Zeal without Wisdom = Fire

I almost went to Gainesville on Saturday (9/11), but not to see the Gators play ball. I felt compelled to help pour waters of grace on fires of hate. I’m not sure what I would have done, but I wanted to be a witness to the love of God for all people – including Muslims and fire-breathing pastors.

Like almost every person on the planet with access to TV, radio or the internet, I have been following the activities of Pastor Terry Jones in Gainesville. I don’t pretend to understand his motivation, theology, politics or mental condition. It seems that he is more interested in judgment (the judgment of others, not his own judgment) than in mercy. He is more concerned about punishing people than proclaiming forgiveness found in Christ. He seems to be more focused on limiting the location of mosques than expanding the Church.

On Friday I tried to reconnect with my friend Imam Musri at the Islamic Center here. He and I first met on September 13, 2001. The Imam wasn’t available, but I did make a new friend. Fahaz and I talked about holy books, respect, friendship and ignorance. He was not concerned or angered by the threat to burn copies of the Koran. He even chuckled at the thought. Fahaz acknowledged, however, that Muslims with a shallow appreciation of the Koran might be more likely to respond in a different way.

In my humble opinion, Pastor Jones has more zeal than wisdom. These are the most dangerous people in the world. We have not heard the last of Jones. Don’t buy his book (there will certainly be one). Don’t watch any more interviews with him – change the channel. You know enough about his venom.

Jesus Christ died for Terry Jones, Jim Jones, James Loftin, Imam Musri, Fahaz and you. That’s Good News. By God’s grace, may we live in such a way that this eternal truth will be heard and received by those who are yet to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world.

As followers of Jesus, let’s look for opportunities to begin or deepen respectful relationships with followers of Mohammed. For the glory of God and the good of the world!

I’m not guilty of burning holy books, but do I have any area of “zeal” that is limiting the love Jesus wants to communicate through my life?

PS – For readers that don’t know me well, let me answer a question you may be asking. I am not a universalist, “all roads lead to heaven,” everything-is-gray, religious person. I believe that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). Although this belief separates me theologically from about 4 billion people, it does not separate me from loving them or wanting to have some kind of respectful, mutually beneficial, relationship with them.

Faithful Lovers

Weddings are full of emotion. As I stood by Jonathan (my son) last Saturday, tears came flooding in at several points. I could feel the eyes of Ashley and Meme (my daughters), but I knew better than to look in their direction. With Herculean effort, I stayed somewhat composed.

There were many intense moments in the service for this “best man.” When beautiful Mary Ashton stepped out from the rear lobby and made her way down the aisle to stand with her groom. The tender exchange of vows. The music. And there was an unexpected exhilaration as Pastor David read the Scripture.

I have attended and performed about two hundred weddings, and many of them included a reading of I Corinthians 13, “The Love Chapter.” But this time was different.

Yes, the chapter pertains to the love of husband and wife. And, yes, it is a challenge for all our relationships. But I had missed a broader and perhaps more profound application.

We all know that love is not primarily an emotion. It is an unconditional commitment characterized by tangible actions on behalf of others. But when we connect I Corinthians 13 with the parable of the Great Commandment (Mt. 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20), the Love Chapter becomes far more than a wedding text.

If I am not finding ways to use the resources God has entrusted to me (energy, time, finances, prayer, influence, etc.) to communicate and demonstrate God’s love to those who are not aware of God’s grace, then all my religious activities are in vain. They may be well intended, but if my prayers, worship, stewardship, and Bible study are not accompanied and flavored by a participation in God’s mission in the world, I am not faithfully loving Jesus.

Pray that we will all be “faithful lovers” for the glory of God and the good of the world.

Listen to this song, People of God by Michael Gungor; I think its lyrics relate well to these thoughts.

Hasta Luego vs. Goodbye

Life is full of farewells. A child goes off to college, gets married, heads off to a new job, joins the military or goes to the mission field. Friends move to another church or relocate to another city. A spiritual mentor takes a different position. Or a loved one passes away.

Next Monday my sweet mother will have surgery for colon cancer. The prognosis is actually great. As long as she survives the shock of surgery itself, she should not have to face chemo or radiation. Sarah Loftin is 85 years old.

I fully expect Mama to survive the ordeal of surgery, by the grace of God. So my ramblings here are not about death, but rather about the farewells of life.

Consider two phrases used for farewell. Goodbye is a rather dismal although well-intentioned parting. A few months ago our daughter Meme was packing up her car in order to head back to Mississippi State. In a moment of fatherly tenderness, I whispered to her, “Goodbye, baby.” To which Meme responded, “Daddy! Don’t be so….. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” She had the right perspective.

That’s why I like the Spanish farewell. Hasta luego is full of hope and faith - “I will see you later.” Hasta luego reminds me of the certainty of sunrise no matter how dark the night. I think of the new heaven and new earth made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rev. 21:1-4).

No matter what shakes our world – earthquakes or surgery – Christians never have to say goodbye. On Monday January 18 I will kiss my mother and tell her, “See you later.” And I will.

Thank you for praying for Sarah Loftin, and her four children, Beverly, Pat, Kathy and James. God is faithful.

How can I be praying for you?

Don’t Fence Me In

I just had another wonderful visit with my sweet and godly mother, Sarah Mae Davis Loftin in Jackson, MS. She loves to talk about her only son, and I love to listen. Mama told me something about my childhood that I had never heard. “No fence could hold you back,” she said.

When I was 4 years old Mama convinced Daddy to build a fence around our small back yard. She desperately needed a place to send me where I could burn off some energy during the day. Mama remembers Daddy working hard all day, with my help. Just as he was finishing the last section, Mama looked up and saw me scaling the new fence on the way to my friend Tommy’s house. “James, you always had places to go.”

I’m still trying to go beyond the “fences.”

My favorite Christmas carol is Go Tell It on the Mountain. Christmas without this song is just not Christmas. If the birth of Jesus is really good news of great joy for all people, we have to take this announcement beyond the fences of our own family, comfort and culture.

Although the history of slavery in America is painful and ugly, God’s grace prevails in even the most sinful and dehumanizing situations. Upon their arrival in America many African slaves learned about the birth of a Savior who would set all men free. Amazingly, some slaves were able to separate this gracious truth from the inhumane treatment they received from the very people that delivered the Good News. In keeping with their African traditions, the slaves sang and danced about the miracle of Jesus. One of the songs that emerged was Go Tell It on the Mountain.

Although we celebrate the birth of Jesus year after year, over 2 billion people have not heard the news of His coming. For the glory of God and the good of those who have yet to hear the angel’s message, let us sing the Good News from whatever “mountaintop” we have. And if you can dance, then dance. Beyond any fences of fear, pc-ness, comfort, prejudice or doubt, let’s sing:

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

What are some ways you are creatively telling the message this year?

What are some fences that are trying to keep you quiet?