Sometimes the theme song behind my prayer time sounds more like “Is That All There Is?” rather than “I Surrender All.” Not only do I fail to enter the throne room, I’m not even knock, knock knockin’ on Heaven’s door.

That’s what my prayers are sometimes like. Actually, more than sometimes.  Oh, I start out fine, all right, thanking God that I’m awake/breathing, that I’m in a warm, comfortable bed, and yes, even that my husband is snoring beside me.  And for just a few moments I’m doing fine. Just my Heavenly Father and me.  Sharing the love. AAAAHHHHHH.

But then the inevitable happens. My mind sinks from the eternal heights and wanders off to la-la-land. From wondering what will happen if I get tongue-tied in my upcoming talk to organizing appetizers for tonight’s dinner party to reliving the time in 8^th grade when I didn’t make cheerleader, I hip-hop through a gamut of nonproductive brain-traps.  Once I realize what I’ve done, I spend the next few minutes apologizing to God and attempting to get my mind on a more spiritual track…until I remember the trash bill I forgot to pay and the article I need to write.

Can you imagine going out to lunch with your best friend and spending the entire time spewing every random, helter-skelter thought that popped into your head? “Hi, Sue. Saw a red bird on my drive here—so pretty.  How about those Chiefs?  I hear we’re getting a new barbecue restaurant.  I love barbecue.  Hope we get some rain.  Wish I could get rid of these wrinkles.  Do you like horses like I do?  Oh yea, here are some things I need you to do for me.”

Chances are, that would be a short-lived friendship.  So why do I do that with God?

Why is it I give Him second-best (if even that)?  The One who loves me unconditionally, the One who yearns for a relationship with me, and I can’t find time for Him?  My Father “surrendered all” in His son; what keeps me from understanding “that IS all there is” when it comes to establishing my daily/weekly/monthly/yearly/life priorities?

On Instagram this week, I read this: “You can’t be 98% for God and 2% with the world.  Jesus didn’t die for 98% of you.  He died for 100% of you.  That 2% will eat away at you.  It’s a cold world.  100% with God is better.  Trust me.  He won’t fail you.”  Can you imagine what surrendering all would look like?  (Can you imagine what surrendering 98% would look like?)  But 100%?

To have every thought, word and deed honor God?  How I dress.  What I eat.  Whom I hang with.  Where I go.  How I spend my time. How I love.  Absolutely everything that makes me who I am.

Someone once asked, “Would you be willing to die for Christ?”  “Of course,” was the answer.  But the real question is this: “Would you be willing to live for him?”

Because that’s what surrender is all about.

Keys to the Kingdom by Carolyn Tucker

Around 1971, the Mt. Zion Bible School choir from Ava, MO, came to my church at  Stockton and presented an enthralling concert. The piano and organ were masterfully  played by two students and the musical talents of the chorale had my steadfast attention. I was completely taken by a song I’d never heard before and I don’t believe I’ve heard it since. Some of the lyrics in the refrain was, “He’s my Rock my Sword my Shield, He’s my wheel in the middle of the wheel.” My heart grabbed that song and it’s still in there!

While reading through the Old Testament recently, I felt a strong prompting to study Ezekiel and his God-given vision of the wheels. During this time, I purchased a large round decorative piece of aluminum which reminded me of Ezekiel‘s wheels. I attached the circular décor to my east fence where I can see it from my front porch.

Ezekiel was about 30 years old when God commissioned him as a prophet and watchman and gave him a bizarre vision of the glory of God. He was beside the Kebar River and the heavens opened and he saw visions of God and felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him. “From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human, except that each had four faces and four wings. Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back. They went in whatever direction the spirit chose, and they moved straight forward in any direction without turning around. As I looked at these beings, I saw four wheels touching the ground beside them, one wheel belonging to each. …each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it. The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around. When the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. The spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. So wherever the spirit went, the wheels and the living beings also went“ (Ezekiel 1:5,6,10,12,15,16,18-20 NLT).

