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  • How Would Jesus Confront the Cancel Mob?

    How Would Jesus Confront the Cancel Mob?

    Twitter makes cowards courageous and the anonymity of cyberspace can make the mean spirited downright evil. I have watched with sadness as Twitter tyrants have destroyed or severely damaged people and institutions. Sometimes the venom is directed at those who simply have a sincere difference of opinion on moral issues. And no event seems to generate more glee than a Christian leader or institution failing.

    Without fail the hypocrite word is used with smug satisfaction.

    And it is true. Let me make this personal since I can only speak honestly for me. I am a hypocrite. I do not consistently live up to the teachings of Jesus. I fail. I sin. That is why I need a Savior and not a self-help course. I am confident not in my holiness but in the holiness of Jesus. I remember hearing a pastor say that “we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. But that doesn’t keep us from comparing distances.”

    That is exactly what I used to do and still do when I forget why Jesus found it necessary to die for me!  I condemned without knowing anything about that person’s wounds or struggles. I would self-righteously note that at least I haven’t said something that offensive or done that bad thing! I am not as bad as them!

    So what?

    God’s Word says I am condemned when I judge, idolize, lie and covet without the redeeming grace of Jesus. It doesn’t matter whether it is less offensive than another person’s actions. Whether I fall a millimeter short or miles short is meaningless. I have fallen short. I am a desperate sinner in need of a Savior. Today I asked for the Holy Spirit to examine my heart. I am not responsible for the comments of others. I am accountable for my comments and thoughts before the One who went to the Cross to win my forgiveness.

    There is a familiar passage from the Gospel of John about a woman caught in sin. I wondered how Jesus might respond to today’s condemning cyber-mobs. Here is a modern social media version of this well known story.

    A crowd soon gathered, and He (Jesus) sat down and taught them. As He was speaking, the teachers of wokeness brought a woman who had been caught in the act of hateful speech. They put her in front of the crowd.

    “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of intolerant speech. We say she should be fired, disgraced, and shunned. What do you say?”

    They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and looked at the device in His hand. They kept demanding an answer, so He typed a message that appeared on every device in the crowd simultaneously. They read the message on their screen.  “All right, but let the one who has never unfairly judged another and who has never said an ugly untruth about another send the first Tweet!” Then he looked down and typed something else.

    When the accusers read this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

    “No, Lord,” she said.

    And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Remember that every person is precious in My sight and that I loved them enough to endure the Cross. Go and sin no more.”

    Forgive me for taking liberties with such an amazing text. But I think it brings it home for us that I (and you) are often just like that mob who dragged the woman to Jesus.

    Lord Jesus,

    Forgive me for my judgment of others. Forgive me for my ugly thoughts. Forgive me for my sin of not defending others who are overlooked and oppressed. Forgive me for my mean comments about those you love dearly.  And thank you for still loving me in spite of the ugly reality of my own sin. I fall on your grace today. Please remind me to use these gifts of communication only to edify, encourage and inspire and to remember Paul’s words to the Colossians.

    Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:13-14, NLT)

    Thank you for loving me. Help me to love others in the power of Your Amazing Grace.

    Amen

    Waking Up Slowly is my personal journey to become more connected to God, others and myself. I would love for you to join me on this journey.

  • Can We Change the Culture?

    Can We Change the Culture?

    Watching the news on television is devastatingly depressing. I prefer to spend my leisure moments reading, listening to music, and walking with canine friend Maggie. On today’s walk I pondered whether this culture can be redeemed while Maggie sniffed and checked p-mail.

    So many smart, and I pray, well intentioned people think our society can be changed through programs and education. Before you hit cancel I am open to all helpful options. While it is possible we have a head problem Jesus said the real problem comes from the heart.

    “But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.”
    (Matthew 15:18-19, NLT)

    Change happens from the inside out. I wrote about the culture war in my book “When Bad Christians Happen to Good People”. Here is an excerpt from that discussion.

