Personal Responsibility

There is a reason your club or church never seems to have enough dedicated people to get the essential jobs done. Enter the Body brothers.

There were four brothers: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody. The brothers had little in common. Once there was a job that needed to be done in the organization to which all four belonged.

Everybody thought Somebody would. Anybody could. Amid the confusion Nobody did it.

Another job needed to be done. Somebody was asked to help. Somebody got upset because Anybody could do. After all it was Everybody’s job. In the end Nobody did it. Nobody did a really good job.

Thereafter when there was a task to be done Nobody could be counted on. Nobody gave generously. Nobody did anything.

Finally the day came when Somebody got upset and left. Who do you think followed. Everybody and Anybody. Guess who was left. Nobody.

Will Roger, the sage of a past era said, “The history of America can be written in three phases: the passing of the Indian, the passing of the Buffalo, and the passing of the buck!” 

The skill was started in the Garden of Eden. God had just created the universe without getting His hands dirty. He just spoke it all into existence. Adam and Eve had an ideal environment with only one restriction. For the couple to have free will God gave them the opportunity and ability to make choices. The tree in the midst of the garden was off limits. There was a restriction against eating of it. They did what we would have done if in their place. They ate. It may have initially tasted good, but it had a bitter after taste. When asked by God for a report Adam engaged in a bigger coverup than his nakedness called for, he passed the buck to Eve, who passed the buck to the serpent. Thus, the victim society emerged.

There was a sly tactic used by Adam, he not only blamed Eve indirectly he blamed God: “The woman YOU gave me…” It is all your fault God, if you had not given her to me all of this would not have happened. It started in Eden at the dawn of human history, and is continuing today as we spiral to dust.

We have become a victim society where nobody is responsible. “It is not my fault I would not have stolen if you hadn’t given me this job.” “I would not have taken that apple if she had not brought it to school.” 

The antidote is personal responsibility. When there is a job to be done ask yourself, “If not me, who? If not now, when? If not here, where?”

Some people refuse to take responsibility for their sins. Everybody should, for Nobody will experience God’s grace without it. Anybody can. Somebody took the responsibility and is enjoying God’s loving forgiveness.

Through It All

Seldom is there a secular song with a spiritual message. “Through It All” sung by Andrae Crouch was one. Just let your soul marinate in the words.

I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.
I’ve been to lots of places,
I’ve seen a lot of faces,
there’s been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I’d never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know God could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do.”

These words seem to frame the experiences of us all put in perspective. Jesus warned in this world you will have tribulation, problems. It is not an issue of whether or not we will have problems, the issue is how we are going to respond to them. The words of this song form a template of how we should. A favorite couple of lines reveal a sustaining fact: “…in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation, that my trials come to only make me strong.”

Flex your spiritual muscles today . . . and every day.

Nathanael Bartholomew

“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote; Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’ Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’ Nathanael answered and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ (John 1:45 – 49).

Jesus Christ called Philip to follow Him as an apostle. Immediately Philip went looking for his friend Nathanael from Bethsaida. Nathanael who was also known as Bartholomew was rude, crude, and uncivil. Such was not uncommon for people from this rural area. They were a rather primitive society.

Nathanael Bartholomew is believed to be the name of one person. Bartholomew is not a first name. It is a family name that identifies a person by his father. “Bar” means “son of.” It is used like “Van” is used by the Dutch, “Von” by Germans, “Mc” or “Mac” by Irish or Scottish folks.

Scholars agree Bartholomew means “son of Talmai.” II Samuel 3:3 mentions a Talmai who was King of Geshure. This being correct means Nathanael Bartholomew was the only apostle of noble birth.

When Philip told Nathanael he had found the one prophesied of by Moses, Nathanael blurted out his prejudice. He questioned, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” That was a more legitimate question than we might suppose.

The historian Josephus listed over 750 cities, towns, and villages in Galilee. Nazareth was so small and insignificant it wasn’t even listed. As a village, Nazareth was not only remote, but it was of little or ill repute, and Nathanael was not interested in such a place or anyone living, or coming from there. Recent excavations of the town reveal that in the time of Christ the residents were cave-dwellers. Christ was born in a cave, grew up in a cave, spent many nights in caves, and was buried in a cave.

Jesus responded to Nathanael’s barb by referring to Nathanael as a person “in whom there is no guile,” that is, no deceit or insidious cunning. He was the personification of sincerity and honesty. Nathanael was clear as day and never lowered himself to deceitful contrivances. He was man anyone could trust and therefore earned the warm greeting by Jesus.

That prompted Nathanael to ask, “How do you know me?”

Jesus said He not only knew Nathanael but He saw him when he was under the fig tree. Fig trees in the Bible land were an oasis. The limbs grew large and spread out forming a leafy canopy with a shaded place under the limbs next to the trunk. A person could crawl up under one and not be seen. Jesus was saying “When you thought no one could see you I saw you.”

Jesus revealed even greater knowledge of Nathanael. Jesus even read Nathanael’s thoughts regarding Jacob’s ladder and said, “I am that ladder.”

From this we learn of Jesus’ omnipresence and omniscience; He is all present and all knowing. He see us at all times and He knows our thoughts. That is wonderful. That means He is constantly aware of our needs.

Nathanael could have seen in this the fulfillment of Psalm 139:1, 2: “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.”

