The Journey

A few years ago, when still in Winston, a Thursday night I met Shirley in Greensboro to spend the night and take my Friday (day off) there. On the way in I met her at Red Lobster for a special meal. I couldn’t believe it. It was just about 5:00pm and there was a 45 minute wait. If it weren’t for the garlic biscuits we would have gone somewhere else. Our ideal meal at Red Lobster is to order 2 dozen biscuits and asked them to bring them out two at a time every 5 minutes. Haven’t tried that order yet but maybe we will one day before they come in the white coats to take us to our own little private (padded) rooms.

Before going home we had to stop by Harris Teeter because we needed some things for the house. I went into Starbucks and wrote my devotional while Shirley shopped. On the way out of the parking lot (Shirley was in her car and I was in mine) I noticed this man and his wife looking at her car as it passed them– really staring at her car and laughing. I was right behind her watching this unfold. I rolled down my window and said: “She is a crazy woman. She is my wife.”

What caught their attention was all the Duke stuff all over her car. Did I mention we (Duke) had just won the NCAA championship? It is a white Kia with a Blue Devil Head inside the D on both front doors; a Duke National Champion sticker on the back driver side window; a Duke Gnome on the gas tank lid; a small Duke in a circle on the back bumper; a Duke Alumni sticker on the back window; an oval circle with Duke inside it on the back of the trunk; a Big Blue Devil inside the D on the hood, and finally a big Blue Devil Fish eating a Tarheel Fish. I think that is all – except for whatever Duke outfit she may be wearing. I told her that all her car was missing was a sign made buy our friends, Mike, Angela and Mary Drum (Iron Dukes) which says “Official Duke Car!”

On my car I have a small oval circle with Duke in the center and an Alumni sticker on the back window. (Shirley put a Blue Devil D on the passenger side door – so I wouldn’t know it was there). I went to school at Duke. I am quite proud of having a master’s degree from there. But I don’t put that stuff all over my car.  I guess I am shy about what I believe or like or support. Do you think Shirley is shy about what she believes, likes or supports? Not a chance! I have grown accustomed (whether good or not so good) to being more diplomatic in my approach to my beliefs.

Shirley simply tells it like it is. Don’t ask her what she believes if you don’t want an answer – a full, complete, long version answer. In other words, if you give her a soapbox she will speak from it. Everywhere I have served people have liked Shirley – most people say more than me – because Shirley is Shirley – she is real, plain, and straightforward – what you see is what you get.

You know it is refreshing to have someone like Shirley in your midst. No pretense. Just someone you know will tell you the truth in love. I know where I stand with her – often she lets me know where I stand with her – but at least I don’t have to wonder.  I hope you have a friend like Shirley. I am glad I do. Be thankful for whoever is in your life that is real and honest.

We have been married for over 54 years and I love her more every day. We have shared many anniversaries and birthdays together over the years…. and they have all been good ones. I never have too much wife!!!

Dear Lord, I run into all kinds of phony people these days who play all kinds of political games which I can’t even begin to understand the rules or the purpose. I try to be the same around everyone and treat everyone with the same respect. Thank you for sending me a real person who has been a real wife and friend all these many years. I know it has been in and through Jesus that this marriage has been so blessed. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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Isn’t it strange the things you remember? Many times it seems like it is those times we fail that we remember most.

I remember in high school, during the summers I really loved to swim at Mayo Lake. I even took the life guard course they offered and did diving off the low and high boards. Now you are going to have to use a lot of imagination, but back in the day, I had a good physique. I played football, basketball, ran track, played baseball and softball in the summer.

I loved to swim and dive. I remember that we would practice diving wearing a sweatshirt to keep the mistakes from hurting so badly. My favorite dive was a backward 1/2 gainer off the high board (12 feet) and a 1 and 1/2 off the low board. I still vividly remember to this day when I did a 1 and 1/4 off the low board. You must picture a 1 and 1/4 – that means to land in (or in my case ON) the water, stretched out with every part of your body hitting the water all at once. I hit so flat that I don’t believe I even went under the water… just kind of laid there on top stunned and stinging. (Yes, it hurt!)

I seem to forget all the good dives I made over the years and remember with great shame that one big splat.

