Wednesday, February 08, 2023

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

I've not tended to my blood sugar over the years so now I'm on medicine. Today was the follow-up visit after getting the first prescription last Fall.

The last time I was at the doctor's office, she had a med student in tow. Today she had another one, a different one. I think I must be a fine specimen, or something.

I had lost a few pounds since the last visit. We all celebrated. Then the two of them talked among themselves about how the medicine was responsible for that. I thought we were celebrating me losing weight. Turns out, we were celebrating the medicine peeling the weight off of me.

I think I should get some of the credit. No, I think I should get all the credit. I wonder if I had eaten like I'd always eaten if the weight would have come off just because of a prescription. I think not. Further, I think even without the medicine I would have lost a few pounds because of how I've made better food choices.

Give credit where credit's due!

Notice how this happens too often? God works overtime in your life and when the breakthrough comes you take the credit. And God is ignored.

I think we should give credit where credit is due. I want to thank God for all he does for me. Some I know about; some of it I simply have no idea what he did. But I believe he loves me and works in ways that are always for my good. Thank you, Lord!

I'm glad God worked in my mind and body to help my A1C go down. The scales, too. I gotta tell you, I stepped on those scales with confident expectation today - swagger, if you will - because I knew what it would say. I was almost prideful. Almost.

God may have even used a pharmaceutical to make this happen. Maybe.

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Human Dignity

This week marked the fiftieth year since the Supreme Court's decision Roe v Wade. That decision was overturned by the Supreme Court last year and I am thankful for that. At the core of the abortion v life debate is the issue of human dignity.

A friend was let go from his job this week. I understand and agree that businesses must make decisions that sometimes negatively impact people. I tend to side with Business over Labor. This situation was particularly marked by poor communication. Patrick Lencioni says that firings/layoffs must consider the person's dignity in the way those things happen. Poor communication revealed a lack of respect for human dignity, in this case. At least a lack of consideration of respect for human dignity.

Worshippers in Jerusalem were fired upon last night in a synagogue. Several people are dead. Just a few days ago a shooter opened fire on a celebration in Los Angeles killing several including himself. Google the word "shooting" and see the results. The frequency of such things is incredible. Crime is, at least in part, an issue of human dignity.

Human dignity is important because all humans are made in the image of God. The Christian faith and the Christian Bible are clear on this. The issue is in the first few paragraphs of the Bible. The first mention of humans in the Bible is that we are made in the image of God.

EVERYTHING about people from that point forward must be considered in light of the fact that humans are image-bearers of God.

As image-bearers, the individual has responsibility to follow God.

As image-bearers, each person has the responsibility to treat each other person with dignity.

As image-bearers, each person's sin distorts how God's image within him comes out in his attitudes and actions.

Not long after the Bible mentions the image-bearers it tells us of sin and the destruction sin brings to the relationship between God and man and between man and man. Not long after that, the Bible tells of the hope of restoration and reconciliation that God provides through Jesus Christ.

As I understand what the Bible teaches about eternity, all creation will be redeemed - or brought back to a right standing with God, a standing that was marred by sin. The only exception to that are the image-bearers. Not all image-bearers will be redeemed.

God has made the way of redemption for the image-bearers a little different from the redemption of the rest of creation. The heavens and the earth, the waters and the land, the plants and the animals will all be redeemed. Image-bearers - human beings - will be redeemed if they choose to accept the salvation promised from the very first pages of the Bible.

The entire Christian Bible is the revelation of God creating all things including humans; humans bringing sin into the picture; God purposing to redeem all creation and all humans who will believe; the Incarnation of the Savior - Jesus Christ; his death, burial, and resurrection; the life of believers within the community of the Church and in relationship to the world; and the return of Christ and consummation of the redeemed.

I believe the issue of abortion must be seen in light of the human dignity due all image-bearers.

I believe the issues of Human Resources must be conducted in light of the human dignity due all image-bearers.

I will extend that statement to include marriage and family, crime and punishment, community and government. Really, I can't think of any arena where the dignity of image-bearers is not important. Sometimes I might think that the person who isn't doing a good job of image-bearing doesn't deserve to be shown dignity and respect - but I'd be wrong.

I don't get to place value on life, a life, or a person - God already did.

Tuesday, January 03, 2023

I want to be

Lots of folks make New Years Resolutions. Do you? What kind of resolutions do you make? Do you want to lose weight, eat healthy, and get in shape? Do you want to be less critical and more understanding? Do you want more followers in your goal to be an influencer?

