UNWANTED MESSAGES

Gangs recently “tagged” a medical clinic about a mile from my home. Within a couple days, maintenance staff temporarily painted over it, Because this was winter, they'd have to wait for warmer weather to re-do the whole wall. I won't even try to guess what that would cost the clinic in paint and manpower. But every time I passed this building, I thought of people whose anger problems lead to verbal graffiti in the form of harsh words at or about others, even those who try to help them.

Such behavior is called “slander,” defined as “the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's reputation.” In the original Greek of the New Testament, “slander” is translated from diabolos, meaning “slanderous” and “accusing falsely.” (The Greek word may ring a bell as close to the name “Diablo,” given to bad characters in fiction or drama.) Slanderous behavior, Paul wrote, will escalate before Christ's return to judge the world (1 Timothy 3:11). Concordances defining “slander” connect it with gossip, lying, perverse tongues, unwholesome talk, bitter envy, busybodies and more.

The Bible also portrays its opposite behavior. Psalm 15 commends the person who "has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man” (v. 3)

Proverbs offers hope for the those wounded by slander: “When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). That verse encouaged me regarding the situation of someone with a good heart who was wounded by slander conveyed in person and via social media. What they endured was like emotional graffiti on their true, better self. Of that situation, the Lord reminded me: 

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Because my neighborhood's graffiti landed on a rehab facility, I thought about how the Lord can “rehab” the heart that practices slander. Scripture is one powerful “rehab” tool; a chapter-in-day in Proverbs, for example, exposes the reader to dozens of warnings about this abusive habit.

Another help—worth posting to a computer screen or the bathroom mirror—is the life challenge to think first before speaking. THINK is the acrostic for messages that are True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, or Kind. Yes, the behavior that Jesus modeled for us.

THE HIGH-ER SCHOOL

Yes, that's me, middle, front row, "first chair"--plus 
cover of our 1965 high shcool annual

A monthly post on a hymn of the faith.

By now, the yearly hoopla of high school graduation has cooled down. Annuals have been signed with promises like “Friends forever” or “Remember me when you're rich and famous.” Hard to realize that my graduation year, 1965, was so long ago, almost the Dinosaur Age. I mean, girls wore skirts or dresses that modestly reached their knees, not today's torn and tattered jeans. We had nylons with regular shoes, not flip-flops or high-top white tennies. Blouses covered upper quarters modestly--no crop-tops and low-rise pants that showed off belly buttons. Oh yes (sigh), many had the “ratted” pouf hairdos. Girls “renewing” their “dos” at lunchtime meant that hair spray fogged the girl's restrooms. Personal cell phones? Nope. If your parents were enough “well off,” you might have your own bedroom phone (for girls, the “hot one” was the “princess style”) so you wouldn't have to stretch out the curly cord of the family's wall phone to a more private spot, like the coat closet.

Yes, back then we had cliques (or should we call them “interest-based affinity groups”?).  I guess I belonged in the “kids-who-study-and-don't-make-waves” category. My great goal and achievement was becoming orchestra concert-mistress (first chair violin—yes, that's me in photo). Except for B's in physical education (14 years later I would marry an elementary p.e. teacher—go figure) I earned all A's.

But, despite going to church with my family and completing the two years of Saturday classes to be “confirmed” in my family's traditional church, I had a lot to learn about walking with Christ. Thus, when I learned the background about a well-known hymn, I was moved by the story of its devout author: a teenager!

The hymn is known by is first words: “My Jesus, I Love Thee.” The first line continues, “I know thou art mine. For thee, all the follies of sin I resign.” Officially dated 1864, it's credited to a young person named William Ralph Featherston, who attended a Methodist church in his hometown of Montreal, Canada. Some historians say he was 12 years old when he wrote the lyrics, others say he was 16. Others suggest the first few lines have some similarities to camp-meeting songs of the early 1800s. It might have stayed a young person's poem if he hadn't sent a copy of it to his aunt in Los Angeles. She was so moved that she sought to have it published.

But a poem isn't a hymn until there's music, and that came through someone named Adoniram Gordon. His first name may ring a bell as the same as missionary Adoniram Judson (1788-1850), who served in Burma for nearly forty years. Adoniram Gordon was known for founding Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. (By the way, Adoniram is a Hebrew name that means “my Lord is exalted.”)

Featherston never lived to see the widespread use of his poem-turned-hymn. He died at age 27, reportedly leaving behind a wife and young son. It would be his only published piece. He would be amazed to learn of how it still inspires worshipers, and perhaps humbled that the background story of a faith-filled teenager would continue to be told more than a century and a half later.

