PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9 | WHATEVER

“WHATEVER”

PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9

AUGUST 28, 2016

MOST OF US HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THEM WHILE SURFING THE INTERNET; CHECKING EMAIL; READING THE NEWS; OR SKIMMING FOR THE LATEST BEST BUYS…

THEY ARE THE LISTS (AND THERE ARE MANY OF THEM OUT THERE); IN THIS CASE, IT’S THE LIST OF THE TEN WORDS THAT MAKE US SOUND DUMB.  HERE’S ONE AUTHOR’S LIST:

AWESOME; NO WORRIES; I KNOW, RIGHT; LEGIT; TOTALLY; OMG; SHOUT-OUT; LITERALLY; THE USE OF PROFANITY; AND MY FAVORITE, AT LEAST FOR THIS MORNING’S SERMON, “WHATEVER.”

NOW I WILL GRANT YOU, THERE JUST MIGHT BE A BIT OF A GENERATIONAL BIAS HERE.

BY THE WAY, IN CASE WE WANT TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THAT IS, FIND WORDS THAT MAKE US SOUND SMART, HERE ARE TEN WORDS TO USE TO MAKE US SOUND SMARTER: EUPHEMISM, COGENT, HARBINGER, BELEAGUERED, QUIXOTIC, PROLIFIC, TANTAMOUNT, PHILISTINE, RETICENT, AND GAMBIT; ALSO ANYTHING SAID WITH A BRITISH ACCENT.

HOWEVER, FOR OUR PURPOSES HERE THIS MORNING, I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE WORD: “WHATEVER.”

I DON’T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN THE TWEENS (THOSE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE), TEENAGERS, AND TWENTY-SOMETHINGS BEGAN USING THIS WORD, USUALLY ACCOMPANIED WITH A DISMISSIVE WAVE OF THE HAND AND TURN OF THE HEAD: “WHATEVER…”

BUT I DO REMEMBER NOT LIKING IT VERY MUCH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY AT ME.

I DON’T KNOW, IF OR WHEN, THE USE OF “WHATEVER” WENT OUT OF STYLE.

AS I WAS PUZZLING OVER THAT THOUGHT IN PREPARATION FOR WRITING THIS SERMON, KAREN AND I WERE OUT EATING LUNCH THE OTHER DAY, AND CLOSE BY WERE TWO TWENTY-SOMETHINGS IN CONVERSATION.

BY THEIR BODY LANGUAGE, TONE, AND INCREASING VOLUME, I COULD SENSE THAT THINGS WERE BEGINNING TO GET A LITTLE TENSE, WHEN ONE OF THEM, AS IF ON CUE, THREW UP HIS HAND AND SAID “WHATEVER.”

AH, I THOUGHT, MY SERMON IDEA FOR THIS SUNDAY IS NOT DEAD.

I CHOSE TO TITLE MY SERMON FOR THIS MORNING SIMPLY “WHATEVER.” 

HOWEVER, IT’S NOT THE DISMISSIVE, “I DON’T CARE,” “I’M NOT LISTENING,” “I’M OUTA HERE” VERSION OF “WHATEVER” I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THIS MORNING, BUT JUST THE OPPOSITE.

IT’S THE APOSTLE PAUL’S VERSION OF “WHATEVER;” THE LIST WE JUST READ FROM PHILIPPIANS; THE GOOD “WHATEVER…”

“WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS HONORABLE, WHATEVER IS JUST, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS PLEASING, WHATEVER IS COMMENDABLE,

IF THERE’S ANY EXCELLENCE, AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE, THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS!

KEEP DOING THE THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED AND RECEIVED AND HEARD AND SEEN IN ME, AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU.”

THINK THESE THINGS… DO THESE THINGS…

BECAUSE YOU HAVE LEARNED AND RECEIVED AND HEARD AND SEEN THESE THINGS IN ME…

AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE, PAUL’S TEACHINGS HERE ARE NOT ONLY FOR OUR OWN BENEFIT, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS.

WHEN WE THINK AND DO TRUE, HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, PLEASING AND COMMENDABLE THINGS – WE ARE THE BETTER PERSON FOR IT;

BUT PAUL ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN WE THINK, SAY, AND DO THESE THINGS WE ARE NOT MERELY DOING THEM FOR OUR OWN BENEFIT, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS;

AND WHAT’S MORE -WE ARE BEING WATCHED!  PEOPLE ARE WATCHING OUR EVERY MOVE;

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING, AND LISTENING, AND THINKING, AND SAYING, AND DOING WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING, AND RECEIVING, AND HEARING, AND SEEING IN US.

OUR CHILDREN LEARN BY OUR SPEAKING.

OUR CHILDREN LEARN BY OUR TEACHING.

OUR CHILDREN LEARN BY OUR EXAMPLE.

