Display Your Sacriotism!

Blind Faith (No. 27, 2008)
Show Your Sacriotism!

Patriotism is on unabashed display this week. Wardrobes explode in bursts of red, white, and blue, instead of mauve, khaki, and green. I hope that American flags will be flown with proper honor from homes, businesses, and government buildings. Patriotic music will be played and even sung at all kinds of gatherings. Many people will read the profound phrases of the Declaration of Independence, and may feel a quickened heart rate, a lump in the throat, a sense of awe at the values proclaimed, and a depth of gratitude for noble men and women who have defended its principles. Favorite American foods will be consumed in abundance. Patriotism will rank high on everyone’s list of motivators for daily activities, quite appropriately.

As a lover of words, and with patriotism swelling in my heart, I reacquainted myself with the meaning of the root word, patriot: “one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests.” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2008) Wikipedia’s contributors capture positive components of patriotic feeling: ” Patriotism covers such attitudes as: pride in its achievements and culture, the desire to preserve its character and the basis of the culture, and identification with other members of the nation.” An anonymous source views patriotism as, “the passion which inspires one to serve one’s country.” Especially during this week of 4th of July, I long for and, indeed, do feel deeply those impulses toward our beloved America.

Patriot, of course, is derived from the root, pater, or father. In Greek, patriota were one’s fellow countrymen and women. From ancient times, different languages employing various forms of patriot communicated love for one’s fatherland, its virtues, and one’s family, all children of the same fatherland.

References of patriotism to our father redirected my thoughts to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. While part of patriotic expression may be thanksgiving to God for the blessings of our marvelous country, patriotism and Christian faith are not the same. Patriotism is an expression of devotion for a human creation, our nation. America, the object worthy of our patriotic zeal, possesses many great virtues, but like all human endeavors, is riddled with shortcomings and is capable of falling short of the very virtues upon which it is built. Our devotion to God, on the other hand, relates us to the One who is Father of all, whose most succinct description is love, whose perfection, justice, and grace alone is genuinely worthy of the word awesome. We should join wholeheartedly in patriotic displays for our country, but there should be a word for similar wholehearted, public displays of devotion to God.

Now that I have coined it, there is such a word: sacriotism! A sacriot is one who loves God, feels kinship with fellow believers, and has passion for serving God and preserving and proclaiming the character of God. Sacriotism is fitting for public display. It is not merely a private sense of closeness to and appreciation for God. Sacriotic acts are not the same as patriotic acts – not displays of the American flag, or recognition of armed forces service, or any other public displays of American pride, all of which are justified and proper. Sacriotic displays express faith in God, alone, as the only recipient of our worship and faith. Why do we often put more energy, though, into patriotic celebrations than we put into our public sacriotic expressions of devotion to God?

An important part of patriotic celebrations is the special repertoire of music. No matter how many times they are repeated, songs such as God Bless America, America, the Beautiful, America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee), God Bless the USA, The Star Spangled Banner, and many more will thrill our hearts this week. They will be sung, played, and hummed by people glad to embrace the rich catalog of ideas the songs convey. Sacriotic songs, too, coalesce many more reasons for our devotion to God than we ordinarily express in a brief time. The great psalms Israel sang in mass public worship celebrations tell God’s story in breathtaking breadth:

1 Hallelujah! I give thanks to GOD with everything I’ve got–Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.
2 GOD’s works are so great, worth A lifetime of study–endless enjoyment!
3 Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out.
4 His miracles are his memorial– This GOD of Grace, this GOD of Love.
5 He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise.
6 He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter–a gift!
7 He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last–
8 Never out–of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All that he makes and does is honest and true:
9 He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever.
He’s so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.
10 The good life begins in the fear of GOD- Do that and you’ll know the blessing of GOD.
His Hallelujah lasts forever!
(Psalm 111, The Message)

I wonder if they hummed that sacriotic song for days before and after one of the festivals celebrating God’s care. We would be more likely to hum a more classic/contemporary sacriotic song that tells our story of communion with God, such as How Great Thou Art:

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
(Chorus)
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
(Chorus)
And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.
(Chorus)
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”
(Chorus) Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(How Great Thou Art, words & music by Carl G. Boberg and R.J. Hughes)

Both songs tell anyone who hears them why we would be excited to declare our allegiance publicly to such a Father God.

Of course, we have opportunities to display our sacriotism every week, on Sunday. Some sacriotic displays have become so familiar that they have lost much of their meaning. Wearing an American flag lapel pin may be an essential display of patriotism this year, but wearing a cross is taken as only a quaint fashion cliché`. Maybe we need to reclaim some exuberant displays of sacriotism, or to invent some new ones. All the world needs to know the love and grace of the God to whom we owe more than life, itself.

Is your sacriotism on display? How would anyone know that you are a follower of Christ? Does your heart skip, your throat tighten, or your tears swell when you think of your loving relationship with your Heavenly Father? How do you show it publicly?

Proudly and patriotically, I will fly both my U.S. flag and my Culpeper Minutemen flag this 4th of July. I’ll be looking for additional opportunities for sacriotic displays to make in coming days.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Make the Right First Step

Blind Faith (No. 26, 2008)

A casual observation of a condition in our backyard turned into a project that consumed 3 or 4 of the last several days. Our house is nestled onto a sharply sloping hillside. The good news is that our walk-out basement provides excellent severe weather shelter, and it stays cool during the sweltering summer days. The bad news is that stepping from our patio into the backyard always presented a precipitous challenge, with unsure footing. Other access points require a long walk around a mammoth gingko tree, or skirting the stairs up to the deck. A path down the slope, leading more directly to open space in the yard and to the pear trees called for some action.

A solution attempted by my wife was laying several 18-inch concrete pavers on the slope. While the pavers offered firm footing, their steep angle was not much improvement over the bare ground. Talk show warnings about “slippery slopes” took on actual relevance! So, we observed, we really ought to level the pavers, to make a sure-enough set of steps from the patio to the yard. And thus, the excavation began!

Building a set of steps drew my theological imagination into play almost immediately. Just the notion of steps started my sound track for the work. With each shovel of rocky soil dug, I kept hearing the worship chorus, Step by Step:

Oh God, You are my God, And I will ever praise You.
I will seek You in the morning, And I will learn to walk in Your ways.
And step by step You’ll lead me, And I will follow You all of my days.
(step by Step, Beaker, 1991)

After awhile, my free-association on steps subsided, and I began to search for deeper spiritual analogies for the work.

