flannelgrapher

No Superstars Here

2011-12-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you were as excited as I was when the Detroit Lions snagged up Ndamukong Suh, the defensive tackle from the University of Nebraska, with their second pick in the 2010 draft. Suh, the first team All-American and Heisman trophy finalist, seemed like a surefire answer to the motor city’s pigskin woes (at least part of the answer) and was already being put on a pedestal before he even stepped foot on Ford Field. Fortunately, Suh did not disappoint. He led the beleaguered team with 10 sacks, and was the first Lion’s rookie since a guy named Barry Sanders to be selected as a starter for the Pro Bowl. Not bad Suh!

Perhaps you were also as dismayed as I was to hear what “Ducky” – the nickname Suh’s teammates have bestowed on him – had to say when he was recently interviewed about the role he will play in the Lion’s upcoming season: “I am excited about this season. I know we are really going to do great because we have all been practicing really hard. There are guys on this team that can afford to go in 100% on every tackle, and I am not one of them. I mean let’s be honest, I am getting paid triple even quadruple what some of my teammates are getting. If I get hurt the team stands to lose a lot, so I am going to play it safe and take care of the plays that don’t look like they will get me in trouble.”

Doesn’t that sound a bit odd? Well it should, since Suh never said anything like that. Okay, I have a confession to make. I made it up. I wanted to show you how ridiculous it would be for any player – even a superstar – to say that their primary concern is protecting themselves when it comes time to put on the pads and get in the game. If anything like that ever came out of Suh’s mouth you can imagine how upset and disappointed his coach and the rest of his teammates would be, and rightfully so. No one player is more important than the main mission of the team, which as we all know is to win.

Have you ever noticed the parallels between being a Christ follower and being an athlete? Both require qualities like discipline, focus, teamwork, and probably most importantly sacrifice. All athletes are called on to sacrifice, and all Christians are called on to sacrifice.

I recently started reading a book by a pastor named David Platt, and the book is called Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. The reason that Platt wrote the book was to show how many Christians have fallen into the trap of believing that the American Dream and God’s Dream are one and the same. That is to say, God’s plan for His people is that they prosper, become wealthy, buy increasingly bigger homes, faster cars, nicer clothes, and are able to go out for ice cream every night at Coldstone to boot (please do not be offended if you are a Coldstone fanatic, I love them too!). Of course they still support a missionary, but it is with the few dollars they have left over after they have indulged themselves to the full extent that they are capable of. Is this really God’s dream? God does want us to live a life full of His blessings, but won’t it be hard for him to bless us if we are always looking for the next opportunity to bless ourselves. I will be the first to admit that this is something that I struggle with.

Part of being on “Christ’s Team” is being able to look past our own desires to the needs of the team. We would not stand to hear something come out of an athlete’s mouth like the quote that I made up, but at the same time many of us in the church seem to be living out that philosophy. Platt says, “…we have unnecessarily, and unbiblically) drawn a line of distinction, assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keep the privileges of Christianity for us all.” If Suh decided that he was too important to risk injuring himself in difficult plays, then I am sure the coaching staff would also decide it was too risky paying him millions of dollars when all they were likely to see was the opposing teams running back whizz past him. You don’t want the obligations? Then you don’t get the privileges either. It is important that we are always asking ourselves, and God, am I doing what I need to do to help the team? Because if we aren’t, then we shouldn’t expect to get that front page picture of us lifting the trophy at the end of the season.

Proud to be a Domestique

2011-01-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

Every year since 1903, with the exception of a few years during World War II, the world’s fastest bicycle riders have gathered in France for a race that defies the limits of the ordinary human body, and scoffs at the idea that everything should be done in moderation. Sometime at the beginning of July The Tour de France begins somewhere in France – or close to it anyway, and sometime three weeks later it ends – always in a little town called Paris. In between cyclists cover more than 2000 miles of terrain that is at the very least intimidating, and at most terrifying. The cyclists who choose to take on the challenge, rather than spend their summer in a more orthodox location - like a sunny beach, or by the side of a swimming pool, ride up windy mountains only a few feet away from jagged cliffs, and then travel down them at speeds close to 50mph, often in the rain. All they have to protect them if they fall is a helmet. The race is comprised of 20 stages, with the average stage consisting of close to 113 miles. During their three week long adventure the riders get a meager two days of rest. Many of them choose to use these days to do what you would expect them to. Go for a bike ride! Apparently this keeps their body from going into recovery mode. Why would their body be trying to do that?

