A Good Name

If you had taken a random survey of names in a playground at the turn of the century, you might have counted a fair number of Johns and even an Ethel or two among the smiling faces. These days, you're more apt to run into a Michael or a Kaitlyn. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Census the most used names for a male child has been Michael. Michael, which is translated from Hebrew into English as “who is like God?” was an archangel prominent in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions. In the Bible and early Jewish literature, Michael is one of the angels of God's presence. He is depicted as a warrior-prince leading the celestial armies against wicked forces and as Israel's guardian angel. He was an intermediary between God and Moses on Mt. Sinai. Michael also confronted the devil over Moses' right of proper burial. In Christian tradition he is the angel with the sword. The Scripture indicates he will be the leading angel in the ultimate defeat of Satan at the end of the world. Certainly no one would doubt the strength of this good name! And, a good name is something all of us should take very seriously. Solomon certainly understood this truth when he wrote the following: A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all. The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. (Proverbs 22:1-5 ESV). A good name is so important. Take Edwin Thomas, for instance. Edwin Thomas Booth, that is. At age fifteen he debuted on the stage playing Tressel to his father’s Richard III. Within a few short years he was playing the lead in Shakespearean tragedies throughout the United States and Europe. He was the Olivier of his time. He brought a spirit of tragedy that put him in a class by himself. Edwin had a younger brother, John, who was also an actor. Although he could not compare with his older brother, he did give a memorable interpretation of Brutus in the 1863 production of Julius Caesar, by the New York Winter Garden Theater. Two years later, he performed his last role in a theater when he jumped from the box of a bloodied President Lincoln to the stage of Ford’s Theater. John Wilkes Booth met the end he deserved. But his murderous life placed a stigma over the life of his brother Edwin. An invisible asterisk now stood beside his name in the minds of the people. He was no longer Edwin Booth the consummate tragedian, but Edwin Booth the brother of the assassin. He retired from the stage to ponder the question why? Edwin Booth’s life was a tragic accident simply because of his last name. The sensationalists wouldn’t let him separate himself from the crime. It is interesting to note that he carried a letter with him that could have vindicated him from the sibling attachment to John Wilkes Booth. It was a letter from General Adams Budeau, Chief Secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant, thanking him for a singular act of bravery. It seems that while he was waiting for a train on the platform at Jersey City, a coach he was about to board bolted forward. He turned in time to see that a young boy had slipped from the edge of the pressing crowd into the path of the oncoming train. Without thinking, Edwin raced to the edge of the platform and, linking his leg around a railing, grabbed the boy by the collar. The grateful boy recognized him, but he didn’t recognize the boy. It wasn’t until he received the letter of thanks that he learned it was Robert Todd Lincoln, the son of his brother’s future victim. This lesson from Proverbs gives us insight into the development of a good name. It begins with true humility. It continues in truthful righteous living. It ends with a genuine reverence of the Lord. Whatever your name may be, commit yourself to these things. Then you will have a good name!

Penguins in Peril

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 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. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. (2 Corinthians 5:1-11 ESV). Oil spills are some of the most challenging environmental disasters. These toxic spills pollute the ocean, often injuring and killing animals that live there. Birds and mammals need to be captured, cleaned, and given medical treatment to have a chance of survival. Rescue workers must act quickly and sometimes creatively. In January 2000 an oil spill near Phillip Island, Australia, threatened the tiny penguins that live there. The penguins' home was already at risk. In the last eighty years the penguins have lost more than ¾ of their Phillip Island breeding area, mostly as a result of human actions. Rescue workers at the Phillip Island Nature Park tried different ways to keep the penguins warm and to stop them from swallowing the deadly oil. Dressing the penguins in doll sweaters proved to be the most successful technique. Soon, news of the penguins' need for sweaters spread via the Internet. Knitters in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States downloaded penguin sweater patterns and set to work. Some got very excited, adding special touches, like little bows. Others knitted sweaters in the colors of their favorite sports teams. The birds' shiny feathers are coated in natural oils that keep them warm and waterproof in the icy waters. The crude oil from the spill destroys the penguins' natural oils. When this happens, the birds cannot protect themselves from the cold. To make matters worse, penguins clean and smooth their feathers using their beaks. If a penguin preens after an oil spill, it will swallow poisonous oil, and probably die. The wool sweaters keep in the penguins' body heat, and prevent them from being poisoned by the oils. The tiny Phillip Island penguins, known as Fairy Penguins, or Little Penguins, are only half as tall as the famous Emperor Penguins of Antarctica. In fact, they are the smallest penguins in the world. Their sweaters are about 9 inches high and 4 inches wide, with openings for the head and flippers. The sweaters must be pure wool to provide enough warmth for the penguins. "They look so cute," said Pat Gallup, who coordinated a Canadian effort to make sweaters. "You can just see their heads and little flippers sticking out." So if you visited Phillip Island a year from now, would you see groups of little penguins in sweaters swimming along? No, the sweaters aren't forever. After the penguins are cleaned and dressed in the sweaters, they are put in salt-water pools at the rehabilitation center. As they swim and regain their strength, the salt water destroys the wool. By the time the penguins are ready to return to the ocean, their natural oils will have come back, and they can go home dressed only in their feathers. The Holy Spirit is our “sweater” of protection against this world’s pollution and poison. As long as we live in this world we have His presence to keep us safe. However, we also have the unalterable promise of God that we will be released from the encumbrance of this world’s flesh and given a new immortal body. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. Be encouraged today! Put on the Holy Spirit and rest in Him!