I gave some thought to similarities between removing the dirt that I was shoveling away to reveal productive terraces for each step, the way all kinds of sin must be shoveled out of our lives for us to become the productive persons God intends us to be. That metaphor broke down almost immediately, though. I knew that excavating the area for the steps depended entirely on my sweat-drenched effort. Clearing sin (attitudes and actions that damage my relationship with God, other people, and my authentic self) from my life, however, is beyond my capability. No matter how hard I try, my effort just will not get rid of sin. Only God’s grace can do that (see Romans 7: 15-25).

Digging from the bottom step toward the top, I thought about ascending progress in our lives dedicated to following Jesus. Hebrews (one of my favorite New Testament books) does caution us (see Hebrews 6:1-2) to get on with maturing as believers, not remaining only on the bottom level of understanding repentance and faith, although these are crucially important. Other than doing the work of going up the hill, I just couldn’t get any metaphors of Christian maturation to gel. Extra attention required to remove stubborn rocks and concrete spurred some notions of struggling to break pernicious habits, but I felt I was slipping too far into allegory, rather than developing a useful image.

When we started to set the first step, the metaphor began to fall into shape. We spent a considerable amount of time and energy investigating the position, support, and importance of the first step for all the others. Every other step would be measured by its relationship with this first placed one. If this step proved to be not level, out of square, or not on a firm foundation, then the entire set of steps would be a disaster. Everything depended on laying the right, solid foundation. Here was an experience in a known area – building steps – that could help to explain and to understand another experience – living by faith in Christ. This is the true purpose of metaphorical language.

In order to live as God intends for us to live, the only sure foundation is Jesus Christ. We can investigate all the philosophies offered by every race and tribe of humankind. We can strive to reason our own answers to the great mysteries of existence. In the end, all such work on our part is merely site preparation. The apostle Paul was an expert in the Jewish religion, a scholar educated in the finest schools, a leader with sterling credentials, and a citizen of the highest order. He worked hard at every task he undertook, both as a zealous prosecutor defending Jewish identity, and as a missionary for Christ. Yet, his arduous work was only site preparation. Paul describes the situation well: ” You are … God’s building. {10} By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. {11} For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:9b-11 NIV) Paul is pleased with the work he has done well, but he recognizes that the crucial element for building followers of Jesus is Jesus Christ, himself. Every determinative measurement of the Christian life is taken from Christ. Paul returns to the metaphor in another letter: ” you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, {20} built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. {21} In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; {22} in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” Ephesians 2:19b-22 NRSV) We are being built into the marvelous dwelling God has planned, we do not just emerge onsite fully constructed. God has provided master builders (and many apprentices) to work alongside him, according to the plan, and always taking the measure of their work from Jesus, the Cornerstone. How the finished project turns out depends on how faithful to the foundation – Jesus – we remain.

I was very pleased with the garden steps we built. Not bad for a blind retired guy and a non-builder co-laborer! What God can make of us is much more amazing. If we set out to build a life by our own design, no matter how hard we try, we can’t remove the sin problem, nor can we get the right starting point to make everything fit together correctly. But as God’s building, set on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, we become the place where God lives. That is high commendation for the quality of the construction project!

What is the foundation from which you take measurements for your life? Do you pay careful attention to make sure you are beginning with Jesus, rather than with your own work? Does each step rest upon Jesus, as you scale the slippery slopes of life? As you walk up a set of steps outside somewhere, recall the importance of what underlies and supports them, and remember to refer back to Jesus as your first step. Then grow your own metaphor of living as a follower of Jesus!

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Spiritual IQ vs. Performance

Blind Faith (No. 25, 2008)

IQ tests and skills tests don’t always give parallel results.

IQ (intelligence quotient) is a measure of intellectual capability, the

ability to comprehend, conceptualize, and reason. But innate ability

or capacity for doing something does not necessarily equate with

performance. Skill testing may find that a person with an

exceptionally high IQ might perform at only average levels – or even

less. Some people with high IQ scores may require remedial help or

special attention to bring their performance up to the level of their

ability. Conversely, someone with moderate IQ scores, but who

possesses determination and a concerted work ethic, might perform well

beyond expectations based on their IQ scores, alone.

A case in point was one of my high school friends. John (the

name has been changed to protect the innocent!) knocked the top out of

any standardized tests he took. His ACT and SAT scores had prestigious

colleges from across the country inviting him to apply for admission,

many of them promising sizeable scholarships. None of John’s friends

was surprised at the offers – although we knew something the colleges

didn’t. Even though John was an intellectual superstar, he just didn’t

have much “walking-around sense.” Little of his vast store of

knowledge seemed to connect naturally with real, everyday life. He was

the world’s easiest target for practical jokes. Physical, mechanical

tasks (whose underlying facts, concepts, and formulas he knew backwards

and forwards) he consistently bungled. But John resolved not to be

just an “egghead.” He kept involved in all kinds of school, church,

and community activities. He analyzed any difficulties he encountered,

handling them with humor, self deprecation, and a genuine desire to use

the best of his intellectual ability to bring his performance up to the

level he desired in doing practical tasks, just as he excelled in

academics. John was a cheerful, warm, kind friend and a full

contributor to the good student life in our high school.

Perhaps we should devise some tests to measure our “spiritual

IQ” and to assess our performance level at living the Christian life.

Many of the people I know in both the community and through the church,

I am sure, would knock the top out of the tests for knowledge of the

Bible, spiritual understanding, and capabilities for ministry based on

God’s grace gifts. But are we performing at levels commensurate with

the abilities God has given us? Do we need remedial work in some areas

of service to Christ? Do we have the determination and commitment to

Christ to make up for the areas in which we may not have an abundance

of apparent resources, but where we have concerted aspirations to get

God’s work done?

The apostle Paul, in a very familiar New Testament passage,

displays keen insight into the discrepancy between our God-given

abilities and the practice of Christian living: ” I may speak in the

languages of humans and of angels…. I may have the gift to speak what

God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all

knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains…. I may

even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned [as a

martyr]. But if I don’t have love, none of these things will help me.”

