100 Sermon Illustrations on Responsibility

BAIL TO THE CHIEF: Hillary Clinton, desperate to find something external to blame for her husband's political problems, now says bigotry against people from Arkansas is behind the ongoing attacks on the president. "I think a lot of this is prejudice against our state," she complained in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper. "They wouldn't do this if we were from some other state." The first lady previously claimed a "vast right-wing conspiracy" was behind Clinton's legal and political problems. (UPI) ...Face it, Hillary: the only outside thing to blame is Bill's zipper.

A fired Northwestern University professor was arrested for collecting his mother's social security checks for six years after her death. He blamed "extreme procrastination behavior" caused by depression!

AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER? In 1928, a very interesting case came before the courts in the state of Massachusetts. It concerned a man who had been walking on a boat dock when suddenly he tripped over a rope and fell into the cold, deep water of an ocean bay. He came up sputtering and yelling for help and then sank again, obviously in trouble. His friends were too far away to get to him, but only a few yards away, on another dock, was a young man sprawled on a deck chair, sunbathing. The desperate man shouted "Help, I can't swim!" The young man, an excellent swimmer, only turned his head to watch as the man floundered in the water, sank, came up sputtering in total panic, and then disappeared forever. The family of the drowned man was so upset by that display of callous indifference that they sued the sunbather. They lost. The court reluctantly ruled that the man on the dock had no legal responsibility whatever to try and save the other man's life. In effect, the law agrees with Cain's presupposition: I am not my brother's keeper, and I have every legal right to mind my own business and to refuse to become involved. Gary Inrig, Quality Friendship, page 105. Submitted by Rick Mandl, Eagle Rock Baptist Church, Los Angeles, California.

Two small boys walked into the dentist's office. One of them said bravely, "I want a tooth taken out and I don't want any gas, and I don't want it deadened . . . because we're in a hurry!" The dentist said, "You're quite a brave young man. Which tooth is it?" The boy turned to his smaller friend and said, "Show him your tooth, Albert."

The world is full of volunteers like that. We're anxious to have something happen -- to someone else! We don't mind God changing the world -- as long as He doesn't bring any pain into our lives.

Once upon a time a plague of poverty came upon an ancient land. The king summoned his wisest counselors and demanded that they write a short text on economics explaining the disaster and how it could be avoided in the future. A year later they return with 87 volumes. He orders his guards to take half of them out and shoot them. A year later the wise men return with 40 volumes. The king had half of them shot. This went on until finally there was only one economist left. He was brought in and fell before the king. "O King," he cried out. "I will tell you in eight words all the wisdom I have distilled from years of study--there's no such thing as a free lunch!" The king was pleased, poverty was eradicated, and they all lived happily ever after."

A sluggard is a person who has adopted the Maynard G. Krebs work ethic! MGK was Dobie Gillis' sidekick. Beatnik. Played by Bob Denver who later played Gilligan. Dobie Gillis' father ran a grocery store. Every time Mr. Gillis would suggest Maynard get a job or do something around the store, he would go into a catatonic state.

SPEECHWRITING IN THE FAR COUNTRY (By Ken Durham)

Home is still afar off, but you need to get on with it. You have a speech to compose. And it had better be good, if you are going to get out of this royal mess you have made. The question is, what strategy are you going to employ in this speech?

Perhaps a good alibi. "Dad, you wouldn't believe the recent downturn in the Far Country economy. Not long after I got there this famine hit and people started going bankrupt all over. Lots of unemployment. I was sort of involved in pork bellies work for a time, but that didn't work out ... "

Or maybe the victim approach, sure to arouse sympathy. "Dad, I've become so disenchanted with people. When I got to the Far Country, I made some friends ... at least, I thought they were my friends. But what did they do? They used me, Dad, took advantage of my generosity ... "

How about the reversal-of-blame tactic. "You know, Dad, you really shouldn't have let me leave home that way, with my share of the estate. I know I was pretty insistent, but I had no idea what a cruel place that Far Country is. If you had only made it clear to me...

Then again, a straight coverup might work. "Hi Dad, I'm home. No, everything's fine. The Far Country was great. What a wild and crazy place! But, I just decided to come home and see how everybody's doing. All I need is a shower and a good night's sleep. Otherwise I'm okay, really ... "

No, this is no good. Blaming everything and everybody else. That's just not the truth of it. You messed up big-time, and you know it. And your father deserves something better than your lame fictions; he deserves to know the truth. Sure, he might send you out to work with the hired hands (if you're lucky), but better to be home near him than living a lie in the Far Country, right?

So how do you say this? "Father, mistakes were made." No. "It seems that I have mismanaged my income." No. "In spite of good intentions, I fear that I have been led astray by my misguided youthful exuberance." No, no, no! Come clean, man, it's the only way.

Okay, here goes: "Father, I have sinned, against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men."

T'here it is. Now, was that so hard? Yes, as a matter of fact, it was. But it's the only way to make a fresh start at things. - Be- accountable Own up. Say it straight. Your father always treasured a few honest and forthright words over long speeches of self-justification. And he is, as everyone. knows, a father of extraordinary compassion. Who knows, he might even be glad to see you come home.

An employee in the bill collection department of a large store gave me an insight into human nature. He told me that over and over he gets a similar response from customers who are delinquent in paying their bills. They argue, "I know you must have others who owe a lot more than I do. Get off my back, will you!"

AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One

evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention

fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep well. While he

lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for

help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning what had happened

said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in

heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?'

Although Christians may have their sight fixed on Heaven, they cannot

neglect their duties and responsibilities on earth.

Parents who take their general standards from children copying, for

example, dietary habits, romantic practices, and even their clothing

should not be rearing children, and possibly not even running around

loose. If you can't tell the adults from the children if everybody in

the society yearns to live the childish life none of the incentive for

development that comes from youthful yearning for the privileges of

the mature will take place.

- Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

When Government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.

- Geroge Pataki

The biblical writers either presuppose or explicitly teach what might be called "compatibilism," and this has an important, and neglected, bearing on the subject of Christian assurance. Compatibilism is the view that the following two statements are, despite superficial evidence to the contrary, mutually compatible: (1) God is absolutely sovereign, but his sovereignty does not in any way mitigate human responsibility; (2) human beings are responsible creatures (i.e., they choose, decide, obey, disobey, believe, rebel, and so forth), but their responsibility never serves to make God absolutely contingent.

