"RULES" FOR CHRISTIANS TO LIVE BY

     
      "Take the club back slowly. Keep your head down. Don't follow the car in front of you so closely. Drink plenty of water. Keep your huge cart of groceries out of the express lane. Never return for what was left behind. Put things back where you found them. Never treat anyone as if he or she is insignificant. Call your parents once in a while. Donate it to charity if you haven't used it in six months. Embrace 'today' as a sacred 'present' from God. Be a cheerleader. Follow your heart. Learn the difference between what's important and what's not. Always leave at least one urinal between you and the other guy. Be on time. Embrace change. Love yourself." Rules, rules, rules. Some are trivial, some are important. Some are self-imposed, some are imposed upon us. Some are universal, some are familial, some are individual, and some define us a part of a community or culture. As a Christian, for instance, I try to live in a way that reflects well on the One I believe in... because being a Christian has much more to do with the way in which we live than it does with the place in which we worship. Being a Christian calls me to embrace a way of life that non-Christians don't need to embrace. It requires me to pick up my cross and march to a different drummer. It requires me to embrace a set of "rules" that define me as a person of faith.
      According to the Bible, God has always called His people to a way of life that defines them as his people. God has always expected his people to live as if they are his people, and with that mind, he gave them a number of rules that they are expected to obey. In the book of Genesis, God set forth his first rules, which called the first couple to tend to his garden and invited them to eat freely of its produce, except for the fruit that he had forbidden. From the beginning, God gave us permission... and boundaries... and he set his rules for living even more clearly when he wrote on the tablets that Moses carried down the mountain. My people, God said, will have no other God before them, nor will they fashion any sort of idol to worship. My people will not worship golden calves! Others might, and others may well worship the lesser gods of power, pleasure, prestige, and wealth. But the people of God will not...because God has chosen them to be His people.
      People of faith are obliged to behave themselves and neither covet, nor seize, their neighbor's property. They are also to avoid gossip, lies, and false testimony. From the beginning, God gave his people rules that set them apart as His people. Some of the rules were "red lights" that shouted "STOP," and others were "green lights," that directed people in the way they should go. But they were all rules that were to be obeyed because they defined God's people... as a people. According to the Leviticus code (Lev. 19), God's people are obliged to stand when a "grey-haired" person enters the room and to rest on the Sabbath. Others may or may not choose to do these things, but God's people were expected to follow His rules... which called them to control their base instincts... and to show both respect and compassion to those who were vulnerable and in need. For instance, even in a primitive world, way back in Leviticus, God called his people to leave part of their fields and vineyards untouched... for the poor and the vulnerable, native-born and foreign alike. He expected his people to look after those who needed a little help, and it had nothing to do with American politics. It was a rule born of love and grace, and God expected his people to obey it! Likewise, God expected His people to treat their workers fairly... and to avoid doing anything that would make the lives of the deaf and the blind more difficult than they were. He expected his people to make life better for others, and it had nothing to do with being "soft" or "liberal." It was a rule born of grace and shared humanity... and God's people were expected to obey it.
      Indeed, God's people have always been identified as a people who march to a different drummer. When Christianity appeared in the Roman world, men who mocked it at every turn, would still remark, "Look at those Christians. My, how they love one another." Yes, the earliest Christians attracted others by the love they shared... and they shared this love because they followed Christ- the One who loved them, even to the point of death. Christians... were expected to live their lives by a unique set of rules, born of loving obedience, and with this in mind, Jesus gathered a group of followers around him one day... and delivered a message that we call "the Sermon on the Mount." Look, he said (in my words), if you choose to live as my people, you must also choose to be meek... in a world that doesn't reward meekness and considers it to be a weakness. And if you choose to be mine, you must choose to be merciful, just because your Father has been merciful to you. Moreover, in a world filled with sin, you are called to seek purity and righteousness... because God's Will resides in these things. Yes, you will see tempting sights, and your ears will be filled with a cacophony of lies from any number of lesser gods. These things will surely happen, but you must fill your mind, your spirit, and your friendship circles with people and things that build you up. And what is more, I also expect you... to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Knowing that you may be the only Christian that someone will ever know or listen to, you must let my light shine on them. This is an important rule. And, while others trust in themselves and what they own, I want you to trust in God for all things. As a matter of fact, I want you to get rid of anything that bogs you down, and store up your treasure in heaven. Others will laugh at you and say that you are "fanatical," but it is a rule for living that "kingdom people" follow.
      Live by my rules...and people will know that you are in me and that I am in you. Love one another- in ways that the world cannot understand. Love one another without judging (which is beyond your pay grade) and learn to see others as I see them. Love one another- this is a rule that will make you complete. Love your enemies too. And your neighbor as yourself. Give him or her the same wide tolerance, the same excuses, and the same slack that you give yourself. Friends, the word "Christian" is a noun and not an adjective! A Christian is a person who follows Christ and lives for him in what he or she does and says. Period. Jesus said that those who hear his words and obey them.. are those who love him. We must obey- that's the challenging part- but love makes it easy to do. That's the good news! We think that we're free when we're unattached... but it's a great lie because we are chained to ourself- to our pride, our sins, our secrets, and our fears. This is the truth of it: we will discover the fullness of life when we yoke ourselves to Jesus. If we follow his rules and live as his people, we will give light to the world, discover a peace that passes all understanding, and finally be free to live in the joyful obedience that heaven promises. Amen.

WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER 1 THING?

      In the 1991 film, "City Slickers," three friends took a vacation together on a dude ranch because they were struggling with their personal lives back in the city. The movie was filled with light-hearted humor, and I enjoyed it, especially the relationship between Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) and Jack Palance, who played a rough-hewn trail boss named "Curly." They struggled throughout the movie and in one memorable scene, Curly held up one finger and said, "Do you know what the secret of life is?" "This," he said (holding up his finger), to which Mitch responded, "Your finger?" Curly went on, "1 thing. Just 1 thing. Stick to that and the rest don't mean (anything)." Then Mitch asked, "But, what is the '1 thing'?" And Curly replied, "That's what 'you' have to figure out!"
      Indeed, that's what we all have to figure out- the number 1 thing. What is the most important thing in the world to you? What give meaning to your life, or my life? What one thing would we die for, or even live entirely for? Have you figured it out? Many of you have, and I did too.. but it took a lot of pain. As a child, I became a pretty good peacemaker, and later on, I specialized in pleasing people. I learned to cut conflict off before it started, and more importantly, to tell people what they wanted to hear. 1) "Pleasing people" became my number 1 thing... but "pleasing people" is not much of a goal. In fact, it's a terrible goal... if you're selling your soul...in the doing of it. I spent a lot of time trying to please people, but it didn't bring me peace or joy.
      But there was another contender to be my number 1 thing... and that was my work. Growing up, I learned that work... really is next to godliness, if not higher... and like my father before me, I threw myself into it... and 2) getting ahead at work became my number 1 thing. My vocation was my life. My job and I were one! My sense of worth was inseparable from my business success. I worshiped my job... and in doing so, I threw my family, my friends, and my own best self... under the bus. Work became my number 1 thing and it nearly killed me before God loosened its grip.
      3) For awhile, as I have noted in other places, alcohol set on the throne in my life. It was my number 1 thing! It was my god. I turned to it for company and for condolence. I turned to it when I was glad... and when I was sad. I needed it (period). I never even considered going through a single day without it, and at first, it rewarded and empowered me. When I drank, I danced like Fred Astaire, said things that seemed really witty, and generally felt as if the world was mine for the taking. But before long, my number 1 thing turned on me, and when I drank, people stayed as far away from me as they could. Substances can never be anyone's number 1 thing...
      So, 4) I gave myself over to appearances and possessions. Appearing to be SOMEBODY became the number 1 thing in my life. I went to any length to make a good impression on others because I wanted them to think that I was somebody. I bought a big house that I didn't need (and later sold at a sizable loss), pricey golf clubs that didn't improve my game, and I gave a lot of things away- all in an effort to make a positive impression on others. Of course, it didn't work. I didn't fool many, if any, people, and I certainly didn't fool myself. I was only pretending, and I would have done much better to have been authentic. Indeed, being authentic is the only way that any of us will even know the joy of "being known and loved anyway."
      But I was too self-absorbed to take the risk of being authentic. In fact, being self-absorbed was the problem. My love of self... took on several different forms, but when you get right down to it, I worshiped what Kenneth Haugk called the 5) "the omnipotent baby within." I- me, myself- was my own number 1 thing. I lived for me, and I can tell you that you will be in a heap of trouble... if you are your own number 1 thing! Bill Wilson (of AA fame) noted that a life lived on self-will cannot be a success, and Jesus noted that those who cling to their lives will lose them. This (and I think this is important)... is because "the self" is too small, too incomplete, too impotent... to soothe our troubled minds and give our restless souls the peace they crave. 
      Self is a weakling, and even if we dress it up with money, power, charm, and possessions, it is still a weakling. We need others. We need to experience and share "other-directed" love... and we need God! In fact, if we ever hope to experience life in its fullest and brightest colors, we must 6) make GOD OUR NUMBER 1 THING! We can love and have other things, of course. Indeed, we are called to love other people and enjoy life. We need community... and purposeful work was part of paradise. God has blessed us with many things that fill our hearts, minds, and spirits with joy. They have their place, but none of them should be the number 1 thing- not even church- or any of the many other really important things in your life!
      Sherry (who is the angel God used to get my to my feet) is the number one person in my life, and she has been ever since I came to my senses. I would not be here without her, but she would surely agree... that God must be the number 1 thing for both of us because He has given me a second-chance and both of us a fuller life! Friends, serving God is the number 1 thing. When we yoke ourselves to Christ, we are FREE from the chains of self... and as free men and women, we can give ourselves entirely to God and in the giving, come to love our neighbors as ourselves. Being your own number I thing is a prison! Choose God and set yourself free. Serve Him and you will finally be SOMEBODY. Amen.

