Hmmmmm

Let me get this straight, on Monday, January 19, 2009, we were disjointed, separated. We could not volunteer, do community service, we could not help our "fellow man". We hated, we fought. To quote Chicken Little, "the sky was falling".

On Tuesday, January 19, 2009, at approximately 11:00 AM Central Time, everything miraculously changed. We came together. We got along (finally, Rodney!!). We could volunteer. We were unselfish. The lion laid down with the lamb. The universe was in balance again.

Good works are good works. If I'm starving, and you bring me a sandwich, I don't care why you are doing it!!! Thank you very much!!

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus told a parable about helping people. He basically said to do it. He was pretty clear about what happened to those who did not. Considering this, God bless everyone who helps his or her "fellow man" ("fellow person" for those who need political correctness).

As a Christian, I must reflect on another of Jesus' parables, the vineyard owner and the workers (Matthew 20-1-16). To this author, Jesus was saying, "do what is right, and don't worry about others. Some will 'work' longer than others. You will all be paid the same. That is for Me to determine, not you."

I do not intend to degrade anyone's service to others. My concern rests in the motivating factor.

For example, how many times has this happened throughout history. The boyfriend breaks up with the girlfriend. Upset, she's going to "show him". I'm going to work out, get in shape, and he'll see what he missed!!!

Next day, she goes to the gym. After a few weeks, she starts to lose some weight, firm things up.

As time passes, he moves on; she moves on. As she cares less and less about what "he thinks", she has less and less passion to run five miles. Soon she has a new boyfriend, and the urgency to get in shape has fizzled. So much for being a super model.

At the start of this week I heard and read people asking if I had "done [my] service for Obama. I did mine; have you done yours?" Wh-wh-wh-wh-wwwwwwhaaaaat????!!!! Stop-the-press!!! Did you just ask if I did...my...service...for...Obama????!!!!!

In the words of Doc Holiday, "Forgive me if I don't shake hands."

I'll make this short. Barak Obama is a man, a human being. Human beings fail. They are not always reliable. While some now want to change the 22nd Amendment, Obama should only be in office for a maximum of eight years. For those recently inspired minions, what happens in 9 years? What if your candidate is not in the White House? Is it back to the statos quo? Is "[the] Dream" over?

Millions of Christians have learned this lesson the hard way. They follow a pastor, a preacher, a televangelist. They get juiced. They send in their money. They get involved, feed the starving, clothe the naked, help the poor....what's that, flip back to that last channel. What??!! He was caught in a hotel room with a prostitute. What??? He has been indicted for tax fraud.

Sometimes, things aren't so dramatic. No exposes, no tabloid smut. The pastor simply moves on, starts a new church, takes on a new ministry. This is where the "rubber hits the road" and what's inside the heart is revealed.

Many stop sending the money, stop feeding the hungry. They withdraw. Their service suffers. Soon these pilgrims are back where they started, only this time a new-found distrust and bitterness walls any future endeavors.

The point is a bit cliche, but it is true: "Jesus is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow." He is the "Alpha and the Omega", the "Beginning and the End" (Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13). He will not fail us. When we do things for Him, as when setting up a network, we eliminate possible points of failure.

I caution those who wait for ideal conditions in order to take action. They rarely exist and are often mistakenly identified. Keeping the faith means knowing where to direct it. Keep up the good work, but sometimes the "why" is more powerful than the "what" if one is to have continued success.