Authority and Faith

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18 ESV)

Authority and Faith

Sitting in an airport, waiting to board my flight, I noticed something alarming. A man in a pilot’s uniform was seated nearby. If he was going to be in charge of my upcoming flight, he did not inspire confidence. He was very elderly, with the hand tremors that often accompany age. His uniform was unkempt, his face was unshaven, and shoes were even untied.

As my flight was announced, I was relieved to see that he did not get up to join the flight crew.

Sometimes I have similar fears when observing those in authority. That pilot reminds me of some of the leaders that have been placed over me.

I am not referring to the age, apparel, or physical condition of any particular leader. I am referring to the lack of confidence I have in many leaders’ worldview, heart, experience, or intention.

As insecure as I might be tempted to feel, Jesus’ statement removes all reason to fear the inadequate leadership of those in any power.

Because they are not in charge.

Jesus is.

“All” is a pretty big word. Jesus has ALL authority.

Admittedly, the scary leadership is easier to see, but that does not make it more real. Admittedly, the untrustworthy leadership is sometimes more obvious, but that does not make it more real. Admittedly, the hostile leadership is more threatening, but that does not make it more real.

Because ALL authority belongs to Jesus.

And has for a very long time.

God raises kings and knocks them down. (Daniel 2:21) He always has.

Believe that and relax.

Take the faith God grants us.

Truth and Love

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. (Proverbs 16:28 ESV)

Truth and Love

Truth does not exist for its own sake. Truth leads to something else, defends something else, elevates something else, discovers something else, or creates something else.

Something else like Love.

This Proverb points out that when truth is absent in a relationship, unity is lost. Stated more strongly, lack of truth destroys our ability to love.

(The reverse is also true. A lack of love does away with the need or desire for truth.)

Disaster is born in the nest of unloving apathy about truth. Even lies that claim to be founded in protecting others’ feelings, or avoiding conflict, or being ‘nice’ will result in strife, anger, pain, and separation.

One of the best ways to love is to love truth. Even when the truth is hard. Even when the truth is self-destructive. Even when the truth brings tears.

In fact, even when truth brings sorrow (and tears) that truth will ultimately ensure a lack of tears in the fabric of relationship.

This is how Christ uses truth for His people. He points at our sin, calling it painfully what it is. He points to Himself, Truth embodied. He declares His matchless love in His matchless sacrifice. He declares that His cross is the absolute only way to Peace, Joy, and abundant life.

And He waters none of it down.

Love loves truth, and truth lives for love.

Take the love God grants us.

Truth and Hope

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9 ESV)

Truth and Hope

Superman fought for truth, justice, and the American Way. Newspapers used to be crusaders for truth. The Boy Scouts and university mottos espoused truth as a most desirable attribute.

But these days, truth seems to lurk in the shadows. Truth seems to be a mystery to be unraveled. Truth seems to be more hidden than clear, more obscure than understood, and more unknown than known.

So, we yearn for truth, search for truth, and hope for truth.

Today it is a difficult task. Information overload obfuscates truth. Strongly stated opinions cloud truth. Even our sincere hopes shade truth. Truth seems difficult to find.

But chins up!

As daunting as the truth-task is, it will succeed. Not due to our sleuthing skills. Not due to the volume of our cries. Not due to the quality of our investigations. Success in this venture will arrive, not only due to our Great Brains, Sherlock Holmesian deductions, abacus-like memories, and stubborn persistence.

Success in the truth hunt will arrive due to the nature of God’s world.

Truth will be found out.

Not your truth, not my truth, but God’s truth. Not your political understanding, not my political understanding, but God’s truth. Not your presuppositions, not my presuppositions, but God’s truth. Not the truth you think you need, not the truth I think I need, but God’s truth.

We do not need to worry. We do not need to despair. We do not even need to grumble and moan.

Truth will be found out.

Perhaps that might make some afraid.

But I hope it makes us hope.

Take the hope God grants us.

Truth and Faith

Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. (Jeremiah 26:2 ESV)

The Truth and Faith

God tells Jeremiah here to tell ALL the truth. It could have been scary for Jeremiah to tell the whole truth. … for good reason. Jeremiah would have known that the message entrusted to him would be unpopular.

His listeners might throw him in a cistern or something, leaving him to die.

