September 11, 2024

                          Where Were You?

And now these three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

As the Alan Jackson song asks: Where were you when the world stopped turning? Most of us remember September 11, 2001 so well. Shock. Disbelief. Sorrow. Anger. Did you hit your knees in prayer?

And what about the day after? Were you kinder, more helpful to strangers? Did you let go of pettiness? Did you remember that we are One Nation, Under God?

Today is a beautiful, if sorrowful, reminder of what really matters. That’s the message Paul was trying to teach the Corinthians. This letter was to address a church in disarray. There was much finger pointing and arrogance. But accolades and bank accounts disappear. Disputes over who’s in charge and exactly how we should worship don’t really matter in the end.

Why do we hate each other simply because we have different views? Why do we use the Bible as a weapon, pulling verses out of context and spewing them at those who have a different point of view? When did we forget that we are ALL created in the image of God?

As I read my Bible today, I once again thanked Him for always telling the truth. God keeps His promises. God never leaves us – even when we leave Him. He loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine.

We are so quick to tell everyone to pray for revival and a return to God. What we really mean is that other people should become like us. We rarely understand that the journey to revival begins with the person we see in the mirror each day.

Where do we start? We begin by loving other people. Really loving them. Praying for eyes to see them as Jesus sees them. We cling to faith and hope in the middle of the turmoil that has seemed to engulf our great nation. We take each step forward with love in our hearts as we follow Jesus on our journey home.

August 1, 2024

                                              Love or Hate?

If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal.

– 1 Corinthians 13:1

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a church that was fighting within itself. He was trying to teach fellow believers how to get along with each other.

We’re so familiar with this passage because it is frequently used at weddings. That was never Paul’s intention. I suppose it’s easier to think of this as being a wedding instruction rather than an admonition directed at the infighting we see today in our churches and in our country.

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

It seems these days that I am always blocking things on social media that I don’t want to see from people I don’t even know. It breaks my heart that friends I care about, people I believe are good people, think it’s okay to share untruths and hate-filled diatribes against those who disagree with them.

Our country has turned on itself. We are so busy pointing fingers at each other, demanding that someone else turn back to God, that we’ve missed our own sins. We have failed to take the plank out of our own eyes.

Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. – 1 Corinthians 13:6

What is truth? Truly. Do you know? Have you read the Bible for yourself? Have you spent time in prayer asking and listening? Or are you merely passing on what someone else has told you? Are you holding on to hate and justifying yourself by proclaiming that it’s your opinion?

As people of God we are called to love, regardless of whether we agree with someone or not. We are called to be kind, even when someone else isn’t. We are called to be humble, not rude or self-seeking. Do others know of your faith by your words and actions?

Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love – but the greatest of these is love.

– 1 Corinthians 13:13

January 23, 2023

 

Be A Church That Loves

 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

– 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 

Our United Methodist Church is going through a discernment process right now. It isn’t pretty. The official reason is over “traditional values.” We are, in essence, going to vote about the loss of things that we haven’t yet lost. It is, as one member noted, like divorcing your wife because she might be unfaithful in the years to come.

 

That’s the official reason. The unofficial reason, the underlying issues, are money, power and control. Those who have stepped up and offered to “buy” the church back from the United Methodist Trust, are upset with a pastor who stands up to them. They are furious – and, yes, I witnessed the angry outburst – that their money doesn’t currently guarantee their control over what happens in the church.

 

The church is split, following one group or the other. Many haven’t bothered to research the issue on their own. They honestly don’t even realize that the United Methodist Church as actually fairly conservative. The are afraid of homosexuality, environmental issues and gun control discussions.

 

Church divisions aren’t new. The Apostle Paul addressed the divisions in the Corinth church with letters we know as 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Those books have taken on new meaning as the lies and misinformation fuel fears about what “might” happen. It seems that in all that discourse we have forgotten to love each other.

 

We think of 1 Corinthians 13 as the “wedding scripture” because we hear it often at weddings. The original text was written to a church that was fighting amongst itself. The members were tearing each other apart in their efforts to be right. They’d forgotten what Jesus said about loving each other.

 

My church is no different. The ugliness has nothing to do with Jesus. The foundation for this journey isn’t about doing God’s will or following the Bible. I pray that those involved, myself included, will open their hearts to truly discern the will of God.

July 15, 2021

 

Do You Welcome Others?

 

I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

– 1 Corinthians 9:22b-23

 

We are quick to criticize, ostracize, and exclude others because they are different. The teen who isn’t into sports doesn’t have a place in a youth group filled with sports enthusiasts. The young mom with a special needs child doesn’t find inclusion amongst the moms with children who have no challenges. The single woman, or man, doesn’t fit into a congregation filled with couples. The newcomer gets a small smile and a back as others catch up with friends. Does any of this sound familiar?

