I am amazed at how much effort we extend to try and pacify others whom we have wronged rather than just deal with the issue itself. There is something powerful inside each of us which is connected to our sin nature and pride that goes against wanting to just apologize, admit we were wrong (and maybe stupid), and ask for forgiveness. Rather than that, we will put on a false compassion and even spend a great amount of time and effort (and sometimes expense) to show that “everything is okay.”

This has always been true. In my recent reading of the Old Testament story about Jacob and Esau, I saw this clearly. Jacob (with the help of his mother, Rebekah) had just stolen his older brother Esau’s blessing. This came on the heels of convincing that same brother to swap his birthright for a hot bowl of lentil soup. (I had lentil soup a few weeks back at the airport during a layover in Minneapolis – it was delicious- but came with my meal rather than salad!) Esau learned of this trickery and said, “If I get my hands on that deceitful little brother of mine, I’ll kill him!” (I do believe I’ve said the same thing of my little brother on an occasion growing up.) But Esau meant it!

Jacob runs to his uncle Laban’s place, and finds a deceiver equal to him (as is evidenced by his marriage to Leah after working 7 years for her sister, Rachel). Laban marries off two daughters in one month and gets 7 more years of labor from Jacob. He proceeds to change his “terms” 10 times over the 20 years he has Jacob working for him. Finally, Jacob leaves with his 4 wives and 12 sons and one daughter. But en route he realizes he’s headed back to the land of his brother, Esau — the one he cheated and ran away from 20 years earlier (Genesis 32-33). It is amazing how clear his memory is: he knows that Esau and his reported 400 men might not be that happy to see his only brother! Jacob agonizes and plans thoroughly how to meet his brother. He sends scouts out ahead. He sends an incredible amount of gifts one by one, with the same words—these are a gift to you, Esau, from your servant Jacob. He puts his own family in two parties so that half can escape if the others are massacred by the rugged “red” warrior, Esau. He stays up all night and prays for safety as he anticipates this fearful meeting with Esau – his only brother, with whom he shared all his growing up years plus 9 months in the womb as they were twins!

Jacob now seems to regret his past and deceitfulness. How often do today’s actions come back to be a source of anxiety in the future? There are those people each of us knows who remind us of past failures and words or actions we did that hurt and maybe even embarrass us. We avoid those people at all costs, and try to suppress the memories too. We will strive to make sure everything is good – short of pro-actively seeking out those from whom we need to ask forgiveness and saying to them, “I’m sorry, I was wrong, will you forgive me?”

I remember meeting an old GBC classmate of mine who came back to Grace since I’ve been here as President. I had offended him and treated him poorly. I remembered the event clearly and how it bothered him, but when I mentioned it to him, he now laughed and said how “it was nothing.” But why did I fear that meeting so much? It was my wrong actions, and my heart knew I needed to deal with it.

ACTION POINT:
What is it in your life that is left undone and needs to be remedied with a petition for forgiveness? Pick up the phone or write a letter and deal with it– it actually is more profitable than the pain of trying to pacify.

“Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:13)

One of the greatest stories of faith is that of Abraham and his visitors who come to assure him of the promise of God. He is told….”and by the way….you will have a son by your wife, not your wife’s servant Hagar, and it will happen at about this time next year!”

We aren’t told that Abraham doubted, just like when he was asked years earlier to move, the Scriptures just succinctly state, “so Abram left.” It is a wonder to me how simplistic and trusting he was. Sarah is more typical of our normal reaction – “I’ve wanted children for 90 years of my life, we’re living out in this tent in the middle of the wilderness, I’m getting old and creaky and now I’m going have a child? Yeah, right!” Does that sound similar to how we respond to things? But do you know what I love about the story? God calls her out! The Lord, in the appearance of three men in the narrative, says of Sarah (who is listening silently inside the tent to the Lord’s promise), “Why did Sarah laugh?” The text goes on to state, Sarah was afraid so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” (Gen. 18:15a)

Sarah acts just like Adam and Eve in the garden, just like Cain out in the field—she tried to cover her tracks. She works for excuses and self-justification! Why is that so easy to want to do? We hate to simply admit wrong and deal with our own shortcomings and failures to trust God at His Word. I would submit it is one of our most common failures. God ordered this world and promises life and joy to all who would diligently obey as Abram is noted to have done. But so often we play the part of Sarah – we just want to look like we are in agreement, rather than be fully committed and dedicated to acting out our faith in God’s plan for our lives!

But God calls her out, even after her excuse and self-justification. “But He said, “Yes, you did laugh.” (Gen. 18:15b) God isn’t letting it go…. He does know all and that ends the discussion. As a parent, I’ve labored with my wife to work with our kids to not feel the need to give the reason for actions we correct or discipline, rather to say…”okay dad,” or “all right,” without another explanation — even though there’s a burning desire in each of us to say why we have acted foolishly or sinfully. God desires that same attitude in my life and yours.

The last laugh in Sarah’s story is beautiful. One year later Isaac is born to a 100 year old father Abraham and Sarah. She then states ironically, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)

ACTION POINT:
What is God prompting you to do in your life that seems a bit “laughable?” Think again, is anything too hard for the Lord?”

There are countless songs we can recall, written in almost every musical style, which speak of waiting for, writing, or receiving a letter.  Normally the song has to do with a sweetheart who is far away, or an estranged family member who now writes of their love and affection after “coming to their senses,” realizing what they had.  I’m sure many of us have sent those kinds of letters to our loved ones and some may have even saved some of those old letters.  I have a couple of very special letters and cards from my extended family, my kids, and my wife that — when I see them — I always read them and the flood of emotion just comes over me again.

