July 24, 2018

Be Careful What You Say

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” -- Luke 12:2-3

A friend has decided to join Facebook. He’s unsure if it’s something he can do or if it’s something only for younger folks with far more technical skills than he has. It’s easy, I told him. Just remember one very important thing: Never post anything you wouldn’t want the world to read.

Some people would argue with me about privacy settings and such. I stand by my advice. If you say it, whether publicly or in “private”, those words could become public. So, watch your words.

Have you ever told someone something in private and then had them repeat it to others? We’ve probably all felt that sting of betrayal. Private conversations aren’t meant for everyone.

And you know what? We’ve probably all been guilty of doing the same thing to someone else. It might not have been intentional but we did it just the same.

That’s the thing about words, whether written or spoken. You can’t ever take them back. The same is true of things that we do. They can’t ever be undone. The consequences continue on and on. God will forgive us if we repent and change course, but the consequences of our actions remain.

The political arena is no different. Perhaps it’s even more so. Those backroom deals really do exist. People work hard to cover up misbehavior. And people sometimes skirt the law for financial or power gains.

The Democrats and Republicans are good at pointing fingers. The truth is that both sides are guilty. One party’s guilt doesn’t erase the other party’s guilt.

Certainly, we need compromise. We used to have that. We had statesmen who reached across to those with opposing views in an effort to find a middle ground that everyone could live with. We’re too polarized for that anymore.

I am tired of it. How about you? Is Donald Trump guilty of working with the Russians to influence the presidential election? I don’t know. But I believe that the truth will eventually come out. Is Hillary Clinton guilty of erasing emails? I don’t know. But I believe that the truth will eventually come out.

God has a way of exposing deceit that can shake us to our core. Denials don’t work. Lies piled on top of lies don’t work. Ugliness can only masquerade as righteousness for so long before it becomes a bitter expose on the life we really lead as opposed to the life we claim to lead.

There is freedom in truth and honesty. There is freedom in keeping your own counsel, in taking matters to God first. There is freedom in only saying what you wouldn’t mind anyone else hearing.

Truth comes out in the end. God makes sure of it. So watch your words, whether you think anyone else is listening or not.

April 18, 2016

What Are You Storing Up?

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” -- Luke 12:16-21

What does someone else have that you want? Oh, come on. You know there’s something. There’s always something. For all of us. Yeah. Me too. Why is it that we never seem quite satisfied with what we have?

Our pastor is doing a series titled “Is Jesus enough?” In the manner of moving Methodist preachers, he and his family are headed south at the end of June. They are giving up a 3,000 square foot house for a small three bedroom, two bath parsonage. I can’t say they are happy about it.

But he, at least, has a sense of humor. He noted that God obviously thought he had more house than he needed and had decided to downsize him. God has a way of doing that sometimes. It’s all for our own good though it doesn’t always feel that way.

During my college years there were certain brands in clothing and shoes that spoke of status. There was a certain look that helped you to fit in. I didn’t fit in. I hated it at the time. Now I’m thankful. I really don’t want to be like everyone else.

That’s not the case for many people. Or for many churches. There’s a competition -- usually unspoken -- that says we’ve got to be better, louder, offer more programs, have greater attendance. And let’s not forget status. That really matters to some.

Sometimes I want to scream in frustration. We’re all in this together. Does it really matter? Can’t we all serve God together? Really?!

It’s like that with life. We’re so busy competing with each other when really we should just focus on cheering for each other. There’s plenty to go around, whatever it is that you’ve got to have. Everybody has talents. Everybody has something someone else wants. And everybody wants something somebody else has.

News flash: None of it matters. We waste so much time wanting, wanting, wanting. At the end of the day, all that will matter is that we’re spending eternity with Jesus. That’s it. All this stuff, all this drama and longing, is rubbish.

March 19, 2016

God Cares About The Details

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. -- Luke 12:7

Something wonderful happened the other day. I was driving down a winding two-lane road and came upon construction work. You know the kind. One lane is blocked so we’re all having to take turns. It can really delay a trip.

Well, I got there just in time to be the last vehicle in the line. I didn’t have to wait at all. I was thrilled! I immediately praised God for the blessing. My companion looked at me as though I’d lost my mind.

We traveled on, did our business, then headed back on the same road. Guess what? We got there just in time to be the last vehicle in the moving line. We didn’t have to stop. Again. How crazy wonderful is that?

I asked my companion: “Do you realize what God has done for us? He made a clear path both ways. We weren’t even delayed.”

She didn’t share my enthusiasm.

I know there are some folks who don’t believe that God gets into the details of our lives. I totally disagree. God cares about every, single detail in our lives. He numbers the hairs on our heads! Of course, he cares if we’re stuck in traffic or not.

I am so aware that God is awesome and almighty. He created the universe and He created me. He is so powerful and mighty. And He loves me. He does. And when you love someone, you care about the details of their lives.

