My Thoughts on the Bible | Cultural Eulogy

Putting God to the Test

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Jole Miller

The author of Hebrews defines faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance for what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). You don’t need faith for what you already see, that is just sight. Faith is trusting in God even when things don’t look right or when we can’t see what the outcome will be.

Another definition of faith I have been pondering is “putting God to the test.” This might sound strange if you are more familiar with the bible. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness one of the ways he responded was by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Matthew 4:7). If Jesus explicitly tells us not to put God to the test, why would I argue that putting God to the test is actually an expression of faith?

I will start by showing how it is wrong to put God to the test, then show how it is right to put God to the test, and conclude with some ways you could apply this to your life.

When Testing God is Wrong

For the second temptation of Christ, Satan took Jesus to the highest point in the temple in Jerusalem and said, “If you are the Son of God throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone'” (Matthew 4:5-6).

This is where Jesus responded, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

Why would this have been wrong for Jesus to jump? Didn’t he trust that God would protect him until his time was at hand? I think there are a couple reasons why jumping would have been wrong.

First, God the Father already proclaimed the identity of “beloved son” over Jesus (Matthew 3:17). Satan was trying to make Jesus prove his sonship rather than trusting the Father’s words. If you take God at his word, you won’t need to push the boundaries. This is similar to Satan’s temptation of Adam and Eve, “Did God really say . . .?” (Genesis 3:1). Adam and Eve tested whether or not they would die after eating the forbidden fruit.

Imagine you went to a wedding where the wife told the husband that she would love him and stick by him no matter what. Then the husband wanted to see if she really meant it. Will she stay if I stop helping around the house? Will she stay if I cheat on her? Will she stay if I become abusive? This is not how you treat someone you love. It is one thing for the husband to be honest about his shortcomings and quite another thing to intentionally push the boundaries of what his wife can endure.

Second, Satan is trying to get Jesus to go beyond what the Father called him to do. Jesus did not frequent the big cities. He did most of his ministry in small towns, attracting crowds of poor and desperate people. He often did things to avoid the praise of people. He said that he only came to earth to do the will of his Father. God never called Jesus to make himself a spectacle. Rather, God called Jesus to serve, bring restoration and healing, and ultimately die on the cross for the sins of humanity. Jesus knew that Satan’s temptation was beyond what God called him to do.

An example from my life where I foolishly put God to the test was my senior year of high school. I was new to my faith and didn’t have much guidance, so I attempted to do both football and cross country in the same season. I reasoned that it shouldn’t be possible for anyone to do both sports, so if I succeeded I would have used that as evidence for God’s strength and power.

Unsurprisingly, this experiment failed after a couple weeks. My body could not handle the strain because it was never meant to. In hindsight I should have realized that God made me to play football and invested my energy into doing the best I could on the field and loving my teammates and coaches. I didn’t test God by thinking, “God isn’t real unless he empowers me to do both sports.” But I did think that God needed my help to let others see his greatness (which he didn’t). I didn’t trust that God would work through my simple obedience. I believe I would have had a bigger impact if I was more intentional with those who were already in my sphere of influence, rather than trying to have God turn me into Superman.

Testing God is wrong when it takes the place of trusting God. Testing God is right when it is a means of trusting God.

When Testing God is Right

About 25% of the book of Genesis is devoted to Abraham. God called Abraham to leave his family and town and go to the land that God would show him. Abraham had many inspiring examples of faith, and some significant moral failures. After 25 years of waiting, God miraculously gave Abraham a son, through whom the whole world would be blessed.

However, Genesis 22 states, “Some time later God tested Abraham.” He told him, “Take your son, your only son, who you love — Isaac– and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

And Abraham obeyed.

He and Isaac climbed the mountain, Isaac carrying the wood and Abraham carrying the knife and fire. After building an altar, Abraham tied up his beloved son and raised the knife to slay his child . . .

The text states that God tested Abraham, but I think Abraham was also testing God.

God clearly promised that the covenant would be established through Isaac as an everlasting covenant for his descendents after him (Genesis 17:19). Abraham is holding two things in tension. On the one hand, Isaac is the one through whom the blessing of the whole world was to come. On the other hand, God commanded Abraham to kill his son. There were only four options for this tension to be resolved:

Abraham refuses to obey God.
God lets Isaac die, thus showing that he does not keep his promises (thus not worthy of our worship).
Abraham goes through with killing Isaac, then God raises him from the dead.
God prevents Abraham from killing his son and provides a substitute (which is what happened).

Abraham was testing God to stay true to his promise even if it meant doing the impossible (raising the dead). Abraham was obedient to the point of giving up what he loved most because he believed that God was trustworthy.

Notice, the only reason Abraham went through with the sacrifice was because God commanded him. He did not attempt to sacrifice his son to see if God would stop it. That would have been putting God to the test in the negative way we discussed above.

To summarize, testing God is wrong when it takes the place of trusting God. But, testing God is right when it is a means of trusting God. Below are some examples of how this type of faith can be lived out today.

