Dominate the Earth not Each Other

Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground."  (Genesis 1:28  NLT)

Chaos is the new normal in America and around the world.  Mass media has a tendency to focus on the random acts of violence, the class wars, the race wars, terrorism and the sadness arising out of humanity's general state of discontent.  The need to have some sense of control is understandable but many of us have fallen into the trap of becoming too power hungry.  There is a growing desire to control and subdue certain groups of people seen as problematic and dangerous to our well-being.   

All the bad news drowns out the Good News.  God has blessed us with the power to overcome any adverse situation and rule over everything on the earth.  Americans are empowered to have dominion over poverty, hunger, hate, injustice, war, and even catastrophic natural disasters, to name a few things.  But we were never meant to lord over fellow human beings.       

Let me clarify my point by holding up a mirror to myself.  I firmly believe in the command to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  So, I am a strong advocate of always thinking about how one's action or inaction will affect the person, be it a loved one or stranger, up the street or across the nation.  This self-righteous state of mind allows me to judge others as being problematic i.e. heartless.  

My hunger for power births my vision of forcing my views upon every American by having only people with similar leanings in government positions.  Wrong!  The answer lies in creating a desire within each of us to dominate his or her own natural human tendency to be self-centered and/or selfish.  This type of self-domination/self-control will fill this nation and earth with the needed acts of kindness.  There is no place for trying to rule anyone with an iron rod.   

It is a grand dream to think that every human, let alone every American, could change her focus and redefine what is meant by world domination.  Yet, I must hope for a time when humans use their God-given dominion to attack bastions of bigotry so that no one is enticed into joining any type of terrorist group.  We could be fruitful and multiply acts of love by freely combining our resources to defeat the social and environmental forces that lead to famine, hunger, and chronic poverty instead of benefiting financially from these misfortunes.  
May we all focus on condemning the natural human drive to dominate others; just imagine our children's children being given a world with less wars.               

Love: A Treasure and Good Inheritance

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  (Matthew 6: 19-20 NLT)


No matter what one believes about what happens after death everyone acknowledges that there is not one possession any person can take with her or him.  All power or influence acquired while wheeling and dealing dies along with our bodies.  There will be no more looking for the next pleasurable thing to do.  Life is an empty thing if this is all we store up during our time on the earth.  You do not leave behind a good inheritance if only your family, friends, and others like you benefit from the wealth (money, influence, safe spaces) you have amassed.    

Love is the greatest treasure to be found in heaven and on earth.  It is an unstoppable force, flowing freely out of the heart and washing over ANYONE in its beautiful wake.  It cannot be destroyed by hate or cruelty.  Love feeds upon itself and grows stronger in the face of opposition.  It is timeless and its fruits do not die, even if the selfless giver has turned to dust a long time ago.  This is the type of power every patriotic American should want to store up and leave for the generations to come.

Every American must decide what is to be treasured.  Life, liberty, and justice for all versus survival of the fittest, the wealthiest, the most influential, the majority...  You get my point.  

An Eye-Opener

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.  (Matthew 15:14 KJV)

The worst fear of an utterly blind man is to have his kindness be mistaken for weakness.  A woman who lacks wisdom and insight wonders why she has to keep climbing out of a ditch.  Americans deserve so much better from their leaders.  It is time for us to demand more of ourselves.  Diligently look for ways to help your neighbors and this nation grow stronger.  This is actually a good time to walk toward the light.  Do not go to the left or the right.  Seek the Lord because He will order our steps along a path that leads to great success.

The Glow of Youth is our Hope

And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.  (Hebrews 10:38  NLT)

Americans, we are on the brink of greatness.  How do I know?  The young people of our nation are awesome. 

Here is just one story:

A college-aged Jewish man invited anyone of any faith to join him for Shabbat every Friday.  This young man of faith and his diverse group of friends broke bread and talked.  When he heard about another young man on campus who was in the habit of spewing hate in public forums, our young man of faith decided to invite this lost one to dinner.  He stood his ground even after most of his usual dinner companions scattered to the wind.  His friends found him still willing to share when they cautiously returned one by one.  

Now, the best part of the story begins.  This group, inspired by a man of faith, allowed the lost one to talk and he let them talk.  They exchanged thoughts and articles until the lost one had to admit the error of his way.  He publicly and bravely admitted the hate he spewed was based in lies.  This brave young man was reborn but at the price of being estranged from his family.

My fellow Americans, do you understand what I am saying?  People from all walks of life found each other on this college campus because a man of faith extended a loving hand to everyone he met, even a young man trapped by a fear he had been taught since his youth.  This diverse group of people talked to each other, learned from each other, and grew stronger together.  They stepped out of their respective comfort zones to become a better version of themselves.  That is the true American dream. 

So, I repeat my assertion.  Americans, we are on the brink of greatness while standing at a crossroads.  We cannot turn away from our responsibility; it is up to us to choose the direction that clears the way for our young people to fulfill their purpose.  They are destined to become the leaders of tomorrow who will usher this nation into a time of unimaginable greatness.  Our young people, against the odds, are learning the importance of lovingly embracing each and every one of their compatriots.  

Hope for the future is a glorious sight to behold.  Being part of that change is a gift.  Let us begin now.

Shun the Appearance of Evil

Abstain from all appearance of evil.  (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV)

A good reputation is worth its weight in gold.

