For we know the heart of a stranger

~

Even good seed planted in the wrong season or soil will spoil.

It's the rule of natural law.

"Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger—we were strangers once, too," said President Obama in a speech regarding his executive order on immigration amnesty.

It’s encouraging to hear any President reference The Holy Scripture. For on the Holy Bible’s teachings our nation’s constitution has been built.

We appreciate the Biblical comparison to Israel and how God told them to remember that they too, were once foreigners and thus, they should treat the foreigners among them with kindness.

President Obama, we applaud you for referencing the Holy Scripture and pray that you were sincere. If you look deeper you’ll find all the guidance and wisdom you need to show yourself approved a worthy workman holding no shame.

Since you have taken up reference to The Word of God regarding matters of compassion and matters of the law, you may find it helpful to recall the little book of James where we are told, who ever shall keep the whole law and yet offend on one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

Consider a man who wants to feed and shelter the homeless. That, of course, is noble and just and good. But for him to forcibly take over a cafe and motel to do it defies the spirit of the good he is trying to do.

If someone wants to do that which is noble and just and good, then it must be carried out in a manner that is noble and just and good.

Helping foreigners within our borders is not the problem—breaking the law to do it, is.

 For your reference we’ve attached the following Scripture (James chapter 2). We’re certain you’ll find it appropriate regarding the issues you’re facing.

Let us know if we can be of further assistance…that’s what we the people are for.

~

“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

² For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment,

³ and ye have respect for him that weareth the grand clothing and say unto him, “Sit thou here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “Stand thou there,” or, “Sit here under my footstool,”

⁴ are ye not then partial in yourselves and have become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren: Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which He hath promised to those who love Him?

⁶ But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you and drag you before the judgment seats?

⁷ Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?

⁸ If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” ye do well.

⁹ But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend on one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹ For He that said, “Do not commit adultery,” said also, “Do not kill.” Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak ye, and so do, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty.

¹³ For he shall have judgment without mercy, who hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works? Can faith save him?

¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food,

¹⁶ and one of you say unto them, “Depart in peace; be ye warmed and filled,” without giving them those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?

¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, “Thou hast faith, and I have works.” Show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well. The devils also believe — and tremble.

²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God.

²⁴ Ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise also, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Men with guns

~

We couldn’t find her. 

She’s only eight and there must’ve been a thousand people milling about.

The kids were sitting in groups, on the ground.

Off to one side men with guns were walking around

One by one the groups of children were corralled to the front.

And the men with guns lined up before them.

No one was scared, no one was worried.

The children performed as they’d been taught.

In front of the men with guns they sang, they marched they saluted, they talked.

None were scared—none were worried.

 The men with guns moved to the side, and they too, performed as they’d been taught. 

They sang, they marched they saluted, they shot.  

Twenty-one shots rang out

And none were scared and none were worried

Taps pierced the crisp blue air

Tears did fall, but none were scared and none were worried.

One by one the names were called.

Some walked with canes and crutches, some were young and fit and some were old and decrepit. But each one made their way to the front in answer to the call…because once upon a time they'd been scared and they'd been worried.

When the applause died down and all went silent, we found her next to a man with a gun.

And no one was scared, no one was worried.

As she shook the man’s hand her words echo from that day to this: 

“Thank you for your service—to keep us from being scared and worried.”

*NOTE: Written in response to report of a Veterans Day ceremony being cancelled by a school administrator claiming students may suffer "uneasiness" at the sight of guns *  What makes me uneasy is the thought of someone firing mental blanks as a school administrator *

~

The United Snakes Of America

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. (Prov. 29:2)

I hear it first.

Amidst the noise and commotion, I hear the faintest rattle. I’ve heard it enough to know its source.

Memories of its sting jerk my senses alert. My heart starts to race and my stomach to lurch.

I pray and see.

It’s disguised well, but I recognize its slither.

Some may say it’s imagination or ignore it, and it’ll go away.

But I know better.

Once you’ve known the serpent’s sting—it’s something you never forget. 

In a forest of words, I watch him weave through phrases like, Separation of Church and state.

His tail swings words like a hypnotist’s pendulum. Establishment Clause, Equality and Climate Change back and forth, across the page, they flow like a sleepy lullaby.  

And then there are many, as one the whole earth churns and squirms and slithers.

His hissing tongue tickles ears while fangs inject venom disguised as wisdom.

In and out with grace and charm, he traverses the ground, until all traces of that which had gone before…is no more.

He who has ears to hear let him hear.

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,

      “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” (Revelation 12 NASB)

~

Sometimes the best way to stand is by takin' a knee

Remember the brave young man penalized for taking a knee after scoring a touchdown at a high school football game?

photo: wftv.com

Here's how I imagined it should've gone down:

Mac, the defensive captain, had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something he’d regret when Sam scored. He watched the scoreboard and waited for it to change.

