No one much talked to Sidney Sigmund Trevarthan at church. A couple times someone asked, "How are you doing, Sid?" And Sid would tell them ...and he'd tell them in detail about things they knew nothing about, with words they knew nothing about. Soon, the word was politely and quietly spread around church, and everyone would find creative ways to avoid Sid.

Rick is an elder in the church, and he feels it's wrong the way everyone is avoiding Sid.

Sid has an idea why everyone is avoiding him, and he wants to change that.  Sid had recently even begun to watch some TV shows to get an idea how other people talk, but he wonders whether he will be given a chance to try what he'd been practicing.

Rick: "Sid, I know you are really smart about a lot of things ...and I was just wondering if you'd ever found time to read the Bible?"

Sid: "My very first time reading the Bible was when I was seven years of age...and I've read it at least once every year since then."

Rick: "I was wondering if you would like to teach Sunday school ...with the younger kids.  You would probably be good with the older ones too, but we already have a teacher for the teens.  Our teacher who was working with the younger kids, had to leave to help take care of her elderly Mom ...so, we really need to fill that position."

Sid:  "Sure, I'll do it."

Rick:  "Great, can you start next Sunday?"

Sid:  "Sure."

Rick:  "One thing more ...do you think you could talk on their level?"

Sid:  "I have nieces and nephews ...and I have no problem relating with them."

Rick wonders whether Sid's nieces and nephews are like he is, but he has to dismiss that idea if he is going to give Sid a chance.

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There are a dozen youngsters in Sid's class.  He decides to have each one introduce themselves, and though he has each name memorized immediately, he decides to have them put on name tags.  Sid thinks that will be a good start, personalizing their introduction, and they won't think it strange that he knows all their names on the first go-round.

Tommy: "I heard my Dad and Mom saying it is not safe in school anymore.  How do we know it's going to be safe in class here?"

Sid:  "That is a very important question ...one that I hope I can answer satisfactorily.  Most of us adults watch the news on TV, and we often don't know how kids your age ---or any age ---feel about the events the news media reports on.  I don't know if your Dad and Mom told you, but we recently had a meeting with the parents about the safety of everyone.  I thought it was a good meeting ...and I feel we were in agreement over the importance of this subject. And we all now feel the measures we've taken have made it that much safer.  If we didn't feel that way, we would have not opened the church for Sunday services.  In our meeting, it was decided that once church starts, we lock the doors. I'm sure you all noticed a dog chained just outside the church door ...well, there's two, one in the back and one in the front.  And also ...there's a police station just down the street from our church.  That not only makes me feel safe, but it sort of keeps any troublemakers from thinking they'd like to start any trouble here."

Lisa:  "I want Jesus to return."

Max:  "But, things weren't very safe the last time Jesus came.  I think people would just get mad all over again, so I don't know if returning would be such a great idea for Him."

Sid:  "I know that it's perhaps difficult to understand, but Jesus came for a different reason the last time."

Max:  "What was that reason?"

Sid:  "Jesus didn't come to stop those who hate.  Jesus came to show us where love is. He wants us to be with Him in heaven after we leave this life ...and He gives us this life to allow adequate time for us to decide if it is also what we want."

Max:  "But, how can you say you love someone without making them safe?"

Sid:  "I did everything I could to make my dog safe.  And I love dogs ...but, I don't blame the squirrel for what happened.  I don't dislike squirrels.  And I don't think squirrels are evil."

Becky: "What did the squirrel do?"

Sid:  "Well, I think it liked what I was eating more than what it had to eat.  I had just given my dog its food and I was eating mine in the other room at the table.  There was a nice cool breeze, and it felt so good coming through the screen when I opened the window.  I didn't see when the squirrel came to sit outside on the ledge of the window ...but, my dog ate faster than me, and he saw the squirrel.  My dog barked once, but the squirrel just sat there and swished its tail ...until my dog leaped right through the screen."

Ed:  "Did your dog kill the squirrel?"

Sid:  "No, the squirrel ran across the street, over a fence, and scurried up a tree just over the fence.  My dog was fast too, and it had a unique talent of being able to climb fences ...but it couldn't climb trees, especially with skinny branches."

Ed:  "So, what happened then?"

Sid:  "Well, it's not always to one's benefit to be talented.  When my dog climbed over the neighbor's fence, there was a much bigger dog there."

Becky:  "Was it a mean dog?"

Sid:  "It's sometimes difficult to tell if a dog is mean, or not.  Sometimes a dog is like us, and does something because it's afraid.  The neighbor said his dog was just defending his property.  However one looks at it, his dog likely felt my dog's sudden appearance in his yard was an unwelcome intrusion ...and his dog reacted.  His dog attacked my dog ...and his dog is much bigger and stronger."

Missy:  "Did your dog get hurt real bad?"

Sid:  "My dog died."

Becky:  "That big dog was a mean dog then."

