My Table Saw’s Final Blessing

My table saw bit the dust. A mighty screech, smoke, and the smell of something electrical frying and that was it. What the dischens! It couldn’t wait till the end of the project before giving up the ghost? Now its decommissioned corpse is sitting in the driveway, waiting to be hauled off to the dump.

I was already frustrated because, like seemingly every home fixing project, the job of replacing rotted siding was steadily growing bigger. At some point, you just had your fill, which seems to be true about other things in life as well. When you get near that point it doesn’t take much to push you over the edge, break the camel’s back, to be the final straw. Yes, my little Craftsman table saw had terrible timing, to say the least, and I needed to get a grip, catch my bearings, because I never function better with a frustrated sour, and down attitude.

What do you do when you need to get a hold of yourself, when your attitude smells worse than a table saw motor burning up? For me, a little reflection helps. So, I looked at my now-dead saw and remembered it was a gift Susie (my exceptional wife) gave me a long time ago, back when we didn’t have much, which meant she somehow managed to save enough to bless me with it. I can’t tell you how much easier that little table saw made my life. It also lasted far longer than anyone would have expected, which means God heard our constant prayer to make our things last. That saw served its purpose, was reliable, saved us all kinds of money, and was an all-around blessing.

We live in a world where things break, wear out, decay, blow up, rot, leak, and get old, a world that has no shortage of frustrations, bad timing, and overload; enough to daily stink up our attitudes, drown gratefulness, and put our inner grump on steroids. None of which is helpful in any shape or form. There is enough this damn …, those damn …, them damn …, to take you all the way to the grave. Which is a terrible way to live, and most certainly not the way God would have us navigate through life.

There is a reason God tells us to always put thankfulness in our lunch box, to never forget to pack thankfulness no matter where we go, and to download the thankfulness App first thing, “In everything, all circumstances, give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB, italics mine).

You’re right, many face much more serious brokenness and frustration than my table saw quitting, I certainly have, and I can’t tell you how much reflection and prayer with thankfulness have helped me there.

Do a little exercise with me. The poem below is probably the most famous psalm of David. Read it once over. Then read it in light of all David remembers and gives God thanks for down in that deep dark valley, even the shadows of death. Finally read it one more time, beginning each line with, “I thank you God that You …

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, of deepest darkness, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever” Psalm 23:1-6 (NKJV, italics mine)

Funny, isn’t it, where an old broken table saw can take you.

            To God be all glory. Love You, Pastor Hans

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First Questions – Has God really said ..? Where are you?

“Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 (HCSB), was the serpent’s opening line to innocent Eve. She didn’t realize it was a nasty, mean-spirited, loaded, gossiping, God-slandering, doubt-inducing, setup question straight from satan’s evil heart. It is the first question recorded in the Bible (God’s written word).

 Eve was quick to correct the factual inaccuracy of the devil’s question, but she failed to ask, “Why are you saying something I know is not true?” If you are a lawyer, maybe you are yelling, “Objection! Eve had no knowledge of good and evil. She had no experience with deception, lies, or slander. Everyone she had ever talked with she could completely trust.” Fair enough, I am sure the devil was fully aware of this as well. On the other hand, she did know how to think, by correcting the serpent she demonstrated that she knew what the serpent said was not what God said, what God’s will and command were. Her innocence as to good and evil did not excuse her culpability, God certainly did not think so.

 But back to the question that slithered from satan’s foul mouth. “Did God really, actually say …” How much gossip and slander have been introduced like that? And notice he asked it behind God’s back. That opening is laden with the accusation of unreasonableness, of God being ridiculously harsh and out of touch. “You can’t …” gives you the tone, the negativity, the implications of God restraining us, holding back on us, denying us our freedoms and rights. “You can’t eat from any tree in the garden?” and there it is, the bold-faced lie put right in the mouth of God, the soundbite edited in hell, fingering God as being mean, lacking goodness, setting you up. After all, Adam and Eve had to eat something. Amazing, isn’t it, how much that cunning serpent managed to pack into a single question. The devil is still using the same playbook, and sadly, he is finding far too many participants willing to listen to lies about God, putting things into God’s mouth, believing and repeating disinformation edited in and posted from hell.

Adam and Eve bought the lie, dismissed God’s command, and fooled themselves into thinking that the consequences God had decreed somehow no longer applied to them. They ate of the one tree declared off limits. The effects were both immediate and far-reaching, they still are with every action against God’s will and commands. Immediately they felt shame, lost innocence, became afraid of God, tried to cover up, and started hiding, eventually, they died and faced God’s eternal judgment.

