Agent of Change

Are you skeptical when you hear the statement, “It’s never been this bad?” This statement is commonly held, if mass and social media can be trusted as a reliable reflection of what people are thinking. The expression is used to color national politics, morality, religion, social conditions, international relations, and even climate conditions. It seems that whenever someone wants to make a case for something that disturbs them, they dip into the darker shades of the language palette to color their comments with this expression. Certainly, we are living in a less than perfect world. But is it true that, “It’s never been this bad?”

     Reflect upon the time of the birth of Christ. Politically Palestine was under Roman rule. Historians tell us Herod was the  appointed ruler of Galilee (40-4 BC.) His history “is a drama of extraordinary moves of political chicanery accompanied by a succession of atrocious crimes… his reign was one succession of monstrous crimes until his death” (J.W. Shepard). Culture and philosophy in the region were dominated by Greek perspectives that permeated life and thought under the Roman rule. Skepticism ruled in much of their thinking. This influence invaded and dominated religious thought in Palestine when Christ was born. As a result, the Jewish community was divided into the conservative branch of the Pharisees and the more liberal branch of the Hellenistic Jews who were dominated by Greek culture and thought. Morally historians indicate, “The world was in a state of extraordinary moral degeneration.” Slavery was widespread. The rich minority lived in extreme extravagance – the majority in abject poverty. Shepard describes the sexual situation this way, “Chastity and marriage were the exception while divorce and immorality were the rule… Romans had no power to cope with the degeneracy of the times… None of the philosophies could meet the deep moral needs of the times.” The Roman historian Tacitus writing of the world of that day said the goal of the people was “to corrupt and be corrupted.” In this time of history Jesus was born to be an agent of change.

     Describing conditions centuries later during the French Revolution, Charles Dickens wrote about that period in history in A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of disbelief, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Perhaps throughout history one could justly say, “It has never been this bad.” This is the nature of living in an imperfect world. This does not mean one resigns himself to despair. It does mean that one looks for the agent of change that can enter a marred world to make a positive difference.

     Jesus came to be an agent of change in a world of proverbial darkness. Conditions in his world were bleak. God knew that government, dominate religious systems, philosophy, culture, or any other humanly contrived solutions were not a match for what was needed. So, God provided an agent of change in the form of a Divine Solution. The announcement to shepherds in a dark world, tending sheep on a dark field was simple yet profound, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 ESV). The Divine Solution was a Savior; not a politician subject to corruption; not a philosopher with limited wisdom; not a cultural guru proposing transient solutions; not a military leader whose arena of conquest is limited to the physical; and not a financial wizard throwing finances at problems that need more than money. People needed an agent of change that exceeds human capacity to address human depravity. To those shepherds they heard an announcement about an agent of change that could really make a lasting and even eternal changes.

     How did humanity respond to God’s Divine Solution? Sadly, the Apostle John wrote, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). An agent of change is only effective if he is allowed to implement change. What good does it do to have a tile cleaner in the house if the cleaner is never applied to the area needing cleansed? The good news is that when Jesus came there were those who were tired of things being as bad as they were and trusted the announced savior to make things better than they have ever been (John 1:12). Did the world become perfect? Not quite yet. They did however become better for those willing to accept a divine agent of change. Those changed then joined in becoming mini agents of change by becoming lights in the world still shrouded in darkness (Matthew 5:14).

      Christmas reminds us that while things may be “as bad as they have ever been” that God gave the gift of a Divine Solution so that things may be “as good as they have ever been.”     

Christmas Letter 2019

Christmas Letter December 2019

This update is a replacement for the traditional Christmas card. We have joined with many of our family and friends who have replaced physical cards with electronic greetings. I trust you and your family are doing well.

