29

Jump Start # 1944

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1944

Proverbs 26:17 “Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.”

 

The Proverbs are so visual and honest. There is no holding back. This one begins with a person who takes a dog by the ears. The dog doesn’t like that. It’s like picking up a cat by the tail. Not a good idea. You pet a dog. You walk a dog. You put a collar on a dog. You don’t pull a dog by it’s ears. If a person did that to the wrong type of dog, he might find that dog biting him.

 

That’s the picture. We get that. Very clear. Very simple. Don’t pull a dog by his ears. Doing that is like a person who walks by a heated discussion and he feels compelled to engage in it. The discussion didn’t include him. He wasn’t invited into that discussion. Now, like taking a dog by the ears, he’s in a dog fight with people. The words of interest here are “meddles with strife.” Strife means conflict, trouble. It’s not a good discussion. It’s not building one another up. Arguing. Volume. Boiling points. That’s what comes to our minds when we think of “strife.” The other key expression here is “not belonging to him.” This wasn’t his fight. He didn’t mind his own business. He got involved in something that wasn’t his fight. Now, it’s become his fight. He gets torn up emotionally and verbally because of the strife. Strife makes us tense. It bothers us. This person didn’t have to have that, except he brought it on himself. He couldn’t stay away. He didn’t know how to keep out of things.

 

It’s amazing how old something like this could be and yet how real it is for us. The national news is a great example of this. Standing or sitting for the national anthem—that’s a hot one right now. Health care, save it or scrap it? Global warming—real or imagined? Get two or three couples together and these things will be debated and kicked around. This stuff makes the rounds at office breakrooms. People talk about these things before worship begins. Everyone has thoughts. Everyone thinks they need to be heard. Be careful. Are you pulling a dog’s ears? Do you need to jump in those fights? Are these your fights? More so, does your voice make any difference?

 

“Here’s what I think you need to do,” is how meddling often begins. We love to tell others what we think they need to do. And when the person doesn’t do what we say, oh, my, that upsets us. We have to tell others. We have to drive our points until they become weary of us. Meddling and strife—not a good mixture.

 

All of this presents a much bigger question, what battles do I need to be engaged in and which ones should I stay out of? That’s just a fancy way of saying, “When is it my business and when is it not my business?” When is it my battle and when is it meddling? Obviously, from our passage, not every discussion is something that I need to be involved in. Some are like pulling a dog’s ears. Trouble is going to happen.

 

Here are a few thoughts:

 

  1. Is there any value or profit to the discussion? Some love strife. When they can’t find any, they create it. Some love to argue. They thrive on controversy. They love being the devil’s advocate. Stir the pot, is their philosophy. I have to decide whether there is any point to this discussion. Are people honestly listening or are they busy loading the next missiles to launch my way. If the discussion begins, “You are not going to change my mind,” then most likely, you are not going to change his mind.

 

  1. The time and place has a lot to do with this. Some are not interested in talking one on one. They want a crowd. They want a audience. There are some things that do not need to be discussed in a public Bible class, especially publicly. Time is also important. It’s easy to fire a few shots at someone, knowing that they will not be able to respond. That’s cheap and shows the person is trying to score points and not interested in a real discussion.

 

  1. Why do I feel the need to get involved? Do I have a perspective that isn’t being considered? Or, could it be that I’m curious and I just want to jump in. Some things are private and it’s not our business. Taking sides, even with your grown children, in marriage arguments, may be nothing more than pulling a dog’s ears. Let the couple work it out. If they come to you, that’s a different story. But you jumping in, may make things worse. I was in a bookstore recently with a young preacher. He was asking me about preaching with notes. I was talking to him about this, when a guy walked by and declared that he never uses notes when he preaches. He said that and walked on. I looked at the young preacher and thought, “Who was that guy?” He felt that he had to not just add his thoughts, but the way he said it came across that he was superior and an intellectual. It didn’t work. We both thought he was a nut.

 

It’s hard to keep your thoughts to yourself. It’s harder still to keep your mouth closed. Drive by statements, just like drive by shootings, usually do a lot of damage. We often do not know the history or the background of the discussions.

