Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

Author: pickleheavenpress

I have served as a pastor in East Texas for 32 years and it is my delight to continue my ministry online
coffee cup communique — January 5, 2022

coffee cup communique

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She was reaching those early teen years when it felt a little awkward to express her heart to her grandparents.  But there was the night that she was rooting around the kitchen cabinet looking for a mug to hold her coffee. 

There were 40 or so to choose from and the one at the front was the most convenient, but she kept clattering through the various cups until she found the exact one that she wanted. 

She poured her coffee and then ambled over my way to make sure that I could see her choice.  It was imprinted with the words, “I love you grandpa.”  I choked up – and truly felt loved.

________________


I need to hear and experience more of that kind of lovin’.  I bet you do too!

Florida International University psychologist Lisa Arango says. “It’s the oxygen for the relationship. Telling somebody you love them feeds the relationship, keeps it alive.”

This kind of oxygen is sorely needed in this world of suffocation.  Ours is a culture that vilifies a person if they are not of the appropriate race or holds to a differing political view.   The teen driver that flips us the finger doesn’t help.

School can take your breath away too.  One kid started the fall term brimming with excitement.  2 months later his teacher had him convinced he was just another bad kid.  Then there was the teacher who told a child her class would be easier to teach once he was gone.  Another kid was assaulted at school because the bully didn’t like the color of her hair. 

OK – but what about family?   That’s where we feel the love – right?  Not always!  I am shocked at the epidemic number of Christian families that I personally know who are experiencing civil war – with members refusing to speak to each other, icing each other out of their lives. 

We need to hear and breathe the words “I love you!” 

My wife and I led a small group of newlyweds.  I polled them as part of my research for a magazine article I was writing.  I asked, “What do you wish your parents would have said to you – but didn’t.”  

Well over 90% had never heard one or both parents articulate the words, “I love you.”   To be fair, most felt loved by their parents, and yet they were sorrowful that they never heard the words.

OK but the One that matters most isn’t so bashful about saying it.  The Lord said to His people through the prophet Isaiah, “…you are precious and special in my sight and I love you.”  – Isaiah 43:4: NET Bible ®

Words of affection!  Note the present tense of the verb “love.”  This is not a love, long ago expressed or demonstrated.  It is an active, continual verbalized expression of God’s love for we His people. 

The apostle John instructed us to love others as God has loved us (1 John 4:11) which means we need to communicate it as He did.

Solomon wrote, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” – Proverbs 16:24: NET Bible ®

Life can be like a cup of bitter coffee.  Put some honey in the lives of those you love by verbalizing the words “I love you.”   

Could your marriage use a little sweetening?  Say the words to your love at the altar and do it every day after.  Use them especially before and after your debates.   

Speak them to your kids – when you drop them off at school, when you put them to bed and before and after you discipline them.  Be random with it too, so that they know your words are not driven by a mindless habit. 

Your aging parents feel forgotten.  Call them and tell them of your love.  And don’t be shy about telling your siblings and friends that you care for them.

Communicate your heart to the people you love.  Use a coffee mug if you wish!

A PRAYER: Lord I say these words a lot.  Remind me to say them more.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

broken cisterns — December 29, 2021

broken cisterns

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When I was a kid, I didn’t have a clock in my bedroom, so if I wanted to know what time it was, I would play my guitar.  This provoked my dad to yell, “Son, do you know that it is 3 o’clock in the morning?”  “Oh, thanks dad!”

So what time is it? Well, it’s New Years – time for a drink.  I’m not talking about Champagne.  I have something way better in mind. 

The prophet Jeremiah tells us about it. He was speaking for the Lord when he said, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”   KJV (Jeremiah 2:13)

Living was a term used to describe water that was fresh and moving.  Like the snow melt from Mount Hermon in Israel.  The waters descend from above and produces cool, sweet, refreshing streams of pure water.   The Lord above compared Himself to such water. 

He also spoke of cistern water.  A cistern is a subterranean cavern built to capture and store rainwater.  It does not produce fresh water but simply captures the runoff. 

It was carved from the soft limestone that underlies much of Israel.  Because limestone is porous, the walls of the cistern were typically plastered to help them retain the water.

So, the people of Judah rejected living water for cistern water.  So what?   Of course, God was speaking of something more than H20.  He had spiritual/emotional cisterns in mind. 

