In honor of Veterans Day, a heartfelt word of thanks to all of you who have served or are serving in America’s armed forces.  Thank you for your willingness to train, to suffer hardship, to experience separation from your loved ones, and to put your life at risk for your countrymen.

My late father-in-law was a veteran of World War II,  He was one of four brothers, all of whom were drafted away from their family farm in rural Tennessee.

After completing his training, he became a Technical Sergeant in the Army Air Corps — the precursor to the US Air Force.   His responsibilities included making in-flight repairs and serving as a waist gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator bomber in the European theater, as part of the Mighty Eighth Air Force.

Like many men of his generation, he rarely talked about his experiences during the war, downplaying the danger and his role.  “It was late in the war by the time I got over there,” he always said.   Once when my grandmother asked if he had ever been to Germany, he gave a slight smile and said, “No, but I’ve been over it.”

Following the war, he returned to the farm for a while before enrolling in Tennessee Tech on the GI Bill.  Following his graduation from college, he earned a doctorate in agronomy and genetics from the University of Wisconsin.

With his PhD, he took a position as a research agronomist with the US Department of Agriculture and was assigned to a research station at a large state university.  He worked there the rest of his career, developing numerous soybean cultivars that fed millions and teaching graduate students from around the world.

As distinguished as his career was, he was also a devoted husband and father, raising my wife and her siblings in a godly household.

Over the past dozen years or so, we have seen popular sentiment regarding military service return to an appropriate level of respect and gratitude.  This is as it should be.

At the same time, I hear and read some people saying that the US is no longer worthy of such devotion or service.  I am not here to argue for or against — especially not with those who have served.  On this occasion, however, I want to commend those who, like my father-in-law, saw their duty, did it and came home to build an exemplary life.  This is still a county that produces such men.  That is worth preserving.

So how about you?   What lessons did you learn from your own military service, or that of your friends or family members?  How are you using that wisdom to be your best?  Add your comments below.

“Marriage is the graduate school of service.” – Pastor David Chadwick

I’ve made no secret of my belief in marriage. Mrs. Booth and I have been married for nearly 32 years, with the struggles and joys that come with being married that long. It has been and is a great thing and I love being married to my wife.

And I admit that the climate for marriage in the west is hostile in many ways. From taxes that penalize marriage economically, to family courts that incentivize women to file for divorce from their husbands, to cultural Marxist feminism that seeks to destroy “the patriarchy” by destroying men, there is plenty of evidence to support a man’s decision not to marry. But let’s revisit one of my favorite axioms:

Abuse doesn’t invalidate use.

Marriage is to be kept pure…

The occasions when men commit murder with hammers doesn’t justify banning hammers or outlawing carpentry. The widespread misuse of the institution of marriage — from cohabitation and out-of-wedlock births, through frivolous no-fault divorce — doesn’t mean that marriage has forfeited its divine purpose.

Back to the beginning

If we look to the creation narrative in the second chapter of the Old Testament book of Genesis, we see that God had created the universe, placing man, whom he had made in his own image, at the top of the created order. God pronounced it good. But when he saw that he had made suitable mates for all the other creatures except man, God said, “it is not good that man should be alone.”

After evaluating every other type of creature and not finding a mate, a companion, a wife for the man, Adam, God did something remarkable. He put Adam to sleep and took flesh and bone from his side, making from them a woman, whom Adam called Eve. Note that up to this point, Adam was the bearer of the full imago dei — the image of God. In this, Adam reflected masculinity and femininity as God does. But when God created Eve to be Adam’s helper, his (in Hebrew) ezer kenegdo — literally his “life saver” — God split into two parts the imago dei, investing maleness and masculine strength in the man and investing femaleness and feminine beauty and tenderness in the woman. This is important, because Genesis 2:24-25 says this:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

This one-flesh union, this intimate knowing, free of guilt and shame is the heart of marriage.

Breaking it down

Note the lack of self-consciousness and self-regard in this first marriage. Their nakedness and vulnerability was not something to exploit for advantage, rather it was open and generous. It cannot have been otherwise, as the one-flesh union would not have existed if Adam had not given himself to Eve, and Eve had not given herself to her husband.

Now it’s broken down

Have you noticed in our culture’s stories how marital sex is nearly always portrayed as a chore to be avoided, while affairs and other forms of sexual behavior appear exciting?  If I say the word monogamy, do you regard the concept as a positive or a negative one? Why? If you’re married, did your friends try to talk you out of it, citing the endless novelty of hookups compared to loving one woman for life? Part of this inversion is the distortion of our world through sin. So a loyal wife seems boring to her husband, compared to the women at his office, and an aloof cad is seemingly irresistible compared to a wife’s dependable husband.  This is why King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 9:16, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But note this: Just because a forbidden thing is appealing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t avoid it. (See also poison mushrooms.)

Reacquiring the trail

If you dread the idea of marriage, in the present or the future, I want to encourage you to re-establish a biblical view of marriage. First, note that biblical marriage is a covenant rather than a contract. This is not a legal instrument between two consenting parties that can be broken at will. Among God’s people, a covenant is a binding, irrevocable joining between God and his people. There are obligations, but failure to perform doesn’t justify an exit.

It is true that you have the duty of spiritual headship, and the responsibility to shepherd, protect, and provide for your wife and children, and those obligations demand lifelong faithfulness. It is also true that you can expect to enjoy the marriage bed — sex — with your wife and the two of you have a responsibility to maintain this aspect of your marriage — especially when kiddos enter the picture. Check out Proverbs 5:15-19 for just one biblical encouragement in this area.