Positive Examples of Putting God to the Test

Giving generously, trusting that God will provide you with everything you need (Mat 6:25-34).
Sharing the gospel with a hardened atheist, trusting that God has the power to change any heart (1 Tim 1:15).
Persevering when things seem unbearable because God promised to work things out for good for those who love him (Rom 8:28).
Forgiving someone rather than seeking revenge because you trust in God’s divine justice (Rom 12:19).
Sharing a hard truth with someone because it is impossible to please God and people (Gal 1:10).
Praying even when you don’t feel like it, trusting that God hears and cares (1 Peter 5:7).
Taking a professional risk, resting in the fact that you’re worth is not found in success.
Sticking with those who are wandering in their faith, because the God who began a good work in them will carry it on to completion (Phil 1:6).
Many Christians throughout the centuries have been martyred because they trusted that eternal life in God’s paradise was worth more than the world could offer them.

Imagine a man who was considering going skydiving. How would we know that he had faith that his parachute would open?

Only if he jumps. He can talk all he wants about how great the parachute is, but until he jumps out of the plane and puts it to the test, he doesn’t really trust it. It is the same with God. We might say we trust him, but until we jump out of the plane and take part in risky obedience, our words are empty. “Faith without works is dead (James 2:17).

May God give us this type of faith!

The Kingdom of God is like a Golden Snitch

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Jole Miller

I love the Harry Potter books and movies. My wife and I watch all 8 movies every year and frequently listen to the audiobooks before going to bed. Even if HP isn’t your thing, I hope you stick with me. Jesus often taught using parables. Following in my Rabbi’s footsteps, I want to show you how the kingdom of God is like a Golden Snitch.

Understanding Quidditch

Quidditch is a popular game in the wizarding world, consisting of seven team members on flying brooms. There are 3 Chasers, 2 Beaters, 1 Keeper, and 1 Seeker. The Chasers control the Quaffle, trying to throw it through one of three hoops which are guarded by the Keeper. Whenever the Quaffle goes through a hoop, the scoring team is awarded 10 points. The Beaters are the enforcers on the team. They protect the Chasers and Seeker from the two flying Bludgers, and also attempt to direct the Bludgers at the opposing team. The Seeker’s job is to find and catch the golden Snitch, a small golden ball that moves incredibly fast. The game ends when the Seeker catches the Snitch. By catching the Snitch, his team is awarded 150 points.

So, How is this like the kingdom of God?

1. The Value of the Snitch

First, the Snitch the most valuable object in the game. A team could be down by 14 goals and still win the game if the Seeker finds the Snitch.

Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), and compares the kingdom of God to a man who found a fine pearl, and in his joy sold everything he owned to possess it (Matthew 13:44-46). There are a lot of things in life that we can and ought to seek. If we don’t look for a job, we won’t be able to provide for ourselves. If you don’t seek a spouse you will never have children. But seeking God’s kingdom is more important than any of these.

2. In the Game, but Not of It.

Second, the Seeker is in the game, but he is not playing the same game as the other six team members. Seekers are concerned with the Snitch and never attempt to score with the Quaffle or stop the other team from scoring.

Paul told Timothy, “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer” (2 Timothy 2:4). There are many games that the world plays: get the most power, have the most status, sleep with the most women, accumulate the most money, to name a few. If we want to be seekers of God’s kingdom, we can’t focus on the “quaffles” around us. We all live in the world, but when you become a follower of Christ, your primary citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

It is so easy to get distracted, but we must always recenter on the true Snitch.

3. Slow and Steady

Third, looking for the Snitch isn’t efficient. For most of the game the Seekers are sort of flying around aimlessly. It appears that they aren’t contributing to the rest of the team, but the work they are doing is vital to achieving the end result.

Jesus valued people that society did not. He spent time with children and said that the kingdom of God belonged to those who were like children (Matthew 19:14). He often withdrew to quiet places to pray even when people were begging for his attention. He spent most of his time in small villages and didn’t have much of a presence in the big city. His closest followers were uneducated, blue-collar guys rather than religious elite. Wouldn’t it make more sense to go after those with influence instead?

God’s kingdom functions differently than the world. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. It starts as a tiny seed, but one day will grow and spread and become the largest plant in the garden (Mark 4:30-32). Because God is patient and gracious, he often transforms us and others more slowly than we would like. This slow work allows roots to grow deep into the soil so that it can bear the weight of growth and the storms of life.

Fun fact, the average apple tree takes 4-5 years before it produces any fruit. It makes sense for spiritual fruit to behave similarly.

Conclusion

What are you looking for?

What do you desire most?

Everybody is pursuing something, but not everybody has articulated what it is they seek. Many of us end up on the conveyor belt following society’s expectations, or we float about from one dopamine hit to another without giving it much thought.

God made you unique and he made you for a purpose. I pray that you would find the purpose and passion that God wired in you, and then give you the courage and diligence to chase after that with all your heart.

How to Change the World

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Jole Miller

My theory is that the best way to change the world is to live your life as if your own sin is the biggest problem in the world. I want to examine wisdom from different times, cultures, and faith traditions that are all getting at this same point.