 

  1. If someone is misusing the Bible, I will try to kindly invite myself into that discussion to lead them to understand God’s word. If the door is closed and they don’t let me in that discussion, I don’t force it. When someone is saying something about the congregation I attend, my ears perk up and I might say, “Hey, I go there.” If they invite me into that discussion, I go kindly and gently. If not, don’t grab the dog’s ears.

 

In a lot of “strife” filled discussions, there is more talking than listening. The more one can dominate and the louder one can be, seems to the way some handle strife. Volume doesn’t mean one is right. No one is killed by thunder. Listening is a key component of discussions. This is sadly missing too many times.

 

The modern concept of this passage isn’t one walking by, but one reading stuff on Facebook or Twitter. You don’t belong in all of those discussions. Many turn ugly and south very quickly. It’s easy to take potshots on those social media outlets without getting a common understanding of words, ideas and concepts. Pulling dog ears leads to a dog fight with you’re in the middle. Once your words are out there, it’s hard to take them back. It’s easy to be misunderstood, misquoted and things taken out of context. Arguing on social media is like arguing with a mob. Too many people. Too many talking. No one listening. Take it one on one, privately, if you must.

 

When all the smoke of the battle clears, you may feel good that you told them how you feel about things. But in all of this, did your light shine and did you glorify God? Strife can bring out the worst in us. Some have a hard time keeping their cool. Be careful. Those dog ears look tempting, but what’s it like to the dog? Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Remember that golden rule stuff? It applies here as well.

 

Paul said, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom 12:18). Are you doing your part to keep this word? Some battles are simply not ours.

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 1943

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1943

Matthew 19:22 “But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property.”

I wrote about this rich young ruler recently. I continue to think about our verse today. He went to Jesus. Jesus didn’t come to him. He sought Jesus out. He had a great question. He wasn’t afraid to ask it. But the Lord didn’t answer the way he expected. He went away. He went away grieved.

Disappointed with Jesus. What he expected and what he was anticipating was not what Jesus delivered. This isn’t the only time we read this in the N.T. On another occasion, someone told Jesus to settle a family dispute about inheritance. “Tell my brother,” is what the man said to Jesus. He was hoping that this popular rabbi would agree with him and he could use that to leverage what he wanted from his family. It didn’t work that way. Jesus turned the discussion to greed and the man didn’t get the help that he wanted. He was disappointed with Jesus.

Martha is another example. You remember, “Martha, Martha.” She was serving and Mary, her sister, was sitting. Mary was listening and Martha was fuming. Martha reached the boiling point and interrupted Jesus with, “Tell my sister…” Her sister was sitting right there. Why didn’t she just say, “Mary, can I speak to you a moment?” Maybe she dropped hints. She expected the Lord to side with her. She was wanting the Lord to say, “Mary, go help your sister.” Didn’t happen that way. The Lord said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things.” Martha was disappointed with Jesus. She didn’t get the answer she wanted.

Disappointed with Jesus. That still happens. It often happens when we have in mind what we think Jesus ought to do. In fact, with both Martha and the man with the family inheritance dispute, both of them approached Jesus with, “Tell my…” Tell my sister…Tell my brother. That sounds bossy. “Could you tell them,” is in a form of a question. “Tell them,” is directing Jesus. We do not tell Jesus to do anything. We ask, we don’t tell. He’s the Lord.

How can a person be disappointed with Jesus?

First, when prayers are answered “No.” We pray. We ask. We beg. But, it’s always “Thy will be done, not ours.” “No” is an answer. It’s not the answer we wanted. It’s not what we hoped for. Why does God say “No?” Why do you say “no?” Why does a parent say “no?” We see things from our perspective. We see things from what looks good to us. God sees the whole picture. Pain free, trouble free, hassle free—that’s great for us. God allows trials. God walks us through those valleys of the shadow of death.

Second, when the Bible doesn’t allow what I want. A person may want out of a marriage. A person may want to walk with one foot in the world of sin. A person may want to do what they want. God’s word is final. God’s word is exact. Disappointment comes when a person looks for a loophole. They want an exception that’s not there. They don’t like where the Bible takes them. Disappointed.

