Achuckallen

Instigating Better

God and Country

The Thief and Your Theology

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How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology? No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteerism, and no church clothes.

He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray. He didn’t say the sinner’s prayer and among other things, he was a thief. Jesus didn’t take away his pain, heal his body, or correct the scoffers.

He was a thief who walked into heaven at the same hour as Jesus simply by believing. He had nothing more to offer than believing that Jesus was who he said he was.

No spin from a brilliant hipster mega preacher. No ego or arrogance. No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No social media posts, stories, reels, or tweets. No haze machine, donuts, or coffee at the entrance. Just an unclothed dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.

For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

I read those words earlier this week, and they shook me. I mean, they really shook me to my core.

In our effort to grow numbers, hype, and platforms, American Christians have substituted the simplicity of Jesus being crucified, buried, and risen to give us life with a shallow, entertainment-driven version of THE GOSPEL.

I am part of the problem! When I make the church the center of me, the reason we exist, or the number of people that attend the standard of greatness, I am the problem! The only reason the church exists is Jesus the Lord. Period, hard stop.

The only good that I offer the world is because of Jesus. The message the church offers, remembering that I am the church and you are the church, is Jesus, born to a virgin mother, living sinlessly, radically transforming the world. He disrupted the norms of the day, challenged the thinking of the wise, welcomed the poor and the humble, and showed disdain for only one group – the most religious people of the day. OUCH!

For all of the arguments around theology, fundamentalists, charismatics, reformed, and denominations, the one test of authentic theology is found in this dude on a criminal’s cross next to Jesus, who simply believed. No room for church membership, tithing, worship songs, praise music, or comfy chairs. He didn’t even have a projector with cool-looking slides, for goodness sake. He simply believed.

Luke 23:39-43 (NLT)
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself-and us, too, while you’re at it!” [40] But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? [41] We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” [42] Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” [43] And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

If this challenges your theology, welcome to the humbled group of Jesus Followers I belong to. A group too easily swayed by the shiny preacher in sneakers, the hip worship leader in a cool hat, or the church with the really cool building that feels like a resort when you arrive.

Please don’t get me wrong. I agree with the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, where he states,
“When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. [23] I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”

But when the style becomes the theology, or the orthodoxy becomes the god, we need the reminder of the theology discovered on the cross with Jesus stating the beautiful words, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

As we prepare for Holy Week, millions of us will flock to the beach for Spring Break. May we remember that the same love shared with that thief is available today. Let our theology be that of the interaction with Jesus and the thief-dude. Believe and receive the love of the one that you cannot make not love you.

Go in Peace, Chuck

America Is Dying: Why We Need To Change Our Political System Now

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Our nation is in a crisis. Political polarization has reached an all-time high, and Americans are increasingly divided, creating a dangerous dynamic for our society. But there is hope – in today’s article, we’ll explore why we need to change our political system before it’s too late.

Why is America Dying?

It’s no secret that America is in trouble. Our economy is struggling, our infrastructure is crumbling, and our political system is gridlocked. We’re facing a host of challenges, and we’re not doing a very good job of addressing them. Pride is at the heart of this, and fundamental and sweeping change is needed.

There are many reasons why America is dying, but one of the most important is our broken political system. Our government is designed to protect the interests of the powerful, not the majority of Americans. The result is a country that works better for those at the top than it does for everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, without the top 3%; many Americans wouldn’t be employed. This isn’t an article to attempt one more foolish effort toward socialism. If anything, I’m suggesting the opposite, with a heart change toward compassion, not simple-minded equity.

We need to change our political system if we want to save America. We must eliminate the influence of long-term, generational power in politics and ensure everyone has an equal say in our democracy. We need to start working together to solve our problems instead of constantly fighting each other. This continued bickering of my way or the highway has reached the end of the line.

If we don’t make these changes, America will continue to decline. We’ll become more unequal, divided, and unable to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It’s time for us to come together and fix our broken political system before it’s too late. Folks, full-time political careers are slowly destroying our republic.

