First or Last

I noticed a book title the other day, If You're Not First, You're Last, outlining sales strategies to come out on top in the competition. It's interesting that the world so often teaches principles that are the exact opposite of what Jesus taught. He would say something like, You're Not First, Unless You're Last." (Not that one shouldn't be diligent in making their work profitable.) Jesus told His followers, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” (Mark 9:35)

The "Good Samaritan"

Some organizations and individuals have discovered that the way to be successful is to follow Jesus' example, and they do that assiduously. While it is always right to do the right thing, I wonder about the motive of much "servant leadership." Like Pharisees standing on the street corner to pray, I suspect that some corporate action is really saying, "Look at us! We are fair to our employees. See how our good policies benefit the community!" If that's the case, is the attention they gain really going to make them first? Or is good PR already their only reward?


And Jesus' call was to serve everyone else, not just the profit-making business world or the public service sector or even the church world. Does real servanthood make much noise at home and in the marketplace? "Don't sound a trumpet before you," Jesus said. (see Matthew 6:2)


Or put another way, "Don't blow your own horn."

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/ and
lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/

Truth in Advertising

"Do you want butter and honey for your biscuit?" the man at the counter asked, and when I replied that I did, he threw a couple of little plastic packets into my dinner box. When I sat down to eat, I found that the butter was "buttery spread" and the honey was "honey sauce." Not the real thing at all!

However, that's what the packets actually had printed on them, so there was really no deception after all. And besides, having eaten at that place before, I knew there was no real butter or honey involved!

I did start thinking, though, about how often we anticipate something that turns out to be not quite what we expected. A free cruise? A surefire investment? Or lifetime light bulbs and no-pre-rinse dishwasher tablets? We are taken in a lot by things we'd like to think are guaranteed.

That's all the more reason for us to be sure that what we say we believe and what we live are in sync, that we do indeed "walk the talk." False teachers may not be just those whose doctrine is flawed, but also those whose lives do not demonstrate truth. Remember, "What you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you say."

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Not Moved

Deeply rooted plants can make it through the storms. One can see, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, tall weathered-gray pines that have spiraled trunks. The winds blow there day after day, year after year, tossing and turning the branches, but these are old trees, deeply rooted, and the wind's force has finally twisted their trunks rather than tearing them from the soil as it might have done with more shallow trees. Can we, like those tough old tress, weather the storms?

The Psalmist declared several times, "I shall not be moved." What does mean? I won't be hurt or disappointed or troubled? I won't face difficulty or loss? No, if you are familiar with David's story, you know that all of these circumstances were a regular part of his life. The apostle Paul, too, said, "None of these things move me." He was referring to murderous plots against him, to his own humble servitude, and to a future that was uncertain except for the knowledge that it held imprisonment and tribulation! None of these things matter to me? No, none of these things will change my course. None will divert my attention from the truth that is established in me.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

I recall our singing "I Shall Not Be Moved" as a family when we were in the car together, going to church or traveling the long road to Grandma's house (30 miles, a long way back then!) It's a traditional American folk song, perhaps going back to the slavery camps.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved.

Just like a tree that's standing by the water,

I shall not be moved.

Then one of us would begin,
"Jesus is my Savior, I shall not be moved . . ." or "I'm on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved . . ."

and the others would all chime in. This continued until we mercifully reached our destination or we tired ourselves out and switched to something else.

That was many years ago, and now I do sometimes feel like one of those gnarly old trees that's been twisted by the winds that have blown on the mountain top! Perhaps you feel this way too, but better for us to be twisted (in this good sense of the word) and still firmly planted, than broken and toppled over!

We shall not be moved!
MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Things Mama Taught Me: "Don't Run with Scissors"

I don't suppose it's easy to deal with the injuries that six children can inflict upon themselves or one another. But prevention is preferable to repair, so my mother tried at least to warn us. Running in the house was, to begin with, not permitted, but to run while carrying some sharp object called for a stern reminder. While painful damage can be done by crashing into a table or slipping on a rug, that still is minor compared to a deep stab wound or worse, the loss of an eye. We had to learn to handle helpful, but potentially dangerous, things with special care.

