We're Hoarders!!!

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead

Philippians 3:13

I recently had to move from my desk to a cubicle at work.  During the packing up of all my stuff, it hit me like a box of books (quite literally a box of books), I had accumulated WAY too much stuff.  Thus, the paring down began, before the Hoarders television crew arrived.

Thinking about this for a bit, I also began to realize how much emotional, spiritual, cognitive hoarding I had done.  When I started thinking about it, I realized that there was a LOT that I needed to let go of, in order to run the race God has set before me with any hope of success.  The more I thought about it, I began writing down some of the baggage I had been hauling around.

     *   Trying to be perfect for others so they will think I'm "holy"
     *   Being angry for something someone said about me.
     *   Guilt for not being able to be everywhere at once.
     *   The stress of wanting to learn more to help others, while I'm trying to help others.
     *   Feeling like I'm not, nor will ever be, "good enough."
     *   Fear of saying or doing something stupid at the most inappropriate time.
     *   The failures my life has been littered with.

The list actually got quite extensive and specific, but my point is, I needed to let it go.  Let God have it and trust Him to deal with it.  

Have You Lost Your Wonder?

And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

Matthew 6:28-29

We take things for granted, don't we?  When was the last time you took a walk just to hear the birds or look at the things that grow?  When was the last time you picked up a seashell and really looked closely at it?  When was the last time you took time to look at the clouds and see what shapes came to mind?

My bride and I love storms.  We are fascinated by them.  Especially the ones with lightning. A few years ago, we lived in a patio home, and we would sit in our garage in our aluminum lawn chairs watching the lightning flashes and enjoying the slow rumble of the thunder and the wind.  It took us a while to figure out that it was probably not the brightest idea to sit in aluminum chairs to watch lightning, but neither of us got zapped so that's a relief.

But watch children.  They are fascinated by everything.  Their minds are like sponges, absorbing and figuring out how something makes sense.  And they observe almost everything (and usually will tell you about it when you least need that information broadcast).

For some reason, as we grow older, we either become jaded or we simply stop looking at God's creation with wonder.  I was sitting in my home office a while back watching the squirrels in our front yard.  They would scurry around picking up acorns then they would scurry off somewhere, dig a hole, drop the acorn in it, cover it back up, and then jump up and down on the spot to pack the dirt down.  It was like watching a circus routine.

On another occasion, I was on a ridealong when the officer walked into a spider web (and, I'll admit, watching this big tough cop do the "Ninja with a bee in his britches" dance was pretty funny).  Within two hours we were back at that same spot and the spider had rebuilt his web!  That fascinated me!

When we lose that childlike wonder of all that God has provided for us (to teach us, or reach us) we have lost one of His greatest gifts!

What Do You Mean "It's Not All About Me"?

When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant 

so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.

Colossians 4:6

Remember the days when courtesy was the norm?  Remember when "please" and "thank you" and "you're welcome" were common?  Remember when holding the door for someone else or helping others was just the way we did things?  What has happened to those days?

Take a look around.....we, as a society, have developed the "Gimme" attitude where "I come first and no one else matters."  Where did that mentality come from?  We learn habits.  We begin learning them from the day of our birth and continue learning them throughout our lives.  AND we teach them to others as we get older.  

This "It's ALL about me" mentality is straight from the pit and smells like smoke!  Remember Jesus' instruction "Do to others as you would have done to you"?  He wasn't kidding and it wasn't a suggestion!  

That Moment When...

Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained by living a godly life.

Proverbs 16:31

 

I remember, as a youth, being asked for my identification to make sure I was "of age."  And while, at the time, I found it annoying and inconvenient, it was part of being young.  I will not forget the first time I was purchasing some items at the grocery store and the bagger looked to be about 10, and he said, "Do you need any help carrying these to your car, Sir?"

 

That was a gut punch for me!  When had I become......old?  

 

     *   I did understand that I didn't move as quickly as once I did.  

     *   I did notice that I tended to look forward to sitting down more.  

     *   I did notice that I seemed to nap without fighting it.  

     *   It did occur to me that I no longer thought of myself as invincible. 

     *   I began to notice that the "music" of today had become *gasp* too loud.

