Perfection

Wow, it is really easy to get behind in writing my blog and this is not a simple attempt to catch up but is an actual short thought that I have had recently. It deals with the freedom to act without “permission”.

I was brought up with the idea that if it needed to be done and you knew it you were the one that was see that it was accomplished. If you went by a fence that was broken you fixed it. If you grabbed a harness that was dry you oiled it. If a light bulb was out when you flipped the switch you replaced it. If you did wrong and it was brought to your attention you corrected it. It was simple life. It was done and you did not need to worry about that item anymore. You did not have to wait around for permission or an order to get it done.

I carried this philosophy with me through my military years and it seems to have worked. When I was promoted to Spec. 4 they pinned Sgt. E-5 stripes on my shoulder. They called it an “Acting Jack”. My squad was always top in our company in everything from room inspections to field performance. Each man knew his job but was always looking to see what else could be done.

I found that when a vehicle is moving it is much easier to steer and direct. Try turning your steering wheel when you car is still! It is the same with people and organizations. The problem with this is that sometimes there will be mistakes made. Things do not get double and triple checked and find that they are late in getting done. But when the day is over more progress has been made.

I will admit there are times when perfection is needed. When the surgeon is cutting on me I want him/her to be absolutely sure that it is the correct hip he is replacing. When our astronauts are being hurtled into space I am sure they are thankful that there are those that figure and refigure the exact speed and trajectory they are being shot into. The examples could go on and on with good reason.

However, in general we do not live our lives with these margins or the need to be so precise. In fact such restriction usually slows progress and frightens people into inactivity.

Louis Pasteur said “Chance favors the prepared mind.” My words then would be to prepare the best you can, act and do not be afraid less than perfection. You will find that you will be ahead in the end.

History?

Yesterday we witnessed a very special day. Not just because we elected a Democrat into the Whitehouse, not because we elected the first African American to be our Commander-in-Chief. It was special day because we are one of the few countries who peacefully elect, through a democratic process, someone who will be our President for the next four years. I know there are all the special things about January 20, 2009 and I agree they are historic, but I am still impressed with the process.

However, yesterday I watched a woman in her 90’s sit on a towel in our nations Mall. Tears rolled down this woman’s face. Were they tears of joy for what she had hoped and prayed for? Were they tears of sadness because her loved ones could not be there to see what was happening? As I thought about this woman I thought that there may be some, few if any, who would now be able to say they knew someone who had at one time been a slave and was now watching an African American taking the oath of office. What else had this woman’s eyes seen in her journey on this world?

As I thought about that I begin to wonder what it was that I would someday be able to say I had seen. I am not old enough to have known anyone who was a slave, even someone simply born the day before slavery was abolished. I cannot say I saw the day women received the right to vote, or that African-American joined in that privileged group. I cannot say that I lived through the Great Depression (although I may be close now) nor through “the War”. Nor can. . . well you get the picture.

But as I thought longer I begin to realize that when I have grand-children I will be able to say that I saw some things. Here are just a few things that have happened in my life time not in any particular order:

□ The assassination of a President
□ The assassination of a Presidential candidate
□ The Civil-Rights movement
□ Desegregation
□ Man walking on the moon
□ Man living in space
□ The ability to stand in an open field in Texas and call my sons in California and Virginia
□ The death of two Popes
□ The destruction of the wall of separation between the east and west in Germany
□ The ability to place large amounts of information in very small places
□ The ability to draw information almost instantly from places very far off.
□ Three major wars
□ Now the election of a young African-American to the presidency.

I am sure with some thought there could be many more. It seems that my lifetime has been the witness to more changes, big and small, than any other generation. But which ones will “Define” the years in which I lived. Which one is more important to the history of mankind?

As excited as I am about our future with the happenings of this week I am not sure which will be the most important. Could it be that if looked at in a proper chronological order they are all somewhat dependent on each other?

I don’t have that answer. I am just thinking. What do you think?

