Treasured Moments between Father and Son

One of my great blessings in life was to fall in love with Alvadell “Abby” Moser 50 years ago this year.  We were blessed to begin our married life together 48 years ago (June 14, 1967), and then to become parents of two children, Bradley and Melinda (Mindy).  Alvadell and I enjoyed many happy years with our children, and this enjoyment has continued since they married and established homes of their own.

Brad and Mindy inherited Grandma's athleticism.

While they were children, it was not unusual for each of us to spend time with either Brad or Mindy separately, one-on-one, in addition to regular family activities.  We played softball, football, Takraw, and other games in the back yard and worked together in the garden.   Because we lived in different parts of the Midwest and eastern seaboard, we were able to visit many scenic wonders and historical sites, but for Brad and Mindy, there was nothing quite as special as visiting their grandparents and cousins.

As Brad and Mindy advanced into adolescence and young adulthood, graduated from college, and matured into their own social relationships leading to career and marriage, our times with them were mostly afforded through family and peer group activities.   One-on-one occasions between son or daughter and parent became fewer for good reasons.  Happily, the relative rarity of our one-on-one’s ended up being even more special.

Some one-on-one's were not as fun
as others; here, potato digging.

Today, I was reminded of a notable one-on-one activity that Brad invited me to share with him one year ago this month.  He invited me to accompany him on a road trip to Cortland, NY and the 2016 Blackbird Film Festival where his “short-short” film, Pride & Poo, had been selected for screening at the festival.

The road trip to and from Cortland afforded us time for extended conversation on a variety of topics of mutual interest.  We talked about Brad’s goals for the upcoming years and how dad was getting along in his retirement years.  We agreed that our views of life have been converging somewhat as the relative difference in our ages continues to narrow.

I especially appreciated Brad’s challenges to me as an older man to stay committed to the spiritual disciplines and values that have sustained me during years past.  As Brad knows, I sometimes display a tendency to look back in time and to “second guess” certain decisions I have made in the past.  He also knows that I have needed wisdom to discern my limits when I try to come alongside family members and friends who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.  It is a great blessing and gift to me as a father from his son to receive from Brad a well balanced measure of respect and challenge to apply godly wisdom in areas where there is risk of my becoming sidelined.

The Blackbird Film Festival itself was an enjoyable experience for me.  The overall program was structured so that film makers and other attendees could choose which film categories and concurrent screening sessions they would attend.  I was quite at home with this format because of its similarity to the many scientific conferences I had attended, except there seemed to never be a dull moment at this festival.   It also became clear to us that the festival had drawn some very good quality short films, documentary shorts, and international shorts. 

Bradley in a Q & A after screening of Pride & Poo

It was a unique highlight for me to share in the elation of the moments during which Brad’s film, Pride & Poo, was shown at the festival.  I knew, mostly from a distance but also from Brad’s invitation to assist in a small amount of the filming, how much time and sweat he had invested to develop expertise as a film maker and then to apply his skill and creativity to bring Pride & Poo to the screen.  The result is an enjoyable four and one-half minutes of viewing that humorously conveys the age-old biblical message that Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

As with most screening sessions, the session in which Pride & Poo was featured allowed time afterwards for the respective film makers to field questions.  Again, it was a blessing for me as a dad to observe his son interacting with other film makers, encouraging them, sharing techniques he had learned, and learning some new approaches from them.

A memorable road trip, April, 2016

In all, we were both quite elated and pleased with the Blackbird Film Festival and the opportunity to meet festival organizer Sam Avery and his hard working staff as well as many other film makers.   The trip home seemed to go by in a breeze while we reflected on the experience, remembered many of the films shown, and the privilege of interacting with many of the film makers we were blessed to meet. 

And so, I congratulate you once again, Brad, on your success with Pride & Poo and thank you again for allowing me to share in a film festival experience with you.   I would also thank you, Brad, for the sentiments you shared in your Facebook posting after the trip (April, 2016), as follows:

"Having your film selected as one of 100 selections out of 1538 entries at a great festival:  Very Cool.

