Partiality

Partiality: "Inclination to favor one party or one side of a question more than the other; an undue bias of mind towards one party or side, which is apt to warp the judgment. Partiality springs from the will and affections, rather than from a love of truth and justice." Websters 1828 Dictionary

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory." "...have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." James 2:1,4,8-9 ESV

Christians: a reminder to love God and love your neighbor. Be careful to not "make distinctions" within the body of Christ based on who is rich/poor, married/single/divorced/widowed, old/young, children with Christian parents/children without Christian parents or only one Christian parent/orphans etc. The unity and fellowship of the Church is based in Christ and His finished work on our behalf as we are ALL sinners, saved by grace, through faith in Christ alone. THIS is the basis of our fellowship together, our conversations, our meals together, our times of refreshment and enjoyment of activities together, our bearing of each others burdens, our mourning together, our rejoicing together and praying together. Please be careful to not despise or reject those in the Church who do not fit your ideals in your thoughts, words or actions. Please really see those around you and go outside your "comfort zone" for God's glory and the edification of the Church. The Lord sees. The Lord knows. So do the ones who are neglected, ignored, despised, forgotten and outside the popular "cliques".

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." Romans 12:9-12 ESV

May God be glorified in His Bride as we love each other.

Tauriel - Part 2

So, I have had a couple interesting discussions with a few of you today about yesterday's blog and I thank you for them.  Most of you know of my love for all things Tolkien, but I want to state clearly that God's Word is the absolute and final authority in EVERYTHING, including my thoughts on female fictional characters.

As I discussed the first "Tauriel" post I realized another reason why I have felt an inner antagonism toward this pretty and potent heroine. I began to understand that my love for Tolkien's Middle Earth felt tainted by Tauriel's role and what she represents. See, one of the things I love about The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is how well the overarching themes and characters are NOT antagonistic to my christian worldview. (I'm saving the numerous examples of this for potential future posts.) To me, Tauriel's purpose in the story detracts from the role of women in the christian worldview. Rather than embody the roles for women found in Scripture and the distinctions between the roles of men and women in Scripture, to me she represents the feminist attitude that has permeated our culture.

How often in entertainment are the female characters the better "shots", the more intelligent and intuitive investigators, spies and heroes over their male counterparts? If they are not better then they are at least equal. I am not saying that women shouldn't shoot more accurately than a man or that women shouldn't investigate crimes, engage in espionage or do heroic things when the need arises. Rather, I think I am reacting to the way some women glory in their abilities at the expense of the men around them. I am also considering timeless Scripture passages that inform my thinking on the primary roles and goals for women.

I think that we, as Christian women, must be on guard against the thinking which permeates cultural messages to us that we must be the best at things which God has designed for the men. In Scripture, war and combat are one of the arenas in which men are the ones normally called upon to fight and endure. The women were left at home to manage the household while her husband was gone, care for the kids and care for others.  As a woman, I am thankful for this truth!  I think we need to be careful to not seek to usurp the biblical roles of men and women. While I desire to be proficient, I don't desire to be a better shot, or a better swordsman, or better in hand-to-hand combat than men and I certainly don't want to be better in order to rub it in their faces. How is that edifying to my brothers or glorifying to God?

The Bible has given us many examples of good ways and not-so-good ways that men and women have functioned in their gender roles. It is beyond the scope of what I can write at this time to try to exhaustively defend these things. The following passage continues to be on my heart and mind though today...

"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled." Titus 2:1-6 ESV

In conclusion, my concerns about Tauriel and her indirect influence over my thinking and the thinking of my daughter and others, amount to little "red flags".  I have been reminded again to be careful to filter all the blatant and subjective messages I am hearing through the Word of God.  I have been reminded again to be careful to conform my thinking to the Word of God, especially because I am sure that most in our culture would think I am "nuts" (maybe you do too).  I still can't wait to see the next Hobbit movie and I still possess a slight glimmer of hope that Tauriel will survive the coming battles.  I have much stronger feelings of hope and thankfulness though as I reflect on the gospel and how Christ "gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age". Galatians 1:4 ESV  Because of Christ I know the truth and am free from the compulsion to fight like a man.

