Month: November 2021

Four and a half months had passed since the battle when Abraham Lincoln rose to speak at Gettysburg for just over two minutes.  There was no applause at the end.  Perhaps those in attendance were shocked that he finished so soon.  Republican newspapers lauded the speech and Democratic newspapers panned it.  Partisan politics have not changed because people have not changed.  People are people are people.  Lincoln said, “The world will little note nor long remember what we say here.”  How wrong he was.  We remember.  His classic lines have become part of our national fabric as each generation longs for that new birth of freedom so we might continue the realization of the American dream.

As a teacher I try to remember that we think students will little remember what we say to them.  They will not remember our fabulous lectures.  Instead they will remember the one on one comments.  The comments after class, the short conversations in the hallway or in our offices are what they remember.  We, the teachers, do not remember.  I should not be surprised that I do not remember when years later students tell me I said “so and so” to them.  After all, I remember the personal remarks from my teachers.

This is not only true for teachers.  The things adults say to young people in our churches are remembered and often become the foundation for their future attendance and even more importantly, their relationship to Christ.   When we are tempted to make a smart remark about their hair, their clothes, the pierced nose or lip, we might want to bite our lip.  They will remember long after they have matured and removed the hardware.  We thought we witnessed.  But what did we really do?

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 20, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Have you ever said something that resulted in the very opposite reaction of which you expected?  It happened to me.  I was in a big easy chair faithfully getting an infusion when a 50ish looking lady entered the room for her very first time.  Fear was written all over her face.  Her diagnosis was terribly fresh and she was reeling with thoughts of her mortality.  The nurses were incredibly kind as they soothed her into the chair beside me.  Everything they did was done slowly and with kindness as they carefully explained each step.  Those needles and bags of clear fluid can be intimidating.

When there was a moment without anyone attending her I turned to her tearing eyes and said, “They will take wonderful care of you.  I have been coming here for seven years and I am doing really well.”  I couldn’t have said anything worse.  Mentioning seven years put her over the top and the sobbing began.  She was crushed and so was I as I realized that time remark must have sounded like an eternal life sentence.  I was so sorry.

But what can you do after you have spoken?  You can’t take the words back.  Unlike a white board in a classroom you cannot erase what has been spoken.  There it was like a giant monster hovering over her.  I was Dr. Frankenstein who had created this living thing.  Fortunately for me the oncologist came over and skillfully undid what I had done.

Sometimes our very best intentions go awry.  All we can do is be sorry and pray that somehow it will be rectified.   Sometimes the problem continues not because of us but because the other will not let it go.  That is sad.  But at least we did our best.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 19, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

I had an undergrad this past week tell us that recipients of body parts from others imparted personality characteristics from the donors.  It is called cellular memory. As gently as possible I tried to assure her and the class that cellular memory is only anecdotal. If it were true, I would be one very mixed up human being.  Once a month I receive an injection of human antibodies containing the antibodies from a pool of over 1000 donors.  If she was correct, with that many added personality characteristics each month, I would be a different me each month and my wife would never know to whom she was married.

Of course we have for thousands of years been speaking metaphorically about hearts.  One thousand years before Jesus David wrote, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51)   Two thousand years ago Paul spoke of our being a temple for the Holy Spirit. Our prayer is that with the infusion of divinity will come personality and character changes.  Of this we would not deny.  As a matter of fact, quite to the contrary of denying it, we advocate and long for it.

Christianity is about change.  Salvation without transformation into something better would be a curse and not a blessing.  Sanctification or the growth toward divinity’s righteousness is essential.  When we speak of eternity and do not include growth toward becoming better creatures we are speaking of the reappearance of sin and impending danger not only to ourselves but to all who would come into contact with us.  We are talking about a pandemic.   Obviously this can never be allowed.  It was for this cause that Jesus died.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 18, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94547

Rogerbothwell.org

 

When David wrote his psalms he never dreamed they would become Scripture.  For David Scripture was the writings of Moses. Then again David never saw a codex.  Scrolls were the media of his time.  David and the sons of Korah and others were writing music.  It is fascinating how the intent of authors often changes in the minds of the readers and even more so as centuries pass.  Paul would have objected had he known we would consider his letters, especially those to Timothy or Philemon, to be anywhere comparable to the works of the Old Testament.

