Character and all that

Young people today are all for honesty and good character as long as it doesn’t require honesty and character to get there.

I heard a radio report yesterday, breathlessly describing survey results that show young people are lying, cheating, plagiarizing, and stealing on a regular basis. This was no Christian radio station but a secular news program, agonizing over the future if these teens move into the business world.

How, the hosts wondered, could business survive if populated by workers who lacked good character?

Maybe the teens are the honest ones. They have been immersed in the tolerance culture, where every choice is legitimate and to be honored. Haven’t we said there are no absolutes? Haven’t we been offended by the idea of absolute right or wrong?

They’re getting it.

Here are some results, based on a 2006 survey:

• 82% admit they lied to parent within the past 12 months about something significant
• 57% said they lied two or more times.
• 62% admit they lied to teacher within the past 12 months about something significant
• 35% said they lied two or more times.
• 33% copied an internet document within the past 12 months – 18% did so two or more times.
• 60% cheated during a test at school within the past 12 months – 35% did so two or
• more times.
• 23% stole something from a parent or other relative within the past 12 months – 11%
• did so two or more times In 2002, 28% admitted stealing from a parent or other relative.
• 19% stole something from a friend within the past 12 months – 7% did so two or more times.
• 28% stole something from a store within the past 12 months – 14% did so two or more times

You can read the entire survey at the Josephson Institute site.

I want to comment more on this tomorrow. Stay tuned.

After Christmas

Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to evaluate your gift-giving. (Don’t tell me you don’t want to. Just do it.)

Do you feel stress over the perfect gift? Are you a “grab-whatever’s-left-on-Christmas-Eve” sort of buyer? Maybe you’re ready to give it all up for a day helping at the Rescue Mission or a week on the ski slopes.

Here’s a quiz for you:

Before Christmas, I

• -ordered frankincense and myrrh from the Holy Land to give to all my special people, including the pizza delivery guy.
• -took a bow-making seminar at the Hallmark store downtown to complete my gift-wrapping certificate.
• -pulled the gifts I purchased last December 26, wrapped them in paper purchased last December 26, and found them all perfect for my recipients.
• -couldn’t find the one gift I bought last year and decided to give out a book to everybody. They all looked alike because I didn’t know how to wrap a book in 14 different ways for 14 different recipients.
• 
  

On Christmas Eve, I

• -brought out the boxes of decorated cookies that I had been crafting since early December.
• -made my special punch to accompany the tradition-laden evening of candlelight service, artichoke appetizers and slender candles fitted into Grandma’s silver candelabra.
• -organized a caroling team to visit the neighborhood, nursing home, and shut-ins.
• -pulled the foil off the plate of cookies Grandma sent over, heated some water on the stove, and grabbed my camera.

After Christmas, I

• -alphabetized my gift-giving list and filed all the Christmas card addresses.
• -purchased a new tote for the balls on the Christmas tree, reminiscing about the memories of each as I tenderly put each ball away.
• -put a counter on my blog so I’d know how many days I had left to prepare for next Christmas.
• -went to Walmart to buy some cheap wrapping paper, loading it into the one plastic tote that I can find in the attic.

OK, here are the results. If you selected the first, second or third responses above, you are the Christmas version of Martha Stewart. If you selected number 4, you are me.

This was the year I decided not to abandon Christmas but to marinate it with people and relationships. I didn’t buy a Jesus action figure riding a motorcycle and I didn’t buy any crystal angels either.

I didn’t even put on a “Jesus is the Reason” pin. But I spent time talking with my daughters and helping my husband. I didn’t even bake Christmas cookies this year although I helped my son decorate a gingerbread house.

Jesus came to us in the flesh and I want to be the skin of Jesus to others. Even at the Christmas season!

The world of Malacandra

Imagine that, in a world of purple forests, deep blue water and eldila, a reader could get a perceptive glimpse into the heart and motivation of people and their choices. C.S. Lewis’ classic Out of the Silent Planet does that in taking us on an imaginative voyage with Professor Ransom to Malacandra, the red planet.

Ransom, while on a backpacking trip, is kidnapped and stuffed into a spaceship, whisked away to Malacandra (our word: Mars) by two men intent on handing him over as a sacrifice to the gods of that planet. The two men then plan to ravage Malacandra. Ransom escapes once they land and is befriended by the creatures there who are surprisingly unspoiled and wise. While he first assumes that they mean him harm, they are mystified by the “bent” humans who will hurt each other and others for no apparent reason.