Bible scholars believe the wheels display the omnipotence and omnipresence of God. The explanation of the four faces are as follows: Man is considered the king of the earth and has dominance over the animals and rules the earth. The lion is considered the king of the jungle and represents strength, fierceness, and commands respect. The ox symbolizes strength, honesty, and hard work. The eagle is the king of the air, has an all-seeing eye, and represents victory, speed, royalty, release from bondage, longevity, inspiration, and power. The eyes around the wheel portray an all-knowing God who sees the good and the bad no matter which way humans turn. Ezekiel’s wheels are said to be a symbol of moving forward with the presence of God. As we study Ezekiel’s calling and visions, we can think about the Spirit of God resting on him while moving him forward into the prophetic ministry. May our eyes be opened to the unique ways God still works today.

The amount of time it takes believers to move up spiritually depends on how long we spin our wheels trying to make things happen on our own. When the hand of the Lord takes hold of us, we must be willing and ready to move forward with Him. As we worship and respond in obedience to the moving of the Spirit, heavenly things can be released upon us that we couldn’t have made happen ourselves. Let’s intently ask and expect God to move in our lives daily.

The Key: Allow the Holy Spirit to move you forward in your life and calling.

Ever feel like you’re missing out?  You see the commercial with the snow-capped mountains in the background, the horse-drawn carriage pulling up to the home of the loving family offering toasts beside the wood-burning fireplace, and you sigh.  That’s certainly not your life. The view from your window is the wintry blast that’s left your roads ice-covered and a front porch too slick to shovel.  Your kids are cranky from being couped up inside and are griping about the Kraft Mac and Cheese you’ve given them for the fourth straight night.

How is it that some people’s lives represent Hallmark moments, and others…well, don’t?  Right now, I’m looking out at the beach, listening to the waves crash against our sea wall.  Most people are lounging at the pool or ordering food from our Palapa restaurant.  I, on the other hand, am bundled in blankets, trying to fend off some nasty flu/cold, trying to stop coughing so I can attend a huge meeting tomorrow where I will resign after serving seven years on the Board.  A meeting where I will serve as Parliamentarian because Carol, who always officiates at this bilingual, annual meeting, can’t be here.  Instead, she’s at her home in Aspen, Colorado, no doubt making those Hallmark moments come alive.

If Carol is a 100 in her knowledge of Roberts’ Rules of Order, I am a four.  Last year, when someone tabled a motion and it was opened for discussion, it was Carol who announced that there would be no discussion, only a vote.  I didn’t know that.  Only because I sort of understand the amendment process am I this year considered “qualified.”

So tomorrow, when someone tables a motion and another person stands to discuss it and I say he/she can’t and that individual argues, I will melt. Sort of like the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.  “Why can’t we discuss it?” someone will scream.  And I will melt. “I don’t know,” I will answer.  “Ask Carol.  Carol who’s not here because she’s sitting beside her wood-burning fire, looking at the snow-covered mountains outside her window.”

Two days later: No one at the meeting called for my head, probably because I texted Carol for help when I foresaw a need arising.  (I now accept this is as one more talent I do not have.)  All I know is this: I am officially off the Board.  Such relief. So why, in the middle of the night, did I break out in hives?  Literally.

Not exactly a Hallmark moment.  I am miserable.

Little did I know how bad “miserable” could look.  Within a day, I would end up in the hospital here in Mexico, covered in welts that gave me an empathetic feel for what Job went through in the Bible. “Be careful what you complain about,” my mother used to say, “because it can always be worse.”  She was right.

What I did find over the past six days in the hospital is how much I relied on my praying friends who daily sent encouragement, scriptures and sweet messages of comfort to let me know that God would carry me through this ordeal.  Some offered medical advice while others shared that they were spending time on their knees for me. It couldn’t get any better!  And then today, in an Instagram post, I read this: “The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”   God had it all under control, even if I didn’t.

And suddenly, I realized I didn’t have it so bad after all.