Jeremiah was bringing bad news. God was withdrawing His protection from Jerusalem. So Jeremiah’s message would be discouraging, frightening, and seem faithless to the ‘idea’ of Jerusalem.

He probably would have been tempted to tone it down. Maybe insert a few, “maybe’s.” Alter the text so that it could be heard as a warning instead of a doom. Present God’s message as an one option of many.

Jeremiah, though, told the truth.

And he paid the price. He WAS thrown into a cistern. He was mocked. His prophecy was ignored.

Jeremiah did end up in that cistern, but God blessed him… with peace, protection, and provision. And the knowledge that Jeremiah had done what God asked.

The truth is more important than comfort. The truth is more important than reputation. The truth is more important than comfort. The truth is more important than success. The truth is more important than sleep. The truth is more important than laughter. The truth is more important than false hope.

God has shown it over and over. Because He has shown us, we can stick to the truth and relax.

Take the faith God grants us.

Numbers and Love

But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” (II Samuel 24:10 ESV)

Numbers and Love

This episode in David’s life has always intrigued me. Why was God angry at David for being a good steward? Why was it wrong for David, the Commander-in-Chief of the Israelite army to attempt to be prepared? Why shouldn’t David know the strength of his army?

But today I think I understand it.

It is not simply that David counted the army. But David was counting the army because he was trusting the numbers more than he trusted God. David’s counting displayed that he was insecure about the status of Israel. God had made some clear promises to David about the security of Israel, and the future of David’s line. (I Chronicles 17:2-14)

But David wanted to make sure.

We do this when we relax because our checkbook has balanced positively, instead of noticing that beyond the numbers, God moved his cattle in the best way. (Psalm 50:10) We do this when we have confidence in our IQ instead of God’s knowledge (Proverbs 2:6) We do this when we accept data from outside of God’s Word when it seems to contradict God’s Word. (Psalm 19:1)

Perhaps we love numbers, at times, more than we love God.

But we can rise above that. Trust, in fact, HIS numbers. His Word is filled with them.

Take the love God grants us.

Numbers and Hope

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6,7 ESV)

Numbers and Hope

I used to cheat at cards. I had learned (from an ex-convict) how to shuffle the deck in such a way as to be able to deal out good hands to my partners and bad hands to others at the table. In most casinos, I understand, it is against House Rules to play blackjack in a mathematical way known as ‘counting cards.’ When ‘counting cards’ players pay attention to the number of valuable cards that get used, in order to better predict what cards will next be dealt.

Numbers can be used to do bad things.

But when God uses numbers, He uses them well! He does not need to count anything (See ‘omniscient’) but He uses His created mathematics to keep the world in order. More than that, He uses His numerical knowledge to HELP us.

Jesus is not simply giving encouragement to balding middle-aged men about hair loss. Quite the contrary. Jesus is saying that even in apparently insignificant matters such as the exact number of individual hairs, God uses numbers for our good.

I do not think I would have the patience or focus to count hairs on most people’s head. But God knows that number, and uses it exactly as He intends, somehow for our good. He knows everything about us, forgets nothing, and loves us.

So numbers are a think of hope. Because no matter how our numbers change, God has them in His mind and in His hands. Numbers, whether we understand them or not, are another way that God shows His providential care.

Take the hope God grants us.

Numbers and Faith

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? (Psalm 56:9 ESV)

Numbers and Faith

It is pretty fun watching young children learn to count. Sometimes they get the order mixed up, sometimes they skip things, sometimes they get bored and just start singing. As they learn to count, they do not yet believe that numbers are serious, sometimes troubling things that contribute to worry.

When checkbooks do not balance, we worry.

When there are not quite enough votes, we worry.

When we measure the doorframe incorrectly, we worry.

When we are not sure how many miles are still ahead of us, we worry.

But children learning how to count have it right. Numbers are useful, and interesting, and sometimes fun… but numbers are never a reason to worry.

Because God has already counted everything. He has the numbers worked out. He knows how everything will add up. The Devil is not in the details, because God is sovereign there, too.

His numbers have never been wrong. He took the perfect number of days to create the universe. He chose and created the perfect number of Israelite tribes. He anointed David with a perfect calendar. He nudged His people into exile, and then drew them out after the perfect number of days. He brought the long-expected Jesus on the perfect holiday.

