Well Done

Most of us can look back over many years of service to our church, our community and our country. My four years on City Council are coming to an end and although I am weary and looking for a time of rest, I confidently lay claim to Jesus’ words in the Parable of the Talents, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Well, I was confident until I let the complete verse register in my mind, “…Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things…” (Matt 25:23 NIV) Now I’m getting nervous. Exactly what does it mean to be put in charge of many things?

Fodder

Yesterday we had City Council elections and I lost my bid for re-election. Certainly I’m disappointed, but I trust the Lord has me where He wants me for this moment in time, so all is good. Actually my husband, friends and family are looking forward to having me back. I do think one of my biggest regrets will be the loss of great fodder for my blog.

In Turn

At a retreat I attended with 20 others one participant bemoaned that his opinions are often ignored because he’s the ‘old man of the group’. By the second day it became obvious that age was not the culprit. My talkative colleague dominated all the discussions by giving lengthy opinions on every agenda item. As I consider Paul’s guidelines for orderly worship, I’m wondering if his thoughts were more than just wanting to avoid confusion. I think it’s possible he also saw the need to keep one speaker from dominating discussions. “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (1Cor 14:29-31 NIV)

Choosing Life

This last weekend my mom, who is almost 88 years and in a nursing home, had a heart problem and was given the opportunity to choose life or death. Her choice was to have a pacemaker installed or, as the doctor said, “let nature take its course”. Mom has been an unhappy nursing home resident for over four years, so I find it interesting that she opted for the pacemaker. Paul says, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Philippians 1:21-24 NIV) When mom is feeling better I can hardly wait to remind her that she chose fruitful labor over being with Christ.

Coincidence

For my weekly church newsletter I debated about swapping two interviews around.  One is a great story that has a warm fuzzy feel to it where the interviewee reminisced about Easter as a child. The other is captivating story of a physically and mentally abused woman who struggled raising two boys and wrestled with God over issues she didn’t understand. I decided to publish the stories in the order of the interview, which meant that the feel good story will run this week, a week prior to Easter. The overcoming abuse story will be published for Easter Sunday. As I proof read the Easter Sunday edition I was blown away by God’s perfect timing and messaging. The interviewee’s favorite passage of Scripture is the perfect Easter story rolled up into one tiny verse, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies…” (John 11:25 NIV)

Mistaken Identity

A local newspaper reported that a woman survived a gunshot wound to the head and has apparently resumed her transient life style, while the shooter on the other hand is answering questions about some past brushes with the law. The real story however, is that the woman wore a red Mohawk hair style and the shooter, from 90 feet away, mistook her for a bird. I can understand the shooters confusion. We have all fired off shots at others who are acting out of character and then we’re shocked to learn they are a fellow believer. Of course, if people can’t tell whether or not we are a Christian, maybe we deserve to be shot at.

Repairs Done Here

The marquee at a local home decorating business reads, ‘Blind Repair’. Actually, I think the sentiments would be more fitting if they were displayed on the church marquee. Reading from the scroll of Isaiah the prophet Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed…” (Luke 4:18 NIV)

Arriving At Your Destination

I am in Toastmasters and one of my observations is that speakers and presenters almost always begin their talk justifying to the audience why they are speaking and explaining their job. ‘I’m here because I’m the evaluator’ or ‘this is my Ice Breaker speech’. They then tell us how they arrived at where they are, ‘this thought came to me in the middle of the night’, or ‘I spent a week in trying to think what I wanted to say’. We who speak in the church have the same habit. For instance speakers will say, ‘Today I am giving the Communion meditation’ – actually the audience already knows that you are doing the meditation because you are listed in the bulletin. Presenters will then continue on and tell us when, where, how and why they arrived at their particular text for this particular meditation. I wonder if we do something similar when we present the Gospel to others. I think it’s possible that we spend more time telling people how we arrived at the Gospel, than we do in actually sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Bon Voyage

My friend Sharon was recently diagnosed with severe, inoperable heart problems and she has only a short time to live.  “Ninety-five percent of my heart is blocked.” She smiled, “So I’m running on only five percent fuel.” As Christians we should never be afraid to die, but Sharon’s attitude is remarkable. “I can hardly wait to see the Lord and sit on His lap. It’s marvelous, it’s wonderful. The Lord has given me a plan and I have time to get my affairs in order.” I laughed with Sharon when she told me that even knowing she had six months to live didn’t stop her from suggesting a timetable to the Lord. “When I have chest pains I tell Him, ‘I’m ready, this would be a good time for me to go!’”

Reminder

I am attending classes on Emergency Preparedness and we had a chance to visit the Emergency Operations Center, but only six of us took advantage of the opportunity. Some people in the class said they didn’t get a notice. At our last meeting the attendance was down and one classmate told the facilitator, “I had it on my calendar so I knew about the class, but you didn’t send out a reminder, so some people may have forgotten.” The facilitator replied, “At the last meeting we all agreed on the time and the place for this meeting. Everyone has a calendar and it’s not my job to send out a reminder.” He then added, “In an emergency no one will be sending you a reminder.” Can’t you just see people standing before the Lord on Judgment Day saying, ‘But You didn’t send us out a reminder’?

Old Wounds

As I get older there are a few places on my hands and arms that are now showing up as scars. I don’t always remember how I got those wounds, but I can vaguely remember as a child picking at the rough scab and pulling it off before the wound was healed. When I was young in faith I’m fairly certain that I did something similar in my spiritual walk. No doubt some of my spiritual scars are of my own making because I kept pulling off the scabs before I was healed.

Pre-Planning

I’ve noticed that when I have a housekeeper coming in I’ll do some tidying up before she gets here. Or when I have a dentist appointment, I’ll spend extra time brushing and flossing before the appointment. I also try some dieting before it’s time for my annual physical because I know I’ll have to get on the dreaded scale. It’s no wonder that the Lord has kept the Second Coming a secret. “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matt 24:44 NIV)

Laodicea

Our upcoming election is a non-partisan race and some candidates come from opposite political parties. A few days ago I learned that one candidate declares a party affiliation just long enough to participate in the party caucus then he switches to become an Independent. I’m not sure how his party feels about people who are on again-off again, but the Lord certainly has an opinion on those of faith who have Laodiceian tendencies. “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:15-16 NIV)

Perfect Body

At the fitness center I can see people of all shapes, sizes and ages working out and I admire their efforts. However, if anyone were to see these folks on the street or in their work place, they would have no idea how much time, energy and sweat has been expended in order to keep fit. I’m wondering if something similar can be said of the Body of Christ. Very few people see our perfect body because for many of us, the only time we exercise our faith is when we are in the church setting.

