Church

One Hour to Live and a Good Friday Thought

/ Lisa Womble / 3 Comments

At a church service several weeks ago, before we could no longer meet together due to COVID-19, we were challenged to think about what we would do if we only had a certain amount of time to live.

Side note: Don’t worry, this was not some morbid scare tactic taking advantage of our coronavirus worries. It was actually just before the virus was really on anyone’s radar to be worried about, at least no more of a concern than any other bug during flu season.

At one point in the sermon, we were instructed to open envelopes which had been provided to each of us as we had entered the sanctuary that morning. Inside each envelope was a card announcing the hypothetical amount of time each of us had remaining on this earth.

My card said, “1 Hour.” I wondered immediately what the minister would do if I jumped up and screamed “I’ve got to go see my grand babies!” as I ran out the door. I refrained.

After that initial thought, one thing that came to mind was that I would want to write one more blog post. That might seem like a strange thing to consider, but I was thinking in terms of legacy and I would not want the last blog post I wrote to be memorialized as my last publicly proclaimed thoughts about God and life.

That post was written over two years ago when I was in a real funk. And honestly, the fact that I have not written here since is indicative of the fact that I’m still not quite out of it. But as I was considering what I would say if I did write “one last blog post” (and only had one hour to live – so obviously wouldn’t want to spend the whole time writing), I thought, all I really need is one quick sentence to speak resolution to that last post. All I really need to say in response to the thought that I was “Hoping God Proves Me Wrong” is …

GOD DOESN’T NEED TO PROVE ANYTHING MORE TO ME!

God proved everything He needed to prove on the very day we memorialize today as Good Friday – the day Jesus gave His own life so that I might have eternal life.

It’s interesting that even after all that deep pondering, it still has taken me weeks to muster up the mental energy to get back to writing. I’m thankful to my friend Aric Marshall who shared his music video on Facebook. Listening to his beautiful saxophone rendition of “Were You There” brought me to the place I needed to be – the place where I’m focused on my Savior and what He has done for me.

I’m going to try to embed the video below and hope it works. If not, I’ll try to fix it later. But for now, I’m going to skip my normal tendency to edit and re-edit and just get this thought out there. Because, you know, this might be my last hour to live and I have other things to do. I mean, “I’ve got to go see my grand babies!!!” (through video chat, of course).

Sharing a Letter to Young Christian Feminists

/ Lisa Womble / Leave a comment

While I’m on hiatus finishing up the editing on my book, here’s a great read from Cheryl Bridges Johns at The Junia Project. Beautifully written and spot on. With my book off the to-do list soon, I hope to be writing on several of the topics she so eloquently summarizes. Until then, blessings to you.

A Letter to Young Christian Feminists

Just a Thought – On Gender Issues and the Church

/ Lisa Womble / 1 Comment

If we are going to take The Curse as our guide for male and female roles, women should never have been allowed to work in the fields of agriculture – in any capacity. That would be the man’s role.  It would emasculate him to have her take over any of his duties in that God-assigned arena, just like her taking a job outside the home would today.

3 Reasons You Should Listen to the Fence-Sitters

/ Lisa Womble / Leave a comment
The Lonely Fence-Sitter

So, here I sit … by nature the speak-up type … on the fence. How did that happen?

I have said for many years that I value the voices of the radicals because they challenge our assumptions and can help bring our thinking into balance. Radicals or extremists usually come to the forefront as reactionaries when the pendulum on an issue has swung too far in one direction. Yes, they may overstate their case, or swing the pendulum too far in the other direction, but without their voices we might never question how imbalanced things actually are (because that lack of balance has become the new status-quo).

