Can’t See the Trees for the Forest

We all know the old saying that someone “can’t see the forest for the trees,” but have you ever thought possibly that some of us can’t see the trees for the forest?

Photo by Adam Kring on Unsplash

When dealing with people, this is the continual tension between focusing either upon the masses or on the individual.

Jesus did both.

Jesus knew, and knows, how to focus on the large group. We read in Mark’s gospel:

And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things (Mark 6.34 emphases mine).”

There’s nothing worse than a flock of sheep with no one to lead them. Jesus knew he was their true shepherd and that he was the one who would need to lead them. What did Jesus see? He saw a great multitude and maneuvered his disciples into action to take care of the need. The disciples, seeing the great crowd could only think of one plan – “Send them away.”

Jesus, however, “… commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties." (Mark 6.39-40) He turns this humongous crowd into something more manageable so his disciples can minister to them. Then, miraculously, he takes a little boy’s sack lunch, gives thanks, and breaks the bread for the disciples to pass out to the 5,000 in attendance. They all went home full instead of hungry. More importantly, they were taught the words of God.

Jesus saw the multitude… but he also saw the individual.

One day, a man asked Jesus to come and heal his daughter. As they went, they were interrupted.

So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging you, and you say, 'Who touched me?'"

The disciples could not see the trees for the forest, but Jesus could.

And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."[i]

The emphasis here is on the individual. Jesus looks through the crowd and senses the presence of a single woman who needs healing. He did this regularly. He was also willing to focus his attention on Nicodemas,[ii] the woman at the well,[iii] and Zacchaeus[iv] just to name a few. He isn’t mesmerized by great crowds as some of us are, he sees the one lost sheep out of the hundred and goes after it.

Jesus does the same for you today. He is able to look through the great mass of humanity, through the vast cities, and through the people on the streets traipsing along like little red ants and see you. He knows your name, rank and social security number and says to you, “Go in peace; be healed.”

May the Lord give us grace to be like Jesus; looking through the great forest of people and identifying the drooping oak or the fledgling sapling – individual people who need a special touch from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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[i]   Mark 5.24-34

[ii]  John chapter 3

[iii] John chapter 4

[iv] Luke chapter 19

Back to the Future

Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

Do you remember as a child not being able to go to sleep at night because you were so excited about a special family outing, someone who was going to come to your house or a big event that was near?

This is how believers should live their lives at all times - wide-eyed with expectancy.

We need to get back to the future. 

Through inspiration, the Apostle Paul wrote:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.[i]

The saving grace of God – that undeserved kindness that God shows to us sinners who believe the good news of Jesus’ death in behalf of our sins – is also a sanctifying grace. It teaches us, in gratitude, to live a life of honesty, faithfulness, discretion, righteousness and goodness. These are important things for us to live by while we’re here.

But everyone needs something to look forward to. This is what the word hope means. Hope is living our lives with expectancy; not just expectancy for today or next week; not just expectancy for the time we are here in this body, but expectancy for the life to come.

Christians ALWAYS have something to look forward to. This body may become frail, diseased or afflicted. Our minds may become feeble. We may lose those we love.

I talked to a lady recently who’s husband had a massive stroke at the age of 49. What does she have to look forward to? What does this man have to look forward to? If they are in Christ, they have much to anticipate. The anticipation of heaven is enhanced when we go through earthly trials.

The blessed hope of the Christian is Jesus and his appearing (Greek, epiphaneia where we get the word epiphany).

He is coming again.

When he does, he will change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,[ii]

When he appears, we we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3.2)

When he does, he will subdue all things unto himself.

It is time we quit living in the past. It is time that we stop focusing solely on this present moment, as important as that is. But it is time we got back to the future. For the Christian believer, the future is brighter than the noonday sun.

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[i] Titus 2.11-14

[ii] Philippians 3.21

Are We Teaching Theology or Me-ology?

When we come in faith to Christ, it is a personal decision –  something God  did  in us to which we respond as individuals to him. I cannot trust in Jesus for you and you cannot trust in Jesus for me. The only Vicar we have   is   Jesus  Christ  who  died vicariously for our atonement.

Our fellowship and walk with him is personal also, not something your husband, wife, mom, dad or uncle can do for you. Jesus told the church of Laodicea, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Emphasis mine).

So, there is a place for applying the scripture personally to ourselves, but my concern is this: We live in a time where everything seems to be about “me.” Our Theology has been turned in to Me-ology.

