Towards a More Perfect Union: Still Rethinking Black Love

"You are a beautiful as Tirzah my darling,
as lovely as Jerusalem,
as majestic as troops with banners.
Turn your eyes from me;
they overwhelm me"~
Song of Solomon 6:4-5(Songs) TNIV

I have no clue as to what it is about the weather turning nice that is so toxic to Black relationships. Perhaps it is the alluring effect of the summer wind blowing freely that touches our primal side making us want to run wild and act like beasts in heat. Or maybe it's the plethora of half dressed chicks and men in body shirts that leave nothing to the imagination and get the blood flowing. What is it that makes us want to drop our "Winter Mami/Papi" and go play for the summer like a fall TV show on hiatus? Perhaps mofo's are tired of being cooped up; just like the old settlers they can finally leave their log cabin of after a long winter of relationships. When the snow melts and they get that desire to go out and explore the world (simple translation: they just tired of you).

I confess I don't have answers to these queries. I guess I am raising them in my never ending (self) dialog on Black love; I am also moved by a number of my friends who seem to be going through these motions at the moment. A few of my guys are ready to dump their girls, several of homie girls are ready to sign them papers, if they haven't out right signed them. It's maddening, especially when I've become the de facto relationship advice go to guy.

*pause*
I would be remiss and intellectually dishonest if I didn't point out that my last few runs crashed and burned and thus I am at a lost as to why they would come to me for help. I reckon I'm good at saving other folks stuff but not myself; or maybe even better I didn't (at the time) have the full set of necessary skills to save/fix/work through my dynamics.
*play*

I have explored Black love a few times in this space among various concepts: political, motivational, and the bluntly crude. However, I have never explored Black Love from a spiritual stand point. I will attempt to do that now.

As I grow in my spiritual walk, I am learning to put God and his righteous laws first; it does not matter what the area is, I need to make sure I use biblical application and spiritual discernment. The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work (NWT). Thus, using the Scriptures, I decided to find a concise definition of love to frame my argument and naturally that lead me to the definition of love that is outlined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Here the Apostle Paul is very clear in what makes up the emotions and actions of love: patience, kindness, rejoices in the truth, always protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering; at the same time he is very clear on what emotions and actions are NOT a part of love: pride, dishonor, self seeking, easily angered, envy, or keeping a record of the evil done. Further in verse eight of the same chapter he reminds us that "love never fails" and in verse thirteen we are told that "the greatest of these (faith, hope and love) is love.

Thus with a firm definition of love in place, the first logical question that Black Love (or those of you bless to be in a relationship based on Black Love) must ask is this: "Does the relationship we have and profess to have operate within the spiritual definition of love? As much as it depends on you (us) are we adhering to the Apostle's wise counsel? Is the dynamic full of trust, kindness, patience, hope, and truth (just to name a few) or is it full of the opposite: anger, selfishness, envy, pettiness, and dishonor? Black Love is like a flower seeking to bloom, and it will thrive off of the former, but will surely die off the latter. If your dynamic does not have the qualities of true love what can be done to infuse or inculcate them into your dynamic? Answering this essential question can be a major help in deciding if what you have is worth saving or fighting for.

Now that we have a spiritual definition of love to use, and we have spiritual examples of how love feels and acts, the next logical step in this formula is understand how our overall thinking effects how we operate with in Black Love. In doing this there are two things that immediately come to mind: what thoughts occupy our mental space and what words come out of our mouth.

In dealing with what occupy our thoughts the most important question to ask is "Are my thoughts where they need to be?" or "Am I thinking about another when I should be thinking about he or she?" It's damn near impossible to have productive Black love if your time is engaging in thoughts of another. I am reminded of the wise counsel our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, offers at Matthew 5:28. Jesus says here: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart" While Jesus uses a married man's thought as an example his message here is clear: "You think it, you've done it." He didn't mince words or play around in hyperbole. Honestly, and I've been on both sides of this coin, how long do you think one can harbor all kinds of inappropriate thoughts before it effects their relationship. Jesus here wanted us to truly understand the wisdom found at Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (KJV)" You can not continue to eat and drink the images, affections and thoughts of another and still keep your mind and spirit with the person you have offered a commitment too. It is only a matter of time before, as Jesus so wonderfully put it, that you are faced with the realization that "no man can serve two masters (Luke 16:13 TNIV)."

