I know that it is rare in the blogging world to post twice in one day. The first post was one that I have had ready for a while. I needed to get the computer ready to get it up. This one is not so much a written "essay," as it is a few random thoughts.
I remember an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" in which Laura and Albert thought they had found gold. They didn't realize that it was "fool's gold" and worthless. They had big hopes and plans for all the money that was surely coming. The episode ends with the huge pile of wothless "fool's gold" drifting away in the creek.
I thought about "fool's gold" in the last day or so. There have been a few times in my life when I have been taken in by "fool's gold" so to speak. I thought something was a certain way or that something would surely happen. Like Laura and Albert, I began to dream a little and make some plans. Also, like Albert and Laura, I have experienced the frustration of finding out that what I thought was one thing, was really something else.
Now I know when I post things like this, I get questions like whether or not I am ok or if I have any regrets about leaving Kansas City. I am fine and I do not, for a minute, have any regrets about moving. I am, though, sorting through some things in life. These posts sometimes reflect that sorting process.
What do you do when you've been taken in by "fool's gold?" Well, I don't know that there is a simple answer. I think you have to go through a process of being a bit down and discouraged. However, there is something, or rather someone, to whom you can look. The Lord tells Joshua, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Joshua 1:5). Jesus said, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). I think it is important to do as an old chorus suggests; "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."
Seek the Lord when what you thought was gold turns out to be worthless. Hang on to the one who will never abandon you when those upon whom you counted were less than true. Find rest in Him who is always there when those that you knew would never leave have left.
Fool's gold. Hmmm...it doesn't seem right but it can get us to the right place and person.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Criticism
The month of November has been a full month. I am in the middle of a long-term assignment in the classroom and I have begun basketball. I am the seventh grade coach at Union Middle School and it has been an interesting experience so far. I have had the opportunity for a week or so to have our practice from 6:00 a.m. until 7:40 a.m. and then attend the varsity/jv practice from 3:15 until 6:00 p.m. This made for some long days, but they were very informative.
I always thought of myself as a person who knew a bit about basketball. I played, a little. I coached, a little. I have also officiated the game. I must confess, though, that I didn't really know the game, at least not like now. I still am far from proficient (I feel confident that the parents of the 7th grade Wildcats will remind me of this shortly), but I do see the game differently. Man to man defense is much more than just staying between your man and the basket. The "help line," "deny position" and "close out" are vital to insuring good, solid defense.
People who have played the game may recognize those terms, but I'm sure that there are many fans that have not analyzed the "help line" and "sinking down" to help. Why am I bringing up all of this? As a fan, I used to think I could watch a game and criticize a player or a coach for what was happening on the floor or field. I used to gripe that "so and so" got beat on a play or that "so and so" was out of position. I don't think I'll do that anymore. There is a whole lot to the game that I, as a fan, don't see or really understand.
The same is true with the church. I am convinced that a lot of people in the church criticize that about which they really know very little. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you." Just prior to that he noted, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths , but only what is helpful for building others uup according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29). The directive for Christians is to use words to build up and to enrich. Too many times, though, words are used to tear down and destroy.
Let me be clear. There is an accountability structure and we are all accountable to God. Having said that, though, there are a whole lot of church folk that criticize and tear up that about which they know very little. As I am now on a "sabbatical," I can ask some of these questions. "How is it that you, elder, who has never ran a youth group or taught kids a lesson, have become an expert on what the youth minister should be doing?" You don't know. "How is it that you, deacon, who have never tried to work and have the Lord grow a church through your leadership, can comment on whether or not a minister is able to do that?" You really can't. So, my inquiry is, why do we do it? Let's stop. Unless I am really qualified to oversee, my role is to support, encourage and ask questions. Too many churches are torn up by those who see their role as "chief critic." I believe that the church doesn't need that position filled.
I will do my best this season to coach the 7th grade Wildcats. I know that I have much to learn. I will take every opportunity I can to learn what I can. I will also be much more hesitant to criticize others on the athletic field, coaches and players. Bill Self, Bill Snyder, Mark Mangino, Gary Pinkel, Mike Anderson and a host of others know a great deal more than I do. I will try to support and encourage. You might try that in church, too. Thanks for reading...
