Jump Start # 2718

2 Timothy 4:16  At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.

This last page of 2 Timothy is a tough one. Oh, we love the section where Paul declared that he kept the faith, finished the course and is awaiting the crown above. We use those words at funerals and to keep us keeping on. But all around those words are others. They are often overlooked. It’s a chapter of major let downs and disappointments. Alexander hurt Paul. Demas deserted Paul. A time was coming when the congregation would no longer want solid Biblical preaching. They would go on the hunt to find the kind of preaching that made them feel good. And, at Paul’s first trial, everyone abandoned him. Deserted. Abandoned. Left alone. Not a good section.

I don’t know if this was the feeling of Paul, but I get the impression that he was ready to just leave this place. He had poured his heart, soul and literal life into preaching the Gospel and when he needed others, they were not there. Paul had always been there for them, but rather than stepping up, they stepped aside.

One of the hardest things to deal with is when brethren let you down. There are times that they are simply disappointing. Shepherds who seem to busy to shepherd. Deacons who do not serve. And, yes, even we preachers, can seem to have the lazy bone. The stories I could tell. I have been literally up to my eyes with boxes that needed moving, chairs that needed to be put out and hundreds of other similar things. I’ve even had brethren drop by and see all of that, and just get back in their cars and drive home. Disappointed.

What disappointment does is lead to questioning others commitment, ability, role and it is a quick step to discouragement. Been there. I know the feeling. Someone has to do it and no one is, so it’s usually that faithful few. Weary, spending long, long hours, having things to do at home just like everyone else, yet they stay with it until the job is completed. Then, few notice, and even fewer ever say anything and it is pretty well known that the next time something like this comes up, it will be the same few who carry on the work.

There is a thing called the 80/20 principle. Eighty percent of the work is done by twenty percent of the people. That would be a great thing. Usually it’s about 95% of the work done by 5% of the people. Some get so tired of being in that 5% group that they no longer stick around, show up, nor are counted on. They join the others. They have gotten overworked, little appreciated and even felt like they were taken advantage of. I do think this is why some young preachers quit. We old preachers are just to old to do anything else, or we might join them ourselves.

Disappointments—how do we deal with them?

First, the work isn’t about you or me, but the kingdom. Get in there and do what you can do because it needs to be done. We’ve seen what happens when no one does anything—the place falls apart. It’s a mess. Here am I send me, was the words of the prophet. It doesn’t matter if there is a team or just you, first and foremost get done what needs to get done. And, when it is completed, do not tell others. Do not toot your own horn. The Lord knows. It’s that cup of cold water that you gave. Heaven sees and let it stay with that.

Second, recruit others to help. Now, just telling others that something needs to be done and you are not there yourself doesn’t go very far. The best way to lead is by example. Get some younger folks involved. Get some retired folks involved. Most would help, but most never have open eyes to see it themselves. So, just ask a couple to help you out. Be the first one there. Be the last one to leave. Thank them for helping out. That’s how you get things done.

Third, complaining usually doesn’t accomplish much. You can complain that our deacons don’t do a thing. That may be true, but that typically won’t get them moving any faster on things. And, the more we complain the more others get discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer, always works for me.

Fourth, in our Timothy context, Paul reminds us that the Lord stood with him and strengthened him. That’s important to understand. Paul could always count on the Lord and so can you.

Fifth, sometimes we make too much of things that do not need that. We can put so much attention on the external and go overboard with things and all of that takes a lot of energy and time. You can do it well and you can do it right, and you can do it professionally, but you don’t have to go to extremes. Our attention to details can haunt us. We see things that no one else does. We can want everything to be perfect when things won’t be perfect. Glorifying God, honoring Him in worship, encouraging one another and teaching all is what we are about. Do your best but understand others may not go to the extreme that you do. When it comes to publications, the layout of how things look when people walk into our building is high on my list. I’ll move sheets of paper around just to make them look nicer. That’s me. I don’t expect others to be like that. Being overly obsessed with perfection can be a curse. Don’t forget the big picture of things. Don’t forget what we are about.