(1 Corinthians 13:1-3 GWT) Of course, the love he mentions as the

decisive catalyst between any ability or capacity we might possess and

the performance of practical living for Christ is God’s active,

determined, hard-working love that never gives up. Paul catalogs an

extraordinary range of gifts and abilities. If someone scored near the

top of the scale in these categories, their spiritual IQ certainly

would be off the charts. But Paul indicates that being a “Brainiac,”

even in theology, ethics, and other spiritual disciplines does not get

God’s daily tasks done. The essential factor is the active practice of

God’s defining characteristic, love. The rest of 1 Corinthians 13

spells out the pragmatic evidence of God’s kind of love in action in

our lives. The good news is that God gives us both the gifts and

abilities for Christian living and the power and determination to put

it into practice. As Paul says in another letter, ” Yes, God is

working in you to help you want to do what pleases him. Then he gives

you the power to do it.” (Philippians 2:13 ICB)

The pressing question for us is, will we be egghead

Christians, or will we commit ourselves to achievements above our

abilities by the action of God’s love through us? Make an assessment

of your spiritual IQ. Has God given you opportunities to study the

Bible, understanding of spiritual matters, and gifts that equip you for

ministering in Jesus’ name? Now, evaluate your performance as a

follower of Jesus. How well do you translate your knowledge and gifts

into actually loving another person, or telling someone about God’s

love and grace? Do you have areas or subjects in your Christian life

that could use some remedial work or tutoring, or where you just need

to apply yourself more in order for your spiritual IQ to be matched by

your daily practice of Christian faith? God gives every one of us

abilities and gifts in ample measure to get his work done, but if we

don’t connect our knowledge of the Bible and our capabilities for

ministry with practical involvement as the hands of Christ, then we are

just a bunch of spiritual eggheads. Don’t be an “Egghead for Jesus.”

Genuinely love someone – as God loves them – today.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Qualities of a Loving Father

Blind Faith (No. 24, 2008)

Sunday is my day! Mine, and about 63 million other fathers in

the U.S., that is. Father’s Day is marked every third Sunday in June.

From the beginning of the observance, Father’s Day has been a time to

give thanks for the good gifts of love, support, and time given by

attentive fathers. Father’s Day is an opportunity to share our too-

seldom expressed appreciation for them and to honor them for the solid

foundations they have given us. Unfortunately, not all fathers fulfill

their responsibilities honorably and too many have abandoned

relationships with the children who desperately crave their love and

positive formative example.

Changing profiles of contemporary families and egalitarian

sentiments lead some people to extend Father’s Day recognition to

anyone who serves as a positive father figure in someone’s life. The

Volunteer Center in our county included 2 men who have no children and

1 woman in their nominees for this year’s “Father of the Year” awards!

Each of them has given self-sacrificially of their time, encouragement,

and love to children whose natural fathers have failed to do so. In

many cases, surrogates are called upon to fill the father figure void

children and young adults must face. Single moms, big brothers,

uncles, and other willing and giving mentors do deserve recognition for

standing in as father figures. But everyone still harbors a deep need

for a truly gracious, caring father.

In the best cases, both fathers and children desire a

relationship that has strength and stamina grown from the unconditional

love they share. Each looks for the best qualities of the other and

celebrates when they blossom and flourish. A story often told in

Father’s Day sermons captures the point well. One night a father

overheard his son pray, “Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy

is.” Later that night, the Father prayed, “Dear God, Make me the kind

of man my son wants me to be.” Both father and child were on the right

track for shaping their relationship.

When I think about my own father, and about my responsibilities

as a father and now grandfather, my thoughts are drawn to Psalm 103.

God is depicted in the psalm as a loving father, and the attributes of

such a father are powerfully detailed. Just as Proverbs 31 is cited as

an epitomized profile of a godly woman, the qualities cataloged in

Psalm 103 are what every father should emulate:

The Lord shows mercy and is kind. He does not become

angry quickly, and he has great love.
{9} He will not always scold us. He will not be angry forever.
{10} He has not punished us as our sins should be punished. He has not

repaid us for the evil we have done.
{11} As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love

for those who respect him.
{12} He has taken our sins away from us as far as the east is

from west.
{13} The Lord has mercy on those who fear him, as a father has

mercy on his children.
{14} He knows how we were made. He remembers that we are dust….
{17} But the Lord’s love for those who fear him continues forever and

ever. And his goodness continues to their grandchildren
{18} and to those who keep his agreement and who remember to obey

his orders.
(Psalm 103:8-14, 17-18 International Children’s Bible)

Everyone whose father displays these qualities is marvelously

blessed, and should express thanksgiving and love for the one who gave

them this gift. Every father or grandfather should evaluate his

relationship with his children by these standards, humbly confessing

shortcomings or abrogations of this responsibility. Everyone –

fathers, grandfathers, men without children, single mothers, any male

or female father figure – should aspire to conform their actions to the

qualities learned from God, our Heavenly Father. Any adult sharing the

love, grace, and understanding shown us by our Heavenly Father can have

life-changing influence on a child.

A treacherous trap we stumble into much too frequently is to

think that we can demonstrate the qualities of a loving father entirely

on our own terms, whenever we feel like it. None of us ever knows

fully the significance of our actions for the persons with whom we

share our lives. A footnote from the lives of a very successful father

and son underscores the importance of consistent practice of the

virtues we want to pass along to others. Charles Francis Adams,, son

of President John Quincy Adams, and U.S. Ambassador to England during

the Civil War, kept a diary. One day he entered: “Went fishing with my

son today–a day wasted.” His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary. On

that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: “Went fishing with my

father–the most wonderful day of my life!” What we write off as

wasted time may be such a treasure for someone in your life, and your

conduct may leave an indelible impression on their character. It is a

sobering thought for all fathers and every father figure.

So, Sunday is Father’s Day. Pick out a nice greeting card.

Get him a fitting gift card, or shirt, or electronic gadget, or book,

or whatever suits your father )or father figure) as a token of your

love. Honor your loving father by expressing as clearly as possible

your appreciation for the life, love, and lessons you have received.

