What Can I Do?

 Over the years, I’ve taken notice of the fact that as far as the national and international stages are concerned, I’m pretty much a non-entity.  For example, I can’t affect the outcome of the Israel-Hamas war.  I can’t change the outcome of the New Hampshire primary.  Whether or not people are found guilty or not guilty of crimes having to do with the 2020 election is nothing I can affect.  I have no control over earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.  I can’t stop rampant inflation, corruption, and spreading poverty in developing and third-world nations.  My feeble attempts to slow climate change are like spitting in the wind.

The twenty-four hour news cycle does its best to keep me riled up and hunkered down behind my ideological wall.  I am supposed to be angry at certain people and groups; upset with how things are turning out in government, and worried sick about inflation and corruption.  The stress and strain of it all isn’t good for my health, my well-being, or my relationships.

So, does that mean that I just chuck it all and go live under a bridge somewhere?  As a follower of Jesus Christ, what do I expect of myself?  What does God expect of me?  How can I help bring redemption and God’s peace to the world?  What do I do?

First, pray.  Prayer takes me out to places and events that otherwise I would have no contact with in any meaningful way.  I can pray for peace.  I can pray for wise leadership.  I can pray for the solving of seemingly intractable problems and issues.  I can pray for the raising up of people who CAN affect these issues.  I can even pray that I will be brought to an understanding of what to pray for.  I can reach out to Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Hamas, New Hampshire, Washington D.C., and other places that I otherwise have no avenue to, through prayer, petitioning for peace, relief, and justice.

Second, quoting my friend Jennifer White, I may not be able to do everything, but I can do something.  Politically, I can talk with my city council representative.  I can communicate with my state representatives.  I can participate in both local and national elections as an informed…not an ideological…voter.  I can join with others on a local level to effect change that will bring about justice, mercy, and peace.  I can contribute my time, energy, and resources as I can and am able.  Above all, I can be understanding regarding the opinions of others and also understand that my world view is just that…my point of view…and is not the once-for-all solution to all of life’s problems.

I can also do other things that at first glance seem to be nothing of substance.  I can open a door for someone, pick up some trash and litter, be pleasant with the clerk at the hardware store, be understanding when the teller at the bank seems to be having a bad day.  I can tip the wait person more than a minimal amount.  I can drive defensively and humanely, and not like a screaming banshee.  I can give deference to someone; affirm someone’s humanity; say, “I’m sorry,” and hug my grand kids.

I can donate food, clothing, time, energy, and cash to those places and causes who will make use of it to help redeem their and my corner of the world.  The place to begin with that is, in my view, the local church in its outreach to the poor, the addicted, the sick, and the troubled.  Beyond the church, there are countless non-profits and orgs who do wonderful things in so many ways.  Choose one or two and become part of their community in some way.

I can also do my best to develop and foster good relationships with my spouse, my family, my friends and those who I encounter in my daily life.  Even in this broken world, kindness and civility go a long way toward good relationships.  I can think of others before I think of myself.  The list goes on.  I can defer to others when possible.  Let my speech be gracious.  Treat others like I would want to be treated.  And love my neighbor.  Grow close to God.  Allow Him to guide my steps.

As you can readily see, the things that I CAN do are really a tall order.  I won’t be able to do all of these all the time, nor will I do them perfectly.  There will be times when I break down the façade of grace and kindness, and, for example, drive Kellogg like a wild banshee.  There will be times when I am not pleasant with the store clerk.  There will be times when I’d rather banish my grand kids from my presence instead of hugging them.  And there will be times when I don’t treat others at all like I’d like to be treated.  I won’t carry though with my prayers and petitions.  I’ll become agitated with the latest scandal that comes out of Washington.  And I’ll watch far too much news coverage…much more than I need or want.

However, like good wine, as I age, I also grow.  Grow in grace.  Grow in knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Grow in becoming more like him.  I become more aware of my influence on others in life as well as my limitations, both physical and mental.  I can’t do everything…I never could…but I always could, and can continue to do something.

 

Blessings.

Christmas 2023

 “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”  That’s the opening line from a song by the same name, written in 1963 for Andy Williams.  The song mainly speaks of family activities over the holidays, such as hosting parties, visits from friends, spending time with loved ones, sledding, roasting marshmallows, and so on.  For many of us who are in the older generations, the song brings back memories of the holidays long ago celebrated.  For many of the younger, I have to wonder if the song is some kind of ancient history…the time before cell phones and the Internet.  “Quaint” is the word that pops into my head now as I think about that possibility.

In many respects we older folks can be rather quaint to the younger generations…”charmingly odd in an old-fashioned way,” as the dictionary defines the word.  I often wonder what images and thoughts come to the minds of my grand children when they think of me.  Do they think of me as “quaint”?  Or do other thoughts and visions come to mind?

I know that at least the older grands realize that I have some age on me.  They are more helpful when it comes to carrying something, lifting something, or doing some other kind of manual labor.  The younger grands enjoy the “meeting and greeting” part of our coming together…giving hugs and seeming to genuinely be happy to have me present.  It’s as if they somehow know that it won’t always be this way…that they will grow up and I will get older and one day not even be here.  These “meeting and greeting” times seem to be times of “Enjoy it now while we can,” things.  Which, by the way, I do.

This week, as we go full tilt into the Christmas holiday on Monday, the next days are filled, at least for our family, with the kinds of things talked about in the Andy Williams song.  We won’t get much sledding done…it looks like the weather won’t be cooperative…but there will be all kinds of meetings, greetings, get-togethers, and times with family and friends.  We will enjoy it all, and be happy we can rest and recover for a day or two following it all.

I don’t know what your holiday weekend will be like.  I don’t know if you have family or not.  I don’t know if you want to see your family or not.  I don’t know if you celebrate the holiday or just prefer to let it pass unnoticed.  Everyone does it differently, and that’s OK.  I do hope, however, that you celebrate relationships…relationships with others, whether family, friends, or neighbors.  We are not islands.  We don’t live…we only exist…if we don’t have good relationship with others.

Those of you who know me also know that I’m not much of a poet, nor am I into poetry.  I was “forced” to memorize poems in junior high school such as Flanders Fields and The Village Blacksmith.  It was not one of my better memories of junior high.  However, I came across a poem in a Google search on relationships written by John O’Neill.  O’Neill, in a poem written a few years back, has this to say about relationships and growing older.  This isn’t the complete poem.  I’ve taken excerpts from it instead.

