Keith wrote the song after a conversation with Eastwood while they were playing golf. Clint was about to celebrate his 88th birthday by going to film a new movie. Toby Keith was blown away and asked him “how do you do it, man?” Eastwood answered, “I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in.”
That stuck in Toby Keith’s mind and he penned the song that was featured in the movie “The Mule”. The lyrics are inspiring for me in this season of life.
Don’t let the old man in I wanna leave this alone Can’t leave it up to him He’s knocking on my door
And I knew all of my life That someday it would end Get up and go outside Don’t let the old man in
I love that. As the mileage piles up on the life odometer the aches and pains make it easy to slow down and quit pushing yourself. Challenging yourself to get out and live life as fully as you can for as long as you can is enormously fulfilling.
I have a few moons to catch up to Clint Eastwood but I want to follow his example. I am still young at heart and my goal is to live out of that feeling for as long as I can. Don’t let the old man in to convince me my time to live life joyfully and fully is diminished. Eventually that may happen but I want to leave it all on the life playing field until I no longer can.
There is another area of life that I must concentrate on not letting the old man in. This is actually way more valuable in how I live my life than simply trying to age well. In the Bible Paul talks about how all of us are born with the “old man” or sin nature of Adam. When we decide to follow Jesus we become a new creation and a “new man” now resides in me. Simply put the old man is who I was before I knew Jesus. The new man is who I am now that I am a follower of Christ.
Paul talks about the finished work of Jesus on the Cross that gives the new man in me the power to change my frustrating responses when the old man ruled my life. Jesus conquered the old man and gave me a new man within.
”We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6, NET)
The old man was crucified. That means the old spiritual man is dead. I am a new creation and that new man living in my heart gives me the power to live more like Jesus as I recognize that is who I am. Will I live a sinless life? No way. But as I grow in this truth sin should no longer control me. I have the power within me to deal with sin in a way that will encourage spiritual growth in Christ. Recognizing that the new man lives and the old man is dead in God’s eyes is a powerful reminder of where my strength is derived.
“But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.“ (Colossians 3:8-10, NET)
So the song by Toby Keith takes on a wonderful new spiritual meaning. I don’t want the “old man” to dominate me in my journey with Jesus. When I battle the fleshly responses that create shame and guilt I need to remember that the old man is dead. I have the ability to set aside those old man impulses. I have the new man living in me through the Holy Spirit and that gives me the freedom to respond differently. The new man lives in my heart and I need to focus daily on that truth. When I struggle with those impulses I can remember the powerful words of this song. Don’t let the old man in.
In my mind there is no more special day in sports than Opening Day in baseball. It is an annual rite of Spring to post this article on the magic of Opening Day. The smell of freshly cut emerald green grass delights the senses. The base lines painstakingly and perfectly defined by a grounds crew that is committed to perfection on this day. Red, white, and blue bunting give the ball park a festive World Series look. The players bounce around like little boys. They seem a little extra grateful that they are paid to play a kid’s game.
The hot dogs taste like gourmet food. Humphrey Bogard wisely said that “a hot dog at the ballpark is better than a steak at the Ritz”. Souvenirs a young fan begs for become treasures to be kept until adulthood. And then it becomes a challenge to explain to your wife why a twenty-five-year old bobble head needs to be in the china cabinet.
Children skip school and parents do not care because memories are being made for both of them. There was no shot I loved more in my years as a television director than the one of a Dad or Mom pointing to the field and explaining this wonderful game to their child.
The atmosphere is truly magic. It is Opening Day and every team has hope. Every team is undefeated. Who will be this year’s team that surprises and surpasses all expectations?
Fans all around the country have dreams and they are hopefully, or perhaps hopelessly, optimistic. This is a new day and a new season. Old mistakes are forgotten. Past errors are no longer important. Today is the annual renewal of the incredible marathon that is big league baseball. It is a clean slate. The team has a new identity.
