THE SHACK:Criticism or Critical Thinking Needed

Sanctify them in the Truth. Your Word
is Truth (John 17:17)

An outing with a few of my church sisters led us to a movie that created somewhat of a buzz in Christian circles years ago.  We caught it at a theater just before its ultimate descent to DVD.  You've probably heard of it.  It's called The Shack!

Based on a controversial book by William Paul Young  in 2007, I read the book years ago and was curious as to how faithful the movie would be to the original work.  I also wondered with the declining passion for Biblical discernment among Christians; if it would stir up the same kind of excitement as it did ten years ago.  I can't say that it has!

If you do an internet search you'll find a few movie reviews by noted Christian outlets, but in essence it's just about par with what was written when the book first came out.  Hard to believe that by the release of the movie this year, 20 million books had been sold! This being so even with its ban by some Christian book selling outlets.

I would need to write another post if I was to recount the plot of the book in detail but let me just say that it involves a typical Christian man with unresolved wounds in his past having a crisis of faith as he endures the violent and tragic loss of his youngest daughter.  Mack, as the character is known,  has to make some critical choices along the way to his healing and among them is the Choice to Forgive!  Forgive first himself and then the murderer of his baby girl!  He is invited to go back to the scene of the crime, an abandoned shack in the woods, where he has an intimate encounter with God!

After the show, the ladies and I grabbed lunch and discussed the movie, our thoughts, criticism, and revelations after viewing it! We had plenty to talk about as you can imagine.  From the depiction of God, by a black woman (Papa) who in one scene bopped to contemporary music, to the vague allusions and endorsements of other religions that conflicted with our Christian faith!  We sort of came to the conclusion that you could be a Buddhist, Mystic, New Age practitioner, or Atheist and find something you could relate to in the movie!  Was this good or bad?  The verdict is still out!

If you have not seen the movie, I'm not quick to recommend it! Why you might ask since I purchased the original book,  and a follow-up companion to it entitled, Finding God in the Shack: Seeking truth in a story of evil and redemption, by Roger Olson, and consider them both good reads!  I don't recommend it for Everyone! Only those  with a strong Biblical foundation! 
If you're still willy-nilly in your faith or as Paul says in 2 Tmothy 3:7, easily swayed and always learning but never able to acknowledge truth, I suggest you stick with the Bible!!

The major themes of the movie however,  I found compelling and common to all humans: the undeniable presence of evil in the world; the pain and suffering of loss; the need for forgiveness to attain peace, and finding the will to go on.   As a Christian, I found each answer in Jesus Christ!  If you're of another faith, this movie might give you another view, but my hope is that it will lead you to Christ as well!

As for criticism of the book and the movie (and there are many) I think that we need to be less of a Critic and more of a Truth Discerner! We need to practice and teach biblical truth everywhere we go, especially to the younger generation.  It begins with Critical Thinking! The ability to skillfully analyze, assess, and reconstruct our thoughts (Rom. 12:2) based on what the bible says.  We need not fear what movies like this may do to the untrained mind, we should be about training those minds in the ways and thoughts of God... in the absolute truth of God's Word. 

As I perused my old copy of the book, I found a note I wrote at the end. I think it summarizes this post well: 

 People who would have problems with this book (and now the the movie) are (1) Those with an extremely high view of scripture and fear these views will be challenged.  (2) Those who are virtually ignorant of scripture truth and are easily influenced by "anything" they deem spiritual. 

We don't have to be fearful or ignorant...All we need to be is prayerful, obedient and discerning!

Read God's Word with a Heart for Truth and You will always find Truth!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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STORM PROOFING YOUR HOUSE!

The wise woman builds her
house...the foolish one tears 
hers down. (Prov. 14:1)

It's been too many mornings recently that I've had to wake up to a rain storm pounding against my windows!  My basement has a tendency to leak so I generally hop out of bed to see if there's been any damage!  I've been blessed over the years. Even without a sump pump, we've escaped flooding!

Sadly, I can't say that about other kinds of storms I've had to encounter in my life!  But here's where age and experience really comes into play....After surviving a few of them, God gives you wisdom and you learn that things turn out better if you do some preventative work ahead of time. You learn how to storm proof your house!

In the gospels (Matthew 7:24-28 and Luke 6:46-49), Jesus related a parable that you probably remember from your children's Sunday school class about the wise and foolish builders.  Take some time this week to read it again from an adult perspective and relate it to the trials that I know each of you have had to face.  I did so recently and found some maintenance work I needed to do on my Spiritual house to keep it in good shape when the storms of life come raging!  Here's what I came up with:

• Both the wise and foolish builders had a lot in common:  Both wanted a house. Both had a vision.  Both worked hard and finished the job and both experienced the same storm.  This taught  me that God understands humans desires (Ps.37:4).  That even good plans don't always bring success (Prov. 16:3, 9).  That our motives determine the character of a thing (Ps. 127:1) and bad things can happen to good and evil people (John 16:33)

• Building my Life House is all about the choices I make! (Luke 14:28-30): I asked myself: Is what I desire a true need or a want?  How far will I go to get it? What am I willing to sacrifice? Who will suffer from my decision? and Is the risk I take worth it?

