Understanding Why We Should Be Working

Writers, for the most part, are strange birds. I know, because I’m one of them. You might say we’re made of “the write stuff.” For many of us, writing is nearly as natural as breathing. It’s part of the fabric of our being, perhaps much like a thoroughbred horse that’s made to run or a handyman who feels frustrated if there’s nothing to fix. 

A longtime friend, also a journalist, reminded me of this when he cited a Latin phrase I’d not seen before. It is, “Nulla dies sine linea,” which means, “not a day without a line.” He noted this is his practice, rarely going a day without writing in some form. I’m much the same. Whenever I go any length of time without writing, it’s like going without eating. Just gotta do it.

 

In my case, writing has always been a way to conceptualize my thoughts, more effective than speaking them out loud. I’ve often said, when preparing to sit down at a keyboard, “I can’t wait to see what I’ve got to say.” Even in the days when I was staring at a typewriter rather than a computer, placing my fingers on the keys has been like turning on a switch in my brain.

 

For me, writing is more than a vocation, certainly more than just a hobby. I’ve come to regard it as a calling. I’m not sure I felt that way during my days as a newspaper editor, but that was my conclusion after I had become involved in vocational Christian ministry. Years ago, I came across a Bible passage that I adopted as my ‘career verse’ because it sums up how I feel. In the New King James Version it reads, “My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer” (Psalm 45:1).

 

In books I’ve written and edited, magazine articles I wrote, and the devotional meditations and blog posts I write today, my motivation has been to honor God and seek to communicate biblical truth, showing how relevant and practical it is for everyday living.

 

Of course, most people aren’t writers. I’ve lost count of the times people have told me how much they admire people who can write with any competence. “I can’t write. If I tried to write anything, it would take me all day,” they’ve often said. My response is that I struggle to do just about anything else. I’m mechanically challenged, and I’d regard a profession like that of an accountant, attorney or salesperson as daunting, if not terrifying.

 

But the principle applies to any form of work people find themselves doing. Whether it’s parenting, working in a retail store, cutting down trees, working with patients in a hospital, repairing a leaking faucet, teaching a class, or functioning in an executive position, we should have a singular motivation.

 

I think the apostle Paul expressed it best. He wrote, “And whatever we do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him…. 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 3:17, 23-24).

 

We don’t need to be in a sanctified setting like a church sanctuary to put God in the forefront of our minds and actions. Followers of Jesus Christ are called to serve as His representatives wherever we go and whatever we find ourselves doing. As Jesus admonished in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Whether you’re wielding the pen of a ready writer, the wrench of a ready plumber or the computer of a ready IT specialist, the Lord wants us to shine His light and bring honor to Him.

Overcoming the Enemies of Contentment

Suppose you were hired for a job and told the company had established 10 rules that had to be abided by without exceptions. Would you accept the job?

 

As long as the rules were reasonable, most of us would. Unless the rules were something like being required to work 100 hours a week, not being allowed to take any breaks or eat lunch, or doing something illegal. Virtually every job comes with certain rules. Some require wearing of uniforms or a specific dress code. Employers rightfully expect employees to arrive for work on time, and often give them detailed job descriptions. Without rules there would be chaos.

 

For many years it was not uncommon to find the Ten Commandments displayed at workplaces. We can still see them in some of the federal buildings in Washington, D.C., as well as government buildings in some states. But as someone has quipped, having the Ten Commandments in plain sight can create a hostile working environment for some folks.

 

Actually, the commandments are fairly straight-forward, as presented in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. The first four deal with one’s relationship with God: Have no other gods but the Lord; don’t worship idols; don’t take God’s name in vain; keep the Sabbath as a day of rest.

 

The other six concern relationships with one another: Give honor and respect for one’s parents; don’t commit murder; don’t commit adultery; don’t steal things that aren’t yours; always tell the truth; and don’t covet other people’s stuff. Nothing in that list seems unreasonable, does it? But try as we might, we break one or more of those commands every day in thought, word and/or deed.

 

Each commandment is worthy of exposition to explore why God saw fit to include it in the “Top 10” list. But perhaps the one we hear about the least is the last, which says:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 5:21).

 

It’s not much of a mystery why the Lord inserted this one among the Ten Commandments. It’s hard to establish a healthy, trusting relationship with others when you are intensely coveting – or desiring – the things they possess. But the practice of “comparing ourselves with the Joneses” is something most of us have engaged in probably more than once.

 

Maybe a neighbor always seems to be driving a new car loaded with all the accessories. Their home might be the envy of everyone on the street. Photos they regularly post on social media about their latest exotic trip might cause us to wonder why we don’t get to travel as they do. Or they might have the seemingly picture-perfect marriage, their kids are the most mannerly, and they attend the very best schools. What’s wrong with coveting things like that?

 

There are many reasons, but perhaps foremost is that coveting is the enemy of a trait that should be evident in our lives if we are followers of Jesus Christ: Contentment. Writing to his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul declared, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:6-7).

 

What kind of witness for Christ can we be if we’re obviously jealous or envious of other people’s lives and what they have?

 

Of course, we live in a society that bombards us with messages discouraging contentment, saying what we have isn’t enough, that no matter how much we have we need more. This flies against biblical teachings that God is the one who provides us with what we need. As Paul wrote in another letter, “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

 

To covet what someone else has that we don’t is like complaining to the Lord that He hasn’t been good enough or kind enough to us, that if He really loved us He’d give us more.

 

Jesus warned against such thinking. He said, “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear…. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:22,30-31).

 

What about people who aren’t committed to following Christ? They might clearly be living contrary to God’s design, and yet they’re prospering, seemingly happy as they could be. What’s up with that? 

 

King David of Israel, who experienced more than his share of opposition and adversity during his lifetime, apparently wondered about this as well. His conclusion: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away” (Psalm 37:1).

