Did He Say "Help!"?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

When did peace ever care about who is most powerful or who is richest?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I might compare you to the mechanic who takes care of my car, or to the technician who fixes my computer when it goes wacky. You do that for us, but we may take your caring for granted. If you charged for it, would we value you more? Probably not. I expect we might grow to resent you because we become so dependent on your care. As it is, your care is free of charge and we are free to notice or not notice as we will. I appreciate your care, and I try to pay attention so I notice when it’s especially timely.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Help! I need somebody!”

[Not what He said when He was arrested.]

D. Blog: Let’s Talk about Sin

Some years ago, I learned a variation of the “Jesus Prayer” that goes: “Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.” I have come to have serious reservations about defining myself first and foremost as a sinner.

I am admittedly a sinner, but first and foremost I am a child of God. I am a sinner, but that is secondary to my being made in the image of God. There are dark places in my personality, but much more of me is bathed in light. I sin, but I also commit acts of kindness, goodness and generosity. Even if I approach God in such prayer, the emphasis should be on the merciful goodness of Divinity rather than on what’s bad about me.

When Christian teachers and preachers put the emphasis on human sin, they are wrong. Out of that approach comes a religion of guilt and legalism, a restricting religion that leads to narrow life instead of abundant life. I believe that Christ wants no part of it.