No post today. Blame it on the boogie.

Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958–June 25, 2009)

"But that’s just who I am.”

The extent to which this conversation-ender is used relies heavily on what defines a person. That is, in order to verify if it is indeed a reasonable response, we need to figure out what it is that makes him “who he is.” Take for example the following dialogue:

“Jeremy, why didn’t you take out the trash like I told you to?

“Well…I just felt like being lazy.”

“Well, stop being lazy!”

“But that’s just who I am!”

Jeremy might further defend his case by saying “well, I can’t force myself to want to take out the trash.” There's truth to this -- if he doesn't want to, then he doesn't want to. But is this still reason for him to indulge in his laziness? Here’s where things get tricky: If Jeremy believes that a man is defined by what he feels, then his reasoning is sound. So when he's faced with the temptation to be lazy, he has no choice but to comply because that's the identity that nature has chosen for him. However if Jeremy believes that a man is defined by his actions, then his reasoning doesn’t hold up. The desire to be lazy is undoubtedly part of his nature, but he still has the power to make his own decisions despite what his feelings tell him. Yes, he may not be able to say "Heart, I command you to want to take out the trash!" but he is still able to say "Body, I command you to get up and take out the trash despite what Heart is telling you." Here we see that while above the body is the heart, above the heart still is the mind.

Even as temptations grow stronger, this truth abounds (we see this in former drug addicts and recovering alcoholics). The key is learning to define the line between temptation and action, because it's in that blurring of the line that misnomers occur about who we are. If it's true that we can accomplish what we put our minds to, then consequently we need to grab control of our identity; put away this "but that's just who I am" talk and take responsibility for our actions.

"Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I will not be defined by my temptations.

O.L.J < P.T.L - A Sequel

Last week's writings were met with plenty of gracious response, chiefly in creation of the PTL blog. But as the phrase popularizes, it's important the definition remains intact.

Let's start with what it doesn't mean: the implication of the title is that PTL is not to be tagged as just another lifeless "religious" expression, nor is it a facetious parody of itself a la "Oh Lawdy Jesus-suh!" (O.L.J), to be more of a joke than act of worship. PTL is also not to be confused with "just thinking positive." Don't be mistaken -- PTL is very much about praising the Lord.

"Okay...so what does it mean to praise the Lord?"

#1: God is sovereign. He's in control over all things. I offer this as a caution to anyone who speaks out of emotional high or uninspired tradition – you gotta think. This means you cancel your subscriptions to things that contradict this view: luck, lucky pennies, lucky cats, fate, fortune cookies, astrology, zodiacs, your sign, superstitions, chance, chain letters, and even karma. They don't mix...at all. However in this truth - to cite a cute yet poignant aphorism - we can rejoice, because while we don't know what the future holds, we know who holds the future.

#2: God's ways are beyond your understanding.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord"

- Isaiah 55:8

The response to this is unbridled humility. To know this is to see even your greatest insights and academic achievements as foolishness compared to an all-knowing, all-powerful God in heaven. A remarkably difficult and counterintuitive task. This is also a comfort, in that even when we can't understand, we can rest in the truth that there is a God who does understand.

#3: God works things for good for those who love Him.

"And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love Him, and for those who are called according to His purpose ."

- Romans 8:28

Salvation by grace through Christ is the permanent signature of this truth. As Christians, we can know that our lives are being watched over and cared for, filling us with reason to rejoice in any circumstance. I know this part becomes very difficult at times, because so many events in life are hard to see as good. Definitely the hardest of the three to really believe, but crucial to seeing the purpose behind praising the Lord.

Mind you this isn't a thorough explanation. I couldn't expect to get into every detail in a medium like this, and the hope is that this spurs you on to seek God's answer to your questions through His word. Rather, this is criteria to keep in mind. With these three working together, how the believer sees circumstances in his life is radically different. Suddenly, everything is reason to praise the Lord. I pray PTL never becomes another lifeless religious expression, that it never becomes abused as a dull joke, or treated with indifference to God's character.

Praise the Lord, for He is good, and His love endures forever!

F.M.L < P.T.L

FML. If it doesn't already strike a chord of laughter within you, you probably don't know what it means. The phrase, coined by the liquor store employee in Superbad, means "F my life," as in "oh man, the worst thing happened to me today. FML." Yesterday, among frequent encounters with this cute little phrase I came across one that just so happen to epitomize the point I hope to make in this post:

“I just got a freaking parking ticket for not moving my car last night. F.M.L. I want to dieeeeee.”

Really? I mean, really? You got a parking ticket – at most a $40 dollar fine that doesn’t even end up on your permanent record – and you’re in such utter hopelessness that you want to dieeeeee? Yet this is no anomaly -- this is the very wish that users of this three-letter lament confess, that their life is in such shambles that death actually looks good. I’m puzzled as to how amongst all the cursing of your existence you somehow find the strength to Twitter it to your Facebook. As Marlo puts it, “your life is horrible, but you have access to a computer.” I sincerely hope advocates of people asking for their life to be F'ed don’t also try to advocate having a positive attitude about things, for there’s a grave inconsistency there.

“I went to the vending machine and pressed the Sprite button but it gave me Coke. I don’t like Coke. FML.”

All in good fun, I'm sure, but what happens when a community encourages and laughs at the idea of complaining about the littlest things? Helen writes:

"I think these mediums, amongst other social media, not only glamorize trivialities and complaining, but essentially centralize on the self. So many status updates and FML trivialities are basically telling others to pay attention to you, in the littlest (great & horrible) details. Another mode of distraction in our already distraction-inundated society."

When you exalt the bad, you demean the good. When a parking ticket becomes horrible, the fact that you still have a car becomes less satisfying. For those in Christ, this should be of little desire.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4).”

Notice Paul here isn’t making a suggestion – this is a command. Actually, two commands. It may seem harsh and counterproductive to command someone to rejoice, but this is along similar lines like "don't worry, be happy" or "be grateful for what you have." Many times rejoicing comes naturally, but other times it’s something that you have to work for and focus on. Instead of what's been taken away, you have to think: what have I been given?

Note this is no ordinary or general positivity. Christians are (admittedly imperfectly) thankful and content despite the circumstances God has given them because of the grace and love God has given them in Christ and the body of Christ. Make it a goal to praise the Lord for things – PTL!

“I just got a parking ticket, but I still have a job so I can pay it off. PTL!”

“I went to the vending machine and pressed the Sprite button but it gave me Coke. I don’t like Coke, but my sister does so I’ll just give it to her, plus I shouldn’t be drinking soda anyway. PTL!”

“Sometimes my life gets really hard, but I have a Savior who died for this life, so that I can have life beyond this life...and that's something worth living for. PTL!”

Let the PTL movement begin...