This kind of cistern has to do with happiness.  It is that thing that we believe we must have if we are to be happy.   The people of Judah sought happiness from sculptures of stone and metal – satisfaction from pagan gods.

We are not as brazen, but just as foolish.  We tell ourselves, “I won’t be happy until I make the honor roll, or get rich, or I’m popular with the right crowd.  Maybe its success in sports or in the music industry, or maybe dating a particular person or owning that dream car.  These foolish beliefs are cisterns. 

The water from a cistern could be quite foul.  It was stored down deep until it was needed.  To drink of it, one would have to clear away a disgusting film of dirt and then draw water that was tainted with animal droppings, bugs and vermin.  It would cause illness and even death if not first boiled. 

Why would anyone ever choose cistern water over a mountain stream?   It probably has to do with control.  A person could dig a cistern on their own property and control it on their terms.  He can’t however own a stream.   Nor can we manipulate or control our God.  

So many of us choose the foul cistern water and just learn to tolerate it.

But the prophet also tells us that the cisterns are broken.  Israel rests on a significant geological fault and is prone to earthquakes.  So, it was not unusual to go to one’s cistern to find that the rock had shifted, the plaster had cracked, and the water had escaped leaving the pit dusty and dry. 

And so it is with our cisterns. Sooner or later, we will discover that they are broken and there’s nothing there for us. 

So how do I identify a cistern in my life?  Look inside.  What or who drives your decisions, dominates your conversations, absorbs your faith and is your financial priority?   If it is anyone or anything other than the Lord – then you may be trying to sustain yourself with cistern water.

We drink because we are thirsty.  The water of a cistern does not satisfy.  It poisons us and never delivers what we think it will. 

Not so with the Lord.  Jesus told us “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.”  – John 7:37-38

Cheers!

A PRAYER:  Lord, through the years, I have filled in several of my own cisterns, and I occasionally dig another.  Forgive me and help us all be more discerning.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com  

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

angels at work — December 22, 2021

angels at work

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The Christmas story is full of angels.  We commemorate their visit by putting their pictures on postage stamps and portraying them in 3rd grade Christmas pageants.  Oh, and by poking the top of a Christmas tree up their angel pants.

But did you know that these ministering spirits made several cameo appearances during the span of Christ’s life?   

The angel Gabriel invited Mary to give birth to Christ (Luke 1:26-27) and an angel nudged Joseph to take the pregnant Mary as his wife – enlisted as the guardian of the Christ child (Matthew 1:19-21).

Of course, it was the angels who heralded His birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-14). Two years later an angel popped in to warn Joseph about the plot of maniacal King Herod (Matthew 2:13).  It was also an angel that recalled the little family back home once the danger had passed (Matthew 2:19-20).

At the onset of Jesus’ ministry, the devil tried and failed three times to tempt Him.  Scripture says, “Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs.”  (Matthew 4:11).  After a fast of 40 days, they may have served Him some angel food cake. 

Then there was Gethsemane where Jesus wrestled with the burden of the cross.  Three times He asked the Father to remove the suffering that was to come.  The Father remained silent, but He did send help for the moment.  Luke 22:43 says “Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.”  Emotional resources from heaven to carry on.   

Let’s see, angels at His birth, throughout His life and also present for His resurrection.

“…an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.”  (Matthew 28:2).  The Lord passed through the stone when He was raised, but an angel rolled it away anyway so that the world would have to grapple with the fact that Christ had risen. 

The same angel had the privilege of being the first being to announce the resurrection news (Matthew 28:3-5).  Forty days later the disciples watched Jesus ascend to heaven while an angel explained to them the significance (Acts 1:10-11).

As to the future?  Yes, angels will be a part of His story. Matthew 25:31 says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.”

Angels, angels and more angels.  They were there at every critical juncture in the life of Christ to watch over Him.  The devil put it this way, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:6).

And yet, there is one period in Christ’s life where the angels were derelict in their duty.  That would be His brutal crucifixion.

The Biblical record tells us that they were not there at the cross.  Why not?  Certainly, they could have helped. Angels provided protection for the babe, but none was offered at Calvary.  Angels strengthened Christ in the wilderness but just let Him hang on the cross.

