Celebrating the Broken Chains

On a warm day in July of 1776, a document was signed that declared this nation's independence from the tyranny of the British government. Close to one hundred years later on another warm summer day, black Americans who had populated the same "free" nation for years prior as slaves were finally awarded the same freedom.

On this day in 1865 -- over two years after the Emancipation Proclaimation was signed, a general order was announced in Galveston, Texas indicating the end of the long and bloody civil war dividing the country. The order also called for the release of the close to 250,000 slaves in the state. This day of jubilee for those newly freed slaves became the day we know as Juneteeth.

Since that time, African Americans have used this time to commemorate the pain and triumph that came with years of captivity. While there is no doubt that American is deeply immersed in the shameful legacy of slavery (as much as people refuse to see that), there is much to celebrate. Now -- more than ever -- black Americans have considerable access to the same "American Dream" formerly reserved for whites. Even when only one state recognizes Juneteenth as a state holiday (Texas, for obvious reasons), the significance of the day will never be diminished.

Though I'll never be able to fully comprehend the anguish that came with bondage, I try to at least imagine the sheer joy that must have been the slaves as the document proclaiming their emancipation was finally enacted. Though it was long overdue and only truly recognized after the Civil Rights movement another 100 years later, the day was ours. We were officially declared a free people. That freedom has never been more apparent than it is today. The road for us to travel has been paved by the worn, calloused, and bloodied hands of those who came before us. We have hitched a ride to the new 'land of opportunity' on the whipped backs of our ancestors. For this reason, we owe it to those overworked and enslaved dreamers to not only remember their struggle, but to also seize every opportunity they have provided for us.

Today we have Juneteenth. But I'm also looking forward to the time where I can thank each and every one of them when we all meet in Glory.

- ACL

The complain-free diet

I started my day in the exact opposite way I should have. I started it with a seemingly endless barrage of complaints.

As I woke up this morning (late; which has been a usual trend for me lately), I started by complaining to myself about how much I absolutely did not want to go to work. I went on to complain to myself about having to iron my clothes. I made a fuss about not having anything good to eat for breakfast. As I stopped to get gas, I complained to myself about how my $43 wasn't even enough for a fill up. Traveling along the expressway, I complained to myself about the inconvenience of road construction and lousy drivers who made it worse. Arriving on campus, I complained to myself about the double-parking job some student pulled in faculty/staff ramp; where they should not have even been in the first place. As I arrived at my office, I found myself complaining about my packed schedule and my overwhelming workload. I even took a moment to complain about the perfume one of my co-workers was wearing.

On and on I complained about how everything was annoying me. I mean, I've been profuse with my complaining before, but today was just one of those days.

Inexplicably, God put it on my heart to check out CNN. On the site, there was coverage about the twister in Iowa that killed four boys at a summer camp; along with all of the other tornadoes that have been ravaging the central and midwest parts of the country. Reports have been coming in from numerous states tracking the destruction -- both in property and lives -- brought about by the recent rash of storms. From reading that, my mind immediately shifted to the deadly cyclone that recently leveled Southeast Asia; creating an estimated death toll of 22,500 (with another 41,000+ missing). I also recalled the time when Pakistan was destroyed by a massive earthquake; which killed about 73,000 people; along with the recent earthquake in China which tallied a death toll of over 61,000. I remembered the Indian Ocean tsunami that wiped out 11 countries, killing an estimated 225,000 people (possibly more). The ever-increasing mass murdering in Darfur also came to mind. I even started to think about the time I recently spent in New Orleans. At that point, I buried my face in my hands; feeling nothing but shame. Here I am itemizing my calamities like my name was Job or something; while other folks in this world are truly suffering.

• While I complained about dragging myself out of bed, a child in Indonesia just arose from the street where they slept the night before.
• While I complained about having to iron my clothes, a flood victim in the midwest just lost every single possesion they've ever owned.
• While I complained about having an unsavory food selection in my fridge, there is an ongoing food crisis around the world.
• While I complained about how hot it was in my apartment, another family in Darfur was just raped, tortured, or murdered.
• While I complained how underpaid I am at my job, unemployment offices are filling up all over the country.
• While I complained about rising gas prices, a mother in China is arranging her child's burial.
• While I complained about some of the people I don't like, my dear friend Sylvia has been going through the unimaginable with some close people in her life.

What I realize after some contemplation is that it is very easy to overlook your blessings. At times, we feel so entitled that we even go as far as to expect for things to go our way all the time. So when life deviates from our blueprint of expectancy, we gripe about it. I'm probably the worse one in the pack. I mean, I make no bones about the fact that I can be a real jerk sometimes. My blog often reflects that. While I try to use my blog responsibly as a general clearinghouse to express my "thoughts, reflections, and rants", I admit that I can go over the top with the "rants" part at times. Don't get me wrong: I think it's important to be critical of things (especially with our religious/community/political leaders and the goings on that are socially impactful). But I think that it's equally important to accentuate all the positivity associated with our blessings.