That is still true in our adult lives; there are some things where dangers exist side by side with benefits. The vehicles we drive are an example. Used without caution, they are lethal monsters on the highway. Guns, prescription drugs, and poisonous weed killers have to be handled responsibly. Fire, natural gas, and the water coming from the garden hose have to be controlled

Cell phones, internet access, and all kinds of reading material—what would we do without them? But wise use, and sometimes even restraint, is needed in order to keep usefulness outweighing the possible negative results

Food, sleep, and sex are life-enhancing. Out of balance with the rest of life, though, they can become controlling and addictive. Money, power and prestige, material possessions and personal charm all have great benefits, but only when they are subject to responsible stewardship.

It may be comfortable or convenient for a child who always runs everywhere to also run when he/she is carrying scissors. And it may seem temporarily to our advantage to leave caution aside when we handle things that have potential for harm. We must then keep in mind the admonition, "Don't run with scissors."

Because prevention is infinitely preferable to repair.

MaryMartha

You might also like "Things Mama Taught Me: Don't Play with Fire" here.

Art from htp://www.sxc.hu/

D-Moments

The employer of a friend of mine uses a disciplinary measure called D-Day. If a person has too many unexcused absences, for example, they are assigned an unpaid day off and must demonstrate their desire to continue working for this organization by their written statement to that effect. That D-Day is a "decision day."

Although we probably don't take furlough days and write essays about why we want to continue holding our position, we usually face lots of minor decisions. Maybe D-moments? Shall I stop for my favorite caramel latte (three dollars) or shall I bring along a cup of coffee from my own kitchen? Shall I remind the middle-schooler—again—to take her homework to school or make him/her take the consequences? Shall I park here in the handicapped space—I'll only be three minutes, tops—or shall I find a spot farther away? (Now you do know what's right, don't you, and besides you won't have a choice about paying the ticket.) Shall I maintain control of the TV remote, or shall I share? Shall I buy show tickets for the whole family or not?

Sometimes our choices are between equally attractive options; sometimes they are about choosing what is wise. Sometimes our decisions reflect our sense of responsibility and fairness, sometimes our sense of fun. We may opt for the sensible, or we can throw caution to the winds. Sometimes we have to consider what is right as opposed to what is convenient. Not to give undue seriousness to these little actions, but a hymn written over a hundred fifty years ago reminds us that little D-moments do add up to something meaningful.


Little drops of water, little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean and the beauteous land.

And the little moments, humble though they may be,
Make the mighty ages of eternity.


Little deeds of kindness, little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden, like the heaven above.

So our little errors lead the soul away,
From the paths of virtue into sin to stray.

-- Julia Carney, 1845

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Paying the Price

I enjoy reading memoirs—of the rich and famous, not so much, but of ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary things or have faced extraordinary difficulties. Recently there has been an outbreak of stories written by people smarting from injury. Among financiers, politicians, religious leaders, sports figures, and entertainers, there are a number who have confessed to wrongdoing, and have brought hardship not only to themselves but also to the more ordinary folk who trusted them. Now some of those others are writing about their experiences. Revenge? I can't say. Truth to set the record straight? Maybe. Money? Quite likely.

We love our heroes, and we choose the ones whose achievements are most closely aligned with our interests and values. If they exude charisma, so much the better. But if they fall, it is a very long way down, and we are quick to focus our attention on another hopeful. That may not be entirely fair, but that is part of the workings of leadership.

People sometimes try to negotiate the price they pay for failure. They didn’t figure on it costing them their career, their family, or their civil freedom. There are people in prison today or held captive by their own fear and regret who didn't plan on that outcome at all. "If I had known, I wouldn't have . . ." But they simply followed the alluring call of money or sex or power, and now must bear the consequences of their so-called "indiscretion."

I read a little of what one disappointed wife wrote; she does not seem bitter, just hurt. She accepts that her husband has done wrong, but she was dismayed by how quickly the flow of money and the recognition vanished. Didn't his accomplishments before failure count for anything? Weren't his relationships dependable enough to withstand the blow?

Well, perhaps not. When the charismatic person at the top takes a tumble, the whole framework is endangered. Although understanding and mercy may be extended—and in some cases, even Christian forgiveness—we are uneasy about the governor or pastor or banker who demonstrated that his/her own interests were ahead of ours. They may be ever so full of remorse now that they have been exposed, but few of their constituents or congregants or customers will want to go on as if nothing had happened. We accept that these leaders are human and make mistakes, but we do not any longer want them trying to lead us. We now know that they don't know where they're going.

