Category Archives: Communication

I want to be offended! (revised)

21 Sunday Jan 2018

Posted by in Bulletin Article, Communication

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Years ago, there was a television commercial role play by the actor Robert Conrad, wherein he challenged the television commercial observer to knock the battery off his should (“Come on, I dare you?”). That was yesterday. Today, we say the same, but only so we can be offended!

Not long ago, a family put up a Christmas display, and shortly after they did so, another family complained that it offended their religious sensibilities.

Some have chosen to look at our easily offended society, especially the young people, and call them “snow-flakes.” I suppose the name snow-flake represent a quick meltdown when warmth is applied.

Though I am sympathetic to the strong response to and against the easily offended community, I would like to offer two words of exhortation. First, with regard to the signage in the front yard that speaks to “Jesus, the reason for the Season.” Those who know Scripture, know the Lord put no (absolutely zero) emphasis on the date of the Jesus’s birth. Much attention is given to His birth, but no emphasis is given to the date. Moreover, there is nothing in Scripture that speaks to gift-giving on account of Jesus’ birth. Both of these are traditions of man, and of no real consequence. Those who want to observe it, let them observe Christmas as a day they think is best. If opportunity allows me to teach, then I will.

A second word of exhortation is related to the words of the apostle Paul. The Good News Bible reads this way: “Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have. Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6).

From these words of the Holy Spirit, we are exhorted to be thoughtful in the choice of words used, but those words used should be used in a positive direction. The positive direction I have in mind is not associated with how the world operates, but how the Lord operates. Those who love the Lord always seek to tell the truth in things that pertain to God (cf. Galatians 4:16).

It is not my intention to ever offend a single person. I am not naïve, however. Some people just want to be offended in order to bring attention to themselves. If there is nothing you do or say that is offensive, then these same people will make something up; they did that with Jesus, Stephen, Paul and they will do that with us also. That is the nature of those who think along these lines. When you speak the truth of God, then be sure that some will be offended – they just want to be! RT

Passions Are High

11 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by in America, Behavior, Bulletin Article, Communication, Ethics, Leadership, Relationship

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Not long ago, I had a brief email conversation with a brother in New York regarding the recent situation in Ferguson, Missouri. A brother in Alabama shared his thoughts on the situation in Missouri with an email post that contained nothing but Scripture. Evidently, it hit the brother in New York hard, and negatively. He sent me an email expressing himself with pointed (but not unchristian) words disapproving of the post. If an email can have “passionate” written all over it this one did. I thought about engaging him in a debate, but I restrained myself from doing so, and only sent him a note:

“No fear, brother. What is important is dialogue, the Lord’s teaching, and the application of His higher will to our lives. From a distance, I am in no position to judge, so I don’t. Isn’t it a good thing the Lord looks past our individual failings as we live in the midst of collective failings? But for the grace of God there go I. I did a quick reading of your email. Tomorrow I will read again. Have a great evening, brother.  You are an asset to the saints in your service to the Lord.”

Passions can run high when from a distance a person judges something with incomplete information. When such occurs misunderstanding perpetuates. In my estimation, this is what happened here. The next morning he wrote me and was very pleased with what I said and wished me nothing but the best.

It may never be easy to know just how to respond to human situations like that which occurred in Missouri; but, on the other hand, if Romans 12:9-21 is applied, we know exactly how to respond.

 

Samuel’s Exhortation

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Communication, Leadership

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

                The book of Judges is a book that speaks to the peaks and valleys of the nation of Israel. They came out of the wilderness into the land of promise only to struggle for hundreds of years both physically and, even more important, spiritually. The reason for this struggle experienced is told to us twice in the book: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25).

This history was fresh in the minds of the Israelites; they tired of the struggle. In order to move beyond such experiences, the people decided that it must be the Lord who was the problem (1 Samuel 8:7)! Thus, they wanted a king like the other nations that were surrounding them (1 Samuel 8:5). From the outside they looked at other kingdoms and said to themselves, “Surely, they don’t experience what we are; it must be the case that it’s because they have a king to lead them.”

The people’s rejection of their holy King brought much heartache to the people through the years. Whatever joys might have been experienced by the nation, quantitatively speaking, there was more pain and heartache. Samuel’s exhortation to them before they had their first king was simple: “Serve only the Lord by putting away idols and preparing the heart for holiness” (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3). Still a good exhortation for us today!

 

 

The Courts and the Christian

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Affliction/Persecution, America, Behavior, Communication, Corinthians, Doctrine, Leadership, love

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

In Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth he admonishes them because there were some going before unbelievers to settle their disputes among themselves. Paul found this tremendously out of place. The unjust (unsaved) judge in secular court is not to judge the just (saved); rather, there should have been, Paul said, some among the church who could judge these trivial matters that were besetting the saints. He gives reasons why going to court with a brother is sinful. First, saints will judge the world (6:2). Paul does not state exactly how this takes place, but the fact that it will is a teaching from God. Second, in comparison with such a judgment, matters that pertain to this word are trivial, small (6:2). It may be that one of the parties to litigation may not regard his perspective as small or trivial, but the Lord does. Third, the saints will judge angels (6:3). Again, Paul does not explain this, but declares the fact of it. Fourth, those “least esteemed” (NKJV; “no standing in the church” both NET and ESV), are in no position to judge saints. In other words, those outside the church (secular Judges) have no standing within the church, therefore they should not be judging brethren. Fifth, there surely is a saint, wise man (or men) in the church who can fairly judge (6:5). Sixth, it is a complete failure that brothers would even have these matters unresolved that they would litigate (6:7)! Seventh, and last, it is better to suffer wrong that to “soil” the Lord’s name and church with such small matters (6:7).

Let us not misunderstand. The court system in our society is for the occasion to make right what we suffered as a wrong. It is not sinful for Christians to avail themselves of this avenue of justice. What Paul is addressing is when there exists a problem between brothers, and the saints utilize a system that does not respect God in seeking adjudication (or justice). The saints live by a higher standard (and law) than those of this earth; therefore, let us be judged by the same, by a standard higher than any secular law.

When one thinks about what the Holy Spirit is saying in this chapter—it can be a difficult think to accept. This is especially the case when one thinks about the ease at litigation today, the victim mentality, the selfish mentality, and such like. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit is clear. Those who don’t see fit to submit to His will, will be sitting amongst those identified in as not inheriting the kingdom of God (6:9-10). Those who think this way may consider such lack of inheritance as trivial, but they won’t!

 

Knowing When and How

07 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by in Communication, God, Jesus, Teaching

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

Didn’t Jesus always seem to have exactly what he needed for the occasion when people laid traps for him? In Luke 20:20-26, the people marveled as His answer to those who desired to trap Him in His answer to a question that was loaded with trouble. “Why is it that I can’t be as effective as Jesus!” we express ourselves in frustration. A couple of things to remember that might help us. First, Jesus was God and God is never flat-footed. Second, with regard to us, it is by experience that we learn what and how to say what needs to be spoken. Perhaps there is a third point to add to this: just as it is with us, it was with the Lord also—people did not always accept the answer given (Luke 11:53-54).

That is What Jesus Did

11 Tuesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Behavior, Communication

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

It is so easy to allow the words of others to defeat us. In John 7, Jesus could have allowed the words spoken by others to defeat, or even shape Him if He desired to be controlled by them. “Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, ‘Where is He?’ And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, ‘He is good’; others said, ‘No, on the contrary, He deceives the people. However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:11-13, NKJV). There was much confusion surrounding what the people thought about Jesus. Sometimes it is that way with regard to us. Since we can’t control what others think – what shall we do? We want to be sure that when others interpret what they see and hear the only “material” given them is that which glorifies the Lord. That is what Jesus did and we need to do the same.

Words, Defeat, Victory

10 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Communication, Relationship

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Communication is both a wonderful things and an occasion for much heartache. Jesus, the very logos (word) of God knew well how to communicate in all areas of life. There was never a time, in my view, wherein He did communicate exactly the Father’s will and in the perfect way demanded by the occasion. That does not mean, however, that His words were always understood as He intended them.

On one occasion, a woman from outside the area of Israel came appealing to Jesus for her daughter, asking Him to heal her. Jesus replied that it was proper for the children to get the food, not the little dogs (Mark 7:24-30). Those who read the New Testament might wonder if Jesus was ascribing to her some inferior status; many of the Jews did as they considered those outside Israel to be dogs (“Jews used the word for Gentiles who were considered to be ceremonially impure” p. 150, note in The Majority Text Greek New Testament Interlinear).

How easy it would have been for this woman on that particular occasion to take exception to Jesus because the implication of the words can’t be missed by any who hear them. It might be an easy response, but the woman appealing to Jesus took the words much differently. Rather than finding fault, she clearly understood the figurative significance of the words and “[s]he turned the word of seeming approach, house dogs, into a reason for optimism, thereby transforming and impending defeat into a brilliant victory” (Hendriksen, p. 299).

We can be defeated by the words of another, whether one intends to defeat us with those words or not; or we can take the words used and turn them into an opportunity to teach, bringing glory to the Lord. Taking advantage like this brings victory.