Category: Blog

It’s pretty easy to throw stones; however, Jesus said, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5).

Mob scenes are routine TV fodder: CNN, Fox News, Good Morning America, the 6:00 o’clock news, the 10:00 o’clock news. Today there’s a mob marching in Cairo to get rid of the president; tomorrow another mob is marching to keep him. The mobs are in Austin: some are there to defeat the law that restricts abortions after 20 weeks; others to insure its passage. Mobs march against Wall Street, the Tea Party, home schools and the owner of Chick-fil-A. Huge mobs gather to support Gay Pride parades, illegal emigration, gun control, legalized marijuana and spotted owls.

Wise Solomon once said, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him” (Proverbs 18:13). In East Texas we used to say, “It is bad to be silent and thought a fool; it is worse to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” The mob mentality can make a fool out of you. It’s the, I don’t know what’s going on here, but count me in attitude. It’s common in mobs. Many of those in the mob don’t have a clue as to what’s going on; but they are there, caught up in it, supporting whatever it is. Somebody’s up there passionately shouting out clichés or talking authoritatively about high and lofty ideologies. Somebody or some group is being painted asthe bad guys and we are the victims who are being downtrodden and exploited. We must not take it; we must rise up. Ours is a just cause and they are our enemies. It’s amazing how quickly people buy in without every bothering to scratch the surface. Somehow people like to get on a wave and ride it. Ignorance can be bliss. For a little while!

A mob was used to crucify Jesus Christ. Most of the people didn’t have the faintest idea of what was going on; they were simply caught up in the moment. A little group of hard-core activists were using them and they were oblivious. That’s generally how it is with mobs. Not always, but generally! Sometimes there’s a just cause, but often the movement is sinister to the core. Adolph Hitler was a master of the mob mentality. He had the mobs praising him, bragging on what he did for Germany and begging him to take absolute control. He did. The results speak for themselves. A million children murdered! Systematically and in cold blood! Six million Jews! Carnage in Europe: Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, World War 2! The Antichrist will ride a mob mentality to power.

Look before you leap seems like a pretty sound policy. Maybe the mob is right. Maybe not! Maybe those doctrinaire instigators have a just cause. Maybe it’s worth fighting or even dying for this cause. The French and American Revolutions were. Not all causes are just. There could be a bitter sting at the end of this thing. Germany learned that. The Bolshevik Revolution didn’t turn out too well. Before joining any movement, it’s wise to look. Investigate; see what’s going on. Make sure you want to get on board this bandwagon. You may not. God warns, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment” (Exodus 23:2). Some years ago on the way to a church business meeting a friend said to me, “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m here to support my preacher.” Blind leaps rarely turn out well. If you know and support what’s at stake, get on board with all your might; but never allow yourself to be ignorantly swept along with the crowd.

The majority is rarely right. Unfortunately the majority is often given to a mob mentality and is manipulated by a small core with sinister goals. That is true on multiple levels: political, educational, social and even in churches. Sometimes as in the case of the holocaust, one person is the real master-mind. Masses are used for evil and don’t even know it. There are different kinds of mobs. A mob may be assembled in some location or it may be a movement in the minds of unassembled masses. In either case people get caught up and swept along. Unwittingly they add to the success of the movement. Too often the movement has a bitter, chaotic, devastating end: civil strife, war, slavery, a church or family split and friends become enemies!

Blindness is a terrible enemy. Someone commented to a blind man,“Blindness must be one of the worst afflictions there is.” The blind man responded, “No. It’s worse to have eyes and not be able to see.” Perfectly good eyes, but unable to see! Wow! A fine mind, but caught up in a mob mentality! Unwilling to investigate, look at the facts! Content to blindly ride the wave! My friends are there. It seems right. I trust my president, my professor, my preacher. The consequences can be devastating and irreparable.

Never allow yourself to be caught up in a mob mentality. Even if you are in a mob, you shouldn’t have a mob mentality. If you are a part of a mob, be there because you know what’s going on and support it; never blindly. Yes! Some causes are just and worth giving all you have, even your life; however, many are not. The issue is not mobs; they can be good or bad. The issue is in knowing the facts, understanding what’s going on and the ramifications thereof. Think for yourself. Never ride a wave and blindly coast along on the agenda of others.

During World War II, a group Air Force soldiers flew south from Italy across the Mediterranean to North Africa. A strong tail wind quickly took them over and past their destination. They didn’t believe their compass and ran out of fuel in the great Sahara Desert. Some years later, their wreckage was found along with their skeletons.

A compass is simply an instrument for showing direction. Outdoorsmen and other navigators know what a compass is and how to use it. Not every compass is in a neat little round case with a moving needle that always points to magnetic north. In a broader sense, our compass is our guide, whatever it is that keeps us on the right path. It’s somewhat akin to a ruler, a tuning fork, a plumb line or an Atomic clock. It’s the correct standard. It tells us when we’re off track and how to set things straight.

