Chasing After the Wind

If you were to face the loss of a job, dwindling finances, and a mortgage you can't pay, how would you react?  If the economy became so bleak that the necessities of life became harder to acquire, what would be your response? Despair?  Hopelessness?  Desperation that drives you to do whatever is necessary to cling to these things?

I would say that the majority of us react that way.  The last two generations have become used to having everything they want or need, even at the expense of placing themselves in the graveyard of debt, passing it onto their children to deal with after they are gone (Eccl. 2:18-22).

Jesus said that at the time of the end, men would continue to revel and spend, in spite of the things that are happening around them (Matthew 24:37-39).   If you don't believe that we are approaching His return, stop and take a look around you.  Open your eyes to how you and others view life; the recreation you think you deserve, and the toys and gadgets that you think brings you happiness.  Ponder the waste of time and money spent on frivolous, decadent displays of "self" which only further supports the LORD'S warnings of how men will be living their lives during that point in history.

"All is vanity," wrote Solomon in Ecclesiastes (Eccl. 1:2).  Who knew this better than Solomon?  He had been given riches and possessions beyond the wildest dream of any man.  He asked for wisdom and God gave it to him.  He reveled and spent more than the wealthiest in history (Eccl. 1:14; 2:1-3; 2:11-12).  Yet, as his life drew to a close, Solomon realized that all that he had learned and acquired was nothing compared to knowing God and His will for man (Eccl. 5:6-8; cf Isaiah 49:4).

Solomon gained the greatest wisdom by acknowledging the folly of "chasing after the wind" and the results that it could bring (Eccl. 2:10-11).  The wisdom God gave him, albeit not what he expected, was revealed to him at the close of his life, not while he was enjoying the benefits in his youth (Eccl. 5:18-20).  I can think of no better way to end this post than to use the words of the wisest man to ever walk this earth and the summation of his life:

"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, 'I have no pleasure in them'; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.  Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

...The end of the matter; all has been heard.  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.   For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." ~ Ecclesiastes 12:1-8, 13, 14

I encourage you to take a closer examination of the things you value.  You may just end up in the same place Solomon found himself: that all he had done was chase after the wind.  None of the temporal things - riches, possessions, wisdom - truly matter in the big scheme of life.  It's WHO you know and obey while enjoying the benefits of His blessings on this earth that really matters.  As Solomon discovered - and I hope you do, too -  that kind of wisdom will bring the greatest riches, and they will last an eternity.

Sheep or Sheeple - Which One Are You?

John 10:1-21

My grandkids are in 4-H.  Since my 13 year old granddaughter, Ani, began three years ago, she has twice taken the Grand Champion title for the steers she has fed and conditioned.  Her brother, Liam, who is going to be 11 in January, has raised pigs for the last two years and has done quite well.  Kieran, brother number two who just turned 8, will be transitioning from a Clover Bud and open classes and into qualified projects next year.  I'm proud of all three of them.  The 4-H organization has taught them how to value livestock and the industry, and the responsibility and time and effort it takes to raise their animals.

But one animal that none of the kids will be raising during their 4-H tenure is sheep.   Sheep are easy to raise and feed, and the cost of doing so is dramatically less than raising a market steer or a pig.  Most parents prefer the seemingly non-offensive, less smelly, smaller animal to the larger varieties.  They think that their child should start out with livestock that's easier to handle and would never harm them.  They may have a point, especially for the "backyard" livestock keeper.  Who doesn't love a baby lamb and their cuddly, soft, downy wool?  And a well-fed lamb does produce wonderful chops!  The essence of my grandkids' decision not to raise one, however, is basically due to the challenge the larger animals offer, and the lack of the same with sheep.

Let's take a look at the character and habits of sheep.

