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the Manna | November 2012
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the Manna | November 2012
Columns
23 | The Desire To Be Relevant
09 | Signals 11 | On the Air
24 | System Compromised
Features 14 | Keeping It Real We aren’t fooling anybody.
16 | Confessionary Tale
Stay in Touch
God always opens a path.
Input, output.
26 | Sincere Pottery Letting light shine in the dark corners
28 | Smelling Laundry Confessions with a higher purpose.
Are we hiding behind our Facebook updates?
18 | The TMI Tendency Being honest without being inappropriate.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
7
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the Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc. Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd Creative Director: Joe Willey Contributing Writers: Keyanna Butts, Phil Huber, Josh Millwood, Brittney Switala, B.A. Timmons & Karen Tull Media Client Liaisons: Gloria Shoemaker & Randall Stapleton
Frequently Asked Questions Who We Are The Manna is published by Maranatha, Inc., a Christcentered ministry called to proclaim the Good News of faith and life in Jesus Christ through various forms of media, as God directs, until He returns. “Maranatha” (mer-a-nath´-a) is an Aramaic word found in I Corinthians 16:22. It is translated, “Our Lord, come!” Joy! 102.5 WOLC is also part of Maranatha, Inc. Its call letters stand for “Watch, Our Lord Cometh.” Maranatha!
Disclaimer Non-ministry advertisers are not required to subscribe to the “Statement of Faith” printed at right; nor are their businesses and products necessarily endorsed by the Manna, Joy! 102.5 WOLC, or Maranatha, Inc., whose viewpoints are not necessarily represented by the opinions or statements of persons interviewed in this magazine; nor are the viewpoints of its advertisers.
Statement of Faith We Believe… that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative source of Christian doctrine and precept; that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that the only hope for man is to believe in Jesus Christ, the virgin-born Son of God, who died to take upon Himself the punishment for the sin of mankind, and who rose from the dead so that by receiving Him as Savior and Lord, man is redeemed by His blood; that Jesus Christ in person will return to Earth in power and glory; that the Holy Spirit indwells those who have received Christ, for the purpose of enabling them to live righteous and godly lives; and that the Church is the Body of Christ and is comprised of all those who, through belief in Christ, have been spiritually regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The twin mission of the Church is worldwide evangelization, and nurture and discipline of Christians.
Manna and Joy! 102.5 WOLC P. O. Box 130, Princess Anne, MD 21853 Voice: 410-543-9652 Fax: 410-651-9652 Manna e-mail: info@readthemanna.org Joy! 102.5 e-mail: wolc@wolc.org ©2012 Maranatha, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of Maranatha, Inc. Photos: iStockphoto and Thinkstock
Maranatha Media | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna
Signals True Nature This issue was delayed, slightly, as we dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. With the roof of our tower/transmitter building gone, the core of our transmitting equipment was left vulnerable to the elements, a dripping mass of electrical components. Looking at it, there was a high degree of certainty that Joy! 102.5 would be off the air for an extended period of time. And even in the face of that knowledge, there was a peace, a sureness. A knowing that we would be back on the air - in God’s timing. And what do we know, after all? Because, in His timing, we were back on the air in two and a half days! Throughout the east coast, there were real people doing really honorable things— digging sand out of homes, pumping water out of basements—and living rooms, replacing roofs, making sure their neighbors were safe and warm and fed. And there were people doing really dishonorable things—stealing, cheating, making sure there was enough to keep themselves safe and warm and fed - at the expense of others. It’s often during times of crisis that the true nature of an individual is evident. It is then when a person shows Christlikeness or not. It is in these times when character is defined.
