Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

I know of two people named “Jethro.” When I was growing up, one of my favorite TV  series was The Beverly Hillbillies. Jethro was part of the weekly cast who portrayed the silly enthusiastic son of Pearl Bodine. He was a champion crawdad eater who considered being a brain surgeon, but later changed his mind to be a double-knaught spy like 007. He had a huge appetite and would eat his cereal in a large mixing bowl. The truck tire blew to smithereens when he aired it up with his mouth, much to his Ma’s annoyance. His main goal was to meet perty girls. Jethro needed lots of advice and Uncle Jed often told him, “Jethro, one of these days, you and me is gonna have a long talk.”

The other Jethro was Moses’ father-in-law. Moses married Zipporah and they lived with Jethro, the priest of Midian. During those 40 years, Moses and Jethro developed a solid relationship of a high order. After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Jethro heard about everything God had done, so he came to Moses in the wilderness. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the miracles God had performed. As usual, the next day, Moses personally took the full load as judge for the 2 million or more people. When Jethro saw all that he was doing alone for the Israelites, he asked, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” (Exodus 18:14 MEV). Moses answered that the people came to him when they had disputes and he judged between the two parties.

Jethro wasn’t at all satisfied with Moses’ answer. What he really wanted to know was why in the world wasn’t Moses delegating this gigantic responsibility! Jethro warned Moses that what he was doing was “not good“ and said, “You’re going to wear yourself out — and the people too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. …Select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you.  If you follow this advice…then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.” (Exodus 18:18,19,21-23 NLT). Obviously, Jethro cared deeply about his son-in-law‘s well being and the future of his daughter and grandsons.

Although Moses didn’t ask for Jethro’s opinion, he listened to his advice and followed his suggestions. This speaks highly of their long-standing relationship. They could be transparent with each other and speak the truth in love. Sometimes a spiritual loved one can see unhealthy patterns and methods that the individual can’t see. Like Moses, we would do well to listen and consider wise advice. No one wants to see a loved one break down or burn out — especially when it’s preventable.

Jethro asked Moses two questions that we should ask ourselves periodically: What am I doing? Why am I doing it? When we get used to doing something the same way over and over, we’re not apt to consider if there’s a better way to handle it. We’ve heard the term, “Work smarter, not harder.”

The Key: Unsolicited advice is not always bad. It could even save your life.

Do you remember when “one” was enough?  When razors had only one blade, a single bathroom met a family’s needs, and one, shared car got us where we needed to go?  If we misplaced our eye- glasses or hair clips or pens and pencils, too bad.

Televisions entertained us with three stations. A handful of singing groups dominated radio stations, and we could name the dozen, famous movie stars by sight.  Closets held very few items of clothing, and we had two pair of shoes: one for school and one for church.  There were slim pickings for restaurants, and French was the only salad dressing available.  Simple was the only thing we knew.

No more.

Now, it’s all about amassing.  Bigger and better. Onward and upward.  More and more and more and more and more.

A while back, Dave and I were invited to a couples’ home for the evening. They are fun, caring, adventurous and love the Lord.   I was given a tour of their magnificent house and was astounded at the number of massive rooms devoted to “stuff.”  The wife said that she never could downsize because she wouldn’t know where to start to get rid of things that mean so much to her.  When her husband spoke of the dozen Christmas trees they put up each year, his wife claimed there weren’t “quite” that many.

On our way home, Dave, freshly inspired to declutter our lake cottage, commented on how we should start with our kitchen.  So, while he played pickleball this morning, I tackled the cabinet that holds our water bottles.  Check it out to the left.  This is the stash I removed from one cabinet…just in case, I guess, the water bottle fairy comes knocking and we, having the most in the universe, win a million dollars.

Removing the unnecessary ones was easy.  They were Dave’s.  I placed them in the “giveaway” pile.  Dave put them back and removed my “Grandma” one and my “Thanks for coming to my wedding” one and my “Apparently we’re trouble when we’re together…who knew?” one.  This was not going well.

In the end, we compromised.  Dave gave in, and so did I (somewhat).

