Behind Closed Doors

 If you are old enough or are a fan of old country music, then you probably remember Charlie Rich’s hit single, “Behind Closed Doors” from 1973. The song describes the woman he loves, how she is in public and how loving she is when the doors are closed and they are alone. It was, and is, a great song and it was a #1 hit for him.

There are other things that happen behind closed doors, and I could be talking about abuse of different kinds, like spouse abuse or child abuse, but I’m not. What this is about is closing the doors to keep yourself in and shutting others out.

We all like our privacy and want to be able to choose those who are around us. Sometimes, those who are with us, whether family, friends or acquaintances, do or say something that upsets us. At that point, we separate ourselves from them and go our separate way. There is nothing wrong with that is there? Not usually, but what if that person is a family member or someone who has been that close before? At what point do we draw the line and decide to never talk to that person or be with them again? There are some actions that deserve that treatment, like violence or abuse. What about harsh words, broken promises, or hurt feelings? What about forgiveness?

One of the things that sets Christianity apart from the rest of the world’s religions is its concept of forgiveness. It is a key part of the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus himself said we are to forgive others “seventy times seven times”, which really means there is no limit to the number of times we should forgive. If that is the case, and it is, then why do so many Christians who practice their faith so diligently refuse to forgive others?

Just listen to people who close the door to their homes and their hearts to a family member who has upset them in the past. They have all sorts of reasons or excuses for shutting that person out of their lives. Parents become estranged from their children, siblings no longer talk to each other, and the best of friends shun each other’s presence. I am not talking about a short period of time while someone works off a mad. I am talking about something that may go on for years, something that neither party is willing to resolve. Maybe one party will reach out to the other in an effort to apologize, to heal the hurt, and reunite. The door remains closed. The other party stays behind those closed doors. Where is Christ in that place, in that cold heart? We read in the Bible that if we have a problem with our brother and have brought our gifts to the altar, we are to leave them there and go reconcile first. So, why don’t we? Why do we not follow what Jesus has told us repeatedly to do?

Even the most devout Christian can be fooled by the Father of Lies into thinking they are justified in feeling the way they do. The Enemy cannot help but gloat over the situation, dancing for joy at the havoc he has created. The person behind the closed door can certainly rationalize his or her behavior in some way. Remember though, that “rationalize” is “rational lies” that we tell ourselves to justify words and actions which go against God’s teaching.

Are you hiding behind one of those closed doors? Who are you keeping away? Why? What would happen if you opened that door, if you invited that person back into your heart? Again, remember, I am not talking about someone who presents a danger to you and those you love. I am talking about someone who should be a part of your life but isn’t.

Look around you. Where is that person? Why not have Jesus help you to turn that doorknob and open not just your door but also your heart? You never know what you might find on the other side.

Friction

Several decades ago when I was growing up, if you wanted to light a cigarette or start a fire, there was basically two choices: a match or a Zippo lighter. Now I’m sure that most of you may not know about Zippo lighters. It had a small metal case with a flip top and a screw in the bottom. The screw in the bottom was to squirt lighter fluid into the lighter and there was cotton inside to hold it. Under the flip top were a wick, a flint, and a wheel that touched the flint. In order to light the wick, you spun the wheel, which scraped the flint and created sparks which, in turn, lit the wick. Matches are much older, invented and improved in the mid and late 19th century. The basic match is either a wood stick or small cardboard stick. The head of the match is primarily potassium chlorate. When it is rubber across a striking surface it will light. The striking surface is a rough surface containing primarily red phosphorus. When the match head I scrubbed against it, the two chemicals are combined and that is what causes the match. What is common between the lighter and the match? Friction. Whether it is a wheel scrapping a flint or a match rubber against a rough surface, they both need friction to create fire.

So, what does this long chemistry lesson have to do with us? We refer to it in a variety of ways. If two people don’t get along, we talk about the friction between them that lights a fire which can escalate to angry words, violence or even death. We say that one rubbed the other the wrong way. On the other hand, we talk about two lovers and how they just create the right sparks that ignites their relationship. Dating someone seriously was once called sparking.