Dave and I, currently living in Mexico, hosted a Super Bowl party for Americans whose teams had been eliminated, leading up to the contest between the K.C. Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.          The hype surrounding this event, not just for the game but for the commercials and halftime entertainment, left many anticipating great things.

Perhaps it’s that we are old, but we were disappointed. Some ads asked us to “scan the code” that appeared on the screen.  We had no idea what (if anything) we were buying.  Others were classic non-sequiturs; did Hellman’s mayonnaise really want us to eat the people lounging in the refrigerator?

Advertisers spent $7 million for each 30 second commercial.  Today, I ran into a viewer who made this comment: “Apparently, all that money went into hiring name actors and not into paying writers to come up with anything creative.” David Warschawski from the “Baltimore Business Journal,” agrees: “So many brands are relying on celebrity cache to try and make an impression and win new customers, but that is far from enough. Getting laughs or being silly or simply inserting a celebrity does not a great ad make.”

Please, bring back the Clydesdales.

That being said, there were some commercials I appreciated like the “Jesus Gets Us” ones, even though attacked from the left—who claim that Jesus never would condone spending millions on a Super Bowl ad—and the right who say that showing refugees defends the border crisis.  Still, even our atheist friends appreciated the ingenuity of these ads that were, at least, understandable.

The Jesus Gets Us campaign, which first launched in March 2022, is being run by the “Servant Foundation” — a nonprofit based in Overland Park, Kansas.  Jason Vanderground, the ad’s spokesman, answered the criticism: “The goal is that the two commercials will not only inspire those who may be skeptical of Christianity to ask questions and learn more about Jesus, but also encourage Christians to live out their faith even better and exhibit the same confounding love and forgiveness Jesus modelled.”

They want to reach the most people they can for Christ.

I love that about their commercials.  We all need to be talking more about Jesus. Even if we are criticized.

As for the Super Bowl halftime show, we were left scratching our heads. Again, maybe we can blame our age.  What did the dancers in the puffy, white costumes represent?  Marshmallows?  Zombies? Hazmat suits? Eskimos? Cheap costumes left over from some U.F.O. show?  Give me a marching college band any day.  Better yet, give me an inspiring praise and worship team. At least then I could share that time with my family. Rihanna’s behavior was anything but child-friendly.

This probably sounds strange, but I began wondering what would happen if Jesus appeared during the Super Bowl halftime performance.  Who would garner the most attention?  Would screaming, adoring fans still think Rihanna’s inappropriate grab deserved their adulation and be disappointed that Jesus had interrupted their idol’s performance?  Or would this be the wake-up call everyone needs?

I pray it would be the latter…but I have my doubts.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

I’ve been providing music for funerals since the early 1970s and I always consider it an honor to be involved in a loved one’s service.  Just when I thought I’d seen and heard it all, I found out I hadn’t. A funeral is no different from any other event that involves people. People are unpredictable, like cattle, and you can never be sure exactly what’s going to happen. Last summer, I played and sang two songs at a lovely memorial service for a dear lady I’d known for many years. I had noticed there was a little girl about two years old that was a bit rowdy, but cute as a bug’s ear. After I finished singing “Peace in the Valley,” I heard her loud and enthusiastic response of “YAY!” There were a few soft chuckles and I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear as I cleared the piano bench. Nope, I didn’t see that coming, but it sure was funny.

I wonder if we shouldn’t be more like this little girl. She simply responded with her mouth what she was feeling on the inside. As believers, we have so many good things to yell about. Jesus lovingly used a little child to teach His disciples a big lesson. “Jesus called a little one to His side and said to them, ‘Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in’” (Matthew 18:3 TPT). The people of Judah enthusiastically gave God the glory due to His great name. “And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice” (2 Chronicles 20:19 ESV).

