Tuesday, September 15

Today’s Readings: Proverbs 25:1-28; Colossians 3:1-11; Psalm 73:21-28

Over the last twenty years, I have been involved in some of the most controversial issues of our day. By this I mean I have spent years and years in conversations addressing issues such as homosexuality and abortion. When I first started participating in these dialogues, I would have thought that some of the fervor would have diminished over the past twenty years. Let me tell you one thing: it has not. Every time I’m around those who are so passionate about these issues, a part of me wonders: “If they are so concerned about upholding what they perceive to be ‘biblical standards’, then why aren’t they out protesting other forms of behavior that the Bible addresses?” Why aren’t they out demonstrating against things like people who are bad tempered, irritable, mean, profane, and swear? After all, passages like today’s passage from Colossians take very specific stands against such behaviors. I’m not quite sure why that is. The cynical part of me says people have a hard time demonstrating against behaviors in which they actively engage. How many protesters at medical clinics that perform abortions, for instance, violate scriptural standards and get bad tempered or irritable during their protests? How many anti-gay activists participate in public debates where they are down-right mean and resort to inappropriate language to make their point? Quite a few. All of this reminds me of the old saying: “When you point a finger at someone else, you have four fingers pointing right back at you.” Today, I would invite you to take a little time and search your own heart. Can you find instances where you get so caught up judging others that you violate the principles espoused in today’s passage from Colossians? Til next time…