The compatibilist, then, believes that both of these statements are true, that they are mutually compatible. That does not mean compatibilists claim they can show exactly how both of these statements can be simultaneously true. Rather, if they are rigorous thinkers, they think that there is enough reasonable evidence to demonstrate that there is nothing that proves the pair of statements incompatible. Therefore other evidence that seems to justify the statements individually cannot be ruled out of court on the grounds that the two statements contradict each other.

My contention, then, is that the biblical writers, insofar as they reveal themselves on this subject, are without exception compatibilists. When Joseph responds to his brothers’ alarm by saying that when they sold him to the Midianites they meant it for evil, while God meant it for good (Gen 50:19-20), the thinking is compatibilistic. Joseph does not say that God had initiated a lovely plan to send Joseph down to Egypt by first-class chariot, but the brothers corrupted the plan by their evil machinations. Nor does he say that the brothers hatched an evil plot, but God rushed in to the rescue by turning their evil into good (though some passages portray God in precisely such categories). Rather, in one and the same event, God and the brothers were working, the one with good intent, the others with evil intent. God’s sovereign, unseen sway does not mitigate the brothers’ evil; their malice does not catch God by surprise and make him utterly contingent.

In the same way, the Assyrians can be described as mere tools in Yahweh’s hands as he disciplines his people (Isa 10:5ff.). But that does not reduce their responsibility. In their foolish pride they think they are achieving these military victories on their own. Therefore God will hold them accountable for their arrogance, and, after using them the way a workman wields a saw or an axe, will turn again to rend them.

When the Philippians are told to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, on the ground that it is God who is working in them both to will and to act according to his good purpose, it is important to observe what is not said. The Philippians are not told to work out their salvation since God has done his bit and now it is their turn; nor are they told that they should simply "let go and let God," since after all salvation is all of grace. Rather, they are encouraged to work out their salvation precisely because it is God who is at work in them, both at the level of their wills and at the level of their actions. God’s sovereignty functions as an incentive to work, not a disincentive. Similarly, when in a night vision the Lord encourages Paul to preach on in Corinth (Acts 18:9-10), the ground is that the Lord has many people in this place. In other words, election here functions as an incentive to evangelism, not a disincentive.

Nowhere, perhaps, are such compatibilistic tendencies more starkly presupposed than in Acts 4, when the church turns to prayer after the first whiff of persecution. The Christians invoke the "Sovereign Lord" who made the heaven and earth, and cite Psalm 2 as they remember that all the rage and plotting of the nations against the Lord and against his Anointed One are futile: the Lord will have them in derision. Small wonder these believers saw the deepest fulfillment of Psalm 2 in the death of their Master: "Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed" (4:27). Then they add, "They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen" (4:28).

A moment’s reflection discloses that anything other than a compatibilist approach to these events destroys the gospel itself. Christians cannot possibly believe that the cross began as a nasty conspiracy by wicked politicians, with God riding in on a white charger at the last moment to turn their evil into good: that would mean that the plan of redemption was not a plan after all. Nor can they believe that God’s sovereign control of the events excused all the human players: if Herod, Judas, Pontius Pilate, and other leaders were not involved in a conspiracy of which they were wretchedly culpable, it is hard to imagine how any human being in God’s world could be thought culpable of anything -- and in that case, why offer an atoning sacrifice for actions for which there could be no guilt?

Before turning to the bearing of compatibilism on Christian assurance, it is necessary to take three steps.

(1) If we accept, on the admittedly scanty evidence marshalled here, that biblical writers in every major corpus espouse compatibilism, we should perhaps pause to allay suspicions that compatibilism surreptitiously embraces sheer logical contradiction, and should forthwith be abandoned, regardless of what biblical writers think. Modern compatibilists, I have said, do not try to show exactly how the two crucial propositions hold together. Rather, they elucidate the considerable unknowns that nullify most of the counterarguments. In particular: (a) We do not know how an eternal God operates in time. We scarcely know what time is; it is not at all clear what eternity is (Does God know sequence?), still less how he relates to our time. The question is critical in debates over foreordination and predestination. (b) Similarly, we do not know how a sovereign God operates through secondary agents who nevertheless are held accountable for their deeds. (c) The definition of freedom that enters almost all discussions of human responsibility is far more problematic than people think. If freedom entails absolute power to contrary, then God is necessarily contingent, and compatibilism is destroyed. But if, for instance, freedom turns on voluntarism, i.e., human beings are responsible and accountable because they do what they want to do, there is no necessary infringement on the sovereignty of God -- as Jonathan Edwards demonstrated more than two centuries ago. (d) Above all, we have almost no idea how God can be simultaneously sovereign and personal -- yet the Scriptures insist on both. Virtually all of the elements that go into our thinking as to what personal relationships are about are based on our experience of relations with other human beings -- and we are finite. We talk with one another, ask questions, hear answers, respond with love or wrath, cherish friendships, and so forth -- and all of these elements demand the passage of time and presuppose finite actors. Similarly, in Scripture God can be portrayed asking questions, hearing answers, responding with love or wrath, cherishing friendships, and so forth; yet other texts insist he is also sovereign, the one "who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" (Eph 1:13). I have no idea how to conceptualize a God who is both sovereign and personal, but I perceive that if both are not simultaneously true, the God of the Bible disappears, and Christianity, indeed theism itself, is destroyed. In short, the mystery of compatibilism is traceable to the mystery of God, to what we do not know about God.

(2) Along with the Bible’s insistence on compatibilism is its insistence on the goodness of God. Elsewhere I have argued at length that the enormous biblical evidence for this duality leads to an unavoidable conclusion: although God, by virtue of the fact that he is sovereign, stands behind both good and evil (e.g., God can be portrayed as the one who incites David to number the people, the one who sends a strong delusion so that people will believe the lie, the one who sends nations to war, the one of whom Rom 8:28 is predicated), he stands behind good and evil asymmetrically. He stands behind evil in such a way that none of it takes place outside the limits of his sovereign sway, but so that no evil is chargeable to him; he stands behind good in such a way that all of it is credited to him. Do not ask me to explain how this can be so: these are components of the biblical "givens," perspectives that the biblical writers teach or assume.

(3) This means that we are locked into mystery. That should not be surprising: we are thinking about God. If there were nothing mysterious about him, I suppose he would not be God: he would be too small, too easily tamed, too domesticated. But if we respect the mystery of compatibilism, precisely because it is tied to what we do not know about God himself, then the most important thing we can do to foster personal and corporate fidelity to the portrait of God disclosed in Scripture, is to observe how the complementary truths of compatibilism function in Scripture, and insist that in our hands they will function in the same ways, and in no other.

