April 10, 2024
Leadership Notes
Time for a little Spring Cleaning. I’ve got a stack of stuff I might never get to, so I’m doing some purging. Hope you find some of them useful, to whatever end.
When I got home last Wednesday, after that week’s Note had gone out, my lovely wife asked me, with tongue firmly in cheek, “So, you wanna show me what roof in our neighborhood the boy who thought he was Superman jumped off of?” She is a hoot.
“A holy life is made up of a number of small things: little words, not eloquent speeches or sermons; little deeds, not miracles or battles; not one great heroic act or mighty martyrdom, make up the true Christian life. The little constant sunbeams, not the lightning…are the true symbols of a holy life.” {Horatius Bonar}
“Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” {Revelation 5:5} HE HAS RISEN!
Kenzaburo Oe was awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Literature. He said, “As a child, I promised my mother I would win the Nobel Prize in Physics. 50 years later, I said to my mother, ‘See, I have kept my promise. I won the Nobel Prize.’ ‘No,’ said my mother, ‘You promised it would be in physics!’” Imagine winning a Nobel Prize and you still disappoint your mother.
Based on a preponderance of Biblical evidence, babies {born and unborn}, young children, and those with unique mental needs, immediately go to Heaven when they die.
We live in an extrovert’s world. In many Western cultures, being outgoing, sociable, and outspoken is often celebrated and encouraged. It’s seen as the norm to want to chat, network, and be the life of the party. But when it comes to introverts who may crave quiet, solitude, or just less social interaction, the script flips. It’s socially acceptable to nudge a quiet person in the room and say, “Why don’t you talk more?” But imagine telling a chatty person, “Can you be quiet a bit?” It would be considered rude or offensive. This double standard underscores a deeper societal bias towards extroversion. {For the record I am an introvert with a slight case of OCD, although those closest to me would argue a bit more than “slight.”}
The Holy Spirit doesn’t just make you dance and speak in tongues. He also makes you shut-up, apologize, and examine yourself.
“There was a time when we honored those who created the prosperity and the freedom we enjoy. Today we honor the complainers and sue the creators. Perhaps that is inevitable in an era when we no longer count our blessings, but instead count all our unfulfilled wishes.” {Thomas Sowell}
“I DON’T WANNA PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999…I WANNA GROCERY SHOP LIKE IT’S 1999.” {Everybody everywhere.}
“We tend to overestimate how much people care about our lives. Everyone has their own set of struggles and problems to deal with.” {Ed Latimore, Former Heavyweight Boxer}
Sebatian Cabot was an accomplished and esteemed British actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Mr. French in Family Affair. He also narrated several beloved feature film adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Cabot died young, in 1977, at 59. On an episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, in 2012, Billy Crystal mentioned Cabot in a humorous dialogue with Letterman. Letterman commented that Cabot’s name had not been heard in 30 years. Directly before the commercial break, Sebastian Cabot’s photo was shown on national television as a tribute. {Proof that it is never too difficult or too costly to be kind.}
“Doubt is something every Christian has battled to some degree. But we shouldn’t suggest that it’s more spiritual to have doubts. Jesus didn’t say, ‘You’re very blessed Thomas because you were thoughtful enough to have doubted.’ He said, ‘Blessed are those who believed but have not seen.’” {Megan Basham}
“Being constantly offended doesn’t mean you’re right. It simply means you’re too narcissistic to tolerate opinions different than yours.” {Wish it was me, but, alas, Anonymous.}
“Other people’s insecurities are not your responsibility.” {British podcaster and author, Nzube Olisaebuka Udezue.} [To which I would add neither is their anger, though I have a less impressive name.]
“When life gives you lemons, give the lemons back. Why were the lemons free? Is something wrong with the lemons? Are the lemons haunted? Be suspicious of the lemons.”
Thinking about the future, C.S. Lewis said, “If we aim at Heaven you will get Earth thrown in but aim at Earth and you get neither.”
“When your church sings a song you don’t like, sing it anyway because you can bet it serves the soul of someone near you. Sing fervently in faith because God may use your voice to prop up a weary saint.” {Pastor Garrett Kell}
Lest we ever think we can hide from God, R.C. Sproul reminded us that, “The whole concept of Providence is that God knows everything about what we do.”
Perhaps this describes you, at times, too…”I’ve been on my last straw for like 300 straws now.”
Finally {gotta save some for the dog days of summer and fall clean-up}:
“He left the throne of honour for the cross of shame, the
brightness of glory for the darkness of the tomb. Oh, the depths of
the love which is revealed in Calvary!”
- Charles H. Spurgeon
With Much Love and Affection,
Richard