Jesus could have commanded their help.  He said, “Do you think that I cannot call on my Father and that he would send me more than 12 legions of angels right now?” (Matthew 26:53).

But He waived them off instead, for the cross was something that He and He alone had to bear.  He alone had to suffer the full brunt of God’s wrath.  He alone had to endure the judgment that was due to you and me.

If angels had assisted, it would have raised a terrible unanswerable question:  Would His diminished sacrifice be enough to satisfy the wrath of God? 

Thank God we don’t have to wrestle with that question, because the angels were forced to watch from a distance as Jesus bore the burden of the cross alone.

A PRAYER: Jesus, thank you so so much for bearing the oppressive burden of the cross alone – for us.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

Scripture references are from the NT Bible ®

a begrudging gift card — December 15, 2021

a begrudging gift card

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My wife was given a $25.00 gift card to a ritzy high-end store.  A thoughtful gift but problematic.   We searched the retailer’s web site for to spend it.   The prices began at sky high and went up from there. 

We found that the only thing we could buy with a $25 gift card was another $25.00 gift card.  Pointless!

Some of us wonder if God did us the same favor.  We asked Jesus to be our Savior, expecting amazing things to come from it.    And maybe our initial experience was awesome, but given the challenges we face these days, His gift doesn’t seem to go so far.

She has trouble resisting the temptation to binge eat.  He faces opposition at work and doesn’t have the faintest idea how to deal with it.  She says she trusts God, but she falls apart when things don’t go according to her plan.  That gift from God doesn’t seem to be buying much these days.

But it can – and it should! 

Listen to the words the apostle wrote in 2 Peter 1:3, “…His divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness….”   Everything?  Wow – try thinking that through!

It sounds like our God has generously given us a gift – packaged in Jesus, which contains every single resource we could ever need to live godly and effective lives.   With this gift card we get the entire store. 

Paul reverberates the same thought in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.”

Think of Christ as a gift box with your name on it.  Now let’s open it and see what’s inside. 

In Christ the controlling power of sin over us has been broken.  (Romans 6:11) and we have the rock-solid assurance of eternal life. (Romans 6:23). 

We have been stripped of the stifling burden of guilt before God because of Christ (Romans 8:1-2) We are given influence with God through prayer – prayers that are Spirit empowered (Romans 8:26)

Though we may be stubborn, God’s love for us is more stubborn. (Romans 8:39).  We have answers now to the questions that once perplexed us because we have been given the wisdom of God in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:30). 

We were once trailing behind but are now triumphant because of Jesus.  (2 Corinthians 1:14) and once blind but now we see thanks to Him. (2 Corinthians 3:14). 

In Christ the old broken us has been made new.  (2 Corinthians 5:17)   We have graduated from laborious law-keeping to sweet liberty in Christ (Galatians 2:4)

We were exhumed from the grave and elevated to a place of power in Christ (Ephesians 2:1) We gained a forever friend who spoils us with His kindness. (Ephesians 2:7). 

We were once exiled but have been brought into God’s inner circle thanks to Jesus. (Ephesians 2:13) and our pathetic wandering has given way to purpose because of Christ. (Ephesians 2:10)

We are given unsurpassable peace from God due to Jesus (Philippians 4:7) and in Him we have God’s generous pledge to provide our essential needs. (Philippians 4:19)

We have staggered into a place of stability because of Christ (Colossians 2:5) and we have the ironclad promise that He is coming back for us. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) 

So – what should I do with that retailer’s gift card?  Maybe I’ll regift it at the office party.  But no way would I do that with God’s gift.

The issues of life can be complex.  We spend a lot of energy looking for a “how” to solve them.  But the how is nested in the who.  That would be Jesus.  In Him we have everything – everything we need.  By God’s grace we’ll learn better as to how to redeem that gift card. 

A PRAYER: Lord I often choose to live as a pauper when you have blessed me as a prince.  Help me to experience all that you have for me. 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com 

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you  

Scripture references are from the NET Bible®

background check — December 8, 2021

background check

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The past is the past – or is it?

I volunteered to serve in the work of a local homeless shelter.  They told me I needed to undergo a background check.  “Really?”  Evidently my reputation preceded me.

