“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 

One of the great Christian leaders in history was a man by the name of Dwight L. Moody. Before electronic media came along it was thought that he preached to more people than anyone else in the history of Christianity during his lifetime,  perhaps more than 5 million. But he didn’t start out by preaching to huge crowds. As a young man he had a desire to reach and teach others about Jesus, and especially children. He went to a local YMCA to help teach Sunday School classes was told they didn’t have enough kids for him to teach. Undaunted, he rented a large wagon and went out to the poorest neighborhood in Chicago to find kids to invite to the Bible classes so that he would have children to teach. At first he had little success because the kids he brought didn’t fit in with the more affluent kids that were in the other classes. But after a few months he had to ask others to drive wagons to get all the kids that wanted to come to his classes. Even though he little formal education, and no Bible training,  eventually the Lord used in him in ways that still impact Christianity today, simply because he wanted to show people Jesus.

Over the years I have observed that the most effective evangelism comes not form a program that a church starts, but through a ministry that the Lord puts on the heart of a person. This usually comes to a person who has been so personally touched by the Lord that they are compelled to share with others what they have experienced. The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his second letter to the churches at Corinth, “For the love of Christ compels us because we judge thus: If One died for all, then all died; and He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” There are so many opportunities out in the world about us to share with others about the goodness and grace of Jesus Christ.  Like D.L. Moody, if I have a desire to show others what the Lord has shown me, the Lord will open doors of opportunity. It is simply responding to what the Lord has done for you.

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Thomas Edison, the great American inventor said this about his mother:

“I did not have my mother long, but she cast over me an influence which has lasted all my life. If it had not been for her appreciation and her faith in me at a critical time in my experience, I should never likely have become an inventor. I was always a careless boy, and with a mother of different mental caliber, I should have turned out badly. But her firmness, her sweetness, her goodness, were potent powers to keep me in the right path. My mother was the making of me. The memory of her will always be a blessing to me.”

Sometimes we look at famous or great people and look for a single episode in their life that is the turning point for them. But if you look at the lives of truly great people more often than not you find not so much a significant turning point, as a consistent molding. True greatness starts with the molding of character by the most influential person in a life. For most people that person is their mother. Keeping children on the right path isn’t necessarily exciting, it usually doesn’t make the news, but what it does do is mold character.  And that is what Mother’s Day is all about, remembering a Mom who has shaped and molded our character.

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 

While perusing an online newspaper the other day I came across a headline that caught my attention: “Christian Rock courting the cool kids.” I must admit the headline concerned me quite a bit. After all, didn’t Jesus specialize in courting those who weren’t “cool” in his society? The Apostle Paul wrote the church at Corinth “…God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” As I clicked the icon to read the article I was prepared to send off a nasty email to chastise any Christian group for being so shallow that they would attempt to evangelize only those they deemed “cool” enough.

A funny thing happened as I started to read the article however; I discovered that I had misread the intent of the article by my interpretation of the headline. Instead of Christian groups courting “cool” kids specifically, “cool” kids are now being attracted to a new style of Christian music that has focused on the content of the lyrics in the music and especially  “…magnificent compositions that serve as statements of faith, awe and reverence — rather than proselytizing.” In other words, many people have been attracted to a new brand of Christian music that focuses on the majesty of the character of God rather than mimicking a style of music and putting a Christian stamp on it. People are discovering the Lord because of who He is, because the messenger is focused on who He is.

I am convinced that sometimes what irritates the world about evangelical Christians is our tendency to turn our love for the Lord into a sales contest. Part of the reason for that irritation is because it seems to trivialize God into a commodity that someone can buy for their own pleasure. Even non-Christians sense that if the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true it should be held in deep reverence. The truth of the glory of God is what really resonates with God’s creation, including His people. When talking with those who don’t know the Lord, simply be a witness to what you know about who He is. Many people will be blinded by the world and it’s system, there is nothing we can do about that. But it is important that we let His light shine so that those around us who have been given the “eyes to see” will be able to see His light, and not our folly.

“Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 

Have you seen the game show called “Deal or No Deal”? The game essentially tests the old adage, “A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush”, by offering significant amounts of sure prize money over the possibility of greater amounts but with equally greater risk of little or no money. As the game progresses the willingness of a contestant and their personal advisers to take risks (as well as greed) become more and more apparent. In one recent game a Pastor turned down over $150,000 for the opportunity to win $400,000 and ended up winning only $5!

