On Monday of this past week I was forced to do what many of us absolutely detest, yet know its value: I went to the dentist. If you find yourself feeling good, like perhaps just maybe things are finally on the upswing, do not go to the dentist; they will only make you feel bad. After going to the dentist I have no idea how my congregation can stomach looking at my hideous mouth while I preach. If I could only draw a picture of my mouth based off of the description given by the dentist I assure you, no crow would ever try to steal corn from me again! Alas I digress. To any who may have read this meaningless rant and are somehow involved in dental hygiene, I apologize. But might I add that the human soul is a fragile thing, treat it with care.
I went in to the dental office for my regular (and sometimes not so regular) cleaning. While the dental assistant was cleaning my teeth I noticed she would do something that troubled me. In one hand she held some form of electric suction straw. The purpose of this as many of you know is to make sure we don’t drown ourselves. This was not the problem. The problem was that in the other hand she held a mechanical pick which scraps all of the junk off of your teeth. This too would not be a problem if I did not notice that from time to time while holding this moving pick in my mouth she would look away. Now I had a problem! In that short second she choose to look anywhere other than where the pick was a catastrophe could have taken place. I grew uneasy with every drifting glance knowing what may be in store for my already hideous mouth in the near future. The way I look at it is this; how long does it take a carpenter to look away from his table saw while cutting wood before something goes wrong? It only takes a second before things can go really bad.
Where this gets tricky is when it comes to Christianity and Christian living. We spend our lives trying to figure out virtually everything. At length we examine how to live better, how to love better, how to serve better; but all of this can change with just a quick glance away. If Christ is the focal point, than anything that is contrary to Christ becomes a stumbling block. Within just a short period of time of not being focused on Christ, lives can be altered, relationships are shattered and scars are formed. All of us have experienced this at some level or another and none of us can walk this earth scar free. What we need to do however is learn from those scars and therefore reduce the scaring that could take place in the future. I have only one answer in regards to accomplishing this; keep your eyes focused on the only one who can protect you. Even glances in another direction have the ability to cause us pain and regret. The path is not easy, it is not short and we do not walk it alone. Allow yourself to be led by our great protector and saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Ice Cream
Admittedly it has been some time since I have posted my last blog. It seems that my mind works much like the weather. When it is sunny and bright so is my mind and I am able to think as clearly as the sky (Ha!). But alas, we do live in Canada and I am stuck in my winter rut like so many others I know. In light of this, if my thoughts are not coherent or productive, assume it is the weather controlling my weekend state.
As a young minister I have had to think about how to approach the issue of tithing and/or giving to the church. It is a less than pleasurable topic and seems almost as if I am seeking some kind of personal gain through teaching it. After much thought and wrestling about the matter, I would like to make a comparison that I hope will find useful.
There is a commercial on television right now for "Europe's Best" where a family sits down to dessert. They are a well off, distinguished, proper family who seem to practice appropriate table manners. With classical music playing in the background the family begin to eat their bowls of ice cream and fruit. The son dives into the bowl eating only the fruit as the parents watch on horrified. After finishing all his fruit the boy plays with his spoon, poking at the ice cream with an obvious expression of distaste for the treat. After a moment of watching this silently, his mother says quite sternly, "Max, eat your ice cream".
You will hear many try and tell you that it is your responsibility to give to the local church. They will say that it is a command from God. I would agree, however, I think that we may have unintentionally diverted our focus from what is truly important. For a preacher to try and tell you that it is your responsibility to give freely to the church is like the mother telling her son that he must eat his ice cream. It simply makes no sense! It may be our responsibility to give, but clearly the focus must be shifted. God has asked us to give and this is a privilege, not a burden. It is freeing, not restricting. It must be done with joy and adulation, not with pain and suffering.
In the old testament there were occasions when the Israelites would be asked to give, often in regards to building, re-building or repairing the temple. There were times when the leadership of the day would have to ask the people to stop giving. They had exceeded what was asked of them. Your money and your gifts do not simply go into the pocket of the minister. It does not go into elaborate building plans and expanded parking lots. The money you give is used to advance the kingdom of God, to feed the hungry, to teach our children, to spread the gospel and to support the church God has blessed you with. I will not tell you to eat ice cream and I will not tell you to give your money. I will however say I have tasted ice cream and it is delicious. Delight in what you give and rejoice that God has chosen to use your gifts to spread His Good News.
