The One Thing They Didn't (and Couldn't) Teach Me in Seminary

In seminary I was taught a lot of important things, and I use them every day in life and in ministry. I learned Bible, theology, preaching skills, ministry methods, and so much more. Seminary prepared me for pastoral ministry in countless ways.

However, there was one thing that seminary did not...and could not...teach me. You see, in my role as pastor I have had to do a lot of things that have nothing to do with Sunday morning services, visitation, and other "ministry" duties. Around the building I have cleaned toilets, wiped up vomit, mopped floors, and moved furniture. Out in the community I have spent long hours with people I barely knew, performed difficult funeral services that required hours of preparation, and counseled couples that wouldn't stop fighting even as I tried to interject quiet words of wisdom.

Many times over the years I have quipped, "They didn't teach me THAT in seminary!"

Indeed, that's true. Seminary trains pastors in very important ways, and I would encourage every future pastor to pursue seminary training. But there's the one thing seminary did not...and could not...teach: servanthood.

It's a sense of servanthood that causes me to care about things that are not in good repair in the church building. It's a sense of servanthood that causes me to get up in the middle of the night to be with someone in the emergency room. It's a sense of servanthood that fuels my joy even in the midst of a hard counseling session.

Seminary cannot teach servanthood because it's not something that can be learned in a classroom. We learn it as we grow in Christ and live for Him daily.

Servanthood is an attitude that every Christian should have. Jesus talked to His disciples about servanthood: "But Jesus called them to Him and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many'" (Matthew 20:25-28). Jesus modeled this kind of humility as He washed the feet of His disciples, and then told them to follow His example (see John 13:1-15, esp. v. 14-15). That is Jesus's model, and therefore it is my goal as His follower. Even more as a pastor, I want to live this life of servanthood.

Sadly, I have seen a few pastors who have lost their sense of servanthood. Quite frankly, it's easy to do. It's hard to maintain an attitude of God-honoring service. Servanthood can be inconvenient to my schedule and inconsiderate of my personal needs. But as a pastor, I especially want to serve even when it's hard. I cannot consider it beneath myself to do something grungy around the building. I cannot consider myself to be entitled to receive special gifts from church members. I want to be willing to set aside my study time to talk with someone who drops by to discuss a hardship they're facing. I want to be open to visit someone in the hospital even if it's my "day off." Yes, most people in the church never see these quiet hours of service, but our Lord does, and when we serve people in His name we are truly serving Him (see Matthew 25:40).

Fellow pastor, what about you and me? How's our sense of servanthood today? For that matter, I ask the same question to all my fellow Christian brothers and sisters: how are we doing in serving people today?

"Evangelism" is Scary!

Sometimes "evangelism" can be a scary idea. Truth told, we seldom feel "ready" to share the gospel. I've learned that we BEST point people to Jesus when we live our lives for the glory of Christ, and take opportunities along the way to tell people why we have hope and joy in serving God and people. Here's something I wrote to my church family earlier today:

Do you realize that God has purposely placed you where you are, whether at work or at school or in your neighborhood, in the midst of all kinds of people who need to know the love of Jesus? Every day we all come into contact with dozens of people who don't know Christ, and who will likely never walk through our church's doors on their own. What are some simple ways we can point people to Jesus? 

* We can invite them to a church service. If it's helpful, perhaps we can offer to meet them for breakfast and then bring them to church with us. 

* We can serve them in some way. Perhaps we can take them some cookies or help with their kids or offer to care for their lawn when they go out of town.

* We can engage them in regular conversation. Even if the conversation yesterday didn't open an opportunity for the gospel, maybe today's conversation will. If today's conversation doesn't lead to the gospel, let's build the relationship today so we will have the opportunity for another conversation with them in the near future.

* We can discern their needs and offer help if appropriate. Are they caring for a sick parent? Do they struggle with a rebellious child? Are they unemployed or underemployed? Maybe there are ways we can reach out to them in Christ's love and help meet a need.

Sometimes we think of "evangelism" as a huge, daunting task for which we never feel qualified. Often I find it's better to think of simply serving in the love of Christ, and looking for ways to share the "why" behind our love and care for people.

Ephesians 5:15-16: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 

Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Let's prayerfully look for ways we can point people to Jesus today.

