Humility

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June 7

Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

Warning signals are designed for a purpose-a warning that something big is coming.

Our community has tornado sirens. When heeded they save lives or at least lets us know something is coming. When the tornado made its way through our neck of the woods a couple of months ago-and landed in some areas- the only casualties were those who failed to hear or heed the warning.

When the tsunami hit Indonesia in 2010 (has it been that long ago?) over 400 people lost their lives. It didn’t have to be.  They had a warning system of buoys that had become detached and drifted away. My question would be whether it happened because of the tsunami or from neglect or forgetfulness to check them. In any case, it was a tragedy which could have been avoided.

We have fire and smoke detectors in our houses. If heeded they save lives. What good would it do if we heard them go off and say, “Oh, that’s just the fire alarm. I’m going back to sleep”?  said no wise person ever.

We have a warning system “built in” to each one of us. It is called the conscience. For the most part, that is enough. We have been given the ability to discern right from wrong.

For some-and I am referring to Christ followers-our system has another mainspring: the Holy Spirit. We all know our consciences can be hardened-seared it is called-where what is right and what is wrong is skewed. Oftentimes it is unreadable. The Holy Spirit (who is Christ in you) helps us to know right and wrong.

If you are a follower of Christ, stay sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. Stay open to those nudges, those gentle tugs on your spirit, that say yes or no.  I’ve noticed those tugs are good warning signs when they need to be, and good lights to light my path.

But you must listen!

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June 6

Tuesday, June 6th, 2023

Do you remember a game called “Word Association?” Well…in case that was before your time…the game is played with someone saying a word and the other person(s) saying the first word that comes to mind. Charades is sort of this on steroids.

So…I’m going to give you a word and you write down in your mind or on paper the first word that comes to mind. Ready?

IDOL.

What word came to your mind? Statue? Religion? Carving? Ritual? Special place? Or maybe you thought of a specific one.

I’m guessing most of us would think statue or carving.  And we would think of some religion or tribe somewhere that would have a stone or wood statue. Or we may think of someone who has a place set up on a home.

But let me push you beyond that. The Bible explicitly states, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Ex.20:3) It continues by saying, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” and “You shall not bow down to worship them.” (Ex.20:4-5). Can’t get much plainer than that.

We wipe our hand across our forehead and say, “Whew! I dodged that bullet!”

NOT SO FAST.

An idol does not have to be a physical statue that we give homage to. An idol can be anything-ANYTHING-that garners our attention and affection. I have a 2-wheeled beast (a bicycle not the motorized kind) that has garnered a lot of miles and a lot of my attention over the years. Too much sometimes.  No, I didn’t bow down and kiss it. But I can guarantee I have put off some things and allowed it to have way too much of my thoughts and way TOO much importance in my heart at times. You might be thinking, “Well, Bill, how could you direct so much of your attention to an inanimate object?” I rest my case on what an idol is.

You see…God will not stand for 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or…) place in my life. Or yours. He wants to be #1. He wants to be the boss. He wants to be the object of our adoration and worship. An idol is anything that seeks to usurp God’s rightful place of importance in my life…and yours.

What about you? What or WHO is #1?

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May 23

Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023

What would it be like to be asked to do something that would literally rock your whole world? Let’s take it further. Let’s suppose you are asked to do something so unexpected, so huge, so life-altering AND you are expected to decide right then and there.

What would you do? Hesitate? Question the sanity of the whole thing? Question your sanity? 🙂 Rub your eyes in bewilderment?

Most of us never have to make or face decisions like that. Not like Mary, the mother of Jesus. History and culture suggests she was a young teenager-possibly 13-14 years old-who an angel (Gabriel) appeared to and presented her with the scenario that she would carry the child who “would be named Jesus and that He would be great and called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:31-32)

That was news to her! She was a virgin. The baby would not come by natural means but by supernatural means.  She is told the child she is going to have will come as a result of the Holy Spirit overshadowing her. All that is needed is for Mary to say, “I’m yours.” She does and the rest is, well, history.

Much could be said for the worship and veneration given to Mary, but that is another topic for another time. My point in this post is not to take issue with a false teaching. It is to highlight her response-her immediate response. Without hesitation or debate or chewing her nails in indecision. She asked one question: “How!” (a logical one I believe) and received back the following response: “For nothing will be impossible with God.”  Her response was “Sign me up.” Actually, it was more respectful: “I am your servant; let it be.”  That needs to be our response as well.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that God can do far more than we can ask or think. Let’s trust Him in that. Let’s fully believe and act on the promise that all things are possible with God.

