People in our culture are way too petty. We make conflict mountains out of far too many petty molehills. That’s why I have a chapter in Unpacking Forgiveness designed to help people know when to let go of a matter.
Building on Tim Challies post from yesterday (in which he interacted with a chapter in Unpacking Forgiveness) Molly Friesen adds some great thoughts today on when to overlook an offense. Read her post here.
If there is ever a second edition of Unpacking Forgiveness, I will improve the chapter on when to get over it, by incorporating some of Molly’s thoughts. For now, you can just read her post.
Justin Taylor interacts with the thoughts of Robert P.George:
Readers of this blog know the esteem I hold for Robert P. George–in my view (and that of many others), he is one of the great moral philosophers and public intellectuals of our time. With a law degree and a theology degree from Harvard, and a doctorate from Oxford, he currently serves as McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, and as the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. He also serves on The President’s Council on Bioethics and previously served on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Dr. George is a man who chooses his words very carefully. And that is why his latest essay, Obama’s Abortion Extremism, is so significant. It begins in this way:
“Barack Obama is the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever to seek the office of President of the United States. He is the most extreme pro-abortion member of the United States Senate. Indeed, he is the most extreme pro-abortion legislator ever to serve in either house of the United States Congress.”
In this interview (at about the 16 minute mark) John Piper shares transparently about how he and his wife worked through a difficult period in their marriage. I think it is helpful to reflect on not only how God used counseling, but how he didn’t use it.
I respect Piper’s humility and willingness to be transparent.
The late Randy Pausch’s book, The Last Lecture, continues to be on the bestseller list. The book is based on a lecture that Pausch gave at Carnegie Mellon after discovering he had terminal cancer. In writing the book, Pausch said that he hoped to give “a message in a bottle” that would one day wash up on the shores of his children’s lives (who he knew would not remember him well given their young age).
What would you say in a message you hoped would one day wash up on shore for your children?
Pausch’s lecture is worth watching. He had a winsome personality and he knew how to organize a lecture and to engage an audience. You cannot help but admire a man who worked so hard to develop his intellectual gifts. He clearly loved his wife and children.
But, if the Last Lecture is worth watching, it’s also worth considering the adequancy of his central thought. In Pausch’s introduction, he stated both what he was lecturing about (achieving your childhood dreams) and what he would not be talking about (cancer or religion). Pausch stated:
I’m not in denial . . . We’re not going to talk about cancer . . . if you any herbal supplements or remedies please stay away from me . . .and we’re not going to talk about spirituality or religion although I will tell you I have experienced a deathbed conversion. I just bought a Macintosh . . .
Pausch goes on to describe how he dreamed of being in zero gravity, of being Captain Kirk, writing an article for Worldbook encyclopedia and so forth.
It’s no surprise that the book is selling well. Pausch is a handsome and winsome poster child for the values of our culture.
Yet, here is the question. Are childhood dreams enough? Are we content to concede that we have eternally lost to physical death (”don’t talk to me about herbal supplements”)? If one achieves his or her dreams in this life that we can die with a smile? Is this the message you would want to wash up on shore for your children?
Or, would you confess and proclaim:
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”(Jn 11:25-27).”
My niece, Kirsten, got married this weekend (to Mike) and Mary Beth was the flower girl. I cannot imagine being more blessed on Father’s Day. Mary Beth is five. Ben is not quite 11. Christopher is 12. Allison is 14. I am the same age as Rocco Mediate and Jamie is much younger.
“. . . Chris Brauns has done a magnificent job in helping us understand the true nature of biblical forgiveness. Every Christian will profit from reading and applying this book.” Jerry Bridges.
“ . . . Unpacking Forgiveness is an engaging, convicting but emphatically encouraging treatment of this hugely important (and sometimes mindbogglingly challenging) part of life. Dr. Brauns writes from the standpoint of a faithful, wise, experienced and caring pastor . . .” Ligon Duncan, First Pres, Jackson, MS
