I remember one holiday sitting in the living room chatting with my in-laws, when the subject of high school reunions and old classmates came up. In the course of our conversation, my brother-in-law started laughing when he proceeded to tell us a story about one of his classmates who had found him on Facebook, and as a result they started talking about their lives, and so on and so forth. It just happened my wife remembered this classmate too.
Well, in any event, my brother-in-law went on to tell us the story of his former classmate who by day was a successful businessman; but, by night, he was a successful entertainer – now, not just any ordinary entertainer, but a cross-dressing entertainer at a local establishment in downtown Minneapolis. Of course, my brother-in-law and my wife just couldn’t hold in the laughter.
Although he was living a double life, he didn’t think there was anything wrong with his lifestyle and morality so to speak. Certainly, I don’t agree with his lifestyle or his morality – but I bet he believes that his ethic is clear and it fits within the parameters of the community in which he associates…. But then again, does it?
At the present, I don’t know any actual cross-dressers, or people who blatantly live double lives. I think it is safe to say that many people who live double lives are more hidden about it. I think it is fair to say that many people who do things – things that others probably deem as inappropriate, unethical, and immoral, or that goes against the grain of cultural norms and society – do so in private where nobody can see.
I know I have been guilty of this before in my lifetime, I think most people have been. I can think back to the not so far distant past when I use to smoke cigarettes; and to be truthful, I was ashamed of my behavior. Now sure, smoking isn’t illegal – but just because something isn’t illegal doesn’t make it justifiable, right, ethical or moral – even if it has some form of public acceptance (or at least it use to). Anyway, I was a closet smoker – I use to act one way around my Christian friends and church associates, and another at home and at work. See, I smoked at home and while at work, but on Sunday mornings I would do my best to make sure that my clothes, breathe, hair and skin didn’t smell of tobacco. I would do all that I could do to hide my tobacco addiction.
Many of us here today may be leading lives of conflicting morality, lives of duality with an inconsistent ethic. Many of us say one thing, and do another. It is like we don’t know which way to walk. It is like many of us are standing at the crosswalk of life, and instead of waiting for the green light to give us the go-ahead and to take the next step in life, we try to cross the busy and dangerous roads of life when the light before us is still red. For those of us old enough to remember the video game Frogger – many of us are acting like frogs – taking the wrong steps in life – and if we’re not careful we may get creamed by the oncoming traffic. Some of you right now maybe saying – ouch – I think he’s talking to me –I’m that frog. Some of your right now might be getting a bit offended, and if you are please bear with me, and tune in…. because the aggravation toward me you might be feeling right now should tell you something – It should tell you to perk your ears up and listen up.
However, this is a message I believe we all need to hear and pay close attention to, because there are many out-there within the ranks of our culture, society, and yes even here within the walls of our church that metaphorically speaking are those frogs who are taking the wrong moral steps in life. So, how about we start making sense of all this and flush this thing out?
We live in a society that says there is no moral absolute – that there is no moral truth. We live in a society that says there is nothing wrong with being that frog that tries to cross the dangerous moral roads of life. We live in a culture that says do what you want to do. Our media, political system, almost all of life is inundated with messages telling you that you can do anything, be anything, and act in any way you wish, with little regard for the consequences. Just think of the all the company slogans – Burger King has said for years– “Have it your way” – and now we believe it – just look at all the people being playing a real-life game of moral Frogger.
If we are REALLY honest with ourselves, playing a real-life game of moral Frogger no longer seems that dangerous any more –even for most Christians. Yet, trying to cross when the light is still red with no to little regard for the consequences is like saying that our morality is only relative for us, as long as I don’t get hurt. This relativistic type of moral ethic does not take into account anybody but us – it has little regard for law, truth, or relationship. Yet, moral relativism has really become the norm – even for those of us that claim we traverse the roads of life with the God at our side holding our hand.
We need to ask ourselves what we deem as truthful. Because, if you are one that will make a statement that there is no absolute moral truth, your claim that there is no absolute moral truth, is in itself an absolute claim. Yet, we all make truth claims and live lives with moral consequence.
Most of us would like to live in a world where the moral road of life is less dangerous. We’d like to have a bridge from this side of the moral road to the other where we didn’t have to worry about playing Frogger and dodging the dangerous oncoming traffic. But taking the next step in life doesn’t have to be dangerous – we don’t have to play the game of moral Frogger in our lives. We have crosswalks; crossing guards; boy scouts and girl scouts; and police officers that will help us navigate the dangerous traffic and give us a clear moral ethic that dissolves the lies that our morality has to be individualistic and relative. Now these things I spoke of are metaphors for God, the Bible, our faith communities, and to an extent even the laws our nation has established (not necessarily in that order or with a one-to-one match).
