December 4, 1999
A church ad showed a picture of two hands holding stone slabs inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The ad copy read: “For fast, fast, fast relief, take two tablets.”
Dr. Laura would agree. She says the sick moral climate in America can be cured only if people listen to God and do what He says.
Others disagree. In fact, some even say we have too many rules already, that religion imposes only restrictions. What we really need is more freedom.
Seeing that morals are not as important as they used to be does not require a degree in sociology. However, can more rules bring up moral standards or change people’s behavior? Or do rules simply raise our awareness of guilt?
That church sign implies that obedience to God will bring relief not guilt. Relief from what? God says we should not steal. If everyone obeyed, crime rates would decline. God says we should not commit adultery. If everyone obeyed, divorce rates would nose dive.
But life has other problems that call for relief. What about single mothers who need jobs with enough pay to cover their needs and the cost of daycare? What about sickness, financial debt, strained relationships, unemployment or other pressing issues? Would adding these commands give relief for these problems? Or complicate them?
We could say that keeping the laws of God has value in society but argue with the “fast relief” part. Ask any teacher. Ask any parent. People simply do not change overnight.
On the other hand, a few self-righteous folk might see this church sign and applaud. They wonder why people act the way they do. They insist everyone should put God first and live decently. Then the world would not be in this mess.
In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees fit this profile. They looked down at those “less religious” but made the mistake of thinking they themselves were okay. Jesus called them hypocrites.
So, can taking these “two tablets” actually give relief? The Bible teaches that the Law of God stands forever. It is important. However, the Bible also teaches that no one can keep His Law perfectly, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
So why have these ten? If putting them on the classroom walls had no effect, why did my Sunday School teachers do it? The New Testament gives the reason: “The Law was our tutor, to bring us to Christ.”
The self-righteous think that obedience to God’s commands is their ticket to heaven. They assume their adherence will give them favor with God. They do not understand or will not accept that everyone falls short. Our efforts at law-keeping do not impress God. The Apostle Paul wrote that keeping the commandments could not impart life. In Romans 3, he says people “are justified by faith apart from observing the law.”
This does not nullify the law as if it were unimportant. God’s standards are high. However, the Bible teaches that “all our works of righteousness are like filthy rags” in His sight. The gospel declares that our only hope is in His grace, not in our own efforts. As the Bible says, we “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
For those who believe in Christ, the commands remain to show us God’s high standard. Repeatedly, we see that our hearts are prone to sin. We are in constant need of God’s grace. In that sense, taking two tablets does give relief — it relieves us of the ignorance of sin — but the tablets do not cure the problem of sin nor any of the results of sin. Only Christ can do that.
Showing posts with label eternal values. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eternal values. Show all posts
Monday, October 16, 2017
Monday, May 22, 2017
Parties may last for a lifetime, but . . . ................ Parables 591
(No tear sheet)
One of my cousins told me he would never consider becoming a Christian. He explained he was “having too much fun” and being a Christian would “stop all that.”
People go many directions in their pursuit of happiness. Some look for it in more money, or a bigger house, or a faster car, or different friends, or a better job. Most of us realize that even if we achieve these goals, the delight they bring does not last very long.
My cousin thought he would find happiness in a never-ending string of parties, with lots of alcohol and never enough sleep. Instead of the fun he hoped for, he wound up with liver damage that has contributed to seriously deteriorating health. Whether he becomes a Christian or not, “stopping all that” seems like a good idea.
In contrast to my cousin, Cyprian the 3rd century Bishop of Carthage, wrote to a friend: “It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians... and I am one of them.”
Anyone who has put their faith in Christ shares Cyprian’s discovery. There is a joy that cannot be found in external pleasures or material possessions, or even in being healthy. It is the inner joy that God gives to those who walk with Him. It is a joy that cannot be destroyed, taken away or replaced.
The enduring nature of this joy stands on a strong foundation. One is the sovereignty of God. He controls all things in wisdom, power and goodness. Nothing surprises or upsets Him. He has what it takes to meet all situations. When we trust a God like that, anxiety begins to fade. We know He is taking care of every detail of our lives.
The second foundation is the peace of God. God is at peace within Himself. When Jesus said to those who trust Him: “My peace I give to you. . . .” He was talking about that inner peace. With it, we are released from our inner conflict too. Also, God knows how to settle external conflicts. As we trust Him, we begin to learn how to do it too. Stress begins to leave and joy moves in to fill the space.
Because God is eternal, His joy and peace last forever, withstanding time and trials. The only way we can get rid of them (Who wants to?) is by choosing doubt or sin instead of trust.
Joy is also powerful in itself. The Old Testament writer Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” This kind of joy has the capacity to give us confidence and a sense of being able to meet life without fear.
When we know God is in control, we are joyful. When our inner struggles are settled, we are joyful. When we trust God, we learn that there is no joy like the joy of the Lord. Parties may last for the night but God’s peace and joy lasts for ever.
One of my cousins told me he would never consider becoming a Christian. He explained he was “having too much fun” and being a Christian would “stop all that.”
People go many directions in their pursuit of happiness. Some look for it in more money, or a bigger house, or a faster car, or different friends, or a better job. Most of us realize that even if we achieve these goals, the delight they bring does not last very long.
My cousin thought he would find happiness in a never-ending string of parties, with lots of alcohol and never enough sleep. Instead of the fun he hoped for, he wound up with liver damage that has contributed to seriously deteriorating health. Whether he becomes a Christian or not, “stopping all that” seems like a good idea.
In contrast to my cousin, Cyprian the 3rd century Bishop of Carthage, wrote to a friend: “It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians... and I am one of them.”
Anyone who has put their faith in Christ shares Cyprian’s discovery. There is a joy that cannot be found in external pleasures or material possessions, or even in being healthy. It is the inner joy that God gives to those who walk with Him. It is a joy that cannot be destroyed, taken away or replaced.
The enduring nature of this joy stands on a strong foundation. One is the sovereignty of God. He controls all things in wisdom, power and goodness. Nothing surprises or upsets Him. He has what it takes to meet all situations. When we trust a God like that, anxiety begins to fade. We know He is taking care of every detail of our lives.
The second foundation is the peace of God. God is at peace within Himself. When Jesus said to those who trust Him: “My peace I give to you. . . .” He was talking about that inner peace. With it, we are released from our inner conflict too. Also, God knows how to settle external conflicts. As we trust Him, we begin to learn how to do it too. Stress begins to leave and joy moves in to fill the space.
Because God is eternal, His joy and peace last forever, withstanding time and trials. The only way we can get rid of them (Who wants to?) is by choosing doubt or sin instead of trust.
Joy is also powerful in itself. The Old Testament writer Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” This kind of joy has the capacity to give us confidence and a sense of being able to meet life without fear.
When we know God is in control, we are joyful. When our inner struggles are settled, we are joyful. When we trust God, we learn that there is no joy like the joy of the Lord. Parties may last for the night but God’s peace and joy lasts for ever.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Significance ................ Parables 582
January 27, 1998
Philosopher Karl Marx was not very rich nor did he have many close friends. When he died, eleven people attended his funeral. If significance were measured by that number, he would not have been a very important person.
