The Measure of Success

I started reading the book of Joshua this morning.  Chapter 1 verse 8 says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

I spent a couple of hours working in the yard this morning and was thinking about what I wanted to write about this verse.  I came in and saw the headline that O.J. Simpson had passed away.  Success, O.J. and my brother, Rod, will always be tied together in my mind.

On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were brutally murdered. Nicole's former husband, O.J. Simpson, was charged with the murders. On Friday, June 17th, instead of turning himself in, O.J. became the object of a low-speed pursuit in a white Ford Bronco SUV.

The next day, Rod and I talked about this on the phone. It seemed many were in shock that someone "so great" could commit such a horrible crime. Rod told me, "Kathy, that's why you have to be careful who you make your heroes. You can't choose athletes as heroes. They might do great things on the field, but that doesn't make them great people. True heroes are people of God."

That was the last conversation we had, as Rod passed away the following Wednesday. Those words resonate in me still. We have to be so careful whom we choose to admire.  I have thought about those words so many times through the years.

 

There is probably no greater contrast to OJ, the famous football player, than Rod. I doubt that Rod ever weighed more than 125 pounds, his body was weak, with a pronounced limp from a fall in his childhood. But the man he was inside, that man stood tall and strong. He didn't take the things of God lightly. He cared about people. He ministered in song. And from the many comments I have received on posts about him, he ministered to people just by being himself.

 

David Guzik's Enduring Word Commentary says about Joshua 1:8, "God’s Word so lived is a guarantee of Christian success. Not that it promises a life without problems, but it does insure a life able to deal with anything, because it takes full advantage of God’s presence and promises.  And Christian success is not measured by the same standards as the world’s success. Even if the world accounts us as sheep for the slaughter, we are actually more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:36-37)."

 

It's not our bank accounts, careers or celebrity status that makes us successful.  Getting God's Word in our minds, in our hearts and in our actions will lead the way to an overcoming life with good success.

The Cult of Celebrity

Today's devotional was another good one!

 

In a survey of millennials, 50% of young adults said that a major life goal was to become famous. In the past people wanted to be famous for doing something. Now, celebrity has become an end in itself. It has attained god-like characteristics. Not only do people want to be famous, they idolize those who have achieved celebrity status. This widespread interest in famous individuals has been described as ‘the cult of celebrity’.

Fame to the ambitious is like salt water to the thirsty. The more you get, the more you want. Madonna, who at one stage was probably the most famous woman on the planet, said, ‘I won’t be happy until I am as famous as God.’

 

I've written before about my dear brother, Rod, my hero.  He was never a celebrity but I was talking to someone on Sunday who still remembers him almost 28 years after his passing.  His life was brief but significant.  This reminded me of something I heard Dennis Prager say:

The vast majority of those who are famous are not significant and the vast majority of those who are significant are not famous.

The people who have had a significant impact on my life are not, and probably never will be, famous.  I may not be famous, but I pray that my life will be significant.

 

Fame is fleeting.  The list of celebrities who have committed suicide since the turn of the century is staggering.  Three of the four gospels records words of Jesus about gaining the whole world:

Matthew 16:26  "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Mark 8:36  "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Luke 9:25  "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?"

I like the way John Gill's Exposition of the Bible broke Matthew 16:26 down:

For what is a man profited,.... Such persons, though they are only seeking their own profit, will find themselves most sadly mistaken; for of what advantage will it be to such a man, 

 

if he shall gain the whole world; all that is precious and valuable in it; all the power, pleasures, and riches of it; if with Alexander, he had the government of the whole world, and with Solomon, all the delights of it; and was possessed with the wealth of Croesus, and Crassus,

and lose his own soul? If that should be consigned to everlasting torment and misery, be banished from the divine presence, and continually feel the gnawings of the worm of conscience that never dies, and the fierceness of the fire of God's wrath, that shall never be quenched, he will have a miserable bargain of it.

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Or, "for the redemption" of it. If he had the whole world to give, and would give it, it would not be a sufficient ransom for it; the redemption of an immortal soul requires a greater price than gold and silver, or any corruptible thing; nothing short of the blood and life of Christ, is a proper exchange, or ransom price for it.

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus!

Heroes and Monuments

There has been much in the news lately about statues being torn down.  While reading about this, I also finished reading about the life of David in my daily Bible reading.  David, a well known and much loved man.  A man after God's heart, but so flawed.  He defeated Goliath, but he was also an adulterer and murderer.  He brought the ark of God back to Jerusalem, but he also abused his power.  I wonder, will the statue of David by Michelangelo be on the list of statues that fall?

