He’s Not Always ‘Mr. Nice Guy’

Who’s your favorite actor or actress? (I know some consider ‘actor’ the proper term for both genders, but I’m using both terms since we might have both a favorite male and female in the acting profession.) Anyway, why is that individual your favorite? Is it because of that person’s excellence in being able to take on very different roles, or because he or she seems to be such a likeable person regardless of the role being played?

 

Over the years I’ve admired certain actors and actresses, sometimes thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to hang out with him (or her)?’ It can be hard to separate their screen presence from who they really are – or might be – in person.

 

Sometimes various sources reveal that what we see on TV or in the movies is definitely not what you get in person. I think of one popular crime series we watched in which the guy and gal seemed like such a perfect match; later it was divulged the two actually loathed one another when off the set. Disillusioning, right? At least they did a great job of acting as if they liked each other. 

 

In a very different sense, I wonder if some folks might feel this kind of disconnect about Jesus Christ. People say, “God is love” (quoting 1 John 4:16) so often it’s practically become a meaningless cliché. Envisioning a grandfather-like deity who tolerates any and all misdeeds with an “Aw shucks, kids will be kids” sort of attitude, they extend that image to Jesus, the Son of God. He’s perceived by some as a good buddy, an all-accepting Savior who can and will overlook sin in any form, all in the name of “love.”

 

This isn’t a new phenomenon. We’ve had songs like “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (written in 1855 by preacher Joseph M. Scriven) for a long time. It’s encouraging and heartening to know we can enjoy a growing personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. But if we examine the Scriptures, we see He didn’t just come to become our best friend. 

 

Intended or not, this perception of Christ as “Mr. Nice Guy” may have been advanced by the acclaimed, highly successful video series, “The Chosen.” (Of which I’m a great fan, by the way.) In its first four seasons, we often see Jesus (admirably portrayed by Jonathan Roumie) in ways rarely depicted on the screen. He’s having fun at times, teasing and joking a bit with His followers, dancing, and being the kind of person described above – someone we’d love to be able to hang out with.

 

In the Bible we do see occasions in which Jesus seemed to use subtle humor. Whether He danced or not, the Scriptures are silent on that. We wouldn’t be out of order to conclude He enjoyed having a little fun. When Jesus walked on water, as recounted in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and John, He demonstrated His divine power. But it also might have been a “Surprise!” moment with His followers.

 

Season 5 of “The Chosen,” however, is presenting a very different side of Jesus. It’s the end of always regarding Him as “Mr. Nice Guy,” which might be somewhat troubling for some viewers. Much like finding out a favorite actor or athlete isn’t exactly what we presumed.

 

In an early episode we see an angry Jesus overturning the merchants’ tables at the temple, an event recounted in each of the gospels. “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ He said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making a ‘den of robbers’” (Matthew 21:12-13).

 

Definitely no more Mr. Nice Guy. On numerous occasions in the gospels, and represented in “The Chosen,” Jesus confronts the self-righteous, hyper-religious Pharisees and Sadducees, including soon after literally upsetting the apple carts at the temple.

 

He chastises them with “seven woes,” making no effort to soften the blows of His condemning accusations. Jesus starts off, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” a phrase He uses seven times. Then He proceeds, “You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Matthew 23:13-14).

 

Jesus continues, specifying other ways their ritual hypocrisy serves to honor themselves but does nothing to honor or glorify the God they claim to worship. Jesus declares, “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean” (Matthew 23:25-26).

 

This is a different side of Jesus from what we see earlier in the gospels as He goes about teaching, healing the sick, raising the dead, and performing other miracles. However, there’s no contradiction. He’s God incarnate when demonstrating great compassion, kindness, mercy and love, and He’s God incarnate when demonstrating other important dimensions of God’s character – including His justice and truth.

 

Exodus 34:6-7 describes this well, recording an interaction between God and Moses. “And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

 

We can be thankful for God’s mercy and grace, embodied in Jesus Christ. But we must never forget that He is also just and a hater of sin in every form. As C.S. Lewis, in his fantasy series, “Chronicles of Narnia, stated about the Christ figure, Aslan the lion, “He’s not safe, but he’s good.” 

There might be times when we discover that a beloved celebrity isn’t the person he or she appeared to be; they’re sinners just as we are. But not so with the God of the Bible. He is love, as the Scriptures declare, but He’s also holy. There’s no separation between the two. 