Third, when what God expects is hard. We’d think things ought to be easier for Christians. It sometimes isn’t. When the gospel was preached in Corinth, some obeyed. In some homes, one became a Christian and the other didn’t. This strained the marriage. In some cases, the marriage ended because one became a Christian. That’s not what we would expect. Here is a person who did what was right, and life got harder as a result. Forgiving is not easy. It’s hard to let go when someone has hurt you. It’s hard to turn the other cheek. Following Christ requires watching our influence, our language and our attitudes. We must be careful. We must be alert. It’s a lot easier not thinking about those things. It’s a lot easier to just do what you feel like. Worshipping in the days of persecution is hard. Standing up for what is right is hard. Think of those three Jewish men who refused to bow to the Babylonian idol. That wasn’t easy. It came with consequences.

A greater thought is, “What do I do when I am disappointed with God?” Our verse today shows one common reaction. Walk away. Give up. Become grieved. Done with Jesus. He didn’t do what I thought He should. He let me down.

Our disappointment with God can color how things really are. We can become bitter towards God. We can say things that are not true. Mother becomes ill. The family gathers. It’s serious. Prayers are offered over and over. Mother dies. Folks don’t understand. She was good. They prayed. Why did God allow her to die? Why did God not answer their prayers and restore her health? It’s enough to become bitter for some. That’s all it takes to throw in the towel. I remember reading about the death of a young girl named Annie. She was adored by her father. Her death devastated him. He was already walking away from God, but this pushed him. He was never the same after that, claims one biographer. Her father was Charles. Charles Darwin. The son of a minister who at one time early in his life was leaning towards preaching. Charles Darwin who popularized the theories of evolution. His little girl’s death, shattered hope he had in God. Disappointment can do that.

What’s the proper way to look at being disappointed with God?
It begins by realizing that God is good. He sees things and knows things that we never will. He wants us to be spiritual, strong and close to Him. He wants us to spend forever with Him in Heaven.

Trust God. Don’t give up on Him.
Draw closer to God. Don’t back away.
Look closely at the Psalms. There you find yourself. There you encounter those who felt God was not listening.
Look at the people of God in the Bible. They had fiery furnaces. They had lion’s dens. They had prisons. God didn’t keep His people out of storms. God didn’t prevent His people from enduring famines. They suffered, yet they walked with God. They endured and they continued to believe.
Remember, this world is not our home. This isn’t Heaven. This life is plagued with the brokenness of sin. Disappointments come from wanting perfection in a world that is not perfect.
God won’t leave you. He’s there. So, things didn’t turn out as you wanted. Talk to God about that. So the load you carry remains heavy. Talk to God about that. Turn to Scriptures.
Surround yourself with worship to God and brethren who love you. Support. Help. It’s all around you and found in the faces that make up the church. They may not understand why, but they care. They love. They hope. They walk with you.

The young man in our verse today walked away from Jesus. He didn’t get what he wanted. Disappointed. He must have felt that Jesus let him down. The truth is, he let himself down.

Dealing with disappointments—it often shows what we are really made of.

Roger

27

Jump Start # 1942

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1942

 

Ephesians 4:16 “from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

I was talking to someone recently about the congregation where they attended. There is a lot of movement in that church. It’s near a military base and every couple of years new faces show up and others leave. College congregations are like this. Lots of young people in August. They stick around for three or four years. They graduate and move away. New faces show up the next school year. In just about every congregation you see some shifting that takes place. People move in and people move out. Some marry and move away. Some pass away. Those that are in charge of the directory are always having to make changes.

 

The movement within a congregation made me think of this verse today. Unlike sports, where fans watch and athletes preform, our function in a congregation is that we all participate. We all have a part. We all are to add. Two expressions show this in our verse today:

 

  • Every joint supplies
  • Proper working of each individual part

 

These verses were written long before modern gas engines, which really illustrate this point. Spark plugs, pistons, gasoline, drive shafts, wheels—they are all engineered to work together. When one doesn’t, your car may break down along side of the road. It’s true of engines. It’s true of our physical bodies. Oxygen, blood, lungs, heart—they all work together. They have different roles and different functions but they are connected and influence each other. Each part supplies. Each part is needed.

