I never thought that I would agree with this statement. We live in a culture that considers itself smarter and savvier than any generation before us. Sadly, this often displays itself by a cultural absence for what many consider values or qualities that generations before them commonly agreed were sins, such as lust, envy, pride, and greed. Now I do.

Instead of loving people and using money, people often love money and use people. Wayne Gerard Trotman. God comes right out and tells us why He gives us more money than we need. It’s not so we can find more ways to spend it. It’s so we can give generously. Ecclesiastes 5:10 reads, “Whoever loves money will never have enough money.”

It has been estimated that 1% of the population owns more wealth than the 99% combined. Even in the pandemic where many have lost their jobs and livelihood, the 1% have gotten even richer. It has not been because capitalism really works but rather it has happened with the assistance of those who took an oath to look after the 99%.

People are often quick to emphasize that the Bible doesn’t say money is the root of all kinds of evil but that the LOVE of money is the root. In other words, we don’t have to have money to cherish or greed for it or have it control our lives. Still, it’s wise to be cautious when accumulating money that we don’t fall prey to the allure of riches.

One of the most serious warnings in Scripture regarding greed for wealth and material gain is found in 1Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

In 2018, the Chicago Cubs were playing the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The Chicago Cubs gave a signed baseball to a child after social media became outraged over the perceived wrongdoing of an adult fan, but the camera only captured part of the story.

Chicago’s first base coach tossed a foul ball to the child on the front row. The child, however, missed the ball and it rolled behind him. The video showed an adult snatch it up. It looked as if the ball was taken away from the child.

People on social media, including MLB-owned accounts, were not happy with this. The cubs wanted to make sure the child went home happy and delivered him a ball signed by infielder Javier Baez.

But in the photos the Cubs tweeted, the boy had two baseballs. It turns out, despite social media and earlier reports, the adult fan had already helped the boy get a baseball earlier in the game.

Chicago sports talk host David Kaplan spoke to the members of the Cub’s organization to get the full story. No doubt this fan never got to tell his story or be forgiven.

Too often, we think we have all the facts when we only have fragments. In our modern “got you” culture it is easy to condemn people without hearing the whole story.

However, Scripture warns us, “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness (Exodus 23:1).” 

My advisor helped me so very much.  She was such a giving person. She was about two years from retirement.  She was the chairwoman of the department.  One day while I was wondering where my next meal was coming from, she called me and asked if I could help her son finish remodeling a duplex apartment that she had purchased for him to live and manage.

One of the most rewarding jobs I had was without pay.  I received an internship at US Senator Bob Graham’s office.  I spoke to people from all of the world who wanted the senator to write a letter on their behalf.  I spoke with judges, lawyers, the military, and even those who could be labeled strange.  When Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida, the social worker was sent there to help his constituents cut through the red tape that prevented them from receiving assistance.

After my internship was over, I was hired in the mailroom.  In the morning I would stop and pick up 5 popular newspapers for the staff to pick out the topics that we thought the senator needed to know.  He had three offices in the state.  I got the opportunity to see at firsthand how powerful the senator’s office could be.  He only stated that his constituent was interested.     

My daughter was a senior in high school, and I was in class during the evenings.  She spent time at a local nursing home caring for the aged.  She had so much compassion towards them.  I saw in her what I desired.  With her and through her I gained what was missing in my life.  In June we both graduated.  I received a M. A. in Applied Social Science and my daughter received her high school diploma.

While in graduate school, away from the family, I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do with my life. My wife had always been a person of faith. I was inconsistent. I was once an agnostic. I was the master of my fate. I had fallen so low that it did not matter what I did, it would be an improvement. Despite the experiences that I had gone through God was still good.

I had memories of being 12 years old and my grand-mother taking me to church to be Baptized. The night before, she said, “You will be 12 years old tomorrow, and your sins will no longer be on me.”  I had read the New Testament several times, and knew she was referencing when Jesus was taken to Passover and was questioning the scholars in the Temple.

I Couldn’t figure out what that had in common with my age. I was a good person. I had not done any of the things that I saw in there that people had gotten punished for. So I was not afraid to be responsible for myself.

When the school term ended in Ft. Lauderdale, my wife and daughter came to join me. My daughter was now a high school senior. My wife immediately found a church. The Pastor and I had worked together. He was not a pastor then. At the appropriate time he said that he wanted to make me a deacon.  I was beginning to see that I was not mastering my fate very well.

