Subject to interpretation
In a postscript to yesterday's ominous date, today's Dallas Morning News is reporting that mothers-to-be around the country took steps on Tuesday to ensure that their children were not born on 6-6-6. C-sections were sped up or put off, as were labor inducements. Some mothers saw the issue differently, pointing out that their child's birthdate would always be easy to remember. That much is beyond dispute, wouldn't you say?
Meanwhile, today's CNN is telling the worrisome story of Hakan Yalincak, a former New York University student who pled guilty to bank and wire fraud yesterday. He admitted that he forged documents to pose as heir to a billionaire Turkish family. As a result, he was able to trick investors into pouring millions of dollars into a nonexistent hedge fund. Prosecutors claim that investors lost more than $7 million, a figure Yalincak disputes. Authorities say the money was spent on a Porsche, a Tiffany diamond, and a $1.25 million donation to NYU. Good news for the university quickly wasn't.
So much of life is subject to interpretation. Is it enough to have a memorable birthday, even if it's memorable for ominous reasons? Do you get credit or blame for securing a gift later exposed as fraudulent? USA Today reports that a Wisconsin police officer has sworn off eating donuts for a year, but only after he ate 13 in three minutes and was crowned world champion donut-eating officer. Which is the good news in that?
The recent stir over The DaVinci Code has caused millions of people to consider the evidence for biblical authority and Jesus' divinity. We spent weeks on the subject in this column. But when all the evidence is considered, we are still required to take a step beyond what is provable, whether we choose for Jesus or against him.
Faith in God is a relationship. And all relationships transcend the evidence. You cannot prove to me that your family loves you. I cannot prove to you that mine loves me. You'd have to experience our commitment to each other to know its reality. All relationships are ultimately self-verifying. So it is with a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. If you've asked him to forgive your sins and become your Savior, you have met him for yourself and know that he is the living Lord. The best way you can help persuade your friends and family to trust him is to demonstrate his relevance to your life, morals, and character. Your life is your most persuasive sermon, for good or not.
In 1966, Life magazine printed a cover which asked, "Is God Dead?" Someone asked Billy Graham for a response. He smiled and said, "He's not dead--I spoke with him this morning." Have you?
Meanwhile, today's CNN is telling the worrisome story of Hakan Yalincak, a former New York University student who pled guilty to bank and wire fraud yesterday. He admitted that he forged documents to pose as heir to a billionaire Turkish family. As a result, he was able to trick investors into pouring millions of dollars into a nonexistent hedge fund. Prosecutors claim that investors lost more than $7 million, a figure Yalincak disputes. Authorities say the money was spent on a Porsche, a Tiffany diamond, and a $1.25 million donation to NYU. Good news for the university quickly wasn't.
So much of life is subject to interpretation. Is it enough to have a memorable birthday, even if it's memorable for ominous reasons? Do you get credit or blame for securing a gift later exposed as fraudulent? USA Today reports that a Wisconsin police officer has sworn off eating donuts for a year, but only after he ate 13 in three minutes and was crowned world champion donut-eating officer. Which is the good news in that?
The recent stir over The DaVinci Code has caused millions of people to consider the evidence for biblical authority and Jesus' divinity. We spent weeks on the subject in this column. But when all the evidence is considered, we are still required to take a step beyond what is provable, whether we choose for Jesus or against him.
Faith in God is a relationship. And all relationships transcend the evidence. You cannot prove to me that your family loves you. I cannot prove to you that mine loves me. You'd have to experience our commitment to each other to know its reality. All relationships are ultimately self-verifying. So it is with a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. If you've asked him to forgive your sins and become your Savior, you have met him for yourself and know that he is the living Lord. The best way you can help persuade your friends and family to trust him is to demonstrate his relevance to your life, morals, and character. Your life is your most persuasive sermon, for good or not.
In 1966, Life magazine printed a cover which asked, "Is God Dead?" Someone asked Billy Graham for a response. He smiled and said, "He's not dead--I spoke with him this morning." Have you?
posted by God Issues at 4:45 AM
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