Katrina's Aftermath

DateLine (8/30/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

I know that you’ve probably seen the coverage of the devastating storm Katrina that hit the Gulf coast states of Mississippi, New Orleans, and Alabama. My heart goes out to the many people who have been affected by this storm. The level of destruction is unimaginable. To complicate matters the city of New Orleans appears to have slid into a state of lawlessness as looters help themselves to abandoned stores having lost all respect for the law and are using the excuse for the primal requirements for food and water as a reason for stealing clothes, appliances, and guns. Law enforcement personnel have had to abandon search and rescue missions in order to re-establish law and order

I’ve watched story after story on the TV of victims who survived the storm and either witnessed their loved ones perish or simply have no idea where they are. Here we are three days after the storm and authorities have yet to get their arms around realistic casualty rates, aid in the form of food, water, and medicine have not yet arrived, and any sense of normalcy is spoken of in terms of months. Some officials are not being overly dramatic and they are beginning to characterize this event as the greatest natural disaster to ever hit the United States.

How should a Christian respond? Where do we start? I happened to Google the following words “Southern Baptist disaster relief” and I was so pleased to find that Southern Baptist are already in high gear in relief work for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

In the process I learned that Southern Baptists are the nation’s third largest relief agency. Response to Hurricane Katrina will be the largest ever for Southern Baptists with more than 1,000 volunteers and 100 mobile Disaster Relief units activated to hurricane and tornado ravaged regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. For additional information about what’s being done and details about how you can contribute, please go to www.namb.net/dr. I know that you’ll be moved to join with fellow Southern Baptists as we are motivated by the love of Jesus Christ to meet the critical needs of Katrina’s victims.

Qualifcations

DateLine (8/24/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

A few weeks ago while preparing for a Lead Like Jesus Sunday School study I ran across one of the most propound questions that I have ever encountered regarding the Christian Life; name one person that Jesus called who was qualified. As soon as I read the statement the answer hit me as if I had been struck by a Mack truck; no one. This statement was not intended to discourage or dissuade anyone from throwing themselves headlong into Christian service; it was a mere statement of fact. There is not a single ability or accomplishment that makes a person suitable for a particular position or task in God’s kingdom.

Some men in a state of ignorance have argued that they merit a position of prominence in God’s Kingdom. Several of Jesus’ own disciples were guilty of this. God’s nature and the nature of His business are such that there is not a miniscule portion of our miserable wretched lives that is of use to Him, unless God Himself takes us into His custody. Some men when faced with the appeal of God to do His work have immediately felt totally and utterly inadequate for the task; Moses fit this category. In fact neither response is justified.

The human soul yearns for significance. As one grows older this thirst becomes more pronounced. The fear of inability weighs on the mind. God expects all of us to find a place of contribution. So wherein lays the solution to this riddle?

Here’s the good news, the material went on to make the statement that, “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” The truth is that we are an integral part of God’s business. We’re fully entrusted to accomplish significant things on His behalf. Our qualification is inherited from Him when we enter into His family. God couples this inheritance with gifts of ability to equip us for conduct of His business. Our proper response is to be thankful for the privilege and submissive to the request.

The deep seated joy that flows from the knowledge of a life well invested is unspeakable. I can think of no greater privilege than to realize in my advancing years that every ounce of my youthful energy had been sacrificed on the altar of Christian service. What has God entrusted you to do today? You are not worthy, but you are qualified!

The Greatest Resource

DateLine (8/17/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

Historians tell us that the North American continent that greeted the European explorers in the 15th century was rich with unimaginable natural resources. The early settlers exploited these resources to build the United States and Canada into the strong and prosperous nations that we know today.

Even in today’s world prosperity is often measured by the availability of natural resources and sometimes world conflict is sparked by struggle over the control of the much desired commodities. Cases in point are the vast oil reserves in the Middle East which has produced enormous wealth and tensions for the oil producing countries of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the numerous other oil rich states of the region.

Demographers tell us that it is not the depletion of natural resources that are beginning to spell the doom of several great regions of the world but the decline of perhaps the greatest resource; people. The populations of Europe and Russia are trending toward a zero population growth or actually shrinking in the near future. Unfolding before our very eyes is the loss of power and world influence because of declining birth rates and populations. Low birth rates have been attributed to modern contraceptives and increasing abortion rates. In the case of Russia, human maladies such as alcoholism and the HIV virus are decimating the adult population.

We are not exempt in the United States from these trends. Experts tell us that if it were not for our openness to immigrants we would be experiencing some of the same trends. Our own future may be more influenced by immigrant populations than native born Americans.

What’s the lesson for us? Humans are God’s crowning creation. Greatness of a nation is defined by the abundance and diversities of its peoples. Influence on the world stage is more attributable to the contributions of people than the latent value of mere woodlands and ores and oils. God created man in His own image. God was greatly disappointed in choices made by the first man and woman and He continues to be disappointed in the choices made by contemporary man, but God did not give up on us and He has made a provision for us to be reconciled to Him. God’s great love for us is one of the reasons that He is deserving of our worship. We were made to worship God and we find our greatest fulfillment in life worshipping Him. Our job is to tell this good news to as many of our neighbors as we possibly can. God has entrusted this great task to His “greatest resource;” that’s you and me.

A Virtuous Woman

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Rodney Neal & Harriett Baker – August 16, 1975 – 30 years.

Taken from Proverbs 31:10-31. Sorry guys for making it personal this week but after 30 years with me Harriett deserves a tribute.

Techno Babble

DateLine (8/3/05 – San Juan, Puerto Rico)

I have been immersed in the technical world of computers just about my entire professional career; going on 28 years now. While it has been interesting being in on the early days of the development and application of computers in manufacturing I’ll have to admit that often I’m exasperated by the lapse of my peers into their own efficient speaking patterns built around three letter acronyms and techno babble.

Most other professions have their own version of techno babble. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, pharmacists, theologians, and carpenters all have this highly specialized shorthand language that is used when conversing with their peers that immediately identifies them as members of the “fraternity,” is highly efficient if you know the dialect, and tends to prevent the uninitiated from intruding into their vocational culture.

I am afraid that Christians are no different. Over the centuries we have insulated ourselves from the unbeliever by Christian speak; terms that we throw around when engaging each other in speech. A lot of our language has become so second nature to us we probably do not even realize that it sounds much like my characterization of techno babble that I referenced earlier.

The last few years the Lord has opened some doors to me that have sensitized me to both vocational and religious techno babble. I have had the opportunity to travel and work in several cultures much different than my own comfortable surroundings in Green Pond, South Carolina.
When communicating in these different culture settings I have found that I have to make my language very simple. I have been amazed at how many idioms and phrases that I use routinely in South Carolina that produces blank stares in New England, San Francisco, or Puerto Rico.

God has used these experiences to drive the point home to me that in order to engage the culture in the places where our work and leisure takes us we must simplify and personalize. We must drop some of our “comfortable” language that we use on Sunday morning and talk about our personal relationship with God in straightforward language; culturally sensitive language without doctrinal compromise. Nothing is more powerful than the plain spoken story of a vibrant relationship with God. Try cleaning up your language in the marketplace where you live.