Similarly, I have always had trouble respecting “fence-sitters.” At best, I’ve viewed them as apathetic. At worst, I’ve judged them as uncaring or cowardly. More recently, however, I have come to think it might actually be wise to seek out the fence-sitters and hear what they have to say when faced with a situation where extremists on both sides are screaming loudly. Here’s why:

  1. At the very least, if you are one of the radicals making noise, talking with the fence-sitters will help you see how your message is being received by those you are trying to persuade to join your cause. I mean, let’s face it, in battles of epic proportions the people on opposing sides aren’t typically trying to come together. They’re each trying to get their way, win the battle, shoot the other’s argument down. Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement, but seriously, if you’re not convincing a fence-sitter with your rhetoric, you’re certainly not going to convince the opposition.
  2. Talking with a fence-sitter might help you understand the valid points the opposition is making. Again, if you’re one of the radicals, you probably have trouble actually hearing the other side’s case because your senses are so inflamed against them.
  3. Don’t believe you could actually be that calloused against the other side? Appalled at the idea that you might be biased, or worse yet, not completely informed on the matter? Yeah, that’s another reason to speak with a fence-sitter. It’s a good opportunity for a heart check and, quite likely, fact-checking.

I suppose at this point, it might be good to mention the specific issues/incidents which have led me to think the fence-sitters might not be as uncaring as I once imagined. One is the racial tension in my own community (see prior posts here) and the other is a horrible situation in a local church which has spilled over into a Bible college I care about (see one article here, and one here … for the rest of the story, it won’t be hard to follow the rabbit trail to find details).

These circumstances have taught me the following about fence-sitting:

  • It is difficult to have your voice heard when you refuse to join one camp.
  • It is hard to convince people you care about them when you won’t agree with them completely.
  • If you want to hear the opinions and insights of the fence-sitter, you’ll probably have to seek them out because they shy away from speaking publicly as they don’t want to be labeled with either side. And, possibly, because they’ve seen how horribly each side has treated those who oppose them.
  • Just because someone does not grab the bullhorn, does not mean they don’t have some definite opinions.
  • When a fence-sitter is someone close to the situation, and they haven’t made complete enemies of either side, they probably have information you need to hear.
  • Fence-sitters often find themselves there because they care deeply about the people involved in the battle. If you want to gain an ally, spark up a conversation with them.

Please tell me something good a Christian has done for you.

/ Lisa Womble / 3 Comments

Tonight I am tired. I am tired of Christians bashing fellow Christians. I understand we have differences. And I believe we need to have difficult discussions sometimes in order to hold each other accountable. I believe in the process of “iron sharpening iron.” And I believe in exposing any sin that manifests itself amongst us (for we all sin).

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (ESV)

What I am tired of, though, is how it seems like many Christians cannot approach their disagreements without making each other the enemy. I am tired of the fact that this makes me feel cynical. I am very tired of seeing these things play out in a way that makes younger Christians I’m trying to mentor become cynical. And I’m tired of the poor taste this leaves in the mouths of non-Christians – not just towards Christians, but towards our Christ.

Much more could be said on this matter. Perhaps I should write a Bible study in the future. But for tonight, I’m just too tired.

As I was driving home from work tonight, feeling cynical and discouraged, I had to correct my self-talk. I had to remind myself that there are MANY good Christian people out there who are doing loving things for people.

In an environment filled with people pointing out others’ wrongs, can we take a minute to point out some of the good we see fellow Christians doing? PLEASE, post your positive examples here for all to see as I’m sure there are others like me who need to be reminded.

August Wrap-Up for Encourager’s Devotional Series – A Sermon Excerpt

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This sermon excerpt is the wrap-up for the August Devotional in the Encourager’s Devotional Series. Below the video, are some discussion questions we used when the sermon was originally presented.

TAKE-AWAY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Note: These are just suggestions to help guide your discussion. You do not have to do all the questions and you do not have to do them in order.

  1. Give examples of how you have been fed by others in your spiritual walk.
  2. Talk about a way you’ve learned to feed yourself in the Word.
  3. Share a way that you have been able to help feed others in the faith (or a way that you can imagine yourself doing so in the future).
  4. How does it make you feel to think you are expected to become a “teacher of others” and help them grow in their faith?
  5. Where is one area you have definitely seen yourself become more mature in the faith?
  6. Where would you say you are in your maturity level at this point?
  7. You might want to practice using one of the passages mentioned in the sermon as a check list to see where you might need to grow. 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22-28, 2 Peter 1:5-11, or Romans 12 (A handout is available for this one in the August Bible study.)