Fathers, reflect humbly on your presence and example with your

families, and recommit to your responsibilities for modeling God’s

grace to your children and grandchildren. Everyone, especially where

fathers have forfeited their godly roles, find ways to be a godly

father figure to a child in need of lavish love. Demonstrate the

attributes of God, our Heavenly Father, found in Psalm 103 to someone

today.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Thirst-Quenching Water

Blind Faith (No. 23, 2008)

If you haven’t been drinking your 8 glasses of water per day,

you finally can relax. This month’s medical-reports-to-debunk-

everything-you-previously-thought deal with just how much water your

body needs each day. Several reviews of medical studies have found

little or no benefit from drinking the oft-heralded 8 glasses of water

per day. And additives to your water – vitamins, minerals, herbs,

fiber (yes, some bottled waters claim to provide dietary fiber!) – were

found to have negligible effects on health. Their effect on the

pocketbook, however, appears to be considerably adverse. A consensus

seems to be emerging among medical researchers, physicians, and

nutritionists on hydration: drink when you are thirsty.

Summertime may bring activities that produce thirstiness. Any

exercise in the hot summer temperatures increases the need for

hydration. Perspiration (or glistening, for Southern belles out there)

creates the need to replenish the body’s water supply. A bit of good

news from the recent medical reports is that iced tea, or lemonade, or

coffee, or any liquid in quantity will do the job of hydration. Just

watch out about consuming too many empty calories in juices or sweet

drinks. In short, working up a thirst is a good thing, and thirst is

the best signal for you to drink a refreshing glass of water, lemonade,

iced tea, or whatever works for you.

Thirst is such a universal experience that its use in the Bible

to describe our need for God is no surprise. One of the most familiar

expressions, often sung in a contemporary worship chorus, is found in

the opening of Psalm 42: ” As a deer thirsts for streams of water, so I

thirst for you, God. {2} I thirst for the living God. When can I go to

meet with him?” (Psalm 42:1-2 NCV) The prophetic answer is that God’s

Servant comes seeking us, rather than requiring us to search for him,

and he comes with an invitation to satisfy our thirst: The LORD says,

‘All you who are thirsty, come and drink. Those of you who do not have

money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and

without cost.’” (Isaiah 55:1a NCV) The Lord goes on to question why

people persist in wasting their money on things that can not and do not

satisfy their true spiritual thirst, just as people today continue to

squander amazing sums on drinkable crazes that do nothing for them.

Jesus’ conversation with a thirsty woman at Jacob’s Well also

used her physical thirst to get at her more pressing parched spirit.

Clearly, she needed to drink deeply from what Jesus had to offer her:

“Jesus replied to her, ‘If you only knew what God’s gift is and who is

asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would

have given you living water.’ {11} The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you

don’t have anything to use to get water, and the well is deep. So where

are you going to get this living water?’ … {13} Jesus answered her,

‘Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again. {14} But

those who drink the water that I will give them will never become

thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give them will become in them

a spring that gushes up to eternal life.’” (John 4:10-11, 13-14 GWT)

Later, Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, where one

of the central rituals involved carrying jars of water to the Temple in

commemoration of God providing water from the rock during the Exodus

from Egypt. Jesus applied our bodies’ perpetual need for physical

water and God’s provision of it to himself as the source of the much

more essential Living Water: ” On the last day of the festival, the

great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone

who is thirsty come to me, {38} and let the one who believes in me

drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall

flow rivers of living water.”‘” (John 7:37-38 NRSV) In both cases,

Jesus indicated that his gift of Living Water (Jesus, himself) comes in

a supply that never ends. We might say today that we do not need to

carry a “Jesus water bottle” to avoid bouts of spiritual dryness, for

we remain constantly connected to the water main through faithful

relationship with Jesus.

Working up a good thirst with physical exercise and activity

we know to be beneficial for our bodies. Increasing our desire for

Living Water, too, enhances our spiritual vitality. Jesus included his

commendation for such exercise in the Beatitudes: “You’re blessed when

you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the

best meal you’ll ever eat.” (Matthew 5:6, The Message) When we

continually desire and continually drink in the Living Water, our

spiritual health, stamina, and quality of life are greatly improved.

One of the last words in the Bible explains the reason for the

improvement: ” The One on the throne said to me, ‘It is finished. I am

the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give free

water from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty.

{7} Those who win the victory will receive this, and I will be their

God, and they will be my children.’” (Revelation 21:6-7 NCV) That

should be motivation enough to drink as deeply as possible at this

fountain.

Next time you reach for a refreshing glass of iced tea, or

lemonade, or a bottle of water, think of how good it feels to drink it

in. Remember that keeping hydrated is important for maintaining

health. Reflect on your greatest spiritual thirst. How have you been

trying to satisfy your need? Only the Living Water can satisfy your

thirsty soul. Jesus continually invites you to his fountain. Drink

up!

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Fashion-Conscious Faithfulness

Blind Faith (No. 22, 2008)

Fashion – everyone’s “must” wear for the season – seems

to have been a hot topic for the crowd gathered for the outdoor

religious seminar. Knowing that fashion was on their minds, Jesus

applied their appetites for what to wear to the eternal truths he was

trying to get them to recognize:

And why worry about clothes? Notice how the flowers grow

in the field. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. {29} But I say

that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these

flowers. {30} That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today

it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. So how much

more will he clothe you people who have so little faith? {31} Don’t

ever worry and say, “What are we going to eat?” or “What are we going

to drink?” or “What are we going to wear?” {32} Everyone is concerned

about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need

all of them. {33} But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what

has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you.

(Matthew 6:28-33 GWT)

The lesson has been available for 2000 years, but people appear to

be a little slow on the uptake. Our fashion sense still seems to

override our spiritual awareness.

Jesus’ commentary on our concern with fashion and clothing runs

counter to mainline media and the countless clothing catalogs regularly

arriving in our mailboxes. Morning talk shows are produced by the news

divisions of each broadcasting network. They can provide a bit more

time than the evening news for exploring intricacies of national and

international public policy, human interest stories (health, family

economics, security, etc.), and other topics from the day’s news.

Almost equal time on these shows, however, is devoted to in-depth

examination of everyone’s “must” wear fashion “news.” A typical

morning news show segment might herald the “important” shirt everyone

simply must have this season, especially since it’s so-o-

o affordable at just $169 in most stores! “Fashionistas”

will fill the airwaves even more with this week’s release of a movie,

based on a cable-TV sitcom, that has the 4 female stars modeling more

than 300 wardrobe changes in the movie’s 145-minute running time. The

leading character wears 81 different outfits and dresses, an average of

1 every 1.8 minutes! The movie is expected to be one of the summer’s

box office blockbusters. Fashion obsession persists.