God has been too good to me (and indeed, to us all) for me to spend too much time focusing on the miniscule things bothering me. That being the case, I've decided to once again challenge myself to go on a complaining fast. The concept is simple: whenever you feel the need to gripe about something (especially verbally) substitute that urge with either a word of thanks to God for His bountiful blessings and/or a thought or action for our brothers and sisters who are dealing with difficult situations.

It is important to remember that we are citizens of this God-given world. As such, we should make it a point to do as much as possible to leave it and its residents a little better off than we found them. This starts by being mindful of the 'least of these'; while discounting the inconsequential things that may betide us. At the end of the day -- considering all the tragic things going on in the lives of ordinary people; my paying $4 a gallon for gas doesn't seem as bad.

Please keep the world in your prayers. And, when possible, get those hands dirty.

- ACL

Special request

I just received some bad news. Both a grandchild and a friend of Sylvia's (one my closest blogging friends) just passed away. Out of respect to Sylv, her friend, and the family I won't go into too many details. But I ask you to keep them all in your prayers.

Sylv, do stay encouraged. Always be mindful that God is an endless source of strength; even when things are the most painful and the most difficult. Remember Psalms 46.

Peace!

- ACL

Prosperous thinking

I'm going to take a break from what has become my regularly scheduled programming about Democratic elections, moronic Presidents, racial discussions, and the like. Instead, God has put something on my heart that I have to get out. Bear with me.

Lately, I've noticed somewhat of a deluge of -- what I would consider -- bad teachings and off-doctrine regarding the idea of being prosperous. From Leroy Thompson's "Money cometh to me now" proclamation to Crefalo Dollar (how appropriate of a name is that?), the message that seems to persist is that what you've gained materially is somehow indicative of your walk with God. Your faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for God (i.e. contribute to a multi-million dollar life center before you pay your own light bill) gets translated into material as a reward for your efforts. At least that's what being taught. But I submit to you that God is not a vending machine, where you pop in some money, hit a few buttons, and watch every little thing you've ever wanted crank out (frankly, I'm glad God isn't a vending machine. Have you seen some of crap that comes out of those things?). To me, understanding God is understanding that God is not a machine. He is not programmed to respond to our stewardship. If vending machines don't give us what we paid for, we can get our money back. But God is not required to give us a single thing. He does it because of His love for us; not because of what we put into it.

I was reading a piece about prosperity where Old Testament Joseph was used in the discussion. Before I get to crux of it, let me give you the Reader's Digest version of Joseph's life:

Joseph was sort of a "daddy's boy" who received favor above all of his brothers. It didn't help his case much when he started having dreams about ruling over his already pissed brothers. In their jealousy, they sale Joseph to a merchant named Potiphar. Potiphar then grants Joseph authority over his house when he's away on business. Things are well with Joseph for a while until Potiphar's wife tries to get her groove on with him. When he resists, she frames him. He's subsequently arrested and jailed. Once in jail, he's placed in charge of the other prisoners and -- after being able to translate enigmatic dreams haunting the Pharaoh -- is rewarded with royal favor.

This fascinating story aside, what struck most to me is that Joseph -- like the rest of us -- didn't need to be in high positions in order to receive favor of prosperity. Joseph was just as prosperous as a slave and as a prisoner as he was in being one of the Pharaoh's chief officers. Location, material, and social positioning are NOT what makes us prosperous.

Prosperity is not calculated by what we have or where we are in our lives. While I jokingly suggest that money is the root of my happiness (to some extent, I'm serious about that though), my approach to living prosperously isn't dictated to by bank accounts. We can have the nicest homes, drive the flashiest cars, and wear the most stylish clothes and still be out sync with God's standards of living. The accumulation of stuff is an inconsequential definition of prosperity when you compare it to being in God's will and being as close to Him as possible through our daily walk. For me, the most definitive aspect of prosperity is not what I drive, spend, wear, or cash out. It's knowing that the people I see, the places I go, and the things I do were blessed by God's hand being in the mix. When I become a better person because of the God that is in me, my life has increased; regardless to what my monthly bank statements may say.

- ACL

Beneficiaries

Whether it's indirectly or directly, racism has its beneficiaries. Understanding this is the first step to reconciliation.

Hat tip to Barry Deutsch (aka Ampersand) over at Alas, A Blog for this strip.

- ACL

Counting the Cost

"Everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the mouth. "

- Mike Tyson

The other day, I got an email from a friend of mine talking about prosperity through faith. It was from one of those cats who makes it a common practice to pimp the Word for personal gain. Her email annoyed me for a couple of reasons: (1) in a job where I receive and respond to hundreds of emails a week, this was the last thing I needed to see and, more importantly (2) the implied message of the email; suggesting that following Christ translates to prospering financially.

I think that one of most critical mistakes that people in the Body of Christ make is in believing that following Christ will somehow lead to a materially prosperous life; while minimizing the true costs associated with being a follower. Living a life in Christ was never meant to be easy. Let we've allowed for a few ministers wearing flashy clothing and jewelry, driving in expensive cars and jets, and living in beautiful homes to convince us that their material accumulation was the direct result of their devotion to Christ. But I assure you: following Jesus is not the guaranteed get-rich-quick scheme it's often portrayed to be.