 

It happens in churches everywhere every Sunday. It happens in your church. It happens in my church. We are so focused on ourselves, our friends, on those “like” us that we miss opportunity after opportunity to join with others who walk a different path with Jesus.

 

It’s easier to stay with those we know. It’s more comfortable to surround ourselves with the familiar. But that isn’t what Jesus called us to do. We are to love everyone. We are to love those who are unlovable. We are to sit with the hurting, the lost, those who have made mistakes and those who are alone.

 

A dear family once left our church because their teen didn’t feel comfortable in youth group. His great sin? He was more interested in drama than sports. Or the single person who wasn’t greeted at all.  Or the family who unknowingly sat in “someone else’s seat.” And let’s not forget the mom with two young girls who skipped Easter services because she couldn’t afford new dresses for her children and didn’t want them ridiculed for that sad fact. I could go on and on.

 

Paul became like those around him so that he could share Jesus with them. He wasn’t a hypocrite. He merely understood that people who are loved and accepted as they are become far more likely to open their hearts to Jesus. When we close ourselves off, when we fail to reach out and love people as they are, we let them know that our words of faith have no place in our hearts.

April 16, 2019

The Call

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. – 1 Corinthians 12:26

It was a simple note sent to all church members. A couple in the congregation were facing a major health situation and needed a few weekly meals delivered to their home. It’s a simple request. Basic. Needed. Necessary.

The rest of the story: She’s been diagnosed with a horrible disease that is slowly robbing her body of its ability to function, while leaving her mind completely aware of what’s happening. There is no cure. She faces a future of suffering before blessed death arrives.

We are quick to celebrate with those embracing joyful times: marriage, the birth of a child, graduation, job success, and on and on. That is as it should be. But perhaps the most revealing times of faith are when we walk beside the suffering, the heartbroken, the dying. It’s not easy, especially when you know the outcome will be healing in heaven rather than on this earth. But it is necessary.

Providing a meal doesn’t seem like much but it’s really so much more than food. It’s about the walk, the love, the joining of hands. Faith was never meant to lead us on a solitary journey. We do what we can along the way and, in so doing, we become the hands and feet of Jesus.

December 16, 2018

Words Reveal the Heart

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:14

We were talking about love. We were talking about putting God first and loving others as ourselves. We were talking about loving people who believe differently than we do and trusting God with all the rest.

The normally soft-spoken woman erupted without warning. She’d been watching soap operas and other things on YouTube and she used those “facts” to launch a vicious attack against homosexuality. Everyone in the room was shocked.

We are a diverse group. We are liberals and conservatives and all of us in between those two extremes. We are accustomed to passionate opinions that we don’t always agree with. It’s okay. We love Jesus and we love each other.

This was not that kind of sharing. It was mean and vicious. It was an opinion based on lies and ugliness. It was clear she doesn’t know any homosexuals and really hasn’t done any legitimate research. Isn’t that how it usually goes?

I really don’t care how you feel about homosexuality. This column isn’t about that. It’s about hating people you don’t know based on lies you choose to believe. It’s the same thing that happened to women (another woman in the group pointed this out), people of color, and those who are Jewish. We hate what we don’t understand which, in our minds, allows us to justify our behavior.

I don’t have a lot of answers. I don’t. Neither do you. We aren’t God and we don’t understand His ways. We aren’t meant to understand this side of heaven. That’s where faith and trust come in to play.

God has called us to love without exception. We are to love people who are different from us. We are to love people who harm us. We are to love others because He loved us first. God is love. If we believe that, how can we not love others? How can we justify refusing to be the hands and feet of Jesus?

People don’t come to Jesus because His followers (that would be you and me) criticize and condemn people who believe differently than we do. People don’t know how much God loves them because we lash out in anger and fear. People know Jesus as Lord and Savior because we love them no matter what.

Maybe my views are a product of my upbringing. That’s generally how it goes. My grandmother believed the Bible teaches that blacks are inferior to whites. It doesn’t, of course. I challenged her on it one day and she never backed down. I didn’t either. But it taught me something. It taught me that bigoted people will use the Bible to try and justify their beliefs. That’s why it is so very important to know what God says for ourselves rather than try and get our “facts” from YouTube, Facebook or television.

As I said earlier, I don’t have a lot of answers. But I do believe this: God has called me to love everyone. He has called me show others who He is through my actions. Through Him, I can love people who make decisions I don’t agree with. Through Him, I can forgive those who have hurt me deeply. Through Him, I can have civilized discussions about what the Bible really says.

Your words reveal your heart. What do your words say about you?

September 8, 2018

Who Gets Hurt?

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

– 1 Corinthians 3:3-6

People like to squabble, don’t we? We don’t care if it’s college football, political ideology or the type of music played during worship services. We’ll have an argument, not because we particularly care about the issue, but because we’re determined to be right.

