George Bailey suffers being wrongfully accused of stealing his businesses money by a bank examiner, because his Uncle and business partner Billy accidentally allowed the money to slip into the hands of the movie’s villain Henry F. Potter, who instead of returning the money, keeps it in an attempt to bring George and his business down! However, the same could be said of George that the Bible tells us about Joseph, the Lord was with him.
This we see in a number of ways. To begin with, we are shown that all of George’s friends and family are praying for him as he is rushing around town in Christmas Eve night in a panicked frenzy trying to come up with the 8,000 dollars he has ‘lost.’ This is from a Biblical perspective, exactly what we are supposed to do when one of our brothers or sisters is in distress. The Apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Timothy 2:1 “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” (ESV) That means that we should pray for others in our lives. Moreover, James 5:14-15 teaches us that “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call upon the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith, will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” I believe this can apply not only to physical illness, but any sort of anguish that one is going through, and in this movie George is certainly going through mental anguish.
In fact, George himself prays to God on his own behalf, asking that He ‘show me the way Lord.” It is at this point that Clarence, George’s guarding angel arrives on the scene, and shows him that his life has been a life that has been well lived. Clarence of course does this in the unorthodox fashion of granting George’s angrily expressed wish of “I wish I had never been born.”
This then, allows George to see all the ways his life has touched the lives of those around him in the small town of Bedford Falls. His brother would have drowned at age nine. The building and loan business would have closed decades earlier, and a fact that is easy to miss in the movie, the plastics factory that George had urged his friend Sam Wainwright to build in Bedford Falls during the Great Depression, and provided hundreds of jobs for its residents in the process, would never have existed! In many ways, George had saved his small town from becoming a horrendous and depressing place to live!
Remember Joseph in Genesis, he did something similar in Egypt. You see, because God’s hand of favor was so strongly on his life, God allowed the Pharaoh to have a prophetic dream, that only Joseph could interpret through his God given gift of dream interpretation. This not only got Joseph out of jail, but also allowed him to be promoted to second in command under Pharaoh! All of that was because Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream to mean Egypt would have seven years of great crops, followed by seven years of famine. Thus, Egypt stored up a lot of extra crops during those seven years of plenty, and became the epicenter for providing thousands of people food who probably would have other wised perished from starvation! Think how bad life would have been in Egypt and the surrounding lands if Joseph had never been born!
To close let’s bring things back to George. He had spent his life modeling Paul’s command in Ephesians 4:1b-3 to “walk in manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It was now finally his friends’ turn to take all of the gentleness, patience, and humility that he had shown towards them over the years and turn it back towards his direction. The did this initially by uplifting him in prayer, and then took action and began donating as much money as they could possibly afford to replace the $8000 that had been lost!
Indeed while the writers of “It’s A Wonderful Life” may not have intended for it to, I’ve always felt that this film shows what true community looks like, and what the Church should truly model to the world. We are called to be a ‘city on a hill’ (Matt. 5:16) that is visibly different to on looking world, and there is no better way to shine brightly on that hill than by fulfilling a need of a fellow Believer in dire straits!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
"Baby I'm Alright, With Just A Kiss Goodnight"
In the recent September/October 2011 issue of RELEVANT magazine, there was a very disturbing article entitled “The Secret Sexual Revolution” which unpacked a disconcerting fact that 95% of young unwed dating people in America between the ages of 18-29 are currently sexually active. However, this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to us as Christians, since we are well aware of our cultures glorification of sexuality outside of marriage. However, a whopping 42% of those sexually active were those who claimed to be Christians! When the numbers are broken down even further RELEVANT”s research indicates that only 20% of all unmarried people claiming to be Believers are still virgins! That is scary and depressing news!
That is why when as song like “Just A Kiss” by Lady Antebellum arrives on the scene it is such a welcome breath of fresh air! Here we have a mainstream hit making pop/country band writing a song that conveys an abstinence message! Journey with me as we unpack it a little more in the following paragraphs.
The song begins finding our young protagonist singing about the struggle of temptation the is inevitable in any dating relationship, though I will point out that some decisions can be made to avoid some of these struggles in a moment, but first, here are the first two stanzas:
“Lyin' here with you so close to me
It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe
Caught up in this moment
Caught up in your smile
I've never opened up to anyone
So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms
We don't need to rush this
Let's just take it slow.”
First off, it probably is not a good idea to be snuggling up with your boyfriend or girlfriend in a vertical position. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 5:3 that “among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people” (NIV). Therefore, I can fairly easily conclude that putting oneself in a position of temptation is wrong in the eyes of God.
However, that being said, I like how this young women in a story recognizes she is being tempted, and admits she is struggling with her ability to ‘fight these feelings’ and ‘hold back’ yet she ultimately states ‘we don’t need to rush this, let’s just take it slow.” You see friends, Paul also realizes that sexual temptation is going to come upon us in this life, and while it is certainly best to take all precautions to prevent any hint of it in our lives, we are human and going to be tempted at times. That is why he wrote us instructions of what to do when we are tempted: “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6: 18 (ESV)) The young women in our song is telling her boyfriend to stop and ‘take it slow”
This point is driven home in the chorus:
“Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
No I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight”
What a great message to be bouncing around our countries radio airwaves. While she may not come right out and say ‘we aren’t going to have sex’, the subtle message of ‘baby I’m alright, with a just a kiss goodnight” certainly indicates a girl saying her boyfriend needs to leave after kissing her and nothing more. The bridges clarifies matters in my view:
“No I don't want to say goodnight
I know it's time to leave, but you'll be in my dreams
Tonight”
I like that! Honest, but still standing by her convictions! That is one of the biggest things sexual intercourse can do to people when it is outside of marriage, it leaves nothing left to “dream” about! The Christmas present has been opened way to early and there is no mystery left between the guy and girl anymore. It spoils everything!
I know one of the biggest things that I look forward to when God one day leads me into a special dating relationship will be the excitement and joy that comes from dreaming about the girl I am dating and leaving plenty of mystery to be discovered along the way, most of which will only be discovered if we get married. I have guidelines and precautions that I will be sure to follow when the time for dating comes that will help keep me pure, including but not limited to, being sure I am never alone with the girl anywhere where temptation could get the best of me. That is how I will model Ephesians 5:3 and 1 Corinthians 6:18 to the best of my human ability, while letting God into every area in that relationship. Thus, I will then be able to tell my girlfriend each time we part ways that I am ‘alright with just a kiss goodnight.”