King Saul in the Bible was just such a leader. He disobeyed God by carrying away some of the spoils of battle when he had been clearly instructed to destroy everything. "Yes, but I did carry out the mission . . ." "Yes, I know what God said, but the people wanted . . . " "Yes, I know I have sinned, but just excuse that because now I am ready to worship . . ." "Yes, I know I was wrong, but just honor me before the people . . ." He didn't plan to lose his kingdom and eventually his life, but that was the price he paid for failure.

I am supposing that most of us are not the extraordinary people at the top in the world of finance or politics or religion or sports and entertainment; most of us are looking to others for leadership in these areas. But the truth about the cost of failure is true for all of us. All my life I have heard, "You are the best Christian somebody knows." While we all make mistakes and have areas where we fall short, that does not justify abandoning what is right, along with those who are counting on us to demonstrate that for them. The price of integrity is small compared to the price we would pay for failure.

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Things Mama Taught Me: "Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice"

I was perhaps nine or ten years old and I was sweeping our old, unpainted, farmhouse porch. I found that if I knocked on the floor sharply with the broom handle, little puffs of dust bounced up out of the cracks between the boards. It was pleasant to see that! I would sweep the dirt away, and then pound the next crack to give up its little cloud of dust. Thump, thump. Brush, brush, brush. Thump, thump, thump. Wouldn't my mother be pleased when the porch—including the many dozens of cracks—was swept really, really clean!

No, my mother was not pleased! I was supposed to be doing some other chore, and the intense porch-sweeping was nothing but a delaying tactic. "What are you doing?" my mother asked.

"I'm sweeping the porch. See! I'm even getting the cracks clean!"

"I want you to go right now to do what I asked you to do. Obedience is better than sacrifice." I don't remember if she told me or if I already knew the Bible story from which that lesson comes. King Saul kept back some of the spoils of battle although God had explicitly told him to destroy everything. He then tried to excuse his disobedience by claiming he would make a burnt offering to God. The prophet Samuel denounced the plan. "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams." (I Samuel 15:22 NLT)

You may think my childhood offense was not all that serious—and perhaps it wasn't, as possible offenses go. But my mother made the occasion and its lesson seem quite serious—or why have I not forgotten it all these years later? It sticks with me as firmly as the Bible story itself!

There are some obediences that God absolutely requires; everything else hinges on these. We are commanded to love God above all, and to love and care for others as we do for ourselves. Sacrifices of time, money, energy, and other resources, even for a cause as great as the Kingdom of God, are nothing if we aren't obedient to these commands. "If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." (I Corinthians 13:3 MSG)

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Art from htttp://www.sxc.hu/

Learning from Swimmy

Do you remember Swimmy? He is the one little black fish in a school of fish living in the sea. ("Swimmy," an enduring children's classic, written by Leo Lionni, 1963) Swimmy is different from the others, as they are all shiny and red, while he is as black as can be. They all swim happily together.

Lesson that people can learn from the story of Swimmy: Different is okay. We can still all "swim" together.

One day a big hungry tuna fish comes and swallows every one of those little fish in a single gulp—all except Swimmy. Only he is left, all alone in his big wet world. At first, Swimmy is lonely and sad. Then he begins to swim around and discover all sorts of amazing things: jellyfish, a lobster and an eel, seaweeds and anemones.

Lesson to learn: If we keep our eyes open, there may be something good for us to discover, even in the situation that first presented itself as a personal disaster.

At last Swimmy discovers another school of fish, just his size, and all of them are shiny red just like the fish he used to hang out with. But instead of swimming around, they are all hiding in the dark places of the sea. When he asks them to come and swim with him and see all there is to see, they refuse because they are afraid they will be eaten by the bigger fish. "But you can't just lie there," Swimmy tells them. "We have to think of something."

Lesson from Swimmy's new friends: Fear keeps us from venturing out of our "safe" place. Fear keeps us from experiencing wonderful things. Fear keeps us from thinking straight.

At last Swimmy says, "I have it!" He teaches all the little fish to swim close together in formation so that they look like one huge red fish moving through the sea.

