Learning from a Perservering Cashier . . .

Mike Hosey, An Elder

I was at a local store the other day to purchase some needed items.  As I was standing in the checkout line, I noticed that the young cashier was doing his best to serve the woman in front of me.  It was clearly his first day on the job.  In fact, I suspect it was probably his first hour on the job. The woman berated him in his struggles and rudely (in my opinion) called attention to one of his mistakes. It was a simple mistake, and certainly not one worthy of her reaction.

I felt compassion for him. I really did.

But I also knew that if he persevered through the day, that the lessons he was learning in its moments would serve him well in the future. First, the light and momentary suffering he was having to endure in that instance would prepare him for the patience he would need in a future career that likely will be harder and more sophisticated than a local chain store. Second, the trial forced him to exercise humility.  To remain calm, humble and friendly when being jabbed with rudeness was a test of his character. Each time he passes such a test, his character will be strengthened.  Third, strong, tested character produces an expectation in him and in others that he is capable of completing his job’s mission. When worse comes to worse, that expectation will remain as hope, and keep him positive and properly directed.

This is what Paul means when he writes to the Romans that we should rejoice in our sufferings.  He argues that those sufferings produce character, and that the character ultimately produces a Godly kind of hope (Romans 5:3-6).  The Greek word for “character” in that verse means character that has been tested.  Think about it, character that has not been tested by trials and sufferings isn’t the kind of character that will produce effective hope, because until it is tested, it’s just window dressing.

Remember that when you meet trials and tribulations, that God will use those to shape you.  Paul writes to the Philippians that he is certain that God will finish whatever he starts in us (Philippians 1:6).  So endure to the end, and allow God to make you into something mighty for his kingdom.

What Do Jesus and American Soldiers Share in Common?

Mike Hosey, An Elder

Memorial Day is ultimately an observance of love and commitment. This is because of the interwoven nature of those blessings.

At Fellowship Church, we have defined love as being committed to the well-being of others. We’ve explored that definition in a number of ways, and in each instance we’ve discovered that the concept of love is inseparable from the concept of commitment. The two are so entwined that in almost every scriptural reference where the word love is used, it can be replaced with the word commitment while retaining the meaning of the verse, or in some cases, perhaps, enhancing it. It can be said, then, that the zenith of love is commitment. But recognizing this leads us to the question of, “what is commitment?”

Perhaps it is best to define commitment as one’s willingness to give of oneself in the cause of another’s well-being. This truth is demonstrated by Christ himself. He loved us so much – he was so committed to our eternal well-being – that while we were still sinners, he died for us (Romans 5:8). Christ’s love was demonstrated by his commitment, and his commitment was demonstrated by his self-sacrifice. Self-sacrifice, then, is the zenith of commitment. In fact, this concept is attested to in scripture when Christ teaches that no one shows greater love than the person who lays down his or her life for friends (John15:13).

When we observe Memorial Day, we are remembering not those soldiers who currently serve, but those soldiers who have served with the greatest commitment by laying down their lives. In America, soldiers serve freely in a volunteer military, so those who have sacrificed their lives represent the zenith of patriotism, or love for one’s country.  They are admirable, and worthy of both remembrance and praise.

But more admirable still is the love one shows for God by following the instruction Jesus gives right before he tells us that the zenith of our love is the laying down of our lives. Prior to that verse, he tells us to love others as he has loved us (John 15:12). Consider his command in light of how he died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

Changing the Order of Things . . .

Mike Hosey, An Elder

Last week the administration of the President of the United States shocked a lot of people when it issued guidelines for public schools. Essentially, those guidelines instructed public schools to accommodate children and teens who consider themselves transgendered, or gender fluid, by allowing them access to locker rooms or restrooms which they feel best serve their self-perceived gender. The guidelines came with the threat that if school districts did not heed the advice, they might lose federal funding. Transgendered people are those born as one particular sex, but feel like they should be the opposite sex. Gender fluid people are those who do not identify as any particular sex, but assume a sexual identity based on conditions and situations at any given moment. The administration’s guidance only requires that a student claim a particular gender identity.  It excludes the need for evidence, or even parental agreement. The administrations guidance is influenced by its interpretation of a law called Title IX.  That law states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…”

