I'm tired of people being ugly to each other.

It seems that the movie ‘The Green Mile’ is on some TV channel every night.  Well, at least once a week. As I flip channels looking for an Andy Griffith rerun I often see ‘The Green Mile’ is playing on some channel.  Don’t you love it?  I grew up with three channels, one was ETV so that didn’t really count, and now we can get 500 channels but there is rarely anything as good to watch as an Andy Griffith rerun that I enjoyed watching when I was Opie’s age. 

Anyway, back to ‘The Green Mile’.  If you are one of the 8 or 9 people in North America who have not seen it yet I will not spoil the movie but I need to give a little background to make my point.  The movie is about Death Row guards at a penitentiary, in the 1930's, who have a moral dilemma with their job when they discover one of their prisoners, a wrongly convicted murderer, appears to have supernatural gifts.  John Coffey seems to have an awareness of the evil in the world and the power to ‘take it back’, his way of describing his ability to reverse the evil and bring supernatural healing in some cases.  The guards begin to see his innocence and experience his special abilities and do not wish to place him in the electric chair.  In one of the most poignant scenes the head warden, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), who sees the prisoner, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), as a gift from God discusses his predicament as he will soon have to give the order to execute John Coffey in the electric chair.  He tells John he fears facing God in judgement “after killing one of His true miracles.”  John proceeds to comfort Paul telling him he is ready to leave this world with the following statement; “I'm tired, boss. Tired of being on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. I'm tired of never having a buddy to be with, to tell me where we's going to, coming from or why. Mostly, I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head, all the time. Can you understand?"

While I don’t pretend to have John Coffey’s constant awareness of all the evil in the world, I can identify with being “tired of people being ugly to each other.”  I was taught, at an early age not to act ugly to other people. One did not have to grow up in the South to be taught manners but our culture seems to have forgotten how to be civil with one another.  I remember growing up in a small town where we would eagerly throw up a hand and wave, even if we didn’t know who the other person was.  It was just a way to be nice and friendly to one another.  Now it seems that it is just as easy for some to throw up a hand at someone but the gesture is not a friendly wave…I don’t think I need to say more.  I think you know what I am talking about.  

I used to enjoy watching the news to stay informed on local and national events.  Now it seems that all they want to show is people who are fussing, and arguing to make certain their side wins over the other side forgetting they were elected to come together and do things jointly to help the nation as a whole.

As a pastor and Director of Missions I have had much experience over the years with church conflict  whether trying to bring people into unity in the church I served or as a moderator when churches were so divided they needed outside help.  I am continually amazed how people professing to follow the same Jesus can so quickly become angrily divided.  I had a conversation with a friend in a church that was struggling with such division who expressed “seeing some good points being made by both sides.”  I reminded them that once we develop sides, there are no good points.  God did not intend ANY of us to be divided…especially those who claim to be His children. 

Every human is a unique creation.  Psalm 139 tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.  We are meant to bring our uniqueness together to aid one another in a harmonious fashion to make life better for all.  An orchestra has many different instruments.  If each tries to make their own noise independently it becomes an awful racket however, when they come together following the same page of notes beautiful harmonious music is the result.  So it should be with us.  Each of our differences can help someone else if we will see one another as part of the same family working together in harmony. 

The longest recorded prayer of Jesus is found in John 17.  Jesus prayed this prayer just a few hours before he willingly gave his life as the supreme sacrifice of love for us.  He prayed first for Himself.  He had seen the horror of public crucifixion.  He then prayed for his disciples.  They had their previous life to follow him.  They had depended on him for guidance for these years and soon he would not be with them.  He knew they would have initial difficulty without his physical presence.  Then he prayed for us.  Yes that’s right he prayed for you and me 2000 years ago!  After praying for his disciples he prayed the following; “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21)  That’s us.  We came to believe through the message of the disciples.  He doesn’t pray for us to get our doctrine or music preferences together but to be “one”.  We are to be ‘one’ just as Jesus and the Father are one.  Wow! That means no matter what our differences may be we are to be united with one another in a supernatural spiritual harmony as was Jesus (who was God in flesh) and the Father in Heaven!

