Don’t Waste Your Life in the Pursuit of Seashells

Remember the old tongue twister, “She sells seashells by the seashore”? Recently I heard the story about a couple who apparently tried to live that out. They worked hard, saved diligently, and soon as they could started collecting Social Security, quit their jobs, sold their home and bought a beach house in Florida. Still in their early 60s, they determined to spend the rest of their life reveling in the sun – and collecting the most beautiful seashells they could find.

Some of us might be thinking, ‘Wow! That sounds like a pretty good idea to me.’ Might even seem like one version of the American dream: Leave the rat race of the workplace behind and start living a life of leisure while you’re still young enough to enjoy it.

 

Other similar scenarios might involve spending day after day on the golf course. Or sitting in a boat fishing. Or honing one’s tennis or pickleball skills. Or traveling across the United States, or around the world. Or just sitting on a front porch somewhere sipping iced tea and reading good books. 

 

There’s nothing wrong with any of those activities. Everyone’s entitled to enjoy their favorite pastimes. And after spending countless hours on the job, dealing with one frustration after another while trying to earn a reasonable living, aren’t we entitled to enjoy the fruits of our labors?

 

Yes, of course we are. But do we want the sum total of our lives to add up to a collection of seashells? Or golf scorecards? Tales about the biggest fish we caught? Doubles matches we won on the court? Or how many books we read?

 

I often think of the poem written by British missionary C.T. Studd, “Only One Life.” In it he states, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” When we stand before God one day – as the Bible teaches we all will – and He asks what we accomplished during our lives, do we want to proudly present a collection of seashells, or recount how many birdies we scored on the golf course?

 

This question isn’t just for those currently living in their twilight years. Because no matter how old we are, we’ve already started writing the biography of our life, figuratively if not literally. The story about our family, career, personal relationships, and how we’ve used the experiences and opportunities God presented to us, is well underway. What’s it saying so far – and what will the next chapters have to say?

 

In the Scriptures we read a lot about the importance of vision and mission. “Where there’s no vision, the people perish” says one translation of Proverbs 29:18. In light of this, a reasonable question might be, ‘What’s the vision I have for my life?’ Does it revolve around stuff we’ve accumulated, or pleasurable experiences? Or is our vision to leave a mark, even a legacy, that will endure long after we’re gone?

 

The best way to do this is to recognize that, as C.T. Studd declared in his poem, “only what’s done for Christ will last.” The apostle Paul had spent the first part of his adult life seeking to wipe out anyone who professed faith in Jesus Christ. However, he made a 180-degree turn after encountering the Lord on the road to Damascus, had his eyes opened – literally and figuratively – and devoted the rest of his life to helping people discover the saving power of Christ. His vision and mission shifted dramatically, from eradicate to evangelize.

 

He expressed this urgency to believers in ancient Colossae, urging them to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

 

Several verses later, perhaps for emphasis, Paul rephrased that charge: “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” (Colossians 3:23-24).

 

God has created a wondrous world for us to enjoy, overflowing with beauty in many forms. And there are innumerable hobbies from which to choose that can occupy our free hours. But Jesus told His disciples, “…I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last” (John 15:16). Are our diversions, our avocations, the primary focus of our lives, such that they will bear fruit that will last?

 

At least once each year retail establishments will conduct an inventory of what they have in their stores. Maybe a periodic personal inventory of our lives would be appropriate to see what we’re accumulating. Are we producing fruit that will last? (Another translation says, “fruit that won’t spoil.”) Or are we just collecting seashells?

After ‘Famous Last Words,’ What Will Be the First Words?

Not to seem morbid, but when your time comes, what do you think your final words will be? That’s a sobering thought, because most of us presume we’ll be speaking lots more words before that moment arrives. But it’s worth considering.

Through the centuries, the last words from famous people just before their death have been archived. Some reflect a final attempt at humor; others are encouraging; and some are heart-rending. Consider these examples:

On his deathbed, famed composer Beethoven is said to have uttered these words: “Friends applaud, the comedy is over.” Legendary actor Humphrey Bogart quipped, “I should have never switched from Scotch to martinis.” Comedian Groucho Marx said simply, “This is no way to live!” Reggae legend Bob Marley made this final observation: “Money can’t buy life.” And Winston Churchill, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, muttered this last sentence: “I’m bored with it all.”

 

Nostradamus, the 16^th century prognosticator, is still studied for some of his predictions. At least one of them, on his death bed, was correct: “Tomorrow, at sunrise, I shall no longer be here.” Marie Antoinette was the wife of King Louis XVI and the last queen before the French Revolution. On her way to the guillotine, she accidently stepped on her executioner’s foot. The last words anyone heard her say were, “Pardonnez-moi, monsieur.” (“Pardon me, sir.”)

 

Then there were those who clearly had their focus on what would happen after their final breath. Blues singer Bessie Smith stated, “I’m going, but I’m going in the name of the Lord.” And when Harriet Tubman was dying in 1913, with family gathered around her, she said, “Give my love to the churches. Tell the women to stand firm. I go to prepare a place for you.” 

