Mothball Christians

I recently went on a vacation to go hunting with my brothers in Missouri. They have a piece of property south of Rolla, Missouri. They have set up tree stands and made roads only 4-wheelers can travel. There is also a Winnebago type camper for us to eat and sleep in complete with electricity, but little else.

Out of a concern for mice the camper is decorated with mothballs. I noticed the smell right away but got used to it quickly. Better that than mice, right? I brought all my gear in and spent the better part of a week living in the camper.

I came home and began unpacking my gear when I noticed something that should have caught my attention earlier. Everything smelled like mothballs. I had carefully kept my dirty and clean clothes separate but now realized that everything needed to be washed. The smell of mothballs had permeated everything I had kept in the camper with me.

Jesus used yeast in parables because it has the characteristic of permeating completely a dough mixture when bread is made. He said, “the kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until is spread through all of it.” (Matthew 13:33, HCSB) I enjoy the way the house smells when Joyce bakes bread. The fragrance of her labor fills the house and makes us all feel good.

Jesus wants all of us to be like a substance that touches and changes everything around us. Jesus example was yeast but the point of the parable could also be illustrated with mothballs.

I did not intend for everything to smell like mothballs. The mothballs did what mothballs are made to do. As Christians we too should do what God made us to do. Paul said, “For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Cor. 2:15, HCSB)

Jesus should show through your life in a way that touches lives and makes people want what you have.

Brother Robin

Perspective

There was a tree in our yard that I climbed almost every day of my childhood. It wasn’t so much the tree that was important; it was the perspective it gave me. I liked the idea of looking out on the world and seeing the bigger picture. From my tree I could see all around the house. I felt safe above it all.

I like the sign at the mall with the arrow that says, “You are here.” It is a picture that gives me visual perspective. It tells me where I am in relation to everywhere else including where I want to go from here. It would be nice if there were signs like that for life. Instead of signs we have several ways that God speaks to us to give us perspective.

God speaks to us through His Word. As we make a daily habit of reading and studying God’s Word we will often hear from God. God also speaks personally, as in a call to ministry or a specific call to minister to someone. His still small voice always agrees with scripture. The blessing comes when we agree with Him.

God also speaks through people. Friends help us see the bigger picture and give us godly advice. God places people in our lives who walk with Him and can help us on the journey. Our vision can become blocked or blurred by our circumstances and we need a friend to give us perspective and help us see ourselves the way they see us.

The poet Robert Burns sat in church behind a noble lady when he noticed a louse roaming around her bonnet. As a result he penned the poem, “To a Louse,” which ends with the lines,

“And would some Power the small gift give us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notion:
What airs in dress and gait would leave us,
And even devotion!”

Sometimes I miss my Tree and the perspective I gained there. Mostly I am thankful for friends and the counsel they give. Jesus called His disciples friends, (John 15:13-14). Call a friend today and be thankful for the gift God gave you through them.

Bro. Robin

Reminder

I saw an email this morning that I had a message from one of my doctors. I had not seen him for a while so I could not imagine what it could be. In order to get the message I had to log on to a medical site so I waited until I got home. The message turned out to be a simple reminder. It is flu season and he was reminding me to get my flu shot.

I appreciate reminders. It is easy to forget to do things that we don’t do often or put things off until it is too late. I don’t like getting sick but I also don’t go out of my way to get a shot unless it is absolutely necessary. My doctor reminds me because he cares about my health.

The Bible is full of reminders. There are reminders to avoid sin so we will not have to suffer the consequences. There are also reminders to do good. My favorite reminders are the ones that remind me how much God loves me.

In 1 Peter 5:7 Peter reminds us, “casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.” When we come to Jesus He gives us a shot of grace. It is like a flu shot for worry. His grace inoculates us against worry. He gives us His peace and a new concern for those who do not know Him. It does not mean all worry is gone. He takes our cares and gives us strength for every situation.

Peter goes on to remind us, “Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.” 1 Peter 5:10

A shot might be considered a little suffering. That little suffering saves us from a lot more later. Following Christ often includes a little suffering. But by His grace a little suffering is always followed by more grace.

Bro. Robin

Crossing Bridges

When we were on our recent mission trip to Vancouver, British Colombia, we had the chance to see several beautiful bridges. One stands out above the rest called the Lion’s Gate Bridge. Not only was it beautiful but also we got to see it seven different times, crossing one way or the other. Only three of those crossings were on purpose.

The first time we crossed the bridge we were looking for a grocery store and our “smart phone” said there was a Walmart on the other side. We did not find the Walmart but we found a nice grocery and bought the breakfast items we needed for the week. On the way back across we found that four lanes of traffic merged into one lane crossing from north to south so it took a long time to make the crossing. We decided we did not want to do that again, or so we thought.

The next day we went to The Community of Hope in the morning and helped Pastor Yong Kim by talking to the homeless who came for the lunch they served. I had the opportunity to share a message of hope from the Bible. Afterwards we went to Gateway Baptist Church to prayerwalk the area. Later in the day we headed for our apartment. Our GPS systems worked great getting us everywhere we needed to go. However, the GPS was not able to tell us that we could not make a left turn during that hour of the day. We found ourselves on the inside of four lanes of traffic with no way to get off headed directly for the Lions Gate Bridge. Once across we had to get back by turning around and following the flow of four lanes as they merged into one, again.

The next day we did it again. I tried to be smart and watch for an opportunity to turn left before the traffic closed up and swept us across the bridge. But, there was no such opportunity. A day or so later we were in a different area, North Vancouver. By the time we realized the GPS was taking us home by way of the Lions Gate Bridge it was too late. We just followed the flow and practiced our patience, a fruit of the Spirit.

The last day in that area I tried a different tactic. I knew what was coming so I went for the right lane instead of left. I discovered a turn around that allowed me to get to the other side of traffic by a park. Hallelujah!!

Our experience reminded me of Jesus talking about the narrow and wide gates. “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (HCSB)

The wrong way is easy to find. The right way requires help. It is good to know that Jesus is the Way! (John 14:6)

Bro. Robin

Working on Scaffolding (in Unity)

A few years ago we watched as the old education building that was attached to the church was torn down. After the building was removed a group of volunteers from the church met together and closed in the end of the building that remained. It was a flat side with a high roof and we covered it with wood and metal siding. We had a couple of experienced carpenters but the rest of us knew how to handle screws and nails where they told us to put them and hand stuff to the men who knew what they were doing.

I was most fascinated by the carpenters. I like to work with wood in my shop making furniture and shelves but this was a whole different level of skill. One carpenter was on the scaffolding measuring and calling out numbers while another carpenter on the ground cut pieces according to those numbers. I never saw them need to recut any pieces because the measuring and cutting was always precise. The rest of us were either in the middle handing pieces up or on the scaffolding screwing in the extra screws needed to finish each piece.

We worked like a team. We all knew what needed to be done and when we finished one task we quickly moved on to the next. There was no competition or jealousy.  When one needed help we helped without asking or needing to be asked. We discovered the true meaning of unity.

Paul describes unity by comparing the body of Christ to our own bodies. He said, “Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” (Romans 12:4-5 HCSB)

We are made up of many different parts that work together and are dependent on each other with one brain, the mind of Christ. When one part hurts the whole body hurts. When one part celebrates, (like the sense of tasting comfort food), the whole body feels good.

It took all of us to close in the wall. This is the way it should be in the church. The skilled and unskilled, one gift or gifted with many, all are important. It takes all of us working together in love and support to fulfill the Great Commission.

Bro. Robin