Quips

I have always been amused by Winston Churchill and his sharp wit. History is replete with examples of his acerbic tongue and ability to craft words in ways that are entertaining. 

Last evening I was reading and ran across another of Churchill's quips.


George Bernard Shaw, playwright and writer, sent a note to Winston Churchill inviting him to an opening night of his newest play.

"I am enclosing two tickets to the the first night of 

my new play, bring a friend...if you have one."

Churchill was not amused with Shaw's innuendo. So he replied...

"Cannot possibly attend the first night, 

will attend second...if there is one."

In the words of someone wiser than me..."some things are left better unsaid." 

Yeah, but you've gotta love the quick wit of Churchill and his ability to communicate how he felt about Shaw's insult.


All of this makes me wonder. I think that "some things are left better unsaid" in a world where opinions and comments are readily offered.


There is an old adage that says, "you don't have to attend every argument you are invited to." In other words, you don't have to respond to every comment which comes your way. 


Churchill never seemed to master that art. Most of us will struggle with mastering that as well. Today the challenge will be to "watch our words" so that we can pray the prayer, "may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight."

Adages

Last week I was sitting in a meeting of pastors.  This is not unusual, however the meeting was for young pastors who were beginning their ministry.


A seasoned pastor was speaking and challenging the new pastors to think about their future as agents of change and renewal. With expertise forged on the anvil of experience, he made a statement that applies to everyone, not just pastors.


My mind was jolted when he made the statement...


He said, 

"At the end of your life you will be remembered 

for one of two things."

I would like to be remembered for more than that. I sat in reflection as the rest of his words finished the sentence. How many things would you like to remembered for?  What would you like to be remembered for? Are you doing anything right now that is memorable and will be recalled by future generations? Will you do anything day that is commendable to those who follow you?


Poignant questions.


He said,

"At the end of your life you will be remembered

for one of two things. You will be remembered for the 

problems you created or the problems that you solved."

He is right.

The more I think about what he said, the more I realize that my memories of people are closely tied to those two observations. I remember people who "caused problems" and those who "solved problems."

To be sure, if you are a "problem solver" it will be necessary to have "problem causers" otherwise you won't have much work.

I would like to be remembered for the problems I solved rather than the problems I caused. Time will tell. However, I want to be faithful to solve problems that come across my path.


I am grateful for those who have gone before me and for all of the problems they solved so that I can have a place of service. I want to face life with a "no problem" attitude. 

Thanks Ron Blake, pastor of Detroit First Church for your words last week.

Either/Or

John Huffman, a Presbyterian Pastor, mastered the art of pithy sayings that carried weighty meanings.With poignancy he called his congregation to meaningful service and mission with these timely words...

Either you are a minister or you need one

Either you are a missionary or your need one

Even I get the meaning in his words. 

As long as I can remember, we have been told that "everyone is a minister...everybody is a missionary" in the world we live in. Deception creeps in and reminds us that "ministering" and "mission-aring" are for trained professionals and most of us should avoid these.

John Huffman is right.

We need to rise above popular notions which prevent us from serving God by serving others. We all have blind spots that prevent us from taking the first step. Yet, we are called to do the very thing that most people try to avoid.

Nudging its way into the Christian faith is the notion that we can follow Christ and not serve others. We convince ourselves it is OK to have a private faith that works for us but does not impact the lives of those we meet daily.

Either you are a minister or you need one

Either you are a missionary or your need one

There are days when I need a minister or a missionary to point me in the right direction, but once I get my bearings and know His direction I am called to point others in His direction. The Christian faith does not lead  people to "sit and soak" in their faith. We are called to something much different.

I am headed out this morning to declare His Glory and remind the people I serve that Pastor John Huffman's words are powerful but His Word is more powerful. Both can transform us into pilgrims on the journey.

Between

All of us live "between" alternatives. "Between a rock and a hard place" is familiar territory for many in today's culture. We are well accustomed to living in an "either/or" world that forces us to make choices. 


I am caught right now "between" two haunting stewardship questions. 

The first question is "what can I spare?" and the second is, "what will it take?" 

It is easy to think these questions are relegated to money and pass them off because we think we are already stretched financially. It is another to consider these questions in light of the commodity of time.