Surrounded by enemies of contentment, we’d be wise to take to heart Paul’s advice to Timothy: “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:8). 

Enduring the Weight of Having to Wait

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Take ‘wait’ and ‘weight,’ for example. In one sense, however, it’s appropriate that they sound the same because having to wait when we’re in a hurry, or anxious, or impatient can feel like a great weight upon our shoulders. 

There are many places and times when we must endure the weight of waiting: grocery store checkout lines; slow traffic lights – or driving behind slow drivers; needing to mail an important package at the post office. Or realizing why we’re called ‘patients’ at a doctor's office, having to exercise patience – another homophone, by the way.

 

I still recall the waiting I had to endure on Christmas Eve as a boy. My sleepless night seemed unending. I wondered if the clock was running in reverse. I couldn’t wait until morning – but I had no choice.

 

One of the problems with waiting is it makes us feel we’re not in control. Which, in many cases, is true. But we live in a “can-do” culture, and waiting seems more like “I can’t do.” We’re all about taking action, doing what needs to be done. Frank Sinatra used to sing, “I Did It My Way.” Motivational speakers declare, “If you can conceive it and believe it, you can achieve it.” They never say, “Wait for it….”

 

Our nation was founded and developed by explorers, innovators and entrepreneurs who claimed they had, “pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps.” (Have you ever tried that? It’s not easy to do!) Self-realization and self-reliance are the mantra for many successful people. Waiting, on the other hand, isn’t a prerequisite. It’s not even encouraged.

 

However, when it comes to this daily journey we call the Christian life, waiting’s very much a part of the process. In fact, there are times when it feels as if God has placed us in His “waiting room,” our number is 95, and He’s only on number 6.

 

Through the years, Psalm 37 has been one of my favorite Bible passages. It’s been especially meaningful when praying and seeking the Lord’s guidance about making a major career change. I’d read the psalm and find comfort, reassurance, and a timely reminder – that He’s in charge and I’m not.

 

I was all about the first part of the psalm, which fits the “can-do” spirit we know so well. The third verse admonishes us to “Trust in the Lord and do good.” I’d read that and think, ‘Yeah, I can do that!’ Then verse 4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord.” I’d think, ‘I can do that, too!’ That’s followed up by one more directive in verse 5: “Commit yourself to the Lord.” Without hesitation I’d think, ‘Yep, I can do that, too! Now, can we move on with Your answer, Lord?’

 

Trust. Do good. Delight. Commit. All strong action verbs. No problem, right? If that’s what God wants me to do, let’s go!

 

But then I’d come to Psalm 37:7, which seems like jamming on the brakes while speeding down the highway. It instructs us to, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” What?! I’m good with all the stuff I’m told to be doing, but why do I have to wait?

 

This admonition isn’t a mistake or misprint. In fact, it’s repeated twice in the same psalm, just in case we missed it the first time. Verse 9 assures us, “But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” Then, verse 34 says: “Wait for the Lord and keep His way.”

 

To be clear, this doesn’t mean we’re to sit like a lump on the couch, passively waiting for something to happen. But it does mean recognizing that when we’ve done everything we know to do, we’ve run out of ideas and options, then it’s time to be patient, wait, and as we’re told in another of the psalms, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

 

Waiting is rarely easy, but it gives us the opportunity to trust in what the Lord is doing and, many times, to marvel at the incredible ways He works. When we “let go and let God,” as they say, we can experience Him doing, “exceeding abundantly more than anything we could ask or imagine,” as Ephesians 3:20 asserts. 

 

Once we’ve done our part, we can wait and release the weight to the Lord. Then we can see Him doing His part – often much more than we could have asked or even hoped for. He’s done this in my life more times than I could count – and with the benefit of hindsight, I’d not have it any other way.

Living Up to (Or Down to) Your Name

What’s in someone’s name? Does it really matter? Actually, selecting a name for a child can be a big deal, maybe even more than we realize. Because it’s something the boy or girl must live with the rest of their life. When’s the last time you met a little girl named Jezebel, or a little boy named Judas?

 

Years ago, especially during the hippie era, some parents would select whimsical names for their kids, like Moonbeam, Summer Rain, Dandelion, or Apple. (That last one never ap-peeled to me.) In a documentary series about some pro football players I saw recently, one of them named his newborn son Maverick. Maybe because the athlete’s a bit of a maverick himself.

 

Remember the Johnny Cash song, “A Boy Named Sue”? It’s about a dad who named his son Sue before abandoning the family, reasoning, “this world is rough, and if a man’s gonna make it, he’s gotta be tough.” A boy with that name would definitely have to be tough to withstand the ridicule he’d face growing up.

 

In the Bible, names often carry great significance. In fact, God sometimes bestowed new names to match changed circumstances. Abram became Abraham, reflecting the Lord’s promise he would be “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). His wife, Sarai, became Sarah, signifying she would be “the mother of nations” (Genesis 17:15-16). 

 

Jacob became Israel, “because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28). Jesus Christ told his headstrong disciple Simon he would have a new name, Peter, adding, “on this rock I will build My church…” (Matthew 16:18).

 

One of the most beautiful names in the Scriptures is Immanuel. It’s cited first in Isaiah 7:14 and then in Matthew 1:23, referring to the Messiah. It means, “God with us.” God taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

But one of the more curious names in the Bible is that of an obscure fellow named Jabez, which in Hebrew means, “sorrowful,” “painful” or “he causes pain.” He’s only mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, which states:

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).

 

His mom might as well have been calling him “pain in the neck.” We don’t have any specifics, whether his was a particularly difficult birth, or perhaps he might have been a handful from his first moments of life outside the womb. In any event, this was a guy saddled with a name that everyone knew meant, “he causes pain.” Can you imagine growing up like that?