To close this blog I want to be sure to end on a hopeful note. While 42% of Christians are in a current sexually active relationship, that is still less than half, which means the majority of Christians are still holding on to abstinence! However, I want to speak to those who may have already indulged in the act of sex either before they were a Believer, or in a moment of weakness after becoming a Christian. Let me tell you this: there is most definitely forgiveness in Christ. In 1 John 1:9 we are told that, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (emphasis mine).” That means pre-marital sex is included! While some will quip that a person can’t ever be a virgin again, and that is indeed true from a physical standpoint. However, emotionally and mentally I truly believe a person can have a mindset adjustment into living a life of purity from the moment they are cleansed by the Lord on, until the day they marry!
That is why when as song like “Just A Kiss” by Lady Antebellum arrives on the scene it is such a welcome breath of fresh air! Here we have a mainstream hit making pop/country band writing a song that conveys an abstinence message! Journey with me as we unpack it a little more in the following paragraphs.
The song begins finding our young protagonist singing about the struggle of temptation the is inevitable in any dating relationship, though I will point out that some decisions can be made to avoid some of these struggles in a moment, but first, here are the first two stanzas:
“Lyin' here with you so close to me
It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe
Caught up in this moment
Caught up in your smile
I've never opened up to anyone
So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms
We don't need to rush this
Let's just take it slow.”
First off, it probably is not a good idea to be snuggling up with your boyfriend or girlfriend in a vertical position. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 5:3 that “among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people” (NIV). Therefore, I can fairly easily conclude that putting oneself in a position of temptation is wrong in the eyes of God.
However, that being said, I like how this young women in a story recognizes she is being tempted, and admits she is struggling with her ability to ‘fight these feelings’ and ‘hold back’ yet she ultimately states ‘we don’t need to rush this, let’s just take it slow.” You see friends, Paul also realizes that sexual temptation is going to come upon us in this life, and while it is certainly best to take all precautions to prevent any hint of it in our lives, we are human and going to be tempted at times. That is why he wrote us instructions of what to do when we are tempted: “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6: 18 (ESV)) The young women in our song is telling her boyfriend to stop and ‘take it slow”
This point is driven home in the chorus:
“Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
No I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight”
What a great message to be bouncing around our countries radio airwaves. While she may not come right out and say ‘we aren’t going to have sex’, the subtle message of ‘baby I’m alright, with a just a kiss goodnight” certainly indicates a girl saying her boyfriend needs to leave after kissing her and nothing more. The bridges clarifies matters in my view:
“No I don't want to say goodnight
I know it's time to leave, but you'll be in my dreams
Tonight”
I like that! Honest, but still standing by her convictions! That is one of the biggest things sexual intercourse can do to people when it is outside of marriage, it leaves nothing left to “dream” about! The Christmas present has been opened way to early and there is no mystery left between the guy and girl anymore. It spoils everything!
I know one of the biggest things that I look forward to when God one day leads me into a special dating relationship will be the excitement and joy that comes from dreaming about the girl I am dating and leaving plenty of mystery to be discovered along the way, most of which will only be discovered if we get married. I have guidelines and precautions that I will be sure to follow when the time for dating comes that will help keep me pure, including but not limited to, being sure I am never alone with the girl anywhere where temptation could get the best of me. That is how I will model Ephesians 5:3 and 1 Corinthians 6:18 to the best of my human ability, while letting God into every area in that relationship. Thus, I will then be able to tell my girlfriend each time we part ways that I am ‘alright with just a kiss goodnight.”
To close this blog I want to be sure to end on a hopeful note. While 42% of Christians are in a current sexually active relationship, that is still less than half, which means the majority of Christians are still holding on to abstinence! However, I want to speak to those who may have already indulged in the act of sex either before they were a Believer, or in a moment of weakness after becoming a Christian. Let me tell you this: there is most definitely forgiveness in Christ. In 1 John 1:9 we are told that, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (emphasis mine).” That means pre-marital sex is included! While some will quip that a person can’t ever be a virgin again, and that is indeed true from a physical standpoint. However, emotionally and mentally I truly believe a person can have a mindset adjustment into living a life of purity from the moment they are cleansed by the Lord on, until the day they marry!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
"How Can You Not Get Romantic About Baseball?"
Baseball has been my favorite sport since I began watching it with my Grandfather late in the glorious Cleveland Indians 1995 season. I was eight years old then, and my love for the game has only grown as I am now in my mid-20’s. My interest has now expanded into all facets of the game including how teams decide whom to keep and whom to trade when the time comes. I also have developed a dislike for all the powerhouse teams who can spend all the money they want and bulk their teams up like a weightlifter on steroids. Thus when the movie “Moneyball” came out last month I was immediately drawn to seeing it, as it feeds both of these interests in telling the true story of Billy Beane the Oakland Athletics General Manager who in 2002 built a winning team out of a bunch of guys that other teams rejected for various reasons.
Beane as it turns out met up with a young and upcoming baseball statistician named Peter Brand who had begun analyzing players and screening them for a stat that very few teams ever look at (even to this day), a player’s on-base percentage. Employing computer-generated player analysis Brand could examine all players at all levels of baseball (minor league, rookie ball, and major league) and determine which players would get on base most often, and then recommend them to Beane so he could draft or sign them to contracts.
The film is a genuine treat for anyone who loves both baseball and a true underdog story. As Beane states at the onset of the movie, when expressing frustration over teams with big budgets sucking up all the good free agents from small market teams, “there are good teams, there are bad teams, then there’s fifty feet of crap…then there’s us!” It is soon after this statement that he meets Brand, and the two get to talking about this new idea of employing computer generated analysis.
From here we as the audience are taken on a journey of the Athletics’ 2002 season. They started very slow that year, and were in last place in the American League’s Western Division in May. Throughout those early months, Beane employed a lot of patience with Oakland’s manager Art Howe who didn’t want to play some of the players Beane has signed in the off season because he didn’t believe in Beane and Brand’s concept of using statistics. Beane shows great patience with Howe, and very rarely even raises his voice when arguing with him over the players involved, calling to mind the words of Solomon in Proverbs 15:1a ‘A gentle answer turns away wrath.” However, Beane eventually chooses to force the issue and trades away one of the young rookie players Howe wanted to play everyday (Carlos Pena) so Scott Hatteberg (the player Beane liked) would begin getting everyday at bats. Howe isn’t happy, but he chooses to reluctantly go along with the idea.
