Are Magic Mike Haters Overreacting

You know who you are. I’ve been watching you for the last several days and had to join in the conversation. At first glance, I was somewhat befuddled at the Magic Mike headlines. I thought that Magic Mike was perhaps the newest hit on the Disney Channel. But after the 3rd or 4th post I had to see for myself. So it turns out that Magic Mike is not a Disney character but a movie about a male stripper (although I wouldn’t put it past Disney). Of course, it’s all the rage among the ladies. However, this is not without controversy. Countless numbers of men and women have voiced their opinions that women should refrain from getting a glimpse of Magic Mike’s naked body. But aren't we overreacting a bit?

The answer to that question depends upon whom you ask. It depends on you ,or least that’s what I’ve been told. One lady posts, “I don’t mean to offend anyone, but for me, I can’t go see Magic Mike because I would not want my husband going to see a movie about a stripper.” A friend responds, “I hear ya girl. I ain’t here to judge but for me it’s wrong.”

Another thread boasts a more stern warning, “I can’t reconcile going to Magic Mike with my claim to follow Christ. I want to challenge all my friends to really think about this before seeing this movie“, adding, “But that's just my opinion. I’m not here to judge.” I’ve even read people quoting verses like, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. The obvious implication is that we are to mind our own business when it comes to the personal choice of morality.

So the question of “to see or not to see?” depends on your own personal convictions. For some it may be wrong, but for others it may be right. We must learn to be tolerant and not judge one another. These are personal matters and we should respect everyone’s view equally. But wait a second. This deserves a deeper look.

What do terms like “personally”, “for me”, “I’m just saying”, “that’s just my opinion” and “I’m not here to judge” have in common? They are all subjective statements. By subjective I mean that they are just opinions or preferences, if you will.

These terms are perfectly fine when given in the context of a subjective preference. For example, it is makes sense to speak of your favorite burger joint in this manner. “For me, Five Guys makes the best burger in town.” I get it. You aren’t so arrogant as to think that everybody must agree with you on your personal preference in burgers. It’s just your opinion.

But when the subjective or personal preferences are applied to objective truths I must part ways. What do I mean by objective truths? These are things that are true whether or not you see them that way. They are truths that are not SUBJECT to you or me. Objective truths are the antithesis of SUBJECTive truths, in that they are not SUBJECT to interpretation or preference. They are OBJECTIVELY true.

When we qualify our statements about morality and God with these types of phrases, we mask the truth of reality in the cloak of subjectivity. And by doing so, we contribute to the demise of moral knowledge. In other words, we make morality unknowable, which logically paves the way to making God unknowable. Which, I could argue, is the most dangerous crisis facing the Church today. We are in the midst of a knowledge crisis. The very idea that we can actually know things is under attack by the prevailing philosophies of society.

If I qualify my statements about God, faith in Him, and His moral law, with “for me…….”, I am saying that this is not really true. It’s just true for me, just like my favorite flavor of ice cream. When we start with “Personally, I think…..” we are again removing the salt from our statement by removing the teeth of objectivity from the real truth. And when we say, “I’m not here to judge…..” we reaffirm that our statements are not really true at all. It is just our opinion and we are not going to bind that personal thing we call “faith” on anyone.

There is a huge, enormous, large, giant, really big problem with this. If our statements about morality are just personal then what would bind anyone else to our own “opinions”? If our statements about God are only “in our opinion”, we are left we a meaningless, powerless claim, a claim that holds no validity to compel others to decide to join us.

Christianity only works if it’s true. Not true for you, but really true. I’m talking about True True. So, when Paul writes in Philippians chapter two that we are to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”, he not telling us to mind our own business when it comes to God, faith in Him, and His spoken word. In fact, the context of Philippians chapter two is quite the opposite. It is a call to Lordship, a call to actually live out our claim to follow Christ in our real life. It’s a call to unite faith and knowledge, our public lives and our private lives, our claims and our daily operations. In other words, live like Jesus really did rise from the dead. Paul says that if Christ was not, in fact, raised from the dead we are to be pitied more than all men. Why is this? Because Christianity only works if it is objectively true. If it's true true.

