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"Helping Others Communicate"

CRUSHIN’ IT!

8/28/2020

 
One on my favorite television shows is Leave It To Beaver.   It hearkens back to a simpler time, when television could once be said to be redemptive, in that it conveyed values that many, including me, still deem wholesome. 

Over the years, I have managed to see most of the episodes; but not all of them.  Recently, I happened upon one I had never seen.  I now know it to have been episode 8, from the first season, titled “Beaver’s Crush”, having originally aired in November of 1957.

The title pretty much gives away the plot.  First grader Theodore “Beaver” Clever develops a crush on his teacher, Ms. Canfield.  As you can imagine, once his true feeling inevitably come to light, this soon creates turmoil in his life.  Ms. Canfield is replaced after season one with Ms. Landers, whom Beaver will also develop a crush on in a later episode.

I can relate all too well to Beaver’s predicament.  Like many red-blooded American boys, I too had crushes on more than one of my teachers.  One that stands out in particular was when I once fell head over heels for Ms. Marbutt, who attempted to teach me Spanish in the 7th grade.

I still remember the price I paid for this, just as Beaver’s crushes cost him.  It happened this way.  I had somehow learned how to count to ten in Spanish long before I ever enrolled in this class.  So, finding myself stricken with affection for my new teacher, and wanting desperately to impress her, I eagerly raised my hand on the first day of class and, when called upon, proudly announced to her that I could count to ten! 

That was it.  That was all I said. Only too late did I realize my mistake, in that I had not stated clearly that I could count to ten “in Spanish”!  I remember that there was a long, pregnant pause, as Ms. Marbutt stood looking at a 7th grader proudly announcing that he could count all the way to ten!  

Finally, she smiled, and in a voice conveying pity, stated simply, “That’s good.”  I do not know how many shades of red there are; but I probably turned every one of them in the next minute.  Trust me - quite a lengthy period of time passed before I ever spoke another word in that class.

Fortunately, I have long since gotten over Ms. Marbutt, as well as all of the other teachers I ever “fell in love” with.  To be sure, I am thankful for their respective roles in my life.  But I do not carry any particular torch for them, at least not in the sense that I once did.
All of this brings me to my point.  Did you ever have such an experience?  Do you recall your own first love?  Or have you long ago forgotten that individual?

Such a question matters because I am not the only one to ask it.  In many respects, the Lord Himself also asks this question of you and me, as He does of anyone who purports to be His follower.  We find Him doing this in the New Testament Book of Revelation (chapter 2, verse 4), when He tells the Christians at Ephesus:  “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”

It seems that the Ephesian believers had at some point been far more passionate about their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, than they were when John was directed to write these words to them. Of course, we do not know all the details.  We do not know what interfered with that passion.  We just know it happened.  And we also know that, if we are not careful, the same thing can happen to us.

Years ago, preachers used to talk about believers becoming “backslidden”.  I remember hearing one particular evangelist who defined what it means to be backslidden.  He said that if there was ever any point in one’s past when he or she was more passionate about Jesus Christ than now, then that individual is technically backslidden.

The Bible tells us repeatedly that God loves us.  But it also tells us that He is a jealous God!  He does not long suffer other passions within the hearts of His people!  And He continually asks us one fundamental question:  “Have you left Me, your first love?”
That is a question we must each address.  No one else can answer it for for you.  no one else can answer it for me.  But it must be answered.


TELEVISION SHOW SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Leave_It_to_Beaver_episodes#Season_1_(1957%E2%80%9358);
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0630198/?ref_=ttep_ep9;
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0630266/?ref_=ttep_ep7.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: 

https://biblehub.com/revelation/2-4.htm.

SEE ALSO: 

https://biblehub.com/john/3-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/1_john/4-10.htm;
https://biblehub.com/exodus/20-5.htm;
https://biblehub.com/exodus/34-14.htm.

DOWN, BUT NOT OUT!

8/28/2020

 
The news this week carried a story about a 20-year-old woman whom paramedics and a coroner had all declared dead being taken to a funeral home in Detroit - only to have morticians there discover that she was quite alive!

The article, written by Robert Gearty and titled “Detroit Funeral Home Says Woman Ruled Dead Was Still Alive”, was published on August 24, 2020 on www.FoxNews.com.

It seems that the drama all began when paramedics from the Southfield, Michigan Fire Department responded to a call for an unresponsive woman at a home in Southfield this past Sunday morning.

