This week a new show premiered on TNT called, Saving Grace. It stars Holly hunter as Grace – an immoral, hard working and hard drinking detective in Oklahoma City. Grace seems to have a good heart but life has been hard on her, so she runs to men and alcohol for comfort. God places her in a crisis and in that moment, she calls out to him for help. When she utters the words, “God help me,” a snuff dipping, rough looking man named Earl says, “Whataya need?”  

Earl explains that he is there to help her. Through a couple of remarkable experiences he proves to her that he is an angel. He tells her that this is her last chance to get her life right. The balance of the program is Grace trying to come to terms with this reality and to make sense of why God would want to save her. This is not a show for the family. It’s an adult drama. But it deals with this character in her full breadth. As you know, I don’t buy the notion of total depravity. Though we are made in the image of God, sin has marred that nature, but it rarely takes it all. Grace is a real and flawed character fighting for life while God is searching for her. 

Jesus spoke to His followers and said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Mat 10:29-31). ). I love that!!! I love that He is willing to use flawed people like Peter, Matthew, Mary Magdalene, you and me. But more than that, I love that as He looks at these floundering and halting followers he declares that they are “worth more than many sparrows.” 

I guess I like this show because it takes a realistic look at a person who is genuine without apology. She’s not claiming to be anything more than what she is. Her closest friend is a believer but does not judge her. She has a brother who happens to be a Catholic Priest and has been gently pushing her to come back to church for some time. Like most of us, Grace has some questions for God. Earl tells her that humans always ask the same questions, but if he gave her the answers there would be no room for faith.

There are those among us who believe that man is all-evil. I understand the corruption of sin. I grasp its insidious nature and damage it wreaks on each of us. However, Jesus looked at humanity and saw something worth saving. Don’t call anyone worthless. Tough times will come and some of us have and will fall to the ground, but “don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.” 

telemicus out

There is no character in scripture that intrigues me more than Jonathan – son of Saul. Somehow the writers and teachers, especially in the “men’s movement” have overlooked his heart and character. His wisdom, strength, courage and goodness deserve an examination. So I am going to share a few thoughts about him. There may be a couple of entries each week for a while.  

A couple of weeks ago, I took the Boy to see Live Free or Die Hard. It was what you would expect one these Die Hard films to be. But in the course of the film we learn something more about John McClane. We learn why he is The Guy!  

In the story that involves a lot of technology, John McClane is a foreigner. He knows little about the technical world. His assignment is to pick up a kid who is a computer hacker and deliver him to Washington. Suddenly both McClane and the kid get caught in the middle of a technological assault on America. During one of their discussions, the kid asks McClane why he is the guy going after the criminals. After all, he’s just a NY cop. McClane says, “It has to be done and no one else is doing it.” Then the kid says what we were all thinking, “That’s what makes you The Guy.”

At a time during Saul’s reign over Israel, the Philistines sent raiding parties to destroy their ability to make weapons. They were so successful that the people of Israel had to go to the Philistines to get their farm tools sharpened. In those days the Israeli army possessed no weapons except those of Saul and Jonathan (I Samuel 13:17-22). 

Chapter 14 tells the story of Jonathan taking on an entire outpost of the Philistine army with only his armor bearer at his side. There are three things to note about this effort. First, he went on his own. It wasn’t an assignment. While his dad sat under a tree wondering what to do, Jonathan was doing it. The noble heart takes initiative (vs. 1-3). Second, he went with God’s purpose and power. The noble heart trusts God (vs. 6-12). Finally, Jonathan’s actions inspired the nation of Israel. His action resulted in equipping his men for battle. And his actions were not appreciated by his father, (shock). But verse 23 tell us, “So the LORD rescued Israel that day…” The noble heart gives God the glory for battles won. 

These posts are supposed to give us a glimpse of the heart of nobility. I’m saying that one of the marks of the noble heart is the willingness to do what needs doing when no one else is willing to do it. It’s what made John McLane – The Guy. It’s what made Jonathan son of Saul – The Guy. Be bold, take initiative and act. When you take action, trust God. When He gives you victory or success, give Him the glory. Do what needs to be done – that’s what will make you The Guy.

telemicus out

I rarely disagree with people who are deeper and wiser than I am. I certainly consider Oswald Chambers to be both. However, I read the following quote and I had to disagree. 

Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever.  

In the context of this piece, his point is that people must never be more important to our spiritual life than God is. While I think this is right in principle, there is much to gain by listening and learning from others. God intended that certain people would lead us and teach us. To refuse to appreciate and make us of the blessing of listening to God’s servants is to devalue His gifts and provision for us. 

I tend to shy away from those who say that they don’t listen to other teachers and they don’t read beyond the scriptures. Many men and women follow God with a devotion that surpasses my own. Like a pair of spiritual PF Flyers, these influence and inspire me to run faster and jump higher in the pursuit of God. In recent years, the writings of Brennan Manning and Henri Nouwen have stretched me. The life Mother Teresa convicts me of more than I care to confess.  

While I am not dependant on these folks for my spiritual life and maturity, they have a role and I must take them into account. I value the counsel of my Dad. I often seek the advice of mentors like Buddy Mills and Jim McGuiggan. I have friends like Jason, Doug, James, Matt and Scott who love me enough to give me a spiritual beating when I need it, and always lift me up. These are not more important than God is, but important they are.  

It is important that we honor those who inspire and influence our spiritual walk and service. Who are the people who blessed and influenced your spiritual walk? Have you told them so? When Hezekiah got sick and begged God for healing, God healed him and granted him 15 more years. However, the scriptures say, “But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud”  (II Chronicles 32:25). 

We are each indebted to those who teach and help us mature. Don’t presume that you receive these blessings because you deserve them or are owed them. Remember to give a return for the benefit you receive. Give thanks to God for His servants that have blessed you and be sure to let them know, if you can, that you take them into account. 

telemicus out

In the 80s there was a TV show called, The A-Team. The leader of the A-Team was a guy named Hannibal. His tag line was, “I love it when a plan comes together.” I agree. But every now and then, the plan falls completely apart and the wheels fall off the cart and there is so much mayhem that it begins to be comical.

This was the nature of the Guys Only Camping Trip we attempted last weekend. Twelve guys, all the men from our family, (yes our own version of the Dirty Dozen) made a quick trip to Middle Fork Lake in New Mexico. Almost everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. There were problems with almost every aspect of the trip. We had schedule slip ups, transportation issues, trailer hitch tribulations, fire starting struggles, smoke situations, tent location dilemmas, terrain terrors, four wheeler foibles, navigational negatives and one fuel fiasco. The plan never came together. 

At the same time, you’ve never seen a group of guys work so hard to make a thing work when the thing just didn’t want to. The guys in our family helped one another, cheered and complimented each other. When there was conflict, they apologized to each other. The trip may not have worked as we planned, but what we hoped might come out of the trip fought through and made itself known in the hearts of the men despite the problems. 

I’m not one of those folks who thinks that unless a thing happens without a hitch, God was somehow not in favor of it. Life happens. We make plans, sometimes they come together and work great, and sometimes, nothing works right. That’s life! But we don’t stop trying and dreaming and planning. We try harder, dream bigger and plan better. We don’t withdraw or retreat in the face of adversity; we make wise choices and strategic decisions in order to do better next time.