The Day After. Duck Dynasty. Phil Robertson. A&E. And Jesus.

Yesterday, we all figured out how to digest Phil Robertson losing his job, yet he has more money than most of us will ever have. He'll be fine.

How about today and tomorrow we spend time figuring out how to help those who aren't as well off as Phil Robertson. For that matter, not even close to being as well off as us. The least of these.

It's Christmastime and there are people who are in great need around the world. We can help.

For some reason, we get more excited over an issue like this rather than helping the poor who are dying from bad drinking water and being malnourished. I think our priorities are wrong.

If we mobilized in a similar fashion to stop world hunger, to provide clean drinking water, good education or health care around the world, or to stand up for our brothers and sisters in Syria being slaughtered, I think the church would be a better witness for Jesus.

I wonder how we stand up for our rights and still look like Jesus. Can we do both?

I'm reminded of the humble act of Jesus at this time of year. He had all the reason in the world to not humble Himself, to stand up for His rights, yet He counted others as better than Himself and did it all for our sake.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:3-8 ESV).

This is the Christmas story. God emptied himself and took on the likeness of us. When we refuse to allow the true story of Christmas to be drowned out by all the noise and busyness of this season, we see that this example of God becoming flesh was done to teach us how to live.

It's tough to follow in His steps and consider others better than ourselves. That word, "better" in the original language has to do with something of surpassing or exceptional value. It's the same word Paul used in Philippians 3:8 when he says, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." This is a radical teaching. Jesus had the attitude that we were better than He was. Jesus viewed us as better than Himself. Jesus. Me. Better. That's crazy. But that's what love is. And Paul calls us to have that same view toward others—an attitude that cherishes one another, extols the value of one another, and looks for the best in one another instead of the worst. When we do that--when we start to love others the way God loves them, it will be much easier to be humble and sacrifice for them.

Maybe we need to follow in His steps and do the same, humble ourselves and serve. It's always difficult though. How do we make the executives at A&E feel loved and that we view them as better than ourselves while also encouraging and supporting our brothers and sisters? I fear that they may feel just as attacked as we do. Have we fallen prey to joining in on a cycle of attack? If we cause them to lose their job over the stance that they took, are we any better? Are we actually viewing them like Jesus did, as being more significant than ourselves?

The boycott page on Facebook already has 1.3 million likes. That's amazing. That's more than World Vision has accumulated in years. We could stop world hunger if we had the will as a people. Western civilization eats more frozen desserts in a year than it would take to end world hunger. It is estimated that it would take about 4% of our military budget to stop world hunger. We just don't want it. It just breaks my heart.

I would love for us to mobilize like we are showing that we can for Duck Dynasty, except this time to stop world hunger. If we could channel this passion, fervor, and zeal into that, imagine what could happen.

I doubt we will. Our passion is more directed at this because we do feel threatened that our freedoms could be lost. Although, I don't believe this is a first amendment issue, it is an issue where we feel that we can't express beliefs that we share in fear that people will come after us. I'm reminded of Louie Giglio at Obama's inauguration ceremony, Orson Scott Card writing Superman, and then this. If you upset gay activists, they have proven that they will go after your job. I agree that it is scary.

But we currently have our freedoms yet we still have world hunger. Maybe we aren't using our freedom the way we should.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13 ESV).

We have been blessed to be a blessing.

**

I just wanted to link three of my favorite organizations doing the work I mention in this post. If you are looking for a place to direct a Christmas gift this year, I am sure they would appreciate your support.

Change Agent Network
Hope 2 Liberia
International Disaster Emergency Service

Six Points For Christians to Remember in the Wake of the Duck Dynasty/Phil Robertson Story

In the wake of Phil Robertson being suspended for his recent remarks on homosexuality in GQ, I thought I would remind Christians of a few points that I think we quickly forget in situations like these.

Here's the relevant section of the interview.

What, in your mind, is sinful?
“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

#1. This is not a first amendment issue. 

Phil is not being imprisoned for stating his religious beliefs, nor is he prohibited by the government from saying what he believes. His employer has the liberty to fire him for projecting an image that they don't want projected. That's A&E's right just like it is the right of Phil Robertson to state his beliefs. Don't claim it's a first amendment issue.