According to Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee, “When paramedics arrived, they found a 20-year-old who was not breathing.  The paramedics performed CPR and other life-reviving methods for 30 minutes. “Given medical readings and the condition of the patient, it was determined at that time that she did not have signs of life.”

Menifee added that because there was no indication of foul play, they then contacted the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office, to whom they gave the pertinent medical data about the woman.  “The patient was again determined to have expired; and the body was released directly to the family to make arrangements with a funeral home of their choosing,” Menifee added.

However, after having been taken to the James H. Cole Funeral Home in Detroit, sometime after 11:30 a.m., she was found to still be breathing.  According to employees at the funeral home:  “Upon her arrival at the funeral home, our staff confirmed she was breathing, and called EMS.”

From there, she was transported by paramedics to the hospital.  And while her condition there has yet to be divulged, incontrovertibly, she is now known to be alive!

Wow!  I rejoice to know that this poor woman is not dead.  I rejoice that she is still alive.  I rejoice that her life was not taken from her at the tender young age of 20.  And I rejoice that she will now hopefully get to experience all that life has to offer in the coming decades!

I rejoice even more at what this story brings to mind.  I rejoice in the story of another individual once declared to be dead at the tender young age of 33, only to be found later to be quite alive!  That young man was named Jesus Christ.  And even though he was found to be dead; he was later found to be alive - and well!
 

The Bible puts it this way (in the Apostle Paul’s First New Testament Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 3-4):  “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… (and) he was raised on the third day…”
  

But that is not all the Bible has to say.  In the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 11, verses 25-26), this same Jesus, Who was the Christ referenced by Paul above, makes the following statement:  “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

He then concludes with this piercing question:  “Do you believe this?” I hope you do.  I know I do.  And if you do, as I do, then you too can be assured that you will one day live again, even after you have been declared dead!

STORY SOURCE:  https://www.foxnews.com/us/detroit-funeral-home-says-woman-ruled-dead-was-still-alive.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:  https://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/15.htm; and https://biblehub.com/niv/john/11.htm.

WARNING LIGHT!

8/21/2020

 
Firmly believing that regular oil changes, tire rotations, front end alignments, and the like all help to insure that vehicles last longer, my wife and I have always tried to keep our automobiles serviced on a consistent basis.

We have always been told that the standard rule for oil changes is three months or 3000 miles, whichever comes first.  Well, for most of my adult life, the miles always came sooner than the months.  But these days, being semi-retired, it seems the exact opposite is true.  Three months can now come long before 3000 miles ever get driven.

Thus, I was somewhat taken back when my pickup truck suddenly notified me through a pop-up on my dashboard screen that the time for an oil change was fast approaching.  This had never happened before.
​ 
​
Picture

​When the notice first appeared, I looked at the sticker on my windshield and saw that I was nowhere near having driven 3000 miles since the last oil change.  Yet, lo and behold, the date of that oil change corresponded precisely with a three month time frame. 

Now, I for one grew up in a day and age of what we might call “dumb” vehicles.  Clearly that is not the case anymore.  I see now that my truck is obviously a smart vehicle of some sort.  After all, it is at least smart enough to know when the last time it had its oil changed.  It also knows when it needs to have its oil changed again.

Now, obviously, my truck did not manufacture itself.  It has a sticker on the windshield telling which Ford plant manufactured it, and in what year.  So, apparently, the makers placed within it a certain sensitivity to the need for maintenance.  Not that it can maintain itself.  But it clearly has an innate appreciation for when its systems need attention.

As I have studied on this, I have been reminded that I too am the result of Another Individual’s creativity.  I know the exact day I came to be as a result of my Maker’s efforts.  Moreover, His handiwork is evident in every detail of my design and function.  And, just like my truck, I too have been made with many wonderful assets that are intended to be a blessing and benefit to others. 

But alas, I share another quality with my truck.  For I too am subject to periodic malfunction and/or breakdowns. Therefore, I too need regular maintenance in order to perform and produce at the level which I was intended.  Like my truck, this maintenance is beyond my ability to perform.  I need Another One to execute this.

But what I do have within me is an innate sensitivity to my need for regular maintenance.  That sensitivity was placed within me by the One Who both designed and made me.  Simply put, if I will be honest with both myself and my Maker, I know enough to know when I need attention on the inside.  I can see when well enough to know when my spiritual warning light begins to blink!

