Speaking against evil!

Hello friends,

 

It seems that in our increasingly secular world, the Christian gospel is being mocked, and scorned more and more. As a Christian, I am not surprised by this. We were warned in many ways by Jesus himself, that we would be persecuted as He was. When Christians do speak out against things which go against there own moral code, they are often labelled as being “extreme” or “fanatical” or “right-wing” along with a variety of other labels depending on the context. It seems as though provided Christians keep to their own “holy huddle” they can shake their heads and tut-tut as much as they like, but if they dare speak out against immoral behaviour or undermining of Christian values, they get told to keep quiet. However, when Christians don’t speak out, they are labelled as being irrelevant and having head in the sand.

 

SO what are we to do? Should we shut up and be “tolerant” or should we speak out and say when something runs contrary to our ‘religious’ sensibilities.

 

A Scripture was brought to my attention today that I believe has relevance in this discussion. ”Jesus said…”The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.” (John 7:7)

 

So Christians are left with the following dilemma: and I do not pretend that this is an easily resolved matter. Different Christians will respond differently to this issue and I would not dare criticise either side of the debate as frankly, I am not sure. The dilemma is this:

 

On the one hand, taking a stand on any issue that has a religious or moral undertone in it, means that a person risks being labelled “politically incorrect” a supposedly heinous crime in modern society. After all, in today’s modern society, there are supposedly no absolutes.  A person cannot take a stance against abortion, because, so society says, it is the woman’s body and she has a right to make decisions concerning it. The whole question of where life begins is left up in the air. I could go on down this road with this debate, but I won’t – suffice it to say that I am Pro-Life – i.e. anti abortion, except where clearly the continued pregnancy represents a real threat to the mother’s life (not lifestyle). On the other side of the coin, I would be careful about coming over as judgmental towards people who perform abortions, or women who have undergone abortions (not that I know any personally) or anyone involved in the process of enabling abortions. I would not judge a nurse or a doctor who are involved in performing abortions and would never say that a Christian should not work for or aid in the carrying out of abortions. In this whole debate, the strongest argument for legalised abortions is that many back-street abortions are performed, where mothers’ lives are endangered. There was a case a while back where a young woman who had found herself pregnant went to one of the back street abortion places but the abortion went wrong and the patient was rushed to a government hospital where they had to complete the abortion in order to save the woman’s life. One of the nurses on duty in the emergency ward refused, because of her religious convictions, to be involved. She was sacked for refusal to follow orders and took the matter to court. I cannot recall the outcome of that case, but it was a difficult case with merits on both sides of the argument. I do believe it is wrong to become judgmental of others, as if we, somehow are superior to them. We are not any better than anyone else, and everyone, whether Christian or non-Christian blows it in one way or another. So who are we to stand up and say that this or that is wrong? The expressions like “Live and let live” and “c’est la vie” are bandied about. Tolerance it seems is the watchword of the moment. My question is can we tolerate absolutely everything and make excuses for every criminal act. Babies, not old enough to stand have been raped, and society is rightly horrified, but society does not seem to realise that this didn’t happen all of a sudden, but is a direct result of morals being gradually eroded and so what was not accepted in society became accepted, and then a bit more, and so on, and so on. It is my contention that society can and has become too tolerant.

 

On the other hand, Jesus saw injustice in society and he did not worry about the politically correct thing to do. He did not button his lip. He got angry and chased the money changers from the temple courts. Jesus spoke out against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and called them such endearing terms as “a brood of vipers” and “white washed tombs”  Jesus did not allow the Pharisees to stone the woman court in adultery, but exposed their hypocrisy. He however did not excuse the sin of the woman but said, “Go your way, but don’t continue to sin” – in this regard, don’t continue being an adulteress. I believe that there are times when as Christian, I need to take a stand and say something is immoral and wrong.   The problem with many Christians is that they develop selective blind spots. That is they are ready and willing to stand and wag their fingers at this or that perceived wrong, but when an injustice is being perpetrated by “their group” whether it is racial, political (left-wing/right-wing) or religious (Protestant/Catholic) they are not willing to admit to it. SO we have in the United States, a group people who are labelled the Religious Right or the Neo-Conservatists who scream blue murder against abortion and homosexuality and cry “Death to Islamist Terrorists” – meaning every Moslem, and yet refuse to acknowledge that George Bush, whom they support, was not entirely truthful about the reasons for going to war against Iraq. (Last time I checked – the ninth commandment says “Do not bear false witness.” ) . People known as Liberation Theologians are quick to condemn the injustices perpetrated by Capitalistic Governments against the poverty stricken Third World while at the same time, aiding and abetting terrorists fighting against governments. There is an English proverb that goes, “People living in glass houses should not throw stones.”  If we are willing to point an accusing finger at this or that injustice, we must accept it, when others point accusing fingers towards us. It is difficult to maintain objectivity when it comes to some issues, but it is important that we at least try, and that if we want to be heard when we raise a concern, we too must be willing to hear the other perspective on the matter  or when someone criticises us. But I don’t think that means we need to retreat into our ivory towers or bury our heads in the sand.

 

Christians are not the only ones who rant and rave over perceived injustices, or by any means the worst, as the recent outrage against the “Mohammed Cartoons” show. But it isn’t only religious ‘nutbars’ who get their knickers in a knot. Think about the “Green Peace” movement and the animal rights groups. Yesterday a group of fathers called Fathers for Justice disrupted a lottery draw  to protest against the law that favours mothers in custody cases in the United Kingdom.

 

Having said all that I am now going to comment on something that really annoyed me as a Christian. Yesterday I sat up late and watched the Eurovision Contest. The first country represented was Switzerland, and I really liked the song. But few songs later, came Finland. They sang a song called Hard Rock Hallelujah. The singers were dressed up and made up to look like demons. It was terrible. A mocking of Christianity. It really irked me that that song was the one that won it. But how, as Christians, do we respond?