Since when was "influencer" an occupation? I think that is particularly an Instagram and TikTok thing. I'm sure I left out the newest and most attractive social media app and all of you young enough to be my children sighed heavily, noticeably, demonstrably. If you have no idea what I'm talking about you might as well also admit you color your gray hair.

But I've noticed young men and women on these platforms listing "influencer" in their bio. Where I would list "pastor" or "husband" or "father" or "accountant," they list "influencer."

If someone self-identifies as an influencer - you see, they weren't born that way, they just say they are that way. I doubt anyone came up to them and said, "Wow, you sure have a lot of influence. Are you an influencer or something?" No, they self-identify as an influencer.

If someone self-identifies as an influencer, I'm stubborn enough to refuse to be influenced by them. I don't have enough hair to wear mine like they do anyway. The clothes they wear don't come in my size.

"Creator" is also an occupation. It means you post a lot of videos of yourself.

But the rush of our culture is to be like everybody else. That specifically means to be as different as possible while fitting into the pop culture mold of uniformity. A conundrum, huh!

Influencers have to - at the same time - be unique, just like all the other influencers. The more unique they are, the more they fit into the cookie cutter.

The outside might be as different as day is from night when you put two influencers side by side, but the inside is pretty much the same. "I want to be famous." "I want everybody to know my name."

They should go to Cheers.

Here's a true truth if there ever was one: Jesus knows your name and he wants to be your Savior, Lord, Friend, Brother.

My New Years Resolutions are more about being and becoming. I have always had a list of things I wanted to do. But this year, I have a list of things I aspire to be.

I want to be a friend my friends consider a friend they can count on. I've not been that very often.

I want to be an encourager. Too often I'm just the opposite.

I want to be generous. I tend to be stingy.

I want to be helpful, kind, joyful, patient. I know me better than you do and that doesn't sound much like me.

I want to be more like Jesus. His Spirit works within me to make that a reality, but I get in the way way too much.

If I yield to the Spirit, he will make me more like Jesus. And all those other things will be part of the package.

Then if I am a good influence on others, so be it.


photo cred: forbesindia.com and shutterfly

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Christmas Songs

 Christmas songs churn up memories. Any time of year, too.

"Gather 'round and I will tell the story of a Christmas bell..." I can hear Lynn Anderson singing that just as clearly today as when I was a kid at my grandparents' house. For those of you unfortunate souls who don't know, "Ding-a-ling the Christmas Bell" is a classic. It's on Spotify so do yourself and your family a favor and play it...today!

It's hard to beat Burl Ives singing anything related to Christmas. Can't you see the animation when he sings "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"? And "A Holly Jolly Christmas" is top-shelf.

Several years ago I was sitting in a Starbucks working on a sermon. They were playing Christmas music - a CD you could buy in the shop, "Under the Mistletoe." I bought it. Bob Dylan singing "Here Comes Santa Claus" is worth a few minutes of your time.

The Cathedral Quartet did an a capella Christmas album years ago - in the 80's maybe. Outstanding arrangements, vocals, song selections. I hear this in my head often and with my ears occasionally.

When I was a radio DJ playing Southern Gospel music, I loved Christmastime because of the really good music the groups released. I still have many of the CDs the record companies sent out to the DJs.

Y'all know that I love the Statler Brothers. The Statlers' Christmas albums are outstanding. "Who Do You Think," "Old Toy Trains," and "Somewhere in the Night" are songs I love to hear and love to sing when I get the chance. Many-a nursing home resident has endured my renditions.

For a year I was interim music director at Second Baptist Church in Russellville. My job was to keep the church singing and keep the choir together. I'm so glad Al Ray Taylor came along when he did! I loved that season and have fond memories of it.

One memory is from the Christmas musical of 1996. One of the songs told about John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" I think was the name of the song. Like many choir songs do, this one had a spot toward the end with a key change and I thought a punch in intensity would be appropriate. We practiced and the choir did great.

When that place in the song came up, I gave the choir the signal to punch it. And they did. I think I kept waving my hands like music guys are supposed to do. But I know I was sobbing uncontrollably. I was so overwhelmed by the message, the music, the performance. Much like I am right now. Can I get a hankie, please.

So this is Christmas Eve. Surely nobody will object to you playing Christmas music today. Sing along. Sing loud so I can hear you.