For Crying Out Loud, Act Like a Toilet!

Today I found myself overly frustrated with a toilet that wouldn't flush properly. "For crying out loud, act like a toilet!" I shouted at the clogged-up porcelain bowl. I must confess: I get frustrated when things don't operate the way they are intended.

Then I thought of how a similar chastisement could be given to me sometimes: "Act like a Christian!" As a believer in Christ, I don't always operate exactly the way I should.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words in Ephesians 4:1: "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." In Colossians 1:10 we read, "...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." This is our job as children of God, redeemed by His blood, empowered by His Holy Spirit.

So today I want to fulfill my purpose and act as I am supposed to act. How about you?

Is Anyone Paying Attention?

As a blogger and author, I have written tons of materials and put them "out there" for the world to see.

Sometimes I wonder…does anyone really read my stuff? Am I doing any good? Does anyone even notice me? Sometimes I feel like I'm shouting into a vast, dark space, and hearing nothing but the sound of my own voice. I fear that nobody is paying attention to me, and my words are being treated as…well…insignificant. If nobody is reading the stuff I've written, they aren't getting any benefit from what I've communicated.

I was praying about this yesterday, and the Lord graciously turned it into a life-lesson for me. He reminded me that He has written a Book for me to read, so I can better understand Him and all He wants for me. Am I paying attention to what He's written?

How are we doing in this area? Are we listening to God through reading His Word and following the leading of His Holy Spirit? Or are we essentially ignoring Him and going about our daily lives, completely unaffected by what He has communicated to us?

I suspect we can all do a little better in this area. Let's start today.

God's blessings to you,
Brian Whitaker
www.whitakerwritings.com

Making MY Name Known?

Over the last three years I have been reading about how to "market" myself as an author and blogger. In a way, this concept makes perfect sense: if people don't know who I am, they will likely not read my blogs or buy the books/plays/music I've written. I'm told that if I want my message to get "out there," I have to work hard to market myself online. Yes, I have a website, a Twitter account, multiple blogs, several Facebook pages, and a LinkedIn profile.

I must admit that marketing doesn't come naturally to me. So I sometimes lie awake at night wondering how I can make my name more well-known across the internet.

But then I think about my primary purpose as a Christian and as a pastor. Is it really important to make MY name known? Or should I just point to Christ and make HIS name known?

Here's my resolution. I will do what I can to let people know about what I've written. But my primary energy will be spent on making CHRIST well-known. It's up to Him whether anyone else will ever know my name.

Always Saved?

A friend of mine posed a good question about salvation: "Can a person who has been truly 'born again' lose (or throw away) their salvation?"

I do not believe that someone who is truly saved can walk away from Christ. If God is the one who did all the work (Ephesians 2:8-9), how can we UNDO that work?

In John 10:27-30, we read about how Jesus Christ holds His sheep in His hands, and how God the Father holds His sheep in His hands. God holds on to us, not the other way around.

In Ephesians 1 we have some wonderful teaching about what God has done in bringing us into a relationship with Him. The whole chapter is helpful to read, but I would especially point to verses 11-14.

In Philippians 1:6 we read about how the Lord will be faithful to complete what He started in us. In Romans 8:38-39, we read that nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Still, we have a very sticky problem whenever we see someone who has seemed to walk faithfully with Christ for a long time, but now is not living at all for Him. What do we do with that?

Let me turn the coin over and show the other side for a moment. Yes, the Lord holds us firmly in His hand. But as Christians we also have a responsibility to follow the Lord in daily obedience.

In John 14:15, we read Jesus' words: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." He repeats and expands this teaching just a few verses later, in John 14:21-24. If we love the Lord, then obedience to Him will come naturally. And it is by our obedience that we show we truly love the Lord, as we read clearly in 1 John 5:3.

We have a duty as His disciples to take up our cross DAILY and follow Him (Luke 9:23) and to abide in Christ (John 15:1-17).

If we have been truly saved, then God holds on to us, and we are always His. But if a person can comfortably walk away from the Lord and not feel the convicting work of His Holy Spirit drawing him or her back, then I doubt that person has ever been truly saved. (Even Judas appeared to be a good follower of Jesus for more than three years, but Jesus said that Judas never truly belonged to Him.)

