of pets and people

My friend was dying right before my eyes and I couldn’t control myself anymore. I started to cry and he did too, perhaps sensing that the end was near. Now unable to stand, I helped him lie down for the last time.

I knew it was close when the whimpering stopped. Now the only sound was my own whimpering, as I cried uncontrollably. His eyes rolled up, his tongue fell out of his mouth, and he was dead.

I knew at that moment that I could never, ever, be a veterinarian. My dream as a 15-year-old boy was now shattered, having witnessed the death of a dog that wasn’t even mine. Volunteering at a medical research facility was fun until I had to help put down my favorite playmate, an unnamed dog I had been caring for.

From that moment on I became guarded when dealing with the animals, especially the dogs. I was determined not to allow myself to become too close to them, knowing that sooner or later they’d perish for the sake of science. And, worse of all, I might have to help again.

Unfortunately, over the years I’ve experienced the death of many pets. And, without exception, it hurts. A lot.

That’s because if you’re like me, pets become part of the family, especially dogs and cats. And, if we’re honest, isn’t it true that sometimes, well, they’re better companions than humans? Come on, you can admit it—I’ll keep your secret.

But why is that? Why is that our dog or cat can sometimes be just as good—perhaps even better—than human companionship? Not all the times, of course, but why is that sometimes Rover or Kitty is all we need?

Yes, they’re usually soft to the touch, and yes, they don’t talk back. And it’s true they typically don’t disappoint us as much as humans do, and sure, they’re less expensive to house and feed.

But I think the real reason they capture our hearts so much is they love us, accept us as we are (warts and all), and like to be with us. I mean, let’s be honest, how many humans love you, accept you (warts and all), and like to be with you?

Maybe it’s just me, but there aren’t too many humans who would pass that test. On the other hand I’ll bet I could walk into any animal shelter, randomly adopt a dog and, in time, it would eventually turn into my faithful companion.

If my theory is right, then what does that say about us people? Why don’t we love one another, accept one another (warts and all), and want to hang out with each other? Why are dogs sometimes better companions than humans?

For what it’s worth, I think it’s because we’re flawed. Specifically, we—okay, me—don’t love others like I should.

Because of that, we—okay, me—needs to work on treating people better. And I know just the place to go for biblical guidance: The so-called “love chapter” in the New Testament.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”1

Are you following the thought? Do you want to be a better companion? Do you want to compete with Rover?

Then be patient, kind, don’t envy, don’t boast, don’t be  proud, don’t be rude, don’t be self-seeking, don’t be easily angered, don’t keep a record of wrongs, don’t delight in evil, rejoice in the truth, and protect, trust, hope in and persevere with the other person.

I don’t know about you, but that list overwhelms me—there’s just too much to work on. I’ll never be able to compete with the family dog. For what it’s worth, I’m going to pick just one thing to work on. And when I get a better handle on it, then I’ll choose another, and then another.

Is this a lot of work? Absolutely. But if we want to be better companions to our family and friends, we have to roll up our sleeves and go to work.

Are you really going to let the family pet get the best of you? Me neither.

“Love never fails.”2

1  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

2  1 Corinthians 13:8

acting the part

He fooled a lot of people, including my employer, who allowed him to work with elementary school kids. And he fooled the local police, who then hired him to protect people.

Eventually the entire city became aware of his dark secret when he was arrested for molesting a child.

As I think back to when we worked as peers, I remember agreeing with co-workers how weird it was for him always wanting to be around kids. It was one thing to like kids and enjoy them, but there always seemed something a little odd about him. And yet, back then—25+ years ago—background checks were rare and if you could do the job, well, that’s all that mattered.

The man obviously wasn’t what he appeared to be.

But that got me to wondering how many of us are. That is, how many of us—followers of Jesus—are what we appear to be?

For instance, we may be one thing at church on Sunday mornings, but entirely different persons elsewhere.

Sunday mornings we’re all dressed up, carrying our Bibles and on our best behavior. No coarse joking, gossiping or cursing in church. Uh, uh, no way. Not here. Not at church.

But as we drive away the metamorphosis begins to take place and is complete by the time we get home. We’ve morphed back into the real us. The ones who, well, aren’t as holy, godly and on fire for the Lord as we pretended to be earlier.

Does any of this sound familiar? Does reading this make you feel a little uncomfortable? If so, you need to force yourself to keep reading, even if you don't want to. And why? Because your spiritual health is important.