Encourager’s Devotional Series – July Bible Study

/ Lisa Womble / 1 Comment

This Bible study corresponds with the July devotional in the Encourager’s Devotional Series. Answers to the study will be posted next Wednesday.

Information

Read 1 Corinthians 12 and answer the following questions:

According to verses 4-6, what three differences should be allowed in the church?

From verses 7-10 and 28-30, list some of the different gifts and functions which might be distributed throughout the church. (Note: There are other lists elsewhere with additional gifts. We will look at those later in the study.)

What other kinds of differences are mentioned in verse 13?

Who decides which members are bestowed various gifts and where each member “fits” among us? (vv. 11, 18)

What familiar image of the church is used in this chapter? The ________ of __________

Romans 12:4, which also speaks of the body of Christ, says the members of the body do not all have the same ______________________.

What different gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8?

Notice that verse 8 lists encouraging as a special gift that is given only to some people. Does this mean that only those with the gift of encouragement should strive to be encouragers? To think on this question, consider that serving, giving of finances or material things, and showing mercy are also listed as special gifts. Yet, when Paul is taking up a special offering to help one particular group of Christians (2 Corinthians 8–9), he speaks to the need for all church members to give generously. In 2 Corinthians 9:5-7 he even addresses the fact that some of us might have to overcome our reluctance in this area and not give grudgingly. (In other words, we may not have that gift, so it might not come as easily to us.) We could find similar passages to show that we are all expected to be merciful, to serve, and to encourage one another. So, if we are all supposed to encourage one another, how do you think it might be different for someone who has the gift of encouragement?

1 Corinthians 8 and 10:23-33 present an issue which some Christians thought was a sin while others did not. What is the disputable issue?

What was Paul’s conclusion on the matter in 8:8 and 10:31? Continue reading →

Freedom and Harmony – July Encourager’s Devotion

/ Lisa Womble / 5 Comments
Norman Rockwell's "America"

Norman Rockwell’s America

Image Source

Many people see Christianity as legalistic and perceive the church as a place where conformity is required and individuality is stifled. And, unfortunately, many Christians help perpetuate those notions by being judgmental and intolerant towards those who think or do things differently. But Paul’s letters paint quite a contrasting picture of church life. They are full of the idea that Christ brings us liberty.

In Christ, we are free to “work out our own salvation” (Philippians 2:12), to set our own standards in many things and not be bound by rules and traditions of men (1 Corinthians 8, 10:29; Galatians 1-6). And we are not only free to be different in personality and life-focus, but also encouraged to find our own unique part in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12).

Whenever we allow this kind of freedom within a group of people, the challenge will be to make sure there is still unity. We see this in our nation. We declare “freedom for all,” but then realize that means we have to find a way to coexist with people who have very different opinions and lifestyles from our own. How do we promote diversity without ending up in civil war? How do we make sure people can exercise their own rights without trampling on the rights of others? And how do we ensure people understand that rights and freedoms come with responsibility?

As I was considering this same problem for the Church, I thought of the word “harmony.” The word is often used interchangeably with “unity” in Scripture. What this word illustrates to me is that we can sing different parts, but still be in the same choir, singing the same song. The song we sing is what unites Christians of different backgrounds, different gifts, different opinions. We sing the song of the redeemed, the song of a people loved by God and learning to love others through God. When we sing this song together, suddenly our differences don’t matter so much; we’re not as concerned about imposing rules on each other as we are encouraging each other (Colossians 2:1-3:17).