    If I were to ask the average Christian what victory in the culture war would look like today, I would probably get answers along these lines: Abortion would be outlawed. Gender issues would go away. The Ten Commandments would hang in every courthouse, and kids would pray in school.

    But would accomplishing these objectives constitute victory? Many Christians think it is our mission to rid the world of sin. That is not going to happen until Jesus returns to reign. We have tried through politics and failed miserably. We have tried boycotts. We tried advertising and media with very mixed results. We have targeted immorality but have not helped those hurt by or entrapped in it. We fight abortion. We denounce same sex relationships. We battle Hollywood and television and the evil media. We rail against pornography.

    As a young man who grew up in the ’50s and ’60s, I can confirm that all of the aforementioned cultural indicators now sought by many Christians were once in place: There was no legalized abortion or significant gay political presence. We prayed at school functions and watched Ozzie and Harriet on television instead of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Pornography was not easy to obtain. Yet the sexual revolution, rampant drug use, violent political protest, and explosive racial tension emerged from that very era. Hmmm.

    We Christians have missed our calling. The church needs to understand that even if we devoured every single moral issue on our evangelical plates, the people of this world would still be seeking meaning and purpose in their lives. All of the cultural issues I’ve mentioned so far are merely symptoms of a bigger problem: the internal condition of people. Political and legal processes can only restrain sin. Only the changing of individuals can really affect a society as a whole. And that is where we have missed the boat. We can attempt legislation of morals until the end of time. But change comes from the inside (heart) out…rarely from the outside (rules) in. We cannot herd sin neatly into our theological corral. Sin cannot be managed by moralism. Unfortunately Christians are more identified by what we oppose than Who we follow.

    How did the early church have such a profound impact with no money, power or influence? By giving their heart and soul to God. They gave Him control and out of that surrender they gave and served selflessly. They loved the unlovable. Cared for those that no one else would care for. Risked their lives to comfort those dying of infectious disease and sacrificed their own possessions for orphans and widows. Their lives were so powerful that the culture could not help but notice. Even the pagan writers of the day marveled at the sacrifice of these “Christians”. The followers of Christ who changed the world did not drive fancy cars and have perfect hair. They sold out in complete trust and allowed God to change them from the inside out. They served sacrificially.

    Jesus talked about the danger of a religion that tries to work from the outside in.

    “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.” (Matthew 23, NLT)

    That is my prayer for today. I want to live from the inside out. I have been changed but I want to live out of that truth. Don’t think that I am against having heartfelt convictions about cultural issues. I am not. But I am against communicating those concerns to a hurting world apart from grace and the love of Christ. God’s plan will be accomplished. In the meantime we need to be loving others selflessly.

    That is the cry of my heart today.

  • The Best Reunion Ever Is Already Booked!

    The Best Reunion Ever Is Already Booked!

    This past weekend I celebrated my 50th reunion with my Chillicothe Cavalier classmates in Southern Ohio. It was a remarkable time of laughing and reminiscing with, uhh, experienced friends.

    Time can be so perplexing. Sometimes my days strolling the long halls of that school feel like forever ago. At other times the memories seem like they happened yesterday.

    I had the sobering assignment of assembling a video to remember our classmates who passed away before this milestone reunion. As I edited the high school photos of over sixty souls I was deeply moved. There were some close relationships. Some I only knew in passing but were still familiar faces. One of the departed was my best friend in high school.

    How I wished we could have had our whole gang together but that is not how this journey works. We lost one classmate who planned to attend to Covid just days before our meeting.

    I loved that gathering of old friends this weekend but I have to admit that as I get older I am looking forward to another Reunion. A song by Carrie Underwood came to mind as I thought about the classmates who had passed before this milestone.