 

Apparently with some regret Leonardo da Vinci, the renowned artist, scientist and engineer, declared, “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.” The sister of Steve Jobs, the entrepreneur, inventor and co-founder of Apple Inc., reported his final words were, “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.” No one knows what that meant.

 

Recounting famous last words is interesting, but what matters exponentially more are the first words we’ll hear after our lives have ended. What will they be? The Bible gives us a good idea of what we’ll hear – or at least something similar. They should either excite us – or terrify us.

 

Jesus Christ told a parable about an owner who had entrusted three servants with his property while he was away on a long journey. He expected them to properly manage what they had been given. Upon his return, he found two of the three servants had demonstrated good stewardship and were commended. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21,23).

 

We often hear these words spoken of stalwart followers of Christ when they pass away. They’re not reserved only for ‘super-Christians,’ but also for all who have been faithful in whatever circumstances God placed them, using the gifts and opportunities He provided for His glory.

 

However, not everyone who dies and stands before the Lord will hear words like those. Jesus warned that just because someone says the right things, that doesn’t mean he or she will be welcomed into the heavenly realm. He declared:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

 

How can we know for certain which phrase we’ll hear? What if being ‘religious’ and doing some good deeds isn’t enough? The Scriptures say we can definitely know what to expect. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). But exactly how can we know?

 

The Bible addresses this in many ways, but here are three of them:

Do a self-examination. “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you – unless you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). We could become hopelessly introspective, but it’s not a bad thing once in a while to ask ourselves what we truly believe – and why.

Are we living out what we claim to believe? James 1:22-25 admonishes, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks at the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.” One evidence of saving faith is the desire to put it into action.

For whom are we doing what we’re doing? In performing good works, are we doing them to be commended by others, or are we doing them for God’s glory and in appreciation for all He’s done for us? “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

 

It's sobering to realize that when our earthly lives end, the first words we hear will either be along the lines of, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”, or “Depart from Me, I never knew you!” Which will we hear?

Applying the Remedy for Discouragement

Do you ever feel discouraged? Maybe the special meal you planned didn’t turn out as expected. Or the diet you’ve tried hasn’t produced the results you wanted. Or just when you thought you were getting your finances in order, an emergency threw your budget out of whack. 

Perhaps the source of your discouragement is more profound: After years of striving to be the perfect parent, following advice from all the ‘experts,’ a headstrong teenager has you worrying well into the night. Where did you go wrong? Or after watching too much news on TV, the current state of the world has your head spinning, knowing there’s absolutely nothing you can do to fix it.

 

Reasons for being discouraged come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes no matter how hard we try we can’t seem to overcome those feelings. By definition, discouragement means to lack encouragement. This is where we can step up to help one another. 

 

The anonymous writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews understood this, because he wrote one of the Bible’s most powerful passages about applying the remedy for discouragement: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10:23-25). 

 

There’s a lot packed into those three verses. We find it’s not a matter of, “Suck it up! Things will get better. Just be positive.” No, the primary reason we can feel encouraged – to have hope – is because of God and His character. He’s ever-faithful, doesn’t fall asleep on the job, and is busily at work, even when we can’t see exactly what He’s doing. He’s the source of confident hope, no ‘hope-so,’ wishful thinking.

 

Next, I like the phrase, “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” When I was a boy, I spent many hours watching cowboy shows – Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Wild Bill Hickok, the Long Ranger. They’d ride about proudly on their “trusty steeds,” and when immediate action was required, would spur their horses into action.

 

Encouragement should work the same way. It’s not about engaging in a mutual self-pity party, commiserating about how bad things are. It’s prodding or ‘spurring’ one another into action, acting on the hope and trust we have in the God who in Jeremiah 29:11 says, “… I know the plans I have for you…plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”

 

Circumstances might not change or improve immediately, but instead of acting like turtles and retreating into our shells we can continue moving forward, assured the Lord hasn’t forgotten about us.

 

Then there’s the part about “meeting together” to encourage one another. This life, as I’ve stated before, isn’t about mimicking the aforementioned Lone Ranger, living a life of isolation. We need one another, one day being the recipient of encouragement and another day being the one who offers it.

 

While it doesn’t use the word ‘encouragement,’ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 addresses this strongly: 

“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! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

 

Where do we find encouragement? Where can we give it? It might be a close friendship in which two people are always there for each other; whenever there’s a need the other promises, “I’ve got your back.” It might be a personal accountability group, a handful of folks who don’t exchange pleasantries but are willing to ask tough questions when needed, along with offering timely help and support. Or it could be colleagues at work, ready to assist one another when workloads become too heavy or demanding.

 

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Barnabas, who’s introduced in the 4^th chapter of the book of Acts. His given name, we’re told, was Joseph. But he earned the nickname Barnabas, literally Bar-Nabas – “son of encouragement.” 

 

His very first act in the Scriptures was to sell a field and donate the entire proceeds to the work of the apostles, who had been commissioned to carry on Jesus’ work after He ascended to heaven. What a way to let the Lord’s closest followers know he believed in them and wanted to support what they were doing.