Finally, don’t let your disappointment in others ruin your fellowship with them. Not everyone is in the same place on the journey of life. There may be many reasons why others don’t help out and you may just not know what those reasons are. Being disappointed in others can make you conclude that their faith is weak and that they can not be counted on for anything. Don’t go there. Not only are you not accurate about that, but it puts you so high up on the mountain that all you can do is look down at others.

Disappointments, they are a part of life. And, truth be known, I expect each of us have disappointed others, I know I have. And, what you do is learn. Try to do better the next time. Not everyone handles disappointments well. Not everyone excels with the Lord. Make sure you are not the cause of someone stumbling. And it you are, be the first to extend you hand to help them back up.

What to do with disappointments…something we do well to talk about.

Roger

Jump Start # 2521

2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”

Within these last few sentences that Paul writes by inspiration, we find some sad truths. Demas, we are told, deserted Paul. Alexander cause a lot of trouble. And, now our verse, no one stood with Paul. He was alone. He was abandoned.

But what we remember the most about this last chapter of Paul are his sterling words, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (v. 7). He did that with all these other things going on around him. He kept and he finished, even those others were not. They were throwing in the towel. They were switching sides. They were looking out for themselves. Paul kept going.

A while back my wife and I were taking another couple out for dinner. We pulled into a little place that we had been to before that we thought would be a great place to eat, connect and visit. I dropped my wife off at the door and went to park the car. She came out shaking her head “no.” When she walked in, a greeter said, “What do you want?” She said the place looked dirty and it smelled, and the smell wasn’t of food. So we left. We found another place. And, we crossed that off of places that we will visit again. We are done with that place.

Now, I say this in regards to one’s experiences at church services. This is a valuable lesson to share with others. I’ve had bad experiences at other places to eat. Overpriced. Food was terrible. Service was slow. Place wasn’t clean. I don’t throw a fit. I don’t demand to see the manager. I just leave. I leave and I tell myself that I’m not going back. But, that has not ruined me on going to other places. It hasn’t made me stay home and eat all my meals at home. I still go out, but there are certain places that I will not go to now.

So, here is someone who has had a bad experience at one congregation. Maybe no one talked to him. No one. Maybe he felt very uncomfortable. Maybe there was a lot of pressure put on him. Maybe he felt like he was being interrogated with so many questions being asked of him. Maybe someone said that he was sitting in their place. Maybe someone made a comment that was narrow, critical and judgmental. Maybe that comment hurt. Maybe, as my wife experienced at a restaurant, someone said, “What do you want?”

I remember going to a place once where I was the guest speaker. No one talked to me. Not before and hardly after. Very awkward. Very rude. Very uncomfortable. Now, did that make me stop preaching in other places? No. Too many have given up on the Lord and have stopped going anywhere because of a bad experience that they had at one place. One can’t do that. You might not go back to that one place again, but you can’t give up on serving the Lord.

Remember Paul. He fought. He kept. He finished. He did that when Demas quit. He did that when Alexander hurt him. He did that when everyone abandoned him. Paul didn’t let bad experiences keep him for doing what he knew was right and what he ought to do.

Now, here are some thoughts:

First, all of us have bad days. Sometimes it seems like everyone is having them at the same time. Some are moody. Some are grumpy. Some are tired. Some have their minds a million miles away. It doesn’t justify rudeness, coldness or indifference. We must step it up when it comes to visitors and worship. Every congregation has it’s own flavor, temperature and style. Some are stiff and others are very laid back. Some are precise and others will get around to it sooner or later. Now, I’m one who believes that if worship starts at 9:30, then we ought to start at 9:30. When we don’t at home, it bothers me. On the road, in other places, it’s probably just the way they are. It’s not home so I put up with it. It’s like going to other people’s home. You see pictures on the wall and you think, “I’d never have that in my house.” It’s ok. It’s their house, not yours. So, you have a little patience and a little tolerance. You put up with things.