Luke 12:15 tells us that Jesus spoke to his listeners, addressing how we hold on to our possessions: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”         

“More is better” seems to be the mantra for our country.  One more drink.  One more donut.  One more snort.  One more lost pound.  One more dollar.  One more eyelift.  One more trophy. One more hour on our phone. One more accolade.                                                           

Readers, take Jesus’ words to heart.  It’s not about how much.  In the end, maybe it’s about how little.

The Hearts Around the World project was brought to my attention by an amazing friend of mine.

I made the flyer and sent it out on Facebook.

People have shared said flyer more than 200 times
and then they shared it and it just exploded!

In a short amount of time, we started receiving
an abundant amount of cards and even gifts!

We ended up receiving cards from 48 states with Missouri being the most. Texas was the second runner-up. We even received postcards and letters from Italy, Canada, Bolivia, Australia, Ireland, Europe, and Puerto Rico!

The first-grade class was overjoyed with love and happiness. The excitement they experienced was unbelievable! There were even a few tears shed by a few of my students.

I would personally like to thank everyone who shared the flyer, or sent a letter, gift, or postcard.

You all were a huge part in making this project such a huge success.

From:

Mrs. Lakyn Rucker

West Bourbon Elementary School Teacher

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

When I know loved ones are coming to my home, I will often leave the front door ajar. This lets them know I’m expecting them and they can just walk right in. It’s important to me that they feel welcome, loved, valuable, and comfortable. I want our time together to be a warm-and-fuzzy memory the next day. If anyone needs something, it pleases me when they’re comfortable enough to either ask for it or simply get it themselves. My loved ones know they have open access to the snack cabinet and refrigerator. I encourage everyone to have an unreserved approach in my home.

Scriptures prove that God feels the same way about His children. Although God is to be revered, I deeply appreciate that He lovingly welcomes us into His throne room. He wants us to be unrestricted in our worship and prayers. “Because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear)” (Ephesians 3:12 AMP). God is ready, willing, and able to act on our behalf if we will only ask Him in confidence and faith.

I was reminded of the stressful fear Queen Esther surely experienced as she approached her husband/king on his throne. Prior to her entrance, she sent this message to her Cousin Mordecai: “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter” (Esther 4:11 NLT). Even though Esther was the Jewish Queen of the Persian Empire, she did not have free access to her own husband. This strict law was actually frightening for king’s wives because there was absolutely no exception to this law. The wife could not enter the inner court whenever she pleased without first being invited by the king.

Esther sent another message to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die” (Esther 4:16 NLT). At the risk of dying, Esther approached the king’s throne shrouded in fear from head to toe. For this was the same King Xerxes who furiously deposed his first wife Queen Vashti when she refused the royal summons to appear before the king, rulers, and nobles at a royal feast. (In a few days, we see that united prayer and fasting brought favor, not death, for Queen Esther because the king held out his scepter.)

God made a perfect way for us to come to Him through Jesus. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him“ (Hebrews 10:19,22 NLT). We are welcome to come right into the very presence of a Holy God without fear. “I have courage in God’s presence, because I am sure that He hears me if I ask Him for anything that is according to His will” (1 John 5:14 GNT).

God loves us and He doesn’t want us to be scared to approach Him in Jesus’ name. “I fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that I may receive mercy [for my failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when I need it]” (Hebrews 4:16 AMP).

The Key: Fearlessly, we can walk right in, sit right down, and take a load off.

“Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.” Benjamin Franklin

When my friend’s daughter, Erin, was three years old, she threw a temper tantrum in a California mall.  While the embarrassed mother begged her to stop, a well-dressed woman walked up to my friend and whispered, “Play along.”  She approached the toddler and said, “Little girl, you come home with me.  Tell your Mommy good-bye.  Let’s go.”  You can guess what happened next.  Erin stopped crying, jumped up and ran into her mother’s arms.