If Christ did not really come out of the tomb in real historical time, then He is not who He said He was and the entire thing is a sham. And if God doesn’t really exist, what basis do you have to claim anything is wrong or right? In the absence of God, your basis would be yourself and others. Most likely the dude with the biggest stick would get to decide. And this, my friends, would be subjective morality because it is subject to the dude with biggest stick. So when we make statements about God, faith in Him, and His written word in a subjective manner we are presenting a God who isn’t really there. And who would want to live for a God that isn’t there. But God is there and we must begin to act like it and speak like it. I know it’s not politically correct, but political correctness is nothing more than a tasteless soup of meaningless words. We aren’t serving soup, we are serving salt cured meat, a meat with substance and flavor. Don’t eat that tasteless soup. Instead order a big fat steak.

-Selected

Clean

Most of the time, I think about forgiveness. Since I am a sinner, I need forgiveness. Forgiveness from others and forgiveness from God. Since I am also sinned against, I also have opportunity to forgive. And since I am more familiar with forgiveness, I often forget the other blessings God promises.

For example, Sanctification! The idea here is that God not only over-looks our sins, but he cleans us up; removes the stain and qualifies us for his service. This almost never happens in our human endeavors so we are not familiar with the idea. We can stop sinning but there are still marks sin leaves behind. We can be forgiven but we still limp. What God is promising us is to be restored. Restored to fellowship, grace and usefulness.

I bought a cast iron pot and it was really old, but before I cooked in it, it had to be sanctified. Who knows what all that stuff is on its surface! Who could know what all it was used for. It will take a lot of work and fire to get it really clean and useful again. Once I bought a pot that had black shoe polish all over it. It looked new but it was dirty.

There are no shortcuts. God forgives and He sanctifies. He makes us presentable and useful. To be useful to God…What a blessing!          

Dear Father, When I thnk of You…Your greatness, Your power and Your Holy nature, I stand in awe of You. I need so much from You. I am lost. I need Your guidance. I have sinned and I need Your forgiveness. I am so dirty that only You can clean me up. Thank You for sanctification. I want to be useful to You. Please use me.   In the name of Jesus, I pray.

Paul Shero

San Angelo, Texas

One Perfect Day

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

What’s on your schedule today?  Meetings, chores, errands?  If you could plan your perfect day, what would it look like?  What would you be doing; where would you be going; who would you be with, or would you be alone?  What impact, if any, would your perfect day have on the rest of your life and the lives of those you love?

It’s exciting to know that God prepares each of our days in advance according to His purposes.  Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may not come.  What will you do with today?  

One thing for sure, you’ll encounter Satan wearing many disguises.  Unless you plan otherwise, he’ll deceive and distract you.  And, even if you don’t succumb to his lies, you can waste today trembling in fear of this malicious enemy God has already defeated for you once and for all!  

If, on the other hand, you purposefully keep your spiritual eyes focused God, you will enjoy with confidence and assurance all the delights of this perfect day God prepared and generously gifted to you.  So what will you do today?  

Spend time in God’s word, getting to know him and learning how He thinks and feels about things?  Spend time in prayer (talking to Him) and meditation (opening your heart to His answers)?  Will you purposefully look for opportunities to be an encourager, to speak kindly, and to treat others graciously?  Will you, just for today, determine not to bicker, criticize, malign or complain?  

Some of you will recognize the phrase, “Progress, not perfection.”  It’s not a FOX NEWS ALERT that none of us is perfect, but it’s very good news that if we plan to, we can, by God’s power, make progress one perfect day at a time.  

Thank you, Father, for all the days you prepare in advance for us.  Give us wisdom to recognize the good works you have in mind for us to do, through Christ, amen.       

Sandra Milholland

Abilene, Texas

Teacher, Don’t You Care?

Leaving the crowd behind, they took him [Jesus] along, just as he was, in the boat.  There were also other boats with him.  A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.  The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quite!  Be still!”  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?  Have you still no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey him!”        Mark 4:36-41

These disciples were amazed by Jesus’ teachings.  They have witnessed Jesus performing miraculous healings.  Yet, incredibly, they have trouble believing Jesus has authority over nature.  They realize the storms on the lake have created a seriously, dangerous situation.  The threat of capsized boats and drowning was a traumatic event, yet Jesus seized the opportunity to teach the disciples an essential faith lesson.

Disciples of Christ shouldn’t be surprised to encounter storms in life.  Jesus wants to know if your faith will remain strong in all circumstances.  Will your faith be real and functioning or merely a shallow belief?  Will your faith persevere to the end?

Serving Jesus in the “calm” times is often comfortable and easy.  However, will you be able to consider it pure joy (James 1:3f) during the “stormy” times of life?  Claiming Jesus as your Lord and Master is a commitment, not a convenience.