One caveat before we dive in: I wouldn’t apply this teaching to someone who has just experienced trauma. There are times when the sin and brokenness of the world comes knocking at your door, and you first need time to grieve and find healing. Jesus said he wouldn’t break a bruised reed (Isaiah 42:3). Please receive this as a general principle that will be applicable to most but not every situation.

“Man in the Mirror”- Michael Jackson, 1988

In his 1988 hit song, Michael Jackson sings, “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.” There are so many needs and so much brokenness in the world. It can be discouraging to feel like the world is run by corrupt governments and greedy corporations. What can one person do in the face of that much opposition?

Start with yourself, the man in the mirror. Start with what you can control. Maybe you can’t solve your cities homelessness crisis. But maybe you can show kindness and dignity to one homeless person on your way home from work.

“Be the Change”

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) is one of the most influential voices on non-violent resistance in history. He was influential both in fighting for civil rights in South Africa and in gaining Indian independence. He famously said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Do you want to see less poverty in the world? Give to the poor.

Do you want to see less racism in the world? Befriend people who don’t look like you.

Are you tired of corrupt politicians? Run for office.

We all have to ask ourselves, “What do I want? and What am I willing to sacrifice to get it?”

“I am.”

There is a popular story where a newspaper sent out an inquiry to famous authors, asking the question, “What’s wrong with the world today?” To which G.K. Chesterton responded,

“Dear Sir,

I am.

Yours, G.K. Chesterton.”

Living in the early 20th century you might expect him to say something along the lines of war, poverty, drunkenness, factory conditions, or the poor education of the masses. But I think Chesterton is both humble enough and wise enough to first look at his internal problems rather than the external problems. I think this is where activists can go wrong. They perhaps rightly point out the wrongs and injustices that exist in the world, but can turn prideful and self-righteous if they don’t also take serious where they fall short.

In the book How People Change, Paul Tripp says, “Whenever you believe that the evil outside you is greater than the evil inside you, a heartfelt pursuit of Christ will be replaced by a zealous fighting of the ‘evil’ around you. A celebration of the grace that rescues you from your own sin will be replaced by a crusade to rescue the church from the ills of the surrounding culture.” We can end being overly critical of others when we forget that we are sinners saved by grace alone.

The Plank and the Speck

Lastly, we’ll consider Jesus’ words from the sermon on the mount:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye” (Matthew 7:1-5).

A few things stand out: First, God will judge us by the same standards we judge others. This should cause all of us to pause and consider how we think about others.

Second, we are to take the plank out of our own eye first. Jesus doesn’t say that is all that we do. He still calls us to remove the speck from our brother’s eye, but only after we have removed the plank from our own eye. But what does that mean?

I think the plank is our own sin and the speck is the sins of others. Our sin should be so in our face (no pun intended) that we can’t avoid it. So often we get this illustration backwards. We think we are the ones with the speck in our eye while everyone else has the big plank. We say things like, “I would never do that . . .” “Can you believe what she said?” “At least I’m not as bad as . . .”

Deal with your own stuff first, then you can clearly see what others are going through with a sense of love and compassion. Nobody likes having sawdust in their eye. It is unloving to let someone continue in a destructive behavior, but when we fail to approach them with humility and gentleness we often do more harm than good. How might this play out in the real world?

A Hypothetical Example

Let’s say you are in a meeting and a coworker blatantly disrespects you. What do you do? Do you lash out in the moment? Gossip about what happened? Bury your anger and pretend it wasn’t a big deal? Passive-aggressively hint that something is bothering you for the next year or so? Get the incident on film and post it to social media so that he might be shamed or even cancelled? Or do you take the plank out of your eye by self-reflecting?

Maybe you start with noticing your anger. Anger itself isn’t sinful, but it points to what is important to us. Then you might consider what exactly triggered that response. Did you feel threatened or embarrassed? Did it remind you of an incident or relationship from your past?

As you go down this path you might discover that you actually have an anger problem and are hyper-critical of those around you. Or maybe you take yourself too seriously because deep down you believe that your worth as a person comes from what you do and how others think about you.

After doing this work, you can look at the situation clearly to address your coworker. You could say something like, “When you said what you said in the meeting it made me feel ________. I’m sure that wasn’t what you intended, but I would appreciate if you would be more considerate in the future. I want our team to stay unified, and your comments created unhealthy friction.”

Doesn’t that seem more productive than anything listed in the first paragraph? Maybe the coworker realizes that he resorts to sarcasm when he is under stress as a self-protection mechanism. After noticing the problem he can take steps to fixing it.

Final Thoughts

From the King of Pop to the King of Kings, the message is consistent: start with yourself. Live as if your own sin is the greatest problem in the world. Only then will you be able to make a difference in the world. Imagine how marriages, friendships, families, and organizations might look different when individuals stop blaming others and circumstances and take ownership for the wrongs they do and the good that they leave undone.

What is Work?

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Jole Miller

What is the essence of what work? What are we actually doing when we do stuff? Is it simply the stuff we have to do to keep living or is it something more? Pastor Tim Keller defines work as, “Rearranging the raw materials of a particular domain to draw out its potential for the flourishing of everyone.” God created the world, but he gave humans the responsibility of stewardship. For example, God created the trees out of which humans created tables and chairs. He created iron ore and humans mined and shaped it into tools.