This post isn't about statues coming down, but rather why statues should not go up in the first place.  Last year I wrote about the superhero movie craze.  Mankind has always looked for heroes.  We often find them in the wrong places and doing the wrong things.  Several times I've posted about my brother Rod and what a hero he was to me.  I've also written about his words to me regarding heroes:

"Kathy, that's why you have to be careful who you make your heroes. You can't choose athletes as heroes. They might do great things on the field, but that doesn't make them great people. True heroes are people of God."

We find the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20. The first two commandments are:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Regarding the first commandment, Adam Clark's Commentary on the Bible put its well:

This commandment prohibits every species of mental idolatry, and all inordinate attachment to earthly and sensible things. As God is the fountain of happiness, and no intelligent creature can be happy but through him, whoever seeks happiness in the creature is necessarily an idolater; as he puts the creature in the place of the Creator, expecting that from the gratification of his passions, in the use or abuse of earthly things, which is to be found in God alone.

The very first commandment of the whole series is divinely calculated to prevent man’s misery and promote his happiness, by taking him off from all false dependence, and leading him to God himself, the fountain of all good.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible had much to say about graven images:

The prohibition: we are here forbidden to worship even the true God by images.

The Jews (at least after the captivity) thought themselves forbidden by this commandment to make any image or picture whatsoever. Hence the very images which the Roman armies had in their ensigns are called an abomination to them, especially when they were set up in the holy place.

It is certain that it forbids making any image of God (for to whom can we liken him?), or the image of any creature for a religious use. It is called the changing of the truth of God into a lie (Romans 1:25), for an image is a teacher of lies; it insinuates to us that God has a body, whereas he is an infinite spirit.

It also forbids us to make images of God in our fancies, as if he were a man as we are. Our religious worship must be governed by the power of faith, not by the power of imagination. They must not make such images or pictures as the heathen worshiped, lest they also should be tempted to worship them. Those who would be kept from sin must keep themselves from the occasions of it.

They must not bow down to them occasionally, that is, show any sign of respect or honor to them, much less serve them constantly, by sacrifice or incense, or any other act of religious worship. When they paid their devotion to the true God, they must not have any image before them, for the directing, exciting, or assisting of their devotion.

Though the worship was designed to terminate in God, it would not please him if it came to him through an image. The best and most ancient lawgivers among the heathen forbade the setting up of images in their temples. This practice was forbidden in Rome by Numa, a pagan prince; yet commanded in Rome by the pope, a Christian bishop, but, in this, anti-christian.

The use of images in the church of Rome, at this day, is so plainly contrary to the letter of this command, and so impossible to be reconciled to it, that in all their catechisms and books of devotion, which they put into the hands of the people, they leave out this commandment, joining the reason of it to the first; and so the third commandment they call the second, the fourth the third, etc.; only, to make up the number ten, they divide the tenth into two. Thus have they committed two great evils, in which they persist, and from which they hate to be reformed; they take away from God's word, and add to his worship.

That final paragraph is amazing.  Having been in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, I've seen the multitude of statues and images that fill it.  I'm not suggesting we ransack the building, but in all its glory, it definitely goes against God's commandments.

We are a society of idol worshipers.  From actors and athletes, to politicians and musicians.  We cheer, clap, and worship other gods.  No matter how great the person, none of them deserve a statue.  I think we should remember and honor good men and women, but our remembrance must not turn in to worship.  Putting other gods before the one true God has only brought trouble.

Dream Small

I've been hearing another great song on the radio lately.  "Dream Small" by Josh Wilson has a message that I think we really need to hear.  I especially like the line, "Don’t buy the lie you’ve got to do it all."  So often we think if we aren't doing something great (i.e. for all the world to see) we aren't doing anything worthwhile. 

I did a quick Google search on "dream small" and then looked at images hoping for something inspirational I could put with this post.  There were many "inspirational" quotes about how to dream, but not how to dream small.  A few examples:

"People who dream small dreams continue to live as small people."
"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men."
"They say I dream too big.  I say they think too small."
"Don't tell your big dreams to small minded people."
"You're too big to dream small."

