23

Jump Start # 2354

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2354

Psalms 19:3 “There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard.”

 

Our verse today reminds us of silent voices. Now, that sounds like an inconsistency and something that cannot happen. If it’s silent, how can it speak? How do we hear silent voices? There are at least three that I can think of.

 

First, there is the voice of the Heavens declaring the work of God. This is where our verse is based.

Second, there is the voice of the far country. This is what the prodigal heard. It was calling him to leave his home and seek fun and pleasures that are not limited and have no rules. Listening to that voice put the prodigal into all kinds of problems.

Third, there is the voice of the righteous dead. Hebrews tells us that Abel speaks though he is dead. No one actually hears his voice. It’s the influence, example, and hope that he walked in. It’s that voice that we hear.

 

The voice of Heaven is what I want to focus upon today. The context tells us that it is telling of the glory of God. Day to day pours forth speech, yet our verse says there are no words and no voice is heard. Creation points to God. Creation screams that someone caused all of this. It’s there, you don’t hear it, but you certainly see it.

 

Now, what are some things that we notice.

 

First, creation is beautiful, as God is. Have you noticed all the different colors in the spring? Colorful flowers. Big white clouds floating across a dark blue sky. All the different shades of green. Yesterday, the wind was blowing from the east. That doesn’t happen much. Usually, it’s from the west. It turned several of the leaves upside down on the trees. The bottom side of the leaves are not the same color as the topside.

 

Second, creation is noisy. Have you ever just sat on a back porch, without your phone or tablet and just listened. The wind makes a noise. The birds have their own unique song. It’s as if God’s orchestra is playing a song. Have you stood by a river and listened? The river makes a noise. We are surrounded by artificial noises such as alarm clocks, blow dryers, cars, phones, radios that we often do not hear the sounds of Heaven.

 

Third, creation has an order to it. Disney called it the circle of life. God calls it His world. Little bugs eat things in the flowers. Birds eat the bugs. Bigger birds eat the little birds. The rain, the sun, the temperature all brings life to the grasses, the trees and the yards. Everything is connected together. And, more than that, there are laws and order that define this creation. The sun always comes up in the morning. It’s been doing that since the days of Adam. Rain falls, flows into the rivers, which flows into the oceans, it’s evaporated along the way and forms clouds and rains again. The sciences abound here. There is botany, zoology, biology, chemistry, meteorology, oceanography, animal sciences, and astronomy. Those are major studies in universities. But here they are, are strung together, overlapping each other, every single day. We may not recognize these things, or even care much about it, but they are there.

 

Forth, creation is beneficial to mankind. The colors, the landscapes, the sounds, the smells, have all influenced art, photography, poetry, music and even our moods. A bright sunny day makes us feel good. But a dark, gloomy, snowy day, makes one feel that way on the insides. It is from the created world that our food comes from. We do not live independent of creation, but we are a part of it and we survive because of it.

 

Finally, what is God telling us without words in this created universe? First, He is big. The world is big. The United States is huge. Drive from one coast to the other coast and it takes you days to do that. And, when you look at a globe, the United States isn’t all that big. Our God is big. He’s bigger than we are. He’s bigger than any problem we face. He is bigger than this world.

 

Second, our God is good. There are days when nature gets ugly. Strong storms can knock power out, and destroy lives in a second. Earthquakes can destroy whole villages. But those days are few. Most times we enjoy the goodness of the day. God is good. God gives. God helps.

 

Third, we cannot escape from the created world. From atoms, to cells, to oxygen, to the food we eat, the natural world is our world. And, like this, we cannot get away from God. You can ignore God, but He’s there. You can deny God, but He’s there. You can live as if He doesn’t exist, but each moment of the day, you are benefiting from His blessings. He sends the rain and the sun upon the righteous as well as the unrighteous. There is never a time that I cannot find God. There is never a time when God cannot hear my prayer. There is never a time when God is too busy for us.

