Leaving an Inheritance - Martin Wiles

Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren. Proverbs 13:22 NLT

Leaving an inheritance has meant very little in my family—at least where it concerns money.

My maternal grandparents were the only ones in my family who accumulated a tidy sum of money. But even what they had wouldn’t be considered much by today’s standards. Yet, in the eyes of a fifteen-year-old, it was. When my grandfather died, we discovered he had a nice chunk in savings and his checking account. However, I doubt my grandmother ever knew. He didn’t allow her to touch the money, pay the bills, or make financial decisions.

Though quite thrifty in life, my grandfather was a little more generous in death. In his will, he delegated a nice little sum to each of his grandchildren. It wouldn’t seem like much now, but it was a gold mine to this teenager. I forget what I did with mine, but I do remember my spendthrift parents made sure I used it wisely.

But money wasn't all my grandfather left me. He also left me many good memories of a simple life around the farm. I don't remember him showing me affection or telling me he loved me. Nor do I remember him speaking words of encouragement or sharing wisdom for the future. But I did have his unspoken example. 

On the other hand, my paternal grandparents left me something different—although it did not come as a monetary inheritance. From them, I received bunches of hugs, hundreds of I-love-you’s, time together, financial help when I struggled, and many words of wisdom for the future. What they left served me better than a sum of money.

At the moment—and as far as I know, no change is in the cards—I won’t leave my grandchildren money either. As my paternal grandparents did for me, I will leave my grandboys the example of a meager financial lifestyle.

But that’s okay. My grandparents taught me money can’t buy everything and that some things are more important than money. Such as spending time with my grandchildren around the table eating a meal, sitting in my recliner reading Bible stories to them, sitting at a table doing handiwork that teaches how God created the world, or taking them to church.

I’m not “spending my grandchildren’s inheritance.” Instead, I’m leaving my spiritual heritage intact for them. Hopefully, they’ll pass it on to theirs.

What are you leaving for your posterity?

Father, may I leave for posterity what can never be spent. 

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Models of Christ - Martin Wiles

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 2:7 NLT

Every male friend I had seemed to enjoy it, but somehow, I didn’t share their enthusiasm.

When I was a pre-teen, putting together model cars was the in thing. Most of my male friends did it and seemed to love it. I looked at the shelves lined with model cars of various styles, shapes, models, and prices and wondered how someone could get so excited about them. I suppose most young men wanted to know how to work on cars. Assembling a model car would give them a chance to learn the various parts of the motor.

Not wanting to be the odd boy out, I bought one and quickly discovered this wasn’t for me. While the finished product was stylish, getting to that point was difficult. Model car glue and super glue were surely related. Parts had to be placed in the correct spot quickly and with no glue on your fingers. After one shabby attempt, I decided I’d get the snap-together type from then on.

Model cars were impressive when assembled correctly, but mine were a poor representation of the real thing. Paul reminds Titus he was a model to those God had called him to teach. He may have been young, but his good works, teaching, and integrity were to model Christ well.

We, too, model Christ. I’m not sure my one cemented together model car was a good representation of the real thing. My life, however, should display a more accurate depiction. Jesus modeled the Father. He said looking at Him was the same as gazing upon the heavenly Father. He was kind, compassionate, empathetic, service-minded, conscientious of others’ needs, and firmly grounded in the Word. When tempted, He was armored to resist the fiery darts of Satan. In times of persecution—even death—for His beliefs, He stood firm.

Constant attention to what kind of models we are is essential. An unfocused mind is a wandering mind—into places, actions, and words that don’t represent Christ well. Distractions will take us where we don’t need to go and, in the process, distort the model others see.

Remember how the Christ who put you together appears. Don’t let someone or something glue pieces where they don’t belong.

Father, give us strength to model Your attributes well before others. 

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Unleash the Holy - Martin Wiles

When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant. Exodus 29:35 NLT

They called him “deac,” but he wasn’t one. Still, he could unleash the holy.

By usual standards, my paternal grandfather didn’t have an impressive build. At five-foot-six inches and 165 pounds, he was comparatively small. But what he lacked in stature, he made up for in godliness.

On one trip to visit him and my grandmother, my father told me how people called my grandfather deac—short for deacon. Interestingly, he wasn’t a deacon, but they associated him with the position because of his godly behavior. He wasn’t a vocal man or unusually bold in sharing his faith. He didn’t have to be. What he held onto on the inside naturally oozed out in his actions and speech.