Truth

As a playwright, George Bernard Shaw included humor in his craft. Personally I am not a fan of Shaw’s, but I find his quote interesting, "My way of joking is to tell the truth. It is the funniest joke in the world." In my world truth is serious business and I just can’t wrap my head around it as being humorous or a joke. No doubt there was humor in Jesus’ life, but he prefaced much of his teaching and remarks with, “I tell you the truth…” Somehow I don’t think anyone in His audience was laughing at the time.

In Need

A middle aged woman, accompanied by her quiet and unassuming boyfriend, would occasionally attend our worship services and then she would ask for financial assistance. Eventually our leadership stipulated that the church would give her a hand-up, not a hand-out, but only if she attended regularly and become a part of the fellowship…and for a time she did. The woman has now moved on, but every Sunday the boyfriend slips quietly into a seat and joins us for worship. We use our human wisdom to identify those in need, but Jesus has His target audience and it’s not always who we think it would be. “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5 NIV)

Being Counted

Yesterday the activity on the Christian Ear was off the chart. Actually at first I thought it was a glitch with the counter, but no, someone is going through old blogs. More than likely my campaign opposition is sorting through old posts hoping to find something disparaging that I may have said. I really do have to laugh, because if someone is looking for dirt then they have to read through six years of Scripture and Christian thoughts. We know the Word of God does not return void. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double–edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb 4:12 NIV)

Persuading

I’ve just read an interesting little book, Your Mind Matters, by John Stott, who observes that when a person comes to the Lord we tend to think, ‘thank God he was converted’ rather thinking, ‘thank God he was persuaded’. Stott notes that persuading is an intellectual exercise, “To persuade is to marshal arguments in order to prevail on people to change their mind about something.” Most of us don’t feel equipped to persuade a sinner to accept Jesus as his Savior…and that’s exactly Stott’s point.

Dearly Departed

I’ve often heard it said that a funeral service should be for the living, rather than for the dead. At a recent funeral the casket with the body was present, but there wasn’t a lot that was actually said about the deceased. The service really was more about the pastor, the family in video slides and the messages through prerecorded songs. For me there seemed to be a void because so little was said about the deceased. But then I remembered the words of the angel at the tomb, “He is not here, he has risen, just as he said.” (Matt 28:6 NIV) Certainly my dearly departed had already departed and it really was about the family that was left behind.

No Pressure

Each week for over two years I’ve interviewed a member of the congregation and then written a mini-bio about them to share with the congregation. It’s been a great tool for helping us get better acquainted with one another. However, I’m now struggling to find folks to interview. Some people are very private and don’t want to share their lives, while others want more time to collect their thoughts and will say, “Not now, call me back in a couple of months.” I don’t want to pressure people to share, but I hate to see anyone pass up an opportunity to tell others about how God has worked in their life. “Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” (Psalm 66:16 NIV)

Second Cousin Once Removed

It seems we believers often look for ways to divide ourselves and then show our independence. I certainly mean no disrespect to this congregation, but I cracked up when I read their name, the Third Christian Reformed Church. I can only imagine the history and lineage for this body of believers. The name alone entices me to want to know more about their genealogy and if we might somehow be related.

You Are Here

A frustration I have with my computer is that I don’t always know where I am. Am I in the library, in a folder or in a sub-folder? Every once in a while a family member will have to lead me out of the maze, but that still doesn’t register with me as to how I got to where I was in the first place and more importantly, how to get out on my own. I recently sent up yet another distress call to Bill saying, ‘where am I?’ and he finally had the answer I was looking for. “Just look up on the tool bar at the top of the screen and it will show you where you’ve been and where you are now.”  As believers we sometimes fail to realize where we are in our Christian maturity – for better or for worse. I would love to have a spiritual tool bar that showed me where I’ve been and where I am now. “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb 5:13-14 NIV)

Benefit of the Doubt

To me, giving someone the benefit of the doubt has meant saying, “I’ll trust you because I want to be fair and not jump to conclusions”. I recently did a double take when I read the definition on the internet as, "I can't prove you're wrong (or lying), but I suspect that you are, so because of this doubt I'll accept what you say."  Wow….I find it interesting that we seem to give one another a pass on what we say or do just because we don’t want to take the time to prove whether or not their statements are true.

Classification

There are situations in life where I resolve to put something in God’s hands, but then I can’t let it go and I keep trying to help Him out. I fall into this trap is because I can, for good or bad, actually impact the outcome of a situation by my actions. However, there are other times when I have absolutely no power, such as when a loved one has terminal cancer. I can let go then because I know I am limited and God is unlimited. I’m thinking I need to recategorize what problems I give to the Lord. In order to completely turn something over to Him, maybe I should classify it as “terminal”.

Savings and Loss

A few months ago I heard a presentation from Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hobbs, a water court judge. He noted that conserving water on the western slope really doesn’t help Colorado, but rather benefits communities downstream, like San Diego.  The aquifer, a water-bearing layer of rock, sand or gravel that absorbs water, needs to be replenished, but in our efforts to save water by lining irrigation ditches, we are actually keeping the water from going into the local aquifer. On a spiritual level Jesus has a similar thought, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:24 NIV)

Stealing Wheat

I purchased 50 campaign yard signs for the upcoming election and then I had to come up with friends who would let me display the signs in their yard. I’m pleased to report that I do in fact have 50 friends. I put the signs out on Saturday, but during the night on Monday one of the signs mysteriously disappeared. I’m now seeing shades of the Parable of the Weeds. “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” (Matt 13:24-25 NIV)

Unfamiliar Territory

I’m just not getting along with the traffic enforcement in the Denver metro area. My last trip I was in an unfamiliar area of town which was under road construction. I made an improper lane change…which wouldn’t have been a problem if it wouldn’t have been for the police car behind me. Thankfully I was given only a warning ticket along with a smile and a courtesy compliment, “You look like a nice lady.” When I reflect on my early years as a believer I can see some similarities where I found myself in unfamiliar Scriptural territory and jumping lanes of Biblical thought. Thank goodness for all those warnings I received from the Sunday School and Bible Study Police.

The Right Answer

I’m trying to wrap my head around being a fulltime online student. Right now my focus is on trying to get the right answer from the textbook, rather than taking in the big picture. It’s as though I really can’t enjoy personal ah-ha’s, because I know those things are not going to be on the final exam. I think something similar can happen in our Christian walk. We are so concerned with having the right answers for the final exam that we often miss the exciting things that the Spirit wants to show us in the Word.