It seems that dreams must be big or they aren't worthwhile.  I believe it is this type of thinking that stops a lot of good from being accomplished.  Josh Wilson had this to say about his song:

"'Dream Small' is an anthem for the unsung heroes in this world. It's for moms and dads, students and teachers, secretaries, caregivers, social workers, church staff members and anyone else who is living out God's love and kindness daily.  No matter who we are or where we come from, we all have a part to play. And if we're faithful in those little things, as the song says, we can 'add up the small things and watch them grow bigger, the God who does all things makes oceans from rivers.'"

The Bible has many examples of people doing the small things.  Zechariah 4:10 says, "For who hath despised the day of small things?"  Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible said this: "The day of small things - is especially God’s day, whose strength is made perfect in weakness; who raised Joseph from the prison, David from the sheepfold, Daniel from slavery, and converted the world by the fishermen and the tentmaker, having Himself first become the Carpenter."

Don't be afraid to dream big, but don't put your dreams away because you think they're too small!

Dream Small

It’s a mama singing songs about the Lord
It’s a daddy spending family time the world says he cannot afford
These simple moments change the world
It’s a pastor at a tiny little church
40 years of loving on the broken and the hurt
These simple moments change the world

Dream small
Don’t buy the lie you’ve got to do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Dream small

It’s visiting the widow down the street
Or dancing on a Friday with your friend with special needs
These simple moments change the world
Of course there’s nothing wrong with bigger dreams
Just don’t miss the minutes on your way to bigger things
Cause these simple moments change the world

Keep loving, keep serving, keep listening, keep learning
Keep praying, keep hoping, keep seeking, keep searching
Add up the small things and watch them grow bigger
The God who does all things makes oceans from rivers

Dream small
Don’t buy the lie you’ve got to do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Yeah five loaves and two fish can feed them all
So dream small

The Superpower for the All of Us

Twenty five years ago this week Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were murdered.  I have a ton of emotions when I think about that case.  Not because of the actual murder, although it was horrible, but because it reminds me of the last conversation I had with my dear brother, Rod.  I wrote about it ten years ago:

On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were brutally murdered. Nicole's former husband, O.J. Simpson, was charged with the murders. On Friday, June 17th, instead of turning himself in, O.J. became the object of a low-speed pursuit in a white Ford Bronco SUV.

The next day, Rod and I talked about this on the phone. It seemed many were in shock that someone "so great" could commit such a horrible crime. Rod told me, "Kathy, that's why you have to be careful who you make your heroes. You can't choose athletes as heroes. They might do great things on the field, but that doesn't make them great people. True heroes are people of God."

That was the last conversation we had, as Rod passed away the following Wednesday. Those words resonate in me still. We have to be so careful whom we choose to admire.  I have thought about those words so many times through the years and was thinking about them again this week.

I believe the desire for heroes has made the superhero movie craze what it is today.  More than 100 movies have been made about men and women who defy the odds to beat the bad guys.  Many have a "superpower."  The original superhero movie came out in 1920 - The Mark of Zorro.  Zorro was simply a man with a mask, fighting the mistreatment of the peons by rich landowners and the oppressive colonial government.  Advengers: Endgame, the superhero movie playing in theaters right now has already grossed over $2.7 Billion.  People flood to watch good triumph over evil.

I read an insightful article from the New York Times written last June.  "Why Are We Obsessed with Superhero Movies?" by Mark Bowden takes a deep look at the subject.  About a third of the way into the article he talks about the Cult of Self:

If heroes are idealized humans, then today’s reflect an exaggerated Cult of Self. They are unique, supremely talented beings who transcend laws, even those of nature. Hollywood has always cherished mavericks, but these are, literally, cartoons — computer-generated.

They celebrate exceptionalism and vigilantism. The old American ideal of succeeding through cleverness, virtue and grit is absent, as is the notion of ordinary folk banding together to overcome a threat. Gone is respect for the rule of law and the importance of tradition and community. Institutions and human knowledge are useless. Religion is irrelevant. Governments are corrupt and/or inept, when not downright evil. The empowered individual is all.

Normal humans are mere bystanders, when they are not being crushed or vaporized. The average person is powerless and depends for survival on the good will of the gods.

The articles goes on to compare various superheroes to Greek and Roman mythical gods. "Superheroes just have one or more extraordinary physical traits. In comic book movies, villains just want to conquer and kill. They are not looking to slake their lust, amass great riches, build monuments to themselves, create utopian societies or engage in sadistic torments. They just want to win."

So what about the rest of us?