Lesson from Swimmy: Obviously, teamwork can accomplish what many small individuals cannot. "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Then, because Swimmy is black and looks different from the rest of the huge fish-shape they have formed, he says, "I'll be eye." And so they all swim together and chase the big fishes away.

Lesson from Swimmy's story: Different is not only okay, it is absolutely necessary!

"Swimmy" is one of my favorite children's stories. Not only is it a work of art, but it has so much to say. It isn't really a stretch to see that the ideas it presents are not at all foreign to our life of faith. And those lessons are not juvenile!

><> Differences? The Apostle Peter said, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right." (Acts 10:34, 35) Paul writes, "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

><> Look for what is good. ”And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28)

><> Fear? "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (I Timothy 1:7) “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom." (Luke 12:32)

><> Teamwork is the key. "Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." (Galatians 6:2-5)

><> We need each other. "Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." (Romans 12:3-5)

Thanks for reminding us, Swimmy!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from www.wpclipart.com

"You Knew I Was a Snake"

A fable that is told with many variations:

The Farmer and the Snake

One winter day, a farmer found a snake by the roadside, stiff and motionless with cold.

"If you put me inside your shirt," the snake said, "your body will make me warm and I won't freeze to death."

"Oh, I know your kind," replied the farmer. "If I pick you up, you will bite me."

"Oh no," the snake objected. "Why would I do such a thing, if you are good enough to help me?"

So the farmer had compassion on the snake, and taking it up, he put it inside his shirt. The warmth quickly revived the snake, and resuming its natural instincts, it bit its benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal wound. "Oh," cried the farmer with his last breath, "why did you bite me? You promised you wouldn't."

"Ah," said the snake. "So I did. But you knew I was a snake when you picked me up."

I have been thinking about this tale and the lessons it may teach (several of them). What do you get from it?

MaryMartha

"It Doesn't Mean Me"

One of my friends was walking with her granddaughter in a local park recently. The twelve-year-old was eager to practice her skill at some of the exercise stations along the path, but Grandma cautioned her, "No, the sign says not to be used by children under age 13."

"But it's okay for me," the child insisted. "I can do it. It doesn't mean me."

And then I read an article by a former "top doctor," Physician to the President, in an earlier administration. She said most of these patients are difficult. "They are not compliant." Stay in bed today, exercise more, whatever. "They don't think the rules apply." It doesn't mean me.

A young Kansas girl and the man in the highest office in the land, and a host of people in between are thinking—"It doesn't mean me."

• Is that why a young man orders sunny-side-up eggs, even though the printed menu says that the restaurant recommends they be thoroughly cooked?
  
• Is that why a driver gets stopped for speeding through a highway work zone that seems deserted?
• Is that why high government officials are caught in nasty affairs?
• Is that why so many of the rich and famous have ended in financial disaster?
• Is that why Christians ignore the plain teaching of the Scripture to "love one another with a pure heart, fervently"?
  

Yes, it does too mean me.

MaryMartha

My Thermometer

I have, in a prominent place in my living room, a beautiful and interesting object—a Galileo (or Galilean) thermometer, so named for its inventor, Galileo Galilei, the Italian physicist, mathematician and astronomer. It consists of sealed glass cylinder containing a clear liquid (not water) with a "stacked" series of glass bulbs filled with different colored liquids for the attractive effect. Attached to the bulbs are metal disks, each varying in weight by an extremely small amount—less than a milligram, about like a grain of salt. As the liquid in the tube is warmed or cooled by the variation in room temperature, it decreases or increases in density, and the bulbs and their weights rise or sink accordingly. The approximate temperature is read from the engraved tag attached to the bulb which is floating in the gap between the top bulbs and the bottom ones, or is judged to be between the two stacks. Is that not ingenious?

I've heard many times that Christians must be like thermostats, not thermometers—setting the "temperature" of their surroundings rather than responding to them. But I propose that we are indeed to respond to our environment, not in some wishy-washy way, but as quietly and effectively as my thermometer. It's nice to think that could change the whole atmosphere of the place where we work or go to school or shop. While we certainly contribute to the total effect, most of us cannot greatly alter the circumstances. What we can do, however, is to be stable, dependable, trustworthy. We can be useful, helpful, and purposeful.

