He Went Out of His Way, a re-post

   I was reading something the other day where the writer was wondering about the story in the Bible of the woman at the well,  if Jesus went to Samaria to meet the woman at the well, or if she just happened to come there when He was sitting at the well.

  I have been thinking about it and decided to write a blog post about it, but as I got ready to do so, it seemed like I may have already blogged about it, so I started searching through past blog posts..... and sure enough, I blogged about it back on August of 2014. So I decided to edit it a bit and post it again:

One of my favorite Bible stories is in John 4. It is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. And it is a favorite for a couple of reasons. It shows Jesus wasn't just here for good people, but for the down and out "not-so-nice" people. I also identify with the Samaritan Woman, so the story means a lot to me. And another reason: Jesus went out of His way to meet her. Samaria wasn't on their path. In fact, Jews avoided Samaria, but the Bible says He needed to go through Samaria. For one woman.

  I am sure they had a full day planned, and Jesus was a busy guy, but He didn't just take time out of His day for this woman. He went out of His way.

  I have a friend who is a fairly new friend, but is a great friend. He lived the gay lifestyle for several  years before turning to God, and now runs a ministry in Orlando, Florida for men struggling with same-sex attractions. Near the time I originally posted this blog post, he had a friend show up at his door around 3 am. This friend is gay and was trying to move out away from his boyfriend, so the boyfriend beat him up. Matthew stayed up all night ministering to this guy. Most Christians would slam the door on a gay guy who was just beat up by his boyfriend, but Matthew went out of his way to help this guy, who as far as I know has made no move towards Christianity.

  There's another story in the Bible involving a Samaritan, and it also involves someone going out of his way. The story of the Good Samaritan. Jew gets robbed and left for dead in the ditch. A couple of religious leaders come by and ignore him and pass on the other side of the road. Then a Samaritan, a natural enemy of Jews, comes along. He stops, bandages the wounds of the beaten man, takes him to an inn and pays for his room, and tells the innkeeper he will pay anything left on the tab when he comes back.

  Not many Christians want to do that anymore. Go out of their way, be inconvenienced, get their hands dirty. They'll sing a special, take up the offering, or anything else that will put them up front in church, just as long as it isn't an inconvenience. They'll put money in the offering plate for missions, do an ice bucket challenge to raise awareness for a disease, just as long as they don't have to go out of their way.

  We have become selfish Christians. We have our cliques, our plans, and have our days planned out just the way we want them to go. If someone is lying in the ditch, too many of us are like the religious leaders and pass by, afraid it will take up our time or it will get our hands dirty.

  I have talked before about wearing masks. What it is like to attend church and feel you have to wear a mask for fear of what would happen if people could see under the mask. Some might avoid you. Others might run. Still others might want to put a scarlet letter on you like in the classic book "The Scarlet Letter". And others might just ignore you. All of those reactions are sad. We are the Church, the family of God. We should be surrounding people with love when their masks fall to the ground or slip aside to give a glimpse of what is underneath.

  Our churches are full of hurting and struggling people. Often we have no idea what is going on, but other times we do know or have a good idea. And too often, we pass by and let them lie there in the ditch. We don't have time, we don't want to go out of our way, or get our hands dirty... or God forbid, we catch THAT from them.

  Sometimes all someone needs is a listening ear over a cup of coffee. They need someone asking how they are doing, and really meaning it. I've been there. I have wanted someone to ask me how I was doing, and not be freaked out if I didn't use the Christian "f-word." (Fine). I've wanted someone to put their arm around me and tell me I was going to make it, that I mattered, that God does care and love me.

   And all too many times, it didn't happen. But that was then, this is now, and it has helped me understand  how important it is to be there for our Christian brothers and sisters. In fact, I have prayed that if God wanted to use my struggles to help someone else some day, I would be willing to be used.

  I had a friend confide in me recently that they are afraid of how people at their church will react and treat them if something gets out that is most likely going to get out. I think it is sad that it is even a worry. Isn't this the family of God?  Where "when one has a heartache, we all share a tear"? Or is it "when one has a heartache, we gossip, judge, and are just glad it isn't us in those circumstances?" That sounds jaded and even a bit snarky, but I am afraid it is true of a lot of people.

