Beyond Mediocrity Blog

Over thirteen years ago, I penned an article called " The Art of Self-Loathing " where I fleshed out what I thought was wisdom. Today, however, I have learned that self-loathing (that is, self-hate  or self-pity ) is actually a socially acceptable and therapeutic way of describing what biblical wisdom rightfully refers to as the sin of pride. Let's face it: all of us think about ourselves too much. We are naturally selfish people - or, as the apostle Paul puts it, full of "all kinds of covetousness" (Romans 7:8). This is what selfishness really is: a covetous, self-indulgent passion, and this sort of living is contrary to the way Christ calls his followers to live.

"Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! ... Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it' (Genesis 28). We fickle humans place such an emphasis on the high points of life that we tend to miss the little points along the way. All too often we bypass the waysides of life, attempting to scurry around the monotonous and less luxurious moments of day-to-day life, in search of the firework displays and emotional highs. But our Lord works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.

"On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family" (Acts 4:5-6). Only days before this moment, Jesus was with his disciples on the mount before he left them and ascended into heaven; it was only a short time ago that Jesus exhorted his followers to preach the gospel to all people because all authority had been given to him exclusively.

(Image courtesy of https://registrar.eku.edu.) Currently, high school seniors are rushing around trying to decide what college they should attend in the fall. If they have any thought of God, they are probably asking, “What is God’s will for my life?” What is at the root of this question? For some, it could be their pursuit of happiness. For others it might be a true desire to please God even if that means sacrificing their desires. Still, the very nature of this question – what is God’s will for my life? – is ambiguous, as allusive as Sasquatch. I don’t think current Christian culture is helping the matter either.

In recent weeks, we have been studying Romans 14 and the so-called “gray areas” of Christian liberty and conscience. The “gray areas” are truly morally neutral positions that are, in and of themselves, amoral; however, due to past teaching or experience, someone views the issue as sinful, even though it’s not.

Since officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976, February has been a month dedicated to the achievements and advancements of black Americans. This isn’t necessarily a problem, unless you want to have unity in your nation based on shared values and experiences of simply being American, regardless of skin color. Morgan Freeman, a well-known and accomplished black actor, said in a 60-Minutes interview in 2005 that black history month is an “insult” and “ridiculous.” “You’re going to relegate my history to a month?” he famously quipped. Freeman emphasized the reality that black history is intertwined into American history and criticized the concept for celebrating separation. When I taught history at a Wisconsin private school, I was asked what I was going to focus on for the month of February. When I stated that I would be teaching what was presented in the history book, I was met with criticism. I responded by stating, “Regardless of the month, I am teaching through the...