Frank’s Reflections

“The leaves are brown, and the sky is gray,” so goes yesterday’s song by the Mamas and the Papas. That is not true as I look out my window. The leaves have fallen. The ground is brown, but the sky is blue. Clear blue.

We live in a changing world. Things are never the same. Kids grow up, and adults muddle through life. When we get old, we worry about things, often wondering if we have changed our world for the better. 

What are the priorities for our lives? Our time is limited. Twenty-four hours in a day. Three hundred sixty-five days in a year. No one knows the number of years we may live. As believers, we know only the things accomplished for Him will last. We have a head knowledge of that. Often our lives do not reflect what we thought.

What we know and what we practice sometimes are different. Ten years after we die, who will know we ever lived? In most cases, only family, a handful of friends, and maybe a few coworkers will remember.

If you are rich, you can leave a legacy of some sort. Building, scholarships, or plaques may bear your name. The readers only know your name, but not the real you. What makes a person stand out in memory? Usually, it is actions—ones of kindness or thoughtfulness. The Good Samaritan’s name is not in the Bible. His act of mercy has been written for generations to emulate. Peter and John said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you.” (Acts 3:6 NKJV)

Generosity makes lasting memories, which goes beyond monetary gifts. Eternal memories are here for the making. A cup of cold water given in the Lord’s name has eternal rewards (Mark 9:41).

Kind words and actions can reproduce in others for generations to come. You will never know this side of heaven what an encouraging word will do in another’s heart. 

The bare trees have a long wait before being green again. The sky is still blue for all the world to see, so keep doing those kind things to help others have a great day.

Compassion for others is disappearing. Is this an isolated observation, or is it true everywhere? Is it a sign of the times, the callousness of today’s society, or a generational thing? It seems the older I get, the less I see of this godly trait. 

Compassion is usually expressed by showing concern, support, or aid to one who is suffering. A good illustration would be the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. Not only did he give immediate assistance, but he was willing to pay for extended aid. His compassion was not for a friend or a relative, but a total stranger. Was this incident a once in a lifetime practice? One would think this man was a regular in expressing compassion.

The Psalmist relates the Lord’s feeling for Israel in Psalm 78. The list of wanderings away from God are listed. It does not matter what the Lord does for us. We seem to forget and wander away from Him again. God’s kindness for His children is vital for our well-being. The Lord remembers that we are flesh with all its weaknesses. Yet even in this, His compassion does not fail for his children. 

King David, in his writings, reflected upon the Lord’s heart. David said God was full of compassion (Psalm 86:15). The Lord showed it by His graciousness, patience, mercy, and in His slowness of anger toward us. God has a great love for His people. The Lord’s faithful servants realize the Lord’s caring spirit. Our God is willing to go the extra mile for those who love Him. 

By realizing God’s compassion for us as believers, can we express the same kindness to others? Actions do speak louder than words. It may not be a sum of money you give, but the time you are willing to share. It could be changing a tire, fixing a meal for someone, caring for a sick neighbor. Your thoughtful deed demonstrates compassion. Whether friend, foe, or stranger, a kind deed works wonders in the heart of any man. Because people have been kind to you, you can pay it forward by being kind to others. One thing is for sure, compassion shows the heart. The recipient never forgets the expression of your heart.

So, is empathy disappearing? I hope not because we should be demonstrating compassion every day.

We take so much for granted, life, health, our residence, food, etc. It seems natural to have these. Yet each one is a gift from God. There are billions of people who wish they had what you do. Somehow, we take life and health for granted until they disappear. I Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV says, “In everything give thanks,” but do we? 

Jesus healed ten lepers in Luke 17:15, but only one returned to give thanks. What happened to the other nine? 

When individuals experience Salvation, how do they express their appreciation? It is varied. Just take a good look at their lifestyle. Does it show gratitude, or do they want only the benefits of their redeemed life? 

The Psalmist wrote in 107:1, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!” This Psalm’s sentiment is echoed again in 92:1 and 106:1. Its author was greatly appreciative of the Lord’s goodness to him.

Paul wrote in II Thessalonians 1:3, “To thank God always,” for those who are faithful. Somehow many Christians fail to do so. We should be thankful for those who feed us spiritually and serve the Lord behind the scenes. We need to thank all servants to their faces. It is a reminder to them in their dark hours of service to keep serving God regardless. 

So, what makes you appreciative? Whatever it is, please do not take it for granted. Thank God for watching out for you, even in the little things. I thank God every time I take my daily walk. God has given me the ability to walk and to spend time with Him. Walking is an ability many people do not have, but it is a gift to me. I am incredibly appreciative of it. That may seem insignificant to many, but it is a gift that is appreciated. I can see where to walk; many cannot see the road’s potholes. Sight is a God-given gift. 

