The Shirt of a Happy Man

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:11b-13

There is an old Jewish story that says that a king’s son grew very ill. The king sent for the country’s wise men, looking a cure. After much research, they determined that the only way to help the boy was to have him wear the shirt of a happy man.

The king was thrilled, thinking this would be a very easy cure. But when he sent word to the dukes and lords of the nation, it was discovered that none of them were truly happy. So he sent word to the rich business men and corporate leaders but none of them qualified either. Finally, after a long search, the wise men came across a poor shepherd who told them that yes, he was truly a happy man. But when they asked for his shirt, he removed his outer cloak only to reveal that he HAD no shirt!

Paul taught that true joy in life consists not in the possession of things. True joy can only be found in purpose. If we discover our purpose in life, we will also discover the meaning of each of the elements in our lives. If we find our ultimate purpose, we will also know the purpose of our spiritual gifts, our relationship with others, our experience or skills. Everything falls into place and begins to function properly once we discover the WHY of life.

Science offers the WHAT or HOW of life. It does not answer the ultimate questions of purpose and meaning. Science is valuable. Read through the book of Proverbs and see how many admonitions God gives us to seek out knowledge and understanding. But we must go beyond these to wisdom.

Money only offers happiness as it finds its way through our hands and into God’s work and will. Things only provide happiness to the extent that they are used to glorify God and serve others. Someone who focuses on wealth and success as ends in themselves will never achieve true joy. They will always be left with sand in their hands and gravel in their mouths.

Why is this? It is because joy is a spiritual matter and only those who approach God (and that can only be done by the humble) can achieve it. That is why Jesus said it was very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Riches, and the status and power that go along with them, elevate man’s spirit in pride. It is a strong person indeed who can overcome the handicap of wealth.

Fire Hydrants & Ill-Considered Tasks

If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish. – Lk. 14:29

A couple years ago, I was involved in a big construction job that involved a lot of remodeling. Consequently, there was a lot of dirt. The construction equipment tracked inordinate amounts of mud on the formerly pristine streets of this upper class neighborhood and so it was decided that we would borrow hoses from the fire department, attach them to the fire hydrants, and wash the offending dirt down the gutters.

Now my superintendent volunteered me to clean the streets using the fire hose. I should have known better. He said he would let me hold the hose while he “carefully” turned the hydrant on. I should have known better. I walked out into the street dragging about 200 pounds of hose behind me while he walked toward the hydrant with a big wrench in his hand. “Malley,” says I, “usually when I see fire hoses being used its by two or three big, husky firemen, all hanging on for dear life.”

Malley starts to work on the hydrant. “Oh, that’s if you turn it on full blast. I’m just going to turn it on slowly until it gets strong enough to clean the dirt. Dang! Why won’t this blasted thing turn?” He said as he pulled with all his might on the stuck bolt. I should have known better.

When that bolt suddenly came loose, I felt like I had gotten hold of the tail of a dinosaur on amphetamines. The brass nozzle jumped up a nailed me on the forehead and while I sat there thinking about that, the hose suddenly straightened out, tripping me and causing me to hit my still dizzy head on the pavement. The only thing I could think of (other than the obscenities I would refrain from heaping upon that dimwit my company chose to call a superintendent) was to keep hold of the hose so that I wouldn’t get killed. I weigh 200 pounds, and that hose threw me around like I was an anorexic chicken. Meanwhile, Malley, ever-wise and considerate of his men, walked away casually so that no one would know he was involved in making this huge muddy (and a little bloody) mess. I should have known better!

How often do we take on things that we know we shouldn’t touch, knowing they’ll harm us? How often do we preach to our kids about the dangers of smoking and then pause so we can take a big drag on our cigarette to calm us down? We don’t seem to look far enough down the road to realize what consequences lay ahead. We should know better!

Achimota

Your duty is to go and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God. – Lk. 9:60

There is a village on the Gold Coast of West Africa, called ‘Achimota’. It lies seven miles from the infamous Christianborg castle where slaves were held for the slave ships. Across a wooded hill above the village runs a path trod by thousands of slaves headed for a life of misery. This hill was the last chance of escape before they reached the dungeons from which they would be shipped across the Atlantic. Sometimes slaves would manage to escape the chains and would be cared for by villagers. The name ‘Achimota’ literally means ‘Hush, don’t speak of it”.

