A Word about the Frog in the Kettle

Today I want to share a word about the frog in the kettle, as I comment on Judges 16:18-20.  This passage reads:

And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death. And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 

It is a common saying that, “Ignorance is bliss.” Another familiar sentiment is, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.” Both of these old saws are often false, as we find in our Scripture passage for today. What Samson did not know came back to bite him, hard.

WHAT HAPPENED TO SAMSON?

He was a Nazarite and God had been with him. He had been set apart from the time of his birth, and he had judged Israel for 20 years. God had done some mighty works through him to protect His people:

• He had killed a Lion with his bare hands.

• He had killed 30 men of Ashkelon.

• He had killed another 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey.

• He broke the strongest ropes the Philistines had.

Yet, at the time he needed it most, his strength left him, and he was taken by the Philistines. To understand what happened, we must understand what Samson had become.

SAMSON WAS THE FROG IN THE KETTLE:

Christian researcher George Barna once wrote a book entitled, The Frog in the Kettle. This title comes from the idea that if a frog is placed into a kettle when the water is cool, it will not notice how the water grows ever hotter when the heat is turned up under it. Eventually the frog will be boiled to death without ever knowing what was happening to it. Whether or not this is actually true or only a fable, it is a great parable to illustrate how our consciences can become hardened by small and gradual compromises over time. 

Josh McDowell, another noted author, has commented on this tendency in the lives of Christians, and he calls it the “law of diminishing returns.” A little indiscretion (sin) is thrilling for a time, but then it begins to pale and become boring. That prompts us to go a little more over the line to get a thrill or satisfaction, and then even more. 

Even secular writers have observed this phenomenon. In his book, Delinquency and Drift, David Matza promoted the thesis that most felons simply drift, little-by-little, into a life of crime. If the chain of seemingly random and often minor events could be broken, then such an outcome could be averted.

A look at Judges 16 will reveal Samson’s step-by-step into the abyss of failure.

• He associated with a harlot.

• He foolishly misused his great strength.

• He loved an untrustworthy woman.

• Three times he teased Delilah, like a moth dancing over the flames of a candle.

• He had fallen so far that he did not even know it when a man cut his hair.

When he awoke, he didn’t realize that God had removed His power from him. He discovered, to his dismay, that there is a difference between a fire-fighter and a firebug and there is a difference between a trash man and a trashy man.

CAN THIS HAPPEN TO US?

The New Testament says it can, as in 1 Timothy 4:1-2:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron . . .

Also, 2 Timothy 3:1-9 says,

 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;  but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Blessedly, the Scriptures also tell how us to avoid this type of gradual fail-ure as in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 which says:

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.  But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

Also, in Ephesians 4:17-23 Paul taught us this: 

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Finally, the writer of Hebrews in chapter 3:12-15 urged:  

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;  but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said:   "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

CONCLUSION:

One of the most painful memories of parenthood for me was the time my son went on day trip to the beach with the youth group from our church. He spent all day shirt-less in the broiling sun, without realizing how badly sun-burnt he was becoming. When he got home that evening, he had to lie shirt-less on his stomach in bed for a couple of days until the pain became more bearable. When we play with sin, we get burned!

Too often, our young Christian leaders grow in talent, skill, and acclaim faster than they grow in maturity, integrity, and discretion. In the end, the result is disaster, as we saw in the life of Samson. In the words of Jesus, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Every blessing!

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Payback

Today I want to share a word about payback, as I comment on Joel 2:23-32.  This passage reads:

O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.

Like in many families, when my sister and I were younger, we had something of a love-hate relationship. She was older than me, and even though she would never admit it, she took advantage of that. She also took advantage of the fact that I was forbidden by my parents to ever hit her, so she could bedevil me all that she liked, but my means of payback were limited.

Then, one day, I had a brainstorm. My sister often asked me to fetch her something to drink from the kitchen, which gave me an opening that I waited until the opportune moment to seize. On a hot and humid summer’s afternoon, she asked me to bring her a glass of cola from the fridge. And like a panther, I pounced!

I did bring her the glass of cola, but not before I poured a large amount of table salt in it. She took the glass and immediately swallowed a big gulp of cola. It is more accurate to say that she tried to swallow a big gulp of cola, but the salt-laced cola would not go down. Instead, it burst forth from her mouth and nostrils with such force that I am surprised it didn’t shoot out of her ears as well! I truly got my payback . . . until she clobbered me, that is. You see, I couldn’t hit her, but she could, and did on that occasion, hit me! Still, at the time I thought it was worth it to get some payback.

