The Best Way to End Arguments

The older I get, the more valuable time seems. And I don’t want to spend a lot of time debating people who aren’t looking for an answer as much as an argument.

My husband, Jim, was preaching from Luke 5 when the idea for this blog post was born. In that passage, Peter, the apostle, provides the best way to end arguments about our faith.

Peter and his coworkers, Andrew, James, and John, had just returned from a very unproductive fishing expedition. These men were professional fishermen. Jim reminded us that Jesus was a carpenter.

Technically, Jesus should have offered Peter advice about building a boat and left the fishing to Peter and his crew. Instead, Jesus tells Peter, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4).

You have to love Peter at this point.

He gently reminds the King of the Universe who the “professional” fisherman in the conversation should be. Peter says, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing” (5:5).  I would love to have a photo of Jesus’ face at this moment. I imagine Jesus giving Peter “the look” because the next words have Peter saying, “But at your word I will let down the nets” (5:5).

Bam. Argument over.

Expert opinions

Our culture struggles with authority these days, and often that’s a good thing.

We live in an era when the news media is more interested in creating drama than reporting facts. Those of us who blog for the internet are told to “grab” our readers in the first two paragraphs because we only have eight seconds before readers click it “off.” Creativity should never be more important than truth.

(A personal word: keep reading on my posts . . . the best stuff is almost always at the end.)

Are the best opinions in front of the camera wearing makeup and designer clothes or exiting the network doors with their resumes in hand? What if our finest opinions are unheard because the authors of those opinions don’t want to endure the media circus that is sure to follow? Opinions are only as impressive as their sources.

Some people accept authority better than others. You probably already know your own tendencies. Do you question whether the doctor is giving you good advice? Do you tend to believe or doubt the “experts” you encounter? How does that impact your approach to God’s word?

Peter was an expert fisherman and had built a large company as a result. (We know that because he had multiple employees and boats.) The apostle could have created an effective argument with Jesus, and most of us would have been swayed by his opinion. Peter was, after all, the expert fisherman. But Peter was also aware of who was telling him to get back in the boat.

Peter’s words should frame every faith argument we have in the future. We might see ourselves as the “experts” in the conversation,but we aren’t; Jesus is. The words that should guide ours are the same words Peter used: “But at your word I will” believe, go, teach, obey, choose—you get the point.

Obedience and blessings

Are we struggling to believe everything the Bible teaches?

Are we okay with kids or grandkids living together or experimenting with sex before marriage because “it’s what everyone is doing these days”?

Have we begun to think of things like abortion as a political opinion rather than what God’s word says about life?

Do we think because someone is born with a weakness that it justifies their sinful behavior?

Do we go easier on sin because the world offers understanding and compassion as justification?

How do we “argue” for our faith in a world that makes great arguments against our beliefs?

Peter answered that question for us with his example.  He told Jesus, “But at your word I will . . . .”

Psalm 119 is about the eternal truth of God’s word. I try to read that psalm often to focus my own thoughts and ideas. The psalm begins by saying, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!”

Peter’s men went fishing again that day and caught so many fish their boats started to sink. They returned to the shore with their enormous catch and, “when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken” (Luke 5:8–9).

Peter obeyed Jesus’ word and was greatly blessed.

All of us desire God’s blessings, and God wants us to have them. The next time we argue with the wisdom of Scripture or become involved in someone else’s argument with God’s word, let’s follow Peter’s example. We just need to look to Jesus and say, “But at your word I will . . . .”

Bam. Argument over.

Have a “blessed” week!

Who is Kermit Gosnell?

A note from Janet: This isn’t a typical blog post this week—it will be difficult to read. But I felt a strong conviction to write this. I hope you will read this prayerfully, with understanding.

Who is Kermit Gosnell, and why doesn’t everyone know that answer? There is a movie out that I would encourage all of you to see. Sometimes we don’t go to a movie to be entertained but because we need to be reminded or informed. Gosnell: The Movie is that. We recognize Ted Bundy, the Boston Strangler, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy as serial killers, but I had never heard of Kermit Gosnell. Why?