One Sunday morning my daughter joined the church. She had not been interested in church. At least I thought. During children’s church she taught the Word. I was ashamed that my child had more faith than me. I remembered promising God that if He gave me a daughter, I would do everything I could to show him gratitude.                                                                                                                                                 

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:3–5).

Since the beginning of time, persons of every walk of life have pondered, “What it means to be a good human being. Every living creature seeks self-gratification as a matter of survival.  Animals live primarily for self-gratification, driven by instinct and the inner workings of the food chain. One of nature’s primary laws is “eat or be eaten.” https://www.beliefnet.com.

God created our sense of pleasure, so seeking its fulfillment is not wrong until the means to do so crosses a line. Knowing exactly where that line can be tricky. But human beings were created differently from the plants or animals.

Because humanity is made in the image of God and possesses the breath of God, we have a spirit that can reason, love, and choose to be unselfish. With our spirits, we can commune with God, who is also Spirit (Romans 8:16; Revelations 3:20). We have a moral compass, and we can know right and wrong (Genesis 1:27).

There is a danger in responding to every comment we encounter on social media. Unless we keep up with what we say, to whom we say it, and why we say it, not only will we convey a rocky fellowship with those who read it, but we too will be confused, and our moral compass questioned. Some have already reached the point of no return.

Nearly 80% of Americans believe that the overall moral state of the nation is fair or poor, according to a recent Gallup poll. In addition, some overwhelmingly hold the opinion that Americans are becoming more selfish and dishonest. 77% of Americans believe the country’s overall sense of morality is getting worse.

The most important part of having moral compass is using that moral compass. “He has shown you, o man/woman, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

This precious, sweet name reveals a side of Jesus that many fail to grasp. While God is a God of wrath and judgment, He is purely and wholly love (1 John 4:8;16). God is love and everything He does is an outgrowth and an expression of His love.

To the artist, He’s the perfect portrait.

To the astronomer, He’s the bright and morning star.

To the baker, He’s the bread of life.

To the banker, He’s the hidden treasure.

To the carpenter, He’s the door.

To the doctor, He’s the Great Physician.

To the educator, He’s the Master Teacher.

To the farmer, He’s the seed of righteousness.

To the florist, He’s the lily of the valley and the rose of Sharon.

To the judge, He’s the true and faithful witness.

To the lawyer, He’s the supreme advocate.

To the philanthropist, He’s the unspeakable gift.

To the preacher, He’s the Word of God.

To the sailor, He’s the anchor that holds.

To the sinner, He’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Just the mention of His name brings peace to the troubled, comfort to the hurting, life to the dead, joy to the sad, hope for the hopeless, and glory to the saved soul.

After graduating from Florida A&M University (FAMU), I had a M.A. in Applied Social Science, but I did not have any new experiences. So, what was I to do? I still had responsibilities. My son and daughter were in college, but I still had a wife and myself to support. I decided I could learn something new through volunteerism.

I volunteered at one of the leading hospitals, in customer services. They dealt with patients who had hospital debt in the thousands and no way to repay. One of my old acquaintances who was now a regional store manager, offered me a store manager’s position. It is easy to go back to what you know. There are always retail jobs.

My first store was in a blight area that had apartments, older houses, a convention center, and an Air Force installation across the busy highway. In the middle of the parking lot was a fast food restaurant. Behind the store was a wooded area where several homeless guys lived.

My first encounter with them was when they came into the store and bought several large bottles of generic mouth wash. This was a daily buy. I was naïve.  I had no idea that they were substituting it for whisky. They got a better buzz for less money. This went on for weeks.

A new law was passed that bartenders could be sued for selling too much alcohol to a patron who was involved in an accident. I knew they would not be driving, but there was a busy four lane highway in front of the store. I felt culpable. I told them they could not make these purchases any longer. I would buy them food instead.

I used to go to work early so I could spend time with them. Each had a different story to tell.  The police would round them up monthly for a few days. One I will call Sam. He said that when he is in jail he does not think about drinking, he looks and feels great. As soon as he gets out, he starts all over.

Paul had a different story. He drove a dump truck for a living. One day at lunch he had too much to drink, had an accident and a lot of people got hurt. He lost his livelihood, his family and was left homeless.

He could live with his brother if he could follow rules. His brother has a family, and he is not going to allow coming in drunk all times a night. Each one of their friends gave the same story. The common denominator was that they could not follow the rules of their benefactor. Not every situation is as clear.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. (1 Cor 18:10)

It has been said that among all the animals in God’s vast creation, there is no greater friend to mankind than the dog. It doesn’t matter what you do to your dog, he/she just keeps loving you just the same.  He doesn’t care about money, titles, position or privilege. All he asks is for the privilege of being near his master. His love is unselfish and undying.

