No Apologies Metal Addition
14 years ago
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Acts of the Flesh
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
These are all problems that people struggle with. As long as we keep giving into any of these whether it be one or all we are going to make a gap between our relationship with God. Not saying that if we do "good" things that we are "better" in God's eyes. But if we aren't striving to rid ourselves of these acts of flesh then we clearly are nowhere near to comprehending what Jesus did for us on the cross. These are problems and if we aren't constantly battling against them then we are giving in to sin and not useful in God's kingdom.
Galatians 5:19-21
These are all problems that people struggle with. As long as we keep giving into any of these whether it be one or all we are going to make a gap between our relationship with God. Not saying that if we do "good" things that we are "better" in God's eyes. But if we aren't striving to rid ourselves of these acts of flesh then we clearly are nowhere near to comprehending what Jesus did for us on the cross. These are problems and if we aren't constantly battling against them then we are giving in to sin and not useful in God's kingdom.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mom
As cliche as it may be to write a blog for my mom on Mother's Day... well it is cliche so I waited a day after to write this. I have been contemplating whether or not to put my mom's encouraging note to me up. Often it is my struggle with personal pride that keeps me from writing most things on my blog, and re-writing a personal encouraging note about me makes me uneasy. But ultimately this is about my mom so I am going to try and keep it that way.
Shortly after my graduation from high school my youth group held a banquet for all the Seniors. This is the beginning of my mom's encouraging note to me....
" 'Sweet'.... the adjective I frequently used to describe you when you were young. Your demeanor hasn't changed, but I get that 'sweet' isn't exactly the word a soon-to-be-freshman in college wants to have ascribed to him! As I was reflecting upon what I wanted to say to you tonight, Jonathan, I felt an overwhelming thankfulness for the years we have had the privilege of sharing with you so far."
As her note went on she highlighted good qualities she saw in me and things God has blessed me with. I remember reading this note whenever I got discouraged last year as I had a little bit of a rough time my first semester adjusting to freshman year. Mom I know it makes you sad when I say I struggled or had a hard time and didn't talk to you about it when it was happening, because you always want to be there to comfort me. The honest truth is that your words are so comforting and this note has meant so much to me over the last two years. I want to share what I wrote on the back of this encouraging note last winter...
"Thanks Mom,
I have never been able to show love to you like you have to me. When people talk about their moms [and the arguments and fights they get in with them] I feel like you are perfect. Many times you have taken my harsh comebacks or rude statements and never have you tried to retaliate. I wish I was humble enough [and grounded in the Lord enough] to do that. You and Dad have always been there for me, although I didn't always take advantage of that simply knowing that you were there for me helped support me. Especially when I was too chicken to be vulnerable with you guys. (I start to go on sort of a tangent here, remember it is my immature freshman self) The reason there are so many problems in the world has a lot to do with parents. It is apparent to me that a lot of people who lash out at the world are the ones who have/ had poor adult figures in their lives. You have blessed me in so many ways with how great of parents you and dad are.... I love you!"
There are so many amazing qualities about my mom, that's why before I cared about being cool I was the biggest mommas boy ever! If you are up around 6:30-7:30am (depending on the day) in the Goff household you can be confident that Mary Goff is spending time with God on the leather recliner in the living room, my mom is so faithful. She spends her day teaching children who learn differently than most kids and has such a passion for them. My parents just recently stepped down from Young Life Committee as they no longer have kids in high school. They wanted to let someone who was more involved in the area step up. We used to have campaigners (Young Life Bible study) and other events at my house constantly. My mom has sacrificed so much sleep from letting my friends stay over longer, have bonfires, night adventures and Goff basement deep-talk/ epic story time. Not to mention that she still does as our basement is very poorly sound-proofed and she can hear whenever I have friends back from college to catch-up. My mom being a light sleeper could have easily sent my friends home early but barely ever did she even bring up that I was loud unless I asked the next day. When I think about how Paul tells us to be selfless every time the first person I think about is my mom... "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" (Philippians 2:3-4). She is the best example I have ever seen of someone valuing others above herself and being concerned about the interest and well being of my family over herself.