 

The same ought to be true in a church. But too often, it’s not. We look for a church that’s friendly. We want a church that is growing. We want a church that is strong. We want a church with great leadership and vision. Who doesn’t. Those things are important. They add so much to our spiritual progress. In a large city where there may be several congregations, people will visit around until they find one that they feel will help them. Nothing wrong in all of this. We ought to want a congregation that is friendly, growing and strong.

 

However, what are we supplying? What are we adding? How have we helped the church? A couple worshipped for a few years. They decided to leave and worship with another congregation. Looking back, the question is asked, “What did they do for us?” “What did they bring to us?” “How did they help us?” Beyond showing up on Sunday morning, giving some money, and not causing any trouble, is there anything more that was added to the church? Is that the extent of our “supplying” and the “working” of the individual part?

 

Have you noticed, especially in the way God made nature, that created things are made to both give and take. A tree takes in sunlight and rain. In turn, leaves are made which fall to the ground and helps the soil. Giving and taking. A cow eats grass. His dung, or cow patties, as some call them, fertilizes the ground. The cow gives milk. Give and take. It’s a cycle. Everything is connected and everything feeds off of each other.

 

How have I helped the church? Have we thought those thoughts? Have we looked at things that way? We want the church to be there for us when we have needs. Some have caused heartache and headaches for the church. But how has the church become better because of you? I believe it’s time to put some thought there. We want the church to be spiritual. We want the church to be Scriptural. But it seems like all of this is one directional. I want. I want. I want the church to be. What am I doing for the church?

 

How you can help the church. Here’s some ideas:

 

  1. Be engaged. You do this by being there. You do this by having a great attitude. You do this by praying for the church. You do this by knowing what is going on and doing what you can. Send cards. Make phone calls. Visit others. Connect.

 

  1. Be supportive. You do this by speaking well of the church. You do this by loving your church family. You do this by inviting friends to worship with you. You do this by devoting your time, money and energy to the things going on. If the church is having a special series of meetings, be there. If the church is needing some extra money, roll up your sleeves and pitch in. If the church needs volunteers to teach, clean, help out, get your hand up in the air and be one of the firsts to sign up.

 

  1. Be an encourager. Sing passionately. Pray fervently. Carry a smile. Don’t talk about yourself. Be a listener. Be a hugger. Be one who takes the food, invites families over, has the teens in your house, helps pick people up. Praise more than complain. Compliment more than whine. Be the spark plug in that church. Be the sunshine that lifts the spirits of others.

 

I’ve known folks just like this. When they are out of town, it’s noticed. The place just doesn’t seem the same. They add so much. But there are others who could drop out of sight and hardly anyone would notice. The reason? They aren’t adding much. They aren’t doing their part to supply. Their individual part hasn’t worked in a long time. It’s time to brush off the rust, get out the spiritual WD-40 and get those parts working again.

 

What am I doing to help the church? We have asked about the church for so many years, it’s about time for the church to ask us, “What are you doing? “ What are you doing to help the church?

 

If you can’t really answer that other than attending, maybe it’s time to really look at your spiritual life and the faith you have. Maybe it’s time to stop always being a taker and start giving and supplying. Maybe I’d see things differently if I understood and was a part of this amazing cycle of giving and taking. All taking without much giving leads to selfishness. In a child, we’d say the kid is spoiled. Some say, ‘spoiled rotten.’ Can’t the same happen spiritually?

 

What are you doing to help the church?

 

Roger

 

26

Jump Start # 1941

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1941

 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

My friend, Daron, last Sunday, gave some moving thoughts before the congregation took the Lord’s Supper. He tearfully told the story of a time when his three year old daughter swallowed a marble. She was choking and couldn’t breathe. Daron didn’t know what to do. He was alone with the child. He held her in his arms and fervently prayed that she would not die in his arms. The only thing he could think to do was to turn the child upside down and shake her. The marble came out and she lived. From that story, he told us about God allowing His Son to die for us.

 

That thought has stayed with me. I saw another lesson as well. Here was a parent who was doing everything he could think of to keep that child alive, and here was a God who was doing everything He could to make His Son die. Isaiah’s prophecy about the death of Jesus says it pleased God to crush Him.

 

God did everything to make Jesus die. Think about that.

 

First, in prayers. Jesus prayed fervently in the garden. His prayer was so intense that sweat became blood. “Let this cup pass from Me,” was Jesus’ plea. The answer was, “NO.” There was no other way. God was doing everything He could to make Jesus die.