The past few years I have followed the Tour de France more closely than I usually do, partly because of Lance Armstrong, and partly because I am always intrigued by sports that require incredible stamina and mental strength. This past summer I happened to be listening to some people on the radio that were discussing the Tour, when something they said caught my ear. The subject of their conversation was a specific cycling term that is applied to those riders who ride in support of the person on their team who is favored to win a particular stage of the race. The term, a French one, although you probably could have guessed as much, is domestique. The word domestique means “servant” in French, but when used in the context of cycling, it refers to the rider who is doing all of the work so that his teammate has a better chance of winning. This may mean allowing his teammate to draft behind him until the final few miles of the race. It could also mean trying to hold a rider from another team off as they try to get ahead in the race. It is the job of the domestique to help his friend – who is considered the strongest cyclist on the team – win the stage. Simply put, the domestique must give up his own ambition for victory so that his comrade has a better chance of winning. Sound simple?

Let’s say you are one of the top ten bakers in the world when it comes to making apple pies. You decide to participate in an apple pie making competition that will pit you against many of the other top apple pie bakers in the world. The only problem is that your neighbor, who is sponsored by the same apple orchard as you, asks if you will be on her team and help her win the competition. Unfortunately she is ranked higher than you in the world apple pie making standings so it is your responsibility to help her rather than try to win yourself – that is what you are told by your sponsor (the orchard). Even though you know that you have a great chance of winning the competition yourself, since on any given day your best apple pie is as tasty as any other apple pie in the world, you must relinquish your own desire for victory and turn your energies toward assisting your neighbor. Sound disappointing?

Not surprisingly this role has evoked much controversy in past Tours as many a cyclist (ones with burgeoning ability, and some that see their final opportunity at victory slipping away) who have been called upon to take up the role of domestique have balked at such a suggestion. One can almost hear their response. “Who me? I should be the one winning this thing. I’m not going to ride over 2000 miles just so someone else can get all the glory. Besides, I look better in yellow.” The yellow jersey is a special jersey worn throughout the race by whoever is in the lead.

In Matthew 20:28 Jesus says, “The son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus understood that it is not about being in the limelight or about getting the recognition that we often feel we deserve. Jesus embodied what it means to be a domestique – a servant, one who cares about the needs of another more than they care about their own needs. Jesus could have had the disciples wash His feet, Jesus could have had his disciples heal the sick that came to him so that He could have more time to himself, Jesus could have ignored the tax collectors and the harlots rather than taking the time to meet with them and minister to their needs. All of these things He did because He knew the importance of denying his human desires so that His Father’s heavenly ones could be met – which we can assume was not easy since He was completely human and susceptible to temptation. And the most amazing thing to me is that He did it with the right attitude, never bitter because he should have been the one having his own feet cleaned or because there really was not any reason why He should not have had other people doing the grunt work for him (I would consider meeting with the tax collector grunt work).

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” If Jesus ever did compete in the Tour de France I imagine that He would not be the one wearing the yellow jersey, but the one who was instead constantly working to see that someone else achieved their goal of winning the race. And if Jesus were in an apple pie baking competition, I imagine he would be the one picking the apples, and probably making sure his neighbor did not have to stick around to clean up afterward.

The same should be true for us. It should not be our goal to take center-stage and convince other people that there is something inherently special about us. Besides, what others think about us is not what makes us special anyway; we seek only validation from God. Our goal should be to find a way to take on the role of domestique, just as Jesus took it upon himself to be a domestique before God, and before all men.

A wise man once said, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” The only way anyone is going to know how much you care is if you can convince others that you are committed to being their servant. Sometimes that might mean letting them get behind you and rest while you do the hard work for them, and sometimes that might mean letting their abilities shine at the expense of the talents God has given you. Whatever it might be, just remember that the only person who ever could have legitimately claimed the yellow jersey, instead decided to be the domestique for us, the very least we can do is return the favor.