I trust you see the simple truth I am drawing from this little analogy.  We have each been endowed with a soul by our Creator; and this soul needs regular attention.  Now, as Thomas Payne so eloquently put it, there are certain times that “try our souls”!  We all know of what he spoke.  And when these times come, and our souls are pressed hard, we tend to turn to our Maker for our needs to be met.  Indeed, well we should!

But even when the times do not necessarily try our souls, even when we go through those periods when we are not necessarily driven quite so hard by life, we still need to remember that there cries out within us a little voice reminding us of our need for regular spiritual maintenance.  Make sure when it does that you make every effort to give your soul the regular spiritual attention it still needs. 

How is this best done?  By seeking out the only One truly qualified to give spiritual tune-ups - Almighty God, Who made us in His very likeness!  When we do, He promises to hear our prayer and to meet our needs.  Speaking through His prophet, Jeremiah (chapter 31, verse 25), the Lord gives us this wonderful reassurance: “I will refresh the weary soul and I will replenish all who are weak.”

Does your soul need a little maintenance today?  Is it crying out for attention?  Is your warning light flashing?  If so, then I have good news.  The Lord is ready; He is willing; and He is able to help.  He stands by, patiently awaiting your contact.  Seek His help today, my friend.  You’ll be glad you did!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:  https://www.biblehub.com/jeremiah/31-25.htm. 

NOTE:  Apparently, I am not alone in the sparsity of my recent driving.  It seems as if Covid -19 has had quite an impact on  the reduction of miles being driven.  Check out the article titled "
Americans Drove 13% Fewer Miles in June Than A Tear Earlier" at  https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/americans-drove-fewer-miles-june-than-2019.

THE CASE OF THE (NOT SO) FEARSOME FELINE

8/17/2020

 
It’s been a little dry lately here in east Tennessee.  Except for one evening earlier this week, that is.  Out of nowhere, with seemingly no rain in sight, it began to rain.  In just a moment or two, the rain intensified.  Before long the bottom fell out.
 
For the next few moments, water came down in a deluge.  And then, as quickly as it had begun, the rain let up.  The clouds above soon dissipated; and the sun shone brightly once again.

Now, I have been in some heavy downpours in my time; but I will not soon forget this one – as much because it seemed to come out of nowhere as much as how much it actually rained. I will remember it as an example of raining “cats and dogs”.

Of course, I have never actually seen it rain either cats or dogs.  But it does in fact happen.  Witness an article first appearing in The Sun Newspaper, wherein one commentator stated “it was cloudy with a chance of furballs”.

The story, covered in multiple news outlets, tells the story of a man who was out walking his dog, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he was literally knocked unconscious by a cat falling out of the air!  It seems that the event was captured on video, which has now been posted to YouTube and has gone viral.

In the video, a Chinese dog owner likely prefers pooches even more now, after he was knocked out cold by a falling cat, as seen in a viral video from Aug. 14.  In the 45-second CCTV footage, a man named Gao is seen out strolling with his golden retriever in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. 

Literally out of nowhere, a black and white cat drops out of the sky, striking him on the head, causing him to collapse unconscious onto the sidewalk.  It seems that the unfortunate feline belonged to his elderly neighbor upstairs, where it had fallen from the balcony.

As the video continues, a few bystanders can be seen walking past Gao before his dog approaches him to see what is wrong. Soon, though, the faithful dog spies the guilty party lurking over by a building, and decides to set things right.  Soon, the two can be seen engaged in an intense stand-off, before the camera at last cuts back to poor Mr. Gao on the ground.  One can only assume that the dog evened the score!

The good news is that Gao ultimately survived the incident.  But not before he spent some 23 days in the hospital!  Still forced to wear a neck brace and undergo physical therapy, he is now seeking compensation from his neighbor over the unfortunate incident.

As I read this story, presented in a much more humorous form in the original sources than I have shared it here, I could not help but think once again of the verse I have highlighted in more than one recent post – I Peter 5:8, which states:  “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are subject at any given moment to be assaulted by the evil one, who pounces on us from any vantage point.  But while he may repeatedly inflict his vicious attacks, he will never have the ultimate victory over us.  This is because even when we are down, we are never out!

What is more, whenever we do find ourselves under attack, we always have an Advocate Who comes to our aid.  The One Who is out in front of us, leading the way, never abandons us.  Rather, He comes quickly to our aid; and He jealously defends us, turning the tables on the attacker, and caring for us until we are whole again.

