8-9-2015

        Good Morning All!!

           Proverbs 15:1; “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

    As some of you know, I like to umpire baseball.  Some moments are very enjoyable and lighthearted and some are just embarrassing.  One of the more embarrassing ones happened to me a couple of years ago.  It is important to remember that one of the first things you are taught to develop is an “umpire voice;” that is a voice that is clear, authoritative and commanding.  On a play in which the batted ball hit the infield umpire, I yelled, “Dead Ball!” Then I proceeded to make the determination.  As I was doing this, the third base coach came up to me to ask a question.  I proceeded to answer in the clear, authoritative and commanding voice (you can read that as loud as well.)  As I was talking, the coach’s eyes got real wide and he started to back away.  That was when I realized we were only about three feet apart and that I had failed to shift back to a normal voice.  I smiled and chuckled a little then apologized to the coach.  I did not intend to yell at him; I simply forgot to shift voices and explain the rule to him which was all he wanted.  How we answer people matter.

     Over these past few months, Christians have been accused of being bigoted, judgmental, unloving, and cruel and all sorts of other things.  This has often been because of the answers we give.  Some of those answers may very well have been cruel, bigoted and the like and for that we need to repent and apologize; our answers should never be cruel. Yet when we are challenged with questions or comments about homosexuality, living together without marriage, abortion, stealing, lying, or whatever sin of the moment is; when we are challenged with the accusation that we are just judging people or cruel or bigoted; we need to steer the conversation a different direction.  The question is never about me; the question is always about Jesus.

    When we are asked a question about sin, our response would be better served if we said, “It is not about what I think but about serving God.”  The sequence could go something like this.  “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?”  If their answer is “no” then the discussion is over. You cannot expect an unbeliever to live and act as a believer.  If they answer “yes” then the next question is “Does this mean that you surrender your life and your will to be Jesus’ life and will?”  If they answer “no” then this means that they do no really believe; if they answer “yes”  then the answer is to search God’s Word to know God’s will.  It is vital that we always remember, “It is not about me; it is always about Jesus.”  It is always about the relationship that we have with God for when we have a right relationship with God we will have a right relationship with each other.   This is the message but we are to always deliver it with love and compassion.

Father, there are many times when I am harsh.  Forgive me and lead me to always seek to give a gentle answer.  Give me the confidence to know that your truth will always stand; its power is beyond any human thought.  Lead me to be confident in your grace.  Lead me safely in your will.  In the precious name of Jesus, I pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret