Nothing Important - August 29, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the August 29, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

On July 4th, 1776, King George III wrote the following in his diary: "Nothing important happened today." This ironic and little known historical “fact” is courtesy of a two-part episode of the TV show, The X-Files, titled “Nothing Important Happened Today.” 

The title of the episode came from a dialogue between Alvin Kersh, Deputy Director of the FBI, and Special Agent John Doggett. Kersh: “You ever hear of King George the III?” Doggett: “You answer my question!” Kersh: “He was King of England when America declared independence in 1776. King George the III kept a diary. On July 4th, 1776, he made an entry in it: ‘Nothing important happened today.’” Doggett: “What does that got to do with me?” Kersh: “A revolution started, things that changed the world forever, and even kings can miss them if they are not paying attention.”

I first came across the King George III diary story while I was reading the book, “Awakening,” by Matt Brown. He told the story as fact and used it to make some very relevant points. I hadn’t heard the story before but was struck by its irony. I started researching the story.

Sometimes the facts get in the way of a good story. For years a legend has persisted that on July 4, 1776, the day the American colonies declared their independence from England, King George III’s diary entry read: “Nothing important happened today.” As I conducted my research, I found that the diary entry had been quoted as fact by Goodreads, QuoteFancy, YourDictionary, DailyKos, AARP, NPR, and many other preachers, motivational speakers, bloggers, and writers.

Thirty years ago, the NPR radio show Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: familiar NPR voices reading the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 2007, the Morning Edition host followed the reading by saying; “Those of you with a keen ear may have noticed that this year our reading of the Declaration of Independence has a different ending. In the past, we've said that ‘on July 4th, 1776, George III, king of England, wrote in his diary, “Nothing of importance happened today.”’ It turns out we were taken in by an old historic myth.”

He went on to explain that Arnold Hunt, curator of historical manuscripts at the British Library, stated that "King George III never kept a diary. The quote is a variation of another well-known story from the French revolution.” On July 14, 1789 — the date of the storming of the Bastille — Louis XVI of France wrote in his diary, "rien,” which translates as nothing. King Louis was referring to a hunting trip where he came back empty-handed. The program concluded with the statement; “Over the years, the story found its way into the folklore of George III and into our radio piece ... until now. We have declared our independence from this historic misquote.”

Even though the story is a myth, I understand why so many speakers and authors have quoted the story. The idea that the king would say the nothing important happened on a day that would prove to be one of the most important, if not the most important of his reign is powerful.

How many days do you come to the end of the day and think, nothing important happened today. Many of us feel that we are unimportant. American author, Henry David Thoreau, tapped into these feelings when he wrote, “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

While it is true that most days the world does not see the things that you and I do as important, there is someone who sees your importance. The Bible has many passages that tell us what God has to say about our importance in His eyes. Genesis 1:27 (NKJV) says that “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." You were made in the image of God. You are important.

Psalm 139:13-14 (NOG) says “You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made.” God made you in an amazing and miraculous way. You are important.

You may think that you are unimportant and that nothing important happens in your life, “but here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIRV) Jesus died for you because you are important to Him. If we focus on how much God loves us and the price He paid to redeem us, we’ll come to see ourselves as God sees us, and that will help us understand just how important we are to Him.

Gentle Reader, the most important being in the universe created you, loves you, and died for you. God knows what happened to you today, and he feels that it is important. King David wrote in Psalms 139 (NIV) “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” (verses 1,2) Then he adds, “where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (verses 7-10)

A Pair of Ioniqs - August 22, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the August 22, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

The extra loud telephone bell ringer announced an incoming phone call. I heard the ringing over the cacophony of the air compressor and the air cut-out tool I was using. When I answered the call, the lady on the other end of the line said, “during last night’s storm, a tree branch fell and broke the windshield on my car. I need to see about getting it replaced.” I assured her that we could do the job and asked her about her vehicle. She said that she had a Hyundai Ioniq. It was the first time I had priced a windshield for an Ioniq. I had never seen one up close.

