A Christ-follower with a limp

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Racism: You can't just pour it out

“Racism isn’t a bad habit; it’s not a mistake; it’s a sin. The answer is not sociology; it’s theology.” Tony Evans

While I appreciate Howard Schultz’s intent, I believe that he probably wasted time and money. Schultz, founder and former CEO of Starbucks, closed more than 8,000 of their U.S. stores for several hours on May 29^th, to conduct anti-bias training in a company-wide effort to deal with the fallout over the arrest of two black men at a Starbucks in Philadelphia. After the incident last month, Starbuck’s leaders apologized and met with the men. They also scheduled an afternoon of training for their 180,000 employees on May 29^th.

In the incident, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were asked to leave after one was denied access to the bathroom and they hadn’t purchased anything. Moments later they were arrested by police after they sat down to await a business meeting. It was all recorded on a cellphone and went viral, triggering protests, boycott threats and debate over racial profiling.

Starbucks acknowledged that the arrests never should have happened and has since announced anyone can use its restrooms, even if they’re not purchasing anything. In a company-wide move to combat racism (as well as a wise PR one), they scheduled workshops to train employees in racial sensitivity. It’s estimated the shutdown cost Starbucks $12 million.

First, let me say very candidly, when it comes to racism, I have more questions than answers. This evil is so pervasive and is seemingly growing. The answers are not simple and demand a long-term commitment.

That being said, education is not the solution. Racism is not a head problem, it’s a heart problem. Even in the Church, we often buy into the myth that if we just teach people, i.e., educate them, we’ll solve a problem. Do any of us honestly believe that there’s anyone in America who doesn’t know smoking is hazardous to your health? There have been warning labels on cigarettes since 1965. “Education” has been unsuccessful in reducing smoking. Am I suggesting that we give up on educating about the evils of racism? Absolutely not. We must realize though education can’t overcome an evil heart.

Legislation and more laws is not the solution. With the deification of government, we erroneously believe we can legislate out bigotry. We can’t. The multiplicity of more laws often only increases insensitivity. They become so ubiquitous and complicated, that they’re virtually unenforceable and are ignored. It’s a bit like overmedicating an elderly person with conflicting medications. You solve an ill yet cause others. That’s frequently the outcome of over-legislation.

There is a place for legislation in combat bigotry, but it’s limited. Legislation can help. Our world would be much poorer without the heroic efforts of English politician, William Wilberforce, who poured his life into seeing the slave trade outlawed. Or, President Lincoln who ending up being assassinated for his commitment to seeing slaves freed in America.

Racism is not just a black and white problem. It was very eye-opening in Taiwan when my son, Aaron, pointed out that Malaysians, who often are caretakers of the elderly in that culture, are sometimes discriminated against because they’re immigrants, are of a different ethnic group and can be powerless. Bigotry can find its place in any heart or ethnic group. Louis Farrakhan’s hatred is as abominable as the Imperial Wizard of the KKK.

Let me suggest then some godly steps toward combatting bigotry.

I must always begin with the sinner that I know best – ME. I must look in the mirror of God’s Word at my own heart. Because I’m easily self-deluded, I must ask the Spirit to search my heart (Ps. 139:23-24) and reveal sinful bigotry that may have hidden itself…and it’s a continual process.

I must always see others as image bearers of God. Being color blind is as impossible as it is to ignore gender. Personally, I don’t think that we should be. Would anyone want to live in a world without the rich palette of color in God’s Creation? In the same way, shouldn’t we be grateful and appreciate the rich ethnic differences that God has ordained in humanity?

Our recent trip to Taiwan created a love in my own heart that my new daughter-in-law had first sown – a love for Asians generally and the Taiwanese specifically. My growing appreciation for them was cultivated in that they’re so unlike me. Biblically, how can a Christian justify discrimination toward anyone for whom Christ died? “For God so loved the world” has not changed.

The Church must re-focus its resources. Imagine firefighters coming upon a raging inferno, yet instead of attacking the hottest part of the blaze, they instead focus most of their resources on a few small brush fires? One only has to listen to the daily news to know where the greatest needs in America are. Where are the greatest problems with crime, violence, poverty and a myriad of other sociological evils? Are they in the suburbs? Small town America? No, they’re in our urban centers.