 

I look forward to hearing from you. Let me know what you think.

 

Have a great week

 

John

 

13 May

STOP PRESS: I started writing this yesterday, 13^th May, but never got it finished. I have added a bit today and now I send it out. I have already done the Children’s ministry – it went well. Craig did most of the sharing. As you might have guessed, the children are very familiar with the story of Zacchaeus. I hope you had a lovely Mothers Day, Mothers.

John

13^th May

 

Last night I was listening to a Christian Radio Station and I heard Adrian Rogers relate an anecdote that sent shivers up and down my spine:

I will try and recount it as he shared it:

 

In Chicago, there is a night club. It is called “The Gates of Hell” (or Hades). In that same street is a church with the name of Calvary. A visitor to the town was looking for directions and asked a local person, “Where do I find the Gates of Hell” to which the local replied, “You carry on right past Calvary.”

 

Many people say they don’t believe in Hell. Interestingly, many people who believe in a heaven, don’t believe in a hell. Many people who acknowledge the existence of God, are not convinced there is the devil, Satan. I wonder where you stand on this matter? Do you think that he is the collective figment of our imaginations?

 

Ironically, if you don’t believe in the devil, he is more than delighted. It makes his job easier if we don’t believe he exists. He can more easily manipulate your mind if you don’t know he is there. If you believe in Jesus, and you believe that He is God, and that He told the truth, you had better believe that there is a devil. The bible tells us about how Christ was lead into the wilderness for a 40 day period and during that time, the devil attempted to tempt Him, but failed. Jesus, himself, spoke often about the devil.

 

Be self- controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

 

Does this mean we quiver in our boots for fear of this enemy of our souls. No, for as John wrote, concerning Christians: “He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4) Paul writes: “In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom 8:37)

 

The thought has just occurred to me: People now are aware of, and acknowledge the existence of the HIV. We know what it is, and we know what it is capable of if it gets into our systems. Regretfully, there are some people who refuse to accept the fact of its existence, and who try and explain the illness by some other means. Most people simply shake their heads when they hear of someone who says “There is no HIV.” We all know how wrong they are, and we all know how important it is that they do acknowledge its existence. Most of us know there is HIV and that HIV causes AIDS. We also know how the virus can get into our bodies, and consequently what precautions need to be introduced in order to prevent that happening. But if you asked me, am I scared of HIV, I would answer – NO – HIV can’t hurt me, if I take the necessary precautions. If I take care not to engage in risky behaviour, and to take necessary precautions such at wearing latex gloves if dealing with another persons bleeding wound. (I know this goes out to many medically trained people and if I have said something wrong here, you have every right and the invitation to set the record straight – but I don’t suspect that anyone will.) Some of you may be saying – well what is the point? My point is this, just as you don’t need to fear the HIV as long as you acknowledge that it does exist and are aware of what dangerous or risky behaviour might precipitate an infection, so, we as Christians need not fear the devil, Satan, because he has already been defeated by Jesus Christ through the cross, but we do need to acknowledge that he does exist and that he can lead us astray if we are not aware of his ways. The only way the devil can defeat you is through deception, and the only way deception can get to you, is if you believe the deception. But people need to be aware that they are being deceived in order to withstand that deception.

 

 

I am not going to launch into a major Bible study on the subject of the devil. However I just thought I would mention that the devil is real, and that it is desire as expressed in the verse above to “devour” you – that is destroy you. Jesus refers to him as the Thief who comes to steal, kill and to destroy (John 10:10) in contrast to Jesus himself, how He claims, has come to give abundant life.

 

Tomorrow, I teach a Sunday school class for the first time, and we are going to be talking about that “wee little man, Zacchaeus”. SO have a good week.

 

Last week, I received an email with a thought about Mothers that I thought would be appropriate for Mothers’ Day: So here it is –

 

Being a Mum

... the special bond between a mother and her child

Before I was a Mum I made and ate hot meals. I had unstained clothing and I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mum I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mum I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot the words to lullabies.

Before I was a Mum I didn’t worry whether or not plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunisations.

Before I was a Mum I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, chewed on, peed on or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mum I had complete control over my mind, my thoughts, my body and I slept all night.

Before I was a Mum I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

Before I was a Mum I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love being a Mum.

Before I was a Mum I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn’t know the special bond between a mother and her child. I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mum I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every ten minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderful fulfillment, or the satisfaction of being a Mum.

I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much ... before I was a Mum.

Author Unknown

 

 

 

This week's blog - or is that - last week's blog?

Hi there,

 

Well I’ve mulled it over and scratched my head, but this week’s blog does not seem to come to me quite like they normally do. So let me start by sharing a bit of personal news. No nothing earth shattering or exciting I’m afraid, but news all the same:

 

I am working on this huge assignment – one of the biggest I have ever had to do – all about Children who, (to use the currently politically correct phraseology) experience barriers to learning. For people who might not understand, this refers to children who were previously regarded as having disabilities, or experiencing learning difficulties. One of the things that make this such a complicated task is that I have to use the politically correct terminology, and it is so easy to slip into the old way of saying things.