If someone has walked in long-term disobedience to Christ, I would take them back to the Cross. Whether they belong to Jesus but got involved in a sinful pattern, or they never belonged to Jesus in the first place - the Cross is still the place to go when anyone is ready to repent. And God is faithful to forgive (see 1 John 1:9)!

Happy New Day!

I don't get excited about New Year's Day. I don't make New Year's resolutions. That's because, with the Lord, every day is a "New Day." Every New Day offers a fresh start.

We read in Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

We read in 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Every day holds new opportunities to choose against sin and choose for God. Every day is a New Day.

* If I didn't spend enough time with my kids yesterday - today is a New Day!
* If I didn't love my wife very well yesterday - today is a New Day!
* If I blew my chance to share the gospel with someone yesterday - today is a New Day!
* If I trashed my diet and ate a bunch of junk yesterday - today is a New Day!

"One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-13).

Happy New Day!

The Secret to Getting Healthy

I was quite overweight for much of my adult life.

Around 1999-2001 I shed 80 pounds, but I didn't do it with the healthiest techniques (skipping meals isn't a good idea). A couple years later I had gained some of that back, and I continued over the years to slowly gain more.

Then in 2010 I started the process of losing 50 pounds to reach my healthiest-ever adult weight. Now as I write this I have kept to that healthy weight range for sixteen months.

People who have observed my recent weight loss have asked about my "secret." Simply put, I decreased my food intake and increased my exercise. Sorry...I couldn't find a good shortcut. I didn't use any medications or health supplements. I didn't use any popular diet or exercise plans.

But in order to finally succeed after spending 20 years of my adult life overweight, I did have to make a big change in my mindset. That, if anything, is my "secret." I decided to really learn how to "honor God with my body" (see 1 Corinthians 6:20). Along with that, I shifted my primary goal away from "losing weight," toward "getting healthy." I focused less on the number I desired to see on the scale, and more on the goal of doing whatever it might take to be healthy. This helped me think more globally about my eating (food choices as well as quantities), my exercise, and other choices that affected my body (drinking water, getting sleep, etc.).

I always knew I needed to follow both of the only tried-and-true methods: eat wisely and exercise regularly. I am not a doctor, but even I understood these two very simple concepts. I knew that if I chose wisely the things I ate, using God-given self-control, I would be healthier. And if I exercised regularly - even a simple walk or bike ride a few days a week - I would be healthier.

But this is so very hard! I am truly a glutton at heart. I spent 20 years of my adult life overweight and hating it.

Now I wish I had followed these basic principles - which I knew all along - from the beginning. I feel so much better now that I am living with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Even more, I feel the joy of obedience as I honor God with my body.

I have hesitated to write a post about this topic because I don't want to sound like I'm boasting, nor do I want to make any fellow weight-strugglers feel bad about themselves. I understand how hard it is for people to make these changes; it was hard for me, too.

Still, for the glory of God, I wanted to write these words to you to encourage you also to honor God with your body.

After I lost the weight and learned all of these life-lessons, someone else wrote a book that covered the same concepts, but much more eloquently and thoroughly than I could have written. I would highly recommend Every Body Matters, by Gary Thomas (author of Sacred Marriage, which I also highly recommend).

Since I reached my goal to "get healthy," I made a new goal to "stay healthy" for the rest of my life. I want to continue to honor God with my body. Will you do the same?

2010

2012

Keep Serving!

Last night I met a man who had been one of my favorite seminary professors, a mentor, and a friend. David Larsen is now advanced in years, "an octogenarian" as he called himself, and still he taught with great energy and biblical accuracy. I found myself impulsively asking the Lord to give me the ability to minister that effectively when I one day reach his age.

He pointed out his age a couple of times, noting that he is slowing down, and all I could say in response was, "Keep serving!" Keep on serving the Lord. Keep sharing the wisdom you've gained from pastoring and teaching for 50+ years. We who are younger in age and faith need the wisdom and the example of men like you.

If you are reading this post while feeling the pangs of growing older, please allow me to encourage you also to "Keep serving!" Even if you are in the last lap of the race we call Christian Life, keep pressing on toward the goal.  In Hebrews 12:1-3 we read these words:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." 

Likewise, we read in 2 Thessalonians 3:13: "As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good."