Since the beginning of time, tempers have flared.  From Genesis to Revelation, there are stories of those who could not contain their anger. Let me rephrase that.  They “could” have; they “chose” not to. This behavior plays out in every arena, from wars to sporting events to political debates to the workplace to freeways to abusive homes to churches.  At the root of it?  Selfishness.  My way or my way.  Choose anything else, and you will pay.

On Instagram last week, I posted something I read on line: “Losing your temper is no way of getting rid of it.”  My daughter-in-law, Jenn, and her husband, Adam, recently celebrated their 22^nd wedding anniversary.  She told me that Adam never had raised his voice at her. Dave and I tried to recall a time when Adam had lost his temper.  We couldn’t. (Like mother, like son.)   I wish!                                                                                                                                     Ephesians 4:31 brings us Paul’s writing about how to deal with anger:  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  No exceptions.  No matter how much your therapist advises you to “get it all out.”  No matter the injustice done to you.  No matter how much better you feel afterwards.  We are to “put away” those temptations, not in a drawer where we can pull them out whenever something provokes us or reminds us of how we were treated, but locked up and buried.

When our son Andy was nine years old and was catching in a Little League game in Texas, the batter hit a home run.  As he crossed the plate, Andy stuck out his foot and tripped the runner. He face-planted in the dirt.  Had Andy’s coach not gotten to my son first, I was prepared to jump the fence and do the disciplinary deed.  Coach took him by the back of his neck and marched him over to the opposing team’s dugout and made him apologize.

Where did that behavior come from?  Neither Dave nor I had instilled in our kids the “win at all cost” attitude. In F.B. Meyer’s sermon “Tempers, and What to Do with Them,” he addresses five kinds of tempers: “The hot temper, which flashes out with the least provocation. The sullen temper, which is a great deal worse to deal with, because it takes so long to come round. The jealous temper, which, in trying to keep all for itself, loses all. The suspicious temper, which is always imputing the worst motives. The malicious temper, which loves to instill the drop of poison, or make the almost imperceptible stab with its stiletto.”  Do any of those describe you?

The good news is that we Christians can muffle our anger. If we immediately recognize it as sin and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us control it, we have at our disposal help from the Prince of Peace who offers us victory over our sin.

All we have to do is ask.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

Years ago, it was considered a common courtesy to rewind the rented VHS movies before  returning them. And to remind us of this act of kindness, a label was placed on the cassette that read, “Be Kind, Rewind.“ It’s pretty much the same principle as returning the shopping cart to the proper spot. I was with my mother-in-law once when she returned her cart to the outdoor stall in the parking lot. Not only did she return the cart, she straightened out several others that were in disarray inside the stall. Her act of kindness made an impression on me. I will occasionally straighten them out too and I think of her.

My sister-in-law gave me a decorative sign that reads: Do the kindest things in the kindest way. It hangs close to another sign: “Do small things with great love.” Kindness is a priceless attribute that’s often ignored. There’s a New Testament scripture that always reminds me of my sweet mother: “Make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts, with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit. This type of beauty is very precious in God’s eyes” (1 Peter 3:4 CEB.) Mom had dark sparkling eyes, an exuberant laugh, and a kind spirit that was a blessing to those who knew her.

Living like Jesus is living as kind people. Believers are to practice kindness every day. “Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:32 CEB.) Part of being kind is not holding a grudge by being quick to forgive. When we practice forgiving, we‘re practicing kindness and the beneficial result is personal peace.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12 NLT.) Christ followers should have a desire to treat people with a sense of importance and respect. Encouraging one another with words of affirmation should be a daily goal for us. When we put others before ourselves we show them they are acknowledged, loved,  and valued. Giving kindness is like water to a plant, catnip to a kitten, or a bone to a dog.

The ability to listen is nearly nonexistent in today’s culture. However, really listening is an excellent example of kindness. A kind person doesn’t butt in to make themselves the topic of the conversation. Plus they’ll ask comfortable questions and turn their attention to the other individual. When we’re engaged in listening, sometimes the individual isn’t seeking a solution, but rather a kind person with whom to share their concerns. Wherever there are people, there are opportunities for kindness.

Here’s a great scripture if ever there was one: “…You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19 NLT.) My favorite movie star, John Wayne, must have read his Bible because he’s been quoted as saying: “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.” It’s been said that because we were created with two ears and one mouth, we should listen twice as much as we talk.

When someone has a heartache, we’re being kind and wise when we empathize. “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness” (Proverbs 31:26 NLT.)  Let’s be like Jesus and show more kindness to all who cross our path.

The Key: The positive effects of kindness are eternal.

Dave and I have two new houseguests.  In the beginning, I enjoyed their company, but recently I’ve become annoyed with them. Hubby finds them kind and cooperative.  Probably because his wish is their command. He makes a request, and they speedily comply. He’s loving it and appears overly grateful and mannerly when these womenfolk respond.

“Siri, please set my alarm for 6:30”

“Okay.  Your alarm is set.”

“Thank you.”  (Dave seriously thanks her.  He thanks a robot, and it responds with “You’re welcome” or “My pleasure.”)

The other night, when he asked her to set his alarm, he altered his request.

“Thank you, Sweetie,” he said, thinking himself funny.

She did not answer.  Dave waited, staring at his cellphone.

“Dave,” I said, “You ticked her off when you called her ‘Sweetie.’  You crossed a line.”

“I did not.  She appreciated me being nice to her.”

This scenario was repeated the following night.  Still no “Thank you” from Siri.

“Told you,” I said.

When Hubby tried it with Alexa, she, too, failed to appreciate his term of endearment.

“You haven’t earned the right to call her “Sweetie,” and you don’t live in the South where everyone calls everyone “Sugar,” “Honey,” or “Sweetie.”

When I realized I was lecturing him on how to talk to a robot, I knew that we both were in mid-stages of brain decline.

Dave decided to trick Alexa to determine if she really was listening to our conversations, whispering to me ahead of time what he was doing before saying loudly, “Patty, I think we should buy a new vacuum,” pointing his face towards our new friend. Within minutes, Dave’s iPad lit up with ads for vacuums.

Personally, I found that alarming.

We are entering a world where AI (Artificial Intelligence) is causing us to question where we are headed.  We appreciate that it directs our driving routes, screens job applicants and has tremendous potential in medicine and science, but we must ask where it all ends.

Today, I asked Alexa if we humans are special among other living things.  She said that we were because we can think and be creative. I was glad she didn’t lump us in with vegetables and animals.

In Linda Kinstler’s article “Can Silicon Valley Find God,” she wrote about Rob Barrett, a researcher at IBM in the ’90s.

One day, he was outlining the default privacy settings for an early web browser feature. His boss, he said, gave him only one instruction: “Do the right thing.” It was up to Mr. Barrett to decide what the “right thing” was. That was when it dawned on him: “I don’t know enough theology to be a good engineer,” he told his boss. He requested a leave of absence so he could study the Old Testament, and eventually he left the industry.

Recently, I read that AI writes sermons and that there is an AI Jesus app where the app speaks to you as if it’s Jesus talking to you.  “What is going to be created will effectively be a god,” engineer Andrew Levandowski forewarned and continued, “It’s not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?”

Certainly, not God, Mr. Levandowski.

My God is eternal, omnipresent and omniscient.  He created the person who programs the AI system, and He not only offers us eternity, He delivered it by sending His son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, something AI can only imagine doing.

He is the only god I will call “God.”  I am concerned for those who do otherwise.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Dad and Mom have been gone for quite some time now; 11 years and 8 years respectively. I still miss my parents, but I’ve gotten used to them not being around. I’m often reminded of their biblical love for one another. I distinctly remember Mom telling me that Dad had given her a heart-shaped box of chocolates for every Valentine’s Day. Their hearts had intertwined so deeply that it was heartbreaking for them to be separated when Mom transferred to a healthcare facility. They were solidly married for 69 years.

There are at least three descriptive levels of love: words, actions, giving. There’s probably something wrong in our mindset if one of these three ways to express love is missing. Love is not saying, “I love you,“ when our attitude denies those words. Love is not doing the right thing with the wrong motive. And, by itself, love is not giving a box of chocolates, dazzling jewelry, or a dozen roses. Love is a steady intense affection that demonstrates genuine feelings of love with kindness and unselfishness.