Second, don’t blister someone because they don’t do what you think they should. I’ve had people tell me that they visited a place and no one talked to them. Yet, the very people who are telling me this, rarely talk to anyone. Don’t be critical unless you are doing your part. Sometimes things are going on behind the scenes that very few know anything about. Just this past Sunday, about fifteen minutes before we were to start, all the power went out. It came back on, but we have a zillion things in our media booth that require electricity. Livestreaming, recording, mics, projectors—all of them had to be up, running and right. The team did it. It was amazing. But it took a bit of time to do that. We started just a little off of normal. Someone sitting in the audience wouldn’t have known that. Now, one can huff and puff, but often there are things that I do not understand.

Third, we can not let our faith be wrecked by what others do. Paul didn’t. People let him down, but he kept going. Someone may say something that is not nice. Let it go. Someone may say that you are in their seat. They ought to know better, but don’t let that upset you. Don’t let what others do ruin your worship. Don’t let what others do stop your walk with the Lord. Don’t let others stand between you and the cross.

I don’t know what Alexander did to Paul, but it hurt him. He must have still been in the area. Paul was warning Timothy about him. Alexander was bad news. Alexander wasn’t right with the Lord. Paul wasn’t going to allow Alexander to crash his faith. Paul finished the course.

So, keep all of these thoughts in mind. You invite someone to come with you and immediately they bring up a bad experience that they had. Remind them that Jesus didn’t treat them that way and if they had a bad experience eating out, they don’t stop eating out. Give another place a try. Give another place a chance. Sure there are hypocrites. Sure there are some who are not serious. Sure there are some playing church. Sure there are some who have too much of the world still in them. However, there are those who are trying. There are those who are spiritual giants. Even in places like Sardis, which the Lord called “dead,” there were some who were doing what was right. Don’t generalize. Don’t assume they are all the same. Don’t throw in the towel because of a bad experience.

As I write this, it’s lunch time. I’m thinking about where I am going to go to get a bite to eat. I’ll be going out for lunch. A bad experience hasn’t ruined me. Keep that in mind.

Keep going. Finish what you have started.

Roger

Jump Start # 2149

2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”

Our verse today shows a side of reality that we often do not want to admit or talk about. It’s one of the very things that causes some to walk away from the Lord and His people. The setting took place in Rome, the massive city of the Empire. Paul had been sent there to stand before Caesar. It was during this Roman period that many of the books of the N.T. were written. There had been a trial. Paul had squeaked through it. There would be a second trial, and that one would lead to his execution. He knew it was coming.

At his first trial, Paul stood alone. This is where our verse is found. No one supported me. All deserted me. No one sitting at his table, if they had such. No one to speak in his behalf. No one to encourage him. And, it’s not that they were all too far away and couldn’t make it. It wasn’t that they were all busy preaching and doing great things. Paul knew. It hurt. It hurt as much as what Caesar would say to him. They all deserted him. He hopes that what they did would be forgiven, by others and by God.

There are two sides to our verse today. There is Paul’s side and there is the side of those who deserted.

Let’s being with those who never came. Alone is a terrible feeling. I’ve seen it all too often. Someone sitting alone in the surgery waiting room. The doctor comes out, and tears flow down their face. No one to hug them. No one to hold a hand. No one to whisper words of comfort. All alone. I’ve seen it in a funeral home. A visitation is taking place in one room, and you pass another room, and there stands one or two people looking down in a casket. The room is empty. No one is in there. It seems that they are alone.

I can’t speak much for Paul’s times, but I understand our times. I live in it. We are busy. We are too busy with our selves and our own world. We assume others will be there, but they may be making the same assumption about us. We plan to stop by, but things happen, and it just doesn’t happen. We meant to send a card, but we forgot to pick one up at the store. Days turn into weeks and now, it seems too late.