HONORING THE FLAG

      As I sit a my desk... and look at the folded American flag that we received at my father's funeral, I can't help but think of the many times I've seen an Honor Guard present the same flag to grieving family members before they bury a loved one. As a pastor, I've been involved in scores of gravesite services, where the presenting of the flag... WAS the highlight of the service. And in the last year, Sherry and I have fallen in love with "Challenger" the eagle, who soars through and over stadiums around the country... as our national anthem is played. In short, I've become an unabashed fan of the American flag... and I proudly stand and show allegiance to it, whenever I am asked to do so. Yes, I know that it is a symbol of the freedoms that it guarantees, but it is a sacred symbol that should not be desecrated. Of course, I am aware of the sins of our fathers... and I know that there are scores of injustices that still need to be corrected. I realize that our leaders and, certainly our politicians, have dishonored our flag for all sorts of reasons... but my father fought for it... and my namesake died for it. So I will stand and sing our unsingable national anthem whenever I'm asked to... and I expect all of the others in attendance to do the same!
      For years and years, virtually all Americans agreed with me. Whenever our national anthem was played, they stood, placed their hand over their heart, and sang... to celebrate the freedoms they enjoyed... and to honor those who died protecting them. But in recent years, there are growing numbers of people who feel that it is their duty to make the singing of our national anthem... all about themselves... and how they happen to feel about the socio-political world at the time. Rather than honoring the work and sacrifice of others, they see the national anthem as a moment in which they should protest things that they don't agree with. Now, there are MANY things to protest. Many, many things that must be improved. There many fences to mend, many wounds to patch up, many doors to open. Amen... but honoring our flag and those who died for it... has nothing to do with personal protests! One can do both, it seems... and one should do both. One should work for justice, liberty, and righteousness... and still honor the sacred sacrifices of those who gave their lives for the very same goals.
      From time to time, because my love for sports still calls to me, I find myself listening to Sports Talk radio, knowing that I am well beyond their targeted age group. Sometimes I wonder why I am listening to nearly mindless chatter, but for the most part I like it. Thus, I was a listener when a caller noted that he was really pleased to see (what he interpreted to be) greater emphasis on our national anthem at ballgames. He suggested that, in light of our growing fears about terrorism, the anthem should play a more significant role at all public activities. "America first"... before we play our games- that was his point- but the radio host vehemently disagreed. He wondered why we even sing the anthem at all, and he said that singing it in sports venues was "jingoism," of the highest order! Jingoism, by the way, is more than a "cheesy" form of orchestrated patriotism. It is an "extreme" form of nationalism- an "excessive bias" in the superiority of our country. It is, one part "phoney," and one part, "crazy," it seems... and according to those see things this way, we ought to quit singing the national anthem in public venues! Moreover, since standing for the national anthem is "extreme," it follows that thoughtful people will refuse to do so! They will resist group pressure and offer their individual protests against such "extremism" by sitting on their hands, or taking a knee.
      Well. I will admit that there are all sort of extreme behaviors in the world, and many of them grow out of someone's misguided faith and crazy views. But standing as a people and acknowledging our principles and our heroes for a moment or two, even if someone else asked you to do it, is hardly extreme. Nor is it indicative of "excessive bias" for our side. The talk show host I listened to is an articulate man- who else would use the word "jingoism" on a sports talk show- but patriotic songs and symbols are deeply cherished and they are forever connected to the men and women who died so that we can sing them, or hold them, or touch them, or even call them "jingoistic."
      Indeed, I've become so hopelessly old-fashioned these days that, sometimes, when our anthem is sung, I find myself fighting off a tear or two, especially when I see "Challenger" fly. Maybe I've become drunk on my country's wine. Maybe I am a fool for slogans and gimmicks. Maybe I've just grown old. Maybe I've finally seen the light. You decide. Amen.

