Human understanding is great to the human mind, but it can be fatal when adding a dose of emotions which overtakes personal responsibility. When personal understanding is based on unstable emotions, as opposed to responsible thought, the human mind tends to side with emotions instead of truth.
Religiously, the “what if” game is a dangerous game negating personal responsibility and shifting it to one of a theologically quandary. Personal responsibility must not be taken out of the theological process. There are many scriptures which speak of the responsibility of each individual to receive and share salvation. While Christ bore the burden of our lives on the cross, it is our responsibility to live for Him and bear our cross.
The “what if” game usually goes like this, “What if someone lives on a remote island in the Pacific and never hears the gospel?” But this question simply needs rearranged to make it closer to home, “What if a neighbor, who is an atheist, teaches their children atheism and they never hear the gospel?” Why do people reach for a remote island? I believe it takes away from our personal responsibility as Christ followers (as Christians). Using such an extreme examples places the work on someone else in the example than ourselves.
Playing the “what if” game begs the question, “What are you doing to reach everyone?” Is it our desire to plant the seed of Christ, water the seed and let God give the increase? Or is our desire to speak of endless possibilities of “what if” without reaching the people nearest to our home?
Passages such as 2 Thessalonians 1.5-15 reveal God’s words regarding ignorance. As Christ-followers, God-believers and Holy Spirit filled followers, Paul’s inspired words of 2 Thessalonians should cause tears because of the fate of those lost. Those tears should lead us to action on their behalf. The responsibility should inspire us to reach every person and not play a game of shedding responsibility.
My friends, let us put off the ‘what if” and begin putting on the “what can I do.”
“Anyone can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way—that is not easy.”
—Aristotle
How angry do you have to be to hear a donkey talk then you talk back to it without considering what just happened?
Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”
(Numbers 22.28-29; ESV)
Anger controls even the words we speak. Anger is the emotions which fill our veins and drive our minds to do things we normally would not do if not filled with its powerful devices. You often hear of someone acting out of a “fit of rage.” Usually, if not always, the words which follow “fits of rage” are not promising words.
Winston Churchill said, “A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.” What gets you angry?
Two Beginning Steps to Overcoming Anger:
Realize God is in Control – Many times we become angry over that we cannot control. Our anger is due to our thoughts not becoming a reality. God has a plan greater than ours and it is up to us to depend upon His will and His providence in our lives. Instead of making God’s plan fit ours, maybe we should make our plan fit God’s. He has a mind greater than ours and I am sure He puts us in the places He needs us. (References: Esther 4.12-14; Isaiah 55.8)
Say “Isn’t that interesting?” – After listening to Jim Rohn one day he said when things do not work out like you think they should, step back and say, “Isn’t that interesting?” I have done my best to give that technique a try this week and I spent more time laughing that I did getting angry. Try it for a week and see how it works.
What would you add to the list?
Take a moment and read the story of “How Arthur Ashe Dealt with Anger” that I found this week.
In the 1975 Masters tennis tournament in Stockholm, Sweden, tennis star Arthur Ashe was winning a feverish battle with Romanian-born Ilie Nastase, sometimes dubbed “Nasty” Nastase for his flamboyant on-court antics. He was at his worst this day, stalling, cursing, taunting, and acting like a madman. Finally Arthur Ashe put down his racket and walked off the court, saying, “I’ve had enough. I’m at the point where I’m afraid I’ll lose control.”
“But Arthur,” cried the umpire, “you’ll default the match.”
“I don’t care,” replied Ashe. “I’d rather lose that than my self-respect.”
The next day the tournament committee came to a surprising solution. Refusing to condone Nastase’s bullying tactics, they insisted that Nastase default the match for his unsportsman-like conduct.
Arthur Ashe won both in the game of tennis—and in the game of life.
*Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed.) (28).
He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
(1 Samuel 8:11-18)
#9 – A Money Proverb from King Solomon (Proverbs 22.7)
“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
#8 – The Blessed Nation (Psalm 33.12)
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”
#7 – A House Divided (Mark 3.25)
“And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”
#6 – Live at Peace (Romans 12.18)
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
#5 – The Understanding Character (Proverbs 28.16)
“A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.”
#4 – The Power of the Government (Romans 13.1)
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
#3 – Work as for the Lord (Colossians 3.23-24)
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Jesus Christ.”
#2 – No Work, No Eat (2 Thessalonians 3.10)
“For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3.13; ESV)
I am not the great encourager, but I try to pick up folks when they are down. It is easy to encourage someone, give them them a little of your time. A quick five minute pause in your day will not harm your schedule. In fact, taking five minutes to encourage someone else might make your day a little better.
Quick Five Minute Thoughts:
Send three people a quick email to let them know you are praying for them.
Leave a note on someone’s Facebook page.
Send someone an encouraging card.
Make someone a quick card and let them know you are thinking about them.
Call someone and see how they are doing.
Pick some flowers and give to someone you do not know.
Pray for someone.
Will you take five minutes to encourage someone today?
This is written from the perspective of a visitor.
A few years ago, my family and I took the entire month of February away from local ministry and travelled to various congregations, both near and far, and enjoyed some time with our brethren. We learned much about the attitudes of congregations towards visitors and it is reflected in the words below.
Let the words challenge you and make you uncomfortable. If they anger you, get up and do something about them. If you think they are right, get up and change the way your congregation is seen in your community.
Here the are, “6 Reasons Why I Do Not Attend Your Congregation”
“When I visited, you asked me to full out a visitor card, talked about how much you appreciate visitors but no one spoke to me.”
“I saw no joy in your congregation. As the church sang ‘To Canaan’s Land’ no one was smiling and they sang like a funeral. I thought living for Jesus was a joy not a bore.”
“I saw a Bible, but I never saw Bibles. I thought Christians were people who studied the book not talked about studying the book.”
“Your services talked about being lights in a dark world, but I never heard of your congregation before today. You said your church has been around for 50+ years and I grew up here and never knew of you.”
“I felt awkward because I had to sit on the second row because all of your members sat in the back and on the aisle seat. They seemed glued to their chairs.”
“You saw that I had children and no one helped me find a Bible class for my children. There were no signs on the doors to help along the way.”
“Before you can change the world, you must change yourself.”
I have heard the above quote many times, but have no idea who said it first. The quote is absolutely true, we must begin to change ourselves before we change the world. When we change, the world sees a change in us and they want to make the positive change too. Here are some words found in the back of No More Mondays by Dan Miller (page 241) attributed as found on a tomb dated A.D. 1100 of an Anglican Bishop at Westminster Abbey:
When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.
And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, Then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have changed the world.