Another man, Lazarus, was a beggar by profession. He did not have many friends either. He spent his life sitting on a curb asking for money. Beyond the few who tossed him coins and the dogs who came to lick his sores, no one cared. Eventually he died in pain and poverty. Where was his significance?
A third man was rich. He dressed in purple and fine linen. He had money, power and just about everything anyone could desire. He lived every day in luxury. Like the others, he also died. How can his significance be measured?
Jesus Christ was perhaps more well known than Karl Marx, but He was just as poor as the beggar, if one measures poverty by changes of clothing and a mortgage. Like Marx and the beggar, He gained few close friends. Even though multitudes idolized Him for a time, as His claims on their lives increased, His popularity dwindled. How can His significance be measured?
We tend to evaluate human life by popularity and possessions and other temporal things. The person adored by millions or who owns three homes, five cars and a yacht is rated as highly successful. However, these four people provoke rethinking that value system.
For instance, the significance of a Karl Marx cannot be accurately measured by his status at death. Marx co-authored the Communist Manifesto and his political ideas still impact many parts of the world. Even though his best ideas have been carried to extreme and brought suffering to many people, no one can say he was an insignificant person, at least in his lifetime.
The beggar comes out of a story told in the New Testament. Jesus says, “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.” The Lord adds that in his lifetime, “Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted . . .” The beggar’s life was nothing but his eternity is quite wonderful.
The third man, the one who was rich, did not fare so well. When alive, he fit the picture of “the man with the most toys.” His life seemed to matter, but after he died, Jesus said he went to a place of torment where he kept calling out for just a drop of water to cool his tongue from the fire. Significance earned by wealth and power did nothing for him in that place.
What then makes a life significant? If it cannot be measured by what we can see during its physical duration, nor in the size of the funeral, nor in any human evaluation, how can we say who is important and who is not?
The answer can be seen in the person of Jesus Christ. He was poor. He died with no possessions except the garments on His back. He was not without friends but in the end, the crowds became violent with hatred and threatened his life. Finally, jealous religious leaders killed Him. When they did, He had no funeral. Only a few women attended His grave and even His friends walked away.
However, “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
What did He do that made Him so significant? The Bible says, “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross” and “God was pleased with Him.”
The wealth and power (or lack of it) have no bearing on the eternal destinies of Marx, the beggar, the rich man, or even Jesus. All that counts is obedience. Where does that leave us?
Philosopher Karl Marx was not very rich nor did he have many close friends. When he died, eleven people attended his funeral. If significance were measured by that number, he would not have been a very important person.
Another man, Lazarus, was a beggar by profession. He did not have many friends either. He spent his life sitting on a curb asking for money. Beyond the few who tossed him coins and the dogs who came to lick his sores, no one cared. Eventually he died in pain and poverty. Where was his significance?
A third man was rich. He dressed in purple and fine linen. He had money, power and just about everything anyone could desire. He lived every day in luxury. Like the others, he also died. How can his significance be measured?
Jesus Christ was perhaps more well known than Karl Marx, but He was just as poor as the beggar, if one measures poverty by changes of clothing and a mortgage. Like Marx and the beggar, He gained few close friends. Even though multitudes idolized Him for a time, as His claims on their lives increased, His popularity dwindled. How can His significance be measured?
We tend to evaluate human life by popularity and possessions and other temporal things. The person adored by millions or who owns three homes, five cars and a yacht is rated as highly successful. However, these four people provoke rethinking that value system.
For instance, the significance of a Karl Marx cannot be accurately measured by his status at death. Marx co-authored the Communist Manifesto and his political ideas still impact many parts of the world. Even though his best ideas have been carried to extreme and brought suffering to many people, no one can say he was an insignificant person, at least in his lifetime.
The beggar comes out of a story told in the New Testament. Jesus says, “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.” The Lord adds that in his lifetime, “Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted . . .” The beggar’s life was nothing but his eternity is quite wonderful.
The third man, the one who was rich, did not fare so well. When alive, he fit the picture of “the man with the most toys.” His life seemed to matter, but after he died, Jesus said he went to a place of torment where he kept calling out for just a drop of water to cool his tongue from the fire. Significance earned by wealth and power did nothing for him in that place.
What then makes a life significant? If it cannot be measured by what we can see during its physical duration, nor in the size of the funeral, nor in any human evaluation, how can we say who is important and who is not?
The answer can be seen in the person of Jesus Christ. He was poor. He died with no possessions except the garments on His back. He was not without friends but in the end, the crowds became violent with hatred and threatened his life. Finally, jealous religious leaders killed Him. When they did, He had no funeral. Only a few women attended His grave and even His friends walked away.
However, “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
What did He do that made Him so significant? The Bible says, “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross” and “God was pleased with Him.”
The wealth and power (or lack of it) have no bearing on the eternal destinies of Marx, the beggar, the rich man, or even Jesus. All that counts is obedience. Where does that leave us?
Monday, October 31, 2016
Technology: Pros and Cons .......... Parables 504
(date unsure) 1996
Because I have a computer with a modem, people ask, “Are you on the Internet?” I used to say, “No. I am afraid I’ll never come home — and someone has to make supper!”
In January, I gave in. After a few weeks of trying it out, “coming home” is not as difficult as I feared. My deep practical streak (Scottish ancestry?) and full schedule will not permit aimless wandering. However, I am delighted with this massive, easily accessible resource.
For example, someone asked me for an article on vacation planning. In less than five minutes, I loaded my “net browser,” connected to a local “server,” found a good “search engine,” did a word search that yielded dozens of article titles, and downloaded the research information I needed. Now I understand the excitement over this fascinating technology.
Although a relative thinks the Internet is part of a big conspiracy, other friends, students and writers find it saves multiple trips to the library and the expense of long distance phone calls to find information. Further, our grandchildren, with a little instruction and using the right software, have access to the same data as do doctors with a Ph.D.
Hasn’t communication evolved! It has progressed from pictures on cave walls to computer software that corrects our spelling as we type. Now words fly to the other side of the world in moments. One cannot but wonder will it last and what is next. Remember gramophones with the RCA logo dog who sat listening in wonder? Now most of those machines are in museums. A few years ago, folks said they could never manage without a telephone but now many are using another recent marvel of technology to answer it for them.
Our amazement is soon replaced by a yearning for more, perhaps because even this latest, easy-to-access network of information cannot solve all our communication problems. People still incorrectly hear or interpret each other. Prejudiced people still distort black and white facts with slanted journalism and statistics.
Communication is so easily garbled. Sometimes it is unspoken attitudes in the speaker. To that, listeners are justified when they respond with, “I cannot hear what you are saying because who you are speaks louder than your words.” Sometimes the garble is in the frame of mind of the listener or in assumptions made by both sides.
Technology gives us communication tools, but like any other tools, the quality of production is in proportion to the skill of those who use them. Word processors do not produce great novels and stories nor do telephones build bridges and relationships.
As for the Internet, it has its limitations. People put pages on the “World Wide Web” because they have an ax to grind. Some are strictly commercial. Some are so filthy that at least one “server” has added features to help parents protect their computer-literate children.
One other resource still impresses me far more: the Bible. The Author had no ax to grind, no selfish gain in mind. How could He when He is complete in Himself and needs nothing!
