the fight over the chicken sandwich

I love free speech. Especially so as a writer. And as a Christian, this right enables me to live out my faith without fear.

I don't enjoy fear-mongering. As a child and teen, I recall the terror of listening to older people discuss current events and share their prophecies of the future (in those times, we were fearful of communism). Hearing sermons on the Second Coming caused many fitful nights and worrisome thoughts. Now, I am not suggesting that we do need admonitions from the pulpit about the future and Christ's return, etc. Certainly, to keep eternity firmly in view is to our benefit and will help us live better today. I am saying that it is possible to become too focused on the negative, forgetting that God gives grace and hope whatever the surroundings we're in. So, I have tried not to dwell on the fears of the future, preferring to leave my tomorrows in His hand and obey minute by minute.

But, the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A is disturbing to me and I have to put in my "two cents' worth."

Being a history buff, there are several eras/events that fascinate me - one of those is WW II. Doing some recent research on that whole period, I've seen again the horrific results of the masses being convinced that a sector of the populace is to blame for the social and national ills. For the German people, the enemy was the Jews. It was more than an issue of racial purity; the Nazis were convinced that the Jews were behind the problems their society faced. And the history books record what happened.The Jews of that time could not believe that such atrocities could take place in a civilized, progressive culture like theirs. But public opinion swayed to violent fervor is a formiable foe.

The most disturbing thing about the Chick-fil-A deal is the relevance to free speech. A business owner simply has the right to his own beliefs, and he has the right to express them. And, yes, in America, others have the right to disagree with him and express that opinon. But no one has the right to try to shut down a business because of the personal beliefs of the owner - as long as those beliefs don't endanger the public or break the law. That's exactly what happened on Kristallnacht - the Night of the Broken Glass in 1938. Jewish shopkeepers in Berlin had their stores vandalized, and in some cases destroyed, simply because they had a certain religion which they privately practiced. And it didn't end there. The road led Germany down a path that is almost unfathomable today.

Does that mean we should break out the gas masks and build bomb shelters? No. It does mean that we must keep our heads informed about the law, the culture and our rights as citizens, and that we must keep our hearts firmly planted in Christ so that His unshakeable peace may rule in us.

We may win some of the cultural and political wars - and I sincerely hope we do. There is nothing better than having traditional, Christian values upheld in the marketplace. But we must reconize the free speech rights of others who hold different positions - as followers of Christ, we are surely opposed to their agenda, but as Americans, we must allow them the same freedoms we desire to enjoy. This is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of authentic Christianity in tandem with citizenship.
To believers, these areas of conflict are not mere traditions; they are principles for living given to us by the Creator. And we understand the blessing and/or curse that will follow personal and national choices. We can see the Enemy's handiwork in the ideology and political strategy of present culture. We want to fight for all we're worth, not just for justice and freedom, but for our King. And when we sense a champion, like Limbaugh or Hannity or O'Reilly, we hone in on their philosophies and tips and verbiage - we hope to score a win for biblical Christianity on the back of their fiscal and social conservatism. And oh, I like to win!

But the danger is in putting all the emphasis on this world. God's Word tells us that this earth is passing away, and only those who do the will of the Father will last forever. Does that mean this 21st century world is inconsequential, that we should not care? No, it is, after all, our area of stewardship for the present time. How we conduct ourselves in this skirmish indicates where our true allegiance lies. So, we talk, we discuss, we support, we vote and we care - but never to the point that we fail to follow the other commands Christ gave - love others, seek first His kingdom, fear not.

I'm not "downing" talk shows; I love a good debate (ask my family:) And there is value in free and open discussion. And personally, I agree with many of the views held by these guys and love to listen to them take on the naysayers. But, in the long run, believers are pushing the battle forward on 2 fronts - the present culture and the eternal realm. Both matter.

Bottom line?  I'm glad for a Christian CEO with courage to go along with his delicious recipes. I will suppport his rights to free speech, and I will eat at Chick-fil-A as often as my budget and appetite will allow. I won't stick my head in the sand about the possible threats to biblical faith that could arise in the coming years. But I won't forget to keep a picture of Heaven firmly fixed in my mind and keep commitment to Christ as my guide in all things - political, social and eternal.

A Tribute for the Glorious 4th

Sweet Land of Liberty

By Valorie Quesenberry

Sweet land of liberty. America. Since the day when Samuel Adams called a secret meeting on a quiet street in Boston, the theme of America’s patriots has been freedom. Those men named themselves the Sons of Liberty…they became the front line for freedom in a fledgling nation just beginning to understand what the fight was going to mean. Their pact was insoluble. Their goal undebatable. Their courage unstoppable. Liberty marched out of that chamber and slipped into the front rooms of households across the land, jumping rivers, scaling mountains, weaving itself into the very fabric of what America holds dear.

Sweet land of liberty. America. What President Ronald Reagan called “a shining city on a hill.” Bathed in the glory of freedom, our nation calls to the weary and oppressed. They breathe a whisper of hope, their eyes seeking a distant horizon “if I can just make it to America!” The streets are open to all, the shops serve everyone, the churches beckon every Sunday, the goodwill of strangers is evident in the face of disaster and trouble. Land of opportunity. A place to call home.