Take the first part of that last paragraph and think about it. Who have you rubbed the wrong way? Fix it. Has someone else rubbed you the wrong way? Talk to them, resolve it, forgive them, and fix it. Are they someone who will not talk to you or will not do anything to fix it? Pray for them, forgive them, and move on. But be open to them should God’s grace lead them back to you and give you the opportunity to fix it. Consider the following:

Matthew 5:23 – 24: 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (NKJV)

Of course, all of this talk about friction, sparks, and fire would not be complete without remembering the time when God struck a spark and started a fire. That fire is the one that never quenches, never consumes, and never dies. That fire is the fires of hell and the realm of the Enemy.

That’s a whole lot of words to get to the question of what does all of that have to do with our relationship with God? Well, we constantly reference it when we talk about our relationship with him. We talk about a preacher who preaches about fire and brimstone. We talk about preachers who are on fire for the Lord. Then there is your wanting to create a spark in someone to fire them up for the faith, to direct them down the right path towards the light. We talk about getting someone around strong believers so some of that will rub off, friction again, and point them towards God. I’m sure you can come up with examples of your own, so think about it.

How about you? Do you have God’s fire in you? I’m not saying you have to go stand on a street corner and preach to the passersby. If someone asks you if you are a follower of God, of his son, Jesus Christ,

do you mumble a quiet “yes” or do you admit it in such a way that the questioner knows here you stand in your faith. Or maybe you are one of those who deny your faith because it isn’t popular or politically correct to be one of his. If you are just lukewarm, what can you do to create a spark that will light your fire? Who or what will be that which you rub against, scrape against, that crates the friction that brings fire, warmth, and light into your life, your soul, and to all of those around you?

Remember that fire warms as well as destroys, so why not do whatever it takes for you to be in the warmth of God’s love. If you are not there today, then today is the day to start. Do it.

It's The Wolf!

 We have all heard the cliché about the wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is usually used to describe a person who shows a good exterior in terms of looks and behavior, but uses that to conceal an opposite and evil side. I thought of that for some reason the other day and wondered where it came from. One source is Matthew 7:15:

Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (NKJV)

I also found a source in one of Aesop’s Fables. He was a slave and storyteller in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. His story goes like this:

Once there was a wolf who could not get enough to eat because the shepherds were too watchful. One day he found a sheepskin, put it on, slipped into the flock, and ate one of the sheep. He followed them back into the barn in order to eat one later. However, the shepherd decided he wanted lamb stew, so he went to the barn and chose a sheep (actually the wolf) and killed it. The moral of the story is seek to do harm and harm will come to you.

Lastly, of course, is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. I’m sure you remember how the wolf tried to fool her by dressing up like her grandma. The story ends with the wolf being discovered and killed by the hunter.

In our secular world today we meet many sheep. I don’t mean the shy, withdrawn, quiet introverts, but rather good people and good companies. Unfortunately, a few of them turn out to be wolves. A typical example would be an investment banker who takes his clients’ money and then swindles them.

How about in our personal and spiritual lives? Satan definitely fills the role of the wolf to perfection. He is the Father of Lies, which includes all of the tricks and deceptions. While you aren’t likely to actually meet him face-to-face, he is constantly on the prowl looking for souls to gobble up. His treachery is often subtle, with small temptations. We may reject them at first, but he will keep trying and trying until he finds the right circumstance, the right temptation, to start you down his path and away from God. It doesn’t matter who you are, we have all fallen under that spell and put a foot on that path. So, where do we turn for help? The Good Shepherd!

In John 10:14-15, Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and they know me. Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep.” (NIV)

And that is exactly what he did on Good Friday.

So, what are you going to do about the Wolf, Satan, when he comes to call? He won’t be wearing a sheepskin. He may be in a nice suit or she might be in a pretty dress. In either or any case, it is still the Wolf. So, how do you figure it out? By constantly praying for our Lord’s protection, that he makes sure our eyes are open and our hearts and souls are on his path. He has given us the power and strength to recognize the sheepskin; we just have to use it as he taught us. So, are you asking for his vision and protection or are you trying to do it on your own? The second choice leads to the loss of everything, including eternity with God. Ask and you will receive he told us, so why wouldn’t you, why don’t you?

