“As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.” 1 John 2:24-25

DING, DING, DING! As many times as I have heard it, you’d think I’d not be surprised! But I was. Having started the car, backed out of the driveway and moving down the road, the seat-belt alarm went off at the same point it always does… because it’s supposed to! Someone, somewhere, wrote a program for our car computer to do just what it was doing…  WARN me! I buckled my seat belt.

Being a male human comes with some predictable consistency. Men typically focus on 1 thing at a time and have a knack for disliking rules. Driving 25 mph in my subdivision posed no threat to me. When I get in the car I just want to GO! Someone, somewhere decided that my penchant for focus and disobedience needed a reminder before the OTHER man thing kicked in… stupid forgetfulness!

Henry Ford didn’t invent the seat belt. His goal was to make money. Somewhere down the line in some room somewhere, an accountant started crunching numbers concerning the cost of car wrecks on society. He came up with an idea to SAVE money and lives if he could ‘pass a law!’ The DING in my car, looking out more for an insurance company’s wallet, reminded me too, life is important!

In looking for a picture for this thought I discovered this handy little device that costs only $3! It is a seat-belt alarm silencer. That it is shaped like a skull is actually ironic. Anyone who spends $3 to silence an alarm meant to save their lives in a potentially fatal car crash SHOULD have 1 more final reminder. The skull is appropriate! 1 John is loaded OFTEN with a similar warning… the word ‘IF!’

God commands that I study His Word. His reasons have NOTHING to do with Him and EVERYTHING to do for MY benefit. Being a male Christian can bring a lack of focus and dislike for rules into my walk with Christ. Often, when searching the Scriptures, I look for loopholes. The statement, “once saved always saved,” is merely an attempt to eternally secure someone who isn’t ‘buckled in!’

Today I am going to buckle up BEFORE I get started because I have had some close calls in my travels. I know God enough to know that His rules are for MY benefit, not for my harm. So when I read in His Word, things like “go, show, do, remain, love, and don’t,” it REALLY IS in MY best interest to not be a bonehead and ignore His dinging! Walking WITH Him is the fun part!

Are you?

“Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.” 1 John 1:4

“UGHHHHHH” was the sound I tried to quietly make as the Doctor skillfully shoved a very long tube up my nose and into my brain! At least it FELT like it. He said, “I need to get past the old and go for the fresh, gooey stuff.” “Stuff” I figured, was his code word for ‘snot.’ I didn’t have to have a PhD to know that for what’s been hiding up there to come OUT, Doc had to first go IN!

The subject is gross. But after living with an unnamed infection for almost a year, it’s way past time to get specific! A ‘culture’ is supposed to take a snotty sample and grow it up big enough to actually see and know what’s ‘in me.’ Randomly shooting at the target with guesses, various antibiotics and hope have just not gotten what’s in… out! I’ve been ‘snot me’ for far too long!

For the record, lying around feeling awful is neither ideal nor fun. For some fun Katie turned on the National Championship College football game. A ‘Christian’ college was the underdog for whom we were rooting. Katie then said, “I know, I’ll start taking down the Christmas decorations while the game is on.” Whoda thunk that snot, football and Christmas would lead to Jesus thinking!

Feeling, wanting and stuff have a way of affecting how I look at things… AND how I am seen. Not feeling well makes me grumpy. NOBODY likes grumpy. When the team we WANTED to win was getting destroyed, letdown crept in and left its impression, even though we don’t really have any investment in that team! And putting away Christmas stuff isn’t fun or encouraging either.

The simple truth is that what is IN me, eventually finds its way OUT of me. And how I look on the outside matters to God. A Christian is someone who identifies with Jesus Christ, which I do! That means I have ‘consecrated’ my life to Him and have pledged to, like His disciples before me, DO what HE commands. Today’s verse says that NOT DOING what He commands makes me a LIAR!

Jesus Christ has made many serious promises to me. If I exchange lives with Him He promises Joy, Peace, Love, Hope and Abundance! And THAT is just for starters! But to GET all that stuff IN I have to get snotty me OUT! Getting what He says ONLY comes after DOING what He says. So this new year I’m looking AGAIN, to get more JESUS CULTURE. Cuz life is SNOT supposed to be about me!