 

The other bit of news that I have this week is that I managed to finish another assignment that I have been finding very interesting to write. It has taken me three weeks to get it done, (a lot longer than I usually take for an assignment (thought that is usually because I start writing it too late and I am sitting up through the night desperately trying to finish the assignment by the due date and then praying that the Internet will work properly so that I can submit it online.  This year I have resolved to take a different approach. I really have no excuse to run behind at the moment, because unlike previous years, I have not had to work full time as well. The assignment I have just finished was about HIV/AIDS. I thought I was quite knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS until I started doing the research for the assignment and found that I did not know as much as I thought I knew. I had a superficial knowledge. I knew enough, I suppose, to avoid becoming infected. (If you don’t know, or are not sure about the risks of HIV/AIDS – please write to me – I will treat your email as confidential and I will happily discuss this subject with anyone – I will treat your questions with confidentiality.) I didn’t really understand though, how the virus attacked the immune system and how the immune system is ‘used’ by the virus to replicate itself and invade the whole body. It was an eye opening experience. I also dealt with the sensitive topic of helping children who are grieving due to the death of a loved one. Again, there were things that I thought I knew about certain cultures but discussion showed me that I did not know. In particular, I had written something about what Jews believe about the afterlife. I thought that they, like Christians, believe in heaven and hell. Apparently I was wrong. According to my Jewish cousins, Jews believe in “the next world” where everyone’s soul goes after a period of cleansing. Thank you to those who put me right on that. I wouldn’t like to ride roughshod over a child’s beliefs especially at a time of grief.

 

I went last week to a combined home group meeting of our Church – we had a stir-fry supper, and a time of sharing. They introduced the time of sharing with words to this effect – “Everyone has to share something romantic – I hope you are prepared.” Well – I thought to myself, that is going to be difficult because I have no personal experience of that yet.” However, I soon realised that I did not have to talk about something romantic – I could also share a “God – moment”  or some testimony – now that’s a different story as I abound with personal experiences of God’s intervening hand. I decided to share on two things (these may be news to a few of you readers too)

 

I told them that when I decided that the move south was necessary, the hardest part of leaving Harare was saying goodbye to the fellowship I belonged to – Harvest Christian Fellowship. While I knew that I would be able to stay in touch, I would not be seeing them from one week to the next. (Now while distance does make the heart grow fonder), I realised that I would be needing to find a new spiritual home. I shared with the home groups how special the people of Harvest were to me and shared specific examples of how Harvesters helped me along the way – in very real and practical matters which I won’t go into here. It was a wrench, and I left a little piece of me in Harare, I am sure. Well for those of you who are not harvesters, Harvest meets in Gateway High School hall, and the official name is Harvest Christian Fellowship. I came down to South Africa, and I wanted to find a fellowship that I could become a part of it. I spoke to Malcolm and Karen and asked them if I could go to their fellowship and of course they were more than happy to take me along. The fellowship they belong to is called Hilton Christian Fellowship. The meet at Laddsworth School hall. But the similarities don’t stop there. This fellowship is also populated with wonderful, caring people who take an interest in you and are ready to share and help wherever they can. I have joined a home group as referred to before in my blog and next Sunday I am going to be helping Craig with children’s ministry.

 

The second part of my testimony is what may be news to quite a number of you. I have delayed talking about this until I had a better grasp of the situation myself. Not long after I got down here, I was sitting working at the computer and my watch alarm went off. Now, although it was on my wrist, and everyone else heard it, I did not. My brother, who happens to be a doctor, said that I should get my hearing tested, and it was confirmed that I had significant hearing loss in my right ear. I have been consulting with an ENT and he tested and conformed that there is a hearing problem, but at this stage, we are adopting a wait and see approach. I discussed with the doctor whether a hearing aid would be required and he said that it was up to me, and that if I did not feel particularly disabled without one, I shouldn’t worry. I reflected on it, and have come to the conclusion that since I am now aware that I have a hearing problem, I am actually better off than before when the problem existed, but I was not aware of it. I have decided that I do not need a hearing aid as I can cope without one. If that situation changes, I will think about the hearing aid again. The doctor wants me to have an MRI. We are doing a wait and see on that too. In about 4 months I will have another audiologist test me, and if the situation has deteriorated, then I will have an MRI just to eliminate the possibility of a cyst or a tumour pressing on my cochlea. In the mean time, I am not going to worry. The likelihood is that this hearing problem is linked to my hypothyroidism. I didn’t know before, but I have since learnt that there is a high correlation between children with hypothyroidism and deafness. Which brings me to the point I shared at the home group meeting – I praise God that as a child growing up I had the ability to hear, and to develop language. Yes I had physical struggles as a result of my thyroid hormone deficiency, such as fine and gross motor co-ordination, but I could hear and though I was slightly delayed in learning to talk (so I am told) I did learn. Now, even if my hearing deteriorates completely, I have heard and I can continue and can cope. I obviously hope that it does not deteriorate, and am praying and asking the Lord to heal me in this regard, I am at peace about the whole situation and will accept this as from the Lord and will ask him to give me the grace to bear it with courage. Which brings me back to my comments above about politically correct terminology. Apparently you are not supposed to refer to people as deaf as this will result in stigmatization (ridiculous I know!), but instead people are “hearing impaired.” While I quite accept that the old “deaf and dumb” label can be regarded as offensive, and the preferred term was “deaf mute” and that some silly people regarded people who were deaf as being of lesser intelligence than hearing people (Now is that stupid or what?) when I was at St Giles, a school for the physically handicapped, I was taught that “disability does not mean inability.” Something I have held onto all my life. Because of my life experiences, and the fact that I am now studying education, I believe God is preparing me to work with disabled children, probably on the mission field.   

 

1529 words already and so I will finish with that bit of news. May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon and give you His Shalom (peace).

 

John

Your Responses on the da Vinci Code and and Gospel of Judas

Well I have a real challenge on my hands! Last week’s blog provoked such a response and I wanted to include comments I got from readers. However as you all know, I am trying to be disciplined about restricting length of the blog.

Last week I made comments about the da Vinci Code by Dan Browne and the Gospel of Judas. In short I said that I believed Christians should not buy the da Vinci Code or go to the movie, as this so-called fictional story is a heretical and I believe blasphemous treatise disguised as “fiction.” I find it interesting that Dan’s wife needed to do “research” for what is supposedly a fictional story. Don’t get me started.

