The Humor of Jesus

In Matthew 23:24 Jesus told the Jewish religious leaders that they “strained out a gnat but swallowed a camel”. In Jesus' native Aramaic language a gnat was a “Galma” and a camel was a “”Gamla”. So Jesus said, “they strained out a Galma but swallowed a Gamla”. Jesus used a little play on words.

Auditorium

Kaleb took this today. it's a little distorted.

Arm Wrestling and Benevolence

I did a little benevolence work tonight. Julie and I were in the Luby’s parking lot after services tonight fixing to go in and get something to eat and a big black guy came up to me a little down on his luck and needing some work and some money. He had to be about 6’3” and pretty stout so I told him if he could beat me arm wrestling I would give him $10. He laughed and I don’t think he thought I was serious but I slapped my arm down on the hood of the car and we arm wrestled. Even though I beat him I still gave him the $10. But then he told me he needed work and he didn’t have the best of records. I gave him my name and phone number and got his name and phone number and I think I may have a job lined up for him. We’ll see. I do feel a special kinship with him though… arm wrestling does that for you. If you need a worker… call me.

Gluttony

Proverbs 23:19-21. “Listen my son and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. Do not be with the heavy drinkers of wine or with the gluttonous eaters of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.” I don’t consider myself a glutton but I do eat a big lunch after Sunday services. It is the only meal I eat that day so it is usually a hearty one. Last Sunday I was planning to pick up Brandon (Little Brother) and do some things with him but after eating lunch I was having second thoughts. A nice long nap seemed to be more desirable. I shared my dilemma with Julie and she gave me the proper direction. So we picked up Brandon and went home. Brandon and I worked on his arithmetic, had a Bible lesson, practiced Volleyball and squeezed oranges to make juice and then went to evening services… we had quite a productive day. If I had listened to the big meal in my belly I would have taken a nap. Remember, “… the glutton will come to poverty”.

How to Work (1 July 07)

I work a lot of kids from time to time. Some kids aren't used to working and need supervision. Sometimes I give a job to do and when I get back the bare minimum has been done. Usually that has to do with how well the parents have trained them. I worked a kid last week whose family owns a ranch. He is used to building fence and really a lot of labor intensive work. Zach was working at the clinic last week and we needed a tool so I sent him to my house to get it. When he got back I noticed there were about six tools in the back of my truck. Later we needed to air up a tire on a wheelbarrow so I sent him back for my portable air compressor. When I checked on him later I didn't see my air compressor... I saw my other wheelbarrow. The best kind of workers are those who don't need supervision and those who look ahead and try to anticipate what we might need next. I like workers who do not just follow orders but who also try to understand the job and make meaningful suggestions. The Lord's work is a lot like that. The Lord gives us work to do and really not much supervision... we'll give account of ourselves at the end of the job. To those who work hard he will bless with more ability and responsibility... make them better, more efficient workers. As a loving Father he realizes we may make mistakes in our labors, and I think overlook those mistakes. The one mistake he won't overlook is... not trying. Read the parable of the talents in Mt. 25. What kind of worker are you? Doc Mayfield told me that his dad was a plumber and when he was a kid his dad told him to dig a trench that had a quarter inch drop every foot. I think Doc was 10 or 11 at the time. When Doc's dad got back and saw Doc just sitting around and the job not done... he didn't say one word... he just got his belt out and whipped the tar out of him. When he came back the next time the job was done. Doc says he loved that old man.

Tax Time

In Mt. 17:24-27, the tax collectors asked Peter if Jesus was going to pay the Temple Tax. Peter replied “yes he will”. Before Peter could ask Jesus about this Jesus posed a question to Peter, “Do the Kings of the earth collect taxes from their own sons or from their subjects”. Peter correctly replied, “From their subjects, not their own sons.” Jesus then informed Peter that he was exempt, the implication being that Jesus was the Son of God who created Kings and kingdoms. Peter answered the tax collectors incorrectly. He should have said, “My master does not pay the tax… he is the son of God”. Jesus should have been collecting the tax not paying it.