In the past 25 years, I've continued with Rod's sage advice in where I find my heroes.  Mine don't come from comic books, TV shows, or movies.  They don't play in stadiums or on stages.  My heroes continue to be family members, friends, preachers, teachers and missionaries.  My heroes have a superpower, it's one available to all.   Galatians 5:22-23 tells us about it, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."  Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible gave an excellent breakdown of these superpowers:

Love -  An intense desire to please God, and to do good to mankind.  The very soul and spirit of all true religion; the fulfilling of the law, and what gives energy to faith itself.

Joy -  The exultation that arises from a sense of God’s mercy communicated to the soul in the pardon of its iniquities, and the prospect of that eternal glory of which it has the foretaste in the pardon of sin.

Peace -  The calm, quiet, and order, which take place in the justified soul. Peace is the first sensible fruit of the pardon of sin.

Long-suffering - Long-mindedness, bearing with the frailties and provocations of others, from the consideration that God has borne long with ours.

Gentleness - Benignity, affability; a very rare grace, often wanting in many who have a considerable share of Christian excellence. A good education and polished manners, when brought under the influence of the grace of God, will bring out this grace with great effect.

Goodness - The perpetual desire and sincere study, not only to abstain from every appearance of evil, but to do good to the bodies and souls of men to the utmost of our ability.

Faith -  here used for fidelity - punctuality in performing promises, conscientious carefulness in preserving what is committed to our trust, in restoring it to its proper owner, in transacting the business confided to us, neither betraying the secret of our friend, nor disappointing the confidence of our employer.

Meekness - Mildness, indulgence toward the weak and erring, patient suffering of injuries without feeling a spirit of revenge, an even balance of all tempers and passions, the entire opposite to anger.

Temperance - Continence, self-government, or moderation, principally with regard to sensual or animal appetites. Moderation in eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.

Against such there is no law - Those, whose lives are adorned by the above virtues, cannot be condemned by any law, for the whole purpose and design of the moral law of God is fulfilled in those who have the Spirit of God, producing in their hearts and lives the preceding fruits.

The New York Times article stated, "They are unique, supremely talented beings who transcend laws."  Those of us who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit can truly transcend laws. 

I'm still cheering when good triumphs over evil, but it's the real life good, not the Hollywood version.  Jesus showed us that on the cross - He triumphed over all.  When we live according to His Word, we have all the superpower we need.  No cape or mask required!

1965: Talking, Walking and My First Hero

My baby book was filled with tidbits from 1965:

Kathy is showing her personality - 11 months.  When she is having a fit she doesn't lay down and scream like most children, she sits down, kicks and screams "mad, mad, mad."  I heard about this my entire childhood and sometimes wondered if it was just a family myth.  When I found my baby book, this particular trait was recorded not once but twice in my baby book!  Does this little angel look capable of such an act?

Kathy took her first step on her ten month birthday.  She had been standing alone for about two weeks.  Now, at eleven months she walks fairly well.  We've stopped counting steps.  Rodney coaxes her, she is practically his shadow.  These two are really close, in every way.

Her walking worries us now - 14 months - she is quite bow legged. 

18 months - pigeon-toed quite badly.  Each foot is in a plaster cast.  The casts were only on for 2 1/2 weeks.  Didn't help at all.  Now she has a Denis-Brown splint which turn her feet out 60 degrees.  This is worn at night.

I don't remember the casts or splints for my legs, but we have an old home movie (reel to reel) of me in the splints.  The scene is pretty funny - Kim was "helping" me walk, then decided to let go.  I fell backwards and was left on the floor like a turtle on its back, unable to get up.  Siblings - can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

It's kind of amazing that in the middle of the page about my walking, Mom recorded my relationship with Rod.  She could not have known at that time just how close the two of us would grow up to be.  I've written dozens of posts about Rod, but my first post dedicated to him is still a favorite.  He wasn't perfect but he was my first hero, the one I wanted to follow everywhere.  I've got one more place to follow him - heaven!  He won that race in 1994 and I'm still chasing him.  I like to think that somewhere he is among the great cloud of witnesses cheering me on as I continue to run the race (Hebrews 12:1.)

I'm thankful that in 1965 I recognized a hero when I saw him.

Heroes ~ Average People Who Do Something

I think it is very fitting that in Sacramento today there is a parade to honor three young American men.  College student Anthony Sadler, Oregon National Guard specialist Alek Skarlatos and U.S. Airman Spencer Stone foiled an attack on a train in Europe three weeks ago today.

From left, French President Francois Hollande, Alek Skarlatos, U.S. Ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley, Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article32268423.html#storylink=cpy

They were just elementary school students 14 years ago, but today they are heroes.  "I don't think I'm any different than the average American. When people are faced with this situation, I feel like it is a choice. Like, you think, 'Should I do something or should I go hide?' And I just want everybody to know that they should do something," Anthony Sadler said.

I'm thankful today for the many brave first responders who willingly walked into the face of danger that Tuesday morning and for our service men and women through the ages.

September 11 ~ Hero

On this eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks, it's appropriate that today's Photo A Day challenge is "Hero."  The first heroes who come to mind are the NYC Firefighters.  They kept going up the stairs, while others were escaping down.  True heroes.  Our military men and women who have been fighting since.  True heroes.

I didn't personally know any of those men and women.  But I've had plenty of heroes in my life.  I wrote about a conversation with Rod regarding heroes (you can read it here.)  Such wisdom he had when he told me:

Kathy, that's why you have to be careful who you make your heroes. You can't choose athletes as heroes. They might do great things on the field, but that doesn't make them great people. True heroes are people of God.

Webster defines hero as:

1)  a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability

b : an illustrious warrior

c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities

d : one who shows great courage

2) a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work

b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement

 
I've been thinking about heroes all day.  I think a lot of times we get hung up on that first definition.  Larger than life, endowed with great strength.  Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap buildings in a single bound.  Those kind of heroes only exist in novels or movies or our imaginations.

There are many unsung heroes that go through life showing great courage.  Not the dragon slaying kind of courage, but courage to continue on while facing losses, illness, rejection, sorrow, and fear.  People who put on a cap that says, "Another Bad Hair Day" with fake hair, when all theirs has fallen out.

Heroes.  Sometimes you have to search for them because they're busy going forward in life.  But there are plenty of them if you know where to look.

Choosing Heroes

Bro. May's title on Sunday night ~ "From Bad to Worse" ~ brought back a time when I said, "things can't get any worse" and they did. 1994 was a year of trouble on every side. It started with an earthquake in January, followed by Rod's passing in June. Just a few weeks after that, I said, "this year can't get any worse..." Two months later Mom's cancer was back. As I recalled that painful time, I remembered some words of wisdom from Rod...

On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were brutally murdered. Nicole's former husband, O.J. Simpson, was charged with the murders. On Friday, June 17th, instead of turning himself in, O.J. became the object of a low-speed pursuit in a white Ford Bronco SUV.

The next day, Rod and I talked about this on the phone. It seemed many were in shock that someone "so great" could commit such a horrible crime. Rod told me, "Kathy, that's why you have to be careful who you make your heroes. You can't choose athletes as heroes. They might do great things on the field, but that doesn't make them great people. True heroes are people of God."

That was the last conversation we had, as Rod passed away the following Wednesday. Those words resonate in me still. We have to be so careful whom we choose to admire. That grey haired saint might not have the flashiest clothes, but if they've lived a life of consecration, they deserve our admiration.

It's actually not too difficult to find heroes if you look in the right direction:

Pastors and pastors' wives ~ heroes.
Foreign missionaries ~ heroes.
Home missionaries ~ heroes.
Sunday school teachers ~ heroes.
Parents trying to raise their kids in the things of God ~ heroes.
Young people who stand for what's right in high school and college ~ heroes.

I'm thankful for the many heroes in my life.

7 Year Old Hero!

A young boy saved his family by dialing 911 Tuesday morning. Three suspects invaded the Norwalk, CA, home threatening to take what they wanted. The boy, who the suspects did not know was in the house, locked himself in a bathroom with his younger sister and called 911 while the suspects threatened his parents at gunpoint.

On the recording, he begs the operator to send police quickly, "a lot of them... And bring soldiers too." The suspects heard him on the phone, broke into the bathroom and asked who he called. When he said 911, they quickly fled.

I was amazed at the bravery of this boy. It was also proof of parents who had taught him what to do in a time of trouble. He knew who to call.

It reminded me of Deuteronomy 6, verses 6 and 7: "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

It is so important that we diligently teach our children the ways of the Lord. Sunday school teachers play an important role, but it is the parents who are with them when they sit in the house, walk by the way, lie down and rise up.

They need to be able to answer the question, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" with the firm conviction of Acts 2:38. They need to know the name they can call upon in time of trouble.

And Sunday school teachers, make sure those children who do not have parents in the church know who to call. It could be that seven year old who brings salvation to their entire family!