“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Recently I listened to an “unconversion” story. A man, whose name is Roger, accepted (or felt he did) Christ when he was 16, married a woman who was a Christian (or felt she was) when in their 20’s, got involved in the church, went through some marital problems, rejected their faith, and became atheists. It was a sad story, but one I am sure happens with some frequency and for the same reasons that Roger mentioned as he told his story.

I would say that it boiled down to two main reasons for him. The main reason was that he had never met anyone who seemed to live as though he or she had a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. Secondly, he just could not reconcile the idea of a loving God and the violence that exists in the world and in the Bible. Both are common objections, but today I would like to share some thoughts on the first. The second will come up unexpectedly in a future devotion, I am sure.

The Apostle Paul left us the admonition in Romans 12:2 and it leaves little doubt that our lives should change once we are filled with the Holy Spirit. In Roger’s “unconversion” story  said that he had never met a “transformed” Christian.  He believed that there were good Christians and bad Christians, good atheists and bad atheists, and a whole bunch of good and bad people in between. He said he had never seen a Christian who lived like he or she had a personal relationship with the great God of the Bible. He had never seen “miracles” that could not be naturally explained or seen lives that were radically different because of a spiritual relationship with Christ. Even though he had spent almost 30 years in the church, he had always had his doubts and finally gave up on ever finding convincing evidence that Christianity had any advantages over any other life choice.

It was sad to listen to him. It was sad for him because so much of what he experienced was not my experiences in the church.  But I was also sad because at times I understood what he was saying.  If, as Christians, we do have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe, our lives should be radically different, not only from what they used to be before we knew Christ, but from the rest of the world. Too often- they are not. When the Apostle Paul addressed the Christians in Rome he was encouraging them to not only act different but to be different. Conforming and transforming are totally different concepts and until we, as believers, get a hold of this principle of a Christ-filled life, many more will leave the faith for lack of evidence in individuals who call themselves Christians.

On the CRU site (formerly Campus Crusade) there is a wonderful page of testimonies (http://www.cru.org/how-to-know-god/my-story-a-life-changed.html) from people who have had their lives changed by Christ. Some of the stories are incredibly moving and others very dramatic, but all tell of lives left behind in exchange for new ones. The Roger in our story would say that he doesn’t deny that some people change, but that the same things happen in all kinds of religions, clubs, and groups. He believes that Christianity doesn’t have a corner on the “changed life” market. His belief is that if someone is changed by Christ and someone is changed by being in the Lion’s Club there should be a difference between the two. One involves the great Creator and the other involves a bunch of guys that do good deeds for needy children. Yet, he says, being involved in groups seems to be as an effective life changer as being a Christian. He is right- in part.

There was once a man who had a very important meeting and needed some last minute cleaning done with his suit.  He went to a store that said, “One-Hour Dry Cleaners.”

“I need this in an hour,” he told the clerk.

She said, “I can’t get this back to you until Thursday.”

“I thought you did dry cleaning in an hour?”

“No,” she replied, “That’s just the name of the store.”

Too often “Christian” is just a name to believers, not a way of life.   They might wear the signs of Christianity: crosses, gospel hats, Bible verse t-shirts, but once you step inside their lives you find out that these are signs only. Not reality. Midway through the book of Acts believers took on the name Christian so they might be identified with the one they identified with.

Alexander the Great, one of the greatest military generals who ever lived, conquered almost the entire known world with his vast army. One night during a campaign, he couldn’t sleep and left his tent to walk around the campgrounds. As he was walking he came across a soldier asleep on guard duty – a serious offense. The penalty for falling asleep on guard duty was, in some cases, instant death; the commanding officer sometimes poured kerosene on the sleeping soldier and lit it.

The soldier began to wake up as Alexander the Great approached him. Recognizing who was standing in front of him, the young man feared for his life. “Do you know what the penalty is for falling asleep on guard duty?” Alexander the Great asked the soldier.

“Yes, sir,” the soldier responded in a quivering voice.

“Soldier, what’s your name?” demanded Alexander the Great.

“Alexander, sir.”

Alexander the Great repeated the question: “What is your name?”

“My name is Alexander, sir,” the soldier repeated.

A third time and more loudly Alexander the Great asked, “What is your name?”

A third time the soldier meekly said, “My name is Alexander, sir.”

Alexander the Great then looked the young soldier straight in the eye. “Soldier,” he said with intensity, “either change your behavior or change your name.”

We are Christians and there may be times that God is calling us to change our behavior or change our names.  If our behavior leads men like Roger to flee the faith, we should reconsider what our behavior is.

There should be a difference between Christians and the rest of the world. I disagree, however, that no one lives that transformed life. I know many people who illustrate a renewed life, but Roger is right- it is not as typical as it should be.

Next week we will continue our discussion of Roger’s “unconversion” and how we can live lives that point others to Christ rather than to the world.  Stay tuned!

“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.” 1 Timothy 1:17

1 Timothy 1:17 gives us several important reasons why we should worship God.  In a world that wants to worship everything but God, we can thank Paul that he gave us some very concise reasons why there is only one worth worshipping in our universe.  No other small “g” gods can match the attributes of our big “G” God because all others are fake gods.  There was a toy years ago which was call a Build-a-Bear.  This small stuffed animal could be built to be anything. If a young Child wanted a grandfatherly bear, he could get one with glasses, whiskers, and a cane.  If a child wanted a policeman bear, he could get one with a uniform, hat, and billy club.  Any kind of bear someone wanted he could get.  Well, today many ascribe to a Build-a-God model.  Do you see God as a kind teetering old man that gives you whatever you want.  Maybe you see God as the enforcer wielding his billy club at a moments notice to keep you in line.  In this day and age we tend not to worship God for what He is, but what we want him to be.  So the question today is not so much how we should worship God but why.

We should worship God, first of all, because he is the King Eternal. He always has been and always will be the sovereign King of the universe. He has never relinquished His throne and will never relinquish His throne. He is the King over America and the is King over the rest of the world. He is not only the King of this century, but he was King in every century proceeding. He has been King and will be King throughout eternity. He truly is the King eternal.