As far as I can tell, the only guarantee Jesus gave us concerning our decision to follow Him was that following Him would only lead to more troubles we would face; not less. In Matthew 6:34, He states:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Paul also chimed in when he offered the following commentary from II Timothy 3:12:

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

That doesn't sound like a cake walk life in Christ to me. Instead, it sounds like following Christ may require us to take a few of those punches that Mr. Tyson mentioned in the quote above.

Often, many believers (new and experienced) have been inadequately prepped for the punches that are sure to come from being a follower of Christ; whether those hits come from life's conditions, the Devil, or even from other believers. We've been appeased or appease others by chanting a few prosperity catchphrases; mindlessly used to assuage the situation. But little do we realize that God may have indeed allowed certain situations to get ahold of us so that we can shape our character and remind us on how much we need Him to sustain. Most of all, facing difficulties that come with following Christ cause us to reexamine our faith. Can we stay committed to Christ when it becomes unfashionable to do so? Certainly, suffering for Christ is not the same now as it was back in the day (Don't be fooled by the speculated prowess of the religious right. It's not at all fashionable to be a Christian these days). But following Christ does have its share of costs that must be counted.

Are you willing to count those costs or are you just looking for the huge mega-lottery pay day? If it's the latter, you might be pretty disappointed in the end.

- ACL

Knowing the Man

I once heard a great story that I think sums up the nature of human relations. It goes a little something like this:

Once upon a time there was a young man driving his carriage along a narrow road. The young man was an orphan who never knew his father. Still that did not deter him from being a good person. As he is driving down the road, he sees an old man coming towards him driving a carriage of his own. The old man had no son (or so he thought); but that did not deter him from being a good person as well. As the two good men meet in the middle of this narrow road, they get into an argument over which good man should move aside to let the other good man pass. In the heat of the exchange, the young man, who is quite angry at this point, picks up a rock from the side of the road and strikes the old man in his vulnerable head; killing him.

After reading this story, I suspect that you'd chalked this up to another case of road rage. You'd be correct in thinking that. Still, others may recognize this story from the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex; where Oedipus unwittingly fulfills an oracle's prophecy by murdering his long lost father.

Do you think that Oedipus would've killed, hurt, or even raised a rock to this old man if he knew it was his father?

The moral of the story: get to know the other man.

- ACL

Taking the CHRIST out of Christmas - REPOST

I wrote the following Christmas post two years ago. But not much has changed in my heart since then. So rather than recreating the wheel, I decided to just do a repost. Enjoy!

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Yet another Christmas has come and gone. It's funny to think about all the changes I'm made from this time last year to the present day; from all the personal challenges that I've faced this year concerning my faith, to the issues surrounding love life, to the changes I've made in my attempts at growth. But some parts of me have remained the same. Namely, I'm still boycotting the concept of Christmas.

I must make it clear that I'm not, in any way, in opposition to the birth of Jesus Christ (although He wasn't born anywhere near December 25th). Rather, I'm boycotting the commercialization of Christmas. I'm really getting annoyed by it all. Mostly, I'm annoyed by all the people racing to the stores, looking for the best sale, making out lists of what to get and what they want, and supporting the lies about a magical jolly fat man who travels around the world to bring gifts (who seems to forget the poor and starving children of the world every year. But, I digress..).

Last year, I went to Miami for Christmas. While I was walking through downtown, I saw an interesting headline for an article from a progressive newspaper with the title "Merry Giftmas". Though I only saw the headline, I could infer what the article was about. It gave me a pretty good chuckle.

When I think about Christmas, I think about the Magi who went to see Jesus. It's not so much that they gave Jesus gifts (although their gifts were hot in the streets!). It's that they did acts that honored Him. They traveled from a great distance solely for purpose of worshipping the baby Jesus; and doing so in spite of the orders of King Herod. It should also be noted that they risked their lives by not reporting back to Herod about the baby they found. In essence, they made a brave and honorable sacrifice for what they believed in. It was their act -- not the gifts -- that mattered most. But what about us? What do we do today? Instead of honoring God, we get caught up on what to buy or what we want to receive from others. We fail to put actions behind our beliefs (James 2:17).

I often hear people say "we need to put Christ back in Christmas". I disagree. Instead, we should take Christ out of Christmas and place Him in our hearts where He belongs. This is a year-round concept that shouldn't be reserved for one day. As for the holiday that we celebrate on December 25th, let's call it for what it really is: "Giftmas". I mean, that's what it's been reduced to, right? For all of you who may think that my ideas are too sacrilegious or blasphemous, answer me this: Have you ever found the word "Christmas" in the Bible? Have you read anywhere in the Bible where Jesus' birth was ever celebrated during His life, through His death or after His resurrection? Hmmm...?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for celebrating Christ, family, and togetherness. But let's not get in the habit of dishonoring the birth of our Savior by trippin' about some material crap that will only keep up satisfied until we get newer stuff.

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Whether or not you're a Jesus freak, I'm happily declaring that I AM! So for me, Jesus truly is the "reason for the season." But just in case He isn't for you, still keep in mind that life's common denominators are love, family, friends, and togetherness; not the stuff you can neatly wrap and fit under a tree with lights (which, I still maintain to this day is fire hazard. I'm just sayin...). It's not about the giving; it's about the living!