The ratio

Before Mrs. Booth and I married, an older friend took me aside and said, “I know you think marriage is a 50/50 proposition. It isn’t. It’s 100/100. It takes both of you giving it 100% for it to work.” I have learned that friend was 100% correct. And this brings us to service.

A generous spirit requires bravery

An unpleasant aspect of our times is the wariness that leads to near-constant score-keeping. We are willing to give, as long as we get, but heaven help the one who takes and never gives. Does that sound familiar? In marriage, we have to overcome the fear and serve each other generously. Even if you’re afraid you won’t get anything out of it, serve.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, the apostle instructed wives to submit to their husbands, but he instructed husbands to love their wives the way Christ loved the church. In case you’re unfamiliar with the story, he died for her. Obviously, marriage is one of those things where you must be present to win, so what does this sacrificial service look like in the realm of mortals?

Here’s an example

In the fewest words, it means put others first. If you do this, God notices. And He is able to reward you. But I promised you an example.

If you haven’t seen the video for Andra Day’s song Rise Up, it’s a great portrayal of loving service in the context of marriage. Please watch this now. I’ll wait

This video, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, conveys so much truth, and Andra Day’s vocal performance drives it home. Note the wife pouring out her life for the husband who can no longer hold her. Though her reward would seem slight compared to what she — and he — expected when they first married, this is a shining example of loving and giving 100%.

And notice, also, how the husband doesn’t quit, either. He gives the strength he has, and she appreciates it. Good art with a true message!

Not just true in stories

You may argue that Shyamalan could tell the story any way he wants, and that the video is a made-up story. Fair enough, but I have a pastor friend whose wife has Multiple Sclerosis and he serves his wife in the same manner. He cares for her and loves her like Christ loves the church — the way he promised to when they wed. And he’s not the only man I know who has cared for his wife this way. I have written before about old-school wedding vows, and this is where they prove their worth.

I know there is great risk in getting married these days. The statistics, as we’ve noted, are grim. But it is also possible to find godly, virtuous women who want to be married to godly and masculine spiritual leaders. So for God’s sake (literally), lead, love, and serve. Your children need the stability that only a covenant marriage can provide them.

God would not have commanded this of husbands if men weren’t capable of doing it. If you aren’t that sort of man yet, stick around and learn how to be one. Or message me and let’s start a discussion.

It is not good for the man to be alone, but it also important to marry the kind of woman who will stick by you — and by whom you’ll stick — when the storms come. It can be done!

So how about you? How are you leading and serving in your marriage, or preparing to lead and serve in your marriage? Add your comments below.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
– Colossians 3:23 – 24 (NIV)

Here’s a trip back to the poetry corner.  If you’re discouraged about the kind of work that’s available to you currently, you might find this helpful.  Here’s cowboy poet Red Steagall:

Shorty was here

The Fence That Me and Shorty Built

We’d picked up all the fencing tools
And staples off the road
An extra roll of “bob” wire
Was the last thing left to load

I drew a sleeve across my face
To wipe away the dirt
The young man who was helping me
Was tuckin’ in his shirt

I turned around to him and said,
“This fence is finally done
With five new strands of ‘bob’ wire
Shinin’ proudly in the sun

The wire is runnin’ straight and tight
With every post in line
The kinda job you’re proud of
One that stands the test of time.”

The kid was not impressed at all
He stared off into space
Reminded me of years ago
Another time and place

When I called myself a cowboy
I was full of buck and bawl
I didn’t think my hands would fit
Post augers and a maul

They sent me out with Shorty
And the ranch fence building crew
Well, I was quite insulted
And before the day was through

I let him know that I’m a cowboy
This ain’t what I do
I ain’t no dadgummed nester
I hired out to buckaroo

He said, “We’ll talk about that son
When we get in tonight
Right now you pick them augers up
It’s either that or fight.”

Boy I was diggin’ post holes
Faster than a Georgia mole
But if a rock got in my way
Well I simply moved the hole

So when the cowboys set the posts
The line went in and out
Old Shorty’s face got fiery red
And I can hear him shout

But one thing that I always got
From any job I’ve done
Is do the best I can each day
And try to make it fun

I know that bustin’ through them rocks
Ain’t what you like to do
By gettin’ mad you’ve made it tough
On me and the whole crew

Now you hired on to cowboy
And you think you’ve got the stuff
You told him you’re a good hand
And the boss has called your bluff

So how’s that gonna make you look
When he comes ridin’ through
And he asks me who dug the holes
and I say it was you

Now we could let it go like this
And take the easy route
But doin’ things the easy way
Ain’t what it’s all about

The boss expects a job well done
From every man he’s hired
He’ll let you slide by once or twice
Then one day you’ll get fired

If you’re not proud of what you do
You won’t amount to much
You’ll bounce around from job to job
Just slightly out of touch

Come mornin’ let’s redig those holes
And get that fence in line
And you and I will save two jobs
Those bein’ yours and mine

And someday you’ll come ridin’ through
And look across this land
And see a fence that’s laid out straight
And know you had a hand

In something that’s withstood the years
Then proud and free from guilt
You’ll smile and say, ‘Boys that’s the fence
That me and Shorty built’.”

