December 5, 1995
Every election, disgruntled Canadians (and Americans) look for a special leader. They want improvements in every area from employment to Medicare — without increased personal cost.
The Israelites living in Egypt had the same wants. Joseph, their previous special leader, saved them from famine in their own land. He moved them to the fertile Nile delta where they enjoyed a lush lifestyle.
A few generations later, a new leader decided to make slaves of them. Although God blessed them with increased numbers, they continued to pray, sacrifice their lambs and look to Him for deliverance, both from forced labor and from this new Pharaoh who was ordering all their male babies tossed into the Nile.
One baby escaped. The Pharaoh’s daughter found little Moses, took pity and without knowing it, hired his own mother to nurse him. He was trained to be the next Pharaoh but God had other plans; Moses became the next special leader of Israel.
God’s people were excited. This man was going to take them out of bondage and back to the land God had promised them. Their excitement quickly faded when they faced the cost of freedom: a terrifying escape from Pharaoh and his armies, a dry trip across a barren desert with only manna to eat, and finally a need to battle “giants” before repossessing their land.
They provoked God’s anger by looking for another leader. They complained, “We sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you (Moses) have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Out of that entire generation, only two made it to the land of promise.
Hundreds of years later, their descendants were again looking for a special leader. They had experienced another exile and another bondage, this time in Babylon for seventy years. Their captors restricted their sacrifices and made rules against their praying, yet God heard their cries. With leadership of men like Ezra, they were able to rebuild their homeland.
By 400 B.C., the nation entered yet another bondage. God was silent. No prophets were on the scene repeating His promise of a great Deliverer. The Greeks arrived and changed their nation. Then Rome ruled with an iron hand. The people longed for deliverance from political oppression, prayed and sacrificed their lambs, but saw no sign of a special leader.
Finally, another baby was born. The shepherds found Him first. The magi (Persian king makers) gave Him gifts, but the Roman leader tried to kill Him. The child escaped and grew to manhood. One day, John the Baptist declared Him the promised One, the great Deliverer, “the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.”
This was their special leader, sent by God to save them from their greatest bondage — not the rule of Rome but the tyranny of personal sin.
This freedom comes at a price too. Jesus called for repentance. People must turn from sin and from ruling their own lives, and embrace Him as their Lord and Messiah. Most of them said, “We will not have this man rule over us.”
Israelites or not, people are still looking for a special leader — who can produce paved roads, free medical care, and all the benefits of high living without the cost of tightened belts and self-discipline. Many still reject Jesus because they would rather have free indulgence in their sin (and be in bondage to it) than serve Him.
Perhaps today’s leaders can find comfort in the fact that even the Son of God could not please disgruntled people — who want heaven on earth without cost or without change to their lifestyle.
Friday, October 7, 2016
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
What happened to marriage? .......... Parables 493
November 28, 1995
A popular talk show host says three years in a marriage is a long time. Thousands of couples divorce within five years and many do not make it to their first anniversary.
What happened to marriage? One writer says commitment is the key to make marriage last, combined with seeing ourselves as givers. He says, “too many come to marriage looking for a handout, someone to take care of them, keep them happy, make up their deficiencies. They come with their umbilical cord in their hand looking for a place to plug it in.”
If commitment is key, whatever happened to commitment? Sociologists and psychologists may differ, but at the risk of oversimplification, maybe the problem is the current “if it feels good, do it” philosophy. Commitment eventually means weathering through some tough times. Too many want to leave “for better or worse” out of their vows.
The biggest ingredient in any commitment is seeing ourselves as givers. However, children are now encouraged to be takers. A mother told me her preschooler goes to many birthday parties and although the children are expected to give a gift, they each must go home with one. They even arrive with their hands out asking, “What do you have for me?”
Commitment and being a giver is easy when it feels good. Over a year ago, my husband and I made a commitment to bring my parents into our home and care for them. For several weeks, we discussed both pros and cons of such a move, anticipating some joy and a few difficulties. Although the joy is there, emotional benefits could never keep us going — some days being a care giver is simply not fun.
