West Cobb Church / Ken Williams Blog

I saw the craziest site this morning while driving to work.  A deaf man was ranting and raving in a nearby car.  Both hands were moving wildly back and forth, as he scolded the child sitting next to him.  Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

The only problem with the scene… the deaf man was also driving 50 mph in heavy traffic.  And he didn’t just rant and rave for a moment.  This went on for a couple of minutes.  (I followed him… from a distance.)

I started thinking… what’s a deaf man suppose to do if he’s driving, upset with his child, and has something to say?  I guess he could try talking with only one hand, but maybe that ‘sounds’ more like whispering, or like stuttering.  I’m not sure.  But I do know that I’d feel ALOT better if he had at least one hand on the steering wheel.

This scene made me think about our lesson in church yesterday.  We talked about our reaction to people & God when we’re in the storms of life.  We learned that our best response was surrendering to the Holy Spirit by asking, ‘How Can I Honor God Right Now?’ Most of the time we avoid this question.  Instead, we tend to be like the deaf man in the car, asking ‘What Seems Right to Me Right Now?’ Inevitably, this second question leads us down a very unwise path.

I hope the deaf man starts thinking more of others when he drives.  And I hope we start thinking more of Jesus when we act.  Our question of the week is, ‘How Can I Honor God Right Now?’

I’m taking Spring Break off from the blog.  I’ll post again on Tuesday, April 13th.  But… you can feel free to post comments this week. Life’s still happening and God’s still moving, so post away!!!

Have a great week!

Like most of you, I grew up in a fairly ‘typical’ family.  I remember times of love and laughter, but also of fighting and arguing.  When I was young and heard my parents argue, I feared divorce.  And as the oldest of two children, I found great delight in picking on my younger brother.  I knew how to push his buttons.  Still do. 

But as I think about my friends’ families, one word separates my family from many of theirs… forgiveness.  Forgiveness permeated our family.  We all made plenty of mistakes – at times we were rude and mean – but we knew how to forgive.  And once we forgave, the topic never came up again.  It was an unspoken family rule.

Forgiveness is what I cherish about the cross, too.  Except that forgiveness from Jesus is different than forgiveness from my brother.  It’s because of the Jesus’ death on the cross that God receives me just like I am.  But because I grew up in a home that oozed forgiveness, I didn’t always appreciate God’s mercy like I should.  As I age though, that’s changing.  The older I get, the more aware I become of my sin.  It’s like peeling back an onion.  As a young adult, I thought that I’d find near-perfection in the middle of the onion.  What I’m realizing is that the middle of the onion contains rot – issues that self-discipline alone just can’t wipe away.  Issues like pride, self-sufficiency, fear, impatience, etc… And yet God receives me just like I am because of Jesus’ death on the cross.

Yes, forgiveness made our family unique.  It gave my life so much joy as a child.  But God’s forgiveness offers me so much more.  It gives my life meaning, love, and peace forever.  What more can a man ask for?