Author: Tom

After All, It Was Just a . . . Piece of Fruit!
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After All, It Was Just a . . . Piece of Fruit!

 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”
Luke 16:10 (NASB)

Fruit assortment

Just a piece of fruit.

When I read the Bible, I often try to put myself in the scene in some way.  To imagine myself in the skin of one of the characters or think about how I would react if I was the character.  When I read the beginning of Genesis, I think about Adam and Eve and why the temptation worked so well.  It’s easy to imagine because temptation is something we’ve all given in to.  The instruction from God was very clear yet Satan presented a case for why ignoring that instruction was actually to their benefit.  If they would just eat the fruit, their lives would be so much better.  They would be so much wiser.  They would be like God!  Surely the benefits outweighed any consequences and God would understand . . . after all, it was just a piece of fruit.

I doubt that Adam and Eve anticipated the shame and regret that would descend upon them so quickly — they had never experienced either before.  I’m not even sure they fully understood the severity of the consequences their actions produced.  What was death?  There is no indication they had witnessed death of any kind until God provided the garments of skin for them.  After being driven from the garden to live a life of hard work and painful toil just to survive, I wonder how often they questioned the appropriateness  of their punishment . . . after all, it was just a piece of fruit.

And from that time forward, mankind has followed in their footsteps.  We hear simple instructions yet we convince ourselves that the benefits of not following them somehow make the instructions irrelevant.  We see the short-term benefit while paying no attention to the eternal consequences of not being faithful in the little things.  We go about life as we want to live it, ignoring and dismissing all instructions that might inconvenience us in any way.  When called into account for our lack of faithfulness in the little things, we insist that it really shouldn’t matter . . . after all, it was just a piece of fruit.

As I was removing tape and staples (which should not have been there) from the auditorium wall at church, the verse at the top of this article came to mind.  It also brought to mind an incident from the first summer I was responsible for the maintenance at camp.  We were in our second season of using some very nice additions to the dining hall and health officer’s cabin at the camp and some very strict instruction and policy had been laid down to protect the huge amount of work and investment that had gone into them.  To protect the new walls, we had a very strict no tape of any kind on any of the painted drywall.  We made it through most of the summer until one week a volunteer came and insisted that they needed to tape decorations all over the back wall of the dining hall.  When they were unable to convince me that the benefit to them was worth ignoring the instruction, they went over my head to my boss who gave them permission to do what they wanted . . . after all, it was just a piece of tape.

When the end of the week came and all of the tape was removed, the effects were quite obvious.  When the tape came off, so did the paint!  My boss noticed it and remembered the words of the camp board at the building dedication, “Take a good look at these additions.  We expect them to look like this and be maintained in this condition.”  So, I was given instruction that I must repair and repaint the entire wall before any of the board members came on site.  Yet not once was there any acknowledgement that this was caused by a failure to follow simple instruction and policy . . . after all, it was just a piece of tape.

While this was a specific example that related to my frustration of once again removing tape and staples that should not have been present from a wall, this same mindset is far too common.  We adopt a belief that the ends justify the means so it doesn’t really matter how we do things as long as it brings a perceived benefit to us.  So we take things from work . . . after all, it was just a few things they didn’t really need.  We speed . . . after all, it was just a few mph over the posted limit.  We cheat on our spouse . . . after all, it was just some harmless fun.  We _____________ (you fill in the blank) . . . after all, it was just ____________!

I pray that when you consider the instructions given by God in His Word, including the instruction to obey those in authority, you would be found faithful in the little things . . . after all, it’s just the right thing to do!

In prayer,
Tom

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Luke 17b: Understanding the COME in “Thy Kingdom Come”

 

Sermon from the “Living Like Christ” series.

 

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Prayer and Intercession

I am currently in the middle of a mid-week teaching series at my home church on Prayer and the Spiritual Disciplines.  This week we will be looking at the topic of Prayer and Intercession.

Intercession is defined as “the act of pleading on someone’s behalf” or “the action of attempting to settle a dispute”.  When I think of intercession, I think of Moses pleading with God for the rebellious people who had just come out of Egypt.  Am I that serious in my prayer life when it comes to the relationship of someone else to God?  Am I willing to actually plead on their behalf — to make a serious attempt to settle the dispute that exists between those who live as His enemies and God?  When I pray for the needs of others, am I casual in my words and thoughts or am I serious about wanting God to meet the needs of others regardless of what it costs me?  