 

Think of a parent constantly haranguing a child, saying things like, “You’re stupid!” or, “You’ll never amount to anything!” The old – and very inaccurate – saying declared, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” In reality, harsh names and negative words often hang with us long after physical injuries have healed.

 

No wonder Jabez cried out to God, pleading for His blessing. He apparently didn’t get that from his mom. The good news is simple: the Lord granted his request, although the passage doesn’t explain in what ways that happened. We do know he was “more honorable than his brothers.”

 

What about for us? You might have a name you’ve cherished, perhaps one that’s been passed down through your family. Or maybe you’ve been named after a favorite relative. Or you may have a name you never liked, to the extent you’ve gone by your middle name instead – or by your initials or a nickname.

 

For followers of Christ, whether we enjoy our present name or not, we’re promised one day we’ll receive a brand-new name. In Isaiah 62:2, speaking specifically of Jerusalem, God says through the prophet, “you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate.” We see this demonstrated through the renaming of biblical patriarchs like Abraham, Israel and Peter.

 

In the last book of the Bible, we’re told that one day we all will experience something similar: “To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17).

Hopefully you don’t have a name like Jabez, which always reminded people that he had been a pain in the neck in one way or another. But whether we like our name or loathe it, we can look forward one day to receiving a name from the Lord that He’s specially selected just for us alone. In the meantime, we know He regards us as, “…My people, who are called by My name…” (2 Chronicles 7:14). 

The Pointless, Fruitless Pursuit of Happiness

Most of us are familiar with the phrase early in the Declaration of Independence that says people are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….” This belief has undergirded the United States for two-and-a-half centuries, but it’s the last part – the “pursuit of Happiness” – that seems to be a sticking point for many folks. 

It’s important to note the Declaration doesn’t suggest happiness is guaranteed. Only the “pursuit” of it is assured. Which seems to be a problem for some people who feel they are entitled to happiness, and if they don’t get it – or can’t find it – they’re mad.

 

One of the problems is trying to define what happiness actually is, since what it means can vary from one individual to another. For a toddler, happiness is a new toy, a sweet treat, or being held by mom or dad. But as we get older, our idea of happiness can take the form of stuff, status, success, or many other things.

 

This is fine when we receive or achieve them, but what about when we don’t? Even then, the happiness we feel is fleeting. An old Latin phrase is tempus fugit – time flies. Well, happiness “fugit,” too. We have no better example of this than King Solomon of ancient Israel, who resolved to pursue happiness in all of its myriad forms.

 

We find him recounting this in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, much of which seems to have been written in a cynical tone. Chapter 2 is specific in citing many of the pleasures the king strived to attain, only to reach the conclusion that, “everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

 

What things captured his attention? Solomon enumerates them: Pleasure, laughter, lavish feasts and abundant wine, great building projects, stockpiles of silver and gold, various forms of entertainment, a harem of 700 wives and 300 concubines, fame and renown. 

 

He said, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor…. So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:10,17).

 

Here was a man who literally had it all, everything his mind and heart could imagine. Solomon even had royalty from other nations come to bask in his presence and to benefit from his unparalleled wisdom. If anyone could find happiness, surely it would have been him. And yet, despite everything, he said all of it was meaningless. Other translations use the word “vanity.” A supreme waste of time, energy and resources.

 

We live in a very materialistic society, and for many among us the solution to all problems is money and stuff. Yet anthropologists have undertaken studies that showed the happiest people in the world aren’t necessarily the ones who wallow in material wealth. 

 

While finishing his painful analysis of the futility of pursuing happiness through things, accomplishments and experiences – repeatedly declaring, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 12:8) Solomon arrived at a stunning conclusion. 

 

He said, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:1,13). Instead of becoming fixated on the elusive, temporary things of this word that bring happiness that lasts about as long as a bite of cotton candy in one’s mouth, Solomon had arrived at the realization that a focus on eternal matters is what truly fulfills and endures.

 

On a stormy day, have you ever gone outside and tried to grab hold of the wind with your hand? Can’t be done, right? It’s much the same with happiness. One moment we’re happy about something we’ve acquired or achieved, the next we’re fretting over what we don’t have or can’t reach.

 

Writing to his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul made a similar observation. He told him, “…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 6:6-7). Or as King David declared, “Blessed is the man [whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).

 

There’s nothing wrong with having things and enjoying achievements. But if we’re expecting them to provide us with lasting happiness and fulfillment, we’re fooling ourselves. No wonder so many people, even in our prosperous land, are miserable. Like love, they’re looking for happiness - in all the wrong places.

 

As Solomon learned, “[the Lord] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This life is a mere blip on the radar screen of eternity – we’d be wise to pursue those things that have eternal consequence.

Getting Better at Doing Something – Even If It’s Not Good to Do

Practice and repetition. These are keys to improving in whatever endeavor we choose to pursue. Whether it’s playing a musical instrument, flying an airplane, teaching in a classroom, learning to speak a foreign language, excelling in a sport, performing surgery, public speaking, or myriad other things, we become better at whatever we’re doing through practice and repetition.

 

For me it’s included writing, typing, taking photographs, and mentoring other men. I mention typing because when I took a personal typing class during my junior year of high school, I could never have imagined that proficiency at the keyboard would become an important aspect of my long career as a journalist, author and editor.

 

I’d like to say it has also been playing the drums, which I enjoy doing (but not particularly well). Looking back, I wish I’d invested more practice and repetition to develop my drumming skills. Alas, the best I’ll ever get at this stage of my life is playing in the privacy of my own home – and with the tolerant blessing of my wife.

 

There can also be a downside to practice and repetition. The more we do certain things, the better we get at doing them – even if they are counterproductive, even destructive things. For instance, some folks have spent much of their lives with negative self-talk, and they’ve become very good at it. ‘I’m a loser. I’ll never amount to anything. What’s the use of trying? I’ll never be able to succeed.’