    This is our temporary home, it’s not where we belong
    Windows and rooms that we’re passing through
    This is just a stop on the way to where we’re going
    I’m not afraid because I know
    This is our temporary home

    I am merely a renter on this planet. I don’t really own a single thing that matters. When I am driving a rental car and hit a pothole my first reaction is always, “Oh well, it’s just a rent car.” That describes the attitude I am developing as I hit the potholes of life. I have lots of stuff here but that is all it is. Stuff. What really matters is my faith, my family and those relationships that make this trip worthwhile.

    Jesus talked about an amazing reunion that we can all look forward to. This reunion will make 50 years look like an eye blink. This reunion will be eternal and I have acquired my invitation to that event by simply trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

    I love this life. I am not anxious to depart it but I am at peace that when that time comes the reward will be indescribable. It certainly looks like a great program is being planned.

    “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”  (John 14)

    To quote my friend Bart Millard of MercyMe I will get to worship my Lord in a way I can’t even imagine.

    And the sweetest sound these ears will get to hear
    The voices of the angels
    When I finally make it home

    When I finally make it home I have a daughter waiting there. I will get to thank my saintly grandmother for the difference she made in my life. My earthly Father awaits me there. My Mom is home in heaven. Joni and I have many dear friends who recently made the journey home. The list goes on and on.

    I have a few investments on this planet but I have unspeakable wealth and eternal investments there. We don’t think much about that in our culture do we? There is so much of the good life here that heaven can seem obscure and maybe not even an upgrade. But we are only temporary residents here. Enjoy every moment of this journey. Invest in relationships. But realize we were created with a desire to know our Creator and that this dwelling place is a short time rental.

    I am getting ready for the best Reunion EVER! It should be a blast!

  • Am I Crazy?

    Am I Crazy?

    I smiled as I typed the title for this week’s musing. Those who know me have probably already answered.

    Have you met Dave?

    I have often conceded that my brain wasn’t wired to factory specs and one way that manifests itself is finding spiritual insight in secular song lyrics.

    Case is in point is this week’s offering inspired by Alison Krause and Union Station. Alison Krause has a voice like an angel. She is an artist that I can listen to no matter what my mood might be. Today my satellite radio landed on a song titled Crazy as Me.

    The lyrics are talking about a series of failed relationships. The lyric that Alison Krause sings that resonated with me are these words.

    Some folks seem to think I only got one problem
    I can’t find nobody as crazy as me

    Without question I have way more than one problem but let’s put that aside for awhile. When this lyric came up I thought about my journey with Jesus. Some people who know me well think I am a little crazy to believe what I do about Christ. I get that but the bottom line for those of us who believe is a bit disturbing. Shouldn’t all Christians be a little crazy if we are really following the teachings of Jesus?

    I don’t mean drooling and ranting crazy. I am talking about doing things that make absolutely no sense to the world crazy.

    • The world says to look out for number one.
      Jesus says to look out for the least of these.
    • The world says to spend time with those who can help you advance.
      Jesus says to spend time with and help the disadvantaged who can do nothing to make you more successful or reach your goals.
    • The world says that the one with the most toys wins.
      Jesus says the one with most treasures stored in heaven wins.
    • The world says get even and exact revenge.
      Jesus says to love your enemies and (I really don’t like this one) pray for those who persecute you.
    • The world is fearful of disease and the future.
      Jesus says to not worry about tomorrow.
    • The world says to build your financial security and you will be happy.
      Jesus says to build on the solid rock or your happiness won’t sustain the storms of life.
    • The world says we need to put programs in place to give us hope.
      Jesus says our hope is in Him.
    • The world evaluates us by our title, power, and stuff.
      Jesus says we are evaluated by the fruit of our lives.
    • The world says to never judge everyone’s path to spiritual path.
      Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
    • The world says your truth is your own.
      Jesus says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
    • The world says cancel and destroy those who are not towing the cultural line.
      Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

    So I guess if I actually live this counter-cultural lifestyle that Jesus taught the world will think I am crazy.  Paul acknowledged that to the church at Corinth.

