NO ONE IS INSIGNIFICANT

If anyone was insignificant, it was Ross.  He lived several blocks from the church I led for over a decade.  Due to an accident many years earlier, Ross couldn’t speak clearly.  He was always dirty and unkempt.  He smelled really badly.  Very few attempted to engage him for the obvious reasons.  Yet, he was a regular attender.  His hair looked like it hadn’t met with a comb in ages.  Yet there he was week after week.  I tried so hard, time after time, to understand him, but with very little success.  Occasionally he’d stop by the church when he saw my car there and try to have a conversation with me. 

Even as the church grew, Ross continued to come.  He did have one friend in the church.  Harvey was a fellow that came real early on Sundays to distribute Sunday School materials.  He didn’t particularly care for the ways I was leading the church.  I had known him for many years because of our district camp meeting. As a kid, I had helped him ‘white-wash’ the trees at the campground.  I had respected him as a godly man because he was often blessed and would let out a loud melodic “Woo Hoo!” when he felt the moving of the Holy Spirit. 

But when I became his pastor, he seemed to see me as a threat to the homeostasis of the church.  He singlehandedly made ministry hard for me. Even when the church doubled in size, he could only see me as a threat. 

Yet, Harvey – unbeknownst to anyone but me – would periodically take Ross into the church’s furnace room and completely bathe him.  He would wash out Ross’ clothes and dry them.  He was Ross’ best friend!  Harvey seemed to be able to understand Ross better than the rest of us.  He exhibited genuine, tangible love for Ross, while most of us did our best to ignore him. 

In spite of the adversarial relationship I had to endure with Harvey, I always admired him for the love and attention that he doled out to Ross. Somehow, Ross had risen above insignificant to Harvey. 

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There is no one that is insignificant to God!  He made us all and He cares for us all! 

I look back and wonder why we didn’t at least try to do more for Ross.  If we had focused our efforts, it seems that we could have helped him.  Was there a medical procedure or speech intervention that could have given him back his ability to communicate?  Could we have helped him learn to be more approachable?  How did so many of us manage to just ignore him Sunday after Sunday?  Where was the love of Christ in me when I was so systematically confronted by one of the least of these? 

Forgive us Lord!  Forgive me, Lord!  

No one is insignificant to You!  No one!

Be aware of that as you move through this day, this week, this Christmas season!  Be alert to those who might be invisible to the crowd.  Speak to them.  Recognize them as a gift of God!  Lift their day!  You have the power to change their life!  Don't let them continue to be invisible!

EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY!

I just read a Facebook post about a homeless man who walked into a Chick-fil-A and asked if they had any extra food.  The manager told him that he would get him a full meal, then asked if he could pray with the man.  He put his hand on the man’s shoulder and prayed a beautiful prayer over him!  A father/daughter was sitting very near seeing and hearing the whole event.  He talked with his daughter about what had just happened.

Everybody is somebody!  Not only somebody, but somebody’s son or daughter.  [If we thought seriously about that, the problem of pornography would go away overnight!]  They might also be somebody’s brother, sister, friend – you can see where this is going!  They’re NOT a NOBODY!  They’re a SOMEBODY!  

Can we keep this in mind as we move through our day? 

Keep in mind that you will not cross paths with a single NOBODY during this entire day!  You will, however cross paths with a lot of SOMEBODIES! 

How will you treat the SOMEBODIES that you encounter?  Will you offer to pray with them?  Will you arrange for them to have some lunch?  Will you show a genuine interest in their words and actions?  Will you try to encourage them? 

Out of your abundance, will you make a significant effort to meet whatever need has them stressed? 

Everybody makes an impact – for good or for bad!  What will your impact be today? 

Will God be pleased with the decisions you make today?  Or will He drop His head and wonder how He can get your attention and change your heart? 

One of the good things about church is that it generally gets us to repeat words like:

    o  I love You, Lord
    o  I will serve You
    o  Have Your way, Lord
    o  I am Yours, O Lord
    o  I surrender all

But, do we leave church and forget what we’ve just agreed to?  Could it be possible that we are modern-day Pharisees?  We say one thing, but act out another?  We are pretenders?  We are posers?  We try to look good, but inside we’re selfish and prideful? 

Are we occasionally mean?  Do we gossip?  Are we stingy?  Do we hide hatred in our hearts? 

Do we treat SOMEBODIES like NOBODIES? 

Do we swap insult for insult? 

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A woman walked into The Foundery Church [give her credit – do you realize how hard it is to walk into a church for the first time?] 

As the leader explained the prayer card, she took it out of her bulletin and spent some time writing on it.  When the offering was received by our precious children, she dropped her card in the plate.   

It was retrieved by the leader of our First Impressions Team who called her later in the day to clarify the address [so that she could deliver fresh-baked cookies].  They had a nice talk as the woman expressed how she had experienced God’s presence and enjoyed the message. 

Her card stated that she’s suffering from “emotional pain caused by gossip from believers at another church.” 

How sad is that?  Driven away from the church by people who supposedly love Jesus but think that gossip and nastiness is permissible! 

