Roger Bothwell

She has a black wet nose. She wants to please. There are certain things she does understand. She sits. She speaks. She finds her toy. She gets the newspaper. She wants to do more but there is so much she does not understand. When talked to she sits and listens attentively. She cocks her head and looks quizzically saying, “Can’t you bark that to me?” But there is a barrier.

Sometimes our noses are wet. We want to please. There are certain things we do understand. We sit. We speak. We find toys. We can read the paper. We want to do more but there is so much we do not understand. When God talks to us we sit and listen attentively. We too cock our heads and look quizzically through the pages of the Bible saying, “Can’t you speak more plainly to us?” But there is a barrier.

Hopefully as my dog grows older she will understand more. Hopefully as we grow older we will understand more. For now we see as through a dark glass. We catch glimmers of movement on the other side. There is hope. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 we read, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Perhaps my dog will never understand, but we will.

Written March 25, 2002

Tucked away in many closets and cupboards are stacks of old table games: Monopoly, Careers, Candyland, Memory, Mastermind and others. The sight of them often brings memories of eager little ones begging for someone to play with them. Ah, the fine art of playing games with children. It is called, “How to let them win without their knowing you are letting them win.” Those same little ones years later have most likely learned the fine art of, “How to let the old guy win without his knowing they are letting him win!”

We all like to win and a favorite verse of Scripture is about winning. In Romans 8:37 we read, “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Jesus makes sure we are winners. The passage goes on to say that there is nothing in heaven or on earth than can separate us from God’s love. Talk about winning! It is so grand; Paul says we are more than winners. What we get is so wonderful it is beyond our concept of what it means to win.

In Philippians 3:14 Paul writes, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Since Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that we have eternal life as a gift, eternal life cannot be what we are trying to win. We already have the gift. Read the verse more carefully. The prize we are to win is our high calling to be like Jesus Himself

Written April 5, 2002

When astronauts return to earth after an extended stay in space their muscles have to readjust to the downward pull of gravity. Gravity is what creates weight. If one wants to weigh half as much, all one needs to do is move to a planet with half the gravitational pull. It is the pull that keeps our muscles toned. Those pictures advertising electronic stimulation of the muscles promising wonderfully cut bodies are just not true. Muscles develop in reaction to resistance. Finely cut bodies are the result of disciplined hours of resistance training.

In a similar fashion our minds only develop to higher levels of performance when challenged. Study, memorization, and critical thinking all contribute to keener perception. Just as a couch potato gets soft and squishy so our brains lose their edge when fed a diet of sitcoms. Resistance, hard work and discipline apply across each aspect of our lives. Our physical, mental and spiritual natures grow stronger when challenged.

If you are a conservative be thankful for the presence of liberals. If you are a liberal rejoice because there are conservatives present. The conservatives hold on to tradition and values that come from centuries of lessons learned. Liberals stimulate growth and change with new ideas. When each resists the other something good occurs for the whole.

Jesus understood this. That is why in Matthew 5 He told us to rejoice when difficulties come. They make us stronger.

Written May 8, 2002

The crowd watched in awe as the stunt plane streaming white smoke climbed vertically into the sky spiraling upward with the mighty engine straining against the relentless pull of gravity. Slower and slower it climbed until gravity won. The plane sat on its tail shuddering and then it fell over tumbling end over end toward the mesmerized crowd below. As it fell back to earth everyone noticed a man standing on the top wing. Cabled in place he waved to the throng below. Surely this man must have a death wish. But probably not. His was a case of absolute faith. Obviously he trusted the person at the controls. His faith was rewarded. As the plane tumbled to earth it regained sufficient speed to fly again and the pilot rolled it out into a perfect arch above the crowd.

In John 14 Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Life can tumble us about but if we will trust Jesus we will be rewarded with an eternity of endless growth. He wants us to be with Him. Just imagine. He—wants us—to be with him.

Written January 26, 2003

In 2003 it would have been pretty difficult for anyone with a television not to know about Joe Millionaire, who according to Fox Network, was a construction worker pretending to be a millionaire in order to woo a gold-digger. It was by far one of the worst shows ever produced.

If it was so bad, why bother to mention it? There is a reverse story. And this one is true! The wealthiest being in the universe became poor and lived with us. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the most remarkable story of all time. Paul describes it like this, “He, Jesus, had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status…. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!…It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.” Phil. 2: 6-8

It is such an incredible story. How could the Creator become one of His created? Why should He care enough about us to do it? God’s love knows no bounds. His compassion for us is the theme of all time. In Colossians 1: 15-16 Paul writes, “ We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.”

What a story we have to tell! What a God we have to love and be loved by!