Have a blessed and safe holiday season! See y'all in the '08! Go Blue!

- ACL

God for sale

I always seem to get stuck in arguments about ministers who use their religious influence for personal gain. My debating mates are always quick to point out passages that support “honoring” those who preach the Word of God. But when I go through the Bible, I can’t seem to find any circumstances where Jesus or His apostles lived luxurious and comfortable lives as they spread the Gospel. You can make the argument that Paul was pretty well off. Of course, that period came and went once he was converted. What endowments they did receive for themselves were actually used to advance the Gospel moreso than their own individual needs.

So whenever I hear somebody on TV claim that they received “a Word from the Lord”, I immediately start to cringe. Chances are, it won’t be much longer after that when they’ll inform the viewer that this word can be theirs for a “love offering” of no less than $29.95 + S&H. Oddly, not many people ask these pimps one of the most burning questions I can think of: If this is a “Word from the Lord”, why sell it? With the emergence of all those internets out there, I’m sure that there are just as many web pages where you can openly and freely share the Word as those where you can sell it.

Besides, last I checked, whenever the apostles had a Word from God, they recorded it and sent it all throughout the world freely. We call those little recordings “Epistles”. Essentially, these epistles became the "open source" way of ministering.

In a related note, I recently received an email that pokes fun at how many of the profits prophets hustle folks from the pulpit. At first, it gave me a pretty good chuckle. But when I think about how all freakishly deceptive most of these cats are and how easily they've infilitrated the pulpit, the joke really isn't all that funny. Anyway, here's the parody song from the email; sung to the tune of "Amazing Grace". Enjoy:

A big disgrace in Surround Sound
And Mega-sized big screens,
The lavish church is worth the cost
‘Long as we pay the lien.

T’was T.D. Jakes who learned to steer
And rip off mindless sheep
How quickly did that cash appear
When they were all deceived

Get comfy in your cushioned pew
Sit back, put up your feet
The ushers will just swipe your card
And print you a receipt

This Sunday features C’refalo
And then it’s Joel Osteen
And if the love seeds lack too much
Trust Benny Hinn to sing.

These pimps will live ten thousand years
When all of us are done
They’ll no less rob our bank accounts
Than when they first begun.

Those pimped disgraces do not share
The Word, as must be taught
The Word they claim God gave to them
Can only be store bought.

I really wish this was only humor.

- ACL

The pointlessness of fear

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear..."

-2 Timothy 1:7

For a while, my response to this passage would've easily been "Yeah, right. Whatever!"

You see, I'm what you would call a "wuss." Like many other people, I occasionally find myself victimized by the aforementioned spirit of fear. That fear often dictates the moves I make or -- in many cases -- don't make. I know. I know. Pretty pathetic.

For me, the fear of failure has always been most the predominent (although, as I mentioned before I also suffer from the fear of pain). Truth be told; the idea of falling flat on my face despite of my best efforts often leaves me afraid of trying new things. The conservative in me tends to like things being safe; even if it means the possibility of missing out on a great opportunity.

But fortunately, I snapped out of that at just the right time.

Last night, I had a conversation with a terrific young lady whom I just met. Interestingly, I met her online of all places (though she's only about a half hour drive away which, when you think about it, isn't far at all). We started our exchange over the 'Net, graduated to email, and eventually exchanged numbers. After playing the infamous game of phone tag, we finally connected last night. By the time it was all over, we had what I would consider a pretty good conversation. Our convo confirmed everything I initially thought about her. I mean, this girl really is on point! She's the real deal. She's accomplished, personable, God-fearing, and...well...just dope (see definition #2.1). Lest I be labeled as shallow, she's also incredibly beautiful. I dunno: another perfect 10, perhaps? Initially I was scared to death to make a move.

If it hadn't been for my sister and my homegirl Joslyn damn near cussing me out about being a wuss, I'm not sure if I wouldn't mustered up enough courage to stop pacing back and forth in my living room and finally hit the "call" button on my phone. In fact, as I think about it: this perfectly ties into a conversation Jos and I had shortly before I called. In our discussion, she recalled the message she heard from a pastor earlier that day. In his sermon he mentioned how God sometimes requires us to release something before we can gain something else. Though I didn't make the connection at the time, the same can be said of my exchange with this young lady. Before I could open up a dialogue and possibly cultivate a friendship, I had to first release the fear, anxiety, and trepidation that I clung to beforehand. And trust me when I say, it was well worth it in the end.

Now, I'm not expecting the world here. Truthfully I would love to date her. But even if we wind up just being friends, I would still consider it a major victory. It's one more friend to add to the roster (especially important to me since my friends' list has been growing pretty thin lately). Plus, evidenced by how much fun I had with her last night, it's clear to me that she's one of the types who could add a great deal of value to my life. And even if that doesn't pan out, at least I can say that I tried and failed -- but did so with no regrets. Sometimes being left with the lingering "what if" question is even more haunting than bombing.