All that we have is our gifts, including our frailties, and heartaches. Can we recognize God is with us even in our weaknesses and be thankful for His presence? 

Even writing blogs is a gift. God has allowed me to minister to people who I will never see this side of heaven. Little things are big things when they are appreciated.

Secrecy has its twists and turns, some good and some not so good. It all depends on the motives behind the secret. 

Jesus encouraged and practiced prayer by His example. Many were in seclusion, no one else around; the location could be on a mountain or in a garden. There His mind and heart were totally before God. 

In privacy, you can confess the sins you do not want anyone else to know but God. You can express your doubts, fears, hurts, even your anger. All of these are expressions of our human nature, and God knows all about them. 

Our Lord does not expect us to be perfect; life is a continual learning experience. We will never know it all. Maturity means we are still learning about our self and life. Our growing spirituality is one of constant improvement in thought and living. One’s spirituality develops better by spending time alone with the Creator, revealing our innermost heart.

Also, it is a time to be quiet and listen to God speaking to your heart. Those incoming Spirit-led thoughts demonstrate God is talking to you. They can appear when you are in your prayer closet; that is when I receive many of the subjects of my blog’s posts. 

One of the things I have learned over the years is my memory does not work like it did in the past. Because of this human trait, I learned something different. I keep a pencil and writing pad within reach of my prayer place. When God gives me an errand or thought about what I need to do, I stop praying and write it down. Then, when the time is right, I can do whatever the Lord has spoken of to me. That may seem trivial to some, but it works for me. 

Those who think this is petty, go ahead and assume that. I would dare say much of the Bible was a result of prayer, and all of it was God-directed (II Peter 1:21). An example would be the book of Revelation. John says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…I am the Alpha and the Omega…write in a book…” (1:10,11).

My encouragement to all is to spend time in your secret place. The place where you know you can talk to God about anything. Jesus did! The next time you read the Gospels, make a note of the number of times Jesus prayed in secret. It was usually at night and some distance from everybody else. It was Jesus and His Father. Just the two of them.

Jesus gave us an example of secret prayer. It worked for Jesus, and it will work for us. We need to meet God in a private place to know the things He wants us to do.  John said it best in 15:5 “Without Me you can do nothing.”

Sharing and competition are opposite ends of the spectrum. Between those two words, there is another characteristic that creeps in. It would be labeled selfishness, which is opposed to sharing. 

As we read the Bible, we find models of sharing—sharing food, finances, faith. Several examples come rushing to my mind.

The first was in the town, Zarephath, located north of Israel in present-day Lebanon (I Kings 17:8-16). A widow was down to her last meal. She gathered some sticks to bake the last bit of flour into cakes for her son and herself. The Prophet Elijah asked her not to fear, but first bake him a small cake. Elijah went on to say if you do this, your bin of flour will not be empty, and your cooking oil will not run out. By faith, this widow honored the Lord. She obeyed the Prophet’s instructions. God rewarded her; she didn’t run out of food. 

There was in Israel, another poor widow worshipping the Lord (Mark 12:41-44). When it came time to give, this poor lady placed two mites (the equivalent of a few pennies today) in the offering. The insignificant amount of this money was notable only to the Lord. He made a special effort to mention her to his disciples. She placed her entire monetary wealth in the Lord’s hands. It was her livelihood; all she had. 

Fast forward to the period after the resurrection of Jesus. Peter and John were going to pray (Acts 3:1-10). Approaching the Temple, a lame beggar asked for money from those who entered. It was Peter who started the conversation by saying, “Look at us.” The cripple man turned his attention to Peter, expecting some financial help. Then Peter explained he had no money, but I’ll give you what I have. “Rise up and walk,” Peter then extended his helping hand. The man stood and entered the Temple joyfully as he walked. He was praising God of heaven. 

The above three examples have a common theme, and that is sharing. It’s not about wealth, but is about heart and obedience. It’s about honoring the Lord with what you have. It’s not the number of possessions, but following the leadership of the Lord. Wherever God leads you, He always provides. Even in desperate times, especially in the valleys of want. He brings to fruition the prayers of faith for His glory. Regardless of the circumstances, God always notices when you put Him first. He will never forget your effort to make Him prominent in your life. No, never.

Loyalty is another word implying honesty. Every society stands or falls on honesty and loyalty. These two words are married. No mate can be loyal to the other without honesty, hitched to one another. Forever. Cooperation is essential for advancement and unity.

Loyalty does not mean material success or financial riches. The word loyalty is foundational to relationships. Without it, families suffer, even God’s family. With all this said, how is our commitment to God? Is it based on feelings or desires? Hopefully not. 

Loyalty has its roots in Bible knowledge and its practice. We all stumble in Bible application somewhere in our Christian walk. No one is without faults. All we can do is apply what we understand, and we have difficulty with that. To be loyal to what we know, we should use God’s principles in our daily living. 