    But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
        Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
    (1 Corinthians 2:14-16, NLT)

    It all sounded foolish to them. I used to think exactly that about the crazy Jesus people. Now I am completely committed to things I once thought foolish. Who knew? Like Paul noted above I want to continue to mature so I can understand these things and begin to have the mind of Christ. In my humble opinion there is nothing crazy about that desire.

  • When Reality Comes Around…

    When Reality Comes Around…

    Please forgive me for driving slowly down memory lane as I approach my 50th high school reunion this month. Soon after graduation I became a disc jockey at 1000 watt “powerhouse” WCHI in Chillicothe, Ohio. This was back in the days of turntables and actual vinyl records. I got to pick my own playlist that was mainly Top-40 pop. Unfortunately my playlist was often influenced by my emotional state. I didn’t realize I was doing that until a friend pointed out that I had thoroughly depressed them with my melancholy melodies that day. I would play “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” from the Bee Gees followed by “She’s Gone” by Hall and Oates followed by the Carpenters singing “Goodbye to Love”.  Not sure the sponsors (except maybe antidepressant manufacturers and counseling centers) wanted me to be such a musical downer.

    Another one of my go to songs to bring the listeners down was a song by Irish singer Gilbert O’Sullivan. Alone Again Naturally reached the top of the charts for several weeks and the tune popped up on satellite radio recenty. He sings about how life is good and full of promise and then everything changes. That would be called life.

    But as if to knock me down
    Reality came around
    And without so much as a mere touch
    Cut me into little pieces

    Leaving me to doubt
    Talk about God in His mercy
    Who if He really does exist
    Why did He desert me?

    In my hour of need
    I truly am indeed
    Alone again, naturally

    Those lyrics reflects the struggle of many former believers and struggling believers around us. Several people who are dear to me are going through deep valleys of heartache right now. They sometimes feel deserted and may wonder if God is there. This walk of faith was designed to be lived out in community. I think that is why so many struggle so mightily because we (as a body of believers) lean toward programs more easily than toward authentic community. Community is messy and hard and painful and incredibly fulfilling. My friend John Lynch describes that place of healing as the Room of Grace and I have yet to find a better descriptor of a place where God’s love is demonstrated to wounded sojourners. In the Room of Grace your problems, weirdness, neediness, and weakness does not result in judgment but in acceptance. In that room you can trust God and others with the truth about you and not be pushed away. Fellow inhabitants of the room run toward you when you hurt and not away. That place exists but there are not nearly enough rooms of grace. And if more such rooms were constructed the body of Christ would be a much healthier organism.

    It seems to me that there are more hearts
    Broken in the world that can’t be mended
    Left unattended
    What do we do? What do we do?

    What do we do? I had to acknowledge my own weakness and need for others. I had to lean fully on my dependence on Christ to live this journey out. No heroic self-effort on my part makes me a better Christian. It is all because of Christ. That flies in the face of the American values of being self-made and independent. As a Christian I must surrender self and be dependent to be used by God. I would suggest that we drop the pretense of “victory” over sin and the lie that a particular flavor of faith will result in prosperity, health and green lights during every road trip. That is not the Gospel. I would suggest that we get real about our struggles and let others know that their struggle is also ours. I would suggest that you pray for friends and family but also listen to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit as to how you can serve them. When a loved one comes to mind send them a note, call them, drop a card and take the time see how they are doing. Too many in the church feel unattended because we, His arms to the flock, are not reaching out. Walking with those who are struggling is draining. It can be ugly. There is no guarantee of success. But can I encourage you with this lesson learned? There is nothing more exciting that realizing that God has somehow divinely used your stumbling efforts in the life of one of His children. Nothing will make you worship more than seeing how God uses a humble and trusting heart far more effectively than a slick and convincing tongue.

    Paul wrote these words to the Church at Philippi.

    Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2, NLT)

    I see a grace revival stirring and we need it desperately. Because in a room of grace the broken hearts will not be left unattended. Pray for more rooms of His grace.

