Letters From Grandpa #562

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 562

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about making heaven your goal! Paul put it like this: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

My dear friend, the late Gary Reed, was part of an elite group that fought behind enemy lines in Vietnam. One dangerous assignment involved capturing a Vietcong general who was surrounded by thousands of troops. One member of Gary’s team was an expert in explosives. His job was to blow up a bridge a long distance from the general. This was a diversion to draw their attention away from general they were supposed to protect. It worked! The general was tranquilized, swept up in a net, and was being carried away as a prisoner. Sadly, his own men opened fire and accidentally killed him.

It is a standard practice for magicians to use diversions to enable them to fool their audience. While our eyes are focused on the big flourish of a large handkerchief in his right hand, his left hand was doing something that he does not want us to see. The big flourish was a diversion!

An Illinois man named Tyler Pence unexpectedly won the Quad Cities Marathon when two runners from Kenya got lost. Even though they were ahead of Pence, they were disqualified because they ignored the official signage and foolishly followed a volunteer who was ahead of them on a bicycle. The director said the Kenyans should have known better. They were briefed on the course the night before, and the correct trail was clearly marked. The Kenyans lost the race because they lost their focus and became distracted. Pence became the first American to win this race since 2001.

The book of Hebrews encourages us to focus on Jesus and avoid distractions: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith . . . “ (Heb. 12:1-2)

In 1896 Charles M. Sheldon published the book “In His Steps – What Would Jesus Do?” This fictitious novel became one of the best selling books of all time. More than 50 million copies are in print. It all began when Pastor Sheldon began a Sunday night series asking “What would Jesus do?” These messages first appeared in Advance Magazine. This 10 cent paper sold 100,000 copies.

Then came the book. The story took place in Raymond, Kansas, and the main character was Pastor Henry Maxwell. It all began on a Friday morning when Pastor Maxwell was preparing his sermon. An unemployed man named Jack Manning asked for help but the pastor was too busy preparing his sermon to help. On Sunday morning Manning showed up and publicly chastened the church for not helping him. He believed that Jesus wanted to help him even if the church did not. After speaking passionately about what Jesus would do, Manning collapsed and died a few days later.

The next Sunday Pastor Maxwell publicly repented and challenged the church to never do anything without asking “what would Jesus do?” Those who dared accept this challenge paid a price. Norman, the newspaper editor, thought Jesus wanted him to stop printing a Sunday edition and refused to promote a popular prize fight. This cost him many subscribers. Alexander, a railroad official, discovered fraud in the company and thought that Jesus wanted him to resign his lucrative position to become a telegraph clerk. Rollin Page proposed to a singer named Rachel Winslow, but she rejected him because he wouldn’t follow Jesus. Virginia, a wealthy heiress, thought Jesus wanted her to help the impoverished Gray family whose home was surrounded by saloons. Later Virginia even alienated

her family by providing a home for an alcoholic prostitute who had just been converted. Finally, after much prayer, Rollin repented and married Rachel. Then Virginia inherited enough money to subsidize Norman’s failing newspaper. Then the narrative shifted to Chicago. Dr. Calvin Bruce visited Raymond, Kansas and returned to Chicago determined to only do what Jesus would do. Then the Christians in Chicago began to carry the same crosses that their brethren carried in Raymond, Kansas.

It is interesting that even though 50 million copies of the book were sold, secular critics saw no redeeming value in the book. In 1899 one critic wrote: “Mr. Sheldon neither writes English nor even first-rate American. As a story 'In His Steps' is lacking in every artistic quality that a story should possess, and worst of all, any sense of humor is conspicuously absent". In 1971 Paul Boyer noted the “abysmal literary quality of the novel.” He continued: The query "What Would Jesus Do?" is endlessly reiterated, but no systematic answer is sought". Boyer lamented that the actions the brave believers took were merely "tepid and inconclusive reforms."

Isaiah warned centuries before He was born that Jesus would be unpopular: “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” (Isaiah 53:2-3)

Jesus Himself warned Nicodemus of dangerous distractions by explaining “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” (John 32:14-15) Moses lifted up a bronze snake because the Lord sent venomous snakes to bite the rebellious and ungrateful Israelites. Those who lost their focus and took their eyes off Jesus died! The only Israelites saved were the ones who focused on the “one thing” that could save them! In the same way, our only chance to be saved is to be like Paul and keep our eyes on Jesus! WWJD is a profound and worthy slogan!

Jesus is coming again and no man knows the day or the hour of His return. Peter warned: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Pet 3:10-11) If you believe this it will shape your conduct every day!

So, let’s remember to be like Paul and refuse to be distracted! Paul said: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce