True Faith Is Like Grabbing a Rope from Our Rescuer

Philosopher Nicholas Beale and scientist John Polkinghorne use the following story to illustrate the nature of biblical faith:

A philosopher, a scientist, and a simple man—none of whom could swim—were trapped in a cove with sheer cliff faces. They split up, but the tide kept coming in. Rescuers lowered a rope with a safety harness. The philosopher said, "Ah, this looks like a rope, but I might be mistaken—it could be wishful thinking or an illusion." So he didn't attach himself, and he was drowned. The scientist said, "Ah, this is an 11 mm polyester rope with a breaking strain of 2800 kg. It conforms to the MR 10-81 standard," and then proceeded to give an exhaustive, and entirely correct, analysis of the rope's physical and chemical properties. But he didn't attach himself, and he was drowned. The simple man said, "Ah, I'm not sure if it's a rope or a python tail, but it's my only chance, so I'm grabbing it and holding on with my whole life." He was saved.

Of course other things being equal, it is better to have an enlightened faith in God than an unenlightened faith. But mere intellectual understanding that does not lead to trust and action is not what God is after.

Adapted from John Polkinghorne and Nicholas Beale, Questions of Truth (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), pp. 26-27

Christian Leader from Asia Critiques Western View of Suffering

Ajith Fernando, a Christian leader from Sri Lanka who ministers to the urban poor, writes:
The church in each culture has its own special challenges—theological blind spots that hinder Christians from growing to full maturity in Christ …. I think one of the most serious theological blind spots in the western church is a defective understanding of suffering. There seems to be a lot of reflection on how to avoid suffering and on what to do when we hurt. We have a lot of teaching about escape from suffering and therapy for suffering, but there is inadequate teaching about the theology of suffering ….
The "good life," comfort, convenience, and a painless life have become necessities that people view as basic rights. If they do not have these, they think something has gone wrong …. One of the results of this attitude is a severe restriction of spiritual growth, for God intends us to grow through trials.

Ajith Fernando, The Call to Joy and Pain (Crossway Books, 2007), pp. 51-52

Test for College Students Shows We Make Jesus in Our Own Image

In his book With, Skye Jethani tells about a test that Scot McKnight gives every year to his incoming group of college students:
The test begins with a series of questions about what the students think Jesus is like. Is he moody? Does he get nervous? Is he the life of the party or an introvert? The twenty-four questions are then followed by a second set—with slightly altered language—in which the students answer questions about their own personalities.
McKnight is not the only one who has administered this exam; it has been field tested by other professionals as well. But the results are remarkably consistent—everyone thinks Jesus is just like them. McKnight added, "The test results also suggest that, even though we like to think we are becoming more like Jesus, the reverse is probably more the case: we try to make Jesus like ourselves."
McKnight's personality questionnaire confirms what the French philosopher Voltaire said three centuries ago: "If God has made us in his image, we have returned him the favour."

Skye Jethani, With (Thomas Nelson, 2011), pp. 61-62

If You're Married, God Is Your Spiritual Father-in-Law

Gary Thomas reminds Christians that if you're married, God is your "spiritual Father-in-law." He writes:

When I realised that I was married to God's daughter, everything changed in the way I viewed marriage. It was no longer about just me and one other person; it was very much a relationship with a passionately interested third partner.

Most of us fail to grasp just how fully God loves the person to whom we are married. As the father of three children, I fervently pray that each one will marry a spouse who will love them generously, respect them, and enjoy them. I realise that each of my children has certain quirks or limitations that may test a future spouse's patience, but I pray that their spouses will be kind in these areas rather than use them to belittle my children. I hope with all my heart that each will find a partner who will encourage them with a gracious spirit…. I know my kids aren't perfect—but I want them to have spouses who will love them despite their weaknesses.

In the same way, God is fully aware of our spouse's limitations—and he is just as eager for us to be kind and generous with these faults as we are for our kids' future spouses to be kind to them. By looking at my spouse through God's eyes, I invite God into my marriage.

