Why Bad to Worse

Ever experience someone who could not stop being bad? People reason with them, but they will not listen. Nothing works.

Why will they not change? Today, I grasped an answer.

It is in Proverbs 17:4. "An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue."

Evil people do not follow watchful, loving men or women who recognize the inevitable consequences and endeavor to provoke change.

Instead, self-destructing humans, bent on being bad, solely pay attention to others voicing agitation, discord, depression, and grief. Like zombies, blundering along, they follow the directives of the discontented driving to desecration and disaster. (Is this selective hearing?)

When do people become selective for evil? Where is the proverbial 'point of no return'?

What does God do with the selectively evil? Two answers are:

• Hebrews 10:26-27 "26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."
• Romans 1:28-32 "28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Are you listening to God himself, solidly on good ground, gaining His grace, taking His advice, and struggling to imitate Him?

Full or Fool?

No one remembers her real name. She is known around town as Full.

How Full got her nickname is a puzzle, but two ideas are possible.

The first explanation is she always knows more news. There was the time when the barber unintentionally nicked a customer's ear. In Full's version, the barber chased the man from the shop with a straight razor claiming the man tried to rob him. Or the time when a girl unwittingly started a car, almost driving over her younger brother. Full's finished variation had the girl plotting the attempted murder for more than a month. 

People started mispronouncing 'Fool' so it sounded like 'Full'. Full didn't understand, and did not care.

The other explanation may be a back-handed "compliment." Since she always presents a near perfect image of herself, the town's ladies began calling her 'Full'. Behind Full's back, they were saying she was "full of it." Others meant she was "full of herself." Neither was a calculated commendation.Full understood they believed she had correct information

Good cooks know marinating meat enhances the taste. Full believed the same was true about lies. A little "innovative intentional improvement" could heighten any story, making it more palatable.

Accuracy was not Full's concern. Telling lies was exciting. Lies create a 'pseudo-high' by increasing stress hormones. These increase your heart rate, breathing increases, and digestion slows. Over time lies can produce increased blood pressure resulting in coronary artery disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure.

Recently, Full found her snare. She was the only witness to a vehicular homicide. In the ensuing trial, Full was put on the witness stand. The problem: the jury was composed of people in town. They knew of her inability to tell pure truth. No matter how Full answered, few believed her. She had told too many lies too often for too long. 

The Bible is proven true again.

• "He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will be ruined." Prov. 10:10 
• "Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool," Prov 10:23).
•  A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape." Prov 19:5
• "A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish." Prov 19:9 
• "A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow."  Prov 25:18

I guess the residents named her right: Full or Fool. Both are bona fide.

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What can be done for Full? Does she have any hope of changing? Since you are Full's friend, what can you tell her?

Preacher Wade

Preacher Wade and Jack were traveling from Hastings over to Hamilton Mortuary, about an hour away. Wade was to do Calvin's service, but did not know him. So he asked Jack to travel with him to the funeral home.

Quentin, the funeral director, had called on Wade, a Church of Christ minister, to perform the service. He knew of Wade's reputation for visiting with families or friends before a service. He would be gracious to everyone, even those with less-than-stellar reputations. He always found something nice to say.

Wade was also working to make improvements on Jack. Jack needed to develop a more gentle spirit. He had the reputation of being a man of plain talk, to the point of being brutal and insensitive.

On arriving, Wade asked Quentin what he know about Calvin.

Quentin: "Not much, unfortunately. The family asked me to find a Church of Christ preacher. They thought Calvin had attended a local congregation when he was a young child, but they said he had not been religious for a long time."

Wade: "Ok. What time is visitation tonight? I would like to visit with some family and learn more about Calvin. Maybe I can learn some light or good-natured anecdote to talk about tomorrow. "

Quentin: "In about an hour and a half, at 6 p.m.. Wade, don't expect too much. We may get one or two family members."

Jack: "Must not have been very much fun. Or the family is dysfunctional."

Quentin: "And don't expect friends to be here either. Wade, this one is not going to be easy, even for you."

After a pleasant meal, at the local restaurant Wade and Jack return. They find Quentin, who points to the couple standing outside.

Quentin: "There is your entire family."

Wade looked through the window to see Oscar and Ora. Their body language told him they preferred not being there. 

Jack: "This doesn't look very good. Doesn't look like any love has been lost here."

As Wade and Jack walked back outside, Wade thought to himself,"He is right. Just wish he had not said it quite like that."
Wade introduces himself and Jack to Oscar and Ora. Oscar is in his hunting vest and camo hat. Ora is wearing her faded Arkansas Razorback sweatshirt and well-worn blue jeans.

Oscar: "Shame when a man has to leave the woods for something like this. I had been studying a 6-point when I noticed the time."

Ora: (shaming him) "Hush, Oscar. Be Nice!" (Then returns her attention to Wade) Nice to meet you, Wade. Jack.

Wade: (getting to the point), "What can you tell me of Calvin's character?"

Ora: "He seemed to find great pleasure I in twisting truth. If he could, he did. You could see in his eyes how much he liked watching people squirm."

Oscar: "That man in that casket was walking trouble. If he opened his mouth, chances were it was a lie. In the last few years, it got to where you couldn't tell him anything. He would take truth and twist it up like a honeysuckle vine. He even..."

Ora: (interrupting) "He just couldn't be trusted."

Jack: "He's beginning to sound like a good-for-nothing scoundrel."

Wade: (to Jack) "Jack, don't say a thing like that. We don't know him."
(Wade could see this was not working well, so he chose a different direction.)

Wade: "What did he like doing?"

