A Bunch of Samaritans

Today's blog comes at the end of a trying week. Thankfully, God reigns. During this week, the nation experienced tension and turmoil. A debate turned to a debacle. The media...well, they do their thing. Most trying for us this week began with a sickness and a little boy. As I watched him struggle to give me a thumbs up from his hospital bed, my world stopped.

Understand this. I live in North Carolina. Alamance County to be exact. I grew up here. In this area, regardless of who you are, what color your skin is, or what party you vote for, we are family. Never has that been more evident than in what has transpired over the past seventy-two hours. Noah, my cousin's son, fell ill and even to this moment, we are unsure what is the root cause. His daddy, though genealogy says he is my cousin, is more of a brother to me. We grew up together, along with our cousin Bryan, a 1980's version of The Three Amigos. Where one went, the other two joined. Now, as Cliff and Kelli's heart broke for their son, our hearts broke too.

Many of you know these facts. But I blog today for the untold story. I write this morning about that which will never be on your local news and will not make the headlines of the major national news networks. As a majority of the world focuses on what divides us, we have witnessed the other side of that narrative. And it takes us back to Jesus.

As Jesus spoke a parable about who is one's neighbor, He pointed out the actions of a Samaritan. The Jews looked at the Samaritans with contempt, yet Jesus makes a Samaritan the righteous one in the story. The parable paints the picture of a man beaten and unable to help himself. Others pass by. The Samaritan stopped. Jesus said, "But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion." (Luke 10:33 HCSB)

The Samaritan saw a need and moved. He bandaged the wounds and carried the helpless man to the inn. He paid for the beaten man to receive the care he needed. The Samaritan promised to return to further help. 

This week, a story of Samaritans emerged in our area and beyond. As I said, this story won't make the headlines of news outlets, but it tells a different story of our area and of our nation. When Noah struggled to get into the hospital, an African American teenager picked him up and carried him inside. The young man saw a boy and a mother in desperation and the teenager moved. Swarms of doctors and nurses actively addressed the needs and worked to give Noah the care he needed. A chaplain stationed herself with his mother and father. Friends organized a GoFundMe account to help the family. Churches met and prayed for healing. Thousands across the nation prayed for a boy they'd never met. A radio station opened its doors for a community prayer. 

These Samaritans held one thing in common - compassion. Though they came from different races, different careers, different denominations, and various places, they were moved by the need that stood before them. I saw a community band together. I saw the embodiment of the heart Jesus spoke of when He spoke of the Good Samaritan. And that's why I call this place home. 

What will change this world? I believe it will be a group of Christ-following Good Samaritans moved by the needs of those around them. As I watched these Samaritans at work this week, I felt restored in my belief that truly there is a different story to be told. In a time of need, these set aside their lives for the needs of a little boy who had always set aside his life for others. This is the real story of our lives.

That Place of Peace

The expanse of the ocean takes the breath away. I stood. There at the beach, the waters roaring, I stood and listened to the sound of crashing waves. For a moment, nothing else in the world garnered my attention. My mind filled with the ocean and the One who made that very ocean. Cares drifted out to sea. Worries sank. For a moment in time, I felt the peace that surpassed all comprehension.

Where is your place you find such a peace? Though a hurricane stomped out a path off the coast, the very strength of the storm served as no match to the strength of a connection with the Lord. The raging inside fell silent to the realization that the One who spoke that ocean into existence is the same God who walks with me. We neglect to take time to find our place of peace. We make excuses as to why we cannot make it to the place. We run around and create even greater storms rather than find the shelter of the Lord who calms a storm with three words.

At our church, we are concluding a series on the storms of life this Sunday. Throughout the series, people commented how they needed the reminders, needed the guidance, and felt the Lord speaking to them. I take no credit. That's what God can do and will do when we seek Him. Deuteronomy 4 says, "But from there, you will search for the Lord your God, and you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29 HCSB) Do we seek Him with all we have - heart and soul? Instead of running away and running around, what if we ran to the Lord in these troubled times?

