I’m thinking with both hands today.

That may seem obvious, I always type with both hands thankful that my right fingers can click the keys just as my more competent left hand– though not as fast.

“Thinking with both hands” is a concept I recently read in Lois Tverberg’s book Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus. Tverberg explains that Jewish thought differs from our Western-Christian thinking in that it weighs the good and bad of both sides to a problem. “Often two points of view are left unresolved and simply accepted as a paradox.” Why would we do this? Why would we weigh the pros and cons of two sides to a problem without a formidable answer or definition? Isn’t that contradictory to the Bible?

No. This was the culture in which the Bible was written.

Have you noticed paradoxes in the Bible? Here’s a biggie: Jesus is both fully human and fully God.

Another huge paradox is that a loving God, in full control, continues to allow evil in the world. You might have an answer for that one. How free-will and sin have messed everything up. But we should be careful in our need to give answers because our answers are limited.

God is not.

And while we are talking about it, free-will and God’s sovereignty is a huge paradox. How does that work?

 

 

When I began to read my Facebook news feed after the Supreme Court’s decision to redefine marriage my heart sunk. I was appalled by our culture’s audacity to stomp its foot and demand redefinition of an institution nature itself proves. But I was equally sickened by our Christian leaders blatant hell-bound judgement.

The profile pictures overlayed with rainbow colors took my breath. My mind suddenly shifted to Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego. Is this an idol in our post-modern world? And if I did accept this ruling, am I bowing down to the god of this culture?

A good friend had changed her profile picture to a meme that was rainbow colored with flowers and said, “spread seeds of kindness. . . ” Though initially I stumbled over her new picture, after much pondering, I decided her choice wise.

How do we on one hand acknowledge the many scriptures in the Bible that blatantly define homosexuality as sin and despicable to God while on the other hand love our neighbor as ourselves–even our lesbian ones?

The law to love is not discriminatory.

While we’re talking about law, a law never had the power to change a person’s heart. Only love can do that. Not allowing gay couples to receive medical, tax and other benefits as heterosexual couples will not cause them to rethink their sexual orientation. If nothing else, that fuels the fire.

Freedom is not free my friends. Usually this phrase is used in context of our military who fight to keep our country free. But freedom in this country is not only for Bible believing Christians. It is also for Muslims, Jews, Jehova-Witnesses, the LGBT community, and all religions and faiths.

I shudder at the thought of an Islamic leader in my country demanding I adhere to the Qur’an.

America has not been a “Chrisitan” country for a long time.

Freedom is not free. Sacrifice is the cost.

A writing colleague who is a Humanists once argued that there is no such thing as truth. I disagreed. The Bible is truth with a big T to me. It is my rock and the wisdom I live by. I find security in my Truth. I wish everyone found such security in the Bible. But they don’t and this is nothing new. Read Romans 1 to see that what we face today is no different from first century AD.

The Bible tells us we will be judged as we judge. (Matthew 7:2)

But it also promises that Christ died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8) and those who believe in HIM will have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Thankful for Jesus, the image of the invisible God.

 

By Grace,

 

 

Linking up with Juana Mikel’s today.  Click to read other great blogs!