Thank God for our Advocate!  His name is Jesus.  Praise God, as the Bible says:  “We have an advocate before the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One”.  I, for one, am thankful!  More times than I can count, He has come to my assistance. 

The same can be true for you.  The Bible tells us so!

STORY SOURCES:
 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12402895/bizarre-cat-falls-sky-knocks-out-pensioner-chased-by-dog/;

https://nypost.com/2020/08/17/man-knocked-unconscious-by-cat-while-walking-his-dog/; and  

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/man-dog-knocked-unconscious-falling-cat
.

YouTube VIDEO: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=YZJ-C7TtdKI&feature=emb_logo.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: 

https://biblehub.com/1_peter/5-8.htm: and
​

https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_john/2.htm.

CAUGHT UP?

8/13/2020

 
I am discovering that retirement can be a mixed blessing.  By this I mean that one has plenty of time to catch up on a long list of things needing or desiring to be done.  And yet, the irony is that, even being retired, one can never really quite get caught up.
 
My father-in-law told me years ago that once he retired, it seemed as if he could never get everything done that he needed to do.  He marveled at this, and mused that he seemed to have gotten a lot more done when he was working than once he retired.

A side of me can finally understand that.  I find that I now share the same testimony in that the more projects that I attend to, the more that seem to crop up requiring my attention.  Every one completed seems to spawn two that need consideration. 

Of course, the upside of this is that my wife and I have been getting a lot of things done that needed doing in just a few short months.  Our former home has been sold.  We have moved into your new home.  The unfinished portion of our home has now been completed.  Furniture and appliances have been acquired.  A new roof has been put on.  The utilities have been transferred.  Our address and contact info have all been updated, as have accounts and memberships.  Etc, etc…

Here in our new place, several trees have been cut.  Bushes have been trimmed. Stumps have been ground.  The landscaping has been refurbished. The lawn has been manicured.  Vehicles have been serviced.  Tires and batteries have been bought and installed.  New tags and licenses have been procured.  The garage has been organized.  On and on the list goes; and yet, on and on the list grows!

For it truly seems like the more we do, the more we find that needs doing.  We agree that we can just never seem to get caught up! 

Perhaps it was having had fact that on my mind that explains why a recent daily devotional thought from the folks over at “Lead Like Jesus” so caught my eye.  Their August 11, 2020 devotional was aptly titled “Caught Up”.  It reads as follows:

Paul warns Timothy not to allow other things to edge out God’s place in his life. Just as Paul said of himself, “to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21), his letters urge Timothy to be faithful and focused on ministry. We, too, are called to make God our audience of One, wholeheartedly seeking Him and His purpose. What are you caught up in? Does your heart lead you to exalt God or to edge Him out of your life and leadership?

The devotional includes a verse of scripture from 2 Timothy 2:4:  “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”

It then concludes with a simple prayer: “Lord, I need to stop and examine myself. What am I caught up in? Am I caught up in serving You by loving and leading like Jesus?  Or have I become entangled in things that usurp Your place in my life?  Refocus me this day on exalting You by living for Your approval alone.  In Jesus’ name, amen.”

In the process of transitioning from pastoring a church full-time to semi-retirement in order to become a writer, I have struggled with ever getting “caught up” to the point that I can focus on what I feel called to do.  And yet the irony is that I do not ever really need to get “caught up” – at least not in the sense that this insightful little devotional expresses it! 

As you can see, I have been significantly challenged by this thought, being reminded in the process that the affairs of daily life must never be allowed to crowd out the very One Whom I am committed to honor and serve in my life and ministry!  In that respect, may I never ever truly get “caught up”!

DEVOTIONAL SOURCE:  You can sign up to receive a daily devotional from www.leadlikejesus.com at:  https://www.leadlikejesus.com/resources.  Previous devotionals can be found at:  https://www.leadlikejesus.com/devotionals#.

SEE ALSO:  https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/2-4.htm.

ON BENDED KNEE…

8/10/2020

 
What a day!  When it began, my brother-in-law could hardly walk.  His knee was gone, worn completely out after a lifetime of use and abuse.  To quote the doctor, it was “bone on bone with multiple spurs”. 

​But that was this morning.  By this afternoon, all that had now changed.  For now, after a relatively brief procedure, he has a brand new knee. And the doctor says he will be up and walking on it this very afternoon!


I’m happy for my brother-in-law.  I know many people who have undergone such surgery, and who have literally had their lives transformed as a result.  I pray that will now be true for him.  I pray that the pain and the immobility he has dealt with for so long will now be replaced by freedom – both from pain and of movement.