The Futility of Me-ology

American Christianity knows little about persecution but many Christians in other places do. In North Korea for example:

Christians are seen as hostile elements in society which have to be eradicated. Due to the constant indoctrination permeating the whole country, neighbors and even family members are highly watchful and report anything suspicious to the authorities. Children are especially vulnerable to the heavy indoctrination. Reports show that some children report their own parents for religious activity. Therefore, many parents prefer not to tell their children anything about their Christian faith until they’re older.[i]

Christians there are often deported to labor camps or even killed on the spot. The three men who were recently released to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were devout Christians who suffered under the Kim regime.

So when we produce books like how you can live Your Best Life Now this must ring pretty hollow with Christians elsewhere in the world. Jesus didn’t promise us our best life now, but in heaven. [ii] We wrongly equate prosperity with being blessed of God. While earthly wealth is granted to us by God, many are far worse off because of it, not necessarily better.[iii]

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6.19-20)

Jesus tells us in the same place not to seek for what we will eat, drink or wear, but to “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

The Suppression of Me-ology

Often in our bible studies, we ask one another, “What does this mean to you?” while we should be asking, “What does God mean by what he says here?” There’s a huge difference: Not that any of us has all the answers to the proper interpretation of all scripture, but that it is our goal to be Christocentric, that is, Christ centered, in our pursuit of truth. Who is God and who is Jesus Christ? What are his attributes? Then, we may be free to ask, “How can I know him?”

Me-ology Distorts

Another thing we need to avoid is the exaltation of the human to the degradation of the image of God. We live in a society of humanism – the idea that man can do anything and the idea that if people think something is good it must be good because the human is the standard of right and wrong. This has spilled over into the church as well. Things that used to be considered sin are sin no longer because the society has deemed it so. Things that used to be considered holy are holy no longer because we have laid aside our bibles to be replaced by "science" and "education". When this comes into the church it brings confusion at best and neopaganism at worst.

Letting Go of Ourselves and Embracing Christ

Jesus said, “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10.39).

John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3.30).”

The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me… (Galatians 2.20).”

I know it sounds trite but it’s also true: “It’s not about me.” And – sorry –  it’s not about you. It’s about Jesus, our God and Savior. Only if our focus is on him, will our perspective about ourselves become clear. We can only understand ourselves in the periphery of his glory.

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[i]  https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/north-korea/

[ii] Matthew 6.19-20

[iii] See Matthew 19.24; 1 Timothy 6.9; Proverbs 15.27

Living Without Regret

“Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”[i]

Many of us have had more regrets that we care to mention. We’d be embarrassed to talk about many of them. We might wish to be able to remedy our failures, but it may be too late for some of them.

At a conference I attended years ago, a gentleman stood to introduce a well known preacher. He told of many of his accomplishments and how highly regarded he was as a speaker. He concluded his introduction with these words: “Everywhere he’s gone, he’s never struck out.”

When the speaker came to the podium he said; “Don’t you just love these Baptist introductions? I’ve struck out! I’ve struck out as a pastor. I’ve struck out with my family and I’ve struck out as a person.” He then went on to preach a wonderful message.

I have told many people that if they would take good care of an ailing parent now, however difficult, that they would never regret it in the future but if they didn't they might regret it.

I regret many of the words I’ve spoken to my dearest friend – my wife. I regret not engaging more often with my children. I regret the times I didn’t take a clear stand for the Lord Jesus Christ. There are things I’ve done that I wish I hadn't and things I haven’t done that I wish I had.[ii]

Thank God though, that he has prevented me from experiencing many more regrets than I would have if I’d never come to know him. I was on the slippery slope that could have led to my destruction. If he hadn’t come into my life when he did, I would have landed very violently.

He has guided me through many rough patches that I could’ve never made it through without him.

How can any of us live a life without regret?

• Place your faith in the only really trustworthy person there is – the Lord Jesus. Only he knows all there is to know. Only he knows you – even better than yourself. Only he loves you perfectly and consistently. He always has your best interest in mind.
  
• Let God’s word be your guide. The bible has commandments, precepts and principles that will give you direction in the most uncanny ways. The Holy Spirit, who resides in the believer, will use his word to enlighten your mind and direct your heart.
  
• Pray for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1.5).
  
• Stay close to God.

• Confess your sins when you (and you will) falter. Then, turn from those sins.
  
• Love God and love people. The great commandment of the scripture, (and the second alike) according to Jesus, is to “…love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."[iii]
  
• Take responsibility for the realm in which God has placed you. None of us has to accomplish everything – only what God lays before us.

• Don’t give up. The apostle Paul said that he lived his life “in all good conscience before God.”[iv] He also said;

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

May we all so live our lives – without regret.

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[i]    My Way – song written by Paul Anka- sung by Frank Sinatra

[ii] “For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7.15)

[iii]  Luke 10.27

[iv]  Acts 23.1; 2 Timothy 1.3