 

Where is my village now when I need it more than ever?  The generation that raised me are all gone:  Grandparents, parents, the last of my twenty-six aunts and uncles.  I’m not ready to be an elder of the remaining tribe.  What wisdom can I claim as my own?  What insights and advice dare come from my lips?  There are no easy solutions to our difficulties.  Some basic measures must suffice

As a beginning: Hug those you love And touch them with words as well.  Accept and respect the people you know.  Love and respect at least one person not of your tribe.  Be gentle and kind of heart in all of your actions.  Keep in mind always that we are not islands; but all life is part of one creation.  Life’s burdens were meant to be shared.

 

He’s right, you know.  Life’s burdens are indeed meant to be shared.  And it’s in relationship that we share one-another’s burdens.  As the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Galatian Christians, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”  A few short sentences later, Paul says, “The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

We can’t share burdens…we can’t love our neighbor…if we disregard relationships and don’t actively foster and promote them.  This holiday season, put away the discord, the divisiveness, the selfishness, and the put-downs.  Instead, work on relationships in a positive way.  Kind words, genuine care and compassion, serving rather than being served, promoting relationship…may your holidays be filled with peace and joy.

 

Blessings.

God's Goodness Prevails...Always

 I don’t know about you, but there are times when I just have a difficult time believing.  No, I’m not talking about belief in Santa Claus.  I’m talking about believing in a loving and merciful God who desires the best for me and is constantly working in a thousand ways on my behalf.  Oh, I know it intellectually.  It’s just that it becomes difficult to keep that belief in my innermost being that many would call my heart.

Just like you, there are times in my life when things just don’t go well for me.  It’s in those times that I tend to get in a kind of downward funk and begin to question everything…even those things that I have known and believed for decades…especially the things of God.  Where is this God who loves me and wants the best for me?  Has He completely abandoned me in my time of trial and need?  Does He care?  Is He even there?

I sometimes even fall into times like David of the Old Testament when things weren’t going well for him, either.  He wrote poetry to express his feelings.  Some of that poetry has been preserved for us in the Psalms in the Bible.  Here are a couple of examples of David crying out for relief, wondering where God is in all of his affliction.

 

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?  Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"  My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"  Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?”

 

If you’ve ever felt this way, you certainly are not alone.  These times have been part of the lives of humans for thousands of years.  We find ourselves questioning long-held beliefs about life, living, God, relationships, and even beliefs about ourselves and our own lives.

One of my dear friends, Trinna, penned these words some years ago following her decision to come clean, get into recovery, and begin a new life.  She had grown up in a godly household, but took some wrong turns in life.  In a vacant house on North Broadway in Wichita some years ago, she woke up one day and decided she had had enough of the kind of life she had been living.  She got herself into recovery, came clean and got the help she needed.  She now has her family back, is married to the man she loves, and is a shining example of what God can do in the lives of those who call on Him.

Nevertheless, her recovery didn’t come without pain or doubt.  She penned these words in addressing how she felt during some of those darker days.  I quote her here:

 

I would be lying if I didn’t say there were days I had a hard time believing.  There were days I cried that turned into weeks of grieving.  Many mornings waking up “knowing” of his mercy being new but in my heart misplacing this truth with my painful feelings.  But I can honestly say I never lost hope in God's will.  I didn’t know when.  I didn’t know how but I had tasted and seen that he was good before a single material blessing so I had hope on the darkest days.  I also always remembered a quote by John Piper that I had heard when I first got saved.  “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.”

So even through the push and pull of anger and thankfulness, grief and joy...no sight and seeing...patience and anxiety, prayers and distance...spirit and flesh...being tossed by the wind to remembering to whom I belong...His goodness prevails.  Always.  There is no power in the universe that can stop God from fulfilling his totally good plans for you.

 

She’s right, you know.  It doesn’t take material blessings for you to know that God is good.  And you really don’t have the foggiest clue of all of the things God is doing in your life that are molding you into someone who is looking more and more like Jesus.

We have such a limited understanding of the greatness of God…of the work of God in our lives.  We only dimly recall the past, and the future is unknown to us.  But God, who knows it all, always works for our good…always loves us…always is merciful…always is good.

 

Trinna, I hear you.  Even in the dark times of life, God’s goodness prevails.  Always.

 

Blessings,

Pain---Part of Life

Good morning.  I usually peruse my Facebook page each morning to catch up on posts from my friends.  Sometimes I just scroll a lot, but sometimes I stop and read what someone posts.  A couple of mornings ago I was scrolling, but stopped at a post by one of my friends (I’ll call her Amanda) who has experienced a lot of painful medical issues in her relatively young life…issues that for most of us would sorely tempt us to just check out from life and living.  Amanda posted a quote from a mental health outlet about living with chronic pain.  The last sentence of the quote was, “A chronic pain patient can function with a pain level that would incapacitate any other person.”

One of Amanda’s Facebook friends posted a reply to her post.  In that reply, she told a short story of her own regarding pain, then said, “Pain just becomes a part of life.”

I had to stop my scrolling for a time and just reflect on both Amanda’s post and the reply of her friend.  On the one hand, I wanted to totally agree with them.  I think Amanda is a stronger, tougher woman than pretty much anyone else I know.  Dealing with pain has been her lot in life for decades.  And her friend is spot-on regarding living with pain.  On the other hand, I wanted to say, “No, it shouldn’t be this way.”  People shouldn’t have to live with chronic pain that would incapacitate most others.  We have doctors.  We have research facilities.  We have medicines.  It shouldn’t have to be this way.  Yet, it often is.

Everyone has experienced pain of some sort in their lives.  Whether physical, emotional, mental, or a combination of those, we all are susceptible to pain.  It’s just part of who we are and how we are made.  Some pain is chronic…that is, it is pain that is long-lasting.  It defies attempts to relieve it.  It just stays with us over the long haul.

Why it is that we humans have to deal with pain and suffering is a question that over the ages has never been adequately answered.  Especially for those of us who believe in a loving God who cares for His creation, we, like Job of the Old Testament, long for answers to the problem of pain and suffering.  Those answers never seem to come, however, and we are left with the question marks that never get erased.

“Pain just becomes part of life.”  That may be the best answer we will receive in this life.  It certainly is true, and it also is universal.  We don’t often know why we as humans have to deal with the things that cause us pain, whether physical, mental, or emotional.  We just know it’s part of life and living, and how we choose to deal with it reflects who we are.

The apostle to the Gentile people in the New Testament, Paul, tells of a “thorn in the flesh” that he had, and wanted God to remove it for him.  I don’t know if it was a literal thorn…it probably was not.  It probably was some other ailment that bothered him in a chronic way.  Yet God did not remove it from him, telling Paul instead that, “My grace is sufficient for you.  My power is made perfect in weakness.”

