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. 

Must Love Dogs!

“Everyone thinks they have the best dog and none of them are wrong.”  W. R. Purche

  Okay, don’t hate me, but I don’t like dog movies. They always have sad endings. I think I’m allergic. When I watch one, my eyes can water.

  As a child, one of the first movies I remember my Mom taking us to see was Old Yeller. What a great movie...and I don’t ever want to see it again. It was wonderful tale of a boy and his dog; it was just so sad.

  Over the course of my life, I’ve had several dogs. Jane is wonderful in that she knows that I love dogs and wouldn’t want to live without one. And   I’m a big dog person. Some folk love a “pocket dog.” Not me, I want a dog that when he comes in the room, everyone knows he’s there. I’ve hardly ever met a dog that I didn’t like. I even carry dog bones in my car. I learned that from my brother Mike, who was also a dog person. After Mike passed away, his wife told me she kept finding dog bones in all his jacket pockets.

  The first dog that I remember was Blackie (we weren’t real creative with names). Blackie was solid black. We weren’t sure where he came from. He just wandered up one day and adopted us. Blackie was some type of German shepherd mix. He was very smart and he loved us. When the bus brought us home from school, we had a couple of drivers who’d even let him on the bus. He’d saunter down the aisle, give everyone a kiss, and then get off. What I remember the most about Blackie is that he was protective. If he felt that someone was a threat to one of us, he made sure that person knew they weren’t to mess with us. If another aggressive dog came toward us, Blackie risked his own life to protect us. I’ve had brothers and sisters in the Lord like that. Your reputation, your name are always safe with them. By God’s grace, I want to be protective of my brothers and sisters, too.

  The first dog Jane and I ever owned after we were married was Molly and she broke our hearts. She was so sweet and so much fun. Jane and I were in terrible ministry situation. (You know it’s a bad ministry when you cry together in your living room the first Sunday.) Molly was a bright spot, bringing lots of joy. But Molly couldn’t avoid temptation. One warm day something across the road attracted her attention. She hit the screen door just right, popping it open. Jane and I screamed at the top of our lungs, as she darted across a highway. A utility truck struck her. I can still see her body flying through the air. Over my years of ministry, I’ve met Christians like Molly. They don’t see the danger, though others are screaming warnings, they race headlong into the highway of temptation.

  But if you lose a dog, wait a little bit before you get another one. Jane and I were so brokenhearted at losing Molly, we looked in the paper that day, found someone with a litter of puppies and picked up Sherlock. He was a Heinz 57 medium sized dog and was one of most annoying dogs I’ve ever owned. Jane called him sassy. She’d scold him and he’d bark back at her. If he got off his chain, it took hours to find him. All of us know Christians like that. They’re edgy. They push it. If someone tries to gently correct them, they let you know that they don’t like it and aren’t going to take it. 

  Even though she’s been gone a few years now, I think our whole family would agree that Dakota was our favorite. She was a big golden retriever, one huge ball of yellow fluff. Aaron was about 10 when we got her. He’d wrestle with her, lay on her, torture her but she loved it. If you threw a ball for her, you quit long before she ever did. On one occasion we were at a lake and her tennis ball sunk to the bottom. If I hadn’t called her away, I think she’d have drowned herself diving for it. She was one of the kindest dogs I’ve ever owned. It took a long time to get over Dakota’s passing. When we had to finally put her down, Dr. Molitor saw the heartbreak in our eyes and nudged us out the door. Dakota was so kind. There aren’t enough kind people in this world. Worse, there aren’t enough kind Christians. Everybody loved Dakota. I wonder if more people would want our Savior if they saw His kindness in us.

  Then there’s Ernie, our chocolate lab. Ernie is a rescue dog. We actually had to have a home inspection before they’d “place” Ernie in our home. His foster parent said, “Ernie thinks he’s a rock star” and he does. He bothered me a bit when we first got him home. He was aloof, like we were fortunate to be allowed in his royal presence. If Ernie rides in the car, he doesn’t lay on the seat. He sits up like royalty, viewing his kingdom as his loyal subjects drive him down the road. Ernie doesn’t play with toys. That’s beneath him, unless it’s a Kong with food inside. But he’s my dog. He’s there waiting when I walk in the door. It probably helps that I give him a treat each time. Ernie thinks he’s the king of the house. While pride has no value, it’s so enticing. And Ernie still thinks he’s a rock star, though an aging one (Think Mick Jagger). Yet, Ernie is absolutely dependent on us. Apart from us, he’d have no food, water or exercise. We drive him to the vet and pay the tab. He’s totally a recipient of our grace, and so you and I are totally dependent on a gracious God, though we may not acknowledge Him. If it weren’t for His grace, we would be and have nothing. That doesn’t somehow keep us from pride and thinking we’re something.

  Then, there’s Harley, the latest addition. Harley was Jane’s idea in a moment of weakness. Her given name was Arlee. We drove to Michigan to retrieve her from a friend who felt it wasn’t fair she was cooped up in the house all day. Harley is the loud one. She’s cute. She’s a lover but she’s a barker. Someone walks down the street. Harley barks. A leaf blows. Harley barks. She makes a lot of noise but it’s rarely important. There are Christians like that. They make a lot of noise, continually barking about something but there’s not much substance to it. They just like to bark a lot.  

  I love dogs and but I love people more. I understand why dogs misbehave. It’s their nature. I don’t always understand when Christians do, or when I do – we have a new nature. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

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.