Perhaps it is simply leaving the comfort of your own home—toasty and dry—to climb up on a roof on a windy, chilly, rainy day to save the home or business of someone in need. Perhaps it is more daring and dangerous—like defying a direct order and paying with one’s own life in order to save American lives in an insurgency against our Embassy in a foreign country. The real demonstration of Christian character is when we are able to simply do what needs to be done—selflessly—pointing not to ourselves but to Christ—the One that did what needed to be done to save each of us. Debbie Byrd is General Manager of Maranatha, Inc., a ministry that includes Joy! 102.5 and the Manna.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
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On the Air A New Season Jenny Simmons, formerly the lead singer for Addison Road, will unveil her debut solo album early next year. The project, The Becoming, will release on February 12, 2013. We have already gotten a sneak peak at the new project with its first single release “Heaven Waits For Me,” which you can now hear on Joy! 102.5. After years of touring and giving Christian music fans powerful songs such as “Hope Now,” “What Do I Know of Holy,” “All That Matters,” and “This Little Light of Mine,” Addison Road decided it was time to call it quits. “As a band,” Jenny announced, “we have collectively decided to put a definite end to Addison Road.” Jenny, who started the band with her then-fiancé, Ryan (now husband of 10 years), at Baylor University in 2000, says it’s the best break-up she’s ever been a part of. “I hate break-ups, but this was as beautiful as a split can be! The guys were tired of living out of buses and leaving their families behind. In our case it was taking a toll on our marriage to raise our daughter on the road, work together, and then try and be married at the end of the day. After our 2010 tour with Tenth Avenue North and
Matt Maher, it became clear to each of us that God was releasing us from Addison Road and ushering each of us as individuals into new seasons.” Since her emergence onto the music scene, Jenny’s vocal abilities have impressed critics and fans alike, lending an honest and authentic voice to lyrics that hit listeners with disarming relevance. “I believe in every single word and note on the album,” Jenny explains in regard to The Becoming. “I believe this project is exactly what I am supposed to say to the world, and I’m so excited to share it with everyone.” You can learn more about Jenny Simmons and her new album by visiting her website at www.jennysimmons.com. Rodney Baylous is Program Director of Joy! 102.5. Visit www.wolc.org.
Listen Now! Check out our Program Guide at wolc.org wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
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Go Out
It’s A Big World
Civil War Expo 11/10 - 11/11 | Helen, Georgia www.helenga.org The Civil War re-enactment will feature Period Sutlers villages, demonstrations, and camps. Skirmishes between the Union and confederate “armies” will recreate some of the war’s most interesting battles
Salsafest 11/16 - 11/88 | Greenacres, Florida http://brlmusicentertainment.com Live music, Latin and American food, salsa dancing, rides for the kids, This is a family festival and the largest in palm beach.
Holiday Boat Caroling 11/29 - 12/23 | San Antonio, Texas www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/Events/index Joyous caroling fills the evening air along the San Antonio River Walk as more than 200 school, church, company, and civic choral groups ring in the holidays by singing traditional carols on cruising boats Maranatha Media | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna
Festival of Trees 11/21 - 12/8 | Helen, Georgia www.helenga.org Come see the beautifully decorated trees and wreaths throughout Unicoi Lodge. There will be a silent auction for trees & wreaths with proceeds going to the United Way.
McDonalds® Thanksgiving Parade 11/22 | Chicago, Illinois http://www.chicagofestivals.org 79th McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade! Enjoy classic gigantic balloons, the nation’s finest marching bands, majestic horses, festive floats amd incredible performance groups.
Night of 100 Elvises 11/30 - 12/1 | Baltimore, Maryland www.nightof100elvises.com/ charitable and multi-talent event features more than 100 entertainers on three stages. At least 16 tribute artists and 18 bands will perform only Elvis’ music!
