“Show-Me”

There are a number of stories and legends behind Missouri's sobriquet "Show-Me" state. The slogan is not official, but is common throughout the state and is used on Missouri license plates.The most widely known legend attributes the phrase to Missouri's U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1897 to 1903. While a member of the U.S. House Committee on Naval Affairs, Vandiver attended an 1899 naval banquet in Philadelphia. In a speech there, he declared, "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me." Regardless of whether Vandiver coined the phrase, it is certain that his speech helped to popularize the saying.[1]

I thought of this Show-Me slogan while reading Luke 3 this morning. When the crowds came to hear John he told them the same thing (well, kinda!). John’s message was “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”. When the people asked what they should do he didn’t go into a 3 point sermon or give them a tract (I write this tongue-in-check). John’s message and Jesus’ was the same “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” John said, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

Jesus said, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!...‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ (Mt 25:34-46)

Both John and Jesus were saying, Show-me! Have you and I, as the body of Christ, gone to the poor, hungry, desperate, the prisons, brothels, slums, streets…where people live and brought God to them by giving “food, drink, clothing or taken them into our homes? Or have we been content to pay someone else to do what we have been mandated to do? I’m not against giving to charitable organizations. These organizations can sometimes reach more people than one individual ever could. I also understand some have physical or age limitations where it’s not as easy for them to “go”. But if we ‘pay’ so we don’t have to ‘go’ then are we truly “living our repentance”? Our motives become the window of our hearts revealing the proof of our repentance.

When Jesus looks inside our window, what will he see and will he be pleased? Show-me…..

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[1]Resources:
Rossiter, Phyllis. "I'm from Missouri--you'll have to show me." Rural Missouri, Volume 42, Number 3, March 1989, page 16.Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1979-1980, page 1486.

GROW…GROW….GROW

Growth…Our hearts swell with generosity as our waists grow with all the wonderful goodies the holiday season brings.  Cookies, candies, cakes, Christmas party buffets—my mouth is watering as I write this! 

Growth… Parking lots at area malls and shopping districts overflow from macadam to grass.  What usually takes five minutes to “run in and out” of a store now takes twenty minutes.  Restaurants have a longer than usual wait time to seat and serve their customers.  Lines at the post office get longer and traffic, well let’s just say it can be a bit testy! The thoughts of someone being without the basics of a home, food or clothing is heightened during this holiday season and we respond generously.

Growth…While all the above growths are temporal there is a kind of growth that should never stop or be based purely upon a certain season or emotion.   This growth produces both long term and short term affects in our lives that has the potential to change the course of our lives and those around us.

Webster defines what I am writing about as “anything believed; complete trust or confidence.”  Faith.

Peter gives us a beautiful picture of growing in faith in 2 Peter 1:3-8.
“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life…And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires... Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.  The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)

 Since I am a very visual person, when I read this passage I liken it to the growth of a tree.

God has given us everything we need in giving us the rich soil of our lives.  God allows all circumstances (whether good or bad) to come into our lives which creates fertilization for the soil to produce good fruit (vs. 3-4).  When we realize God has carried us through a difficult situation our faith begins to grow.  This faith becomes the foundation to build upon for future circumstances.  We learn God can be trusted even though we may not be able to see the outcome or even want what the outcome becomes.

When our faith is placed in God the way we approach life changes.  Our moral values begin to change and we set higher standards to our life choices and what we put into our minds.  We begin to realize the depths of God’s love and compassion for us.   To understand that He doesn’t view us with a big club waiting to smash us for making a mistake brings freedom and openness for intimacy with Him. God longs and desires to have an intimate and daily friendship with us. We become hungry to know who He is how He wants us to live and treat others.  This creates a drawing to read His Word which increases our knowledge. 

Through this knowledge we become aware of issues or life styles within us that need to be dealt with in order for that freedom and intimacy to grow.  Self control is the result of this realization, which becomes a lifelong respect of the change starting within us.  Patient endurance becomes the byproduct of this knowledge and self control.  We begin to view others around us not with a judgmental attitude but one of the same grace and mercy God has extended toward us.  This produces a godliness within us because we are beginning to take on the character of Christ (vs4) living within us (Gal 5:22-26).  It is only because of these characteristics we can have true affection and love for those around us.

Just as we can’t plant a seedling and expect fruit the next day or without giving it water or fertilization, we can’t expect fruit in our lives without living this process.  One area cannot be bypassed to move to another and get the same results.  This isn’t a “once-and-done” event or a feeling of “I’ve finally arrived.”  It is a lifelong growth process, but the end result is well worth staying the course.  We produce not just fruit but everlasting fruit (John 15). 

                                     

BUDS/FLOWERS: Patient endurance, godliness,

brotherly affection, love for everyone……fruit that can change the world

ROOTS:Moral excellence, knowledge, self control,

Fertilized soil 
 

So in this season of growth don’t stop when January 1^st comes around. GROW…GROW….GROW.