Everybody has a compass; maybe not a magnetic compass, but some form of internal guide or code. In life our compass is what keeps us on the right path. For a growing number of people the compass is self. I’m my own guide. It’s my life; I’ll do with it what I want. I’ll decide what’s right or wrong.Sociologists have long taught that there are no absolutes. They say everything is relevant and that everything depends on our own perspective. Hence, no absolutes, no immorality or morality; everything is amoral (neutral). Many political scientists insist that the state is the real compass of any society. The state decides what’s right and wrong. Do what the state says. If you don’t, you are wrong and the state has a right to deal with you accordingly. If the state says it is okay to go against God’s Word and allow abortions and homosexuality, then it is right.

Ignoring a compass can prove fatal. Failure to have a reliable compass can be just as disastrous and lead to dire consequences. Individuals and nations that lean on self, popular opinion or the state for their direction ultimately face confusion and chaos. For example, strong voices in society tell us that an unborn baby is a fetus, not a person. They cloud the issue of the sanctity of the life of a human being with women’s rights. They argue that a woman has a right over her own body but ignore the right to life of the baby. Even our Supreme Court agrees with this line of thinking.

However, the unthinkable occurred. Ariel Castro kidnapped three young girls in Cleveland, Ohio and held them in the basement of his neighborhood house as sex slaves for ten years. They were raped, beaten and tortured. Amanda Barry has a six-year old child by him. Five times Castro impregnated Michelle Knight and then each time he systematically starved and beat her in the stomach until she miscarried. Ohio chief prosecutor Timothy McGinty has now charged Castro with murder.

There is no question that Castro deserves the death penalty. However, the case illustrates the stark inconsistent, contradictory and hypocritical ways of a society without a reliable compass. Every day in America over 3,000 innocent babies are murdered in legal abortion clinics. Who could miss the awful killings by Dr. Kermit Gosnell in Philadelphia? Doesn’t it seem strange that on one hand our society and nation says it is perfectly okay to kill a fetus (unborn baby) in an abortion while on the other hand it says it is murder to kill an unborn baby by beating a mother in the stomach? How can it be a fetus in one situation and a baby in the other? How can a mother and doctor who kill an unborn baby be protected by the law while a person who kills an unborn baby by kicking a mother in the stomach be considered a murder by the same law? Contradictory and hypocritical; no doubt about it, but it’s the sad state of a society and nation which has thrown away its reliable compass!

Any time a nation or an individual depends on an unreliable compass trouble is just ahead! When man does that which is right in his own eyes chaos is certain. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17). Every nation and every man needs a reliable compass. Human reasoning is not reliable. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Today America is repeating what a great many other nations and societies before us have experienced. We’ve deserted the reliable compass upon which we were founded and we are paying a high price. Unless we wake up and reverse this trend things will worsen.

The Bible is God’s Word and it is a reliable compass. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). For centuries it was America’s guide. Multitudes have made the Bible their personal compass. It shows the way to heaven. It points to honesty, unselfishness, humility, a good work ethic, responsibility and general integrity. It guides people to morality, good character, good stewardship and basic human respect and values. Our country and world desperately need this compass.

Do you need a reliable compass for your life? There is just one. I challenge you to follow the Word of God; it will never fail you. It will help you in more ways than you might suspect. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Christian is a pretty broad term. The term showed up first in Antioch of Syria (Acts 11:26).Copycats! Disciples of Christ who were mirror images of Him! Since then the definition has been denigrated as a name for most anyone who even remotely professes belief in Jesus Christ. It is not necessary to believe what Jesus believed and taught let alone practice His lifestyle. For most people today Christian is a pretty empty, meaningless name. Except as a punching-bag!

 

Doctrinaire atheists and other haters of the God of the Bible have had great success in painting real Christians as radicals. In general they have tainted and be-smirked the term and portrayed us to be what we are not. Yes, there are some radicals among true Christians, but they are the rare and exceptional cases.  (Every group has those who embarrass them and who are not at all representative of the beliefs and practices of the whole. It is not uncommon to hear of a rogue policeman, fireman or doctor. Surely the fraternity as a whole cannot be condemned because of a few thugs within its ranks. To condemn and damn a group as a whole because of the misdeeds of a few is the rankest form of discrimination and bigotry.)

 

Furthermore, Christians after the order of Jesus Christ and His first-century followers should not be lumped into one big hopper with those whose beliefs and practices barely resemble those of Christ. As a whole, current Christianity barely resembles first-century Christianity; and first-century Christianity is the real thing.

 

It is certain that the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ were quite radical in comparison to the general teachings of humanity: love your enemies, return good for evil, forgive, work hard, pay your taxes and bills, carry your own weight and the list is long. However, Jesus Christ was no radical. Neither were his first-century followers and neither are those who follow Him today. In fact, it is the heart of true Christians to do good and never hurt anyone. We care about others and love them. Love is our #1 characteristic and not just thetouchy/feely kind. The love that motivates true Christians is the kind that does right because it’s right to do so. We stand resolutely against those who do evil and hurt others.