By mid-season the A’s are still struggling and Beane begins to realize that young Jeremy Giambi, one of the young players he signed because of his high on base percentage, is becoming a bad influence on the team with his party boy lifestyle. Realizing that he had made a mistake in bringing Giambi to the team, Beane elects to trade him to another team, thus again exhibiting Biblical wisdom this time from Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:33 by recognizing that “bad company corrupts good character.”
What then happens as the season moves into the post all star break part of the schedule is truly remarkable! Suddenly all of the players Beane signed begin to shine! With help from Beane’s encouragement the players begin to attempt to draw as many walks as they can, thus causing the opposing team’s pitcher to throw more pitches, thus getting him out of the game sooner. By mid-August another remarkable thing transpires, the Oakland Athletics began an incredible winning streak, one of a nature that hadn’t been seen in baseball since the 1930’s! Suddenly the A’s are in first place and showing no sign of going back! Thus, many of Billy Beane’s critics who thought he was crazy during the first half of the season, slowly began becoming believers in this new baseball philosophy!
Throughout the movie, there are many examples of Biblical concepts some of which I have highlighted already, plus the almost too obvious David versus Goliath story interwoven between the lines of the script. Beane carries himself in a gentle but confident manor. He isn’t afraid to ask players to man up and be leaders on the team, as he does with one of the few veteran players on his team in David Justice. He also isn’t afraid to call guys out who care only about partying and not giving it their all in trying to help the team win, as is the case with Jeremy Giambi who as I mentioned earlier he trades mid-season. The whole film also tremendously exemplifies what it looks like to stand by your beliefs when others around you question you on them, something the Apostle Paul tells all Christians to do when it comes to doing the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)
There is so much to glean from this movie, aside from the fact that it is tremendously entertaining and a true love story to Major League Baseball and the enjoyable ride a baseball season is for a diehard fan. This is so summed up by Beane himself near the end of the movie during one especially moving scene, the details of which I will not reveal here, when he says “how can you not get romantic about baseball?” As the incredible 2011 World Series Champions the St. Louis Cardinals taught us, yes, indeed Mr. Beane, is surely is impossible not be romantic about such an amazing and unpredictable sport!
Beane as it turns out met up with a young and upcoming baseball statistician named Peter Brand who had begun analyzing players and screening them for a stat that very few teams ever look at (even to this day), a player’s on-base percentage. Employing computer-generated player analysis Brand could examine all players at all levels of baseball (minor league, rookie ball, and major league) and determine which players would get on base most often, and then recommend them to Beane so he could draft or sign them to contracts.
The film is a genuine treat for anyone who loves both baseball and a true underdog story. As Beane states at the onset of the movie, when expressing frustration over teams with big budgets sucking up all the good free agents from small market teams, “there are good teams, there are bad teams, then there’s fifty feet of crap…then there’s us!” It is soon after this statement that he meets Brand, and the two get to talking about this new idea of employing computer generated analysis.
From here we as the audience are taken on a journey of the Athletics’ 2002 season. They started very slow that year, and were in last place in the American League’s Western Division in May. Throughout those early months, Beane employed a lot of patience with Oakland’s manager Art Howe who didn’t want to play some of the players Beane has signed in the off season because he didn’t believe in Beane and Brand’s concept of using statistics. Beane shows great patience with Howe, and very rarely even raises his voice when arguing with him over the players involved, calling to mind the words of Solomon in Proverbs 15:1a ‘A gentle answer turns away wrath.” However, Beane eventually chooses to force the issue and trades away one of the young rookie players Howe wanted to play everyday (Carlos Pena) so Scott Hatteberg (the player Beane liked) would begin getting everyday at bats. Howe isn’t happy, but he chooses to reluctantly go along with the idea.
By mid-season the A’s are still struggling and Beane begins to realize that young Jeremy Giambi, one of the young players he signed because of his high on base percentage, is becoming a bad influence on the team with his party boy lifestyle. Realizing that he had made a mistake in bringing Giambi to the team, Beane elects to trade him to another team, thus again exhibiting Biblical wisdom this time from Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:33 by recognizing that “bad company corrupts good character.”
What then happens as the season moves into the post all star break part of the schedule is truly remarkable! Suddenly all of the players Beane signed begin to shine! With help from Beane’s encouragement the players begin to attempt to draw as many walks as they can, thus causing the opposing team’s pitcher to throw more pitches, thus getting him out of the game sooner. By mid-August another remarkable thing transpires, the Oakland Athletics began an incredible winning streak, one of a nature that hadn’t been seen in baseball since the 1930’s! Suddenly the A’s are in first place and showing no sign of going back! Thus, many of Billy Beane’s critics who thought he was crazy during the first half of the season, slowly began becoming believers in this new baseball philosophy!
Throughout the movie, there are many examples of Biblical concepts some of which I have highlighted already, plus the almost too obvious David versus Goliath story interwoven between the lines of the script. Beane carries himself in a gentle but confident manor. He isn’t afraid to ask players to man up and be leaders on the team, as he does with one of the few veteran players on his team in David Justice. He also isn’t afraid to call guys out who care only about partying and not giving it their all in trying to help the team win, as is the case with Jeremy Giambi who as I mentioned earlier he trades mid-season. The whole film also tremendously exemplifies what it looks like to stand by your beliefs when others around you question you on them, something the Apostle Paul tells all Christians to do when it comes to doing the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)
There is so much to glean from this movie, aside from the fact that it is tremendously entertaining and a true love story to Major League Baseball and the enjoyable ride a baseball season is for a diehard fan. This is so summed up by Beane himself near the end of the movie during one especially moving scene, the details of which I will not reveal here, when he says “how can you not get romantic about baseball?” As the incredible 2011 World Series Champions the St. Louis Cardinals taught us, yes, indeed Mr. Beane, is surely is impossible not be romantic about such an amazing and unpredictable sport!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Happy Summer To You All!!
Summer time is here! Being that today is the first official day of summer, I thought it would be fun to examine a song that became popular during one of the most exciting summers of my high school life, the summer of 2004. The song is ‘In This Diary” by the band The Ataris.
In the song, lead vocalist Kris Roe writes about his greatest summer and the chorus featured some interesting and thought provoking lines:
“Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up,
These are the best days of our lives,
The only thing that matters is just following your heart,
And eventually we’ll finally get it right.”
