Blog Archives

LIFE-SAVER!

3/29/2020

On December 19, 1776, Thomas Paine began his famous pamphlet titled “The American Crisis” with these eight legendary words: "These are the times that try men's souls." His assertion was applicable at that time. It is today as well.

The truth is that few if any individuals alive today have not had their lives impacted by the current Covid-19 pandemic. The spread of the virus across the globe has been both unforeseen and unprecedented. In its wake, entire ways of life have been altered. What is more, the “new normal” that so many of us are currently experiencing will apparently be with us for the foreseeable future, and maybe even for some time beyond that.

But my purpose in this post is not to rehash the troublesome headlines. My strong suspicion is that each one reading this blog is already well aware of the gravity of the situation. Instead, my purpose today is to point to a silver lining (or two or three) in the dark cloud under which we are all now living.

I will begin with a Fox News headline from last Thursday, March 26, which read: “Texas Roadhouse CEO Foregoes Salary For 1 Year To Pay Workers Amid Coronavirus: Reports”. This magnanimous gesture taken by Texas Roadhouse CEO and founder Kent Taylor is designed to help struggling employees amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The article further stated that the company will also suspend its dividend during the crisis.

Mr. Taylor is not alone. Other CEOs have quickly followed suit. According to an article in Fox Business News, numerous other corporate bosses have also voluntarily given up their salaries for the foreseeable future. Among them are the CEOs of AMC Theaters, American Airlines, Boeing, Cheesecake Factory, Delta Airlines, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Endeavor, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Lyft, Marriott, United Airlines, Walt Disney, and YUM! Food Brands.

All I can say is “kudos” to these corporate leaders for taking this initiative and demonstrating not only ethical leadership but also moral integrity in the face of the enormous difficulties currently faced by others. Their actions may well prove life saving for others in such desperate need!

But as magnanimous as these gestures are, they still pale in comparison to the sacrifice in one last article I would like to reference.

According to another Fox News article published on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, a priest in Italy has now died from the coronavirus after giving up his respirator to a complete stranger! Father Don Giuseppe Berardelli is being called a "Martyr of Charity" for refusing a respirator in order that a younger patient, whom he did not previously know, could use it to ward off the virus.

What is more, Father Berardelli requested any information about the unknown recipient of the ventilator be kept confidential. As a result, this humble clergyman, who lived his life largely in obscurity in the heretofore relatively unknown town of Casnigo, Italy, has now become one of at least 6,000 people to have died in the epicenter of the deadly pandemic in Europe.

Comparisons are already being made between the selfless act of Father Berardelli and that of Maximilian Kolbe, who in an earlier generation, volunteered to take the place of a condemned man with a family at Auschwitz, only to be killed as a result.

I would go a step further than this. I would reference the words of Jesus Christ Himself, Who (in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 13) once said “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”

Of course, Jesus Christ did more than just preach this great doctrine. He also lived it out – namely by laying down His own life on behalf of all people in all places at all times. In so doing, He became an absolute life-saver for each and every one of us.

And for Don Giuseppe Berardelli to have chosen to emulate his Lord and Savior by doing much the same thing is beyond commendable. It is laudable, and even praiseworthy!

May each of these two sacrifices, the first by Jesus Christ that made possible eternal life for us all, and the second by one of His faithful followers that made possible earthly life for one of us, inspire and motivate each of us in turn to find ways to follow suit and live sacrificially on behalf of others!

For indeed, by their very nature, such sacrificial acts demonstrate that love truly is greater than any other force on earth!

NEWS ARTICLE SOURCES:

https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-roadhouse-ceo-foregoes-pay-workers-coronavirus;

https://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/coronavirus-ceos-forgo-salaries-pay;

https://www.foxnews.com/world/coronavirus-italy-priest-respirator-dies.

SEE ALSO:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Crisis;

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/john/15-13.htm.

BIRD OF PASSAGE

3/24/2020

It has been a full week since my last blog post. Admittedly, I rarely go this long without sharing a thought or two; but to be honest, my wife and I have just been extremely busy.

I used to hear retirees say that they quickly discovered that they were much busier after they retired than they had ever been before. My own father-in-law once told me that he found that he could never seem to get everything done once he retired; and that he often wondered how he had ever gotten anything done back when he was working.