Thinking About Words Written in Red – and in Black

Over the years, a number of popular tunes have been written and sung about the letters and words “written in red” in the Bible – direct quotations of Jesus highlighted in red. We can find them in the gospels of Matthew, Mark Luke and John, the book of Acts, and Revelation. The songs, in Southern gospel, contemporary Christian and country music genres, tell how reading the words or letters appearing in red has made a life-changing impact in many people’s lives. 

Among them is a song called “Believe,” a rendition first performed by the country duo of Brooks & Dunn in 2005. Reflecting on growing up in a small town and later having an encounter with an old man nearing the end of his earthly life, they include this recurring refrain:

“I raise my hands, bow my head

I’m findin’ more and more truth in the words written in red.

They tell me that there’s more to life, than just what I can see

I believe, oh I believe.”

 

That song and its ‘moral’ are stirring for followers of Christ. As those lyrics express, I’m increasingly finding more truth in the words that some Bibles present in red. They truly do offer the assurance that there’s more to life than what we can see.

The first Bible I ever had, received in church at the age of 12 on the occasion of my confirmation, is a King James Version edition of the Scriptures with the words of Jesus in red. (I say ‘is’ because it’s still part of my library.) That also was the first Bible I read cover to cover, during my senior of high school. At that time, however, it was just a personal goal – to be able to say I had read the entire Bible. 

 

Frankly, I understood very little of what I had read, partly because I found the King James English at times difficult to absorb and partly because I hadn’t yet committed my life to Christ and didn’t have the benefit of having the Holy Spirit as my instructor. As Jesus promised His followers, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…” (John 14:26).

 

The reason I’m thinking about the “words written in red” is that although it can be helpful to have specific words Jesus spoke highlighted, I believe every other word we read in the Scriptures is just as meaningful and significant. If someone were to decide to read just the red words in the Bible, they’d be missing a great deal of what theologians refer to as ‘the whole counsel of God.’

 

For instance, Jesus’ assurance, “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) echoes the Lord’s words in the Old Testament, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God…” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Speaking to His disciples, Jesus declared, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you…. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). We find the same promise in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:3-4).

 

In the Bible’s final book, Jesus announces, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). A similar promise is made in Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.”

 

In reality, the entire Bible – the Old Testament’s 39 books and the 27 of the New Testament – points to Jesus Christ. This is why Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

 

Early in my journey of faith, pastor-teacher Johnny Miller, who is now with the Lord, helped me to recognize the unity and harmony of the Scriptures. Although he was in the midst of a lengthy expository study of the gospel of Matthew, Johnny always would point us to related books and verses elsewhere in the Bible so we could gain a fuller understanding of the particular passage he was covering.

 

For the first time I realized that what God had revealed in Genesis and other Old Testament books was just as important as what He inspired to be written in the New Testament. When we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), we find elaboration in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”

 

So, we can rejoice and be blessed when we read the Bible’s words written in red. But we can also find joy and blessings in reading all the words written in black because ultimately, they’re all about Christ, inspired by the Spirit of God. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

What Are We to Do with All This Shaking?

Seems hard to believe, but nearly 70 years ago Jerry Lee Lewis, described by some as rock ‘n roll’s first great wild man, recorded a hit called “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” That tune from 1957 was mostly about dancing and gyrating – something that horrified the older generation of the day. But have you noticed that these days there’s ‘a whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on’ in our world, but it has little to do with dancing?

 

Political upheaval, protests, angry posturing by folks of every possible persuasion. The dream of one day achieving world peace now a seeming pipedream as almost daily a new global conflict unfolds. Meteorologists are more than happy to scare us with threats of earthquakes, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, blizzards and other weather-related calamities.

 

Stock markets seem to rival the latest and greatest theme-park rollercoasters with their up-up-ups and down-down-downs, sometimes with little rhyme or reason to explain them other than the whims of sometimes anxious, sometimes opportunistic investors.

 

If that’s not enough ‘shaking,’ we have economic turmoil; prices defying the “what goes up must come down” mantra; rumors of another COVID-like pandemic waiting in the wings. You can probably add to this ominous list.

 

So, with all this shakin’ goin’ on, what are we to do? Wring our hands, gnash our teeth, and flinch every time another “Chicken Little” exclaims, “The sky is falling!”? That’s one option. But as we read the Scriptures we find there’s a much better one. 

