Coffee With The Lord

Some people “pop off” with opinions and advice about anything and everything “at the drop of a hat.” To listen to them, if you didn’t know better, you’d think they were the reincarnation of Solomon himself! But people usually do know better, and are rather dismissive, taking what they have to say with “a grain of salt,” as the saying goes (don’t ask me what it means ;-).

But other people have “paid their dues” and have earned the right to be heard! Likely someone comes to your mind right now, who if they were giving advice to you, you’d “tune in,” and pay close attention to what they had to say! Behind their words are a lot of experience, genuine concern, and unusual wisdom. They don’t have to “demand attention” – their life, their intellect, their experience, and your knowledge of them “commands your attention!”

I’d say Apostle Peter had earned the right to be heard as a church leader! Today, during my time of “coffee with the Lord,” I read what he had to say to “elders” – those charged with the care of congregations – we call them “pastors.” What he had to say really spoke to me because in the past I’ve been charged with that responsibility. And secondly, because I trust the inspired advice of Apostle Peter and his wisdom and experience! Here’s his advice (and I’d encourage my pastor friends to “listen up” (Not me talking… It’s apostle Peter!)…

“I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock! And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (from 1 Peter 5:1–5 ESV)

Advice for “pastors”… Peter’s word kind of fly in the face of a CEO model of leadership wouldn’t you say? Doesn’t fit very well with a heavy-handed, dictatorial model either does it? Perhaps a good, reflective reading of Psalm 23 might be helpful, or even Ezekiel 34; Jeremiah 23:1-5; or the words of “the Great Shepherd of the Sheep” Himself, in John 10:11-15.

All I know is this: You can have all the other models! I want to be the kind of “spiritual shepherd” Peter urged me to be! I want to follow the example of “the great shepherd” – Jesus! One day, I’ll have to give an account for how I led and cared for God’s flock! I want to hear him say “well done!”

It’s so easy for us to forget about the kindness, mercy and grace that were extended to us as guilty sinners! We find a virtue that we want to defend and then we tend to forget about all the others that need to be defended and practiced with equal enthusiasm. Someone may have failed us and proved themselves unfaithful… It’s attack time! Faithfulness needs to be defended! But we forget about mercy, forgiveness, and patience and either push them into the background or shove them into a garbage can. Unfortunate! Sad! Even hypocritical! And we can all be culpable… even Apostle Paul was!

I read the unfortunate account this morning in my Bible – a deep scar on an apostle’s legacy and wound on a close relationship between two influential church leaders… (Acts 15:36-41)

“After some time Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.’ Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and … traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there. (from the New Living Translation)

It would have been interesting to have heard the heated conversation between Paul and Barnabus! I think Barnabus might have (could have – even maybe should have) reminded Paul of his past (read his own admission of his sin and testimony of God’s grace and patience with him in 1 Timothy 12-17!) Not only that, Barnabus had every right to remind Paul of the risk he took defending and standing by him after his conversion when everyone doubted the reality of his transformation. (See Acts 9:26-28) But it’s so easy to forget those things when we’re “ticked off” about how someone else in a moment of fear or temptation has failed us or the cause of Christ. It’s also interesting that Paul was the very one who wrote the following message in two epistles: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, AS THE LORD HAS FORGIVEN YOU.” (Colossians 3:12-13; Ephesians 4:32) (Methinks that was probably written after the John Mark situation and after deep reflection on the grace of God… I want to think so!)

So I guess the deal for me today – the day after Thankgiving – is this… I want to be grateful and very aware of the incredible patience and grace of God in my life! And I want to extend the same patience and grace to others who are seeking sincerely to follow Jesus. And I certainly don’t want my zeal for one virtue to blind me to other, equally important virtues! One more… it’s tragic when we allow differences over how to deal with various situations as Christians to risk damaging valued relationships!

A Thanksgiving Day reflection…

This Thanksgiving morning I woke up thinking about this: Thankfulness is getting my mind off myself and instead thinking about what others mean to me. Then I read a passage of Scripture during “Coffee with the Lord” that gave that idea some additional direction and focus… 1 Peter 4:7-11

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

As Christ followers who believe the Bible, we believe the signs of “the end” are everywhere! If we are not careful, however, we can allow the troubling “signs of the times” to create in us a self-focused, self-preserving, ungrateful approach to life. That is precisely the opposite of the way Christ wants us to live! I believe the passage I just posted would encourage us to live gratefully – live thankfully – live others focused lives! Did you notice how the “one anothers” in the passage are repeated and dominate it?
So here are my personal “Thanksgiving points” from this passage as we approach the time of “the end of all things”…

1. Pray for one another fervently!
2. Love one another sincerely and selflessly!
3. Show hospitality to one another (without complaining about it)
4. Use your gifts and abilities for the benefit of others
5. Do everything so that God is glorified!

Thankful, grateful, living! On this Thanksgiving Day, in gratitude to God and others, that’s how I want to live!