I always thought of myself as a person who knew a bit about basketball. I played, a little. I coached, a little. I have also officiated the game. I must confess, though, that I didn't really know the game, at least not like now. I still am far from proficient (I feel confident that the parents of the 7th grade Wildcats will remind me of this shortly), but I do see the game differently. Man to man defense is much more than just staying between your man and the basket. The "help line," "deny position" and "close out" are vital to insuring good, solid defense.
People who have played the game may recognize those terms, but I'm sure that there are many fans that have not analyzed the "help line" and "sinking down" to help. Why am I bringing up all of this? As a fan, I used to think I could watch a game and criticize a player or a coach for what was happening on the floor or field. I used to gripe that "so and so" got beat on a play or that "so and so" was out of position. I don't think I'll do that anymore. There is a whole lot to the game that I, as a fan, don't see or really understand.
The same is true with the church. I am convinced that a lot of people in the church criticize that about which they really know very little. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you." Just prior to that he noted, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths , but only what is helpful for building others uup according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29). The directive for Christians is to use words to build up and to enrich. Too many times, though, words are used to tear down and destroy.
Let me be clear. There is an accountability structure and we are all accountable to God. Having said that, though, there are a whole lot of church folk that criticize and tear up that about which they know very little. As I am now on a "sabbatical," I can ask some of these questions. "How is it that you, elder, who has never ran a youth group or taught kids a lesson, have become an expert on what the youth minister should be doing?" You don't know. "How is it that you, deacon, who have never tried to work and have the Lord grow a church through your leadership, can comment on whether or not a minister is able to do that?" You really can't. So, my inquiry is, why do we do it? Let's stop. Unless I am really qualified to oversee, my role is to support, encourage and ask questions. Too many churches are torn up by those who see their role as "chief critic." I believe that the church doesn't need that position filled.
I will do my best this season to coach the 7th grade Wildcats. I know that I have much to learn. I will take every opportunity I can to learn what I can. I will also be much more hesitant to criticize others on the athletic field, coaches and players. Bill Self, Bill Snyder, Mark Mangino, Gary Pinkel, Mike Anderson and a host of others know a great deal more than I do. I will try to support and encourage. You might try that in church, too. Thanks for reading...
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Season for Everything
I read through the book of Lamentations last week. I know you're thinking, "That's really uplifting." It might come as a bit of a surprise to you that I did find it encouraging. In case it has been a while since you've been to this Old Testament treasure, let me give you some background. The book of Lamentations was likely written by Jeremiah and is a companion to the book of Jeremiah. It is written in Hebrew poetic style with the first letter of each verse in chapters 1,2,and four corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In chapter 3, each letter is given three verses. Where the book of Jeremiah looks to the future, the book of Lamentations looks to the past. Jeremiah is among the exiles and he weeps for what was and he begins to pray and seek God's mercy.
There are a couple of verses in the middle of a challenging text that convey a message of hope. Lamentations 3:22-23 say, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Jeremiah writes these words as he mourns, broken-hearted, over the condition of God's people. They provide a glimmer of hope in a dark time. As I read them, I could not help but be reminded of the phrase that has come to mean a lot to me, "This too, shall pass."
I believe that one of the themes of this little book is that there are times of struggle and difficulty. Sin has consequences and God is just. However, in the middle of tough times, there is hope. If we will repent and seek to do what God wants us to do, he will forgive and renew.
There are seasons in life. I have been walking a mile or so nearly every day for about a month. Usually I am walking with a friend who lives near me. Sometimes I walk alone. When alone, I try to make some observations and think some "deep thougths" while walking. I confess, sometimes the "deep thought" is to check 8th Street before crossing, but I am still thinking. As I was walking on an unusually warm Sunday evening last weekend, I noticed several things. I saw a young family playing in their front yard. Mom, dad and two small children were having a good time in the leaves. I saw an older man and his wife get into their car and drive off for an unknown to me destination. I saw a house that had multiple cars in the driveway; a sure sign of teenagers. I noticed some other things, too. I looked up and saw a baby bird fly away from a nest and not look back. I saw squirrels gathering acorns and running frantically to store them away. As I thought about all of these things, I thought about the seasons of our lives.