As far as the Gospel of Judas is concerned, I said that a) it was not by Judas buyt by a group of Gnostics – a religious sect that was already condemned as being heretical in the New Testament itself, and secondly it is not a ‘gospel’ – i.e. it is not good news. It certainly is not a threat to Christianity though I do concede that it could threaten the faith of many a weak or unsure believer and could be a stumbling block to a seeker who might otherwise find Jesus Christ.

Well what of the comments?

Rob from UK wrote: Ultimately though for most of us the defence of Jesus in our lives cannot come from intellectual texts or endless controversies about Creationism but, like the gospel song rings, "I know that my redeemer lives.... (because) I spoke with Him this morning!" If that really happened how much more convinced can one be? Conversely if that has never happened how will even Nicky Gumble help?

Note: Nicky Gumble is the main presenter of the Alpha Course – a course in basic Christian doctrine without getting into contentious debate over peripheral matters such as mode of baptism or amillenialism/premill etc. Nick Gumble was a QC (lawyer) and it is this legal expertise that he uses to dismantle DVC in a book “response to the da Vinci code.”

Cheryl from California wrote: I read the fictitious da Vinci Code over a year ago and am glad I did just so I could have my own opinion of such a piece of literature, just as I also read the Last Temptation of Christ many many years ago. Both are interesting pictures of literature, but it would be an easily led and poorly versed Christian that would consider either of them to be truthful. That said, even if the "earth shaking facts in either book were truthful" per se, Christ had a child or harbored a secret longing for Mary Magdalene, neither of the books really refute his true dinivity and purpose. As I said, I believe it would be a shallow person of faith that would read either of these books and allow them to cause them to lose their faith.

Cheryl wrote more, but space does not let me include it. I did not entirely agree with Cheryl, as I explained in an answer to her personally but did agree that if a person is established in their faith, da Vinci codes and Judas gospels will not shake it. However, alluding to the whole debate in 1 Cor. About meat sacrificed to idols, I pointed out that for the sake of weaker Christians, stronger Christians may need to abstain.

Charles from Jo’burg wrote: I really have been thinking about all these things and I saw these 2 works as a strategy from the pit of hell. You see, the Passion of the Christ really did it to the devil’s kingdom he wanted to come up with something to counter it and hence this da vinci rubbish and the gospel of judas. Gnosticism was heavily criticized by Paul because it was a huge problem in their time so there is nothing new about it! The devil wants to try and sell it as a new thing yet he has used it centuries ago to try and pour water on the gospel!

Need I add anything to this?

Graham from Hilton sent me a devotional he got that deals with the subject of the da Vinci Code and what the writer believes would be an appropriate response to DVC. He sums up by saying: Though the story is clearly fiction, it will raise questions in people’s minds about the validity of the sources through which the story of Christ and his disciples has come down to us. In other words: We have homework to do. I suggest we turn this cultural event into an opportunity for dialogue, not a call to battle. Here are some things I think would be appropriate.

1) Let’s not try and be experts about something we haven’t read or seen. If we’re going to have an opinion, make sure it’s an informed one.

2) Bone up on the origin of our information about the Scriptures and why we can trust them as reliable historical documents and as God’s Word.

3) Use this information to bolster our own faith, not fight a battle of wits with unbelievers we are eager to disprove.

4) Use the information gained to address the doubts of those who are genuinely seeking the truth.

5) Above all, let’s use this interest in the historicity of religion as an opportunity to get people thinking about the possibility of a real relationship with Christ – something we have found to be our own personal validation of the truth

(Source: Fischer, J Da Vinci decoded PurposeDrivenLife.com daily devotional – 27 April 2006).

This is sound advice indeed and I feel sums up the matter well.

Back to a more devotional theme next week.

Have a great week, a drop me a line if you have time.

John

WORDS

Hello Friends,

 

This week in different contexts I have been coming across the references to the harmful affect of words on others, but before I get too carried away, allow me to introduce Michael Josephson who delivers short homilies on ethics on radio stations in the united states and has a website called www.charactercounts.com I have subscribed to his weekly digest of his Commentaries and they often give me a lift. He never deals with religion per se but concentrates on right and honest living. Well this weeks digest contains to commentaries that I’d like to share with you. But I recommend you visit the website and subscribe yourself to it, they are worthwhile reading.

 

Sticks and Stones 457.4

I don't think a week has gone by in the past ten years when at least one of my young daughters (the eldest is 12) hasn't come to me sobbing because one of her sisters was being mean or called her a name.

Sometimes I investigate the problem and, where appropriate, discipline the name-caller and counsel the wounded child to "toughen her up." More often, I give the complaint short shrift telling my complaining child to "work it out," "suck it up" or "get over it." Occasionally, I've trotted out the old wisdom, "Sticks and stones can break your bones, but names will never harm you."

Recently, I was reminded this isn't true. One of my dear daughters said some mean and hurtful things that made a classmate cry. The teacher assured me my daughter's unkind remarks did indeed cause serious emotional pain.

I wondered whether my callousness to unkind sibling interaction encouraged my daughter to wound another child.

The truth is, thoughtless and malicious insults, teasing and gossip inflict deeper and more enduring pain on more people than guns or knives. Ask anyone who as a kid was fat, skinny, unusually short or tall, flat-chested or big-busted, acne-faced, unathletic, slow-witted or exceptionally smart. In schoolrooms and playgrounds across the country, weight, height, looks and intelligence are much more likely to be the subject of ridicule than race or religion.

Words are enormously powerful. And while we should try to fortify our children's sense of self-worth so they can bear insults and sarcasm, declaring words harmless won't make them so.

Intentionally or carelessly hurting someone's feelings isn't a small thing. If we have to resort to ancient wisdom, we'd be better off with: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

*I'd like to illustrate the point of this commentary with real examples. If you are willing to share (for posting on our website) a story of a situation where someone's words inflicted a lasting and serious pain on you or someone you know, please send the story to radio@jiethics.org and indicate whether you want your name used with the story or published without attribution.