OVER THE YEARS, IN WORKING WITH FAMILIES, IN COUNSELING WITH COUPLES, IN TEACHING COURSES ON PARENTING, I’VE HEARD PARENTS SAY THAT THEY NEVER FIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN;

AND WHILE THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR THAT, AND I CAN APPRECIATE WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO;

I USUALLY PRESS THEM ON HOW THEY EXPECT THEIR CHILDREN TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE CONFLICT, AND RESOLVE PROBLEMS, IF THEY’VE NEVER SEEN HOW TO DO IT AT HOME.

NOW OBVIOUSLY WE DON’T WANT PARENTS FIGHTING IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS, BUT HEALTHY PROBLEM SOLVING, POSITIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO TEACH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MODEL FOR OUR CHILDREN, SO THEY LEARN HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.

OF COURSE, THIS IS ONLY ONE OF DOZENS OF THINGS WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN FROM US, LEARN FROM OUR EXAMPLE; WHAT WE WANT THEM TO LEARN AND RECEIVE AND HEAR AND SEE IN US;

AND ALL OF IT WITH THE PROMISE PAUL MAKES TO US: “AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU.”

IF A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS…

IF WE WANT PEOPLE (INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN) TO DO NOT JUST WHAT WE SAY, BUT WHAT WE DO…

IF WE WANT PEOPLE (INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN) TO NOT SIMPLY TALK THE TALK, BUT WALK THE WALK…

IF WE WANT PEOPLE (INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN) TO PRACTICE NOT ONLY WHAT WE PREACH, BUT WHAT WE PRACTICE…

THEN THE ONUS IS ON US TO PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH, TO WALK THE WALK AND TALK THE TALK, TO DO WHAT WE SAY, AND SAY WHAT WE DO, SO THAT THE PICTURES OF OUR LIVES ARE WORTH THOUSANDS OF WORDS.

NOW IF I’VE NOT JUST CLICHÉ-ED US TO DEATH, LET’S LOOK BACK FOR A MOMENT, AT THE SORTS OF “WHATEVERs” PAUL COMMENDS TO US;

THE KINDS OF THINGS WE ARE “TO THINK”, AND I’VE ADDED, “TO SAY”, AND AS HE TELLS US, “TO DO.”

WHAT ARE THE “WHATEVERs” PAUL COMMENDS?

THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE TRUE, HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, PLEASING, AND COMMENDABLE.  THINGS WHICH ARE EXCELLENT.  THINGS WHICH ARE WORTHY OF PRAISE.

CAN WE LET THOSE WORDS SINK IN FOR A MOMENT?

WHENEVER I READ PAUL’S LIST HERE I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK OF SCOUTING.

NEVER A SCOUT MYSELF, I HAD PLENTY OF FRIENDS WHO WERE, AND HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH SCOUTING OVER THE YEARS.

JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW WE NEVER QUIT PARENTING: SEVERAL YEARS AGO OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI – A GROWN WOMAN, FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE.

ONE DAY SHE CALLED JUST TO CHECK IN AND WHEN I ASKED HER WHAT SHE WAS PLANNING ON DOING FOR THE WEEKEND, SHE TOLD ME THAT A BUNCH OF HER GUY AND GIRL FRIENDS WERE GOING TO BE CAMPING ALL WEEKEND IN THE EVERGLADES.

NOW DESPITE MY BEST EFFORT AT BEING THE COOL DAD, ATTEMPTING TO SOUND COMPLETELY OKAY WITH IT, AND ACTING AS IF I TRUSTED HER JUDGEMENT, SHE COULD READ THE HESITATION AND RESERVATIONS IN MY VOICE.

“IT’S OKAY DAD,” SHE SAID, “THREE OF THE GUYS ARE EAGLE SCOUTS, SO WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE DOING.”

AH, I THOUGHT, EAGLE SCOUTS, THE BOY SCOUT OATH:

“ON MY HONOR, I WILL DO MY BEST, TO DO MY DUTY, TO GOD AND COUNTRY, AND TO OBEY THE SCOUT LAW; TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES; TO KEEP MYSELF PHYSICALLY STRONG, MENTALLY AWAKE, AND MORALLY STRAIGHT.”

OUR LITTLE GIRL – A GROWN WOMAN NOW – WOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF ABLE BODIED, MENTALLY AWAKE, MORALLY STRAIGHT EAGLE SCOUTS!

I WANTED BADLY TO BELIEVE THAT; AND TOO, THAT THESE EAGLE SCOUTS STILL REMEMBERED THE SCOUT LAW:

TRUSTWORTHY, LOYAL, HELPFUL, FRIENDLY, COURTEOUS, KIND, OBEDIENT, CHEERFUL, BRAVE, CLEAN, AND REVERENT.

ASHLEY, AND EVERYONE ELSE SURVIVED UNSCATHED, SO WHATEVER ELSE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN DOING OUT IN THE EVERGLADES, AT LEAST THEY MADE IT OUT ALIVE!