No matter how old - or how young - you are, keep serving the Lord with every ounce of strength you have, until the day He calls you home.

Too Busy?

God is at work "upholding the universe" (see Hebrews 1:3, also Psalm 8:1-9).  Yet He has time to listen to me - little ol' me - insignificant me - whenever I call.  He even invites me to talk to Him constantly (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17).


Despite all God has to do in the universe today, He has time to spend with me.  He's never too busy for me.


Now...what was my excuse for not having time to spend with Him?

Are We Listening?

In 2 Chronicles 36 we read about the result of Israel's long-term, nation-wide disobedience to the Lord.  Verses 15-16 contain a summary statement:


"The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.  But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no remedy."


At this point the nation was conquered and the survivors were taken into captivity in Babylon for 70 years.  


I shiver as I read this pronouncement, and I find myself asking, "How well do I listen to the LORD?"  Today we don't have prophets - we have God's Word, the Bible, a permanent written record of God's messages to His people.  Am I listening to Him through daily reading His Word and being sensitive to the leading of His Holy Spirit?  Am I paying attention to the wise counsel of God-honoring teachers and leaders?  Even more than listening - am I putting it into practice?


Or am I basically "mocking the messengers and scoffing at the prophets"?  *Shiver*


As for me and my house, we will listen to and follow God's Holy Word.  We will build our lives around what He has told us to do, obeying Him to the best of our ability, and asking for His forgiveness when we fail.  We will listen to those who faithfully teach His Word, and consider carefully the wise counsel of others who likewise seek to follow the Lord faithfully.


Will you do the same?

Making Peace with our Fears

Fear can be a very negative thing.  One can read any of a number of books or articles about various phobias that hurt people's lives.  We have all probably experienced some level of irrational, even limiting, fear from time to time.  Indeed, this kind of fear is not good, and we should work to overcome it.


In partial contrast, I want to focus a moment on the positive side of fear.  I'm not a psychologist, but as a pastor, a husband, a father, and a man who's lived with his own fears a long time, I have a few thoughts I'd like to suggest about why I embrace some of my fears.

My fears balance my impulsive tendencies.  Fear of financial damage curbs the tendency toward impulsive spending.  Fear of getting a ticket helps keep my driving under control.  Fear of "getting caught" weakens the enticing power of many daily temptations.

I have a fear of letting people down. This leads me to fulfill my obligations, follow through with my promises, and persevere even when I don't feel like completing the task to which I have committed.


I have a fear of hurting my family.  This leads me to guard my marriage and not let any other relationship surpass the relationships I have with my wife and my kids.  This keeps me from pursuing any of a number of titillating explorations that would cause irreparable damage to my family.


I have a fear of emotionally scarring my children.  This leads me to temper my moments of anger and measure my words carefully.  This leads me to apologize when I've blown it, and to admit to them that I am not perfect, but I too am growing and learning.


I have a fear of portraying the Lord as anything other than Who He is.  This leads me to carefully read the Scriptures and learn all He has revealed about Himself.  This guides me to choose carefully the authors I read so I am constantly filling my mind with thoughts that are Scripturally accurate.  This causes me to be very careful in how I speak of the Lord to others - to represent Him well.  It's not that He needs good P.R., but I absolutely don't want to be guilty of causing anyone to think about Him incorrectly.


Fears can be a good thing.  When we make peace with our fears, and see the good side of them, we can accept the good and God-honoring boundaries they provide, then move forward with confidence and joy.  


If our  fears turn to something dark, we go back to God, and remember many passages like Psalm 56:3-4: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. ...In God I trust; I shall not be afraid."

The Plans of Man - and God's "No"

In 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17, we read about a time when David made a bold plan to serve the Lord.  He wanted to build a temple - a permanent place where the Lord would be worshiped.


What a wonderful goal this was!  Even Nathan the prophet immediately confirmed the plan, saying, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you" (1 Sam. 7:3).


Then something changed.  The Lord appeared to Nathan and told him to tell David, "No."  God had given David many blessings, and throughout history since we have seen those blessings unfold.  But the privilege of building a temple would not go to David.  David had a great plan, but God said, "No."