My mother holds a biblical philosophy: “No one is ever really happy unless they are doing something for someone else.” She is right, but emotional enthusiasm is an unstable base for decisions. Besides, as personal comfort fades into oblivion, my commitment level trembles and threatens to leave home with it. Some days I am desperate for privacy, or for moving at a faster pace, or for just a break in routine, yet commitment argues — you decided to do this! The decision to do something for others is always a matter of the will, not feelings.
Long term marriages work because there is a will to make them work and because each decides to give 100%. Giving is not a fifty/fifty, I-will-if-you-will proposition. Jesus would agree. He set His will to do the will of His Father (not a bad goal for couples) and determined that He would be a Giver, even if it killed Him.
And it did. As He anticipated the horror of the Cross, He sweat drops of blood and asked His Father if salvation could be accomplished some another way. Nevertheless, He added, “Not My will but Thine be done.”
Jesus obviously saw Himself as a Servant, totally willing to do whatever His Father asked. He fulfilled the role promised by the prophet Isaiah: “... My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.”
Jesus committed Himself as the Servant of His Father but His commitment was not joyless. The Bible says, “For the joy set before Him... He endured the Cross...” He has a happy heart because He kept His promise and served 100 per cent.
Jesus continues to keep His promises and still offers Himself as Lord and Savior. Those who unite themselves to Him find that He has His hand out but He is not looking for someone to care for Him. Rather, He cares for those who take His hand, keeps them happy, and makes up their deficiencies. He is the place where the needy can “plug in” — the One who enables couples to keep their vow “for better or worse, until death do us part.”
A popular talk show host says three years in a marriage is a long time. Thousands of couples divorce within five years and many do not make it to their first anniversary.
What happened to marriage? One writer says commitment is the key to make marriage last, combined with seeing ourselves as givers. He says, “too many come to marriage looking for a handout, someone to take care of them, keep them happy, make up their deficiencies. They come with their umbilical cord in their hand looking for a place to plug it in.”
If commitment is key, whatever happened to commitment? Sociologists and psychologists may differ, but at the risk of oversimplification, maybe the problem is the current “if it feels good, do it” philosophy. Commitment eventually means weathering through some tough times. Too many want to leave “for better or worse” out of their vows.
The biggest ingredient in any commitment is seeing ourselves as givers. However, children are now encouraged to be takers. A mother told me her preschooler goes to many birthday parties and although the children are expected to give a gift, they each must go home with one. They even arrive with their hands out asking, “What do you have for me?”
Commitment and being a giver is easy when it feels good. Over a year ago, my husband and I made a commitment to bring my parents into our home and care for them. For several weeks, we discussed both pros and cons of such a move, anticipating some joy and a few difficulties. Although the joy is there, emotional benefits could never keep us going — some days being a care giver is simply not fun.
My mother holds a biblical philosophy: “No one is ever really happy unless they are doing something for someone else.” She is right, but emotional enthusiasm is an unstable base for decisions. Besides, as personal comfort fades into oblivion, my commitment level trembles and threatens to leave home with it. Some days I am desperate for privacy, or for moving at a faster pace, or for just a break in routine, yet commitment argues — you decided to do this! The decision to do something for others is always a matter of the will, not feelings.
Long term marriages work because there is a will to make them work and because each decides to give 100%. Giving is not a fifty/fifty, I-will-if-you-will proposition. Jesus would agree. He set His will to do the will of His Father (not a bad goal for couples) and determined that He would be a Giver, even if it killed Him.
And it did. As He anticipated the horror of the Cross, He sweat drops of blood and asked His Father if salvation could be accomplished some another way. Nevertheless, He added, “Not My will but Thine be done.”
Jesus obviously saw Himself as a Servant, totally willing to do whatever His Father asked. He fulfilled the role promised by the prophet Isaiah: “... My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.”
Jesus committed Himself as the Servant of His Father but His commitment was not joyless. The Bible says, “For the joy set before Him... He endured the Cross...” He has a happy heart because He kept His promise and served 100 per cent.
Jesus continues to keep His promises and still offers Himself as Lord and Savior. Those who unite themselves to Him find that He has His hand out but He is not looking for someone to care for Him. Rather, He cares for those who take His hand, keeps them happy, and makes up their deficiencies. He is the place where the needy can “plug in” — the One who enables couples to keep their vow “for better or worse, until death do us part.”
