Whose relative is it, anyway?

                                

I suspect that I am no longer of this world. I know that I have relatives. I assume that I wasn’t brought here by aliens and left with them… though that would explain a lot! Ha ha Just kidding, my loves. But truly, from where we were decades ago to now, I am simply concerned for everyone’s mental health.

I wish I could look around at those in this world to see their reaction to certain things of this world to see if the truth of their current living conditions truly registers with them. Sometimes, I just sit stunned as if it can’t get any sadder, more broken or just completely immoral and insane. I worry. I thought that I couldn’t be any more repelled or shocked by what we accept as normal and how we live but that is just not true. It can and does always degrade more and more each day. It is a gradual degradation that seeps in like sewage and before you know it we are swimming in it. Though, I guess with sewage we would smell it coming, so that isn’t a good analogy. Though I really do like analogies. I often wonder how many of you have been completely immersed into or indoctrinated into the darkness of this world so that the truth no longer even registers.  

So here is the deal. I was watching the news, which I really don’t like to do, but should do more often just to know the state of the world that I live in. But, as I speak, I think not. I may want to be blind to it and just go about my happy little business of trying to save the world one person at a time. Any ways, I was struck by a news report that said, “Truth is relative. … They may have a different version of the truth than we do.”

Do you need me to repeat that? How many of you know what I am talking about and, when you heard it, understood the full impact of what that means? This is our new ‘normal’ in the world. Cast aside the Ozzie & Harriet truth, the Andy Griffith truth, the Brady Bunch truth and for that matter, the Bible, if you are going to believe that truth is relative, in the manner speaking.

The internet defines relativism as: “…the idea that views are relative to differences in perception and consideration. ... Truth relativism is the doctrine that there are no absolute truths, i.e., that truth is always relative to some particular frame of reference, such as a language or a culture (cultural relativism).”

I beg to differ. The only thing ‘relative’ in truth is the words used to defile it and make it false. I just have one thing to point out:

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Who’s relative are you? Are you of the father of lies or the Truth? Either a thing is true or it is a lie. For example, to use words to state the truth about whether I ate an apple. What if I didn’t eat the whole apple but took a bite and tossed it aside. It doesn’t really matter if I ate the whole apple or just bit into it. I either ate the apple or I didn’t eat the apple. But let us play the language of relativity.

If it was a good attorney, he wouldn’t simply ask, “Did you eat the apple?”, but let us say that he is new at his job and that is his question.

I could say: “I did not eat the apple.” In this relative way, I didn’t eat the whole apple so therefore I am relatively truthful. That is, in relation to eating the entire apple and not just a bite. However, it is still a gray area to most people and acceptable. However, it is a lie hidden behind partial truths and wrapped in relativity.

I could say: “I threw it down but didn’t eat it.” This means that I tasted the apple by taking a bite but I did not eat the whole apple.” Again, relatively, I am truthful but the same degree of mistruth is there too.

To be truthful, in the real sense of the word, I should say, “I took a bite but threw it down before eating the whole apple.” This, using the correct language and explanation, is totally truthful and Christ like.

Imagine using this mentality in regard to murder, rape, incest, adultery and the like… which, by the way, is used to justify all manner of sins in this world, using the same word play as this. Even our justice system is no longer just because it is warped into word games and insane rules instead of the value of truth. But let me caution you, what you do, what you say, is an indication of ‘whose’ you are.

Too many times there are a multitude of grays out there and we accept them, we use them and we justify them. But Lord help us if God’s truth works in the same manner. His truth is solid and trustworthy. No lies can be found in Him.

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

So to be clear, there is one Truth. His. You should become accustomed with His Truth and use it as your own.

Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;

Proverbs 12:17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Revelation 22:14-15 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Stand strong in the Word and you won’t be drawn into the lies and deceptions of the world.

Pain in the Behind - “Is this compassion?”

My kids will be the first to tell you that whenever they were injured, I would cringe and a shooting pain would happen in my nether region. If they had an injury and then bumped it, the same would happen. It doesn’t have to be my children or even my family. I could feel this pain in my back side for anyone who is injured.

I say this because my husband works in a manner that can cause injury. He is in maintenance and building, essentially. Though he has done everything from clean room construction to manufacturing intricate lab equipment, he is a creator. He is a very hard worker. He is a man’s man.

As recently as yesterday, he was finishing the cabinet doors on our new bus conversion. (The Bus of Hope-Instagram and Facebook) He has managed to strip entire homes down, remove walls, redesign walls, plumbing, electric, and the like. He just knows stuff and what he doesn’t know, he looks up. I digress. He has built this bus entirely by himself, except for the minor things that I was/am able to help with. These days, it is just finishing touches.

“Any ways” as my mother would say, yesterday he comes to the door of the bus and says, “Please get me a bandage, paper towel and peroxide.”

I ask him, knowing him as I do, “What did you do?!”

He says, “Just get me the stuff, please. You don’t need to know.”

As I am bringing it to him, I ask, “Please let me look at it.”

He tells me that it is best if I don’t. Oh my gosh!!! My behind just hurt. I looked around at the hand he was holding away from me and low and behold (whatever that means) blood is dripping very quickly all over the ground. He essentially made a blood trail from the back of the bus where he had been working, to the front of the bus where he stood.

It turns out, for those of you who can’t stand the curiosity that the router bounced or grabbed at the wood that he was holding again and took his middle finger, or the tip of it, with three easy gouges. Routers, I have determined, are evil and have ulterior motives that we cannot trust. (This says my lovely and humorous granddaughter/daughter, Angel. Aptly named.)