As I ponder this, I think about all the times I think of something great I want to do to please God.  I have big dreams, and in my heart I truly want to honor the Lord - this is good and right.  But sometimes as I set out in one direction or another, I hear the Lord say, "No."  Sometimes it startles me.  Sometimes I am tempted to protest - to defend my plan - to tell the Lord what a good idea it was, because surely He didn't understand it fully before giving a negative answer. This may seem silly, but this is how my mind works (and perhaps yours does as well).


David accepted God's "No."  I am wise when I do the same.


As we read in Proverbs, "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand" (19:21, see also 16:1 and 16:9).  In James we read that we "ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that'" (4:15).  We can plan - and we should plan - but those plans should always be subject to the leading of the Lord.  God's ways are truly best!

A Small Sacrifice

A friend of mine wrote an e-mail with a keen observation that the idea of sacrifice is largely unexplored - or at least, under-explored - in Christian teaching and writing.  He noted that in our lives, every time we choose one thing, it involves forgoing something else (e.g., one cannot spend the entire winter skiing and go to school at the same time).  He also noted that many personal issues begin with an unwillingness to sacrifice something.


I wrote a few thoughts in response to his e-mail, which I want to post here for others to consider:


You've got some good thoughts here.  I see your point that the idea of sacrifice is perhaps underemphasized, yet it is a clear component of true Christian faith (as well as a reality of life in general, as you have noted).


There are two potential reasons I can think of which might explain this underemphasis in Christian writing/teaching:


1) Christians already get a bad rap for talking about "dos" and "don'ts" and the list of "fun" things that are "prohibited" (I'm using the language of many people, not necessarily what I would personally say).  To combat this, Christians may tend to steer clear of the idea of sacrifice.


2) Most of the time when we speak of the gospel message, we're emphasizing what we GAIN in a relationship with Christ, rather than what we GIVE UP.  That's partly because that emphasis is more attractive - yes - but it's also because when we truly comprehend all that Christ gives, we begin to see that the things we give up along the way were never worth much to begin with.


This is consistent with Jesus' parables about the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value, recorded in Matthew 13:44-46:


"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."  


In both cases, the men didn't even think about the cost, because they knew they were getting the bargain of their lives, so to speak.  What they gained was infinitely greater than the cost, even though it cost them everything they had.


Yes, there is a cost.  Yes, the cost is high.  Yes, there is sacrifice, as you've noted.  But - WOW! - the gain is so much better.  I'm not just talking about a future in heaven - that is great, but not the entire package deal.  I'm talking about daily joy and peace that nothing in this world can offer.  I'm talking about the vast treasure of getting to know the God of the universe, and to be able to talk to Him, and to have relationship with Him.  I'm talking about the awesomeness of His Holy Spirit at work within me each and every day.  These joys far outweigh any temporary pleasures the world may offer but which I've sacrificed to follow Christ.


And this goes back to your original observation.  Now that I have been a follower of Jesus for many years, I don't really think at all about what I have "sacrificed" or "given up."  I spend my thought time learning more about the Lord and about all He has for me.  So if you ask me about my relationship with Christ, I may not even remember to talk about the concept of sacrifice, because I have I have found the Treasure, or the Pearl, and that's what my mind is focused on, and what I want to tell others about.


Dear reader, what about you?  Have you realized that a relationship with Jesus Christ is worth far more than anything you might "sacrifice" to obtain it?  Yes, a relationship with Jesus will totally change many aspects of your life, but it's worth more than anything else in this world!

Go in the Direction of the Wind

As I dug out of another Wisconsin snowstorm today, I remembered an embarrassing incident from my first winter in this state.  


Prior to moving to Wisconsin in 2003, I had never used a snowblower.  That year I purchased a used one at a yard sale for $20, and after the next big snowstorm, I ventured out on a windy evening to clear my driveway.  After a bit of trial and error, I figured out how to start the machine.  Then, looking more confident than I felt, I walked down the driveway following the snowblower.  


Within a few seconds I was covered in blown snow from hood to boot.  I quickly learned the first rule of snowblowing: don't blow against the wind, or the airborne snow will blow back all over you.  Better worded, the rule is this: only blow the snow in the direction the wind is blowing.  


There's a good spiritual lesson here.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, I want to move only in the direction the Holy Spirit is moving.  If His Spirit leads me in a new direction, I'll follow with that change.  I never, ever want to go against the leading of His Spirit.  