Now for years, I have been just singing along with this song every time it comes on my iPod or car stereo, but it recently struck me how unbiblical this idea of ‘following your heart’ is.
Roe, writes that in life ‘the only thing that matters is just following your heart” but one doesn’t have to look far in this world to realize that a lot of sin is committed because people follow their hearts. This is probably why God told the Israelites in Numbers 15: 39b that they are remember His commandments and to ‘not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.” (ESV)
When we follow after our own hearts a lot of disaster can await us. Think for example about how easy it is to fall into sexual sin if you follow after your own heart. The heart will say that if you ‘love’ the person you should sleep with them. Your emotions and desires (which stem from the heart) will leave you longing for sexual intimacy, and it is only if you keep your mind focused on God’s word and immersed in his Spirit that you will be able to live your life in a manner worthy of the Christian Faith (2 Timothy 1:11). That means abstaining from all sexual immorality, which is sinful in God’s eyes (1 Cor. 6:18)
Speaking of the heart Jesus also taught us in Matthew 15 that, “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying and slander. These are what defile you” (v.19-20a NLT). Yikes! A lot of sinful things come from the heart then! I don’t know about you but I don’t think following our hearts will ever lead to us eventually “finally get (ting) it right.”
However, there are also parts of this song that are very positive in theme. Take the first part of the chorus which states "Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up.” I can attest to this being true. Now that I am grown up and out of high school and college I can tell you that there is something special about being young and innocent of some of the evils and nasty parts that life holds. I think this is why Jesus taught that “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (Luke 18:17 ESV). You see we need to possess a childlike innocence, and more importantly trust, in Jesus to inherit the kingdom of God! As they grow up, most children are less likely to be cynical about the world and life in general. This is the type of attitude Jesus wants all of us to have when it comes to His kingdom! The Gospel is good news, and it leaves little room for cynicism.
One other theme of the song is the concept of how spending time with friends is essential to our ability to make memories. As the first stanza states: “All those nights we stayed up talking/Listening to 80’s song/And quoting lines from all those movies that we love/It still brings a smile to my face…”
That first part particularly rings true. How many of us have had those special times where we simply talked for hours with people who were of like mind and like heart, and didn’t even realize we had been talking for such a long period of time! God intended for us to be relational people, it is why he created the first romantic relationship and marriage when he stated that “it is not good for man to be alone” in Genesis 2:18. Romance is the most intimate of relationships here on earth, but friendships are an easy second. In Acts 2:42 Luke tells us that the early church members spent a lot of time under the ‘apostles teaching and fellowship’ and in Acts 2:44-47 we are told that all the believers lived together in community and shared everything. That is pretty strong evidence that we were created for community in my view!
Thus, as summer kicks off for all of us, make it memorable! For those of you who are Christians and involved in a local Church, get out there and do an outreach. Have a barbeque or block party at your house and sit outside long into the night talking and laughing! Pray for one another and be united in spirit (Acts 2). Make memories! And always keep in mind Jesus’ words of loving others because He first loved us (John 15:12). Don’t follow your own heart, but seek what is on the heart of our Father in heaven, and allow Him to guide you!!
In the song, lead vocalist Kris Roe writes about his greatest summer and the chorus featured some interesting and thought provoking lines:
“Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up,
These are the best days of our lives,
The only thing that matters is just following your heart,
And eventually we’ll finally get it right.”
Now for years, I have been just singing along with this song every time it comes on my iPod or car stereo, but it recently struck me how unbiblical this idea of ‘following your heart’ is.
Roe, writes that in life ‘the only thing that matters is just following your heart” but one doesn’t have to look far in this world to realize that a lot of sin is committed because people follow their hearts. This is probably why God told the Israelites in Numbers 15: 39b that they are remember His commandments and to ‘not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.” (ESV)
When we follow after our own hearts a lot of disaster can await us. Think for example about how easy it is to fall into sexual sin if you follow after your own heart. The heart will say that if you ‘love’ the person you should sleep with them. Your emotions and desires (which stem from the heart) will leave you longing for sexual intimacy, and it is only if you keep your mind focused on God’s word and immersed in his Spirit that you will be able to live your life in a manner worthy of the Christian Faith (2 Timothy 1:11). That means abstaining from all sexual immorality, which is sinful in God’s eyes (1 Cor. 6:18)
Speaking of the heart Jesus also taught us in Matthew 15 that, “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying and slander. These are what defile you” (v.19-20a NLT). Yikes! A lot of sinful things come from the heart then! I don’t know about you but I don’t think following our hearts will ever lead to us eventually “finally get (ting) it right.”
However, there are also parts of this song that are very positive in theme. Take the first part of the chorus which states "Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up.” I can attest to this being true. Now that I am grown up and out of high school and college I can tell you that there is something special about being young and innocent of some of the evils and nasty parts that life holds. I think this is why Jesus taught that “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (Luke 18:17 ESV). You see we need to possess a childlike innocence, and more importantly trust, in Jesus to inherit the kingdom of God! As they grow up, most children are less likely to be cynical about the world and life in general. This is the type of attitude Jesus wants all of us to have when it comes to His kingdom! The Gospel is good news, and it leaves little room for cynicism.
One other theme of the song is the concept of how spending time with friends is essential to our ability to make memories. As the first stanza states: “All those nights we stayed up talking/Listening to 80’s song/And quoting lines from all those movies that we love/It still brings a smile to my face…”
That first part particularly rings true. How many of us have had those special times where we simply talked for hours with people who were of like mind and like heart, and didn’t even realize we had been talking for such a long period of time! God intended for us to be relational people, it is why he created the first romantic relationship and marriage when he stated that “it is not good for man to be alone” in Genesis 2:18. Romance is the most intimate of relationships here on earth, but friendships are an easy second. In Acts 2:42 Luke tells us that the early church members spent a lot of time under the ‘apostles teaching and fellowship’ and in Acts 2:44-47 we are told that all the believers lived together in community and shared everything. That is pretty strong evidence that we were created for community in my view!
Thus, as summer kicks off for all of us, make it memorable! For those of you who are Christians and involved in a local Church, get out there and do an outreach. Have a barbeque or block party at your house and sit outside long into the night talking and laughing! Pray for one another and be united in spirit (Acts 2). Make memories! And always keep in mind Jesus’ words of loving others because He first loved us (John 15:12). Don’t follow your own heart, but seek what is on the heart of our Father in heaven, and allow Him to guide you!!