     *   When did all my favorite songs get moved to the "Oldies" station?

 

And then came the day when I looked in the mirror and saw my Grampa looking back at me.

But the more I looked at the face looking back at me, the more I remembered that Grampa may have slowed down, but he enjoyed life and he had a lot of wisdom to share.

 

I have admitted before and confess it again, I haven't exactly lived a godly life for most of my breathing time.  I played the part when I needed to, but that was just a mask I wore when I needed to.  But once God truly got hold of me, the mask came off and my life changed.

 

Now, I still screw up more times than not; I still say things I shouldn't; I still think things I shouldn't; I still recognize that I mess up with alarming frequency.  But, God hasn't finished with me yet, because He's still teaching me and He's letting me stay around a bit longer, because His mission for me has is not completed.

 

I have a crown of gray hair, sparse though it may be. And hopefully, some wisdom has found its way into the grey goop between my ears.  

  

 

The Eagle Has Landed!

You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:27-28

Remember the 10 commandments that God gave to Moses?  The "church folk" were so hung up on making sure they appeared to be following these commandments to the letter that they forgot one very important aspect.  And when Jesus pointed it out to them, they were none too happy.  

When I was a teenager, I went with our church youth group to the beach for a week as sort of a Spiritual Retreat.  One of the leaders tried to teach us the difference between lust and adultery by using a bird and tree analogy.  He said, "If a bird sees the tree and flies over it, that is just a passing thought, which is lust.  However, if the bird lights in the tree, that is an intentional action, which is adultery."  Not long after that class, several friends and I were walking along the beach and, seeing a pretty bikini-clad young lady, one of our group said, "The Eagle Has Landed!"

I learned what Jesus meant later when I was in college and heard, what I thought was, a radical teaching.  Jesus wasn't talking about literal actions!  Jesus was talking about our INTENTIONS!  When I thought back to that day at the beach, I was ashamed of myself.  Here I figured as long as I didn't act on my thoughts, it was okay.  After all, what did it hurt?  Then I began to understand that how I programed my mind, determined how I treated others, respected others, saw others.  If I was angry with someone (and really wanting to knock their block off), I would treat them with disrespect and contempt long after our disagreement had been resolved.

Like the old computer adage: "GIGO"  Garbage In, Garbage Out.  Be careful what you allow in your mind, because it will come out eventually.

What Do You Fear?

Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; 

they cannot touch your soul. 

Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28

 

 What are you afraid of?  When I was younger, I wasn't (am still not) too fond of heights. It was so much the falling that frightened me, so much as the intense pain of the sudden stop at the bottom.

 

When we were children, we used to fear many things:

   *  Like spiders (and some still have an aversion to them), 

   *  and clowns, 

   *  and drowning, 

   *  and alligators, 

   *  and any number of things.  

 

And as we grow up, we mostly grow out of those fears because we have new ones to replace them:

   *   losing your hair.

   *   developing a long term illness.

   *   having to speak in public

   *   being summoned to the boss's office.

   *   failing in school or in a career

 

There are those who will tell you that if you face your fears, you can overcome them.  Apparently, they have never watched a single horror movie, because when you face the critter that scares you in a horror movie, bad things happen to you.

 

Fear can paralyze us.  Fear can stop us from reaching out to someone who needs our help.  Fear can make us......well, afraid.  And then I saw a movie that I wish I could remember the title of, but the main gunfighter was facing his nemesis who was holding his weapon to the head of a hostage.  The nemesis said, "One more step and I'll kill her."  To which the hero said, "Then there will be no one but you and me."  

 

While that may sound cruel and rather heartless, think about this for a second.  Why are we afraid to speak to someone?  Because they may tell us to go away?  So what?   

 

Why are we afraid to help someone?  Because they may not want our help?  So what?

 

Why do we not pray when we're in public?  Because someone might not like it?  So what?  You don't have to bow your head, close your eyes, and look "holy" to pray.  

 

Our enemy would have us afraid of him, because he can cause our life here to be not so much fun.  But when we let God's light shine on his false "power" we will see and God will grant us the strength and courage we need.  

