I like the above image because it shows someone daring to tip over a sacred cow. He must be brave because sacred cow tipping is not welcomed in most circles.
One place that does not generally welcome even the questioning of sacred cows is the church. But what are "sacred cows" anyway? They are traditions that many people love, and therefore do not want challenged in any way, shape, or form.
I've been thinking about specific sacred cows in the American church today.
We are called upon by the Lord to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3). That does not necessarily involve being contentious;... but it involves avoiding compromise, standing forth for what we believe, standing forth for the truth of God--without welching at any particular moment. Thus we are bound to meet, at various points and on various levels, people with whom we disagree. We disagree in some areas of Christian doctrine. We disagree as to some details of church administration. We disagree as to the way in which certain tasks of the church should be pursued.
Who does not encounter from time to time people who are not in complete agreement? Whether it is between husbands and wives, parents and children, co-workers on the job or fellow members in the church, it is impossible to live without disagreement. Therefore it is good to seek to discover certain basic principles whereby we may relate to those who differ from us. I add it is good to speak a thing or write a thing which stirs one to controversy...at least then there is room for discussion and debate with an intelligence activating.
Perhaps the most important consideration for the Christian is to remain aware at all times of the goal to be achieved. It is the consistent perception of this goal that will give a basic orientation to the whole discussion: Are we attempting to win an argument in order to manifest our own superior knowledge and debating ability? Or are we seeking to win another person whom we perceive as enmeshed in error or inadequacy by exposing him or her to the truth and light that God has given to us?
If the former be true, it is not surprising if our efforts are vain: we should be like physicians who take care of patients simply in order to accredit some pet theory. If the latter be true, we will naturally be winsome. This will increase our patience when the force of our arguments does not seem to have an immediate effect. This will challenge us anew to understand those who differ in order to present the arguments that are most likely to be persuasive to them. God has appointed all of us to be witnesses to the truth. (John 1:7; Acts 1:8) God is the one who can and will give efficacy to this witness. We should never underestimate His ability to deal even with those who appear most resistant. Who would have thought that Stephen could actually reach the heart and mind of anyone in the lynch mob that put him to death? But his great discourse was actually sowing goads in the very heart and conscience of Saul (Acts 26:14). Acts 7 shows that his argument was sealed by his Christ-like spirit in the face of this atrocious murder (Acts 7:59-60). His witness was used by God to win over perhaps the ablest of his adversaries, who was to be the great apostle Paul!
A Christian who carries on discussions with those who differ should not be subject to the psychology of the boxing ring where the contestants are bent upon demolishing one another. Rather "The Lord's servant must not quarrel: instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses . . . " (2 Tim. 2:24-26).
...this "tangent" in part is in "SETTING INTENTION" as the subject matter to respond to "gossipers" and the "so learned yet seem to have lost HEART" whose only intent it seems to to cause division (of whom I chose not to "expose" but remain ME, and keep plowing, planting and watering)...and to say to the young Christians coming into this lovely group THE WAY OF THE LION AND THE LAMB: In SPIRIT and In TRUTH.... that I am sorry that you have been treated wrongly in other groups. STAY here, and learn. Now my OPEN Answer to your "trying to understand why it happens" will be in my ASKING THEM the following "rambling" so please BEAR WITH ME as I cut and paste this from a few years ago on this VERY SAME THING happening:
......"It is the consistent perception of this goal that will give a basic orientation to the whole discussion: Are we attempting to win an argument in order to manifest our own superior knowledge and debating ability?~~~~~~~
Or are we seeking to win another person whom we perceive as enmeshed in error or inadequacy by EXPOSING him or her "to" THE TRUTH and LIGHT that God has given to us?" And I will also ADD to this, notice I didn't say EXPOSING him or her, but EXPOSING him or her "TO THE LIGHT"
(there is a BIG difference and wisdom is a study in "difference")........
This one paragraph and the latter line pretty much sums up my whole "being" and WHO I AM as a member of this society, and WHY I care to lend my voice, my OWN words alone,or words "borrowed" which say it FOR ME (not plagiarizing or calling them MINE for profit...but for the profit of others in the "EXPOSING TO" as in the the "infusion" of lessons from PM and SC, lessons from life, lessons in truth, lessons in failure...lessons period as a STUDENT of The Word, and as a STUDENT of The Human Condition having traveled many roads. I have walked some barefoot and gotten cuts and stone bruises along the rocky path, others traveled in a luxury car with leather heated seats in the winter. It was not the "mode of travel" which made the journey in one way better than the other...it was the FACT in the ACT of moving forward ENGAGED IN THE JOURNEY and making a "difference" in this tired worn out ole world.