One night we were eating dinner with Stephen, Joy and the kids at Kick Back Jacks. Joy asked the waitress some question about their pizza specials. The waitress responded: “I don’t know, I don’t usually work the Friday shift.” (Duh, it is Monday). When we see her again, that is what we will remember. Sometimes there are people who only remember that perfect dive they made… forgetting all the mistakes.

Have you ever wondered what people think when they see you? Do they see a person of care and compassion, one who gives others many chances in life, not judging but understanding and forgiving? Do they see a Christian person or one who just pretends to be a Christian? Perhaps we have forgotten that we missed those real live dives so badly that the pain should remind us of our failures and imperfection. But instead we pretend we have never messed up and judge others for their messes and simply will not give them a chance to redeem themselves. We forever remember them and judge them on that one missed dive.

Isn’t it a good thing that Jesus looked past our belly flops to see that there is something in us worth redeeming, forgives us, and gives us a new life of walking in his footsteps.

Dear Lord, I have missed a lot of dives, but you have always been there to pick me up, renew my spirit and restore me all over again. Keep on working on this old retired preacher… don’t be finished with me yet. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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Several years ago, our daughter-in-law was getting ready to take a business trip to Orlando. She flew out of Greensboro to stay for five days – learning some new, good stuff for her work. Our grandson (13 year old Noah) was very concerned about her flying. His concern is about terrorists. Isn’t that a sad commentary on life in the world today where a 13 year old worries about terrorists attacking his mommy’s plane?

So, what would you do to comfort this young man if he were your grandson? Really, I would be interested to know.

The first thing we tried to do was convince Noah that planes are very safe today, in fact, they are safer than driving. But Noah knows that his dad nor I like to fly. We don’t want to be involved in the consequences of the pilot’s bad day. So, I am not so sure that we were very convincing on that part.

The next thing is to pray with Noah. But here is the catch… what we believe about prayer and what Noah believes about prayer may be completely different things. Most of us start out thinking that God is a candy machine that we put in our request (quarter) pull the knob (pray) and out comes the candy (the desired results). In other words Noah just may think that when we pray for God to look after his mom that God is going to insulate that plane from any harm whatsoever – nothing will happen to that plane no matter what – cause God has made it off limits from the circumstances of the physical world. Is that really what we believe happens when we pray – that God changes the physical nature of things in order to accommodate our wishes?

Shirley prayed for me every single day I was away from home in Vietnam. Did I get to come home safe because she prayed for me to come home safe? Quite honestly, I don’t know. But what about all those other guys (some with me) whose wives and mothers prayed the same prayer every day with as much faith as Shirley? And they didn’t come home alive. How do we explain that? Do we say God blessed me but not my buddies? I don’t think so.

Do we explain to him that what we really need to ask for is for God’s will to be done in this situation and in every situation… and to help us accept what happens? That is a tough thing for a seventy-two-year old to accept, much less a (at that time) 13-year- old. So where does that leave us?

It leaves us in the mystery of God’s will, God’s providence, and God’s grace. I must admit that there is more that is beyond me than what I know. I do know what I can do. I can take this little guy in my arms and tell him the truth that I believe from the depths of my soul – that God wants only that which is good for us. And that God will do all God can to make sure your mommy is safely back home. We will pray for her every night and you will talk with her every night till she gets home and you are back in her arms again.

Dear Lord, help me to be able to pray with children prayers that enable them to know that you do, indeed, watch over them through every difficult situation, through every time when they are afraid of the world and all the evil it may produce. Give them strength and courage in the face of it all, knowing that you are holding them in your loving arms. In and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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We see ads for all kinds of products these days which show the “Before” picture and, to sell you on their product, they will produce an “After” picture. Don’t you just love them? Some, I am positive, are Photoshopped… just too good to be true. Many make the “Before” picture so noticeably unattractive that the “After” picture doesn’t have to produce much of a difference to look better. Some of these ads are spot-on in their presentation of the before condition and the after results.

The one thing they usually miss is the “During” part which is, in most cases, tough, rough and hard-fought – if you are going to get the promised results. The commercials that really get me are the ones who promise you are going to look like the 6-pack guy by just taking some kind of magical natural herb… found only in the jungles of the Amazon by this one doctor who has been searching for the Fountain of Youth all his life. Now he has found it… and it can change your life for only four payments of $29.95. Many promise great result with little to no effort… and folks – we all know it ain’t going to happen… But we send in the money… we take the pills… we do their thing… and nothing happens. I wonder why?