Monday, June 20, 2011
One Day At A Time
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep”
-Romans 12:15 (ESV)
This verse may be one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. However, how many people truly take into consideration what this means and implies? Isn’t it much easier to be jealous of someone when they are rejoicing and happy? Isn’t it natural to be jealous when a friend gets that job they’ve always dreamed of and your still working at a job you hate?
Similarly, isn’t it rather easy to distance oneself from a friend who has lost their cousin to a sudden heart attack? Paul tells us that while these may be our natural methods in which we deal with such situations, it certainly is NOT the right way we, as the body of Christ, should be dealing with such matters! Paul tells us to be happy and rejoice with our brothers and sisters in Christ when God blesses their life in a special way! We are to celebrate with them and along side of them, because we are a family and families should celebrate together!
The same is true for when a brother or sister is grieving a painful loss, whether it be the loss of a parent or the loss of job or the death of a dream! We are to go to them and spend time with them. Often times we don’t need to say anything, just simply showing up at the funeral or taking a meal over to our friend is more than enough. I have also found that it is sometimes better to let the person talk and that I simply listen and give them a hug.
One of my favorite movie’s that illustrates the concept of community rallying around a hurting person is Cameron Crowe’s (“Jerry Maguire”) 2005 masterpiece “Elizabethtown.” This film tells the story of a young man whose father dies suddenly while visiting relatives in a small Kentucky town. The young man (Will) is asked by his family to fly into the small town to help and make funeral arrangements. When Will arrives in Elizabethtown, Kentucky he is met by relatives and family friends whom he hasn’t seen in years, but all whom loved his father and want nothing more than to grieve with him. They hug, tell stories and reminisce about what a great man Will’s father was. Will also receives compassion from strangers and people he doesn’t know, including Claire a young flight attendant who he met on the flight from Oregon to Kentucky. Claire views life in a unique and positive light, which aides Will tremendously as he mourns the loss of his father.
Another part about the grieving process that is so important is knowing that God wants us to take life a day at a time. We experience so many emotions throughout the process that it can be very overwhelming. However, Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:34 “don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (NLT). Therefore, I don’t believe God expects us to try to tackle everything we are feeling in times of grief at once, but instead allow Him to help us through each day, one day at a time. In many ways Claire does this for Will, by encouraging him to take every emotion in and ‘experience the incredible melancholy’ that life sometimes throws at us.
I recently was blessed by both of these concepts in my own personal life. Back in April, my Grandmother passed away after a six-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. When it came time for the funeral, many of my friends completely surprised me and stopped by, just to give me a hug, and say that they were sorry for my loss. This meant so much to me, as just a simple a thing as showing up richly blessed me, and reminded me that God loves me, and has blessed me with friend who love me as well!
I also have learned that grieving needs to be taken a day at a time. Some days it is harder than others, and there is often no rhyme or reason to why I suddenly feel angry at one moment or sad at another. However, I have been able to claim Matthew 6:24 that I will not worry about tomorrow because my Heavenly Father is taking care of me, and no matter what I am feeling, He understands.
-Romans 12:15 (ESV)
This verse may be one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. However, how many people truly take into consideration what this means and implies? Isn’t it much easier to be jealous of someone when they are rejoicing and happy? Isn’t it natural to be jealous when a friend gets that job they’ve always dreamed of and your still working at a job you hate?
Similarly, isn’t it rather easy to distance oneself from a friend who has lost their cousin to a sudden heart attack? Paul tells us that while these may be our natural methods in which we deal with such situations, it certainly is NOT the right way we, as the body of Christ, should be dealing with such matters! Paul tells us to be happy and rejoice with our brothers and sisters in Christ when God blesses their life in a special way! We are to celebrate with them and along side of them, because we are a family and families should celebrate together!
The same is true for when a brother or sister is grieving a painful loss, whether it be the loss of a parent or the loss of job or the death of a dream! We are to go to them and spend time with them. Often times we don’t need to say anything, just simply showing up at the funeral or taking a meal over to our friend is more than enough. I have also found that it is sometimes better to let the person talk and that I simply listen and give them a hug.
One of my favorite movie’s that illustrates the concept of community rallying around a hurting person is Cameron Crowe’s (“Jerry Maguire”) 2005 masterpiece “Elizabethtown.” This film tells the story of a young man whose father dies suddenly while visiting relatives in a small Kentucky town. The young man (Will) is asked by his family to fly into the small town to help and make funeral arrangements. When Will arrives in Elizabethtown, Kentucky he is met by relatives and family friends whom he hasn’t seen in years, but all whom loved his father and want nothing more than to grieve with him. They hug, tell stories and reminisce about what a great man Will’s father was. Will also receives compassion from strangers and people he doesn’t know, including Claire a young flight attendant who he met on the flight from Oregon to Kentucky. Claire views life in a unique and positive light, which aides Will tremendously as he mourns the loss of his father.
Another part about the grieving process that is so important is knowing that God wants us to take life a day at a time. We experience so many emotions throughout the process that it can be very overwhelming. However, Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:34 “don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (NLT). Therefore, I don’t believe God expects us to try to tackle everything we are feeling in times of grief at once, but instead allow Him to help us through each day, one day at a time. In many ways Claire does this for Will, by encouraging him to take every emotion in and ‘experience the incredible melancholy’ that life sometimes throws at us.
I recently was blessed by both of these concepts in my own personal life. Back in April, my Grandmother passed away after a six-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. When it came time for the funeral, many of my friends completely surprised me and stopped by, just to give me a hug, and say that they were sorry for my loss. This meant so much to me, as just a simple a thing as showing up richly blessed me, and reminded me that God loves me, and has blessed me with friend who love me as well!
I also have learned that grieving needs to be taken a day at a time. Some days it is harder than others, and there is often no rhyme or reason to why I suddenly feel angry at one moment or sad at another. However, I have been able to claim Matthew 6:24 that I will not worry about tomorrow because my Heavenly Father is taking care of me, and no matter what I am feeling, He understands.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Sound that Alarm, Bob! Sound that Alarm!
“Once Upon a Time”
When you hear those words, what do you most commonly think of? A story right? Generally a fairy tale or fable more than likely. Bob Dylan opens his 1966 magnum opus “Like A Rolling Stone” which was once voted by Rolling Stone magazine as the “greatest rock song of all time” with this phrase. The song tells the story of a person in a high place and high position in society who ultimately loses their prestige and popularity, leading to feelings of drifting directionless on stormy seas.
