Money: The Love Affair That’s Never Enough

Money. We all need it. You can’t buy stuff without it, right? Sure, there are things like credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo and other purchasing options, but ultimately, it’s a transfer of money from one person or entity to another. The question is, where does money rank in our priority lists? When do our needs turn into insatiable wants?

Years ago, someone posed a question to John D. Rockefeller, the world’s first billionaire. At the time his family name was synonymous with wealth and influence. The reporter asked, “How much is enough?” Rockefeller famously responded, holding a thumb and forefinger slightly apart, “Just a little bit more.”

 

Imagine, the richest person in the world at that moment calmly stating that what he had wasn’t enough. I suspect most of the affluent elites of today would say much the same thing. I still remember a pro athlete a few decades back who was awarded a contract making him the highest-paid player in his sport. He was ecstatic – until a couple weeks later when a rival player received an even larger contract. His proud grin twisted into a dissatisfied frown in a matter of moments.

 

This is hardly a phenomenon of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. In fact, a few thousand years ago King Solomon – purportedly the wealthiest man of his time by far – made this sage observation about money: “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless”  (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

 

It may indeed be meaningless, but that doesn’t stop people from chasing it. Every day we can turn on the TV and see a program or hear reports about wildly rich celebrities and their mansions. Some of them get on a soapbox decrying the needs of the poor while indulging in levels of lavishness most of us can’t even imagine. See any hypocrisy there?

 

We read about entrenched politicians, who supposedly ran for office to serve the public, who have found out public service can be quite lucrative, leading them to dishonesty and corruption. Seems they never read the warning of 1 Timothy 6:10) – “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 

 

Contrary to the understanding of some, this verse doesn’t say money is the root of all evil. But it does give birth to an amazing array of evils, such as greed, immorality, blackmail, embezzling, stealing, robbery, and many manifestations of dishonest and unethical behavior. Worst of all, the love of money can seduce even the faithful, causing them to compromise or turn away from their devotion to the Lord.

 

This is why Jesus, in the middle of His ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ declared, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). 

 

Some translations use the word “mammon” instead of money, but the meaning is the same. If wealth and affluence are the object of our affections, they can’t help but diminish our love for God.

 

Does this mean that to be a follower of Jesus Christ one must take a vow of poverty? No, although there certainly have been some who have found that necessary for them to serve Him with single-minded determination and intensity.

 

I have a friend who said before committing his life to Christ, “I could touch manure and it would turn into gold.” After his spiritual rebirth however, he admitted, “I could touch gold and it would turn into manure.” But after spending the early part of his adult life in the unrelenting pursuit of money, he now agrees with Solomon that it indeed was meaningless. He has no regrets that Jesus has taken top priority in his life.

 

Even if we’re not numbered among the financially elite “10 percent” politicians are always talking about, that doesn’t provide immunity from the lure and love of money. We can visit a friend’s home and find ourselves feeling jealous of what they have. We can see a shiny, just-out-of-the-showroom luxury car and fantasize about what it would be like to possess one like it. We can envy folks who seem to be on a never-ending parade of amazing journeys to places we’ve only seen on TV and in magazines. 

 

Surely there have been people in Third World countries living in huts of straw who have felt greatly envious of others in their villages whose dwellings had roofs of tin. Wealth is relative, but the love of money and what it can provide is universal.

 

So, what are we to do about this? Do we simply offer the excuse, “Well, I’m only human?” Should we justify feeling angry toward God for giving us less and someone else more? We can – but such thinking won’t bring us one inch closer to the Lord. It might even erect a wall that could disrupt or permanently short-circuit our relationship with Him.

 

Or we can confess our misplaced love and follow the advice of the writer of Hebrews who admonished, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

In our materialistic, consumer-oriented world this is much more easily said than done. But do we believe it? Do we, by faith, trust that God will meet our needs and contentedly believe that is enough – not “just a little bit more”? 

Going From ‘Who’s Who’ to ‘Who’s He?’

