Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.  Gal 6:7

A while back, (when no one, except God, was looking) I took time to watch old re-runs of the black and white TV series, The Lone Ranger, “The Cisco Kid”, and “Lassie.” (see photos)  I just needed a heavy dose of good old fashion simplicity, the kind where the good guys (even if it’s a dog) are clearly good, and the bad guys are clearly bad. Back then, the law wasn’t just good advice; in these episodes it was actually applied. The good guys (even a four legged one) upheld the law and they always won.  The bad guys broke the law and they always lost.  Here’s the old format:  There were opposing positions, competing conditions, and predictably satisfying results.

The vast difference between then and now is the ongoing movement of a cultural revolution that seems to be successfully turning our past and trusted virtues on their head. “Short term,” “relative,” and “expendable” are in.  “Absolute” or “simply black or white” are out.  Watch a current movie or TV show, read a paper or magazine, watch TV, listen to music or the radio, click on the internet, or in some places just smell the air and you’ll know something is happening that’s not only different but also very disturbing.  Joseph Stowell, in his book, Eternity Reclaiming a Passion for What Endures, says we have traded truth for tolerance, grace for greed, love for self-centeredness, servanthood for significance, self-control for sensualism, justice for oppression and humility for haughtiness.

So here we are, challenged to live our lives today and this week, not as old-time actors or some heroic pet in a simple plot, but as people—a living and acting “you and me.”   It’s our choice to get dizzy in this confusing spin or stand and maintain our good balance to move forward this week (in spite of it).  Without going back to the old Wild West, let’s visit the older and wilder Middle East for a hopeful moment.

While times were similarly confusing in their culture, one of the religious leaders of the day asked Jesus of Nazareth, “Which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first great commandment.  The second is like it and says, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets.”  How’s that for an absolute, black and white response?

Admittedly, there was nothing in the episodes and old format of “The Lone Ranger,” “The Cisco Kid,” or “Lassie” that I could recommend to sustain us this week.  Our hopeful balance lies in how we choose to engage the opposition.  Will we go it on our own merits/ways or will we abide and energize in God’s moral law of loving Him with all we’ve got and loving our neighbor as ourselves? Do we rely on our own strengths and abilities or believe in God’s goodness and His eternity to win? Tragically, many will think it better to consider the words of Jesus (who, in rightful authority, claimed to be God) as only good advice; or worse, ignore them altogether. Eternal consequences are at stake.

Living our roles in God’s absolute, black and white, two command script this week is an incredible challenging privilege.  Not only will others be appreciative, God or Wisdom Himself will be looking! That, my friend, weighs far beyond just good advice and leads to predictably satisfying results.

Matt 22:36-40