God created us as three-part beings: spirit, soul, and body. When it comes to the death of a loved one, it affects our spirit and soul. When a loved one dies in Christ, those left behind  understand and rejoice in their spirit that he/she is now in heaven. But when it comes to our soul (mind, will, emotions) we deeply mourn for our loss. But we‘re not on our own in this restoration process. “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 NLT). This is a “YAY” promise we can take to the bank!

I grew up singing in a church that didn’t have a PA system, so I learned to belt it out. Although my mom had a quiet disposition, everything my dad did was loud. We’re born with unchangeable characteristics (like brown eyes) and our personalities are also formed in the womb. I took after Dad with the loud, so it comes natural for me to freely express myself like the little girl at the funeral. I could never hold down a job at the library — I’m sure I’d get fired after the first day. Here are two wonderful scriptures that are worth yelling about: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NLT).

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again — rejoice! Don‘t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4,6,7 NLT).

The Key: Having peace in the valley and on the mountaintop is something to yell about.

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18

Pam’s granddaughter “Polly” is seven years old.  Her mother is African American, her father, Caucasian.  Last week in school, Polly was bullied by a classmate who pulled her hair and called her names.  Polly shared the incident with her mother and asked if she could miss school the next day.  Her mother said that she could.

When Polly awoke the following morning, she told her mother that she had changed her mind.  She wasn’t going to give that bully any power. My friend Pam and I celebrated this child’s confidence.  We all know mean people in this world who think the only way they can climb the ladder of success or popularity or wealth is to keep others on the lowest rung by preying on their lack of confidence, and even though it isn’t the same thing, this past week, Pam, and I, shopping here in Mazatlán, met a store clerk who did something similar.

Pam had purchased a pair of earrings last year but had lost one of them.  They were her favorite pair and she was determined to find them again.  The problem was, we couldn’t.

After exhausting several of the silver stores, we remembered a store where Pam previously had bought a man’s money clip and turned into an exquisite necklace. The store owners were impressed with her ingenuity. We walked there, and the owner recognized Pam immediately.  (Not me, of course, but my friend.)  When Pam saw her earrings hanging on a display, she went bonkers, telling the clerk her story, trying them on, and asking,  “How much?” “$160.00,” she was told.

“Pam, didn’t you spend $20 on those from a guy on the beach?” I asked.  “Maybe $30,” she answered.  But my friend really, really wanted them.  When the clerk reduced the price to $130, Pam handed him her credit card.  Leaving that store, we went down a side street and found the same earrings, stamped with the same silver code on the back, for $62.

Pam needed to return the ones she had bought. Could she, like her granddaughter, stick up for herself?  She didn’t know.  I told her that I would support her. James 4:17 gave me confidence: In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.      And yes, I imagine this scripture pertains to more serious issues than earrings, but you get the point.  And since Roman’s 12 tells us to live in peace whenever possible, we would not make a scene when we asked for Pam’s money back.

Back at the original store, we were told that it was extremely difficult to return an item purchased on a credit card, the owner was making little money on this sale, the other shop—like most in Mazatlán—had stamped that code on the back, making it appear legitimate, and that this store was the only one in Mazatlán with authentic silver. However, we were “really nice people,” and the owner wanted “to do right” for us. It sounds ridiculous, but when he offered to give Pam $35 back if she kept the earrings, swearing that he now was losing money, Pam gave in.

The only honest thing that clerk said was that we were “really nice people.”

Okay, Pam is.

Mazatlán is known for its beautiful silver.  If all the other silver sellers were frauds, why didn’t the owner say that when we first discussed in front of him how much Pam had paid for her earrings? The next day, my friend and I relived what we could have done differently to get her a refund.  Except for putting up a fuss in front of the other customers and telling the owners that we’d never shop there again, sometimes just being really nice people is the best we can do. At least, that’s what we’re telling ourselves.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

As a youngster, my son was very fond of dill pickles. Aaron is now in his 30s and he still loves dill pickles. As a little boy, he would come in from romping and playing outside and I’d grab him, set him on my lap and kiss his rambunctious cottontop head. And it would smell like dill pickles. If I climbed on a ladder and sniffed his head today, it would probably still smell like dill pickles. They say you are what you eat. So I suppose my head  smells like chocolate.

