Thank God for BOWLING BALLS

It was the end of a long day as I approached the front porch of the parsonage. With 6 kids there is always lots of stuff on our porch and usually a bicycle or scooter to maneuver around before hitting the steps. Usually, I just ignore it, but on this particular day one item seemed to stand out. It was an unusual bag and when I reached down to pick it up, it was very heavy. Setting it back down I went inside, too tired to lift it and look inside, and figuring it was full of rocks the boys had gathered up for some secret club house ritual. Once inside my wife looked up to me and asked, "did you see your gift"?

Before I tell you the rest, I need to tell you this. The previous Sunday, a lady from our town named Ms. Lida came to our church. Now I can tell you about Ms. Lida but what my wife wrote on her blog best describes her...

From the world's perspective, Ms. Lida is a person with little or no value. She's an unsightly woman, who lives in a shack just a few blocks from us. She is never quite clean, and usually smells pretty badly... She doesn't have indoor plumbing, but uses the woods behind her house. She washes her clothes by hanging them outside on the line to wait for rain. She is paranoid, and has some tales to tell. Did I mention she hoards things? boxes, trash, dogs... anything will do. We often see her (or hear her) walking down the road, a dog (or 2 or 3) chained to her grocery cart and helping to pull it along. Since we found that she was digging in the dumpster behind a small grocery store for food, we have regularly taken food to her house. Our children know Ms. Lida. They are not ashamed of her, and they don't think any less of her than they do the finest dressed lady at our church. They see her as a person, created and loved by God, and valuable because of it. She often comes by our house to ask us to pray for her, and sometimes leaves t-shirts that she has painted hanging on the tree in our yard. The first one was for Kyle. It was yellow (and filthy) with Jesus' face painted on the front (with real glow in the dark eyes!). Kyle was not embarrassed, but said, "Mom, I WILL wear that shirt to church."Our children know the look and the stench of poverty, and the eccentricity of mental illness. They are not disgusted by it, but are motivated by the desire to help.
(picture is of Ms. Lida on our front porch)

When Ms. Lida came to church the previous Sunday morning she gave me a note. I put it on my desk to read after church. She had written a poem, well I guess you would call it a song since she wrote on the paper that it was to the tune of "Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortening Bread". She came back to church that night and I had a suprise for her. Our pianist could play just about anything and keep up with even the most horrid of singers. I told her to play the song and I sang what Ms. Lida had written during the time we generally have special music. Well nothing could have been more special to Ms. Lida.

You see few people have ever treated Ms. Lida like she was just as important as everyone else. I will never forget the look on her face when I finished that little song. I went over to her pew, hugged her and told her we loved her. She just sit there and cried.

Now it was my time to cry as I scurried back out to the porch to see what was in that bag.

IT WAS A BOWLING BALL

It was a nice one too, except that I couldn't have gotten my little finger in any of those holes and I don't bowl.

As a pastor you get many gifts. People give things to me and my family to help us out along our path. Many of those gifts were greatly needed and all were most appreciated. Yet, here was a gift that I really had no use for, but one that touched my heart. I may one day have a hard time remembering from whom and what gifts we have recieved over the years, but I will never forget that Ms. Lida gave me a bowling ball. For starters it was heavy and Ms. Lida was a little woman. She must have really struggled to get that ball from wherever she found it. Probably in a dumpster somewhere or some old abandoned house.

She had nothing of value to give, but what she gave, God made exceedingly valuable.

By the way, I did get one of those tee shirts she would hang on the tree; although mine didn't have a Jesus with glow in the dark eyes; must be a kid thing. :)

You see, I learned more about what it means to minister to people through our family's relationship with Ms. Lida than I ever learned in a classroom, a seminar, or from a sermon, including my own.

James (the half-brother of Jesus) teaches that since God is not a respecter of persons neither should we be respecters of persons. When James gets to that scripture so many know about works and faith, he uses the brother or sister who is without clothing and daily food for his example. Yes we should pray for people and have kind words for them but if we don't love them with our works (deeds) then our words seem empty to a dying world, and we fall short of fulfilling the "royal law according to the scriptures" James speaks of in chapter 2. Lida helped me to see the value in doing what God has instructed, God's way. Especially with respect to those that society (and in some cases the church) has forgotten.

Fact is Lida probably blessed us more than we blessed her; so let me close with this...

"THANK GOD FOR BOWLING BALLS"!

God Bless!

Pastor Scott

Where “Common Sense” & Truth Collide

Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us NOT to lean on our own understanding, but in everything we do acknowledge Him and He will direct our path.

"Well, I know the Bible says..., But God also expects us to use our common sense."

I have heard this phrase used countless times by well-meaning Christians, and at more than one church business meeting! The idea that God gave us a mind so we could then think for ourselves and use our God given "common" sense flies in the face of this Proverb and many other verses in scripture.

