We Really ARE One....When We Want To Be!

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 

~Hebrews 12:14-15

During the flooding which overwhelmed the residents of Columbia this past week, people worked together to help each other.  Entire communities reached out to those who suffered.  First Responders worked themselves to the point of exhaustion and still pushed on, because we became a single community of people.

Never once did I hear anything about race, beliefs, gender, preferences or any of the other irrelevant barriers WE have put in place.  For once, we realized that we all are part of the community of humanity.  People pitched in with manual labor; jumping right in to help with the clean up.  People opened their bank accounts and pantries to help provide for those who were without.  People gave and gave and gave!  

True, there were some who sought the spotlight, there were also some who became greedy, and even some who took this disaster as their opportunity to take what wasn't theirs.  But overall, people banded together; prayed for and with each other, accepted each other, cared about each other.

If God intended for us to be all the same, He would have stopped with Adam or Eve.  But God created us to join together as community, showing love to others regardless of our differences.

My question and challenge to ALL of us is this: When things return to normal, will we continue to see each other as a community or will the irrelevant divisive issues return?  

LOOK AT ME!

Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
    a stranger, not your own lips.

~Proverbs 27:2

Ever know anyone who just seemed to crave being the center of attention?  Someone who wants their every deed to be known, recognized, and acknowledged?  Let's face it, we all, at some point, enjoy it a little when our good deeds are noticed and acknowledged.  But what about those who seem to live for the recognition? 

Let me be clear, I am an Introvert!  I like quiet, behind-the-scenes, type activities.  Being involved is a need, but being the center of attention is extremely uncomfortable.

I learned a long, long (long, long, long, long) time ago, in my Army days, that if you wanted to be noticed, then try to be unnoticeable. The more I tried to be nondescript and camouflaged, the more my First Sergeant would pick me out; especially for such glamorous tasks as "Who's going to dig my latrines for me?" and "Who's going to wash my Mess Sergeant's cookware?"  During those moments, it was as if the world had gone dark and the only shining light was focused on me.

But it is sometimes frustrating when you do your best and, even though you don't like the spotlight, you'd like at least some acknowledgement.  After all, why even try if your efforts are not appreciated.  But then I hear Grampa's voice in my head, "People will get bored with you if you always brag about everything you do.If you want people to notice, don't do things to be noticed."  Hmmmm....something worth pondering.

Remember, "For all that is secret God will eventually bring into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all." Luke 8:17

Humbled...There's Just No Other Way To Say It

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?

~Psalm 8:3-4

The last several days have shown how destructive water can be; and how it can destabilize roads, homes, lives, communities, and even states and regions.  But I have seen a miracle during this time that I never thought I could see...in this time of distress, people are, for the most part, not concerned about themselves as much as they are concerned about others.  I have seen First Responders work themselves to the point of exhaustion and still push themselves to do more.  I have seen Utility Crews work feverishly to restore power and water, and they have gone far beyond expectations.  I have witnessed an overwhelming show of support from places not effected as much by the rain and flooding as South Carolina has been.

I spent a lot of time just listening and talking with people over the last few days.  And I have been humbled!  People who were displaced by the floods were not only grateful for the communities reaching out to help them, but many were more concerned for people other than themselves.  But the one event that broke my pride came when I gave a young boy a bottle of water and he handed me his teddy bear because he said I looked like I needed a hug. 

Tonight, as I look into the sky and give God thanks and praise for His love for us, it will be with a very humbled heart.  Why should God care about us when we have been so hateful and hurtful toward each other for so long?  In my opinion, He probably shouldn't.  If I were in His place, I would probably tell humanity: "Ya'll are on your own! I tried but ya'll just can't seem to get the fact that I love you so much that MY ONLY Son paid for your mistakes.  I'm out!"  But that's why God is God and I am not.

God not only put all the stars in their place and called them by their name, he put each one of us in place and called us by name.  He has recorded and collected all our hurts and tears.  He has counted every hair.  And He loves us and provides for us in the most remarkable ways through the most remarkable people.

I am humbled...there's just no other way to say it.  

Thank You to all who came to the aid of others in their time of need.  THANK YOU!!! And I thank God for each of you!

So...You Like To Argue?

Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or you will become as foolish as they are.

Proverbs 26:4

Ever know anyone who enjoys arguing just for the sake of arguing?  No matter what the issue, they will take the opposite stance of everyone else, just for the sheer enjoyment of arguing.  And guess what?  We fall into their trap time after time after time.  

Let's face it, we don't like being wrong!  We don't like being anything but right! Why? Because we are just that full of......we can call it "pride" if you want, but we know what we are truly full of stinks and makes pretty good fertilizer.  Yet we will quite literally beat each other to death just to prove that we are "right."

A number of years ago, Monty Python's Flying Circus did a skit called "The Argument Clinic" that does an outstanding job of showing how arguing just for the sake of arguing is among the most idiotic exercises in futility ever. I have talked with several people who love to argue and have not been given a reason why they get so much enjoyment out of just being disagreeable.

But notice what Solomon tells us: If you engage in stupid arguments then guess what that makes you?

We need to reach the point where we are wise enough to concede that we are wrong (if we are truly in the wrong) and apologize.  BUT we also need to become wise enough to understand that not every argument is worth the fight.  Sometimes the best way to settle a petty argument is to simply smile and walk away.

What Do You Mean I'm A 'Captive'?

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

~Jeremiah 29:11-14 

 

We like to quote verse 11 of today's passage where God tells us that He has incredible plans for us that will be good for us and bring us hope.  But we don't usually bother to read beyond that because, after all, we cling to the promise and are content to wait for God to rain down His blessings on us.  But read the rest of the passage!