I will argue that all good work consists of confronting chaos to create life-giving order. In doing so we image God in the world. Let’s start with the first page of the bible to see how that works.

God Confronts the Chaos

Before creation, God existed alone with chaos. “The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:2). Out of this chaos God spoke the earth into existence so that it was filled with light and life. God blessed the humans saying, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground (Genesis 1:28). God placed the humans in the Garden of Eden so that they could work it and watch over it (Genesis 2:15). Work was always a part of the human condition. We were made to work and represent God with our creativity and effort, cultivating plants and animals so that they flourish.

However, Adam and Eve sinned, and God cursed the ground and frustrated human work. Chaos re-entered the world. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (Genesis 3:17-19). This is the world we inhabit. Work is often hard and frustrating. Things fall apart. People deceive and disappoint. Deals fall through. Tragedy strikes when we least expect it. Even though work is not what it once was, the charge to work and watch over the earth and to be fruitful and multiply still stand. I turn now to consider what it looks like to confront chaos today.

Sisyphus was cursed by the gods to eternally push a boulder up a mountain, only for it to roll down again. This is how many people think of work and the burdens of life.

The Forms of Chaos

Chaos can be negative, positive, or neutral. Below are some forms of chaos:

Chaos to Confront	Work to Do	Life-Giving Order
Dirty	Clean Up	Clean
Out of Place	Organize	Organized
Where you are	Transportation	Where you want to be
Sick/injured	Healing	Well
Potential	Bring Forth	Actual
Wild	Discipline	Tame
Nature	Build	Civilization
Threat	Protective Measures	Security
Evil	Repent	Goodness
Ugly	Renovate	Beautiful
Unknown	Learn/Explore	Known
Negative Emotion	Feel/Process	Positive Emotion
Inefficient	Simplify	Efficient
Confusion	Clear Communication	Clarity

A teacher or coach work to cultivate the potential in children. A detective will gather evidence to solve mysteries and catch bad guys. A landscaper cuts grass and trims trees to make a yard look beautiful. A truck driver takes objects of value from one place to another. Customer service reps walk with their customers through confusion in order to bring clarity and peace of mind. An artist takes ordinary items and transforms them to invoke awe and wonder. Indiana Jones explored many places to recover items of great value.

A useful thought experiment is asking, “What would happen if I didn’t do my work?” Where would the world be if all janitors quit? What would happen if I stopped changing my son’s diapers? What would happen if I stopped making meals or washing clothes? What would happen if farmers stopped planting and harvesting? As Elon Musk once said on the Joe Rogan Podcast, “If you don’t make stuff, there is no stuff.” “The one who is lazy in his work is brother to a vandal” (Proverbs 18:9). “Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks (Ecclesiastes 10:18). If we don’t do our work of confronting chaos, people suffer and die.

When Order Isn’t Life-Giving

As mentioned, chaos isn’t always bad and order isn’t always good. For example, nature is both a beautiful sunset overlooking a mountain lake, and it is a lion that wants to eat you. Similarly, order isn’t always life giving. I think of TV detective Adrian Monk who had debilitating OCD and a fear of germs (among other things). His desire for cleanliness and security cut him off from most love and joy in life. Unhealthy chaos is anarchy, but unhealthy order is tyranny.

Consider the chaos of the unknown. If we never explore ideas or places outside of what we already know, we remain stagnant and become ignorant and arrogant. We need to encounter things we don’t know in order to expand our realm of understanding. If not, you will never try new foods, go new places, or meet new people. That is no way to live.

Below is a helpful chart that gives examples of chaos and order in its productive and unproductive forms:

If you find yourself in the lower left quadrant, you should introduce order. If you are in the lower right quadrant, you should introduce some healthy chaos. If you are in the top, you will constantly need wisdom to know whether you need to “stick to your guns” or to be open to other ideas. “There is a time to tear down (chaos) and a time to build (order)” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). We need to wisdom to know which to do at the proper time.

The End of Work

Not all work is good work. Imagine two chemists working in a lab. Both are meticulous in measuring out the proper elements, diligent in timing and temperature, in order to create a high-quality product. However, one of them was making medicine while the other was making meth. They may have been doing the same activity, but the end result was opposite. One chemist made something that heals (life-giving order) while the other made something that destroys (destructive chaos).

When it is all said and done, the end of all work needs to be love. During Minnesota winters, we love our neighbors by shoveling and salting the sidewalks. If we don’t people can get badly hurt. I change diapers so that my son can stay healthy and comfortable. I’m writing this so that you might be informed and encouraged. Work becomes destructive when people are motivated by greed, pride, people-pleasing, or fear.

Jesus’ main commands were to repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15) and to love God and love others (Matthew 22:36-40). A key way we love others is through our work. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). When we do our work well we honor God and bring goodness to the lives of others.

What is the chaos you need to confront today?

