The Principal Place

“I can’t believe Kentuckians call off school because of rain,” I joked with a student who hadn’t gotten the message that we had cancelled classes.  My daughter later reminded me it was frozen rain.  Nevertheless, the streets were passable and having come from a school district that has to get four inches of snow on top of ice before they cancel, I was somewhat amused by the situation.

What was not amusing concerned our beautiful evergreen trees that a parent had donated to the school.  His laborers, at great expense to himself,  had just planted them along the driveway leading to our facility.   They were attracting a lot of very nice comments about the beauty they were adding to the landscaping.  Now this stranded student and I were at the front door waiting for her mother and staring at 50 young trees coated and damaged by the ice– some broken, some flat on their sides, and some barely standing.

“Look at the ice glittering on the branches and bushes.  Isn’t it awesome?” said my young friend.

“Yes, I thought.   Beautiful…”   Upon arriving at school, I couldn’t help but think the same thing and had even gotten out of my car and braved the rain falling on my head to snap a few pictures of the ice-covered trees in the back of the school.   The white ground, the twinkling limbs on the older trees, and the popping noises in the foreground were intriguing.  I mean it drew me out of the warmth of my car: me, a person who hates winter and has been longing for spring since fall began.  The mysterious sounds and silver-colored woods wooed me until I had succumbed to standing in the cold, shivering and shaking to take pictures.  Impossible!

As I stood there with the young girl, I said to her, “Yes, it’s beautiful…just like sin.”    She looked at me with questions in her eyes, so without her asking I explained.  “Sin is enticing; it has a beauty all its own.  We are drawn to what it seems to offer, but remember this the next time you are tempted to do what you know is not right.  You are young like those trees out there, and look what it has done to them.   Granted, some may bounce back and be o.k. despite this storm, but some of them won’t make it.  The ice will have destroyed any life that was in them.  Sin will do that.”

I could have said more, but she had already smiled at me in understanding, so I didn’t feel the need to go on.  Our beautiful gift of life, just like those trees, is in constant danger of being attacked by Satan, and I wanted her to be aware, and I needed to be aware.   The destruction comes swiftly, unexpected, and in ways unanticipated.   I know that’s why the Lord said to, “be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.”  I Peter 5:8

Miracles are special supernatural moments that defy explanation.   Often they are explained away as coincidence or luck because our minds just can’t wrap around the fact that God pleasantly and surprisingly interacts in our daily lives.   I would not trivilize for anything the majestic, holy hand of God in our midst.   I see Him everywhere and in many things.   For instance, I know there was a small group of people on Friday night, November the 14th in Anchored Christian School’s gymnasium who were a part of a miracle.   For all practical reporting, the event was unnoticed.

When the evening began, a parent introduced to me to a man whose last name was Miracle.   We “jested” that we hoped he would bring us our miracle tonight as we were more than likely going to lose to the visiting team.  I said glibly, “I hope you can bring us a miracle.   We’re counting on you.”   He promised that he would deliver on that promise.  We laughed.

At half time, it was quite clear that we would need that miracle.  By the end of the 3rd quarter, it seemed very apparent that there would be no supernatural event.   We were down by 24 points.   Finished with my duties, I climbed up into the stands to sit with my family who was seated in back of Mr. Miracle.  I said, “I’m still waiting on that miracle.”   As I said it, “I thought, well, you know now is when we need it.  If it had come earlier, no one would have realized it.”   I began to pray and acknowledge to God that I knew He could bring us a miracle if He chose. 

  Incredibly (because that’s what miracles do) the whole tempo of the game changed; we began to score impossible shots; their team’s best players were fouling out; and when the buzzer sounded, the game was tied.  We who had joked about the miracle were now looking at one another with amazed and stunned faces.   We really were getting one.   From then on,there was no doubt in my mind that we would win.   Even when the other team threw a 3 pointer with 7 seconds to go, putting them ahead by 1 point, I knew that God hadn’t brought us this far, to lose the glory of His intervention on our behalf.  Jersey #34 sprinted down the court, swerved underneath the basket and threw up the winning shot.  It was over; it was done; we had won.    Amazing.

