Why My Profile Picture Doesn't Support Paris

I support child abuse.

That's what one of my facebook friends told me. A few years ago, I noticed several people changing their profile pictures into cartoon characters. When I asked someone why, they indicated it was to show support against child abuse. When I said "no thanks", I was berated.

Clearly, no reasonable person supports child abuse. But, how does changing my profile picture help? If I wanted to fight child abuse, perhaps I would volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Or I could become a foster parent. Or I could do a thousand other things more effective than changing my profile picture.

Which brings me to the subject of the attacks in Paris.

Do I have a problem with changing your profile picture? Absolutely not. But how many people have prayed for Paris? How many have prayed for the boldness of Christians who have an important opportunity to share the message of hope and salvation with the hurting? How many continue to lift up the families still dealing with the loss of their loved ones? As many turn their attention towards which politicians to blame, I remind myself to keep praying. 

"...don't be a hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts..." James 1:25

Changing my profile picture is easy. Changing my actions and changing my prayers demonstrates my resolve. So if you changed your profile picture in support of Parisians, I applaud your awareness of a French situation that affects all of us globally.

Now I ask, what more could you and I do?

God Has No Mute Button

Don't pretend you haven't done it. 

Everyone has pointed their TV remote at a talkative sibling or child, only to be disappointed when the mute button has no effect.

And while we may wish we could mute people, God's immutability is a great big blessing we need to understand as believers.

"I the Lord do not change..." Malachi 3:6

God's immutability is not a speech issue, but a character issue.

• God is loving. 
• God is just. 
• God is good. 

These are attributes of God and they cannot be "muted".

You and I on the other hand, are highly mutable. We can be silenced when we should be bold. We can be unforgiving when we should show compassion. Our great sin in these moments is failing to display the character of God in our lives. 

Peter said we are to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Part of God's holiness comes from the fact that He never raises the bar after we have already made the leap. God's standards are sure because they are established by his unchanging character.

So praise God for His unchangeable nature! Though He would be completely justified to remove my salvation and remand me to Hell, He will keep His promise to every believer simply because that's who He is.  

Does God Change His Mind?

Just pick chocolate and move on!

I've never understood the problem people face in picking out an ice cream flavor. The approved flavors are:

• Chocolate
• Chocolate Chunk
• Triple Stripe Chocolate Fudge

But my youngest daughter often insists on being overwhelmed by the flavors at the ice cream shop. I guess she enjoys variety. I enjoy not being disappointed by picking a non-chocolate option. (I'm looking at you Pina Colada!!!!) 

But what about God? Does He ever struggle over a decision? Does He ever suddenly change His mind? 

Here is my "go-to" passage on this subject.

And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me?...I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they." Numbers 14:11-12

The people of Israel chose to disobey God numerous times. In this passage, God pledges to kill Israel and start over with Moses. But Moses shows great concern for the name of God, and for the people. He asks God to forgive Israel, and God declares that Israel will be spared. 

So did God change His mind? Well certainly God was willing to take this action, but He knew it wouldn't be necessary. Up until this point, Moses always looked at Israel as "God's people". Now that their existence is threatened, Moses finally throws his lot in with the people. Moses finally stopped seeing himself as separate from the people he was leading.

God has no need to change His mind. His purpose is to change ours. God exists outside of time, seeing past, present, and future all at once. A God who knows all, has no need to change His mind. But for His children who know considerably less, we are constantly in need of course correction.