Sid:  "Not really ...it's the dog I saw you pet and hug just before you came into church.  Believe me, you are all much safer with that dog around.  My neighbor got the dog from someone who didn't know how to treat dogs, but my neighbor is a good trainer ...and he patiently worked with that dog.  It's one of the best dogs I've ever seen."

Max:  "Enough about dogs already. Like I said, Jesus didn't make His own disciples safe ...so, how is that love, and what does all that have to do with a squirrel and two dogs when we were talking about Jesus?"

Sid:  "Well, my neighbor and I are friends ...and he was so sorry about what happened to my dog.  It wasn't his fault, as his dog was in his yard.  My neighbor and I are open with one another, and there is always confession and forgiveness all the way around.  Jesus told us to love our neighbor, and that's what we do in my neighborhood."

Lisa:  "I agree with my parents ...and I don't think all neighborhoods have loving people.  I don't want to hear about your dog chasing a squirrel ...my Dad and Mom always quiz me on what I've learned.  Tell me something about when Jesus returns."

Sid:  "Well, Jesus said that when He returns it will be like the time of Noah."

Kirk:  "Like the time of Jonah?  My parents don't even believe that story ...what a dumb story, about Jonah being swallowed by a sea monster, then sh_ _  on shore."

Becky:  "He just swore ..."

Kirk:  "We all do it."

Becky:  "That's not true ...I never swore."

Kirk:  "I never said we all swear, what I said was that we all sh _ _ .  And my parents told me they don't believe that fish story.  Dad said Jonah was probably drinking too much, and wandered around, not knowing where he was.  And he probably imagined that crazy story, and then passed out ...then sh _ _ on the shore, blaming it on a sea creature."

Lisa:  "You're just stupid ...and if your dad told you that, he is too."

Kirk:  "My Dad is not stupid ...he's smarter than any of your dads. And you can't tell me how to talk, I can talk whatever way I want ...SH _ _  ON SHORE!!  SH _ _  ON SHORE!!"

Sid:  "No one here should call anyone stupid. And if you want to sound even smarter, Kirk, just say S.O.S ...it also means 'Help', and we all can use help.  I'll help out a bit too, making it a bit clearer what I said ...as I was saying, Jesus said it would be like in the time of Noah, not Jonah."

Kirk:  "Dad doesn't believe in him either, whoever he is."

Sid:  "How about Jesus ..."

Kirk:  "Of course, who doesn't believe in Jesus ...who doesn't celebrate Christmas."

Sid:  "Where do we learn about Jesus?"

Lisa:  "The Bible ..."

Kirk:  "All of the Bible is not true."

Sid:  "Could you tell us what parts of the Bible aren't true, Kirk?"

Kirk:  "A lot of the Bible isn't true ...only the parts about Jesus are true."

Sid:  "Did you know that Jesus spoke of both Jonah and Noah?"

***************************************************

After church, Kirk Sr. approaches Sid, introducing himself in a rather confrontational manner.

Kirk Sr.:  "What are you doing, telling my kid that I'm a liar?"

Sid:  "I never call anyone a liar.  What specifically are you referring to?"

Kirk Sr.:  "I don't want my kid to be called stupid, and one of the girls in your class called my kid stupid, and you didn't defend my kid.  And what are you doing, teaching kids that the Noah and the ark story is true?"

Sid:  "I'm teaching the first Book of the Bible ...and there are some very interesting things in the Book of Genesis."

Kirk Sr.:  "Why don't you stick to telling them about Jesus.  None of those people in the Book of Genesis are real ...they're just a part of a bunch of entertaining myths.  It's like when you hear a fable ...they tell lesson stories, but they aren't true stories.  And we are told Moses wrote those stories ...but, Moses didn't really exist either, he's part of the myth."

Sid:  "You say I should stick to telling the kids about Jesus ...so where do we learn about Jesus?"

Kirk Sr.:  "In church, of course ...are you playing me for stupid, or something?"

Sid:  "Of course not ...yet, we are in church, so isn't this where you just said the kids should learn about Jesus."

Kirk Sr.:  "I think I'm going to report you to the Pastor ...trying to turn the kids against their own parents. And some added advice for you ...stick to teaching the New Testament, about Jesus, not all those stories in the Old.  Maybe those stories are fun to read, but none of the kids are going to believe the Old Testament when they get older ...no sane adult does."

Sid: (extending an open Bible) "Could you please read the start of the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 17 ...in the New Testament?"

Kirk Sr.: (snatching the Bible from Sid) "Are you insinuating that I can't read ...give that to me!"

Sid:  "I am confident that you can read very well ...and you can see that Jesus had James, Peter, and John meet Elijah and Moses.  Now, what lesson could be learned from a story like that?  Having it there plainly for anyone to see, do you think it reads at all like a parable ...and what reason would there be for it to be written unless it is true?  And they are also mentioned in the 9th Chapter of both Mark and Luke.  If you prefer the Gospel of John, Chapter 5, verses 46 & 47 are quite enlightening also."

