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I suspect I am a rather typical guy that is trying to follow Jesus effectively. Some good stretches. Some bad. I tend to take two steps forward then one or two or three or ten backwards. In retrospect I can see that much of my stumbling, bumbling walk has been because I did not have a solid, well reasoned theology to back my desire to know God. I approached Christianity just like I approached everything else. With that ill-conceived male bravado that led me to utter such later regretted classics as…

How hard can this be?
I don’t need the instructions.
I am sure we turn here.
I measured it once already.
I think it is disconnected.

I am growing in my appreciation for having a good theological foundation. I have quoted Pastor Tommy Nelson who says “you cannot live a successful Christian life without good theology”. I would only amend that slightly. I think to live the Christian life successfully over many years requires good theology. You can have short term success with an inch deep theology but not over the long haul. One of my favorite songs when I was a young student was a hit recorded by Sam Cooke. You probably remember the tune called Wonderful Life.

Don’t know much about history
Don’t know much biology
Don’t know much about a science book
Don’t know much about the French I took

But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be

Any guy who could parlay being an academic slacker into a romantic advantage was my hero! Not knowing much about the French I took has only been an inconvenience in Quebec. But not knowing what I believe has eternal consequences and even an academic slacker like me knows that eternity is a long, long time. In my first book, When Bad Christians Happen to Good People, I rewrote the lyrics from Wonderful Life as an ode to our general lack of knowledge about theology. Join with me as we sing both stanzas…

Don’t know much about theology,
Don’t know much Christology.
Don’t know much about Leviticus,
Don’t know why they had the Exodus.
But I do know that God loves you,
And I’m trying hard to be good too.
What a wonderful faith this would be.

Well, I don’t claim to be a good Christian,
But I’m trying to be.
For maybe by bein’ a good person, brother,
I can gain eternity.

(Everyone now…)

Don’t know much about the Pharisees,
Can’t explain the Trinity.
Don’t know much ecclesiology
Don’t know what a good tithe should be.
But I think that God forgives my quirks,
And I figure if I do good works,
What a wonderful faith this would be.

I had to admit in that book that I could name the entire starting lineup of the 1961 Cincinnati Reds but I probably could not name all 12 disciples.

Recently I have become aware of how much I have heard over 35 years of sermons, Bible studies, and reading books and magazines. But only in recent years have I really sought to know and apply what I believe. The prophet Hosea warned Israel with these frightening words from the Lord.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge

I don’t know if we as a people are being destroyed but I do fear our lack of a theological foundation and well thought out world view is a big contributor to the lack of impact that evangelicals have on the culture. Know what you believe. A great starting point is J.I.Packer’s book Knowing God.  I can tell you that having a deeper foundation has been a lifesaver when these recent life storms hit.

The King James version of the 23rd Psalm says that he leadeth me beside the still waters. That came to mind yesterday as I drove to Stillwater. The Oklahoma version…not the Biblical one. The long drive gave me lots of reflection time on what has been a very rough stretch of personal highway. Joni and I have been walking through the valley of the shadow of death during the first three weeks of this year. Yet we have been able to say, like the Psalmist, that we fear no evil for He is with us. Still, when you go to three funerals in three weeks you tend to think about larger life issues than the eighteen-wheeler blocking the passing lane.

Yesterday’s home church sermon dealt with the cost of following Christ. While that was still percolating in the gray matter I listened to Andy Stanley on a podcast. Andy talked about forgiveness from his series Life Rules. That forgiveness word keeps coming up over and over and over. Perhaps there is a message in there for me somewhere. Stanley noted that people who can’t forgive either don’t remember how much they have been forgiven or they never understood what Christ has done for them. In spite of the fact that Andy was beginning to annoy me I continued to listen. Then he said something that really hit me. “When we forgive we might sacrifice a little pride. When God forgave He sacrificed His Son.”

Wow.

I decided to give myself a break from “deep thoughts” with a little iPod music time. Regular readers of these ramblings know how eclectic the selection is on my MP3 device. Country singer Keith Urban brought me right back to the pride thing with his song “Tonight I Wanna Cry”.

Cause I’ve never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
And I thought that bein’ strong meant never losin’ your self-control
But I’m just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with my pride
Let it fall like rain, from my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry.

