January 23, 2022

 

Hold Church Leaders Accountable

 

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. – Proverbs 12:20

 

How well do you know your pastor? How much do church politics play in the administration of your church? How much should politics play? Somehow it seems the church of all places should be above the pettiness that surrounds so much of our world. Maybe we can pretend it’s all fine – until one day it isn’t.

 

I have a deep dislike for politics in the church. It always seems to place the wishes of an individual – whether it be a pastor, generous donor, or lifelong member – above God. They don’t view it that way. In their arrogant minds, they know best and everyone else had better get on board.

 

There was a time I would remain silent. Most people do. We stay in our own lane and try to keep the peace. Isn’t that what the Bible tells us? Keep the peace. Hold our tongues. Pray for those who seek to do harm. But at what cost?

 

Perhaps God is calling us to throw out the moneychangers. Maybe He is waiting for His people to demand justice. Perhaps we are being called to actually live our faith, demanding honesty and accountability from those who call themselves leaders.

 

Jesus died at the hands of the religious elite of His day. Yes, it was God’s will so that all of us could be saved. But there’s also an important lesson here. Those who claim to have all knowledge of God sometimes don’t know Him at all. It’s not about words. It’s about actions that reflect our hearts.

 

We expect the leaders of our churches to be honest, filled with integrity that is demonstrated by their actions. We have a right to expect that. Sure. We all fail God on a daily basis. But when that failure is orchestrated over a period of time, intent on harming people without cause, that’s not something we can explain away.

 

Rise up, oh people of God, and demand an accounting.

September 12, 2021

 

Ugliness and Jesus

 

Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. -- Proverbs 12:15

 

At least he now knows Covid is real. There’s nothing quite like a hospital stay, complete with breathing trouble, achiness and fatigue, to convince someone that the virus they once said didn’t exist truly is real. Unfortunately, it didn’t change his heart or his attitude.

 

I simply can’t reconcile the anger and hatred, the ugliness, that comes from his mouth with the faith he so loudly proclaims. It goes so much farther than Covid and a vaccine. It’s about recognizing that we aren’t always right.  And it’s about understanding that ugliness and Jesus don’t really belong in the same sentence.

 

How often do we hide behind our beliefs and use Jesus to try and justify ourselves? He wants no part of it. Jesus tells us to love. He tells us to forgive. He tells us to do good to those who seek to harm us. Except sometimes we’re so busy being “right” that we miss Jesus.

 

The Pharisees missed Jesus. They were so busy being right that they missed the Messiah. They clung fervently to their power and their own holiness, raising themselves above the lowliness that Jesus embraced. We haven’t learned that lesson yet, have we? We’re still looking down on people who don’t see Jesus as we do. We’re clinging to our verbiage rather opening our proud hearts to the possibility that we could be wrong.

 

Anger begets anger and hatred begets hatred. What comes from the heart truly reveals the person who lies within. What does your heart reveal about you? What “belief” do you need to cast aside so that you might embrace the truth?

March 1, 2016

Practice Kindness

Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.

-- Proverbs 12:25

There’s a quote that pops up every now and then on Facebook that goes something like this: Be kind because you don’t know the battles other people are fighting. How true.

The other day I learned that a dear friend is distraught over the bad decisions of a family member. She has hidden it well but the toll of keeping up appearances is wearing her down. Her heart is broken and that’s a hard thing to hide. And, frankly, she shouldn’t have to hide it.

Another friend suffers from severe depression that has caused memory issues. She has withdrawn further into herself because she doesn’t always recognize people and remember past events. People don’t understand and trying to explain it is just too exhausting.

Another friend smiles brightly at those around her. She is the picture of a calm, together woman. The slight shaking of her hands is the only evidence of the nervousness that plagues her. She is a fulltime caregiver to an adult son with autism. Some days he follows her around the house repeating the same things over and over again. There is no relief. Day after day. She loves her son but she is desperate for a break. You’d never know it from the smile on her face.

What is your private battle? We all have one. You don’t? Wait a while. You will. It’s part of life. A part of life we hide from others. We want to appear together, happy, satisfied with life. People want us to hide our hurts from them. Honestly, they don’t want to know.

Mostly we all just muddle along like that, until something happens and our hurts bleed over into life. Then we are blessed to encounter someone who is kind. We should remember that kindness when we encounter someone who is hurting.

Another dear friend is going through a tough, tough time. She talks too much and her eyes sometimes hold a shadow that few really see. She gets on people’s nerves when she rambles on and on. I know the hurt behind the words she isn’t saying. I ache for her and pray others will hold their harsh words and show kindness.

There is a reason kindness is listed as a fruit of the spirit. Practice it. You never know the silent battles others are fighting.

March 4, 2015

Do What's Right

 

No harm befalls the righteous,

but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

-- Proverbs 12:21

I guess to them it's business as usual. Push. Push. Push. Bill for dollars. They hit a problem. Me. I don't push.

I have a real issue with government waste. I know. It's everywhere. I'm of the belief that we should get rid of them all (as in vote them out of office) and start over. Oh, and add term limits and get rid of the permanent perks. That's the only way to truly get change in Washington. It's not going to happen.