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
13
Keeping It Real By Karen Tull
I
n the British television comedy Keeping Up Appearances, main characters Hyacinth Bucket and her husband Richard are your average middle-class couple. All of their family and neighbors know this— everyone except Hyacinth. In her mind she is high society, and she goes to great lengths to prove it. She regularly hosts “candlelight suppers,” refers often to her Royal Doulton China, avoids being seen in public with her crude-mannered siblings, and insists that her last name is French and should therefore be pronounced “bouquet.” Of course, no one is fooled. Instead of achieving a believable façade, all Hyacinth ever really does is run herself ragged and cause people to roll their eyes. While her antics make for a lot of laughs on the show, her approach to life is unfortunately true to form for many of us, particularly Christians. We, too, often go the extra mile to make a good impression. Sometimes we want our ways to appear blameless rather than to actually be blameless for the sake of Christ. I once heard a Christian comedian refer to “that token Christian guy who tries too hard.” When the guy was asked if he had his car keys, he shouted back, “I got the keys to the Kingdom!” He also apparently tried to “rebuke” a Dirt Devil. Jokes aside, our efforts to seem pious only turn people off and keep us in our hidden sin. How do we avoid this “Stepford” pretense? We
have to be authentic about the sin in our lives. Even if we have put our faith in Christ, we’re still sinners who constantly struggle. God isn’t fooled—He sees everything. Why try to fool anyone else? After King David had been convicted of His sin before God, he wrote, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence, and don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You” (Psalm 51:10-12 NLT). We need a fresh awareness of our sin and a recharged exuberance for the forgiveness extended to us through the death and resurrection of Christ. This will compel us to exchange our plastic smiles for actual ones and give us courage to be real with people. Author Stuart Briscoe writes, “Churches have all kinds of evangelism programs trying to get people to knock on doors they don’t want to knock on, give out literature they don’t want to give out, and accost people in shopping malls that they don’t want to accost.” “There’s a better way,” he continues. “With a contrite heart, a renewed spirit, a sense of forgiveness and of being overwhelmed by God’s grace, people will be motivated. Out of the sheer thrill of what it means to be forgiven, they will go and say, ‘Let me tell you how you can be forgiven and what it’s like to be blessed out of your socks.’ A new generous, volunteer spirit will come when God’s Spirit works in our hearts.”
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
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’m the type of person who loves to make an impact with my words. Whether they be encouraging or destructive, I want them to force you to react. Social media is like black-tar heroin for someone like me. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, MySpace (Is that still a thing?)—they all give me the power to focus my wit, charm, angst, and ire more eloquently than perhaps I would be able in actual community. Actual community being the kind where you are physically present with real people who you know beyond surface gloss and share life with. Anybody remember that? Social media also gives me the opportunity to confess without the authenticity that makes confession such a crucial part of faith in Christ. Confession is a two-fold necessity for followers of Jesus. Step One: Confess your faith in Christ. Romans 10:9 is basically entry-level Christianity: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” The type of confession Paul is talking about is both a private exclamation of faith to Creator God and a public declaration of your new identity in Christ. It’s like saying, “Hey world! I’m ditching your ways for God’s Way and I just want you to know.” Which, of course, opens you up to ridicule, slander, and possibly worse. And that’s exactly why God demands a public declaration of faith (in the real world, not just the safety of church). Secret faith does not spread the Kingdom of God. The first church spread like wildfire because they were run out of town. Instead of staying cozily attached to the temple in Jerusalem, Christians had to flee persecution, taking the Good News to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8). Just like pressure turns coal into diamonds, persecution makes faith real. Even today, where do you find Christianity flourishing? Wherever there is
