Professional basketball teams have 12 players on the bench. For most teams, the starting five are the stars. The sixth man can make or break an organization. An outstanding team may have ten excellent players. Usually, the final person on the bench is good enough to make the team but does little more than help the stars practice. They occasionally get into a game but only when the unit is up, or down, by a large number of points.

The 12th player is here if you need them. They can get in the game if there is an emergency that would require their services. But they don’t expect to play. They are happy to be on the team, will show up at practice, and is more than willing to stand on the sidelines. They want their name on the trophy and would love to be called a champion, but they do not expect to contribute much to the effort.

This analogy is the way I think of most people when it comes to their Church community. They are happy to be here and plan on showing up most weekends. For whatever reason, they do not expect to contribute very much. They want to be told, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” without doing any real serving. They hope that just being on the team is enough for the coach.

One constant plea of faith is to stop acting like the 12th player on the team and start trying to contribute like the starting five.

Some people have left an enormous impact on my life. Their mark can be seen with a casual glance. These are people like mom and dad, Dan, Ben, Mark, and Kyle, to name a few.

Other people have left an impact on me, and I do not know their name and often, exactly what they did. In October of 1995, I attended a Promise Keepers conference that helped inspire me to stay in ministry. At one point in the event, they invited preachers to the front of the auditorium to pray for them. As I went to the front with other pastors, the place erupted with thunderous applause. When I got to the front, I wept. It was one of the few times in my life that people seemed to appreciate me as a pastor. That moment kept me preaching through a difficult season in ministry over the following year. It motivated me when I was ready to quit about 13 years later. The sound of 50,000 men clapping for me, and those who serve alongside me was powerful.

I don’t know the names of any of the people in the crowd that night. I was there with two men, and one of them was from out of town, and I cannot remember his name. Then I get to thinking about all the other people involved in that event. Some people set up and ran the sound. Others built the staging for the speakers and musicians. Someone booked the arena and made sure everyone got paid for their efforts. This one scene of my life was put together by dozens of people serving the Lord in one way or another. They were just random people trying to make a difference.

This is precisely why God wants us to keep serving him even when we do not see immediate returns on our labor. We never know the amount of good we do with our lives. We will never know the impact we make on this side of heaven. God knows. And he understands what we are doing. He takes our efforts, no matter how small they may seem, and makes an impact for his kingdom.

Last weekend I watched a young woman come to faith; part of that is the result of a person who remains nameless, helping to create a moment that would help me to get here to share the message of Jesus with her. The ripple of their life washed over me, and it continues to move until we all reach the shore of eternity. What kind of waves are you making?

Don’t permit yourself to be mad.

Yesterday was a good day for our Church. We had one of our biggest crowds since our battle with Covid-19 started. Several guests were checking out the Church for the first time. We had a public confession of faith at Baptism by a woman who has been thinking about it for a year. The weekly offerings are still good for our Church, enabling us to give more money away to a Christian youth home we support. The Church board that is made up of elders, deacons, and staff had a great meeting. We made decisions, fellowshipped, and laughed. It was a wonderful day.

After Church, I made the slow slide into darkness that happens to preachers on Sunday afternoons. All I could see was the downside of everything. That family didn’t show up. These people helped in one program but did not worship in the other one. I think that family is gone forever. Not to mention, I kept replaying the sermon because I forgot a scripture in the first program and then threw it back in even though it didn’t fit. Then there was that one conversation, did I come off as mean when I said that?

Depression comes when I cannot see the good things God is doing because of a few evil thoughts. Part of the issue is that I allow myself to think like this, and that seems shaped by my unwillingness to be happy. You see, if I am happy, then it looks like I am not taking the things of God seriously enough. If I am happy, then I don’t genuinely care about those missing on Sunday morning. If I am genuinely happy, then I am not feeling the burden that comes with hard work. My solution is to be unhappy.

What would my life be like if I gave myself permission to be happy? What if I enjoyed the blessing of God above the struggles?

What would your life be like if you did the same thing? What if this week was set aside as a week of joy?

Give yourself permission to be happy, because you and I don’t need to carry the weight of the world. God is the only one big enough to handle it.

Covid-19 has changed the world in many ways. That is not a surprising statement; what is interesting to me is how it has changed us. Lately, I have noticed something that had remained hidden in plain sight.

Many places in my area require you to wear a facemask to shop or visit their establishment. Recently, I was in a great mood, and I was walking through a store, and slowly my attitude began to change. With each aisle I walked down, I seemed to get more angry and bitter. Then it hit me, and I can’t see anyone’s mouth and know they are smiling.

I miss seeing the lady trying to make the baby laugh. I miss seeing the older lady saying thanks with a wrinkled smile when I help her grab an item that is a little too high. I miss people smiling back at me when I am smiling at them.

Communication is so much more than words. Your face demonstrates your attitude, and interestingly enough, it impacts other people. I once heard a preacher say, “If you have joy in your heart, please let your face know it.” A childhood song said, “If you are happy, and you know it, then your face will surely show it.” A simple smile shows your heart and brightens the day for everyone.

