You Are Where You Live

I know you’ve seen it, and like me you’ve probably even experienced it. It seems that throughout life as our environment changes so we adjust to or take on the attributes of our surroundings. For example, where we live, (neighborhood, city, state) we tend to act, walk and talk as those around us do. A lot of times we work very hard at this, simply because we want to “fit in” and establish good neighbor or good working relationships with those already established in the environment. After 35 years, if I were to return to my hometown in Upstate New York, my speech just wouldn’t fit anymore and I would probably have a hard time with some of the dialogue there. Think about it. If you hang with drinkers you’ll drink. Hang with drug users and you’ll do drugs. Hang with the hood gang and you’ll bang yourself into more trouble than you want. Hang with God’s people and you’ll live a godly life. Environment does dictate living conditions.
A fifth grade Christian school teacher asked her students to look at TV commercials to see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideals of God to life. Here are some of the results. GOD IS LIKE: Bayer Aspirin; He works miracles. …like a Ford; He’s got a better idea. …like Coke; He’s the real thing. …like Hallmark Cards; He cared enough to send His very best. …like Tide; He gets the stains out that others leave behind. …like General Electric; He brings good things to life. …like Sears; He has everything. …like Alka-Seltzer; Try Him, you’ll like Him. …like Scotch Tape; You can’t see Him, but you know He’s there. …like Delta; He’s ready when you are. …like Allstate; You’re in good hands with Him. …VO-5 Hair Spray; He holds through all kinds of weather. …like Dial Soap; Aren’t you glad you have Him? Don’t you wish everybody did? …like The U.S. Postal Service; Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination. Environment dictates thought.
[Proverbs 12] I really like the book of Proverbs. I like it because I can relate to a lot of it. The book is a no-nonsense, easy to understand statements that apply to the ethics of life with a clear approach to God’s will for man to live a righteous life. As I read I’m told that “this is this” and “that is that”. There’s no compromising of how we’re to live in God’s creation. If we hang with evil people, we’ll become evil. A man is probably not a killer before he goes to war, but he will become one in his current environment. I say these things to you because those around you, whom you pass by every day, but you never smile at or greet with a “hello” or even nod your head at acknowledging they even exist, just because they’re not a part of your life, may in fact be looking for someone just like you to help pull them out of the hopelessness of their life. Instantly you think money. Look at history and you’ll see that money doesn’t solve a thing. Love and compassion is what changes life for the better. When a person has hope, they find a reason to be the person God wants them to be. Jesus said we would always have the poor with us, but the story of the rich man and Lazarus teaches us not to ignore them. Should we consider only the beggar? Do not look at the physical needs of people alone. It is their spirit that has been deceived and misled. Feed and clothe, but remember to visit also. Teach them the love of God, for the power of the gospel can save and change even the vilest of lives. Don’t look down at anyone, unless you’re reaching out to lift them up.

No Instructions Included

Father’s Day is a time we set aside to honor our father and also a time when dads should kick back and remember just how important a job they have in the family. Recently I read an article about today’s parenting skills and over-all there’s been a great improvement. The only real down side of the article was that parents, although they’re spending more time with their children, are trying to be their child’s best friend and when it comes to learning self-discipline this is not a good thing. Parenting isn’t an easy job. Say “NO” when appropriate and let your child’s best friend be its own age.
A man came home from work late, again, tired and irritated, again, to find his five- year-old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" "Yeah, sure, what is it?” replied the man. "Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?” “That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily. “I just want to know. How much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy. “If you must know, I make $20 an hour.” “Oh” the little boy replied as his head bowed with disappointment. Looking up once more he said, “Daddy, may I borrow ten dollars please?” The father became furious, “If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself to your room and go to bed! I want you to think about why you’re being so selfish! I work long hard hours every day and don’t have time for such childish games!” The boy quietly went to his room and closed the door. The man sat in his easy chair and began to get even more irritated about his son’s questions. How dare he ask such things just searching for a new angle to get money. After an hour or so the man had calmed down and started to think about how hard he had been on his son. Maybe there was something he really wanted to buy with the ten dollars. It’s very rare he ever asks for money. The father went to the his son’s room, opened the door and asked, “Are you asleep son?” “No daddy, I’m awake” replied the boy. “I want to say I’m sorry for being so rough on you earlier” said the man. “It’s been a long day and I shouldn’t have taken my aggressions out on you like I did. Here’s that ten dollars you asked me for.” The little boy sat up beaming. “Oh thank you daddy!” he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some more crumpled-up bills. Seeing that the boy already had some money, the man asked, “Why did you want more money if you already some?” “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do!” said the boy with excitement in his voice. “Daddy, I now have $20. Can I buy an hour of your time?”
[Ephesians 6: 4] Dad’s, you’re probably tired of hearing this, but God’s Word instructs us to raise our children, “…in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Our children didn’t come with a set of instructions of how to care for and raise them, but God has supplied instructions for how the mature understanding adult is to righteously live in this world. I know you’ve heard, your actions and lifestyle will teach your children more about life than anything you could talk about. To raise your children, as God would have you do, live a disciplined godly life guiding your children in the ways of righteousness. Teach them what is right and what is wrong straight from your very own guidebook, the Bible. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you Daddy.”