 

The Bible admonishes us, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment” (Romans 12:3). This not only warns us against going on a lengthy ego trip but also encourages us to view ourselves and our abilities realistically. No one has ever achieved victory by harboring a defeatist attitude. 

 

Similarly, these days we see lots of people – on social media, in the news, in public places, even in our own homes – who through much practice and repetition have become experts at being angry, bitter and vindictive. These antagonistic feelings might be directed toward a parent or sibling, ex-spouse, former friend, even politicians, other public figures or sports teams. Sometimes these negative emotions become life-controlling. But not in an instant; they were developed and nurtured over time.

 

The Bible, in its timeless, practical way, speaks to this: “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). If you’ve done any gardening, you’ve observed some weeds form very deep roots and are hard to get rid of. In the same way, a “root of bitterness” nurtured over time can sink deeply into our psyches and make us miserable – and everyone around us.

 

Habits fall into the same category. Through practice and repetition, we can excel at things like exercise, eating properly, getting enough sleep, helping others, spiritual disciplines, and many other pursuits. But we can also become “good at” harmful habits such as excessive drinking, gambling, undisciplined spending, displaying fits of anger, indulging in online pornography, overeating, and lots of other stuff.

 

It’s a simple fact: The more we do of anything, the better we get at doing it. Even if it’s bad.

 

So, how should we respond? We’ve all had behaviors and habits we knew were wrong, that filled us with regret whenever we did them. Part of the solution is striving to do those things less and replacing them with things that are good. 

 

This is why the apostle Paul urged believers in ancient Philippi, along with followers of Christ through the centuries since, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice…” (Philippians 4:8-9).

 

One remedy for someone who has become very good at dwelling on the negative is to put just as much effort – even more – into focusing on positive, uplifting, productive things. 

 

Scripture is abundantly clear that we’re saved by faith, through God’s grace and mercy, and not by anything that we do. However, to experience a healthy, thriving life with the Lord often requires that we learn to reorient our thinking. Paul addressed this in another of his letters, instructing us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). 

 

I like the way the J.B. Phillips translation of this verse states it: “Do not let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within….”

We’d like to think that once we’ve received Christ into our lives it’s easy to flesh out what we believe. But it’s not. It’s an everyday, even moment-by-moment challenge. About this, Paul the apostle offered this counsel: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” (Philippians 2:12-13). Diligently strive to work out what God has worked into you.

Understanding the Times, Knowing What to Do

Occasionally I glance at sites on social media dedicated to folks like me, Baby Boomers. We were born between the years of 1946 and 1964, living in a world very different from what we know today. In some respects, about as different as ice cream and brussels sprouts.

 

We had funny-looking phones with circular dials. We’d have to wait for the dial to move back into place before selecting the next number. Many of us can remember ‘party lines,’ when one or more neighbors shared the same line. But it was no party if you had an urgent call and Mrs. Farquhar was in the middle of sharing the latest gossip. 

 

It’s hard for younger generations to imagine, but do you recall having only three TV channels? ABC, CBS and NBC were all there were. And those weren’t even round-the-clock. At midnight the stations would air the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Then all we had were test-patterns until the following morning. Great for insomnia, but not much for late-night entertainment.

 

When a child received a toy doll, she didn’t ask, “What does it do?” Because for the most part, back then dolls didn’t do anything. They just laid there. Kids had to use their imagination to figure out what the dolls would be doing if they could. When taking pictures, cameras had film in them. And most of the time it was black and white. When someone asked, “Did you get any good pictures?” we had to wait days for the film to be developed and photos to be printed before we knew the answer to that question.

 

Fast-forward to today and there’s so much we couldn’t have envisioned back then: Cell phones and text messaging. TV 24/7 with hundreds of channels; some of them even worth watching. Computers and the Internet that put the world’s information and knowledge literally at our fingertips. Email. Overnight package delivery. Electrically powered cars. Digital cameras that display the images instantly; if they’re not good, we can simply press “Delete” and they’re gone. As the hippies of my college days would have said, “Far out!”

 

And now we have AI – Artificial Intelligence. While many are debating its pros and cons, I sometimes wonder whatever happened to real intelligence. It appears to be in diminishing supply. 

 

Technology has brought many wonderful advancements. But it also seems that with all its positives, we’ve also gotten many negatives. I won’t attempt to single out the real and potential problems. You can think of some yourself. But we can’t just ignore them – they won’t go away on their own.

 

One response – particularly among those who profess to be followers of Christ and adherents of the Bible and its teachings – would be a blanket taboo. “We’re not going to do social media at all.” “Forbid our children to have cell phones until they’re at least 35.” “The Internet is the devil’s playground.” “Let’s just do away with computers altogether and retreat to the Stone Age!”

 

Somebody might be nodding, “Yeah, that’s right!” But most of us realize such extreme measures aren’t practical. In our digital world, it’s virtually impossible. So, what are we to do, other than accept the inevitable?

 

This brings to mind what the Bible refers to as “the men of Issachar” in 1 Chronicles 12:32. Who were they? We don’t know much about them, besides the fact that they were descendants from one of the 12 sons of Jacob, who was later given the name Israel by God.

 

The men of Issachar appear in a listing of large groups of armed men who pledged their support to David after the death of King Saul. Most of these are described as “armed for battle” or “warriors ready for battle. But then we come to the “men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do….”

 

There’s not a lot of elaboration, but apparently these were people known for being wise and discerning, who would have a good sense for what was required for achieving the transition from Saul’s tumultuous reign to David, the former shepherd boy.

 

Those were very difficult days for the people of Israel. Because of willful disobedience, Saul had been rejected by God as king; through the prophet Samuel, God had anointed David to be Saul's successor. The transition, it turned out, was never smooth.