Times of Distress

My mother is in a nursing home and one of the fellow clients is a cantankerous elderly gent who appears to have some dementia. The resident bully has gotten physical with some of the patients so I purchased a sports whistle for mom to wear around her neck. I decided a shrill whistle would either bring help quickly, or at the very least it might scare the beggar away. I’m now thinking about my own spiritual whistle of choice and what I use in times of distress. I know many of us follow in Peter’s sinking footsteps and cry out, “Lord, save me!” (Matt 14:30 NIV) However, I’m wondering if we might be better served by remembering how Jesus responded in times of distress and being bullied, “It is written…”

Anemic

Once when Bill went shopping for grape juice for Communion he compared labels and price and purchased the generic brand. There was a significant savings and he was quite proud of his bargain shopping skills. That Sunday when the Communion tray was passed the juice looked rather anemic. It tasted overly sweet, but yet watered down. We later inspected the juice label and read that it contained mostly apple juice, with a little grape juice added to the mix. Webster’s defines anemic as, ‘Lacking force, vitality, or spirit; lacking interest or savor’. I couldn’t help but wonder if sometimes when we partake of the emblems, we too may be guilty of watering down the blood of Christ. “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” (1 Cor 11:27-28 NIV)

Lesser of Two Evils

Many of us bemoan that with the slate of candidates running for office we really don’t like either, or in some cases, any of the candidates. More and more we hear voters saying, ‘It’s going to boil down to the lesser of two evils’. As I look at this from God’s perspective, He disagrees. The person elected will be God’s candidate of choice and His decision won’t be based on degrees of evil. “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” (1 Peter 2:13-14NIV)

How Does It Feel

Where I sit during worship service is one of the first places to get served communion. Because serving the congregation takes a little bit of time, I’m normally finished with my self-examination and prayers before everyone else has even been served. Usually I just sit quietly until the next segment of the worship service begins. However this last Sunday I really wanted to whisper in my neighbor’s ear…and my topic had nothing to do with worship. I can stop myself from doing something because I know it’s not the time or the place, but at this moment it came to me, ‘Just exactly how do you think you are going to feel after you whisper to you neighbor?’ Not that this situation was a sin, but it did cause me to pause. When I’m on the verge of sinning, maybe it should be crossing my mind how I might feel if I were to go ahead and sin. ^“What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!” (Ro 6:21 NIV)

Thank You

Last Sunday in worship service one of the public prayers included, “Thank you God for the things we can’t give ourselves – life, hope and peace.” Although we know that everything comes from God, the non-believer would say that his job, his house and the food on his table comes from his own initiative. As I think about my normal prayers, I wonder if I put more emphasis on material things than I do on the things that can come only from His hand. “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 24-25 NIV)

Timing is Everything

Recently a fellow believer came to me asking for forgiveness for a situation that happened more than a year ago. She confessed to not only harboring resentment, but to also spreading malicious gossip and maligning my reputation. I gave her my forgiveness, however she just wouldn’t let it go. She continued to talk and rehashed the situation until the forgiveness was overshadowed by justification for her actions. Although we parted company with prayer, I couldn’t help but notice that the timing of her request coincided with the current political landscape. Jesus said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matt 5:23-24 NIV) I think I’ve just discovered another reason for us to reconcile with one another quickly…so that there is never any question of motives.

Funerals

Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and I have an image of them hanging their heads, leaving the Garden and walking into the cruel world. I don’t think I’ve fully considered this as being a funeral march of sorts and God grieving over the spiritual death of His creation. While I know that God rejoices with every soul that is saved, I had never contemplated the grief He endures at every spiritual funeral that He must attend. “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt 7:14 NIV)

You Are

It’s interesting that even in Scripture, unless you are a well known figure, your job description is who you are – fisherman, tax collector, or priest. Jesus asked his disciples who the Son of Man was and they replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” I’m wondering if I do something similar when Jesus enters into my conversations with others. Descriptions like Lord, Savior and Redeemer slide comfortably off my tongue, because that’s who Jesus is to me. However in probing deeper Jesus asks us the same questions He asked Peter, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” The correct answer may not always be resting on the tip of my tongue. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  (Matt 16:13-16 NIV)

Registering

I’m a member of a class that asks participants to fill out an evaluation form following each session. After one exceptional class I gave the instructors and the material presented very high marks. However in the comment section of, “What can we do better?” I noted that the instructor used a couple of swear words during his presentation, which were completely unnecessary. A couple weeks later I ran into one of the class organizers, so ask if they received and read the evaluations. Through our conversation and then a follow-up call I learned that the evaluations are indeed read. However the facilitator’s critiquing eye was focused on the good parts of the evaluation – the high marks and the positive feedback. My comments about the swear words simply didn’t register and were overlooked. Spiritually speaking I think many of us can relate. It’s easier to read the good news in Scripture and overlook the parts of correction. After all, if it registers with us we then have a responsibility to do something about it.

The In-Basket

Recently a friend shared her frustration about not having a specific prayer answered. Feeling both dejected and rejected, she questioned whether or not God was even hearing her prayers. I couldn’t help but think of Zechariah and Elizabeth who were well along in years and still childless. As a priest Zechariah no doubt pounded the doors of heaven for years with his request to have an heir. One day an angel appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.” (Luke 1:13 NIV) God’s timing is perfect and it gives me pause to think that my prayer request may be sitting in God’s in-basket just waiting for the right time.

Invitation

Some of us think that the only thing we have to do to bring people to the Lord is simply invite them to church. If we can just get them in the door, then it’s up to the Spirit, the preacher and church fellowship to keep them engaged. When Paul spoke to the Athenians, he didn’t wait for Silas, Timothy or anyone else to make a case for Jesus. He was so acquainted with his subject and his supportive argument that even though some in his audience sneered, others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” (Acts 17:32 NIV) As mature believers we are all equipped with the Word of God, so we know our subject…and yet I wonder if any of us have been invited back to speak again.

