Crappy Package

Have you ever felt unjustly criticized?
How about justly criticized, but just didn't want to hear it?
Or, justly criticized, but in a pretty harsh manner?

I heard a guy recently mention that he received some criticism in a pretty harsh way. The problem was, it was pretty legit.  However, his complaint to God was; "Why did you have to send this criticism in such a 'crappy package'?"

God's answer (according to him): I wanted to see if you were humble enough to receive it.

Ouch!

I'm not saying it's right to rip into people.  It's not.  But,  are we able to hear God -- even if it comes in  a "crappy package"?

This sort of reminded me of Jeremiah.  I've been reading this book lately.  It seems that most of what we know about Jeremiah are the verses in chapter 29.  You know, the good verses that tell us that God wants to prosper us.  Funny, we don't talk about the rest of Jeremiah much.  It's not that pleasant a book.  That poor guy had a tough calling.  He was told to bring bad news (i.e. "crappy message") to his people.  He told the people that because of their disobedience, they were going to be overthrown and captured.  But -- they didn't want to hear it.

It didn't go well for ol' Jeremiah.  In chapter 36 the king burned Jeremiah's scroll (chapter 36).  Nice, huh?  At one point he gets tossed into an old abandoned cistern that was all muddy in the bottom and left for dead (chapter 38).  Not seeing a lot of humility from the king or the people here are we?

So what happens?  Well, in chapter 39, sure enough, down goes Jerusalem. Captured and taken off into captivity (at least the ones Babylon let live).

A crappy message isn't a bad thing -- if we're humble enough to hear it.

Difficult Discussions

I was not intending to post this yet, but since the Strib had an article today regarding Chick-fil-A, I thought I would put this up. I found these two responses interesting.  The first, by Tim Keller, who is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC.  The second by Ken Coleman, a talk show host in the Atlanta area. Ken was the one who interview Dan Cathy (of Chick-fil-A).   Both of these men faced interviewers who were pretty aggressive and I think both of these guys responded graciously.

I think we -- or at least I can -- learn much from their response.

Having a right to be bitter.

I recently watched a movie called The Edge staring Anthony Hopkins.  He plays a very rich man who was involved in a plane crash at the base of some mountains.  The pilot dies immediately, but two of his employees survive.  Long story short - he saves their butts time and time again. They are negative and bitter and almost cost Charles Morse (Hopkins) his life because of their actions.  Finally, they end up dying too.  Morse is rescued and brought back to "base".  Dozens of reporters are there to find out the story of what happened.  The movie ends with some great lines.
Charles Morse:  "We're all put to the test...but it never comes in the form or at the point we would prefer, does it?
Reporter # 1: "Mr. Morse, what happened to your friends?
Reporter # 2: "How did they die?"
Charles Morse: They died...saving my life.

That caught me off guard.  Sure, Mr. Morse was cool and calculating throughout the movie, but then to say his friends died saving his life!  What?!

And then his line about "the test".  Tests never come at a convenient time do they?

I was then reminded of the story of Joseph.  I'm reading a book called God Built by Steve Farrar based on the story of Joseph's life.  You know his story.  Sold in to slavery.  Chance to be bitter Number 1.  He rises to prominence in Potipher's house.  Apparently he's a babe magnet and Mrs. Potipher hits on him.  When he turns her down, he ends up in prison again.  Chance to be bitter Number 2.  Then, while in prison, he helps the cupbearer out with a dream.  The cupbearer is released from prison.  Joseph reminds him to help him out.  But the cupbearer totally forgets him.  Chance to be bitter Number 3.  Eventually Joseph gets out of prison again.  Rises to the top.  Saves the country during a time of famine.  Then, his brothers - the guys who sold him into slavery years ago - come begging for food.  Chance to be bitter Number 4.  If anyone had a chance to be bitter and angry, it was Joseph.

Farrar points out that Joseph’s responsibility (and ours) is not to stress out over how we have been wronged.  He and we are to move on and trust in the Lord.  “When we are wasting the days of our lives in bitterness and anger over those who have wounded us, we are not trusting in the Lord and doing good.”   Farrar points out that God had great plans for Joseph, but he wouldn’t promote him if he had a diseased heart and bitter spirit.

A couple of verses to meditate on regarding this topic are Hebrews 12:15 and Psalm 139:23-24.