 

Fourth, God has done all of this for us. He truly loves us. Can you imagine a world that is totally black and white? No color. I wouldn’t do well with that. I need bright ties and colorful socks. I like color on my walls and color in the things I print. Can you imagine a world without taste? You eat, but everything is the same. No salty. No sweet. Can you imagine a world without smells? Fresh bread. New mown lawns. How about a world without any music? No singing children. No hymns in church. No song birds. No whistling. All of these things add to our world. It makes our world interesting, enjoyable and pleasant.

 

Fifth, God has left His fingerprints on all of His creation. It points to Him. As lovely as this world can be, Heaven will even be better. Sunrises and sunsets. Grand canyons and Mammoth Caves. Water falls and mountain peaks. Beaches and bright sun shinning on snowy fields. Starry nights and babbling creeks. Young colts running in the fields and kittens. A majestic eagle soaring across the sky and rainbows in the sky. Beautiful. Breath-taking. And, nothing like Heaven. He made all of this within a week. His power. His design. His engineering. His artistic flair. His love of music. His imagination. The creation speaks of all of this. God is good. God is wonderful. And, if He has done this here, just imagine what Heaven will be like.

 

This is my Father’s world…and He has allowed you and I to enjoy it. So thankful we ought to be. So blessed we ought to feel. And, we ought to long with great anticipation for that final heavenly home.

 

Everyday when you walk out of the house, Heaven is speaking to you. There are no words, but it’s speaking loudly. Get your face out of your phone. Turn off the radio. Look around. Smell. Listen. Think. Heaven is speaking to you. Do you hear it?

 

Roger

 

22

Jump Start # 2353

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2353

Acts 14:27 “And when they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

Well, I finally made it. I’ve looked forward to this day. I’ve been on the road. In the past eight weeks I have preached meetings in five different states. Lots of preaching. Lots of conversations. Lots of travel. It’s been the most intense and concentrated season that I have had in a long time. And, now I get to stay home for a while. I need to because I’m tired. There are some wonderful things that I witnessed in this period of preaching that I want to share with you.

 

Our verse today comes from the end of Paul’s first preaching trip. What I did was nothing compared to what he went through. He traveled in rough conditions and preached in places where there were no brethren. He was chased, persecuted and endured much. I hang my head in shame when I look at what this good man went through. He loved the Lord and this was how the kingdom grew.

 

And, today we continue to preach. Modern churches have outgrown preaching. They like putting on dramatic plays, using comedy and film clips rather than the word of God and it shows. They stand for nothing and believe anything. But those who are truly interested in the ways of God realize that preaching still works. And, this is what I found in my season of preaching:

 

First, people still love preaching. They come to hear God’s word taught. They bring Bibles, notebooks and pens to learn. They enter with smiles and stick around and engaged in great conversations. Don’t give up on preaching. Some have said the days of meetings are over, and in some regards that may be true, but adjustments and proper topics are so important. We need to preach where the people are at in their lives. What’s keeping folks up at night? Do you know? They are not worried about some heretical doctrine from five hundred years ago. They worry about their kids. They worry about jobs, money, aging parents. They deal with fear, guilt and busy lifestyles. That’s main street America and that’s what we need to preach on, showing how to be righteous in this unrighteous age we live in. People still love preaching.

 

Second, brethren are kind to the core. They are. I’ve been in dozens of homes this season. I’ve had so many conversations. God’s people are good, kind and generous. They are interested in how the kingdom is doing in other places. These folks are busy spiritually. They are doing remarkable things. Encouraging. Thoughtful. Kind. You’ll just find this everywhere you go among the people of God. It’s this way because these folks are following Jesus. The nature of Jesus has rubbed off on their hearts.

 

Third, many are wanting to do better. I have had so many serious conversations with leaders, preachers and those who want to raise the bar spiritually in their congregations. I’ve talked to so many elderships that are serious about wanting to be true shepherds. I’ve shared ideas. We talked about looking at things through the eyes of a visitor. We have had conversations about social media and ways to get God’s word out. Many places have asked me to send them more material so they could look deeper into these ideas. More than one place is talking about sending some people to come and observe where I am so they could learn and get ideas. Some places have asked me to come back with the specific plans of talking to them about planning, vision and legacy. The same o’ same o’ is certainly not taking places in these places. These folks are open to listening to suggestions and ideas. They realize that things could be better and they want them to be better. It is thrilling to come to a place and not just preach sermons, but to know that the outlook, attitude and future is all changing towards the better. Good things are happening all over the country. These folks are not satisfied with the way things are. They want to do the best that they can.

