why I am not an atheist, part 1

I think there are several pretty good reasons to be an atheist. Pain and the randomness of evil are the two biggest.  Probably the hypocrisy of those who are religious is what clinches it for most people who identify themselves as atheists. 

I almost became an atheist from reading the Bible.  I decided when I was 15 years old that I was going to read through the Bible “objectively.” Three passages stuck out as being too hard to be believed. The first was the chat Balaam had with his donkey; the second was when a dead man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, “and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.” II Kings 13:21. And the third is the whole gospel of John. Everything Jesus said just seemed too weird for me.  I certainly didn’t want to be an atheist. I thought there must be something that I just didn’t quite get. 

One day, while in my first year in college, I read the story of the Good Samaritan. Having been raised in a Christian family, I had read and heard it many times before. But, finally, I really read it—objectively. It was so clever, and written with such lack of drama. And the story was so true, so real. I knew people (not myself) who were the Good Samaritan type.  Certainly it was a parable, for there was so much meaning in it, but it also was so true to life.  And it was then that I understood that I need not be an atheist, for the story gave an answer to all my major atheistic questions. 

If you were to ask the victim of the Good Samaritan story what was the best moment of his life, I know he would tell you it was when that very kind man came over to him and had pity on him and poured oil and wine on his wounds. He would tell you he never felt so at peace as when the Samaritan lifted him up on his donkey.  He would say the kindest gift he had ever received was when the Samaritan gave the innkeeper a wad of money and then told the innkeeper, “Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.” Luke 10:35 Was this outrageous beating this poor man took then worth it? Did the good balance the bad? With good and evil, there is no balancing, for the good is what gives meaning, and joy. Why do people act as good Samaritans?  Their behavior seems so random. There are good Samaritans among every group of people; the rich, the poor, the religious, the criminal, the wise and the very simple, the old and the young. Where does there behavior come from? Why would they so put themselves out for someone from whom they can derive no personal benefit? It’s so…God like! That was it. There was no other way to describe what they did, for I knew it was true. God is so random in His kindness. When I’d least expect it, suddenly, there was something good, so far beyond what I ever hoped. 

This eureka moment happened when I needed to find someone for a room-mate for the next school year. I thought, “How sad! I’ve spent almost a whole year at this Christian College, and I haven’t found one person who is a good enough friend that they would want to be my roommate. That afternoon I happened to sit next to a kid whose name I was pretty sure was John. I was so sure, I called him John. He answered to the name and we had a great conversation about nothing at all. Our sense of humor was an almost perfect match. He told me he had found a roommate, but since the college dormitories required three students, he wondered if I’d be willing to join them. I was, and John, whose name I later found out was David Harvey, became my good friend. Roxanne and I visited Dave and his wife Gayle this last week up in Grand Marais where he is the pastor of the Evangelical Free Church. We had such a good visit. The Lord is so good. Because of starting a new job, my life has been pretty stressful lately. A visit with such a friend was like oil and wine on a nasty wound. 

As an addendum: The story of the Good Samaritan gives some answer to each of my atheistic questions.
 

Why random pain and evil? Here on this earth, it seems like what is really good comes out of what is really bad. Take Calvary, for instance.

Why such hypocrisy among the religious? Who knows. The religious are just people like the rest of us. But a better question is: Why are some people so Godlike as to be Good Samaritans?

Why these weird things in the Bible? I’d really like to get more information on Balaam’s talk with his donkey and the man who popped back to life when his body touched the dead bones of Elisha. But I do know, no one ever spoke like Jesus. I could write volumes on lessons I have learned from this one short parable. As the Lord gives direction, I’d like to share another of those lessons on my next blog

take it

Public Radio has a contest going on now for people like myself who would like to consider themselves writers. It is called 3 minute fiction. It's a regular contest where a subject is given. This time it was: You see something that isn't yours. You take it and you are not going to give it back. Here is my unsubmitted entry.

“Take it,” said the voice.

Take what? I wondered.

“Take it,” said the voice again. “On your lap.”

What was it? A book?

