"Able and Willing"

For this reason I kneel before the Father,  Ephesians 3:14

A few weeks ago, a video was making the rounds through social media of a young man in the hospital being visited by the President and First Lady. The young man was shot in the leg during the recent shooting in Las Vegas and was among the over 500 people injured during this horrible event. As the video begins, The First Lady enters his room and the young man begins getting out of bed. The First Lady is caught off guard by his getting up and encourages him to stay in his bed. He remains on his feet, although obviously in pain, until he shakes the hand of The President. He did not say whether he had voted for the President in the election, agreed with his policies, or respected him as a person. He was simply standing to honor his country and the man who has been chosen to lead.

Each Sunday at our church, as our Pastor begins to read from God’s Word, he says to the congregation, “If you are able to stand and willing to stand, please stand for the reading of God's Word”. I love that he asks everyone to stand and I understand that there may be several in attendance who are not able to stand.  But, I always wonder why he adds the “and willing to stand” to his statement. I always say, under my breath, “and if you are not willing, you may be in the wrong place”. I wonder if there is anyone who is not willing and if so, why are they not willing to stand in honor of God’s Word. When we stand as our Pastor reads the scripture, we are not standing because we love our church, think our Sunday School Class is awesome, are honoring the beautiful building, or to even say we love our Pastor. We are standing to demonstrate to God alone that we honor His divine words and unless you truly are not able, you should always be "willing".

For the past few months in our country we have heard the constant media reports of how many pro athletes stood or knelt during the National Anthem. This issue is such a prominent topic of discussion that I have even lost a bit of interest in watching the games. Everyone has an opinion on these player’s rights as American citizens to stand or not, and I am certainly no different. I believe we each have a right to stand or not, whether to honor a country or for the reading of scripture.  However, I believe the people who refuse to stand for the National Anthem are missing the true reason for standing and honoring our country. When I stand and place my right hand over my heart for the singing of our National Anthem, I am not saying I agree with everything in our country. I am not pledging my blind allegiance to our President, flag or country. I am not saying that our country does not have areas of injustice that must be recognized and corrected. What I am saying is that I love and honor a country that gives a person the right to sit on a knee, stare at the ground and disrespect the symbol of our country and our freedom. I also stand as our Pastor reads from scripture because I want to show my love, respect and honor to my Heavenly Father who also gives me the freedom to disrespect His word. I could remain seated and show total disrespect but He will continue to love me, regardless. 

The young man in the video could have remained in his bed and refused to acknowledge the President but he did not and it spoke volumes about his character.  Many of the pro athletes have continued to stand for our National Anthem. They have done so while still using their platform to bring awareness to the social injustices in our country, speaking volumes about their character as well.  And, when it comes to God's Word, as long as I am physically able, I will always be "willing" to stand in honor of God's Word so I can one day kneel in His presence. 

Chad

An empty shell

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother. “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:17-22

I have a book on my desk that was given to me over 30 years ago. I look at the book from time to time and I always think it is a pretty book. It is black with a gold design on the front and it is just the right size for carrying. If I let you look at my book you would probably think it is a thrilling mystery novel or maybe a book of philosophy with many answers to the world’s problems. However, if you opened the book you would find that all the pages are blank. It is an impostor, a fraud, a pretty shell that is empty on the inside. On the outside, the book appears to be interesting and full of life-changing information, but with a closer look at the inside you find it is empty.

There are many people that live their life on this earth like my book. When you first meet them, you see the outward appearance, hear their words, and begin to admire them. You may even try to impress them by acting and speaking like them. However, when you look inside you find they are empty. On the outside they appear to be living the model life. When you hear them speak you believe they are filled with the Jesus that gives us abundant life. You soon find out they are also an impostor, a fraud, a pretty shell that is sadly empty on the inside.

The man in the story from Mark is an empty shell. He runs to Jesus and falls on his knees before Him and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”. Jesus points out that he already knows the commandments and the man says, “I have kept these since I was a boy”. The man appeared to be a good man and I am sure his friends believed he was a committed follower of Jesus. The sad part of the story comes when Jesus tells him he lacks one thing. Jesus tells the man to sell everything he owns, give the money to the poor, and then he will have treasure in heaven. He then tells the man to leave everything and follow Him. The verses say when the man heard Jesus’ words his face fell and he went away sad. The man was like the book on my desk. He had the outward appearance of a true follower, but when Jesus looked inside he found a man that loved his wealth more and was empty.

I prayed today that we all, regardless of our outward appearance, will be filled with the love of and for Jesus. Ask Him to fill you every day with His words, His expressions, and His thoughts. He promises to do so and when people look inside of you they will see Him.