In our passage for today, Joel tells us about how God is going to payback his people. His way of doing so will be a great deal more palatable than what I did to my sister!

THE DAY OF THE LORD:

Joel was one of the earliest of the Minor Prophets. His theme was “The Day of the Lord,” which would be a day of judgment and of settling accounts with God. In that regard, one writer called him the “First and last of the Minor Prophets,” because he wrote early about events in the end times.

Like all the Old Testament prophets, Joel’s message applied to Biblical Israel as well as to God’s people of the future. The Kingdom of Judah did experience “The Day of the Lord” when they were overtaken by Babylon, but another day of judgment is coming, the final day when God will create the New Heaven and the New Earth. Some people, probably many people, will regret that day, but God’s People will rejoice, because their payback will be quite different!

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL:

God is well aware that His People are “strangers in a strange land.” One of the key elements of salvation is regeneration; that is, people who were dead in their sin are born again and become new creatures. Regenerate people are citizens of Heaven and not citizens of this world, and that causes us much trouble.

We know that the way that leads to destruction is broad, and the way that leads to salvation is narrow, but I am convinced that they are superimposed on each other. What I mean by that is believers are walking toward Heaven in the midst of the flood of people who are walking towards destruction. Therefore, we get jostled and bumped, and even pushed back from time to time, although our movement in life is ever forwards toward “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Jesus, of course, lived among us, and He understands the struggle. As God and man, He was able to negotiate His life on earth immeasurably better than we can, even with the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, He walked many miles in our shoes. Because of this, He can and does identify with us and our often-difficult journey of life.

THE DAY OF BLESSING:

As difficult as life on earth can be, God will repay His people for their faithfulness. If we look carefully at our passage for today, we can see that God will do so in a holistic manner.

• First, the ultimate Day of the Lord has a physical element: We will have new, glorified bodies.
• Next, the ultimate Day of the Lord has an emotional element: We will not be put to shame by God.
• Finally, the ultimate Day of the Lord has a spiritual element: We will be saved from our sin, and we will be in the right relationship with God forevermore.

God is perfect, and His repayment to us will also be perfect. We have a great blessing to look forward to when The Day of the Lord appears!

CONCLUSION:

When R.G. Lee preached his famous sermon “Payday Someday,” it was based on a different passage of Scripture, but the point is still the same. When the time comes for payback, which side will we be on? I pray for all of us that we will be on the Lord’s side!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Interdependence

Today I want to share a word about interdependence, as I comment on Joshua 1:10-18. This passage reads:

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it. And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage. 

One of my favorite memories from raising our children was the season of life when they were learning to dress themselves. Often, as they struggled to tie their shoes or button their shirts, we would reach out to help them. Invariably, they would pull away from us, protesting vigorously, “I can do it myself!” Whenever I think of that it makes me smile, but it also causes me pause. 

One of the deeply ingrained values in America is the idea of rugged individualism. This is the same idea expressed by the Frank Sinatra song which proudly proclaimed that “I did it my way!” It is also echoed by the final words to the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley which famously, or maybe infamously declared, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Even our doctrine of salvation has often been used to promote the idea of the autonomy of the individual, like in the folk song which said, “Me and Jesus, we got our own thing going, me and Jesus, we got it all worked out. Me and Jesus, we got our own thing going, we don’t need anybody to tell us what it’s all about!”

We often pursue this value of rugged individualism to the point of it becoming a hinderance rather than a help. If we would consider the Biblical record, however, it will give us a different perspective.

THE REQUEST:

When the Children of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt, God had Moses lead them to the east bank of the Jordan River. This took far longer than it should have, because of the sin of the people and of Moses, but the day came when they were assembled at the Jordan and Moses and Joshua were preparing them to enter and possess Canaan, the land that they were promised by God. The specter of individualism arose, however.

The tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh looked around themselves and thought, “Hey, this place is great. We are already here, we like it, and we want to stay. We are tired of all this wandering around. We want to stay right where we are.” And so, they petitioned Moses to grant them their inheritance in that fertile piece of land east of the Jordan River.

