I Believe You Will Not Mislead Me

I believe you will not hurt me unnecessarily, and you will not own me.

Such is the character of friendship among those who trust Christ. For the person who is trusted, the self-control and self-denial implications are clear. This faith of friendship also says:

I believe you will not mislead me.

Well, of course not. We’re Christians. We’re about Truth. We would not mislead. Yet, many a conscience has been derailed by promoting some convictions (worthwhile or otherwise) as biblically revealed mandates.

Revealed mandates are express statements from Scripture which can be clearly understood with basic principles of language and context. They have to be manhandled in order to mean what they do not say.

There are, however, revealed statements which are understood differently because of presuppositions which affect interpretation. These differences are important enough for groups to form around them. The interpretation starting point of some of us leads us to understand that baptism is for believers and by immersion. Others agree with us on the Truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ but part of their interpretation starting point lets them practice baptism differently. Conscience cannot ignore the matter. Jesus’ commission to baptize is inescapable. So, as we gather with people with whom we agree, we must remember the biblical mandate concerning our attitudes toward all brothers in the faith. 

Then there are personal applications inferred from revealed mandates. We clearly are told to develop renewed minds. Some may infer from that the need to eliminate television, but they mislead if they press for a church policy or make removal of the television a prerequisite for friendship. On the other hand it is also misleading to infer that having a television is what freedom in grace is about. 

It is possible to cause a person's conscience to stumble by well-meaning misrepresentations of Scripture as well as by maliciously contradicting Scripture.

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Florists Make Me Think of God (a little)

When I say a florists make me think of God, I have in mind my relationship to Him. Their creativity, like his, has often provided a satisfying environment; yet, had you asked me later what it looked like I could not have told you. Is that not the way it often goes with the creativity of God which surrounds us?

I was reminded of this last Sunday when I made myself really look at this beautiful arrangement in front of the pulpit at Fellowship Baptist Church, in Lakeland, Florida. It made enough of an impression to put me on the quest to find out who was responsible. In this case the kudos belong to SouthernHospitality Furniture and Home Decor store (SoHo) in Plant City.

The quest also brought to mind another florist from days gone by.

My family and I will always be indebted to Matt and Lori Baker of the Rainbow Rose Florist shop in Elkland, Pennsylvania. During my tenure as pastor of the Tuscarora Baptist Church (just across the border in New York State), they served as friends, as ministers of beauty in our local church, and as mentors to our sons. A few times I even had the chance to do some delivery work for them myself on Valentine’s Day (think “snowy roads”) and on Mother’s Day weekend.

Because of them, when I look at a floral arrangement, I sometimes wonder about the hands that prepared it. (Did you ever wonder about those hands when you ask God to bless the ones which prepared a meal you are bout to eat?) What is the attitude of the employer toward those who were responsible for the display? What is happening in the life of the one who could arrange such beauty? Who delivered it and what will be the significance of that job in his or her future life? How many people actively enjoy the ambiance created by the flowers and, as a result, seek to know who is responsible?

There’s more to a bouquet than a splash of color.