 

Second, the lack of angels. Have you ever noticed that before? Angels announced the birth of Jesus. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, angels came and ministered to Him. Angels are found throughout the life of Jesus. When He is resurrected, there are angels present. But for that short period of time, from the arrest, trials and crucifixion of Jesus, we do not read of angels. Jesus declared that He could summon legions of angels, but He didn’t. They didn’t come.

 

God did everything to make Jesus die.

 

Third, God separated Himself from Jesus. While on the cross, the sky grew dark, and there was a separation between Jesus and His Father. This was the first time in eternity that had happened. Jesus was truly on His own. It is one of the few times that Jesus calls His Father, “My God.” Most times, it’s “Father.” Jesus didn’t have God to help Him. No prayers answered in His favor. No angels sent. And no fellowship and support of His Father.

 

God did everything to make Jesus die.

 

And yet, there is still another thought running through all of this. God did everything to make You live. The “living” here is not a long life on this planet, but to live spiritually and eternally. Have you thought about that before? God did everything to make you live.

 

First, there was Jesus. He was sent for you. He died so you could live. You are so valuable to God that He sent the best of Heaven to save you. God didn’t send an angel. He didn’t send some old prophet. He sent Jesus—pure, perfect and sinless. Faith in Jesus and obedience to His will changes your relationship with God. Sins forgiven, He adopts you into His family. You become one of his. You are his. You belong to God.

 

Second, God has given you His word to guide you and help you. We call that word, the Bible. It has been preserved all these years. Men have tried to destroy it, yet it lives. Men have tried to discredit it, yet it lives. Translated into multiple languages. Available in many formats, even electronically, God’s word reveals His heart. By reading it, following it and making it our life, our character changes. Our attitude changes. Our behavior changes. We become more and more like the Lord. We love instead of hate. We forgive instead of hold grudges. We serve instead of turning our backs. Holiness and righteousness becomes our goals. God did everything to make you live.

 

Third, God hears us. Prayer really works. It works best when we are close to God and are doing what He says. God opens doors to us. God encourages us. God helps us. God is there for us. There is never a place and never a time that prayer doesn’t fit. God is listening. God cares. He wants us to burden Him with the things that makes us anxious. He wants us to trust Him, believe Him and know that He is always there for us.

 

God is doing everything to make us live.

 

Fourth, God has surrounded us with amazing examples, help and support. We call that the church. It’s a fellowship. It’s a family. We don’t fly solo with God. We need one another. They need us and we need them. We worship together. We grow closer together. We are there for one another. We are accountable to them. They can count on us and we can count on them. We pray for and with each other. We roll up our sleeves and work together. We pool our money and help the kingdom of God. We belong. We are loved. We are accepted. We are not alone in this journey. There are living examples all around us to show us what we need to become. There are those that we can talk to. There are those who are teaching us and leading us in the ways of God. God has set up this amazing system so that you can be with Him forever in Heaven.

 

God arranged this so we could have answers to our questions, encouragement through our dark periods and love and hope.

 

God did all that He could to make you live.

 

Have you thought about how much God has done for you? He really wants you to make it. He really wants you to live.

 

Roger

 

25

Jump Start # 1940

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1940

Acts 5:29 “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.”

Well, yesterday’s NFL football games became widely known as protest day. More than 200 players refused to stand for the national anthem. A couple of teams remained in the locker room during the anthem. This was a unified response to what the President tweeted about disrespecting the country and the flag.

 

All of this brings us to a much larger subject and that is the Christian and protesting. Protesting is nothing new. Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of the Wittenberg church, protesting many of the practices in the Catholic church. His actions fueled a movement that to this day is called the Protestant church—a form of the word “protest.” This country was formed out of protests. The Boston Tea Party and later the revolutionary war, a revolt against Mother England. The 1960’s were filled with marches against the war in Vietnam and for civil rights. Many hit songs, such as “Where have all the flowers gone,” were nothing more than songs against the war. I was part of a protest in my high school my freshman year. Word spread that the entire student body was going to have a sit-in. When we were to be passing from one class to another, word spread that we were all going to sit down in the hallway. Without any students in the classrooms, the administration had to give in to our demands. It had something to do with the food in the cafeteria. As a naïve freshman, I went along. We all sat down. The principal got on the loud speaker and demanded that we get to class. We didn’t budge. The next thing I knew, dozens of police showed up and were arresting students. Everyone got up and ran in fear. We jumped into the nearest classroom to avoid getting in trouble. I went into a Home Eco class, because that was the nearest classroom.