God, being a loving and benevolent God, allowed the two-and-a-half tribes to settle in their chosen land. They were allowed to build houses for their families, corrals for their animals, and to make a life for themselves there. There was, however, one requirement.

THE REQUIREMENT:

When the leaders of Rueben and Gad made their petitions known to Moses, this was his immediate reply:

And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? Numbers 32:6-7

Moses quickly reminded these two-and-a-half tribes that it was not right for them to sit in their homes, fat and sassy, while their brothers were having to fight for their inheritance. Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh didn’t have to even break a fingernail to gain their portion of the land. Moses (and God) would not stand idly by and allow them to take a knee while the rest of the Children of Israel were fighting. Not only was this morally and spiritually wrong, it also would wound the hearts and the morale of the rest of the tribes.

To their credit, the leaders of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh readily agreed to these terms. But there was a twist that might have been unexpected. You see, not only were these two-and-a-half tribes expected to fight alongside the rest of Israel, but they were also assigned to lead the charge. 

As we read in our Scripture passage for today, the two-and-a-half tribes were told to cross the river first, leading the way into the Promised Land. They did so, and to their credit, they marched and fought across the Promised Land until released by Joshua to return to their homes across the river. 

THE RECORD:

Our passage for today is not the only place in Scripture that supports the value of interdependence among God’s people. For example:

In Nehemiah we find that all of God’s people in Jerusalem were expected to help rebuild the walls. Each family was given their portion of the wall to repair, so everyone had to do their own work so that the city as a whole could be safe.

In Acts 15, we see that the missionary enterprise had gotten ahead of their doctrine. Paul had caught some fish (Gentiles) they had not anticipated!  Did Paul (an apostle himself) decide what to do?  No! His church sent Paul and Barnabas to inquire from other churches how to properly handle this situation.

In Romans 15:25-27 we can see the churches in Asia working together to send benevolence to the mother church in Jerusalem which was under persecution, and which had great needs. We can also see how, in 1 Corinthians 16:19-20, that the churches of Asia were concerned about, and expressed their care to, the churches in Europe.

Finally, in 2 Corinthians 11:5-10, we see evidence of churches cooperating to send out missionaries. If the Biblical record is any indication, and of course it is, God expects His people to work together to build His Kingdom.

CONCLUSION:

A man once had a dream about the afterlife. He appeared in a room where sickly and emaciated people were sitting around a kettle full of delicious smelling food. Although the people were desperately hungry, they could not feed themselves because their arms and legs were in casts and their only utensils were four-foot-long spoons. Try as they might, they could not get any food into their mouths. As the man stared, horrified, one of the pitiful creatures fell over, apparently lifeless.

Next, the man was translated into another, seemingly identical space, with the same kettle, the same spoons, and the same casts on arms and legs. He immediately saw a difference, however, because all the people gathered around the kettle were hale and hearty, with more than one of them approaching portliness. What made the difference in this scene was that instead of trying to feed themselves, the people used the four-foot-long spoons to feed the person across the kettle from themselves. Everyone was well fed and sitting tall and strong.

When the man awoke, he realized that the first room was a vision of hell, and the second room was a vision of heaven. The moral of this dream is clear: when we forget that we need each other we can make our existence a hell on earth. Conversely, when we are interdependent and work with one another, we can make our time on earth more like the heaven we all look forward to enjoying. 

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Self-control

 

Today I want to share a word about self-control, as I comment on Galatians 5:19-25. This passage reads:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

As I write this devotional, a video has gone viral on the internet of a National Football League coach’s response to his team’s loss. The coach was the team’s offensive coordinator, and one of their wide receivers had botched a last-minute chance to win the game by not stopping the clock by stepping out of bounds. The coach was so upset, frustrated, and angry that he pitched an epic fit, screaming and throwing objects around the coach’s booth. His behavior was so embarrassing that another coach in the booth reached over and covered the camera with his hand. Without a doubt that coach lost all control of his emotions and his actions.

Contrast this with the behavior of my father-in-law. He was a die-hard fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide. In his mind, their coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, could do no wrong. I remember my father-in-law intently watching Alabama play a bowl game one year which had great implications for the national championship of college football. Alabama did not play very well, and while they, too, had a last second chance for victory, they also came up short. This defeat cost them the chance at the national title that year. My father-in-law stared silently at the television as the last seconds of the game ticked away. Then he stood, put on his hat, and said, “Well, that’s that.” He then turned and went out to tend to some chores.

