Robbed, Beaten and Dying – A story-lesson Jesus told.
Previously we saw two ships surrounded by death. Neither was just a story – but literal history. In each case cries for help were heard by others, but no help was given. Help for the Titanic passengers was just too far away to get there in time. And then the people outside the Ark that Noah's family was in, had previously chosen to not trust in God's warnings that judgment for man's sin was coming.
Now we'll bring this 'help-cries' lesson closer to home with a very well known Bible story Jesus used to teach several principles most everyone can understand and should apply, as Christians.
In the 'help-cries' lesson in Luke 10, Jesus teaches how often our prejudices prevent us from giving lifesaving aid to those we 'rub elbows' with. The lesson is well known to us as The Good Samaritan and answers the question, “Who is my neighbor?” That question was posed to Jesus, trying to trick Him, in explaining the 'royal law' of love stated in Deut. 6:9 and Lev. 19:18.
Our dictionary defines PREJUDICE as “an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.” Take a few moments and look at each keyword in the definition just stated. In a very real sense, those keywords all become a recipe for disaster. My mind keeps coming back to the bottom line of so many of the Bible references to brotherly love, “and love thy brother as thyself.” To me that means to look at that other person as though I see them with my face in place of theirs.
In the Good Samaritan story-lesson, I just can't see the preacher (priest) passing by on the other side, if he'd viewed the dying victim as easily as being him. Nor when the Levite acted with the same indifference as the priest just did. Now we must be careful as we consider the character and actions of the Samaritan who did help the victim... and continued to help him in several ways. The word describing his attitude is very important here, because it gives the motive for the help given.
He had COMPASSION, which means, “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”
So you and I have a spiritual thermometer with the marking “Prejudice” at the low end and “Compassion” at the high end. Your temperature of love (another as thyself) is measured for all of heaven to see. And also that our actions reveal.
...
Showing posts with label brotherly love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brotherly love. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
#3 - YOU'RE NOT WORTH A HAMBURGER!
“Less than the price of a hamburger.” That's what scientists say each human is worth. These researchers look past the character, personality, talents, and abilities and place a value on our chemical ingredients. Can you imagine looking at a baby taking its first breaths of air and saying, “See that? She's not worth more than $3.00.” And, “Oh, mister scientist. You cured the dreaded spread of Malaria. But you're still not worth more than $3.00.” The idea here, is that no matter what language you speak, no matter if you typically wear a suit worth hundreds of dollars or a jungle skirt, WHAT'S INSIDE is still worth less than a hamburger.
Maybe another value comparison would be looking at a human and also looking at a robot that has something of the appearance of a person. The scientist would look at them both and would likely say, “Well sure, that robot has $84,000. worth of motors, gears, and computers inside it. But the human... he's worth a little less than $3.00.”
Yes, the comparison is rather unlikely, because the real value of a person is that of his spirit and intellect. A flesh and blood person designed and built the nuts and bolts robot he's standing next to. To consider a robot designing and building a human is unthinkable.
Is it possible that we place a reasonable value on a teen or ex-teen who's appearance, attitudes, and actions are close to what you and I consider normal; that fit closely to our own appearance, attitudes, and actions. But change any one of the three a's and we consider them trash, and maybe even dangerous trash.
God's Word, our bible, is (and must remain) our ultimate guide for placing value on all things, in and around us. God gave the prophet Samuel in old testament times, one of many fantastic directives that must be part of our own criteria also. In 1st Samuel 16:7, God's directive was, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
In today's speaking we'd say, “Don't judge a book by it's cover.” That's the OUTWARD part of a person that we should NOT be focused on. The other part of the verse says we should strive to look on (and be a blessing to) one's heart... his/her soul and spirit.
This and the first two segments of Help Cries have taken extra time to help us dig deep into our own hearts and make sure we have the God-driven attitudes and value for His harvest field. That's the harvest field of ex-teens and those youth that society has shoved into shadows and out of our sight and focus.
Our focus and ultimate goal appears in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John. What we are to measure is our own love against the pinnacle stated here and demonstrated on Calvary's Cross where Jesus Christ showed His love for us and those with orange hair and all their trimmings. The 13th verse boldly says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
So... What is my value of the soul of an ex-teen? Do my attitudes and actions show it... do they show them?