Do we realize how much God loves us? Not just as humans but as the individuals He created us to be. Yeah, He gets involved in the big stuff. But He also gets involved in the little stuff, like blessing us with an easy trip. And I didn’t even ask!

In the book of James, we are told we don’t have because we either don’t ask or we ask with wrong motives. Think about that. How many times do we fail to ask God because we think that what we want or need is just too trivial to bother Him with? He wants to be bothered.

God wants a relationship with us. He wants us to seek Him out and want to spend time with Him. God wants us to tell Him the details of our lives, to choose to include Him in all of our lives.

So talk to Him about the details. You never know what might happen.

Monday, October 8, 2012

You Are More Than What You Own

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” -- Luke 12:15

We’ve been listening to a series of sermons about money. Yeah. It’s nobodies favorite topic, especially at church. Because talk about money always involves stewardship which leads to tithes and giving more money than we want to give.

But as Pastor Danny pointed out yesterday, stewardship is about more than money. Why do we want money? So we can buy more stuff. And everybody knows you can’t serve God and serve your possessions too.

It comes back to knowing your life’s purpose. We’ve been discussing this very topic in Sunday school. It’s not as easy as it sounds, at least not when we get to the specifics of our daily lives. However, Pastor Danny gave us a biblical overview: Seek justice, show mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? And it is easy -- at least until Satan plants the seeds of doubt and fear in our hearts. Then we aren’t so sure exactly what we should do. We know what we want to do but we also want to make sure we have enough money and stuff. We don’t want to give away what we have and then find out later that we really needed it.

So we hang on tightly to what we have and that, in turn, pulls us further away from God. All God wants from us, really longs for from us, is our hearts. He wants us to love Him with everything we’ve got. He wants us to trust Him with everything we’ve got. He wants our lives to reflect our deep love for Him.

He has every right to demand our tithes. He has every right to demand right attitudes. After all, everything we own, everything we have, everything we accomplish, comes from God. We don’t much like to admit that but it’s true. Our very lives come from God. We are strangers in this land, as Pastor Danny pointed out. We are visitors on this earth. Everything we give to God already belongs to Him. When we go home, we aren’t taking it with us.

So why hold on to it all? Why do we take so much pride in our stuff? Why do we value ourselves, and others, based on the size of our houses or bank accounts? Why do we somehow think we’re better people because of all of our toys? It sounds kind of pathetic doesn’t it?

One of the first things we had to do in Mass Communications 101 was to write our obituaries. It’s sure wasn’t a glamorous way to begin college but it was thought-provoking. What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone? Do you want them to list your possessions? Or had you rather them talk about all the good things you did to bring glory to God? Your life isn’t about what you own, it’s about who you are in Christ. That’s something pretty powerful to remember when you’re holding tightly to all that stuff.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Let Go Of All That Stuff

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” -- Luke 12:15

What are you taking with you? When you die and head toward those Pearly Gates, what are you planning to have in your luggage? What is it that you simply can’t do without? What do you have that you can’t leave behind?

Oh, yeah. That’s right. There’s no baggage claim in heaven. Oh, and no carry-on bags are allowed either. So where does that leave all that stuff you value so highly? Not with you and, honestly, when you get to heaven do you think you will even care?

We spend so much of our lives worrying about our stuff. We never have enough of it. We don’t like to share. Sometime we value our stuff more than the people in our lives. And for what? Because we sure aren’t taking it with us when we go.

Now don’t get me wrong. I like my stuff. And I don’t like it when people abuse it or when others don’t value the family history associated with items passed down through the generations. But I also know that anything I have is a gift from God that will one day go to someone else. That’s how it’s supposed to be.

So since we can’t take it with us, maybe we need to reorder our priorities a little bit. Pastor Danny recently suggested three ways that we an do this. First, we can learn to live below our means. That way we’ll be free to appreciate what we have and to give more away to those who don’t have enough.

Ouch. I just stepped on a few toes, didn’t I? We don’t want to give away what we’ve worked hard to achieve. Other people should work hard, too, and buy their own stuff. Except that’s not what God tells us to do, is it? We’re to share from our abundance and, honestly, most of us have way too much abundance.

Secondly, we should work on developing a grateful heart. It’s difficult to focus on what you don’t have when you’re thanking God for all that you do have. Are you lusting after the latest smart phone? Well, thank God that you even have a smart phone. Many people don’t. Thank God for your health because many struggle with debilitating illness. Thank God for your family because many people are alone. And on and on. Pretty soon you’ll realize that you really have way more than you thought you had.

And lastly figure out where your soul finds satisfaction because your soul is the one thing you will be taking with you on your journey to heaven. What is your life’s call? Create your life, spend your moments, following God’s purpose for your life and not your own pursuit of stuff.

