Long-term ROI

Ever wish you could have gone back in time and invested in a then little-known stock that was oddly called “Amazon”?  Back in 1997, Amazon was an online bookstore that was trying its hardest to prove you don’t need brick-and-mortar locations to sell books.  If you had grabbed on to that early vision and bought $500 of its $18/share stock and simply held on to that investment, here’s how you would have fared:

·       The stock has split four times, meaning your initial investment price is now $0.075/share.
·       Due to these splits, every one of your initial shares has become 240 shares.
·       On December 29, 2025, the share price closed at $232.07, which means the current value of your shares is now $1,508,535.
·       You have received an ROI (return on investment) of 301,607% !

Back in 1997, you never would have guessed that your modest investment into an online bookstore would end up with the world-wide reach and global impact that Amazon has scaled to now…but you would have still reaped the profits, even though you didn’t see them coming when you invested.

There’s a guy in the Bible who also made an investment that may have seemed a little risky, but also reasonable at the time, and yet his investment later became staggeringly profitable in ways that I’m certain he never saw coming.

When you read the leading verses to the New Testament books of Luke and Acts, you find the same person mentioned – Theophilus.  Most scholars believe he was the patron of Luke, the one who financed and supported the writing of these two books.  Writing a book of this length was quite expensive in the ancient world, because of the time and resources needed.  It was also common to dedicate the commissioned work back to the patron who supported it.  Take a look at the beginnings of both books:

Luke 1:1-4
Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us.  So it also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.

Acts 1:1-2
I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day He was taken up, after He had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

Luke’s aim was so that Theophilus would know the certainty of the things about which [he had] been instructed.  It’s quite likely that Theophilus was a new believer and he wanted to know everything he could about Jesus’ earthly ministry.  Putting yourself in that position, it would make sense to commission a trusted, educated man like Luke to carefully investigate the stories about Jesus.  Having a historical record on hand would also provide the opportunity to commission copies of the books to be distributed out to a wider audience.

However, I’m pretty certain that Theophilus did not expect these two books to be included in the New Testament cannon.  However, God knew the full impact of the commissioned works.  Just think about the larger impact the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts has had:

·       They have been cherished, read, and studied by believers for nearly 2000 years
·       Every Christmas season features Luke 2 as the central passage describing the birth of Jesus.
·       The historical details which Luke included in both books have provided significant evidence supporting the accuracy of Scripture as a whole.

Those are just a small portion of the books’ history-making impact, created by Theophilus’ funding of a project that he likely expected to be for him and for perhaps a few others in his time.  There’s no way he would have predicted the global, historical influence of his investment.

My thoughts from this example come back to us… What are we investing in now for God that He could use to make a generational-level, even historical-level impact?  Are we intentionally funding those who create content that tells others about who Jesus is, what He did, and what He taught? 

I don’t have any idea what else Theophilus did with his money, but I am thankful that he spent some of what God entrusted him with on an investment into God’s people.  It wouldn’t have been a small sum of money, either.  I’m sure there were other things he could have bought, too.  But by choosing to invest in God’s Kingdom, Theophilus’ ROI is greater than he could have ever imagined… and his investment is still going!

So, again, I have to ask: Where in the Kingdom of God are we investing?

Trust God with your investment, and let’s see Him expand the reach greater than we can imagine!

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Christmas = GAME ON

Earlier this year, our youngest son proposed to his girlfriend.  We knew it was coming ahead of time.  For months prior, he had made plans for the ring’s design, as well as how and when he would ask her.  We talked with him through this important step, because once this moment happens, there are no take backs.  As big of an event the proposal is, the real significance of him asking is because the proposal sets in motion the events that lead to the ultimate goal – marriage.

When he had picked the day, the time, and the place for his proposal, he let us and her immediate family know.  The proposal itself was to be a moment between the two of them, but he also knew that they would want to celebrate afterward with both families.  He made reservations at a little Italian restaurant where we were to meet up and celebrate the new couple.

In some ways, the dinner was an ending, because it signified the end of the dating portion of their relationship.  But the bigger reality was that we all knew this was officially the start of something new and that something greater was just on the horizon.  The ring on her finger and gathering those closest to them was the public announcement that their relationship to each other and to the world was going to change soon.  It was GAME ON, and all of us at that dinner were so excited about what that moment meant to them and for us.

