Category Archives: Do not judge

by | March 21, 2011 · 3:25 pm

Picking on Cyrus – A Perfect Example of Legalism

Recently, I came across a good example of legalism in its purest form.  Let me share it with you.

When I talk about legalism, I usually talk about things within the realm of Christianity. There are, however, legalistic people in all walks of life, and even in other religions. Just Google “legalism” and you will find out. But from a Christian perspective, legalism is the judgmental attitude that determines another’s spirituality (level of maturity in the faith) by how he is complying with a man-made list, whether the compliance be actual, or perceived. Legalism judges the heart based on an individual’s performance, even when the performance has nothing to do with grace.

Also, since legalism doesn’t focus on the heart, little room is left for error. Legalistic people are rarely compassionate or merciful to others who see things even a little differently. And when it comes to those who are non-compliant on the inside of the camp, they are brutal and unforgiving.

Legalists and chickens are cousins – they pick their wounded to death.

I am not a big fan of Hollywood or the Nashville music scene. I have seen and experienced just enough to know that it is a world of cut-throats and back-stabbers only looking to make a buck. Rarely, in that world, is anything real. It’s mostly fabricated “PR” meant to manipulate the consumer. It is a racket that doesn’t care if it destroys what it uses, as long as somebody gets rich. That is where you can find the Cyrus family.

GQ tells all.

Well, not long ago an article was published in GQ magazine that detailed Billy Ray Cyrus’ loss of hope – Destiny Hope, that is (Destiny = Miley Cyrus = Disney’s Hanna Montana).  At the time of the article, Billy (Miley’s real-life dad) was going through a painful divorce and a fallout with his famous daughter. It seemed that Billy had had enough of being the fall-guy and his daughter’s friend. He was beginning to see that moving to L.A. might have been a big mistake, and that being a better father and husband should have been his top priority. The GQ piece (click for link) was full of apparent pain and regret – totally sad, albeit half-expected.

Since then, it seems that the Cyrus family is getting back together and everything is getting worked out. However, the reality is that we really don’t know what the reality is. When one reads the article in GQ, then looks at the quick turn-around of events, including a hand-in-hand stroll while shopping caught on film (Miley, her mother, and grandmother out shopping in the open – yeah, right), it’s hard to not think that people with a lot to lose are on defcon-level damage control.

Whatever…the point is this…

Daniel, an intelligent blogger who publishes ReflectionsandMeditations.com, wrote a sympathetic piece (“The D@*# show destroyed my family”) referring to the above article. It was not a mushy apology for Billy Ray Cyrus’ actions or poor parenting choices, but a call to try to understand and learn from what happened. In response, a self-proclaimed “liberal” woman assailed Daniel for showing any pity for Cyrus.

No offense to you, but I think it is a crock of poop that you feel some sort of sorry for him or that your heart goes out to him…I ultimately hold her father mainly responsible. He could have stopped it and not allowed this to happen. But he didn’t. He continued to allow his underage daughter, for the majority of the show she was underage, to act on the show and to her detriment not to her advantage!
Tsk tsk tsk. [emphasis added]

Now, ironically, after looking at her own blog, Miss “Tsk-Tsk” does not seem to be a mirror image of Dana Carvey’s “Church Lady.” On the other hand, she does exhibit a classic example of legalistic thought. Here you have a man who has messed up, but is now sorrowful and repentant, and all some want to say is “Tsk tsk tsk” for showing sympathy. All I can say is “sad sad sad.”

Pray, don’t kick.

Don’t kick a man when he’s down, people! Pray for him! Intercede for Billy Ray and his family. Who is to say how he or she would have handled the winds of temptation while in the midst of the hurricane? He’s aware who the enemy really is:

Just before moving out to Los Angeles, the whole family had been baptized together by their pastor at the People’s Church in Franklin, Tennessee. “It was Tish’s idea,” he remembers. “She said, ‘We’re going to be under attack, and we have to be strong in our faith and we’re all going to be baptized…'” And there, driving to work each day in the City of Angels, was this sign. “A physical sign. It could have easily said ‘You will now be attacked by Satan.’ ‘Entering this industry, you are now on the highway to darkness…'”

Do you really see it in such clearly spiritual terms—that your family was under attack by Satan?

“I think we are right now. No doubt. There’s no doubt about it.” – from the GQ article

Billy Ray’s story reminds me of the following verses in which God was speaking of Israel. Their example should be a lesson to us:

“Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway, To make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And shake his head. – Jeremiah 18:15-16 NKJV

But Billy Ray’s story also reminds me of another verse – the words are from the Holy Spirit to all of us:

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. – Galatians 6:1 KJV

 

 

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by | March 10, 2011 · 2:32 pm

“Gasoline” Song

Background

A couple of years ago, when gas prices were first getting out of control, I was inspired to write this song. It was never meant to be a serious recording. Now, the message of the song, even though it was meant to be a joke, is more true than ever.