The small white lights on our front porch punch holes in the wintery darkness of our neighborhood. To me it is a visual reminder that Jesus came to earth as a baby to be the Savior of the world. The Apostle John describes Jesus as “the light that shined in darkness” (John 1:5). He adds that those who “receive him [as the light], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (1:12). That’s encouragement for a world that could stand an infusion of good news. Our family wishes you blessings in the New Year!

This year has been an interesting one for Doris and Bob. Last December Bob underwent a hip replacement. He spent much of the winter months doing therapy after responsibilities as Pastor at Large at Lancaster Bible College (LBC). In the Spring Doris underwent emergency surgery in May to remove a large mass from her abdomen. We are thanking the Lord that she was given a good report and after 6 weeks of restrictions she was back officiating lacrosse. She also is active in Child Evangelism Fellowship (teaching and board member), volunteering at Calvary Fellowship Homes (Thrift Shop, Gift shop, and various committees), and teaching a ladies Bible class at our home church, and interacting with lots of ladies fellowships.

Bob continues to serve at LBC but with a new title as an “Ambassador for Lancaster Bible College/ Capital Seminary and Graduate School.” The functions are mainly the same, but he has the flexibility to control his schedule a bit more. Bob continues to preach, do conferences, mentor students, and interact with pastors and churches. He also is writing articles for a local newspaper every five weeks, and serves on the Board of Directors for Calvary Fellowship Homes. Basically Bob continues to drive Doris crazy as she likes to plan in advance and he likes to “wing” it! The Lord has been so good to us and we look forward to our 50th anniversary in June.

Front: Doris, Kristine, Calvin, Lewis (very front), Emma, Meg. Back: Bob, Andy, Reid, Charlotte, Jamie, Kathryn.

 

Andy continues to teach in upstate NY as well as raise steers, chickens, and other farm products. Kristine homeschools Calvin, breeds labs, and maintains the farm. The children are involved in sports and many other activities making Mom the chauffeur. Charlotte continues teaching at Carin University, Valley Christian School, and Veritas (online). Jamie continues to work with “Capture” (working with colleges to assist in student recruitment and marketing). Their children too are involved in sports and many other activities—parents are on the run. All the families are active in their churches and it great to see their children growing in the Lord.

Doris and Bob got to travel some to Cape Cod, MA; Cape May, NJ; and numerous trips to be with the family. We had special times too with family and friends. A fun time with Irish family (Naill and Kathryn Collum and their children) as they visited with us and our children. Keep in touch! Email: bdreid1@verizon.net or Facebook (friend me!). Blog: reidsreflection.blogspot.com

Character Over Fame

Halloween has become big business. A strip-mall near us opened a seasonal store in an empty space that once housed a chain’s craft store. It is advertised as being some sort of “Halloween central.” Looking through the massive windows as I passed by, it appeared like every imaginable item for Halloween was on display. Ghoulish costumes were hung beside life-like skeletons. Pumpkins were positioned beside fake caldrons which I suppose will be a prop for a costumed witch. The mega-mall of Halloween “necessities” also had racks and racks of costumes depicting various professions and popular personalities. I can only guess that somewhere among those racks there was some kind outlandish outfit that represented Lady Gaga.

     There is no question that Lady Gaga continues to be a famous cultural figure. Recently she was listed in Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people of 2019 right beside Taylor Swift, Michelle Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump, and Pope Francis, among others. As a trick-or-treater, which costume depicting one of the 100 most influential people would you choose? Would your choice say something about you?

     Popularity carries with it a lot of baggage. If you have any doubts, consider a three-word tweet that Lady Gaga, the 33-year old Grammy and Oscar-winning singer posted, “Fame is prison.” The tweet has generated all sorts of speculation even suggesting this is the title of her next album. Others conclude she is expressing the pressure she faces due to the constant scrutiny and oppressive expectations people place upon her. It is well known that Lady Gaga has battled anxiety and depression since her teenage years. Days before this tweet, her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, was on “CBS This Morning” talking about the struggles Gaga had that led up to their co-founding “Born This Way Foundation.” This foundation focuses upon helping young people to practice mental and emotional wellbeing.