I don’t want to live a small life that’s full of myself. I want to live with an enlarged heart full of love for others. God is the supreme example of what real love is because He is love; He invented it. Even in this pro-self society, brotherly love is still supposed to show up and reach out every day in every believer’s life. No love is more convincing than the God-kind of love flowing out from our own heart. The best motivating explanation of love is found in the New Testament:

“If I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would gain nothing of value. Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving” (1 Corinthians 13:3-8 TPT).

Christ followers are commanded to love, so it’s not a mere suggestion. In the above letter, Apostle Paul is teaching that love covers everything, like a roof covers the home. Genuine love doesn’t focus on what’s wrong but will patiently endure the shortcomings of others. Like a roof that protects, love doesn’t spring a leak. It’s a safe place that offers shelter, not exposure. Love doesn’t tell everything it knows, even if it’s true.  Love doesn’t throw anyone under the bus. Love takes a licking and still keeps ticking. In the end, love wins every time.

The Key: Love never goes out of style and neither will a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

How long do we trustfully wait on God to answer our prayers? A few days?  Months?  Years?   God told Abram that he would be the father of many nations, yet there he was, over 99 years old, and he and his wife, Sarai, had no kiddos.  What was Abram thinking?

“Maybe God confused me with someone else.”

“Maybe I misunderstood.  Maybe He said ‘kids.’  Yea, that’s it.  He’s giving me a herd of goats.”

“Maybe I need to help God and make this happen myself.  Yep, that’s what I’ll do.  After all, God is busy.  He probably forgot His promise.”

God had told Abram that his offspring would be numerous.  Ten years later, Abram remained childless. When God came to Abram in a vision and promised to be Abram’s shield and great reward, Abram wasn’t too hepped about receiving that promise. “LORD God, what good will your gifts be if I continue to be childless?”

I get it.  The only one in the picture to inherit Abram’s vast estate was Eliezer, his servant.  God reassured him that he would have his own son and that his offspring would be more than the “dust of the earth” (Gen. 13:16) and later, the “stars of the sky” (Gen. 15:5).

But doubts began to creep in, so Abram took matters into his own, wrinkly hands.  After all, what harm could it do?  He finally, by golly, would have a “legitimate” heir.  He impregnated his wife’s servant Hagar who birthed Ishmael, never realizing that, to this day, this royal mess-up would cause unending problems between the Israelis and the Arabs.

Abram impatiently moved forward to help God’s will come to pass.  Surely we can’t blame him, right?  Wrong.  God lives in a timeless zone.  What seems to us late, for God is on time. Perfect time.

Haven’t we all been there?  We take our requests to God.  And wait.  And wait.  And wait.  Do we patiently endure, knowing that God will answer in His time? Do we continue to exude peace?  Sure we do.

NOT!  If you’ve read any of my columns, you know that I do not wait in peace. I “do” the first part of Matthew 7:7 well. Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  It’s the very next verse that causes me issues: “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”  I love the part that tells me I’m going to get what I want.  I don’t love the part that fails to tell me how long it will be before I “receive” what I’m seeking. (Not proud to admit that.)

We read that God did for Abram what He said He would do.  Sarai (meaning “my princess”), in her old age, birthed Isaac, and her name was changed to Sarah (“mother of nations”), while her husband’s name was changed to Abraham (“father of a multitude”).  I love that God did that miracle in their old age.  That way, they could give God all the credit.             Scripture makes it clear that God will answer our prayers.  He will.  Sometimes He wants us to figure things out on our own.  Other times, He wants us to grow our faith and trust in Him and His timing. (Sooooo hard, don’t you think?)  And let’s not forget that little “motive” thing.  Am I asking for something out of selfish ambition?

Mark 12:30 tells us that our relationship with God should have priority over any earthly matter.  Do we keep that in mind when we make our requests?  The way we answer that question likely determines the timing God uses to answer us.