A Justice Paradox

From WorldMag.com.

Friday night was a victorious night for the American justice system. Due process was duly just as serial pedophile Jerry Sandusky was convicted on 45 of the 48 charges brought against him. The longtime former assistant football coach at Penn State was on trial for molesting and raping at least 10 boys over a period of many years. A jury of his peers found him guilty, a jury with three quarters of its members having ties to Penn State. Prior to the trial there were grumblings that a jury of Penn State supporters could never be objective in the trial of one their heroes. Score one more for fairness and justice.

Amos 5:24 famously says, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,” and on that night justice did roll down. It rolled to the tune of a sentence that will put Sandusky behind bars for somewhere between 60 and 440 years. Justice rolled indeed, and it was a good thing.

But even as our man-made justice system did its best work, victim No. 6 (name withheld) sat in the courtroom and sobbed.

You can read the full article HERE.

Simple Stories are Simply Good

“Complicated” is the best way to describe much fiction produced these days from George R.R. Martin’s The Game of Thrones to Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series of crime novels. The plots are twisty, the characters flawed, and the morals often ambiguous. Many of these stories are dynamic and wonderful. They can stretch the mind both to follow the story-line and to determine right and wrong within the story. They are a roller coaster of sympathy and antipathy towards the characters. In general, they are written to produce as many questions as answers.

I enjoy these kinds of stories quite a lot, but recently I have been rediscovering the joys of what I’ll call “simple fiction” as I’ve read a couple of Trenton lee Stewarts Mysterious Benedict Society novels and poked back through the Harry Potter books. Much of what I call “simple” is children’s literature, but any good story for a child is a good story for someone who used to be a child. I have found these simple stories to be refreshing for a handful of reasons.

The characters in these stories are basically good or basically bad, and sometimes bad then good, almost never good and bad. They are as good or bad as the reader needs them to be. Bad guys in the stories for younger children do things like call names, look grotesque, and kick kittens because that’s what screams “bad” to a young child. For older readers there are more subtle, but no less clear marks of good or evil – traits such as self-sacrifice or self-serving – as well as more bold and fearsome depictions of evil. This allows the reader to relate consistently to characters throughout. Even as they stumble, the good guys are sympathetic characters because, even in their failings, they don’t exhibit a dark side, just a fallible one. When we read these stories we know who we are rooting for.

With characters that so clearly depict good or evil it only makes sense that these stories depict clear virtues and morality. I don’t mean a fable-like “moral of the story” but rather a moral direction and a virtuous inclination. When the reader completes these books he comes away with a clearer sense of right and wrong, nobility and ignobility. There is something delightfully refreshing about this in a literary milieu of vagaries and, at least, fifty shades of gray.

These kinds of stories are written to be enjoyable, and their simplicity is what gives them their uniquely enjoyable flavor. Despite what some might say in downplaying their legitimacy as literature for mature readers, it is this straight-forward, virtuous simplicity that makes them legitimate. Stories are means of truth, not just entertainment, and these simple stories communicate truth more efficiently and clearly than their more complicated brethren and do so without sacrificing their entertaining faculties.

Good literature comes in many flavors, and I encourage you to seek out some of the simpler forms. Re-discover those stories that you loved as a child. You’re wiser now, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to realize just how well those stories still communicate to you.  

Brokenness in Shiner

From WorldMag.com

Last week the news broke about a horrific, sad story out of Shiner, Texas. You can read details here, but here’s a quick summary: A young father was working on his ranch when another worker told him that a man was seen taking his 4-year-old daughter to a secluded area. When he went to look for the little girl he heard her screaming and rushed to her rescue. The father found the man sexually molesting his daughter, and, in an effort to protect her, beat the man to death.

The overwhelming reaction to the story from readers and neighbors alike has been “good for him.” As a father of two little girls myself, I cannot say I would have been able to, or even want to, do differently. Now, because this is America, there is a debate about whether the man should have acted as judge, jury, and executioner.

What is impressed upon me is this: brokenness. Every single thing about this story screams brokenness. And as a Christian that matters as much to me as any debate.

Read the full article HERE.

Legalist About Legalism

Legalism is the object many pastor’s and blogger’s ire these days (especially by the young reformed fellers) and is generally excoriated throughout the more “gospel centric” and “missional” circles. And for good reason. At its best legalism is annoying. At its worst, it separates people from knowing Jesus.

For the sake of consistent understanding, I’ll use the following definition for legalism:

“Declaring people guilty or innocent before Gods based on standards that are outside the ones God laid out in scripture”

Legalism is wrong. It is laying a burden on people that they cannot bear and demanding a standard of living that God does not demand in order to be guiltless. It is an obstacle in being free to follow Christ wholly and happily.

But here’s my question? At what point have we fallen into the trap of becoming legalists about legalism? To declare a sin a sin is not legalistic. But about how we treat the legalists? It seems like we treat them the way we abhor being treated by them in which case we become them. Do we find it easier to point fingers and distance ourselves from them than from an alcoholic or a fornicator? By pointing fingers and reacting so viscerally aren’t we actually doing the very thing of which we accuse them? It is so easy to slip into “Let’s not invite her. She’s so legalistic.”

It’s a sneaky thing. Since legalism is wrong then it’s right to judge it as such. And in this way we are not legalistic. But legalism is more than wrong judgments, it’s also wrong condemnation which is the carrying out of judgment. And whether we outright say “you are guilty before God” or not, by our actions we condemn legalists. By our attitudes we tell them they are too guilty to be associated with, whether or not God thinks so.

