Choices

I hear some people say that there are too many choices today. Too many choices? Isn't that part of the appeal of living in a free, economically advanced country? How can there be too many choices? I understand the difficulties of people who have trouble getting through the mega-supermarkets, who may have difficulty reading and comprehending all the product labels, trying to decide among product descriptions and ingredients they may not understand. I also realize that some people who may be unfamiliar with grocery shopping, and who are now faced with the necessity of going to the grocery store, for example, find all the choices and product information bewildering. And of course, great choice is not just the order of the day in the grocery store. We have huge varieties of product types in hardware stores, department stores, building supply stores, every kind of store. And what about car dealerships? I've even heard people try to make the case that having so much choice is immoral. After all, the people in the poor countries of the world are grateful just for the simple things of life! That may be true; but I am not guilt-ridden because I have more choices than the people of, say, Bangladesh! Further, I do not think that restricting choices in the grocery store or the department store is the way to take care of the problems of those who have difficulty shopping. If they so desire, they can go to stores where there are fewer choices. Personally, I like being able to choose my products just the way I want them. I think that is a very practical illustration of the fruits of freedom and economic competition and innovation. I know that some of the choices are simply made available because they're judged "politically correct" from a health perspective. That's ok. I can pass those choices by if I want to, and still enjoy my unhealthy junk food as long as there are enough folks like me so that the manufacturers can make a profit on junk food. (Somehow, I don't think I have much to worry about.) Choice is a function of service, of giving the customer what the customer wants, of creating a market for a new product. The last time I checked, those are sort of the heart and soul of free enterprise--and I'm all for it!

Sixth and Seventh Sundays of Easter, Year C; Revelation 21:10-22:21.

For the sixth Sunday of Easter, we deal primarily with three verses--Revelation 21:10, 21:22, and 22:5. These verses, and the passage containing them, deal with the magnificent realities of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. The most striking aspects of the city that are elaborated here involve the absence of any temple, the total lack of darkness, and the absence of the sun. There is no need for the sun. The light of Christ and the glory of God are perfectly radiating all the time. The saints need no temple; for they are constantly in the presence of God and the Christ, and engaged in the act of worship. The Jewish worship had become so corrupt by this time and so hostile to Christ that it was important to point out to the readers of this epistle that worship could not be contained in a building or by a temple or a religious system. For the seventh Sunday of Easter, we deal with Revelation 22:12-21, emphasizing the Second Coming of Christ. This certain reality and important doctrine of the Christian church may have been over-emphasized almost to the point of trivialization in past decades; but today, it is all but forgotten--much to our peril. This is a passage of comfort and also of warning. Jesus Christ will come quickly, as God counts quickness. We must remember that God views these things from an eternal perspective. To Him, time is "like an ever-rolling stream." But that Great Day will dawn. For those of us who believe, it will be a great day. But the text is also clear that outside the Holy Gate are the idolaters, the whoremongers, and all others who willfully refuse the gift of life. The promise is real; but it is not universalism that is taught here. God's election is unconditional; but the atonement of Christ is definite and particular. It does not extend to all humanity. It is extremely important that we reclaim, in our churches, the message of hope that is brought to us in Revelation. Revelation should not be considered a scary or esoteric letter whose meaning can never be distilled. It is a message of hope for us today just as it was for those in the church 2000 years ago. We dare not make it so spiritual that we rob it of its practical value and real hope.

Masks

One church advertises itself as the church "where no one wears masks." Apparently, we are increasingly assuming today that everybody is "wearing a mask." That used to be called "hypocrisy," and people would have avoided it like the plague! Now, we seem to be proud of it, or at least, resigned to it. Why do we assume that everybody is wearing a mask, implying that everybody is phony at least part of the time. I don't consider myself being phony when I try to make a good impression on somebody so long as I don't do or say something that is dishonest. I don't consider that I'm wearing a mask when I restrain myself from showing certain very personal emotions to people with whom I want to do business. Now, of course, if I say things I don't really mean, or try to show myself to be somebody I'm not, that could be interpreted, I suppose, as wearing a mask; but that's hardly a requirement of inter-personal relationships in the 21st century! Society does not force you to wear a mask, or to be someone different from who you really are. If you feel that you have to wear a mask, that's nobody's fault but yours.

The New Blogger

We are using a new blogger system. I'm going to try it and see how we get along. I want to continue my blog; but I have heard this system is almost impossible for a blind person to use. We shall see.