Applying The Bible to Our Culture and World

These are the opinions of Jeff Phillips, pastor of an inner city Southern Baptist church in the heart of the bible belt. These views do not represent Woodfield Park Baptist Church, Ashley my wife, our 3 dogs or 3 cats.







Saturday, July 11, 2015

Things That Have Irritated Me Lately

OK, maybe that's not the best title for a blog from a pastor. Let's call it "Things That Have Troubled Me Lately." Nah, I'm not really troubled by them. They don't cost me sleep at night. Maybe, "Things That Confuse Me Lately." Nope, I don't think I'm confused. Is it OK for a pastor to get irritated? I hope so. Being irritated doesn't mean I dislike someone or don't respect them. It simply means I strongly disagree with many things I've seen lately and they get under my skin. So long as I don't lash out, I feel that's OK. So here goes, hopefully in the proper spirit.

It irritates me when I see people say the Confederate flag has been banned. It has not been banned, it was removed from statehouse grounds. You still have the freedom to fly it wherever you want personally. If that freedom is ever challenged, I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with you.

It irritates me when I see Christians share anything on social media as if it's the gospel truth. Where is our discernment? Every time we share a half truth we share an untruth. Every time we share something that is misrepresentative, we promote a lie. There will be plenty of truth to share in the coming days, let's make sure what we share can be backed up by facts and scripture. We destroy our credibility when we share things that have no basis in truth.

It irritates me how little people know about history, and even current events. We seem to read only opinion we agree with, and again take what is said as absolute truth. Their are two sides to every story, and this includes history. The truth is almost always found somewhere in the middle.

It irritates me how many Christians are biblically illiterate or simply don't care what the bible actually says. It is not your preacher's fault if you know nothing of the bible. We are to feed ourselves the word. If we do that, we'll quickly realize if we are in a church that proclaims the truth, or does not. Then we face the decision, stay or leave. If the only "bread" you receive is on Sunday morning, you are probably biblically illiterate. "Study to show yourself approved." Question everything you are taught compared to scripture. Leave room for disagreement on non-essential matters, but stand firm on the primary things. We can't do this unless we know the primary things.

It irritates me that football season is still seven weeks away. My how I long for some harmless entertainment and good natured ribbing.

It irritates me when I see Christians in America say how persecuted we are. Seriously? We can watch ISIS beheading any who disagree with them, read of Christian pastors held captive and facing death for standing in their faith, know the factual history of the black person or American Indian in our country, know the history of the Holocaust, and seriously claim we are currently being persecuted? It grieves me how unprepared many Christians are for real persecution, and it is almost certainly coming. If any of the disciples or Jesus responded the way some do to the world being against them or not getting their way, we would have no basis for a faith to live our lives by. And when it does come, realize we were told we must endure these things. Told to take joy in them. I don't see much joy from Christians in many things these days. I see fear. We're told to "fear God," and nothing else. "Consider it pure joy." We are not victims. "The servant is not greater than the Master."

It irritates me that the "Dukes of Hazzard" HAS been banned from TV Land. Now that folks is overreaction. It does not irritate me Walmart no longer sells the Confederate flag. I rejoice for the small business owners who will reap the benefits of this. Walmart has run to many small businesses out of business. That said, everything else about Walmart irritates me ;-)

It irritates me how freely we throw around terms like racist, bigot, hater. Like heretic or false teacher in Christian circles. Are their people who are racist, or bigots, or who truly hate? You bet there are. Are there people who deny the faith and are true heretics and false teachers? Absolutely. But because we disagree about something does not make me or you one of these things. Racists are easy to spot, as are people who are bigots or who hate. Heretics and false teachers are as well if we know the essentials of the faith. Labeling people with false claims only divides and stirs unrest.

It irritates me I fall short as a pastor, as a husband, as a brother, as a friend. That I fall short as a Christian.

You see, that's the thing about irritation. It should be two-fold. If we think we won't be irritated by things from the outside, that things will always be as WE want them, well, we set ourselves up to be miserable. We'll find little joy or comfort. What we must do however is deal with those "planks" in our own eyes. Irritation means we pay attention to something. We scratch a mosquito bite. I think it would do all of us good, and most certainly myself, to pay more attention to those things in my life that are an irritant on the inside. This won't mean things on the outside won't irritate me, that they are unimportant, but I have little to no control over those things. I can scratch those bites I personally feel.

Paul tells us to "examine yourselves." You know what, that irritates me. But that's not a bad thing.