 

If our trust is in government leaders, social systems, the so-called experts who pontificate from their various platforms, fear and hysteria seem justified. They all assure us the world is indeed going to hell in the proverbial handbasket, one that’s constantly shaking. But if our trust is in the eternal, unchanging God of the Bible, we have hope that isn’t just wishful thinking.

 

For those who are followers of Jesus Christ, “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). Like the firm foundation of a house built to withstand earthquakes, hurricanes and other disasters, having a foundation built on the Word of God, His promises and His character can truly afford us the “peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

 

I think of the classic hymn, “How Firm a Foundation,” written in 1787 by John Rippon. Its lyrics remind us, “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What more can He say that to you He hath said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?”

 

Even in churches where traditional hymns are still sung, some verses are typically omitted, perhaps in the interest of time. But for an older person like me, the hymn’s fifth verse can be especially encouraging: 

“E’en down to old age all My people shall prove

My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And then, when grey hairs shall their temples adorn,

Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.”

 

The phraseology might seem foreign to our modern 21^st century minds, but the essence of Rippon’s lyrics is that no matter what storms or turbulence our lives may encounter, whatever deep waters or sorrows we may have to experience, the Scriptures promise us, “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

 

To assure us that unlike fashions, trends, technology and opinions, our God does not change, this same promise is repeated many times in the Scriptures, including Joshua 1:9, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 41:10 and 43:2, Matthew 28:20, and perhaps the most powerful statement of all, Romans 8:35-39, which says:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Chew on that for a while. Everything around us might seem to be shaking, but nothing can shake our faith if it’s anchored in the unshakable, unchanging truths of the God of all eternity. 

What’s It Mean to Be ‘Salt and Light’?

We're commanded to be the 'light of the world.'

Salt. So versatile it’s even used in idioms to describe people: “He’s the salt of the earth” – the sort of person who’s good, honest, reasonable, and not pretentious. Or, “She’s worth her salt,” indicating being of considerable value. 

We're also to be the 
'salt of the earth.'

Of course, we think of salt mostly in terms of a seasoning. Are you someone who puts salt on almost everything you eat, from eggs and French fries to steak and watermelon? For much of my life I’ve been ‘well-seasoned,’ often salting food before tasting it. For accomplished cooks and chefs, this seems like gastronomical blasphemy. Over the years I’ve tried to do better.

Salt is perhaps the most controversial of seasonings. Some medical experts claim too much salt is bad for you, while other studies indicate for most people it’s not much of a problem. Who’s right? Most of us make our own decisions about this, taking the doctor’s advice with the proverbial ‘grain of salt.’

 

During His famed “sermon on the mount,” Jesus Christ alluded to the importance of salt. He used it as a metaphor, along with another substance we know well – light – to explain how His followers should function where they live and work. He said:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let you light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

 

In summary, we’re to be salt and light to the world around us, wherever we are. Why did Jesus choose these two as metaphors?

 

We know salt can add savor to food. Not enough salt and food might taste bland; too much salt and it can overwhelm the natural taste of the food we’re eating. To put that into a spiritual perspective, as ‘salt’ to the folks we encounter over the course of the day, our lives and our words should be such that the message of the Gospel is as appealing as possible – and not overwhelming.

 

The apostle Paul wrote about this to believers in ancient Colossae, admonishing, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6). To put it another way, we’re to interact with others in ‘good taste’ when talking with them about Christ.

 

But salt works in other ways besides affecting the flavor of food. In the days before refrigeration and freezers, salt was used as a preservative to keep meat from spoiling. A spiritual parallel might be to ‘preserve’ the Gospel message and remain true to our commitment to Christ in the midst of an increasingly dark world.

 

A third use of salt is to melt ice. We discover this during the winter, when snow and ice cover sidewalks, driveways and roads. Applying salt can help in making them passable again. Similarly, as we talk with others about Jesus – speaking with grace and seasoning what we say with ‘salt,’ as Paul advised – hearts once cold toward Him might ‘thaw out’ and become responsive to the truths of the Scriptures.

 

There’s one more function of salt we need to consider. Another familiar idiom talks of ‘pouring salt into wounds.’ Have you ever had a cut and got some salt into it? It irritates, right? In a similar way, while we should make every effort not to offend others as we talk with them about Jesus, we know the Gospel message itself can be offensive. The apostle Peter called it, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8). We’re to speak in love, but without compromising what God says in His Word.