While I am not advocating the getting “just drunk enough” to let go I am suggesting that I need to say to “hell with my pride“. And I do want to let go of my pain and give it to God. The Apostle Peter writes these words to the young men and those seeking to be elders but they certainly apply to all of us.

And all of you, serve each other in humility, for

   “God opposes the proud
      but favors the humble.”

 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. I Pet 5 NLT

As I write this this morning I am not “just drunk” enough to let go of my pain. But I am “just tired” enough of it to give the pain to Him. He cares about me. Incredible. So as I leave the Stillwater (OK) I will be pondering pride and forgiveness. Two questions keep going through my mind.

Am I more concerned about being right than being righteous?
Would I rather save face than see His face?

Today’s post will make the subject uncomfortable. He might even be a little angry at me. Men and women who serve God with humility squirm when they receive praise. But I don’t care. I have to tell you his story. One of the problems with our cultural Christianity is that we too often confuse giftedness and godliness. Someone may be gifted at speaking or writing or singing and we elevate that person in our spiritual estimation. God uses gifted people to be sure. But I am learning that God can use a regular person who is truly reflecting Jesus in ways that are supernatural.

That brings me to my friend Bob. Yesterday I wrote about his beloved wife Susan finally being at rest with Jesus after a tortured battle with cancer. Susan was blessed with one of the most amazing husbands I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Bob Flickner has had a more profound impact on my walk with the Lord and on my marriage in the past three years than any person I know. And I cannot remember a single word that he has said to me about either topic. He simply showed me and others what it looks like to follow Jesus no matter what the circumstance. I like to talk and write about faith. I have been accused of being verbose in both areas. But it is easy to talk and write. What Bob has done is tough. He has lived his faith every day during an incredibly difficult trial.

Bob has been at Susan’s side throughout her entire battle with cancer. Susan developed a rare and devastating neurological disorder as a result of her cancer and Bob became her full-time caretaker for over two years. I know he got discouraged but I never heard Bob complain. He never griped about the tough hand that he and Susan had been dealt. Together they trusted God in every moment. Bob cared for Susan with a dedication and love that embarrasses me. Bob went for months sleeping only minutes at a time and yet he served and loved his wife without a whimper. I have to admit I have a hard time listening to people whining over insignificant little hassles and slights when I see what people like Bob and Susan endure with grace and dignity.

Bob had pledged to love Susan through better or worse and, unlike so many of us, he stuck to the pledge. Does the average man really understand what he is saying on the wedding day? That is a vow we make to our mates. It is not something that we hope to do or will try to do. It is a vow. Bob may not have realized the full implication when he said words like these over thirty years ago.

I,  Bob, take you Susan, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

But whether he comprehended the magnitude of those words or not, Bob kept his vow. And he did it in a way that was so powerful that it has changed me. When Joni was diagnosed with cancer I had already seen what it looked like to love your wife in sickness. Bob had demonstrated what it meant to cherish your bride when things took a turn for the worse. Because of his example I was a better helpmate to Joni as she began her cancer journey. Every time that I even began to take a turn down the “Pity Path” I thought of Bob and Susan. I reflected on how much more Bob had endured as he loved Susan. And I refused to go down that path of self-pity.

I grew up in a church where the men loved to quote Ephesians to the women folk.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.  Ephesians 4  NLT

But the men conveniently glossed over the verses that followed.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”  

I had always wondered exactly what Paul meant in Ephesians when he wrote that husbands are to love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. I thought it was a lovely little metaphor and a nice goal to shoot for but I did not believe it to be possible. Bob Flickner messed up the curve for me. I left Bob and Susan’s house after one memorable visit with that Scripture passage reverberating through my thick noggin. I had just seen the working model of how a husband can love his wife like Christ loved the church. Bob had more impact with his simple acts of love than 10,000 words of a beautifully crafted sermon could ever have in my life.

And maybe that will be the biggest lesson I have learned from Bob as I attempt to finish strong as a husband, father, and friend. We live in a world full of noise and words and self promotion. Actions validate words. Bob Flickner’s actions, the way he loved and cared for his bride over many trying months, demonstrated that he truly depended on God. I cannot begin to describe his spirit, dignity, and grace through adversity that would have caused many of us to crumble like a house of cards.