The Ioniq (pronounced "eye-on-ick") is Hyundai’s new hybrid car. It has a 104-hp gasoline engine, a 43-hp electric motor, and an EPA highway rating of 54 mpg. The Ioniq’s closest competitor is the Toyota Prius. Hyundai introduced the Ioniq in the 2017 model year. When I contacted my windshield supplier, I learned that there was only one Ioniq windshield available in the entire Southeast region of the U.S. It came with a very high price tag.

When I priced the windshield to my customer, she was unsure of what to do. The cost was just a few dollars more than her deductible, so she didn’t know if she should use her insurance or just pay out of pocket. She said that she would talk to her husband and they would decide what to do.

About ten minutes later, the telephone rang again. On the other end of the line was a local insurance agent. They said, “I have a lady here in the office with me who needs to order a windshield for her Hyundai Ioniq.” Because I had just been in contact with my windshield supplier and knew that there was one available, I said, “I can have the windshield here tomorrow.” I guess she decided to use her insurance company, I thought to myself.

After a few minutes had gone by, another phone call interrupted my work. When I picked up the phone, the caller said, “This is the lady who called you a few minutes ago needing a windshield for my Hyundai Ioniq. I have decided to pay for it myself and not use my insurance company.” “Didn’t your insurance company contact me just a couple of minutes ago,” I asked. “No,” she replied. “I haven’t talked to my insurance company.” “Uh-oh,” I said. “I just received a call from an insurance company with a customer who needed a windshield for their Ioniq. I assumed that it was for you. There is only one windshield available, and I have promised it to the other customer.”

The caller was very polite and understanding, but I knew that she was not happy with the situation. She would have to drive her car with significant windshield damage until I could find another windshield. I told her that I would check on what a windshield would cost from a dealer and see how long it would take to get one. I explained that I would call her as soon as I could figure something out.

Not long after our conversation, the phone rang again. “How am I ever going to get this job finished if the phone won’t stop ringing,” I thought. “My insurance company just arranged for you to put a windshield in my Ioniq,” the caller said. “I’m glad you called,” I answered. “I am having some issues getting a windshield for your car. How soon do you need the work done?” “There is no hurry,” the caller answered. “It is just a small break on the passenger side. You can call me when you get a windshield.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and called the first customer back. I told her that the other Ioniq customer wasn’t in a hurry and was willing to wait for a few days. Everything had worked out, but I had gotten myself into a jam by making an assumption. Because I had just received a call about an Ioniq windshield, I assumed that the second Ioniq call was about the same vehicle. We all need to be careful about making assumptions.

Assumptions can get us in trouble, but we all do it. We often do it without thinking. We have a small bit of information about someone or know a little bit about a situation; then we allow our mind to fill in the rest of the story. Assumptions are often a form of judging. When we assume something about someone else, we are making a judgment about them. We may make assumptions based on the color of their skin, their religion, their political beliefs, the people they are friends with, or their socio-economic status.

The Bible talks about this issue of judging. Many people, myself included, like to quote Matthew 7:1 (NIRV). “Do not judge other people. Then you will not be judged.” People like the fact that Jesus said, “Do not judge, ” but what Jesus is prohibiting in Matthew 7:1 is judging unfairly. We are not to make assumptions. We are to follow the golden rule and treat others the way we would like to be treated.  “This is what our Scriptures come to teach: in everything, in every circumstance, do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Matthew 7:12 (VOICE)

But a short while after Jesus gave the command not to judge, he gives instructions about making a judgment based on the fruits of a person’s life. “Be careful of false prophets. They come to you looking gentle like sheep, but they are really dangerous like wolves. You will know these people by what they do. Grapes don’t come from thornbushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds. In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.”Matthew 7:15-17 (NCV)

What does this have to do with the assumptions we make? When we pass judgment based on assumptions, we get in trouble. Jesus tells us that we should not judge, but that we should know peoples character by what they do. We should be careful.

