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Are you There yet? Paul knew he wasn’t. And do you know where There is? Copyright March 13, 2005 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org Few parents have driven more than six blocks without hearing, “Are we there yet?” Of course, Grandma’s house is sixty miles away, but a youngster strapped in a booster seat doesn’t fathom the difference between six blocks and sixty miles. All she wants to know is, “Are we there yet?” Bible readers are often like the little child. They want to know if – or to believe – we are already there. There means whatever destination they perceive. Of course, no one asks, “Are we there yet?” if they perceive their destination as an ever-burning blast furnace in some nether region of the earth. Others don’t ask, “Are we there yet?” if they believe their destination is heaven. They know they’re not There yet, because they haven’t died yet. And, despite the wonders they imagine await them in heaven, they’re really not anxious to go there. After all, the prospect of dying is not the most gratifying way to start your day. One religious organization says a limited number of people are There, and they are all members of their group. Or they were before they drew their last breath. It seems There is an important place for most people. No one likes the idea that you live, you die, and that’s all there is. Many tissues have dried the eyes of those who believe their loved one has gone to a far better place, regardless of the way he lived. Listen to the eulogy: No Christian minister would consign the old scoundrel to an ever-burning hell fire, so it would seem There definitely is not hell. Some religions believe There is a long way off, and can be attained only through a series of lives, deaths, and reincarnations. Others believe There is here, and we are already There. This last group claims the kingdom of heaven is the church, or is inside each believer, or whatever else they contrive. But to be There means you must belong to their particular religious circle. For those outside their society, There is not a very inviting place. The apostle Paul knew he wasn’t there yet. He wrote, “Whatever was gain to me, I counted loss for Christ…that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection…if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead (Philippians 3:7-10).” For Paul, There meant being in the resurrection of the dead. But why should he speak of a resurrection if being There means being in heaven? The bible tells us where There is, and according to Jesus Christ it is not heaven (John 3:13). It certainly wasn’t heaven for David (Acts 2:29,34). In fact, those verses tell us There is David’s grave. But what about Lazarus? Wasn’t There heaven for him? We’re told he died and was carried into the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:20-22). Well, if Jesus said no man has gone to heaven (John 3:13), then Abraham couldn’t have been there. So the best we can say about Lazarus is There eventually became – or will become – wherever Abraham is. One person, however, knows where There is, and that is Jesus Christ. He went up and down the land preaching about the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14; Luke 4:43). And, despite what anyone may say, God’s kingdom has not yet come. Are we there yet? No. In fact There may still be a long way off. But like the person behind the wheel, we must keep driving toward our destination. Jesus tells us we don’t know when he will return but, if we want to be happy, we had better be doing his will when that time comes or There will be somewhere we don’t want to be (Matthew 24:44-51; Luke 12: 40-46). You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. Why are there so few healings today? Has the age of miracles truly passed? The bible says there should be healings, and miracles of all kinds. Copyright January 05, 2002 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org Are you a Believer? Most of you will say, “Of course I am. I believe in God and Jesus Christ.” Some will go further and say, “I believe Jesus died for my sins, and was resurrected so I might have eternal life.” But I repeat, are you a Believer? Or are you simply a believer? There is a difference. Until recently I thought I was a big B Believer, but after studying information from a minister of God, Keith Slough, I discovered my belief was all small b. I, too, believe in God and Jesus Christ, and that Jesus died for me, and was resurrected so I could inherit eternal life. So what’s the difference? The difference comes in not only believing in Jesus Christ, but in believing him. Jesus performed many wonderful miracles, and we believe that. And we believe that he told his disciples, “He that believes on me, what I do he will do also; and greater works will he do (John 14:12).” Peter was used in the healing of a man crippled from birth (Acts 3:1-8). The apostles spoke to a multitude, and each man heard the message in his own language (Acts 2:1-11). Paul cast out an evil spirit from a young girl (Acts 16:16-18). But didn’t the age of miracles pass with the death of the apostles? One might think so. Most churches have members in wheelchairs, or suffering with on-going disease. What do the ministers say? “How are you feeling today Mrs. Jacobs?” I attended a church that taught the sick should call for the elders, and be anointed with oil, and be prayed over, and the prayer of faith will heal the sick (James 5:14-15). Following a minor surgery I had intense pain for several years. I did what James said, but what was the elder’s prayer? “Please God, heal Les. But if you choose not to....” The elder didn’t expect me to be healed. He was a small b believer. Some people claim God has healed the person; the symptoms have just not gone away. Baloney! You take a flat tire to the service station, and the attendant plugs a small hole. The tire’s disease is lack of air; the symptom is the tire is flat. But only as the attendant fills the repaired tire with air does the symptom disappear. When Jesus healed a man afflicted with palsy, the weakness and shaking symptoms didn’t continue. Jesus told the man to take up his bed and go home. “And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all... (Mark 2:1-12).” The man was healed, and the symptoms went away. Similar immediate healings are recorded in Matthew 12:10-13, Mark 5:25-29, John 5:2-9, and Acts 28:8. Why were Jesus and the disciples able to perform great miracles? Unlike the small b believing elder and me, the disciples expected results -- immediately. They were big B Believers. How can we small b believers become big B Believers? Should we pray for faith? Not if we believe the bible. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). And we are to live by every word of God (Luke 4:4). Living by every word of God involves the big B Belief of which Jesus spoke in Mark 11:24, “...whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours (ISV).” If we study the bible, believe what we read, and expect results from our prayers, we will do what Jesus did, and even greater works will we do (John 14:12).” That’s God’s promise, and God’s word cannot be broken (John 10:35). You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. Is God’s law for Christians? Despite what you have been taught, it is. Copyright June 06/ 2004 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org People have asked if I am a legalist. If legalism means keeping the law, then yes, I am – and so are you. Most of us keep the law every day: we generally drive within the speed limit, and on the proper side of the road; if we buy a piece of property we want a lawyer to make sure everything is done right; and if we’re charged, rightfully or wrongfully, with a criminal offence, then we want the best legal eagle in the land to plead our case. Of course, when people ask if I am a legalist, they’re really suggesting my observance of God’s law makes me a legalist. In their estimation, for me to observe God’s law makes me accursed: anathema. But why? I believe it begins with a lack of understanding God’s law, what it is, what it isn’t, and what it’s for. So what isn’t God’s law? It’s not a set of thou shalt nots to make life miserable for God’s people, but an expression of God’s love to spare us the misery of living without rules for guidance. When an interviewer asked several people, “What do you think of the ten commandments,” one woman answered, "I think God loved us an awful lot to give them to us, to protect us from ourselves." Some readers tell me God’s law is a burden. How do they know if they haven’t tried living by it? The pharisaic law was a burden. Jesus said, “The pharisees lay heavy and grievous burdens on men’s shoulders… (Matthew 23:4).” But the pharisaic law was not God’s law. It was man’s misguided interpretation of God’s law, and that’s what made it a burden. On the other hand Jesus encourages mankind to be yoked together with him, and learn from him, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).” God’s first law was a law of freedom: You can eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, but don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or you will die (Genesis 2:17). God had to give our first parents a choice, because without choice there is no freedom. Ask someone who has languished in a rat-infested prison for having chosen to voice his opinion. You’ll tell me keeping the law will not save anyone, and you’re right. But when we stand before Jesus Christ in the judgement, what will he say? “You obeyed my law the best you could. Welcome to my kingdom (Matthew 25:21).” Or will he say, “You refused to even try to keep my law, hiding behind a man-made claim that it was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14).” The counter argument will be, “Lord, Lord. Didn’t we prophesy and cast out devils and do wonderful works in your name (Matthew 7:22)?” You can read his answer in vs 23. Recall the woman who said, "I think God loved us an awful lot to give [the ten commandments] to us, to protect us from ourselves." She knew God’s law is to teach mankind the way to live. But, he still gives us a choice. You can read about it in Deuteronomy 30:19-20. Despite your objections, God’s law is for Christians. Dr John Gill wrote, “…this objection proceeds upon a mistaken sense