October 22, 202

All of us come across people every now and then who are easily upset or offended. Often we learn to avoid these people or walk on eggshells whenever we are around them. How do we effectively deal with these people or even have a relationship with them.

     These type of people remind me of a cat that Nancy and I had when we were first married. Her name was Molly, Nancy and I were browsing in a pet store and Nancy was petting a kitten in its cage. As a sales person passed I overhear Nancy ask how much is the kitten? To which the salesperson replied she’s free. At that point I knew we had a cat. Molly was very touchy. The first night I rolled over and she hissed at me for getting to close (meanwhile she was on my bed). 

     As Molly got older she grew more confident and would purposely intimidate and even scratch at guests. She had a special ability to sense those who were a little nervous and pay special attention to them. I can remember her climbing the shelves near the door so she could scratch and hiss at the people coming in the door. Ed and Edith’s curtains had a claw mark where she scratched at Berry.

     The problem was that in the first home she was in the two other cats that lived there attacked and almost killed her. For this reason she had real trust problems and would not take to people easily. Nancy and I had her for a while and over time she became very comfortable and good to us. She would jump onto Nancy’s lap when she got home from work and purr while Nancy’s rubbed her ears.

     How was it that Nancy and I could have a good (if sometimes frustrating) relationship with Molly this touchy and sometimes mean little cat. Simple, we fed her, took care of her, welcomed her and made her feel safe and comfortable. We still had to discipline her and not let her get into things she shouldn’t be. Eventually Molly learned that we were looking out for her and would not hurt her and actually grew to like us.

     What did we do with the cat that might be helpful with people? We approached the cat with a positive attitude, we wanted to help and care for her and wanted her to like and trust us. Further we gave her chances; I was scratched and hissed at many times. We continued to care for her giving her what she needed not what she deserved. We didn’t become angry or hatful toward her. Notice that these are all things Jesus seeks in his people (Luke 10:27; Luke 19:10; Mat 2:12-14; Mat 18:22-23).

     We all have to deal with people who are touchy and may even hurt us. If we approach them as Jesus would often these very people can not only be part of our life without causing too much heartache but can actually become our friends.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 15, 2023

On one occasion during bible class, we talked about worship and how the characteristics of God inform how we worship. One participant asked, “what do you think it is about humans that makes it hard to develop the attitudes and characteristics of God?” In the context of the class we had talked about the Pharisees, Saul, the people of Israel. All of these at various times were told their worship was unacceptable because they were not Godly. Sometimes it was injustice, sometimes it was not being merciful, sometimes it was not being faithful. In each case the people were told doing the right forms does not make your worship right. 

     This is true today as well we can’t go along thinking that because I am worshiping I must be right with God. The Pharisees worshiped while not honouring their parents (Mark 7). Saul claimed he disobeyed God so he could worship (I Sam 15:13-15). The people in Amos’s time worshiped while not maintaining just practices (Amos 5:18-27). All of them were told their worship was not acceptable to God. The point we are making is that the worshiper needs to be developing the characteristics of God. God is just, those who want to worship him must be just, God is merciful therefore those who want to worship him must be merciful. We could go on and on, and many other examples are mentioned in scripture. 

     The point is God draws us to him and reveals himself to us so that we can become like him (Rom 8:29). If we’re not being conformed to the image of Christ we are missing the point. It was in this context that the question was asked “why do we have such a hard time with this?” When I asked the audience to offer suggestions they gave me a number of good ones all is relating to human tendencies and all having one thing in common. They all came down to who is first. If I put myself and my desires first then I will never become like anyone else including God as revealed in Christ. And this is what brought me to thinking about those subjects which are sometimes called “the issues.”

     As I thought about the various beliefs and practices that have become problematic among churches of Christ I began to notice a theme. It’s always about selfishness. Marriage divorce and remarriage, instrumental music, gender roles, baptism and the plan of salvation, even the advocating of a new hermeneutic, all amount to humans saying to God I am going to do what I want. I want to violate my marriage vows and then marry someone else. I want to worship with a guitar, I want to be the final authority on what the bible means by what it says. 

     And this brings us to the real question. Do we love God and do we believe that he loves us? If we love him and think that he loves us then there is no place for pushing our desires. Jesus said he would know those who loved him because they would obey. A short illustration makes the point well. If I want to show Nancy how much I love her how would I do it? Would I plan a date of playing X-box and eating chicken wings? No because those are things I like, instead I would ask what would Nancy like, what would she enjoy and then I would do that. Love asks what does God want, not how can I manipulate the situation to get what I want.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 8, 202

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at a music festival. A number of bands played and then were critiqued by the adjudicators. The two men who did the adjudication were skilled musicians and university music professors. It was interesting to hear them explain to the various bands how they could improve as a group and even to hear improvement in the few minutes they worked with each group. One thing they repeatedly told each band was something I had never heard before. They told them to hum or sing the notes and compare their playing to their singing. I wondered why for the first few times until one of the adjudicators explained. “The goal of any musician is to sound like the human voice”. He pointed out that the greatest complement a musician can receive is to be told their playing sounded vocal. I couldn’t help but take note.