– Red Steagall

Your work is a witness for you or against you.  Commit to doing your best and you can be proud of what your work says about you.

By the way, if you’d like to hear Red Steagall recite this poem, you can watch it here.

So how about you?  How are you remaining engaged and striving to give your best in your current job? Add your comments below.

“Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” – John C. Maxwell

In a previous post, I explained the debt a man owes to his employer. (If you weren’t paying attention then, you can read it here.) In that post I presented a general rule that employees should find a way to say yes to every reasonable request from a boss, provided the request isn’t illegal, unethical, or immoral. However I also explained that there are times when it is absolutely appropriate to say no, even when doing so brings negative consequences.

Saying no can lead to consequences. Daniel Cast to the Lions from “The Bible and its Story” published in 1908. Public domain

Enter Daniel

In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we see the story of a young man of Judah who was taken captive along with three of his friends by King Nebuchadnezzar and forcibly resettled in Babylon. Some scholars disagree on this point, but since Daniel and his colleagues reported to the king’s chief eunuch, it is not out of the question that these young men were castrated as part of their captivity. Not exactly the “onboarding” or the welcome a new hire would wish for.

The king assigned the best of these young men to study the history and culture of the Babylonians for three years, and upon passing their tests, to serve as wise men and seers in the royal court. Part of this preparation included eating the food and drinking the wine that Nebuchadnezzar himself ate — food that was ritually unclean for devout Hebrews.

Daniel had a dilemma. He could displease God by violating the ceremonial law, or he could displease a tyrant by refusing his hospitality — a capital offense. Instead of offending, he asked if he and his devout friends could eat vegetables and drink water instead. When the chief eunuch protested that he would receive the king’s wrath if Daniel fared poorly, Daniel suggested a ten-day trial. When he and his fellow test subjects exhibited better health and a better appearance, Daniel received permission to continue eating consistent with the law of God.

Along the way, Daniel and his friends — who received the Babylonian names Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — received honor and promotions as they remained faithful to God even as they served in the court of Nebuchadnezzar and the rulers who succeeded him.

Thrown to the Lions

A quirk of tyrants and other absolute rulers is that they tend to overestimate their greatness. In Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar created an idol in his image and sought to punish anyone who failed to worship it. After Nebuchadnezzar’s son Belshazzar fell to Darius the Mede, Darius himself tended to grandiosity.

To be fair to Darius, some advisers who were jealous of Daniel sought to eliminate him by tricking Darius into signing a ban on prayer or petition to any god or man but the king. Under Medo-Persian law, a decree signed by the king was irrevocable. The conniving officials knew that Daniel was pious, and they spied on him as he prayed three times a day to the God of Israel. When the corrupt schemers reported Daniel’s disregard to the king, Darius tried unsuccessfully to amend his decree, but with regrets he ultimately kept the law. As decreed, he threw Daniel to the lions, covering the den with a large stone and affixing it with the royal seal and left him there overnight.

Lessons from Daniel

I’ve listed some of the principles that I have adopted based on the life of Daniel:

Propose an alternative – Daniel acted constructively to resolve the dilemma over eating unclean foods. When you’re faced with a task or duty that violates your conscience, this is a possible course of action. In the US, employment law requires reasonable accommodation for religious restrictions.

Present your results – Daniel mustered the facts and showed the benefits of his proposed dietary alternative. Your boss may not share your beliefs, but if the results are clear, only a micro-manager would find fault.

Perform in every area – In all other aspects of his work, Daniel came through without compromise. Look, not every task is going to be pleasant, but not every task is a moral quandary either. Seek to learn constantly, and seek to excel in every aspect of your work — especially the parts you like least.

Profess the truth – One thing you’ll notice about Daniel is that in every face-to-face encounter with the king, he pointed consistently to the sovereignty of the Living God. I think if I had been imprisoned, taken from my home, and emasculated, I would find it easy to be bitter and non-compliant. Daniel overcame all those circumstances, told the truth always, and served as an adviser to four kings. In addition, God let Daniel know that he was “greatly loved.”

Persist – When you know the right thing to do, make sure you do it. Don’t shade the truth. Don’t pretend to go along to avoid the consequences. Throughout his story, Daniel didn’t waver. This is what integrity looks like.

Prepare to endure the consequences – When you know that remaining faithful — to God, your conscience, and your principles — will put you at odds with your employer, accept the consequences. Daniel did not protest or fight his being thrown to the lions, but God delivered him from being eaten. Not so the traitors who conspired to trap Daniel.

One last rule of thumb

I know I’ve said it before, but the brightest line for determining whether or not a boss’s request calls for a rejection is this:
If he commands what God forbids or forbids what God commands, do not comply. That was where Daniel dug in, faced certain death, and survived.

So how about you? How are you preparing to live with integrity in your workplace? Add your comments below.

“Endure hardship as discipline…”   – Hebrews 12:7

I never liked the word discipline. It always made me think of punishment — and I didn’t care for punishment.  Losing privileges, being sent to my room, having my allowance docked — I never liked any of it.  The worst, however, was corporal punishment — the dreaded spanking.

The generally unfavorable media messages regarding spanking — not abuse, mind you, spanking —  are somewhat baffling.   Maybe we are all more highly evolved now, but a great number of Builders, Boomers and Gen X’ers — including your host —  received spankings as punishment when they were children.  Perhaps the powers that be are still rubbing their burning backsides over their childhood corrections.

