I returned to my home church this 4th of July weekend and preached the Annual Homecoming message. While there, so many memories flooded my mind. As the reunion choir performed some of the old songs we used to sing, I was held in awe! As I viewed the people of years past, I remembered one particular family in the congregation. This family went through the process of adopting a son. He’s all grown now, has a family of his own, and is now living in Tupelo, Mississippi. I remember the tenacious tasks Harvey and Myrtle went through to get Tracy. I remember their asking for prayer in hopes of finally getting a son and their joy when bringing him into the Harrisonville church family for the first time.
In reading the words from Ephesians, I discovered we all go through a dramatic series of events. We go from being condemned orphans with no hope to being adopted children with no fear. How does it happen? Well, first we come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of His justice He cannot dismiss our sin, but because of His love, He cannot dismiss us. So, in an action -- which I think stunned even the heavens -- He punished Himself on a cross for our sins. Think about it, God’s justice and love are equally honored. And we, God’s creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn’t end with God’s forgiveness.
It would be enough if God just cleansed our name, but He does more. He gives us His name. It would be enough if God just set us free, but He does more. He takes us home. And adoptive parents understand this concept more than anyone. They know what it means to fill and empty space inside. They know what it means to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and uncertain future. Yet God has adopted us. God sought us, found us, signed papers, and took us home.
And you really thought God adopted you because you were good looking. You thought He needed your money or your wisdom. I’m sorry to burst your bubble. God adopted you simply because He wanted to. You were in His good will and pleasure, knowing fully well the trouble you would be and the price He would pay; yet He signed His name next to yours and changed your name to His and took you home.
I think you and I both know that an adoption is not something we earn; it’s something we receive. To be adopted into a family is not something that one achieves, but rather a gift one accepts. The parents are the active ones. Adoption agencies don’t train children to recruit parents; they seek parents to adopt children. The parents make the call and fill out the paper and endure the interviews and pay the fees and wait and wait. Can you imagine prospective parents saying, “We’d like to adopt Tracy, but first we want to know a few things? Does he have a house to live in? Does he have money for tuition? Does he have a ride to school each morning and clothes to wear every day? Can he prepare his own meals and mend his own clothes?”
No agency would stand for such talk. Its representative would lift their hand and say, “Wait a minute. You don’t understand. You don’t adopt Tracy because of what he has, you adopt him because of what he needs; and he needs a home.”
The same is true with God. He doesn’t adopt us because of what we have. He doesn’t give us His name because of our wit, or wallet, or good attitude. God is not a fair-weather Father, one that owns me only when I’m doing good, I can count on Him to be in my corner no matter how I perform.
Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us unto His own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure (Eph. 1:3-5 NLT).
I’m delight to be adopted into His family as one of His sons.
What about you?
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
PASS IT ON - 2 Timothy 1:5
I have discovered there are generational blessings in my family that have been passed down when it comes to motherhood. Passing these qualities down from one woman to the next has been the mandate of cherishing this important role. It was preached or taught in such a way that it became somewhat natural for each new generation to understand the privilege and importance of parenting. It was not a responsibility I saw being taken lightly.
What I observed, and from the stories I heard from others in our family, there was a sense of nurturing. This nurturing really is a privilege given to all life-givers whether they accept the responsibility or not. Every mother should be emotionally charged with the job of taking care of their children – of loving them; educating them; imparting words of light, words of healing, and words of well-being to their offspring. All should do this. But unfortunately, all do not. And this is the tragedy whose impact can be seen in years that follow.
When we look at many young mothers today, we can see they don’t have a clue as to the importance of their role. As a result, often grandmothers or others are left with the responsibility of trying to raise their daughter’s child with the challenges of this 21st century staring them in the face. The foundation for motherhood somehow didn’t get passed and is wrecking our society today.
The bible points to Timothy as being an example of the teaching of generational mothering. The apostle Paul admonishes Timothy to stir up the gift or gifts that are within him from the nurturing of his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. These women planted in Timothy the principles necessary to impart in him good morals and Christian character. Through their parenting, Timothy was strong in faith and understood that challenges in life were not insurmountable.
