My opinion of Glenn Beck has been all over the map. I started, like many people remain currently, to think of him as your average, all-purpose right wing crazy...which being of a rather conservative mindset I didn't mind as much as the left-wing crazies on the radio. Over time you could hear that he began to evolve from a divisive political pundit who just seemed (seemed is an important word here) into something more peace and unity loving. Many have come before and had similar evolutions. The thing that has made Glenn unique, in my eyes at least, is that he hasn't lost his Christian edge.
I'm not going to get into theological discussions about whether or not being a Mormon makes him a Christian or not here, so please save it. In his comments and actions it has been apparent that he hasn't traveled far at all from the feet of Jesus. He has been changed at some point. Perhaps it was recently or perhaps we are only seeing the effects of that change, but lately the things he has been pushing, the things he has been saying, the things he has been doing and planning to do have all had the ring of the Shepard. As with any nationally known figure I apply the words of Lincoln, (and I'm not getting it exactly word for word) "When a man walks right, walk with him. When he walks wrong, depart from him."
A month or so ago Glenn Beck began his #NeverAgainIsNow campaign to highlight the genocidal slaughter of Christians by ISIS in the Middle East, something very few are talking about in the media. (ISIS is not connected to a religion, but they are targeting members of another religion in the name of a religion...but let's not dwell.) The #AllLivesMatter campaign quickly followed. There is nothing I can disagree with in either of these campaigns and they both sound like the call of the Shepherd to me.
Most recently Mr. Beck has been gearing up for an event on 8/28. He was told by doctors that he had to rest his voice for 4 weeks or so and has been unable to do his radio show. As such he started a 40 Day challenge for #NeverAgainIsNow and I plan on taking part using this blog for my own personal reflection. I'm three days behind already, but I figure I'll catch up pretty quickly (Lord willing, the creek don't rise, and the children grant me peace and quiet)
Day One: Roman's 12: 1-21
Question: What does Romans 12: 1-21 tell us about who we should be?
The first thing that Romans 12 tells us from right out of the gate is that we are to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. What does this mean? Whole groups of Christians have divided on this point (and many others), but to me it means that we present ourselves to God as available workers. In my own life I've said to the Lord on multiple occasions "Use me as you will". I'm fully willing to lay down my writing career (such as it is) and never write another word of fiction if he called me to something else.
Paul follows this command up with an "AND" that says in verse 2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." Another version states that we should not be conformed to the "pattern" of this world. We should not expect to do things for the Lord, to whom we sacrifice our days and efforts, in a way that the world things it should be done; by their pattern. The Bible is a book all about how God does nothing the way anyone expects Him to. His Son is born to a carpenter and a woman whose virtue is called into question and is born in a dung filled stable. His Son calls not the religious elite but fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots who are at odds with each other.
I was watching "What Happened, Miss Simone" which is a documentary about the legendary singer and musician Nina Simone. I was very interested in her life and music as that before I only had the vaguest sense of name recognition but was never sure I'd heard her music. There was a moment in the film that really caught me off guard. During the Civil Rights movement Miss Simone did not stand by MLK in the non-violent camp. She was all for violence if it achieved their goals. The documentary showed some video from a concert where Miss Simone asks the audience if they are ready to get dirty for the cause, to break some things, white things, set fire to things, white things, and she ends with "are you ready to kill white babies?" The crowd is right there with her. Vandalism, arson, and killing children for civil rights: that's what the world says should work, right? Violence, muscle, the stick, the sword, the power of a man's arm gets him what he wants. That is the pattern of the world.
Paul goes on to say that we serve God with the spiritual gifts that he has given us. Again, against the pattern of the world. The final section of Romans 12 is labeled "Behave Like a Christian". How do we do that? Primarily, "Let love be without hypocrisy", without pretense...never falsely. This hypocritical love has always been something that makes me skittish in Christian circles. Being "nice" and "polite" is considered a virtue within the hearts of many Christians. If you love me then love me. Nice and polite always comes off as fake. We are called to a deep genuine brotherly love.
Romans 12, by the end, comes to the conclusion that we should not fight fire with fire. It is easy in this life to claim justice by way of vengeance. It is even encouraged to repay evil with evil. Once upon a time it was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Lately in our culture we have taken it to a far greater extent. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth I don't care if you are guilty or not I'm going to take it from you so that I can feel better and like justice has been served even if it hasn't actually."
As with many of the letters of Paul the jist here when double distilled is "Be holy as He is holy, Love, and your enemy is not your enemy."
Pax,
W
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