Written March 3, 2003

He could not find them. Somewhere in his house his glasses were hiding from him. Were the glasses laughing at him as he walked past them searching first in the obvious places and then in the obscure? They had to be in the house. He had driven home with them and had not left the house without them. Fiendishly they mocked him as they watched him crawl about on hands and knees peering under a couch, pulling the cushions off his favorite chair. This was great sport for them. He threatened punishment—a good bath—should he apprehend them. In the meantime, he was grateful for an old pair that worked fairly well even if the prescription was different. However, his eyes struggled to adjust to the different lenses.

It is a challenge to see things differently. We like our usual ways of looking at people and ideas. It is far easier to change our socks than it is to change our minds. Two people see and hear the same thing and yet each sees and hears something different. What we see or hear is the product of the event liberally sprinkled with pinches of prejudices, predispositions, religious beliefs, family loyalties and what we want to see and hear.

“Who can discern his errors?” Psalms 19:12

Written October 28, 2002

It’s a shabby old building sitting amidst some fairly nice looking business establishments. Its white paint hasn’t looked fresh for decades. It is so rundown-looking it has a certain charm, but what really catches one’s attention is the large sign above the porch. It reads, “Greendale Improvement Society.” The paint on the sign is so faded you have to look carefully to read its ironic message.

Like that old building many of us make resolutions to improve ourselves and soon discover our best intentions have become historic relics. New Years Day comes and we decide to lose weight, read that pile of books we bought last year, memorize 1 Corinthians 13, return a faithful tithe, exercise everyday and not yell at the kids. Nevertheless, just like the Greendale Improvement Society’s chipped paint and faded sign, our dreams of improvement become charming artifacts. At least we hope they are charming.

Self-discipline is an admirable trait that deserves an Academy Award. While it will never receive one, self-discipline does come with built-in rewards.

Nine times in the Psalms the Psalmist cries out to the Lord, “Help me.” If we have some good intentions about self-improvement, it is time to ask for help lest we become like the Greendale Improvement Society’s old building.

Written January 28, 2003

He stood in front of the teacher’s desk and said, “I’m 30 years old and I’m lonely. I can’t get a girlfriend.”

“Is there anyone out there you find attractive?” the teacher asked.

“Yes,” he said, “but they always say they only like me as a friend.”

“What do you ask them?” the teacher continued.

“I ask them to be my girlfriend. But they always say, ‘No.’”

“Do you ever ask them out for a date? Won’t they go out at all with you?” queried the teacher.

“I never get to ask them out,” he replied. “They won’t agree to be my girlfriend. I can’t spend any money if it will be wasted.”

The secret to his problem was evident. How fortunate we are that God is very different from this young man. In 1 Corinthians Paul tells us we were bought with a price and the price was paid before we were God’s friends. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10

Rogers & Hammerstein had it right in “The King & I” when they wrote,

“Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.”

Jesus is delighted when we get to know Him.

Written January 26, 2003

It was a red 2000ish Toyota. It was sitting in the school parking lot with its lights on. A student walking across the lot wanted to help. So she went over and tried to get to the light switch but it was locked. How frustrating! In just a few hours the owner would have a real problem and she could not help. She walked away leaving the 2000ish Toyota with its lights sucking the energy from its battery.

Have you ever wondered if there are times when God wants to help us but He can’t. While it is true, God is all-powerful and could force His good sense on us, He will not violate our power of choice. To do so would shatter the principle of love, which only exists where there is choice. Love is not love when it is coerced. Once coerced, it becomes benevolent tyranny.

Our coed could have broken a window of the Toyota to gain access to the light switch, but the broken window would have been a violation of the owner’s property. The solution to the problem would have been worse than the immediate difficulty. Should God violate our freedom by imposing His wisdom on us, His intervention would have long-term effects worse than the fruit of our immediate danger.

God could have forced Eve away from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but had He done so everything He has asserted about freedom and choice would have been a lie. (Titus 1:2)

Written April 13, 2003

There is no denying the value and benefits of healthful eating. We have a much better chance of having a healthy mind if it is housed in a well-nourished healthy body. When we are healthy we make better decisions because our minds are not affected by internal poisons, chemical imbalances and medications. When we are healthy we have more reserves and are more patient with others thus creating a happier atmosphere for all concerned.

However sometimes we make the mistake of turning diet into a religion. Religion is about our morality and our walk with God. It is a truth Jesus wanted us to understand. In Mark 7 Jesus asked, “Are you so dull?” Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body. What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, immorality, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander and arrogance. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”

Jesus is not telling us everything is healthy to eat. We know better than that. He is trying to tell us life has priorities. The way we treat each other is far more important than examining each other’s grocery carts.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17

Written April 30, 2003