While you’re in the midst of it, hardship can feel like the furthest thing from hope – but it has its purpose.

A switch was never in my parents’ repertoire, but I got the hand, Dad’s belt, the wooden spoon, the yardstick, the flyswatter, a ruler (at school.  Once.)  and a paddle ball paddle, among other similar utensils.  Other friends of mine got the switch, the razor strop and a full-on wooden paddle with holes drilled in it.  The latter was used by our middle school gym teacher.  He referred to it as the ‘Board of Education” and applied it to the “seat of learning.”

As I said, I didn’t like the word — or the idea — of discipline, so when I encountered the passage of scripture quoted above, I tended to chafe at it.  But here’s the passage in a larger context:

 “ ⁴In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:4-11 (NIV)

Did you get that?  God disciplines sons he loves — the fact that He’s doing so proves you’re His.  That’s critical.  If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t bother.

If that’s still not enough, consider this:  The words discipline and disciple come from the same root.  Seen this way, discipline is instruction, teaching or training.  This turned the light on for me, as the word training has a positive connotation.  If I’m being trained, that means I’m acquiring new skills — and that suggests new opportunities.

I also associate training with working out.  I enjoy exercise for the health benefits, for the way it crushes stress and elevates my mood.  Enduring hardship as training under the hand of God, means God is my coach and he’s getting me ready for the next challenge.

If you’re going through a rough patch in your life, I hope this will help you.  If your difficulties are the result of some choice you made or something you failed to do, understand that God is teaching you how to avoid this next time.  If you’ve audited your behavior and your motives and you’re sure you’re in the right and you’re still going through a tough time, trust that your Father in Heaven is preparing you for a future challenge.

Don’t get discouraged.  The fact that you’re having a hard time is evidence that God loves you and is training you.  Punishment is always about the past.  Training is always about the future.

 So how about you?  For what future triumph could your current hardships be preparing you?  Add your comments below.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

In Part I, I recounted the biblical story of Balaam from the Old Testament book of Numbers. Most of what I have to say in this post will resonate more if you read that post (I’ll wait). But for those of you who don’t have time right now, the story is as follows:

The children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness following their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Balak, the king of Moab, did not like his new neighbors and sent for the prophet Balaam to put a curse on the Hebrews. Balak had heard that Balaam’s blessings and curses were pretty strong stuff. Balaam refused to go at first, but Balak upped the offer. On the way, God sent an angel (invisible to Balaam, but visible to his donkey) to block his way. When Balaam’s frustration boiled over, resulting in his hitting the donkey, the donkey put the prophet to shame by speaking to him about his bad behavior. Oh, and Balaam had King Balak build altars and sacrifice to the Lord, only to pronounce blessings on the children of Israel instead of curses.

Jackass!

Panning for gold in the dust of history

Maybe your pastor preached about Balaam somewhere along the line. I don’t ever remember hearing a sermon about the guy. Even so, his story is in the Bible for a reason. I argue it’s because there are many lessons to take from this less-well-known Bible story. Here’s what I learned:

• It’s more important to know God than to know about God – Balaam was familiar with Israel’s God, but he was not a Hebrew. Other sources say he was a sorcerer — a practitioner of magic. Even though he inquired of God, and God communicated His will to Balaam, it’s clear that Balaam less a friend than an acquaintance.
• It’s about what you love – If Balaam had truly known and loved the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, no amount of money would have enticed him to entertain Balak’s offer. Notice that when Balak’s second delegation — the more impressive one — came to Balaam, they conveyed that Balak was able and willing to PAY. Clearly, money was higher on Balaam’s list of priorities, or he wouldn’t have gone away to pray a second time to ask if God would, just this once, curse Israel.
• God cares – even for a stinker like Balaam — Note that God spared Balaam’s life on his foolish trip to Moab. He certainly had the prerogative to strike him down and chose not to. Instead, He opened the mouth of the donkey, and the eyes of the man to see the angelic messenger of judgment.
• God moves – but not because of magic — One might be tempted to imagine Balaam as a success due to his effective use of ritual. I say that God’s words to and through Balaam were in spite of Balaam, not because of him. Remember that God made a covenant with Abraham to make him a great nation through whom all nations would receive a blessing. God’s actions in blessing his chosen people in defiance of wicked Balak was a result of God’s faithfulness and never-ending love.
• God’s will is unstoppable — I find it humorous that the obstinate Balaam got his correction from an animal known for its stubbornness. As Jesus said that if people wouldn’t worship him, rocks and stones would cry out His praise, so unreliable prophets end up being upstaged truth-wise by talking livestock. Note also, that God held Balaam to speak only what He instructed, and God resolutely and resoundingly  blessed His people.
• A miss is as good as a mile — Elsewhere in scripture we find characters such as Ruth and Rahab — foreigners whose faith made them righteous, and who even found their way into the earthly lineage of the Messiah, Jesus. Balaam had a similar opportunity to be a hero of the faith — at least in terms of the conversational familiarity he enjoyed with the Lord — but, as we’ll see, he squandered it.

So how did it turn out for Balaam?

In Numbers 25, we read that instead of a divine curse or a military conquest, the Moabites sought to overthrow Israel by seducing them. The Moabite women made themselves sexually available to the Hebrew men, through this encouraging them to worship their god, Baal of Peor, provoking the judgment of God. If you think the Bible is this sanitized book that faints at sex and violence, I encourage you to get over it by clicking though and reading Numbers 25.

