Which way did he go?

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s an epitaph on a headstone outside an English parish church that says: ‘Behold all you who pass by, for as you are so once was I; and as I am so you will be; prepare yourself to follow me.’ To which someone added these word: ‘To follow you I’ll not consent, until I know which way you went.’
Conversations about our destiny beyond this life are not very common in our materialistic world. Our forefathers were much more aware of the reality of life as a journey that does not end with physical death, but goes on into eternity. Thoughts about preparing for that journey were also more common than today. But, fashionable or not, that great Biblical truth remains: ‘Keep watch, because you don’t know the day nor the hour when your call will come’.

Posted in Death, Eternity, Judgement, Kingdom of God, Knowing God, Life's journey, Spiritual Insight | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Signs of a sick spirit

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s an old Jewish story about two shopkeepers who were bitter rivals and would spend each day keeping track of each other’s business. If one got a customer, he’d smile in triumph at his rival. If the other got the customer, the first would fume with resentment. One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a dream and said: ‘I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive twice as much. Would you be rich? You can be very rich, but he’ll be twice as wealthy. What is your desire?’ The man thought for a moment, and then said: ‘Here is my request: Strike me blind in one eye!’
One of the surest signs of a sick spirit is when we’d sooner rejoice over those who weep more than us than rejoice with those who rejoice more than us.

Posted in Bitterness, Enemy, Resentment, Self Destruction, Selfishness, selling our souls, Spiritual Darkness, Spite | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

With humility comes wisdom

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

I heard about a newly commissioned officer in the Army who stopped to buy a soft drink from a vending machine but found he had no change. So he stopped a passing soldier and asked him if he had change for five dollars. The private said cheerfully, ‘I think so, let me take a look.’ The young officer immediately felt his dignity abused and said, ‘When you speak to me you call me Sir. Now, do you have change for five dollars?’’ The private came to attention and said, ‘No, sir!’
It reminds me that the Bible says ‘With humility comes wisdom.’ That’s not only true when you are wanting someone to do you a favour, but in the whole of life. The great mystic Thomas Merton said: ‘Pride makes us artificial, only humility makes us real.’ And G.K. Chesterton said: ‘Humility is the mother of giants.’

Posted in humility, Maturity, Pride, Spiritual growth, Spiritual Insight, Wisdom | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

God wants to take my picture

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Tony Campolo tells a story about a friend who has an adorable four-year-old daughter who, one night during a violent thunderstorm, was found, quite unpeturbed, standing on the windowsill, spread-eagled against the glass. As the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled her father, thinking she ought to be terrified, tried to reassure her that everything would be all right. She however, turned away from the flashing lightning and happily reported: ‘I think that God is trying to take my picture.’
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all face the storms of life with that much confidence? Well, if we take notice of what Jesus said then we ought to. As that old children’s hymn says: ‘With Christ in my vessel I can smile at the storm and he will guide me home.’

Posted in Childlike faith, children, Faith, Life, Life's journey, Storms of life | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Feeding the wolves

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A native American grandfather, talking to his grandson about the terrorist attack of September eleven, said: ‘I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is vengeful, angry and violent. The other one is loving and compassionate.’ His grandson asked: ‘Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?’ The grandfather answered: ‘The one I feed.’
These are wise words and speak powerfully to all of us as we confront the terrible reality of terrorism, that is able to reach even into our own community. We also have to decide which of those two wolves within us we shall feed, and whether we shall lash out violently and indiscriminately, thereby exacerbating the hatred until it destroys us all; or, while defending our freedom, ensure that peace with justice undergirds all that we do.

Posted in Anger, Forgiveness, Hatred, Justice, Peace, Renewed Minds, Revenge, Terrorists | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The ingratitude of tropical fish

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Philip Yancey is right when he says that keeping tropical fish requires a lot of effort. ‘You have to feed them three times a day, change the water filters, monitor the water temperature and regularly test the nitrate levels. You’d think the fish would be grateful. But every time your shadow appears above the tank they dive for cover, because they see you as a threat. No matter how hard you try, you can’t convince them of your true intentions. You’re just too big for them. To change their perception and communicate your true intentions would mean getting into the tank, not just caring for their world but actually being in it as one of them.’
That’s precisely what God did for us when he sent his son, Jesus, into our world. We look at Jesus and his life and teaching, and we realize that God is Love, and what he wants is for us to be the same.

Posted in Fear, Incarnation, Ingratitude, Jesus, Lack of understanding, love, Revealing God | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

What would you have written?

Posted on February 10, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Some years ago a couple went to an adoption agency to receive the baby they’d been waiting for. Sitting in the waiting room they heard the sound of a muffled conversation in the next room and then heart-broken sobs and footsteps on the stairs outside. It was the sound of the broken-hearted young mother whose baby they were to adopt. Soon after they were ushered into the next room to meet their adopted child – a six week old baby boy. Next to him was a brown paper bag containing a change of clothes and two letters. One was addressed to them, thanking them for providing a home for her baby. The other letter was to her son and a request that it be given to him on his eighteenth birthday.
I wonder what she wrote? I wonder what you and I would have writen?

Posted in Adopted child, Broken heart, children, Hope, love, Mother's love, Mother's words, Mourning | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Charity that doesn’t lift your public image

Posted on February 10, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

According to the Boston Globe, Tom White’s life goal is to give away his entire fortune. When people ask him why he says: ‘I’m motivated a lot by what Jesus wants me to do – and I think he wants me to help make the world a better place.’ Unlike many corporate and wealthy donors, Tom’s chief concern is to help the poorest of the poor, rather than high profile causes that lift the donor’s public image. And so he funds health and justice projects in places like Haiti – one of the world’s poorest countries. When Harvard University asked him for a donation he gave it but also said: ‘For God’s sake, you’ve got fifteen billion dollars, and I’ve got people here starving to death.’
Tom obviously shares Jesus’ idea of charity – blessing other people with no thought of what you might get out of it in return.

Posted in Charity, Discipleship, Generosity, Generous spirit, Giving, Self giving, Self Image, Selflessness | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The night the Queen left her crown at home

Posted on February 10, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

At a reception for Sir Robert Mayer on his 100th birthday, Lady Diana Cooper, who suffers from failing eyesight, chatted to a friendly woman who seemed to know her well. It wasn’t until she peered more closely at the magnificent diamonds that she realized she was talking to the Queen! Overcome with embarrassment, she curtsied and stammered, ‘Oh ma’am, I’m so sorry. I didn’t recognize you without your crown!’ ‘Oh don’t worry about that,’ said the Queen. ‘This is Sir Robert’s evening so I decided to leave it behind.’
William Temple, one time Archbishop of Canterbury, would have loved that. It was he who said; ‘Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of others… It means freedom from thinking about your own self importance at all.’

Posted in Freedom from self, Generosity, Grace, humility | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The cost of a speeding sausage

Posted on February 10, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Some years ago police in Helsinki booked Finland’s so called ‘sausage king,’ Jussi Salonoja, for speeding. It wasn’t the first time he’d been caught. He’d already copped a heavy fine for cruising the highway at two hundred kilometres per hour. Finland’s judges have little tolerance for speeding and they scale traffic fines to the income of the violator. Consequently, multi-millionaire Salonoja’s fine set a new national record at one hundred and seventy thousand euros; or about two hundred and seventy seven thousand Australian dollars.
It reminds me of something Jesus said about God’s standard of judgement: “Unto whom much has been given, much will be required.” For we who are amongst the most privilaged of any generation that’s a sobering thought.

Posted in accountability, Blessings, Judgement, Justice, responsibility | Tagged , , | Leave a comment