I’m counting down my top ten favorite insights from our trips to Israel; this week is number nine.  Of all the amazing sites to see in the land of Israel, what cannot be ignored is the unbelievable effects of sin throughout history.
Although a person wouldn’t have to travel seven thousand miles to see the effects of sin; man’s rebellion and attempt to live independently of God provided the background for many of the places we toured in Israel.  Many of them, like Caesarea, had to do with King Herod’s attempt to rule the world.  Herod built the city of Caesarea on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in hopes that his port city would welcome travelers from around the world to experience the best that Greek culture had to offer.  It was in the praetorian of his palace where the Apostle Paul was imprisoned before being sent to Rome.  A few hundred feet from his palace, Herod built a large outdoor stadium where many Christians were tortured.  The unique thing about Caesarea was that Herod built the city to import Greek Imperialism and to establish Roman control, but eventually it became the export city of the gospel message.
Other evidence of sin is the wall currently being built around Bethlehem in hopes of keeping Palestinian terrorists out of Jerusalem which is only six miles away.  The city where the Prince of Peace was born now seems forever entrenched in conflict.
We also stopped at Tel-Lachish where our tour guide told the story of when the Assyrians wiped out the entire community in 701B.C. (II Chronicles 32).  So brutal were the murders that a cut out of the hillside shows a two inch layer of soil that was drenched in blood.
And then finally we traveled to Jerusalem where our Savior was eventually beaten and crucified, a city that has also experienced a great deal of evil over its history.  Even today there is constant conflict between the Arabs, the Christians, and the Jews, all claiming that the city of Jerusalem is their Holy City.
Evil is a horrific reality, yet the good news for us is that, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (I John 3:8). The victory has been won!
As we stood on Mount of Olives, which is an excellent vantage point for overlooking the old city, tears began streaming down my cheeks as I thought about the Palm Sunday when, Jesus too, wept over the city.  “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes…because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:41-44).
How sad the effect of sin that blinds our eyes to the goodness of God. How sad it must’ve been for Jesus to share his life so sacrificially, only to be rejected by his own people. How sad it is, even today, that there are so few believers in Jerusalem and that there is so little peace.  But the thought that humbled me the most was to realize that Jesus came to die for my sin, and to pay for the evil I’ve contributed to society as well.  And not only did he pay for my sin, he gave me the gift of grace to open my eyes to recognize his coming to me.
My prayer for you this week is that you might spend some time reflecting and rejoicing over Jesus’ willingness to take your place on the cross. Maybe consider if there are any areas of deception in your life that Jesus would weep over. And then, may you come to recognize in your search for true inner peace, that it can only be found in Jesus.      Blessings from your fellow nomad, Mike

Over the next ten weeks I will share my top ten discoveries and experiences from our trips to Israel. This particular insight was a discovery from our trip in 2010.      # 10. I must not be afraid of “the land of milk.” It’s the best place to hear from God, to get prepared for ministry, and to build trust in God.
The Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua often refer to the Promised Land as the land of milk and honey. When we hear the phrase “milk and honey” we often think of a land lush with the finest of fruits and vegetables. We picture the Promised Land as a land lavished with an abundance of food and other resources in which a person could maintain a very comfortable lifestyle—that would actually be the land of honey which is the northern part of Israel.
But for now, I want you to picture “the land of milk” as the desert, a land where the average rain fall is less than eleven inches per year. Pretty much everything is desert wasteland, although there’s just enough vegetation to keep a few camels, goats, and sheep alive. It’s called a land of milk because here is where we saw all the goat, sheep, and camel herds; animals of course that produce milk. The land south and east of Jerusalem, especially in the areas of En Gedi and the Dead Sea was the land of milk.
Ok, why should you and I not be afraid of the land of milk? Although it’s the desert, the land of milk is a place of quiet meditation. There is no traffic there, no electronic devices, no need for list of things to do, no hurried places to go, or deadlines to meet. There are no sounds of industry; no need to worry about what was left undone today, no sleepless nights wondering how to create a more unified work environment.  The land of milk is a quiet place of Sabbath rest where a person can give honest reflection to the nature of God and his/her created purpose. It’s a place where you can be quiet enough to actually hear the voice of God.