If you have been given the unique opportunity to form and create the life of another human being, take seriously your charge and get on with the business at hand. You have much work to do, with great rewards to follow. Give of yourself and your love, that you may nurture a life of love. As with all important work, what you put into this priceless task is what you’ll get out of it.
Henry Beecher says, “What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way to the coffin.”
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
TOUGH STUFF - Philippians 4:13
I don’t care how old you are, where you live or what you do for a living; if you’re single or married; childless or have a house full of kids; own your home or rent your place…it’s always something. It makes no difference which hobby you enjoy, who you know, how much money you make, whether you’re a workaholic or completely retired from the workplace, whether you’re a person who has little or no faith or you’re strong-hearted follower of Jesus…it’s always something! Life and tough stuff go hand in hand. It typically appears as a gradually intensifying storm. Sometimes sudden winds of adversity hit hard against us as our barometers take a dive to the bottom of the gauge. Maybe you’re there right now.
Tough stuff seems easier managed when you see it coming. But how often does that happen? It’s the treacherous assaults beyond the horizons, those mental muggings we cannot see, that buckle our knees. Anybody know what I’m talking about?
Adversity has a way of cutting us down. After the initial blunt blow, we’re left stunned, wondering what hit us. Occasionally the blows are so brutal they alter life as we know it. The tough stuff tests the core of our beings, leaving us with contrasting results. It will either strengthen our deepest beliefs, or unravel the very fabric of our faith. Everything depends on our response.
Tough stuff happens in life; and will continue to happen. Sometimes we bring it on ourselves. More often, however, we had nothing to do with why it occurred. There is simply no escape from the trials and the turmoil related to living on this planet. A quick glance at the past six months of most of our lives is all it takes to convince us of this truth. Who would have guessed a year ago that you had all this in front of you? Who would have thought the devastation would happen in Haiti? Who would have imagined that after years of a marriage and children, you two would be going in separate directions? How could you imagine that after so many years with a successful company you would now be unemployed? Your physical two years ago presented you as a healthy and vibrant individual. How can the doctor now tell you it’s cancer? That’s tough stuff!
The good news is that God has provided us with the right perspective. He has made available a Savior, and His name is Jesus. He wants to take the blows for you, to help you through the tough stuff. He can become the rudder of your life when fierce winds blow your compass, when you’ve lost your bearing, and when your sailing on doesn’t seem possible. He knows your situation because He himself had his own share of tough stuff, and He’s not unfamiliar with anything you’re facing.
The Apostle Paul said it best, “I can do all things though Christ Jesus which strengthens me.” That word strengthens means he puts a dynamo in me. Isn’t that Great?! When Christ comes into our lives, He places an unseen power in us. It’s a power pack that can be adjusted, adapted, tightened up, or even let loose if need be. It can release or hold back, depending on the terrain. It can keep things on a fairly even plain. How? Why? Because HE is present!
Getting though the tough stuff is neither quick nor easy. It’s what makes life sometimes seem harsh and unfair; sometimes even impossible. But knowing that we have our Father near can be just enough to keep us on our feet and able to take on whatever tomorrow may include.
It’s always something…but the good news is: when tough stuff shows up, Jesus is already there!
Tough stuff seems easier managed when you see it coming. But how often does that happen? It’s the treacherous assaults beyond the horizons, those mental muggings we cannot see, that buckle our knees. Anybody know what I’m talking about?
Adversity has a way of cutting us down. After the initial blunt blow, we’re left stunned, wondering what hit us. Occasionally the blows are so brutal they alter life as we know it. The tough stuff tests the core of our beings, leaving us with contrasting results. It will either strengthen our deepest beliefs, or unravel the very fabric of our faith. Everything depends on our response.
Tough stuff happens in life; and will continue to happen. Sometimes we bring it on ourselves. More often, however, we had nothing to do with why it occurred. There is simply no escape from the trials and the turmoil related to living on this planet. A quick glance at the past six months of most of our lives is all it takes to convince us of this truth. Who would have guessed a year ago that you had all this in front of you? Who would have thought the devastation would happen in Haiti? Who would have imagined that after years of a marriage and children, you two would be going in separate directions? How could you imagine that after so many years with a successful company you would now be unemployed? Your physical two years ago presented you as a healthy and vibrant individual. How can the doctor now tell you it’s cancer? That’s tough stuff!
