“It’s just material; it can be replaced.”

“Look on the bright side; at least you’re safe.”

“Did the deer survive?”

The feedback could go on and on.

Bottom line up front: On the drive back to my work location Sunday, a herd of deer leapt into the driver’s side of my car as I was driving south on HWY 140, and that side of my car currently resembles the face of a losing MMA fighter who dared step into the ring with Jon “Bones” Jones. Somewhat less than aesthetically pleasing, one might say.

The opening remarks were all ones well-intentioned folks shared with me.

I agree; my vehicle is indeed material, and it can and will be replaced. Yes, the bright side is that I’m uninjured, as far as I can tell. Did the many deer survive? I do not know; they were not on the road by the time I was able to get my vehicle off the side of the highway and call the police. Perhaps they survived, but some of their hair (and other ‘evidence’ of their impact) is very much still on my car.

So, this is the second time I’ve been driving and collided with deer. And I cannot say it’s any more enjoyable this time than it was last time.

I had to call into work and ask for grace from my boss for a pass in order to get a rental and have my car relocated to a local body shop.

I had to miss a training session where I was to teach soldiers about resilience (how ironic, right?).

I have a flight out in the morning at 5:30 a.m. to the Midwest to teach up there this week.

I have papers to grade for my college and university students.

But I also have learned that I’d be a wreck (sorry, could not resist the pun) without my Carrie Jane (she was a rock during the whole messy event), and friends who helped in a moment of crisis via sharing one of their vehicles, my local police department (they were great), the rental car place, and (so far) the body shop and my insurance company.

I did get a rental and was able to drive back to my work location 200 miles from my home of record.

I rescheduled today’s training for next week. I am indeed uninjured. Life will go on.

It’s one thing to “brief the slides” on frustration and resilience, and it’s quite another to implement them.

Like others, I am grieving the death of soldiers and civilians that are still being recovered from the cold currents of the Potomac River near our nation’s capital.

The investigations are underway, and undoubtedly some will politicize the event for their side. If we can trust what we are being told, American athletes were aboard the jet, talented skaters and their coaches, and scores of other passengers.

And it sounds like at least three of my fellow soldiers died, too, the ones aboard the UH-60 (Black Hawk).

When I sit and think about it, sundry Scriptures come to mind, but perhaps none as viscerally as Psalm 90. The twelfth verse reads like this: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, ESV).

Introduction: When I was earning my M.A. in English many moons ago, I had a course that focused on the most influential writers of the Enlightenment. Among those was Alexander Pope and his An Essay on Man. Among its many memorable lines is this one: “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” Yes and amen.

It reminds me of one of my favorite films, The Shawshank Redemption, with its emphasis on hope. “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies,” wrote Andy to his friend, Red. Yes and amen.

Connection to Real Life: Hope. It is crucial. It affects so much. Over just the last week or so, a sea change is afoot among those to whom I am fortunate enough to minister, namely, soldiers. And do you know what their commanders are asking me to teach upon? Hope.

Oftentimes, the governmental and bureaucratic culture relabels it resilience. It’s fundamentally an issue of how and why we ought to press on when things are tough or even worse. Questions of how and why.

Those questions necessitate an ought, and that necessitates questions of teleology/purpose.

I don’t want to lose my audience with academic terminology, so I will just express it this way: A sea change of worldview is afoot, and I am hopeful. Again, yes and amen.

Bottom line up front: Not Just Flexibility, but Wise Flexibility

The Issue: Who sets the parameters when it comes to spiritual, moral, and ethical decision-making? For soldiers, we have sundry resources: 1) AR 165-1; 2) FM 1-05; 3) the (7) Army Values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage; and 4) FM 7-22, among others. As a chaplain, I’m tasked by regulation with moral and spiritual leadership. One’s integrity cannot be in question as a chaplain. The soldiers must see and know that you’re the real deal; otherwise, you’re done for in terms of effectiveness in spiritual warfare.

When I was coming up, I discerned early on the men I desired to emulate.—men who loved the Lord and loved soldiering. I also learned from many what not to do. I remember one time when I was preaching from the book of Jonah and I looked out and noticed that I had so-called Christian chaplains who could not even locate that book in their Bibles, and inside, my heart broke. Why? Because I was seeing men charged with inculcating spiritual wisdom that were themselves immature and possibly worse.