I Am Unique....or Perhaps Just A Bit Odd.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, 

so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10

Have you ever wondered what would happen if we were all exactly the same?
     *   Everyone would hate asparagas.
     *   Everyone would have already heard all the jokes, so no one would laugh.
     *   Everyone would dress in tiedye.
     *   There would be no need to have conversations because everyone already knows what everyone else would say.
     *   There would be no competitions because everyone was exactly the same.
     *   We would be SO bored (and boring).


Honestly, Science fascinates me, but I don't seem to understand it.  Math bores me to tears and I am convinced this is why we have computers.  I love people watching.  I love trying to observe details.  Large crowds make me uncomfortable, because I am an Introvert.  I have Sound Sensitivity (also known as Misophonia) and really want to punch people who, for example, cannot seem to chew gum with their mouth closed.


So what am I trying to say?  God made you weird for a reason (some weirder than others), in order that you can fulfill HIS purpose.  So what does all this mean?  STOP TRYING TO BE A CLONE just so you'll "fit in."  Be who God made you to be!

I Hate Being Sick

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15

I hate being sick.  I have been sick for the last several days and with all the coughing, hacking, and various other internal rebellions, each morning I was more sore than the day before. 

This tells me two things:
     1.  Feeling like I lost a fight with a freight train is painful.
     2.  Being sore tells me there's muscles in my body whether they can be seen or not.

When I first felt the onset, I kept telling God "I don't have time to be sick! I have too much to do!"  Well, apparently God's plans didn't exactly agree with mine, because I felt worse and worse.  And, as if that weren't enough, my sweet bride also caught what I had, so there we've been over the last few days giving the FBI surveillance team a hearty chuckle.  You know what's worse than the blind leading the blind?  The sick trying to take care of the sick!

But the more upset and stressed about "not having time" to be sick, the worse I felt.  Then, true to form, day before yesterday, I told God that I just give up and whatever He's trying to remind me, please just make it clear to me.  And it was as if my mind suddenly cleared and I realized that I had gotten SO involved in what I wanted to get done that I had begun to be blinded to all that is truly important.  Busy-ness is a curse!  I've seen my calendar (and several other peoples' calendars) were SO full that there was no room for anything.  And then we wonder why we are SO exhausted, irritable, and frustrated!

I still hate being sick, but sometimes that's how God gets my attention. 

Got Troubles?

People who do what is right may have many problems,
    but the Lord will solve them all.

Psalm 34:19 

 

May want to sit down for this one because it's going to be relatively short.  I know, I can hear you saying "Short?  YOU?"  Laugh all you will, but I promise today's devotional will be relatively short.

One of the things we, as human beings, are very good at is finding problems.  It's like we have this innate drive to find the wrong way to do things right the first time.  I remember trying to put a computer desk together and instead of actually following the instructions, I just looked at the picture and a lot of duct tape.  

Being open and honest about mistakes doesn't make us look foolish (for long) because they help others know we're not perfect and hopefully learn how not to do something.  I've banged my face trying to push my way through a "pull" door.  When we stop to look back at our lives, many of us are astounded that we're still here.  But remember the Promise Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:20: "...I will be with you always, even until the end of this age."

We are going to have problems in this life!  That's a fact.  But God already has the answer for them and it's usually not what we expect or through whom we expect. 

Bad Things Happen

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18 

On April 16, 2007, a very bad thing happened.  A Senior at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg Virginia went on a rampage and killed 32 students before completing his own suicide.  To say the student body was rocked, would be an understatement.  Even today, there is still a sense of mourning and loss.

As part of the Public Safety Chaplaincy Certification program, in which I am currently enrolled, we spent this past weekend on the Virginia Tech Campus.  We met with some of the First Responders and prayed our way through the building.  When such horrific things happen, there are no words that are helpful as you try to make sense of what has happened.

I've learned that, as a Chaplain, sometimes the best ministry you can provide is to just be there and not fill the silence with pointless words.  One of the first questions I get asked in tragic situations is "Why?  Why did this have to happen?"  And, while I could give a sermon or two on the subject, I don't have the answers and chances are anything I say will fall on deaf ears anyway.

