Who Believes in Fairness?

Fairness is a principle I hear touted a lot. Referees and Umpires are challenged about the fairness of their decisions on the field and later in the clubhouse or the locker room, but these choices are not based on whether the decision was fair to all parties, but whether they followed the rules of the game. 

Fairness in the courtroom is measured by whether all parties are represented by a lawyer who is an expert in the law. When one person is wealthy and the other poor, the law may seem weighted by factors that extend beyond the domain of the rulings the court can make, and suddenly it's not fair. No, the world is not fair.

Bosses and teachers are expected to treat everyone under their direction fairly, but some have an advantage of intelligence, talent, or humility. Some people are bolder, quicker, or more receptive, and these characteristics are often viewed as an unfair advantage by others.

So what makes life fair? Are we guaranteed fairness? I don't think we are. In God's system we are guaranteed mercy. That's several levels better than fairness. We are accepted with all our faults, and even our sins, just by our faith in the efficacy of the sacrifice of Jesus to satisfy God's judgment on the world. If we want to play the fairness game with God, there is only one avenue: righteousness. God does not dabble in fairness. 

His requirement is always righteousness, but he knows we are incapable of righteousness and uses a new standard: mercy. Our only responsibility in mercy is reception. We are obligated to accept God's mercy and respond in its light. We don't have to correct our stupidity, but we must always remember that we stand before God in mercy. We are not righteous, but mercy gives us the opportunity to stand before him just because he wants it that way. We are not righteous, but he allows us to approach him because of his goodness, not ours, because of his mercy.

Don't try to please God on the basis of your goodness. Don't appeal to him because you have done good things and been kind. Only call on him in the name of his mercy. Seek only mercy, not justice.

Who Are My Readers?

About once a week I get curious and check to see where the readers of my blog come from. I am amazed when I find that a great many of my readers often come from Russia, the Ukraine, Kenya, France, or the UK. I can't imagine that I say anything that is particularly interesting to people who are not close neighbors. I feel very humble to have drawn readers from this wide world who seem to come around when I post a new entry.

I don't have a sports focus that basketball or soccer players would find enlightening. I don't do much with food or politics or health or really anything that would draw a crowd, but it is really exciting to find that, in spite of my mundane subjects, I still have readers from China or India or New Zealand. 

I find it especially exciting many of these readers have to get a translation of the text, and still they read my ramblings. Maybe the things that draw us together are more important than the things that separate us. 

Bottom line: I love my readers. I appreciate all the people who take time and make the effort to read my blogs. I would love to know what you think and how I could make this a better experience for you. I want to expand my horizons. Thanks for reading.

How Does God See Things?

You might have discovered that I am a Christian and attend Church regularly. Sometimes I cast a skeptical eye at Church politics and positions, and I find that I am not alone in my skepticism. It is sort of reassuring to find others who have similar questions to my own.

C. S. Lewis uses Screwtape to express a rather unflattering description of the Church to encourage his nephew Wormwood when the object of his efforts became a Christian. Screwtape pointed out the habits and customs of the one being tempted were still oriented toward the desires of the flesh, and Wormwood had those habits on his side. The Church is regarded as the total mass of the members. Of course, the intended aim of the Church is to strengthen the members toward a more virtuous life, but let's face it: the members still carry and participate in a lot of sin. This indicates that the Church is a project under construction just as the individual Christians are always moving toward a more excellent rendition of themselves.

It is reassuring that God does not expect us to become Holy or virtuous overnight. I have been working at this for a long time and I'm still not Holy, but, on the other hand, I have come a long way and learned a lot about what I think God want's me to know of his word and his work. I find it encouraging that he doesn't give up on me even though I'm still not perfect. One of the things God keeps showing me are the many areas where I'm still not up to his standards. He also continually shows me the many ways where I am making progress and becoming more constrained by his commands. 

This double sided view of myself is both fearful and fabulous: Both are revelations that I don't see without his help. In this life, the Church is the collection of the humans who attend and support her. One day the Church will be transformed into the image God sees in her and, like us, the Church will be visible to us too, in all her glory and majesty. There's a great day coming!

       

• Wormwood: Make Him Church Shop
• Theater Adaptation of C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters Is Touring America
• CS Lewis took Hell seriously - that's why The Screwtape Letters is so powerful

Oh, Say Can You See...?