Remember when Jesus confronts the Jewish religious leaders at the end of His earthly ministry? In one encounter He calls them “hypocrites” six times. Here’s just a sampling:

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”1

Did you know that the Greek word translated as “hypocrites” means actors or stage players? In other words, Jesus is calling them pretenders.

·         They’re pretending to be religious.

·         They’re pretending to be lovers of God.

·         They’re pretending to be something they’re not.

What about you? Are you pretending to be something you’re not? Are you acting the part on Sunday mornings, only to return to the real you the rest of the week?

Again, does reading this make you uncomfortable? If so, it could be you’re acting hypocritically. Maybe, just maybe, you’ve been pretending to be something that you’re not.

Please don’t get me wrong. This doesn’t mean you’re in the same league as the two-faced religious leaders. And it certainly doesn’t imply that you’re in the same category as my co-worker who was a child molester.

But if you act one way at church and then another way during the week, well, it sure sounds like you’re doing a little pretending to me.

You may fool me and everyone else at church, but you’re not fooling God. The outside of the “cup” may be clean, but the Lord sees what’s on the “inside.”

What’s the solution to your problem? Step one is admitting your hypocrisy. Is it easy? Heck no. But that’s where you have to start.

Step two isn’t much easier: You need to forget outward appearances and focus on your inner man or woman. You need to concentrate on the “inside.” Ask God to forgive you for your hypocrisy and tell Him you want to be changed from the inside out.

Mean it. Commit to it. And then watch the Lord go to work.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”2

1  Matthew 23:25-26

2  Hebrews 4:16

bless your pastor in just minutes!

Want to do something nice for your pastor that will only take a few minutes of your time?

If so, pray the verses below for him right now. Just insert your pastor’s name in the blanks.

Come on, you were going to read this anyway, right? So why not take what’s written and turn it into a prayer instead?

Go for it!

For his walk with the Lord

May the words of ___________’s mouth and the meditation of his heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.1

For his ministry

Whenever _______________ opens his mouth may words may be given him so that he will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. May he declare it fearlessly, as he should.2

If he’s a husband

May ___________ love his wife, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. May he also love his wife as his own body.3  

If he’s a father

May _____________  not exasperate his children; instead, may he bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.4

Congratulations—you’ve just blessed your pastor!

But you’re not finished, yet. Why not take another few minutes and write him a quick note to let him know you’ve prayed for him? And don’t forget to mention which verses you used. It doesn’t have to be on fancy stationary or a card, just a brief note on whatever you have around the house. It’s the message that counts, not the “packaging.”

Take it from me, letting your pastor know what you’ve done will make his day in a big way.

Go ahead. Make his day. I dare you.

1  Psalm 19:14

2  Ephesians 6:19-20

3  Ephesians 5:25, 28

4  Ephesians 6:4

help wanted?

I ran up to the truck, laid down on my stomach, and inched forward until I could peek through what used to be the windshield. Broken glass and twisted metal was everywhere. But where was the driver? And how did the truck end up upside down in this ditch?

The answer to the second question came quickly: The smell of alcohol was very strong. Oh. Drunk driver.

The answer to the first question eventually came from another driver who had stopped to help. Crawling up beside me, he said the driver was somewhere in the back of the truck, out of sight. The man said he had talked extensively with him before I arrived, but he had refused to come out.

Not couldn’t come out, but wouldn’t come out.

Then, as if on cue, I heard the driver mumbling incoherently. While I still wondered whether he was hurt, my strong overall impression was he was mostly just too loaded to know where he was or what had happened.

After several minutes of trying to convince him to crawl towards us, we gave up. When the police finally arrived we told them what we knew, went back to our cars, and drove off.

Some people just can’t be helped. We can try all we want, but if the other person isn’t willing to play along, well, there’s not much we can do.

That’s true in life and it’s also true in the spiritual realm. For 35 years various people tried to warn me that I was on a collision course with hell, but I’d hold my arm up in front of my body and say, “Talk to the hand, ‘cause the face ain’t listenin’.”

I was a living example of the following verses:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”1

Prior to following Jesus, I was “dead in” my “transgressions and sins.” That is, I was spiritually-dead as a door nail, unable and unwilling to listen and believe in the truth.