Being in control makes us feel confident. Our opinions are always right. We don’t want to compromise. We don’t want to share the glory. It’s all about us anyway.

Oops. No. It’s not all about us. It’s not about us at all. It’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s about giving glory to God. We lose sight of that when we’re pushing ahead to get our own way.

One thing that I have witnessed again and again in different churches is the political maneuvering that goes on behind the scenes. We lobby fellow church members to have the carpet changed to the color we’ve chosen. We “bless someone’s heart” even as we tell others they don’t have good sense when it comes to decorating the Fellowship Hall.

We get so focused on what we want that we miss loving others. We’re so intent on being right that we forget it’s much more important to include others than to have our own way.

The women knew exactly how they wanted it to be done. It was to be done the way it had always been done. They’d been decorating tables for funeral meals, bridal showers and church fellowship for years. They were tired but they soldiered on. No one could do it like them.

Until another woman joined the church. She had plenty of experience with arranging flowers and centerpieces. She carried a bright smile and she was always willing to help. It might have worked out if she’d stayed silent and just gone along with those in charge. When she dared to do something different, they let her know with harsh words and bruising assessments. She cried. They didn’t seem to care.

Is anyone surprised that she’s no longer a member of the church? Does anyone even care that those same ladies with the biting tongues are now too old and frail to do the things they valued so much? They retained control, they hurt someone who didn’t deserve their hateful words, and all to control a task that was always temporary.

Where was Jesus in all of that? He wasn’t there at all. He wasn’t invited. He wouldn’t have fit in anyway. Jesus was all about welcoming everyone to the table. Those ladies were all about exclusion.

Sometimes I see people fussing about things that just don’t matter. They get so upset about worldly things, about power and control and pride. We really cling to our pride. We place it high above kindness and mercy and inclusion.

We are all only servants here with one purpose: to bring glory to God. We are to care for His people and do good where we can. And we’re to get along with each other, refusing to let Satan divide us with pettiness.

The next time you get ready to tear someone down for disagreeing with you, think about it before you fling those words out. They can’t ever be taken back. They harm others and, in so doing, they hurt Jesus. Is that what you really intended?

July 21, 2018

What Will People Remember?

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him. – 1 Corinthians 2:9

He loved Jesus. And that love permeated everything he did, whether at work, at church, at home. He gave generously of his time and money to those in need. He lived his faith.

And on Wednesday, God called him home.

No one expected it. How could someone so healthy get sick and die so quickly? How could someone the doctors expected to fully recover suddenly die? God’s ways are not our ways. The Bible tells us that and I believe it. But knowing and believing doesn’t make the path any easier.

The Bible also tells us that if we give bad things to God, He will turn them to good. So those of us who are hurting fully expect God to do something magnificent with this dear man’s death. We expect to see God glorified again and again and again.

There are many people who talk about faith. There are many who claim to love Jesus, who write checks, who offer prayers. But there are very few it seems who actually live their faith. He was someone who did.

People keep saying what he good man he was. They’re right about that. He was quick to share his faith in Jesus. He was the first to extend a helping hand, a second chance, a smile and a prayer at that moment for anyone in need. That’s part of the legacy he leaves behind.

He had built a good life with his wife and daughters. He worked hard. But he would be the first to tell you that wasn’t what was most important. He wasn’t raised in wealth. He’d made plenty of wrong choices along his path. And sometimes he’d struggled to pay bills, to find a decent job, to keep moving forward when life was determined to knock him back down.

He gave all the credit to Jesus. He told everyone how Jesus had saved him again and again. He was just so open and honest about his faith. He never tried to hide his struggles, to make his journey appear easy. It wasn’t. But it was that journey which made him solid, dependable, true to what he believed deep inside.

I can’t even imagine what greeted him when he arrived home. Jesus surely was there. His Daddy was probably right beside Jesus. And, then, the receiving line of welcome was likely massive. My parents would have been there. They adored this young man. We all did.

Now there is nothing left by memories and an emptiness that will never truly go away. His wife, whose own faith runs deep, will take one step and then another as she struggles into a future she didn’t plan. She expected they had years to share. Don’t we always think we’ve got all the time in the world to create memories?

His daughters will continue toward adulthood without the guiding influence of the man who loved them fully and completely. Hopefully the lessons they saw him live will be their rudder as they navigate a world without him. His family will do all they can. It will never be enough.

He died without regrets. His family knew how much he loved them. They also understood how deeply he loved Jesus. That’s what they will cling to in the dark days to come.

What will people remember about you when you’re gone? I promise it’s not going to be about what you own or how much money you acquired. They’ll remember how you lived your life and how you loved the people who surrounded you. Will it be a good memory? Will you leave a lasting legacy or will it slowly become dust as time passes? The choice is yours but don’t wait to long to make it. There are no guarantees that tomorrow will ever come.