In chapter 31, we learn that Balaam died by the sword of the Hebrews in Moses’ final campaign acting as God’s instrument of judgment. Verse 8b says, “They also killed Balaam … with the sword.” But why?

As Moses’ fighters killed the men of Midian, they took the Midianite women captive. Moses objected strenuously, saying:

“Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. ¹⁶ “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people.” Numbers 31:15-16 (NIV)”

There you have it. Balaam wanted Balak’s money. When God wouldn’t cooperate by cursing His chosen ones, Balaam taught Balak how to undermine his enemies via the honey trap. It didn’t fool God, though, and Balaam paid with his life.

Echoes and warnings

Interestingly, Balaam’s name appears in scripture several more times — in Deuteronomy, Joshua, Nehemiah, and Micah in the Old Testament —  condemning him for his involvement in “the Peor incident” and reminding the reader of his grisly end. His name became a warning to the children of Israel.

But that’s not all. Three books of the New Testament also call Balaam’s folly to our attention, making it all the more unusual that his story seems to be taught so infrequently. Here are the New Testament references in their entirety:

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. 2 Peter 2:15 (NIV)

“Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. Jude 1:11 (NIV)

“Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.” Revelation 2:14 (NIV)

Parting thoughts

Now that you know the rest of the story, I want to offer a few other lessons from the tale of Balaam:

• Always interpret scripture with scripture — If we only considered the text in Numbers 22 – 24 when considering Balaam, we might conclude that he was a righteous man. Subsequent passages show that wasn’t so. Throughout your life, be careful not to build doctrinal castles on single Bible verses or interpretations that aren’t supported elsewhere in scripture.
• Take the long view — When faced with a moral dilemma, think beyond the current circumstances. Balaam’s greed resulted in a payday for him, but a violent death soon after. Be sure that your solution to a problem doesn’t create more problems.
• Evaluate according to the plumb-line of scripture — Compare your plans, your desires, and your feelings against the teachings of scripture. Plans, desires, and feelings are useful, but they can also mislead you. Better to check against a transcendent moral arbiter.
• Own your convictions — Notice that Balaam always protested to Balak that he could only say what God told him to say. This suggests that Balaam had no fixed principles, that he would have been only too happy to go along with the whole curse plan, but God wouldn’t let him. It’s easy to get a wedge between an external conviction and the person who is mouthing it. And Balaam shows the cost.
• Trust God first and always — How bitterly ironic that Balaam should utter the words in Numbers 23:19, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? (ESV). If only he had truly believed this. He wouldn’t have asked God but one time regarding whether to entertain an emissary from Moab.

So how about you? What insights do you draw from the story of Balaam? How are you seeking to mature spiritually — and how does this story help you? Add your comments below.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” – Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)

The group of guys I meet with every Saturday morning (Hi fellas) is serious about becoming disciples who make disciples. This is a most worthy objective, and although it requires intention and perseverance, one doesn’t become mature by gritting his teeth. There are no shortcuts — you just have to put in the time, doing the right things for the right reasons. With this thought in mind, I’d like to tell you the story of an Old Testament prophet named Balaam. His story starts in the book of Numbers, beginning with chapter 22.

During the time Moses was leading the children of Israel in the wilderness, following the Exodus from Egypt, Balak the king of Moab wanted to be rid of his new neighbors. He rounded up his advisers and sent them to hire Balaam — a prophet — to curse the Hebrews. He explained he had noticed that whomever Balaam blessed stayed blessed, and whomever he cursed stayed cursed.

“Message for Mr. Balaam…”

First thought best thought?

Balaam invited the men to stay as his guests overnight while he asked for God’s guidance. When God told Balaam not to go with the men, or to curse His blessed ones, he refused the offer of the Moabite king and sent the men back to their homes. As he did, he told them that he wasn’t allowed to exceed the authority God had given to him. At this point, it seems that Balaam is a man of integrity, and his response seems to be the right one.

For his part, King Balak was annoyed but rounded up his most senior and impressive nobles and sent them to Balaam to request his services a second time.  They conveyed a message that the King would pay Balaam’s price, honor him, and do anything he said to do, if only he would come and curse “those people.” Once again, Balaam said no, but invited the Moabite nobles to stay the night while he sought God’s guidance.

What part of “Thou Shalt Not” don’t you understand?

God told Balaam he could go with the men, but He commanded Balaam only to do what God instructed him to do. Then something interesting happened. As Balaam was going, God became angry at Balaam, and He sent an angel armed with a sword to discourage him from going to Balak. Balaam’s donkey saw the angel, but Balaam couldn’t,  and the donkey left the path and went into a ditch to avoid the fearsome creature. The angel appeared ahead of the donkey in a narrow passage through a vineyard and the donkey pressed hard against one of the walls in that narrow passage, crushing Balaam’s foot. And a third time, the angel appeared to block the path in a narrow alleyway, and the poor donkey — seeing no escape — simply lay down.

Balaam thought each of these incidents was an occasion for an ass-whoopin’ (see what I did there?) and struck the animal each time the donkey seemed to misbehave.

An extraordinary privilege

Most of us don’t get the rest of the story so immediately, but Balaam received an extraordinary gift. God enabled the donkey to speak to his master. The beast rebuked the man, asking him why he chose to beat her after all the years she had served him without ever acting this way. Humorously, the prophet didn’t seem to question the circumstances or the reality of a talking donkey, but joined the debate with gusto, saying to the donkey she was lucky he didn’t have a sword of he’d have killed her.