Monday, October 3, 2016
True Value .......... Parables 492
November 21, 1995
Patrick Combs of San Francisco thought he would have some fun by depositing a fake junk mail cheque in his account. Much to his surprise, his bank credited his account with the face value of the cheque — $95,000.
Wow! Poor Patrick had no idea they that would take his prank seriously. He could go to jail for bank fraud. His bank also experienced a wake-up call — they realized they should have taken a closer look.
As this story illustrates, face value is not always true value. Pleasant sales agents are sometimes con-artists. An innocent countenance sometimes conceals a greedy heart. Behind a smile may lurk an ulterior motive.
The same goes for ideas. Some seem reasonable, at least up front and to needy people. For instance, a lonely woman becomes pregnant thinking a baby will fulfill her need for companionship. An insecure husband initiates a relationship with a younger woman thinking that will make him feel young again. A bored child nags her parents assuming that as much stuff as can be piled under a Christmas tree will challenge her mind and fill her time.
Of course these notions are mocked by the aftermath. The baby asks far more than it gives. The affair turns into a crushing guilt trip, ruining a conscience and a marriage. The toys soon become just as “boring” as life was before she unwrapped them.
We should not take religious teachers at face value either. Jesus looked closely at the most religious people of His day and called them “hypocrites” with lives like “tombs — full of dead men’s bones.” He saw through their prayers, daily worship at the temple and alms giving. On the outside, they performed flawlessly and looked pious. However, their hearts were not right toward God so their religion had no true value.
Becoming spiritual is not as it seems — the Scribes and Pharisees missed it because their motives were wrong. Ancient Israel was also condemned for doing religious duties without true devotion to God. God’s prophets preached strongly against their hypocrisy, but were persecuted for their efforts. Most people did not seem to notice or care. To them, their religious leaders seemed fine. Nevertheless, this was an example of Solomon’s Proverb, “There is a way that seems right to a man (or a woman), but in the end it leads to death.”
Today, many religions also seem right — do good deeds, give to the needy, pray now and then, worship in a designated place — but all rely on human performance and a humanly devised way. According to the New Testament, God has only one way. Jesus said it: “I am the WAY, the truth, and the light. No man comes to the Father but by me.”
For many, His way does not “seem right.” It is more logical to rely on “I am a good person” or “God loves people so I will be okay” or “I worship God in nature and that is good enough” or “all that matters is that I am sincere” or “the ways to God are many.”
The Bible says “all fall short — no one is “good” enough. It also says God loves us, yet He is also holy and will not tolerate sin. As for worship, Jesus said “God is Spirit and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” People can be sincere but sincerely wrong.
What matters is that we come the way He says we must. Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again... no man comes to the Father but by Me.”
If another way seems right, look a little closer. Face value is not always true value.
Patrick Combs of San Francisco thought he would have some fun by depositing a fake junk mail cheque in his account. Much to his surprise, his bank credited his account with the face value of the cheque — $95,000.
Wow! Poor Patrick had no idea they that would take his prank seriously. He could go to jail for bank fraud. His bank also experienced a wake-up call — they realized they should have taken a closer look.
As this story illustrates, face value is not always true value. Pleasant sales agents are sometimes con-artists. An innocent countenance sometimes conceals a greedy heart. Behind a smile may lurk an ulterior motive.
The same goes for ideas. Some seem reasonable, at least up front and to needy people. For instance, a lonely woman becomes pregnant thinking a baby will fulfill her need for companionship. An insecure husband initiates a relationship with a younger woman thinking that will make him feel young again. A bored child nags her parents assuming that as much stuff as can be piled under a Christmas tree will challenge her mind and fill her time.
Of course these notions are mocked by the aftermath. The baby asks far more than it gives. The affair turns into a crushing guilt trip, ruining a conscience and a marriage. The toys soon become just as “boring” as life was before she unwrapped them.
We should not take religious teachers at face value either. Jesus looked closely at the most religious people of His day and called them “hypocrites” with lives like “tombs — full of dead men’s bones.” He saw through their prayers, daily worship at the temple and alms giving. On the outside, they performed flawlessly and looked pious. However, their hearts were not right toward God so their religion had no true value.
