Life Of A Christian

The coming elections and the manner in which the candidates and constituents interact have raised some observations and thoughts regarding how people view life and it’s issues. As it pertains to the major candidates, one side views the election of the other as the most unwise decision that could ever be made. Words like dangerous, stupid and evil are used to describe both candidates by their opponents and their opponents supporters. So the question is who is right? I know I have my idea of who is right and it all has to do with, of course, my perspective on life and the issue at hand. Most people don’t want to admit that they have one let alone discuss the bias involved in their perspective. Most of us believe that our view is the smart and well thought out view. I know that’s what I think.

The issue is the deeper seated personal world view that shapes our perspective on, in this case, who we choose as a candidate and more broadly every decision we make and the bias we have in life. I know and I freely admit my world view and I freely admit that it is going to effect every decision I make in life. At least, I want it to. I try to present myself as a born again believer who is striving to be more Christlike every day and I know that my world view directly effects my perspective on many issues and ideals. I also know that because of my world view I am viewed by others in a certain way. Some of my brothers and sisters in Christ will laud me for standing up in a world that is not Christlike at least the brothers and sisters that do not see me as a hypocrite or too conservative. And then there are those that see me as intolerant and exclusive because my world view clashes with their world view.

It appears that the lines between perspectives in life are becoming more distinct. I believe that this is what the Bible says is going to happen as it speaks of the difference between sheep and goats becoming more defined and I think we are seeing it, specifically in this election, right before our eyes. I think we are also seeing clearer lines being drawn between major issues in our world and our society also. I know that the most deep lines that the Bible speaks of has to do with allegiance to Christ or allegiance to a world governed by the enemy and it is getting to the place where people have to pick a side. I know that the voters do not see the election as I have just described, but I actually think that this election clearly represents two very distinct world views. I am not by any means stating that either one of the candidates are Godly at all, but it appears that there is more passion in this election than I have seen in along time and I think that it is because chords are being struck and people are reacting.

I think that there is a large group of people that feel that they have not had a voice for a long time and a glimmer of someone caring about and sharing some beliefs that they have and that they feel have been pushed aside has stirred up a passion that they have not had in a while. On the other side, I think there is a group that is appalled at the ideas that have been pushed forward. Not that they are that egregious, even though they are portrayed that way, but that the ideas are even being considered. I think that in this election the perspective of how politics is done is the real issue. At times, it doesn’t appear that there are any rules in the political game, but there are and the fact that the way that things are done is being challenged is the real issue at hand. I do not believe this to be a political issue. This election has transcended that in my opinion because the issues are not the issue. I think that the issue is the voices that are represented.

My perspective has been for a long time that the political process doesn’t matter anymore. I have become numb to it and I think that there are others that feel the same way. I think that the message is presented differently to make it appear there are options, but I have given up on that idea for a while that change is possible. Maybe I’m cynical. I think that the passion in this election comes not from issues, but from a basic attack on the way things are done. I actually like it because as a Christian I feel that my voice in society has been squelched and anything that attacks the way that things are done these days I am all for. I believe that I am not alone. I think that there are others that have felt the same way and  this election has stirred up hope. I don’t know that it is hope in the country because I realize that my only hope is in Him. But hope that there are still a lot of people that share my perspective and that we can have a voice.

Since the beginning of time people have oppressed other people and whether it is because of the result of a war or because of financial reasons or just as an exhibition of power slavery has been part of that oppression. Today, in the world we live in, slavery is still actually fairly prevalent and people are keeping other people against their will and using them for whatever purpose they desire. In biblical times, slavery existed for many of the same reasons that we have slavery today, but there was an added factor that is not as overtly prevalent as it was then. Indentured servitude was very common as those that fell destitute could die from their affliction and many would choose to put themselves into a situation where they would give their life’s will to another in exchange for the primary needs of life. Sometimes it was temporary and sometimes it was permanent, sometimes it was voluntary and sometimes it was forced. An individual could choose to be put into slavery or a part of or the the entirety of a family could become the property of another.