Pragmatically, this sort of condemnation doesn’t move a legalist out of legalism. Grace does that - prodigal, overwhelming, rich, wonderful grace. The same kind each of us is so dependent on. All our condemnation will only strengthen their resolve and deepen the pilings of their legalism. When we commit acts of legalist-on-legalist violence the problems only increase.

As we go about our lives seeking to avoid being legalists, let’s be careful not to go around avoiding legalists themselves. Because by doing so we are expressing our own confused legalism. And no one benefits from that. 

WMBI Interview - Defined By Who We Aren't

I was interviewed this morning on  "The Morning Ride with Mark Elfstrand"  on WMBI in Chicago. Mark asked about an article I wrote called "Defined By Who We Aren't" as well as some cultural and church related areas to which it might apply.

It was a good time and I trust I said some helpful things to clarify what is an important topic for Christians to consider.

You can listen to the full interview HERE.

The Separation of Church and Business

From WorldMag.com:

During a recent conversation with my boss he told me, “A Christian business isn’t a church.” Having worked at a Christian business for most of the past seven years, I resonated with the insight he gave. This statement is not as neat or obvious as it seems at first blush, and it bears some exploration both for those who are supporters or customers of a Christian business and especially those who are employed by one. There are key, fundamental differences between the two.

At a Christian business, like at all other businesses, financial considerations and profit margins are inextricably woven into every decision. While these businesses are message and mission driven, part of the inherent mission is to make money. The mission of spreading the good news of Christ is always within the framework of maintaining profitability. Churches have budgetary constraints, too, but they are to be purely mission and message driven at all times.

Read the full article HERE.

A Little Radio Commentary - Tiger Woods

I recently recorded a brief commentary that aired last weekend on The World & Everything In It. It is adapted from my article "Winning Tiger Woods."

Listen to it HERE.

Billy Collins and the Creative Process

Yesterday I listened to a podcast of the  TED Radio Hour. It was an episode called  "The Creative Process". The first 12-15 minutes are an interview with Billy Collins, former poet laureate of the United States, and, especially for writers, they are powerfully delicious and wonderful.

Image via Arizona Public Media - radio.azpm.org

In this piece, Collins had several quotable and powerful points. This was my favorite. It is a portion of the interview where the interviewer asks Collins about struggling to write, "writer's block" in short. 

STEWART: Billy, what do you do on those days when it just doesn't come to you?

COLLINS: Oh, the - poets do the thing - we'd go to the dry cleaner. I mean, the usual stuff. Well, I wait. I mean, I - there's this term, writer's block. I - I don't believe in it. I don't like to even hear the term. I mean, you can't be writing constantly because you'd be insane. So there must be periods of non-writing.

And then it's just a matter of how do you view them? And I just view them as I'm - I'm waiting. Waiting for something to come along. And I think that's a kind of healthy way, rather than thinking I'm not writing. That means I'll never write. [Emphasis Mine]

I love this thinking. It is freeing. It removes a burden. Oh, and it's true. Waiting is the answer to that thing we call "writer's block." Just wait, read, watch, listen, relax, and ease up for a bit. It'll come to you. And your writing will be better for it. (The only trouble is when you're writing on a deadline.)

Listen to the whole interview or read the transcript HERE. He offers some wonderful, insightful thoughts for creatives of all sorts, but especially writers.  

Winning Tiger Woods

From WorldMag.com:

Three years ago there was no question that Tiger Woods was the best golfer in the world. He was so good that people expected him to win every event he entered. He intimidated opponents into failure. It is almost impossible to exaggerate how great Woods was at his peak. 

Then Woods’ personal life collapsed. After a car crash in his own driveway and sketchy reports about an ugly dispute with his then-wife, it came to light that Woods was quite the philanderer. In the end 12 different women came forward with claims of inappropriate relationships with him. Consequently, Wood’s life fell apart. His wife divorced him and took their children, he suffered a career-threatening knee injury, and his once flawless golf game collapsed. He went from marketable superstar and the favorite in every tournament to barely making the cut . . .

Now, As Woods re-ascends the ranks of golf's elite, as I hope he does, it is worth considering how wee will think and act toward him. 

Read the full article HERE.

For Your Reading Pleasure

Three books I have read recently that I especially enjoyed and appreciated.

Church Behind the Wire by Barnabas Mam

Yes, the author's name is distinctly awesome. That's reason enough to read this one.

But more importantly his story is incredible. Saved as a young communist spy while spying on a Christian crusade in Cambodia, Barnabas Mam was carried by God through the prison camps and killing fields of the Khmer Rouge regime. In the years following, God used him to rebuild the church in Cambodia from 200 surviving believers to over 400 churches today. A powerful story of God's hand at work in horrific circumstances. Reads quickly and easily. It's a gripping book with stories and images that will stick with you. Highly recommended.

The Myth of Certainty by Daniel Taylor

Dan Taylor's writing has been formative for me in faith and thinking. This book was especially helpful for me as it is aimed at the kind of Christian who asks a million questions and has a difficult time being satisfied with the answers. It is encouraging and freeing for those of us who are insatiably curious and/or bordering on the skeptical. It challenges, pushes, stretches, and in the end truly helps. It offers no pat answers but plenty of truth. Great book.  

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

A Narcoleptic genius puts together a band of quirky, flawed and exceptionally gifted children, led  by the utterly likable Reynie Muldoon, to infiltrate the base of a nefarious villain attempting to corrupt the world by transmitting messages through television. Who wouldn't love such a story? Only weirdos and people with bad taste, that's who. 

This is the best sort of children's fiction because it transcends children, has overt and positive values, and memorable characters. Stewart hit on all cylinders with this one. It is well-written, moves quickly, has humor and heart-warming moments. Just a strong book all around. Read it.