All this is not to say we have a casual attitude about these things. Since Christ died to set us free from sin, we must be careful not to let our liberty be an excuse to go back into sin (Galatians 5:13). That’s why Paul, after saying we are free to “work out our own salvation,” also reminds us that we must do that “with fear and trembling.” When we are deciding what is “lawful” for us in our own personal walk of faith, we must be careful that it does not hinder our own spiritual growth, or that of others (1 Corinthians 8:9, 10:23-33; Romans 14). But if our key concerns are love for Christ and love for others (remember, those two greatest commanments?) we can experience both freedom and harmony in the church.

“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 15:5,6, RSV)

As part of the ongoing Encourager’s Devotional Series, I offer these challenges and suggestions for this month:

  • I challenge you to think about how often you discourage others by voicing disapproval over their being different or doing something different than you would. Even if you are not saying it directly to that person, you could be helping to create an atmosphere where “difference” or “change” is unacceptable. Besides, you never know if/when something might actually get back to someone (a very discouraging thing). If it’s not a serious doctrinal or sin issue, can you be content to let others be different and guard your words? And even if it is an issue you deem to be contrary to Scripture, will you consider being silent on it for one week until we look at this issue further in the Bible study that will be posted next Wednesday? It seems to be a real challenge in this age of social media to restrain from posting our every thought as soon as it comes to us. But for the sake of harmony, I think we would all be wise to push away from the keyboard every now and then and let the Holy Spirit guide us in how to better handle the issues we are bombarded with daily.
  • Can you think of someone very different from yourself that you could encourage? What about someone who ministers in a way you never could (and maybe wouldn’t even want to). Can you show appreciation for their work? Or perhaps there is someone you seem to always be at odds with. Surely, there is something praiseworthy in them you could highlight (Philippians 4:8).
  • The featured image for this post is Norman Rockwell’s painting entitled America. Rockwell’s parents encouraged him to develop his talent for drawing. I have read that he actually tried very hard in his younger years to be like all the other children and develop himself in the area of sports. But he just wasn’t athletic. His parents encouraged his uniqueness and empowered him to pursue what God had gifted him to do. They even supported him in quitting high school early to pursue training in the arts – now, that’s different! Can you think of someone you could encourage to branch out into an area of giftedness or calling?                       

A Few Ways to Check Your Heart before “Speaking the Truth in Love”

/ Lisa Womble / 2 Comments

We are told in Ephesians 4:15 that the body of Christ becomes more mature when we learn to speak the truth in love to one another. This is how we grow up and no longer act like infants in our relationships. Yet, we often avoid this command because it is a difficult thing to do. Sometimes we rationalize it away by saying we don’t want to offend anyone. And doesn’t that sound pious? Or, we say, “I’m waiting for my heart to be right before I go say what needs to be said.” Again, that sounds good and noble. In the end, though, it is simply disobedience.

The problem is we never quite feel it’s the right time to go have that difficult conversation. And so, we leave unsaid the thing that might help someone recognize sin or error, or the thing we need to say to restore relationship. And the whole body of believers suffers as a result.

It is interesting that the verses prior to this text use the imagery of being “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (NIV). That’s exactly how this mind game we play with ourselves feels. The only way to relieve the tug-of-war in our thinking is to put on our big kid pants and follow God’s instructions. Otherwise, we are actually being deceitful and possibly resorting to “alternative actions” (Sounds better than “schemes,” doesn’t it?).

Those schemes are so appealing, though, and they too can seem justified. I’ll just go talk with my pastor about it instead. Or, I’ll just make it a matter of prayer.

Last week, I received a text from a friend who was struggling with this. I summarized for her the things I do to check my heart before going to someone to speak the truth I believe needs to be spoken. Below is the transcript of that conversation. Hope it helps the next time you are considering whether or not you are actually ready to speak the truth … in love.

Please excuse the poor grammar and punctuation. This conversation took place at 4:30 am (she's one of my night owl friends).

Please excuse the poor grammar and punctuation. This conversation took place at 4:30 am (she’s one of my night owl friends).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about you? Do you have any “heart checks” you use before going to someone to resolve an issue?