July 7, 2018

Who Are You?

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly – mere infants in Christ.… You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

– 1 Corinthians 3:1, 3

Are you a Democrat or a Republican? Maybe you’re an Independent? With what brush do you label yourself? And with what brush do you label others?

In Alabama, we have long judged people on the basis of their college choice. Alabama or Auburn? It is a sometimes ugly feud that dates back long before I can remember. College football reigns.

Increasingly, I’ve seen the same thing in our political views. It’s way beyond our state’s borders and appears to permeate our nation’s core. We judge people based on the box they check rather than the whole of their person.

I’m really not sure how it happened. Somehow, we began to believe that Republicans were Christians and Democrats were heathens. And we behave accordingly. We used our broad brush to condemn and antagonize those who should have been our comrades.

It’s as though the Republican party chose two issues and loudly proclaimed that anyone who didn’t agree with their ideology was not a true Christian. And all the Christians just lined up in mob form and proclaimed the same.

On the other side, the Democrats chose other issues and loudly proclaimed that anyone who didn’t support compassion and a helping hand was not a true Christian. And all those Christians lined up in mob form and proclaimed the same.

The truth is that where we stand on political issues has nothing to do with our salvation. Jesus told us clearly that He is the only way. Belief in our Risen Christ is all we need to be saved. It’s not about works or political opinions. Don’t forget that.

Beyond that, neither party has it all right or all wrong. But we’re so busy pointing fingers and spreading hate and discord that we can’t see the work of Satan in our midst. He is dividing God’s people and we are allowing it. We are so focused on being “right” that we’re missing God’s message of love.

Sure, there are serious issues before us now. But we can be kind as we debate those issues. We can understand that Christians don’t always get it right. And we can acknowledge that sometimes we’re the ones who don’t get it right. Ouch.

Paul was admonishing the Corinthians for their infighting. They were taking sides. Who supported Paul? Who supported Apollos? What difference did it make? Paul reminded them that it was really all about Jesus. We need that reminder today.

The church in Corinth eventually ceased to exist. Did the Christians destroy themselves? Aren’t we doing the same thing?

Peter tells us that love covers a multitude of sins. If we focused on our part, if we loved without reserve, how much better our world would be. If we stopped trying to be right, how much stronger our faith would be. If we ceased to paint people with a broad brush, labeling them based on politics rather than heart, how much more like Jesus we would be.

July 6, 2018

Are You Ready?

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

– 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

The sound shattered the morning stillness. I turned in time to see rubber flying and a sleek sports car jerking first one way and then another as the driver tried desperately to control it. A blown tire, successful efforts to keep the car from rolling and then a crash into the side of the store.

It was over in seconds. That’s exactly how long it takes for your life to change course forever.

Miracles happened. The normally busy intersection was void in that moment of other vehicles. The crowded store just happened to have no one parked on the side where the car hit. The wall of the store held up, smashing the front of the car but not allowing it to enter the building where unsuspecting shoppers went about their day.

No one died. We are thankful. Injuries can heal. Cars can be repaired or replaced. Another day will dawn. There is still time.

But what if the end result had been different? What if you had been the one driving? What if those seconds were your last on this earth? Are you ready? Are you sure?

We always think we have more time. We always believe that horrible things happen to someone else. We always plan like tomorrow is a guarantee. Until it isn’t.

Paul warned the Corinthians that all could change in an instant. That’s how Christ will return. There won’t be a warning. Two will be at work and one will be taken and one will remain. There won’t be time to get right with God, to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, to change behavior, hearts, and minds.

This letter contained so much wisdom. Paul tells us that love is patient and kind. He warns against the division amongst themselves. They were so busy fighting each other that they were missing the point. They were missing Christ.

It sounds a lot like Christians today. We are so busy pointing fingers at other Christians, spewing hatred toward others, and protecting our “rights,” that we miss the common core. We miss Jesus.

God knows your heart. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many times you quote the Bible if you don’t live it from your heart. It doesn’t matter how earnest your prayers if your only goal is to mold His will to your own. And it doesn’t matter how much you value yourself if you look down on the broken, the lost, the hurting, and refuse to help.

The church in Corinth didn’t survive. Will we?

June 12, 2018

Keep Your Guard Up

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fail!"

– 1 Corinthians 10:12

It’s easy to get cocky, isn’t it? We know we’re good at something. We feel confident we can do it. We believe that we won’t ever mess up, that nothing will ever go wrong, that we won’t make the mistakes others have made.

Until we do. Then all the world is looking at us, remembering all the hateful and mean putdowns we made when they were the ones making mistakes. We thought we were stronger that everyone else. We thought we were smarter than everyone else.