     Whether or not this is the title of her next album is not the main point. It is a reality – “Fame is prison.”

History is littered with people who have had their lives smothered by fame. Aggravating this problem is social media as well as mass media in general. How many of us have sadly seen a celebrity’s child hounded by paparazzi as they are simply trying to go about ordinary tasks in their everyday lives. It is sad to see a photograph of Princess Charlotte going on a simple task with her mother, Duchess Catherine, surrounded by cameras pressing upon her. What a claustrophobic experience for a young child. How can she live normally? Her fame has caused her to be surrounded by people who cared little for her. They are preoccupied by her fame and have imprisoned her daily activities with unnecessary intrusions. Do all people bearing the burden of fame feel the same emotional weight?

     How does one deal with such pressure? Jesus knew something of the pressure of fame. Fame comes from many sources. There is fame associated with popularity when a person is held in high esteem. Jesus was regarded as a popular speaker and engaged in magnificent works. The result was he was surrounded by people pressing upon him. A whole city was gathered at the house where he stayed so that there was no more room for people to get near him (Mark 1:32-33; 2:1-3) and he and his disciples did not even have time to eat (3:20).

      There is another sort of fame that arises when one becomes a cultural pariah – when one is considered the enemy of culture’s status quo. Jesus faced this too as the religious establishment looked at him as competition who would upset life as they lived it (John 11:46-48). They looked at him and his fame and ultimately plotted to eliminate him and influenced a crowd to join them in this quest.

      Emily Dickinson well said, “Fame is a fickle food - Upon a shifting plate.” The same people who crowded around Jesus because they could not get enough of him were the same people later in his life that wanted nothing to do with him. They wanted to destroy him. They cried, “Crucify him!”

     Lady Gaga looks at her fame as a prison. Perhaps it is now, but the fame will dissipate. Fame is a moment in time that will pass as it dims into oblivion. Considering this may I offer several suggestions: don’t live for fame; don’t be distracted by fame; don’t be ruled by fame; and don’t be changed by fame. Work on being a person of godly character, not a person of temporary fame. Character always trumps fame!                  

To Groan or Not to Groan

Observing a retirement community often allows an individual to observe different perspectives on living. Almost every day one sees people dealing with changes in life. That which was so common in one’s earlier days seems like a dream fading upon the dawning of another day. Things which formerly brought pleasure seem to diminish as limitations arise which were not factors in the recent past. People that enriched one’s life are no longer as close as they once had been. Mobility, mortality, or a multitude of time-consuming activities now filling one’s life seem to restrict those connections. Now saying, “What’s on the calendar for the day,” means what doctor’s appointments do I have, or whose funeral service am I to attend today?

     Pursuits that once occupied one’s time are either beyond one’s physical capability, or are no longer available options, or cease to generate the same interest they once did. The mountains that were once exciting to climb now pose obstacles (Are they handicapped accessible?). The occupation once motivating them to get out of bed in the morning now is a finished phase of life (We did get the gold watch and retirement cake, didn’t we?). Frankly, pursuits of the past are not the preoccupation of the present.

     Passions that once drove individuals have slipped on the list of priorities. A comfortable bed at 10:00 PM seems much more appealing than watching the conclusion of Monday Night Football. Who cares which football team of millionaires will win a game micromanaged by instant replays! Acquiring more antiques perhaps was once enjoyable. Now such an activity seems more of a hassle as one considers the inevitable task of downsizing one’s possessions or placing a burden upon heirs who really don’t want the antique collection and is now tasked with liquidating the items.