Pounding In and Pulling Out Nails 457.5

When my daughter was confronted with the fact that she had really hurt another child with a mean comment, she cried and immediately wanted to apologize. That was a good thing, but I wanted her to know an apology can't always make things better. So I told her the parable of Will, a nine-year-old whose father abandoned his mom two years earlier. Will was angry, and he often would lash out at others with hurtful words. He once told his mom, "I see why Dad left you!"

Unable to cope with his outbursts of cruelty, she sent Will to spend the summer with his grandparents. His grandfather's strategy to help Will learn self-control was to make him go into the garage and pound a two-inch-long nail into a four-by-four board every time he said a mean and nasty thing. For a small boy, this was a major task, but he couldn't return until the nail was all the way in. After about ten trips to the garage, Will began to be more cautious about his words. Eventually, he even apologized for all the bad things he'd said.

That's when his grandmother came in. She made him bring in the board filled with nails and told him to pull them all out. This was even harder than pounding them in, but after a huge struggle, he did it.

His grandmother hugged him and said, "I appreciate your apology and, of course, I forgive you because I love you, but I want you to know an apology is like pulling out one of those nails. Look at the board. The holes are still there. The board will never be the same. I know your dad put a hole in you, but please don't put holes in other people; you are better than that."

*A fourth-grade teacher recently told me how she tells this story to her class in the beginning of the semester and uses it throughout the year. When she comes upon a child saying or doing a mean or unkind thing, she will say, "Did you put a nail in someone?" Then she`ll ask, "Did you take it out?"

She says her students always know what she`s talking about and recognize what they did was wrong, which isn`t always the case if she simply asks the child what happened (that usually results in a string of blaming everyone else).

She urges her students not to use the automatic "That`s all right" after an apology because usually what was done was not all right and the person saying it, rightfully, doesn`t feel it was all right. She tells her class to say "I accept your apology" or "I forgive you" instead.

The teacher also uses the story to help her kids understand difficult family matters outside the classroom. She tells them some people will never take out the nails they`ve pounded into the children, but everyone has the power to pull them out themselves and get on with their life rather than let others rule them.

She told me, "The story is simple, but the message is powerful -- especially when reinforced with: "You`re better than that!"

This is Michael Josephson, reminding you that character counts.

Reading my textbook on health education – I was studying a chapter on School Violence and Bullying and was surprised to read their definition of “Violence” which reached far beyond my limited perspective on the matter – it read as follows: “All violent acts have a single common theme: They all inflict harm, “or threaten harm” to a person or property. Although the term violence usually invokes the thought of physical harm, non physical acts such as teasing, insulting, ignoring or demeaning gestures or facial expressions, all hold the power to make the recipient feel hurt, disrespected and devalued.” (Rosen E. and Weinstein E., Teaching children about health: 2^nd Edition 2003: Belmont, CA,: Wadsworth / Thomson Learning p. 305)

 

I couldn’t help thinking, I wish I knew that when I was at school. I think the two commentaries I included above puts the issue in a nut shell. The Bible puts it this way:

 

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

Proverbs 18:21, New International Version

 

Another scripture which springs to mind when this topic is discussed is James 3:1-12

My brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers. Why? Because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly than other people. ²We all make many mistakes. If there were a person who never said anything wrong, then that person would be perfect. A person like that would be able to control their whole body, too. ³We put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us. With these bits in the horses’ mouths, we can control their whole body. ⁴It is the same with ships. A ship is very big, and it is pushed by strong winds. But a very small rudder controls that big ship. The man who controls the rudder decides where the ship will go. The ship goes where the man wants. ⁵It is the same with our tongue. It is a small part of the body, but it boasts about doing great things.

A big forest fire can be started with only a little flame. ⁶The tongue is like a fire. It is a world of evil among the parts of our body. How? The tongue spreads its evil through our whole body. It starts a fire that influences all of life. The tongue gets this fire from hell. ⁷People can tame every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish. People have already tamed all these things. ⁸But no person can tame (control) the tongue. It is wild and evil. It is full of poison that can kill. ⁹We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father (God), but then we curse (say bad things to) people. And God made those people like himself. ¹⁰Those praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. ¹¹Do good water and bad water flow from the same spring? No! ¹²My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree make olives? No! Can a grapevine make figs? No! And a well full of salty water cannot give good water.

“Easy to Read Version”

 

http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?language=en&query=James+3&section=0&translation=erv&oq=James%25203&new=1&nb=jas&ng=3&ncc=3

 

 

I was just thinking about that saying that we have all repeated at some point: Sticks and stones make break my bones but words will never harm me: and as Michael points out, this saying no matter how often it is repeated, will never be true. Ironically I think the converse may be true in part, in the sense that broken bones eventually heal, but spiritual/emotional wounds will not heal so easily. (They do heal but, they are more enduring.) I was just thinking about the first person who ever said that to another person – Well no-one will know who that was, as it was never recorded but must have happened many years ago. The point is, I’m sure if we could call that person back today and ask him or her about the occasion on which these illustrious words were first uttered, and ask the speaker if he or she really believed them at the time. We can never know, but my guess is, no, probably not. My guess is that someone had said something hateful and hurtful, and in a futile attempt to shield himself/herself against them responded with this now famous saying.

 

Words do harm and leave gaping wounds that need treatment as much as a physical wound needs. Words like “You are stupid!”, thick, dumb, retard, spastic, sissy, etc. are more than just mean – they are dangerous. I was reading a Christian magazine this week and I read a letter from a lady who signs herself desparate Mom. She was explaining in her letter about her teenage daughter who has some disabilities but a few things in  this sad letter jumped out at me: I quote:

 

“Unfortunately, children are very cruel. She is teased a lot and because she is such a sensitive spirit, she is easily hurt. “

Firstly I’d like to say to this mother, she does not have to excuse her daughter’s feelings. It is normal to feel hurt when someone teases you. The teasing must stop.