Nathanael has some characteristics of a loner, an introvert. The cast of characters around Christ was diverse. The extravertive Peter and the introvertive Nathanael reveal there is room for distinctively different people in the kingdom.

Jesus described Nathanael as a man in whom there is no guile, that is, hypocrisy or deceit. Those were some of his virtues, but he did have a prejudice against Nazareth. A person may have many virtues and lack one.

Philip said, “Come and see.” In other words if you want to condemn a whole village because of your encounter with one man come and meet another and see if you don’t have a different opinion. “The proof is in the pudding.”

Augustine of Hippo, in his “Confessions,” written between 397 and 400 AD tells of his experience “under a certain fig tree.” He describes how there God called him to repentance and service. He wrote: “I cast myself down I know not how giving full vent to my tears.” He tells that as he confessed his “uncleanliness” he heard a voice “as of a boy or girl” chanting: “Take up, and read.”

He tells of taking up the New Testament and reading a passage about putting away ones vices and following Christ. Then he wrote: “light, as it were, of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt passed away.”

Do you have your own fig tree? Do you have a quiet place where God can get your attention?

The symbol of Nathanael Bartholomew is a shield on which there are three knives. They represent his method of death. Tradition says he was flayed alive. That is, he was skinned alive.

Nathanael was quickly convinced once he met Jesus. He replied: “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Nathanael is the prototype of all those sensitive souls who have since followed Christ. Those who desire fellowship and follow Him.

Strayers and Stayers – Part Three

Luke 22: 25 – 30

Jesus interrupted His disciples who were quibbling over which of them might be the greatest. Imagine such a conversation following His explanation of His imminent role as the suffering servant. They had at this moment been diverted from their role as servants of the one who came to serve, not be served. His encouragement offered them included an appeal for them to be stayers, not strayers.

As a devotee of Jesus you are either a stayer or a strayer. Your conduct and conversation determines which. People who care, stay true to Him.

It’s not that people don’t believe in God anymore, just that it doesn’t seem to matter.  That suggests there is little knowledge of the “God” who serves and desires for them the joy inherent in serving. He wants to be more than one to whom you just tip your hat.

The first test of whether we are actually devoted to Jesus is our willingness to do as Jesus did, serve.

Jesus taught there are no bounds as to who we serve. He once said, “In as much as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it unto me.” An application of what He said would be, “You have served me, now go out there and imagine the person you find in need to be Me and help that one as though he or she were Me and you were helping Me.”

There is mutual strength in sharing. 

In California’s giant Sequoia Forest is one tree known as General Sherman. It is over 200 feet tall and 70 feet in circumference. Most think the roots of that big tree must go at least 100 feet deep. They are actually very shallow. Sequoia trees grow only in groves. Their roots intertwine.  When the strong winds come, they each hold up the other.

Jesus intends for His followers to be Sequoia Christians.

There is a big blessing inherent in the doing of a good deed. There are many fringe blessings inherent in caring.  Jesus spoke to His disciples of the heavenly reward. He promised them a kingdom, a table, and a throne in eternity.  However, He has made provision for His followers in time.  By continuing with Him He is also with you. 

Have you anyone who has stayed with you in your trials?  Have you thanked them?  Have you thanked God for them?

Have you related to anyone who can say of you, “You stayed with me in my trials.”

Aspire to so live as to enable Jesus to say of you, ”You stayed with me….”

Strayers and Stayers – Part Two

Luke 22: 25 – 30

Jesus warned “In this world you shall have tribulation.” (John 16:33)

Paul also reminded us of this truth when he wrote: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (II Timothy 3:12)

If you really care about Jesus, you will stay not stray. 

Paul gave us an example of the kind of care that is so filled with love for persons and truth that it risks the loss of friendship in order to defend the truth and once the relationship is broken reaches out to work for its renewal.

Because of sin in the church at Corinth, he wrote them a letter exhorting, admonishing, and encouraging them. The admonition, that is warning of the consequence of their sin, temporarily broke their relationship with him. He then wrote them a second letter and in it gave insight regarding three caring pieces of evidence that restore relationships. They are:

*Show appreciation. “…you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf…Now I rejoice …that your sorrow led to repentance.” (II Cor. 7: 3 & 9)

Psychologist/philosopher, Will James, wrote a classical work entitled “Principles of Psychology.”  It is still a primary reference work in the field.  He later admitted “an immense omission” in the pioneer work. He wrote, “The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” His regret was that he had not dealt with it at all in his book.  Let’s not fail to deal with it in all of life.  Make people feel appreciated. Show appreciation.

*Practice separation. “..let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God…godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted.” (II Corinthians 7:1)

As Christians, our impact for Christ would be more effective if we realized that by virtue of being children of the King of Kings, we don’t follow styles; we set them.  “Come ye out from among them…”

Do you care enough about your friends not to try to lead them into temptation?  Do you care enough about them to try to lovingly retrieve them from sinful acts?

Encourage reconciliation. “Open your hearts to us…you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.”  (II Corinthians 7: 2 & 3)

Have you ever had anyone stand by you in your trials? Have you been willing to stand by anyone in their trials?

We must come out of our hot, tight little circle of friends and show others we care. Jesus said, “I am among you as one that serves.”  That kind of servant attitude could have come only out of a fountain of love.

When people care, they share.