I’m going to give you a brief list of people: Ryne Duren. Luis Arroyo. Ron Perranoski. Dennis Eckersley. Goose Gossage. Bruce Sutter. Mariano Rivera. Rollie Fingers.

 

Any of those names sound familiar? Do you remember any of them? 

 

Each was an accomplished relief pitcher in the Major Leagues. In their heyday, they all were household names for avid fans of professional baseball. Some have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, as is the case with once-famous people in any profession, fewer and fewer people remember them despite their considerable accomplishments.

 

There are many other names I could have chosen, men renowned for coming in from the bullpen in the late innings to save the ballgame. But the point is the same: Fame is fleeting. Though folks may revel in it for a time, the page soon turns, redirecting the acclaim to other people.

 

You can search for information about these individuals on the Internet, and they might have been included in old editions of Who’s Who in America. But before you know it, they’ve moved from Who’s Who to “Who’s He?”

 

This isn’t to disparage the achievements and lives of these men or others. It’s simply true that in most cases the things we’re known for best are soon forgotten.

 

In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon – generally regarded as the wisest and richest man of his time – offered a somewhat cynical view of earthly success, wealth and pleasures. Of which, incidentally, he had determined to experience as much as possible. 

 

He wrote, perhaps with the pen of a pessimist, “There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow” (Ecclesiastes 1:11).

 

Then, to underscore that he was not a theoretical philosopher but someone who knew this firsthand, Solomon complained, “…My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).

 

In essence the Israelite king was saying no matter who you are – a celebrated athlete, highly successful businessperson, acclaimed movie or TV star, maintenance person, gifted surgeon, retail clerk, honored schoolteacher or college professor, prize-winning scientist, or even a popular preacher – your time in the ‘limelight,’ so to speak, will one day come to an end.

 

One’s place in the locker room, classroom, office, store, laboratory, worksite or sanctuary will go to someone else. Worldly honors and fame all too quickly fade. In words that echo the sentiments of Solomon, a New Testament passage declares, “…What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

 

Now let me give you another list: Simon Peter; Andrew; James and John, sons of Zebedee; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew; James, son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. And we’ll add Saul of Tarsus, better known as Paul. Do you recognize these names?

 

By profession they were nobodies: fishermen; a despised tax collector; a political activist; a religious persecutor. Yet today, each is known by countless millions who follow Jesus Christ. All but one – Judas Iscariot – left an everlasting legacy. 

 

Judas, of course, bears the shame of being the greatest betrayer of all time, the one who sold his allegiance to Christ for 30 pieces of silver. But the others are celebrated nearly 2,000 years after their earthly lives ended because of their faithfulness to a divine mission.

 

Shortly before His arrest, mock trial and crucifixion, Jesus had called His followers together and explained the special calling He was giving to them: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last” (John 15:16). He wasn’t talking about grapes and apples.

 

After His resurrection and just before ascending to heaven, Jesus completed the assignment. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

The apostles remained faithful to this commission to the end, all but one being martyred for never unwavering in their trust and commitment to Christ. Their names, mission, and fruit that truly lasts are remembered today – not because of their extraordinary talents and skills, but because their devotion to the living God.

 

C.T. Studd was a British missionary who served in China, India and Africa. He formed the World Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International) which continues to minister in many parts of the world. For many people, he is probably remembered best for his poem, “Only One Life,” Toward the end of it Studd wrote these words:

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

 

So, here’s the good news. You might not have a household name. Like most of us, you might be more likely to be included in “Who’s He (or She)?” than Who’s Who. But if we’re faithful to follow Christ, seeking to bear fruit that will last as He sees fit, we’ll be remembered where it matters most. For all of eternity.

While Considering AI, Don’t Forget About Genuine Wisdom

We’re hearing a lot these days about “AI.” In case you’re not aware, it stands for Artificial Intelligence. I don’t know a lot about it, but there’s an AI app that says it can “quickly turn keywords into thoughtful articles, product language and social media copy.” From what I gather, students can use apps like this to write their college essays; news reporters can use them to write their articles; and they might even be an instant cure for aspiring novelists suffering from writer’s block.

