Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” 

—Isaiah 49:15

What the Bible is saying in this passage is: that while a mother can forget the love she has for her child, God never will. The design of this passage is apparent. It is to show that the love which God has for his people is stronger than that which is produced by the most tender ties created by any natural relation. The love of a mother for her infant child is one of the strongest attachments in nature. The question here implies that it was unusual for a mother to be unmindful of that tie and to forsake the child that she should nourish and love. With that being said, in the passage above, Isaiah was asking a theoretical question when he said, “Can a woman forget her nursing child?” This passage praises mothers as symbols of amazing compassion, never forgetting their beloved children.

Mothers are not perfect. Mine sure isn’t. Every mother is flawed, just as we are all flawed. However, no matter how flawed we may be, God’s love for us is unchanging and unchangeable. He gives us generous grace and great compassion for all time and throughout eternity. While my mother and I may have our disagreements, we have a strong bond, though not nearly as strong as it once was. While it is not as strong as it was before I came out, it is still there. She is my comfort, even when she is not comforting. That may sound odd, but when I was young, my mother often sang to us. Sometimes it was silly little songs like “Fishy in a Bowl,” “Do Lord,” or “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby,” though she had her own versions of each one. However, the one I remember most is “You Are My Sunshine.” Even today, when I am sad and lonely or having anxiety or even a full-on panic attack, I can remember my mother singing ‘You Are My Sunshine,” and I am comforted. Part of it has to do with the rhythm of the song helping to slow my rapidly beating heart, but it’s also because I remember the good times when my mother would sing this to me. 

As she has gotten older, she tends to focus more on herself, and her doctor believes she is either in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia. Because I don’t have daily contact with her like the rest of my family, I think I am able to recognize the signs easier than they can. Sometimes, she can be a caring woman; she just shows it a little differently these days. It’s hard to find a Mother’s Day card for my mother. They all say things like: 

• You’ve always been there for me.
• Mothers like you are what makes families special.
• World’s Greatest Mom!
• The world is a better place because of you. (Well, that one may be true because she brought me into this world, and I hope I make it a slightly better place.)

Anyway, my point is that I don’t want to send a card that is completely insincere and disingenuous, so I search for the most generic one I can find that says, “Happy Mother’s Day.”

I want to leave you with a different verse because while we may see things very differently, my mother does still love me. I firmly believe that she always will. She can’t help but love me. (Who couldn’t? I’m quite loveable. LOL)

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

—1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

— Romans 12:12

In tough and uncertain times, it can be difficult to look beyond what’s currently happening in our lives and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether we’re going through a big life change, a hard time with our family, or personal health concerns, an optimistic frame of mind can help us see a difficult challenge as an opportunity for gratitude. When you’re feeling low, try to find the silver linings in your hardships. 

People can survive with minimal amounts of food, water, shelter, clothing, transportation, and even affection. For example, take a look at the Digambara of Jainism. They are male ascetics who relinquish all property and wear no clothes. They are extreme in their belief in non-violence, even brushing away the path in front of them so as not to step on and possibly kill a living creature. They drink water from a gourd, beg for only a handful of food, and eat only once a day. However, if they hear a cry for help, animal or human, they forgo their food for the day and try to help whoever is in need. What drives them is the hope that their devotion to asceticism will allow them to achieve moksha, a spiritual release that ends the cycle of reincarnation, and the liberated pure soul goes up to the summit of the universe and dwells there in eternal bliss.

The idea of moksha is similar to our idea of heaven. We hope that we live our lives in such a way that God’s love will envelop our souls after death, and He will welcome us in heaven, where our souls will dwell in eternal bliss. Have you ever wondered what hope truly is? It is a difficult term to define because it is more than just wishful thinking, though that is how we often use it. It goes deeper than that. Even dictionary definitions show that hope should be more substantial than mere wishful thinking. One dictionary defines it as “a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.” Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

One scholar said that for those who do not know Jesus, hope is a verb. But for the Christians, hope is also a noun. This is an important distinction. Hope is not simply something we do with teeth gritted and fingers crossed. Hope—joyful expectation—is something we have. We possess hope because we know the God who is the source of and the reason for our hope. True hope is not simply the equivalent of “hoping” everything will turn out for the best. True hope is dynamic and powerful because it considers the circumstances of life realistically—and then confidently rest in the promises and character of God. 