One of the great wonders of Scripture is its continued relevance.  Here we are in the 21st century still being intellectually and spiritual fed by writings over 2000 years and some 3500 years old.  When we speak of the Bible as being the Word of God we, of course, mean God breathed, God inspired thoughts, filtered through the minds of men who were very much children of their historical time.  They were His penman and not His pens.  They did not take dictation.  They received God’s ideas and wrote them within the space of their own intellectual capacity and education.

God’s Spirit, upon our request, will attend us as we read.   He will interpret for us 21st century meaning helping us with the wisdom to negotiate our way through a world that is changing so rapidly we have to keep running to keep from falling behind.  I just mastered email and texting and then came tweeting and poster boarding.   David and Paul never dreamed of a computer but they did understand human issues and those are the same for us as they were for them.  People are people no matter what the century.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 15, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Do you remember when most movies closed out with two words in big letters, “The End”?   They were usually accompanied with scenes of two people riding off into the sunset or a wedding or a birth.  The end was a new beginning.  There is something psychological about our desire for endings.  The Bible is filled with endings.  The Book of Revelation has an ending.  “Even so come Lord Jesus. Amen.”   Matthew has the Gospel Commission. Mark closes with, “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere.”  Luke doesn’t end because he follows with Acts.  John ends, “Jesus did many other things as well. If everyone of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

We like endings. We even hear clocks say, “Tick, Tock”.  Which is a beginning and an end even though they really just say, “Tick, Tick.”   We seem to be wired so because we look forward to new beginnings.  After each end comes something inexperienced and we love serendipities. I love the idea of tomorrow because something grand might happen.  I love going to the mailbox because there might be a gift for Spring of Life or a nice letter from someone.

Adam and Eve must have loved the end of each day because we are told the Lord would visit them and walk with them in the Garden.  How grand that must have been!  As Christians we talk a lot about the end of the world.  We don’t really mean the end of the planet we really are referring to a revamping of an Eden like place where sin has been removed.  Ends come with new beginnings.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 16, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

I enjoy eavesdropping.  Often I pretend to be reading but I am really listening to the conversations around me. People are interesting creatures.  We are much more fascinating than any other animal.  This week I heard the following, “Do you like my tattoos?  I just got them and already I have a new boyfriend and he has proposed. I got a new job and a car with the insurance all paid up.  The tattoos were the best thing I ever did.”

I’m glad things are going so well for her, but I can suggest an even better best thing to do.  She could do much better by making Jesus the Lord of her life.  That way she will be guaranteed a terrific future even if the fruit of her tattoos doesn’t continue to work out so well.

We hear a lot about guarantees and of course they are only as good as the guarantor.  I just love this one, “If we don’t match our competition you get 15% off.”  That really is quite meaningless.  All they have to do is match the competition.

The best guarantee is of course from Jesus.  He is all powerful. He always tells the truth.  He knows everything about us.  He knows our personalities with all our quirks and He still loves us.  That is amazing.  We can totally trust Him.   As Paul said, “Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!”  We don’t even need to be tattooed.  Well, maybe instead we can let Him write His name on our hearts.  See Revelation 3:12

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 21, 2013

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Perhaps you are as amazed as I am when listening to the drug commercials on TV.  The recitation of all the side effects, including possible death, is more than a bit disconcerting.  There is one comment that caught my attention.  The voice said, “Don’t take if you are allergic to it.”  Like yeah!  Do they have to tell us that?  Are we that stupid?  I guess so.  Because it seems that we continually do things to which we are allergic.  I see young people smoking.  The human body is absolutely allergic to tobacco but people use it.

There is pride which is allergic for our characters.  Most of us are guilty.  Actually all the things we call sins cause some nature of allergic reaction either physically, socially, mentally or spiritually.  That’s why certain things are labeled sins.  There isn’t one thing good for us that is called sin, unless we are just ignorant.  Tomatoes used to be thought poisonous.  Now we know better.  Someone must have tried to poison an enemy with a tomato and when it didn’t work we discovered they were actually good for us.