As the song opens we are introduced to a first character, who is given a stern warning:
“Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you ?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you”
This calls to mind immediately the words of Solomon in Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (ESV). In Dylan’s words people are warning our character that she should beware because she is ‘bound to fall’ however, she thinks they are kidding with her. Thus, this character is prideful thinking nothing will happen to her. As the song continues however we find out:
“You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?”
Indeed our protagonist has been humbled. In this way, I’ve always felt Dylan was acting like the watchman in Ezekiel 33:3-6 who we are told should warn the town of coming danger. If the watchman warns the town of coming danger and they do not listen, the townsfolk fate is their own fault, however, if the watchman fails to warn the town of impending doom, the fate of the townsfolk is his fault in the eyes of the Lord.
Let’s continue a couple of stanzas down
“You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.”
Here we see our main character has been deceived by people who she thought were her friends but were indeed her enemies, wolves in sheep’s clothing if you will, to burrow Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:15 about false prophets who can lead us astray, and take from us everything they can steal, including our souls when it comes to speaking in eternal terms!
I also like the imagery of riding on a ‘chrome horse.’ Chrome which is made from the chemical of chromium is actually not a super rare chemical, but is very rust resistant for a metal, and appears to be a lot more impressive than it really is. Thus our character is riding on a chrome horse that makes her appear more important than she ultimately is.
The last stanza sets up some interesting ideas as well:
“Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.”
I like the concept’s here that Dylan discusses in reference to the thought of a wealthy person needing to pawn a diamond ring. I doubt that a thought like that would ever cross their mind, yet there will come day for every person that puts us all on equal footing, it will strip even a decorated French war general like Napoleon into rags. That great equalizer is death, and every single human being on earth will experience it.
Jesus spoke about the concept of what happens when we die on several occasions, one though that is most poignant to our song exposition here though. Jesus tells us a parable in Luke 16:19-31 about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus would wait by the rich mans gate every day just hoping that he could raid the rich man’s trash in order to feed himself. The day came when both men died. The wealthy man who never cared at all for the poor went to hell, while Lazarus went to Heaven, where he had the opportunity to hang out with Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel! The rich man is able to look up and see both Abraham and Lazarus in paradise and begs for Lazarus to dip his finger in cool water to cool his (the rich mans) tongue for he is in anguish! Abraham’s response is chilling:
But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.” (Luke 16:25-26 ESV).
I don’t know about you but this may be one of the most terrifying passages of scripture when it comes to what happens when we die. There are two options: Heaven or Hell. That is it! So often times we see people in society who become wealthy and comfortable here in this life, but unless they surrender their lives to Jesus will spend eternity in Hell. Jesus once also said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:24)! Why you ask? Well, I think it because wealthy people simply naturally desire to become wealthier, until greed consumes their life! Christianity teaches that we are to lay aside our desires and seek God’s will, that is whole lot easier to do if God has brought you to a place where you have nothing but Him and Him alone, and need to trust Him alone, not money, not status in society, not your own mental or physical abilities, no Him and Him ALONE!
It is not easy friends, and that is why it is so important to store up treasures in heaven (Luke 12:33) and not be as concerned with what happens to us in this life. Don’t get me wrong possessions are fine, but when they become idols we have a major problem. It can send us away from the Lord the person who gave us life, and leave us with ‘no direction home/like a rolling stone.” The good news is, there is Grace for those who have lost their way, but only through Jesus the man who died to save our souls! Yet in order to be saved we need to lay our lives, our wills, and our desires for anything that is not of God (Rom. 8:7), in order to receive that Grace, the kind only God can bestow on us through His Son!
When you hear those words, what do you most commonly think of? A story right? Generally a fairy tale or fable more than likely. Bob Dylan opens his 1966 magnum opus “Like A Rolling Stone” which was once voted by Rolling Stone magazine as the “greatest rock song of all time” with this phrase. The song tells the story of a person in a high place and high position in society who ultimately loses their prestige and popularity, leading to feelings of drifting directionless on stormy seas.
As the song opens we are introduced to a first character, who is given a stern warning:
“Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you ?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you”
This calls to mind immediately the words of Solomon in Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (ESV). In Dylan’s words people are warning our character that she should beware because she is ‘bound to fall’ however, she thinks they are kidding with her. Thus, this character is prideful thinking nothing will happen to her. As the song continues however we find out:
“You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?”
Indeed our protagonist has been humbled. In this way, I’ve always felt Dylan was acting like the watchman in Ezekiel 33:3-6 who we are told should warn the town of coming danger. If the watchman warns the town of coming danger and they do not listen, the townsfolk fate is their own fault, however, if the watchman fails to warn the town of impending doom, the fate of the townsfolk is his fault in the eyes of the Lord.
Let’s continue a couple of stanzas down
“You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.”
Here we see our main character has been deceived by people who she thought were her friends but were indeed her enemies, wolves in sheep’s clothing if you will, to burrow Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:15 about false prophets who can lead us astray, and take from us everything they can steal, including our souls when it comes to speaking in eternal terms!
I also like the imagery of riding on a ‘chrome horse.’ Chrome which is made from the chemical of chromium is actually not a super rare chemical, but is very rust resistant for a metal, and appears to be a lot more impressive than it really is. Thus our character is riding on a chrome horse that makes her appear more important than she ultimately is.
The last stanza sets up some interesting ideas as well:
“Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.”
I like the concept’s here that Dylan discusses in reference to the thought of a wealthy person needing to pawn a diamond ring. I doubt that a thought like that would ever cross their mind, yet there will come day for every person that puts us all on equal footing, it will strip even a decorated French war general like Napoleon into rags. That great equalizer is death, and every single human being on earth will experience it.
Jesus spoke about the concept of what happens when we die on several occasions, one though that is most poignant to our song exposition here though. Jesus tells us a parable in Luke 16:19-31 about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus would wait by the rich mans gate every day just hoping that he could raid the rich man’s trash in order to feed himself. The day came when both men died. The wealthy man who never cared at all for the poor went to hell, while Lazarus went to Heaven, where he had the opportunity to hang out with Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel! The rich man is able to look up and see both Abraham and Lazarus in paradise and begs for Lazarus to dip his finger in cool water to cool his (the rich mans) tongue for he is in anguish! Abraham’s response is chilling:
But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.” (Luke 16:25-26 ESV).
