The Big One Got Away, But the Little One Didn't

    Did you hear about the near miss last week? If you were watching the news, you knew it was coming, but we also knew it was going miss us by about 1,700 miles. That may seem like a long ways away, but not when it comes to meteors the size of a Wal-Mart, hurtling towards us at forty times the speed of sound. An impact from something like that would destroy a city, and could possibly cause global weather catastrophe. So obviously, even though it was going to miss us, scientists were watching it closely, and studying every detail they could surmise.
    And in doing so, they totally missed the one that didn’t miss us!
    That very day, a 50 ton meteor exploded in the sky over Russia, creating an explosion with the strength of an atomic bomb, destroying buildings below and injuring nearly a thousand people. And not a single scientist saw it coming.
    Why? They were too busy watching the big one, the one that wasn’t going to hit us anyway. In doing so, they didn’t see the little one (comparatively little, that is). The one that did enter our atmosphere and exploded about 25 miles above the Chelyabinsk region of Russia, was estimated to be about 50 feet in diameter, and between 30-60 tons. Below, glass was broken out of buildings, some buildings collapsed, and 985 people reported injury, with dozens being hospitalized.
    It was completely missed, because those who do the looking were distracted by the bigger intrigue.
    And that’s why I keep letting through the “little sins” in my life.
    We tend to be so fixated on the major sins that could potentially destroy our lives, and maybe even intent on steering clear from, that we forget about the damage done by those lesser noticeable vices that seemingly slip in under the radar.
    So you haven’t murdered, cheated on your spouse, or embezzled from your company, but what about envy, lust, deception, resentment and gossip? As we are pointing at the big sins of others, and feeling pretty good that we’ve kept our distances from them, have we allowed the hidden sins of the heart to creep in and take over? It’s those “little sins,” what Solomon called “the little foxes,” that destroy a character and implode a life. Suddenly there is this sonic boom and we ask, “What happened?” We were distracted by the big, and taken down by the little.
    After all, every sin has the same source. It’s why Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
    In other words, he was saying, “You might be feeling pretty good about not murdering, but the root sin of murder is the same as animosity. If you are guilty of one, you are guilty of the other.”
    So, don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, and don’t steal. But don’t be distracted by those things either. Better yet, be on guard against the inner attitudes of anger, lust, and greed. If you stay clean from these hidden heart attitudes, you’ll have no trouble with the major issues that they lead to.

The Power of Words

    The power of words is an amazing thing. Particularly the words that come from those who matter to us.
    I was 17 the first time I preached. The youth group I was attending had a special night for young guys who thought they might go into the ministry to preach to the youth group. There were three or four of us scheduled to speak that night and we were given 10 minutes a piece. I still remember the message that I gave (I think I even have my original notes), and I hate to admit it, but it was absolute heresy! But when I was about half-way into it, one of our youth leaders, who happened to also be my speech teacher, leaned over to her husband, who was my coach, and she whispered, “He’s a good preacher.” I think she was surprised because I wasn’t very good in speech class. Even though I was in the middle of my first sermon ever, I had enough awareness that I could read her lips–I knew what she said. And it changed my life. Before that, I felt that God was calling me into some kind of ministry. After that, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life. And I’ve never looked back.
    I’m going to email her a link to this blog to see if she remembers it. Who knows, maybe she’ll correct me and say, “No, I said, ‘I have to go to the bathroom.’” Hahaha!
    Whatever she said, I at least thought her words were encouraging about me, and it set me on a course that I am still on thirty-five years later. That’s the power of words.
    How is that power being unleashed in your speech? Because the Apostle James wrote that the power of our words goes both ways. As they can be uplifting and encouraging, they often are destructive and damaging.
    A recent study of words that parents use with their children revealed that the participants in the study used 10 negative or critical words for every positive. This kind of overwhelming negativity not only destroys the effectiveness of constructive criticism. It creates an attitude of cynicism and defeatism in the home and children.
    A good rule of thumb is, “Three spoons full of sugar for every spoon full of medicine.” There are times when we must tell difficult truths. Some criticism is necessary. But it is only constructive if it is well received. And few of us receive criticism in a constructive way unless it is coming from encouraging people.
    So today...beginning right now, look around and see where the power of your words can be put to use. There are probably some in the same office as you, certainly those who live in your home, who need your honest encouragement. They need the power of your words to be unleashed in a good way, in them.
    You might be the one, this very day, to be instrumental in setting a course for someone, that will change their life. And it might be just because of something you say. That’s the power of words!

