Here is a story told to me some time ago. A lay leader invited his pastor to his home. The setting of the story is years ago when it was customary for church members to invite their pastor to Sunday dinner.

That morning in services, the pastor had preached a sermon on stewardship. In the sermon he had referred to the scripture from Psalms 24:1-2. “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell there in; for he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.”

While the meal was being prepared, the host invited his pastor to join him on the front porch. There they sat in rocking chairs soaking in a view of the farm.

“In your sermon this morning you said that I own nothing. You said everything belongs to God. See all this land?” said the lay leader to the pastor, “See the barn, the fine house, and the fences? All this I built, cleared and farmed with my own hands. This land is mine! I made it what it is!”

The pastor looked at the house, the fine barn and the gleaming machinery. He looked at the fertile fields, and the straight fences. He saw the farmer’s fine children playing games in the yard. He sat silently for a few minutes seeming to savor the peaceful beauty of it. Then he said to the farmer, “This is truly a beautiful place. You have been blessed with a fine farm and a beautiful family. As to your question, let’s return to this place one hundred years from now and discuss it.”

Our times seem not to be as peaceful as those in the above story. Differences of opinion seem to prevail everywhere. People get angry. Husbands leave their wives. Wives leave their husbands. People leave their churches. Children desert their parents. Parents desert their children. The peaceful farm described above appears more like heaven than real life.

The problem the farmer had with God’s Word is the same that we have today. We forget that what we claim to be ours really is not. We forget that God’s world is not going to stop turning because we want it to. It is God’s world — not ours. What we deem important, is most likely forgotten before our lives are over.

We forsake precious God given values and friendships for what we think are important reasons. But, our wisdom is seriously limited compared to God’s. What an individual might think is important most likely will not stand the test of time.

Over the years, I have heard many lament the loss of values that the present world has. I have heard teachers complain about the lack of discipline among the children in their classes. I have heard grandparents worry about the indifference to Christian values in their grandchildren. I have listened to husbands and wives complain about the loss of love in their marriages. I have heard church members complain about the lack of loyalty to God that seems prevalent in our society. All these things and more add up to the urgency of our need for God’s Church.

That Church will not be strong enough unless its members begin to realize that they and everything around them belong to God. The Church is preserved by God’s grace and love, not by any member’s likes or dislikes. They must realize that differences between individuals can only last while those individuals live — no longer.

When Jesus said “Love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matt. 22:39) He did not ask for a vote of the disciples to see if they approved of his law. He commanded us to love our neighbors forever. There is no time limit; there are no exceptions or loopholes. Jesus meant that those who love him must love their Christian and non-Christian brothers and sisters as much as they love themselves in ALL conditions.

Think about it!

Shalom

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©Copyright: August 3, 2009 J. Lemert Whitmer.  All rights are reserved.  This document is for your personal meditation or to use with your congregation during worship. You may share it with your friends and colleagues.   Any other use of this document requires written permission.  For more information, e-mail lemwhitmer@notesofthought.com