Imagine how much I would've missed out on had I just stayed hidden under the covers.

Since I now crown myself a foremost authority on overcoming fear (I'm scheduling motivational talks over the next few months. Any takers?), my advice is simple: push the fear aside. While some fear is not necessarily bad (or even unreasonable), most of the time it serves as an obstacle that impedes our progress. Since fear is not of God in the first place, extracting it from our lives is bound to give us a more perfect peace.

Holla!

-ACL

Get those seeds planted...NOW!!!

OK.

I've often tried to defend our religious habits. I've tried to understand how the leaders in our faith think and operate; the self-proclaimed "messengers" from God they say they are. I've tried to keep them in my prayers. I've tried to make Biblical sense out of ministers who justify their prosperity (at the congregation's expense, of course) as being a way to market the goodness of God to the world.

But even I have no defense for this nonsense.

In this video, Pastor Juanita Bynum is asking her sheeple (Yeah, that's right. I said it.) for 'seeds' to finance what she calls a "threshing floor"; a prayer room where she apparently offers up prayers for you and me. Her original threshing floor was a few miles from her home. But I guess that out of concern for her safety (after her husband beat her), she wants to build one right next to her lakefront home. Pull out your checkbooks people. She needs an emergency $200,000 right away.

Sigh. I don't know why we keep coming to bat for these people pimps.

-ACL

God to the rescue

For anyone who's ever been in a backslidden state: God is still there to fight your battles.

- ACL

An inaudible voice

One of my favorite songs; "God is speaking" from Mandisa's debut album "True Beauty". You best believe I will be coppin’ this album pretty soon.

Have you ever heard a love song that set your spirit free?
Have you ever watched a sunrise and felt you could not breathe?
What if it's Him? What if it's God speaking?

Have you ever cried a tear that you could not explain?
Have you ever met a stranger who already knew your name?
What if it's Him? What if it's God speaking?

Who knows how He'll get a hold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
He'll do and He'll use whatever He wants to.
To tell us “I love you.”

Have you ever lost a loved one who you thought should still be here?
Do you know what it feels like to be tangled up in fear?
What if He's somehow involved?
What if He's speaking through it all?

Who knows how He'll get a hold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
He'll do and He'll use whatever He wants to.
To tell us “I love you.”

His ways are higher, His ways are better.
Though sometimes strange;
What could be stranger than God in a manger?

Who knows how He'll get a hold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
He'll do and He'll use whatever He wants to.
To tell us “I love you.”

God is speaking “I love you.”

Clearly, she's also able to find God in unusual places.

- ACL

Wearing masks

I was just over at the Hippie Conservative's site; where he wrote an interesting post about -- what he calls -- the "philosophy of hypocrisy". In this post, he basically calls into question exactly what hypocrisy is. As I read his post and my subsequent response, it got me to thinking about how the extent to which hypocrisy resonates in the church.

As I mentioned on HC's site, the term hypocrite is taken from Greek word hypokrites, which means a person who plays a part. Essentially, a hypocrite is an actor. Though that particular definition sounds innocent enough, I can't think of too many words in the English language that so negatively describe a Christian. It makes perfect sense. If you look beneath the surface, being accused of playing the role of a Christian can be pretty insulting. As insulting, perhaps, as laying down a series of relentless "Yo Momma" jokes.

Invariably, whenever I hear the words "hypocrite" and church used together in the same sentence my mind immediately shifts to people whom I consider hypocritical. Whether it's Henry Lyons and his scandals with the NBC, Jesse Jackson and his girlfriend, or even some of the actions at Mt Calvary MBC, I'm often quick to pull out all the punches to go after them. I think we all do at one point or another. But what I -- and most people who judge harshly -- fail to do is to ask God to scan our own hearts to find the things that make us vile. It becomes too easy and too convenient to be critical of others without first looking at ourselves. Not good for followers of Christ. Not good at all.

If you think about it, it was when Jesus was attacking the hypocrisy of the Pharisees that He was usually the most aggressive. He rebuked hypocrites even more than prostitutes, tax collectors and thieves. I suspect that it has to do with the fact that at least the "sinful" folks could admit it. Oppositely, Pharisees enjoyed basking in their self-professed virtue, being the center of attention and being widely recognized for their intelligence, their giving and their good works. They were the oily-haired 'ministers' on the TBN who make it a point to show how well off they were. In today's circles, the church has followed many of the same practices for which the Pharisees were rebuked. You have 'pious', self-righteous folks in church who are quick to call out somebody else's shortcomings and their 'immoral' lifestyles, while they actively engage in gossip, backbiting, selfishness and bigotry. All the while, the unchurched among us sit back and look at our hypocrisy in amazement and cynicism; asking themselves why in the world they would want to join that. Our message gets lost in the role we play.

As I've mentioned before, I believe that we are, in fact, entitled to be critical of other people's actions. But too often, there's a gross misinterpretation of Matthew 7:1; which states "Judge not, lest ye be judged." People read that verse and run a marathon with it; neglecting to read all of the subsequent passages. Many folks are quick to point out other people's shortcomings while; by pretense; put themselves above sin. That's where our acts of judgment become problematic. What people always seem to miss is that before we can judge other people we must first judge ourselves by acknowledging our sins and God's ability to expose us to His Truth. When we fail to do that, Jesus is quick to call us out on our hypocrisy (Matt 7:5).