Gary Thomas, Holy Available (Zondervan, 2009), pp. 63-64

We Want Our Mechanic and Our Doctor to Speak the Truth

Imagine picking your car up from the shop after a routine tune-up, and the technician says, "This car is in great shape. Clearly you have an automotive genius to take great care of your car." Later that day, your brakes don't work. You find out you were out of brake fluid. You could have died.
You go back to the shop, and you say, "Why didn't you tell me?" The technician replies, "Well, I didn't want you to feel bad. Plus, to be honest, I was afraid you might get upset with me. I want this to be a safe place where you feel loved and accepted." You'd be furious! You'd say, "I didn't come here for a little fantasy-based ego boost! When it comes to my car, I want the truth."
Or imagine going to the doctor's office for a check-up. The doctor says to you, "You are a magnificent physical specimen. You have the body of an Olympian. You are to be congratulated." Later that day while climbing the stairs, your heart gives out. You find out later your arteries were so clogged that you were, like, one jelly doughnut away from the grim reaper.
You go back to the doctor and say, "Why didn't you tell me?" The doctor says, "Well, I knew your body is in worse shape than the Pillsbury doughboy, but if I tell people stuff like that, they get offended. It's bad for business. They don't come back. I want this to be a safe place where you feel loved and accepted." You'd be furious! You'd say to the doctor, "When it comes to my body, I want the truth!"
Obviously, when something matters to us, we do not want illusory comfort based on pain avoidance. We want truth.

John Ortberg, "Loving Enough to Speak the Truth," PreachingToday.com

Teens Look to Parents for Advice on Sexuality

A 2011 study revealed a surprising source for teenagers to learn about sexuality—their parents. Here are some of the results of the research:

45 percent of teenagers rely most heavily on their parents for information about sexuality.

32 percent of those surveyed relied on guidance from friends.

15 percent relied on what celebrities thought about sexuality.

The study also revealed another interesting statistic: 78 percent of parents assumed that their teenagers would turn to other sources (besides parents) for advice about sexual issues. Based on these statistics, the study's lead researcher concluded, "Parents are more important than they think. It's the role of the teen to be autonomous and turn away, but it is the role of the parent to remain a role model."

Bonnie Rochman, "Who Are Teens' Role Models? Turns Out, It's Their Parents," Time (18 July 2011)

Pastafarians Unite!

Here's a quirky story from the BBC about a self-confessed atheist who was given permission to wear a pasta strainer for his Australian driver's license photo. Apparently, Mr. Niko Alm claims that it's a requirement for his religion—pastafarianism. Mr. Alm says he belongs to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. According to their website, the only dogma they allow is the rejection of dogma—which sounds like a very dogmatic statement. Amusing and creative, yes, but it also demonstrates how selfish and self-justifying we can be.

Fighting for a Troubled Veteran

Here's a positive story about a troubled veteran who was offered compassion and a taste of redemption. After returning from Iraq in 2006, Brad Eifert, a highly-decorated staff sergeant descended into emotional and personal turmoil—divorce, rage, and alcohol abuse. "I just felt totally hopeless in every situation in my life," he said. Eifert's personal disintegration led to a standoff with police, in which Eifert held a pistol to his head and threatened to kill himself and a police officer. Surprisingly, the people involved in his case (including a wise and compassionate judge), banded together to help Eifert rather than just lock him up. Although they did charge him with a lesser felony, they also assigned him a mentor, enforced treatment, and even put a monitor on his ankle that records alcohol consumption. It's a beautiful example of how a community can help change lives through forgiveness, compassion, tough love, mentoring, and accountability.

What's Better—Great People or Great Teams?

Here's an utterly brilliant article about the power of teams and the need for community. Starting with Mark Zuckerberg's purchase of Friendfind, the article asks the question: "If you are building a company, would you prefer one standout person over one hundred pretty good people?" Many business models prefer the one great person route, but this article argues for the team approach. For example, the Boston Bruins (NHL champs), the Dallas Mavericks (NBA champs), and Barcelona (the world's best soccer team) all had one thing in common: exceptional teamwork. You can easily see the connection between the author's conclusion and the life of the church: we don't need "Free Agents" and "lone wolves"; instead, we need a "well-assembled team that may not dazzle with individual brilliance, but overwhelms with collective capability."

- source unknown

Divorce Builds Character, but Religion?

In a recent NHL draft, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins became the first overall pick. The sports commentators carefully noted that Ryan's character was forged for the better through his parents' divorce. In a completely unrelated story, Rocco Grimaldi, the 33rd overall pick and also a committed Christian, was interviewed and asked if his faith might lead to divisiveness among his teammates. Cardus writes: "Character shaped by having to deal with a family breakup is so routine that it is self-evident how it helps a kid mature. Character from [faith in Christ] is so out-of-the-ordinary, it needs to be questioned for its potential divisiveness." Apparently, we get family breakdown, but we don't get strong faith in Christ.

source unknown

Harry Potter

On the weekend when the final Harry Potter film (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part 2) opened, it smashed past records for a best opening weekend for a film. Critics and fans alike seemed to love the movie. A 10-year-old from Chicago bemoaned the fact that this is the last film in the series: "I am really sad because this is sad, and this means there's nothing to look forward to. Nothing."