But one thing I have seen over and over, tragic events bring people together.  I have seen families who had been at each other's throats, until a family member died.  Then they came together again as a family.  

Why do we wait for tragedy to come together?

A Legacy Worth Leaving

Whatever work you do, do your best, because you are going to the grave, 

where there is no working, no planning, no knowledge, and no wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

 

 I am a procrastinator, but I'll tell you about that later.  Anyone who knows me well, also knows that if you want something fixed....I'm not exactly the handiest person to call.  My advice is the same as I heard on the Andy Griffith Show many years ago: "Just call the man!"

But the things I am able to do, I will give it my all.  My bride has watched as I worked on a B.U.B.B.A. to give away.  She was amazed (or amused, not sure which), when I undid about two days worth of work.  She asked me why, I explained that I had messed it up.  She told me no one would notice.  But here's the point, had I not fixed it, I would have known that my best was not given.

You see, we're not expected to be perfect, but we are expected to give our best effort in everything we do.  Our legacy will be "He ALWAYS did his best" or "Meh, he did just enough to get by."  Which legacy would you want?

 

Don't Mind Me, Just Planting A Thought.

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. 

What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

1 Corinthians 3:7 

 

Each of us has our own idea of evangelism (yeah, I don't like that church word either).  For some, it comes through revival services.  For some, it comes through street preaching.  For some, it comes through being so serious that a smile would cause intense pain. For some, it means going from house to house, knocking on doors, handing out flyers.  And there are people who respond positively to these methods.  I'm just saying these methods have never appealed to me nor have I been receptive to them when they were applied to me.

 

Here's the thing that I learned from doing it wrong for so long.  I tried preaching to people.  I tried carrying my Bible with me so they could see that meant what I said.  I tried the "bait and switch" where I offer to help with your issue but only after you listen to my sermon. Why was I so stupid?  Because I was led to believe that I was the one who had to go out and "Win Souls For JEEZUS!"   And I admit it, I was wrong.

 

You see, it's not my job to convince you to believe.  That's not what God called me to do. God called me to be, of all things, a planter.  When we talk, I plant a thought or a perspective.  Then, it's God's job to grow that thought or perspective. You see, God created us to be in relationship with others, which means we become part of each others' lives.  This is where the thoughts and perspectives part comes it, because we can sit down together, enjoy each others company, are free to talk about anything.  It is through relationships that true seed planting takes place.

Feel Alone?

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

Have you screwed up recently?  Yeah, me too.

Have you said something you shouldn't have? Yeah, me too.

Have you gotten some news you really didn't want to hear? Yeah, me too.

Have you heard the scales groan when you step on them?  I have.

Have you had one of those days where there was more to complete than you have time or energy to?  And when you get home you're expected to slap on the happy face when all you really want to do is just go to bed?

Have you had to deal with people who seem to think you are supposed to have all the answers?

You see, we ARE NOT ALONE in our struggles!  Not only has God already walked through it before us, He has already made a way for us to make it too.  And here's the shocker, God has also appointed people to be in our lives at just the right time to remind us that we aren't alone.

Our enemy would have us believe that we shouldn't let anyone know about our struggles because no one will understand.  Our enemy will also have us believe that putting every aspect of our lives on Social Media is a good thing.  But God reminds us that He comforts us, so that we can comfort others.  "WHEN they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

 

Kidding

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:1-4 

One of the hobbies I have acquired over the course of my like thus far, is people watching.  You see, human behavior fascinates me.  Especially in those unguarded moments when we think no one notices.  

I was having a meeting at my Office away from the Office a while back and saw a young lady with two highly energetic toddlers come in, followed by two Soldiers (both Drill Sergeants).  The toddlers were having none of this "wait your turn" thing and insisted on dragging Mom to "look at this" and "see what I found".  I felt so sorry for her.  She kept apologizing to everyone around her for her "enthusiastic" children.

Both of the soldiers smiled patiently.  The children persisted, and Mom kept apologizing.  Just when I thought her last frayed nerve would snap, the soldiers jumped into action.  Both of these Drill Sergeants (who were accustomed to giving orders), got down in the floor with these children and let the children show them everything they found.  Not only that, but they kept the children occupied while Mom had a quiet cup of coffee probably for the first time that day.  