Decluttering God’s Way

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Jole Miller

The last couple years I have been getting into the minimalism movement. The Minimalists put out great content, Joshua Becker has many thoughtful insights on his website, and Marie Kondo has a series on Netflix that shows how tidying up can legitimately change lives. All of these people and more have given me practical steps for owning less, organizing, and making space for what matters most in life. However, I only recently saw how minimalism and tidying up connects directly to God. Let’s go back to the first words of the bible.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).

The Problem of Chaos

In the beginning there was only God and chaos (symbolized by darkness and the waters). Chaos is disorder and the unknown. It contains great potential, but it can also drown you. How does this apply to our homes and possessions? What does it mean for a home to be in chaos? Clutter, mess, and disorder.

William Morris, an English textile designer in the 1880’s said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” That is how I would define clutter. Anything in your life that is not useful or beautiful. Similarly, the Minimalists define clutter as anything that doesn’t add value to your life.

According to an ABC News article, cluttered homes lead to increased stress, decreased focus and productivity, and more unhealthy eating. As Tyler Durden said in Fight Club, “The things you own end up owning you.” Just looking at the picture above stresses me out, but often rooms in my house don’t look much better. How can we imitate God in bringing order out of the chaos of our homes?

Separate into Broad Categories

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:3-4). On day one of creation God separated light from darkness. On day two he separated the sky and the sea. On day three he separated the sea from the land.

Step one for dealing with the clutter of your home is to separate your possessions into broad categories. Maybe you separate items by room. For example, if dishes are in your bedroom, that is a good indicator that chaos is winning. Marie Kondo’s method is to go through clothes first, then books, then paper, then miscellaneous household items, and finally sentimental items. You feel the effects of when things are not in their proper place, so putting things into broad categories is a great first step in creating order out of chaos.

Separate According to Their Kinds

After God separated the land from the sea, he created vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds (emphasis added). The phrase “according to their kinds” is used ten times in Genesis 1. God made different birds and fish “according to their kinds,” and all sorts of land animals “according to their kind.” On days 1-3 of creation God created the realm/category and on days 4-6 he filled each realm (see the image below).

In your home, after you broadly separate your possessions, you can then differentiate more specifically. In the bathroom you could put together hair products (brush, hair dryer, hair spray, and hair ties), mouth products (toothbrush, tooth paste, mouth wash, and floss), and healing products (bandages, Ibuprofen, and other OTC medicines). You can separate your shirts from your pants, your pots from your pans, your toys from your blankets, and jewelry from old receipts. I recently did this with my son’s toys as we were unpacking boxes in our new apartment. I put all of the stuffed animals together, all the toy vehicles together, all of his books on the bookshelf, and all of his clothes in a pile separate from the toys. I was able to differentiate his stuff “according to their kinds,” but there is still one more step.

Separate the Sheep from the Goats

Matthew 25:31-33 states, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory . . . all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” The sheep are blessed and inherit God’s Kingdom while the goats are cursed and set apart for destruction.

I don’t mean to trivialize God’s judgement. It is something we should all take more seriously. However, for the sake of this post I want to apply the principle of sheep and goats to our possessions. We ought to distinguish between what is useful, valuable, and a blessing from what is just taking up space and keeping us from the most important things. Here are some questions to help you discern what is valuable (Many of these come from the book Love People, Use Things by Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus):

How much is enough? Be specific. How many shirts? Mugs? Plates? Book?
- Pare down to whatever number you decide.
If this object was to spontaneously combust, would you feel relieved?
- If yes, you can feel freedom to remove it.
Have you used this in the past 90 days? Will you use it in the next 90 days?
- You are already not using it, why not make the break-up official?
What are you afraid of?
- Are you afraid of disappointing someone or not having enough? There is power in pressing into your fears.
Is there someone else who can use this more than me?
- It is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
Does this item spark joy? (From Marie Kondo)
- If it doesn’t give you joy, why hold on to it?
If I were shopping now, would I buy it?
- If you wouldn’t buy it again, you probably don’t need it now.

Go through all of your things and discern what is adding value to your life (sheep) and what is not (goats). The goal is to make space in your life for what matters most. The less you own, the less you have to manage, the more time and energy you are able to invest elsewhere. Here is a article of how to start the decluttering process.

We often think of our stuff as an extension of ourselves, which makes it difficult to de-own. One tip is to create a “maybe” box in which you place items you may or may not want to keep. Once you put the items in the box, leave them for for a certain amount of time (anywhere from one to six months). If you don’t miss anything in the box, you can donate it with peace of mind.

Minimalism and tidying up is a process, not a destination. Which brings me to my final point.

Rule with Wisdom, Creativity, and Love

God made males and females in his image so that we would rule over his creation. “God blessed them, and said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.'” Psalm 8 goes so far to say that God “put everything under their feet.”

One aspect of imaging God is to “subdue” that which God has put under you. God has given responsibilities to every person. He entrusts his creation to us and expects to have a good return on his investment. He gives money and possessions so that we would put them to good use and be a blessing to others. When we “rule” over our stuff with wisdom we push back against the clutter and chaos of our homes and create a space of warmth, peace, and hospitality. Do you feel like you are ruling over your stuff or is your stuff ruling over you?