We should worship God, secondly, because he is the King Immortal. Paul uses the same Greek word here as Peter uses to describe our “incorruptible” inheritance in heaven (1 Peter 1:4). As we look around us everything we see is degrading. The planet is degrading, our bodies are degrading (boy, do I know it), and the whole universe is degrading. Not only will God last forever, but he will never decay or diminish even one little bit. He remains unchanged throughout all time. He is imperishable in his essence and in his existence, in his character and in his longevity.

Thirdly, We should worship God because he is the King Invisible. There is a story about a father who asked his son what he was drawing. Without looking up the boy said, “God.”

His father smiled and responded, “But nobody knows what God looks like.”

His son kept coloring and said, “They will in a minute.” We don’t know what God looks like, but why should invisibility be an attribute that leads to worship? As humans we often equate realness with what we can see or touch, but we know we cannot touch feelings, yet we know they exist. How much more wonderful it is to have a Person of the godhead who is not restricted in movement or time. Contrary to what our senses tell us, God is more real than anything that we can see or touch because his existence is not limited in any way. We are told in the Word that we cannot gaze upon God’s glory because He is impossible to look at. If we were to look upon Him, we would die. We can thank God that He is invisible to us so that we can enjoy His glory without danger.

Finally, we should worship God because he is the only God All-knowing. We can create a god of our own, but if we do so, we will create a god that we can understand. When we create a god, we then are above the god we have created. That’s why so many create their own gods because they can handcraft them to be what they want them to be. The one true God has not been crafted by our own invention. Every god other than the God of the Bible is contrived and allows (or more rightly makes) man try to reach him. Man wants to create gods because he likes to think he is able to do something to “reach” God. But that is impossible. For one, it is impossible to reach a non-existent god, and  two, it is impossible to reach, on our own, the true God of the universe. Our God is the only one who has reached down to us, through His Son, and He loved us enough to freely give us a relationship with Him. He is the all-wise God and all true wisdom comes from him, and so all true praise should go to him.

We should not try to craft God into what we want him to be. When we do that, we are trying to change a God who cannot be changed, so we are in essence creating a new non-existent god. A god like that has none of the attributes we see in the above verse in 1 Timothy because he exists no where but in our own minds. If we worship that god, we are in essence worshipping ourselves. Choosing between worshipping ourselves and worshipping the one true and mighty creator of the universe is, as they say, a “no-brainer.”

“The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord.”  Isaiah 29:19

Meekness is not a momentary decision, but a way of life. It is an intentional daily decision to set our own desires aside and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  Someone has described biblical meekness as “putting the bit in your own mouth and handing the reigns over to God.” It is an humble attention to and acceptance of the will of God. 

Meekness is not making ourselves part of the Doormat Club.  J. Upton Dickson was a fun-loving fellow who founded a group for submissive people.  It was called the DOORMATS. That stood for “Dependent Organization Of Really Meek And Timid Souls – if there are no objections.”  Their motto was: “The meek shall inherit the earth – if that’s okay with everybody.”  Their symbol was the yellow traffic light! Although this was a tongue-in-cheek mythical club, it shows the way that many people view meekness.

Meekness is often mistaken for weakness, but those two things are much different.  Where weakness is a lack of strength, meekness actually a show of great strength under God’s control.  Meekness without God might very well be weakness, but in God’s hands it is powerful beyond understanding.  Cultures have been often influenced by the meekness of great men and women. Hearts have been changed.  Circumstances have been controlled. Pain has been alleviated.  Meekness in the eyes of the wise will never be seen as anything less than what it is- it is inner strength that leads to gentleness. 

The strongest man to ever walk this earth was Christ, yet His absolute trust in God resulted in the greatest sacrifice anyone has ever given. Meekness is a balm that heals when revenge cannot.  Our flesh will seek our own desires, but the meek will seek the desires of others.  Meekness is great faith, great commitment, and great determination to follow in the steps of Christ. 

Christ did not weakly go to the cross. His trip to the cross was the most courageous act of all time. But He faced it accepting the will of the Father. We too, are required on a daily basis to live a meek life before God.  When God requires sacrifice, meekness trusts completely and gives willingly.  When God demands obedience, meekness ignores selfish desires, crucifies personal ambition, and performs joyfully the good will of God.  When God demands forgiveness we forego our desire to satisfy our deep desires for vengeance.  When we desire to do what would please us, meekness allows us to do what is pleasing to God.

A young Christian from Africa had the opportunity to attend a Christian college and was being shown around the campus by the college president.  When the president asked him where he would like to live, the young man replied, “If there is a room that no one wants, give that room to me.”  That touched the president deeply because after years of showing prospective students around campus, that is the first time he had ever heard those words.  Everyone knows that our treatment of others can be the big bridge between the gospel of Christ and a lost world. 

Our heartfelt actions that put others first are powerful examples of who Christ is and what He can do in our lives.   How would it effect those who don’t know God to hear from those who do know God things like, “If there is a job that no one wants to do, I’ll do that job,” or “If there’s a kid that no one wants to eat lunch with, I’ll eat with him,’” or “If there’s a parking space that’s further out, I’ll park in that space,” or  “If someone needs to stay late to clean-up, I will stay,” or “If there is not enough room, I can just take the next bus.” 

In essence, we are telling the world without bragging or expecting anything back, “If there’s a sacrifice someone needs to make, I’ll make that sacrifice.”  God knows that the joy of the meek will continually increase. Meekness can nourish rather than deplete.  The meek can find comfort in personal circumstances that the weak cannot.  The meek’s happiness is not derived from fleeting popularity; their fulfillment does not come from public success; their pleasure is not obtained in vengeance or revenge. 

The meek know when to advance and when to step back. The meek will stand strong when they should and not just when it feels good. There’s a scene in the movie Gladiator where the Emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius, asks Maximus to be his successor instead of his power-hungry son.  When asked if he would accept this great honor, Maximus says, apologetically, “With all my heart, no.”

“Maximus,” the emperor replies, “that is why it must be you!” Maximus’ humble rejection of power made him the right man for the job. 

