With My Own Eyes

The FAQs: President Trump’s Executive Order on Immigrants and Refugees

I believe that President Trump means well–and by “means well” I mean that he is taking seriously the role of government to protect its people.  That being said, I believe that this poorly communicated/executed order has done more harm than good.   Chaos and division do not make us safer.

How to Respond to the Refugee Crisis

I echo these sentiments from David Platt:

“Much of our response to the refugee crisis seems to come from a foundation of fear, not faith. Much of it seems to flow from a view of the world that is far more American than biblical, far more concerned with the preservation of our country than the accomplishment of the Great Commission.” – David Platt

“Now, are there risks in proclaiming the gospel to refugees? Sure there are. But where have we gotten the idea that Christianity is devoid of risk? Security in this world should not be prioritized over proclamation of God’s Word. As followers of Christ, self is no longer our god. Safety is no longer our ultimate concern. So let’s show this with our lives. Let’s go and preach the gospel urgently, knowing others’ lives depend on it, and gladly giving our own lives toward that end.” – David Platt

Today I am thankful for shoes.  Can you imagine life without them?  Yet that is exactly the situation for many around the globe.  Simply lacking a pair of shoes can greatly impair one’s ability to be healthy and function productively. From the website soles4souls.com:

“Every day children are prevented from attending school, adults are unable to work. Walking becomes unbearable.”

How we underestimate the great value of a pair of shoes.  So, when you lace up today, be thankful!  And maybe take a look at some organizations that can do a lot with your old pair of shoes to bless those with no shoes.

I was dreading last Sunday.  It was the first church gathering since I sent out the letter explaining that I would be candidating  February 19th for the position of Sr. Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Cadillac, MI (This is the church where I served as an Associate Pastor before coming to Ojai).  I was dreading last Sunday because I hate the feeling of letting people down, especially people that I love very much.  But Sunday ended up being a great day, and I learned even more about our congregation in Ojai:

1. The congregation is trustworthy.  The Elders and some others have known about our situation for a while.  They understood the need to hold this information in strict confidence and absolutely did so.
2. The congregation is gracious.  Overwhelmingly the response to the letter has been, “We are so happy for you.”  What a blessing that response has been to us.  You have greatly relieved the burden of guilt and freed us emotionally to respond to what we believe to be God’s call. The word “encouragement” literally means “to put courage in.”  You have filled us up.
3.   The congregation is resilient.  I have been so pleased with the attitude of “We’ll miss you, but the church will press on.”  No panic.  No despair.  Rather, a people who are galvanized by the mission of making disciples and the knowledge that the Church ultimately belongs to Christ.  This congregation has seen God’s provision time and time again over the past 11 years.  There is a great sense of confidence that they will see it yet again.

Last Sunday made me (yet again) proud to be your pastor.  Thanks for ministering to our family.

All right.  It’s come to this.  I need to be put in time out.  Last night I joked about refereeing from the stands.  But, as I reflect, it really isn’t funny.  Pretty sad really.  I watch these games and it is like I become somebody else.  Though even as a kid watching games on TV I remember scaring our family dog by my outbursts.  I guess that should have been a warning sign.  The question is why does one become so emotionally invested in athletic contests, especially when they involve your kids?  Here are some thoughts:

1. I know how hard my kids work at this.  When their efforts are negated by inept officiating, as a parent my impulse is to want to advocate for them.
2. I have played, coached, and refereed.  There is a prideful part of me that thinks I can do it better.  Those referees would probably be glad to hand me their whistle and tell me to prove it.
3.   As the parent of seniors, you see the clock ticking and realize you only have so many more of these moments with your kids.  You want them to be positive.
4. No matter how much we try to fight it, as parents we to some degree live vicariously through our kids.  We shouldn’t.  But we do.  Some of us probably more than others.  In some twisted way, if they we, we win.

At the end of the day these referees are providing a valuable service that allows our kids to play organized sports.  They don’t get paid much for it, certainly with the abuse they take.  They are human, and this is not their day job.  They deserve a lot more grace than I give them.

And, oh yeah.  My son earns a paycheck every weekend refereeing youth basketball.  I probably should treat other referees the way I would want parents to treat him.

How’s that for a legacy?

I don’t know about your elementary school, but at mine, everything was done by getting in a line–get in line to go to the bathroom, get in line to go to lunch, get in line to go to recess, get in line to get on the bus.  And oh the joy of being first in line!  Looking back, I’m not sure that being first really accomplished a whole lot, but it was still the position coveted by all.

As an adult, I’m not much different.  Josh and I like to go to a college basketball tournament in Anaheim over Thanksgiving.  And we typically make a great effort to be first in line for when the doors open so we can be first to get the seats we want.  Do we really see the game that much better by being first?  Probably not.  But there is something within me that wants to be first.

In Genesis 13:9, Abraham does the opposite.  He is about to part ways with his nephew Lot, but rather than play the “uncle card” and insist on going first, Abraham says,

“Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” (Genesis 13:9, ESV)

“Lot, you choose first.  I’ll choose second.”

Here’s the point:  Abraham trusted in God’s ability to give more than in his own ability to grab.  When we insist on being first it is often because we don’t trust God to be good.  So, we feel we have to take matters into our own hands. But in this instance Abraham demonstrated amazing trust.  Lot could go first, and God would be good.  As Jesus promises in Matthew 20:16,  “So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Question for today:  Where do you need to trust in God’s ability to give more than in your own ability to grab?