Ric Flair Faith

"I'm Ric Flair! The Stylin', Profilin', Limousine Riding, Jet Flying, Kiss-Stealing, Wheeling n' Dealing, Son-of-a-Gun!"

                                                                 ~ The Nature Boy, Ric Flair

Without question, Ric Flair is the greatest professional wrestler to have ever competed in the squared circle.
Among his accomplishments is nearly every major title in the National Wrestling Alliance of yesteryear, spanning two promotions - Jim Crockett Promotions and what would be known as World Championship Wrestling.

His longevity is unmatched, as is the 'stables' in which he took part; in particular, as the
cornerstone of the Four Horsemen - who were the best wrestlers of their era.
In all, spanning every major promotion in the modern era, Ric Flair has held at least 20 World Heavyweight Championships.

The image portrayed by Ric Flair, or character as some would say, is that of a playboy who blazes into one city, wrestles for 60 minutes, gives the crowd their money's worth and then leaves the arena with the prettiest women he could find.
Flair has indeed promoted himself as a cut above the rest, and then proved it - always snubbing those who were 'below' him in physique or performance.

It makes for a great story line with a hated bad guy in a black hat.

Now, as interesting as my musings about professional wrestling may be, it dawned on me while reading one evening that many Christians want what I call a 'Ric Flair Faith.'
Too many want to be of the 'upper crust' of religion, rather than mixing with the down and outs who just need to see a physical hand and heart from God.
As tempting as it may be to be known as the pinnacle of faith, the reality is that we need more men and women who will shun such accolades in favor of elevating a hurting soul.

In other words, in the Body of Christ, we don't need more Ric Flair types to perform in front of the masses; instead, we need more people who have set up the ring, checked the sound, erected the chairs and will clean up the arena long after the show has left town.
We need more servants, not people seeking to be served.

Let me ask you this - Do you tend to think you are where you are because of all your hard work? Well, if you were born in a third world country this morning, you might just have a different view about that work you do.

Does birth condemn some to poverty and others to wealth?
Is it because the universe is unfair or is it because God is arbitrary in whom He blesses?

I can tell you this about these questions - the poor and suffering have little time or energy to ponder this about in their minds.
Instead, they're too busy trying to earn a living and survive.

When it comes to faith, with poor Christians regardless of where they are in the world, religion isn't a 'crutch' as many intellectuals claim; it is an inspiration because they believe by faith and understand in faith as well.
And in the end, Jesus has convinced all who care to learn that God knows all there is to know about suffering - for He too suffered in greater ways than many of us will ever know.

For years, I have heard Christians say they want God's will; I personally have a hard time believing this because many Christians do not want the suffering that would come along with His will in their lives.

The current generation is caught up in a 'Health and Wealth' Gospel, which is a false doctrine because there is only one Gospel and that's the blood Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This false teaching tells us that God wants us to be happy and wealthy; yet, I've known some Christians who have been poor and suffering, but still had joy unspeakable because of the intimacy of their relationship with the Lord.
When it comes to people in general, I've learned that if you judge them then you don't have any time nor inclination to love them.

And whether it is poverty or illness, when a believer says they want God's will, when you say it - you must ask yourself if you are willing to accept the suffering of Job without explanation.
The truth is...most are not; most cannot. 
We've been trained to seek for explanations rather than to live by faith.

Instead of accepting what was once called 'The Doctrine of Suffering,' we would much rather questions God as to why we don't have a 'Ric Flair Faith.'

You see, we are called to be like Christ as Christians; Jesus' life was a life lived out in rejection, exile and wander.
He experienced pain, scorn, hurt and loneliness; are you willing to do the same?

Jesus didn't have to come here; but He did. 
When we have the true mind of Christ and His Spirit is empowering us, we can overcome pain, suffering and illnesses in life because we are made strong in our strength.

Modern Christians do not realize that we cannot overcome on our own; for, we do not suffer on our own when we suffering in righteousness.
We are given His strength and He suffers with us and allows us to become victorious in Him.
If you are one of those who are willing to suffer for His namesake, I can promise you that He can do more with your faithfulness than you ever could under your own power.

One thing I can promise you - when you suffer, whether it is financially, or with an illness, or however it falls on your life, I can promise you that you will learn a lot about the Lord and a lot about yourself.
You will learn things and have insights that you never would have had, if it had not been for that time of suffering.

Social scientists and politicians have tried to solve the issues of poverty in this country for years.
They have not been able to do so and they never will because in the end all they have is romanticized theories.
The one thing they don't have is actual contact with the poor.

In Scripture, Jesus and the Prophets had great compassion on the poor; Christ loved them.
For any Christian, that should be enough to stand up and do something. 


Shamefully, I once avoided the poor; maybe they made me uncomfortable - I don't know.
But I do know that today, I have to watch myself or I will try to avoid the wealthy.


Maybe that's just the outworking of compassion and grace. But I digress.

The truth is that people aren't categories, they are people. 
Anywhere in the world I have been, I have seen radicals on all sides, but the common people were pretty much the same - skin color, language nor religion matter very much.
People are people and all people still need Jesus.

I guess at the root of this discussion is the temptation every man and woman has to point to another and proclaim that we are better than 'that other person over there....'
It is the same trap the Pharisees fell into in their time; a trap that can kill the sweet spirit of the Body of Christ in a local church.

That mentality, attitude and sin is a condition that Jesus Himself fought against within the hearts of others throughout His entire life.
It is a fight that we should take up together in this age, or by our hardened hearts, it will take us down.
Truthfully, so many in the Body of Christ need a change of hear as much as we need a change of thought.

From my experience those with money, even those who have worked for their wealth, are NOT any happier than those who are poor.
If anything, they are less happy and more miserable.

Jesus Christ once had a 'regular job.'
But the time came and He abandoned it for a life of migrant preaching among young followers; together they became unpopular with the authorities.

Just from that snap-shot, the poor's life resembles Jesus' life; but the wealthy doesn't even come close.
Maybe its because men and women begin to rely on their wealth rather than on God; maybe it leads us to thinking more of ourselves than what is true and abandoning common-sense for a whim or a fancy like a middle-aged man in a convertible chasing after women half his age.
And maybe wealth is so dangerous to most people spiritually that we find in the Gospel the Lord's main message about wealth is to give it to others.

It is not a sin to be wealthy, though many use their wealth for sinful desires.
It is not a sin to be poor, although some use circumstances as an excuse for laziness.
Neither is acceptable in the Body of Christ.

We should neither glorify poverty nor wealth; however, we should glorify God for whatever blessing He has given us in His grace today.

We can talk about helping the poor, we can give money to the poor, we can even do food drives; but a better solution is becoming the person who is willing to help even one poor person, instead of thinking that others will do it for you.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.