Real Contentment

A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. (Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 ESV). Solomon has described the typical attitude of most people in this passage of Scripture. The Bridger Wilderness Area asks hikers in this pristine area to fill out comment cards. These are actual comments left by hikers:  Trail needs to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.  Too many bugs and leaches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests.  Please pave the trails so they can be plowed of snow during the winter.  Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them.  The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals.  A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call ___ ___ ____.  Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so people can hike at night with flashlights.  Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.  Need more signs to keep area pristine.  A McDonalds would be nice at the trailhead.  The places where trails do not exist are not well marked.  TOO Many Rocks... There is humor in each of these. However, there is also a significant insight to be gained into how we have become so accustomed to our comforts. Contentment comes from an inner quality of trust in the overcoming plan and purpose of God working in our lives. Even when bad things happen to us, our trust can lead us to overcome those feelings of loss and capture the true sense of victory that is ours through Christ. The Apostle Paul knew that and taught it to the Corinthian Christians. After listing all of the many deprivations and trials he had endured, he wrote: For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV). His strength will bring contentment as we trust in Him more and more each day. Commit yourself to that kind of faith as you pray this morning.

Beauty Tips

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! (Psalm 96:1-9 ESV). Audrey Hepburn, five-time Oscar nominee and winner of the 1953 Academy Award for Best Actress, was an enchanting actress famous for her roles in films such as Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954), Funny Face (1957), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), and My Fair Lady (1964). It was in her humanitarian efforts that Audrey's stunning inner beauty and elegance shone through. Named goodwill ambassador and spokesperson for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 1986, Audrey devoted the last years of her life to tirelessly touring Africa and South America to help hungry children. The following are her “beauty tips” (her words are italicized). With summer in full swing, I thought you might be interesting in improving your “beauty.” 1. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. There are no more wonderful gifts to give to others than words of encouragement and comfort. Instead of collagen, try kindness for beautiful lips. 2. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. Someone has said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Real inner beauty is reflected in our search for beauty in others. Look for the good all around you today. 3. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. In America we have come to believe there is no hunger since it seems so easy to find food nearly everywhere you look. However, there are still many pockets of poverty in our country and around the world. Get involved with those who are needier than you. 4. For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day. This is just another way of encouraging us to be kind and patient to the children in our life. Children are such a challenge at times. Practice patience and love with them. 5. For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone. There will never come a time when we will be left alone to fend for ourselves. Christ is always with us. Walk in that unshakable faith. 6. People, even more than things have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Never throw out anybody. No one is so bad as to be impossible to reach. Keep loving and praying for all those you know. 7. Remember: If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