And maybe even beautiful and interesting.

MaryMartha

Real and Not Real

This morning I heard a reviewer talking about the holiday weekend movies, the blockbuster live-action film with some added fantasy characters versus the close second-runner produced by animation. I'm certainly not opposed to fantasy of either type; although I didn't grow up with TV cartoons, I read the "funny papers" just like every other kid.

I began to think, though, about the difference between real and not-real when it comes to being a follower of Christ. I think I know some "Transformers," like the shape-shifting robots in the movie. In church, they smile and sing and pray just like everyone else. You wouldn't be able to tell them from the "real thing" just by looking. But in other surroundings, they present themselves differently. At home, they don't smile and sing and pray; they scowl and scold and complain. At work, they snarl and criticize and gossip. In traffic, they grit their teeth and "cuss" other drivers and take advantage if they dare. Not a pretty picture.

Animated movies are fun usually, even sweet, but not real either. And I know some of those Christians too. They are nice, but not very substantial. They too look fine, but their worship is just something one does on Sunday morning. Home may be pleasant enough, but not able to give its members strong purpose and encouragement. Work means avoiding conflict, even if one has to compromise to do it. Not an attractive image either.

Fantasy and make-believe are a pleasant diversion, but it's not what life is made of. Animation has been raised to an art form, but it's still not the same as flesh-and-blood. We are called to live a real faith in a real world.

MaryMartha

Slightly Imperfect

Yesterday I was browsing through the catalog of an online store and came across their "Slightly Imperfect Store." What a great find! There were items for slightly imperfect Christians, slightly imperfect academics, slightly imperfect children (available for selection by age group), and slightly imperfect parents. At last, just what we need for the world we live in!

Just kidding! The sales were actually for "slightly imperfect" Christian books and scholarly tomes, "slightly imperfect" children's resources, and "slightly imperfect" parenting and home life guides. "Slightly Imperfect" caught my eye first because it is so true! We would like to think that there is such a thing as a perfect Christian or perfect parents with perfect kids. There isn't, but that is no reason to give up!

Our understanding of "perfect" is just not perfect! The call to perfection in Scripture is not to life with no mistakes or failures or "bad calls." It is the expectation that we will seek to be complete, thoroughly prepared, full of integrity, mature. This requires a process of growth, sometimes painfully achieved! "And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:4-8 NLT)

"I ain't what I oughta be, and I ain't what I'm gonna be, but thank God, I ain't what I used to be!" With gratitude for having come a long way already, let's acknowledge that we're still slightly imperfect and like Paul, "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14 KJV)

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked KJV is from the King James Version.

Hollow Chocolates

It can be pretty disappointing to children when they discover, after the Easter egg hunt, that the chocolate eggs they found and the huge chocolate rabbit awarded to some lucky person were not solid candy. They were hollow, made mostly of—nothing.

I read a review recently, although the book itself is not a new one, of a well-known celebrity who was called "a hollow man." He was "monstrously callous," the biographers wrote. He "double-crossed his way to the top"; his memoirs are "a pack of lies." Greedy business dealings. Rotten behavior. Neglect and coldness toward friends and family. The antithesis of his public image. The reviewer wasn't convinced, however, because some very ambiguous evidence was presented in the worst possible light, resulting in a nasty "hatchet job."

Still, it got me thinking about people who are something like the hollow chocolate candy. After you get through the sweet surface, they are mostly—nothing. Good looks and smooth talk do not a fine person make! Jesus had some harsh words for the people ("frauds," He called them) who presented an attractive outside but were very different on the inside. "You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You burnish the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something. You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You're like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin you're total frauds." (Matthew 23: 25-28 MSG)

We can't change anyone else, but if we suspect any hypocrisy in ourselves, here is the remedy: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139:23, 24 NLT)

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Things Mama Taught Me: "Pretty Is As Pretty Does"

I was a cute little girl. Yes really, I’m serious! When I look at my baby portrait or the toddler snapshots, I know it’s true! The picture from the photo booth, when I was four or so, shows a little girl with dark eyes and long, dark curls and she’s—pretty! I’m not sure how my mother made those curls, rolling them on rags, maybe? I do remember the painful combing-out process, and her telling me, “It hurts to be beautiful!” (So does that explain corsets and pointy-toed shoes with high heels? Maybe so.)