persecution levied against Christ. (Sidebar: The lack of persecution faced by Christians in America very well could be the reason for our lazy lack of faith and whiney disposition every time someone disagrees with us.) When we confess Christ, the world will hate us. We accuse the world of murder and sin and nobody likes that. But by confessing Christ we offer hope to the world. While most reject that hope, some don’t. Some join the Kingdom. This type of confession is our salvation and grows God’s Kingdom. Step Two: Confess your sins. Where confessing faith in Christ builds the Kingdom, confessing sin brings healing into our broken lives. And make no mistake, life in Christ is a constant reminder of how far short we fall, bolstered by how overwhelming God’s grace truly is. James 5:16a: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” We don’t confess our sins for Christ’s benefit but for our own. And this is not just a recommendation by the Apostle James. This is expected of mature Christians. It’s Step Two that is a struggle for me. I tend to use social media as a loophole around the intimacy that confession demands. There are many excuses we use to avoid offering humble, repentant confession to one another. We don’t want to weigh others down with our problems. We don’t want to risk someone telling the church blabbermouth. We don’t actually plan on changing. Confession is hard because we work even harder to fool people into thinking we have it all together. To humbly confess our shortcomings is to both repent of specific sin AND draw attention to all the half-truths we tell in covering up our insecurities and failures. Biblical confession is not a private matter. That being said, it’s also not a broadly public matter. The New Testament offers a lot of practical advice on how to care for one
Confessionary Tale By Josh Millwood
another, pray for one another, and be accountable to one another. But, ultimately, that involves real transparency and intimacy within the body of Christ. Sometimes I skirt that intimate confession by posting struggles and failures (albeit, I’m usually vague) on Facebook. The instant “likes” and comments I get make me feel like I’m not alone, but truly—I am. I didn’t have to look into anyone’s eyes and genuinely repent of my sin. If I were really sorry, I would want my faith community to know it and be enabled to hold me accountable on it in the future. Social media offers me the easy out of semi-confession and no real accountability for the future. And this is human nature. This is my way of hiding from God because I am naked. By avoiding true confession and publicly broadcasting pseudo-repentance, I build up my esteem in the eyes of others. Instead of reveling in grace and drawing attention to God, I gather up sympathy and praise for myself. It is so easy to avoid true intimacy with God and His family yet appear like everything is copacetic. It takes real work to pursue, cultivate, and live in communion with one another. The author of Hebrews warns believers to not be in the habit of canceling gatherings together. I’ve heard pastors use this scripture (Hebrews 10:25) as their sole basis for having a Sunday service in inclement weather. I don’t think that is what the passage is talking about. The entire passage is on perseverance and the author follows the statement with “...but encourage one another...” These gatherings were not a weekly time of worship followed by preaching and an altar call, maybe a pot-luck lunch and then, “See you next week!” These gatherings were daily. The early churches literally lived together. That sounds absolutely awful to me because I love my privacy. Perhaps privacy at the cost of community is too high a
price because when people drifted from that intimate life together it became increasingly easy to sin and harder to confess. Which is where we sit today. Intimacy has been exchanged for comfort and convenience. We desire intimacy and are terrified by it at the same time. There is an inherent need to be in communion with God and man—it’s how we were built. But we are also selfish and nasty and fear retribution and judgment. Jesus knew this about humans, which is why as He revealed His holiness to the people who followed Him, He had to constantly remind them that He was not there to judge but to offer redemption. Since Jesus died and rose again, we have been redeemed and can once again walk in God’s presence. But. And it’s a big BUT (I cannot lie...). We have not yet entered the eternal Kingdom of God. We are still in this world, still fighting our sin nature, still growing more mature in our faith. God sees us through the eyes of His Son but we must work hard to be pure. Purity is for our benefit. Confession to one another aids in this, perhaps as much as any spiritual discipline we’ve been given. Social media isn’t evil. It isn’t subversively trying to rob you of intimacy. (I mean, Farmville might be evil, but that’s a story for another time.) If you allow the shadow of community to replace genuine life together it is not hard to find yourself alone, self-centered, and without the benefit of the family of God. However, if you strive to develop deeper relationships, experience life together, and come to a place where confession and accountability are a regular practice, you will experience a new level of joy in the Lord. And then you’ll have nicer things to post on Facebook/ Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest/Google+/Spotify/Hootsuite/ MySpace/Ping...Umm...Maybe the Amish are on to something.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
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n 2009, a Christian organization called the Passion for Christ Movement (P4CM) launched a campaign and tshirt line entitled the “ex-series.” The t-shirts were intended to allow Christians to show others what sins God had delivered them from. In bold white letters, the t-shirts featured slogans such as “EXfornicator,” “EX-homosexual,” “EX-porn addict,” and many more explicit (and customizable) declaratives. For some, the t-shirt confessions were the perfect witnessing tool. It was not only a declaration of freedom from past sins, but a way of letting people know that Christ can set them free, too. For others, the t-shirts were an example of poor Christian judgment. This is because the shirt only broadcasted past sins. Unless
