July 1, 2023

 

Serve Like Jesus

 

What does the Bible say about serving others? Jesus gave us a perfect example.

 

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” – John 13:1-17

 

True faith translates itself into action.

 

We’re to love God, love others, care for others, and live our lives in such a way that we point others toward Jesus.

 

How does Christian service and community service differ? Both are good things. The difference is that Christian service points others in the direction of Jesus. We are to mirror the life of Jesus and the love of God.

 

Who do we serve? Only Christians? Only those the world deems to be worthy?

 

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” – Matthew 25: 31-44

 

What would happen if we lived our lives as though we truly believed that? How would that change how we live? How would that change the world that lives around us?

 

A generous person will prosper;

whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. -- Proverbs 11:25

 

How many times do we tell ourselves, and others, that we can’t afford to tithe? We can’t afford to give to others? We can’t possibly share a meal or clothing or anything else, especially our time?

 

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done. -- Proverbs 19:17

 

Do you help the poor? Even those you don’t deem worthy? What’s the difference between enabling someone and truly helping them? Maybe it’s buying food instead of giving money.

 

The generous will themselves be blessed,
for they share their food with the poor.

-- Proverbs 22:9

 

Service changes us. It causes us to look beyond ourselves and see others and their needs. I once had someone say that the men’s group would NOT help an elderly widow because she had family that could help her. That family wasn’t helping but she was deemed unworthy because they should have helped her.

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. -- Romans 12:10

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. -- 1 Peter 4:10

 

 

Does everyone have the same gifts? Should everyone serve in the same way? Laurel is a talented photographer so she’s using her gifts. We all have gifts. And we all have a choice to use those gifts in a way that causes others to see Jesus.

 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

-- Galatians 5:13

 

Who wants to be first? Who wants the accolades of being the lead singer in the band or the largest financial donor? Who wants to be sought after and praised?

 

 ³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -- Mark 10:35-45

 

Jesus talked a lot about service. So did the Old Testament.

 

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
² For day after day they seek me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near them.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
    and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.

-- Isaiah 58:1-11

 

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. -- James 2:14-18

 

We’re good at praying, aren’t we? Or, at least, we’re good at telling people we’ll pray for them. What would happen if we actually put hands and feet to that prayer? If our deeds matched our words?

 

Ashley Boggan, the top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History spoke recently to the Council of Bishops. She urged them to become like John Wesley, to be proactive, provocative and prophetic, rather than merely reactive to organizational and ecclesial needs.

 

Wesley wasn’t always at the forefront of change. She noted that he resisted preaching outside of the confines of a church – until he witnessed George Whitefield preaching to thousands in the seaport city of Bristol, England.

 

 

 Whitefield had met the masses where they were. He was reaching those who had been forgotten, discarded, irrelevant. Wesley saw this and changed. Wesley wrote that “at four in the afternoon, I submitted to ‘be more vile’ and proclaim in the highways the glad tidings of salvation.” Boggan also noted that in doing this Wesley directly and openly violated the church law of his day.

 

This isn’t to slam churches or the need for worship. But it’s an acknowledgement that the people we most need to reach today don’t feel that the Christian faith, that Jesus Himself, is relevant today. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because they see so many people proclaiming a faith they do not live.

 

We have a wonderful opportunity to get involved in many, many different ways. There’s a need for substitute teachers in the children’s department and substitute workers in the nursery. Vacation Bible School needs volunteers. The senior ministry needs substitute bus drivers.

 

Our pastor would like to begin a homebound communion ministry. Perhaps it would mean visiting one person or couple each month to give them sacraments that the pastor has already blessed.

 

There’s also a desire to rekindle the nursing home ministry. It would involve a program the first Sunday of each month. We would serve communion, offer a devotional and sing some of the older hymns.

 

The choir needs more people. Always. There’s a need for additional volunteers to package and distribute food every month at the food pantry.

 

I hope everyone will consider how they can intentionally serve others as Jesus did. We are, after all, meant to be His hands and feet.

 

July 4, 2018

Freedom

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1

What weighs you down today? What burdens are you carrying? What sin can’t you get past – either your own or someone else’s? What fear holds you back from God’s calling?

Christ came to set us free. But we have a choice. Do we give it all to Him and walk away from the yoke of slavery? Do we choose to live as free people?