In a lot of ways…that’s what Christmas is, too.

God had promised a Messiah, a Rescuer, to the people of Israel for centuries.  The Messiah would be the one to rescue the people, bringing justice, hope, and reconciliation to a world that would never be able to have those things by their own efforts.  God foretold, through the prophets, where the Messiah would be born…but He didn’t tell them exactly when it would happen. 

Then one night, the announcement came:

Luke 2:8-14
In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.  Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!

In some ways, the angel’s announcement was an ending, because it signified the end of the prophets being the primary way God communicated with mankind.  But the bigger reality was that this moment was officially the start of something new, and that something greater was just on the horizon.  This multitude of heavenly host, this mass of a heavenly army, cheered and shouted praises to publicly announce the birth of Jesus.  But instead of simply gathering those closest to God, the public announcement was made to people on the lowest rungs of ancient society.  Everyone was to know that their relationship to God and God’s relationship to the world was going to change soon.  It was GAME ON, and the shepherds were so excited about what that moment meant to them and for all of us.

The greatness of Christmas is because our Messiah has finally arrived… telling us that our hope of rescue has been fulfilled, our relationship with God has changed, and something greater is coming soon.

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!

Keep Pressing,
Ken

We must grieve

Jesus begins His “Sermon on the Mount” with a series of blessings referred to as ‘The Beatitudes’.  Even if you’re not familiar with the name, I’m certain that you’ll recognize several of them:

Matthew 5:3-10
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

This is an easy list to breeze through…at least for me it always has been.  I was recently challenged with a speaker’s focus on the second blessing:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Which side do you see yourself on…the person who mourns or the one who brings comfort?

Honestly, I have always pictured myself as the one who brings comfort – which breaks down to com-fort and means to “bring-strength”.  I can see myself as one who brings strength to those who are struggling…but I didn’t see myself as someone who would need to receive comfort.

The acts of mourning and grieving are necessary to our lives, but we generally don’t like them very much.  So what do we do?  We tend to stuff our feelings and avoid any opportunity to evaluate or process them.  We use a variety of terms to describe how we expect it to feel: messy, sticky, uncomfortable, out of control, never ending, lonely, depressing…I’m sure you could add a few of your own.

Most of all, deep down we fear two things: that if we start to mourn, it will never end…and that if we really grieve, no one will come to comfort us.  Just the thought of being forever alone in our grief is enough to scare us into avoiding it at all costs.  We’d rather spend a massive amount of energy and time pretending that we’re fine instead of facing both our fears and our grief.

But that’s not what Jesus promised, is it?

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Look also to what David wrote about God:

Psalm 56:8
You Yourself have recorded my wanderings.
Put my tears in Your bottle.  Are they not in Your book?

God knows where we have been.  He knows the heartache we’ve experienced.  He’s not only seen every tear we’ve cried, but He’s carefully collected them as well.

God offers another promise – this one is announced at the opening of New Jerusalem in Eternity Future:

Revelation 21:3-4
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them.  They will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them and will be their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  Death will be no more, grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

Did you see that?  God Himself will wipe away the tears from your eyes.  But how can He wipe away tears we refuse to cry?  How will we find comfort if we refuse to mourn?

We must grieve.  Not just when a loved one dies, but any loss we experience – the loss of a friendship, a job, our innocence, our dreams, a season of life.  Even when we let go of good things so we can focus on better things, we still need to grieve.

When grief comes, don’t avoid it – lean into it.  Your mourning won’t last forever.  In fact, leaning into it will bring it to conclusion, even if we don’t feel that way right now.  Avoiding it will guarantee that the unresolved grief will linger with you for the rest of your life.

God promises blessing and comfort to those who mourn.  Will you trust Him with your tears?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

At His lowest moment, they needed Him

How close are you with your cousins?

I wasn’t all that close to mine, mainly because we lived so far apart that it was unlikely we’d see each other more than once a year.  However, I have met other people that tell me they are so close to their cousin, they may as well had been raised as siblings…even to the point that their cousin knew and understood them better than their actual siblings did.

Did you know Jesus had a similar family situation?