Chad

Trust in the unseen

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

My first period class is full of interesting characters who are all very respectful, intelligent, and funny. There is one young man who has a theory about everything in the world. I told him a few days ago, “I like you because you remind me of myself. We both just start talking and make it up as we go”. I actually had an assignment for the class today, but it quickly turned into a discussion of this young man’s theories of life. The discussion ranged from the Flat Earth Theory to man landing on the moon. The Flat Earth Theory consists of people who believe the earth is actually a flat disc hovering through space. Much of the class joined in on arguing this theory with the majority of the class agreeing that the earth is round, and if it’s not, who cares! If it is flat, what about the people who live on the edges of this flat disk of an earth? Wouldn’t one of them have fallen off by now? Our next topic was on the theory that man never actually walked on the moon. Many believe that the United States staged the entire event in a Hollywood Studio to trick the American people and the Soviet Union. I know the landing on the moon is not a trick because that many people cannot keep a secret. The conversations were all in fun and the young man with all the theories is great because he does not actually believe anything he says. He just likes to get everyone stirred up a little!

Later in the day, I thought about our class discussion and realized how many lost people actually do not believe, simply because they have not seen it with their own eyes. They believe the earth is flat because they have not been 40,000 feet above the ground to see the curvature of the earth. They have not seen it, so it must not exist. They have not walked on the moon themselves, so the whole event must be a hoax created by the U.S. Government to trick us. And worst of all, they do not believe in the loving God who created them and all we can see. Why do we as people have to see to believe? Why don’t we trust in the unseen?

Our faith in God puts our human nature of distrust to the test. The world we live in, and sometimes our own minds, tell us to only trust what we can see and feel, and probably only about half of that! But our Heavenly Father tells us to fix our eyes on what is unseen because what is seen is temporary. That is what separates the believer from the non-believer. As a believer, I must have faith that the unseen God is constantly present in my life. The same unseen God that created the moon, stars, sun, and the flat or round earth is the same God that will guide my decisions, fill my heart with love for another person, and protect me. Just because I do not see Him with my eyes, walking before me, does not mean that He is not constantly present. I prayed today that we will always question the man-made theories of this world but never question the existence of God or the love He has for each of us.

And just in case it is flat, stay away from the edges!

Chad

The Clown

A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.Proverbs 18:16

Each spring, for several years when I was a kid, my family would go to the Lion’s Club Carnival at a community center close to my neighborhood. The Lion’s Club is an organization that raises money for hospitals to treat blind people and the carnival was their biggest fundraiser. The carnival consisted of games, cake walks, and plenty of junk food to buy. One spring, when I was about 7 or 8 years old my Grandmother, or Granny as I called her, was in the hospital during the time of the carnival. She had been sick for a while and would have surgery the day before the carnival. I had not been able to see her while she was in the hospital so I was very worried.  My parents, my brothers, and I drove to the carnival to enjoy a night and maybe not think about our grandmother for a little while. On the way to the carnival I decided that I would play all the games and win the biggest and best prize I could to give to my Granny when she returned home from her surgery. But like all little boys, I got caught up in playing games until I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to win a prize for my Granny. I was down to my last quarter, and too afraid to ask for more money, I headed to the ring toss game. On the shelf of prizes at the ring toss game was a white Teddy Bear that would be a perfect gift for my Granny. I gave the man my last quarter and threw the rings. After I completed my tosses, the man told me that I had done well but had not scored enough points to win the Teddy Bear.  He went on to tell me, "But you did good enough to win this clown". The man handed the clown to me and I have never been more disappointed in my life. I was angry at the man, myself, and that ugly clown. Someone had stitched this ugly clown together by hand and now I was the proud owner of the ugliest prize ever!  I found my mother and told her about how I tried to win the bear for Granny but instead had only won the ugly clown. She assured me that Granny would love the clown, but I was sure she would hate it and I was embarrassed to even give it to her. After my Granny had returned home we drove to her house to visit. I walked into her bedroom with the clown behind my back. I was not trying to surprise her with the gift but was hoping my mom would forget and I could get away without having to give my ugly gift. After a few minutes of talking, my mom said, “Show Granny what you have for her”. I handed the clown to Granny and quietly said, “I have a gift for you that I won at the carnival”. She held the clown and acted like it was the most beautiful and special gift she had ever received. She talked about how it looked like someone had made the clown by hand and it must have taken a lot of hard work for me to win such a special gift. My Granny was so excited about the clown that she suddenly seemed like the discomfort from the surgery went away. She also made my disappointment go away. I had been embarrassed by the ugly gift because I did not think it was special enough to make her feel better. Everyone loves a nice Teddy Bear but nobody would want this ugly clown. Granny put the clown on the top of her bed and it stayed there for almost 20 years until the day she passed away. After her death I went to her house and found the clown in the exact spot he had been put many years earlier. The clown did not have to be as fluffy and pretty as the Teddy Bear to do the job he was meant to do. I went to the carnival to win a prize to make my Granny feel better and the clown did exactly that. The clown is also unique. He was not made in a factory with thousands of others that look exactly the same. He had been sewn together by someone’s hands. 