 

But his greatest moment of encouragement was when he came alongside Saul of Tarsus, after the one-time persecutor of Christians had encountered Jesus Christ while heading to Damascus, planning to carry out more mayhem. Saul – later renamed Paul – experienced a miraculous transformation, but the apostles weren’t buying it. We’re told, “…he tried to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple” (Acts 9:26).

 

In stepped Barnabas, who obviously spent considerable time with Saul to hear him out. Barnabas boldly stood up for the new believer, knowing his own reputation was on the line. Probably with reluctance the apostles allowed Saul to remain with them, and he proved to be a bold witness for Christ. Can you imagine how encouraging it must have been for Saul to have Barnabas vouch for his transformed life?

 

Their story doesn’t end there, but it’s a glowing example of the powerful impact of one person offering encouragement to another. Through the power of Christ, we can do the same. God might not send another apostle Paul our way, but even a brief time spent with a person needing a kind word or a generous gesture can have more impact than we could imagine. And we’ll discover that by encouraging others, we’ll be encouraging ourselves.

Forgiveness, the Ultimate Gift We Can Give – to Ourselves

“That young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did.”

 

Erika Kirk offers forgiveness at her
husband's memorial service.

That was the unexpected, maybe unfathomable statement voiced by Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, the Conservative activist and Christian apologist assassinated two weeks ago while speaking on the campus of a university in Utah. Her words were directed to the 22-year-old alleged assassin. 

More than 60,000 people heard her speak those words in person in the jammed Phoenix, Ariz. stadium for Charlie’s memorial service Sept. 21, and millions saw her say them on TV and in videos over the days that followed. Responses ranged from awe and amazement to disbelief, and some even felt anger. How could she forgive someone who killed her husband?

 

Everyone who saw the broadcast couldn’t help but react in some way. Erika’s words brought the concept of forgiveness front and center into public discourse. And rightfully so. Because in our angry world, where hateful words and vitriol are so prevalent, forgiveness seems in short supply. And not just at colleges, the halls of government, and the ubiquitous, high-volume media.

 

Every day, millions of people carry crushing grudges against people who have hurt them – physically, verbally, emotionally. Like a relentless cancer, refusal to forgive others takes a grim toll, not only on those who’ve not been forgiven but also on those who refuse to consider or extend forgiveness.

 

On one level this is understandable. When someone has harmed us grievously, the last thing we want to say is, “I forgive you.” What we want is for them to suffer consequences. We don’t want them to feel freed or think they’ve ‘gotten away’ with wrongdoings or wrongful words. We want them to ‘pay’ for what they’ve done to us.

 

However, to forgive does not mean to forget. Nor does it mean, as in the case of the assassin, that justice won’t be served. Because it must. To forgive does not mean to exonerate. What forgiveness does most of all is free us from suffering as perpetual victims, being haunted and wounded repeatedly by memories of how we were hurt.

 

Someone has said that refusal to forgive is tantamount to drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Or as author Lewis B. Smedes observed, “To forgive is to set the prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

 

There’s an even greater, infinitely more profound reason for forgiving another person, regardless of what they’ve done. It’s as Erika Kirk said, “I forgive him because it was what Christ did.”

 

Hanging on the cross, having undergone false accusations, mocking and taunting, excruciating scourging, and experiencing the most hideous form of execution, Jesus managed to utter these words: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). The Son of God imploring the Father to forgive the truly unforgiveable.

 

This was not a singular, out of character moment for Jesus Christ. He spoke often about forgiveness and the importance of being able to forgive wrongdoing – whether committed by others or ourselves.

 

In what is commonly known as the “Lord’s Prayer,” teaching His disciples how to pray Jesus included these words: “…Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us…” (Luke 11:4, also Matthew 6:12). Other translations use the words “trespasses” or “debts” instead of sins, but the meaning is the same.

 

Forgiveness, Jesus was explaining, must be a hallmark of His followers. Because being able to truly forgive, no matter the magnitude of the offense, is possible only through the power of Christ. As He stated in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Jesus offered no exceptions to this admonition.

 

Once the disciple Peter, always pressing the point with Jesus, asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” To which Jesus responded, “I tell you, not seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-35). In explaining this, He was basically saying there is no limit to forgiveness.

 

Most important to consider is how much the Lord has forgiven us. If we’re honest, we know we’re just as sinful, just as broken, as anyone else. As we’re told in Psalm 103:10-12, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

 

In other words, through God’s mercy and grace we’ve not received what we deserved but rather, what we definitely haven’t deserved. The apostle John gave us this reminder: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

 

Jesus underscored the importance of forgiveness in another way: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). Forgiveness, in a very real sense, is a gift we give to ourselves.

 

This doesn’t mean terrible crimes should be absolved of guilt. Our God of love is also just and righteous God. To forgive doesn’t mean release from consequences. This is why the Lord established the system of justice we utilize in our nation. We should always remember, “For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people’” (Hebrews 10:30).