Attending the festival and meeting tons of great people:  Awesome.
Having your film nominated for Best Narrative Short:   Exhilarating.
Finding out that your film won the Special Jury Award:  Unbelievable.
Road trip to New York with your Dad:  PRICELESS."

Individual Accountability and Spiritual Awakening

In the previous Oikonomia article, “Cultural Influence of a Committed Minority,” I confessed that my first reaction to the High Court legalization of same-sex marriage was to resent how five unelected justices could alter the definition of marriage when a large majority of Americans had opposed it.  I even blamed President Obama for not providing moral leadership in opposition to this “legislation from the bench.”

Then I realized that biblical morality is not ultimately upheld by the bench, the legislature, elite focus groups, or the will of the masses.  The Bible teaches that a nation rises or falls based on whether or not individuals and leaders respect God’s moral absolutes, or “ancient landmarks” (Proverbs 22:28; and, see Oikonomia, “Stewardship and ‘Natural Law’.”)  Throughout history, God has used a committed minority to provide moral leadership and spiritual revival.  According to many Christian leaders, America needs revival now more than ever.  Now, I wondered what it would take to bring another great revival.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

In the mid-1700’s, the Holy Spirit moved through men of moral conviction like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield who preached that salvation depends upon individual accountability to God, not family traditions or church membership.  The American Revolution and the founding documents of America were consistent with a biblical understanding of individual responsibility, moral conduct, and governance.  Later, the Spirit used leaders like George Finney (second awakening, 1790 to 1840) and Jeremiah Lanphier (third awakening, 1857 to 1859).  The latter began with a small prayer meeting in New York City.  Each awakening brought men and women back to God’s moral landmarks, and each influenced the social and political landscape of America.   

Today, many are praying for revival in America, believing it to be the only answer to our spiritual decline.  As I have sought revival in my own life, I am learning there are no quick answers or “how-to-do-it” steps to revival.  Rather, by remembering the principle of individual accountability, I am first seeking to identify those hindrances to revival in my own life.  I am becoming less prone to find fault or assign blame to others for moral decline in America.  Christ’s “Beatitudes” are teaching me about my spiritual poverty (Matthew 5: 3), the logical response to mourn and confess my sin (v. 4), and the need to exercise gentleness when I confront my neighbor who lives in rejection of God’s plan for him or her (v. 5).  On the one hand, I want to offer acceptance and compassion toward my “neighbor” (one is gay, one, a lesbian).   On the other hand, I must ask if I am helping my “neighbor” by offering only acceptance and compassion? 

Andree Seu Peterson, in an article, “Compassion in the Midst of Evil”, addresses this difficult balance:

All of us were at one time lost, and occasionally lose our way even now, and so we all want compassion, and must all exercise it too. The main ground rule seems to be that compassion must never wimp out into any sympathy for evil. That would do no good for you or for the one you’re trying to help.

The Apostle Paul, when speaking to the Greeks in Athens about the God of creation said, Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent….  Elsewhere, in Romans 1: 16, Paul professes that he is not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  And, in verse 21, he adds (emphasis mine), For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  While it may seem arrogant (and can look that way to those who reject God’s plan), Christians have been given the commission to be salt and light (Matthew 5: 13-16).  Salt can sting in wounds and light can reveal embarrassing flaws—but salt can also preserve against rot, and light can reveal deadly danger ahead. 

The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes, Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (v. 16).   Today, Christ’s followers are enduring great suffering and even death to glorify God (See “Christianity Shines in Dark Places,” Oikonomia July 11, 2015).  Am I willing to at least “die to my pride” so that my neighbor might be reconciled to his or her Creator?  After all, it’s not ultimately our government or the collective will of Americans that will steer us toward godly living.  Rather it requires our individual accountability to God and to our neighbor, in addition to being responsible citizens who will participate knowledgeably in government and hold our respective representatives accountable to exercise moral leadership as civil servants.