What I found fascinating was that our tour guide, Dr Bryan Widbin, spends about 2-3 weeks out in the desert each year visiting the Bedouins of southern Israel. He shared that when he goes out into the desert, he takes time to reflect on his life and ministry using these 5 powerful questions:
1. Identify one key characteristic about Jesus that I want to magnify in my life? Why that characteristic?
2. Do I have a clearly defined plan to help the next generation?
3. Do I give enough priority to those closest to me? As a father? As a husband?
4. Do I need a sharper edge to my personal vision, mission?
5. When facing intimidating situations, do I trust God enough to follow him?
While your time with the Lord out in the land of milk might produce questions more applicable to your situation, I certainly would encourage you to consider these.
As Bryan shared with us, most often before God can use a man or woman greatly, he takes them out in the desert. It’s in the desert times of life where you and I really learn how to trust God. It’s out in the desert where we are stripped of all self sufficiency and can learn dependence on God. Just think about how God prepared Moses while spending 40 years in the desert, or his Son who spent 40 days in the desert before he started his ministry. My desert equipping experience was three years in seminary .
While I rarely enjoy the discomfort of the desert, I also realize it’s in our desert experiences that God reveals himself to us more clearly and that our faith is strengthened. Having gained insight into this powerful truth, I plan on spending at least a few days each year going out to the land of milk (any place where I can get away from the hustle and bustle of life) in order to more fully experience God.
May we all be a people who eagerly embrace time in the land of milk.  From a fellow nomad,  Mike

Why God desires to restore the First Commandment.
Last week I shared how God used a cat named Angel to show me what mature love looks like.  I would like to expand on Angel’s story this week.  Please refer to ARC’s website blog if you missed last week’s post.
The First Commandment says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:28-30).  At first glance, one could feel this is a selfish desire from God but it isn’t.  The Holy Scriptures say that “God is love” (1 John 4:16) and “love is not self-seeking,” (1 Corinthians 13:5) therefore God is not commanding us to love him first for His benefit but to bless and protect us.  Please let me explain.
One day I came home and saw that the wind had forced open the barn door, which is jam-packed with stuff.  As I went to shut the door, I saw Hisser and Fraidy Cat were in the barn.  I tried to get them out, but they ran and hid within all the stuff.  Days passed and I couldn’t convince them to come out of the dark, cold barn.  Why would they want to stay in the barn instead of the warm house we created for them, where they were fed every day?  Was it the dream of a better life within all the stuff?  Were they that afraid of me?  Or was it some of both?  I became concerned for them.  I knew there was no food in there, some left over rat poison, and it was going to get extremely cold.  What might seem like a good life to them now could quickly lead to their death.  I wished they would trust me.
Each day I opened a door for them in the hope they would walk out to safety.  They would not come through the door or listen to my call.  Thoughts came to me as Angel walked by.  She loves me and knows my voice.  She comes when I call her.  She once went in the barn with me but also came out with me.  She trusts me.  I believe she loves me more than the all the stuff in the barn.  They might trust her because she is “one of them.”  I wondered if I could trust her to go in and convince them to come out before they died.  I sent her in.
Sure enough, Angel was able to convince Hisser to follow her out.  Unfortunately, Fraidy Cat would not follow.  I wondered if she would starve or freeze to death.  What else could I do?  My heart grieved for her.  The last thing I could do was send my daughter Grace in to try and save her.  She did not trust Grace either. Out of all of my loving attempts to save this cat and bring her back to her warm home with food that I created for her, fear held her back and may destroy her.
This simple life story revealed the Gospel to me.  It helped me understand God’s heart better.  It also helped me understand why the First Commandment is the “Great” Commandment and why it is in front of the second Commandment which is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12:31)
I didn’t want to send any of the other cats in the barn to try and save the lost ones.  I only felt safe sending Angel in because I knew her love for me was greater than all the “stuff” in the barn.  Her love and trust for me would save her.  All the others could easily get lost in all the “stuff” and eventually die.  This can happen so easily.  Kind hearted creatures of God get a little fear, a little “stuff” in our life, and all of a sudden we are naturally trapped and spiritually dying.  How is your heart?  Do you love being near to God more than “stuff?”
Go through the door.  Answer His call.  Listen to Grace.  Let Him come near.  He truly loves you and desires to protect you.         In Christ,  Andy

God is Restoring the First Commandment on the Earth.
…he asked him (Jesus), “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:28-30)
Most of you are aware that we moved back to the farm I grew up on. In the process of moving back, there was a cat that had a litter of kittens.  Each weekend I brought a load of stuff back to the farm and tried to pet and tend to the cats. Oddly enough, God has used these cats to speak to me about my relationship with Him.
I wanted to have a good relationship with the cats.  I like cats. (If you don’t like cats, please substitute a dog in this story so that you don’t miss out.) It was my sincere desire to love on these cats and make them feel very welcome on the farm.  I would try and approach them very gently to pet them, but most would run away in fear; that is, all but one.  We affectionately call her Angel. She was never afraid. In fact, she would come to me as though she wanted to be in relationship with me.  God has used this cat to help me better understand the First Commandment. Please let me explain.
There is a difference between Angel and the rest of the cats. Not that the other cats are unloving. However, I believe Angel shows mature love.  The first commandment says to love with all your heart (will), soul (emotion/character), mind (thoughts), and strength (action). Angel is the first to come and greet me when I rise and again when I return from the day.  She enjoys rubbing against my leg and being near me. She is also a good listener and very obedient. This fills my heart and in return I want to bless her by petting her or giving her treats.  Some of the other cats live differently. Fluffy is kind but a little selfish.  She will let me pet her but you can tell it is because she wants something.  She usually comes near during dinner time. It doesn’t feel like she enjoys being near me like Angel and that her affection is more based on personal need (to be fed).  Hisser lives in fear of me. Because he is afraid he is fairly obedient, however, there is no emotional connection. Finally, there is Fraidy Cat.  I don’t have a better name for her yet because she is too afraid to get near.  She runs away the minute I get close. Even though I want to love on her by petting her, she denies all my attempts. I often wonder what happened in her past to keep her so distant from me. I wish she would let go of her past and let me come near.
Isn’t this a lot like our spiritual walk?  What cat are you like?  God’s greatest delight is when we delight in him. Come near to Him and He will come near to you. (James 4:8) Don’t let fear separate you any longer.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love (him) because (we understand) he first loved us.         (1 John 4:18)
Blessings,   Andy

Drone warfare is certainly a topic that has been in the news lately. Although somewhat controversial, according to one source, drones have been the Obama administration’s tool of choice for taking out militants outside of Iraq and Afghanistan. By one estimate, 95 percent of targeted killings since 9/11 have been conducted by drones. Among the benefits of drones: they don’t put American troops in harm’s way.
When I think of drone warfare I think of the inconspicuous schemes of the enemy to take out followers of Jesus; although, Satan would probably still prefer using airstrikes that would kill and destroy as many as possible at a time.
When it comes to spiritual warfare, what is your worldview? Are we really in a battle, or is that just for people in other parts of the world? Admittedly the demonic world cannot be seen, measured, or placed under a microscope. We are dealing with an unseen, mysterious world of fallen spirits. We only see what the demon causes people to do. Plus, the effects of the demon’s presence can and often is explained in some other way.
If spiritual warfare wasn’t a reality, why would Paul encourage us in Ephesians 6:6-12 to get ready to fight? “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
I believe as the Day approaches the spiritual battle will intensify. Maybe you are in a battle right now and it feels like you’re losing. How battle ready are you?
Vicki and I would like to invite you to a workshop on spiritual warfare. It’s Dunamis #5: Spiritual Warfare and Kingdom Advancement. The seminar is held at the Lutheran Camp at Lake Okoboji, March 14-17. For more information, please contact Vicki or myself.
The teaching you will receive presupposes the existence of these spiritual entities. We will focus on what the Bible teaches about the demonic world and we will gain insight through personal experience and practical observation.
The course in “Spiritual Warfare” is included in the Dunamis Project for three reasons:
1) Jesus Christ came to set people free from evil spirits; He calls and equips us to do likewise.
2) Spiritual warfare is reality and, if we are to be true to reality and to Christ, we must be prepared for battle.
3) Growth in personal relationship with Jesus Christ and empowerment in the Holy Spirit for ministry often occasions more intensive spiritual warfare.
Consider the following story. Few Germans recognized the demonic spiritual influence in the 1930’s because they did not believe in the demonic and that demonic powers were free to roam where they wanted.