you were able to explain the meaning to a bystander, the shirt was nothing more than an audacious fashion statement, yielding unwanted mental imagery. Although the t-shirts were meant to be attention-grabbing, no one expected the campaign to cause so much controversy amongst Christians. Typically, it is admirable for a Christian to be open and honest about their past faults. It breaks the holierthan-thou stereotype, and thus, can help draw sinners to Christ. But there is a fine line between transparency and TMI (too much information). And as Christians, it is important to know where that line is, so our desire to be an open book doesn’t discourage people from Christ. I’m sure we all know a person who has no filter. They tell you anything and
The TMI Tendency By Keyanna Butts
everything about their lives, what they’re going through, etc. They usually end the conversation by saying “Hey, I’m just being honest.” But in actuality, they’re just being downright inappropriate, and their disclosure leaves you feeling uncomfortable and perhaps even burdened. In order to be transparent, we do have to be honest with ourselves (and others) about what is happening and has happened in our lives. However, this does not mean we should go around airing our dirty laundry in public places. Discretion must be used. The more we grow in Christ and understand forgiveness and redemption, the easier it becomes to disclose past immorality. With this lack of shame comes the tendency to want to show the world our freedom (especially when it can be done through bold
fashion choices). But the Bible teaches us that there is a time and place for everything—including a time to keep silent and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3). Therefore, although we are instructed to confess our sins one to another (James 5:16), we must use wisdom on when, where, and how we go about doing it. Transparent is defined as having the property of transmitting rays of light through its substance so that bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen. Through our transparency, the light of Christ should be seen, not just our sin. The key to being transparent is not just being able to confess our sins, but being able to reveal Jesus who lives within.
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The Desire To Be Relevant By B.A. Timmons
P
art of the reason I write is because I’m weak at verbal communication. It isn’t a figment of my imagination or my being overly self-critical. I know people who have the gift. They are interesting to listen to whether they have anything to say or not. I’m not one of those people. So, I have focused my attention on that with which I am more comfortable. It isn’t difficult for me to admit this weakness. These are just cold-hard facts. Could I improve my ability to communicate verbally with the aid of some self-help books? Maybe. Am I interested in reading self-help books on this topic? Not so much. Underlying my efforts to communicate in some form is a desire to be relevant—to contribute to the conversation of life. It is probably human nature, perhaps placed there by God Himself. It becomes a life quest for many of us to figure out how to become such a person. However, my experience in relevance has largely been this: The harder I try, the worse it goes. Occasionally, it goes without my forethought or effort. Such is the case with a current situation in our lives. Our two daughters are involved in an after-school activity. Occasionally, the activity requires the group of kids to either eat dinner at the school (which some parents prepare) or pick something up later that evening. In both cases, the students contribute to the meal cost. My wife was talking to one of the other parents about planning the meal, a task she loves to do. The parent was discussing one of the students and said they never ask for meal money from this child. And when the activity requires him to buy something later, someone makes sure he has something to eat. The reason is that this child never has any money to contribute to the meals. The parent told my wife that they think that sometimes the only meal he eats is the lunch he
receives at school. This is one of those things that we personally don’t see very often—a child dealing with hunger—an “in our faces” issue right here at home. We didn’t have to go someplace else to see it. We only had to participate in an after-school activity with our own children. Even that wasn’t much of an effort. As soon as the opportunity was presented to us, we quickly realized it was something we would enjoy. The question now is what, if anything, can we do in this situation. There are others already involved, but how can we get involved in the life of this child as well? But perhaps the more pertinent question is, “Who has the greater need?” This child may need food, but our family needs an appreciation for that which we take for granted every single day. And in God’s great wisdom, He has brought this child and our family together, if for nothing else but for us to witness each other’s lives. And this answers that first question: We already are involved in this child’s life. This is one of the reasons we have our children in public school. This is where we believe our family has been called. In this place we have found the hungry. Not only that, we have found the short-tempered, the low selfesteemed, and the lonely. It is in this place we have been handed the opportunity to be relevant. But in all actuality, there is no real relevancy in any of us. However, we do have Christ dwelling in us, who happens to be the Relevant One. We must simply get out of the way and let His will be done in all situations. As much as we are tempted, there is no need to worry about being relevant. He will always open a path, and we will stumble into exactly where we are to be. And in that place, He will be relevant.