NEIGHBORS: Those Ninevites around us!

"Then God said to Jonah, 'Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?' And he said, 'I have good reason to be angry, even to death.' Then the LORD said, 'You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?'"

Jonah 4:9-11

A couple attended a neighborhood wedding reception. While there they had a wonderful time conversing with a very polite young man. Eventually, he excused himself but was quickly replaced by a friend and neighbor. They apologized for not introducing the young man but admitted they didn’t know his name. “O’ that’s all right,” she said. “We already know him, he’s our son.”

This illustrates a problem of our time; frustrated with the sad state of our world we complain loudly yet insulate ourselves from our own neighbors. How can we expect our voice to be heard when we so uninvolved. This attitude is close to calling into question the very character of God (perhaps even his nature).

God has clearly told us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” [Matthew 22:39] He also provided the parable of the “good Samaritan” [Matthew 10:30-37] for the same reason. God wants us to know our neighbors.

Only when we sincerely seek the redemption of our fallen neighbors, rather than their capitulation to our world-view, will we understand how God is “slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness” [4:2] toward all men!

Only when we serve God unconditionally will we ever understand how God is “a gracious and compassionate God” [4:2] toward all men!

Jonah was a normal, everyday human being, from a normal common in life; but he was RUNNING FROM GOD. God was just not doing things the way Jonah wanted them done.

Jonah was living his life pretty much as God asked him to; but these Ninevites? AARRRGHHHH!!!!!!

Christianity, Illustrations,
Neighbors, Religion

MISSIONS: They don't know they've been set free!

"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?"

Romans 10:14

Unfortunately, modern man is much like the people of India following British rule for 300 years. Subsequent to independence, a group of sociologists entered India to determine the effect foreign domination had had on the people.

Village after village was studied, month upon month went by, and the results were startling. The "people" of India were not only unaware the British had departed … they were unaware the British had been there in the first place.

Indians were born, lived, and died without ever knowing their sovereign lived in London, thousands of miles away.

People today are born, live out their lives, and die … not ever knowing their Sovereign lives in heaven across an infinite divide. How will they know their sovereign has provided a Deliverer unless someone is sent to tell them?

Christianity, Illustrations,
Missions, Religion

COOPERATION: Synergy for Jesus!

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."

Galatians 6:7-10

One of our sons works evenings for United Parcel Service (UPS), one of the world’s largest, express package handlers. UPS has a unique assistance program called the Athlete Training Assistance Program (ATAP). ATAP helps American athletes, in training for national and international competitions, by providing them a job balanced against their demanding training and competition schedules.

Eugene Swift (110m high hurdles), a Human Resources supervisor in Oakland, California, and Tongula Givens (triple jump), a part-time, smalls sorter in UPS’s East Carolina District, are both examples of employees who benefit from ATAP; both have their sights set on the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

UPS recognizes the tremendous public relations benefit that accumulates from ATAP’s goodwill and novelty.

[Adapted from “Newsmakers,” InsideUPS, Sarah Zimmerman Ed., December 1999, 12,13.]

Large churches and parachurch ministries ought to take a look at UPS’s ATAP. Many God-gifted athletes [as well as those from other fields] go begging in order to find the right combination of employment, training, and competition. Many are also raising families, or would like to. Why does it appear that only secular institutions take advantage of such unique and wonderful outreach (public relations) tools?

Why couldn’t one of the many full-time, paid employees of a large mission organization (say the Southern Baptist’s International Missions Board) or a large church (say Willow Creek or the Crystal Cathedral) be a committed Christian athlete? Why shouldn’t God be glorified in such a novel way? Why shouldn’t athletes from other nations be struck with the multifaceted outreach of the Christian community in this affluent United States of America?

Seems to me the hero of the movie Chariots of Fire was an athlete; and, if I remember correctly, The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association used to distribute a movie about a well-known Christian runner. What great testimonies these and others have provided to us. But I must ask, where was the church when they were testifying?

Maybe I’m just dreaming.

Christianity, Cooperation,
Illustrations, Religion

EVANGELISM: Of Cowardice and Courage!

During our great Civil War (a.k.a. The War Between the States) those who had the money or the influence could hire surrogates to go to war in their place. It was one of the vilest corruptions of patriotism ever committed by American men during a time of national crisis.

No one knows how many lost their lives as the result of this form of cowardice.

Paul speaks of the church being at war; in a variety of places he makes the point that we are in the Lord’s army. Christ on the other hand emphasized the need for soul-winning.

The surrogate and cowardly mentality that existed among men during The War Between the States exists today in the war between good and evil. Men and women alike send surrogates, using money and influence to avoid their own personal responsibility. The practice remains one of mankind’s vilest inventions.

No one knows how many have lost their lives as the result of this form of cowardice.

Christianity, Illustrations, Religion

WORLDVIEW - From where you're standing you can't see what I see!

WHAT’S BEHIND DOOR NUMBER ONE? [2 Corinthians 6:13-18; Culture, Others, Outreach, Perspective, Separation]

A couple drove several miles down a country road, not saying a word. An earlier conversation had resulted in an argument; now, neither party would concede their position.

As they passed a pig farm with several mules in a nearby pen, the husband asked sarcastically, “Relatives of yours?”

“Yep,” the wife quickly replied, “In-laws!”

This illustrates how two people, viewing the same scene, can see two entirely different things.

How we look at things (our prejudices, presuppositions; our knowledge or ignorance) determines our position on issues and our attitudes toward others.

If two people walked into a room from opposite doorways and found a man holding out a ball, between thumb and forefinger, and where asked what they saw, both parties would say, “A ball!”

However, if asked to describe the ball one might say, “It’s a white ball.” While the other might say, “It’s a black ball.” If prodded for more details, one might say, “It’s a hard, white, cue ball,” while the other might say, “It’s a soft, black bouncy ball.” How can this be? There’s only one ball, yet they both describe it differently.

The fact is the ball is half-black and half-white … both people are correct from their point-of-view (i.e., they approached the object through different doorways). Additionally, each person’s data retrieval system did a search for information on balls: one white ball, the other black balls … they each answered based on their knowl-edge (aka: prejudice).

Life is like that. If we approach a subject (e.g., politics or religion) with a presuppositional belief in abso-lute truth, existence of a sovereign God and His creative power (something out of nothing), our view may be decidedly different from that of our neighbor. Why? Because he approaches the same subject through the presup-positional lens of a belief in relativism, the ascendancy of man, and the ‘big-bang” theory; each of these is covered with his life experiences like icing on a cake.

Take any subject and you will find those with whom you interact holding view-points varying from your own.

Now, instead of a man holding the ball in the middle of the room, assume it hangs by a string from the ceiling. Instead of a rectangular room, assume a circular room. Instead of just two doors, assume an indetermin-able number of doors around the inside circumference.

Finally, assume the other person is free to enter any door in the room; you, however, always enter through the same door (assuming your beliefs are fairly stable). Now, take notice of the following phenomena:

1. If he enters the same door you entered, his view of the object should be the same as yours.
2. If he enters the door exactly opposite yours, his view will be a polar opposite of yours (if yours is righteous, his will be unrighteous; if his is conservative, yours will be liberal; rigid versus flexible; knowledge-based versus ignorance-based; and so on).
3. The closer to your door he enters the room, the greater the similarity between views … that is, the more common ground you have.
4. If the object changes, someone whose views were only slightly different than your own will, more likely than not, enter through a different door on the new subject (aka: issue).
5. Notice, between divergent viewpoints: a.) the greatest possible good is accomplished when there is common ground; b.) the least hope for accomplishment is when there is no common ground; and c.) the least efficient scenario is when there is common ground, but one or both parties is determined to work on uncommon soil.

Every institution known to man, especially the church, would benefit from this insight.

Divergent world-views certainly do separate people, but Christians must not fear engagement with the enemy. The “whole armor of God” protects us; and besides, God’s “grace is sufficient” for every contingency. And, as Paul told Timothy, “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” [2 Timothy 1:7]

You would be right if you said, “This sounds good but it sounds too much like psychology. Who’s to say one view is better than the other? Isn’t this too much like relativism?” Yes, it is, if all we have is the stage and the two actors; only the stronger of the two has any hope of prevailing.

However, someone hung the ball on the string (The String-hanger/God). This someone knows whose view is the right one; if you’re a true believer, so do you!