I am in a different season now than I was only a year ago. The relationships that I took for granted then are different now. Sometimes I long for things to be as they were. There are some things that I miss terribly. There are some things that I don't miss at all. The truth is, though, that seasons change. The older couple was once the family with teenagers which was once the family of small children. There is no going back. God uses the birds to remind us of that.
That can be a hard lesson. The mistakes that you and I have made are done. I can't go back and do it again. We must deal with the consequences of what is. That is what Lamentations tells us. There is more, though. Through the tough times, God is faithful. He is there. He offers forgiveness and restoration. He offers love and the chance to begin again. I have begun to see that there is joy in the moment in which we find ourselves. The young couple laughed and played without thinking of the day when their children would leave. Parents of teens can rejoice in the maturing and growing of their kids into adults. They don't have to be "bogged down" by the problems. Seasoned saints can still have joy in loving and caring for those around them. Joy in the moment. I like the sound of that.
There are some things that I wish weren't as they are. I'm sure you have things like that, too. There are times when I am dealing with the consequences of my own decisions. You probably understand that, as well. I hope that we can see these times as seasons. Allow God to show us what we need to see and bring about another day. Even in Lamentations, there is a glimpse of joy. I found it. I hope you do, too. Don't look back. Look up. I did.
There are a couple of verses in the middle of a challenging text that convey a message of hope. Lamentations 3:22-23 say, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Jeremiah writes these words as he mourns, broken-hearted, over the condition of God's people. They provide a glimmer of hope in a dark time. As I read them, I could not help but be reminded of the phrase that has come to mean a lot to me, "This too, shall pass."
I believe that one of the themes of this little book is that there are times of struggle and difficulty. Sin has consequences and God is just. However, in the middle of tough times, there is hope. If we will repent and seek to do what God wants us to do, he will forgive and renew.
There are seasons in life. I have been walking a mile or so nearly every day for about a month. Usually I am walking with a friend who lives near me. Sometimes I walk alone. When alone, I try to make some observations and think some "deep thougths" while walking. I confess, sometimes the "deep thought" is to check 8th Street before crossing, but I am still thinking. As I was walking on an unusually warm Sunday evening last weekend, I noticed several things. I saw a young family playing in their front yard. Mom, dad and two small children were having a good time in the leaves. I saw an older man and his wife get into their car and drive off for an unknown to me destination. I saw a house that had multiple cars in the driveway; a sure sign of teenagers. I noticed some other things, too. I looked up and saw a baby bird fly away from a nest and not look back. I saw squirrels gathering acorns and running frantically to store them away. As I thought about all of these things, I thought about the seasons of our lives.
I am in a different season now than I was only a year ago. The relationships that I took for granted then are different now. Sometimes I long for things to be as they were. There are some things that I miss terribly. There are some things that I don't miss at all. The truth is, though, that seasons change. The older couple was once the family with teenagers which was once the family of small children. There is no going back. God uses the birds to remind us of that.
That can be a hard lesson. The mistakes that you and I have made are done. I can't go back and do it again. We must deal with the consequences of what is. That is what Lamentations tells us. There is more, though. Through the tough times, God is faithful. He is there. He offers forgiveness and restoration. He offers love and the chance to begin again. I have begun to see that there is joy in the moment in which we find ourselves. The young couple laughed and played without thinking of the day when their children would leave. Parents of teens can rejoice in the maturing and growing of their kids into adults. They don't have to be "bogged down" by the problems. Seasoned saints can still have joy in loving and caring for those around them. Joy in the moment. I like the sound of that.
There are some things that I wish weren't as they are. I'm sure you have things like that, too. There are times when I am dealing with the consequences of my own decisions. You probably understand that, as well. I hope that we can see these times as seasons. Allow God to show us what we need to see and bring about another day. Even in Lamentations, there is a glimpse of joy. I found it. I hope you do, too. Don't look back. Look up. I did.
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