Sorry, but sheep are dumb.  Sheep have a deeply embedded herd mentality.  Sheep have a propensity to follow after danger, grazing with their heads down, not knowing where they're going, and not recognizing danger before it's too late.  In spite of those attending them bearing the title "shepherd," it is almost impossible to drive them in the direction you want them to go.  All is well as long as the lamb has company - other lambs, that is.  Place a lamb skin on a wolf, and they will follow it, thinking it's another lamb.  (I once had an Old English Sheepdog that could get any balking herd of sheep to follow after her because she had the appearance of a lamb - in spite of her hatred and resentment for the things.)

When the lambs are presented in the show ring, no halter, ropes, driving sticks, or canes are required.  All the handler must do is place one of his or her hands under the lamb's lower jaw and the other on its rump to propel it into the position they desire.  When they stop to set it up (place it in its show position), the lamb stands there, imagining that the hand that's under its jaw is preventing it from moving.  My point is made: imagine an animal so dumb that it actually thinks it's tethered or unable to move where it wants because someone has a hold of its jaw.  (A sheep's brain weighs 140 grams, as compared to a cow's brain weighing in at 425-458 grams.  Compare both to a human brain weighing 1300-1400 grams, and that's all that needs to be said.)

Those who have no true knowledge of sheep might think, "That kid has trained that sheep well!"  Even though the kids work long hours conditioning their lambs, they begin when the lambs are very young.  The less-seasoned showman considers the lamb a pet and it is most often treated like one.  By playing with it and keeping a hands-on approach, the lamb becomes accustomed to being handled and falls easily and submissively into the proper techniques that are required to show it in the ring.  They are just simply an easier animal to raise and handle - unless you want to drive them.

Does any of this sound familiar?

It is no wonder that people are likened to sheep.  The often-used pun "sheeple" is appropriate in regard to how men behave.  They follow after danger with their heads down, fall into a herd mentality, and are unable to recognize a wolf in sheep's clothing (much like my old dog who fooled the sheep every time), and fail to follow after the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  Usually all it takes for a person to be led astray is a slyly placed hand under his jaw and a little push in the wrong direction, and off he goes!  Once he's in the position that the enemy wants him to be in, he remains frozen there.  He isn't aware that all he would have to do to break free from that which restricts him is to cry out for his Shepherd's aid and return to Him.

There is a sheep pen that has been established by the LORD where He puts all those He has gathered.   On the perimeter of that pen is a gate that He has secured and through which He leads His sheep out.  They know His voice and will turn and run from a stranger.  They know He is their Shepherd and will protect them.  They also know that the pastures He leads them to will be lush and verdant.  When one strays away from Him, He will leave the others behind to search for it.  He has even given His life for His sheep.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock.  I might even go so far as to say that the sheep that belong to Him are wise.  

Unlike the foolish 4-H sheep described above, those who belong to Jesus know their Master and are faithful to Him.  He has no need for restraints to keep His sheep obedient and subjected to Him.  He makes no demands upon them except to love and obey Him.  When His sheep know Him, the hand He places upon their hearts is gentle, not forceful.  It guides them towards righteousness and holiness, perfection and peace.  And eventually, Jesus will shepherd them to His eternal kingdom where they will be forever free to graze with their heads down without fear.

So, are you a sheeple or a sheep?  It's a good question to ask oneself.  Jesus desires to add you to His flock.  Truly, there's no better place to be.  And if you are one that's being held captive by the hand of deception that is only leading you astray, simply call out to Him.  He's ready and willing to break that hold for you and lead you to safer pastures.

I hope I see you there. 

Getting Knocked Off the -Ism and -Ist Perch

If there was ever a time in history that has the propensity to confuse and befuddle Christians with excessive terminology, it's in this generation.  And the biggest problem with all the "isms" and "ists" that are being passed around is the division that is caused when differing viewpoints are debated - usually hotly and with little or no regard to the commonality Christians do have with each other: belief in Jesus Christ and His Gospel of salvation in its fullness.