 We need to cut back on our golf games, our movies, reading, shopping, football games, and whatever else we think is so important that we do, and spend time on people. That's what Jesus did, and what He would do if He were walking the earth today doing His earthly ministry.

  And we need to love. And go out of our way. We need to get our hands dirty once in a while, and set aside our plans to be there for a hurting brother or sister.

  It wasn't convenient for Jesus to go through Samaria to meet that one lone outcast of a woman. But He did.

  And it was far from convenient for Him to go through the beatings, mockery, and crucifixion for us, so that we could have eternal life........ but He did it. He left Heaven and came here to die for you and I. It was so much more than an inconvenience, and yet we can't go out of our way for Him? We can't go out of our way to be there for others who are hurting?

 Myself included in this statement: we are too focused on me. Making me comfortable and happy. Doing what me wants, spending time on me. We even make the Bible fit what me wants. And we are so busy making me happy and comfortable, that we don't have time for others. Time to encourage and be Jesus to others. Me has to be entertained, fed, and made happy.

  If we truly lived selfless lives with eternity in view, things would be so different. But whether we want to admit it, too many of us are basically selfish down deep. We excuse it and call it other things, but we are basically selfish.

  May God help us all to go out of our way, to get our hands dirty, and to inconvenience ourselves once in a while, and not be so bound on making me happy.

He Went Out of His Way

Verse 1
She could not believe He would come to her city,
Come to a Samarian well
But He offered and got her to drink living water, 
Now she's got a story to tell

Chorus:
To make a way, He went out of His way
Came to me, left Heaven one day
He took a journey alone
Left His Father at home
To make a way, He went out of His way

Verse 2
He left the splendor of Heaven for sinners, 
For sinners He laid up His crown
He traded His glory to bring us this story
To Calvary Heaven came down

Chorus:
To make a way, He went out of His way
Came to me, left Heaven one day
He took a journey alone
Left His Father at home
To make a way, He went out of His way

Encouragement 301: An infinite list

**A re-post from February 2009

The third, and last - I promise - "installment" on encouragement. Who to encourage. The possibilities truly are endless. Here are a few.....

1) Your pastor. No pastor is perfect. At least I haven't met one yet, but met many good ones. No matter, he needs encouragement too. He of all people, can't just openly let the world know if he is discouraged. One of my brothers-in-law is a pastor, and I know from talking to he and my sister, they truly appreciate all that their congregation does for them.

A. Attend services. It has got to be discouraging to a pastor when people miss services. It should be rare, and with good reason, even mid-week services

B. Compliment him on sermons. If he preaches a message that speaks to you and encourages you, tell him. I know when I had to speak in church, it made me feel good when someone would compliment me. Pastors appreciate it too.

C. Have the pastor and his family over to eat. Yes, I have actually done this a few times in my life. I can cook. :-)

D. Pray for him. Let him know. Yeah, point made already, but your pastor needs your prayers more than you will ever know.

E. Drop him a card or gift, not just on Pastor Appreciation Sunday.

F. Offer to help out where needed. And if he asks you to do a task, do so cheerfully, even if you aren't seen doing it.........

A note of caution: if your pastor asks you if you will help him, ask details before agreeing. I made the mistake of not doing that once, and ended up calling for VBS, a traumatic experience, especially since at the first house he sent me to on my own, I was accused of first being a salesman, and then a Jehovah Witness.

2) Your Sunday School teacher. Our class is different than some. We have someone in charge, who speaks more than others, but most of the year, we have different speakers take on different topics, sometimes a month at a time. Regardless of the set up, these people need encouragement.

A. Attend your class. One of my pet peeves is people who belong in a certain class and don't go. Or skip out entirely.

B. Pay attention and participate. I like it when there is class discussion, especially if it is something that pertains to me.

C. Drop them an encouraging note or email.


3) Your boss. We don't often think of it, but bosses can use encouragement also, especially if they have to answer to someone higher up the totem pole. Also, just being on time, and a hard worker is encouraging to them.