Now what that "difference" is will be seen as "fruit" and is THE EVIDENCE of the answer to one question...HOW DO YOU CHOSE TO LEARN LOVE? If a truth can be said as such from Christ in Hosea 6:6 "I don't want your burnt offerings, I want your LOVE"... again I pose the the ultimate lesson in life is in the individual's answer to the question "How does one CHOSE to LEARN LOVE?" I suggest there are only two roads: one journeying through "doubt and fear and pride" and the other journeying through "wisdom". If we go back to Genesis and take into consideration the memory the TREES one gets to the HEART of it all.
The Tree of the KNOWLEDGE of "Good and Evil" (whom the wise know is Satan) and then there is The Tree of LIFE (whom the wise know is Christ). From these two ENTITIES (not mere trees) provide the "spirit" of the journey in this life. Meaning when we "act" we do so with conscious wisdom, and most often when we RE-ACT we do so from doubt and fear. The Tree of Life, of KNOWLEDGE of Truth and Wisdom is an opportunity to truly build The Church (The Body of Christ). When we truly grasp what transpired in the beginning in The Garden we can with wisdom understand that the "partaking of the so-call APPLE" BROUGHT FORTH (birthed) the beginning of the whole EXPERIENCE of Free-Will and what it is to be human. It also refers to principles of ENERGY (spirit) that brought to bear upon larger BODIES OF GROUP CONSCIOUSNESSES (known as the "Body" of Christ aka The Church and to the "negative" known as the "Body" of Satan aka The Synagogue of Satan). These are PRINCIPALS OF ENERGY with "formation" and "creation" energies which we bear witness to in the effect we call the Fruit of The Spirit. In the individual "process of forming" their own polarities, polarities which are this basic Earth AGE Human EXPERIENCE, "doubt and fear" stood opposing to "trust and Light", and so these two GREAT BODIES came into being through the ULTIMATE FIRST ACT of Free-Will.
I learned from one of my many mentors..As a Child of God...When you "Learn", TEACH. When you Get, GIVE. When you know better, DO BETTER....but if we all "react" in like manner how can others know what "is" in order to "do" BETTER...we lead by example staying CENTERED and not being pulled off onto the road most travel of doubt and fear.
God did not give us the spirit of Fear...that is from Satan...what God gives us is a spirit of "sound mind, power...
Earlier in meditation I was thinking about cows....specifically "sacred cows". What is a Sacred Cow you ask? "Something too highly regarded to be open to criticism or curtailment."
My mind traveled back through-out times in my life where I held "certain ideas" and "certain people......" with such high regard as to have it not be "open for criticism" even if it was CONSTRUCTIVE and was ...now years later I can say...for my good, but at the time I "put them" (reverenced) above reproach. God is not a respecter of persons. My "standard" of measurement was skewed. Enduring salt and the fire...HE "transforms" us by HIS standard. At times that which HE raises before us to show us WHO HE is at times does not measure up to our "sacred cow"...that idea, that person, that understanding that we hold "sacred".
This morning in prayer The Lord was showing me in The Spirit something that caused me to chuckle one minute and then with tearful humility whisper a prayer of gratitude for all He "allows us to go through that we might endure to the end"....WORTHY because of Him.
Now what is so funny? Well I grew up in the south being around farms and cows. (I can hear a few of your snicker already knowing where this is leading). Yes, as a child born on the wrong side of the tracks we had very limited "THINGS" to entertain us; therefore...a little ingenuity we'd go a "cow-tipping". Sneaking up quietly on a "sleeping cow" (by the way they sleep standing on their feet)...and then we'd give em an ole push and over they'd go. Plop...a cow TIPPED.
Now what I saw this morning in studies was Father about to do some "sacred cow tipping". As I wrote the word ONE on a sheet of paper this morning and named all the things "of HIM" in ONENESS...He began to show me many things each of His Children HOLD "sacred" yet...aren't OF HIM...and in effect creates a division in His BODY. See it is in that "division" that has caused The Family of Saints to lose their effectiveness in The Kingdom. The violent take it from us by force. Yet if WE COULD UNITE as ONE in Him, ONE army...we'd possess our land. but "this church" being better than "that church" CREATES a competition in the BODY "instead of" (ANTI) of a CO-OP in which a "collective coming together" can create magnificent change.
Yesterday, about 30 minutes north of me here in Rome in a city called ROSS VILLE, Ga. the tv show EXTREME HOME MAKE-OVER finished up The Shurrock Family's NEW HOME from demolition to saying MOVE THAT BUS took only 1 week. It was amazing when one thinks of the sheer massive CO-OPERATIVE Spirit it took to achieve this feat. The compassion, and dedication of the "army" of VOLUNTEERS working side by side with skilled builders in the area was glorious. What was even more amazing to witness was "for the sake" of THE FAMILY them who would under daily "business" would be "competition" to one another (ABC construction company working alongside XYZ construction company) were ABLE to set-aside that week and their only FOCUS was achieving the end-goal for THE FAMILY. It was a "testament" to what a PEOPLE UNITED with a VISION can accomplish in a short time where MERCY reigns, and there was no one FOCUS on "self" and who was best amongst the group of WORKERS.