Surrounded as we are by social dress codes (whether we want to

acknowledge them or not), how can we aspire to the attitude toward

clothing and other cares that Jesus instructed us to have? Besides

choosing clothing that is both tasteful and modest, we can think

explicitly about the uses of the clothing imagery in the Bible. We

certainly should want to be in the height of biblical fashion as we

make symbolic spiritual wardrobe choices daily.
Cable TV presents entire shows, such as What not to

Wear, to offer insights into clothing that should be avoided. No

one wants to be caught wearing the wrong thing! Paul tells us that we

need to throw out some of the spiritual clothing we have become too

comfortable wearing: ” don’t live in darkness. Get rid of your evil

deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor

of right living, as those who live in the light.” (Romans 13:12b NLT)

He catalogs such bad behavior as wild partying, quarrelsome bickering,

jealousy, and sexual misconduct as old clothing that needs to be

discarded. Paul advocates a complete wardrobe makeover: Rather, clothe

yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to

gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Romans 13:14 NIV) Peter

agrees with Paul’s general wardrobe assessment for followers of Jesus:

” Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy

hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. {4} You should be

known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a

gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:3-4

NLT)

One of the top concerns with fashion news is how to get the

featured clothes. Paul explains that faith in Jesus that results in a

transformed life, symbolized in baptism, is the crucial component for

restoring our spiritual wardrobe: “All of you who were baptized into

Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27 NIV) This

ushers in a totally different approach to the “must-have” spiritual

garments found to be suitable attire. Eugene Peterson’s rendering of

the same text helps to set the fashion scene: ” But now you have

arrived at your destination: 26 By faith in Christ you are in direct

relationship with God. 27 Your baptism in Christ was not just washing

you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult

faith wardrobe–Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original

promise.” (Galatians 3:25-27, The Message)
Jesus is the clear fashion pacesetter. His qualities of life

should guide the selections each of us makes as we decide how to

present ourselves in any situation on any given day: “From now on

everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ. 12 So,

chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God

picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength,

discipline. 13 Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to

forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master

forgave you. 14 And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s

your basic, all-purpose garment.” (Colossians 3:11b-14, The

Message) None of us has a spiritual fashion entourage, with

someone else to lay out our godly clothing for each day, making sure

that we are dressed and polished as we should be. We must make choices

about the qualities of Christ we will model each day. But we are not

left to dress ourselves totally on our own. God is our ever-present

spiritual fashion designer and consultant, and God has impeccable taste

and provides the ultimate wardrobe for us: ” I am overwhelmed with joy

in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of

salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a

bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.” (Isaiah

61:10 NLT) He clothes us with his grace, so we are always outfitted in

custom-sized love and forgiveness.

No matter where you are, on the red-or-whatever-color carpet,

at the office, at school, in the gym, on vacation, or on an evening

out, the question, “Who are you wearing?” should have the same obvious

answer for believers. “Jesus!” Jesus is truly versatile, go-anywhere,

always appropriate, the height of spiritual fashion. Just remember,

some of your actions may not be appropriate when you are wearing

Jesus.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Active Remembering

Blind Faith (No. 21, 2008)

How quickly can you remember? It’s a trick question. You may

be one of those irritating people who has instant recall of names,

phone numbers, appointments, sports statistics, historical dates, etc.

But I’m not asking about the time interval between posing a question

and retrieving the correct answer from memory. Data may be available

from your memory in a flash, but once accessed it also may have meaning

only for an instant. How much time is needed to unfold a memory with

proper respect, to relive its passion, to measure its significance, and

to recommit to preserving its legacy?

A Gallup poll conducted about five years ago found that only

28% of Americans had any idea of the meaning of Memorial Day. Most

people saw the holiday merely as the “official” beginning of the summer

cook-out season, the occasion for the first freezer of homemade ice

cream, opening day for the pool, or another day to shop special sales.

Some people will take note of a few more American flags flying (not

many of them appropriately at half mast until noon, then raised to full

height until twilight). Some will bemoan the inconvenience of traffic

being rerouted to accommodate the dwindling number of parades and

special ceremonies memorializing those who have given their lives in

service to their country.

Seeking to preserve the meaning of Memorial Day, Congress

established the White House Commission on Remembrance, an independent

government agency, in 2000. One of its purposes is to encourage U.S.

citizens ” To provide a time of Remembrance for America’s fallen and to

make a commitment to give something back to our country in their

memory.” (See www.remember.gov.) A major thrust of the commission’s

efforts is the “National Moment of Remembrance” on Memorial Day. A

presidential proclamation asks Americans to pause for one (1) minute at

3 p.m. local time, wherever they are, on Memorial Day respectfully to

honor the memory of those who died in service to our nation. Major

League Baseball games will pause play. Amtrak trains will blow their

whistles for the minute. The moment will be observed aboard the

International Space Station. Members of Bugles Across America will

play Taps at sites across the nation. Americans are asked to pause,

reflect, and remember for the moment the sacrifice of other Americans

who gave their lives to secure our freedoms. The National Moment of

Remembrance is planned as an act of one nation unified in one moment of

honor. It is a noble notion, but is one moment enough?

Remembering should be more than a fleeting interruption of

other leisurely activities – if we don’t forget to observe the moment

at all. Active remembering reconnects us with a prior reality that

continues to affect our lives in the present. When we take the time to

allow memories to resurface to full expression, we have opportunity to

empathize with the people who experienced the events, some at great

sacrifice, even to the point of death. We can give thanks respectfully

for those who have given more than we may ever be called upon to give.

We can honor their memory by renewed commitment to the values for which

they gave their all.

God repeatedly reminds his people to engage in active

remembering throughout the Bible. Retelling the story of God’s

covenant faithfulness, his deliverance of his people from oppression,

and his continuing mercy and loving kindness time and time again calls

God’s people to acknowledge their dependence upon his grace, and to

recommit themselves to living God’s way. Psalm 105 is an example of

Israel remembering and retelling the story of God’s deliverance. In

the process, the nation is moved to praise God’s faithfulness, and to

reconnect their current actions with God’s designs. Psalm 105

begins:

1 Hallelujah! Thank GOD! Pray to him by name! Tell

everyone you meet what he has done!
2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into

music!
3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek GOD. Live a

happy life!
4 Keep your eyes open for GOD, watch for his works; be alert for

signs of his presence.
5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the

verdicts he’s rendered….
7 He’s GOD, our God, in charge of the whole earth.
8 And he remembers, remembers his Covenant– for a thousand generations

he’s been as good as his word. (Psalm 105:1-5, 7-8, The

Message)

The psalm goes on for 45 verses recalling the sacrifices of Abraham,

Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel, God’s

faithfulness and deliverance of his people, and their response of

thanks and praise. God, too, is depicted as actively remembering his

covenant and continually demonstrating his commitment to Israel.