Gentle Reader, “love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NCV) God has asked us to love our neighbors and to love our enemies. Love doesn’t make assumptions. We are to believe the best about people until we know otherwise. We are to hope for the best.

Making Pizza - August 15, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the August 15, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

The sounds of youthful conversation and laughter echoed down the hall. I walked through the corridors of the church to investigate. As I approached the fellowship room, I could hear more clearly. The cheerful noised seemed to be coming from the kitchen. What was in the kitchen that could create such joy and happiness in a group of kids?

When I poked my head into the room, I saw that the youngsters were busily working away as they talked and giggled. There were large mixing bowls on the counter, and the kids were kneading mounds of dough with their hands. Flour seemed to be everywhere; on the counter, on the floor, and on the kids. They were preparing for a homemade Chicago style deep dish pizza party that evening.

The kids were part of the Jesus First youth group. They were hosting an End of Summer Student Dedication party. They had invited area school-aged kids to an evening of pizza, fun, games, singing, and worship to mark the end of summer vacation and the beginning of a new school year.

After the pizza dough had risen, the kids were back in the kitchen placing the dough in a dozen large pans. I was amused as I watched them put the dough in each pan and try to spread it out over the bottom and up the sides. The dough wasn’t cooperating, but eventually there was dough in every pan; ready to become a Chicago Style deep dish pizza. When the rest of the kids arrived, the pizzas were ready to be made.

The kids paired up, and each pair was responsible for building a pizza. They started by pressing a nice thick layer of Mozzarella cheese into the dough. Next, they covered the cheese in tomato sauce followed by toppings such as olives, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. To top off their pizza creations, they covered everything with another layer of Mozzarella cheese. When all of the finished pizzas were ready to be placed in the ovens, it was time for fun and games.

Pastor Tony lead out in lively, uplifting songs with the kids eagerly singing along. One of the evenings favorite activities was the cocoon race where each participant was wrapped tightly in a sheet, then tried to make it to the finish line as quickly as possible. The cheering and laughter filled the fellowship hall in a cacophony of noise.

When the pizzas had finished baking, it was time to eat. I had my reservations about pizza made entirely by the kids, but they turned out great. Each pizza was more than two inches of Chicago style goodness and flavor. It didn’t take long for all of the pizzas to be devoured. After everyone had a full stomach, the evening concluded with object lessons about school, friendships, and sticking together. Then the adults gathered around the students and prayers were offered for the success of the new school year.

I enjoyed being a part of the pizza party. I liked the idea of preparing the kids for a new school year by dedicating and blessing them; By letting them know that God and the church want them to have a successful school year.

Some of the kids were excited for school to start again so that they could see their friends and make new ones. Some were sad to see the end of summer vacation. Others were nervous about changing schools and the unknowns of a new school year. When I was in school, I was always excited for a new school year to start. But it has been a long time since I was in school.

Spiritually, many Christians are like those students who aren’t excited about going back to school. They don’t want to have to study. They enjoy summer vacation and don’t want to to be required to study and learn. God knows that not everyone is interested in learning, but He says that “if you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord. But foolish people hate wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7 (NIRV)

King David was the type of student who wanted to go back to school. He said, “Lord, teach me what you want me to do, and I will live by your truth. Teach me to respect you completely.” Psalms 86:11 (NCV) God wants excited and eager students. In 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP) Paul wrote to young Timothy, “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.”

We should never get tired of studying and learning from God’s textbook, the Bible. It outlines God’s commands for successful living and wisdom for our life’s journey. Just like a student who refuses to study and learn will not be equipped to be a success when they grow up, if we as Christians don’t study the text that God has given us, we won’t be successful.