As he winces in pain, pours peroxide on it and wraps it in paper towels, he asked for a band-aid so he can get back to work. Every wince is a twinge of shooting ache to my backside, as well. I badger him until he relents to go to the Urgent Care. Dollar signs and time are tallying up in his mind and he just feels it is a waste of money. I win by telling him that, right now, the adrenaline is coursing though his body and he isn’t really feeling the full affects of what has happened, but in a little while, the adrenaline will be gone and he will be in excruciating pain. He taught me that. He relented to go to urgent Care. Thank GOD!

As he sits in the urgent care room, the nurses and doctors have to clean it and stitch it up. This means touching the area and poking things in there. He is relatively quiet and calm. This is old hat to him. He once stitched himself up. It is just the way things are with him. But I have to avert my eyes and try not to look like I am having shooting sympathy pains every time they touch his finger. The nurses are actually more concerned with whether I am going to be okay. I suppose I am doing better than he is so I shouldn’t be a baby. But I still refuse to look.

As I sit there in complete compassion for my husband, I realize something. THIS is how Christ must feel, in some similar, but far more excruciating way, when we do stupid things that hurt ourselves in this world.

1 Cor. 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

God LOVES us so much more than we could fathom. His mercy and compassion outweigh anything that we could possibly EVER feel or comprehend. He chases His lost sheep, He desires our salvation. How unbearably painful it must be to watch us in our agony… agony we often times create for ourselves. And He sees it all!

Rom 5:8: But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2 Ptr 3:9: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The problem is that we have free will. And from the time of Adam and Eve, death and sickness and sin is now a part of our lives. Either by our own choices, or that of someone else who chose sin and death over freedom and life, we fall prey to the world. There are various types of consequences for our actions and that of others.

Josh 24:15: But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Self-induced sin: When WE choose sin, there are natural consequences to our actions. I will use an easy example to explain. If I start to use drugs to get high, as a natural consequence, I will become addicted to them. I will eventually do whatever it takes to get that high again. I will lie, steal and beg. I will risk my job, my family values, my relationships, my health, other people’s health and safety, just for that next high.

The natural consequences to that are that I can’t be trusted with my kids anymore because the drugs take a toll on my mental stability. My ability to operate a car are hindered by my altered state of mind and I am putting others, who are with me, at risk. I even risk the passengers in other cars who are on the road. I may fall asleep when I am watching the baby and roll over on her/him. I even take the babies with me to go get high. That environment is riddled with people not in their right minds. I may even sell myself or my possessions or my family’s possessions to get high again. I stop paying my debts. I stop being able to go to work. I estrange my family who knows that I am an addict. I don’t parent well because I am too busy worrying about me. I stop performing well at work. I lie and tell people I need the drugs for someone else. I tell myself that I am close to God but my god is not THE God or Christ. My god has become the drug of choice, my addiction. And these are just some of the NATURAL consequences to my choice when I choose to have another god before the One True God. I haven’t mentioned the violent withdrawals or health issues that come from trying to escape the clutches of the untrue god that you chose.

Imagine His horror at seeing us face down in our own vomit, passed out in front of our children, or worse, chanting and hallucinating in front of them, or asleep at the wheel while going to get more drugs. This is just one of the ways in which we break His heart. Porn, abortion, greed, dishonesty, lust, adultery, hatred, lies… there are so many ways that we defile His name. So many other gods that we put before Him.

Rom 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life inChrist Jesus our Lord.

Other’s sin: We don’t always choose to sin but our lives become indirectly, and sometimes directly affected, by it. Examples are murder, child molestation, incest, sex trafficking and rape. We don’t choose it but because other’s have free will, we fall victim to it.

Can you imagine? This is clearly something that is NOT His choice, but this world is clearly in darkness. He grieves at the loss of innocence. He mourns at the pain and life-long injury perpetuated by such evil doers.

Gal 5: 16-17:  So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Worldly sin: Pollution, corporate greed or corruption, imbalanced scales of justice, race wars, hatred and division. This wasn’t His plan. He wants good for us. And yet, we live in a world where even the laws are imbalanced and justice, though it may say so, is not for all. People starve and sleep in the streets while others thrive. Everything in this world is centered on those with the most money and power. We have taken God out of the schools and now they want to remove Him from the court room. Rules are made by those with money, power is wielded by those with money and the goal, if you watch all of the commercials and drivel passing itself off as news, is to have and keep it all.

Vanity is at an all time high along with plastic surgery. Sex sells and it is perfectly normal to use sex in any capacity just to sell cars and perfume and make up. If you have THIS car, or wear THIS perfume, or have THIS hair color, you have it all. The commercials on TV are an indication of what this world has chosen as their god. The news is filled with fluff pieces on who’s who instead of what is really happening in the world. Politics are a game, played by those with money and power. There are no real investigative reports because the powerful rich are the majority and you cannot go up against the real issues without stepping on their toes. But if it is in the name of gaining money and power, instead of being Christ like and saving souls, it will survive here.  

He must be so heart sick when He sees every abortion, murder, rape, molestation, sex trafficker, starvation, terminal illnesses, addictions and justifications for every sort of sin that we partake in. We would rather spend money to research a pill on how to keep “love” alive than how to cure cancer of any kind.

I can’t imagine His pain when He has to see all that He witnesses in this world on a daily basis. Just watching ONE of us humans would be enough to break any one of us. But Christ has to stand in the gap for each and every soul and try to convince us that He can bring us peace and love that surpasses all understanding. He chases after the lost and grieves for the broken in a way that none of us can or do.

Deut. 30:19-20: This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

But God loves us in a never ending way. There is hope if we repent and TURN FROM our sins. We cannot be in darkness and claim to be in the Light.

Rom 8: 37-39: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.