Mom I want to thank you for encouraging me throughout my baseball career as I always felt like I had you and Dad's 100% support especially when it got difficult. Same with the trips and time you have let me go on at the cost of spending time with you, in order to spend it with buds that I felt called to reach out to or grow deeper with. Your love has been only second to God's in how it has shaped how I know to interact and treat others. Your love has made me want to bless my friends and WyldLife kids anyway I can. I wouldn't ask for you and dad to have been any other way. In fact I like when things are clean and when Steven isn't playing video games. This hasn't even scratched the surface on what you have been to me but thank you.
Here is the last paragraph of your note to me.....
"I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be your mom, Jonathan. My job isn't finished, but my role is changing. I am going to greatly miss all the action you bring to our house, but I'm excited for you, as you look to the future. I am confident that, as you make yourself available, God is going to continue to grow you into a remarkable man.
Mom
SHYG Senior Banquet
6/8/09"
I am incredibly blessed to call you my mom, I promise I will bring some action this summer! Hopefully someday I can be a remarkable man but I will always be a child of God.
Love you,
Jonathan
Shortly after my graduation from high school my youth group held a banquet for all the Seniors. This is the beginning of my mom's encouraging note to me....
" 'Sweet'.... the adjective I frequently used to describe you when you were young. Your demeanor hasn't changed, but I get that 'sweet' isn't exactly the word a soon-to-be-freshman in college wants to have ascribed to him! As I was reflecting upon what I wanted to say to you tonight, Jonathan, I felt an overwhelming thankfulness for the years we have had the privilege of sharing with you so far."
As her note went on she highlighted good qualities she saw in me and things God has blessed me with. I remember reading this note whenever I got discouraged last year as I had a little bit of a rough time my first semester adjusting to freshman year. Mom I know it makes you sad when I say I struggled or had a hard time and didn't talk to you about it when it was happening, because you always want to be there to comfort me. The honest truth is that your words are so comforting and this note has meant so much to me over the last two years. I want to share what I wrote on the back of this encouraging note last winter...
"Thanks Mom,
I have never been able to show love to you like you have to me. When people talk about their moms [and the arguments and fights they get in with them] I feel like you are perfect. Many times you have taken my harsh comebacks or rude statements and never have you tried to retaliate. I wish I was humble enough [and grounded in the Lord enough] to do that. You and Dad have always been there for me, although I didn't always take advantage of that simply knowing that you were there for me helped support me. Especially when I was too chicken to be vulnerable with you guys. (I start to go on sort of a tangent here, remember it is my immature freshman self) The reason there are so many problems in the world has a lot to do with parents. It is apparent to me that a lot of people who lash out at the world are the ones who have/ had poor adult figures in their lives. You have blessed me in so many ways with how great of parents you and dad are.... I love you!"
There are so many amazing qualities about my mom, that's why before I cared about being cool I was the biggest mommas boy ever! If you are up around 6:30-7:30am (depending on the day) in the Goff household you can be confident that Mary Goff is spending time with God on the leather recliner in the living room, my mom is so faithful. She spends her day teaching children who learn differently than most kids and has such a passion for them. My parents just recently stepped down from Young Life Committee as they no longer have kids in high school. They wanted to let someone who was more involved in the area step up. We used to have campaigners (Young Life Bible study) and other events at my house constantly. My mom has sacrificed so much sleep from letting my friends stay over longer, have bonfires, night adventures and Goff basement deep-talk/ epic story time. Not to mention that she still does as our basement is very poorly sound-proofed and she can hear whenever I have friends back from college to catch-up. My mom being a light sleeper could have easily sent my friends home early but barely ever did she even bring up that I was loud unless I asked the next day. When I think about how Paul tells us to be selfless every time the first person I think about is my mom... "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" (Philippians 2:3-4). She is the best example I have ever seen of someone valuing others above herself and being concerned about the interest and well being of my family over herself.
Mom I want to thank you for encouraging me throughout my baseball career as I always felt like I had you and Dad's 100% support especially when it got difficult. Same with the trips and time you have let me go on at the cost of spending time with you, in order to spend it with buds that I felt called to reach out to or grow deeper with. Your love has been only second to God's in how it has shaped how I know to interact and treat others. Your love has made me want to bless my friends and WyldLife kids anyway I can. I wouldn't ask for you and dad to have been any other way. In fact I like when things are clean and when Steven isn't playing video games. This hasn't even scratched the surface on what you have been to me but thank you.
Here is the last paragraph of your note to me.....