The "5 Points of Calvin-ism"..."Arminian-ism"..."dispensational-ism"..."preterist"..."pre-mid-post-millenialist"...and every other "ism" and "ist" that can stir up and muddy the waters of the Gospel message reminds me of the photo I've attached to this post.  We  have become a bunch of different types of birds, each jostling for space on a narrow perch, and all singing discordant tunes that are out of harmony with each other.  This does nothing more than bring dissension among believers and a stubborn drive for each bird to make his position the only valid and legitimate one and to guarantee he remains on the perch.

Of course, then we have those who label themselves with cute hyphenated versions of "-isms" and "-ists" like silly little school girls.  The "Calvi-dispy" crowd and others remind me of immature children who form their own private little club.  In order to become a member, one must jump through the hoops these elitists have erected, learn the lingo, and agree completely with them.  If not, you have no hope of becoming part of this intimate and divinely inspired group and you're knocked off their perch.

This is not to say that I don't have my own convictions on these important doctrines, and most of those convictions are in line with the -ist and -ism crowd (minus half a point).  What I am saying is that all too often our approach comes across as arrogant and argumentative, rather than with gentle instruction and a desire to help others see their errors.  We become exclusive, wanting only to associate with those of like-mind.  We bar the door of our tight-knit, hand-selected, little group from those with differing opinions (and often misguided ones) and then gossip among ourselves about their ignorance.  Believe me.  I have witnessed this.

Should this be the way we, as Christians, behave?

It goes without saying that no one wants to deal with a trouble-maker.  Someone who inserts himself and attempts to cause division should be removed and handed over for the LORD to discipline, if that be His will.  But to merely turn your vitriol on someone who has the wrong understanding of a particular doctrine, and who may be quite capable through the intervention of the Holy Spirit working through you in coming to a right understanding, is the wrong way for us to behave.

Who are we to decide for God who should be the recipient of that understanding?  Is He not Sovereign in His choices?  Has He not given us the means and the knowledge to share with others what we do know and a clear mandate to accomplish it?  For us to hide our "lamp" under a "jar" is for us to also hide the Light of Christ that gives understanding and reveals the hidden and hard things.  The knowledge that has been given to us and the understanding we have should be put on a "stand so that those who enter may see the Light."  (Luke 8:16)  By employing Jesus' instructions, the goal of reaching unity in common belief is more easily attained, thereby keeping peace in His body of believers instead of us acting like a bunch of squabbling birds fighting over position on the perch.

It is no small wonder that so many refuse to hear the Gospel when they see us fighting amongst ourselves over "-isms" and "-ists."  How is that furthering the Truths of God?  At best, all we are accomplishing is proving the unbeliever correct in his assessment:  hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, and a stubborn determination to always be right are still very much present in the Church.

Like those who have gone before us have discovered, there will come a time when we all will be amazed (and probably ashamed) at how much we may have missed the mark regarding certain doctrines.  None of us should think that we have all the right answers.  If we do, we're only fooling ourselves and placing ourselves in the precarious position of being knocked off our self-elevated perch.  There is only One with ultimate wisdom regarding these issues and He will determine how and when we come to a full understanding of them in His own way.

Although I am in agreement with many of my brothers and sisters regarding certain tenets of belief, I will humbly reserve sufficient space for God to correct and instruct me when He deems it necessary, even if it's through another.  The ironic part about it is that I believed these things before I even knew they had a name with a suffix attached to their end.  I didn't need to bog my mind down with -isms and -ists in order to understand them.  They came with the Gospel, and that was enough for me.  The most important thing I can do for Him right now is to allow Him to lead me in how I share what He's given me to others with less knowledge so that they, too, may benefit from His wisdom. 

God knocked me off my self-elevated perch a long time ago, and I cannot express the gratitude I have for that lowering of myself.  Every once in a while I try and climb back onto it, but I'm beginning to see that the view is much better down here, at least until I reach the level of wisdom He desires for me.  If I do have a position on that perch, it's one that He has ordained for me, not one I've chosen for myself.

So, enough with the "-isms" and "-ists" - at least for a time.  They only benefit mature believers in furthering their understanding of God's purpose and will by digging deeper into His Word.   There's a world of unbelievers out there who need to hear the Gospel of salvation in its purest form: simple and direct with nothing left to conjecture or debate, and nothing that will confuse or distort their understanding of it.  Once they have that firmly planted in their hearts, the rest will come by the Holy Spirit's intervention and instruction.