Nowhere is active remembering more clearly demonstrated than in

the institution and observance of the Lord’s Supper. Paul records both

Jesus’ instructions and the meaning of the active remembering that are

essential to the Lord’s Supper: “Let me go over with you again exactly

what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important.

I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on

to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread.

{24} Having given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body,

broken for you. Do this to remember me.’ {25} After supper, he did the

same thing with the cup: ‘This cup is my blood, my new covenant with

you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me.’ {26} What you must

solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time

you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of

the Master.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26a, The Message) Observing

the Lord’s Supper involves more than a momentary nod or fleeting

acknowledgement of what Jesus did in the past. Paul clearly stresses

that the remembrance is intended to change us and to reconnect us with

our commitment to follow Jesus. It is a supreme act of unifying

believers and the living Lord: ” Is not the cup of thanksgiving for

which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not

the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? {17}

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all

partake of the one loaf.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17 NIV) Through active

remembering of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, believers are called to

renewed demonstration of Jesus’ love and grace. Another translation of

scripture states the result well: Every time you eat this bread and

drink this cup you are telling others about the Lord’s death until he

comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26 NCV)

To be sure, we should not confuse our remembering of what Jesus

has done in offering God’s amazing grace to save us from our sin with

commemorating the sacrifice fellow citizens of America have made to

preserve our national freedoms. But the practice of active remembering

is transferable from our faith to the dedication we ascribe to our

country. In each sphere, we can revel in the routine joys of each day.

On Memorial Day, the grills should be teeming with mouth-watering

barbecue. Enjoy delightful dips in the pool, lake, or ocean. Save

large sums of money by hitting the best sales. But take time truly to

remember, take time to contemplate the sacrifices Americans before you

have made to secure your freedoms, and renew your commitment to give

yourself in service to others so that they may be free. As I have

written and said before, “The highest honor we can pay those who have

given themselves sacrificially for the cause of freedom is to live

responsibly in the freedom they have secured.” No greater freedom can

be secured than the freedom from sin secured by Jesus’ sacrificial

death and saving life for us. We should actively remember his actions

on our behalf. This Memorial Day, give thanks to God for the sacred

sacrifices others have made to preserve and extend the freedoms that

flow logically from God’s gifts of life, liberty, and equality. You

will need more than just a moment to do justice to that kind of

memorial.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Commencement Day

Blind Faith (No. 20, 2008)

Commencement exercises cover the calendar from early May on

into June. You probably have received commencement announcements

noting the special day for children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews,

and special friends. Colleges and universities will confer degrees and

welcome parents, family members, and alumni in familiar pomp and

festivities. High achievers will be recognized for their academic

success, the top few graduating summa cum laude. (Many more, as

the old joke goes, will graduate “Lordy! how come?” or – for

dialect purists – “Lawdy! how come?“) High schools (latecomers

to using the word commencement to refer to graduation

ceremonies) will launch young adults into careers, further studies,

service enlistments, and the like.

Every commencement celebration will include an address

delivered by as auspicious a dignitary as can be enlisted. Most

commencement addresses will include remarks about the irony of calling

the exercise commencement, since they are marking the end of a

long educational process. The speakers will extol the brave steps into

new responsibilities and freedoms the graduates will be called upon to

make. New roles in society will demand different kinds of commitment

than the graduates have made during their sheltered years in academia,

they will say. All the laborious preparation the graduates have made

in school will be tested as they confront new challenges as they adapt

what they have learned in order to make a difference in the world. So,

they are not celebrating the conclusion of life’s aspirations, but the

commencement – the beginning – of new chapters yet to be written.

Pretty good stuff, but you have heard enough commencement addresses to

compile your own speech.

But the usual graduation speech references to new beginnings

were unsatisfactory explanations to me for calling degree-granting

ceremonies commencement. According to the American Association

of College Registrars, the name traces back to 14th century practices

at Cambridge University in England. Students who had finished their

courses of study and who had passed their comprehensive examinations

were called “commencers.” At a time when higher education was

available only to a select few, the conferral of a university degree

was tantamount to being initiated into a rather exclusive club, the

fellowship of university professors. Degree recipients were expected

to commence their work immediately, so the ceremony – called

inceptio in Latin, or commencement in English -often

featured orations by the degree recipients. Harvard University,

founded on the model of Cambridge, held its first commencement October

3, 1642. A report of the occasion notes that the ceremony was shared

by ” nine commencers, four junior sophisters, and eight or ten

freshmen, with a motley audience of visitors from Boston and all the

settlements nearby; ministers, Indians, residents, parents, and

gloating familiars.” Graduates are rarely called commencers

anymore, but the lineage from Cambridge to Harvard spread pervasively

through American schools to produce the present general use of

commencement to refer to graduation exercises at all levels.

Since schools in the Middle Ages were almost exclusively founded by and

in service to the church, academic regalia was borrowed from the

clerical robes, hoods, and caps worn by the professors.

The notions of celebrating new beginnings and immediately

commencing the work to which students (disciples) have dedicated their

lives is too good a metaphor for followers of Jesus to let slip past.

It is fitting that the first commencement exercises were connected with

church-related schools, since new beginnings are intrinsically part of

the gospel message. The very first verse of the Bible (although it

does not use the word commencement) provides the pattern for

commencing our activities in the world: ” In the beginning God created

the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NIV) At the commencement of

the cosmos, God did a brand new thing, imbuing his purpose into all

that came into existence, and filling it with his attributes of love

and grace. Created in God’s image, we emulate God’s actions when we

commence our work in the world. We, too, are to engage from the very

beginning in creative expression of our nature in concert with God’s

love and grace. And when we are living according to God’s syllabus,

every day is a fresh commencement day! That is the ray of hope in an

otherwise woebegone book of the Bible: ” I have hope when I think of

this: {22} The Lord’s love never ends; his mercies never stop. {23}

They are new every morning; LORD, your loyalty is great.” (Lamentations

3:21-23 NCV) Every day God bestows on us a new supply of his love and

mercy, commencing each day with everything we need for facing the

challenges that lie ahead.