Maybe another value comparison would be looking at a human and also looking at a robot that has something of the appearance of a person. The scientist would look at them both and would likely say, “Well sure, that robot has $84,000. worth of motors, gears, and computers inside it. But the human... he's worth a little less than $3.00.”
Yes, the comparison is rather unlikely, because the real value of a person is that of his spirit and intellect. A flesh and blood person designed and built the nuts and bolts robot he's standing next to. To consider a robot designing and building a human is unthinkable.
Is it possible that we place a reasonable value on a teen or ex-teen who's appearance, attitudes, and actions are close to what you and I consider normal; that fit closely to our own appearance, attitudes, and actions. But change any one of the three a's and we consider them trash, and maybe even dangerous trash.
God's Word, our bible, is (and must remain) our ultimate guide for placing value on all things, in and around us. God gave the prophet Samuel in old testament times, one of many fantastic directives that must be part of our own criteria also. In 1st Samuel 16:7, God's directive was, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
In today's speaking we'd say, “Don't judge a book by it's cover.” That's the OUTWARD part of a person that we should NOT be focused on. The other part of the verse says we should strive to look on (and be a blessing to) one's heart... his/her soul and spirit.
This and the first two segments of Help Cries have taken extra time to help us dig deep into our own hearts and make sure we have the God-driven attitudes and value for His harvest field. That's the harvest field of ex-teens and those youth that society has shoved into shadows and out of our sight and focus.
Our focus and ultimate goal appears in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John. What we are to measure is our own love against the pinnacle stated here and demonstrated on Calvary's Cross where Jesus Christ showed His love for us and those with orange hair and all their trimmings. The 13th verse boldly says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
So... What is my value of the soul of an ex-teen? Do my attitudes and actions show it... do they show them?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
#9 - Learning How To Love-Listen
"Now listen up!" It's a strong statement we hear a lot, but many of us don't really know how. We find ourselves 'half listening all the while digging into our mental toolbox for our advice ready to enlighten the one we're hearing. Maybe a tool we need most is the ability to really REALLY listen. For now let's just call it Love-Listening. Picture this kind of listening (hearing) as adding color and shadow
to a black and white picture of what someone is saying to us. Love-Listening would be the total focus on what our ears are picking up, as though we were sure to soon hear something that would really become a spark in our own world. The trick though, in Love-Listening is to use it among our ex-teen generation. The frosting of Love-Listening is the anticipation of blessing to us, no matter who is doing the speaking.
Love-Listening actually begins in our mother's arms, even before we learned our ABCs or could dress ourselves. Earlier generations would have a family member read portions of God's precious scriptures to them. Almost like a flesh and blood Holy Spirit, that parent would open those scripture truths to our young lives in ways we could picture ourselves standing beside David with the giant before us. Our young hearts drank in visions of God removing our enemies before us, sending Satan packing.
To be truly effective in reaching out to our teens and young adults, we need to relearn how to Love-Listen. We need to step out of our typical Fixit-Listening mode that greatly hinders our getting the frosting of what our ears and heart are wanting to savor.
Love-Listening might be compared to the soft clay on the potter's wheel. It must be soft and fully ready to receive the directions of the potter's hands.
So ...
1. We've learned how to Love-Listen and savor it before we could walk and talk.
2. A special kind of Love-Listening is cherished as we listen to God's word shared with us.
3. In that scriptures we first heard long ago, we saw evidence of terrible results of people who were stiff-necked and unwilling to yield to their Creator's hands.
It's ironic that high on an ex-teen's want list is for someone to listen; to really listen; to Love-Listen to them and their struggles that they feel have no remedy. We silver-haired seniors must 'listen' to the stressed confused youth help cries of youth with orange hair, chains, tattoos, black facial paint, sudden fits of anger for no apparent reason, hidden cuts and piercings of torment.
Even if you have a tear-filled burden for ex-teens, you must first and fully, place yourself on the Creator's pottery wheel. You must begin reading scripture with anticipation; with expectation, that develops your "Love-Listening" skills as the Holy Spirit envelopes your soul and spirit with truth and love.
You can tell if this process is working in you, because the flames will grow; those flames of compassion brighten and spread in your burden for teens all around you.
Love-Listening to scripture colors and sweetens our 'Victory-in-Jesus' attitudes to see this is only half the truth. Whether it's fighting giants before us, reaching out to teens, or savoring the 'More-than-conquerors' principle of Romans 8:37, Love-Listening to scripture is where it all starts - and continues each day.