 

In a broader sense, what this means to me is that people aren’t doing a lot of deep thinking these days. By using AI, they’ll be able to get by with doing even less of it. Kind of reminds me of the cartoon about some extraterrestrials who visited Earth in search of intelligent life. They soon went home, concluding it was a waste of time.

 

Here’s one intriguing definition for AI that I came across: “Artificial intelligence is a field of science concerned with building computers and machines that can reason, learn, and act in such a way that would normally require human intelligence or that involves data whose scale exceeds what humans can analyze.”

 

This conjures up images of the rogue computer HAL in Stanley Kubrick’s science-fiction film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” As I recall that story didn’t end well. And maybe this science won’t remain fiction for much longer.

 

My purpose isn’t to weigh the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, especially given my limited familiarity with it. But today we have a far greater need in society and our entire planet: Genuine wisdom.

We’ve been living in the so-called ‘information age.’ The amount of information and knowledge being amassed is unprecedented – and it’s growing exponentially. But facts, information, knowledge and data don’t necessarily make us wise. They might even have the opposite effect.

 

But where do we find wisdom? I don’t recall seeing a Wisdom department at Walmart, Costco or Target. Even Amazon doesn’t sell it. But it’s readily available – and free – at one reliable source; the Bible. In fact, the Scriptures include several books of so-called “wisdom literature,” including Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and portions of the Psalms.

 

Proverbs opens with its stated purpose, “for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” A few verses later it presents these words of caution: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:12-3,7).

 

Recently I was reading the Proverbs chapter that corresponds to the date of the month. In this case it was the 15^th. I was struck by the chapter’s emphasis on one means for gaining wisdom – through correction and discipline. Few of us awaken in the morning hoping to be corrected or disciplined that day, but Proverbs 15 repeatedly says it’s wise to listen to and respond to caring correction and discipline when it’s needed. To reject it is to play the fool. Consider:

 

“A fool spurns his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence” (Proverbs 15:5).

“Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die…. A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise” (Proverbs 15:10,12).

“A man finds joy in giving an apt reply – and how good is a timely word!” (Proverbs 15:23).

“He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding” (Proverbs 15:31-32).

 

These and many other verses throughout Proverbs say nothing about artificial intelligence. Nor do they recommend how best to deal with the avalanche of information and knowledge overwhelming us. But they do speak volumes about old-fashioned common sense and its close relative, wisdom.

 

Besides discipline and correction, Proverbs offers divine insight into a variety of other topics. Among them are anger, conflict, counsel and guidance, discernment, jealousy, friendship, generosity, greed, grief, joy, hard work, honesty and integrity, humility, pride, justice, leadership, communications, finances, planning, security, and even co-signing for other people’s loans.

 

Any of those subjects of interest to you?

 

It seems artificial intelligence is something we’ll have to deal with for a long time – for better or for worse. But the timeless wisdom of the Scriptures, not just in Proverbs but throughout the Old and New Testaments, is unsurpassed. It’s good that it’s available to us for free. Because it’s priceless.

Something Can’t Be Found Until It’s Lost

Have you ever gone to a lost and found? It probably wasn’t to marvel at the variety of things people manage to lose. In almost every case we go to a lost and found – whether at work, a restaurant, a movie theater, or somewhere else we’ve been recently – seeking something of value that we’ve left behind. 

That happened to me some time ago. I’d been to a worship service at our church and on the way home realized I’d forgotten, of all things, my Bible. Since it’s not my only Bible I didn’t rush back to church the same day, but the following Sunday I did ask where the lost and found was to see if it was there.

I was amazed at the number of Bibles that were there, waiting to be reclaimed. After a brief search I found my own Bible and haven’t misplaced it since. As for the other Bibles, either their owners hadn’t yet realized they were lost, they forgot where they had left them, or sadly, didn’t care.

 

My intent isn’t to judge those who haven’t diligently searched for their missing Bibles. Maybe some were left by visitors from out of town and returning just to check out our church’s lost and found wasn’t practical for them. But going there demonstrated a basic truth: Things can’t be found until we realize they’re lost.