I once longed for such a defining moment in my spiritual journey. It took me a long time to understand that God’s Word tells us that every day is like Opening Day (Dave’s paraphrase). I do have a clean slate because of Christ. There is hope. Yesterday’s sins are forgotten if you have accepted the gift of Jesus on the Cross. Every morning that I awake and see the magic of a new sunrise I know that I am renewed, redeemed, and ready to face the day whatever life pitches are thrown my way. I don’t have to wait a year to have a chance for renewal. Paul writes that every day holds the spiritual magic of renewal and victory in Christ.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. (I Corinthians 5:17-18, NLT)
I am grateful that in my spiritual journey God that has given me a chance for “Opening Day” renewal every day of my life. I have had some really bad seasons during my career as a follower of Jesus. But I am learning that every day is a gift. I had 37 Opening Days as a television director. Now I hope for many more as a fan with my precious grandchildren. Dan Patrick once quipped about an injured player. “He is listed as day to day. But then again, aren’t we all?”
The fragile nature of our lives makes the bigger questions so much more important even as I enjoy the hope of Opening Day. Every day of my journey with Jesus can be like this special day in baseball. I can be transformed and new. Past losses (sins) can be redeemed and forgiven. There can be an exhilarating freshness in the journey. I can realize that I am a child of God and I can be grateful that I get to call Him Father. I can believe that my hope for the future is real. I can understand that I can be a better teammate to others that I encounter and not expect my team to be perfect. The magic of a fresh start happens once a year in baseball. It can happen every day for a follower of Jesus when we focus on His amazing Grace
Even before I decided to become a Christian I was fascinated by the impact of Jesus of Nazareth. From the time Jesus began His three-year ministry He never had an office. Jesus came from modest means. He lived on the wrong side of the culturally acceptable tracks in the town of Nazareth. Jesus did not recruit a single person of “influence” to further His campaign. Jesus did not lobby any political leaders. He did not try to recruit religious leaders to support His mission.
Jesus simply walked, talked, taught, loved, and invested in the lives of twelve very ordinary men. From that resume came a faith that numbers over 2 billion people today. The group that was dubbed “Christians” has continued to expand in spite of the indefensible things that have been done under the guise of His name. I have often said that one of the greatest apologetics for the Christian faith is that it continues to flourish in spite of Christians!
The claims of Jesus were mind boggling. For example…
“Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62 NLT)
Jesus said that He was God in human flesh. Buddha never claimed to be God. He said, “I am a teacher in search of the truth.” Moses never claimed to be Jehovah. Mohammed never claimed to be Allah. Mohammed said, “Unless God throws his cloak of mercy over me, I have no hope.” Confucius said, “I never claimed to be holy.” Yet Jesus Christ claimed to be the true and living God. Jesus said, “I am the Truth.” You cannot honestly say that all religions are the same. Jesus threw down some claims that C.S. Lewis famously described.
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Honest people can view the same evidence and come up with completely different opinions. I wrestled with the claims of Jesus Christ for a long time before I decided to believe that He was who He claimed to be.
Perhaps the most important argument for me is the impact that the Nazarene teacher has had on my life.
The Apostles followed Jesus and saw that it was not an easy choice at times. Many followers were deserting Jesus after some difficult teaching.
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-68)
That is my belief. I am drawn to Jesus. I believe that God decided to redeem man through this outlandish plan of the Gospel. I believe I have seen His hand over and over in my life. But if I am wrong I can honestly say that I would change nothing if I could live my life over again.
Whatever kind things that my friends and colleagues might say about me are in large part due to how I believe I should respond to them based on the words of Christ. I have been shaped and matured by this radical Rabbi who changed history. Tim Keller said it beautifully.
“There is an otherworldly feel to this no works and no payment required story of Jesus. The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.”
I have been changed by these truths. Millions of others have experienced the life changing relationship with Jesus. That is how Jesus changed the world.
“Journalists employing the maxim “if it bleeds, it leads” seem intuitively aware of the negativity bias people have in attending to and remembering bad events over good ones. Indeed, negatively valenced news dominates the press and is shared on Twitter more frequently than positively valenced. (newsjournals.plos.org)
The study went on to note that “news featuring others’ immorality captivates people, it can have aversive affective and cognitive impacts, increasing emotional disturbances and negatively skewing people’s belief in the goodness of others”.