 

We live in hard times today, perhaps all the more difficult because of advancements cited above and others. Where are the ‘men of Issachar’ who could tell us what we should do? We can’t exactly depend on AI to inform us as to what should be done, since that’s one of the areas of concern.

 

For believers, our ultimate source is the Lord and the Word of God. As James 1:5 instructs, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

 

And Proverbs 1:7 asserts that if we’re to acquire the necessary wisdom for navigating the turbulent waters of the 21^st century, it must start with God: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

 

We’re in an age when information is more plentiful and readily available than ever, but no matter where we look – be it in politics, entertainment, education, the media, even the sciences – wisdom is relatively scarce. Perhaps it’s because we’ve forgotten another observation from Proverbs, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

 

The timelessness of the Scriptures is clear in these words from the apostle Paul: “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began” (1 Corinthians 2:6-7).

To become 21^st century men and women of Issachar, we need wisdom. And there’s not greater resource for that than the Bible, which is truly “trans-century.” 

First Step in a Long, Life-Changing Journey

A student receives a letter of acceptance from the college of choice. Hooray! The easy part is done; the hard work now begins. The job applicant receives a phone call from human resources saying, “You’re hired!” All right! Now all that’s necessary is to prove capable of doing the job – and to keep doing it. The prospective groom goes to one knee and proposes to his beloved. She says, “Yes!” Then the difficult part starts – first the wedding, followed by the reality of building a marriage.

 

It’s like this spiritually as well. Over the weekend our church held a spiritual retreat for nearly 800 young people during which they sang lots of songs, heard powerful biblically based messages, met in small groups and played games. To close the weekend, a number of them went forward to be baptized. Praise the Lord! There were choruses of joyful shouts after each baptism, sharing in the excitement of the milestone moments.

 

But for each of those adolescents and teens, that was just the beginning, the first step of a long, life-changing journey with Jesus Christ. That’s the hard part – studying, learning and applying the Scriptures, being obedient to what they teach, and discovering the Christian life is an impossibility apart from God’s Spirit and His indwelling power.

 

Years ago, I attended a church where every service ended with a lengthy altar call. I used to quip that we sang “Just as I Am” so long that by the end we were singing, “Just as I Was.” Inevitably, someone – often a number of people – would walk forward to commit their lives to Christ, or recommit themselves to Him, whichever was the case. But over time I’d notice that some of the same people would go forward again, and again, and again. 

 

I heard someone describe this as “rededicating until their re-dedicator wore out.” This isn’t to belittle the sincerity of those returning for a “do over,” since apparently it didn’t take the last time. It’s just recognizing that the lifelong journey with Jesus isn’t easy. It’s not a straight path, and sometimes it’s the proverbial two steps forward and three steps back. We may “reckon ourselves dead to sin” (Romans 6:11), but alas, sin isn’t dead to us. We’ll continue to wrestle with it until the day we take our last earthly breath.

 

A Chinese proverb states, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This is true of the Christian walk – or trek, if you will. That single step might be getting baptized, walking a church aisle, raising a hand or signing a card to indicate having prayed to receive Christ, His forgiveness for our sins, and the promise of new life that lasts forever. But after that step countless others must follow.

 

How do we do that successfully? Many books have been written about this, but one thing is certain: It’s not a journey that’s intended to be undertaken alone. One of my favorite passages about this is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which says:

“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.”

 

Another Old Testament verse declares, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). From the beginning, God’s intention for the life of faith has been for it to be a partnership, whether a husband and wife in marriage, people sharing abilities and experience at work, members of an athletic team joining together for the common goal of victory, or most important, addressing the challenge of becoming “ambassadors of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). 

 

When Jesus sent His disciples out for their first missionary assignments, He didn’t send them out alone. “Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits” (Mark 6:7).

 

When we read the story and writings of the apostle Paul, we find he wasn’t some super-Christian singing, “I Did It My Way.” He always was in the company of others, starting with Barnabas, who sought him out (then still known as Saul) after his dramatic Damascus Road experience with Jesus. After Barnabas, Paul traveled with a succession of others – Silas, Priscilla and Aquila, Sosthenes, Timothy, Tychicus, and even John Mark, the once-wayward cousin of Barnabas.

 

We in the Church of Jesus Christ do a disservice to new believers – and even lukewarm ones – when we fail to come alongside and help them in understanding how to follow the Lord. Hebrews 10:24-25 describes this so well: “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 – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

That “Day” – the promised return of Christ – is nearing. At the very least, we’re one day closer to it than we were yesterday. We should all desire to follow Paul’s admonition to, “stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord….” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The best way to succeed in this is to be certain no one has to undertake the journey alone. 

Considering Things Jesus Never Addressed

When I was visiting my uncle, aunt and cousins in Houston, Texas after my junior year of high school, Uncle Joe kindly took it upon himself to teach me how to drive. He was amazingly patient as I tried to follow his instructions on the old, orange Chevy pickup truck he called “Aurora.” It had a 3-speed manual transmission on the column, starter button on the floor, and clutch I had to learn to negotiate along with the gas pedal and brake. 

 

It was frustrating early on, figuring out how to engage and disengage the clutch while releasing the brake and stepping on the gas without either stalling out the truck or revving up the engine. Then there was learning to back out of his long driveway. Cars – and old trucks – didn’t have backup cameras then. Eventually I caught on, and his tutoring has served me well.

 

To this day I remember many of the things Uncle Joe taught me about driving. But some things he didn’t need to teach me. For instance, he never cautioned me about texting while driving. The reason is obvious: There were no cell phones in those days. Even if they had existed, he wouldn’t have said, “Yeah, sure, go ahead and chat on your phone. Sounds like a great idea to me. Let the other drivers look out for themselves.” He also never cautioned me about carrying explosive devices in the trunk of my car, or driving blindfolded.

 

Some things are so evident they don’t need to be said.

