As I sit here this morning wondering about the confusion that exist throughout the world, I won dered why can't we all just get along? North Korea has exploded, at least, one nuclear bomb test and fired off three or four "test flights," the Dow Jones numbers rise and fall like a child's yo-yo; critics appear before the president announces his nomination for the U. S. Supreme Court; and, churches on every corner bicker with one another over some matter of opinion! Can we all just get along? Do we have to criticize each other just because we don't cross every "t" and dot every "i" exactly alike?
We are engaged in a significant expansion and remodeling of our church facilities right at the moment. It has been a project that began last September and is just now drawing to a close. I have watched with interest throughout these eight months as the work has been done. One thing that has caught my attention is the precision of the process. As one job is completed, another one is opened up for a different group of workers. Some work in the area of preparation and are replaced by builders and they are replaced by finishers! Today, painters have spotted places that need a bit more attention while others have been applying the finishing touch. One will be cutting a piece of moulding while one is being carried to the third guy who will put it in place! Precision! It reminds me of a finely tuned dance troup who knows each others move and are ready to step in at the right time.
Why can't life be that way?
If folk were less eager to criticize the opposition and more concerned about getting the job done, peace might just break out everywhere. Lasting peace! Politicians have an "unwritten code" that they must not applaud the efforts of the opposing party! Athletes must not congratulate their opponents even in defeat! Neighbors must fine some critical point with each other's lawns! Churches must announce the differences they have with each other! Why can't we all just get along?
Maybe the reason is that we just cannot be wrong about anything! I remember as a child blaming every scuffle that my brother and I had on my brother. I doubt that he was the source of all our disputes, but I was not about to admit my guilt! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to live with the above disposition? If one cannot be wrong about anything, he must always be on edge lest he be mistaken about something. What if the one thing I don't know proves me to be wrong about some practice? It means that I have to ignore the obvious error and plod ahead because I cannot be wrong! How sad! How troubling!
Friends, neighbors and brethren, why can't we all just get along?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The More Things Change....
Our local bi-weekly newspaper, The Virginia Gazette, has been covering our community and the surrounding area since 1735. It is pretty much a "folksy" type paper full of information that the rest of the world would find useless and probably a bit boring. However, if you live here you want to know what is happening around town and find out from "The Last Word" what the latest complaints are. Today as I perused it over lunch, I began to wonder how much different the news might have been nearly 300 years ago than it is today. No, I did not research this carefully and read the first edition of the paper, but I did wonder about it.
Were the concerns of 18th century much different than in the 21st century? Were their economic problems then like there are today? Were folk struggling to find employment? Were wars and rumors of wars rampant in their world? Were there athletic events that some found interesting? Were there political "issues" being discussed at length on the front porches of Duke of Gloucester street? Did children give reasons for parents to be concerned? Oh, the list could go on forever, right?
I guess my point is, how much have people changed over the centuries? I know our problems have different wrappings, but are they basically the same problems? When I was a young person one of the huge concerns of parents was their young boys "going out behind the barn" and smoking a cigarette, now it is inhaling some mind-altering drug. But, is that basically the same concern? In high school, if a young girl would become "with child," she would be sent to live with an aunt because the aunt needed help, but she would return in about nine months without a child that was given up for adoption. Today, it is the guilt of unwanted pregnancies and abortion that leads the list of concerns for teenagers who are "with child."
One thing is for sure, God has not changed and never will change! That's comforting to all of us who place our trust in Him. We will never have to apologize for what He did, never be embarrassed by some misdeed that He performed, and never have to explain His prejudices toward anyone. What a blessing! Also, God maintains the answer to the guilt for our misdeeds and the cleansing power of forgiveness. Aren't you glad?
So, whether it is the 18th century or the 21st century, some things are different, but some things never change!
Were the concerns of 18th century much different than in the 21st century? Were their economic problems then like there are today? Were folk struggling to find employment? Were wars and rumors of wars rampant in their world? Were there athletic events that some found interesting? Were there political "issues" being discussed at length on the front porches of Duke of Gloucester street? Did children give reasons for parents to be concerned? Oh, the list could go on forever, right?
I guess my point is, how much have people changed over the centuries? I know our problems have different wrappings, but are they basically the same problems? When I was a young person one of the huge concerns of parents was their young boys "going out behind the barn" and smoking a cigarette, now it is inhaling some mind-altering drug. But, is that basically the same concern? In high school, if a young girl would become "with child," she would be sent to live with an aunt because the aunt needed help, but she would return in about nine months without a child that was given up for adoption. Today, it is the guilt of unwanted pregnancies and abortion that leads the list of concerns for teenagers who are "with child."
One thing is for sure, God has not changed and never will change! That's comforting to all of us who place our trust in Him. We will never have to apologize for what He did, never be embarrassed by some misdeed that He performed, and never have to explain His prejudices toward anyone. What a blessing! Also, God maintains the answer to the guilt for our misdeeds and the cleansing power of forgiveness. Aren't you glad?
So, whether it is the 18th century or the 21st century, some things are different, but some things never change!
Monday, May 4, 2009
"I'll Never Be A Mother...But I Can Wonder!"
For the 45th time, I am planning a "Mother's Day" sermon and each year I struggle with this task! One reason it is getting more difficult for me is because this is the second year in a row that I will not get to buy a card or send a bouquet of flowers to my Mom. I miss her greatly! As I sat in the quietness of my study checking out sermons that others have preached on this wonderful day of celebration, my mind began to wonder what it must be like to be a mother. No, I will never know because I am a 63 year old man, but I can still wonder!
I read recently some thoughts that others have had about being a mother and found them to be challenging. Here are a few of them:
"It takes about six weeks to get back to normal after having a baby...the truth is that once you are a mother, "normal" is history!" The thrill of birthing a human life must be an incredible experience, but things are never the same again. A mother's time is not her own! A mother's thoughts are always about someone else! A mother's love blooms and never fades!
"You cannot love a second child as much as you love the first one...the truth is the person who said this never had two or more children!" I have known some families with several children and each child seemed to have as much love as was needed. I guess love is something that a mother never runs out of because there is always enough for one more!
"The hardest part about being a mother is labor and delivery...that person has never watched her baby get on that big yellow school bus on his first day of school...nor has that person said good-bye to a son boarding a plane for Iraq or Afghanistan to fight for their country!" The travail of child birth seems light compared to the travail of the heart at separation.
"Your mother knows you love her, so you don't have to tell her...somone has never been a mother!" Trust me, you never quit telling your Mom that you loved her then and moreso now!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
I read recently some thoughts that others have had about being a mother and found them to be challenging. Here are a few of them:
"It takes about six weeks to get back to normal after having a baby...the truth is that once you are a mother, "normal" is history!" The thrill of birthing a human life must be an incredible experience, but things are never the same again. A mother's time is not her own! A mother's thoughts are always about someone else! A mother's love blooms and never fades!
"You cannot love a second child as much as you love the first one...the truth is the person who said this never had two or more children!" I have known some families with several children and each child seemed to have as much love as was needed. I guess love is something that a mother never runs out of because there is always enough for one more!
"The hardest part about being a mother is labor and delivery...that person has never watched her baby get on that big yellow school bus on his first day of school...nor has that person said good-bye to a son boarding a plane for Iraq or Afghanistan to fight for their country!" The travail of child birth seems light compared to the travail of the heart at separation.
"Your mother knows you love her, so you don't have to tell her...somone has never been a mother!" Trust me, you never quit telling your Mom that you loved her then and moreso now!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
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