In 2013, Gosnell was found guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felony late-term abortions. Today, he is in prison serving three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Gosnell ran a filthy, inner-city abortion clinic. When the FBI raided the clinic for prescription drug crimes, they found a horrific situation that led to Gosnell’s trial. The movie is based on eyewitness courtroom testimonies and FBI reports. The atrocities portrayed in the movie happened. But, most of us barely heard about this news. Why?

Dr. Gosnell was an African American inner-city doctor. He performed affordable abortions for women whom the culture had decided should be viewed with sympathy more than integrity. Government health agencies had ignored repeated complaints about the clinic for sixteen years because it was easier to avoid what was happening than fight those who would have called their actions racist, religious, or politically motivated. The result: Dr. Gosnell performed tens of thousands of these abortions over a period of thirty years.

His employees estimated that more than forty percent of those abortions were over the legal 24.5-week gestational period. Many of the babies were alive at birth, and Gosnell murdered them after delivery. He went to jail, not because he performed abortions, but because it was proven he had taken the lives of babies born alive and had been responsible for the death of a woman who had come to his clinic.

When abortion became a political issue, many people stopped thinking about it as a moral issue. There is no way to see the factual events portrayed in this movie and leave unmoved. Could that be why so few people have ever heard of Dr. Kermit Gosnell? He was a serial killer whose story went largely unreported because of his race and because those he murdered were supposed to have been aborted.

Why does Dr. Gosnell’s story matter today? First, abortion is not a political issue; it is a moral issue. Why were those babies’ deaths considered murder simply because they were born alive? Now, legally, those babies die every day without criminal prosecution simply because the babies are killed in utero. God, forgive us, for growing silent or political about this issue.

I don’t know what else to say, and I’ve got so many tears running down my face I can’t see my computer screen anymore. I don’t know how to stop the genocide that has become a political hot button instead of a moral and spiritual crisis. The world can call it a fetus, an unwanted baby, or a pre-term pregnancy. God calls that baby his child.

This is the abortion statistic website I would encourage each of you all to look at. I could quote numbers, but this website is profound. The next link I will give you comes with a word of caution. Some of you may not want to see this, and it wasn’t shown in the movie, but I thought it was important to include in this post.

One of the moments in the movie that affected me the most was a portrayal of the turning point in Gosnell’s trial. One of his nurses had used her cell phone to take a picture of a baby boy that had been born alive, and that Gosnell had joked about before snipping its spinal cord. The jury was shown this picture, and it resulted in one of his murder convictions. Be prayerful if you view it. Thankfully, this baby has joined millions of others in heaven, where he is loved by his Creator.

But, that baby should have been loved here on earth as well. That is why I chose to write this blog post. Pray. We have to keep speaking, fighting, caring, and witnessing to those who think abortion is an acceptable form of birth control. It is not!

See this movie—not because it is entertaining, but because it is important. And join me in asking God what more we can do to serve him and serve these babies and their moms, remembering Mary’s words: “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37 ESV).

God help us. Amen.

Our Greatest Freedom

It’s great to have a day to celebrate the freedom we are privileged to enjoy. The American flag is a reminder of our history, our promise for today, and represents our hope for the next generations. I’m glad for a day that encourages me to be humbly grateful that, throughout our nation’s history, someone else’s child offered to die for mine.

The message today is short because it’s simple. If others have died so we can live, we should live in such a way that we honor their sacrifice. We ought to make this country a place that is worthy of the profound price that has been paid.

People fought for our freedom of speech. We should be thoughtful about what we say. People died so we could feel safe. We ought to work to help keep our communities safe for others. People chose to serve our country as their daily work. We ought to work every day to serve others too.

Rosa Parks said, “I’d like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free and wanted other people to be also free.” All of us should share her goal, and Jesus taught us how.

