Losing Your Big Brother

 The role of Big Brother can't be an easy one. You go before, experience the uncharted and take the punishments that come with it. I've been fortunate to have a really great Big Brother, Dave. He passed onto perpetual life this past Monday.

  My big brother, David, was my first hero. He was athletic, smart, witty and was willing to drag his little brother along on some interesting excursions. The loss is unexpected and incredible.

  We grew up in half of a double house, the back yards separated by a sidewalk between them. Our yard was a world-class whiffle ball stadium and playground. David was a great pitcher in that grand ball park. When we moved to a newer (single family) home, our shared bedroom doubled as a model-building workshop. David, to me, was a master model builder of WWII aircraft and ships. He taught me a lot about following instructions and completing a project. Dave didn't like to leave things unfinished; I believe that's a good trait and the world is better for it.

  Growing up in Western Maryland, we had the full range of weather patterns. Dave taught me how to mow grass and shovel snow. As silly as it sounds to some, my family and neighbors have enjoyed the benefits of David's teachings. And the world is more beautiful for him.

  One of my fondest memories of David was when he took me to play baseball with a bunch of his friends. These were older kids, his age. To have my big Brother bring me along, well...it meant the world to me. I don't remember any of the games, or who won. All I cared about was that my big Brother took me with him. And it made my world better.

  Dave was smart and did well in school. While our Sister, set the bar high for academics, David kept that standard high. You got the impression he wouldn't be much of a risk-taker, post high school. But, you'd be wrong. While many were poring over the college books, he and his beautiful Bride Ellen, bought and renovated a small apartment building. Later on, he'd take a chance by moving to the North Carolina coast. After settling in, Dave and Ellen bought a piece of property on Topsail Island and built a waterfront home. Dave had built his own dinghy and floating dock for their sailboat. Eventually, they'd sell that property, purchase acreage on the mainland and trade that sailboat for a John Deere tractor.

Sidebar; While I recognize Dave wasn't perfect, God help us if we're all judged only on our faults.

  Dave has left this world far too soon. His accomplishments came without advanced college degrees or massive infusions of inherited wealth. Most of us take these things for granted and/or ignore their significance. We should take time to give thanks to God, for the good people who've helped form us. For me, Dave was one of these people, my first hero.

  The world was better while David was here. The world seems a lesser place without him.

  Please keep your faith strong and true; Dave would want that for you.

  

Why It Matters

 When I try to talk about the political direction of our country, I often get the response that; it won't matter or why does it matter?

  To the first, I'd say; thank God the Founders of this great nation didn't think it wouldn't matter! For a society of people, who are constantly talking of seeing the positive in things and people, it is infuriating to hear those same people take a defeatist attitude.

  To the second, here's WHY I think it matters; Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Liberty (according to Webster's) is freedom from arbitrary or despotic control. Our country's Declaration of Independence specifically points to Liberty as being a God-given right. That government is to secure that Right, along with others. Ergo, allowing government to impose arbitrary controls on We, The People, is antithetical to the foundation of our nation AND violates our belief that God, and God alone is the provider of our unalienable rights.

  As for the Pursuit of Happiness, it seems we've allowed various political groups, and individuals, use this as an excuse to pass or rescind all kinds of laws. Don't like government redistribution of your wealth? You must want to restrict someone else's pursuit of happiness. Disagree with same-sex marriage? Why, you're restricting someone's pursuit of happiness by telling others who they can and cannot love. That's not at all what We, The People, are saying. Maybe, we're saying we see where the slight move to a radically different path, is a small step in a long journey, down a path we're not intended to go.

  Unfortunately, I've seen in my lifetime, a willingness to go-along-to-get-along attitude that will (if it hasn't already) destroy the very foundation that has generated more prosperity worldwide, than any other form of government, in the history of the world. And, if you care about the future for our children and grandchildren, THIS is why it matters. 

  As always, I welcome debate. 

  

Yesterday's Man to Tomorrow's Man?

Last Sunday morning I listened to a message, from a Pastor I’d not heard before. The focus was 1 Samuel 16:1, The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

 

This was presented as an introduction to the importance of transition. In the passage of 1 Samuel, we find the transition from the past to present, from the present to the future. All right there in one verse; Saul being the one with God’s previous anointing, now having been removed, and God sending Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint God’s new chosen one, David, Son of Jesse.

 What follows are notes I made and my take-away.

“God’s anointing passes from one King to another.” This really struck me as I couldn’t help applying that logic to our political situation today. Full disclosure; I was not a Trump loyalist during the 2016 primaries, but became more so once he won the nomination and I realized just how far the haters were willing to go to destroy the man.

 Ever since the 2020 election and the recent mid-term elections, I’ve been extremely discouraged with the state of our nation. More specifically, the “leaders” of our nation. Sunday's message caused me to reconsider my frustrations.

 Pastor said something to the effect that, when you stop heeding God’s Will and direction, He removes His anointing. This made me think; has the United States of America lost God’s anointing? Were we (as I believe) anointed by God, because of the purity of our founding? And were we now losing God’s anointing?

Sidebar; I know we still allowed slavery at our founding and I’m not claiming our purity was without faults, but it certainly was more pure than previous nations who, by the way HAD NOT abolished slavery.

 Back to the message; Pastor said; “you never drift anywhere worth going.” Have we drifted? Whether or not, I somehow felt that maybe I need to accept what has happened (politically) and move forward. For the point of the message was still to come.

 The “tragedy of Yesterday’s Man” is that you get stuck there. Maybe I’ve been stuck there. Yesterday’s Man was the man previously anointed. Maybe Yesterday’s Man (Trump) had strayed just a hair too far and God was moving on, maybe not (just me considering it). That’s not to say today’s leaders are the best for God’s Will, but maybe they are simply a transition (there’s that word again).

 In 1 Samuel, Saul is seeking to preserve his kingdom, while Samuel was seeking to prepare for the future anointing of God. It sounds like Saul was drifting from God’s Will to retaining his own power. Don’t we all experience that sometimes? We think our life is good, or just or right, and we try to retain that moment in time?

 We can choose to be Saul or Samuel. Will we choose to preserve our power or prepare for the future anointing of God?

 Samuel was listening to God. Here, the Pastor made an excellent point; “if you quit listening, you don’t hear it anymore.” Certainly, he said it more eloquently than I can AND with a story attached. Suffice to say, when you live by a railroad, you eventually don’t hear the passing trains. I.e. you stop listening to them. Ergo, you no longer hear them. Have we stopped listening to God?

 All of this to transition to the “triumph of tomorrow’s man.” Tomorrow’s Man is the man with God’s anointing. God commanded Samuel to anoint David. We know the giant that David brought down.

 1 Samuel is Old Testament. We have the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Isn’t it possible we have been anointed by God? But, A BIG BUT! Could it be we only have the anointing, as long as we LISTEN?

Pastor’s message seemed to be; WORK TODAY TO IMPACT TOMORROW. He offered these three encouragements;

1.    Keep listening to God. If you quit listening, you won’t hear Him anymore.

2.    Keep risking! Regardless of the backlash, keep risking favor from the mere mortals, to move God’s Will forward.

3.    Keep blessing! The future of the church is not dependent on living in the past. The future of God’s Will does not rely on maintaining man-made traditions, but embracing younger people and their commitment to God’s Plan.

 You can choose to be Saul (trying to maintain the past or present) or, you can choose to be Samuel (preparing for the future anointing of God). Which do you choose?