Today, Achimota is the site of Ghana’s first great college where young people are educated for the future life of the free state of Ghana. The first vice-principal, James Kwegyr Aggrey, was known internationally for his work of racial reconciliation. The crest of the new college bears one of his parables: “On a piano you can play a tune of sorts on the white keys and a tune of sorts on the black keys, but for real harmony you need both black and white.” Its motto, ‘Ut omnes unum sint’ (That they all may be one), calls for one family of diverse races. Achimota College’s goal supports God’s long-term plan for humanity.

We Christians are often told that it is at best in poor taste and at worst bigotry to attempt to “proselytize” others. “It is alright for you to believe that way, but you shouldn’t push your beliefs on others” we are told. But what if vice-principal Aggrey had followed their advice? What if he had simply held to his beliefs about the miscarriage of justice that was the slave trade and had not tried to convince others? What would have happened if each of those villagers had simply believed fervently without acting upon their faith? Where would Ghana be today? Those few poor souls that did manage to escape the slave traders would have starved to death in the bush, dying alone and miserable. All the good things that we have in life have come because someone somewhere had a good idea, a firm belief to which they held contrary to the prevailing view. We are able to profit from their ideas because of their tenacity.

Each of us should try to convince his neighbor of the right view, the right action, the right belief. Is that not the very essence of democracy – survival of the fittest theory – Darwinianism at its best? As each idea is tested, some fall by the wayside, others flourish until they become a veritable ideological forest – providing shelter, food, lumber, shade, holding the water in the ground. Only through spiritual reproduction will we not only maintain but improve the condition of the human race. A one tree forest is doomed to die.

Qualifications of Leadership

Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." – Numbers 20:11-12

In a lifetime of patient, faithful service, Moses lost his temper once and it cost him his chance to set foot in the Promised Land. This was his life’s goal and he missed it for losing his cool – one time.

In Numbers 20, the people were complaining that there was no water (imagine that!) (vv. 2-5) and Moses obediently took the problem to the Lord (v. 6). He received clear, simple instructions, yet was apparently fuming about the whole situation instead of simply giving it over to God. When he got up in front of everyone, his temper boiled over and he struck the rock instead of simply speaking to it as God instructed. The people still got the water they needed, but Moses lost his chance (vv. 10-11) to go to the Promised Land.

There are some valuable lessons to be learned here. First, leaders are held to a higher standard (James 3:1) Second, the greater our influence over others, the greater responsibility we have (Luke 12:48). Third, though we are allowed to have tempers, we must never let our tempers control us (Ephesians 4:26; 2 Corinthians 10:5). Fourth, a lifetime of faithful service can be damaged in seconds (Numbers 10:10-11). And last, our followers can have a tremendous effect on us so leaders need to be strong. Leadership is not for the faint of heart.

This is why no one should be offered church leadership who does not pass the character qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. You may say “But those are qualifications of elders and deacons – they don’t relate to Sunday school teachers or choir directors.” And you’d be right – to a degree. The Bible doesn’t specify qualifications of Sunday school teachers; but it does talk about being “apt to teach.” It doesn’t specifically mention choir directors, but it does qualify those who lead in worship. Anyone who seeks a position of influence and leadership in the Body of Christ must clearly demonstrate their living relationship with Jesus Christ by showing the fruit of the spirit (Matthew 7:16 cp. Galatians 5:13-26).

And obviously, we certainly cannot have church leaders whose character or lifestyles are clearly defined as abhorrent to the Lord (Proverbs 6:16-19) or bring into question their salvation (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10).

Do we choose as a banker the one who wisely and shrewdly handles money or the one who cannot even balance his check book? Let’s be real. If someone wants to lead, teach or influence others spiritually, they need to be the best we have among us.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" – Genesis 18:23-25

God revealed to Abraham His plan to destroy Sodom and its surrounding area. Abraham’s shocked reply in essence was, “Are you really going to lump the righteous and the unrighteous, the good, the bad and the ugly together in this?” In other words, “Doesn’t the fact that there seem to be degrees of wickedness and evil matter? Shouldn’t this be a more selective, surgical strike?”

We tend to think of our personal righteousness (I am referring to our Christian walk – our lifestyle – as opposed to our standing in Christ), as being some kind of insurance against calamity. If we behave, God will bless us with good stuff and if we misbehave, God will curse us with bad stuff. Sweet system – but “it don’t work that way.”

What shocked Abraham was that all people are equal in the eyes of the Almighty. If there is no difference between the righteous and the unrighteous, what’s the advantage of trying to be holy?
It seems that most of God’s people have struggled with this issue for the entire sad course of human history. Job struggled with it. The apostles were shocked when Jesus said that rich people have a tough time getting into the kingdom. “Then who can?” they object. To this very day you’ll find people who say, “If you follow these principles, you can be wealthy. If you tithe God, will pay you back with interest (as if God could ever be indebted to us).” “If you have enough faith, you too will be healthy,” they proclaim to their legions of hopeful marks.