I have been intrigued by the overall concept of the show because there are few other countries in where people would turn down vast sums of money simply for the opportunity to win more. This raises a very interesting question that I think is important for all of us to consider; how much is enough? Even setting aside money, how much of anything is “enough“? There are some areas that can be easily defined, such as food. We have a body that informs us when we have eaten the right amount at a particular meal (or too much in some cases). But even our body’s signals can be deceptive. I read recently about a man who gained over 300 lbs. in one year because he said, “I never felt full no matter how much I ate.”  Most of us have more material things than 90 % of the earth’s inhabitants, yet if we were honest few of us would say, “I don’t need anything else.” Jesus told us not to worry about “our life, what we should eat or what we should wear…”  Yet truth be told, that is what consumes most of our lives. We watch television programs about how to make our homes nicer than they are, read magazine articles about the lives of rich and famous people, and are told to spend money to pamper ourselves because “…you deserve it.”

How do we evade this trap? Jesus tells us later in the same passage in the book of Matthew. “Seek first the kingdom of God…”  He doesn’t tell us to seek the Kingdom of God, but rather to seek it “First”. The only way I will be content with my lot in life is if my “lot”, isn’t my life. I can be satisfied if I seek after the right thing.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”  

Recently I read that commercials are not always what they seem. For example, did you know that models who are “washing” their hair in shampoo commercials are often using something else on their heads. Most of the time they are either using laundry detergent, because it whips up creamy and frothy and rich looking,, or beaten egg whites which are carefully laid on the hair-not by beauticians– but by gourmet bakers who layer the hair with the “meringue” to make the “shampoo” look even more appealing. Beer advertisements in magazines in reality are usually light grade motor oil in the bottom of the glass and whipped detergent on top for the foam head.

Obviously those inviting images aren’t exactly the same as what they are made out to be. Outward appearances are very often deceiving. Sometimes we look at other people’s lives and think, “Boy, they sure have it better than I do.” Perhaps they have a bigger house than I do, or a “better” job, or even the “ideal” family situation from my perspective. Usually there are trade-offs that might not always be apparent at first glance. Spiritually speaking this happens as well. We may be impressed by the knowledge of the Bible that someone has, or admire their seemingly “servant” attitude and become aware of the lack in my own life. We then think, “Oh, if my life was only like that” not realizing that while on the outside they may look good, the inside is much different. We need to be careful when comparing what we have to that of others. The Apostle Paul told us, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Instead of comparing our life to others, instead ask the Lord for the real deal in your own life. When I get that, I will rarely be disappointed.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 

One night 50 years ago, a ship was trying to enter Cleveland harbor on Lake Erie. The ship rocked and pitched in the heavy seas as it struggled towards the port. The captain asked the helmsman if they were on course. The helmsman replied that they were as far as he could tell because the lower harbor lights had gone out. Having gone too far to turn back safely, the captain ordered the boat to continue ahead because there was nothing else they could do. Unfortunately they missed the channel, hit the rocks of the harbor and sank, losing many lives in the process.

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine among men…”, but often times we don’t understand just how important our light is for other people. There are dozens of people around us who literally headed for the rocks of life, soon to be sinking if we don’t shine our light for them. We don’t have light of our own, but like the moon that reflects the light of the sun, we simply reflect the light of Jesus.  In fact, for most people, the only true light they will see will come in the reflected light of Jesus in our lives. But that is enough, because it can guide them enough to enter into the safe port of our Lord. So shine your light so that others may see the rocks of life and enter the eternal port safely.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” 

In the Mid-1800’s a French Aristocrat, by the name of Alexis de Tocqueville wrote the book Democracy in America. In it he praised our system of government, our way of life, almost everything about our country. In one passage he said, “Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

With all the distress looming over our country lately, like the debt and political problems, it concerns me that America is on the verge of losing its goodness, if it hasn’t already. America was once known as a “shining light on a hill”. Righteousness is a prevalent theme in the Bible. God desires it from us because He is righteous and because we need it for our own good, but righteousness doesn’t come by accident. We are righteous before God when we receive the sacrifice for us by Jesus’ death on the cross. But righteousness on the earth is a moment-by-moment, decision-by-decision process that we need to pursue constantly. What has made America great in my opinion is not the system of government on the outside of people but what governs people on the inside. Every day, whether I am at home with my family, at work in my career, or even just simply enjoying life and having fun, I need to pursue what is right and good in God’s sight. That is much of what church is all about, responding to what Jesus did by doing what He desires for me. And that will not only keep America good, but will also keep us blessed and perhaps we can be that light on the hill not only personally but nationally.