Hope gives us life. The fictional author Pittacus Lore wrote, “When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope.” Can we survive without hope? I think the answer to that question is that we cannot survive physically or spiritually without hope. Physically, if we abandon hope, we would give up our minds and bodies, and life would no longer be important to us. Spiritually, hope is the essence of the Christian faith. We hope to go to heaven one day, we hope that God hears and answers our prayers, and we hope that our labor isn’t in vain. Proverbs 23:18 advises us, “There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Hope can be an expectation and anticipation that rests on what we believe. This means that for Christians, hope can be as strong as what we have learned about God’s goodness and faithfulness. Romans 15:13 says, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” In a way, as long as we have hope, we have the Holy Spirit within us. Lamentations 3:20-24 says, “My soul still remembers and sinks within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” 

As the flowers start to bloom, the leaves begin to bud in the trees, and the sun stays out a little longer, we’re reminded that spring is the ultimate time of renewal when we can take the time to reset ourselves and spiritually prepare ourselves for the year ahead.  As the poem An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope says, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.” Over a hundred times, the Bible mentions hope. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall soar on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” We should follow the example of the American historical novelist Sharon Kay Penman who wrote, “I inhale hope with every breath I take.”

For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

Job 19:25

Yesterday, I opened up the Bible Gateway website to see what the verse of the day was in hopes that it would give me some inspiration for today’s post. The verse was Job 19:25. When I read, “For I know that my Redeemer lives,” I thought of the song we used to sing in church, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” I always liked this song. When I was the song leader, it would often be my closing hymn, and we’d just sing the first verse and the chorus. 

I Know That My Redeemer Lives
By Fred A. Fillmore

🎶🎶🎶

I know (I know) that my Redeemer lives,
and ever prays (and ever prays) for me;
I know (I know) eternal life He gives,
from sin and sorrow free.

🎶🎶🎶

Chorus
I know, I know that my Redeemer lives,
I know, I know eternal life He gives;
I know, I know that my Redeemer lives.

🎶🎶🎶

He wills (He wills) that I should holy be,
in word, in tho’t
(in word, in tho’t) and deed;
Then I (then I) His holy face may see,
when from this earth-life freed.

🎶🎶🎶

I know (I know) that unto sinful men
His saving grace
(His saving grace) is nigh;
I know (I know) that He will come again
to take me home on high.

🎶🎶🎶

I know (I know) that over yonder stands
a place prepared
(a place prepared) for me;
A home, (a home,) a house not made with hands,
most wonderful to see.

🎶🎶🎶

Seeing Job 19:25, I wondered about the context of the verse that was the inspiration for this song. The verse ends in a semicolon, so there was more to it. So, let us put this verse into context. Job is an interesting character in the Bible. Often when we consider Job, we emphasize his suffering but remained certain of the Lord he served and the relationship he shared with Him. Job 19:25 seems to tell us how Job survived during this horrific trial in life. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth.” His knowledge of the Lord should serve as a reminder to every believer, bringing hope even in the midst of our greatest trials.

In context, the verse is part of a lament that everyone Job knows has turned against him. He says in Job 19:25-27:

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Job had a personal relationship with God. He walked with the Lord; he honored and served Him daily. Job had lost much that pertained to this physical life, but he had not lost his relationship with God. As I’ve studied this passage, I have come to a realization that not only did Job know the Redeemer, the Redeemer knew him. Job knew one thing for certain—his Redeemer lived. His hope was not in an idol made of men’s hands, one which had no power. He did not worship a monument that lacked the ability to see, hear, or move in his situation. Job knew he served God, and God was aware of his situation.