I don’t know about you but this may be one of the most terrifying passages of scripture when it comes to what happens when we die. There are two options: Heaven or Hell. That is it! So often times we see people in society who become wealthy and comfortable here in this life, but unless they surrender their lives to Jesus will spend eternity in Hell. Jesus once also said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:24)! Why you ask? Well, I think it because wealthy people simply naturally desire to become wealthier, until greed consumes their life! Christianity teaches that we are to lay aside our desires and seek God’s will, that is whole lot easier to do if God has brought you to a place where you have nothing but Him and Him alone, and need to trust Him alone, not money, not status in society, not your own mental or physical abilities, no Him and Him ALONE!
It is not easy friends, and that is why it is so important to store up treasures in heaven (Luke 12:33) and not be as concerned with what happens to us in this life. Don’t get me wrong possessions are fine, but when they become idols we have a major problem. It can send us away from the Lord the person who gave us life, and leave us with ‘no direction home/like a rolling stone.” The good news is, there is Grace for those who have lost their way, but only through Jesus the man who died to save our souls! Yet in order to be saved we need to lay our lives, our wills, and our desires for anything that is not of God (Rom. 8:7), in order to receive that Grace, the kind only God can bestow on us through His Son!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Each Of Us Has Something Special to Offer The World
Having the humbleness to recognize that you need help is probably one of the most important character qualities one can have. How many poor grades on English papers, or customer’s becoming angry with you for being too slow with their food could be avoided by simply knowing when to admit that you are in over your head. Craig, the hero of the fine 2010 movie “It’s Kind of A Funny Story” has this quality. Craig has battled depression for several years, and even been on Zoloft for his depression, but decided not to take his medication anymore and became depressed, to the point of contemplating suicide! However, instead of going through with the tragic act, he walks into a hospital and asks to be admitted for help. After some persuading of the doctor that he needs to be hospitalized, because he truly doesn’t understand why he is so depressed, he is admitted for a five-day observation period and the story begins.
After being guided by the young Doctor Mahmoud, who is completing his residency in the hospital psych ward, to his room. The doctor introduces Craig to Bobby, another patient who to Craig seems completely happy and at ease, leaving Craig to wonder why he is even checked into the psych ward to begin with. Craig is also introduced to Muqtada, who will be Craig’s roommate for the five- day period. Muqtada, Craig is told never leaves his room and rarely leaves his bed, often only to use the restroom. From there Bobby gives him the tour of the rest of the patient all whom have disorders such as schizophrenia, or Turret’s syndrome, leaving Craig a bit unnerved at having to stay in such a facility. When he asks the chief Psychiatrist to allow him to leave early, she tells him that since he has been admitted, he must now stay for the five-day period. Craig’s parents also visit him and his Dad reminds him that he has a application to a accelerated summer school due soon.
Throughout the movie Craig fills in the blanks for us with overdubbed information. It is there that we learn that Craig truly doesn’t know why he is depressed, but that his parents desire for him to achieve a lot in his life, and that he is very smart and attends a prestigious New York high school. We also learn that Craig’s best friend Aaron also attends this same school with his girlfriend Nia, whom Craig has had a crush on for a long time.
All of this background information is important as the film unfolds because several things happen. To begin with Craig finds a mentor in Bobby who helps guide him and give him the necessary kick in the butt when it is needed. Bobby encourages him to get involved in the activities that the patients participate in, such as group discussion time, and music therapy. He also encourages Craig to begin talking with young Noelle, a patient who is also Craig’s age. One scene that is particularly memorable is a scene where Craig and Bobby are playing basketball in the hospital gym, a place they have snuck to illegally. Bobby walks Craig through the ropes of how to ask a girl out that is both humorous and heartfelt.
The whole concept of mentorship that is portrayed here through Bobby and Craig is a Biblical idea. In Titus chapter 2 Paul encourages Titus to mentor the young men in his church by teaching them ‘to live wisely in all they do’ (Titus 2:6-7). This whole chapter in Titus is a discussion on the importance on mentorship for both men and women, and throughout this movie, Bobby does give Craig solid and wise advice.
As far as Craig’s friendship with Noelle goes, he begins by playing a question game that she tells him to play in which she asks a question and Craig’s response must also be a question. This is a fun scene in this movie as well. By the end of their conversation Noelle races him to the Art Therapy meeting, and it is there Craig while claiming he can’t draw, sketches an amazing piece of art that is unique and praised by everyone in the room! It is here we see that Craig is finding out that his true purpose in life is probably not becoming a lawyer like his father seems to think his son should be, but an artist instead. Craig soon realizes that when he is drawing his depressing and suicidal thoughts disappear, as he tells the Psychologist soon after in a private meeting.
When viewed in light of the Christian worldview this makes sense! As a Christian I believe that God creates every one of us with a purpose and gives us gifts to help us to accomplish that purpose. The Apostle Paul talks about this a lot in 1 Corinthians 12, which those of you who know your Bible will realize is the famous passage on Spiritual gifts. Particularly this section of 1 Corinthians 12 stands out to me on this topic of our purposes in life: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit, and there are varieties of service but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities but it is the same who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:4-7 ESV). That last verse is especially important to focus on. God gives us each one or more gifts that is for the good of many people! Think about that God has a plan to accomplish certain things through each and every one of us who looks to His Son as our source of Salvation! The last thing we should do is to try to fulfill a purpose that he has planned for someone else trying to use a gift He hasn’t given to us! Craig’s revelation here, subtly accentuates this point quite nicely!
One last topic I would like to cover here involves Craig’s new budding relationship with Noelle, and the challenge that Craig has on his plate when he finds out over the phone that his friends Aaron and Nia have broken up. Nia then calls Craig and tells him that she would like to visit him, and when she does it becomes obvious that she is suddenly attracted to Craig very much! The begin to make out and she aggressively begins to pull him down on bed in Craig’s room. Fortunately though, Muqtada, Craig’s roommate emerges from the lavatory and immediately breaks up their passionate make out session by chasing Nia out of the room screaming she is ‘temptress’ and that he will not allow ‘sex on his bed in his room!” Craig runs out after her screaming that he love her, only to realize Noelle has heard him and looks completely hurt and dejected! Muqtada right here acts as another mentor in a sense that he, like Solomon in Proverbs 7 warns Craig of how a women’s motives can lead a man astray very easily.