Does God Ever Lead Us?

    A couple of weeks ago, while examining the third commandment, I talked about the common practice of Christians attaching God’s name to their actions and choices, thereby claiming a kind of “divine endorsement” on their decisions. How often do we hear Christians say something like, “The Lord led me to __________.” And I sited a few examples where others claimed to be led by the Lord when clearly, God would not have have led anyone to contradict Scripture. There are also times when people will talk about God’s leading in their lives, and while they may not be violating something specific in the Bible, the actions they are claiming God’s leading on appear to be foolish. While I can’t judge in those cases whether or not that person had indeed heard from God, I cautioned the congregation to be very careful about attaching God’s name to anything we are doing, unless it is specific in Scripture or we are absolutely sure that God is speaking to us about the matter. To claim that the Lord is leading us, when it’s really our own emotions, or desires, or even logic, is to violate the third commandment.
    And I’ve heard from a number of you since. Because it would be difficult for me to answer each of you individually, let me respond here as best I can.
    First, God does speak to us at times outside of Scripture, and those who have received Jesus as Savior do have the Holy Spirit within them, who leads, teaches, convicts, and directs. God certainly does want us to go to him about the common things of life. If you are interested in a guy or a girl for a relationship, he wants you to talk to him and ask him for wisdom. He wants you to pray about things such as what job you take, what house you buy or apartment you rent. But he also enjoys seeing you make your own decisions. When my kids ask for my advice, I freely give it, but they make their own decisions (now that they are adults). Just as God wants us to include him in the choices we make (and his revealed will should be first and foremost), he also wants us to take responsibility for our decisions.
    Perhaps a better way to include God and yet take ownership of our actions, is to seek Biblical principles, ask for advice from mature believers who demonstrate wisdom in their own lives, pray and ask for promptings from the Holy Spirit, and then make the decision. And rather than insisting that God is the one who decided for us, let’s just admit that we did what we believe was right and best.
    If you insist that God brought you and your girlfriend together, how will you explain it if/when she breaks up with you? Will you insist that she is rebelling against God by ending the relationship that you claimed he brought about? Think of all the times we (myself included) have said, “The Lord is leading…” about something that didn’t work out. Where God leads, it works. And the fact is, sometimes we think it might be God, when it’s just what we want to do anyway. Think about this, in the Bible, when God led people to do something specific, it usually wasn’t very pleasant, and it wasn’t what they wanted to do (Moses, Jonah, Paul). Usually when we claim that the Lord is leading, it’s what we would want to do anyway. So you say the Lord is leading you to ask that girl out...but I’ll bet you have a crush on her anyway. ☺
    I know that it is often said that God has a very specific plan for everyone. But let’s remember, we are not biological robots. There are times where he gives very specific instructions. But most of the time, he enjoys interacting with us regarding our lives, and he enjoys seeing us make choices and taking responsibility for those choices. Always claiming the Lord’s leading cheapens the concept, and takes attention away from when he really is. Let’s all be careful to only attach God’s name to those things where we are absolutely sure he has spoken. Then, when we know he has, it is all the more meaningful!