Please don't think I am acting holier than thou. That is not my intent. I will state it again for the record: I know this to be true not only because the Bible tells me it is true, but because I have been on both sides of this coin. Believe me when I tell you I know firsthand that as long as you harbor these thoughts, you will try to serve two masters; most importantly it will be only a matter of time before you are confronted in the reality about those naughty desires laid out in James 1:15 "after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." Like the above counsel on adultery, we can apply this to relationships: death in this context is the death our our relationship (and honestly our spiritual well being).

In speaking on the book James, he has offers sound advice for part two of our thought equation. Here James exhorts us to mind our tongue. James advises us to be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires" (James 1:19-20 TNIV). With this scripture in mind, is our (yours or mine) version of Black Love filled with all kinds of language and words that bring forth anger and wrath? Do the words we speak reflect love or are there nothing but hurt feelings, pain and suffering. Is the dynamic one of "you so and so" today then tomorrow "I love you? " Such behaviors can not feed love. Words hurt. Words remain. Words once spoken can never be taken back. I would argue most of the demise starts here: a painful word, leads to a wandering mind and then the definition and framework of love gets ignored or removed. Real talk we need to watch what we say; "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" is written in the bible for a reason. Honestly, if we can't watch what we say to our loved ones, which is really easy and simple, then we can't be expected to, and will not do, the really hard things.

The last thing that should be a staple of Black love, using the spiritual paradigm, is regardless if we actually "see" it or not it (Black Love) should be felt, it should be obvious from the things around us, in the same essence that the Creator's (who is forever praised Amen) love engulfs us. I am reminded of the words Paul writes in Romans 1:19-20 where he speaks about how although we have never "seen" God, his invisible qualities "have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made." In essence Paul is saying even though you can't touch it, you know its there from the things you see around you, from the presence it has on your life and how it makes you feel. Should not Black Love be the same thing? If you and your mate don't say a word all afternoon, shouldn't you be able to sit under that person and feel their warmth and love? If you and that person just wake up in the morning and share a glance, should the love not be evident? Even though you can't see a thing doesn't mean you can't see a thing ya know? Does the love you have subscribe to this scriptural message or do you have to struggle to find the energy, find the reason, find something to even apply the above principles, let alone live within the definition outlined in 1 Corinthians. If not then you really need to sit down, take this matter to God in prayer and see if your dynamic can be should saved.

I think I'm stop here. I don't want the blog to be overly preachy. I mean I could talk about the advise Solomon offers in Ecclesiastes or how couples should treat each other in Ephesians but I won't. I will offer and suggest you read those scriptures for yourself to get some understanding in how Black love can truly be saved and not be given just another quick fix transfusion. Like all other areas in our life, if we don't take Black Love to its spiritual and scriptural essence it will die.

I am sure some of you all who are reading this will probably dismiss it as another one of TLT rants or even hide behind the wonderfully flawed post modern notion of "you're single till you're married (I stole this from someone)" or as a frat brother of mine used to say "job applications don't ask if you have a girl. They asked are you married." I implore to rethink this foolishness. Such a position is dangerously post mod and logically unsound. Let me correct a fallacy right here and now: "practice doesn't make perfect." What makes perfect is "Perfect practice" The bad habits and erroneous thinking you have now you will take into your relationship and one day into your marriage and it WILL KILL IT. DEAD.

