Lottery Losers

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." - 1 Timothy 6:6-8

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/29/lotterys-biggest-losers-big-wins-dont-equal-better-lives/

"I've Gotta Be Me!"

Ziggy is a cartoon character that was created by Tom Wilson the year I was born. Ziggy has a rather unimpressive appearance. He is small, bald, and barefoot. He has been described as always being one step behind, one nickel short, one lane away from the fast lane. This guy is anything but lucky. He never seems to catch a break!

That's probably why Ziggy has so many fans. For in Ziggy they see a reflection of themselves, and the many misfortunes that come his way remind them of their own life experiences. Who, really, would want to be Ziggy? Yet in some ways, we all can relate to Ziggy.

When I was a kid, my parents got me a T-shirt with Ziggy on the front exclaiming, "I've Gotta Be Me!" Looking at that statement from a Christian standpoint, it can be viewed as either positive or negative, as true or not true.

Looking at it negatively, we can say that it is not true as it concerns sinful traits and patterns in our lives. A Christian brother who has an anger problem may say, “I can be a bit of a hot-head, but then I cool down after a while. That’s just the way I am.” Or maybe a Christian sister is known for being obnoxious. She may pride herself in her ability to “speak her mind,” describing herself as one who “tells it like it is. That’s just the way I’m wired.” In both cases these people are in sin and without excuse. God expects them to change. This is not a matter of “teaching old dogs new tricks.” The fact is, we are not dogs; we are people. And if we are in Christ, we are a “new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17). Scripture says “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life … and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:23-24).

When it comes to sinful traits and patterns, I don’t gotta be me. In fact, I gotta kill me [self] and become like Christ. Thankfully, God has made this possible by his Spirit, giving us the power to change. This is really the only way to live (Rom. 8:13).

With this in mind we can also take to heart the quote “I Gotta Be Me!” in a positive sense, stressing the blessed uniqueness of our individuality. This has to do with aspects of our person that distinguish us from others. Such features would include our personality, skill set, spiritual gifts, etc.

The apostle Paul testified in 1 Cor. 15:10, "By the grace of God I am what I am." The first part of the verse--the realization that we are who we are is the work of God's grace--keeps us from pride. The second part of the verse--"I am what I am"--should keep us from wishing we were someone else. Instead, we should become all that God has created us to be. That's why Paul goes on to say in the second half of the verse, "... and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."

I think of how much time I have squandered wishing that I was different or more capable than I am, rather than going all out in God's strength to reach my full potential in Christ. Or, my attempts to sort through my own inner attitudes can go from honest self-examination to a morbid introspection. This can really screw you up mentally, emotionally, and otherwise, leading to what John Piper called

a carnival of mirrors in your soul: you look in one and you're short and fat; you look in another and you're tall and skinny; you look in another and you're upside down. Then the horrible feeling begins to break over you that you don't know who you are any more. The center is not holding. And if the center doesn't hold--if there is no fixed and solid "I" able to relate to the fixed and solid "Thou," namely, God, then who will preach next Sunday?

Piper goes on to quote 1 Corinthians 15:10 which I did above, then comments, "If, by grace, the identity of the 'I' -- the 'I' created by Christ and united to Christ, but still a human 'I' -- if that center does not hold, there will be no more authentic preaching, for there will be no more authentic preacher, but only a collection of echoes."

Praise God, we don't have to be a "carnival of mirrors" or a "collection of echoes." Rather, we can be confident about who we are in Christ.

This reminds me of one other cartoon I watched as a kid. I had to hunt this one down because my recollection was so foggy. But having rediscovered it, I believe it serves as a wonderful illustration of what I'm trying to say.

The cartoon was called "King Leonardo and His Short Subjects." It aired on ABC from 1960-63 (so what I saw were obviously re-runs that aired in the early 70s). One of the main characters was Mr. Wizard the Lizard who lived in the woods at the base of a tree. He was often visited by Tooter the Turtle (pictured below with the Wizard), who wanted to satisfy his curiosity about a number of subjects. So with a wave of his arms, Mr. Wizard would send Totter Turtle through time or space to experience what it was like to be a gunfighter, knight, police officer, sailor, or whatever else he wished to be. At the end of each adventure, Tooter would realize that there's no place like home and being simply a turtle.

The climax of each story would occur when Tooter would get himself into an awful, inescapable predicament and cry out, "Help, Mr. Wizard!" Upon hearing the cry, Mr. Wizard would utter his magical chant, "Drizzle, Drazzle, Druzzle, Drome, time for this one to come home!" In a matter of seconds, Tooter would make it back, safe and sound. At that point Mr. Wizard would give him the wise counsel that would conclude every episode: "Be what you is, not what you is not. Folks that what is, is the happiest lot."

Viewed in the light of Paul's testimony in 1 Cor. 15:10, Mr. Wizard's words are still good counsel -- a lesson I'm still learning today.

