Brent's Book
My friend Brent solicited ideas for a book he is contemplating. I spent an inordinate amount of time this morning responding in his comments, only to Halo kick me out without saving...because my original plans were to write these thoughts here anyway...here goes...
Your book should be about balancing personal conviction with grace. I just finished reading Galatians (very Grace oriented) again...and the same guy wrote Ephesians and Corrinthians (very conviction oriented)...all inspired words of God. So here goes some conflict...
Music - I like Elton John. I love his music. When Saturday Night comes on the radio, I turn it up and sing along. I bought the song for $.99 at iTunes. A portion of my $.99 goes to Elton John to support his lifestyle, which is as far from the Kingdom as possible...hence the conflict.
Walmart - I like Walmart. I get my hair cut there. I buy boneless bbq wings for lunch from their deli. I go 6-8 times per year. Walmart's employment practices are suspect. The way they treat their suppliers is predatory and forces many suppliers to compromise generations worth of ethics and go offshore and create what most would call human rights violations, all with the goal of "rolling back prices"...hence the conflict.
Truth - 2+2 = 4. 2+2 is not 3 or 5 or 7. If an associate with whom I work thinks 2+2 = 3 I can tell them the truth, or I can let them learn on their own, showing an attitude of patience and grace. Unless they are doing my payroll, then the truth (or lack thereof) negatively effects me, and when I tell them, I am INTOLERANT. Intolerance could be the ugliest word in the current english language. Intolerance carries with it bigotry, homophobia, fanaticism...and Christians who have convictions are by definition intolerant...and we can't have that now can we...hence the conflict.
So there you have it...convictions and grace...how do we live a life with both as we are commanded to do.
Brent, you've been teaching your teenagers this (I assume) for over a decade...put it in writing...write THAT book.
posted by Hollywood at 9:22 AM
1 Comments:
The main problem with that book, Hal, is that it will inevitably lead to legalism.
As an example, I'd suggest that a portion of your $0.99 to Elton John goes to support his ART, of which you enjoy. What he chooses to do with his money is his choice. What if he was a heterosexual and married but chose to own a vineyard/winery and you opposed alcohol sales? You're still supporting his art.
However, plenty would disagree with me on that.
Same with Wal-Mart. I don't have time to analyze the hiring practices of 7-11, but when I need gas or a slurpee then that's where I'm headed. But again, if I found out that they were supportive of divestitures in South Africa supporting Apartheid AND I had a viable alternative, then I don't mind using that alternative.
And I might disagree with your usages of Bible: I'd suggest that Galatians, Ephesians and Corinthians are all very grace oriented. Galatians is inarguable. Ephesians is heavy on right doctrine (of grace) leading to right practices, and Corinthians is about how to gracefully live in a culture decidedly in conflict with the values of the church.
And, on the issue of "truth" I don't think there's any conflict with the world. We're different. They know we're different. We know we're different. No conflict. The problems often come from how we view "intolerant." You gotta admit there are times when we've been bigots, homophobic and fanatical. Our convictions are not intolerant, our convictions are our beliefs dearly held...it's how we communicate those convictions to a watching world that throws them off.
So, it seems to me I can write that answer with one Scripture reference: 1 Timothy 1: 5.
After that, it's all pretty easy...and, I'd venture to guess The Church, particularly as it exists in 2006 in America, has failed miserable on the goal and the three places it comes from.
7:54 AM
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