Are You a Mary or a Martha?

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

 Luke 10:40-42 ESV

This is an easy question for me to answer.  There's no doubt that I'm a Martha.

I want to be a Mary, but I find it difficult to allow others to serve me.  Instead, I charge headfirst into making sure that the comforts of others are met before my own, and the end result is usually exhaustion and regret that so much of my time I was allowed to be with them was wasted on making sure things ran smoothly.

This summer has been filled with visiting friends and relatives.  I looked forward to them coming, even for a day or two, but my excitement quickly dissipated as I found myself fussing over them and worrying that every moment was filled with making sure their needs were met.  Unlike Martha who complained that Mary failed to help her, I felt I needed to do it all so that my visitors' vacations would be memorable ones full of fun and relaxation.  Therefore, I missed out on a lot because of my predisposition to try and handle everything, including my six grandbabies and two of my son's fiance's young girls running in and out and meeting their demands.

It didn't take me long to realize I was actually worse than Martha!

Mary had it right.  She also had the best seat in the house: at Jesus' feet.  She knew her time with Him was going to be short and wanted to take advantage of every second of the time she had to spend with Him.  As I look back on the last month, I realize that I missed out on the enjoyment I could have experienced with my family because I refused to sit down with them and let come what may.  Unlike Mary, I failed to choose the "good portion," those times of reminiscing, memory building, and laughter that comes with the precious time we spend with those who live far away and are only able to visit once in a great while.  The photos I took should have been a reminder of the good times.  Instead, they are a reminder of how brief those intimate moments were because of my frantic desire to serve my loved ones, and the regret I feel for having done so.

Unfortunately, I will probably continue to be a Martha - at least most of the time.  It's just the way I'm equipped, wanting to make sure that everyone's needs are met.  But the next time I'm given the gift of having my family surrounding me, I'm going to strive real hard to be a Mary and treasure each second with them.

I'm going to sit down and let my family gather around my feet.  I'll let the dirty dishes and clothes pile up and the wet towels hang out on the line.  I'll try and turn a blind eye to the messes that build, knowing they can be dealt with later.  I'll accept the offer of help from the other adults that I so often refuse.  And as my grandchildren run rip-shod over my space, I'll smile to myself as their mischievous antics are buried deeply in my heart to recall at a later time when they are away from me.

I thank the LORD for blessing me with time to be with my family, even if I didn't utilize it they way I probably should have.  He has reminded me that the "good portion" of simply being in and enjoying their presence is the absolute best place to be.  The wonderful memories of them that He's buried deep in my heart, regardless of how brief, can never be taken away from me, and I will treasure them forever.

I'm Still Here!

Once again I find myself trying to balance the summer projects, visiting friends and relatives, chasing after grandchildren, and this blog.  It may appear that my interest in it is waning, but nothing could be farther from the truth.  I'm still here!

I usually try to post something new at least every three days.   Although I have many new ideas rolling around in my head, even some titles in the draft file waiting for inspiration, there just aren't enough "quiet" moments without interruptions to complete them.

So, if you are looking for something to read, I'd love it if you searched through the archives under "Labels".  There just may be something there you haven't read in the last two and a half years this blog has existed, or something you did read that you'd like to read again!  Sometimes I go back and read them as if it's the first time.  I hope you do, too, and find what you're looking for.

The summer is coming to a close here in our mountain valley.  It won't be long before precious family we don't see often enough go back to their own homes, 4-H projects are completed and this week's fair concludes, and I am left to wonder what I will do with myself, as is so often the case.  It's been a wonderful summer full of renewal and building memories.  I will cherish each moment that's passed.

Keep checking back.  Those rare moments of opportunity to write do come - once in a while.  Until then, continue to have a great summer and may God bless each and every one who drops by.

In Christ,

Karen