For my part, I have yet to face knee replacement.  Or shoulder replacement, or any other such procedure common to healthcare today.  I am thankful for this.  I hope to last as long as I can.  But I also recognize that such a day may eventually come in my own life.  If and when it does, I am thankful such measures will be available for my benefit.

But, while I have yet to get a new knee or shoulder or hip, I do have a new heart!  No, I’ve never had a physical heart transplant.  But I have received a new spiritual heart.  The date on which it happened was May 9, 1970; and I remember it well.

When I got out of bed that morning, I was a sinner, plagued by pain and guilt.  But on that day, I gave my broken heart to Jesus Christ.  He then transformed it, and gave me a brand new heart in turn.  I can testify to you that my life has never been the same since.  I now live a life of peace, joy, and purpose.  All because God’s Son did radical spiritual surgery on my heart and gave me eternal life in the process!

Maybe you need a new knee, or shoulder, or hip today?  I hope not.  But, at least, if you do, one can readily be gotten.  Somewhere, this very moment, a skilled surgeon stands ready and able to provide you with whatever you need to transform your impaired physical life.

More to the point, do you need a new heart today?  If so, I have even better news.  The Divine Physician stands ready and able to provide you with just that!  He, and He alone, can give you a brand new heart.  He, and He alone, can give you eternal life.

And He waits patiently upon anyone who calls upon Him for salvation.  All He requires from you, as He did from me, is a humble bended knee, reflecting an admission of your sin, and a need and desire for His grace and mercy!

The Bible assures us that those who humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways will be heard from heaven, and that God will forgive their sin and bring healing to them as a result.

So, my friend, if you need a new heart today, then why not try bending a knee?  I assure you, the former is procured by the latter!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:  https://biblehub.com/2_chronicles/7-14.htm.

UNDER ATTACK

8/7/2020

 
As my wife and I went walking earlier this morning, we came upon a scene that might well be considered hard to believe if we had not witnessed it with our own eyes.  Just down the road, about a quarter of a mile from our home, our neighbor has a barn in the edge of the pasture just across the road from his driveway.  This barn is inhabited by a cat that is somehow missing its tail.

As we approached the barn, we looked up to see the cat preparing to jump up onto a large plastic mailbox adjacent to the road.  The cat leaped up and grabbed hold of the newspaper slot molded into and just below the mailbox.  It hung there by its front claws, while scratching furiously for traction with its rear claws, all in an attempt to gain a foothold by which it could enter the newspaper slot.

As this was happening, two adult swifts, visibly agitated, were repeatedly pummeling the cat from the air.  Obviously, they were a breeding pair determined to protect their nest.  On about the third or fourth pass, one must have struck a decisive peck with its beak, because the cat lost its tenuous grip and fell to the ground.

Undetermined, it sprang to its feet, and was just preparing to leap up and resume its attack when it looked up and saw my wife and me approaching.  At this, it must have decided that discretion was the better part of valor, as it shot across the road and into the barn. 

As we walked by, my wife peered into the newspaper slot and, sure enough, there was a nest, presumably with baby chicks tucked inside.  For my part, I peered into the barn on the opposite side of the road, and caught a fleeting glimpse of the cat crouching just inside the door in the darkness.  No doubt it was already planning its next strike.

As we walked on, we discussed what we had just witnessed; and quickly recognized the various truths on display.  Apparently a father and mother bird had come together, courted, built a nest, and had a family. To their credit, the parenting birds had responsibly brought the next generation of life into this world.

Yet, no amount of preparation can prevent the difficulties life brings.  In the course of time, evil attempted to rock their world by targeting and assailing their offspring.  Once again, to their credit, they fought hard and defended their offspring.  However, even this valiant effort may have not been enough if my wife and I had not happened up when we did.  Our arrival, providential as it was, very likely saved their chicks and allowed then to live to see another day.

My wife and I agreed that this was a good picture of our lives together.  We met, courted, married, established a home, and, to the best of our ability, in a responsible manner, brought three children into this world.  In so doing, we like to believe that we honored our Creator.

Nonetheless, at various times and in various ways, our home was found to be under attack.  More times than we can count, the evil one, whom the Bible affirms “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour”, boldly attacked our marriage, our home, and our children.  And down through the years, whenever these times came, we fought as bravely as we knew how to fend off Satan and his fiery darts and secure our home and family.