A sense of calm flooded my soul. “It’s been a long time,” I thought to myself. “Where did this come from? Had something changed? Something changed. But it wasn’t my job. I tried to focus on what I could do to resolve this latest problem. Always, forever, problems…but my mind was so peaceful.

“I need to just sit and enjoy this moment,” I said this aloud. And I continued speaking, “It doesn’t happen very often, you know. This calm, it comes and goes. Mostly it goes.”

“So take it,” said the voice.

“I don’t think it’s mine,” I heard myself say. “What is it anyway?”

“Of course it’s yours. It’s yours for the taking.” Said the voice.

I was annoyed. Just a little bit. Just a very little bit. I felt so calm. I felt perfect. “What is it?” I said. “You must tell me what it is.”

The voice laughed. “It’s peace of mind. It’s what you’ve been looking for. And now it’s yours. So take it.”

“Why do I need to take it?” I asked. “If it’s mine, as you say.”

“It’s yours if you take it. That’s the condition.”

Just the tiniest shot of terror went through me. What if it was a drug? What if it was… I couldn’t think. Like a wave, like a tidal wave, a sense of peace overwhelmed me. I brought my hand to where it sat on my lap. Whatever it was, it was smoother than satin.

“The condition?”  I asked.  “I knew there had to be conditions. Nothing is for nothing.”

“Is that what you believe?” asked the voice.

“I don’t know,“ I answered.

“Just take it,” said the voice. “Take it. Take it. TAKE IT!” taunted the voice.

I picked it up. It wasn’t mine. I knew with all my heart that it wasn’t mine.

“You take it.” I said as I handed it to…but there was no one there. And it was gone.

“What have I done?” I cried aloud. “What have I done?”

“It wasn’t yours, so you gave it back.” A new voice.

 I recognized it from somewhere. From a long, long time ago.

I looked down at my lap. There was still something there. Was this mine? I picked it up. It was rough, rough as a piece of unplaned lumber. I tentatively handed it to my Friend.

“That’s not yours either,” said the new voice. “You already gave it to me.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s your trust.”

The feeling of peace was gone. I wondered, had I made a mistake?

“Do you trust me?” asked the new voice.

“I do trust you. But my peace. Where is it? Shouldn’t I have peace?”

“My peace I do give to you, but not as the world gives. My peace is more than how you feel, at this given moment. So let not your heart be troubled, neither be afraid.”

I steadied myself. That peace. It hadn’t been mine. How did I know that? But I had to give it back. 

Nothing’s for free. But grace. God’s grace. “For by grace are you saved through faith, it’s from God, and it’s a gift. Not something that must be taken, like an act of thievery.

hello again

Yesterday was my last regular devotion for Each Day in the Word, at least for now. The Lord has been more than good to us, but for an older man, or at least a man like myself, losing my job and then trying to figure out a new job has been tough. This exercise of writing 500 to 600 words that must be completed most days before I go to bed has been encouraging and helpful to myself. (By God’s grace, I hope you also have found some encouragement from it.)

Hardship forced my brain to intensely mull over the Lord's goodness and His desire for our good-ness, so I had many thoughts to share. Now that I am less anxious, less pressed; I miss reading. Writing this blog took up the time I had been able to use to read. Also, in my more peaceful state of mind, it takes me longer to come up with a new meditation each day.

We've had several contributors to Each Day in the Word including my wife Roxanne, Eric and Stephie Varghese, John Messerly, Bruce Haley, Bill Howell; Daniel Triestman and Matt Lange have contributed the most. Dan is one of my favorite thinkers. If I had to be stranded out in a desert island with just one other man, I think I would choose Dan, for he continually interrupts my conclusions. Any time I think I have “solved” a question, Dan rearranges my formula. Matt calls ‘em like he sees ‘em, and each day Matt is seeing things a bit more clearly. The Lord is doing a work in his life that is clear and observable. He has a heart for certain people that some of us can only have for our own families.

Thank you very much for reading. As you may have guessed, I have a passion for writing, but to write without having a reader would be a pretty empty passion.

