Boundaries… The Danger Of Saying “Whatevs

Boundaries are stinkin’ tough.  If you are anything like me, you don’t like to hurt people’s feelings.  If you are a lot like me, you hurt peeps’ feelings a lot with your honesty.  Usually by the time a boundary line has been crossed multiple times, your head is about to spin in a billion directions.  This topic came to mind as my family had to make some hard decisions regarding boundaries with family members.  Boundaries are tough for a Christian.  We think that turning the other cheek works in all situations and to be like Jesus, we should be kind always.   Now don’t get me wrong… this is true, but please remember one thing…  

Jesus warned friends harshly of the ripple effect of their actions. 

“You’d be better off to have not been born” is pretty clear to this BB (Matthew 26:24).

And Jesus cursed trees (Mark 11:14).

AND Jesus flipped tables (Mark 11:15).

This is where we make our mistake… Jesus was NOT always sunshine and roses.  He was without sin, but NOT without righteousness and the emotion that couples it.

Here’s the deal, BBs, we think because God is love and Jesus said that the greatest of these is love and so on and so on that love and kindness looks like a Sound of Music  or Brady Bunch scene.  BBs, is love not disciplining your child for a lie?  Is love not calling your husband out for stepping one foot towards a temptation that could destroy your marriage?  Is love not calling out a friend that speaks out of line towards another?  Is love not setting a boundary? 

Jesus set boundaries all of the time.

“Let the children come to me” was a boundary.  He rebuked the disciples’ actions (Matthew 19:13). 

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” was a boundary.  He challenged the ones that were calling themselves righteous (John 8:7).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” was a boundary.  He set this boundary for false teachings and non-believers (John 8:58).  And they picked up stones.  And he hid.

He knew the danger of boundaries.  He hid, BBs.  He knew.  And he still knows today how hard it is to stand up for what it right.

The story gets complicated for a BB when we see the patterns of unhealthy.  BBs, we must be careful with creating a healthy "family" around us.  We can’t create perfection... which is what I expect of course... but we must set boundaries in a world that has learned to hide behind sugar-coated niceties and passive aggressive behavior… all of which is then given a facebook façade of perfection. 

I’m gonna get FO REALZ with ya now… this shapoopy has gotta GO.  All a lack of boundaries gives a BB is a petri dish of yuckers.  All saying “whatevs” does is sweep the yuckers under the rug. 

Here me once and for all, BBs…

Boundaries are OK! 

Now when setting these puppies up, we hafta go to God’s word.  AND we have to use the peeps in our lives on whom God threw discernment.  AND if a boundary is thrown up on us, we have to respect it and pray about it and trust that God will use it to His glory!  This is tough boundary business, but is it even more important today than it was thousands of years ago.  This world is a nasty place, and we all need to be kept in check from time to time!

We, believers, are living out His Kingdom right here on earth, so shake off the yuckers!  BBs, I challenge you to pray and get in tune with Jesus and his love and be strong in His love… then go flip a table or curse a tree if ya need to!  

Unveiled

So BB’s, we are in the middle of Holy Week!  Last night thousands of years ago, the Son of Man sat in an upper room and invited his friends to his table.  And let’s be real… these friends weren’t the cream of the crop.  They were true BB’s to the core.  Broken and messed up.  It was like the island of misfit toys up there.

They left everything to follow him. 

Some were hated.

One talked too much.

One questioned everything.

Some fought too much.

They bickered and were jealous of each other.

They vied for his attention.

They would fall asleep when he needed them most.

One would even betray him and have him killed.

But here’s the deal BB’s… he STILL invited them to the table.  He invited them to the most intimate dinner.  He knew their faults, yet he still washed their feet.  He was still a servant until the end.  He was still humble.  He adored them. 

Today he would have been turned over for crucifixion.  It’s Good Friday.  He was beaten.  He was tortured.  He was mocked.  And then he was beaten some more.  A crown of thorns was shoved on his head and his frail body was hung on a cross.  And in the evening when he breathes his last breathe, something happens. 

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”  And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”  Mark 15:33-39

Do y’all catch that, BB’s?  When Jesus uttered his last cry, the curtain was torn.  The veil was lifted. 

Do you know what this means?  Your Savior beautifully broke down the wall between you and your almighty Creator.  Grace was extended to you.  You at your very worst are still loved SO much that God sacrificed his only son for YOU!

You have a place at His table.  Right now.  No matter what you have been through or how bad you think you are or how far away you think He is, you are invited to rest in His presence. 

You are invited to sit.  To rest.  To eat.  To drink.  To remember. 

And Sunday, BB’s, we celebrate!!