WRITTEN IN BLOOD

      Love is great and I love to see it... in the eyes of the lovers, whether they're kids, with their moms and dads; or young teens, in the grips of puppy love; or aging adults with their aging smiles. I've seen love close up too. I remember the crush that I had on Marie Moran in grade school... and how I made a fool of myself when she chose me to be on her team. And I remember the love I shared with Sherry when we were first dating- how we would go to little jazz bars in Des Moines... and listen to the saxophone in the background, as we talked about a life that we never really imagined. I've been blessed to love and be loved by... two awesome daughters, three magnificent grandchildren, and a great-grandson, who is the picture of "adorable." My brothers are now gone and I miss them dearly... because I loved them deeply. Like you, I've loved my friends and extended family, whether I've known them well or not... and I dare not leave out my dogs because, in many ways, they've shown me how to love.
      Yes, love is great, and today, on this Valentine's Day, 2017, I want to invite you to journey with me... as we consider 12 different types of love. I'm sure there are more, but since 12 is a good Biblical number, I'll leave it at that. 1) First, there is Philia, as in Philadelphia, which is the love of friend for friend. King David and Saul's son, Jonathan, shared this love... and you may also know how deep Philia can be; 2) Eros is the 2nd form of love that the Greeks recognized. As the name implies, is founded in attraction- sensual, sexual- but it is not tawdry, It is not porneia- but rather, the "glad partner" of a much deeper love. Most of us have at least a nodding acquaintance with Eros; 3) then there's Storge, which is a love born of familiarity, as in family (although one may love other members of their Army platoon or AA group as well). Most of us know what it is to love a family member, who may or may not be a "friend;" 4) the Greeks called unconditional love, "Agape," and it is a high form of love indeed... because it's entirely "other-directed" and endless. It keeps on going, whether the other person is reciprocating or even rejecting it. At it's best, a mother's love is Agape; 5) Ludus love is manipulative and game-playing. It is something of a sport or an addiction to the lover and it does a lot of damage. Maybe you know someone who is a master at "Ludus;" 6) Pragma love, as the name implies, is "pragmatic." It is based on an "arrangement" and may or may not have any other dimensions; 7) Mania love is obsessive, controlling love, which is NOT really love. Flee from it and stay as far away as you can; 8) and I've already alluded to "Puppy" love, which is a shallow form of love, but real nonetheless. I remember the night I talked to Mary Wartig for 6 hours because I couldn't live without her, and she had just moved to Kansas City! Of course, I never saw her again, but I did have to explain the long-distance telephone bill to my mom.
      9) "Surrendered" love- "Suffering" love- comes to us when we surrender to love and let love have its way with us. It's the kind of love that Gibran wrote about when he said that we should follow love when it beckons us, even though its way is steep and hard... and that we should yield when love's wings enfold us, even though the sword hidden beneath love's pinions will make us bleed. Men and women who have this type of love are far more committed to the love that they are to any gain or pain that may come to them; 10) However, Surrendered love must not be confused with "Unrequited love," in which a person with little or no self-esteem allows themselves to become a punching bag for someone else. Surrendered love is driven by its own desire to love, rather than fear, people-pleasing, or a lack of self-respect; 11) Foot-washing love is THE love which we, as Christians, are all called to give to one another! It is a humble, obedient, servant-based form of love that many Christians refuse to give or receive, even though it is based on Jesus' own actions and words! It is necessary, however, if we are to get pride out of our way, and even more importantly, unless we wash one another's feet in His name... we will never show his love to others... as powerfully as we should.