Rhetoric

According to Webster’s one of the definitions for rhetoric is, “the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion.” On the political landscape there are plenty of examples of rhetoric as candidates use their words to persuade voters. Preachers too are said to use rhetoric in their sermon as they present the Sunday message. I find these modern day examples interesting and in stark contrast to Paul’s manner of communication. “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1 Cor 2:4-5 NIV)

Just a Suggestion

In one of my on-line classes the Professor gave an audio instruction for her class. After one set of requirements I was put on notice when she said, “This is not a suggestion.” Although she spoke in a calm voice, her statement registered in Bold, CAPS and underlined. I’m wondering if many of us are lackadaisical when reading the words of Jesus and we simply take them as a suggestion. It’s entirely possible that those red-letter editions of the Bible are trying to tell us that the words of Jesus are not just a suggestion.

WWJD

President Obama continues to want the wealthiest Americans to pay more in taxes. In a recent speech he asked the nation to think about the less fortunate, the middle class, and he brought Jesus into the issue saying, “What would Jesus do?” I had to laugh. Jesus didn’t make a class distinction when he was asked about paying taxes. He simply said, “…give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:25b NIV)

Missing You

In order to re-run for the upcoming City Council election I had to get 25 signatures on my petition. Naturally I asked many fellow believers to sign because they already know me personally. A friend of over 30 years half-jokingly said, “I don’t know if I want to sign your petition or not. I think you’ll understand this…what I really want is to have my friend back.” I do understand. Since getting into the political arena my area of influence has drastically changed. I no longer teach classes, attend multiple Bible studies or participate in women’s ministries and I do miss the former closeness of friends. I’m now thinking about the family and friends of Jesus as they watched Him leave his former life to begin His ministry. Even knowing Jesus was doing the will of the Father didn’t stop them from thinking, ‘We just want our friend back.’

A Voice in the Wilderness

I have a friend who is in enrolled in a business class and one of the requirements is learning to do a blog. “We're [supposed] to narrow it down to a directed group and have something that we are passionate about…I don't really consider myself qualified to give advice…on any particular subject.” It’s interesting that most of us feel unqualified and yet we have the Spirit of the living God within us who gives us our credentials. John the Baptist was simply a voice in the wilderness and yet he prepared the way and made straight paths for the Lord.

Addressee

I hate it when I send out an email that, rather than going to the intended recipient, goes to someone else.  Normally what I’ve written is not damaging, but once in awhile my tongue-in-cheek comments can feel more like foot-in-mouth. When I pray I sometimes wonder if I don’t inadvertently blind copy Satan. For instance if I tell the Lord about my financial worries is Satan privy to the prayer and does he think, ‘Well OK now…if she’s worried about finances let’s see what I can to help her add to those worries.’ Maybe I need to start using the caveat, CONFIDENTIAL – For the Lord’s Ears Only.

Gratuity

When I was in the metro area I took a couple of family members to dinner. Our waiter, who was of middle-eastern origin, wasn’t quite up to par as waiters go and it crossed my mind that he might be fairly new to America. To pay the bill I put cash in the card holder which was picked up by the waiter. However my cousin insisted on leaving the tip, which he placed on the table. It wasn’t long before the waiter returned and stiffly informed me that there was no tip in the card holder. I was a little taken back and pointed to the tip on the table, then picked it up and handed it to him. On the way out of the restaurant we did speak to the manager about the unprofessionalism of the waiter and hopefully the young man will be enlightened about the difference between wages and gratuity. “…The worker deserves his wages.” (1 Tim 5:18b NIV)

Elected

I will again be running for City Council in the April election. Yesterday the newspaper called me for an interview and the reporter wanted to know my thoughts on the current Council and how it has been observed that we don’t always get along well with one another. My response was, “We’re not elected to get along, but rather to set good policy and make good decisions.” Believers too are not immune from feeling we must get along with others at all costs. Jesus makes it clear where He stands, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matt 10:34 NIV)

Warning

John the Baptist was not one to mince words and in the account of the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to where he was baptizing, John said, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” (Matt 3:7; Luke 3:7 NIV) I’m intrigued by John’s question. Maybe John had a touch of Jonah running through his veins and he wanted the Pharisees and Sadducees to endure wrath.  Was his question in jest, or did John really want to know who among the disciples was brave enough to give a warning to the Pharisees and Sadducees? As a believer it seems like it’s our responsibility to warn people about the coming wrath…and that their only salvation comes by way of fleeing to the Lord.

No Pat Answers

Recently I listened to a presentation on Hospice, where speaking to a largely secular audience about death, the presenter said, “There really are no pat answers on why people die.”  Knowing that the speaker is a person of faith I wondered how difficult it must be for her to talk generically about death. For the believer we need only go to Scripture to find the pat answer for death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NIV)

Flip-Flop

Whether it’s in the family, at work or in the community it can be maddening when people do a flip-flop and go 90 degrees in a different direction. Certainly as we gather information or see things from a different angle we have the right to change our mind. However we need go no farther than the political landscape to see candidates jumping from one platform to another with little or no thought to their previous commitment. Sadly the church is not immune to this scenario. I’m thinking about the person who confesses Jesus as his Lord and Savior, makes the good confession and then flip-flops. “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” (2 Peter 2:21 NIV)

Fear of the Lord

I was intrigued when I recently heard a speaker mention scary Scriptures in the Bible. I’m wondering if, similar to losing our fear of God, some of us have also lost our fear of Scripture. Personally speaking I don’t usually focus on the consequences of a passage when I’m already obedient to its instruction. One of my picks for a scary Scripture is, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5 NIV) I think do pretty well at taking my thoughts captive. However keeping them captive and then making them obedient to Christ is another thing.

Indulgence

Many of us struggle with our weight. One minute we’ll reward ourselves with a dognut and then the next we are saddled with guilt for bowing to temptation. I both love and hate Paul’s thought process as he sends me back to reflect on the moment of indulgence. “What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?” (Romans 6:21a NIV)

Exposed Folly

As the political landscape heats up, so does the rumor mill. There is an undeniable wickedness in men who perpetrate lies about others and Paul describes men who oppose the truth as having depraved minds. What’s aggravating is that once a lie starts making the rounds it’s almost impossible to get the truth out. However I’ve just found some comfort in the account of Jannes and Jambres, two men who opposed Moses. It’s reassuring to know that sometimes we’re simply dealing with folly and that others can see it clearly for what it is. “But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” (1 Tim 3:9 NIV)

Geriatric Seeds

One of the visitors at church yesterday is a nurse I’ve known for many years who just happens to work in the nursing home where my mom is a resident. Not feeling totally connected in her current church, the visitor and her husband came to our worship service hoping to feel comfortable and get re-connected. We greeted one another and taking a seat next to mine she shared her struggle with knowing she needed to visit our church. “Boy, the Lord just won’t let it go. He’s really been working on me to come here…and so has your mom!” It’s interesting that whether you are an evangelist like the Apostle Paul or an elderly nursing home resident, kingdom work on earth is never done. You can still sow seeds of invitation that produce fruit. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Philippians 2:21-23 NIV)

Unashamed

For a church newsletter I interviewed a woman in her mid 60’s who in her teens had a child out of wedlock. Being sensitive to the situation I tentatively asked her if I could include that part of her life in the story. She laughed, “Oh yes! God already knows about it and I’m not ashamed of it.” I love her attitude and the example she is setting. Many of us allow pride to keep us from acknowledging shortcomings, missteps and the sin in our lives…and yet God already knows.