Cover of sheet music for "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key, transcribed for piano by Ch. Voss, Philadelphia: G. Andre & Co., 1862 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today is the anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. It is our National Anthem. No matter what complaints and gripes I hear about it, I still swell with pride when I hear the initial phrase begin and the words are usually corrupted by the tears in my voice. I was never a singer anyway, but I'm impressed by it.

Rosanne Barr made a spectacle of herself when she performed it at a Padres games in 1990. It was supposed to be funny, but I found it both disrespectful and embarrassing. I sorta felt sorry for whoever contracted that deal. He or she probably got a reputation of inappropriate public awareness from it. I can't believe the players were thrilled by it, and certainly the service personnel could not have been inspired. Altogether it was a flop. Nobody has repeated it in such a manner since 1990.

A lot of verbiage has been spent on complaints about the difficulty of singing the song and the complexity of the language. To me this means we have a wonderful opportunity to teach children and all citizens about who Francis Scott Key was and the importance of the War of 1812. And by the way, the poetry of the song's four verses and what they mean. Somehow we have missed something in our value of the meaning of music, words, and patriotism. It still bugs me that the First Lady does not honor the flag with a salute. 

Moving Time

Apartment Complex USA 1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have I said that before? I'm moving this month. I did that last year. I didn't think I'd do it again, maybe not ever, but I'm excited about the change. I've already announced it, but now I've found the new apartment complex. My now digs will have two bedrooms--one for the computer and some of the book cases, a bedroom for me, and a nice living room with a built-in bookcase. And of course, a kitchen. It's not large, but it's adequate. I don''t want a very big kitchen, since I don't really want to cook a lot. There is also a nook for my dining table. I think it will be very nice.

I can get one wall in each room painted a color I like. I think that will brighten up the place a lot. My present apartment is nice I guess, but very dull. The woodwork is dark and the walls are cream--it makes for dull. 

I now have boxes to fill with collectibles, books, and memorabilia which also means I have work to do. At least I won't be bored. I don't guess you call that interesting, but it is necessary. The time is getting shorter and shorter.  I'll try to keep posting my progress.

Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Living in the Valley is different. The most prominent thing that bothers me about it is the loss of seasons. I love changing seasons. and my favorite one is fall. In the middle of August it's time to look forward to Autumn leaves and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Even in the Valley we'll still have the holidays, but the first cool morning with a brisk wind is lost on us here.

East Texas is not noted for icy roads or snow storms. We have them sometimes for short period, but that's not what I miss. In August the trees take on a weary look. The full glory of summer has started to fade, but it's just the tired sagging of limbs weary from the summer production: there's no color yet, just tired green. Some years the color change begins early in September, sometimes it takes longer. Fall may come gradually at first, but one day I see the trees take on the golden glow of Autumn. The woods have ripples of red and yellow and orange steadied by the stalwart pines standing tall and benevolent against the rush of color. 

Sometimes the best way to absorb the glory of Autumn is driving through the rolling hills to see the land spread out before you like a canvas, but sometimes it's better to walk in the pasture and climb the hill from the creek and inhale the air of Autumn. Autumn smells different, too. A whiff of wood smoke from a barbecue or someone burning a stump recalls other traditions of Autumn. 

And then there's always football. 

Related articles

• Fall Foliage Facts (part 1)
• Enjoy the Season: The Lovely Leaves of Autumn [SLIDESHOW]
• Leaves - A Ghazal
• The Colors of Fall: Are Autumn Reds and Golds Passing By?
• Autumn Tapestry

Moving?Again?

Yeah, I think I may. I haven't found a place yet, but I think I want to do it. "The home" is getting a little oppressive. Besides being boring, it's also expensive.

I can rent a newer apartment in a complex closer to a shopping area and have access to the transit system. And for about half the price! Of course I will have to shop for groceries and do my own cooking, but that's something I can do.

Having access to the transit system will give me much more freedom in going shopping and using the library and going to the bank. And there is Sunday bus service. It sounds like a good deal.

I have made some friends here, but I'll make some more. If I can go to the Bible study at Church I might make a lot. At least the search for a new apartment will be an adventure. Riding the bus might help me get oriented to where I am. I'm kinda looking forward to it.