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! 

NO ONE SEEMS TO BE PREACHING ON THESE VERSES

Leviticus 19:33-34  [NASB]

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.  The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD”

Matthew 25:35  [NASB]

“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in…”

Hebrews 13:2  [NASB]

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

I Peter 4:9  [NASB]

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

Leviticus 24:22  [NASB]

“There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.”

Exodus 22:21  [NASB]

“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” 

Malachi 3:5  [NASB]

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts. 

Galatians 3:28 [NASB]

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 5:14  [NASB]

“For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”

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I am not happy about the condition of our borders (north and south).  I believe a nation is defined by clearly identified and defended borders and firm laws about allowing people to cross those borders.  Up until a few years ago, I was proud to be a part of the country that had the most generous and clear admission guidelines for entering our nation and even becoming a citizen.  Not so, now. 

HOWEVER, despite the disagreement many of us have with these conditions, we must adhere to the counsel of the Word of God by welcoming the nearly six million illegal aliens who are filtering into all parts of our country!  Hostilities and opinions aside, they are simply seeking a better way of life and the greater opportunities available in our once-great land!  They are fulfilling their dream!

Despite our opposition to the irresponsible actions of our current administration - that have opened our borders - we must welcome these immigrants and offer our assistance as they seek to assimilate into our culture.  As followers of Christ, we have no other option.  Obedience implies acceptance!  If we were in their shoes – we would want to be welcomed! 

And our welcome should not be motivated simply by obedience!  God’s Word repeatedly exhorts us to recognize that we are all immigrants – or have been at some time in the past.  Our welcome should also be tempered by compassion – genuine and generous!  Dare we say that we should even be seeking them out and offering a welcoming and helping hand? 

As a Lyft driver, I can tell you with certainty that they are among us!  I give them rides almost every day – whether driving in Youngstown/Warren or Pittsburgh!  Communications are a challenge since most don’t yet speak English with any degree of fluency.  Over and over again, in recent weeks, I have wished that I had kept up with the two years of Spanish I took way back in junior high school!  How I would love to be able to dialogue with my passengers! 

I reiterate it is possible for us to disagree with the policies that allow this breach of law at our borders, but still be civil and even welcoming to those who are taking advantage of the foolhardy and dastardly policies regarding our borders on the part of our current administration. 

As followers of Christ, our behavior and responses are clearly dictated by the Word of God and His Spirit that directs us from within!  God, help us to be on the right side of this issue!  And may our churches recognize the opportunity for caring and evangelism that is presenting itself at our doorstep!  Shouldn't our churches be leading us in this mission of love and acceptance?

I AM RUINED

God uses books to change my heart!  I recently read a book, Kisses From Katie.  It's about Katie Davis. a young woman who - after graduating from high school - went to live in Uganda to serve the poor [book review coming soon].

Her story has challenged my heart so deeply.  I feel like Isaiah who had a vision of standing in the throne-room of God and being overwhelmed by what he witnessed!  His response:  (Isaiah 6:5  NASB)

Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
and I live among a people of unclean lips;
for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

I have been shown a literary picture of the reality of true poverty through the sacrifice and genuine love of a young girl!  Her compassion has challenged me and the opulent life that I live.  Almost everything I do now is run through a filter of how my extravagance could have been re-routed to help Katie's kids.

I read Wes Stafford's book, Too Small To Ignore, last year and it had a similar impact on me.  God is clearly speaking to me about bringing my life into conformity with His compassion for the poor! 

Last night, we ate in an exclusive restaurant in Baltimore, The Capital Grille.  Although, Travis picked up the bill, I suspect that it was for over $200.  I came home and wrestled to get to sleep.  How many children could have been sent to school for that sum? 

We've stayed in hotels several times recently;  each time I pay the bill, I think about the children of Masese (Ugandan refuse dumps) who sleep in the dirt, wear no shoes, and go untreated for worms.  I think about orphans whose parents have died and who care for one another as best they can.

I know.  This Schindler-esque thinking can drive you crazy.  It can make you do radical things.  IT CAN RUIN YOUR LIFE!!

But, like Isaiah, now that I've seen the reality I must do something!  I've been shown the evil of an affluent society.  I've faced the reality of my complicity in this evil as a result of my ignorance and cold-heartedness.  I must do something...

HERE AM I, LORD, SEND ME!!!

HOME LEADERSHIP II

One of my seminary professors, Dr. Donald Joy, taught on the co-regency of Adam and Eve.  In Genesis 1, God made them and charged them with shared responsibility!  (vs. 26-28 - NASB)

Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;  male and female He created them.  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it;  and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." 

Clearly Adam and Eve were equals in responsibility.  However, the act of sinning brought some changes.  [Read the curses in Genesis 3:13-19]  One of the changes was directed toward the woman:  (v.16 - God speaking)  "...your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." 

In Ephesians 5:22-31, this subject is revisited by the Apostle Paul.  Here, in a setting of mutual submission, Paul makes the following comments:  (NASB)

• Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  (v.22)
• ...the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church...  (v.23)
• ...as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  (v.24)
• ...the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.  (v.33)

Co-regency continues.  Both still have the same charge to subdue and multiply;  they are to live in an atmosphere of mutual submission. 

Yet, something has changed.  All subsequent 'Adams' appear to have an increased role of responsibility. 

What does headship imply? 

Domination?  No! 

Paul (inspired by the Holy Spirit) makes it clear that headship implies love!  A self-sacrificing love.  A love that puts her welfare above his own.  It is a love that (according to I Corinthians 13:4-8):

• is patient
• is kind
• is not jealous
• does not brag
• is not arrogant
• does not act unbecomingly
• does not seek its own
• is not provoked
• does not take into account a wrong suffered
• does not rejoice in unrighteousness
• rejoices with the truth
• bears all things
• believes all things
• hopes all things
• endures all things
• never fails

Hmmm...if today's 'Adams' took this seriously, I think the divorce rate among Christians would drop to zero! 

[More tomorrow]

A Beginning

A friend told me that she wanted me to go to the Senior Banquet with her.  Although she was a lttle older than me, I accepted the request.  She had great legs!  I'd always thought she was pretty.  I didn't really know her very well.

We double-dated with a friend to that banquet and had a good time.  Her yellow gown was beautiful!  She had her hair all up on top with yellow flowers and ribbons in it!  Amazing!

I don't remember much, other than that I wanted to be with her again! 

Four years later, I proposed.  She accepted.  August 11, 1973, we were married.  I've been privileged to live with that beautiful, young lady for the last thirty-eight years! 

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD."  Proverbs 18:22