Good News Sense

Why do we pray? Many of us pray when there are tragedies, serious illness, sometimes pending death, and other matters beyond our direct ability to fix. Do we pray in hope or hopelessness? Is prayer our way of asking for help when we are forced to admit we cannot do anything? How often is our prayer nothing more than a glorified wish?  Or motivated by desperation when all else has failed?

Given that God is our heavenly Daddy, I cannot quarrel with such prayers; they are typical of children who frequently ask their parents for the things they want. How often, I wonder, is our praying just Christians going through the motions? How many of us have such fear of God that we expect only bad things, as if he were an abusive parent tormenting his children? Do others of us pray without much genuine expectation because we see ourselves as unworthy, bad children who will only get coal in their stockings?

I sat in a Biggby’s coffee shop and settled into a feeling of hopelessness because my laptop was quickly becoming unusable, shortly after booting up. I was sure it was dying. Although finances are slowly improving, I couldn’t afford to replace it or maybe even repair it, right now. Was it some weird virus, or was something basic beginning to fail? Can I pray for God to “heal” a computer? I didn’t. I did finally uninstall the updated antivirus program; and, not only did the problems go away, but the laptop began to run better than it had in months. Apparently, the earlier version was interfering with the operating system, too.

It struck me that I often fail to pray, even as the thought comes to mind, because I’ve already decided it “won’t work.” Is it strange to pray for a laptop? Maybe it’s better to pray for oneself in trying to guess what’s wrong with it, but certainly praying is always appropriate. The car is getting old. Will it last another winter? If not, what will happen? Do I pray for another car? Do I pray for this car to last? Does God care about my need for transportation? My laptop? Maybe it’s my problem, not his. If it’s my responsibility, then why pray?

Was life easier when people only needed to pray for obvious necessities—food, protection, shelter, healing? We have so many things that we feel we need, but we won’t die without them. Yet, we work for those things, and our work requires cars and laptops and capital investments. We should pray for one, even as we pray for the other. God may say no at any stage, for reasons he holds in his wisdom; but he never says no because he doesn’t care. He never says no because we aren’t good enough; his love and grace always motivate his response, along with his wisdom.

James says, “You have not because you don’t ask. You ask and don’t receive because you seek to satisfy your lust.” Jesus promised so plainly, “Ask and it will be given…seek and you will find.” I am so grateful that God understands my reluctance and graciously responds to my need, even when I don’t ask, often because I doubt my worthiness. I wish I could be more “childlike” and just bug my heavenly father with every innocent thing I might wish. Somehow, I suspect that kind of praying would please Him, even more than our frantic, desperate requests for intervention when things go bad.

Remember that glass with exactly half of the amount it would hold? Depending on temperament, a person might say either half full or half empty; one sees what he has, but another sees what is lacking. It would be interesting to survey people living in a more prosperous society with glasses at maybe one third, one half, and three fourths, and then compare the results to a comparatively poor society. I have a hunch that the poorer might be more grateful for the little they have, while the richer more unhappy even though they have quite a bit.

Paul warns in Romans 1 that being ungrateful leads to losing what you do have. That is not really hard to comprehend. If I help someone out and they show no appreciation, I think maybe I won’t do it again for that person. Now that is a very human reaction, but God isn’t human, even though he made us in his image. He most likely has the same reaction, but his purposes are beyond that; he always works for our benefit.

When people are blessed with plenty, they tend to grow presumptuous, thinking that prosperity is their natural state, their right. Two situations demonstrate this problem. The United States has enjoyed the greatest prosperity in the world for half a century, and many have become accustomed to its wealthy lifestyle compared to many other places. The houses are often large, the closets are full of clothing, the children have many toys, and teens to grandmas have computers, cell phones, electronic games and conveniences, multiple televisions, and many cars. Many glasses are nearly full, and yet losing a few drops is cause for sadness and complaining.

Even the poor are rich here, despite much that we hear. Few homes lack televisions or air conditioners, and again there is presumption. The generous welfare benefits, medical care for the poor, disabled, and elderly, special help for poor children, food stamps, and the like, often overlapping, have created a sense of entitlement such that many stop taking responsibility for their own support, even if they are fully capable of working. Some once regarded “charity” as something shameful and humiliating to receive, because it was clearly private citizens helping other private citizens. The reluctant recipients were deeply motivated to work hard so as not to need charity…a very different attitude than that often in response to welfare.