When suffering and pain come our way, we can rest in the fact our Redeemer lives! He is alive and well today, able to provide for every need we face. Job knew the Redeemer would come. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth.” This reveals the perspective Job had in his trials. Life had been difficult; he had suffered and lost much, yet his hope and faith were to the time when the Lord would come in righteousness, restoring what was lost and bringing peace. Job revealed the assurance he had in the Lord.

This is the cornerstone upon which our faith in Christ is built – Redemption, Reconciliation, Restoration, and Resurrection. Job suffered much, and yet his faith was not destroyed. In the midst of his pain, he was comforted by knowing his Redeemer lived. We can also take comfort in knowing that our Redeemer lives. He is looking out for us. He will get us through any trials in life. Even if, unlike Job, our faith wavers, God will be there for us.

“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

—Isaiah 55:12

hat a wonderful image, especially as I sit here in the midst of the Green Mountains! I can almost hear the mountains singing to me. As it continues to warm up, I hope to do some hiking in those hills and let the beauty of nature sing to me. Maybe it’s just me, but I am reminded of  Julie Andrew’s voice when I read Isaiah 55:12. We probably all know the opening song to The Sound of Music:

The hills are alive
With the sound of music
With songs they have sung
For a thousand years
The hills fill my heart
With the sound of music

Spring is here, and the grass is turning green again. There is a renewal in the air. Whether it is the soft white stillness of newly fallen snow, the colors of the autumn leaves, or the bright sunshine of summer, each season has its beauty. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:28-29 to “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” 

Psalm 8:3-4 reminds us about God’s creation of this beautiful universe, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” The Bible says that natural beauty is a gift from God. He created everything in the universe, and His handiwork is perfect. When we look at nature, we can see the remnants of His power and glory. Psalm 19:1 tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the expanse of heaven shows His handiwork.” This means that even the stars and planets are declaring how amazing our Creator is! Nature truly is a remarkable thing. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, we are told, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” This suggests that when we see things like sunsets or waterfalls, we are getting a glimpse of something much bigger than ourselves.

There are many ways that Christians can cultivate the worship of God through nature. One way is to spend time outside in nature, soaking in the wonder of creation and letting it fill us with praise for our Creator. Another way is to find ways to connect what we see in nature with our faith journey, using it as a lens through which to see God more clearly. Additionally, we can use nature as a tool for teaching others about who God is and how much He loves us. Ultimately, whenever we interact with nature, we have an opportunity to draw closer to God and worship Him more fully.

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

– Hebrews 10:35-36

No person is one-dimensional. One way to look at it is that there are three views of every individual: the view that God has of us, the opinions that others hold concerning us, and the perception we have of ourselves. Each of these is quite important.

First, how does God see us? First Samuel 16:7 tells us that, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” In 1 Kings 8:39, Solomon tells us that God “alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.” Hannah, the mother of Samuel, acknowledged in the prayer she offers in 1 Samuel 2:3, “For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” Similarly, in John 2:25, Jesus affirmed that “He knew what was in man.”

If you consider Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is an exceptionally beautiful man, and an artist becomes infatuated by his beauty. Dorian begins to believe in a hedonistic worldview that beauty and sensual fulfillment are the only things worth pursuing in the life of others, and he expresses the desire to sell his soul to ensure that the picture, rather than he, will age and fade. It is through the portrait that Dorian can see the ugly results of his self-indulgent actions. The figure in the painting grows older and uglier as time goes by. Similarly, if some of the world’s “beautiful people” were turned inside out and revealed as God sees them, they might appear as grotesque as the painting of Dorian Gray.

It is not our outward looks that God judges us by, but our inner hearts. 