We think of slavery as something horrible that happened back in the 1800s. It was. We think of being bound by drugs or drink or a job. But slavery? Really? In 2018? In the United States?

We consider ourselves to be free people. And, we are. Many have sacrificed their lives to allow us the freedom to bicker and point fingers. Many families have spent way too much time apart so that we could have the freedom to vote – even though most of us don’t. Do we ever consider the cost of our freedom?

Jesus Christ died a horrific death on a cross. He died for you and He died for me. Do you ever consider the cost of your freedom? Do you take it for granted? Can you even grasp the agony? Can you see the nails, the blood? Do you hear the mockers? Can you sense the fear in His followers?

Freedom comes with a cost, whether it is our freedom to live in this wonderful country or the freedom to choose Jesus, to choose forgiveness, to stand before God as blameless.

Jesus didn’t die so that we would remain slaves. He died so we could receive mercy, grace, forgiveness. So why do we wallow in it? Why do we cling to a past we can’t change? Why do we refuse to forgive ourselves and others? Why do we continue to live in bondage?

The world will tell us how we should live. It tells us what our purpose should be. It tells us what to value, what’s important, how to spend our day. The world doesn’t know Christ.

We are foreigners traveling to our forever home. We miss that point sometimes. We’re so busy living our “free” lives that we don’t realize we’re really slaves to a world that isn’t our home. We’ve become so protective of what we think is ours, that we forget we’re only caretakers of God’s possessions for a short time.

We are blessed this Fourth of July. We can watch fireworks and barbeque with friends. We can sleep late and go to the beach or mountains. We can live in relative certainty that we won’t wake up as captives in a foreign land. We are privileged. But are we grateful?

Never forget that we live in a free country because of the soldiers who protect us, fight for us, defend us and, sometimes, die for us. And never forget that Jesus Christ died and rose three days later to free our souls from death and eternal separation from God. On this day of celebration, take a moment to consider all that others have done for us and be grateful.

April 14, 2018

Bickering Destroys Us

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. – Galatians 5:15

A few years ago conversations turned heated in the contemporary worship committee meetings. The argument was always the same: Do we start a second service or continue with just one contemporary service each week.

Those in favor got ugly in their pursuit of being right. They offered up studies and statistics. They vowed to do whatever was necessary, to commit whatever hours were needed, to make it happen.

The other side argued that the church didn’t need a fourth service. The attendance in the one contemporary service didn’t justify adding a second one. We likely wouldn’t increase overall church attendance with the additional service. Oh, and one of the praise bands couldn’t be available at the second service.

The second service was added. Members of the second praise band continued for the first service until the criticism and putdowns got to be too much. They left the church, taking their gifts and talents with them.

Did we add members to the church? No. All we added was discord. Ironically, one of the most vocal proponents of the second service now desperately wants to see it end. He’s decided that the extra work, something he was so glad to do before it began, is just too much. But it’s a lot easier to add a service than to take one away.

One Sunday school class has been around for a long time. It began when its members were young professionals with small children. Now they are elderly retirees, with grandchildren and, in some cases, great grandchildren. They’ve earned the right to get their way on any and all issues. Just ask them.

The thermostat must be set according to their needs. It doesn’t matter that the class next door must literally use blankets in the summer because their classroom is so cold. They aren’t interested in a happy medium where everyone is satisfied. And they’re glad to hatefully tell anyone that.

The other day I was showing someone photos from a wonderful Easter play. She and her husband are new to town and I wanted to encourage her to attend our church. Two women quickly chimed in: At least we got to sing our song. The pastor didn’t want us to do it but we needed the time to get “Jesus” on the cross. It was just such a mess. I don’t know why the pastor was so difficult about it.

Seriously? That conversation should have stayed at the play rehearsal. No one needed to know about the disagreement. And certainly not someone looking for a church home. Is that who we are? Is that what we’ve become? Is it any wonder that people are staying away from churches? Who wants to be a part of that?

God turned that play into something that was powerful and moving, a live illustration of how Jesus suffered and what He did for us. It wasn’t about a song; it was about a Savior. How could they miss that?

We are so intent on getting our own way, on demanding that our voices be heard. All the outside world sees is the ugliness of destruction. We are destroying ourselves with our petty differences and need to be in control. Those who constantly grumble among themselves are destined to ultimately fail.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Fact and Opinion Are Different Things

So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. -- Galatians 5:1

So what is your opinion? Go ahead. Pick out a passage in the Bible and tell me what you think. What? You don’t know about that? Well, maybe you could think of something. And, chances are, it’ll be all about your opinion and not about God.

Oops! That is where we run into so many disagreements and interpretations. Let’s face it. Anybody can take just about anything in the Bible and turn it into something they want it to say. It doesn’t mean that it says that but it sounds good.

It gets down to context and, in some cases, going back to the original Greek and Hebrew texts and trying to figure out what it meant when it was written. Sometimes the only way we can know for sure is to ask God to help us. And He will. He loves when we seek His voice.

The other day the topic of Biblical interpretation came up. It was used in defense of something that just wasn’t true. It’s one of the many reasons I always urge people to read the Bible for themselves. Then you know what it says and you aren’t as likely to be tempted to believe what someone else has decided.

See, it’s not about opinion. There is a huge difference between opinion (and I have a lot of those) and facts. The weather forecasters’ opinion gave us a 60 percent chance of rain today. The fact is that we didn’t get any. There’s a difference.

Many years ago I listened as an uppity Christian woman got put in her place by a woman she looked down on. The woman said in an arrogant tone that the Bible tells us not to drink alcohol. Actually, it doesn’t. The other woman knew the Bible quite well and pointed it out.

Yeah, I know about the Scripture telling us not to lead others into temptation. So if we follow that line of reasoning -- no one should drink alcohol because some people will overindulge -- then we should eliminate desserts and all unhealthy foods from the church potlucks. No? Well, our nation has a huge obesity and diabetes problem so offering unhealthy food items is definitely leading people astray.

There will always be disagreements among Christians. We can’t agree on music style or what to wear or just about anything it seems some days. And that’s okay. So long as we agree on the main things -- think John 3:16 -- everything else is just opinion. Don’t confuse the two. And don’t get so caught up in things that don’t matter, that you let your opinions push people away from Christ rather than draw them closer

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Learn And Grow In Christ

So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. -- Galatians 5:1

Have you ever read the Bible all the way through? I know I’m putting you on the spot. Some of you will answer “yes” without hesitation. But many will squirm and say they’ve read “most of it” through Bible studies and Sunday school. It isn’t the same thing.

We’d all like to believe that Christians always get it right. We should know better because if there’s one thing we can pretty much guarantee it’s that Christians will disagree over just about anything.

It’s not that we plan to get it wrong. It’s just that we always think we’ve got it right and that other Christians have it wrong. Look at the issue of women and their role in the church. That’s certainly a powder keg.

Several years ago I sat in the congregation and listened as a pastor preached on a specific passage of Scripture. As he went on and on, I found myself shaking my head. I began to read the footnotes in my Bible. Yeah. The pastor had it wrong. I’m not sure anyone else in the congregation realized it because, well, he was the pastor and he was supposed to know what the Bible says.

The other day in Sunday school I listened as a visitor told us a few things about the Bible. And he really could quote the Bible. He didn’t understand too much about applying Scripture in our lives -- he seems to believe that if we’re hurt and face failures we aren’t living right -- but he sounded like he knew what he was talking about.

I could understand why those he’s attempted to minister to in an outreach program turn away from him. He means well. He does. But he’s missing something really important. Hope. Grace. Forgiveness. Because trying to understand the Bible without those things just isn’t possible.

The Pharisees were great believers in the Law. They knew the Scriptures. They were the leaders of the church. And then Jesus came along and shattered all their illusions of grandeur. Because it wasn’t about those things at all.

We have the privilege of reading the Bibles for ourselves. And it is a privilege because there are many, many people in the world who don’t have that choice. Jesus died to restore our relationship with God. The curtain is gone and we can go before His mighty throne and bow before Him. We can ask questions and get answers -- from God Almighty.

So don’t trust what everyone else tells you to believe. And don’t think that just because someone disagrees with you, that they’ve got it wrong. Read and learn. Pray and listen. God speaks. Let Him fill you up with Truth.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Follow The Light

The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.

-- Galatians 5:17

Sometimes God calls us to do something we really don’t feel like doing. Or maybe it’s something way out of our comfort level and we let fear hold us back. Or maybe we feel like we lack the money, the time, or the resources to make it happen. Whatever “it” might be.

Because we never know what God will call us to. Most times in my life I just haven’t really seen it coming. I find myself looking up and asking God if He’s sure. I imagine He doesn’t really appreciate the question but I think He probably understands that my doubts lie with me and not Him.