God never told us we would be perfect. God knew we would have imperfections. He knew we were going to fail—trip on our own spiritual feet. But when we fall, we do not have to stay there.

The Bible records numerous people who failed somewhere. They got up and tried again, which set them apart. 

So, what do we do when we fall short of our expectations of spirituality? Stop serving God? Hopefully not. We could confess our shortcomings and keep on serving the Lord. 

Maybe we should all remind ourselves we are dirt. Dirt is a harsh, dirty word. Adam, the first human, was made of it. He passed on his messy nature to you and me thousands of years later. 

When anyone becomes a Christian, we received a new nature (II Corinthians 5:17). From the moment of salvation, we became a new work in progress. 

What we do in our new journey demonstrates our loyalty. The genuineness of our new walk of life says a whole lot about us. Our continual walk or lack thereof speaks volumes also. 

One of the good things about being reformed dirt is it is moldable. All it needs is a dose of living water applied to it. Jesus, who lives forever, is willing, and ready to remake us over and over again. 

His character never changes (Hebrews 13:8). His willingness to help us never stops. Only we determine our loyalty to Him. May we forever be loyal to the Son of God.

I can go there only for a while. Stay there until my project is complete. Hopefully, completely complete. In order for me to accomplish my purpose, I usually need quietness (aloneness, no one around to interrupt). My brain works better without interruption (conversations, music, etc.). “This one thing I do,” was Paul’s ultimate focus in Philippians 3:13. This verse reminds us to forget the past because it diverts our attention from the present. The task at hand is of immediate purpose. 

David asked a specific favor of the Lord. It was simple, thoughtful, and intentional. He wanted to dwell in the Lord’s house. He desired the companionship of the Lord (Psalms 27:4,5). The servant of God sought the Lord in prayer (v-7). He was willing to wait on the Lord to answer his requests (v-14). David gave us a great example—wait for God to answer our prayers.

Patience is a trait many Christians need to develop. Especially when waiting on God to intervene in the affairs of man.

The rich, young ruler in Mark 10 had all the worldly possessions any human could ever need. Yet, he was not at total peace with God. He needed an eternal purpose. What we do here on earth for Jesus will always have a lasting effect and heavenly rewards. It is one thing to have everlasting life, but having eternal rewards requires drive. What we do here and now is our basis for those heavenly rewards. 

A great example of divine purpose is in the episode of Martha and Mary. Martha was busy preparing to serve Jesus and his disciples. Mary sat before the Lord, absorbing his every word. Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus, in his gentle way, said Mary chose to learn the spiritual rather than prepare the meal. The spiritual always outweighs the temporary needs of man (Mark 10:41,42). 

Our Lord, through Peter, related time as viewed through the Lord’s eyes. Jesus is patient with this human race. He does not want anyone to die without repentance (II Peter 3:9). He is willing to wait for a man to repent. But our time is limited to life. What we do for Christ, or do not do, will last for eternity.

So, it is purposeful for God’s children to focus on being obedient to him. Paul conveyed his focus. “This one thing I do.” He wanted his purpose to be all about God. 

May each of us have the same.

When you are lonely, you are in great company. Does that make sense? Most people would say you are crazy.

Let your mind drift back to scripture. Specifically to those Bible stories you learned when you were a child.

Christmas is approaching. You know about the birth of Jesus. Now think about the circumstances. Barn! No one else around but animals. Joseph and Mary. Then his birth. No doctor or midwife. Just Joseph and Mary. In their loneliness, the Savior is born. Then the shepherds appear to see our Savior. The most significant night in history is a lonely night.

The three Hebrew children in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to serve King Nebuchadnezzar’s gods. The King, in his rage, had them thrown into the furnace. That’s because the three Israelites chose to worship only God. The heat of the furnace killed those who threw the three into the furnace. But the story was about to get better. They were not alone in the furnace because now there were four walking in flames. The fourth was like the Son of God. When no one else was around, that’s when Jesus stepped in and resolved the situation. That is how He works.

God told Abraham to go to Mount Moriah and worship; really to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. So off went Abraham, Isaac and two servants. When they came to Mount Moriah, Abraham and Isaac went a little farther for the offering. As they arrived, Abraham said, the lad and I “will go farther and worship and will come back.” What a testimony of faith. Isaac even asked, where’s the lamb. By faith, his dad’s reply, God will provide.

Can you imagine placing your son on an altar as a sacrifice? But this is where God stepped in and provided the sacrifice. Before that moment, it was just Abraham and Isaac. Proof once again, God is never late.

Again, in the New Testament, Paul records the times God intervened in his life. II Corinthians 11:24-27 gives the details of Paul’s loneliness. Yet God was with him in every one of those situations. It didn’t make any difference whether it was a beating, shipwrecked, robbers or false brethren. God was with him. God never deserted him.