I can imagine how cool it would be to win an Academy Award. I just wouldn't want to win one for playing the role of a loving Christian.

- ACL

Standing through the storm

I was just over to Joslyn's site (there's my cheap pop for the day). She's dealing with some pretty difficult things in her life; as I'm sure we all are. I don't think that any one of us can say that we haven't experienced our own storms; whether as small as a drizzle or as destructive as Katrina. We've all gone through something in our lives at one point of another. Lost loves. Sickness. Broken hearts. Lonliness. The list goes on forever. The storms are about as unique as the people who go through them. But perhaps one thing; one thought is prevalent as we all go through: Is there any good that can come out of our struggles?

When I looked in my concordance for the word "struggle", several passages were found. But one passage that particularly stuck out was Paul's letter to the church at Philipi. In the first chapter of that book (you should read the whole chapter, though my concordance only cited a few verses), Paul writes about dealing with his struggles. More notably, he emphasized how we should not always try to find our own personal benefit from being in a storm, but rather to look at how our experience can benefit others.

In the verse 12 of his letter Paul writes:

"Now I would have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel."

Here, I think Paul is pointing out that even in the midst of some of our most difficult times, there is always an opportunity for ministry. I think that how we hold up in a storm can be the very catalyst that other people might need to come closer to Christ. Simply stated, other people can benefit from our hardships.

I went to see Kem in concert last night. This dude is absolutely amazing! If you haven't had a chance to see him perform or listen to his sounds, you're missing out. Anyway, during his performance, he made a break from the music to offer his thanks and praise to God. Apparently, this is something that he does during every one of his performances. He indicated that his life was marked by a long period of drug addiction, alcoholism, and homelessness. But as he gleefully stated, it was by God's grace that he was able to overcome his difficulties. Though he's been clean and sober from 17 years, he shares this story with people even to this day. That to me is a perfect example of using your shame, your hurt, and your trials to market the goodness of God. Though he overcame those problems (even when many of us don't always overcome ours), he was still able to bless others through his struggle; almost two decades removed.

When the world sees us being strong and resolute during our storms, we are able to speak volumes to our character and to God. That will then allow us the opportunity to use our testimony to further the Gospel. We've been given a charge to be living witnesses. But the Bible doesn't factor in whether or not we're "doin' good" as we do so. This leads me to believe that we are live for God whether things are going great in our lives or if they suck.

In verse 13, Paul states:

"As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ."

I think in this verse, Paul is stating that the visible stuff we're going through becomes the impetus for other people to rely on God for their own problems. Watching people emerge from their own storms empowers others to rely on God and His promises as they go through theirs. When you align yourself with God and allow Him to work through your life; people will see it and take notice. Even when people can't visible see God, they'll be able to see him through us.

In verse 14, Paul states:

"Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."

This verse speaks tons to the importance of empowering others. Interestingly, it's not just the unbelievers who stand to benefit from our hardships. Instead, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ can also be encouraged by what we go through. For example: though I'm not a huge fan of stories of heroism in sports, some important lessons can be drawn from those types of circumstances. When you have a person who overcomes obstacles and defies odds, they become a true source of contagious inspiration for others. They take a beating and come back for more. Like a good Rolex, they take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. Through all of that, they empower those around them to stand strong themselves and to depend on God as their source for strength.

So I guess my advice to you is simple: when faced with hard times, we should do our very best to keep a smile on our face and to keep ourselves encouraged. People's eyes are always on us (for both good and bad reasons); and they always look to see how we respond to various situations. You never know: how you respond to these trials may very well be the thing that encourages somebody else as they face their problems. Their delieverance may be come after seeing how we stand through the storm.

- ACL

The Church Club

As a child turned young man, I grew up in a pretty strict church environment; as I'm sure most of you have. Interestingly, the very idea of God's saving grace was often overpowered by the magnitude of the rules that folks of the church practiced over time; and which will likely be followed through perpetruity.

You know the rules: No female ministers, no earrings for men, no pants for women, no dancing, no playing cards, no walking during service, no chewing gum, etc. The list goes on and on. Oddly enough, it wasn't nearly as bad at my church as it was for many of my friends at theirs. I mean, their churches banned simple things like long hair for men (though I also remember getting attacked for growing my hair out into an afro when I was getting my hair twisted), short hair for women, perfume/cologne, tattoes, and makeup. The rules were often defended by history and tradition so I typically went along with them; though having my occasional moments of anti-tradition defiance.

I guess my ultimate hang up was not necessarily with how ridiculous most of our rules were. I was most concerned by the fact that many practices that we should have rules against somehow made it through the cracks. Never mind that: those practices didn't just slip by, they were widely and popularly accepted. Practices like racial disharmony, bigotry, intolerance, rudeness, gossip, and backbiting were all allowed to become standard practices without so much as a peep of resistence from church folks. As a black church, we only fellowshipped with other black churches. As a heterosexual members, we only fellowshipped with other heterosexuals (comfortably, at least). As a socially dignified church, we only fellowshipped with other socially dignified people (though Black folks have an uncanny ability to sell how well off they are when -- in reality -- most of us are broke as hell).