Whatever that means, and whatever that means for we who battle pain every day, we know that “Pain just becomes part of life,” and we are not at all alone in our dealing with it.

I don’t know whether you battle chronic and constant pain or not.  Many of us do, and don’t let on to anyone else that we are in that battle.  Yet this is just one more reason for us to be kind to others…to be understanding and helpful.  Being kind and understanding seem to be little things and sometimes not of great importance.  But we often don’t know what the person we are dealing with is going through at the moment.  We don’t, and can’t understand their pain.  But we can be compassionate and kind.  “Be kind one to another; tenderhearted, forgiving one-another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.”  Make this your go-to from today forward.  Blessings.

'Tis The Season

 ‘Tis the season to be…to be what?  Well, the song says “jolly,” and I suppose if that’s what  you want to be as you’re decking the halls, that’s fine and dandy.  But for me, ‘tis the season to be…”between holidays.”  Yes, Thanksgiving 2023 is in the record books, and Christmas 2023 has yet to descend upon us.  We are in the “in between” time…the time when we hear holiday music everywhere; when we make plans and watch the weather forecast; when we decide where we will celebrate the holiday, and with whom; when we spend entirely too much money on things; when at least some of us try to remind ourselves of the real reason for the season…a time of thanksgiving and celebration of the coming of God Himself to humanity.

Yet even with all of the hurrying, the overspending, the planning and the traveling, there is value in this in-between time.  This time can be a reminder of several things, not all of which have to do with the holiday past and the holiday to come.

We are reminded during this time that the year is rapidly coming to a close.  And that word “rapidly” is the operative word of the day.  The days seem to fly by anymore, and the months that some years ago seemed to drag on forever are just a quick fire in the pan.  And the years…don’t even get me started.

Looking in the mirror isn’t nearly the fun it used to be.  Chins sag along with a lot of other things.  New aches and pains pop up more regularly.  One’s stable of doctors and specialists is becoming more an more unmanageable as the various organs and systems which once worked together in more-or-less perfect harmony now work together mostly less.

We are also reminded that family and friends are important to us.  This time of the year may be one of the only times we see some of our family.  Some of our friends.  This is also a time when those relationships which have been somewhat strained recently become even more so, and we give in to that stress and strain by pulling back or attacking rather than confronting the issues as adults who long for relationship and are willing to make things right again.

We are reminded that nothing stays the same forever.  Oh, it may appear that things remain the same when looking at things from day to day or hour to hour.  But we all know that people move on.  Things wear out.  Relationships mature and grow…or wither and die.  We like it in our personal rut, and often have little impetus to look over the walls of that rut to see the changes that are even now taking place.  But there comes a time when change overcomes the deepest of ruts and forces us to move…grow…change…or wither…shrink…and die.

Lastly, we are also reminded of, to use a well-worn phrase…the reason for the season.  God providing abundantly for His creation and His people.  God making good on His promises to restore, renew, rescue, and refresh.  The Biblical story of God and his relationship with the humans he created is one of love, devotion, and compassion.  The humanity of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is both comforting to us as well as challenging.  Comforting because we know that God knows what it’s like to be human.  Challenging because we humans have a perfect example of life and living to emulate…and we know we can’t fully do that…but we also know that God’s grace and mercy fill in where we have let go.

So, as we settle in for this “in between” time at the close of the calendar year, may we do so with purpose and continued thanksgiving for each and every day.  “God bless us, every one…”

Churches and the Homeless Issue

 Good morning, and welcome.

 This fall, the City of Wichita has been struggling to provide adequate emergency winter shelter for the homeless.  In partnership with HumanKind Ministries, a new, temporary shelter is being set up for use.  The old shelter which was used in prior years is no longer available.

There is a lot of conversation in the non-profit and faith sectors regarding how the city has handled the issue of finding a place to operate an emergency shelter, as well as a lot of conversation on the part of local policy-makers.  Everyone, it seems, has an opinion regarding the city’s movement, or lack of movement in creating a new space for shelter this winter.

One of the comments I often hear, not only with this issue, but the issue of homelessness in general is the question of whether or not churches offer shelter in their buildings.  I can’t say with certainty, but I usually understand the person asking the question to have a prior belief that the churches, who we all know are wealthy, don’t pay taxes, and are feeding at the public trough, are watching what is happening and not offering to help in any way.  Now, this may indeed NOT be the thought of all of those who ask the question, but I know it’s on the minds of at least some.  I’d like to respond to that.

Yes, churches are exempt from paying property taxes on property that is used exclusively for faith-based purposes.  And most churches also are sales tax exempt in Kansas for purchases likewise used for faith-based purposes.  The rationale for that is that churches serve the public good by offering benevolent goods and services such as food pantries, help with rent or utilities, etc., social services, professional counseling, and other goods and services at no charge to the public.

I don’t know what other churches do regarding benevolence or housing the homeless, but I know what we do and why.  Yes, we have a large building in the downtown area.  However, housing codes prevent us from offering our building for any kind of shelter.  We conceivably could remodel the building to meet code, but that cost is prohibitive for us.  We are an independent congregation.  We have no oversight boards or organizations.  All of the money that we have comes from the contributions that congregants place into the offering plates each Sunday.  The cost to remodel to meet code would be in the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars…something we just don’t have, nor could we get from our congregation of about 175.

Additionally, overnight shelter requires people to operate it and security to protect everyone.  It requires policies, procedures, expertise, administrative functions, food service, laundry service, janitorial services, and experience that we just don’t have within our congregation.  It’s not a matter of throwing a few mattresses down on a floor, ordering in pizza, and opening the doors to whoever comes in.

We know what we aren’t equipped to do.  But we aren’t passive regarding homelessness.  Although we operate a food pantry and have some clothing, toiletries, etc., available, and we have a Paxton’s Blessing Box on our property, we have chosen our main thrust and our limited resources on the near-homeless or those at risk for homelessness.  There are several ways one can receive assistance with rent; however, help with utilities and transportation, the lack of which are two huge drivers of homelessness, is something we can help with from time to time, depending on our budget.

Something as simple as a tank of gas in a vehicle so someone can job-search or get to a job can keep that person or family off of the street.  Helping someone stay on a utility payment plan can keep a family’s electric or gas service turned on so they won’t be evicted from the place they rent because of a shut-off utility.  And once an eviction goes on their record, finding another place to live becomes almost impossible.  Providing a bicycle for someone who has no driver’s license so they can get to and from work can keep that person off of the street.  And there are other simple, cost-effective, and relatively easy ways we can work with someone to maintain them in their home.