 

Fourth, it is touching to realize how many people pray for you. Every place, without exception, earnest prayers for my wellbeing, my family, my safe travels were offered. When someone lifts your name to the God of Heaven and Earth, it ought to move you. It certainly does me. Imagine someone in the President’s administration, taking the President aside and whispering your name in a positive way to the President. Our God is so much more than the President. Our God is amazing. Now this doesn’t just happen to us traveling preachers. It’s happens everyday as moms and dads are praying for their children; shepherds are praying for their flocks; parents are praying for their prodigals; we pray for the sick. What an incredible experience to not only grab the attention of God, but to know that He not only listens, but He cares and He can do something. My name has been in several books. But that is nothing like having your name in Heaven. Prayer. It’s powerful.

 

Finally, preaching in all of these places puts you around some dear friends that mean so much to you as well as introducing you to new people. These are the faces of God’s people. Often, it’s like a reunion. Sunday night as I was preaching my last sermon in this season of being on the road, there sat in the audience three men who at one time were all elders at another place I had preached at more than a decade ago. It was a joy to see them and what memories it brought back. I’ve run into dear friends, fellow preachers, and all kinds of wonderful people. In two places, I’ve had young boys, around ten to twelve years old, with tears in their eyes, come up and hug me good bye. They made me cry. And, we think, none of this stuff does any good anymore? Really?

 

Some may have to think about the length of meetings, the topics and what the target is all about. But don’t give up on the goodness that happens when the people of God get to be with each other. The honest and good heart when intersected with God’s word, will produce wonderful things for the Lord.

 

And, to my surprise, I have run into dozens and dozens of our Jump Start readers. I’ve been to places that I’ve never been before, but some there have been reading these Jump Starts for years. And, the expressions of joy, and thankfulness that they received from these simple writings touches my heart. All of this is amazing to me.

 

This season of preaching has been good. I’m tired to the bone and I’m ready to be home for more than a few days. And, I’m feeling blessed and thankful that the Lord can use me. I will long remember these faces that mean so much to me. These are God’s people, the greatest people on the face of the earth!

 

Roger

 

21

Jump Start # 2352

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2352

Acts 8:31 “And he said, ‘Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”

 

This past weekend I was in the Kansas City area preaching to a wonderful church about the subject of parenting. Six lessons and I probably could have doubled that had we had the time. We need help with our homes. We can’t get enough help. The home is important to God. The first couple, Adam and Eve, were married to each other. God formed a home around that relationship. They weren’t neighbors, business partners, cousins, but a family. They belonged to each other. Throughout the Bible, God has a lot to say about the family. Of all the things in creation, He chose the husband and wife illustration to teach us about Jesus and the church. As the Bible ends, it is the Spirit and the Bride that are inviting us. I don’t think we’ll ever get to the point where we have had too many classes, sermons and articles about the family.

 

The world is tail spinning in regards to the home. It doesn’t even know what to do with the unborn. Marriage is viewed as a joke. Sex before marriage is looked upon as the same as test driving a car. Go to any restaurant and there is mom, dad and the kids and everyone is looking into their phones and no one is talking to each other. Kids are bounced around from parents who can’t stay married and neglect, abuse and the lack of God is at epidemic levels. Our kids are bullied, mocked and ridiculed from neighborhood kids who have no culture, manners, nor sense. This is our world today. There is no going back. We will never have the days of Mayberry, or, the Waltons again.

 

And, all of this brings us to our verse. It has nothing to do with home and family, but there is a powerful principle that points us that way. Our verse comes from the Ethiopian who was reading Isaiah. He had been to Jerusalem to worship and was now traveling back home. God sent Philip to him. Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. He did not. He said, our verse today, “How could I, unless someone guides me?” He needed some help. He needed someone who understood, to explain things to him.