 

God does have plans for us that will be good for us and will bring hope for us, but He also ways WHEN YOU PRAY, I will listen.  When was the last time you and God had a heart to heart chat?  Did you do all the talking?  THEN God says, "IF you look for me WHOLEHEARTEDLY, you will find me."  Before you ask, NO God is not hiding from us.  Let me put it this way, if I am wearing my sunglasses I cannot read my radio display even though I am looking directly at it and it is less than a foot away.  Why, because my sunglasses filter out the color of my display.  The same applies to us when we "look" for God and can't find him...we casually look expecting to see the bright light and mighty powerful warrior ready to smite those who have hurt our feelings.  But we don't see that God has sent someone to help us who is rather ordinary, because we are not looking for ordinary, we are looking for nuclear fireworks!

 

God promises that if we seek Him will all our attention and desire, we will find Him AND He will end our captivity.  WHAT? Captivity here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave?  Yup! We are captive to our STUFF!  We are captive to our CAREERS!  We are captive to our BANK ACCOUNTS!  We are captive to our SPORTS!  We are captives because we find so many things (which will eventually end) to hold our attention rather than God!  How many people do you know who can quote the latest stock trends but can't remember a single verse of Scripture?  How many people do you know who will faithfully attend every single football game and have had season tickets for generations, but "don't have time" to talk with God about their marriage falling apart or their children who have gone wild for lack of parenting?  WE ARE CAPTIVES!!  We are held captive by our own desires!!!

 

A gilded cage is still a prison!

You Hear But Are You Listening?

So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

~Genesis 7:5

Sherlock Holmes was famous for pointing out, "You see, but you do not observe!  I see AND observe and, thus, many crimes are solved."  What about us?  

These last several days have drenched in rain, which has resulted in flooding.  People have had to leave their homes and even evacuate completely to higher ground because of the flooding. People have joked about needing to build an ark just to get to work.  And, yes, I have made that same joke as well.

Sunday morning, however, we awoke to soaked rug and the sound of dripping water (which we heard in spite of the rain sounds from outside).  I walked into the den to find a large, wet, dripping section of sheet rock and off to the attic I climbed to attempt to discover the source of this leak.  Sure enough, the roof did have a spot where the water was seeping in. So, after putting down a large pot to catch the water, off to into the storms we went to Stuff-Mart to see if we could find something to stem the building flood. 

On the way home to tackle the issue with the hope that we had what we needed to at least patch the leaky roof, the thought occurred to me that Noah's neighbors must have thought him insane to build an enormous boat.  They probably laughed and joked.....until the rain began and didn't let up.  

Noah, on the other hand, was more focused on doing what God had told him to do rather than listen to his neighbors.  Has God ever nudged you to do something you KNEW was the right thing to do, but you chose not to do it because you felt you'd be laughed at?  Yeah me too.  Has God ever put on your heart to do something, and you did it with all your dedication...until people started making fun of you or told you that what you were doing would never make a difference?  Yeah, me too.

Yet Noah did EVERYTHING that God commanded him to do.  And in doing that, Noah and his family came out okay. 

Those who personally know me can tell you that I don't preach at people, rather I talk with people, I hand out Tootsie Rolls, I listen to them, I make Butt Ugly But Big Afghans (BUBBAs) to give away....but I don't preach.  God laid on my heart, many years ago, to listen to people and share whatever He put on my mind to share with them.  But Noah is a great example of just that, do what God has put on your heart no matter what other people might say.

To paraphrase Sherlock Holmes, "You Hear, But Are You Listening?"

On The Other Side

 Then the devil left Jesus. And heavenly messengers came and ministered to Him.

~Matthew 4:11

It's not easy having to learn new things, is it? But we have to learn new things throughout our lives. 

We learn new life skills from experiences like: 

     *  sidewalks have invisible speed bumps, teaching us to be careful.

     *  when you are pressed for time, the slowest person ever will get in your way, thus teaching us to either be patient if we are paying attention.

     *  when someone is hurting, we learn what to say and when to shut up.

We learn more difficult skills through experience if we are willing.  

     *  When dealing with difficult people, we learn to stand up for ourselves even when our insides have turned to jelly.  

     *  When we deal with persistent salespeople we learn to say "No Thank You" and walk away.

     *  When we are hurting and feeling weak, we must learn to let others help us and minister to us.

I like helping people. I like talking with people who need counsel.  I like being able to minister to others. But I am not so good being on the other side of that.  Recently, my Bride and I have been enduring a situation that was draining us and stressing us, yet together we are learning that we are not alone, we are loved, and we will become stronger.  And this from learning to let others minister to us.

Did you know that even Jesus had allow Himself to be helped? After dealing with 40 days of no food, Jesus was exhausted and weak from hunger.  THAT is the very moment when the enemy decided to take action.  And he still does that today; when we are mentally, emotionally, financially exhausted and at the end of our endurance, THAT is when the enemy will attack us through other people.

Jesus relied on God for strength and endurance.  WHEN Jesus had endured and came out of that battle in the right, God sent His own angels to care for Jesus's needs.  

Jesus had to stand strong through the battle, and God gave Him the strength, and then gave Him the comfort when the battle was over.  Jesus, who helped so many people had to learn to let others help even Him.

My bride and I are being taught two lessons from this time in our lives:

     1.  God is in control.

     2.  We must be strong in this battle and do what is right, even if we don't like it.

    3.  When the battle is over, God will minister and restore.