"I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be your mom, Jonathan. My job isn't finished, but my role is changing. I am going to greatly miss all the action you bring to our house, but I'm excited for you, as you look to the future. I am confident that, as you make yourself available, God is going to continue to grow you into a remarkable man.
Mom
SHYG Senior Banquet
6/8/09"
I am incredibly blessed to call you my mom, I promise I will bring some action this summer! Hopefully someday I can be a remarkable man but I will always be a child of God.
Love you,
Jonathan
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Thin Places
Lately I have been thinking about "thin places" or times where God has been really real or present in a certain time in my life. When I think of thin places I think mission trips, Young Life camp experiences or even late night conversations with great people. Any kind of place where there was community, encouragement and wisdom being brought out. I think it is important that we don't look to the past as a way to try and shape our future but that we make sure we are looking to God. I try to keep up on this devotional called "My Utmost For His Highest" and this is a quote I pulled from it.
"Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter." -Oswald Chambers
I think way too often we are caught up with what happened in the past. Sure I know I need to hold on to experiences I had in the past for times when I am doubting or unsure of certain things. But I cannot continue to relive these experiences and reminisce in a way that I cannot be present where I currently am. Even worse is when I can't follow God because I was so reliant on that place that was so "thin" to be where I think God actually lives. That place where it was easy to go to you or it was easy to notice you everyday. God is not confined to Detriot Lakes Minnesota or places that look pretty or places with good memories. God lives and thrives throughout places that we think He has no place being and places that we would be ashamed to be if we realized He was there with us. We can't be stuck in one place and wanting to be back at that place so that we can follow Him better.
This is like when Moses lead the Israelites to Mount Sinai. It was a crazy experience where God actually descended to the top of Mount Sinai and talked with Moses. "11Be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people....18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently"(Exodus 19:11,18) It was a crazy awesome time for Moses and all the Israelites where God was very real to everyone and it seemed like a very "thin place." But although it seemed like a sweet place to stay God had a plan for all of them. Mount Sinai was a starting point for all these people, God took them there as almost a discipleship training school not as a final destination
"Every once in a while our Lord gives us a glimpse of what we would be like if it were not for Him. This is a confirmation of what He said— “. . . without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). That is why the underlying foundation of Christianity is personal, passionate devotion to the Lord Jesus. We mistake the joy of our first introduction into God’s kingdom as His purpose for getting us there. Yet God’s purpose in getting us into His kingdom is that we may realize all that identification with Jesus Christ means." -Oswald Chambers
When we get stuck in what God has done through us in the past we sometimes can feel useless or like we are failures if we look at what is going on in our lives now. But we can't be stuck on Mount Sinai, sure that's where we actually saw God or maybe your Mount Sinai is where you felt Him so closely it was like you were having conversations with him constantly. Those are all great memories and wonderful things to hold on to but not to compare with our life now in a way that makes us want to go back to when that was. As Pastor Peter Haas from Substance Church says, "It is time for us to leave Mount Sinai." God's purpose is not for us to have that joy of our first introduction to Him and to thrive on that, his purpose is for us to thrive through Him. To be the person who stays faithful even when life gets depressing or to bounce back to Him when we mess up. God lets us realize how lame we are sometimes when we get prideful or just don't really think we need Him quite as much as we do. It is scary how messed up we can all be when we are without God. I guess this is what I am meaning to say and I personally need to remember this more, we shouldn't get caught up in the dramatic feeling of that one crazy place or time and be stuck there because that feeling isn't God's purpose for bringing us to that mountain. God never intended the Israelites to stay at the mountain just like God doesn't intend us to stay in that one magical place(not yet at least) where everything is amazing and it is surreal because it is such a "thin place." So branch out and accept these new challenges and obstacles even though they are more difficult and have seemingly less magic than that "thin place" you were at. Because ultimately it is not about the magical goosebump raising, warm feelings... it is about God and our devotion to Him.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:1-4
"Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter." -Oswald Chambers
I think way too often we are caught up with what happened in the past. Sure I know I need to hold on to experiences I had in the past for times when I am doubting or unsure of certain things. But I cannot continue to relive these experiences and reminisce in a way that I cannot be present where I currently am. Even worse is when I can't follow God because I was so reliant on that place that was so "thin" to be where I think God actually lives. That place where it was easy to go to you or it was easy to notice you everyday. God is not confined to Detriot Lakes Minnesota or places that look pretty or places with good memories. God lives and thrives throughout places that we think He has no place being and places that we would be ashamed to be if we realized He was there with us. We can't be stuck in one place and wanting to be back at that place so that we can follow Him better.
