Giving the BEST

Recently a friend was describing to me how difficult it is to accept gifts. This friend and his family are having a difficult time right now with the loss of his employment. His family’s financial situation is not good at this time. They were habituated to a very comfortable life style with significant income to support all their needs and most of their wants. During these days they have been in a situation where they are trying to make ends meet on the salary from his part-time job.

He has been accustomed to being a giver to Christian and other charitable causes, but now he finds himself in the position of being a receiver instead of a giver. This is hard for most of us. We want to be independent and our pride is hurt if we are perceived as being “needy.”  In talking with him I asked him to consider that this is a season of time in their lives when God is teaching them to become receivers instead of givers.

While living in West Africa we learned so many valuable lessons from the nationals among whom we lived and worked for many years. The culture there dictated that when someone gave you a gift, you were to accept it no matter what the gift was or who the person was or what their giving capacity was.

Many times when I was in one of the villages, I was given a gift of eggs or a chicken or guinea fowl or a handful of seed. I always accepted the gift no matter how poor or needy the family was who was giving the gift. My modus operandi was to accept the gift and then give it to another family in need.

Every year in Burkina Faso one of the most feared times of the year for the villagers was February to April. It was at this time that there was an annual outbreak of meningitis. This disease was no stranger to most compounds and many children became infected. Parents would sometimes bring children to us who were already so ravaged by this dreaded sickness.

One such child was Laraba (the meaning of this name is Wednesday—he was born on a Wednesday!). His father walked and carried his emaciated body for 6 hours to our home. He insisted on leaving Laraba with us, and I believe that he expected to never see him alive again. We cared for Laraba for several weeks.  He lived in our compound with a couple other “project” boys, and he made a miraculous recovery.

We sent one of our workers on a bicycle to tell his father that he could come to get his son. A couple days later Laraba’s father showed up at our house. I went out to greet him in the shaded area of our compound where I often received villagers. After the normal 10 minutes of exchanging greetings—how did you get up this morning, how are your wives, how are your kids, how are your goats, etc.—Laraba and his father were reunited. Laraba was a very quiet 10-year-old, and he did not express much emotion, but his father was elated. He said over and over that his son was a miracle. I had an opportunity to tell his father about the miracle worker called Jesus.

It is customary to give a gift when someone has done something for you, so when I started the “good-bye” conversation with Laraba’s father, he stopped looking at me and dropped his head and stared at the ground. I could tell he was in deep thought, and finally he said to me, “I thought that my son was going to die, but you took care of him and he has been healed. I can never thank you enough, but I do not have a gift to give to you except this: I want to give you my son, Laraba, as a gift!”

My first thought was Lord, help me out of this one! Now it was my turn—I tucked my chin to my chest and stared at the ground and I prayed. The Lord quickly guided me to respond to him: “Thank you for such a wonderful gift. I accept your son as the very best gift that you could possible give to me.” I went on to tell him that we had a small problem with Laraba during the time he stayed in our compound. His father looked upset and looked at Laraba and said that he was sorry that he misbehaved. I told him that Laraba was a good boy and that he was well-behaved. The problem was that he did not like my wife’s cooking, so we had to have someone prepare “sagabo” for him—that is millet mush which is the staple for all villagers in our area.

So, I asked his father if he would be so kind to care for our son, Laraba, in his compound and feed him the good food that he was accustomed to eating. I told him that we would help to provide for Laraba while he lived and grew up in their village. His father was silent for only a moment and then said that would be a very good arrangement for me and his family. I was relieved for I was able to be culturally correct in accepting the best gift Laraba’s father could possibly give, and to successfully get Laraba back into his family situation.

Laraba’s father gave the very best gift possible for him. God asks for our best. What do we give Him?

Fine print

When our new issue of Consumer Reports arrives, the first thing Cheryl looks at is the inside of the back page. This page is called “goofs, glitches, gotchas” and features some interesting advertising errors submitted by readers. Often the goof or gotcha is in the fine print.

As a boy, I remember reading and studying the back of cereal boxes. There were great treasures inside some of those boxes, but sometimes you had to order the special toy. I sent my three box tops from cereal boxes in an envelope expecting to receive this big toy car—because the car looked so huge on the back of the cereal box. When Mama told me that it had arrived, I was so excited. That excitement was squelched when I saw the size of the package. I opened the very small package, and the toy car was less than two inches long! What a disappointment. I went in the kitchen and looked at that car on the back of the cereal box, and then I noticed the asterisk beside the car. The fine print by the asterisk at the bottom of the box said something like this: Car is not actual size depicted in the illustration. What a rip-off!

Have you ever read the fine print on a real estate document? Oh my goodness! Last week I signed a contract to sell Rolfe’s house in Louisville. I am so very grateful for someone in whom I can have complete trust as a real estate agent. The agent is the former church secretary in Rolfe’s last pastorate, and he requested that we use her. What a blessing. Not only is she taking care of arranging for painting and repairs, she is even making arrangements for charities to come to the house to pick up clothes, household goods and furniture to be given away. I did not even have to read the fine print in the contract because I trust Doris.