Before I end this, I want to encourage you all to read Solomon's "Song of Songs." While thinking about my aforementioned friends and their relationship woes, I feel asleep listening to the version recorded on "The Bible Experience" and I can tell you that was Black Love at its finest. I suggest finding "The Bible Experience" or reading the "Song of Songs (TNIV version is the best)" to really see what it means to have a spiritualyl productive love. It motivated me to write a blog.

What will in motivate you to do?

In Truth and Transparency,

Straight, No Chaser
TLT
5/12/2010
8:51PM

Consecration Camp

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."~Ephesians 6:11 (TNIV)

"This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."
~ John 17:3 (NWT)

As I grow in my current spiritual walk (or MORE accurately the current trip around my mountain) there are two ideas that often occupy my space, one from the secular and the other from the spiritual, though both are interchangeable. First, in Philippians 3:14, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to "press towards the mark of the high calling." While Paul was speaking in a spiritual context, it can and should be applied to everyday living; in all we do we need to strive to the be the best. Just because nobody is perfect that is a horrible reason not to move towards perfection. The second is the often quoted (and abused) passage from The Art of War where the great general Sun Tzu advised us to "know ourselves and our enemies." Obviously, we can flip this to apply to our daily struggle with those things that seek to devour us on a spiritual level. I mean how can we resist and combat the devil if we don't know what he's capable or more importantly what WE are capable of doing. Sure, we can do all things through with faith and proper application, but still it's always good to know what your baseline skill set is.

*pause*
Please don't nobody tell me that as a Christian I ain't supposed to "study war no more." Our faith is adorned with the language of war i.e. "complete suit of armor (more on that later)", battling with principalities, and of course erry negro church in north America uses some variation of "onward Christan soldiers" or "Soldiers for Christ". Thanks!
*play*

With this as a backdrop, I recently participated in my new church home's "spring cleaning", a consecration and fast designed to clean out the mental, emotional, physical and most importantly spiritual garbage/junk that had accumulated in our space. As you can see I used both the terms garbage and junk because as we all know not everything we keep past the due date is inherently bad, yet keeping these things can cause just as much problems as actual garbage in terms of holding on to something for far too long. Like the proverbial spring cleaning everybody goes through we were tasked with getting rid of that stuff that has accumulated and stayed (good or bad) past its due date. We were challenged to adhere to a liquid diet the first three days, a meatless diet for two weeks, a fruits and vegetable diet for one week and finally a liquid diet for the final week. In addition we were supposed to clean up our physical space and our spiritual, mental, and emotional space via prayer and supplication. I confess I struggled with the actual physical cleaning aspects, so I won't go into that here, what I will discuss is what I learned on other levels during my time in Consecration Camp.

First, and I learned this about two weeks in is that fast and consecration is a private matter between you and God. In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus tells us to not behave as the "hypocrites do" twisting our faces and in essence announcing it to the world. He tells us to put our best face forward, as our Heavenly Father will reward our humility and does not dig anybody's grandiosity.

Second, I learned that this really is a battle between the flesh and spirit. I've heard old religious folks say this for a coons age, but it wasn't until this recent exercise that I understood it. I didn't pick this up until the start of week three, but still it was an important lesson to gather. I mean the first two weeks were murder on me; I didn't even want to cook for my heirs. The smell and touch of meat drove me insane. I practically hid from, ran from, and was angry toward, any and all discussions about meat. I often just rolled into a ball moaning for the Lord to protect me. I realize now this is both impractical and unrealistic as it shows I didn't understand the power of prayer (or His word for that matter) and it shows I didn't have any faith. Contrary to what many Christians think, running scared from a problem isn't a demonstration of faith, it's cowardice and God, whether we want to hear it or not, hates a coward. During those moments where I was around flesh I should have prayed, meditated, asked for strength then went into my Word. This not only applies to cooking meat while fasting, but really any situation that runs counter to the will of the Creator (who is forever praised AMEN). This does not mean I should go out and find all sorts of situations to get myself into and then cry for him to help me; such a mentality is not biblical, but at the same time knowing he won't tempt me anymore than I can't bear (esp. since he doesn't temp us with evil at all), I can rest assured that when faced with these or any future crisis's that faith, prayer, and the Word will get me through or at the very least make his power perfect in my weakness.