Besides, even though God used human instruments to write and produce them, His pages never need censorship. While they bluntly describe sinful humanity as it is, they also give hope. One passage says: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Jesus affirmed that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Web pages are helpful but no technology produces life or godliness, hence we are never satisfied with it. Instead, we need words of hope lifted from the pages of God’s book and downloaded into our hearts and lives.
Because I have a computer with a modem, people ask, “Are you on the Internet?” I used to say, “No. I am afraid I’ll never come home — and someone has to make supper!”
In January, I gave in. After a few weeks of trying it out, “coming home” is not as difficult as I feared. My deep practical streak (Scottish ancestry?) and full schedule will not permit aimless wandering. However, I am delighted with this massive, easily accessible resource.
For example, someone asked me for an article on vacation planning. In less than five minutes, I loaded my “net browser,” connected to a local “server,” found a good “search engine,” did a word search that yielded dozens of article titles, and downloaded the research information I needed. Now I understand the excitement over this fascinating technology.
Although a relative thinks the Internet is part of a big conspiracy, other friends, students and writers find it saves multiple trips to the library and the expense of long distance phone calls to find information. Further, our grandchildren, with a little instruction and using the right software, have access to the same data as do doctors with a Ph.D.
Hasn’t communication evolved! It has progressed from pictures on cave walls to computer software that corrects our spelling as we type. Now words fly to the other side of the world in moments. One cannot but wonder will it last and what is next. Remember gramophones with the RCA logo dog who sat listening in wonder? Now most of those machines are in museums. A few years ago, folks said they could never manage without a telephone but now many are using another recent marvel of technology to answer it for them.
Our amazement is soon replaced by a yearning for more, perhaps because even this latest, easy-to-access network of information cannot solve all our communication problems. People still incorrectly hear or interpret each other. Prejudiced people still distort black and white facts with slanted journalism and statistics.
Communication is so easily garbled. Sometimes it is unspoken attitudes in the speaker. To that, listeners are justified when they respond with, “I cannot hear what you are saying because who you are speaks louder than your words.” Sometimes the garble is in the frame of mind of the listener or in assumptions made by both sides.
Technology gives us communication tools, but like any other tools, the quality of production is in proportion to the skill of those who use them. Word processors do not produce great novels and stories nor do telephones build bridges and relationships.
As for the Internet, it has its limitations. People put pages on the “World Wide Web” because they have an ax to grind. Some are strictly commercial. Some are so filthy that at least one “server” has added features to help parents protect their computer-literate children.
One other resource still impresses me far more: the Bible. The Author had no ax to grind, no selfish gain in mind. How could He when He is complete in Himself and needs nothing!
Besides, even though God used human instruments to write and produce them, His pages never need censorship. While they bluntly describe sinful humanity as it is, they also give hope. One passage says: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Jesus affirmed that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Web pages are helpful but no technology produces life or godliness, hence we are never satisfied with it. Instead, we need words of hope lifted from the pages of God’s book and downloaded into our hearts and lives.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Counting the cost .......... Parables 480
August 15, 1995
A salesman trying to sell a refrigerator to a couple said, “Look, you can save enough on your food bill to pay for it.”
The husband answered, “We’re paying for a car on the bus fare we save, we’re paying for a washing machine on the coin laundry bill we save, we’re paying for a television set on the cost of movies we don’t see anymore. It looks as if we can’t afford to save more money right now.”
Sometimes spending money does save money. The cost of doing laundry for a large family in coin-operated machines can soon add up to the price of a washing machine. However, “savings” do not always materialize. If I left the house only once a week and paid a taxi fare of $10 each time, it would not be economical to buy a car and pay for insurance, gasoline and repairs just to save on taxi fare.
We can be too easily influenced by a sales presentation. There are occasions when it might be wiser to sit down with a calculator and count the cost. How does the hidden costs associated with the purchase compare to any savings? Will I wind up with black or red ink on the ledgers?
Counting the cost is a familiar principle in many activities. I sometimes ask myself, is it worth losing sleep to stay up for the late show? A handyman considers the cost of a trip to the store for a few nails when there might be enough odd nails in his workshop to finish the job. A stressed out employee might even weigh the cost of working with stress against the price of a vacation. Everyone would rather come out ahead, not wind up short.
Jesus talked about counting the cost too. He said God rewards kindness paid to people who cannot return the favor. He illustrated with a story about a man who invited people to come to his banquet but they all made excuses. He told his servant to go out into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame instead.
The implication was that these people who made excuses are like the people God invites into His kingdom. Sometimes they say they cannot because of family pressures or financial concerns. He said those people needed to count the cost. He added, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
Unlike refrigerators, washing machines, television sets and cars, eternal life is a free gift. There is nothing we can do to pay for it, earn or deserve it. God offers it to anyone who is willing to accept it as He offers it. However, eternal life is not cheap — it cost Jesus His very life and whenever anyone accepts this gift, their own lives begin to change and others may react negatively. For instance, family members may think it weird that one of their own all of a sudden wants to go to church or read a Bible. Others may persecute or even kill dedicated Christians.
Following Christ does have a cost. That is why Jesus said “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” While giving up everything does not pay for eternal life, but having eternal life requires turning everything over to Christ. That is why it is important to count the cost. Is living forever in heaven with God worth it?
A salesman trying to sell a refrigerator to a couple said, “Look, you can save enough on your food bill to pay for it.”
The husband answered, “We’re paying for a car on the bus fare we save, we’re paying for a washing machine on the coin laundry bill we save, we’re paying for a television set on the cost of movies we don’t see anymore. It looks as if we can’t afford to save more money right now.”
Sometimes spending money does save money. The cost of doing laundry for a large family in coin-operated machines can soon add up to the price of a washing machine. However, “savings” do not always materialize. If I left the house only once a week and paid a taxi fare of $10 each time, it would not be economical to buy a car and pay for insurance, gasoline and repairs just to save on taxi fare.
We can be too easily influenced by a sales presentation. There are occasions when it might be wiser to sit down with a calculator and count the cost. How does the hidden costs associated with the purchase compare to any savings? Will I wind up with black or red ink on the ledgers?
Counting the cost is a familiar principle in many activities. I sometimes ask myself, is it worth losing sleep to stay up for the late show? A handyman considers the cost of a trip to the store for a few nails when there might be enough odd nails in his workshop to finish the job. A stressed out employee might even weigh the cost of working with stress against the price of a vacation. Everyone would rather come out ahead, not wind up short.
Jesus talked about counting the cost too. He said God rewards kindness paid to people who cannot return the favor. He illustrated with a story about a man who invited people to come to his banquet but they all made excuses. He told his servant to go out into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame instead.
The implication was that these people who made excuses are like the people God invites into His kingdom. Sometimes they say they cannot because of family pressures or financial concerns. He said those people needed to count the cost. He added, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
Unlike refrigerators, washing machines, television sets and cars, eternal life is a free gift. There is nothing we can do to pay for it, earn or deserve it. God offers it to anyone who is willing to accept it as He offers it. However, eternal life is not cheap — it cost Jesus His very life and whenever anyone accepts this gift, their own lives begin to change and others may react negatively. For instance, family members may think it weird that one of their own all of a sudden wants to go to church or read a Bible. Others may persecute or even kill dedicated Christians.