How about you?   How have you come to terms with offering acceptance and compassion to our “neighbor” versus challenging him or her to consider the claims of Scripture that will decide their eternal destiny?   I welcome your thoughts about our need for revival as a nation and within the evangelical church.  Perhaps you can suggest spiritual disciplines that are essential to the working of God’s Spirit in our lives to bring revival in the midst of our wandering, wanton, weary world.  What helpful resources in Scripture or extra-Biblical have you found helpful?   I am currently reading some articles from the Gospel Coalition webpage (Search under “Church Life”/ “Revival”). 

Cultural Influence of a Committed Minority

According to many mainstream news commentators, a majority of Americans are in agreement with the recent Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage.  The supposed minority who disagree are challenged to exercise tolerance and get on board with the changing mores of our culture.  But, not so fast!  Consider two indicators that Americans who oppose the latest high court decision are not in the minority.

First, recall that the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage by a narrow 5-4 decision.  Amazingly, this decision means that 1 vote overturned same-sex bans in 31 states and altered the millennia-long definition of marriage.  The same five justices had already struck down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by President Bill Clinton.  That instance of “legislating from the bench” meant that a 1-vote margin brought an end to a law that had been ratified by huge majorities in both the U.S. House (342-67) and U.S. Senate (85-14).  The highest court in the land had sided with the liberal minority of Americans against the will of a large majority of Americans and their elected officials. 

There is even more evidence that a liberal minority is revolutionizing America while conveying the false impression through liberal media that they represent the majority.  This evidence comes through a Washington Post-ABC News Poll published this month.  According to authors Peyton M. Craighill and Scott Clement,

In this poll, 63% of people say they are uncomfortable with the country's overall direction on social issues these days; four in 10 feel "strongly" uncomfortable about the nation's changes. 

Some core Democratic groups are finding a disconnect with the rapid change in social issues as well. Fifty-one percent of non-whites, a growing group of Democratic supporters, say they are uncomfortable with the pace of social change. Two-thirds of women also say they are uncomfortable, as are 50 percent of adults under age 30.

Even some liberals worry that expanding the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples and allowing them to adopt children may push us rapidly down a slippery slope.  Already, Montana polygamist, Nathan Collier sees the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage as a gate-opener to legalizing polygamy so that he can legally marry his second “wife.”

Since the Garden of Eden, the Bible and history have repeatedly taught us that actions based on human reason, when contrary to God’s principles, will always yield a bitter harvest.  Adam and Eve reasoned that God was holding out on them and ate the only fruit that God had forbidden them to eat.  The result was spiritual and physical separation from God.   Genesis 3: 8 describes the nature of this alienation between God and mankind:

They heard the [familiar] sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and [for the first time] the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 

But when Adam and Eve heard God calling to Adam, the husband, they realized that their physical hiding had failed.  So, they tried to “hide” by playing the “blame game”—Adam blamed God for giving him Eve; Eve blamed the serpent that Satan used to deceive her.  But God’s response decimated their poor effort to deny individual responsibility for their action. 

Since the Garden, we have continued to rebel against God’s plan for His creation.  We have continued to “hide” our sin by blaming others, by “hiding” in groups, and by trusting in human reason, or “group-think” to justify disobedience of God’s laws.   The collective judgment of the masses, no matter how well intentioned or how popular, is still folly apart from submission to God.

Today, God still calls, “Where are you?” to men who are the stewards of His unconditional love toward women, and toward wives.  Instead, men often view women as objects of self-gratification, thus depriving themselves of true fulfillment and godly leadership, diminishing the key role of women in God’s plan, and leaving both themselves and women vulnerable to Satan’s lies. 