Henry Blackaby phrased the idea that we should discern what direction God is moving, then join with Him.  May that define my entire life as a Christian!

Snap Judgments are Often Misjudgments

I was working in the meeting room of my favorite coffee shop when a middle-aged woman walked in.  She looked around, I smiled at her, and she quickly left again.  


"Strange," I thought.  "Maybe she's just looking for someone, although it seemed like she wanted to come in.  I'm the only one in here, and there's plenty of room."  I shook it off and refocused on my computer screen.


A couple moments later, she re-entered the room and stood across the room from me, right in my line of sight.  She was intently focused on what appeared to be a smart phone.  When she briefly looked up, I smiled at her again, and greeted her.  She said nothing and quickly returned her attention to her phone.


At this point I started to become a little frustrated.  I'm not used to people acting quite so rudely.  I noticed she had a big Bible with her, which she had placed on one of the tables nearby.  I asked her if she was getting ready for a Bible study of some kind.  She waved her hand dismissively, said nothing, and stared back at her cell phone.  


Now I became more frustrated.  I tried to overlook her rude behavior, but I began to think about packing up and leaving the coffee shop.  It was suddenly a little uncomfortable there, and I was no longer concentrating successfully on my work.


As I began to gather my things, stewing a little bit at this woman who was still standing there and ignoring me, another lady carrying a Bible walked into the room and sat down at a table next to where the first woman stood.  The two of them did not speak to each other, and barely acknowledged each other at all.  "This is a really strange group," I thought.  "I'm just going to make a quiet exit."


As I finished packing, one more lady walked into the room and began "speaking" to the other two ladies in sign language.  Suddenly everything became clear.


Once again I realized how often our snap judgments about people are made without all of the facts, and thus they are almost always misjudgments.  We might see a man with a scowl on his face and think he's angry; in truth he may simply be mentally working through a tough issue.  We might greet a friend passing by and then feel dissed when they rush past without acknowledging our greeting; we don't realize they are racing to some time-critical thing, unaware of anyone else around them.  I read of one couple that left a church because their pastor didn't speak to them one morning; upon discussing this with him many months later, he recalled that this event happened the Sunday morning he had the flu, and he was racing to the bathroom because he was about to vomit.    


We have all made snap judgments about people or situations, only later to find out the facts--as well as the errors of our snap judgments. 


Judging someone's motives is perhaps the greatest way we err.  For example, we might see someone do something we don't understand, and then we make assumptions about the motive that person might have had.  In my own experience, when I have done this, I have been wrong probably 95% of the time.


James 1:19-20 says this: "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires."  When we rush down the path of judgment and then even anger, we are not living the righteous life that God expects of His people.  Better would be to pause and mentally shower every person around us with grace.  


After all, I know how gracious God has been with me!

The Danger of Being Impatient with God's Timing

We read of two specific failures of King Saul that led him to fall outside of God's blessing.  One is recorded in 1 Samuel 13.  Saul is facing an angry Philistine army, and his own soldiers are so scared that they are hiding in caves, rocks, tombs, and cisterns (13:6).  Saul is encamped in Gilgal, and has called for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to the Lord.  


Then we read these words in verses 8-14:
[Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel.  But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.  So Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings."  And he offered the burnt offering.  As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came.  And Saul went out to meet him and greet him.  Samuel said, "What have you done?"  And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.'  So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering."  And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly.  You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.  For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.  But now your kingdom shall not continue.  The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart...because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."


Saul grew impatient with God's timing, and took matters into his own hands.  His intentions may have been okay--he wanted to offer sacrifices to the Lord, time was getting short, and the prophet didn't come on time.  But only a prophet/priest is authorized to offer sacrifices; that is not the place of the king.  Saul should have waited, and trusted the Lord during the wait.


Rushing God's timing, offering a sacrifice by his own hand, turned out to be one of two sins that cost Saul his crown (the other is recorded in 1 Samuel 15).  The consequence seems harsh, but whenever one of God's appointed leaders disobeys Him, it's a big deal.


As I read this, I think of the times I have grown impatient with God's timing.  Several times I have been tempted to rush headlong into whatever course of action I thought was best, before I patiently waited for God's direction.  I have successfully fought this temptation many times, but I have also failed at times and gotten ahead of the Lord's perfect plan AND perfect timing.  


