Making A Difference
Sermon
No Particular Place to Go
Sermons For Sundays After Pentecost (Middle Third)
There is a movement under way today -- almost underground -- that is designed to help young people. It's a movement championed by mothers concerned about the challenges facing children and youth these days. Moms In Touch International began almost fifteen years ago when two Canadian mothers decided to get together with some friends to pray for their children entering junior high school. Today there are Moms in Touch groups in every state, and representatives in about 45 foreign countries.
"It's a real recognition of what is happening in society," says one of the participant mothers, Sally Simpson. Sally meets weekly in a local church with other mothers to pray for their children and their school. "Television, videos, music -- all of those outside influences are affecting kids' behavior," Sally explains. "As a mom, you ask, 'What can I do to try to have an impact on what is happening in society today?' Of course, the first thing is prayer," Sally states with conviction.
"It's a group of powerful women with hearts committed to pray for their children," explained Pennsylvania Moms in Touch coordinator Kathleen Nicol. "Praying for protection for our children is vitally important," said another mother, Linda White, who serves as coordinator for eleven Moms in Touch groups in south central Pennsylvania. "God chooses the most normal, everyday person to do what God wants," Linda explained, "and that's what we are --just normal, everyday moms."
Ordinary, everyday people can and do make a difference in their community and ultimately the world. What is most important for you in your life? There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people. Consider for a moment the single most important thing in your life. If you could choose, what one thing would you want to be remembered for? There are times in our mixed-up, confused world that we lose our focus of what is of utmost importance. Our attention is drawn to less important things while what is most important is often ignored or at least neglected. Some focus exclusively on getting more money and possessions while neglecting all other aspects of their lives. Too frequently we hear of people who built business empires while at the same time their personal lives suffered, and they experienced poor health, broken marriages, and children who felt as if they did not know their parents. Or worse, the children felt unloved and unimportant. Growing up in such a situation, it's no wonder that some children find themselves in trouble.
The goal or purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to transfer wisdom to the next generation. Too little attention is given to children in our adult-oriented world. The wise teacher who is portrayed throughout the Book of Proverbs instructs young students to avoid the traps and shortcomings which he himself might have fallen into. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction," we find in the very first chapter of Proverbs. This principle is highlighted throughout Proverbs.
In the last chapter of Proverbs we find King Lemuel's mother instructing her son. Like all mothers, she was concerned with her son's well-being, afraid that he might lose his focus. It appeared that the young ruler was spending too much time in partying and other self-indulgent activities. His mother admonished him, "It is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink." This was one trap that his mother did not want to see her son fall into.
Following this counsel, attention was turned to finding a worthy wife for the king. As with all mothers and fathers, the monarch's mother had high hopes for her son concerning whom he would marry. She wanted the best for her son; after all he was the king. Before we dismiss these verses as either a male fantasy or a nightmare, let us listen carefully to what the ancient teachers have to say to us living in the last years of the twentieth century.
The wise person understands the influence he or she has on others. Whether we like it or not, we do influence other people, most especially persons within our family. It is our choice whether we influence them in a positive or negative way. Children see and understand more than we might admit about how their parents treat other people as well as themselves. Children perceive what is important by carefully watching their parents' actions. For mothers and fathers that often means that the way they go about mundane tasks does influence their children. The person who seeks to live the Christian life will think of his or her influence on other people and attempt to provide a positive model.
According to the last chapter of Proverbs, the worthy wife places others in her family first knowing the effect she has on others: "She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life." The worthy spouse is able to do even the mundane tasks with joy in her heart. "She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household." This loving and caring attitude is applied to all aspects of life.
Joyce Spence is a single mother who earned a college degree, got off welfare, and has seen her seven children attend institutions of higher learning. Back in February 1975 Joyce was on maternity leave with her seventh child when she discovered that her entry level job as a telephone operator was being moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, some hundred miles away. Nine months pregnant, with little money, no place to live, and no promise that she would be re-hired, Joyce took a risk.
One day she rounded up her children after school and boarded a bus for a new life in a strange city. Her gamble paid off, but not without years of hard work, sacrifice, and a determination to pull herself out of poverty. "I had told my children the sacrifice of those years of hard work would be worth it." Something that most of us take for granted was a big thrill for Joyce and her children. "To be able to shop for new clothes was such a pleasure," Joyce reflects. "Prior to that, all we had were hand-me-downs."
The best was yet to come as several of her children professed faith in Jesus Christ at a summer church camp. When Joyce was hospitalized after hemorrhaging severely, her children circled her bed, knelt, and prayed for her healing. Joyce's condition seemed to improve almost immediately and she rededicated her life to Jesus Christ. Today Joyce and her family are active in a church near her home.
The worthy or capable wife "opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Persons striving to live the devout life realize the influence they have on others and can become a positive role model for others. Everything the wise person says will be said out of love and concern for others. We admit that acting out of love is not always easy but should ever be before us as our goal.