But when Jesus asked for the cup of suffering to pass Him, He was denied. Do we have more faith than the Christ? When Paul asked three times for healing, he was denied. Do we have more faith than Paul?

God sends rain on both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). He shows no partiality – welcoming anyone who fears Him and does what is right. (Acts 10:34-35). He is the farmer who sows His seed indiscriminately (Matthew 13:3-9). And before we get too upset about this concept, we need to remember that it worked in our favor. It worked in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). What if He’d waited till we were righteous? What if He’d waited till we were worth it?

Talk, Talk, Talk

Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds. – Js. 2:26

Nehemiah had a great job. He worked for the king and got to eat like one. He had an easy job and didn’t particularly suffer from any want or persecution. But he got a burden for Jerusalem. He prayed and prayed and the burden only became greater. Finally, he did something about it. It was risky. It was foolhardy. It was downright foolish. But God answered amazingly and provided.

Nehemiah was able to go to Jerusalem and start building. The book of Nehemiah is filled with his prayers. But after his prayers, Nehemiah worked. He pushed, he bullied, he dictated, he led, he rewarded. He did whatever it took to get the job done. I like the verse in Nehemiah 4:9 that says that he prayed to God and posted guards. He relied on God to take care of the stuff he, as a mere mortal, could not foresee. He did whatever he could, not allowing his spirituality to become an excuse for laziness.

Never let your prayer life become an excuse for laziness. Prayer is supposed to be a goad to action, a call to arms, not a lullaby. Too many times I have found myself complacent in my prayer life. I listen to someone’s heartache and smugly tell them, “I’ll pray for you.” That’s great! But it’s not everything. James puts it this way: “What’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, ‘Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well.’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” (Js. 2:14-16). What good indeed! I don’t know about you, but if I were hungry, I’d just as soon you fed me as prayed that I be fed.

Nehemiah was busy working on the walls that would defend Jerusalem. Some men (who didn’t like the building committee’s decisions) were trying to delay him. They came to talk, they said. “Let’s discuss the environmental impact of your construction site. Let’s discuss new and better ways of dealing with your logistical problems.” They wanted to keep talking as long as there was no actual building going on. We often find people like that in our lives. They want to talk about missions, about evangelism, and about world hunger. They want to talk about spirituality and the Bible. Talk, talk, talk! But where’s the action? Give them the same answer Nehemiah did. “I cannot come down for I am in the middle of a great work.” Don’t let your praying, or your conversation become a way of avoiding the work.

Leaving Well Enough Alone

Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten." As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place. – Genesis 18:32-33

Abraham returned to his place? Why in the world did he do that? Why didn’t he grab a horse or something and get to Sodom and warn them of the coming destruction? Why didn’t he at least warn his relatives?

Instead, he haggled with the Lord, knowing full well the spiritual condition of his nephew Lot and when it seemed that he’d gotten God down as far as He was going to go, he shrugged his shoulders and headed home! Why was this man, a fighter who was willing to take on five kings simultaneously, suddenly so passive?

It has to do with verse 25. Abraham knew who he was dealing with. This was no ordinary man in front of him. This was not even an angel. This was the Judge of all the Earth. Who was he to try to do God’s job? The prophet Jeremiah got it right when he said “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

What if Abraham had gone to Sodom? What if he had knocked on doors and screamed out in the marketplace? What could he have done? Could he tell who the truly righteous and the mortally unrighteous were? Could he read the hearts and minds of these people? I don’t think so.

Abraham was close enough to God to know when to speak up, when to put up and when to shut up. He did what he could and when he reached the limits of God’s patience and his personal ability – he was smart enough to recognize where he was and stopped.

That is an unusual bit of wisdom. Very few of us know how to walk the fine line between confidence in God’s love and hubris. We tend to either fall far short of where God is willing to take us or we go way overboard and end up hurting our relationship with Him. We focus entirely on Law or way too much on Grace. We don’t witness enough or we badger everyone with a big KJV Family Bible.

Knowing when to grab God’s sleeve and make an impassioned appeal, or when to drop our hand and step away requires an intimate knowledge of God’s will, His character, His methods and approach. It comes from a lifetime of studying His love letter and years of kneeling in His presence. We need to know when to speak up, when to put up and when to shut up. We need to know when to leave well enough alone.