The greatest leaders are those who do not seek personal power, but seek to put those around them ahead of them.  Some psychologists think that “power poses” can give us confidence and energy.  When we stand up tall with our chest out and feet spread it is a show of great strength (think of superman) to those around us.  Ironically, one of the most recent well-known poses carried more power than the super hero stance that psychologists talk about.  Tim Tebow affected more people with a pose on bended knee than anyone could with a puffed out chest.  It is not how we stand that sends a message, it is how we live. 

Anyone can stand in a way that conveys a picture of power, but only a few can live in a way that illustrates real power.  God calls us to  “Humble (ourselves), therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift (us) up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Meekness allows us to step aside and to remember that “(we) can do everything through Christ, who gives (us) strength” (Philippians 4:13). 

President Lincoln, a strongly spiritual man, was ridiculed quite often for his appearance, but he took it in stride. Once when he heard that an opponent was calling him “two-faced” Lincoln replied, “if I had two faces, would I be wearing this one!” One of his staunchest opponents was Edwin Stanton, who often referred to Lincoln as a gorilla.  After Lincoln was elected he selected Stanton as Secretary of War over the protests of many.  Lincoln, however, understood Stanton’s brilliant mind and would not allow Stanton’s previous insults to stand in the way of appointing the best man to the job. 

Lincoln had a host of “enemies” that he placed in positions of responsibility because they were the men necessary for the times.  Lincoln did not let petty grudges keep him from doing what was best for the country. That kind of meekness is why Lincoln is considered one of our greatest presidents.

The meek find their joy in The Lord- their trust of The Lord.  As the meek trust God more, the more they have of Him, the more they have of Him, the more they know of Him, the more they know of Him, the more their joy is increased, and the more their joy is increased, the more they understand the difference between weakness and meekness- the more they understand how to be strong but not wrong.

Without Christ we will always be confused about what meekness truly is. Without Christ we will constantly be guessing what to do in any given situation. It is thought by many that meekness robs us of nobility, but I would say that it is the very essence of nobility. Nothing more noble has ever been done than Christ’s humble sacrifice on the cross. Nothing has taken more strength. 

God did not say the weak would inherit the earth, but He did make another promise. 

I think we all know what that was.  Be meek this week.

“My salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior” 2 Samuel 22:3

David had sought refuge in the mountains countless times while being hunted by King Saul. He knew both the discomfort of being exposed and vulnerable, and the peace of being safely tucked away in a strong fortress. Now David, as an old man remembers the many times God came to his rescue, and he writes a hymn of praise to God. Whether sitting in a cave or a palace, David calls God his salvation, his tower, his refuge.

We need a refuge as well. Most of us will not be hunted by those who want to kill us or probably won’t even find ourselves in life-threatening situations, but what about the battles we face against our own desires? Do we have a safe place to go when we realize that there are things that darken our day both of our own making or the making of others? Do we try to face the daily enemies on our own, or do we turn to God for strength and protection.

David was a very complicated man. When he sought refuge in God, God cared for him. When he tried to do things on his own, God left him on his own. That will happen to us. When David stood before the giant Goliath he stood without any worldly armor. Goliath wore the greatest armor the world had to offer (the biggest as well); yet, David faced him confidently, saying: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hosts the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou have defied.” David with the armor of God was safe, and Goliath, in his worldly armor, was not. David did not doubt he was in a battle because he stood on a battlefield. What David forgot later on was what we have to remember every day. The world is a battlefield.

When David stood on his rooftop and saw Bathsheba, I am sure he felt that he was not facing an enemy like Goliath. But he was. He did not think of the rooftops as battlefields. But they were. He knew that Goliath was out to destroy him, so David prepared himself. He donned the armor of the Lord and sought strength from His presence. He needed to armor up when he saw Bathsheba as well, but he did not. He did not seek refuge in the Lord, but in his own lusts. In 2 Samuel 11 we see David’s weakness, “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.” (2 Samuel 11:2-3) In the case of Goliath David recognized the battle he was in, but he refused to see the battle with his own lusts, so he went into the battle alone.

When temptations surround us and threaten our life of peace, we need a place of refuge where we can feel the presence God’s strength. But, unfortunately, sometimes we, too, try face our battles on our own. We don’t go to God for our armor, but rely on ourselves and consequently go into our battles naked and vulnerable. We cannot be a refuge for ourselves. David’s strength did not come from the cave in which he hid or slings that he carried. His high tower, his refuge, his strength was in The Lord. Without The Lord no cave could have hidden him and no sling could have protected him.

There is the story of a little boy who was crossing a busy street with his father. The little boy lost his footing and the father just lifted his feet off the ground and continued the last few feet with the boy dangling by one arm. When they finally got to the sidewalk, the little boy said, “I hanged on, Daddy.” Yes, he had, but the key was that the father “hanged on” to him. God hangs on to us. We are too weak on our own and when we need him our grip will tell God that we want Him to hang on to us. On our own, we cannot do it. On our own we will fall. On our own we will fail. In God’s grip we will prevail.

Micah 7:7-8 are wonderful verses. In the first six verses in Micah 7, the author speaks of how bleak everything is, but then he says this: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Israel Will Rise Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” If you have ever seen a Rocky movie, these verses will be at the moment that the music starts to blare and Rocky decides he can win and starts training like a maniac. When we reach the point in our lives when God truly becomes our refuge and strength in times of trial, we will not stay fallen.

Years ago a tale is told of a man who was sitting next to a preacher on a train. The man was bemoaning the fact that in spite of being a Christian things were not going well and he was considering leaving the faith. The preacher took out a pen knife and said he could make it stand on its point on his Bible in the rocking train. The man waited for the man to take his finger away from the knife, but he didn’t. “That is no trick,” he said, “you have not let go of the knife.”

“Of course not,” the preacher replied,”a knife cannot stand on its point on a rocking train without being held.”

The man looked at him for a moment and said, “I see; you mean that I cannot stand unless Christ holds me. Thank you for reminding me.”