The good news is that God has provided us with the right perspective. He has made available a Savior, and His name is Jesus. He wants to take the blows for you, to help you through the tough stuff. He can become the rudder of your life when fierce winds blow your compass, when you’ve lost your bearing, and when your sailing on doesn’t seem possible. He knows your situation because He himself had his own share of tough stuff, and He’s not unfamiliar with anything you’re facing.
The Apostle Paul said it best, “I can do all things though Christ Jesus which strengthens me.” That word strengthens means he puts a dynamo in me. Isn’t that Great?! When Christ comes into our lives, He places an unseen power in us. It’s a power pack that can be adjusted, adapted, tightened up, or even let loose if need be. It can release or hold back, depending on the terrain. It can keep things on a fairly even plain. How? Why? Because HE is present!
Getting though the tough stuff is neither quick nor easy. It’s what makes life sometimes seem harsh and unfair; sometimes even impossible. But knowing that we have our Father near can be just enough to keep us on our feet and able to take on whatever tomorrow may include.
It’s always something…but the good news is: when tough stuff shows up, Jesus is already there!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Two Kinds of Forgiveness
TWO KINDS OF FORGIVENESS
I approached the end of the year here at Pilgrim preaching a series on forgiveness. Forgiveness is a constant continuing process in our lives. And as a church family we must understand the need to forgive one another and keeping the bond of peace.
Ultimately there are two types of forgiveness. Imagine with me that a relative has deeply wronged you in a way that could result in severe legal consequences. Although the one might fully deserves the full weight of the law to come down upon him, you choose because he is a member of the family, to release him from all legal liability. He is judicially forgiven, and the relationship between the two of you is clear of all legal impediments. That does not mean that problems do not exist between you. The issue may put a serious strain on your personal relationship, but they do not jeopardize ones legal status. Judicial forgiveness does not remove the need for relational forgiveness.
By God’s grace in Christ, we are the recipients of judicial forgiveness, which means that we have perfect standing with God. We are members of His family forever. But relational forgiveness is about my ongoing enjoyment of a warm, intimate relationship with others. For example, I love my boys and girls dearly and sometimes their actions cause a serious strain on our relationship. But nothing they do, no matter how bad, can make me disown them. But because we are sinners, things sometimes happen that damage our enjoyment of one another and that, left unresolved, could do serious damage to our relationship with one another. A healthy family relationship requires the consistent extending and receiving of forgiveness.
I think this same principal applies to our relationship with our heavenly Father. As our Judge, He pardoned us once and for all when we trusted the Lord Jesus. But as our Father He forgives us many times, as we deal with the sins that enter our lives. This distinction lies behind the often misunderstood words of the Lord’s Prayer:
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
(Matthew 6:12)
We must remember that the so-called Lord’s Prayer is, in fact, a believer’s prayer, taught by the Lord to His followers as their distinctive prayer. We cannot view it as a generic prayer (which many often do) that could be prayed by anyone, regardless of their relationship to Christ. It is for those who have already been forgiven through faith in Christ. But we are still to pray for a forgiveness that is all about our fellowship with the Father. It stands to reason that, if I refuse to forgive my fellow-believer who is also a beloved child of the Father, I cannot expect my relationship to our mutual Father to be unaffected, any more than I would expect my dad to be unconcerned if I were in the midst of a nasty quarrel with one of my four brothers. My status in the family would not be at stake; my fellowship in the family would be.
Judicial forgiveness is unconditional, grounded on the finished work of Christ. It is once-for-all forgiveness. But just as the petition in the Lord’s Prayer is for daily bread, not a once-for-all provision of food, the petition for forgiveness is also about daily forgiveness as needed. I need forgiveness daily because I sin daily! And the forgiveness I seek is relational, not judicial. This relational forgiveness is conditional, based upon my relationship with others. And this is the challenge to every Christian, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, our Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).