Scripture: Paul was uber-educated, but he did not boast in that. He viewed himself as the chief of sinners, and understood that his redemption, too, was 100% of God’s effectual grace towards him. Listen to his words about wise flexibility:

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Cor 9:19-23, ESV)

Questions for Reflection: Did Paul change God’s message to tickle ears or to ingratiate himself with pagans? No. Did he pervert his own testimony to fit in? No. But what he did do was labor to reach men and women with redemptive truth. He flexed to them insofar as he understood their worldviews. He walked those bridges of connection. He shared his own testimony. He showed the universality of man’s sinfulness and need of redemption through Christ. He didn’t throw the book of Jonah overboard as if it were some antiquated allegory of God’s will, but he knew the Scriptures through and through to reach the mission field onto which Christ had commissioned him.

There’s flexibility and there’s wise flexibility, and God’s people should know and live the difference.

Question: What does the figure of Ahab (800s B.C.) have to do with narcissistic leaders and the destruction they can wreak upon the undiscerning? A great deal.

The older I get, the more I love studying history. Perhaps it’s because I learn and relearn that the patterns repeat. There are countless cliches about how we so seldom learn anything from history. At root, it’s that we don’t learn much from history. Nevertheless, here’s yet another effort to learn from history.

Historical context: Ahab was one of the most wicked kings and leaders Israel ever had. And there’s a passage in 2 Chronicles 18 that reveals part of Ahab’s wickedness.

He surrounded himself with those who flattered him and told him what he wanted to hear. When someone told him the truth, he suppressed it and labeled the truth-teller his enemy.

Here’s the Scripture:

¹² And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” ¹³ But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.” ¹⁴ And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And he answered, “Go up and triumph; they will be given into your hand.” ¹⁵ But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” ¹⁶ And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’” ¹⁷ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” ¹⁸ And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. ¹⁹ And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. ²⁰ Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ ²¹ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ ²² Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you.” (2 Chronicles 18:12-22, ESV)

Ahab doesn’t desire truth; he desires toadies. He demands sycophants and flattery. Why? Because his god is himself and his own power. Rather than loving the Lord, he loves himself and what he thinks is his ascending star.

But God knows his heart.

Ahab thinks he’ll evade disclosure and evade judgment by disguising himself in battle. But the irony is that the truth-teller’s prophecy is shown to be accurate, and Ahab dies in battle, from an arrow from the opposing army:

But a certain man drew his bow at random^[a] and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” ³⁴ And the battle continued that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening. Then at sunset he died. (2 Chronicles 18:33-34, ESV)

Encouragement and takeaway: One key indicator of a godly leader is that he tells you the truth. He does not pimp hearers via flattery and duplicity or soft speech. He does not surround himself only with toadies. He does not attempt to silence the truth-tellers/prophetic voices. Because the truth will emerge. It will be revealed. That’s the beauty of God and his gospel. Just when the forces of hell thought they crucified truth and buried it, and even surrounded the presumed corpus of truth with Roman guards at the mouth of Jesus’ tomb, truth arose three days later–just as the prophets had said.

Bottom line up front: Being vs. Seeming

Context: Over recent weeks and months, I have taught a group of 50-60 people the Gospel of Matthew verse-by-verse. Currently we are in chapter 15. The first 20 verses of Matthew 15 are about being rather than seeming. Jesus rebukes the religious posers/Pharisees. He teaches the people that our motives are known to God. Therefore, we should be genuine rather than fakes.

Here’s the passage:

15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Mt 15:1-20, ESV)

Teaching & Encouragement: The Pharisees were emblematic of posers. They perfected religiosity. But their hearts were cold—both to God and to others. Jesus teaches that he is God, that he knows our hearts. He knows us through and through. This is why his people are to keep short accounts with him. Because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed. We need to be a people who are rather a people who seem.

Being vs. seeming, in other words. As I reflect upon decades of ministry now, there have been many times that I have been unable to keep the tears from coming when I’m teaching the Scriptures. I have had to stop preaching and/or teaching at times, in fact, just to gather myself emotionally. Why? Because God was teaching me—long before the message with which I was charged to herald—that, I, am known to God, and that there’s no place to hide from the Holy One. And that we are called to be the genuine. May we strive to honor the Lord by being rather than seeming.

This morning I was reading Luke 16-17 and I found myself once again arrested by the power of Jesus’s teaching about the Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31). Below is the passage. After that I offer a few reflections and musings:

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰ And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹ who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, ²³ and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ ²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Some Reflections:

• V. 23 seems to indicate there was communication between a man in hell/Hades and a man at Abraham’s side.
• V. 25 seems to indicate that the first man’s placement was one of conscious agony of persistent holy judgment and the second man’s (Lazarus’) placement was one of blessing and joy.
• V. 26 seems to indicate what the rest of Scripture teaches, namely, that after death there is no chance to repent and flee to the gospel of God; it’s too late.
• Taken as a whole, the passage is one of the most straightforward teachings in Scripture. God has provided more than enough evidence for us sinners to believe; it’s never a matter of, “But, God, if you had just shown me more reasons to believe, or given me more evidence” defenses. Those are pathetic red herrings. No excuses are sufficient (Romans 1, etc.).

Encouragement: The passage is straightforward. Repentance is necessary, now, in order to be reconciled to the thrice-holy God. Believing the gospel is necessary, now, in order to be reconciled and restored. God knows our hearts (Luke 16:14). If we are wise, that should provoke holy terror in us and drive us to the person and work of Christ.

Above is the 1611 English translation in the KJV. I was raised on that English translation but now more often use the ESV, which translates it, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Pr 29:2).

The meaning is straightforward. It’s an example of antithetical parallelism in poetry. The second half of the phrase contrasts with the first. Why? For emphasis. Contrast is perhaps the best way to teach.

Part I: Righteous rulers = joyful people

Part II: Wicked/corrupt rulers = bitter, angry, debased people

For the first time in four years, gas prices in my area dropped 30 cents in just a week. We in the military were told via official chains that the DEI stuff is now gone. No more hiring and firing, promoting and demoting, based upon skin pigmentation and gender. And suddenly we can say that there are indeed still two genders. A sea change is afoot.

I lived in western NC for almost 10 years when I was young. Today, America’s president visited and is at work to bring relief. I almost wept when I saw the pictures of devastation that still characterizes towns there I know like the back of my hand.

Again I return to Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

I am praying for my Commander in Chief, and I’m doing so in a way I’ve never done in all the years I have voted and/or prayed for my presidents.

I saw the looks in the eyes of those who watched you as you, Mr. President, launched plans to rebuild western NC and take care of our nation’s citizens. And I am praying for righteousness, sir–from the ground up and from the top down. Proverbs 29:2; yes, Proverbs 29:2.

“Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days” (Job 12:12, ESV).

“Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set” (Proverbs 22:28, ESV).

Introduction: For as long as I have been a student of Scripture, I have tracked with Solomon. I can hear the exclamations already: “What?!! A man with multiple wives, and cocubines! A man given over to seasons of sin!” Yes, exactly.

The point, of course, is not about concubinage or polygamy, but about the human condition and Solomon’s (and our, and my) need of the Savior. Solomon was a great man and simultaneously a great sinner. And through my studies, I have come to believe he is numbered among the elect. He was redeemed by the person and work of Christ.

Segue: So many lessons are found in Solomon’s life and in those who ignored his life’s lessons. For example, in 2 Chronicles we read of how rulers of other nations came to visit Solomon, to grasp his majesty and rule, but also simply to marvel:

The Queen of Sheba

9 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. ² And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her. ³ And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁴ the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.

⁵ And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, ⁶ but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the report that I heard. ⁷ Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁸ Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the Lord your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” ⁹ Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹⁰ Moreover, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones. ¹¹ And the king made from the algum wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers. There never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah.

¹² And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what she had brought to the king. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants. (2 Chronicles 9:1-12, ESV)

Teaching: Sheba’s queen got it, but Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, didn’t. He was the textbook example of a stubborn unteachable young man. He thought himself smarter than history and his elders. And he led the people into destruction.

¹³ And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, ¹⁴ King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the Lord might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.(2 Chronicles 10:13-15, ESV)

Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men. That’s crucial to understand and to learn from.

Takeaway: I am of an age where I can see the hubris often associated with youth and inexperience. My nature is to overwork rather than underwork. I’ve never been accused of laziness in my vocation. I love work; it’s what God commands. But I also have learned what Solomon taught (among other things), namely, that youthful impetuousness is oft-linked with destruction. Pray for the youngish and ambitious who are prematurely installed in positions of leadership. Rehoboams are not new. More would know that if we learned from history.

Bottom Line Up Front: The Beauty of Brokenness

Questions: Have you ever experienced forgiveness? Have you ever felt that exhalation from your diaphragm when you knew that all was now going to be okay because of the power of being forgiven? Perhaps it was being forgiven by someone you loved, a friend, a family member, or perhaps even God himself. Here’s what I mean …

Scripture: The Parable of the Prodigal Son is indubitably one of the most well-known passages of Scripture, but here it is again, just in case:

The Parable of the Prodigal Son:

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to[b] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Heart of the Issue: Verse 18 is crucial. That’s the turning point. The younger son finally came to himself. He finally saw the folly of his ways. He finally repented. He admitted his folly. And the result? His father abundantly pardoned him, forgave him, welcomed him, and rejoiced over his son. Folks, this pictures what God does for all who repent and believe the gospel. This is the unspeakable beauty of brokenness: God does not leave you broken. He restores, redeems, and makes you whole. And he calls you his own.