She’s damaged – perhaps even crushed, but - God bless her - she's still hopeful that by trying another church, maybe she’ll find a healing and an accepting environment.  Her response card indicated that she was encouraged by the message and “almost came up to speak to the pastor”. 

The few of us who see the prayer needs have been praying for her!   

WHY?  

Because she’s a SOMEBODY!

Just remember today that EVERYBODY IS A SOMEBODY!  Keep that in mind as you bump into people today! 

PLANNED GIVING

When Debbie and I were younger, I bought gifts for her that (I noticed) she never used or wore.  I guess my tastes were different than hers.  I remember one year buying her a rather extravagant white sweater;  I was so excited for her to open it.  To the best of my knowledge - she never wore it.  When I asked her about this she gave me a rather blunt answer:  "Sometimes I just don't like the stuff you buy me."  I was frustrated!  

So, I developed a plan:  For quite a number of years, I took Debbie to the mall in mid-November for a leisurely stroll.  As she looked at various items, I made mental notes of what store we were in and where the items were located.  Then, I went back to the mall later in the day (ot the next day) and bought all of her Christmas gifts.  Problem solved!  😁

I eventually told her what I was doing.  She thought it was pretty smart!  

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I just had the most delightful hour!  I was going through a week's mail and came across Samaritan's Purse 2020 Christmas Gift Catalogue.  It lists all kinds of things you can purchase for those in need around the world:

• Hot meals for hungry children and families
• Care for an orphan
• Help by providing emergency medical care
• Serving refugees
• Helping families from disaster areas
• Helping a family earn an income
• Help a poor farming family
• Plant a grove of trees
• Give a dairy goat, cow, chicks or honey bees
• Give balls or sports gear
• Provide a family a water filter 
• Help dig a well
• Provide life-changing surgery
• Support a mission hospital
• Help build a house or a church or a hospital

It just goes on and on.  I expect to soon get a similar gift book from International Childcare - where Debbie and I have two sponsored children:  one from the Philippines and the other from Kenya.  You have to act now for them to receive their gifts by Christmas time!  ;-)

So many in our world need so much!  We already have SO MUCH!  These various catalogues offer the opportunity for gifts of any size!  You don't have to give hundreds or thousands.  

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I vividly remember quite a few years when we realized we had grossly overdone it for our kids at Christmas!  It was embarrassing.  We bought too much!  

Now that we're retired, we don't buy as much.  We live comfortably and try to be as generous with others as we can.  

So many - even here in our own country - are hurting this year.  Our generosity can make a difference.  

HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON THEIR HEAD

Bizarre title, huh?

It comes from a verse in Romans 12:19-20,

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”  [NT quote from Proverbs 25:22]

In yesterday's blog, I reviewed the first part of I Samuel 24, where David is hiding in a cave in the wilderness and King Saul stumbles into the cave to relieve himself.  David's men see it as a God-given opportunity to kill the King and ascend to the throne.  But David refuses their advice because of his high standards;  he will not harm the Lord's anointed one.  However, he does get close enough to cut off a corner from the king's robe.  

As Saul leaves the cave, David follows him and points out that he could easily have killed the king.  He clarifies that he has no intention of ever harming Saul.  He bows before Saul - prostrating himself with his face to the ground!  He proclaims himself a faithful servant of Saul.   

See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.  [vs.11-12]

Saul's response is remarkable:

Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”

So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.   [vs.16-22]

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How did David heap hot coals on Saul's head?

By being overtly generous with him.

1. David spared Saul's life!
2. David bowed before Saul and gave him respect.
3. David called Saul, "My Lord, the king!"  "...my father..."
4. David exposed his heart of innocence:  "my hand will not touch you."
5. David made an oath that he would never cut off Saul's descendants or wipe out Saul's name.

This is the essence of the principle taught in Romans 12 and Proverbs 25.

One commentary that gets it right is the Bible Knowledge Commentary on Proverbs. It says this:

Sometimes a person’s fire went out and he needed to borrow some live coals to restart his fire. Giving a person coals in a pan to carry home “on his head” was a neighborly, kind act; it made friends, not enemies.

Proverbs 25:22 instructs us to give our enemy so many burning coals they have to carry them the way burdens are carried in the Middle East: in a container on the head. Then they can go back and immediately bake their bread without having to wait for the wood to become suitable coals for cooking.  

This reminds me of how Abraham Lincoln responded when asked why he did not seek to destroy his enemies, but showed them leniency instead. He said, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”     

 [Jeremy Meyers, https://redeeminggod.com/heap-burning-coals-on-your-enemies/]

As representatives of God's grace, we must learn to treat our enemies with such generosity, respect and kindness that they will see our righteousness and respond in kind.  

Kind and Loving God,

This kind of living is the opposite of the way most of us think.  We are driven by revenge and hate.  But Your upside-down Kingdom calls us to a higher response.   With the help of Your Holy Spirit, we can do this!  Help us to see all our options in the future and choose ways that will promote our enemies into friends!  

For the Kingdom's sake.  Amen.