Stomping on Jesus
A professor at Florida Atlantic University asked students to write the name 'Jesus' on a piece of paper, place the paper on the floor, and then stomp on it. While most blindly complied, some refused to do so, and one student even went to school administrators to complain.
Ryan Rotela, a junior at FAU who was enrolled at the class, told local media that he went to school officials to protest the assignment. "Anytime you stomp on something it shows that you believe that something has no value … So if you were to stomp on the word Jesus, it says that the word has no value."
Initially, FAU defended the assignment and the curriculum from which it was derived. They have since recanted and apologized. "This exercise will not be used again. The University holds dear its core values. We sincerely apologize for any offense this caused," said Florida Atlantic University, a multi-campus institution, in a prepared statement posted on its website.
The story made quite a splash on both news and social media outlets, with many decrying it as yet "another example of secularist anti-Christian sentiment."
While this news story shocks and offends all who hold the name of Jesus dear (and even many who don't), I've got more news for you. You effectively "stomp" on the name of Jesus each and every time you fail to honor Him, whether that be in attitude, action, or principal. Before you call for sanctions against the professor or the school administrators, ask yourself, "How have I stomped on Jesus today?"
"How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29) .
Man Arrested for 'Blasphemous' Outburst That Santa's Not Real
Canadians best not blaspheme the hallowed name of Santa:
In Kingston, it’s not the Grinch but a 24-year-old man who police say stole Christmas.
As Christmas-themed floats slowly rolled down Princess St. during Kingston’s annual 2012 Santa Claus parade, an intoxicated man shouted blasphemous lies to shock children: Santa doesn’t exist.
The man, whose gelled hair “looked like a set of devil horns protruding from his head,” was reported to Kingston police, Const. Steve Koopman said.
Police arrested a 24-year-old man around 6 p.m.
“It was pretty despicable that someone, during this time of the year, would tell kids Santa isn’t real — which of course we would argue,” Koopman said.
So let me get this straight, in Canada it's a "despicable," arrest worthy offense, and blasphemous no less, to declare that the fictional Santa Claus is not real, while in the US it is increasingly found to be illegal to display on public property a manger scene declaring the historical reality of the birth of Jesus.*
Our world is indeed upside down. What is fictional is lauded and protected, while what is real is derided and condemned.
Although we don't condone a crazy man disrupting a family friendly Christmas parade, the Kingston constable has it all wrong. What is truly "despicable" is that "someone, during this time of the year, would tell kids Jesus isn’t real — which of course we would argue."
"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie …" (Romans 1:25).
*Follow this link to see the most recent battle (in CA) over a nativity display.
Paying It Forward: Rote or Real?
Florida Man Deliberately Scuttles Another 'Pay It Forward' Starbucks Line
How it started:
A nice man, we'll call him John, loved the simple joy of giving. He was well-known in his community for his acts of kindness, always looking for ways to brighten someone's day. One morning, inspired by stories he'd heard, John decided to start a "pay it forward" chain at his local Starbucks Coffee Shop. He paid for his coffee and for the order of the person in line behind him, leaving the cashier with a smile and instructions to keep the chain going.
For hours, the chain continued, each person "seemingly" touched by the gesture, deciding to pass on the kindness.
How it ended, according to ABC News:
A Florida man put an end to another “pay it forward” streak at a local Starbucks because he said he thinks people were participating out of “guilt,” not “generosity.”
Peter Schorsch, a blogger, drove to the Starbucks drive-thru in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Thursday after hearing about the pay it forward phenomenon there that ended with customer No. 458, a woman, the day before. After he ordered two Venti Mocha Frappuccinos, the barista told him his first drink had been paid for by the previous customer and asked if he would like to pay for the next customer.
“I told him no,” Schorsch, of St. Petersburg, told ABC News. “When the barista asks you to pay it forward, it is no longer spontaneous.”
“I’m really not trying to be a Grinch,” Schorsch said. “I know things are hard for baristas and I am willing to help people.”
“I just don’t want to be forced into doing something." ...
When baristas ask customers to pay for the next customer, some patrons simply oblige out of guilt, not generosity, he said.
But before you go thinking all generosity was lost, story ends on a good note ...
Though Schorsch didn't pay for the next customer at the drive-thru, he said he tipped the barista $100.
This story serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of keeping our first love of kindness and generosity alive, not just in actions, but in spirit.
In the early days of following Jesus, our acts of kindness are often driven by a heartfelt response to the love we've experienced in Christ. Over time, however, it's easy for our actions to become mechanical, a matter of rote obligation or compulsion rather than a reflection of a deeply felt love and generosity.
Just as John initiated the pay-it-forward chain out of a genuine desire to spread kindness, we are called to ensure that our acts of love, service, and generosity stem from a place of genuine care and compassion. When we act out of obligation or for recognition, we lose the essence of what it means to love as Jesus loved.
The call to not lose our first love is a call to remember why we started in the first place. It's an invitation to revisit the heart of our actions, ensuring they are rooted in genuine love and not merely in habit or expectation.
Whether it's in acts of kindness, our service to others, or our relationship with God, let's commit to keeping our hearts engaged, our motives pure, and our love fresh.
In doing so, we not only enrich our own lives, but also truly reflect the heart of Christ to the world around us. Let's not let our love become rote; instead, let's ensure it remains vibrant, heartfelt, and deeply rooted in the love we first received.
"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first" (Revelation 2:4, ESV).
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (NIV).