As a young minister I have had to think about how to approach the issue of tithing and/or giving to the church. It is a less than pleasurable topic and seems almost as if I am seeking some kind of personal gain through teaching it. After much thought and wrestling about the matter, I would like to make a comparison that I hope will find useful.
There is a commercial on television right now for "Europe's Best" where a family sits down to dessert. They are a well off, distinguished, proper family who seem to practice appropriate table manners. With classical music playing in the background the family begin to eat their bowls of ice cream and fruit. The son dives into the bowl eating only the fruit as the parents watch on horrified. After finishing all his fruit the boy plays with his spoon, poking at the ice cream with an obvious expression of distaste for the treat. After a moment of watching this silently, his mother says quite sternly, "Max, eat your ice cream".
You will hear many try and tell you that it is your responsibility to give to the local church. They will say that it is a command from God. I would agree, however, I think that we may have unintentionally diverted our focus from what is truly important. For a preacher to try and tell you that it is your responsibility to give freely to the church is like the mother telling her son that he must eat his ice cream. It simply makes no sense! It may be our responsibility to give, but clearly the focus must be shifted. God has asked us to give and this is a privilege, not a burden. It is freeing, not restricting. It must be done with joy and adulation, not with pain and suffering.
In the old testament there were occasions when the Israelites would be asked to give, often in regards to building, re-building or repairing the temple. There were times when the leadership of the day would have to ask the people to stop giving. They had exceeded what was asked of them. Your money and your gifts do not simply go into the pocket of the minister. It does not go into elaborate building plans and expanded parking lots. The money you give is used to advance the kingdom of God, to feed the hungry, to teach our children, to spread the gospel and to support the church God has blessed you with. I will not tell you to eat ice cream and I will not tell you to give your money. I will however say I have tasted ice cream and it is delicious. Delight in what you give and rejoice that God has chosen to use your gifts to spread His Good News.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Resolution
Every year around this time people decide that the time has come to make some form of New Years resolution which they will attempt to carry out for a full 365 days. As we all know, more often than not, that same resolution is made the following January in hope that this year may somehow be different from the last. This year I will make a new resolution; a resolution which I hope you can all be a part of.
This year I resolve to apologize more. I will try my best to remove my personal pride and replace it with grace and humility. I will also apologize more because I resolve to make more mistakes. I'm not talking about those little mistakes that no one cares about either; I'm talking about those mistakes that become legendary. I resolve to fail more simply because I resolve to try more. Too long I have said this is the way it should be and never battled to see it take place. Mistakes will be made, apologies will be given and Lord willing somewhere along the way God will be glorified in it.
I resolve to look up more than I look across. I will look to the author of all that is good and give praise where praise is truly deserved. I resolve to encourage my brothers and sisters, not inflate them. I will look to see what God has done through and in spite of them and not look to what they have done on their own strength. I resolve to acknowledge and take joy in the fact that we are weak and that through that weakness God is glorified.
This year I resolve to make the theoretical practical. I will act when prompted and reflect the remainder of the time. I will use my youth to push us as a church and seek the wisdom of the elders to balance that youthful zeal; but change will come. The kingdom is near and the kingdom is here and I resolve to live in such a manner as to reflect this truth.
Rob
This year I resolve to apologize more. I will try my best to remove my personal pride and replace it with grace and humility. I will also apologize more because I resolve to make more mistakes. I'm not talking about those little mistakes that no one cares about either; I'm talking about those mistakes that become legendary. I resolve to fail more simply because I resolve to try more. Too long I have said this is the way it should be and never battled to see it take place. Mistakes will be made, apologies will be given and Lord willing somewhere along the way God will be glorified in it.
I resolve to look up more than I look across. I will look to the author of all that is good and give praise where praise is truly deserved. I resolve to encourage my brothers and sisters, not inflate them. I will look to see what God has done through and in spite of them and not look to what they have done on their own strength. I resolve to acknowledge and take joy in the fact that we are weak and that through that weakness God is glorified.
This year I resolve to make the theoretical practical. I will act when prompted and reflect the remainder of the time. I will use my youth to push us as a church and seek the wisdom of the elders to balance that youthful zeal; but change will come. The kingdom is near and the kingdom is here and I resolve to live in such a manner as to reflect this truth.
Rob
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)