God knows that ungrateful people become complacent and smug, ignoring the source of their blessings and to whom it all ultimately belongs. They tend to regard what they have as their own property, not God’s held in stewardship. Those who claim to be children of God who take God’s generosity for granted become poor examples of the virtues of Christ. God is surely offended, as any of us would be, but he also recognizes that ungrateful people are immature and unfaithful, at a cost to themselves and to those around them. Ultimately, salvation itself the most precious gift from God, and one my seriously question whether a person can have received this priceless gift and, at the same time, be ungrateful.

The scope of gratitude exceeds prosperity. We may lapse into complacency when things are good, but being thankful is for bad times, too. “In everything give thanks.” In times of economic reversal, give thanks. When we are sick or grieving, give thanks. When our country or community suffers from poor leadership, give thanks. When our plans fail, give thanks. For better for worse, in sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, good times or bad, give thanks. Regardless of the prevailing tone of our times, despite the fear and the anger, no matter who seems to be in charge or what they do, give thanks.

I’ll be the first to admit that I often fail at this; I forget to be thankful. Though nearly every formal prayer begins with “thank you,” I can be a “glass half empty” kind of guy. It doesn’t usually show unless you happen to know me well and are close; my public face is generally cheerful, and my manner to most is upbeat. I am an optimist about most everything, fully confident in God’s grace and provision with one exception, my own personal life, in the private realm most don’t see; there I’m a pessimist, and there I neglect gratitude all too easily. I’m not “preaching” from some lofty perch of super-spirituality.

Bottom line, if for no other reason—although there are many other reasons—give thanks knowing that in an eternal perspective, knowing what God has done and what he has promised, beyond any half empty or nearly empty glass here on earth, our prospects are excellent, the losses we experience are momentary, and the blessings awaiting us will fill that glass to overflowing forever.

“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”—I Thessalonians 5:15

This world is filled with incompetence and injustice; some people fail to do their work well, and some people freely mistreat others through bias and favoritism. Those who have authority misuse it and mistreat those under their power. Those who have important responsibilities carry them out carelessly and ineptly. The unbelieving world often fails to value excellence in favor of other values, but Christians are, far too often, equally guilty of unacceptable behavior.

What should people do who suffer difficulty and loss from the sins and shortcomings of others? How should we handle stupidity and unfairness? Should Christians, who recognize a call to honor God with our best, confront or refuse to accept those who clearly give less? Does love require we accept shoddy or shameful work? Is “righteous indignation” an appropriate response to underachievers or to abusive tyrants? Let’s be honest. Most of us don’t handle such situations very well. With little wise reflection, we get angry and react harshly. When we do, we rarely solve problems; at the same time, we demonstrate a lack of the very love that our Lord desires we display.

For the benefit of those less spiritually mature, let’s talk about effectiveness first. Lashing out at someone rarely produces a good result. If the offending person or group is functioning poorly, then criticism is likely to produce anger, defensiveness, or both. Just think of how you respond to being attacked, criticized, or humiliated. Is the more common response agreement? “Oh, I see. You’re right. I’m doing an awful job.” No, the typical reaction is self-protection and retaliation.

In the case of mean, evil, and oppressive people–if such a classification is more than a rarity, the likely reaction to disrespect or anger is even greater harshness. Most of us understand this better than we care to admit, for we are all guilty of unkindness, which is why an unkind response comes so easily to us. Ego and hatred lie within most of us, if we are honest enough to acknowledge them.

However, for Christians, the measure of our response is whether it is Christ-like. Certainly, he could lash out in righteous anger, usually against those called to lead God’s people who abused their position. Plainly, though, he calls us to love.  This is more than “being nice.”  In my experience, “nice” people too often cover their meanness and spite with a thin veneer of false pleasantness.  Once a person’s back is turned, the nastiness spews forth.  That is clearly not love!

Love seeks the good of their other person, despite what they may have done or failed to do.  If the poorly performing person is an unbeliever, our love may be the key to their redemption, perhaps followed by improved performance.  If the person who disappoints or harms us is a professing believer, our love may be an important bridge to healing they need.

Let’s be honest, though, and recognize that some will never be as good, effective, or pleasant as we want.  Even then, love is the appropriate response.  Jesus loved the children, and children cannot do very much yet.  Jesus loved the broken-hearted, the handicapped, and the most despised, like that tax-collector, whom he called as a disciple, or the other, in whose home he ate dinner.  I believe love is redemptive, but regardless we are to love, not just be nice, but love sincerely with the very love of Christ.  This isn’t warm and fuzzy but something real, as Paul wrote:  “Love is patient.  Love is kind.”