Failure

You've failed many times, although you may not remember. You fell down the first time you walked. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim. Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the one who hit the most home runs, also strike out the most. Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs. R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on. Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try...

- United Technologies Wall Street Journal advertisement

Wait....

I beg you, wait for God quietly, and don’t be so religious. To have nothing to show for yourself and to wait for God is better than to be polishing your piety. You shall not become godless by waiting for God. On the contrary, the truth of God’s cause will grow in your heart, and that is all that matters. A true word once in ten years is dearer to God than a daily sermon. It is your genuineness that matters… A single genuine moment has much greater consequences in God’s kingdom than a thousand religious practices

- Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt

Economics

I react pragmatically. Where the market works, I'm for that. Where the government is necessary, I'm for that. I'm deeply suspicious of somebody who says, "I'm in favour of privatisation," or, "I'm deeply in favour of public ownership." I'm in favour of whatever works in the particular case

- John Kenneth Galbraith

Time

The duties and cares of the day crowd about us when we awake each day – if they have not already dispelled our night's rest. How can everything be accommodated in one day? When will I do this, when that? How will it all be accomplished? Thus agitated, we are tempted to run and rush. And so we must take the reins in hand and remind ourselves, “Let go of your plans. The first hour of your morning belongs to God. Tackle the day’s work that he charges you with, and he will give you the power to accomplish it.”

- Edith Stein

Suspicion

A man whose axe was missing suspected his neighbour’s son. The boy walked like a thief, look like a thief, and spoke like a thief. But the man found his axe while he was digging in the valley, and the next time he saw his neighbour’s son, the boy walked, looked and spoke like any other child

- Traditional German and American Indian Quotations by Howard J. Langer

Temptations

Three great temptations which face us all:
* The temptation to recline;
* The temptation to shine;
* The temptation to whine

- David Christie

Decisions

Men decide many more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear, illusion, or some similar emotion, than by reason (veritate) or authority or any legal standards, or legal precedents, or law.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero -

Learning

The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.

- Antisthenes, founder of the Cynic School of Philosophy -

Computers

A programmer is a person who passes as an exacting expert on the basis of being able to turn out, after innumerable punching, an infinite series of incomprehensive answers calculated with micrometric precisions from vague assumptions based on debatable figures taken from inconclusive documents and carried out on instruments of problematical accuracy by persons of dubious reliability and questionable mentality for the avowed purpose of annoying and confounding a hopelessly defenseless department that was unfortunate enough to ask for the information in the first place.

- IEEE Grid news magazine

Jesus

Jesus Christ did not try to be a special person. He did not draw attention to himself by being more devout than others. He was called a glutton and drunkard, a desecrator of the Sabbath and a blasphemer. He was not like the Pharisees and Sadducees. He did not wear a long robe as a sign of his devoutness. He was like any other man, yet through him God was magnified! Through him people experienced God again! This is how it should be with us. Of all human beings, we should be the most human! We should not cloister ourselves. We do not need to cut our ties with other people; we must be there for everyone. If we are found in the company of godless people, this does not bother us. God wants to be known by them too

- Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt -

A Rough Week for Atheist Richard Dawkins

In the world of atheist blogs (and there are plenty of them), one of their heroes—Richard Dawkins—got hammered by other atheists (and here's an excellent summary of the brouhaha). If you think just Christians have nasty fights about doctrinal issues, read these articles. Apparently, a female atheist objected when one of her male colleagues propositioned her in an elevator. Dawkins replied to her blog post, basically telling her to stop whining because women around the world have it rougher than she does. Now some atheists-agnostics-skeptics are calling people to boycott Dawkin's books. This debate raises huge, emotional issues about the treatment of women in our culture, but it also provides insight into the human heart. One blogger wrote, "That's skeptics: Rational about everything except themselves."