The results were returned, 71 pages containing every crime that anyone named James Johnson had ever committed.  Unfortunately, there are 26,850 of us in the USA at this moment.

So, the supervisor of volunteers scanned the report and decided that I was probably not guilty of the assault in Baltimore or the 30 counts of fare evasion in Dallas. 

But she did have a concern.  She said, “Tell me about the DUI in DeKalb, Georgia in 1989.”  

“What? Wasn’t me!  Never even been to Dekalb.”   After a 5-minute interrogation she decided I was on the up-and-up and cleared me to serve.    

It was humiliating, being suspected of a crime that I did not commit. 

And yet – if I were to back up the clock prior to 1972.  My rap sheet would fill up 171 pages.   It would include vandalism, shop lifting, embezzlement, theft, breaking and entering, multiple DUI’s and tons more.  These things are not on my record because I was never caught.

Except I actually was!  The Holy Spirit chased me down and wrapped me up with guilt over my sin.   Like King David I could say, “When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long.  4 For day and night you tormented me; you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. 5 Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.  I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.”  And then you forgave my sins.” – Psalm 32:4-5  NET Bible ®

That took place for me in November of 1972.

But I wonder if there will be a spiritual background check in my future?  Hebrews 9:27 says, “people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment.”  NET Bible ®   

BUT – yay, the apostle Paul tells me that I’ll be exempt.  He says, “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Col 2:13-14 – NASU

There is a “certificate of debt” full of hostile decrees and it has my name on it.   But Christ canceled that certificate.  He nailed it to the cross, where He personally satisfied my debt.   And I don’t ever, ever need to worry about those things coming up again.

The Psalmist says Amen.  He wrote, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”  Ps 103:12  KJV    The prophet Isaiah agrees. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 – KJV

My record has been expunged. 

Of course, there is the practical matter that I had wronged a lot of individuals with my recklessness.  But each has been contacted and has heard my confession and apology and received restitution.  They have also extended phenomenal forgiveness to me. 

Well, I suppose a day may come when I’ll stand at the threshold of heaven, and an angelic gatekeeper will stop me and ask to do a background check.  But that’s when Jesus will step up and say, “I’ve got Him covered.” 

What about you? 

A PRAYER: Lord I pray for those who have not yet asked Jesus to bear their sins.  May they experience this gift soon.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

$50,000 without her — December 1, 2021

$50,000 without her

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So, I have an insurance decision to make.  We have a policy on my wife so that when she transitions to heaven, the company will send me a check for $50,000.

I didn’t realize at the time we purchased it, but the policy accumulates cash value.  I just learned that its currently worth about $10,000.

I believe we now have other resources enough to cover the costs in the event of her death.   So, my dilemma is this: Do I cash in the policy now or let it ride? 

So, I looked to the Word of God for a little guidance.  The wise one Solomon penned this in Ecclesiastes 9:9, “Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.” NET Bible ®

Hmm – enjoy life with your beloved wife.

I remember those days when it was more like, “try to get by with your beloved wife.”  Money was tight in those first few years of our marriage, so we made do. 

I gave my wife her first clothes iron by pulling it out of someone’s trashcan and repairing it.   She struggled to learn to cut my hair to help us save a buck.   We were on a first name basis with every generic brand at the grocery store – like Gnu Value Peanut Butter.

Everything in our first apartment was second hand except the food (but there were a few leftovers from the in-laws).

Our ancient car groaned every time we did a road trip.  I spent more time on my back under the car than I did in bed. 

When we finally stopped for the night – it was always at the Flea Bag Inn.  I knew I made a poor choice that night that my wife balled up in the middle of the bed and refused to touch anything in the room.

Did I mention that I sometimes retrieved day old bakery products from the dumpster just after the grocery store discarded them? (Not sure my wife knew, so don’t tell her)

My daughter’s first big-girl bed was a thick piece of foam on a piece of plywood supported by concrete blocks. It did, however, have a girly pink blanket.

Even our current vacuum cleaner is made up of three different salvaged vacuums.  We have used the frankenmodel for a couple decades and I still have spare parts in the attic.

Okay, we are much older now and the financial stress is less than it used to be.  Which is probably what prompted Solomon to say, “Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.”

Life on this earth is fleeting says he.  We can’t stop the process or forever preserve what we have.  Our earthly reward is to sit back and enjoy the fruit of our work – here and now – and to do it with a beloved spouse.