I was reading tonight in 2 Kings about King Hezekiah—yeah, the one that did not have a book in the Bible named after him. Chapter 18, verse 5 says, “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses.”

There was no fine print in Hezekiah’s relationship with God. Everything was clear between God and Hezekiah as he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”

Laughing from heaven

Cheryl is driving and I have been working—and feeling badly because it has been so long since I have posted anything on the blog. We have been in Louisville this week getting Rolfe Dorsey’s house ready to put on the market. I never knew that dying could create so much work! I can truly empathize with others who have served as executor for an estate now that I am experiencing that responsibility.

I promised Rolfe long ago that I would carry out all his wishes after his death, and I often wonder if he has an awareness of what is going on here on earth now. Don’t laugh at me because I bet that you have wondered the same thing. If not, then you have at the very least joked about it—“if so-and-so knew that, he would turn over in his grave.”

I am convinced through my faith and the promises of the Word that it doesn’t really matter whether or not someone who has departed this earth for their heavenly home is aware of our trivial happenings here on the earth or not. Someone who is in the presence of the Almighty is so totally engaged in worshipping and praising the Lord that nothing else matters.

But, just for this moment, humor me by assuming that Rolfe was watching the following story unfold.

Cheryl and I have spent a lot of time going through all of Rolfe’s paper and email files, financial and medical records, etc. and shredding documents. His little shredder was in overload these past few days. Among some important documents I found an envelope with these words written on it: “To the one who has a legal right to read the enclosed…Bon Appetit!” Inside the envelope was a surprise: a fifty dollar bill with a sticky note attached that said, “If you are reading this, it’s yours! You may have to add to it to get one good meal.”

I just know that Rolfe had a good laugh from heaven when I discovered that note with the money. I can hear him laughing out loud when he wrote that note and put the money in the envelope. Cheryl and I had a good laugh, and I hope this story makes you laugh, too. Laughing is good for the body and the soul. Have you ever seen anyone frown while they were laughing? Have you ever noticed anyone angry when they were laughing?

Do something today to make someone laugh. A bigger challenge: do something today to make someone laugh even after you have gone to heaven.

P.S. we had that meal on Rolfe!

Always room for one more

I am sitting on a flight from Johannesburg to Harare. For a while I thought we were not going to be able to take off. Everyone was seated on the packed South African Air flight except a family of six. They continued to stand in the aisle, refusing to sit down because the flight attendant told them that there was no more room in the overhead bins for their carry-on bags.

 The flight attendant told them to take their valuables out of their carry-on bags and they would be gate checked. Gate checking is a common practice, granted, but the flight attendant made it sound risky by asking them to take their valuables out of their bags. The father of the family said that everything in their carry-on bags was valuable--that is why they brought the bags on board.

 The crew was ready for the plane to be pushed back from the gate. I kept waiting for one of the three flight attendants staring the family down to take some action. The best solution was to rearrange some bags in the bins to make room for their carry-on bags. But no one was doing anything to help. I could not stand it any longer. I stood up and rearranged some bags and made room for their carry-ons. It was a very simple solution, but no one was willing to make the move.

 As I sat down I said to some new Zimbabwean friends: " This is Africa. There's always room for one more!" Everyone had a good laugh. At least everyone who is from the continent did, because the general feeling in Africa is that no taxi or bush lorry or bus or even a passenger vehicle is ever TOO FULL. There is always room for one more.

 When our family was living in the bush of Burkina Faso, villagers would find out that our family was going to Ouagadougou and say, "I am going with you." It was not a question; it was a statement of fact. I would tell them that there was no room for them; our vehicle was already full. Their response was consistent--- "There is always room for one more."

 Obviously I have given this statement a lot of thought as it rolled off my tongue just a few minutes ago. Africans have taught me a lot through the years. They pushed me to think differently and they challenged me to do more with less. We were in their land to introduce them to the teachings of Jesus, but often they reminded me of teachings of Jesus that I have not practiced as my own.

 Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" There's always room for more in my Father's house. Those are our marching orders as followers of Jesus.

Buddy

The Upper Volta Tennessee Hunger Project was the first of many state partnerships that focused on development and church planting through the Foreign Mission Board (now IMB). Cheryl and I were privileged to lead this project for nearly five years. During those years there were 700 volunteers who all came to serve for a minimum of 30 days. That was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding periods of our lives as we invested in the lives of these volunteers. At times they were a real pain, but it was such a joy to see their worldview changed through their encounters with village people.

There are so many stories that I could share as 55 of those volunteers went on to become long-term missionaries overseas. But, I want you know about my friend Buddy.