If this prayer of Jesus is to be answered, it is up to us to ‘stop being ugly with each other’.  We can be different in our race, gender, politics, sports loyalties, philosophy, economic status, etc. but we can never be divided or divisive if we want the world to know the love of God.  Only when people see different races, gender, political, religious, economic and philosophical backgrounds and beliefs living and interacting together in harmony and unity will they know that God sent His love to this world. 

So just as all the pain John Coffey feels and hears every day in the world like ‘pieces of glass in his head’, the lack of love and harmony among mankind breaks the heart of Jesus and destroys the prayerful desire of our Lord in his final few hours on this planet.  Therefore, starting today, make every effort to find unity with everyone you encounter.  Not only will that make your day better it will make the world better as, through such unity, “the world may believe that you have sent me.”

It's Just Not Fair!

It was of those calls you never want to get.  My dear friend for nearly 30 years was making me one of the first calls after the most recent visit with the doctor concerning his wife’s health.  I never really believed in love at first sight until I got to know them.  They were both barely out of their teen years when he first saw her across the room.  Upon first look he told his friend, “I’m going to marry that girl.”  Over 40 years later they were still in love.  She has been struggling with several health issues.  Tests were being done.  After calling his children he called to tell me, “We got some bad news.”  She was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.  There were not many options.  It is a very aggressive cancer and cannot be totally removed by surgery.  Leave things alone and she might have 90 days to live.  Preform immediate surgery to remove as much as possible and you might buy more days.  They opted for the surgery.  In his words, “We are hoping for one more Christmas together.”

And I thought I was having a rough day.  I had a bad night’s sleep and felt sluggish.  My dear friend is hoping to see his wife survive for one more Christmas.  They are both a few years younger than me and were looking forward to retirement years together just around the corner.  What do you say when there are no words that seem sufficient?  Where do you go when there seem to be no easy answers? 

As a believer, I have always sought God’s word, especially in difficult times.  But there is no index or table of contents that guides you to a passage for ‘wife dying with a brain tumor’.  However, there is a book of the Bible I have used for comfort more than most others over the years; Philippians.  Paul, God’s servant, wrote this letter to the church at Philippi as he was imprisoned for sharing the Gospel in public; which stirred up problems for the religious leaders who wanted to keep things in the religious community as they liked and controlled for their own benefit.  Now this radical street preacher was sharing a message of forgiveness and grace that messed up their legalistic religious practices not to mention their community status and hold onto political power and prestige.

They used their political influence to have Paul arrested although he had committed no crime.  From his jail cell Paul then writes the most incredible letter.  Never does he complain about the injustice of his false arrest and imprisonment.  Not once does he grumble to God about the unfairness of his circumstances. Not only was he unjustly imprisoned for causing a public disturbance with his street preaching, but now there were people who were not followers of Jesus who were preaching the same Gospel Paul had been preaching not to spread the message but to keep Paul in jail by seeking to make him responsible for the continued ‘disturbing message’ that these false followers were spreading.  Surprisingly enough there is no bitterness but the letter is filled with praise and thanksgiving. 

In the beginning of his letter to the church in Philippi he makes the following remarkable statement; “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”  (Philippians 1:12-18)

I’ve done street preaching.  It is really tough.  In a church, most of the people will be polite enough to stay until you are finished.  However, it is a different matter when you are preaching on the street.  If you can’t keep their attention they just walk away.  Paul was now off the street and in a guarded jail cell. Rather than become discouraged and bitter at the injustice of his situation he realized that he was a child of God and that same God had promised never to leave or forsake him. (Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5)  So if God was with him and God knew where he was Paul assumed that God has a purpose for him in the current situation. 

He was a preacher.  His audience was no longer the crowd on the street who could come and go at will but the palace guard, who had to remain on post.  He began to preach to the guard who could not become disinterested and walk away.  He had to stay for the entire shift until relieved by the next guard.  Paul began to realize, as God’s child I am in an ideal situation.  I will preach to convert the one stationed to guard me and when his replacement comes I have a new ‘audience’ to preach the message of Christ until they bring me another one.  I am not the captive.  The guards are my ‘captive audience’. 