Husband Drives Away and Forgets His Wife

The story, published in a British newspaper, began with the following sentence: "Heartfelt commiseration to Dorothy Naylor of Plymouth, whose recent daytrip to Bridgewater was spoiled when her husband, Oliver, left her on the forecourt of a garage … and drove 17 miles before noticing his wife was not in the car."
"I couldn't believe he'd gone without me," Mrs. Naylor told the Western Morning News. "I usually sit in the back because I can move around more, but normally we talk to one another."
The couple, both in their 70s, had pulled into a garage to change a tire. Mr. Naylor drove off and didn't notice his wife's absence until he had arrived in Bridgewater. After stopping in town, he asked his wife, "Where do you want to get out?" When she didn't answer, he turned around and discovered that he had left her behind. The paper added that the couple had been married for 40 years.

source unknown

Young Man Finds Christ through an Imperfect Christian Family

Jim Petersen tells the story of Mario, [a friend from South America] with whom he had studied the Bible for four years before Mario became a Christian. The Bible studies reflected the fact that Mario was a Marxist intellectual who'd read all the leading Western philosophers. A couple of years after his conversion, Jim and Mario were reminiscing: "Do you remember what it really was that made me decide to become a Christian?" Mario asked.
Petersen thought of all their Bible studies and philosophical discussions. Mario's reply took him by surprise. "Remember that first time I stopped by your house? We were on our way someplace together, and I had a bowl of soup with you and your family. As I sat there observing you, your wife, and your children, and how you related to each other, I asked myself, 'When will I have a relationship like this with my fiancé?' When I realized that the answer was 'never,' I concluded I had to become a Christian for the sake of my own survival."
Petersen did remember the occasion. He remembered his children behaving badly and his frustration at having to correct them in front of Mario. Yet Mario saw the grace of Christ binding that family together. Years later, Petersen would comment on this incident:

We tend to see the weaknesses and incongruities in our lives, and our reaction is to recoil at the thought of letting outsiders get close enough to see us as we really are. Even if our assessment is accurate, it is my observation that any Christian who is sincerely seeking to walk with God, in spite of all his flaws, is reflecting something of Christ.

Tim Chester, A Meal with Jesus (Crossway, 2011), pp. 95-96

Boy Forgets How to Stop His Bike; Father Learns to Slow Down

[My son] Kyle had mastered riding [a bicycle] with training wheels and was eager to try [a two-wheeler] …. That sparkling blue Schwinn bike with the chrome handle bars wasn't exactly a Harley, but it went fast enough for a five-year-old to be simultaneously scared to death and higher than a kite.
After some false starts and a few erratic swerves that just missed the neighbour's mailboxes, he eventually got the hang of controlling the bike …. Soon enough the side streets of our little neighbourhood were his speedway. With every lap he looked a little more sure of himself, and I began to wonder if he would ever quit and give it a rest.
Then I noticed that he was not so sure of himself. The anxious look on his face grew more serious with each lap. Something was wrong. Suddenly, he ran the bike up the curb and onto the grass in front of our house and leaped off, tumbling head over heels, while the bike careened to a halt.
I ran to see if he was okay, and he looked up at me and said, "Dad, how do you stop?" He had known how to use the brake when still on training wheels, but in the rush of being free of the constricting training wheels he forgot what he used to know how to do. So after another lesson on stopping and several more crash landings, he eventually remembered how to slow down and stop.
My [life] looked a lot like Kyle's first bike ride. Hooked on the fast pace of [life], I got dangerously out of control. It took a crash to help me slow down and learn to stop.

Keith Meyer, Whole Life Transformation (IVP Books, 2010), pp. 97-98

Woman Idolizes Her Parents' Approval

In his book Counterfeit Gods, Timothy Keller writes, "Idols generate false beliefs such as 'If I cannot achieve X, then my life won't be valid' or, 'Since I have lost or failed at Y, now I can never be happy or forgiven.'" Then he illustrates this point with the following illustration:

A young woman named Mary was an accomplished musician who once attended my church. For many years she had battled mental illness and had checked in and out of psychiatric institutions. She gave me permission as her pastor to speak to her therapist …. "Mary virtually worships her parents' approval of her," her counsellor told me, "and they always wanted her to be a world-class artist. She is quite good, but she's never reached the top of her profession, and she cannot live with the idea that she has disappointed her parents."

Medications helped to manage her depression, but they could not get to the root of it. Her problem was a false belief, driven by an idol. She told herself, "If I cannot be a well-known violinist, I have let down my parents, and my life is a failure." She was distressed and guilty enough to die. When Mary began to believe the gospel, that she was saved by grace, not by musicianship, and that, "though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord shall take me in" (Psalm 27:10), she began to get relief from her idolatrous need for her parents' approval. In time her depression and anxiety began to lift, and she was able to re-enter her life and musical career.

 

Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (Dutton, 2009), pp. 148-149