Anybody outside of our church could join if they would have the decency and the willingness to become like us. If not, well...sorry. No club membership for you. This is not to say that the "doors of the church" weren't open, you just weren't allowed to join the cliques and clubs that lied within. In the off chance that you were able to successfully infilitrate the various fraternities within the church, you were more of a statistic to be counted in the Pastor's annual report than you were a person.

When faced with these realities, it's no wonder to me so many folks have given up on the church. Exclusivity has never been an effective tool for ministering to those outside of the fold. Hell, even I often felt excluded from the club; and I was apart of it! I can only imagine how difficult it must be for 'outsiders'.

One of the important things that has somehow gotten lost over the years is that the Church that Jesus came to establish (you know; the one that was built on Peter?) was not designed to be an exclusive club. There are no VIP lounges; no need for RSVPs. Though some discomfort is to be expected of 'outsiders' (because their self-reflection has revealed how dirty and shameful they may be. In fact, we should all feel discomfort like this), such discomfort should never come because of how we respond to them. Yet, that's often the case. The end result is that outsiders are afraid to come to the church if they live a life they consider wrong. For that matter, they are afraid to come to church if they...well, just live.

Absent of God's unconditional/underseved grace and the ability to see people as just people, I fully understand our propensity to reject and/or exclude people different from ourselves. I can especially understand it if those 'different' people were somehow 'not as good' as we are (Sad that our pride makes us see things this way). But somewhere down the road, that habit needs to be broken; that unspoken rule overturned. But with many of the current faces in our midst, I'm not holding my breath.

I remember not too long ago before I left my old church, there were a couple of really attractive young ladies who had recently joined. A few of us guys at the church affectionately nicknamed one of them "Beyonce", though she bore no real resemblence to the famous pop singer. On the surface, she seemed pretty cool, nice, and genuinely interested in being a part of our church family. At the end of the day, that's all that counts, right? One Sunday, Beyonce arrived at church wearing a sort of mink boa thingy (that's my technical term), a miniskirt (which wasn't that revealing, by the way), and some knee high boots. All hell broke loose. After being rudely and inappropriately tag-teamed by a few of the older ladies at the church (one of whom was the Pastor's wife), Beyonce left and -- as far as I can tell -- never came back. I predict the other young lady will be next. Sucks for us guys (*joke*)

I suppose that on the one hand, I saw this coming. Since the day they joined, both of these young ladies had eyes of reproach burning directly into them from the members of the church; especially other women (HATERS!). So the lack of sensitivity that comes with checking people on what's "appropriate" for church (as if God ever made such distinctions) was to be expected. Sadly, I wasn't disappointed. This story (and many others like it) remind me that the church is all but sensitive to those outside of the circle.

It always amazes me to think that the Christ for whom our lives are to be patterned opened Himself to the most vile people of His day. Hookers, sick folks, criminals, and tax collectors (synonymous, perhaps?) were all drawn to Jesus; and He to them. They were dirty as they approached them, and He got dirty to reach for them. True, once they experienced Him its likely that most of them did not revert back to their former selves (though I'm not so sure about that. If people were sinless after they came to Jesus, what's the point of endless grace?). But ultimately, people didn't have to refine their resumes, throw on pinstripe suits, and file down their heels in order to gain access to Jesus and to be a part of His club.

Why, then, do we expect to them to do those things to satisfy us?

- ACL

Hating the church

“And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake…”

- Matthew 10:22

After reading this verse, one would be inclined to think that people respond negatively to (or hate altogether) Christians because of Jesus. If you look at it in a certain light, it sounds like we can some form of assurance knowing that we’re doing things in accordance to God’s will if so many people hate us and what we’re about, right? Well, I’m not so sure.

One of the problems that I have with this idea is that many Christians use this verse as a license to approach the unsaved any kind of way and without an ounce of consideration or humanity. It’s somehow considered well within reason to just beat “sinners” over the head with “What saith the Lord”, condemn them, and walk away. Little, if any attention is often given to the idea of listening to those to whom we’re ministering, discuss their beliefs, befriending them, building relationships, etc. "Believe what I believe or you’re going to Hell. End of story," is often the message we share. From there, when people reject us we go back to our friendly Christian groups feeling a little better about ourselves for taking one for Jesus. Who cares if we don't have “people skills”? Who cares if our approach could irreparably offend someone? All we need to do is lay down the Gospel and be done with it.

But is that all to it?

So using Jesus’ declaration in Matthew as context, I have to ask a simple question: When people "hate us", are they hating our message of the Good News or are they hating our delivery?

For the record, I have no doubt that the Gospel has been; and will continue to be rejected by many. In fact, some of my closest friends criticize just about every aspect of my beliefs. That’s to be expected. But I often ask myself if the hatred and rejection we face is as much a product of how we treat those to whom we’re ministering as the message itself. After all, wouldn’t you want to develop a relationship with a person before you compel them to make a life decision about believing in God?