I don’t think my mother actually put a great deal of emphasis on “pretty” though. For one thing, fluffy dresses and white tights with black patent leather Mary Jane shoes would have been very hard to come by. And there wasn’t really any competition in prettiness! Cotton print dresses and brown oxfords that could be worn to school as well as church were more the norm for the little girls in my rural surroundings. Somewhere along the way, Mama made sure I understood, “Pretty is as pretty does.” She was saying, “Appearance isn’t everything. You are going to be judged by your behavior too. If what you do is pretty, you’re fine. But if what you do isn’t pretty, then you’re not really a very pretty girl after all.”

Jesus gave stern warning to those who only “pose” as pretty. “Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 NASB) He then likens such pretenders to a carpenter who would be so foolish as to build a house without laying a foundation for it. When the floods come, the house—even though it’s pretty—collapses into great ruin. My mother’s simple instruction prepared me for the very grownup truth about hypocrisy.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture marked NASB is from the New American Standard Bible, used by permission of the Lockman Foundation.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Job's Suffering and the Church

I do not, of course, have “the answer” to the difficulties and uncertainties that are part of present day life, but I do have a response.

Suffering people have questions. “What have I done wrong, that I should suffer like this? How have I offended God?” God’s people, desperate for answers during times of hardship, have often turned for consolation to the Book of Job. Reading that ancient story, they discover that there may be a hidden drama unfolding on the stage of their own lives. Perhaps once again Satan has confronted God defiantly. “Yes, I’ve seen your servant Frank [or JoAnn or Leslie], blameless and upright. But does Frank fear you for nothing? You have protected him and his household. You have blessed JoAnn and her work. But You just wither those blessings and see if they don’t turn against You!”

God agreed to the testing of Job, and Satan was permitted to touch all that Job held dear, except his own person. In a single catastrophic day, Job lost everything: teams of oxen, donkeys, flocks of sheep, camels, herdsmen, servants, and even his children. Still, Job did not sin by blaming God. Modern Christians, studying this passage about Job, are encouraged to trust God through their own trauma and loss. “I serve the same God. The same devil is my enemy. I will prove myself faithful, even as Job did.”

Not satisfied with Job’s integrity in the face of ruin, Satan again taunted God. “Yes, Job could tolerate the destruction of everything around him. But just touch him in his own flesh, and he will curse you, I know it!” With God’s permission to do anything short of taking Job’s life, Satan struck Job with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. The devastated man did not know that the tragedies of his life were brought about by Satan’s desire to provoke and embarrass and ultimately hinder God. He struggled mightily to understand the reason for his suffering.

We today have the advantage of perspective revealed in Scripture. Simply put, Satan wants desperately to hurt God. In the process, he collides with us. Having knowledge of this does not alleviate human suffering, but our trust in God is strengthened by the written account. From it, we lay hold of the firm conviction that God is fully and lovingly involved with us, even though we do not comprehend the mysteries of His lordship of the whole universe!

In this broader view of God’s governing lies one cause of the problem of Christian suffering. Ours is a tortured world, with all creation groaning and laboring with birth pangs until it finally sees the gloriously liberated people of God (Romans 8:19-23). “All creation”—that means our political leadership, our judicial system, our economics, our educational methods, our health care arrangement, our whole world is aching to be different. We limit our thinking, for the most part, to our own small world of family and friends, our personal health and economy, our place of employment, our church. Too often we notice society’s deplorable ills only to criticize, “It wasn’t like this years ago. How did we get to this place?” Like Job’s false friends, we presume to have answers. “It was this treacherous leader. . . It was that high Court decision. . . It’s the unconscionable media. . . It’s the failure of the schools . . .” And some even say, “It’s the Church’s fault.”

The doom-mongers would have us believe that all the above are true, and that all can be attributed to some vast conspiracy to subjugate the American people. Those who would never be intimidated by bold unrighteousness, the gloomy prophets say, are nevertheless being undermined by an insidious plot whereby eventually all people bow unknowingly to the will of ungodly authority. There is a master mind, they say, behind gratuitous violence on TV, the call to recognize same-sex unions, the legalization of abortion, the education of functionally illiterate students, the rising prices of fuel and food, and everything else that has gone awry!