Death and Love

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:6-8 ESV)

Death and Love

Some elements of modern society seem to have a strange affection with death. Voodoo, zombies, goth, and sometimes even Hallowe’en lift death up, enjoy the concept of death, and ignore death’s tragic sorrow.

But I wonder if Christians should glance at death with a bit less hate than we usually do. We should grieve, but rather than grieve like God’s enemies grieve, we have a different light. (1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV) We grieve differently.

Our death grief focuses on a temporary absence when believers die. Our death grief focuses on the empty place in our hearts left by a lost loved one. Our death grief focuses on sin’s deadly effect on creation.

But for Christ’s people, death is the gateway that takes us home. A painful gateway, yes. A dark gateway, yes. A sad gateway, yes. But we will rejoice because we will be with the Lord. And we rejoice because when Christ’s people die here, we live THERE.

Because perhaps the second-best act of love that Christ performed was to transform death. He loved us by changing death from God’s ultimate punishment to God’s ultimate graciousness. He loves us by removing from His people the need to fear what the rest of the world fears. He will love us by welcoming us home, as our eyes close in this world, and open with Him.

So death now is an example of Christ’s love.

Take the love God grants us.

Death and Hope

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25,26 ESV)

Death and Hope

Jesus and Martha are talking about death. Jesus had shown up too late to save the life of Lazarus, from Martha’s perspective. If Jesus could not (or would not) save the one human that Scripture particularly points out that Jesus particularly loved… why believe in Him?

Jesus, as usual, cuts straight to the point. He claims that not only CAN He save people from the dead, He IS the resurrection Himself. Jesus is not merely AN answer to life’s greatest foe, death, He IS the answer. He claims that role to Martha. And I expect that she still was not fully convinced.

Sure, He is Jesus, and had done some amazing things. But there was Lazarus, dead. Right over there.

But she chooses to believe. She chooses faith, and is also given hope.

Because Jesus does two things. First, Lazarus is resurrected! Jesus undoes the terrible, dark, empty action of death… Jesus fixes what Adam broke so long ago. Jesus gives strength to Martha’s faith. And He gives Martha a bushel basket full of hope.

And even more… in the near future… Jesus undoes death for the rest of us.

Imagine Martha’s hope in later years! Yes, she saw Lazarus die. But she knew JESUS had arisen!

If you have ever lost a loved one to the last gasping power of defeated death, you can relate to Martha. And if you have ever looked, in the midst of your sorrow and frustration, into the empty tomb, you can relate to Martha’s hope.

Believe in Jesus, and what seems like death is not really death. Believe in Jesus and even if your body falls apart, YOU will never actually die.

Do you believe this?

Take the Hope God grants us.

Death and Faith

and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, (II Timothy 1:10 ESV)

Death and Faith

Bees used to terrify me. I had grown up believing that a bee sting would destroy me. Allergies, maybe, or perhaps those railroad spikes piercing my tender skin and skewering my flesh. For years I would run from a bee, wasp, hornet, or any sting-weaponed thing.

Then one summer at a lodge in Minnesota I was stung, repeatedly. It hurt. But the stings did not destroy me. My arm did not fall off. The pain eventually diminished. Later, I laughed (a little) about it.

But I have not feared bees since that time. At least not as much. I am not saying that they are my favorite part of creation, but that one event in my past has vanquished my fear. Past events can do that.

Almost 2000 years ago Jesus kicked death in the teeth. For Christians, He changed death from a terrible and just punishment, into the entrance gateway to heaven. Death is still sad, but Jesus changed death into life.

The idea of death can be terrifying. But remember what Jesus did to death. His past victory offers present peace, and exciting hope.

Take the faith God grants us.

Elections and Love

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

Elections and Love

Elections tend to refocus us away from our first love. During this season, we think more about candidates than about Christ. We worry more about winning than about… not worrying. We get angry about the mistakes of other voters, instead of being angry about our own sin. We polarize, separate, assume, accuse, and fume. We could be knowing the Lord’s blessings, rejoicing in the Lord’s presence, and dancing along with David.

