Good News and Better News … February 8th, 2016

 Jonathots Daily Blog

(2838)

Pictured above is a Kleenex, which I discarded yesterday when I was sitting at my book table, enjoying the blessings of being in the presence of delightful souls in McCormick, South Carolina.

I thought I was going to sneeze. I grabbed the Kleenex, and when I did not sneeze, I wadded it up and put it to the side, having never put it to use. But since it was rejected, it no longer had any purpose, even though it was not trash.

That’s the way I feel about the church.

Many people have wadded it up and cast it to the side, and it looks a little dilapidated even though it has not completed its purpose.

Yesterday, while relishing in the interaction with Paul and Kay, and the local congregation, I was inspired by the fact that they succeeded in getting people from the whole community to come out to church simply by being excited themselves over the prospect of a special event.

Here’s the question: can we get excited again about being together and celebrating the life of the church, instead of being like a used Kleenex which hasn’t even absorbed a sneeze?

Because once people get excited, they will do the work.

Once people believe that something different from the commonplace will happen, they will be prepared to rejoice, clap their hands and even hug one another.

But if you’re going to treat the Gospel message like it’s used Kleenex, don’t be surprised if people choose to ignore it.

The good news is that the citizens of McCormick, South Carolina, rallied together and had a sweet time in the spirit.

Now let me tell you some better news–you can have that same thing happen every week if you take three things into consideration. The Gospel needs:

1. Humanity

We spend too much time talking about God and not enough about how to be better people. Jesus was not interested in exploring new ways to worship God. He was concerned with how we treat the least of our brethren. This defines our belief.

2. Humor

I don’t know how the humor of Jesus escapes theologians. I suppose it’s because they read everything he said as if Jesus just finished sucking on a lemon.

But Jesus had a dry wit.

• He told his disciples to “be of good cheer.”
• He told them “the blind can’t lead the blind–otherwise, they’ll end up in a ditch.”
• And tongue-in-cheek, he told them they were “worth many sparrows.”

A humorless Gospel is a discarded tissue.

3. Honesty

If we’re going to teach our congregations to approach life as if it’s a political campaign, attempting to dodge charges instead of facing realities, the church will become a sanctuary for losers.

Jesus was clear. “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.”

Stop trying to make explanations. He said anything that is not a yes or a no is usually born of evil.

So to all of my new friends in McCormick, thank you for being who you are. And I encourage you to keep the humanity, the humor and the honesty in your gathering.

It will make every Sunday a Super Sunday.

 

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

 

She Sang To Me … August 4, 2013

Jonathots Daily Blog

(1963)

 The show was done.

I made my way from the stage to my book table. I am of a mind to believe that the audience has been so kind to grant me an hour of its attention–I certainly can give them a moment or two of my ears.

I learn so much by listening to those who pass in front of me. Even those who never stop at my table to speak teach me that it’s not my job to reach the whole world, just those who can hear my pitch.

But tonight, when I finished in Suttons Bay, a lovely woman came to my side and told me she had written a song. She didn’t know what to do with it. I asked her if it had ever been performed. Once, at the church, she offered.

She then asked me if I would like to hear it. Assuming she had a CD copy of the performance, I said yes. Then all of a sudden, she burst into song. Well, burst is too strong a word. She gently eased her way into sharing her beautiful melody.

• I was enthralled.
• I was blessed.
• I was intrigued.
• I was a little embarrassed by the fact that I had anticipated something quite different.

But mostly, I was attune.

She sang three verses, including a key change she had inserted into her arrangement. As she performed the tune a capella, in front of me, my producer brain began to insert strings, guitars and harmonics into what I was hearing. Before too long, I had an entire orchestration running through my head as I listened to her continue her composition.

All at once she stopped singing and said, “I don’t know what to do with it.”

I gave her a few guidelines on getting a lead sheet made and a recording, but what I didn’t tell her was that the music business is so filled with favoritism and preoccupation with popularity that it is rare that anything new is allowed to wedge its way into the scene.

As she walked away, I took a second to try to remember the melody–to hum it in my spirit.

I thought about how wonderful it is to believe in heaven. Not for the streets of gold, gates of pearl, or angelic choirs, but rather, to finally arrive at a place where all the inspirational classics that never were able to be promoted and heard will be sung, extolled and produce praise.

All the books that were rejected out of hand by careless publishers will be on the shelves, available to the redeemed souls, to become redeemed again.

All the unrequited lovers will find their satisfaction.

All the dreamers will taste the sweetness of their unachieved aspirations.

It will be a place of fulfillment. It will be a land where we will not be intimidated to hear someone burst into song because they have been inspired.

She sang to me…and it was very special.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about personal appearances or scheduling an event

Why, then How… June 24, 2013

(1922)

An astute fellow he was indeed.

Last night, as he ambled up to my book table, sporting an expression mingling admiration with incredulity and curiosity, he posed his well-worded question: “How is it possible to write a daily blog and constantly come up with new ideas?”

I certainly understood his sensation–that such an endeavor seemed impossible.

You see, most of us are task oriented. When you live a life of evaluating HOW something can be accomplished, you usually reject progress in the committee meeting of your mind. “How” is the scariest question we can ask.

• How will we have enough money?
• How will we have enough time?
• How will we have enough ideas?
• How will we get assistance if it doesn’t work out?
• How can we sustain the activity if we DO start it?

The word “how” has done more to halt human development than all the minions of hell and the forces of evil combined.

We must begin with “WHY.”

• Why am I writing a blog?
• Why am I sharing my thoughts?
• Why is it valuable to do so?

“Why” is the fuel in our emotional tank. “How” is the hole leaking our energy to the ground.

God provides a “why” for me every day in my life–and never a “how.” “Why” is the wisdom He promised. “How” is the faith I must bring.

Actually, on most mornings, there are two or three different stories vying for the right to be the chosen paragraphs of the day.

Maybe it’s seeing a dead deer on the side of the road and realizing that this creature was part of creation, and related to me in some way or another.

It could be the eighty-seven-year-old woman I met last night, who was celebrating her sixty-sixth wedding anniversary, possessing more energy than the three teenagers sliding by with the sound of swishing denim.

And then again, it could be the young married man holding his baby, with tears in his eyes because the message sank deep into his soul–that truly, NoOne is better than anyone else.

Don’t forget the funny road signs I see as I travel, or memories of past journeys that produce a renewed twinkle in my eye.

If you can stop wondering how something is going to work for one minute, the why that life provides imbues you with power–to be creative and energized.

So it was a man walking up to my table last night asking a very intelligent question which gives me the impetus to share a great secret to the universe:

It is the spirit of God who places the “why” in my heart. It is the darkness of insecurity that answers with “how.”

Can we change the world? Absolutely–as long as we remember why we are doing it.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

******

 Jonathots, Jr.!

Click below for a quick daily thought from Jonathan

https://jonathots.wordpress.com/jonathots-jr/

******

Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about personal appearances or scheduling an event