I think I’ve already shared with you about every significant thought I’ve had, so in conclusion, I’ll share a thought I’ve already shared. Our Lord Jesus is the “amen, amen” God who is man. Amen means undeniable truth. It also means unmitigated faithfulness. Though everything and everyone is continually changing shape and direction, our Lord Jesus is totally real and sure—the same yesterday, today and forever. 

By the way, I may go back intermittently to writing on my first blog, misterrodgerssbl.blogspot.com  And others may continue to contribute to “Each Day in the Word.” Any profitable devotion that anyone sends me, I will post to “Each Day in the Word.”

I do plan to continue on with Henry Sardina’s biography—as soon as he sends me back the last chapter I sent him--which I think was around the 1^st of March. His biography is at thehenrybiography.blogspot.com.

back to work

I received a call this morning telling me I was hired.
I start 8 am this coming Monday morning.
I will be happy to be back at work.
At this time in my life I need still structure to my day. I quickly start feeling anxious when I am perpetually thinking, what do I need to do next that is profitable?
Yesterday I spent eight hours writing.
At 7 pm I was wired.

Obviously the Lord has been very good to us.
Of course this new job may not work out. It is a new position with a quasi-government agency that provides deeply subsidized transportation for those who do not have a car. It covers the whole Arrowhead region in Minnesota which includes 7 counties. My job will be to publicize what they offer.

Do visit the two other blogs that I created while unemployed: eachdayintheword.blogspot.com
And the biography of Henry Sardina at: thehenrybiography.blogspot.com

With my job, we could really use a lot of help on the daily devotional blog. So far Eric Varghese, Stephanie Varghese, Daniel Triestman, John Messerly, Bill Howell and Matt Lange have each contributed one devotional to the blog. I'm really hoping each will continue to contribute. If "each day in the word" has touched your mind and your heart, would you be willing to contribute a meditation? Send it to our e-mail: larnrox@basicisp.net. Each day the readership appears to be growing. It started out at about 20 hits a day. Now it is over 60 a day. Some people tell me they hit the blog about once a week and read everything at once.
We trust that the devotional is a daily encouragement.
Perhaps the Lord will work it out that once we get 365 good devotionals, we will put it into an electronic and/or printed book.

When Henry's blog biography is done, we will send it to an editor and a proof reader and, Lord willing, will also turn that into an electronic and/or printed book. Do you know any publishers that might be interested? For those who have been reading his biography, you can see he has lived an amazing life and the Lord has been shockingly good to Henry.

I am very touched by how many have been so compassionate to me after I was terminated from my job at the Mesabi Daily News. I could not believe it when they fired me. I worked there for 32 years. I thought, "couldn't they have waited just 3 more years when I hit 62?," Then I could at least started drawing some social security.
Instead, when I got fired, the Lord's people were incredibly kind and generous to us and have provided for all our monetary needs. It made, and makes me want to weep.
Ben Tuininga said the only verse in the Bible that you can read backwards and forwards with the meaning remaining the same is: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (backwards: "Thee forsake nor thee leave, never will I") Heb 13:5, Deut 31:6. As you can see, it is in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Again, thank you for both your very practical and your prayerful concerns.
Larry and Roxanne, and Carson

each day in the word

Until my next "adventure," I have started a new blog, a daily devotional accessible at eachdayintheword.blogspot.com

I am hoping to get lots of help writing this new blog as I plan to have a new post every morning.

We hope to see you there!
Mister Rodgers aka Larry

how's life?

My wife has been helping a lady from our church fellowship fix up one of her rental houses. She is helping her because her husband just died. While she was at the house, she called me and asked if I could come over and do some minor repairs. Being presently unemployed, I wonder about each activity I take on. Is this what I really should be doing now? Is it really the appropriate use of my time? But since James defines real religion as visiting widows in their affliction; and the prophets expound on the curses that God will be bring against those who oppress and do not support the widows; and since God Himself singles out widows as those to whom He does acts of great kindness, I figured maybe I’d come.

This lady’s husband had been battling cancer for eleven years. He had been through a whole regime of treatments. Finally the doctors said nothing more could be done. His spirits were good till the very end, but, to say the least, he had been through it.