Our greatest freedom is our freedom in Christ. Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Jesus was speaking to Jewish people who struggled to believe the gospel message. Jesus told them they were slaves to the hundreds of rules Jewish leaders had written for them to obey. Jesus told them, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).

Our greatest freedom is walking in the truth that Jesus gave his life to provide for us. If we hold to his teaching, we are his disciples and we know the truth that will set us free. So, I would like to echo Rosa Parks and say, “I’d like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free and wanted other people to be also free.”

We are blessed to enjoy great freedom in this country. We will be eternally blessed to enjoy our highest freedom in eternity. Jesus also said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). If others have died so we can live, we should live in such a way that we honor their sacrifice. If we live today as disciples of Christ, we will honor God and our country. We do have a lot to celebrate!

I Unplugged Alexa

The name Alexa is ranked #65 on the list of the most popular names for girls. I expect that ranking to sink much lower in the years to come. Imagine having every conversation with your daughter interrupted by a machine that says “I’m sorry. I didn’t understand your command.”

I was watching an old Hallmark movie the other day, and the main character was named Alexa. The machine in my kitchen kept waking up to insert comments throughout the show. I thought it was funny, but after reading a few recent articles, I’m not sure.

I watched a news segment on smart homes currently under construction in a California neighborhood. All of them will be built to function with new technology. If you buy one of these homes, you will never need to open your blinds again. You will just simply say, “Alexa, open the blinds.” Instantly, you will hear each window covering in your home rise, allowing the morning sunshine in. This seems like a brilliant idea—until you remember your teenager is still asleep upstairs or your spouse might not be fully dressed in the bedroom.

A smart-home buyer can ask Alexa to clean the den floor. Immediately, the Roomba activates and begins to vacuum. I’m thinking smart-home buyers may have some nervous, agitated pets, or unhappy kids when their Legos vanish into the machine. If you feel a little warm, you simply say, “Alexa, cool the house off,” and the thermostat instantly lowers a degree or two. Doors unlock and televisions can display pictures from various security cameras or tune to your favorite music or movie. And all of this can happen while you remain comfortable in your favorite chair.

You can start your car with a phone app, but it will be important for you to remember to open the garage door first. You can instruct Alexa when you want to wake up or remind you of someone’s birthday. You can tell Alexa when you need a pizza or a ride from Uber. Alexa is listening, all the time. And that is what all of us need to consider.

My Alexa is unplugged right now. I love to ask her to play Christian music while I am working in my kitchen. I enjoyed her Christmas music in December. She can tell me about the traffic on the Tollway or the weather outside. She is handy to have around. Why? Because she is always . . . ALWAYS listening. I enjoyed that, until Jim sent me an article.

There are people, much smarter than I am, who have figured out how to do strange things with Alexa and other artificial intelligence sources. The article said, “Over the last two years, researchers in China and the United States have begun demonstrating that they can send hidden commands that are undetectable to the human ear to Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. Inside university labs, the researchers have been able to secretly activate the artificial intelligence systems on smartphones and smart speakers, making them dial phone numbers or open websites. In the wrong hands, the technology could be used to unlock doors, wire money, or buy stuff online — simply with music playing over the radio.”

Are smart homes a smart idea? Do we want machines to control our devices in exchange for the freedom to control our lives? We do live in some interesting times, with interesting choices. I had to consider the question, “Do I really want something to be listening to everything I might be saying?”

Almost immediately, I thought about God. He does listen to everything I say. He also sees everything I do. I work pretty hard to lead a decent life, but there is no way I want to give a random tech device the chance to hear every word I say at any moment of the day. The only One I trust to have enough grace for my daily sins is the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah said, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28). Alexa will do what I ask but doesn’t understand why I am asking. God does. Alexa isn’t “working” right now, because I unplugged her until I choose to need her. God is never “unplugged” from my life. I can’t do anything to remove his power because God is the power, and “he does not faint or grow weary.”