But here's the thing: that government waste comes down to the local level. That's me and you. Why should we care? Because as children of God we're to live our lives with integrity. That means not allowing things that are dishonest if we can do something to stop it.

In my case, it was home health for a family member. It is no longer needed. The surgeon agreed. I stopped it. They went to a different doctor to get it extended, then called to inform me they were coming out. No. They weren't. We don't need them anymore. I'm not sure we ever did but that's another issue.

They expected to have an elderly person answer the phone call. They expected to bully their way into our home. When I refused, they argued that they could monitor the wounds. Not necessary. The doctor said so. An older person might have given in. That's another $180 in their company's pocket. Not today.

I know that woman on the phone was only doing what she was told. And I'm sure the same is true of her boss. The company they work for is in the market to make money. But when they bill that government agency, those are my tax dollars getting sent out. I have a problem with that. You should too. It's wasteful and it's dishonest.

Yes, I'll check the report that comes in and I'll make sure they didn't bill the government agency for times they didn't come. If they did, I'll report them. It's the right thing to do. Just like it was the right thing to do to refuse to allow them to come to our home when they are no longer needed.

So what is the right thing to do when you work for someone who pushes you to do something that is not right? Are you a Christian when you go to work? Do you believe that God has called you to live with integrity all the time? There's your answer.

Living that answer is not easy. Choices have real consequences. But God has promised to be with us every step of the way. He has promised to protect us and take care of us. But first we have to step out in faith.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Show The World Some Kindness

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. -- Proverbs 12:25

Sometimes life is just plain hard. Economic worries, job stress, kids’ demands, and life in general just eats away at us. It’s easy to become discouraged.

We’ve all been there. And having been there we can understand how important it is to use words to build people up rather than tear them down. A few words of encouragement can really make a difference when you’re having a bad day.

Here in the Deep South, it’s customary to lift your hand or at least a few fingers to acknowledge other drivers who are kind to you. For example, when someone lets you move in front of them. It’s just a way to say thanks and let them know you appreciate what they did. We don’t see that as much anymore and it‘s really kind of sad.

People are too quick to blow their horns and fuss at the slightest infraction. I’m guilty. Then I have to ask myself why I think my time, my plans, are more important that that of someone else. The other person has just as much right to be on the road as I do. Deep breaths and kindness.

We can practice kindness every day. We can smile and say thank you to the harried clerk at the supermarket. We can tell our child’s teacher how much we appreciate her caring attitude. We can leave a little extra for the waitress who went out of her way. We can offer a smile, a kind word, a helping hand, to the people who cross our paths.

A few years ago our neighbors pulled up some bushes that framed their driveway. The bushes, while pretty, hindered our ability to see traffic as we attempted to leave our driveway. I wrote them a thank you note. Was it necessary? Probably not. But I wanted to acknowledge how much I appreciated them doing something they didn’t have to do.

When was the last time you told someone “thank you,” and really meant it? When was the last time you told someone “good job” with a look in the eye and a smile? Simple words, like saying “I love you” to those you love and not assuming they know and don’t need to hear the words.

Your words have the power to harm or to build up. Your words can help turn someone life around. Don’t ever use words frivolously or withhold encouragement because “they already know.” Kindness matters. Pass it on.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

We All Fail Each Other

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. -- Proverbs 12:18

People fail us. Again and again they let us down. They say things that hurt our feelings. They lie to us. They talk bad about us. They shut us out. They ask too much of us. Nobody ever seems to get it just right.

They could say the same about us. Because nobody is perfect and none of us can meet all the needs of anyone, even those we love the most. We disappoint people just as they disappoint us. It’s just how it is.

Sometimes people expect Christians to live above that, to always do and say the right things, to never hurt anyone. That just isn’t realistic. While Christians should reach for a higher standard, we all fail. Expecting anything else is just unrealistic.

A wonderful couple that I know recently stopped attending church. I’m not sure who said what or how it all happened, but they felt let down by some of the people at their church. Rather than working through it, they simply stopped attending. They’re depriving themselves and their children of a wonderful church family because of a few people who didn’t meet their standards.

It would be nice if every other Christian shared our views on everything, especially when we attend the same church. But that just isn’t what happens. We are a diverse group of people. Just look at us. We’re all different ages and races. Some have lived here all their lives. Some have traveled the world and settled here by choice. None of it matters except that it does color our views.

I expect that divide may seem wider as the Presidential election gets nearer. Few things seem to ignite passions as much as politics. Unfortunately, we don’t leave our opinions at the door when we worship God. We alienate people. And that’s a really bad thing.

But is it reason enough to walk away from God? Because that’s what we’re doing when we refuse to attend church. He knows better than any of us how often humans fail Him and each other. The key is to keep trying. To move forward. To listen to God. To pray and to heal each other.

Sometimes the only option is to walk away and change church families. I understand that. Sometimes God calls us to make a change. But sometimes we’re only making excuses by holding people to a standard no one could ever meet.

We are all simply doing the best we can. We fail. And sometimes we fail big. It’s just part of being human and a work in progress for God’s kingdom. So maybe we should give each other a second chance. Maybe we should extend the hand of reconciliation. Maybe we should treat others with the same kindness and forgiveness we’d want them to extend to us.