Next of Kin or Akin to Christ

2010-03-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

In order to be a follower of Jesus, or a follower of anyone for that matter, one must understand what is being asked of them. You cannot say you are following someone if you do not know what that person expects of you. If your mother says, “Do as I say,” which many mothers do, you may be extremely eager to do as she wishes, but you have no way of following her requests until she gives you some direction. In much the same way we cannot begin to follow Jesus, or be His disciple for that matter, until we understand what it is the He desires of us. Once we understand that we can begin to follow Him, and be confident we are doing a satisfactory job of being His disciple.

The word disciple - which comes from the Greek word mathetes (meaning learner or pupil) – often gets thrown around in church circles like a frisbee at a picnic, but do we understand what it really means? We assume that it means a person who follows Jesus, but we only assume that because that is what we have been told by people much like us; people who heard the word somewhere along the way and decided to use it because it sounded spiritual. Moreover, follow is a very relative term since it could mean a high level of commitment to something or someone, and it also could imply that we follow Jesus the same way we follow the local news, picking up tidbits here and there, and whenever we go to the hair salon.

In order to understand what the word disciple means – in the context of following Jesus – we must understand what the apostles did. The apostles of Christ are the best example we have of what it means to follow our savior in a fashion that both pleases and honors Him.

So what are the requirements of true discipleship?

In Matthew 16:24 Jesus says to His disciples, “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This is perhaps the most challenging of all the calls of true discipleship. Jesus is not asking us to simply add Him to our list of commitments that we already have, after all that wouldn’t be so hard to do, we add new commitments almost everyday without a second thought. He is not even asking that we put Him at the top of the list, which is definitely more challenging, but still not terrifying. No, He is asking us to remove all of our other commitments and leave following Him as our sole obligation and purpose in life. When Jesus says deny He means everything. And we know He is serious about that because in Luke 14:26 He says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brother and sisters – yes even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.” The ironic thing is that perhaps the easiest piece of this statement to swallow is the hate your own life part. Many of us can relate to hating our own life, since we have found no satisfaction in what the world has to offer - and paradoxically - what we have to offer it. But hating one’s own family is something completely different. Why would Christ ask us to adhere to a request that has such damaging ramifications, and so obviously goes against everything we know to be true and good?

It all comes down to understanding what discipleship truly signifies. If we love Christ the way that we should it will be as if we hate everything else that is in the world, because all of its value will pale in comparison with that which we attach to the Son of God. When we compare the way that we love others, even our next of kin, to the way that we love and adore Jesus, it will be as if we are neglecting them, and leaving them without and ounce of care. Once we have loved Christ this much we will understand what it means to be a true disciple.

Two Pastors, Two Answers

2010-03-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Discipleship is something of an enigma. On the one had we all know what it means to be a disciple, on the other hand, we really have no idea. I cannot count the number of times that as a paid member of a church staff I have asked myself the question, “Is what I am doing consistent with the Biblical model of discipleship?” Maybe I am just ignorant, or shallow, but my guess is that I am not the only one in the world who has asked him or herself this question.

The first pastor that I asked the question, “What does discipleship mean?” Was the pastor at my home church. He looked at me squarely and said, “Discipleship means duplicating oneself.” I thought about that for a second and it scared me. Do I want to duplicate myself? My first thought was, absolutely not! I walked away from his office wondering what the world would be like with more me’s in it. I saw a place that was full of guys with curly hair and big ears that was very loud because everyone was trying to be the first one to make a wisecrack about something. I did not like what I saw, it scared me, and confirmed my initial reaction. Then I thought about it some more and realized that in a place where everyone was like me nothing could go wrong because everyone would have the right opinion about everything. At least that was my opinion. If discipleship is about duplication, it is not about duplicating me. That is the conclusion that I came to after considering the consequences of a world packed with people that are only willing to pay for a burger when they can get another one for free - not good for a struggling economy - and have a habit of leaving their car on empty whenever someone else is going to be driving it - not good for making friends. This would be a less than perfect place for one to make their home, to say the least.