     Individuals with such perspectives groan frequently about life. The chief reason is they are looking backward to the past and consider now what they cannot do. Heightening such feelings is the constant focus upon bad news that only accelerates the descent into a groaning despondency. The 24/7 news cycle frankly does not elicit positive perspectives. It just adds more negativity into one’s life. Too often the newscasters intentionally spin a news item in such a way that is bleak so that viewers with keep checking in to see if things have gotten better or worse. Consider too how preoccupied individuals have become with the Weather Channel. They become depressed on a beautiful day with the prospect of a storm that may or may not occur in five days. The forecasters do not emphasize the beautiful days. They stress the storms, saying, “Check back with us for further updates on this developing storm.” Perspectives can be influenced by what one focuses upon.

     The Apostle Paul was not blind to living in a difficult and changing world. In fact, he said on one occasion, “While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh” (2 Cor. 5:4 NLT). He had endured a difficult life saying, “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die.” (2 Cor. 1:8-9 NLT). His perspective, however, was not a defeatist one. He focused upon something that encouraged him. He wrote, “We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” (2 Cor. 1:9-10 NLT). Focus changed perspective and perspective changed the way he lived a difficult life. Looking back, he could have descended into a groaning despondency. However, he chose to look above and ahead, and this perspective changed everything.

     Paul did groan in a positive way. He also wrote that looking ahead he groaned for the future he had before him, saying, “We will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing” (2 Cor. 5:1-2 NLT). He longed, even groaned, to put off his temporary body and enjoy what God had prepared for him. Perspective can be positive in the present, even if difficult, when one focuses upon the future that God has prepared for us.

     There are numerous older folks in retirement communities that are groaning. Some groan because they are focused upon past and present difficulties. Others groan in a positive way and see beyond where they are and focus upon the future they have before them. Maybe it is time for all of us to have an altered perspective as we live our lives – no matter our age!                

Encountering a Counterfeiter

Being brought up in an Irish immigrants’ home was one thing. Having parents that had also endured the Great Depression and the Second World War added another dimension to my life. They viewed life as being rather uncertain; thus demanding that our household would work hard, save carefully, and not give oneself over to frivolous pursuits. They translated that world view into my life by insisting that I get a job as soon as possible, save as much as possible, and not waste time doing other things that would keep me from those responsibilities. Thus, I did odd jobs in the neighborhood until I could get working papers at age fourteen and get a “real” job at the local grocery chain, Acme Markets.

     After school and weekends, I worked part time. During summer vacations I graduated to a 40-hour week until school resumed. I brought home my pay envelope each Friday, and Mom would give me $5.00 and bank the rest for my future. They deemed a car unnecessary; I could borrow one of theirs or Mom could drive me to work. Any special purchase had to be saved from the five dollars I got to keep each week – after all what else did I need having room, board, and all my basic necessities provided for by them. This all seemed very reasonable to me and I enjoyed my life even if it was different than many of my contemporaries. My parents loved me, and were just, as they put it, “Looking out for you and your future.”

     The lessons I learned at the Acme Markets have been invaluable throughout life. Not only did I develop a work ethic, I also learned about the character of people. Eventually I advanced from stocking shelves to working the cash register. I was given a brief training course about customer service, and the deceptions that some people would use to steal money. I remember being surprised at how creative a thief could be! Remember, this was in the age when: products could not be scanned; the bill had to be paid in cash – no credit or debit cards; the cash register did not tell the cashier what change was due a customer; and when a shortage was discovered in a cash drawer the lack was paid by the cashier out of their wages.

     One of the things we were trained to do was to recognize counterfeit money. There were no slick markers to swipe over a twenty-dollar bill to see if they were real. We only had our touch and vision to quickly decide if the money was genuine. The training involved us spending most of our time looking at and handling real money. We were to become as familiar with the real thing as possible so that when we encountered a bogus bill it stood out immediately. At the end of the training, counterfeit bills were mixed into a pile of genuine bills and we had to identify the difference between the two. We took the training seriously because when we were on a register and carelessly accepted any counterfeit money, the mistake cost us a reduction of our wages. We became convinced that being duped by a counterfeit was not only foolish but costly.