“During his early years in Vienna, Adolf Hitler studied occult religions as a way of gaining power. He came under the influence of several occultists, notably Dieter Eckart, high priest of the Thule Society. Eckart wrote: “Follow Hitler! He will dance, but it is I who have called the tune. We have given him the means of communication with them. Do not mourn for me: I shall have influenced history more than any other German.”
Hitler, like Echart, clearly became demonized, as we see in this description of him by his close friend, Hermann Rauschning: “Hitler stood swaying in his room, looking wildly about him ‘He! He’s been here!’ he gasped. His lips were blue. Sweat streamed down his face. Suddenly he began to reel off figures, and odd words and broken phrases, entirely devoid of sense. It sounded horrible.”  (P. 256, The Voice of Destruction, H. Rauschning)
May it be said of us that when the day of evil comes, you and I may be able to stand our ground, and after we have done everything, to stand.

Battle ready, Mike

Its about 11:30 Sunday morning February 10, my barbeque grill is heating up out on our already thawed driveway, and because it feels so mild, I just finished a brief conversation with Vicki about the possibility of going on a motorcycle ride. And as my 91 year old neighbor is heading off to her church, I’m beginning to second guess our decision to cancel this morning’s worship service due to the potential blizzard conditions we were supposed to experience.
Making the decision to cancel our gathering for worship never seems easy, especially when it’s snowing and more snow is forecasted along with increasing wind. Yes, the people in town could more than likely make it (turns out everyone in the county could’ve made it); however, there are so many more issues that come into play, and so rather than inviting people to risk coming to church, we chose to cancel.  And of course it’s only in hindsight that we second guess ourselves.
Speaking of second guessing, I began thinking about people in the Bible who made a choice but then in hindsight questioned the decisions they made. I thought of the ten spies that Moses sent out that returned with a negative report—don’t you wonder if they second guessed their trust in God. Or when I read Jeremiah’s complaint against God in Jeremiah 20, I hear him second guessing his willingness to serve as God’s prophet.
And then there was John the Baptist; “When John heard in prison what Jesus was doing, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, Were you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matt. 11:2-3). As John sat in prison, he began second guessing whether or not Jesus was the Messiah. If John really was the one to prepare the way for Jesus, and Jesus really was the Messiah, then why would Jesus leave him sitting in prison? John was wondering if he made a mistake.
And how did Jesus respond to John’s doubts? Jesus responded to John by pointing to the evidence of the work of the Messiah. “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk. Those who have leprosy are cured, the dead raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me” (Matthew 11:4-6).
Are you beginning to doubt? Hear the good news! Of all the decisions we make in life, you and I can be sure of one thing, we never have to second guess our choice to follow Jesus. He is the way the truth and the life. May we be a confident people who are marked by this truth. No matter how difficult the situation, or how impossible the solution seems, know that God is working in all things for your good! Stand firm! Keep the faith, fight the good fight.
As far as our decision to cancel worship this past Sunday, well, we might not get it right every time—we hope you didn’t take offense. But please know we make our decision based on everyone’s safety…and the amount of groceries in the church kitchen in case we would get stranded.  🙂
Grace to you, and peace…Mike

Last Saturday several men from our congregation where challenged to step up – it was a call to courageous manhood. One speaker challenged us from I Corinthians 16:13. It says “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”  To be a man requires the courage to do the right thing in the face of fear, and yet Paul also reminds us men, “Let all that you do be done in love.”
Reminds me of this story I once heard from Chuck Swindoll about a little courageous, love-filled, boy who moved into a new neighborhood. His name was Chad. (I know I shared it with you last year, but it’s one of my favorite stories).
One day, Chad came home from school and said to his mom, “Valentine’s Day is coming up and I would like to make Valentines for everyone in my class. I want all of them to know that I love them.” His mother’s heart sank as she thought; I wish he wouldn’t do that, because every afternoon she would watch the kids coming home from school, they’d be laughing and hanging on to each other, books under their arms. All, except Chad, he was always following behind them; no one seemed to pay any attention to him.
However, she decided to go along with Chad. So glue and paper and crayons were purchased and for three weeks, Chad painstakingly made 35 Valentines. When the day came to deliver the Valentines, he was so excited, this was his day. He stacked those Valentines under his arm and ran out the door.