A good friend once told me that when we seek the Lord's will, He will always show us.  So the only way we can mess things up is to rush into something.  That is good advice which I have passed along to many others over the years.


Yes, we have to beware of the opposite extreme as well.  Sometimes we can wait too long and delay obeying the Lord after He has spoken, and in these cases we just need to get up immediately and go where He has led.  


But as for me, my greater problem is patiently waiting for the Lord's timing.  I understand Saul's impatience and his fall into sin in this passage.  In our culture we are not good at waiting, which is why we have microwave meals, instant messages/text messages, and so many other things that require little time or patience.  (Have you ever gotten frustrated when a friend didn't text you back within fifteen seconds?)  


In contrast, with the Lord, we often need to wait a bit longer than we think we "should."  David waited years between being anointed king and actually sitting on the throne.  Moses waited decades between God's call and the time he actually confronted Pharaoh to free the Israelites.  Sarai, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth, and many others waited excruciatingly long for children.  But...oh, the blessings of doing things God's way!  God is always at work on behalf of His people, when we patiently wait for Him.  


If you, like me, have trouble waiting on the Lord, take time to read and meditate on these most excellent scriptures:

Psalm 25:4-5

Psalm 27:14

Psalm 37:7-9

Psalm 40:1-3

Psalm 62:1-2, 5-7
Isaiah 64:4
Psalm 104:27-28
Psalm 130:5-6
Isaiah 30:18
Isaiah 40:28-31


As we wait on the Lord, we will know His greatest blessings in our lives.  The waiting place is a good place to be, because we know the Lord has a most perfect and wonderful plan for each of us as His children.  

The Cross I Have to Bear

From time to time I hear people say, "This is just the cross I have to bear."  They usually say it with a pained expression on their face, as they refer to a trial or emotional pain they suffer.


I have to be honest: I don't like this saying at all.  Here are three main reasons.


First, for us as Christians, the cross is a symbol not of our suffering, but of our freedom and joy.  Yes, the cross brought intense pain to our Savior on our behalf.  But as we look back at the cross of Jesus, we should be filled with gratitude and humility.  We don't want to limit the cross in our minds as being something ugly or terrible, because there is so much joy and hope in what our Savior did for us.  


Second, we don't want to put ourselves in the place of Christ, acting as a martyr under some kind of instrument of suffering.  Christ bore our penalty through His suffering; He took the punishment for our sin.  While we are to "Take up [our] cross daily and follow [Christ]" (Luke 9:23), this is not a cross of suffering, but a conscious choice to identify ourselves with Jesus' suffering in our place.  Again we see that the cross is to be a source of joy and peace, not of our personal suffering.


Third, why do we feel like we need to bear our own burdens, anyway?  Jesus invited us to cast our burdens on Him.  Matthew 11:28-30 say, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  


Dear brother or sister in Christ, let's walk through life in joy and victory, casting our burdens on the Lord, and looking to the cross with gratitude and hope.

The Sting of Legalism

"Hey, you," said a man behind me this morning.  I figured he could not be talking to me, so I kept going.  "Hey you," he gruffly repeated more loudly.  I turned around.  "Didn't you read the sign?"  He gestured to a sign with a rule he thought I had not followed.  In fact, I had followed it closely, but he had not noticed.  I explained that he was mistaken, shook my head in disbelief, and turned away to continue what I had begun to do.


This grumpy man was not a person in authority.  He was just a fellow man working out at the YMCA.  He didn't know me, and I didn't know him.  


As I moved on, in my fleshly responses, I was imagining conversations with him in which I confronted him for any rules at the YMCA that he might not be following to the letter.  It wasn't a holy response, and God has forgiven me for that.


But after that, I found myself just feeling...well...guilty.  I didn't feel guilty for what I had thought about him, but for the rule he had originally "confronted" me about.  Perhaps I had not done it (but in truth I had).  Perhaps I had done it incorrectly somehow (but in truth I had not).  Perhaps I just hadn't done it well enough (but in truth I had).  Even an hour later I was still rattled about that brief interaction.