I share with you again the story of two brothers from a small South African Village. The older brother was tall, athletic, a good student and a natural leader. The younger brother was not. He had a back deformity and was very sensitive to that fact. However, he did have a wonderful singing voice. They both attended the same school away from their village. One night some older boys dragged the younger brother out and ripped off his shirt and made fun of the deformity in his back until he cried to his older brother for help. The older brother was there, didn’t try to help defend his younger brother or rescue him from an abandoned water tank they eventually place him in and forced him to sing. The younger brother was eventually rescued; he survived but was crushed in spirit. He returned to the family farm, lived a reclusive life, and never sang again.
The older brother was eventually called to service during World War II and had a dream in which he realized how much heartache he caused his brother. After getting out of service, he made the difficult journey back to South Africa and asked his brother’s forgiveness. Later that night in the dark of the night he heard a beautiful song – it was his brother singing a song for the first time since that awful night. And it was a song the older brother had written for him to sing when they were young boys.
Pilgrim this dynamic of forgiveness within the spiritual family is so important. In order that we may move forward together in fellowship, in the work of ministry, and in love – it requires forgiving one another.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
How We Should View Trouble (James 1:2)
I’ve never liked riding roll-coasters. For me it was always an experience, even in my youth and adolescence, I hated. I would often take rides because of female friends that were thrilled by the coaster rides at the Mid-South Fair. While they would be screaming with excitement, having held hands in the air as the dips and turn took place, I would be holding on for dear life. I am thankful that I had enough tolerance to not get sick on the ventures. What a greater embarrassment that would have been!
Getting through a season of trouble is a lot like surviving a roller-coaster ride – except we do not volunteer for trouble; and trouble was never intended to be fun. Trouble is filled with stomach-wrenching drops, dips, and sudden curves. And just when we think we’ve caught out breath, we’re dropped again. If we didn’t know better, we might think that this roller-coaster ride is a random experience – that somehow the forces that lift us up and push us down are acts of fate. It is not a random ride at all. Those who understand the work of God, in and through our troubles, know that He does not abandon us to disaster. Rather, with all the strength of His character, He provides a well-engineered superstructure that supports the process along with a carefully planned set of tracks and guardrails. Even when the ride is hectic, unsettling, and too twisted for us to sense the presence of His support and guidance, He is still there. Our only hope is to stay in the car and find something solid to hold on to through every turn of the experience.
When trouble invades our comfort zone, two needs rise to the top: (1) The need for understanding (to find answers to the probing and disturbing questions that crowd our mind and souls) and (2) the need for healing (to feel better and to finish the problem). Of the two, understanding is the key to managing the problem effectively to its ultimate outcome. Without the understanding that produces the right answers, there is no sense of direction.
When James wrote, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials (Jas. 1:2 NASB), his choice of words was strategic. The Apostle James uses a specific word for trouble (trials) that leads to a helpful understanding of what trouble is. Barnes, in his notes, paraphrases James 1:2 by saying that when troubles come, “Don’t resist them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!”
The Greek word for trials is a word that means, “To examine or test for the purpose of providing or revealing something about the thing tested.”Trials, then, is “a test that reveals something for a specific purpose. Of all the things we could say about trials – that they are disappointing, discouraging, humiliating, uncomfortable, painful, and disheartening – God sees them, among other reasons, as tests that reveal our true selves. In times of trouble the “real me” becomes apparent. So trouble is revelatory.
Trouble is one of God’s ways of examining our lives. When we are on “Easy Street” – and thank the Lord He lets us come up for air periodically – it is hard to know what we are really like. We can carry on a cosmetic existence, fooling ourselves and most people, about our true nature. But when troubles hit our lives, what we are really like is quickly revealed. Trouble shows our friends, our spouses, our children, and our acquaintances what we are like. Even more unsettling, it forces us to start seeing ourselves for who and what we really are.
So what good is trouble? Well, among other things, trouble reveals where I am in the growth process in terms of my conformity to the image and character of Christ. It gets me beyond assumptions to reality. Am I a forgiving person? Am I kind? Understanding? Just? Loving? Helpful? Patient? Or am I angry, slanderous, self-centered, inflexible, manipulative, weak and not equipped to respond to trials correctly.
No, I don’t like riding roller-coasters. And I don’t like the “various trials” which often enter my life. But because I know they have a unique purpose; and because I know Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. I’m willing to catch hold of the Master’s hand, hold tight, and ride out my troubles!
What about you?