Now, admittedly, it was the NFL coach’s job to help his team win football games, and my father-in-law did not have such career issues to deal with. Still, he was passionate about University of Alabama football, and his passion ran deep. He just didn’t make a spectacle of himself by losing control.

Like the Bible and the Christian faith, people may see self-control as a list of things one shouldn’t do. I would assert that self-control actually has two major aspects. The first one is, indeed, the idea that one should avoid some actions and attitudes. The second, however, is the idea that self-control includes some behaviors and attitudes that people should actively seek out. Let’s unpack those in the order that I gave them, because we always want to end on a positive note!

THINGS TO AVOID:

Paul’s counsel to the Galatians clearly stated a number of actions and attitudes that we should avoid as believers. People are not mere animals, but when we give in to our baser instincts we can act like animals. When we do, the consequences can be severe.

When we lose control and act badly, people can get hurt, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. A prime example of that is Matthew 14:6-11:

But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.  And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

Herod lost control and gave into his lusts and desires and the result was that John the Baptist, who had done nothing except preach God’s Word, was executed.

Not only do other people get hurt when we don’t exercise self-control, but we also do ourselves. When we lose control we eat too much, we drink too much, we gamble too much, and we abuse our own bodies, souls and minds. To be clear, I do not endorse drinking alcohol and I do not endorse gambling, but even people who do should realize that a lack of self-control in these practices will lead to personal and interpersonal disaster.

Yes, self-control is a matter of resisting temptation, but it is more than that. Self-control is not only avoiding negative actions and attitudes, but it is also cultivating positive actions and attitudes.

THINGS TO PURSUE:

We can avoid the negative behaviors and attitudes that Paul listed in our passage for today, but still miss the mark for an abundant life. It is a fact that muscles which are not exercised will atrophy and weaken, and so will our lives if we don’t act in positive ways with a positive mindset. The Bible is full of positive commands which, if we follow them, will result in our blessing and the blessing of others. Some of them include:

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8

Self-control means doing the right things in the right ways, even when we don’t feel like it. Jesus is our model for this. He went to the Cross in obedience to His Father, even though in the garden the night before He prayed to be relieved of that task. Remember also that Jesus did this for us, even though we were sinners and estranged from God:

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

So, Jesus not only avoided sin to live a sinless life, He also took the necessary action to save all of us from our sins. I am so glad He did! Aren’t you?

CONCLUSION:

One of my besetting sins is that I can have a short temper from time-to-time. I jokingly blame it on my mother’s red hair, but I have long ago realized it is a tendency that I must control. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I have learned that I can have some success with controlling this character flaw. This is important because you never know who is watching.

Recently I had to go into a local bank to transact some financial business for my ministry. I stood for quite some time in the lobby while the teller was looking at her telephone. I was starting to feel frustrated and, yes, a little angry, when she looked up, saw me, and motioned me forwards.

Although I was frustrated at the delay, I was cordial to the young lady, which was fortunate, because as she was processing our deposit, she looked at me and said, “Is it true that your ministry provides counseling services? My husband and I need some help with our relationship.” At this, I was both pleased and embarrassed.

I was pleased that this young lady was reaching out for help. I did not know her, but she apparently recognized me, and I was glad to help her. I was also embarrassed because I had almost given into my frustration. She didn’t notice, which made me glad, but if I had given in to my baser instincts, I would have ruined everything. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit helped me keep my composure, and for that, I am most grateful!

Self-control, self-discipline, temperance, whatever we call it, it isn’t a one-time thing. It is a lifestyle. I am grateful to God for the Gift of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live a life that is both pleasing and honoring to God.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Generosity

 

Today I want to share a word about generosity, as I comment on Acts 20:32-36. This passage reads:

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

One aspect of being involved in ministry for more than three decades is that I have many memories Some are pleasant, others are unpleasant, and others are just . . . let’s say that they are unique. In that regard I remember the time I was given a gift of a dozen pairs of white athletic socks.

I had travelled to a small town to advise a church about how to expand and improve their buildings to support their church’s ministry. It was quite a long drive to get to this town, but our meeting went well, and I felt like the church’s leadership was well on its way to making some good decisions for the future. As I was about to take my leave, one of the lay leaders of the church asked me to walk with him out to the parking lot. 