 

And, it is that concept that we need in our homes today. We can assume that our children will just pick it up on their own, but that’s not likely the case. We can also assume that sitting in worship, listening to sermons and going to Bible classes is all that they will need. That, too, is likely not the case. What is being preached and what is being studied may not be exactly what they need at the moment. God expects dads to take the lead and bring them up in the instruction of the Lord. This, again, as we said a few times ago, is part of being the head of the house. It’s not about giving orders, but leading that family to Heaven.

 

Now, consider some topics in which your children need guidance.

 

The subject of Biblical love. We know, “For God so loved the world.” That love. Not an emotion and not a feeling, but a choice. To love as Paul defined it in 1 Cor 13. Love that wants the best for others. Love that serves and asks nothing in return. Love that gives. Love, that is like God. Now, unless you teach them and guide them in this, they will learn about love, but it may not be Biblical love. It may be solely based upon self, feelings and what good they get from it. If they don’t feel like doing something, they won’t. That’s how the world operates. If you don’t feel like going to work, don’t. If you don’t feel like going to church, don’t. If you don’t feel like staying married, don’t. Do whatever you feel like doing. You won’t find that stuff in the Bible. Now, your kids are going to learn about love. Either they will learn the right way from you, or the wrong way from someone they are dating. And, if they learn the wrong way, don’t be shocked when marriages fall apart.

 

The subject of the Bible. Your children will learn about the Bible. Again, either from you and the correct way, that it is God’s holy word that is to be honored, treasured, obeyed and followed or from a college professor who dismisses it as a bunch of tired old myths strung together to control people. The Biblical concepts of marriage, judgment, Hell, inspiration are no longer even believed by those who claim to be preachers. Yes, your child will learn about the Bible. He’ll either follow it closely or from a distance or not at all. He’ll use it, make it the foundation of his life or he will go through life without thinking about it at all. Does it matter about baptism? Does it matter about worship? Does it matter who we marry?

 

The subject of the church. Your child will either learn the correct Biblical concept from you, or, he will just find a church that has no accountability, stands for nothing and operates at the whim of those in charge. Faith and feelings are not the same. But, without any guidance, your child may not know. The church is not a democracy. Worship is not designed to be entertainment. Preaching is important to God. You know that, but does your child? Oh, he’ll have an opinion about church. He may think it’s a bunch of traditional, out of touch ideas that are not useful. Now, where would he get such ideas? Will he see the value of fellowship among God’s people? Will he see how powerful worship can be?

 

The subject of trials and death. Your child will see these things. Often, it begins with the death of a pet. We had many funerals in our backyard when the goldfish and hamsters died. How do you answer their innocent questions? Do you tell them that their pets are in Heaven? Do you paint a picture of Heaven that is about self and not true to the Scriptures? Do they grow up longing for the roller coasters and the chocolate fountains that they believe are in Heaven? How about tough times? They don’t make the team. Their friends move away. A grandparent dies. Many, many thoughts are running through their minds. They have questions. They have ideas. If you do not guide them, they will get their own ideas. It may come from some books that are full of error. They may come from talking to friends who do not know the Lord.

 

Parenting isn’t for cowards. To raise them well is to raise them right. To show them to be honest, and have a heart of a servant is so important. The Ethiopian understood that he needed someone to guide him. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Don’t let them grow up without knowing what is right.

 

If you do not teach them, they will learn on their own. Either they will learn the right way from you, or the wrong way from the world. So, let’s turn off the TV tonight, and sit around and talk. This is how it’s done. It takes time. It takes more than just one conversation. And, it takes you, the parent.

 

Someone will guide them…who will it be?

 

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 2351

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2351

Galatians 2:13 “And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.”

 

Even Barnabas. What explosive words those are. It was Barnabas who was the great encourager. It was Barnabas who stood up and defended Paul when the Jerusalem church was afraid of him. It was Barnabas who was willing to give Mark a second chance after he deserted them on Paul’s first journey. We all would love to have a Barnabas in our lives. What a true friend he was. I tend to think Barnabas smiled a lot. I don’t know that, but that’s how many encouragers are. You just look at them and they smile. They make you smile because they are smiling. Upbeat. Positive. Seeing the best in others. Hopeful. Never giving up. There are too many gloom and doom folks in the church. All it takes is one Barnabas to get people back to Jesus and the hope of Heaven. You just gotta love Barnabas.