We often criticize “bad Christians” by saying things like “Your actions speak so loud I can’t hear a word you are saying”. With Bob Flickner I would say that “His actions spoke so loudly that I couldn’t ignore what he was saying.” And that is the lesson for all of us. If we truly trust God and follow Him we will make a difference. You don’t need to be gifted and glib. You just need to be godly. And others will see Jesus through you. I am grateful for my friend Bob and for his wonderful family.

The Flickner family doesn’t have to tell me about Jesus and how that makes a difference in a trial. They have a far more powerful approach. They have shown me.

A few days ago I wrote about sad news in my life and one of those topics was a dear friend who had entered hospice care as she was finally losing a long battle with cancer. Yesterday I logged into my friend Susan Flickner’s website to check on her and I found these words.

Susan is now at rest in the arms of Jesus.

Susan was fifty-four years old. Today I listened to a song by one of my go to guys when I need some musical comfort. Andrew Peterson has a song called Lay Me Down. In this song Peterson sings about how his final resting place could be anywhere because something else will happen when you lay him down to die. Here are the lyrics from this awesome song.

When you lay me down to die
So long, boys, so long, girls
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
You can lay me anywhere
But just remember this
When you lay me down to die
You lay me down to live.

I believe that is exactly what my friend Susan believed. She knew that it would be hard to say goodbye to her devoted husband Bob, son Blake, daughter Lindsey, and other wonderful family and friends. But Susan believed that she was laying down not to die…but to live. I know that Susan also believed the next part of Andrew Peterson’s lyric.

I’ll open up my eyes on the skies I’ve never known
In the place where I belong
And I’ll realize His love is just another word for Home.

Susan has gone home and she is at rest. This message from the family touched me deeply.

We are thankful for the many hours, days, and years we had with Susan, and though we miss her greatly, we rejoice that she is now healthy and truly alive with our Lord Jesus. She told me that although getting to heaven has been difficult, she was excited to go, and she was not scared. Through it all, she never complained of her pain, and though there were some challenging times, she left us with surprising grace and peace.

For the second time in two weeks I have written about Godly women who left this place with grace and peace. I am so sad for the Flickner family. They face many difficult days ahead adjusting to life without this incredible woman. But I am blessed by their faith.

How sweet it is to find forgiveness, rest, comfort and love from the Lord Jesus. He is truly very good. From what we have learned about Him in the last three years, I know it must be incredible to live in the presence of Jesus. Let us all be reminded of our need for a Savior.  

Nothing would honor Susan more than inspiring others to explore the peace that she and her family have found in Jesus. Joni and I have learned so much from Susan and Bob. They were our inspiration and often comforters as we adjusted to Joni’s cancer. 

Susan was a charter member of a rowdy group of women (affectionately known as the Menopausal Maniacs) who ditched their lesser halves one night a month and got together for laughter, fellowship, and love. There will always be an empty chair at the Ladie’s Night Out gatherings that only Susan could fill. But I know those women (one of them very well). They will all reassemble some day. And I can’t help but wonder…if they can have that much fun in one night how much fun can they have in eternity?

I love to collect the stories of people who do stupid things. I am reluctant to call them stupid people because I am very likely to join their ranks at any given moment.

Parker T. Hall Houghtaling was struck in the head by a New York subway train four years ago as he leaned out to see if the train was approaching.  Amazingly, he suffered only bruises, cuts, and a shoulder injury.

On Friday, November 22nd, 2005, Houghtaling was waiting on the platform of the Poughkeepsie train station when he stuck his head out and, you guessed it, he was hit by the 6:26 p.m. commuter train. The Poughkeepsie Journal reached Houghtaling by phone and he  confirmed the 2002 incident. He said he didn’t remember much of what had happened in his latest brush with the New York subway. You could say he is developing quite a “track” record.

It is so easy to shake your head and wonder how in the world this guy could do this once, let alone two times. I would hope that getting bopped by a subway train would teach me a lesson. I would hope that I would be grateful to have escaped serious consequences and I would stay far, far away from oncoming trains.

But I suspect that Mr. Houghtaling could be an amusing metaphor for how I live my Christian life. I make a mistake (that is politically correct for sin) and I am convinced I will never do that again. I am grateful that the consequences were not worse. I am determined to stay far, far away from that sin. And then before I know it I forget the lesson and get clobbered by the same sin express in the disgustingly near future. The Apostle Paul wrote about this very thing in his letter to the Romans.