Getting through a season of trouble is a lot like surviving a roller-coaster ride – except we do not volunteer for trouble; and trouble was never intended to be fun. Trouble is filled with stomach-wrenching drops, dips, and sudden curves. And just when we think we’ve caught out breath, we’re dropped again. If we didn’t know better, we might think that this roller-coaster ride is a random experience – that somehow the forces that lift us up and push us down are acts of fate. It is not a random ride at all. Those who understand the work of God, in and through our troubles, know that He does not abandon us to disaster. Rather, with all the strength of His character, He provides a well-engineered superstructure that supports the process along with a carefully planned set of tracks and guardrails. Even when the ride is hectic, unsettling, and too twisted for us to sense the presence of His support and guidance, He is still there. Our only hope is to stay in the car and find something solid to hold on to through every turn of the experience.
When trouble invades our comfort zone, two needs rise to the top: (1) The need for understanding (to find answers to the probing and disturbing questions that crowd our mind and souls) and (2) the need for healing (to feel better and to finish the problem). Of the two, understanding is the key to managing the problem effectively to its ultimate outcome. Without the understanding that produces the right answers, there is no sense of direction.
When James wrote, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials (Jas. 1:2 NASB), his choice of words was strategic. The Apostle James uses a specific word for trouble (trials) that leads to a helpful understanding of what trouble is. Barnes, in his notes, paraphrases James 1:2 by saying that when troubles come, “Don’t resist them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!”
The Greek word for trials is a word that means, “To examine or test for the purpose of providing or revealing something about the thing tested.”Trials, then, is “a test that reveals something for a specific purpose. Of all the things we could say about trials – that they are disappointing, discouraging, humiliating, uncomfortable, painful, and disheartening – God sees them, among other reasons, as tests that reveal our true selves. In times of trouble the “real me” becomes apparent. So trouble is revelatory.
Trouble is one of God’s ways of examining our lives. When we are on “Easy Street” – and thank the Lord He lets us come up for air periodically – it is hard to know what we are really like. We can carry on a cosmetic existence, fooling ourselves and most people, about our true nature. But when troubles hit our lives, what we are really like is quickly revealed. Trouble shows our friends, our spouses, our children, and our acquaintances what we are like. Even more unsettling, it forces us to start seeing ourselves for who and what we really are.
So what good is trouble? Well, among other things, trouble reveals where I am in the growth process in terms of my conformity to the image and character of Christ. It gets me beyond assumptions to reality. Am I a forgiving person? Am I kind? Understanding? Just? Loving? Helpful? Patient? Or am I angry, slanderous, self-centered, inflexible, manipulative, weak and not equipped to respond to trials correctly.
No, I don’t like riding roller-coasters. And I don’t like the “various trials” which often enter my life. But because I know they have a unique purpose; and because I know Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. I’m willing to catch hold of the Master’s hand, hold tight, and ride out my troubles!
What about you?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Different Kinds of Wisdom (1 Kings 3:9-11)
I have always been taken by the scriptures which constitute Solomon’s request to the Almighty after he became King of Israel at such a young age. As I look about our church and community, wisdom is something which seems to be lacking, especially, among the young of this world.
According to Buddhist folklore, two traveling monk reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulder, transported her across the water, and put her down on the bank. She thanked him and departed. As the monks continued on their way, the hesitant one said to the other, “Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulder and carried her!” The other responded, “Brother, I set her down on the other side. But you are still carrying her.”
I believe the insight of the second monk raises an interesting question for followers of Christ. When the opportunity arises that we can help someone, someone who might not be connected to our faith, do we weaken the distinctiveness of our own faith? Does wisdom tell us to only deal with other saved folk? I believe the Bible commands us build bridges to those outside our faith, without compromising the distinctiveness of Christ in the process. In other words, we have a moral obligation to assist others, regardless, of race, religion or national origin. We are in the world but not of the world.
It is through wisdom that we should navigate our lives daily. Without wisdom we can be easily tricked by those who only want to take the advantage. This is the real test is today. Many individuals, especially young people, do not have the wisdom to see when others are taking advantage of their good morals and spiritual training which says, “We’re to be nice and be helpful” because that is what Jesus did. This niceness often results in unwed mothers; this niceness has caused some to get in trouble financially; this niceness has resulted in the destruction of entire families because of the cons who prey upon our “religious faith.”