But in retrospect, of course, the victory we found in each and every situation really came not from our own efforts, but from the Lord Himself.  For in truth, it was always God, in His divine providence, Who showed up at just the right time to send the evil one scurrying off in ignominious retreat.

Even today, now that our three children are all fully grown autonomous adults living out on their own, married, and raising their own children as responsibly as they know how, we agreed that the Lord still watches over and cares for both us and them. 

​He still shows up just in the nick of time, just when any of us find ourselves the most vulnerable, and the most susceptible to the evil one.


Only Heaven will reveal how often the Lord has delivered me, my wife, and our family from defeat at the hands of the wicked one.  Until then, I pray we never forget to remember just Who He is and just what He does for us!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:  “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8 NLT (https://biblehub.com/1_peter/5-8.htm).

WHY NOT ME?

8/3/2020

 
Some twenty-five years before “The King of Latin Pop”, Enrique Eglesias, had his 2010 hit of the same name, country music’s record smashing mother and daughter duo, The Judds, had already asked the question: “Why Not Me?” 

Both artists had chart-topping hit songs with this same title.  And both songs were sung from the perspective of a person seeking to be accepted by someone they loved.

    
Eglesis puts it this way:

Why, oh why, tell me why not me? Why, oh why, we were meant to be.
Baby, I know I could be all you need.   Why, oh why, oh why?
I wanna love you. If you only knew how much I love you.  So, why not me?


While the Judds put it this way:

Why not me, on a rainy day?  Why not me, to love your cares away? 
Why not me?
Why not me, when the nights get cold?  Why not me, when you're growin' old?
Why not me?


It is not surprising that both these songs topped their respective charts.  No doubt, this is due to the fact that people in every time and place can relate – not just to the question being asked, but also to the perspective from which it is being asked.  

But let me hasten to suggest that the question “Why not me?” can also be asked from an entirely different perspective.  In addition to inquiring why someone is not being accepted, it can also be asked to inquire why someone is not stepping up and embracing some given responsibility. Allow me to elaborate.

Brian Harbour puts out a monthly newsletter for Christian communicators titled SeminaryPLUS. The July, 2020 edition contains an insightful story that bears repeating here.  According to Dr. Harbour:

A young man went to church on Sunday, saw the empty pews, turned and walked away, and wondered why the church was doing nothing. “Why doesn’t somebody do something?” he protested.

Down the street, he heard the beer glasses tinkle, saw the drunk stagger, heard a child’s cry of hunger, and a curse piercing the calm night. And he asked: “Why doesn’t somebody do something?”

He scanned the headlines of the morning newspaper and noted the lack of morality in our nation and the lack of peace in our society. And he asked, “Why doesn’t somebody do something?”

And God answered all these challenges with this simple response: “Why don’t you?”


Dr. Harbour then observes:

That’s an important question.  When you see a person who has needs that someone must meet, why don’t you? When your boss asks for a person to volunteer for an important job, why don’t you?  When your child needs someone to put his arms around them and assure them that they are important, why don’t you?  When you say to your spouse, “Something needs to be done to put a spark back into our marriage,” why don’t you?

The answer to most of the problems around us can be found within us.  Look around this week – at home, in your neighborhood, and in the world.  See all the jobs to be done; notice all the needs to be met; recognize all the people to be cared for.  Who is responsible to do those jobs and meet those needs and care for those people? Look in the mirror and you will see the answer to that question. YOU ARE.


I challenge you today to personalize Dr. Harbour’s story, along with the piercing question with which he ends it.  You can do this by simply changing “Why don’t you?” into “Why not me?”

After all, in the Bible, in the Old Testament Book of Isaiah (chapter 6, verses 1-8), the famed prophet was essentially asked this same question.  We read:

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” 4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.

5Then I said:  “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?”  And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”


In many respects, Isaiah was presented with a fundamental question: “Why don’t you?”  His answer was “Why not me!”  And with that, he effectually stepped up and said “Here am I, use me Lord!”

In light of Isaiah’s experience, I leave you with two relatively certain and inevitable questions:  “Why don’t we?” and “Why not us?”

LYRICS SOURCES:  https://www.songlyrics.com/enrique-iglesias/why-not-me-lyrics/; and https://www.songlyrics.com/the-judds/why-not-me-lyrics/.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:  https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/6.htm.

​SEE ALSO:  http://seminaryplus.org/newsletter.htm.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

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