 Buddy was a former Marine who had never been married. He was a union welder and struggled with an alcohol problem until he met Jesus. At his church he heard about the request for a welder in Upper Volta. He did not even know where this country was, but he felt that God wanted him to go for a month to this far-away place and serve through his gift of welding.

 Buddy not only welded during his month in the bush of West Africa, but he began to teach some nationals how to weld. Everyone loved Buddy because of his congenial spirit and willingness to do anything to help anyone.

 We had ordered a well-drilling rig and were looking for the right person to lead this project. Buddy was the right person. He returned early the next year to work through the remainder of the dry season (October – May), and then he went back to Tennessee to weld for a few months and returned to Upper Volta to begin a new season of well-drilling with the national team that he had trained.

Buddy continued this pattern of working in West Africa—as an unpaid volunteer—for nine months and going back to Tennessee for three months to weld to pay for the basics of keeping a home in eastern Tennessee. He became a part of our mission family over the next several year.  Our family fell in love with Buddy and our children grew up calling him Uncle Buddy.

Buddy is a quiet man who speaks little unless addressed. He is witty and loves a good laugh. He effortlessly draws people to him because of his gentle demeanor and easygoing spirit. Buddy is one of those friends who would literally give his right arm to help me if he knew I needed his help.

 On Buddy’s 50^th birthday, I was his best man in his wedding. Buddy and his family live in east Tennessee where Buddy raises cattle and stays busy with his wife and son—and he is still engaged in overseas mission projects.

 Buddy is a Proverbs 18:24 type of friend. I am thankful that Buddy has been a part of my life. The world would be a much better place if there were more  Buddys.

Face Time

I have been participating in The Global Leadership Summit at Willow Creek in Chicago. 
Last night at a pre-conference dinner, the program was primarily on Willow Creek's international leadership development work. With the exception of Bill Hybels, the speakers were all from other countries except one. This gentleman is a business analyst of some renown who is frequently on the major news network making financial projections. I wish I could report a good economic forecast, but at least he predicted a 1-3% growth for the coming year--maybe that is good after all!

Nevertheless, the best part of his speech was when Bill asked him to share something about his walk with Jesus. His whole demeanor changed from exuding self-confidence to a more humble spirit as he shared a discovery that he made recently. In May he lost his job with a leading finance company, and he hit the bottom. He was so focused on making money and being successful that he forgot about the most important things in life--relationships.

WinShape International teaches the business principles of Chick-fil-A to audiences around the world and one thing is consistent. The fourth principle in the acronym SERVE is the hardest for our audiences in any country to capture in their hearts. That principle is "Value Results and Relationships." Every business person values results because at the end of the day it is about results in your business. If you don't make enough money to pay the bills, then your business has a very limited life expectancy.

The key work in that principle is "and." It is about results AND relationships. I have been leading groups to teach this principle for years, and I still have to work hard every day to remind myself of the importance of relationships. Those of us who are results-oriented have to be slapped on the head from time to time to practice the art of valuing relationships.

I just pray that the generation coming after mine isn't so involved in social media and whatever impersonal mode of relating to one another that comes along to remember that the best way of relating to people is to spend time with them. Technology helps us maintain friendships but nothing replaces face time for building friendships--and that is not face time on the smart phone either!!

Jonah

One of the greatest evangelistic messages in the Bible is the book of Jonah.

Most of the book of Jonah is about how much difficulty God had in getting His godly messenger Jonah to go the people of Nineveh. Jonah tried to run away from the presence of God. God brought a great wind and there was a great storm. The men on the boat decided that Jonah’s running away from his god was causing his god to make the great storm, so they threw him overboard.
The great fish swallowed Jonah and he was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. Jonah prayed to God from the belly of the fish and God listened to Jonah and caused the fish to spit Jonah out of his belly.

God charged Jonah again to go Nineveh, and this time Jonah went. His message was simple: “In forty days Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Bible gives us no indication that the people of Nineveh rejected Jonah in any way or questioned his message. Why? God was already working in the hearts of the people of Nineveh convicting them of their sin and their need for repentance. Once God finally got Jonah to Nineveh, his work was very easy. The interesting part of this story is that God had more trouble getting godly Jonah to go than he did convicting the sinful hearts of the people of Nineveh.

This is true today in our lives. God is working in the hearts and lives of many people with whom we will have contact today and tomorrow. He convicts them of their sin; He makes them have special feelings in their hearts for wanting to know more about a right relationship with God; He prepares them for a messenger to come to them to help them. God is in the business of preparing people to receive His message, and He is in the business of calling out the messengers—but He sometimes has more trouble getting us to go than He does in convicting the hearts of the lost. 

God has ordained His Kingdom in such a way that human instrumentality is indispensable—God uses people to reach people. He doesn’t need us, but He has chosen to use us to carry His message to all those who have never heard of the Good News of Jesus. How much trouble is God having with you?