Let me simply state that I am beginning to appreciate these sentiments. When people ask me how I am enjoying retirement, I tell them that I do not yet know. This is because I seem to be working harder now than I did before I officially retired. My wife and I spent the first week of my so-called retirement packing up and moving my books and other possessions out of the church office.

I spent the second week running a million errands, making changes in accounts, swapping phone and internet service, etc, etc…

And now, in this third week, my wife and I have finally turned our attention to our home as we prepare to sell it in order to transition to our new place of residence. As any of you who have ever sold a home, moved to a new community, and gotten established there well know, this process can be daunting.

Unfortunately, all of these things have unfolded in the midst of the worst pandemic of the modern era, as the impact of the coronavirus has now begun making itself known in unprecedented ways in all of our lives.

I will admit that those folks who told me that there would be a certain amount of insecurity brought on by normal life changes associated with retirement were correct. My wife and I have experienced each of these things in turn. But in many ways, these uncertainties in our life have only been intensified and exacerbated by the societal impact of the Covid-19 virus.

Like many of you with aging parents and/or small grandchildren, my wife and I cannot help but be concerned about what is happening in the world around us. For this reason, we have tried to hunker down and wait things out, dutifully practicing social distancing in the process.

All of this is certainly bad enough; but when being cooped up indoors is compounded by the excessive amount of rain we have been experiencing here in east Tennessee, one can quickly grow weary of the whole ordeal. And this leads me to my point. It seems the Lord knew this servant of His needed some encouragement in light of all these past few weeks have had to offer.

As I was communing with Him in my heart over these very things early this morning, I happened to look out the window and see a most beautiful sight. There, in the midst of the early morning mist, after yet another night of terrible storms, sat perched on a branch just outside my window a single bright red cardinal.

This may not seem like much to you; but to me, in that moment, it was a powerful statement about the presence, the power, and the plan of Almighty God. In a world seemingly full of repetitive dreariness and uncertainty, there shown forth a profound testament to God’s creative ability! The stark contrast between the glorious red of that bird and its colorless surroundings spoke volumes about the power of Almighty God to provide hope in the midst of uncertain times!

In that one moment, as a simple cardinal sat singing away outside my window, a dark stormy night was giving way to a bright shining day! A season of dreary winter was giving way to a season of dynamic spring! In short, a season of death was giving way to season of life!

I, for one, needed that reassurance. Like Noah of old, the world I had known was no more. The 40 plus years spent as a Pastor seemed to have disappeared all too quickly; only to be replaced by a time of uncertainty cooped up in a dreary ark with little more than the list of tomorrow’s chores awaiting me for distraction. Such circumstances can try one’s soul.

I was reminded of the Biblical story of Noah and his family as they found themselves cooped up on the ark. After 150 straight days of rain, the Biblical Book of Genesis (in chapter 8, verses 8-11) tells us that the following took place…

8Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the surface of the ground. 9But the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him in the ark, because water still covered the surface of all the earth. So he reached out his hand and brought her back inside the ark.

10Noah waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11And behold, the dove returned to him in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf in her beak. So Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.

I trust you see my point. Right then and there, in a single instant, just as He had done for Noah of old, God sent me a simple little bird. And the bird He sent aptly testified to His plans for the future, in order to remind me that He still had plans for this world, and for my me and my place in it!

You see, like Noah of old, I too saw a “bird of passage”, reminding me that the old was passing away and the new was coming to be. Clearly, God is even now in the process of making all things new, both in this world and in my life.

I presume that Noah never forgot that single dove and the leaf representing newness of life in its mouth. In like manner, I too will always cherish the memory of that single cardinal and the message it had about the future!

What about you? Are you weary of what life has served up? Do you find yourself tempted to give way to fear and doubt as a result? Then take heart, my friend; for you are not alone! And take it from this servant of the one true God – He is not done with either this world or with you and your place in it! If you want proof of this, then simply ask Him for it. I assure you, my friend - He will certainly deliver it!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/8.htm.

CLEANING HOUSE!

3/17/2020

In previous blog posts, I have alluded to the fact that I grew up on a farm with regular chores that had to be done daily. These included gathering eggs, feeding and watering the animals (chickens, hogs, cows, horses, etc…), and numerous other such tasks.

To these daily chores were added seasonal and annual chores, such as fertilizing and bush-hogging pastures, cutting and bailing hay, cleaning out stables, burning off fence rows, and repairing and painting barns and fences.