I think we have witnessed that increasing and divisive effect on our culture. The authors are correct that such reporting of bad news “captivates” and leads to lots of unhealthy biting on the clickbait of negativity. The study examined an interesting counterbalance. Would showing acts of human kindness and compassion immediately after the acts of immorality create better emotional health?
The results revealed that seeing those acts of kindness left the test subjects in a better mood and with more positive views of humanity. Just to see if kindness was the difference maker they showed some subjects only humorous stories to offset the bad news. Those subjects felt better but the conclusion was fascinating.
Quoting the study again.
“Amusing news stories certainly helped buffer the effects of bad news and reduce the mood disturbances they caused. But in comparison, participants who’d been shown acts of kindness reported a more positive mood on average, and a greater belief in the goodness of humanity.
This shows us there’s something unique about kindness which may buffer the effects of negative news on our mental health.”(niemanlab.org)
I find these studies fascinating as a person who believes in the wisdom of Scripture. The effects of kindness were well documented in the writings of the Gospels, the Epistles of Paul, and many other places in the Bible. It is important to note that these concepts were revolutionary in a culture which focused on power and control. Paul’s message to the church at Colossae is just one example of the amazingly positive potential of following the teachings of Jesus.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (Colossians 3)
Scottish writer Henry Drummond observed in the late 19th century that “the greatest thing a man can do for his Heavenly Father is to be kind to some of His other children”. That is our job as followers of Christ. Too often we have failed to show up for work.
I want the grace that God has given me to make my heart sensitive toward the poor and hurting and spiritually seeking. It is hard to spend much time in the New Testament and not realize our challenge to be kind. Here is a very small sample.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:35, ESV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22 ESV)
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. 1 Corinthians 13:4, ESV)
The charge of hypocrisy leveled at the church has a lot to do with our obsession with sin management over living a life of kindness, grace and service. If I am not living out of grace then the love of Christ isn’t reaching as far as it could. Kindness is clearly step one.
Kindness does not require great skill or advanced degrees. One of my spiritual heroes is Frederick Buechner. He wrote that “if you want to be holy, be kind”. You do not have to like someone to be kind. Kindness is powerful. Kindness tears down walls. Kindness builds trust. Kindness shows the love of Christ through our imperfect efforts. For Christians, kindness gives the hearer a reason to listen to our message of redemption and grace.
Scientific research shows kindness makes a difference to offset the evil in this world. Scripture tells us kindness can make a difference. The world is overwhelmed with bad news. Wouldn’t it be a blessing to be a kind vessel of Good News for those we encounter on our journey? A good plan is to read the words of Paul and follow Jesus.
I made a conscious decision a few years ago to focus on communicating the message of grace and identity in Christ. With that I decided to avoid the polarizing path of politics. Some have told me that is cowardly but I can honestly say there is no message more important to me than the liberating freedom of grace. I want to share the joy of living out of what Jesus has already accomplished and what God says is true about me.
I feel called to be a messenger of hope and grace. Plus I feel like the political commentator team has a pretty full roster of contributors. But how does grace enter into the conversation when we have sincere disagreements over cultural and political issues? It is fascinating how two people can look at the same information and reach completely opposite conclusions. So I am going to offer a Grace Practicing Strategy (GPS) as a roadmap for civil discussion and shining the love of Jesus for others. Follow this pathway and your odds of arriving safely and gracefully increase greatly.
Sincere followers of Jesus can look at cultural or political issues and have very different opinions. Jesus loves His children on both sides of the argument.
I know I have changed my views on some cultural issues over my years of walking with Jesus. I was a child in the era when divorce was a mortal sin. I absolutely am committed to the idea of a husband and wife taking their vows seriously. But I learned that the cultural shame of divorce caused many Christian women to feel trapped in relationships of abuse. Clearly that was not the desire of a loving Heavenly Father who ordained marriage. In those sad situations it is necessary to divorce an abusive spouse. In the pulpits of my youth the message was no divorce outside of adultery was ever justified. I had a blind spot about how a declaration that appeared Biblical could foster abuse. So many issues we discuss have similar and complex nuances. We need to discuss, not demonize.
The goal of a discussion should not just be to win.