Following Christ does have a cost. That is why Jesus said “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” While giving up everything does not pay for eternal life, but having eternal life requires turning everything over to Christ. That is why it is important to count the cost. Is living forever in heaven with God worth it?
Monday, February 29, 2016
The logic of discipline ............. Parables 399
December 7, 1993
“I can’t figure out why I have to sit in here and rot. This is a unfair and a waste. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”
The fellow who said this was an inmate in a prison. He had committed a crime and received the death penalty. Since the appeal process can take years, his sentence had not been implemented. He was bored and grumbling. We listened to him on a television documentary that featured interviews with several men in prison. A few of them were quite sorry for what they had done. They knew they deserved their penalty, even some who were on death row. As we watched, I wondered about their attitudes. How can someone kill another person and think their punishment, whatever it might be, is unjust? What kind of mental attitude is behind their complaints? Why would anyone think they should not be disciplined?
One of the wisest men in the world, King Solomon, noticed a truth relevant to these attitudes. He said, “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).
Solomon was not thinking about the long wait for retrials and appeals. Rather, he referred to the time between the crime and the punishment. It could have been that people were not being caught for their crimes, or they were caught but not punished as the law demanded. In any case, the punishment was supposed to be a deterrent and when it did not happen, those who were guilty were reinforced in the idea that they could commit more crime and get away with it.
When discipline is eventually enforced, such a criminal would hate it and the punishment would not serve its purpose: that of correcting their behavior. In fact, Solomon also wrote: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1).
The word “stupid” has some unfair implications in our minds so I checked out the Hebrew word it was translated from. It means “brutish” as a beast, probably contrasting an animal’s inability to reason with our ability to think logically. In so many words, the proverb mean a person who hates being corrected is without the ability to reason. To that person, cause and effect do not make any sense and being punished for what they do is irrational.
What about those who commit crimes and never get caught? Have they any advantage? Certainly they do not go through the agonies of being corrected or punished, but Solomon didn’t think these people had any advantage. He said further in Ecclesiastes 8, “Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God. Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.”
Certainly living longer in this life is not the point. Those who reason that being corrected is “unfair” and receiving discipline is a “waste” have illogically assumed that getting away with crime, sin, or even error, will make their life better than it would be if they were experiencing the blessing of God.
“I can’t figure out why I have to sit in here and rot. This is a unfair and a waste. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”
The fellow who said this was an inmate in a prison. He had committed a crime and received the death penalty. Since the appeal process can take years, his sentence had not been implemented. He was bored and grumbling. We listened to him on a television documentary that featured interviews with several men in prison. A few of them were quite sorry for what they had done. They knew they deserved their penalty, even some who were on death row. As we watched, I wondered about their attitudes. How can someone kill another person and think their punishment, whatever it might be, is unjust? What kind of mental attitude is behind their complaints? Why would anyone think they should not be disciplined?
One of the wisest men in the world, King Solomon, noticed a truth relevant to these attitudes. He said, “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).
Solomon was not thinking about the long wait for retrials and appeals. Rather, he referred to the time between the crime and the punishment. It could have been that people were not being caught for their crimes, or they were caught but not punished as the law demanded. In any case, the punishment was supposed to be a deterrent and when it did not happen, those who were guilty were reinforced in the idea that they could commit more crime and get away with it.
When discipline is eventually enforced, such a criminal would hate it and the punishment would not serve its purpose: that of correcting their behavior. In fact, Solomon also wrote: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1).
The word “stupid” has some unfair implications in our minds so I checked out the Hebrew word it was translated from. It means “brutish” as a beast, probably contrasting an animal’s inability to reason with our ability to think logically. In so many words, the proverb mean a person who hates being corrected is without the ability to reason. To that person, cause and effect do not make any sense and being punished for what they do is irrational.
What about those who commit crimes and never get caught? Have they any advantage? Certainly they do not go through the agonies of being corrected or punished, but Solomon didn’t think these people had any advantage. He said further in Ecclesiastes 8, “Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God. Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.”
Certainly living longer in this life is not the point. Those who reason that being corrected is “unfair” and receiving discipline is a “waste” have illogically assumed that getting away with crime, sin, or even error, will make their life better than it would be if they were experiencing the blessing of God.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
The Good Book is in some places a rare book ................ Parables 327
July 21, 1992
In spite of the fact that the Bible is an all-time best-seller, there are over 400 million people in Western Europe that have never touched one. In fact, one of the first countries to print Bibles before the reformation now claims over 25% of its people are involved in the occult. Furthermore, the nation which produced the Bible authorized by King James (which held first place in book sales for over three centuries) has lost much of its influence as a world power through social breakdown and moral decline.
What happened to these nations that once held the Bible in high regard? Do attitudes towards God’s Word have any effect on general prosperity?
Christian historians would like to think so. Those nations founded on Biblical principles seem to enjoy certain blessings and a general prosperity that others do not — for example, contrast the United States with India.
To be fair, population, natural resources and other factors also influence prosperity. It would be more fair to compare Puerto Rico and Haiti. Puerto Rican statistics say about 20% of the population are evangelical Christians. Even though 80% are not, this figure indicates far more Puerto Ricans have a high view of Scripture than do the people of Haiti — where 85-90% are involved in varying degrees of Voodoo and witchcraft. Economically, Puerto Ricans also enjoy 10 times the prosperity of their Haitian neighbors plus a positive relationship with the United States. On the other hand, Haiti has been under economic sanctions because of ungodly government decisions.
Proverbs says: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” and “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” While wicked individuals and ungodly groups often prosper for a time and righteous people may seem poor by the world’s standards, those who honor God are blessed. If in no other way, righteousness itself is a blessing.
When a nation wavers, what can only one, two or even five percent of its population do to prevent or reverse moral and spiritual decline? The small voice of those standing for Biblical values can seem lost in the loud demands of other groups who are sometimes just as small but are somehow given more attention. How can Christians be heard?
Although certain social activities may be helpful, the answer may not necessarily be in petitions, flag-waving and public outcry. If our voices go unheeded, could it be because we lift them in the wrong direction? Should we instead ask ourselves who do we want to hear us? And do governments and social agencies really know what changes are needed? Do they have the ability to make those changes? Or does the real power belongs to God?
The Lord did say to Israel, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.” In context, the people had turned from God to follow the idolatrous practices of the nations around them and, as God said would happen, they lost the blessing of living under His favor. This conditional promise told them how to be restored — not by education, politics, or social intervention but by humility, prayer, repentance and obedience.
The Bible is a written revelation, recorded by holy men as they were moved by the Spirit of God. It explains how God works in and with mankind, how people have thought and acted in response to Him and the consequences of their actions. Not merely an ancient book of rules, this book discloses the mind of God. Through it we can know Him and how He sovereignly determines principles that affect our lives as individuals and as nations. We need His wisdom, His guidance and His enablement, not only in countries like India and Haiti but right here in Canada.