Shipwrecked

The accounts we are hearing from the recent shipwreck near Giglio off the coast of Tuscany really causes me to pause. It’s hard to understand why the crew did not sound a warning, but rather encouraged passengers to stay calm and stay on board. Paul sounds the alarm for us to fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience, “…Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.” (1Tim 1:19b NIV) I’m now picturing our luxury cruise ship Faith being run aground on the rocks. She is lying on her side and taking on water. The wreckage doesn’t look repairable and salvage will be a long process. And to think the shipwreck of Faith could have been avoided.

Life Sentence

I’m attending a 10 week Citizen’s Academy whose focus is on our local Police Department. At our last meeting I was struck by the fact that a murderer can eventually serve his time and be released from prison, but a sex offender has to report either quarterly or yearly and forever will be listed on the sex offender list. Don’t get me wrong, I think we all feel more comfortable knowing if there is a convicted felon in the neighborhood, be it murdered or sex offender. On a spiritual level, if it weren’t for repentance and forgiveness through Christ, we too would be on the lifetime sinner offender list. “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,…” (Ro 3:22-23 NIV)

Counting Chickens

Recently a relative of mine had a lottery scratch ticket and because of the confusing instructions she thought she was a winner. Even knowing that she might be mistaken didn’t stop her from mentally spending the $27,000 jackpot. It’s interesting that even with our minds on spiritual things we are not immune to such dreams. If we suspected we were in line for a windfall maybe we would pay off the church mortgage, fully fund an orphanage or support a Bible college. We could convince ourselves that we were giving back to God, but I wonder if subconsciously there is an appeal to put ourselves in the place of God by meeting the needs of others. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matt 6:26 NIV)

Viewpoint

I watched the movie Vantage Point and throughout the entire drama the only two constants were the shooting of an American President and a bomb being detonated in a plaza. Other than the two foundational events, the movie changed the point of view from one character to another. At the end of each character’s segment you understand what they saw and felt for that moment in time...and that things weren’t always what they appeared to be. I found myself anticipating how each new point of view would differ from that of the others. The story and plot was a good reminder to me that it is God who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent ...and I am not.

Home Décor

Prints of the Last Supper or Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane often adorned the walls of the homes of our parents and grandparents. When our loved ones pass away we find ourselves in a dilemma of what to do with their religious wall hangings. The prints may be worn, faded and soiled with age, but we just can’t bring ourselves to throw Jesus in the trash or send Him to the Salvation Army. Such items are often gifted to the church and then the church struggles with what to do with them while also trying to avoid hurting the donor’s feelings. As believers we give gifts to the Lord, but are they worn, faded and soiled, or are they items that we would hang in our own home?

Green Light

While driving early one morning the traffic was sparse and I was behind a car that was creeping up to a red light. Apparently the driver was trying to arrive at the light just as it turned green so that he wouldn’t have to stop. I chuckled when he had to chicken out and tap his breaks because his timing was off. We believers play a similar game with God. We manipulate our timing in hopes that it will be God’s timing and He’ll give us a green light. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9 NIV)

Personalized

Many years ago my husband gave me a Christmas gift of a ream of expensive personalized paper and envelopes. The printing is in script and the letterhead not only has my name and address, but it also includes my phone number. I’ve been so selective about using the stationary only for important correspondence, that here I am 30 years later with envelopes that are yellowing and letterhead with a telephone area code that no longer applies. Spiritually speaking I’m wondering how many of us have personalized gifts from God that we’ve kept sitting on a shelf collecting dust and turning yellow with age because we’re saving them for just the right occasion.

Tolerance

Years ago my in-laws owned two Siamese cats; they also had a friend who detested cats. Whenever Darlene came to visit the cats would look up at her with adoring eyes, rub up against her leg and caress her with their swaying tails. There is no doubt in my mind that the cats knew they weren’t liked and they were deliberately trying to aggravate Darlene. I found the encounters humorous because, quite honestly I wasn’t invested in the cats, nor was Darlene my favorite person. I now have a Christian friend who reminds me of those cats. She floats in and out of my life on a regular basis, is high maintenance and irritates me beyond belief. I just know God is laughing at my discomfort and forced tolerance.

Rewards for Service

Recently an editorial in our newspaper paper referenced the lack of candidates willing to run for local public office. They highlighted part of the problem stating, “Admittedly, running for and serving in public office is not a game for the weak at heart or those who lack commitment.” I had to laugh because the same organizations that encourage a person to be civic minded and become a candidate are the ones that then use the elected official for target practice. In the church we too have elections for elders and deacons and I could say the same thing of these candidates. However after the election there is a startling difference between the treatment of those serving in public office compared to those serving in the church. ^“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” (1 Tim 5:17 NIV)

Always Right

When a fellow believer didn’t like the way I approached a particular situation she personally took me to task saying, “I am disappointed in what you have done…I decided that you were working against me.” Most opinionated people believe they are always right and if you don’t agree with them, then you are the one who must be wrong. Columnist Marilyn vos Savant had an interesting observation; “…people get freaked out by the notion of being wrong about anything. If you can be wrong about this or that, what about all the other stuff you think you know?” I think about Saul of Tarsus after he encountered the Lord on the road to Damascus and discovered he was wrong in persecuting those who belonged to the Way. No doubt it was humbling for Saul to be shown the error of his ways, but I can’t imagine how disconcerting it was for him to then question the other stuff he thought he knew.

Lord Willing

Every once in a while a situation will come up where I’ll come hear someone say, ‘I have to pray about it and see if it’s what the Lord wants me to do’. While there is something to be said about waiting on the Lord for His direction, the flip side would be those who say they are going to do such and such, ‘The Lord willing.’ With the Spirit living within us, I’ve been contemplating which position He finds more challenging – that of motivating the believer into action or that of stopping them when they are headed the wrong direction.