Our world is a mess. Without perspective, we find ourselves overwhelmed and in fear. However, if you know Jesus, you can find peace even in the face of the strongest winds and waves. If you have a foundation in Christ and heed His words, you can stand. Jesus assured, "The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock." (Matthew 7:25 HCSB)

Take a breath and let the power of God take your breath away today. Find the place where the Lord speaks to you and make the time to go there. Excuses push us to fall into further chaos, but we are called to meet with the Lord. The time given to the Lord is never a waste of time. In fact, it may calm your soul so you can better withstand what comes next. For me, the place where my soul finds rest is Atlantic Beach, NC. What's your place? What are you doing to get to the place where your soul is flooded with the peace that surpasses all comprehension? Go there. Find a way. Escape the flood of the earth and let your soul be flooded with peace. You'll be filled with praise when you meet with the Lord in such a way.

A Coronavirus Confessional

A headline proclaimed that elementary schools may open to students again soon. A drop in tests producing positive results brings hope with each day. Though fears exist as to if there will be round 2 of the pandemic, some normality emerges with each passing day. I sit here on Friday night and recall what life looked like prior to the shutdown. I remember the non-stop pursuit of everything.

Now, six months later, I look at what I have learned in the pandemic. Were there lessons to be garnered? Absolutely, and those who are wise embrace the knowledge gained and carry it forward. As a writer and a pastor, I thought I would share what I learned.

1 - Slowing down is a good thing. The ever-existent pursuit of whatever we pursue keeps life in motion. Reaching goals brings fulfillment and satisfaction, but never taking a breather along the way is dangerous. God created us to take a moment rather than live full-throttle. Just as the Creator of the heavens and earth, the One who designed our lives, took a break after creation, we need the break as well. In the Ten Commandments, God said, "You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work - you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner within your gates." (Exodus 20:9-10 HCSB) He was right. I lived wrong. Most of us did. Our mistake was to say we would slow down later. God said to slow down weekly.

2 - Enjoy who you have. Most nights, I return home late. Pandemic life meant less meetings, less late-night commitments. I discovered time for my children. Whether it was setting off sparklers in the driveway, making homemade pizzas, or even the game of Monopoly that lasted forever, time often neglected became time embraced. One night, we stood in the garage and threw Snap 'N Pops for a half-hour. Furthermore, I had more time to meet with God. The clearing of a schedule meant I had no excuse to push God down the line. 

3 - Enjoy what you have. For weeks, I preached in an empty sanctuary. At most, I was there with the sound guys and the video guy. Most of the time, however, it was me and the Holy Spirit in that place. I missed the congregation so deeply that we planned a cookout when we were able to meet in person again. Never did I think we could see a season where we could not meet in church. When it happened, I found how desperately I need the body of Christ together.

4 - Don't go back. They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting a different result. If I learned anything during the pandemic, I learned not to go back to what I knew before. God tore down idols in my life (sports, work habit, etc.) and now, I assert not to go back to that life I knew before. 

A pandemic shook all we knew. The life of yesterday differs from the life of today. Though it is hard to praise the Lord in the middle of storms like this, I know we can still praise Him because we needed life to be shaken up. I, for one, will only praise because it was a pandemic that forced me to reassess who I am, where I was headed, and what took priority in my life. How about you? Has it changed you?

The Echo of Ultimate Sacrifice

I rolled over to see the second plane crash into a tower. My attention shifted from the plan for the day to being immersed in a plan of evil that paused our lives. For days, I watched coverage. For weeks, a numbness swept over my life like I had never known before. As I sat in North Carolina, my heart relocated to New York City, Washington, and Pennsylvania. 

Interviews with those in the area grabbed my attention. I will never forget those images. I continue to hear the echo of the voices. That day altered my life...forever.

Nineteen years later, I continue to feel a brokenness about that day. So many never made it home to see their children. Some never had a chance to tell a loved one good-bye. Then, there were the police and the fire fighters who ran into the building. As the crowds ran away, they hurried toward the devastation. Though their lives hung the balance, the lives of others were on the line so they sacrificed.

Many never made it home. First responders made a sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice, for people they never knew. When I think of those first responders, their images illustrate for me what Jesus meant when He said, "No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13 HCSB)

We swore on that day to never forget. But has our memory of what transpired changed the way we conduct our lives? What did we learn about sacrifice on that day that we model today?

Jesus spoke those words of sacrifice and love to the disciples as He prepared to lay down His life for them. He never said, "You guys should thank me", nor did He bemoan what had to take place. Rather than chastise their inability to redeem themselves, He took the step they needed Him to take. He turned toward the cross.

Today, I sit and think about that day. It started as a normal day for nearly all of us. Yet, what transpired shook us to the core. As I look back, nearly two decades later, there is a beauty that rose from the ashes. The beautiful display of sacrifice and love challenge me to do better. The heart of those who ran toward the helpless force me to break free from my comfortable to help those in need. The words of Jesus and His actions convict me to be about something bigger.

What sacrifice can you make today for someone else? As we remember the fallen, we honor them by appreciating what we have and giving to those who are in need. As we think about Jesus and His words of what great love is, we pause what we are doing to help someone do what they cannot on their own. When we do, that day becomes a day our friends, neighbors, and complete strangers will never forget.

A Voice that Echoes Across Generations

Charismatic. Champion. Coach. Friend. Such words can be said of a man whose physical life ended on April 28, 1993. Each year, ESPN sets aside a week to honor the memory of Jim Valvano, featuring a replay of his speech at the ESPY awards and marquee college basketball games, while raising money and awareness of the foundation that features his name, the Jimmy V Foundation that is leading the fight against cancer. This week, each year, we hear words that echo to today though spoken over twenty-five years ago.

What speaks to me each year is the fact that Jimmy V left the world at an early age. There he stood on that stage, speaking to an audience who sat with the same mindset we hold most days - a belief that they had plenty of time. He stood before an audience that held on to every word he spoke and he encouraged them to never give up. He was helped down the stairs by two friends, Dick Vitale and Coach K. So much was wrapped into a few moments in time, but the lessons from that night are still as true today.

1 - Life is brief - we often have that belief that we have so much longer to live. We are sure that we will see our children grow up, that we will know our grandchildren, that we will retire, and will live to an age that denotes longevity. But what if we don't? What if tomorrow is not a day we will see on this earth? The Bible tells us, "Lord, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days. Let me know how transitory I am." (Psalm 39:4 HCSB) As Jimmy V spoke that night, he knew that there was a chance he would die soon. Therefore, every moment became more valuable, every word more impactful, and every memory made more cherished. Live today with an eye on eternity. See this moment as a blessing and a every opportunity as special. Jimmy V struggled to get to the ESPY awards that night, but the world was better off because he went. Don't waste opportunities believing that other chances will come along. They might not.

2 - Make friends - Seeing Jimmy V being helped down the stairs by Coach K was incredible. The two had been heated rivals but there near the end, they had become friends. Have friends in life. I recently saw a video where Coach K was reflecting on his friendship with Jimmy V over two decades later, revealing the impact of such a connection that they shared. Friends aren't optional in life. They are a necessity. The very presence of a friend can help us to persevere when we are tired or frustrated, they provide laughter and share in our grief, and most importantly, they get us. They understand what makes us tick and we understand the same about them. What once was a rival was now by his side when he drew his last breath, showing the world the value of a friend's presence in our lives. Jesus even used the friendship relationship to speak about love in John 15:13, when He said, "No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends." Find the ones who will lay aside themselves for you and the ones that you would give up all of your life for them.

3 - Remember the message - His words were to never give up. As he stood there fighting cancer, he also stood as an inspiration because he was living the message he was proclaiming. Don't give up. Keep pushing regardless of the odds you are facing. See how your resiliency in your life might be what inspires someone else to be resilient in their lives. Paul wrote, "Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroy, our inner person is being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16 HCSB). Be an inspiration through your determination. In a world of quitters, people are desperate to find others who will push through and keep going no matter what they face.

Following such life lessons will ensure that you will live a life that echoes beyond your time here on earth. You will make the most of your time, love those around you more deeply, and reach heights that are higher than you can imagine simply remembering three B's - brevity (of life), blessing (of friends), and boldness (not quitting).

What Was Missing

Every year is filled with highs and lows. Though, as a pastor and Christian writer, most expect me to put a positive spin on everything, to look at everything as positive in some way, I am honest. There are seasons and spans of times where even I am simply trying to stay alive and draw that next breath. Life can be overwhelming. The statement doesn't reveal some hidden lack of faith, but rather is an honest assessment of what we all face on a daily basis. Some seasons are filled with joy after joy. Other seasons, pain and frustrations leave their marks, a stabbing of the soul that only time and a renewed vision can heal.

Thanksgiving has just passed. Though the week is most definitely one of the busiest of the year, it is nonetheless one of the most fulfilling. Thanksgiving services bring about a focus on what we have been blessed with, the simple joys and blessings that we often overlook. There are times for family and friends. We make a point to verbalize what we are thankful for, the blessings that mean so much to us. And in that, we reconnect with what is missing throughout the rest of the year.