Sadly, most men and women do not experience that kind of devotion in their human friendships. As you journey through life, you will make and lose friends. It is just the way things are! Thank God for the friends you have and pray for those you don’t have any longer. But, as you travel, remember that there is a Friend who outshines all the friends you will make, or lose, along life’s way.

When we look into the Word of God, we are met with this word “friend” many times. In several of these places, the Bible gives us a definition of just what a friend really is. Perhaps you have had a friend for which you would do almost anything. Or perhaps you have been fortunate enough to have a friend that would do almost anything for you. If so, then be glad, for a friend of that degree is a rare thing!

I can honestly say that I have been fortunate enough to have a few, and still do. I can count them all on one hand. They are never too busy to be of assistance. Some have been for a season. I have been the driving force and as soon as it was no longer beneficial, neither were they. Such is life we say.

To think that those who are called the enemies of God have, for themselves, a Friend of such noble stature and quality. He is the Friend of the friendless! The word Friend occurs 139 times in the Bible. No greater love hath He, who will give His life for a friend.

We moved all over the Southeast. I helped open new “big box” retail stores. My joy came in the next move. I never realized that I did not have it that good until someone pointed it out to me. This continued until my wife got hurt on the job, we lost almost everything, and my eighteen-year-old son; challenged me to do something about my unhappiness.  No one would hire me because I did not have any other experience. I did not have God either. I was trying to do it on my own. He of little/no faith

After graduating from high school the motivation speaker/life coach tried his crafts on me. He said, “Dad, why don’t you use some of that advice you are always giving others. You have more education than most of your bosses. Yet, you are miserable and won’t do anything about it.” I had gotten in a comfort zone and could not move. He made me so angry that I cried but I would not let him see me. He was right.

On a dare the next day I called Florida A&M University and asked them what I needed to get into their graduate school.  They asked me for my GPA, and I told them that I graduated from Albany State College in 3 and a half years, with a 3.0 after being honorably discharged from the United States Air Force.  

The registrar said, “Request your records, and if they are what you say they are, you are in.” I could not wait to tell everyone that I was quitting work and I was going to graduate school. This was 1991 and I was 45 years old. Everyone other than my immediate family said that I was making a mistake quitting my job and there was no way that I was going to make it.

So, one cold morning morning I found myself on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. Distinguished by lush foliage and massive oaks, FAMU’s main campus comprises 156 buildings spread over 422 acres atop the highest of Tallahassee’s seven hills. My son and I would be roommates for the next several months. “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.”

My wife had a great relationship with my mother, even before we met but I did not know it. She knew her because her step grand-father was married to my biological mother. My wife knew more about me than I knew about myself. She still does. I was just beginning to have a relationship with my mother. One struggle at a time.

Unbeknownst to me she convinced my mother to reveal who my father was and his location. She said that the children needed to know both of their grandfathers. She had recently made amends with her father. I had no desire to know him because I was afraid of having to care. I told her that I was almost forty years old, and I did not want to deal with it. I could imagine him to be who/whatever I wanted him to be. Once I met him, I could not change it.  

He was still in the same town where he and my mother met. Where I was conceived if you will. It was less than 100 miles from where I grew up. Now I am thinking he didn’t care either. A hundred thoughts came to mind on the way there. We met and he said that he had no idea where my mother had gone. He did not know he had a child. He cried. He asked for forgiveness. Under the circumstances, I believed him. I forgave him. Man forgives with conditions, God does not.

After meeting his sisters I quickly realized that they were very much in control of him. Perhaps they did not approve of him getting involved with a widow with four children and one on the way. They had not seen each other since she left. We were going to meet again in six months. I had great expectations of what could be. I think they did too.

He did not live to make our next meet. He had been a longshoreman and drank quite a bit. I got notice of his death a week later via a message left by the police. They said that they could not get in touch with me. That was an untruth.

My daughter was devastated that her newly found grandfather died so soon after finding him.  She blamed herself. My wife had the perfect cure. We would immediately travel to take her to his grave site to say goodbye. This brought her closure. She has not mentioned anything to me since. I have thought many times, he was living for that moment to see us. I am glad that I was obedient and listened.  

I thought I was going to grow stronger in his family, and the family of my four brothers but one day my wife received an anonymous call. The caller said not to return.  They owned lots of property and I believe they thought I was after it. Many times, I wish I had gone anyway. Then other times I believe I did the right thing.