  • Truths I Wish I’d Known in High School

    Truths I Wish I’d Known in High School

    In just a couple of weeks I will be traveling to my hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio to celebrate my 50th High School Reunion. Wow! That is a lot of mileage on the life odometer and you can’t roll it back. A few years ago my great-niece asked my advice about navigating the emotional ups and downs of the high school years. Here is what I told her.

    1.    I wish I had known that my high school years did not define me for life

    My teen years were a mixed bag of memorable highs and incredible lows. Now I realize that I am grateful for what I once considered some of the difficult moments of my life. In many of those spiritual valleys you could not have begun to convince me that God was molding me or that those experiences could ever be of value.

    Had I been the coolest guy or the best athlete I most likely would not have developed a sensitive spirit to others. With the benefit of hindsight I can promise you that I am grateful for every refining difficulty and problem. High school did not define who I would become and it does not define you either.

    2.     I wish I had known that every person is created in God’s image…and He loves them just as much as He loves me

    Sparky Anderson, a former Cincinnati Reds manager, once said that “you can never go wrong being classy.” And you can never go wrong being kind to everyone. Sometimes you will be tempted to ridicule or tease those who are less attractive, intelligent, gifted, or cool. Don’t do it. High school is the start of a very long journey. Some people seem to be leading the life race coming out of high school turn but there is a long way to go. The real winners know that life is a marathon and that God has a plan for that long race. Be kind to everyone. Jesus loves them. And so should you.

    3.    I wish I had known in high school that I needed to take responsibility for my own actions

    Learn now to say these three sentences.

    I was wrong.
    I am sorry.
    Forgive me.

    And keep your “but” out of those statements. Don’t say “I was wrong ‘but’ I didn’t think it would hurt you” or “I am sorry ‘but’ I was having a bad day.”  Those are not real apologies. Take responsibility. Live with integrity. That will make you unique in this culture!

    4. I wish I had really believed that God had a plan for my life

    Every person has a God-designed destiny whether they believe it or not. Henri Nouwen wrote about living with that frame of mind.

    We seldom realize fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. . . . We act as if we were simply dropped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves until we die. But we were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.

    Living out of who you are is liberating. The apostle Paul had some thoughts about such a life when he wrote to the church at Ephesus.

    God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT)

    Think about that! You were rescued from the death of sin by grace. It was a gift that could not be earned. And you are a new creation, indeed a masterpiece for whom good things were planned from the beginning of time. How can followers of Jesus possibly have self-image issues? Only when we believe the lies.

    5.  I wish I had known that the most important decision I will ever make is who or what I worship

    Everyone one worships something or someone. It can be money or power or fame or popularity or another person. We have a deep yearning to find our purpose and significance. If you don’t find that identity and significance in Christ you will tend to fill it with wrong things. Often those things are not inherently bad. But they can become bad things when they become the focus instead of Jesus. We used to sing a camp song with these lyrics..

    Seek ye first the kingdom of God
    And His righteousness
    And all these things shall be added unto you

    There is nothing wrong with these “things” when you seek the kingdom of God first.

    6)  I wish I had known that God’s grace is the key to freedom

    In high school I learned quite clearly that my performance was the key to my acceptance. I transferred that belief to my relationship with God. That was a spiritual stumbling block until I learned the remarkable truth of God’s grace. I finally learned that it was Jesus’ performance for me that makes me accepted by God and not my good behavior for Him.

    Grace allows me to quit trying to be righteous and actually begin to be righteous as I focus on the One who gave me the gift of grace. Grace allows me to deal with sin instead of trying to manage and rationalize it. Grace is real and powerful. It is not weak or cheap. If you think grace is cheap, go to the foot of the Cross, look up, and see what grace price was paid for every person on earth. Grace should never be my cover for sin. Instead grace is my only hope to deal with it. Grace makes me tremble when I think of an almighty and powerful God who loved someone unlovable like me. Why would He give such a gift to an unworthy child? And how could I be comfortable taking advantage of that amazing grace? I cannot. I pray that I will not. Grace is compelling. I want it to be compelling in my life as well. Real grace works. Love grace with abandon.