      12) Finally, we come to "Cross-Carrying" love, which not only fulfills itself in its suffering... but sacrifices its life entirely when called upon. Jesus said it plainly, there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for others... even if they don't agree with you, or like you, or call you names, or spit in your face! Cross-carrying love is an unspeakably deep and real love. It is a love that puts itself above life. It is a love that is willing to let go entirely. It is a love that saves the world! It is Christ's love, and in His name, it is a love that men and women show in his name every now and then. Praise God for the cross and for all of those beautiful Christians who have carried a cross of their own.
      When Jesus hung on his cross and said, "Father, forgive them," it was his way of saying I love you to the end. He died with love on his lips, and he left us a Valentine... signed in his blood. Amen!

MORE THAN A VALENTINE!!!

      I love… love, don’t you? I love falling in love. I love being in love. I love songs and poems about love, and I like to see love, whether it’s in the eyes of two star-struck kids or in the deeply knowing eyes of a an elderly couple. I love to watch kids at play… and even more, the joy that they get from opening presents on Christmas and Birthdays. I also love to study languages and genealogy. I love Iowa… and baseball… and classic country music. I can’t get enough of Willie and Waylon, and I love soft-serve ice cream. There are many things to love, and there are many different kinds of love. As the ancient Greeks knew, there are several different kinds of love, even when we’re talking about our “love” for another person. They called one type, “Philia,” as in Philadelphia, which means “friend-to-friend.” Friend to friend love can be very deep, and then there is “Storge” love, which is a love born of shared experiences. Families are the best example of this, but people who share the same combat experiences, the same self-help groups, or even the same work place... come to love one another, without necessarily being “friends.” The Greeks also noted “eros,” as a type of love, and most of us are acquainted with its power. We’ve also seen, and maybe experienced, self-centered love, where the person has a passionate love-affair with himself or herself… and many women are acquainted with a manipulative, deal-making love… that maintains that, if you really love me, you would do this or that for me' 

      For some of us, a “good bargain” is about as good as love ever gets, but if we’re fortunate, we will experience love in all of its glorious forms. However, since I’ve entitled this message, “Foot-Washing Love,” I will focus on a “serving, steadfast, and sacrificial” love that the Greeks called “Agape.” Agape love sets the lover free from self... because it is focused on the other. It is iron-clad and impervious to the “ups and downs” of a relationship… and even to rejection. Agape love keeps on giving, nurturing, inviting, challenging, and sometimes “pruning” us… so that we will became all that God has intended us to be. It never let’s go. It never gives up… and it is hopefully persistent. Agape love is, of course, God’s love, but if we look closely… we will see signs of it from time to time, right here on earth. If we look hard, we will see it… but we have to look beyond the glitter and the sexy images, we have to ignore all of the voices that urge us to make some sort of a deal, and we have to abandon any notion that it will serve us. It won’t… because it is all about “the other.” Agape love serves God and the Image of God in others. It may applauded by others, and those who practice may be held in some esteem. But it is NOT about applause, or attention. It is about ministry in the  

name and in the manner of the One who washed our feet and carried our cross. 

