Pastor’s Corner

So Why do you think it hard to hire a clown? You guessed it, Because, They have big shoes to fill. That’s the best I can do on Monday.

Monday 11/28

Prov. 25:21,22 “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.”

In some of the other Proverbs we found warnings against revenge (20:22; 24:29) or joying in an enemies defeat ( 2:17-18). Today this proverb is encouraging us to be generous, even to those who consider us their enemies.

Then Solomon gives us two reasons to live in this way:

1) this conduct will cause those who seek to bring harm to us, to be warmed & enlightened by our

righteous caring responses

2) it will also result in the Lord bringing rewarding benefit to our lives

Paul quoted this verse in Rom. 12:20, and Jesus did in Matt. 5:43-48. Just as metal can be melted & molded by applying heat to hardened metal, so also can even an enemy's heart be softened by simple deeds of kindness. Have you noticed that even words of kindness, or encouragement, have an influence on those in your life.

Just yesterday I was noticing a gardener tending his plants, with special care & I complimented him on the way his efforts brought such beauty to his garden. He was so encouraged by my noticing his efforts.

This verse is encouraging us of the many benefits that a caring response can bring when we stop to appreciate others efforts. Though my dad always reached out to others throughout his life, I noticed during his last years of life how he made a special effort of encouraging others in this way.

Though he wasn’t wealthy his determination to pass care & compassion on to others & this caused him to be valued by others in his life. His life long friends, caregivers, and even those passing by were influenced by him & his words of blessing & encouragement.

This past week I was watching a movie that my grandchildren requested that we watch “ The Bad Guys” In the movie the main characters were priding themselves in robbing the largest prize. During them carrying out their heist, the main character, a fox, reached out to spare an elderly person from falling. That lady stopped to thank him for caring & that so touched him that he forgot his mission for a moment & even later changed his outlook.

Each time that I purpose to respond in kindness to others I am reminded of this simple act & how it brings a special affect on others. It is almost like casting a spell on them. It really is a spell, a Holy Spirit spell.

So Go With God and He will help you cast this spell on others. This last week we heard of the night supervisor who killed some of his crew & himself at a Walmart store. In my youth I came in contact with Sam Walton the founder of Walmart, and I was reminded of his passion for being that person of casting the Spirit spell on those he worked with.

In his first store, he would hire young people whose parents would ask him for help with their kids who couldn’t keep a job. He held everyday a short rally of affirmation, or achievement and would purposefully brag on those kids. He was impressed with the fact that these kids (trouble makers) with only being the person of receiving these compliments a few times soon became his greatest crew members.

He made this the foundational principle in his company, from retail workers, warehouse staff, truck drivers, etc. As long as he was alive he would make sure this practice was done everyday, usually at 10am.

Let’s put this into practice at our services, looking for new guests.

New folks who need a Spirit spell in their life. You may think you are too shy, but, remember He, (the Spirit) lives in you, and yearns to spread His spell on those around you. Don’t be selfish with his spell, OK?