It Ain't Always Bad

There’s a song written by Bruno Mars, Phillip Lawrence, and Ari Leving, and recorded by Mars, called “Count On Me.” There are a few different versions with minor deviations in the first verse, but the one I heard first was sung by The Sea Chanters, which is the vocal group that is part of the U.S. Navy Band. It is out there on YouTube, along with several hours of music performed by the band.

The first line of the chorus is this:

    “You can count on me like one-two-three

        I’ll be there”

If we look at the song as if God and we are having a conversation, how would we look at it? Now, on first glance it is easy to assume that this is God talking to us, promising us. But, if you look at the next line, you might come to a different conclusion:

    “And I know when I need it

    I can count on you like four-three-two

    And you’ll be there

    ‘Cause that’s friends are s’posed to do, oh yeah.”

Now the critical question is which part of the two parts of the chorus is you talking to God and which is you listening to what God has to say to you? How about both?

In good times and bad, and even in between, there is God’s promise to us to be there when we need him and there when we don’t think we do. Yes, he is always there for us, of course. Sometimes we may feel we can do whatever it is on our own. For some reason, it usually doesn’t turn out quite the way we envisioned it. God is always there for us, helping even though we don’t think we need it. We must not try to cut him out by trying to go it alone. That is God’s message in the first line of the chorus.

But don’t we also have a part to play in that line? Certainly our role to play is to let God know he can count on us to do his work, follow his teaching, obey the rules he gave to us thousands of years ago. Whether we do so by becoming one of his ministers and spreading his word to others or by just living the way he wants us to live, to show by example how he is an integral part of our lives, it is our role to play.

The second line of the chorus is our declaration of faith. We are saying that we believe he is there for us at all times and in all ways, that we can always count on him to be forever in our lives.

That line of the chorus is also God’s statement of having faith in us to live our lives according to his desires, as spelled out in the book he gave to us. Knowing that he counts on us is not a burden, but rather a source of joy in knowing we are doing his work, furthering his desires to bring everyone to him.

So, yes, we do what is needed for each other, are there for each other, give out of love what we each can give, and know without doubt we are both loved in return.

It's Wonderful!

 There is an oldies radio station that I usually listen to which plays music from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, with an occasional song from the 60’s thrown into the air. When I am driving down the road, I can go back in time, remembering those times, and sing along with those words. The other morning, I had to back my car out of the driveway so my wife could leave. Just a few seconds after I started the car, an old Elvis Presley song came on, “The Wonder of You”.

If you have never heard it before, or your memory of the words has gotten dim, here is the first verse:

    When no one else can understand me

    When everything I do is wrong

    You give me hope and consolation

    You give me strength to carry on.

    And you’re always there to lend a hand

    In everything I do

    That’s the wonder

    The wonder of you

While the song is obviously a love song of course, especially considering who sang it, just take the time to listen to the whole song. (YouTube, of course) This first verse is a very powerful declaration of our faith in God. It admits to him that sometimes we are less than perfect (by human standards), that sometimes we really screw things up. Even when we do that, he is still there; he lends a hand and helps us when we stumble, when we fall.

We, each of us, has a friend, someone who is there for us in good times and bad. On those rare occasions, this may be someone who has been there for decades, come what may. Other times, we have a great friend, but with the passing of time, distance, and circumstances, we drift apart. Given that you know yourself best, it may be difficult to know there is an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God who loves us anyway, regardless of what we do, how we live. He even loves those who don’t know him or who deny him. I’m sure there are times when you wonder how he can love you. I know I do. How it must humble us to have someone love us and want to be a part of our lives. God does.

Whether we are faithful followers or one of the prodigals, he is there to give a helping hand whenever we need it. He is there, his hand is out, just waiting for you to reach out and grab it, our wonderful God. Why not make it so in everything you do?