Be With

by Andrew Cromwell

Have you noticed that everyone “knows better” until they’ve actually been in the situation? Whether it is the decisions facing the government, the choices of the local school board, or the brother-in-law’s latest relationship, people somehow find it incredibly easy to stand back and declare the solution to the problem. 

I feel the same way. If people would only listen to me, this world would be a better place. People wouldn’t get themselves into the ridiculous situations they get themselves into. Our country wouldn’t be in debt up to its eyeballs and that local building project that the city officials can’t seem to get figured out would already be done, a long time ago. Because I “know better”.

The funny thing is sometimes, and I emphasize sometimes, we are even right. Sometimes we do “know better.” But just “knowing better” doesn’t really do much. Sure it makes you feel like you are somehow better than those people, but that’s nothing more than empty pride. Being right by itself doesn’t help or change anything. 

Believe it or not, just being right, can make things worse. The Apostle Paul talks about this reality in his letter to the Romans. He describes it in legal terms. The more laws you have on the books, the easier it is to break them. Before you know it everyone’s a criminal! And those who look around at what other people are doing and “know better” and quote the law, do nothing more than make other people even more guilty. They judge and condemn.

I believe that is why God sent His son Jesus into the world. A perfect God always “knows better.” Imagine Him looking down at all of us bumping around here on earth, making a mess of everything. He could have just shook His head and pulled out His stick and judged us all as failures. Just like most of us do to other people.

But that’s not what He did.

Father God wasn’t content simply to dispense judgment and condemnation from afar. He was convinced that there was a better way. A way that required more of Him, certainly. It required Him to get down into the muck with us so that He could lead us out of it. So He sent His Son Jesus to do just that.

That’s the difference between condemnation and incarnation. Condemnation declares the truth and hammers the gavel and says “Guilty.” Incarnation moves into the world of the person who is broken, identifies with them and with the reality of their situation, and says “Let’s fix this.” John says it this way, “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.”

What kind of person are you? Are you one who stands backs and shoots judgment like a gun? Or are you willing to take a step closer and risks getting your hands dirty so that you actually help? 

Keep It Simple

by Tim Howard

Many, if not most people have heard of the Ten Commandments, even though they may not be able to quote them verbatim. Exodus chapter 20 records them for us and they go like this. “Do not worship any other gods besides me. “Do not make idols of any kind, … “Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God. “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God… “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you. “Do not murder. “Do not commit adultery. “Do not steal. “Do not testify falsely against your neighbor. “Do not covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife … or anything else your neighbor owns.”

These Ten Commandments are also called the 10 Laws of God. They are given to guide and help us discover the best way to relate to Him, others and the world around us. Someone said these are not the 10 Demand-ments from God but the 10 Commandments because He doesn’t force anyone to follow His ways.

In the course of history, religious leaders have added to these 10 commandments more and more laws, numbering in the 100’s and in doing so created a complex system and complicated things greatly. Jesus, however, comes to us in New Testament times and brings us back to simplicity. In response to a man’s question about what is the greatest law, Jesus made this reply: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

He sums up the whole law, whether it is 10 divine commands or 100 man-made ones, and brings life back into focus by giving two clear, concise, simple and yet profound truths.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, before he died at the hands of the Nazis, said, “To be simple is to fix one’s eye solely on the simple truth of God at a time when all concepts are being confused, distorted, and turned upside down.” That was the Apostle Paul’s prayer for certain people, which is recorded in 2 Corinthians 11. He prayed for them to maintain a clear view of God and not be removed from the simplicity of the gospel.

Jesus lived a simple life and advocates a simple lifestyle, even in the 21^st century. He did not intend to promote a simplistic way of thinking nor a shallow way of living because life can get twisted, tangled and downright difficult at times. Easy and simple are not always synonymous terms. Even though life is not always easy, the answers to all of life’s challenges can be found as you simply look in one direction. “Up”

David said it well in Psalms 121. “I will lift up my eyes … where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

You may not be able to quote the 10 Commandments to someone who asks but maybe you could remember, recall and repeat the two Jesus gave. Love God with all you have and love your neighbor as yourself. Keep it simple!