Alexa is without any power right now, because I decided to make that choice. I have the choice because God created me with the power to choose. As technology advances, our power to choose seems to be the price of convenience. But, our power to choose is the God-given and God-created difference between people and everything else in the world.

When God created Adam and Eve, he already knew that one day someone would create “Alexa.” Is that why Scripture is careful to remind us, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7–10). No matter how advanced artificial intelligence becomes, it is still artificial. Alexa is listening, but so is the perfect, Creator God.

I can see the benefits of smart homes, especially in meeting the needs of the aging or people with disabilities, but I also see downsides to the technology. Do I really need a machine to open my windows, or do I simply enjoy the power of issuing a command? Is it healthy for my brain to ask a device to remember for me? Do I really want tech geniuses throughout the world to have access to my home and life? Or, do I simply want the current advances in technology to remind me of the highest intelligence in the world?

God is always listening, always interested, always available, and always Lord. We will always have the choice to live under his grace and choose to be controlled by his Holy Spirit­­—or something less. I will still plug Alexa in when I need her. But I will unplug her when I don’t. Interestingly, she is unplugged most of the time, another reminder that the only one I need to know is listening is God. He has all the power He needs—all of the time.

The Woulda Coulda Shoulda of Motherhood

A note from Janet: Today’s blog post is written by Cynthia Yanof. Cynthia and I work together for our ChristianParenting.org website. She is a great author, a godly woman and a fun friend. You will enjoy reading her thoughts for Mother’s Day. Enjoy!

Here we go! It’s almost Mother’s Day, and we are about to get a good dose of Mother’s Day bombast. I’m talking about the well-intentioned, Hallmark-style sentiments that sometimes can leave us feeling a touch inadequate.

A few examples:

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.”(I can assure you that if God can’t get there, you best not rely on me to get there.)

“A mother’s love is the fuel that enables the normal human being to do the impossible.”(Weird, because I’m pretty sure my kids picking up their room is quite possible, yet my “fuel” seems to be failing.)

Here’s my favorite: “Mothers are like buttons. They hold everything together.” —Author Unknown

You know why this author is unknown? Because she doesn’t exist! Ain’t no mom out there feeling like she’s successfully holding everything together. And in the unlikely event there is such a mom, she doesn’t have one second to come up with quotes about buttons. And, by the way, after having a few kids, the buttons on our clothes are likely a bit taxed and barely holding things together anyway.

I’m guessing a man wrote it.

All kidding aside, being a mom is a great joy and privilege. Moms are significant, and we have a huge role to fill. But here’s the reality, from one mom to another: parenting is hard. Sometimes we are weighed down by this perceived standard of perfection, and I believe Satan (and maybe Hallmark) is all too happy to use the tactic of discouragement to make us feel like we’re not doing enough.

Whether you have kids at home you are still shepherding or your kids have left the nest and you are watching them maneuver through life, we all think about the what-ifs: if we could have done this, or would have considered that, or should have done whatever. We have to lose the woulda, coulda, and shouldas of parenting because that’s not the vernacular of faith-filled women who know that the Lord ultimately holds each of us—and our children—in his hands.

God never intended for us to be overwhelmed or to feel inadequate. A quick look at the moms of the Bible reminds us that God uses unique women, full of flaws, to fulfill his kingdom purpose in ways that go far beyond our abilities. Thank goodness!

So, where are you tempted to be discouraged on your motherhood journey?

  • Kids fight too much or aren’t as close as you hoped? Rebekah can relate.
  • Wondering if you waited too long to have kids and you’re out of touch? Sarah and Elizabeth hear you.
  • Made some bad choices in your past that you fear will hurt your kids? Bathsheba gets it.
  • Feeling too young and unqualified? Mary is right there with you.
  • Struggling with infertility? Hannah, Rebekah, and Rachel feel your pain.
  • Devastated after the loss of a child? Eve and Mary empathize.
  • Fear others may want to harm your children? Jochebed could talk for days.
  • Kids made bad choices and strayed from the Lord? Cue a whole lot of desert-wandering Israelites and their kids.