The American Church needs to re-study the book of Acts and Pauline missionary methods. Paul focused on urban areas. Personally, I’m thankful for godly leaders like Tim Keller in New York City calling the American Church to focus on urban America. I’m thankful that we at Grace are able to partner with Tom and Joanna Kubiak as they plant a church in Chicago.

Someday there will be no racism. Every believer will be part of a gathering from every tribe, people and language standing before the throne of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9). I want to be part of getting as many there from every people group as I can. Don’t you?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Lost on Sunday

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

J.R.R. Tolkien

The boss of a large company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the computer servers. He dialed the employees home phone number and was greeted with a child’s whispered voice on the first ring, “Hello?” Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to a youngster the boss asked, “Is your Daddy home?” “Yes” whispered the small voice. “May I talk with him?” the man asked. To the surprise of the boss, the small voice whispered, “No.” Wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, “Is your Mommy there?” “Yes,” came the answer. “May I talk with her?” Again, the small voice whispered, “No.” Knowing that it was not likely that a young child would be left home alone, the boss decided he would just leave a message with the person who should be there watching over the child. “Is there anyone there besides you?” the boss asked the child. “Yes,” whispered the child, “A policeman.” Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee’s home, the boss asked, “May I speak with the policeman?” “No, he’s busy.” whispered the child. “Busy doing what?” asked the boss. “Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman,” came the whispered answer. Growing concerned and even worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the earpiece on the phone the boss asked, “Well, what is that noise?” “A hello-copper,” answered the whispering voice. “What is going on there?” asked the boss, now very alarmed. In an awed whispering voice, the child answered, “The search team just landed the hello-copper!” Alarmed, concerned and more than just a little frustrated the boss asked, “Why are they there?” Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle, “They’re looking for me!”

While we haven’t called in a Search & Rescue, we are looking for some of you. Summer has hit and with the nice weather, it’s very easy to be “missing in action” when it comes to worship and church attendance.

It’s easy and tempting to skip church. We can feel a bit like we got away with something…like playing hooky as a kid and not getting caught. Missing out on worshiping our awesome God and being with His family, catches up with us. While I’m thankful that we can live stream our services, it’s not like actually being at church.

A good comparison to weekly worship attendance is like going to the gym. You join. Pay for a membership. You’re determined you’re going to be there. And then life hits. We rationalize and come up with varied excuses. If we could read people’s minds on Sunday mornings, we’d see all kinds of interesting thoughts…I’m tired. It’s my only day to sleep in. I can worship God better in nature. One of the kids is sick. We have family/friends in from out of town. I’m not feeling that good. I have so much work to do. I just don’t feel like going…I’ll go next week.

Most of us wouldn’t miss work for the reasons that we miss church. That sadly says much about our spiritual values and priorities. When something is important, when it’s valuable – we find a way to make it happen.

As the gym is the natural context to pursue physical fitness, the local church is the supernatural context to pursue spiritual fitness. The church is God’s gymnasium. As a Christian, you’re running a race. If you want to run it well, you need training to help you reach and maintain peak performance. It’s in the local church you find the trainers who instruct and guide you, that you follow the training regimen God has planned out for you. It’s here that you work out alongside peers training for their own race so you can be inspired by their labor and you can motivate them in return. If you’re going to be in good shape spiritually, you must prioritize weekly church attendance.

Read your New Testament. The local church is central to God’s plan for this world. Much of what God means to teach the world, He teaches through the church; much of what He means to display to the world, He displays through the church; much of what He means to accomplish in the world, He accomplishes through the church. No ministry can outshine it, no program can replace it, no power can topple it. The local church is God’s plan and God doesn’t have a backup plan.

Did you know that nearly two-thirds of those with a gym membership never actually go? At one time their intentions were good. They determined they’d get in shape and signed on the dotted line. Yet, without conviction and habit they quickly stopped.

