The Plumbline

Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” (Luke 9:48 NLT) Greatness isn't measured in what we accomplish or how highly we think about ourselves, is it? We can portray the most 'important' or 'regal' of images, but deep down inside, we can be a messed-up ball of worry, mistrust, and pride. As we have heard, "Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) We can say all the right things, but are we doing them from a genuine and humble heart? The humble see themselves as they really are and in what God can do through them when they are genuine in their faith. What am I? A sinner, incapable of living as I should apart from the grace of God active and living in my heart. Who are you? Truth be told, I cannot make that judgment - that is between you and God! I can see ...

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Pope Francis was quoted as saying, "Every man, every woman who has to take up the service of government, must ask themselves two questions: 'Do I love my people in order to serve them better? Am I humble and do I listen to everybody, to diverse opinions in order to choose the best path?' If you don't ask those questions, your governance will not be good." The only thing I would add to this is, "Do I listen to God above all others, seeking his will and not my own?" I believe the hallmarks of a great leader are more than the ability to make money or be famous for this or that action. The hallmarks of a great leader and therefore, a great nation, are humility, a willingness to serve others, intentional time with God, listening to his voic...

Goodness makes a nation great, but sin is a shame to any people. (Proverbs 14:34) It is GOODNESS that makes a nation great again, not a man, a political party, or an office. It is the people who set their hearts right with Jesus, welcoming him into their lives, and living in such a manner so as to please God who make it great. No one in the past, nor in the future, whoever holds office is capable of filling hearts with goodness - the very ingredient that makes a country 'great'.  God changes the heart of a man or woman who welcomes him into their lives, giving him authority to rule and reign in place of their own pride or selfish will. Is it possible for other things or people to change a man's heart in the same way? I don't think it is, but it is possible to change a person's heart by leading someone into the pathway of sin simply with the use of misleading untruths.  This is why it is so important for us to observe God's actions, see what responses his Son had...

And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (I Peter 5:5-6) Elder or younger - all relate to one another in humility - this is God's plan. Pride gets the dander up quicker than anything else and it disrupts any movement toward unity or peace faster than a speeding train. Elder isn't to "lord it over", nor is younger to challenge the authority set over them. If we'd just get this right, maybe we'd stand half a chance at changing the course of this world! When our 'loyalty' is divided between God and this world, chaos is sure to ensue. Look at what James tells us, "Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided betw...

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. (Psalm 51:1-4) How is it that we don't always make a beeline to God when we sin? There are excuses uttered - thinking we can somehow justify our offense as though it were impossible for us to have resisted the temptation. We find ourselves turning this way or that, in hopes of not encountering God over the issue, but find ourselves feeling the guilt 'prick' at us like thorns on a rosebush. I don't think we intended to give into the temptation, and we don't really think the excuses or 'running' will keep us away from dealing with the sin, but we respond this way for some inexplicable reason. Guilt is that 'pin prick' in our conscience t...

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. (Psalm 138:6) Have you ever stopped to consider why God cares for this human race? We get a whole lot of things wrong, but he still loves us deeply. We get all wigged-out at our neighbors, spend our resources foolishly, get involved in things that consume our time way too much, and he still keeps waiting on us to realize just how much we need him in our lives. Though he is GREAT, he cares for the HUMBLE. Those who realize their intentions may be good, but their actions reveal just how badly they can mess things up on their own are never going to be rejected by our merciful and GREAT God. In fact, he will continue to draw them to himself, pouring out grace upon grace, until we finally realize our 'best self' is the 'self' that stops being too proud to seek his presence in our lives. James 4:6 reminds us that God actually opposes the prideful, but he gives grace upon grace to the...

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful. (John Wooden) Have you ever heard the quote from scripture that God takes care of the humble, but opposes the proud man? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to be on the 'opposing' side to God! I am not thinking that would end very well at all.  Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. (Psalm 138:6) God cares for the humble - the one who realizes how much they owe to the one who has redeemed their lives. I used to think a humble person was one who always went around kind of timid, shyly carrying on tasks behind the scenes. I have since discovered God actually has quite a few humble servants who aren't afraid to put themselves out there each and every day. They value relationships and work hard to keep not only their relationships 'solid', but they are constantly seeking to see all relationships be on ...

Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin. (Psalm 55:22) Have you been all tied up in carrying your own load, my friends? I know I get there now and again, forgetting to lay down that load and just allowing more and more to be plopped on top of what already weighs me down. My load isn't too heavy - it is just that I wasn't meant to carry it! When we aren't meant to carry the load, it will always seem like a burden. Do you know what a pack mule is? It is bred for the purpose of carrying loads. It is less stubborn than a donkey, but hardier than a horse. They are surefooted, quite intelligent, and very cautious. That means they can carry the burden, while paying close attention to where they put their feet. A pack mule is bred to carry that burden - you are not. You may be intelligent, but do you always pay close attention, knowing exactly where you are going and how to get there?  If you are...

  Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish plotting. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. (James 3:13) Boast if you must, but do it with a heart totally in love with Christ and your boasts will not be about yourself - they will be about the good things God has done in your life!  As we stop for a moment together today to consider the Word of God, can we focus on one portion of this passage together? I would like us to consider the words - "Its the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts." The way you live - your actions. The...

I am finally getting time to reorganize the shop and begin some builds of workbenches, carts, tool storage, etc. This means a little here and there needs to be gone through, plans made as to how to accomplish the builds, and then the actual work of cutting the wood and putting it together. The last part is a little tricky in a small space, with only two hands, and with limited 'old lady' strength! Do you have any idea how much 3/4 inch plywood weighs? Now make some shelving storage unit that needs to be mounted on the wall and try to figure out how to do it with one hand to hold it and one to drive the screws into the studs! I have had to get pretty ingenious in my 'holding' work to get these things into place! If I were honest here, I should have 'phoned a friend' for help, but I didn't realize how much help I'd need until I was way into it. That is often the case in life - we get into it and THEN realize just how much help we are going to need to get t...

If your life is marked by 'fits and starts', but very few 'finished items', then you are probably not alone. In fact, more of us start things and never see them through to completion than you might imagine. We have closets with unfinished craft projects, crossword puzzles that never quite get that last clue answered, and ideas for improving processes at work that never make it off the drawing board. We are great at 'imagining' stuff, but the follow-through to get it completed is oftentimes lacking. One thing I have adjusted to as I have 'grown up' is the idea of this whole 'slow and steady' progress toward a goal. When I wanted to have a savings large enough to handle unforeseen emergencies, the process began with only a couple dollars here and then a couple more there, but it was in the consistent savings of those small amounts that I learned I could save even larger ones! Slow and steady isn't always the way we do things. Some of us jump in...

For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth. ( Psalm 33:4-5 NLT ) With so much changing all around us, at speeds sometimes too great for us to keep up with, it is good to know that God's word will always and consistently hold true - unchanging and totally immovable even though some may try to tell us otherwise. It is not "open for interpretation" as some may attempt to rationalize, nor is it "exclusionary" as others may want to report. It is all-encompassing, consistently relevant, and boundless in application. John Calvin once said, " A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent ." So many times we remain silent when we clearly see God's Word being attacked, blatantly disregarded, and trampled underfoot by those who tout their lack of respect for ...