 

What about light? We know the impact light can have in a dark room; even a small candle makes a big difference. Scientists call that the “luminiferous” property – producing or transmitting light. Again, as we speak about the saving, transforming powers of Christ, we hope to bring His light to people living in spiritual darkness.

 

Like salt, however, light has other properties as well. There’s its “actinic” capacity, bringing about photochemical reactions. We’ve all seen this in photography, and we observe it in photosynthesis, the process that creates green in plants during spring and summer. The light of Christ also can stimulate spiritual growth as scriptural truths sink into receptive hearts.

 

A third major property of light is what’s called ‘calorific’ – generating heat. Think about when you’re sitting outside on an overcast day, perhaps watching a child’s ballgame; suddenly the sun peeks through the clouds and the sunlight immediately starts raising the temperature.

 

This effect often happens spiritually as well. Two of Jesus’ closest followers referred to it after they had encountered Him while walking to the village of Emmaus after His resurrection: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” After He had left them, the disciples looked at each other and asked, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:27-32).

 

What I find most encouraging about Jesus’ salt and light metaphors is that the pressure’s not on us. It’s not up to us to produce the salt – or the light. That’s God’s job. Our responsibility is to use what the Lord has given us and then trust Him for the outcome.

 

Years ago, Rebecca Manley Pippert wrote a book about relational evangelism called Out of the Saltshaker and into the World. We might regard the sanctuaries where we congregate every Sunday as ‘saltshakers.’ God wants us to take the salt we receive there into our world – workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, communities, wherever we go. We commissioned to be ‘worth our salt.’

We Shouldn’t Underestimate the Importance of the Father

We’re on the cusp of another Father’s Day, a holiday which in the minds of many ranks a distant second to Mother’s Day. And this might be fitting, I suppose, because unless a child is adopted, the mom has had a nine-month head start in building a relationship with young Buddy or Bunny.

When a youngster falls and skins his or her knee, the first word from their mouth is usually, “Mommy!” Also, even though I haven’t seen it as much lately, I recall many televised college football games when, as the camera panned the sideline, players would turn to say, “Hi, Mom!” I can’t remember a single “Hi, Dad!” If Mom and Dad were both running for President, Mom would probably win in a landslide.

 

Nevertheless, Father’s Day is a noteworthy holiday, perhaps one that deserves more attention. I did a little research and found that more than 23 million children in the United States live in single-parent families. And of those, more than 14 million are living in mother-only households. I also learned that one out of every 14 children being raised by grandparents, meaning neither the mother or father is actively involved in the child’s daily life.

 

I have every respect for single moms, most of whom do an incredible job in trying to earn money for food, clothes, someplace to live and other necessities, along with trying to do a job of parenting that was intended from the start to be handled by two people. 

 

As King Solomon wisely observed, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). And sometimes stumbling and falling, making mistakes, is one of the literal pitfalls of parenting.

 

Some factions in society today would minimize the importance of the father, citing glowing examples of single moms who are doing quite well by themselves. But studies have shown children growing up in single-parent homes face a number of disadvantages. They’re far more likely to grow up in poverty, which typically leads to a host of physical, mental and behavioral health problems. Many children have to cope with the stresses of family instability, and the list of challenges could go on. 

 

But most important is the emphasis God in the Scriptures places on the importance of the father. While the Bible teaches both father and mother have equal value, it calls for the father to serve in primary teaching and disciplinary roles. For instance, “The Lord disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12).

 

This idea is carried into the New Testament, where we read, “Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

 

At the same time, fathers are warned against being harsh or too demanding. The apostle Paul expresses this in several instances, including Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Also in Colossians 3:21, “Fathers, do not embitter [provoke or aggravate] your children, or they will become discouraged.” 

 

Paul affirms the roles of both mother and father in the second of his letters to the ancient church of Thessalonica, drawing examples from parenting to describe his own relationship to the believers there: “…but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children…. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:7,11-12).

 

We find the father’s responsibility as teacher underscored in Deuteronomy 6:5-7. The head of the family is instructed, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” We simply can’t ignore the importance given to fathers in the Scriptures as being fundamental to the family and social structure. 

 

In the Bible, God is always referred to as Father, including in Jesus’ model prayer (also known as the Lord’s prayer): “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…” (Matthew 6:9). Paul also wrote, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort…” (2 Corinthians 1:3).

