Pastor’s Corner

Trivia:

Merry Christmas everyone your greatest gift to me is reading this daily blog together and the responding to trivia questions. Thanks for sharing with me your comments and thoughts on them.

Well Brenda was the only person to respond Saturday to the trivia question, and she was absolutely correct, E. in Chuck E. Cheese was just an E. initial nothing more. Way to go Brenda. This business actually became famous for its entertainment, animatronic shows and electronic games. Nolan Bushnell was the founder of the restaurant, and by the way also the founder of the Atari computer, and gaming center.

By the way the Atari was my first computer, that my dear friend Bill Whitman graciously gifted me as my first computer which became a tremendous tool for developing flyers, posters, etc. for our youth ministry. Probably, but for that gift I wouldn't be using this computer to talk to you today. Thanks Bill.

Challenge:

Ecclesiastes 9:18b "Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good."

Saturday we spent our time focusing on the first part of this verse. Today let's spend a few minutes reflecting on this second part.

"One sinner can destroy much that is good", Genesis 3 is evidence that this is true. Just think Adam and Eve two perfect humans, living in a perfect place, the Garden of Eden, were tempted to disobey God, to eat of the fruit of the tree of good & evil by Satan the one fallen creature in a perfect creation, the result was the beginning of a fallen world, the sight of the first murder, lie, etc.

The result was that sin was brought into this perfect world, and as the saying goes, "the rest of the story is history". This thought of God's intentions for us is summarized in Ecclesiastes 7:29 "But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their downward path."

Joseph Parker a noted theologian of our past history made this statement, "We are prone to say, Show us true wisdom and the world will instantly recognize it and obey its commands." However, history alone shows us the total contradiction to this supposition. Unfortunately, many times the world around us has not known wisdom when it is irrevocably clear in its full view.

We have all been privy to this destruction that homeless encampments have brought to our present environment, have we not? This is further evidences of the outcome that a few careless, destructive people disregarding principles of cleanliness can bring onto a whole community. It began with well meaning people opening areas for downtrodden needy people to rest, recover, and begin again. However, this thoughtful intention began to be ravaged by careless, uncaring people.

This warning is stated to remind us of the necessity that we must recognize, that it takes only one person, one sinful action to bring harm to a whole community.

When we were living in the community of Perris, CA. our housing tract was primarily owned by families who took pride in their home and neighborhood. However, as a result of the nearby base closure and the economic down turn, that the area faced, many families moved away from the tract.

In time investors bought and put up for rent these pristine homes. Within a few years this close knit community became the place of transient living (people moving in and out). It lost its neighborhood watch concerns, community pride, and then theft and other forms of evil began to enter that housing tract. This detioration of the community became very clearly noticed. This resulted in many families who had lived there for over 20 years to begin moving out to other places where private ownership, personal responsibility, and community gatherings were common place.

This place became a perfect lesson to illustrate this lesson is left for us to take great consideration of in our own lives. One blind concern for one simple semi-innocent act results in the slow descent to ultimate harm to all of those impacted by this.

SO GO WITH GOD for He will help us root out that semi-innocent act from our lives. His loving conviction will guard us from total destruction to others.