How snotty are you and are you following His orders?  

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

Yeah… those are mine! Had it been just my shoes, it probably would not have been so tragic. But the shape of the shoes had somehow morphed into an image of my body, soul and spirit. Weeks later, I found I have been fighting a war that I didn’t know was already long in process, and one I have been losing. Having been led by the Spirit to this verse, I realize I had failed to follow the first part!

It was a miracle of sorts. I don’t make it a habit to climb up on my roof and check it out. But after a small leak in the ceiling had been pointed out, I begrudgingly got a ladder, climbed up and found… you guessed it… MORE work to do! The flat part, made up of rolled roofing material, had degraded to the point where it was a miracle it hadn’t failed. And the only one to do the work was ME!

The Elastomeric roofing material was about $100 for a 5 gallon bucket. I bought 2. My neighbor graciously offered to help, since he was retired and wanted something to do. I was just tired! By the time we rolled about 10 feet, he pointed to our feet where the splatter had made an impression! It was a good thing I had worn old shoes! Bad, cuz I had to wear them to the store to buy more material!

Sometime early in the Merry Christmas Holy-days I subconsciously realized I have not really been very merry! And not that I don’t have good reasons! Having never been this old or in this physical condition, I am still tackling everything that comes out of a sense of duty. Sooner or later, with burning the candle at both ends, SOMETHING had to give! So Merry just sort of moved out!

Over these weeks I have read the Word and the locations and subjects have pointed more to a Jackson Pollock painting than a Leonid Afremov. Making no sense, it was easier to simply close the Bible and move on. And somewhere in a silent light, with my spirit down… I called and He answered. One of those verses pointed to this one where I COMPLETELY missed the main point!

Having been involved in Church all my life, I have seen tough times, desert times, hard, sad, difficult and seemingly empty times. If my calling were to make everyone’s day, including my own, miserable… I could close here, having done a wonderful job! But it is not. The Spirit wants love, Joy and Peace to abound from my heart and Spirit. That means NOT LOSING HEART! I missed that!

So on this official ‘everybody back to work and school day,’ it is a Joy to be reminded and remember that I am supposed to operate in HIS Spirit and strength! Not my own. And to remember that, as an old preacher said, “Friday may be here… but Sunday’s a comin!” Jesus never called me to be a Superman. He called me to be HIS man and to look forward to a Merry Merry New Year in HIM!

Have YOU forgotten, or been beaten or worn down? Maybe, like me, you might consider changing places with Jesus and let Him live THROUGH you! I’m going to give it a go!

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5:7-9

“God, the perfect Son – Jesus – didn’t start out perfect!” It came as a shock to me as I read Hebrews chapters 2-5! But there it was! And it didn’t surprise me that God was showing me this at Christmas time! The verses go on to say that Jesus BECAME perfect through OBEDIENCE! Which implies that he WASN’T before He was! Even for me, that was a very big pill to swallow!

Obviously Jesus, being begotten of the same substance as God, WAS perfect in Heaven. No sin, no temptation, no bent toward imperfection! He was one WITH His Father because He WAS, by nature, His Father! They had created angels then men. Then fallen angels had deceived and led disobedient man, to death! Man needed a SAVIOR from their divorce from God. Death came because MAN chose it!

It doesn’t take intelligence to know that imperfect and perfect cannot coexist. A perfect hog cannot act as a heart transplant donor to a needy man! They are not made from the same STUFF! If death was the penalty for Man’s choosing to disobey God, then their Savior, a substitute, must first become a man. THEN… He must be tested and tried as a man to ensure that he WAS perfect. That meant this substitute had to be tempted and tried, and LEARN to be obedient under the same rules the first Adam faced. And THAT, God was showing me, was the Boot Camp drill for Jesus!

Hebrews says Jesus offered up cries and petitions while learning obedience to become the perfect man! Cries and petitions implies that Jesus didn’t like the process! The difference was, THIS man was born to LEARN to be the perfect man, die, then serve as the perfect Priest to administer the sacrifice on behalf of the people He died for!! A TALL order indeed! But one He completed!

