Author: Paul Nordman

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When Smart Isn’t Smart

My friend drives a Smart car—you know, the little ones that look like a bobblehead football helmet on four wheels, and not much bigger. Curious as to its crashworthiness and occupant safety, I took the indirect approach to inquiry: “How does your Smart car do in snow?” I asked him. “Terrible,” he replied, “I only drive it in good weather.” He went on: “I once hit a racoon with this car. It cost me $300 in damage, and the racoon ran off!”

(Uh-huh. Just as I thought.)

Sometimes “smart” is, well, just not smart. Sometimes “thrifty” is costly. Sometimes “safety” is still perilous. This is true of our physical health, and even more so of our spiritual wellbeing. Yet when it comes to the latter, it is all too easy to be duped into death-trap theology, such as, “There are many paths that lead to God.” Such feel good assertions are “unsafe at any speed,” for Jesus himself taught us the exact opposite. “Enter by the narrow gate,” He urged His hearers, “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”1 Likewise, Peter, having sat under Jesus’ tutelage before witnessing the risen and ascended Christ, boldly proclaimed to the gathered crowd, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”2 By what authority can we possibly assert anything else? And why would we thus imperil others?

Lest there be any doubt, Jesus proclaimed as clearly as can be, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”3 Place your entire trust in Him and in Him alone. Anything else is less, and anything less is just not smart.

“Lord [Jesus], to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”4 Father, “sanctify [us] in the truth; your word is truth.”5 Holy Spirit, “guide [us] into all the truth.”6 In Christ we pray. Amen.

1 Matthew 7:13-14 ESV
2 Acts 4:12 NIV
3 John 14:6 ESV
4 John 6:68-69 ESV
5 John 1:7 ESV
6 John 16:13 ESV

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And Handwringing Is Not a Strategy

OK, tell me if this rings a bell. You’ve gathered with the flock—whether at Sunday morning church service or your weeknight small group—and someone begins bemoaning studies about declining church attendance, the rise of “nones” (people with no specific religious identity), or some other shock journalism about Christianity in America. We shake our heads and feel bad about it, and ultimately disburse, somehow content to feel good about having felt bad. Of course, we don’t like to hear bad news, especially regarding the “good news,” but disappointing information is not an endpoint; if anything, it is a launch point into action. And handwringing is not a strategy.

When the 12 spies sent out by Moses returned from the promised land with sensationalist reports of powerful opposition and fortified cities, only two—Joshua and Caleb—renounced retreat and advocated advance: “Do not be afraid of the people of the land . . . The Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”1 When the entire Israelite army froze in fear of one Philistine warrior, Goliath, David alone “ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.”2 “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty,”3 announced the young shepherd to the arrogant adonis. What did all three—Joshua, Caleb, and David—share in common? To them, bad news was no reason for paralysis or retreat, but a stirring call to “the obedience that comes from faith.”4

Then what do we learn from these and other stalwarts, these trusting and reliable ones? To what action must we aspire?

When ministry leads you to your persecutors, like Ananias go anyway.5
Bullied when sharing the gospel, like Peter and John speak anyway.6
Before the fiercest of opposition, like Stephen stand anyway.7
Amid the most discouraging news, like a city on a hill shine anyway.8
Before your enemies who hate you, as Jesus exhorted us love anyway.9
Though we cannot see our God, in faith believe anyway.10
Though uncertain where God will lead us, like Abraham obey anyway.11

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.—Ephesians 6:13 ESV

Father, You are stronger and wiser than any opposition or threats that can rise up against me. Strengthen me to trust and obey You, even amid opposition, for “You are my hope; Lord God, You are my confidence.”12 In Christ I pray. Amen.

1 Numbers 14:9 NIV
2 1 Samuel 17:48 NIV
3 1 Samuel 17:45 NIV
4 Romans 1:5 NIV
5 Acts 9:10-19
6 Acts 4:18-20
7 Acts 7:1-60
8 Matthew 5:14
9 Matthew 5:43-45
10 Hebrews 11:3
11 Hebrews 11:8
12 Psalm 71:5 NASB

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A Different Kind of Clutter

My wife, Peggy, gave me a wonderful present two months ago. It had been on my mind for a while, so when she asked what I wanted for Christmas, I was ready. “I’d like to go through the house together, room by room, and throw away the stuff we no longer want or will never use again,” I said. We are not packrats by any means, and our house is kept tidy. But when a family lives in the same space for 25 years and goes through several life stages in the process, stuff accumulates. In part, yesterday’s desire has become today’s clutter, so we have begun to toss it aside. And. It. Feels. So. Good.

To believers in Corinth, Paul exposed a different kind of clutter— so called “good works” originating from our own will and pursued in our own power. “No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” he wrote, “Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.”1 Through metaphor and contrast, the nurturing apostle exposed a dichotomy of deeds: the throw-away kind (wood, hay, and straw) originating from our own flesh; and the firmly established type (gold, silver, and precious stones) grounded in obedience to the Spirit’s call. This is not to suggest our eternal salvation is based on the origin of our works, for Jesus himself is the unassailable foundation of all who trust in Him. Paul continues: “If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives [i.e., gold, silver, and precious stones], he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up [i.e., wood, hay, and straw], he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”2 What authority! And such grace!

We are “[God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus” for a certain kind of works— the “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”3 Long before we were even conceived, God prepared meaningful tasks for us to do. Jesus said to His disciples, “You are my friends if you do what I command,”4 and “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”5 These are the works of the “gold, silver, and precious stones” variety, those of deepest meaning and lasting impact. So, watch for them and listen; ready yourself in prayer and the Word to be used for eternal purposes. For when we walk in obedience and faith . . . It. Feels. So. Good.

I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”—Isaiah 6:8 ESV

Yes, Lord, today send me. Amen.

1 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 ESV
2 1 Corinthians 3:14-15 ESV
3 Ephesians 2:10 ESV
4 John 15:14 NIV
5 John 15:16 NIV