Made me "HOOAH" for the Drill Sergeants for their deeds, and made my heart lift to see Mom getting a MUCH needed break.  But the thing that struck me most was the children.  You see, children are always fascinated with EVERYTHING!

     *     Children aren't afraid to play together.  We are taught prejudices.

     *     Children aren't afraid to see things differently.  Look at how they color pictures.  We are taught that we have to "stay inside the lines because that's how we've always done it."

     *     Children aren't bitter and jaded.  We learn that behavior (and we can unlearn it too).

     *     Children aren't afraid to laugh and be expressive.  We are taught to hide our feelings. 

     *     Children are helpless and need someone to care for them.  

     *     Children are eager to learn.  And usually pick up on things quickly (so be careful what you say and do).

     *     Children aren't afraid to show love.

May God make us more childlike!

Meh

Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning.

James 4:17 

The professor wrote a single word on the board.  One of his barely awake students said, "A-P-A-T-H-Y.  What's that?"  His bored classmate replied, "Who cares?"

Believe it or not, this is something that is becoming more and more prevalent.  Go to the store and the checkout person is busy talking to the co-workers, on the phone, chomping gum, anything to leave you with the impression that they don't care.  And guess what?  We give this same impression to others.  

We hide from actually doing what we agreed to do.  We just walk over things we don't want to pick up.  We do all sorts of things just because WE want or don't want to do it.  Our mentality is "Meh, who cares?"

James is reminding us that when you KNOW what is the right thing to do, and you CHOOSE not to do it, you have sinned.  "Evil will triumph when good people do nothing."  How would it feel if God decided "Meh, I don't feel like caring about you today."

So ask yourself....what DO you care about?  Do you care about the job you do? The give it your best effort.  Do you care about your relationships? Then give them your best.  Do you care? Then be the example for others.  

Waiting

Wait and trust the Lord.
    Don’t be upset when others get rich
    or when someone else’s plans succeed.

Psalm 37:7

Have you ever prayed for something and it seemed that your request just hovered at the ceiling?  I have.  

 

Have you ever thought "God's just not working fast enough"?  I have.

 

Have you wondered why someone else seems to move up faster than you when you believe that you are working twice as hard as they are?  I have too.

 

Something I have learned, and am still learning the hard way, is that God always answers our prayers according to get us in a position where His plans for us will work as perfectly as He designed them.

 

Think of it this way....you have a hankering for an orange.  You plant a seed and you can have all the oranges you want.  You water the seed and tend to the soil and check every single day to see if the oranges are ready yet.  You get angry because you wanted the orange but the orange tree hasn't given you any.  Why?  Because all the processes to make the oranges, make the limbs strong enough to hold the oranges, and for the oranges to ripen enough to eat, have not been completed yet.

 

We live in a world of instant gratification.  If I want something to eat, I can go to the store and get it.  But if I want to advance my career, I can't just go to the store and walk out with a promotion and a raise.

 

You see, God has orchestrated everything in the entire universe and time to put you in just the right place to fulfill your place in His perfect plan.  This does not mean that will like having to wait.  We probably won't like waiting while all the pieces get put into place.  We may not like waiting....  But the end results will blow your mind!

Squeezed?

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

James 1:2-4 

 

Have you ever been under a deadline or under so much pressure from those higher up the food chain that you felt overwhelmed?  Have you ever considered it a curse not to cuss sometimes?  Have you ever been fed up?  Have you ever thought "oh, THIS isn't going to go well"?  Have you ever been so anxious and uptight that you just couldn't sleep?  Me too.

 

How about this, have you ever had so much fun doing something that you did it over and over but each time it just wasn't as much fun as that first time?

Most of my life seems to have been the model for "Murphy's Law" (if there is a way for it to go wrong, it will).  NOW, I can look back on parts of my life and chuckle.  But some parts, I'm still struggling to deal with.

But look at what James is reminding us...we WILL have problems.  We're going to have issues.  We're going to have pressure.  And when those times come, and we are squeezed, our true nature will show!