Every Member Matters

A couple of weeks ago I posted an article entitled God Is Sovereign, and You Are Significant. If you scroll down just a bit, you'll be able to see it. I would also recommend that you read the insightful comments that were posted as well.

Picking up on that theme, I'd like to share two portions of Scripture that relate in a wonderful way to each other and carry tremendous implications for us as God's people. In Psalm 68, David exults in the Lord God, who scatters his enemies and shares the spoils of war with his people. In verse 18, David exclaims to the Lord, "You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there."

Interestingly, in Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul uses this text in relation to the church. In verses 7-8 he writes, "But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, 'When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.'" This tells us a couple of things. First, the fact that Paul applied this text to Christ shows that he believed Jesus to be divine. Second, there is a slight discrepancy between the two texts. Paul says that "he gave gifts to men" rather than "receiving gifts among men." However, the verb "receive" (which is laqakh in Hebrew) can carry the idea of "receive in order to give."

So here is the picture: By his atoning work, Christ not only satisfied God's wrath against our sins, but he also conquered his enemies "and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4). The Spirit of Christ has shared the "spoils" of his victory with us, his people. These include the spiritual unity, blessings and gifts outlined in Ephesians 4. The implication is clear: Just as Christ received in order to give, so we also receive in order to give. The Lord Jesus has gifted every member of his body, so that as each member does its part, the body of Christ is built up and grows into full maturity. Let me reiterate that: The body grows only as each member does its work! Remember also that this is God's work. He is using us to bring his redemptive purposes to pass! Have you considered the immense implications of this? Paul David Tripp doesn't think we have - not really. In his book, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, he writes,

Most of the time, we are oblivious to this. We are too easily captivated by our self-centered little worlds. But Ephesians 4 propels us beyond a life consumed by personal happiness and achievement. Your life is much bigger than a good job, an understanding spouse, and non-delinquent kids. It is bigger than beautiful gardens, nice vacations, and fashionable clothes. In reality, you are part of something immense, something that began before you were born and will continue after you die. God is rescuing fallen humanity, transporting them into his kingdom, and progressively shaping them into his likeness -- and he wants you to be a part of it.

Your life is bigger than you ever imagined. You live in one moment in time, yet you stand hand-in-hand with Enoch, Noah, Joseph, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Matthew, Peter, Paul, Augustine, Calvin, Luther, and generations of unknown believers who understood their place in the kingdom and did their part in its work. Only as you keep this huge world in view will you be able to live and serve effectively in the small world where God has placed you.

Fellow believer, whoever you are, wherever you're at, please take this to heart. It will change your whole outlook on life, and "you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work" (2 Tim. 2:21 NLT).

A Big Question Regarding Abortion

Today I received the March newsletter for CompassCare, a Christian-based organization that serves women facing unexpected pregnancies. Not too long ago I had lunch with Jim Harden, the President/CEO of CompassCare and was greatly encouraged by all that is taking place through this ministry. For instance, 10% of all the at-risk women in Rochester called CompassCare's Helpline over the last month! This is unprecedented in the history of CompassCare! How encouraging! Yet the CompassCare team continue to set their sights higher, striving to reach and serve 20% of all women in the Rochester region facing an unplanned pregnancy in 2012.

In this newsletter, Rev. Harden makes reference to the recent public commotion over the Obama Administration's Health Reform rules and whether they violate our religious liberty. But in addition to this there are financial considerations. Says Harden, "A big question for any medical procedure these days is, 'How much does it cost?'" Supposedly an abortion costs around $600. But it's really not that simple, according to Harden, who writes,

Several years ago CompassCare led a research initiative called "Abortion Cost/Benefit Analysis" and found that the long term increased health care costs to the community for one woman to have an abortion is $94,000.

That's a staggering figure, to be sure. Is it credible? Yes it is, according to Harden, who proceeds to share several facts from articles published in peer-reviewed medical journals. Here are just a few noteworthy statistics:

• Breast cancer incidences have increased 40% since 1973, the year pre-born children were deemed nonhuman and abortion became acceptable. 52 of 68 epidemiological studies show abortion as an independent risk factor for breast cancer.
• The risk of future pre-term deliveries and complications of 'wanted' pregnancies increase by 300-500% after an abortion. Abortion causes a condition called 'incompetent cervix' whereby damage is done by forcing the cervix open, weakening its ability to retain future pregnancies to full term.
• According to a 2011 study report by the British Journal of Psychiatry, an 81% increased risk of mental health problems occurs in the population of women who have abortions.

As one considers all the costs associated with medical maladies linked to abortion, a whole new financial picture emerges.

Of course, Christians know that money itself isn't the most important issue. A bigger question than "How much does it cost?" is "What does the Scripture say?" God is not silent on this issue. Human life is sacred, it begins at conception, and it must be protected at all costs.