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2012
23
A Higher Level of Care
Care HealthSouth o nRehabilitation Hospital Hospital
System Compromised By Karen Tull
A Higher Level of Care H e a l t h S o u t h AR He ihgahbei rl i Lt eavt ei ol no f H Coas rpei t a l HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
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It could happen to you -- an unexpected illness or injury that requires lengthytorecuperation. It could ahappen you -- an unexpected illness Like anyone, you want to get best care and get or injury thatthe requires a lengthy recuperation. back to the quality of life you’ve come to enjoy. Like anyone, you want to get the best care and get HealthSouth’s Inpatient backare to the of life you’ve come to enjoy. So, what yourquality options? what are yourin options? Rehabilitation So, Hospital HealthSouth offers patients the opportunity to
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inpatient hospital technology in rehabilitation the goal of intoChesapeake. Our multidisciplinary team approach is designed Our multidisciplinary team approach is designed to provide a far more concentrated setting with more recovery and recuperation. provide a far more concentrated setting with more aggressive therapy and nursing care than other post unexpected illness Our multi-disciplinary aggressive therapy and nursing care than other post gthy recuperation. acute settings such as skilled nursing facilities or the best care and get acuteis settings such as skilled approach designed to nursing facilities or u’ve come to enjoy. homes. And our state-of-the-art technology nursing options? nursing homes. And our state-of-the-art technology far more offersincorporate patients the latest a advancements, providing offers patients the latest advancements, providing the opportunity to a higher level of caretherapy for stroke, brain injury, spinal e at HealthSouth’s aggressive program a higher level of care for stroke, brain injury, spinal ital in Chesapeake. cord proach is designed to injury, trauma, neurological diagnoses injury, trauma, neurological diagnoses along withcordcomprehensive ed setting with more and orthopedic injuries. g care than other post and orthopedic injuries. nursing facilities ornursing in comparison It all adds up to Itgetting faster. of-the-art technology all addsyou up better, to getting you better, faster.
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Get the higher of care you of deserve. Getlevel the higher care you deserve. providers such as level skilled Call HealthSouth at 410 546-6400. Call HealthSouth at 410 546-6400. nursing homes.
are you deserve. 410 546-6400.
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220 Tilghman Road • Salisbury, MD 21804 220 Tilghman Road • Salisbury, 21804 410 MD 546-4600 410 546-4600 healthsouthchesapeake.com healthsouthchesapeake.com
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as there a movie you watched over and over as a child? Even today, perhaps you can quote nearly every line from it. For me, one of those movies was the musical Grease starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. We owned the VHS and I probably heard the song “You’re The One That I Want” approximately 1,645 times (at least it felt that way). The other day I happened to catch a portion of the movie on TV after not having seen it for many years. I was shocked at how risqué it was! As a kid, I evidently missed most of the jokes due to my age, but nonetheless, the content went into my young brain. There were, however, certain things I did understand, and I can look back now and realize that they set my mind in directions in which it shouldn’t have gone. I can’t help but wonder, “Why was I allowed to watch this?” In this fallen world and with all the ways we have to be entertained, our brains are constantly inundated with images and ideas that are contrary to what God says is right. And because it’s so pervasive, the tendency is to become desensitized to the toll it takes on us. What we allow in doesn’t even have to be blatantly obscene, such as profanity, graphic violence, and sexually explicit content. Sometimes it requires taking a step back to evaluate the veiled themes being presented. For example, along with many other ©2010:HealthSouth:441521