BY THE WAY, AS I WAS WRITING THIS PART OF MY SERMON, I DECIDED TO LOOK UP, AND PASS ON TO YOU, THE GIRL SCOUT OATH AND LAW AS WELL:

“I WILL DO MY BEST TO BE HONEST AND FAIR, FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL, CONSIDERATE AND CARING, COURAGEOUS AND STRONG, AND RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I SAY AND DO, TO RESPECT MYSELF AND OTHERS, RESPECT AUTHORITY, USE RESOURCES WISELY, MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE, AND BE A SISTER TO EVERY GIRL SCOUT.”

WORDS TO LIVE BY – FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AND GROWNUPS!

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE THINKING, AND THE SAYING, AND THE DOING.

FORTUNATELY, FOR ALL OF US, THE BIBLE ALSO HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT GRACE, AND MERCY, AND FORGIVENESS, BOTH FROM GOD AND TOWARD ONE ANOTHER;

BECAUSE WHEN WE FAIL TO LIVE UP TO THESE LOFTY IDEALS, IT’S NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY BACK TO GOD, TO EACH OTHER, TO PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND RELATIONAL REBUILDING.

IT’S GOOD TO HAVE IDEALS; HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF OURSELVES AND OTHERS; OF THINKING AND SAYING AND DOING WHAT IS HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, PLEASING AND COMMENDABLE.

IT’S GOOD FOR OUR OWN MENTAL, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH; AND IT’S GOOD FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIETY.

THERE’S EVEN THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING, FILLING OUR HEADS AND OUR HEARTS WITH GOOD THINGS.  THINKING POSITIVELY ALMOST ALWAYS PLAYS ITSELF OUT IN ACTING POSITIVELY, LIVING POSITIVELY;

AND AS THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS, FINDING THE “GOD OF PEACE WITH US.”

HOWEVER, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE OPPOSITE IS EQUALLY TRUE: THINKING NEGATIVELY, ACTING NEGATIVELY, FILLING OUR HEADS AND HEARTS WITH NEGATIVITY, ALMOST ALWAYS RESULTS IN NEGATIVE LIVING AND NO PEACE.

THIS IS GOING A WAYS BACK, BUT I REMEMBER YEARS AGO READING A STORY FROM THE 1957 WORLD SERIES BETWEEN THE NEW YORK YANKEES AND THE (THEN) MILWAUKEE BRAVES.

WARREN SPAHN, THE GREAT MILWAUKEE HALL-OF-FAMER WAS ON THE MOUND FOR THE BRAVES.  ELSTON HOWARD, THE POWER-HITTING CATCHER FOR THE YANKEES WAS AT THE PLATE.

IT WAS A CLASSIC CONFRONTATION: LATE INNINGS, PITCHER’S DUEL, MAN ON BASE, THE DECIDING GAME OF THE SERIES.  THE TENSION WAS PALPABLE.

THE MILWAUKEE MANAGER TROTTED OUT TO THE MOUND FOR A QUICK MOTIVATIONAL CONFERENCE WITH WARREN SPAHN.

“DON’T GIVE HOWARD A HIGH, OUTSIDE PITCH; HE’LL KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK!” WERE THE FINAL WORDS AS THE MANAGER FINISHED THE CONFERENCE.

WARREN SPAHN TRIED NOT TO THROW THE BALL HIGH AND OUTSIDE.  HE TRIED TO RELAX AND AIM LOW AT THE INSIDE CORNER.  TOO LATE!  LIKE A NEON LIGHT, THE MOTIVATING IMAGE “HIGH, OUTSIDE,” WAS THE DOMINANT SIGNAL.

IT WAS A HOME RUN PITCH.  BECAUSE OF THAT ONE DOMINANT THOUGHT, MILWAUKEE ALMOST LOST THE WORLD SERIES.  EDDIE MATTHEWS CAME IN WITH A HOMERUN TO SAVE THE GAME FOR THE BRAVES.

BUT FOR YEARS WARREN SPAHN WOULD SAY, “WHY WOULD ANYONE EVER TRY TO MOTIVATE SOMEONE ON THE REVERSE OF WHAT THEY WANT?”

INDEED, WHY WOULD WE EVER TRY TO MOTIVATE OURSELVES OR OTHER PEOPLE (INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN) BY TELLING THEM WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO?

THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US WHAT TO DO; AND HE FOCUSES ON THE POSITIVE; THE GOOD “WHATEVERs…”

“WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS HONORABLE, WHATEVER IS JUST, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS PLEASING, WHATEVER IS COMMENDABLE,

IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE, IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE,

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS… KEEP DOING THESE THINGS… AND THE PEACE OF GOD WILL BE WITH YOU.”

WORDS (AND ACTIONS) THAT MAKE US SOUND (AND LOOK) SMART!

WORDS (AND ACTIONS) THAT ARE WORTHY OF PASSING ON TO OTHERS (INCLUDING, ESPECIALLY, OUR CHILDREN).

WORDS (AND ACTIONS) TO LIVE BY!  WORDS (AND ACTIONS) WORTHY OF GOD’S PEACE!