Becoming spiritual is not as it seems — the Scribes and Pharisees missed it because their motives were wrong. Ancient Israel was also condemned for doing religious duties without true devotion to God. God’s prophets preached strongly against their hypocrisy, but were persecuted for their efforts. Most people did not seem to notice or care. To them, their religious leaders seemed fine. Nevertheless, this was an example of Solomon’s Proverb, “There is a way that seems right to a man (or a woman), but in the end it leads to death.”
Today, many religions also seem right — do good deeds, give to the needy, pray now and then, worship in a designated place — but all rely on human performance and a humanly devised way. According to the New Testament, God has only one way. Jesus said it: “I am the WAY, the truth, and the light. No man comes to the Father but by me.”
For many, His way does not “seem right.” It is more logical to rely on “I am a good person” or “God loves people so I will be okay” or “I worship God in nature and that is good enough” or “all that matters is that I am sincere” or “the ways to God are many.”
The Bible says “all fall short — no one is “good” enough. It also says God loves us, yet He is also holy and will not tolerate sin. As for worship, Jesus said “God is Spirit and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” People can be sincere but sincerely wrong.
What matters is that we come the way He says we must. Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again... no man comes to the Father but by Me.”
If another way seems right, look a little closer. Face value is not always true value.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Guilty? .......... Parables 491
November 14, 1995
A young woman is distraught: “I feel guilty all the time. What is wrong with me? I am a Christian, but no matter what I do, it seems as if it is never enough.”
Guilt and guilty feelings are complex. A person can unknowingly violate a law or a standard, like speeding without looking at the speedometer, and not feel any twinge of guilt. In such cases, lack of feelings or awareness does not change the facts — they are guilty.
On the other hand, being aware of doing wrong may or may not produce guilty feelings. If a person tells lies often enough, and excuses them every time, soon their conscience becomes hard and they can lie without it bothering them.
In contrast, guilt lands hard on a sensitive conscience. The offender cannot think of enough ways to apologize or make up for what was done, even though other people simply acknowledge or confess their wrongs, make them right, and their guilty feelings vanish.
There is also such a thing as false guilt — feeling guilty when no wrong has actually been committed. It happens when we take on more responsibility for real or perceived wrongs than actually belongs to us.
In all these cases, guilt is a symptom. Some wrong needs to be confessed and corrected, but it is not necessarily a wrong action. The person who feels guilt may need to deal with a conditioned conscience, faulty thinking, false teaching or unrealistic expectations.
For instance, guilt traps us if we fear human rejection. Proverbs says, “The fear of man will prove to be a snare.” People-pleasers focus not on God but human approval and always feel inadequate because it is impossible to please everyone.
Another example is children who are raised without praise and grow to adulthood driven by a deep need for approval. Without recognizing their motivation to please parents (who may be absent or even dead) they strive, always feeling as if they “never do enough.”
False guilt can also come to Christians who assume God is displeased unless we meet certain standards or follow certain rules. “Legalism” results in guilt because the Gospel never allows for our “doing” to be enough to please God. Anyone who takes their eyes off the fact “we are saved by grace through faith, not our works,” and that we “all fall short of the glory of God”, soon becomes hopelessly disappointed in themselves.
Even if we could keep His laws perfectly, the Bible says we cannot achieve right standing before Him in that manner. Instead, God is pleased by faith and by the actions that flow from it, not from guilt. The Bible explains, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him.” In other words, we live the same way we are saved — by faith.
False guilt also flows from a proud assumption of being indispensable. Anyone who tries to do more than God calls or gifts them to do has an ego problem or “messiah complex.” The answer for that “guilt” is also in Christ. He did not preach to every person or convince every sinner that He was the Messiah. He simply did the will of His Father and was able to say, “I have completed the work You gave me to do.”
As far as true guilt, the Bible says all have sinned, whether guilt is felt or not. God bids everyone to confess their sin, turn from it to Christ and follow Him. His grace puts Christ’s righteousness on us, setting us free from guilt and making us His own child.
When Christians sin, they confess to God who continually “forgives our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness” — on the basis of what Christ has done, not our efforts. In Him, there is no further condemnation but free and complete acceptance.