of the phrase, ‘under the law’ (Romans 6:14); for believers, though they are not under the law as the ministry of Moses, yet they are under it, as it is in the hands of Christ; and though not under its curse, yet under obligation to obedience to it….” Jesus said it this way, “If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).” Do you love Jesus? Then show your love by keeping his law -- all of it. You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. We’re told God is love, so why would he cause wild bears to kill forty-two little children having a bit of innocent fun? Copyright November 28, 2004 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org “Look out! Baldy’s coming.” Baldy was Mr Robinson, our grade school principal, whom we all loved dearly, but whom we feared when we were doing wrong. Of course, this fellow with few hairs on his head didn’t know we called him Baldy, did he? Dumb question. To his face he was always Sir, or Mr Robinson, but when he wasn’t around we lovingly referred to him as Baldy. However, there’s a bible narrative in which Baldy was not a loving name, but a taunt toward one of God’s prophets. Elijah had been carried away by a whirlwind, and left his prophet’s robe with his successor, Elisha. As Elisha travelled toward Bethel several children came out of the city and mocked him saying, “Hey, there’s Baldy. Hey Baldy you old geezer” (2 Kings 2:23 / Author’s rendition). A statement in Numbers 32:23 warns, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Some people wait a while before they pay the consequences of their sin. A man may cheat on his wife for months before she finds out. But find out she will, and the consequences will not be pleasant. People may eat pork or oysters or mushrooms for years before they suffer a heart attack, or contract cancer from disobeying God’s dietary plan (Leviticus 11: 1-31; Deuteronomy 14: 1-21). But in the case of those who mocked Elisha, their sin found them out in a hurry. Elisha cursed them in God’s name, and two she bears came out of the forest and tore up forty-two of them (2 Kings 2:24). Now wait a minute. The bible tells us God is love (1 John 4:16). Why would a loving God do such a thing to a bunch of kids having a bit of fun? Despite the King James Version’s translation of the Hebrew manuscript, these were not little children, but likely fellows in their teens, old enough to know who Elisha was, especially by the robe he wore, and old enough to understand what they were doing. They were purposely making mockery of God’s anointed prophet (2 Kings 2:23). Bethel, whose name means “house of God,” had become a center of false worship (1 Kings 12: 26-33). Despite its reputation a group of prophets lived there during the time of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2: 3). John Wesley opined they lived there to witness against the idolatry of the city. If such is the case, they no doubt received many taunts from the idol-worshipping population. So, what the young fellows did was quite in keeping with what they learned from their parents. God is love, but sometimes he needs to resort to tough love, and this was one of those times. The parents and friends of forty-two young people would quickly realize Elisha’s God was far more powerful than any of their wood and stone gods. We’re not told, but perhaps the event convinced some to worship the true God. We are told something spectacular will occur at a time yet future. When Jesus Christ returns to this earth, the deceased saints will be resurrected, and together with those who are still alive, will be changed from flesh to spirit composition (1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 John 3:2). Later, everyone still in the graves will respond to Jesus’ command and will be resurrected into a magnificent world of peace and love and happiness (John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 2:9). Can you imagine the first thoughts of forty-two teenagers when they awake from death? They will remember the pain and terror of being mauled by the two bears. No doubt Elisha will be there to introduce them to the God they despised. Under those conditions, it won’t be difficult for them to realize who the true God is, and gladly turn to his way of life. God is love, and doesn’t want anyone to lose out on eternal life in his kingdom (1 Timothy 2:4). The death and resurrection of forty-two youths may be the catalyst to turn many of their idol-worshipping compatriots to the Almighty God of heaven and earth. You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. A Life Lines Special Copyright September 12, 2001 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org The news is mind-numbing. The World Trade Center is in ruins, with the number of dead possibly reaching into the thousands. One side of the Pentagon, where eight-hundred people worked, is demolished. The self-professed superpower is brought to a jarring halt by a handful of people. The President decries the action, asks that we pray for the injured, the rescue teams, and the bereaved. And he promises to seek out and punish those responsible. Email servers are flooded with statements of disbelief, written prayers, and calls for prayers of comfort. “Isn’t it terrible?” is on everyone’s lips. And some dare to believe this may be the trigger for a third world war. At the time of this writing Billy Graham has not been heard from. But when he does speak it’s certain he will simply parrot what others have already said. He may pray for the souls of the dead, and ask God for forgiveness of the perpetrators. He will console George Bush -- ever wonder why he is called The Friend Of Presidents? And you can be certain of one thing: the ministers of Christianity will not place the blame where it belongs -- on ourselves. Thousands of years ago the Lord told Solomon, “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people...