Top Ten Weekly Reflections
2014-2019

The Truth About Unity
November 26, 2017

Chris Tomlin is a famous contemporary composer of Christian hymns. It seems he is also a gifted writer as evidenced by this week's guest Reflection on "The Truth About Unity in the Church". I'm not sure I would buy every last word he has written but he certainly gets down to some basic truth. The following has been widely distributed on social media such as Facebook.

The strongest statement Christians can collectively make about the love and truth of Jesus is through our unity. So crucial is unity to Jesus Himself that it was the focus of His prayer just prior to entering the Garden of Gethsemane (John 17:20-26), the night before He was tried, beaten and crucified. This should be evidence enough that unity is in the heart of God.

True unity is rooted in humility. It can only happen when we place ourselves in a posture of "others first." In a world that continues to be more and more me driven and focused on the conviction I have to get mine, a humble heart that sees we as greater than me is incredibly powerful. This is the opposite of the flow of the world. This is the kingdom of God.

Brilliant Autumn Leaves
October 22, 2017

It is now autumn in the northern hemisphere. A few years ago my wife and I enjoyed a ten day trip to New England where we were able to experience the brilliance of a colorful landscape made even more so by the changing colors of the leaves. Many people travel there in the Fall just to enjoy the foliage's transformation. The locals call us "leaf peepers." We "peep" at the changing colors but often overlook the sacrifice it took to generate the view. You see, before long the colorful leaves (which were recently a vibrant green) will continue their transformation, fall to the ground, and turn gray before they decompose and return to the earth from which they came.

On this trip we had enjoyed a rented house in Vermont. I loved to just stroll down the country paths, taking it all in. On one afternoon the brilliance of the sunlight's streaming through the leaves so stunned me that I was inspired to write the following poem in honor of those who have travelled ahead of us and, in the autumn of their lives, exude a similar brilliance.

Are some of these folk part of your life today? If so, let them (this week) know that they are noticed. They will be blessed…and so will you.

 

Brilliant Autumn Leaves

I looked up at the New England maple thru which streamed
red hewed beams of light from a mid afternoon sun.
Mental corneas refocused in response to enhanced color.
Red, yellow, and shades in between.
And I exclaimed with awe,
"How brilliant are the autumn leaves when the sun shines through them!"
And then I thought of those Christian servants who,
in the autumn of their lives,
"glow"
as the brilliance of 'the' Son shines through their fading, used up bodies.
Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of Your servants,
glowing ever more brightly in the autumn of their Son-filled life.

 

"Snake"!
July 26, 2016

Humans have always had an innate fear of snakes. In the Bible snakes have served as a symbol of the "evil one" or the "deceiver." In Genesis 3 we read the story of Adam and Eve and their encounter with the lying serpent. Proverbs 23:32 speaks of wine going down smoothly but in the end biting like a snake. In Numbers 21 God sent venomous snakes among the people when they grew impatient and spoke against God and Moses. When the people cried out, God had Moses attach a bronze snake on a pole so that anyone who looked at it could be healed from the bite of these snakes. The New Testament suggests we look at Christ on the cross as an analogy to this. Nowhere in the Bible do I read of a "friendly" snake! As some of my friends say, "The only good snake is a dead snake!"

This past week I took two of my school age grand children "zip-lining" in the woods of East Texas. A zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable, mounted on a slope. It is designed to enable a user to be propelled by gravity and travel (or "zip") from the top to the bottom of the cable by holding on to the freely moving pulley. At our location there were eight lines ranging from under 100 meters in length to over 600 meters. Some traveled over open meadows. Others glided over pine forests. Still others were suspended over water. Zipping along them was great fun…most of the time…until we encountered the snake!

One of the shorter cables went over a pond. The ten of us first climbed a high tower to access the cable. The idea was to then "zip" across the pond to the opposite shore. The grand children were "eager beavers" and jumped at the chance to be the first to go. I was third and was half way down the cable when I heard loud, hysterical screams coming from the platform behind me. I swung my body around just in time to see a large splash as something hit the water. Here is what had happened. At the "jumping off point" there was a box that one stood on for the attendant to attach you to the cable. However, one of the group was quite tall. The attendant decided to move the box for this man so he wouldn't have to stand on it. And guess what. Yep, there was 1.5 meter snake under it! And the remaining people on the platform were tethered by cables and could not run, jump or otherwise flee. All they could to is stand there and panic and scream, especially three young girls. In the end their father became the hero as he reached down, grabbed the snake by the tail and threw it into the lake. That was the "splash" I saw.