Second, how do others see us? The view others have of us is only relatively accurate. People may hold an opinion of us that is greatly exaggerated. Those who are in the public eye are idealized at times, even when they have done nothing to deserve it or have told people what they want to hear in order to get their approval. On the other hand, people who have the utmost character are sometimes slandered unjustly. Jesus did not deserve the hateful reproaches that were heaped upon him by the self-righteous religious leaders of the time. The apostle Paul lived as a Pharisee and participated in the persecution of early disciples of Jesus and suffered character assassinations for his actions before he became a believer in Christ. Then, he faced persecution from the Romans for being a follower of Jesus.

Sometimes, we don’t give a person a second chance because of how we have perceived them in the past, and sometimes, others don’t give us the second chance we deserve because of things in our past.

Finally, how do we see ourselves? We constantly appraise our own lives, and our perceptions of ourselves can become distorted. Our self-perception may be grossly inflated. Either we see ourselves as better than we are, or we do not have the self-esteem to have confidence in ourselves. That is why we are cautioned not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. Romans 12:3 tells us that a person should “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. Romans 11:20 warns us “not [to] be haughty,” and Romans 12:16 tells us not to “be wise in your own opinion,” but instead we should “associate with the humble.” Therefore, we can’t overvalue our self-worth if it is unwarranted.

It is important, though, that we have a healthy view of ourselves. In Matthew 22:39, Jesus commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” While this is the Golden Rule we should all live by, it also implies we need a concept of self-esteem to treat others in a way that we and all humans deserve. Sadly, we often harbor a low appreciation of ourselves—so much so that it hinders our effective service to God and torments our lives with much unhappiness. Self-confidence and self-esteem can make us better Christians because if we deserve that self-confidence and self-esteem, then we know we are serving God in the best ways we can.

My new favorite quote is by a fellow Alabamian, Zora Neale Hurston. She said, “Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.” We should live our lives in a way that we know we are worthy of God’s love, no matter what others may think of us.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”-and that he had said these things to her.

—John 20:1-18

Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Growing up, I was always taught that Easter was the most important celebration in all of Christianity. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the most important events and a foundation of the Christian faith. Whether Jesus rose from the dead is the most critical question regarding the Christian faith. The resurrection of Jesus was part of the plan of salvation and redemption by atonement for humankind’s sins.

For Jesus’ mother, his disciples, and his followers, Jesus’ death was a tragedy. When I think of the arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, I always think of how terrified his disciples must have been. Rome was the greatest authority in the known world for them, and Jesus had been arrested by the Temple guards of the Sanhedrin, the representatives of Imperial Rome’s authority in Judaea. They had to be asking themselves: Would they be next? Would they be tried and crucified? What would become of them? How could they go on without their leader and Savior?

Even though Jesus told them he would be resurrected, the disciples did not understand. In John 2:19, Jesus “said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’” The disciples thought he was speaking literally of the Temple, but John 2:21 tells us, “But He was speaking of the temple of His body.” Even if they believed that Jesus would rise from the dead, they thought he was speaking of living in eternity in Heaven with his Father or of a literal rebuilding of the Temple. It was not until they saw him in the flesh that they believed in a literal resurrection. So, the fear of his death was real. They were in a heightened state of fear during this time.

They felt that all their hopes were lost. We today can face the same feeling. Many times in life, with homophobic politicians, the increasing rise of anti-gay homophobic groups, laws, and censorship, and everything that is going on in the world — war, famine, disease, natural disasters, discrimination, and hate — there can be a loss of hope and faith. Yet the resurrection gives us hope that no matter what has happened in our lives, no matter how much faith and hope we have lost, we can experience hope, and we can overcome and regain whatever we have lost in our lives.

Our hope includes the knowledge that evil does not win. Sometimes today, it seems that the bad guy often wins. Sometimes it seems that the one who cheats, the one who lies, the one who steps on others to get ahead, is the one who prospers. Far too often, I read of this person cheating or that one (or catching a student cheating) or another kid, gay or otherwise, who has been bullied, lost hope, and committed suicide. How often do we read of politicians cheating or working to make sure their businesses get a good contract? It seems that there is no hope for the little guy, the one who lives right, to ever get ahead.