Even in large congregations, people can feel alone. They can feel that there is no one that I can talk to. There is no one that I can count on. There is no one that will be there for me. And, too often that’s just what happens. In the hospital, out to rehab, and now back to worship and it seems very few even missed you. It seems very few even knew. Worse, it seems very few even cared.

Deserted is a terrible feeling, especially, as in Paul’s situation, it didn’t have to happen. It may well be that some were afraid of being arrested as well. Maybe they were thinking too much of saving their own skin and not thinking about Paul in that Roman dungeon. Often, we hide behind, “I’ll pray for you.” That’s wonderful, if you really do that. But that doesn’t excuse me of other obligations. Praying at home, means I don’t have to drive downtown to the hospitals to visit, fight traffic, pay to park, and give up an afternoon. I can just pray. I can pray means I don’t have to go to the funeral home, stand in line and try to think of something to say. I can just pray. I can pray which means I don’t have to take some food, which means, going to the store, baking something and then taking it over to the family. I can just pray. Prayers are powerful, but don’t let it be an excuse to get out of other things. “Saying, ‘In Jesus name, Amen,’” doesn’t end your responsibilities. We pray for the church to grow, well, after the Amen, we need to greet the visitors at worship and invite our friends. We pray for the sick, after the Amen, we need to go visit them. We pray for those who are mourning, after the Amen, we need to comfort. Prayer is powerful. It invites God into our world, but it doesn’t mean God takes over and I’m now finished with what I need to do.

Second, from Paul’s perspective, he was alone and deserted. I’ve not really looked into what Roman trials were like. But from our passage, I expect Paul scanned the audience, looking for a friendly face. That can make all the difference. We do that all the time. I do that. A kid is on the field playing sports, or on the stage preforming. He scans the crowd, looking for the face of mom or dad. He’s looking for confidence. When I preach in other places, I look for a face that I know. It’s comforting to see someone that you recognize and that loves you. Paul would have looked through that audience of strangers, and not seen anyone that he knew or anyone that was comforting to him. No one. Deserted and alone.

Abandoned. Forgotten. Alone. Scared. I was reading the obituary of someone the other day. It said that he passed away surrounded by those who loved him. That’s comforting. Paul didn’t have that. He stood alone at his trial. That’s enough to make some bitter. That’s enough to turn the stomach of some on the church. They don’t care about me, I’m not going back—ever.

However, with Paul, we find two wonderful thoughts for the deserted. It may happen to you someday. You may be alone in that waiting room. You may be alone and no one called to see how you are doing. Instead of being eaten up with sorrow, pity and loneliness, notice Paul.

First, he said, “may it not be counted against them.” Paul didn’t wash his hands of those who could have been there but weren’t. His attitude wasn’t, “just wait until they need me, I won’t be there.” He didn’t think, “After all I have done for them, I am finished helping them.” No. Not Paul. He hopes their failure will not be counted against them. He hopes Heaven forgives. He hopes others will forgive. He hopes others will be able to have the spirit that he did.

Second, the next verse states that the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. Paul wasn’t alone. He had someone all the time. He had the greatest with him. He not only had someone with him, but it was the Lord. And the Lord wasn’t just there, He helped Paul. He strengthened Paul. Paul got through this terrible time because of the Lord. Was the Lord literally there? No. The Lord is in Heaven. It was through faith. It was through hope, Scripture, eternal promises and a wonderful relationship with Jesus, that Paul knew the Lord was there.

Don’t give up on Jesus because others let you down. The Lord hasn’t done that. Don’t blame the Lord for the failures of others. Don’t throw the towel in on what you know is true and right.

Sometimes we have to go through a dark valley to witness all the love, support and care of others. It’s during those times that we often realize that we’ve never been there for others. We haven’t been in the surgery waiting room, we haven’t gone to the funeral home, we haven’t taken any food for others. Here we are on the receiving end of things and what a wonderful and helpful experience that has been. Now, our eyes are opened to do the same for others. Often, it takes that for us to see how important we are to each other.

Paul was deserted but he wasn’t ruined. Don’t let what others do ruin you. The Lord is with you.