As for what Phil stated, I don't believe he crossed the line and expressed anything wrong here. He didn't say homosexuality leads to bestiality like some interpret what he said as. If that is your take on it, then reading comprehension classes are necessary. He was just listing what sin is in response to being asked, "What, in your mind, is sinful?" His jokes about homosexuality being less preferable than heterosexuality were tasteless, but that doesn't seem to be what the furor is about.

Here's the thing. I get in trouble as a pastor for expressing the view that Phil expressed even within the confines of a church. That's to a crowd who should believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. So we have to be careful of where we are when we address certain issues and how we address them. For the world, the issue of homosexuality is not the issue we need to approach them with. They need to hear that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, that we need to be part of the kingdom of God, and that Jesus gives us access to that despite the sin in our lives. Jesus wants them to make Him Lord of their lives. He will deal with the other stuff after that.

We must always be people of grace and truth to the world because we want the world to see Jesus. All grace. All truth. Be graceful, not hateful. Be truthful, not compromising.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV).

#2. This is a persecution issue.

I hate to throw the word persecution around because I think the Christian community sometimes suffers from a persecution complex. Yet that is what this is. A brother in Jesus was suspended from his job because of his Christian beliefs. It may not a persecution of deathly proportions like the founders of the faith experienced or our brothers and sisters around the world experience at times.

Phil Robertson's story isn't anything new. Orson Scott Card lost a Superman gig because of his view on gay marriage. The Superman story itself wasn't controversial. Gay activists just didn't want someone who was against gay marriage to write a Superman story despite the story having nothing to do with the issue of homosexuality. The gay activists won. Orson Scott Card lost the job.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them (Romans 12:14 ESV)

#3. We must remember how to respond to persecution.

We respond in love. Turning the other cheek. Not pounding our chests. We don't go around and take vengeance. We don't stand up and selfishly declare our rights. We're trying to project the light of Jesus into the darkness.

Jesus. The one who, lest we forget in our attempts to force our faith on others, had his rights violated to the point of nails being driven through his wrists. He suffered so that others may live.

He modeled grace and forgiveness in the midst of persecution. We must do the same. That is if we really want to follow Him rather than just claim to follow Him.

But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39 ESV).

#4. The world does not, nor may it ever, understand the difference between us saying something is a sin and not combining that belief with judgement.

We know that claiming something is a sin doesn't mean that we hate the sinner. We claim that homosexuality is a sin, but we don't hate homosexuals. The same is true with every other sin. We love sinners. We hate sin.

I haven't quite put my finger around why this is so hard to grasp. It may have to do with the fact that we also recognize that we are sinners saved only by His grace. We are not worthy of the blessedness of the presence of the Spirit in our lives, yet God gives us it anyway thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. So we recognize the sinfulness in ourselves, so we can't hate other sinners. 

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24 ESV.

#5. God will work this out for His glory.

We seem to always get worried and worked up when situations like this happen. We forget the peace that God has given to us. The patience that we are to live in. The presence of God in our lives, at work in and through us.

This situation will bring Him glory. We just need to remain faithful, pray for the people involved, and be a witness to the love of Jesus in your sphere of relationships even during times like these.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28 ESV).

#6. Love.

We need to always be loving. When we don't want to, we need to love. When we find it difficult, we need to love. When we are unpopular and attacked for our views, we need to love. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we need to love. The world needs the love of Jesus now as much as it ever has. We are the way that love is poured out. We need to love.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV).

The bigger issue is us rather than Phil Robertson. How do we deal with persecution or perceived persecution. Do we lash out? Or do we turn the other cheek? Do we seek vengeance and boycott? Or do we seek to bless?

I can't control GLAAD or Phil Robertson. I can influence myself and hopefully a few others. We need to be more loving, even when we feel like we are attacked. We need to be more graceful when presenting truth.

Nobody wins in the conversation when you compare homosexuality to any sin because the world doesn't want homosexuality to be considered a sin. Robertson made a big mistake in mentioning bestiality in connection with homosexuality. I would compare bestiality with my sin of materialism or gossip. I am just as much of a sinner as someone addicted to bestiality, yet I am still saved by grace.

Grace. It's a concept that frees us from hating murderers, pedophiles, warmongers, and whatever sin we despise. For if we hate them, then, in a way, we should hate ourselves. Our addictions and sin do not lessen God's love for us. We are made in His image. We shouldn't tarnish that. Yet when we do, God's grace still covers us.