What happened is this….

I was working on some drum kit sounds, when all of a sudden the beat brought out of me the word “gasoline.”  I just started singing it to myself, but then recorded it on top of the drums.  Before long, I had a whole choir of different voices which I made up just for fun.

Then, again for fun, I decided to add the lead vocal. I do not consider myself a rapper, nor do others. All I did was make up the words on the spot just to go along with what was already recorded. I did not intend to write a song.

The Rest of the Story

Since I recorded this, only for fun, I have gotten a lot of laughter, but a few sneers. Most people understand that your typical Baptist preacher doesn’t go around singing songs like this (It ain’t Southern Gospel or Praise and Worship).  On the other hand, there are a few “legalists” out there who think that because this song does not reference any doctrinal truth, it is garbage and detrimental to my testimony.   For some reason, Christians can’t say, “Ooo baby!” I am sorry they feel that way. I was thinking of my wife when I sang this. She’s MY baby, so THERE.

Lighten up and have a little fun!

Sometimes the only way to deal with sorrow and pain in this world is to laugh in its face. Even when the pain is so bad you can hardly bear it, laugh anyway. Those who can’t laugh lose hope. Even though we may not have much hope of gasoline prices ever coming down again, we can still have hope in the Lord. In all things “praise the Lord,” and just laugh.  What have you got to lose, but a frown?

Click here for the “Gasoline” song 01 Gasoline

Please, respond and let me know what you think. Share it if you would like. It is copy-written, though, so if you make money with it, please remember I have a wife and kids (and know a lawyer or two).

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by | March 7, 2011 · 2:02 pm

Even a Trash Can…

Saturday night, March 5th, 2011, was the day I said about a shiny, silver trash can, “I have GOT to get me one of THOSE!“

For our daughter Katie’s 15th birthday, instead of a party, we bought tickets to see Chris Tomlin and Louis Giglio in concert. Chris Tomlin sang, and Louis (the “Laminin” guy from YouTube) Giglio preached. However, before Chris or Louis got up to do their stuff, a group we had never heard of took the stage. Their name? Rend Collective Experiment.

Well, I am not Irish, so maybe that’s why I don’t fully understand or appreciate Rend’s style. Frankly, it was a little weird, at first. But on the other hand, once my ears adjusted, the energy and emotion from the stage was too contagious to ignore. Thankfully, because the lyrics were projected above on screens, I was able to understand what it was that I was being compelled to sing along with. Did I say I’m not Irish? I’m not even lucky.  Anyway…

Drumsticks NOT included.

The worship experience was awesome, and I don’t use that word flippantly. I really felt the Spirit of God move, especially in my own heart, and Sunday was evidence of that. Saturday night brought renewed strength and encouragement in the faith that overflowed from the the pulpit as I preached. But one thing in particular stood out and has been forever sealed in my memory – the silver garbage can.

I kid you not, along with all the other instruments I expected to see a live band play, like guitars and drums, a girl with more enthusiasm than a hummingbird at the sight of a bird-feeder was whacking away on a tin trash can – a garbage can. And I am not joking when I say that I am surprised the can was as tough as it was, because she beat the lead out of any alloy it was made of.

I had never seen anybody play a trash can, before; yet, after an initial period of jaw-dropping amazement, my immediate thought was, “How could I get one of those in the church choir?” “Who could I get to play it?” Really, other than rhythm (which is critical), what do you need by way of musical talent to play a tin can? All you need is a willingness to make a……WAIT……

A JOYFUL NOISE!

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. – Psalm 95:1 KJV

Some are piously thinking to themselves, “How could God have been glorified by a stinking garbage can? What rubbish!”  But God never said a joyful noise had to be made on a pipe organ, did He? When did God ever say he couldn’t be glorified by a trash can? But talk about the pot calling the kettle black – Praise our Father in Heaven! – WHAT ARE WE that WE should be given the opportunity to sing praises unto the King of Glory? WE are nothing but “filthy rags!” If not for His mercy, we would still be in our sins.

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. – Isaiah 64:6

But PRAISE THE LORD, He has chosen to use us to bring glory to His name! Just like that old trash can the girl on stage was pounding with a stick, if God chooses to use us, He can put us in just the right place, just the right context, to bring out of us a new and joyful anthem of holy celebration. Even though the world says a trash can is fit only for garbage and filth, God can take the most humble of things and elevate them to the heights of a heavenly choir! HALLELUJAH!

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. … That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 31 KJV

“How do you tune it?”