This is Lady #7 and this ends my posts on the ladies chosen by 7 ladies to speak about on Mother’s Day. If you would like to read about the others you can go to this post which will direct you to the others.

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May 18

Thursday, May 18th, 2023

I’m continuing my devotional series on women in the Bible whom ladies from OVCF talked about on Mother’s Day.

Lady #1- Mary of Bethany

Lady #2- Tamar

Lady #3- Sarah

Lady #4- Lydia

Today is Lady #5

Last night-in fact, a lot nights this past month or so-Jo and I have spent at the local sports complex watching boys and girls playing ball. It seems as if once or twice a week for the past month we have been at the complex walking from field to field (there are 8 of them), watching children of all ages play ball and often chatting with their parents. To make this a bit more interesting is the fact that I have read to 5 different Kindergarten classes for this past school year and some of those students are playing ball. “Hi Mr. Bill!” are words I hear often. I know their faces but only see the close to 100+ students 1/month, so I’m often clueless as to all their names.

What strikes me, of course, is the amount of time the parents give to their children. Some of them are at the park 2-3 times a week. Some may even sleep there! 🙂 Does their child realize the sacrifice their parent is making for them?  (Have you ever watched T-ball? Then you know exactly what I mean). 🙂 🙂

Probably not.

That sacrifice seems minor in comparison to the one Hannah made. Childless in a society that looked down on childlessness, she begged God for a child. Eli, the priest at the time, thought she was drunk and when she corrected his accusation, he pronounced that God would give her an answer. That answer was Samuel.

There was one caveat. Hannah had promised that if God would give her a son, he would be given to God for His service. When Samuel was weaned, she gave him to God and Eli to fulfill her promise.

WOW! A long-awaited answer to a longing and a prayer given away. I wonder how she felt. This is my opinion here, but I believe that while she ached to give her son to the Lord, she also knew she had made a promise. Samuel became a stalwart figure in the history of Israel.

The story doesn’t end there. Elkanah, the husband, was with her on keeping that vow. They also had 3 more sons and 2 daughters. Not bad for a woman whose womb had been closed and was the object of ridicule by Elkanah’s other wife (Peninnah).  {My note: I wouldn’t brag about that name. Just sayin’…}

Hannah made a promise; kept that promise and reaped the favor of God. I’m not saying making and keeping a promise will always turn out like this, but I do know, and can say, that one can ever go wrong keeping a promise to God.

Ask Hannah. (For more of this story, see I Samuel 1-2).

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May 17

Wednesday, May 17th, 2023

I’m continuing my series of posts on the ladies spoken about on Mother’s Day by several of our ladies.

Lady #1- Mary of Bethany

Lady #2- Tamar

Lady #3- Sarah

Today is Lady #4: Lydia

What is it like to be successful? Further even: what is it like to be successful as a woman in a male-dominated society?

Hmmm. We could ask Lydia…if she was alive.  🙂 In Acts 16 we read of a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple goods (v.14).  Industrious. Hard worker. A worshiper of God. Just being a seller of purple goods was enough to show her success. She also had servants. She had a house. She opened her home to Paul and Silas. After their release from the Philippian jail, they stopped at Lydia’s house on the way out of town to see her and the others who met at her house.

It takes a lot to be successful. Sure, there are those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but not for a women, especially in that day.  Lydia had to be industrious. She had to be innovative. She had to be unafraid. What is interesting to me is that she actually operated with a double whammy: she was female and a worshiper of God. One was bad enough, but with both of those “on her record”?  Man or woman being a worshiper of God often meant isolation and loss of income.

One thing she cannot be accused of is being lazy. The Bible calls it sloth. Think of a sloth and the first thing which comes to mind is the animal that does everything in slow motion…very slow motion. But consider this: sloth doesn’t just mean sitting around all day watching TV and eating junk food.  It also means indifference. Apathy. It’s like standing on a street corner and watching all things go by and not giving a rip.

We have too much of that going on in our society these days. If it doesn’t affect me and my circle, why should I care? An earthquake in Turkey or California? A tornado in Oklahoma or Texas? (Big difference when one lands in your own “back yard” as it did here less than 2 months ago). A flood in TN. A shooting in NYC (and elsewhere).  If it doesn’t affect me it is “out of sight out of mind.”

