Five Smooth Stones--An Introduction

For forty days in the Valley of Elah Israel trembled at the taunting of Goliath of Gath. The man was a giant. He was trained as a warrior from his youth and confident in his strength; his size and his skill.
“And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array?  am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?  choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”

The champion who walked out of Israel’s camp didn’t look like a warrior. The was little more than a boy. He had no armor; no sword. He had only a shepherd's sling and, on his way to meet Goliath, he stopped to gather five smooth stones from a brook that ran through the valley.

As a trained warrior Goliath knew the accuracy and power of a sling. But, he was supremely confident in his armor and his size. He advanced on David. The first stone pierced Goliath’s helmet and shattered the bone beneath. The giant stumbled and fell.

Whether it’s made of hardened metal or pseudo-intellectual egotism, God is able to pierce man’s strongest armor. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

With God on his side David needed only one stone to defeat Goliath. Why did he pick up five? David might never pass that brook again so he used the opportunity to gather all the resources he could hold. Christians are to gather all of the word of God they can carry. One verse may be enough to defeat our giants, but isn’t it comforting to be holding five?

Before going into battle it’s good to know where you stand and the resources at your disposal. Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing Five Smooth Stones from the third chapter of John’s gospel. If you happen upon one or two that prove useful against your giants, feel free to scoop them up and load your sling.

Greatest Miracle of All

Wonders beyond imagination wrap God like a mantle. He puts them on and takes them off as He pleases. It is not surprising that the heavens are His handiwork or that He feeds the sparrow. What staggers the imagination is His willingness to fellowship with a creature like me.

This is not some “poor me” bit of bemoaning the state of man or this specimen in particular. I like me and value my own company no matter what others say. In fact, I probably like me better than anyone who knows me. So, where’s the mystery? I’m God’s creation as much as the lilies or the birds--right? You bet I am.
However, there is one big difference between me and a sparrow. Okay, there’s more than one. I’m trying to make a point here so chill. The difference is that the lilies and the sparrows have never rebelled against God. The devils and man are the only creatures in all creation to share that distinction. If men believe in devils at all, they readily accept as just their fate. When it comes to ourselves, most people just don’t make the connection. Man is no less guilty. Man believes God bent on deception to keep us from being as gods ourselves. Like the devil, we still want to exercise the right to decide what is good and what is evil. “Why should ye be stricken any more?  ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.”

Of all the miracles possible God chose to forgive and fellowship with rebels like me. It is the greatest of wonders.

“ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

“ But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

An Occasion for Reflection

The foes of quiet reflection are at work this morning. Fortunately, they arrived too late. The sojourn at Hopi is almost over. It has been a good time for reflection. I have found those with very little who are very happy and those with much who struggle with sorrow and trial. Hope and indifference live side by side here. They are the neighbor to unlocked potential for all and the petty insecurity of the powerful. In the most important ways Hopi is no different than anywhere else life takes place.

 In this life God sends the rain on the just and the unjust; time and circumstance happen to us all. The question is: to what end? “ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..” Everything has a time and a season, but everything also has a purpose. The purpose of everything in life is a very personal one.

Life is an opportunity to choose between reconciliation and and estrangement. This is true not only at the divine level, but at every level and in every circumstance. We can be so busy making a living that we forget we are also making a life. Which is more important? Reflection is necessary if for no other reason than that the day will come when we are no longer be able to make a living. On that day we will be left with only the life we have made. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The secret is in knowing which bridges to build--and which to burn. To do that successfully a man must know where he is going. He must also know the mistakes he has made along the way. If gray hair is worth anything; know that reconciliation is better than estrangement just as joy is better than sorrow.

The Hopi Project

How do you change the world? One person at a time. There are many Hopi people here on the reservation without running water, inside toilets, and electricity. It is easy to look around and be discouraged. It’s easy to see why alcoholism, depression and suicide are rampant. The size of the want is overwhelming. It is easy to shake your head and pass by on the other side. Inability to help all must not prevent helping one.
The Hopi Project is an effort to provide a single Hopi family with a roof and running water. The ultimate expectation is for a new or used single wide mobile home. It is not about solving everyone’s problems. It is not even about helping everyone. It is about helping one. It is done in hope that one will become two and two become four. The Naha family did not ask us for help. They hoped and prayed for something better. God heard and sent an answer; just as He did when reclaiming them from alcoholism, drugs and violence. God spiritually and emotionally lifted them. God has broken the cycle of chains on the next generation. Now, we hope to add some physical comfort.
True----God could give this family a home that doesn’t leak and has indoor plumbing without our help. God can do anything. God has chosen to invite you and me to share in the working of a blessing.
Why should we care? What’s in it for you and me? Nothing less than divine adoption.
“ And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? If ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye?  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? ...do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest...”
You can help. You can donate to the project on Blogger or on my website www.jacklafountain.com . You may give a tax deductible donation by sending your help through the Altus Church of God (900 S. Park, Altus, Ok).
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Center of Interest

          It’s been a long time since I was up at three in the morning with an urge to write. I wouldn’t call it writer’s block; it’s more like life intruding on my passion. Little things like the dog scratching at my hand right now and wanting to go outside are expected and relatively easy to fix.