So, do I cash in the policy now or let it ride? 

I think I would rather enjoy the $10,000 with her than the $50,000 without. 

Who knows, maybe we’ll take the money and splurge on some Peter Pan Peanut Butter!

A PRAYER: God thank you for my wife and every other faithful longsuffering wife.   May Sharie and I truly savor and enjoy this season of life.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

identified — November 24, 2021

identified

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Who are you?  Really? 

My teenage daughter came to me with a fistful of mail while laughing her head off.  “What’s so funny?” I asked.   She said, “Someone sent a letter to the Reverend James Johnson.”  “So?”  She said, “Well you aren’t a Reverend.”

I said, “I am too!  That’s one of the titles that a pastor is given.”  She said, “But not you!” So, we argued until it was pointless.

But she also brought in her school report card for the first six-week term.   Being the devious daddy that I am, this parent signed her card, “Reverend James R. Johnson.”

I enjoyed myself so much that when I was asked to sign it again for the next 6-week term, I tried something different.  “James R. Johnson-man of the cloth.”  And so on, it went with a different and exaggerated title for all six terms.

___________________

We all have a variety of titles by which we are known. Some are based on our occupation: “Joe is a carpenter.”  “Gina is an engineer.”  As for me, there was a time my business card should have read “Llama Keeper.”  (seriously)

Some of us identify based on our hobbies.  Some are gamers while other gardeners. 

And what about politics?  “He’s a Republicrat.”

We are also titled by our relationships. We are mommies and daddies, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, sons and daughters and of course “Grandmas and Grandpas.” 

In fact, there is an amazing relational identification found in Isaiah 43:1. I love it!  Isaiah wrote, “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name – you are mine.”  NET Bible ®

That last phrase is dynamite.  The Lord spoke to His people and said, “You are mine.”   That is who you are.  You are mine: a statement of who we belong to – but also of who we are.

In this country we elect presidents, not first ladies.  Yet, the first lady makes the White House her home and flies first-class on-Air Force One.  She has her own staff and is surrounded by an army of secret service protectors.  She is interviewed by news anchors, honored by heads of state, celebrated by millions and treated to a pampered life. 

All this, only, because she is his, the wife of the president of the United States of America. 

Good for her, but her perks do not begin to compare with ours because we belong to the Creator, the sustainer of this universe. (Isaiah 40:28) We belong to the author of all grace and mercy.  (Hebrews 4:16)

We belong to the one who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills.”  (Psalm 50:10) We belong to the one who “gives to His beloved even in their sleep.”  (Psalm 127:2) We are blessed beyond measure to be called “His.”

So that you know, one day the titles that define us will be no more.  In eternity, we won’t be known as daddy or chaplain, or sister or the llama keeper.   BUT, we will always and forever be known as His.  Always!

And I believe that He will frequently remind us of it just as He did in Isaiah 43:1, “You are mine!”   

There is a wonderful but seldom sung hymn, “I am His and He is Mine” by George Robinson.  The last verse goes like this.

His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?

Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!

Heav’n and earth may fade and flee,

Firstborn light in gloom decline,

But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine;

But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

Amazing!  Maybe the next time I sign a report card, I’ll simply write, “I am His.” 

A PRAYER: Lord I am grateful that I need not wander and wonder who I am anymore.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  

a bug’s light! — November 17, 2021

a bug’s light!

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He and his family went on fun tent-camping weekend.  They were equipped with headlamps to help guide their paths at night.   Headlamps have several advantages over conventional flashlights.  They are hands free, and you can direct the beam with the turn of your head. 

One slight disadvantage, however.  The East Texas woods are teeming with light-seeking insects.  The headlamp beam drew them in, leaving the family with a mouthful of bugs. 

This made me wonder, “Well why in the world are bugs attracted to light anyway?”  I consulted the oracle of our times (Google) and learned that scientists don’t really know, but they suggest a couple of theories:

– Some insects navigate by the position of the sun and moon.  Artificial light confuses them, so they end up flying around in circles trying to figure it out. 

– Some insects need light to see, so rather than flying blind in the dark, they circle the light.   Silly bugs!

Both theories have this in common: a bug needs light to find its way.