Trust, Integrity & Honesty

Can you remember when “Trust” was a big word in advertising? “Trust Your Car To The Man Who Wears The Star”. Trust used to stand for the honesty and integrity, not only of a company, but also of its employees. When I was in business, I wouldn’t put an employee on a job by himself if I didn’t think he would do the job with the same consciousness I would. Too many people take too many shortcuts in order to get finished faster or make more money. Today, with tongue-in-cheek, “trust” seems to be used in advertising like throwing out some sort of bait to consumers to see who will bite, then reel them in and get all the money you possibly can out of their pocket. I’m sorry, but I guess my glass is half empty today and the old pessimist in me is popping out. I’m just finding it harder and harder to trust anyone in this world lately. I’ll get over it.
Sam Walton, together with his Chief Director of Personal, one day was personally interviewing several up-and-coming executives for various positions in his company. He took them all down to the company cafeteria at noon for lunch. He got in line behind a young man who had shown a lot of potential and was highly thought of. As they approached the end of the line, Walton noticed the young man slip a pat of butter under his tray. Since the cashier could not see the butter she didn’t charge him for it. Sam turned to his personal director and told him not to hire the young man. When he was asked why, Sam simply stated that any man who would palm a two-cent pat of butter under his tray would rob Wal-Mart clean.
[Titus 1: 15-16] A two-cent pat of butter doesn’t seem like that big a deal. I mean, companies like Wal-Mart lose that much, and more, every minute due to shoplifting. But, Walton’s point is very clear. If we do not have integrity in little things, we will not have integrity in the big things. Honesty really is the best policy. Paul is writing to Titus instructing him as to how he should go about looking for leaders for the congregations of God’s people. He explained to Titus he should not necessarily look for leaders by what others say, or how intelligent the prospect may be, but watch their actions as they deal with life and other people. Their actions will always dictate their godliness. After all, if we claim to be a child of God, aren’t we supposed to be holy because God is holy? Part of being holy is being a person of integrity, one who has a “clear conscience”. Ahhh, now there’s a subject that keeps a lot of people awake at night. I’m not perfect and I’ve taken shortcuts, but I never did feel good about it. To clear my conscience of guilt I can’t ever remember not correcting my misgivings as soon as possible. (1 Timothy 6: 6-19) Most people want to be rich or famous, or both, but they seem to forget that one day all this will come to an end. They hope their life has been good and they’ll be rewarded for it, but right now they’ve got a life to run and have no time for holiness. My hope is not supported by this world, as the world tries to persuade us. Paul reminds Timothy, and you and I, that we came into this world with nothing and we will leave this world in the same manor. My hope is to return to the One who gave me life and my hope is supported by His word. I’ve yet to see it fail, when I place a part of God’s truth in my life, I gain a greater understanding of this life and the life to come. I trust in God. He supports me in every way and brings peace into my life. Integrity and honesty, come from God’s truths.

Patience To Teach

Is the world beginning to go stark raving mad? How long has this been going on? Maybe it’s just a new heightened awareness being brought to the public eye of the tremendous child abuse problem in the world today. I’ve tried to make sense of why adults would shake a baby causing irreversible brain damage and even death. Why beat or burn or scald a child with hot water? That’s never taught anybody anything except to hate. I’ve concluded that less and less “parents” have the capability to patiently teach their children. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in their life anymore. A two-year-old is expected to rationalize and solve problems as easily as an educated twenty-year-old. When it doesn’t happen, frustration sets in, the child is confused, the crying erupts and the beatings begin. The situation is growing and festering because what the children are being taught today is what they take into adulthood and give their children.
While doing a little shopping, a man noticed a lady pushing a grocery cart with her one-year-old riding in the seat. The child reached out and asked for the cookies on the shelf. Her mother said, “No”. The little girl began to cry loudly. The mother said, “Now Missy, we’re half way done, it won’t be long.” As it regularly happens in the grocery store, you tend to find yourself within close proximity, of the same people as you shop the aisles of the store. In the candy aisle he witnessed the little girl again wanting something from the shelf and was again told, “NO”, by her mother. This time the girl started kicking and screaming. The mother said, “There, there, Missy, only two more aisles and then we’ll be done.” At the checkout counter the girl reached for gum. When her mom spanked her hand and said “NO”, the little girl began to scream louder than ever. The mother said patiently, “Missy, we’ll be through this checkout stand in five minutes, then we can go home and both have a nice nap.” The man saw the woman and her daughter in the parking lot of the store and approached them, “I couldn’t help but notice how patient you were with little Missy in the store and wanted to commend you for your parenting skills”, the man explained. The woman looked at the man quizzically and replied, “Thank you, but, my little girl’s name is Francine. …Uh, I’m Missy.”
[Matthew 19 & Mark 10] Is there a solution? YES! Each of these chapters begins with an argument about divorce and remarriage. I know of nothing more devastating to a child than to experience the pains of a divorce. To Jesus this argument only brought out the self-satisfying ambitions of men and the non-committal attitudes they had toward marriage. Then it’s recorded that the children were brought to Him for a blessing. Why? Were children suffering then as today? Were some children a pain in the neck back then? Probably so, because the disciples tried to stop them from gathering around Jesus, but He took them into His arms and told those present that the Kingdom of God looks at children in a totally different way. Children know nothing of the greed and lusts of the world and have not yet eaten of the tree of knowledge of right and wrong. Eternal life is theirs. Then a man asked how he could get eternal life. He states he follows all the commandments. Jesus says that’s not enough. You must be committed to God, not to the world, and eternal life is possible. Patience for teaching children is a product of peace, found in God’s love. Raise your children with the truth and love of God in your heart.