When we are reminded that we are God’s child and He is always with us and aware of the situation the question changes from, “Why Me?” to “How can I use this situation to do what God has called and gifted me to do?”  God wanted the palace guard to hear and have a chance to respond to the Gospel of Christ.  So, He allowed His best preacher to be placed in jail to begin a revival with the palace guards. 

It's Just 

In this sin-scarred world there are times when we will face situations that are unjust and unfair.  In those times, remember that God has not forgotten or abandoned you.  He may not be the cause of the injustice or unfair setting of your situation and you may not like the situation but becoming bitter and angry serves no one.  Instead follow the example of Paul, look for ways you can advance God’s love in the place where has allowed you to be.  It may be the only chance that those you would normally not come in contact with may have to hear and experience the love of Christ.  That change of focus will allow you to do what Paul did and turn your perspective and your situation around.  You may not be able to change the situation but you can find God’s peace as you fulfill His purpose sharing His love in every circumstance. 

A Record Breaking Day

Today I broke a personal record.  I woke up alive for the 24,122^nd consecutive day.  I know that one day the streak will be broken but for now I am trying to push the consecutive days of being alive for a new record each morning.   It may not be a world record but it is an important accomplishment for me.  I know that others have set greater records for consecutive days waking up alive.  My grandmother’s record was over 36,000.  That is a family record also as far as I can ascertain.  Of course the all-time record was 353,685.  That is probably a record that will not be broken.  You may remember the name of the record holder, Methuselah, the Old Testament patriarch whose life span as recorded in Genesis (5:27) was 969 years.  However there are no great achievements listed from this long life.  In fact, if you do the math, you will see that he died in the year of the great flood.  More than likely he drowned along with the rest of those who lived ‘according to their desires with their hearts set on evil’ unlike his grandson Noah; who was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah did not live as long as his grandfather (346,750 days) but he accomplished much more as he is credited with the continued existence of life on this planet.  Compare that with Jesus who lived less than 13,000 consecutive days alive on this planet but He managed to be the greatest teacher, healer, miracle worker and provided eternal salvation for whoever believes in Him.  So it seems that the length of life is not as important as what one does with each day of life on this planet. 

But it is important to number our days.  We learn this from a man who accomplished a great deal in his 43,800 days; if you count freeing the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, leading them for 40 years to the promised land, climbing a mountain to speak directly with God, coming down the mountain with God’s commandments carved in stone and in addition to all that Moses wrote a Psalm saying, “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”(Psalm 90:12)  What does it mean to number our days? And how will numbering our days bring us wisdom?

Learning to number our days means recognizing the unnumbered days of God.   Moses begins the Psalm acknowledging that God is the Creator; we are created. God is eternal; our lives are passing. God’s days are without end; but our days are numbered!  This immediately puts us in position to be wise because it teaches us the true source of wisdom.  There is a being far greater than us, far greater than any other human, and certainly greater than any other idea or philosophy in all of creation. Therefore, this eternal being must be the source of all wisdom.  So a heart of wisdom comes from seeking Him more than anything or anyone else on earth…that also have numbered days. 

Learning to number our days means remembering that our lives are fleeting.  Verses 3-6 tell us that, “Our lives are like dust, like a watch in the night, like a sweeping flood, and like a passing dream. Our lives are like the grass, renewed in the morning, and withered by night.”  OK I get the point!  Life is fragile and it goes by quickly.  Grasping this truth is a giant step in gaining a heart of wisdom.  No matter the age, life for all of us is fleeting.  Even though today is a record breaking day of 24,123 consecutive days of being alive, I am continually amazed at how quickly these days have seemed to pass.  I don’t know how many days I have left but I am at the age where I know there are more in the rearview mirror than the windshield so I know I don’t need to waste a day.  No matter how old or young one may be when we realize that we need to make the most of each day we begin to develop a heart of wisdom.  I am amazed at how some people with spend so much time being angry, pouting, holding a grudge or just waste the day doing something stupid with no eternal significance (like watching hours of TV).  I want to say, “Don’t you realize that each day passes quickly and you don’t get them back, is this really what you want to do with your precious fleeting time here?” 