The "Soul Winner"

What do you think of when you hear the term “Soul Winner?” Is it a particular person that you have known in the past, or currently know that is a role model for your expression of faith? Is it a picture of someone who is persistent, sometimes to the point of aggravation? Is it that person who knocks on your door on Saturday morning with tracts from their special publisher and an attempt to draw you to their particular faith? Or, is it that person who
I am afraid that when I think of “Soul Winner” all of these seem to pop into my mind. Some of them are cherished and some of them are not. But the truth is Proverbs tells us that “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30 NIV) and John tells us that his joy was made complete by the telling of the Gospel story. Why is it that we have so few “Soul Winners” in the church today.
Have we become so industrialized and unionized that we have left it to another group of people? That is what evangelist and preachers are called for. I knew a welder who took two days to weld a two inch bead to support a stair case because he was not allowed to complete the job with a light bulb out in the room and he was not allowed to change the bulb because of “union rules”. He had to wait for a certified electrician to replace the bulb.
Are we worried that we will say the wrong thing. I had a lady tell me one time that she did not remember the “Roman Road”. If you do not know this was an evangelistic tool to lead people “Biblically” to recognition of man’s (their) sinfulness and God’s grace in salvation. If that was truly her concern the Roman Road consist of five or six verses (depending on which version you use) and she could have easily re-memorized the path.
What if we mess the prayer up at the end? Do you remember the EXACT words you prayed? I don’t I was to emotional at that moment. But, I do know that I prayed something like I realized I was a sinner and needed God to come into my life. Truth is I was saved and so were you BEFORE you prayed the prayer! To this day I do not have a formula I use when leading someone in the “Prayer of Salvation”. Maybe we should call it the “Prayer after Salvation”.
When we read the book of Acts we see a group of people who did not have the advantage of the “Roman Road”, “Evangelism Explosion”, “Market Place Evangelism”, ‘F.A.I.T.H.” or any of the other hundreds of methods on the market today. They didn’t even have simple tracts.
How did they then spread the Word so effectively? They were all on fire because of their story, their experience. I still believe to this day this is the absolute best form of evangelism. If you are saved, If you have experienced the grace of a loving God in your attempts to save yourself you have a story! The only one that can keep you from telling it is YOU! Go tell the world! Be a Soul Winner.

7th Christmas Thought

This is the last of the “Christmas Thoughts” or at least that series. I am sure there will be at least one more on Christmas. It is such an important time in our faith, but it is also probably the busiest time in our “Church Calendar” and with God’s help and another cup of coffee we will make it through this one too!

“But Mary treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19 NIV) Imagine, the mother of Jesus, the one visited by the angel and told that she would carry the very child of the Most High God, pondered on the events. The mother of Jesus had just been witness to a wonderful visitation. Shepherds, lowly shepherds, came and told her that angels had heralded the very birth of her child. Choruses from heaven sang to the world that a Savior had been born and that was truly Good News to all men. She had already been told she would name Him Jesus, because this baby who was at that time wrapped in swaddling clothes, would save His people from their sin. Scripture says “She pondered.”

We could understand if she jumped up and down with joy, or if she immediately started doing the “motherly” thing and planning out how he would accomplish this overwhelming task, but the story tells us “she pondered.”

When one “ponders” they consider or examine attentively. They meditate, mull over, muse, revolve, roll, ruminate or turn over a thought or idea. There is deliberate action in pondering.

Has Christmas lost this attitude? In the midst of all that is to be done for family, friends and yes even church, have we lost what Mary found at that moment when all became validated? I hope not and I pray that during this Christmas season you find the time to ponder. Take a look into the cradle of a nativity scene and think about what you see.

Innocence! Not just the innocence of a new born baby, but of a God who knew no sin. Innocence! In just a few short years this innocence would be wracked with the pain of being made sin; becoming my sin and yours so that we might experience fully the love of our Righteous Father.

Let us never forget that we celebrate the “Good News”, the Gospel of God during this season. May our joy be made complete in understanding that this baby boy whom Mary holds was born for one reason; the cross! May that realization bring to each of us a new devotion and a deeper dedication to what God has called us to be and do.

So from all the support staff at “donny’sthinkin” (me and Debbie) we wish you a Very Merry Christmas and may the peace of the advent and the call that comes with find a place in your heart.

6th Christmas Thought

Unlike Zechariah, whom the last thought was written about, this person lived his life believing that God had something special for him to do. Day in and day out Simeon lived a life of faith anticipating what the Lord was going to do for him before he died.

Christmas for Simeon brought the fulfillment of a promise. A promise that God had made to him years ago that he would see the “Lord’s Christ” before he died. As Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple after the time of their ritual purification Simeon recognized the fulfilled promise and held the Christ child and received his blessing.