For example, election, an element in the biblical portrayal of God’s sovereignty, never functions so as to destroy human responsibility, to limit the urgency of preaching the gospel, to foster fatalism, or the like. It frequently functions to tie salvation to grace and to engender humility (Romans 9), to encourage evangelism (Acts 18:9-10), and much more. Invitations to believe or obey the gospel never function to make God absolutely contingent; rather, they function to bring people to saving faith, increase human responsibility, magnify the forbearance of God, and so forth. If we allow the components of compatibilism to function in ways much removed from the biblical constraints, we will end up implicitly disowning the compatibilism that is everywhere assumed, and is, finally, nothing more than a corollary of the doctrine of God. We will end up tarnishing the biblical witness to who God is and what he is like.

Most Christians have become used to other facets of Christian doctrine that involve mystery, and if they are reasonably informed they will be fairly careful both to locate the mystery in the right place, and not to destroy the mystery by drawing inferences that destroy some essential component elsewhere in the structure. Perhaps the best example is Christology. Most of us want to be careful enough about our affirmation of Jesus’ deity, say, that we do not unwittingly derogate his humanity, and vice versa. We acknowledge the mystery, and we take some pains, along with believers in every era, to try to incorporate all the biblical evidence on this subject into the formulations of our doctrinal affirmations. We may not be completely successful; but that is our commitment. In the area of compatibilism, however, too few have adequately recognized that there is a mystery at stake, and that laying profane hands on the biblical evidence too quickly, without recognizing the nature and location of the mystery, ends up with tragic loss to the doctrine of God. For example, if human responsibility is made to depend on a definition of freedom that involves absolute power to contrary, then God becomes absolutely contingent. One of the poles of compatibilism is destroyed; we are left, not with mystery, but with logical contradiction.

Clearly, compatibilism touches many subjects: election, the problem of suffering, the nature of prayer, and much else. What is not often recognized is that it bears directly on the nature of Christian assurance. For, on the one hand, we are dealing with a plethora of texts that promise God’s sovereign commitment to preserve his own elect; on the other, believers are enjoined to persevere in faithfulness to the new covenant and the Lord of the covenant, to the calling by which they were called. This is nothing other than God’s sovereignty and human responsibility dressed up in another form.

So we will, I think, always have some mystery. The important thing will be to locate the mystery in the right place. It will not do to affirm God’s sovereign protection of his elect, and then make such preservation absolutely contingent on human faithfulness: that is not mystery, but logical contradiction. But if our articulation of the doctrine of assurance leaves no loose ends, there is every reason to think that we have denied compatibilism somewhere -- in exactly the same way that some treatments of election remove all difficulties but leave the texts behind. Moreover, the same safeguard that we apply in other areas where mystery intrudes into Christian doctrine must be applied here: let the various passages relevant to Christian assurance function in our lives and theological systems the way they do in Scripture. Do warnings against apostasy function to annul the promises of God? Of course not. They are designed to promote perseverance. Do the promises of God serve to engender lethargy? Of course not. They are designed to promote zeal, gratitude, and appreciation of God’s fidelity.

[for preceding material in article see Holwick ID #16815]

“A real man is one who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously, and expects the greater reward, God’s reward.”

Leadership Journal:

“How is the lack of parenting in the previous generation, particularly the lack of a strong male identity, affecting the family and the church?”

“It shows up in two ways in church life: One is a young man’s inability to make and keep commitments. They’ve been raised without a noble calling, and, naturally, it’s made them selfish. They demand more from the church and they give less.

“The other is the busyness of families but the passivity of fathers. There’s a lot of activity in families, with kids and Mom and Dad all busy with their own schedules. But they don’t do anything together.

“I surveyed young families of our church. Many rarely sit down and eat together. I think a lot of this non-stop activity is masking pain and a lack of direction. Suburbia tries to buy it off with sports camps and things that often give kids a narcissistic focus, but little substantive meaning and purpose.

“Even in families where parents have stayed together, there’s not much real parenting. We have a lot of hang-loose dads. He knows he’s supposed to attend his kids’ games, but aside from that, he doesn’t take an active role in parenting his children. He’s there, but directionless.”

It's a huge job to try to keep the roadside by interstates and major highways from looking like garbage dumps. But somebody had this great idea: have clubs, and churches, and schools, and civic organizations volunteer to maintain just one mile of the road near them. You've probably seen the signs: "This mile maintained by the Forest Grove Garden Club" ... or a Boy Scout troop ... or by the Busy Hands Presbybaptist Church ... or even a family. Now, no one of those groups could ever maintain, say, the entire roadside in their county, but they can do a mile. And if each group makes sure their mile is covered, hey, the whole area will end up looking a whole lot better!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Your Stretch Of The Road."

Now, the job of highway cleanup is nothing compared to the assignment left to us by the Lord Jesus: "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation." (Mark 16:15) Now each generation of believers is responsible for their generation of lost people. How in the world are we going to reach the lost people of our generation? The same way you clean up a long highway -- we each take the responsibility for our stretch of the road.

In our word for today from the Word of God, the Old Testament leader, Nehemiah, has called the people of Judah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem - a massive job - like telling our town about Jesus. And they were surrounded by people who were hostile to them accomplishing that mission - like our world today. But here's how it got done. Nehemiah 3:23 and following, "Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house, and next to them, Azariah ... made repairs beside his house ... the priests made repairs, each in front of his house ... Zadok made repairs opposite his house." You get the idea? The entire city wall got rebuilt by each person taking care of the area around them.

Which brings us to your piece of the eternal rescue work Jesus has given to all of us. There's a reason you live where you live. Jesus assigned you to that block, that neighborhood, that complex ... to be His personal representative among the people who live there. The reason you work where you work ... you go to school where you go to school ... that you belong to what you belong to, it's because Jesus wanted you to be those people's personal link to Him. In Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "We are Christ's ambassadors."

So how are you doing with your stretch of the road? Jesus gave His life on the cross for the people on your stretch ... and He's left you responsible for them finding that out. And while you may think He should get someone better, He decided you're the one for those people. And they're a lot more likely to listen to someone who walks their road and lives their issues - a peer like you - than to some skilled evangelist they don't know.