Bring ’em on Down

The marquee sign on a local financial investment company reads, “Don’t keep up with the Joneses, drag them down to your level.” I can’t totally put my finger on it, but I’m having an adverse reaction to this message. No doubt there is supposed to be an investment connection as well as some humor in the message, but I just don’t get it. I can however, see that the church is not immune to such thoughts. The disciples were indignant with the sons of Zebedee for asking for positions of honor to sit at the right and the left hand of Jesus in his kingdom. Jesus responded to the ten, “…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave…” (Matt 20:26b-27 NIV) Most believers don’t have much trouble lifting up the weak and serving the downtrodden, but when someone in our midst thinks they’re superior, being their servant is the farthest thing from our mind.

Impregnable

On the corner of our property we have three large golden-tipped arborvitae shrubs growing closely together. In the summer I hate to trim them because they sting and are loaded with spiders and cobwebs. In the winter when they are covered deep with snow they appear to be one large rolling mound of dirt. I came home from the store last week and found two middle school boys with their sleds having a grand time using my arborvitaes as a ramp, while a third boy was poking his head up through the dense branches. I sent them packing and now I’ll have to wait until spring to see how much damage was done to my flattened shrubs. We don’t always know why kids do the things they do, but after some thought I realized that these boys had their armor on. They were so well dressed and protected for their winter sledding that a romp through the prickly bushes didn’t faze them in the least. I’m thinking that’s the same way I should be feeling when I put on the Full Armor of God.

Do You See What I See

On January 1^st the media always does a look back over what they consider to be the big events of the year. Usually the stories revolve around tragedy, scandal and political gamesmanship…or lack thereof. As individuals we too can fall into the same trap by mentally highlighting the past year’s losses and failures. However Paul reminds me of the importance of putting on spiritual glasses when I look back on 2011. ^“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV)

Handcrafted

My husband is learning wood turning on his lathe and he describes one of his projects as a bowl that turned into a plate and wound up being a toothpick holder. His most recent creation is a vase that swapped ends when a chunk of wood fell out of the base and the bottom became the top. I wonder if God has some of the same issues with us when we’re on the Potter’s wheel. “…Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this? Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” (Ro 9:20b-21 NIV)

Sailing Through Life

Generally speaking most of us hope to be an example to others around us, but I’m wondering if we sometimes underestimate our simple physical presence. As Paul & Company, (276 men in all) were about to be shipwrecked an angel appeared to Paul and said, “…God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” (Acts 27:24b NIV) Putting myself in Paul’s place I’m trying to wrap my head around God giving me the lives of those with whom I work, or volunteer and serve with. I wonder how many lives may have been saved during war or terrorists attacks simply because there was one God-fearing man or woman who kept their courage and faith in God.

Balancing Act

In subfreezing weather I took Charlie the dog for a walk and I used considerable caution because the sidewalks were snow packed and ice crusted. When I heard someone approaching quickly from behind I stopped and pulled Charlie off to the side so they could go around us. Breezing past me was a man on a unicycle with a dog leash in each hand tethered to two medium sized dogs. The acrobat had to wait for a few seconds at the crosswalk for cars to pass, all the while peddling backwards and forwards to keep his balance. There was absolutely nothing about this picture that made any sense to me…until I applied it to our work in the church. At one time or another we’ve all tried to juggle multiple ministries - sometimes we’re successful, sometimes we’re not.

Pizza for Breakfast

The other day I was eating breakfast at Denny’s when a family with two rag-a-muffins sat in the booth behind. The children were in the 3 – 5 year old age group and from the conversation it sounded as though the family might be staying in the motel next door. The children wanted pizza for breakfast and the mother put her foot down. “You’ve had piazza three days in a row. You need to eat more healthy. How about pancakes or fruit and yogurt?”  The children dug in their heels, incorporated tears with their protest and then mom relented and let them order pizza with hot chocolate. Although it’s not a laughing matter, I can’t help but see shades of God’s people in the character of those children. We too have been known to dig in our heels, and mingle our wishes with tears and sometimes God lets us have our way…even if it’s not in our best interest.

The Outside Looking In

My back deck overlooks my neighbor’s yard and her BBQ grill sits directly under her kitchen window. The resident long-haired stray cat will often perch on the grill, slowly waving its tail and looking into the house. Normally I wouldn’t think too much about it, but with snow on the ground and the temperature below zero the visual tugs at my heart. When I consider those who are spiritually lost, I can’t help but wonder if they too sometimes peer into the life-window of the believer and see a glimpse of what they are missing.

Glorious Riches

Gift giving and receiving is often determined by what we feel are needs. I love the fact that it’s not just during the Christmas season, but rather throughout the life of the believer, that God meets all our needs. ^“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 NIV)

Comparables

Since last fall my diet and exercise regime has taken a back seat to meetings, events and scheduling conflicts. I’m not suggesting that my gym partners at the fitness center are judging me, but some might certainly use me as an example for motivation to stay with their own program. It’s easy for us to look at someone else with slipping abs, thicker thighs and wing flaps and say I’m glad I don’t look like them. However, it really never crosses our minds to think that others may be giving us the once over and using us as an object for confidence in their own righteousness. “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.’” (Luke 18:11 NIV)

Paparazzi

Within in a span of one week I had to travel to Denver for two separate meetings. On the first trip it was dusk when I pulled up behind a vehicle at a stop light and a flash went off. I knew it had to be Denver’s street traffic control camera and I, along with the driver in front of me, immediately started looking at the cars around us wondering who the guilty party might be. I didn’t feel I’d broken the law, and yet I kept replaying the situation in my mind fearing that I would be getting a traffic ticket in the mail. On my second trip I watched for overhead cameras like a hawk and I was on my best behavior. However as I was driving on an arterial and keeping up with the flow of traffic we crested a slight rise in the road and there was another flash…this time coming from a van parked on the side of the road. Looking at my speedometer I was a couple miles an hour over the speed limit, but again I couldn’t tell if the camera was taking my photo, or the photo of the cars around me. I couldn’t wait to get out of Denver, because now I was concentrating more on cameras that I was on pedestrians. I was at the last stoplight going out of town when, you guessed it, there was yet another flash. Although paranoia had set in, this time I knew for a fact that I had done nothing wrong. There are times in my life when the Lord sends me a flash right at the moment of sinning which gives me the opportunity to repent and move forward…however, that doesn’t mean that in a week or so I won’t also get a reminder of my sin.