Yet, from these flawed moms (and, in most cases, flawed kids), we see God rise up kings (Solomon), prophets (Samuel and John the Baptist), patriarchs (Jacob and Isaac), leaders of God’s chosen people (Moses and Aaron), ancestors of Jesus (all of the above), and God’s very own Son, Jesus.

Moms, we can’t even fathom the great things the Lord can do when we are women who trust the truths of the Lord and hand our kids over to his plans. In this day and age of Pinterest, it’s very easy to feel like we aren’t doing enough if our kids aren’t eating organic, playing the cello, running 10Ks, and making the honor roll.

I love Jeremiah 6:16, where we are reminded to “stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.”

The ancient paths surely did not involve the need for perfectionism because that would never bring rest for your soul. Let yourself off the hook and let’s follow the lead of our Bible moms who didn’t have all the fanciness but still very effectively produced kids the Lord could use.

Love your kids, enjoy them, pray for and with them often, and be rooted in the fact that we are not ultimately responsible for who they become and the decisions they make. We are raising people with free will who were created by the Lord for his great purposes—not ours.

This Mother’s Day, give yourself a gift by shutting out the woulda, coulda, and shouldas of parenting that lead to discouragement. You may not be able to see at the moment how it’s going to play out, but neither did most of the great moms of the Bible. Point your kids to the Lord and let him handle the rest.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Anna’s Thoughts on Flight 1380

Anna was watching a movie on Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 when the engine blew out. The next twenty-two minutes were filled with sounds and experiences she will always remember. Anna is twenty-three years old and has a lot to teach all of us. If you had to consider the end of your life, and all that truly matters, who and what would you think about?

Anna’s mom, Linda, is in my Thursday Bible study and we have known each other for a lot of years. Our sons were in high school band together and played in their own band, The Review, for a couple of those years. Linda was our real estate agent, and blessing, when Jim and I bought our home. So, I was shocked when I saw the Facebook post about her youngest daughter, Anna, who was on the ill-fated Southwest Flight 1380.

Anna wrote an essay about her experience. What does a twenty-three-year old think about when she is wearing an oxygen mask on a plane that appears to be crashing? Her thoughts have a lot to say to all of us today. The things that matter most in those moments are the things that matter most right now. Here are Anna’s thoughts, in her words:

My mom’s face, and how she would cry when she found out I had died.
How my baby nephew wouldn’t remember Aunt Anna.
How my family would cope with the loss of their littlest.
If a plane crash would hurt, or have immediate effects.
If I would be received in Heaven with my God, or otherwise.
I thought of my friends attending my funeral.
If there was a chance someone could survive a plane crash.
If we could land on water somewhere, knowing we weren’t far from New York.
Young, young, we’re so young.
Take me to your glory, take me to your glory.

Family. Friends. Faith. Life. Eternal life.

The plane was surrounded by clouds for most of its descent and Anna said the “white noise” of the engines was deafening. But then came the moment when the plane cleared those clouds.  Anna described those moments like this:

Seeing the earth was a comfort. There was not a feeling of landing assurance really, but I think just getting to see your home one last time was somehow significant. Once we got closer to the ground, I looked out the window and saw water and started to cry. In my mind, we had reached a river and were going to land on it, Sully style. The flight attendants began screaming “Brace” and then a crew member came onto the overhead speaker, yelling “heads down, stay down” on repeat. I braced and braced and wondered if there was a better way I should be positioning my feet and if I should bend my legs or keep them straight or hold Connor’s hand or just keep looking at his feet. I didn’t feel a thing and then I heard cheers. When I looked up and saw that we had LANDED- ON THE GROUND- AT AN AIRPORT- I was absolutely overcome with the most blatant and undeserved gratitude and joy. There will never be a joy that will match that. I began sobbing very uncontrollably and unashamedly. I remember repeating over and over again “we don’t deserve it, we don’t deserve it”.