So let me challenge you to begin to claim the people on your block for Jesus Christ ... on your team ... in your building ... in your office or workplace ... in your circle at school. Begin by praying every day for them. On more and more blocks across the country, believers are picking up the challenge of going on a Prayer Walk to pray for the residents of each home to hear about Christ. If you want details on how to do that, just let us know.

Also, band together with any other believers you can find on your "stretch of the road." Pray with them ... plan outreach dinner parties or block parties or video outreaches ... and find ways to love and serve the lost people around you in ways that would really mean something to them. Ask them to let you know if there's ever anything they would like you to pray for. And pray for natural opportunities to tell them about life's most important relationship.

Imagine what would happen if every believer said, "Lord, I'll step up to praying for and sharing Christ with the lost people on my stretch of the road." Well, as for the folks in the space around you? Jesus has left those dear people in your hands.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Social scientist Charles Sykes tells the story of an FBI agent who embezzled $2,000 and used it for gambling. When he was fired for his crime, the agent did what a lot of folks do today: He began looking around to see whom he could blame.

After he was fired, the FBI agent went to court. He successfully argued that his gambling behavior was a handicap, protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And the FBI was forced to reinstate him. It's a classic example of how deeply victim psychology has permeated our culture. How did a country known for its rugged individualism turn into a nation of professional victims? Psychologist Paul Vitz says we can thank the rise of what he calls "selfist psychology."

In his book, Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship, Vitz argues that modern psychology has embraced narcissism and self-worship -- or selfism. Selfism's fixation on personal rights has led to a citizenry who pledge allegiance not to family, church, or community, but to "actualizing" themselves.

In view of the many rights Americans now presume themselves to have, Vitz writes, it's inevitable that one of them will eventually be violated. When that happens, too many of us enroll ourselves into the victim-of-the-month club.

There's no shortage of categories: We're victims of racism, sexism, looks-ism, size-ism and age-ism. We're victims of cigarette, alcohol, sex, and gambling addictions. And some people claim to be victims of compulsive gossiping, shopping, eating, and chronic lateness syndrome.

What's happening here? Are these folks being abducted by a deranged shopping cart -- one that snarls: "Take me to Wal-Mart, and nobody gets hurt!"? Do roving gangs of Hershey bars fling themselves into the mouths of helpless victims? It's ridiculous.

As Vitz puts it, "America has become one huge circle in which everyone is pointing the finger of blame at someone else.... We now have so many addictions that the total accounts for well over one hundred percent of the American population."

It would be funny if it weren't so serious. Selfist psychology has deeply infiltrated the political realm as well. Politicians routinely assign Americans to one victim group or another, and pit them against each other. The result is that election campaigns now look more like dogfights than democracy in action.

The obsession with individual rights reveals how deeply selfist psychology conflicts with Christian teachings. Where selfism demands rights, Christianity encourages duty. The selfist says, "What's in it for me?" The Christian wonders, "How can I serve others?" The selfist whines, "I'm a victim." The Christian acknowledges, "I'm a sinner."

One way to fight the temptation to seek our identity in a victim group is to consciously deepen our commitment to communities that selfism has done much to destroy: family, church, and neighborhood. Selfist psychology has sunk deep roots into our culture. And this means we need to be constantly alert to the temptation to play the blame game.

If you catch yourself venturing into the land of victimhood, remind yourself that our commitment should be, not to avoiding responsibility, but to responsibly serving the one who became a sacrificial victim for us all.

For further reference:

Vitz, Paul. Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self- Worship. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994.

_________________________

Copyright (c) 2001 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

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Read: Genesis 3:1-20

The Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” — Genesis 3:9

Men are supposed to lead. (How’s that for a non-controversial start?)

Let’s head back to Genesis 3 to see if this statement is true. The first thing we discover is that the serpent is talking to Eve. He’s trying to persuade her to commit a sin–to disobey God.

Note that Adam isn’t there to help her [sic: but Genesis 3:6 would seem to indicate contrarily. RGH] She’s on her own. This wasn’t God’s plan. He made woman from man. Man came first and he was to lead her and protect her. Read what happened after Adam and Eve fell. They had eaten the forbidden fruit and had committed the first sin. Then God called — to whom? Adam.

He said, “Where are you?” In other words, He said, “Yo, dude, where are you?” Not, “Yo, dudette.”

Why? Because it was Adam’s responsibility to take the lead spiritually and keep both of them from sin. Instead, he was nowhere to be seen when Eve gave in to the serpent. Later, he ate willingly of the forbidden fruit she gave him. In verse 17, God said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.”

Was it wrong for Adam to listen to his wife? No. It’s great for men to listen to their wives! But it was wrong for him to bail out on his responsibility to lead her spiritually.

In Genesis 3:20, Adam named his wife Eve. That was taking the lead. Way back in Genesis and throughout the Bible, God made it clear that His plan in relationships between a man and his wife was that the guy was to lead.

So, what does this mean? It means the man should be so in tune with God that he treats his wife with a kind of servant-love that Christ has shown the church, His bride.

You need to start thinking about your responsibilities right now. If you’re a guy, it means that God holds you accountable for the spiritual state of your relationship. If you’re a woman, it means you should get serious only with a guy who knows how to lead you into a Christ-honoring, spiritually and physically pure relationship.

Yo, dudes. Take the lead! — TF

REFLECTION

• Who are some of the good male role models I can think of — men who are servant leaders and spiritually mature?

• What are some of the key characteristics that define them?

A man is a leader, not a dictator.

“While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight;

While little children go hungry as they do now, I’ll fight;

While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight;

While there is a drunkard left,

While there is a poor lost girl upon the streets,

While there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight –

I’ll fight to the very end!”

[in a letter to Catherine in 1865 ?]

Read Matthew 25:31–46; Life hasn’t changed much since Jesus’ day, or since the late 1800’s

”Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” — Colossians 3:21 (NIV)

We father’s have a very important role to play in the lives of our children. God could have chosen any role he wanted, but as another has said, he chose to present himself to mankind as a loving Heavenly Father.

As God demonstrated his great love for us, fathers (with God’s help) need to model God’s love — first of all — in the home for his entire family.

The following is just one of many examples to demonstrate the importance of a father’s role.

Several years ago I read a report by Warren Mueller whose study revealed that where both parents attend church regularly, 72 percent of their children continue in the faith.

Where only the father attends, that percentage drops to 55 percent, but where only the mother attends, just 15 percent of the children remain involved in the church.

Most of us will be familiar with the old saying that said, “The family that prays together, stays together.” Perhaps it would be better this way, “The family that prays together, plays together, shares together, and goes to church together, stays together.”