We cannot stand on our own. This world is rocking with difficulties and we will not stay upright. We can say we will. We can make promises and try to keep them, but that won’t work. Instead we need something to keep us. That something is the strength of the Lord.

So when we are assailed by an army of difficult circumstances that threaten our peace, we must go to the only One who provides true safety. People have tried other refuges. The world advertises them all the time. But none are lasting, none are effective, none are truly safe. Jesus Christ is a strong tower, a refuge into which we can run and find true armor. He awaits our arrival in times of distress. There is no enemy too big or need too small. He surrounds us with His weapons, His army, His safe haven. No matter how bleak the situation may seem, this refuge will last, this tower will hold, the Savior will save.

Satan must love the teeter-totter theology of the Christian churches today.  I remember a day last year at Camas when I had to go to the gym and on the way I passed the playground. Two of the little kids were sitting on the teeter-totter trying to balance perfectly.  One would scoot up a little while the other would scoot back.  Try as they might, they just couldn’t get it right.  One of the kids was quite a bit larger and the teeter tottered that direction most of the time.  Watching them try to get the board balanced just right was somewhat comical.  Unfortunately, watching churches trying to get to a balanced theology is not quite as humorous.

The  balance we should be trying to seek is somewhere between essential and non-essential doctrines.  Unfortunately, we have liberal churches that are light on the essentials and conservative churches that are heavy on the non-essentials.  Somewhere between those extremes is the balancing point that Satan hates.  Unfortunately, because churches tend toward theology on far ends of the spectrum, Christians are hard-pressed to find places to worship that are theologically balanced.  

Many churches water down essentials to fill the pews and others wield unessentials like a club to force unnecessary behavior.  Satan gleefully roots for both sides to continue their off-balance teetering and tottering. In Proverbs 11:1 we read,  “A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.”  In ancient times stones of perfect weight were used on scales to get precise measurements.  When someone would slip a larger stone on the scales it would throw off the legitimacy of the measurement. Churches which add unnecessary weight to the Christian life or ones who take necessary weight away, do an injustice to the gospel.  It is exhausting for most people trying to reach a balance. Those two boys on the playground were pretty tired by the time they were finished and they never did get it right.

There is an old story that has Satan walking with one of his own demons and they see a man stoop down and pick up a shiny object.  The demon asked what it was.  Satan told him that it was a piece of truth.  “Doesn’t that bother you?” the demon asked.

“No,” answered Satan.  I will let him keep it and he will make a religion out of it.”

There are so many religions in the world and all of them pull some truth out of the hat to draw a crowd, but we can set them aside in this discussion.  The real concern is with churches which purport to have the truth and it have muddled it up by building their membership on non-essentials or doctrine-light. There are some essentials that every Christian church needs to embrace and other tenants we need to approach with mercy.  Churches cannot be built on hairstyles any more than they can be built on a wishy-washy Word that stands for little and accepts everything.  In this day and age there is pushback against anyone who sides with truth.  Relativism is becoming a religion on its own and as believers, we need to stand against it.  There are some parts of doctrine that cannot be compromised.  But how do we know what they are?

There is a statement that almost all Christians agree on- “Essentials, unity; non-essentials, liberty; and in all things charity.”  Where they do not agree on is what is essential and non-essential.  Lists of the essentials vary from two to fourteen, so how are we to know what is truly essential?  

First of all,  the essentials must be predicated on salvation.  Many beliefs might be essential for sanctification, but not for salvation.  First Corinthians 10:23 says “Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up.”  Although we are positionally sanctified (sometimes called justification) when we accept Christ, we go through the process of sanctification or maturing in the Lord through obedience to the Word. There may be room to move on what many think are the essentials for maturity, but all churches should agree on the essentials for salvation. If they waver there they will waver everywhere.

As Christians we need to know the foundations of our faith.  Unfortunately, we cannot just thumb through the yellow pages and just look under churches any more.  We need to be cautious about churches today and must check into their practices and statements of faith.  If we see a church called the Supernatural Church of the Light or Whole Body Believers or Church of the Mind, we can guess that they are not scriptural.  But even a church as innocent sounding as First Baptist needs to be tested.  More and more often churches are weighing down the teeter-totter with their own agendas.  Before we can tell whether a church is being truthful, we need to know the truth.  That can only come through a study of God’s Word.

So what are the essential doctrines?  We will go into the specific ones next week.  In writer-speak this is called a “cliffhanger.”  I hope your will be able to sleep past the anticipation, but here is a clue to give you some rest.  Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

I listened to the well-known apologist Norman Geisler on the radio, and he had a really interesting testimony.  He was raised in a home that was not only god-neutral, but god-opposed.  His father was an ex-catholic and his mom was an ex-Lutheran, and both had very adverse feelings toward anything religious due to bad experiences.  As a matter of fact, they refused to be married in a church, due to their negative attitudes toward anything smacking of God.

At the age of nine Norman was invited to a local vacation Bible school and his mom allowed him to go, probably expecting him to get enough negative religion to inoculate him for life.  That was not the case.  It began four hundred straight rides to Sunday school in a van piloted by a husband and wife team who talked about Jesus every single trip.  At the age of 17 he made a decision to follow Christ and when he made his decision known to his mother she told him if he talked any more about Jesus in her house she would kill him.  He quoted  Philippians 1:12: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  His mother realized he was serious about his faith and said no more that day.

His mother could see the inevitable and though neither of his parents agreed with his decision, he went onto Bible college.  He went to college because his church had a strong evangelistic bent and he realized he did not understand his faith well enough to support it.  He graduated from college and his mother’s pride came out when she baked him a cake with  Philippians 1:12 on it.  She wasn’t on board, but she was at least not trying to throw him overboard.

Norman went on to earn two BAs, a PHD, a doctorate and to author over 70 books.  What makes this more amazing was  that he could not read when he left high school.  What is even more amazing was that his mother accepted Christ over 30 years later and his father shortly after.  They were both in their early 80s.

