Being a Light To the World
What a fantastic end to a beautiful day, Father! Thank You for Your people who came together to do something for others! You and You alone are our example and motivation!
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OK, I was going to hold off, but I decided to just go with it. Tonight, we had a wonderful experience! Most of you know I pastor three churches in the Mt. Vernon area. They are all between 10-15 minutes from each other, two being more rural locations, and the newest one is in an older residential area of town. All of them would be considered small churches. Our attendance runs around 10 for one, close to 20 for another, and the mid-20s to close to 30 for the third.
All three churches are at that point in their lives where we are struggling. They want to impact the world, but age is not in our favor. For years, Karen and I were the youngest attendees. A few years ago, a couple our age joined one church, and in recent years, a couple with two young children joined another.
We have tried many things to bring other people in our direction – movie nights, fish fries, live nativities, to name a few. We touched people, but our numbers have not grown. (Now I realize that the Church is far more than numbers. But we all know that if you’re not on the increase, unfortunately, you’re on the decrease. And retirees cannot go forth and multiply.)
Anyway, my newest congregation has had a longstanding relationship with an elementary school in the lot beside them. They support the school in many ways, though again, their impact has lessened in latter years because of an aging congregation. They still do things like a school supply drive before school starts, an Undie Sunday in October, and in December, they traditionally contribute to a “Mitten” Tree – donating mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats for students who need them.
As we talked of these things, my wife’s brain got to rolling, and being the avid Pinterest fan she is, she discovered a pattern for Candy Bar Snowmen with glove hats! So, long story short, we got all three churches on board (their geographic locations all feed into this school), and tonight, we had 27 beautiful people come together to assemble 250 of them. All three pooled their financial resources to make it happen! Then, on the school’s last day of classes before Christmas break, four of our ladies are going to the school to distribute decorated pizza boxes (donated by another member!) full of enough gloves for every child in every classroom!
Personally, I find it all very encouraging! First, please pray for all three churches. We all need to clearly grasp God’s directions for us. Secondly, pray for the children and their families that each pair of gloves represents. I’m sure they run the gamut of excellent solid families to dysfunctional out the wazoo! Some are extremely blessed, while others likely live below the poverty level.
Lord Jesus, use us. Break our hearts for our world. May we be the people we need to be. May we live out Your command as found in Matthew 5:14-16,
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” NKJV
Dec 14th, 2023, Thurs, 8:18 pm
Love, Patience, and Serenity
Oh, my, the craziness of the season! Help me get it all done in a timely manner, Father – God of all time and space!
1 Corinthians 13:4a (<<click here to read the passage)
Love endures with patience and serenity… AMP
The phrase “I’ve only got one nerve left, and you’re getting on it” may be familiar to some of us. I’ve even heard it end with “…and you’re jumping up and down on it!” It is a place where many of us find ourselves.
Just today, on my elementary route, I had a 5th Grader who was a little more out of control than usual. I love her to pieces and have had her on my bus since she was in kindergarten, but today, she jumped up and down on my last nerve, and I ended up having her move to a front seat of the bus. And that’s where the kindergarteners sit. She did as I asked but remained silent until I spoke with her for a few moments before she got home.
In this case, though I had to get stern with her, my love endured with patience. I didn’t yell or belittle her; I was just firm in my demands, and there was no room for discussion. She knows that I care about her, and in speaking of why I did what I did, I pointed out the problem, but I also reinforced my “talk” with edification as well. She really is a good kid. Like all kids, she just needs occasional direction.
I can’t say that I always respond with loving patience, but I, too, am a work in progress and occasionally need direction (thank You, Lord!)
The next snippet of Scripture states Love endures with…serenity…
I wanted to know exactly what the word meant, so I looked it up. Oxford Languages on Google defined it as the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. OK…my response this afternoon was somewhat in that manner, but honestly, I did not wholeheartedly do so. Trying to keep a busload of energetic kids under control while driving a 15-ton vehicle in moderate traffic doesn’t convey the idea of serenity (just typing it makes me chuckle!) Calm, peaceful, and untroubled does not fit into this particular equation.
