Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Brokenness of Humanity: A Sandusky Story




In the book of Genesis, the world was created perfectly and man was in perfect relationship with God. Honesty, harmony, peace, and abundance without greed were all part of this world.  Then, of course, something happened as this is no longer the world we live in today.  This is what is termed "The Fall".

From the beginning, man was equipped with choices, for true love does not force its hand.  For instance, in a marriage between two people, the power of this union lies in the choice made by these individuals to love and commit to each other as opposed to facing such an opportunity with obligation.  A love that chooses is much more pure, free, beautiful, and genuine.

Getting back to "The Fall", Adam and God had many years of relationship together.  God asks Adam to name all the animals before He pulls one of Adam's ribs to make a woman.  Estimates say that based on the diversity of life that was in the jungle of Eden at that time, Adam was "alone" with God for about 50 years in order to name all of the animals and plants (Genesis 2:19-20).  Therefore, Adam and God must have been pretty close.  But yet again, something happened.

The free choice to love also brought the free choice to disobey.  At one point in the Genesis story, Adam (with some outside influence) betrays his 50+ year relationship with God by disobeying His only command: not to eat from the tree that would grant man's ability to know good and evil, just as God does in heaven.  Unfortunately, man was not equipped to handle such power to know good and evil and it is here that we learn three things.  First, man will always seek power even if it a perilous journey.  Second, man was not equipped to handle such power and may often experience fallout in his pursuit. And finally, man will sin no matter the greatness of God's provision.

The first and second points can feed into the third, and it is this statement that has made our world a tough place to live.  On the one hand we live in a world filled with the beauty of God's creation that includes sunsets, rainbows, and honeybees.  On the other hand we also live in a world filled with man's sins that include greed, pride, and hate.  These only name a few, but sin creates such a divide between our relationship with God as well as hurting our relationships with those around us on the earth.

So with that knowledge of sin, my alma mater has been faced with a predicament that relates to the sin of an individual.  Jerry Sandusky has recently been convicted of very disturbing sins that create a divide between his relationship with God and have far-reaching effects on those communities around him.  It even caused others to sin around him, as brought up by Penn State Cru's campus leader, Tim Henderson, in his "Love Notices Wet Hair" series.  In short, Sandusky's actions spurred forward other actions by other people that further did not reflect Christ's love thus making the world a sea of sin, but none of which is not redeemable through Christ alone.  There were choices that were made, choices that did not include those of "love" and it is here that we can find that "The Fall" is especially ugly.

The situation is frustrating for many: parents of children, affiliates of Penn State, and defenders of justice.  These actions should have never happened, but the world is broken and people make choices.  Sandusky can go nearly no place in this world without being accepted.  Even in prisons, fellow inmates do not take kindly to these types of sins and often harass criminals like Sandusky, even to death.

He now sits in solitary confinement with only a few things to keep him company.  However, among these few things, is a prayer book.  He needs an escape from the realities of sin and from the world that no longer accepts him, and it sits in his lap.  Sandusky may never again be right with the world, but he does have a hope to be right with God.  These sins are too tough to bear in the earthly realm, but Jesus came with a purpose.  Through the faith of His followers, he redeems the lives of sinners and restores the lives of victims.

"The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair" -Relient K

It is in these moments that grace and power surpass my understanding.  My response is one of awe at simply how large my God is that reigns sovereign and provides light even in the darkest of times.  How do I feel about the possibility of a person of such sins being a fellow co-habitant in eternal life?  Yes, a little uneasy.  However, I am consoled by the fact that God is very protective of Heaven and He will not let any sin into this realm.  Therefore, I may never meet Sandusky on earth, but if his faith gets him to Heaven, he will be unlike the man that we all know today.  He will be pure and spotless, scrubbed clean by the sacrificed Son.  This is a miracle that can be achieved by no man, for no man holds or can handle this power.  I worship a God of second chances, a God who truly knows how to handle power, a God whose love passes all understanding, and a God who chooses to be with us despite our choices.


Saturday, June 16, 2012

Not Job Security...Life Security



 
The theme of this song is inspired by the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible, as referenced by Mrs. Doolittle in Elmira, New York:

"Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26) and "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29-31).

Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics, said this about her inspiration to write the song based in the scriptures outlined above,

"Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle's reply was simple: 'His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.' The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow' was the outcome of that experience."

This is yet another example of how faith defies conventional wisdom.  Matthew 6 is a fantastic chapter in the Bible that provides hope to all who are concerned about their circumstances.  A common anxiety concerns the job market, for a job is what we need to express ourselves and to sustain us to live.  Be audacious. 

Trust. In. The. Lord.

No circumstance is above His redeeming power.  He knows your needs. He holds  your life in His hands. He also knows your needs that which are greater than job security.  He sustained the lives of two crippled individuals who inspired the above hymn.  Tip your hat to Him and get a taste of what it feels like to have peace without anxiety.  

You may be interested in job security, but He champions your life security...and more importantly, your soul security.


Sunday, June 10, 2012

A Compass that Points North



"If there is a road I should walk, help me find it.
If I need to be still, give me peace for the moment.
Whatever your will, can you help me find it?"
-Sidewalk Prophets

Decision to go to college or join the military...
Decision to serve as a missionary or join the workforce...
Decision to marry or wait...
Decision to become a father through conception or adoption...

As young adults and being so "inexperienced" in the world, we sure have to make a bunch of large decisions in a relatively short time-frame.  I believe that decisions can feel heavy, burdensome, difficult, confusing.  Many of these decisions impact the lives that we choose to live, the people we meet, the hearts that we touch, and the environments that we influence.  Yes, these are BIG decisions.

Many are fortunate to have guiding influences in their lives to coach them through each of these decisions and moments in life.  In many cases, the advice is quite welcome.  In other cases, the advice can be too noisy and can appear like static. 

I have this image of myself walking through the woods, often being able to only see 50-100 yards in front of me due to the thickness of the brush.  Every once in a while, I reach a high point and I am able to look back at the past steps that I have taken while also getting a better image (maybe 200-300 yards of vision) of the steps to come.  However, once I plan a course from that high point with that great vision, I come back down to the level where I can only see 50-100 yards on front of me.  I wonder whether the path I have charted is correct.  I begin to have doubts and, in haste, I break into a run, hoping to get to the next high point where I can regain my vision.  The problem however, is the ground continues to slope downward and I become more desperate.  Tired and exhausted, I sit on a rock to catch my breath and rummage through my bag to grab a drink from my plastic Nalgene bottle.  As I blindly reach into my bag, the back of hand brushes against cold steel that seems to be about the size of a half dollar.  My fingers abort the mission of grabbing the water bottle and they close around this mysterious object, its cool touch providing a strange sense of relief to my overheated body.  I draw it out of the bag and inscribed on this piece of steel was:

"Psalm 27:4"

I could not recall the words of this verse, but I turned this small treasure over and I received instant comfort.  It was a compass, a device that would ALWAYS instruct me as to which way to go, no matter the path of my current circumstances.  This small artifact had a mind of its own, acting independently and always pointing in the same direction.  From this point on, it no longer mattered far I could see in front of me.  I had a treasure with me at all times, that could provide information as to the correct direction.  Furthermore, wherever I went, the compass went with me, pointing me to my final destination.  This destination I share with many, but my path is unique to me.  

My compass is with me always to guide me to home...to heaven.