When we arrived at his car, he reached inside and pulled out a plastic bag which he then thrust into my hands. “We know you had a long drive up here,” he said. “Here’s something to show our appreciation.” In that bag were the aforementioned white athletic socks.

The missing element to this story was that the town in question was known for being the location of one of the largest, and last, garment factories in our state, which, as a matter of fact, produced socks. Socks were, therefore, a common and imminently practical, gift to visitors.

Beaming with pride, my host said, “I hope you enjoy these!” And I did. Those socks were an unusual gift, but I used them for many months. I was glad to have them, and I was glad to allow my host to enjoy the blessing of generosity.

Paul also knew the blessing of giving to others. In fact, generosity was important enough to him that he included it in his final words to the elders of the church at Ephesus before being taken to Rome for his audience with Caesar. Such an event is likely to focus one’s thoughts, so the fact that Paul reminded them of the teaching of Jesus about generosity is instructive. 

An interesting fact is that one of the most common topics that Jesus taught about was money, including economics, greed, taxes, and giving. For example, in The Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6, Jesus taught:

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

From this passage we can glean at least two basic principles about generosity.

GENEROSITY RECOGNIZES GOD’S OWNERSHIP:

The basis of generosity as well as stewardship and several other values is the fact of God’s ownership of everything. As creator, God can and does claim possession on everything we see and of everything we do not see. The right of God to be in control of all of creation is beyond doubt, argument, and challenge. The interesting thing is what God has done with creation: He gave it to us!

You see, our God is a giving God. He gave us this world, He gave us life itself, and He gave us His Uniquely Begotten Son to save us from our sin. God is not a hoarder, keeping all things for Himself. God is not a spoiler, denying things to others out of spite. God is not forgetful, ignoring the needs and wants of people. No! God is a giver!

Not only does God want to give, but God also has the power to give as Paul wrote in his benediction in the Letter to the Ephesians:

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Ephesians 3:14-21

God is our model for generosity, and He also has the right to expect us to be generous in return. In fact, when He made His covenant with Abraham, God told him:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:2-3

God’s people are intended to be generous people

GENEROSITY REALIZES GOD’S BLESSING:

Besides recognizing that God expects us to be generous, we can also see here that God blesses those who are generous. In Luke 6:38, Jesus taught that when we give, we get blessed, and He also gave us clues to the dimensions of that blessing:

Good measure: One of the ways merchants cheated people in Biblical times was to have false scales, or grain measures that were not accurate. God, however, is scrupulously honest. He never cheats His people. Or anyone else for that matter!

Pressed down and shaken together: When some commodities are measured their shapes cause air pockets to form. To make sure that the measurement is true, these commodities should be shaken to minimize the air pockets and maximize the amount of product being sold. This is exactly why boxes of cereal are labeled to note that they are “packed by weight and not by volume.” If we were buying cereal from God, He’d shake the box so that the cereal would settle to the bottom, but then He’d top it up with more!

Running over: God is not cheap with His blessings. They are so great that they would overflow any container in which they are put, should that be physically possible. God is generous, and He gives us “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think!”

When I was in seminary in New Orleans, I learned about a French word that was commonly used in that city: Lagniappe. This means a little something extra, like the 13th doughnut in a Baker’s Dozen. When we give, God blesses us with more than at the level of lagniappe. He gives us much more than a little extra. He pours out His favor on us, the way that Mary poured out the expensive perfume on the hair of Jesus during the supper at Bethany. Our God is an extravagantly generous God!

CONCLUSION:

I once heard my pastor describe the way of the world when it came to possessions in this manner: “Get all you can. Put it in a can. Put a lid on the can. Sit on the lid!”

On the other hand, love really doesn’t help anyone unless it is given away. And, since God is Love, it’s natural that He is a giving God. Thus, it is natural that we should be generous people as we imitate His behavior towards us.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word About Genuineness

 

Today I want to share a word about genuineness, as I comment on Mark 11:1-4 and 20-26. This passage reads:

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it  . . .  And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

In recent days I have shared some of my family memories as I have commented on our Scripture passages, and today is no exception. This memory, however, is less embarrassing than the others and certainly sweeter. This is because it involves figs.

That’s right . . .  figs!

When I was a child, my father had access to a very productive fig tree on property which was owned by his sister, my aunt. When the figs came into season, we could fill several five-gallon buckets to the brim, and still there would be unripe figs left on the tree for the next trip. That was one fertile fig tree!