But does that let me off the hook? No, it doesn’t. As a follower of a God defined as love, I must endeavor to respond as He would in all situations of my life, regardless of the challenge. I have not come right out and proclaimed my beliefs, but I know my light shines brightly. Kids and adults, as well, are watching us. They are constantly evaluating what kind of people we are. And I, for one, am working hard to be a good reflection on my Lord and Savior. May that be the goal of us all. Amen.
Dec 13th, 2023, Wed, 6:39 pm
Love Is the Goal
It is a beautiful day, Father, and I want to thank You for helping me focus on You! There are still challenges, but in You, I can handle them!
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (<<click here to read the passage)
This particular portion of 1 Corinthians 13 is often read in wedding ceremonies. As I mentioned yesterday, it’s known as the Bible’s “love chapter.” It’s an inclusive list of what love is and is not.
I have not perfected what this portion of Scripture calls me to. I strive to do so, but parts of my brain often get in the way, and those parts are triggered when other people’s brains cross with mine. Those people can be total strangers, but more often than not, they are people who are close to me – maybe “work” or “church” close or, more challengingly, “family” close.
I think we’d all admit, all in all, it’s not too difficult to love people we don’t know. We have compassion for those in pain or other difficult situations. (On the other hand, it is just as easy to despise people we don’t know, say when they cut us off, say something that offends us, or are on the “wrong” side of political party lines!) But even in those circumstances, some of us can slap a mask on our face, and we can pretty readily come off as nonplused, containing our anger or disdain.
It gets a little more tricky in our interactions with people who are “work” or “church” close to us. They know us, we know them…but only to a certain degree in most cases. Some friends are closer than others, but not too many of us bare our souls to just anyone. Those kinds of friends are few and far between because it’s more challenging to trust…to put ourselves out there. Honestly, it can be dangerous to do so. Sharing our deepest thoughts and issues can have severe repercussions if they get into the wrong hands.
Now, family…that’s a whole other level of rewarding and problematic love. One of the greatest testing grounds for familial love is that we often know each other so well that we hold back very little…of nothing at all. The only thing that (greatly) surpasses the love of a mother – as just one example – is God’s love for us. But I would dare say that even the most loving of families and the most loving of relationships in those families are challenged to love unconditionally.
Putting myself out there a bit, I love my wife, my son, my mom and dad, my sister, my niece, amongst all the many other family members that I have…but if there is anybody who doesn’t see that love as often as they should, it is them. Often, they are taken for granted. Too many times, things come out of my mouth that I would never say to a work associate or someone at one of my churches, but they come out when parts of my family’s brains cross with mine.
Part of our problem is that we know each other so well that we too quickly fill in the blanks. We assume that even though things aren’t said, they want to say or are at least thinking those things. Our brains cross, and conflict is amiss. And it may not even be a real thing!
Truthfully, it needs to be more of a goal for all of us on all fronts. God is love (1 John 4:16) and if we are followers of Him and striving to be like Him, then we should diligently be working out our love for one another.
Dec 12th, 2023, Tue, 12:52 pm
Anything Minus Love Equals Nothing
Loving Heavenly Father, I am in a rough spot right now. The Christmas season always weighs more heavily on me, with church responsibilities requiring more time and thought than throughout much of the rest of the year. There are other contributing factors, but as I sat here contemplating which direction to go, I think forward is best. Help me to see You above all else, for if I can accomplish that, I am certain that all else will fall into place. Amen.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (<<click here to read the passage)
Something I frequently hear on my elementary bus is students reciting the alphabet or counting from one to one hundred. It is more prominent in that the primary grades – K, 1, and 2 – sit closest to me. It’s fun that they often do it in unison – at least two and occasionally more.