4) Your spouse. Yeah, they need encouragement, especially being married to you. :-) I am not married, but will toss out a few ideas. Of course I have some, even though I am a bachelor. Here are just a few....

Men:

A. Compliment your wife. Surely there is something. If she looks nice, tell her. If the meal was good, tell her. If it was a burnt sacrifice, tell her you love her sacrificial spirit.

B. Help. Of course you work to support the family, but she has her plate full. Run the vacuum once in awhile. Help clear the table and do the dishes. Watch the kids and let her have her night out without the kids and hubby.

C. Do things for her. Fill her car up with gas. Wash the car. Buy her flowers when you haven't done anything wrong. The possibilities are endless. Sure, they are ways to keep your marriage alive, but it can encourage her and make her day brighter.

Women: (ok, this could go badly.....) :-)

A. Compliment your husband. If he looks nice, tell him. If he does a good job supporting the family, tell him often.

B. Help him. The list of ways to help him may not be as long as how he can help you, but there are small ways to help him out.

C. Keep the house neat. It has got to help his mood to come home to a neat house, his clothes washed and supper on the table. Dream world? Maybe, but working isn't always fun - sometimes it brings rough days. Make the atmosphere he comes home to something that will left his spirits.

D. Buy him something. Most guys aren't into flowers, but they still like gifts.

E. Leave the toilet seat up for him occasionally.

OK, that wasn't too bad. Hope the women don't descend on me with wrath. :-)

5) Your parents. Yes, you can even encourage them. If they are Christians, and raised you right, one of the best ways to encourage them, is to serve God with all your might.

Then some of the others fall in: compliments, phone calls, hugs. Parents need it too, and siblings, and other relatives. We shouldn't just encourage those in our family, but neither should we neglect them and focus only on others.

6) Friends. I think we should focus on friends just about as much as our relatives, especially if they are single, divorced, widowed. Walking the road to Heaven alone is rough, even if one doesn't have some major trials. If your friends blog, comment. Post a cheery message on facebook - do something fairly often for them, if it is just an email or comment.

7) The mailman. The cashier. The people you run across as you go throughout your day. The woman ringing up your groceries could be a single mom struggling to keep things afloat. A smile and kind word could go a long way to making her day brighter.

I may have touched on this already, but we are too busy. We walk down the sidewalk, or through the store, rarely making eye contact or ex hanging smiles with a stranger. We have so many gadgets: computers, cell phones, Blackberrys, and yet we never have time for anyone.

We all need God foremost of all, but we need each other. Let's all slow down and look for ways to encourage others and make their burden a little lighter and their day a bit brighter. It's what we want people to do for us when we are down and discouraged, so let us do unto others as we would have them do to us: encourage.

A side note in ending these posts on encouragement: I did a goof with the notes when I was preparing to speak on it a few years ago. I had typed almost the whole service on my computer, and it died, so I lost them. Bought a new PC and started over, and the PC had an issue. Completely forgetting the notes were on it, I returned it, got a different PC, got home and realized what I had done. So for the third time, I started over with the notes. It was discouraging, which is ironic given the topic. :-)

Encouragement 201: Take it to the streets

** A re-post from February 2009

Continuation of Encouragement 101, encouraging yourself. On the off-chance that someone might read these, I made them into 3 posts so I don't do one very long one.



Sometimes we have no idea who in our circle of friends & acquaintances may be discouraged. Some people hide it well. Others blog about it. :-) Seriously, we all have discouraging times, and if you never have, look out - your time is coming. I believe it is Biblical to exhort and encourage other Christians. We are in this together, and we need to take the time, make the time, to help others. Some things may only take a minute, others may take a little time & money, but everyone needs encouragement, even if they aren't discouraged, you just might make someone's day a little brighter.



1) Pray for them. And let them know. Sure, I know praying for people will help regardless, but knowing someone is praying is such a boost. After "I love you", "I'm praying for you" has got to be close the top of the most important words to say to someone.