I learned to enjoy eating fresh figs off the tree; well, at least I did after I learned to ignore the furry outer skin! That skin felt a little creepy at first, but the luscious meat on the inside was worth the strange-to-a-young-child sensation. Yes, the fresh figs were wonderful, but that was not the end of the treat. Not by any measure!

You see, my mom and dad had learned how to make fig preserves, and that was where most of the bountiful harvest of figs ended-up. Although it was hot and steamy work to boil the figs with copious amounts of sugar, the end result was wonderful! Our family didn’t have to buy jam or jelly for months after we had finished harvesting the figs from that one tree. I can’t think of a breakfast meal more appetizing than hot biscuits fresh from the oven topped with home-preserved figs! I am gaining weight just savoring the memory of such home-made deliciousness!

In our passage today we see that Jesus also had an appreciation for figs, but the fig tree that features in these verses in Mark Chapter 11 was not nearly as productive as my aunt’s tree. Jesus, being the Master Teacher, often used object lessons, and in this case, He made this barren fig tree a teaching point about genuineness.

HYPOCRISY:

Jesus made an example of the fig tree as a means of teaching the disciples about the difference between hypocrisy and genuineness. This particular fig tree is a great example of hypocrisy because it demonstrates its characteristics quite well.

First, hypocrisy is attractive. This fig tree was full of green foliage, and it was attractive to the eye. It would be easy to assume that such a vibrant tree would have to be full of fruit, but it wasn’t. Likewise, hypocrites look great, but have no substance to back-up their beautiful appearance. As the old saying goes "you can't tell a book by its cover," which is what my cousin discovered one day when he was a young man. He saw someone sitting alone at a party who had a long, flowing ponytail. When he got up the nerve to go over and introduce himself, he discovered that what he thought was a young lady was actually a guy! Hypocrisy presents itself as beautiful, but the reality is something different.

Another characteristic of hypocrisy is that it is barren. Hypocrites look great but they bear no good fruit, and they only bring disappointment to the lives of others. Hypocrisy is like a restaurant that displays beautiful photos of their dishes in their menus, but the actual dishes are tasteless. I remember in particular one place where I ate when I was taking the senior adults of my church on a daytrip. The food looked great but was very bland. One of our senior ladies, who was a dynamite cook, later commented, “I don’t think they own a saltshaker or know what bacon is made for.” Like Samuel Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner who saw “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink,” hypocrisy leaves us thirsting for more.

One final characteristic of hypocrisy demonstrated by this fig tree is that hypocrisy is cheating. One thing is promised, but another is given. Like in many modern-day "bait and switch” scams, Jesus was promised fruit, but was cheated. Hypocrisy, in its essence, is a lie. It says something that it does not mean, and it promises what it never intends to deliver. This brings to mind an uncomfortable question: what have we promised to Christ, our community, our families, our church, but of which we've cheated them?

GENUINENESS:

Jesus, as the Master Teacher, didn’t just rely on an object lesson or a negative example to drive home a point. He invariably would follow-up those techniques with a more didactic explanation, at least with His disciples. At times, when dealing with the broader public, he would let a parable or an object lesson stand on its own, but His practice was to give more in-depth instruction to His closest followers. 

In our passage for today Jesus taught that we should say what we believe, and that we should believe what we say. It makes no sense to profess our belief in God but then to act like the Devil. It makes no sense to pray to God, and then decide we know better than He does or that our wisdom is greater than that found in the Scriptures. It makes no sense to have access to the Almighty God of the universe, and then deny His power. Paul was echoing Jesus when he wrote in 2 Timothy 3:5 that some people had “a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” In contrast to this, he instructed that Timothy should live out the faith taught to him by his mother and grandmother, saying to him:

“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

It is also clear from this passage that Jesus extended the value of genuineness to our relationships with others. We must not pretend to be righteous and holy when we are embroiled in a conflict with a member of our family, with one of our friends, or with just someone in the general public. This is one of many places in Scripture that teach that our relationships with others can affect our relationship with God. After all, it was Jesus who taught us that the second Great Commandment was, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  Our relationships should be characterized by openness and honesty, the willingness to share our lives with others, agape love as discuss in 1 Corinthians 13, and true forgiveness. All these things, by the way, are modeled in how God relates to us.