The Problem with Our Political System

It is too easy for career politicians to get elected and stay in office. The average American doesn’t have the time or money to run for office, so we end up with a bunch of professional politicians who are more interested in keeping their jobs than in actually governing. This results in stagnation and gridlock, and very little gets done. Want proof? Look at our national debt.

Rather than fixing problems, we spend our energy fixing blame.

It’s also a problem that our political system is so polarized. There’s no middle ground anymore, and both sides dig in their heels and refuse to budge. Maybe that is because we only have two sides. This makes it even harder to get anything done because there’s always some issue that one side or the other is willing to shut down the government over. This isn’t a donkey thing or an elephant thing. This is a political death spiral!

We need to fix how we fix these problems, or else our country will continue to fall apart. We can’t keep doing things the way we’ve been doing them; we need fundamental change. And it starts with career politics ending, campaign finance overhaul, and finger-pointing to lessen.

The effects of partisan politics on Americans are far-reaching and profound. Partisan politics are dividing the country in tangible and intangible ways, and the consequences of this division are evident in every aspect of American life. You name it, and we have two desperate positions with few reasonable voices to address the real problem.

On a tangible level, partisan politics has led to an increase in political polarization. This polarization is evident in everything from the way people vote to the way they communicate with each other. It has also led to an increase in negative campaigning and name-calling. Should you be so bold as to offer a reasonable solution to a social issue, you will be slandered on social media.

On an intangible level, partisan politics has created a sense of mistrust and suspicion among Americans. It has also made it difficult for people to dialogue respectfully with those with different political views. I’ve had long-term friends walk out of my life from simple conversations about America’s many challenges. Come on, folks, are we not better than that?

The effects of partisan politics on Americans are damaging and destructive. We must find a way to come together as a country and start working towards solutions that will benefit everyone, not just one side or the other. That cannot occur when career politicians are making big money from the lobbyists making even more money to keep them all employed.

How Can We Fix Our Political System?

Some specific reforms could help fix it. For example, we need to eliminate gerrymandering and have independent commissions draw fair district lines. We also need to institute ranked-choice voting so people can vote for their preferred candidates without worrying about wasting their votes or splitting the vote.

Campaign finance reform is a crucial piece of the puzzle. We need to implement public financing of elections. This would level the playing field and allow more voices to be heard in our process. I am in the minority on this issue. Still, I firmly believe that some of the finest leaders in the country will never attempt to enter the political process, knowing it would ruin them financially and socially.

These are just a few ways we can fix our political system. It’s time for us to create significant change. Creating a viable third party might help, but we require radical change instead of adjustments or additions to an already broken system. The two-party system has created an environment of gridlock and inaction, while special interests have too much influence over our elected officials. The result is a government that is not working for the American people.

It’s time for some bold solutions to fix our broken system. Here are a few ideas:

  1. Implement term limits for members of Congress. This would help ensure fresh ideas and new blood are continuously injected into the system. It would also help to reduce the influence of special interests, who often bankroll long-serving incumbents.
  2. Get rid of gerrymandering. This process, whereby districts are drawn in a way that benefits one party or the other, results in a lack of competition and encourages partisanship. We would see more capable candidates and less extremism if we had more competitive districts.
  3. Reform campaign finance laws that are so sweeping that big money doesn’t have such an outsized role in our elections. We must get back to the days when candidates could not accept massive special-interest, super-pac monies that keep partisan, life-long politicians from a far too influential opportunity to keep America at each other’s throats.

America is in a crisis and needs to change its political system. We must reduce money’s power in politics and ensure every citizen has fair representation. Only then can we ensure that our government works for all Americans and that our nation continues to thrive in the 21st century. It’s time for us to take action now if we want America to continue being the world’s greatest country.

Go in Peace, Chuck

Why UVALDE Still Matters

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On May 24, 2022, evil stepped into Robb Elementary School and took the lives of 19 children and two teachers. Pure evil is the best way to define the senseless massacre of these precious children. I’ve been to Uvalde five times since the shooting, and each time I return, I’m reminded that evil could show up at almost any school in America and do the same thing. In most of the United States, measures have been put in place to make a similar attack much more difficult. I say more difficult because Uvalde was, and is so unique.