Then there are the allergic reactions that occur when we don’t do something like regular exercise.  So there are sins of omission as well as sins of commission.  Our bodies have been given to us to care for.   The better care we give them the better we think about things and the better decisions we make.  Life is obviously much better when we learn what our allergies are.  We can stay away from them.  Whether it is peanuts or aspirins wisdom dictates abstinence.  But unfortunately we have to be told and reminded.  It’s our pride.  It makes us think we are immune.  We aren’t.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 14, 2013

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Because of health concerns for a great friend, this afternoon I taught his classes at our community college.  When I entered one of the classrooms and asked if this was his class there was collectively immediate concern.  “Are you subbing?”  “Is he okay?”  “Will he be back next class?”  “What hospital is he in?”  “Can I call him?” “He’s a great teacher.” “I miss him already.”  These were just a sampling of the expressed care.  I was very impressed with the impact he had been making on these young lives and hope I will not let him or them down.  After one of today’s classes one of the students asked me if I was Jewish.  I’m still trying to figure out why he wondered that.  On this coming Thursday I need to ask him what I did or said that made him wonder.  I assured him that I was a Christian.

While driving home, accompanied by a glorious sunset, I remembered I Peter 3:15 which says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  Of course he did not ask “why.”  He only asked “was.”  If he had asked why, I hope I would have been quick enough to have an answer that went beyond, “Because I always have been.”

Each of us needs to stop all the momentum in our lives long enough to know why we love Jesus.  We need to have a succinct response without a lot of “himming and hawing.”  Or are we Christian merely because our parents were and our grandparents were?  Peter was right.  We need to be able to give a reason for this marvelous hope.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 11, 2013

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

There is a pretty little tree at the bottom of our hill.  Each evening while walking our dog we brush its branches.  You can imagine my more than slight reaction to notice, now that the leaves have fallen, there is a hornet’s nest inches above our path.   How often do we have close encounters of which we are totally naïve?  Highways, of course, are notorious.  We almost come grill to grill with other vehicles each doing sixty plus miles per hour with only a paint line between us and instant death.   Many years ago in north Georgia while hiking with my family I was totally unaware that I had just stepped on a poisonous snake until my family kindly pointed it out.

When I was really little my parents put a picture of an angel on my wall with Psalms 91:11.  “For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”  It was very comforting.  We can add to this, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” Psalm 34:7.

I wish I could say this is always true.  But we know it isn’t.  I do believe it is true on thousands of occasions but terrible things do happen to good people.  And really good things sometimes happen to really bad people.  Even Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 said of His Father, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  The truth is we do not understand all the “whys” of our existence.  We just have to trust that someday God will explain and then we will see that He always has our best interests at heart.  Always!

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 12, 2013

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Jenga is a non-fatal way to play Russian Roulette.  Instead of pulling a trigger one pulls out a block.  Eventually there is a loud crash and someone with a block in their hand loses.   In many ways it is like ignoring God’s commands.  You can pull out several blocks without the crash.  However, the crash will occur.  It is inevitable.  It is merely a matter of time.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap.”  (Galatians 6)  This is not a matter of God being irritated that we are disrespecting Him.  It is merely a matter of harvesting the fruit of stupidity.  When we enter an airplane we are trusting a host of people to get us safely to our destination.  Not only are we trusting the pilots but also the mechanics, the fuelers, the air traffic controllers, the air marshal, the weather forecasters, the computer programmers, the assembly line personnel who put together the thousands of parts, the people who prepared the food (if there is any) and on and on.  That is a lot of trust.  We do this because we believe those people have been well trained.

How is it that sometimes we ignore or don’t trust the Being who made the universe?  He does have a lot of experience. He wrote the manual.  Sin (not obeying) and obedience are a matter of common sense.  It is most unfortunate that people associate sin with religion and going to church, when ignoring God is running stop signs, driving on bald tires, texting while driving, playing Jenga.  The crash is coming.  It is merely a matter of time.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 30, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org