Storms may be caused by conflict or selfishness or worldliness or unforeseen circumstances.  Storms in our life can create fear.  Fear may cause us to question who Jesus is.  Faith in the midst of fear is an essential part of discipleship.

Let us remember who Jesus is:  Our savior; our way; our truth; our life; and, the one who gave us victory over death.  God created all things through him.  He’s the protector of our souls.
Yes, Jesus cares!  Have the faith to trust him.  There is life beyond the storm.

Dear Father, please forgive me when my fears overcome my faith.  Please strengthen my faith so I will know, beyond any doubt, that you care about my soul.  Help me persevere in faith, so I may become a mature disciple of Christ.  In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Carl Smith
Stephenville, TX

Kimani and Samuel: Men with Stories to Share

My brother, Steve Greek, was a missionary to the deaf population in Kenya, East Africa for about twelve years.  He and his wife Claudia now live in Pioneer, Tennessee, where they are school teachers.  Most summers, Steve and Claudia return to Kenya for several weeks to assist with the continued missionary work they began many years ago.  Following is a story from Kenyan deaf culture, not like our United States culture, but recognizable world-wide by other Christians. I just received the story from Steve via email and it should be shared.

Charles Kimani’s “sign name” is really more of a motion than a hand position and placement.  To “say” Kimani’s name properly, one should put both hands in a fist-like positions and move both arms as if you were doing the breast stroke under 3 feet of water.  You also need to move your head in a dipping motion, at a slight angle that implies that you are sliding through those three feet of water to reach the surface.  Kimani explained to us that, when he was a child, he was quite a swimmer!  I have never asked why an accomplished swimmer would hold his hands in a fist-like position, but neither do I ask why Fred is called Fred, or Billy is called Billy.  It is his name!

In the first part of this report, I explained that one of his daughters has some physical impairments which necessitate her need for a wheelchair.  Kimani and his wife exhibit such devotion to their children that Claudia was reminded of Charles Kimani’s devotion to others as well.  She told a “Charles Kimani” story to our team of missionaries the other night.  It is a painful, yet beautiful story of friendship that impacted several families in powerful ways and has long lasting influence on their lives.

It was a rainy evening twenty years ago when Kimani rapped on our door.  There was an expression of urgency on his face when he indicated that our friend, Samuel, had fallen down on the side of the road in an apparent seizure.  He had been shaking violently and gone straight into an unconscious state of exhaustion.  We got into my vehicle, found him in a gully full of rushing water, and took him to a local physician who immediately admitted him in the local hospital.  He was receiving appropriate care, so I carried on with plans to go to Uganda the following day.  Before our return, three days later, I received word that Samuel had passed away with an apparent brain tumor.  

When I arrived in Eldoret, one of the first jobs we faced was negotiating with people at the morgue adjacent to the hospital.  They had refused to release Samuel’s body until a very large sum of money (for which no receipt would be given) was paid.  I scolded and pleaded with the morgue attendants who were requesting the bribe until they released the body.  That Sunday, at a memorial service, Samuel’s family and many of the deaf people in the local community attended the service.  Those who were Christians shared stories of Samuel’s faithfulness; he always had a small New Testament in his shirt pocket, he spoke of Jesus to everyone he met, he was a humble man who interacted lovingly with others.  Those who were not Christians shared stories of Samuel’s goodness, his kindness, and the respect that he deserved.

When Samuel’s family addressed the group, they indicated that, because he was deaf, and they did not know any sign language, they did not know their son.   They loved him, of course, but they were shocked and moved to know that he was a Christian and, in fact, a leader in the church among the deaf. They spoke with a few of the hearing people attending the service and made plans to learn more about their son’s Christian beliefs.   A few months later, we received word that Samuel’s family had become Christians and attended a church close to their home.

As Claudia shared the story of Kimani knocking at our door, and Samuel’s influence on his family, she emphasized that as we look out at the crowd of 106 people at the KDPL (Kenya Deaf Prayer and Learning) meeting, we are looking at many people who have a long history with the Church of Christ mission effort.  There are countless stories, most of which will never be told, but all of which should be chronicled. There are stories that make us laugh and others we hear with regret, but all are important and all are precious.

Thank you for your part in making these stories what they are,

Steve and Claudia Greek

Dear God, Help us to remember our missionaries every day, and lift them up in prayer.

Sherilyn Svien

Stephenville, Texas