Cleaning the Inside

As my grandma got older the dishes that she washed by hand weren’t always as clean as they should be. I’m sure there were many contributing factors, such as failing eyesight, loss of concentration and even relaxed cleaning standards. I’ve noticed lately that every once in awhile as I’m washing dishes the person drying them for me will hand back a utensil that needs to be re-washed. I suppose I was focusing more on cleaning the areas that I thought were touched by food. For instance I’ll wash the surface of the plate more thoroughly than the bottom because theoretically, there wasn’t any food on the bottom. Spiritually speaking, we believers are often guilty of just cleaning the parts of our lives that we think have been soiled by the world. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” (Matt 23:25-26 NIV)

Intersection

Today I’m attending the funeral service for a friend I’ve known for almost 38 years. Our relationship has been something similar to the traffic pattern of city streets. We haven’t always been on the same street, but over the years our paths have often intersected and when they did we would pick up our conversation where we left off. I’ve always thought of the holidays as being a bad time for someone’s death because it would somehow mar the season for years to come. But I’ve changed my mind with Mary’s passing. I’ve now been given the opportunity to unwrap the gift of memories that she has left for me and I’m having a Mary’s Christmas.

Spring Cleaning

Would you believe that right in the middle of the holidays I’m doing a huge house spring cleaning project? Me neither. It all started so innocently. All we wanted to do was to buy a new bed. When we took the old bed out and moved it upstairs, someone suggested we should steam clean the carpets before bringing in the new bed. Next someone said, “Well, if you’re going to clean the carpet, you really should first paint the room.” So here I am two weeks before Christmas stumbling over bedroom furniture now in the living room, putting masking tape around baseboards and carrying a paint brush around. This is so not what I had in mind. I do however see similarities in the situation with making a request of God. If I ask Him to increase my faith, He’s likely to give me other spiritual projects to do just in order to build that faith. A simple request is not always so simple.

Curfew

While she was in high school my daughter Leslie wanted to be like her friends and she was especially bummed because everyone in her peer group had a curfew and she didn’t. We now laugh at the fact that she even went so far as to plead with me to give her one that would match her friend’s. Because I trusted Leslie, I simply required that she call and check-in with me around 10:00 pm. I thought if she were having a bad time and wanted to get out of an uncomfortable situation, she could use me as an excuse by saying, ‘My mom just told me I have to come home’. If on the other hand if I knew who she was with and that she was having a good time, she could stay as long as she liked. As believers one of the hardest things we have to do it to take ownership of our freedom in Christ. I can hear myself saying, ‘Lord just please give me a curfew and tell me what time you want me home!’

Live Edge

Recently I attended the Woodworkers’ Christmas party and their gift exchange was mostly comprised of hand crafted items such as turned bowls, carvings, ornaments and wall decorations. While the expertise of turning beautiful wooden bowls was talked about, the extreme difficulty of turning a bowl while leaving the live edge (the natural edge) of the wood intact was also discussed and revered. My mind turned to the skill of the Carpenter. In the Lord’s hands the believer’s live edge remains intact, all the while our hearts are being crafted into a thing of beauty.

Job’s Reindeer

There are times I’m confident I know a certain passage of Scripture and what it means, only to discover that it doesn’t say exactly what I thought it said. I find this especially true when looking for a word to direct me to a specific passage of Scripture. In my quest I’ll check my own concordance, brainstorm with another person or go on line to Gateway Bible. I really appreciate the search I can do on Gateway, but it’s not unusual for me to type in my phrase and read the response, “Key word search ‘0’ results.” Recently a friend was into his daily devotional when he began reading about Job’s Reindeer. Bob laughed, “I said, ‘Wait a minute…Job had a reindeer’?” After re-reading the meditation Bob cleared his head and focused on Job’s Redeemer.

Ultimate Fighter

A few days ago a mugger walked up to a car with a gun and told his intended victim to give him everything he had. The victim refused and was ordered out of the car. In spite of the gun, the would-be-crook (5' 5", 148 lbs) got the tar beat out of him by the victim…an Ultimate Fighter (6’, 250 lbs). I have to confess I love this story and I laughed out loud when I saw the accompanying police photo of a battered and bruised mugger. On the spiritual level, can’t you just picture Satan thinking we are a wimpy victim, but in reality we’re an Ultimate Fighter?

In Need

There is a TV ad for the Salvation Army that tugs at your heart with images of folks who are weary and apparently without hope. The marketing aspect of the commercial is to encourage donations to the Salvation Army for the upcoming Holiday Season. I was with them on their plea until the final clip of the ad in which there is a young African American man with corn rows sincerely saying, ‘Thank you for your support’. When I noticed a hefty looking ¼ inch gold necklace peeking out from under the neckline of his tee-shirt the illusion of sympathy went right out the door. Whether believers or not, it’s unlikely that this current generation would give up their gold for another’s need. “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 2:44-45 NIV)

Waiver

I’m in the process of signing up for on-line classes through a Christian university. One of the documents that I have to sign and send in with the application is the ‘Life Together Covenant’, which says I agree to accept the stated responsibilities as a participant in the university. There are Biblical responsibilities stated with book, chapter and verse and then there are the university’s expectations. They include illegal substances, tobacco, alcoholic beverages and gambling. The covenant appears to be Ten Commandment-ish – as in chiseled in stone with no waivers. The expectations are directed toward fresh out-of-high school young people. However I’m a senior adult and occasionally I like to have a glass of wine and take a chance on the lottery when the prize money gets high. Using worldly thinking I could get around the alcohol issue because the university would never know, but it would be just my luck to win the Powerball and I’d have to fess-up to breaking the covenant.