After reading the Texas Department of Public Safety’s final report regarding the shooting, I was struck by the systemic failure at every level. The most glaring failure wasn’t the police, school, or city, or leaders. The most glaring failure was a society that left a dirt-poor little city to fend for itself. Uvalde is a border town in Texas, and as such, it has a blend of primarily Latino citizens and blue-collared men and women. These are some of the most gracious, loving people I have ever been around. But let’s face it, in the hustle of this world, a little town like Uvalde is left in the dust. Yes, there were failures, but at the end of the day, you can trace every failure back to the fact that Uvalde is a city that nobody cared about. That is until they were the headline of the week in May 2022.

Like most things in America, a crisis happens, and the news anchors show up in droves. The cameras seek the worst possible story with the most graphic and accommodating video. They stay for a few days, then chase the next crisis, like tornado chasers in Kansas. Then a few weeks go by, and they descend again on the crisis area with reports of who is at fault and videos of people leaving courthouses trying to cover their faces. Then poof! They’re off again. After the media and political circus leave, the poor people of the crisis are left to sort out life as the rest of the world moves on.

But how do you move on from children shot so many times with high-powered ammunition that were only recognized by DNA results? How do you move on from the finger-pointing and media onslaught when you are a small city with limited resources and an entire world looking for your faults?

I’m jaded, I guess. I fell in love with this little city and its people. I found friends who share the common ground of decency, honor, integrity, and love. I’ve built lasting, meaningful relationships with leaders who care deeply about Uvalde’s future. I’ve seen the hurt up close, and I’ve felt people’s skepticism when you say you’ll be back with more help. Each time I can feel their stare as you say, “see you next time.” That stare is the one that burns into your soul the feeling that they’ve been lied to, over-promised, and under-delivered for decades. That is a systemic failure. As political leaders are fond of saying these days – full stop!

Enter Crossroads Academy. A school for dropouts. Last week, a team from Sugar Hill Church brought Christmas for about 160 kids – and their kids – and their parents. You read that correctly. Many of these kids dropped out of school and have their own kids. Hence the dropping out. They get on a bus from where they are sofa-surfing with their little ones and drop the babies off at childcare, go to school, work, and then to their kiddos. If you think it must be hard, you cannot imagine their stories.

One little girl is back in school and attended our party. She opened a box of diapers and just started weeping. She said, “I haven’t had a Christmas present since I was eight years old.” Then she learned that the diapers were essential and that she had a new set of clothes, shoes, and a purse just for her. And her baby had plenty as well. One young man graduated while our team was on the ground, and he is ready to contribute to making Uvalde stronger. One teacher was trying to find a student to give a gift to and was instructed that the gift was for her. She said, “nobody ever does anything for us.” The overwhelming question was this, “why are you all doing this?” The answer? Jesus said, LOVE ONE ANOTHER. He said that if we serve the least of these, we are actually serving Him.

Uvalde matters because the political circus left town and couldn’t care less. The media circus left town and won’t return unless something horrific happens. Nobody cares about the repaired buildings, new grounds, courts, and facilities provided in the wake of the massacre, but we should care. The government has proven that they cannot or will not step in to make a big deal about Uvalde unless it fits their political narrative – either way.

That is why a church from Sugar Hill, Georgia, has been making good on promises to Uvalde, Texas. Because the people that claim to love Jesus must act on that love and make the world a more loving, grace-filled place. Uvalde matters because these kids matter. The educators, administrators, counselors, and coaches matter. Uvalde matters! I’ve invited more than a dozen churches to participate in the work in Uvalde. I haven’t asked them for a dime, just people and prayer. Not a single church has stepped into the fray as of yet. Please hear me. I know that every church isn’t equipped to go and do this work, and not every church should. But friends, whether it is Uvalde or Sugar Hill, we must care enough to serve hurting people! Uvalde matters because those folks need to know that America doesn’t see them as a newsreel but as people that God loves. Uvalde matters because they represent all of us. We are all potentially one day away from needing the rest of America to help.

