"Talk to the Book"

Recently I attended a worship service during which my former foster son delivered his first sermon. It was a wonderful blessing to witness this marker event in his life.

I had known from the first few weeks of his coming to live in our home that he was destined to preach and influence young lives for good. Obviously, it would take time for him to mature, but I was confident that ultimately he would be used by God to convey words of Life. He would need only to continue faithfully down the path on which he had been placed -- the rest would be up to God.

What a treat it was to see my son's gifts manifesting that morning! One of my favorite parts of his message was when he was describing a tactic the enemy uses to get us "off our game". He talked about how people who are close to us can say things, albeit sometimes unintentionally, that can discourage us and distract us from following God's call on our lives. His admonishment to the listeners, as he raised his Bible up in front of his face, was to lift God's written Word so that the negative words bounce off what God says about us, His children.

I was struck by the brilliance of the combination of my son's words and imagery for the people in that church that day: the soundness of his recommendation to lift, in waging spiritual warfare, the sword of the Spirit of the word of God (Ephesians 6:17), which also transforms, renews and sanctifies our minds (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:26) and then, giving a visual for it, he literally lifted the Bible up in front of his face to give a picture of how the words coming at him would first "hit" the Word of God.

Following this advice, we'll filter any negative words we receive through the scriptures and only allow access to those which will build us up in Christ, refusing entry to any that would do us harm or damage. It made me think of a gesture I've seen kids use. They raise a palm in the face of someone who's telling them things they don't want to hear and say, "Talk to the hand."

Let's tweak the kids' phrase a little and just say, "Talk to the Book."

What's in a Name?

Recently, while meditating on racial reconciliation, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to mind. What a monumental figure he was in the cause of social justice and equality for his people. I had an impulse to look up the meaning of his name. So I did.

One of the things I love most about the internet is how quick and easy it is to research things. It still amazes me to get answers to my questions in just seconds. What I learned about the name was quite fascinating:

• The name Martin (as well as names like Marty, Marcia, Martino) derives from Mars, and children given this name are dedicated to the god of war.
• The name Luther is from two German words: "liut", which means people and "heri", which means army; put together the name Luther means soldier of the people.
• The name King is a shortened version of an old English word "cyning" which denoted a tribal leader. It was later used to denote those who had a royal bearing or who served in a royal household.

I believe that the Lord Himself chose these names for this remarkable man. His father, Michael King, gave his second child the name Martin Luther, then several years later changed his own name from Michael King to Martin Luther King, Sr. -- a.k.a. Daddy King.

Daddy King shaped his son's ideology at the dinner table as well as from the pulpit as senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. He directed his influence as a pastor toward the cause of racial equality. Martin Jr. said of his father, "[M]y admiration for him was the great moving factor; he set forth a noble example that I didn't mind following."

I recall reading one example of how Daddy King instilled dignity as well as a social consciousness in his son on a display at the King Center in Atlanta. He once took his young son into a local shoe store to purchase a pair of shoes that Martin, Jr. had been eyeing in the store window for some time. When the proprietor instructed them to take a seat at the very back of the store, Daddy King promptly escorted his son out of the store, much to young Martin's chagrin -- he had wanted that particular pair of shoes badly.

Martin Luther King, Jr. -- a general in the civil rights movement, a man set apart to advance the cause of his people by developing strategies for and leading non-violent war against the social injustices extant in our country during the mid-1900's. He did so with the dignity and bearing of a son and servant of the King, who Himself makes war against the forces of evil -- Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts.

Is that cool or what?

The Power of Positive Words

Several days ago I got an email from a fellow board member of one of the community organizations I serve which ended with a very kind word. Her sentiment set my sails to billowing. My reply was simply this quote:

"I can live for two weeks on a good compliment."  -- Mark Twain

Can you relate? Don't we all love to hear positive comments about ourselves or receive thanks for a service rendered or appreciation for effort we've expended? It communicates to us that someone noticed what we've done or what we're about. These words are especially welcome when they're sincere and the speaker seems to "get" the things that matter to us most. 

That was the nature of the compliment I received. The sender communicated that she understood me and what I'm interested in, and that my presence makes a difference in her world. It gave me a huge boost.