Thoughtful discussion is impossible when one of the participants only cares about winning the debate. The goal of any conversation should be a graceful exchange of ideas without rude interruptions, condescending gestures, or angry exchanges. I would rather have a goal of being winsome instead of winning. That attitude fosters conversation.
People of different viewpoints should commit to listen. Nothing shows respect more than carefully listening to the arguments of those with whom you disagree and then gently offering thoughtful responses.
Listen to talking heads on television news shows as they “discuss” different points of view. As soon as one side starts talking the other shakes their head, smirks, and then interrupts and talks over the other person. How is that going to persuade anyone? Yet we sometimes do the same thing when we have significant disagreements with people. Listen. Really listen. Let them finish their point. Then respond in grace.
Ask questions.
You will not influence another person by arguing. The way to connect is to ask questions and try to understand why they feel the way they do. I have found that many times people I talk with don’t have a solid reason for their feelings. That can be a opening to honestly discuss difficult topics.
Pop the bubble around you.
Find out what the other person is reading and watching. Expose yourself to different points of view and encourage those you have disagreements with to do the same. If you are confident in your beliefs there should be no fear in being exposed to differing viewpoints.
All of us are a work in process.
Every child of God is in process. I am a very different Christian than I was 20, 10, or even 5 years ago. I am growing (hopefully) in grace and truth. I strongly believed and said things years ago that I am grieved about today. Thankfully God was patiently working with my heart and gently shining the light of the Holy Spirit on my blind spots. I need to give that grace to others.
Pray for wisdom and grace then leave the results to God.
So what is the goal when you have sincere disagreements with another believer over cultural issues? Use the God’s Grace Practicing Strategy and relax. God may be using you to plant seeds in the heart of the other person. Maybe you have a blind spot that needs the refining work of the Holy Spirit. Share your heart with love and kindness and be open to the possibility that you may be the one who needs to change your heart.
Grace never cancels
Grace does not “cancel”. Grace does not shame. Grace does not answer anger with anger. The person you totally disagree with may be crying out of pain and deep wounding. Perhaps a gentle answer will give hope. Grace does not lash out when challenged. Grace is kind and gentle.
Complete transparency. Being graceful can be frustrating at times but Paul gives great application in his message to the church at Colossae.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:12-17, NLT)
Perhaps the most important thing all of us can do to further the unity in the body of Christ is to memorize that passage and try to implement those words. Engaging the Grace Practicing Strategy may not win every argument but it may plant a seed toward Jesus and that is the biggest win we can pray for.
While our three sons were living under our roof there were five words that struck fear in their hearts.
“Time for a family conference”.
I suspect they felt I was being punitive when I called for a conference. The truth is I was pursuing protective love and not punishment. Protective love sees a dynamic that is hurting someone in the family and when one in the family is hurting all of us are hurting.
When I see the current dynamics of my universal Christian family I wish I could call a Jesus family conference with a heart of protective love. I see social media posts from friends who identify with Jesus that question the faith of those who disagree with them on social or political issues. That action dims the light of our witness for Christ and gives non-believers ammunition to dismiss our testimony.
I recently read a social media comment about a person who posted something that they disagreed with.
“How can they call themselves a Christian if they think that way?”
I have a couple of thoughts about how that person might call themselves a Christian.
Maybe they believe that Jesus died on the Cross for their sins, rose from the dead, and then provided a path of forgiveness and salvation. That is how I call myself a Christian even on my bad days.
Maybe they are still in the process of spiritual growth and with loving discipleship they might begin to see your point of view (if you are correct). That can be a two-way street. I have changed my heart on a lot of issues since I began my journey over 50 years ago.
So could that person who drew the judgement be wrong about their political or social beliefs? Yep.
Could the social media judges be wrong? Yep.
Paul talked about the damage done when we condemn other followers of Jesus.
“So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.” (Romans 14:10-13, NLT)
There is no condemnation in Christ. I totally understand that there are cultural and political trends that dismay followers of Jesus. I support standing up for Scriptural truth. But I am convicted more than ever that the only way to have an impact is to communicate that truth in love and grace. I believe our priority should be to spread the love and light and hope of the Good News of the Gospel.
I already know the push back from some readers. They remind me that Jesus got angry and even destructive when he overturned the tables in the Temple. Fair point. So I have compiled a brief survey to complete. Please check each statement that is true about you.