With a positive attitude that through God we can accomplish anything, we truly can make the world a better place. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus told his disciples, “With God all things are possible.” With the hope that springs eternal, just as the flowers in spring show the rebirth of the earth, we can be assured that God’s promises will deliver a better day, a rebirth for our faith. The promise that Jesus would rise from the grave on the third day is remembered every Easter Sunday; it is the greatest sacrifice God could give for our sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” When we are baptized, it is done in symbolic reverence as our old body dies in its watery grave to be reborn and rise from the dead as Christ did for our sins.

Spring is a time of rebirth and hope. The world is coming alive again after the cold desolation of winter. Many of the symbols of Easter are also of rebirth and hope. Happy Easter, and hang in there. Just as the disciples had their darkest days between the death of Christ and his resurrection, the world often goes through periods of dark times, but good will prevail.

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”

— John 12:12-13

Today, Christians throughout the world will celebrate what many consider our holiest week of the year on what is popularly known as Palm Sunday. It commemorates one of the few events in the life of Jesus recorded in all four gospel stories: his entry into Jerusalem, followed by a raucous and warm welcome and a lot of waving branches. (Only John 12:13 mentions they were palms.) In Israel today, churches still reenact the journey from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem—the route supposedly taken by Jesus all those centuries ago.

As I study this story in Scripture, I’m struck by the fact that the primary symbol for this day—a palm—was not chosen by Jesus. John writes, “took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”” (John 12:13). Why did the crowd choose palm branches? It could simply have been that palms were nearby. But history tells us there might have been a deeper reason: Those plants were symbolically linked to military victories and the Messiah.

First Maccabees, a book not included in Protestant Bibles, is the most extensive source of information on events in Judea from 175 to 135, and a generation before Jesus, when Simon Maccabee drove Israel’s enemies out of Jerusalem, people celebrated by waving palm branches:

On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred seventy-first year, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel. (1 Maccabees 13:51)

Jews during this period connected palm branches to the expectation of the Messiah. So when Jesus entered Jerusalem, people used them to interpret his identity. He was another Simon Maccabee—a long-hoped-for king who would drive out the Gentiles.

All the Gospels are clear that Jesus chose a symbol, a way for his people to make sense of his kingship. But it was the young donkey, not the palm branch (John 12:14). John rightly sees the donkey as Jesus intended. It was the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, which says, ““Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus picked a symbol that emphasized humility and lowliness instead of military strength. That fact should inform how we celebrate and remember his entry into Jerusalem. Of course, it would be impractical for every church across the globe to find a donkey to drag into and out of its sanctuary. But we can spend Palm Sunday reflecting on what it means to follow a king who rejected the way of violence.

As we look to the donkey, not the palm, what practices might it inspire? What aspects of American Christian culture might it critique?

For some, their expressions of Christianity are too confident in our own judgment of others. They’re convinced that they are right and their enemies are not just wrong but evil. They profess that Jesus must hate the same things they hate when often they are putting words in Jesus’s mouth that was never recorded as him speaking. Jesus did not (nor could he have foreseen) that some Christians would attempt to establish their rule by distorting the words of Jesus, one angry tweet and fiery comment at a time. And so on Palm Sunday, they pick up their palm branches and raise their shouts in support of the Jesus they’ve created in their minds, not the crucified Messiah—whose rule is rooted and grounded in love. He has become a rallying cry for their agenda, not His.

As Russell Moore writes, “Jesus is right in saying this sort of hatred and violence never leads where we think it will—to a vanquishing of all of our enemies and to a victory for ‘us,’ whoever ‘us’ is.” We have forgotten that the world is both the object of God’s affection and a place in rebellion against its creator. Christian faithfulness involves holding these things in tension. Many Christians have granted so many exceptions to the love command that it’s almost empty of meaning. They have hoarded God’s grace for themselves while refusing to offer it to others. They shout about Jesus but do not pay attention to His own words and actions.

