A word of encouragement - something that has been lost in our present day. Reflection on Hebrews 3:13 with a story from the life of Mercedes Ruehl.

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

STORY as told by Madeleine Blais:

Mercedes Ruehl, one of the few actresses to win a Tony and an Oscar in the same year (for Lost in Yonkers and The Fisher King), saw her first Broadway show when she was in grade school. Her family was in New York visiting relatives and driving through Times Square. On the spur of the moment her parents decided to see if they could get tickets to The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

"I remember waiting in the car," says Ruehl, "while my mother ran up to the box office. The only tickets left were for box seats. Box seats! To me there were no better seats, and I remember my father saying, sure, go for it. One of the best qualities of my parents was that they liked to have fun.

"As we watched the play, I could not take my eyes off its star, Tammy Grimes. She must have felt my adoration, because at one point she looked up and held my eyes. It was probably for no more than one second, but it seemed like ten seconds. I always felt that was my official invitation to be an actress. With her gaze I was touched like a knight on both shoulders with a sword."  

OBSERVATION:

For some it is as simple as eye contact. For others words become important. And still others will take an unselfish act of a pat-on-the-back or some other gesture. Encouragement is needed more today than at any other time in our history. It seems like it is a lost art, but it has been lost in the business of our daily living.

I was asked just this past Friday evening what is wrong with our society. I didn’t have an answer then, but have been thinking about ever since. It dawned on my gray matter this morning that one thing we don’t hear a lot of today is praise … a word of encouragement … a few “atta-boy” … Criticism is cheap and plentiful. Too easily and quickly shared. Words of encouragement are simple. Doesn’t take much effort. Just a little encouragement, a gesture, a pat-on-the-back and the world seems friendlier. Life becomes more livable. Possibilities open up. And we carry on ... encouraged to do so.

To know that someone is watching; To know that we matter; To know that we are making a contribution; To know that what little we are doing for the Kingdom of God makes a difference to someone else; To hear a kind word in the midst of all the negative words that invade our hears; To realize that we are making a difference; To be embraced by the kindness of others … And then to have the ability to share it, to pass it on, to offer our own words of encouragement, to build each other up with praise and thanksgiving … now that is a ministry to others and for others … and for the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER:

Help us to be sensitive to those around us, gracious God. Help us to be ready with a word of encouragement. Help us to build each other up with a strong word of praise. Amen.

QUOTE by William Arthur Ward:

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. 

In celebration of Mother's Day: A job description for mom!

A job description circulating on the Internet:


Position: 
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy


Job Description: 
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.


Responsibilities:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.


Possibility For Advancement & Promotion:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.


Previous Experience:
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.


Wages And Compensation:
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and then wish you could only do more.


Benefits:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

God is not asking us to carry the world. He hasn't given up on us so why do we give up on ourselves? John 3:16 with a story from the ministry of Bruce Larson with an observation and a prayer.

SCRIPTURE: John 3:16 (TM)                                                                                                                                         This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

STORY:                                                                                                                                                                  Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:

For many years I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. There he is, the most powerfully built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. 'Now that's one way to live,' I would point out to my companion, 'trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.'

"On the other side of Fifth Avenue is Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically.

"We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, 'I give up, Lord; here's my life. I give you my world, the whole world.'"

OBSERVATION:

Too often we give up too early in your pursuits. We think that are efforts have fallen short. That we have failed, or that the challenge is just too great, too heavy … and we give up. It feels like we are carrying the world around on our shoulders.

Here is what Max Lucado wrote in, Six Hours One Friday, pp. 58, 59: “When God became flesh and was the victim of an assassination attempt before he was two years old, he didn’t give up. When the people from his own home town tried to push him over a cliff, he didn’t give up. When his brothers ridiculed him, he didn’t give up. When he was accused of blaspheming God by people who didn’t fear God, he didn’t give up…. God would give up his only son before he’d give up on you.”

If God hasn’t given up on us, why should we give up on ourselves and what he is asking us to accomplish for the Kingdom?

We can either try to live our life as Atlas or place our life in the hands of Jesus? It is our choice!

PRAYER:

Lord, you haven’t given up on us, so encourage us so we don’t give up on ourselves. Amen

Our faithlessness vs. God's faithfulness - a reflection on 2 Timothy 2:13 with a story about Mother Teresa.

SCRIPTURE: 2 Timothy 2:13 (TM)

If we give up on him, he does not give up - for there's no way he can be false to himself.

STORY:

Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called "House of Dying," where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily. "How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?" he asked. Mother Teresa replied, "My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful."

OBSERVATION:

Would it be said of all of us that we desire to be faithful above all else. Success is but a passing moment in our journey, but faithfulness is for all of eternity. No greater challenge is faced than the summons to be faithful. Nothing will try our souls more than the issues that could pull us away from doing what Christ calls us to do. Stronger individuals are known to fail when faced with life’s challenges.

If the truth would be known we will all fail him at some point in our journey. At some point we will not be found to be faithful to that task that is placed before us. At some point our spirit will become weak, our resolve lacking, our determination feeble, our commitment less than 100%, and our desire rooted in what we want than what God wishes. It is at these moments it is good to remember 2 Timothy 2:13 – even though we become faithless, he remains faithful; even when we are less than we should be, he continues to be all true … his relationship with us never changes. It is his very nature. And for his faithfulness we are forever thankful.

Our relationship with God is not determined by what we do, but who he is. It is not based on what we accomplish, but what he completed on the cross. It is not based on our talents, our personality, our abilities, our faith, but his faithfulness, his commitment, his love. Oh, the world could use thousands of Mother Teresas, but those kind of individuals come along only once in a lifetime … and yet, there is a Mother Teresa in each one of us. There is hope that we could discover in ourselves a resolve to remain faithful. There is hope if we would but rely on the Holy Spirit and trust him in wherever he leads us. There is hope …

PRAYER:

We are thankful that our salvation is not dependent on us being faithful, gracious God. Thank you for staying true to your nature and loving us when we do not deserve to be loved. And then help us to discover the joy in being faithful. Amen.