Anna and her friend Connor

I read Anna’s words with my own tears of gratitude. A woman lost her life on that flight and I would never want us to forget there is a family who is grieving today. At the same time, there are hundreds of families that are living with a new sense of gratitude for life.

A lot has been said about Tammie Jo Shults, the navy veteran pilot that landed the plane. She is being called a hero who walked the aisle of that plane after it landed, comforting the passengers with smiles and hugs. The crew keeps speaking about her “calm” in those moments. I’m waiting to read the article or book she will write someday. We know that after landing the plane she sent this text to her friend and fellow navy pilot: “God is good.”

God is good. He heard the cries of a twenty-three-year old girl who needed his promise of heaven. I imagine God listening to the prayers of the pilot who felt responsible for each of those lives on the plane and the prayers of other passengers of faith. And I know God was pleased with Anna’s priorities as the plane was descending. Family. Friends. Faith. Life. Eternal life. The matters that matter most.

None of us will probably ever experience what Anna and the others on that plane felt during those life-changing twenty-two minutes. But all of us will need to ask Anna’s question: Will we be received in heaven with God, or otherwise? There is no reason to live another day on earth without knowing your answer.

Romans 10:10 says, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”  Salvation is God’s gift of grace, purchased for us through the death of his Son, and available to anyone who chooses to receive it in faith.

Statistically, only a very small number of people will die in a plane crash and statistically, everyone will die someday. Statistically, not nearly enough of us understand what Anna understood as the plane was crashing. At the end of our lives we want to say, “Take me to your glory. Take me to your glory.”

The pilot texted, “God is good.” Anna wrote, “There is no way I could have found peace and calmness in what was destined to be a plane crash without knowing that I was a believer, and that I believed in Heaven, but even then, there was this real desperate sense of helplessness and doubt in myself. I felt disappointed in myself that I wasn’t more sure in that moment. I KNOW I am assured by God, but these minutes were fast and scary. It’s indescribable that I get a second chance at getting to know my God. NOBODY DESERVES LIFE, MUCH LESS A SECOND LIFE.”

Heaven is real and everyone should want to spend their eternity there. You can make the choice today by simply praying, “God in heaven. Thank you for loving me and for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. Forgive me for those sins and come into my life and my heart. I receive your gift of salvation with grateful praise. Thank you for your forgiveness, for saving my soul and for your gift of eternal life. May I live this life with your peace, purpose and priorities until I step into my eternity. In the name of Jesus, my Savior, Amen.”

God is good and able to save. Don’t live another moment of this life without the promise of heaven. Anna, Tammie Jo Shults and this blog writer want you to know the joy and assurance of your salvation today.

Barbara Bush’s Genuine Pearls

A New York Times article called Barbara Bush “soft power in fake pearls.” Many of our nation’s first ladies have worn pearls, but none as famously as Mrs. Bush. In fact, her famous three-strand necklace is still sold by Kenneth J. Lane on his website. (I provided the link in case you are in the market!) The former first lady once teased that if she removed her pearls “her head would fall off.” She was wearing those pearls on the evening I had the privilege of shaking her hand. That was a BIG moment for me!

I like the message her three-layered strand of faux pearls said about her personality and character. She wore them to the inaugural ball in 1989 with a designer dress and an old pair of comfortable, inexpensive shoes. Her “ensemble” was a picture of who she chose to be as a first lady and as a person. She was more interested in having values than owning valuables.

A lot of things have been said about Barbara Bush since her death. But I have been most impressed with the things she said while she was living. As I read various quotes attributed to her, I realized I was reading genuine pearls of wisdom. Jesus told a parable about living life on earth for the sake of heaven. He said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46). In the ancient world, a pearl and the mother-of-pearl from the shell were highly esteemed for ornaments and decoration. In addition, the word pearl also symbolized wisdom of great value.

King Solomon said, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). So, as a way of honoring the life of Barbara Bush, I wanted to share a few of Mrs. Bush’s “pearls of wisdom” and the biblical wisdom from her words.