Wisdom tells us to stop and simply think. Wisdom lets us know to every cause there is an effect. Wisdom allows is to know you can’t get something for nothing without paying a price, even if the price comes later. Wisdom allows us to look for the end results and not the excitement of the moment. Wisdom allows us to understand it takes time and hard work to acquire wealth, and a quick track to wealth is deadly. Wisdom allows one to know that all who grin in your face do not necessarily have your best interest at heart.
When I first came to Indianapolis, I was told that I needed to become “STREET WISE” because I was no longer in a country town. I was told that hustlers make their living hustling the church, church folk or anyone else that will give them an ear or audience. Well, I didn’t have to come here to acquire that knowledge. The only difference here is the scale is larger. So, like Solomon, “I asked the Lord for wisdom that I would be able to discern the things of God and the things of man.” And what I’ve learned is it takes wisdom to operate not only outside the church, but in the church as well. The church also has its share of cons, crooks, and those who use the church for selfish gains.
The Bible shows how to recognize (1) natural, (2) religious, and (3) moral insights in the world around us. More important, the Bible shows how these three kinds of wisdom can help us to see our need for (4) the redemptive wisdom of the cross.
Let’s stop being naïve and embrace wisdom. Let’s stop being players or being played. Wisdom will help us deal with others without diminishing our religious convictions. It will allow us to help others across the difficult streams of life without compromising. It will even help us lead others to a better life in Jesus Christ.
According to Buddhist folklore, two traveling monk reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulder, transported her across the water, and put her down on the bank. She thanked him and departed. As the monks continued on their way, the hesitant one said to the other, “Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulder and carried her!” The other responded, “Brother, I set her down on the other side. But you are still carrying her.”
I believe the insight of the second monk raises an interesting question for followers of Christ. When the opportunity arises that we can help someone, someone who might not be connected to our faith, do we weaken the distinctiveness of our own faith? Does wisdom tell us to only deal with other saved folk? I believe the Bible commands us build bridges to those outside our faith, without compromising the distinctiveness of Christ in the process. In other words, we have a moral obligation to assist others, regardless, of race, religion or national origin. We are in the world but not of the world.
It is through wisdom that we should navigate our lives daily. Without wisdom we can be easily tricked by those who only want to take the advantage. This is the real test is today. Many individuals, especially young people, do not have the wisdom to see when others are taking advantage of their good morals and spiritual training which says, “We’re to be nice and be helpful” because that is what Jesus did. This niceness often results in unwed mothers; this niceness has caused some to get in trouble financially; this niceness has resulted in the destruction of entire families because of the cons who prey upon our “religious faith.”
Wisdom tells us to stop and simply think. Wisdom lets us know to every cause there is an effect. Wisdom allows is to know you can’t get something for nothing without paying a price, even if the price comes later. Wisdom allows us to look for the end results and not the excitement of the moment. Wisdom allows us to understand it takes time and hard work to acquire wealth, and a quick track to wealth is deadly. Wisdom allows one to know that all who grin in your face do not necessarily have your best interest at heart.
When I first came to Indianapolis, I was told that I needed to become “STREET WISE” because I was no longer in a country town. I was told that hustlers make their living hustling the church, church folk or anyone else that will give them an ear or audience. Well, I didn’t have to come here to acquire that knowledge. The only difference here is the scale is larger. So, like Solomon, “I asked the Lord for wisdom that I would be able to discern the things of God and the things of man.” And what I’ve learned is it takes wisdom to operate not only outside the church, but in the church as well. The church also has its share of cons, crooks, and those who use the church for selfish gains.
The Bible shows how to recognize (1) natural, (2) religious, and (3) moral insights in the world around us. More important, the Bible shows how these three kinds of wisdom can help us to see our need for (4) the redemptive wisdom of the cross.
Let’s stop being naïve and embrace wisdom. Let’s stop being players or being played. Wisdom will help us deal with others without diminishing our religious convictions. It will allow us to help others across the difficult streams of life without compromising. It will even help us lead others to a better life in Jesus Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