I have continued to reflect this week on three points. First of all the three young girls will never forget the day they came face to face with a snake. Second, they will never forget their father's courage as he "saved them" by throwing the snake off the platform. Third, children are ALWAYS watching their parents and will ALWAYS remember how they behave, be it good or bad. So we parents need to pay attention to our behavior! Will we be remembered as our child's hero?

There is a deeper dimension to this. Each of us has "snakes" within us that hinder our ability to live effectively, to live the way we were created to. Yes, that old serpent of Genesis 3 is still around! Perhaps we need to be reminded of and figuratively look to Christ on the cross as our divine healing from these snakes. We can remember that our heavenly Father is our hero and will always be there to throw the snake out of our lives (or at least protect us from its venom) when we look to his Son for protection.

Finally, a practical question. What are the snakes in your life? Are you even aware of them as they lie quietly under the box…waiting for an opportune moment? How are you reacting? Are you blissfully unaware of their presence? Are you frozen in fright? Are you feeling the venomous effect of the bite? Are you looking to Jesus to be your courageous hero? Do you remember all the times in your life that Jesus and the Spirit of God have saved you from the terror of other "snakes" that suddenly emerged from the most unexpected places?

I am thankful for the One who has saved us and will continue to do so. Let us look to him this week!

 

"The Galleria"
July 17, 2017

Last week I found myself wandering the long corridors of Houston's Galleria shopping mall, mesmerized by the collage of images that floated across my consciousness. This urban extravaganza is modeled after the original Galleria that I once visited in Milan, Italy. It is air conditioned, enclosed and has three levels - a huge home for costly wares of every sort; and a clientele that can afford them.

It was a microcosm of the well-to-do world. The Apple Store was staffed with young cosmopolitan "techies" who aggressively offered to help you find the latest gadget. There were dozens of up scale shops with sales staff dressed in the latest fashions. Asian teens in short shorts and tennis shoes with iPhones sticking out of their hip pockets fluttered around like flocks of pigeons in Piccadilly Circus. Middle Eastern couples with the women dressed in various levels of hijab and long black coverings accompanied their husbands who were dressed in Western attire and doted on their children. Security guards seemed to be everywhere. And then there were the panhandlers, "Let me show you this latest skin enhancing oil!" Oh, and of course there were a few regular Texans sprinkled in as well. It was definitely a younger, more international crowd than I usually interact with. By the fact that they were there, they all seemed to be financially well off. One could stand in line at Starbucks for fifteen minutes waiting to pay $2.80 US for a regular cup of coffee.

So what does the Galleria have to say to a chaplain? First of all it smacks of materialism. There's no other way to say it. Secondly, it presents a cross section of the international community, albeit a more well-to-do cross section. As I stood in front of DeBeers Jewelers I could not help observing that in spite of their "hipness" each of these individuals, whether they were from the Middle East, Asia, South America or Texas, is struggling to live life within their families, jobs, and home environment. In that sense they are much like me.

I was reminded of Paul strolling the bustling streets of Athens or Corinth or Rome. He must have had similar observations. And he wrote about the gods the people were serving and how he wanted to share with them the one God who could give them more than any of these worldly attractions. Than a warm feeling rose up within me as I realized how many students of NationsUniversity know that one God and are filled with a peaceful joy that goes infinitely beyond whatever one finds in the Galleria, be it in Milan or Houston. And the thought crossed my mind that, YES, these are the people I want to hang out with!

 

"Pots"
November 16, 2016

This past weekend I attended a spiritual retreat near my home in East Texas. One of the exercises had to do with pots. We were encouraged to do a "contemplative walk" around the grounds where we would observe clay pots at three locations. Actually, they were large clay urns. We were to stop at each location and just consider what we saw.

The first location yielded a broken pot. If you approached it from a particular angle you would not notice that it was broken. However, from another angle it was obviously cracked, with a large piece lying on the ground. It was artistically attractive but not useful for much more.

