Dr. Jon R. Roebuck, Executive Director

What’s wrong with Martha?  I mean, there she is, welcoming Jesus into her home but when the moment comes to sip a little “Living Water” she’s too busy in the kitchen to even notice.  You remember the story well.  According to Luke 10:38-42, Jesus has come to the home of Mary and Martha.  Mary sits at His feet, listening to every word that flows from His mouth.  Martha is in the kitchen, distracted with all her preparations.  She must have been from the South… she cares deeply about hospitality, decorum, and good food.  She and Paula Dean would have been best friends.  She spends the day fussing over the meal while her sister spends the day in the company of Jesus.  Jesus even tells Martha when she comes to complain about Mary’s behavior that Mary has spent the day more wisely.

I’ve read that story a thousand times but have refused to see myself reflected in its image.  Until now.  I’m fearful that I am playing the part of Martha this thanksgiving, because that’s how I usually spend the holiday.  Thanksgiving at our house is a big deal.  Because our home is more centrally located than my wife’s siblings’ houses, we host the family in our home for a few days each year.  It used to be easier when the kids were little and you could sleep all seven on a blanket on the floor.  But now the kids are grown and some are married and some even have kids of their own.  We have to plan through work schedules, nap times, and airline fights just to attempt a thanksgiving meal for all 19 of us.  Ages will range from 2 weeks old to 90 years.  I even built a set of corn hole games for the weekend painted with Alabama and Auburn logos, after all it is Iron Bowl week.  It gets a little crazy… especially when you are hosting the event.  Many of you have experienced some of the same dynamics.

I have discovered through the years, that if I am not careful, I will spend more time fussing over the meal than I will in spending the day in the company of my family.  I worry about having enough ice, a well-cooked turkey, a clean house, and a raked yard.  I want everything to run smoothly and be ready for company.  (The last two years we have even added the stress of having the house decorated for Christmas before the Thanksgiving crowd arrives.)  I have to rethink the question of purpose.  Why do we do what we do at Thanksgiving?  Is it really all about the food we consume, the house we clean, and the paper goods we buy… or is it about the company that we keep?

This year I’m going to attempt to worry less about the details and focus more on my family.  I have no doubt we will have plenty to eat.  I’m not worried about having enough beds for everyone to sleep.  I’m not even going to stress if the dishes pile up in the sink.  Maybe I will have the time to even reflect on the things for which I am most grateful.  Surely that’s a better way to spend the season.  It’s time to get out of the kitchen Martha… the best things are happening in the next room.

Dr. Jon Roebuck, Executive Director

I’m one of those people who believe that our life stories are always being written by God into a much greater narrative.  In other words, some moments that we hardly think twice about, are a part of God’s plan for something greater that He is doing.  I often tell people that God is weaving the tread of our life story into a much larger tapestry designed to change hearts and lives.  And sometimes, we are privileged to catch a glimpse of God at work.  There is great joy in knowing that our lives are being used by God and connected in some exciting ways.  I had one of those serendipitous moments last week…

In the midst of the election turmoil that filled the nation with angst and uncertainty, my family was busy celebrating one of the great days that we will long remember.  Our son and daughter-in-law welcomed their 2^nd daughter into the world.  Her name is Lydia and she is healthy and strong and we are blessed beyond measure.  She is our third granddaughter.  But here’s where the story of “paying it forward” got woven into the story.  While in the hospital, my daughter-in-law picked up the phone to order her meal from food services.  The kind lady on the other end of the conversation took her order and asked for her name and room number.  When she said her last name was Roebuck, the lady hesitated for a moment and asked, “Are you related to Pastor Roebuck?”  (As most of you know, I pastored Woodmont Baptist Church here in Nashville for the past 17 years.) She said, “Yes. He’s my father-in-law.”  The lady on the phone then replied, “He built my house about 2 years ago and participated in the dedication service.”  Her home is located in an area of town where Habitat for Humanity has built a number of sturdy, affordable homes.  I had been a part of the Habitat team that built her home.  My daughter-in-law then replied, “I was also a part of that team.  I too helped to build your home.”  It was a nice moment when the connection between builder and owner was made.  (I’m pretty sure my daughter-in-law got really good service that morning!)