Suggested prayer for parents: “Dear God, please help me as a parent to model for my children the kind of person you want me to be so that they, seeing your love in me, will want your love for themselves. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Suggested prayer for children: “Dear God, please help me to become the person you want me to be so that when and if I have children, they will see your love in and through me. And if I never have children, help me to know your love and share it with every person you bring into my life. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Jesus' message to the church at Pergamum has a curious reference to a new name written on a white stone. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it" (Revelation 2:17).

What does this mean? Should we look forward to being handed a white rock after we die? Why is there a name written on it?

This verse has had a variety of interpretations. But several meanings make the best sense based on our knowledge of the times in which it was written.

In an ancient court of law, when defendants were condemned, they received a black stone with their name on it. If they were acquitted, they received a white stone. If this is what is meant by the verse, the parallel to salvation is crystal-clear. Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation will receive an acquittal from the judgment of God. What a relief it is to know our sins are forgiven and eternal life is assured!

Another plausible explanation springs from the ancient Olympic Games. When athletes were winners in a competitive game, a white stone was awarded. The Greeks valued excellence not only in the arts and the sciences, but they also prized physical prowess. So athletic heroes were awarded tokens of honor for their perseverance. This tooprovides a possible explanation of the verse.

Combining both illustrations shows us the amazing balance of the Christian life. We are saved by grace through faith alone. Yet as obedient believers in Jesus, we will still struggle as we seek to serve the One who saved us. One is a picture of unearned acquittal, and the other speaks of being rewarded for acts of good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Trusting Jesus for salvation means receiving a new identity. It's like receiving a new name written on a white stone that shows we are forgiven. -- Dennis Fisher

DESTINATION POINTS * What impressed me about the historic setting of this passage? * How do grace and responsibility work together in my life as a believer? * I have become a new person in Him! When was the last time I thanked God for my special identity in Jesus?

Grace leads to works done out of gratitude.

I want to start this teaching with a very clear disclaimer. Women play such a vital role in the Kingdom of God. Throughout the Bible we see over and over again how mightily women were used of God. God is still using women in powerful ways in His Kingdom. Even within the local Church, women are used by God in powerful ways.

Having said this, I ask, “Where are the men?” Without diving into the different roles that women and men serve, I simply want to ask for a role call of men. Women seem to be quick to serve in the local church but where are the men?

Take a look at the average congregation and the men, at best, either sit in the pews or sit on the “board” and make decisions.

The local congregation needs men to step up and become involved in teaching a children’s Sunday school class, leading worship, starting a prayer ministry or Bible study.

Why do so many men take a back seat when it comes to serving in the local church?

While there is a place within God’s Church for both men and women, my concern today is why so many men are missing in action.

Take a snapshot of the local church and where do we find the men? Many stay home from church to watch a ball game or catch up on things around the house.

The men who do go to church are usually found at a men’s breakfast or a chili supper or at the all church work day when something needs fixed or painted. We find them at the church sports event.

It seems to boil down to women doing the Spiritual things, and men taking care of the material things.

While this may be the case in many congregations, it is not what we find in Scripture. In the Word of God, man has always been the Spiritual leader.

I realize that there are examples of Godly women leading in various roles such as Debra, Esther, etc. I agree that women are called into various leadership roles today and they are gifted and anointed to do it.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am simply pointing out that it’s time to find out why so many men have gone Spiritually AWOL!

It’s one thing for women to fulfill their God-given calling, but it’s another thing when women are forced to do what men neglect to do.

Why do men so easily neglect their God-given calling? There are many reasons: Lack of commitment, oblivious to what needs to be done and insensitivity toward God to name a few.

Also, men do not like to fail. Men are concerned that if they attempt to serve the Lord beyond what is comfortable and familiar, they might fail. Moses was concerned he might fail to be a good speaker for God. Gideon was concerned that he might fail because he was unqualified and small.

Some men are not comfortable being servants. If they can’t be in charge, then they aren’t interested. But being “in charge” is not the same as servant leadership, leading with a sensitivity toward God and His people.

Often within the local church men feel there is nothing for them to do. To come and just sit in church for an hour seems useless to many men. After all they could be hunting, fishing, golfing or working on a project at home.

This is a serious problem facing the church. In recent years, there has been a rise in men’s ministries thanks to groups like Promise Keepers. Yet, even after years of huge men’s conferences encouraging men to resume their God-given roles as men, we’ve got a long way to go.

The church will rise up with greater Kingdom authority, power and influence as men accept their God-given responsibilities.

What is needed to help men stand up and be counted? The key is in mature men mentoring immature men.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others”(2 Timothy 2:2).

Spiritually mature men who are good leaders need to make disciples by mentoring the men who aren’t there yet. Men must not only be taught but shown how to be Spiritually sensitive toward the Lord and how to have a loving heart toward the local church.

Men need mentoring so they can discover and use their Spiritual gifts to serve the Lord.

Men need mentoring so they can develop healthy habits of reading the Bible regularly, studying it thoroughly and praying without ceasing.

Men need mentoring so they can learn to become true servants. Men like to be served, but when shown how to serve, men soon learn the value of serving others.

Women must understand how easy it is for men to sit back and wait for someone else to pick up the ball. Therefore, women need to support men as they attempt to fulfill their God-given calling. Will he be perfect? No. Will he do it to the woman’s satisfaction? Probably not at first.

Men are called to be more than phlegmatic pew-warmers. Men are to do more than put in their time at church to satisfy their wives. There’s so much more to being a Godly man than only being a churchman who keeps the business side of the church running.

Men are called to lead (Exodus 18:25, Numbers 1:16, Numbers 1:44, Numbers 16:2, Acts 15:22, Hebrews 13:17), to pray with holy hands lifted high (1 Timothy 2:8),to manage their families well (1 Timothy 3:4-5), to be the protective covering for women (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Today if you are a man struggling to serve the Lord to your fullest, please seek out another brother in the Lord who can help you step out in greater obedience. Pray together asking God to demolish whatever is hindering you from stepping up to the plate to be what God has designed and called you to be.

It’s easy to let the wife be the one who teaches our kids about Spiritual things. It’s easy to neglect the Spiritual work by only doing the easy things like repairs, building and cleaning. We’re called to do that, but so much more. From one man to another. men, we can’t afford to take the easy way out. We are called to serve others in great love, as Christ served! Please don’t take the easy way out one more day. Become a man after God’s own heart!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessing women are to Your Church. Lord, I pray that You will put Your Godly men into action, the true action that involves the Spiritual life of Your Church. In Jesus Mighty Name, AMEN!