His mother thought this was going to be a disappointing day for Chad, “I think I will make some cookies and have some milk ready for him when he gets home, maybe that will ease the pain, because he won’t be getting any Valentines.” That afternoon she put out the warm cookies and milk on the table. She scraped the frost off the living room widow and looked out, sure enough; here came the big gang of kids walking home from school. Valentines under their arms, they were laughing, they had really done well. And then there was her Chad; head down and walking faster than usual. She thought, bless his heart, he’s ready to burst into tears, his arms are empty, and he doesn’t have one Valentine.
Chad came into the house and she said, “Darling, Mom has some warm cookies and milk for you. Let’s sit down and talk about it.” But his face was all a glow. Chad marched right by her and said, “Not a one, not a single one, I didn’t forget anyone. They all know I love them.”
And so it was with Jesus on the cross, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son in to the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (I John 4:9-10). Like Chad, only with much greater sacrifice, by taking my place on the cross and paying for my sin debt, it was if Jesus was saying to you and me, “Not a single one, not a single one, I didn’t forget anyone. They all know I love them.”
“Dear friends, since God soooooo… loved us, we also ought to love one another” (I John 4:11).
May we, and especially a challenge to our men, be a people, like Chad, who are marked by courageous and sacrificial love for our families, friends, and even our enemies.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Love, Mike and Vicki

This past weekend Vicki and I had an unexpected guest in our home for a few days and what made the experience even more interesting was that we weren’t sure who our guest was or that it was even in our home. The only way we knew we had company was by the trail of destruction and the sounds we heard.
First of all, on Sunday morning I backed my car out of the garage and I rode over the garden hoe. It was standing in the corner and apparently had been knocked over. Then Sunday night we were watching TV when we heard a noise sounding like something had been knocked over, however because we hear other sounds like that from time to time I didn’t bother to investigate. Then Monday morning I walked into the garage and I noticed the doors underneath the barbeque grill were open and the grease pan was all chewed up and lying on the floor, and after looking around some more I noticed a bunch of stuff had been pushed off of a shelf on to the floor. And when looking at the floor I noticed some fresh nuggets of doo doo. I began to get a little nervous, wondering who it was that was watching me.
Being the tough guy that I am, I decided I would hunt that little critter down so I opened both garage doors, but first I had to take care of some business at church (OK, yes I was actually scared and was hoping it would leave while I was gone). Of course the problem with my strategy was how would I know if our destructive, and by now unwelcomed, guest was actually gone when I returned home.
Well, because I had to be gone the rest of the day, I stopped at home to close the garage doors hoping I had given the mystery critter time to leave. However, when I arrived home later in the day and opened the garage door, there it stood, it was huge! Although not quite sure, at first glance it looked like an angry mountain lion ready to attack. Seeing my headlights, it turned around and scampered under our steps in the garage. I quickly opened the other garage door, but then entered through the front door, hoping it would leave while I ate supper. After supper I had a meeting and as I was sneaking around the corner to my car I happened to catch our guest leaving the garage; I was so relieved as I saw that dirty rascal racing alongside the neighbors garage.
As I reflected on how that vicious scavenger got in the garage, I remembered I had grilled on Friday night and because it got a little bit smoky in the garage, I left the door open for a few hours to air out and I suppose it was drawn in by the aroma of my tasty ribeye steak.
All that to say this; when it comes to our spiritual lives, how often don’t we carelessly leave the door open for Satan to wreak havoc in our lives. No, maybe not intentionally, but carelessly we invite the devil in through television, the internet, or other books and magazines. Or how about the times we give the devil access to our homes through anger, resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness; not to mention all the ways we allow the devil to invade our hearts through idol worship and spiritual adultery.
And like me, who at first was too lazy to respond to that initial noise, how often don’t we ignore the Holy Spirit’s promptings to rid those vices from our lives. You and I both know that we must be self controlled and alert because our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (I Peter 5:8).
As I continued to reflect, I wondered, have I carelessly opened the door and allowed the devil to take residence in my heart in an unsuspecting way? And have you? My prayer for all of us is that we might be relentless and deliberate about ridding our lives of all such things as sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed…anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language…(Colossians 3:5, 8).