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Word Count Ploys

My average daily word count is likely way below the human average. I don't even know if that is calculable but it sounds deeply contemplative. What I mean is that I probably talk less than most people I'm around each day.

In full disclosure, I must say that Sundays don't count. I'm a preacher and a Sunday School class teacher.

But Monday through Saturday... Well, to be repetitive moves me closer to the other side. The dark side.

Some people run up their word count as if a championship is to be won. Imagine a bracket with two people pitted against each other and the winner advances to play another day. Some days the winner barely gets by with a buzzer beater flurry. Other days highlight a blowout...no contest.

The bracket will grow. That's what brackets do. Am I right, NCAA Football?

And the bracket grows larger over time because lucrative financial benefit looms large. Apparently irresistible. Am I right, NCAA Men's Basketball?

So I'm out at Round 1. Unless it's Sunday.

Some people run up their word count by talking nonstop. Deana and I work together and take one vehicle to work each day rather than two. I'm pretty sure that when I mentioned Deana in this context that you immediately thought I was going to give my basis for choosing her to win the bracket.

But this is not about Deana. Sometimes she can be quiet. Very quiet. That's usually when I feel the need to talk...to defend myself. (**crickets** from the other side of the room.)

On our drive home the other day I began talking about my day - which was rich with things to talk about. Excuse me, you should not end a sentence with a preposition. My day was rich with things about which to talk.

Do grammatical corrections count toward the overall word count?

The drive from work to home - and, similarly but not oddly, from home to work - is about 30 miles and 35 minutes. I've noticed several lawbreaking citizens who make the trip a bit quicker. Very few drivers respect law to the point of taking a longer period of time to make the drive.

In the past, I drove with the lawbreakers. Is it necessary to say, "In the past" if I use the past tense verse "drove"? There is no possibility to use the past tense verb to refer to any other time. That's why language has verb tenses. So people will run up their word count by saying things like, "In the past, I drove with the lawbreakers."

"I drove with the lawbreakers" and "I have driven with lawbreakers" and "I drive with the lawbreakers" and "I will drive with the lawbreakers" and "I will have driven with the lawbreakers" each give us a timeframe through which to consider when I might speed. Or might have sped. Or will speed in the future.

Was it necessary to say, "in the future"?

Actually, was it necessary to start this post with this sentence: "My average daily word count is likely way below the human average"? Humans are the only beings that use words so I could have, should have, simply said, "My average daily word count is likely way below the average."

Do you see how people can run up their word counts in subtle ways? Or in ways of grammatical error?

Or from lack of understanding? Here's what I mean. VIN number. ATM machine. PIN number. 8:00 A.M. in the morning.

My friend (he's actually my hero because he and his wife foster and adopt!) recently shared that he told his son it was time to go to bed. After a bit of debate, the boy headed to his room. A couple of hours later my friend checked in on the boy. He found the kid sitting in bed watching TV. The debate that followed ended with the child explaining to the father that he was, in fact, in bed. The boy did exactly what the father said to do.

That reminded me of my first day in seminary. The professor introduced himself then asked each student to introduce themselves. When I said what town I was from he interrupted and asked where that town is. I said, "About an hour and a half from here toward [a larger town further away]."

"Where is that?" the professor said. I gave a direction. I probably even pointed in the direction.

The professor kept asking for clarity. Everyone in the class was snickering. I was the only newbie and the other students had seen this happen before. (Sorry. When else would that have seen this happen!)

At the end of a very discouraging and embarrassing episode, he said, "You need to tighten up your language." I've come to consider this episode one of the most hilarious things that I have experienced. And the advice is something I've handed out to others (who else would I have handed it out to...I mean, to whom else would I have handed this advice?) with glee. My glee, not theirs.

Advice is that way. The giver often does so gleefully. The receiver might not experience such glee.

So I reminded my friend - who was in that seminary class - that he should tighten up his language. My friend, by the way, excels at reminding people not to end a sentence with a preposition.

Another seminary professor (perhaps my favorite of all the profs I had) spent a large amount of time on the topic of word economy. My favorite lesson relates to listing or making points. If something is "First of all," it's first. Tighten up your language.

One time I was talking with a friend about the time I smashed my fingers between the sections of the garage door. How likely is it that I would talk with a friend about this more than once. "One time" was totally an aggressive word count ploy. But when I mentioned the garage door I said (using hand gestures), "You know how it goes up and down..." She interrupted, "Thank you, Bob, for describing how a garage door works."