I’m honored to be a small part of rebuilding Uvalde, and I thank God for the men and women that are serving in the schools of Uvalde, Texas. They are serving in some really difficult seasons and are champions. The champions that are the faculty of Crossroads Academy are some of my favorite people on the planet, and I pray for them each morning that God would infuse them with strength, wisdom and power.

Uvalde matters because people matter. God’s ultimate purpose is people. The redemption of mankind. If you are desirous to be a part of God’s plan for your life, you, too, will be about people. That’s why Uvalde matters.

Chuck

CAPTAIN COMPASSION

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I have learned to love the word COMPASSION.
Unfortunately, I haven’t always loved it. I spent a great deal of my life with a self-filled condition that locked my heart from experiencing compassion I’m not proud of it. I am embarrassed of that truth During a a difficult season people came and helped me with acts of compassion that changed my life.

Compassion is defined as the recognition of another’s suffering
and a desire to alleviate that suffering  

My friend Julie Homrich, a psychotherapist, and I record a weekly podcast in which we merge faith and psychology In our most recent recording, we had a conversation about compassion Here are a few thoughts that she shared on this week’s Positive Talk Podcast:

“If you’re someone who, like me, heard about the shooting at Robb Elementary and felt both overwhelmed and frozen at first, I want to normalize that for a moment.
We talk a lot on this podcast about the fight/flight/freeze response, which happens whenever our nervous system feels threatened. So if you’re watching media coverage about a school shooting and you have a child of any age that attends a school— that feels threatening, right? Your nervous system is responding appropriately for that moment. The challenge is that many of us get STUCK in that nervous system response and don’t move THROUGH it. This keeps us in this low-level state of fear and anxiety instead of moving through that initial response into a state of compassion which leads to action I think many of our listeners can relate to this… after something tragic like that happens we just stay in this state of suppressed anxiety and don’t know what to do with it.”

POSITIVE TALK PODCAST: merging faith & psychology

I’ll bet that we have all been there. Friends, we have been created with an internal drive to move from feeling to action. That is why I have learned how critical it is to allow your soul to put this internal feeling of compassion into external action.
Again, Julie Homrich has a fresh thought on this compassion we feel:

“Once we notice a need or see a crisis like what happened at Robb elementary, an interesting thing happens in the brain. Our threat circuitry kicks in and up. We call it, empathetic distress, here we start to feel a bit of pain for someone else. Unfortunately, many of us get stuck in empathetic distress. When research scientists have studied compassion, they find that this process unfolds as we are moved to compassion, but that process can collapse at different points along the way.

Staying stuck in empathetic distress is not only unhelpful for society but it isn’t good for us either— we continue to walk around feeling anxious with no alleviation of that distress by avoiding and
not acting with compassion.

“Why do we do this? Well, several things can collapse the compassion process. We may minimize the crisis with the thought that it’s not really that bad. We might catastrophize the crisis, in that there is nothing I can do to help. We may have biases that keep us from engaging or we may begin to blame other people, or a lack of mental health accessibility or guns, or the president. Blaming is our mind’s way of shifting responsibility off of us because we either don’t know what to do or we do not think we can do about that. If you are prone to blame, recognize that is most often an attempt to shift responsibility. One remedy is to pause and ask yourself, “I cannot change them but what is my responsibility – right now at this moment?”

Please read these words closely, ; PUTTING COMPASSION INTO ACTION IS VERY GOOD FOR OUR MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL HEALTH Again, my friend Julie offers these thoughts:

“God created our bodies to operate
at their best when we are showing compassion”

Get this, compassion is good for the hearts of those we serve, but it is GOOD for OUR hearts as well. Our bodies produce a hormone called oxytocin. When we show compassion, our physical hearts have built-in receptors for oxytocin. When oxytocin levels are high (when we are feeling and experiencing compassion), our heart receptors take in the oxytocin. Oxytocin helps our heart cells regenerate and heal from the damage that may have occurred through our lifestyle or even genetics. Oxytocin also serves as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It’s called the cuddle hormone because it is released by touch and helps us feel connected to whatever is right in front of us.” That is just one more way in which we can see a godly view of life connected with a psychological view of life.

