THE BENEFITS OF PROXIMITY, Part One

The other day I was running errands for work – preparing for a visit from a potential client. I’m the sales person for this company, so everything about the visit of a potential client is my domain. I was waiting for 200 color copies to be run at Kinko’s and needed to pick up some items from a craft store. I planned to stop at a store I’d been to before on my way home; but, conveniently, there was one in the same shopping center as Kinko’s. The other craft store lost my business because there was one closer to Kinko’s. There was no other reason to shop at Store B instead of Store A. Both stores had what I needed. It all boiled down to proximity.

In the world of real estate the saying goes that there are three things to remember when buying – location, location, location. I take that to mean that the “where” of a place is as important as the place itself. Makes sense. For a business, the value of the business and its ability to thrive depend on where it is in relation to other thriving businesses.

So, what does this have to do with Christianity? Simply this: your value as a Christian and especially as a Christian leader is in your proximity to God. Your usefulness is directly related to your proximity to other Christians. I’ll address the first part this week and the second part next week.

God loves you. You are His child. As such, His love is unchangeable. That part of your value is unchangeable. I’m not talking about that. I’m speaking of the value you bring back to God. Does having you in His service bring God a two-fold, five-fold, ten-fold return? Or nothing at all?
God wants a return on His investment. He knows what talents He gave you. He also knows that He can’t use you unless you are close to Him. It boils down to proximity.

From the shadow of His wings, you are protected from the bumps and bruises that fighting the good fight brings. Fresh from conversation with Him, you can work smarter and not just harder in the daily fight to grow. Within the confines of His armor, Satan can’t get an arrow in edge-wise.

During this, the Passover season, while we remove the leaven of sin from our lives, and eat the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, lets commit ourselves to staying close the to the Father in the year ahead. Let’s commit to a new year of closer proximity to Him – a closer walk each day – so that we can be used in His service.

Living a daily life nearer to the Father, the Spirit can flow freely from us and we can bring Him fruit – 20 fold, 60 fold or 100 fold. It all boils down to proximity.

Love, Nancy

IF YOU ARE STUPID...

My husband has many sayings – phrases or sentences – for which he is well known, for example: serious yellow, which I just taught to three rambunctious preteen boys. (It’ll have to be explained at a later time.) But the one that comes to mind today is “God will let you die if you are stupid.”

I’m thinking about it in relation to recent, tragic death from a head injury acquired in a skiing accident of the actress Natasha Richardson. She was relatively young (seen from my 50-year-old eyes anyway), beautiful, smart, talented, wealthy, athletic (or at least fit) and healthy. She died, when she could have survived, because she thought she was okay when she wasn’t.
Reports say that she turned away an ambulance, saying she was fine. Indeed, she felt fine and, for a while, acted just fine. But she was NOT okay. The trauma to the head was worse than she knew. A CT scan could have told that. The results of the injury worsened while giving no warning. If she was in the hospital under observation they might have caught the worsening symptoms. I grieve for any family experiencing the loss of a loved one.

The Spiritual lesson for Christians is that we cannot assume we are okay when, in fact, we are not. On our own we are NEVER okay. We need God to be okay. Without God, we are destined for death, we are lost, we are condemned, we are not okay. But we may not know it. Without God’s word, the Bible, we don’t know what sin is or even that we are sinners. Without the Holy Spirit we are not convicted of our sin (John 16:8). Without the sacrifice of Jesus, our sin cannot be removed (John 1:29) – we cannot be healed (Isaiah 53:5) – we cannot be restored to relationship with the Father – we cannot have life, let alone abundant life (John 10:10).

It is the Passover season – a time when we can and should focus on exactly how un-okay we are – a time to focus on our need for external help. It is a time to examine our lives and evaluate our progress.

The word of God is our CT scan. The Holy Spirit is our monitoring system. God is our doctor – the judge of whether or not we are well. Jesus is our life-saving medicine. Don’t turn them away.
God will let you die if you are stupid and turn away the help offered to you – although He is going to do everything He can to get you to accept the help you need. He just won’t throw you forcibly into the ambulance.

Don’t be stupid.
Love, Nancy

IS THAT RELEVANT?

Bobby Jindal, Republican Governor of Louisiana, in a recent Q&A session featured in Time Magazine was asked what changes were needed in order for the GOP (rejected by voters in Nov. 09) to become relevant again. He responded, “Republicans need to worry less about fixing the party and more about what we can do to fix our country.” Good answer and great advice for churches (and organized religion in general) today.

We’ve gone the Joel Osteen route – basically the spiritualized version of “Think and Grow Rich” -- God wants you to be healthy and wealthy and if you are not, you just don’t know God wants you to be healthy and wealthy.

