"Just Shut Up!"

We were - in my Oregon home - not allowed to say these words to other family members, and neither were they used by us or our three children. They just seem so crude...and depersonalizing.

But in this instance it was probably appropriate because Job's three acquaintances (I refuse to call them "friends") repeatedly spewed unjustified and mean-spirited criticisms against his character. In exasperation he told them in essence "to just shut up!".

I love Job - especially as he replies to these three deprecating men (SEE Job 16:4 & 5), "I also could speak as you do: if you were in my place, I could heap up accusing words against you. I also could scold you and shake my head at you. But I would not do this to a friend. I would strengthen and encourage you and do anything I could to relieve your grief".

And I love his logic! as he gives them a superb reason for telling them "to just shut up!". (SEE Job 13:5, and this is my paraphrasing) "Your refusing to continue talking would show how wise you are". This is really good advice for most of us!

I know the man was horribly suffering, but I cannot read this - ever - without grinning...even laughing...maybe even smirking...maybe even mentally applauding!

As usual, with this kind of arrogant person, Job may as well have saved his breath. It only fueled their brains with blather. They did not get it because they were too filled with their own importance and too blind to their own ignorance. They were not only short on wisdom but on compassion as well.

In this regard, one of my favorite disciplines is set down by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:29, and I quote:
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (building up; erecting), that it may minister grace unto the hearers".

Heman, the "he-man"

Heman was an unusual fellow, had an unusual job with an unusual family. He - with two other men, Asaph and Jeduthun - were three chosen leaders to head up King David's music department of 288 persons. They were the original teams of vocalists and musicians established by David to publicly praise and honor God in a practiced, ordered manner.

As mentioned already, Heman was one of the three men whose sole, full-time, paid job was to train and practice these 288 musicians. Oddly, there was no "selection process" as we would generally expect, for all of them were "born into" their special, musically gifted responsibilities.

If you were a son or a daughter of Asaph, Jeduthun or Heman, you were expected - and trained - from early childhood to sing and/or play a musical instrument, and eventually participate in public worship music.

Some might think: "How could this be? Some individuals cannot keep time or carry a tune in a bucket". This is easy for me to accept, having been born into the J. C. Wise family (my maternal grandfather). All seven children - five girls and two boys - could sing beautifully and play just about any musical instrument they wanted to or were asked to. But, more importantly, as the Scriptures often relates, God especially gifted these biblical musicians to perform their specialized tasks.

So, what made Heman a "he-man"? If you were to read 1 Chronicles 25:4-7, it would quickly become apparent. Heman had fourteen sons and three daughters, and I took the liberty to edit their long names a bit. Buck, Matt, Uzi, Sheb, Jerry, Hank, Hans, Eli, Giddi, Rom, Josh, Mel, Hoss, Mac, Shari, Judi and Hanah.

Just think of it! 17 children with Dad and Mom would compose either a small orchestra or very large combo within just one family! Heman was a real "he-man", and his wife, Carlene, not too shabby either!

(I gave the women names. They did have them, you know). WLB

"Don't Rain on My Parade"

When this *idiom (see below for definition) first came in to common useage it initially impressed my mind as quite clever, slightly humorous and considerably enigmatic (puzzling).

Each time it was used in my presence, it produced the same mental effect - the question of "whose parade"? Probably the speaker's. As though his/her parade was most important - was more important than anyone else's parade. Hmmm.

The obvious villian here is the rain - at least from the viewpoint of the speaker's parade. The fact is that the rain could conceivably be of more benefit to many others because of greater needs than those of a short-lived - albeit very important - need of the "parader".

What impacts my mind is how thoughtlessly selfish it may be any time we want our plans to turn out favorably to the exclusion of how unfavorably they may affect anyone else's "parade". In fact, the greater good may accrue if it did rain on our parade!

The Bible has two, cogent comments - one from Jesus and the other from James' writings (the brother of Jesus). In Matthew 5:45 Jesus said that the "rain falls on the just and the unjust". In other words, generally and indiscriminately. (And then added that we will be like this if we are Christlike) With rare exceptions, God gave/gives the rain in an umbrella fashion, and all are equally benefited.

James counsels us (SEE James 4:15) to always submit all of our plans "to the will of the Lord, intending to do this or that, or go here or there". They must always fall under the umbrella of God's will. Nature's systems would be chaotic and disastrous if God answered every request for favorable weather.

The truth is that the same rain that dampens a parade also puts food on our tables. The winter storms that clog sidewalks, driveways, lanes, roads and freeways - and accordingly brings many sore backs and aching muscles - also graciously stores snowpacks for our world's watersheds.

SO...it could be a rather selfish request to ask for there not to be a rain on "our" parade. A question comes to any thinking mind, "Are we really wanting our parade to be sunny...and could care less if it is someone else's?"