See, God never calls us to do something without providing everything we need. He’ll provide the money, the time, the resources. He’ll even give us courage -- if we only step out in faith. He’ll give us words and knowledge, helpmates and talents we never knew existed.

A man who has been active in prison ministry for more than 10 years admitted recently there are times we he really doesn’t feel like going to the jail. It’s an every Tuesday night event that is both uplifting and draining. Some nights he has no idea what he’ll say when he goes inside. He doesn’t know what to teach. He doesn’t know where to start. Fortunately, God does. He’s learned to get out of the way and let God do things His way. Not surprisingly, God always has a plan and it’s always good.

We are always in a battle with Satan. That sin part of us wants to kick back and let someone else do God’s work. We’re full of excuses. And those excuses sound good too. Satan will tell us anything to keep us from God’s will. Then he will have won the battle. Oh, but Jesus has already won the war.

So shove Satan aside and step up. Focus your eyes on God and step out in faith. Keep heading toward the light and trust God to lead the way. He won’t ever let you down. You’ll be amazed at what can happen when you let faith rule your heart and your actions.

　

Friday, November 18, 2011

Do You Really Believe?

You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. -- Galatians 5:4-5

She was being sincere. Really. She was. We were talking about Jesus and what it means to be a believer. I mentioned that some people believe they’re saved because they go through the motions -- church, etc. -- but never feel it in their hearts. She argued that it didn’t matter if they were good people.

Oh, but it does. At least, it does if you believe the Bible. And I believe the Bible. No one comes to the Father except through the Son. Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected three days later and now sits at the right hand of God. Faith in Jesus and what He did for us is what matters. Everything else flows from that.

What is so very scary to me is that this woman insists she is a Christian. I’m not sure who she’s trying to convince: herself or those around her. I look at her, listen to her, and I know that something is off. Just not quite right in her heart. How can someone have so much disdain for those around her and still claim to have Jesus in her heart? I don’t think they can.

She’s not a bad person. She does good things for people. That’s what sometimes confuses people about faith. They want to believe that salvation comes through good works but the Bible clearly tells us it doesn’t. Good works comes when Jesus lives in your heart. Can someone who isn’t a believer do good things? Absolutely. Can a Christian do bad things? Without a doubt.

But true faith changes something deep inside of us. It makes a person want to do good. It makes us want to see the good around us, want to do something for those in need. It is possible to do good works without faith but I’m not sure it’s possible to have faith and not do good works.

That’s the puzzle of faith that leads many people in a wrong direction. I’ve never really been able to explain to someone what it feels like to be saved. I know. Feelings seem so wishy-washy at times but feeling is a deep, rooted belief that your life and your world have changed forever. And you do change.

The conversation that prompted my discussion with this woman involved the last days of a man we both held dear. He’d lived his life going to church, to Sunday school, to revivals and such. Yet he’d never really believed in that personal way that invites Jesus into ours hearts. He believed with his head -- maybe. Probably more accurately, he just never questioned what he was told. Much like we don’t question the four seasons or that the sun will rise tomorrow.

But as he lay on that hospital bed, facing an uncertain tomorrow, he had time to question and to seek. Fortunately, he also had someone willing to answer his questions and help him to pray for Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.

What about you? Are you still trying to earn salvation? Are you still trying to stay in control and keep Jesus at a distance, all the while claiming his promise? It won’t work you know. Sooner or later you come face to face with the very real truth that this life doesn’t go on forever. There’s one way to eternal salvation. His name is Jesus. The ticket home is free. All that you have to do is believe in Him with all your mind, you heart, your soul and your strength.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Patience Goes With Kindness

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. -- Galatians 5:22a

I am not a patient person. I know that. Pretty much everyone around me knows that. I want to be a patient person. Really. I do. I just get so exasperated. I just wish I could bottle all that energy I spend each day holding my tongue.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to work with young children at church. I surprised myself. I found that when it comes to small kids, I actually can be really patient. They don’t push any buttons, unless you count the “awe” button because they are so cute sometimes.

I wondered what the difference could be. Why am I patient with them and yet so impatient with other people? Do you know what I mean? Are you sometimes really patient with some people and other people just drive you crazy?