We weren’t. In this verse, Jesus is talking about temptation. In this passage, He tells us not to let our guard down. Jesus also tells us that God always provides a way out.

Jesus knew a thing or two about temptation. Remember when He went into the wilderness and the devil tempted Him? He also frequently faced traps the Pharisees set for Him. They wanted to trick Jesus but it never worked.

We aren’t always so wise. We walk into a trap, oblivious for what awaits us. We think it will be different for us. It never is.

It’s not always about something major. It’s really the little things. We probably aren’t going to go out and rob a bank. We understand that is stealing and it’s wrong. But how about padding your expense account? That’s stealing too but “everyone” does it so we tell ourselves it’s okay.

We also think the cut-throat co-worker won’t come after us. We know their techniques. We’re too smart to fall for the trap. Until we do.

It’s worse when the person is a friend or family member. We didn’t see it coming. We weren’t watching closely. We never thought they would do what they so clearly did and we let our guard down. We pay a heavy price for that.

A few months ago I sold some cows. That’s not unusual in my world. But this time I was selling a cow that I’d been told was wild and would turn on me. She’d never been aggressive toward me at all. I questioned the men who told me this closely. They were adamant that I needed to sell her before she hurt me.

Because I respected the men who told me to sell her, I did. When it was time to load her on a trailer, she tried to kill me and the three cowboys who were loading her. It was a really scary situation. When the cowboys told me to step back and let them handle it, I didn’t need them to tell me twice. I will never be the same.

I am thankful for the two men who warned me about her. And I am thankful that God provided me with the wisdom to follow their advice even when it made no sense to me. Life is like that sometimes. We don’t understand why God doesn’t want us to do something or why He leads us in a direction we never planned to travel. Will we be obedient to a God who truly knows what is best for us or will we be too stubborn to head His warning?

This journey is fraught with dangerous potholes. We can pay attention and heed the warning signs or we can charge ahead, overly confident of our abilities. God gives us the choice. Choose wisely.

February 12, 2018

Love People Where They Are

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

 – 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Paul was determined to do whatever it took to win people to Christ. No. That didn’t mean sin was okay. It simply meant Paul wasn’t going to get caught up in what didn’t matter and, thus, turn away people who otherwise might give their lives to Jesus.

The hard truth is that we’re not going to reach too many lost souls by never going beyond the walls of our churches. We aren’t going to reach those who are most desperate by staying in our manicured neighborhoods and surrounding ourselves with people just like us.

Nor will we draw people to Christ by getting hung up on rules and customs that really have nothing to do with faith. People can spot someone self-serving. We instinctively know when someone is going along with the crowd rather than providing a voice for what Jesus would want.

Our pastor recently reminded us that some people think they are exclusively right. They determine who is truly baptized by whether that person was dunked or sprinkled. They have their own traditions about how things must be done. They tell others, including other churches, that if you’re not like me, then you are not like Jesus.

“If you insist that your own way is the right way, then you have set yourself up as an idol,” our pastor said. Oh, wow. How painfully true is that?

Paul started with people where they were. He did this so that he might save some. Jesus did the same thing. He didn’t lecture the woman at the well. He didn’t condemn the adulteress. He simply offered them a better way. Who did Jesus get angry with? The Pharisees and all their laws designed to keep the lost in their “place”.

Jesus and Paul had no trouble getting past the sins of others. We do. We are so busy looking on and judging that we can’t see the person created in God’s image. The problem isn’t the sinner. It’s our judgements. We become the blind. We become the Pharisee.

We turn to the Scriptures to justify our actions. We draw a line designed to keep people out. We seek to protect ourselves and to sanctify the image we have of ourselves.

For us, it’s not so much about Jesus as it is about being “right”. We want to feel good about ourselves and we’ll insulate ourselves to the point where we “know” who we are. Except we don’t know who Jesus is. We’ve missed the point of the gospel.

We are all sinners, the most pious of us being the worst. Get over yourself. It’s about Jesus. Love people where they are and trust God to do the rest.

May 15, 2016

Love As God Loves

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. -- 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

God is love. That’s what the Bible tells us. It’s not so much about how much He loves us, though He loves us more than we could ever imagine. It’s about how we are to love others as He has loved us.

There’s a huge debate -- I am being gracious here -- about which school restroom transgender students should use. Amid the appalled cries of woe, I wonder has anyone stopped to consider the feelings of the transgender students? Has anyone consider that they are already ostracized and bullied?

I don’t begin to understand what being a transgender person is all about. I don’t understand. And, yes, I’ve read the Bible -- several times. And that’s where I get that part about love and compassion and kindness.

When did we decide that it was okay to forgo those key elements of our faith when someone steps on our political toes? That’s what it is: politics. It’s not about the Bible, no matter how loudly we proclaim that it is.

