DANCING DOGS AND PLAGIARISM



Disclaimer:  This is not a political commentary.  I don’t do that sorta thing.  Because I’d rather be watching dancing-dogs-in-dresses on talent shows.  It’s such a welcome relief.

However … today a particular word has exploded from the depths of all things political – PLAGIARISM (gasp!).

Probably most of you have never deliberately absconded with others’ literary and/or musical masterpieces.  At least, not on purpose.  Because in these days of inexhaustible internet information, it’s realllllyyyy easy to find stolen lyrics, poems, and even thought processes, and then tweet to excess that boo-boo du’jour.

Now, to make myself feel superior, I hereby offer you a definition of the word:  it’s stealing someone else’s stuff and passing it off as your own.  It’s called Theft.  In an offshoot way, it’s breaking the 8^th Commandment.  Or at least twisting and/or crinkling it.

Offshooting it even more, think of it this way … is it possible that, when you were a brand new squeaky-clean baby Christian, you felt that you had something to do with your own salvation?  That you had a tiny hand in helping God out with getting yourself cleaned up?  That you opened your own heart-door and invited Jesus in of your own volition?

Well, guess what.  That was prideful salvation plagiarism.  I was very guilty of that for the first year or two.  I took what God did and pretty much told people that I did it.  Thankfully, He didn’t whack me upside the head.  No, He gave me His Word to show me that salvation is His gift, not my works.  I am His workmanship (Ephesians 2:8-9).  I am not adequate in myself, but my adequacy is from God (2 Corinthians 3:5).  “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?” (Proverbs 20:9).  Not me.  By God’s doing, all of His adopted children “are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

My Father, how I praise You that it is You alone Who saved and redeemed me, and through Your Spirit, you continue to purify me more every day to be more like Jesus.  My Lord Jesus, You took my sin upon Yourself and gave me Your righteousness.  It amazes me that I could ever have been boastful of myself, but in Your great patience, You have shown me Yourself, and now I boast only in You, and I thank You that, among other things, You have forgiven me for my spiritual plagiarism.

POP QUIZ

If you haven’t been a student for many decades, the words “pop quiz” may cause you to hyperventilate. If so, I’m sorry. But not really. Now, take the bubble gum out of your mouth, sit up straight, and don’t cheat. Here we go.

A friend calls to tell you that she’s in the neighborhood and is going to drop by in about 10 minutes, and she’s going to take you to the world’s best combination amusement park and shopping mall and 10-star restaurant, and you need to be dressed and ready to leave. Do you --

A. Panic-stricken, race around the house at warp speed picking up flotsam, hurling things in closets and under rugs, wiping up spills, hoping she won’t notice and tell you what a slob you are, and you can’t find anything to wear, and the whole time you’re hoping she’ll hit a pothole and be indefinitely delayed;

OR

B. Do you lounge in your cushy recliner with a glass of raspberry tea, relaxed and confident in your organized home, wearing just the right all-purpose wrinkle-free stain-free outfit and say, “come on over! Can’t wait to see you!”

Clearly, analogies go just so far. And I’m sure you see where I’m going with this. Nowadays, just as in the olden days, people ask, “where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4). Unbelievers clearly think that Christ’s return for His Church is a bunch of “hooie.” But sadly, even many believers have difficulty realizing that Christ really meant it when He said He was coming back to take us with Him (John 14:3).  He’s certainly not going to shoot off a text to us, saying, “hey, heads-up, I’ll be down there in 10 minutes.” But if He DID, would you --

A. Be embarrassed at His coming, scurrying around, trying to clean up spiritual messes and flotsam (1 John 2:28-29)?

OR

B. Be relaxed, look up with great expectation, and say, “come, Lord Jesus," because you're oh-so ready for Him. You don’t have to run around wiping up spiritual spills, trying to hide spiritual unconfessed flotsam, thinking He won’t notice, because you, in obedience, have been continually abiding in Him.

My precious Lord Jesus, I don’t know when You’re coming, but You have graciously already told me the “signs” (Matthew 24). I believe Your promise that You are preparing a place for me. And it will be so much better than any park/mall/restaurant combo, because You will raise me to be imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:50-54), and so I will always be with You (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). By Your words, I am encouraged and comforted.