Yes, unfortunately, there is a Master Mind behind it all. It is not, however, the leagued mind of evil men and women. No human mind could conceive the sorrow that has been unleashed on the world by the evil one whose sole desire is to thwart God’s purpose in His children. Listen as he approaches the throne of God.

The Lord speaks to Satan. “Where have you been?”

“Why, I’ve been going to and fro on the earth, walking back and forth on it.“

“Ah yes! And have you noticed My servants, the Blood-bought Church, that there are no others like them on the earth, blameless, upright, fearing Me and shunning evil?”

“Yes,” Satan replies, “I have noticed. But does that Church of yours fear you for nothing? Haven’t You made a hedge around them and their households and around everything that concerns them? You have blessed the work of their hands, and by honoring You their possessions have increased.” It may be that Satan has a different strategy for the Church in some other parts of the world, but for the prosperous Church in America, he taunts God, “I’d just like to see you stretch out Your hand and touch what these folks own, and they will surely curse You to Your face!”

What if God has given Satan permission to test us in just this way? “Behold, all they have is in your power. But don’t lay a hand on their persons.” Do we truly believe that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”? (Ephesians 6:12)

If the battle could be won just by speeches and banner-carrying and letter-writing and electing God-fearing people to office, it would have been won by now. This is not to say that speeches should not be made, banners carried, letters written, and God-fearing people elected. But the passage noted above continues with the admonition to put on the whole armor of God and then “pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Until we have done that, there is not a whole lot to be gained by all the other tactics.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Crossing the Bridge

Sometimes we come slowly to a new place of awareness; we sort of grow into a better understanding without a crisis provoking it. Sometimes we're not faced with a deliberate decision to re-do our way of thinking. But that will not always be true; at times there may be a crisis or we may face a decision.

Several years ago, as we contemplated our lives of faith, a friend and I began to pray, individually and for each other, "God, transform me into a new person by changing the way I think." (See Romans 12:1 in The New Living Translation.) What a trip this has been! I had no idea that there were huge portions of my mental processes that had never been liberated from accumulated warping. Where I am now is like being in another country: I do things differently here, I speak differently here, I view things differently here. And God isn't even finished yet!

I'll explain. I always thought I could "get by" on a certain amount of sleep, far less than doctors recommend, just because there was so much I was expected to do. I told myself it didn't matter whether or not the food I ate tasted good, just so long as there was enough of it for everyone. When I had to deal with major trauma, I said it didn't hurt too much--just what I learned to say as an eight-year-old when I stubbed my toe. I confused setting appropriate boundaries with being selfish. I thought helping others achieve their goals excluded my own, and I believed that for others to be happy and well-cared-for meant that I needed to be overburdened and poor.

Many times, I looked across the way to this "other country." From over there, it didn't appear to be all that different, but I just knew anyway that it was better. There was clarity of purpose here, and a sense of self worth, permission to dream, and freedom to take care of myself. I don't know exactly when I first crossed the bridge because it has not been a single experience, but rather something that's repeated over and over. But I suppose it must have been when I started praying about God changing the way I think. I soon began to face in rapid succession a series of situations that forced me to evaluate everything: my relationships, my work, my health, my faith.

What is the bridge? I propose that the bridge is truth--not necessarily ultimate truth like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, although there is that too--but the truth about myself, my past and present life, my future, my faults and failures as well as my giftings and successes. Reality can be a real wake-up call (or the more descriptive, "kick in the pants")! In the Scripture or other books and articles, on a regular basis, I find truth. In messages my pastor preaches or in conversation, I hear truth. When I am reflecting on daily events or experiences, I discover truth. "This is the way life is, and there is the way it can be. This is the way you are, and there is who you can become." And then I must choose: accept this "bridge" to better knowing and better being . . .

Or close my eyes and walk away.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Footprints

One stanza of "A Psalm of Life," written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in the 1830s, says,

Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time.

Some people leave bigger footprints than others, and I'm not talking about our present-day concern over "carbon footprints." In the U.S., we are celebrating Presidents Day today, commemorating the February birthdays of two of our particularly important forefathers: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Regardless of how revisionists have written about these men, we still honor their contributions to our country and our way of life.