Always allow your smile to precede your words. It’s a lesson I hope we don’t forget when all of this is over.

Over the past five months, I have been in the process of getting back into shape. In the last ten years, I had let myself go, and I am trying to reduce my waistline. People have noticed the change, and it generates a lot of questions, with the most prominent being, “Are you sick?”

Well, no, I am not sick. I just committed to change. I take the commitment seriously. I spend over an hour at the track in the mornings and often return in the evening. What I have noticed during this time is a group of people I call “one-hit wonders.” These are people who show up at the track one morning or night and do a workout. Then I never see them again.

I like to imagine the context of this visit. One night they decide to make a change. They are going to get in shape, and this time they are serious. They rise early, get their water bottle, put on their new exercise clothes, and show up ready to conquer their world. After one morning, they are sore and tired. So that night they tell themselves, “Well, maybe every other day? You don’t want to overdo it.” With that, they never return to workout again.

This serves as an excellent analogy for most people’s spiritual life. They decide, often after a difficult situation, that life is going to change. They get a new Bible or Bible app and make a plan. The next day they rise early, sip coffee, read and pray. Then that night, they are tired and decide, “Well, maybe every other day?” With that, they never attempt a devotional time again.

My one piece of advice to anyone is to develop a consistent habit before you develop a thorough one. It is better to start with 5 minutes a day and do it every single day then a 30-minute session you will not repeat. Start small and do it daily, then over time, you can add and expand. Change in life comes through consistent routines, both physically and spiritually.

Thirty years ago today, my life took a dramatic turn that changed everything.

It was a Sunday morning, and I sat up in bed as the phone rang. No one was home, and I somehow knew it was not good news. I picked it up to hear a voice tell me that my best friend in the world, Paul, was dead. The next few hours are a blur, and honestly, the next few weeks.

I am not writing this for sympathy, time has turned the open wound into a scar, and the pain is only felt in specific moments of reflection. Instead, I am writing this as a reminder. The last time I saw my friend was July 28, and we did our usual routine in those days. We went to a bow range and shot our hunting bows, went to grab a bite to eat, and then parted ways. As he walked through the “Just Right” hamburger restaurant parking lot, little did I know I would never see him again.

The hard truth of life is that one day the people you love the most will be gone, and you will feel a pain that you cannot completely describe. You will miss their stupid comments, strange behavior, and the unique things that made them one of a kind. You would give anything to hear their voice and have one more conversation. All those things that used to drive you crazy will be gone, and you will desperately want them back.

My one thought for today is the most basic life lesson. Pause in the chaos of today and tell someone how much you love them. One time I read a line that has stuck in my head, “Send flowers to the house and not the funeral home.” It was an article extolling people to do something nice while people are alive. All the good intentions in the world mean little after someone you love is gone. Make today special because we are not promised tomorrow. When tomorrow does not come, you will spend the rest of your life regretting not doing more today. I hope that you would live a life with no regrets.

It is one of my all-time favorite movie scenes. Arnold Schwarzenegger is playing a kindergarten teacher, and he is struggling. He wants to play a game and get information, and the kids get sidetracked as only five-year-olds can do. He starts rubbing his head, and a little girl asks what is wrong. Arnold responds, “I have a headache.” The little boy says without pausing, “It might be a tumor.” Then Arnold grumbles in his thick Austrian accept, “It’s not a tumor. Not a tumor. At all.”

Part of what makes the scene funny is the idea of an enormous cop trying to teach little kids. The other part of the humor is that we all know that one person who is exactly like that boy. Perhaps, just possibly, we are like that boy ourselves.

People like this interpret life through a negative lens. Headache? Probably a tumor. Boss wants to talk. Probably losing my job. I haven’t heard from my kids today. They have probably been in an accident. That person looked at me funny. They are probably are spreading lies about me. And on and on it goes.

Is your first reaction to every story you hear a negative one?

Paul told the believers in the city of Philippi, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV 2011) Believers are to be people who have a transformed mind. One way we demonstrate that change is by focusing on the positive things in life. Those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, lovely and praiseworthy are to fill our minds and our speech

All of us will experience many things this week, and the question is, will you focus on the good or the bad. Believers are different because they see the good things in life and chose to focus on them.

“It’s just a headache and not a tumor. Oh, and here are some meds to help you out” is a much better response.

The song playing on the stereo of my mind is from 1971. It is not one that was popular on the radio, but rather one I saw on TV. Like many children, I tuned in to watch Gene Wilder play Willy Wonka in the classic movie about his chocolate factory. While the movie fascinated my young mind, I was also terrified. The story takes place in a building where the strange dwarfs lived who seemed unswervingly devoted to Mr. Wonka.

