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Draper Kauffman had dreams that never came true. He graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy class of 1933 to become a sailor like his father. But something went wrong. He had poor eyesight, so the Navy washed him out. He decided to join a volunteer organization called the American Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The group served the French in their war with Hitler’s Germany. He was a warrior relegated to driving an ambulance. The Nazis discovered and imprisoned his unit. His captors released him in 1940 as the French surrendered. He went to England, where he joined the Royal Navy Reserve. They did not know what to do with him. The Royal Navy assigned him to disarm bombs, which did not explode during the Blitz of London. He went home after the war intensified, thinking his career was over. It was then that someone heard about a trained sailor who had nothing to do but disarm bombs. Authorities asked him to organize something never before seen…an Underwater Demolition School. After preparing some men, he went to the Pacific, where he awaited Japan’s never-to-come invasion. Even with the war over, he continued to instruct in underwater demolition. Over time, his efforts turned into something special. Perhaps you have heard of them. They are the Navy SEALs. Sometimes the worse disappointments close doors disguised as open doors. It was something Paul knew well. He planned to do intensive work in Asia Minor. God had other plans. The Spirit “did not allow him.” In a vision, plans changed. That closed door turned into churches like Thessalonica, Philippi, and Corinth. Inevitably, Christianity came to Europe, which, by extension, is where we came from. Before you grow discouraged when life doesn’t go your way, take each step along the way. God has other plans, and you may be part of those. If the door opens, step through it. -Robert G. Taylor-

Caught amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we tend to think this is the first one. The truth is Christians have lived through many. Today, the responses to the pandemic spread across the spectrum from hoax to disaster. But, Christians differed from emperors and pundits in other pandemics. Here are a few examples: The first hospitals built by Christians came in times of plague that killed millions. Their goal was to care for the sick. In the 4th Century, a plague took hold of the Roman Empire. Julian, the Roman emperor, complained that "the Galileans" took care of people who did not share their beliefs." Pontianus, a church historian, said that Christians "did good to all men, not merely to the household of faith." 1527, the bubonic plague came to Wittenberg, Germany, the home of Martin Luther. He refused to flee like so many others. Instead, he said, "the plague does not dissolve our duties: It turns them to crosses, on which we must be prepared to die." Jesus taught an essential principle that withstands all debates. It is true in all circumstances, including pandemics. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:39) The merits of medicine can face debate and examination. Christian principles are not open to the same debate. Christian look out for the needs of others above their own. So, how are you showing "love for neighbor" today? -Robert G. Taylor-

We want things to happen fast. Stopped at a red light, we wait for it to change. But the car behind you honks the horn the split second it turns green. Why? Slowpokes slow them down. It has brought on a new condition called slowness rage. Chelsea Wald described her own struggle: Not long ago, I diagnosed myself with the recently identified condition of sidewalk rage. It’s most pronounced when it comes to a certain friend who is a slow walker. Last month, as we sashayed our way to dinner, I found myself biting my tongue, thinking, I have to stop going places with her if I ever want to … get there! With instantaneous communication and on-demand entertainment, the concept of patience has disappeared. In fact, Harmut Rosa says the speed of human movement has increased by a factor of 100. Yet, things that last take more time than a Twitter tweet. God took centuries to get the plan to redeem man in place. He never rushed. For us, spiritual depth never develops through a single class or presentation. We have no 30-minute coaching session to spiritual maturity. Instead, it is as Isaiah said, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30–31) Don’t walk too fast. God leads at measured paces. Slow down and walk with God, not ahead of him. Then, you will get where you need to be when you need to be there. -Robert G. Taylor-

Eduardo Davila and his family left behind their war-torn country and political leaders who made life unbearable. They were seeking asylum, and all they had was their Nicaraguan passports. They were aliens who had come legally to this country but still were people without a country. They could not vote and had no legal protections. That changed in 2008. Davila and his family walked into a start government office in Miami. They took tests and swore allegiance to the United States. On that day, they got their papers. They were American citizens, with full rights and responsibilities. Davila and his family escaped the tyranny of their country and found freedom. They could live a better life, a peaceful life, a more abundant life. Citizenship is a precious commodity. Yet, we take it for granted. It is even more so when it comes to spiritual citizenship. Paul reminds the Ephesians and us of the position of a citizen in the kingdom of God. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, (Ephesians 2:19) Those who are citizens of God's kingdom are welcome in the household. They hold papers that grant eternity, hope, and peace. Our American citizenship is vital. But it is even more essential to be citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Do you have your papers? -Robert G. Taylor-  

Summer is a rough time to be a mailman. Century-degree temperatures wear a body out. Carmine McDaniel knew that. He wanted to do something for a man named Henry Bailey, whom he had befriended. Bailey was his mailman. He wanted to make sure his friend stayed cool and hydrated. He decided to leave a cooler filled with Gatorade and water on their front step. When Henry came to the house, he saw the cooler. The family’s video doorbell captured the reaction. “O man, water and Gatorade. Thank you, thank you.” When we have significant needs, the right gift at the right time means more than words can tell. It was that sentiment that Paul tried to express to the Ephesians. In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7) Out of His great wealth that God gave the ultimate gift, one that matched the need of you and I. None of us could help ourselves. It was the supreme gift out of the riches of God that meets our deepest Christ. When he comes to Carmine McDaniel’s door, Henry Bailey knows he will find something to slake a dry throat. When we come to God, we know we will find forgiveness and hope. And with Bailey, we can say to God, “thank you, thank you.” -Robert G. Taylor-