A young woman is distraught: “I feel guilty all the time. What is wrong with me? I am a Christian, but no matter what I do, it seems as if it is never enough.”
Guilt and guilty feelings are complex. A person can unknowingly violate a law or a standard, like speeding without looking at the speedometer, and not feel any twinge of guilt. In such cases, lack of feelings or awareness does not change the facts — they are guilty.
On the other hand, being aware of doing wrong may or may not produce guilty feelings. If a person tells lies often enough, and excuses them every time, soon their conscience becomes hard and they can lie without it bothering them.
In contrast, guilt lands hard on a sensitive conscience. The offender cannot think of enough ways to apologize or make up for what was done, even though other people simply acknowledge or confess their wrongs, make them right, and their guilty feelings vanish.
There is also such a thing as false guilt — feeling guilty when no wrong has actually been committed. It happens when we take on more responsibility for real or perceived wrongs than actually belongs to us.
In all these cases, guilt is a symptom. Some wrong needs to be confessed and corrected, but it is not necessarily a wrong action. The person who feels guilt may need to deal with a conditioned conscience, faulty thinking, false teaching or unrealistic expectations.
For instance, guilt traps us if we fear human rejection. Proverbs says, “The fear of man will prove to be a snare.” People-pleasers focus not on God but human approval and always feel inadequate because it is impossible to please everyone.
Another example is children who are raised without praise and grow to adulthood driven by a deep need for approval. Without recognizing their motivation to please parents (who may be absent or even dead) they strive, always feeling as if they “never do enough.”
False guilt can also come to Christians who assume God is displeased unless we meet certain standards or follow certain rules. “Legalism” results in guilt because the Gospel never allows for our “doing” to be enough to please God. Anyone who takes their eyes off the fact “we are saved by grace through faith, not our works,” and that we “all fall short of the glory of God”, soon becomes hopelessly disappointed in themselves.
Even if we could keep His laws perfectly, the Bible says we cannot achieve right standing before Him in that manner. Instead, God is pleased by faith and by the actions that flow from it, not from guilt. The Bible explains, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him.” In other words, we live the same way we are saved — by faith.
False guilt also flows from a proud assumption of being indispensable. Anyone who tries to do more than God calls or gifts them to do has an ego problem or “messiah complex.” The answer for that “guilt” is also in Christ. He did not preach to every person or convince every sinner that He was the Messiah. He simply did the will of His Father and was able to say, “I have completed the work You gave me to do.”
As far as true guilt, the Bible says all have sinned, whether guilt is felt or not. God bids everyone to confess their sin, turn from it to Christ and follow Him. His grace puts Christ’s righteousness on us, setting us free from guilt and making us His own child.
When Christians sin, they confess to God who continually “forgives our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness” — on the basis of what Christ has done, not our efforts. In Him, there is no further condemnation but free and complete acceptance.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
When evil wins .......... Parables 490
November 7, 1995
The arguments continue. Did O. J. really do it? Will this case forever have a cloud hanging over both the crime and the decision? Will we ever know? Maybe, maybe not.
What irks those convinced of his guilt is that he appears to have gotten away with it. Those who disagree are irked because his case became a racial issue and because the police appeared to be on the wrong side of the law. Either way, evil seems to have won.
Whenever law-breakers (or supposed law-keepers) walk away from their rotten deeds without due consequence, Psalm 37 comes to mind. It say: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away... Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret — it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.”
In historical context, the psalmist was encouraging God’s people. While things looked bad for the moment, evil would not prevail; eventually they would live safely in their land.
The psalm contains an important principle: “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.”
There is a day coming for those who escape the long arm of human law. God’s arm is longer. He, in perfect justice, will deal with all who do evil, whether their crime is murder, violence, hatred, racism, abuse, robbery, envy, lying, blasphemy, or even gossip and unbelief.
If I could rephrase Psalm 37 in regard to the O. J. Simpson case, I would write, “Don’t get bent out of shape because a double homicide goes unpunished. Whether guilt lies with unknown assailants, a football player, the police, or (as my dad says) the lawyers, the Lord will deal with them. It is better you do not get riled. Instead, trust God and hold your tongue and your temper. Don’t let evil prevail in your own heart. A vehement desire for revenge, hatred, or even scorn are punishable by God too, just as are those other evil acts.”