 

In the past different unions have gone on strike. That is a form of protest. You’d see guys walking around with picket signs and encouraging you to honk your car horn in support of their protest. Years ago, some in Europe went on hunger strikes in prison. They went days without eating. Some died. They were protesting oppression in their country.

 

Our verse today, Peter’s response to the Jewish authorities who told Peter not to preach Jesus anymore in the city, is nothing more than a protest. Peter wouldn’t go along with their rules. We must obey God rather than man. So they preached. They went to prison for a while, but they “protested” or resisted the law that tried to suppress God.

 

Out of protest often comes changes. Sometimes it awakens people’s minds to what is wrong and what needs to be changed. Protests can produce positive changes. Protesters often face consequences of being arrested, losing their jobs or even being put to death. History shows this.

 

Now, here’s my take on kneeing during the national anthem. It’s something that is growing. Even high school teams and younger are caught up in this. It’s become the latest fad. The latest craze of kneeling during the anthem is foggy and confusing. Yesterday, was nothing more than support for one another and resistance to the President. But before yesterday, when an athlete refused to stand for the anthem, what was he protesting?

 

  • Did he not like the anthem? Did he wish we had another song?
  • Does he not like our flag? Different colors? Different shape?
  • Does he not like America?

 

What’s the point? What’s the protest about? What changes need to be made? Kneeling during the anthem only draws attention to the person. Look at me. I’m different. I’m not doing what I am supposed to do. The cause, if there is even one, is lost. The kneeling athlete looks selfish. No one understands what this is about. You don’t like sports? You don’t like this country? You don’t like your team? You don’t like music in sports? We are at a loss as to what’s going on. You kneel, but no one knows why? You protest, but all you do is gather attention to yourself. That is not the nature of protests. The cause is always greater than the person. When Martin Luther King, Jr. marched the streets in the Civil Rights parade, he was protesting segregation. Everyone knew that. When Martin Luther, the reformer, nailed his paper to the door, everyone knew what his protest was about.

 

We are living in the age of selfies. Everyone is in love with themselves. They take pictures of themselves. This is hard for me to understand. When I go places, I want to take pictures of mountains and oceans. I don’t want myself in the pictures. I don’t like pictures of myself, unless there’s a bunch of people around me. That’s my generation. The new generation likes taking pictures of themselves. It’s not wrong, but it feeds into this fad of “protesting nothing but look at me,” times we live in.

 

Here’s another thing, kneeing is often a sign of respect. People kneeled before the king. Prayers are offered upon the knee. Heads bowed and on the knee, the heart is showing honor to God. I have kneeled in prayer many times. It’s not protest, but respect to my God. I wonder if those who kneel to the anthem realize that in many ways they are doing the opposite of what they intended.

 

But at the end of the day, here’s where we are at. The professional athlete, movie star, or musician has power, influence and connections to make positive changes in this country. Many are doing that. Many are simply drawing attention to themselves. Their adoring fans follow and do everything that they do. More and more kids will be kneeling during the anthem. They won’t know why or what kneeling is supposed to do, other than the Pros are doing it. Politics and movies and music have always clashed. I suppose it’s now time for politics and sports to clash.

 

Kneeling during the anthem will be the center of many office discussions this week. Some will be for it and some will be against it. That’s always the case with protests. The Christian must see the bigger picture and remember that he does kneel. It’s to the God above that he kneels. We must let our lights shine, and our voice be true to the Scriptures. All of this will keeling hype in sports will pass in time. There will be something else. Will any good come from it? Will any positive changes be made? Or, is it simply a moment to put the spotlight on self?

 

I stand with God. I kneel to God. Changes need to be made in this country and in the church. Do it rightly. Do it without trying to make a name for yourself. Do it to the honor of God. Do it, knowing that others look up to you.

 

Roger