I am not able to delight in the election, but I can delight in the Lord. I am not able to delight in the candidate’s behavior, but I can delight in the Lord’s hands. I am not able to delight in the obnoxious advertising, but I can delight in the Lord’s Word. I am not able to delight in the self-justification, but I can delight in the Lord’s holiness. I am not able to delight in the name-calling and conclusion-leaping, but I can delight in the Lord’s knowledge. I am not able to delight in fear and doomsday-expectation, but I can delight in the Lord’s Day.

I am not able to delight in hatred, but I can delight in the Lord.

Maybe ‘delight in the Lord’ refers simply to the Lord’s Love.

He promises us that if we focus in HIM, if we are excited about HIM, if we gleefully cling to HIM, He will give us the desires of our heart.

He is not promising us that our candidate will win. He is not promising us we will get whatever we want. He is not promising us joy because of November 3.

He is promising us faith, hope, and love.

What more do His people desire?

Take the love God grants us.

Elections and Hope

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33 ESV)

Elections and Hope

Everyone seems to be forecasting doom. If one candidate wins, our American way of life will be changed dramatically. If the other candidate wins, our dreams of the American way of life will be moved out of reach. If either candidate wins, civil unrest will ensue. If either candidate wins, the actual result will be blocked in court for months. No matter how overwhelming a victory, or how sure a mandate seems to the victors… dark days are predicted.

Or not.

What if we remember, instead of all the reasons to fear, that the Lord is really determining the outcome of the election.

What if we remember, instead of all the scary predictions, that the Lord is really determining the outcome of the election.

What if we remember, instead of all the real hatred, that the Lord is really determining the outcome of the election.

Is not our voting a lot like rolling dice?

Every decision, every role of the die, every vote, every election is from the Lord.

If the election is in the hands of the power brokers, we would have many reasons to fear. If the election is in the hands of the electorate, we would have many reasons to fear. If the election is in the hands of chance or luck, we would have many reasons to fear.

But this all is in the Lord’s hands.

Have hope in HIS wisdom, HIS knowledge, HIS goodness, and HIS love.

Take the hope God grants us.

Elections and Faith

They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. (Hosea 8:4 ESV)

Elections and Faith

Citizens of the United States of America take pride in our Republic. Our Constitution outlines a system of government that includes provision for the peaceful transfer of power every two to six years, depending on whether we are examining a Representative, a President, or a Senator. So every few years, we enter the polling place and vote for someone.

It is indisputable that our criteria of leadership no longer puts ‘loyalty to King Jesus’ as the primary job qualification. Perhaps because at first such a qualification was TOO obvious. Perhaps because more recently we have become cynics about such a qualification. Perhaps because such a qualification is easy to state, but more difficult to discern. Perhaps because the few who follow King Jesus do not seem viable as candidates.

Instead we look to such qualifications as loyalty to party, excessive governmental experience, profitable business acumen, electability, and the ability to get things done.

The Biblical exhortations to leaders are myriad. Here are some of them: Exodus 18:21, Matthew 20:26, Hebrews 13:17, Proverbs 11:14, I Peter 5:3, Proverbs 29:2, Deuteronomy 1:13, John 10:11, I Timothy 3:5, Proverbs 29:14, James 1:5-6, Proverbs 29:12, Isaiah 32:1-8, Proverbs 31:8-9, Proverbs 16;7, Proverbs 29:4, I Samuel 16:18. While some of these verses might not be directly aimed at political leaders, all teach guidelines and principles of Godly leadership. And the summary is… a leader puts God first, or that leader is no leader at all, in God’s eyes.

We find examples of what happens to leaders who do not choose to follow God. And it is not pretty. Hosea was a prophet during the disastrous reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Jeroboam II ruled when Israel was defeated in 721 B.C.. In his prophecies, Hosea describes what was behind Israel’s fall.

The nation of Israel had elevated and followed leaders who did not know God. And Israel was destroyed. It is that simple. They made Kings without following God. They chose princes without reference to the Lord. They were filled with political savvy, and earthly wisdom… but chose without focus on the One True God.

It is election time. Who will America choose?

What the past shows us is this: If we choose Godly leaders, our nation will be blessed. If we do not choose Godly leaders, our nation will not be blessed. I expect that many of us will read these words and be glad that OUR choice of leaders is in some way following God. Perhaps they issued a good statement. Perhaps they made a wise practical decision. Perhaps they endorse a good, loving, generous policy.

But Hosea tells us that is not enough.

