10

Jump Start # 1951

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1951

Luke 10:37 “And Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.”

Yesterday in our Jump Starts, I wrote about how a person ought to think about himself. Balance is the key. Not too highly nor too lowly. The idea of balance stuck with me. There are other “balance” concepts in our Bible. One of the big ones is the balance between thinking and doing.

 

Our verse today is one of the “doing” verses in the Bible. It ends the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus told this to a man who wanted to justify himself by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” He may have thought he was cute by asking that. Jesus nailed it. Anyone and everyone is my neighbor. The Samaritan didn’t know the reason why the man was injured. He didn’t know the name of the injured man. He saw that he could make a difference and help someone, so he did.

 

As this ends, Jesus says “go and do the same.” He didn’t say, “Go and teach this,” which we do. But more importantly, is to go and DO the same. There is a balance between our thinking and our doing. We can be strong on thinking but shy on the doing part. We can think and talk about all the things that need to be done, but at the end of the day, are we doing any of those things.

 

You remember in the judgment parables, found in Matthew 25, Jesus said I was hungry, naked and in prison. Those who were punished received the justice because they didn’t do anything. They didn’t feed the hungry. They didn’t clothe the naked. They didn’t visit the one in prison. Before this, we find the parable of the talents. The one talent man was punished because he didn’t do anything. He buried the master’s talent in the ground. We also remember in Galatians, that Paul said, “as we have opportunity us to DO good to all, especially the household of faith.” There is that doing part.

 

It seems that in the past few years we’ve turned Christianity from a blue-collar, roll up your sleeves, get things done religion into a white-collar thinking religion. We think and share good thoughts in Bible classes. We preach good thoughts in sermons. We are strong on the thinking side of things. We think about plans. We think about the future. We think about what needs to be done. A whole lot of thinking. But the doing part sometimes fails. We hear about someone needing food in the congregation. We think about taking some, but we just don’t get around to it. We hear about someone in the hospital. We think about sending a card. Somehow, we just don’t get around to it. Good thoughts. Good intentions. But without the “doing part,” there is no encouragement, no help, no touches that make a difference.

 

All of this comes back to balance. Without the thinking part, there won’t be any doing. But if all we do is think, then nothing gets done. The best plays talked about in the huddle won’t score any touchdowns unless the team gets out there and executes the play. We can spend so long in the huddle, that the game ends and we’ve never gotten anything done.

 

Our schedules have a lot to do with this. It’s easy to lay in bed and think about what I need to do. But when morning comes and we hit the floor running and there are interruptions and all kinds of stuff going on, we forget. We were going to send a card, but we’re out of stamps. We were going to make some cookies, but I’m low on the ingredients. And we put it off for another day. Then another day. Then it gets to the point that it’s too late. Sometimes the guilt gets too us so much that we say to a person, “I was going to send you a card, but…” But, we never did.

 

Jesus said, “go and do the same.” Those in large congregations can feel overwhelmed. There is always someone sick, someone having a baby, someone discouraged, someone new, someone getting married. There are funerals. There are needs, needs and needs. It can be so much that a person just does nothing. We can’t do that. You may not be able to make every shower, take care of every need, but you can do what you can. Go and do—is what Jesus said.

 

I wonder if we’ve gotten to the place where we view the judgment as a final test. If I can know all the right answers, I will get to go to Heaven. Ask me to name the apostles. Got it. Ask me to name to books of the Bible in order. Got it. Ask me to find the Jordan River on a map. Got it. But the judgment parables in Matthew 25, the talents and taking care of needs are about what one does. It’s not about having all the right answers. So, we have studied and studied and filled out our questions on the Bible class papers and we know all the answers, but what are we doing?

 

It’s time we took seriously this idea of balance. Thinking good thoughts is great. But what are we doing? People don’t know what you are thinking. Good thoughts doesn’t help a family that needs food because mama is in the hospital. Good thoughts doesn’t encourage the person who has gone through some rough storms in his life. Good thoughts won’t strengthen a church. Saying, “I’m praying for you,” is powerful, if you actually pray. But next time, “I’m praying for you, AND I’m bringing you some food.” Can’t cook? Order out some food and take it to them.

 

What works for me is that when I think of things I ought to do, I try to do it right then. I make a list. I see it on my desk. Write that card. Call that person. Drop by and spend some time with the person in the hospital. My daughter, when she was little, often said, “Do it, NOW.” And the way she said “Now,” made the whole family jump. That’s the idea. Do it, and do it now. This will certainly make you rearrange your schedule. It’s often not at a good time. But if we wait until we are ready, then the need may no longer be there.