People aren’t much different!  Hey, I have been in the belly of Carlsbad Caverns when they turned off the lights.  It was so dark I couldn’t find myself.  How relieved I was when they flipped on the light switch.  I promptly looked for the nearest exit.   

We need light to find our way.  I am thinking that’s what Jesus had in mind when he called us “lights.”   He said, “You are the light of the world.”  Matthew 5:14. We are essentially headlamps in the dark of night.

The light that emits from us, is the life of God lived out in our everyday circumstances.   The creatures of the night are drawn to the light we emit.  

It’s true! I worked at a camp with a couple that had a wonderful Christ centered marriage.  Their love and service and affection for each other were apparent.  Which is why the high school campers seemed to always end up in the cabin of that couple when they had free time.

I think of the thief that was crucified with Jesus.  He was initially hateful – but the light that hung from that crossbeam was so compelling that the thief asked to join Jesus in His Kingdom. 

You may have many friends and family members who have swept the message of Christ aside.  And yet, when they are facing difficulties – cancer, a lost job, financial crisis – who do they call and ask to pray?    

People are drawn to our light.  For some it’s obvious while others watch us from the corner of their eye. 

Why are they drawn to our light?   Same as our bug buddies – it’s really dark out there and they need the light to navigate.

They want to see examples of people that are able to make life work.   They want to know how to cope with Covid restrictions when they have 2 jobs, 4 kids and no family to help them. They want to know how to stay married in a culture that pulls them apart.

They want to know how to raise healthy kids, when they aren’t sure they can trust the school they attend.  They want to have peace amid the chaos and hope when the future is cloudy. 

They need our light which is why Jesus also said, “Let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.”

He tells us to “show off.”   OK that doesn’t sound right.  How about this. “Shine off.”  Make sure your light is elevated (as on a hill or a lampstand).  Bring your light to the places that need to be illuminated. 

Take it to the school board meeting and PTA gatherings.  Take it to the local political party committee meeting.  Shine at work and in the neighborhood, and at the nearby nursing home, and through a prison ministry.  

Shine!  Our job is just to shine – the light will draw them!

A PRAYER: Lord this introvert has a hard time with this.  Help me, help us all to shine. 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you

All references are from the (NET Bible ®)

the 99 and 1 rule (reconciliation part 4) — November 10, 2021

the 99 and 1 rule (reconciliation part 4)

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There is one question that a marriage counselor gets way more than any other, it’s this: “Would you fix my spouse?”

I guess we all tend to approach conflict in that way – we pin the donkey of blame on others rather than own it ourselves. 

The counsel of Jesus plays out differently.  He said, “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while you yourself don’t see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  (Luke 6:41-42) NET Bible ®

Jesus the carpenter knew the difference between a speck of sawdust and a two-by-four, and He used it to expose our silliness!  

When someone hurts us, we really want them to squirm and to own it.  We forget that we have added our own fuel to the fire and that our donation is much bigger – board sized, says Jesus.

Why is it that the Lord regards my problem as being bigger?  Maybe because not only am I guilty of my own offenses, I also brazenly assume the mantle of self-righteousness and become the judge of others.

Jesus tells us quite clearly to take care of our own problems first.

In the last post we looked at the need to approach conflict as a doctor.  Before doing surgery, a surgeon washes his hands and his arms with an antiseptic solution and then gloves up.  

If he performs surgery without being sterile, he contaminates the procedure, which could prove fatal in the outcome.   In the same way, Jesus tells us that we must be clean before we try to remove the cancer of conflict.

So, what is the 99 and 1 rule? 

In my 32 plus years in the ministry I have never witnessed a conflict where one person is 100% wrong and the other is 100% right.  Never have.  Each person usually has some responsibility in the mire and mess.  If it were possible to quantify it, it might be 70/30, or 50/50 or maybe even 99/1.  There is almost always blame on both sides. 

So, this is how I prefer to apply Jesus’ words. I look to myself first to see what I contributed to the problem.  Let’s suppose for the sake of illustration that it only amounts to 1%.  (I wish!)   That 1% seems like a speck, but even a speck, when it’s on your eyeball, seems bigger than a house.

And though the other person may be 99% guilty, instead of waiting for them to apologize, I take the initiative.  I go to them and say, “Hey, I was wrong when I _________.”   Would you please forgive me for that? 