 

“Teachers also treat her differently…. They presume she is ‘stupid when she is not.”

What did the teacher say to the mother to make her think that? Did the teacher come out and say, “Your daughter is stupid.” Probably not, but he or she may have said much the same thing using euphemisms. Changing the words does not always sweeten the pill. I hope that that mother holds on to the fact that her daughter IS NOT STUPID. But what concerns me is what the teacher communicates to the daughter.

 

“She just needs someone to pay a little bit more attention to her, but it seems everyone is simply trying to keep their distance.”

It’s not only words but unspoken gestures like deliberate ignoring. Talking about a person in their presence, as if they were not there, is very wounding.

 

The following paragraph was what really concerned me:

“We are part of a church and she loves it. Yet, even there, she is ostracised. She doesn’t go to youth group for fear of being alienated, as she has seen how they look at her during church.”

 

What an indictment on that Church. I wonder if the pastor is aware of this. If I were the pastor of that church and I realised that this child was in my church, I wonder how I would react? It’s hard to say. But the child is missing out because she is looked at in a certain way. You might be saying to yourself, that child is far too sensitive, and the others probably mean nothing and are not aware that their looks are offending her. Be that as it may, the reality is, especially with people with disabilities that they are keenly aware of how society in general looks at them, and it hurts.

 

Recently South Africa celebrated “Human Rights Day.” Thinking about these, I have said and sincerely believe that it should be “Human Responsibilies and Rights Day.”    

 

Article 19.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

 

This is a right that the more vocal component of our society, for obvious reasons consistently and loudly invoke. I have a right to my opinion, and I have a right to express it. I suppose by writing this blog I am making use of this right and am grateful for it, but I have to ask the question, when my right to express my opinion, when that opinion is harmful to other people in society, surely though I have the right to hold the opinion, but maybe not the right to express that opinion. It is not based on any documented evidence that I know of, but it is a guess of mine, that the most legally contested right, in the courts world wide is this particular right – The right to freedom of Expression. As I say, I cannot quote facts or figures, but this is the impression I have from the media. I think of that Englishman who was recently convicted of a crime in Austria for expressing the opinion that the extermination of Jews did not occur in War Time Germany and Austria did not occur. That was his opinion, but he was not allowed to express it, and he has gone to jail for it.

 

To further illustrate this point I refer to a very current issue in South Africa. The former deputy President, Jacob Zuma has been accused of Rape and his trial is presently going on. Every day the media regale us with what was said by whom. It is as all rape cases are, a sordid affair. In short the Rape Accuser was visiting Jacob Zuma in his house and according to her, he raped her, according to him, they had consensual intercourse.

 

Talk shows have been discussing the case ad nauseum and the issue as to whether and how the media should cover this trial. As a matter of background it is important to know that Jacob Zuma was leading the Movement for Moral regeneration in South Africa, as well as chairing the Council for HIV/AIDS. Among the many sordid things to come out of this trial, which I am not going to bore you with, Jacob Zuma is reported to have said that he had a shower after sex with this woman as he understood that taking a shower after sex minimises the risk of contracting the virus.

 

This was reported in all the media and it has confused a nation already wracked (or is that wrecked) by HIV/AIDS with an estimated 5.3 million infected people. People have been phoning helplines and wanting to know whether taking a shower will minimise the risk of contracting the virus.

 

My personal opinion is that this whole trial should not be reported except to say that it is in progress and when the verdict is announced, that can be made public. But the media people say that they have to report on this trial as it is “in the public interest.” Well, there is no question about it, “The public are interested.” But is it IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST – I hardly think so. How does the proceedings of a case help society in general, let alone the misinformation about AIDS and HIV,. I feel that the Sub Judicae law should be that apart from details of the names of the accused, the nature of the charge, and the name of the court and the presiding judge, all other matters should be sub judice, and even those minimal details can be declared Sub Judicae by the judge if he/she believes it to be necessary. Any media who publicise sub judicae information would be guilty of an offence.

 

I also think of the “Cartoons of Mohammed” debacle which sparked riots and death and destruction all over the World. The papers claimed “the freedom of expression” – ah but at what cost?

 

Coming back to a more individual situation, instead of breaking down those around us with our words and wordless actions, let’s rather to edify one another, build up and encourage. Look for the positive aspects in your neighbour and tell them. It has often said that it takes seven positive remarks to outweigh the effect of a negative comment.

 

Wishing you all a blessed week and Happy Easter everyone.

 

John

 

 

 

 

Wise builders

Hello,

Are you familiar with that Sunday School song, "The wise man built his house upon the rock"? I'm sure you are we used to sing it with gusto when in Sunday School. The song is based on the parable that Jesus told:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house yet it did not fall, because it had its foundations on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matt. 7:24-27

The words of the song are:

The wise man built his house upon the rock

The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rains came tumbling down!

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down!

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand went SPLAT!

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ,
Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
and the Blessings will come down.

The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
So build your house on the Lord!

(Thank you to http://www.ebibleteacher.com/children/songs.htm for the lyrics.)

Well, it's a lovely little song, but I can't help thinking that it misses the point of the particular parable.

Here is the analogy the analogy that Jesus is drawing.

A person who hears these words of mine and PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE is like the wise builder.

A person who hears these words of mine but DOES NOT PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE is like the foolish builder.