We’ve gone the Mega-church route – making the church experience as hip and impersonal as a rock concert, shared with thousands of strangers, repeated twice on Saturday night and four times on Sunday – praise, cry, pay, repeat…

It is a far cry from 12 Apostles going door-to-door, taking the message of personal salvation to synagogues, the steps of pagan temples and the streets of the market place. What connection does a health and wealth message have to the gospel? Does experiencing pack-mentality conversion make it more real? Will a Vegas-style light show set to a contemporary Christian rock beat move you to actually change your sinful ways? None. Nope. Seriously doubt it.

But does any of this make church more RELEVANT in society today? I don’t think so. Does it make the gospel more relevant? Not possible. It always has been and always will be relevant. The good news that Jesus died for your sins, creating a way out of whatever issue you face, no less relevant to the world today than it was in 30 AD.

Church and Christians, who worry (as I do) about dwindling attendance and the aging attendees, don’t need to focus on making church or Christianity more relevant. We need to do one thing – STOP trying to fix church and go back to teaching how to fix sin. Two sentences just about cover it: Jesus died for your past sins. Now, go and “sin no more.”

Smooth words, great music, and quick services aren’t cutting it. Church attendance is down in literally every Christian denomination.

Fix people -- fix broken, sinful, hurting, lost, hungry, angry, suffering people -- and church will fix itself. Greed. Selfishness. Hate. Pride. All the sins that plagued mankind when Jesus walked the earth in human form, are still causing our suffering today. I challenge you to find one national problem that cannot be boiled down to one of these, running rampant and unchecked.

Maybe how you reach people is different – blog, Twitter or Facebook the message, send out a podcast, post a YouTube video – but the message is the same one that Jesus and all the prophets before and all the Apostles after, brought: “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden (carry heavy burdens) and I will give you rest.”

How can THAT be any LESS relevant in our society today?

With Love, Nancy

Twenty Years From Now

Wow. I had something entirely different in mind for my blog today, but a story on Yahoo News caught my eye. I cried as I read it and found it so moving that I must blog about it. I’ve attached part of it below my blog. I hope it moves you as well.

I’ll try to bottom line it for you. Darius McNeal, senior captain of the DeKalb, Illinois Barbs basketball team, deliberately missed two free throws, awarded his team for a technical foul caused because the opposing team wanted to allow a player on the court who was not there for the start of the game and therefore not on the roster. That player? Johntel Franklin, who came to play just hours after his 39 year old mother lost her battle with cancer.

Johntel wanted to play. He needed to be with his team at his time of grief. The letter of the rule was followed, but it was a different spirit at play that night. To quote the DeKalb coach (who advised his player to miss those free throws) -- "This is something our kids will hold for a lifetime," Rohlman said. "They may not remember our record 20 years from now, but they'll remember what happened in that gym that night." Doesn’t matter who won. The two teams went out for pizza together after the game.

What will people remember about you 20 years from now? Would you lose a game to win a brother? Would you even be willing to take the risk? That is exactly what Jesus asks us to do – risk it all to save others. He has called us to serve one another.

We are called to be “living sacrifices” and to esteem others above ourselves, to look on the things of others and lose our lives for the sake of our calling. (I challenge you to find the scriptures to go with these.)

It isn’t my place to tell you when, where and how to sacrifice for others. I don’t know your gifts, your resources or the needs of those around you. But I do know one thing – no matter how poor or ill or talentless you might be, you can be nice to people around you. You can show love. It costs nothing – except, occasionally, your ego or a chance to win.

Recently, a friend of mine and I sat crying tears of joy over the way several churches and the community in our small town rallied around to help her father who is recovering from a major injury. He lives several states away. He was self-employed all his life and has little insurance.

Maybe in this case we’d be tempted to say “I don’t know him. Why should I help?” Or “He needs to be an example of what happens when you fail to be adequately covered by insurance. It is his responsibility, not mine.”

But sometimes, to paraphrase a famous line, the team has to “take one” for an individual player. That is what happened in the DeKalb/Milwaukee game. That is what should happen in the Christian game of life. All true believers are on the same team. And, since everyone is a child of God and a potential believer, the whole world is ultimately in the same family.

In 20 years the members of both these high school basketball teams will still remember THAT night – even if they forget every other game. In 20 years, my friend will still remember what others did for her family.

In 20 years, what will people remember about your life? About mine? It bears some thought now about what will be remembered in 20 years.