Craig realizes how badly he has messed everything up with Noelle, and he decides to stay in his room with Muqtada and quite going out in the world because as he says to Muqtada “you had it right all along Muqtada, it is better to stay in here and not ever go out there!” This is when Bobby pays him a visit and utters the line that he needs to get up dust himself off and chose to find happiness again, because ‘those who aren't busy being born are busy dying" which some of you may recognize as a line from Bob Dylan’s “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding” off his 1965 album “Bringing It All Back Home.”
That is the overall message to this film, we need to live our lives because each of us has something special to offer to the world. Young Craig learns this while spending his time in the psychiatric ward. He learns that he has a gift for creating unique art, and that many of the other patients also have special gifts. He learns how to seek forgiveness and how to bring out the best in people. Lessons like that are often the hardest to learn, but can be the most rewarding once we’ve learned them! God desires us to learn lessons like these because as King David wrote in Psalm 51:6 “You desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise.” It is not until we are truly honest with both ourselves and God that He can grow us in wisdom, which leads us to being able to have the ability to teach and help others!
After being guided by the young Doctor Mahmoud, who is completing his residency in the hospital psych ward, to his room. The doctor introduces Craig to Bobby, another patient who to Craig seems completely happy and at ease, leaving Craig to wonder why he is even checked into the psych ward to begin with. Craig is also introduced to Muqtada, who will be Craig’s roommate for the five- day period. Muqtada, Craig is told never leaves his room and rarely leaves his bed, often only to use the restroom. From there Bobby gives him the tour of the rest of the patient all whom have disorders such as schizophrenia, or Turret’s syndrome, leaving Craig a bit unnerved at having to stay in such a facility. When he asks the chief Psychiatrist to allow him to leave early, she tells him that since he has been admitted, he must now stay for the five-day period. Craig’s parents also visit him and his Dad reminds him that he has a application to a accelerated summer school due soon.
Throughout the movie Craig fills in the blanks for us with overdubbed information. It is there that we learn that Craig truly doesn’t know why he is depressed, but that his parents desire for him to achieve a lot in his life, and that he is very smart and attends a prestigious New York high school. We also learn that Craig’s best friend Aaron also attends this same school with his girlfriend Nia, whom Craig has had a crush on for a long time.
All of this background information is important as the film unfolds because several things happen. To begin with Craig finds a mentor in Bobby who helps guide him and give him the necessary kick in the butt when it is needed. Bobby encourages him to get involved in the activities that the patients participate in, such as group discussion time, and music therapy. He also encourages Craig to begin talking with young Noelle, a patient who is also Craig’s age. One scene that is particularly memorable is a scene where Craig and Bobby are playing basketball in the hospital gym, a place they have snuck to illegally. Bobby walks Craig through the ropes of how to ask a girl out that is both humorous and heartfelt.
The whole concept of mentorship that is portrayed here through Bobby and Craig is a Biblical idea. In Titus chapter 2 Paul encourages Titus to mentor the young men in his church by teaching them ‘to live wisely in all they do’ (Titus 2:6-7). This whole chapter in Titus is a discussion on the importance on mentorship for both men and women, and throughout this movie, Bobby does give Craig solid and wise advice.
As far as Craig’s friendship with Noelle goes, he begins by playing a question game that she tells him to play in which she asks a question and Craig’s response must also be a question. This is a fun scene in this movie as well. By the end of their conversation Noelle races him to the Art Therapy meeting, and it is there Craig while claiming he can’t draw, sketches an amazing piece of art that is unique and praised by everyone in the room! It is here we see that Craig is finding out that his true purpose in life is probably not becoming a lawyer like his father seems to think his son should be, but an artist instead. Craig soon realizes that when he is drawing his depressing and suicidal thoughts disappear, as he tells the Psychologist soon after in a private meeting.
When viewed in light of the Christian worldview this makes sense! As a Christian I believe that God creates every one of us with a purpose and gives us gifts to help us to accomplish that purpose. The Apostle Paul talks about this a lot in 1 Corinthians 12, which those of you who know your Bible will realize is the famous passage on Spiritual gifts. Particularly this section of 1 Corinthians 12 stands out to me on this topic of our purposes in life: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit, and there are varieties of service but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities but it is the same who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:4-7 ESV). That last verse is especially important to focus on. God gives us each one or more gifts that is for the good of many people! Think about that God has a plan to accomplish certain things through each and every one of us who looks to His Son as our source of Salvation! The last thing we should do is to try to fulfill a purpose that he has planned for someone else trying to use a gift He hasn’t given to us! Craig’s revelation here, subtly accentuates this point quite nicely!
One last topic I would like to cover here involves Craig’s new budding relationship with Noelle, and the challenge that Craig has on his plate when he finds out over the phone that his friends Aaron and Nia have broken up. Nia then calls Craig and tells him that she would like to visit him, and when she does it becomes obvious that she is suddenly attracted to Craig very much! The begin to make out and she aggressively begins to pull him down on bed in Craig’s room. Fortunately though, Muqtada, Craig’s roommate emerges from the lavatory and immediately breaks up their passionate make out session by chasing Nia out of the room screaming she is ‘temptress’ and that he will not allow ‘sex on his bed in his room!” Craig runs out after her screaming that he love her, only to realize Noelle has heard him and looks completely hurt and dejected! Muqtada right here acts as another mentor in a sense that he, like Solomon in Proverbs 7 warns Craig of how a women’s motives can lead a man astray very easily.
Craig realizes how badly he has messed everything up with Noelle, and he decides to stay in his room with Muqtada and quite going out in the world because as he says to Muqtada “you had it right all along Muqtada, it is better to stay in here and not ever go out there!” This is when Bobby pays him a visit and utters the line that he needs to get up dust himself off and chose to find happiness again, because ‘those who aren't busy being born are busy dying" which some of you may recognize as a line from Bob Dylan’s “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding” off his 1965 album “Bringing It All Back Home.”
That is the overall message to this film, we need to live our lives because each of us has something special to offer to the world. Young Craig learns this while spending his time in the psychiatric ward. He learns that he has a gift for creating unique art, and that many of the other patients also have special gifts. He learns how to seek forgiveness and how to bring out the best in people. Lessons like that are often the hardest to learn, but can be the most rewarding once we’ve learned them! God desires us to learn lessons like these because as King David wrote in Psalm 51:6 “You desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise.” It is not until we are truly honest with both ourselves and God that He can grow us in wisdom, which leads us to being able to have the ability to teach and help others!
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