Author: rogerbothwell_kiywit

While I was sitting at my computer a housefly soared past my head and smashed into the computer screen. He either killed himself or at least knocked himself unconscious for he was immediately lying belly up by my keyboard. What surprised me next was a really tiny spider rushed out from under my keyboard and attacked the fly. It was a case of David against Goliath.

It reminded me of an incident one afternoon just outside Nairobi. A semi struck and killed an elephant. People from all over came with their machetes to cut up and carry away the giant. They looked so small beside the fallen behemoth.

Sometimes most of us feel like our lower nature is a giant. Paul calls it his “old man.” Freud called it our “id.” In Romans 7 Paul speaks about doing battle with this aspect of our humanity and often losing the battle. It is as if this elephant in our lives sits anywhere it pleases. If it were not for God’s promises to help us it would be most discouraging indeed. However the real joy is knowing we do not have to do battle alone. Help is always available.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” I Corinthians 10:13

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 16, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

The discussion was about best practices in teaching reading. My graduate students, most of them elementary teachers, were talking about the use of literature circles, journaling and other techniques used to enhance children’s reading skills. Then it happened one of them said, “You have to teach phonics until the children know how to read then you no longer need it.”

Ahh! There it was in one simple statement. In principle my student had summed up the book of Galatians. We need the Ten Commandments until by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit we become assimilated into the likeness of Jesus. It is then one no longer needs an external law. The underlying principles become the standard of life. We do not need to be told not to steal. We don’t want to steal. We do not have to be told not to tell bad stories about our neighbor. We don’t want to hurt his reputation.

Paul says it like this. “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” Galatians 3:24-5

Sometimes this verse confuses people because they think Christians are then free to live lawless lives. Quite to the contrary, the principles become as natural as breathing. We don’t have to have a command telling us to breath.

Wsritten by Roger Bothwell on September 13, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

Yesterday there was a loaf of Wonder Bread sitting by the roadside on my way to work. It was still there today. It looks quite intact. The brightly colored plastic cover shines in the sunlight protecting its nice soft chewy contents.

I like Wonder Bread. I know it is not very sophisticated to say so. People I associate with tell me it is low class to admit liking Wonder Bread. I am supposed to like multigrain and whole grain bread. You know – the kind of bread that fractures the tile on the kitchen floor if you drop it. I like Wonder Bread. You can wad it up into a nice white ball and bounce it off the floor.

I wonder if it will still be by the road tomorrow. I really don’t expect some hungry family to stop and pick it up but I was thinking some crows would get it. Crows are very busy on my street on trash day. They go down the street from one container to the next looking for treasures. The crows are not much different from us. We all spend our lives looking for treasure. Isn’t it strange that most of us look in the wrong place when it is so readily available?

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 5, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

Today I was reminded of the commonality of all people. We have on our campus a particular professor who enjoys being called “Doctor.” While most of us refer to each other by first names, she is not amused when we call her by her first name. She wants to be “Doctor.” Rarely will I do her the honor. Only in formal settings will I humor her.

I must admit that she is an elegant lady. She always dresses professionally and carries herself with a noble bearing. She could give the Queen of England competition when it comes to manners and being proper. However today, I caught her. Please excuse me for sounding crude but this is just too good to let pass. Today I caught her picking her nose. She had her finger up there like a fourth grader with a runny nose. What was great about this was she saw me catch her!

Ah, sometimes life is good. I wonder if she is afraid I will tell someone? Of course I wouldn’t tell just anyone. I will only tell the 1.5 million people who read this devotional.

Take away the uniforms and the fancy names. Take away positions and wealth. Take away the artificial trappings of life and each of us stands before God on level ground. Each of us is a sinner. Each of us needs the same thing. Each of us needs to be forgiven to be saved. How thankful I am that we do have a Savior. His name is Jesus.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 3, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

My wife had just baked five of the most luscious hot steamy cinnamon rolls. Leaving them on the kitchen counter she went upstairs for a moment and returned with her mouth all ready to experience a gastronomic delight. However, they were gone. The only trace of their existence was the scent and tracings of icing on the counter. In the next room an incredibly contented Labrador Retriever lay sleeping with a smile on her face. Telltale white icing was on her chin and cinnamon was on her breath. She was nailed.

The question remained, “What to do with her?” It would have been so easy to get angry. But how could that profit? It would add insult to injury for every time we get angry we release all kinds of chemicals and stress detrimental to our physical health. Each time we grow angry we harm ourselves more than the person or dog with which we are displeased.

Sometimes we say, “He makes me so angry.” But no one can make us angry. People or dogs can certainly irritate us but our response is up to us. We can become furious. We can retaliate. We can turn the other cheek.

When Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek in the Sermon on the Mount He is giving us practical counsel. Not only does turning the other cheek not instigate more trouble but it also reduces our internal stress level thus enabling us to live a longer healthier life. Everything Jesus asks us to do is for our benefit. He is so very practical.