Love-Listening in Prayer
In our hurried daily agendas, our prayers are bursting with our talking. Yes we praise our Savior for His abilities, His goodness to us, and telling Him our needs that increasingly crowds out the first two. It's like we're sending Him an audible telegram, sandwiched between other daily events we often put higher priority on than talking (and listening) to the One giving us the very best Heaven had to
offer.
But anticipating exciting things from scripture, I can still remember the library chair I was sitting in, many years ago. The Holy Spirit drew my attention to an unusual phrase in the inspired letter Paul sent to the church in Thessalonica as recorded in 1st Thess. 4:11. We expect libraries to admonish, "Please be quiet. People are studying."
But now notice how Paul turns that around. He doesn't say to be quiet to study, he says to study to be quiet. I always relish applying that concept in my intimate communication with God. It's like Paul is telling us we need to be quiet in a way we can show respect, we can devote our full attention to what we're hearing or reading - it's worth it - it's frosting to our faith.
Love-Listening in prayer is really tapping into God's direction for our lives each day. Make the MAJOR portion of your prayer LISTENING; Love-Listening to your Potter as He molds you into beauty; maybe even a lighthouse in the life of an ex-teen headed for a rocky future in torment.
..
to a black and white picture of what someone is saying to us. Love-Listening would be the total focus on what our ears are picking up, as though we were sure to soon hear something that would really become a spark in our own world. The trick though, in Love-Listening is to use it among our ex-teen generation. The frosting of Love-Listening is the anticipation of blessing to us, no matter who is doing the speaking.
Love-Listening actually begins in our mother's arms, even before we learned our ABCs or could dress ourselves. Earlier generations would have a family member read portions of God's precious scriptures to them. Almost like a flesh and blood Holy Spirit, that parent would open those scripture truths to our young lives in ways we could picture ourselves standing beside David with the giant before us. Our young hearts drank in visions of God removing our enemies before us, sending Satan packing.
To be truly effective in reaching out to our teens and young adults, we need to relearn how to Love-Listen. We need to step out of our typical Fixit-Listening mode that greatly hinders our getting the frosting of what our ears and heart are wanting to savor.
Love-Listening might be compared to the soft clay on the potter's wheel. It must be soft and fully ready to receive the directions of the potter's hands.
So ...
1. We've learned how to Love-Listen and savor it before we could walk and talk.
2. A special kind of Love-Listening is cherished as we listen to God's word shared with us.
3. In that scriptures we first heard long ago, we saw evidence of terrible results of people who were stiff-necked and unwilling to yield to their Creator's hands.
It's ironic that high on an ex-teen's want list is for someone to listen; to really listen; to Love-Listen to them and their struggles that they feel have no remedy. We silver-haired seniors must 'listen' to the stressed confused youth help cries of youth with orange hair, chains, tattoos, black facial paint, sudden fits of anger for no apparent reason, hidden cuts and piercings of torment.
Even if you have a tear-filled burden for ex-teens, you must first and fully, place yourself on the Creator's pottery wheel. You must begin reading scripture with anticipation; with expectation, that develops your "Love-Listening" skills as the Holy Spirit envelopes your soul and spirit with truth and love.
You can tell if this process is working in you, because the flames will grow; those flames of compassion brighten and spread in your burden for teens all around you.
Love-Listening to scripture colors and sweetens our 'Victory-in-Jesus' attitudes to see this is only half the truth. Whether it's fighting giants before us, reaching out to teens, or savoring the 'More-than-conquerors' principle of Romans 8:37, Love-Listening to scripture is where it all starts - and continues each day.
Love-Listening in Prayer
In our hurried daily agendas, our prayers are bursting with our talking. Yes we praise our Savior for His abilities, His goodness to us, and telling Him our needs that increasingly crowds out the first two. It's like we're sending Him an audible telegram, sandwiched between other daily events we often put higher priority on than talking (and listening) to the One giving us the very best Heaven had to
offer.
But anticipating exciting things from scripture, I can still remember the library chair I was sitting in, many years ago. The Holy Spirit drew my attention to an unusual phrase in the inspired letter Paul sent to the church in Thessalonica as recorded in 1st Thess. 4:11. We expect libraries to admonish, "Please be quiet. People are studying."