It is too easy to get apathetic when it doesn’t involve us or people we love. Lydia shows us the importance of hard work. Her concern for others and their spiritual lives (see in Acts 16:15), and her concern for Paul and Silas show us how important it is not to be self-consumed. Let’s not forget who we are and how to serve others.

Then we must might learn what true success is all about.

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May 8

Monday, May 8th, 2023

Common in many news cycles is the passing along of what are called conspiracy theories. The past several elections (and I’m sure future ones) have been filled with them. They are on both sides of the aisle-R or D; conservative or liberal; cultish or mainstream; religious or non-religious.

Conspiracy theories are nothing new though. In the days of Jesus, one that was passed along by those who wanted to downplay or deny the resurrection was that the disciples had stolen the body (Check out Matthew 28:11-15). The religious leaders bribed the Roman guards to spread the rumor, i.e. conspiracy theory, the disciples has stolen the body. They even said they would straighten it out with the authorities.

Theories about the resurrection abound. The wrong tomb theory (the ladies went to the wrong tomb). The swoon theory (Jesus didn’t really die on the cross; He just passed out.  He then revived in the cold, dark tomb, mustered enough strength to roll the stone away, overpower the guards and walk away).  Wrong person theory (someone took His place on the cross and was mistaken for Jesus). Tell me: how ridiculous do those all sound? The conspiracies go on and on-ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

Unfounded “truths.” Gossip. Slander. Lies. Mean-spirited words. All are part of a subversive element that should not be, but is, in the church. Relationships and friendships cannot survive with that kind of garbage being present in individual lives, and especially in a church.

Let’s stick to the facts, the truth. Let’s not pay one bit of attention to political conspiracy theories. And certainly not give any credence to conspiracy theories that make their way into the church. THEY AIN’T WORTH IT!  Let’s leave the conspiracy theories where they belong…in the trash.

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May 3

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023

“He never saw a mirror he didn’t like.” That is not a compliment. It speaks of one who is in love with the mirror, or should I actually say, the image in the mirror.

He/she walks by a mirror and they can’t help but look. I work out at the local Y in our town. The wall is covered with mirrors. Some use them to make sure they are doing their weight exercises correctly. Others? Well, let’s just say they love looking at themselves in the mirror. Flexing when they think no one is looking. Then again… I have even walked into a room where special classes are held to get something (when it is empty) and noticed that mirrors are a staple. Why? Especially because I hear most are in the class because they don’t like what they see.

Every morning, like most people, I have a ritual. I get up and shower then head to “my” bathroom where I brush my teeth, put on deodorant, and shave. The latter is, of course, done in front of a mirror. It could be kind of dangerous to not use a mirror.  I have not yet become that brave. However, I don’t dwell in front of the mirror. I have no hair to style, comb through, blow dry or primp. But I do see imperfections, especially those that come with aging.

The apostle James talks about a mirror in chapter 1 of his book.  He says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (verses 22-25)  To look into a mirror and not do anything about what you see is like a person who looks into the Word of God (the Bible) and refuses to put into practice what he/she has seen. One would think it is pretty silly to look into a mirror after eating, seeing food on one’s chin, in one’s beard, or a shirt, and say, “Oh well,” and not do something about it. Reading the Bible, seeing the truth about ourselves, and not making the effort to change is just like the aforementioned person.

How much better it is to look into a mirror and do something about what you see (if possible).  How much more important to look into the lamp of God’s Word and make the changes necessary to show Jesus in a clearer light.

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April 18

Tuesday, April 18th, 2023

In this day and age of anger, hatred, malice, and vitriolic words, a person of peace, tranquility, and yes, sanity, is rare. Sadly rare. As I have given some thought to how I must react to these actions and words by others, I read a devotion. I must give credit to Cheryl E. Smith for the “germ” of my thoughts today. See the end of this post for information about this devotion.

Cheryl was writing about her husband, Kevin (whom I would love to meet), and how he was a humble man. The scenario is as Kevin is talking to their son about some of his experiences in the banking business. Here is what Cheryl wrote:

“Kevin respects people-all people. Regardless of their condition, age, race, discrepancies, behavior, or differences. I have never seen him mistreat anyone in all the years I have known him.

“The main thing I noticed about how he handled the customers he mentioned was his refusal to embarrass them. Even though they didn’t fit the everyday ‘normal’ mold, he never made them feel inferior. He never drew attention to their differences. He gave them all the time they needed. He treated them the way they and all people deserve to be treated. He handled them with the utmost respect, kindness, and patience-how he wants to be treated.