Just as Satan convinced Eve that she would find fulfillment in eating of the fruit, so he has convinced many women in the mid-20^th century that they could be fulfilled sexually outside of marriage without the unwanted consequence of a baby.  If contraception failed, then abortion of the baby would “clean up the mess” so her life could go on without hindrance.  But last week, the latest bitter fruit of abortion became evident.  We learned that Planned Parenthood has begun marketing functional body parts of babies by modifications of abortion procedures designed to “protect life” or at least the parts needed.  What began with deception and departure from God’s plan for the sanctity of marriage and procreation has gradually led America down a dark and slippery slope to the horrendous reports in recent days.

Returning to the recent High Court legalization of same-sex marriage, my first reaction was to resent how five unelected justices could alter the definition of marriage as one of the foundations of our culture.  I blamed President Obama because he had already surrendered his moral leadership when he changed his mind and supported same sex marriage.

Then I realized that biblical morality is not ultimately upheld by the bench, the legislature, elite focus groups, or the will of the masses.  I believe the Bible teaches that a nation rises or falls based on whether or not individuals and leaders respect God’s enduring moral absolutes, or “ancient landmarks” (Proverbs 22:28; and, see Oikonomia, “Stewardship and ‘Natural Law’.”)  On the other hand, the ongoing social reengineering of American culture represented by the High Court decision reflects nonbiblical moral values.  These values are being imposed by a very different but committed minority as explained above.  The question Christians must ask is “Which minority will determine our future?”

According to many Christian leaders, America needs revival.  Historically, the power of God’s Spirit has brought awakenings through the repentance and prayer of a few committed persons—a very small minority.  In the next Oikonomia article, we will look further into how God has used and can still use a “moral minority” for His glory and for the benefit of a nation when men and women accept individual accountability before God as stewards of His Mercy and Truth.

Marvelous Stewardship of a Roman Centurion

One need only to consult the daily news for evidence of the erosion of moral standards and values in America.  Consequently, there is no longer a moral consensus of what were once considered fundamental rights of each American citizen-- the right to freedom of speech, to bear arms, to have private property, and to hold religious convictions in the workplace.  Even within Christianity there seems to be less devotion to the institutions of biblical marriage, the home, and the local church.

Photo of the Sign from President Truman's Desk (with slight modification)

May I suggest that the crumbling foundation of moral standards and values can be traced to the failure of individual accountability and responsibility within the moral and civic structures ordained by God—namely, the family, the local church, and the government at the various levels?  Increasingly, our leaders are sacrificing their moral virtues for acceptance within a “fraternity of mediocrity” where each individual blends in and becomes entangled with the collective view of what is politically correct.  

Once a person belongs to the collective, “safety in numbers” becomes evident.  The old adage that “one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel” certainly applies here.  Any emerging rot of corruption can grow and fester within a corporation, church, or government agency while individuals responsible are hidden or insulated from accountability and justice.   Instead of reporting and bringing to justice the individuals suspected of such crimes as extortion, taking bribes, sexual abuse, or failure to enforce laws, members of the collective make excuses or shift the blame.  As a result, the reputation of businesses, churches, and educational institutions decline.  Many are placing their hopes in our ever-growing federal government to administer rights and entitlements while ignoring God and the importance of the fundamental rights and responsibilities that He has clearly revealed in Scripture.

The progression I have described is explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1: 21-22 when he declares that ...even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools….  This loss of a thankful and reverent spirit toward God and His Word were the root cause of the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).  When our thankfulness and reverence toward God are diminished, individual integrity and responsibility needed for strong leadership are undermined.   Consequently, families, communities, and nations deteriorate as the crumbling of civilizations throughout biblical and modern history testifies. 

However, in the midst of each sad chapter of history, God’s unique blend of mercy and justice has also been at work.  Over and over, God’s grace pierces the darkness through one or a few men and women with humble hearts who show reverence for Him.  These heroes realize they are stewards of the grace of God and of the opportunities God affords to them (1 Corinthians 4: 2).  Many have been the spark that ignited spiritual revival and cultural renewal.  Several biblical characters who come to mind are Noah, Abraham, and Joseph; and in the New Testament, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mary of Magdalene (Luke 8: 2).