So this Christmas, as I think about the gifts, joy and wonder of the Holy-day… I think I’m going to focus on the reality of what Jesus REALLY came here to do and become. May God show me that MY obedience to Him is truly important… if I want to serve Him well!

DO YOU see what I see?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

“Go back!” That is what ‘The Voice’ said! ‘It’ has a tendency to show up more frequently the older I get. Which is a good thing, though sometimes… annoying. ‘It,’ ‘The Voice,’ is God. The person I refer to as My Heavenly Father… or “DAD.” The pet name is NOT disrespectful, as seen by the capital letters! Driving by a situation, I heard Him, disregarded in angst, then heard “DAD” again. I turned around!

Born 67 years ago, my life really never started counting until my early teens. It was then that I met DAD under EXTREME circumstances. Being me, I was looking for mischief, and looking back, DAD had had about enough to work with. So He called, I heard, and ‘The Voice’ has never left me alone. He is Faithful to a fault! I wish I could say the same about me… but I’ve ignored Him far too MANY times!

“Go back and pick up that piece of paper. Take the further parking space so someone else can have the closer one. Get there early. Volunteer for the messiest job! Wake up and spend time with me!” They are only some of the things DAD like to say. And though He never shouts, I KNOW it’s Him. Because of the Authority in that still small voice I hear, I NEVER have an excuse to ignore Him.

It was a privilege to see the picture of Charlie Brown and his old bent Christmas Tree. I got to see that special when it first came out on TV and remember it well. Charlie’s eyes on that tree clearly show that he KNOWS that it is not up to par. He KNOWS that his attempt is not good enough in reflecting back the Glory and Honor due the birth of Christ. But KNOWING doesn’t help DOING!

There is an odd sensation that comes when I read this verse. Like looking into a mirror, I can clearly SEE what I look like. But seeing doesn’t bring Joy. I remember what I USED to look like. Time has changed my face and will eventually drop me into a grave. But knowing that SHOULD make me JoyFUL! Unless I’m looking at life through Charlie Brown’s eyes.

Being a new creature should be more intense, joy filled, louder, more insist and yes… even more patient. But not all of those character traits show up in me all the time. Thus ‘The Voice!’ He speaks when He has something to say. Usually when I have acted in the OLD way. Because, since I AM new… I should live and ACT new! “I didn’t know,” is not a valid excuse to DAD!

This verse reminded me that I was made to live and look FORWARD! Not back! So THIS Christmas I think I’m going to try to work a little harder on giving DAD the Gift He’s always wanted. More of the NEW me! And less of the old! After all, we BOTH already know… I KNOW better!

How about YOU?  

This article is FAR too wonderful and awesome to not share. It was sent to me by Randy after I wrote the Words of the Day yesterday, and shares the common theme.. “WHY?”  In the days where things happen, only to leave us questioning WHY?” and hearing no answer, it is WELL worth the reading.  enjoy!  I apologize in advance for the formatting.  spacing and paragraphs did not like my editor!

The Starving Eyes of Man – Why We Ache to See Glory

An article by Greg Morse – Staff writer at desiringGod.org

The eyes of man were made for glory. His soul hungers for something worth seeing. This world is a war of spectacles.

Man is a watching creature, a born admirer, a natural worshiper. It is why he gazes at the stars, climbs to the top of mountains, explores underwater worlds, travels to new and untamed lands — he craves vistas. It explains why he pays good money to pack into sports arenas, stares for hours at television screens, pays homage to the flaming horizon, and sings with Adam at the naked frame of Eve — he was made to see wonders.

Human eyes have had an appetite from the beginning. Consider Eve’s fall: “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes . . . she took of its fruit and ate” (Genesis 3:6). Eyes delighted; sin committed. The pattern holds with her and Adam’s children. When man exchanges the glory of God, he does so for images (Romans 1:23) — for that which intrigues the eye, something seen, a glory exchanged.

Ravenous, then, are the eyes of man. Like the belly, they hunger. Like the throat, they thirst. Like the feet, they wander, searching after something — anything — worth beholding. But in a world of images, he still hasn’t found what he is looking for. One wonder will be replaced by another and another. “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man” (Proverbs 27:20).