I realized I had been stung (again) by legalism.  There was a rule, and in this case it was a very good rule.  But the part of legalism that stung me today was the harsh, critical (perhaps well-meaning, though it didn't feel like it) person looking over my shoulder to see if I had followed it correctly.  


And even though I had followed the rule (and I am generally a rule-follower), I began to feel guilty after the criticism that had been leveled against me.  That's one of the ways legalism hurts people.  Even if we follow all the rules, there's the possibility that we might not have followed them well enough, or quickly enough, or otherwise done them "the right way" in the eyes of observers.  


If we give in to this legalistic kind of thinking, especially in our spiritual lives, it will undo us.  Dear Christian, legalism has no place in our churches, nor in our relationship with the Lord.


In our churches legalism is a close brother with criticism, and I have personally watched it hurt many churches and even destroy some churches altogether.  Strict adherence to rules alone, coupled with criticism for those who do not follow them properly, sucks the very life out of a church.  Some churches harshly criticize those who fail to follow God's very good rules "the right way," which takes all of the joy out of following Christ.  Other churches add rules and hold them in such high regard that they demean those who don't know and follow them--rules such as "proper" attire, the "right" way to worship, the "correct" Bible translation, etc.  These things have no place in our churches.


In our relationship with the Lord, legalism may take root in our minds as we picture God looking over our shoulder, ready to "zap" us if we don't follow His rules perfectly.  Or we may (wrongly) think that God's love for us is conditional on our obedience to His rules.  (Side note: God's blessings depend on our obedience, but His love is full and complete no matter what.)  We may even think that our entrance to heaven is based on performance, rather than solely on our acceptance of the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.  Dear friends, legalism like this has no place in our lives.  It's not what God has intended for us.


God has indeed given us some rules to follow, rules which provide good boundaries that keep us healthy and ready to receive the blessings He has for us.  When we live within these boundaries, we enjoy the abundant life He intends for us, full of grace and joy.  We obey Him not because of fear of punishment, but because we love Him.  First John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome."  If we reduce these biblical guidelines to nothing more than a hard-and-fast set of rules that we check off as we follow them, then we miss the fullness of joy that the Lord intends for us.


Dear Christian brother or sister, let us live in the grace and the freedom of the Lord, free of legalism.  May we grow in our knowledge of God's grace for us, and then may we exercise that same grace toward one another.


I doubt whether the man that yelled at me today will ever read this blog.  Whether or not you do, please know I am praying that you will find freedom from criticism and learn of the grace of God.

Right in Our Own Eyes

In my annual read through the Bible (October-September), I am now reading through Judges.  A frightening theme throughout the book is how the entire nation of God's people frequently turned away from worshiping and serving the Lord.  The book covers many generations, and throughout that time the people were very fickle in their commitment to the Lord.


There's a descriptive phrase that sticks in my mind, "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25).


This is a dangerous way to live.  And, if I may be frank, this same phrase describes our American society today.  So many people around us live by what they individually believe to be right, saying truth is relative, and that everyone is right if they just live according to their personal beliefs.  This is the mistake made by the people of Israel.


May I be even more frank?  Sometimes God's own people, purchased by the blood of Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, adopt the same "do whatever is right in my own eyes" mentality.

Dear Christian, our personal standards of right and wrong must be established by God's standards, as outlined in His Word.  If we go by the desires of our own hearts, we will be led astray.  Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?  I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."  In James 1:14-15 we read about where our personal desires can lead us: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

What does the Lord specifically say in His Word about a philosophy of doing what is right in our own eyes?  Deuteronomy 12:8 warns: "You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes."  Instead, this passage goes on to say, we are to live differently as God's own chosen people.


Further, the book of Proverbs offers us some clear words.  Proverbs 12:15 says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice."  Proverbs 21:2 says, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart."


Just look back through the book of Judges (and many other parts of the Bible) and see the practical outworkings of living by "what's right in my own eyes."  We see just about every sin known to man, with horrendous consequences.  Living by this philosophy is never good. 


God's standards of right and wrong are what really matter.  When we stand before Him one day, as every person must do, He will not compare us to our own standards or the standards of others; He will compare us to the holy guidelines He gave us so clearly in His Word.


Dear Christian, let's spend time studying the Word of God and letting THAT determine our sense of right and wrong.  Then let us follow with unwavering obedience in doing what is right.  Nothing less will do.