Roger

Jump Start # 1841

2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”

I was preaching last night and used this verse in my lesson. It is one of those verses that just stays with a person for a while. Here the aged Paul was in Rome. He was to stand before Caesar himself. All the cards were on the table. This was a life or death situation. The last few years of his life has been spent in prisons, often in chains. He knows the end of his life was near. He has already had one meeting with the Emperor.

It was this occasion that Paul speaks about in our verse. Paul had charges against him, but he had no one to stand with him. He was alone. No one spoke a good word for him. No one was there to sit with him. He had no one to pray for him. He was alone. What a terrible, terrible feeling to be alone.

The passage brings two thoughts:

First, those that could have been with him deserted him. It wasn’t that they were busy. It wasn’t that they were elsewhere. They left. They left Paul alone. Maybe they were scared. Maybe they thought that they too would be arrested. Maybe they thought there was little for them to do. But the word Paul uses is “deserted.”

Second, it sounds as if these others did wrong. Paul states, “may it not be counted against them.” Why would he even say that? Why does that come up? It is because they thought only of themselves and they deserted Paul when he needed them the most. They left Paul alone. They left Paul without any help. Paul who had sacrificed himself for them, did not receive the same back. Paul who had worked and worked all these years for others, now had no one there for him. This was wrong, but Paul did not want this to be held against them. Even when wronged, Paul was thinking highly of these brethren. They were guilty of not showing love. They were not acting like Jesus. Where was the “deny yourself and take up your cross” stuff? Where was the “blest be the tie that binds our hearts?” Not there. Nothing. Gone. Alone. This was wrong. This was sinful. Paul’s words are, “don’t count this against them.” Similar to Stephen’s cry for the forgiveness of his executioners. Similar to our Lord saying, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” The only difference is that Paul is not dealing with Roman guards, or Jews, but brethren. Christians ought not to do this. But they did.

There are lessons for us. We have stood on both sides here. There were times we may have let others down. Maybe folks needed us, but we were tired. We were busy. We just didn’t feel like it. So we didn’t go. We weren’t at the hospital when a family might have needed us. We weren’t at the funeral. We failed to take any food to a family. We forgot to pray for someone who asked for prayers. We got so busy in our world that we forgot about others. Oh, others will be there, we say to ourselves. That didn’t happen for Paul. We can’t do it all, so we excuse ourselves and some may be deserted.

It’s hard to deny yourself as discipleship calls. It’s hard to do good as we have opportunity. Opportune times may not be the best times for us. At the end of the day, we just want to go home and stay there. There are so many demands at home. The family needs us. The yard needs cutting. There are bills that must be paid. Not today. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe the weekend would be better. And when we get around to finding the time and remembering, the opportunity has passed. They no longer need us.

Deserting others when they need us is painful. It makes people feel like they are not loved. It’s the very thing that causes some to start thinking about looking for another place to worship. It’s not the preaching. It’s not the classes. It’s feeling alone. Even in a big church, some can feel deserted.

Now, before we leave this, there is another side to this coin, and that is communication. I’ve known folks who were in and out of the hospital and complained, “No one came to see me.” The reason was, “No one knew you were in the hospital.” We are not mind readers. Let folks know. If you don’t tell others, then don’t complain that no one came to see you. Let others know. Let others pray for you. Let others help you.

The other lesson here is to stand in Paul’s shoes. Not only may we be guilty of deserting others when they need us, but there may be times when we are the deserted ones. We were left alone. No one came for us. No one called. No one brought food. No one. That’s an empty feeling. What do we do when we stand in Paul’s shadows? Most of us complain. We let it be know that the church is not friendly. We put on an ugly face and let it be known how hurt we were.