 

This is eminently true in a spiritual sense. A good friend of mine, a truly gifted evangelist, often said, “People can’t be saved until they realize they’re lost.” That is, if they’re perfectly content with their lives as they are and don’t recognize they’re lost and in need for a Savior, it’s hard for them to understand they need to be found.

 

Jesus Christ explained this in one of His best-known parables, the one about a young man commonly known as the prodigal son.

 

As the story went, a wealthy man had two sons. The younger one grew impatient waiting for his father to die, so he demanded his share of the inheritance right then. Jesus didn’t say what might have been going through the father’s mind, but he agreed to divide the estate equally between the two sons.

 

The greedy son, having no sense of his moral and spiritual lostness, figured he had it made. “Not long after that, the youngest songot together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need” (Luke 15:13-14).

 

Up to that point, if someone had told the son he was lost, he would have laughed hysterically. He might have responded, ‘Me, lost? You’re joking! I’ve got it made. I have everything I’ll ever need!’ Until he didn’t.

 

Desperate, this young fellow who hadn’t known he was lost hired himself out to slop pigs. Presuming he was a Jew, this very non-kosher job would have been the ultimate disgrace. Finally, beyond desperation, he decided to return home, grovel before his father, and offer himself to be one of the servants. 

 

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of the hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father’” (Luke 15:17-20).

 

Suddenly, this self-assured young man, who had no idea of how badly he had lost his way, was going home, head down in humiliation and remorse. He’d finally recognized his lostness.

 

The parable closes not with a father’s angry rebuke and condemnation, but with a joyful, ‘Welcome home!’ Seeing his prodigal son in the distance, the father rushed to him, embraced him, and then called for a festive party. “The father said to his servants, Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet…. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found’” (Luke 15:22-24).

 

I believe Jesus told this story to His followers to illustrate how our heavenly Father responds when people realize how completely lost they are and in repentance, turn to Him to become found.

 

One of the best-known hymns is “Amazing Grace,” written by one-time slave trader John Newton more than 250 years ago. Its message resonates just as strongly today. In this musical testimony of his spiritual rebirth, Newton made this declaration: “I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see.” As the friend I mentioned earlier observed, he had to get lost before he could let himself be found – by God.

 

Do you have a non-believing friend or family member you’ve been praying for, perhaps for a very long time? Pray that they’ll get lost – realize their spiritual lostness and bankruptcy and surrender to be found by the God whose love, grace and mercy have no limit. The apostle Paul, once very lost in his religious zeal, put it this way: “He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Lessons We Could Learn from the Summer Olympics

How much of the Summer Olympics did you watch? I didn’t sit glued to the TV to catch every moment. But I made sure to view my favorite events, including women’s gymnastics, swimming, and some of the track and field competitions.

 

Alas, time hurries on and thoughts have already shifted to the next Summer Olympics, scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028. By now, some guy with less brains than brawn has probably taken his gold medal to have it bronzed. I did hear the final competitor in the marathon is just meters away from the finish line.

Watching the splish-splashing and thrashing through the water; dashing and striding from start to finish; throwing and kicking of balls through hoops and nets; and flexing of muscles to display various acts of strength and coordination, it occurred to me many principles for everyday living were on display. Here are some of them, along with biblical truths supporting them:

 

It’s not how you start, but how you finish. In the 100-meter dash, race favorite Noah Lyles trailed as the finish line rapidly neared. However, with an amazing finishing kick, the USA’s Lyles won the event in a photo finish, leaning in to beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five-thousands of a second. 

 

This reminded me of a declaration by the apostle Paul, writing to his protégé, Timothy. Paul wasn’t talking about running a sprint but rather a marathon, spiritually speaking. He said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). His mission was complete.

 

Perseverance pays off. The Olympic Games come around only once every four years, so for most of us it’s two weeks of entertainment, then we turn our attention to something else. Not so for the athletes. They devote thousands of hours leading up to the Games, arising early and staying late to practice and hone their skills. They suffer injuries, endure the pain of the daily practice grind, and fight off moments when they’re tempted to quit.