During that time, unbeknownst to me, I “followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” The “ruler,” of course, is Satan.2

That’s right, before I was a Christ-follower, I followed Satan. In fact, all unbelievers follow the devil. Hard to swallow? Yeah. But undeniable if you believe Scripture, and I do.

Not surprisingly, during my unbelieving years I gratified “the cravings of” my “sinful nature and” followed “its desires and thoughts.” Like all non-Christians, I was “by nature” an object “of wrath.”

In other words I was sinfully preoccupied with me, me, me. And because of that, I was an object of  God’s “wrath,” both in this life and the life to come.

But that was my choice. Just as the drunk driver refused to accept help in rescuing him from an over-turned truck, I was unwilling to accept Christ’s help when it came to my sins.

What about you? Are you following Christ or “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient”? Jesus wants to help, but you have to want His help. I urge you not to remain an object of His “wrath.” You'll be eternally sorry.

For those of you who are following Jesus, here’s something for you to think about: Even though your eternal sin problem is taken care of, the Lord wants to help you in other ways. For instance, He wants to change you into His image, but needs your cooperation.3

Do you want to be changed into His image? Are you going along with the plan? Do you want the Lord’s help?

Whoever we are and whatever our spiritual state, let’s not be like the drunk driver who refused much-needed assistance.

“As the Scripture says, “’Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’"4

1  Ephesians 2:1-3

2  John 8:43-47, 1 John 1:19, Job 1:7

3  2 Corinthians 3:18

4  Romans 10:11

"where, o death, is your sting?"

He was buried alive and screaming for help, but no one seemed to hear or care, except me. So I got on my hands and knees and clawed the dirt away, my arms flailing around as fast as they could go, desperate to reach him before he could no longer breathe.

After what seemed like an eternity, there he was, his face covered with dirt but still breathing! I cleared a hole to pull him to safety and hugged him for dear life, crying uncontrollably in relief.

The others finally showed some interest in the situation and pleaded with me to get the man to a doctor, but I wouldn’t let go. I couldn’t let go. He was my friend and he had almost died.

I awoke from that nightmare last night crying in bed and hugging a pillow. And my wife, bless her heart, was hugging me, sensing something was wrong.

What does it mean? I have no idea, but I had plenty of time to think about it since my mind and body were now all stirred up. No more sleep for preacher boy.

As I laid in bed, now wide awake, I kept thinking about a couple of verses from the New Testament.

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”1

What do these verses have to do with my nightmare? Not sure, except they just kept bouncing around in my head. As they did, I knew what I would write about today: You’re reading it.

These verses tell us what will happen when Christ comes back. Those of us who are followers of Jesus and alive on earth at the time will not “sleep.” That is, we will not die. And then comes the really, really cool part: “We will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye.”

I believe this is when we who are alive will receive our heavenly, resurrected bodies. And those who have died will also be resurrected. In their case, their souls, which are currently with Jesus2, will be reunited with their bodies, only these are imperishable and eternal bodies.

Again, what do these verses have to do with my nightmare? Not sure. Maybe this is a reminder that even though I miss my friend, who died a few years ago, he’s okay. And maybe this is a reminder that both of us will be resurrected and I’ll see him again.

But I’m more interested in how you react to these verses. Do they encourage you as much as they encourage me? Are you as excited as I am knowing resurrected bodies are on the way? Are you as excited as I am knowing I’ll be reunited with loved ones who have died?

I don’t like nightmares, but this one reminded me of an ironclad biblical truth, a truth that comforts me down to me very soul: Christ takes care of those who are His.

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’"3  

1  1 Corinthians 15:51-52

2  Philippians 1:21-23

3  1 Corinthians 15:54-55

"the word of god"

My favorite Bible verses? That’s easy. Leviticus 13:9-11.

"When anyone has an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to the priest. The priest is to examine him, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, it is a chronic skin disease and the priest shall pronounce him unclean.”1

Just kidding.

Even though the above verses, in context, show the Lord’s detailed concern for His covenant people, the Jews, let’s be honest: There really isn’t any practical application for those of us here in the 21^st century. Thus, they probably aren’t on anyone’s list of favorite Scriptures.

But now that I have your attention, what do you think God’s favorite verse or verses are? I know, I know, I’m asking you to speculate, but what do you think? Of all the Bible passages, which is closest to His heart?