My friend Ruby loves God and loves people. And this lifestyle she has chosen makes her very easy to love in return. When I’m in her presence and we’re saying our good-byes, she will lean forward with a big smile and a twinkle in her eyes and kiss my cheek. I know what’s coming, so I stand there, close my eyes and gratefully receive her kiss of Christian friendship. Believe me, I know that one little act of kindness will fill up a love tank for several days. A friendship kiss is not all that common in today’s cultural practice, but I grew up in a demonstrative family of huggers, kissers, laughers…and weepers. I understand and appreciate genuine outward expressions of the heart.

What’s in a kiss? Judas Iscariot kissed Jesus and it meant nothing more than betrayal. But when a former prostitute kissed Jesus’ feet it showed her gratitude, love, and adoration for Him. Outward expression comes from the inward heart. Four times in the New Testament, the apostle Paul teaches the importance of expressing earnest heartfelt affection. We would do well to understand that a repeated teaching is always important and shouldn’t be blown off. “All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Corinthians 16:20 NKJV). “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (2 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV). “Greet each other in Christian love” (Romans 16:16 NLT). “Greet all the brethren with a sacred kiss” (1 Thessalonians 5:26 AMP). And then Peter jumps on the bandwagon and writes, “Greet one another with a kiss of peace” (1 Peter 5:14 TPT).

The resurrected Savior told Peter that his mission would be to strengthen the faith of believers. So Peter preached and wrote to Christ followers encouraging them to remain faithful to God and to love others. “Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will bless you for it” (1 Peter 3:8-9 NLT). For believers who say, “I don’t know what God wants me to do,” then “here’s your sign” straight from the bold lips of Peter.

It’s clear that God wants His children to practice genuine Christian  affection. We should seek to grow in our love for others because we belong to the Father of Love. We’re to take the kiss of the world and sanctify it, make it holy, and devote it to God. We are including God in our hearts when we greet one another with a kiss, hug, fist bump, high five, hand shake, or touch on the shoulder. Just choose the tool of love that suits you and lay it on people. When we express Christ-like affection for one another, our hearts are literally  saying, “You are precious to me and I value our relationship.” What a difference we could make if we would only break our rusty cage and run in the power of love.

The Key: Do something, don’t just stand there like a cow looking at a new gate!

Don’t let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don’t let heroes brag of their exploits. Don’t let the rich brag of their riches. Jeremiah 9:23 (MSG)

Dave and I were in the Las Vegas airport, standing in line to board our flight, when a fellow passenger noticed Dave’s name on his carry-on luggage label.  Not quietly, he exclaimed, “You aren’t the Dave LaRoche who pitched for the Indians, are you?”  This fan did not need a bull horn.  My husband made the mistake of nodding.

The man could not contain his excitement, excitement he decided to share with his friend who was standing a good 10-feet away.  “Jim, you aren’t going to believe this,” he yelled.  “This is Dave LaRoche!!!  Come on over and meet him.”  I turned my back and struck up a conversation with the young couple in front of me who by now had pivoted to see what the commotion was all about.  “So, how about those Chiefs!” I said.  They, like many in line, were far too young to have heard of Dave.  This was more of an annoyance than a reason to celebrate.

Dave, clearly embarrassed, answered quietly the questions of the man with the 60-foot voice. “Who was the best pitcher you ever saw?”  “When did you retire?”  “Who was the best hitter you faced?”  “How hard did you throw?”  The security line could not move fast enough.

One of my husband’s greatest strengths is his humility, and it was that quality he instilled in all of our children.  No home run was ever hit when our sons or daughters raised their fists as they ran around the bases.  None of them pumped their arms in order to get the fans to clap louder for them.  The most acknowledgement I ever saw from them was a tip of their ball cap following a standing ovation for something they did on the field. As Dave always said, “Act like you’ve done this before.”