2) Contact. With today's technology, the possibilities are endless. Phone call. Email. Card. Somewhere in storage, there are some cards and notes people sent to me that meant so much, I don't want to part with them. Even a email forward says you are thinking about them. The church I attended in Indiana did something I wish my church did: In their church directory, people could also put their email addresses, if they so desired. With so many people having blogs, facebook, etc, you can always leave positive notes on places like that. It can mean a lot. Don't just comment if what the person has said has royally ticked you off. :-)



3) Feed them. Food can do wonders, especially for men. Food is the way to a man's heart, after all. Take a dessert to someone, cookies, bread. It does more than feed the stomach - it says "I care". If you can afford it, take someone out to eat and just chat.

4) Invite someone over. Hospitality is becoming a lost art, and this is not a request for an invite. :-) I think Christians should hang out together more than just at church, but we are all too busy. Unfortunately, I cannot ask company over at this stage in my life, but hopefully the day will come soon that I can again. I enjoy entertaining, and miss doing so. It doesn't have to be an expensive affair, just a simple snack or meal, and games.



I have an invite to the Goodnows on Friday the 13th for Chinese food, home-cooked, and games. I am looking forward to it. I also have an invite in waiting to go for games to another house in the near future. For anyone interested, my favorite drink is caffeine free diet coke........



We do need Christian fellowship - it will encourage us all.



5) Live a life that encourages others:-Attend church, keep the standards, be in the service, etc. It encourages me to see people who hold true to their convictions, live a Christian life with integrity, and don't change.

Encouragement 101: Begin at home

**A re-post from February 2009

This post is another recycled lesson I gave once. Deciding to re-do it some and post it here, came after a conversation with a friend of mine. I have a feeling this may be a two-parter. This post is in no way asking anyone to do these things for me, but just some ideas if you are like me, and think when the gifts of the Spirit were passed out, you got left out. This is one we can all do: Encourage.

The story is told that one day Satan was selling off some of his tools. All sizes and prices were available. There was one small tool that had an extremely high price on it. When asked why the high price for such a small tool, his reply was that it was his most often used, and most effective tool - the tool of discouragement.

Of course there never was such a sale, but discouragement is one of the devil’s best tools. It seems if he can get a Christian discouraged, they become in effective, and for a lot of Christians who give up and stumble, it is all started by discouragement.

So who do we encourage? First off........Yourself. Not a selfish thing - if you are discouraged, it is hard to encourage others. The Bible talks about David encouraging himself in the Lord - we all need to do that.

1) Prayer. Praying should be our first recourse when we are discouraged, and if we are constant with our praying, discouragement doesn't come quite so easily. It shouldn't be our last resort, but our first.

2) Bible. It helps to have favorite scriptures that mean a lot to turn to when you are discouraged. I tend to read Jeremiah 29: 10-12 a lot. And Psalm 23. And there is nothing wrong with that. If you are discouraged, you don't want to read Leviticus.

Along with the Bible, a promise book, where you can easily access God's promises, and a good devotional are a big help.

3) Church. Being around people of like-minded faith can be a boost to discouragement. I work with a woman who claims to be Christian, but never goes to church. She has church at home, and her reasons for not going are about as clear as mud. You can't stay home from church and stay encouraged. We all need people who believe as us. I have been to couple of presidential rallies - Bush, and McCain, and it gave me hope - hopes that were dashed this past election day, but being around other people who believed in that person for President was a boost, and got me excited.

4) Thanksgiving & Praise. It is hard to be discouraged if you are thanking & praising God for the good things in life, and there is always something good, if not just life itself, other things we overlook so easily. One of my very favorite songs, "Praise His Name" has a good message.........

When everything falls apart, praise His name
When you have a broken heart, raise your hands and say
“Lord you’re all I need, you’re everything to me”
And He’ll take the pain away
When it seems you’re all alone, praise His name
When you feel you can’t go on, just raise your hands and say
“Greater is He that is within me,” and you can praise the hurt away
If you’ll just praise His name.

5) Music. Music can lift your spirits. There are many who despise Southern Gospel - some say it is too "wild" and prefer music with no drums or beat, others say it is too boring or "twangy", but there is one thing Southern Gospel has that other genres of Christian music doesn't: encouragement. Sure, there may be a song here and there in CCM or Praise & Worship that encourages, but there are tons of Southern Gospel songs that encourage. I could list many here, but won't.