Then God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel and the sword. And the angel asked why the prophet had chosen to beat his animal. But more, he explained that his mission was to turn Balaam back from his current course. If the donkey hadn’t balked, the angel would have killed him while sparing the donkey.

Balaam repented and confessed his wrong — even offering to return home — but the angel said he could go with the men. He told Balaam he could only say what he was instructed to say, nothing else.

A king’s welcome

King Balak went out to great his would-be spiritual hit man. He chided Balaam for his reluctance, asking if Balaam thought the king couldn’t pay him enough. Balaam said God wouldn’t let him do anything other than what He commanded. Balak then took Balaam up to one of the high places of pagan worship to look down on his Hebrew enemies.

And a kings’ frustration

On three separate occasions, per Balaam’s guidance Balak built seven altars and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one. At Balaam’s instruction, the king would wait by his offerings while Balaam went aside to hear from God. Each time, Balaam would come back to the king with a word from God — not a curse for Israel, but a blessing. Each time the blessing was more lavish and effusive. The second blessing is a personal favorite. Here’s Eugene Peterson’s Message translation as it appears in Numbers 23:

On your feet, Balak. Listen,
    listen carefully son of Zippor:
God is not man, one given to lies,
    and not a son of man changing his mind.
Does he speak and not do what he says?
    Does he promise and not come through?
I was brought here to bless;
    and now he’s blessed—how can I change that?
He has no bone to pick with Jacob,
    he sees nothing wrong with Israel.
God is with them,
    and they’re with him, shouting praises to their King.
God brought them out of Egypt,
    rampaging like a wild ox.
No magic spells can bind Jacob,
    no incantations can hold back Israel.
People will look at Jacob and Israel and say,
    “What a great thing has God done!”
Look, a people rising to its feet, stretching like a lion,
    a king-of-the-beasts, aroused,
Unsleeping, unresting until its hunt is over
    and it’s eaten and drunk its fill.

The king couldn’t stand it! He confronted Balaam saying in effect, “I brought you here to curse my enemies, and all you did was bless them!” Balaam protested that he had already told the king that He wasn’t allowed to deviate from what God told him to say.

The end of the alliance

As they relocated to the third location with the construction of the seven altars and the sacrifices of bulls and rams, the Bible says Balaam didn’t engage in his usual sorcery. Instead, he looked at the camp of Israel and spoke prophetically, blessing Israel and condemning Balak — and some other neighboring tribes for good measure.

Naturally, Balak was furious, and sent Balaam away without paying him anything. Both men returned home. End of story.

To be continued?

This episode in scripture seems to be one with a good ending. A prophet is solicited to do evil and steadfastly refuses to defy the will of God. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, as I will explain in my next post.

So how about you? In what ways are you becoming more mature in your faith? What has surprised you most about the process? Add your comments below.

“Marriage is the graduate school of service.” – Pastor David Chadwick

I’ve made no secret of my belief in marriage. Mrs. Booth and I have been married for nearly 32 years, with the struggles and joys that come with being married that long. It has been and is a great thing and I love being married to my wife.

And I admit that the climate for marriage in the west is hostile in many ways. From taxes that penalize marriage economically, to family courts that incentivize women to file for divorce from their husbands, to cultural Marxist feminism that seeks to destroy “the patriarchy” by destroying men, there is plenty of evidence to support a man’s decision not to marry. But let’s revisit one of my favorite axioms:

Abuse doesn’t invalidate use.

Marriage is to be kept pure…

The occasions when men commit murder with hammers doesn’t justify banning hammers or outlawing carpentry. The widespread misuse of the institution of marriage — from cohabitation and out-of-wedlock births, through frivolous no-fault divorce — doesn’t mean that marriage has forfeited its divine purpose.

Back to the beginning

If we look to the creation narrative in the second chapter of the Old Testament book of Genesis, we see that God had created the universe, placing man, whom he had made in his own image, at the top of the created order. God pronounced it good. But when he saw that he had made suitable mates for all the other creatures except man, God said, “it is not good that man should be alone.”

After evaluating every other type of creature and not finding a mate, a companion, a wife for the man, Adam, God did something remarkable. He put Adam to sleep and took flesh and bone from his side, making from them a woman, whom Adam called Eve. Note that up to this point, Adam was the bearer of the full imago dei — the image of God. In this, Adam reflected masculinity and femininity as God does. But when God created Eve to be Adam’s helper, his (in Hebrew) ezer kenegdo — literally his “life saver” — God split into two parts the imago dei, investing maleness and masculine strength in the man and investing femaleness and feminine beauty and tenderness in the woman. This is important, because Genesis 2:24-25 says this:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

This one-flesh union, this intimate knowing, free of guilt and shame is the heart of marriage.

Breaking it down

Note the lack of self-consciousness and self-regard in this first marriage. Their nakedness and vulnerability was not something to exploit for advantage, rather it was open and generous. It cannot have been otherwise, as the one-flesh union would not have existed if Adam had not given himself to Eve, and Eve had not given herself to her husband.