 

I mention this because increasingly we’re hearing people opine about what somebody else didn’t say. That somebody is Jesus Christ. People – even some within the Church – read His quotations in the four gospels, along with some in the Book of Acts and other New Testament books. (Printed in red in some Bibles.) Then they conclude, “Jesus didn’t have anything to say about this, so He must have had no objections to it.”

 

Seems they’re assuming Jesus’ words in the Scriptures represent the totality of everything He said and thought about during his 33 years on earth. This is ludicrous. If we were to take every one of His statements in the Bible and put them together, they probably wouldn’t amount to more than a week or two of conversation, if that.

 

The words of Christ in the Scriptures aren’t everything He ever said. They are, however, everything the Lord deemed necessary for the writers of the New Testament to include as they recounted His life and ministry. Just as the Bible doesn’t comprise everything there is to know about God – but it’s everything He determined we need to know about Him. All the libraries and bookstores in the world couldn’t begin to contain all the information about the infinite, eternal God who created the universe. 

 

The apostle John wrote, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).

 

What I’m getting at is the way some folks offer opinions of what Jesus would say about myriad topics, ranging from abortion and illegal immigration to lifestyles that would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago. As if to say, “Since Jesus didn’t comment on it, He must not have a problem with it.”

 

Jesus never said anything either about kicking puppies, jumping out of airplanes without a parachute, running with scissors, taking up two spaces in the mall parking lot, or leaving the seat up on the toilet. Does that mean He would advocate such things?

 

When someone asked Jesus about what He considered the greatest of all commandments, He replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:38).

 

In other words, if we can succeed in following these two commandments, we’re doing well. Some choose to put extra emphasis on “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but Jesus said the greatest commandment of all is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Our thoughts, our actions and our words should all be governed by this mandate.

 

Another time, near the beginning of His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus asserted that His intent was not to cast aside the teachings that had been clearly established in the Old Testament, which comprised the Scriptures at that time. He declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).

 

Jesus was affirming that Old Testament teachings on such things as sexual immorality, stealing, murder, envy, and many others were not being nullified. He had come not only to serve as the atoning sacrifice for such sins, but also to provide us with the strength and freedom to overcome them.

 

The entirety of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the revealed Word of God. In essence, the very words Jesus would speak to us today. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness.”

Managing the Marriage Marathon

Every year people stand before an altar and say “I do” to each other. Then some morning one of them wakes up and says in wonderment, “I did?” Or, after trying this institution called “marriage” for a time, decides, “I don’t!” Roughly 50 percent of marriages end up on the scrap heap. A sad fact.

 

In one respect, it’s understandable. It’s trite to say, but true – opposites attract. Two people from totally different backgrounds, along with diverse interests, skills and values, and often unlike personalities, are drawn together and attempt to build a permanent, happy relationship. Not to mention neither is perfect or anywhere close; how can you create a “perfect union” out of imperfection? Too often, once the honeymoon ends, rather than attract, opposites choose to attack.

 

Maybe part of the problem is what I’d call the “rom-com syndrome.” Romantic comedies make love seem so simple, such a splendid thing. There’s the “meet cute” when man and woman have a serendipitous encounter. There’s almost always instant chemistry. Then, a week or so later, they decide even though they’re as different as water and fire, they’ve found true love.

 

We never get to see the sequel, where the neat freak loses patience with the slob, or the homebody faces constant friction with the partner who likes to flit from place to place. Introverts tend to marry extroverts, and spenders are inclined to link up with savers, so conflict is inevitable. 

 

But there’s good news! Marriages can – and do – last, some for many years. We just attended a celebration for a couple married for 50 years. My wife and I just celebrated a milestone of our own, being married for 52 years. More than half a century!

 

I’m not being self-congratulatory. Because the credit doesn’t go to us. It totally goes to our Lord who has kept us together despite the many hurdles we’ve had to overcome through those years: Old baggage. Financial problems. Health challenges. Difficult family issues. Dealing with major course corrections God provided during our adventure of life together.

 

It’s been said the best model for marriage should be a triangle, with husband and wife at opposite ends of the base and Jesus Christ at the top. The closer the couple grows toward Christ, the closer they grow toward each other. That’s been our experience. 

 

Early in our marriage, even though we met at a church, Jesus wasn’t a significant part of our lives. We kept Him at an arm’s length, disinclined to let Him interfere with life the way we wanted to pursue it. The problem was we had no idea about how to forge a strong marriage and build a healthy family. By God’s grace, He put us in churches and surrounded us with friends that taught and modeled for us what a Christ-honoring home looked like.

 

There’s no “secret” to marital longevity. They say that life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. The same holds true for marriage. But it shouldn’t be simply a matter of endurance, of trying to “grin and bear it.” It should be a demonstration of teamwork and partnership, grounded in mutual love and respect – two different people complementing one another, carrying out differing roles but sharing the same goals.

 

Over the years the Lord has taught me many lessons about what it takes to make a marriage work. Even now I’m hardly an expert, but here are just a handful of the things I’ve learned:

 

I’d have to start with principles from 1 Corinthians 13, often recited during wedding ceremonies but too quickly forgotten even before the reception. That doesn’t mean they’re not valid or worth applying. The passage tells us that love, the kind God designed: 

“…is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

 

Every failing marriage, I’m certain, lacks some of those traits. When ‘self’ is on the throne, insisting on always having its own way, it’s hard to cultivate marital unity.

 

Teamwork is important on an athletic field, in workplace settings, and especially in marriage. As Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 affirms, “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.”

 

I especially like the “cord of three strands.” If Jesus is one of the ‘strands,’ being a central part of the marriage, chances for success rise exponentially.