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women, I happen to like the film The Bridges of Madison County (don’t judge me). While on a surface level it may be a compelling love story, it’s really just adultery cloaked in the veneer of a beautiful romance. There is nothing God-honoring about it, even though the music and scenery make it all seem so appealing. Most of us have done our fair share of rationalizing when it comes to what we allow ourselves and our family to listen to and watch. I certainly have. “Well, it’s the edited version, so it’s not really bad.” “That person didn’t actually get shot.” “I just let the cuss words go in one ear and out the other.” Pastor and author Craig Groeschel explains why this is faulty logic: “We aren’t machines with software programs that can sort and file things away, separate from all the other parts of the system. It’s tempting to think that what we watch on TV, see at
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the movies, listen to on our iPod, play on our gaming systems, and read before bedtime doesn’t affect us. But they do. Each image and message we ingest may be a germ that will make us gravely ill, especially when combined with the many other sensory germs we’re taking in. If we’re serious about our spiritual house cleaning, then there must be no exceptions. We must take the images, language, and stories we allow into our minds and hearts very seriously.” We have to be diligent to use Scripture and direction from the Holy Spirit to reset our convictions and seek to glorify the Lord in all our choices. Maybe we’ll miss out on references and jokes at the office and among friends because we haven’t seen
a certain movie or YouTube video. Big whoop. Our minds will be more renewed according to the purity and goodness of God’s Word. So, fiercely guard what you allow within the walls of your house. When necessary, be bold and announce: “This content is an offense to God and not welcome in our home.” Ultimately, your wife will respect you more and your children will be all the better for it. “…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
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Sincere Pottery By Phil Huber
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n ancient Rome, unscrupulous potters would fill cracks and chips in their wares with wax to hide the defects. Cover over the imperfections and they could sell the piece at a higher price. Pots that should have been shelved in back aisles of Big Lots were transformed into flawless earthenware vessels and displayed (in soft light) at Pottery Barn. To combat this dishonest marketing, reputable merchants resorted to marking their workmanship with the label “sine cera,” Latin for “without wax.” What you saw was what you got—nothing hidden. This became the basis of our English word “sincere.” The image is fitting. Scripture describes us as “jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). I know for myself, this is a jar with cracks and chips. Decades of use have made me a well-worn vessel. I am not a perfect specimen. Fissures remain from choices made—some deeply chiseled and others hairline cracks, some weathered with age, others freshly formed. My place is on the scratch and dent shelf, reduced for quick sale. I know my own desire to hide those defects behind a layer of wax. I want to sell you a better version of myself, smooth and unblemished. I can pull it off, at least in some settings. It’s easier to fool people when the pot is in the
store window than when it is in the home. Fill it with stew and hang it over a fire and all that wax begins to melt. I can fool the casual acquaintance, but the intimate relations will discern the difference between what is clay and what is wax. I could isolate myself. Control the conditions under which I am seen and I may be able to prevent the discovery of my numerous blemishes. Seen, but not touched, like a roped off museum piece on display. The image is preserved but the vessel goes unused. I may be admired, but I am not loved, for love grows in the soil of intimate familiarity. So I allow the blemishes to show through. Cautiously, I let the light shine in dark corners, exposing the chips in my finish. Renouncing the pressure to keep up appearances, I can be useful. Pottery, after all, is made for a function. I am unleashed to fulfill the role I was created for, be it a cooking pot or a serving bowl. Chips on the surface don’t impede me from fulfilling my purpose. The revelation of my imperfections will not deter me. Light is a common metaphor in Scripture. At first blush it appears a picture of purity. Light is equated with holiness and darkness with wickedness. But if this is
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universally true, then the call to walk in the light (1 John 1:7) is added pressure to conceal my failures. For all the steps I take in a path of purity, there are still stretches where I stagger off the trail. Forty years into this journey and I still can’t walk a straight line. Sometimes I get spun around and swerve with the dizziness. If light is a picture of purity, this just adds to the discouragement. But a metaphor must be handled in its context, its meaning determined from within rather than imposed from outside. And when we are told to walk in the light, it seems from the context that purity is not the primary reference point for light. 1 John 1:6-7 says, “If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (NIV). The verse ends on a note of forgiveness, which would be unnecessary if walking in the light meant walking in purity. The next verses continue the theme. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all sin” (1 John 1:8-9).
