Punchinello

The boys and I have been reading a new book, "You Are Mine", by Max Lucado.  Both boys love it...and it's not that short of a book so anything that keeps their interest is great by me!  If you have little kids - get this book.  There's a few more books like it, telling different stories with the same characters which I will definitely keep on my list to shop for...

Anyhoo, the reason I bring this book up is because of our reading today.

"¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:12-13

In the book, the main character Punchinello  lives in Wemmicksville.  And, like all the other Wemmicks in town, he was carved by Eli the Wemmick-maker.  The story goes on about how everyone started to collect boxes and balls to see who could have the most.  Those that had the most, were seen by others as "good" Wemmicks...and those without were looked down on.  By the end of the story Punchinello meets Eli, his maker, and he realizes the mistakes he's made along the way during his quest to collect the most boxes and balls.  Eli is a loving maker, and said to Punchinello "You're special - not because of what you have.  You're special because of who you are.  You are mine.  I love you.  Don't forget that, little friend."  Punchinello gets a good lesson on how to be content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  We, like the Wemmicks, need to rely on our maker to supply what we need (not just what we want), in the way He knows best.

Punchinello worked hard to get all his boxes and balls.  It cost him a lot.  But he didn't do all that because Eli wanted him to.  Turns out, like people, Wemmicks sometimes do silly things.  In verse 13 we read that "I can do all things through him who gives me strength".  This doesn't mean that God gives us superhuman strength to do whatever we want...what it does mean is that Christ is our source of power when we are obedient to His will and face challenges.

Confidence in the Flesh

So I know a woman.  She goes to church, bible study, and will openly talk about the Bible with me.  She gets visibly excited over scripture and, if something doesn't make sense to her, she'll talk about it.  It's fun for me, maybe because it's safe with her.  But the one thing that frustrates me is that she doesn't call herself a Christian...she's a Lutheran.  She is learning the Truth, but it's being clouded by rituals and religion.

The latest discussion I had with her was regarding baptism.  Her pastor was very upset because there was a couple at the church who lost a baby (I think she said stillborn), and he thought the baby was baptised...but it wasn't.  That got my friend thinking, because she had a miscarriage and that baby was never baptised.  She is so confused right now, because in her church they baptise babies to make sure they get into heaven.  We discussed salvation, and I talked about what is taught at our church - that children have a dedication service where the parents make a pledge to raise their child to know the Lord.  When that child is old enough to make a decision to accept Christ, then the child can choose to be baptised.  She tried bringing it back to salvation again...and I tried to just stick to Scripture and reminded her that we are saved through faith, not by what we do.  We talked about having faith like a child...and I asked her if a baby can have faith, or choose to follow Christ until it is old enough to understand?  Unfortunately we got interrupted in our discussion...so I think for now she still has a lot of questions, and I don't think her church is going to help her understand God's Word on this.  (If you want to, go back and read Romans 10.)

The reason I'm writing about this is because in our reading today Paul talks about the same thing.  In verses 2-6, the idea of "confidence in the flesh" is the same problem my friend is having.  She is so caught up in what her church does as being what makes them believers.  SO many people get this backwards...getting confused by thinking (or being taught) that what we do is a prerequisite to faith....when in reality, what we do is a result of our faith!!  She has so much confidence in the rituals of her church, but is neglecting what God has to say about this.

Do not be fooled.  Salvation only comes through faith in Christ.