Dear Friends,
At one of the many Christmas parties I attended this season, those in attendance were encouraged to share a heartwarming story about Christmases past. Almost every person had a story that included a tender family moment, except one. My friend had a very different story. He said his early Christmases were about getting presents and, when he was older, about getting drunk! His first Christmas after finding Jesus was illuminating. “For the first time, I experienced the joy in JOY TO THE WORLD; I appreciated the still silent LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM; I listened with awe to the message of HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING.” His Christmas, and each Christmas since, had and has meaning.
How about you? What is your Christmas story? My prayer is that you will find Jesus. I promise that your Christmases will never be the same…..
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Heroes
Dear Friends,
Who are your heroes? Martin Luther King was a hero in that he championed the cause of equal rights for African-Americans and all groups that find themselves in the minority. Abraham Lincoln was a hero because he stood on principle and held this country together during civil war. Mother Teresa was a heroine because she was the “hands of Christ” to the poorest of the poor. I watched a movie recently in which the “nerdy” man gathered up enough courage to stand up for his girl. She kissed him and whispered in his ear, “You’re my hero!” (Oh, please!)
The problem with heroes is that they are human. If you look closely at their lives, you see that they were/are sinful people. Tiger Woods reached “icon” status with his athletic achievement coupled with an image of generosity and integrity – but we recently learned a different story. Many sports stars are considered heroes but there are too many “fallen heroes” on the field (and golf course). King David had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered – and he is a Biblical hero!?
I guess we want our children to know that heroes (like Martin Luther King) or Biblical heroes (like David) are just people like you and me. It’s important to distinguish between the heroic act and the rest of the fallen person. We should encourage our kids to model themselves after some particular trait or action of the hero: Be faithful like Abraham or persistent in adversity like MLK. Encourage your children to see heroes around them: a pastor, coach, or neighbor. Heroes provide a model for each of us to emulate, hopefully a picture of godly character, that inspires use to do something greater than ourselves. And don’t forget that there is just one perfect hero. Jesus Christ!
Who are your heroes? Martin Luther King was a hero in that he championed the cause of equal rights for African-Americans and all groups that find themselves in the minority. Abraham Lincoln was a hero because he stood on principle and held this country together during civil war. Mother Teresa was a heroine because she was the “hands of Christ” to the poorest of the poor. I watched a movie recently in which the “nerdy” man gathered up enough courage to stand up for his girl. She kissed him and whispered in his ear, “You’re my hero!” (Oh, please!)
The problem with heroes is that they are human. If you look closely at their lives, you see that they were/are sinful people. Tiger Woods reached “icon” status with his athletic achievement coupled with an image of generosity and integrity – but we recently learned a different story. Many sports stars are considered heroes but there are too many “fallen heroes” on the field (and golf course). King David had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered – and he is a Biblical hero!?
I guess we want our children to know that heroes (like Martin Luther King) or Biblical heroes (like David) are just people like you and me. It’s important to distinguish between the heroic act and the rest of the fallen person. We should encourage our kids to model themselves after some particular trait or action of the hero: Be faithful like Abraham or persistent in adversity like MLK. Encourage your children to see heroes around them: a pastor, coach, or neighbor. Heroes provide a model for each of us to emulate, hopefully a picture of godly character, that inspires use to do something greater than ourselves. And don’t forget that there is just one perfect hero. Jesus Christ!
Friday, December 4, 2009
World View
Dear Friends,
My wife recounted a discussion she overheard in her workplace, a local public school. The topic was whether or not to use the word “History” in any school literature. To some, the word is inappropriate because it suggests there is a God. It is His-story and therefore should be called something else….
Some issues, by their very nature, cannot be considered without a world view to guide one’s thinking. In Walnut Creek, for example, we are serious about protecting our trees, especially oaks! Why? Because oaks are historic, majestic, and uniquely suited to our climate, but are disappearing within our city limits. Most local people believe that oaks are worthy of our protection, no matter what their religion or political bent. But why? I have an acquaintance who believes that god IS the tree. If pushed to the extreme, she will tell you that the oak tree has as much right to existence as any human being. This is her world view and frames her approach to protecting the oak – at all costs. Contrast this with the Christian world view. God created the cosmos, including the oak tree, and mankind IN HIS IMAGE. Naturally, the Christian respects what God has created and works to preserve the oak tree. But if you have to decide between the oak and the human, the human always wins. So, my acquaintance and I agree, for the most part, on the importance of protecting oak trees in our community. But at some point, our world views collide and we find ourselves on opposite sides.
Our Christian world view is so important to us, that we reorganize our portfolios and commitments to send our children to CCCS. We want our children to ask “Why?” and to use a Christian world view to find answers. When our middle school students are taught sex education, parents know that we stress God’s plan for relationships, marriage, and intimacy. Can this be taught in a neutral environment? Of course not! When high school students read a Hemmingway novel, they probe the author’s motives and agendas in addition to recognizing his classic style. Our children learn to “test everything and hold on to what is good.” And when we consider History, we see God’s sovereign hand throughout the ages. It IS HIS-STORY, no matter what you call it. Our Christianity frames our thinking and our actions. It is who we are!
B.J. Huizenga
My wife recounted a discussion she overheard in her workplace, a local public school. The topic was whether or not to use the word “History” in any school literature. To some, the word is inappropriate because it suggests there is a God. It is His-story and therefore should be called something else….
Some issues, by their very nature, cannot be considered without a world view to guide one’s thinking. In Walnut Creek, for example, we are serious about protecting our trees, especially oaks! Why? Because oaks are historic, majestic, and uniquely suited to our climate, but are disappearing within our city limits. Most local people believe that oaks are worthy of our protection, no matter what their religion or political bent. But why? I have an acquaintance who believes that god IS the tree. If pushed to the extreme, she will tell you that the oak tree has as much right to existence as any human being. This is her world view and frames her approach to protecting the oak – at all costs. Contrast this with the Christian world view. God created the cosmos, including the oak tree, and mankind IN HIS IMAGE. Naturally, the Christian respects what God has created and works to preserve the oak tree. But if you have to decide between the oak and the human, the human always wins. So, my acquaintance and I agree, for the most part, on the importance of protecting oak trees in our community. But at some point, our world views collide and we find ourselves on opposite sides.
Our Christian world view is so important to us, that we reorganize our portfolios and commitments to send our children to CCCS. We want our children to ask “Why?” and to use a Christian world view to find answers. When our middle school students are taught sex education, parents know that we stress God’s plan for relationships, marriage, and intimacy. Can this be taught in a neutral environment? Of course not! When high school students read a Hemmingway novel, they probe the author’s motives and agendas in addition to recognizing his classic style. Our children learn to “test everything and hold on to what is good.” And when we consider History, we see God’s sovereign hand throughout the ages. It IS HIS-STORY, no matter what you call it. Our Christianity frames our thinking and our actions. It is who we are!
B.J. Huizenga
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)