God's grace as a safety net? A new idea with a story, an observation and a prayer

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:40

There the child (Jesus) grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him. They found him in the Temple.

STORY as told by Richard Baxter:

During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Finally in spite of the enormous cost, the engineers opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net but were saved. Ultimately, all the time lost to fear was regained by replacing fear with faith in the net. As we paid nothing for God's eternal love and nothing for the Son of His love, and nothing for His Spirit and our grace and faith, and nothing for our eternal rest...What an astonishing thought it will be to think of the immeasurable difference between our deserving’s and our receiving’s. O, how free was all this love, and how free is this enjoyed glory...So then let "Deserved" be written on the floor of hell but on the door of heaven and life.

OBSERVATION:

Thinking of grace as a “safety net” is a new concept for me … and probably for a lot of us. Thank you Mr. Baxter for the idea, concept, thought … it is a refreshing awakening to the immense richness of God’s love for us.

But thinking of Jesus needing a “safety net” does present a challenge. After all, wasn’t he the Son of God? Wasn’t he there at the foundation of the world? Wasn’t the Holy Spirit on him? Wasn’t he just doing what the Father wanted him to do? A safety net? Seems a little ludicrous to me, but there it is … “the grace of God was upon him” … God throwing the safety net even for his son. Wow!

Fear is replaced with faith … knowing that if we fall God is there to catch us with his grace … his safety net. Kind of makes living a whole lot easier doesn’t it. Kind of makes taking chances in life more of an exciting venture instead of a risky move. Kind of makes the summons to follow, leaving everything behind, a lot more fun instead of action followed by a lot of question marks. Fear is replaced with faith … because of God’s grace.

Personally, I’m glad that we don’t get what we deserve, aren’t you!

PRAYER:

Thank you God for your safety net that keeps me from falling to the point of hurting myself. Thank you for your grace. Thank you!

Learning the lesson of obedience - Jesus did (Luke 2:51) and so must we ... with a story, an observation and a prayer

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:51
Then (Jesus) went down to Nazareth with (Mary and Joseph) and was obedient to them.




STORY:
Every conscientious parent recognizes how difficult it is to exercise his God-given authority over his children. The delicate balance of being tough yet tender is not easy to maintain. Many parents intensify a rebellious spirit by being dictatorial and harsh. Others yield when their authority is tested. When a strong-willed child resists, the pressure to give in for the sake of peace and harmony can become overpowering. I am reminded of the mother who wanted to have the last word but couldn't handle the hassle that resulted whenever she said no to her young son. After an especially trying day, she finally flung up her hands and shouted, "All right, Billy, do whatever you want! Now let me see you disobey THAT!"




OBSERVATION:
Obedience, regardless of age, is difficult. Soldiers learn it in basic training. Their spirit is broken so that they will respond instantly to the voice and order of their commanding officer. It could mean the difference between life and death. Jesus had to learn obedience before he could venture forth as savior. That truth is often lost on us.




We never truly comprehend that this Jesus we worship, this Jesus we call Lord, this Jesus who walked on water, this Jesus who divided the loafs and fishes, this Jesus who called men and women to follow him, this Jesus who gathered children on his lap, this Jesus who called Lazarus to come from the grave, this Jesus who healed individuals, this Jesus who died upon the cross, this Jesus who commands us to go into all the world … this very individual had to learn first the lesson of obedience before he could accomplish what he was sent here to earth to do. The first lesson of spiritual maturity is obedience.




For the rest of us, we think the first lesson is learning how to say “NO” and to follow it with a force of spirit and a strong determination to get our way. We don’t like the idea of having our spirit broken so that we hear only the voice of our commander, our God, this very one we call Jesus. We like getting our way. We like being our “own” boss. We like being in control. And yet …




PRAYER:
Break our spirit, Lord, break our spirit. Lead us down the path of obedience so that we will truly be free to become all that you are calling us to be. Bring us under your command. Take the rebellious nature from us so that we will learn the lesson of obedience. In the name of the one who was obedient even unto death. Amen.

Precious and honored in God's sight - Reflections on Isaiah 43:4 with a story and an observation

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:4 (NIV) You are precious and honored in my sight, and… I love you. STORY as told by J. Allan Petersen: Newspaper columnist and minister George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. "I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me." Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan "Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you've convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that your're getting a divorce. That will really hurt him." With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, "Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!" And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting "as if." For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn't return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?" "Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him." Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated deeds. OBSERVATION: The above story also reminds me of a District Superintendent in the Methodist Church who told some disgruntled members of a particular church that wanted to get rid of their preacher to go back and treat the preacher as if he was the most wonderful, God-centered, caring pastor that they ever had … and that he was the greatest communicator of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The members took up the challenge and the result was that that pastor stayed with that church for over 25 years. It is amazing what happens in the hearts and heads of people when they begin to treat others as precious and honored. Throughout scripture God communicates to us just how precious and important we are in His sight. It is a message of love – continuous, sacrificial, forgiving love. Experiment: Why don’t each of us find that one individual with which we have the biggest problem and start treating them as if they are the most important person in the world. Let us go out of our way to shower them with praise. Let’s honor them as a gift from God. Let’s do it for just 30 days and sit back to see what God does with the individual. O.K.? O.K.! PRAYER: Help us Lord, to be instruments of your love, channels of praise, conduits of honor and help us to choose the most difficult person in our life to honor with Divine affection. May they become precious in our sight. In the name of Christ. Amen.