Fill your heart with compassion. Litter your path with kindness. Open your eyes to the hands in need. Fill your soul with Jesus.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Retail Sales Don't Celebrate Jesus

"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God."

-- Luke 12:4

The traffic was backed up and barely moving. Crowds filled the stores. People swiped cards and pulled out cash, toting bags of goodies to their cars. It was Christmas as we know it.

I don't think this is what Jesus had in mind for His birthday.

When did we all get so commercialized? And I do mean "we." The stores didn't do it to us. We did it to ourselves. We're so focused on getting the perfect gift and having the best holiday ever that we've lost the reason we're celebrating. Don't blame it on the government or the democrats or anyone else besides the person you see in the mirror each day. Because you are just as responsible as I am.

We not only buy in to the tree with all the lights and brightly wrapped gifts underneath, we enjoy it. We do. We want to give presents and we want to get presents in return. We want to eat until we can't move because we finally have an excuse. His name is Jesus. Except we aren't doing any of it for Him.

What would Jesus really want for Christmas? More people to invite Him into their hearts, for sure. But what would He want you or I to do for His birthday? Maybe spend that money on the homeless, the working poor or a sick child rather than people who already have too much stuff anyway. He'd probably suggest we visit a few people who are homebound and invite a few more people to church. He'd expect us to be kind and compassionate to those around us, sharing all our blessings with others. Doesn't sound too much like the kind of Christmas we're actually planning, does it?

We've let the world convince us that Christmas is about retail sales when it's really about a baby that came to save the world. When did we forget His focus on the poor and those who are alone? When did we become so obsessed with ourselves and our possessions that we stopped caring about those around us?

We're quick to tell people "Merry Christmas" and to loudly announce we want the world to "Keep Christ in Christmas." But our actions speak something else. No wonder the world ignores us and keeps right on ringing up those sales.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Move Forward In Faith

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom."

-- Luke 12:32

I am afraid. I am afraid of what tomorrow might bring. I am afraid I'm not up for the challenge, that life will overwhelm me. I am so weak, so vulnerable, so raw with pain. What if I am never strong again?

Pastor Meghan tells us to turn all our "stuff" over to God. Trust Him with it. Let Him provide for our physical needs -- food, shelter, health. Trust Him to take care of our family and friends. Give Him all my fears about being alone, losing people I love and being homeless. Just trust Him. It sounds so easy. It isn't.

I know many of my fears are irrational. They stem from unexpected loss and memories that just won't fade away. So I hold back on life. I look forward with caution, uncertain of whether I should even expect it much less prepare for it.

Jesus holds out His hand. He beckons me forward, past the safety net that surrounds my solitary boat. I want to be like Peter. I want to step out in faith. I know that Jesus will catch me. I know that. I do. I also know how quickly my boat can capsize, how swiftly I can drown, frantic and alone. It is that knowledge that paralyzes me now.

"Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you." That's what Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:7. I figure he knew something about anxiety. And speaking without thinking. And doing the wrong thing, at the wrong time. He understood failure and redemption and the power of knowing and believing Jesus.

I spend too much time worrying about things of this world. Many of those things I can't control. "Why do we believe what a temporary world says over what an eternal God promises," Pastor Meghan tells us. I know she is right. I want to step out in faith, to believe His promises, to trust Him with all my "stuff." Maybe today I can muster the courage I need. Maybe today I can move forward in faith.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Stir Things Up For Jesus

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled." -- Luke 12:48

Most of us want to get through life without a lot of drama. We hold on to the kind and gentle Jesus we know. The Jesus who invited the children into His Presence. The Jesus who loves us without fail. The Jesus who gave His life for us. We have this soft, cuddly view of  God's Son.

We forget He came to save the world. Is He kind and gentle? Absolutely. He is also full of fire and determination. As Pastor Bob said recently, that in-your-face Jesus makes us uncomfortable. We'd prefer to keep going just as we are but Jesus points out the truth about who we are and how we've contributed to this mess that surrounds us.

Oh, I hear the denials going up. But every time we stay silent, every time we take the easy road, we end up contributing to the problems of this world. We want life to be easy, without major sadness or illness. We want to get along with people. We really don't want to stir things up. It's just too much trouble.

Where am I being called to lose my life to find my life and purpose? That's the question Pastor Bob asked us the other Sunday. God restructures and repairs us so that we might restructure and repair the world, he said. So we aren't meant to go peacefully through life, never stirring up trouble or making people angry.

We'd rather ignore that part. We want to stay in our comfort zone, doing what we've always done. It's easier that way. We don't have to go deep into ourselves and see what He is trying to mold us to be.

I like to avoid conflict. Really, I do. It isn't always possible. Sometimes my views and those of another clash. Sometimes I deal with hateful comments and hard hearts. Sometimes I remain silent when I really should protest loudly. Jesus never minded stirring things up. Why do we?