While the seasonal and annual tasks were important, it was really the system of daily chores that instilled in me whatever discipline I now possess and display.

This may very well also account for the fact that I am really more of a “straightener” than “cleaner”. As a general rule, I tend to do my “straightening up” first thing in the morning. Thus, when I get up, I normally make the bed, have my breakfast (graciously prepared earlier for me by my wife), and then immediately put the dirty dishes away and the kitchen back in order. Thereafter, I give the house what might best be described as a “onceover”.

(Let me hasten to add here that thirty-seven years of marriage have also had an impact. Needless to say, my wife has trained me well.) I also straighten up at other times in the day, depending upon my schedule and/or what I have going on that day. I especially do this on my day off.

But there is a big difference between merely straightening up around the house and undertaking a thorough cleaning of one’s home. And as I have also alluded to in earlier blog posts, that difference can best be seen in the difference between mine and my wife’s approach to a dirty house. Quite simply, while I straighten, she cleans! And when I say she cleans, I mean just that - she cleans!

I make the bed; but she removes the sheets and pillow cases and washes and dries them. I put the dishes away; but she runs the dishwasher and scalds the kitchen. I pick up; but she vacuums and mops and dusts. I could go on; but you get the point! I straighten and she cleans!

In other words, I do surface stuff; but she goes much deeper. I address the outside; but she addresses the inside. I give attention to what shows; but she gives attention to what matters!

In all of this, I am reminded of what Jesus had to say as He excoriated the religious leaders of His day. In the New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 23, verses 25 through 28), He states:

25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

27Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

I trust you see the point. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were good at straightening, but not at cleaning! They focused on the outside, on what showed. Jesus challenged them to focus on the inside, on what really mattered. Had they done so, they would have been better off. And so would the world in which they lived.

In case you are wondering, even as I write this blog post, my wife is busy scouring our house. Before she began, it had the appearance of being clean; but it really wasn’t. It only looked presentable because it had been straightened up by me. When she is done, it will be genuinely clean. It will not only look clean; it will actually be clean – both inside and out!

And while I like living in a house that appears to have been straightened up, I much prefer to live in a home that has been thoroughly cleaned! I know the difference; and so does she.

Likewise, I know the difference between a life that has merely been straightened up on the outside and one that has been thoroughly cleansed by Jesus Christ both inside and out. Having experienced both, I much prefer the latter! Trust me, you will too!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/23.htm.

SEE ALSO: https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/real-clean.

KEY DATE

3/14/2020

Yesterday was a key date on the calendar. For most of us, Friday the 13th has always had somewhat of an ominous ring to it. Even those of us who are neither afraid to walk under ladders nor prone to get unnerved simply because a black cat crosses our path may still pause to reflect ever so briefly when this calendar date periodically rolls around.

Of course, the origins of Friday the 13th truly are menacing. It was on this date back in 1307 AD that, without warning, King Philip IV of France, fearing their power and wealth, had over 600 Knights Templars arrested and imprisoned. Over the days and weeks to come, in addition to having their property confiscated, most were tortured, and many even beheaded. Little wonder this day in so infamous.

For me, however, I will now always remember Friday the 13th for another reason. As many of you who read my blog regularly will know, for the past 19 years, I have been privileged to serve as the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Lenoir City, Tennessee. This past Sunday, however, after 41 years in the ministry, I retired from the Pastorate.

I had been preparing for this step for quite some time because I have felt led to transition from a preaching and pastoral ministry to a writing ministry. I already have several books in the works; and in the coming weeks and months, I will be saying more about each of these. (One can expect to see other changes on my website as well.) In the meantime, however, my wife and I are taking a few days off to rest and recuperate before plunging wholeheartedly into the next chapter of our lives together.

All of this brings me to my point… I have been asked many times this week how I am enjoying retirement. In each case, my response has been that I do not know yet, because I seemed to have been in my office at the church more since I retired than I had been before. You see, I literally spent Monday through Friday packing up and cleaning out my office. That involved packing hundreds of boxes, as well as moving them to storage.

My wife and I finished this wearisome process very late Thursday night. Having been taught by our parents always to leave something better than you found it, we spent Friday morning cleaning and putting the office back in order as best we could. I am sure the church will do a much better job than we did, as they prepare it for their next Pastor; but we at least wanted to make an effort.