In spite of the fact that the Bible is an all-time best-seller, there are over 400 million people in Western Europe that have never touched one. In fact, one of the first countries to print Bibles before the reformation now claims over 25% of its people are involved in the occult. Furthermore, the nation which produced the Bible authorized by King James (which held first place in book sales for over three centuries) has lost much of its influence as a world power through social breakdown and moral decline.
What happened to these nations that once held the Bible in high regard? Do attitudes towards God’s Word have any effect on general prosperity?
Christian historians would like to think so. Those nations founded on Biblical principles seem to enjoy certain blessings and a general prosperity that others do not — for example, contrast the United States with India.
To be fair, population, natural resources and other factors also influence prosperity. It would be more fair to compare Puerto Rico and Haiti. Puerto Rican statistics say about 20% of the population are evangelical Christians. Even though 80% are not, this figure indicates far more Puerto Ricans have a high view of Scripture than do the people of Haiti — where 85-90% are involved in varying degrees of Voodoo and witchcraft. Economically, Puerto Ricans also enjoy 10 times the prosperity of their Haitian neighbors plus a positive relationship with the United States. On the other hand, Haiti has been under economic sanctions because of ungodly government decisions.
Proverbs says: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” and “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” While wicked individuals and ungodly groups often prosper for a time and righteous people may seem poor by the world’s standards, those who honor God are blessed. If in no other way, righteousness itself is a blessing.
When a nation wavers, what can only one, two or even five percent of its population do to prevent or reverse moral and spiritual decline? The small voice of those standing for Biblical values can seem lost in the loud demands of other groups who are sometimes just as small but are somehow given more attention. How can Christians be heard?
Although certain social activities may be helpful, the answer may not necessarily be in petitions, flag-waving and public outcry. If our voices go unheeded, could it be because we lift them in the wrong direction? Should we instead ask ourselves who do we want to hear us? And do governments and social agencies really know what changes are needed? Do they have the ability to make those changes? Or does the real power belongs to God?
The Lord did say to Israel, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.” In context, the people had turned from God to follow the idolatrous practices of the nations around them and, as God said would happen, they lost the blessing of living under His favor. This conditional promise told them how to be restored — not by education, politics, or social intervention but by humility, prayer, repentance and obedience.
The Bible is a written revelation, recorded by holy men as they were moved by the Spirit of God. It explains how God works in and with mankind, how people have thought and acted in response to Him and the consequences of their actions. Not merely an ancient book of rules, this book discloses the mind of God. Through it we can know Him and how He sovereignly determines principles that affect our lives as individuals and as nations. We need His wisdom, His guidance and His enablement, not only in countries like India and Haiti but right here in Canada.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Eternal value is what counts ................ Parables 309
March 17, 1992
SHOE is not my all-time favorite cartoon but I did like the one where he says, “That’s the thing about working for a newspaper, everything you write is garbage a day later . . . ” Then, as his editor tosses his latest copy over his shoulder, Shoe remarks, “. . . and sometimes earlier than that.”
It reminded me of a man whose big ambition in life was to do the artwork for a cover of Fortune magazine. He worked hard and finally achieved his goal but not too long afterward — while still high-headed with the glory — he was walking down a busy street and a garbage truck passed. It was piled with, you guessed it, copies of Fortune — with his illustration on the cover.
The rather short life of most of our accomplishments is not fate’s idea of a cruel joke. Rather, the Bible suggests it’s God’s reminder that what we do for our own glory has no eternal value. The limelight may feel good and so does the achievement of goals, but the glory is short-lived.
Two Scripture passages brought this home to my heart. One is in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seem by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” He adds that we are not to be like the religious hypocrites who do that because “. . . they have received their reward in full.”
Jesus is teaching that human praise and glory here and now is fine, but that is all it is — the praise of people, here and now. If I do what I do for an earthly reward, that’s all I get. There is no reward from God.
1 Corinthians 3 broadens the concept. It talks about building our work on a foundation of faith in Christ. It says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day (of judgment) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire; and the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved . . . .”
We illustrated this a few years ago with a class of teens. I had them write in pencil on a small piece of paper some area of their life (either an outright sin or something else) that they knew was worthless to God. Next, on pieces of metal using permanent markers, they wrote some quality they could see in the person sitting on their right that was definitely from God. When they were finished, we put both paper and metal into a large aluminum pan, read these verses and tossed in a burning match and tested both with fire.
When God does the evaluation however, there will be a difference between His assessment of good or worthless, and ours. He sees us not according to human evaluation, but through the foundation of Christ. Without Jesus, and faith in Jesus, all is worthless before God, no matter how good it seems to us. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah said, “All our righteousness is like filthy rags . . . .”
But notice those verses from Corinthians again — it is not the quality of what we do that saves us because that only determines our heavenly rewards. What really counts is that foundation of faith in Christ. Should we foolishly build on it with worthless activity (wood, hay, and stubble) we will lose our rewards and suffer loss . . . but the rest of the verse says after the worthless is gone, we “will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”
This concept radically changes the value of praise, getting awards, and even the goals of life. By God’s grace, even SHOE’s humor could line a bird cage next week but still have eternal significance for its author.
SHOE is not my all-time favorite cartoon but I did like the one where he says, “That’s the thing about working for a newspaper, everything you write is garbage a day later . . . ” Then, as his editor tosses his latest copy over his shoulder, Shoe remarks, “. . . and sometimes earlier than that.”
It reminded me of a man whose big ambition in life was to do the artwork for a cover of Fortune magazine. He worked hard and finally achieved his goal but not too long afterward — while still high-headed with the glory — he was walking down a busy street and a garbage truck passed. It was piled with, you guessed it, copies of Fortune — with his illustration on the cover.
The rather short life of most of our accomplishments is not fate’s idea of a cruel joke. Rather, the Bible suggests it’s God’s reminder that what we do for our own glory has no eternal value. The limelight may feel good and so does the achievement of goals, but the glory is short-lived.
Two Scripture passages brought this home to my heart. One is in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seem by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” He adds that we are not to be like the religious hypocrites who do that because “. . . they have received their reward in full.”
Jesus is teaching that human praise and glory here and now is fine, but that is all it is — the praise of people, here and now. If I do what I do for an earthly reward, that’s all I get. There is no reward from God.
1 Corinthians 3 broadens the concept. It talks about building our work on a foundation of faith in Christ. It says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day (of judgment) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire; and the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved . . . .”
We illustrated this a few years ago with a class of teens. I had them write in pencil on a small piece of paper some area of their life (either an outright sin or something else) that they knew was worthless to God. Next, on pieces of metal using permanent markers, they wrote some quality they could see in the person sitting on their right that was definitely from God. When they were finished, we put both paper and metal into a large aluminum pan, read these verses and tossed in a burning match and tested both with fire.
When God does the evaluation however, there will be a difference between His assessment of good or worthless, and ours. He sees us not according to human evaluation, but through the foundation of Christ. Without Jesus, and faith in Jesus, all is worthless before God, no matter how good it seems to us. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah said, “All our righteousness is like filthy rags . . . .”