 

Again, Paul wasn’t writing about athletic competitions but the challenge of remaining true to faith in Christ regardless of the obstacles. He said, “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts…” (Romans 5:3-5).

 

Olympic hopefuls endure intense training and sacrifice, all for the opportunity to represent their respective countries and try to win a medal. As believers, we’re called to persevere through good times and bad, through triumphs, failures and hardships, all to one day hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21).

 

Every one of us in necessary. The U.S. women’s team advanced to the finals of their 4-by-400-meter relay races, as did the U.S. men’s team in the 4-by-100-meter relay. However, the teams experienced markedly different results. The women’s team, featuring Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – who had already won the 400-meter hurdles gold medal – set a world record running for the gold together. Their baton exchanges were flawless, and each woman contributed to their achievement.

 

The men’s 100-meter relay team, however, bungled a baton exchange and was disqualified for not completing the transfer within the specified distance. Based on their earlier individual performances, the four men had been favored to win. However, they proved the wisdom of the adage, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” Individually the men ran well, but they failed in meshing together, extending U.S. losses in the event to 20 years.

 

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 we find an analogy to this: “Now the [human] body is not made up of one part but of many…. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” In the women’s 400-meter relay, every member was honored and the team rejoiced. Misery, however, was etched on the faces of the hapless men’s 100-meter relay team.

 

Your best is the best you can do. Of the thousands of Olympic competitors, most never win a medal at all, much less gold. For them, participating and having the honor of representing their countries is their reward. But it was clear virtually all of them did the best they could, even in medal-less defeat.

 

The same applies for us as followers of Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 admonishes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Most of us will never receive public recognition or become known as the world’s best at something. But if we have done the best we can for the Lord, that is enough. Which leads to the final principle I’ll cite:

 

Ultimately, God deserves the credit. Even though athletes reportedly were instructed to refrain from any religious expressions, a number of them still managed to use their performances as an opportunity to speak out for their faith in God. 

 

Among them were McLaughlin-Levrone; American Cole Hocker, who stunned by winning the men’s 1,500-meter run in another near-photo finish; and Gabriel Medina, a surfer from Brazil. His photographic image was captured in midair with his surfboard, pointing to the sky in a gesture recognized by people of his nation as a statement of faith.

Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said, “Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me” (John 12:26). During the recent Summer Olympics it was heartening to see that despite moments when it seemed to the contrary, the Lord was served and honored. 

Can We Trust Promises When So Many Are Broken?

How good are you at keeping promises? Some people embrace the motto, ‘My word is my bond.’ We know if they make a promise, they’ll keep it no matter what. Others take a more tentative approach, promising to do something with fingers figuratively crossed behind their backs, thinking, ‘I’ll do it – unless a better option comes along.’

 

For some of us, the thought of promise-making and promise-keeping brings back sad or distressing memories of promises that were made to us and then broken: Wedding vows cast aside. An expected job promotion that never came. A close friend reneging on an important commitment. A parent’s failure to show up for an important school program or ball game.

 

Politicians make promises all the time that they conveniently forget once election day has passed, but we’re used to that. It’s loved ones and people close to us making promises, then not following through, that hurts the most.

 

Do you remember the old hit tune by Dionne Warwick, “Promises, Promises”? Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it had a lilting melody but offered a rather cynical view of promises. Here are some of the lyrics:

“Promises, promises

I’m all through with promises…

Oh, promises, promises

This is where those promises end…

Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life…

Take all the joy from life….”

 

Since song lyrics often are drawn from personal experience, I wonder what prompted Bacharach and David to put those words to music? No matter, they do express the feelings many of us have – or have once held – regarding promises. When promises are broken, trust also becomes shattered. And one’s integrity suffers a serious blow.

 

This is why the promises we find in the Bible are so important. And there are many of them, from Genesis all the way through Revelation. When we hear God being described in terms like loving, gracious, merciful, unchanging and faithful, the promises in the Scriptures put those divine qualities to the test.