     This lesson has followed me throughout life. Things are not always as they appear or as they are represented to be. There are counterfeit promises. How many people have been duped into purchases that have promised fantastic results and they just don’t deliver? There are counterfeit plans. How many politicians to garner a vote have promoted plans to rectify a social ill or injustice and the promoted dream never was realized? There are counterfeit people – appearing to be one thing when they are something very different than what they advertised. How many people on dating sites have come across a person who intrigues them only to find out they aren’t even a real person! This deception is so prevalent that there is even a term for it – being "catfished."

     Sadly, counterfeiting even shows up in the religious realm. This is not a big surprise when one realizes that Satan himself has used this operation for centuries. The Apostle Paul describes people in his day that “are counterfeits of the real thing, dishonest practitioners, ‘God’s messengers’ only by their own appointment. Nor do their tactics surprise me when I consider how Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is only to be expected that his agents shall have the appearance of ministers of righteousness—but they will get their deserts one day” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 J. B. Phillips New Testament). Paul claims in the end religious counterfeits will “get their deserts one day.” Quite a warning to watch out for religious counterfeits.

     It is true that only God knows our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10). However. It is also true that Jesus challenges his followers to look at a person’s life and be a fruit inspector saying, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20). A person who wants to detect religious counterfeits needs to check both words and actions of the individual before making a commitment to what they offer. Follow people of truth not fabricators.

     I learned a lot of principles about life in my Irish home. As a teen worker in the Acme I also learned many more lessons by which to live. Watching out for counterfeiters is one lesson I have tried to apply to all of life!    

Overwhelmed But Not Overcome

How often in life does one feel surrounded and overwhelmed by their circumstances? The agony and despair that result seem to cast one into the depths of defeat.  In such a state one feels that circumstances are insurmountable and they see no way of escape. The defeat and misery they experience casts them into a dark depressive state from which they feel they will never emerge.

     Years ago there was a television variety show called “Hee Haw” The show featured country music and humor in the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty." Those old enough may recall that one of the popular sketches featured weekly was a segment that highlighted the gloom and despair four old hillbillies felt in their life. In this segment the cast members would begin by singing, “Gloom, despair, and agony on me-e! Deep dark depression, excessive misery-y! If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all! Gloom, despair, and agony on me-e-e!” After their mournful chorus a cast member would recount a humorous reason for their misery. This was then followed up by the previous chorus and end with the four geezers sobbing uncontrollably. Viewers would laugh at this but deep inside many viewers realized the chorus really categorized their life.

     What things are overwhelming in our lives? Sometimes it is a financial crisis. Perhaps it is family tensions. Possibly a medical crisis appears out of nowhere. Maybe a betrayal in a friendship is one’s undoing. Sometimes the challenges of being a teen or a senior citizen is perplexing. Often troubles we encounter are because we live in a sin-effected world which produces nonstop cascading crises. Whatever the source, the sense of being overwhelmed is, well, just overwhelming.

     There is a story in the Old Testament of a person who encountered a situation where he felt surrounded and overwhelmed by his circumstances. The account is recorded in 2 Kings 6:8-23 concerning the prophet Elisha and his servant. Elisha was becoming a pest to the king of Syria and the king determined to eliminate him. The king sends a great army along with horses and chariots at night to surround the city of Dothan where he discovered Elisha was located. The prophet’s servant gets up in the early morning and finds this vast army surrounding the city. He quickly discerns there is no escape route and concludes things are hopeless. He runs to the prophet desperately crying, “Alas, my master what should we do?”

     Ever felt like Elisha’s servant? You face an insurmountable enemy and from what you can see, there is no means of escape. The situation is hopeless and desperation and despair quickly fill your life. In the story you see what the servant needed – another perspective. Elisha looks at the same circumstances the servant did but with a different God-comforting perspective. Elisha’s faith-filled perspective allows him to comfort his servant with these words, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then he prayed for his servant, “Lord I pray, open his eyes that he may see.”