But notice those verses from Corinthians again — it is not the quality of what we do that saves us because that only determines our heavenly rewards. What really counts is that foundation of faith in Christ. Should we foolishly build on it with worthless activity (wood, hay, and stubble) we will lose our rewards and suffer loss . . . but the rest of the verse says after the worthless is gone, we “will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”
This concept radically changes the value of praise, getting awards, and even the goals of life. By God’s grace, even SHOE’s humor could line a bird cage next week but still have eternal significance for its author.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Why did the chicken break the law? .............. Parables 282
August 28, 1991
Did you know it was once illegal in Toronto to wear a felt hat in a steam bath? It is also illegal for chickens to cross the road in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and for a man from Pictou to kiss any woman on Sunday, including his wife. In Canada, it is illegal to send a telegram threatening a bird or to enter an airplane while it is in flight.
Silly, pointless laws are probably never enforced; they just make good fillers in a joke book. However, not all laws are silly and most fulfil definite purposes. In our justice system, many laws come directly from Scripture, rooted in the laws of God which were planned by Him with the good of man in mind. Consider Psalm 19:
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.” Souls who do not know Jesus Christ are separated from God in a state God calls “dead in sin.” God wants life for each one, so through His perfect laws, sinners become aware of their need for revival and aware of what to believe so they can receive new life from God.
“The (laws) of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Proverbs says wisdom begins by fearing the Lord and departing from evil. The wisdom found in the trustworthy laws of God clearly explain what is good and what is evil so even the most naive, uncomplicated person can learn how to follow the former and avoid the latter, and become wise.
“The (laws) of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.” Sometimes we become downcast over the mess in the world and perhaps the chaos in our own life. We may wonder if there is anything anyone can possibly be happy about yet when the despair of life makes our hearts heavy, God promises His law will give joy, even a joy that our trials cannot overwhelm.
“The (laws) of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” Darkness is a metaphor for moral and spiritual confusion. Surely we live in a time where both prevail. We need light for our turbulent national situation. We need light for personal dimness of vision. God says light comes from focusing on His radiant laws and turning to Jesus Christ, the Author of both light and life. In Him, we can see clearly and avoid confusion.
“The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.” Some of man’s laws come and go because they become obsolete, no longer serving justice. But God’s laws are always sure and to the point, addressing the need for righteousness no matter the era or culture.
“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.” Some law may be called precious but God’s law is also sweet, even like honey, a pure food, easily digested and pleasant. His laws are bitter only to those who rebel against Him.
“By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” The laws of God remind us that God is concerned about the way we live. Those who break His laws will suffer the consequences but He promises a reward for those who keep them.
Some people think freedom means being able to do as one pleases but clearly love and restraint of selfish desires give a greater freedom to everyone. That is why Jesus summed up the law of God in two laws: “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.” If we obeyed this dual law of love, we would be better off for it. Not only that, all other laws would be automatically included... maybe even those silly ones that protect chickens from crossing the road...
Did you know it was once illegal in Toronto to wear a felt hat in a steam bath? It is also illegal for chickens to cross the road in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and for a man from Pictou to kiss any woman on Sunday, including his wife. In Canada, it is illegal to send a telegram threatening a bird or to enter an airplane while it is in flight.
Silly, pointless laws are probably never enforced; they just make good fillers in a joke book. However, not all laws are silly and most fulfil definite purposes. In our justice system, many laws come directly from Scripture, rooted in the laws of God which were planned by Him with the good of man in mind. Consider Psalm 19:
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.” Souls who do not know Jesus Christ are separated from God in a state God calls “dead in sin.” God wants life for each one, so through His perfect laws, sinners become aware of their need for revival and aware of what to believe so they can receive new life from God.
“The (laws) of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Proverbs says wisdom begins by fearing the Lord and departing from evil. The wisdom found in the trustworthy laws of God clearly explain what is good and what is evil so even the most naive, uncomplicated person can learn how to follow the former and avoid the latter, and become wise.
“The (laws) of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.” Sometimes we become downcast over the mess in the world and perhaps the chaos in our own life. We may wonder if there is anything anyone can possibly be happy about yet when the despair of life makes our hearts heavy, God promises His law will give joy, even a joy that our trials cannot overwhelm.
“The (laws) of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” Darkness is a metaphor for moral and spiritual confusion. Surely we live in a time where both prevail. We need light for our turbulent national situation. We need light for personal dimness of vision. God says light comes from focusing on His radiant laws and turning to Jesus Christ, the Author of both light and life. In Him, we can see clearly and avoid confusion.
“The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.” Some of man’s laws come and go because they become obsolete, no longer serving justice. But God’s laws are always sure and to the point, addressing the need for righteousness no matter the era or culture.
“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.” Some law may be called precious but God’s law is also sweet, even like honey, a pure food, easily digested and pleasant. His laws are bitter only to those who rebel against Him.
“By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” The laws of God remind us that God is concerned about the way we live. Those who break His laws will suffer the consequences but He promises a reward for those who keep them.
Some people think freedom means being able to do as one pleases but clearly love and restraint of selfish desires give a greater freedom to everyone. That is why Jesus summed up the law of God in two laws: “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.” If we obeyed this dual law of love, we would be better off for it. Not only that, all other laws would be automatically included... maybe even those silly ones that protect chickens from crossing the road...
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Will I leave a legacy? .............. Parables 270
June 5, 1991
The ZUM ROTEN BÄREN in Freiburg, Germany was constructed in 1311. Its heavy wood beams and thick walls stand firm today. German people have every right to claim their buildings will last several hundred years!
My husband and I stayed in this 680-year-old “Red Bear Inn.” The rooms were redone, no doubt several times, yet it has that antique flair that cannot be imitated with fake beams and modern leaded glass. Plush carpets are new, decorated with an outline design of a bear, but the polished floors are old, old wood, that doesn’t creak. Neither do the thick walls carry sounds.
No one knows the name of the original inn-keeper but there have been thirty-six recorded owners since 1387. Probably none of them thought their inn would last so long. They worked hard to maintain their property while they owned it, and over the years a legacy evolved. Now this quaint old inn still welcomes guests. It is an enduring earthly heritage.
A delightful meal and evening in such an old inn raised the question: Am I doing anything that will last? Sometimes Christians say, “Only one life, it will soon be past... only what’s done for Christ will last.” Does that mean our accomplishments could still be around in several hundred years? Or does it refer to the eternal significance of Christian living?
The Bible does affirm we only have one life. Hebrews 9:27 expresses it in a rather negative way: “...it is appointed unto men once to die...”
Scripture also affirms the brevity of life. James says it is like a vapor that appears for a while then vanishes. The Psalmist says it is like a blade of grass that blooms then withers away.
As for enduring value, Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians mentions that. He said God will use fire at the judgment seat of Christ to evaluate the deeds of Christians. Some of what we have done will be like wood, hay and stubble - burnable. It will go up in smoke. Other actions will be gold, silver and precious stones; they will pass the test of fire.
According to this, some things Christians do will be like most North American dwellings; only good for the lifetime of the owner. But other things will endure, even longer than the Red Bear Inn; they will last forever. However, establishing an enduring heavenly heritage is not quite the same as hiring carpenters to remodel a worn-out building or interior decorators to replace old oak with new. We can’t use existing materials at all.