* "Idiom": Redneck lingo for the feminine suffix of "ot".

Sarge

"Sarge" is not a military non-commissioned officer. He is our neighbor's black Labrador Retriever...an aged, overweight, friendly, loveable dog.

Sarge is everybody's friend. There is no one he does not like, and will respond to any overture of friendliness with a vigorously wagging tail. He rarely barks, never bothers anyone, doesn't get upset over community matters that sets off raucous howls from all other dogs within earshot.

Sarge pays little attention to other neighborhood dogs and remains aloof to their factious spats and quarrels. The young, black Lab next door nips, dances, growls, "attacks", jumps all around and over old Sarge, and he acts like he hardly notices the whipper-snapper. Sarge does not need to prove anything to anybody.

Then he has the unusual habit of slowly walking out to the middle of our neighbor's huge, quarter acre back yard and laying down in the snow, sleet, rain - seemingly the colder, the better. The dog loves to lie in the snow! much like many people love to bask in a sunny beach. It is as amusing as it is fascinating.

I admire Sarge and the qualities he unwittingly demonstrates to all who know him. He ignores the pettiness around him. He does not sweat the small stuff. He doesn't get easily upset. He rises above communal fussiness and criticism and squabbles. He lets others around him get all excited and in a senseless snit while he conserves his energy for the really big stuff!

"Lord, thank You for the big heart You have given to my friend, Sarge, and help me to lead and enjoy a more peaceful, contented attitude about the small stuff. Amen".

Mark Boone in Concert

Mark will also be singing and giving his testimony in the 11:00 a.m. service.

Rags

This was the answer to a clue in a crossword puzzle this past week. The clue was "a worn out cloth". I took immediate exception to this...that is...that it was "worn out".

Rags are very useful to us. Maybe even could be considered a neccesity. What would we do without them? A world without rags would be a poor one indeed.

In my youth for sure, rags were a necessity, and they were never thrown away. They were used for all kinds of cleaning chores, in and out of the house; for many medical needs - bandages, sore throats, slings, mustard plasters, boil and cut dressings; for strainers of all kinds; for paddings and cushions; and for absorbents of all kinds.

I have a small, fuzzy, yellow, was-at-one-time pajama top made by wife, Deloris, and worn by daughter, Trella, that has been in my shoe shine box for at least fifty years. Shoe polish smudges of all colors are evident, but there are still some unused places that will probably be useful as long as I live. I have already "willed" it to Trella. Just think of all the hundreds of shoes it has shined?

It has always been right where I last used and placed it. It has never complained or been unwilling to be pressed one more time into gooey, oily, smudgy shoe polish. It has never been washed, dried or ironed, and it has never been recognized or honored until this writing. I have never once thanked it!

IT'S PURPOSE HAS BEEN TO SERVE ME, AND IN THE PROCESS MAKE HUNDREDS OF SHOES LOOK NEW, AND SHINY, AND THEIR WEARERS LOOK GOOD. What would I do without a shoe polish rag?

Even lowly rags have a highly useful, significant purpose. Surely there are ways I can bless others.

In the Sea of Grace - Part 3

The significance of standing before God must not escape us. The more we consider the incongruity of this act, the more amazing it becomes. Angels bow before Him. Seraphim cover their faces and feet when they are in His presence. Cherubim will not look upon Him as they attend His glory. Living creatures ceaselessly describe His supremacy, His glory and His ascendancy. Demons and all the minions of Hell cringe before Him, and Satan constantly submits to His sovereignty and authority. The universe and all creatures who inhabit it bow in humble obeisance before their Creator and Sustainer.

But when a human being steps into redemption's room of saving grace, he stands! God's grace stands men up! It makes winners out of history's sorriest losers. It makes saints out of Hell-bound sinners. It lifts a sin-scourged soul from the pits of hoplessness and elevates him to the hghest heights of honor. GOD'S GRACE STANDS HUMAN SOULS UP!!!

This proclaims the supporting bouyancy of God's awesome grace. It emanates from His gracious nature. It is an effusion as big and generous as He is. It flows unendingly into our emptiness. We need to ponder this. The nature of the human soul is cavernous. We are by nature in constant need of filling. Our emptiness is spacious and exists without limit. Its appetite is a vast, astronomical openness by design.

When we are so very dry and bring our pitiful, little meauring cups to Him, He just lets His grace flow, and our cups run over. This is the kind of a Person He is, a "running over" God with oceans of grace and pity and mercy. What a contrast for contemplation: Our emptiness...His fullness.

Because of the grace of God revealed through the life and death of Jesus, persons stand in the presence of heaven's God. This act is without precedent in the order of God's relationships with other beings. We can only contemplate...not understand this grace.

God wanted to give something special to humankind. He wanted to share some of the greatness and love and depth of His being with other persons, so He reached out to us in the Person of His Son. We are innundated in His grace!