Sadly, we have lost a lot of the nostalgia and meaning of letter writing with the digital age and the emphasis on saving paper and wood products.  Those messages are remembered as long as we keep that cell phone, computer or e-mail account and even then, they often get erased or buried under more messages. There may not be a lot to look back on and read 10 years from now if it is all digitally recorded, even if it is on a so called “hard copy,”  The musty smell or the fragrance of an envelope and letter which floods our senses with memories is something that we will never experience with a computer.

I know you’re thinking…….you sound old Kemper, but you can understand. These letters and words of affirmation have real value.  Too often real appreciation only happens when someone passes away or isn’t available to hear the words any longer and that is really sad. I remember the retirement party which we had at Grace in October 2003 to honor both Bruce Kemper, the former President at Grace, for 12 years of service and for Dr. Dale Dewitt, to honor his 41 years of teaching at Grace.  This was an excellent opportunity to express appreciation and value for their jobs well done.  Both men were told of the value of what they’d done in the lives of those who to whom they ministered.  Sure there were cards and letters written, but beyond the notes, the testimony of value is that which lives on in the lives of those who were impacted.

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians the same thing:

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, know and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”  (2 Corinthians 3:2-3)

Paul knew that those believers in Corinth living out the message of Christ every day before a watching world was more powerful than any document would ever be.  It was in the way they lived their lives that proved the validity of Paul’s (and Timothy’s) ministry.  The ministry was, and always will be transformational.  Not just something to know, but something to live out.

This is the ministry of Grace Bible College and every one of us who work here. We may give assignments and grade papers and serve students in the office and recruit students, but the real test of our effectiveness is the results we see in the lives of our students and graduates!  We are commended by the lives lived out by those two whom we minister.  How is that for learning outcomes?

ACTION POINT:
Let’s keep the main thing, the main thing.  This is an educational institution. This is a ministry of God in the lives of young men and women prepared to serve Christ in Church and Society.  Let’s keep that focus as we do all that God allows us today to make it happen.

“He’s coming next week!  He’ll bring a whole entourage of dignitaries. It’s the most important day ever in the life of the village!”  The chairman of the little village had come to visit me with this important news and was sitting in my living room sipping on a cup of tea my wife has quickly heated up to welcome him.  It seems the Regional Commissioner (equivalent to our State Governor) had planned a visit to build relationships with the local people of our tiny little village near the end of the dusty road.  The people of the entire village were given daily assignments to go out and repair the roads leading into the village by removing big stones and filling in the ever-deepening the water run-off ditches by throwing dirt on the roads.  The village chairman was requesting asking me to host the lunch feast after the town meeting at my home, which had a big room and tables sufficient to accommodate around 40 people.

The village was a stir of activity as people cut down tree branches, picked my bushes clean of any flowers, swept the dirt paths of loose gravel and made preparations for the guest.  The people were taxed to gather enough chickens to butcher, vegetables were harvested or purchased, and a cow in the village was sacrificed for the guests and village leaders to eat.  We got the house ready, arranged the tables and chairs we borrowed from neighbors and the church, and our kitchen became a hub of activity at sunrise that morning to prepare for the 1 p.m. luncheon.

That morning at 9 a.m. the school children from the village primary school were released from class to line the dusty road leading up to the village office dressed in their blue and white school uniforms.  They each found a small branch of evergreen – mostly from my yard – to hold and wave and cheer when the dignitaries arrived. I must admit when seeing all the fuss even Kathy and I became anxious to meet the long time Regional Commissioner (who was a former war veteran and officer as well).  The waiting began.  By 11 a.m. he still had not arrived.  At about 1 p.m. the food had been ready for over an hour and the procession hadn’t begun, kids weren’t gleefully lining the road any longer, but running around soiling their clean uniforms as kids would do, and the ladies group preparing the food at our home began to eat it and complain!

He finally showed up at about 2:30 p.m., held a 30 minute town meeting with all the villagers who hadn’t given up and gone to their gardens, refused to visit their primary school that had undergone considerable remodeling in the week prior to his visit and implored the village officials to “Hurry up and get us to lunch as we’re hungry and need to move on.”   So the delegation came to my house, we seated them all, I led in prayer of thankfulness to the Lord for his provision and for the leadership he placed over us, and we dug in.  At that point someone pointed out to me who the “big wig” was and I walked over to greet him and show respect.  He stood as I approached, I nervously greeting him, “Shigamoo Mheshimiwa” – literally meaning, “I hold your feet Oh respected one.”  As he stood, I noted he was short and squatted and the top of his head was below my chin (kind of like Major Dan in Forrest Gump after losing his legs in battle).

They finished the meal and hurried off, not showing particular appreciation or enjoyment for the days and hours of labor extended in preparation of that “special day.”

As I looked at the mess left behind, all I could think of was “what a disappointment.”   But as I spoke with the villagers in the days that followed I never heard that sentiment from them.

Oh, how different the coming of our Lord was!  He wasn’t a dignitary with people organizing His reception, even though he was Lord of the Universe.  No one cleared the road and decorated for his arrival by 4-wheel drive, rather they walked the rugged roads with only a donkey. He didn’t have a room readied for Him or cooks prepping for his entourage hours ahead, He was given a stable as there was no room for him.  His arrival route wasn’t lined by uniformed school kids, but it was sounded by angels in the heavens!  He wasn’t accompanied by political figures hoping to glean some of His glory for themselves, rather unlearned shepherds were heralded with the good news, and the politician sought to know of Christ’s coming only in order to extinguish him!  His coming was not just to show His face, gain political clout, and return to a better life, rather it was to live among the lowly and sympathize with their needs, and ultimately to give His life for their greatest need!   Thank you, Lord, for Your coming — THAT is something to celebrate!

ACTION POINT:
Ponder the wonder of His coming – the true “humbling of Himself in all ways” (Philippians 2:5-8)