As I listened to these stories something jumped out at me.  Sticktoitiveness.  First of all, I love that word.  Sticktoitiveness (sometimes written stick-to-it-ive-ness)  is defined as dogged perseverance; resolute tenacity.  What a great way to describe the main people in Norman Geisler’s  testimony.  Two Sunday school teachers drove a young man to Sunday school over 400 times in a eight-year period.  A young man who couldn’t read eventually earned four degrees and became a well-known pastor and author.  Finally, a son prayed for unbelieving parents for over 30 years and eventually saw them come to the Lord late in life.  This kind of perseverance and tenacity runs contrary to the milquetoast image that many people have of Christians.  It speaks of the kind of attitudes we should have as believers in the risen Christ.

Paul appeals to us in Colossians 1:11-12 to “be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified (us) to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”   We have power to endure and the power to be patient and the power to be joyfully giving thanks throughout it all. We have this power because of the power which resides within us.  God never asks us to do what he has not equipped us to do and we have been equipped to do what this verse asks us to do.

Ray Kroc, the late founder of McDonalds, knew all about perseverance. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence” he once said. “Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent. Genius will not. Un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence, determination and love are omnipotent.”  Knowing that, there is no one who can equip us with persistence, determination, and love more than the author of these traits.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:13 we are told to “not grow weary in doing right.”  It was right for a couple to give a ride to a young man and for that young man to spend almost 20 years studying the Word of God and for that same young man to pray his parents into the body of Christ.  We need to realize that some things take time.  I have been been praying for certain friends for years.  I have one particular name on my list that has been there for more than 20 years.  If he comes to know the Lord will a few minutes a day for 20 years be worth it.  Certainly.  It was the perseverance of my younger brother’s witness that led me to the Lord.  I will be forever grateful for his persistence.

I do so much less than I should for God’s kingdom, but even in my weakness, God blesses sticktoitiveness.  He says to us “Stick with it.  I see you and I hear you.  Do not grow weary.  Do what is right. I will remain with you.”  Norman Geisler’s life in the Lord began with two tenacious people giving him rides and resulted in two loved ones accepting Christ late in life.  Had anyone given up along the way, who knows how lives would have been different.   God is patient with us and He never gives up.  That is His nature.  His nature should become ours.  As Winston Churchill said in one of his shorter speeches.  “Never, ever, ever, give up.”  I think he stole that line from God.

“I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.   “I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”      1 Corinthians 4:14-17

Last week I interrupted a three-part series on fatherly compassion, authenticity, and godly discipline.   Today we will be finishing up the series.  Thank for be patient with me taking the time to write about our late dog Buddy.  I think I had to reflect just a little bit about him after his passing. 

We have seen how important living by example is to Paul, it is not at all surprising then to see what he says in verse 17:  “…For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church…”

Paul not only says, “imitate me” but to help them do that, since he can’t personally be there, he sends Timothy because Timothy was a living, breathing example of someone who was already doing what Paul was now instructing the Corinthians to do.  He was imitating Paul. 

God sent Paul as an imitation of Christ and Paul sent Timothy as an imitation of him.  Sometimes we will be sent as well.

One father had a three-year-old daughter who was having trouble sleeping through the night. She’d often wake up several times in the night because she was afraid. Each time as he re-tucked her into bed, he would remind her that Jesus was with her and he would keep her safe.

Several nights in a row, she did this over and over again. Finally, one night, the dad asked her if she had prayed to Jesus to take her fear away and help her fall asleep.   Oh, yes,” she assured him. “I prayed to Jesus… and He told me to go and get you!” 

As imitators of Christ we will be called on often because sometimes people will need someone with skin on.

The third and final thing we are covering today is not only a fatherly compassion, and a fatherly authenticity, but also a father’s loving discipline:

“Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?”

You notice here that Paul is displaying some righteous anger.  Some people don’t understand what that means.  It means being angry at what makes God angry. Not just what makes us angry.   And “righteous anger” is the right word order, because God is not fundamentally angry. He is fundamentally righteous. God’s anger is a byproduct of his righteousness.  Righteousness must precede anger to fulfill the admonition to “Be Angry, but sin not”.   Here Paul, expressing his disappointment and showing that he is not afraid to say and do some hard things – if that becomes necessary.

There is a story about a man is being tailgated by a woman who is in a hurry.  He comes to an intersection, and when the light turns yellow, he hits the brakes.  The woman behind him goes ballistic.  She honks her horn at him; she yells her frustration in no uncertain terms; she rants and gestures.

While she is in mid-rant, someone taps on her window.  She looks up and sees a policeman.  He invites her out of the car and takes her to the station where she is searched and fingerprinted and put in a cell.   After a couple of hours, she is released, and the arresting officer gives her her personal effects, saying, “I’m very sorry for the mistake ma’am.  I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, using bad gestures and bad language.  

I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday School’ window sign, the Christian fish emblem on your trunk, and I naturally assumed you had stolen the car.”

The world gets pretty tired of people who have Christian bumper stickers on their cars, Christian fish signs on their trunks, Christian books on their shelves, Christian stations on their radios, Christian jewelry around their necks, Christian videos for their kids, and Christian magazines for their coffee tables but don’t actually have Jesus in their home or the love of Jesus in their hearts.

A person who is angry on the right grounds, against the right persons, in the right manner, at the right moment, and for the right length of time understands righteous anger.

Ephesians 6:4 warns: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  And. Colossians 3:21 says Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Anger in itself is not bad, but it should be kept in the back pocket and hard to reach. There is a reason the phrase “slow to anger” is in the Bible 22 times.

Years ago I wrote a devotional entitled “Every home needs a woodshed.” It was not that I was necessarily writing about spanking, but the idea was that parents should not spank at the scene of the crime. If a child does something that requires discipline, if the punishment is handed out right on the spot, emotion not discernment may determine the harshness of the of punishment.  A prayer walk to another location can often bring everything into prospective and maybe the spanking board of education may not even be necessary. 

When I was coaching I would tell my assistants that they must pat a player on the back 10 times before the coach could get into the player’s face.   The coach needed to purchase the right to chastise with  caring currency. 

In these last verses Paul shows his teeth a little bit. He is calling their bluff, by promising that he will come to see them soon. ”I will find out”, says Paul, “not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.”  You know that old phrase, “Just wait till your father gets home.”  That doesn’t usually mean, “because he has a half-gallon of ice cream for you.”  

