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My son David frequently sends me sports stories that will “preach.” I don’t follow the NBA this time of year, but he sent me a nice article on how the Milwaukee Bucks are training one of their players, especially, to shoot better 3-point shots. In the following paragraph, Sullivan is the shooting coach and Antetokounmpo is the player.

Together, Sullivan and Antetokounmpo have spent hours in the gym nipping and tucking Antetokounmpo’s shot. The Bucks call their personalized exercises “vitamins” because they “take them daily.” Antetokounmpo’s vitamins include a heavy dosage of shooting.

I like the idea of calling daily exercise and training “vitamins” because they “take them daily.” By the way, as of today the Bucks have the best record in the NBA. Those daily “vitamins” must be working!

Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.  For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. (Proverbs 8.34, 35, NIV, emphasis mine)

Train yourself to be godly. (1 Timothy 4.7b, NIV, emphasis mine)

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I’m almost afraid to write this for fear that someone will be offended at what they might see as an improper approach to scripture. But I agree with author Ed Cyzewski, who wrote in his newsletter:

I wrote A Christian Survival Guide after going through a bit of a faith crisis and deconstruction/reconstruction. [Bob’s note: I have not read this book.]

I watched someone quite close to me lose her faith over a series of debatable Bible teachings that were presented as black and white, take it or leave it.

My premise for the book was that folks needed to know that there was a whole range of belief within the Christian faith.

Before dropping your faith because of some [specific] theology, consider that there are many other traditions that can be constructive, life-giving, and (wait for it…) “biblical.”

He went on to say, “I entered my 20’s trying to become an expert in Bible study, and I’m departing my 30’s trying to be still and quiet before a loving God.”

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been around people who obsessed over every detail but seemed to fall short putting any of it into practice. They remind me of the “religion scholars and leaders” who assembled with the Chief Priest to condemn Jesus to death (see Matthew 27.57, 59). They not only found him guilty, an inevitable decision since they didn’t accept his identity as the Messiah, they also resorted to violence and mockery: “They were spitting in his face and banging him around. They jeered as they slapped him: “Prophesy, Messiah: Who hit you that time?” (Matthew 27.67, 68, MSG)

In our day, some of the most virulent “Christian” material you will read is by people denouncing the beliefs of fellow believers, sometimes over technicalities or, as Ed wrote, debatable issues.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13.34, 35, NIV)

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17.3, NIV)

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Flying home, Houston to Denver, from a business trip years ago, I was sitting next to a young guy who was having what can only be described as a hissy fit over our flight’s delayed takeoff. He was going to miss his connection for Aspen that night. He fussed, he cussed, he carried on to no end. Finally, I turned to him and said, “My friend, you’ll get to Denver tonight, you’ll stay overnight in a hotel, and you’ll be on the first flight to Aspen tomorrow morning. You’ll likely be at the ski slopes by the time they open. It’s really not worth a cardiac over something we can do nothing about.”

It’s back to indifference that I wrote about at length. Can we be indifferent to things that impact our schedule over which we have no control?

On a mission trip to India in 2014, I watched in amazement as our host, a pastor who had a lot on his plate that week from taking care of our mission team to planning and executing a major multi-church, multi-national gathering. 30-mile road trips sometimes took more than three hours. Yet he never flapped. My takeaway was, “Things take as long as they take.” 

Sometimes when I’m running an errand, for example, I want things to take less time than they take! There’s that internal tension, purely self-induced. I need a good dose of “things take as long as they take.” A holy indifference to time.

Jesus had that perspective. Many of his recorded encounters were unplanned, while he was on his way. The end of Luke 18, into Luke 19, he’s on his way to Jerusalem—a very important trip! But he stopped twice, once for the blind man and then for Zacchaeus.

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”…
As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”… And Jesus stopped…
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” (Selected verses from Luke 18.31 – 19.10)

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I was meditating on Jesus’ arrest as recorded in Matthew 26.47 – 56 as well as Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 18. All four gospels tell how one of the disciples swung a sword and cut off the servant of the high priest’s ear. Only John identifies Peter as the assailant and gives the name of the victim as Malchus. Only Luke records that Jesus healed him:

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22.50, 51, ESV)

So here’s a trivia question: what was Jesus’ last miracle before the crucifixion? Answer, healing Malchus’ ear. A more interesting question is, what happened to Malchus?

