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.

 

January 18, 2022

 

Love

 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

– Romans 12:18

 

To get a vaccine or not? To accept the presidential election results or not? To welcome illegal immigrants or not? The list never ends. We are a country at odds within itself.

 

God’s people have been ugly and vocal. They have reigned down criticism and aligned themselves with one side or another. Everyone knows what is best. Just ask them. Except they are all so focused on themselves that it is impossible to truly see God in them.

 

Ah, there is the true problem. Seeing God. It’s impossible to truly see Him when you are hurling angry insults at people who disagree with you. It’s impossible to truly hear God when your ugly words are aimed to tear apart anyone who dares disagree with you. It’s impossible to love like Jesus when your eyes are filled with hatred toward anyone who disagrees with you.

 

We have become a nation filled with arrogant people who have lost sight of God. Oh, we shout His name. We quote scripture and serve diligently. But our hearts? Well, our hearts don’t even know His name.

 

The saddest thing for me in the last couple of years hasn’t been Covid. It hasn’t been election results or isolation or illegal immigrants. The saddest thing has been listening to people I truly believed were God’s people ranting at those who don’t share their viewpoints. The ugliness is appalling. And for what end?

 

It’s possible to share different views without turning hateful and mean. It’s possible to live under the banner of love and service and still disagree. If you’ve got ugliness in your heart, I wonder if you truly know Him. It becomes less about your opinion and more about your arrogant belief that you are like God.

 

Hatred and God cannot exist in the same heart. Why? Because God is love. (1 John 4)

July 12, 2018

Would You Say It To Jesus?

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

– Romans 12:18

Do you get upset when someone who doesn’t share your political views? Do you get angry with a co-worker who disagrees with your proposal? Are you furious when your spouse nixes a trip, a purchase, or something else you wanted?

I am amazed by the rhetoric that sometimes comes with a disagreement. It’s not about opinions. We’re all unique individuals. Of course, we aren’t going to see things the same way.

I am astounded at the seriousness of those disagreements, the hatred and ugliness that sometimes comes when people don’t agree. Whatever happened to civil discussions? Why can’t we just agree to disagree, as the saying goes, and focus on what’s important?

As Christians, we are destroying ourselves from within with our pettiness and ugliness. Unfortunately, the people leading this charge “in the name of Jesus” don’t have a clue to the damage they’re inflicting. They’re so focused on being “right” that they’re missing Jesus’ call on all our lives. Much like the Pharisees did, I might add.

I don’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat. It really doesn’t matter if you think highly of President Trump or you don’t. I don’t need you to agree with my choice of music, how a pastor does communion or even if we should gather on Sunday nights or not.

What does matter? Do you love Jesus? Do you love others as He commanded? Do you welcome all, regardless of the baggage they might carry? Do you give with an open heart and an open hand?

We sometimes get so focused on our own opinions, our own agendas, our own pride and arrogance that we miss what’s truly important. We tell ourselves that it’s all about Jesus but in reality it’s all about us. We think we know more than anyone else. We push people away from Jesus all the while claiming that we’re the way and the truth.

Did you catch that last sentence? It’s not a typo. It’s not a wrong word choice. I meant to write “we’re” instead of “He’s” the way. Do you know why? Because sometimes we’re so busy proclaiming our own opinions that we lose our way. It becomes about us and not about Him.

Why do we need to be “right”? Why do we get defensive when someone disagrees with us? Why do we take it personally? Why is our ego so attached to another person’s opinion? God’s opinion is the only opinion that really matters.

So many questions. I know. But I really want you to think about your words and actions. It’s not about your right to your own opinion. It’s about Jesus’ right to control what we say and do. It’s about living for Him instead of living for ourselves.

The next time you bristle at someone who disagrees with you, think about Jesus. The next time you are tempted to blast someone for their opinion, imagine Jesus standing before you. Would you say those words to Him? Would you throw out accusations, bring up past hurts, or tell Him that He’s stupid for believing something different? Then, don’t say it to the person disagreeing with you.