Life is Precious and Precarious

    What a week. I’ve been reminded with three unrelated people who are close to our family that life is precious, and it is also precarious.
    It’s harder to remember that in modern America. We have had the best health care system in the world since sin began. I know some are convinced that we have major nutrition issues in our culture (and there are no doubt problems with chemicals, trans-fats, etc.) but life expectancy and overall health in modern times has never before approached what we take for granted today. Workplace regulations, improved transportation systems and vehicle safety, along with better rounded diets and a medical system that today routinely treats and cures injuries, diseases and conditions that took our ancestors’ lives by the millions just a generation ago, we live longer and healthier lives than ever before.
    But for every one of us, it will still all come to an end some day. And it will be a surprise.
    My daughter-in-law’s father is just two years older than me. Saturday he was snowboarding and oblivious to any health concerns. Tomorrow he is having emergency brain surgery to remove a rapidly growing brain tumor.
    Yesterday we learned that one of Erica’s closest friends was admitted to intensive care for a perplexing condition. It was so serious that we were not sure if she would make it through the night. As I am writing this, she is still hanging on by prayer.
    This morning, we learned that another close friend of the family was found unconscious. She is also in the hospital and her prognosis is still unclear.
    Life is precious, and despite our improved safety standards, nutrition, and health care, it is still precarious!
    And that’s why the song, “Live Like You Are Dying” is so powerful. Because we all are. We are all dying. Are you living like it? And what does that mean?
    First, I think it has to mean being prepared for death. That’s what the Gospel message is all about, the good news that Jesus has taken care of the problem of death in his death and resurrection. That’s why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 – “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
    But it also means living our lives in light of eternity, recognizing that everything in this life either affects eternity in a good way, or it is a waste. And I don’t know about you, but I am not interested in wasting this one earthly life that I have. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul compared our lives to building material. He said that when we do things for God and for others, it is like building with material that improves when heated. But when we do things out of selfishness, it is like building with wood, hay or straw. He said going though death is like our lives passing through a furnace. The selfish actions will all be burned away and we will have nothing to show for it or to bring into the next. Our acts of service toward God and for others will only be purified in the furnace, and will be there as reward for us for all eternity.
    Life is precious, you only get this one. And life is precarious, you never know when it will end. Are you prepared for this one life to end? And are you using this one life to prepare for eternity? Because it is precious and precarious!

What Makes It Strong?

    My daughter and I were recently on a hike though the most unusual woods I had ever been in. It was a bamboo forest. Have you ever seen bamboo growing wild? While it is technically in the grass family, bamboo shoots rise higher than a most trees in the Midwest. The “forest” Erica and I hiked through was so thick that at 1:00 in the afternoon, with not a cloud in the sky, the tops shielded the sun so much so that it felt like nightfall down where we were walking.
    One shoot had fallen over and Erica stepped on it. A giant crack reverberated and the shoot, still green, broke where she had stepped. I thought, “Wow, these are fragile.” I grabbed a standing shoot and started to shake it. I didn’t, but it was quickly apparent that I could pull the 30 foot tall cane down by myself. While we were walking, we heard constant banging, squeaking, and crackling, from the canes rubbing up against each other in the wind (it was almost musical). As we left the forest, I noted how strong the wind was blowing...15mph, or so. I wondered, “How does the bamboo grow so tall and remain unharmed against the forces of nature? What keeps it from being blown over in the wind?” I did notice that on the edges of the forest, many shoots were uprooted and lying on the ground, probably from the wind. But yet, there was a giant forest of them still undamaged.
    And then it occurred to me. The bamboo in the forest was protected by the other bamboo in the forest. The wind blows and any stalk standing alone would be merciless against it. But in a forest of bamboo, the strength of the wind is both dissipated and the other shoots support and hold up one another. The flowering branches at the tops of the shoots were all intermingled with one another, both blocking the sun (why it was so dark down below) and holding each other up against the strength of the wind.
    The bamboo forest stands tall and remains strong because it is a forest.
    And so it is in Christian community.
    Lone Ranger Christians are vulnerable against the attacks of Satan and pressure from the world. When God saved us as individuals, he saved us to be part of his family. We were created for community and saved to both promote it as well as participate in it. We are like bamboo. Alone, we will quickly fall prey to opposing forces. Together, we can give and receive all the support that is needed.
    Are you on the fringe? Are you like the bamboo shoots that are susceptible and unsupported. Are you trying to go-it-alone? Have you yet to fully embrace the value of Christian community?
    The local church is God’s brainchild, and he established it for your benefit. Dive in! Serve. Support. Be supported. If you haven’t signed up yet, join a Life Group today!

