Monuments to Ourselves

              About thirty years ago, the preacher, Doug Parsons, wrote a bulletin article addressing the sin of selfish ambition. In that article, he told a story…

            Near Lincoln, Kansas stands a group of gravestones that boggle imagination. A farmer named Davis, a self-made and determined man, managed to amass a considerable fortune, but had few friends and no relatives for whom he cared.

            When his wife died, Davis erected an elaborate statue, showing both her and him sitting at opposite ends of a love seat. So pleased was he with this monument that he commissioned the sculptor to create another, this time showing him kneeling at her grave with a wreath in hand.

            That made such a fine impression that he set out to erect still another tombstone, depicting his wife kneeling at his future gravesite with a wreath. He even put wings on her back, as she now resided in another world. So, as time passed, and one idea led to another, he eventually spent over a quarter of a million dollars on monuments to himself and his wife.

            Davis had no interest in aiding his fellow man or benefitting his community. Nor did he become a blessing to the church. He used all his resources on himself and died at ninety-two, a lonely, dispirited man. His cherished stones are slowly, but surely sinking into the Kansas soil, victimized by vandalism and neglect, weathered by time.

            How many people live out their lives in much the same way, building monuments to themselves, but ignoring needs of others about them? They avidly pursue their personal goals of fame, fortune, pleasure, and power. How different was Jesus, who “became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 5:15.) May God help us to do more with our lives and fortunes than build monuments to self.

            --Douglas F. Parsons

Seven "Deadly" Sins

             I am about to begin a sermon series on “Seven Life-Affirming Virtues.” What I plan on doing is staking out the territory God inhabits (the virtue), and addressing the two extremes that flank either side. Both flanks are sins. For example: the virtue humility is flanked on one side by pride (too high a view of one’s self) and on the other side by low self-esteem (too low a view of one’s self.)

            My story this morning concerns an article I read about DISCIPLESHIP magazine back in 1992. In the article, readers individually responded to a survey by communicating to the editors of the periodical the greatest spiritual challenge of each reader.

            Here is how they ranked:

               1. Materialism

              2. Pride

              3. Self-centeredness

              4. Laziness

              5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness

              6. (Tie) Sexual lust

              7. Envy

              8. Gluttony

              9. Lying

            If you count materialism as greed, you find all seven of the traditional “seven deadly sins” present.  Notice none of these sins will get you thrown in jail. None will even get you disfellowshipped from today’s churches. As far as the secular and spiritual cultures are concerned, you and I can practice these sins with impunity—free from unpleasant consequences.

            Maybe that is why these sins are called “deadly.”

Insight into the minds of 6th graders

            My wife teaches English, Reading, and Writing at a local middle school. So you might imagine the interest I had when I came across a compilation of answers supplied by 6th graders for a history test. (This was from another school in the U. S. about ten years ago.)

            I’ll share one with you. Watch the spelling!

            The greatest writer of the Renaissance was William Shakespeare. He was born in the year 1564, supposedly on his birthday. He never made much money and is famous only because of his plays. He wrote tragedies, comedies, and hysterectomies, all in Islamic pentameter. Romeo and Juliet are an example of a heroic couple. Romeo's last wish was his last wish.

           

            Humanity doesn’t always get the answers right either. Here’s is just one rebuke from history, directed at Man’s hubris: We have heard of the pride of Moab—how proud he is!—
of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right (Is. 16:6.) ESV

Judge Not Lest Ye Shall Be Judged

            Warren Wiersby, in his book, BE COMPASSIONATE, wrote about the blind English poet, John Milton. As Milton grew older, people began to forget him.

            One day, Charles II, son of the monarch whom the Puritans had beheaded, visited Milton. King Charles II said to him, “Your blindness is a judgment from God for the part you took against my father.”

            Milton replied to him, “If I have lost my sight through God's judgment, what can you say about your father who lost his head?”

            Too often, people misapply the teachings of Jesus concerning Mt. 7:1, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Wiersby’s story just might be an appropriate illustration.

Making a Name For Yourself

 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves… (Gen. 11:4a.)

A friend of mine once asked an official at a Christian university why the school had no trouble raising money for buildings, but it couldn't raise very much for scholarships for Bible students. The official answered, “Because you can put your name on a building.”

The Problem with the Human Race

            A few years ago, reporters began to explore the poor play of Seattle Supersonic (now the Oklahoma City Thunder) center Jerome James. They consulted the team’s coach, Nate McMillan, and he offered some reasons.

            The media then asked Jerome James himself. He replied, "I don't have the first clue who he is talking about, because all I worry about is Jerome."

            Jerome, unwittingly, probably summarized the problem with the entire human race—“All I worry about is [insert your name here.]

      

He Adores His Maker

            Benjamin Disraeli was a prime minister of England in the 1800s. A friend of his once remarked to another acquaintance—the British citizen, John Bright, “You ought to give him [Disraeli] credit for what he has accomplished, as he is a self-made man.”

            “I know he is,” retorted Mr. Bright, “and he adores his maker.”

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience… (Col. 3:12.) ESV

I Don’t Ever Fall

The story is told (and perhaps it is legend) of the once famous circus performer, Philippe Petit. He was practicing in the Bayfront Auditorium in St. Petersburg, Florida, when he fell about 10 yards to a concrete floor. Someone present described Petit as rolling over on his stomach, hitting the concrete with his fist, and crying out, “I can't believe it! I can't believe it! I don't ever fall.”

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (I Cor. 10:12.)