It never moved.

A flag?

The ref grabbed the ball and started pacing back fifteen yards.

“What was the call?” said Mac.

“Delay of game” someone said.

“Unsportsmanlike conduct” said another.

“Huh? How?”

“Because I took a knee,” Sam said as he walked past Mac.

Mac dropped his helmet and followed Sam. “No! No way not like this. I want to win. I’m gonna win. But not like this.” Mac walked in front of Sam and faced him. “This is our game man. You did nothing wrong. Stand strong.”

The ball was set back fifteen yards from the previous plays original line of scrimmage. Mac ran and grabbed the ball. “Huddle up” he hollered and ran the ball back to where he had dropped his helmet, back where the ball should’ve been placed for an extra point attempt.

The players, the refs and the crowd watched; many with their mouths hanging open; some scratched their heads and a few nodded and smiled as their eyes lit up.

Mac yelled at the opposing teams quarterback, “What’re you waiting for? Get over here so I can sack your butt trying for the extra point.” He flipped a thumb over his shoulder toward the goal post and smiled.

Whistles were blowing from every referee.

The quarterback shook his head and jogged toward where Mac had placed the ball. “Lineup” he shouted and his team followed. Without a huddle they got into position. The quarterback shouted as he stood ready directly behind his center, “This is our game. We’re going for it. Hike.” The ball was snapped and the quarterback faked left and flipped the ball to Sam on his right.

Once again in the end zone, Sam closed his eyes, bowed his head and took a knee.

All the flags had already been thrown, and all the whistles had stopped their blowing, because all the refs had run out of air.

As Sam opened his eyes he felt a hand on his shoulder.

It was Mac, extending a hand. “Hey, you done good. Don’t get used to it though, ‘cuz I’ll never let you behind that line again, but for now—good job. Listen, this is more than a game, and we can’t let an agenda steal it. Sometimes the best way to stand is by takin' a knee.”

Sam grabbed Mac’s hand and stood. “Alright man, thanks.” They both looked at the scoreboard.

It hadn’t moved.

“Give me the ball.” A terse voice broke the reverie between the two players. “You boys won’t need it.” The ref smiled and lowered his voice. “’I’m kicking you both out of the game.”

Mac grabbed the ball and tossed it to the red faced ref. “Here ya go. Oh, we need a time-out.” Mac raised his hands signaling a time out as he ran toward his coach. He didn’t have to run far because his coach was half way across the field to meet him.

“Have you lost your mind?” Mac’s coach shouted.

Mac shrugged and listened to his coach rant for a full minute.

“Coach it was the right thing to do and you know it.” Mac looked across the field and noticed Sam getting the same lecture from his coach. Mac motioned for him to join them.

They met in the middle of the field on the fifty yard line.

Both coaches took a deep breath and then started talking at the same time until they both stopped to take a breath.

That’s when Mac interjected, “We’re not playing unless that ref leaves the game.”

“Well that don’t mean squat because you’re not playing anyway” Mac’s coach said.

Sam’s coach pointed at him and said, “That goes for you too.”

Mac folded his arms. “I mean all of us. The whole team.”

Sam said, “Both teams.”

“You’re nuts, both of you” Mac’s coach was upset nervous and at a loss as to what to do… but, down deep in a place he seldom visited, he was never more proud of his player.

About that time a whistle blew. The refs had gathered for a meeting of their own, and then approached where the coaches stood.

Before Mac and Sam headed back to their respective benches to tell their teammates what was going on, they tucked their helmets under their arms, bowed their heads and took a knee. It only lasted a second or two, but the crowd erupted with applause as they stood to their feet.

The cheering rose to a roar on both sides of the field, so loud that the players and the coaches and the refs had to yell to hear each other.

After some heated discussion between coaches and refs a decision was made. The penalty would stand. They would let the players off with just a warning, but any similar behavior would result in immediate rejection from the game.

The referee made his announcement and all went silent.

No one moved.

Mac and Sam had been watching the scoreboard, each from their side of the field.

The scoreboard remained still and silent.

Mac folded his hands and bowed his head. Sam did the same. The players of each team one by one lined up and did the same.

The silence echoed with whispered prayers.

Little by little the stands filled with a wave of hands folded and heads bowed.

Suddenly in the silence a click was heard. And then another and another…Mac’s eyes popped open at the familiar sound. He watched the scoreboard click up six points for the touchdown and two more for the extra point.

The scoreboard operator raised his hands, "I never touched the thing!"

Eventually it got loud. So loud the place shook like thunder. But not at first. It started out quiet, just the sound of one person clapping. The sound came from the field...from a man wearing a zebra striped shirt, a sad smile and a tear. And he was taking a knee.

~

"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge..." Jesus. (Matt. 10:33)  

(photos courtesy of flickr.com)