Growing up, and even into His ministry, Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe in Him (John 7:1-9).  Can you imagine having a literally perfect older brother?  Yeah, I wouldn’t be too thrilled with him, either.  But Jesus did have a cousin whom He was close with.  His name was John.

John was born six months earlier than Jesus, but even in the womb, he recognized who Jesus really was (Luke 1:44).  John’s mission was to announce to the nation of Judah that the Messiah was coming (Luke 3:1-6).  He was even given the honor of baptizing Jesus (Luke 3:21-22), signifying that a new era in God’s relationship with mankind had begun.  John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, those chosen by God to point the people toward the coming Messiah and King.  But John was the only prophet to actually know the One he was pointing people to.  John knew better than anyone on the planet what Jesus had come to earth for, giving up his own opportunity for fame and fortune among the Jewish people.  His understanding is wholly encapsulated in his statement:

John 3:28-30
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the groom.  But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice.  So this joy of mine is complete.  He must increase, but I must decrease.

John’s mission as a prophet wasn’t just to announce the Messiah, but to also bring the people to recognize their need for the coming Messiah.  His teaching routinely convicted people of their sin – some wanted to know how to deal with their sinful state, but others wanted to hide from it.  And John wouldn’t just call out the average citizens…he had no issue calling out the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and political leaders for their selfishness.

As you can imagine, this caused John some trouble.  At one point, King Herod arrested John and had him thrown in prison.  Then through some shrewd political maneuvering, others manipulated the King into beheading John (Matthew 14:1-12).  This act shocked the people and word spread quickly to Jesus.

Matthew 14:13
When Jesus heard about it, He withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone.

I don’t blame Him one bit.  You find out that your closest friend – your cousin that’s practically your brother – has been murdered on the King’s orders.  The person who understood your life’s mission the best has been violently taken away…and all Jesus wanted was some time to Himself, some time with just Him and the Father.  But that’s not what He got:

Matthew 14:13-14
When the crowds heard this, they followed Him on foot from the towns.  When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd

How deflating that must have felt.  Jesus wants to grieve, but even in His lowest moment, the people still needed Him.  They were still drawn to Him.  So much so they ran around a body of water to chase down His boat, in the hopes of meeting Him on the other side.

I admit that if I were Jesus, I would have been mad at that scene as I brought the boat into shore.  Too emotionally tired to explode with anger, I likely would have shut down in depression.  Every instinct in my body would have been to turn the boat around and go drop anchor in the middle of the lake…and I’m pretty sure I would have given in to doing so.  My internal dialogue would have been screaming, “Don’t they know how broken I feel right now?  Can’t they see I need to get away!”

Instead, this is how Jesus saw them:

Matthew 14:14
When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, had compassion on them, and healed their sick.

Jesus had compassion on them because He still saw them as they were, instead of viewing them as hinderances to His own desires.  They were sheep without a shepherd.  They were listless and leaderless.  They were drawn to Jesus, even if they couldn’t fully explain why.  They just knew He had what they needed.  Jesus did get His time alone with the Father a little while later (Matthew 14:23), so He could properly grieve and process the loss of John.

Therein lies the challenge for us.  When life punches hard – and it will happen – are we going to see people through the lens of our suffering or through the lens of compassion?  When you’re ready to leave and your classmates or coworkers ask you to help them out again…or that little hand reaches under the bathroom door when you just wanted a minute to breathe…or you’re in a rush at the store and down the aisle comes an elderly lady with a lost and confused look on her face…how will we see them?

I hope we choose compassion.  We cannot go wrong when we see people through that lens.  Even when we’re low, we can still compassionately connect and even meet some needs.  When we do, I’m convinced God will grant us the time we need to rest and process.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Fulfilling our need to be reconciled

I was sitting in church recently, when the pastor included a familiar passage in his message.  When this situation happens, it’s an easy trap for believers (especially if they have been taught from the Scriptures for a few years) to think, “Oh that passage.  Yeah, I’ve heard this one before.  I know what that means.”

And while it is 100% true that God’s meaning of His word does not change, the depth of our understanding and ways in which we apply the truth of God’s word most certainly can change.  Often these two arrive hand-in-hand – when we understand better, we can become better at applying.