Sing along with this You-Tube video:

MyJesus I Love Thee - Classic Hymn (Lyrics) - Bing video

Because search engines offer sequential performances of the same piece, consider continuing to listen to how these simple but reverent words still reflect a believer's aspiration to know Jesus better.

FORGETTABLE

With blue as my favorite color, it's a “given” that forget-me-nots land in my list of flower “likes.” Until an internet search, I never thought much about their history and symbolism. Their botanical name derives from the Greek words for “mouse” and “ear,” as the leaves resemble a mouse's ear. One old German folktale claims a knight wearing armor was strolling with his lady friend along a riverbank where the tiny flowers grew. In his clumsy effort to pick some for her, he fell in the water. As the river swept him away—unable to swim because of his armor—he allegedly cried out to his lady, “Forget me not!” I'm not sure how true that tale is, but it's interesting. 

In general, forget-me-nots are said to symbolize faithful love, fidelity, remembrance, memory, humility, resilience, and desire for loyalty. As such, they're connected with memorials and fallen war soldiers. England's King Henry IV adopted them as his personal emblem. They were also Princess Diana's favorite blooms, with many planted in her honor at London's Kensington Palace. In some cultures, the flower seeds are given to friends and family to plant in memory of a lost one.

Such history adds a deeper level to the “forget” scriptures I cherish in scripture. They include Philippians 3:13-14: One thing I do: Forgetting that is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

These verses remind me that God knows all, but in graciousness can put that “remembering” aside out of His incomprehensible love. For someone who comes to realize he or she is guilty of multiple and deep sins, the extent of God's grace can restore hope. Many years ago, I was called to the apartment of a sobbing young Christian woman who gave in to her boyfriend's demand for premarital sex. Her guilt over losing her virginity was almost unbearable. The verses that came to mind to share with her (regarding confession and forgiveness) were these:

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear him; As far as the east is from the west, so far as he removed our transgression from us. (Psalm 103:10-11) 

I know of folks who abuse this scripture. They think, “I'll give in, just this time, then ask the Lord to forgive me. Easy-peasy.” But that's trifling with the holiness and mercy of God.

The other side of the “forgiveness” coin is when someone sins against us, then tries to cover over the offense with a lame apology. It doesn't seem fair to the person who was wounded. But the deeper truth is that God sees every hard-to-forget wounding. In her book Hurt People Hurt People (Discovery House, 2001, p. 208), therapist and author Dr. Sandra Wilson observed: 

Forgiveness is not letting someone “get away” with sin; it's letting Jesus be the judge of it. Forgiving means placing the sins and the sinners into the nail-scarred hands of the only One qualified to judge. In doing so, we are released from the bondage of bitterness that comes after our repeated attempts to exact justice have failed.

And maybe it's appropriate that the clumped blue forget-me-nots are so tiny. The offenses we endure, though big in our minds, are tiny in comparison with the world-heavy sin-burden that Jesus bore on a crude cross. For them. But, more important, for me.

SAVORING IT

Our backyard fence is a squirrel highway between a walnut tree five houses away and a critter hideout just across the street from us. That means they have to briefly brave street traffic, but they’re quick, and there’s not much come-and-go on our one-block neighborhood. Often from a window facing our back yard, I’ll spot a squirrel pausing on a fence post, its tail flicking in anticipation as it nibbles its latest nutty find. I know it’s a long shot to relate this to a Bible verse, but this sight brings to mind Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV):

Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

This verse connects with the first chapter of Jeremiah and the prophet’s God-ordained commission to prophesy a not-too-popular message. Even though the prophet objected that he was too young for such a great task, God gave him this assurance: “You must go to everyone I send you and say whatever I command you” (1:7).

Jeremiah didn’t win any popularity contests with his “shape up” warnings to his nation. Yet his relationship with God, and his commitment to the truth of God’s Word, kept him going despite the hardships that came his way with an unpopular message.

So, back to squirrels. Sometimes the pace of life makes me feel like a critter racing along a narrow fence board. The spiritual nutrition that keeps me going is there, but needs to be dug out, like a squirrel’s sharp front teeth prying out nutty nutrition. I’m grateful for the pastors and Bible teachers who patiently taught me out to “pry out” scripture’s nutrition through various Bible study methods. They’ve helped me to get to the spiritual “meat” of scripture. 

Did I say “meat”? Isn’t “nut meat” another word for the nutritious stuff inside the hard shell of the walnut? And was my squirrel-and-walnut analogy somewhat accurate (though a bit nutty?).

Maybe, but I savor the times I’m reading a scripture and something makes me pause and think, to digest, and then to thank the Lord for using the written Word to teach and encourage me. No fence-post-balancing act required!