6) Read. There are tons of encouraging books out there, on just about any subject you need. Even some fiction books can encourage - I can attest to that.

7) Do something for someone else. It is amazing how doing something for someone else can make you feel better - which brings me to my next point, and another blog post.

How heavy is your cross?

My other blog used to be for book reviews and for regular blogging also, until I made two separate blogs, one for books and one for non-book blogging. I am going to slowly start moving some of the older posts I like from that blog to here, and deleting ones I don't like as much. This is one of the first of those"

" I think so many of our culture's problems boil down to our trying to escape what is hard. We were never given that option. Many things are hard. And as you mentioned, it's worth it to "do the right thing, come what may"." This was a comment on a blog I was recently reading, and how true. No one does want to do anything hard or difficult anymore, but living the Christian life isn't supposed to be easy. Sometimes it can be so hard you feel like giving up, but giving up isn't an option.

Jesus said "take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow me". We like to edit that verse- Jesus said "Follow me". Who wants to talk about crosses, and denying oneself? Way back years ago, when I was a teenager, someone from my church did a lesson on crosses, and they included a small skit. I can't remember the whole thing, but the part I do remember, is a woman walked up and said she wanted to become a disciple of Jesus. The person in charge had a table with several crosses on it, and they picked one up and handed to the woman. Instead of walking away, she started examining the crosses, and picked another one that was smaller, and prettier. "What are you doing?"She was asked. Her reply, "I don't like the cross you gave me. It's ugly. I want this smaller, prettier one". She was told she couldn't pick her cross, but had to take the one that was given to her.

A man had a dream. He was walking on the beach.......oops, wrong dream! Seriously, he dreamed he was on his way to Heaven, lugging a big & heavy cross. Life got hard, the cross became too heavy to bear, and the devil suggested he cut a bit off the bottom - it would still be a cross, but easier to carry. The man did so, and sure enough, the cross was a little easier to carry. Then it became too heavy again. So again, he trimmed just a bit off of the bottom. And again, a little later.

Finally, he came to the end of his journey. Before him lay a large abyss that led to Hell. Beyond, was Heaven. As he approached, an angel from the other side told him to lay his cross down to bridge the abyss, but alas, it was too short. His cross had been fashioned just for him, and was made long enough to be the bridge to Heaven, but he wanted it to be lighter, and easier to carry, and in the end damned his own soul.

Sobering story, but it does have a good point. We don't want crosses or difficulties today. All too many people are going an easier way, one where they can act like the world, dress like the world, be loved by the world. They wear a pretty gold cross around their necks, hang crosses on the walls of their house, and are proud of the cross they bear. There is no scorn to bear, no difficulties related to their Christian walk. Their cross is small and pretty, and can be hidden from the world.

I could be off-base a bit, but I think bearing a cross can be more than just the scorn of the world, and/or relatives, though that is definitely a cross. A cross can be a physical issue. Like Joni Eareckson Tada. It can't be easy, being in a wheel chair, paralyzed. It can't be easy to trust and love God, knowing He could heal her, but hasn't. And yes, there are sinners in the same situation, but to have that problem, and serve and love God, is a cross.

There are young women - and young men, and not so young, who long for someone to love. A mate to go through life with. A family. Yet, they live their lives alone, and single. The devil tells them if they let down in this area or that, or gave up on this Jesus thing, they would surely find someone to love, if they weren't so rigid and had to do everything in the Bible. Surely God wouldn't mind......And so, they carry their cross.

The list could go on for infinity. The Jew or Muslim who converts to Christianity, then is banned from their family for turning their back on the religion they were raised on. The woman who has an unbelieving husband who fights her every inch of the way. Those are crosses. They are not easy to carry, and sometimes the bearer of the cross, just as Jesus did, may stumble and almost fall. Jesus did fall under the weight of His cross, and due to his physical condition, someone else had to carry it for him. We don't have that option. We can't sit the cross down and rest, or have someone else carry it for awhile. But often, we can have others help. To pray, offer encouraging words. If we do that for others, we are in a way, helping them to carry the cross. Sure, at the end of the day, they are still holding their cross, and we can go our way, to carry our own, but we do need each other, and we don't always know what cross the person across the church aisle may be carrying.