_____ I have never sinned.
_____ I know with 100 per cent accuracy the heart and motives of those I disagree with.
If you can check both of those statements then I will happily grant you the “Jesus Exemption”. For the rest of us I would suggest that we concentrate more on following the words of Jesus.
“Do to others as you would like them to do to you. If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that?” (Luke 6:31)
Might I remind you that Jesus was constantly triggered by religious people (hypocrites) who did not live what they demanded from others.
The early church had no chance to “win” the culture war. Instead they built a community of believers that infiltrated the culture with loving service.
Truth communicated as law will harden hearts. Truth communicated with grace and love has a chance to soften and change them. I have never witnessed one single example of a person persuaded by a Facebook rant. I have seen hundreds hardened in their beliefs (right or wrong) by those tactics.
Change happens when God’s love breaks through the hurt and confusion of the past and shows the future hope of grace and forgiveness. I will buy you coffee if you can show when a positive change of heart happened by being harangued and called names. Spiritual change happens when the gentle and quiet voice of the Spirit touches a wounded heart. So my plea to my fellow followers of Jesus is to realize you represent Him when you proclaim your truths in the name of Jesus. If you are representing Jesus you have this standard to follow.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
And I might call in Paul for backup at my family conference.
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29)
Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
I know how easy it is to get riled up with social media threads but is name calling a way to represent the love of Jesus? Remember who you represent and respond accordingly. Scripture makes it clear.
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. (Luke 6:45)
All followers of Jesus need to prayerfully examine our hearts before we hit send.
(To celebrate the 10 Anniversary of Stay:Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace I am posting a chapter outlining the best lessons learned from Hannah and Maggie. Forgive me for a longer read but I hope it resonates with you. Here is my lesson from Maggie.)
I was wasting time on Facebook earlier this month when I noticed this post from a friend who provides temporary housing for rescued dogs seeking a forever home.
Meet Savannah our new foster.
That simple little bit of text would not have caused me to linger. But the photo that was with it—this very photo—caused me to stop in my tracks.
I couldn’t take my eyes off those amazing eyes. I found out a little bit about the dog from my friend, so Joni and I decided to meet Savannah. No doubt you already know the rest of the story. Welcome to my new mentor.
We brought Savannah home for a trial run on Sunday, January 27, 2014. The pet adoption agency requests that prospective owners spend a couple of weeks with a dog before making a final decision, to make sure it’s a good fit. From the minute she walked through the front door, Savannah was both curious and cautious. Obviously, she detected another dog’s scent even though Hannah had been gone for months. Joni and I had a pile of new toys waiting for Savannah, as well as a new crate for her to relax and sleep in.
Our house guest was friendly but not overly affectionate. We figured that was due to the chaotic and uncertain events she had already experienced in her life. Savannah had been found running loose about forty-five miles north of our city, with a nasty gash on her hind leg. It was healed, although she had a permanent scar to remind us of her injury.
After the two weeks were up, we filled out the paperwork and arranged a final in-home visit so the agency was convinced we were “worthy” parents. (I’m glad they didn’t use our boys as references.) What were the odds that Savannah would wind up with us? In keeping with the great Burchett family tradition, our new puppy match happened while we were making other plans.
The word adoption is one that the apostle Paul included in his letters to the early churches. In Romans he uses the example to powerfully illustrate how God views us.
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. (Romans 8:14-17)
Paul knew his Roman audience well, referencing their custom of adoption. In that culture you didn’t have to be born into a family to be an heir; an outsider could be adopted into the family and receive the benefits of a blood relative. Adoption was meant to preserve the family, and there were no age restrictions—the adoptee could be a child or an adult. In each case, the adoptee’s debts and obligations were erased, and the adoptee received a new identity.
That was our first order of business with our new canine friend Savannah. Her foster name Savannah was just too close to Hannah, so we began brainstorming other possibilities. Joni and I have a friend named Maggie who greets everyone with a smile and a cheerful, “Happy Day!” That seemed to match the personality of our adoptee, so with our friend’s amused permission, we settled on Maggie.