Then the children start disappearing. One by one, they each meet their fate in a way that is tied to their biggest flaw. The most interesting one to me was a young girl named Veruca Salt. She was from a wealthy family, and when she saw the geese that laid the golden eggs, she desperately wanted one. She begins singing a song with the powerful line directed at her father, “I want it now!”

Her words have been echoing through my mind the past few weeks. God, I want life to get back to normal, and I want it now. God, I want Church to get back to normal with all the people returning, and I want it now. God, I want the school to happen like usual for my youngest boys’ senior year, and I want it now! Can’t you see me singing and dancing while the Oompa Loompas watch?

Patience is not a strong suit of mine. The more believers I have talked to lately, I have realized it may not be a strength many of us possess. We want our lives to run smoothly, and we want it now. When we encounter difficulties, we want God to remove them from our lives, and you guessed it: we want it now.

The scriptures tell us that one of the signs of God in the life of a believer is that they will have patience. As followers of Jesus, we are to clothe ourselves in patience. Patience is part of the fabric of faith, and at some point, we all need to learn it. This week as we are rushing through our lives looking for quick fixes and immediate answers. Perhaps we need to be reminded that God never works on our timeline. Is it possible that God is using this pandemic to make us all a little more Christ as he works at his own pace?

At the age of 20, God called me to become a preacher. Now I am over 48 years old, and I think about how crazy it was for a 20-year-old to be a Church leader. It is absurd, especially if your idea of a Church leader is someone who has perfect theology, a flawless life, an award-winning attitude, and incredible people skills. Because not only did I not possess those things at 20, I still do not have them at 48.

It is easy to put your pastor on a pedestal. They speak up front, many times on elevated platforms. They are often in front of people leading programs and coming up with new ideas for the body of believers. They act like they have it all together, as many never speak of their failures, weaknesses, and struggles. Surely if anyone is Godly in our community, it is the pastor.

I am here to tell you that every preacher is flawed. If they don’t tell you about it, it is still valid. If they don’t admit it, then that is a flaw itself. If they do tell you, they are trying to be honest and not just searching for attention (at least most of the time).

Pastors struggle, fail, get up, and then fall back down. We are a flawed bunch in one or many ways. While we are out in front most of the time, we are also on this journey of faith together.

Each day I read through posts on my pastors’ groups on social media. Many feel alone, and others feel like the enemy. They desperately want to be a part of a group of believers who are willing to lock arms with them as we move forward together. Sure, at times you will be disappointed in them (and me), but we want to see all believers there for each other in the good and the bad.

A community of faith is a great benefit to everyone, even the person leading.

It was a teenage girl who boasted that she did not go to Church or youth group anymore, “because she knew all the stories.” As a parent who has raised four boys, I get where she was coming from in her statement. My boys had several “age-appropriate” Bibles as they were maturing. There was “My First Bible,” and then a “Discovery Bible” and then another one and another one. With each new edition, it repeated the old same old stories with the addition of a few new ones that might be a little more complex for young minds to understand.

They also went to children’s Church every weekend. The primary curriculum that was used is based on a three-year plan of Biblical values. That means they are basically teaching the same Bible stories on the three-year cycle. The same stories get repeated over and over again.

Then as we move into adulthood, we are challenged to listen to sermon after sermon on the same topics. The preacher challenges everyone to “read their Bibles regularly.” How do you read the same stories you have heard for a lifetime? How do you read Bible stories you already know?

1. Develop a Humble Attitude. Your mindset as you approach reading the Bible is a massive factor in what you will get out of it. If you have an arrogant, “I already know this” attitude, then you will not take much away from it. If you come to it with a “Lord show me something” mindset, you are more likely to see something new.
2. Read it Differently Each Time. One time read just one story or one chapter and then stop and reflect. Next time read a large section and look for big themes. The next time read it chronologically and notice differences. One time read a whole book of the Bible in one sitting. Mix it up.
3. Look for Details. It is easy to see the big picture of a story, but often there is a powerful punch in the details. Take the parable of the lost sheep. We know Jesus is the good shepherd searching for lost sheep. When you look closely, you notice he leaves the 99 in the open country. He leaves 99 to care for themselves or more powerfully, to care for one another while he is away. Look closely, and you may have missed something.
4. Notice with Whom You Identify. When you read a Bible story, do you always identify with the hero of the story? Are you Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul in every story? What if you flipped it around and once you were a Pharisee, Aaron, Judas, or King Saul? It is amazing what you might see if you were to look through different eyes.
5. Invite A Friend into Your Reading. Jesus calls us to community for many different reasons. One of them is so that other people will show us things we might have missed. This can be a formal Bible study setting, or it can just be two friends using the Youversion Bible app. Other people will open your eyes as you discuss a passage together.

These are just a few little tips to help you grow in your knowledge of the Bible. I think that if you are not careful, you will push back from reading the Bible, not because of deficiency in it, instead because of one in us. With a little effort, we can see the Bible with fresh eyes each time we read it. That way, God’s word can penetrate our hearts as we learn to live more as he desires.