 

Balance—thinking and doing. Both are important. Both need to be done. So roll up those sleeves of yours and get doing what you know you ought to do today.

 

Do it NOW!

 

Roger

 

09

Jump Start # 1950

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1950

Romans 12:3 “ For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

 

Our verse today shows three different layers of lessons. First, a person should not think more highly of himself than he ought to. Second, think so as to have sound judgment. Third, God allotted a measure of faith. Many thoughts come from these three statements. Some of them are built upon later in the passage when the Romans are instructed, “be devoted to one another in brotherly love,” “be of the same mind toward one another,” and, “do not be wise in your own estimation.” Those all spring from the proper thinking of self and others.

 

This seemed to be a problem then and it’s a problem today. We think too much of self and too little of others. It’s the “ought to” part that seems to trip many of us We are not to think more highly of self than we ought to. Just what is the “ought to?” That sounds like a balance, like an old teeter-totter. Too much thinking of self and we are sailing high in the air. Think too little and we crash on the ground. Folks often are just that way, too much or too little. The too much part is pride. We see that. People are in love with self. They love to talk about themselves. Pride gets in the way of learning, serving and becoming. But the too little part leads to feeling defeated, worthless and low self-esteem. Neither is Biblical, healthy nor accurate.

 

The proud person won’t apologize, forgive or seek help. He knows it all, he thinks. His pride will be his downfall. Sooner or later it will catch up with him and he will get in trouble. But the person who thinks too little of self also has problems. He doesn’t feel that God loves him, that he is needed in the kingdom nor that he can add any value to the work in the kingdom. He will sit on the sidelines of life, stuck in his pity party, singing, “woe is me.” This person fails to see that God values him. Jesus was sent to save His soul. God wants him in Heaven and God knows and believes that he can be productive in the kingdom.

 

Not to think more highly of himself than he ought to. How do we get that “ought to” part right? It’s a balance. It’s a struggle. It’s something we have to work on.

 

Here are some things to consider:

 

  • Do I find myself always talking about myself to others? Listen to what you are saying. Do you listen or do you have to top every story, tell others all your surgeries, and be the star of every situation. Some have to be the corpse at every funeral and the bride at every wedding. That’s a pride issue. Catch it and stop it. Listen to others without having to tell your story. Offer comfort without having to bring yourself into every situation. Can you do that?

 

  • Do you find that you talk yourself out of invitations because you don’t think people like you? You’re invited to someone’s house, but you quickly turn down the invitation with an excuse. You know the excuse is just that, a way of not going. You don’t want to go because you feel that the people have to ask you or that they feel sorry for you. You don’t know what to talk about if you go. You don’t think you’ll have a good time. So you stay home. You always stay home. You don’t realize that people do like you and want to be around you. This is a self-esteem issue. This trickles into the church. You turn down opportunities to serve, lead, teach—because you have assigned the tag, “I’m not very good,” to yourself.

 

Let me share a secret with you. Just about every preacher I know cannot stand to listen to himself on CD, or even worse, watch a video of themselves. I’m that way. I see myself on video and think, “Oh, no. That poor audience.” Most of us, if we had to do that very long, would put a sack on our heads and quit. But we realize people are asking us to come and preach. People are asking us to preform their weddings. They want us to teach classes. That “ought to” part makes us realize that we must be doing something right and helpful.

 

So, the “ought to” part is a matter of perspective. Do not think that the kingdom or even the congregation you attend will collapse if you are no longer there. That’s not true. The church is greater than you. It will survive. But also, God made us to be contributing parts in the kingdom. We all add value. There is something that we all can do.

 

The five, two and one talent parable helps us. Never did the master compare one with the others. We do. This is how the “ought to” part falls to pieces. The five talent person begins to believe that he is better than the other two. Be careful there. The master didn’t give all the talent to one person. The others were to do what they could. But the one talent man looks to the others and he starts thinking about all the things he can’t do. “I can’t lead singing, like the others.” “I can’t preach like the others.” Before long, he believes that he can’t do anything. And like the one talent man in the parable, he does nothing, only hurting himself and the Master.