You Die Like You Lived

    Even if you are not a country music fan, you are probably familiar with Tim McGraw’s, “Live Like You Were Dying.” It’s a great song with a great message.
    But have you considered that most people die like they’ve lived?
    I was struck with the news article I read online about the woman in Houston who was found in her home after having been dead for several months. She had a son who lived less than 10 miles from her, and other family nearby, but no one bothered to check on her or wondered why they had not heard from her. No one found it curious that her phone did not answer, or why the house was always dark. Not family, not her neighbors. One neighbor said, “She kept to herself and didn’t interact with us and we didn’t bother her.” Not even after she had been dead for months.
    How sad. But it is the fruit of a life lived that way. She didn’t pursue relationships with her family, not even her own children. And they didn’t pursue back. She didn’t care about her neighbors. And they didn’t care back. I would imagine her funeral was quite empty.
    I conduct dozens of funerals a year. I’m choosy about who I marry, but not who I bury. I try to take advantage of funerals in order to share the gospel. But I have to say, conducting funerals for selfish people is hard. And you can usually tell, even when you didn’t know the person. Because they almost always die like they lived. If they loved other people, they were surrounded by loved ones when dying and those loved ones make it known, not only by their presence, but by what they say and how they say it at their funeral. People die the way they lived.
    How are you going to die? I’m not asking, “if”. We know that answer...you will and it will probably take you by surprise. But how you die, whether alone or surrounded by loved ones, is being determined now...by whether or not you are loving those ones who could be there when you need them and when you are gone.
    How much you accumulate, how many arguments you win, juicy info you learned or shared about others, things you did for yourself, none of that is going to be precious to you as your life comes to a close. But loved ones you have gathered by loving others selflessly today...that’s what will matter, and they will be precious. I hope you are busy gathering them now. 
    “Live like you are dying.” It’s a good saying. “You die like you are living.” That’s a true saying. But you really get something when you put the two together. If you live like you are dying, you’ll die like you really lived.

Are you Jean Valjean or Inspector Javert?

    Have you seen Les Mis? Many of us were familiar with the story long before this most recent Hollywood version hit the theaters last month. There was a 1996 version of the movie which was well received, more than a couple of theatrical versions, and the Broadway rendition being the basis for this recent movie. The story was written by French playwright Victor Hugo, who first wrote it as a novel and then a play. It moved from France, to Great Britain, and then to the United States where it became a global phenomenon.
    This most recent movie was received with mixed reviews, both by critics and the public. And while I understand the producer’s desire to stick with the Broadway production of making the entire play a musical, I could have gone without the singing dialect. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the music...loved the songs and have downloaded a couple to my iPhone. But when the characters were talking with each other, why couldn’t they have just TALKED? I guess that’s just my lack of artistic appreciation.
    But the story...what a story! It so well illustrates the choice each of us must make in how we handle grace that is offered to us.
    Jean Valjean was given grace and in appreciation, he lived the rest of his life passing it on to others, becoming a conduit of God’s grace.
    Inspector Javert, on the other hand, lived his life with legalism, judgmentalism, and a strict commitment to the kind of justice that only God can meet. When he was offered grace, he didn’t know what to do with it and his rejection of it eventually drove him to self-destruction. How sad.
    Les Misérables is the story of us. You are either Jean Valjean or Javert. God offers you the same kind of forgiveness and restart that Jean Valjean and Javert were offered. Like them, you do not deserve it and you cannot earn it. But you can receive it. And if you do, or if you have, you will pass it on.
    So are you going through life as a conduit of God’s grace for others? Or are you going through life like Javert, eager to dole out your version of justice and holding everyone to a standard that even you cannot meet? How you honestly answer that is indicative of what you have done with the grace God offers you.
    So... are you Jean or Javert?