Behold Thy Crown!

“Grandchildren are the crown of old men…” (Pro. 17:6)

In 2022, my wife, Susanne, and I were blessed to have our four oldest grandchildren for a weekend. We decided to take them to watch the Civil War re-enactment of “The Battle for the Texas Hospital.” It was very good. Of course, having children there, the food truck was the main attraction–they love to eat.  

Grace, our oldest granddaughter is full of life and tough as nails. She decided to set down and play on the ground. Because she is no longer in training diapers, and the previous day it had rained, she could feel the moisture soaking through her clothes and wetting her bottom. So, being the Southern Princess that she is, she grabbed her pants and panties and pulled them down to her thighs, ‘mooning’ the entire battle field and hordes of people at the food stand. I hadn’t seen a moon presented that clear since my senior year in high school. (But that’s another story!) We quickly helped her recover her dignity, and used the moment to give further instruction about social protocol. It was hilarious, and the innocence of a child is refreshing. It felt as if the Lord was laughing and saying, “Behold thy crown.”

Eli, our youngest grandson, loved the battle. However, right in the middle of the most intense part of cannon fire and close combat, some thing happened. I was standing and locked into the re-enactment, then one of my sons elbowed me and pointed down toward my feet. When I looked down, I saw my young Eli reaching with his hands straight up wanting his Pop. The battle no longer mattered… there was a higher calling. So, I grabbed my young man and held him tight as we talked about the day. With his gentle touch and big smile, he loved on me and I loved on him. It felt as if the Lord was whispering, “Behold thy crown!”

Kiss the Son

“Kiss the Son,” (Psalm 2:12)

The Psalms are filled with poetic imagery and figures of speech. These skillful words inspired by the Holy Spirit launch us into deep oceans of thought and imagination. The Psalms speak so powerfully to us because they come from the heart of God as they draw us into the arms of faith.

‘Kissing the Son’ is another way of showing submission to a magistrate. Ancient Kings would extend their hands for their subjects to kiss. It marked and demonstrated a respect and honor toward the king. It also revealed an affection for the ruler. This practice showed subjugation and affection.

My wife and I were babysitting our oldest granddaughter Grace when she was very young. We enjoy reading to our grandchildren and encouraging them to be readers throughout life. While Susanne was reading Bible stories to Grace, something happened. Grace loved what she was hearing about the love and grace of Christ that she bent over and kissed Jesus. Her heart was grateful for the truth she was hearing… AND our hearts were melted by the show of respect and affection that she demonstrated to the Savior!

Let the Light Shine Through

The Scriptures define a saint differently than most people. We tend to save the label for those we deem as super-spiritual, or for those who have accomplished many good works for God’s Kingdom. If you are Roman Catholic, a person must go through a rigorous examination after they die to become a saint. (Too bad the person is not around to enjoy the elevation.) 

In the Scriptures, the designation of a saint is simple. It means “one who is sanctified or holy.”  Now, before we begin getting our measuring sticks out for the judging contest, let us consider that every one of us—you and me—have sinned and we continually fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) So, our self-appointed halo needs to come off our sense of worthiness and we should cast it at the foot of the Cross. 

A Three-Pipe Problem

Perhaps the most famous detective in history is Sherlock Holmes. He, along with his trusty assistant Dr. Watson, solved many complex cases that would otherwise remained a mystery if not for their investigative savvy.

In the famed story The Red-Headed League, Watson tells Sherlock that the evidence surrounding one of their investigations was very mysterious. Sherlock responds to Watson by telling him, “This is a three-pipe problem. Please sit quietly and do not say anything for fifty minutes.” After taking the time to think about evidence for the time it took to smoke his three pipes, Sherlock was ready to solve the mystery.

Some of the mysteries of the life and the Scriptures qualify as “Three-Pipe Problems.” Our problem is that we live in a one-pipe world; never slowing down enough to sufficiently reflect upon the matters that are necessary to solve the questions of life on a deeply foundational level. The result is that we continue to stumble into the same old failures and tendencies that are the root causes to many of our problems to began with.

I Saw A Beggar Today

How we see others will affect how we see ourselves. How we see ourselves will affect how we see others. How we see Christ will determine how we see everyone.

The road of life is littered with the scattered pieces of men who lived their lives in pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness. Only a gaze into the heavens can protect us from the same lonely fate. Just one glimpse into the face of Jesus can save us from the destruction of pride. We must see ourselves properly.

After reflecting on this, I grabbed my pen and wrote this free verse poem: