James Collins's Blog: The Point Is..., page 6
June 14, 2020
Mistaken Identities
Our church garage sale is this weekend. It has become a tradition. Along with the annual garage sale tradition, I have a tradition of digging through all the items and buying back all my stuff that my wife donated. Yesterday, as I was gathering up my stuff, I heard someone yell, “Hey Curtis! Can you give me a hand?” Since I was the only one in the room, I turned to see a man standing in the doorway. He looked right at me and said, “Do you mind helping me unload these donations for the sale, Curtis?” My name is not Curtis. But I’m not great at remembering people’s names either, so I just ignored the fact that he called me by the wrong name.
I put down my collection of David Hasslehoff vinyl albums and walked over to the entryway. He gave me a warm greeting, “Hi Curtis. It’s nice to see you again.” As I helped him unload his donations, he said, “How’s Anita?” My wife’s name is Amanda. I said, “She’s doing great.” He then went on to “Pam” my daughter Abby. He was on a roll.
When we finished unloading his truck, he said, “I will be at the garage sale this Saturday. If I don’t see you then, I will see you Sunday at church. I love to hear you preach, Curtis.” I didn’t have the heart to correct him when he called me Curtis. So, I just said that it was great to see him too and thanked him for the donations.” Since I played along, it will be extremely awkward to tell him I’m not in fact Curtis the next time we talk. But that’s okay. I will be Curtis from now on. I will play this to the grave if need be.
The truth is I am just as guilty of forgetting people’s names. There are about a dozen people at church that I greet with a “Hey…you” because I’ve forgotten their names and it is way too late in the relationship to ask them. However, since I am a Baptist, everyone is “brother” or “sister.” No more mistaken identities.
We are all guilty of forgetting someone’s name. But there is one name that you had better get right. It breaks my heart that our society has done everything that it can to remove His name. His name upsets people. Our society is tolerant of religion, but it is not tolerant of His name. Today, you can’t pray in His name at a high school football game. You can’t say His name in government offices. You can’t preach His name in public places. The only time you hear His name in society is when it is being used as a cuss-word. But, despite all the hatred of His name, you had better get it right.
The point is: The Bible teaches that there is only one name that brings salvation. His name is greater than Gandhi. His name is mightier than Mohammad. His name is better than Buddha. His name is more exciting than Elvis. His name is more overwhelming than Oprah. His name can save you today, if you call out to Him in faith.
Don’t mistake His identity. Get His name right.
Call out to Jesus and He will save your soul.
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or from the website thepointis.net.
June 6, 2020
Neighbors
A certain white woman went down from Fort Scott, Kansas to Joplin, Missouri, and ran over a nail which punctured her tire and left her stranded by the side of the road. After raising the hood of her car and tying a scarf to her radio antenna, she locked the door handles and sat in the car, praying for the Lord to send help.
By chance, there came a limousine that way with a bumper sticker that read, “Smile, God Loves You!” When the white occupants saw the stranded woman, they passed by in the far lane-without smiling.
And likewise, there came a sports car with a bumper sticker saying, “Honk If You Love Jesus!” The white man who was driving passed by in the far lane without honking and without using his cell phone to call the Highway Patrol about the woman’s dilemma.
But a certain black working man, as he traveled to his job, came to the spot where the woman was, and, when he saw her raised hood, scarf, and flat tire, he had compassion on her. He stopped his old beat-up pickup-which had no bumper sticker-and crossed the highway and offered to change the flat.
The white woman was anxious at the stranger’s presence, but she rolled her window down just a crack and gave him the key to the trunk. The black man took out the spare tire, jacked up the car, removed the flat, and replaced it with the spare. When he finished, the woman tried to pay him. He refused the money, saying, “If my wife were stranded on the highway with a flat tire, I’d want some Good Samaritan to stop and help her out.” The man nodded his head and returned to his bumper sticker-less truck. As he drove away, he smiled and waved at the woman.
Which of these three was neighbor unto her who had a flat tire?
The senseless murder of George Floyd has brought the issue of race relations back into the national spotlight. Let’s be clear, every person of good conscience should be angered over Floyd’s death. So too, should every person of good conscience be angered over the violence, rioting, and loss of lives that have plagued our nation since Floyd’s homicide. How does creating more victims help those who have been victimized?
Perhaps it is time for Americans of all skin colors to remember that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the world and whosoever – whatever their race – believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Red, brown, yellow, black, and white, ALL are precious in His sight.
The point is: Jesus said to love our neighbors as ourselves. When He said that, a self-righteous man asked, “Who is my neighbor?” To answer his question, Jesus told a story about a Samaritan who helped a Jew. Then He asked, “Who was the man’s neighbor?” The self-righteous man answered, “He that showed mercy on him.”
Why don’t we all go and do likewise?
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or from the website thepointis.net.
May 30, 2020
Why Me, Lord?
“Why me?” is the first question we ask when tragedy strikes. “Why me, Lord? Why did my loved one have to die?”
Some of us have the same question when we have a flat tire. “Why me, Lord? My car broke down and it cost $600 to get fixed… $600 that I don’t have. Why me? After all, I am as good as most people. In fact, I’ve been better than most. Why are You treating me this way? Why are You punishing me this way?”
Some of us have the same question when the internet goes out, or when the dishwasher quits working, or when the weed eater string gets tangled, or when the bathroom sink is clogged. “Why me, Lord? Why am I wasting time trying to fix this stupid thing? This is going to cost me more money to get this fixed. Jesus, You know I don’t have any money. By the way, why, at my age, should I still be having financial problems? Why have You denied me opportunities for fame and fortune that You have given to others? Why me, Lord?”
I don’t know about you, but when I find myself starting to think like this, which I often do, it sometimes helps for me to ask the same question about other aspects of my life. “Why me, Lord? What have I done that’s so great that You should have blessed me with a car, internet, a dishwasher, a weed eater, and a home? Why did You give me all these things anyway?”
Sometimes, it helps for me to ask, “Why me, Lord? Why did You permit me to be born in America with all its wealth? I could have been born in a poverty-stricken country like Ethiopia, or Haiti, or Afghanistan. Why was I born in rich America? Why me, Lord? Why did You allow me to have a job when so many, who are just as deserving as I am, are without work?”
Sometimes, it helps for me to ask, “Why me, Lord? Why am I in good health? Others my age have died of heart attacks. Others were crippled by accidents or disease. Others have cancer. Why should I escape sickness and injury when other people who believe in You are either suffering or dead?”
Sometimes, it helps for me to ask, “Why me, Lord? Why have You spared me from the heartaches that assault other families? Others, wonderful people, are seeing their families torn apart, but you have blessed me.”
The point is: Life is about perspective. If you would just stop and remember all the ways the Lord has blessed you, even though you don’t deserve it, I wonder how you could complain about the relatively insignificant things that go wrong in your life from time to time. If you and I could only remember to count our blessings.
Furthermore, if you are a Christian, it helps to ask, “Why me, Lord? Why would You go to a cross and die for me? Jesus, why would You love me so much when I am so unlovable?”
Years ago, the great songwriter, Kris Kristofferson, wrote a song titled, “Why me, Lord?” The song begins with Kristofferson pouring his soul out to God:
Why me Lord, what have I ever doneJesus showed kindness, grace, and love for us by dying for us. Even though, we are sinners, even though we don’t deserve it, even though we are ungrateful, Jesus died for us.
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I’ve known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving You
Or the kindness You’ve shown.
Why? Why me, Lord? Why would You love me? Why would you die for me?
Why me, indeed…
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or from the website thepointis.net.