Our benevolence is limited and is designed to help, but not enable.  We don’t do it perfectly, and we sometimes look back on a decision we made and think that we maybe could have made a better decision.  But we are by no means sitting back and letting the world go by while families are living in cars and in tents along the Arkansas River.  We are doing what we can with what we have.

And that, I believe, is the key.  Do what you can with what you have.  Find ways to help given your abilities and resources.  You may not be able to shelter two hundred and fifty homeless each night this winter.  That’s OK.  One of my friends who works in the social services sector has often said this borrowed sentence regarding the seeming overwhelming great need of many in our society today:  I can’t do everything, but I can do something.

We as a church family can do something.  God can, and does bless that something that we do in His name and for His glory.

 Thanks for listening, and blessings.

Have You Ever?

 

I think that as one gets older, one’s thinking process begins to change.  Instead of thinking about the next mountain to conquer or the next ocean to cross, one begins to do a little more reminiscing and thinking back on life and living.  A few years ago, I noticed that I was beginning to think about life in that way more so than I had been in times past.

I was approaching 70 years old at the time, and found myself thinking about where I had been in life, what I had done, and how that has affected me now.  During some of these times of thinking, I began to recall things I did in life that although they may not have been unique, they were, at least in my mind, things that not just anyone would have the privilege of doing.  I began to record those things in a document file under a heading of, "Have You Ever?"  Over time, I have added to that list, and now have a list of about 80 things that I have done which I consider to be things that not just anyone and everyone has done in life.

What kinds of things?  Things such as operating a real railroad locomotive.  Driving a Chevrolet Corvette.  Visiting the Yukon Territory in Canada.  Hiking up Pikes Peak.  Dining at an officers’ club on a military base.  Singing “Amazing Grace” with Judy Collins in a live concert.  Standing outside in a snowstorm in July.  Petting a live porcupine.

These and many others are things that in and of themselves aren’t necessarily earth-shattering or life-changing, but each of them has had a part in the formulation of who I am.  As with many other events in life, each of these events has helped shape my thoughts and yes, my actions today, even though many of them happened years ago, and some happened decades ago in my youth…as was hiking up Pikes Peak… 

The writing down of these kinds of things has also brought to mind something else…how incredibly blessed life has been these past 70-some years.  We often think that our lives consist pretty much all about the daily activities of living…eating, sleeping, working, paying bills, doing laundry, wrangling kids.  In other words, the routine and ordinary.  And although those things are indeed part of life and living, often there is so much more that we are participants in and are part of…things that enrich us…make us better people…give us joy…and teach us about life.

One doesn’t have to be wealthy to experience things in life that enrich us and give us joy.  Often, things that are free…that cost nothing…are some of the best life-enrichment events there are.  I realize that enjoying a sunrise, hearing robins singing on a spring morning, getting a thank-you card in the mail, helping a neighbor with something, taking food to someone who can’t get out, and looking after a grand child may seem ordinary and everyday.  And they aren’t of themselves unusual or unique like operating a real railroad locomotive or hiking up Pikes Peak.  But they are things that can give us joy, teach us about life, and make us better people.

I encourage you to start your own “Have You Ever” list of things in your life history that you believe may be a bit unusual or out of the ordinary.  Add to it as you think of things.  Review that list from time to time as you live your daily life.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the variety of experiences, the joy, and the wealth of “life education” you have received as a result of those experiences.  If you’re like most people, your life has been anything but dull and routine.  You just may not have come to that realization yet.  This exercise may help you do that.

 

Blessings,

Gratitude and Grief

 "Gratitude and grief don't have to cancel each other out. Grief for our sorrow and gratitude for God's presence live together in tangled harmony. And when we remember that truth, gratitude becomes a conscious, mindful act of worship that we can wrestle toward even when life hurts."

Good morning, and welcome.  My friend, author, mother and wife Kendra Broekhuis writes a monthly letter she sends out via email called “Present Tense.”  The paragraph I just quoted came from the most recent of those letters.

In this month’s edition, she speaks of the tension between gratitude and grief, and the often misunderstood nature of those two things in life and living.  When we are grieving, we often fail to think of what I will call a corollary to grief…that is, gratitude.  What’s more, we often can’t see how those two things…grief and gratitude…can live together in harmony with each other.  But Kendra says it’s possible, even if that harmony is “tangled”…to use her word to describe that relationship.

Kendra is no stranger to grief.  In perhaps one of her most tragic times in life, she and her family lost a baby to a miscarriage in 2015.  The memory of little Eliza Broekhuis sometimes becomes fresh to them all over again, even after these intervening years.  Although we have never lost a child to a miscarriage, or in any other way for that matter, my guess is that grieving will always be part of their lives, and that some days will be heavier than others.

So, as a Christian she certainly has the qualifications, if you will, to write about both grief and gratitude.  It is telling that she speaks of wrestling “toward” gratitude as a “mindful act of worship.”  Dropping into a mindset of gratitude during a period of grief isn’t a naturally-occurring, automatic thing.  Sometimes one has to wrestle with the idea of gratitude during grief, and sometimes one has to intentionally work to move oneself toward gratitude in that wrestling period

It can sometimes be difficult…incredibly difficult…to worship God in gratitude for His presence in our lives in the midst of unimaginable grief and loss.

The questions always seem to arise.  Why me?  Where were you, God, when this happened?  How do you expect me to go on in life and living?  Why do you allow these kinds of things to happen?  And many more questions…all of which have no pat and sure answers.  Instead, we are left with the questions…unanswered…and the unwavering presence of God Himself telling us that He loves us and He is enough for us.

We dare not allow our questions to overtake us in despair and unbelief.  Yes, as I said, there are no answers for the things that happen which impale us on the javelin of grief.  The platitudes about a fallen world, or about our having to bear a cross just don’t cut it in moments of grief and loss.  The presence of God both within us and beside us, however, can cut through some of the darkest of times and cause us to say, as did Job of old in one of his darkest times, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And also notice that Kendra calls gratitude a conscious act of worship…something intentional…something specific…something planned and premeditated.  That premeditation…that intention…needs to be something that is inculcated into our beings…our daily lives.  Such that when grief comes, and it assuredly will come to all of us from time to time, we will at the same time be able to worship in gratitude for the presence and comfort of the God of Heaven and Earth, even in the midst of our suffering and grief.

Grief and gratitude…strange bedfellows in the minds of many.  May you learn, along with Kendra, to worship in gratitude for the presence of God even in the face of overwhelming grief and loss. 

 Blessings,

More Money !!

 Good morning.