New beginnings are a central New Testament theme, too. One

significance of baptism from the time of the first followers of Jesus

to the present is as a sign of initiation into the fellowship of

believers. In a real sense, newly baptized believers could be called

commencers. A new Christian has passed the most important

examination anyone can face. Early baptismal services included

questioning the candidate – Priest: Do you confess, who is your Lord?”

Believer to be baptized: “Jesus is Lord!” Paul explains that this is a

divine commencement for the believer: ” We were therefore buried with

him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised

from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new

life.” (Romans 6:4 NIV) When we profess faith in Jesus, we do begin a

life-long course of study, constantly attending to the instruction of

the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and people who shape us as disciples. But

we also follow the example of academic commencers, who were expected to

begin their service for which they had prepared immediately. Believers

are to commence demonstrating the love of Christ to others immediately

upon our receiving the new life Jesus promises us by faith in him.

Often, we grow weary of the disciple’s curriculum, but we are again

assured of a new beginning every day: ” So we do not give up. Our

physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is

made new every day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 NCV) For followers of Jesus,

every day is commencement day!

During this graduation season, celebrate with family and

friends who have completed courses of study and have earned degrees.

Encourage them as they commence the work for which they have prepared.

Let the announcements of commencement exercises lead you to reflection

about the new beginnings with Christ you have made today. You have a

fresh infusion of God’s love and grace today. What new change has it

begun in your life? How have you begun to love other people with God’s

measure of love and grace? It is commencement because commencers get

right to their new lives. What are you doing with your new life in

Christ? It’s commencement day!

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Gotcha!

Blind Faith (No. 19, 2008)

Gotcha! Although the expression is

considered a “relaxed” alteration of “I’ve got you,” it always startles

me a bit. “Uh, oh! What did I do now?” is the usual visceral

response. Maybe it’s my guilty conscience reacting, sure that I’ve

been caught in some misconduct. But “Gotcha!” doesn’t indicate only

getting nabbed doing something shady. It simply means that you have

been caught or discovered unexpectedly, regardless of the good or bad

nature of the deeds.

“Gotcha!” makes us flinch, though, because we more often

associate it with being found out doing something bad. The FBI posts a

Gotcha! Page on their website (www.fbi.gov) that tells about FBI

and local law enforcement closing the case on a nefarious criminal.

“Gotcha journalism” revels in catching politicians or unsuspecting

citizens in a slip of the tongue, an inconsistent statement caught on

tape, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A software

company offers Gotcha!, a video surveillance program for home

and office applications for download from their website,

www.gotchanow.com. The program is sold primarily to catch people in

the act of violating the user’s security or stealing the user’s

computer or other items. The program will send alerts and video of the

perpetrators red-handed. But the program also touts its use to avoid

getting tripped up in a “gotcha!” moment, yourself. The website

suggests, “Dying to play that video game, but you’re at work? Use

GOTCHA! to look over your shoulder for you. GOTCHA! will minimize your

game and activate your work application in a second.” Boss getting

suspicious, about to spring a “Gotcha!” on you? Maybe not, with your

own Gotcha! Software!

Not all “Gotcha!” moments involve bad behavior, though. The

Gotcha! Software website also promotes a creative educational

use: “Need a science experiment for your kid? Have GOTCHA! record the

minute movements of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon or a seedling

sprouting from the dirt by using GOTCHA!’s Dynamic Profile mode of

recording.” What a wondrous “Gotcha!” experience for a child – or

anyone – to capture! Others have recognized the positive possibilities

of catching people in the act of doing something good. A college in

Utah invites its staff to turn in reports to the personnel office on

fellow staffers caught doing well what they were supposed to be doing,

and more. The Gotcha! form solicits the following information:

“‘Gotcha!’ I caught __________ going the extra mile! The good deed was:

__________ Thank you for being a good example and employee!” A middle

school in Ohio publishes photos of students over the caption, “Gotcha!

Caught you being good!” The school principal is the clandestine

photographer, always on the lookout for students doing the right

thing.

These two aspects of “Gotcha!” can be found in a couple of

interesting Bible verses, ones that should make us tread on tiptoes for

very different reasons. One of them is a cautionary word, drawing out

our fear of getting caught as we slip up or run afoul of the rules: ”

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a

roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV) Guess

who inspires all the dread and guilt that crashes over us when we are

found out doing something we should not have done? Peter’s counsel is

for us to avoid wrong-doing, and thus to steer clear of the Devil and

his evil ways. In our most honest moments with ourselves, though, we

agree with Paul’s confession, that, ” I do not understand what I do.

For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…. {19} For

what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to

do–this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:15, 19 NIV) Paul reiterates that

such wrong-doing (sin) leads to our death before God. In the “Gotcha!”

discoveries we connive to avoid, we find ourselves pounced upon and

devoured as the consequence of our actions against God, ourselves, and

others. Ironically, we often take sordid delight in seeing another

person snared as the victim of a deserved “Gotcha!” We take perverse

pleasure when someone else is unexpectedly nailed, just glad it’s not

us!

God’s “Gotcha!” offers a more pleasing surprise. Too often, we

assume that God is lurking behind every bush, ready to startle us with

a condemning “Gotcha!” when we falter. Too many folks claiming to be

God’s emissaries crouch, ready to pounce on God’s behalf. But God

works the other side of the meaning of “Gotcha!”, focusing on finding

us doing what is right and good” ” The Lord’s eyes scan the whole world

to find those whose hearts are committed to him and to strengthen

them.” (2 Chronicles 16:9 GWT) God does not delight in collaring us in

the wrong, but rejoices in our doing what is right (see 1 Corinthians

13:6). When we are caught in the act of loving someone the way Jesus

loves them, doing for someone what Jesus would do, and living the way

Jesus leads us to live, God’s “Gotcha!” increases our strength for

continuing to live that way. When we simply follow Jesus, doing what

we know the Bible and God’s Holy Spirit instruct us to do, we may be

pleasantly surprised by God’s “Atta’ boy! Or God’s “Go, girl!”

Which side of “Gotcha!” are you living on this week? Are you

afraid that you will finally be found out at your rotten habit?

Persisting on that path extracts a heavy toll in looking over your

shoulder, trying to avoid detection, and in a constant burden of guilt.