The Gospels say the same thing. When people came to Jesus and told Him about a certain disaster that happened to other people, they seemed to imply God was punishing some secret evil they had done. However, Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
He makes the psalmist’s point. While unpunished evil is not desirable, and the killer (O. J. or otherwise) needs to be found and proven guilty, personal hatred, vindictiveness, or a “I would never do that” pride is evil also. Instead, the psalmist invites us to, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
We may not see the day that the guilty are punished here, but if we trust God, their judgment day will come and we will not only miss seeing it then, but be glad we are not standing in the crowd on that terrible day when the guilty finally receive what they deserve!
The arguments continue. Did O. J. really do it? Will this case forever have a cloud hanging over both the crime and the decision? Will we ever know? Maybe, maybe not.
What irks those convinced of his guilt is that he appears to have gotten away with it. Those who disagree are irked because his case became a racial issue and because the police appeared to be on the wrong side of the law. Either way, evil seems to have won.
Whenever law-breakers (or supposed law-keepers) walk away from their rotten deeds without due consequence, Psalm 37 comes to mind. It say: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away... Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret — it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.”
In historical context, the psalmist was encouraging God’s people. While things looked bad for the moment, evil would not prevail; eventually they would live safely in their land.
The psalm contains an important principle: “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.”
There is a day coming for those who escape the long arm of human law. God’s arm is longer. He, in perfect justice, will deal with all who do evil, whether their crime is murder, violence, hatred, racism, abuse, robbery, envy, lying, blasphemy, or even gossip and unbelief.
If I could rephrase Psalm 37 in regard to the O. J. Simpson case, I would write, “Don’t get bent out of shape because a double homicide goes unpunished. Whether guilt lies with unknown assailants, a football player, the police, or (as my dad says) the lawyers, the Lord will deal with them. It is better you do not get riled. Instead, trust God and hold your tongue and your temper. Don’t let evil prevail in your own heart. A vehement desire for revenge, hatred, or even scorn are punishable by God too, just as are those other evil acts.”
The Gospels say the same thing. When people came to Jesus and told Him about a certain disaster that happened to other people, they seemed to imply God was punishing some secret evil they had done. However, Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
He makes the psalmist’s point. While unpunished evil is not desirable, and the killer (O. J. or otherwise) needs to be found and proven guilty, personal hatred, vindictiveness, or a “I would never do that” pride is evil also. Instead, the psalmist invites us to, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
We may not see the day that the guilty are punished here, but if we trust God, their judgment day will come and we will not only miss seeing it then, but be glad we are not standing in the crowd on that terrible day when the guilty finally receive what they deserve!
Monday, September 26, 2016
Caring for my mother .......... Parables 489
October 24. 1995
The poem starts like this: “When I’m a little old lady, then I’ll live with my children and bring them great joy, to repay all I’ve had from each girl and each boy. I shall draw on the walls and scruff up the floor: run in and out without closing the door.”
After more of the same, it ends with: “What fun I shall have, what joy it will be, to live with my children like they lived with me.”
Someone sent it for a laugh but instead I cried — because this week a specialist told my mother she has a form of dementia called Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s is both mysterious and cruel. Those who have it know not that they know not. My mother is aware her short term memory is sluggish but has no knowledge of the other tricks her failing mind plays on her. Sometimes we can laugh together but too often there is little to laugh about.
Even if parents are unable to behave as adults, God intends their children to honor and respect them. In the past year, I realized how often I based my “honoring” on expectations. When mom moved in, I hoped for comradery but was quickly disappointed. For weeks, I found it difficult to honor her because I felt let down, but God reminded me of a verse in the Psalms: “When your father and mother let you down, the Lord will pick you up.”
God also intends that my expectations are in Him. He created us as social beings who interact with each other, yet we are bound to be disappointed if we expect too much from other mere mortals. Expecting my mother to be different is unfair. She cannot rise to the challenge of an incurable disease that makes her unaware her faculties for relationships are deteriorating. She no longer knows how to meet needs.