Last year, I recall a few 3rd Graders standing up front waiting to get off for school, and they were asking each other math questions. One that got thrown into the mix quite a few times was, what is this number times zero? And, of course, the sum of the equation, no matter what the first number was, was zero.
As I read through the first few verses in this infamous 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians – known by many as the “love chapter” in the Bible – it dawned on me that anything minus love equals nothing.
The Apostle Paul quickly goes through the gifts of speaking in other languages, prophecy, faith, and giving to others, and in each, he exclaims that if love is not a part of the equation, he would be nothing or that he would have gained nothing. vs2,3 NLT
As a whole, I don’t know if the Church so much focuses on finding and using the vast array of gifts available through the Holy Spirit, but there are readily obvious ones, and they run with them. Some that might fit into that category are teaching or helping others or leadership (v28). We all know people who “do” those things, and unfortunately, if we don’t seem to have what it takes to do those, we tend to sit back and not really do anything at all.
It’s important that we diligently seek out the gift (or gifts) given to us by the Spirit, but of greatest importance is that every single one of them is seasoned with love. Hold on a second, that smacks too much of a pinch or a dash of love. It needs to be understood that each and every one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts that we express but literally immersed…saturated with love – not a dash but a dunking!
Far too often, believers tend to omit love. We charge ahead doing what we think God wants us to do, and love is left on the bench. We can often talk a good game, but when we hit the floor, the field, or wherever we may go, love has to go with us. It has to lead us. It has to fill us. And when we pass on, the scent of love should linger for years to come. O Lord, may this be our life!
Dec 12th, 2023, Mon, 6:25 pm
A Pizza Has Many Parts
Father, it is one of those evenings that I must call on You to help bring my thoughts together. Enable my words to accomplish what You need them to. Use me as You will. Amen.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (<<click here to read the passage)
One of the best jobs of my entire life was when I was a children’s pastor before the turn of the century (now that sounds weird!) But from 1995-2000, that was what I did. I was responsible for approximately 100 children from birth through 6th Grade. Karen was my sidekick, and we did all kinds of wonderful things.
One program we instigated was called Ready, Set, Go! We would set up an outing to a local establishment and tie in a lesson and thematic snack to back it up! One that comes to mind was a trip to the local cat shelter. They got to play with the cats, and then we talked about how we are adopted into God’s family like the cats would hopefully be into people’s families. Our snack was crazy that night, but the kids ate it up – literally! We made “kitty litter” – crushed Honey Nut Cheerios, Tootsie Rolls dipped in marshmallow cream, and then rolled in some of the dust from the Cheerios. Yes, it was gross, but what do you expect? I worked with kids!
Another time, we visited a pizza shop, and we used today’s passage. The Apostle Paul stated,
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. v12 NLT
To make the connection with our kids, we tweaked the passage a bit and spoke of a “pizza” with many parts. I have no idea where I would find the lesson we used, but leave it to say that we talked about pepperoni and mushrooms and cheese, amongst other ingredients. All together, they all make a great pizza! It helped them connect with what God was saying through Paul.
As adults, it fails to some degree in that we know that many enjoy just a plain cheese pizza, though even that has multiple components – usually several types of cheese, tomato sauce, and, of course, the ingredients to make the crust.
With the multiplicity of gifts, the Church is a wonderful melting pot of many personalities and mindsets – a conglomeration of people from all walks of life and backgrounds making up the Body of Christ. We are so much better together than apart. What makes our combination even better is that working this way makes us even better at reaching out to the world. One ingredient all alone isn’t very enticing, but put us all together and – look out world! – have we got something for you!?
Lord Jesus, first of all, thank You for bringing these thoughts to mind – it is because of You that this is what it is! Then, most importantly, help us cherish our differences as we all contribute our unique ingredients to the whole. May we love and accept each part as we rejoice in our diversity and the tremendous impact we can expect from exposing the world to what true Christianity can be. Amen!
Dec 10th, 2023, Sun, 7:37 pm