Instead, that which will last for eternity must come out of that which is already eternal. Since our natural lives will some day be over, our natural lives cannot produce eternal legacies. Our deeds, no matter what we do, abide in this world only. We could build an inn, or a dynasty, but even if future generations kept it in good repair, neither ourselves or the inn or the dynasty will last forever.
The Bible says the only thing eternal is the life of God, the self-existing One. Amazingly, this life is available to us through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. When we have His life, Scripture says deeds done at His direction and relying on the power of His life, have eternal impact.
Thus building a heavenly heritage requires extraordinary remodeling and replacing. The old life that perishes must be recognized and seen for what it is, and yielded to God. Then the eternal life of Christ must be received and relied upon, not just as a ticket to heaven but for living in this world. As we depend on Him in every way, God assures us that when our original structures (our bodies) finally give out, there is something left that cannot decay. He has given us an inheritance or legacy that will remain for all eternity.
The ZUM ROTEN BÄREN in Freiburg, Germany was constructed in 1311. Its heavy wood beams and thick walls stand firm today. German people have every right to claim their buildings will last several hundred years!
My husband and I stayed in this 680-year-old “Red Bear Inn.” The rooms were redone, no doubt several times, yet it has that antique flair that cannot be imitated with fake beams and modern leaded glass. Plush carpets are new, decorated with an outline design of a bear, but the polished floors are old, old wood, that doesn’t creak. Neither do the thick walls carry sounds.
No one knows the name of the original inn-keeper but there have been thirty-six recorded owners since 1387. Probably none of them thought their inn would last so long. They worked hard to maintain their property while they owned it, and over the years a legacy evolved. Now this quaint old inn still welcomes guests. It is an enduring earthly heritage.
A delightful meal and evening in such an old inn raised the question: Am I doing anything that will last? Sometimes Christians say, “Only one life, it will soon be past... only what’s done for Christ will last.” Does that mean our accomplishments could still be around in several hundred years? Or does it refer to the eternal significance of Christian living?
The Bible does affirm we only have one life. Hebrews 9:27 expresses it in a rather negative way: “...it is appointed unto men once to die...”
Scripture also affirms the brevity of life. James says it is like a vapor that appears for a while then vanishes. The Psalmist says it is like a blade of grass that blooms then withers away.
As for enduring value, Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians mentions that. He said God will use fire at the judgment seat of Christ to evaluate the deeds of Christians. Some of what we have done will be like wood, hay and stubble - burnable. It will go up in smoke. Other actions will be gold, silver and precious stones; they will pass the test of fire.
According to this, some things Christians do will be like most North American dwellings; only good for the lifetime of the owner. But other things will endure, even longer than the Red Bear Inn; they will last forever. However, establishing an enduring heavenly heritage is not quite the same as hiring carpenters to remodel a worn-out building or interior decorators to replace old oak with new. We can’t use existing materials at all.
Instead, that which will last for eternity must come out of that which is already eternal. Since our natural lives will some day be over, our natural lives cannot produce eternal legacies. Our deeds, no matter what we do, abide in this world only. We could build an inn, or a dynasty, but even if future generations kept it in good repair, neither ourselves or the inn or the dynasty will last forever.
The Bible says the only thing eternal is the life of God, the self-existing One. Amazingly, this life is available to us through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. When we have His life, Scripture says deeds done at His direction and relying on the power of His life, have eternal impact.
Thus building a heavenly heritage requires extraordinary remodeling and replacing. The old life that perishes must be recognized and seen for what it is, and yielded to God. Then the eternal life of Christ must be received and relied upon, not just as a ticket to heaven but for living in this world. As we depend on Him in every way, God assures us that when our original structures (our bodies) finally give out, there is something left that cannot decay. He has given us an inheritance or legacy that will remain for all eternity.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Will I leave a legacy? .............. Parables 270
June 5, 1991
The ZUM ROTEN BÄREN in Freiburg, Germany was constructed in 1311. Its heavy wood beams and thick walls stand firm today. German people have every right to claim their buildings will last several hundred years!
My husband and I stayed in this 680-year-old “Red Bear Inn.” The rooms were redone, no doubt several times, yet it has that antique flair that cannot be imitated with fake beams and modern leaded glass. Plush carpets are new, decorated with an outline design of a bear, but the polished floors are old, old wood, that doesn’t creak. Neither do the thick walls carry sounds.
No one knows the name of the original inn-keeper but there have been thirty-six recorded owners since 1387. Probably none of them thought their inn would last so long. They worked hard to maintain their property while they owned it, and over the years a legacy evolved. Now this quaint old inn still welcomes guests. It is an enduring earthly heritage.
A delightful meal and evening in such an old inn raised the question: Am I doing anything that will last? Sometimes Christians say, “Only one life, it will soon be past... only what’s done for Christ will last.” Does that mean our accomplishments could still be around in several hundred years? Or does it refer to the eternal significance of Christian living?
The Bible does affirm we only have one life. Hebrews 9:27 expresses it in a rather negative way: “...it is appointed unto men once to die...”
Scripture also affirms the brevity of life. James says it is like a vapor that appears for a while then vanishes. The Psalmist says it is like a blade of grass that blooms then withers away.
As for enduring value, Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians mentions that. He said God will use fire at the judgment seat of Christ to evaluate the deeds of Christians. Some of what we have done will be like wood, hay and stubble - burnable. It will go up in smoke. Other actions will be gold, silver and precious stones; they will pass the test of fire.
According to this then, some things Christians do will be like most North American dwellings; only good for the lifetime of the owner. But other things will endure, even longer than the Red Bear Inn; they will last forever. However, establishing an enduring heavenly heritage is not quite the same as hiring carpenters to remodel a worn-out building or interior decorators to replace old oak with new. We can’t use existing materials at all.
Instead, that which will last for eternity must come out of that which is already eternal. Since our natural lives will some day be over, our natural lives cannot produce eternal legacies. Our deeds, no matter what we do, abide in this world only. We could build an inn, or a dynasty, but even if future generations kept it in good repair, neither ourselves or the inn or the dynasty will last forever.
The Bible says the only thing eternal is the life of God, the self-existing One. Amazingly, this life is available to us through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. When we have His life, Scripture says deeds done at His direction and relying on the power of His life, have eternal impact.
Thus building a heavenly heritage requires extraordinary remodeling and replacing. The old life that perishes must be recognized and seen for what it is, and yielded to God. Then the eternal life of Christ must be received and relied upon, not just as a ticket to heaven but for living in this world. As we depend on Him in every way, God assures us that when our original structures (our bodies) finally give out, there is something left that cannot decay. He has given us an inheritance or legacy that will remain for all eternity.
The ZUM ROTEN BÄREN in Freiburg, Germany was constructed in 1311. Its heavy wood beams and thick walls stand firm today. German people have every right to claim their buildings will last several hundred years!
My husband and I stayed in this 680-year-old “Red Bear Inn.” The rooms were redone, no doubt several times, yet it has that antique flair that cannot be imitated with fake beams and modern leaded glass. Plush carpets are new, decorated with an outline design of a bear, but the polished floors are old, old wood, that doesn’t creak. Neither do the thick walls carry sounds.
No one knows the name of the original inn-keeper but there have been thirty-six recorded owners since 1387. Probably none of them thought their inn would last so long. They worked hard to maintain their property while they owned it, and over the years a legacy evolved. Now this quaint old inn still welcomes guests. It is an enduring earthly heritage.