I think I’ve finally come to understand the difference for me. Little children are just learning how to do things. They try their best and if they mess up, so what. They’ll try again and again until they get it. The process can be really fun for everyone, especially when you get to participate in building a child’s skill levels and helping with develop self-confidence.

My patience wears thin when adults don’t do what they already know to do. Some of them make the same mistakes again and again. I know it’s difficult. Hey, I make mistakes all the time. But sometimes it’s best to just admit it and move on. Don’t blame it on someone else and don’t keep making excuses.

One of the most humbling and liberating things I have ever come to accept about myself is that I don’t have to know everything or be able to do everything. I can ask for help. I can admit I don’t know. For example, I am horrible at sports. It’s not a matter of practice or willingness or attitude. I simply have almost no coordination. I love watching football and baseball. But I’m not someone who’s going to join in a team sport. And that’s okay.

I hope as I age I’ll be able to admit it when my skills and abilities start to fade. I realize I’ll likely be in a unique position. I don’t have children or a spouse to look after me. I’ll probably be that little old lady who can barely drive her car down the road. So I beg you now to be patient with me. And I ask God to let me be patient with those who are in that position of aloneness now.

Every day I struggle to hold my tongue. Every day I try desperately for a patience I don’t feel. I am reminded that feelings shouldn’t enter into my actions. I should do, or refrain from doing, based on patience and kindness. Older people lose abilities and pride keeps them from admitting it and asking for help. They want to be like they were 20 years ago and they’re not. I can understand that. I want to be like I was 20 years ago too but I’m not. We can’t go back.

Maybe I can pluck the fruit of patience off God’s tree. Maybe I can focus on love and goodness and gentleness. Maybe I can practice self-control and that, in turn, will lead to patience. And kindness. Because sometimes patience really isn’t so much about holding your tongue as it is about being kind. And that is something I can do.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Focus On What Matters

So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. -- Galatians 5:1

We are all free to have our own opinions. We’re fortunate that way. Most of us enjoy expressing those opinions. Some look forward to stirring up a bit of controversy. Others can’t believe anyone would dare to disagree with their “right” way of thinking.

Yet so many times we get in a dither about things that really don’t matter. Seriously. We aren’t arguing issues like John 3:16. Nope we’re arguing about whether to sing a traditional hymn or a contemporary song. We argue about the temperature in the sanctuary. We disagree on the focus of mission work. I could go on and on.

The thing is most of those things folks get so upset about don’t matter. It’s just personal opinion. And everyone is entitled to his own. It doesn’t make someone else’s opinion any less correct. It’s just part of that unique difference between all of us.

The problem comes when all those petty squabbles take away from the message of Jesus Christ. We spend so much time focusing on things that don’t matter that we neglect those things that do. And, worse, others see our disagreements and use it as an excuse to pull away from the Church or not even hear its message the first time.

Oswald Chambers warns against being impatient with others, suggesting instead that we deal with others with the patience and gentleness God has shown us. Never back away from the core issues of the Bible. But remember “Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples,’ not ‘make converts to your opinions.’”

So, go ahead and exercise your freedom to have opinions all your own. Just allow others the same freedom as you.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Let Christ Free You

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

-- Galatians 5:1

Charlie Sheen is back in rehab. You know who I'm talking about. He's Hollywood's bad boy. The highest paid television actor right now. The man with the boyish smile who is forever making headlines with his medical and legal issues. He's got it all. Money, fame, beautiful women. Have you ever seen anyone who is unhappier?

That's became money and fame and other people can never fill that hole inside of us. That hole was meant to be filled by Jesus and only He can fill it. No matter how hard we might try, we'll never have enough money or enough popularity or enough drugs or anything else to fill that hole. Some folks die before they ever figure that out.

We want to believe that money will set us free. If we just had enough money to live life as we choose, we'd be free. Or maybe fame would do it. If we were popular and well liked, we'd be free to live life on our own terms. Or maybe if we had that perfect spouse and kids, we'd finally be happy, content and free to get on with things. Nope. If there's one thing that celebrity addicts show us clearly, it's that excess doesn't bring freedom. Addiction -- whether to drugs, fame or popularity -- is one of the worst types of bondage you can imagine.

Jesus sets us free. He fills us with His Holy Spirit and we are free from the bondage of excess and that trying to please rollercoaster that never, ever ends. When you place your faith and your trust in Jesus, you get to climb off of it and live life without all that baggage. That is true freedom.