Written by Roger Bothwell on February 4, 2007
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I waited in a grocery store checkout line this evening behind a mom with her three-year-old little girl. Mom was getting frustrated as her little one kept trying to put the food on the conveyor belt. For some unknown reason Mom was trying to stop her from helping and the more she tried to stop her the more the little girl insisted on helping. I could see frustration mounting and when the mother looked at me as if to apologize for the headstrong child I said, “Mom, she only wants to help.” At which point the mother stepped back and allowed the little girl to do the job.

“Ah,” I thought, “how many times do we frustrate God with our insistent efforts to help in important events?”

There are a host of things each day God could do better than we do but He is a patient parent. He steps back and allows us bungle our way along. It really is the only way we can grow. Real learning comes by doing. We can watch someone do something but we never really learn until we put our hand to the task. Of course God knows that. He made us that way. He designed and built us to learn by experience. He even allows us to fail hoping we will keep on trying until we are successful. He sends the Holy Spirit not to do the work but to aid us.

“I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” Philippians 1:19

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 7, 2006
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I have been told the purpose of education is to prepare people for service in this life and for service in the next life. I can understand the part about service in this life. I see people each day that are in need. I see many opportunities for service. What I don’t understand is the concept of service in the next life. I have always supposed eternal life was about being in a place where no one was in need. If I am to be surrounded by beings whose needs have been amply supplied by our heavenly Father, what kind of service am I to provide? I don’t know. In I Corinthians 2:9 Paul tells us eye has not seen and ear has not heard of the wonders God has prepared for us. I am beginning to understand that it is not a saturation of material things but a host of new opportunities for service. I am excited.

In the meantime I have been having trouble regarding the question of service here. Every time I try to do something for someone God quickly rewards me. Every time I cast my bread upon the water it returns multiplied.
It seems we cannot out give God. There is so much misery in this world to make Him sad I have come to believe He sooths His pain with the joy of giving good gifts to His children. No wonder Jesus told us to begin our prayers with, “Our Father.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 28, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

It took me four hours to travel the twenty miles of highway east of the George Washington Bridge. I was surrounded by thousands of cars and large trucks. At one point I was sitting dead still completely surrounded by eighteen-wheelers. I was obviously not in control of my situation but was imprisoned by circumstances.

I know people who live imprisoned lives. They are surrounded by people who never think a new thought and never want to try anything fresh. The operating principle of life is “Have we ever done this before?”

In Galatians 5:1 Paul writes, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Jesus frees us from worrying about the future. He has promised to save us if we will only allow Him. Once that important issue is settled we are free to utilize our energies for growth. We can concentrate on becoming a better us. We can venture forth to try new things and to think new thoughts.

It is no coincidence the Renaissance began in Europe. Even though the church often stifled progressive thought, true believers in the Word saw through those who would use religion to control others and instead allowed themselves to be filled with God’s spirit and firmly grasped the message of freedom in Christ. The world was never the same. The shackles of ignorance and tradition were thrown off in exchange for new ideas. Jesus came to set us free from sin, from guilt and ignorance. To think bold new ideas is the exciting future to which Christ calls us.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 21, 2007
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

It’s a long way from Phoenix to Providence and the man next to me decided he had to talk. We talked but a few minutes when we discovered we had a mutual friend. One of his closest colleagues had gone to college with me. He thought it was pretty amazing. I am not a statistician but I would guess the chances are pretty good that almost every time you get on an airplane there is someone on that plane who knows someone you know. A few years ago on a flight across the country I discovered the woman sitting beside me was my college roommate’s mother.

Humans are one very large family. And unfortunately we fight like a family.
Anyone who has raised children knows how siblings can go after each other. This seems very pronounced while traveling with the children in the back seat of the car. I think the advent of seatbelts has helped. Keeping them confined to one place surely has had to reduce all out battles.

There are so many things that motivate us to fight. History seems to indicate that warring is as natural as breathing. Jesus’ counsel to us to turn the other cheek is a lesson parents wish their children would learn when they are growing up together. Yet it is a hard lesson for adults to practice. It is easy to rattle swords and courageous to seek peace. No wonder Jesus said, “Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called His sons.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 20, 2007
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

I was driving across Nebraska when I was passed by a bright red pickup truck from Colorado. As I looked to my left to see who was speeding by I was a bit startled and amused to see a large white poodle sitting behind the steering wheel with its paws on top of the wheel. It seemed very focused on what was ahead.

The scene triggered in me the question, “Who is driving my life?” Is it I?
Is it someone else? Could it be me in connection with the Holy Spirit? I think I like the last suggestion the best. While the Word of God tells us not to lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) it also calls us to wisdom and learning. God longs for us to be like Him and He is a thinker.

In Revelation 7 we are told that Jesus will lead us to springs of living water. The context of that is about heaven but the truth is the same for even now. Springs of living water are available now. Jesus promised such to the woman at the well and same holds for us. The issue is how do we find these springs of living water. There is no doubt we cannot find them on our own and we certainly can’t find them with a big white poodle at the steering wheel.

John 16:13 says, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 20, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.