Gentle Reader, Are you excited about going to school? Do you love studying? When was the last time you took the time to study God’s Word in depth? You don’t want Jesus to say, “you don’t understand, because you don’t know what the Scriptures say, and you don’t know about the power of God.” Matthew 22:29 (NCV) Instead, ask God to “teach me how to do Your will, for You are my God. Allow Your good Spirit to guide me on level ground, to guide me along Your path.” Psalms 143:10 (VOICE)

A Summer Picnic - August 8, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the August 8, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

The sun shone brightly on the winding road as it snaked along the mountain’s crest. Magnificent views with varying degrees of hazy blues and greys in the distance were around almost every corner. Tall grass and weeds concealed old rusty guardrails. Occasionally, patches of wildflowers lined the edges of the road. It was a beautiful summer day, and I was going on a picnic.

I have always enjoyed picnics. When I was a boy living in Colorado, my family often went on picnics in the mountains. I loved being outdoors and was frequently too excited to eat much. My favorite food was watermelon that had been chilled by putting it in a cold mountain stream.

As we were driving to our picnic spot on top of the mountain, I thought, “I’m not a kid anymore, but I’m still happy and excited to be going on a picnic with my family.” When we arrived at the picnic area, family members had already found a great spot under a gazebo. It was a warm summer day, but with the shade of the gazebo and light mountaintop breezes, It was very pleasant.

We fried potatoes and onions on the camp stove, and they were very tasty with the hot dogs and black bean salad.  Of course, there were chips and cookies; it was a picnic after all. We spent several relaxing hours there, eating, visiting, and watching the miniature train as it passed by our picnic spot several times filled with happy waving passengers.

While we were on our picnic, we had a family Bible study from the book of Matthew. As we were reading and talking about the life of Jesus, I thought about a time that Jesus was at a picnic. The dictionary definition of the word picnic is, “an occasion when a packed meal is eaten outdoors, especially during an outing to the countryside.” The picnic that Jesus was at was a meal eaten outdoors in the countryside.

We find the story in Matthew chapter 14. Jesus’ cousin, friend, and fellow itinerant preacher, John, had just been put to death by King Herod. “As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:13,14 (NLT) Even though Jesus was in mourning and wanted to spend some time alone, when people came to him and needed help, he had compassion on them.

The crowd that followed Jesus that day was very large. “Those counting the people reported approximately 5,000 men—not including the women and children—sitting in the crowd.” John 6:10 (VOICE) “That evening the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said, ‘That isn’t necessary—you feed them.’”Matthew 14:15,16 (NLT)

“Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. ‘There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?’ ‘Tell everyone to sit down,’ Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.” John 6:8-11 (NLT) At every family picnic that I have ever been on, everyone ate as much as they wanted. But as many family members, as I have, there have never been thousands of people at one of our family picnics.

This story shows us how much Jesus loves people. He was trying to get away from the crowds to rest for a while without interruption. But when the crowds wouldn’t let him mourn in peace, instead of getting upset, He felt compassion for them and ministered to them by teaching and healing. Then late in the day, He was concerned that the people were hungry, so He provided a meal for them. Our God cares about us. He wants to supply our needs. Christianity is not simply about spiritual matters. Jesus is also concerned about our physical needs.

There are many lessons to be learned from this picnic story. Nothing is too big for God. He is bigger than any problem we face. He wants us to address the problem, but He will multiply our efforts. But today I want us to focus on the compassion of Jesus and what He did about it. I recently heard a Christian pastor say, “feeding the hungry does not help them take responsibility for their lives.” I don’t disagree with that statement, but I look to the example of Jesus. The crowd that he fed had not been responsible. They traveled far into the countryside without taking food with them. But Jesus made sure that they were fed anyway.

In the book of Matthew, “church members” ask this question. “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and not help you? When did we see you as a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison and not help you?’ He will reply, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you didn’t do for one of the least important of these, you didn’t do for me.’” Matthew 25:44,45 (NIRV)

Gentle Reader, All people are made in God’s divine image, all are passionately loved by God, and it’s a commandment from God that we love everyone as well. Even those who may not be making responsible decisions. “What if a person has enough money to live on and sees his brother in need of food and clothing? If he does not help him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17 (NLV)

Infected - August 1, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the August 1, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

Every step that I took caused agonizing pain. The pain was deep within my left foot, stinging and burning, rushing like an igniting fire. Wincing, I tried to walk without stepping on the ball of my foot. But still, the pain seared through my foot, each step felt like a bomb exploding inside.