Barbara Bush wanted to live life without regrets. She is most often quoted with these words: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict and not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” Romans 12:9–10 says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” In honor of Mrs. Bush, who could you spend some extra time with this week?

When Mrs. Bush lost her young daughter to leukemia, everything in her life gained a different perspective. She grew to understand more fully the blessings in life that matter most. She said, “When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family and friends.” We have been inordinately blessed, and we know that.” The apostle Paul was at the end of his life when he told Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:5–7). “Faith, family and friends” is a good list of the things that matter most.

At the end of her life, Barbara Bush said, “I know there is a great God, and I’m not worried.” Mrs. Bush had the gift of knowing that her life was coming to an end. I like to imagine her picking up her Bible to find strength, comfort, and encouragement for herself and her family. I imagine her reading Jesus’ words to his disciples when he said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1–3). Mrs. Bush knew God, knew Jesus was her salvation, and knew heaven was her promise.

You might wonder if the quotes above were simply parts of a speech that had been written for her. How do we know that Mrs. Bush truly believed in what she told others? I read an interesting article written by one of her former Secret Service agents, Jonathan Wackrow. The article told several stories about Mrs. Bush that described her life as consistent with her words. I think those things were summed up in the last piece of information he gave. Mr. Wackrow said, “The United States Secret Service code name for Barbara Bush was ‘Tranquility.’ It exemplified her demeanor and its calming, humanizing and gentle effect on those around her. She will be forever missed.”

If Barbara Bush could say one more thing to us today, I think she would want us to know her most recent joy. As she walked through those gates of pearl and saw her daughter again, and all those other people she has loved, she also saw Jesus. If she could leave one more pearl of wisdom for this world, I think she would repeat the words of Paul and Silas when they told their Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

That knowledge is the truth about God’s kingdom and the genuine pearl of wisdom that is worth everything we have.

A Modern Parable of Success

Dan munched on his chicken sandwich as he watched the long lines of people waiting outside. His anger welled as his neighbors continued to leave their money in the hands of the undeserving. No one carried his banner. No one shouted in protest. One by one, each neighbor filed in and left their support for the message and the mess. Dan finished his lunch, lost in his grief, alone in his anger. Another storefront, another success—another reason to wave his fist at the truth. He ordered a milk shake and some more waffle fries, then scowled at the cow who wished him a good day. He finished his milkshake on the subway, threw the evidence away, and thought, “Maybe my words will change some minds.”

A parable is a story designed to teach a truth or a moral lesson. Today’s parable is based on a story in the New Yorker magazine. “Dan” wrote an article that is making lots of headlines and helping Chick-fil-A make a lot of extra sandwiches.

Dan Piepenbring titled his recent article Chick-fil-A’s Creepy Infiltration of New York City. The reporter is angry at the company because, in his words, “New York has taken to Chick-fil-A. One of the Manhattan locations estimates that it sells a sandwich every six seconds, and the company has announced plans to open as many as a dozen more storefronts in the city. And yet the brand’s arrival here feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism.”

Dan Piepenbring doesn’t like much about Dan Cathy’s company. He wrote about the Bible verses that “adorn” the headquarters and pans the statue in the courtyard of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. He mentioned the company’s motto, “Treat every person with honor, dignity, and respect,” as flawed because of Cathy’s stand for Christian family values.

But, here is the real point of the parable. Dan’s article was inspired while he sat in the new Chick-fil-A, eating his lunch. It was opening day for the new twelve-thousand-square-foot franchise, and he was waiting to see his fellow New Yorker’s protest the establishment. He wrote, “When the first stand-alone New York location opened, in 2015, a throng of protesters appeared. When a location opened in a Queens mall, in 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a boycott. No such controversy greeted the opening of this newest outpost.” Dan had come to see his community protest Chick-fil-A and watched their support instead.