Jesus, once more, provides evidence of his identity, his power, and his compassion. There would have been a lot of confusion. It was night. There was a large crowd of men with clubs and swords. Not everyone would have even seen Peter’s attack. But Malchus knew! He was injured and he was healed.

People see what they want to see. What did Malchus see, and how did he respond? Did he continue to be loyal to his boss and the mob he was with? Or did he have second thoughts and one day become a believer? Scriptures don’t say.  Scriptures are clear that people have options and react in different ways. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead: many believed in him and the religious leaders still wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus!

When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. (John 12.9 – 11, ESV)

As we’ve observed before, Jesus is always giving people a chance to believe. He’s showing compassion and doing good even when his own life is in danger. And the results are never guaranteed. We don’t know if Malchus believed or not. And we don’t know how people will respond to our attempts at compassion. Jesus promised:

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. (Matthew 10.24, 25, ESV)

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I’ve read Matthew 21.1 – 11, the Triumphal Entry, twice this week, and I’m puzzling over the lessons to be learned. Obviously, it’s a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy–Matthew says so:

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” (Matthew 21.4, 5, ESV)

But on a more human and immediate level, something else is going on. Jesus had already told his disciples three times(!) that he was going to Jerusalem to die:

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 20.17 – 19, ESV)

But now he rides into Jerusalem accompanied by a great crowd:

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21.8 – 11, ESV)

There could have been a temptation to be distracted. If it were me, I’d feel pretty special at a parade in my honor. But Jesus, just as he ignored the crowds who wanted to make him king after he fed them (John 6), also ignores these crowds and goes straight to the temple and irritates the religious leaders by throwing out “all who bought and sold in the temple.” (Matthew 21.12). And it’s highly likely that these crowds were among those clamoring for his crucifixion just a few days later:

Pilate asked them, “Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One?” They all shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate asked. “What has he done wrong?” But they kept shouting out, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27.22, 23, Passion Translation)

One can be thrown off track as easily by success and acclamation as by failure and rejection. Jesus stayed on mission. Can we do the same?

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1.27 – 30, ESV)

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For some reason I have been really exercised about the college admission scandal story that broke this week. Maybe it’s because one of the alleged participants, Lori Loughlin, plays the wholesome Abigail Stanton on When Calls the Heart, a Hallmark series we watch with our granddaughter every week. (We’re only in season 4; season 5 has aired, and season 6 was underway.)

Another reason I’m drawn to the story is that I can’t imagine anything less worth cheating for than trying to get into an elite college. As a proud graduate of a lowly state school (Clemson!), I think I’ve done OK in life. Malcolm Gladwell wrote in David and Goliath (I think) that some people get into, say, Harvard, and do poorly when they would have done just fine at a “regular” institution. Jason Gay makes this point nicely in the Wall Street Journal (Thursday, March 14): “None of this nonsense is worth it. College is college–some schools have more to offer than others, but in your life, you’re going to meet plenty of useless dingbats who went to the most distinguished colleges in the country. You’ll also encounter wizards who barely went to school at all.”

I hesitated to write about it, not wanting to “pile on” people who got caught doing something most of us couldn’t have even been tempted toward because we don’t have the means. But that’s the issue for all of us, isn’t it? Giving into temptation. Maybe this one doesn’t apply, but others do. Apparently, the case broke when someone who was guilty of securities fraud had also participated in this illegal scheme. Which came first?

Jason Gay also wrote, “Not everyone cheats. Not everyone cuts corners. There isn’t a diploma in the world that’s more valuable than your integrity–and you can’t buy your integrity back.”

And some college admissions bribery is legal: giving millions to your Alma Mater so your kid can be accepted. Who is more guilty? The wealthy parent who gives the bribe donation, or the school who alters its standards to let their kid in? Are there institutions who can stand up and say, “Slots in our school can’t be bought!”