July 5, 2018

Change Begins With You

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:21

Another day. Another shooting. Five killed. More wounded. Still others forever traumatized by the evil that turned a normal day into a terror-filled nightmare.

Perhaps what is so disturbing – beyond the obvious – is that everyone saw it coming and yet no one could legally stop it. The same laws designed to protect the innocent also protect those who haven’t yet crossed the line but someday will.

Evil lives in the hearts of some. Yes, there is mental illness involved. But never mistake depression and such for evil intent. Some hearts seek to control, to terrorize, to kill and destroy all those they believe have “harmed” them. Some simply want to make a statement, to be noticed and remembered for something horrible.

What has caused the increase in mass shootings? What do we do to stop it? And how do we live without becoming hard and uncaring?

Where is hope in the middle of it all? In Jesus. We complain about people taking Him out of the government and the schools and other public places. It’s all true. But the main area from which we’ve removed Him? Our homes and our daily lives.

It’s so easy to point fingers. Let’s blame the mental health professionals. Let’s blame law enforcement. Let’s condemn Congress for not passing adequate laws. But the simple and sad truth is that the blame begins with us.

It seems that so few people really live the faith they claim. We aren’t teaching our children right from wrong because, well, we’ve blurred the line so well that we really don’t know anymore. Children learn from watching the adults around them. What are they seeing?

Do they see adults who lend a hand – even when they won’t get anything in return? Do they see adults giving generously – with no thought of reward on this earth? Do they see adults reading their Bibles and praying beyond the “standard” prayers – with no thought to impressing others? Do they see adults viewing church as a privilege and honor to worship God – or as a box that must be checked when it fits into their schedule?

Then let’s look at the mental health issues we all face. The stigma remains. We aren’t treating those who are in desperate need. There aren’t enough treatment facilities for our youth. There isn’t enough insurance coverage to handle issues before they reach the violent stage.

And there aren’t enough laws to allow law enforcement and medical professionals to deal with people they know are mentally ill. It’s a fine line. I understand that. It’s an imperfect balance of rights and common sense. When law enforcement sees someone who is an obvious threat to someone else, they shouldn’t have to wait for the inevitable violence to do something. Yet that’s almost always the case.

There are no easy answers. It’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario. But the solution starts with us. Be kind to people. Be generous. Get out of your clique and see those in the margins. Live like Jesus. Get uncomfortable. And stop pointing fingers. You’re just spreading the hate you claim to despise. We’re all broken. Humble yourself and recognize that we are all in desperate need of a Savior. Share His love with everyone. That’s where real change begins.

June 13, 2018

Stand Out

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2

Most of us don’t like to stand out in a crowd, as the cliché goes. We want to fit in, to belong, to be like everyone else.

Think about it for a moment. We want to wear the same brand of shirt as all our friends. We want to drive a new car like our neighbor’s do, whether we need it or not. We want our kids to participate in sports and dance and all those things other kids do. And we want them to do it well, I might add.

If we stand out, we want it to be because we excel at things everyone else is also doing. We don’t want to stand alone, either because we have voiced a different opinion or because we have made a different choice. Yet, that’s exactly what we are called to do.

How can we be a light in this dark world when we’re trying so hard to fit in to the darkness that surrounds us? We can’t. Because when we do that, the darkness slowly extinguishes the light. It’s not supposed to be like that. We’re to use our light to slowly illuminate the dark.

It’s never easy to be the person who says no, is it? We don’t want to miss out. We tell ourselves this one time won’t matter. So we go with the boys to a rowdy bar. Or we have a gossip-filled lunch with our girlfriends. Or we scream at a child who makes a mistake on the ballfield. We become one with the world.

We never consider that refusing to go to that movie might cause someone else to hit pause and rethink their choice. We don’t imagine that offering positive encouragement to a child who made a mistake might bring more of the same from other parents. We assume that our voice won’t matter.

That’s what we tell ourselves anyway. We make so many excuses. The truth is we don’t want to make the hard choice. We don’t want to face ridicule or be labeled prudish. We don’t want to defend our beliefs. It’s just easier to stand on the fence. God didn’t call us to stand on the fence.