Who knew?  Who knew that something we had done a couple years previous would be remembered on the day our granddaughter was born? Who knew that the one serving the meal would be the same one who 2 years earlier had been served herself by my daughter-in-law’s Habitat involvement?  Simply stated… God knew.  No… it was not some great life-changing, destiny altering moment, but it was interesting the see the connecting points.  What some would suggest was just a wild coincidence, is seen by others as the intentional working of God.  It happens all the time in the presence of those who have the eyes of faith with which to see. God can be seen in the everyday experiences of life, carefully arranging people, place, and moment.

I had an old ethics professor in Seminary who used to say, “You have to be willing to plant a few trees in whose shade you will never rest.”  I think he’s right.  We are called to do good deeds and compassionate acts, not for the glory we will receive or the pats on the back we might feel… we are called to do Kingdom things because they are the right things to do.  We don’t serve the world for the sake of self-adulation.  We serve the world because our faith compels us to do so.  And when those moments do occur… when we see how our hands become the hands of God, we should pause to reflect for a moment, grateful that we have been honored to be used of God.

Dr. Jon Roebuck, Executive Director

Once again we have the important and rare privilege that our democracy affords us of going to the polls this week and casting our vote.  Thank God that we can.  And thank God that its nearly over.  For almost two years America has been caught up in the rhetoric of partisan politics.  We have heard the speeches, watched the debates, listened to the platforms, and formed our opinions.  It has been a long, angry, divisive battle.  The question becomes where to go from here…

What will happen when the dust clears later this week?  What happens when the votes are counted and a winner is proclaimed?  Will we stand and celebrate the electoral process and marvel that as Americans we have once again celebrated the peaceful transference of power?  Will we shake hands with our political enemies and seek to craft a more perfect union?  Maybe… maybe not.

Allow me to suggest some steps to take on the morning of November 9^th as the dust starts to clear.

1. Put your Christian convictions into practice. In other words, act Christ-like.  Think before you speak.  Extend compassion in your attitudes.  Offer grace.  Jesus offered the radical idea of loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us… that includes those on the other side of the political aisle.  Refuse to the temptation to write off a friendship because of politics.  Christ is not honored by broken relationships.  Christians are to be known by their love, not by lingering, divisive attitudes towards those who disagree with them.
2. Pray for the new president. Paul writes to Timothy, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior…” (I Timothy 2:1-3) How you pray is critical.  Your prayers should be for the health and well-being of the President, for wisdom, and for safety. As a believer, you should offer that prayer consistently.
3. If you have been caustically active on social media, you need to ask God to forgive you and apologize to your fellow citizens. Without question social media has given voice to millions with little governance or consequence.  Rumors, falsehoods, and opinions quickly became accepted truth.  Deceit remains sinful, even if carried out on the internet where people will often say something electronically to someone else that they would never say in person.
4. Begin to create a better nation by becoming a better citizen. Volunteer at a non-profit.  Give to charities that do important work.  Get to know your neighbors.  Develop relationships with people who are very different from you… racially, ethnically, religiously, philosophically.
5. Be a gracious winner or a good loser. The nation is divided enough.  The hostility needs to quieten.  No one needs to read one more ugly post from you on Facebook or hear you taunt your conquered foes on Twitter.  Take down your yard signs and move ahead.  There is work that needs to be done by all of us as Americans.  It’s time for us to get back to the concept of the “United” States.

May God help us forge a better nation, a more thoughtful dialogue, and a more civil discourse.  It all begins with each of us.