Recently, I’ve been interested in a character described in Luke 7: 1-10 who embodies the qualities that Christ desires among leaders, and all of us who strive to be responsible stewards of the opportunities God affords us.   We are not given his name; only that he was a centurion in the Roman army stationed in the town of Capernaum (Luke 7: 2).  Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army, and this particular centurion was apparently in charge of an outpost under the authority of King Herod Antipas.  [This Herod is the same king who ordered the beheading of John the Baptist and participated in the trial of Jesus.] 

A Roman Centurion

Although Roman soldiers had to possess outstanding character to achieve the rank of centurion, Luke reveals another outstanding trait of this centurion.  Centurions often discharged their duties with little regard for personal needs of their subordinates or subjects.  However, Luke tells us (7:2) that this centurion was deeply concerned for one of his servants who, according to Matthew’s account, was paralyzed and in great pain (Matthew 8:6).  The centurion’s genuine affection prompted him to seek immediate help for the servant in a way that reveals yet another unusual character trait.


According to Luke, the Jewish leaders in Capernaum held the centurion in very high regard.  Meanwhile, the centurion had become aware of the miraculous healing power of an unusual Jew named Jesus.  So, he decided to make his request for Jesus’ healing power by sending a polite request to Him through his Jewish friends.  These friends gladly conveyed the centurion’s request to Jesus along with a statement of  their deep respect for the him by saying, He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue (Luke 7: 4-5). 

The manner in which the centurion conveyed his request to Jesus to heal his servant was even more unusual for a Roman.  As a result, Jesus marveled at him, saying …not even in Israel have I found such great faith (Luke 7: 9).  What caused Jesus to marvel at the faith of this Gentile?  I believe the answer paints the portrait of one who exemplifies responsible stewardship of the opportunities God affords.

First, Jesus marveled at the origin of the request for healing of the servant.  It did not originate from a Jewish countryman, but rather, from a Roman soldier—a Gentile.  This centurion was not a member of the chosen nation Israel to whom, as Paul would later write, was given... the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises… (Romans 9: 4).  Yet somehow, this non-Jew believed Jesus could bring relief to his servant from paralysis and pain.

Second, Jesus marveled at the messengers chosen by the centurion to carry his request.  It came to Him by way of Jewish elders who were somehow willing to serve as intermediaries between two unusual parties-- a Gentile centurion and a radical, Jewish troublemaker.  Only God could orchestrate such a scene in which representatives of His “chosen people” would carry a message of faith no less from a “pagan Roman” outside the Jewish nation to a heretical Jewish rabbi whose legitimacy and power they questioned!  

Third, Jesus must have marveled at the sense of urgency, devotion, and compassion on the part of the Jewish messengers toward this Gentile officer (emphasis mine):

And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue (Luke 7: 4-5).

Jesus discerned from the earnest plea of the Jews that the centurion had won their affection by the manner in which he had been discharging his duties in Capernaum.  The centurion’s Roman superiors had entrusted him with the authority, military might, and material resources to control the lives of the Jewish population in his charge; and, to make their lives miserable if they did not submit.  However, this centurion had invested his authority and the resources of Rome with an apparent gentleness, kindness, and helpfulness that had won the hearts of his Jewish subjects.   The centurion is a portrait of responsible and benevolent stewardship of the resources and authority vested in him. 

If Jesus had begun to marvel because of the origin of the centurion’s request, the messengers who carried it, and the urgency with which they delivered the message, Jesus must also have marveled because of the content of a second message from the centurion, one conveyed to Him by friends of the centurion while He was on the road to the centurion’s home.   Knowing that Jesus was coming, the centurion expressed his misgivings about Jesus coming inside his home:

Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.   For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it (Luke 7: 6b-8).

From in this second message, Jesus could sense that the centurion was a man of humility, of great faith, and of understanding (wisdom) in regard to the larger order of God’s kingdom.