    God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
    (Ephesians 2:8, NLT)

    I know that most of us have to learn the lessons of life the hard way. I am still learning after all of these years how to follow Jesus more consistently. He is so incredibly patient and loving as I stumble along. Add that to the list of things I wish I had known and believed.

    An excerpt from this blog came from Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace. Click here for more info.

  • What Sin is God Judging America for?

    What Sin is God Judging America for?

    I think the majority of Jesus followers think that our culture is heading down the wrong road at breakneck speed. Here is a question I often get.

    “Do you think God is judging America because of (insert a cultural sin here)?”

    My response is always the same.

    “I don’t know if that particular sin would invoke his judgement but I do wonder if God might judge the American church for squandering the incredible wealth and resources we have been given.”

    The words of Jesus in Luke 12 are an indictment of many in the church.

    29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

    32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

    Dr. Stanley Toussaint observed that “the sins of the culture always become the sins of the church”. And while we focus on moral issues we ignore the convicting fact that many Christians have gotten caught up in the material desires of our culture. God promises to meet our needs but does not promise to give you everything you want. Jesus then gets to the heart of the issue which just happens to be our heart.

    34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

    Where is our treasure? That is the question all of us must address. For it is surely true that our heart will be there also. Empty Tomb is an organization that studies giving in the church. They reported that church giving in 2018 had declined to an average of 2.05% of income. This giving percentage was lower than it was in 1933 during the depths of the Depression. That, my Christian friends, is pathetic!

    Here is the sobering reality of our giving or lack thereof. If giving among Christians became the traditional tithe of 10% churches and Christian charities would have over $400 billion more to spend on their mission outreach. While we sit and gripe about government inefficiencies with money the myriad of church agencies could literally change the world with that amount of money.

    You don’t have to look far to see how much that could help in a world where people are dying for lack of life’s necessities. The Empty Tomb organization estimates that 1.2 million children die of treatable diseases every year. Millions more lack food and clean drinking water.

    And millions die without experiencing the message of God’s love, which Christians could likely provide with even modest sacrifice. But we must be willing to relinquish at least a little bit of our American dream, which has somehow morphed into an American right to possessions.

    In Matthew, Jesus talks about reaching out to the least of our brothers as a sign of service to Him.

    “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

    Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

    The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:35-40)

    Notice that the passage does not say, “For I was hungry and you gave a check to the local food bank, I was thirsty and you gave money to a relief fund, I was a stranger and you supported a homeless shelter, I needed clothes and you made a quick drop-off at Goodwill, I was sick and you donated to a Christian medical outreach, I was in prison and you supported Prison Fellowship.” There is nothing wrong with doing any or all of the above, but I would suggest we all need to mix in a little personal contact.

    There is a time to give money to charity and a time to give of yourself. You won’t get the same kind of blessings or personal growth out of sending a check from the safety of the office that you would rolling up your sleeves and actually touching someone. Yeah, I’m too busy too. Yeah, it makes me uncomfortable. Yeah, I would rather be safely at home. I often write about getting out of my comfort bunker. The truth is that every time I get off my rumpus and go serve others, I feel great. Yet time after time I forget that and retreat back to the bunker.

    Teddy Roosevelt bluntly shared this truth. “Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining.” Can our complaining make a difference in our culture? Not one bit. Can our giving of our financial blessings and sacrificing a bit of our time make a difference?

    It sure would be a blessing to find out.

    Here is just a sampling of the organizations in addition to your local church that can make a difference.

    Samaritan’s Purse

    World Vision

    Salvation Army

    Operation Blessing

    Feed My Starving Children

    An excerpt in this article came from my book “When Bad Christians Happen to Good People”. Click here for more info.