“In compassion, when we feel with the other, we dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and we put another person there.”

– Karen Armstrong

All of that leads me to the story I want to share with you today.

In my recent trips to Uvalde, Texas, I have met many extraordinary people, but one man has activated my compassion into action. Now and then, we meet someone that lights us up and moves our hearts toward being a better human. I met that guy in Uvalde.

Dr. Hector Lopez grew up in Uvalde, Texas. While in high school he, like many young Hispanic kids, dropped out of school to earn a living. While experiencing life as a high school dropout, his family moved to Chicago, where he went back to school, completed his high school degree, and then went on to college and earned his doctorate.

Dr. Lopez moved his family to Uvalde to take on a compassion-led task. He took on building and running a high school that serves students that once were dropouts.

That may not have registered with you, so allow me to state that again. A man with an earned Ph.D. voluntarily chose to serve as a principal of a “dropout high school.”

Crossroads High School serves kids that have not only previously dropped out of school, but many of them dropped out to raise their own kids. As a result of the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School, and the ensuing plans to demolish that school building, Crossroads was displaced to a maintenance facility. To say that these high school kids have nothing is a vast understatement – They have nothing, but the love of a principal and his team.

“Give Compassion: Every day the average person fights epic battles never told just to survive.” 

– Ken Poirot

When I first met Dr. Lopez, I was amazed at his deep love for “his kids,” and “his faculty.” He could be a professor at a prestigious university, but chose to give of himself, and serve hundreds of kids over the past five years at Crossroads. He welcomed me into his world and quickly conveyed that he didn’t want to be a burden as so many other schools needed help as well, but one more time – they have nothing!

The parking lot is tiny and weed-filled. The grass, what little there is, was 2 feet high and completely unkempt. The three mobile units have a great lack of paint, and what paint still remains is peeling. The soffit is half attached and most of the siding is rotten.

I don’t say all of this to ask you to do anything. I am telling you this story to remind you what everyday people can do to make a radical difference. When Dr. Lopez’s story was told, and our team was in a position to hear it, compassion moved to action. When Julie unpacked this in the podcast, she offered this wisdom:

“Compassionate people are some of the grittiest, toughest, and most determined people because they are willing to enter into empathetic distress and move through it. To move beyond fear and uncertainty and self-doubt, into action. Brain studies of those experiencing compassion show that there are multiple areas of the brain being activated when someone feels compassion- there’s an area of distress but there’s also the area of hope – activated. When you are experiencing compassion and have that sense of connection to suffering, either your own or someone else’s, we see a very strong neural response connected to hope.” Therefore, ask yourself this question:

“Do I want to live an easy life
without deeper purpose
or do I want to take the risk to enter into a state of compassion and experience the depths of hope and
the connection that comes with that risk?“

As for me, I never feel more alive than when I am moved beyond the feeling of compassion, into the action of compassion. As I have spent time in and around Uvalde, I’ve been moved to act on compassion. Being around Dr. Lopez, I have been encouraged and my courage has been bolstered around this humble, gracious leader. Here is the real question. What is it that has occurred in your life that has moved you to compassion lately? If nothing is moving you to compassion, ask yourself these two questions:

  1. Am I (like Chuck has been) too self-absorbed to even sense compassion?
  2. Am I so busy with the natural flow of life that I cannot stop long enough to feel any compassion?

If the answer to either of those questions is even close to a yes, then you are literally robbing yourself of personal health, peace, and courage. You are most likely robbing yourself of emotional and physical healing. And you are definitely robbing yourself of the blessings that are yours when you draw near folks that are brokenhearted. God says that He draws near the brokenhearted and I want to be near God, don’t you? The closer I am to the Divine, the closer I am to His blessings. Put all of this together and who knows?

Maybe you, like Dr. Hector Lopez are the next in line to serve others in the role of Captain Compassion!

I’m certain that Dr. Lopez will someday read this and be amused that anyone might consider him in such a way. He is a brilliant man, wrapped in a lot of humility. That seems to be the very genesis of compassion – HUMILITY. And that leads us back to the two questions asked earlier.