The administration argues that for the purposes of Title IX, gender identity and sex are the same.  It contends that what you feel yourself to be is what you are, regardless of what your anatomy and biology show you to be.  So under the administration’s rules, a 16 year old boy known for being a girl chaser can tell his principal that he feels like a female on Monday, and that he needs access to the girl’s locker room after P.E. class, but then on Friday, tell the same principal that he is a boy again, and needs access to the boy’s locker room. Under the administration’s guidance, the principal must comply or face losing federal monies. Obviously, the administration’s guidance is rife with abuse potential.  But more than that, it is a sign of how times are changing, and how a world that is opposed to God is fully intent on changing the order of things.  This guidance is also a cautionary tale.  My home state of Mississippi, a religiously and socially conservative state has chosen to submit to the guidance.  The state’s political demographics strongly imply that this decision was not done because of the will of the voters.  In all likelihood it was done because of a dependence on government monies.  Whenever you submit to the world’s way of doing things, as opposed to God’s way of doing things, you can expect the world to try and change you in ways that are not pleasing to God.

But as disturbing as these changes are, be assured that God’s way of doing things will prevail and that he has already overcome the world (John 16:33), so keep your focus on him, and your walk in step with his

Getting Rich by Giving Your Riches Away (But This Post is about Jesus, not Je$u$).

Mike Hosey, An Elder

“It is more blessed to give than receive,” is a very well-known scripture (Acts 20:35) in which Paul quotes Jesus to the church at Ephesus. But why would Paul or Jesus say something that seems so counter to the truth we experience in the world? Consistently, and perhaps inherently, most of us find receiving something good to be easy, pleasant and enjoyable, while we tend to find giving away something good, especially if it is something we’ve worked for (like money) to be difficult, unpalatable, and unenjoyable.

Well, the statement is true for a host of reasons.  One reason pops up in Proverbs chapter 11 (which has a few things to say about generosity.) The writer of Proverbs observed that there are at least two kinds of people.  There is one person who gives freely, and then counterintuitively, grows richer.  And then there is another who withholds what he has, and is always in want.  The same writer also noticed that those who bring blessings are enriched, and that those who refresh others will also be refreshed (Proverbs 11:24-25). So, one reason that giving is better than receiving is that giving has a return on investment. When you give, your life will be enriched in some way.

Another reason is that your most important bank isn’t here on this planet.  Your most important bank, which holds your most important assets, is in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). That verse tells us that we should store up treasures in that bank, and also that wherever our treasure resides, so does our heart. If you find treasure in doing the will of God, then your heart will follow suit and your heavenly bank account will get fat.

Finally, our giving builds up the body of Christ, and enriches others so that they, too, can build up the body of Christ and thereby advance the kingdom of God.  When you give of your money, your time, and your talents you are helping another member to grow, which in turn strengthens everyone else, and you may be helping snatch someone from the grip of sin and the gates of hell!

Your return on investment may (or may not) include money, but it will always include something far greater than money.  True giving will bring you closer to Jesus, make you more like him, and ultimately will erase your desire for Je$u$.

It's Time to Consider Our Time

Mike Hosey, An Elder

All resources on earth are finite. There are no resources that exist naturally on earth that are without measure. Some resources, however, are more limited than others. For instance, just consider one of the resources we put a great deal of value in – money. If you run out of all the money in your bank account, you can make more. Money is replenishable. But only if you have time. And in that sense, it is very finite because eventually everyone runs out of hours, minutes, and seconds. Unlike money, time is not replenishable. You can plant more trees, you can hire more workers, you can dig for more metal, or recycle the metal you have thrown away. But you cannot grow, procure, or recycle time. Once a moment has slipped into the past, it is irretrievable and unreproducible.

The psalmist asks God to teach us to number our days so that we may have a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). When we realize that time is ultimately and brutally finite, we are more likely to use that time wisely because it forces us to prioritize. Numbering the time helps us to see what is important and what isn't. But unfortunately, we often develop the false sense that we have more time than we do, and because of that, we miss special moments, beautiful experiences, and grand opportunities. When our time is not managed, our lives are not managed, our households are not managed, our walk with God is not managed, and ultimately our hearts are not managed. The truth of the psalmist has a lot of practicality. See how well your day goes when you count your time and reasonably schedule it. When you discipline yourself to do this, you will find that you have time to do many desirable things for which you thought there was no time!

But more importantly, being wise about time helps us to best serve God's purposes and advance his kingdom both in our own personal lives, and along the frontiers he would have us to push. The bible teaches us to make the best use of our time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-17), and you are the warrior God is using to force back that evil!