God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and watch over it (Genesis 2:15). If you’ve ever planted a garden, you know that you can’t just plant your seeds and leave it alone. You have to work the soil, water, and pull weeds. If you don’t intentionally maintain your garden, it won’t be fruitful. The weeds and rabbits will stop the growth. Similarly, if we aren’t diligent in taking daily steps to declutter, organize, and maintain our things, the chaos will start to choke out the life we are trying to create in our homes. God has given us all we need to create beauty, life, and peace out of the chaos of our home. What is holding you back?

P.S.

Here is another article by Joshua Becker about daily decluttering routines.

Worship or Mission

Posted on September 9, 2023 by Jole Miller

I want everything I do in life to be either worship or mission. Many people have a narrow definition of these words, so let me define my terms.

Worship essentially means treating God like he is a big deal. It consists in both praising God and receiving his gifts with joy and thanksgiving. You can worship through prayer, singing, and reading the bible. You can also worship by taking a walk, laughing with friends, enjoying a good meal (1 Corinthians 10:31), playing a game, or engaging in a hobby you love.

Mission is doing what God created you to do for the betterment of the world. The image of going to a poor foreign country and serving might come to mind when you think of mission. That is mission, but it is a narrow view. Your work in the marketplace, cleaning the house, helping out a loved one who is struggling, telling someone about Jesus, or volunteering in the community can all be mission.

Worship is loving God, mission is loving your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). Worship is abiding in Christ, mission is bearing fruit (John 15). Worship is knowing God, mission is making him known. These categories are fluid and can overlap. For example, playing with my son is both worship and mission for me. It gives me great joy, and I am also fulfilling my calling as a father. Exercising and reading are other activities that could fit into either category.

Here is an image adapted from Pastor Mike Breen’s work/rest semi-circle:

I want my life to flow between doing good work (mission) then resting in God (worship). The biblical characters that come to mind are Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-41). Martha was busy with her many tasks while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to him. Jesus elevates Mary in this passage, but both are essential. What does my life look like when I get out of rhythm?

The Flesh Semi-Circle

When I get out of rhythm I substitute mission with people pleasing and worship with self-indulgence.

Instead of serving others for their good and God’s glory, I serve to gain approval from people. It might look like flattery, saying yes when I would rather say no, or avoiding confrontation.

Instead of receiving God’s gifts with thanksgiving, I can take them for granted and use them in unhealthy ways. This might look like mindlessly scrolling social media, hitting the snooze button too many times, binging tv shows, over-eating, procrastinating, or lashing out in anger.

The biblical characters that come to mind are the two brothers in Luke 15. The younger brother wanted to live the high life. He demanded his inheritance before his father died (a big no-no), took his wealth and squandered it in wild living. He lived to gratify earthly desires. The older brother, on the other hand, never did anything wrong. He worked hard, did his duty, and obeyed his father. Which isn’t wrong in itself, but at the end of the story we see that he didn’t do his work out of love for his father, but rather so that he could gain status and recognition from his father (Luke 15:29).

Coming Full Circle

Galatians 5:17 tells us that there is a war inside every believer between the flesh and the Spirit. The Spirit is focused on God and others while the flesh is focused on the self. It gets challenging because the line between the flesh and the Spirit can be very thin. How do I know if I am working hard out of love for my neighbor, or if I am finding my worth in being helpful? Where is the line between enjoying the good gifts that God has given and turning a good thing into a god thing?

Am I writing this post to serve others (mission), or so that people will think I’m clever (people-pleasing)? Do I receive my morning coffee as a good gift from God (worship), or am I addicted to caffeine (self-indulgence)? Do I workout acknowledging that God uniquely made my body to move (worship), and he calls me to steward this gift well (mission), or do I do it to feel good about myself (self-indulgence) and to appear more attractive to others (people-pleasing)?

I don’t have an answer. C.S. Lewis was right when he said, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” We are indeed half-hearted creatures who are easily distracted by lesser things. Sometimes the Spirit wins that battle and sometimes the flesh.

The good news is that if you are in Christ, the war has already been won. When Jesus died on the cross for your sin and selfishness and rose from the dead in power, he secured your eternity. You don’t have to earn his love or perform your way into his good graces. Rather, you can receive his salvation through faith. You don’t have to live in fear about messing up and not living perfectly because Jesus already paid your debt. We don’t praise God and do good deeds out of fear that he will punish us. We do those things because it is what we were created to do. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

Work hard. Play hard. Praise heartily.

What is Love?

