Person Over Thing

Somewhere along the line, in my training as a linguist, I learned that, in grammar, persons are treated differently than things.There is something in our brains that sorts humans out from everything else, living or nonliving. In grammar, ideas are treated like things, so ideas are treated differently than people too.

I bring this up because occasionally my beliefs collide with my acquaintances. I love my wife without condition, but we don't agree on everything...in fact, sometimes I think she's just wrong. We fuss, but that doesn't affect our love for one another. I think that's one reason why we're still married after 22 years.

I've met a lot of different people from a lot of different backgrounds with a lot of different ideas. Me, I do my best to take my most important ideas from the Bible. I have found that not only is the Bible very clear on what count as good ideas and what counts as bad ideas, but that the Bible tends to be pretty practical.  Opponents of the Bible tend to point to Old Testament laws when criticizing its practicality, but the law of God is juxtaposed with the laws of men in the Bible and some don't take the time to sort one from another. Anyway, having read through the whole of Scripture numerous times, I am convinced in its truth and its practical value for me.

In the past few years, there has been an upswing in spiritual teachings. Maybe, it is because life seems harder than in the past; maybe its the breakdown of the nuclear family. I don't know. I do know that there are dozens of movies and television shows about the supernatural, vampires, demons, etc. In the church, I've noticed more and more people seeking solutions to their problems. There is a huge number of people who are hurting (always have been; always will be). The Church should be leading these hurting souls to Jesus.

Over the weekend, a young man I know who is also a very good football player, told the media that he is homosexual. Like many, I was surprised; like many Christians, I am fundamentally opposed to the homosexual lifestyle because God is fundamentally opposed to it. But this is not the first time I've had to reconcile my beliefs with my acquaintances. I've long enough that I've met lots of people whose lives are at odds with the Word of God in one or more points...including me. I know myself; I'm not lilly white. I am a sinner, saved by the grace of God -- God's undeserved favor. I love God because He first loved me.  God demonstrated His love for me by sending Jesus Christ to die for my sins before my heart was changed by that love. I believe that God, in Christ, wants me to extend the same grace to the people I know who are at odds with God's Word in one or more point. I believe that God honors us when we place persons over things.

I'm not denying my faith or ignoring what the Word of God says about adultery, or anger, or disobedience to parents, or homosexuality, or drunkenness, or anything else that God clearly opposes. I am for allowing God to judge and for me to be an instrument of His grace. Jesus said that we should live our lives in such a way that people around us could see our behavior and that would result in God receiving the glory.

I love God, my wife, my family, and my friends and acquaintances. I also believe in ideas -- good ideas, wherever they come from. But ideas aren't people...and Jesus died for people.