Now it’s broken down

Have you noticed in our culture’s stories how marital sex is nearly always portrayed as a chore to be avoided, while affairs and other forms of sexual behavior appear exciting?  If I say the word monogamy, do you regard the concept as a positive or a negative one? Why? If you’re married, did your friends try to talk you out of it, citing the endless novelty of hookups compared to loving one woman for life? Part of this inversion is the distortion of our world through sin. So a loyal wife seems boring to her husband, compared to the women at his office, and an aloof cad is seemingly irresistible compared to a wife’s dependable husband.  This is why King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 9:16, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But note this: Just because a forbidden thing is appealing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t avoid it. (See also poison mushrooms.)

Reacquiring the trail

If you dread the idea of marriage, in the present or the future, I want to encourage you to re-establish a biblical view of marriage. First, note that biblical marriage is a covenant rather than a contract. This is not a legal instrument between two consenting parties that can be broken at will. Among God’s people, a covenant is a binding, irrevocable joining between God and his people. There are obligations, but failure to perform doesn’t justify an exit.

It is true that you have the duty of spiritual headship, and the responsibility to shepherd, protect, and provide for your wife and children, and those obligations demand lifelong faithfulness. It is also true that you can expect to enjoy the marriage bed — sex — with your wife and the two of you have a responsibility to maintain this aspect of your marriage — especially when kiddos enter the picture. Check out Proverbs 5:15-19 for just one biblical encouragement in this area.

The ratio

Before Mrs. Booth and I married, an older friend took me aside and said, “I know you think marriage is a 50/50 proposition. It isn’t. It’s 100/100. It takes both of you giving it 100% for it to work.” I have learned that friend was 100% correct. And this brings us to service.

A generous spirit requires bravery

An unpleasant aspect of our times is the wariness that leads to near-constant score-keeping. We are willing to give, as long as we get, but heaven help the one who takes and never gives. Does that sound familiar? In marriage, we have to overcome the fear and serve each other generously. Even if you’re afraid you won’t get anything out of it, serve.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, the apostle instructed wives to submit to their husbands, but he instructed husbands to love their wives the way Christ loved the church. In case you’re unfamiliar with the story, he died for her. Obviously, marriage is one of those things where you must be present to win, so what does this sacrificial service look like in the realm of mortals?

Here’s an example

In the fewest words, it means put others first. If you do this, God notices. And He is able to reward you. But I promised you an example.

If you haven’t seen the video for Andra Day’s song Rise Up, it’s a great portrayal of loving service in the context of marriage. Please watch this now. I’ll wait

This video, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, conveys so much truth, and Andra Day’s vocal performance drives it home. Note the wife pouring out her life for the husband who can no longer hold her. Though her reward would seem slight compared to what she — and he — expected when they first married, this is a shining example of loving and giving 100%.

And notice, also, how the husband doesn’t quit, either. He gives the strength he has, and she appreciates it. Good art with a true message!

Not just true in stories

You may argue that Shyamalan could tell the story any way he wants, and that the video is a made-up story. Fair enough, but I have a pastor friend whose wife has Multiple Sclerosis and he serves his wife in the same manner. He cares for her and loves her like Christ loves the church — the way he promised to when they wed. And he’s not the only man I know who has cared for his wife this way. I have written before about old-school wedding vows, and this is where they prove their worth.

I know there is great risk in getting married these days. The statistics, as we’ve noted, are grim. But it is also possible to find godly, virtuous women who want to be married to godly and masculine spiritual leaders. So for God’s sake (literally), lead, love, and serve. Your children need the stability that only a covenant marriage can provide them.

God would not have commanded this of husbands if men weren’t capable of doing it. If you aren’t that sort of man yet, stick around and learn how to be one. Or message me and let’s start a discussion.

It is not good for the man to be alone, but it also important to marry the kind of woman who will stick by you — and by whom you’ll stick — when the storms come. It can be done!

So how about you? How are you leading and serving in your marriage, or preparing to lead and serve in your marriage? Add your comments below.

“Then he taught me, and he said to me, ‘Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.’” – Proverbs 4:4-9 (NIV)

Over the weekend, I took Mrs. Booth to see the movie Hacksaw Ridge — the true story of World War II Army medic Desmond Doss. It is as frank in its depiction of combat and human destruction as anything I’ve seen since Saving Private Ryan, and it is also the most uplifting story I may have ever seen.

Meet Desmond Doss

The facts of Desmond Doss’s life are a matter of history. A devout Christian and a pacifist raised in the hills around Lynchburg,VA, volunteers to serve in World War II. His convictions forbid him to even handle a gun, so he enlists with the purpose of becoming a combat medic.

Medal of Honor Recipient Cpl. Desmond T. Doss (photo courtesy of the Desmond Doss Council)

Assigned to Fort Jackson, SC, Doss finds himself in a rifle battalion, where his officers and his fellow soldiers accuse him of cowardice and harass him trying to hound him out of the Army — even subjecting him to a court-martial for refusing a direct order to handle a weapon. But Private Doss didn’t waver in his faith or go along to get along to make the trouble go away.

Desmond Doss and his battalion saw combat in the Pacific, ultimately participating in the bloodiest battle of that theater — the battle for Okinawa, set atop a 400-foot cliff known as the escarpment. Desmond Doss did not carry a weapon into that carnage — only his Bible and his faith. When the enemy counter-attacked, the Americans retreated from the top of the escarpment — all of them except Desmond Doss. And he single-handedly rescued at least 75 wounded men, retrieving their broken bodies while under hostile fire, moving within yards of enemy soldiers. As he tended each soldier, he carried each man to the edge of the cliff lowering him into US hands.