That’s what happened as I sat there listening.  Our pastor was discussing what we share as believers by being a part of God’s family, and he took us to the familiar passage in Paul’s second letter to the believers in Corinth.  This is where Paul says that we share a mission to be Christ’s ambassadors to the world, specifically reaching out to others with the message of reconciliation:

2 Corinthians 5:18-20
Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us.  We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

Now, I’ve heard a number of sermons cite this passage, and they typically emphasize each believer doing their part in getting the good news about Jesus out into the world.  Those sermons focus on Paul’s use of the word ambassador and the ambassador’s job to represent God and His interests, purpose, and design for human life.

However…my mind went somewhere else.  I made a connection that I hadn’t thought of before…one that left me both stunned and (honestly) a little agitated.  It wasn’t about the job of an ambassador; I understand that part.  Instead, it was realizing exactly how God expects us to do the job of an ambassador. 

Let me take you through my thought process:

C.S. Lewis famously said in Mere Christianity that “Every Christian is to become a little Christ.  The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.”  God’s plan for our lives is to make us more and more like Jesus, such that when the world encounters us, they have the opportunity to see Jesus.  And if, according to Paul, Jesus reconciled the world to God the Father THROUGH HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS…and I, as a Christ-follower, am to become more like Jesus…who has given the message of reconciliation to us…

THEN…for me to be an ambassador that clearly and correctly represents God…I have to be willing to die, just like Jesus was…and whatever God asks me to let die, for the sake of others being reconciled to Him, I need to give up – just like Jesus did.

As this conclusion dawned on me, sitting in church…my immediate, raw, and unfiltered thought was “Oh, come on!  Really?” 

I mean, I get that we need to be “good ambassadors”, play nice, and be good neighbors in the world…but that’s not what we’re called to do, is it?  No, after becoming the new creation through Jesus’ free gift of eternal life (John 3:16), He then calls us to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-25).  The cross is an instrument of death.  We’re not supposed to just carry the cross, we’re meant to use it.

So, ever since this realization, the question I’ve been pondering is “What in me has to die so others can be reconciled to God?”  I’ve grappled with a few ideas…several of them are hard to let go of.

That’s a tough question, isn’t it?  What about you?  What in you has to die so others can be reconciled to God?  What has to die so you can become more like Christ?  Here are a few options:

Our need for validation from others.
Our self-centeredness.
Our shame.
Our suspicions of people not like us.
Our desire to appear like we have it all together.
Only seeing people as tasks or obstacles.

I’m sure you could add something of your own, too.  I suggest picking one and taking it to God.  Tell Him you want to be a better ambassador, and that you’re willing to give up what He asks of you so that others will be able to hear the good news – Jesus sets us free and gives us eternal life, all we have to do is believe in Him for it.

The question still stings a bit, but we can trust that God’s answer is for our good and His glory:

What in me has to die so others can be reconciled to God?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Believe me, I swear!

Growing up, it seemed like any time another kid wanted to be believed, he would say something like, “I swear on my mother’s life” or “I swear to God”.  It was because he wanted to be seen as telling the truth, no matter how outlandish his claim was.  Even still now, among adults, I hear similar phrases like, “That’s the God’s-honest truth” or “May God strike me down if I’m lying” or simply “On God”. 

These qualifiers have always seemed to me as, well, a little weird to say.  And apparently, so did Jesus’ half-brother James:

James 5:12
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.  But let your “yes” mean “yes”, and your “no” mean “no”, so that you won’t fall under judgment.

Another translation for so that you won’t fall under judgment would be so that you won’t fall into hypocrisy.  Ouch.  No one wants the stigma of being viewed as a hypocrite.  This thought isn’t unique to James, either.  Because his big-brother Jesus covered this same topic in His Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, “You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord”.  But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.  Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.  But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ mean ‘no’.  Anything more than this is from the evil one.

How bad of a look is it if we’re “swearing” by heaven or by earth…and we are actually wrong on whatever it is we’re trying to convince others about?  We have no control over the heavens, the earth, or what color our hair naturally grows out as.  So what does all this “swearing” mean?  A whole lotta nothing, honestly.  But wow, phrases like this are commonly said in today’s culture.  It’s as if we’re so used to people not following through that we need an extra layer of promise to get people to believe us.