The worthy wife devotes her time to her husband and children and finds no time for idleness. She is well organized and always prepared for whatever might happen. "Her lamp does not go out at night," because she has made sure she has enough oil.
When we strive to live the Christian life, we will discover rewards along the way. Living the way God wants us to live is reward enough. The capable wife's rewards are also evident. "Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her." What a difference that would make in the lives of our family if we would find something to praise them for at the start of every day. Most definitely we would improve the self-esteem of our children and spouse. The worthy wife sets the example and is praised. Her efforts positively affect the entire family.
Perhaps the greatest reward any parent can hope for is when a child becomes an adult and embarks on the path that leads to abundant life. All those years of showing love and concern will have paid off, when you can see it reflected in your grown children's eyes. Parents can be proud of their children.
The capable wife is no ordinary woman but rather an extraordinary one who lives by following the ideals of wisdom combined with the fear of the Lord. Proverbs gives us words to live by. "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Jane Fagan lives with her husband and four children in a simple ranch style house not far from where she works. While Jane is well known among her circle of friends, she is barely known by others. Jane lives a simple, unassuming life. Still, the way she has lived her life has touched others. "When our two-year-old daughter died," one of Jane's friends remarked, "Jane was the one person who got me through it. She could tell by looking at you when you needed to talk." Her friend conceded, "I could not have gotten through without her." Another friend remembers going into a dangerous premature labor with her second child, and to make matters worse her husband was out of town on business. "Jane took me to the hospital and then took my daughter to live with her until my mother arrived from out of town." Marveling on their friendship and Jane's loving, caring attitude, she said, "Even friends I knew longer or was closer to did not offer to help like that."
There is more to Jane that just being helpful to others with special needs, although that is an important part of who she is. Her friends describe an indefinable radiance. "Her eyes glow when she speaks of her faith," yet another friend stated. When it comes to her religious commitment, you can just see it in her. Even if her hair is not fixed and her makeup is not put on, you look at her eyes, and she is beautiful.
Jane leads a Bible study at her church. When visitors attend her church, Jane is often the first person to speak with new people, making them feel welcome. When sickness or death occurs, Jane is often the first person to deliver a meal to the person's home. Through her various experiences Jane's faith has grown by leaps and bounds. Jane does not seek attention for what she does. Instead she prefers to work in the background, unnoticed. Jane lives out her faith, doing what some might consider unimportant, but to the people she meets what she does means so much. To the people Jane meets and helps and encourages, she is one in a million.
The author of Proverbs knew that good works seldom go completely unnoticed, "Let her works praise her in the city gates."
"It's a real recognition of what is happening in society," says one of the participant mothers, Sally Simpson. Sally meets weekly in a local church with other mothers to pray for their children and their school. "Television, videos, music -- all of those outside influences are affecting kids' behavior," Sally explains. "As a mom, you ask, 'What can I do to try to have an impact on what is happening in society today?' Of course, the first thing is prayer," Sally states with conviction.
"It's a group of powerful women with hearts committed to pray for their children," explained Pennsylvania Moms in Touch coordinator Kathleen Nicol. "Praying for protection for our children is vitally important," said another mother, Linda White, who serves as coordinator for eleven Moms in Touch groups in south central Pennsylvania. "God chooses the most normal, everyday person to do what God wants," Linda explained, "and that's what we are --just normal, everyday moms."
Ordinary, everyday people can and do make a difference in their community and ultimately the world. What is most important for you in your life? There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people. Consider for a moment the single most important thing in your life. If you could choose, what one thing would you want to be remembered for? There are times in our mixed-up, confused world that we lose our focus of what is of utmost importance. Our attention is drawn to less important things while what is most important is often ignored or at least neglected. Some focus exclusively on getting more money and possessions while neglecting all other aspects of their lives. Too frequently we hear of people who built business empires while at the same time their personal lives suffered, and they experienced poor health, broken marriages, and children who felt as if they did not know their parents. Or worse, the children felt unloved and unimportant. Growing up in such a situation, it's no wonder that some children find themselves in trouble.
The goal or purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to transfer wisdom to the next generation. Too little attention is given to children in our adult-oriented world. The wise teacher who is portrayed throughout the Book of Proverbs instructs young students to avoid the traps and shortcomings which he himself might have fallen into. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction," we find in the very first chapter of Proverbs. This principle is highlighted throughout Proverbs.
In the last chapter of Proverbs we find King Lemuel's mother instructing her son. Like all mothers, she was concerned with her son's well-being, afraid that he might lose his focus. It appeared that the young ruler was spending too much time in partying and other self-indulgent activities. His mother admonished him, "It is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink." This was one trap that his mother did not want to see her son fall into.
