Racism and the Flag 6-28-15

         I wrote this over five years ago when black leaders were calling for a boycott of South Carolina due to the presence of the Confederate flag at the State capital. Seems like everybody is piling on due to the crazy, Nazi demon's acts in Charleston, so I guess I’ll toss in a couple of cents.

My wife and I went to a 40^th reunion of her high school class last weekend and I was asked to bless the food. There was several Black folk there and during the prayer I asked Abba to make the Charleston situation a uniting rather than a dividing factor. One of the men came up later and thanked me for mentioning the issue. This was after I had driven by an AME Zion church that morning with a marquee that said “This Means War”.  So back to the future:

I live in the great state of South Carolina. Whenever people ask where I’m from I say “South Carolina – the last free state in the Union”. I love this state and I’m proud of being a resident. I also take pride in my southern heritage and like the song Dixie. Personally, I like the confederate flag and don’t associate it with racism. Oops, better check with Abba.

OK, OK - I know that racism exists. I’ve heard white people say “If (people of a certain race) are in Heaven, I don’t want to go”. Don’t worry, you won’t. There is not a true Christian in the known universe who believes this. Tony Evans is one of my favorite Christian teachers and one of the things I look forward to in Heaven is spending time with him.

The worm has tuned somewhat and my experience is that just as much, if not more, racism exists in the black community as the white (see Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton). This is becomes obvious when a black politician publically complains racism is the source when someone disagrees with some asinine comment on their part. As the old saying goes, “The guilty dog barks first”. I do believe this to be a minor anomaly in today’s society and feel, as addressed above, that a majority of the people of any race see people as people.

In the 1999, my oldest son and I attended a Promise Keepers conference in Charlotte. Many of my favorite Christian leaders were there: Greg Laurie, Chuck Colson, Joe Gibbs, etc. A black pastor was there who made a statement that some people didn’t like him because of his race. He said “I didn’t do it – God did”. If you are black by the glory of God, or white by the glory of God, it is the glory of God. Take delight in your race as well as the race of others: “For there is no respect of persons with God”.

The NAACP has sponsored a boycott of South Carolina due to the confederate flag being on the capital grounds. The impact of the boycott doesn’t seem to have been of much effect and that’s not really the point. What does the scripture say we should do in situations like where we may offend Christian brothers, of our own or other ethnicities?

Prov. 24:23 – “These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.”

Rom. 2:11 – “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

Eph. 6:9 – “…. knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with Him.”

Rom. 14:13 – “Let us not, therefore, …. put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in (our) brother’s way.”

Rom. 14:14 – “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself ….”

Rom. 14:21 – “It is good neither to eat meat, nor to drink wine, nor anything by which thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”

So, where am I left in service to my Lord who died for me? It is clear; I take no offense to the confederate flag, but I have many black brothers to whom it is an offense and a reminder of their heritage of slavery. Therefore I will not display it and will take no delight in its display in public.

My Father

Blessed be your name for ever and ever.

Have mercy on us Holy Father,

And forgive our sin of respect of persons.

Cleanse us Father of the sin

Of our thoughts

And toungues

In this regard.

Have mercy upon us

And let your grace rain down on this land.

Cleanse our toungues

With an ember of righteousness.

That we might glorify

The Savior who died for us

Even Christ Jesus

Lord and King forever.

 

 

 

Horses versus Men 6-5-15

1^st Broverbs 1:1 “Take heed my son, and pursue not the woman who loves the steed; lest thy life be full of feed and fencing and all thy resources vanish in the pursuit of pasture, barns and the need for the farrier and the veterinarian” (FNT)

            Time for another acronym – FNT means funny (at least in my own warped sense of humor), but not true. All my Navigator friends know there’s no book in scripture named “Broverbs” so please don’t take this literally. “Broverbs” did seem appropriate for a discussion between us guys and my ADD is pushing toward some others …. stay tuned. Well, let’s do one more:

1^st Broverbs 1:2 “Deliver not thyself into the hands of the dermatologist. Surely, embarrassment shall come upon thee and thy face shall gross out thy friend.” (FNT)

OK, back to the hosses. I suppose it’s just my lot in life to be in love with a woman who loves her horses more than me. In fact it seems I fall in rank behind not only the horses - but the kids, the dog, the cats, the house, the yard, the garden, etc., etc. She’s kinda like the Knights of Nee in The Holy Grail: “Bring me a shrubbery”.

My standard line is if Maxwell’s Silver Hammer came down upon my wife’s head and it split open; a horse would jump out. I thought about it a long time and decided I needed to communicate with her on a level she could understand. I sat her down for a serious talk and said “Sweetheart, you know how I get depressed sometimes thinking I don’t get enough of your attention. Well, I’ve thought long and hard about this and I’ve decided that I want you to treat me like one of the horses.” “What, huh – what do you mean by that”, she rejoined. (I knew I’d get her attention if I mentioned horses). “Well, just like the horses, everyday I need to be fed, groomed and ridden” I said.

Understanding brightened her entire appearance. “She got it” I thought. I was able to communicate in a way she could understand. Not that her understanding made a lot of difference in my lifestyle. Oh well, Abba didn’t say the life of a servant would be easy.

So anyway, my sister found a tee shirt one time that describes why a woman likes a horse better than a man. On it was listed the “Ten Reasons I’d Rather Dream About Horses” and they are:

1.      They’re tall and strong.

2.      They have lots of hair.
3.      They’re always there when you need them.
4.      They never watch cable.
5.      They’re well groomed.
6.      They know what “Whoa” means.
7.      They look good in leather.
8.      They smell good when they sweat.
9.      You’re always on top.
10.  The ride lasts longer than 5 minutes.

The truth is I kinda like horses (I do like golf better, but that’s a different subject). The movie Secretariat was great. I went back to YouTube and watched all the Triple Crown videos of Secretariat’s wins; it brings a tear to your eyes. The entire Country was pulling for Big Red and he had a unifying effect at a time when it was needed. If you watch closely, his jockey, Ron Turcotte, didn’t even use a whip; seems he was just hanging on for dear life. It was during his autopsy they found his heart to be twice the size of a normal horse. The movie had a great biblical quote at the end that came from Job. The entire passage is:

Job 39: 19-25 “¹⁹ Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? ²⁰ Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible. ²¹ He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth on to meet the armed men. ²² He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed; neither turneth he back from the sword. ²³ The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. ²⁴ He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. ²⁵ He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting.”

 

Wondrous Abba,

Help us appreciate

the wonder of Your creation

and the beauty of animal life.

Grant Father

That our task of gardening

Be fruitful and that our

animals be properly cared for.

We desire this

to honor You

And the creation which

You have made.

And grant us Holy Father

That we may delight in service

Beginning in our own house

In Jesus name.