The third lesson I learned was fellowship was extremely important. Surrounding yourself with people who share(d) your goals, spirituality, and faith (or at the very least didn't try to oppose you) makes consecration that much easier. With this cleanse I had the total support of not only my church, but it also my Baby Mama (who supported and participated with me). I didn't' surround myself with folks who were against my journey, made fun of my trying to get closer to God, or even actively oppose me. One of my favorite scriptures reads: "Do not be mislead. Bad association spoils useful habits." (1 Cor 15:33 NWT) I am thankful to God for the wonderful, new support (old support in Baby Mama) in my life now.

The fourth was a new, accurate, assessment of weakness. *smile* I won't get into that here, I mean I love yall, but sharing my weakness in this blog is a bit much. I will simply say if I don't get a handle on these thorns in my flesh then it will cost my spiritual life. Trust me when I say I am praying often (trying to make it daily) to help me get a handle on that which makes me weak. With the truth in knowing myself, I can win victories and press towards the mark of the high calling.

In the book of Ephesians (6:11-18) the Apostle Paul instructs us to "put on the full armor of God": the belt (loin gird) of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With this armor I am ready (or at least should be) for/to combat the machinations of the devil, whether I bring it on myself due to lack of discernment or the daily testing he gives us. When I decided to go back to God,seriously and with zeal, I automatically gained two pieces of this armor: the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. Granted they needed a bit of polish and strengthening but still I got these first. The rest of the suit, however, had to be gained through consecration, and will be strength-ed through prayer, supplication and being a disciple of Jesus.

I mentioned in my last blog, my feet can not walk the path of anger, they have to walk in peace. I can't shake my fist at what I perceive to be past injustices(or real injustices), hold on to the bitterness, and claim to walk in peace. By the same token, I have to even let go of those good times; as those memories only serve to hold space in my heart and prevent God from sending me that woman who will love me deeply, honestly, and properly. This also applies not just to things of my recent past, but things in my deep past. Those memories, good and bad serve to undermine my peace; either I am lament lost or daydreaming about good times long gone. I can't have that any further.

In gaining the belt, or loin gird of truth, I accept the truth about my weaknesses. It is important that I respond accordingly. Sun Tzu said it better than Paul on this subject "if you know yourself and your enemy you won't lose in a hundred battles." Now that I concisely know what my thorns are, I need to seek Holy Spirit in developing a plan of action and do, as much as it depends on me, my best to stay out of those situations. The truth will set us free, it will also protect our most vulnerable points if we allow it.

My path, my acquiring accurate knowledge, walking in faith and following Jesus are all within God's will and thus I gained the breastplate of righteousness. In essence my path is righteous, even if I am not always such. The breastplate will keep my heart pure and just and ensure I stay righteous. Like the helmet which guards my mind, the breast plate will cover the other aspects of my emotions, namely my heart.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly is I truly learned (or am learning) how to use the only offensive weapon in my arsenal: The Word of God. It is a real military truism that no matter how sound a defense is, it will falter under a constant barrage of an enemy attack. The best defense is a strong offense and real talk you don't get better than the Word of God. I learned during this past month that reading, studying and drawing on the Word is essential. On days I did well I was in the word, either reading it or listening to The Bible Experience. On days I struggled, I neither listened to, read, nor picked up my word. Without my sword, I am finished. It is essential I kept it close to me. All the other parts of the armor won't do me good with out my Sword in which to fight off my enemy.

The past thirty days have helped me draw closer to God, understand my potential and get answers and clarity, even more so than when I use my physical intellectual mind.

Now if I could only discern what my Father wants me to do with this nagging desire to go to Seminary.

In Truth and Transparency,

Straight, No Chaser
TLT
5-10-2010
11:04am