Simeon is not usually one of the “heroes” of the Christmas story. His character is introduced somewhat after the birth and only Luke sees the need to tell this story while not mentioning the Magi of Matthew. But it is with Simeon (and Anna) that we get the validation from the religious community of that day. Without a mistake this was the awaited messiah.

Simeon’s joy had been made complete. His life long dream to see the long awaited “Consolation of Israel” was now reality. How we can only hope that at the end of our days we will be filled with such completion and such joy. But in order for that to happen we have to have been “awaiting” something special. What is it in your life that you believe that God will reveal? What is it that you are waiting for?

5th Christmas Thought

In these “Christmas Thoughts” I am trying to take the characters of the Christmas story and find something of value in their part to our lives today. This has not been a difficult task. Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, has been the easiest to parallel to many of our lives today.

Zechariah along with Elizabeth, his wife, had prayed for many years that God would bless them with a child. He was a member of the “Priestly” party and had duties at the Temple during various seasons of the year. It is clear to see that he was a “religious” man and played his daily part.

The problem is that they had been praying so long for a child that they had simply fallen into the trap of going through the motions while believing that God was not going to answer their prayers. This is evident with his disbelief when the angel told him that Elizabeth was going to have a child.

It becomes easy for believers to fall into the same trap; to pray without belief. To go through the motions because that is what we are supposed to do. In too many pews around the world, believers have allowed their faith to be summed up by their religious activities and routines. Prayers, long spoken, have become empty and repetitious. Songs are sung with feeling or attention to the meanings. Activities are performed with heart. This leaves us living the life a child of God by simply going through the motions.

This does not say anything about our status as God’s children; just our effectiveness. This story has a wonderful ending however. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayers are answered in a mighty way. Not only would they have a child, their son would be the very person who would herald the ripe time of the Lord.

I believe that we all would like to have the faith and energy the end of this story exemplifies and not the stale routine of the beginning. We can regain this energy by looking honestly into the manger this Christmas season. May we see more than a baby that we celebrate a birthday with; an excuse to cook, buy and party. May we see the Christ child who is the hope of the world; the one who will can bring peace on earth!

4th Christmas Thought

What credentials did the shepherds bring to the big event? Why would God make the announcement of His becoming human to a bunch of lowly men watching a bunch of sheep?

Have you ever considered the life of a shepherd? Barring any animal attacks, sudden thunderstorms or thieves trying to get away with a few of your animals there life was probably not real exciting. You found a good place for them to graze and then when time came you walked to the “watering hole” and they drank. After that you found the place where they could bed down in some safety. Life was probably not real exciting on a daily basis.

I am sure they had plenty of time on their hands too. I cannot imagine the community leaders being real interested in finding a shepherd to tell important news too, unless maybe the price of mutton had gone up.

I am sure that most of the good shepherds were excellent protectors of their flocks; brave and strong when it came to marauding animals or thieves. But I cannot see most shepherds as being great public speakers, announcers of news that would change the known world, wrinkle the very fabric in which existence was made.

But there they were, maybe chewing on a straw watching the flock settled down on a plateau or grassy plain. They might have been telling stories of the day’s excitement around the evening campfire. Some might have even been thinking about the family that was not present but waiting for Dad or brother to come home.

Then there it was. A sound that was not normal. I am sure they jumped to their feet and started scanning the horizon just over their flock’s backs. Excitement began to grow as they tried to figure out where this amazing sound was coming from. Then as sudden as it appeared the sound began to take on familiarity; the sound of words. Words that were being spoken, no sang, to music and it was not coming from anywhere close but from above. The heavens were singing. Listen to the song. Did you understand it. It was something about Good News, a savior being born right over the mountain there in Bethlehem.

God used these keepers of the flock to become heralds of the most important event in history. I wonder if God learned his lesson with giving such an important mission to the untrained, ill-born, common folks of that day.

I don’t think so. He still uses me and you to deliver that message. Maybe you have not been trained. . . so what. Maybe you were not born to the noble class. . . even better. Maybe you have trouble speaking to a group of people. . . go after one at a time.

Truth is we like the shepherds, who went to everyone they knew and told them what they had witnessed and heard, have the same mission. The fact that you are an ordinary person does not hinder you. In fact, it elevates God’s ability to bless those around.

Have a great VOCAL Christmas this year as you tell someone of all you have witnessed!