But oh, how often humanity conceives its happiness backward. We think to achieve, to be somebody celebrated and revered — this fills the golden chalice with lasting happiness. But man is no dog to live for pats on the head. Just the opposite. Man is a creature who looks out the window through the rain, searching for something to enthrall him. To first see, not be seen; to chiefly admire, not be admired; to fix one’s gaze beyond earth’s horizons — this is the happiness so few ever find.

Back of Glory

Scripture testifies that some famished eyes looked above and found the true object of their desire.

Such ones climbed mountains to exclaim at the heavens, “Please show me your glory!” (Exodus 33:18). Such souls, when surrounded by danger and violence, wrote, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after . . . to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4). These eyes faced east and begged to see what would soothe their reason for being — in this world and the next. “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness,” sang David. “When I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

“Show me your glory! Satisfy me with your beauty! Show me your face — even beyond the grave — and it is well with me.”

But Old Testament saints, at best, viewed only the backside of divine glory. God tells Moses, “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). The only glory that can satisfy man’s insatiable craving is the glory that would kill him to behold. So Moses hid in the cleft, seeing his back and hearing his name, but God’s face he did not see.

Face of Glory

Yet the story was not done. The glory that Moses could not see the face of, the beauty too fatal for fallen eyes, was born at Christmas. Wonder of wonders.

“The glory that Moses could not see the face of, the beauty too fatal for fallen eyes, was born at Christmas.”

To a little town named Bethlehem arrived the God no one had ever seen. The only God, who was eternally at the Father’s side — he has made him known (John 1:18). Christ — “the image of the invisible God,” the blinding light of God’s glory, “the exact imprint of his nature,” the very face of God’s beauty — became flesh and dwelt among us (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4–6). “And we have seen his glory,” the astonished apostle writes, “glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Now, this all-Glorious One came down to us, as Moses came down from the mountain to Israel, veiled. His glory during his incarnation and humiliation was beheld not as much by sight as by faith. It stood as the marvel of angels that the thrice-holy one on the throne, possessor of all riches and glory, should grow up in the world of men “like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). The King veiled his majesty in human flesh, disguised his splendor, hid his name, and dwelled among the poor, diseased, and condemned.

But the eyes of faith came to see more than just a Jewish man. “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!” Jesus exclaims after Peter identifies him as the Christ. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). Yet even his disciples were slow to see him. Philip requests of Jesus, “Show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” “Have I been with you so long,” Jesus replies, “and you still do not know me, Philip?” (John 14:8–9).   Then, with weight enough to break the world’s back, he utters, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” When Philip heard the words and saw the works and beheld the Person born in Bethlehem, he should have seen the face of the one who dwells in “unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16).

Seeing Heaven Himself

The sight of Jesus in all his glory alone can satisfy the eyes of men. Overhear Jesus’s prayer hours before the cross. He bends to ask that his disciples be given heaven’s crown jewel. What is that?

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)

“The sight of Jesus in all his glory alone can satisfy the eyes of men.”

Jesus wants his people to enjoy the sight their soul was made to see: the glory of God, shining forth in his glory, forever. He desires it — so much so that nails through the hands, the feet, the soul will not stop him from obtaining it. Here is the ultimate something worth seeing. Here is glory beyond hyperbole, said Thomas Watson.

Here is why redeemed beings have eyes: to see and savor Jesus Christ in his uncloaked glory. This is why we have mouths: to sing back to him praise unending. In his presence, faith will flee at that face whose intensity retires the sun: “The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

Sight That Makes Us Happy

The ache of men’s eyes sends them many places. The eyes of man rove the beauties of this world, restless. Only here, beholding Jesus — now by faith, soon by sight — do we find the beatific vision, the sight that makes eternally happy. Where are you looking, this Christmas, to satisfy your soul?

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8) — can you imagine anything better? In the closing chapter, we read, “They will see his face” (Revelation 22:4) — is there a better happily-ever-after? This is not the only joy heaven holds, but it is the best. His kingly countenance, concealed no longer, is heaven’s consummation for both unfallen angel and redeemed man.

“Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty” (Isaiah 33:17). We will not see him as he was in Bethlehem or in the streets of Jerusalem; we will see him as he is in royal beauty (1 John 3:2).