 

But now on this page of our Bible, it’s “even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” Barnabas and hypocrisy do not belong in the same sentence. Not the encourager. Not Barnabas. It’s like the baseball scandal of years ago when some where caught cheating. The famous Shoeless Joe Jackson was one of them. Supposedly, a kid said to him, “Say, it ain’t so, Joe.” And, when we read this passage, we want to shout, “Say it ain’t so, Barnabas.” But it was so.

 

Peter, the first to preach to Gentiles and even defend eating with the Gentiles, now turned on the Gentiles. He feared the Jews. He refused to associate with Gentiles. All that he had said to Cornelius seemed to go away. He was acting as if he was too good for Gentiles. The pressure got to Peter. He followed these prejudiced Jews. And, now, even Barnabas was part of this mess.

 

Every church has bumps and things that they have to work through. Sometimes our attitudes are not where they need to be and we must correct them. In many ways, Peter was acting like Diothrephes in 3 John. He refused to accept some that John had sent. Here, Peter is refusing to accept Gentiles. Peter was acting as if God was a respecter of persons. The Jews were in and the Gentiles were out and they may never get in. This was a major problem. Paul is the one to correct it. He had spent a long time with Gentiles. He is known as the apostle to the Gentiles. This is not something that we each can have our own opinions on. Either the Gentiles were saved the same as the Jews, or they weren’t. There is no neutral or middle ground here. If the Gentiles were out, then Cornelius was out. It also meant that Paul was spreading error, by allowing Gentiles to be saved the same as the Jews.

Paul confronts Peter face to face. An apostle correcting an apostle. There was no shoving, shouting or duel to the end. Paul had God on his side. The discussion that took place in Acts 15, and the events at Cornelius’ house, the Lord’s promise and even the prophecy way back to Abraham set the standard of what was right. Peter was wrong here. Peter was being a hypocrite. Peter needed to change his ways and his thinking.

 

Many lessons here:

 

First, leaders can be wrong. Although Peter was inspired by the Holy Spirit, it did not make him sinless. His choices and his walk had to match the words he preached. Preachers make mistakes. Elders make mistakes. Our judgment can be clouded by the influence of others. It’s tough when that happens. Leaders can be wrong. What is never wrong is the word of God.

 

You can tell a lot about a person’s character when they are presented with facts that show that they are not right. Most push the defensive button and try to find a way to save face and turn things around. Pride can color our reason. A humble man will appreciate knowing that he has done things incorrectly. He wants to be right and his hope is in the Lord, and not himself. Some want to roll up their sleeves and have a real knock down fight when questioned about something they said or did. That’s the wrong spirit. That’s not what the Lord would want.

 

Second, the pressure of others, especially family, can cloud our judgment and cause us to not stand with the Lord. For Peter, it was the Jews. He feared them. They were powerful, loud and aggressive. They were the drive to crucify Jesus. Sometimes elders are pressured by their wives and they may not do as they ought to because they “fear” trouble at home. Some use the threat of leaving to get their way. Unless you change, we will leave they say. I’ve noticed every church building that I have ever been in has a door. Some just need to use it. Anyone who uses pressure, threats or intimidation to get what they want doesn’t have the right heart to begin with. Use that door! We must follow the Bible, even if it goes against what our family wants or what others want. Every religious body has had a period of division in its history. There are always those who want to change, and often that change isn’t helpful, needful or even right. Some like to change for the sake of change. They like being different. Some tire of doing things the same way. Traditions, they scream, are killing us. So, they want a new tradition. The tradition of being different.

 

We must stand firm with the Lord. The pressures of others when they are not Biblical, must not move us.

 

Third, Peter seems to get things right once again. Peter sure seems like a yo-yo to us. Confessing the Lord, then denying the Lord. Cutting off the ear of one who came to arrest Jesus but, also, crying for the Lord to save him because he was sinking in water. Courageous and fearful. Strong and weak. Preaching to Gentiles and then standing away from Gentiles. Peter is certainly one on a journey. The Lord loved Peter. He was patient with him. And, so many of us stand in Peter’s shadows. There are days that we are strong, vocal and standing with the Lord. There are other days when we are sitting with the enemy.