 

I hope this serves as an encouragement to all who read this, especially for dads, fully knowing their job isn’t easy. The way God created men and women, mothers as a rule are more nurturing, perhaps more sensitive and emotionally supportive. I know it’s been a stretch for me at times in helping to raise our children. I’ve made many mistakes and even now I struggle to get things right with our adult children – and their children. But we’re an important part of the overall equation; our role didn’t end with the moment of conception.

 

So, this Father’s Day, let’s give a shout out to all the dads out there, sometimes stumbling and fumbling along, but invaluable to the process of raising children to become responsible, productive, God-fearing adults.

Spiritual Growth – A Matter of Inflow and Outflow

Growth in the natural realm can be a bit of a mystery. Take a boy for an example: As an adolescent he may be one of the shorter members of his class; then he hits the teenage years and shoots up 5-6 inches within just a few months. “What have you been feeding that kid?” friends might ask.

 

Or planting a garden, cultivating the ground and sowing seeds you hope will supply you with vegetables throughout the summer. For a while it might appear that nothing is happening – other than the growth of some pesky weeds. Then suddenly you see some sprouts, and within a matter of a few weeks you’ve got your own personal farm. How this growth occurs seems a bit mysterious; nature seems to work according to its own schedule.

 

Spiritual growth might be perceived as similarly mysterious. Some people seem to have a close walk with God, possessing a clear understanding of what the Scriptures teach and living it out every day in a fairly consistent manner. Meanwhile others are just muddling along. They attend worship services, may be part of a small group, even read their Bibles, but their growth seems stagnant or stunted.

 

What’s the difference?

 

It’s not such a great mystery. In presenting what’s sometimes known as the “parable of the shrewd manager,” Jesus Christ indicated it’s a simple matter of being faithful to use what we already have, whether it’s a little or a lot. He stated, “Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who can entrust you with true riches?” (Luke 9-11).

 

On the face of it, this is a teaching about stewardship of money and material riches. But as Jesus said, it also applies to “true riches” – eternal, heavenly treasures of which He said at another time, “where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20).

 

What does it mean, as another translation expresses it, that “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones”? One thing it means is that if we are not willing to use and put into practice the spiritual truths and ‘riches’ God entrusts to us, He’s not inclined to provide us with more. Why should He give us more if we’re wasting what we already have?

 

There’s an encounter early in Jesus’ earthly ministry that seems to illustrate this. Speaking to a woman at a well outside the Samaritan city of Sychar, Jesus made this astonishing declaration after He had asked her to give Him a drink from the well: 

“If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” A bit later in this spontaneous conversation, He asserted, “…whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again…the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life” (John 4:7-14).

 

Initially, the woman had understood Him to be referring to actual water, good ole H2O. Then she realized the conversation had taken a spiritual turn. He was offering her “living water…springing up within for eternal life.” This evokes the image of a spring of water bubbling up and flowing outward, accessible to anyone who wants it.

 

Commenting on this passage, devotional writer Selwyn Hughes posed this question: “Do fresh springs flow out of us day after day? If not, why not? The answer is simple – there can be no outflow unless there is an inflow. This is the rhythm of the Holy Spirit – intake and outflow. If there is more intake than outflow, then the intake stops; if there is more outflow than intake, then the outflow stops.”

 

For years I’ve referred to this as “God’s Spiritual Sponge Principle.” Just like an actual sponge that’s become saturated must be squeezed out before it can soak up more liquid, as ‘spiritual sponges’ we’re allowed by God to absorb only as much of His truth as we’re willing to put to use in our everyday lives.

 

I like how Philemon 6 is expressed in an older edition of the NIV: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

 

This doesn’t mean we need to grab our Bibles, find a street corner somewhere and start preaching from it to everyone who passes by. (Although it could, if God were to lead someone in that way.) But as 1 Peter 3:15 instructs, we’re to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

 

Another verse says every believer should be willing to “Preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (1 Timothy 4:2).

 

‘But I’m not ready. I don’t know enough yet,’ someone might be thinking. Maybe that’s because that person hasn’t been faithful to share whatever biblical truth and understanding the Lord has already provided. As Philemon 6 suggests, as we’re “active in sharing [our] faith,” then we’re able to gain “a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” And as we learn more, we become better equipped to communicate what we believe.