Love, Nancy

**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**
AMID THE GRIEVING, A RARE ACT OF SPORTSMANSHIP (AP)
Hours earlier, the mother of Milwaukee Madison senior captain Johntel Franklin died at a local hospital. Carlitha Franklin had been in remission after a five-year fight with cervical cancer, but she began to hemorrhage that morning while Johntel was taking his college ACT exam.
Her son and several of his teammates were at the hospital late that afternoon when the decision was made to turn off the life-support system. Carlitha Franklin was just 39.
"She was young and they were real close," said Milwaukee coach Aaron Womack Jr., who was at the hospital. Womack was going to cancel the game, but Franklin told him he wanted the team to play.
(The Franklin showed up and said he wanted to play.)
There was just one problem. Since Franklin wasn't on the pre-game roster, putting him in meant drawing a technical foul that would give DeKalb two free throws.
Though it was a tight game, Womack was willing to give up the two points. It was more important to help his senior guard and co-captain deal with his grief by playing.
Over on the other bench, though, Rohlman wasn't so willing to take them. He told the referees to forget the technical and just let Franklin play.
"The refs told them, no, that's the rule. You have to take them."
That's when Rohlman asked for volunteers, and McNeal's hand went up.
He went alone to the free throw line, dribbled the ball a couple of times, and looked at the rim.
His first attempt went about two feet, bouncing a couple of times as it rolled toward the end line. The second barely left his hand.
It didn't take long for the Milwaukee players to figure out what was going on.
They stood and turned toward the DeKalb bench and started applauding the gesture of sportsmanship. Soon, so did everybody in the stands.
"I got kind of emotional but it helped a lot just to play," (Franklin) said. "I felt like I had a lot of support out there."
It hasn't been the greatest season for the team, but they have stuck together through a lot of adversity.
"We maybe don't have the best basketball players in the world but they go to class and take care of business," Womack said. "We have a losing record but there's life lessons going on, good ones."
None so good, though, as the moment a team and a player decided there were more important things than winning and having good stats.
Yes, DeKalb would go home with a loss. But it was a trip they'll never forget.
"This is something our kids will hold for a lifetime," Rohlman said. "They may not remember our record 20 years from now, but they'll remember what happened in that gym that night."

A SMOOTH TRANSITION …. NOT SO MUCH

I’m reading a great book that was recommended to me, called Founding Mothers, written by Cokie Roberts (the reporter). It is a history of the wives, daughters, mothers and sisters of the Founding Fathers and their impact on the birth of this nation. I am really enjoying it, highly recommend it and will most likely find that it inspires quite a few blogs. Lots of material for thought and discussion.

I confess that I looked at the end of the book. After all, remembering my high school American History lesions, I know how it all turns out. The book closes with the emphasis on the first smooth transition of the Presidency – from George Washington to John Adams. It was an amazing, unique and virtually unheard of thing in those times. My husband, Wes, plans to use the details of the first to transitions of the US Presidency in a future article or sermon.

It still is amazing and unique in this world. The USA has experienced 40-some elections and transitions. The most recent, from George W. Bush to Barak Obama, was a study in transition etiquette. The then president-elect Obama frequently responded to requests that he jump in and do something, “we have only one president at a time.” News reporters marveled at the open and cooperative actions of President Bush and his staff in handing over the reins to the Obama Whitehouse.

In a world where even allegedly open elections all too often result in months of violence, we can all be very thankful for the smooth transition from one administration to the next.

You know, it won’t be that smooth when Jesus returns. The Bible tells us that the world will fight against Him and it will be VERY BAD – the worst time of conflict ever. Blood up to the horses’ bridles. God expects it and has planned for it, although I’m sure He’d be very happy if the world would surprise Him.

As women, our lives are full of transitions – from daughter to wife, wife to mother, mother to grandmother, maybe great-grandmother, or widow before it is all over.

As Christians, we begin with one huge transition – from non-believer to believer, from one living in this world by our own wits to one guided by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Some of us go down easy, some have to be knocked off a horse and blinded, like Paul.

Once we become believers, we agree to continually transition. We don’t change all at once and we truly never stop changing – become more like our Heavenly Father in thought, word and deed. Although the initial turn might be dramatic, the lifetime that follows is typically more one of slight shifts and changes – like those transition lenses that slowly shade over when you come out into the sun.

Problem is, sometimes we resist. We don’t want to give up that habit, thought processes or behavior because it is comfortable or because we just like it – get something out of it. Or, worse yet, because someone we don’t like or agree with told us we needed to change.

Today, I want to encourage us all to work toward a continual and smooth transition from who we were to who God called each of us to be. And then, at Jesus’ return, we’ll experience the final change-over to spirit-being. That will be dramatic.

Then final transition from man’s government in every form to God’s government over all of mankind will be a violent take-over at first. But, ultimately, God will work with all the world as He works with us now, to change a little more each day. Our chance is now, don’t fight the transition.