In God We Trust

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson “to bring in a device for a seal of the United States of America.” After many delays, Congress finally approved a verbal description of a design by William Barton on June 20, 1782. The seal shows an American bald eagle with a ribbon in its mouth bearing the device E pluribus unum, which translates into English as “one out of many”. In its talons are the arrows of war and an olive branch of peace. On the reverse side it shows an unfinished pyramid with an eye, the eye of Providence, above it. Although this description was adopted in 1782, the first drawing was not made until four years later, and no die has ever been cut. There are many such symbols in our national logos. “In God We Trust” first appeared on U.S. coins after April 22, 1864, when Congress passed an act authorizing the coinage of a 2-cent piece bearing this motto. Thereafter, Congress extended its use to other coins. On July 30, 1956, it became the national motto. Like many others, however, I wonder how much we truly trust in God. Abraham Lincoln said it so well: We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. While that was spoken over a century ago, it could be words spoken today. So many things tear at the fabric of our nation. The time is long past for us to heed the wisdom of David written to Israel many thousands of years ago. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. (Psalm 37:1-6 ESV). In the 1830's Alexis de Tocqueville toured America. When his tour had been completed, he made this observation: "I have toured America, and I have seen most of what you offer. I've seen the richness of the fields and the wealth of your mines. I've seen your industrial might, the beauties of the rivers, the streams, the lakes, and the grandeur of the mountains. I've noticed the abundance of the forests and the marvelous climate with which you are blessed. In none of these things did I see the cause for the greatness of America. It wasn't until I went into your churches that I saw the reason for America's greatness. America is great because America is good; and as long as America is good, America will be great. If it ever ceases to be good, it will cease to be great." To be good, America must once again trust in the Lord! And if America ever trusts in the Lord it will be one person at a time. The next time you reach into your purse or pocket to pay for something, read the motto on our money and be reminded to “trust in God.”

Morse Code

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14 ESV). In 1844, Samuel Morse demonstrated to Congress the practicality of telegraphy by transmitting his famous message of “What hath God wrought?” over a wire from Washington to Baltimore. With that event modern telecommunications took a great stride forward and thousands of people were able to connect with one another in seconds. Morse code is a series of dots and dashes reproduced electronically and transmitted by wire from one station to another. It is almost a lost science today. Most people could not recognize the code nor read it. For example, do you know what the following code translates: … --- … ? It is the internationally recognized code for “help,” or “SOS.” Here’s one more series of code: ---. --- -.. .--- --- …- --- -.-- --- ..- That message may be the most important one you ever receive! It translates, “God loves you.” But what good is a message if you cannot understand it? This is the truth that John reminds us of in our text this morning. God knew we needed to know of His love in a way that would be unmistakable. So He sent Jesus, His only begotten Son to convey that message. The land of Persia was once ruled by a wise and beloved Shah who cared greatly for his people and desired only what was best for them. One day he disguised himself as a poor man and went to visit the public baths. A furnace in the cellar heated the water for the baths, so the Shah made his way to the dark place to sit with the man who tended the fire. The two men shared the coarse food, and the Shah befriended him in his loneliness. Day after day the ruler went to visit the man. The worker became attached to this stranger because he "came where he was". One day the Shah revealed his true identity, and he expected the man to ask him for a gift. Instead, he looked long into his leader's face and with love and wonder in his voice said, "You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat my coarse food, and to care about what happens to me. On others you may bestow rich gifts, but to me you have given yourself!" As we think of what our Lord has done for us, we can echo that fire tender's sentiments. Oh, what a step our Lord took -- from heaven to earth, from the worship of angels to the mocking of cruel men, from glory to humiliation! And all of that so that we could understand the message that God loves us!

Not My Problem

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 ESV). The Browns were shown into the dentist's office, where Mr. Brown made it clear he was in a big hurry. "No fancy stuff, Doctor," he ordered, "No gas or needles or any of that stuff. Just pull the tooth and get it over with." "I wish more of my patients were as stoic as you," said the dentist admiringly. "Now, which tooth is it?" Mr. Brown turned to his wife... "Show him, honey." It's easy to be brave when someone else is the one experiencing the pain! It's also easy to believe that someone else is the only one needing treatment. "Don't look at me, doctor. Take care of her!" There have been times following a particularly challenging sermon when I would hear from people as they exited the church remarks like: “Pastor, you really gave it to them today!” Just the other day a very good friend of mine came to see me. As he was leaving he took a piece of paper and outlined his hand on it. He then presented it to me and said, “Here’s a hand for you.” I looked at him and thanked him very much. I immediately knew what he wanted to say to me, even before he explained it. The outlined hand was much more than a symbol of his appreciation for me. He was giving me an “atta-boy.” All of us need and desire to be appreciated. All of the applause we receive from others is so welcomed and encouraging. But, this was much more than that. It was his way of saying “I’m here for you whenever and for whatever. No matter what might transpire I will be your friend. That’s a far cry from most “friendships” we encounter in our lives. I love the poem I recently happened upon by Dinah Craik. It is titled “Friendship”: O, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, Having neither to weigh thoughts, Nor measure words, but pouring them right out, just as they are Chaff and grain together, Certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, Keep what is worth keeping, And with the breath of kindness blow the rest away. Who do you need to give a “hand” to today? Look for those divine opportunities today to be a friend to those you come into contact with.