 

For me, it’s been critically important learning to tame my tongue. Proverbs 10:19 says it well: “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Much of my adult life, especially when angry, I had a distressing tendency to put my tongue into gear while my mind was still in park. Putting it another way, to give someone a piece of my mind I couldn’t afford to lose.

 

The destructive power of uncontrolled anger is so common that Proverbs offers numerous warnings. For instance: “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly” (Proverbs 14:29).

 

Proverbs 17:28 states, “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent.” Perhaps that’s been the inspiration for a quote attributed to various people, including Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain: “It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

 

Why’s it not a good idea to just say whatever’s on our mind? Proverbs 26:21 suggests the answer: “As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.” As I learned and still strive to practice, rather than spouting words in the heat of the moment, wait a little while. Many times, once emotion has calmed down, you won’t even remember what you were mad about!

Bottom line: If we follow God’s guidelines and submit to His authority, He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). As they say, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it! 

Don’t Make Light of the Confusing Meanings of ‘Light’

While visitors from other countries were spending time in the United States for FIFA World Cup soccer and raving about many aspects of American life, I wonder what they thought about our language. We might not realize it, but American English can be difficult to learn and comprehend. 

Take a simple example: the word “light.” If you want to pin it down to just one meaning, good luck. We have light beer and light butter, meaning fewer calories than the regular varieties. We might opt for a light snack or a light meal – something to appease hunger pangs but not enough to stuff our stomachs.

 

Some of us like to engage in light humor, which probably won’t provoke a belly laugh but might prompt at least a smile and a chuckle. I’ve long been a fan of light classical music – it’s not as lengthy and complex, and more geared for easy listening.

 

We’re careful not to make light of some topics, meaning they should be treated with proper respect and seriousness. Then we have light moments, when we’re not as serious. At times we’re asked to perform light duty, meaning tasks that won’t require a lot of time and energy. There are even more ways for “lighting” up our vocabulary, but can you see why a foreigner could get confused by our everyday jargon?

 

There’s also the most common and important use for the word light: That which refers to things like celestial orbs, light bulbs, flashlights and chandeliers. Even then, the light we find in nature has at least three intrinsic properties: Luminiferous, which means to illuminate, produce, yield or transmit light; actinic, which causes chemical changes, like photosynthesis; and calorific, which involves the production of heat or energy.

 

Light also carries great spiritual significance. It plays a starring role at the start of the Creation account. After noting, “the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,” Genesis 1:3-5 tells us light was the first item on God’s to-do list. “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.”

 

What would be the point of everything else He planned to do without light by which to see it? The passage explains God commanded, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth” (Genesis 1:14-15). This is speaking, of course, about the sun, moon and stars.

 

As impressive as that was, biblical teaching about God and light was just beginning. The gospel of John opens by revisiting the Creation, declaring the preincarnate Christ was very much involved in it:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:1-4)

 

Jesus didn’t shy away from being compared to light. Speaking to a crowd in the temple courts that included teachers of the Jewish law and Pharisees, He underscored the concept: “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

 

Later Jesus used a man who had been born blind as an object lesson while preparing to heal the person of his blindness. He told His disciples, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). He came to bring light, physically and spiritually.

 

Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar room, perhaps in a hotel or the home of a friend, and tried to negotiate your way to the bathroom in the dark? An obvious solution is to turn on a light. Instantly the darkness is dispelled, and you can see the way clearly. In a far more profound way, sin and rebellion against God have plunged the world into spiritual darkness. Jesus, in declaring He is “the light of the world,” is the only remedy for this universal problem.

 

He knew His physical presence on earth was temporary. Forty days after His resurrection from the dead, Jesus ascended to heaven. In his stead, He left what we might call His “light brigade.” Speaking to a huge crowd during His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus announced to His followers, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

We aren’t The Light, but through our lives – our actions, words, the way we conduct our lives – we can be used by God to bring His light into our world filled with the darkness of unbelief, evil and hopelessness. As the apostle Paul wrote to Christ followers in ancient Corinth, a city notorious for its pagan practices: 

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

 

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He didn’t abandon us; He gave the Holy Spirit, who abides in every believer. Only in that way could “the Light of the World” pass along the responsibility for us to represent Him as “the light of the world.” We can’t create the Light – but like moons, we can reflect it!

Finding Profound Joy in an Amazing Place

When I was a boy, I attended church most Sundays with my family, but it wasn’t what we’d call a “Bible-teaching church.” The minister would solemnly read a passage from the Bible, but then he would basically preach whatever was on his mind. Sometimes it related to the passage; sometimes it didn’t. I don’t recall ever hearing him say the Bible is practical and relevant for everyday life. I had no idea that it was “living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword,” as it says in Hebrews 4:12.

 

Even into my early adult years, if you had asked me, I would have told you I thought the Bible was a manual for preachers, maybe someone with a seminary degree; certainly not for ordinary people. It didn’t help that the only edition of the Scriptures I knew of at the time was the King James Version, with lots of outdated language that made it difficult for me to understand.

 

When I was about 30, I took a job in suburban Houston, Texas and my family and I started attending a church where the Bible was taught and revered. Every Sunday the pastor would demonstrate the “unity of the Scriptures,” showing how different parts of the Bible could be used to “exposit” or explain what other passages meant.

 

There I was introduced to a modern translation of the Bible for the first time. Gone were the “thee’s” and “thou’s” and “begats.” The Lord, I discovered, spoke modern language. I was thrilled and overjoyed! This was the beginning of my life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ, as I not only read and studied the Scriptures but also began committing verses to memory. As King David wrote in Psalm 119:11, "Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You." That’s what I wanted to do as well.

 

An Old Testament passage tells a story, brief but beautiful, about someone else who also had a sincere encounter with the Word of God for the first time. For many years the kings of Judah had acted and governed as if there was no God, doing “detestable things.” The Scriptures, as they were in those days, had been stashed away and forgotten for a long time.