Moses follows the importance of realizing how fleeting and fragile life can be with a reminder that God is not pleased if/when we waste His precious gift of life (verse 12).  Another writer who was known as having more wisdom than any other man, Solomon, elaborated on Moses’ point at the conclusion of his book where he chronicled his search for purpose and meaning in life saying; “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Learning to number our days and developing a heart of wisdom means we realize that everything we do matters to God.  Even if no one else sees what we do at a certain moment it matters to God.  Every moment we are granted life is not a moment to waste but a time to receive and share the joy of this fleeting moment God has given us.  So if my streak of waking alive for ends at 24,122 consecutive days or if I go for my grandmother’s record of over 36,000, a heart of wisdom teaches me that whatever I do with the next consecutive day I wake alive or that last day of my life, I need to live each day seeking to follow the prayer of Moses at the conclusion of his Psalm where he asks that God will grant His blessing and approval on what we do with our life.  Number your days, seek a heart of wisdom and make each day a record breaker!

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

Don't Panic

I was ready to panic.  I don’t get that way very often.  Quite often, as a minister, I had to keep my cool as many looked to me to provide calm in the midst of life’s storms.  I am discovering that the older I get the more my emotions are on edge.  Perhaps I am feeling more like a man living in the wrong century as technology is replacing all the things that were once foundational in my life.  Nothing lasts forever…but this was my cell phone…and it was not taking a charge!  What’s more important in our lives today?  I have over 300 contacts; that means phone numbers, addresses, directions and important information on friends as well as important emergency medical information and contacts with doctors and hospitals.  I also have hours of music and pictures.  Why can’t I get it to charge?  I’ve had problems with the charger port previously and I cleaned it gently with an old toothbrush.  I never throw them away.  They are always handy.  I have a whole drawer full in the garage. Anyway, this cleaning didn’t work.   It still would not charge.  Oh, gosh!  If I can’t charge it I will lose all the previously mentioned valuable information and will be out of touch with everyone.  I will be the owner of a very expensive paperweight. 

I Googled “Can’t charge my IPhone”.  Man if Google ever crashed I really would panic!  I followed the instructions and still my phone would not charge.  The last resort, if it had become damaged, was to take it to an Apple store.  My mind raced back earlier in the day when I dropped it.  I didn’t think I did any damage but it is difficult to think straight when you are beginning to panic.  The nearest Apple store is in Charlotte and it is 7:12 pm.  The AT&T store where I purchased the phone was open until 9pm.  Thanks again to another Google search.  So off I went.  I had to get there ASAP!

I have a business degree and worked retail before going into the ministry.  I grew up with the idea that customer service means a person (qualified to help) would meet you at the door with a cheerful greeting and an anxious desire to serve you; the customer.  The world has changed.  Often when I go to a store I get the feeling that I have interrupted their day.  I may have to wait for them to finish their conversation/text before they look at me and wait for me to be the first to speak asking for help.  After spending several minutes seeking a person with the store nametag that identified them as an employee, I found a young man standing alone, except for whoever was on the other end of his phone.  I asked if he worked there and could help me.  He instructed me of the protocol of giving my name to the person with the tablet at the door and my name would appear on the screen when ‘it was my turn to be helped’.  I told him I was aware of the procedure but there was no one at the door.  He told me they were all busy and eventually someone would come to me.  I wanted to leave but I had an emergency.  My phone was dying in my hands and I would soon be cut off from the civilized world!