This is like when Moses lead the Israelites to Mount Sinai. It was a crazy experience where God actually descended to the top of Mount Sinai and talked with Moses. "11Be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people....18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently"(Exodus 19:11,18) It was a crazy awesome time for Moses and all the Israelites where God was very real to everyone and it seemed like a very "thin place." But although it seemed like a sweet place to stay God had a plan for all of them. Mount Sinai was a starting point for all these people, God took them there as almost a discipleship training school not as a final destination
"Every once in a while our Lord gives us a glimpse of what we would be like if it were not for Him. This is a confirmation of what He said— “. . . without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). That is why the underlying foundation of Christianity is personal, passionate devotion to the Lord Jesus. We mistake the joy of our first introduction into God’s kingdom as His purpose for getting us there. Yet God’s purpose in getting us into His kingdom is that we may realize all that identification with Jesus Christ means." -Oswald Chambers
When we get stuck in what God has done through us in the past we sometimes can feel useless or like we are failures if we look at what is going on in our lives now. But we can't be stuck on Mount Sinai, sure that's where we actually saw God or maybe your Mount Sinai is where you felt Him so closely it was like you were having conversations with him constantly. Those are all great memories and wonderful things to hold on to but not to compare with our life now in a way that makes us want to go back to when that was. As Pastor Peter Haas from Substance Church says, "It is time for us to leave Mount Sinai." God's purpose is not for us to have that joy of our first introduction to Him and to thrive on that, his purpose is for us to thrive through Him. To be the person who stays faithful even when life gets depressing or to bounce back to Him when we mess up. God lets us realize how lame we are sometimes when we get prideful or just don't really think we need Him quite as much as we do. It is scary how messed up we can all be when we are without God. I guess this is what I am meaning to say and I personally need to remember this more, we shouldn't get caught up in the dramatic feeling of that one crazy place or time and be stuck there because that feeling isn't God's purpose for bringing us to that mountain. God never intended the Israelites to stay at the mountain just like God doesn't intend us to stay in that one magical place(not yet at least) where everything is amazing and it is surreal because it is such a "thin place." So branch out and accept these new challenges and obstacles even though they are more difficult and have seemingly less magic than that "thin place" you were at. Because ultimately it is not about the magical goosebump raising, warm feelings... it is about God and our devotion to Him.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:1-4
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Knowledge
We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:1
1 Corinthians 8:1
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Bear Crawls
So when I was a freshman in high school I played on the football team. And before the games started instead of two a days like most teams had we had 4 or 5 hour practices. So it wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to stay focused the entire time. One practice our coach was walking us through a drill or a new play—something that involves us quietly paying attention while he explained everything. I turned to my bud Jon who was on my left and said something, probably a dumb joke or comment to which he didn’t respond. Immediately our coach turned to us and yells, “Maurer that’s 150 yards of bear crawls!” (Bear crawls are when you get on your hands and toes and crawl like a bear, which is super tiring to do in full football gear.) Knowing that I was actually to blame for talking I was shocked and almost relieved that it wasn’t me who got in trouble. I quickly passed that and felt really guilty for what I had done. But despite feeling bad and knowing I was sending my best friend to do something he didn’t deserve I didn’t speak up. I talked myself out of it, figuring I can make it up to him sometime cause I mean he is in better shape than me and can handle it better than I could… He did those bear crawls and never once did he bring it up to me. I don’t know if he was mad about it and told other people but that doesn’t matter, what matters is he never said anything about it to me and never asked me to make up for it. For a long time I would think about how I reacted and wished that I had talked to the coach and taken responsibility… and that may still be but I saw my friend Jon make a sacrifice for me, something only a true friend would do and I am forever grateful for that seemingly small sacrifice. This reminded me a lot of what Jesus did for us.