With love,
Nancy

Prophecy, Fulfill Yourself

Ever tried this experiment? You ask someone if they are feeling well. You tell them they look a little pale. You warn them that they seem run down and are susceptible to the flu that is going around. Sure enough, we can influence them to feel unwell and maybe leave work early. I don’t advise doing this, but I believe we are well advised to remember that the voices we listen to can affect a desired result.

I work in an industry that is being very hard hit by the tough economic times. Long-term, top-position employees are losing their jobs. The sad news comes at me daily. There is real reason for these companies to tighten their belts, work more efficiently, cut spending, etc.

At the same time, I see that some of these companies are making decisions based on fear of what might happen. They are cutting people and programs that might actually help them to stay financially healthy in tough economic times, because they are getting pressure to cut something, they think, and it looks good on the bottom line right now.

I’ve also seen news reports and read articles that point out that some very profitable companies were created in depressed times of the past. One man’s dire situation is another’s opportunity for innovation, creation and success. One thing is sure – if you can grow a business during tough times, you are going to look really good in better times.

Churches should be growing in tough times. Yet, I find that some of the churches I visit are taken in by the dire predictions around them. The call to belt tighten that is going on in the business sector has these churches cutting programs, saving money, and discussing stock-piling assets.

They fear losing what they have (people, money, a building), when they ought to be afraid of not taking advantage of opportunity.

Un-churched people are MORE likely to be looking for God, for spiritual guidance and for a church home in these tough times. They are MORE likely to open to a religious discussion now. Our young people need MORE help and guidance, more activities, more support and more opportunities to be together during these tough times. Our senior citizens need MORE financial support, more programs, more opportunity to serve the church and more time with fellow believers during these tough times.

Just like business that are taken in by a “hunker down and just hold on to what you have” mentality, Churches that are trying to hold on to what they have, rather than trying to grow now, will find, I believe, that exactly what they worry about – loss of income and loss of membership – will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. They will not grow now and once times get better they will not have any momentum for growth. They will have lost the infrastructure that would support exponential growth later on.

In a time when we hear of men dying of electrocution while trying to steal copper wire from electric lines, we KNOW times are tough. But this point shows us that it isn’t just the economy falling on slim times – morality and moral choices are in the toilet too!

Tough times are prophesied. So is the return of Jesus, the gospel being preached to the world, the sheep being cared for, and the church never failing. What is your congregation doing to help fulfill THOSE prophesies?

At a time when there are prophets saying “hold on to what you have” and those saying “these times are an opportunity for us,” which voices are you listening to? Either way, the decisions you make now, will dictate your future. The prophecy you make and support will most likely be fulfilled.

Love, Nancy

AND THE BEAT GOES ON....

Officially, we have a new year beginning today. Last night champagne flowed, people danced and resolutions were made. People made commitments to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise, get a better education so they could get out of their dead-end job, get out of debt. Some few will complete the change. Many of those resolutions will be broken today. Others may last a few weeks.

We have a new president who promises change. President-elect Obama is different in very many ways from President Bush. He’ll put new people into office. He’ll change policy. He says he’ll work to facilitate a speedy end to the war in Iraq. He’s our first African-American president. But he is still, at the core, what Bush, Clinton, Regan, the other Bush, Carter and all the others before that were – he is a politician. And the beat goes on.

There is fighting in Israel. Gas prices are on their way back up. Retail stores are running major sales in the hopes of drawing people in to buy after the Xmas spending spree. I could go on. Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Sonny & Cher said it more poetically: “Grandma's sit in chairs and reminisce, Boys keep chasing girls to get a kiss, The cars keep going faster all the time, Bum still cries, ‘Hey buddy have you got a dime?’"(Okay, so they ask for a dollar these days.) “Men still keep on marching off to war.” “And the beat goes on….”

It is 2009 – nine years beyond what we thought would be the end of the world due to the collapse of computers in 2000 – and it looks like we might be in for more of the same old thing we’ve experienced for thousands of years. Bummer. I’m old enough and have seen enough of the world’s pain and sorrow to really, really mean it when I say, “Please, Jesus, come soon!”

In the mean time, a Christian’s life is one of moving forward. Each day, we should be getting more Christ like. Each day, we should set an example for those around us. Each day, we should spread love, peace and joy. Each day, we should pray. Each day, we put one foot in front of the other, moving ever onward toward the Kingdom. And the beat goes on…

God knows we can get warn out with it all. So, Galatians 6:9 says, “So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” (New Living Translation)

The good news is that each day, no matter how much it seems just like the day before, is actually one day closer to Jesus’ return to rule and reign on this earth. Praise God! There is light at the end of the tunnel. One day things will really change. Christians just need to keep on doing what Christians are called to do.

And the beat goes on…La-dee-da-dee-dee; La-dee-da-dee-da……

With love, Nancy