Well, some the godly leaders in Corinth might have said after this letter, “Wait until your father Paul get home.”  Paul would be coming to them was to see if they had traded transforming Gospel power for poor worldly substitutes of Gospel power.  If they have, he is prepared to take harsh measures with them. And he is prepared to do that precisely because his love for the Corinthians was real and he was prepared to show it in ways that might cause them pain.

But that’s what love does.  When that time comes, Paul will have prayed himself into a greater understanding of what discipline is needed.  We can tell by the tone of this letter and all the others Paul wrote that his words were based on love.  

There was a young boy who had to go through some excruciating treatments to save his life and his parents and doctors explained that to the little boy.  At the end of the treatment the whimpering boy looked up at the doctor and said, “Thank you, doctor, for the hurting.”

Maybe many of the Corinthians said that to Paul, maybe many of our children will say that to us someday, and maybe many of us will say that to God someday.  Thank you for the hurting.

So, because Paul has a real relationship with the Corinthians, he threatens the “rod” – that is, harsh words and disciplinary actions, but hopes all the while that he will not have to use it.  He knows and we should know that a relationship that cannot endure rebuke is not a relationship, it’s merely an acquaintance, masquerading as a relationship. 

So he gives them the choice between harsh or gentle.  We have a choice as well.  Can we expect that God, who is a more loving Father than Paul, will sit idly by and watch as you and I continue down a wrong path?

Because he loves us, and has sent his son to save us, He will do whatever is necessary to bring us back when we stray.   Sometimes it is with the rod of discipline that brings us back.  And sometimes it is with the mere prospect of discipline, that calls us back. 

And if we respond, we can expect that He will receive us in a spirit of gentleness. 

As we disciple others, whether it is our children or someone else’s, we must partner with our heavenly Father to show compassion, authenticity, and godly discipline.

A LETTER TO DAD (author unknown)

There are so many things I’d like To tell you face to face;  I either lack the words or fail To find the time and place. 

But in this special letter, Dad, You’ll find, at least in part,  The feelings that the passing years Have left within my heart. 

The memories of childhood days And all that you have done,  To make our home a happy place And growing up such fun! 

I still recall the walks we took, The games we often played; Those confidential chats we had While resting in the shade. 

This letter comes to thank you, and, For needed words of praise; The counsel and the guidance, too, That shaped my grown-up days. 

No words of mine can tell you, Dad, The things I really feel;  But you must know my love for you Is lasting, warm and real. 

You made my world a better place, And through the coming years;  I’ll keep these memories of you  As cherished souvenirs. …

If we want to be fathers or mothers or mentors or disciple-makers we must model ourselves after our father in heaven.

I was supposed to give you the final  installment on 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 today, but I think I will  pick that up next week so that I can do something that is a bit different today.   I hope this is okay.

I am writing this at 4:00 in the morning (so pardon the mistakes) and I don’t think I will be going back to bed so I thought I could just get some feelings down on paper.  At about 2:30 this morning our beloved Buddy left us.  He was, of course, more than a dog.  He was family.   He was part of our kids and grandkids lives.   He was with us in good times and rough times and his love was always a comfort to us.   Buddy’s sweet nature was a constant in the swirling changes of our lives.  I can honestly say, Buddy never caused us any grief.  He was the kind of dog that everyone would want to have. 

We never had a fence, but he never left the yard unless he left with us.  He would sit on the deck or in the grass or by the garage and would stay there or somewhere close until  we called him.  He seldom barked at other dogs and was protective but polite to those who visited the house.   He gave a us a loving greeting every time we returned home.   Every one of the grandkids had accidental  falls, tugs, or rides on Buddy and he never gave it a thought.  He just got ready for the next time.

Before Buddy’s legs succumb to old age and cancer, he use to race back and forth with the neighbor dogs on the other side of the fence.  Long after Buddy wasn’t in racing form any more, if those dogs would bark, Elaine would say, “There’s your friends” and Buddy would always look longingly their way as if he was thinking of the wild runs of the past.  One of our granddaughters has a dog named Tucker who would visit once in awhile.  Even when Tucker wasn’t around Elaine would try to get Buddy to eat his food by saying,  “Better eat your food, Tucker will get it.”  It always worked, but I am pretty sure Buddy was actually training Elaine to say that!  (Buddy and Tucker)

We got Buddy when I was teaching in North Bend and Elaine split some of her time between  there and Winston.   Elaine did not want another dog after our shepherd-mutt Barkley passed away finally losing a battle with cancer.  But a little over a year later I went to Saving Grace (a dog rescue mission) on Christmas Eve to look for another companion protector for us- instead  I found a family member.  I walked into Saving Grace and all the dogs were loudly pleading their case but one.   Buster (that was his name then) just quietly sat there and drew me over to him with his polite manner, perked up ears, and  proud stance.

I knew this was the guy for us.   I told the girl who was in charge that I would like to take “Buster” home with me, but she informed me that he had not had his shots yet and I would have to wait until after Christmas.  That was so disappointing because I really wanted him to be a Christmas surprise for Elaine.  While I was standing there trying to figure out my next step, the back door swung open and in walked one of my previous students.   She said that when she was leaving work early to do some last minute shopping she passed me on the road and recognized my truck.  She then said that she was the one that gave the shots and she thought I might need her help if I picked out unvaccinated dog, so she turned around.  Her “hunch” was right.   At that time I did not understand how much God’s good providence would change our lives.

I loaded Buddy in the front seat and he sat there as though he had ridden there a hundred times. When I drove up to the house there was an instant that I saw in Elaine’s face the “I told you I did not want another dog”  expression, but her face quickly changed to, “this is a perfect dog for us.”  And he was.  He checked all the boxes.  Loving, obedient, good with  kids, protective but not scary, energetic but not out of control.  He was perfect.  Elaine forgave me faster than she ever had for one of my wrongdoings. 