His widow had been strong at the funeral. She was poised and controlled. “How does she do it?” I heard several people ask. But death has a way about it. This week has been tough for her. I had this really ignorant idea that there would be some sort of closure for her when her husband finally died.

I think I understand why Jesus wept at the grave of His good friend Lazarus. He wept just moments before He called Lazarus out of the grave. He had told his disciples two days earlier that He was going to raise Lazarus.

We had a speaker at our camp who declared that when his wife died, he would rejoice. “She’ll be in glory,” he said. “She’ll be with her Savior. Is that something to weep about?”

Paul writes that as Believers, our whole lives are about the resurrection. “If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most pitiful.” Paul tells the Philippians: “My desire is to depart and be with Christ.” Phil 1:23 As Believers, this truly is our desire also. That’s why believe. If we believe in this life only, we are creatures to be pitied. 1 Cor 15:19. Regardless, I won’t be rejoicing if my wife dies. My kids tell me they hope I die before their mother for they dread observing the grief I would go through.

Jacob told Pharaoh, “The days of my sojourning have been few and evil.” To be a human being and to be alive is to know pain. Yet Jacob’s complaint about the shortness of his life came before he complained about its painfulness. In Ecclesiastes the writer mourns over and over that there is nothing under the sun that is truly satisfying in life but then he writes, “a living dog is better than a dead lion.” Eccl 9:4.

I was in a car accident a few months after my first daughter was born. I was knocked unconscious and as I was waking up in the ambulance, my brain rebooted. It went through all the significant events of my life from earliest childhood. First one sad thing, and another, and another. Then I remembered Roxanne, then Story Book, then this little baby. “Is this true?” I remember thinking? Am I really married to Roxanne? And we have a little girl named Priscilla? And I live at a Bible camp? I’d always wanted to live at a Bible camp.” I couldn’t believe it. It was too good! And this was my life.

When God created life on this earth, He observed what He had done and saw that it was good. But when He observed His human creation together with all the other life He had created, we read, “And behold! It was very good!” Gen 1:31

So why did Jesus weep at the grave of Lazarus and why should we weep (and not celebrate) at funerals? Because life is good. 

Our God, the only God, the God who is good and who only can do good, is first and foremost the Creator of Life. When something so good is extinguished, how can one be so bold, so ignorant as to not be sad? Life is so good that the Author of Life gave His Son over to death so that this life within the cosmos might become eternal life and “what is sown perishable is raised imperishable; and what is sown in dishonor is raised in glory.” 1 Cor 15:42, 43.

From millenniums of observation, we humans know all about evil and the consequences of evil. We know there really is no reforming of evil. Death is evil’s only solution. Only death can bring an end to all that is bad. Scripture tells us that though “the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 6:23. Death is so sad. But life is so good, God doesn’t want it to end for us

Writing has been what I ached to do ever since I was terminated from my reporting job at the Mesabi Daily News about 30 years ago. Now that I’ve been terminated from there again, I get to write (please check out the Henry Sardina story at: thehenrybiography.blogspot.com) So, “how's life?” you might ask me. "Good! Thanks for asking!" And thank you very much for reading!

who's got your back?

“This would not have happened if I was still at the Mesabi Daily News,” stated my previous boss in an e-mail.

I had contacted her to request a letter of recommendation to have on hand as I begin my new job search. She had heard that I had been terminated and she was disgusted. She promised me a “GLOWING” letter and suggested letting her know where I was might be applying for work "in order to spin your talents to the job at hand and how good of a fit you would be.”  

Shelly was a great boss--hands down better than any boss I’ve ever had. She had the natural qualities of a leader. In whatever group she was in, people deferred to her. But she also had the very deliberate qualities of a good leader. She made sure she was well informed. If any of us had any question about what we were doing or what we should do, she expected an e-mail. Then she quickly responded. Almost always she affirmed what we asked. But when necessary, she would give specific and concise instructions on how to proceed differently. If we disagreed with her, we would come to her office and discuss the situation. Hers was the final word. We knew that, but Shelly carefully considered our input and she let us know that she did not consider our input to be defying her. Of course some did not like her hands on approach. It takes a certain amount of humility to be led.