But now notice how Paul turns that around. He doesn't say to be quiet to study, he says to study to be quiet. I always relish applying that concept in my intimate communication with God. It's like Paul is telling us we need to be quiet in a way we can show respect, we can devote our full attention to what we're hearing or reading - it's worth it - it's frosting to our faith.
Love-Listening in prayer is really tapping into God's direction for our lives each day. Make the MAJOR portion of your prayer LISTENING; Love-Listening to your Potter as He molds you into beauty; maybe even a lighthouse in the life of an ex-teen headed for a rocky future in torment.
..
Monday, August 15, 2011
#14 - Wiring The Minds of Ex-Teens
The wiring of the minds of teens and ex-teens (used-to-be-teens) is different in each gender. We do need to review those important differences as we learn about them, to reach out to them with greater compassion and understanding. In two words the differences revolve around COMMUNICATION in girls and COMPETITION or CONSTRUCTION in boys.
Learning Gender Gaps
God wired each one of us with a brain in two main parts or lobes. The left portion is more adept
at dealing logically; comparing numbers, facts, procedures etc. Our right lobe deals more with
relationships, personalities, feelings, sympathy, compassion etc.
Scientists are quick to say that boys and men are 'left lobe dominate', while girls and women are
right lobe dominate. Just as in a symphony all are equally important in their own way, whether we are
right or left lobe dominate doesn't make one better than the other. Consider the words 'help meet' in
Genesis 2:18. I've come to believe the life partner God gave to Adam was not just another copy of
himself (Adam) but one with abilities and temperament that complimented Adam.
This 'filling in the gaps' of Adam's abilities by Eve goes far beyond the 'be fruitful and multiply'
task for the duo; this living breathing symphony; this crowning creation by our all-powerful God.
In just a few words, the 'left lobe dominate' boys and men don't thrive in the 'calm and comfort
zone' of ladies. Men eat up action that includes competition, risky, loud, big, messy, fast, and 'think on
your feet' flashy stuff. If you're reaching out to girls - think communication; particularly digital; and
certainly frequent. If your reach out to boys - think competition and construction.
In a previous HELP CRIES segment we talked about the Golden Classroom as a powerful way to begin understanding your harvest field of ex-teen souls. Another powerful classroom we'll call the SILVER TOP classroom. Simply it's a gathering, small or large, of our silver-haired generation, snacks, marker board and earnest prayer. It works something like this:
1. Certainly begin with earnest unhurried prayer for hearts to become even more deeply burdened for the 'thrown-away' generation so many are actually afraid of – the ex-teens – ages 20 to 23 something.
2. Spend a first meeting considering the boys. Maybe show some pictures of boys with 'odd' appearances and actions. Show some pictures of some 'normal' boys, realizing that inside attitudes and stresses may be the very same, regardless of outward appearances.
3. Have some presentations that depict a Garage Mission Station. Our favorite website shows how it's done, in story form. The Garage Mission Station can be up-scaled a little for the older ex-teens.
Gramps And The Nano Web Laboratory
ChurchKids.org/0nwl/ (that's a zero)
We'll take a look at the girls side next time.
Learning Gender Gaps
God wired each one of us with a brain in two main parts or lobes. The left portion is more adept
at dealing logically; comparing numbers, facts, procedures etc. Our right lobe deals more with
relationships, personalities, feelings, sympathy, compassion etc.
Scientists are quick to say that boys and men are 'left lobe dominate', while girls and women are
right lobe dominate. Just as in a symphony all are equally important in their own way, whether we are
right or left lobe dominate doesn't make one better than the other. Consider the words 'help meet' in
Genesis 2:18. I've come to believe the life partner God gave to Adam was not just another copy of
himself (Adam) but one with abilities and temperament that complimented Adam.
This 'filling in the gaps' of Adam's abilities by Eve goes far beyond the 'be fruitful and multiply'
task for the duo; this living breathing symphony; this crowning creation by our all-powerful God.
In just a few words, the 'left lobe dominate' boys and men don't thrive in the 'calm and comfort
zone' of ladies. Men eat up action that includes competition, risky, loud, big, messy, fast, and 'think on
your feet' flashy stuff. If you're reaching out to girls - think communication; particularly digital; and
certainly frequent. If your reach out to boys - think competition and construction.