I stood at the front of the store and waited while thanking God for another opportunity to learn patience.  Yeah, right! He keeps sending me occasions to learn patience although I don’t think I will ever learn.  Finally, a young man came out from the back and asked if I was being helped.  I ‘patiently’ smiled (see God I’m trying) and said “No” and explained my problem.  He took my phone and tried to plug in the charger.  He told me it seemed that the charger port was not making a good connection.  Duhh!  I patiently smiled again (See God, I’m still trying).  He told me that often pocket lint can build up and block the port.  I explained that I was aware and tried to clean it with an old toothbrush.  He didn’t respond and took a small specialized tool, the end of a paper clip, and used his professional training to flip a ball of pocket lint from my phone’s charger port.  He plugged the phone into the charger and it immediately began charging.  The future was bright again!  I could charge my phone!  It would live on restoring my valuable information and keep me connected with the universe!  Life is good!

As I got to my car my mind returned to my old habit as a preacher.  Although I am 2 ½ years into retirement I still think, ‘What is God teaching or saying to me in this situation and how does He want me to convey this to His children?’  So, class what did we learn?

First, when your mind begins to panic tell it to STOP!  Don’t let fearful thoughts run away with your mind.  Rarely are those panicked thoughts going to come to fruition.  Most of the things we worry about never happen.  And on the rare occasion that they do we usually discover that it wasn’t as bad as we thought it would be.  There is a reason that the first words of an angel from God are always, “Fear Not!”

Second, as a child of God never forget that all the trouble in the world is not beyond His love and grace.  He will ALWAYS be there with and for you.  He told us, “I will never leave or forsake you.” (Hebrews13:5).  “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans: 8:31)

Third, there is often a simple solution for seemingly complex problems.  A simple paperclip was all that was needed to remedy the problem for one of the most advanced devices that has transformed our world, the smart phone.  Again; don’t fret, panic or be anxious.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:6-7)

So, get up each morning and trust your day (and life) to God realizing that nothing in this crazy, sin-scarred world is going to happen that will destroy your fellowship, your relationship, your standing with God or remove you from His grace and care!  By the way, my phone is charged so feel free to call or text. 😄

Man Plans, and God Laughs

Today is June 24.  Sixty six years ago at a small hospital in West Point, Mississippi Jack and Dot Drees welcomed their first child into the world.  They named him William Harold.  Most folks knew him as Billy when he was younger.  Mother started calling me Bill when I went to college.  She thought I looked younger than the other college kids and dropping the y made me seem less like a kid.  I grew up in Columbus, MS but the year I was born we lived in West Point because dad was the assistant manager of the Piggly Wiggly and I tell people I was born in West Point because I wanted to be near my mother at that time.  I know it’s a tired old joke but I like it and I don’t get many opportunities to use it.  Sorry!

As I reflect on the significance of this date I realize that 66 is not much of a milestone.  We often seem to think of the birthdays that have some significance, like 15 (I got my driver’s license) or 18 (I was eligible to be drafted into the military…not a great day in the late 60’s.  I also could vote.  By the way my first presidential vote was for Nixon.  Ending the draft was probably a big factor.  Then he quit…so much for my first presidential vote). At 65 I qualified for Medicare and at 66 I qualify for my full Social Security benefit.  Also birthdays ending in a zero are often distinct because we are entering into a new decade.  With that in mind entering the last half of my 70^th decade is not that thrilling.  Psalm 90:10 reminds me of the brevity of 70 years as “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”  After this there is no great consequence for another birthday number except marking the day one dies when people will say, “Wow, I didn’t realize he was that old” or “Man, I thought he was older than that.”  Seriously, I have learned to appreciate every day of life, especially since I should have died in 2001.  If interested, you can go back to the blog archive for February 2010 and read ‘Life is Good’…or you could take me to lunch and I will share more info.  After all, it is my birthday, and a late birthday lunch…with cake for dessert would be OK.

As I grow older I seem to lean to nostalgia more often than when I was younger and busier with ‘important things’ that seemed to matter.  Some of those things did matter quite a bit but it is interesting how ‘things that matter’ seem to change as life moves along.  We have plans and ambition but life has a way of changing our plans and teaching us how unpredictable the road of life can be.  “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” is an old Yiddish adage meaning, “Man Plans, and God Laughs.” 