 

The ole’ cookie cutter idea isn’t Biblical. The concept that we all a sheet of cookie dough that is stamped into the same shape works great for cookies, but not disciples. The lessons about spiritual gifts from Corinthians reminds us that some are hands, some are feet, some are eyes, some are noses. We are not all the same. Not everyone can do personal evangelism effectively. Not everyone can teach. Not everyone can comfort. Not everyone knows what to say at the funeral home. Not everyone can find the right words to say to the discouraged. But we all can do something. We all have been gifted and have talent from the Lord.

 

The one talent man certainly needs the two and five talent men. But the five talent man also needs the others. Think of yourself as you “ought to.” Not too high, nor too low—it’s something that we have to work on all the time. And once we get this “ought to” figured out for ourselves, we then need to help others. So few get this right. Too high and too low seem to be where most people are. Getting a good dose of “ought to” is what we need these days.

 

How we “ought to” think—that’s what it’s all about. Jesus helps.

 

Roger

 

06

Jump Start # 1949

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1949

 

2 Samuel 24:16 “When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, ‘It is enough! Now relax your hand!” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

 

Our verse today comes from an interesting story in the life of David, the king of Israel. He wanted to know how many people he had in the nation, specifically, soldiers. He sent Joab on a nine month journey through the nation registering the people. The tally revealed more than 800,000 warriors in Israel and 500,000 in Judah. David confessed that he should not have ordered that done. He acknowledged that it was sinful.

 

God allowed David to pick one of three punishments.

  • Famine for seven years
  • Flee for three months from your enemy
  • Pestilence for three days

 

What a choice! Seven years…three months…three days. Wars…famine…disease. David couldn’t choose. So, God did. Pestilence for three days. It was so severe that 70,000 died. Then comes our verse. God tells the angel to stop. Relax your hand. It is enough.

 

I like that expression, “Relax your hand!” There are lessons for us.

 

First, the consequences of our sin often touches other people. It was David who ordered the numbering. Those 70,000 who died were not responsible for David’s sin. They were innocent people that were caught up in the punishment. The sins of a parent can impact the children in the home. This rather kills the idea, ‘It’s my life, I can do what I want.” It’s your life, but what you do may impact many others. Just look at the Vegas shooting. One man’s sins have turned the lives of 600 people upside down.

 

Second, God is serious about sin. David wasn’t supposed to number the people. It would lead to pride and putting more trust in the size of the troops than in the Lord. He led the Lord’s army. It didn’t matter how many, the battle belonged to the Lord. You and I might look at this and think, ‘well, he probably shouldn’t have done it, but it’s really no big deal.’ It is to God. Seven years…three months…three days—the punishment was serious because the sin was serious. Putting these wrongs on a scale, most would believe that David’s adultery was far worse than counting the people. That’s how we see things. How we see things is not how God sees them.

 

Third, there is a limit to punishment. “Relax your hand,” meant stop. David would not do this again. This is a hard lesson for parents and for churches. There is a time for correction. The goal is to change hearts that will change behavior. Crossing the line, not relaxing your hand, can destroy the spirit and the hope in a person. Getting even is never the goal in discipline. A person can never get exactly even. It never works out that way. Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, leaves both parties blind and toothless. There is an expression from Nigeria that says, “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers.” Lessons learned, it was time for the angel to relax his hand.

 

Fourth, over and over in the Bible we see the power of God. Here an angel waving his hand was able to kill 70,000 people. One angel. All the first born in Egypt were killed by the Lord. In one night, the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Syrians. Those numbers are staggering to us. Each person was a soul. Each person had a story. Each person likely had a family and was loved by someone. This is a side of God that our happy society doesn’t understand nor believe in. To a world that is drunk on happiness, God is always smiling. Raise a beer to God in tribute, is the thinking of moderns. God doesn’t care what we do, as long as we occasionally tip our hat His way, is the way most live. God is on call if you need Him, but He won’t interfere with your life, just go and have a good time. The God of the Old Testament, some believe changed. The New Testament God is kinder, nicer and more mellow. How shallow, dumb and wrong this thinking is. God has not changed. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He’s not looking the other way when we do wrong. He’s not patting us on the head and saying, “Aren’t the cute.” Where does that thinking come from? Certainly, not the Bible. God expects righteousness and holiness. He expects us to obey Him. He wants us to walk with Him, not just when we feel like it, nor when it’s easy for us.