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Jole Miller

The Bible offers a different understanding of love than our culture. Jesus said that the greatest form of love is laying your life down for the good of another (John 15:13). God the Father loved the world in this way: sending Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus loved us by giving up his life to die on the cross, even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). First Corinthians 13:4-7 lists fifteen characteristics of love:

Love is patient.– Long-suffering, perseverant, and unhurried.
Love is kind.- Compassionate, polite, and servant-hearted.
Love does not envy.– Doesn’t get jealous, compare, or covet.
Love is not boastful. Doesn’t brag or self-promote.
Love is not arrogant. Doesn’t think too highly of self and isn’t self-absorbed.
Love does not dishonor others. Doesn’t mock, humiliate, or treat others as less than they’re worth.
Love is not self-seeking.– Doesn’t look for its own interests/desires, but cares about the good of others.
Love is not easily-angered.– Is hard to offend and doesn’t get irritated.
Love does not keep a record of wrongs.– Is quick to forgive and reconcile, and doesn’t hold a grudge.
Love finds no joy in unrighteousness.– Is grieved by the evil and injustice in the world.
Love rejoices in the truth.– Desires that which is real and true. Speaks the truth in love.
Love bears all things.– Endures without giving up.
Love believes all things.– Keeps the faith in good times and bad.
Love hopes all things. Has a positive vision of the future regardless of current circumstances.
Love endures all things.- Stays and perseveres in the face of hardship.

Twenty percent of the listed characteristics are about enduring hard times (patient, bears, endures). Love endures hard times without becoming bitter or cynical (hopes & believes all things). Love is more focused on others than on self. Love does good to others.

When you look at the list above, how would you grade your love?

Are you patient? Are you kind? Do you get angry easily? Do you tell the truth even when it is hard? Do you get stuck in the comparison game? Is there someone you can’t bring yourself to forgive? How often do you give in to selfish impulses?

These questions aren’t meant to judge or condemn. If you consider love to be the most important thing in life, then wouldn’t you like to know if you were living contrary to love? You have to first recognize that there is a problem before you can grow.

W.W.L.D?

The greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.” John tells us that if we don’t love others, we aren’t of God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). However, our love often falls short. We get selfish, irritated, and at times give up when things get hard. But the good news is that God is love.

Jesus perfectly embodied 1 Corinthians 13. He was patient and kind. When he was mocked and ridiculed he didn’t fight back. He told the truth. He valued the outcasts in society and associated with the lowly. He paid for our sins and cast them away from us as far is the east is from the west. When we sin and fall short he pursues us.

Not only did God forgive our sins, he also gave us his Holy Spirit, which is a Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). When our natural instinct is to look out for ourselves, the Holy Spirit gives a supernatural ability to look out for others.

When you are trying to decide what to do or how to respond, ask yourself, “What would love do? What action would most embody love?” If you are reviewing a past action, ask, “Was that loving? Did I live out the standard set in 1 Corinthians?” The answers may not always be clear, but the more we ask and strive to do the loving thing, the more we will embody Jesus to a broken world.

An Imagined Conversation Between Jesus and a Seeker

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Jole Miller

This exchange is based on Matthew 16:24-26, “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to come with me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. What does it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?'”

Jesus: I have seen you in the crowd listening to me speak. Why do you always stand at a distance?

Disciple: I didn’t know if I could approach you, or what it would take to come to you. So I played it safe and watched and listened.

Jesus: There are three questions you must answer if you want to be my disciple:

Do you want to come with me? (Yes or No)
Will you deny yourself? (Yes or No)
Will you take up your cross? (Yes or No)

If you answered “yes” to these three questions, follow me! If not, feel free to go your own way.

Disciple: Rabbi, I do want to follow you. There is no one who teaches with the authority that you do, and I sense that there is life in your words. But what does “denying yourself” mean?

Jesus: Do you remember the rich young ruler? (Matthew 19:16-30) What kept him from giving away his possessions?

Disciple: His wealth and possessions was where he found his comfort, security, worth, and identity. He was afraid of losing all that he put his hope in.

Jesus: And what about the Pharisees? Where do they get it wrong? (Matthew 23)

Disciple: They hold on to their appearance of righteousness at all costs. They love to look good before others and neglect their heart, which is the most important thing. They also look down on others and are unwilling to associate with those who are “unclean.”

Jesus: Indeed. And I ask you, what are you trusting in that is not me? Where are you performing instead of living authentically? Whose approval are you looking for? If you want to follow me, you must give that up.

Disciple: And what of this cross? It is a horrible instrument of torture and death devised by wicked and cruel men. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. It feels too cruel even for the most vile of sinners. What could I possibly do to deserve this?

Jesus: Is a student greater than his teacher (Matthew 10:24-26)? If the world hated me, doesn’t it make sense that it would also hate those who are like me? Don’t assume you will be treated well or fairly by the world.

Disciple: So are you saying that I will have to die for you?

Jesus: I assure you, you will have to die many deaths before it is all said and done.

Disciple: What then will survive?

Jesus: Tell me, which is more valuable: gold that is still in ore form, or that which has been refined with fire?

Disciple: The pure gold.

Jesus: Precisely! All the imperfections and dross are burned away and only what is precious and true will remain. In the same way, those who suffer for my sake are being refined. The road I’m calling you to is not an easy one. You will encounter many griefs and trials, and things will try to trip you up. But I promise that it’s worth it! Anything you give up in this life you will receive back 100 fold in the life to come. You will be on the front lines against the kingdom of darkness, bringing light, goodness, and restoration. Therefore, I urge you not to grow weary of doing good. You are planting seeds for my kingdom harvest, and you will reap at the proper time if you do not give up. Will you follow me?