Mother told me when I was too young to remember that people would ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  I would smile and say, “Nothing!”  That was cute when I was 4 but as I got older I realized I needed to develop something more concrete.  I never remember living a day without an awareness of God in my life.  I also seemed to have always have a sense that God had a plan for me.  However, my theology was not developed well enough to know how to discern His plan so I just enjoyed the ride until I got out of college and mother was probably worried that I was trying to achieve my childhood goal of being ‘nothing’.  My primary ambition was to enjoy life.  I had fun, good clean fun, but there comes a time when one realizes that such a vocation does not usually have great compensation. 

Although I was a believer, as I stated earlier, I was not mature enough in my faith to discern God’s will for my life.  As I look back I realize how strongly His hand was guiding me even when I was unaware, especially when I was unaware.  My home church was without a pastor and I visited another church in town with a couple of friends.  I did not know the pastor but somehow felt a connection that caused me to show up at his office to ask for his guidance as I “felt that God was calling me to preach.”  I was initially disappointed as I expected him to say, “Can you be ready Sunday?”  However, his advice was exactly what I needed.  I was able to reconnect years later, as a fellow pastor, and thank him for his wise words.  I have shared his words to many other young men seeking to follow God’s call over the years.

Among the things he shared was guidance to get more involved in God’s word.  “If God is going to speak to you that is where you will hear his voice most clearly.”  God spoke clearly to me as I read in Proverbs 16:3 for the first time; “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.”  God seemed to be speaking personally and directly to me telling me that He had an established plan for my life and I needed commit all my actions to Him and he would take care of the rest.  Well it is not quite that simple, I am reminded of the preacher who said, “I asked God to give me a message but I had to study for this one as well.”  We have to do the required work as we follow His lead but if we commit ourselves to Him, no matter what the vocation or direction may be, He will guide us along His plan. 

Most of the folks who knew me as Billy growing up would have never predicted me to be a preacher.  Oh, they knew me to be a good kid but extremely shy.  In fact, when I told mom and dad that I believed God was calling me to be a preacher; I never knew until many years later that when I left the room mom looked at dad and said, “I don’t think the boy will make it.”  She loved me but also knew how timid I was. 

Committing my works to the Lord led me to the wonderful wife God had already established for me and two daughters who have grown to be women whom I am proud of beyond words.  His established plan also allowed the shy timid boy to grow to be a man who has been blessed to preach on five of the seven continents on this planet.  It has been quite a journey, far greater than anything I could have planned.  I have certainly learned over the years that life is fleeting and fragile, so I don’t know how long the journey may last but I live each day confidently that His plan, and my days, are established in His hand. 

Forgive the personal reflection, but I hope the message will come across to you that no matter what age or stage in life you may find yourself, Proverbs 16:3 still works.  It is never too late to give it a try. 

Can You Be Certain?

I was doing my usual channel surfing recently.  It is a known fact that men are not as concerned with ‘what’s on TV’ as much as we are interested in, ‘what else is on TV’.  I think it comes from our heritage of being adventure seeking discoverers as ‘hunter/gatherers’.  Women are usually less prone to channel surf as their heritage leans more to ‘nesting’.  But I digress.  Back to the point, I was channel surfing and ran across a program on the recent suicide of celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain.  They were playing a montage of clips and quotes from his programs about his life and travels.  He spoke of a tattoo he had on his arm that said, “I am certain of nothing”.  This tattoo described his continuing search for meaning and purpose.  He spoke of having respect for religion but he leaned toward atheism. 

The quote “I am certain of nothing” is a partial quote from Romanticist poet, John Keats.  In a letter to his friend, Benjamin Bailey, Keats wrote “I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections and the truth of the imagination”. The letter was written speculating on religion and imagination.  It is believed that since his friend Benjamin was studying theology, they may have had discussions regarding theological philosophies during Keats stay at Oxford that influenced this letter. In this quotation, Keats is telling his friend that he is confident in the sacredness of things that the heart finds pleasure in and the reality that can be invoked by creativity.