As I think about slavery today I know that there are people keeping others against their will around the world, but I don’t see that type of slavery overtly in the environment that I live in. That being said, I think about all the people that have voluntarily subjected themselves to so many different types of oppression or that have a feeling that there is not a choice about their life situation. I wonder about the pressure that is put on us socially or even the mandatory requirements of government and I think about how much of a choice do we really have. I am an advocate of simplifying ones lifestyle to put the least amount of burden on ourselves so as to be able to keep choices and not loose flexibility as far as what is actually possible financially and socially, but it seems that there is more and more that is being put in the category of mandatory and I don’t really think that much of what we deem compulsory is actually in that category.

There is great pressure in our culture to attain a certain standard of life and those that do not achieve or strive to achieve are shunned. Those that are striving often put themselves basically in indentured servitude to a system that feeds itself. God tells us to seek ye first the kingdom and all other things will be added. I have tried to make this one of my life verses and as I have studied it and mediated on it this verse has developed great depth and application in my life. Within this context I see the application as God calls us to worship him and give him all our allegiance and that He will take care of all the details of life. I believe that God calls us to primarily focus on our relationship with Him and then He will guide us through the path of life. That being said, I think that God will lead us away from being of the world.

The world wants us to be in it and of it. I believe that this qualifies as slavery. The world view and the world system wants us to comply and it will try to create ways to keep us in the preferred world view and away from what God wants for our lives. Then there is the influence on the culture and the shaping of the mores that guide us. I look at this as a form of indentured servitude. Is there a way to stay out of the mainstream culture? I believe the answer to that question is yes, but it is difficult and you have to not be influenced by what the culture says is important. Buying into the system will put a burden on your life to live the way that is expected. Many, unfortunately, cannot resist the call to normalcy. We even see it in the church as the culture effects the way the church functions and the beliefs that it has.

The apostle Paul often called himself a servant or slave of Jesus Christ. I think that he understood the concept that I am talking about today. I do not think that it is a matter of being a servant or a slave, but whom do we serve. As humans, we are worshipers by nature. It is what we do and who we are. The only question that needs to be answered is to whom do bow the knee. Jesus stated that He is the one true king and that one day all will bow the knee. I think that he offers us freedom in this world if he choose to worship Him now. In the end, we will all worship whether we want to or not. Unfortunately, not all with will have the same destiny. Our allegiance to Jesus today actually gives us freedom from all the other cruel masters in this life and then freedom in the life eternally.

It appears to me that the world is becoming more dysfunctional every day. I don’t think that this should be surprising considering that the Bible talks about the deterioration of society in the last days and it talks about an increase in depravity and a rebellion against all that is Godly. It does not surprise me that this is happening as much as the way that it is happening. The millennial generation is known for being entitled and, in my opinion, also known for playing the victim. Combine that with the depravity and there is this unique dynamic that is occurring that I like to call feeding the beast. It’s a self fulfilling prophesy of neediness and for lack of a better term illness.

I grew up being told that you worked hard, that you kept your mouth shut and that you showed respect especially to those that are in authority. Today, every one of those virtues are not the norm in our society. The Bible speaks of how that up will be down and good will be evil in the last days. Basically, that norms will be reversed or eliminated and I see it happening right before my eyes. For instance, I know that there are some issues with racism and it has always existed and unfortunately it always will until Jesus comes back, but suddenly it has become good to kill police because there has been some abuse of power on the part of some bad apples and that any incident of someone being killed by police is a racial injustice. I am not saying that there is not injustice, but I believe that liberty is being taken for the sole purpose of feeding the beast.

I think that Dr. King, a great, Godly man in my opinion, is rolling over in his grave at the thought of how race relations have deteriorated since his death and how the gulf of unity has become wider. It is not just race relations, it’s in the area of mental illness, it;s in the area of poverty, it;s in the area of family structure. There is this pervasive attitude that what is the easiest thing to do that is going to make me feel the best and requires me to do the least is the preferred path of action for behavior. The most disturbing part of this attitude is that even when known negative consequences are evident and even experienced it does not dissuade the actions at all. In all situations the primary objective is personal comfort.