 

Daniel in a foreign land continued to pray to God. Peter, when told not to preach Jesus any more, continued to preach Jesus. Following God isn’t always easy nor convenient. Holiness is much more important than our happiness. Much of what folks say makes them happy, is wrong stuff anyway.

 

Fifth, often what seems good to us is not right with the Lord. Numbering the nation seemed good to David. It took nearly a year to do it. But it was not what the Lord wanted. This is why Isaiah’s words ring so true, “My ways are not your ways…” How you and I would do things may not be what the Lord authorizes. This is why we must stay close to the book, know His will and do things as He says.

Relax your hand. I wonder if the Lord would say that to us.

  • Relax your heart, and allow Me to take over your burdens
  • Relax your fears and enjoy the creation I made for you
  • Relax your pushing others and let My word do what it can. It is powerful.
  • Relax from beating yourself up with guilt and allow Me to forgive you

Relax your hand! Once again, we see that God is in charge. He always is.

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 1948

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1948

Job 2:13 “Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.”

 

The friends of Job—what a great study found within this powerful book. We remember that Job’s story isn’t really about suffering but about God. Is God worthy to follow, even when it seems that He has deserted us? Satan believed if all the good things in Job’s life were taken away, then Job would curse God. The Lord didn’t think so. The Lord knew Job. He was loved not because of the blessings but because of who He was.

 

All of this certainly makes us look in the mirror as well. Throw in a few hurricanes. Allow a mass shooter to spray bullets of death into a crowd. Turn the world upside down. Remove the blessings. Will we, will you, still believe in God? Can you still believe in God when your loved one lies in the hospital? Can you still believe in God when there are fresh graves in the cemetery?

 

Satan got a hold of Job’s wife. She did what Satan hoped Job would. Throw in the towel on God. Point the finger to Heaven. Curse God. Give up on God. For Job’s wife, Satan won. There was no longer any point in following God. If life isn’t good, then neither is God. Without blessings and without a good life, why follow God? Job’s faith was different. Often that’s the case in a marriage. One may be stronger than the other. In this case, it was Job who had a stronger faith. He sat down after the funerals for his children and worshipped God. He didn’t understand but he knew God was still God.

 

Mess with our nice lives and that’s all it takes for some to walk away from God. In truth, for some, God buys our commitment to Him. Through blessings we follow Him. Take away the blessings and there goes our loyalty. Is God worthy to be followed even if I get no personal benefit out of it? That’s what the book of Job is about. The test of this happens to be suffering and removal of blessings of family, wealth and health.

 

And then we come to our verse today. Three friends from different places come to comfort Job. They came. That’s important. Cards are nice. Text and phone calls helpful. But nothing beats being there. Your presence, whether it’s in the surgery waiting room, the funeral home, or just coming by for a visit, shows your love, sacrifice and concern.

 

For seven days and nights Job’s friends sat and nothing was said. They were just there. What do you say, other than I’m sorry. No inquiring questions. No pointing fingers. That would come later. No back seat driver advice. Just silence. Just sitting there.

 

That’s hard for some folks. The way some talk, I expect that they even talk in their sleep. They are always talking. It’s like the radio, there’s never any silence. Always chatter. Always saying something. Silence. No one saying anything. They just came and sat. A whole week. Can you imagine four people being together an no one speaks. It would kill most of us to last an hour without talking. No emails to check. No texts to look at. Nothing but silence. Not even for a day, but a whole week.

 

There are some things that Job’s friends failed to do. We know as the book unfolds, Job breaks the silence. He begins the third chapter by cursing his birth. That’s all it takes. And for 30 plus chapters there are arguments, debating and heated exchanges between these friends and Job. They add to Job’s pain. They make matters worse. Job calls them “miserable comforters.” They are sandpaper to Job’s heart and soul.

 

Have you ever noticed what the friends failed to do? Simple things. Things that remind us what we ought to do when we go and sit with friends.

 

First, they never prayed with Job. They talked a lot about God. They seemed to think that they had a corner on why and what God does. Yet in all of this talk about God, then never reached out to the Lord. Even if they believed that Job deserved what he was getting, one could still pray. That’s something we can do. We may not understand, but we can pray. We can pray for comfort. We can pray for better days. We can pray for forgiveness. We can pray for help. Talking about God is good. Talking to God is better.