There is a great deal of difference, Jeremiah Burroughs comments, “between seeing the King at an ordinary time, and seeing of him when he is in his Robes, with his Crown upon his head, and his Scepter in his hand, and set upon his Throne, with all his Nobles about him in all his glory” (Moses His Choice, with His Eye Fixed upon Heaven, 537).

And this sight of him transfigured will not merely satisfy but transform. “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2.) Burroughs again: “A deformed man may see a beautiful object, and that sight shall not make him like that beautiful object; but the sight of God shall make the soul glorious, as God is glorious” (581–82).

Seeing him as he is, we will join the seraphim in wonder, shouting holy! and worthy! until we threaten to burst with happiness. Available to us is the Face of glory, not the back; an eternal gaze at his beauty, not a passing glimpse. Now we may see in a mirror dimly, “but then face to face.” Now we know in part; then we shall know fully, even as we have been fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

This is the glory whispered at Christmas, sung at Easter, shouted in eternity — the glory profound enough to satiate our souls and make us happy forever.

Greg Morse is a staff writer for desiringGod.org and graduate of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He and his wife, Abigail, live in St. Paul with their son and daughter. 

“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope.” Romans 8:20

“UGHHHHHHHHH!” was my response when asked how I was doing. That went along with other sounds that don’t actually have any official spellings, but sounds everyone can appreciate! And why not? It’s Christmas! Why WOULDN’T the official day we celebrate the birth of the world’s Savior come with anything less than groaning frustration. Just read the real story behind HIS birth.

I know, I know! Christmas is supposed to be Merry and Bright! Bah-Humbug’s are not welcome to the Christmas party, and until Mr Scrooge changes his attitude, his story won’t be any less frustrating. “So learn this now,” I told myself, “you’d better get Merry and Bright together and Ho-Ho-Ho it, even if you have to fake it!” But the pep talk didn’t help. And it’s not because I’m blue!

There’s something “In the Air Tonight,” sang Phil Collins. And it isn’t just me and Scrooge who hear it! The Bible says that “ALL Creation groans.’” And includes God Himself (vs 26)! For some reason that verse, in a weird way, gives me some Peace! Having 2 surgical procedures this month smacked me. But it’s not my body that feels uneasy. Both my soul and spirit are groaning. For a reason!

I’m going to attribute my looking up the meaning behind Collins’ song to the Holy Spirit. I was surprised to discover that even HE didn’t know what the song meant, but wrote about what he felt. I call that a brave admission! Other than having a stuffy nose, I feel fine! Christmas is my favorite time of year and I have “The Spirit” going. But there’s just something haunting hanging in the air!

I was looking for something to read last night when my eyes found the book, “Dark Nights of the Soul.” I’m not really sure why I grabbed it. I had tried to read it before and quit. Something drew me to it, so I started perusing the pages as it described man’s groaning using Psychology. After an hour, I threw it in the trash! Then God led me to discover this verse and, ‘groaning’ is to be expected!

I’m NOT trying to be a downer. In fact, I feel like I received a shiny new toy to play with! And it’s something that will last and never wear out on this Earth! There’s a REASON for my grumpiness, a WHY for my questionable attitude!  And it MAY help me to not be so crotchety! I AM this way because I’m SUPPOSE to be! That’s how God MADE me. SOMETHING is WRONG… and my GROANING proves it!

God’s story through Jesus is tragic! Perfect God volunteered to take on the form of fallen humanity, coming down here behind enemy lines, only to be targeted from birth. His horrific death was predictable… so says God. And so says my body, soul and spirit. That feeling in the air tonight verifies things are NOT what they were meant to be. But God reminds me, CHRIST is coming!  Only THEN will my groaning cease!

How are YOU feeling this Christmas?  Do you have occasions for being grumpy?  Does this verse help YOU to understand that it’s ok to not be ok… because things here are NOT ok… and that, for now, is OK!???

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

“Did you remember this?” were the words Katie asked me as she held up a beautiful painting of Jesus being presented to Simeon in the Temple. Having JUST preached the sermon on that event just yesterday, I had to confess that I had not noticed it before. “Where did you get that?” I asked. Her response was both humbling and revealing. “Off the wall over there. Didn’t you remember?”

