About a week ago I was waiting in a doctor’s office.  Since my phone battery was running low, I decided to find something to read instead.  On top of the pile of various magazines on the table was a children’s book titled Aesop’s Fables for Children. ‘What a refreshing idea!’ I thought and proceeded to flip through the pages. I ended up enjoying many stories that I grew up listening to.  One of the stories in particular had left an indelible mark on me as a young girl, and I was thrilled to have the chance to be reminded of the lesson that story had taught me.  It’s the story called “the Wind and the Sun.”
Here is the story as found on one internet site:
One day the Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road, and the Sun said: "I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveler to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin." So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveler. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveler wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveler, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.
The moral of the story: gentleness and kind persuasion win over force and harsh confrontation.
Of course, if you talk to my children, they will say, “there is no way our Mom got the moral of that story.  She didn’t practice that principle on us as we were growing up!”   I admit that many times I was too demanding on my children.  I was quick to confront them about their mistakes as if they would be ruined for life if I did not correct them as their Mom.   It is only through the grace of God that they turned out pretty normal!  My children may not agree, but I am trying really hard these days. I pray I will become a gentler and kinder mother (and wife!) each day with the Holy Spirit working in me.
This story also made me think of the song, “Your kindness, Lord,… leads me to repentance…,” which comes from Romans 2:4.  “Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”  Jesus doesn’t use guilt to get us to repent although He could. Instead He uses kindness!  His kindness leads us to repentance, obedience, and a broken heart for Him.
Just as God draws us in with His kindness, the only way that we are going to reach the lost world around us is through kindness. Strong historical arguments, great theology, and powerful personal testimonies – they are all good ways to bring someone to Christ. But the best way to draw, attract, or introduce someone to Christ is through kindness, His kindness!  I pray and encourage everyone to practice kindness toward others throughout the upcoming week.  First it should begin amongst our family members and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Then it should be carried with us wherever we go as an ambassador for Christ.  May we witness lives being transformed as we share His kindness!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
June 9, 2013

Congratulations class of 2013! 

Graduation is such an exciting time.  It's a unique transitional time in your life where you have the opportunity to look back on the past few years that led to your graduation but also thinking, dreaming, planning, and often times worrying about the road ahead.  Relax, it's really going to be okay.  Take a deep breath.  YOU'LL BE OKAY.
I love finding simple truths in simple things.  I have always enjoyed reading comic strips.  Often times it's an escape from reality but surprisingly enough you find profound words speaking to you that make you think about your life and the world around you.  The Calvin and Hobbes strip above is one of those cases.  At the onset of this strip, the two friends find themselves in a world that was aesthetically different than the day prior.  "Everything familiar has disappeared!  The world looks brand new!"  Graduates, I promise you this will not be the first time you experience transition.  All of life is transition.  You'll find yourself looking at a "brand new" world ahead as "everything familiar" disappears.  The most important thing for you during these times is your reaction to this reality.  How will you respond?  Will you be crippled with fear of the uncertainty or will you boldly cry out like Calvin in the midst of uncertainty, "let's go exploring"?
There's so much to explore and discover out there, including yourself!  Contrary to popular and secular belief that the end goal is all that matters, we believe, as followers of Christ that how we run the race is just as important.  Jesus already promised us the end goal which is to be with Him for eternity and in perfection.  So friends, as we, graduates and non-graduates aike, face change, let us respond like Calvin, knowing and trusting that as we "go exploring", the Lord will mold us, shape us, and make us more and more like Him along the way until we are glorified with Him when we meet Him face to face.  To extend Calvin's wise words, let's "never stop exploring."  God bless you and congratulations to the class of 2013.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart

June 2, 2013