Who was that masked man?

Why have we not heard: “Who was that masked man?” in 2020? 

It seems like an appropriate time in my life to be hearing this question from my childhood. With the advent of public mask wearing brought on by the Coronavirus, most of the US population have been wearing various types of masks to prevent the spread of the virus. Even so, I have yet to hear this question asked. Perhaps its because our current society has lost the cultural reference to The Lone Ranger and even the resurgence of the phrase in the 1980s. It could be that our circles of acquaintances are more familiar because we have seen them more in our communities. Or maybe it’s just not in the script. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that the reason we aren’t hearing this phrase is much deeper than ignorance of the iconic phrase. 

 Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials have all become encapsulated in the single denomination of iGen, where the only value is self-serving, self-interest, and self-importance. Our focus has shifted away from ‘what can I do for my country?’ back to ‘what can my country do for me?’. As such, here are a couple of reasons why we may not be hearing the phrase, “Who was that masked man?” 

1) Few people are willing to anonymously help others. 

• Our society is addicted to attention. Actors, Athletes, Politicians, Influencers, and the average Joe are all thirsty to make their own names known. Acting with anonymity is contrary to our cultural norm, and it is a contradiction to our community upbringing. This is sad because one of the greatest ways to help another person is through anonymous support as it demonstrates that the community cares rather than a single individual. When a gift is given in public, the giver is most celebrated; when a gift is given in private, the recipient is most valued. 

2) Few people are willing to recognize the benevolent acts of others. 

• This one is even more disappointing than the first. Our culture has become a judging court of public opinion rather than a community of coaching and cooperative correction. We are so afraid of public opinion that when we see someone perform a benevolent act, we are hesitant to praise that action out of fear that whatever else that good-deed-doer stands for may contradict the desires of the court of public opinion. We can’t express appreciation or admiration for someone who disagrees with us on any single issue. This causes division and isolation, and leads us back to the first cause because if no one else is going to give me credit, I must toot my own horn. 

Paul explains to us how to solve this problem in Galatians 6:1-5. We see spiritual standards, personal accountability, community, empathy, humility, personal responsibility, and submission to Christ. 

Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5, CSB)

Freedom is not Free

Philosopher that I am...
I’ve been reflecting on this phrase:
“Freedom is not free.”

So many times in the life of the believer, we focus heavily on the sacrifice Christ made for us. I have no intention of diminishing that sacrifice, so please understand I grasp the necessity and sufficiency of that sacrifice. Paul tells us though (Romans 6) that we are to be actively participating in rejecting slavery to sin and actively living in freedom. Could it be that we focus too much on the one-time sacrifice that afforded us eternal life that we fail to strive to live the abundant life?

Is this also one of the causes of our division in America today? Have we read this phrase in the preterit: ‘Freedom was not free’, as if it were purchased for us by a one-time payment made by many soldiers of various racial backgrounds?

At the very least, we can see that one’s choices today affect his/her future freedoms.
Do my choices today affect other people’s liberty? Do our collective choices as a community affect present or future liberties?

Paul’s answer to living in freedom was spiritual discipline. Am I disciplining my life to live in the freedom Christ bought for me?

In America, I absolutely believe that Christ is the essential key to reconciliation. However, we as Christians (of every race and color) must discipline ourselves to both 1) live in the freedoms purchased by those who went before us and 2) ensure that others are granted those same freedoms. Until we do so, how are we being Christians? I’m not suggesting that America will ever solve its racial problems because America is a secular nation, but we as Christians can live Christ-like lives embracing all of humanity as it is.

“For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:10-11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Señor, ¿hasta cuándo? (Salmo 13 adaptado)

Señor, ¿hasta cuándo nos deja sin hablar?

Señor, ¿hasta cuándo nos va a olvidar?
¿Por qué esconderás tu rostro?
Ve nuestros corazones rotos.
Respóndeme Dios, o Jehová
Alúmbrame los ojos para verte ya

Señor, ¿hasta cuándo quedamos a velar?

Señor, ¿hasta cuándo podémonos aguantar?
Mas en tu misericordia
Ha confiado mi alma
Sé que tú me has hecho bien
Tu salvación es mi sostén

A-le-lu-ya

A-le-lu-ya

Sé que tú me has hecho bien

Tu salvación es mi sostén

Who is responsible for this?

That is the question we should be hearing in these uncertain economic times, but instead we are hearing, “_______ is to blame.”  Fill in the blank (the President, Congress, the Red, the Blue, the Star-Bellied Sneetches, etc.).  Right now there is a cry to hold the businesses accountable for their actions.  They extended risky loans, so it is their fault.  Let me remind us, “It takes two to tango,” or in this case, the dance requires many individuals to accept loans that they cannot possibly repay from institutions who were encouraged to make the loans.  Who is better qualified to assess one’s personal financial situation, a business that makes loans to hundreds of thousands or the controller of one’s own checkbook?  Don’t get me wrong, loaning money to someone without evaluating and considering the risk involved makes for poor business, but accepting such a loan is no better.

John Leo said, “You can’t run a society or cope with its problems, if people are not held accountable for what they do.”  George Pataki said, “When government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.” 

Until an individual is held accountable for his own actions by other individuals, why would we ever presume to hold an organization accountable for its actions?  Ultimately, someone must pay the price.  The piper will not go unpaid, and I assure you, he is coming back for our children.

If we don’t hold an individual responsible for committing perjury, how can we hold Enron accountable for its lies?

If we don’t hold individuals responsible for their own credit card debt, how can we hold Fannie Mae accountable for making bad loans.

If we don’t hold young people accountable for their decisions to have sex, how can we hold O.J. Simpson accountable for killing his wife?

How can we exit this current situation?

Say what you want about the government’s contribution, the US exited the Great Depression by taking personal responsibility.  In my high school American history class, I clearly remember the text describing the mindset of the day, “Americans believed that they could improve their standard of living by working hard and practicing thrift.”  Today’s circumstances call for no government policy or program; it calls for personal responsibility.  The government may have contributed to our current dilemma, but at the grass roots of this problem is many individuals making bad and selfish decisions and refusing to take responsibility for them.  Instead we are blaming someone else.
It didn’t work out so well for Adam to blame someone else.  Yes, Jesus Christ ultimately took responsibility and paid for Adam’s sin, but Adam still suffered some of the consequences.  Now, we are asking the government to be crucified for our sins.  Remember that government is not God, and I guarantee that it will not be as gracious a Redeemer as our God.