Eventually, Ransom learns the history of Earth, called Thulcandra (“the silent planet”) by the inhabitants of Malacandra, seeing from a different point of view the battle that raged on the spiritual level on Earth. What Ransom had accepted as normal on Earth was not understood by the creatures of Malacandra and soon he begins to question human greed, power struggles, and the like.

Lewis’ descriptions of a strange world are creative and imaginative. He even teaches us some of the language of Malacandra so that when he refers to hnau and sorns, we don’t blink an eye. We suffer with Ransom, feel his fears and exalt in his victories.

I just read Out of the Silent Planet to my children. Even at 16 and 12, they were begging for an extra chapter each day because the story captured their imaginations and their hearts. They mourned the loss of a hross and cheered when Weston, one of the “bent” men, evoked laughter when he meant to intimidate.

The reading level was not above even my 12-year-old but we enjoy a good read together on the couch and this one provided excellent opportunities not only to snuggle under the blanket but to discuss some of the ideas presented by Lewis.

I found Out of the Silent Planet an page-turning read that offered me some meaty ideas to think on. Check it out!

Winter fire

"Any one thinking of the Holy Child as born in December would mean by it exactly what we mean by it; that Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate."
- G.K. Chesteron, The New Jerusalem

Being like

Can you imagine it? Unburdened by time or tired feet, Jesus reigned in righteousness and glory as a plan ripened into perfection. Meanwhile, those who breathed the breath of God, formed with gentle hands and declared to be “very good,”[1] were in a cold and silent place. Desiring to be like God, they had torn the fabric of love and exposed themselves to the thorns and darkness.

Unlike those first beings, who lived in the middle of God’s abundance and fruitfulness, Jesus did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.[2] He left paradise to close the fabric that was really a gaping ugly wound, exposing all to the ravages of rebellion.

God, the Creator King, the Conquering Lord, the Righteous Judge, shed divinity to become one with the stricken, paying our debt and opening the path to his side. He looked down on the lowly and the poor and the captive – and became that in our place.

This day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, who chose a humble beginning to reveal a humble life. He came not to rule with glory and power. That was for later. This time, he came to be emptied, to be burdened, to act in righteousness.

We consider equality with God a goal to hunt but Jesus regarded equality with us a door to renewal. We try to heal the wound by elevating ourselves. Jesus healed the wound by humbling himself.

Today, every day, rejoice in his obedience and in his life. We are set free by his humility and grace.

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Luke 1:78-79

Painting used by permission from the Genesis Project. Thanks again, Ann!

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[1] Gen 1:31

[2] Phil 2:6

Voicing the celebration

Silence. Some 400 years had crept by without a prophetic peep. God’s people had suffered through the reign of the Greeks, raised a Jewish revolt (led by the Maccabee family) and enjoyed some self-rule before the Romans blanketed Palestine.

All without a new word from God.

But the time of silence was ending. An angel appeared to a priest with a message from God. New words from the Creator King were spoken in the temple to Zechariah, who doubted and was stricken with more silence while others were given new words.

New words came from a pregnant Elizabeth, who rejoiced in God’s blessing.

"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

Luke 1:25

Mary celebrated after Gabriel revealed the miracle on incarnation. Words could barely capture her joy.

My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me--
holy is his name.

Luke 1:46-49

Even Zechariah, relieved of his temporary muteness, burst into exultant song:

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.

Luke 1:68

But that was nothing compared to the angels, who tumbled out of heaven in a magnificent ecstasy, proclaiming the most-amazing birth announcement ever made:

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

God brought out the full choir and orchestra for this delivery.

But the words hadn’t stopped. Simeon, that faithful and devout Jerusalem Jew, was alerted by God to meet Mary and Joseph at the temple. On seeing the baby, he celebrated:

For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."

Luke 2:30-32

Words seemed the most appropriate way to celebrate this new birth, this revelation and glory that had come to earth. The plan was unfolding in the midst of song and prophecy.

We are on the cusp of Christmas, abuzz with gift-wrapping and fudge-making. We, as followers of Jesus, have chosen this season to celebrate the birth of our Savior, although there’s no indication that he was actually born on December 25. It’s a day we chose to celebrate.

So let’s celebrate! Do your words – and do mine – dance as Mary’s did? Do we throw our arms to heaven as Elizabeth sang? Do we tumble forward to praise God for his grace?

Can we be, like Anna, give thanks to God and speak about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38

May these be days of song, of words of delight and joy. Glory to God in the highest!

A break

My family is going skiing for a few days, something we haven't done in years. We'll be bonding with the snow and mountainside but mostly with some of our children. I won't be posting again until Christmas Eve. Until then, rejoice in the mystery of Immanuel: God with us!