All through history people have sought to find meaning, purpose and joy in life.  Keats found meaning in imagination and creativity.  Anthony Bourdain seemed to have a great gig going; in fact I recently told my wife that although I am enjoying retirement I would not mind his job; traveling to exotic destinations, meeting interesting people and eating all kinds of food…and getting paid for it!  However, there was emptiness in his quest that was revealed not only in his tattoo but in his final act.  He had riches, fame and was doing what he seemed to love.  He was filming another episode of his show on travel and gourmet food in the city best known for such but he decided to end his own life by hanging himself with his bathrobe belt in a motel room in Paris. 

In my days of being employed as a minister part of my work was research.  I once ran across an article, by an anonymousAre  non-believer asking ‘What is the Point of Life?’  The writer argued, “that the only reality we have is the present, the more life seems somewhat pointless – particularly if there is nothing after this existence and can't be sure that there is something more. And let's be honest, we can't be certain. No matter how strong our faith in a particular religion or philosophy, we can only ‘believe' if we don't have the evidence to truly ‘know'.  Saying, “I believe”, is never an adequate substitute for being able to say, “I know”, and faith is largely centered around belief because it relies on second, third, fourth (and so on) accounts of things that may or may not be true.”

His conclusion with his supposition that we can’t be certain of anything but the present was this; “The point is to live with what you know to be real. But the fact is, we don't know what's around the corner, what happens when we die or even the true extent of the control we have over our lives. What we do know is that we have an awareness of being here now. Stop for a moment and look around. That's an awareness looking through those eyes; a soul, a physical being, a personality, a beautiful individual. Don't spend your life believing, because the happiness is in the knowing. There's nothing to hope for in the future but everything to embrace right this second. This is the point. You are the point, along with every other living organism that surrounds your existence in this moment. The tiniest, seemingly insignificant insect you see on the floor is a fundamental part of the point, because you know it exists in the here and now.  When we start living with what is real, the point of life falls into place. It has context, substance and meaning. Live in the present moment, stick with what you know to be real and the meaning of life will become your individual experience of joy. Any thoughts of what might be will become just that, thoughts, rather than self-prophesying “beliefs” that amount to non-reality living."

While I obviously don’t agree with everything that writer said, I do agree that living a life enjoying the reality of the moment is not such a bad way to live.  In fact, Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow.  Contrary to the writer, who says that ‘we don’t know what is around the corner’, Jesus is tells us that we can trust Him for ‘what is around the corner’ and that is why we can enjoy the reality of the day and not worry about tomorrow.  I also agree that things we, as believers, hold dear in our faith cannot be proven as reality in a laboratory however, the things that can be proven in a laboratory or the reality of the ‘here and now’ are not the embodiment of ultimate truth.  While Anthony Bourdain tattooed, “I am certain of nothing” on his arm Jesus spoke often of the importance and power of belief and faith.  Hebrews 11:1 says this about faith, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Believers have assurance and certainty that non-believers can never know. 

So, before I get too long-winded in making my point (which my wife will say that I already have done), I guess what I am trying to convey is that the pursuit of joy and meaning in life comes down to three choices.  I loved multiple choice test questions because there was always a chance that I might get the right answer with a wild guess even when I was clueless.  This question of finding meaning and purpose in the way we live is far too important to make a wild guess.  Nevertheless, we can choose, as the practicing non-believer would choose, to live a life of total uncertainty and unbelief in anything which usually leads to despair (notice I am not using the word atheist as some non-believers are actually agnostics (which means they are not sure whether God is real or not and are just uncertain…as the tattoo on Anthony Bourdain’s arm suggests).

The second choice is stated in the article I shared where the non-believer chose to live a life of believing only in the reality of the moment.  This also can lead to a negative outcome as one has no real regard of the future since the only reality they can know is now.  This belief usually leads to Epicureanism which Paul referred to in Corinthians 15:32, saying what is the point if there is no resurrection we might as well follow the philosophy; “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will be dead.”  

Thank goodness there is a third choice.  One does not have to live a life of hopeless despair and unbelief or a life of Epicureanism pleasure seeking.  The third choice is to live a life of faith in Christ.  Jesus speaks of living in the moment because we are trusting tomorrow to Him.  Jesus speaks of living a full and abundant life as we make the most of today loving our fellowman as we love ourselves and loving God with all our heart soul and mind.  Jesus speaks of eternal hope and rewards when we live a life of faith. 