Many Christians are the same with church. They have their church but attend only occasionally and serve very sparingly. On its own, a gym membership can’t get you a fit body. You need to actually go to the gym to take advantage of its equipment and programs. Likewise, merely choosing a church does nothing for your soul. You must participate in the church and take advantage of what it offers. That’s why if you’re going to grow and be healthy spiritually, weekly worship must be a priority. Many desires, responsibilities, hobbies can interfere with church attendance. Rest assured, Satan doesn’t want you to come. It’s only as we make church our highest priority on a Sunday morning and, as far as possible, allow nothing to interfere, that we’re going to be there.
Joining a gym yet skipping shows. You know it the next time you climb a long flight of stairs. Skipping out on worship also shows. First, it gets easier. Then, you find your values begin to change. Your attitude and language soon accompany it. You’re shocked to discover that you’re a little more impatient, negative and self-absorbed. Church attendance gives us a bigger view of God and helps us love others. That’s what Hebrews 10:24-25 teaches. Skipping out is spiritually expensive.

Monday, May 28, 2018

Life is fragile

“Time is long but life is short.” Stevie Wonder

The human tendency is to be presumptuous when it comes to life and death. This past Wednesday my breath was taken away as a heartbroken friend shared that a student on his way to high school, just a few days before graduation, was in a tragic car accident and killed. His brother, also a passenger, survived but had to be flighted to Froedert Hospital.

None of us…young or old…is guaranteed tomorrow. Scripture warns us of the fragility of life: “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:17). Life is short and uncertain. There are no guarantees about tomorrow, let alone next year or ten years from now. You may be young and healthy this morning but could be a corpse by sundown tonight.

Perhaps you’re thinking, “That’s so morbid! I don’t want to think about that!” But if you ignore the fragility of life, you won’t live your life wisely, purposefully, in light of eternity. We must remember that…

Life is frail. None of us know what’s going to happen ten minutes from now. We easily presume on an unknown future that we have no control of and no guarantees about! The healthiest young person among us could easily be dead by nightfall. There are so many easy and unexpected ways to die! Right after college I had a 13-year-old boy die in my arms while we were playing Capture the Flag on a winter retreat. No one knew that Marty Wright had a heart condition. Visit any cemetery. While most of the graves are for those who had full lives, there are many who were taken in youth.

While you shouldn’t obsess on these things, if you never think about them, you’ll waste your life and won’t have a proper view of God and eternity. You’ll foolishly make plans and go on about life as if you’ll be forever young and healthy…but you won’t be.

Life is very short. It was foggy this past week. A vapor is short-lived. The mist is there one moment, moments later it’s gone. Steam rises off your coffee and in just a second, it disappears. Life is like that. In Psalm 90, Moses laments the brevity of life, comparing it to the grass in the field that sprouts in the morning and by evening, it has faded under the hot sun.

Even if you live to be a hundred, how quickly life flies by! One wise wag said life is like “the roll of toilet paper—the closer you get to the end, the quicker it goes!” It’s why Moses prays (90:12), “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Only God can give us the wisdom we need to spend our short life profitably in light of eternity.

Death is certain. George Bernard Shaw astutely observed, “The statistics on death are quite impressive. One out of one people die.” You’d think that because death is not just probable, but absolutely certain, and that it can happen at any minute, and that each person must stand before God to give an account for his or her life, then every person would be desperate to know how to get right with God. Yet, strangely, people put it out of mind and go on about life as if they will live forever.

They can watch the catastrophe of a volcano in Hawaii or a shooting at a high school in Texas, shake their heads in disbelief, and go out the door to their daily routines without getting on their faces before God and repenting of their sins! That’s truly amazing!

When we hear about disasters, whether human-caused like that Texas shooting, or due to natural causes, such as hurricanes, make sure that you have a right relationship with Jesus Christ, that you’ve repented of your sins and know Him as your personal Lord and Savior. To be unprepared for something that’s 100% certain is beyond foolish.