At the second location we came upon three very nice clay urns. They marked the entrance to a chapel and at first blush seemed to be "first class." They were in tact and could hold water. Upon closer inspection one could see that even these pots had at one time been broken. The lines where they had been repaired were obvious. What I observed was a "community" of pots, some with scars, but all of which could hold water. It struck me, however, that even if they held water they might not be useful if the water only served to "grow mosquitoes."

The third location had a single pot similar to the three at location two. However, this pot had water gushing out the top, living water, water that could bring life. The pot was not broken. It was not stagnant. But it was alone except for whatever source provided the water that flowed through it.

It seems to me that our churches are like these pots. Together they form a community. Some are broken. Some show scars. Some are stagnant. Some are exuding life. But taken together, they are community and together they are much more than any one that might try to stand alone. Isn't that largely what the body of Christ is all about?

Due to the seriousness of this matter I am attaching below a listing of five practical things Randy Harris discusses with his students. We might all be wise to follow this advice. Oh, and I'm adding one point of my own.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

1. If you want to cut something off, cut off the input of pornography and tempting situations.
2. You have to get a community of support.
3. You have to trust God to remake your heart.
4. You must begin to think in different ways and when you do that, sex becomes, not just manageable, but again becomes the good gift that God gave. In Paul's words, "whatsoever is pure, dwell on these things." Think about things that inspire, that change your heart to be closer to God's heart, and that keep you thinking of people as humans and not objects. Think about things that lead you to God.

 

The Missing Leg
September 12, 2016

This past Saturday morning I was sitting on a park bench enjoying a cool breeze, the aroma of freshly fallen pine needles, and a sense of being "lost in thought" while considering the role of generosity within the spiritual gift of mercy when a largish golden husky-like dog suddenly appeared at my feet. Rubbing up next to my leg and panting softly, the new arrival exuded the innocence of love that only an animal known as "man's best friend" could give. I petted it, rubbed its side and scratched its ears while enjoying this unexpected and pleasurable companionship.

And then my new friend decided to go explore other areas. As he moved on I suddenly and with some degree of shock realized that he had only three legs. The back left leg was missing! He simply hobbled away as if it were normal. And I suppose it was.

Returning to my contemplation of the role of generosity I could not get away from the image of this friendly, loving animal that provided an innocent companionship without showing the slightest awareness of his own handicap. Oh, if we could all be like that, focusing on sharing and giving what we have without noticing what we lack. What a brighter world it would be!

 

Observing A Different City
October 19, 2015

It is Monday morning and my wife and I find ourselves in a very different city - San Francisco, California. We arrived late yesterday afternoon, checked into our hotel and had just enough time to make a brief walking tour of the Fisherman's Wharf (tourist) area. It truly felt like we had been transported to another world. And this world had none of the undertones of a Christian environment that we are so accustomed to back in our home city of Tyler in Texas.

A sea of blue jean, sneaker clad tourists filled the plaza in front of the ferry landing. Seagulls, the largest I'd ever seen, walked freely and fearlessly among them, feasting on discarded rolls of sourdough bread that lay in the street. As we strolled back to the hotel I noticed one sign of a Christian presence. There, on a corner among a small stand of trees, stood a large statue of either Christ or Saint Francis (It was not clear which had been intended), his arms stretched out in a cross-like loving embrace as he gazed toward the bay and the sea of tourists. One could not miss the artist's intent.

This morning I woke up very early, as we are two time zones away from home. It has been delightfully peaceful, some time during which I've thought of the Christian disciplines I try to practice. It strikes me that four activities characterize our walk: prayer, purification, study, and service. We "pray without ceasing", seek to overcome the flesh, study God's word, and follow Jesus in caring for others. That sounds pretty simple, but it can certainly be more difficult in practice!

The other point that came to mind was that while each of us can practice these four disciplines (or others), we will probably do them differently and with a different emphasis at different points in our lives. For example, it is much easier to spend more time studying the Bible after one is retired and no longer working long hours at a secular job. On the other hand the energy of youth may make acts of service more effective. So, this morning I ask, where are you in your spiritual walk? Do you pray, seek purity, study and serve? And how might these practices be changing as you move through the seasons of life? Think on it. You will be blessed!