So, while some may struggle with living a life of meaningless uncertainty or a life of empty pleasure seeking...I may be a product of the Mississippi public school system but I think the smart choice is number three; choosing to live each day as a life of faith in Christ. 

Thank A Teacher

Then Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain and gathered them around Him. And He taught them saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

And Simon Peter said, "Do we have to write this stuff down?"  And Phillip said, "Will this be on the test?"  And John said, "I'm sorry. Would you mind repeating that?"  And Andrew said, "John the Baptist's disciples don't have to learn this stuff!"  And Matthew said, "Huh?"  And Judas said, "What does this have to do with real life?"  Then one of the Pharisees, an expert in the law, said; "I don't see any of this in your syllabus. Do you have a lesson plan? Is there a summary?  Where is the student guide?  Will there be any follow-up assignments? How will this affect the bell curve?"  And Thomas, who had missed the sermon, came to Jesus privately and said, “Did we do anything important yesterday?"  And Jesus wept.

               

Only teachers can truly appreciate the truth in this humorous illustration.  I know this because my wife is completing 28 years as a public school teacher.  Her days to retirement are now down to a number that I can count on my hands and have fingers left over.  Although her retirement is going to completely mess up my daily routine (I have been retired for a couple of years and have become totally adjusted to seeing her off to work before 7 am and then having the day to myself.), I welcome and celebrate her retirement as a reward for a job well done!  She has truly put in her time and I am aware that it is harder each year for teachers to deal with an increasing number of students who are not given proper parental guidance and support, parents who want to blame the teacher rather than themselves for their child’s poor behavior and low grades, increasing administrative red tape and new hoops for teachers to jump through that often has little to do with classroom performance but more to do with governmental bureaucracy, and not to mention always being on the low end of most professional pay scales. 

               

In spite of all this there are many dedicated teachers who are truly servants who daily make personal sacrifices and work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of their students.  While there are times when they may feel like ‘weeping as Jesus did’ in the opening illustration, they continue to do what is necessary as they do indeed make a difference in the world.  Over these years I can share countless occasions when Cathy and I have been shopping, eating out or just walking down the street when someone will come up and share appreciation for being a student of ‘Mrs. Drees’. 

               

The difference is not always just shown in academic lessons learned but also in life lessons that are ‘caught’ from observing the daily behavior of the teacher.  While religion is not to be taught in public schools, students pick ‘character lessons’ from observing the teacher in her daily life.  Once a former student came back and told my wife that their family did not go to church at all until her influence caused the child to ask the parents to start going to church.  Another faith lesson was learned in a real life situation when the school was on ‘lock-down’ as a gun wielding person was seen near the campus.  In those situations the teachers are drilled to lock the doors and gather the children to a ‘safe area’.  This is an area in the classroom where the teacher and students can hide from view as the police handle the situation to make certain the school is safe.  The children knew this was not a drill and it was a frightening time for all as they were scrunched together waiting for the ‘all clear’ signal.  One student who knew Mrs. Drees was a Christian expressed the feelings of others saying, “I’m scared, shouldn’t we pray?”  Whoever said prayer was no longer in schools has never been in a difficult situation.  Since the student asked, Cathy said yes we can pray and she prayed for the anxious children.  When the event was over another student told my wife, “I never knew we could talk to God like that!  I’m glad I came to school today!”  Perhaps this was not in the curriculum but this child truly learned an important lesson. 

Teachers may never really know the impact they have on the lives they touch and communities in which they serve so it is up to us to let them know how much they mean and have meant to us.  As a person who spent well over 20 years receiving formal education (no I did not fail and have to repeat), I owe a debt I can never repay to the many teachers who taught me academic and life lessons that helped shape me to be the person I am today.  From elementary, middle & high school teachers to college, masters and doctoral professors I will always appreciate the labor of love (they certainly don’t do it to get rich) of teachers.  So if you are able to read this, THANK A TEACHER!