Jesus’s claim to be the Messiah was not simply about a goal—God’s rule over all things. He and the crowd agreed on that point. His earthly life and ministry were also about the means of accomplishing that goal: namely, sacrificial love. Jesus gave us not only the gift of forgiveness, flowing through his Passion and resurrection, but also a way to follow. Too many Christians, in their desire to defeat who they see as enemies, have lost Christian virtues—the fruit of the Spirit.

As these same people who called themselves Christian strive to establish God’s rule through self-assertion over neighborly care, pragmatism over principle, and malice over love, then whatever else they think they accomplish, they are not following in the way Jesus taught. God chose meekness, integrity, and love to gather his people. That is the message of Palm Sunday. For all the shouts of acclamation, Jesus never lost sight of the cross. This Holy Week and all the weeks of the year, let’s follow Jesus, who sat atop a donkey so that He can remind us again how to best follow his example.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

—Romans 12:3

Probably no part of our inner life is more fragile and important than our self-concept. Parents must wisely help children develop a healthy concept of self. With the laws being passed to deny transgender children the healthcare they need and deserve, it is more important than ever that parents encourage their children to develop a healthy concept of who they are. All of us, in all stages of life, are shaped by our self-concept more than we often realize.

In the verse above, Paul cautions us, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” It’s easy for us to think highly of ourselves—or at least to sound as if we do. We can express pride so easily. It seems to me that there are also many times when we think too lowly of ourselves. I know I am guilty of this more so than thinking too highly of myself. A lack of self-esteem is a struggle for many of us. We remember so well what we can’t do or what we haven’t done well. We quickly look at others as they have superior abilities and feel inadequate.

It’s more than self-esteem, though. It is harder for children and young adults to have self-esteem and accept themselves if they are not encouraged by parents, teachers, and others who are crucial in forming their identity. It takes a leap of faith to accept ourselves, especially those who are LGBTQ+. Brian G. Murphy of Queer Theology wrote, “When LGBT people come out, we step into the unknown. For many, it is a daring (and sometimes dangerous) act of faith.” If those who are important to us reject us, it diminishes our faith. It causes us to question our relationship with God, and that rejection can have devastating consequences. That is why it is so important that parents and mentors support children and young adults, especially those of the LGBTQ+ community.

We have to be comfortable in our own skin and have self-esteem before we can grow into the person God wants us to be. The author Thomas F. Shubnell wrote, “You will never be who you want to be, until you are happy with who you are.” I have long felt that much of my life was wasted because I was not encouraged to be myself. I was made to be ashamed of being a gay man. It has taken many years to come to terms with my sexuality and faith. I was taught that the two were incompatible, but they are more than compatible; my sexuality and faith are part of who I am. We can’t let shame keep us from being ourselves. The American playwright Edward Albee said, “What could be worse than getting to the end of your life and realizing you hadn’t lived it.”

Accept yourself! Believe in yourself! Enjoy your life! Be you!

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” 

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

—Matthew 25:35-40

I saw the following story on Facebook, which probably means there is no truth to it, but it is a good story with a worthy message.

A pastor transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the church, where he was to be introduced as the head pastor that morning. He walked around his soon-to-be church for thirty minutes while it was filling with people for service. Only three people said hello to him; most looked the other way. He asked people for change to buy food because he was hungry. Not one person gave him anything. 

He went into the sanctuary to sit in the front of the church and was told by the ushers that he would need to get up and sit in the back of the church. He said hello to people as they walked in but was greeted with cold stares and dirty looks from people looking down on him and judging him. He sat in the back of the church and listened to the church announcements for the week. He listened as new visitors were welcomed into the church that morning, but no one acknowledged that he was new. He watched people around him continue to look his way with stares that said you are not welcome here. 

Then the church elders went to the podium to make the announcement. They said they were excited to introduce the church’s new pastor to the congregation. The congregation stood up and looked around, clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. That’s when all the clapping stopped, and the church was silent. With all eyes on him, he walked to the altar and reached for the microphone. He stood there momentarily and then recited these verses from the Bible so elegantly.