Despite how disturbing I find the attitude described, this is still not the feeding the beast that I am thinking about. It goes even deeper than that. Feeding the beast is a self perpetuating reliance on negative behavior that leads to a normalcy. Not only normalcy, but an establishment of a new standard. It’s not an issue to be mentally ill any more. Getting better is not a thought process. What is a thought process is how to get someone else to take care of my issues. Poverty is not an issue anymore. The thought process is that someone is going to have to take care of me. Divorce and the deterioration of the nuclear family is not a problem because somebody will have to pick up the pieces other than the truly responsible parties.

I am not a heartless person who is suggesting that a helping attitude is a bad one because I have been involved in many different ministries over the years and I have helped people. But, I have always had a philosophy when I helped people and that philosophy is that I will identify the need and I will help in any way that I can until it is demanded of me and then I stop. Help is coming along side someone and assisting them. I realize that some are not able to give much, but we should give what we can. What is happening now is this attitude that someone else will do for me what I should be doing for myself and there are others that not only allow this to occur but support the position. This is feeding the beast and the beast is insatiable. What we have going on is an increasing movement towards a self implosion of the system because it is unsustainable.

I recently had a change of life event and it is amazing how hard it is. I have developed a strong belief that I will attempt to align my life with what God wants for me and strive to pursue Him first and do what He wants me to do. As far as this change of life goes, I told God and others in my life that I won’t do anything as it pertains to this particular situation until God makes it clear what I am supposed to do. Well, God made it clear, events lined up perfectly and then I acted as I thought I was supposed to and then there is this great thing that happens and it is called second guessing. In my case, it’s not that the circumstances after the change made me think about whether I had made a mistake or that things became difficult, but just my own insecurity made me wonder about whether it was the right thing to do.

I am generally a creature of habit. I get great comfort and peace from routine and order. I think that this is a good thing because our God is a God of order and we should strive to maintain His order and general consistency in our lives. A personal problem that I have is that I get bored easily and I am always looking for something new to keep me energized. This has sometimes caused me problems because when I get bored I start something new in my life and then when other parts of my life require time and effort I then have too much on my plate. I struggle to stay within God’s will and I constantly wonder, even when it is obvious what God’s will is, whether what I am doing is what I am supposed to do. I also wonder about all the things that God might be trying to get out of my life. Not necessarily bad things, but things.

I think about the story of Gideon and it appears so obvious that God is leading him to His will and Gideon just keeps asking for more and more affirmation. I wonder about myself because when I look at that story I can’t help but think duh, Gideon when are you going to get it. But, then I think am I just like him and is this a problem with Christians in general? This is not the first time that this has happened. Every major decision in my life since I have been a Christian has involved painstaking prayer and God making His will obvious and then action and then the inevitable second guessing. It passes over time, especially when I get to see the future and what God was doing, but why does it have to happe

I think about all the great people in the Bible who, with probably more direct direction than me, second guessed God. The Israelites wanted to go back into slavery after a short time in the desert. The disciples walked with Jesus and were then surprised about His crucifixion even though He repeatedly told them it was going to happen. Elijah, immediately after watching God deliver him from the priests of Baal sat under a tree and wondered about God’s will and basically the future of His people. The list goes on and on, but I want to strive to focus on Him and push away circumstances from having any influence in my life. I think that I do focus on Him for the most part but I also think circumstances.have a major influence on my attitude.

A major part of the reason I made this life change was so that I could have the time to do other things that I feel the Lord wants me to do, specifically this blog. One issue that I have struggled with is that God lrd me to start writing several years ago and I just have not had the time to do it with where I was in life. So, I have second guessed this whole situation for almost two years. I had thoughts like maybe I was supposed to be writing anyway. Maybe I wasn’t where I was supposed to be and the second guessing went on and on. I wonder how much of this second guessing isn’t even a factor. Statistically, they say that up to 95% of what we worry about never even comes to reality. When I struggle with worrying I try to get back to basics and the basics are that the only thing that I am supposed to be worrying about is worshiping and following Him. Yes, we should be seeking God’s will, but I do not think that it is meant to he as hard as I sometimes make it. I think that there is a delicate balance between resting in Him and seeking His will. At the same time, I think that maybe we should be second guessing some of the things in our life and how devoutly we follow God and His will for our life.