Consequently, I issue the following challenge: 

Make a project this week of showing appreciation and giving as many sincere compliments as you can. It will cost absolutely nothing. It's actually quite pleasant to do. It will be a boon to your health. It will build the other person up. In fact, having the power to give innumerable gifts to those around you makes you a virtual baron of encouragement and edification. As you practice this intentionally it will become a habit. Make a game out of it. Use your creativity to come up with ways to trigger the thought and then act on it. 

Here are some ideas on how you might stimulate the practice:

1.  Put several rubber bands around your wrist in the morning. Slip one of the rubber bands to the opposite wrist each time you give a heartfelt compliment or show sincere appreciation for something another person has done or is doing. Your goal is to have all the rubber bands switched to the other wrist by nightfall.

2.  Write a note on your hand. (It was cheating when you did this before a 5th grade math exam, but it's not cheating to remind yourself to do something kind!)

3.  Put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror, your dashboard, your refrigerator -- wherever you're likely to see it and remember your intention.

4.  Put several tiny pebbles in your shoe and take one out each time you give a genuine compliment or express appreciation to someone. (OK, this one has a tinge of massochism, but you'd be sure to get to it early in the day...)

5.  Enter it in your planner, PDA or computer reminders.

6.  Any time you find yourself wishing that someone would notice what you're doing and comment, or say something kind about you, let this feeling trigger you to give away the very thing you desire. Rember that it is more blessed to give than to receive. 

7.  Buy a grandfather clock and each time it chimes... (OK, OK -- but you get the idea.)

The Apostle Paul makes the following two comments about our duty to one another in this regard in the book of I Thessalonians:

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 

and

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.  [3:12; 5:11]

Challenge!!

The Favor of the Lord

I perceive that in the past few weeks the winds have shifted. Suddenly, it seems, we have crossed a threshhold into a season of grace and favor from God. 

Very recently, two very substantial gifts have been given to Covenant Community Development Corporation. (One -- a $10,000 donation! -- was reported on KOMU TV news Tuesday evening.) All of a sudden key individuals in our community seem to be coming forward, willing to go on record in support of our project. Mind you, this is the same project that's been in the planning stages for over a year, but suddenly God has released a special blessing.

It got me thinking about God's favor. Here's what Proverbs 3:3-4 says:

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man." NKJV

Mercy. Truth. Those are a pretty tall order, seeing how we're blighted by this carnal nature. We crave revenge, we're bent on getting that pound of flesh, and oh how we harbor unforgiveness.  Jeremiah also tells us that our fallen hearts are wicked and deceitful above all things -- who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

Fortunately we don't have to attain this impossibly high standard on our own. The Lord of Life has provided all that we need. We are indwelt us by His Spirit which enables us to embrace mercy and truth. And when we stumble and don't get it right His atoning blood covers our failure and makes us "right"-eous.

The psalmist says in Psalm 5:12  "For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. "  NKJV

I don't know about you, but I'm very eager to be surrounded by the shield of God's favor. I covet a protective hedge around me, preserving my privacy and dignity, and granting me freedom from anxiety and fear. 

Whatever I need to do to secure His favor, I must be willing to do. Extend mercy? You bet; I must choose to bear in mind the mercy extended while still God's enemy. By strength of will -- my frail will encompassed by His immense divine will -- I'll offer a radical kindness when it's undeserved -- especially when it's undeserved. Because that's how I received it. Speak truth? Absolutely; I must guard my heart and mind against the pride of life that tempts me to deceive and mislead -- myself and others. Truthfulness is often a very tough row to hoe, but yields the only worthwhile fruit.

Mercy and truth. Let us bind them around our necks, write them on our hearts so the Lord will continue to raise a shield of His favor around us.

Dog Days of Summer

I was just on the front page of our site and noticed that the weather icon indicated 99 degrees (whew!) so I decided to click it and check the forecast, wondering if we'll be getting any relief from this heat wave any time soon. That's when the phrase "dog days" came to mind...

Curiosity compelling me to Google, I expected to read something about our forebears having observed their canine pals lazing away the hottest summer days in the shade with their tongues hanging out, thus coining the phrase. 

Wrong!

I learned that the "dog days of summer" occur between July 3rd and August 11th, extending twenty days prior to and twenty days after the conjunction of Sirius (the Dog Star -- who knew?!) and the sun in late July. And thus derives the name denoting the most sultry period of the year in the northern hemisphere. 

So, does that mean that in nine more days we get a reprieve from this sweltering heat?