I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.    Roman Chapter 7 The Message

Wow…can I relate to that. A bit later Paul writes…I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

That is the real question. And there is a real answer offered by Paul.

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

To avoid sticking our thick craniums in dangerous places requires a moment by moment submission to the spirit of God. And if you are anything like me perhaps you have noticed that such submission is not a natural response. Further advice from Paul follows in Chapter 8 of his amazing letter to the Romans.

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him.

Ouch…I feel a little like Mr.Houghtaling after the truth of that verse hit me. I am learning daily to recognize that the Spirit of God has taken up residence in my life. I am learning that I am the one who limits His power by restricting access and control to my thoughts and actions. I am learning that I don’t need to get clobbered again by the same old train but I likely will do just that. And when I do I will pick myself up and thank God for His amazing grace.

I am looking outside my window in North Texas and watching a smattering of snow flurries. There is a thin layer of ice on the patio table and the wind chill factor reached single digits overnight. Gloomy cold winter days like this are offset by the promise of spring and summer. And the first harbinger of spring is that pitchers and catcher report to spring training in 34 days. I am not sure why baseball has been on my mind so much recently. The last three posts have featured a baseball theme or reference. While not quite a Cal Ripken like streak that is a bit unusual for January posts. Today I was thinking about how the church could learn a lot about how we view one another’s spiritual gifts from a former baseball player.

I have written a lot about how people in the church do considerable damage with actions and words that do not reflect Jesus. I have been frustrated by Christians who receive grace willingly and deny it to others. I see division in the body of Christ where we should see unity. It occurred to me that the church does not understand a few key principles that winning baseball teams understand. The first thing that winning teams understand is that every teammate brings strengths and weaknesses to the team. A great team celebrates the strengths of each player and works together to offset the weaknesses. I pondered this as I was reading about the career of Joe Gordon. In 1942 Gordon led the American League in strikeouts. He made more errors that year than any other second baseman. He hit into more double plays than anyone in the league. By dwelling on those stats we could surmise that the New York Yankees were looking for a new second baseman for the following year. But there was one mitigating factor.

Gordon won the American League Most Valuable Player for that season.

In spite of the flaws mentioned above Joe Gordon had a great season. He batted .322, fourth in the AL, with 18 homers and 103 runs batted in. Gordon teamed with Phil Rizzuto to lead the league in double plays turned defensively. In 1942 Joe Gordon was deemed to be the MVP of the league despite some obvious weaknesses in his game. Great managers and good teammates know that every player has strengths and every player has weaknesses.

And that is the lesson I was thinking about for the church. Too often we dwell on the weakness and not the gifts that God has given others. Or we acknowledge the gifts but make sure to note the weaknesses. All of us are a mix of gifts and flaws. The first mention of spiritual gifts is in Paul’s letter to the Roman church.

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Commentators note that the translation here might be a bit confusing. The text might sound as if Paul’s giving away spiritual gifts to the first ten callers. A better translation might be that Paul wants to use his spiritual gifts to strengthen and encourage others. I believe that every single Christian is given spiritual gifts. We are given those gifts for many reasons but two of the primary ones are to glorify God and strengthen one another. But I wonder if we sometimes look at our spiritual gifts as something that we have the right to exercise for our personal fulfillment and glory? I am sure Joe Gordon often struck out when his team needed a hit. I suspect he sometimes made an error when the pitcher threw a good pitch and should have gotten an out. But his teammates (and the rest of the league) saw his gifts. Base runners batted in and key home runs hit. A vital double play turned and great range at his position. That is what made him valuable to a winning team. His strengths were vital to the team winning. His flaws were compensated by the team working in unity toward the goal of the World Series.

Do we do that in the church? Or do we choose to focus on the flaws of others? The World Series is a wonderful goal (it is especially mystical to this Texas Ranger’s fan) but it pales in comparison to the goal that Jesus challenged us to pursue.  Do we understand what it means to be unified for the common goal expressed so succinctly in the Gospel of Matthew?

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

That is the game plan. Each of us has been given gifts to contribute. Each of us has flaws. Can we pray that we will be mature enough to focus on Who unites us instead of what divides us? Even the MVP of the American League had shortcomings. So will the pastor, elder, committee member, and volunteer chairman as we pursue the Great Commission of Christ. Another thing that winning teams understand. You don’t have to be best friends with everyone on the team but you do have to be united for the common goal of the team. My prayer for a bleak January day is simple.