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” 

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

After he recited this, he introduced himself as their new pastor and told the congregation what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and bow their heads in shame. “Today I see a gathering of people here but I do not see a church of Jesus. The world has enough people that look the other way. What the world needs is disciples of Jesus that can follow His teachings and live as He did.” He then dismissed service until the following Sunday as his sermon had been given.

While I doubt this happened, I can believe the parishioners would have been crying crocodile tears. Many modern-day Christians do one of two things when they are confronted with their hypocrisy. They either shed crocodile tears and act sorrowful for their shameful behavior while they would do the same thing the next day, or they double down on their hypocrisy and claim they are right and others are wrong.

Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones, but she said none of those things. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thigh bone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, you die if you break your leg. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. Mead explained that a broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, bound up the wound, carried the person to safety, and tended to the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts.

 The moral of these two stories is simple: We are at our best when we serve others. Be civilized and help your fellow man whenever you can.

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

—Revelation 3:5

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

—1 Thessalonians 4:16

When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder
Author: James M. Black (1893)

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of his resurrection share;
When his chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun;
Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care.
Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]

Written by James Milton Black, “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” has always been one of my favorite songs, and back years ago, when I was the song leader in my childhood church, I used to sing this song frequently. It is about not missing out on the eternal salvation of God inspired by the idea of The Book of Life mentioned in the Bible.

Born in 1856 in South Hill, New York, James Milton Black acquired an early musical education in singing and playing the organ. In his early twenties, Black moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he worked with the Methodist Episcopal church. During the week, he would teach music as a song leader while working as a Sunday school teacher and youth leader in his free time. In addition to all this work, he also spent time editing hymnals.

Black loved young people and would help those he could. One day, while passing through an alley, he met a ragged fourteen-year-old girl whose father was an alcoholic. Black invited her to his Sunday school and youth group, and she started to attend. However, one day when Black was making the roll call, he did not hear a response from the teenage girl. Each child was supposed to recite a Scripture verse when his or her name was called. But it was her silence that made Black realize a lesson. He said, “I spoke of what a sad thing it would be when our names are called from the Lamb’s Book of Life if one of us should be absent.” 

The idea of someone not being in attendance in heaven haunted Black, and he visited the child’s home. He found out she had pneumonia, so he called on a doctor to attend to her for pneumonia before leaving the girl to return home. When he arrived home, Black tried to look for a song that would fit the thought of a heavenly roll call, but he could not find one. An inner voice seemed to tell him, “Why don’t you write one.” And that is just what he did. Sadly, the young girl passed away a few days later. Black had the heartbreaking opportunity to explain in public how he came to write “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” when it was sung at the girl’s funeral.

The first stanza of the new hymn came to Black’s mind in full. Within fifteen minutes, the two following verses were already written down, and then Black turned to the piano. “I played the music,” he said, “just as it is found today in the hymn books, note for note, and I have never dared to change a single word or note of the song.” The lyrics of the song were first published in a collection called Songs of the Soul. Since then, “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” has been translated into at least fourteen languages and sung worldwide in various Christian denominations. There are more than 500 versions available on such sites as Amazon, recorded by various artists such as Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Jim Nabors, and Willie Nelson, to the traditional tune. 

In 1945, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill created a stir in the British press when he quoted the hymn in response to a question about when the Big Three (Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill) were going to meet; the Winnipeg Free Press wrote: “Mr. Churchill, in one of his somewhat puckish moods, replied that he did not know, but, he added irreverently, ‘When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.'” The British press expressed surprise at Churchill, an Anglican, being familiar with a hymn more associated with Methodism, Presbyterianism, and other “chapel” denominations or the revival meetings, whereas the Free Press speculated that Churchill might well have heard the “catchy” tune in the street meetings held by the Salvation Army. He might also have remembered the lyrics from the 1941 movie Sergeant York.