 

Second, they never brought any food for Job. When people are hurting, either physically or emotionally, they generally do not take care of themselves very well. When Elijah was in the cave hiding from Jezebel, God told the prophet to get out, eat and go appoint someone king. Bring some food. Even if Job didn’t want to eat, there was Job’s wife. She suffered as well. They didn’t seem to do that.

 

Third, they never seemed to ask Job to go home with them. Get out of that place. Get away for a few days. Come stay with us. Come home and we will take care of you. Job probably wouldn’t go. It’d be hard to get him off that trash heap he was sitting on, but they could have at least offered.

 

Fourth, with Job hurting physically, there doesn’t seem to be any offer to get some medicine, a doctor or other help. Maybe that was already done. Maybe more could have been done. Maybe it would have been nice to at least make the effort.

 

Fifth, the friends do not seem to listen well. When someone cries out in pain, they don’t really want a discussion. They need sympathy. They need support. They need love. Job’s anguish turned into a bitter argument with his friends. They should have just gone home at that point. They should have recognized that Job wasn’t in the place to talk about it. Some will ask, “Why?” They don’t really want an answer. They are just calling out in pain. That’s the time to hold hands. That’s the time let them know that you care. That’s the time to offer any services that you can. Cut your yard? Go to the drug store for you? Pick up the mail? Clean your house? Bring you some clean clothes? Get you a bottle of water?

 

Years later, Solomon would remind us that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Some never know when that time is. They talk at inappropriate times and they talk about things that’s none of their business or they say things that they don’t understand. Useless expressions, such as, “God always turns lemons into lemonade.” Really? Is that even Biblical? How is God going to turn the ten graves of Job’s children into lemonade? Think that one out before you say it. Or, we love to misquote Romans 8, “All things work together for good.” Something good will come out of this. Or, “I just know you’ll get better.” Really? Got a crystal ball there to see the future? You just know that Job’s health problems are not going to take his life? Got a medical degree on the wall? Job’s friends opened their mouths and they made things worse. We can do the same. We can pry into places that we do not belong. We can accuse when we don’t know the facts. We can play the role of God, when it’s not our place. The less said the better.

 

I tend to think that week of silence with his friends was some of the best comfort Job received. We are in troubled times. Our friends need us. They need us to support them. They need us to be there for them. The day may come when it is our turn to be on the suffering side of things. Open your door to those who want to come and sit with you. This is part of being in a spiritual family. This is what Christians do.

 

Do it well. Do it right. Help and encourage one another.

 

Roger

 

04

Jump Start # 1947

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1947

2 Corinthians 7:2 “Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged on one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one.”

Our passage today finds the apostle Paul reminding the Corinthian church of his noble work among them. They had questioned and challenged him. He was forced to defend himself. Paul wasn’t getting rich off of them. He didn’t have impure or selfish motives. He was simply preaching Christ.

 

Three times in this verse the words, “No One,” is found. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one. All of this shows that it is easy to make up stuff about someone. Throwing dirt is easy. Saying, “I’ve heard…” is easy to hide behind. How tempting it is to just avoid such people. How we want to just walk away and never come back. Yet, that wasn’t Paul. Our verse opens with his plea, “Make room for us in your hearts.” Paul was wanting to be accepted, loved and seen as he truly was. He wasn’t ready to give up on these people. He wasn’t walking away. He wanted to be in their hearts.

 

Make room. We understand that. Company comes and you have to make room for them. You are going on a trip and you have to make room in your suitcase to fit everything in. Recently I was on a bus that was taking us to a football game. We got on early and had seats. By the time we reached the stadium it was packed. We had to make room. Squeeze in.

 

The problem of hatred, prejudice and indifference is that no room was made in the heart for other people. The door was closed and others were left out. They were left out by choice. When we don’t have room in our hearts for others, we leave them out of our lives. No concern. No prayers. No thinking about them.

 

Now, the problem in all of this is not the size of our hearts. It’s not that some have larger hearts than others. It’s not that my heart simply has no more room. There gets to be a point on that bus ride that no more people can squeeze in. That’s not the issue here. Our hearts have the room. Our hearts have a wonderful way of expanding. Mothers understand that. The first child comes and she loves and adores that child. She worries if she could love another child as much as that first one. She soon learns that she can. Her heart can hold love for both of them. She made room in her heart. It’s not the size of the heart, it’s a matter of wanting to. It’s a matter of choice. There is room in the heart to love, but some do not want to.