Let us consider in both cases. "The rains came down and the winds blew against that house." The rain and the wind are an illustration of the difficulties that we experience in life. The difficulties may be different, but the fact that come can be guaranteed. Jesus used the phrase: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice" - when we see a "therefore" in the Bible we must find out what it's there for! In other words, let us look at the context of this parable in the Bible. It comes right at the the end of what we call "The Sermon on the Mount." It covers a lot of ground, and I believe that Jesus was referring to everything he was saying in that Sermon, but it would take too long to cover it all in this blog but let me focus on the section immediately before the parable.

WARNING: The following statement may disturb those with a nervous disposition.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!" Matt. 7: 21-23

This statement of Jesus must give every Christian pause for thought. Every Christian needs to ask the question to ask the question of themselves: "What is the basis of my relationship with Jesus Christ?" Many people are living under the delusion that they are Christians. This is a dangerous delusion.

Whenever I have to travel over a international border, I always check that I have my passport with me, and some time before I travel I ensure that I have the requisite visa stamped in my passport. But just imagine I set off on my journey (say travelling from Zimbabwe to South Africa by road.), but I had not checked that my passport was with me. Just imagine I assumed it was in my briefcase. I set confidently driving South to Beit Bridge and I arrive at the border post. I walk into the building with my briefcase under my arm, but when I get to the desk and the official asks me for my passport, I look in my briefcase and to my horror I can't find it. I had assumed it was in my briefcase, but it wasn't there. Do you think that the official will say, "That's alright friend, I'm sure you've got one, I will let you through. The fact is, he wouldn't. He is not allowed to." I would have to turn my vehicle around and return to Harare. I can tell you now, that if that were to happen to me - it never did, I promise - but if it did, I would not tell anybody about it. I'd be too embarrassed. People would say, and they would be quite justified in saying it, "That was VERY FOOLISH. You should have checked that you had your passport before you left."

The first group of people who I would put in the "deluded" category are the regular "church attenders." These people are very faithful in attending church services and may even very involved in their church, teaching Sunday School, pouring tea after the service, be a sidesman or deacon in their church, taking up the collection, or distributing the bread and wine during a communion service, being in the church choir or worship team. These involvement's in themselves are very good but if a person believes that by performing these "good works" they are in for a horrible surprise. The people Jesus referred to who called him Lord, Lord, were "busy Christians" doing all sorts of "holy things." But these things did not impress Jesus.

In the "lost and found" series, I hope you realised who it is, in the case of the Lost Sheep, and the Lost Coin who was doing the searching. The son's return in the parable of the Lost Son, was at the mercy of the Father. Our return to the God is because He takes us in, and not because we would make a useful servant. It is the Good Shepherd (John 10:10) who notices that one of his hundred sheep are missing and goes in search for it. The woman in the parable of the Lost Coin, represents our Lord, lighting a lamp, and sweeping the house clean till the coin that was missing is found. My point is, our Salvation is not due to our own effort. There is nothing we can do for ourselves to get out of the predicament we are in. Salvation is both initiated and completed by our God.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is a gift from God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Do you think that you deserve to go to heaven? We are completely dependent on God for our salvation. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. The only thing we can do is accept the help that the one Person who can save us, offers. That my friend is where faith comes in. I by faith receive Salvation from God, who gives it willingly and freely (without demand for recompense.) - We couldn't pay Him anyway.

Salvation is made possible by the Grace of God. We receive that Salvation through Faith. We do not earn our salvation by works. Any good works that we do do, were prepared in advance for us to do. God does have a purpose and a role for us.

Friend, if you feel that your good works are earning you points, your religion is based on a lie. In order to immigrate to some countries, like Australia and New Zealand, the applicant needs to earn "points." These points are awarded according to a person's age, and the profession or trade that they are qualified to do. Unless you can get a minimum number of points, you can't immigrate. But Salvation is NOT ON A POINTS system. The truth is, nobody would be able to earn enough points anyway. Neither is there a lottery, a lá the USA's Green Card Lottery. The Bible tells us that Salvation is BY GRACE - that is our Salvation was purchased through Christ's death and resurrection.

Jesus made the way because he was Crucified and rose again. It was that act that opened the way to Salvation. Without that death nobody could be saved. But we have to exercise faith and that is deciding to walk in the way. Did you know that before the term Christian was used, believers in Jesus Christ spoke about themselves as being disciple who "belonged to the Way" (Acts 9:2)

If you are reading this and questioning whether you "belong to the Way" you don't have to wonder or guess or hope. You can be sure. This is how:

The Bible says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death." (Rom 6:23). In short, we do not deserve heaven, we actually deserve death. You need to acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess that. "Lord, I know that I am a sinner, that I have sinned in what I have done, in what I have said, and in my thoughts."

But God has stepped in and made a way and it is the only way for all of us to be saved. "This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people." (1 Tim 2:5-6) Pray and ask the Lord to save you.

Surrender your life to Jesus right now. Acknowledge His Lordship of your life.. This is different to simply saying "Lord, Lord." Surrender all the control over to Him. Be willing to accept his lead in your life. The Bible says "Offer yourselves as LIVING SACRIFICES." (Rom 12:2)

If you have taken this step of confessing and repenting from your sin and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord then you need to tell people about it, and resolve to live differently from now onwards. Will you slip up? Yes. But we have a merciful God who died for all our sins. The difference now is that you are no longer a slave to sin, but are free to live the life God has called you to live. Previously you sinned and didn't care, now you have conscience and desire to live right.

Tell someone who you know is a Christian about this change. That person can help you as you begin your walk with the Lord. Then tell others about what Jesus has done for you. If they are Christians they will celebrate. If they are not they may think it strange. They might say: But I thought you were a Christian already, and then you can tell them about the difference between being a church attender and "belonging to the Way."

Friends I have more to say but that's enough for this week. God bless

John

Chapter 3 - Lost and Found Series

Chapter 3

The third parable Jesus told was the Parable of the Lost Son.