Paul’s words are “let it not be counted against them.” Not counted against them by Heaven, which means, don’t mark this as a sin against them. But also, “not counted against them” by Paul. He was forgiving. He didn’t write these other brethren off. He didn’t wasn’t finished with them. He wasn’t going to turn his back on them. That’s what we do. Not Paul. In fact he calls for Timothy to come. He states that “Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brethren” greet you. These must have been folks that were with Paul. They were some of the Christians in Rome. Where were these people when Paul needed them? Why weren’t these people at his first defense? Paul didn’t write them off as useless.

Forgiving others is easy when there isn’t much to forgive. But when we have been counting on others and they let us down, that’s when we either “not count it against them,” or we tell them and the world, how much they hurt us. The deserted Paul didn’t give up. He didn’t allow others to change how he believed. In fact, he reminds us that “the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.” How, we don’t know. God did not desert Paul.

So, may we keep our eyes open to help others. There are opportunities every day to serve, pray and support others. Don’t ever be too busy that you can’t help others. But likewise, don’t carry a chip on your shoulders because someone let you down. Don’t let that destroy the unity in a church. Don’t let that mar your relationship and walk with the Lord. Don’t allow what they do to be an excuse for you to do the same. Paul was deserted, but he didn’t desert others. You may be let down by others, but don’t you let others down. It may be the very people that you were counting on that you have the opportunity to help and serve. Remember the “do unto others” verse? The golden rule? Apply it. Use it. Treat others as you would want to be treated. The very people that let you down may be the ones that you serve. Do it with a smile. Do it without grumbling. Your spirit and your example may be the very thing needed to open their eyes and change their hearts.

Deserted—it’s a terrible feeling. May we see the value of being there for one another.

Roger

Jump Start # 1472

2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”

  The Bible comes to us much like an onion. There are the initial lessons and principles. Very obvious. Right there on the surface. You can’t miss them. But then one finds another layer of applications and lessons. Then one finds yet more layers of lessons. Like that onion, layers and layers of lessons. That’s what makes reading the Bible so fascinating. A person never gets all that there is to get. So many stop at the surface and are content with just the obvious. Looking at words, making applications, lowering your nets, as I like to say, thinking longer and deeper, opens the door to a wonderful world of so many more lessons. Now there is a caution that comes with this form of thinking and application. One cannot bypass nor miss the obvious lessons. Some are so eager to look for the obscure lessons that they ignore the obvious. Can’t do that. The doctrines, the principles are there for a reason and we must grasp those things.

Our verse today is from the last page that Paul would write by inspiration. He sits in a Roman jail. This is his second stint in that jail. He knows very soon that Caesar will order his execution. Earlier in the chapter Paul wrote, “The time of my departure has come.” Written as if he was talking about hopping on a plane to fly somewhere, his departure or exit, was from this world. He knew his time was up.

In our verse he reveals that he has already had one trial. “My first defense,” was the first time he stood before Caesar. There are three statements in this simple verse that I want to consider. It’s a sentence that we could easily pass over, but it speaks volumes to the spirit and attitude of Paul. It helps us.

First, no one supported me. At his first defense, he stood alone. No one. Like the Lord at His trial, Paul was by himself. That is concerning, when you remember all the names that Paul names in his letters. Romans 16 is full of names. At the end of every letter Paul is thanking people, naming people and connected to people. But here, when he needed others, he stood alone.

Second, worse still, Paul says, “all deserted me.” It’s one thing to think Paul was in Rome and everyone else was scattered elsewhere and they couldn’t get to him in time. That’s one thing. But Paul tells us why no one supported him, they all deserted him. In a moment when he needed them the most, they were not there.

Thirdly, and most surprisingly, Paul asks God and those that would read this letter, “not be counted against them.” Now this is the layer we must look at. Amazing spirit. Wonderful and forgiving attitude. Something most of us would do well to give some thought to.

People disappoint us. We invite people to come and they don’t show up. Not even a phone call telling that they can’t come. No one RSVPs anymore. We’ve had four weddings. Some who said they were coming didn’t. And some who never replied showed up. That’s tough on the father of the bride when he is paying for things. People tell you that they will be there for you, and they are not. People disappoint. Some desert. When you think you can count on them, they bail on you.