 

Then came Josiah, the antithesis of his father Amon and grandfather Manasseh who had ruled wickedly, worshipping false gods and adopting the pagan practices of other peoples. Josiah was different. We’re told, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of his father [King] David, not turning aside to the right or to the left” (2 Kings 22:2).

 

We don’t exactly know why Josiah didn’t adopt the evil practices of his father and grandfather except that Amon was only 24 when he was assassinated and Josiah, just eight years old, was named to succeed him. Maybe boy King J hadn’t been around his father long enough to learn and mimic his sinful behavior.

 

When Josiah was 26, in the 18^th year of his reign, a special moment occurred. A high priest named Hilkiah found “the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord,” the sacred Scriptures (2 Kings 22:8). He gave them to the king’s secretary, Shaphan, who read them aloud to Josiah. 

 

His response was one of joy and grief at the same time: “When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.” He told his aides, “'Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah…. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book…'” (2 Kings 22:11-13).

 

Josiah’s enthusiasm wasn’t temporary. He didn’t just listen to the Scriptures, then shrug his shoulders and say, “That’s nice. Now let’s get on with business.” Instead, with a humble heart he led a revival among the people of Judah, reaffirming the covenant God had made with them many years before.

 

He destroyed all the articles of worship to false gods, got rid of the pagan priests, and restored the sacred festivals and requirements God had established in the Book of the Law. We’re told, “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did – with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength…” (2 Kings 23:25).

 

Years ago, a good friend was discipling a young couple who had just come to faith in Christ. They’d never read the Bible before – didn’t even own a copy. So, my friend gave them a Bible and had them read 2 Timothy 3:16, which says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

 

When the wife read those words, she exclaimed with joy and amazing insight, “Wow! God wrote a book!” 

The Bible, the Lord’s love letter to His children, should be a continuing source of joy for us as well as we seek to plumb its depth and experience its power. We’re not expected to “tear our robes” when we read it, but we should appreciate what an amazing and timeless gift from God it is. 

Choosing Between Straight and Narrow, Wide and Winding

Years ago, I returned to my boyhood hometown to attend a high school reunion. Deciding to take a trip down memory lane, I drove past the house where I grew up and visited the “grammar school” I had attended. Going into the school surprised me in several ways. 

For one thing, the demographics had changed. Many of the kids there had last names like Gonzales, Lopez, Torres and Martinez. The closest to my name was probably Tamayo. But what surprised me most was the size of the school. It was much smaller than I remembered.

 

I can still recall my first day of school, walking down what seemed like a long, cavernous hallway to my kindergarten classroom. When I revisited the school, however, the hallway wasn’t long at all. It was so narrow I could touch both walls with my arms extended. It was barely wide enough for two people to pass.

 

Over the years since my grade-school days I’ve learned lots of things in life are narrow. Have you ever seen one of those videos on social media of a car or bus perilously traveling a single-lane road around a mountain in some Third World country? Turning around is unthinkable. The driver of the vehicle must be praying no one’s approaching from the opposite direction.

 

We’ve all encountered a narrow bridge where only one vehicle can cross at a time. If you arrive and several cars are coming from the other direction, you have no choice but to wait until they’ve gone by. Sometimes the same is true for tunnels carved through mountains. They’re either one-way, or you have to wait your turn when another vehicle is coming through going the other way. 

 

Traveling in Europe, I saw many narrow stairways in old parts of towns. In the walled city of Sopran, Hungary the entrance is a narrow tunnel that centuries ago was intentionally designed to repel the advance of enemy soldiers. Even Rock City on Lookout Mountain has its “Fat Man’s Squeeze” through which only slender people can pass – one at a time. Narrow can be so annoying.

 

We frequently hear complaints that Christianity is “too narrow,” that its teachings are too restrictive, too exclusionary. Jesus Christ offered no apologies for the ‘narrowness’ of following Him. Speaking to a large crowd during what is commonly known as His “sermon on the mount,” Jesus admonished, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

On another occasion, while Jesus was teaching in some towns and villages someone asked, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He responded, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able…” (Luke 13:23-24).

 

Some might argue, ‘But isn’t this narrow-minded? Aren’t there many ways to God? As long as you’re sincere?’ Jesus’ answer to this is simple, yet sobering. Speaking to His disciples just before the Passover Feast, He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Yes, this sounds narrow, even dogmatic. But Jesus was declaring, “There’s no other way.”

 

While other religions and belief systems urge their adherents to seek God’s acceptance through good works or by keeping various rituals, Christianity is unique in asserting there’s no way we can merit His approval or assurance of eternal life. Ephesians 2:8-9 states categorically, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 

The “faith” it talks about is Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross, shedding His blood to make the once and for all payment for our sins: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).

 

If that seems too narrow for some, it’s because we don’t – and can’t – fully comprehend the holiness and righteousness of God. It’s not a matter of good outweighing bad, or of “cleaning ourselves up” to become acceptable. In the Lord’s eyes, “good enough” can never be good enough: “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6). Hence Jesus being the one and only way to God.

 

It’s not just the New Testament that teaches just one path to God. In the Old Testament the prophet wrote, “And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it – only those who walk in the Way – and fools will not stray onto it” (Isaiah 35:8). Similarly Psalm 1:6 warns, “For the Lord guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” 

 

Narrow might not be our preferred course for travel, but it’s the only way of avoiding the temptation to defy or ignore the precepts and principles God has provided through His Word. King Solomon, who suffered firsthand the consequences of choosing the wide road, offered a “Beware – Danger Ahead” caution among his many proverbs. In fact, Solomon felt it was so important he repeated it: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25). 

 

The question we each must ask ourselves today – and every day – is, “Which way am I going to take? The narrow one – or the wider one that seems so enticing?” In the annals of rock music, there’s a “Highway to Hell” but a “Stairway to Heaven.” Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.