“Where are you?” is the next question echoing through the Garden of Eden. It wasn’t that God needed information as to Adam and Eve’s location. It was, however, the first time God had to ask it because they had never before hid from Him. It was an invitation to come out from where they concealed themselves and come clean. God’s “Where are you?” is still echoing throughout the world, not because God doesn’t know where we are, but because He wants to know where we are in relationship to Him. So, “Where are you?” Hiding from God? Trying to cover your sin, shame, and guilt on your own?

Adam, Eve, and astonishingly the serpent, stepped out of their hiding spot. Adam doesn’t come clean, he simply explains why he was hiding, maybe playing the sympathy card. But God probed, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” To which Adam replied by pointing the finger at his wife. Turning to Eve God asked, “What is this you have done?” To which she responded by pointing her finger at the serpent. How quickly sin tap-rooted itself deep into their hearts and minds, only fessing up when asked, no taking personal responsibility, blaming someone else, no asking for forgiveness, no pleas for mercy.

God’s “Where are you?” drips with mercy. He didn’t have to come looking for them. He could have walked away, abandoning them to the serpent, the deceiver, and death. But right there God promised to send someone who would crush the serpent’s head. That someone is Jesus Christ, who “came into the world to save sinners” 1 Timothy 1:15 (HCSB), “seek and to save the lost” Luke 19:10 (HCSB).

“Where are you?”

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

P.S. I spelled satan with a lower case s because I don’t think he deserves a capital letter S

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? – Using Your Ability to Ask Questions

?

There is no question in mind that you have both asked and have been asked a question or two, actually, more like thousands.

We start early with asking questions. It seems our little minds quickly figure out that asking questions is the best way to learn, that by asking questions you can pick people’s brains and get answers. We also learn, rather quickly, the full repertoire of asking questions: Learning questions, honest questions, irritating questions, manipulating questions, rhetorical questions, leading questions, mean questions, answering questions with questions, trick questions, gossiping questions, silly questions, dumb questions, wise questions, …

Here is a sample for you to categorize:

“Daddy, where does God come from?”

“Have you asked Mommy?”

“Do you always look this ugly, or are you just having a bad day?’

“Why are you so mean to me?”

“Where does the sun go at night?

“Opa, can we have some ice cream?”

“How come s/he gets to stay up later.”

“Is there actually a brain between your ears?

“Have you heard the latest about Hans?

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

We are also quick to figure out that it makes a difference how you ask a question, that the tone, smile, frown, eyes, face, posture, are all important in asking a question and how it will be received.

And there is the timing of questions. How long did it take you to figure out not to ask your parents for anything when they were mad? How to sidetrack a teacher with questions?

Of course, if you are asking questions, you also have to learn how to respond to the answers. How to filter answers against what you already know, having to deal with facts, having to change your mind, being told no, and getting no answer at all.

The ability to ask questions is God-given, part of being made in the image of God. It stretches our minds, spurs discovery, fast-tracks learning, feeds curiosity, enables the acquisition of wisdom, increases knowledge, sharpens discernment, unfolds mysteries, …, and should lead us to seek and worship God and Christ.

The Bible (God’s written word) is filled with questions, question askers, and generates more questions. Why? Who? What? How? When? Where? Would you? Have you? Did you? Don’t you? It encourages us to be question-asking learners of knowledge and wisdom, question-asking observers of life, nature, human nature, and the nature of God.

 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB), are Jesus’ instruction to us, specifically as to guidance regarding prayer and as a general principle of coming to and relying on God as our good Father.

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” James 1:5 (ESV), is James’ recommendation for navigating life, especially the tough sections.

 “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God” Proverbs 2:2-5 (NLT2), is the advice of Solomon, known for his wisdom and lifelong quest for answers.

 Any Questions?

             To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

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A Christian Work Ethic – The Laborer Is Worthy, part 2

God is a working God. The Word of God (the Bible) reveals God to us like nothing else can. In its opening chapter, it doesn’t just introduce us to the self-existent, eternal, omnipotent Creator, but also to God working. Most of the Bible’s first chapter is devoted to God showing up for work every day. It is not until the seventh day He takes a break, “So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation” Genesis 2:1-3 (HCSB).