The answers will determine whether your choices are built on Rock Solid Truth or Shaky Sand!

1. To Storm proof your Life House consider the Location:  Build in the right spot.  A safe and secure place (John 10:29).  Build with the future in mind.  Will it hold up in a storm? (Mark 4:39)  Build with the right materials.  Will it do the job when needed? (I Cor. 3:10)

2. To Storm proof your Life House consider the Foundation:  The foundation of a house is invisible but is the most important part of any house (I Cor. 3:11-14).  The foundation holds the house in place.  It anchors it.  The foundation supports the structure that its built on and keeps it from sinking.  The foundation helps carry and distribute the load.  It provides balance. 

3.  To Storm proof your Life House consider the Ramifications (consequences): Am I properly prepared to wait out the storm?  What's my back up plan? (Ps. 91:1; Ps. 27:14).  Do I have the right insurance coverage (Is. 43:2; Matt. 16:33).  When is it time to evacuate? (Phil. 3:13-14; Gal. 6:7-8)

My Sisters, what kind of Builder are YOU?  Wise or Foolish? (Prov. 14:1)

• Build on the Sold Rock of Jesus Christ

• Put your faith in Christ today if you're not saved! (Rom 10:9-10)
• Read God's word (the Bible) daily and obey it to make good choices!
• Get used to talking to God about everything. He's the Storm Master!
• Live a life that reflect the Spiritual House He's built (I Peter 2:4-5)

IT'S YOUR CHOICE!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...


If you would like to leave a comment please send an email to: sisters4sisters@att.net OR 

 scroll to the bottom of my blog page at  http://alittlewiser63.blogspot.com  click on the

  no comments by the pencil and it will change to a writing space. 

A MOTHER'S HEART!

Wow! Can you believe it's May already?  I can't.  Although April showers still linger. all you have to do is look around and you know warmer weather is on the way and Mother's Day is right around the corner!

Merchants really capitalize on this time of year: graduations, Memorial Day, but especially the sentiments of Mother's day! It's big business!  After all, even the most thoughtless child will often spend a few bucks on a card or a small trinket to give to their Mom.

But those of us who have taken that nine-month journey,  spent time and sacrificed as a maternal surrogate of sorts, know that there's more to it than that!  Something unexplainable happens as you raise your children and watch them try to maneuver the pitfalls of life.  You develop a Mother's heart! There's nothing quite like it!

I've heard it said, that when your children are young they're on your lap, but when they grow up they are on your heart!  Boy ain't that the truth!  On more than a few occasions, I along with other mothers have commiserated over the trials of our children.  When they hurt WE hurt!  When they fail, WE feel responsible!  You see, that's a Mother's heart for you.  Even when children become adults and make their own decisions and face horrible consequences in the aftermath, somehow we find a way to feel bad, even devastated by it all. 

Jesus must have felt the same way when He grieved over the sins over the Jewish nation. All of His preaching, teaching, healing, and illustrations of love and grace weren't enough to counteract the desires of His strong-willed children. All of it was rejected! Hear His heart:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it." (Luke 13:34)

How many times did His Mother's heart yearn to protect His children. Protect them from foolish living, from dangerous situations, reckless or careless choices. We mothers, like Jesus would love to gather them beneath our wings, to continue to nurture, to advise, keep them from all kinds of harm, safe and secure, ever present before the Lord.  But that is not the way of life!  It is not even the way of wisdom! For each person must come into God's presence willingly!  And the hard lessons of life may be the only way that will happen!  It's small comfort to an aching Mother's heart... but it is true!

What we do know is this.  A Mother's heart never gives up hope! It sits by hospital bedsides; in court rooms, and across tables in prisons.  It holds the head of the addict going through withdrawals, and prays for the prodigal sons and daughters living in the far country of disobedience! 

Jesus lamented but never forgot the Jewish nation even though they rejected His love (Read Romans 11:25-29) and such is the Mother's Heart!  Here are a few reasons:

1.  It is God's will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of truth! (I Tim. 2:4)

2.  God is faithful even when His children are not. He will not disown Himself! (II Tim. 2:13)

3. He continues to show grace (unmerited kindness) that leads to repentance! (Rom. 2:4) *There is a reality that some of our children may choose to reject even this grace, but only the Lord knows when they've reached that point, so keep praying)

4. Jesus is moved with compassion for grieving mothers' hearts! He understands. He cares. He will always make provisions! (Matt:15:21-28; Luke 7:11; John 19 25-27)

I may be a couple weeks early Mothers, sending this encouragement to you but I dare not wait for a day on the calendar.  You may not hear from your child;  may not get a card, gift or a call. Might not get to spend precious moments alone with them on that special day, but know THIS: God loves you and is covering you and your children under His feathers, He has a Mother's heart, just like yours! (Psalms 91:4)  So,  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...


If you would like to leave a comment please send an email to: sisters4sisters@att.net OR  scroll to the bottom of my blog page at  http://alittlewiser63.blogspot.com  click on the  no comments by the pencil and it will change to a writing space.