For those who practice the doctrine of absolute separation this insight holds no value; but for those who grasp the meaning of the Parable of the Good Neighbor (aka: Samaritan) [Luke 10:25-37] and Paul’s words in about “others” [Philippians 2:3-7] much can be done to woe people to “The Door.” [John 10:1-18]

Relationships

Love Thy Neighbor [Leviticus 19:18]

Connie Cavanaugh relates how her sister, during a dozen moves, practiced the neighborly custom of introducing herself to her new neighbors. She was also faithful in welcoming other newcomers.

During one rather hectic recent move, Lisa neglected meeting her new neighbors. She rationalized that it was just a rental house and that she could do better when they moved into their permanent home. Besides, there was only one neighbor anyway ... “the big, scruffy fellow ... who was always puttering in his yard in baggy overalls.” His wife was housebound with a newborn.

Winter hit with a vengeance. One really bad December day, her husband at the office, Lisa was just barely able to get the kids off to school.

Finding herself with a free moment she sat down to enjoy a second cup of coffee and scan the morning paper. The headlines reported a very horrifying and graphic story of home invasion. The victim, a woman home alone, was beaten and robbed. Shaken, Lisa prayed for the woman and her family.

Suddenly, she heard footfalls on the porch; the doorbell rang. Assuming it was her sister frozen in the Arctic weather, she rushed to the door and flung it open.

Filling the doorway was a giant stranger, handsomely dressed and smelling of cologne. “My car won’t start. Can you give me a boost?” he thundered. Lisa mind flashed to this morning’s headline, remembering the criminal had used a ruse to gain entry. She grew lightheaded.
She said something about not having cables. He responded, “I’ve got my own. I just need your car. Give me the keys, I’ll do it myself.” He stepped through the open door, smirking and acting oddly familiar.

Grasping at straws she blurted out, “Ask the guy next door; he’s a landscaper ... he’s always hanging around the house. And he’s very big!” The latter just for insurance.

“That house?” the stranger asked, looking over his shoulder.

“Right there,” Lisa trembled.

“Ask the guy who lives there?” The brute mocked, as if he didn’t understand the first time.

“Yes!” She whined emphatically. “I’m sure he’s home.”

To which the monster retorted, “But, Lisa, I am that guy!”

We need to get to know neighbors before we love them.

[Connie Cavanaugh, “The thug next door;” On Mission, a publication of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention; Vol. 2, No. 3, July-August 1999, 29]

SOWING: We're the field hands in the Harvest field of eternity.

FIRST SOW, THEN REAP [Galatians 6:6, 7]

A Wycliffe Bible Translators radio program in Peru is now supported by the tribe it sought to reach, the Huntington Beach, California-based ministry said.

A few years ago a U.S. visitor gave co-translators Pushpi and Yepo, members of the Huaylas Quechua tribe, money to use however they saw fit. They used it to air a weekly radio program in their native language, Quechua. The program, “Alli wallaqu i,” means “good news” and features Scripture reading. After airing the show for two months, Pushpi and Yepo began to say their good-byes to their audience because funding had nearly run out.

Letters, many containing contributions, began to pour in. One girl sold a sheep she had raised and donated the money. Other offerings and letters of appreciation continued to arrive. “This isn’t a program just for Catholics or just evangelicals,” one Quechua man wrote. “It teaches us God’s Word. It’s for everyone.”

A 10-year-old boy said his whole neighborhood listens because it helps them reflect on their lives and “re-teaches us according to God’s Word.” The program is fully supported by the Quechua people.

NOT BEFORE THEIR TIME: [Luke 8:4-8]

You ever garden? I love growing tomatoes - store tomatoes are just awful things, barely suitable for human consumption. I usually grow tomatoes from sprouts I buy at the nursery. Growing tomatoes from seed is a lot of hard work, particularly heirloom varieties, and unless you nurse them like your firstborn, most of your sprouts just won't survive. Often by the time you get good sprouts its too late in the season to get a good crop.

I think that is instructive about how we do church these days. We work so very hard to sprout 'em - but we lose so many of them. And those that try so desparately to grow never seem to find the soil to do it in, good sprouts often die for lack of being transplanted at the proper time. (added 30 March 2006)

HT: Blogotional