There was only one problem with the new moniker. Our puppy would not respond to her new name. It wasn’t unexpected. After all, she had been dubbed Savannah by the adoption center. Perhaps she had a different name before she found herself lost in the Texas countryside. Now we were trying to saddle her with a third name in less than a year of life. No wonder she was confused!
We concentrated on teaching the puppy her new name. “Maggie, come!” We gave her treats when she came when called and praised her profusely. We did all the things the dog training websites suggest to introduce a rescued puppy into a new environment. No matter what we tried, Maggie seemed to choose if, and when, she would respond to her name. It was frustrating to see her look in our direction when we called her and, a moment later, wander off with apparent disinterest.
Later I realized I had just learned my first lesson from my new mentor. I do the same thing with God. I was given a new name when I put my faith in Jesus as my Savior. My new identity, mentioned several times in the New Testament, is “child of God.”
To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12-13)
If you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”(Romans 8:13-15)
You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”(Galatians 4:6)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. (1 John 5:1)
So who am I? Expatriated Buckeye? TV sports director? Author of a modestly successful book? Husband of Joni? Father of three outstanding young men? Ridiculously proud grandfather? Executive Member of Costco? All those things define me to some degree. But the one thing that is true about me that I find almost impossible to comprehend is that I am a child of God. Just like Maggie, sometimes I answer to my new name and sometimes I just wander off thinking, You must not be talking about me.
There is power in believing in a name. Many years ago, for reasons I still don’t understand, I was cast as the lead in our high school senior musical. I had never acted and was not a trained singer. And yet that stellar résumé somehow landed me the role as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha. Go figure. The play is based on Miguel de Cervantes’s seventeenth-century novel Don Quixote. The drama unfolds as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. Cervantes takes on the character of “mad knight” Don Quixote.
It was fun and challenging to learn page after page of dialogue as well as doing my best not to mess up “The Impossible Dream.” I enjoyed transforming into an old man on stage and donning the armor of the knight errant.
As I became immersed in the character of Quixote, I began to understand that the gentle and naive protagonist saw the world through eyes of grace. He perceived what people can become and not what they are at the moment. When he meets a prostitute named Aldonza, Quixote sees her as a lady, treats her with respect, and gives her a new name—Dulcinea.
Aldonza’s reaction? She lashes out with fury and hatred as all her past junk pours out. Aldonza agonizes that her mother doesn’t know which of her many lovers might be Aldonza’s father. She rages about men who have used, abused, and abandoned her. And now this man calls her a “lady” and gives her a new name and identity. Aldonza hates what she has become, but even more she hates the fear of believing she could change and possibly face another crushing disappointment. At least her identity in a questionable vocation is familiar. And yet Don Quixote sees her as a soul created with value who can be redeemed.
Gradually, Aldonza understands that Quixote is genuine, and she begins to believe what the old man says is true about her, that she does have value. When the “Quixotic” world of the man of La Mancha is destroyed and he draws his final breath, Sancho Panza, the faithful squire, addresses the grieving woman as Aldonza.
She gently corrects him. “My name is Dulcinea.”
Her identity has been changed by an agent of grace.
That’s what happens to those who place their trust in Christ. God gives us a new identity and He calls us by a new name.
His child.
We also tend to fight back and remind God of what we used to be and all that is wrong about us now. But Jesus patiently reminds us of our new identity. He tells us that we have been changed. That our spiritual DNA has been rewritten. That we are a new creation in Him. That we are holy. Saints. When we believe what Jesus says is true about us, it will change how we live our lives.
A righteous and beloved child of God. That is not an “impossible dream,” but a theological truth.
I am a flawless child of God. Not because of anything I have done, am doing, or will ever do. It is because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. Whenever I start wavering, I need to pause and remember my name.
Maggie will learn her name with repetition and praise and reward. We are making real progress. Our dog trainer gave us a great tip. “Never use her name for shaming or punishment. When you call Maggie, she should expect to play, get a treat, or to be loved. Every time she hears Maggie it should be a party.”
I love that image for my journey with Jesus. When He calls my name, it is a party of grace, not of shaming or punishment. I am His beloved child. When He calls my name, it is for my good.
Dave Burchett aka “child of God.” That has a nice ring to it.