The pain had started a little over a week earlier. My foot was a little sore, but I didn’t think too much about it. I could touch the bottom of my foot and find the sore spot. I felt a small bump and wondered what was causing it. I thought that maybe I had a splinter in my foot or had stepped on a piece of glass.

We left town for a few days, visiting friends in North Carolina and attending my Aunt's ninetieth birthday party in Tennessee. The first two days were spent driving, and because I spent most of my time sitting in a car and not up on my feet, My foot felt better. I hoped the soreness would go away in a short time. But instead, by the time we traveled home, my foot was sorer than it had ever been.

My first day back at work was very busy. After being gone for four business days, lots of people needed glass replaced. My foot had gotten so painful, that I called the doctor’s office as soon as they opened. I was thankful that they were able to see me the next afternoon, but the rest of my work day was miserable. I couldn’t keep off of my feet, and the pain was awful. Not only did the ball of my foot feel like it was on fire, but the side of my foot hurt from all the time I spent trying not to put weight on the sorest spot.

When I went to see the doctor, he lanced the sore area and drained off the pus. He told me that I had a bad infection, and gave me a prescription for strong oral antibiotics and a topical antibiotic cream. Lancing the infected area and relieving the pressure made it feel better at once. Although it was still sore for several days, by the time a week had passed, I could walk on the foot without pain. I had no idea how I got the infection, but I was very happy to follow the doctor's recommendations and see the treatment eliminate the infection. I wondered what the outcome would have been in the pre-antibiotic era.

In the past, a cut or scratch could kill you. We all have an immune system that fights off infection. When you get an infected cut, your body fights off the infection, and while the healing process may be long and painful, you have a 90% chance of healing without antibiotics. But 10% of the people with an infection like mine would die.

Journalist Maryn McKenna learned the story of her great-uncle while researching her ancestry. She found a newspaper clipping from 1938 that included his story. He was injured at work when a brass hose nozzle fell on him. One of his scrapes became infected. After a couple of days, his shoulder began to ache, and he came down with a fever. Maryn McKenna wrote, “His wife and the neighborhood doctor struggled for two weeks to take care of him, then flagged down a taxi and drove him fifteen miles to the hospital in my grandparents’ town. He was there one more week, shaking with chills and muttering through hallucinations, and then sinking into a coma as his organs failed. Desperate to save his life, the men from his firehouse lined up to give blood. Nothing worked. He was thirty when he died, in March 1938.” Because of infection, his injuries, though not major, proved fatal.

In just a few short years the new wonder drug, penicillin, would have been available and his infection would have been easily treatable. I’m thankful that I live in a time when infections are not usually life-threatening. My doctor ordered a bacterial culture of the pus from my foot and determined that it was a staph infection. According to the Mayo Clinic, “staph infections are caused by staphylococcus bacteria, types of germs commonly found on the skin or in the nose of even healthy individuals. Most of the time, these bacteria cause no problems or result in relatively minor skin infections.” Around 30% of the population carries Staphylococcus bacteria.

There is another infection that has affected 100% of the world’s population. The Bible tells us that, “Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NCV) and in Isaiah 64:6 (NLT) we learn that “we are all infected and impure with sin.” And this infection can be fatal. “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23 (KJV) But fortunately for us, it doesn’t have to be fatal. There is an effective treatment. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV) Peter tells us that God “is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) To keep the infection from being fatal, we must believe that Jesus can save us and we must repent; “feel or show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you want to do what is right.” (Merriam-Webster Learners Dictionary)

Gentle Reader, “when you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:19-23 (NLT) We have all been infected with sin. Don’t let it be fatal; let Jesus save you from your sin and allow the Holy Spirit to produce good fruit in your life.