The purifying theme continues, but now instead of the metaphorical language of walking in the light, we have the more straightforward description of confessing our sins. Walking in the light is a picture of exposing our failures. In doing so, we experience God’s purifying restoration. Purity is not the referent of light, it is the result. As we walk in the light, exposing and confessing our failures, we are forgiven and purified. This transparency becomes the foundation of true fellowship, according to verse 7. And those who have experienced this kind of vulnerable transparency in a relationship, whether one-on-one or in a small group, can attest to the intimate fellowship that develops out of that. When you expose your cracks to me, then I feel safe to expose my cracks in return. Sharing in brokenness, we experience the redemptive grace of God together. Walking in the light is a willingness to expose our shortcomings and allow light to penetrate dark corners. Not for the scandal of it, but for the healing that comes from Christ and the fellowship that comes from others. It is a metaphor of transparency, living without wax – sincere, even if slightly marred. The expert potter will remake us. No wax needed.
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hristians in the public eye don’t have a lot of reason to let anyone know they struggle with sin. One false move and a pastor can lose his congregation, a football player could lose his fans, and a singer could lose his stage. Being transparent is a liability. For example, a run-of-the-mill celebrity can have nasty photos leaked and it doesn’t stick with the memory or stay in the headlines for more than a week. When I mention the phrase “PTL Scandal,” most likely a mental picture of the huddled figure of Jim Bakker outside a courthouse in handcuffs emerges. The sexual and financial scandal flooded news coverage for nearly two years in the late 1980s. The misconduct of the Bakkers and then Jimmy Swaggert led to the coining and disdain for the term “televangelist.” At that time, a poll showed that media ministers were at the bottom of the “trustworthiness scale” alongside politicians and lawyers. To this day, reputations of all who preach on TV are held in question because of the actions of a few. Christians are held to a higher standard because of the
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belief system we claim to uphold. People generally have an idea that the Ten Commandments don’t let Christians commit adultery and it’s bad for Christians to divorce and say cuss words. When out-spoken football player Tim Tebow had his picture taken with his shirt off it was controversial news (remember this is a guy we’re talking about)! He is truly in a position where anything he does that could be construed as imperfect makes the headlines. Why would any believer open themselves up to public scrutiny? Maybe a better question is, “Is indiscriminate airing of personal dirty laundry beneficial transparency?” On both accounts I would err on the side of caution. Accountability is what is needed in the life of a Christian in the limelight, or any believer for that matter. In many cases, Christians who are courted by the media have fans around the world that can inflate their egos and eventually lead them from the very truths they profess. I can imagine the tendencies toward pride and the ease of having an emotional affair with an admirer. Having one believing friend (or accountability group) who regularly asks them
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tough questions about their sin struggles and leads them to confession and restoration is much more beneficial than revealing internal dilemmas to a reporter. Beneficial transparency focuses not on self, but on the light. I love that definition. From a spiritual point of view, the goal of openness should be to point others to the Light of Lights, Jesus Christ. A believer should be transparent in sharing what Christ is doing in their lives and His ability to change people from the inside out, whether with believers or non-believers. A time of corporate prayer can lead to a side show of one-upping confessions. “I yell at my kids.” “I struggle with pornography.” Another will pipe in, “I didn’t return a wallet I found.” One must ask the question whether the focus is on the prideful magnifying of self or on glorifying the One who so eagerly takes away our sins. Transparency shows how the Holy Spirit is shining a light on a weakness He wants to change and His perfect ability to do the changing. As Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.”
A believer should be transparent in witnessing so people can meet Christ. Often these days we hear encouragements for Christians to “get real.” Christians appear too plastic and disingenuous as though they don’t have any struggles. Perhaps a more pervasive problem is Christians witnessing too infrequently. When they do share, they tend to compartmentalize witnessing to hyped-up ventures. There is a tendency to “get your Jesus on” when you’re getting ready for a missions trip or have picked a certain day to witness to a co-worker. Using internal churchy lingo and drama can make unbelievers feel like projects rather than friends. When the whole of life and relationships are seen as opportunities to simply let Christ’s light pass through, it becomes less about whether a believer is “real” and more about how he really loves Jesus. Much of what passes for transparency today is not leading people closer to Christ. We are open about our flaws, but how open are we about our Savior? Transparency is having Christ so permeate our lives that there is no question who we are and what we are about.
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