It is true that genuineness can be, at times, overwhelming. When God revealed Himself to Moses on the mountain, Moses’s face glowed so brightly that he had to wear a veil so as not to frighten the Children of Israel. This fact, as much as God’s absolute righteousness, may be why it was said that no one could ever see God and live. That is, until Jesus was born, who said about Himself: 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30.

Genuineness does not mean harshness, but it does mean being approachable, open, and “speaking the truth in love.”

CONSEQUENCES:

Some might view the actions of Jesus here as harsh. The fig tree was killed, and it was lost to its owner as well as others who might pass by it in the future. To take this position is to ignore certain facts.

We must remember that, in fact, Jesus was the owner of the tree. Jesus, as Creator, owns His creation, and it is His possession to do with it what He will. Not only does the Lord own “the cattle on a thousand hills,” but He also owns the fig trees on those hills as well. We don’t know who the human owner of that tree was, but we do know who the ultimate owner was: Almighty God, the Three-In-One.

Not only was God the owner, He also was the Gardener. In John 15:1-6, Jesus explained what God was doing as He taught them during the Last Supper:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

This really was nothing new, because we can read in Ecclesiastes that there is “a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted,” as well as “a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.”

Finally, we also need to understand how vile hypocrisy is in the sight of God and how important genuineness is. Solomon, in Proverbs 6:16-19 makes this clear to us:

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

For this reason, Jesus called the Pharisees white-washed tombs, “which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.” Plus, both He and John the Baptist called the religious hypocrites in Judea a “generation of vipers.”  

Proverbs 11 is probably the best and most condensed description of God’s thoughts on this matter. Here are some selected verses:

A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. Proverbs 11:1

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. Proverbs 11:3

 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. Proverbs 11:9

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.  A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Proverbs 11:11-13

The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18

He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. Proverbs 11:27

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:29

CONCLUSION:

Some years ago, I was asked to consult with a church about their situation with their facilities. After we toured the building, I sat down with the pastor and some of their lay leadership and discussed with them their plans for improving their facilities. During our tour I had noticed several parts of the building which needed to be repaired or otherwise stabilized before they launched into a building program. 

I reviewed with them the substantial challenges that they faced, but I also affirmed their desire to expand their facilities to enable them to do more and better ministry. We had a long and frank conversation, and when I took my leave, the pastor shook my hand, thanked me for my time with them, and then he said, “And I want to thank you particularly for being real with us tonight.”

I was somewhat nonplussed and confused by what the pastor meant by that, but I took the advice of my preaching professor who told us, “When you are greeting people at the door of the church after a sermon, take whatever they say to you, however awkward it may be, as a compliment.” Still, I mulled over what the pastor meant all the way home that night.

The next day, I related my experience to some colleagues and then I asked them what they thought the pastor meant. One friend said with a smile, “Oh, that’s easy. It just means that he appreciated your honesty and transparency and that you weren’t trying to manipulate them. He saw you were being genuine with them, so, take it as a compliment, because it was one.” 

I never conceived that someone called into help a church would try to deceive or manipulate them, so I share this story more as an admission of my naiveté than anything else, but I think it does illustrate the point. If genuineness is important to a frail, limited human being, just imagine how important must it be to our perfect, righteous, and loving God?

A Word about Integrity

 

Today I want to share a word about integrity, as I comment on Luke 16:1-12. This passage reads:

And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.  I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

As I said in our last devotional, we all have done and said cringe-worthy things in the past. I remember another occasion in my childhood in which I embarrassed myself, but this time it was in front of my father.

My father was a heavy truck mechanic who was the vehicle maintenance shop foreman at a local business. At that time my mom was training to be a nurse, and money was tight. We always had food on our table, but I often heard my mom and dad debating about making purchases which, in today’s world, few would even give a second thought. I specifically remember them sitting up late one night deciding whether they could afford to buy an electronic calculator so that they could do their tax returns more quickly. 

One day my dad had splurged a little, and he brought home a device that tested car batteries. We always had used cars, and as a mechanic, my dad would keep them going longer than he probably should have. In any case, after he checked the battery on our car (note the singular “car” not “cars), I asked to see the device, which was largely made of glass.

When my dad handed me the battery tester, I, of course, dropped it on the concrete of our carport. And, of course, part of it broke. My dad was dismayed, and I was chagrined, but then I made matters worse:

I burst out, “Put it back in the box, and take it back to the auto parts store. You can tell them it was broken when you opened it at home.”