In real life there is a before picture of us… and an after picture – what we have become. But often we are so caught up in the before and after that we fail to be in the “During.” I had a friend – a colleague – Reverend Eddie Black who use to tell the story of how people saw different preachers. Early on in his ministry people would say: “I bet you are going to be a great preacher one of these days?” When we are retiring they say: “I bet you use to be a good preacher.” He said: “I either use to be or are going to be, but never do I hear you are a good preacher now… never do I hear them talk about the present moment – the “During.” Truth of the matter is that to be a good preacher requires a great deal of study, preparation, self-evaluation, self-correction, and a ton of mercy and grace. In the Methodist Church our vows of ordination asks “Are you going on to perfection?” That kinda means I am going to work at growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ….

There is no magic potion, no talisman which casts some spell over our path and propels us to the after picture with no effort from us. I have a lot of health problems which are very serious. One requires that I eat less than one gram of sodium per day to keep me from retaining fluid which affects my heart, liver, and kidneys… Plus eat less that 1,200 calories per day to ensure that I lose weight. Yes, I have to give up some things I really enjoy… but the benefits greatly outweigh doing the magical erroneous quick fix things right now.

We could apply this to almost any situation we face… the during is going to be tough… much tougher than the magic pill. Put your heart, energy and wisdom into your “During” moments and you will not have to worry about the real “after” picture.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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The Reverend Doctor James Howell quoted Thomas Merton’s famous prayer in his sermon today. It is a prayer for me, perhaps for you, maybe even for all of us as we stumble through life’s journey.

It is from Thoughts in Solitude(1958)

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that, if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Does that sound like you? It sure sounds like me… I mean when I am really truthful and thoughtful about my life, who I am and what I am about. I seek to be what God wants me to be all the time, but truth be known, I rarely get there. Truth be known, I am just like this prayer – I have no idea where I am going even though I think I am doing my best to follow Jesus. I do not see the road ahead of me… If I did I just might choose a different path… one more pleasing…comfortable… less stressful, less painful. And the biggie is I don’t even know myself. Is that ever true? I want to be like Jesus, sometimes I think I come close (like from the sun to earth close) but even that perception misses the mark by millions of miles. I think I am a peacemaker even when my real life reveals that I contribute to bigotry and hatred in very subtle ways. I think I am being kind and compassionate, when all along I am just trying to sooth my own guilty conscience.

A while back my blog found me trying to give voice to my own frustrations about the sad events which happened in Charlottesville, Virginia. One person took issue with me over this, saying that I shouldn’t be posting Martin’s beliefs on the Madison-Mayodan Facebook page. I am not sure he was correct, after all I am from Mayodan. I went to school there. I still have family living there. I don’t believe what I posted is against any rules set up by the site host. 

My intention was to help us to seek to be peacemakers in this and all situations. I know there is a lot of pushback about removing Confederate statues in southern states. And I understand the reason why it is a tough issue. One side says it is a symbol of hatred, while the other side says it is a symbol of their heritage – which does not represent hate. A lot of southern people feel like their history is being erased statue by statue, building by building, street by street. Anyone who had anything to do with slavery should be stripped of any honor what-so-ever and their names be banished from all public buildings. If we do that, what do we do with the names of cities, places, schools and buildings named after George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ulysses S. Grant, Zachary Taylor, Harrison, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, James Madison, James Monroe, James Polk, John Tyler, Martin Van Buren – ALL of whom owned slaves. I guess we start with the Washington Monument and then move on to the Jefferson Memorial. And what would be the new name of Washington, DC?

You see, it is not an easy fix. People on both sides of this issue need to sit down and logically figure out how to honor our past while not encouraging any hatred today or in the future. So, let’s put our differences aside and pray together that cooler heads will come to terms with a treaty we all can live with. My thoughts about “Silent Sam” at Chapel Hill was to use it, along with Union Soldiers, to build a place where a teaching moment about the whole history of that period of America could be told in a respectful and truthful manner. Perhaps people could come away with a more complete understanding of what really happened and why. Perhaps, just perhaps the Civil War could finally end?

People in our family fought in the Civil War and the Revolutionary War, but we don’t hate England, nor are we still fighting the north… at least I have never heard the subject come up at a family reunion.

I think we should fight… fight for peace on all sides, in all places, among all people. That is looking into the face of Jesus.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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Some of the happenings of today have made me wonder if we are in some sort of bad moon phase… you know like “A Bad Moon Rising.”

Everything started out very well. I got up early… around 7:30am staggered to my chair and slept another hour. I got up, took my blood pressure and heart rate, weighted in and cursed the scales. Took my medications, fixed a cup of decaf and headed for the study to do some writing. All of this was going well, as I remember, because I was working on a new article, I am writing on how we are experiencing Jesus in a world gone mad. The words just seem to flow with great ease. Wow, what a good feeling.

Then… Then… we went to Office Depot to get new roller ball refills for my Cross pen. I just love the feel of this pen. I can’t spell any better with it, but I write with greater ease… it is easy on these old hands and fingers… it just feels great as you write with it. We walked to the back of the store where they keep the Cross roller-ball refills. I can’t seem to find the right one… reason being we can’t get the cap off my pen to identify the refill we need. Shirley tries to untwist it and so do I. To little avail neither she nor I can budge this stubborn pen. Shirley grabs it up and heads for the front of the store. Nothing like a woman on a mission… She found another lady who couldn’t open it… and then she found this extra big Office Depot dude who took it and very easily untwisted the pen. There you go, lady.

Returning to the Cross-refill isle Shirley brings help. This time we have an Office Depot lady rummaging through all the refills Cross has on these hangers. Finally, she finds one that appears to be near the one I need. The only problem is that the numbers don’t exactly match. You see, not knowing exactly what the numbers mean (her quote) we had a choice between a 1326 and a 0116. We rolled the dice and chose 0116. Finally, with great determination and assurance she says; “This is the roller ball refill you need. I think?” With my 0116 double-pack refill I leave the store and look for the first opportunity to see if it fits, and I can once again start using my smooth, easy on the hands, great feeling Cross Roller Ball Pen.

We moved on to Oakcrest Restaurant for veggie land. I took my newfound goodies in to try them out; a notebook and my roller ball Cross pen. As we entered the door, we noticed the sanitation grade is an 87, a “B”. We moved on to be seated by the waitress in the doomsday booth right next to the kitchen pass through window, where the waitresses pass their orders to the cooks in the kitchen, receive the completed order back, and prepare drinks, bread and other items to complete the customer’s order. This is also the place just outside the kitchen where dirty dishes are brought and placed in rubber bends for the dishwasher to collect. (A word of warning… if you are ever seated in this place, move or leave. It is not worth the experience.)

Sitting down in our booth we notice (can’t help but notice) this waitress talking very loudly on her cell phone to a Dr.’s office operator. She is discussing a couple of appointments for her kids (or dogs) one at 3:00pm and one at 3:15pm. She says to the operator that she sees no difference between 3:00 and 3:15. She doesn’t get off until 3:00 and can’t get there until 3:15. Apparently, the operator is suggesting that she will lose the 3:00 appointment if she is not there. To which miss congeniality says: “You tell Dr. (blank) that we have been waiting four months for this appointment. And I will be sure to let him know (insensitive language) how retarded you are acting.” With that (and this is hard to do on a cell phone) I got the very clear impression that she slammed the phone down. Dale Carnegie would have slapped her right there.

Can you imagine that things went downhill from there in this small restaurant??? Sure did! Plates were dropped. Drawers were slammed. Dirty dishes were thrown into those rubber tubs. I think she even poured tea loudly. She wanted everyone in the place to know she was unhappy. Message received loud and clear!!! On and on the scene grew more intense with her grunting and growling.

Amid all this comes the big hit… the grand slam of the day… the winning run that brings utter defeat to the foes… the manager/owner comes back to the battle station and has the gall to suggest to her that she allow the other waitress to have a couple of customers. KA-BOOOOOM!!!! More plates dropped and thrown. More drawers slammed. Louder talking. Insulting words to the other waitress, who by the way was in her second week at this job. She even told her not to come back into that little section because every time she did miss congeniality forgot what she was doing. She drops some glasses and the manager/owner sees them and comes over to pick them up and she chimes in: “I know there are dishes down there. Just leave them and I’ll get them in a minute. You know, you have a smart-ass cook and a smart-ass waitress… deal with it – join ’em.”

If miss congeniality had been working for me, she would not be right now. Out the door… goodbye Charlie… it has been real. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Call me for a GOOD recommendation. Acting that way in a business, in life in general, is simply unacceptable behavior. It makes everyone uneasy and it kills any good feelings with which you entered this place. I want people to leave my place feeling better for having been there not running for the door…screaming into the night. I don’t know what she had on her boss, but it must be a doozy. If I were him, I would be training a new lead waitress (one with personality, poise and a sense of maturity). And I would be building a team of employees that function as family… care for the customers… and seek to create a family atmosphere in that restaurant

I have got to say my veggies were good, as they usually are but Shirley’s hamburger was so big she had to cut it with a knife. My un-sweet tea came out sweet tea, so I ordered iced water. We were charged for tea anyway. I hope this young, new, confused waitress doesn’t let the bull in the china shop run her off. I think that must be her way of doing things. If the manager/owner allows this to continue he will find his customers leaving two by two.

By the way, I checked the moon phase. It is a “Waning Gibbous.” OMG! No wonder things are going so badly.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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I have just got to share with you this bragging word: “I am the luckiest guy in the world.” The reason I say this is I had the best vocation in the world… I was a United Methodist Pastor. I got to spend forty years serving churches all over Western North Carolina – from Murphy in the west to Greensboro in the east – Eden in the north and Midland and Asheboro in the south. I have served a church that had seven (Yep 7 members) and some having six hundred members. I have had some mighty good times and some horribly bad experiences. I have witnessed great joy and unbelievable sadness. But that is the life of a pastor. You win some, lose some, and some get rained out. Do you know that as lovable as I am, not everybody agreed with my own personal opinion of my gifts and graces. Through it all I found that not taking myself so seriously was a grace that all pastors need to understand and develop.

What brought all this to my pea brain tonight was a while back I was honored to be asked to return to a former church and celebrate the wedding of a young lady who was just one of the precious children we enjoyed at that church. She was funny. She was her own person. We all just loved those kids. I made it a habit in those days of having a children’s message. I loved doing that… felt like Art Linkletter at times – because I loved these kids and I loved the wonder in their eyes and the honesty of their thoughts. Many a Sunday I have had my sides hurting from laughter from something one of the children said. It not only happened in that church, but in every church I served where I did a children’s time. I know some pastor’s do not do that and that is fine… but we lose a lot when we do not spend time with the children. Take the time to laugh with them, visit with them, talk with them about stuff they enjoy. I know you will be amazed by what they know and what they say.

As I said, I returned to a church I served over twenty years ago to celebrate the wedding of one of those children who sat at my feet during five years of children’s messages. And believe me she was a hoot… on top of her game… ready for me every Sunday. Today she is all grown up and marrying this very nice young man she met in college. You can see in their eyes and in the way they speak with each other that they are really in love and really respect one another. Boy was I ever honored to be able to participate in her life in this special way.

All of this got me to thinking about the good times we had in that church. What a great spirit of love, family and cooperation in that place all those years. We were a growing congregation – not by great numbers – but a steady growth each year. There were a few people that were real characters who got my goat all the time. One was and man named Buren. At the parsonage on moving day… Shirley and I were moving in. Buren was there along with some other men from the church to help us move in. I noticed burden was gathering up some empty boxes. He looked at me and said: “Preacher, we are going to keep these boxes in a safe, dry place. Just in case we don’t like you there will be plenty of boxes for you to use moving out.” I almost fell on the floor laughing.

The second thing he did (which I can share) happened during Sunday school assembly one Sunday morning. Carl, the superintendent, was leading us through some thoughts on stewardship saying: “I’ve always heard that if you are experiencing a drought it is because you aren’t paying the preacher enough.” Buren chimed in saying: “We are paying him he just ain’t sending it in.” Again, rolling in the pews.

Another man in the church was a big-time fisherman. Thurmond would always brag that he once caught a fish whose shadow weighed two pounds. He took me fishing one day at the city lake in Asheboro. We were in his little John boat. I was fishing with a cork, sinker and hook. He was fly fishing. That meant that in this little six-foot boat with us sitting opposite ends, I had this fly (a feather weight lure with a hook hidden in it), swinging back and forth over my head. Suddenly, he caught me in the ear with that lure. That kinda finished the day. The next Sunday I made the announcement from the pulpit that “Thurmond was indeed the greatest fisherman I had ever seen. Just the other day, out at city lake, he hooked a two-hundred-pound big mouth bass.” Everybody got a kick out of that. 

There were plenty of other people and many experiences that continued to bring us together as a family and attract people to our congregation. It was a good church with great people. We hated to move but we knew it was time.

I will always remember this place with great appreciation that they allowed Shirley and me to spend five short years in their midst as they accepted us into their hearts and homes. Thank you, Guys… for all the great times.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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I have often heard that sometimes we are all wet and that sometimes we are hung out to dry. You know, I can say: “Been there, Done that!”

“All Wet” can men completely wrong about something or you don’t have enough information to come in out of the rain. It also refers to being stupid, to be ineffective, non-athletic, socially inadequate, etc, etc. So, it is someone who cannot get the job done… whatever that job may be… they do not have the “right stuff” to complete their mission.

I remember this “hung out to dry” feeling from my college days. I was serving a student appointment (that means I was a college student while serving a church). It was a church that I was sent to in order to help them build a parsonage because I had help rebuilt one church from the ground up and renovated another not long before this. Well, the building process (committee and commitments) was moving rather slowly. On Saturday, I received a phone call from my District Superintendent (this is an Elder in the church appointed by the Bishop to supervise a group of ministers in a certain area known as a district). He said: “Steve, I want you to tell that building committee at the church that if they don’t get this parsonage underway quickly, I will not send them a pastor next conference year.” I replied: Ok, I’ll do what you ask.” Sunday morning, I relay his statement to the building committee and the chairperson asks me to call this DS and set up and appointment for him. I called the DS to inform him of the request and his reply was: “I didn’t say that. If you say I did, I will have you in the Bishop’s office by noon tomorrow and have your job.” Hung out to dry would have been an understatement of how I felt.

This setup and threatening style of leadership almost caused me to leave the ministry and the church. I never told this DS how demoralizing his behavior was, how deeply he hurt me, or how un-Christian his actions were. I never trusted that man ever again.

In his little political one-up-man-ship manner of doing things to those under his charge, I felt “All Wet.” No, I did not know what game he was playing, how to play it, or why to play it. I was stupid, inadequate, not up to the political task before me. Why can’t we just tell the truth? Why can we just be honest with one another? What I needed was not a lousy intimidating General… I needed a pastor, a mentor, who would seek to help me become a pastor – not another politician.

I believe the church fails badly at mentoring new, young pastors in training. We have inserted the term “mentor” in the process of becoming ordained, but I don’t believe we really have mentors (real mentors) who are trained, compassionate mentors who care to make sure pastors are built from the inside out. What we have, most of the time, are mentors who are politically in line for some kind of recognition – and this gets them recognized by the Conference Board of Ministry – which most clergy want to be appointed to, because it says I am on the right track to be one of the fair haired boys/girls (the ones chosen to be put on the fast track).

We are called to be servant leaders not CEO’s of the Church. Our present-day paradigm for leadership is the corporate one and not the servant one. I am sure I would have been a better pastor had I had a real mentor/pastor rather than a CEO/General.

My word for all the young pastors is don’t let the CEO leadership style drive you from the ministry or the church. Ask for… seek out a mentor you know who has a shepherd’s heart and a mindset to lift you up and help fit you for service in the kingdom.

Grace and Peace
Steve

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I saw this book title the other day and I thought how clever it is… how it must make people laugh and then want to pick it up… at least to see what it is about. Below I have included some of the front matter of this book in an effort to perk your interest in wanting to read more about these lessons for the Christian Church.

“Pope Francis has taken the world by storm, captivating Catholics, Protestants, and non-Christians alike. Sneaking out of the Vatican at night, washing the feet of inmates, and taking selfies with young fans is certainly unlike any religious leader we’ve seen in a while, and some of the religious establishment is uneasy about it. The revitalization Francis is bringing to the Catholic Church is not without precedent, however. Jesus had a similar effect in his day, drawing crowds with his humility, kindness, and wisdom–even as he drew the disapproval of established religious leaders. The things that have brought Francis such media attention are the same things that made Jesus so peculiar and attractive in his day.