Shake A Leg

My daughter’s Shi-Tzu doesn’t like snow and ice covered sidewalks, so she bought some dog-booties that he likes even less. Once Charlie gets his shoes on for a walk his gate and stride is similar to a high stepping tarantula trying to shake gum off his feet. Every footstep is suspended in mid air and thrown out to the side. I can’t help but laugh when I see Charlie’s indignation as he tries to throw off his boots. It makes me wonder if the great cloud of witnesses might just get a chuckle out of us when we are in a similar situation. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Heb 12:1 NIV)

Five Star Servant

In the Parable of the Talents the master gives one servant 5 talents, another two talents and the third one talent. It just dawned on me that regardless of our position in life, rich or poor, believers are in the role of the servant with five talents. We put our money to work and gain more. We are faithful with a few things, and the Lord has put us in charge of many things. We are the benefactors from the talents of the lazy servants. In spite of everything we have, we are given more and have abundance. Where I am today and how God has blessed me has a direct correlation to my management style. “Well done good and faithful servant!...Come and Share your master’s happiness!”  (Matt 25:21 NIV)

Understanding

When TV commentator Andy Rooney recently passed away there were many eulogies. Reporter John Roberts said, “Andy would tell it the way he saw it. You never walked away saying, ‘I wonder what he meant by that?’” Jesus taught in parables, it wasn’t unusual for people to walk away saying, ‘I wonder what he meant by that?’. I can certainly relate. For me, listening to parables would be somewhat akin to hearing someone talk in tongues…I just don’t get them unless someone interprets. Thankfully the New Testament writers spoke a spiritual language that we can all understand. “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.”  (1Cor 2:12 NIV)

Wired

In discussing forgiveness, salvation and worthiness, a Bible study member said, “Some people are convinced that they have done such bad things in their past that their unworthiness stays with them even when they stand before the Lord. They are just wired to be guilty.” She makes an interesting observation. Looking back at my re-birth in Christ I didn’t automatically feel at home in my new skin…and even after decades of being a believer, there are times that someone shows me my Christian skin is a little too tight or a little too loose. I suppose we all come to the Lord with some faulty wiring. ^“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:18 NIV)

Comfy

I hate starting a new exercise video because muscles that haven’t been used in a particular discipline rebel very quickly…and they hold a grudge. Following along as best I could with a new series, the instructor encouraged me by saying that I need to learn to ‘be comfortable in the uncomfortable’. What a great thought for me as a believer. Spiritually speaking I often ask the Lord to protect me from evil, to help me run away from sinful situations and keep my mind heaven focused, but it has never occurred to me to ask that He keep me comfortable in the uncomfortable.

Strays

There is a long-haired grey feral cat in my neighborhood who occasionally takes a nap in a sunny spot on my deck. The other day I caught him grooming himself and was struck that even though he is for all practical purposes alone in the world, his life situation doesn’t stop him from being meticulous with his grooming. I think we believers have something in common with this cat. While this world is not our home, it should not stop us from being presentable in the neighborhood. “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matt 6:17-18 NIV)

Storage Wars

I enjoy watching the reality TV show ‘Storage Wars’ where storage units are put up for auction when the renters of the units fail to make their rent payments. As the door to the storage unit opens to expose the treasures within, the bidders never know what to expect. Certainly each of us has our own standards of value and the old adage ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ has merit. I now have this disturbing image of the Lord opening up my heart to see the treasures within.  “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:20-21 NIV)

You’re invited

Every once in a while I’ll get a request through the Christian Ear to follow another person’s blog. Normally their motive is an effort to help them build up their own readership. However I find it curious that they don’t at least try to establish a relationship by interacting with comments to the Christian Ear…they just want me to follow them. I can just imagine Jesus saying, “Come follow me” and then not investing Himself in His followers. Thankfully the Lord’s ministry was not about just building up His stats. ^“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt 7:14 NIV)

Keep Watch

Our church Thanksgiving pot-luck dinner was last Sunday and we asked members and visitors alike to come for the meal and fellowship, whether or not you brought a dish to share. The speaker announced the meal would start at one o’clock, but the bulletin said we would be eating following the service. I suppose because of our affinity for fellowship dinners the tables were quickly set-up and the food ready for the buffet by 12:00 o’clock. What a dilemma. Do we wait until 1:00 in case some people went home to get their food and come back, or can we start early? The compromise seemed to be 12:30. However, I did feel badly for a first time visitor we’d invited to stay for the meal. He had confided in me that he was shy and so he decided to go home and then come back at 1:00. When he came back there was enough food, but he was toward the end of the line and the pickings were slim. The old-timer said, “I guess it would have been better if I’d just stayed and visited.” I was reminded of the Parable of the 10 Virgins where five of the virgins ran out of oil for their lamps, so they left the wedding banquet to purchase more oil. Have you ever wondered if these five foolish virgins might have been able to stay for the festivities with only a smoldering wick? Jesus reminds us, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matt 24:13 NIV)

Thanksgiving

This morning’s newspapers have articles on holiday shopping and are packed with advertising flyers. Jesus tells us that the Father supplies all our needs, and for that I am thankful. However, when I see hoards of people lined up and pushing one another to be first in line for bargains I have to laugh. Even we believers have a streak of paganism when it comes to Black Friday. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” (Matt 6:31-32 NIV)

My Apologies

Six year-old Lydia is in the first grade at our local Christian school and in honor of Veterans Day she sent me a letter decorated with pencil drawn balloons.  “To: My loved American Military, I thank you for fighting for our country. My classmates and my teacher have been praying for you guys this year. I do apologize that we/I haven’t been praying for you otherwise. Love, Your Friend Lydia. P.S. Look on the back. From: It’s a secret! (Heehee)” I can so relate to Lydia. Generally speaking our prayer life is focused and it’s only one crisis or prayer request at a time…per person. However, unlike the innocence of a child, we don’t usually go around apologizing and confessing our limited prayer for one another.

Crystal Clear

The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California is facing bankruptcy and the church might be sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese. There are those who say the church cannot survive without the iconic building, but there are others who say the Crystal Cathedral is just a building; it’s the people who are the church. A professor of sociology of religion is quoted as saying, “That Crystal Cathedral has in fact encapsulated them and held them in a Crystal prison.” I picture Jesus Christ being the foundation of the Crystal Cathedral ministry and yet Paul’s warning rings in my ear. “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.” (1 Cor 3:12-13 NIV)

Accountable

As an elected official I get emails from constituents and recently a woman who is a fellow believer wrote, “Are you really praying about your decisions, or are you going along with someone else?” The implication is that if I were really praying about my decisions God would have me voting differently. I was so tempted to write back, ‘…and did you pray about sending me this email?’ Certainly as a constituent my friend has every right to question my decisions and as a believer she is entitled to question sin in my life. However critiquing another’s prayer life is something best left up to the Lord.“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb 4:13 NIV)

Discontinued

I don’t always react well with product changes. The make-up that I’ve worn for years has been discontinued, my new and improved dishwasher powder no longer get dishes clean and my health insurance provider has gone paperless. I can just imagine the Iron Chefs of Israel on the day after Passover when the Israelites ate some of the produce of the land of Canaan. The manna stopped that very day. Just exactly how do you react when your main ingredient is discontinued and you’re left holding a cookbook of 101 Recipes for Manna? (Joshua 5:12)