It is also unfair to God if I depend on something or someone else for my fulfillment. He promises to meet all my needs. While He may use people, the choice is up to Him. Besides, if I put people first, I am guilty of a form of idolatry.
Watching mom deteriorate is difficult and sad. Other families struggle with similar heartaches and feel overwhelmed by a sense of responsibility and the weight of decisions that they must make. Many also struggle with guilt.
Someone gave me this threefold and timely advice: “One, you cannot do everything.” Aging people need physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual care. I cannot be nurse, counselor, pastor and program planner. I have learned to depend on God for strength and to follow His leading to wonderful resources available in the community for my parents.
“Two, you have done what you could.” There is nothing more debilitating than regret and false guilt. If I can do what I know God wants me to do, that is enough. It may not cover all the bases, but He knows my limitations and will not condemn me for them.
“Three, you are doing what you do out of love.” When I tell my mother she needs help with certain things, or when I take her to the doctor, I do it because I love her. I am not trying to make her life difficult, do for her what she can do herself, or make sure she “keeps me in her will.” I do it because she needs help. Doing it is a sacrifice of sorts, not a personal gain but it also includes joy. Genuine love, like God’s love, has both elements: sacrifice and joy.
Love also does not act out of a sense of “duty” or an obligation or discharge of a debt. In a way, caring for my mother is a return on something she invested in me. She raised me with respect, treated me as someone precious and never complained that I was a burden to her. That is a debt I can pay back, in full and with interest.
The poem starts like this: “When I’m a little old lady, then I’ll live with my children and bring them great joy, to repay all I’ve had from each girl and each boy. I shall draw on the walls and scruff up the floor: run in and out without closing the door.”
After more of the same, it ends with: “What fun I shall have, what joy it will be, to live with my children like they lived with me.”
Someone sent it for a laugh but instead I cried — because this week a specialist told my mother she has a form of dementia called Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s is both mysterious and cruel. Those who have it know not that they know not. My mother is aware her short term memory is sluggish but has no knowledge of the other tricks her failing mind plays on her. Sometimes we can laugh together but too often there is little to laugh about.
Even if parents are unable to behave as adults, God intends their children to honor and respect them. In the past year, I realized how often I based my “honoring” on expectations. When mom moved in, I hoped for comradery but was quickly disappointed. For weeks, I found it difficult to honor her because I felt let down, but God reminded me of a verse in the Psalms: “When your father and mother let you down, the Lord will pick you up.”
God also intends that my expectations are in Him. He created us as social beings who interact with each other, yet we are bound to be disappointed if we expect too much from other mere mortals. Expecting my mother to be different is unfair. She cannot rise to the challenge of an incurable disease that makes her unaware her faculties for relationships are deteriorating. She no longer knows how to meet needs.
It is also unfair to God if I depend on something or someone else for my fulfillment. He promises to meet all my needs. While He may use people, the choice is up to Him. Besides, if I put people first, I am guilty of a form of idolatry.
Watching mom deteriorate is difficult and sad. Other families struggle with similar heartaches and feel overwhelmed by a sense of responsibility and the weight of decisions that they must make. Many also struggle with guilt.
Someone gave me this threefold and timely advice: “One, you cannot do everything.” Aging people need physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual care. I cannot be nurse, counselor, pastor and program planner. I have learned to depend on God for strength and to follow His leading to wonderful resources available in the community for my parents.
“Two, you have done what you could.” There is nothing more debilitating than regret and false guilt. If I can do what I know God wants me to do, that is enough. It may not cover all the bases, but He knows my limitations and will not condemn me for them.
“Three, you are doing what you do out of love.” When I tell my mother she needs help with certain things, or when I take her to the doctor, I do it because I love her. I am not trying to make her life difficult, do for her what she can do herself, or make sure she “keeps me in her will.” I do it because she needs help. Doing it is a sacrifice of sorts, not a personal gain but it also includes joy. Genuine love, like God’s love, has both elements: sacrifice and joy.
Love also does not act out of a sense of “duty” or an obligation or discharge of a debt. In a way, caring for my mother is a return on something she invested in me. She raised me with respect, treated me as someone precious and never complained that I was a burden to her. That is a debt I can pay back, in full and with interest.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Fire as a force .......... Parables 488
October 17. 1995
The National Fire Protection Association publishes booklets on fire safety tips because even careful people can find themselves in emergencies. These booklets deal with the importance of planning ahead in case a fire occurs.