For us as believers, scripture is clear:

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26.41, NKJV)

These are all warning markers—DANGER!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. (1 Corinthians 10.11, 12, MSG)

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Jesus washed his disciples’ dirty feet. 

Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel. John 13.3 – 5 (Passion Translation)

It wasn’t only symbolic; it was a real service that needed to be done. No one else had stepped up to do that. I would have been thinking: this place has been pre-arranged, why isn’t there a servant here?

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover Lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where would you like us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” So he sent two of his disciples ahead into Jerusalem with these instructions: “Make your way into the city and watch for a man carrying an earthenware pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of whatever house he enters, ‘The Teacher wants to ask you: “Do you have my room ready where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?”’ And he will show you a large upstairs room ready and with a table set. Make preparations for us there.” (Mark 14.12 – 15, Passion Translation)

Why couldn’t the owner of the house have provided a servant? Let’s assume Jesus set this up in advance but kept the place a secret for security purposes. Maybe the owner of the house offered a servant for foot-washing and other tasks when Jesus arranged the meeting place. He offered, but Jesus told him “they” would take care of it, himself planning to do the footwashing. 

Do I not only step up to do what needs to be done but also arrange things so that I’ll have an opportunity to serve? 

“You’ve called me your teacher and lord, and you’re right, for that’s who I am. So if I’m your teacher and lord and have just washed your dirty feet, then you should follow the example that I’ve set for you and wash one another’s dirty feet. Now do for each other what I have just done for you. (John 13.13 – 15, Passion Translatioon)

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June and I are beginning to see the decluttering, minimalist message everywhere. I’ve written recently about getting rid of stuff and also about decluttering our technology. The other day we saw a documentary called Minimalism. I recommend it.

Minimalism opens with scenes of people trampling one another at a Black Friday sale, and a guy comes on talking about how his mission in life was to get a good job and buy all the “toys” he could. It reminded me of my friend and Navigator mentor Skip Gray who used to say, “The happy unbelievers roaring around out there seem to have it made except for one thing. They have no purpose.”

And these folks were discovering that all the buying didn’t even make them happy. One college professor who has studied the problem said something like, “Why would you try to be happy by buying more of what you don’t even want?”

Of course, Jesus and the Bible are way ahead as usual:

And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12.15, ESV)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6.10, NKJV)

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As I write there’s a furious blizzard going on here in Monument, Colorado. In fact, our power went out while I was writing this, and it’s only through my phone’s hot spot that I can connect! The blizzard has been predicted now for several days. (I wish I had captured the warning during yesterday’s 60-degree temperature!)

Despite yesterday’s calm and despite that sometimes storms are over-predicted, everyone planned around it. Today’s classes were cancelled yesterday; we took our granddaughter home last night so she would be at home during the blizzard and not stuck at our house. My son opined yesterday, “All this panic and preparation we’ll probably get half an inch.”

Not so.

So kudos to the weather people! And kudos to those of us who took heed. 

³¹ Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.
³² Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.
³³ Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15.31 – 33, NIV)

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You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5.48, ESV)

I wrote yesterday about expecting spiritual training to be effective. Not settling for mediocrity. But ironically Matthew 5.48 is often taken as an excuse to do exactly that–settle for mediocrity because, after all, “We’ll never be perfect.” My friend and mentor G. Loran Lewis, now with the Lord, helped me with that concept a number of years ago.

Loran, pastor and professor of New Testament Greek, led a full-day workshop in which he explained that “perfect” in this context simply means mature. To act appropriately. We use the term the same way when we say that a golfer who shoots at the pin from 100 yards out and leaves the ball two feet away from the hole has executed “a perfect shot.”

Loran took a lot of push-back at that workshop from people who didn’t want to do the work of growing to maturity. Who didn’t want to “train for godliness” (1 Timothy 4.7).

As I wrote recently, let’s not settle for mediocrity either in ourselves or those we lead when we can train for maturity.

I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. (Philippians 3.14 – 17, MSG)