We are to be part of the world but, at the same time, separate. We are to stand out and let our light show people a different way. We’re to use Christ’s strength to remain strong when the attacks come. And they will come. Jesus said we would have trouble in this world. He also reminded us that He has overcome the world.

However, don’t be misled to believe your way is always the only way. Or even the right way. Be careful not to condemn, to criticize, to twist God’s Word to fit your own agenda. That pushes so many people away from Christ. Love people and trust that He will show them a different way.

It is possible to rightly walk with Jesus in this fallen world. It’s hard. The attacks are brutal. Spiritual warfare is real. But we don’t walk alone. We have Christ with us and the Holy Spirit within us. We have resources to fight back.

I don’t know what you’ll face today. I do know that you’ll likely see temptation everywhere. You’ll have choices to make, sometimes with little time to weigh it all out. God knows. He’s right there. He will help you.

Use your light to make a difference. Sometimes it only takes one voice to prompt a change that turns the multitudes toward Jesus

June 3, 2018

Who Are You Today?

For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. – Romans 12:3

I was momentarily speechless, a rare occurrence for me. I looked at her face. She was genuinely concerned about something that had happened back in high school. Really? That was more than 40 years ago.

She was a woman facing an identity crisis. Anyone could see that. She’d married young, birthed her children and now spoiled grandchildren whenever she could. She was also unemployed. She had way too much time on her hands. She had time to consider high school, her “glory” days.

She wanted to know if she’d hurt me and others we’d grown up with. Why? Because she’d become a cheerleader – basketball for one year – and hung out with the popular students. Really? Her arrogance amazed me. She didn’t hurt me all those years ago but she certainly pushed my button on this day.

Everyone has different gifts. Everyone accomplishes different things. We are all unique and called to work together to bring glory to God. All those friends she believed she’d “left behind” were people who accomplished many things in their areas of giftedness. She was oblivious to anyone but herself.

We like to toot our own horns, don’t we? I love that cliché because it’s just so on target to what actually happens. We’ve been taught to brag on ourselves because, after all, who else will do it? It’s that struggle between healthy self-esteem and wallowing in our own pride.

I am proud of my accomplishments. I also recognize that I can do nothing, be nothing, without God’s help and guidance. All good things come from Him. I want so much to live a life that brings glory to God Almighty. Sometimes I get that right. More often, I get it wrong.

 I remember the past but I don’t dwell there. The journey has molded me into the person I am today. The hardships, the heartbreak, the joys and accomplishments all combine together to make me the person I am. The journey through the valley has led me to appreciate all the blessings God has given to me that much more.

This woman was trying desperately to cling to a past that she believed gave her value. She “remembered” things that never happened or just weren’t accurate. (I have never had red hair. Sorry.) And she tried to argue when I attempted to gently point out that her facts were wrong.

It was sad really. She has so many blessings in her life. She has so many ways that God can use her in the present and in the future. But first she has to let go of the past. First, she has to stop getting her value from what she sees is her lofty position from long ago.

Our value comes from who we are in Christ. Our worth is measured in how we live in His light. Our glory days are yet to come when we finally make it home. Don’t get hung up in the past. Remember who you are today and live your life in humility, seasoned with grace, and focused on the One from whom all blessings flow.

March 11, 2018

Who Is Your Tribe?

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. – Romans 12:15

Who is your tribe? Who are those people who will be there no matter what is happening in your life?

I lead a weekly Bible journaling class and this was our verse last week. We imagined (Okay. I imagined and they translated in their own unique styles.) having friends who climb in the boat and row furiously toward you, determined to throw you a life preserver even though you are certain that you are drowning.

That’s what I mean by having a tribe. Those are your people. They are the ones who will drop anything and everything to rush to your side. They are the ones who remember to bring a box of tissue when you need to cry. And they are the ones who bring balloons and a heart filled with celebration when times are good.

Do you have people like that in your life? I hope so because life would be so lonely without them.