Over the years Buddy (we changed his name on his arrival to the family) shared in every part of our lives.  He would go camping with us, he would travel to see the grandkids, he stayed in motels with us, he would go to my school on work days, he would travel with Elaine, he would take me on walks, and he would keep Elaine company when I was in North Bend and she was here.  He loved to ride in the back of the truck and would go with me to the dump, to Lowe’s, to Home Depot, and any other place he could coax me into.   He loved to have the wind blow in his face and when we got to our destination he would get so excited he would strain his chain to the breaking point! If I just touched the leash in the house he would jump up and down like a young pup.  He loved going places.

Buddy loved his treats and being called Bud-Dog and Bud-boy and Dork-dog by Elaine who had a special bond with him.  She would brush him time and time again and must have taken off hundreds of bags of fur through the years.   She would rub his ears and cool him down with wet towels if he got too hot.  The mission told us that Buddy had separation anxiety and from the day we got him he liked to keep one of the two of us in sight.  If Elaine was watering flowers Buddy would  move to stay close to her.  If I left the garage to cut wood, Buddy would be right behind me.  Even  when Buddy was on his death bed, he would turn his head to make sure he could see at least one of us. His love for us was as real as ours was for him.    

I could write a book on Buddy and maybe someday I will.   Buddy was a special dog not just for us, but for anyone who met him.  He loved everyone and everyone loved him.  When I took him to town he was a celebrity and had as many fans as a new-born baby.    There was not a time when I took him somewhere that someone didn’t remark  on his good looks and manners. 

Buddy was also a battler.  A little over a year ago he had cancer surgery and fought back from that.  It slowed him down, but he kept his Buddiness and was still the same dog we had known and loved for over twelve years.  A couple of months ago he had a stroke and was amazingly recovering from that.  He walked like he was on the deck of ship in high winds, but he got to where he needed to go. Occasionally, he would “fall” (more a slow sit down) but could usually get back up on his own with just a little bit of coaxing or the promise of a treat .  Unfortunately his health took a sudden downturn over the past four days and he became very weak.

Last night I was sleeping on a little bed next to Buddy and I suddenly woke up.  I sensed there was something  different .  I reached over and started to pet Buddy and he turned to look at me.  His eyes had a different look.   I stroked him a few times, told him I loved him, and he went to sleep for the final time.  I think he waited for me to wake up, so he would not be going alone.   I got Elaine and we spent time crying over a loss that will take a long time to get over.    Buddy taught Elaine and me a lot, but maybe most importantly was how to love unconditionally.  From that Christmas Eve night to his last night with us he was the same lovable, loyal, and loving dog.   If people could overlook mistakes by others the way Buddy overlooked our mistakes, this world would be a much better place.  

We buried him this morning at the end of the fence where he used to chase “his friends.”    He spent his life giving us joy.   Now it’s time for him to rest.

“I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”   1 Corinthians 4:16-17

Today I am continuing to use my Father’s Day sermon from two weeks ago as a framework for this week’s devotion. Our text is 1 Corinthians 4:14-21. Last week I spoke of the fatherly trait of compassion that all of us should illustrate to those under our care. This week we are not only reminded of a father’s compassion, but also a father’s authentic example – the testimony of Paul’s life was that he lived openly before them. He was what they saw.

Paul lived so transparently that he has the confidence to ask the Corinthians to use his life as a model for their own: “Therefore I urge you to imitate me….” Now, you may find those words to be pretty bold, even stunning. Imagine saying to somebody, “I want you to model your life on mine.” Could we say that to somebody? Would we? Why would Paul say something like this? Wouldn’t it be safer to say, “Imitate Christ”? Why does Paul take the risk? Why does he use himself as the primary example?

We need to remember that the epistle to the Corinthians was one of the earliest books written. People could not go to the local bookstore and read about Christ. The gospels were not even written yet. That is why the example of the apostles was so important at that time. God know that people need examples in their lives. That is why He sent Christ. That is why He sent Paul. That is why he sends us.

Every year I was coaching I gave my football or softball players a poem. I would read it to them and explain to them how impactful they were in the lives of they young kids who watched them. I would read it aloud mentioning some things along the way and I would change the boy to girl for my softball teams. Here is that poem:

There are little eyes upon you and they’re watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager to do anything you do;
And a little boy who’s dreaming of the day he’ll be like you.

You’re the little fellow’s idol, you’re the wisest of the wise.
In his little mind about you no suspicions ever rise.
He believes in you devoutly, holds all you say and do;
He will say and do, in your way when he’s grown up just like you.

There’s a wide-eyed little fellow who believes you’re always right;
and his eyes are always opened, and he watches day and night.
You are setting an example every day in all you do;
For the little boy who’s waiting to grow up to be just like you.

Author Unknown

If was very important to me that the players understood their influence on youngsters and I even extended the poem beyond athletics. I would talk about parenting and mentoring and modeling in their future. I would reflect back when I would watch Grants Pass Cavemen athletes when I was young and tried to be like them. I would stand by the gate when the football players would go into the game, come out at halftime, and after the game with the hope that one of them would slap my hand. Many did.

We had an all-league quarterback that was pigeon-toed. I can’t tell you the number of kids I saw that actually tried walking that way thinking it would improve their play. I looked up to players when I was young and surprisingly as I got older some kids looked up to me. We don’t have to tell others to imitate us, if they look up to us, they just will.

One day a father looked out his window to see his son trying to build a small shed in the back yard. It suddenly collapsed and the boy let out with a string of cuss words. The father ran out into the back yard and started demanding who had taught him those words. The boy looked at his father and said, “I learned them from you.” The old saying, “Do as I say, not as I do” is a formula for failure. What we do will always have more influence than what we say.

Do we have the confidence to ask others to imitate us. In fact, let each of us ask this question of ourselves. If everyone around us imitated us would your church be a better place. If they imitated our Bible reading, our prayer life, our service to others, our speech, our use of time, our dedication, our thought life… would your church a better place. It is something for all of us to think about.

Paul and the Apostles were the first copy of the New Testament that others had the chance to read, If our lives were the first glimpse of the Bible people around guys would they want to read further or say, “That book doesn’t interest me.”