I believe, and it terrifies me, that God will give us the leaders that we deserve. This is what He has tended to do in the past. We have one option to avoid tragedy for our nation, and the church. Choose leaders who adhere to Christ. Faith here, might just be faith that God is sincere in His warnings.

Take the Faith God grants us.

Accidents and Love

Then Job answered the Lordand said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:1,2 ESV)

Accidents and Love

I know someone who was told by his parents that he was accidentally born. These parents only meant the phrase as a light-hearted tease. But thinking of himself as an accident did not make him feel particularly loved.

We think of an accident as an unintended unpleasantness. When considering our plans and actions, this definition works just fine. Accidents, to us, are things undesired and problem-causing.

But in God’s plans and actions, accidents do not exist.

God knows all things, is aware of all things, understands all things, moves all things, is sovereign over all things, and can do all things. Where would an accident fit into that picture?

The accidental young man would probably be glad to see that in God’s eyes, he was not an accident… he was loved. The accidental young man would probably be glad to hear that God does not say the young man was an accident… he was loved. The accidental young man would probably think it grand to come to the conclusion that God did not create the young man accidentally… He created the young man because He loved that baby. And still does.

Perhaps the opposite of those scary accidents is love.

Take the love God grants us

Accidents and Hope

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:7,8 ESV)

Accidents and Hope

While competing in the Victorian Country Chess Championship in Australia, I was defeated by a clever young teenager. He set me up. He pretended to accidentally move a key piece on the board to an apparently very silly place.

“What a lucky accident!” I theologically mused…

And then he pounced. He won. And I learned, that when this young man played chess there would be no accidents.

God does not move the world accidentally, either. We can see His plans unfold when we examine the story of His people Biblically, historically, and personally. That can be a comforting realization.

But in this Psalm, we are encouraged to also find comfort in the hope that God will continue this way. He will keep acting in our lives in the future. Simply put, in the lives of God’s people there will never be an accident.

God’s people will experience no accidents tomorrow. The candidate He intends to win will win the election. The bank account will contain the amount He intends for us to steward. No illness, breakup, thunderstorm, or sin surprises Him.

We might not understand what is happening, but God is at work. We might not be able to grasp what lesson God is teaching, but He is the Ultimate Rabbi. We might not feel we can endure the confusion, but we can believe that He will also provide His order. We might be shocked and confused, but He is peace.

I am involved in a lot of accidents. But God never will be.

I cause a lot of accidents. But God never will.

I might fear accidents. But in God’s economy, accidents are not real, and never will be.

Take the hope God grants us.

Accidents and Faith

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:19-20 ESV)

Accidents and Faith

Late last night, a car unexpectedly showed up in front of my moving vehicle. Chaos ensued. My car was totaled, I was not hurt, but it has been surprisingly unsettling. I do not like accidents.

But even though we believe in them, accidents do not exist.

God is sovereign.

In the midst of a crisis, whether automotive, financial, relational, or even weatherly, I seem to forget that even in a wild, chaotic, painful mess, God is lovingly in charge. He knows what He is doing. And He is doing something good. (Romans 8:28)

It helps to remember those accidents in which I have eventually understood God’s activity.

I have lost jobs, to have those jobs replaced by better jobs.

I have been in a car accident that has become a reminder, to me, of community and protection.

I have been broke, and broker, and brokest, and learned to value the physical blessings God showers on me.

I have endured the death of close friends, and learned to rejoice in the time I had with them, and the hope of heaven.

Joseph’s brothers were afraid because of the chaos and evil they had inflicted on Joseph. But Joseph had learned to not panic during crises. Joseph told his brothers that even in the worst of circumstances, God is doing something grand.

There are no accidents. Merely events we do not yet understand.

Take the Faith God grants us.

The Right Words and Love

For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;” (I Peter 3:10 ESV)

The Right Words and Love

The Right Words are not that difficult to find. The Right Words are not the words that will bring us the most success. The Right Words are not the words that will increase our influence. The Right Words are not the words that will bring us popularity. The Right Words are not the words that will change the world.

The Right Words are simply the truth.

We know when we lied. And we know when we want to lie. And we know when we are about to lie.

If we are being honestly introspective, we might see certain activities and attitudes as warning lights. Some things we do are indicators that we are liking our lies and want to keep them.