Rick Warren defined this principle: “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.”  Let’s face it.  Self-exaltation impresses no one, yet it seems that social media has given us a platform to boast about our strengths or accomplishments.  Recently, a friend shared a series of pictures a mutual acquaintance posted on Facebook, each an elegant dinner she had prepared for her and her husband.  Every time the couple go to a classy restaurant, a picture of the meal is shared.  But what does that do for those who will never be able to afford such a fine-dining experience?

Saint Augustine had great advice: “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”

On a flight years ago when Dave was coaching professional baseball, I was seated next to a man who talked about himself, basically from the time we took our seats to the time we deplaned.  He was a stuntman in Hollywood who was a daredevil like no other…at least, according to him.  Dave was seated next to me and heard every word of the man’s braggadocious exploits.  As we walked off the jetway, the man asked Dave what he did for a living. Dave said that he was a coach, and the bragger commented, “Oh, at a high school?”  Dave’s answer, “No,  in major league baseball,” left the man stunned.  “Why didn’t you say so?”

My answer, “Because he never talks about himself” hopefully left the man with something to think about.  Of course, my husband thought it was unnecessary for me to say that.

I should have predicted that.

Keys to the Kingdom

I asked my brother one day, “Why is it that I often find myself thinking back to yesteryear when I need a lede for a column?” He quickly responded, “It’s because we’re growing older,” and I knew that was the simple truth. So here goes: When I was a young girl, my Mom was the reporter for our church. She would submit articles to the local newspaper announcing upcoming revival services, and then later report on those services when they concluded. Around 2011, I was alone in my folks’ kitchen when I pulled out a Bavarian soup tureen and found numerous old newspaper clippings inside it. As I began reading one of the articles Mom had written, she had chosen this scripture, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1 KJV).

I’ve heard that some people start the day by saying, “Good morning, Lord!“ and some say, “Good Lord, it’s morning!” I usually sit up on the side of the bed and declare, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” After I said that aloud one Sunday morning, I immediately added, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.“ Apparently, I had hidden that verse in my heart because it just popped out of me.

It’s important that believers spend private time with God during the week. But going into the house of the Lord to worship Him in the beauty of holiness is the icing on the cake for me. The cake and the icing go hand in hand and both are wonderfully delicious.  However, if the cake has been haphazardly made and improperly baked, it’ll be less than desirable and possibly not even fit to eat. No matter how much lip-smacking icing you smear on it, the end result won’t taste good. We need to do our part during the week to enhance the flavor and texture of the cake. Then when we walk through the sanctuary doors we can, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good…” (Psalm 34:8 KJV).

All my life I’ve heard, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” I know what that means out in the world, but I beg to differ when it comes to worshipping God together in the house of the Lord. When we bring our dedicated piece of cake into His presence, God will be more than happy to add His blessing of icing. And that, my friends, will make us glad!

“Let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us cheer each other up with words of hope. Let us do it all the more as you see the day coming when Christ will return” (Hebrews 10:25 NIRV). When God’s dear children  meet together to worship in His presence, something wonderful beyond my limited vocabulary happens in my spirit.

“And they [Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ’Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:8,9 ESV). When my church family meets together, I don’t want God to look down, notice I’m AWOL, and ask, “Carolyn, where are you?”

The Key: If the Lord isn’t tasting so good at church, try changing your cake recipe.

“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  The word “holy” appears eight times in scripture, and every time I read it, I pause and ask myself, “Am I holy?”

During one of my Zoom Bible studies, that question was asked.  None of us could answer “yes.”  Then the leader questioned if we knew anyone who is holy.  I was the only one who could list someone.  She is unique.  Separated from most other Christians because her entire life is dedicated to following God’s will for her life.  She lives sacrificially.  Humbly.  She starts every day by asking her Father to give her opportunities to talk about Him to others.  She takes Jesus Christ seriously.