But me, I’m a great follower. To use Biblical language, servanthood is what I was made for. 

When I was a teenager, my uncle and I did a 40 mile trek over a mountain trail near Bailey, Colorado. He had the map and the compass and with every step, he looked for the next marking that identified where the trail went. He was not a talkative man. For the first couple of hours, I don’t think he said a word. But then he stopped and looked very carefully at his map. Then he looked back and looked very carefully through the woods. And then he said, “I’m pretty sure we are lost. But I do have a compass. So I think we’ll keep going. Are you okay with that?” I nodded. As the sun started to go down, we found a good flat place to lay our sleeping bags. Very early the next morning, a couple of chattering squirrels demanded that we get up and get moving. As we started out again, my uncle said, “We’re still lost, you know.” I didn’t know. But that was all right. I figured it was his problem, not mine. He did find our way back, and it was a great hike. I would have been delighted to go again the next day, as long as he led the way.. 

My sister said to Roxanne before we got married, “He’ll be a great husband. He’ll do anything for you, I have trained him well." Roxanne agrees that this has been the case. I’m guessing though, that at the time, she found some cause for concern from what my sister said. I was to be her husband and thus the one to whom she was directed to submit, “just as the church submits to Christ, so also the wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” (Eph 5:24)

Though Roxanne has the same natural leadership qualities as my Mesabi Daily News boss, she is a godly woman who is careful to know the Scriptures and to obey the Scriptures. Though sometimes it may appear otherwise, Roxanne very consciously defers to my leadership and we share a healthy, loving, and Biblical relationship. 

(We don’t really believe in St. Peter questioning people at the Golden Gates, but we heard there are two entrances into heaven for husbands: one labeled “hen pecked” and the other labeled “head of the home.” One morning St Peter looked out and saw the usual long line of men waiting at the “hen pecked” entrance, and only one scrawny little man at the “head of the home” entrance. St Peter went over to congratulate this little man. “So tell me your story,” said St Peter. “How do you happen to be in “head of the home” line? The little guy shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know. it is just where my wife told me to stand.” –Just so you know, that little guy was not me as, duh, I haven't arrived yet at The Gates.)

About six years ago, my manager  in the circulation department of the Mesabi Daily News took off without giving notice. I went in to Shelly's office. “I’m willing to take the job of Circulation Manager,” I told her. Shelly was skeptical.  “We’ll give it a try,” she said. 

Much to our surprise, I was a good manager. Our newspaper had sixty contracted delivery people, most of whom were adults. At the time we had four other circulation people on payroll. Sixty four adults to supervise—for someone like me, pretty amazing! But my people deferred to me and overall their quality and quantity of work was excellent, and I know they liked having me for a boss. 

So here's what I've leaned is necessary to be a good boss:

• Always treat everyone with dignity. When they need your attention, give them your full attention. Even the tiniest demeaning thought must be pushed out of your brain whenever you are talking with someone under your charge.
• Be honest and fair. Never blame those under you for something that is even partially your fault.
• Communicate very clearly, and communicate in triplicate any new information you need to get to your people.
• Empower your people as much as possible. Give them the responsibility to make good decisions.
• Praise and thank them any time you can think of something to praise or thank them about.
• When correcting an employee, talk to them first and allow them their dignity. Don’t demand that they tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. (Everyone sees situations through their own eyes.) If that person does not correct the problem, send them a note that is signed and dated. If they still do not correct the problem, they probably need to be dismissed.
• Most importantly, let your people know you've got their back.

As Shelly wrote to me about my termination, “This would not have happened if I was there.”
I knew that to be true. Bad stuff can happen at any moment. If the boss is not there to watch your back, you’re always up on the high wire.

David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd…I will fear no evil.”

The Lord Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, I know my own and my own know me. I lay down my life for the sheep.” –now that’s a good boss!

Back to my present reality: I’m uncomfortable not having someone oversee what I do every day. It’s my nature to be led. Pray with me that our Good Shepherd will specifically lead me during this leaderless time in my life. 

But for right now, I'd better get back to Henry's biography!