The second pastor that I talked with is a youth pastor and he defined discipleship as, “the process of raising spiritually mature believers.” And like any good youth pastor he came up with that definition off the top of his head – in my experience youth pastors either learn how to think fast or drown slowly. I must say, the word raising did not sound as scary as the word duplicating. Where duplicating seemed quick and uncontrolled, raising seemed steady and structured. If you’re duplicating something you don’t have much time to make sure you get it right, but when you’re raising something you have the benefit of time and correction to make sure that the product develops the way you intend it to, and ultimately looks like what you expect it to. Duplication is one big trial and error. Raising is a process of smaller trials and errors where the risk of failure is spread out over time. Of course maybe I am totally wrong about all of this, and I am completely willing to accept that.

The heart of the issue really is not what my definition of a word is, or for that matter what anyone else’s definition of a word is. The heart of the issue is what does it mean to disciple? This is probably the part when you expect me to tell you, and I don’t blame you for having that expectation, that is how our minds have been trained to work. But I am not going to say what it means to disciple someone; not because I don’t have an opinion, simply because in the grand scheme of things my opinion means squat. The only opinion that holds an ounce of weight comes from a man who died on a tree thousands of years ago, and then rose from the dead and proceeded to take his place at the right hand of his father, and in the hearts of all men who would allow him to enter - please excuse my run-on sentence. And what did he say? Was it something controversial, something charismatic, something mysterious, something esoteric, something brave? I guess that all depends on how you interpret the words, “Come follow me!”

Bigger and Better

2010-02-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I really want an iphone. Everyone I know has one. Okay, I know that is an exaggeration, but that is what it seems like. The other day I sat across the table from a friend who had an iphone, and even though he was talking to me all I could do was stare at it as if I were Gollum, and it were the ring from Lord of the Rings. If I would have said “My precious,” in a high and broken voice it sadly would not have been far from the truth.

I have another confession to make. This is not the first time I have looked at something someone else had and immediately wondered what it might be like to have my own paws wrapped around it. I guess you could say that when it comes to envy I am a habitual offender to the nth degree. I am still not sure what the nth degree is, but it sounds serious.

The good thing, now that you are completely aware of one of my greatest struggles, is that I have come to recognize this fact about myself and it has caused me to take a closer look at the sin of envy, and come to grips with why it is such a tough one for me to overcome.

Socrates once said, “Envy is the ulcer of the soul.” If I added up every time I have seen something that is bigger and/or better and wished it were mine, that analogy becomes pretty scary in a hurry. I guess you could say I am in need of the spiritual equivalent to Pepcid AC for my envy. Unfortunately, treating envy is much more difficult than treating an ulcer, not to say that treating an ulcer is simple, but because spiritual problems usually require much more attention than physical ones. There have been different physical issues I have battled throughout my life, fortunately none of them too serious, but I can honestly say that not one has compared with the magnitude of many of the spiritual battles that have gone on in my soul, and in my mind - not the least of which is envy.

When Paul says in Ephesians 6:12 that our fight is “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” we usually conjure up images of angels and demons locked in the heat of battle trying to over power each other with their supernatural abilities, and that may be what Paul is talking about. But couldn’t he also be referring to the war that is taking place in our soul. The mounting battle between the “powers of this dark world” - that want us to give into our deepest sinful desires - and God’s love, which calls us to obey Him, and flee from the devil.

Envy is a battleground in the heart of all people, and God knows it. That is why He said to the Israelites in the Old Testament, “Do not look longingly at your neighbor’s house, and do not consider what it might be like if you were married to his wife, and don’t even think about sitting behind the wheel of his car.” Okay, maybe it doesn’t say car, but I think we can safely assume a car is the modern day equivalent of a donkey.

As I have had time to consider the sin of envy, I have come to realize why it is such a dangerous sin. Like many others it involves a slippery slope. Envy does not turn anyone immediately into a licentious reprobate. If it did that we would probably be much more leery of it. The problem with envy is that it’s a creeper (that is how one of my friends describes her spicy chili that isn’t hot at first). Over time it separates us from God by shifting our focus onto whatever is bigger and/or better and causing God to appear smaller and less appealing. It is not that things like the iphone are inherently wrong. It is that those of us who look upon it with envy are.

Silence is Golden, and Gold is Tempting

2010-01-14T11:54:00.000-08:00

There was once a president of a university who said to his pupils, “I invite you to take a little card and put it on your mirror or display it in some prominent place where it can serve as a daily reminder. I suggest that you inscribe on that card the phrase, “Truth is outraged by silence.”