So on the drive home from work the other day, I used up a couple of weeks worth of words.

My favorite version of the Christmas story in the Gospels is found in John 1:14. "The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."

As you can tell, I appreciate economical word count.

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Order Beyond Death

 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

Prior to this nothing had existed except the Triune God. He made - out of nothing - all that is. It was good. It had order.


But sin made its way into humanity’s existence; death reordered everything. Prior to death - prior to sin - God’s order was the norm. Beyond just being the norm, order was all there was.


You and I live in the reordered world marked by sin and death. Men and women from my childhood pass away. The frequency of these announcements seems to be increasing; three in the last few days. We live without them. We even live without some of the kids from our school years. Even some of our own children are gone.


Each time someone who has an imprint on our lives, our lifestyles, or even our memories dies, life is reordered. That’s what death does: it reorders. First, death reordered the perfect order. Now death reorders how we’ve grown accustomed to the previous reordering.


And the cycle repeats itself again and again. Will it ever end?


Yes.


The order broken by sin and the resulting death will be restored. Jesus Christ came from heaven and was born into this world just as you and I were. He lived in this disordered life experiencing all that you and I do. However, as the experiences of this life result in sin, suffering, and death for us, it was not so for Jesus.


He lived, he experienced, but he did not sin. Yet he still suffered and died. He suffered because the world has been reordered. So when his close friend died, Jesus wept. When he saw people wrongly treated, he agonized. When he was beaten and crucified, he suffered.


His suffering was quite real and personal, but his suffering was not because of anything he had done. Likewise, his death.


His death was real and it was personal. But where death is part of the reordering brought about by sin, Jesus did not sin yet still experienced death - the death we should experience.


Why? So the cycle of reordering would end and all things could be restored as God intended his creation to be.


My family, my friends’ family members, my friends, and I will all experience the reordering of God’s good creation. We will die. But something waits beyond death.


Jesus lived and died so that any and all who trust him for salvation from the penalty of sin (which is death/separation) can live again. This time we’ll live in a place of restored order. A place where sin can no longer bring death. A place where chaos is not known.


A place where any and all who trusted Jesus for salvation will reunite.


Heaven.


I have many family and friends and heroes already there. I’m looking forward to being there, too.


But the greatest thing about heaven is being forever in the order our Creator intended and being with our Creator: the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Thoughts On Speaking Out and Listening and Anger

Lead with your ears,
follow up with your tongue,
and let anger straggle along in the rear.

We live in a time when everyone wants to be heard. And we have the technology that facilitates the longing. Have you watched...sure you have...the video of recent protests? Most of what you see was captured by a participant using a mobile phone. And pay attention to the people in the background...how many of them are holding up a phone capturing the same thing so they can post it on their social media pages? The days of getting your news late in the day on the network broadcasts or the next morning in the local paper are long gone. Those of us who actually remember those experiences (broadcast news and local papers as the first source of information) are in the minority.

Everyone wants to be heard and everyone can be heard. But that doesn't mean the playing field is level. Because you want to and can be does not mean you are heard. Communication is the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver. I suspect that many messages being sent are not being received. Like those NASA transmissions into outer space looking for extraterrestrial life. Messages being sent but not received.

What did your toddlers do when they said something to you but you didn't respond? They got louder. Eventually, they got angrier. Why? Because they didn't think you heard them. And it didn't matter if you heard them or not. It didn't matter if their requests or complaints were valid or not. They wanted to be heard.

People want to be heard today. Many have valid requests or complaints. Many messages are not being received. So they speak up. I would, too.

The messages piercing the silence are about injustice. They are about scary health issues. They are about uncertain economics. They are about not knowing what is going on or what will happen next. If they think their messages aren't being heard, they get louder. Some get angrier.

I would, too.

Have you noticed the amount of counter-messages that are out there? "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" seems to be a maxim pertaining to communication, too. As I hear messages from any side of any issue, I want to respond the right way. I'm talking about both my content and my tone.

I look to the Bible for guidance in all things. Here's what I found regarding the content and tone of my messages.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 ESV                    

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father,
and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.
Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth.
My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.
James 3:9-10 CSB                    

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6 NIV                    

Post this at all intersections, dear friends:
Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue,
and let anger straggle along in the rear.
James 1:19 MSG