 

I admit, I was riding one night with one of Richland Counties finest, when we had to quietly exit the car.  I quietly eased my door closed and my finger got in the way.  I confess the things that came out of my mouth were far short of "Yea, verily and peace unto thee."  But once freed from that dilemma, I did apologize for my words.  The stunned deputy looked at me in amazement and said, "Pinocchio, you ARE a real boy!"

 

As we go through life, we're going to have struggles.  God never promised us otherwise!  But remember, if we only have good times we'll forget that we need God.  When we have struggles, then we appreciate how much God does for us when that struggle has passed.

 

We seldom realize how much God loves us until we look back at all He's brought us through.  

Want to Win?

Do not let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good.

Romans 12:21 

I remember during Army Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, having to navigate Victory Tower.  Now Victory Tower is, at first up close sight, quite daunting and intimidating.  Our Drill Instructors gathered us at the rally point and explained, in great detail what we were to do, how we were to do it, and when to do it.  And if we followed their instructions to the letter, we would make it without injury.

Part of the process of Victory Tower involved repelling down one side.  In order to do this, we had to make an "improvised Swiss Seat" out of a length of rope we were given.  If we followed the instructor's instructions perfectly, the seat would work safely without any "undue pain to the nether regions."  However, if we did not follow the instructions, "there is a Medic on hand to deal with what's left."

So up we began in our effort to conquer Victory Tower while remembering all the instructions that had been thrown at us by multiple Drill Instructors in about a 10 minute briefing.  My heart was pounding like a jackhammer and my legs felt like jelly, but I was determined to conquer this obstacle.  Then came the time for the Swiss Seat.  Trying to remember how we were supposed to tie it, I did my best, grabbed the guide rope and yelled to the ground crew "Buddy Ready".  When I heard my key of "Buddy MOVE!" I began my descent toward the ground.  

Let me tell you that the feeling of the earth under my feet never felt so good and since I didn't have to go see the Medic, I felt as though I could conquer the world. I had done good!  My Drill Sergeant, crusty old gristle though he was, said so. Actually he seem rather stunned, although I'm not sure why.

But think about this, when we conquer something we fear; when we conquer some temptation; when we are able to conquer a challenge, the feeling is almost euphoric!  And here, the Apostle Paul is reminding us that if we are to overcome evil, we cannot do it by giving evil in return.  We are to overcome evil by doing good.

"Two wrongs don't make a right!"  Remember that little adage?  

United

 I am in prison because I belong to the Lord. Therefore I urge you who have been chosen by God to live up to the life to which God called you. ² Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love. ³ You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to have one hope. ⁵ There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. ⁶ There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything.

Ephesians 4:1-6 

 

Have you noticed how our world has become more integrated yet more divided at the same time?  Almost every country has a mix of other cultures.  Some are adjusting well and some are not.

 

But this is nothing new....is it?  We've struggled with the "us" and "them" conflict for longer than we can remember why it started in the first place.  And here's the bad part, that mentality has crept into every aspect of our lives.  

 

     *   We have churches with pastors who think the church is theirs to dictate and control, even to the point where they believe their control extends beyond the church into any other group they happen to be part of.  Attend a pastors conference or a Chaplains meeting and you will see this in action. If this is true, then it is not a church any longer.  Last I heard, the Church is where we gather to worship God, not the pastor.

     *   On the other side, we have churches with families whose ancestors donated the land or paid for a pew or two, or even bought the stained glass windows, therefore they believe the church belongs to them. Last I heard the Church is where we gather to worship God, not the contributions of ancestors.

     *   We have those in our society who believe they are owed simply because.

     *   We make a huge deal out of things we cannot control.  We use any means to divide ourselves.  "You can't join our group.....you're different!"

 

The last time I have read where everyone got along was in Genesis, when it was God, Adam and Eve.  Things went sour when the snake showed up.  

 

Jesus gave us only TWO commandments:  1) "Love God with your whole being" and because of that you can 2) "love others as yourself."

 

We are not here by accident, rather we are here on purpose.  And we have, many times throughout history, that when we work together we can overcome many things.  But we'd rather fight amongst ourselves about whose lives matter more?  HOGWASH!  If you are breathing, your life matters!!  End of story!