Jesus must have deeply cherished the centurion’s humility, conveyed in the words …I am not worthy… (Luke 7: 6b).  Both Peter and James teach us that God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5: 5; James 4: 6).  A humble heart provides the “good soil” for our soul and spirit that the Word of God can grow within (Luke 8: 8) so that we can …receive the word implanted, which is able to save [our] souls (James 1: 21).  In light of this, I believe that the humility demonstrated by our centurion is a fundamental virtue of a godly steward.

Jesus was amazed not only by the centurion’s humility, but also to a fruit of that humility; namely, his great faith.  The centurion not only believed that Jesus could restore his paralyzed servant but that Jesus could do so from any distance.  Such amazing faith!  And Jesus was joyfully amazed.  I would have loved to see the expression on Jesus’ face when He declared, …not even in Israel have I found such great faith (Luke 7: 9).

Finally, we see in the centurion’s message to Jesus an understanding of the larger order of things—things that are both visible and invisible.  This centurion understood that he was but one “cog” in a much larger authority structure within the mighty Roman Empire.  Specifically, he understood that the quality of his role as a steward depended upon his obedience to his superiors and to his ability to exercise rightful authority over his subordinates—i.e. he understood his place in the “chain of command.”  Stewardship of authority demands both willing acceptance of our orders and provision of accountability toward those who serve under our charge.  Instead of pointing fingers to deflect responsibility, those who do not exercise responsible stewardship must be held accountable.

Not only did the centurion understand the “visible order of things” but he also seemed to integrate this visible, earthly order with a faith in the “supernatural order of things.”  We can see this faith in his analogy between his own power within the authority structure of the Roman system and Jesus’ power within the larger, invisible, spiritual realm.  Perhaps Jesus sensed that the centurion’s heart was receptive to the essence of a message once given by the prophet Isaiah (6: 1a-2) concerning the two realms over which His Father rules (emphasis mine):

Thus says the LORD, ‘Heaven is My throne,
and the earth is My footstool…
For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD.
‘But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’

We will not know this side of heaven whether the centurion was saved through faith in the atoning work of Christ.  However, Luke’s account as we have seen reveals the centurion’s progression of faith, a faith first nurtured by his gracious stewardship of authority over God’s chosen people.  This responsible stewardship allowed mutual respect between the Roman and the Jews, and paved the way for God to bring the Jewish elders to the feet of Jesus with the request to heal a paralyzed servant.  Finally, God’s grace enabled the centurion to believe in the unseen supernatural order of God’s kingdom based on the analogy of his authority within the Roman government.

The centurion’s humility and faith which amazed Jesus presents a portrait of good stewardship for us today just as it provided a remarkable testimony to the unbelieving Jews of his time.  For God had placed the centurion in center stage of a drama in which his faith enlisted the Jewish elders into the role of carrying a message of humble saving faith to the only One Who could bring ultimate healing.   Jesus had the power not only to relieve the physical paralysis and pain of the centurion’s servant.  Jesus could also overcome the spiritual paralysis and pain of God’s chosen people represented by the centurion’s Jewish messengers—and, ultimately, for anyone who would believe among the Gentiles!  Indeed, Scripture later records the role of another faithful centurion whose name is recorded in Acts 10.  God used this centurion whose name was Cornelius to reveal His plan to bring the Gospel of His saving grace to the Gentiles.  I wonder if the beloved centurion of Luke 7 and Cornelius were acquainted.

In my own small way, I too am amazed at the life of the Roman centurion.  Even though he lived in the midst of a pagan, Roman culture, he exercised faithful stewardship of his responsibilities and resources.  Therefore, he cancels my excuse not to strive to be a faithful steward of my responsibilities and opportunities as salt and light in our current needy culture.  Even though our earthly institutions and authority structures are crumbling, all of us are accountable as stewards of the Good News of the coming kingdom of Christ.  May we pray in the manner Jesus taught us and then serve well under His command:

[May] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done,
[Let it be] on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6: 10).