Go in Peace, Chuck

4 Lessons from Uvalde

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AChuckAllen | August 10, 2022

I’ve spent seven of the past fifteen days in Uvalde and DelRio, Texas. In that time, I have learned so much about the incredible people of Uvalde and America, the Beautiful. Some of what I have learned has shaken me to the core. But, on the other hand, some of what I have learned reminds me of what I most likely already knew.

Beyond the lessons learned, this I know. The evil that transpired at Robb Elementary School is a tangible, grizzly reminder that we live in a desperately broken world. That broken world needs healing, hope, and direction. Given the present, recent and hopeful candidates slated or proven, we are in dire straights.

That isn’t to say that the folks in power and those that desire to be in control are incompetent – well, maybe a bit incompetent – but instead, they have their eyes on the wrong target. The political powers that be are so consumed with the lust for power, vengeance, and fame that serving the people of America has gone awash in a sea full of bull.

I’ll keep saying it. We have plenty of competent people and leaders in these United States, but until we break this stalemate of a two-party system, we will get more of what we have tolerated over the past thirty years. Partisan bickering, name-calling, stagnation, and foolishness. All the while, evil runs rampant in this great land’s cities, towns, and countrysides.

The lessons I have learned while in Uvalde are simple. But should we apply them, with a heavy dose of common sense, America can right the ship.

LESSON ONE

Stop Pointing Fingers and choose to correct the problems. Maybe you are a finger pointer. I once was. It’s so stinking easy to waste sideways energy on blaming others. I know we should hold one another accountable, but most of us must choose to fix problems rather than blame. In Uvalde, those families and the schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and churches don’t need one more person or group fixing blame. They are hurting emotionally, mentally, physically, and exhausted from the desperate trauma thrust upon them due to evil. So if you want to help save this great land, get off the blame train and get on the serving others express line. It’s interesting how many people told me that there was very little that could be done in Uvalde. That has not been my experience at all. They have been open and forthright about their needs when I have asked educators, law enforcement, city employees, and other locals. Maybe we need to stop assuming that we know what everyone needs and start asking how we should help.
LESSON NUMBER ONE IS:
SET YOUR PRIDE AND ASSUMPTIONS DOWN AND ASK, THEN LISTEN. IT’S THAT SIMPLE.

LESSON TWO

You name the culture, and I’ll show you that we all have the same basic desires. You pick the color: Black, Brown, White, and I’ll show you our commonalities. We have far more significant similarities than we have differences. The challenge is that we seem to focus on the differences. Most of the community I’ve been serving in Uvalde are Brown folks. They are hard-working Americans with the same desires I have in my hometown. They want peace in their town. They want jobs to provide for their families. They want a fair justice system. These folks want what we all want. They want kind neighbors, honest law enforcement, caring churches, and leaders who put others first. They want safety at their kid’s schools and an opportunity to succeed. All of these things are what America has been built upon. But greed, corruption, and arrogant, self-righteous leaders on both sides of the aisle have depleted us of these most precious commodities. So pick your vote carefully, and be willing to be part of the solution.
LESSON NUMBER TWO IS:
RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU DESIRE MOST IN THIS LIFE, THEN STRIVE TO BRING THAT GOOD TO THE WORLD. EVERY SINGLE HUMAN CAN ADD TO THE GOOD OR THE EVIL. Which will it be for you?

LESSON THREE

This one is at the core of the American Dream. It doesn’t take much to help. It just takes all of us doing our part of the job. Civil service, ministry, education, business, or politics. Each day, you can choose to do at least one thing to make your part of the world better. Not your version of the world, but our version of a better world. The common good, the greater good, whatever you call it. But lay your head on the pillow each night, knowing that you have done your part of our job.
LESSON NUMBER THREE IS SIMPLE:
DO YOUR PART OF OUR JOB AND MAKE YOUR PART OF THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

LESSON FOUR

You all are already checking out on me. I seem to know this truth as I write these words. So hang in there; this is the good part. Lesson four is something tangible. Do good where it is needed. The Bible teaches that we are a blessed people; better translated, we are happy people when we act and react more like Jesus.

In Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapter 5, we find that He starts with the “Beatitudes.” In other words, Jesus is teaching us His attitudes – How we are to be. In verses 3-9 in Matthew 5, we read the following from “The Message.”

Matthew 5:3-9 MSG
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you, there is more of God and his rule.”
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.”
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s when you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.”
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.”
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart— put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of competing or fighting. That’s when you discover who you really are and your place in God’s family.”

When you replace the word “blessed” with “happy,” you’re getting close to understanding how to be part of the right solution, serving others, doing our part, and choosing good over evil.

Go in Peace, Chuck


This Week’s “I Might Be Wrong, But I Doubt It”

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AChuckAllen August 4, 2022

Have you ever been in the shower or riding down the road thinking, and it hit you that you might be wrong, but you doubt it? Yeah, me too. This week’s article is focused on POLITICS! But, you know the age-old story; avoid politics at the Sunday dinner table if you want to keep the peace. But, here we go. Why do we get so whacked out about politics in America these days?

POLITICS IN AMERICA

America is in an information war – with itself. Our public forums, where we Americans discuss public issues, are broken. There’s little healthy discussion – and plenty of fighting. One reason why: Persuasion is difficult, slow, and time-consuming – it doesn’t make good television or social media content – and so there aren’t a lot of good examples of it in our public discourse. As a result, we have become propagandists, not persuaders. We have chosen the path of picking a side and unfolding a shock and awe campaign of how bad the other side is, regardless of who the other side is.

The old vertical propaganda model cannot withstand the changes in communication brought on by the new participatory media – talk radio, cable, email, blogs, chats, texts, video, and social media.

Pew research says that 93% of Americans are connected to the internet and 82% of Americans are connected to social media. We now all have direct access to communicate in the public square – and, most of us engage at some level in the propaganda machine. A lot of folks use their social media connections and platforms to knowingly and unknowingly spread misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy, and partisan talking points – all forms of propaganda. We’re all propagandists now. At times, we create our own version of dissent.

The inability of Americans to allow for dissenting thoughts has become an epidemic. When we do not allow for common decency in dialogue with those we disagree with, we lose all sense of humanity and turn what could be beneficial for the country into a battle of anger, resentment, and outrage. It doesn’t take long!

Hold your convictions close to you, but be cautious that your convictions are more than preferred thoughts and outcomes. America became America out of appreciation for how our Creator made us uniquely different, and we bond around that rather than fight about why it is the case.

Be sure to leave room for your fellow American to be right, even if it is seldom the case.

Be sure to leave room for you to be wrong, even if it doesn’t happen often.

As a country built on diverse thought, we must accept that wherever diverse thought occurs, conflict is lurking around the corner. Conflict, friend, isn’t the problem.
The problem is mismanaged conflict.

Most conflict is internal. When someone thinks differently than you, they will most likely act, react and vote differently than you. That doesn’t have to make them your enemy. There is a reason that they think that way, and the way they think may have nothing to do with you – at all!

To demonize them without attempting to understand them is doing yourself disfavor! Leave room for that Republican or Democrat to share why. If they don’t know why, other than some talking puppet on an alleged news show, don’t argue; simply step away.

Everyone has the right to be wrong!

If you do find yourself in a heated exchange, be the grown-up in the room and take the heat down. Speaking truth in love is the key here. When we shower others with our worst, we rarely have an opportunity to persuade, we simply become part of the propaganda. Besides, we owe it to the world to lessen the noise and increase the collective IQ.

Step away from the keyboard when you are heated. There is no need to convince others of your lack of control. The country needs men and women of conviction, courage, and wisdom,
not more screaming and banter.

If you want to discuss politics, check your logo and ego at the door and have a clear, common, and compelling reason for what you say. Say it in a way that is helpful, thoughtful, and wise. Be willing to be corrected and be willing to accept differences, and watch how we can find a middle ground.

I might be wrong, but I doubt it.

Go in Peace, Chuck