When I first heard this quote two thoughts came into my mind. The first was, Can silence actually be a sinful temptation, and the second was, Have I ever been responsible for enraging truth with my silence?

When we think of temptations silence is not usually the first one that comes to mind. We think of characteristics like lust, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, but we do not usually add silence to the list. Silence seems like something that is passive, and at times even praise-worthy. After all, the wisest man whoever lived said, “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” So why should silence be considered a temptation, or something negative that the devil uses to battle the forces of light in this world?

Sir Frances Bacon, the 16th century statesman and philosopher once said, “Silence is the virtue of fools.” Bacon, though perhaps not the best example of Christian character, may have been onto something when he said this. Silence is often seen as a positive trait because it shows discernment and wisdom, but as Bacon alludes to, it can also be used as an alternative to sharing the truth about something. Silence in the midst of wrongdoing is only an affirmation of what is taking place. Should someone choose to remain silent while another person is perpetrating evil, are they as much of an accomplice as one who participates in the actual sin itself? One of the most obvious biblical examples of this type of scenario is the story of Pilate the governor. When the crowds called for Barabbas - the guilty man - to be released instead of Jesus, Pilate responded by washing his hands in front of the crowd and saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood...It is your responsibility!” How many times in our life have we been a part of a situation, where we did not agree with the verdict, but in an attempt to protect ourselves from scrutiny and even attack, we go along with it? This is exactly what Pilate did. The last thing he wanted to worry about was having a revolt on his hands by the Jewish people in his region, and he was determined to do whatever it took to keep this from happening, even if it meant going against what his conscience was telling him. So in short, yes, silence or acquiescence, can be a sinful temptation in the right, or should I say wrong, circumstance.

My second question, have I ever been responsible for enraging the truth with my silence is much easier to respond to, painful, but easy. I recall vividly a time in high school when one of my classmates stood up for his Christian beliefs, in the midst of a hostile environment, and I did nothing to support him as he was accused of being religious and a prude. But the fact is, I did not want the people in my class turning on me and saying the same types of things. What is obvious is that in my reluctance to stand up for the truth I was giving into the same temptation that Pilate fell for - the temptation to choose convenience over responsibility, and all at the expense of truth.

Jesus said, “ I am the way and the truth and the life.” Anything done at the expense of truth is done at the expense of Christ’s likeness. Jesus not only stands for truth, but He is truth, and his proclamation was not meant to be esoteric or hyperbole, it was meant to share with the world the nature of its savior. Whenever we are tempted to use silence in a situation that calls for the truth, we should recognize our obligation not only to the truth, but to our Lord who is truth. We represent him.

REST

2009-11-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

Each year millions of us set aside our, projects, plans, goals, ambitions, school, or whatever else it is we are working on, and sit down for a little brainless activity we call Tetris. OK, so maybe you are not one of the millions who are still enticed by little funny shaped blocks falling from the ceiling that must be arranged into rows so that they can disappear and be converted into points for you to brag about—but you do know what I am talking about. I will bet dollars to donuts that at some point in your life, whether it be on a video game system, a computer, or the internet (maybe even a cell phone) you tried your hand at the icon of virtual masonry, and probably even played a little longer than you initially intended to.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of those loveable, stackable, addicting blocks, and if you do not already know they were invented by a man named Alexey Pajitnov at the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre at Moscow’s Academy of Science Institute. Apparently, the program must have been so intense that Pajitnov needed something to help him unwind. Either that was the case, or the program was so boring that he invented a diversion to help him pass the time. Either way, Pajitnov can be credited with crafting the world’s most successful decompressing agent since the back massage was invented—Wikipedia does not have a date of conception for the back massage, but I looked just to be sure.

We all have different things we turn to when it comes to resting our nerves and attempting to return to some semblance of normalcy in our life. For some of us recovery involves going to an island in a distant sea and laying out on white sands until our skin looks like a piece of lacquered rosewood, or just a red rose. For others of us it requires something as simple as sitting out on a porch swing with a crisp new hardback and a cup of Starbucks dark roast coffee. There are all types excursions one can choose from when looking for a way to unwind, in fact an entire industry has been built on this basic human instinct, but do any of them really, really, work?