Here is what I hope the parable will mean to Christians. First, Chick-fil-A has stood for biblical values from the beginning. They have received a lot of criticism, a lot of protest, and suffered a lot of persecution from the anti-Christians in our culture. Now, they are one of the most successful fast-food chains in the country. What does their example say to all of God’s people about the power of God and his desire to bless a godly witness?

Second, as a Christian, how do you feel about Dan? I admit my first thoughts were not God’s. I felt victorious because Chick-fil-A was “winning.” I felt smug because Dan’s angry words didn’t stand up against the obvious success of the company’s expansion. And then I thought about Dan and went back to the parable to insert the sentence about him as “lost in his grief” and “alone in his anger.” That is the real point of the parable.

Chick-fil-A isn’t winning the war. It is simply a company doing its part to fight some battles. They are consistently providing the food people want even when those people disagree with their message. Is the same true for our lives?

It doesn’t matter that the “words” I write in this blog post are about God if the way I live my life in the world is not godly. Jesus said, “By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV).

Two chapters later, in John 15:18–21, Jesus teaches the real point of my parable. He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”

People like Dan misunderstand the ways of God. They are lost and alone, separated from the God who sent Jesus. And Jesus sends us today. Our words aren’t enough. The power of God is unleashed through our works which give credibility to our words.

Chick-fil-A’s story is a parable to all of God’s people today. We need to notice people like Dan, sit down at their table, and bravely share God’s love with him. A lot of people are lost and alone because they don’t know “the one” who sent Jesus so they could be saved. Who is Jesus going to send you to this week? Christian success, blessing, and probably some persecution will come from saying, “Here I am. Send me.”

The point of the parable: We have great food. Are we working as hard as Chick-fil-A to provide it?

One Word That Makes All the Difference

The word is “whatever.”  Interestingly, that word was labeled one of the top five annoying words in 2016. The meaning of the word depends a lot on the attitude behind the person using it. The Bible uses the word whatever about 173 times, depending on your translation and, when the word is used biblically, it makes all the difference.

God used the word whatever in the very beginning to show us the difference between human beings and the rest of creation. People were created in the image of God and he honored us with the power of choice.  He had just finished creating all the living things on earth and he brought them to Adam. Scripture says, “Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19).

Imagine if God had presented those animals for Adam to name, but Adam felt he had something better to do. Adam could have glanced at all those animals and flippantly tossed his hand saying “whatever” and a trip to the zoo would be a much different experience.

Almost every time the word “whatever” is used, it’s because we have a choice to make. God created everything, but only human beings were created in his image, with the ability to choose. Whatever happens today, we can choose to look and act like God’s unique and powerful children or something less. The whatever verses in Scripture will help us choose what is best.

God instructed Moses to consecrate the altar saying, “Whatever touches the altar shall become holy” (Exodus 29:37). Those words give added meaning to the moment when the veil of the temple was torn, from top to bottom. Only God could have done that and only the death of Christ could make that holy altar available to everyone.  Whatever touches the altar of God is made holy, and Jesus gave everyone access to the altar. What do you need to bring to his altar today?

Later the Apostle Paul taught one of the most important things we can bring to God’s altar is our thoughts. If our thoughts are made holy, our actions will follow. Philippians 4:8 is possibly the best use of the word whatever in the Bible. The verse says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

When we take our thoughts to the altar of God, He will make them holy. What are holy thoughts?

  • God will make our thoughts true and separate them from the lies we might have believed.
  • Our thoughts will honor God and his purpose
  • Our thoughts will be just and we can see things with God’s perfect judgment
  • God can remove whatever is making our thoughts dark and purify them with his holiness
  • God can change our ugly thoughts to ideas and opinions that are lovely
  • Our thoughts can often condemn us and others. God can make them commendable instead.
  • God can make every thought excellent and worthy of praise.

So, whatever plans you have made for the day, remember that God created you with the ability to choose his holiness and Jesus provided everything you need to attain it. The altar is right in front of you, and the curtain is wide open. Whatever will you choose to do?