1 Peter 2:20-24
20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
What Jesus did was no doubt a lot more important and had a larger impact on humanity than what Jon did. But what Jon did for me gives a clearer picture of what Jesus did for us. When Jesus was being insulted he didn’t retaliate even though he could have gotten back at those people whenever he wanted. In the same way Jon could have said “I wasn’t talking, it was Goff!” He could have even complained to me or gotten mad at me when I didn’t say anything. And for Jesus He was perfect, “He committed no sin”(1 Peter 2:22). There was absolutely nothing He did to deserve to be crucified on the cross. Jon wasn’t perfect but in that particular event he was innocent because he didn’t say anything, he wasn’t to blame for talking while the coach was. Someone had to do those bear crawls because someone messed up and justice needed to be served. The difference however, between what Jesus accomplished and what Jon did is infinite. For one Jesus had to do much more than annoying bear crawls and with Jon the bear crawls he did didn't bring him any closer to bridging the gap between God and humanity. Jesus was crucified (which was one of the worst ways to die) to take the punishment for all of our sin. Jesus took all the punishment from our sins upon himself even though we are actually to blame for it.
One thing does stay consistent between both stories and that is Jesus and Jon both did what they did out of love, not out of obligation. Jesus didn't save the people who were putting him on the cross and spitting at him out of duty or because He thought it was the right thing to do, He saved them out of love. In the same way Jon wasn't obligated to do the bear crawls, it wasn't his duty to take on my punishment, but he did anyway because he was a great friend. If there is one thing this situation with Jon gave me a clearer picture of it’s this—Jesus suffered and died for us not because He had to, He chose to—because He loves us.
1 Peter 2:20-24
20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
What Jesus did was no doubt a lot more important and had a larger impact on humanity than what Jon did. But what Jon did for me gives a clearer picture of what Jesus did for us. When Jesus was being insulted he didn’t retaliate even though he could have gotten back at those people whenever he wanted. In the same way Jon could have said “I wasn’t talking, it was Goff!” He could have even complained to me or gotten mad at me when I didn’t say anything. And for Jesus He was perfect, “He committed no sin”(1 Peter 2:22). There was absolutely nothing He did to deserve to be crucified on the cross. Jon wasn’t perfect but in that particular event he was innocent because he didn’t say anything, he wasn’t to blame for talking while the coach was. Someone had to do those bear crawls because someone messed up and justice needed to be served. The difference however, between what Jesus accomplished and what Jon did is infinite. For one Jesus had to do much more than annoying bear crawls and with Jon the bear crawls he did didn't bring him any closer to bridging the gap between God and humanity. Jesus was crucified (which was one of the worst ways to die) to take the punishment for all of our sin. Jesus took all the punishment from our sins upon himself even though we are actually to blame for it.
One thing does stay consistent between both stories and that is Jesus and Jon both did what they did out of love, not out of obligation. Jesus didn't save the people who were putting him on the cross and spitting at him out of duty or because He thought it was the right thing to do, He saved them out of love. In the same way Jon wasn't obligated to do the bear crawls, it wasn't his duty to take on my punishment, but he did anyway because he was a great friend. If there is one thing this situation with Jon gave me a clearer picture of it’s this—Jesus suffered and died for us not because He had to, He chose to—because He loves us.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Find Him on the Rock
Renaissance
I love Mat Kearney’s music, his lyrics aren’t abstract but they are full of meaning. His music speaks to me and feels more like a voice of encouragement or a call to action rather than just words in a song. Through his song Renaissance Mat shows how when everything is going wrong and you feel completely alone, someone is in fact still there for you. The word renaissance means a renewal of life, interest; rebirth: revival. Sometimes you have to hit an all-time low or lose something to be able have your life changed. It seems that when you hit that low point you are able to find or even re-find God.
The song starts out in first-person as someone in a bad car accident and then in the second verse moves to someone who gets dumped by his girlfriend. Basically it is showing hardships happening, things that aren’t easy to deal with. Mat’s whole purpose is to show that you don’t have to deal with whatever struggle you are facing on your own. “I can be the wall when you fall down, Find me on the rocks when you break down,” Mat sings, referring to if you could hear God talking at your moment of need. At that breaking point something has to change, whether it is seeking God or something else. At our worst moment we need a renaissance; a rebirth, something needs to change because you don’t want to be at that low point again.
I’ve always been a big fan of Mat Kearney I like his original style. He often uses what is called spoken word, which is kind of like rapping but with more emphasis on the poetic aspect and without the hip-hop influence. Mat has always inspired me through song; he tries to write things people can relate to and really wants his music to be something more than just sounds. I found something online where Mat talked about the meaning of his song renaissance. He says, "The song is about a friend that was in a car wreck and another who got dumped by his girlfriend. The lyrics touch on these moments in people's lives when they hit rock bottom and question what's going on and what they are about. In that place of total uncertainty, they start to look for something real." He writes songs under a secular label, I think because he knows more than just Christians can relate to this and more than just Christians need to hear it.