My dad looked at me with a heart-rending expression of disappointment and rebuke. “I can’t do that. First, I opened it in front of the store clerk to make sure it wasn’t broken. Besides that, it wouldn’t be right.” My dad wasn’t perfect, but he was certainly a man of integrity, and he taught me the same lesson that day that Jesus taught in our passage for today.

DECEIT:

Jesus knew the ways of people. His father, Joseph, was a carpenter, and as such, he must have done business with people. No doubt, Joseph came across people, like my younger self above, who found ways to cheat him. Maybe it was someone who supplied him wood or rope, or maybe it was a customer, but as we can see elsewhere in the Bible, people have known how to deceive and cheat each other for centuries.

Of course, being God, Jesus did not need human experience to know that the unregenerate human heart is deceitful. God sees into our lives and although we can hide our motives from others, we cannot hide them from God. For example, Proverbs 21:2 says,

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

Jeremiah 17:10 also says,

I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

What people did in First Century Judea they also continue to do today, just with better technology. Identity theft, fishing attacks, and internet scams abound today. The “Nigerian attorney” email, which was once the height of sophistication, now appears childish and trite. Fraudsters today are much cleverer than such a primitive flim-flam and they have even learned how to spoof security alert messages from vendors to their customers to steal money or personal information from them. This level of avarice isn’t new, but it is wrong.

BETRAYAL:

In our focal passage for today, we see a story of deceit and theft, but it is also a story of betrayal and treachery. Not only did the steward waste his employer’s money, but he also conspired with his boss’s customers to steal from him. 

In Biblical times, a steward often had total control of his employer’s business affairs. This could happen even on a national level, like with Joseph in Egypt or with Daniel in Babylon. It certainly took place at the family level, and a good steward was a blessing to his master. On the other hand, a poor steward, not to mention an evil one, could be a stumbling block, or even a curse.

Jesus, in telling this story, did express a level of admiration for the steward’s intelligence and guile. You must admit, it was a neat solution to the problem of the steward’s imminent unemployment. But that being said, even the most ingenious fraud is wrong and sinful. We must not confuse the recognition of the steward’s low cunning and chicanery with approval of his motives and action.

INTEGRITY:

Jesus made three important points as He explained this parable. The first was that when we place our trust in earthly wealth, position, power, or fame, then the only blessings that we can receive are temporal ones. This is consistent with what He taught in Matthew 6:19-21 during the Sermon on the Mount:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The steward in this story sold his soul for a chance at future employment, the same way that Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Having integrity, therefore, includes not becoming a sell-out.

Jesus went on to teach that a good steward, one who has integrity, is faithful in the smaller issues of life as well as in the bigger ones. From His perspective, financial issues are not nearly as important as spiritual ones and are not nearly as difficult to solve. 

Historically, a high level of illiteracy has been common in the world; universal, free, public education is a relatively recent development. In fact, it is probably not a stretch to say that most people who have lived during the long history of the world could not read, but almost all of them could count money! If we can’t exercise integrity in such a basic life issue as money, how can we be trusted with something so powerful as the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Finally, when Jesus walked the earth, he would have never heard the saying, “Drive it like you stole it,” but He clearly would have understood what it means. In this passage, however, He turned that saying on its head. Here He teaches us that if we can’t take care of the property owned by another, then we can never be entrusted with our own property. 

Integrity means doing the right thing, all of the time, whether in a big issue of life or a small one, and whether it involves something we own or something that belongs to someone else. In fact, Jesus would say that it is more important to care properly for another’s property than for your own.

CONCLUSION:

Consider today how we should exercise our integrity for the glory of God:

• Should we cut corners and take the easy way out, or should we do our best work possible under the circumstances?
• Should we figure out ways to look busy at work while surfing the internet, or should we return to our employers diligent work for an agreed upon wage?
• Should we lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead, or should we trust in God and in His plan for our lives?
• Should we treat others as we would have them treat ourselves? 

I hope the answers to these questions are apparent in our text for today. 

I have never forgotten the lesson my dad taught me in our carport that day so long ago. It is always better to do the right thing and face those temporal consequences than to cheat, lie, and steal and face the eternal consequences of those with no integrity. Let’s remember what Jesus said in John 10:10 when He contrasted Himself with the thief:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

To whom would you like to be compared? Again, I think the answer is obvious!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt