A lot of people are upset
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Reflections
Michael J. Brooks
David waited for me on Monday morning. He abandoned all formalities and quickly said he was upset over my sermon the day before.
“You criticized Ronald Reagan, and I didn’t like it,” he said. “And other people didn’t like it, either.”
Since no one else ever talked with me about the matter, I have no idea how to gauge the anger meter. But critics often bolster accusations by suggesting they’re leading an angry mob with torches and pitchforks.
I preached about money and shared what one writer called “the president’s most embarrassing press conference.” Reagan lectured the press and the TV audience about bloated government spending, that it needed to shrink and how individuals and churches must step up and help people since they’d do a better job than the government.
So far, so good.
Then he went further.
“As a Christian I was taught the principle of the tithe,” he said. “If Christians tithed, we could help more people and do it more efficiently.”
A reporter somehow had the president’s latest tax filing. He pointed out the first family had given only two or three percent of their income to charity the previous year. Reagan had no valid response at the moment.
I think this was the only part of my sermon David heard, so I gingerly reminded him of how I set it up.
I told him Reagan was on my top five presidents list (and still is). And I said in the sermon that I didn’t mean to disrespect the president since all of us would chafe if our personal life choices were on public display. As the old motto states, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
But I reminded David that the conclusion to the sermon was my assertion that one day we’d all stand before the Judge of the Universe for full accounting. Every word, every deed and every dollar will be part of our judgment, and this judgment is more significant than a routine White House press conference.
John described this day in Revelation 20: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened . . . and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works,” (v. 12).
Theologians believe “book” is a symbol, since God wouldn’t need to write anything down. We’d say, “the mind of God.” Nevertheless, the point is every secret will be revealed and our destinies assigned.
So, I stand by my declaration that we’ll all give account in a venue more important than a press conference.
Thus, the challenge is to faithfully honor God today in word and deed.
“Reflections” is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.