     Perspective changes everything – both positively and negatively. The Scripture continues, “Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” The resources the servant had not seen became a visible. They are a comfort to a distraught young man overwhelmed by his surrounding circumstances. The situation was the same but the resources he now sees alters his perspective giving him renewed hope in the face of them.

     How often we need an attitude adjustment by seeing our circumstances in light of the God-given resources surrounding our lives. The Bible reminds us of many of those resources. God surrounds us with His love. He says to His children, “Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). God promises His presence, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). God encourages us in our anxieties as the Apostle Paul writes, “Let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-8). God is the great shepherd to His children and the Psalmist reminds us that, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). What great resources to keep in mind as we face life’s overwhelming circumstances.

     In life we may be overwhelmed by our circumstances, but we do not have to be overcome by them!             

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Looking through a pile of old yellowing photographs stored in an old trunk, I came across a picture of my mother and me standing beside a cluster of daffodils in our back yard. I was perhaps seven or eight years old at the time. The picture captured me dressed in my Easter’s finest posing with my mother also in a newly purchased outfit. I always thought the yearly Easter photograph was to give evidence that I could be dressed up and look decent, if even for a brief moment in time.

     The photo portrayed the result of my mother and me making a trip by the trolley car to the shopping hub on the city limits of Philadelphia and its suburbs. Back in those days there were no shopping centers, strip malls, or online shopping sites. There was the Sears catalogue that sold everything from houses to hosiery, but Mom insisted we needed to try on the clothes to make sure they fit properly. This, I was assured, was necessary because I was an awkward size. It was bad enough that I had to try on clothes that met my mother’s approval; it was sheer humiliation to be looking at racks of suits labeled “husky.” A new Easter outfit as I recall meant a new suit, shirt, tie, and if my mother had her way – new underwear. So the picture I was looking at was the end result of the yearly Easter ritual and pilgrimage to the nearest department store to buy new clothes for Easter.

     She may have dressed me up and made me look different, but under all those new clothes I was still the same mischievous elementary boy who drove his teachers crazy and annoyed the neighborhood with his pranks. Supposedly I was a bad influence on the neighbor’s saintly children who, unknown to their parents, were equally as ornery. Perhaps Mom wanted a picture taken to which she could later look to help her mentally refute the reports she would hear about me from time to time. How could such an angelic looking child perpetuate such mischief as was reported to her? Well Mom, looks can be deceiving!

     The biblical Easter week is launched with the account of what is called Palm Sunday. What a clear demonstration that looks can be deceiving. In Luke’s Gospel 19:36 ff. we read about people who looked good but later would prove otherwise. Jesus is making an entry into the city of Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed colt. As Jesus approached, a great crowd was drawn to him (37). They displayed honor toward him as “many spread their garments upon the way; while others spread branches they had cut from the fields” (Mark 11:8). Soon shouts of rejoicing were heard and praise to God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen Jesus do (Luke 19:37). The words they speak reveal that they held Jesus in highest esteem saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (38) - words drawn directly from the Psalms 118:26. The enemies of Jesus look at the spectacle before them and conclude, “Look the whole world has gone after him” (John 12:19). My how looks can be deceiving!

     What Jesus saw did not deceive him. He saw people who by their outward activity looked like their hearts were following Jesus but in reality their hearts were really far from him. In fact, what he saw made him weep (Luke 19:41-42). Jesus saw blind people who saw only a popular figure, a loving and compassionate personality, a miracle worker, a magnificent teacher, an amazing orator, a possible political emancipator, but not one who could bring them the peace they so desperately wanted and needed – peace with God and the peace of God. Jesus knew looks could be deceiving! That is why the “LORD said to Samuel… The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

     If you and I had come upon the Palm Sunday scene we would probably have concluded, “These people will be loyal to Jesus.” That is the picture we thought we were seeing. But history teaches us that the picture was deceiving. Very likely many in that massive crowd would say a week later, “Crucify him!” People are more likely to be fickle than faithful.