 

If someone were to ask, “What are the promises of God?” we could respond, “Where do we start?” Take for example the Old Testament prophetic book of Isaiah. Singling out just three out of many, we find:

God’s promise of forgiveness and redemption: “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18).

God’s promise of strength when needed: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).

God’s promise of His presence and power. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Of course, our trust in someone’s promises grows over time, as they follow through on their commitments and prove their trustworthiness. In the same way, our trust in God’s promises flourishes through our daily experiences with Him. It can’t be learned by reading books, devotionals or columns, or by listening to sermons. 

 

In my case, as I’ve encountered and pondered the Lord’s promises in reading His Word, I’ve also seen His faithfulness in fulfilling them one after another. I could offer many examples, but one stands out in particular.

 

It was in 2006, right after I had been diagnosed as having an aortic aneurysm, along with several arterial blockages. Open-heart surgery was necessary. Since my condition wasn’t an emergency, the procedure was scheduled for two weeks later. That’s a lot of time to ponder undergoing one of the most serious surgeries you can have.

 

After the initial shock of what I had to face began to fade, I did what I’ve learned to do in times of crisis: I opened my Bible and turned to the Psalms, which I’ve always found comforting and reassuring. I read several psalms the first day, put a bookmark where I had been reading, and set the Bible aside.

 

The next morning, still feeling overwhelmed at the thought of going through surgery that would last at least several hours, I again picked up my Bible and turned to where I had stopped the previous day. It was Psalm 41, and the third verse read, “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” 

 

I can’t describe the emotions that filled me at that moment, but it was if the words had been printed in neon lights. Like God saying, “This promise is for you.” 

 

Philippians 4:7 talks about “the peace that surpasses all understanding,” and that’s what I experienced that day. The anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. It was one of many “Don’t worry, I’ve got this” moments I’ve had in my walk with the Lord.

 

Knowing God has never failed in keeping the many promises He’s made, that sense of peace prevailed up to and through the day of my surgery. The recovery wasn’t easy, but God was with me every day, true to His word.

 

I’m not a ‘name it and claim it’ guy. I know God doesn’t promise physical healing to everyone in every situation. When we encounter adversity in any of its countless forms, we don’t have a promise from God that the outcome will be exactly what we want. But we do have the promise from Him that, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

 

In a world where broken promises are more the rule than the exception, what a joy and privilege it is to worship a God who never fails to keep His promises.

The Cross We Can Wear Because of the Cross He Bore

Do you like wearing jewelry? I’m not big on jewelry – all I regularly wear are my wedding ring and a wristwatch. (My smartphone can give me the time, but old habits die hard.) However, I know for many folks, jewelry is essential to their wardrobe.

 

People wear all kinds of jewelry, for many different reasons: To accessorize or accent an outfit. As a show of affluence. (Professional athletes and their ‘bling’ immediately come to mind.) For sentimental reasons, such as wearing mom’s prize locket or dad’s old cufflinks. Or for symbolism. These could include a heart necklace, a bracelet received as a gift, a friendship ring, or even a cross.

Speaking of crosses, someone choosing to wear one, whether on a necklace, a bracelet, a ring or on a lapel is usually making a significant statement. It’s often a declaration of faith, but not always. I’ve seen celebrities wearing ornate, obviously expensive crosses whose demeanor and lifestyles hardly reflect genuine spiritual devotion. I’ve even occasionally seen famous individuals wearing an upside-down cross, which is a different kind of statement.

 

But have you ever seriously considered what wearing a cross communicates? For a moment, let’s jump into a mental time machine and journey 2,000 years into the past. The cross had been used as a form of execution by the Persians, Carthaginians and Romans, among others. It’s highly unlikely anyone in those days would have considered wearing anything resembling a cross, a commonly recognized instrument of death. Some of them had seen firsthand someone nailed to a cross, suffering a slow, agonizing death. The last thing they’d want was to display a reminder of that.