 

It is with this confidence that an Erika Kirk can say, despite her grief, “That young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did.” 

Breaking Up and Reconciling – Both Are Hard to Do

Way back when there was a lilting tune by pop singer Neil Sedaka called “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.” I remember silly words it contained: “dum-do-bee-do-dahm-dahm. Comma-comma-dum….” But as the title suggests, the song was about breaking up. Like many in the early ‘60s, it expressed the teenaged angst of love won and lost.

 

Yes, breaking up indeed is hard to do. All of us who have experienced it at least once – and who hasn’t? – know that no matter how many breakups you’ve gone through, it doesn’t get easier. When cherished relationships become broken, it hurts.

The flip side of this also is true: Reconciling can be very hard to do as well. Whether in a marriage, family, close friendships or long-standing business relationships, when those ties become damaged, it can be extremely hard to achieve true reconciliation. It requires humility and forgiveness – which can be difficult to muster when one or both parties have been deeply hurt or betrayed.

 

This is one reason the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so poignant and compelling. After defining a true follower of Jesus – “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) – the apostle Paul explains this is the perfect example of what reconciliation means:

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them…” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

 

When we think about a broken relationship we’ve had and how difficult it was (or would be) to become reconciled, imagine the magnitude of what these words express – God earnestly wanting to reconcile us to Himself, despite our rebellion, refusal to obey the commands He gave us for our good, and defiance in worshipping just about anyone or anything but Him. In a word, our sin.

 

Philippians 2:7-8 tells us that God “…made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and become obedient to death – even death on a cross.” These words sum up most profoundly what true humility, sacrifice and forgiveness look like.

 

It’s impossible to capture this in strictly human terms. Imagine one of us taking on the form of a caterpillar, or even a beetle. That certainly would be humbling, but even that image in no way conveys what it was like for the God of the entire universe to take on human form in the person of Jesus Christ. And yet, that’s the extent to which He desperately desired to become reconciled with wayward, willfully disobedient people. 

 

And going to the cross, dying in our place to atone for our sins as our Redeemer, was the only way He could accomplish that. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Perhaps we should keep this in mind when we struggle to become reconciled with another person who has hurt us deeply.

 

There’s one other thing I find in this passage that strikes me as amazing: God not only has provided the means for becoming reconciled with Him but also asks us as His children to become agents for this reconciliation. It states, “And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

 

There’s so much that could be written about this, but through the centuries this is exactly the apostles, patriarchs of Christianity like Martin Luther, John and Charles Wesley, Charles H. Spurgeon, Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody, C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and even Charlie Kirk have been doing: Imploring men, women and children to be reconciled to God.

Best of all, since we also as children of God are given the title of “Christ’s ambassadors,” this is our privilege too. Who do you know that needs to be reconciled to the Lord, to learn that He loved them so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for them, as we’re told in John 3:16? After all He has done for us, isn’t that the least we can do for Him? 

Rescuing the Perishing, Caring for the Dying

What if somehow you stumbled across the absolute cure to cancer – no matter what form? Wouldn’t you want to tell everyone you could about it? Or just imagine you discovered an iceberg was directly in the path of an ocean liner on which you were traveling? (Think Titanic.) Wouldn’t you want to alert anyone in authority to take immediate evasive action?

 

In a real sense, this is one of the primary responsibilities of the Church: to warn people heading for death and destruction. We refer to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the “good news.” It definitely is. At the same time, telling people about Jesus and the Bible cautions them about the bad news – failing to receive the “abundant life” Jesus promised in John 10:10 and being separated from God for all eternity.

 

Words from a hymn written more than 150 years ago by Fanny Crosby state it well: “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.” We don’t hear this anymore in many churches, since it doesn’t mix well with drums, electric guitars and flashing lights. But Jesus Christ’s desire in Acts 1:8 remains unchanged. After His resurrection, Jesus charged His followers, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 

We find similar commands elsewhere in the New Testament: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15).  And Jesus’ Great Commission to “…go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20). Our faith in Christ isn’t to be kept to ourselves. It’s to be shared with others, anyone willing to listen.

 

The problem is many of us aren’t sure how to do this. There are lots of faith-sharing strategies out there. I’ve taken part in some of these programs. But no two people are alike and rarely do they match the examples presented during the training. Especially one-size-fits-all evangelistic approaches.

 

In the gospels we see Jesus relating differently to each person. He interacted with them according to who they were and their needs. The woman at the well, the rich young ruler, the woman caught in the act of adultery, people who were blind, crippled, or afflicted with leprosy. All came from unique circumstances, but the Lord knew exactly how to respond to each of them.

 

‘Well, that was Jesus. He had divine wisdom, being God incarnate,’ we might think. That’s true, and I can’t count the number of times I’ve thought, ‘Lord, I wish I could look into people’s hearts the way You can.’ Some people have the gift of evangelism, which I compare with someone walking through an orchard, grabbing fruit ripe for the picking. In a similar way, God sends them to individuals ready to hear about Jesus and respond to His offer of salvation.