We are told to pray for our nation. We are told to pray for those who disagree with us. I have to wonder how many of us really do that. Do you pray about these political issues or do you just loudly proclaim your hatred and disgust and tell yourself you’re protecting your faith?

It really is possible to disagree with someone’s lifestyle and still love the person. Let me give you an example: Your daughter and her boyfriend live together. You believe in purity until marriage. You disagree with her choice. Do you condemn her and refuse to associate with her? Or do you voice your displeasure but continue to love her just as much as before she made that choice?

If you’re unhappy with this issue, pray about it. Join others in prayer. God listens. Trust Him to handle it. God really doesn’t need us to defend Him or His Word. Really. He doesn’t. He’s quite capable of doing it Himself.

What God does want and expect is for us to pray for His Presence to heal our land. He expects us to love all sinners, regardless of their sin. God demands that we not judge lest we be judged by our own impossible standards.

I know this is all frightening. It’s just so more easier to surround ourselves with people we understand and people who believe as we do. But that’s not the reality of our world. It is possible to stand true to our faith, to love God with all our hearts, and to love ALL His children regardless of who or what they do. It isn’t always easy but it is possible.

So the next time you decide to get on your political high horse, take a few minutes and take it to God. Tell Him all about it, then listen to what He has to say. Love one another. Be kind. Show this fallen world who God really is.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Support Those Struggling With Addictions

For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? -- 1 Corinthians 10:29b

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God -- even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

-- 1 Corinthians 10:32-33

He is an alcoholic. There’s no doubt about it. Somewhere inside, I believe he knows that. But he’s so self-destructive that he can’t stop what he’s always done to hide from his unhappiness and feelings of inadequacy.

She is his mother and, in my ways, his worst enemy. She condemns his drinking even as she gets drunk herself. I suppose in her mind her drinking is prettier, more refined. But a drunk is a drunk, if you know what I mean.

Our church has started a Celebrate Recovery program for all those who want to overcome their habits and hang-ups. It’s not just about alcohol and substance abuse. It’s also for those of us who have issues that keep us from living full lives in Christ.

For example, I have two dear friends who attend meetings because of depression. Other friends attend because grief has shattered their world and they struggle to cope with the life that is left.

The truth is that in your life you’ll have people who will support you and love you and do all they can to help you, no matter what is going on. And you will also have people who will do everything they can to undermine your attempts to overcome your habits and hang-ups, even as they deny their own.

Consider the overweight person desperately trying to shed a few pounds, both for health and self-esteem issues. And think of the spouse or parent eating bowls of ice cream or slices of chocolate right in from of the person trying to lose weight. It would take some supreme willpower to overcome the temptation. And that is the point.

People use all sorts of excuses but the truth is they don’t want us to get better. They’re comfortable with us where we are. They may not like us. They may claim to want to help us change. But their repeated attempts to sabotage us tells a different story.

So what’s the answer? Stop depending on yourself to do it alone. Depend on God to see you through. Remember that their issues are their own and you’ve got Jesus in your corner. You belong to Him and He will give you strength to walk away -- literally -- rather than fall back where you’ve been before. One step at a time. One moment at a time.

And if you’re one of those who repeatedly exercises your “freedom” while another person struggles -- shame on you! As Paul said, we are not to cause anyone to stumble. That means put away the alcohol when you’re around someone who is an alcoholic. Same with tobacco and desserts. Show kindness and compassion and support in all things so that others might see the love of Christ in you.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Do What Is Good And Right

When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

-- 1 Corinthians 11:20-22

Several years ago a dear man who had grown up in the church I attended died unexpectedly. Though he was grown with a wife and children, his father and other family members remained in the church.

His funeral service was held in a neighboring town in the church he attended with his wife and children. His body was brought “home” for burial. Our church arranged to feed the family after the graveside service concluded.

As is usually the case at Deep South funerals and feedings, there was ample food. It covered a long line of tables and there was a separate section for all the desserts. The folks in the church wanted to make sure this family knew how much they were loved.

The graveside service was packed with people. Many from our town didn’t attend the funeral service, opting instead to attend the graveside service, while others attended both. The family stayed after the service to greet friends and acquaintances while some of us went back to the church activities building to prepare.

The family sent word that we were to go ahead and eat. I was appalled at the thought. The food, after all, was for the family. But some immediately rushed to begin and others soon followed. You might guess what happened. By the time the family arrived, there was hardly any food left. In fact, two of the church members went to different restaurants to buy extra food. It was embarrassing.

I understand why the family wanted folks to go ahead. They are kind and gracious people. But I couldn’t understand why anyone would accept their offer when the food was never meant for them anyway.