We weren’t meant to do life alone. We were meant to join together, to carry one another and to rejoice with one another and to share the daily tidbits of life with one another. So why do we feel sometimes that we aren’t worthy of receiving that kind of friendship? And why do we feel sometimes that we have nothing to offer to those God has placed before us?

I am generally quick to be there for my friends. I carry food, arrange lunch plans, make the phone call, send the text. I show up at the hospital or give the hugs and gifts. I try to be a good friend, someone who is present in the lives of those I care about.

I’m not as good at receiving that type of friendship. I hold back. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone. I don’t want to burden those I care about. Maybe I seem standoffish or totally independent to those who don’t know me. I’m thankful for those who have pushed through the layers of rejection that have scarred me deeply to see who I really am and loved me without reserve.

I’ve been burned. There’s no doubt about that. I’m sure you have been too. We’re messy people, flawed, and sometimes we trust where we shouldn’t. Sometimes we betray those we love. Sometimes life fills us with brokenness.

I’ve learned that some people aren’t meant to be a part of my world. Their drama is too much for my heart. I prefer to surround myself with people who are steady, solid, grounded in a deep faith that shows itself in their lives. Those are my people. They are my tribe.

And I’ve learned to let go. A sweet friend came to me, her eyes reflecting her shattered heart. Family hurts can destroy you if you let it. She’s tried everything but some people refuse to look beyond themselves and the lies they have told. It stings but you let go and go on. “You understand,” she told me. I do. It is the gift we give one another, this gift of friendship and understanding in the midst of our shattered hearts.

Friends make you stronger. And, in turn, you make them stronger. The Bible tells us that where two or three are gathered, God is with us. Embrace that truth. Surround yourself with people who love you no matter what, who believe in you. People you can trust. People who love Jesus with all they have and shower His love on you. That’s your tribe. Those are the people who will furiously paddle a boat toward you in the middle of a storm so they can throw you a life preserver so you won’t drown.

February 25, 2018

Live the Change You Want to See

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:21

What should we do? Should we ban assault rifles? Should we make background checks more thorough? Should we throw money and resources at our failing mental health system? What is the answer?

Maybe the real answer, the permanent solution, lies within us. Sure, we need all those things listed above and more. But the only way to combat the kind of anger and hate that ignites mass shootings is to change ourselves.

Only someone who is truly broken inside could do something so horrendous as kill innocent students and teachers. I am not naïve. Some evil will always exist among us. But I truly believe that we manufacture much of the evil in this world by our indifference to those who are marginalized in our society.

Is it any surprise that school shootings have increased right along with incidents of bullying? Is it any wonder that violence has escalated as our families are broken, pulling away from extended families and stable neighborhoods? Are we really shocked that children who no longer grow up with a foundation of faith have no where to turn with their hurt?

Our society as a whole has taken a wrong turn and that means you and I need to be the change. We’re so focused on “my” freedom that we’ve forgotten we all belong to each other. We’re so independent that we’ve forgotten we all need each other. We’re so absorbed with ourselves that we’ve for too long ignored those who desperately need to be included.

We are all just so very busy. We are too busy to reach out to the latch-key children down the street. We are too busy to include an elderly neighbor in our dinner plans. We just don’t have the time for coffee with a co-worker going through a hard time.

We don’t want to be bothered by the troubles of others. We don’t want to deal with the hurts and trials of those around us. What if it rubs off on us? We have enough on our plates without taking on someone else.

Except what we’ve done is left hurting people with nowhere else to go. They become angrier and angrier until they finally erupt. It’s a tough scenario for an adult. Can you imagine how difficult it must be for a teenager?

We fail each other every single day. We just do. We forget to be kind and giving, to be generous with what matters. People. They’re what matters. We seem to focused on stuff, on status, on our own little world, to see those who are on the fringes, desperate to be noticed.

This debate will likely rage for quite some time. There are no easy answers. But instead of focusing on what “someone else” should do, look in the mirror and focus on what you can do. Be kind today. Smile at a stranger. Include someone who would otherwise be alone. Live the change you want to see.