The clown reminds me that God does not need me to look or act like all the other people on this earth. He made me as a unique person, specially designed to serve Him and help others. My Granny taught me that all gifts are special. She did not care what the gift looked like because she loved the giver of the gift more than the gift. She also taught me to be proud of the unique gifts I have and to not be embarrassed to show them to others. We may not think our gifts are very special but to a person needing a friend or a kind word it will be the most special gift of their life.  

My Granny, Mrs. Nellie Mae Kendrick, would be 105 years old today. I did not want the day to go by without remembering the lifelong lesson I learned from the most special grandmother ever!

Chad

A Hawk among all the pigeons

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

The football team had breakfast this morning at the Hoover Met. I always find a place to sit along the windows that overlook the football field while the speaker is talking to the team. I was watching as the pigeons began to gather on the field to eat the seeds and worms from the grass. It reminded me of when I coached baseball and I would plant rye grass during the winter and anxiously wait on it to begin growing as the cold weather started. It would bother me that the birds always knew when I had planted the seeds and they would immediately fly in and start eating. There was also a hawk that would circle above the field and school and I would look for him every time I went to the field. He would often sit on the light pole in the right field corner and just look around for something to swoop down on and have for lunch. The pigeons, that were stealing my seeds, would walk around the infield grass and peck on the ground a few times and then stop to look around in the sky. They always knew exactly where the hawk was at all times. Occasionally I would walk onto the field and find a pile of pigeon feathers on the ground. I always wondered if that was all that was left of a pigeon that did too much pecking and not enough watching.

As I watched the 15-20 pigeons on the field this morning I began to think that we as people are a lot like those birds. We gather in packs, follow the crowd, and peck away at something until we wear it out. Just like the pigeons, we blend in and live just like all the others. This morning, as I watched, two birds were the first to arrive on the field. After only a few minutes there were dozens of birds all doing the same thing. Soon I could not find the original two birds because they all looked and acted exactly the same. I believe God does not want us to be like the pigeons that just peck around a little and follow the crowd. He wants us to be like the hawk that flies high above. The hawk is still just a bird like all the ones pecking around in the grass but he keeps himself above the drama and never blends in with the crowd. He does not wait on someone to throw out seed for him, but instead he is constantly watching and waiting on just the right time.  You can see a pigeon fly overhead and most likely will not notice anything special about the bird. Every time I see a hawk I am amazed. They are beautiful animals that are also fiercely protective of their family and their home. Don’t be a pigeon that just follows the crowd looking for a free meal. Be like the hawk that flies high above all the meaningless stuff and others will see the difference.  And when they ask about that difference, you can tell them of Jesus living within your heart.

Chad

"As simple as that"

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  John 14:23

I often talk to the offensive linemen that I coach and remind them that football is really a very simple game. It has been said that football is a simple game made difficult by coaches. I always jokingly say, “It is a stupid game for crazy people. Who else would stand outside in the heat, in a helmet, and hit each other?” We spend hours and hours in meetings watching video of the previous day’s practice and correcting mistakes. We spend countless hours on a practice field working on the skills to help them be successful, but the game is really as simple as, for the offensive line, using their body to move another person’s body. It’s really, “As simple as that!” The problems arise when the other person does not want to be moved. I teach my players how to play with their pads low, step in the correct way, and who to block on each play but the game is as simple as one person moving another. When I am deciding on the starting positions I always review the previous videos of practice and determine who moved somebody, regardless of how correct the techniques may have been. If he moved the other guy, then he was successful. If he did not move his man, then he was not. As simple as that!

In the verse from John 14, Jesus is telling us how simple our relationship with our Heavenly Father should be. If we truly love him we will obey his teaching. If we do not truly love him, we will not. As simple as that! For an offensive lineman, his job, at the basic level, is very simple. It’s just one big guy pushing another big guy. It becomes difficult when they leave the comfort of the meeting room, go onto the field, and into the heat. It becomes even more difficult on the field so it takes many hours of film study and practice in order to be ready on Friday nights. Our Heavenly Father tells us that we show our love to Him by obeying His laws. A very simple idea when we are alone, studying His word, or with a group of Christian friends. The difficult part comes when we step outside into the real world and into the heat. Our love for Him also takes constant work and practice. We have to study His word, ask for His guidance, and pray continually. He promises to prepare us to face the trials of life and will give us courage and wisdom, if we only ask. He also promises that if we obey His teachings, then He will be with us and make his home with us.

Today, as I prayed, I asked Him to stand guard over my actions, thoughts, and words.  As simple as that!  I also asked Him to give me the wisdom it takes to trust His promises in the crazy world we all face everyday.

Chad