Being a ‘guy’ can be a rough experience, since men are COMPLETELY different than women. Which is both a good thing AND intentional. God made me different from my wife for a reason, which is OBVIOUS! That’s why I can’t even fathom the whole transgender phenomenon! Yesterday Katie spent about 2 hours decorating the front door! We’ve owned that ‘unnoticed’ print for 5+ years!

Had I ‘noticed’ the print, I could have taken it to Church and displayed it for the sermon. But hadn’t and didn’t! Katie’s artistic brain is on a whole different level than mine. Give her some crayons or markers and she can draw almost anything I ask and get a “WOW!” But that gift can easily become a burden as she likes to switch stuff around to appeal to her changing whims and tastes. Unlike me.

The story of Jesus in the arms of Simeon sheds light on God’s ultimate plan, which He has had from BEFORE the beginning of time. The term, “a Light to the Gentiles,” was actually a Title given to the promised Messiah from Isaiah 42:6 & 49:6. The word Gentile means ‘without God’ and describes the state of their non-notice of Him. When Jesus came, His objective was to turn that light ON!

When speaking to the Jews in John 8, Jesus said “I am the light of the world.” To many in His day, that description got Him noticed… in a bad way! But God, like my Katie, likes to switch things around! So in Matthew 5 Jesus went on to say “YOU are the Light of the world…” ‘YOU’ being ‘ME!’ A fact that MANY of us ‘Church-guys’ tend to forget or fail to notice, and/or DO! But Jesus never forgets!

I am SOOO glad that Katie doesn’t get tired of me enough to want to replace me. That is what Love does. Since God IS Love, His character is such that He will ALWAYS Love me, even when I fail to notice my own failures, or DO something about them when I do. But shouldn’t MY love for HIM be the same way! When I see that He wants something from me, should I not notice… then move to DO IT!

The ONLY Job of the Church in these years is to “Go into my world and tell the people WITHOUT Jesus… ABOUT Jesus! Do you and I know and love Him enough to notice the lost ones around us, and then share Him with them? That is really the ONLY external ‘print’ He wants others to notice about me.

“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” Proverbs 18:16

“Give this to your wife and do NOT mention me!” It’s a line I used to influence men on the importance of ‘loving their wives as Christ loves the Church’ (Eph. 5:25). Women love candles… and I have a connection. Being a man, I know first hand that men are pigs! Being sensitive and giving are not typical of ‘dudes.’ And part of my job is to teach people to do and become non-typical.

One of my favorite things to do is to wrap up a candle in a used plastic store bag, hand it to a guy and tell him to pass it on to his wife. I’ll say, “there are 2 gifts in the bag. 1 for your wife, and 1 for you. YOUR gift is the appreciation you will get from her when you tell her you came across this and was thinking about her. Just DON’T mention me!” Which often leads to a sad, piggish confession.

“When I give this to her, she’ll KNOW it wasn’t from me!” men will often say. When I ask, “why,” they’ll admit, “cuz I don’t never do nothin’ like dis!” As I said, men are pigs! But to get from the pig sty to the palace, one must do and be different from what pigs do. Teaching men to be bigger and better than they usually are is part of the job. Demonstration is a good God teaching method!

Everything on this Earth, especially at Christmas, is about Christ! And everything about Christ is about God’s Grace and Mercy… NOT getting what we deserve but receiving what we don’t! My connection to The Savior is a long established one. But one in which I have SO much more to learn. Spending time with Him and His Word teaches me all KINDS of things this pig really needs.

The principle of God sending His Son into the world to save it is unfathomable. Jesus Christ was born… to die! He knew in advance what kind of death He would suffer. Not being a pig but a Prince, he wanted all mankind to join Him in the palace. To get that done, God used the idea of a gift to gain interest, and to influence those who would want to join Him.

Spreading light is God’s thing. 1 candle can light another… and so on and so on. It is important for me to remember that I was called to spread His light. To work on NOT being a pig, but to be the gift to teach others about the wondrous, matchless love and light of our beautiful Savior. I can’t think of anything greater or more enjoyable.

Are YOU God’s great gift to your family and those in your world? Or are you an oink?