JESUS, WHERE’S WALDO, & PROBLEM SOLVING

About 15 years ago or so, the Kansas City Star used to put Where’s Waldo in the lineup of comic strips in their Sunday edition. Back in the day, we spent lots of Sundays with my folks who took the paper faithfully. I remember Sunday after Sunday, lying on the family room floor, poring over each comic strip with an occasional grin or chuckle. But one of my favorite parts of the funny papers was Where’s Waldo. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s one of those seek-and-find type things. Waldo is a kinda geeky looking guy with a red and white striped shirt, round glasses, wacky brown hair, and a red and white stocking cap. Each cartoon features Waldo tucked away in some crazy, action-packed scene. And your job is to find him. I usually couldn’t. I’d spend a good 5-10 minutes searching for the guy, but wasn’t very successful. Then my oldest son, who was about 4 or 5 at the time, would come scrunch down beside me, and within 30 seconds would say, “There he is, momma!” I thought it was coincidence at first. But week after week, I’d search high and low, studying the scene with a careful eye, trying to find Waldo. I’d find someone who closely resembled Waldo, but not Waldo. Then like I said, Caleb would swoop in, and find him in a heartbeat without even trying.

Sometimes I think solutions to our problems are like this. We search high and low, in what feels like some crazy, action-packed scene. We look the scene (aka our problem) up one side and down the other and just can’t seem to find the solution. For us it’s sometimes grueling and clouded by seeing the same reality over and over again. Someone else, however, can take a look at the same reality and see the solution quickly. They can come in with a different perspective—one that’s not emotionally charged—and see the solution.

But here’s the thing…we don’t like those people. Even though they can see clearly what we should do, we don’t listen to their advice. We brush away their wisdom. It’s a pride thing in us. We have trouble admitting the fact that we have weaknesses and need help. There are times when we should seek out wisdom, help, advice, or counsel from others, but instead we just insist on trying harder ourselves.

You remember the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead? When He stood at the entrance of the tomb and hollered for Lazarus to come out, scripture records that “the dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face” (John 11:44a).

Why did Jesus do that? Why didn’t Jesus bring Lazarus out all clean and fresh to put a further exclamation point on this miracle? Why did Jesus have Lazarus come out of the tomb all “mummified” like that?

The very next thing Jesus said to those close by was, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go (John 11:44b).” That’s why. Jesus asked whoever was near the tomb to help Lazarus take off what bound him. You see, Jesus knew we needed each other. Jesus knew the value of others stepping in to help, to unbind us, to be hands-on in setting us free from our problems.

If you can’t find Waldo, you might ask Caleb to help you.

If you can’t find the solution to your problem, however, you just might consider the Jesus method—of asking those nearby to help unbind you.

8 THINGS WRONG WITH THE TRUTH

There’s something going on in the world today. And this thing is not bound to a certain gender, race, religion, or age group. It transcends all of those things. Not only that, but it is not limited by time or place either. It’s really quite amazing if you think about it. It’s an art. It’s a lifestyle. It’s an embodiment of an ideal world that simply doesn’t exist.

What is it?

It’s called deception. It’s called bending the truth. It’s called lying. It’s called dishonesty.

And while I “get it”—while I understand sometimes why we do it—at the same time I don’t “get it.” I mean, what’s wrong with the truth? Seriously…I’m asking…What’s wrong with the truth? I’ve thought long and hard about this question, and I think I’ve come up with the answers.

Here’s what’s wrong with the truth:

1. It’s boring. Simply stated, the truth is plain and uneventful.
2. It’s not nearly as fun as an embellishment of the truth. Think about it…a little extra spin makes the story more fun, more exciting, and a little more worthy of sharing.
3. It’s not popular. Most everyone wants to be popular. We want to stand out in good ways. But telling the truth would thwart this effort, so why mess up a good thing?
4. It doesn’t win me any points. We constantly want to either gain new friends or impress our current ones. We want to move up the “cool chart” or “smart chart” or whatever other chart there is. Telling the truth certainly does not accomplish this goal.
5. It tarnishes my golden reputation. And isn’t reputation everything? Our reputation is how we move up in the world. It’s how we get new jobs, expand our social circles, etc. A tarnished reputation is a death wish.
6. It doesn’t get nearly as many “likes” on Facebook. If you can get 100 likes on your post, you have really achieved something huge. You’re borderline “rock star” status at that point. So embellish away and have fun doing it.
7. It puts me in a bad light. It causes people to perhaps look a little differently at me. It causes me to drop in status. The truth may disappoint people and we hate that “d” word.
8. It puts off a bad vibe. It’s a buzz-kill. Our honest opinion, for instance, might throw people a curve ball and ruin the mood of the moment. Heaven forbid we be that person.