I can speak from experience that if you put things ahead of God like in my case, a girlfriend and sports, you will at some point get let down. Thinking that a girl or baseball could fill my every need eventually put me in a low place when I found out they could both let me down. The thing about God is that he doesn’t let me down, so I’ve had to have a Renaissance or two in my lifetime. Hard things need to happen in our lives in order for us to realize we need God. If nothing bad or challenging ever happens to us we could easily lose sight of God’s importance. Why would we need him if our world is doing great? Bad things that happen to us aren't usually what God wants for us, they are a product of our fallen world. But God can use any kind of situation for His good, it all depends on how we react to it. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance"(James 1:1-3). This song is trying to get at how important it is to trust God because when it really comes down to it, “[He] can be the wall when you fall down” and he will never leave you no matter how hard or messy things get. "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold"(Psalm 18:2).
At our worst moment, at our lowest point maybe no one is there for you, but no matter what God is still there. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"(Matthew 11:28). I find comfort in that, that God is always there because sometimes it is hard to press on, hard to know why you are on this earth. But God knows why and there is a good reason to why we just don’t know it yet. Through Mat’s deep musical talent and his love and understanding for God he has created more than a song but a note of encouragement. Something that speaks to me that and says, no matter where you are at it is okay, you will be okay because God is right next to you.
"Renaissance"
Mat Kearney
This is my renaissance
This is my one response
This is the way I say I love you
This is my second chance
This is my one romance
This is the cutting line
On which I stand to show you
It happened fast in a flash just this evening
I hit the gas, horn blast, brakes screaming
Car crash, broken glass, broke my dreaming
I hit the dash so fast my ears are ringing
My sister's on the right side just slightly leaning
I grabbed her hand hard until she started breathing
My brothers in the back jaw cracked from the beating
The breath in my chest has slipped and I'm sinking
Blinking through diamond spider webs of cracked glass
I'm trying to remember all the words you said in the past
Through the ash, siren screams and red beams
I hear you sing softly to me
[chorus]
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
This is my bleeding start
This is my broken heart
This is the way I've come to know you
This is my winding road
This is my way back home
This is the narrow door you know that I will walk through
I got a letter today of why she went away
She said 'it's better this way, you knew I never could stay'
Half empty closets and frames, all that's left to my name
As she left in the rain and left my heart on a chain
Three years I've built this two face tower for hours on a lease
You gave me one yellow flower that said rest in peace
IN pieces I've broken open to think too much or just enough
Alone to trust midst the rubble and the dust
Humbled, it took this much to break down and understand
Spent half my life on castles made of sand
Tossed in the breakers in the palm of your hand
Now I can finally stand
[chorus]
This is my renaissance
This is my one response
This is the way I say I love you
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Affirmative Action
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Identifies affirmative action as “an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups.” Some people say that the United States is the “land of opportunity,” which in many ways is true, depending on your race. The U.S. needs to embrace affirmative action as a means of establishing equality and equal opportunity, not as a way to make up for past wrongs committed. Former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson said this regarding affirmative action, "This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek… not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result (Johnson as cited in Katel, 2008).” Affirmative action is essential in the pursuit of equality and opportunity, because of the past injustices that have determined the current economic status of minorities in our country.
Before anything else it is important that the reason behind affirmative action be addressed. Most people don’t realize that the short history of 375 years in which black people have been on this continent, 245 years have been of slavery, 100 have been legal discrimination, and only the last 40 or so have been of anything else (Wilkins 1995). The simple fact is many minorities are still seeing the after-effects of legal discrimination and for some even slavery. In the words of Lyndon B. Johnson, referring to the next step after the civil rights movement, "You don’t take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him… To a race and then say, 'You are free to compete with the others,' and still… [Think you’ve been] fair (Johnson as cited in Katel, 2008)." It isn’t that the United States needs to “make-up” for what they did in the past, (in a way they do) what they need to do is first recognize why certain minorities are struggling more than others. On top of that discrimination is still very present, (Rohrbach-Perry, 2005) explains that even today, “many African Americans are still being denied jobs and economic opportunity because of their race.”