For what it’s worth, here’s my best guess:

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”2

In this verse the Apostle Paul praises the Lord because the believers to whom he’s writing accepted and believed what they had been told, “not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God.”

If this isn’t the Lord’s favorite Bible verse it has to be one of His top three. And why? Because of the urgency for people to believe that Scripture is, indeed, the very words of God. When and if people believe that they’re convicted of their sin and discover how to avoid being judged in the life to come: Put their faith in Christ.

So, it’s gut-check time. Do you believe in the Christian Bible, “not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God”?

If your answer is “No,” I totally understand—I wasn’t convinced until the age of 35. But when I examined the evidence—really examined the evidence—the conclusion became obvious to me. If you’re not convinced but consider yourself open-minded, please read more about the Bible at http://windowtotheword.com/bible.asp. The article may address some of the concerns that you have.

In the meantime, if you do believe the Bible is “the word of God” I think I speak for the Lord when I say that He’s thrilled.

Before you congratulate yourself, however, here’s a follow-up question for you: Since you believe the Bible is the “word of God,” do you read it, study it and obey it? After all, it is the “word of God.”

A little squirmy, are we?

If it’s any consolation, I don’t always do such a good job in terms of reading, studying and obeying either. And I’m preacher boy.

But let’s make a pact, just between you and me. Since we both believe the Bible is the “word of God,” let’s actually show some interest in it. Let’s read it, study it, and obey it.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”3

1  Leviticus 13:9-11

2  1 Thessalonians 2:13

3  2 Timothy 3:16-17

painful memories

She screamed for help and nobody else heard, only me. And to make matters worse, I was closest to her. So I dove into the quarry, swam out to my sister and pulled her ashore.

I don’t remember much else except being really scared and relieved that neither of us drowned.

Years later, now an adult, I looked away for just a moment, but that’s all it took for my son to fall into the pool. After a friend spotted him lying on the bottom, I leaned over, grabbed his arm and pulled him out.

He never left my lap the rest of the BBQ, as I sat crying with him on a swing while the others watched from a distance.

Several years later there was my other son, floating helplessly down the river and heading for some rapids. “Dad, Dad!” he cried, over and over again. I kept yelling “It’ll be okay, I’m coming.” I did get there in time and eventually pulled him ashore by latching on to some tree roots.  

But while he was fine, I wasn’t. Once again my reaction was to cry in relief at what could have happened.

Not once, not twice, but three times. What’s the deal with me and water? Who—other than some lifeguards—have had to save three people from drowning?

Was it fate? Coincidence? What? Frankly, I have no idea and really don’t care. I did what I had to do, but hate thinking about this stuff—the memories still make my stomach churn and the tears to flow.

Now consider this: If you think I cringe from those painful memories of the past, can you imagine what it’s like for our Lord to remember what happened to Him when He came to earth?

“Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. 'Hail, king of the Jews!' they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.”1

How’d you like to have that as a memory? Me neither. That’s the stuff of nightmares.

But it gets worse. You see, Jesus, in eternity past—prior to being born as a human being here on earth—knew what was coming.

“This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”2

Jesus was “handed over to” His killers “by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge.” Jesus, the second member of the Trinity and God Himself, knew what would eventually happen to Him and how it would happen.

Think about it like this: Consider your absolute worst nightmare or the worst, most gut-wrenching moment from your life. But now it’s a future event, something you have to think about and contemplate from eternity past.

Can you even imagine it? Thinking about eternity makes my head hurt, but thinking about eternity in the past somehow hurts my head more. And then to try and imagine how horrible it would be to contemplate your eventual torture and crucifixion as a human being in the future, well, smoke is beginning to come out of my ears.

But you get the idea, right? Horrible, horrible, horrible. He had to think about what was coming from eternity past and presumably will remember it for eternity going forward.

Ugh. Double ugh.

But that’s what a God who loves you does and is willing to do. He conceived a plan to rescue you and then implemented it, despite paying a terrible price: The haunting memory of the humiliation, pain and death of His Son, Jesus.

And why did He do it? We were drowning in our sin and there was nothing else for a holy and sinless God to do. There had to be a sin offering and Jesus was it.

Now that we’re—spiritually-speaking—safe and sound on shore, isn’t there something you want to say to Him? Yeah, me too.

“Thanks, Jesus. We owe you our lives.”

1  Matthew 27:27-31

2  Acts 2:23-24