As I grow in interceding for others, I am so thankful that God has given His Spirit to intercede on my behalf when my prayers are at a loss for words.

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A Look Inside

Sometimes I wonder
     just how life would be.
If people around me
     could see what I see.
For good or for bad –
     could go either way.
There’s always a reason
     I say what I say.

My mind’s always thinking,
     I can’t make it rest.
It looks for the answers
     that always are best.
I wish I could say
     they always are found.
But some days I’m lost,
     just wandering around.

I’ve learned to examine
     these thoughts in my mind.
To see if their truth,
     in God’s Word I find.
If they don’t measure up,
     I know they’re not true.
They’re just random thoughts
     from out of the blue.

While something within me
     does long to be heard.
So often I’m silent,
     not saying a word.
For fear does take over,
     I’ve seen it before.
What if I speak and
     the response is ignore?

It’s happened too often,
     at least in my past.
The decisions are made
     before I’m even asked.
The pain is too great
     to think no one cares.
So my thoughts stay with me
     and they can keep theirs.

There is a problem
     with a conclusion like this.
To learn from each other
     too often we miss.
To speak and to listen
     are both hard to do.
Perhaps one for me
     and perhaps one for you.

So we make every effort,
     the bonds of peace to maintain.
Through the power of the Spirit
     and the Lamb that was slain.
We look at each other
     as a creation of God.
We may be unique
     but we’re surely not odd.

God has a purpose
     for someone like me.
I hold to this truth
     even if I can’t see.
He also has purpose
     for someone like you.
You’re His creation
     so I know this is true.

So when we differ
     in how we perceive.
Find our common ground
     in the One we believe.
Since we both have value
     that’s given from above.
Our response to each other
     should always be love.

© 2015 by Tom Lemler

I’ve been in the church building this evening cleaning and then waiting for some meetings to finish up so I can finish getting the building ready for tomorrow. As I waited, I went outside to walk the trails and spend time with God where this poem showed up in my mind. If I allow my mind to dwell in the past too long, it seems like I can find far too many times when I’ve tested the waters of speaking my mind or making my desires known only to end up with the feeling of being rejected as my requests are declined or I’m moved out of roles so they can be filled by someone with better credentials or pedigree. I’m not sure why God gave me this poem other than to offer the readers a glimpse into my mind — scary place that it is. 🙂 I pray that God uses it for His purposes and His glory.

In prayer,
Tom

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Luke 12b: Give What You OWE

 

Sermon from the “Living Like Christ” series.

 

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Luke 12c: No Time for WORRY

 

Sermon from the “Living Like Christ” series.

 

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Luke 17a: Christ-Like R&R

 

Sermon from the “Living Like Christ” series.

 

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A Still Small Voice

I am often alone
     in the midst of a crowd.
My voice isn’t heard,
     for the noise is too loud.
The things that I say
     just bounce off the wall.
So the people I speak to,
     do stumble and fall.

I have much to offer
     if anyone cares.
But most are too busy
     living life they think theirs.
“I know what I’m doing,
     I don’t need help now.”
Is an often heard phrase
     just before things go “Pow!”.

“This is a no-brainer,
     it makes the most sense.”
“This is almost as easy
     as falling off a fence.”
“I’ll save up my questions
     for more important things.”
“I’m sure I’ll be happy
     with what my way brings.”

“And yes, I do listen
     to what others say.”
“As long as they tell me
     that they like my way.”
“So, God I am sorry
     that you feel you’re not heard.”
“I’m too busy right now
     to spend time in your Word.”

So, what will I do
     with the voice in the crowd?
The one I don’t hear,
     for the world is too loud.
Will I draw away,
     to a quiet place.
To spend time with God,
     and look on His face.

While the choice should be easy,
     I’m afraid it is not.
The world keeps on shouting,
     “Look at all I’ve got!”
So I must stay focused,
     on His still small voice.
So that hearing from Jesus
     is my plan of choice!

© 2015 by Tom Lemler

This has been a tough day/weekend for me as I reflect on past and present events and struggle to allow my spirit to be still enough to hear God’s wisdom as I ought. As I’ve been going through the sermon I’ll share later this evening, this poem showed up in my head and wouldn’t leave. While I thought the poem was starting out to describe how I often feel, God seemed to change the direction and focus of it as it appeared on my computer screen. I pray that God would never feel alone in a crowd because of my lack of listening but that not only would I listen, but I would also be an encouragement to others to listen. I pray that this poem accomplishes God’s purposes for it.

In prayer,
Tom