Part 1 - The Getting Lost Phase

"Jesus continued; "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, "Father, give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need." (Verses 11-14)

Just thinking about the first phase of this story. We can call it, the "getting lost" phase. In the English language, there is an expression which one hears from time to time. It is actually a rather nasty phrase. When somebody, or an animal is bugging a person, the person may say "Oh, Get lost!" meaning: Go away and stay away, and don't bug me. People don't mean it literally, but nevertheless I think we ought to be more careful as Christians about what we say. It is after all just as easy to say to a person, "Please leave me alone for a while."

Well in this story, there was no-one saing to the younger son, "Get Lost." but he proceeded to do that anyway.

More often than not, Getting lost is not a deliberate thing, done by the person lost. Nobody intends to be lost - it's kind of accidental. But people do sometimes deliberately want to get away, to escape from a situation. Animals that are confined to a small area, will look for a way to get out. Prisoners are always looking to escape the confines of their prisons. Sometimes a child may want to run away from home, because they believe (or know) that they are being denied something that they want.

The younger son in our story, wanted to get away. He was bored by home living and he decided he would like to "have his freedom." Of course sometimes the reality is you are being confined for your own good. I was safest while I remained within the confines of the campsite. (See my introduction to the Lost and Found series.) People who have been Christians from a young age, sometimes go through a stage when they decide to kick over the traces. They want to "Live a while." They perceive living according God's Word as being boring and they "just want to have a bit of fun." The problem is that the "fun" that they want to have means going against God's Word and will in the long run, result in tears.

Maybe you are a young person who's thinking about leaving home, either secretly, at night, or openly and defiantly. I strongly urge you my friend to talk to somebody and get some other perspective on this. If you can't talk to your parents about your unhappiness, talk to another adult, but don't run away. Let me just warn you up front, that there are people out there, who hang around places like bus terminals and railway stations and they can spot a run-away as if he or she is wearing a sign "run away" on them. When they find find such a person, they act like the friendly older person, who will help. They show the young runnaway a lot of interest and concern, but in a subtle way, they confine the run-away but this time to the run-away's peril. They will give the run-away enough to buy their trust, and then bring them into a terrible life. Young people from Africa and Eastern Europe have been literally enslaved by these people who offer a wonderful life over in "the West" but many a young women will tell you that their lives were awful - they were entrapped and forced to become prostitutes by these people. This is a world-wide phenomenon. It's not that new either. I think of the Charles Dicken's story Oliver Twist, and the story of Pinocchio. My point being that just because someone acts friendly and wants to give you some "friendly advice" does not mean that they really care for you.

Part 2 - Hitting Bottom

"So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country. who sent him to his field to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no-one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, "he said "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!" Verses 15 - 17.

I would like to refer to this the "awareness phase." Alcoholics Anonymous talk about "hitting bottom." (This has nothing to do with spanking - please read it in context) What is the most painful aspect of falling? When are most of the injuries sustained. Is it not the impact with the ground? But in order to "hit bottom" you first need to have jumped. Jumping might have seemed a good idea at the time, but as you come closer to the ground and certainly when you've hit the ground, jumping definitely was a bad idea. This young man in the parable appears to have hit bottom. But of course there is a "good side" (if you can call it that) to hitting bottom - it means you can't fall any further - it's got as bad as it'll get. Again, Alcoholics Anonymous tells us that the only way to recover is first to admit that one IS an alcoholic. If you are sick, it is realising that you are sick and deciding to get help that is the first step to recovery.

There is campaign for "at risk" people to have themselves tested for HIV or Hepatitus A virus. There are no cures for these but if you catch it early you can take medication that will help you, and keep your system going. Some cancers if caught at the early phases can be removed, but if left alone, or ignored or one is in denial, then that cancer will get the better of you and will kill. This truth is the same for those who are lost, wondering away from God.

It is only at the moment that you realise your need for God that you can be helped. The young man said "I am starving to death." That is the crux of this part of the story. Where are you at the moment, my friend? How are you? Are you "starving to death?"

Part 3 - The Returning Phase

"I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: "Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of yor hired men." So he got up and went to his father." Verse 18 - 20a

"The Returning Phase" When the son left home, he left with a swagger, with an attitude, being "full of himself." He was after all in charge of his life. What a different picture we get of the returning son, full of remorse and feeling ashamed. nevertheless, he was doing the right thing returning home. If you have got it wrong, the truth is there is such a thing as new beginnings - 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come." Friend, the truth is all of us have a past, something we are intensely ashamed of, something which we would do anything to hide away from. It happens to all of us at some point. The Bible says: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:23) The young man in our story was ashamed of himself, and well he should have been. But he returned, with a new attitude, one of humbleness, realising that he had a father who loved him (even if he did not at this stage appreciate to what extent.) It doesn't really matter wat the motive for the son's return is, what is important is that he was returning.

Part 4 - The Reunification

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, through his arms around him and kissed him." THe son said to him, "Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quick, Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." So they began to celebrate. "

Verses 20b - 24.

The Son, having made his resolve to return, was met "while he was still far off. " Friend, God looks to the day when you and I will see the error of our ways and will come to him. But he doesn't wait for us for us to walk through his gate, or to knock on his door. The Bible says: "As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins.... But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions." (Eph 2:1a, 4-5a) Friend, God is just waiting for you to turn, and he is ready, willing and able to meet you right where you are.

I'm into drama - I really enjoy it, and if I were to set this story in a modern context, I would have the son, after he had realised that he'd blown it completely, living at the other end of the world phone from a call box (reversing the charges) and say something like this: Dad, it's Phil here - I'm calling from .... Please Dad I want to come home. But it'll take me a while, I've hit on some bad times here. Would it be okay if I come?" - to which I would have the father reply: "Son, where are you exactly - I am going to organise you a ticket, you can pick it up at the airport." I think you get the picture - God hasn't given up on you friend, and when you return He's ready for a party.

© John F.