A delightful meal and evening in such an old inn raised the question: Am I doing anything that will last? Sometimes Christians say, “Only one life, it will soon be past... only what’s done for Christ will last.” Does that mean our accomplishments could still be around in several hundred years? Or does it refer to the eternal significance of Christian living?
The Bible does affirm we only have one life. Hebrews 9:27 expresses it in a rather negative way: “...it is appointed unto men once to die...”
Scripture also affirms the brevity of life. James says it is like a vapor that appears for a while then vanishes. The Psalmist says it is like a blade of grass that blooms then withers away.
As for enduring value, Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians mentions that. He said God will use fire at the judgment seat of Christ to evaluate the deeds of Christians. Some of what we have done will be like wood, hay and stubble - burnable. It will go up in smoke. Other actions will be gold, silver and precious stones; they will pass the test of fire.
According to this then, some things Christians do will be like most North American dwellings; only good for the lifetime of the owner. But other things will endure, even longer than the Red Bear Inn; they will last forever. However, establishing an enduring heavenly heritage is not quite the same as hiring carpenters to remodel a worn-out building or interior decorators to replace old oak with new. We can’t use existing materials at all.
Instead, that which will last for eternity must come out of that which is already eternal. Since our natural lives will some day be over, our natural lives cannot produce eternal legacies. Our deeds, no matter what we do, abide in this world only. We could build an inn, or a dynasty, but even if future generations kept it in good repair, neither ourselves or the inn or the dynasty will last forever.
The Bible says the only thing eternal is the life of God, the self-existing One. Amazingly, this life is available to us through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. When we have His life, Scripture says deeds done at His direction and relying on the power of His life, have eternal impact.
Thus building a heavenly heritage requires extraordinary remodeling and replacing. The old life that perishes must be recognized and seen for what it is, and yielded to God. Then the eternal life of Christ must be received and relied upon, not just as a ticket to heaven but for living in this world. As we depend on Him in every way, God assures us that when our original structures (our bodies) finally give out, there is something left that cannot decay. He has given us an inheritance or legacy that will remain for all eternity.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Traveling Light? ................. Parables 223
(June 27, 1990)
The date is circled on the calendar; ready or not, the movers are coming to take some of our household goods. The problem is that word some.
What stays? What goes? Do I need this casserole dish? Will I need that pair of shoes? And what will it be like for the packers as I stand there saying, “No, not that, pack this, no, just a minute, leave it and pack that...” Twenty-four previous moves didn’t prepare me for the decisions of this one.
It is easier to just pack all of it, but we can’t. We have to travel light. All of our stuff won’t fit in our condo in Saskatchewan. Besides, our son needs some of it: dishes, bedding, and a can opener, at least. This is the only time being a pack rat has paid off; we have at least two of almost everything! However, the decisions make my head ache. The other day I caught myself hoping for the Second Coming before the end of June. That way I wouldn’t have to pack anything, at least I hope I don’t try to.
I realize a crisis situation can bring out unusual characteristics in people. A friend whose house was threatened by a next-door fire was horrified when the only thing she thought to grab on her way out was her sugar bowl off the middle of the kitchen table, containing a few stray coins collected every laundry day. Later, she wondered about her value system!
The Second Coming may also clarify our priorities. When Jesus talked about the signs of His return, He told His audience, “Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house, neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” He must have looked ahead to the day when time ticks its last and seen some people frantically stuffing their treasures in a United Van Lines carton as they looked at the evening news and realized The End truly had arrived. Though they must have heard “you can’t take it with you,” they were trying.
Along with this curious admonition to forget about possessions at a time when it seems no one should think of them, Jesus also said “whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” He obviously knew the human quirk I fight every time I move... I do want to take it all with me; every book, every knickknack.
In a crisis, or even in ordinary days, abandoning ourselves, without luggage, into His care is never easy. Possessions can be a comfort. Perhaps learning to rely more on Him and less on things has been the lesson of our nomadic lifestyle. According to Jesus, it is a lesson for all His children.
The Apostle Paul even had to learn to leave his luggage, but not just possessions -- prestige and achievements too. In fact, when Paul allowed God to do his packing -- and he left behind almost all his material possessions PLUS the esteem of his heritage, education, position and reputation. With that gone, he was still able to say: “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ.”
Paul also encouraged others to take “joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”
I’m just moving to Moose Jaw. Sorting necessary items from not-so-necessary has to be done. One day, it will be a longer move -- and far easier, without any decisions to make, books to pack, or boxes to sort. Not only that, I can leave behind the baggage of my old, dead, sin nature -- it won’t bother me ever again.
Now that is traveling light!
The date is circled on the calendar; ready or not, the movers are coming to take some of our household goods. The problem is that word some.
What stays? What goes? Do I need this casserole dish? Will I need that pair of shoes? And what will it be like for the packers as I stand there saying, “No, not that, pack this, no, just a minute, leave it and pack that...” Twenty-four previous moves didn’t prepare me for the decisions of this one.
It is easier to just pack all of it, but we can’t. We have to travel light. All of our stuff won’t fit in our condo in Saskatchewan. Besides, our son needs some of it: dishes, bedding, and a can opener, at least. This is the only time being a pack rat has paid off; we have at least two of almost everything! However, the decisions make my head ache. The other day I caught myself hoping for the Second Coming before the end of June. That way I wouldn’t have to pack anything, at least I hope I don’t try to.
I realize a crisis situation can bring out unusual characteristics in people. A friend whose house was threatened by a next-door fire was horrified when the only thing she thought to grab on her way out was her sugar bowl off the middle of the kitchen table, containing a few stray coins collected every laundry day. Later, she wondered about her value system!
The Second Coming may also clarify our priorities. When Jesus talked about the signs of His return, He told His audience, “Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house, neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” He must have looked ahead to the day when time ticks its last and seen some people frantically stuffing their treasures in a United Van Lines carton as they looked at the evening news and realized The End truly had arrived. Though they must have heard “you can’t take it with you,” they were trying.
Along with this curious admonition to forget about possessions at a time when it seems no one should think of them, Jesus also said “whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” He obviously knew the human quirk I fight every time I move... I do want to take it all with me; every book, every knickknack.
In a crisis, or even in ordinary days, abandoning ourselves, without luggage, into His care is never easy. Possessions can be a comfort. Perhaps learning to rely more on Him and less on things has been the lesson of our nomadic lifestyle. According to Jesus, it is a lesson for all His children.
The Apostle Paul even had to learn to leave his luggage, but not just possessions -- prestige and achievements too. In fact, when Paul allowed God to do his packing -- and he left behind almost all his material possessions PLUS the esteem of his heritage, education, position and reputation. With that gone, he was still able to say: “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ.”
Paul also encouraged others to take “joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”
I’m just moving to Moose Jaw. Sorting necessary items from not-so-necessary has to be done. One day, it will be a longer move -- and far easier, without any decisions to make, books to pack, or boxes to sort. Not only that, I can leave behind the baggage of my old, dead, sin nature -- it won’t bother me ever again.
Now that is traveling light!
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