God is Sovereign. First, this means that we’re not in control. Wonderfully, a loving God is. While there is nothing wrong with making plans or planning for the future. In fact, planning is commended in Scripture (Luke 14:28-32). Financial planning is good stewardship if it’s done in dependence on God and with regard for biblical priorities. It’s wise to have a will or a living trust. It’s wise to have some savings to cover possible future expenses or an emergency. Scripture commends hard work and being rewarded financially for it. The problem is when we plan as if we are in control and not submitting and trusting in our Sovereign God.

The last days of the famed British statesman and colonial leader, Cecil Rhoades, were filled with terrible disappointment. Rhoades died from heart disease at a time when he was beset by personal scandals and discredited by unwise political decisions. As he neared death, those gathered around heard him murmur the words, “So little done, so much to do!”

Rhoades had migrated to South Africa from Britain for health reasons. It was there that he’d made a vast fortune in gold and diamond mining. Though he’d made a fortune and had accomplished so much, he died feeling that there was much more to do.

What is it that you have your hopes and dreams set on? What is it that you plan to do with the rest of your life? You and I must be wise and heed Scripture’s warning on the fragility of life. As Edgar Guest wrote:

He was going to be all that a mortal could be: TOMORROW.

No one would be kinder or braver than he: TOMORROW.

A friend who was troubled and weary, he knew

Who'd be glad of a lift, and he needed it too,

On him he would call and see what he could do: TOMORROW!

But what if tomorrow never comes...

Sunday, May 20, 2018

We lost more than the Boy Scouts

“Don't wait to make your son a great man - make him a great boy.”

Recently, the Boy Scouts of America announced that the organization will begin accepting girls as members, thus ending their uniqueness. Many commentators have lamented the moral decline of the Boy Scouts, seen in the organization’s continued capitulation to the ideology of contemporary mores. Since its inception, the Boy Scouts offered a pathway from boyhood to manhood, a vision of the good life that brought together nature and nurture and lifting up a moral vision to be pursued and cherished.

Spending time outdoors with others in community was a way of traveling the ancient path of wisdom and virtue. Wisdom: learning how to flourish by living according to the grain of the universe. Virtue: choosing patterns of life that lead to the development of moral intuitions and character growth.

The Scouts offered a way for boys to track their progression toward the fulfillment of an idealized manhood. All the knot-tying and skills-learning were primarily about bringing yourself in line with the way the world works. It was about preparing and becoming a man, a man of character.

Today’s culture overflows with examples of “boy-men”– men who live in perpetual adolescence, never quite outgrowing juvenile behavior. Achievement today is mastering the latest video game, winning at beer pong, or sexual triumphs. Earlier generations of men achieved the traditional benchmarks of masculine maturity via marriage, parenting, stable employment, and a completed education by their twenties.

Very few do that today. Over the past several years, there have been a number of studies conducted where thousands of women were asked what traits come to mind when they think of the typical man today. Commonly used labels weren’t complimentary. They used terms like: Narcissistic, Perverted, Emotionally stunted, Deficient in communication skills, Unreliable, Afraid of commitment, Lazy. The typical profile of a 25-year old man today is drastically different than it was in past generations.

We could bemoan this, criticize and even ridicule young men…or we could do something supremely biblical. We censure the next generation for being irresponsible, so why don’t we determine to take responsibility to help the next generation in our midst? As a church, we can be part of the solution. We must seek to encourage redemptive manhood. It’s an ancient path that hasn’t gone away. It includes wisdom and virtue, though showered by divine grace. This path is clearer and more appealing than ever. The One who walked it before us made sure that it was narrow.

What can we do to give godly guidance to young men? There’s no magic formula. God must be at work in teaching us and our boys. It’s God that must be the one who causes them to grow (1 Corinthians 3:7), but we can plant and water. A vital way though that we can help the next generation is by first modeling for them what it is to be a man. So, what are some marks of maturity? In the Bible, maturity is always spiritual. It’s wisdom in knowing God and His will and applying it to your life (Proverbs 1:1-7).

Each Christian man must determine to set an example by his own manhood. He must commit to be like Paul, who said, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” That’s a big challenge and every man fails to live up to it at some point. In no special order, here are some traits that we must teach to boys to help them become men.