 

Years ago, I had been trying to memorize a particularly lengthy Bible verse but couldn’t retain some portions of it. Then I decided to read and share it with someone I worked with – a non-believer. I didn’t do so to proselytize but figured it wouldn’t hurt for him to hear it. Before long, I found I could recite the passage verbatim; I’ve talked about it with other people many times since.

 

There are many ways of sharing our faith beyond personal evangelism. Talking about God’s Word with family members at home. Or telling our small group what a certain passage has meant to us. In a discipling or spiritual mentoring relationship, we’re doing the same when discussing the meaning and application of a specific verses or section of Scripture.

 

Any time we chat with others about what the Lord has been teaching us, or how He’s been working in our lives, it’s an opportunity to ‘squeeze our spiritual sponge,’ making room for God to entrust us with more of His “true riches.” Balancing the inflow and outflow.

What’s Your Logo, Your Trademark, Your Brand?

These days companies and corporations are all about their “brand” – features and imagery that come to the minds of consumers and clients upon hearing their name. For example, Coca-Cola, Apple, Disney and Southwest Airlines – we hear those names and instantly thoughts about them come to mind. Even some celebrated individuals are known for their brand – think about icons like Taylor Swift or Michael Jordan, Tom Cruise or Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk or Bill Gates. The mere mention of their names conjures up a variety of images and impressions. 

Have you ever considered that you, too, have a “brand” that other people associate with you?

 

Some time ago I came across an intriguing quote from Jay Danzie, a “brand strategist and mindset coach.” He said, “Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark, and whether others aspire to be like you is your brand.”

 

These terms would seem to apply best to public figures, as well as those who populate the business and professional world, but it’s not much of a stretch to realize they can apply to each of us as well. We all have a smile (or should have); a personality; leave others with impressions (good or bad) after they meet us; and ideally, we’re the types of people that some might aspire to be like.

 

Granted, there are those who seem to have an edge, possessing inherent qualities that are just part of who they are. For instance, those whose smiles seem to brighten a room the moment they enter. Or individuals who exude energy and personality, becoming the ‘life of the party’ wherever they go. 

 

Even though most of us don’t fit those descriptions, that doesn’t excuse or exempt us from having a logo, trademark, or brand-like impact on the people we encounter every day, whether at work, school, church, our neighborhoods, or even at the grocery store. In fact, the Scriptures strongly affirm this in principle. Let’s take a quick look:

 

Smile. Have you ever had one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong, received some bad news, or just found yourself feeling glum, only to have your negative emotions dispelled by someone looking straight at you with a cheery smile? We can have this same impact on others if we’re not too preoccupied with ourselves. Proverbs 15:30 says, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.” Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try making a friendly smile our ‘logo.’

 

Personality. Not everyone has an effervescent personality (I know I don’t), but we can strive to be or become the types of individuals that folks enjoy being around. Do we tend to gossip, disparage others, or create friction whenever we’re around others? That’s not the way to win friends and influence people, as Dale Carnegie used to say. Living in the midst of a sea of negativity, people are drawn to those known for their positive attitudes, both through words and actions.

 

Proverbs 16:24 observes, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” This doesn’t mean we’re called to become Pollyannas, oblivious to the realities of the world. But we don’t need to remind others about them either. Ephesians 4:29 admonishes, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” 

 

Impression. Much of the impact we make as individuals is determined by our inner selves The first part of Proverbs 23:7 declares, “As he thinks within himself, so he is.” Another translation says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Like it or not, what’s in our hearts has a way of oozing outwardly. 

 

How can we address this to create the best ‘trademark’? As the apostle Paul exhorted fellow believers, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). Keep our minds in the right places.

 

Example. Do you think your ‘brand’ is one that others seek to emulate? Maybe – or maybe not. But according to the Scriptures, this is a worthwhile goal. Imperfect as he was by his own admission, Paul understood this. To brothers and sisters in Christ he offered this challenge: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9).

 

And writing to believers in Corinth, he boldly stated, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you to imitate me…. [my protégé Timothy] will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:15-17).

 

In the same letter, Paul instructed them to, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). He wasn’t writing this boastfully. The apostle was simply confident that “in Christ” his life was consistent, worth aspiring to be like.

 

For those of us desiring to have personal brands, trademarks and logos that honor our Lord, Jesus told succinctly how to go about it. In answer to the question, “Teacher, which command is the greatest in the Law?,” He responded, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’…. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:36-39).

 

If we endeavor, through the power of God’s Spirit, to heed those two commandments, we should have no worries about our ‘brand.’