 If you live in the Wichita area, you’ve probably seen the billboard signs advertising a certain injury lawyer firm.  The sign says, in huge letters, MORE MONEY  MORE MONEY  MORE MONEY.  The attorneys are smiling to the side of the letters, and the message is obvious.  If you are injured and want the most money from a lawsuit, contact this law firm.  I will tell you that if I did need an injury lawyer for some reason, I would not contact this law firm, because they are, whether they know it or not, banking on a person’s greed to get business.

I’m not naïve.  I realize that much of the advertising you see or hear is geared to one or more desires that when seen from a Biblical perspective is not always a positive desire.  Some of those desires might be desire for physical comfort and convenience, looking attractive to others, having a one-up on one’s neighbor by having a nicer car, house, furniture, etc. (that’s called pride, by the way), sexual attractiveness, having the latest and greatest of some item, ability to boast or brag about an experience, a trip, or whatever to others, and I’m sure you can think of other things in this area of life and living in today’s world.

This particular advertisement is, I believe, rather blatant in catering to a desire for more wealth.  Yes, if someone is wronged in a vehicle accident, it needs to be made right as much as possible.  But this ad seems to go beyond that and into the area of greed, in my opinion.

Think also about other advertisements you see and hear.  Sometimes, it is more of a necessity to have, for example, a larger vehicle due to work requirements or some other rational reason.  Sometimes it is more of a necessity to be nicely dressed for some occasion.  I get that.  But there is, I think all too often the outright pandering to our more base desires in a way that is not beneficial…is not loving…is not in the way of right living and doing.

Jesus had something to say about money and greed.  Mark chapter 7 is a classic example.  “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.  For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Another example is from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6.  “No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”

I don’t know if the legal firm that pays for these advertisements is letting money take over their lives or not.  Nor do I know with certainty that they are intentionally appealing to the greed of the average individual in their quest for business.  However, I do know that seeing these kinds of things tends to bring out the desire for more…greed, if you will…that is naturally within us all.

Please be careful as you continue to navigate this thing called life and living.  It is so easy to allow something like greed to infiltrate your thoughts…and in ways that you don’t even realize is happening.  Be aware of outside influences on your thoughts and actions.  Remember that the fruit of the Spirit of God is the polar opposite of these kinds of thoughts and actions.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and gentleness.  Those are the things we should be desiring…not those things that the advertisement “more money, more money, more money” tend to bring about.

Thanks for listening, and blessings.

Howard Norton

 Good afternoon.

 The day today started off fairly well, in large part due to the rainfall we’ve had the last day or two as well as generally feeling pretty good after a decent night in bed.  At older age, sometimes the nights can get kind of long, but last night was a good one for me.  The air is cool and the trees are showing off some brilliant colors this year.  All in all, the day promised to be a good one.

And it still is; however, opening my social media this morning at work, I discovered that someone who taught at OCU and who I knew otherwise had passed from this life.  Howard Norton was a lion of the church in the Oklahoma City area, and his influence was felt world-wide.  His missionary work in Brazil in earlier days is still being remembered and appreciated, as well as his passion for missions in all of Central and South America.  His time at the College Church on staff as well as his days teaching at OCU, his serving in various capacities in both academia as well as in the church, have left an indelible imprint on the lives of countless thousands who crossed paths with him.

I don’t know if Howard would have remembered me if we had crossed paths a few years ago, but I counted him as a friend and mentor in my earlier days.  Always the gentleman.  Always pleasant to converse with.  Always willing to help.  Always seasoning his speech with salt, as it were and as the Apostle Paul said (Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  Colossians 4:6).

Although I am saddened at his passing, I am content knowing of his eternal destiny and the fact that he and I will cross paths again in the New Heavens and New Earth.  I’m betting (can one place a bet in the afterlife?) that he’ll know me then and we’ll have a good conversation about what happened in life following my time at OCU.  I am using today to think back on various interactions I’ve had with Howard, and how, in all probability unknowingly, he helped shape and mold me into who I am today.

He, along with countless other Godly men and women, many of whom I never knew, have crossed my path and have helped me in some way to be here today, doing what I love to do.  I am incredibly humbled by the twists and turns in my life that have brought me here…any one of which over the last 50 or so years would have derailed me and put me in a different place today.

I don’t know if you’ve taken the time to think back over the years at your life and how you arrived at where you are today.  If you haven’t, I urge you to do so, remembering the twists and turns in your life that eventually brought you to where you are today.  Actions have consequences…some good and some not so good.  Some consequences which appeared to be the latter sometimes end up for the good as one’s life plays out.  It’s interesting to me how that works in life and living, and I am continually amazed.

We all make choices in life.  Those choices, in large part, drive us to where we are today.  But sometimes others help us make those choices, or even make those choices on our behalf.  Those choices that others make or help us make also drive us in a certain way.  To the extent that we control our choices, we need to make good ones…choices that benefit not only ourselves, but others as well.  Choices that are good, noble, and right.  Choices that both serve and praise our Lord God.

Howard Norton was a man who knew about choices.  Although imperfect and fallible as he was (and as we all are), his choices moved the Kingdom into places and into hearts that even today are serving and worshipping the living God.

May his example be for us a call to love and serve as he and his Lord and Savior did.

 Blessings.

Heroes All

 Good morning, all.

 I’m not at all sure today that I even want to write out a Thursday Thought for you.  The events of the past days, both locally as well as internationally, are causes for concern, are troubling, and are disconcerting.  Unless you’ve been on a cruise to Mars, you know of the conflict in the Middle East.  The old “eye for an eye” thing is alive and well there, fueled by the centuries-long animosity between the descendants of Isaac and those of Ishmael, sons of Abraham of the Old Testament.  This kind of hatred and retribution does nothing to promote peace, order, or civility; rather, just the opposite is the norm.  And until “eye for an eye” is replaced by “love your neighbor,” this will continue.

In the more local neighborhood, HumanKind will no longer support their traditional winter overflow shelter for the unhoused in the Wichita area.  The announcement was made just a couple of weeks ago, and people are scrambling to find a solution to the winter shelter situation for men in Wichita.  If the powers that be are to be believed, this has been on the table for some time, but only now has come to the forefront, and no solution has as of yet been announced.

I realize there are other hundreds of other issues that are surrounding us locally, nationally, and internationally.  Ukraine.  Medicaid expansion in Kansas.  China.  The mayor race in Wichita.  The teacher shortage.  Taxes.  Gridlock in Washington D.C.  The environment.  The great partisan divide.  Crudeness and incivility in society.  Cancel culture.  Housing.

If you’re like me, you think about these things.  And, the normal response to all of this is that these problems…these issues…are too big for us to even wrap our brains around, let alone do anything of substance about them.  And so we shrug and go about our lives, doing nothing of substance regarding our concerns and fears.