      Agape love, which I would call "mature" and "vulnerable" love is a privilege... but it is NOT easy. In fact, it's often unappreciated, sometimes disappointing, and threatening to our own sense of self... because it insists on stripping away our hidden motives and pretenses. As Jesus noted, no servant can be greater than his or her master. So, if Agape love required Jesus to get down on his knees and wash his disciples' feet... and if it led him up Cavalry's Hill... well... think about what it might ask of you or me! In his wonderful book, “The Prophet,” the Lebanese philosopher, Gibran, says this about love: When love beckons, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep; and when his wings enfold you, yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you; and when he speaks to you, believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams… for even as love crowns you, so shall he crucify you. Even a he is for your growth, he is for your pruning. Love possesses not…. Nor would be possessed… for love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. (This is right and good) but if you must have desires, let these be your desires… to know the pain of too much tenderness… to be wounded by your own understanding of love; to bleed willingly and joyfully; to wake at dawn… and give thanks for another day of loving… to rest at the noon hour and meditate on love’s ecstasy; to return home at eventide with gratitude… and then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart… and a song of praise upon your lips.
      Have you been pierced by his pinions? Has she shattered your dreams? Have you been trimmed and pruned by Agape's ceaseless tugging at your heart? Agape love is mature love. It is a vulnerable love that has suffered for its own vulnerability, It is a serving love that finds worth in the serving alone. It is a love that is endlessly true to itself and forever trustworthy. Agape love is a cross-carrying love, which does what it has to do to restore and (yes) save others, even those who mock and deny it. Like you, I’ve seen love in many of it’s forms, and over the years, I’ve known some of them on a first-name basis. But of Agape love, I didn’t know anything at all… until I surrendered and let Christ have his way with me! I didn’t have a clue about the sustaining and transforming power of real love until I let Jesus “wash my feet,” because being vulnerable ….is the key to empowerment.
      We will never know love until we let love have its way with us. Unless we surrender to Jesus and let him love us, we will never "be his" in any real sense of the word! And unless we love others with the same gloriously awkward and completely vulnerable love that he gave to us… with knees that are sore from bending, with hands that are dirty from serving, and with tears that can scarcely be controlled… we will never, ever know what it means to be fully human. Amen.