Apparently in the early church, a large meal was served following communion. Some took advantage, eating and drinking in excess, while others went hungry. Paul was upset because such behavior clearly doesn’t demonstrate what the church is all about -- love and caring and sharing.

I likely will never forget the sight of those barren tables that afternoon, the tables that had been so lovingly filled with food meant to feed and comfort a grieving family. Nor will I forget the greed of those who should have done what was right.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Everyone Has A Role

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. -- 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

It’s a 20/80 divide. That’s what they always say anyway. I’ve never heard a source for that statistic. I’ve also never doubted it’s truth.

I look around pretty much any church I’ve ever attended and I see it for myself: about 20 percent of the people are doing 80 percent of the work. It’s not right. It’s not how God planned it to be. But there it is.

The joke is that if you want to get something done, ask a busy person. But the reality is that people who are too busy, suffer from burnout and end up pulling away from the church and, by association, God. They become too exhausted to feel the Presence of God.

God intended for every single person to contribute to the body of Christ. Every one. Some people are just too lazy. But most just don’t feel they’ve got anything to contribute. They look around and compare themselves to the lady with the beautiful voice or the man with the handyman skills to do just about anything. They don’t see themselves as having anything to offer that would make a difference to anyone.

They are hurting themselves and those who would benefit from their contributions. Because God gives all of us special gifts to benefit others.

The other night a group of us met at church. We don’t have a great deal in common except that we care about those who are elderly, sick, injured or alone. We can all make phone calls. We can drive someone to a doctor’s appointment. We can visit. We can send a card. We can care. And, honestly, that’s all some folks really need or want.

The thing is when we think of gifts we tend to consider the soloist or the finance whiz or the eloquent teacher. We don’t remember the kind words that came at just the right time. We forget the person who helped arrange the tables for the social. At our church, one man washes the silverware after every Wednesday night dinner. It’s his way of giving back by doing something most really don’t want to do.

Most tasks are not what I’d call “glory” jobs. They’re the little things that are necessary for everything else to come together to do God’s work. Consider the person who cleans the sanctuary, who dusts the piano and vacuums. Consider the person who writes the check to pay the electric bill. Or the person who greets visitors with a smile.

I could go on and on. God has called you to do something for Him. Consider what you enjoy. Think about what you’re good at. Kindness. Compassion. Organization. Housecleaning. Driving. There are many tasks just waiting for someone to step up and take their place to glorify God.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Follow God’s Plan For Your Life

We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God’s field, God’s building -- not ours.

-- 1 Corinthians 3:9

This certainly puts a different perspective on our own goals and dreams, doesn’t it? We are not our own. We belong to God. We are to spend our lives serving Him.

I can hear the chorus of “buts” loudly about now. I know God wants us to be happy. But, truthfully, aren’t we happiest when we’re doing what God has called us to do? Isn’t there a satisfaction and peace that comes from being exactly where we’re supposed to be?

Sometimes especially when it really isn’t where we ever wanted to be. That’s always been the funny part to me. How we can end up happy we’re doing something when we resisted for so long.

One man has worked in prison ministry for 21 years. He rarely misses a Tuesday night of teaching and praying and guiding men who are incarcerated in the county jail. He didn’t choose to do this. God chose him.

He laughs now when he recalls how he only meant to ask a co-worker how his experience ministering at the jail had gone. Without intending to, he found himself providing spiritual nourishment to the lost. He says he prayed for two years for God to get him out of prison ministry. Then he accepted it, and others have thrived because of it.

The reason? He submitted to God’s will. And he still does. Because some weeks he just doesn’t feel like going. And some weeks he is so stressed in his own life that he doesn’t have anything to give to anyone else. But he shows up anyway, trusting God to give him words and a heart that is open to the hurting around him.

Why do we wait until we “feel like it” to do what God has called us to do? Because we’re never going to feel like it and we’re always going to make excuses. It’s easier that way. We don’t have to leave our comfort zone. We don’t have to do something we’ve never done before. We don’t have to have compassion for others whose life experiences don’t reflect our own.

Oswald Chambers writes that we have no right to judge where we should be put. Nor should we have preconceived notions as to what God is preparing for us. We have skills we don’t realize. We have compassions we’ve yet to uncover. God has prepared us for works we never dreamed of.

We belong to God and He will use us to glorify His name. If we say yes. If we show up. If we trust His will for our lives. He will bless us in ways we can’t even imagine. All because

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Be Careful of Slippery Slope

But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it. -- 1 Corinthians 10:13

We want to believe that once we’ve traveled a bad road, learned our lesson, and straightened out our lives we will never, ever travel that path again. And that thought is the beginning of a dangerous journey.

It’s one of the many reasons I applaud programs such as Celebrate Recovery. People gather together to celebrate their success and support each other as they continue their journey. We all need that support.