I too become sort of numb to it all.  I spend many an hour on the back patio of our home listening to the sounds coming from the park behind us and thinking about it all.  I too have no answers, and many times don’t even know what questions to ask.  And so all of these issues…all of these problems…all of these concerns…just become sort of jumbled up into a huge ball in my mind; and I am immobilized by it all, incapable of doing anything about any of it.

Then I come to work and look at the wall across from my desk.  There, I’ve put the photos of people I call my heroes.  People who live ordinary lives, doing the ordinary things of life and living…and who are also making a difference in their corners of the world.  Many of them are women.  These people too are very much aware of the issues and problems of the world today.  But rather than being frozen…immobilized…unable to move…these people have created great change for the better in a segment of the world that few sometimes dare to enter.

There’s Jennifer, who battles human trafficking.  Michele, who provides safety for street women who want to get out of that life.  Jessica, who is paving the way for women in a vocation traditionally left to men.  Rachel, who spoke up and caused a sea change in the way we see sexual assault and abuse.  Julie, who works with birth mothers who wish to give their newborns up to adoption to loving families.  Moses, who daily teaches the ways of God to a lost and dying world.  Mark, who risked his life to provide safety for others.  Collin and Kendra, who moved with their family to a neighborhood that was less than ideal in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.  Victor, who mentors young ministers and provides much-needed stability in the churches he serves.  There’s Sam, who shows the world that a disability need not be a barrier to living a rich and full life.

I could go on naming many others who may or may not be on my wall of heroes, but nevertheless every day are bringing kindness, compassion, civility, and positive change to their sphere of influence.  Many of these people are also bringing the Kingdom of God into the hearts and minds of others, telling and better yet showing a better way of life.  Loving God…the first and greatest commandment; and the one like unto it…to love one’s neighbor as one loves oneself.  Beyond even the Golden Rule, loving one’s neighbor is the pinnacle, I believe, of relationships as they should be.  And these people along with countless others are not only seeing, but doing.

Now I think you see why I have a wall of heroes.  In those times when I get down, paralyzed by all that’s happening around me, I see these people and I remember the words of Jesus and I become refreshed and renewed.  I am able to function again and go about my day, doing what I can to renew the creation as God intended.  I may never create a world-wide earthquake of change.  But I can do what I can do, for as long as God allows me to do it.  And that is all I can ask of myself, because that’s all that God asks of me.

 

Blessings,

Read, Listen, Learn, Grow

 Good morning !!

 Thanks for joining me in today’s thought.

 I don’t know about you, but there are parts of the Bible which for me have over the years continued to be somewhat mysterious and not well-understood.  There are entire books of the Bible that I know very little about, even decades after professing my Christian faith.  If you are a Christian, you also probably have parts of the Bible that you don’t understand and couldn’t discuss with any measure of intelligence.

For me, books like Ezekiel, II Peter, and one or two of the Minor Prophets remain mostly a mystery to me.  I’ve studied Revelation rather thoroughly, and although there are many places in that writing that I still don’t understand, at least I think I get the overall viewpoint of the book.  The same goes for most of the prophetic Old Testament books, with one or two exceptions.

Most of us have avoided the Song of Songs all together and have only snippets of knowledge of the Proverbs and the Psalms.  Job can be on the difficult side of the spectrum, and the book of Hebrews is sometimes an issue for some.

As part of what I do at the church, I plan the adult class curriculum.  I’m working now on 2024, and have penciled in the books of Ezekiel and Daniel along with a couple books out of the New Testament for study during the first six or so months of the year.  I’ve found teachers for the New Testament books, but they are few and far between for the Old Testament books.  It seems that Ezekiel and Daniel aren’t on many people’s favorite reading list.

Nor are they on my list.  I know very little about Ezekiel, with the strange visions that are described in the book along with some of the, well, let’s face it…weird…things Ezekiel says he did to get his message across to the people.  Daniel is fairly straightforward until the latter part of the book, again with visions that seem to be really strange and have been subjects of many and varied forms of interpretation over the centuries.

So, facing a dearth of teachers willing to take on these two books, and not knowing much about them myself…especially Ezekiel, I decided to teach the Ezekiel class myself.  I often will do this as a way to learn a part of the Bible story about which I know little.  I am forced to dig in to the book…its history, the characters in it, how it fits with the rest of the Bible story, and the lessons for us today.  This is going to be something that will consume a lot of my time in the next several weeks, but in the end will be well worth it.  And hopefully, I’ll be able to convey what I’ve learned to those in the class so they too will be better informed about a book in the Bible that many avoid.

I say all of that to ask you some questions.  What do you do when you run up against something you know little about, but really need to know more?  Do you think of all of the work that will be necessary to learn about it and decide to procrastinate…put it off indefinitely?  Or do you decide you’re going to, so to speak, tackle it and learn as much as possible about it?  Does learning new things engage you or inspire you in any way?  Or do you consider the whole thing to be some kind of drudgery that has to be done for one reason or another?

It seems to me that considering learning new things to be drudgery…done only because of necessity…betrays a general attitude of indifference, willing ignorance, and laziness.  Regardless of one’s age, I would think that to continue to learn and grow in thought and knowledge would be a mark of one who values life and the incredible opportunities one has in life.

So, just because you at times are thinking that the world is passing you by, or that you are no longer relevant…and, by the way, all of us who are older think those things from time to time…don’t let those thoughts take hold.  Keep your mind active.  Read.  Listen.  Learn.  Grow.  It’s some of the best medicine we can take.

 

Blessings.

Vocations

 Good morning !!

 As I write this, I hear sort of “chunking” noises coming from across the hall.  Not to worry, though.  The plumber is in the restroom on the other side of the wall doing some of what plumbers do in restrooms.  As our building is fifty or so years old, some of the plumbing is no longer what it once was, and is in need of some upgrading and repairing.  He’s doing some of that for us today.

I’ve kind of saved up for him today.  He has three jobs to do in the building, which will probably take him at least until noon or a little later.  I’m not looking forward to the bill, but am appreciative of people like him who have the knowledge and desire to do these kinds of things.  I’m also thinking of people such as mechanics, electricians, HVAC technicians, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, and others who have chosen professions that provide services, fix things, and make life a little better for us all.

It used to be, it seems, that the trades were once looked down upon by those who believed that a university education following high school was the only way to be successful.  “Trade Schools,” as they were called, were often thought of as second-rate places for those who didn’t have the intelligence to get a real education.  But that thinking has changed considerably over the last few decades.  Vocational education is in demand.  Students are offered scholarships.  Graduates can earn a very decent living after a couple of years or less of study and practice.  Some vocational tracks are as short as eight weeks or so, and guarantee interviews with prospective employers for jobs that pay well over forty thousand dollars a year.