 

This becomes sticky when we talk about a church. New people come in. Room isn’t made in the hearts for them. They come but they always feel like outsiders. They are not talked to very much. They are not invited. They are not included. No one really wants to hear what they have to say. They are given the “cold shoulder” treatment. In time, they leave. They quit. They feel that the church is not friendly. And for those who stay, they don’t give another thought to those who left. They were never included in their hearts. No room was made for them. After a while, the church turns more into a country club atmosphere. If you’ve been there a long time, or they deem that you fit in, you are in. If you don’t, you’re always be an outsider. Some can worship there for a decade and still be considered “those new people.” Those new people are never seen as one of us. It’s “Them” and “Us.” No room was made in the heart for them.

 

Why do we do act this way? Why do we not make room in our hearts, as Paul declared?

 

Sometimes, we like the comfort of old friends in the church. We have a history. We know each other’s stories. New people are not like that. They don’t know us and we don’t know them. And it’s that “us” and “them” thinking that keeps the door of our heart closed.

 

Sometimes there is a risk factor involved. Different than we are. Not from the same area as we are. Not liking the same things as we do. Not sure about them. Not fully trusting them. No room in the heart. No vacancy. All filled up. They may not laugh at our jokes. They may not get what we are talking about. They might judge us. It’s risky getting to know new people. It’s easy to put up the “No vacancy” sign. Sorry, no room in our hearts for you.

 

Sometimes there has been a hurt from the past that keeps us from making room in our hearts. Maybe someone burned us. Maybe someone gossiped. Maybe someone let us down. Maybe confidence was broken. Maybe promises were not kept. You loaned and they kept. You invited and they didn’t show up. Maybe they pointed fingers at you, for something you didn’t even do. You’ve been hurt. You’ve been hurt once and you don’t want to be hurt again. So, you no longer have any more room. You are not going through that again. You want nothing to do with those who might take advantage of you. The door remains closed and there is no vacancy at this time.

 

Make room in your hearts for us, is what Paul said. Open up your hearts. Allow us to be accepted, wanted, welcomed, and loved by you. Allow us to help you and you help us. Allow us to be one in the Lord.

 

I have a lot of dear friends in my life. Some are very successful. A few are famous. All of them have been good to me. I sure you are the same way. Imagine having Paul, the apostle as a friend. Imagine opening your heart up to Paul. In our times, Paul as a friend. Can you imagine sending Paul a text this morning. “Hey, just wanted to say ‘Hi’ to you. Where are you in your travels today?” Can you imagine? Can you imagine Paul coming to your area and asking, “Can we get a bite to eat, connect before I have to head to my next place to preach?” How about an email from Paul, saying, “I got your note. Here’s the answer to the question you had.” We’d do that in a second, because of all the value Paul could give to our lives. The encourager. The teacher. The servant. So many titles we could attach to Paul. But, we’d have to wonder, is the only reason I have opened by heart to Paul is for what I get out of it? That sounds like a one sided relationship. What could I possibly give Paul? Encouragement. Support. Prayers. Doubt I could teach him anything. I certainly wouldn’t want to give him pointers about preaching. But there are things I could do for him.

 

In this, we open our hearts and allow others in. We receive and we give. What we receive may not be equal nor the same as what we give. But it’s a relationship. It’s sharing. It’s caring. It’s love. It’s being one mind and one heart. The teacher and the encourager, make room for each other in their hearts. The shepherd and the sheep, make room for each other in their hearts. We want the best for each other, when we have made room in our hearts for each other. We pray for each other. We think about how to help each other. We become a band of brothers. We are teammates. We are family. We have, as the Colossians were told, hearts that are knit together. We are linked. We rejoice with each other, and, we weep with each other. Our story is woven together with each other. This makes a fellowship. This makes a church.

 

Make room in your heart. That’s where it starts. You take down that “No vacancy” sign, when you extend your hand, with a warm smile on your face, and you say, “I’m glad to see you.” Melt the ice that can exist in some churches. Give a hug. Stick around and talk. Invite. Include. Welcome.

 

Make room in your heart. Sometimes to make room, we have to toss some things. What needs to be tossed is selfishness, indifference, prejudice, preconceived ideas, and the things that aren’t of Christ. You do that and you’ll see that you have all kinds of room. Room enough to include you. Room enough to include me. And when you do that, what a wonderful journey you are on. Remember, Jesus had room for Samaritans, lepers, tax collectors and even you and me. We can learn from Him.

 

Make room…

 

Roger