Take responsibility. Boys run from responsibility; men run toward it. Men hold down a job, know what it is to be committed and act maturely. If he doesn’t, then he’s little more than a boy with a beard (Prov. 10:1).

Have a backbone. Being a man means you must have the courage to take a stand for what’s right. It means speaking up for the powerless, defending the weak, fighting injustice and fighting for your family (1 Cor. 13:13).

If you have a wife and family, provide for them. Your wife and children must know you’re willing to go hungry to make sure that they don’t. It’s not the government’s job to take care of them. It’s yours. There’s no shame in asking for assistance if you need it, but you must be willing to work hard and take an unfulfilling job to take care of your family (2 Thes. 3:10).

Control your emotions. Emotions are God-given. There are healthy and important ways to express them. Don’t be ruled by them. If you don’t learn to master anger and other emotions, they’ll master you (Prov. 29:11).

Keep your commitments. Pay your debts, keep your word, and always speak the truth. When you’ve blown it, admit it and seek forgiveness. Don’t make your decisions based on your feelings; make your choices based on your commitments (Psalm 15:4).

Trust God. God made you and His plan for your life is the only plan that counts. Don’t be foolishly prideful so that you try to do it on your own. Life is meant to be lived in relationship and dependence on Him. If you walk with Him, you’re always headed in the right direction! (Prov. 3:5-6).

A godly man isn’t perfect. None of us will reach perfection until we’re in the presence of Jesus. A godly man though embraces manhood and knows that Jesus, not a lost world, sets the standard for what it means to be a man. He strives daily to model his life after Christ. He doesn’t excuse sin or weakness, but continually surrenders those areas to God and asks for His grace in overcoming them. Regardless of physical appearance, social status, or economic standing, each man can be a godly man if he loves God with all his heart and seeks to obey Him in every area of his life.

May God give us godly men and may God help us to help the young men in our midst to mature into being godly men!

Sunday, May 13, 2018

A Persevering Mom...Priceless!

“The race is not always to the swift

but to the one who keeps on running.”

893 Quadrillion to One. That’s the likelihood of what’s happened to 20-year-old Dylan McWilliams. He was bitten by a shark, attacked by a bear, and bitten by a rattlesnake—all in just over three years.

A few weeks ago, Dylan McWilliams was body boarding off the island of Kauai, Hawaii, when he felt something hit his leg. “I saw the shark underneath me. I started kicking at it—I know I hit it at least once—and swam to shore as quickly as I could,” McWilliams told the media. The wound required 7 stitches. The odds of being attacked by a shark in U.S. waters is 1 in 11.5 million. For perspective, the average American has about a 1 in 5,000 chances of being struck by lightning during a lifetime.

While shark attacks get most of the media attention, the odds are that you’re more likely to be attacked by a bear (which is just one more reason to never go camping 😊). McWilliams, who backpacks across the U.S. and Canada, had a black bear bite him on the head while he was sleeping on a camping trip in Colorado last July. He escaped by poking the bear in its eye but it took nine staples to the back of his head. The odds of being injured by a bear are 1 in 2.1 million. In the lower 48 States just 14 people have been killed by bears between 1900 and 2009.

I should mention that in 2015, “Mr. Lucky” stumbled onto a rattlesnake while hiking in Utah. He said the bite had little venom in it so he decided not to go to the hospital, even though he was sick for a couple of days. The odds of being bitten by a poisonous snake in the U.S. are estimated at 1 in 37,500. The odds of being killed in a car accident are much more frightening at 1 in 112 (the moral of the story – don’t ride in a car).

Dylan McWilliams chalks all this up to being in the wrong place at the wrong time and encourages everyone to experience the outdoors. “I still go hiking, I still catch rattlesnakes, and I will still swim in the ocean.” But I believe that he’s a wuss…compared to a godly Mom who perseveres.

Motherhood can truly be the greatest adventure. Being a successful Mom doesn’t come from doing all the right things, or children making straight A’s or being all star athletes or the most popular kid, or even dressing them like they just stepped out of a Kohl’s ad. It’s not from buying natural food and preparing tasty, yet nutritional meals. It’s not from being able to balance out a career with being a Mom. It’s not even from having perfect kids or little angels at church. Great Moms are those who persevere!