Sweet land of liberty. America. They dream of its shores while they sleep in rumpled uniform, their minds tired, their bodies exhausted. Defending our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, they are our armed forces. Our heroes. From Concord’s Old North Bridge to the Middle Eastern Desert, America’s finest have put themselves in the line of fire for freedom. They are wounded, maimed and killed. Their graves are sacred. And we embrace the liberty they so dearly bought.

Sweet land of liberty. America. Your children wave sparklers; your patriots salute flags; your masses enjoy picnics and parades. This is a grand birthday celebration. You are not so old, America. Just a toddler against the vintage of the world’s great empires. Yet your reign is unlike any other. You are an experiment in democracy. You are freedom’s poster child. You are the great ambassador of liberty. You are the embodiment of “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

America.

We pray for your sins. “May God shed His grace on Thee.”

We thank God for you. “May God crown your good with brotherhood.”

We pledge our devotion to you. We love you. “from sea to shining sea.”

-    July 2008

Struggle with Darkness

Not long ago, I was saddened to hear of the death of Thomas Kincade. Today, I was saddened all over again to hear about the cause.

Could there be a person today with any kind of aesthetic sensibilities who has not heard of the "Painter of Light?" His incredible technique and gorgeous renderings of pastoral settings, soft city scenes and welcoming homey vignettes captured our hearts. He had a unique ability to depict shining light - the paintings seemed to glow. But it seems the landscape of his inner self was in contrast to his art.

Today I read a news story which gave the coroner's findings in regards to cause of death. Kincade had struggled with substance addiction in his life and, according to his brother, had relasped into that behavior before his death. His sudden passing was directly related to that fact.

How tragic that the creator of such radiance should come to the end of life in a struggle with such blackness. It is a sobering reminder to us all that the countenance doesn't necessarily reflect the soul - that has ramifications for us as we examine ourselves and as we interact with others. Not that we should live in obsessive introspection with regards to our own relationship with Christ nor should we indulge in excessive suspicion of the testimony of our friends. But rather it should cause us to see that we need be on guard lest we feel we've reached the peak above attack. And it should motivate us to realize that others, no matter the degree of accomplisment they hold, are still susceptible as well and very much need our prayers, comradeship and love.

The world will miss Thomas Kincade. And I doubt I will ever gaze at one of his lovely paintings without remembering that darkness will always try to overcome light. But there is a Light that has overcome the world; His power alone will prevail."Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Jesus - the First of many brothers

Recently, I've been thinking about the relationships of Jesus. I know He is God and therefore not identical to us in the way we relate to other humans, but on the other hand, relationships began with the Godhead, so there must be some emotions present which resemble ours.

My husband has been preaching through Romans on Sunday nights, and he used this verse in one message - Romans 8:29.  "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  (NKJV)

That last phrase jumped out at me - "that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." (italics mine)  Siblings. Jesus wanted to have siblings, wanted to share His Father, His home, His riches, His inheritance. Most of us don't have a say in the matter of siblings or the number thereof, and usually, as kids, we're not too happy to share with them. Sometimes adult siblings have squabbles and maybe serious contention. But Jesus not only wanted siblings, He wanted to redeem them with His own life.

When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, He told her "Go . . . to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."  (John 20:17, NIV - italics mine) What incredible love Jesus had for them and has for us - His Father is now also our Father.

Today, my husband used the theme of Palm Sunday, of course, and he explained that Jesus may have spent a good deal of time with Mary, Martha and Lazarus duing Passion Week, between the Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper (Passover). Again, I was reminded of the relationships of Jesus. He had friends; He enjoyed spending time with friends. I wonder if they traded gentle humor.  Did they laugh a lot when Jesus was there? Did He tease Mary and Martha? Did they fix His favorite foods and have long talks? Somehow, it comforts me to think that at the beginning of this week of terrible suffering and loneliness, Jesus could spend some time with friends who loved Him so much.

My firstborn is looking toward the horizon of college in another year. I'm peeking at it too, not gleeful to think of her leaving for sure, but trying to take it in stride, knowing that is why we raise them - to let them go. That reminded me of God the Father. He let His Son go too. He let Him go to foreign planet; He let Him go to a place where He would be misunderstood, disdained, ridiculed, tortured and killed.

There's no way I would want my child to go away knowing she would be subjected to such treatment. (And I don't believe there's a problem with that sort of thing at Bible college!) But, God let His Son do that - and willingly too. Did the Father have emotions similar to mine when Jesus left Heaven and was born on earth? Did He miss His Son? Did He wish He could make things easier for Him, to bear some of the burdens for Him? I don't know.  But I do believe His parent's heart must be the pattern, for everything good about human relationships takes expression from the Eternal.

Jesus was fully God and fully man. And He is a God of relationships. We can't miss that. It does us no good to try to obey Him or please Him or honor Him if we cannot fully embrace a relationship with Him.  Whatever else these verses mean, they assure me that Christ is not aloof from the humans He came to save, but is as close and devoted as a beloved brother. And that fact will make this week - Passion Week - all the more significant.

Almost Here!

In just one month, this new title from the Sisters in Faith (Wesleyan Publishing House) series will release for sale. I am excited about the message of this book. It is one that I am endeavoring to put into practice in my own life. Keep watching this blog and my Facebook page for more information. And I'd love to hear from you about how God is teaching you to be "simply content."

I plan to have this title available at the Dayton Convention this year. If you would like to pre-order, click here.