I remember once a few of us were in a meeting at church. It was after hours so the Pastor and the church staff were gone for the evening. During our meeting, a woman called; frantic about something (if memory serves me correctly, she was about to have her electricity cut off and was calling the church for support). The lady who took the call callously and rudely told the woman that the Pastor wasn’t available and no one was there who could help her. She then hung up on the caller ended the call and continued with the meeting. I was amazed.

Now, I suppose you could make a defense for this woman; and I wouldn’t challenge it. Perhaps this particular lady doesn’t perform well off the cuff. But all the same, she left a negative imprint on this woman’s life that may never be erased. Using that phone conversation as a context, do you think this woman or any other Christian would be able to successfully share the plan of salvation with this caller now? Would the caller reject what we had to say? Would it be because she hated the Gospel or because she hated Christians like this lady who hung up on her while she was getting her electricity turned off?

True, I’ve never believed that successful evangelism should be about what gimmicks we use to lure people (one of the reasons why selling the Gospel using “prosperity” has always bothered me). I believe that it’s by the Spirit that people are drawn to Jesus. Yet, even when I don’t think we play a role in captivating people to Christ, I do believe that we can – and often do -- get in the way of captivating them.

To steal a quote I once heard: “The world doesn’t reject Jesus. They hate the package in which we deliever Him.” I couldn't agree more.

-ACL

Baby Got Book?

An effective tool for ministry or another ridiculous example of bad church practice?

You be the judge.

- ACL

Agent of change

Important words to keep in mind:

"Is there something in your life that you want changed;

Because that something in your life is causing you so much pain?

Is there something in your life that’s a constant strain,

And you want relief today, you will take it in any way?"

"Have you prayed about it? Have you really prayed?

Have you groaned in your spirit? Have you earnestly prayed?"

"Then get up off your knees; go out on your way.

If you prayed, if you earnestly prayed.

And watch the Lord take your ‘something’;

and by His power change it."

"But the change may not come today.

No, the change may not be in your way.

But the change will come someday…

…even if the change is in you."

"The Change Will Come"; performed by the Wilmington Chester Mass Choir

These words have blessed and empowered me time and time again. I hope they bless you as much.

- ACL

My worthlessness

I was in Detroit yesterday for a concert at Chene Park. It would've been a great night, had it not been for something that happened (I'll get into that in a moment). The location by the Detroit River provided an incredible ambiance. The weather was just right. It was the perfect formula for a great event.

As I waited in line for the ticket collector, I took a look around at all the faces that had gathered. Though I admit that some of the ladies were bangin' that night, there wasn't really anybody in attendance who captured my attention.

Except for one person.

No more than twenty yards from me was an old man in a wheelchair. This man was obviously homeless; evidenced by his dirty and tattered appearance. Clearly, he hadn't showered or had a change of clean clothes in a while. I noticed that the man was unusually dirty; almost as if he had a mud bath just that morning. He was about as dirty as anybody I'd ever seen. But oddly, even that wasn't the real attention-getter. Above all else, what jumped out at me were his eyes. They were a deep hazel green; very similar to mine. It's not very often that I see blacks with hazel eyes that aren't store-bought. So when I do, it jumps out at me. Most of the other people around me oppositely were completely oblivious to this man; most likely ignoring him on purpose. But while he passed through, I could not take my eyes off him. Though I've been taught that it's impolite to stare, I stared. I stared hard. I watched him closely as he made his way through the traffic. He didn't stop to beg for anything. He didn't talk to anyone. He was just as oblivious to the crowd as they were to him. But I noticed him.

For the moment, I was frozen dead in my tracks. Interestingly, I didn't feel sorrow for the man. I wasn't bitter at the system that allowed for this man to wheel himself through poverty. Nor was I particularly filled with the Spirit at this point. Truthfully, I didn't feel anything at that particular moment. I just stood there watching this man motionlessly. I can't exactly explain it.


Well, that's it. That's all that happened. I guess this whole thing would've been far more profound if I did something noteworthy for him; offered him assistance, had a great conversation with him, etc. But I didn't. I just stood there watching him -- while people in line behind me were motioning for me to keep moving.

Once I snapped out of my trance, all that was left from the experience was an old man who left me feeling miserable and worthless. Usually it takes an exceptional person or thing to humble me to the point of absolute meekness, humility and reticence; like when Malik is off somewhere being righteous or when my big sister is doing something amazing. But on this occassion, it wasn't a person's high distinction that humbled me. It was a person who was drudging deep in bowel recesses of poverty, dispair, and social worthlessness that caused me to feel pathetically self-consious. Suddenly, the Kenneth Cole jacket I was rockin' wasn't as fashionable as I once thought. The floor-level seats we had didn't seem as valuable. Any success I've obtained over the years didn't seem important.

Just to clear up any confusion: I am by no means implying that being successful and enjoying the good things in life is wrong. It's just that I was amazed at how much my outlook can be affected in different situations; particularly in this case, when I'm confronted by man with no social value whatsoever. In essence, this impoverished man made me feel...well...worthless.

- ACL