 

Okay, back to 2024. Instead of a cross, envision this: Someone wearing a necklace with the symbol of an electric chair hanging from it. Or earrings in the shape of a hangman’s noose. Or a brooch depicting a French guillotine.

 

That would be unthinkably gruesome, right? At least to any sane person. And yet, every day countless thousands, even millions of people intentionally and proudly wear crosses without a moment’s hesitation. What’s the difference?

 

It’s not some minor detail. It’s all the difference in the world. Because while electric chairs, nooses and guillotines all are devices intended to end lives, the cross – Jesus’ cross – stands for the end of death and the beginnings of real life. Consider what the Bible tells us:

 

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). 

 

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

 

“When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins…He took it all away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15).

 

For some, however, the cross is nothing more than a meaningless symbol, an object of fantasy and fable. The Scriptures speak to this as well: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

 

As we’ve already noted, to wear any symbol representing an electric chair, a hangman’s noose or a guillotine would be reprehensible. But not the cross, despite the horrific, excruciating death Jesus Christ suffered on it. Because instead of utter defeat, it stands for the ultimate triumph over sin and death, along with the promise of forgiveness and eternal life.

 

Today we often see people wearing a crucifix that shows Jesus still on the cross. But the good news is that Jesus Christ is no longer on the cross, no longer in the grave. As the faithful have declared for centuries, “He is risen! He is risen indeed!”

 

And because of that we can declare, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

How Do You Think Jesus Would Vote?

Remember the popular bracelet of years ago with the letters “WWJD”? In case you’ve had a memory lapse or spent those years on a remote island with no outside contact, they represented the words, “What Would Jesus Do.”  

This phrase originated in Charles M. Sheldon’s 1896 novel, In His Steps, about a pastor who challenged his congregation to do nothing of consequence without first asking, “What would Jesus do?” It told stories of people whose lives were transformed by using this simple question to guide their actions and decisions.

 

The bracelets aren’t often seen today. But the question still arises from time to time, and it’s still important. For instance, staring at a computer screen when questionable material pops up, asking what Jesus would do might help in overcoming temptation. When a cashier mistakenly gives too much change and we start to think about keeping the excess, asking what Jesus would do might nudge us to point out the mistake. Considering how to use an unexpected bonus at work or sudden windfall, it might be interesting to ponder how Jesus would use it.

 

Recently, the question arose during a casual conversation with a friend. We’d ventured into the realm of politics and the upcoming Presidential election. At one point my friend paraphrased the slogan by asking, “How do you think Jesus would vote?”

 

We exchanged comments, but afterward it had me thinking. For questions of a spiritual nature, I’ve realized my opinion isn’t any better or worse than anyone else’s. What does matter is God’s opinion.

 

Based on what the Scriptures tell us, we might say the question of how Jesus would vote is moot. Because nowhere in the Gospels do we see Jesus Christ engaging in political activism. Even though the oppressive Roman empire was a major problem in those days. The one exception might be in Matthew 22:15-22, when the religious leaders sought to trap Him in controversy by asking, “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar of not?” 

 

In response, Jesus asked that a coin used for paying the tax – a denarius – be brought to Him. Looking at it, He inquired, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” When his adversaries responded it was that of Caesar, Jesus replied, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

 

The only other recorded time Jesus directly engaged with Roman authorities was during the trial that led to His crucifixion. When confronted by Pontius Pilate, who asked, “Are You the king of the Jews?” Jesus didn’t mount an elaborate defense or challenge Pilate’s authority from Rome. His response was, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).

 

Politics and earthly governmental affairs were not Jesus’ mission.

 

That’s not to say followers of Christ shouldn’t participate in the election process, or even seek public office if they feel led to do so. Because the Bible gives us numerous examples of devout people God used to accomplish His purposes, including: 

Joseph, who rose to rank second only to Pharaoh in Egypt, using his influence to save his family and the people of Israel from a severe famine. 

Daniel, one of the Israelites exiled to Babylon, who became an important advisor to three kings – Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and Darius. 