          I got up and took her out for a look at the full moon. You probably didn’t even know I was gone. Trying to earn a living and maintain relationships while getting lost enough in ideas to write them down isn’t fixed as quickly or simply. It is my experience that life rarely cooperates. Life is always challenging; always demanding more from us than we are comfortable giving. If you’re not careful, you might end up far away from home in a remote canyon wondering, “What am I doing here?”

          There’s an old bumper sticker that explains this phenomenon. It’s not appropriate to repeat it here. Bowels move, it’s important that our values do not. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

          I was watching a lesson on painting composition yesterday and was impressed at how art does imitate life. All the elements of a painting are designed to serve the “center of interest.” The center of interest can be a house, a mountain, anything thing at all. It is the thing you really want to viewer to see. Life must not dictate what we treasure. Rather, life must be wrestled to feed the true treasure of the heart. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Plot Twists

A plot twist is a turn in the story that the reader doesn’t see coming, yet when it happens, the reader feeling things could not have happened differently. Nevertheless, no matter how well written a plot may be, there are some who just don’t get it. I used to think this was a function of poor writing or a lack of intelligence. I’ve since discovered it’s not necessarily either one. Though words on a page seem clear, there are those who look without seeing and listen without hearing.  

In order to draw readers into the twists and turns of a story authors must persuade the reader to suspend his disbelief; enter the story and get lost in it. The author is asking the reader to accept the his word as truth and follow him through the world he has created. This “suspension of disbelief” is, in reality, a suspension of self. It is a putting aside of preconceived notions in order to listen without prejudice. If the story is well written, it’s a simple task we do without thinking much about it.

Nothing will get us to put the book down quicker than an author’s world that threatens the naked self. If he tries to take us into a world we refuse to believe, we won’t go. When that world is hostile to our self view, we criticize the author; our defensive walls go up.

The story God wrote has an interesting plot twist. God became a man in order to repair their broken relationship and save all men. Like all bestsellers, the Bible has believers, critics and the indifferent.

Practice Makes Perfect

People love to talk about how they don’t need church because God is everywhere and in everything. God is a kindly spirit who watches over us while we play. In the vaguest sense, it’s true and can make for a pleasant, no-worries life. But to what end? This kind of faith does nothing and goes nowhere. It is useless. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Those satisfied with the everywhere, everyone, do-nothing god have the god they love. They do not need a meddling Christian one poking around in their lives.

Real Christian faith is different. Christian faith is alive because God is alive. He is involved in life right here and now. He is the God of the living who calls men to life, but not any life; His life. Some hear and respond; some do not. Those who hear want something more from life than they see everywhere and everyday. They want a faith that works.

This is why James says a practical faith is essential for Christians. He urges us to let prayer lead us into action. “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, ‘Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;’ notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

When Charlotte and I came to Hopi a month ago, we were greeted with smiles, friendship and fresh bread. The givers, our neighbors, have no car, no computer, and no television. The only running water in their house is the monsoon rain that comes through their porous roof. Nevertheless they are happy people. They are happy because God’s presence changed their lives. God works and He will work yet more.

God could drop them a new mobile home from Heaven--and He might do it yet. If He does we might be amazed for all of two weeks. Then the tale becomes one more discounted miracle. However, if God works through us, we receive an eternal blessing. That’s why God so often chooses to work through us.

If you have ears to hear and are able to be moved by the Spirit, I am asking you to join me in giving these folks a blessing that they have not asked for nor expect to receive as their due. It is my intention to go beyond prayer and supply these kind people with a roof that water does not run through and pipes that water does.

Send your prayers up to God. If you hear back from Him do something. Tax deductible donations can be sent to:

Altus Church of God

900 S. Park

Altus, OK 73521

If you don’t need the deduction, you can send help to:

Jack LaFountain

General Delivery

Keams Canyon, AZ 86034

or click the Hopi Project’s PayPal link o this page or at:

www.jacklafountain.com