Jean-Claude Juncker keeps track of a lot in his job as European Commission President. Part of that is a book he calls Le Petit Maurice. He’s had the book for 30 years. The book has vital information. It contains the names of people who have betrayed him in the past. When someone double-crosses him, their name goes into the book. He said the book isn’t full because people “rarely betray me.” When Juncker was prime minister of Luxembourg, he stopped many attacks by saying, “Be careful, Little Maurice is waiting for you.” Most of us would never want to make that book. God doesn’t have a grudge book. Instead, he forgets the sins of the repentant. The Hebrew writer reminded his audience of God’s covenant in which: Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17) Men can carry grudges for years and remember every slight. God promises to forget the wrongs of the obedient. Praise God that he does not have a grudge book! -Robert G. Taylor-  

Aileen Cynthia Maggay-Amarao knew she had a treasure. It was a gift from a relative who was a fisherman. While helping him move, he gave Maggay-Amarao the gift. It was a 75-pound pearl. The man had kept it under his bed for 10 years. He said it was “his good luck charm.” It measured two feet long and one foot wide. It is possibly the most significant natural pearl found. Today, it is on display at the local city hall. Who knew that this modest home of a fisherman, held a treasure beneath a mattress? Jesus told a story about someone who found a pearl. He was a merchant whose trade was pearls. When he found one of immeasurable value, it says: When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matt 13:46) Most want a treasure, but they never believe it is in plain sight. The pearl of the gospel is not hidden under a bed or locked away in a vault.  Instead, God’s grace is open for anyone who will obey. If you had that kind of a pearl, wouldn’t you do all you could to keep it? Why not sometime more precious? -Robert G. Taylor-

In the Pixar movie Up, Doug the dog, has a problem. A squirrel crosses his path, and his attention flies to it. We are all like Doug today, easily distracted. Distracted driving causes 64% of car accidents The average student can focus on a given task for only 2 minutes. The typical Internet user’s online screen focus lasts for an average of 40 seconds. The average 25 to 34-year-old checks his or her phone 50 times per day. The average 25 to 34-year-old spends 2.5 hours per day on social media, while the average 8 to 18-year-old child spends 9 hours on social media per day. Excessive device usage is leading to decreases in marital and relational satisfaction. Loneliness is an epidemic, with 54% of people saying they always or sometimes feel that no one knows them well. On average, we spend 650 hours per year reading and responding to emails. We touch, swipe, and tap our screens an average of 2617 times per day. Those are the obvious distractions. They have their own dangers. But spiritual distraction is more subtle and for more dangerous. Jesus told a story of different kinds of soils in Matthew 13. In it, he described a soil woven with thorns. It doesn’t repel the seed. It only keeps it from growing. Listen to our distractions. “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22) When our focus is on the latest and loudest, the most immediate needs, we block out eternity. The things we own then owns us. We can lose our future by chasing our present. Look around and pay attention to what has your attention. If it distracts you from serving God wholeheartedly, it may choke the life from you. -Robert G. Taylor-

Everyone wants to be “special.” It has become an especially common theme in the lives of many young people. Joseph Davis tells of the growing sense of anxiety, especially among college students. Meghan, a 19-year-old scholarship student at a first-rate university, is frustrated and despairing of herself. She explains that she is attending her “safety school” and wants to “show that I should be somewhere better by acing all my classes and being president of 40 organizations.” But, she adds, “that is really not happening. I am, if anything, a mediocre student … and that just makes me so angry at the world and then me for not being the best person.” Although she wants “to impress someone,” she says, “I end up being impressively unimpressive,” and that “crushes me.” In short, Meghan, like everyone is seeking to stand out as special. Being special is not found in great achievement or outward status. Instead, it comes from unique relationships that recognize a person for who they are. Paul would tell us that God gives high status to those who come to him in faith and obedience. “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:7) When someone is adopted, they are chosen. God takes the worst, the downtrodden, the outsider, and the average and elevates them. They become a son of God, heir of all things. No higher sense of “specialness” exists. When you start feeling unappreciated, remember that in Christ, you are special. And he cares only that you are faithful. He gives the status. -Robert G. Taylor-

As the world moves on from “shelter-at-home” to “try out a new normal,” the conversation turns to change. How has the COVID-19 crisis changed your life? We altered shopping, made friends with face coverings, and experienced more of the online life than wanted. We think we have changed. But have we? Dr. Noam Shpancer, who studies human behavior, is skeptical. Most of the lessons of coronavirus—the clarified priorities; the acute awareness of life’s fragility and worth; the new appreciation of simple social pleasures; those grand promises we make to ourselves when our taken-for-granted assumptions are temporarily violated—will fade with time, becoming mere tales of contexts past. And we will go back to being short-sighted, self-focused, conflicted, and as mired in trivial preoccupations as ever. Only by becoming aware of this default mode in our system do we gain the possibility of subverting it. The problem with most change is its source. We change the outside without any change on the inside. When change is about behavior rather than the heart, it will revert back to what was. That’s why Jesus emphasized a different kind of change. When Jesus worked miracles in the town of Galilee, the works amazed them but did not change them. Matthew tells us, Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed because they did not repent.” (Mt 11.20) Jesus was looking for a deep down, below the skin kind of change. They would not change that much. If you are relying on COVID experience to change you, you will find yourself disappointed. But if you bring your heart to God’s will, you change not only actions but your reason for living. Don’t depend on circumstances to change you. Take your life to God and let him do the changing. -Robert G. Taylor-