When circumstances are adverse, it does not mean God has deserted you or is punishing you. Sometimes the greatest lessons are learned in adversity and loneliness. But each time is for God’s advancement and glory.

So, when you are alone, and things appear to be harsh, He is with you. Open your eyes of faith and see the glory of God in action. He is there because He promised, “never to leave you or forsake you.”

Rules are part of life. Rules of fairness are made so everyone can have an equal chance. If a person does not play fair, he will lose some friends.

Friendships, work, relationships and marriage are all about fairness. When someone doesn’t honor the rules, respect is lost.

What or who decides what is correct, proper, honorable or fair? God speaks very clearly about what He knows to be the correct, proper, and honorable. In plain language, He wants His children to be fair in their living. 

A great place to start would be Deuteronomy 1:17. “You shall not show partiality in judgment.” Those are the words of Moses to Israel about selecting judges. 

Showing respect and fairness is not a one-time thing but a way of life. In other words, consistency is the rule. Job showed great restraint when his acquaintances told him he was wrong, and God was punishing him. Job held to his principles, saying, “Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone” 32:21. 

God’s standard of fairness is different from most of ours. We are human. We tend to want things to our advantage. Longevity is one of those principles that has crept into our lives and churches. “We’ve been here for a long time. We worked our way up the ladder. It’s my turn. I’ve earned it.” These are some of our thoughts. We may not say them out loud, but they are real to us. We all have had them.

God, in His fairness, is also the God of mercy. He knows we cannot be perfect. We are all sinners. He knew we would be sinners before He created Adam. Because of His foreknowledge, our God knew we needed a savior, our sin-bearer. Jesus became sin for us. Through the shed blood of Jesus, we have forgiveness of sin. That is mercy in reality. The Lord described himself as “merciful and gracious” in Psalm 103:8. It was true yesterday, and it is true today.

The parable of the vineyard in Matthew 20 explodes our premise. The owner hired laborers in the early morning, midday, and even at the last hour of the workday. But, when compensation or reward time came, the owner paid everybody the same. So, in fairness, the laborers’ wages were as per the verbal contract. Some disagreed. “We’ve worked in the heat of the day,” they said. In essence, they said, “we did more than the newcomers, and we deserve better treatment.” Have you ever thought something like that? Probably.

From God’s perspective, are those thoughts in agreement with His? No. Because God gives eternal life to whoever calls upon the name of the Lord. That is Romans 3:22 in the application. “Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.” Fairness is based upon the uncompromising word of the Bible, our standard. 

To put things in perspective, at least to my understanding, we serve God because we love Him. It’s certainly not for earthly rewards or advancement. God encourages us to show our genuine love for Him by doing—helping others. To be loyal to Jesus every day of our lives. That’s fair. That puts everybody on the same page. I know His assessment will be correct according to His fairness. 

Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes they’re encouraging, and other times discouraging. So, what are we to do? Let the bad times destroy our dreams? No! Shove them aside and don’t allow them to ruin your future. For the believer, trust in the Lord, and believe. 

God works things out. He may not do it the way we plan, but He’s in charge. He knows best even in the times when we wonder if He’s working on our behalf. You may have had that thought or one like it. Not once but many times. 

We tend to forget the times He has intervened in our lives and the way He has turned the bad into good. He has a way of making things better. His timetable does not always agree with ours. His clock seems to move very slowly at times. Be assured, He always arrives on time. 

Our wounds always heal. Scars may remain. They are there to remind us not to do the same thing again. Those scars show us He will intervene and solve the problem. 

I’ll share one particular scar, the long one on my chest. It’s about ten inches long and is the result of open-heart surgery 17 plus years ago. I would not be writing this if God had not intervened in my life. Things have changed, improved in many ways. One byproduct of this long scar is I was given time to reflect. It directed me to be more encouraging not just in words but in actions. Helping others seems to be my new calling. At times, it is helping individuals and organizations that help others. Whoever or whatever God puts in my way is his divine appointment for me.

Times are always rotten to some. Hopeless at times. The woman, a widow at Zarephath, comes to mind. Her desperate time had arrived and she was down to her last meal. Then, God showed up in the Prophet Elijah. She shared her last meal with him. God took care of her. Who would have thought that sharing her last meal would bring God’s blessings, but it did? It always does. 

Encouragement comes and goes down many avenues of life. But it seems best for those who are willing to let God have control of their lives. Maybe that’s man’s real problem. Who is in control? If we have lived very long, we have experienced tough times and great times. To me, the better times come after I have learned to let God be in control. How about you? Do you need to let God be in control? 

Several verses of scripture may help.

Isaiah 43, verse 13, the first part of it. “For I, the Lord your God hold your right hand.”

Hebrews 10:24, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

I Corinthians 16:18, “For they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.”