Friday, January 25, 2008

Ledger and Owens

As I reflect on my post about Shawn Taylor and how I asked the question "here is a black athlete in America whose criminal record was spoken about in ALL the articles reporting his death. Will the same happen when a white athlete dies who has a record?" I have not found an answer to that specific question yet, but one thing I realized when talking to a friend was, Heath Ledger was found dead with pills spilt around his body and every article I read the day after his death said "accidental death". However when Terrel Owens confused his medication and was hospitalized every article I read said "suicide attempt". The media bias is staggering!
I am still waiting for a white athlete's death to hear if his record is mentioned but hearing about the difference with Ledger and Owens is confirming what I believed to be true.
Will the Church lead the world in racial reconciliation? If not us than who?

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Boo Cheetos

How many of you have seen the new Cheetos commercial? A women is at the laundry mat and another women says something rude to her. The women who has been spoken to rudely looks and sees the mascot "Chester" sitting at a table. Chester says to her "go ahead those are her whites in the dryer." The women then opens the dryer and places some Cheetos in the dryer to ruin the rude women's cloths.
What in the world is Cheetos teaching us by this? I remember years ago they were playing off the idea that Cheetos are "dangerously cheesy" or something like that. That was Cheetos right? But what are they trying to say now? Eat Cheetos and give into your evil desires?
It is no wonder the high school students I teach act like is such cruel ways. I have been aware for the longest time the negative vibes sent out by some Movies, Music and Video Games, but this was the first time I had seen a TV ad encouraging you to act out in anger against someone.
Praise God that He has a different view of Grace and Mercy than Cheetos does!
The deeper issue is that we all have the same urges that woman in the laundry mat had. We want to slash another rude drivers tires or something wrong. I encourage you to take that sin to the cross. Sins you only think and don't act out are sins too. Repent. Set your hearts and minds on things above! Colossians 3:1-2

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

What's Your Price?

What's your price? Hopefully you don't have one, but most of us do. Some of our prices are lower than others. I am talking about sin of course. What is your price when it comes to sinning? Does it take a lot for the devil to buy you or do you sell for low? I usually feel like I am on the bargain rack.
I recently was listening to a Ravi Zacharias sermon and he told a very interesting story on the subject of how easily we buy into sin. The story goes like this; there was a women on an airplane and the man next to her told her she was very beautiful and he would pay her 1 million dollars to spend the night with him. She was taking back at first but later agreed. They set the time and location, but as they were exiting the plane the man said to her, "I would like to only pay 10 dollars for you to spend the night with me." She was shocked and responded, "what do you think I am some kind of prostitute?" In which the man responded, "we have already established you are, we are now just negotiating the price."
So what is your price? Judas' price was 30 pieces of silver? I usually find my price is no amount of money but a feeling of pride or power that I get when I indulge in the things that draw me away from my Father. Is there truly any price we want to pay to be drawn away from our Father? So why do we act like there is?