     No wonder then when God revealed how his new covenant people should worship it was using the only instrument created by Him, which every other instrument tries to be, the human voice. As God’s people leave behind the imperfect and embrace the perfect it only makes sense. We leave the imperfect and ineffective animal sacrifice for the perfect effective sacrifice of Christ Heb 10:1-12. We leave behind the imperfect music of mechanical instruments for the perfect fruit of men’s lips Heb 13:15.

     In this light it’s no wonder that Charles Spurgieon puts it as he does; “Praise the Lord with the harp. Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her to learn; but in these days when Jesus gives us spiritual food, one can make melody without strings and pipes. We do not need them. They would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice.” (Commentary on Psalms 42:4) “David appears to have had a peculiarly tender remembrance of the singing of the pilgrims, and assuredly it is the most delightful part of worship and that which comes nearest to the adoration of heaven. What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartet, bellows, and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it.” (Spurgeon preached to 20,000 people every Sunday for 20 years in the Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle and never were mechanical instruments of music used in his services. When asked why, he quoted 1st Corinthians 14:15. “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” He then declared: “I would as soon pray to God with machinery as to sing to God with machinery.” (Charles H. Spurgeon,)

     Thank God that he has blessed us with the ability to express our love and devotion with the beauty and simplicity of voices raised to heaven.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 1, 202

Kids have recently gone back to school, this time of year always makes me a little sad even though nothing substantial changes in my life.

     I can distinctly remember sitting in school during the last few weeks of June and thinking almost done. Maybe while looking out the window at the beautiful weather, or talking with my friends about an upcoming activity, I would say to myself; soon school will be over and I can enjoy a summer of fun and excitement. The longing for summer vacation to start was almost palpable in those hot classrooms.

     For my kids its kind of the same. They look forward to trips and sporting events, swimming and camping and bike riding. All of the things that they have been looking forward to since last September. 

     Another thing I remember is on that first morning waking up without having to get ready,

I would think summer will soon end. So while looking forward to all the fun and activity and even while doing it I would know that summer is not forever.

     As Christians we need to think back to those days when summer held so much longing and anticipation. Then remember that we are headed for the land of endless day. As I look back at the waiting I remember that I too am waiting. “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

     There are some differences that I want to think about just a little. 

     When we as Christians reach the end of our wait there will be no end. We will not be returning our summer vacation goes on into eternity. So as we look forward to the joys of eternity we must remember they never end.

     On the last day of school all of the busses were headed home. At the end of this world people will go to one of two destinations. “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” 

     Nothing we did in school; how well we listened, if we did our homework, what friends we made, mattered in regards to summer vacation. But the things we do in this life will affect where we go for eternity. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” The friends we have made (well friend) will also make a big difference. “Greater love has no one than this that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

     If you are like me even though you haven’t been on vacation all summer this time of year still holds a bit of regret. When you get that good feeling of summer and fun remember that your true longing should be for the eternal joy of heaven.

     “There’s a land that is fairer than day, and by faith I can see it afar; For the Father waits over the way, to prepare us a dwelling place there” what a day it will be, when we meet on that beautiful shore.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

September 24, 202

     I have never spent any considerable time in a desert, but I must admit that the unique environment is rather intriguing. I have often thought it would be a fun adventure to hike, bike or camp for a few days in a desert. I would love to see those large saguaro cacti which I read somewhere can grow up to 60 feet tall. 

     In reading and watching about desert survival I have heard a few times that those large cacti have water inside. At one time I had envisioned cutting one down and getting a drink. The common notion that cacti have drinkable water inside is a myth. They do store water but it’s in a form that is not safe for drinking and in fact can cause illness. 

This raises an important principal. Sometimes it matters what we believe. Not always, for example if you believe the toilet paper should roll off the back of the role that is not life threatening (You shouldn’t be allowed in civilized society, but you won’t die). That’s probably not a great example but I’m sure you can think of many things where a mistaken belief isn’t harmful. 

     Sometimes however mistaken beliefs are very harmful. A few years ago a woman shot and killed her husband because they were under the impression that a phone book could stop a 9mm bullet. Needless to say it could not and did not. 

     These of course are physical examples but the physical world is not the only place where you can find mistaken beliefs that have very real and very harmful consequences. 

     I have met people who believed there was no God. I’ve met some who believed there was a God but not one to whom they were responsible. I have met people who believed there was a God but that he would save everyone. I have met people who believed that there was a God but that only the purely evil go to hell. I have known people who believed that the universe was God and they would become part of it at death. I have had young well-dressed men come to my door who believed they would someday be gods. 

     Then I have met people who believe in God, believe in Jesus, believe in the Bible but who don’t take it seriously or study it carefully. They may believe that God elected the saved and lost before creation. They may believe that mental affirmation of God’s existence is all that is needed to be in a right relationship. They may believe that we must perform meritorious deeds which will ingratiate us to God. 

     I’m sure you have met many of the same people I have. 

     The troubling thing about all of this is that someday their beliefs will matter. Someday they could be like me going to get a drink from a cactus only to discover that I should have brought a water bottle. In fact, were I to set out into the desert without learning this it could be fatal. I should also add that this is not difficult information to find. 

     Someday all men will enter eternity. My prayer is that before that day they have heard what Peter said to those who learned the good news about God’s plan of redemption through Christ “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.””
     Beliefs have consequences lets be the kind of people who check our beliefs in the light of scripture and help others to do the same.

~ Kevin Cleary