We all know the horror stories of Moms who walked out of their marriages and worse, walked out on their kids. Yet, one can walk out emotionally and spiritually, yet still be 100% in place physically.

Being a Mom is never ending work. It’s to give it your all and do your best 24/7, but still be told that “You’re the meanest Mom in the world!” It’s to wonder what you ever did to be despised by those who you’d willingly give your life for, faster than a New York minute. It’s to be dissed by the media and culture who seems to only be impressed by super women, like a Senator who nurses her baby on the Senate floor, yet still holds down a powerful position. Or celebrities who six weeks after having a baby are back to their svelte high school figure.

Being a successful Mom doesn’t come from being beautiful or still able to fit in your wedding gown in middle age. While there are many spiritual fruits that are part of being successful, this first one is critical – persevering. It’s means that you’re faithful and still plugged in spiritually, mentally and emotionally when you’d rather bail. It’s saying “No” and sticking to it because saying “No” is the right decision. It’s saying “Yes” as much as you can to all that’s good for your children and what will help them be godly adults even when they’re screaming “No!” And when they’re adults and have walked away from God and everything you love and thought that you’d instilled in them, you still persevere on your knees.

One of forgotten heroines of the early church was Monica. Her son was a nightmare. Because of her faith, he ran away as far as he could from her. He was vile, debauched and immoral. He was everything that a Mom hopes her child will never be, but he was. To make matters worse, she’s married to a pagan husband and has no support at home or in her marriage. But even though her son ran from her, he couldn’t outrun her prayers. She made it her mission on earth to be the one who would constantly pray for her son…Augustine. To be the one, again from a human perspective, that God would use in bringing Augustine to Himself.

In his book, The Confessions, Augustine relates that his mother, Monica, told him, “There was only one reason, and one reason alone why I wished to remain a little longer in this life, and it was to see you…to see you become a Christian.” Wonderfully, Monica lived to see her prayers answered. Augustine not only became a Christian, he became one of the greatest leaders in Church History.

Mothers, God does not ask you to be successful. His first requirement is that you persevere, that you be faithful to Him. Study the pages of Scripture and Church History. You’ll find a consistent pattern. Often in the shadows, behind nearly every man or woman who loved Jesus and made a difference for eternity, is a faithful mother who persevered. It’s a Hanna, a Eunice, a Susanna Wesley or a Ruth Bell Graham…or YOU!

Sunday, May 6, 2018

YOU can be a hero!

“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength

but by the strength of his heart.”

When members of First Baptist Church in Boerne, Texas, heard the recordings of radio transmissions from a Southwest Airlines pilot who made a harrowing emergency landing in Philadelphia in mid-April, they recognized the voice as one of their own. Tammie Jo Shults—the pilot who guided Flight 1380 to the ground on April 17^th after a midflight engine failure shot debris through a window, killing one passenger and injuring seven others.

Tammie is part of the church family at this Texas church. Longtime friend and administrative assistant in the church office, Staci Thompson, said, “When we heard the voice” in media replays of cockpit recordings, “it was just like talking on the phone. That’s what she sounds like.” The church was “impressed” but not “shocked” at reports Shults, 56, landed the plane safely after a 20,000-foot drop in six minutes, then walked down the aisle hugging passengers. Social media reports by surviving passengers hailed Shults as having “nerves of steel” and being “a true American hero.”

Tammie Shults’ “biggest goal” amid the emergency landing and subsequent media coverage is to share her faith and have it open people’s eyes to how great a God we have. But this isn’t new for her, she’s long evidenced a heart for the Lord, evangelism and ministries of compassion. She’s provided housing for hurricane victims and widows, helps care for her disabled younger sister and her husband’s elderly mother, and shares her faith in Christ with co-captains on Southwest flights.

In a feature article on Shults, The Dallas Morning News seemed almost bewildered by her Christian testimony. “It seems that nearly everyone in Boerne has a Tammie Jo story,” the newspaper stated, “and taken together, they paint a picture of a woman almost too impossibly caring, too impossibly devoted to her community.” As media reports proliferate about Shults’ heroism, Thompson said, “she wants people to know that God was there with her” on Flight 1380, “that he helped her in getting control of that plane and landing that plane. “It was because of Him, not her,” Thompson said. “She was just a teammate and a co-captain. He was the captain.”

There’s no question – Tammie Jo Shults is a hero! But she was a hero long before she safely piloted Flight 1380 and prevented a tragic disaster. Crisis, trials, disasters…even stress only reveal what we already have in us.

Several new “hero” movies will be released by Hollywood this summer, but they’re just stories. Too often the actors who play heroic roles are terrible people that one would never want to associate with in real life. The same is true of many that our culture dubs “heroes.” Think about it. What’s truly heroic about being able to throw a ball or hitting a home run? What’s heroic about being rich, talented, intelligent, strong…or attractive?

God’s Word has a totally different perspective of what it means to be a hero. The high virtues of the Christian hero, by contrast, have precious little to do with ability or accomplishment. Scripture teaches that the first and highest standard of a Christian hero is a passion for repentance. A hero is the one who knows from top to bottom that he or she is not a hero, moving through each day fully aware of their own moral failures and of a need for total dependence on the grace of God in all its manifestations. A hero must know, increasingly, how weak and needy he or she is.

A true hero is not about the business of making a name for themselves, but of lifting others up and magnifying the name of Christ. True heroism begins with Christlike character. It’s evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit.

Like our greatest hero, King Jesus, the Christian hero forgives. It’s easier to do a good deed for others, than it is to forgive an evil deed done to us. The former flows easily from a high view of the self, “I can do this giving thing for you, because I have so much to give.” The latter flows more from a low view of the self, “I can forgive this wrong done to me because I know my need for forgiveness for the wrongs I’ve done to others.”

Heroism is a Robertson McQuilkin, who made a heroic decision after he discovered that his wife, Muriel, had Alzheimer’s. At the time, he was president of Columbia International University. “As she needed more and more of me, I wrestled daily with the question of who gets me full time–Muriel or Columbia Bible College and Seminary. When the time came the decision was firm. It took no great calculation. I was a master of integrity. Had I not promised forty-two years before, ‘in sickness and in health…til death do us part?’ This was no grim duty to which I was stoically resigned, however. It was only fair. She had, after all, cared for me for almost four decades with marvelous devotion; now it was my turn.”

You don’t have to fly a jet and keep it from crashing to be a hero. Wonderfully, each of us, by God’s grace, can be a hero…to someone. A Dad can be a hero to his family by exhibiting patience and self-control when it’s tempting to lash out. A Mom can be a hero to her children by praising and encouraging when she’d rather vent and complain about her lot in life. A single can be a hero by being content in the place God has placed them, gracious rather than groaning. Each of us can be a hero where we work and live simply by caring, by thinking of others before ourselves. By putting ourselves out rather than being put out.

Yes, Tammie Jo Shults is a hero. You, though, can be one too and you don’t even have to fly a jet to do it!

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Thank You: It's NOT just the thought that counts

“As the Lord loveth a cheerful giver, so likewise a cheerful thanksgiver.”

John Eliff

This is a little embarrassing, yet, I’ve found when you need to do something, dive in. It’s an area that the Spirit has convicted me about. Godly friends have encouraged me, telling me they’ve seen growth in this area of my Christian walk, yet I know I have a long way to go. Preaching about ministry at Bill Lincoln’s Installation Service a few weeks ago made me aware that I owe you an apology. What’s my struggle? Gratitude, telling others I appreciate them, saying “thank you.” Unfortunately, it’s not one of my strengths. A growing spirit of gratitude is truly the Spirit working in me. Forward steps of sanctification are a God-thing in my life.

Please understand, I’m not excusing my failure. I’m an adult. Children are victims, adults are volunteers. That means that adults must take responsibility for who they are, and then by God’s grace, choose to change.

