BAD BOONE
"If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak in
your Christianity somewhere."--Billy Sunday
Joy killers, Legalists, Pharisees, Faultfinders, Lemon Suckers: have you ever been run over by one? If you've been a Christian for more than a couple of hours, chances are that you have! Generally, you can spot one of these brothers or sisters a mile away because they have their heresy detectors stuck way up in the air. And who, pray tell, would be considered a heretic? That's easy. Anyone who has a different point of view than theirs on any topic whatsoever.
Am I sounding a little angry? If I am, I'm in good company. Paul makes me look calm in comparison by the words he penned about the lemon suckers of his day. All you have to do is read Galatians and you'll see what I mean.
Galatians is Paul at his fire breathing fiercest. No doubt about it, he's out for blood. Here's a taste, "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (Gal 3:1-3) Ouch, and he's just getting warmed up!
The problem is that joy killers not only rob themselves of joy and peace, they also suck it out of everyone else around them. All it takes is for just a few of these critters to cross your path and you feel the spiritual equivalent of being mugged.
Let me share with you part of an UPI article published February 20th. 'A published report says a religious television network has dropped Christian singer Pat Boone's weekly show after he went to the American Music Awards dressed as a heavy metal rock singer. . . . Trinity Broadcasting Network decided to cancel the show after receiving thousands of complaints from contributors who expressed shock at Boone's bare-chested, leather-clad appearance on national television last month.'
Boone said "the little old ladies and folks who contribute to TBN ministries . . . didn't get the joke."
He said his apparel, including a black leather vest and pants, fake tattoos, a studded dog collar and bracelets, was a spoof on the fresh-scrubbed image that made him a singing idol in the 1950s at age 20.
To be fair, TBN is giving Pat Boone the opportunity to speak to their audience and explain himself in an interview. I'm glad about that, but what makes me bullet spitting mad is the outcry of not one or two people, but thousands! Mr. Boone is 62 years of age. He has for the last 40 or so years had an impeccable career. From all accounts he has helped raise a Godly family who are now vibrant Christians with ministries of their own. For 40 years's he's remained the solid, straight laced, Mr. Nice Guy Christian. But, it seems the evidence of 40 years of ministry without a hint of scandal doesn't matter because 30 seconds on national television, dressed in leather, is the unforgivable sin. Guys, I'll let you in on a secret--it was a joke!
When I saw him on the show, I laughed. I thought to myself, hey, Pat's ok, he can laugh at himself and his squeaky clean image. Doesn't the world need to know that Christians are capable of laughing at themselves? I'm sure that most people outside of the Church got the joke. And I doubt very much if anyone really thought that Pat was trying to promote rebellion, drugs or any other baggage that goes along with a heavy metal image. Pat was just being a good sport. Too bad that the thousands who phoned in to have his show yanked couldn't be good sports as well.
This past week a dear friend of mine got a taste of the legalistic lead pipe. Seems that another Christian used a public forum on the web to flame my friend's site. I, for the life of me, can't understand what she was talking about, but that's beside the point. Even if this person had something legitimate to say (they didn't), why would she choose a public area on someone else's site to do it? Why wouldn't she address her concerns to my friend directly? I can tell you why! Because people like this really aren't interested in correcting. Nor are they interested in doing anything constructive. They're only interested in damaging those who seem to be having more fun than they are! The question is this: how can such actions be justified? What does the world see when they read articles about Pat Boone being dropped from TBN? What does the world think when Christians attack other Christians in public forums for no reason at all? So much for "they'll know we are Christians by our love!"
Points to Ponder
Ask yourself, "Do I have a critical spirit?" Do I always see the glass as half empty? Am I judgmental about things I have no right to be judgmental about? I'll let you in on a secret. If you don't ask yourself this question every once and a while, the odds are that your cranky meter is working overtime.
Have you been hit by a legalist in your midst? Don't hit back, just love them. Be gracious and show them what love is all about. Maybe the message will get through. If not, at least you've honor Christ by your actions.
-
Commit these scriptures to memory!
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. . . .32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."(Eph 4:29, 32)
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."(Heb 12:14-15)
-
If you are angry about something someone has done, before you get your righteous indignation in a knot, go through this checklist of questions:
Is there any reason why you can't be gracious? If you answer "yes" to that question, then read the New Testament over three times and ask yourself that question again. Repeat until you understand that graciousness is what it's all about! "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
—Am I angry because my pride's hurt? Am I angry because I didn't get my way? Am I angry because of an opinion I have that can't be backed up by God's Word? If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, don't respond in anger, in fact don't respond at all!--forgive and forget. If the answer is "no", and you feel the Lord's calling you to correct the person, do it in private with heaps and heaps of love! In other words, don't do it by criticism, use encouragement instead!
—Would Jesus be angry? If you think the answer is "yes", what would be His way of dealing with the problem? Remember the only people with whom Jesus dealt harshly were the legalists not the sinners!
—Is there even the slightest doubt? Be gracious! If you really don't know why someone has done something, give them the benefit of the doubt. To error by being gracious is infinitely better than judging someone falsely!
Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank you for being a gracious God! Thank you for loving us even though we weren't very lovable! Thank you for being a God of second chances! You are always there to forgive, to give us strength even when we've made mistakes. Lord, help us to see other people with the kind of love. Help us to be compassionate. Because You've been compassionate. Lord, if we have been unfair, or judgmental, forgive us and help us to see our mistakes. Then, Lord, let us grow in our gentle encouragement of each other.