Any more, people like Billy, the plumber who is working across the hall, are respected as true professionals, and are often paid accordingly.  These professions are no longer second-rate vocations, reserved for those who couldn’t handle college or university.

As I think about all of this, I am reminded of several things.  First, things change.  Plumbers and mechanics now are respected and admired.  Archie Bunker of the old TV show “All In The Family,” once said, “I like change better when everything stays the same!”  I think most of us would agree with him, but the fact is that change is endemic in the creation.  Nothing ever, ever, remains the same in our universe.

Second, the Good Book says that the laborer is worthy of his hire.  I don’t know about you, but these people are worth every cent they receive.  Not many of us would want to do the work they do.  They often work in dirty and unpleasant environments.  They could easily be injured if they didn’t practice good safety procedures.  They often work long hours in out-of-the-way places.  Many are on call weekends and holidays.  They deserve their pay.

Third, these people keep everything moving.  They keep the world on track.  They are absolutely essential to the well-being of modern societies the world over.  The man across the hall making chunking noises isn’t just some guy fixing a faucet.  He’s part of a greater network of vocational people who work daily to make the world a better place…at least in their corner of it.  Which brings me to the point of it all.

All of us…each one of us…in some way or another has a job to do…a vocation if you will.  We all live in and are part of the greater world order.  We have a responsibility to do what we can to make our corner of the world a better place for our having been here.  We don’t have to be a carpenter or an HVAC technician.  We can be anything…and still do the job.

All of us can show kindness to others.  We can all respect and treat other people with dignity.  We can be generous toward those who may not have the necessities of life.  We can, in short, treat others as we would like to be treated.

And for those of us who call ourselves Christians, we can emulate…we can mirror…Jesus Christ to the world through our lives…what we do…what we say.  We can tell others who wish to hear the Good News of God at work redeeming the creation, calling us to partner with Him.

So, I ask you.  What is your vocation?  No, I’m not speaking of what you do to earn a living.  I’m now talking about what you do to right the wrongs…care for those in need…generously give…making your corner of the world a better place for your having been here.

Let’s get to work.

 

Blessings.

Deep Questions

 I think I’ve told you before that I like to sit out on our back patio when the weather allows, and just watch nature, along with the people who go by on the walking path in the park behind our house.  I especially like to go out in the evening and watch the twilight come and darkness…well, as much darkness as can be had in a city…fall.  Things gradually become more quiet, more subdued, and one feels more closeness, if you will, as darkness invades the day.

We have a decent amount of traffic on the walking path in the park.  Kids on bicycles, people walking for exercise, a few runners, families out for a stroll, people exercising their dogs, and the occasional rider on a horse go by.  During the quieter moments, deer often will come up close to the fence and wander along it because the grass is shorter there…there are no trees in that narrow strip of land, and it is easier for them to navigate to and from food and water.

Squirrels are nesting in trees close by, and sometimes come into the yard for a drink out of the fish pond.  Once in awhile I see a garter or bull snake sauntering along in our back yard, or that of our neighbor.  And the birds are always, it seems, there in some fashion.

Recently, I’ve begun to wonder about the people I see.  I know many of the children, if they live to a normal old age, will probably see the turn of the 22^nd century.  I wonder what life will be like for them then, and in the intervening years.  I see older kids, and wonder how they’re doing in school…what home life is like for them…and how they see the world and their place in it.  I see adults, young and old, and wonder what they think and believe about an afterlife…about God…about their purpose in life and living.

I wonder if the young woman walking with the two-year old will go home a little later to an abusive partner.  I think about whether the teens may have anything illegal on them…weapons, pills, and so on…and what their home life is like.  I have to also wonder how those teens are getting along socially and how well they are maturing into the kind of adults the world needs right now.

These are admittedly deep questions that I can’t answer, and even if I stopped someone and asked, probably wouldn’t get an honest answer.  But I know things can’t be all roses and rainbows for these folks.  It isn’t for me.  It isn’t that way for you.  And it isn’t that way for them either.

We all have issues…physical, emotional, relational, mental…that keep poking at us, reminding us that we are fallible and frail…not in control of our lives nearly as much as we might like to think.

I was reminded of that just today when I read a Facebook post from one of my friends who lives several states away.  She used to live in Wichita where we got acquainted, and for a time worked together, but she moved a few years ago.  Her post said that tomorrow she was going under the knife to have a new pacemaker implanted, as the old one was eleven years old, and it was time for a new one.

This woman is at least 25 years younger than I am, has a busy, full life, family, and friends.  I had no clue when we knew each other in Wichita that she had a pacemaker or had need of one.  Just looking at her posts, one would think that the rainbows and unicorns were dancing all around her and her life.  And at times, that may be true; but there’s that “thing” always in the background that reminds her, and me, that life isn’t perfect.  That there are always thorny places and uncertain times in everyone’s life.  Her pacemaker is a great example of that, because without it, she may well not be alive today, or if she was living today may well be an invalid, unable to work or be as productive and active as she now is.

If you just look around a bit, you’ll see mothers who have miscarried, people who have lost jobs, families in financial crisis, children who are mentally ill, victims of abuse, generationally dysfunctional families, many who are afraid of death and dying, victims of bullying, racial bias, or poverty, those who are despairing of life and contemplating suicide, people with chronic physiological ailments, those who are addicted to pornography, pills, or gambling, along with a host of other societal, human, and life-and-living ailments and issues.  Undoubtedly, you fit in one or more of these kinds of categories.

But I don’t want to leave you in a funk about life and living.  There is hope.  There is relief.  There is blessing.  Look around you.  There is beauty.  There is good.  There is hope.  And those things point to, for those who will accept it, the promise of God made through Jesus the Christ.  The promise that all will be made right.  Death and decay will be no more.

 

I pray that you know the Everlasting God and that you come to Jesus Christ for healing and peace.

 

Blessings,

"If You're Going to Love Someone..."

 Good morning and welcome.  My older son recently sent me an email asking me what I thought of a certain video he had come across.  The video had to do with the by now old WWJD…What Would Jesus Do…thing that was going around some years ago and is brought back to life from time to time.

The thought of the video was that many answer that question in ways they think would be the way of Jesus, but in reality is nothing more than a kind of a self feel-good activity…giving a homeless man a couple of dollars…putting a dollar or two into the Salvation Army Christmas bucket, or the proverbial helping the old lady across the street.

Yes, those things are good things to do, but hardly answer the question of what would Jesus do in that circumstance.