 

Most of us, however, aren’t so gifted. We don’t encounter desperate spiritual seekers at every turn. But that doesn’t excuse us from being obedient to share our faith whenever an opportunity presents itself. The question is, how? The Bible gives many verses about sharing the Gospel, but two of my favorites address not the mechanics of evangelizing, but rather the mindsets and attitudes we should have.

 

The first is Colossians 4:5-6, in which the apostle Paul admonishes, “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.” There’s a lot packed into those sentences. 

 

We’re dealing with “outsiders,” not folks we typically encounter at church on a Sunday morning. We must be wise in how we handle an opportunity to talk with someone about Christ. How do we do that? By speaking with grace, kindness, compassion, and genuineness. They’re people, not projects. And we should do so in an engaging manner – tastefully – expressing the Gospel as palatably as possible without compromising the Truth.

 

The second passage, 1 Peter 3:15-16, admonishes, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give answer (make a defense) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

 

Being prepared to “give an answer,” or as another translation puts it, “make a defense,” implies someone has asked a question, perhaps wanting to know what and why we believe: “the reason for the hope that you have.” Or they may have taken the offensive, presenting opposition to what we know to be true.

 

But as in the passage from Colossians, we’re to do so with “gentleness and respect,” not in an offensive manner. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus is – and always has been – “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8). We should let Him be the one who offends, not ourselves.

 

For an example of someone who did this very effectively, look at videos of the late Charlie Kirk interacting with students on college campuses, as well as in public forums. While some regarded him as “polarizing and divisive,” viewing his public interactions we see that wasn’t his intent.

 

In most instances he was winsome, engaging, respectful, and willing to listen to other viewpoints – but always faithful to biblical truth. He spoke boldly about politics and social issues but always emphasized the importance of seriously considering the claims of Christ. While others spoke with strong emotions and opinions, Charlie stuck with facts and logic – and the truth. This is one reason he encountered strong opposition, ultimately to the point of someone taking his life.

Most of us won’t in the crosshairs of someone’s gun for talking about Jesus and the Bible, but Charlie continues serving as a model of someone who lived for Christ and whose heart’s desire was to point others to Him. I believe he would have echoed the words of the apostle Paul, who urged first-century Christians to “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:11).

Writing Things Down So You Won’t Forget Them

Do you like to compile daily to-do lists? Not a to-do list someone else makes for you (like a honey-do list), but your own listing of tasks and appointments for the day. For much of my adult life I’ve done that and take some satisfaction in crossing an item off my list, knowing it’s been accomplished. 

Years ago, my employer enrolled me in two days of time management training. Admittedly, time management is a bit of a misnomer, because we can’t really manage time. We can’t slow it down; can’t speed it up; and certainly, can’t save it for later use. 

 

If it's important enough to
remember, write it down.

However, we can ‘budget’ our time, prioritizing the most important things so they don’t get pushed aside by squeaky-wheel, “urgent” things. I learned to give an ‘A’ priority to items that must be done, ones that would reflect negatively on me if I didn’t complete them. Other things would get a ‘B’ designation – nice to get them done, but if not there’s always tomorrow. I still practice that kind of prioritizing today.

Another thing I learned was to keep one master to-do list, rather than having separate ones for work and my personal life. That basically solved the problem of overscheduling – committing to something for work that conflicted with an important family activity or appointment. 

 

But the most important principle I learned about scheduling and daily planning was to write everything down. Experts say our greatest expenditure of mental energy is repeatedly having to remind ourselves not to forget something. Writing tasks and commitments down eliminates that need – as long as we remember where we wrote them.

 

Writing things down also can serve as a great asset for growing spiritually. At a conference or attending a worship service, for example, we use our eyes and ears to take in whatever’s being said. But how often have you left an event, having heard a powerful message, and then struggled to remember the profound things that impressed you?

 

An easy solution to that problem is to write it down as you’re hearing it. Behavioral scientists tell us that the more senses we engage in an experience, the easier it is to remember. If we see and hear something and then repeat it orally, we’re engaging several senses. Writing down key thoughts is another step in the process of retaining important information. As someone has termed it, “In the ears and over the lips and through the fingertips.”

 

Being a writer, this is second nature, but I always attend a worship service with pen in hand, ready to make notes of anything the pastor says that I want to recall later. I don’t always revisit what I’ve written down, but the simple act of writing down key thoughts helps to impress them on my mind.

 

Some people maintain journals as part of their regular prayer and quiet times. They jot down specific prayer requests and reread them later to see how God has responded. They also write thoughts and ideas they have while reading and studying the Scriptures. 

 

This can also help in doing what King David wrote: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word…. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9,11). For people who find memorizing Bible verses to be a challenge, the physical act of writing down passages they want to remember can be very helpful. Again, the more senses we can involve in the ‘remembering process,’ the better.

 

The Bible’s final book was written by the apostle John, whom the Lord instructed to, “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later…” (Revelation 1:19). Much of the Old Testament, scholars tell us, originally was passed down through a very meticulous oral tradition, but over time the process of remembering what the Scriptures taught was made easier by writing down what God had inspired through numerous men.

