Walking the Talk

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean war, a war which began in 1950. The peninsula of Korea had been ruled by Japan since 1910, at the end of WW2, with all the other provisions of the Japanese surrender, Korea was split at the 38th parallel with Russia controlling the northern part of the continent and the US controlling the southern part. There was supposed to be a vote combining the two entities, but it never happened, North Korea became communist, following the pattern of Russia, and South Korea became a republic. Those of us involved in the Korean war conflict, know the desolation of the entire peninsula.

Today, South Korea is one of the most prosperous areas of the world, Seoul, the capital, 12 million population, is the fourth most expensive city in the world. It is a city of skyscrapers, one of the largest Christian churches in the world. My only child, Dr. John Morris, and his family were SBC missionaries there for many years. They talked of the technology and prosperity of the country. One of my employees, stationed with the army there said,”you can hardly tell where one city starts and another begins.” Just across the 38th parallel, North Korea, poverty and desolation. Anywhere in the world that you have Christian influences, you have prosperity. Poverty always tags along with atheism, unbelief (Russia, China, East Germany, Balkins).

Aquino day in the Philippines (August 21st) marks the day that Senator Akino was assassinated in the Philippines, an outstanding Christian, he had opposed the Marcos regime and was forced to retreat to America. The Philippine people finally recognized the corruption of the Marcos's regime, leading to reestablishment of government integrity in the Philippines. His widow was later elected President and now his son is running for President. History is marked by people who refuse to accept the inevitable, the downfall of their government because of corruption.

Often, there is a false dichotomy, scientists believe in fact, the righteous believe in faith, we have been so dumbed down, that we cannot recognize the importance of combining the two. There are many scientists of faith, and many Christians who just want to bask in fact...like talk show hosts who try to talk and giggle at the same time. Like preachers, Osteen-Schuller, who think they can smile and joke their way through the trauma in which the world finds itself. Like the disciple John, we are in the world, but not of the world (John 17:14-16). We must show integrity, righteousness, sensitivity. Talk is cheap among fellow believers, but it is our walk as well as our talk, that influences unbelievers. Like St. Francis of Assisi, “you always preach, and use words if necessary.”

As a university student, it was rewarding to me to know that there are scientists, men of faith, believers. In a world of disbelief, antagonism towards Christians, it was a refreshing stability to see such great professors of science as Dr. J.T. Dobbins, Dr. Claiborne Jones, Dr. Lawrence McCloud (chemistry, zoology, pharmacology) walk into the church on Sunday morning. Some of the world's greatest scientists were believers in God (Galileo, Newton, Copernicus, Descartes, Faraday). The problem always has been to walk the talk, not to compromise, even though you know upfront that it will cost...popularity, friendship, family, promotions.

The thing that I will never understood is why Christian believers do not support one another. Most so love the world and the friendship of the world, don't we know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? (James 4:4) Most young men learn early in life that the meaner the guy, the more the girls love him, the more popular he is. Women love “cute”, mean, sorry men until they marry one. Then, they may wish they had the liked the decent guy, the studious, ambitious guy, the young man who had a Christian testimony, who walked his talk.

The world is so attractive, eating, drinking and making merry. Worldly people are so entertaining, bad language, crude jokes, little modesty. The world's philosophy: “get all you can out of life”, eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die, you are just an accident of nature, “pond scum”, “do others before they do you”. Atheist Carl Sagan, from Cosmos TV fame, said, “this is all there is, there is nothing else,” and for many, they have a certain degree of belief, but stumble before they get to the cross.

You can be sure that you will not be popular in your neighborhood, and even among your relatives, if you are a Christian. Your family loves the hedonistic one, the entertaining one. Study hard, behave yourself, be successful and you will learn how much you are appreciated by those who should appreciate you the most. Your friends, your neighbors, will build themselves up by cutting you down. Have you noticed how their attitude changes when you get a new car, a promotion?

I learned this early, thank God, after returning from the war, in a new, ambitious practice. My cousin, a wonderful school teacher, brought her mother, cousin Bett to me as a patient. I needed their business as well as the business of everyone else! But, after giving cousin Bett a careful examination, I told both that a new prescription would not improve things, I would not even charge for my services, spent much time giving advice, I remember telling her, as many patients, that many chemicals cause toxicity and that using charcoal capsules would rid her system of much toxicity and make her feel better. She, like most patients, just want an expensive magic pill from an expensive pharmacy. But, like most people, they wanted to spend some money...they went directly from my office to another doctor, who gave her pocketbook a good massage, changed nothing. The average patient thinks they have not had treatment unless the doctor writes a new prescription and they spend a large amount of money. They do not appreciate a Christian doctor giving them honest, Christian care and advice.

I have often asked this question: ”if all church members were just like me, what kind of church would my church be?” We could easily ask this question: “if all Christians/citizens, were just like me, what kind of country would my country be?” It is easy to talk patriotism, to find fault with the government, and there is much fault to be found. But, what have you done to improve things? How many letters have you written? Do you just vote party? Do you investigate each candidate? Do you pray before you go into the voting booth? Do you ask God to help you mark your ballot? Do you continue to support politicians from whom you would not buy a used car, a church which has lost it's influence in the community?