 

The Lord Is My Data Processor
December 13, 2014

Early in our relationship she shared a poem she had recently penned. The poem was a take-off on the 23d psalm, the Shepherd's psalm. This was in the 1970's and computers were just beginning to make their presence known. The poem began, "The Lord is my data processor." While the poem has been lost over time, the idea it spawned remains. As a lamb looks to its shepherd for guidance and protection, the believer looks to the Lord and processes life's challenges through the eyes of Christ. The longer one lives under the guidance of the Good Shepherd, the greater is the available processing power. Today's smart phones contain thousands of times more resilience and processing power than did the bulky computers that were used to send men to the moon in the 1970s. The same is true for a life lived under guidance of the "Good Data Processor."

I watched her live out that approach to life over the next 20 years or so. Her theme of "The Lord is my data processor" was always there, even when I took her to live in difficult places around the world (like Cairo, Egypt) and even when life presented other challenging issues. Later, when she was nearing the end of a hard fought battle with cancer she left a final word of advice for her teenage daughter. On the daughter's bed she placed an open Bible on a single passage was underlined. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6). A few days later, before traveling to the hospital for major lung surgery (which resulted in her death), she took an old, brown, wilted, fallen leaf and glued it to a small scrap of art paper. Then she calligraphed under the leaf these words in blue, "Lord, be the Master of my heart." I found the scrap of paper still resting on her art table after she had passed away.

Yes, the Lord was her data processor. I was privileged to witness it. She was my wife. Perhaps it would be profitable for each of us to follow similar guidelines. "The Lord is my data processor." "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." "Lord, be the Master of my heart." What better guidance could one find?

 

"I'm Doin' The Best I Can"
October 12, 2014

Gloria had been the chaplain at a state hospital for the mentally and physically disabled for some time. One morning she was particularly discouraged. There seemed to be such a great need and she was feeling as if she just didn't have the resources to minister effectively in that environment. She did not have a college degree or really any formal training as a chaplain; she lacked higher level social skills; plus she was overweight and did not come across as particularly attractive in her dress or physical appearance. She just felt inadequate and had resolved to quit her job that day.

But Gloria has a huge heart, and she gave her all in caring for her "clients." On this particular morning she happened to notice a middle aged but mentally retarded lady named Jane who was trying to produce an artistic drawing in the arts and crafts room. Gloria complimented Jane on her work, but Jane responded with something of a scrawl, thinking that the chaplain was just giving her "lip service." Jane slowly turned around to face Gloria and, in her halting language said, "I'm doin' da best I can with wot I got." And then Jane continued with uncanny insight, "…and so can you!"

Gloria got the message. Today, several years later, she is still the chaplain at that state hospital and she is loved by all those she ministers to, doing the best she can with what she "got."

Do you ever have a "Gloria day?" One of those times when the need just seems so much greater than our energy or resources can deliver? I know I do. On those days I am comforted by the story of Gloria and I resolve to just continue to do the best I can with what I "got." And God seems to do the rest.

(This is a true story, although the names and some details have been changed for confidentiality purposes.)

 

What We Thought Was Important, Wasn't
September 7, 2014

The mother of my first wife turned 93 years of age today. She lives near us and we help with her care. She has seen a lot of change in her life, from the depression of the 30's, to World War II, to raising a family and then seeing her family die young. Her first daughter died of cancer. Then, her surviving daughter tragically committed suicide. And more recently, her husband was diagnosed with and subsequently died of Alzheimer's disease.

I asked her a few years ago, "What one important thing have you learned in your 90+ years of life?" She thought for a moment and replied, "What we thought was important, wasn't." What wisdom! This morning I asked a follow-up question: What did you think was important and what have you now discovered that is more important? She replied that earlier she had believed that money, clothes, a house, etc. were important. Now, the one important thing is God and how we relate to our creator. And how we relate to our creator includes, as well, how we relate to one another.

Two of her three grand-children were with us this weekend to celebrate the 93d birthday. The grand-daughter whose mother died of cancer signs off on every one of her emails with the same Bible verse "tag line." It was underlined in a Bible her mother left on the daughter's bed just before she went into her last and fatal surgery. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand-ing. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6.) That is wisdom worth basing one's life on. And it is important.