     I am not sure how many people still dress up in their “Easter finest” in our day and age. How many, however, on Easter will dress up in their religious practices, words, and other religious facades to appear that they follow Jesus but in reality are deceivers? Jesus said to religious leaders on one occasion, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain” (Matthew 15:8). Looks may be deceiving, but they never are to God. Jesus told a sinful woman, “True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). May that be the way we approach God daily – not deceptively, but devotedly.

Listening to the Snow

The meager measurement of snow in recent months has made me long for the past when snow was measured by how far it came to my waist. Mind you that in those days I was just four-and-a-half feet tall! Everything is a bit skewed when the standard of measurement is a squatty elementary school kid’s waist. However, in March 19-21, 1958, the weather service recorded astounding snow depths in inches and not the waist of an elementary student. During those three days snow totals that were recorded included: 50” in Morgantown; 33” in York and Holtwood; 13” in Lancaster, and an undocumented total of 36” in Gap. As a result of the storm’s heavy wet snow, multiple thousands of people in the eastern Pennsylvania lost electricity as power lines snapped and trees fell.

     Living in the western suburb of Philadelphia, we were without power for almost a week. We put our perishables in boxes and buried them in the snow until electrical power was restored. We were one of the fortunate ones on our block that had natural gas hot water heat and we invited others without heat to stay warm in our house. An added bonus – no school for a week! After reflecting on the past, why do I ever long for those former snowy days?!

     It is amazing how people think that they are in control of life until of course they aren’t. All that it takes is for the Lord of creation to allow some slippery precipitation to fall and the well-designed plans of people go awry. In the Book of Job, one of Job’s friends, Elihu, speaks of the majesty of the God as seen in His control of nature. Elihu first notes God’s majesty seen in a thunderstorm (Job 37:1-5). Then Job’s friend describes by contrast the quiet snow falling on the earth by saying, “He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’” (37:6). We see and hear God’s majesty revealed not only in the thunder of the storm but also in the stillness of the falling snow.

     The poet Robert Frost captures this thought in his poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” He writes:

            Whose woods these are I think I know.  

            His house is in the village though;  

            He will not see me stopping here  

            To watch his woods fill up with snow.  

            My little horse must think it queer  

            To stop without a farmhouse near  

            Between the woods and frozen lake  

            The darkest evening of the year.  

            He gives his harness bells a shake  

            To ask if there is some mistake.  

            The only other sound’s the sweep  

            Of easy wind and downy flake. 

     Have you ever stopped “To watch the woods fill up with snow,” and listen to the sound of “the sweep of easy wind and downy flake?” Humans rarely take time for such contemplation. We are too busy listening to the Weather Channel’s best guesses, or burying our noses in our electronic devices to check out cancelations, or running to the local market to gather our “French-toast-ingredients” (milk, bread, and eggs), or a number of other diversions. As a result we miss the rest and solitude that comes from silent contemplation of the Divine Creator’s marvelous works seen all around us – even in the quietness of the falling snow.

     My son lives in upstate New York in the snow belt off Lake Ontario. His region has already received 143 inches of snow this winter. While visiting him on one occasion, I snowshoed though his fields and into his woods. There I was surrounded by nothing but beautiful flakes of snow sifting through branches. I took off my knit hat for a few moments to listen to the almost imperceptible hiss associated with the falling snow. As snow fell on my face the words of a hymn came to mind, “Speak, Lord, in the stillness, While I wait on Thee; Hushed my heart to listen, In expectancy.” As I stood there the thought came, “Do I take time to listen in the silent times God brings into my life?” The prophet Elijah came to mind when God was about to make Himself known to him. God did not reveal Himself in the strong wind, earthquake, or fire. God revealed Himself in a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-13).