When we are defensive, it is usually because of we are defending untruth. When we make excuses, it is usually because we are covering up for deception. When we insult, it is usually because we are diverting attention from dishonesty.

Truth is always the Right Word. And Right Words are always connected to love.

Peter, in this verse, connects telling the truth with loving life. But he did not mean, “enjoying the pleasures of your life.” When he mentions seeing good days, he did not mean, “liking everything that happens to you.”

He means putting love in every aspect of your life. Filling life with love. Loving every person, situation, and context that we are in life with.

He means that when we love we get to see God’s goodness. Truth allows us to see what is good. Truth opens our eyes to God’s goodness in every person, situation, and context that we are in life with.

That looks a lot more complicated than it is. Peter is telling us that if we love the Right Words (the truth) we will have a wowza life! Because loving Truth means loving God. And vice versa.

Take the love God grants us.

The Right Words and Hope

Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:2,3 ESV)

The Right Words and Hope

I liked it when my grandfather wrote to me. He did not write often, but his letters were usually informative, encouraging, and helpful. When I knew a letter was coming, I checked the mailbox eagerly and early.

I sometimes look forward to God’s Letters in the same way. I should look forward to God’s Letters more often. He knew more than my grandfather knew. He loved me more than my grandfather loved me. He had more wisdom than my grandfather had. God’s Letters can be the highlight of every day!

The more troubles we encounter, the more hope we are offered by God’s right Words.

The more pain we are suffering, the more hope we are offered by God’s right Words.

The more lost we are, the more hope we are offered by God’s right Words.

As much as I value good feelings, God’s Words give me more. As much as I value God’s people, God’s Words give me more. As much as I value the life God has given me so far, God’s Words give me more.

Because His Words and not just words. They are the right Words that we need.

Take the hope God grants us.

The Right Words and Faith

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Proverbs 25:11 ESV)

The Right Words and Faith

Comforting words are great to hear, but hard to say. Even though seeing that someone is hurting, or lonely, or afraid is not that hard, we do not usually feel like we have the right words. Perhaps we are afraid of making things worse. Maybe we realize that we do not fully understand what is wrong. Often we just do not know what to say.

So instead of giving golden apples set in silver, we say nothing.

Maybe we need a little more faith.

Remembering how other’s words have helped us can give us a nudge. Remembering that joy is in the ears that hear, more than the mouths that speak can encourage our efforts. Remembering that our words themselves are not the elixir that fixes broken hearts, but rather the translations the Holy Spirit makes of our utterances that is the real help.

Of course, if we are only offering OUR words, ineffectiveness is not unexpected. Words that come merely from our experience, our knowledge, our understanding easily fall short. But God’s words, found in God’s Word, are a wonderful balm. (Psalm 107:20)

Do not be afraid to speak comforting words. Do not be afraid to offer Scriptural counsel. Do not be afraid to help, even if only with words.

Take the faith God grants us.

Grudges and Love

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18 ESV)

Grudges and Love

This verse hurts. Read it again.

When I am nurturing a grudge, a part of me KNOWS I am not loving. I am choosing to place myself above the grudgee, place my needs above the grudgee’s, place my position above the grudgee’s, place my hopes above the grudgee’s, place my understanding above the grudgee’s, place my everything above the grudgee’s.

I talk myself out of the guilt, unrighteousness, and sin of my grudge with elaborate constructions of mental and emotional gymnastics. I set up comparisons, so I do not look as bad as the grudgee. I rationalize, excuse, and minimalize my grudge. I bury my grudge deeply, only taking it out and nursing it occasionally.

I defend myself because I have never acted on my grudge. I defend myself because the grudgee also is usually grudging against me. I defend myself by noting that “thou shalt not grudge” is not one of the ten commandments.

But God’s Word does not cut me any slack here. He clearly says, ‘no’ to my grudge.

He delightfully gives me a contrasting choice, in fact. He says that the opposite of grudge is love.

Love is harder than grudging. But love is still better.

Love (putting the beloved first) does away with the need, cause, and poison of the grudge.

Love (changing the grudgee to a lovee) fixes broken relationships, replaces bad memories, and forms solid ground for the future.

Love (copying the Lord) brings me AND my grudgee closer to Jesus, makes us more like Jesus, and simply and obviously follows Jesus.

Grudge no more… choose love.

Take the love God grants us.