When faced with need, my first response is often "what can I spare?"  It is seldom "what will it take?"  I am no busier than the next person, but my first response is similar to that of many others. Often we see how little effort is required to address a need. It is sorta like giving leftovers or scraps when a great need is expressed. 

I am wondering what my life would look like if I learned to ask, "what will it take?" when a great need arises. 

Here are a couple of quick observations from my experience...

"What can I spare?" is an easy way of letting me off the hook when a compelling need surfaces.

"What can I spare?" doesn't require great sacrifice.

"What can I spare?" silently says, "somebody else will take care of the need."

"What can I spare?" means my needs are more important than anyone elses.

"What will it take?"...now, that's a whole other question. I can only ask that question when I realize that time and finances ultimately belong to Him. He is the source of all of the things that I have. When I get to that point in my life I can no longer ask, "what can I spare?" but I will ask "what will it take?"


So, today I choose to live in the "what will it take?" world and trust that He will provide the necessary resources.

Mission Trip

The needs are great all around us and summer is approaching. Youth groups are preparing for summer mission trips, churches are preparing to take mission trips to disaster zones and college students will serve in needy areas.

Since returning from the tornado damaged areas of St. Louis area and Alabama, I have been repeatedly asked, "when are we going?"

This is a genuine question arising out of people's real desire to serve those whose lives have been affected by natural disasters.

All of this has caused me to think more deeply about "mission trips." Leonard Sweet, writing in So Beautiful, says, "We don't need more mission trips but more people for whom all of life is a mission trip." 


In a world where it is easy to live a segmented life, one can easily think about "going on a mission trip" and then returning home. It is easy to think that the "mission field" is the place of service and home is the place where we prepare for mission trips.

Recently I read a startling statement that puts all of this in perspective..."Just because God sent you doesn't mean God told anyone else you were coming!"


My prayer is that my life will be a "sent" one that follows where He leads, rather than a life that depends on "mission trips" to get a ministry fix.

This summer there will be lots of "mission trips" for students, churches and other groups. Many of them will be somewhere "over there." Don't forget that today is a "mission trip!  Enjoy the journey!

Breathe

I have finally caught my breath after spending a week in Alabama helping those whose lives were re-arranged by the devastating tornadoes.

It has taken me longer than I anticipated to re-acclimate to my schedule and life. It sounds funny to say that, but it was overwhelming to work in the destruction knowing that I would get in my car and head home. Although I have been back for several days, my heart continues to be heavy over what I have seen and experienced.

As I ease back into the rhythms of my life I continue to think about those who labor in their efforts to restore order to the chaos.

As I reflect on all that I have seen, my mind is again challenged to think about flooding on the Mississippi and the downriver communities that will experience similar devastation.

It is one thing to see damage caused by a physical tornado and it is another thing to watch the aftermath caused by emotional tornadoes in people's lives. Either are painful.

My prayers are with the people who suffer today.

Unimaginable

Unimaginable horror and destruction...

I have seen a lot of disasters over the last several years, but nothing compares to the things that have happened in Alabama.

At the same time, I have never witnessed the outpouring of support and appreciation for the work that is being done.

I have not written for the last couple of days due to the intensity of our work schedule.  

Here are the stories that will come in next several days...

...the Doctor who lost his entire office building has a brand new mobile medical clinic for the community

...the four year old girl who barely escaped her bedroom when a 48" tree fell and split her bedroom in half

...the pastor who lost several of his closest friends who perished in the tornado

...the sight of a tract of land that used to be a community, but now no longer exists.

...the evidence left by the result of 265 miles per hour tornado winds

...a family of 11 who lost nearly everything now living in a small travel trailer and underneath a small tent

...a woman who narrowly escaped death when a storefront building collapsed on her car

...the scores of people who lost co-workers, friends and neighbors as a result of the tornado.

...family members who are still waiting for word on their missing loved ones.

There are more stories to be told, but finding the right words to describe them remains a challenge.


The team is doing incredible work and I am grateful for their contribution.


Please continue to pray for the people of the communities of Cordova, Hackleburg and Phil Campbell. These communities have incredible needs. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve.


Stay tuned for the stories....