I was so blessed with that trash can that I looked over at my wife and said, “I have GOT to get me one of THOSE!” Then I looked over at my daughter and said, with the best Irish accent I could muster, doing an imitation of Rend Collective’s drummer, “That was GRRRET!” If God can use even a trash can, I know He can use you and me. Now the only question I have left, being a bassist, is “how do you tune this thing?“

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by | February 21, 2011 · 11:52 am

Recovering Legalist Meets Building 429

The Story

For the last several weeks we have been going out to get some food after evening services. If you don’t know what I am talking about, let me explain:

Getting Food = going to a resturant that sells stuff you could make at home for a lot less money, but tastes better and is more fun when you pay for it in the company of others.

Evening Services = gathering of believers at a local church that still takes place on Sunday nights, while most people stay home, in order to give the pastor something to do.

FoodFriday #17: Cracker Barrel - Old Country Store

Image by inju via Flickr

Last night, after a great time of worship and hearing from God’s Word, my wife, our girls, our youth director, and I went to Cracker Barrel. When we pulled in, I noticed a really sweet Prevost tour bus sitting in the lot. I said to my wife, Valerie, “Now that has got to be a group, or a band, or something, because it takes somebody serious to keep one of those things on the road.”

We gently maneuver our tired, aged frames (we’re getting old in our 40’s) out of the car and walk toward the entrance. As we walk across the front of Cracker Barrel, where all the rocking chairs are, my wife and I notice some interesting young men dressed in black. One of them had a black hat and a hairstyle that would make more than a few grannies say, “What died on your head, sonny?”

Myself? Well I am in a suit and tie. My wife? She is wearing a dress. WE are the “Reverend and Mrs. Baker,” you know. WE know how to dress on Sunday, unlike these guys. So, my wife walks past them first and gives them a forced, but gentle smile. Next, I walk by, thinking to myself, “These are definitely musicians…yep…the hair gives it away…they’re the Prevost riders.” I nod and smile.

Once inside the Cracker Barrel, my conscience started to bother me. Something wasn’t right. I have been around long enough to recognize when the Holy Spirit says, “Hey, I bear witness that those weird-looking guys out there are part of the Family.” That is when I come up with a brilliant, self-covering plan – send Katie, our 15 year old, out to see who they are.

I only had an old iPhone. And it was dark.

“Katie,” I say, “go out there and ask those guys on the porch who they are or what band they’re with.”  Fortunately, and I knew this, there were others outside beside the “men in black,” so don’t think I sent my little girl out to talk to strangers, alone. She talked to strangers with other strangers there to help.

A few minutes later, Katie comes back in with the biggest smile on her face, beaming with a glow that could blind a man in sunglasses, saying, “They are Building 429!!”

Now here’s the point of all this. Here I am, someone who preaches against unrighteously judging others, especially Christians who look different (what’s normal?). What do I do? I walk right by a group of guys and assume, wrongfully, that evidently, just because they were not in suits on a Sunday night, they were a group of heathen beatniks heading to/from Nashville.  I messed up.

An Official Apology

Sorry, guys, for doing the very thing I hate seeing other people do. This is why I call myself a “recovering legalist.” Sometimes I fail. Last night I failed in a bad way. Up until last night, I had never even seen you before to recognize you in person. All I know is that the song you recorded, “Always,” is one of my favorite…I’ve shed more than a few tears while listening to it. Please forgive my wife and I for acting like a couple of snobby, self-righteous, judgmental legalists. If I’m fortunate, maybe God will give this preacher some hair like yours, someday.

May God bless you and your ministry. He WILL be with you always.

 

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by | January 24, 2011 · 11:44 am

I Don’t Want to be Judgmental, but…

I guess I am just getting old. Those things that I used to hear being said by my peers are now being said by people half my age…or younger. They say things like, “That’s just the style,” or, “What’s wrong with it?” What’s worse, is I am wanting to say the same things that I heard from older people when I was young, such as, “Put some clothes on!” or, “Did your mother really let you out of the house like that?”

I’m recovering, but not cured.

Even though I try not to, I can still find myself being judgmental when I observe other people. You see, being a recovering legalist means that I am not, nor will I ever be, totally cured. I was reminded of this last week when I spent a few hours on the campus of a Christian university. My first thought was, “You’ve GOT to be KIDDING me?” The next thought that crossed my mind was, “These are Christian kids?”

I have spent a lot of time over the years on the campuses (campi) of secular colleges and universities. I know what the kids of the world look like. I can spot a tree-hugging, pot-smoking, left-wing Marxist from a mile off….or can I? Believe it or not, either the liberals have been purging the rolls at U. C. Berkeley, or Christian kids have found a new style.  Who knows, maybe they’re wanting to reinvent the vagabond, wandering prophet, hippie-Jesus look of the ’60’s? Maybe it’s their attempt to reach the grunge crowd.