 

What is radical about loving people with a wholesome, unselfish concern for their welfare? What is radical about paying your bills and living within your means? We believe in the sanctity of life for all people including babies. Helping poor, needy people is our idea; it’s vintage Christian. The Good Samaritan story is ours. Mercy, compassion, integrity, honesty, forgiveness, giving, unselfishness, dependability, hard work and obedience to civil law are Christian positions. We reject racism, discrimination, bigotry, hatred, irresponsibility, laziness, injustice in any form and abuses of all sorts. Nothing in this picture is radical. We are not violent people. We do not kill or attack those who differ with us. In fact freedomespecially freedom of conscience is at the heart of true Christianity. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”(John 8:32). He continued, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

 

Yet, true Bible-believing and practicing Christians are increasingly portrayed as the radical, dangerous religious right. We are the most peace-loving, caring people on the planet, yet many would like to eradicate us from the face of the earth. The liberal press viciously slanders us and blames all of us for the evil ideas and actions of a very small few who claim to be Christians but who do not at all represent true first-century Christianity. In spite of such evil and injustice against us, we remain true Christians with the beliefs and practices of our founder, Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Society needs more real Christians, not fewer. In an America and world torn with violence, financial crisis, crime and hatred Christian values are sorely needed. If we were radicals, we’d do bad things to those who lie on us and who want to erase us from the world; but we are not radicals. We are caring, peace-loving people who seek the welfare of all people, even our enemies who spitefully misrepresent and misuse us.

Two ears, two eyes and one mouth! There appears to be a message; listening seems to be more important than talking. What a rare concept! It seems downright divine; however it is extremely rare and hard to learn.

The White House surely isn’t listening; there’s an agenda there that is heedless of the consequences. And, there are always consequences! Politicians have never been known for listening and there seem to be politicians in government, at work, at home and even at church; only their occupations are different. They all seem to have agendas and think they’re smarter than everybody else.

They butt right in when other people are talking. Really! Right in mid-sentence! Advice! Reproof! (Especially reproof!) Who is it that is conceited enough to tell ME anything? About morality, about rearing children, about how to worship God, about smoking (or any other drug), about money management, certainly not about right and wrong! Somehow each generation thinks it’s light years ahead of the one just before. Those ancient and stupid parents and founding fathers! Those old, out-of-touch preachers and “old people;” they really didn’t know how to have church till we got here.

How many dads have wished with anguish that they had listened to their sons when they were young, but dad was too busy with more important thinks like work, sports, reading the newspaper and TV? How many sons have grown up and wished to God that they would have listened to dad? Yes, a dad that is now in the grave! How many parents have wished they had listened to their parents? And, we could talk about work places, friendships, churches and pastors and even governments that should have been listening. But!

God is pretty smart. He said, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee”(Exodus 20:12). “Honour” Give weight, put value, esteem, it’s important! Natural parents; yes! Fathers in the faith too! There’s wisdom in the ages. The people who wrote our constitution weren’t dummies. It should be noted that ALL of the 10 Commandments (including this one) are just that; commandments, not suggestions. It’s also pretty important to remember that this is the “first commandment with promise” (Ephesians 6:2). Those families (churches, nations) which intend to survive had better listen to the old folks. Old Testament Rehoboam (1 Kings 12) is a classic Bible example of one who didn’t listen. He was young and full of himself. He surrounded himself with people just like him. They told him to change, change, change. Don’t listen to those old men. You’re in charge now. This is a young people’s world. So, Rehoboam cheated himself of the great wisdom of his own father, Solomon. He did it his way. He didn’t listen! The price was enormous; for him personally, for all around him, even for the innocent victims and families that were mangled because of him.

Take a walk through Yad Vashim, the holocaust museum in Jerusalem. The German people and the world should have been listening. Spend a little time in a drug rehabilitation center and you will witness the consequences of closed ears and eyes. Look into the face of that person standing on the corner at the red light. Many of them (not all) were the rebellious kids who knew everything and didn’t want to listen to mother or daddy or the preacher who tried to warn them of the consequences of riotous living. Shall I speak of divorced and mangled families, gasping and fragmented churches, shattered dreams and devastated lives and the endless stories of addicts and overdoses?“Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction” (Proverbs 13:18). That’s still true. “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die” (Proverbs 15:10).

The truckers used to say, Hey good buddy, you got your ears on? Good question! Very few do. So the misery and carnage continue! Strangely nobody seems to think he’s not listening. Somehow it always seems to be the other person who should listen. Hum! Strange indeed!

Listening! What a good thing to do! Everything you hear won’t help; more than you think will. Just eat the chicken and throw away the bones. However, don’t assume that it’s all bones before you think it through. Listen with your ears but listen with your eyes. Read the language. And the body language! Listen to the white heads in your life. Pay attention to the people who have been there and done that. Listen to the one around you. Glean from those who have gone before; many of them left books. Just listening can save you lots and lots of grief, not to mention those around you.

God says listen. It’s pretty hard to say you are listening to God when you don’t listen.