It might not seem like a big deal to simply let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ mean ‘no’, but the difference is that it will stand out in comparison to what people have typically experienced.  If that statement sounds far-fetched, I would have likely agreed with you, if it weren’t for a recent experience at work.

I was given a small task of updating a few accounts, so I contacted each of the account owners via email on a Friday, telling them that their account credentials would change on the following Wednesday afternoon.  Then, on that next Wednesday afternoon, I communicated their updates.  I thought nothing of the task until I received an email back from one of the account owners with the following statement:

Thank you for making this process so smooth!

I was pretty surprised at getting a “thank you”, but also really surprised at being told that I made the whole thing “so smooth!”  All I did was follow through with what I said I would do – and that apparently stood out to this particular person, enough for him to feel the need to express his gratitude to me.

It was still just a small thing…or was it?  If we are to be Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), then it is appropriate for us to be reliable ambassadors.  If we’re not following through on the “small things” or we have to “swear” or “On God” what we say…how will they believe us when the opportunity comes to talk about the most important thing they could ever know?

And it’s really just as simple as James and Jesus made it out to be – let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ mean ‘no’.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Them boys came to work

Sometimes, weekend plans can be completely scrapped due to unexpected events, especially when you are a homeowner.  You cannot predict when most appliances will need repair, or when a piece of furniture breaks, or when you’ll find a water leak in the yard…it just comes with the territory of owning/managing property.  This past week for me – it was a tree that suddenly collapsed in our yard.

This past Thursday, we had a soaking rain with lightly gusting winds.  However, the weather wasn’t the cause of the damage so much as it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.  Or that broke the massive tree limb, anyway.

Bradford Pear trees are a non-native species to North Carolina that property developers loved to plant in the 90s and early 2000s due to their rapid growth and pretty spring flowering.  However, they have many drawbacks – their aggressive growth can be invasive, with sprawling root structures that outcompete native trees for resources.  Their pretty white flowers also stink – like dead fish.  Lastly, and most consequential to my weekend plans, their branches are often weakly attached to the trunk. 

So, during a typical NC rainstorm last Thursday, one of the massive limbs on our Bradford Pear broke off and dropped into our front yard.  Thankfully, it didn’t land on the house or in the street.  However, the crashing limb so severely ripped the trunk that there was no saving the tree.  I snapped a picture and sent it to our church’s men’s group chat, lamenting that I suddenly had new plans for the weekend.  These are the guys that meet weekly on Zoom to go through the Scriptures, sometimes a book, or we take the time to check in on each other.  The group has been rolling for years and it’s always good when we can catch a lunch together or find another way to hang out, outside of saying hello on Sundays.

Since we live in the county and not in a city, the debris removal was totally on me.  Immediately, guys were offering chainsaws and assistance.  From Friday evening to Saturday evening, multiple guys showed up in waves to help, with a couple of them bringing an extra family member to assist.  With chainsaws and a pole saw, we lopped off several still-attached branches, took down the tree, and cut it up.  We were able to haul the debris off to one guy’s nearby burn pile.

Left to myself, on my own time and with just my own effort, a tree that size would have taken me two weeks to take down and likely another two weeks of shuttling everything in my truck to the local compost facility.  Or, at least, I’d have to pay someone two grand to come do it all for me.

Instead, with about 6 hours of work over a 26-hour time period, 5 guys from the men’s group (plus 2 of their family members)…everything was done.  Them boys came to work.  And my neighbors noticed.

Here’s a few quotes from some of the guys in the neighborhood, at different points of the process:

Neighbor 1 (while work was on-going): “Are these guys from your church group?”
Me: “Yeah”
Neighbor 1: “That’s pretty cool.”

Me: (everything hauled away, I’m raking the last of the leaves) “I had some good friends come help me out.”
Neighbor 2: “I hope that if I’m ever in a similar situation, I can pull off what you did to get some help.”

Me: (after everything was done, during a dog walk) “Yeah, my men’s group from church jumped in to help me.”
Neighbor 3: (rubbing his chin) “Huh.  How about that?”

