RE:think

More Pursued: Prayer in School or The Sermon on the Mount?

I asked a fellow Christian once “what is the greatest thing we as Christians can do”? After thinking for about 5 seconds they responded “get prayer back into the schools”! Now, this particular person was one of the sweetest and most sincere I know. But the answer was very telling when it comes to American Christianity and more specifically it’s evangelical forms.

This isn’t a post meant to bash anyone or talk about prayer in school. (Which still exists mind you. My kids can pray there whenever they want) No, I intend to simply make us Christians think about what our priorities are now and what they should be. The things we do in the name of our faith will mark us for good or for bad. So it’s a worthy exercise.

If I had been asked the question, my answer would have been no better. I’d have fired off some half baked thought like this: “The greatest thing we can do is undo the institutional church.” It would be in line with my feelings on the church and something I would love to see happen. In the end though, it would be a very bad answer to the question.

The maddening part of it all is this: we have been given the answer to this question in the person of Jesus. Want to do great things? Want to change the world? Want truth to reign? Then actually follow the guy we claim to worship. He left so many instructions. Unfortunately, we are too content to do things like fight political and social battles and problems with the church itself.

Of all the quoting's of the Bible I read and hear, so few come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We are given a virtual code for living in these verses. Some are very hard to follow. I think that is why we choose to ignore them. It’s easier to fight for the 10 Commandments to be allowed in public places than it is to love our enemies, be humble, turn the other cheek, stop judging, and choose the narrow gate. 

It’s my estimation that if we pursued these things the way Jesus taught them, we’d have no time to worry about all the battles we’d rather fight and could actually do some good and change our own small part of the world. We have so little time here to make a difference that we need to get it right many more times than we get it wrong.

I am not making a judgment on anyone’s favorite cause or even asking them to give them up. What I am doing is this. I am asking that those of us who are Christians to stop worrying so much about things God isn’t so worried about and listen to our leader.

When Misunderstanding Strikes

(originally seen at onelifers.com)

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We will never hope to make it through life and not have a situation where we have been misunderstood. We are all so very different, and wherever you find difference, you will surely find misunderstanding occasionally. The things we say and do are usually open to other’s interpretation and at times we have to deal with it.

So, what to do when it happens?

1. Keep your cool. Getting emotional will only lead to a bad decision or saying the wrong thing.

2. Look at the situation from the other party’s side.

3. It probably turns out we weren’t very clear to begin with. Start by clarifying your position.

4. Err on the side of kindness, even if you have been wronged or mischaracterized.

5. Leave others and what they have said out of the equation. Only deal with those directly involved.

6. Finally, do all of this with the intentions of a positive ending.

What’s in a Name?

I was born Richard; named after my Dad. I’m extremely proud of my name for that very reason. So proud, I named my first son Richard. Growing up, everyone called me “Richie”. Well, except my paternal Grandmother who called me “Ricky” occasionally. That’s what she called my Dad when he was growing up. He shortened it to “Rick” later in life, but we resurrected the nickname and my son goes by “Ricky”.

When I started school, the first time roll was called, my teacher called for “Richard”. For the next 13 years, 95% of the people I knew called me by that name. The only people who called me “Richie” was my family and those friends who knew me outside of school. But I found that name a little to juvenile when I headed off to college. So, I tried very hard to erase it and get everyone back to Richard. It worked for the most part until people would meet my family.

The last few years I had gotten it shortened all the way to “Rich”. And it stuck! Even some of my family shortened it with me. Then, all the sudden, I reconnected with quite a few people from my past who knew me as “Richie”. Now in the past year I have heard that name more times than I had the previous 15. Guess what? I haven’t minded it at all. It reminds me of simpler times and all that was good about growing up. When new friends heard the old friends call me “Richie” they picked it up too and I have actually enjoyed it.

So what is the point in all of this? Well, we all have a name and I love mine. Some of us have a name that can be shortened and ‘nicknamed’ in many different ways.Think about your own name, how you got it, and the good things that surround it. If you have a nickname, remind yourself how you got it. If you don’t know how you got it, ask someone who knows!

As for me, what do I like to be called? I’m good with all of these names. Whichever you happen to call me means something to me and you shouldn’t stop. And as far as nicknames for Richard go, you can call me just about any of them.

The only derivative you can’t call me? Dick.