My grandfather himself told me of a time when he visited a local diner across the street from his house. As he drank his coffee, another of the usual customers sat beside him. The waitress took the man’s order and said, “Oh, I have a joke to tell you—but not until Mr. Boyce leaves.” My grandfather’s life unleashed the holiness in him.

After Moses visited with God on Mount Sinai, he lumbered down the mountain to tell the people what God had revealed. Unknown to Moses, his face shone because he had been in the Lord’s presence. So brightly, in fact, that his brother and the others feared approaching him.

As believers, God has set us apart and instructed us to be holy, even as He is holy. Doing so doesn’t entail walking around with a snobby attitude, imagining we’re better than anyone else. It simply means remembering who we are and who we represent. God has given us the righteousness of Christ, and our goal should entail reflecting that to others.

Living in a world that is often hostile to Christianity means that unleashing the holy takes conscious effort. Fear, neglect, and busyness can keep it leashed if we’re not careful. But when we remember and nurture the person we are inside, holy living will naturally be unleashed to run free on the outside.

How are you unleashing the holy?

Father, give me strength to let my light for You shine brightly before others. 

Tweetable: Are you unleashing the holy? 

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Killing Off God - Martin Wiles

I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Ezekiel 20:9 NLT

I had killed off God—although not intentionally.

In one of his sermons, Frederick Buechner told of a pre-teen who, in a fit of anger, secured a gun and shot his father. Although the father didn’t die immediately, he did soon afterward. When the authorities asked the boy why he had shot his father, he told them because he could not stand his father. His father demanded too much of him, so he hated him.

Authorities placed the young boy in jail. Late one night, as the guard patrolled the corridor, he heard sounds coming from the boy’s cell. He stopped to listen and heard the boy wailing, “I want my father, I want my father.” But he couldn’t get him back. He had killed him.

I became a believer at a young age, but when I approached the teenage years, I felt the same way as the young man. I hated my father’s demands and the rules he instigated. I never wanted to kill him, but I did express my hatred for him and Mom often—although under my breath. I chose to rebel…to live like an unbeliever. And by doing so for many years, I killed off God’s witness through me.

Atheist Friedrich Nietzsche, in his work, The Gay Science, wrote, “Have you not heard of the man who lit a lamp on a bright morning and went to the marketplace crying ceaselessly, ‘I seek God. I seek God’…They laughed, and…the man sprang into their midst and looked daggers at them. ‘Where is God?’ he cried. ‘I tell you. We have killed Him, you and I.’”

Through the prophet Ezekiel, God reminds the people why He didn’t kill them during the wilderness years, even though they were killing God off. God wanted to preserve His name. Had He eliminated the Israelites because of their disobedience, the surrounding nations—who worshipped other gods—would have looked at Israel’s God as a wimp…if they looked to Him at all. A God who wasn’t able to deliver on His promise to bring His people to the Promised Land.

God is God, so, of course, we can’t kill Him off literally, but we can practically. When we live in ways that dishonor His name, we kill Him off. His witness won’t flow through us. When we don’t do the good things we should do, we kill Him off because His presence doesn’t show forth through our lives and impact others as it should.

We can easily prevent killing off God by making sure everything we do and say puts the spotlight on Him—or to use biblical language, brings glory to His name. When we’re careful of the words we speak, the attitudes we have, and the actions we take, we let God shine through us.

Asking what Jesus might do in all of our situations helps God live because Jesus always did the will of His Father. This involves listening to the still small voice of the Spirit, whom God has given us as a seal that we belong to Him. Living in a spirit of prayer also keeps God alive. In this way, we’re continually in tune with Him.

Make up your mind that you’ll live in such a way that you don’t kill off God.

Prayer: Father, may we let Your light shine brightly through us.

Tweetable: What do your actions say about God? 

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Flashback Friday - Ringing Reputations - Martin Wiles

Ringing Reputations

I might not be aware of the exact second it will sound, but most of the time I at least know the day. After all, I’m a teacher and need to plan accordingly. Then there are a few surprise fire, tornado, and severe weather drills. Even when I know the day, the piercing squeal sets my nerves on edge. As alarms can be heard near and far, so our reputations should be as well. Read more...

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Throwback Tuesday - Shine Where You Are - Martin Wiles

Shine Where You Are

One at a time, they filed nervously up to the speaker’s podium. With shaky voices, they began their list of thank yous…to parents, grandparents, friends, the headmaster, teachers, custodian. Wait a minute…the custodian? Not that being a custodian isn’t an extremely crucial and honorable profession. I’ve just never heard one thanked in a public ceremony before. Read more...

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Flashback Friday - Giving That Runs Over - Martin Wiles

Giving That Runs Over 

No sooner had we moved than physical limitations caused one income to disappear. Soon, our power bill was delinquent by several hundred dollars. Though we agreed on a payment plan, the extra amount taxed our budget. Two hundred dollars seemed unreachable.

Sharing troubles with friends can decrease stress, so that’s what we did. One friend wanted to help and asked to see the bill. After a few moments, she handed it back to my wife who in turn left to pay. When she removed our friend’s assistance to add with our check, she discovered enough money to pay the entire balance we owed-delinquent included. “I’ve been blessed,” was our friend’s response when we thanked her and “I don’t want anything” when we attempted to repay her kindness with benevolent acts. Read more...

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Flashback Friday - Martin Wiles

Dressing for Success

Donned in clothes belonging to another, I could be anything I wanted…at least temporarily. 

Playing dress up was a popular kid’s game when I was growing up. After all, the techies hadn’t invented the distractions that currently occupy kids’ attention and often steal their imagination. With an adult’s clothes--along with accompanying implements found around the various houses, the list of our futures was as endless as our mind’s eyes. Teachers, preachers, housewives, nurses, doctors, princesses, kings, and queens. We were dressed for success and frequently believed we could be these people when we reached adulthood. Read more...

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Under Attack - Martin Wiles

My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls. Psalm 22:12 NLT

Tradition says the running of the bulls began in northeastern Spain during the 14th century. 

Why anyone would want to run down a crowded street with angry bulls chasing them is beyond me. The thought of being trampled or gored isn’t appealing. Even though it happens, people still do it. I’ve also watched wolves, wild dogs, and coyotes attack their prey. With teeth bared and mouths salivating, they circle, blind side, and eventually pounce on their victims. 

Whether he actually was or not, the psalmist felt surrounded by enemies. His words were prophetic of how Jesus would later feel when His enemies eventually called for His death. 

In many countries—even America, Christians are under attack. The attack may involve jail time, beatings, or even death. Or it may be more subtle: prayer being taken out of schools, the Ten Commandments being removed from public places, the media ridiculing those who take a faith stand, or immoral ways of living being promoted as the norm. 

When under attack for my faith, it is common for me to overreact. I can spew hateful words against those who attack me or promote ungodly lifestyles. I can act as if I’m better than them and walk around with my religious nose in the air. Or I can withdraw like a hermit and refuse to associate with anyone but my own kind. But there are better responses. 

Praying for strength to endure is crucial. God never promises to take persecution away. In fact, He tells believers they will be persecuted. After all, Jesus was. He will, however, give strength to endure. 

Searching for God’s will in how to react to the attacks is also important. However I choose to react, it should be with love.

I can have confidence when I’m under attack. I’ve read the end of the Book. Good wins over evil. Believers triumph. Knowing that is not an excuse for a haughty attitude, but knowing it does help me respond to faith attacks with a different outlook. 

Being attacked for my faith also gives me a reason to praise God. Faith attacks are a witness for Him. If I’m not being attacked in some manner, perhaps I’m not as verbal about my faith as I should be. 

How do you respond when under attack for your faith?

Prayer: Father, give us the strength to stand when we come under attack for our faith.

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

Keeping Your Word

Bundles of paperwork…bucoodles of signatures…all necessities of modern-day purchases...all compulsory items to ensure I honor my word.

My wife and I were down to our last pennies. We had one part-time job between us, and it wasn’t paying the bills. Creditors were calling, and debts were mounting. So we did the only thing we knew to do…prayed and ferried the title to the one thing we actually owned to a loan agency.

We nestled helplessly before the lending agent and told him our dilemma. He entered the facts into his computer, hit print, and retrieved a manuscript requiring our signatures. All to ensure we kept our promise-even though they obviously had the money and we evidently had the truck. Read more... 

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