I’m pretty sure none of these men have believed in Jesus for eternal life.  But because of my tree-wrecked weekend plans, they all had front-row seats to the kind of community God made us for.  What they saw was a live-action application of one of Jesus’ teachings in His famous Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world.  A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

My neighborhood saw our light shine, and I was able to tell many of them where that light was coming from.  My undesired inconvenience became my opportunity to talk about God.  I think we all could use a perspective like that when our plans are interrupted.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Round 2: Pause on prayers and regrets

Pause on prayers and regrets
Originally posted on February 03, 2022

There’s a running joke in Christianity that says you should never ask God for patience, because if you do, you’ll hit every red light, you’ll be late for everything, and no one will behave like you expect them to.  “Ask God for patience,” you’re warned, “and you’ll regret it!”

But have you ever asked God for something and later regretted asking Him?  Maybe you asked God for something, but you never received it, so you felt guilty for asking in the first place.  It could have been a relationship with who you thought was “The One”, that “perfect” job opportunity, or public recognition…and they didn’t turn out the way you wanted. 

There’s a flip side to this also – what if God answers your request, but not in the way you were expecting? 

My wife is a good example.  When our boys were young, rambunctious, and not yet in school, my wife was struggling.  She knew that she needed to carve out time for herself.  She wanted to spend that time with God.  But little boys do not make it easy to schedule quiet time.  So she prayed about it, asking God to help her find/make/squirrel away some time where she could read the Bible, pray, and just breathe for 15 or 30 minutes.   

God answered her prayer…but He did it in a way that neither of us anticipated.  During one doctor appointment, she described her struggles and how she was feeling – and, based on their discussion, the doc diagnosed her with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  At the time, we lived in a very cloudy city that didn’t get much sun throughout the winter months.  So her doctor prescribed blue light therapy, meaning that she had to sit with a blue light to help with her mood and sleeping patterns.  Suddenly, she had 30 minutes to kill every morning as a blue light box shined across her face.  She got the result she asked God for, but certainly not delivered in a manner she would have chosen.

The moment in Scripture that we’re going to pause on was filled with tension and sorrow.  Jesus was slowly dying as His naked, beaten body hung from the cross.  For the handful of followers who watched, it must have been gut-wrenching to see Him like that.  Among those who were brave enough to risk being seen there, Matthew noted the following:

Matthew 27:55-56
Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after Him were there, watching from a distance.  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

This may seem like an odd moment to pause on, but we need to focus in on the unnamed woman who is listed last: the mother of Zebedee’s sons.  Both of her boys – James and John – were Jesus’ disciples.  And not just any disciples, but they were also part of Jesus’ inner circle, typically mentioned as Peter, James, and John.  Yeah, those were her boys.  They were among the first disciples chosen and they had followed Him everywhere.  Their mother also believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  But as she watched her Messiah slowly die on that cross, how could her mind not flashback to this recent scene?

Matthew 20:20-23
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached [Jesus] with her sons.  She knelt down to ask Him for something.  “What do you want?” He asked her.

“Promise,” she said to Him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.”

Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking.  Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”

“We are able,” they said to Him

He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

Whoever sat at a ruler’s right hand held the top position, while the ruler’s second in command would sit at his left.  In effect, the mother was asking Jesus to ensure that her boys were placed in the top spots in His kingdom.  Notice that Jesus did not rebuke her for asking, nor did he reprimand James and John for desiring those positions.  However, all three of them were unaware of what such lofty positions would cost.

In Scripture, to drink from a “cup” is figurative for following a divinely appointed path or outcome, in the form of a blessing, wrath, punishment, or, in Jesus’ case, His upcoming suffering.  While Jesus could not promise the top positions, He warned the brothers that to have an opportunity for that honor, they must be prepared to suffer as He would soon suffer.

After their meeting, the other disciples found out and were not happy about the mother’s request:

Matthew 20:24-28
When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers.  Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them.  It must not be like that among you.  On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

The path to greatness is paved with service to others.  Jesus will rightfully rule in His kingdom because He suffered the most and served the most.  The seats at His right and His left have been prepared for those who similarly serve.  There is nothing wrong with desiring the high positions in Jesus’ kingdom, but those seats come at a high price – a “cup” of suffering service.

Back at the cross, what was James’ and John’s mother thinking about?  How did she feel, watching Jesus die, knowing that after her petition, Jesus said her boys would drink from the same cup?

Did she regret her request?
Did she desire to somehow protect her boys from the same horrific path?
Did she still trust Jesus when He said that being great actually means sacrificially serving others?

Those are good questions for us to wrestle with, as well.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Round 2: Pause on abuse

Pause on abuse
Originally posted on January 27, 2022

Physical.  Mental.  Emotional.  Sexual.  Financial.  Spiritual.  Attach the word “abuse” to one of those terms and any rational person cringes at the thought of personally receiving it or witnessing another person taking it.

The Christian church has a spotty record when addressing these issues.  For years, we’ve seen pastors and clergy make headlines for misusing their positions.  Unfair fights and manipulations do happen in homes where the family goes to church.  Also frustrating is that when presented with abusive situations, many in the church don’t know how best to offer support.

We expect the church and our church family to be a safe haven from abusive behaviors, but that’s not always the case.  And as big and sensitive as this topic is, I want to focus on just one aspect.  A question that has been both wondered silently and shouted out loud:

Does God even care that abuses are happening in society at large and even in His church?  Does He not understand how much pain this behavior causes?

In all honesty…yes…God does understand the pain of abuse, because Jesus experienced it directly:

Matthew 27:27-31
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole company around Him.  They stripped Him and dressed Him in a scarlet robe.  They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and placed a staff in His right hand.  And they knelt down before Him and mocked Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”  Then they spat on Him, took the staff, and kept hitting Him on the head.  After they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

Let’s pause right here.  We often read these verses quickly and don’t fully take in the situation.  I get it, it’s painful to think about, but let’s pause for a moment and recognize that in these verses, we see Jesus experience a range of abuses:

Verbal abuse: through their mocking, taunting, and demeaning words.
Physical abuse: when they stripped Him of His clothes, shoved thorns into His head, spat on Him, and beat Him with a staff.
Emotional abuse: through their isolation, intimidation given, and Jesus’ humiliation as the whole company gathered around and participated.

Jesus did nothing to deserve this treatment.  Those in power chose to take advantage of the situation and treat Him this way.

But the abuse Jesus endured didn’t stop there.  A little later, more people joined in.  When Jesus was at His weakest point, when He was totally naked and exposed to everyone…it only got worse.  While the soldiers’ abuse happened away from everyone, isolated in one part of the governor’s residence, Jesus’ next round of abuse was in public.  While He hung on a cross, people from all walks of life began piling on.  It must have felt like the entire world was against Him.

Matthew 27:38-44
Then two criminals were crucified with Him one on the right and one on the left.  Those who passed by were yelling insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself!  If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” 

In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him and said, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself!  He is the King of Israel!  Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.  He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now – if He takes pleasure in Him!  For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”  In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with Him taunted Him.

While there were people who loved Him, none of them were with Him in this moment.  Most had scattered.  Some watched at a distance.  A few got as close as they could.  But as He died…He was alone.

Jesus’ purpose was to die on the cross to remove the sin barrier between God and humanity.  But was this “extra” abuse necessary for Him to complete the mission?  No, it wasn’t – but the Roman leaders allowed it.  The Jewish religious leaders were not sad that it happened.  The Roman soldiers chose to pile on what they saw as a poor, powerless, helpless Jew.

Jesus took blows that were unfairly delivered.  He endured taunting that criticized Him as a person, questioned His identity, and mocked His purpose.  However, there is hope.  His endured suffering became our peace and healing:

Isaiah 53:5 (HCSB)
But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.

Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses – the mistakes we’ve made as well as our struggle to cope with how others have mistreated us.  Jesus wants us to come to Him, because He has mercy and grace for us.  He gets it.  He understands us.

Whatever abuse you have suffered, Jesus has been there.  He’s taken the hits.  He’s endured the taunts.  He’s suffered through others piling on insults, blame, and shame.  You are not alone.  It was wrong for Him to receive it, and it is also wrong for us to receive it.

Pain and abuse isn’t some academic discussion in Christianity – the God we worship has personal, direct experience with human suffering.  The church needs to identify and assist those who have been abused and those who are being abused now.  As ambassadors, we need to lovingly introduce them to a God who sees them and understands their history more intimately than they would expect.

If someone has taken advantage of you or abused you, let me be clear: It was wrong.  Others may not understand.  Blood family or church family may not handle it well.  But know that God understands – and in Him we can find peace and healing. 

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Round 2: Pause on offense

Pause on offense
Originally posted on January 20, 2022

If there’s any phrase that’s been thrown around too much in the last ten years, I think we can all agree that “I’m offended!” is it.  It seems like everyone is offended about something, right?

Typically, I’ve seen two opposing responses to someone taking offense.  On the one hand, we have someone who immediately pulls back and apologizes for any offense taken.  This person seems to believe that causing an offense is the worst thing one person could do to another.  On the other hand, we have someone else who hardens up and becomes recalcitrant in their behavior.  They claim that dealing with an offense is the sole responsibility of the one who is offended.  I’ve even witnessed some people being intentionally offensive, in an attempt to prove their point.

But where is a Christian supposed to live in this spectrum?  Timid, obstinate, or somewhere in between?  Does loving others mean that we’re going to acquiesce to another’s personal preferences or feelings?  Or does love need to be “tough” on those who wilt at the notion of conflict or differences?

While I do not think there is a hard-and-fast rule for our most loving response in all situations, I am thankful that Jesus provides us with an example in a situation He found Himself in. 

Before we step into the scene, we need a little context.  The Old Testament directed that at the annual census, each person over the age of 20 was to give a half-shekel offering to the Lord in support of the tabernacle.  This “temple tax” was collected annually across the nation.  It was not without controversy, either.  Some people believed that the temple tax was only to be paid once per lifetime; whereas others insisted that it was an annual offering.

The temple tax collectors were Jews who were working in the service of the temple, not the Roman occupiers.  What is not clear from the text is if they are simply doing their job, or if they were attempting to be clever with their question in order to draw Jesus into the debate and possibly accuse Him of not supporting the temple.

Whichever motive is true, Jesus’ handling of the situation is fascinating:

Matthew 17:24-26
When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes,” he said.
When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, “What do you think, Simon?  From whom do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes?  From their sons or from strangers?”
“From strangers,” he said.
“Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him.

Let’s pause right here.  Jesus is not merely teaching Peter a lesson in tax law.  Instead, He’s making a statement on Peter’s position in God’s family.  As the Son of God, Jesus is exempt from the temple tax.  However, Jesus is also including Peter as part of God’s family.  Earlier, Jesus stated that whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:50).  And just what is this “will of my Father”?  The apostle John quoted Jesus on this very phrase:

John 6:40
For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Those who believe in Jesus for eternal life are now part of the Father’s family!  On top of the multitude of benefits familyhood brings, in their current situation, Peter is just like Jesus – exempt from the temple tax.

So…what should Peter do with this new understanding of who he is as a member of God’s family?  As a practical matter, the temple tax collector is still waiting outside, expecting Peter to come out with the money.  What would you do?  Begrudgingly pay it?  Yell at the guy to go away?  Forcefully tell him about your rights as a child of God, and that you are exempt from his earthly governing rules?

When we read the next directions that Jesus gave to Peter, most people focus on the fantastical way Jesus provided the money.  Instead, I want us to focus on why Jesus was still going to pay, even though He said that the sons are free:

Matthew 17:27
“But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch.  When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin.  Take it and give it to them for me and you.”

Jesus says that they’ll still pay (even though they rightfully don’t have to) so the temple tax collectors won’t be offended.  The Greek word translated as offend – skandalizo – means to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, or metaphorically, to offend.  The temple tax collector wasn’t part of God’s Family…and so to avoid making him stumble in his interaction with those who are in God’s Family, Jesus set aside His rights as a son.  Jesus chose to pay a tax that He did not have to in order to keep the path clear for someone else to believe in Him for eternal life and join the family.

Jesus modeled how to avoid an offense so that a relationship can be maintained.  Even if Jesus or Peter chose to confront the tax collector with an argument about their rights as sons…what good would it have done in this situation?  The temple tax collector didn’t set the policy.  He doesn’t make the decisions about who pays and who does not pay.  In this instance, the tax collector is simply the messenger and blasting him with arguments – even valid ones – does not accomplish anything…but it would place a stumbling block in His way to seeing Jesus as the Messiah.

Our take-away principle is clear: There are bigger issues than my individual rights, especially when it comes to keeping the path to God clear of stumbling blocks for others.  If Jesus can set aside His rights to avoid an offense, so can I.

Keep Pressing,
Ken