Ezra and Nehemiah, who were commissioned by the kings of Persia and Babylon to rebuild the ruined city of Jerusalem. 

 

So, with a crucial election coming up, it might be better to revise the question a bit. How would God want us to vote? There are many criteria we can use, including candidates’ qualifications and character, and where they stand on issues we deem to be important. 

 

As is often the case in the complex world in which we live, there are few easy answers. For followers of Christ, we’d be wise to do as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11 – “they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” I’d suggest that the Bible can give us similar insight as we ponder the perplexities of politics and policies.

 

In addition, fervent prayer – for our own decision-making and for the outcomes in the coming election – is crucial. We have no greater encouragement for this than in 2 Chronicles 7:14, which declares, “if My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 

 

Praying, humbly seeking God, and turning from our own sins. It says if we do these things, then God will hear, forgive, and bringing healing to our land.

 

I also believe it’s vital that we trust in God’s sovereignty – that He’s ultimately in control and not caught off guard or surprised by anything we do, right or wrong. His plans and purposes will prevail. Job concluded near the end of his painful ordeal, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

 

The book of Proverbs affirms this numerous times. Here are just two examples: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Proverbs 21:30).

 

So, after studying the Scriptures, praying and humbly seeking the Lord, we should “be anxious for nothing,” as Philippians 4:6 admonishes. This isn’t always easy, but even when things are not going as I think they should, I sense God is saying, “Not to worry. I’ve got this.” 

Avoiding Sin – by Avoiding Temptation

Over the years, as I’ve met with other men in discipling and mentoring relationships, the subject of sin and temptation has often arisen. I’ve made it a point of explaining an important distinction between the two. Temptation, I’ve pointed out, is being presented with the opportunity to sin. Sin is deciding the temptation sounds like a good idea and acting upon it. 

So, while we need to confess our sins, as 1 John 1:9 teaches, we don’t need to confess being tempted. The Scriptures tell us even Jesus Christ encountered temptation in many ways. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

 

That’s encouraging to know, but it doesn’t mean we’re free to dabble with temptation. It’s like sticking your foot into a river filled with alligators. Sooner or later, one’s going to grab you. If you’re a recovering alcoholic, it’s not wise to spend your time hanging out in bars.

 

This year I’ve been reading through a classic devotional book, Morning by Morning, by revered British preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon. One recent entry focused on the topic of temptation. He wrote, “A covenant must be made with our eyes not even to look on the cause of temptation for such sins only need a spark to begin with and a blaze follows in an instant.”

 

Spurgeon went on to say, “The wings of a dove are of more use to me today than the jaws of a lion…. [The Bible says] I am to resist the devil and he will flee from me, but the lusts of the flesh I must flee, or they will surely overcome me.”

 

In other words, don’t put yourself to the test. And don’t place yourself in compromising situations reasoning, ‘Well, the Lord will prevent me from falling into sin.’

 

The Bible does teach that, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out (way of escape) so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 

Years ago, a friend of mine, Hugh, often referred to this passage when talking about one of his greatest temptations – Krispy Kreme donuts. Being a diabetic, he knew they weren’t good for him. But when he would drive past the shop and see the bright neon sign announcing a new batch of hot, melt-in-your-mouth donuts had been prepared, the temptation was real.

 

For Hugh, the “way of escape” was simply to keep driving down the road, rather than turning into the Krispy Kreme parking lot.

 

We live in a broken, sinful world and as a result, temptations are lurking all around us. But as another old friend used to say in his home-spun wisdom, “I can’t keep birds from flying over my head, but I can keep them from building a nest in my hair.”

 

Spurgeon observed the best way to avoid falling into sin is to steer clear of situations where we might be tempted. We all have our own weaknesses. What tempts me might have no effect on you. The one thing we can’t do is blame God if we do succumb to temptation. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin…” (James 1:13-15).

 

The good news is that whenever we are tempted, maybe even blindsided by it despite our efforts to avoid it, we don’t have to deal with it alone. Hebrews 2:18 gives us this assurance, “Because [Christ] himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”