In a previous HELP CRIES segment we talked about the Golden Classroom as a powerful way to begin understanding your harvest field of ex-teen souls. Another powerful classroom we'll call the SILVER TOP classroom. Simply it's a gathering, small or large, of our silver-haired generation, snacks, marker board and earnest prayer. It works something like this:
1. Certainly begin with earnest unhurried prayer for hearts to become even more deeply burdened for the 'thrown-away' generation so many are actually afraid of – the ex-teens – ages 20 to 23 something.
2. Spend a first meeting considering the boys. Maybe show some pictures of boys with 'odd' appearances and actions. Show some pictures of some 'normal' boys, realizing that inside attitudes and stresses may be the very same, regardless of outward appearances.
3. Have some presentations that depict a Garage Mission Station. Our favorite website shows how it's done, in story form. The Garage Mission Station can be up-scaled a little for the older ex-teens.
Gramps And The Nano Web Laboratory
ChurchKids.org/0nwl/ (that's a zero)
We'll take a look at the girls side next time.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
#15 - How to Build a Bridge
How to build a bridge is what HELP CRIES is all about. But this bridge is not made of screws, steel, and paint. The bridge we're building is much larger than those we drive cars over. Our bridge is designed to carry heavier loads and help with saving and building strong lives. Ironically, our bridge is built not over some river but at a kitchen table.
The bridge links the heart of a lady with silver hair, not so much aching from stiff and sore joints, but a heart crying out to God for His design this day to connect to the heart of girls – teens and ex-teens. This bridge built at a kitchen table (maybe yours) will get lots of 2-way traffic. Each listens deeply to the other. (Elsewhere we've called this Love-listening) The bridge becomes a partnership; a journey to bring both closer to understanding what real love actually is, and what it wants to do.
Now the tools for this bridge construction are simple and readily available. A couple cookies, a cup of soothing drink, some cellphones (turned off and laying next to...) and God's precious 'How-To' manual, opened and ready to be used; as every Bible should be.
The real joy of this bridge building is seeing the anticipation and expectation the girls paint each day's experience with. If done properly, you can easily run out of cookies and kitchen chairs. Girls, teens and ex-teens are so confused, distressed, and disillusioned with all of technology's communication dead ends, they don't have anywhere to turn, except your kitchen table mission station (I mean bridge building moments).
Our favorite on-line free library has several stories about kitchen table (and picnic table) ministries you'll want to savor as you begin to reach out to those ex-teen girls, God has placed in your harvest field. Our favorite, with a non-technical technology flavor, is TEXTING WITH HOPE. This resource is broken up into short story segments just perfect for having a silver-top classroom gathering with your friends and discuss each segment and how it can apply to your harvest field.
ChurchKids.org/twh/
You can also become a
Cookie Mountain Missionary (curling iron, optional)
and a Cookie Jar Granny
The bridge links the heart of a lady with silver hair, not so much aching from stiff and sore joints, but a heart crying out to God for His design this day to connect to the heart of girls – teens and ex-teens. This bridge built at a kitchen table (maybe yours) will get lots of 2-way traffic. Each listens deeply to the other. (Elsewhere we've called this Love-listening) The bridge becomes a partnership; a journey to bring both closer to understanding what real love actually is, and what it wants to do.
Now the tools for this bridge construction are simple and readily available. A couple cookies, a cup of soothing drink, some cellphones (turned off and laying next to...) and God's precious 'How-To' manual, opened and ready to be used; as every Bible should be.
The real joy of this bridge building is seeing the anticipation and expectation the girls paint each day's experience with. If done properly, you can easily run out of cookies and kitchen chairs. Girls, teens and ex-teens are so confused, distressed, and disillusioned with all of technology's communication dead ends, they don't have anywhere to turn, except your kitchen table mission station (I mean bridge building moments).
Our favorite on-line free library has several stories about kitchen table (and picnic table) ministries you'll want to savor as you begin to reach out to those ex-teen girls, God has placed in your harvest field. Our favorite, with a non-technical technology flavor, is TEXTING WITH HOPE. This resource is broken up into short story segments just perfect for having a silver-top classroom gathering with your friends and discuss each segment and how it can apply to your harvest field.
You can also become a
Cookie Mountain Missionary (curling iron, optional)
and a Cookie Jar Granny
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