The All-empty gOD of Pragmatism

I watch the news and see a barometer of our culture. News outlets tailor their content to attract viewers and thus advertising dollars. So, the stories they choose to cover and the way they cover them is aimed more for their viewers' entertainment than knowledge. It reflects the whims and interest of the culture at large. I heard Tom Brokaw on the Today Show give his "two cents" on the "top" stories. He is a staunch pragmatist. He was asked what he thought about Facebook's CEO giving $100 million dollars to a failing school system in New Jersey. Was it to sway public opinion in the face of criticisms and an unflattering movie about the social network? Tom's answer was that "regardless of the motives, he [Facebook's CEO] gets three cheers for putting much needed money into education."

Tom's answer reflects how many of us think and live. We often worship at the alter of pragmatism in America. We often go for the quick answer if it appears to be "what works." But case in point, why was this NJ school district failing? Is throwing money at it really the best thing to do? Is it possible this $100 million will simply fund more failure? I don't know all of the details of this situation, but our illustrious pundits in the news do not seem to be interested in the details either. Just throw money at it! Surely $100 million can fix it! This fits perfectly with our worship of the all-empty gOD of pragmatism!

Now, before you think I have jumped onto a political soapbox and violated the whole direction of this blog and website, hear me out. I only brought this up because this morning's news reminded me of how easy it is to be so pragmatic that I miss the truth. I can miss that my son's motivations count more than his performance. My motivations count more than my performance. If we let pragmatism govern the way we think and act with family, church and society, then we will be empty. When it all becomes about results, then our value is based purely on performance. Then how do we value those who cannot perform due to a disability? How do we value those who are sick? If we are less able to perform, then we are less valuable to the gOD of pragmatism and his worshipers.

But the true God values us because we were made in His image, not because of our performance. In fact, since sin has entered the world, He point blank said that we cannot earn our way to being good. We can never perform good enough to meet the true standard of good, namely being holy. We all sin. Sin is anything we think, say or do that violates God's word or breaks His heart. That's why He became flesh in Jesus Christ and died for us on the cross. He said that we could never be good enough, but God the Son is. When we trust Him as Lord and Savior, then we have His good placed on us and He gives us the grace and power to overcome our sin as we continue to follow Him. The true GOD destroys the gOD of pragmatism! We start with faith in the true God. Then our works will flow from that faith. For sure, faith without works is dead, but works without faith are empty. I pray I can stay focused on the true God and serve Him, not the shallow gOD of pragmatism. I pray I can show my son that my love for him is not based on performance, but because he is my son, made in the image of God. Pass, fail, or excel, he is valuable.

A Couple of New & Old Items

I've heard from several folks that they stay tuned into the blog, but may not check out the website as often. On Macayla's page I added a video I found that is from 2006 when we went to Disney. I also updated Jacob's page.

Soon, I'll add an edited version of some video clips I found from 2007. It's amazing to see videos and pictures that have been in storage for so long.

Pain makes me a Pain!

Our experiences over the past five years taught us how much we appreciate doctors who have a "big picture" perspective in their approach. Doctors who weigh familial, spiritual, and psychological factors into treatment decisions have been the better doctors for us and Macayla. Sometimes, the treatment approach and interventions have to be weighed against quality of life for not only the patient, but for the whole family. If the treatment tears down the family, this can adversely affect the patient. The doctor who knows this will prepare or at least inform the patient of the broader impact some treatments can have.

We often miss the bigger picture of what it means to be "well." I often whine and complain over headaches or soreness. Pain puts me in a bad mood. Pain makes me a pain to others. When I hurt, I tend to hurt those closest to me with short, impatient reactions. It is shameful. I think it stems from the false idea that being "well" means being comfortable and pain-free. I have grown up assuming pain and illness are the exceptions and not the norm. I think I have held a misguided perspective for too long. The fact is, we are all due for pain, illness, discomfort and even death on this planet. That is the norm. That is part of life. It sounds depressing, but there is no guarantee of happiness, riches, health or abundance on this planet. Certainly some of us are blessed with happiness and abundance, and that is where my problem lay. I have happiness, riches, health and abundance compared to a majority of the humans on this planet and I have taken it for granted. Many people on this planet face pain, death and disease on a daily, if not hourly, basis.

My biggest challenge after church Sunday was where to get lunch. I was going to pay someone to cook for me. I am certainly a wealthy person. I thank God for the blessings He has given us, but I am ashamed of how I take them for granted and hoard them to myself. I am ashamed that I complain and grumble because the line at the restaurant is longer than I would like. I am ashamed that I have let nagging headaches or a leg cramp turn me into a jerk. It is not physical symptoms that threaten my wellness. No, they reveal where the true sickness is: my heart and mind. Paul wrote, "Love is patient; love is kind," in 1 Corinthians 13. When I am impatient or unkind, it is due to a lack of love. It reveals the selfishness that disrupts relationships.

God has blessed me and my family so much, but I must remember those blessings are meant for His kingdom, not my own. Wellness is measured by more than blood pressure or cholesterol. It is measured by our relationship with Christ and others. If we are truly His, then we must put our physical pain in perspective, the perspective of the cross. Our worst day cannot compare with those six hours of the cross. He suffered infinitely more and that gives me strength to bare my pain and quit whining. Our best day cannot compare to the empty tomb. For no amount of fun or happiness here compares with the pure joy of being with Christ from now to eternity. It helps me not get swallowed in my pleasure. It helps me remember that my pain and pleasure are to be surrendered to His kingdom, not my own. That is wellness.