Tauriel

Confession: Since The Hobbit DOS came out in December 2013, I have found myself jealous, at times, of a fictional character. Tauriel is a beautiful, empathetic and formidable warrior who is able to destroy dozens of evil orcs with her well-aimed arrows and her staggering hand-to-hand combat skills often destroying them with one fell blow of her arrow-endowed fist. It is easy to look at this elvish heroine and say, “Wow!” I get it.

But imagine my befuddlement when I hear on numerous occasions and in various ways, Christian brothers pining away for this amazing female warrior. And they were noticing her for her combat skills, not just her beauty and empathy.  I found myself pondering the question, “Are Christian guys really attracted to beautiful women who will protect them and can also kick their butts?”  Is THIS what Christian guys are really desiring… the beautiful, female version of “Hawkeye” (Avengers) combined with “Jason Bourne”?  And this from guys who think it is bad and wrong for women to be in combat in the military? (So do I, by the way, but I’ve digressed)  I thought Christian guys wanted to be the protectors and defenders of the “weaker vessel”?  I thought Christian guys were looking for wives that are Christian, pretty, smart, soft and who are eager to respect and please their own husbands as unto the Lord?  I do admit that at this point the thought crossed my mind of signing up for Krav Maga classes and finally getting my concealed carry permit, (and I still might do it so watch out), but in the mean time, what should I do with this confusing message from my brothers in Christ?

Well, as I was beginning to feel regret for not investing my time and effort into being the female version of Chuck Norris, Evangeline Lilly and Mother Teresa all rolled up into one, I remembered that in Christ, through Christ and by His Spirit, I AM a warrior princess!  I do battle regularly and fiercely against the spiritual evil hordes that seek to destroy my walk with the Lord, the lives of my children, the lives of others and even my own life.  Outwardly, I know I am “soft” and would get creamed by an orc or goblin attacking me with their swords, but because of God’s help and strength I have gone toe-to-toe with fierce spiritual enemies and prevailed.  Through prayer and the Word of God, the Lord has helped me to vanquish enemies and destroy strongholds.  Through the truth of the gospel, the Lord has used me to help rescue those held captive by the enemy and his lies. It is not that there have been no wounds or moments of desperation in these battles, because there have been.  But the Lord heals me and the Lord defends me.  So while Tauriel has the help of the Valar as she deals with evil, I have the help and power of the God of the universe with me and “Greater is He that is in me than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4).

Because of Christ I do love, care and empathize for those around me like Tauriel.  I am not as beautiful as she is, but I am loved perfectly anyway by my God and I am seeking to have “the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” (I Peter 3:4). And because of Christ I am strong and gaining more skill in waging defensive warfare against the evil spiritual forces of wickedness around me. (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Besides the rest of the armor of God, I have the shield of faith to extinguish the darts of the enemy, the sword of the Spirit to strike careful blows of truth and even a couple “arrows in my quiver” (aka: my two Christian kids) who are able to do battle with me as the same God is in them too. (Psalm 127:4-5)

It is no secret that I would not mind if the Lord adds to my mission parameters here on earth and lets me wage warfare alongside a godly husband whom I will love, respect, follow and help, however, until that time (and even after that) I have been commissioned and am in the ranks of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings!  I hope that I will learn to resemble well the type of fellow spiritual warrior that my Christian brothers desire as companions and even hope someday I can be a spiritual equivalent of the fictional Tauriel, for God’s glory.  In the meantime, hopefully there will be no more jealousy of fictional characters by me as I have repented of this sin.

P.S. – Sisters in Christ, we need to be careful that we don’t do the same thing to our brothers. Yes, we desire to be with a man who will lead, comfort, provide, defend and make us feel safe, but, like us, he can only fulfill his role by the power of the Spirit.  So, let’s be careful about desiring a “Man of Steel/Mr. Darcy/Sherlock Holmes/Captain America/Mr. Knightley” all rolled up into one, and keep our eyes open for the men of God who know how to serve and love like Christ and fight well for our King of Kings.