“Gotcha!” is the last thing you want to hear. Living in step with

God’s grace, however, brings the approving smile of God, along with the

reserves of strength of the Creator of all the universe. God’s

“Gotcha!” might come in sudden delight at the sight of a flower, or the

breathtaking panorama of a sunset, or the coo of an infant, or any

experience of any of God’s masterpieces.

This week, practice doing what Jesus would do, so that you can

be caught doing good wherever you are. Look for opportunities to spot

other followers of Jesus doing the good they are called and equipped to

do by God’s Spirit. Make a godly “Gotcha!” a cause for celebration of

being found doing what is right and good.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph.D.

Simply Give

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Blind Faith (No 18, 2008)

One of my “default” TV shows – a program I will watch any time

of day, or when I can’t find anything else worth watching – is The

Andy Griffith Show. Most of the episodes I know almost well enough

to recite the dialogue. A few days ago, I landed on a scene that

captured closer attention than usual. I had just read some materials

about our church’s stewardship emphasis. On the show, Andy, Opie, and

Aunt Bea were preparing to go to church. Their conversation centered

on general church matters, and on the offering, setting up the premise

of the episode. With apologies to the writers and producers of The

Andy Griffith Show, here is my recollection of the scene:

[

Aunt Bea, Andy, and Opie are in the living room,

getting ready to go to church. They talk about the special

announcement the pastor has said he will make. Aunt Bea turns to

Opie.]
AUNT BEA: Opie, do you have something to put in the collection

today?
OPIE: Yes, Ma’am.
[Aunt Bea leaves the room. Andy turns his attention to Opie.]
ANDY: I hope you don’t mind me asking… What’re you planning

to put in the collection?
OPIE: I was planning on putting in a quarter — same as always.
ANDY: Oh. Alright.
OPIE: It’s a Canadian quarter. I’ve tried every store in town, and

nobody will take it!
ANDY: Well, what good do you think it will do the church?
OPIE: I don’t know…. Maybe they can use it for a missions offering,

or something… I guess I oughtta make it a regular quarter.
ANDY: Yep, I think a regular quarter might be a good idea.
(from “The Church Benefactors,” The Andy Griffith Show,

1/22/1968)

As part of the next scene at church, Opie tries in vain to swap the

Canadian quarter with his friend, Elmo, for two dimes.

Opie’s foiled plan to foist his valueless Canadian quarter off

in the offering plate is amusing, but it piques troubling questions

about his – and my – habit of giving. Why put anything at all in the

collection plate? Is his motivation just to please Aunt Bea and Andy?

What does he understand about the value of his offering to the ministry

of the church? Does his attempt to give something he can’t spend

anywhere else reveal anything about his personal involvement in the

mission of the church? He suggests that the Canadian quarter might be

part of a missions offering. What does his suggestion demonstrate

about his understanding of how his church accomplishes its missions?

If he had succeeded in trading Elmo for two dimes, would he have given

them as his discounted offering?

What we choose to give says a great deal about how we value our

relationship with the recipient of our gift. (Hint: Mother’s Day is

two Sundays away, May 11! Think carefully about your gift to your

favorite mother!) Your excitement level usually is far higher when you

have carefully selected a gift to communicate your love and

appreciation for the one receiving the gift, than when you present

something that has little correspondence to the needs of the recipient,

or that represents little or no thought or cost from you. Opie’s

response to the passing offering plate – and our responses, too – may

reveal more than we want to tell.

David demonstrated an important principle of giving at a

critical time in his reign over Israel. He had finally reached a

period of peace, with the nation unified in secure, expanded borders.

A show of hubris and inattention to God’s directions led to a

devastating plague that killed many in Israel. When the epidemic

stopped at the farm of Araunah, just outside Jerusalem, David went

there to offer sacrifices to God. Araunah immediately volunteered to

provide David with everything he needed to make offerings to God, but

David refused to accept anything from him. ” The king replied to

Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to

the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’” (2 Samuel 24:24

NIV) A genuine gift must represent the value its giver places on his

or her relationship with the one to whom the gift is given. Andy is

right, and is following David’s example, when he concurs with Opie that

his Canadian quarter is not appropriate as an offering at church in

Mayberry.

Another essential quality of genuine giving is that it must be

motivated by pure expressions of devotion to the recipient. Opie

doesn’t demonstrate much personal involvement in the mission of the

church, even for a 13-year-old, by just fulfilling the appearance of

giving by planning to put the Canadian quarter in the plate. Doing

what his Pa and Aunt Bea expect seems to be his main goal, and at the

least possible personal expense. The followers of Jesus in the New

Testament took a different approach to giving, even in difficult

economic conditions. Paul instructed them, ” Each one should give as

you have decided in your heart to give. You should not be sad when you

give, and you should not give because you feel forced to give. God

loves the person who gives happily.” (2 Corinthians 9:7 NCV) He had

seen this principle demonstrated by Christians in Macedonia: ” They

have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But they

gave much because of their great joy. {3} I can tell you that they gave

as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one

told them to do it. {4} But they begged and pleaded with us to let them

share in this service for God’s people. {5} And they gave in a way we

did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This

is what God wants.” (2 Corinthians 8:2-5 NCV) Joyful, expressive

giving was a natural extension of the Macedonian believers’ deep love

for God and for their fellow followers of Jesus. They put into

practice another of Paul’s principles: ” he that giveth, let him do it

with simplicity.” (Romans 12:8b KJV) Rather than looking for a cheap

escape or making some empty show, they simply gave. Their devotion to

God and to meeting the needs of others was evident.

Giving gifts and offerings is an opportunity each of us faces

continually. How much of yourself goes into what you plan to give?

Are you just doing what someone else expects you to do, or are you

giving because it is a natural expression of love, devotion, and

appreciation for the one to whom you have given your heart? Gifts come

in innumerable forms: money, time, individual creations, tangible

objects, and more. How will you express your love to God or to a

special someone by a gift you plan to give? Find a new, fresh sense of

joy: simply give.

J. Edward Culpepper, Ph. D.

P.S. Here’s the rest of the story. The plot of the Andy Griffith

Show episode takes a different turn at church. At the end of the

worship service, the pastor announces that a recently deceased church

member has left $500 to the church in his will. He stipulated that the

money be used for some practical need for the church. Aunt Bea and the

ladies insist on new choir robes. Howard Sprague makes the case for

repairing the sagging foundation of the sanctuary. Emmet moves that

the church buy a pool table for the church basement! The committee

deadlocked, Andy must decide which expenditure to recommend.