 

Much of the New Testament consists of letters the apostle Paul wrote to believers in various regions. I suspect that in the process of writing, he not only communicated to his readers the truths God had taught him, but also reinforced for himself the doctrines and precepts he knew to be true. “This is why I write these things when I am absent….the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down” (2 Corinthians 13:10).

 

As Moses was beginning to conclude his leadership responsibilities and pass them along to Joshua, God commanded him, “Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them” (Deuteronomy 31:19).

 

In a similar way, when God teaches us something important – whether through a sermon, something we hear over the radio, at a conference, in a Bible study, during a casual conversation, or as we’re reading the Scriptures – one of the best ways for retaining it is to write it down. That way we don’t have to expend unnecessary mental energy trying to remind ourselves not to forget. You could say it’s the ‘write thing to do’!

How Can We Rejoice and Be Glad in 'This Day'?

A popular child’s song from years past told us, “This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. We will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It is based directly on Psalm 118:24. I don’t know if it’s still used much in Christian settings, but I always loved the happy, lilting tune.

 

As I mentioned in my last post, I like to recite this verse silently when I awaken each morning: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” But let’s be honest: Aren’t there days when we wonder, ‘How can I rejoice and be glad in this day’?

 

Sept. 11, 2001 was one of those days, when four commercial airliners were hijacked by terrorists. Two were flown into New York City’s World Trade Center towers, a third one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the fourth into a rural field in Pennsylvania, redirected by courageous passengers before it reached its intended target. 

Charlie Kirk, Wikipedia photo

Wednesday was another of those days, when Charlie Kirk, a popular Conservative activist and unapologetic follower and witness for Jesus Christ, was assassinated, apparently by a trained marksman or sniper.

I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Kirk (everyone knew him as Charlie) but had viewed many of his videos on social media. I have no way of knowing whether his public persona aligned with his life off the stage, but people interviewed who were close to him confirmed he was the real deal, a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person.

 

He spoke about crucial topics of today, including marriage and family, politics, sexual lifestyles, gender ideology, abortion, the poor, and most important of all, the life-changing, transforming power of Jesus Christ. I admired his intellect and rhetorical skills. He had a keen mind in being able to debate and disarm opposing arguments with logic rather than emotion, and usually with a smile, grace and compassion.

 

At only 31 years old, a husband and father of two young children, Charlie seemed to have a bright future and potential to become an even more powerful changemaker in society than he already was. So, how can we ‘rejoice and be glad’ in a day when he became the victim of such a heinous act?

 

While we mourn Charlie’s all-too-soon passing and grieve for his family, I believe there are many reasons we can indeed ‘rejoice and be glad’ despite such tragedy. Let me cite some of them:

 

He is now with the Lord. Every time he spoke, Charlie was intentional in communicating his faith in Jesus Christ and why he believed, as well as the importance for everyone to seriously consider the Gospel message. In 1 John 5:11-13 we read, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” This passage says that if we have trusted in Christ, we can know for certain that we have eternal life. Charlie knew this.

 

His message will continue. When Charlie spoke about his faith, as well as issues being discussed, he often referred to the Scriptures as his ultimate source of Truth. Over the years he addressed countless thousands of people, many of them college-aged and young adults. In addition, his videos were viewed – and will continue being viewed – by millions, thanks to the Internet and social media. Whether Charlie thought of it this way or not, he was planting seeds that will bear fruit for eternity. As Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). And Hebrews 4:12 declares, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

God will raise up others in his place. Charlie wasn’t a lone ranger. His organization, Turning Point USA, has more than 850 campus chapters, and surely God will raise up others to fill the void he left behind. In 2 Kings 2:9 we read the account of the prophet Elijah ‘passing his mantle’ to his protégé, Elisha. Before being taken up to heaven by God, Elijah asked, “‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ ‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied.” Perhaps even now someone is praying, asking the Lord for a “double portion” of what God had given Charlie.

 

The Lord will carry his family through this difficult time. It is reported that ahead of Charlie’s passing, his wife, Erika, shared a favorite Bible verse on social media: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). The coming days will be unimaginably hard for the Kirk family, but they will find refuge and strength in the Lord to sustain them. This is an assurance we all have if we have entrusted our lives to Christ, being reborn as children of God.

 

God will turn this tragedy into His good. A verse we commonly turn to in times of adversity is Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” There’s danger of overusing it, turning it into a platitude, but it’s true, nonetheless. I’ve experienced it many times myself, and hopefully you have as well.

 

The Bible gives many examples of how the Lord fulfilled this promise, including the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, then falsely accused and imprisoned in Egypt. Yet God sovereignly enabled Joseph to rise to second in power only to Pharaoh and used by the Lord to save the people of Israel in the midst of a great famine. After encountering his betraying brothers, Joseph stated, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this…” (Genesis 50:20).

What good God intends to accomplish through this evil, murderous act against Charlie Kirk we can’t know right now. But we can firmly believe He will use it in His time. And knowing that even Sept. 10, 2025 – as well as Sept. 11, 2001 – were days the Lord made, we can rejoice in them.

