The Answer is Water Buffalo

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”  Margaret Mead

It premiered on September 10, 1984. Ray and Carol Ziebell’s daughter, Beth Feest, was a contestant on the show in 2018. Jeopardy! has been ranked as one of the greatest TV game shows of all time.

Last Sunday, November 8^th, Alex Trebek, longtime host of Jeopardy! from 1984 until 2020, passed away at age 80 after a long bout with pancreatic cancer. In his autobiography, The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life, Trebek was once asked his favorite animal. His answer: the water buffalo. It seemed like an odd choice. So why? To which Trebek replied that they work together to care for each other, the young and the old. When attacked, the healthy animals circle the vulnerable, heads out, and defend them against attacks. Their head/neck/horns are almost impervious to attack and are known to throw a lion ten feet in the air.

That’s what we’re supposed to do! The local church – pastors, parents, old and young – we join with the Holy Spirit in the circle of protection of our vulnerable whether they’re the young or spiritually young. Maybe our new favorite animal in the church should be the water buffalo.

The Bible warns us that we’re under attack. A lone antelope may end up on some predator’s menu. Spiritually, we’re to have each other’s back. Like a herd of water buffalo, we must pull together to protect each other. What are some enemies we need to protect each other from?

Discouragement. God commanded us to encourage each other. He knows how much we need it. We live in a broken world where nearly everything channels us toward discouragement. Sin steals joy, bodies break down, plans falter, dreams die, resolve weakens and our perspective dims. We’re promised suffering (1 Peter 4:12), persecution (John 15:20), and trials of various kinds (James 1:2-3). Encouraging each other reminds us that we’re loved, important, and not forgotten. As biblical encouragement is shared it will lift someone’s heart toward the Lord. It points a brother or sister to God’s promises, reassuring them that all they face is under His control. Who can you encourage this week?

Temptation. Historian Shelby Foote tells of a soldier who was wounded at the battle of Shiloh during the Civil War and was ordered to go to the rear. The fighting was fierce. Within minutes he returned to his commanding officer. “Captain, give me a gun!” he shouted. “This fight ain't got any rear!” Our battle against temptation is ceaseless. When we love our brothers and sisters, we often know where they’re most vulnerable. Who can you help protect from temptation this week?

Reputation. “Loose lips sink ships.” The phrase originated during World War II. Gossip is the RPG that blasts holes in the fabric of the church. It harms at least three people: the one speaking, the one hearing, and the one who is being gossiped about. To protect our brothers and sisters we must redirect the gossip back to the person being talked about. When we have an issue with someone, we must go and talk to them. If damage has been done to the person’s character, the gossiper should go to the victim in humility and ask their forgiveness. They should also go in humility to others that they’ve gossiped to. It reinforces the need to reject the sin of gossip. Who do you need to help protect from gossip?

Anxiety. George Muller said, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.” Anxiety causes us to doubt that our Heavenly Father cares for us and that He’s in complete control. He loves us and is sovereignly working out His will for us. God designed His church for community. Yet, we can’t help each other beat back anxiety unless we interact with each other. It’s tempting during difficult times like this Pandemic to withdraw into our own little worlds or become family-focused, forgetting that as believers our family is much larger. Our local church, our brothers and sisters in Christ are our forever family. Who can you reassure to help them have victory over anxiety?

Anger. Chances are, almost everyone was angry at least once this past week. It may have been a minor frustration with another driver or being irritated with your kids for not putting away their toys. It could have been a situation at work. Some husbands and wives live with daily anger and hurt feelings. Some parents and their children are in a constant battle of outbursts of anger and abusive words. If you’re thinking, “Who, me, angry? I’m a Christian. I don’t get angry,” you probably have a more serious anger problem than those who admit, “Yes, I struggle with anger.” Jay Adams wrote, “Anger is a problem for every Christian; sinful anger is probably involved in 90% of all counseling problems.”

How can we help a brother or sister have victory over an angry spirit? Like the Lord Jesus dealt with the angry mob, stay in Spirit-controlled calm and peace. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath…” Then, pray for them. Many have an anger issue but because a lost world accepts it as “normal,” we either are unaware of it or rationalize it. Live out your own life as Christ’s Ambassador (2 Cor. 5:20). Represent the values, attitude, and power of His higher call. Extend kindness, grace, compassion, and healing everywhere you go. Be an agent of grace in a cruel, unforgiving world. Who can you help have victory over anger this week?

The local church is called to do many things, but if we fail to take care of its own, we’re not living out our purpose. The church is the body of Christ. Members of His body must love and care for each other. When we fail to take care of our own, we’ve ceased to function as His church. The answer is water buffalo.

 

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. 

Tony Stewart the Killer???