 

There would be more good coming from Peter after this. God uses Peter to write first and second Peter. Powerful books that deal with tough times, fiery trials of persecution, false teachers and the coming of the Lord. Peter would encourage believers to be strong against the pressures of wrong. How those words must have reminded him of the days when he wasn’t strong. God wasn’t finished with Peter. And, God isn’t finished with us either. More days to shine that light. More times to encourage. More times to teach. We make mistakes. We say the wrong things. We sin. God doesn’t throw us under the bus. Sometimes others might, but not God. He’s still there waiting on us to get our hearts and minds in the right place.

 

Finally, hypocrisy can be stopped. It’s not a life sentence. It’s not like once you have it, you’ll always have it. There as a time when Peter wasn’t this way. Then there was a time, later on, when Peter was not like this. Hypocrisy is more the state of the mind and the emphasis is upon how others view us. The hypocrite wants to look good before others. He is more concerned about image and presence than he is the relationship with God. Hypocrisy leaves when a person focuses back upon God. That’s where we ought to be all along.

 

I’ve heard people say, “I know a church that says what I’m doing is fine.” So. I could probably find a dozen churches to agree with you. The church doesn’t save you. The church can be wrong. It’s God that matters. When we focus upon pleasing God and doing what He says, we really do not care what others think. Peter the hypocrite is not how we define him. He found the courage to stand up to the Jewish pressure. He found the faith to walk with the Lord. And, in doing that, his hypocrisy left.

 

Through the years we change. We learn. We grow. We see things better. And, with this, our hearts grow. Our faith grows. We become better. We become more like Jesus.

 

Did Barnabas change? We are not told, but I just want to think that he did. It’s hard to hear the words of Paul and continue to stay a hypocrite. Only a prideful fool would do that. Yes, I want to think that Barnabas learned some lessons. Sometimes we can follow a preacher as he walks away from the Scriptures. We love the preacher. He’s such a good person. But all that can blind our eyes to what is said in the Bible. Peter, Paul and Barnabas, all together here. What a powerful group.

 

Don’t let someone pressure you into leaving what the Scriptures teach. How fitting, within the same book of Galatians, Paul warns that if he or an angel from Heaven were to preach a different Gospel, let him be accursed.

 

Powerful words for then and for now.

 

Roger

 

 

17

Jump Start # 2350

Posted on May 17, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2350

1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant”

His name is Leo. A lot of folks do not like him, but I sure do. Leo is a dog that belongs to one of my sons. He’s red and resembles a large fox. And, Leo is loud. He can be real loud. He can be annoyingly loud. He’s one of two dogs that my son has. Many gladly will dog sit or keep the other one, but no one wants Leo. Some have even said that he’s Satan’s dog. But I like Leo. We get along just fine. We were babysitting the other day which included dog sitting. Within a few seconds, Leo was barking happily and laying of the floor so I could scratch him. His tail was going back and forth. He was certainly a happy dog.

 

That got me to thinking about people. There are times when I wish people were like dogs. Give the dog some food, scratch his head a little, and he’ll be your friend, even after you hollered at him to be quiet. People aren’t like that. Some dogs are not like that either. Some are just mean. Some remember and can’t seem to move past things. Some would rather sit alone than to apologize or forgive someone else. That’s mostly true of people, not dogs.

 

The second definition that Paul attaches to love is the word kindness. Love is kind. Kindness is something that begins on our insides and it works its way out to doing good things. Kind words. Kind heart. Kind actions. Love is kind. Love sees good and love remembers good.

 

I’ve noticed that some folks are just kind all the way to their core. They are kind in their words. They are kind in what they do. They are always looking for ways to help others. But then there are those who just seem to be so mean. They are just the opposite of kind. They love causing trouble. They do not seem to be bothered that others get bothered.