Not just for alcohol or drug recovery. We want to think that other issues are somehow different. They aren’t. We can easily slip back into the people we once were. We can become angry. We can lie. We can mess up our finances. We can make bad relationship choices. Again. And again. And again.

Satan knows exactly which buttons to push. He knows that when we start feeling sure of ourselves, when we begin to think that we’re in control, that’s when we are most vulnerable. Because the stronger we feel, the less we rely on God. And that can never be anything but disaster.

If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin. -- 1 Corinthians 10:12

Paul tells us that while God will never allow Satan to tempt us beyond what we can resist -- with God’s help. We can’t do it alone. No matter how much we want to believe that we can, we can’t.

Nor are we any better, any stronger, than those around us. We want to believe that we would never make the choices that someone else might make. Maybe not. Because my buttons are different from yours and yours are different from someone else’s. But buttons are buttons. And we can all fall when we think that we’re stronger than we really are.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be the person I used to be. I’m thankful for the experiences. I’m grateful that God used those experiences to draw me closer to Him. But I don’t want to go back. Ever.

So I hang on to God with all I have. I know how fragile I really am. But I also know how strong God is. I hang on to Him with everything I’ve got, knowing that He’ll never, ever let me go.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Show God’s Love To Others

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -- 1 Corinthians 13:13

Happy Valentine’s Day. Some of you plan beautiful celebrations with your great love. Others will mourn yet another year without someone special. And some will mourn the love they no longer have.

Romantic love consumes us. We humans were made to be in relationship with people around us. It’s difficult to feel alone, left out, an outcast.

Maybe we’re focused on the wrong thing -- and the wrong person. It really isn’t about us. It’s about God. About salvation. About loving others because he first loved us.

Celebrate love today. Honor your spouse or significant other. But remember the other people in your life. Give a cheery hello to your neighbor. Buy a rose for your elderly aunt. Anonymously give a special gift to that awkward teenager going through a rough patch.

It really doesn’t take much to make someone smile. Kindness. Noticing they exist. A smile. How many people do we ignore in our lives simply because we aren’t paying attention?

We don’t think about love when it comes to people we don’t know. We really don’t think about love when it comes to most of the people we do know. Most of the time we just aren’t that concerned, except in how they can benefit us. Oh, don’t deny it. The truth stings sometimes. We’re a self-centered people and getting more so each day.

We are so wrapped up in our own little worlds that we don’t see people who are sometimes standing right in front of us. Do you notice the janitor at your office? Do you know his name? Do you know anything about his family? Or what about the cashier at the store? Do you say hello? Or are you so busy talking on your cell phone that you don’t even acknowledge her?

When did we become so rude, so self-involved, that other people ceased to matter to us? It’s not okay. Really. It isn’t. I know. I’m on my soapbox. Somebody needs to be. God tells us to love others because He first loved us and we won’t even acknowledge that they exist.

So take time on this day of love to notice the people in your daily life. Smile. Speak kindly. Pay attention. Show an interest. Treat other people like you would want to be treated if your situations were reversed.

God loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine. Let us show the world that we belong to God by how we love those around us.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

What Makes You Happy?

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.

-- 1 Corinthians 1:26

What if all Christians had bank accounts full of money? What if all Christians were successful in all they did? What if all Christians lived on the best streets, drove the best cars and ate at the fanciest restaurants? What if all Christians enjoyed perfect health? What if all Christians were physically beautiful, had loving marriages and perfect children?

That’s easy! Everyone would want to be a Christian -- for all the wrong reasons. Of course, it wouldn’t work that way. God knows our hearts and He knows when people only want Him for what He can do for them and He knows when people love Him for who He is.

Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. -- 1 Corinthians 1:27

The truth is financial success doesn’t make you happy. Some of us joke that we’d like to try it one day but when you get past the basics of food, shelter and health, we really can be pretty happy. The trick is focusing our minds and hearts to being grateful for what we do have rather than what we don’t have.

See, all those people who think they’d be happier with more stuff, will never have enough. Those of us who drink from living water will always have all we need. Those other people who thrive on things of the world, look at God’s people and wonder what’s up. They don’t understand how we can be so happy, so content, so right with our world.

God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. -- 1 Corinthians 1:28-29

What’s important? The laughter of a child or making sure that child has the “best” clothes from the “best” store? Playing games as a family or attending “the” event of the season? Driving long hours in an expensive SUV and missing your kids’ school events or making a short commute in an older car and attending every event?

Christians don’t have perfect lives. Some of us struggle financially. Some of us have health issues. Some of us die younger than we’d planned. Some of us suffer broken relationships. And some of us have success and blessings beyond measure. Regardless of our circumstances on this earth, we are surrounded by a God who loves us, strengthens us, and promises an eternity in His Presence if we just seek Him and call His name. And that’s what sets us apart.