We have heard it said: “action speaks louder than words.” I – Jason – truly believe that which we do is a reflection of that which we think and believe. And, that which we believe we must claim as truthful; we all navigate life with our actions that demonstrate our morality.
I am going to make a truth claim with moral consequence. As a Christian, I believe that the Bible is the Word of God…. I see many of you nodding your head. And while I make this truth claim, I have to admit that – many times thought my week – I cannot live up to all the moral truth claims that are contained within these pages. Many times my moral behavior is incongruent with that which I believe. If you’re honest with yourself – truly honest with yourself and search your heart – the lives you live may also be incongruent with that which you believe to be true. Let’s examine this more closely….
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7: “No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.” It is like Paul is saying: “No matter which way I steer my Frogger, I always get hit by the oncoming traffic. I want to go the right way, but I always get creamed. While I want to wait for the green light, I just end up running into oncoming traffic when the light is red.”
We all have choices. Every day we are faced with a plethora of opportunities and moral choices – and those choices dictate the course of our lives…. If we claim the Bible is our manual for moral truth, then we have to believe those opportunities and moral choices fall into one two categories –that which God says is OK to do (green lights) and that which God doesn’t want us to do (red lights). Let’s look at what some of these choices can look like….
Paul wrote: “…be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Another way this could be said would be:
Be careful to cross the moral roads of life, don’t be foolish and step into oncoming traffic, but rather be smart and take that next step when the crosswalk gives you the green light… Understand that God desires you to live and to walk according to his ways. The road of life is dangerous – so take every opportunity to remain alive, and in doing so become wise and be a crossing guard for others in life.
Reflecting back on the scenarios in the video, we should ask ourselves, do these types of things happen in real life? Sure they do. And while I would like to think that we as Christians would not think and behave like those in these scenarios, I think it is a safe statement to make that many of us have at one point or another. Maybe the scenarios look different.
In times of frustration and aggravation we each have an opportunity to live life with honorable morality, or to live life badly. How often have you started to get angry, and in your spirit you hear “just calm down, slow down – think before you react or speak.” I have, and I bet many of you have too. I believe that is the Spirit of God working within us, guiding us, and prompting us to make that split second choice to live honorably, and not badly. In times of anger, we have an opportunity to be patient and wait for the green light – to cross to road of relationship with other, being mindful of others in our lives, or, we can jump into oncoming traffic in our anger, and in doing so putting our relationships in jeopardy.
Let’s consider another example one that is really ugly to consider. Some of us may be addicted to pornography – yet no one knows because it is hidden so well from the family. For those here who have an addiction to pornography, you may be able to continue with your behavior for some time without getting caught. But, eventually you will be found out – and what is going to be the consequence? Surely your relationships with suffer – with family, friends, co-workers. Your job may be affected; your finances may be affected.
The moral choices you make today have a ripple effect that may have unintended consequences later on down the road that you cannot conceive at this time. Rather than take that chance – rather than continue on playing moral Frogger and continuing on with a relativistic morality, why not slow down, change behavior, and navigate the dangerous roads of life with the God, others, and the Bible?
If that wasn’t enough to digest, I want to ask a simple question: how many of us surf the internet or play some computer card game on company time (not during lunch – but rather when we’re supposed to be working or doing some task)? I want us to see that there are many things that we might think or do that we deem as innocent, but they probably are not. Now, these (and others seemingly innocent behaviors) might not seem like a big deal, but in the eyes of God they very well may be.
You have a choice in your daily living. Like the video flashed, “you are what you do one no-one is looking.” The Bible says that the Spirit of God lives within you and that through Him you are being redeemed and being made anew. You have a choice – every second of the day how you are going to live. You have a choice how and when you’re going to take that next step and cross the dangerous moral roads of life.
You know, some of you play the game of moral Frogger and try and cross the road when no-one else is looking at you. Please hear this: chances are that you’ll be able to make it across the road from time-to-time without any other pedestrians or vehicles noticing – you may not get caught, hurt or put anybody else in danger. But, there are going to be times in life when others will notices. You may end up getting creamed by the oncoming moral traffic, and if you get creamed, others are going to be effected too. But hear this: life is not a video game. People can really get hurt and creamed by our actions, speech, and behavior.
As you move forward in your week, ask God before you move, “God, what’s my next step?” I want to urge us all: let us all cross the dangerous roads of life with the morality of others in mind. Don’t just leap into traffic – you and others may be hurt! With that, this morning we’re going to end on a quite note. Now, please don’t get up from your seat and just leave. Rather, I want like us each to take a few minutes and ask the Spirit of God to speak to us. I would like us all to spend some time alone with God. Examine your heart and allow God to speak to you. Seek God for understanding, and ask Him how he desires you to cross the moral roads of life!