Kirk Sr.:  "You are not a good teacher.  And I'm still going to talk to the Pastor about you being relieved of your teaching position."

Sid hears what sounds like a suppressed dog growl as Kirk Sr. leaves the church.  And Sid whispers to himself, "Yes, please do talk to the Pastor ...and thanks, I'll look you up if I need any future commendations." 

*************************************************

I believe in God ...and I believe the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit make up what we have coined as the Trinity, all three being as One. The word 'Trinity', though not in the Bible, seems to be a rather clear concept.  When Jesus walked the earth over 2 thousand years ago. Over & over again, Jesus referred to the Father ...and said He and the Father are One.  Jesus also said He would send a Comforter, not only to comfort, but to also speak truth of Him.

Would we not think that Jesus would want us to have truth??

If you don't believe the Bible speaks to us of that truth, then what is your source of information for who God is??

The Bible says that God would that none would perish, yet it also speaks of a Judgment Day.  And since God doesn't want any of us to perish, He would want that which we are to be judged upon to be fair. What some people seem to struggle with is the idea of our freedom of choice, coupled with God's omniscience.

And what is also a bit confusing is that concept of love.  It would be easy if we just defined love in a way that didn't mean much ...like loving ice cream, a particular car, or a vacation spot.  But, concerning people, it becomes more complicated ...especially if we take God out of the picture.  Love can be defined as ludus, eros, philautia, mania, storge, philia, pragma, or agape ...but, none of them exist without freedom of choice.  And many of those I would question whether they are love at all, in comparison to the definition that I hold in highest esteem ..."God is love".  

Sometimes people may feel love is absent when it is not ...and we often bring hurt into our interactions. Physical hurt is not imagined, nor should we say other forms of hurt are not real, yet sometimes emotional hurt can be a bit confusing ...as things aren't always what they appear to be, and when people care about one another these things can be worked out.  But, almost all of us also have our own personal feelings on what appears not to be even close to possible reconciliation.  And we mostly agree that even though we can be forgiving of most things, there are things that have to be dealt with ...things that are wicked and evil.  And when we see someone subjected to continual cruelty and brutal violence ...do we wish with every fiber of our being that the victim could be possibly be somehow saved from that horrific treatment??

To be saved from cruel treatment, people often look to have separation from those who are outright oppressive towards them ...and our societies often imprison those who insist on hurting others. Our God also promises separation, so that heaven does not have this same cruelty that earth way too often has. The question is ...will we accept God's promise??

Is it clear what we are being asked to accept??

Another question is ...who would not want it to be clear??

Who benefits from others not knowing the truth??  Or another way to ask it would be to consider those in the past who were most against those who wanted to share God's message.  Furthermore, I think we need to ask ourselves how invested we are in being either for or against whatever it is that we feel so strongly about.  And even more important is to what extent we believe God has invested Himself in us.  Is it meaningful to us that Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified for our sake?? 

The problem partly is that which has been clearly stated in Isaiah 5:20, "Woe unto those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."   And the Letter to the Romans 1:25, tells of those who exchange the truth about God for a lie.  So, we have made it quite confusing what is correct and what is good ...how much more so is it then confusing what God wants to share with us as true??  Are we to imagine what that is, or should we go with what we may believe a loving God would do His best to do ...letting us know what is true??  Surely God sent His best through a clear testimony ...yes, that would be Jesus.

Who would be against our knowing who Jesus is?? 

In addition to the other Gospels, the Gospel of John speaks about who Jesus is ...and it also speaks of another John, who didn't choose to dine in the fanciest restaurants ...but went out to the wilderness to eat locust and honey. I don't know if he chewed with his mouth open, or not ...but he certainly opened his mouth to chew out one of the leaders of his day. And he loudly aimed to prepare everyone for when Jesus came on the scene.

When Jesus came, was He quiet?? Did He say He just wanted to live out His days on the shores, do some fishing, then grow old with the wind in his gray hair? Did He say that He wanted a quiet little funeral when He got old and died? And would that death in old age suffice to qualify as dying for our sins? Yes, Jesus died for our sins, but not in a way that got little to no attention. Clearly, the chief priests felt they were the leaders ...and they we not pleased when Jesus came on the scene, nor did most of the leaders accept who He was.  And clearly, they were not prepared ...as no one could be really prepared for Jesus, and even less prepared how to stop Him. During just a few years of ministry in His early 30's, Jesus was involved in much controversy. They eventually decided to arrest Him at night ...but then had Him go back and forth between different leaders, trying to decide what they should do & more so trying not to be involved in the 'they' aspect of it. They then made a public display by crucifying Him ...but, then didn't want His death to be made public, especially after His resurrection. Strategy-wise, they did not know how they wanted to approach the reality of Jesus ...yet, though many differed on how they felt they should deal with Jesus, together they would be happy to be rid of Him. They would not stand for what He stood for, and they did not trust those disciples who stood with Him. And as I said a bit ago, we must also decide how we want to stand ...and whether we want to stand with those accepting Jesus for who He is.