Here’s some weekend homework for you. Where in the Bible does it say that angels have halos? Pictures of angels always show them. Is it scriptural?

Have you noticed that on TV, when it’s time for a commercial break, nothing stops it? If Peter Jennings were reporting the outbreak of World War III, they’d interrupt at the appropriate time for an antacid or dog food commercial — you know, something really important.

My step-mother is 96 but looks 76 — she’s amazing. We tell her she is a walking commercial for vitamins. That makes me wonder if we are walking commercials for our church, our family, but most of all, for our Lord. Everywhere we go, we are a billboard for the things we believe in and represent — people read us.

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of the word “responsibilty.” It and “dependability” are two of the most important “abilities” that should come to mind when people think about us. In Psa. 119:66. (NIV) we read, “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.” That prayer will lead us to be responsible and dependable — two great attributes that folks look for when they read us. Let’s be good commercials, today.

We be brethren. — Genesis 13:8.

Do good unto all men, especially unto them, who are of the household of faith. — Galatians 6:10.

Converts to Christ are members of God’s family, born again into it. In the clearest sense we are brothers and sisters in Christ. This brings the blessing of the knowledge of world-wide relationship. Like every blessing there is the corresponding responsibility to treat fellow Christians as family members. Let us consider this in all our actions and associations with the people of God. — C. F. Bundy.

I met a slender, little maid,

a rosy burden bearing;

“Is it not heavy, dear?” I said,

as past me she was hurrying.

She looked at me with grave, sweet eyes,

this fragile, little mother;

She answered as in swift surprise,

“Oh, no, sir; it’s my brother.”

1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1

The Beauty of Ruth

A Midnight Encounter

Ruth 3:6-18

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. The story of Ruth is a picture of God’s grace, an illustration of the message of the gospel. In this history we find that Naomi found grace in Ruth’s eyes; that Ruth, in turn, by her character of faithfulness and kindness found favour with Naomi, with Boaz, with the people of Bethlehem, and with God who destined for her to be one of the ancestors of David and of Messiah.

2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2

The story thus far …

A. Only Naomi and Ruth returned as representing the family of Elimelech who had gone to Moab in the time of famine. Naomi had gone out full and come back empty …and bitter. Yet, in the midst of this, her Moabitess daughter-in-law, Ruth, cared for her. Ruth industriously went out to glean in the fields and to provide for them both. Here she meets Boaz, a rich near relation. Naomi gives Ruth a strange instruction. Today, we see what happens as Ruth obeys.

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. In Elimelech’s actions in leaving Judah, understandable but not commendable in themselves, God is working out a purpose and a demonstration of His grace. Orpah and Ruth portray how two different groups respond to the Gospel. Both groups listen and are attracted to the Gospel. But Orpah represents those who never fully commit themselves to it and when the life decision comes before them, respond by turning back to their own people, their own land, there own gods. Ruth is like the true church, the believers who give themselves to Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. These are they described by Paul, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NAS) … that lay hold of God’s grace in its fullness and come to know life. Today, Ruth obeys Naomi, and in so doing comes nearer to the rest which Naomi desires that she should have: “And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, shall I not seek a place of rest for you, which shall be well for you?’” (Ruth 3:1)

3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3

Ruth Obeys, 3:6-7

A. The story continues where we left off last week

B. A refresher question: describe Ruth’s obedience.

C. Was Boaz all alone in that place?

D. What kind of atmosphere would have pervaded? (see Isaiah 9:3)

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 Now, when Boaz had eaten and drunk so that his heart was glad, and had gone to lay down at the end of the heap, then she went secretly and uncovered the place at his feet and she laid down.

B. Ruth obeyed completely what Naomi her mother-in-law had told her

C. No, this was a time of harvest; there would have been many servants there as well, all engaged in the work.

D. This was the end of harvest, the realization of the fruit of all their efforts. It was a time rejoicing for the whole community. The word glad is from the root ‘tobh’ (as in the phrase, ‘Mazel Tov!”), filled with the mirth and thankfulness for God’s goodness.

#1. “Thou shalt multiply the nation, ** Thou shalt increase their gladness; They will be glad in Thy presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” (Isaiah 9:3 NAS)

#2. ** Hebrew has ‘not’ here; but Qeri reads ‘to it’: ‘You will increase gladness to it.’ This better agrees with the context.

4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4

Boaz discovers Ruth, 3:8-9

A. Boaz is startled awake

B. What does he immediately notice?

C. What relationship does Ruth claim with Boaz?

D. ‘Spread out the hem of your skirt’ … ‘hem’ is the same word as ‘wing’ in Psalm 57:1, 61:4, 63:7. What is the picture in those places?

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. 8 And it came to pass in the middle of the night that the man was startled and turned himself, and behold, a woman was lying at his feet: 9 And he said, ‘Who are you?’; and she replied, ‘I am Ruth, your handmaid, and spread out the hem of your skirt over your handmaid, because Kinsman-Redeemer are you.’

B. There is no indication what startled him (it may have been a noise or his own snoring – see how romantic I am! – or as he shifted in his sleep, his feet stretched out and touched Ruth) but he immediately senses that he is not alone; hence his question. He also discerns that it is a woman, by her clothing (cape or headdress) or beardless face … even a quarter moon would show this.

C. A ‘handmaid’ which is different from the ‘maidservant’ in Ruth 2:13, but is used in humility; yet, in doing so, she points out here kinship relationship to Boaz, not as a boast but almost as an entreaty.

D. ‘Wing’ is picture of protection and particularly that of marriage (cf. Ezekiel 16:8). Ruth is offering herself in marriage. Sadie Hawkins!

5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5

Boaz’ words to Ruth, 3:10-13

A. Boaz clarifies the situation with a promise

B. How do we know Boaz understood Ruth’s proposal?

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. 10 And he said, ‘Blessed be you by Yahweh, my daughter; you have caused your last kindness to be better than the first in not going after the young men whether poor or rich. 11 and now, my daughter, fear not; all which you say I will do for you because all of the gate of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.’ 12 Now, it is indeed true, I am Kinsman- Redeemer, except that there is the Kinsman-Redeemer, one who is closer than I. 13 Lodge this night, and should it be in the morning if he will redeem you, fine, let him redeem, or if he is not willing to redeem you, then I shall redeem you, even I, myself, as Yahweh lives; lie down until the morning.’

B. Boaz shows his understanding

#1. He recognizes her act as kindness

#2. For it is Kinsman-Redeemer relationship that is being addressed

#3. He remarks that she has not pursued other men who could be more attractive (either because younger, or wealthy or both)

#4. For he recognizes her worthiness of character does not permit alternate explanation

6 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6

3:10-13, continued

A. (A bit of repetition here): what does Boaz recognize about Ruth and her act?

B. How might Boaz have responded?

C. What is the significance of ‘the gate of my people’ as in 2 Samuel 15:2, Proverbs 31:31? (most versions do not translate ‘gate’ but explain it, ‘all the city’)

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. He recognizes

#1. (repeat) her kindness which was shown to Naomi’s family in Moab and now to him

#2. (repeat) her worthiness, showing her willingness to give inheritance to her husband’s family in accordance with God’s law

#3. (tongue in cheek) it is the woman who decides on marriage first! (“going after” = pursuing)

#4. Ruth was attractive (both in character and nature) … she could have had her choice of the young men, either poor or rich!

B. He could have treated her act as impudence or boldness in suggesting that she should ask an important, rich man to marry her

C. The gate (rather a place inside the gate) was not only the place of commerce but also where the rulers of the town sat to make decisions. The point is that the whole city knew this to be a fact, even including its judges and rulers.

7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7

3:10-13, continued

A. What does Boaz promise?

B. “Lodge this night …lie down”…what does this tell us of the character of both Boaz and Ruth?

C. Is our estimation of Boaz’ age confirmed by the doings of this night?

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. He promises

#1. To do for her (ie., on her behalf) all that she has said by her act an her words – ie., to see that the Kinsman-Redeemer responsibility is carried out

#2. That the closer Go‘el shall be given his opportunity and if he fails to take it then Boaz will carry out the responsibility

#3. By his opening blessing and his solemn oath, Boaz indicates both his desire and his determination to carry out what he has spoken

B. These words tell us that Boaz knows that the situation cannot be misinterpreted on account of Ruth’s character and his responsibility and that she is safe with him and need not risk returning to the town. Boaz is assuring her that she may now rest for he has accepted his responsibility.

C. He is young and hardy enough to have taken part in the winnowing and to have camped out on the heap, and yet old enough to be able to see the attraction to a younger widow of the younger men.

8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8

Ruth leaves Boaz with his gift, 3:14-15

A. Now the dawn approaches and Ruth leaves.

B. How does Ruth show her confidence in Boaz?

C. What is the nature of the gift of barley?

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. 14 So she lay down at his feet until morning. Then she returned before a person could recognize his friend, for so he had said, ‘Let not it be known that this woman had come to the threshing-floor,’ 15 then he said, ‘Bring the cloak which you have on,’ so she brought and held out the cape and he measured six measures of barley and set it upon her; then he went into the city.

B. In two ways

#1. Remaining there at his bidding, realizing the safety he provides

#2. Leaving early, obeying his command, leaving it to him to carry out his promise in his way and time

C. It’s interesting!

#1. How would the ladies like to receive 6 measures of barley as an engagement ring? How far do you men think you would have got by offering this as an engagement present!?

#2. Up to this time, what had Ruth had to do for all the food she had gained? She had had to gather it and to winnow it herself. For this barley she has had neither to gather nor to winnow. All she had to do was to accept the gift. This is a picture of grace. The cape would be the headdress that Boaz’ foot may have touched startling him awake in the night.

#3. So, early in the morning they both departed; Boaz into the city and

9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9

Ruth and Naomi discuss the event, 3:16-18

A. Naomi greets and questions Ruth

B. Naomi’s question is literally ‘Who are you?’ … what is she really seeking to find out?

C. What was the ‘all which the man had done for her?’

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. 16 And she went unto her mother-in-law, and she said, ‘How are you, my daughter?’ Then she related to her all that which the man had done for her. 17 and she said, ‘Six measures of barley he has given to me! For he said unto me, “Do not return empty-handed unto your mother-in-law.”’ 18 And she said, ‘Sit still until you shall know how the matter will fall; for this man will not rest unless this matter is completed today.’

B. It is not that she does not recognize Ruth … ‘my daughter.’ The question is, ‘Who are you: Ruth my widowed daughter-in-law, or Ruth who is affianced to Boaz?’

C. It included Boaz’

#1. praise of her character,

#2. acceptance of his responsibility on her behalf,

#3. promise of carrying out that responsibility,

#4. assurance of his kind intentions, and

#5. dowry of six measures of barley which was to be given to Naomi

10 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10

3:16-18, continued

A. What should Boaz’ gift signify to Naomi (cf 1:21)?

B. How does Naomi assess Boaz’ character?

C. How does Naomi assess the situation?

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. There is a contrast

#1. She left the land full, because of a lack of food, a famine as punishment from Yahweh

#2. She returned to the land empty, but now has food, a blessing from the hand of Yahweh

#3. In all of the circumstances of life, Yahweh is in charge

B. She knows from what has transpired that Boaz will carry out what he has said and resolve the situation; this he will do without resting and that very day. Boaz is trustworthy.

C. ‘Ruth, you may now relax; your rest is coming.’ – wait and see

11 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11

The Kinsman-Redeemer

A. What does Boaz teach us about our Go‘el?

#1.John 5:17, Romans 8:28

#2. 2 Corinthians 1:20, Revelation 1:5, John 14:6

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. Our Go‘el

#1. Has worked and is working in the harvest and on our behalf

#2. Is faithful and we can trust what he has said to carry it out

12 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12

– - – - – slide above, notes below – - – - -

A. Well, will the nearer Kinsman-Redeemer do his duty or not? Will Boaz lose Ruth to this man? Will Ruth have to do with a lesser man? Tune in next week, same time, same place to find out!

”… He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)

We are meditating on the theme, “Strong at the broken places,” and we are discovering that although life deals blows to us all, those who meet life with the right responses and the right inner attitudes are those who turn their weaknesses into strengths. I know some Christians who believe that they ought to be exempt from the cruel blows of life.

A young man who was stunned after failing his examination said, “I cannot understand. I prayed very hard before the examination, and I lived an exemplary life for the Lord. Why, oh why, should He fail me at this important moment?” Later he confessed to a friend, “As a result of God letting me down, my faith in Him has been shattered.” I can sympathize with the young man’s feelings, of course, but I cannot agree with his conclusions.

Suppose prayer alone could enable us to pass examinations — what would happen? Prior to examination time, classrooms would be deserted, and everyone would flock to the churches for prayer and meditation. Not a bad situation, you might think. But what would happen to the minds of young people if prayer alone brought success? They would become blunted by lack of study.

I suspect the young man I have just referred to was depending more on prayer than on diligent and painstaking study. Now prayer and study make a good combination, but prayer without study never helped anyone pass an examination. Christians are not exempt from the natural laws that govern the universe. We may through prayer be able to overcome them, but we are not able to avoid them.

PRAYER:

Father, thank You for reminding me that even though I am a Christian, I am still governed by natural laws that apply equally to everyone. I cannot be exempt, but through You I can overcome. I am so grateful. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: — James 2:14-26; 1 Timothy 4:9-16; 2 Timothy 2:15

1. What is James teaching us?

2. How does Paul apply this to Timothy?

An accident reinforces importance of freedom, advocacy, and prayer.

EDITORS’ NOTE: On Saturday, Oct. 14, Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board missionary Stanley Stamps of Prentiss, Mississippi, was driving from Santa Rita to El Progreso, Honduras, when his car struck and killed a pedestrian. Stamps drove to the police station and then spent the weekend in jail while an investigation cleared him of wrongdoing. In the following first-person account, Stamps recalls the horror of the accident, the uncertainties of being jailed and the ways God used the situation to draw people closer to himself. His wife, Glenna, is from Hillsboro, Texas.

EL PROGRESO, Honduras (BP) – Each time I pass by that spot on the highway, images of what happened there flash through my mind.

I remember my headlights picking up the vague form of a man walking along the highway’s center stripe. I hit the brakes. He staggered into my lane. He was so close I couldn’t avoid striking him. I remember a dull thud as he flew into my windshield. The car screeched to a halt, and the motor died. I saw his body sprawled in the middle of the highway.

Stunned, I got out of my car. The man was dead. My car was badly dented and the windshield cracked. The last two passing vehicles ignored my appeals for help. It was late and the highway was abandoned.

What was I to do? Many in Honduras would have driven on, and the newspapers would have reported a hit-and-run death. In the daylight, a driver might be killed by infuriated family or neighbors. The thought of jail was frightening. If I turned myself in, what would the authorities do? How would my friends and acquaintances react? I fought the urge to run.

Suddenly, I felt calm. I knew the Lord was beside me, and I knew I had to report the accident.

After pulling the body to the side of the road, I drove to the police station. The officer on duty was reading a Bible. I explained what had happened, and he had me drive him to alert the coroner and judge, and we went to the scene of the accident. The body was where I had left it. When the investigation was complete, they loaded the body in my car and had me drive it to the morgue.

The victim, a 65-year-old widower, was a “campesino” (peasant farmer) who lived with his only surviving son in a community near El Progreso. Later I learned the man had been spotted by someone else earlier the same night staggering — apparently drunk — down the middle of the road.

Back at the police station, I was placed in detention and called my wife, Glenna. My quarters was a conference room where another man was being detained for similar reasons. My bed was a bench made out of wooden slats. Although outwardly composed, my nerves were shattered, and I tried to find a sleeping position on the hard wooden bench.

Early the next morning, Glenna called a couple of missionary colleagues to activate our prayer chain, then brought me breakfast. (Honduran jails don’t provide meals.) Then she went on to Santa Rita for Sunday school. Later that morning a friend who is a retired police captain came to visit and assured me the problem would be solved in a day or two. I had an opportunity to give New Testaments to my “cellmate” and his wife and watched as he read God’s Word for the very first time.

After church services were over, a group from Bethany Church in El Progreso came to visit. One of them, a seminary extension student of mine, offered to be my lawyer. Before they left, we stood in a circle and they prayed for my well-being and quick release. It was profoundly moving to be surrounded by a group of people I knew loved me and whom I loved.

A group from Mount Calvary Church followed them. The pastor, whom we had seen accept Christ 12 years earlier, read Psalm 103. I sensed this was the Scripture passage I needed most.

That afternoon, Glenna brought fellow missionary Frank Harrison, who had substituted for me in Sunday school and worship. Later missionaries Tom and Susan Canady and Ken Cummins came by. It was comforting and encouraging to feel the support and concern of my missionary colleagues. I learned later that Glenna received dozens of phone calls from people who were concerned about me.

While I was eating, our electrician came to visit. He is not a believer, but when members of the accident victim’s family came to see me, he became my intercessor and personally went with the family to select a casket. He even paid for the casket and advanced some money for burial expenses. (Honduran custom expects people in my situation to pay the burial expenses of the victim.) After I was released, I visited him and repaid the loan. I was grateful for the strength of friendship bonds that form over the years.

Sunday afternoon a large delegation from the Santa Rita church came to see me. They told me the incident had caused them to reflect on the “Experiencing God” lesson about the body of Christ we had studied together Saturday evening before the accident.

What had impressed them most, however, was that I had turned myself in to the police. Every one of them knew most people would have driven away from the accident. The fact I had done the right thing said more to them than any number of sermons or lessons could have.

Monday morning the other detainee and I were taken to court in a pickup truck. While we waited, a group of men — members of the dead man’s family — came in. My lawyer brought them over to me, and I explained the circumstances of the accident. They seemed satisfied when I told them my car was insured for cases like this and accepted my offer of New Testaments. I was relieved, because many times accidents like this lead to perpetual vendettas and vengeance killings.

I waited at the courthouse all morning and through the judge’s three-hour absence at lunchtime. But a little after 3 o’clock, my lawyer emerged from the judge’s office, and I walked out of the court a free man. I had a greater appreciation for what it means to be free. I also had a better understanding of what it means to have an advocate. My lawyer friend had been by my side and intervened for me at every turn of events.

All that afternoon and the next day the telephone rang with calls from concerned colleagues and friends, both local and overseas. The prayer networks had been alerted at the Foreign Mission Board and in my home state of Mississippi. Later, letters from numerous friends and prayer supporters began stacking up.

I am profoundly grateful for the extensive network of prayer partners who daily pray for foreign missionaries. I know from personal experience what it means to be the object of concern in someone’s prayers.

Those prayers are not in vain. I am deeply grateful to everyone for holding me up in prayer. I am grateful to God for his deliverance from evil and for his constant strengthening presence.

________

Copyright (c) 1995 Baptist Press