These are my lessons concerning miracles.  

a.   They come to encourage us.  Our school has experienced a few set backs, and we really needed something to make us all smile, cause us to pat each other on the back, relax and smile.   This was good.

b.   They come to remind us that God has not abandoned us.  He knows us, all about us, and He wants us to acknowledge Him in all things and do all things for His glory

c.  Miracles are often only witnessed by a few.   Just as when Jesus walked this earth and He was careful not to let His miracles be what drew the large, fanatical crowds, so today, I believe God’s miracles come to a few at a time, but much more frequently than we might think.  There were fewer than a 100 people in that gym, but for those 100, it was a blessing.

d.  Miracles come to the faithful.   Many had gone on home at 3rd quarter figuring it was over.   Those, however, who were there not just to win but also to encourage and be there to be a support during the discouraging aftermath of a loss, stayed on.   We got to see the miracle.  

e.  Miracles are always a testimony to the goodness and greatness of God.   I know this was just a basketball game, but won in our own strength, we might take the glory.   Won when we’re “done for,” already beaten in our minds, and God steps in and says, “Don’t forget me,” then it’s all for His gloroy.   And anyway, if God cares about sparrows why not basketball.  

Some might say last Friday wasn’t a miracle, and that doesn’t really matter.   What matters is the event turned our attention wholly on the Lord and made that night a “Do all things for the glory of God” evening.  It was fun, and we’re all still talking about it.

Now we’re headed to our opponent’s weekend tournament.    We might not get another miracle; another might get it this time, or there may be no miracles at all, just good basketball.   I just pray we will be good sports, have fun, and God will get glory with or without a demonstration of the supernatural.

An excellent mathematician, Connie Kessinger is also the queen of metaphor.  Her comparisons are delightful.   In a discussion about someone who was wasting a lot of unnecessary energy on something absolutely unimportant, she compared it to dogs chasing cars.   I was intrigued.  I had never thought about it before.   Why do dogs chase cars?   What do they plan to do with the car if they catch it?  Are they collecting license plates or anticipating a good bite of rubber for lunch?  Exactly what is the point of expending all that effort on something that will produce nothing in return.

It’s rather like hunting bear.   A group of intelligent, well-educated teachers spent one entire afternoon driving through the beautiful mountains of Tennessee trying to spot a bear.  They burned up a tank of gas, had a lot of laughs, saw great scenery, but did not see one bear.   They did see some deer, a couple of bikers getting scolded by the game warden, and a few woodland creatures, but sadly no bear.  What if they had seen a bear?   What then?   Do they jump out of the car and go give it a great big bear hug?   Do they have their picture taken with it?  They don’t shoot it I know.  What?

I’m sure you see where I’m going with this.  It seems we spend a great deal of precious time chasing cars and other foolish things.   We give little thought to why we are doing what we are doing, who it benefits or hurts, or what positive outcomes or negative ones will result.   Though the Lord did say, “Take no thought for tomorrow,” I don’t believe this is what He had in mind.

Unlike those of other faiths who believe they get a second chance at this thing called life, we Christians know we only have one shot.  Rather than chasing fame, fortune, and folly, we are admonished to seek after those things which reap heavenly benefits. Wall Street is in a crisis so we’re told.   Trillions of dollars are being spent to bail out men and women who because of greed and amoral lifestyles thought it not a big thing to waste other people’s earnings and investments.  I have no real affinity with Wall Street, being pretty much a Main Street person, so I’m not too worried about all my assets.  My main asset is a pre-purchased property reserved in the Heavenlies where moth and rust do not corrupt.  I am, however, very concerned about America’s spiritual debt.  It’s a debt we owe but can not pay.

As Christians, in order to get the message of salvation and hope out to those who are knee-deep in this quagmire of debt, it means we must avoid chasing cars and hunting bear.   We must pursue the way of living that counts every day and every minute as valuable.  We must race down the highways and back roads of life chasing the lost.   We are told to compel them to come in.   This is not a purposeless pursuit.   We must hunt for those who are fearful, doubtful, lonely, and wandering.  Their shame and guilt causes them to hide from those who only want to bring them into the love of Christ.  We must chase after a lifestyle that honors Christ and models for those who come behind us a Godly example.  We must be on the lookout for the predators who want to destroy our families, our young people, our churches, and our country.    This is not a time to be chasing cars and hunting bear.

He sat shyly in front of me on the other side of the intimidating cherry desk.  “I asked Jesus into my heart several times,” he said, “but nothing happened.”

I smiled and gingerly asked,  “What did you expect to happen?  Did you expect bells to ring or hear God say, ‘I’m in your heart now, so be good.”  It had never occurred to me that children might not understand what is meant when a pastor, teacher, or parent invites kids to “Ask Jesus into their heart.”    Their minds immediately wonder, I’m sure, “How does that man with the long flowing, brown hair FIT inside me since he’s so much bigger than I am.”