Go ahead and say it, “You’re being too judgmental.”

You may be right. The thing is, though, I thought that Christian young people (assuming the ones on campus are Christian) are supposed to live by a higher standard. That is the way my children are taught. My girls know better than to try to dress like “prosti-tots” out to pick up a fuzzy faced, hormonal, boyfriend-of-the-week. They have more respect for their reputations than that. Shouldn’t it be expected that older, college-age followers of Christ should know better?

Sadly, many, if not most young people, even in the Church, are not being taught how to dress. Before they are barely out of diapers, many children are allowed to pick and choose the clothes that they like, based on what they see advertised or worn by their favorite singer or over-rated, over-paid Nickelodeon idol. By the time they get old enough to go to high school and college, there is no turning back. They wear what they want, even to church, and bristle with indignation when it is suggested that they should cover their legs or put on a sweater.

“Back in MY day…”

Back in my day (again, sounding like an old man), kids that attended Christian colleges were expected to dress differently. Granted, the standards may have been a little strict in some ways; but what is better, some standards, or none? The college boys and girls, young men and women, that I observed the other day looked either like wanna-be’s from the hood, rejects from a Goodwill store, barefoot hillbillies, brother-in-law bums, cheerleaders on the prowl, or morons that let their blind mothers dress them. I know, I’m being too judgmental. Maybe they just want to look like their favorite Christian band.

Here’s the real problem: we’re getting too comfortable with the culture and not giving our children proper instruction. The last place I would expect people to look like lazy, disrespectful, jobless bums, or shameless, clueless, hormone magnets is a Christian campus. On the other hand, if parents, grandparents, and godly mentors are not taking the time to teach what is proper, or even model correct behavior,  what hope do we have? We should, as adults, accept the responsibility for teaching our children that how we dress makes a statement about our beliefs. Consider Paul’s words to Titus:

Tts 2:4-7 NLT – These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching (bold italics mine).

Tennessee Temple University has a motto that should sum it all up: “Distinctively Christian.” How are we teaching our youth and young adults to be “distinctively Christian” in an increasingly sensual, rebellious, self-worshiping world? Even more, how far are our Christian Universities willing to go to avoid being labeled “legalistic?” I don’t want to be too judgmental, but is it possible that somewhere along the line we backed away from taking our teaching [doctrine] seriously, trading a “Pharisaical” evil for a casual one?

* For the record, the above picture is of the Christian band, Superchick, which does have some really good music with powerful lyrics.

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by | December 15, 2010 · 2:55 pm

Being Judgmental of Angels

People, who act like heathen, when they have their actions questioned, seem to always respond with the creme de la creme of rebuttals, “Christians aren’t supposed to judge.”  It really does not matter that they have no earthly idea what they are talking about, or where they get that phrase.  Yet, with a sense of pride, they just sneer, and boldly attempt to showcase their Biblical expertise – riiiight.

Sadly, many Christians do not understand what Jesus meant when He said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). It had nothing to do with reproving the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).  It had everything to do with not expecting to be judged with any less of a judgement than one meets out.  It is a shame when unbelievers, who know enough about Jesus to use Him as an excuse, intimidate Christians into silence; but, it happens every day.

It is also sad when we Christians REALLY do what we’re accused of (make assumptions from which we cast judgment).  It happens all the time when we see someone on the side of the road with a sign that says, “Will work for food.” It happens when, as you are sitting in your car, a woman walks up and taps on the window, only to ask if you have some spare change.  Who are we to say that what they tell us is a lie?  Is it possible that they really do need money for a fan belt, a gallon of milk, or a bus ticket home?  Is it possible that the scruffy-looking, unkempt fellow or madam you’re looking at is, in actuality, a heavenly messenger?  An angel? 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. – Hbr 13:2 KJV

During this time of world chaos and financial uncertainty, it is far more likely that the bum on the side of the road is actually a bum on the side of the road.  Who knows for what reason he/she is there?  Are we to pass judgment upon them?  Maybe we should just love them and do what we can to help when we are confronted – or before.  In one of the same chapters that talk about not judging another unjustly are found the following verses:

Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do for others as you would like them to do for you. – Luk 6:30-31 NLT

By not giving that dollar or two to the one who asks, are we not, in actuality, disobeying a direct command of Jesus?  Really, by not giving, are we not committing two sins? One would be that we did not give when asked; the other that we judged them unworthy.  It would seem to me that it would be the better part of wisdom, not to mention a display of our faith in action, to entertain the “stranger.” Who knows, he may just be taking notes for his Boss in heaven?  God will be the Judge.

 

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