Oscar: "Jack, you ever had someone tell a white fib on you as a practical joke?"

Jack: "More than once by some fellas a work."

Oscar: " Well, if your friends are like mine, they wink at each other, and send hand signals to each other as they start one of their practical jokes."

(Jack nods in agreement..)

Oscar: "But after you were thoroughly embarrassed, they let you in on the joke, and everyone laughed some more. Right?"

(Jack, still nodding) 

Ora: "Calvin told especially hurtful lies as a joke. He would wink at you, so you might join him. But, he would never stop the joke."

Oscar: "Wade, Calvin told a big embarrassing joke on Ora to her boss. It was funny, but he began telling people the same 'joke' to people in town. Well, it got to the point where Ora lost her job. Her boss said it was because 'her reputation was hurting the company.' "

Ora: "He just kept on plotting something evil on everyone."

Jack: (to Wade) "You need to let someone else do this service. There isn't anything good in this man."

Oscar: "Mr. Wade, No! Don't do that! You are the only preacher we could find to do the service!"

Wade: "So why did you pick me?"

Jack: (in a low voice) "No one else could stand him, I guess."

Wade: "Jack! Hush!"

Ora: "Well, he is right. Wade, there won't be anyone else here tonight. We are his cousins, and we don't want to be here. No other family will come. He ruined all his friends. There are no preachers in town, Church of Christ or not, who would do his service. Do you see anyone else??"

Wade: Oscar. Ora. I always find something good or pleasant to say about everyone at funerals.

Oscar: "Tomorrow, preacher, there will be us, you, Quentin, and Jack, if he decides to come back again. That will be everyone."

Ora: There is nothing good you can say."

Oscar: "Wade, you should just read a scripture, say a prayer, and read the obit. If you try to say something nice, YOU WILL BE THE LIAR. Like Ora said, there is nothing good here."

Wade: But Calvin's accident is making this a tragedy. There has got to be something I could say nice about him!

Jack: "I know one pleasant thing you can say about Calvin that everyone will like. Say, 'He's gone.'"

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What should Preacher Wade do?

Have you ever known someone who was like this? Would you tell us your (or their) story?

What could have been done to stop Calvin?

Please make your comments, stories, or advice by clicking the box below. Make sure to select either giving your name (which you can make up) or by being anonymous.

Preparing for War

The American military is publicized as the best prepared military in the world. I have seen, nor heard any reason to think otherwise.

They make this claim based on the amount and types of preparation demanded from our troops. Eight weeks of 'boot camp' is just the beginning. There are continually drills to keep soldiers physically ready. Exercises are habitually forced on GIs to test their mental metal. The are prepared for the worst of enemies.

Those who teach or preach that once you are a Christian everything will be lovely are simply, but kindly, wrong.  They neglect their enemy. My enemy is out to do me harm now that I claim to be a disciple of Jesus.

The Bible repeatedly presents the devil as injuring God's warriors.

     * Nehemiah recognized the plot of Sanballet & Geshem as they planned "to do me harm."
     * Anger, Wrath and Fretting "only causes harm".
     * The devil is called my "adversary".
     * Jesus says the Devil is a murderer and the father of lies. 
     * On occasions the "wicked one" "snatches" the "word of the kingdom" from individuals.
     * We all know how he tempted Eve, and the sad outcome of that confrontation.
     * What did Satan do to Job, God's servant?
     * When Satan won the battle with Judas, what was the end result? Betrayal?
     * Satan infiltrates our ranks when he "transforms" himself.
     * He decimates God's army with with fake wonders & signs.

So if anyone thinks Christian living is like being on the playground, the need to reconsider. He just WANTS you to think its a playground. Its really a deadly battlefield.

The Devil is going to fight you with every gun he has until you are back in his powerful army. It is a life or death struggle everyday.

Strange Sunday

It was a strange Sunday. It was as though God was directing things himself.

Every preacher in every congregation preached about lieing. Every sermon referenced Ananias and Sapphira.

Ananias & Sapphira sold a piece of property. They wanted the glory of giving 100 per cent when, in fact, they had kept some of the money for themselves. The day Ananias made the contribution, Peter asked him if this was the full value of the property, if the were giving 100 per cent. Ananias said, "Yes." In the short version, Peter told him he had "not lied to men, but to God." He immediately dropped dead.

Three hours later Sapphira showed up. Peter ask a similar question. She too answered "Yes." Peter told her how her conspiracy with her husband effectively tested the Lord. He said the men who had just finished burying her husband will "carry you out." Just like her husband, she too dropped dead.

On that strange Sunday invitation songs were sung. None of the liars repented. They felt the could get away with it this Sunday like all other Sundays. In retrospect it seemed as if God would give the one more chance to make a change. Was God waiting to see if their commitment was to him or to continue sinning?

That is when it happened. The last song had been sung. The closing prayer voiced. People were starting to visit. Suddenly, in every congregation, one man and one woman, known liars, dropped dead. 

This time preachers did not console the families. This time each congregation knew why they died.

Should members be fearful? 

Will lies continue without any second thought? 

And what about cheating? Envy? Stealing? Whispering/Gossip? Arrogance?  

Would there be more living without cut-throat competition, brutal tempers exploiding, or addictions?

It should.

But my opinion is that the increased purity would be short-lived. Some disciples will lose their concentration on what happened and go back to their familiar sinful paths.

Why so cynical? Let me ask two questions. First, to show man's tendencies, are you as patriotic as you were on September 12, 2001? Second, would a growing disciple have heard of Ananias and Sapphira and made changes? Just as our patriotic fevor has declined, so has our "great fear...on all who heard these things.

What do you think?