Following this counsel, attention was turned to finding a worthy wife for the king. As with all mothers and fathers, the monarch's mother had high hopes for her son concerning whom he would marry. She wanted the best for her son; after all he was the king. Before we dismiss these verses as either a male fantasy or a nightmare, let us listen carefully to what the ancient teachers have to say to us living in the last years of the twentieth century.
The wise person understands the influence he or she has on others. Whether we like it or not, we do influence other people, most especially persons within our family. It is our choice whether we influence them in a positive or negative way. Children see and understand more than we might admit about how their parents treat other people as well as themselves. Children perceive what is important by carefully watching their parents' actions. For mothers and fathers that often means that the way they go about mundane tasks does influence their children. The person who seeks to live the Christian life will think of his or her influence on other people and attempt to provide a positive model.
According to the last chapter of Proverbs, the worthy wife places others in her family first knowing the effect she has on others: "She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life." The worthy spouse is able to do even the mundane tasks with joy in her heart. "She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household." This loving and caring attitude is applied to all aspects of life.
Joyce Spence is a single mother who earned a college degree, got off welfare, and has seen her seven children attend institutions of higher learning. Back in February 1975 Joyce was on maternity leave with her seventh child when she discovered that her entry level job as a telephone operator was being moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, some hundred miles away. Nine months pregnant, with little money, no place to live, and no promise that she would be re-hired, Joyce took a risk.
One day she rounded up her children after school and boarded a bus for a new life in a strange city. Her gamble paid off, but not without years of hard work, sacrifice, and a determination to pull herself out of poverty. "I had told my children the sacrifice of those years of hard work would be worth it." Something that most of us take for granted was a big thrill for Joyce and her children. "To be able to shop for new clothes was such a pleasure," Joyce reflects. "Prior to that, all we had were hand-me-downs."
The best was yet to come as several of her children professed faith in Jesus Christ at a summer church camp. When Joyce was hospitalized after hemorrhaging severely, her children circled her bed, knelt, and prayed for her healing. Joyce's condition seemed to improve almost immediately and she rededicated her life to Jesus Christ. Today Joyce and her family are active in a church near her home.
The worthy or capable wife "opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Persons striving to live the devout life realize the influence they have on others and can become a positive role model for others. Everything the wise person says will be said out of love and concern for others. We admit that acting out of love is not always easy but should ever be before us as our goal.
The worthy wife devotes her time to her husband and children and finds no time for idleness. She is well organized and always prepared for whatever might happen. "Her lamp does not go out at night," because she has made sure she has enough oil.
When we strive to live the Christian life, we will discover rewards along the way. Living the way God wants us to live is reward enough. The capable wife's rewards are also evident. "Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her." What a difference that would make in the lives of our family if we would find something to praise them for at the start of every day. Most definitely we would improve the self-esteem of our children and spouse. The worthy wife sets the example and is praised. Her efforts positively affect the entire family.
Perhaps the greatest reward any parent can hope for is when a child becomes an adult and embarks on the path that leads to abundant life. All those years of showing love and concern will have paid off, when you can see it reflected in your grown children's eyes. Parents can be proud of their children.
The capable wife is no ordinary woman but rather an extraordinary one who lives by following the ideals of wisdom combined with the fear of the Lord. Proverbs gives us words to live by. "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Jane Fagan lives with her husband and four children in a simple ranch style house not far from where she works. While Jane is well known among her circle of friends, she is barely known by others. Jane lives a simple, unassuming life. Still, the way she has lived her life has touched others. "When our two-year-old daughter died," one of Jane's friends remarked, "Jane was the one person who got me through it. She could tell by looking at you when you needed to talk." Her friend conceded, "I could not have gotten through without her." Another friend remembers going into a dangerous premature labor with her second child, and to make matters worse her husband was out of town on business. "Jane took me to the hospital and then took my daughter to live with her until my mother arrived from out of town." Marveling on their friendship and Jane's loving, caring attitude, she said, "Even friends I knew longer or was closer to did not offer to help like that."
There is more to Jane that just being helpful to others with special needs, although that is an important part of who she is. Her friends describe an indefinable radiance. "Her eyes glow when she speaks of her faith," yet another friend stated. When it comes to her religious commitment, you can just see it in her. Even if her hair is not fixed and her makeup is not put on, you look at her eyes, and she is beautiful.
Jane leads a Bible study at her church. When visitors attend her church, Jane is often the first person to speak with new people, making them feel welcome. When sickness or death occurs, Jane is often the first person to deliver a meal to the person's home. Through her various experiences Jane's faith has grown by leaps and bounds. Jane does not seek attention for what she does. Instead she prefers to work in the background, unnoticed. Jane lives out her faith, doing what some might consider unimportant, but to the people she meets what she does means so much. To the people Jane meets and helps and encourages, she is one in a million.
The author of Proverbs knew that good works seldom go completely unnoticed, "Let her works praise her in the city gates."