Psalm 100 is a well-known psalm that is preached at Thanksgiving. In the psalm, we see what it looks like to be truly thankful. Evidence of gratitude is found in our shouts of triumph, in our service to God, and in our acknowledgment of who He is and what He has done. In Psalm 100:4, we read, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name." (Psalm 100:4 HCSB).

There is no single day mentioned in the passage. Never does the writer of the psalm say that we should be thankful only on Sundays or just at Thanksgiving, but rather, always enter with thanksgiving. In that attitude, we find what was missing because we were created to praise, we are expected to be thankful for what God has done, and we find that we are fulfilled as we think about all the blessings of our lives.

What are you thankful for today? What is it today that you want to stop and express gratitude for realizing that though it is here today, it could be gone tomorrow? The world has plenty enough complaining taking place. What will make the world take note is to begin to hear Christians praising every day, not just on good days, not just at holidays, but every day and in all situations. When we begin our day with thanksgiving to God, we are starting the day off on the right foot. He didn't have to give us today. This day is a gift. The very life we have been given is a gift straight from our Creator.

Think about this. If you know Jesus, you have eternity to be thankful for today and every day. As Lamentations 3:22-24 teaches us that the Lord's mercies are new every day, therefore we can be thankful for mercy today! Look at your family and be thankful. Take note of your friends and express the appreciation they may need to hear today. For the roof over your head, the food on your table, the shoes on your feet, and the air that you breathe, take a moment to thank God. Those who are thankful are those who are the most fulfilled in their lives because rather than focusing on what they do not have, they take note of all they do have.

What is often missing in our lives is not a possession that will bring fulfillment, but rather an attitude of gratitude that reminds us of all we have and the reminder brings an overwhelming sense of fulfillment. Don't let thankfulness end with Thanksgiving Day. Carry it on every day and see how it changes the course of your life!

Give Me More

Some moments in life leave us begging for more. There are times when we are desperate for an activity that we seemingly could do every day, such as golf, shopping, or hanging out with friends. In those times, the urgent desperation of the soul is to experience more, to be in that place for a little while longer. If given the opportunity, we would seize daily a chance for just a little more.

Is that our attitude towards the Lord? Do we long for the next time we can be in the house of the Lord, amongst our brothers and sisters, longing to sing just one more song, to hear just a few more verses of Scripture, to pray together just a little longer? A popular thought and sentiment for the last decade has been that we want to be like the early church, the one in Acts that was thriving. Studying what the group of believers looked like, what the attitude of their heart was, reveals where we need some readjustment in our lives to see those days in the church today.

No one cared about the line at the local K&W. If the pot roast burnt, so be it. What they wanted was more. More of worship together. More of the Word of God in their lives. More time in the presence of the Lord. They were unified and were yearning for more of faith and less of the world. Their desire was not a passing phrase, a holy sentiment uttered before walking on with life as usual. Their actions showed that they had found a greater desire, a deeper hunger for truth.

Acts 2 gives a glimpse of what was happening. Luke wrote, "Every day, they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved." (Acts 2:46-47 HCSB) Every day, they were gathered together. There was devotion and passion. A common hunger for more of Jesus drew the believers together and what broke out was a movement of the Holy Spirit that we read about even today, nearly two thousand years following the days they met in the temple complex.

We live in a world that always wants more, but typically wants more of the wrong things. We want more fulfillment, but we look to the fleeting and never quite find that for which we are longing. We want a peace in our lives, but submerge ourselves deeper into a chaotic world and fail to connect the dots that the chaos of the world will never lead to peace. The desire is to feel secure but we look for security in an insecure culture.

All of what we long for is found in Jesus. Fulfillment is in Jesus, who proclaimed, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again." (John 6:35) Peace comes directly from Christ, who assured the disciples, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you." (John 14:27 HCSB). Security is found when we are in the hands of the Savior of the world, as He assured, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish - ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:28)

May the request of the heart today be, "Give me more Jesus!" Let it be the deepest desire of our hearts in the realization that what He offers far exceeds what the world can offer. May we ask for more times together in worship together and seek out a deeper worship that dives into the depths of the Word of God, wanting more as it continuously transforms us more into His image. If you could have more of anything today, what would it be?