So, this is also for parents who want to help their children become godly adults. Gratitude wasn’t modeled for me. It may seem hard to believe, but I wasn’t taught to say, “Thank you!” I can’t remember ever being encouraged to write a thank you note. While it may have happened, I don’t remember anyone in my home expressing gratitude of any kind.

But what was modeled was harshness, pettiness and a constant barrage of criticism. Nothing was ever good enough. There was no affirmation or encouragement. Because it wasn’t modeled during those formative years, it’s a missing part that I’ve had to learn and develop as an adult. Please help your children’s future by encouraging and modeling gratitude today.

And wonderfully, God blessed me with a wife who has a strength where I have a weakness. Add to that, through the years Jane has lovingly put up with my ineptness in this area.

The bottom line though is that I’ve failed you, terribly in this area. Over the years, I’ve not told you nearly enough as my church family how grateful I am for you! Though I haven’t verbalized it, words are not enough to express how much I love our church and how thankful I am for you!

I know that I’m rough around the edges, yet you are so continually gracious and kind to me. I’ve often quipped, “God has a sense of humor – He put me in the ministry.” Many colleagues in ministry ooze kindness and graciousness. It’s not my default setting. Yet, even though I may not say it, I am so thankful for you! Here are just a few of the many reasons.

You’re gracious when I teach the tough stuff from Scripture. At Grace, we’re committed to expository preaching and systematically working through a book of the Bible. Because of that approach, we often deal with truths in Scripture that’d be easier to skip. They confront us, rattle us and make us uncomfortable. Yet, we can’t dodge them because they’re part of God’s written revelation. When some of my friends preach through a tough text, they get push back. Not me. It’s very rare that I have anyone ever question what I shared in a sermon or a Pastor’s Pen. In fact, quite the opposite. Often, I’m thanked or encouraged for saying the “hard things.”

You’re so kind to my family. Then, I have friends in the ministry whose wives or children are brutalized by their churches. Some have become so discouraged that they left the church and even the ministry.

As you know, Jane is not just my wife, she’s my best friend. I don’t know if I could stay in the ministry if I went through what some of my friends have. Yet, you are so kind to Jane! My wife is not just the “pastor’s wife,” she’s surrounded by loving sisters and brothers. It’s been very, very rare for something harsh or unkind to be said either to or about Jane.

Add to that, you allowed my children to be…children. They weren’t and aren’t perfect, yet you’ve been so kind to them. Only very, very rarely (like almost never) did we hear, “Pastor’s kids should…” When they were young and we had ministry responsibilities which required both Jane and me to attend, many were willing to babysit. Our children were continually encouraged and affirmed. That’s why they love and appreciate you because you’ve been so kind and loving to them. Recently, when Aaron got married in Taiwan, our family was overwhelmed at your thoughtfulness.

You encourage me to take breaks. Periodically, I’ll have a pastor friend call me who is being criticized about his vacation or taking time off. Yet, I’m encouraged to rest, take time off, and go on vacation…not do more.

Our godly leadership is a continual blessing! In my thirty years at Grace, I’ve been so blessed with godly, committed leadership. In many churches, leadership meetings are huge arguments and fights. It’s not uncommon for people to leave in a huff. While there are strong opinions, differences and disagreements among our leadership, we’ve been free of politicking, and carnal, self-willed agendas. I’m grateful for godly leaders who think outside of the box, who can differ without being divisive. They know how to have an opinion without being opinionated. Sometimes there’s a need for confidentiality. We’re blessed with those who practice discretion.

Over the years I’ve appreciated being privately pulled aside and graciously corrected because I was off track. And over the years, I’ve been able to graciously correct, yet not offend. It’s living out, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:6).

In 1988 when our little family pulled into Burlington, I never imagined that God’s plan would be for us to serve the Lord here for 30 years. Now I can’t imagine serving the Lord anywhere else! I’m very blessed. I have the greatest church family! I love you and am so thankful for each of you…even though I drop the ball and don’t tell you enough. Thank you for putting up with my shortcomings. By His grace, I’m growing in this area.