The reason Jesus was the most influential man to walk the earth was because He was totally and completely authentic. He was everything that He said He was and He illustrated that in His every action. That is why He could say that anyone who believes He was who He said He was would have everlasting life. When we believe in Christ we believe He was the Messiah, God in the flesh, our Savior, our Redeemer and the only one Who can bring everlasting life. His realness gives us hope.

That is why it is important that we are genuine, authentic, and real. If we are fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, coaches, teachers, neighbors, or friends someone is looking up to us. We are all role models to someone. We should take that role seriously.

“I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. “  1 Corinthians 4:14-15

This past Sunday I gave a Father’s Day message at our church.   For those of you who were there, some of this material will sound familiar, so I apologize.  However,  If you could not hear or fell asleep, some of this might be a welcome rerun.   It is funny that I have been asked to do the Father’s sermon five times in recent years, especially since even my kids don’t give me a #1 Dad coffee mug.  They give me one with my actual ranking on it!  I don’t mind, though, because it is a really, really large mug to get that number on it!

Our text is 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 and in those verses Paul outlines a recipe for successful fathering, even though the context was not about that.  Paul was actually confronting the  leaders in Corinth about the problems they were having in the church.   Apparently there were problems with squabbling , poor leadership, misguided direction, sin, bad theology and misunderstandings in the fledgling church.  In this letter Paul admonished, warned, and challenged the people but also showed compassion, concern,  and care in his correction.

In light of Paul’s statement that, “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel” we can also view this passage as a biblical model for fatherly behavior.  I believe these verses outline what  fatherly compassion, fatherly authenticity and fatherly discipline should look like.  The same kinds of problems seen in the Corinthian church can plague families if parents, especially fathers, do not take their role seriously.  

Since Sunday was Father’s Day and since Paul was speaking as a father, I was specifically speaking to fathers, but the principles outlined in these verses apply to anyone who is in a leadership, discipling, or mentoring position in someone else’s life.  So mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, scout leaders, teachers, etc.etc. can take note of Paul’s words.

In the first three chapters in the letter and the first half of chapter four, Paul was pretty harsh in his words to the Corinthians.   But at verse 14 he changes tone and becomes more “fatherly” in his approach.  Paul is counting on the special relationship as their spiritual “father” in the faith  to be able to speak truth into their lives.  

Verse 14 reads “I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children…”

Paul does not want to shame the people  back to him but he wants them to come to their senses and return willingly and gladly  as wayward children returning to a forgiving Father.  Shame might be a tool to be used at times (infrequently), but it is not a weapon to wielded.

I never remember my father using shame as a way to change my behavior when I was growing up.  I am sure it happened, but it must have been seldom and followed by some kind of love, because I cannot remember any specific situations.   My dad was able  to speak into my life and my brother and sister’s lives because he purchased that right through the love he showed us.  My father didn’t tell me how to live rightly; he lived rightly, and let me watch.

Because of my father compassion,  I have tried to do the same not only with my four children and eleven grandchildren, but the athletes I have coached, the students I have taught, and the children I have known and any others I may have had an influence over.  I have often missed the mark, but it is still the desire of my heart.

The text goes on the say that the Corinthians will have many other teachers, “guides” or “guardians,” but he wanted the leaders in Corinth to regard him as their “spiritual Father”.

15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

All of us were begotten physically by a father, but here Paul is talking about spiritual birth.  He understood that all will be born once, but only those who are born twice can live lives of true peace.   Paul has a special place in their lives because he had brought the life-changing gospel message into their lives.   He’s not being territorial, but he was the first spiritual “Daddy” in their lives and that gave him the responsibility and right to lead them. 

As Daddy’s (and I am still talking to everyone who have influence on younger ones) we need to understand that we should not just exert our rights as parents but compassionately disciple our children.  

Many think that disciplining is discipling, but they are not the same thing and Paul understands that.  Disciplining is a part of discipling, but it is not the biggest part.  Compassion is the most important part of the parent/child relationship.

Of course  the most compassionate thing we can do beyond everything else, is to share and show the Christ-centered gospel to those in our care.  Nothing was more important to the Apostle Paul.  Nothing should be more important to us.

Here is the sad confession of one father.   “I took my children to school but not to church. 

I taught them to drink but not of the living water.   I enrolled them in Little League but not Sunday School. 

I showed them how to fish but not to be fishers of men.    I made the Lord’s Day a holiday, rather than a holy day.”  

“I taught them the church was full of hypocrites and made greater hypocrites of them and me. 

“I gave them a color TV but provided no Bible.   I handed them the keys to the car but did not give to them the keys of the kingdom of God. 

I taught them how to make a living but failed to bring them to Christ who alone can make a life.”

In contrast to this father, I read the story of a farmer who had toiled over a bumper crop of grain – a badly needed crop that was going to pay off many creditors and secure the family for another year.  But just a few days before it was due to be harvested a freak wind and hail storm ravaged the property, and the harvest was lost. 

The man stood with his little boy looking over the fields of destroyed grain. The boy expected to hear his father crying out in despair., but instead his Dad began to softly sing: “Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.” 

Years later that boy, grown into manhood, said: “That was the greatest sermon I ever heard!  It totally changed my life.”  They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.  This father proved that an example is worth a thousand pictures.  It is easy to show faith with a bumper crop, but real faith is shown when the hail comes, and it is exhibitions of faith like this that changes lives.

So the first part of these verses talks about the need for fatherly compassion when raising those in our care.  Paul showed this compassion to the Corinthians.    Christ said that the greatest commandment is to love God and to love others.  This is illustrated in the cross.  The vertical beam that points toward God supports the horizontal beams that stands for our relationship with others.  Without a relationship with God we cannot love others in the way Christ intends.   We can love others in a human way, but not a spiritual one.

So our first step in fully loving our children is to love God.

Fatherly compassion must never be compromised when we have the care of others in our hands.   Over the next two weeks I will show how Paul also showed fatherly authenticity and fatherly discipline in his correction of the Corinthians.   We will also see how we can correct and connect with others in our own lives.  Stay tuned.