After we finished this process, I then spent around two hours just walking the church facilities. I roamed through the Family Life Center, where we worshipped when I first came. (We once lovingly referred to it as the “Sanctinasium” or the “Gymnatorium”!) From there, I meandered through the Student Worship Area and the KidStuf Theatre, as well as the hallways of the Christian Academy and the Fellowship Hall and Kitchen. All of these were we had constructed together.

My path then took me all throughout the Worship Center which we constructed for God’s glory in 2007. The Choir Suite, Baptistery, Sound and Tech Booths, Green Room, Guest Reception Area... All these places and many more had and will continue to have very special memories for me as long as I live. But none of them were as special as the Pulpit itself. As I stood in this spot for some time reflecting on the hundreds of hours I had spent there, many a memory came to my mind. Needless, to say, I shed quite a few tears.

More to the point, the Lord and I talked there. I prayed that I had been faithful to do what I had been called there to do. Like each of the 24 pastors who preceded me in the 125 year history of this great church, I was here for a season. And like each of them, I had a job to do. Each in turn faithfully did their job in their time. I pray that I devotedly did mine as well; and also that all who one day come behind me will find me to have been faithful in my time.
From the Pulpit, I made my way back to my office and took one last look around.

This was, of course, the only place I had spent more time than I did in the pulpit. Here, I had pretty much the same thoughts; and prayed pretty much the same prayer. Finally, I took the inevitable last step. I removed my Church keys from my key ring and surrendered them to the Church’s Office Manager. At that point, all I could do was make my way out to the parking lot and drive away from 19 years of my life. As I did, like so many times before, I took one last glance in my rear view mirror at the Church’s facilities.

This was a particularly poignant moment for me because very few things are as symbolic and as powerful as surrendering one’s keys! With keys comes a certain amount of perceived authority, security, and trust. But whenever one surrenders his or her keys, in so many respects, he or she gives these things up. He or she is now without rather than within. He or she is now at the mercy of others to come or to go. In short, he or she is now no longer in control. Needless to say, letting go of my keys was a very powerful moment.

But I am okay with that. Because it was never really my office, my pulpit, or my facility anyway. These things are now what they always were and what they always will be: the property of Almighty God! I was simply a steward of them for a short period of time. Accordingly, I pray I will one day be found faithful by their Rightful Owner even more than by those who follow after me.

Oh, and by the way, what applies to Pastors and Church facilities also applies to lay people and to every other place, possession, and/or opportunity in this world. We will all one day turn in our keys! Just like me, you too will one day come to the end of life and have to give up control. After this, as the New Testament Book of Hebrews (chapter 9, verse 27) affirms, all that remains is the judgement of God.

Given this, I urge you to join with me in trying to make the most of your God-given opportunities as you seek to carry out your God-given responsibilities, and thereby fulfill your God-given calling. For me, for the past 19 years, that calling has been to be the Pastor of a wonderful Church family. Prior to that, for 22 years, it was to serve other, similar Church families in much the same capacity.

Hereafter, that calling will hopefully involve serving this same God by developing and employing my skills as a writer. As I undertake this new venture, as I turn the page and begin this brand new chapter, I appreciate your prayers. In exchange, I will pray for each of you and your respective ministry endeavors as well. May the God Who gifted us and then called us to honor Him with those gifts be glorified in our respective service!

SOURCES:

FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH: According to one article, this date “pops up just frequently enough to be a pop culture phenomenon, but not so often that its weirdness wears off thanks to over-familiarity. When this date shows up on the calendar, we notice. Even if you don't consider yourself to be an overly superstitious person, you still likely feel the effects of Friday the 13th — reports show that almost 21 million people admit to feeling at least mild anxiety during this unlucky holiday.”

Cf.: https://www.bustle.com/articles/160480-how-often-does-friday-the-13th-happen-this-creepy-day-only-comes-once-this-year.

SEE ALSO: https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/weekday-friday-13;

AS WELL AS: https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/friday-the-13th; and
https://www.history.com/news/why-friday-the-13th-spelled-doom-for-the-knights-templar.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/hebrews/9-27.htm.

SUPER TUESDAY!

3/10/2020

Today is once again a “Super Tuesday”. Actually, it is the second one this month, as yet another election year unfolds and more primaries are being conducted. Indeed, as I was driving along the road today, I saw an electronic sign that said “Have a Super Tuesday!” I have pretty much done just that.