“He never embarrassed anyone. He never made anyone feel secondary. He loved each person with equal intensity. He was never partial. He never showed favoritism. He never recoiled, no matter how disfigured, marred, or ‘abnormal’ the person appeared.” (Excerpts from pages 126-127)

Hmmmm. That sounds like Someone else I know.  His name is Jesus. He didn’t play favorites, unless you consider giving hope, love, and acceptance to the down-and-out, the “less than,” the hurting, the physically imperfect, or the lost soul.

Imagine a world-small and big-if we all did like Jesus. Talk about change!!! But it starts with us in our own small world.

{Note: Cheryl has written 2 volumes called Homespun Devotions. I have resisted doing a review because I wanted to savor my time with them. Since I “won” Volume 2 in a blog give-away, I am reading it first. (Yeah…I know I’m not “right” sometimes).  I’m reading one or two of the short chapters at a time. I will give a complete review when I am finished with Volume 2. Hint: Buy it!}

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April 17

Monday, April 17th, 2023

Several weeks ago our community and surrounding areas experienced something we had never really experienced before-a tornado. We are more prone to flooding caused by the White River than a tornado. High and straight-line winds uprooted several huge trees-their roots made weaker by rain-saturated ground- in town. The state park just outside of town saw its campground destroyed-not by a tornado landing, but by the vortex, the suction of one passing over. Campers were flipped over. Tree-multiple trees-were uprooted and flung around like toothpicks, landing on campers and vehicles. And sadly two folks, who didn’t hear the warning to evacuate and head to the bathhouse were found dead in their camper. The tornado did land and wiped out multiple homes.

The Monday following the tornado, our Youth Pastor, Ryan, took two days to assess the situation, meet with some of the homeowners and offer help. He put feet to that by delivering over $600 worth of huge totes that the elders okayed for him to buy. But it wasn’t a one-and-done.

This past Saturday, after a special class presented by a group called IDES (International Disaster Emergency Services)-which ironically had been rescheduled from a few weeks earlier, several of our folks put on gloves, boots, and dirty clothes and spent over 3 hours helping some of the homeowners who solicited and accepted help.

I was proud of those folks. They became the hands and feet of Jesus. The common thing is to express sympathy and grief for a situation or loss and to say, “We will pray for you” and then go on our merry way. These folks said, “No. We will do more than that.” James 2 speaks directly to that. What good is it to say I’m sorry to hear you are hungry and without a place to lay your head, and then send them on their way with a “be warm and well fed.”

I believe those who helped were examples of what James 2:18 says, “You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” We are saved by faith alone, but like James says our works should follow that salvation.

Big or small. Show your faith by what you do.

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March 30

Thursday, March 30th, 2023

What does God require of us? That is the question I posed to my  “66” class last night. (I am teaching a class on the 66 books of the Bible).

I can hear it now. “Pastor Bill is going to click off a list of Do’s and Don’t’s related to his interpretation of Scripture and tell me that “God says you can do this-or-that, but you can’t do this-or-that.” Most often when some makes this kind of list (particularly a pastor or religious teacher) the list of what you cannot do far outnumbers the list of what you can do.  And sadly, the list includes things which are outward. “You don’t wear this or that.” “You don’t cut your hair.” “You don’t wear pants.” (It always seems to be tougher on women-know what I mean?)

Even “religious” things are involved. Regular church attendance. Tithing (cheerfully of course). Read the Bible on a daily basis. Clean language. Sing (old hymns only) with gusto. Read the KJV only. Now…I’m not saying those are bad things in, and of themselves (although I might balk at the hymns and KJV only idea 🙂 ), but even those are duties.

You see…all of those, as well as others, can be done by anyone, even if that person’s heart is not right with God. They are all centered on the outward and reveal nothing of the heart.

Micah, the Old Testament prophet, has a different take on what is required. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (mercy), and to walk humbly with God?” (ESV)  Three things: 1) do justice; 2) love mercy; 3) walk humbly with God.

The qualifier is that last one. It takes the other two and tells us why we should do them and how. To walk humbly with God infiltrates all we do. Every act of justice, every act of mercy, flows from a heart walking with God. The so-called “justice movement” we witnessed in the summer of 2020, and even now, was not justice. It was anarchy.  It was not rooted at all in Biblical truth or in walking humbly with God.

If you want to see an example of justice in action, stop right now and read James (a book in the Bible) 2:1-9,14-20.

Three things are required: do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Talk about a game-changer! Hmmm not a stitch of clothing or hair mentioned. 🙂

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