 

 

Dr. Jon R. Roebuck, Executive Director

I was walking across campus today, minding my own business, making the trek from the parking garage to my office, both arms filled with stuff when it happened.  I felt it before I even saw it.  For some inexplicable reason, my right shoe decided that it had been tied long enough and it gave up the ghost.  It just came untied.  There was no place to stop, set down my load, and re-tie the shoe and so I shuffled my way to my office, fearful that my shoe was about to slide off my foot at any moment.  I hate when stuff like that happens.  Everything seems to be going along nice and smooth and then suddenly something changes.

 

For most of us the problem is greater than a shoe that won’t stay tied.  Such a problem is easily fixed.  It’s the other disruptions that tend to bring us more than our fair share of angst and worry.  Take for example when the IRS sends a little note in the mail telling you that there were some errors with your return.  Or what about the phone call from the auto repair place telling you that you need new rotors along with the brake pads?  Or what about when the school nurse calls to let you know your sweet little daughter is throwing up like she could star in the new filming of The Exorcist?  I always feel for the poor guy who has the wreck on the interstate during the morning commute.  Obviously his day is not going to flow smoothly.

 

The disruptions will come.  And when they do, our once, well-ordered lives struggle to find footing again.  Let’s talk about the really big, life-altering kind of disruptions that sometimes land at our front door.  What if the phone call is from your doctor and she tells you that there are some irregularities with the blood work?  What if the market drops and suddenly your plans for retirement get put on hold for a few more long years?  What if you get a call from a friend telling you that a former class-mate just ended his life?  What happens when you are cruising along with your arms are filled with the constant baggage of daily routine and suddenly a huge storm blows into your life?  What then?  Where can you set down your load long enough to grieve and think and find shelter?

 

I think the key is in relationships.  We simply cannot afford to walk through life all alone.  Listen to the admonition of Scripture.  “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)  We were made to live in community with each other.  We were never meant to take on the disruptions by ourselves.  It’s part of the reason that Jesus said when speaking about His departure from earth, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.” (John 14:16-17)  Through the work of His Spirit, God has made it possible for us to never be alone.  His Spirit indwells our lives continually.  We can never find ourselves in a place, no matter how dark, nor how scary, where the Spirit can’t minister to us.

 

But let’s be honest, as good as that promise is, sometimes we need flesh and blood to hold our hands, wipe our tears, and hug our necks.  We need the Word to become flesh.  In order to have such a person in our lives, we have to risk, invest, and offer compassion.  We tend to gain friends as we offer ourselves to others in an act of friendship.  And so we have to risk a relationship.  We have to risk being vulnerable, being betrayed, and even being rejected.  Not everyone is going to be the Godly person you need, but until you risk giving yourself away you will not find that one special relationship.  We also have to invest.  Relationships take time and effort.  They take being inconvenienced at times or offering emotional energy at other moments.  We tend to get out of a relationship what we put into a relationship.  And yes, we have to offer compassion.  Friendships are forged on the anvil of thoughtful deed and loving attention.  And though many of us might boast in the number of Facebook friends we have on our social media accounts, we should really count ourselves blessed if we have those one or two people in the world who will always help, always pray, and always come to our aid.

 

You can count on life getting a little messy.  Your world is going to get untied from time to time.  I pray that when it does, your friends will be there to pick you up.  And I also pray that when called upon to do so, you will be there to help your friend tie his shoe when his arms are too full and his life is too painful.

 

 

Dr. Jon R. Roebuck, Executive Director

 Check out these verses from the story of ancient Israel as they gathered around Mount Sinai…

 

“Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.” Exodus 24:9-10

You may want to read those two verses again.  Seventy-four men go up to Mount Sinai and there they “saw the God of Israel.”  It’s not the kind of thing that happens every day.  These men, in some magnificent, mysterious, glorious way were able to catch a glimpse of God.  They even described the pavement of sapphire
on which He walked.  (I know what you’re thinking… I thought no one could look on God and live.  That’s usually the case.  But God can certainly reveal Himself to whomever He chooses in whatever way He chooses.  And at least on this day, God was seen by the elders of Israel.)  Don’t you know that this image never left their hearts or minds for as long as they lived.  How many times did they tell the story of this day?
Let’s be honest, catching a glimpse of Almighty God is a rare thing.  I have not seen His face, nor has anyone else that I know.  I do hope to look on His face one day when His Son introduces me to Him in glory… but that’s a different devotional thought for another day.  Today I’m more concerned about seeing the face of God in the everyday lives we live.  The truth of the matter is that we CAN see Him each day if we know where to look.  God inhabits His creation.  And so God is revealed to us in tiny glimpses through the faces of people that we encounter.  How’s that for a thought… a little of God is present in every face we see.  If that is true, then God can be seen in the faces of rich and powerful as well as the faces of the poor and powerless.  He’s present in the face of that homeless guy selling papers on the corner.  He’s present in the face of that unwed pregnant girl at the shelter.  He’s present in the face of that troubled teenager you are raising and in the face of the senior adult at the nursing home.  And yes, He is even seen in the face that stares back at you from the mirror.  And if that is true… then suddenly your face and the face of the billions who share the planet take on a whole new worth.  What a glorious day it would be today, if you and I really began to see others the way that God does.  What if we looked closely enough to even see His resemblance?

To see His face today will require several things.  We have look beyond our first-impression judgment of others.  We cannot see color, nationality, nor gender if doing so clouds our vision.  We have to hear beyond language. If we think God only speaks English we are mistaken.  We also have to look beyond our long-formed impression of others.  History and experience with an individual cannot be allowed to blind us to the image of God within them.  So look closely today at the faces you see.  You may just catch a glimpse of your Father.

 

The Belmont University Institute for Innovative Faith-Based Leadership is excited to announce a weekly podcast that will offer insight, inspiration and information about matters of faith, leadership and culture.

Consistent with our mission statement, these weekly podcasts will endeavor to speak to relevant issues in culture, relational issues in community and resourceful ideas in funding. From time to time the podcast will feature interesting interviews with authors, theologians and community leaders who visit the Belmont campus.

Hosted by Executive Director Dr. Jon Roebuck, each podcast will be available for download from our website beginning very soon!

 

-Dr. Jon R. Roebuck, Executive Director

The picture above this article shows my favorite Bible.  It’s a leather-bound New American Standard New Testament.  As you can tell, it’s been with me for a while.  It has traveled the world with me.  It has joined me for countless graveside services.  It has stood with me in the pulpit for the better part of two decades.  But, as you can tell, it’s getting a little worn and weary.  Not only has most of the leather cover “given up the ghost,” but any day now, the thin threads that hold the Book of James together are going to fail.  (James’ connection between faith and works might get a little disconnected!)

 

I have tried for a long time to replace it with a similar Bible.  This particular edition went out of print a long time ago.  I like the size, the feel of leather in my hands, and the easy-to-read font.  I just haven’t been able to find anything close, and believe me, I have searched.  I am also a fan of the New Living Translation.  Trying to find a leather-bound New Testament in that translation has proved to be quite a challenge as well.  Sure, there are a lot of choices out there with plenty of colors, covers, and font choices, but so far, I can’t find the Bible I like.

 

A lot of people I know are struggling with the same issue, although in a different kind of way.  It seems these days that a lot of people have grown uncomfortable with the Bible they once held in their hands.  The pull of modern culture and the demands of being relevant have forced many to look for truth and moral direction in other places.  Feeling the pressure of societal acquiescence, pluralistic thought, and even political agenda has forced many to shelve their Bibles with the thought, “It was certainly good for a while, but not anymore.  It’s too outdated and too restrictive for this day and age.”  I beg to differ.

 

What becomes outdated and out-of-touch is not the truth of Scripture, but rather our limited interpretations of it.  Rather than read the Bible with fresh eyes, open minds, and compassionate hearts, we dive into the text looking for a proof text to justify some judgmental ideology, a club to beat up some wayward sinner, or a verse to help us claim moral superiority over those whose opinions and thoughts don’t align with those of our own.  What we have forgotten is that we go to the Scriptures to discover the love, grace, and redemption of our Savior, not to justify our stances.  It is almost as though we would rather change what the Bible says, than be changed by the Bible.

