Small is Big

In Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

I was talking to someone today from another Church family who expressed what I think most of us at times feel.  He said, "Some times I see how big the needs are in our community and world and I think anything I can do is too small, so why try?" I can relate to that.  And that is why I am so glad Jesus explained that the Kingdom of God operates by a different way of thinking.  

In the Kingdom of God, which is at work through the Holy Spirit in and through the Church (and by Church, you know I do not mean a building but we the people), the smallest of seeds grow and grow and grow to become more than any of us could ever hope or imagine.

I was reminded of this reality this week as I heard several of you share about your gift bag delivery experience.  Each person shared how amazed they were at how that small act of encouragement helped people open up to them.  One couple gave their bag to a man they had never met in a restaurant.  They not only learned his story of struggle, but had a spiritual conversation with him about how if God would care enough to lead them to meet, he must have something more in mind for him.  Another woman shared about how she gave it to a neighbor with whom she had a dispute.  First the neighbor sent a text of thanks and then later the neighbor, who had not talked to her for sometime, was having a conversation with her that was positive.  A third person shared how the person she gave it to said thanks and shut the door.  A few seconds later, she opened the door, went out to her, hugged her as she said, "It is people like us that make this place better or easier to get through." 

See it!  There it is!  That is the Kingdom of God...the world looks and sees nothing big...in fact, its just a little white bag, but in the hands of the Body of Christ through his spirit, that little mustard seed is going to grow and touch people in ways that we will not know about this side of heaven.

It is not just true of seeds and bags, but of every small word, act of love, gift of generosity, pat on the shoulder, time of listening, prayer lifted up...they all seem so small, but not in the Kingdom of God because it is not just us at work, it is Him at work in and through us and with Jesus small is always BIG!

Back to School

Back packs, number 2 pencils and that unique smell that seems to linger in every school building...yes, it is that time of year.  For my life, those days are but memories, some good and some you could not pay me money to relive.  However, these days, back to school represents my children sprinting through life. 

People warned me this would happen, "Chad, you'll blink and the next thing you know your babies won't be baies."  I fear I blinked.  Today I wrote in my prayer journal, "Father, help me not to run through life."  I envy those of you who have the gift of living in the moment.  I struggle to be in the moment for planning for the next.  Sometimes that is a strength, but when it comes to not missing the moment, it can be a great pit fall. 

But it is not just blinking that back to school causes me to fret over, but clinging.  Each school year I find myself living in the all the more real tension of holding onto my children while not holding on too tightly.  I find myself tempted to think that I have the responsibility and even the power to protect them.  That is a job that is too big for me.  Only God has the power to protect.  My job as a parent is to prepare.  So, today I told Anna and Seth, there were only two Bible verses I wanted them to recite to: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" and "Do not be afraid or discouraged because God is with you wherever you go."  I said, "This school year when you feel like you just can't do something or learn something or deal with something, pray to Jesus  who gives you strength.  This school year when you feel sad or alone or scared, pray to Jesus who is with you everywhere and all the time.  And then I prayed over them...I spoke life--You are beautiful/handsome, you are so good at learning new things, you are kind and caring and Jesus please guard their hearts and minds with your truth."  As I shared and prayed these things with them I could feel my own struggle as a parent wanting to take on God's job of protecting and not to take responsibility for my job of preparing them to deal with the good and bad of life. 

And then, I smile. I smile because every year with my kids gets better.  I am having more fun as a dad than ever. The baby stage was great, but I love seeing them grow and think and imagine and dream. I love seeing their personalities unfold as they realize their strengths and weaknesses.  And right there, with those thoughts, God reminds me to not miss what there is to gain for what I must leave behind.  What I am loosing with my kids growing up is gaining me something new with them and Him. 

As I think about all of this, I realize something.  Back to school is not something of my yesteryear's, it something God calls me back to with every new school year my kids begin.  "OK, Father, I'm here.  Teach me.  Grow me. Change me this year because I have a whole lot to learn and you are the Master teacher.  Amen."