Does God in any way expect us to be "common" in our thinking or in our actions?

The word "common" means, "widespread; general; ordinary. The phrase "common sense" means, "sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence."


The fact is that the teachings of Jesus were a call for us to be uncommon in our thinking and our actions. For example, Jesus taught;

• If asked to go one mile; in the name of Jesus, go with him two ..... Matt 5:41
• If someone takes your cloak give them your coat also ..... Matt 5:40
• Turn the other cheek ..... Matt 5:29
• Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth ..... Matt 6:19,20
• Love your enemies ..... Matt 5:43,44
• Do not worry about your life ..... Matt 6:25

(All of these are just a part of only one of Jesus' sermons)

"Jesus called His followers to be a light unto this world of darkness,
not to stand in the shadow of the light."

So why do I write this? Because we have become increasingly aware of an attitude towards those who are "taking their Christianity too far". I speak of those who have taken extraordinary steps to restructure their lives based on the teachings found in God's Word & the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They begin to see their lifestlye as a hinderance to fulfilling the will of God in their lives. In other words, how much more could they do for the kingdom, if they had more time and less expense?

We know believers who have left their careers for full time ministries or to become missionaries, some who've chosen to "downscale" by moving into a smaller home or trading in a luxury car for a more practical and reasonably priced one. We have friends who have put away their TV's, because they just simply wanted less of the world invading their family time. Some have choosen to take on the responsibility of teaching their children at home. Or restructured their lives so Mom could quit work and stay home with the kids. There are a number of other changes, but I think you get the point.

They do these things, not because they wish to meet some legalistic standard or show themselves worthy, but because God is worthy of our complete devotion. They have chosen to seek God's will in every aspect of their lives, because of an overwhelming desire to please and honor God. There has been a complete change in their worldview, a paridigm shift in how they view the world and how they see God. What an exciting leap of faith toward a life where God is an ever growing central focus of life.

You would think that if someone made a significant lifestyle change, based on a sincere desire to honor God and be more effectively used for the Kingdom, that their Christian friends (and family members!) would be excited about the evidence of God's work in their hearts and lives.

Well, think again.

Sadly those who make radical "lifestyle" changes because they have grown in their faith, or just out of obedience to God, often find themselves feeling more isolated or misunderstood, than encouraged by their Christian brothers and sisters.

I mean, it's one thing to get saved or to rededicate your life, or to start coming to church or Bible study regularly. Go from drug dealer to perfect attendance church member, and your Christian friends will be thrilled about that! In fact, any radical improvement in one's morals would be applauded by most Christians. But, remember, we are talking about radical lifestyle changes...and even, radical financial changes! That's a whole different ballgame! And one, evidently, that makes a lot of Christians very uncomfortable.

One expects that the world will think they are crazy when they begin this journey. The shock, and might I add, frustration, comes when those they consider to be their brothers and sisters in Christ start to question and even criticize their actions, and worse yet- when some in their own families join in the chorus.

It usually isn't long before they start hearing phrases like, "Your taking this religious thing too far" or "We still have to use our God-given common sense". Others may even perceive them as thinking they now "have a monopoly on the Truth." Mind you, none of these statements will have an ounce of biblical truth or wisdom behind them, even though there is a reason for them.

The question one might ask is, why this reaction from these people? The answer soon becomes painfully obvious. You see, the fact is that many of us desire the blessings of God, but not so much God Himself. We like doing the things we think will please God, as long as those things don't really upset our lives in any real way. This works for us until someone comes along and upsets the apple cart. Through them, God shows us where we are lacking in our faith or spiritual discipline, reveals a misguided theology, or perhaps makes us aware of the hold the world has on us.

Now, the faith demonstrated by these real life changes has become a light of truth to those who cannot deny its reality. The first reaction to this conviction of the Holy Spirit is often defensive. Some accuse the faithful of going too far or not using their common sense, all to assuage the conviction of the Holy Spirit that comes from the truthfulness of the testimony demonstrated in the changes they are witnessing.

Jesus Christ did not call us out to become followers of Him so we could live "common sense" lives, and one cannot possibly take loving God and following the teachings of Christ "too far".

Christians are called to live extraordinary lives based on faith in Jesus Christ. To live within the light of truth that is the Word of God, and not hide in the shadows of that light.

Does that mean you need to sell all you have, give it to the poor and go on the mission field? Maybe. Some have. If that's what God is calling you to do, it will be the most fulfilling adventure of your life. And yes, even your Christian friends and family will think you're nuts. However, if they are truly born again, they won't think your nuts for long and if not, your testimony might just be what changes their lives forever. Wouldn't that be just like God!!

Live for Christ,
Pastor Scott Cosper

Mark 16:15