THERE ARE NO SCORECARDS IN HEAVEN

      Well, the BIG game is on tomorrow. Super Bowl LI... and I remember the first one! Who do you think will win? What's the spread? Can you predict the score? I can't and won't even try... but I do hope it's an exciting game. I hope that there are more than a handful of great plays on both sides of the ball, and I pray that no one will get hurt. I also hope that the winners will be gracious in their winning and that the losers will know that they gave their all... but when we get right down to it, it's all about the score, isn't it? It's the score that counts. Winning is everything. Isn't this the truth of it? Surely, it must be, for what is the point of playing at all... if there is no score?      
      Who would watch a game, of any sort, if there was no score? How long would you be interested in watching... if there was no way of telling who was winning? How much fun would bowling be... if it didn't matter what your score was? A kid- a little kid- would like it, but everyone else would lose interest in the game. Would you play golf if there was no score? And how many people would play with you if you didn’t keep score? Games demand a score. Contests demand a winner, and a runner-up. But keeping score is not just about games, is it? We also need to keep score of how we're doing in life. How would you know how smart you are if your IQ wasn’t measured, or how good of a student you were without a GPA, or how successful you were without a salary. How can I tell if I'm winning unless I know how big my neighbor's house is... compared to mine? Or whether my office is larger than his? The Score is king! It is an important thing. In fact, except to poets and philosophers, it may be the only thing. Indeed, someone should write an "Ode to the Score" because it means so much to us. Of course, different people employ different scorecards, but there's always a score. Getting “ahead” is always measured by a score of some kind, whether it’s money, power, titles, or the number of friends one has. We even give ourselves and others a score as parents. Are the kids well-behaved? Do they get good report cards? Are they active in extra-curricular activities? Are they popular? Do they have successful careers? There is little doubt that we give ourselves (and others) a better score as  parents... if the "kids" attend the right colleges, earn the right amount of money, and live in the right neighborhoods.
      Different people give different points… to different things… but there is always a way of arriving at a score! Yes, we are a score-keeping people and the church is no exception. Indeed, the church is filled with scorekeeping Christians, who use the Bible as a tool which allows them to "score" and judge others. Since we never really know what is in someone else’s heart, we give others a score as Christians based on the things we can see and count. Do they attend church regularly? Do they also attend Bible studies? Do they show up at church events? Do they tithe? Or at least give generously? Are they part of the leadership crowd? Do they drink, or smoke, or swear, or run around, or sin in other obvious ways? Are they people who have "earned the right" to be an integral part of your church? What is their score as a Christian? On a scale of 1-10, what score would you give your neighbor? How good of a Christian is he or she? And what score would you give yourself as a Christian? Undoubtedly, you have an idea because we all have an idea of what are score is! In our defense, keeping score is unavoidable, or nearly so, and even Paul suggested that, if we must compete in the church, we should keep score around the love and charity we show. Paul also noted that we are running a great race before a cloud of witnesses, who are cheering us on- not to “win,” but to finish the race by keeping the faith.
      There is a very real sense, then, in which we are called to be aware of how well WE ARE DOING on our own Christian journey. But we are not called to keep a score on others! In fact, to do so, is hypocritical and destructive to the community. Indeed, it is wise to avoid the practice of comparing ourselves to others altogether because it invariably leads to either resentment or pride (both of which are spiritual cancers). In short, while an honest assessment of our own work may be helpful from time to time, there is no room for scorekeeping and finger-pointing in the church! Keeping score is antithetical to group ministry and to team-building in general... and we should all get out of the score-keeping business. However, what bothers me more (and what is even more serious) is this: WE ARE PRONE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD KEEPS SCORE TOO!
      Sadly, we can't shake the notion that Heaven's gate will not open for us... unless our SCORE IS HIGH ENOUGH. Even though we’re told that God has forgiven us entirely in Christ, we resist it. Even though we’re told that we are “new creations” in Christ, we refuse to embrace it… and even though we are told that we are saved by GRACE ALONE, we cannot bring ourselves to trust in it. We hear the preacher's words about grace... but they go in one ear and out the other... because they are too-good-to-be-true. We live is a grace-less world, in which there are no free lunches, and we simply can't conceive of a place that is filled with nothing more than grace and love. We hear about "grace," but instead of accepting the notion of "unmerited grace," we choose to believe that God helps those who help themselves and that, if it exists at all, "grace is simply a helping hand that God may extend... AFTER we have already given our best effort.
      A world without a score seems unfathomable to us... and it also seems hopelessly unfair! It's not fair that a person who isn't even trying... would be given a seat on the dais, and it is unfair when a convicted murderer claims to have made a death-bed confession. It shouldn't be allowed- not when others have spent their whole lives trying to be good. It’s not fair that St. Francis, Mother Teresa, me, and the thief hanging next to Jesus on the cross… should each receive the same saving grace! Unmerited and undeserved grace can't be fair. It’s not fair, we’re sure of it… and we’re right!

      IT IS NOT FAIR. IT’S GRACE. PRAISE GOD FOR IT BECAUSE- AS THE PSALMIST NOTED- IF GOD KEPT SCORE, NONE OF US COULD STAND!