Mulling…

Something about it sticks like honey – dripping mystery-sweet.

“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.” (Luke 16:8-10 – parable of the shrewd manager)

At first, I’m bothered by the apparent instruction to gain friends for my own comfort. ‘Is Jesus telling me to give for selfish reasons? What else could it mean? Lord, open my eyes!’

…Maybe the point is not that these friends are there to welcome me, but simply that they are there; that their presence in that eternal home is impacted by my use of worldly resources.

The honey mystery drips … possibility … opportunity …  Maybe this passage is an answer to the pleas I’ve sung. “For our inheritance give us the lost”. [1] How many times have I asked to be used to bring people to Christ? … and asked what I can do?

Sweet honey answers thrill my mouth to a grin as I recall how I was won. How anyone is... He loved us so much… that he gave. [2] 

I feel like the person who found treasure, buried it in a field, and sold everything he had to buy that field. 
… could it be? Could everything I have be a resource to love people into heaven?

The sweet flows thick…

How can I invest my time ‘to benefit others’? Abilities? Possessions?

Scripture flashes through my mind faster than I can pause to think about

‘store up treasure in heaven’

‘you are the crown I receive for my work’

‘make use of every opportunity…’

‘… hold back those staggering toward destruction…’

‘sell everything, give to the poor, then you will have treasure in heaven…’

‘pure and genuine religion… is caring for orphans and widows in distress…’

‘love others as I loved you…’

How did He love?

What do I have that is mine to keep?

Can I really exchange any temporary things for eternal treasures?

How fitting that the next thing Jesus warns against is the love of money; serving two masters.
How frightening that the story after that is one of a man who refused to share what he had with the poor beggar at his door and ended up in eternal torment...

What does it say about the state of my heart if I decide not to share my resources?

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, 

and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 

Matthew 12:35

As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. 

Proverbs 27:19

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” 

John 15: 12-14

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[1] “Show Your Power” by Kevin Prosch

[2] John 3:16

Is God Good?

Often I've imagined the Christian life to look a little like ... someone twirling on top of a hill singing 'The hiiiiillls are aliiiiive... with the sound of muuusic...'


I think not.


To 'love God and love your neighbor as yourself' sounds easy if you say it fast...


But to love others is done in the midst of confusion and pain ... it is not a dance on a hill. Immeasurable by degrees of comfort or even happiness, Godly love is grueling work.


How could it be less? Living God's love is


Believing beyond logic
Serving when I'm tired
Giving when its costly
loving our enemies

Who chooses this?!

'Love God and love others' is especially hard to understand as I perceive more and more the suffering in this dark world. This place is steeped in the kind of evil that skins people alive, buys and sells women and children, and abuses their families behind closed doors. This world is full of poverty illness, starvation, jealousy, pride, heartache and tears.  ... what is there to love?


It is here, in the middle of frustration and heartache I'm paused to decide - do I believe God is good? With all this suffering and evil ... is this a contradiction?


Regarding the necessity of suffering, CS Lewis states (in The Problem of Pain),


"Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free-wills involve, and you will find that you have excluded life itself". 


This video illustrates well the issue of suffering and goodness co-existing:

I believe God is good - not just because the Bible tells me so, but because I've seen His hand in my life. I've experienced a small piece of who He is. Yes, God is good when He gives me the blessings I want (kindness), but in my suffering He is also good. 


Examples from my life: 

Rejection served to protect me from things and people that would have dragged me away from God. It also served to soften my heart towards others who are rejected. It also opened my heart to receive God's acceptance. 

Being imprisoned by fear allowed me to see life is fearful when not submitted to the loving hand of my Father. It allowed me to come to Him for comfort - to be freed. It also, again, gave me compassion for those who are slaves to fear.

Christian life is not a dance on a hill. It is training. 

Suffering = training

"But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be 

a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."

Hebrews 12:10

I'm beginning to understand James' words: 

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow! When your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete needing nothing." 

And, to close I would like to share CS Lewis' insight about how everything under heaven DOES serve God's purpose whether it is through good or evil.

"A merciful man aims at his neighbour's good as so does 'God's' will, consciously co-operating with 'the simple good'. A cruel man oppresses his neighbour and so does simple evil. But in doing such evil he is used by God, without his knowledge or consent, to produce the complex good — so that the first man serves God as a son, and the second as a tool. For you will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John"

May I serve as a true disciple, one who is trained for holiness. 

May I view all suffering as an opportunity for God's power to be displayed. 

May I realize my own bent toward evil. 

May I repent and rely always on my Father to forgive me, cleanse me, and train me to live with Him forever.

Thank you Jesus, for loving me so much that you would teach and use me even if it means I must suffer.

Thank you for suffering for and with me. 

I praise your Good name! 

You    Are   Good.

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Love In Action

"... let's not merely say that we love each other; 

let us show the truth by our actions."

1 John 3:18

As I teach my kids to be thankful for all God provides, it naturally comes up that others do not have the same things we do. Clean water ... food every day ... a warm bed to sleep in... not everyone has that, and we are thankful we do.

But it doesn't stop there. 

One day, as I explained that we can help others, one of my kids (who is particularly sensitive to spiritual matters) said, "I want to help now"  He pushed  me to discover how we can work to help NOW. 

I love that kid... 

So, our 'love in action' looks like this: 

1: We sell our baking to friends and family

2: With those funds, we buy groceries to give to the local food bank

My son inspects their creation

Ideally, we would then be able to help in that food bank. Looks so far like that won't be a possibility, but we can tour the facility - maybe even on a distribution day - so these young ones can get a better understanding of how they can make a difference and how we can help each other. 


... so if you are close friend or family reading this, you may get a visit with our order form in the next week or two ... (and if we miss you but you'd like to contribute, let me know!) 


I'm excited to share more with you as we bake like crazy, and live love.

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