Pine Knot Kindling

PINE KNOT KINDLING

Several days ago, Phil, No. 2. son, said something like “Dad, I am supposed to pick you up and take you to Crowley’s Ridge College Sunday night if you feel like it.”  Being the cooperative father I am, I said, “Okay” but I inquired why.  He was evasive but thought it might be some kind of honor.  It turned out that each year CRC honors someone at the beginning of their Spring Lectureship, and even dedicates their lectureship book to them.  That’s what they did to me.  Richard Akins read a beautiful statement about me, for which I am grateful.  When I was asked if I had anything to say that I was so surprised and still a bit weak from the long illness, I said only a few words.  The chairman had the audacity to suggest that was the shortest he had ever heard me speak.

Smile . . . If You Can.  Sometimes you wonder what kids are really learning.  Yesterday the teacher pointed to the flag and asked my six-year-old what it was.  He threw back his shoulders and said, “The flag of my country.”

The teacher couldn’t leave well enough alone.  “Now tell me the name of country,” she said.

“Tis of thee,” he said.

Let me say a word about visiting the sick.  I know the Lord wants us to do it, for his picture of the judgment scene drives it home.  Do you remember that one of the reason the ones on the right were invited into eternal life was that they visited the Lord when he sick, and one reason those on the left were cast into eternal punishment was that they had failed to visit him when he was sick.  They asked, as we would have I am sure, “When did we ever see you in these conditions and fail to visit you.  His answer was that to the degree you have neglected even the unimportant ones, you have neglected me.

I’ve been the hospital, and I have had visitors galore.  I never once felt neglected.  I would like to repeat that I am very grateful for your interest and readiness to be of help.  Sometimes the card serves as warm visit.  Sometimes just the warm words sent to you such as, “I won’t come to see you for I might do more harm than good, but if you need anything, let me know.  These are people who are trying to make the world be like it would be if we were showing the spirit of Christ.  And when people say, “Christianity is just an old outmoded religion that is not adequate for these modern times” I know they are considering only a small portion of it means to live and die.  So often those who speak so lightly of Christ’s way have not experienced yet the depths of need that come upon us, and have not considered the relevance of Christ to those situations.