Who is this guy?

The movie does a good job of conveying that it was Desmond’s faith in God, and his desire to please God that motivated him to resist the taking of life, but that also motivated him to serve. When the war began, Desmond was eligible for a deferral based on his work in a naval shipyard. He felt it was his duty to serve, so he chose the more difficult path of honor.

And during the night as he lowered his wounded comrades away from danger, he prayed through his fatigue: “Lord, let me get just one more.” I wondered if this was simply Hollywood gloss, but in a documentary titled The Conscientious Objector, Desmond Doss explains that this was indeed his prayer.

The takeaways from “Hacksaw Ridge”

I hope you’ll see the movie, but if not, here are the main takeaways I left with:

1. We need stories. As we’ve discussed before, there’s much less benefit to telling a man to “Man up,” than there is in telling a story of a man who was willing to put principle ahead of his own comfort.
2. We need heroes. Too many people we enshrine as heroes will let you down if you study them closely enough. Here, at least, is one case, where a man walked unarmed into Hell to save his fellow-man. He even provided care to some wounded Japanese soldiers. The fact that one man was able to do this inspires me to aim higher.
3. Freedom of conscience is necessary — and expensive. Just to have the right to go into combat — unarmed — with is battalion Doss had to suffer the insults, the beatings, the extra duty, and the mischaracterization of his motives.
4. Even when you’re right, sometimes you have to absorb the hit. Conscientious objectors like those practicing civil disobedience have the right to express themselves. And defying authority usually brings consequences. Doss never lashed out at the unfair treatment he received. He stuck to his principles and trusted God to work it out.
5. One man can make a difference. Desmond Doss’s devotion to God and country impelled him toward danger again and again. As a result, 75 men who almost certainly would have died of their wounds or been finished off by the enemy lived.

The rest of the story

Desmond Doss sustained multiple wounds from enemy snipers and grenades. Even when it was his turn to be carried from the battlefield, he insisted that a more critically wounded soldier be carried on the stretcher he occupied at the time. For his most conspicuous gallantry and willingness to put himself in harm’s way for his fellow soldiers, Corporal Desmond Doss received the Congressional Medal of Honor — the first conscientious objector to receive the nation’s highest military honor.Desmond Doss had numerous health problems resulting from his wounds, but he lived well into old age giving honor to God.

A lot of times, a movie based on a true story takes liberties to make it seem better. In the case of Desmond Doss, the truth is even better than Hollywood, as I hope you’ll see.

So how about you? What stories make you want to be a better man? Add your comments below.

Here’s a trip back to the poetry corner.  If you’re discouraged about the kind of work that’s available to you currently, you might find this helpful.  Here’s cowboy poet Red Steagall:

Shorty was here

The Fence That Me and Shorty Built

We’d picked up all the fencing tools
And staples off the road
An extra roll of “bob” wire
Was the last thing left to load

I drew a sleeve across my face
To wipe away the dirt
The young man who was helping me
Was tuckin’ in his shirt

I turned around to him and said,
“This fence is finally done
With five new strands of ‘bob’ wire
Shinin’ proudly in the sun

The wire is runnin’ straight and tight
With every post in line
The kinda job you’re proud of
One that stands the test of time.”

The kid was not impressed at all
He stared off into space
Reminded me of years ago
Another time and place

When I called myself a cowboy
I was full of buck and bawl
I didn’t think my hands would fit
Post augers and a maul

They sent me out with Shorty
And the ranch fence building crew
Well, I was quite insulted
And before the day was through

I let him know that I’m a cowboy
This ain’t what I do
I ain’t no dadgummed nester
I hired out to buckaroo

He said, “We’ll talk about that son
When we get in tonight
Right now you pick them augers up
It’s either that or fight.”

Boy I was diggin’ post holes
Faster than a Georgia mole
But if a rock got in my way
Well I simply moved the hole

So when the cowboys set the posts
The line went in and out
Old Shorty’s face got fiery red
And I can hear him shout

But one thing that I always got
From any job I’ve done
Is do the best I can each day
And try to make it fun

I know that bustin’ through them rocks
Ain’t what you like to do
By gettin’ mad you’ve made it tough
On me and the whole crew

Now you hired on to cowboy
And you think you’ve got the stuff
You told him you’re a good hand
And the boss has called your bluff

So how’s that gonna make you look
When he comes ridin’ through
And he asks me who dug the holes
and I say it was you

Now we could let it go like this
And take the easy route
But doin’ things the easy way
Ain’t what it’s all about

The boss expects a job well done
From every man he’s hired
He’ll let you slide by once or twice
Then one day you’ll get fired

If you’re not proud of what you do
You won’t amount to much
You’ll bounce around from job to job
Just slightly out of touch

Come mornin’ let’s redig those holes
And get that fence in line
And you and I will save two jobs
Those bein’ yours and mine

And someday you’ll come ridin’ through
And look across this land
And see a fence that’s laid out straight
And know you had a hand

In something that’s withstood the years
Then proud and free from guilt
You’ll smile and say, ‘Boys that’s the fence
That me and Shorty built’.”

– Red Steagall

Your work is a witness for you or against you.  Commit to doing your best and you can be proud of what your work says about you.

By the way, if you’d like to hear Red Steagall recite this poem, you can watch it here.

So how about you?  How are you remaining engaged and striving to give your best in your current job? Add your comments below.