Respond or Resist?

Sometimes people ask me what I am reading in my personal time of prayer and Scripture meditation.  This week I have been in 2 Timothy.  As I read chapters three and four today I was reminded that every preacher and every church must decide if they will heed Paul's warning which applies as much today as it did then. Will we respond to or resist the truth?  My decision, as the preacher,  has been made.  What about you Living Hope Church family? I thank God for you and I am praying for you!

2 Timothy 3-4

New International Version (NIV)

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

⁶ They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷ always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹ But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
¹⁰ You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. ¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ¹³ while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures,which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵ But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

My Grandpa Use to Say...

My Grandpa used to say, "Life's great if you don't weaken."  I use to hear that as a child and think, "What the heck does that mean?"  The older I get, the more that saying makes sense. 

Just as many times as I heard my Grandpa say that phrase, I heard him ask a question like this:  "I don't understand why it seems those who live the worst and hurt the most seem to come out smell'n like roses.  Why is that?"  And then he'd say, "Well, I guess life is great if you don't weaken." 

As far as I know my Grandpa never finished high school, but wisdom has little to do with formal education.  He had come to the conclusion that the only way to live well was to not weaken.  I think of the Scripture that says, "Do not weary in doing good for you will reap a harvest of righteousness."  Any body need that promise today?  I do.  Go ahead, read it again.  Insert your name at the start of the sentence: "(Fill in your name), do not weary in doing good for you will reap a harvest of righteousness." 

Obviously, the Scripture is keeping it real because you would not be weary if doing good was always going to be easy. Opposition and obstacles are to be expected.  But the promise of God is also to be expected.  If you do not weaken, God will give you a harvest. 

May be some of us reading are like my Grandpa.  As much as we want to believe that promise, we can't shake the question, "Why do people lie, cheat and steal and still seem to prosper?"  God answers that question in Psalm 37.  I encourage you to read it for yourself.  It may not just answer that question, but it may also give you what you need not to weary in doing good because, as my Grandpa use to say, "Life's great if you don't weaken."

Sometimes it Takes a Worm

This week I was taking my daily walk, when I came across a worm laying on the sidewalk. As I walked past it, I thought, "If my kids were here they would rescue the worm from the risk of drying up on the sidewalk (some thing that a PBS show taught them to do)."  As I kept on walking, I thought, "I guess I could stop and do the same."  So, feeling some what foolish, I retraced about ten steps back to the worm, picked it up and released it in the grass.  I then turned around and right then, there was this huge, magnificently colored yellow and black butterfly. I would have missed the butterfly if not for that worm.  I don't know about you, but that seems to apply to my life:   Sometimes you have to stop and pick up a worm to see a butterfly. 

It seems like there are a lot of worms in this life.  Some of them are people, some of them are negative circumstances, some of them are worries that never happen, some of them come from my own poor choices...Yes, worms are drying on the side walk all the time.  The temptation is to try to ignore them.  I have actually heard people said, "May be it will all just work out on its own?"   (Sure it will...and then may be Tinker Bell will just happen to bring you some pixie dust so you can fly, too).  But for those of us who have tried denial and found it to be an unfaithful friend, we have learned to turn around, face the worm and become hands on with it. It is never fun.  Often times it is awkward and some times down right painful, but my experience has been it is always easier to deal with the worm than to step over it and then try to scrape it off the sidewalk later. 

OK..so may be I have run this analogy into the ground :-) , but I do believe that is what The Father is trying to get us to see in Hebrews 12:1-13.  I hope you will take a moment to give it a read.  It helps us be honest about our need to deal with the worms, but then it is incredibly full of promise for those who are willing.  Verse 11 puts it this way, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."  There it is...see it...a remarkable butterfly.

Why not turn around and deal with the worm on your sidewalk head on.  You may be surprised by what follows than just all the things you are afraid will happen...dealing with that worm may just let you see a butterfly.