     Perhaps it would be good to go outside the next time it snows – if it does – and listen to the silence. The still small voice of God may even whisper to our hearts. The Psalmist suggests God says to us, “Be still, and know that I am God” (46:10). Perhaps a culture obsessed with activity and noise needs to chill and turn back the volume a bit. God has a message for us through His Word. Sometimes in the silent times of our lives He brings that Word to the frontal lobe of our consciousness. We don’t need wait for snow to take some time to be silent and listen for His still small voice. Make some time to do this soon.         

Play as a Team

Just a few more playoff games to be played as the clock ticks toward the start of Super Bowl LIII in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This marks the end of a season spreading out from the heat and humidity of the summer to the snow flurries of February. It is the culmination for football teams of intense physical training, intricate game strategies, impassioned competition, innumerable injuries, and impressive offensive and defensive plans. These combine with miracle plays and finishes, some would characterize as luck or fate. The end result of the season is two teams facing one another to play one final game where winner takes all and walks away with the bragging rights that last until the next Super Bowl.

     What will happen in a season is unknown as it begins. Football experts prognosticate what they expect will happen by season’s end, but at most they are giving their best opinion based upon information they have at the time. In football, like many other sports, there are variables unknown as a season begins. Injuries are always a wild card in the outcome of a season. The Philadelphia Eagles could attest to this in 2017 when they were plagued by injuries that benched many of their key players and finally their quarterback, Carson Wentz. The sportscasters predicted that the Eagles were done. They were out of the hunt for the Super Bowl. But football history reveals a different outcome.

     Doug Peterson, head coach of the Eagles, writes in his book, Fearless, how the team felt after Wentz’s injury. “When I walked into the team meeting on Tuesday [after Wentz’s injury], I could feel the room was down. The team was defeated, as if a family member had just passed away… I had a special message. They had to understand something and remember it: ‘One man can make a difference, but a team can make a miracle.’” Peterson indicated that his oldest son, Drew, saw those words on the background of a family photo in the basement of their home. The family never noticed it before. In the midst of the disappointment a son saw words his Dad needed to hear; words a coach believed a team needed to embrace. Peterson indicated that those words became the theme for the team the rest of the season. When Nick Foles stepped into the role of lead quarterback, he was playing with a group of men who embraced the belief that “a team can make a miracle.” The outcome was the team becoming Super Bowl LII champions.

     Our culture is infected with such individualistic attitudes that many have forgotten the necessity of operating as team – a unit. On one occasion a basketball team paid lots of money for superstars but they were not winning many games. A sportscaster wondered what was wrong. Another sportscaster suggested that they had lots of star players but no team.

     The sports arena is not the only place where this malady of individualism exists. In politics we see political parties not unifying to find solutions to national dilemmas. Instead they try to score victories for their individual parties. The result is political gridlock and national disgust as citizenry chafe under such ineptitude. In our culture we see people vying for individual rights and wants with little regard for the overall impact of such actions upon society in general. Even in the mundane functions of life i.e. how one drives a car, we see individualism rule over the wellbeing of others. Impatience controls driving decisions as one perceives another’s driving hindering their individual desire of getting home a few minutes sooner. Thus a person is passed unsafely, enhancing the potential for an accident.

     One place where individualism is most disappointingly apparent is in the operation of churches. This divine institution is described in the Bible with unifying terms like a body, a building, an army, a family, and other such pictures. Christ prayed for the disciples before he was crucified that, “They may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me…” (John 17:21-23). The emphasis of Christ was oneness, unity, a team of brothers and sisters united in love, functioning in unity, and moving toward a common purpose of glorifying God. Individualism promotes division as personal desires rule. What a violation of the biblical mandate, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). How different churches might be – fewer wars and divisions, more humility and mutual appreciation for another’s need, value, and contribution.

     If it is true that “a team makes a miracle,” then we need less emphasis upon our individual wants and desires and more upon our contribution that may enable our culture to successfully address the challenges of our age. We certainly could use a miracle!