Besides God showing up for work every day, we also learn about the quality of God’s work, six times God looks at what He made and evaluates it with “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) and when He clocks out on the evening of the sixth day we read,  “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” Genesis 1:31 (HCSB). What we learn is that God kept a work schedule, showed up for work, evaluated His work, and made sure He delivered a quality product, even without getting a paycheck. I find it highly interesting that when it comes to ethics, God immediately addresses work ethics (followed by sexual ethics, Genesis 2). God has no patience for laziness, sloppiness, and unfaithfulness when it comes to work. It is not just the employer who has responsibilities toward his/her employees, the employee has responsibilities as well.

Let’s look at a few more scriptures that address work and the worker and principles they teach us:

Slaves, servants, employees, obey your earthly masters, employers, in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:22-24 (NIV, italics mine)

• Know your role, your responsibilities, and who you are responsible to.
• Do excellent work even when no one is looking.
• Make sure all your work (employment work, volunteer work, at-home work), passes God’s quality control.
• The Big Boss is Christ/God, our work should bring honor to Him.

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13 (NASB)

• No milking the system, taking advantage of the hard work of others to support you.
• A good, faithful, and excellent work performance requires discipline.
• Work to support yourself and those you are responsible for.
• Never lower your work standards, regardless of what others are doing, what you can get away with, or the size of your paycheck.

The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.  So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge. It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD’S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. So he left everything he owned in Joseph’s charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Genesis 39:2-6 (NASB)

• You are in charge of your attitude at work. Remember Joseph was sold into slavery.
• Live and work in such a way God’s favor rests on you, including at work.
• Let the quality of your work, and your impact on your place of work be the best word about you.
• Be exceptionally trustworthy, dependable, and self-motivated.

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

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The Laborer Is Worthy

President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law on June 28, 1894. It is the worker’s holiday. God, of course, codified into His law fair pay, just treatment of, and protections for workers thousands of years earlier:

You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. Leviticus 19:13 (NASB)

You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the LORD and it become sin in you. Deuteronomy 24:15 (NASB)

The laborer is worthy of his wages. 1 Timothy 5:18 (NASB)

Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul reiterated those scriptures because the exploitation of workers (including those in ministry positions, and in Biblical times often slaves) is not a new thing, it is as old as humankind. Human exploitation is born out of greed and the abuse of power, which are always ready to twist the human heart and mind. When President Cleveland signed off on Labor Day working conditions were squalid, and notoriously unsafe, with 12-hour days, 7 days a week being the norm, including for children.

Listen to the God-inspired words of hard-hitting, calling it as it is, James, half-brother of Jesus: “Come now, you rich people! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. Your wealth is ruined and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your silver and gold are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure in the last days! Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who reaped your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have lived luxuriously on the land and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned—you have murdered—the righteous man; he does not resist you” James 5:1-6 (HCSB). That’s more than a call for a national holiday honoring the importance and dignity of workers. That’s calling out the sin of exploitation, the immorality of greed that values self-indulgence above making people’s lives better when we are in the position to do so.

Is there anything wrong with owning a business, turning a profit, and accumulating wealth? Not at all, but that business, like everything else God entrusts to us, is meant to glorify God and bless others, and God will call every business owner and employer into account, especially regarding the treatment of their workers.

Back in the Grover Cleveland days workers had to fight long and hard for even basic workers’ rights and working conditions. Companies, their owners, their stockholders, their executives, and politicians, did not exactly run to their aid. We are beneficiaries of their willingness to struggle and sacrifice to improve conditions and compensation for all workers.

Earlier in the letter of James (chapter 2:1-7), he puts his boney prophet finger on our bad habit of treating the rich better, giving them preferential treatment, and being partial to them, even in church. In doing so, James argues, we dishonor the poor person, and we forget that it is not the poor who exploit the rich but vice versa. Then he reminds everyone, but especially the rich, that we are never at liberty to not love our neighbor, regardless of who s/he is, including employees.

Maybe some of you are wondering when I am going to say something about the workers, their responsibilities, their end of the equation? I won’t, at least not in this pastor’s note, you will have to wait until next week. This happens too often today; it is the “Yes, but …,” defense.

However, for this pastor’s note, let’s stand up for the worker, the laborer, the employee the way God would have us. Let’s remember that fair compensation, humane treatment, and safe working conditions are important to Him. Let’s not forget, that being blessed with a business that employs is an opportunity to love and take care of people as we would ourselves. Let’s treat workers like God/Jesus does, “worthy” of dignity, respect, and justice.

Have an awesome Labor Day! Love you, Pastor Hans

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