In seeing the video and responding to my son, I was brought back to a video that I had seen some time ago.  It was about a woman who befriended and eventually took in a homeless man into her home.  I did a Thursday Thought about that woman, and am repeating it here because I believe it’s worth considering again, especially in this age of self feel-good generosity.

 

Good morning, and welcome to another Thursday Thought.

Ginger Sprouse is a typical suburban woman living with her husband in an upscale neighborhood in the Houston area.  Some years ago, Steve Hartman with CBS News interviewed Ginger and her husband for one of his “On The Road” segments that airs each Friday at the end of the evening newscast.  The reason for the interview?

Well, it seems that Ginger had always had thoughts of the homeless that she saw regularly that were not kind at all, but rather were condescending and critical.  In the interview, she told Steve Hartman that she often would say demeaning things to them.

“I would say, ‘Why don’t you get a job?  Or, what’s your problem?’  It made me very uncomfortable.  I didn’t want to have anything to do with it. I’ve been that way my whole life.”

 Ginger had the same attitude toward the homeless as most of us.  We look on the homeless as somehow less than fully human, less than honorable, less than worthy of the dignity and respect every human is due.

How many of us have said the same thing as Ginger, if not directly to a homeless person, at least we thought that line…”Why don’t you get a job?  What’s your problem?”  It’s so easy for those of us who have managed to stay in the middle class to be critical and condescending toward those who are in poverty or are homeless.  We like to think that we’ve made life good for ourselves, and that anyone else could do the same if they’d only put themselves to the task and work their way out of poverty and off of the street.  We believe that their issue is laziness or a lack of desire to succeed.  We point to all of the social services that are available which our tax dollars pay for, and wonder why they don’t take advantage of them.  We notice their missing teeth, their unkempt appearance and musty body odor and move away from them as much as we can.

 So, why did Hartman interview Ginger Sprouse?  Because she had a change of heart.  She repented of her superior attitude and decided she wanted to do better.  Acting on the decision she made, she befriended a man she had regularly seen on a street corner, first stopping just to talk.  She asked him to tell his story.  His mother, he says, abandoned him when he was yet a child, and he had been in and out of homelessness since that time.  Ginger couldn’t get him out of her mind, and began making regular trips to stop and just visit with him.

 One late fall day when she visited him, she said she decided she couldn’t just leave him there on the street in the cold.  She went home, talked with her husband, went back and invited Victor Hubbard into their home.  And that was the beginning of a new life for Victor.  They helped him get the social services he needed, medical appointments, and all the rest.  Victor now is working two jobs and is a lifelong member of the family.

Ginger’s life, her outlook on life and her perception of people in need changed as well.  In the closing segment of the news piece with Hartman, Ginger says this about her experience.  “Life is messy.  But if you’re going to love other people, you have to be willing to step into their mess.  My whole life I’ve wanted to avoid that, and that’s why I rolled the window up and didn’t look.”

 “If you’re going to love other people, you have to be willing to step into their mess.”  Ginger Sprouse knows what it’s like to step into someone’s mess.  Ginger Sprouse knows what it’s like to get out of her comfort zone.  Ginger Sprouse knows what it’s like to love other people.

We have known for centuries that the God who created us expects us to love others.  The Torah is explicit in the book of Leviticus. 

 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

 At least seven more times in the New Testament, Jesus, Paul the Apostle, and James repeat this command to love others.  And Jesus expanded what it meant to love one’s neighbor by telling the story of the Good Samaritan, who saw to the needs of a man he didn’t know and whose nationality should have been reason enough to ignore his plight.  Nevertheless, he cared for the man as best he could and saw to his needs.  The Samaritan stepped into someone’s mess.

 Are you willing to step into someone’s mess?  Are you willing to have a change of heart?  Are you willing to truly love your neighbor?  You don’t have to take in a homeless person in order to love your neighbor unless you know that is your calling.  There are hundreds of ways you can demonstrate and emulate the love of Jesus.  Your neighbor is hurting.  You can help by stepping into his mess.

 

 That was the previous Thursday Thought.  I leave you with the old question What Would Jesus Do?  Would he have given the homeless man a few dollars or some crackers and peanut butter?  Or would he have done as Ginger Sprouse did…take him into his care, see to his needs, and love him unconditionally for the long haul?

 

 Blessings.

Praying Down the Line

 

“Help us to the right use of our minds…”  That sentence, given in a prayer before a meal 80 or more years ago by my Grandfather, and was heard by a six year old boy who was at the table, prompted that boy to become a Psychiatrist at a time when such a vocation was not well-received by his faith tradition.

Vernon, that six year old boy and my first cousin, became a healer of the mind and was well-known in central Kansas during his career at Prairie View in Newton.  His son Jim recently told me the story of a remarkable answer to prayer in the life of his father.

My guess is that Vernon and my grandfather, Sol, didn’t have a psychiatric career in mind for Vernon when he gave that prayer.  I rather believe he was invoking God’s protection from various kinds of dementias and brain disorders, as one of his sons suffered from some kind of neurological disorder and lived a relatively short life.

Nevertheless, the idea that came to Vernon in his young days as a result of those words was just as much an answer to that prayer as was Sol Plank’s long life…his mind ever sharp until his last day.

As a corollary to this story, I have often wondered how many prayers have been given over the decades, and yes, even centuries, by Godly men and women of old in my ancestry who prayed for their descendants…people they would never know.  And I have to think that one of those descendants is me.  The thought of my ancestors praying for my welfare is humbling to say the least, and brings out a kind of guilt in me because I have not done much of that kind of praying for those who will be descended from me in the coming decades and centuries.

The timeless God who already knows those who will come after me, even though they aren’t a gleam in anyone’s eye right now, hears those kinds of prayers and acts upon them in His time and in His way.  We don’t have a clue what the world will be like in a hundred, two hundred, or five hundred years.  Yet we can pray that those who come after us will be seekers of God, followers of Jesus Christ, and indwelt by the Spirit of God.  We can pray that they will be like Jesus and display His love as they navigate whatever the world offers at that time.  We can pray that they understand that the Kingdom of God is not of this world and is to be sought and cherished more than anything the world has to offer.  We can pray that, like Vernon, they will choose a course in life that heals rather than hurts, unites rather than divides, and helps rather than hinders.

I don’t know what your prayer life is like.  But if it’s like mine, you’re probably stuck in the here and now praying about events, situations, and people in the immediate time.  There’s nothing wrong with that, but I encourage you to expand your thoughts about prayer to include those who will follow you…people you will never meet or know.  If nothing else, pray that they will know God, will know Jesus Christ.  As Paul the great apostle said to the Philippians, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”  I want my descendants to also know Christ in this way.

Thanks for listening today.  May your day be filled with blessing.