In C.E. Montague’s novel, Rough Justice, one scene describes a little boy, Bron, going to church for the first time with his governess. He watches attentively the entire service. The preacher climbs into the high pulpit, and Bron hears him tell terrible news. It is about a brave and kind man who was nailed to a cross, terribly hurt, a long time ago, and who still feels a dreadful pain even now, because there was something not done that he wants them all to do.

Little Bron thinks that the preacher is telling the story because a lot of people are there and they will do something about it. Bron sits impatiently on the edge of the pew. He can hardly wait to see what the first move will be in righting this injustice. But he sits quietly and decides that after the service someone will surely correct this wrong. Little Bron begins to weep, but nobody else seems at all upset. The service is over. The people walk away as if they had not heard such terrible news, as if nothing remarkable had happened.

As Bron leaves the church, he is trembling. His governess looks at him and says, “Bron, don’t take it to heart. Someone will think you are different.”

(And we all know that no one wants to be “different.”)

In The Message, Eugene Petersen’s rendering of the Bible, he takes “different” to a new level by describing it this way: “energetic and blazing with holiness.”  Any takers?

For some reason, being holy conjures up live in a monastery, fasting, praying, and never socializing, and even though some have been called to that life, for the majority of us, that’s not the case.  Holiness does not mean we have to trade in our Ford pick-up and walk barefoot through brambles or move out of our house and into a cave.  It does not mean we can’t laugh with friends, drink a latte, get a massage or take a cruise.

God’s kind of being different begins with the transformation of our minds.  Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:2).  When my husband coached, he had a poster in his office that made clear how important our thoughts are.

Watch your thoughts; they become your words.

Watch your words; they become your actions.

Watch your actions; they become your habits.

Watch your habits; they become your character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Pastor Rick Ezell wrote about being different.  “Today the world has a desperate need for people who are different. We need people who will carry their faith into the office, into Congress, into society, into the school, into the home. We need people who will be different even if it will cost them their social popularity, their economic fortunes, or their very lives.

“One does not obtain that kind of distinctiveness except through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ… He calls us to be different.”

So the question remains: Am I willing?

Keys to the Kingdom

In 1992, I became close friends with Shardel and Misty through a mothers’ group when all three of our little boys were two years old. Later in the mid-90s, both families moved away from Fort Scott. Last summer I had the joy of hosting a weekend reunion at my home with these dear and treasured girlfriends. Even though we had lived apart many years, our souls were still knit together. As we visited, laughed, cried, ate scratch brownie batter, and simply picked up where we left off, I said something like, ”I’m not who I used to be; I’ve changed. My heart is softer and I’m not so judgmental and opinionated.” During those 27 years of separation, I learned (am still learning) what it means to love others like Jesus does. What a difference choosing a mindset of love has made in my life!

Practicing love is not based on a feeling, but rather a decision to humbly obey God’s Word. When Jesus’ crucifixion was near, He shared many directives to His disciples. “Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for Me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples” (John 13:33-35 NLT). Jesus’ command requires believers to take the necessary steps to love others. We simply put one foot in front of the other and begin hoofing the uphill climb.

To walk in love requires effort on our part — we have to work at it. Being a doer of  love costs something, whether it’s our time, money, pride, or opinions. A good question to ask ourselves is: “Are my wounded feelings and stubborn opinions more important than the person and my relationship with him/her?” Speaking from emotions in the heat of the moment can undo a lifetime of closeness. “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT). Being right is highly overrated, and having peaceful relationships  is highly underrated. Peace is like a soothing essential oil for the soul.

Loving others is a daily decision that’s practiced on purpose — and it’s not always easy. Sometimes the stepping stones to love are a little too far apart and it’s a stretch for us. But let’s think past the upsetting circumstance and ask ourselves: “Am I loving others in a way that I‘ll have no regrets later on?” We must live in the light of Jesus as we climb every mountain in love. “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT).

Because Christ lives in believers, we are more than able to do what is required of us. “…Dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other“ (Colossians 3:12-15 MSG).

The Key: Love is an uphill climb one step at a time.