The next step is to see how this past and current discrimination has contributed to the current economic status of certain racial groups. In the United States race and class are closely intertwined. In fact “African-Americans and Hispanics are likely to be poor: 25 percent of African-Americans and 20 percent of Hispanics live below the poverty line, but only 10 percent of whites are poor” (Katel, 2008). The United States shouldn't be interested in affirmative action because they feel bad when certain people aren’t performing. They should be interested in affirmative action because the people they treated poorly in the past and that are still discriminated today are ones living in poverty. Some suggest that perhaps it has something to do with the intelligence or drive of those people but the issue is about situation not capability. As Millery Polyne explains, “Black intelligence should not be the issue…. However, poor schools, unequal distribution of wealth, increasing numbers of black and brown men and women filling up [prisons] serve as a stronger argument for lagging test scores (Polyne, 2006).” Affirmative action is in place because minorities have for a long time lacked the opportunities that whites have—opportunities to succeed.
Poverty in the United States can be an almost impossible cycle to climb out of. This has a lot to do with the fact that if a person is poor; they probably live in a poor area. Since they live in a poor area taxes are lower and the public schools which kids who live in that area go to will have less funding and often lower quality teachers. Since the schools are bad it is hard to get a good education and even if they do well in school, College is usually out of the question. Because going to college means a lot of money that a person living in poverty certainly doesn’t have. On top of all that poorer areas usually have more crime so the neighborhood they live in is probably dangerous. So without a college degree this person can’t get a well paying job, they don’t move up in society and they grow up have kids and that person’s kids go through the same thing that person did. “Only those persons with a solid financial and educational foundation (also a strong personal network) will be able to make significant strides in this society. Subsequently, upward mobility and opportunity are restricted to those with wealth and influence (Polyne, 2006).” There are a lot of people stuck in poverty who aren’t lazy and even for the people who are lazy and do give up, it is hard to blame them because what good is trying if someone is a mediocre student why try if everyone tells them it won’t matter. If an upper or middle class (usually meaning white) person is a mediocre student they usually have to opportunity to go to college because they have money. Since they went to college and have a degree they can probably get a job that pays at least decent money. Gary Orfield said,
The educational achievement gap between racial groups began growing again in the 1990s, our public schools are becoming increasingly segregated by race and income, and the segregated schools are, on average, strikingly inferior in many important ways, including the quality and experience of teachers and the level of competition from other students . . . It is clear that students of different races do not receive an equal chance for college (Orfield as cited in Katel, 2008).
Is it hopeless for a person to come out of poverty and be successful? No, but it isn’t easy in any way shape or form.
Affirmative action isn’t about giving someone a free ticket because the U.S. treated their grandfather poorly; it is about making sure they have the same opportunity that everyone has, the same one that wasn’t given to minorities in the past. There is no easy or perfect way to do this however but Millery Polyne does a good job of explaining what it should look like. “Affirmative action ... is really about access to resources and institutions of higher learning in the face of ... persistent discrimination and economic inequality (Polyne, 2006).” The U.S. government isn’t going out of its way to give certain people chances they don’t deserve, the government is going out of its way so that no one will be rejected a position based on ethnicity or race. Richard D. Kahlenberg explains that a person’s grades or testing score can reflect how good of a student they are, but it is also closely linked to what kind of opportunities they have had. Affirmative action is a way of giving opportunity to those who originally never had it. “Affirmative action [simply includes] a larger number of qualified applicants to compete…. Affirmative action allows... people of color and other minorities access to higher education, jobs, and business opportunities which have been historically out of their reach (Flores, 2006).”
The main goal of affirmative action is that it would make equality much more of a reality. Everyone is different and that is a good thing, diversity is a wonderful thing. “What we want is really quite simple: the right to compete and participate on a level playing field, equal access and equal opportunity (Flores, 2006).” People tend to think well does affirmative action mean that minorities will get into certain schools that they don’t deserve to go to?
Yet the affirmative action conflict focuses on black students, who are assumed to be academically under-qualified, while white students' place at the best schools isn't questioned. The classroom reality differs, we have a whole range of students with different abilities. All of the weak students are not minority students; all of the strong students are not white students (Coleman as cited in Katel, 2008).
If the U.S. wishes to seek equality for everyone affirmative action is a step in the right direction.
