Love Wins?

Friday I was just able to see the Supreme Court had come out with their decision and there was a lot of response from both sides, but I really wasn’t able to read about it until later that evening. It’s interesting to see who on Facebook is celebrating. I thought it most unpresidential for the White House to be lit up in the colors of the rainbow. The Obamas have forgotten they are mere guests in The White House, which is in truth the house of the people. People have forgotten that in 2008 both Obama and Hillary were against same sex marriage, and how Bill Clinton had signed a law forbidding it during his presidency. Time magazine has already written that the tax exempt status of the church  should be next to be repealed. Many are saying – including the dissenting Supreme Court justices – that with this decision there’s no reason polygamy will remain illegal.

When Christians stood by the Word of God, at least three times I read professing Christians reply “I think God just wants everyone to be happy.” Such a response does not reflect much knowledge of God’s Word. As little as I read and study, even I know better. Sunday morning Bryant Wright addressed this very point, quoting Judges 17:6 where “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” Back then people who were raised in the church made their own idol to worship. They should have known better but still did whatever they pleased. This is exactly what is happening today. Bryant said this Supreme Court decision spells the end of casual Christianity – people won’t be able to support popular positions in business and politics AND follow God and His Word. We no longer live in a Christian society but a post-Christian society, Bryant said. In truth we live in an anti-Christian society.  

People will have to make a choice: following God or the world. To stand with Christ will mean persecution. It already does - persecution and ridicule. Bryant had a pastor friend leading his church through a study of Corinthians. People began to be offended, and the elders called in the pastor and told him he couldn’t teach such things. The pastor folded over Corinthians and asked “you mean I can’t teach from Corinthians?” Same with Romans and Leviticus. The elders stuck to their word: if the pastor kept offending people. The pastor prayed with the elders, then said he would continue to teach God’s word. He was immediately fired. Bryant told the story of a businessman who had worked for the same company for over 30 years. When he would not approve of his new boss’ gay lifestyle he was fired. What the AJC didn’t say about JFBC was that it was the last sermon in a 9 part series about Christian Marriage in Today’s World. Bryant went out of his way to detail that, recapping the previous 8 weeks. He wasn’t just addressing the subject because of the Supreme Court ruling.

With so many major businesses celebrating the decision by displaying rainbows on their websites (Google, YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, American Airlines, Uber, Vevo, BuzzFeed, WattPad, The Verge, Hillary, RED, and others) a good tweet read “That’s nice, they’re all remembering God’s promise to not wipe sinful humanity off the earth with another flood.” Someone replied: “I see it as more of a double dog dare on God…” The word of the day may have been “Love Wins” but too often I saw the winning side wagging fingers and proclaiming “F___ you!” and “In your face!” If this is love I wouldn’t want to see hate.      

The best thing I read was from a seminary professor who said at times we err on the side of the Law and we sometimes err on the side of grace – and how since we are going to err, it’s better to err on the side of grace. But all the grace in the world doesn’t help when your enemy intends to destroy you. When Christians and Americans and our government should be coming together to fight the rise of radical islam (who say all gays should be killed) instead we squabble over 150 year-old flags and the definition of marriage – an institution created and defined by God, institutionalized by government, and corrupted by man.

Busy day Friday. Had a big project that I wasn’t even able to get to. We celebrated co-worker Debby’s 40th anniversary with a Chickfila salad lunch, cake, and flowers. As we ate we discussed how the next big anniversary was Sandra’s 30th in a year or so. Some people don’t realize how discouraging anniversaries can be. I am already dreading my upcoming 30th anniversary in 2017. Perhaps it will be forgotten like my 20th anniversary was. My 25th was also a letdown - just a small affair. Other departments celebrate longtime anniversaries by inviting the entire building to the corporate breakroom, but we just keep it small. Thirty or forty years is quite an achievement. Considering how I have to help out people in every department you’d think everyone would be invited to my celebrations. But they aren’t. Perhaps it’s time to get another job.

Debby has also worked in other departments: transactional sales, purchasing, and at the processing center. Forty year employees are given a framed penny from the year our company was started: 1842. It is a nice gift. I hear the supply of pennies is running low. Debby also selected a nice clock for her anniversary gift. There weren’t a ton of stories, but I told of when I first met Debby in 1991 when the Braves went to the World Series.

Friday afternoon Ceil went to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market and was late getting back. I worked late and stopped by two thrift stores on the way home. Saturday we did some housework. My back started hurting. Ceil went to help arrange flowers for a wedding. Anna went shopping at Perimeter Mall. Later I ate a late dinner at California Pizza Kitchen with the family who’s taken Matthew to a three day Christian gathering at the Gwinnett Arena.

We saw young Jim Watterson Jr. at JFBC. After services at Johnson Ferry Ceil had to go finish cleaning up the wedding flowers. I drove M down to PCC and later Ceil picked him up. I watched the Lifetime movie starring Will Ferrell. I heard Drew Kelly won the SPdL ice cream contest.

BRAVES: People say they aren’t trying to win, but they’re certainly not standing pat. They’ve made 45 roster moves so for this season. They have employed more pitchers than any other team – 26 so far. When one pitcher doesn’t pan out they demote him and bring in someone else. They spent another ten million to get a young prospect in the Gosselin trade, and veteran Bronson Arroyo may be able to help bolster the pitching staff in August and September. But many loudmouth fans show their ignorance by complaining after a loss. Just last week the Braves were a half game out of first after sweeping the Mets. I didn’t hear much complaining then.