Since the recent election, much has been made of perceived similarities in our new president and various previous ones. I'm not so much interested in comparing the men as the issues which the times presented. It's really true: "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) And again, I'm not nearly as concerned with the footprints left by presidents, old and new, as the footprints that each of us are leaving for those who follow us. "Sublime" as Longfellow suggested? Maybe not, but there all the same.

Many of us have experienced walking with our big feet and long legs through sand or snow and, looking back, we have seen a much smaller person--offspring of our own or a grandchild, perhaps a nephew, niece, or the child of a friend--struggling to follow with their little feet and short legs the big prints we left behind. We need to walk slower, walk straighter, walk more faithfully.

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.

(Words and Music by Jon Mohr; popular performance by Steve Green)

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Perception Is (Not) Everything

An almost two-year-old watched as his grandfather boarded an airplane in Kansas City and took to the air, bound for Texas. A week or so later, the child went with the family to the airport again to meet the traveler as he returned. On the way home, the boy seemed a little restless and perhaps concerned. Finally he asked, "Papa, how did they squeeze you?" He had watched his full-sized Papa walk out to the huge plane, but as it headed off into the sky, it became obvious to him that the plane and his Papa with it were growing smaller and smaller! Papa explained that distant things only appear to be small because they are far away from us. He and the other passengers sat in regular seats, and everything stayed the same size as always. The youngster was quite relieved to learn that Papa did not get squeezed at all! Because of his limited experience, his perception was narrowed to what he could see—and was therefore inaccurate.

A former employer told me, more than once, that when it comes to the people we serve, "Perception is everything," or as we often hear, the customer is always right. In the circumstances where we worked, that may have been perfectly good policy. But as you can see from the little story above, perception is not really everything. What people think is true becomes true for them, but that is not necessarily the same as the real truth. We could be as mistaken as the little boy who saw his grandpa disappear.

Do we believe everything we read in the newspaper or hear on the news, forgetting that those who write and speak are reporting their (or someone's) perception, which may or may not represent the facts accurately? Are we to accept without question every morsel of information about other people in our lives just because someone perceives it as the ways things are? And for ourselves, do we form into reality what someone else thinks we are worth? Do we accept as our destiny the sad prediction someone has made about our prospects for success? That is their perception, and may not be valid at all!

Yes, good customer service may well be driven by "Perception is everything." But caution and discrimination are needed if we really want to live in truth.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Off the Hook

Not long ago, I was trying to communicate online with a customer service rep about my account. "You'll find that information in the notes on the page," he e-mailed me.

I couldn't see any notes.

"On the left side of the page."

I still couldn't see any notes.

We finally figured out that although we were both reading my record, we were literally not on the same page. "Okay," he wrote in closing. "I'll let you off the hook . . ."

I wasn't offended, having dealt satisfactorily with this firm for a long time, but I was surprised. Was I on some kind of hook? What hook would that be, anyway? Was I supposed to be feeling embarrassed or guilty? The incident provoked me to think further about some social "hooks."

Children catch each other on hooks all the time. "I know something you don't know!" they call in a sing-song taunt. Or, accompanying an exaggerated sorrowful shaking of the head, they say, "N-n-n-n-n, you're in
tro-u-ble . . ." Or "You're just the teacher's pet."

Adults tend to be more subtle, or shall I say "less honest"? An adult may complain about some difficulty, then sigh and say, "But then I can't expect you to care about my troubles." "You got a new car? Some people are just lucky." Or even, "If you don't know what's wrong, I'm sure not going to tell you."

Do you see the hooks? Sometimes without thinking, but just as often with calculated purpose and predictable results, other people throw out bait that would hook us into feeling ignorant, threatened, unfairly favored, selfish and uncaring, guilty, or just plain stupid. If we bite the bait, we end up taking responsibility for their happiness or success.

"Off the hook" brings to my mind a fisherman releasing his catch, literally letting the fish off the hook. When I looked up the phrase in a dictionary of American slang, I found that was indeed the description: not holding another person to their error, failure, or offense just as one would free a fish from the hook on which it has been caught.

I don't think we can wait for other people to let us off the hook. We would be wiser not to take the bait in the first place. And for sure, let's not be guilty of manipulating others into tending to our own personal agenda by any less-than-honest implications.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com