Most of us would get upset with people who disappoint. Most would write them off and not have anything to do with them again. In the family, such behavior leads to hurt feelings and arguments. In the church, these things are enough for some to pull stakes and leave. I don’t feel part of the group. No one includes me. The church has disappointed me. Finished with them, is our spirit. I’ll find another congregation. And we do that. For some, that isn’t an option. There isn’t “another congregation” close. So they either suffer silently or they simply throw in the towel and give up. They quit. They are not a part any longer. It’s hard to blame them. Hurt feelings don’t just heal immediately because someone says, “I’m sorry.” Broken trust. Betrayed confidence. Feeling left out. Ignored. Disappointment. We expect more and better from fellow Christians. We  tend to believe, and rightly so, that they ought to act and treat others better than the world does. In fact, sometimes the world shines brighter than other Christians do. There has been times when it was those who were not Christians that brought the food, came to the funeral home and were with a family. The church family was no where to be seen. Disappointed. Disillusioned. Defeated.

The more we dwell upon those things the madder we become. The hurt intensifies. It’s hard being with those who disappointed you.

Our Paul has a different spirit. He didn’t want anyone to think less about those who neglected him. Don’t hold it against them. May it not be counted against them. Don’t mistreat them because they mistreated Paul.  To the very end the apostle was manifesting and illustrating the spirit of forgiveness and kindness. Forgiveness is easy to preach. The hardest thing is when you have someone to forgive. Do you do it? It sure seems that way here with Paul.

Certainly their desertion hurt Paul. Alone in the prison. Soon to die. It would have been great to have some to come and pray with him. Where was Silas, who years before, sat in a prison with Paul and at midnight were singing praises to God. Wouldn’t that have been great to happen again for Paul. Not this time. No Silas. No singing. Instead of dwelling on this and letting it eat him up, Paul let it go. Paul did not count it against them in his heart and he certainly didn’t want God nor anyone else to do the same. Let it go. That’s more than a hit song from the Frozen movie, it’s exactly what Paul did. He was a master of that. He told the Philippians that he let go of the past. He wasn’t plagued by the past. Forgiven. Changed. Paul moved on. Let it go, is what he did. Peter told his readers to do the same when it came to our worries. Cast them upon the Lord. Let the go. Give it to God. Stop clinging to those things that eat away at your faith.

Someone disappoint you? That’s not hard to find. You’ll see people at work who do that. They get a paycheck but they barely work. They spend the day shopping on line, talking on the phone, gossiping with co-workers, playing computer games and barely working. You’re there and you bust it all day long. You are honest. You give your best. They don’t do anything. It’s enough to fry the bacon. But don’t. Let it go.

The same can happen at worship. Here comes this one family and they are late. They are always late. Move the clocks back and they still are late. Your bacon starts frying. It’s enough to ruin your worship. But don’t. Let it go. Or, he’s the guy who can’t sing. He’s terrible. Worse he feels that he must sing loud. The louder he is, the worse he is. Smell the bacon frying. Don’t. Let it go.

It could be someone in your house that really gets to you. Maybe it’s the teenagers. Somehow they can’t make it to the closet so everything they own falls to the floor. The room is trashed. What a mess. The bacon is really overcooked. Don’t. Parent as you should. But don’t let it destroy you. Let it go.

People disappoint. People let us down. Our verse reminds us of how the apostle dealt with it. This helps. Others let us down, and we can’t get over it. We think about it for months and months. It grows and festers within us. We nearly blow our tops because of it. Let it go. May it not be counted against them.

Paul wanted those who deserted him to continue to be used in the kingdom. He wanted them to be supported by the churches. He didn’t want others to do what they had done. May it not be counted against them.

Do you think you could say that? May it not be counted against them. Do you think you could live that way?

When real bacon is frying it sure smells great. When the bacon happens to be our moods, spirits and attitudes, then it becomes an awful smell and a real mess.

May it not be counted against them…

Roger