Actually, today is a super day for me because, had he lived, today would have been my father’s 82nd birthday. He was born back on March 10, 1938, and lived until January 23, 2000. But I still mark this day on my calendar and honor my father’s memory for the special man he was.

When he was born, the great depression was slowly concluding. But the effects of its coming to an end would take much longer to be felt in rural Georgia than they were in urban America. He grew up with very little luxuries. In truth, most all he knew was work, work, and more work.

When he turned ten, it was 1948; and America was shifting to a post-war economy. That was the year his own father finally stopped sharecropping and bought his own farm. My father was in the 4th grade that year, and missed much school to help out on the family farm. He would go to quit school outright in the 10th grade because he was to be told that he would have to repeat it since he had missed so many days while out working on that same farm.

Thus, by 1958, my father had been out of school for four years. He was gainfully employed as a truck driver, and had been married to my mother for one year. She had insisted they wait until she did graduate High School in 1957.

When 1968 rolled around, my father (and mother) had two children (my older sister and me). He was employed at a lumber yard and heavily involved in our local Southern Baptist church, where he served as both a Deacon and as Superintendent of the Sunday School.

Ten years later, in 1978, his older two children (my sister and me) were in high school; and he and my mother now had a third child (my younger sister). He had also gone into business for himself, hauling dirt and gravel for construction projects.

By 1988, all three of his children were married; and he had four grandchildren. He had also gone to work in the funeral business, where he would remain employed all of his life. Although he did not know it at the time, he was two years away from a heart attack, resulting in heart surgery with seven by-passes!

When another ten years had passed, and 1998 arrived, my father had eight grandchildren, and was planning for his own retirement in two short years. He put his farm up for sale, and planned his move to Alabama to retire on the lake. Sadly, a month and a half before his 62nd birthday in the year 2000, he died suddenly of a second, massive heart attack.

His life of 61 years was not necessarily a long one by today’s standards. But he still managed to live a full life. He worked hard and raised a family. And he glorified God by the life he lived and the service he gave to the church.

I myself am thankful that he was my father. In many respects, so much of what I am today is due to him and the impact he had on me. As I approach my own retirement years, I reflect more and more on these very things.

I do not know how aware my father is of my present circumstances. I do not how much anyone in Heaven is aware of what all we face here on earth. (I suppose I will find out when I myself get there.) However, if my earthly father is looking down on me from above, I can only hope that he is pleased with what all I have accomplished in life. More importantly, I hope he is pleased with who I have become.

If he were still alive, this would be a super day as he would be celebrating his 82nd birthday. As it is, he is now celebrating life in another place in another world, where every day is a super day. And my strong suspicion is that he would not come back to this world even if he could.

Of course, whether my earthly father sees me or not, I know my Heavenly Father does! I know He watches over me today just as he has done every day of my life. And I hope He too is pleased with both who and what I am. That assurance alone makes this a super day, just as it does each and every day we live in His abundant care.

And for this reason, I join with the Psalmist (chapter 118, verse 24) and say: “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!”

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/118-24.htm.

LOOKING BACK…

3/6/2020

Famed Baptist Pastor Paul W. Powell once told the following story about a cleric who was retiring. It seems that…

A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years serving the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was late getting there, so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.

“I got my first impression of the parish from the very first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person that entered my confessional told me that he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his boss’ wife, and took illegal drugs. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people.”

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and gave his talk. “I’ll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived,” said the politician. “In fact, I had the honor of being the very first person to go to him for confession.”

Now, being a Protestant Pastor, I do not believe that Christians need any human intermediary between themselves and Almighty God. The Holy Bible tells us in the New Testament Book of Hebrews (chapter 4, verses 15-17):

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

That being said, my purpose here is not to cast aspersions at either Roman Catholicism or those who adhere to its tenets. Rather, it is to point out that any clergyman who comes to that inevitable time of retirement can testify to similar experiences.

Needless to say, given that this coming Sunday will be my last Sunday in the pulpit before I officially retire from the pastoral ministry and transition to a writing ministry, I have been doing a lot of reflecting back on the 40 plus years I have spent in Pastoral ministry.

In that time, to be sure, there have been some difficult stretches. But praise the Lord, I am happy to report that there have been far, far more positive experiences than negative ones. What is more, for the most part at least, I like to think that I was able to help those who came to me in their time of need; just as my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, did for me.