Almost always the person immediately says yes to my humble request.  Forgiveness is granted.  And almost always they turn around and take responsibility for their 99%.   Sometimes the apology comes later, but it usually comes.

The conflict is over, and the good feelings flow once again. 

Is it right to admit you were wrong?  Absolutely!  Is it embarrassing?  Somewhat!  Is the embarrassment proportionate to your level of responsibility?  Not really.  Embarrassment is embarrassment!

So why not get the ball rolling by taking responsibility for your 1% or your 50% or your 99% or whatever it is?  Do your part to put the conflict to rest and bring peace.

So, what if they don’t respond like you might hope?  Doesn’t matter!  Jesus says it’s our duty to examine ourselves and take responsibility for our own offenses, not those of others.  And being in harmony with the Lord is probably the most rewarding peace of all.

A PRAYER: Lord I seldom want to own even my 1%.  Help me to recognize my contributions to the problem and be brave enough to admit it. 

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com.  May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 

doctor or lawyer? (reconciliation part 3) — November 3, 2021

doctor or lawyer? (reconciliation part 3)

/pickleheavenpress

You are probably either a doctor or a lawyer based on the way that you approach conflict.

May I illustrate?  Suppose that I have a headache that just won’t quit, so I decide to seek some professional help. 

I find the office building where the professionals ply their trade and find a name on a door: Doctor Ichabod Smith.  I check in and finally get to see the doc.  Turns out his doctorate is in Law. 

Oh well!  I tell him about the headache, and he asks me where I work and if I handled hazardous materials.   Turns out I did!  So, he declares that we are going to sue my employer for 5 million dollars for exposing me to asbestos.

Three years later we have our day in court and Ichabod does a stellar job of pinning the blame for my cancer on the Acme company.  The judge decides in my favor and I am 5 million dollars richer.

But before I buy a Mercedes and a beach front cottage – I drop over dead.

Oops!  Maybe I should have looked for someone with a doctorate in medicine instead.  His questions would have been different:  Where does it hurt?  How long have you had this ache?  He would have quickly identified my cancer and would have removed it asap.

Personal conflict is like a cancer.  Some approach it like a lawyer whose essential job is to pin the blame for the problem on someone else.  Their goal is to prove that their client is right even if they are wrong. 

This person may win the argument but then find that the relationship dies as a result.  If you want to see ugly, take a seat in divorce court and watch as the lawyers alternatingly devastate the wounded spouses.  No one wins in divorce court. 

Instead of looking for someone else to blame, we need to approach the conflict like a doctor. A doctor isn’t concerned about blame.  The doc focuses on the problem.  The enemy is not the other person but the source of conflict.  That is what needs to be addressed.

I have a Master of Theology degree.   I know the Bible well, but for the life of me, I don’t recall a Scripture which says, “When you have been wronged, make every effort to prove yourself to be right.” 

On the other hand, there are lots of passages that tell us to pursue peace with each other.  “Pursue peace with everyone…”  (Hebrew 12:14); “Be at peace among yourselves.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:13); “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.” (Romans 12:18); “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”  (Colossians 3:15) 

Over and over the Scripture calls us to seek peace in place of conflict. 

Removing cancer isn’t painless or easy.  There is the surgery and chemo and radiation.  It involves temporary discomfort and pain, but in the end a life is often saved, or in this case – a relationship!      

So, your wife criticized you for that last financial decision.  Should you go to court, or sit down with her to find out what’s really bugging her?   

Your boss got up on the wrong side of the bed.  He isn’t happy with you or anyone else today.  Is it time to get a subpoena or should you sincerely ask, “Hey how are things with you today?” 

Your son forgot your birthday.  Do you file a lawsuit or call him to say, “I was thinking about you and just wanted to say hi.”

Your husband was wrong in what he said.  He knows it but will not admit it.  How long will you argue your case until he agrees?  Maybe you could win him without a word by giving him respect even when it is undeserved. (1 Peter 3:1-2)

Honestly: If you had cancer and had to choose between being right or being well, which would you choose?   Exactly!   Should you approach that rocky relationship in your life any differently? 

A PRAYER: Lord, help me be aware of me, and the ways in which I relate to others.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.