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says what I believe is one of his most ambitious, and some might even say downright presumptuous, professions of his entire ministry. He says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” Often, when we consider all of the roles that Jesus plays in humanity we forget the idea that Jesus helps us relax. We are quick to say that he saves, and forgives, and gives mercy, but rarely do we consider the fact that he helps us by allowing our nerves to take a much needed break. Perhaps the reason we do not consider this attribute of our Lord, is that in light of his other attributes this one does not seem all that significant. However, in my mind this is one of the greatest and most compelling statements that our savior, or for that matter anyone in history, ever made. “Come over to me and I will allow you to just chill for a while.” What an amazing concept that is in a society that seems to have an inherent need for speed, like some obsessed race car driver that started with a Big Wheel at age three. For many of us we have lost touch with the concept of rest like a friend we graduated from high school with and promised we would always be there for.

As we enter into another holiday season full of packed malls and loud households it may be good to not only remind ourselves of the real reason for the season, but also to remember what that reason is offering us for nothing more than a few moments of our time. The turkey will not suffer if it does not get to go into the oven at exactly the time it expected, and the relatives will not mind if the ornaments are not perfectly placed on the tree, or the gifts are not stacked like a Macy’s commercial. Only you will suffer if you do not find time to take Jesus up on one of the greatest offers he ever made. REST!

The Audacity to Believe

2009-08-11T07:10:00.000-07:00

When David had the audacity to request his shot at the giant Goliath his brothers became angry with him for embarrassing them, and Saul ridiculed him for what he thought was a boastful claim grounded in nothing more than youthful pretension. At this point most of us would probably have thrown in the towel like a boxer who realizes he should not have tried to make a comeback, and walked off with the words, “Well...I tried, what more can I do?” trailing behind us like a line of crumbs from a child’s cookie. Fortunately, David did not respond the way many of us would have to the disparaging remarks made regarding his worth as a soldier. Instead of being disheartened by the fact that his older brothers, and the king, thought him a precocious young lad with misplaced confidence - stemming from an ability to protect sheep from their predators - he continued to pursue the opportunity to defend his people and fight against their biggest adversary (pun intended).

How many of us would have done the same thing, knowing that we were putting our lives and futures at risk for some people that really were not interested in our services? How many of us would have been willing to fight through the fog of rejection and discouragement and take hold of the task which we knew God had called us to complete?

Perhaps you have heard the story of Henry Martyn. Martyn was a missionary to India where doctors told him that if he did not leave he would probably die from the heat. So Martyn did leave, and went to Persia, which is actually hotter than India. There Martyn translated the New Testament and the Psalms into the Persian language in only nine months; pretty good considering before he arrived he did not know Persian. After Martyn finished his translation he was told that he was not allowed to hand it out until he received permission from the Shah in Tehran. He then traveled the 600 miles to Tehran were he was told that he could not see the Shah. In desperation he made the 400 mile trek to see the British ambassador whom he found out could do nothing for him. He traveled back to Tehran, at this point beginning to show serious signs of his slowly deteriorating health, and was forced to rest during the extreme heat of the day protected by only a small piece of canvas that shaded him from the torrid sun. When he finally arrived in Tehran he was allowed to see the Shah, and was granted permission to share his translation with the people of Persia. Only ten days later he went home to be with the Lord he had so passionately served throughout his life. One of the final entries in his journal read, “I sat and thought with sweet comfort and peace of my God. In solitude my Companion, my Friend, and Comforter.”

Henry Martyn did not balk at the adversity that the devil put before him. Instead he looked past it to the goal he had of serving his Lord and Savior. Following Paul’s words in Hebrews 12, Martyn had his eyes set on Jesus and was determined to run the race marked out for him. Martyn didn’t wait for someone to tell him where the markers were, he simply went, knowing that as long as he pursued what the Lord put on his heart, he could not go wrong.

Often we choose not to do something the Lord has put on our heart, and unlike David or Henry we choose to excuse our inaction by convincing ourselves that what others are saying about us is true, or that our past failures ultimately determine what we are capable of achieving for the Lord. The truth is that these are words and thoughts being pushed on us by the father of lies, and we must remind ourselves that at the end of the day it is only the person staring back at us in the mirror that convinces us they are true.