Yesterday, the Surrock Family and little Patrick who has bone density disease reaped a Harvest from the FRUITS of the labor of what it is to "work in the field" as ONE WHOLE GROUP...ONE FAMILY OF GOD...when the General Contractor and the workers began the project, and they "gathered" in Prayer befoe beginning asking the providence of God's Hand upon their mission...I ws reminded of IN WHOMwe are and WHOM resides in us.
Now where did sacred cows and the EXTREME HOME MAKE-OVER come into play into this message here today? It is TIME for us to put aside and examine "the sacred cows" in our lives which DIVIDE us. Those "things and people" we hold MORE SACRED than The Truth. In churches its denominational-ism (ours is better than attitude), in business its "profit" saying its nothing PERSONAL its just "business" but in our greed mix The Mark, In our ignorance we see "race" and miss we are many colors of The Spirit.
It is either Faith or Fluff. I am at a point in my life where I am willing to lose. Lose "friends", Lose "money", Lose "status", Lose "image", Lose "my job", Lose "luxury" , Lose "sin"...but I am not willing to lose my "integrity". I am "transformed". May the day come where it can be "spoken" I've kept my vow Oh Lord. Now I call upon you and ask you spare Our People. Unleash Your Fury and Vengeance upon those who make themselves Master over us and cause us to be "servants" to things not of you. Pull us to your bosom. Create in us a new heart, that we may move as ONE united In You and You IN US. Amen
As I look at my paper here before, there is the word ONE.
ONE CONVICTION
ONE WORD
ONE BODY
ONE FAMILY
ONE GOD
ONE HEART
ONE TRUTH
ONE FAITH
ONE MISSION
ONE REVELATION
ONE SCRIPTURE
ONE SON
ONE SPIRIT
ONE KINGDOM
ONE FOUNDATION
ONE FAITH
ONE SANCTIFICATION
ONE JUSTIFICATION
ONE LOVE
ONE MIND
ONE MASTER
ONE LORD
ONE REVOLUTION
Lord, begin "sacred cow tipping".
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:15,16)
One of my favorite Biblical stories tells of Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman at the well. (John 4:1-30) I can’t help but often ponder upon this woman’s life, as she is no stranger to me—I once WAS her.
I, too, used to go out of my way to avoid the rebuking, condemning reproach of the more respectable women in my community. So I can’t help but notice the effective way in which Jesus compassionately confronted this woman’s shameful lifestyle. He questioned her in such a way that not only shattered her resistance in recognizing the truth of her sins, but also enamored her to the LORD in such a way that she went throughout the town boldly declaring His greatness. And because I am so familiar with her way of thinking, I believe this woman’s conversion wasn’t only because she was so amazed by the things Jesus knew about her, but because she felt the power of God’s Love overflowing from Him and pouring into her. You see, it wasn’t harsh criticism, holy rebuking, or fear of eternal damnation that turned this woman from her wicked ways. It was the never-failing, never-forsaking, and never-condemning power of God—Love!
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails… (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
On a very personal nots...Its funny but I've been asking myself lately why I am keeping such distance from other christians who are of a different belief systems and these GROUPS. "Sacred Cow" Tipping means we need to take action and share with others! You can't tip a cow without action...right!
I know that I have compassion for those who interpret the Word differently but at times my love for them has become cold embers and I step away from them and shake my head. What this group needs is the warming of the Holy Spirit to help US "bond" be more effective in ministry. Please pray for me, the other admins, and for this group.this has been a week of laying prostrate before the Lord n search of answers...answers for Our People, answers in the Word, questions posed The Lord, and LOVE...my overwhelming LOVE for Him in that I too feel like the Samaritan women who HE "CONVICTED" with love...not in condemnation, gently and patiently dealt with me...though the Truth may come into us, oftentimes our pain and emotional immaturity prevents HIM from fully finishing the work began in us...but thankfully he searches the hearts and minds, and searches the Earth looking for a WILLING heart bent on His Will.
There are times we must love one another and it requires tough love...a "separating" from others but not to form a clique or "group" and treat church like a "religious" social club. We must in LOVE reach out to hurting souls, and there are times it requires patience. It is so much easier to think of this LOVE in terms of our own flesh born of our womb, and find it hard to translate that same love to the BODY of Christ. When the church moves out from beyond the walls and out into the community...then I believe change will come. It is my prayer. I have tried to pour out myself this week post and threads. Has been quite a week. Thanks for your loving our Father, Our Lord, and being a part of this site.
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
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