Thoughtful examination of Jesus’ example and legacy, as well as an honest look at the similarities and differences between Catholic and Protestant faith, invites reflection on the heart of Christianity and how we relate to our fellow Christians. Readers will discover the power of heartfelt joy, radical love, and passion for justice to shake people out of religious complacency and into dynamic, contagious faith. Jesus, Pope Francis, and a Protestant Walk into a Bar looks at what is universal among Christians, what is unique to Catholics and Protestants, and how all Christians can practice understanding and cooperation across differences. Perfect for individual or group use, discussion questions are also included to encourage further thought and conversation.”

They are right when they suggest that the Pope is one of the more interesting religious leaders to come in a long time. Even, we Protestants are speaking of Pope Francis in uplifting and admirable ways. He is a different sort – not a religious politician but a man who lives the lifestyle of a humble servant with a truly Servant’s heart. I applaud this Pope for his refreshing and healing spirit.

I have always admired the Catholic Church and their missionary heart. Certainly, we don’t agree on theology, but we do agree that the Church is called to be the sanctuary that uplifts the human spirit and opens a portal for grace and healing to take place in all the dark places of the world.

When I first read this title I couldn’t help but think: “What is the punchline of that joke?” We’ve all heard the jokes about three men walking into a bar… told in many ways with many different punchlines. What if the punchline of this joke is… it isn’t a joke. They actually do walk into a bar. They sit together at this big round table. They have a drink together. They talk together. They invite a Jewish brother to come over and join them. Then they welcome a Muslim brother, a Buddhist, a Hindu, and many, many more. They even invite and welcome an atheist brother, an agnostic brother, and even a self-righteous brother.

The table is filled with representatives of all faiths, walks of life, all races and nations. To these people Jesus says: “Welcome my Brother. My prayer for us all is that we may be one.”

And so, should we…

Grace and Peace
Steve

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It was Easter Sunday 1968. I was a Marine machine gun team leader in Vietnam. Our idea of celebrating Easter was to retake hill 881 for the fourth time. I remember it was a cold, wet morning as we moved into place at the bottom of the hill. As we traversed up the side of the hill mortar fire was directed toward us. I was about fifteenth in the column. The mortars hit about fifty feet in front of our point man. The next one hit our point man. The next one hit about seven men back in the column. The fourth one would have been in my lap. It didn’t come. Why? I have no idea. There were bullets whizzing through the grass next to our heads as we hugged the ground.

That afternoon, after the battle was over, we were all counting the cost. All around us were the dead NVA soldiers uncovered and disrespected. Back down the hill, in a neat row, respectfully covered were our men who had been killed.

I remember praying: “God, I have seen enough, I am ready to go home.” What an uneducated and presumptuous prayer. However, the next week I was wounded and airlifted to Japan. After a month in the 106 General Army Hospital and two months on Okinawa, I was sent back to the states. I later learned that many in my platoon were killed in a battle at “Happy Valley.” Why was I spared? I am sure those other guys were praying just like me. Some who died were within days of going home. It bothered me for years. I tried to put it out of my mind. It kept coming back. Even at Hinshaw Memorial UMC, in Greensboro back in the 90’s, there was a lady, Ruby Wall, who lost her son in that war. I could never be around her without having feelings of guilt. I came home but her son did not.

I wish I could tell you that the clouds opened up and God gave me the answer. Even to this day I still do not know why I was spared. However, in my prayer and devotional life, in seeing people live lives of faith and courage, I have come to know that there are some things I will never know…. Some things will remain a mystery. I have concluded that since I have been given this second, even a third life to use it the way God would have me use it – to give myself to God daily, that through me God may uplift the lives of those who need the touch of our heavenly Father. In the movie “Saving Private Ryan” Captain Miller was fatally wounded. Most of Miller’s men had also been killed. As Reiben sought aid for his dying captain, Miller’s last words to Ryan were, “James, earn this. Earn it.” I know I cannot earn God’s love, mercy and grace, but I can live in that grace in a grateful manner… realizing that I am still here and because I am, I should live in a more intentional and grace-filled way.

Dear God, help me to know that I will not know all the mysteries of faith. There will always be questions. Rather, help me to not let those questions keep me from being your disciple today and sharing your love and grace with those I meet. Help me to live by faith. Amen

Grace and Peace
Steve

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