Thinking Twice About Things We Take for Granted

There’s so much in this life that we take for granted. For example, running water. We turn on the faucet or the shower without wondering whether water will come out. Until it doesn’t – as happened to us recently. The water pressure was very low, so we instantly started worrying about if we’d have enough water for our morning coffee or to get cleaned up. But that doesn’t happen often. 

Running water isn’t the only thing we tend to take for granted. There’s the car starting every time we turn the key or hit the ignition switch (depending upon the age of your car). However, we’ve probably all had moments when we turned the ignition and … nothing.

 

What about food for breakfast? For most of us, it’s not a matter of whether we’ll have any food to eat, but rather what kind of food we choose to have: Eggs? Bacon, or sausage? Cereal? Toast? Cinnamon rolls or donuts? We even take for granted that we’ll be able to choose.

 

Then there are our joints. We know we’ve got them – knuckles, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles. We hardly notice them. We don’t consciously instruct them to bend. They’re just there, functioning unnoticed. Until something goes wrong – we twist them, strain them, break them. Or for no apparent reason, they just start aching. Suddenly those joints and the many movements they enable us to make become precious.

 

We could cite many other examples: Beating hearts, air in our lungs, clothes to wear, air conditioning when it’s hot, heat when it’s cold outside. It’s easy to take our loved ones for granted, something I try hard not to do. But it happens sometimes. 

 

Another thing we’re inclined to take for granted – and most important of all – is our relationship with God. For atheists and agnostics, of course, this isn’t a problem. But for those of us who profess to be followers of Jesus, we sadly can take Him for granted as well.

We might attend church regularly, spend a few minutes reading the Bible once in a while, pray before meals (when we remember), and act appropriately pious when the situation dictates. But how many of us can declare along with the apostle Paul, “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)?

 

When a crisis arises, we’re quick to call out, “Lord, I need you!” When confronted with a difficult, important decision, we remember God. When a loved one is experiencing a serious illness, we pray and ask Him to intervene. When we discover there’s too much month at the end of our pay, our thoughts shift toward the Lord and plead for His provision.

 

However, when all is going well or circumstances seem manageable, our attitude is more like, “I’ve got this. No need to bother God with this one. I can handle it.” Kind of like pushing Him aside and saying, “I’ll let You know when I need You,” and moving on with our lives.

 

It’s interesting that in the second and third chapters of Revelation, where the apostle John records a vision God gave him while he was on the island of Patmos, taking God for granted was among the grievous sins of the seven churches in the province of Asia.

 

To the church in Ephesus, John was directed to write, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance…. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” (Revelation 2:2-5).

 

And to the church in Laodicea, John was inspired to tell the believers, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of My mouth…. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 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 him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:15-20).

 

We commonly use that last verse, “I stand at the door and knock,” in an evangelistic sense. That Christ is knocking at the door of a person’s heart waiting to be invited in. And in one respect that’s true. But the context here is the church in Laodicea, people already claiming to trust in Jesus. They were neither cold nor hot – essentially, they were taking their relationship with the Lord for granted. To use a contemporary word, “Meh.”

 

Believers in Ephesus had “lost their first love,” apparently becoming preoccupied with other things. The Laodiceans were “neither hot nor cold,” perhaps going through the motions but not demonstrating the joy and zeal for Jesus Christ that sets us apart from other people.

 

Granted, these God-inspired words were written nearly 2,000 years ago, but tragically many congregations – and many professing Christians – today also can be described in the same terms: having lost their first love, or being lukewarm – neither cold nor hot.

 

When I sense this in my own life, I try to recall and pray these words of repentance from King David in Psalm 51:10-12:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

 

Considering everything the Lord does for us, much of which we don’t even recognize, He doesn’t deserve to be taken for granted. Maybe, as with the folks in ancient Ephesus and Laodicea, it’s time for us to repent.

Proving We’re Genuine By ‘Show and Tell’

When I was a boy in what we called ‘grammar school’ – we know it today as elementary school – one of the popular weekly activities was “Show and Tell.” We’d take turns bringing in favorite items from home, show them to our fellow classmates, and tell what they meant to us. They included things like favorite toys, dolls, dinosaur models, pet guinea pigs, and art projects.

 

I don’t know whether they still do “Show and Tell” in schools today – I haven’t had a chance to ask my grandkids – but it was always fun to see what my classmates were so excited about and hear them talk about it. The visual component added a lot to what they were telling us. Full disclosure: As a boy I was very shy, so when my turn came at showing-and-telling, I was terrified, but it was part of my growing experience.

 

Why do I bring this up? Because as followers of Jesus, we’ve been commanded to “be My witnesses” wherever we are and wherever we go (Acts 1:8), and an important part of being witnesses for Christ is showing – living out our faith and demonstrating its genuineness.

Years ago, a non-believing friend was telling me one of the reasons he had no use for Christianity. People he worked with would be very bold and vocal in their expressions of faith, but how they conducted themselves on the job seemed to contradict the principles they espoused. My friend’s attitude was, "If that’s a Christian, I don’t want to be one.”