God give us the grace to be unified as a team for your glory. Teach us to use our gifts to strengthen one another and glorify you. Give us the strength to be a good teammate  and the humility to believe that it cannot be about me for the team to succeed. Give me the desire to be a good teammate in the body of Christ. Teach me to see and exalt the gifts of my brothers and sisters even if they compete with my own talents. And especially teach me to be graceful with the flaws of others. We are all gifted and we are all flawed. A team understands that truth. Help us to do the same for the sake of the body of Christ.

Most of us don’t really appreciate the legacy of pioneers. They take the risks, endure the hardships, and suffer greatly to pursue their goals. The rest of us, the settlers, come along and enjoy the fruits of their sacrifice. Such a pioneer was Martin Luther King. Today we have set aside a day to consider the pioneering work of Dr.King. Many people have benefited from the hardships that Martin Luther King endured to communicate the message of racial equality.

Another pioneer, perhaps equally important in some ways, made his difficult journey sixty years ago. It is hard for me to imagine that Major League Baseball had no black players just seven years prior to my arrival on this planet. Jackie Robinson made his major league debut at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. It was a historic and significant day for baseball but maybe more so for our country. You can argue that the American civil rights movement was truly ignited when Robinson came to bat in Dodger Blue. The journey for Robinson was difficult at best and nearly impossible at worst. 

Many Dodgers players, mostly Southerners led by Dixie Walker, threatened to walk out if forced to play with a black player. That ended when Dodger management let them know in no uncertain terms that they could keep walking to the unemployment line. I often write about the pain that is caused by “bad” or thoughtless Christians. Can you imagine the pain that Robinson felt to have his teammates reject him for only one reason? Rejected not for talent or character but simply for the color of his skin.

But one teammate reacted in a way that I wish all serious and thoughtful Christians would emulate. Team captain Pee Wee Reese was an unlikely ally for Robinson. He was born in segregated Louisville, Kentucky, and the odds were that Reese would be a part of the boycott against a black player. But the diminutive Pee Wee Reese proved to be a giant of a man one day in Cincinnati. During infield practice the Redleg players were screaming at Jackie with all of the usual hateful epithets. And then the venom was distributed to Reese. They were yelling things at him like “How can you play with this (epithet)?”, as Jackie stood uncomfortably at first base. Pee Wee went over to him and put his arm around him and smiled. A silence fell over the Reds dugout and the fans witnessing this amazing act of grace, Jackie smiled back. 

Photo courtesy of Baseball Almanac

At Reese’s funeral, Joe Black, another Major League Baseball black pioneer, said: “Pee Wee helped make my boyhood dream come true to play in the Majors, the World Series. When Pee Wee reached out to Jackie, all of us in the Negro League smiled and said it was the first time that a White guy had accepted us. When I finally got up to Brooklyn, I went to Pee Wee and said, ‘Black people love you. When you touched Jackie, you touched all of us.’ With Pee Wee, it was No. 1 on his uniform and No. 1 in our hearts.”  

Robinson later wrote this sentiment to Reese in a book inscription. 

“Pee Wee whether you are willing to admit what you being just a great guy meant (a great deal) to my career, I want you to know how much I feel it meant. May I take this opportunity to say a great big thanks and I sincerely hope all things you want in life be yours.”  

Teammate Carl Erskine had this poignant observation about the impact of Pee Wee Reese on Major League Baseball.

“Think of the guts that (refusing to sign a petition that threatened a boycott if Jackie Robinson joined the team) took. Pee Wee had to go home (to segregated Louisville, Kentucky) and answer to his friends. I told Jackie later that (Reese’s gesture) helped my race more than his.”

God uses pioneers like Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese. We need a lot more like them in the body of Christ. We need men and women who are willing to step up for others when it may not be the best action for personal gain. We need men and women who are brave enough to look hatred and bigotry in the eye and call it by its name. Sixty years ago two pioneers had the courage to step up and be heard. One was in a position of power and one was not. We need men and women who have the courage to emulate both Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese in our walk with Jesus. The Apostle Paul had some good advice to accomplish that goal. 

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. Gal 6  Msg 

I want to be willing to stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. As I meditate on the gift of grace and redemption I received through the Cross I wonder how I can do anything else? And how can you?