I prayed for wisdom and plunged in with what I hoped would be a reasonable and clear explanation.   This young, red-headed boy had figured that if he asked Jesus into his heart surely something would happen, something at least as interesting as the magic wallet he had taken from a friend and for which the guilt from having done so had led him to ask Jesus into his heart once again. 

After having explained salvation to him as his teacher had been doing over the past weeks, we prayed together.  He sweetly asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins and to save him.  “Now, something wonderful has happened,” I explained.   “When you die, Jesus has promised a place for you in Heaven.  When you feel alone and that no one understands you, you have the very best friend anyone could ever have on your side.  When you yield to temptation and do something you shouldn’t, you are forgiven.   You don’t have to go to bed every night worried that God is mad at you and ready to send you to time out.  When you feel like life is a bummer, God will remind you that better days are coming.  So, that’s what has happened.” 

However, this young boy had been concerned about something that we as Christians ought to question also.   Why, if Jesus is in my heart, do I continue to do bad things?  The Bible says, “If any man be in Christ, old things are passed away behold all things are become new.”  So, actually this is the other thing that should happen:  we really are different after Jesus comes in.   I know I was.   I can look back and realize that my whole perspective of life changed.  It wasn’t just a song I sang, “The things I used to do, I don’t do them anymore,” it was true.   I simply had no interest in doing the things that I had done before.   They had somehow lost their grip on me.   I didn’t say the things I used to say.   There was a great change!!!   If you receive Christ as personal friend and Lord of your life, things happen!  

I had a friend who had a terrible gambling problem.  He would wage an entire pay check on what color of bubble gum would come out of the gum machine.   A whole pay check!!!   He had an infamous reputation for being hot-headed and ready to fight.   He hid from the preacher when he would come to talk to him about Jesus, but one day when two pastors witnessed to him through an open window by simply reading a tract to him, he was saved.   He became zealous for the things of the Lord.  Eventually he sold his home and went to school to prepare for the ministry.   Today that man is a pastor of a large church in (of all places for a reformed gambler) Reno, Nevada.    Things happen!!   

So from the wisdom of a little red-headed boy, we should expect “something to happen” when we ask Jesus into our hearts.   If nothing happens, perhaps it was just words or a feeble attempt to rid ourselves of guilt.   Whatever the case, if Jesus saves you, you will know it, for you will never, ever be the same.

 As I was blow drying my hair, in the background I could hear music and the friendly voices on “Fox and Friends” talking about September 11 and remembering the families who had lost loved ones that dreadful day.   “Oh, that’s right,” I said to myself.  “It’s September 11th today.  We need to have a moment of silence or something at school…Uh…moment of silence…what am I saying?  We can pray all day if we want to.”   In fact, the students at Anchored probably wouldn’t even know what a “moment of silence” is.   The revelation of what could be done now that I was at a Christian school stayed with me on my way to work.

“What to do though.  I should have thought of this yesterday or last week,” I admonished myself.  As soon as I got to school, I asked some of the staff, and they told me that often they gathered around the flag pole for a brief ceremony.  I asked Steven Stucy if he could take care of this on such short notice, and he said that he could.  Within 15 minutes, I had called everyone to come out front where the flag was raised to half mast by two of our young men, Scripture was read, a few poignant words were said, and after a prayer by one of the students we all sang “God Bless America.”   Where I had come from, a program like that would have had to have been planned at least a week in advance.   Even then it probably would have been difficiult to hear the person reading Scripture, flag ettiquette would have been sorely lacking, and no one would have known the words to the song.   And even if they had, everyone would have been too shy and awkward to sing out to where it could be heard.  Additionally, we would have had to allow for the diverse viewpoints concerning 9/11. 

As  I stood there beneath the pristine blue sky, the flag waving slightly, I was moved as the younger children’s sweet voices blended with the more mature voices singing, “God Bless America, land that I love.  Stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above.”   At that moment, I wished that every parent and every grandparent could have been there.  It would surely have affirmed for them what one parent says on the first of every month when he comes in to pay his tuition.  “Here I am,” he says joyfully. “I’m here to pay my investment.”   Don’t you love that and isn’t that what all of this is about?   Every sacrificial dollar, every long wait in the car rider’s line, every time you have to listen to your child groan about “uniforms,” are all worth it when you realize how these students are being trained to “be ready in season and out” for any of life’s siuations. 

This simple moment reminded me that God has brought me to this place for this time, and I hear him saying, “Make the most of it!”  I pray for the wisdom to know how to do just that very thing.  Friends laugh at me when I tell them that I retired.   But I see clearly that I am like that parent and simply “investing” my retirement years in these students, in this school, and in God’s work.  I love that God chose me to be here for such a time as this.