(2 Chronicles 7:13).” Our western nations have suffered great drought: there has been no rain. Airborne locusts in the form of great aircraft have devoured buildings and lives, and the spirit of many people. Pestilence of many sorts has come among our nations. Biblical study shows that God brought evil nations against Israel in punishment of her sins. Who can say Tuesday’s events were not a warning from God? The Eternal continued his message to Solomon by saying, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (vs 14).” This is a contract, a covenant. The operative word is the preposition “If.” And that’s where our nations fall down. Presidential candidates seek the Christian vote. But once elected, do they use their office to powerfully call on the people to humble themselves, to pray fervently for God's forgiveness of the way we have lived, to turn from our wicked ways? Not since the time of Abraham Lincoln has a U.S. president called for a national day of fasting. Lincoln said, “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. "We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. "Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us." “...too proud to pray....” Oh, we’re not too proud to say a soul-appeasing prayer for the bereaved in Tuesday’s tragedy. We can go about our business knowing our Christian duty has been done. But we are, as nations, too proud to admit our Godlessness. We are too proud, as individuals, to truly admit our sinfulness. And you can be certain the Billy Grahams of this world will preach sermons abhorrent to the Eternal God, by telling our nations how wonderful we are, and how this horror was perpetrated by evil, ungodly nations who need to be evangelized with the good news of Jesus Christ. How can we tell others of God's love, when our own leaders -- political and religious -- refuse to call us to our knees for our own wickedness? Our creator told Israel, “If you will pay diligent attention to the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all the commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you will pay diligent attention to the voice of the Lord your God.” What follows is a list of wonderful blessings that would make our nations the showcase of the world. Blessings in the city and on our farms. Honour from our children. Great crops. Vast herds of disease-free cattle and sheep. A Gross National Product beyond compare. And safety in our homes and in public. God promises, if we will obey him, our enemies will flee from us seven ways. And the list goes on as God establishes us as a holy people before him (Deuteronomy 28:1-13). But as the rest of the chapter, and the evil we have seen in recent years, and Tuesday’s horrendous events prove, we have not listened to the God we profess to worship. Returning to what God told Solomon, we read, “But if you turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them, then will I pluck the people up by the roots, out of my land which I have given them, and this temple which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. “And it shall be an astonishment to every one that passes by, so they shall say, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this land, and to this house?’ And it shall be answered, ‘Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them. Therefore he has brought all this evil upon them (2 Chronicles 7:19-22).” May our heavenly father forgive us for pointing our fingers at others for the woes we have brought on ourselves. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The horror of September 11 has left people angry and confused, and some of us have said things which shouldn’t have been said. I was among them. In a Life Lines Special I named Billy Graham, saying, “...he will simply parrot what others have already said. He may pray for the souls of the dead, and ask God for forgiveness of the perpetrators. He will console George Bush....” Some readers cheered me; others -- and they were right -- said I was wrong in naming Mr Graham. To any who were offended by my condemnation of Mr. Graham, I apologize, and ask you to forgive me for my unthinking words. You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. Anti-Semitic. Too graphic. Roman catholic. What you’ve heard about Mel Gibson’s film and what is fact may be different. Only you can decide. Copyright March 07, 2004 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org It’s late, and I have just returned from experiencing “The Passion Of The Christ.” I’m still not sure how it has affected me, but I know the Lord’s passover service will never be the same for me again. It’s doubtful that “The Passion Of The Christ” will affect two people quite the same way. We’re individuals, and our acceptance or rejection of the crucifixion portrayal will affect us individually. You may think it crass, but my background had me viewing the film through the eyes of a journalist. The hype on television and through the internet kept running through my mind, and it’s this I must address through this Life Lines column. Many in the Jewish sector claim “The Passion” is anti-Semitic. If Jesus had lived somewhere else, at a different time, among a different race of people, he would still have been executed as a criminal, and someone would condemn the film as being anti-whatever. Whether “The Passion” is anti-anything, there’s not a person on this earth – Jew, non-Jew, or gentile – who can say he does not have a few drops of racist blood flowing through his veins. Some church goers have criticized the film as being pro-Roman catholic, apparently basing their criticism on the fact Mel Gibson is a devout catholic. But is there a protestant church anywhere that is not rooted in Roman catholicism? And isn’t the ecumenical movement, which most protestant churches quietly embrace, designed to bring protestantism back to those roots? Another criticism, based on Isaiah 53:2, is Jesus should not have been portrayed by a handsome actor because the prophet said “…there is no beauty that we should desire him.” This doesn’t mean Jesus was ugly. It simply means he was quite common looking. He was able to pass through a crowd without being recognized (John 8:59). Those who have seen “The Passion” must admit the portrayal of Jesus never made him anything but commonplace as far as physical beauty is concerned. One feature it rightly presents, however, is Jesus’ bodily strength and muscular arms, something that’s missing on Romish crucifixes. Some have complained the film is too graphic. Graphic it is. Gory? Yes. But if Jesus Christ critiqued the film he might say it portrayed almost nothing compared to what he actually endured. What concerns me about “The Passion” is it’s likely to be nominated for a multitude of awards. Personally I hope it wins none. There’s not enough little gold statues in the world to atone for what Jesus suffered, not just during the last few hours of his human life, but throughout a sin-free life in a sin-filled world, knowing that every sin would be added weight as he endured the agony of his passion. Continuing this thought, there’s not enough golden statues to atone for the least of my sins, or for my responsibility in Jesus’ passion. Only Jesus’ horrendous death can do that. But I can’t just leave Jesus dead at the end of this column. Jesus my King is alive, and lives so I might live. Those who complain that Mel Gibson left Jesus dead must have gone home before the film was over. Possibly the film’s most remarkable scene was the gentle collapse of the burial shroud, and the serenely triumphant expression of the resurrected Christ as he prepared to step into eternity. If you haven’t yet seen “The Passion Of The Christ” I urge you to do so. If you choose not to however, don’t pass judgment on the film on the basis of what you’ve seen on the six o’clock news. Your judgment will undoubtedly be wrong. You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. Self-styled prophets are a dime a dozen. Be sure you check them out with your bible before you believe their words. Copyright September 21, 2003 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org No doubt you've received at least one prophetic email from someone believing himself -- or herself -- to be a great modern-day Elijah. They're so common it would be a strange day without such a letter in my mailbox. Usually I hit the Delete key, but one stopped my finger in mid-stroke. A fellow has written his prophecy based on the removal of the ten commandments monument -- also called a rock -- from the Alabama Judicial Building (after the event, of course). The prophecy's author has connected the day of the removal with the date on which the planet Mars, named for the god of war, was closer to the earth than it's been in sixty-thousand years. He claims, upon hearing the monument had been removed, he was suddenly suspended in the air witnessing a great white wall of protection around America crumble into nothingness. He says a voice declared the nation has demonstrated its will to declare war on the God of the bible, and author of the words on the rock they chose to remove. The voice is quoted as continuing, "Therefore, I do remove the wall of protection from this nation, and it will not be rebuilt." The writer believes the nearness of Mars was a sign in the sky that war had been declared on God's Word. Perhaps the prophet should come back down to earth and consider Paul's admonition in Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls....” This includes the government of the land. My understanding of America's history is church and state are to be separate. Yet Chief Justice Roy Moore chose to