Yes or No? That is the question?

2009-07-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

We have been going through the book of James for the past couple of weeks and one of the verses, among many, that seems to leap off the page is James 5:13. “Let your “yes”, be yes, and your “no,” no, or you will be condemned.”

In a culture that prides itself on adaptability and tolerance, which undoubtedly can be positive qualities when exercised at the appropriate time, it seems to fly in the face of conventional wisdom that our “yes” cannot sometimes - under certain circumstances - become our “no”, and that our “no”, cannot likewise, sometimes change to a “yes.”

Recently, it was reported in the news that a senator was changing party loyalties. A Republican for 43 years he decided that it was time to make a switch to the party he had once been identified with, but had for a much more formidable tenure been opposite of. Undoubtedly, many of the people who voted for him believed that he would continue to be a Republican since it was under that assumption which he garnered their vote, and thus kept his seat in office. But alas, it was not to be. On April 28, 2009 he announced to the nation that he was trading in his red jersey for a blue one, because, in his own words, “The prospects for winning the Republican primary [in his home state of Pennsylvania] are bleak .” Now he should be commended for being honest, something we often do not give politicians credit for, but in the same breath he should also be scolded for making a decision that so clearly rests on some statistical analysis of his constituency rather than an overwhelming concern for what is best for his country.

This is a perfect example of someone changing their “yes” to a “no”, or their “no” to a “yes”. When a man is elected to office under the assumption that he is committed to certain beliefs and practices of a specific party, and then decides one year before he has completed his term that he is going to change parties, because he feels it would be a positive career move, it simply does not speak very highly of his character, regardless of what one can say about his achievements or his political prowess.

A question that is bound to come up in the minds of Christians more and more often as we continue to go through these difficult times is - and it may sound a little funny at first - How committed am I to my “yeses” and my “nos”. Take for instance a Christian who believes that under normal circumstances it is wrong to sell someone a car without first telling them the car’s complete history, and everything that has gone wrong with it before. But now, being in hard financial straits, the Christian seller may convince himself or herself that it is OK to sell the buyer the car under false pretenses because he or she is not telling a blatant lie, but just remaining silent. This is a perfect example of someone letting their “no” become a “yes.”

Jesus said in Matthew 5:37 that, “This comes from the evil one.” Are we going to let the evil one take control of our minds and hearts, simply because we are struggling financially, or because we believe that God would understand if he were in our position. Somehow those excuses do not seem to line up with what the Word tells us. In Romans 14:5 Paul says, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” In other words, “Do not sway from what God has fully convinced you of.” Some Christians may think it is OK to sell someone a car without giving them its history, “There’s always Carfax.” they might say. But a strong Christian knows in their heart what is right, and what is wrong. Say “yes” to what is right, and “no” to what is wrong. It may sound simple, but then again, most good things are.

The Sword and the Rolling Stone

2009-06-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

Tim had been driving for hours and needed a place to stop. He was extremely hungry and the large bag of Doritos he had bought at the Citgo station back in Kansas City had been eviscerated like a child’s present on Christmas morning, and sat empty on the passenger seat. His stomach felt as if it was trying to curl into a fetal position. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to stop as he surveyed the small town he was passing through. Part of him wished he would have stayed on the highway, but the sign just before he got off said the next town was more than 70 miles, and by that time he figured his metabolism would probably have gone after vital organs. He surveyed the landscape, which wasn’t much since the town he had entered had only one stoplight, and saw a little sign on the side of a building that said Henry’s. He couldn’t tell if it was a restaurant for sure, but figured it was worth a try since the only other things he saw were a small hardware store and hair salon, which by the looks of it had not had a customer since the Ford administration. He pulled up in front of Henry’s and put his car in park. He knew there probably were not going to be very many people, if any, in the restaurant, if it even was a restaurant, and he didn’t feel like talking to anyone so he grabbed his Bible and his reading glasses out of the glove compartment. As he entered Henry’s one thing became very apparent. He did not belong there. There was a small table in the corner with a few men playing backgammon, and one large burly biker man sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant with a large glass of what looked to be ice tea. There was only one other table, and he realized that this table was his future, even though he did not want to admit it to himself at the moment. He pulled out a chair and sat down. He set his Bible on the table, and began to look around for some sign of service. It was while he was looking around that he heard the man at the table next to him say, “hey.” He started to turn, but then reminded himself that the man could be talking to anyone, and the word hey did not necessarily require a response on his part. Much to his dismay a few seconds later her heard the word again, “hey.” This time he turned towards the man, and did his best to put on a surprised face. “Mind if I borrow your sword?” the burley man asked in a gruff but not threatening tone. Tim tried to act normal, but he was at a loss for words. What was the man talking about? Was “sword” slang for something? His mind raced, and as it did he saw the man point to the Bible. Ahh, Tim understood now. “Sure, no problem” he managed to squeak out. He picked up the Bible and handed it to the man. The man reached out with his thick hand and took the book. He set it on the table and began to read to himself. Tim was not sure what to do now. Should he sit and watch the man, or do his best to begin a conversation. He could not decide, and as a result sat there staring at the man while he read the Bible and sipped his ice tea. After what seemed like about 15 minutes the man shut the book and handed it back to Tim. “Thanks man, I needed that” he said. “No problem”, responded Tim, “We all do.”