“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Abraham Lincoln

  The NASCAR world has been abuzz all week about Tony Stewart. In case you missed it, on Saturday, August 9^th, during a small non-NASCAR sprint car race in Canandaigua (N.Y.), as he came out of Turn 2, Tony Stewart’s car squeezed Kevin Ward’s car up into the outside wall, turning it around. Ward’s car ended up with a flat tire as a result. Kevin Ward then exited his car, incensed with Stewart's move. He marched down the middle of the racetrack, gesturing angrily at Tony Stewart as he approaches on the ensuing caution lap. Stewart clipped Ward, throwing him down the track. Ward was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

  If you’ve watched the video, it’s horrifying. Some believe that Tony Stewart purposely struck Kevin Ward. I don’t think so. Ward goes right out into the center of the track, going at Stewart’s car in a man against machine confrontation. Then, Stewart struck and killed him. Only Tony Stewart really knows what happened in that split second.

  But the main reason there’s even a question on whether it was intentional or accidental is because of Tony Stewart’s reputation for being a hothead. He’s the poster child for “Road Rage.” For more than a decade, he’s plowed down pit crew members, threatened to run fellow competitors off the track, shoved drivers in anger and even threw his helmet at a car.

  Back in August of 2012, a raging Tony Stewart threw his helmet at Matt Kenseth’s car during the Bristol, TN race. The helmet hit the vehicle square on the hood as it sped past. Afterwards, Stewart said he’d “run over' Kenseth “every chance [he] got.” In March of 2013, he accused driver Joey Logano of blocking his car in a race in Fontana, California. When it was over, Stewart stormed towards Logano, shoved him and threatened to run him over. The two drivers were eventually separated by their crews, but Stewart remained fuming. During his rookie year Stewart tried to climb in Kenny Irwin's window to get to him after an incident in Martinsville. Other incidents include post race run-ins with Jeff Gordon, a shoving incident in Daytona with Robby Gordon, and multiple incidents with reporters. It’s a long list of blowups. Just recently, he was fined and put on probation by both NASCAR and Home Depot for an incident with a photographer after the Brickyard 400. He was investigated by the Sullivan County, TN sheriff's department for allegedly shoving a woman after the race in Bristol, and a safety worker from New Hampshire accused Stewart of punching him after Stewart wrecked at the July race.

  He’s a hothead. Seemingly, he doesn’t have a control mechanism to turn off his raging temper. His outbursts are nearly always physical. If he were only yelling at other drivers, reporters, fans and safety workers that would make for a good story, but it wouldn't be worthy of fines and suspensions. But he’s known for punching, shoving and even hitting with his car.  

  While I don’t believe Stewart purposefully struck Kevin Ward, Stewart’s reputation of being a hothead is so well known, that even if he’s innocent, in the eyes of many racing fans, he’ll be judged guilty. Over the rest of his career there will always be a shadow of doubt about what really happened.

  Reputation? If someone has a reputation for flying off the handle, others start giving them a wide berth, so they won’t be trapped in a meltdown. Yet, when they do have a case of being legitimately angry, they’re often tuned out. They’ve gone ballistic too many times before.

  When someone has a reputation for lying, when they do finally tell the truth, there’s skepticism. If someone is a chronic complainer, others begin to blow them off. Yet, when they have a legitimate complaint, there’s a high potential they’ll be ignored.

  Sadly, a young person can get a reputation as a troublemaker. Because their reputation proceeds them, even when they’re innocent, they’re often judged guilty. If something happens, he or she is often the first suspect and has to prove their innocence.

  Wonderfully, reputation has a positive side as well. If you have a reputation for being a hard worker, for being diligent, for giving 100%...it can protect you. When management is looking to make cuts or if there’s an issue of poor quality work in a department, the diligent worker’s reputation will often help them keep their job and protect them from accusations.

  If you have a reputation for consistently being punctual, when you’re late because of some unforeseen delay, those who know you are surprised. A college professor with a good reputation for quality material and being fair, will have students lining up to take his class.

  Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Everyone of us has a reputation – good or bad. A good one can’t be bought. It must be earned.

  It’s virtually impossible to be an effective Christian or have a witness for Jesus, if your reputation has been soiled by sinful or obnoxious behavior. A good reputation though wins us a hearing.

  Our reputation is not how we see ourselves. It’s not even how our friends view us. It’s how those who aren’t immediately connected to us see us.  

  Many of us would do well to discover our reputation with mature and credible individuals who aren’t in our close circles. It might challenge us to make upward strides spiritually, as we learn that there are chinks in our armor that need some spiritual attention, intervention and growth.

  A good reputation is easy to lose and hard to earn. Yet, if we’re going to be effective for the Lord, a good reputation isn’t optional.

  Hypocrisy is probably the worst accusation a Christian can face. While a good reputation doesn’t come from perfectionism (we’re all sinners), it is a result though, to quote Eugene Peterson, “of a long obedience in the same direction.” How’s your reputation? What kind of person are you known to be?