The rules are simple. Know the house, know all the exits and how to unlock them. Know two ways out of each room. Arrange a meeting place outside and discuss this plan with those in the household. Carry emergency information numbers with you always so you can call for help from any location.
Floods and storms are different. A rescue raft or even a piece of wood may save someone in a flood. Suitable shelters may protect potential victims from high winds. A sturdy roof diverts torrential rains — but fire consumes anything and everything. Saving yourself from raging flames requires water, other suitable extinguishers or putting distance between yourself and danger.
Fire is frequently used as a metaphor in Scripture. For instance, Proverbs 6 warns men to avoid immoral women. The passage adds, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?” In other words, sin is like fire — it burns anyone who plays with it.
An uncontrolled tongue is also like fire. James 3 says, “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
The process of purification also is like fire. For instance, Peter compared going through that process was something like being in a refinery or smelter. However, he pointed out that refined gold will eventually perish but faith proved genuine by “fiery trials” will never perish.
Fire is also used to describe God’s judgment. Scripture says someday “the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” Further, when God judges individual lives, those whose names are “not found written in the book of life” will be “thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Fire purifies, scorches and destroys. On the other hand, when fire is under control, it provides light in darkness and warmth in the cold. Can we control those negative, uncomfortable “fires” in the Bible?
We learn the hard way that we cannot control the fire of sin. For that we need a Savior. The fire of an untamed tongue also needs supernatural help so we can obey commands like: “Let no unwholesome words come out of your mouth...” and “Let your speech be full of grace and seasoned with salt...”
For this power, we need a special fire that God alone provides. As John the Baptist said of Christ, He “baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” This is a fire we must not “quench,” a fire like the amazing bush Moses encountered, “on fire but not consumed.”
Through the fire of the Spirit of God, we have power to say no to sin and its destructive force, endurance to grow and become more godly in trials, and most important of all, that fire is His escape route from that final fire of judgment.
The National Fire Protection Association publishes booklets on fire safety tips because even careful people can find themselves in emergencies. These booklets deal with the importance of planning ahead in case a fire occurs.
The rules are simple. Know the house, know all the exits and how to unlock them. Know two ways out of each room. Arrange a meeting place outside and discuss this plan with those in the household. Carry emergency information numbers with you always so you can call for help from any location.
Floods and storms are different. A rescue raft or even a piece of wood may save someone in a flood. Suitable shelters may protect potential victims from high winds. A sturdy roof diverts torrential rains — but fire consumes anything and everything. Saving yourself from raging flames requires water, other suitable extinguishers or putting distance between yourself and danger.
Fire is frequently used as a metaphor in Scripture. For instance, Proverbs 6 warns men to avoid immoral women. The passage adds, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?” In other words, sin is like fire — it burns anyone who plays with it.
An uncontrolled tongue is also like fire. James 3 says, “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
The process of purification also is like fire. For instance, Peter compared going through that process was something like being in a refinery or smelter. However, he pointed out that refined gold will eventually perish but faith proved genuine by “fiery trials” will never perish.
Fire is also used to describe God’s judgment. Scripture says someday “the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” Further, when God judges individual lives, those whose names are “not found written in the book of life” will be “thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Fire purifies, scorches and destroys. On the other hand, when fire is under control, it provides light in darkness and warmth in the cold. Can we control those negative, uncomfortable “fires” in the Bible?
We learn the hard way that we cannot control the fire of sin. For that we need a Savior. The fire of an untamed tongue also needs supernatural help so we can obey commands like: “Let no unwholesome words come out of your mouth...” and “Let your speech be full of grace and seasoned with salt...”
For this power, we need a special fire that God alone provides. As John the Baptist said of Christ, He “baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” This is a fire we must not “quench,” a fire like the amazing bush Moses encountered, “on fire but not consumed.”
Through the fire of the Spirit of God, we have power to say no to sin and its destructive force, endurance to grow and become more godly in trials, and most important of all, that fire is His escape route from that final fire of judgment.
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