Tim’s story is not unlike many of the stories we have in our own lives. Stories where God has used us at certain times, and specific places to touch someone’s life with His power. In Tim’s case it was pretty obvious, but often we do not even recognize these opportunities, or what are sometimes referred to as divine appointments. I encourage you this week to be on the lookout for these divine appointments so that, as the apostle Paul says, you may make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16).

The Fruit That Got Away

2009-05-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

The other day I was at the bakery waiting in line during what I thought was going to be a quick trip to pick up some cookies. However, I started to lose hope when I realized the first woman in line was doing some type of specialty order that was requiring the attention of both of the ladies behind the counter. She was pointing this way and that, and I could tell she was being very specific about what she wanted, like a photographer during a photo shoot. When she finally finished I breathed a sigh of relief like one does when they are in traffic and all of a sudden the car in front of them picks up speed. I got even more excited when I realized the two men in line behind her were together; that meant my wait just got even shorter. Unfortunately, my jubilation was short-lived. As the two men stepped up to the counter one of them asked, “Can I see the cookies?” See the cookies? See the cookies? I said to myself. The cookies are in a glass case, you’ve had ten minutes to see the cookies. What more is there to see? Then the man asked, “Do you have any peanut butter cookies?” Peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cookies! I said again to myself. All of the cookies are marked, so if there are any peanut butter cookies they would be marked, and there are no cookies marked peanut butter, and this is a bakery, not a warehouse, so there is no chance of their being a pile of peanut butter cookies in the back that just haven’t been put out on the shelf yet. The man in front of me, the only one left in line besides myself, and the two cookie coinsurers up front, turned around and smiled at me, as if to say, we’re in this together you and me, and we’re going to make it out of this, just like Robin and Batman.

Fortunately we did make it, and I got my cookies I had been waiting all week for. But I left feeling like I had failed a test; a test that God had used to see if I could handle being inconvenienced for a few moments; a test he had used to find out if I was becoming a more patient person; a test he had used to see if I practiced what I preach. And the results came back negative. I got the same feeling I had in college after a couple of calculus tests were returned to me with a, let’s just say, less than refrigerator worthy grade. I felt sick.

Patience is something that many of us struggle with, and it would not be such a big deal except for the Bible says it is a big deal, and that makes it kind of important. Galatians 5:2 says, “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” There it is, smack dab in the middle, and hard to miss. Patience is not usually the first quality that comes to mind when we think about living a virtuous life, but according to God it is just as important as many of the other qualities that do come to mind. Why is it then that we are able to brush patience aside like it is a branch that gets in the way while we are trying to mow the lawn, or an annoying cobweb that gets in our eyes while were are trying to find something in the attic? Maybe it is because a lot of times we really are in a rush, or because our impatience does not seem like it hurts other people. Whatever the reason is, it might be helpful to remember that Moses was probably making the same excuses when he took his stick and hit the rock because he was becoming impatient with the Israelites, and because of that he wound up wandering the desert for forty years. I do not think God would make us wander a dessert, but just to teach us a lesson he might make us wait in line a little bit longer at the bakery before we get to the promised land of cookies.