 

I know there are many valid responses to that: No one’s perfect. It’s unfair to judge Christ by the behavior of His sinful followers. We’re saved by faith, not by works. All that is true. But my friend had a point: If professed followers of Jesus basically don’t appear to act any differently than non-believers, what’s the big deal?

 

It is a big deal in so many ways, as I tried to explain to my friend. But even the Scriptures teach that true faith is really a show-and-tell experience. One of my favorite passages about sharing our faith with others makes this very clear:

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. 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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15-16).

 

There are three important parts to this exhortation. The first is to “set apart” (other translations say, “sanctify”) Jesus in our hearts as Lord. If we’re to live effectively and fruitfully for Him, we need to make sure He’s given the highest priority in our lives.

 

The second part is to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask…the reason for the hope that you have.” Another translation puts it this way: “…always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account….” Either way, we’re speaking about our faith in response to someone else’s initiative. If they ask us to ‘give an answer,’ this implies something about our lives has prompted them to ask about what we believe. ‘Making a defense’ similarly indicates someone else has taken the offensive, perhaps asking, “What makes you so sure about what you believe?” Or, "Why are you different?"

 

And the third part goes back to the ‘show-and-tell’ aspect of evangelism. We’re to be keeping a “clear conscience” and demonstrating “good behavior in Christ” so that those who speak against us will have no legitimate grounds for criticism. They will see us working hard for our employers, operating honestly and with integrity, and showing true interest in and compassion for others.

 

Even Timothy, the apostle Paul’s young protégé, was instructed to ensure that he not only knew and understood God’s truth but also lived it out consistently. Paul urged him to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

 

Without question we’re to be always be prepared to speak about our love for Christ and trust in Him. But as someone has wisely observed, “If your walk doesn’t equal your talk, the less said the better.”

Conquering the Conundrum of Discontentment

Have you ever been invited into a friend’s home for the first time and marveled with envy at their house and its design? Or gotten out of your 10-year-old car just as your neighbor drove up with a new SUV and you thought, ‘Wow, I’d like to have a car like that’? Maybe you’ve felt jealous of someone who had a better job than you – or a better income?

 

To be honest, there have been times when feelings like that have crossed my mind. I suspect this is one of the reasons “you shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) is included among the Ten Commandments. In our materialistic world, we’ll always find someone having something we’d like to have ourselves. It might be the pool in their backyard, the photo-perfect vacations they take each year, their wardrobe, or their seemingly ideal marriage. We can become preoccupied with thoughts of, ‘I wish…. I want…. If only….’

 

On top of that, we’re bombarded daily with TV, radio and movie ads, billboards and other messages designed to develop in us a sense of discontentment. The ads might not say it in so many words, but subtly they’re telling us, “Your life isn’t complete unless you buy this.” Or, “This is what you can’t do without.” It gets to the point where it’s hard to distinguish between our genuine needs – and our wants.

 

Of course, these impulses aren’t new. That’s why God commanded all of us not to covet “your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” I don’t know anyone who’s confessed to coveting his neighbor’s ox or donkey, but that’s beside the point.

 

We might say the antithesis of coveting is contentment, being satisfied with whatever we have and wherever we are at the moment. Writing to his protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul offered this perspective: “…godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

 

I remember an old friend I hadn’t seen in a long while. When I asked how he and his family were doing, he responded, “Well, we have a lot of wants, but don’t have any needs.” How many of us can say that and mean it? And yet, the Scriptures exhort us over and over to strive for contentment.

 

After thanking Christ followers in ancient Philippi for their support of his mission work, Paul added, “I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13). That is the key – through Christ.

 

While we might feel envious or jealous of other people’s life circumstances, most often our “coveting” is directly to money or things money can buy. The unidentified writer of Hebrews pointed this out: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). In essence, coveting what someone else has is like saying to the Lord, “You haven’t given me enough!”

 

King Solomon, whose vast wealth was coveted by leaders of other nations, ironically concluded from his own experience that discontentment – never being satisfied with what one already has – leads to vain pursuits: “He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

 

One of Jesus’ favorite topics during His earthly ministry was money and material possessions – but not seeking to accumulate them. Instead, He admonished us to concentrate on things that won’t become damaged or lost. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).

 

Jesus made this declaration during His so-called “Sermon on the Mount,” but had more to say on the subject: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?... But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:25,33).

 

These truths are important for us to hold onto, especially with Christmas fast approaching. As if we needed a reminder of this, stores are already displaying Christmas trees and other holiday finery, even though Halloween and Thanksgiving haven’t yet arrived. In the retail world Christmas, what we could call our annual “season of discontent,” can determine the difference between a profitable year and one that finishes in the red.

 

Discontentment is a universal problem, but it’s especially concerning for followers of Christ. As Paul said, “godliness with contentment is great gain” – and a powerful witness to the unbelieving world that’s always grasping for more. In the words of the old hymn, as we “turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face…the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”