disobey the law of the land and join them together. The removal of the monument was not in defiance of God. He never commanded that it be installed in the Judicial Building: that was man's doing. Another thing all self-proclaimed prophets should take into consideration is God's command in Leviticus 19:26, "You shall not...observe times," and in Deuteronomy 18:10, "There shall not be found among you...an observer of times...." Yet note what this fellow did: he connected the day of the removal with the proximity of the planet Mars to the earth. This is observance of times. Our word for it is astrology. Exodus 22:18 states, "You shall not allow a witch to live." In Deuteronomy 18:10-11 God throws observers of times in the same stew pot with enchanters, charmers, wizards, and witches, and says, "All that do these things are an abomination to the Lord (vs 12)." About astrologers God says, "They shall be as stubble. The fire shall burn them. They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame (Isaiah 47:13-14)." Finally God commands, "Don't believe every spirit... because many false prophets are gone out into the world (1 John 4:1)." Beware of the many who style themselves as prophets of God. They may seem well-meaning, and appear perceptive today, but once they have your confidence they'll lead you down the garden path, just as the serpent -- another agent of satan -- did to Eve (Genesis 3:1-6). You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. Do you really know your bible? Here’s a few questions, and their surprising answers. Copyright Leslie A Turvey, April 16, 2006 laturvey@becon.org Quick! Name the ten commandments. The first one is No other Gods. Who killed Samson? Why was Daniel thrown to the lions? Name the twelve apostles. If you could name more than four of the commandments you rank higher than most Christians in America. If you couldn’t, look them up in Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5: 7-21. If you said David killed Samson you’re in the wrong story. Samson died when he destroyed the great temple dedicated to the Philistines’ god, Dagon (Judges 16:23-30). Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den for praying to God, contrary to king Darius’ decree (Daniel 6:1-17). If you had trouble with the apostles, look in Matthew 10:2-4. You might also read Acts 1:15-26. Here’s ten more questions to test your bible knowledge.
ANSWERS
You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. I don’t go to church because of all the hypocrites there. Ever heard anyone say that? Of course you have, and you know it’s just a cop-out. Copyright 1997 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org A woman I know -- she’s not much of a church-goer -- criticized her brother as being the biggest hypocrite she knows. People who have no respect for God are not hypocrites, in the religious sense. But they decide who the hypocrites are. For the most part they’re church-goers like her brother. Why do those who attend church only at Christmas and Easter or when there’s a wedding, decide the bible-thumpers are hypocrites? Might it be because they know they should respect their creator, and the bible-thumpers show them up? It’s amazing how people can criticize while knowing very little about whom-ever, or whatever they criticize. They find fault with the government, doctors, the police department, ambulance drivers, the highway crew, supermarkets, and airlines. And they find fault with churches and religious people. Many times such people have said, “I don’t go to church because the churches are full of hypocrites.” What a cop-out. Christians aren’t perfect. They’re as human as their critics. But they work toward perfection. If they fail once in a while, does that make them hypocrites? Anyone who rides a bike, or skates, or plays a musical instrument, at one time took his first wobbly ride, or blew his first discordant notes. But he worked toward perfection, falling many times, or squeaking the reed on his clarinet. Eventually, however, practice paid off, and the cyclist became adept at steering through traffic, the skater improved his skills, and the clarinetist may have joined a symphony orchestra. But the cyclist still has an occasional spill. The skater sometimes hits the ice. The musician, at times, still presses the wrong valve. But would the critics call them hypocrites because their performance isn’t always flawless? It’s interesting about this woman. She manages to find fault with everyone. This person’s lazy. That one doesn’t wear the proper colours for her season: spring, summer, winter, fall. Another is showing her age – should have a face-lift. And on-and-on it goes. Everyone comes under her self-righteous criticism. Of course, she’s perfect! I checked my dictionaries for the definition of a hypocrite. A hypocrite is a person who gives pretence of having characteristics one does not possess, especially the deceitful assumption of virtue. There’s one thing wrong with a person who thinks she’s perfect. She’s not! And that makes her the biggest hypocrite of all. You may contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. |
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