The Invitations of Jesus vs. the World

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Jole Miller

Saint Augustine once said of God, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you.” We are all restless creatures of desire. As the Teacher of Ecclesiastes said, God has put eternity in our hearts (3:11). One of the problems of being human is that we long for the infinite, but we are surrounded by finite, things that break down, become boring, and are limited. Not knowing what to do with the hole in our heart, we seek to fill it with more. More money, more alcohol, more TV, more sex, more approval, more achievements, more tasty food, etc. None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but they are unable to satisfy our deepest longings. The things outside of God that captivate our minds and hearts always over promise and under deliver. For the rest of this post I will compare invitations of Jesus with the invitations of the world, and consider who is able to deliver on their promise.

Invitations of God

Matthew 11:28-30: Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Isaiah 55:1-3: “Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! Why do you spend money on what is not food, and your wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods. Pay attention and come to me; listen, so that you will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the promises assured to David.”

The invitation in these two passages is to rest, to carry an easy yoke, to come and enjoy the best foods and wines without having to pay a cent. Weary and burdened is a good way to describe our world. When you ask how somebody is doing, there is a good chance that they will respond, “Busy.” We are busy, tired, and anxious people longing for peace and rest, yet we constantly spend our time and money on that which does not give us the rest that we need. Below are some of the things that promise peace, rest, and fulfilment:

Invitations of the World

TV: “Come to me all who are bored, tired, and unsatisfied with your life and I will give you escape and entertainment.”

Smartphone: “Come to me all who are lonely, curious, and bored and I will show you what you are looking for along with detached connections.”

Amazon: “Come to me all who lack, come and buy from me and have it in two days without leaving your home.”

Social Media: “Come to me all who are lonely, stressed, and bored and I will give you superficial connection and a feeling that your life doesn’t measure up to others or a feeling of pride for how much better you are.”

Snooze Button: “Come to me all who are sleepy and tired and I will give you 10 more minutes of rest . . . maybe just 10 more . . . ok, 10 more but this is the last time . . .”

Spotify: “If anyone has ears to hear, let them listen to whatever song or podcast that they want (for a small price).”

Video Games: “Come to me all who are bored, lonely, and yearn to accomplish great things, and I will bring you into a new and exciting world that you can explore risk free.”

Tinder/Dating Apps: “Come to me all who are busy and desire companionship, and I will give you a quick hook up that has as few strings attached as you want.”

Pornography: “Come to me all who lonely, tired, and horny and I will give you temporary relief with a perfect looking person who will never reject you.”

Sports (Fan): “Come to me all who yearn to be a part of something greater than yourself, who desire beauty and a different story than the one you’re living in, and I will show you young men and women doing their best at playing a game. You can be as kind, cruel, or passionate as you want.”

Alcohol: “Come to me all who are worn out from a long day. Let me take the edge off. I can even make you forget your problems and stressors in your life.”

Junk Food: “Come to me all who are stressed, hungry, and busy and I will excite your taste buds and fill your stomach, but I won’t nourish the body. I will make you crave me so much that you won’t worry about the long term effects.”

I am not saying that these things are inherently wrong (except for porn, I can’t think of anything redeemable about that). I like watching TV, I use Spotify about everyday, I have a beer every once in a while, and I enjoy watching sports and snacking. However, if we look to these things to fill the hole in our heart, we will constantly be disappointed. Have you every had a Netflix binge day and the next day you felt just as tired and restless as the day before? How about trying to eat away negative feelings but you see that those feelings don’t go away? Maybe hit the bars at the end of a long week, have a few too many and then have to carry the weight from the work week plus a hangover? These things promise us peace, rest, and comfort, but they will let us down.

Ephesians 5:18 says, “Don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit.” One way to paraphrase this verse is, “Don’t try to fill the hole in your heart with alcohol (or TV or social media or porn or junk food), it will leave your life off worse and make you feel more empty in the long run. Instead, look to God’s Holy Spirit because only an infinite God can fill the infinite void inside of you.” Jesus is the only one who delivers on his promise to give peace, rest, and satisfaction. By looking to Jesus first, we can put things in their proper place and receive them with thanksgiving. You can use these things rather than these things using you.

As you think about what you consume, I think a good question to ask yourself is, “Can I genuinely thank God for this?” If there is anything you feel weird about telling God “thank you” for, it is probably a good sign that you should step away from it for a time. For example, there are times when I watch a show or two and I feel a sense of joy and contentment, after which it is easy to step away and do something else. There are other times when I know I need to go to bed, but I can’t stop myself from watching another episode. In the latter case, I would struggle to thank God for that show because I am not using it as God would want. In those moments I look to the show to give me peace and rest that should be God’s job to give.

Matt Chandler Quote: “Find the things that stir your affections for Christ and saturate your life in them. Find the things that rob you of tha...”

A couple final questions I’ll leave you with are, what are things that make you feel true joy/ stir your affections for God/ make you feel a sense of awe and wonder? Conversely, what are are things that steal your joy and affections for God? What might it look like to intentionally design your life so that you fill your life with what gives you joy cut out the things that rob your joy?