Let Go of the Rope

"Let Go of the Rope"

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“Warn troublemakers once or twice, then don’t have anything else to do with them.  You know that their minds are twisted, and their own sins show how guilty they are.”  [Titus 3:10,11, CEV]

                 Our 30-something surrogate daughter in Minnesota is a natural athlete…All-American track, basketball, you name it; even played great golf 7-months pregnant.  Recently she decided to take up water-skiing, and did so handily in one afternoon.  So that’s what it’s like to have coordination and balance!  Gag! 

On the other hand, I vividly recall when a former college friend [and gifted sportsman in his own right] made the same effort one summer day long ago and failed miserably not only to keep his balance but also to remember the First Rule in Water-Skiing.  You do know that rule, don’t you?  When you fall, “Let go of the rope.”  Ummm.  I never knew a man could drag that far and swallow that much water without actually drowning…  It was impressive, though; all we had to do was reel him in and pry his fingers off the bar.

Y’know, after 35 years of ministry, it appears to me associating with troublemakers and argumentative people is about as dangerous as not knowing what you’re doing when you water-ski.  I’ve seen way too many folks ruined in their weak faith by hanging on to bad relationships with sour people when the best thing they could have done was just “let go of the rope.”

Sure, that sounds harsh and unloving, but believe me, it’s not.  It’s love when you warn these sour-minded individuals and point them to Scripture, showing them God’s unconditional grace and peace.  It’s love when you remind them His plan is for joy, not division, and that their duty is to seek reconciliation and harmony.  And it’s love -- tough love -- when you tell them you will not put up with gossip or slander or malice.  In fact, to stay in that relationship, unchanging, jeopardizes your own spiritual health and makes it appear you approve of their unhealthy practice.  And BTW, rather than simply deciding which relationships to end, be sure to first remind and warn them.  After all, if these are friends, aren’t they worth the effort?  Indeed, there may be some ties you have to cut, but there may also be bonds you can forge in Christ. 

You see, for every person gifted with the balance and coordination it takes to ski, someone needs the vision and skill to drive the boat and keep the skier safe [but that’s another topic/article].  Together in Christ, there’s no letting go of the rope. 

- Pastor Jack

The Crisis of Now

"The Crisis of Now"

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.’” [Is.2:2,3, NIV]

            We’re not in the country any more, are we? 25 years ago St. Paul was surrounded by farmland, but now 273,000 people live in Plano, roughly the same number as Buffalo, N.Y., Norfolk, Va., and St. Paul, Minn. It’s also true Plano has the highest median income [$85K] among large U.S. cities, even as we’ve begun suffering the growing pains and struggling tax base Richardson and Garland did 20 years ago.

            Nothing shocking about this info… It’s from a fine article by Theodore Kim and Matthew Haag of the Dallas News. What’s more intriguing is their revelation that nearly a third of Plano’s primary language at home is not English. That’s up 11% in the last 10 years. Before you jump to conclusions, yes, Plano has a significant Hispanic population; what city in Texas doesn’t? But Spanish is not the only major non-English language used in Plano homes. Read the Isaiah 2 text again and consider this phrase: “all nations will stream to it.” The fact is 14.4% of Plano’s population is Asian -- three times higher than the national average -- a result of education and technology.

            Kim and Haag suggest some city leaders seem to feel Plano faces an identity crisis based on how we plan to face issues like poverty, homelessness, budget and age. I’d suggest we indeed have an identity crisis on our hands, but from a spiritual viewpoint, and with an incredibly rich opportunity for our witness to the transforming power of Jesus Christ in this community. Our own Christian Day School is a microcosm of the greater Plano community, and not a day passes without every person, from classroom teacher to facility supervisor to pastoral staff and volunteers asking, “How can we be the presence of Jesus Christ to every person who walks through these doors?”

            What about you? Does Jesus walk with you…in you…alongside you…through you each day wherever you go? You have been placed here for a purpose, to touch specific lives in His name.

“…And He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of Us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.” [Acts 17:26,27, NIV]

- Pastor Jack