 

It’s easy to think that some just come one way or the other. Some are just born kind and others are just mean from the start. I don’t think that’s it at all. I think a person who grows up around kind people tends to lean that way. And, those who grow up around bullies, selfishness and meanness, tend to be that way. But, there’s more. As a person grows, they have within them the power to change. That change comes from seeing what is right and what is good.

The influence of Jesus Christ turns a selfish person into a servant. It can smooth even the roughest edges off of a heart. It can turn the eyes off of self and on to others. Jesus makes all the difference. The kindest people are those who are standing nearest to Jesus. It shows. Generous. Thoughtful. Helpful. Serving. Sacrificing. Giving of time, heart and energy. Why are they like that? Because Jesus is. You can’t stand next to Jesus and not be changed.

 

Now, what is troublesome is to run into Christians who know the book but they really do not know the Lord. They are ready to throw the book at others when they make mistakes, forgetting how Jesus treated the woman caught in adultery. Some would love to lock the doors and keep certain ones out, forgetting that Jesus invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus, as well as, included Matthew to be among the chosen ones. Tax collectors, the both of them, and there is Jesus right with them. We can know the doctrine but not the heart of God. We can know the rules, but not the spirit behind the rules. We can easily turn the church into a “us” verse “them” concept. We are in, but they are out. The Pharisee who prayed in the Temple was like that. He was glad he wasn’t like the publican, and he was quick to brag about how good he was, but he failed to realize that he was standing in the temple, talking to the God of Heaven and Earth.

 

It’s not in the Bible, but can you imagine instead of that arrogant Pharisee praying, it had been Jesus. Wonder what Jesus would have done had He looked over there and saw that publican praying? Wonder if the Lord would have waited until the prayer was finished and then went over there and talked with him? Wonder if the Lord would have invited the publican to get a bite to eat with Him? Wonder if the Lord would have thanked him for praying? We can see Jesus doing all of those things. Why? Because that’s what kind people do. And, Jesus was kind.

 

Kind people do not read the riot act to others. Kind people put down the radar gun. Kind people build up. They compliment. They find the right way to say the right words. They give hope. They do not destroy the other guy, even if he made a mistake. They are not looking the other way, but they realize that they have made mistakes and have been forgiven by God. They are willing to help others find the forgiveness of God. There has been far too many young preachers that were nearly destroyed by folks who lacked kindness. They butchered these young guys because they made a mistake or weren’t doing what they thought they ought to be doing. And, many of these young guys quit preaching. It broke their hearts. Chewed up and spit out and expected to get back up in the pulpit the next week and face a crowd of tormentors again.

 

There are certain things that we just ought to expect in life. When I fly, I expect the pilot to know what he’s doing. I don’t know what all those buttons and switches do, but I expect that he ought to know. I expect my doctor to have a pretty good idea of what’s going on inside of me when he looks at all the tests and blood work from me. I may not know whether those numbers are high or low, but I’m expecting that he knows. When a person walks through the front door of their home, he expects love, appreciation and joy. Our homes ought to be an oasis, not a battlefield. It ought to be good to be home. And, in this list of what we ought to expect, should be, kindness from brethren. We ought to be kind because we ought to be standing close to Jesus. Kind words. Kindness expressed in forgiveness and apologies. Kindness illustrated through grace, hope and joy. We ought to love to come to worship because we get to be around kind people who love us. It’s not always that way at work or in the neighborhood. But in the church building, we are more than brethren, we are family and we are friends. We like one another. We are kind to one another.

 

Love is kind. When kindness is missing, so is love. You can’t have love without kindness. Love is kindness. No kindness, no love. That’s the problem. Some folks just don’t love.

 

Leo the dog is a good reminder. Speak nice to him, pat him on the back, and you’ll have a buddy. He’ll wag his tail, even though you are not the one who feeds him and owns him. He doesn’t care. He simply recognizes kindness.

 

I guess that’s why I like Leo. I’m a lot like that. I like being around kind people. Scratch me on the head, give me a little food, and I’ll be your buddy for life. I might be a little loud like Leo, but give us a chance and we’re both pretty easy to get along with.

 

Remember, money will buy a fine dog, but only love will make him wag his tail. There’s a lot of truth to that. Love is kind.

 

Roger