So, that’s what’s wrong with the truth. Wouldn’t you agree? Besides that, Jesus never said “Honesty is the best policy.” Ben Franklin did. And since when do we have to adhere to what Ben Franklin said?

The eight things I stated above are said with a sort of paradoxical sarcasm. There’s “truth” in the statements, but in no way am I condoning dishonesty.

There’s a whole host of things “wrong” with the truth, but did you ever stop to think what’s right with the truth?

Here’s what’s right with the truth: Truth has no attachment to self, ego, or pride. Truth has no lifeline to appearances, reputations, the good of the masses, or pacification. It’s the essence of genuine love. It’s rooted in love. It’s based on love. It’s the manifestation of deep and abiding love.

And if love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things, doesn’t it just make sense to be truthful? If truth is attached to love, and if love ultimately wins out, then truth ultimately wins out as well.

Here’s what’s right with the truth: God decreed it. Cut and dry. Here’s His decree in Zechariah 8:16-17, “And now here’s what I want you to do: Tell the truth, the whole truth, when you speak. Do the right thing by one another…Don’t do or say what isn’t so. I hate all that stuff. Keep your lives simple and honest” (MSG).

The truth…the whole truth…
Do the right thing…
Don’t do or say what isn’t so…
Simple and honest…

What would it take to carry out God’s decree?
What do you think?
I’d love to hear from you…

10 Indicators of Arrogance

G. Gordon Liddy, a Watergate conspirator, spoke these words after his release from prison in 1977: “I have found within myself all I need and all I ever shall need. I am a man of great faith, but my faith is in G. Gordon Liddy. I have never failed me.”

Holy cow! Isn’t that the second craziest thing you’ve heard today? I don’t think I could stomach being around Gordon very long. How in the world can anybody be that self-absorbed?

Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it happens all the time. And I know most of us think narcissism is a new thing, but truthfully it’s an age-old problem. Listen to this: “But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him…” (2 Chronicles 32:25). Hezekiah was a king back in the Old Testament. He was good and godly and there was no other king like him. At one point he was about to die, so he prayed, and God gave him an extra 15 years of life. But rather than being appreciative, he became arrogant.

So how does a good, godly king blow it like Hezekiah did? I don’t really know. But what I do know is this: pride is a creeping vine called “me, myself, and I.” And if not rooted out right away, this creeping vine can spread and take over our good and godly character. Just ask Hezekiah. And Solomon. And David. And the Pharisees. And the Disciples.

As I ponder the arrogant people in Scripture, they’re not at all different than the self-absorbed people I know today. As they say, “it takes one to know one.” So I’m ashamed to say I see myself all over these character traits. As I reflect on the issue of pride, I’ve come up with 10 indicators of arrogance. Ten characteristics that indicate we might have a slight issue with arrogance. Check it out:

10 Indicators of Arrogance:

• Deceived into believing we are “flawless” or not as flawed as others
• Trusting in our own strength, knowledge, talents, skills, etc.
• Stubborn, rebellious, and unwilling to submit to authority
• Ungrateful for the kindness, grace, and/or mercy shown to us
• Blind to our own faults and/or to the needs of others
• An entitlement attitude which insists we deserve better, deserve more, etc.
• Comparing ourselves to other people and looking for opportunities to claim greater importance
• Wanting our agenda to prevail over others’ (…or even God’s)
• Inconveniencing others for the sake of our own convenience
• Life is about us and our glory, not God and His glory

Do these things describe people you know? Most assuredly they do.

Do they describe you? I know…you don’t want to answer that.

Hezekiah was a good and godly king, but for a season got caught up in a vine of pride. The cruddy thing is that we’re all guilty just like him. We all have a pride issue. And if we have a pride issue, we have a sin issue. And if we have a sin issue, we need a Savior.

Though God detests the proud of heart (Proverbs 16:5), He loves us too much too leave us there.

Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his arrogance (2 Chronicles 32:26). God was merciful and forgave him. The same God who loved and forgave Hezekiah offers us forgiveness as well. And though we may not be kings, by God’s grace, we can continue our journey onward to being good and godly in the every day.