The term cross can be used too lightly. People remark that something is their cross to bear, when all too often, it is not a cross, but an inconvenience that they face. Their husband is always late for supper. Their kids won't clean their rooms unless their life is threatened. The neighbor parks where he blocks your driveway. And we sigh, and think this is our cross, we must bear it.

A true cross is often something we bear because we are a Christian. If we were not a Christian, it wouldn't even be an issue. Other crosses we bear, are something that would be different if we were not a Christian, but is something we would still deal with. Such as a physical issue that debilitates us. If we didn't serve Christ, we could be bitter about it. Give into whatever we are feeling. The Christian, however, must always trust God, be thankful, and believe that life is always worth living, even in their condition.

Even if we have no cross to carry such as some I have mentioned, every true Christian will carry some sort of cross. If no other, the one of scorn from the world and friends and relatives who think you are weird, or have gone too far. I occasionally read the magazine, Guideposts. It has some interesting stories in it, but one thing really bothers me. Everyone is a Christian in Guideposts. Jeff Gordan, racer. Diane Sawyer, TV news, Delilah, radio host. I have to wonder, if they are really Christians, where is their fruit? Where is their cross? Do the lives these celebrities live truly glorify Christ? Do they get any scorn for being a Christian, or is their Christianity so close to living like the world, their cross so small and pretty that they can wear it around their neck and hide it under their clothes - that the world just loves and claims them as one of their own?

Jesus said the world would hate us, not love us. And if we truly live like Jesus, live our lives by the Bible, the world isn't going to love us and think we are great. All too often, they will think we are weird, and just something to stop them from having their fun.

I am not making a blanket statement or judgement about celebrities, but so many mouth the words that they are a Christian, but star in movies where they us foul language, make disparaging comments about conservatives and Christians. Kirk Cameron stands out to me. He is hated by the media, liberals, and non-Christians, yet he makes and is in clean movies. Tim Tebow is mocked and hated by the same crowd..... if all celebrities who claimed to be Christian truly lived for Christ,  they would get the same treatment... and that is not to say those two men are perfect.

I have my crosses. Yep, I was "lucky" to get more than one! One I carry silently. Not many know. All too often, I have been tempted to give up, and decide it is ok to do what I have fought so hard against doing. Others have. The world cheers them on, while ridiculing and persecuting those who will not agree with them. Other crosses are more visible. The work issue, in my opinion, is a cross. I still only have part time work. I know if I would put aside what I believe, and work Sundays, I'd have a job. I actually had one lined up, I was getting the job, until that issue came up. It is tempting to give in, work Sundays. Others do, but those same others often have given up other Christian principles too. They look and act like the world, and there isn't much difference in how they live, and how the sinner down the street lives.

Jesus said this wouldn't be an easy way to go. It is narrow. He promised that it would be. It isn't popular. It isn't the way of Hollywood. There is no glitz and glamour in following Christ. And there is always a cross, and it isn't a pick and choose. We must live with the cross, or crosses, that has been given to us, trusting and serving God the whole time. That is what will get us to Heaven. And as the old hymn says.........

The cross that He gave may be heavy,
But it ne’er outweighs His grace;
The storm that I feared may surround me,
But it ne’er excludes His face.

Refrain
The cross is not greater than His grace,
The storm cannot hide His blessèd face;
I am satisfied to know
That with Jesus here below,
I can conquer every foe.

The thorns in my path are not sharper
Than composed His crown for me;
The cup that I drink not more bitter
Than He drank in Gethsemane.

Refrain

The light of His love shineth brighter,
As it falls on paths of woe;
The toil of my work groweth lighter,
As I stoop to raise the low.

Refrain

His will have I joy in fulfilling,
As I’m walking in His sight;
My all to the blood I am bringing,
It alone can keep me right.

Refrain