 

Whether I like it or not the Bible says these things:  Love all of your neighbors, care for widows and orphans in their time of distress, welcome the sojourner to your land, pray for your government leaders, turn your cheek to your enemy who strikes you, pursue justice, end hatred, embrace mercy, feed the poor, clothe the naked, sell what you have and give to those in need, proclaim release to the captives, and set free those who are downtrodden.  It does not say that it’s okay to sell your convictions for the sake political party alignment.  It does not condone the abuse of women.  It does not look the other way at crude and course conversation.  It does not marginalize immigrants or promote racial superiority.  It does not applaud greed.  It does not celebrate infidelity.  It does not give approval to deception.

 

So if you are looking for a Bible with which to destroy your opponents, justify hatred, sanction prejudice, or promote avarice, you won’t find it.  The Bible you are looking for simply does not exist.  The only one you will find will demand that you, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Luke 10:27)  Maybe it is not a new Bible you need, but more time to read the old one.

 

Most of you have seen the movie entitled, “The Help.”  It’s a look at life in Jackson, Mississippi back in the early 60’s when racial division and inequality were most evident in the lives of the citizens of that community.  I’ve watched it several times and I am sadly reminded of a time when so many people were marginalized and treated as if they were less-than-human.  I guess part of what saddens me is that much of the division and inequality between races remains still.

 

In the movie, an African-American maid and nanny named Aibileen Clark, played by Viola Davis, helps to raise a young white girl named Mae Mobley, played by Eleanor Henry.  In her role as a nurturing care-giver, Aibileen attempts to speak encouragement, value and worth into the life of the young girl by having her repeat several phrases along with her.  “You is smart, you is kind, you is important.”  Twice in the movie the exchange between the two is shown. As you watch each scene you get a sense of how important it is to both of them to instill and receive those words of affirmation. (https://youtu.be/3H50llsHm3k)

 

Earlier this week I participated in a seminar devoted to the topic of “The Role of Faith & Mental Health.” Dr. Steven Scoggin of Wake Forest Baptist Health was the presenter.  Dr. Scoggin spoke about the bio-psycho-social factors that affect the health and well-being of every human.  He spoke about the value and importance of community indicating that a child raised in social isolation will suffer life-long health concerns equally damaging as problems brought about in the life of someone who is a life-long smoker.  In other words, emotional health and words of affirmation go a long way in bringing wellness to someone’s life.  Of the 40 million American adults who will suffer from mental health issues this year, many of them could be greatly helped by encountering people who are kind to them and who listen to them.  In fact, people who are compassionate, kind, and non-judgmental bring a healthcare dimension to a patient suffering with mental health issues, equal to that of a physician’s visit.  Remarkable, right?  Research has shown that whenever someone encounters a person who is kind and listening, there is a reaction that physically changes the brain of the sufferer.  Have you ever noticed that certain people seem to always make you feel better?  It’s because their compassion and grace actually cause your brain to think and feel differently.

 

So let’s zero in on children’s health for a moment.  One of the most important things you can do as an adult is to speak words of affirmation and encouragement to the children under your care.  How they view themselves, how they see the world around them, and even their mental health can be greatly affected by your words of affirmation.  I was fortunate as a child.  I grew up in a household where I was encouraged, loved, and affirmed.  I’m not naïve enough to think that the same scenario happens in every family.  Maybe your experience was quite different.  Maybe you were not affirmed or encouraged.  Maybe no one spoke worth into your life.  And God forbid, maybe you were emotionally and physically abused.  I pray that you can learn from your experience and refuse to continue the devastating cycle into the next generation.  That takes courage.

 

The world is a dangerous place.  There are plenty of negative influences waiting to damage the health and well-being of your children.  You have to make the difference.  Invest the time and energy it takes to be present in the life of your children.  Read to them.  Play with them.  Encourage them.  Love them.  Speak worth and value into their lives.  Remind them over and over again that they are smart, kind, and important.