In a perfect world, we would let our yes be yes and our no be no.  No room would be allowed for gray areas when it came to honesty.  All of us would seek to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  Who doesn’t want to be treated with kindness, respect, and patience in every situation?  This includes situations where such generosity is inconvenient and/or difficult, especially if the recipient is dead wrong.  On the other hand, this would mean each one of us would have to listen to error in her hurtful ways and figure out how not to repeat the offense.  Finally, no one would lose faith in us because our actions would be transparent and never appear questionable. 

What I describe is a slice of heaven, obtainable only if God’s counsel is followed perfectly.  Still, there is nothing to stop us from reaching for this ideal and idyllic state.  Our friends, family, and co-workers would appreciate the resulting calm and peace of mind.  We could all be trusted to speak plainly, act honorably, and to change for the better.  What a wonderful reputation to have!  

But I also want to suggest our nation would become greater if we demanded this integrity from our elected officials as well.  Politicians telling lies to get elected cannot be the status quo.  American voters must elect the candidates who show a propensity for balancing the needs of every citizen.  (I will speak about a difficult and complex subject.  I do not support looting and burning down neighborhoods for any reason, but I do understand the frustration from which it arises.  I will support the candidate who is for law and order, fairly executed, in these situations AND is committed to addressing the concerns of populations dealing with long-term economic and social inequality.) 

Finally, politicians should be held to a higher standard.  They want to accept the big responsibility of being our voice and our representatives as decisions are made about how to best protect the health of this nation.  They must find the discipline not to participate in any behavior, public or private, that could appear to be “evil”.  Do not use a private email server for classified material so that thousands of missing emails do not seem very suspicious.  Do not ever laugh and talk about how famous men can sexually assault women because it makes one seem like a very scary predator when women speak up and say there have been many incidences of sexual aggression.

Politicians should shun the appearance of being on a reality show and strive to do a better job of being public servants who are working to protect the unity of our country.

Leave No Person Behind

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.  (Proverbs 21:1  ESV)

Americans do not live in a nation where a king can issue commands and edicts without any checks and balances.  We should be praised for wanting to create a democracy which at its best can allow every citizen to have a voice.  Yet, a system has been set up where each one of us has surrogates in the form of politicians.  Voices often can get muffled as cries for relief and consideration go up the chain of command, especially if a group is small in number or has limited political/economic clout.  But there is a way to avoid this pitfall.

The President of the United States of America is our "king" for all intents and purposes.  It is this person's responsibility not to rule us with an iron rod but to be our standard bearer. The POTUS must exhibit integrity which is defined as "the quality of being honest and fair".  This is what God talks about in the Bible from beginning to end.  It would be a wonderful thing if Americans had a leader whose heart was in His hand.  This public servant would be turned towards conduct that manifests the highest principle.  Find a way to extend a loving and dependable hand in every situation. 

It pleases God to never forget about the needs of one person on this earth.  He exhibits wisdom and grace by always choosing a course of action that balances the needs of anyone and everyone.  We can demand that from ourselves and the POTUS.

Pleasant Words are Honey

A wise person’s thoughts control his words,

    and his speech promotes instruction.

Pleasant words are honey from a honeycomb—

    sweet to the soul and healing for the body

                                                            (Proverbs 16:23-24  ISV)

 

What does it mean to be American?  I am asking this question fully aware that this is a nation filled with a multitude of diverse individuals.  This question is just a means to an end.  Even a diverse people should be able to find a way to agree upon how we want to be viewed.  Will we be seen as raucous, unrepentant, and biased?  Or will we reflect the glory of the Lord? 

 

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

                                                                (1 Corinthians 13:3-7  MSG)

America must be a place where the wise reign and spread health to every citizen.

Pray Before Voting (VIDEO INCLUDED)

Only God knows who is the best candidate for the job of POTUS.  Seek His guidance before voting.

Both candidates are flawed just like everyone else.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?  Cleanse me from these hidden faults. (Psalm 19:12)

Which candidate exhibits the greatest capacity to grow and to take this nation along for that magnificent ride?  Fellow voters choose in good conscience.  Think outside the box and consider who can balance the needs of every American.  The best leader will inspire each one of us to give up something so that, in the end, everyone wins.  It will be possible but not easy.

Click below.  WARNING: The short video contains more of my unsolicited two cents. 

Vote Responsibly: Trump Insanity!

Protect the Most Vulnerable

"Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

(Deuteronomy 27:19)

The challenge of providing a people with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a very difficult job.  Divine guidance is needed.

Our leaders must heed the warnings.  The issues they deal with are difficult, including how to treat immigrants, legal and illegal, police shooting civilians under questionable circumstances, and police being targeted for assassination.  The American government must be able to control its borders so that it can repel those who would do its citizens harm.  It must keep better track of who is living here and what everyone is doing.  But it is commanded to treat every immigrant with respect.  The widows of men shot by police officers deserve to have each case thoroughly investigated without bias.  The children of slaughtered police officers cry out to heaven because our nation refuses to see why angry young men lash out at authority figures and threaten to send our society into lawlessness.  

God speaks clearly about these issues.  Things do not go well when a nation does not behave honorably and protect all of its citizens, especially the most vulnerable.  He is merciful and holds back utter destruction, but we all know our country is not thriving.