“The underlying philosophy behind affirmative action is the notion that blacks and Hispanics aren't that smart and aren't prepared. We must help these little brown people, and the blacks. That's where affirmative action programs come from." (Murdock as cited in Billingsley, 1998). Critics of affirmative action say that discrimination means treating people differently regardless if it is positive or negative so affirmative action is still discrimination. Some claim that they are sick of affirmative action because it is debasing and that many co-workers will assume that they only got that job or position because of their skin color (Connerly as cited by Billingsley, 1998). Many point out that other countries that have tried programs like affirmative action and have intended for it to be a temporary program end up with a permanent policy on their hands (Sowell as cited in Billingsley, 1998).
Many countries have tried affirmative action but affirmative action isn’t something that only takes a few years. So maybe it takes a while but that doesn’t mean that it is permanent. In a study between 1990 and 1994 out of 3,000 [workplace or hiring] discrimination cases documented, less than 100 were discrimination towards a person of the majority race and of those only 12 were found to have any legitimacy (Flores, 2006). Referring to the data collected Professor Alfred Blumrosen said, "many of the Cases were the result of a disappointed applicant failing to examine his or her own qualifications (Blumrosen as cited in Flores, 2006)." Many people think that minorities are taking all our jobs and in no case are they qualified but both of those statements are misinformed and very false. In fact, In the U.S., Blacks represent 12.4% of the population, and Latinos represent 9.5%. Yet for example in the in the United States 91% of doctors are white (Flores, 2006). In fact if you compare Californian’s in their late 20’s, the difference in a salary of Black, Latino, or Female ranges from $3,500 to $8,700 less per year than compared to a white males salary of the same age group. The problem is clear; it is not true that whites superior to other races. The problem lies with our countries traditions and with the opportunities white people were given and receive today compared to the opportunities of someone of a different race.
If the United States wants to someday be a truly equal country it needs to first provide the minorities of the country better opportunity to do well than they have had in the past. A lot of minorities in the U.S. are in tough situations and have been in the sick cycle of poverty for too long. It is up to the United States to help in way that provides certain opportunities and a true chance for equality, where maybe someday people will be able to appreciate one another's differences but at the same time be on a level playing field with access to good employment and higher education.
At this point there is no good solution to easily fix this problem. A good start is to at least be aware of the fact that there is a problem and that many minorities who are living in rough situations aren't too lazy or too dumb to be going to college or getting a normal job. They just never had the opportunity to begin with.
References
Affirmative Action. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affirmative action
Billingsley, K.L. (1998). Affirmative Action Is Racist. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
Flores, H. (2006). Affirmative Action Allows Minorities to Compete Fairly. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
Katel, P. (2008, October 17). Affirmative Action. CQ Researcher, 18, 841-864. Retrieved from CQ Researcher Online.
Leporini, C. (2004). Affirmative Action Helps Make American Business More Competitive. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
Pachon, H. (2004). Affirmative Action Should Not Be Eliminated. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
Polyne, M. (2006). Affirmative Action Promotes Equal Access to Education. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
Rohrbach Perry, E.A. (2005). Affirmative Action Programs Promote Justice for African Americans. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
We are called to be childlike
We are called to be willing to listen to God and how he is speaking into our lives. The second we think we fully understand the Bible or Christianity is a good clue that we are far from understanding it. We can’t realistically expect to know everything about the God who has created everything from molecular biology to discrete mathematics to giraffes; we simply won’t be able to understand everything about God. In Mark 10:15 “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." It is important that we approach God from the view of a child who isn’t independent and self-righteous like many adults. It is important for growth to be humble and willing to listen to advice no matter whom from. We need to realize how much we need God’s grace and that there is no way we can do it on our own. It seems like the more immersed someone is in church or religion the less they understand it. Take the disciples for example; the random sheepish fishermen who didn’t have bible degrees (or Torah degrees for that matter) are the ones Jesus had be his closest friends and disciples. While the Pharisees had the entire first 5 books of the Old Testament (once again the Torah) memorized and had spent all of their life surrounded by religion. The Pharisees were very knowledgeable but also self-righteous and arrogant which is why they weren’t open to listening to anything Jesus had to share with them. The disciples may have lacked a ton of religious knowledge and traditions but they had something the Pharisees wouldn’t allow themselves to have—a willingness to listen and learn.
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