Tidbits and Potpourri

June 17, 2026

Leadership Notes

     It’s time for a little Spring cleaning. Moving into summer, it made sense to me to clear out some of the tidbits and potpourri I’ve been collecting over the year. So, in no particular order, I figured it would be fun to share them with you. Some of these are my thoughts. Some of them belong to others. Some are leftovers from preparation for previous passages from Luke throughout the sermon series that I had a hard time letting go.

     So here we are.

     A young Christian woman writes:

Jesus didn’t tolerate abuse. He flipped tables, rebuked evil,

walked away from manipulators, and spoke truth boldly.

Forgiveness does not mean becoming a punching bag for

someone’s sin. You can love people, pray for people, and still set

boundaries.

Even Jesus withdrew from people who wanted to harm Him

before His appointed time.

Stop confusing holiness with enabling.

JESUS DIDN’T TOLERATE ABUSE…YOU DON’T HAVE TO EITHER.

     Remember last month, when we looked at Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus? That wasn’t the first time Jesus hung around with tax collectors. Have you ever wondered why?

     To put it at its simplest, at the time, tax collectors were the lowest form of human life. Filth. Greedy. Parasitic liars. They were widely condemned and shunned by the broader society. So, Jesus hung out with them to show people that grace and mercy are available to everyone.

     Which makes me wonder. If Jesus were starting his ministry in 2026, would he be hanging out with journalists? Hmmm…

     Have you heard of the Irish goodbye? Simply put, an "Irish goodbye" is the act of leaving a social gathering without telling anyone or saying a formal farewell. It is done to avoid dragging out long goodbyes or disrupting the event, though it can sometimes be viewed as bad manners. However you slice it, I am quite good at it.

     Another thing I’m good at is having second thoughts after a social interaction of one kind or another. I’ve left a social situation where I’m thinking, “Man, that was not my best work.” You been there too?

     Do you ever think about the things we take for granted that people didn’t have 100+ years ago? I do that sometimes while taking a hot shower.

     There’s the story in John’s Gospel about a woman at a well. Imagine what life was like before indoor plumbing. A documentary once ranked “clean water” alongside the wheel as society changing inventions. Add to that the water heater and you’ve got revolutionary. It’s astounding when you think about it. You can turn a handle and…boom…hot water. Safe and clean. What a time to be alive. Praise God.

     Finally, since the big thing happening now is soccer, a story about a soccer player.

     First, a reminder from one of our passages in Luke. A Rich Man walked away from Jesus because he was not prepared to sell what he had in order to help others. As Jesus said in Matthew 19:21:

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you

possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in

heaven; and come, follow me.”

     That’s the context for our soccer story.

     Sadio Mané is a Senegalese soccer player. He earns millions of dollars a year. Yet people were surprised when he was seen using a cracked iPhone 11. It was held together with tape. When asked, “Why?” his response was counter-cultural.

     “Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches, and two jet planes? I starved, I worked in the fields, played barefoot, and I didn’t go to school. Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have built schools and a stadium, provide shoes, clothes, and food for people in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people from a very poor Senegalese region in order

to contribute to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips, and even planes. I prefer that my people receive some of what life has given me.”

     How refreshing is that? Valuing helping people over ostentatious displays of material wealth.

     And now, your Moment of Spurgeon:

“Go forth today, by the help of God's Spirit, vowing and declaring

that in life - come poverty, come wealth, in death - come pain or

come what may, you are and ever must be the Lord's. For this is

written on your heart, 'We love Him because He first loved us.'”

With Much Love and Affection,

            Richard