Accordingly, I pray that all of those whose paths I have crossed have in some way been uplifted as a result.

Perhaps the biggest blessing one can take away from his or her interaction with others is the testimony of the Apostle Paul in when he said to the Christians at Philippi (chapter 1, verse 3): “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you…”

I am thankful of reach and every fellow believer I have had the privilege to minister with and to. And I trust they can say the same of me. If so, that is reward enough for the ministry God gave me!

JOKE SOURCE:

https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/66830.pdf.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/hebrews/4.htm; and

https://biblehub.com/philippians/1-3.htm.

KIND AFTER KIND

3/3/2020

No doubt, you, like me, have seen the signs here and there that read “JUST BE KIND”. After encountering my third or fourth one, I decided to investigate the origins of this growing phenomenon. I seem to have discovered those origins at the web page titled “JUST BE KID; IT’S EASY”. According to this site:

A group of kids wanted to raise some money to do “stuff” over the summer of 2015. We felt that making and selling t-shirts would be a good way to earn money and push the very basic, but important message – Just Be Kind! Thus, the Just Be Kind Club was born.

Our motivation has now turned to spreading the kindness message everywhere. We have also recognized the importance of giving back to the community, so we give donations to other organizations that need assistance. Our goal is plain and simple, remind people to be kind. Our belief is that there is more goodness than not.

One thing is certain: this movement is catching on, and doing so quickly! As a Fox59 article in Indianapolis, Indiana details:

It’s a movement that started here in Central Indiana but now is gaining traction all across the world. This story is sure to put a smile on your face.

The “just be kind” group started back in 2015 as an after-school club. But when summertime rolled around, the students wanted to continue giving back. That’s when Andrea Hilton stepped in, to offer her garage, as a place for the kids to make signs, t-shirts, and keychains.

The students began making the items there, and then selling them for a profit, to give back to different area organizations. Since then, the JBK signs and apparel have started appearing all over the county, and even in different parts of the world.,

“We posted one the other day from the Middle East. The woman who sent us the picture, said, ‘I apologize, I can’t give you my exact location, I’m in the Middle East,’ and she’s got her shirt on and her keychain,” explained Hilton.

It’s a message that many agree, we need more than ever these days…

How true. We do indeed need more kindness in our world! And the best way to invite kindness form others is to offer it yourself.
Brian Harbour once told a story illustrating this fact.

He tells about a woman who, a few months after having moved to a small town, complained to a neighbor about the poor service at the local drug store. She hoped the new acquaintance would repeat her complaint to the owner. The next time she was in the drug store, the druggist greeted her with a big smile and told her how glad he was to see her. He provided excellent service.

Later, the woman reported the change in the druggist to her friend. She said, “I suppose you told the druggist how poor I thought the service was, and that’s why he changed?” “No,” the new acquaintance said, “I told him that you were amazed at how he had built up this small town drug store, and that you thought it was one of the best run drugstores you had ever seen!”

Dr. Harbour concludes his story with this reminder: “Her kindness to the druggist begat kindness from the druggist because kindness is contagious!”

Little wonder then that the world’s most famous preacher, Jesus Christ, included this admonition in the world’s most well-known discourse (The Sermon on the Mount): “In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you.”

With this in mind, let us all join in this business of advocating and exemplifying kindness. And in so doing, let us fulfill the admonition of God’ Word (as found in Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 32), which tells us to: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

SOURCES:

Just Be Kind Website: https://justbekinditseasy.com/about/.

Article on Spread of the Movement: https://fox59.com/news/just-be-kind-movement-spreading-worldwide/.

SEE ALSO:

Brian Harbour, Brian’s Lines, Volume 8, Number 11, November, 1992, p. 3.

SCRIPTURES:

https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-12.htm; and

https://biblehub.com/ephesians/4-32.htm.

LIFE-SAVER!

BIRD OF PASSAGE

CLEANING HOUSE!

KEY DATE

SUPER TUESDAY!

LOOKING BACK…

KIND AFTER KIND

Cleo E. Jackson, III

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LIFE-SAVER!

BIRD OF PASSAGE

CLEANING HOUSE!

KEY DATE

SUPER TUESDAY!

LOOKING BACK…

​KIND AFTER KIND

Cleo E. Jackson, III

Archives

Categories

KIND AFTER KIND