...Because Happiness Isn't Enough"
This is the title of an upcoming four week study our women's ministry is doing. It starts the last week of this month. We've already signed up, reserved childcare and have looked forward to getting together for one last hurrah before the summer begins.
But the irony is not lost on me that this study was written by Kay Warren. Yes, the Kay Warren, wife of Rick who has been in the news the last few days...sadly because of the suicide of her 27 year old son. We've all just learned that the Warrens' son suffered from depression and mental illness for most of his life. When our women's director was promoting the upcoming study, she shared with us that Kay wrote this study out of her own struggle with depression and her battle with cancer.
It seems that her joy is, once again, being put to the test.
And evidently, the onslaught is not only from this terrible tragedy that has fallen upon their family. I have read posts from both Gregory Boyd (see article by Frank Viola Rick Warren's Horrific Tragedy) and Beth Moore (see "Sadness and Madness") and discovered that apparently the Warren's are being attacked by people who call themselves Christians. [If you don't take the time to read both of these articles, I can summarize for you that both blog posts condemn the hateful, spiteful things being said of and to the Warrens.]
For what they are being attacked, I do not know. In what state of mind could you ever possibly believe that God would condone expressing hatefulness to someone that has just lost their son. I read some of the comments that Mr. Viola quoted and stopped...because I just don't want to hear (read) it!!!
I can never think of a time in Holy Scriptures when Jesus told us to kick a person when they're already down. In fact, Beth Moore says it best I believe with this quote: "There's a bigger issue in the Body of Christ than immorality. It's hatefulness. If the greatest priority Christ assigned to us was love, the gravest offender is hate."
Lord, LORD...help us overcome the hate, malice and spite of this world and continue Your work of ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven. That Kingdom is one of indescribable, boundless, immeasurable Love!
It seems to be the fashionable thing to bully and discredit someone with whom we do not share the exact same views. It happens too often and quite frankly, is beginning to make me nauseous. The past election season was...in my opinion...one of the most detrimental phases in the American church for the cause of Christ. Or, at least in my lifetime. I did not find one redeeming comment from Christians anywhere. I even had discussions of disagreement and I believe lost potential friendships because of my words of caution and care for our witness to a lost and dying world.
It seems that ever since the political rhetoric began flying about a year ago, there has been a ceaseless barrage of condemnation, retaliation and alienation from people who call themselves my brothers and sisters in Christ. And I don't even need to single out a cause...you name it...Gay Marriage, Gun Control, Entitlement Programs, Obamacare, the Budget Issues, Evolution v. Creationism, Abortion and on and on and on.
I have seen tirades both for and against each and every one of these issues...and I am disgusted with it all!
When it's a slow news day, I guess we've run out of things to rail against so the sights have been set on Christians instead. It's happened before...Ann Voscamp, Brennan Manning, Eugene Peterson, even Richard Foster, for pete's sake, have all been called, "new age" and "theologically unsound". Really? Are you perfect 100% of the time? Yeah...that's what I thought...neither am I!
So my tirade is this: Shut up!
And please...Quit using God's Word as a platform to walk hand in hand with evil!!
You know what...I'm choosing Joy instead...why don't you try it too. You just might be surprised.
***For further reading, try the Book of James. He has a lot to say about taming the tongue, judging your neighbor, speaking against and judging our brethren, catering to the rich while ignoring the poor and that we need to be very mindful that the Judge is standing right at the door***
This is the title of an upcoming four week study our women's ministry is doing. It starts the last week of this month. We've already signed up, reserved childcare and have looked forward to getting together for one last hurrah before the summer begins.
But the irony is not lost on me that this study was written by Kay Warren. Yes, the Kay Warren, wife of Rick who has been in the news the last few days...sadly because of the suicide of her 27 year old son. We've all just learned that the Warrens' son suffered from depression and mental illness for most of his life. When our women's director was promoting the upcoming study, she shared with us that Kay wrote this study out of her own struggle with depression and her battle with cancer.
It seems that her joy is, once again, being put to the test.
And evidently, the onslaught is not only from this terrible tragedy that has fallen upon their family. I have read posts from both Gregory Boyd (see article by Frank Viola Rick Warren's Horrific Tragedy) and Beth Moore (see "Sadness and Madness") and discovered that apparently the Warren's are being attacked by people who call themselves Christians. [If you don't take the time to read both of these articles, I can summarize for you that both blog posts condemn the hateful, spiteful things being said of and to the Warrens.]
For what they are being attacked, I do not know. In what state of mind could you ever possibly believe that God would condone expressing hatefulness to someone that has just lost their son. I read some of the comments that Mr. Viola quoted and stopped...because I just don't want to hear (read) it!!!
I can never think of a time in Holy Scriptures when Jesus told us to kick a person when they're already down. In fact, Beth Moore says it best I believe with this quote: "There's a bigger issue in the Body of Christ than immorality. It's hatefulness. If the greatest priority Christ assigned to us was love, the gravest offender is hate."
Lord, LORD...help us overcome the hate, malice and spite of this world and continue Your work of ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven. That Kingdom is one of indescribable, boundless, immeasurable Love!
It seems to be the fashionable thing to bully and discredit someone with whom we do not share the exact same views. It happens too often and quite frankly, is beginning to make me nauseous. The past election season was...in my opinion...one of the most detrimental phases in the American church for the cause of Christ. Or, at least in my lifetime. I did not find one redeeming comment from Christians anywhere. I even had discussions of disagreement and I believe lost potential friendships because of my words of caution and care for our witness to a lost and dying world.
It seems that ever since the political rhetoric began flying about a year ago, there has been a ceaseless barrage of condemnation, retaliation and alienation from people who call themselves my brothers and sisters in Christ. And I don't even need to single out a cause...you name it...Gay Marriage, Gun Control, Entitlement Programs, Obamacare, the Budget Issues, Evolution v. Creationism, Abortion and on and on and on.
I have seen tirades both for and against each and every one of these issues...and I am disgusted with it all!
When it's a slow news day, I guess we've run out of things to rail against so the sights have been set on Christians instead. It's happened before...Ann Voscamp, Brennan Manning, Eugene Peterson, even Richard Foster, for pete's sake, have all been called, "new age" and "theologically unsound". Really? Are you perfect 100% of the time? Yeah...that's what I thought...neither am I!
So my tirade is this: Shut up!
And please...Quit using God's Word as a platform to walk hand in hand with evil!!
You know what...I'm choosing Joy instead...why don't you try it too. You just might be surprised.
***For further reading, try the Book of James. He has a lot to say about taming the tongue, judging your neighbor, speaking against and judging our brethren, catering to the rich while ignoring the poor and that we need to be very mindful that the Judge is standing right at the door***
No comments:
Post a Comment