Oh and by the way, our viscous guest wasn’t a mountain lion after all, it turned out to be an opossum.
Grace and peace, Mike

Whether it’s your children or grandchildren, it really is amazing to watch their personalities develop. A few weeks ago I shared how my little granddaughter hates to take medicine, well; she also doesn’t like it when people help her.
For example, she was trying to climb on the couch so I tried to help her, but she pushed my arm away and jumped down so that she could do it on her own. Or after she’s finished eating, she’s the only one who can unbuckle her highchair. And she hates it when I try to help her fix her puzzles on her I-pad. She is one independent and determined little girl.
And of course, she’s no different than most of us. Determination can be a good thing, although sometimes pride causes determination to cross over into stubbornness and foolish behavior. Below is a list of ten good reminders why sometimes it’s just impossible to help someone who is struggling with a problem. On the other hand, I also use this list as a checkup when I seem to be stuck in a problem.
Ten Reasons Why God Can’t Use Me to Help You
1. I can’t help you if you claim you don’t have a problem. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8
2. I can’t help you if you think God, or I, am the source of your problems. “Far be it from God to do evil…It is unthinkable that God would do wrong…” Job 34:10
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Luke 6:41
3. I can’t help you if we desire different outcomes. “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”      Amos 3:3
4. I can’t help you if you refuse a scriptural solution to your problem. “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
5. I can’t help you if you are unwilling to make the same investment in yourself, as I am willing to invest in you. “He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.” Proverbs 15:32
6. I can’t help you change if you refuse to invest the time it takes to change.
“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” Hebrews 6:1
7. I can’t help you if you remain involved in relationships that will destroy you. “Bad company corrupts good character.” I Corinthians 15:33
8. I can’t help you if you want to lead others astray. “…woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.” Luke 11:46
9. I can’t help you if you are set on disobeying God. “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.”   Luke 11:41
10. I can’t help you if you refuse to accept the seed that has been planted in you. “…Still other seed fall on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more that was sown.” Luke 8:8
Under His Mercy,  Mike

I’ve been struggling with some sinus issues over the past few weeks and my condition worsened to the point I went to the doctor this past Tuesday. After finishing checking in, the receptionist handed me a little blue mask with two elastic strings attached to it. She said, “Because of your symptoms we are asking you to wear this.” And then she instructed me to put the mask in front of my mouth and to hook the little strings around my ears, and then I was to go and sit in the waiting area way against the west wall.
Suddenly, I realized I had just been quarantined from all the other sick people who were healthier than I was. I thought to myself, making a person wear a face mask is a funny way of identifying the really sick people. In fact if you’re going to do that, then wouldn’t an orange or red face mask be a better color to reflect the seriousness of the matter. Or maybe the quarantined section could be marked off with the yellow tape like they use in a danger zone. Or rather than making me wear mask, couldn’t they just give me a big sign to hang around my neck that said, “STAY AWAY FLU SYMPTOMS” ?
And then it dawned on me, they weren’t trying to alert the other healthier sick people to my possible life threatening symptoms, they were just taking precautionary measures so if I coughed or sneezed that my potentially virus-filled respiratory droplets wouldn’t be projected on to someone else. Yes, they were just concerned about what could come out of my mouth.
As I continued to reflect, I wondered if there were other situations when I should wear a mask in order to protect people from what comes out of my mouth. Like, do I speak words that are filled with grace, and truth, and love? Do I delight in passing on gossip? Out of insecurity, do I tear others down in order to make myself look better?
The Bible has a lot to say about the danger of what comes from our mouths. Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it benefit those who listen.” He continues in Ephesians 5:4, “Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk or course joking which are out of place…[especially at work and on Facebook]”.
James wondered, “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be” (James 3:11,10).
And just like at the Sanford Clinic, the concern they had with what would come out of my mouth was the result of something infected inside of my body. So too, Jesus reminds us that if bad stuff is coming out of our mouths, then there is something wrong in our core. “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you” (Matthew 12:34-37).
Knowing we are a people of unclean lips, may it be said of us that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the prescribed medication to cure our infected hearts and may the Holy Spirit empower us to speak with a sanctified tongue—and when necessary, so as not to infect others, may we all be quick to put a mask on!
Just a precaution, Mike