“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet He did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15

If you’ve been to my church lately, you know Dickie. Dickie is my friend and REAL superhero. He is ALWAYS excited to see me, and makes such a fuss when he does. I like him as a friend because he has NEVER, EVER pointed to, or called me out on, ANY of my faults or weaknesses. Dickie is my encourager for Jesus. Because HE loves and trusts Jesus so much, it makes it MUCH easier for me to do so as well. Dickie has Cerebral Palsy.

At 72, Dickie lives in a wheelchair… when he’s not in a bed. He can’t walk or do ANYTHING for himself. When he talks, there’s only a couple people in the world who know what he is saying. I’m not one of them. But he grunts, squeals and moans to try to communicate. When I walk into his room, his face ALWAYS lights up! That’s what it did when I went to visit him yesterday in the hospital.

It was an honor to visit him and, just like usual, his face lit up when he saw me. But when I saw what was happening, I got upset. Dickie can only eat pureed food…and ONLY when someone spoons it into his mouth for him. But he was in the hospital because he hadn’t been able to swallow ANYTHING but liquid. But there, on the table beside him, lay untouched scrambled eggs and toast! IMMEDIATELY… I started barking.

This is NOT a complaint, criticism of medical staff, or anything even resembling that. This is about Dickie, and HIS favorite person… Jesus Christ. And the point is SO SHARP, I could cry at the reality. You see, I have absolutely NO IDEA what Dickie is going through, how he feels or what he is thinking. I can ONLY imagine. And that alone breaks my heart. ALMOST like I broke God’s!

God is perfect, Omnipotent, Almighty and Omnipresent…ALMOST! God DIDN’T know what sin or temptation felt like. But in order to understand and rescue ME, He had to get His hands dirty! Which makes the story of Jesus Christ all the more miraculous. Like following footprints in the snow, Jesus walked in my shoes in order to know what I know. Which SHOULD make it easier for ME to walk in HIS!

I have been charged with the honor of sharing Christ and His Gospel with those who do not know Him. If you love Jesus, you have been too. One of the biggest barriers to evangelizing is overcoming people’s apathy toward God. Knowing Dickie helps me to ‘get it’ though. You see, it is not natural for me to walk into Dickie’s room. My initial human reaction is to be repulsed! Because HE… could be ME! A VERY SCARY THOUGHT!

Jesus is my Paraclete before God (go ahead and look that word up). That means He is my intercessor and defense attorney before His father, The Righteous Judge. Jesus NEVER argues the Law before His Dad because He’d lose! His ONLY defense for me is His own invested life and blood. And because He KNOWS what it’s like to be tempted, He pleads MY case passionately before His Father. And because of God the Father’s LOVE for His son, NO charge against me can or will stick…EVER!S

Seeing Saint Dickie is both humbling and encouraging. Because of HIS experience, he makes ME want to be a better believer. My respect and love for Dickie compels me to help, spend time with and try to make him feel more comfortable. Christ’s love and learned knowledge of temptation compels Him to make me sanctified before God. BOTH of them make me…BETTER!

Do YOU know The Paraclete? 

“…know that a person is not justified by (observing) the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus…” Galatians 2:15

Every once in a while I stop in to say hello to my wife at her job. Katie teaches at a VERY special, advance and unique preschool. Every time I walk into her room 2 sensations overwhelm me. Wonder and royalty! Her room is decorated, top to bottom, with colorful reminders of basic learning tools. When I walk in, the kids know exactly who I am. And while I like to tell them I’m Batman, they all know me as Mr. Katie!

I was listening to her teach reading to some 4 year olds and I heard her say, “when 2 vowels go walking, the first one does the talking, and it’s usually long!” I didn’t remember ever hearing that before!. Later, when I asked her about it, she started firing off rules on how to teach kids to learn to read, explaining how hard it really is! I was amazed!

I have been reading now for a long time. I don’t sit there and try to figure out how to pronounce a word because, unless it’s one I’ve never seen, I already KNOW! Or at least THINK I do! Once I learned how to read, I forgot all the rules because I didn’t NEED them anymore! Now I just DO it! But KNOWING HOW to read does not make me qualified to TEACH someone how to read! And therein lies a HUGE problem.

Today, in the aftermath of a so-called pandemic, our kids have been isolated from professionals trained HOW to teach. Left to learn online, or from people who THINK they know, too many kids are falling WAY behind in the basics of education. Add to that an indoctrination agenda that ISN’T about education, I can see a future catastrophe! The same problem exists with masses of people who THINK they know God.

I have asked LOTS of people what they know about God, and I can tell you most aren’t even close! People who DON’T know God will usually say that to get to His house (heaven) you just have to be a good person! The next task is to explain how they qualify! “I’ve never killed anyone and try to live by the 10 commandments!” BEEEEEEEP! Wrong! Here’s a rule…anyone bringing up Old Testament laws as qualification is lost!

I KNOW God because I KNOW His son Jesus Christ! PERSONALLY! I put my faith in Him long ago and continue to grow up, under His Love and Grace, by studying His Word. And UNLIKE Ms. Katie’s reading rules like, “when 2 vowels go walking…” there are NEVER any exceptions to HIS rules. All I can say to that is…”YEAH!!!”

Have YOU placed your faith in, and KNOW Jesus Christ?