Month: June 2025

A Slap on the Back of the Head

There are some people that really need a slap on the back of the head.  This evening I saw three adults who really should be at the head of the line with all of us lined up to do the deed.  First of all it was dark.  Second, it was a really very busy intersection with rapidly moving cars.  Third, they were crossing the street against the light.  Fourth, they were pushing two baby strollers. Fifth, they were just strolling.

As I drove away literally seething at what I had seen I unfortunately remembered a few really dumb things I have done.  Perhaps I should get a slap on the back of the head before those folk.  I doubt if I am really out of place here to think that perhaps you too can remember deserving a good slap.  Even if it is just a matter of taking all our blessings for granted and not remembering to be thankful.

A lifetime ago I was a pastor in Calhoun, Ga.  One morning the word got out that I was ill.  Before the day was out I had three separate house visits from three separate physicians.  We had called none of them.  Today my primary care physician told my wife he prays everyday that I will be well.  Last week my specialist told me he loved Ian and me.  If ever once you hear me complain about my lot in life I want you to come to my house and slap me on the back of the head.

I think of people who don’t positively respond to the wondrous gift of eternal life; especially those who have heard it over and over.  I wish the only result of that would be a slap on the back of the head.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 21, 2012

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We saw a lovely wall of roses this afternoon.   Yet as we drew near enough to see individual roses it became apparent that each rose by itself wasn’t that good looking.  Each had been beaten by the weather and chewed on by whatever eats roses.  They looked better from afar when they were part of an array of thousands of roses.   How like people.  Most of us look better from afar.  When we get well acquainted with people we soon see their physical, personality and character flaws.

Some years ago we invited someone to our home for dinner.  Afterwards I was told he said regarding me, “He’s not the person I thought he was.”   The brief time spent with me took off the shine he thought was there.  Actually, I am sure it was even worse than he thought.  Alas, familiarity often does breed contempt.  The lesson is if you want to keep admiring someone, keep them at arm’s length.  Don’t get too close.  Televisions are like that.  If you get too close you see the pixels instead of a smooth picture. I just got up and went and checked to see if that is also the case with high-definition television and it is still true.

There is only one person in history we can thoroughly check and not find flaws, that is Jesus.  The worst thing his enemies could say was “This man eats with sinners.”  He touched lepers.  He befriended Roman soldiers and harlots.  If “birds of a feather” was always true we could write Him off.   But wait just a minute Jesus wants also to be friends with you and me.  Forget the soldiers and harlots.  Being with us would be bad enough.  Somehow He doesn’t mind.  He loves us as we are.  How grand.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 18, 2012

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While waiting for my wife to select the perfect potatoes from the mound of potatoes in the grocery store my eye caught a beautiful sliced in half watermelon.  There it was lusciously red and juicily smiling at me from under its clear plastic wrap.  I was tempted until I saw the $7.99 price.  Obviously the grocer also thought it was tempting.  But really now sixteen dollars for a watermelon!

I tried once to tell one of my grad classes about being a boy and going to the Giant Supermarket where there were a hundred or so watermelons stacked inside the door.  There was a large knife on the pile and before you purchased one you could plug it and taste it.  If it didn’t suit your palate it was tossed aside.  They were ninety-eight cents apiece.  I could tell from their expressions they did not believe me.  How could anything so outrageous really have been?

The Gospel is like that.  It is an outrageous story.  The universe is filled with a billion galaxies.  Why would a Creator of such wonder come here to save us?  It sounds so provincial.  Surely it is the product of our ego-centricity.  We begin the story with our being made in the Creator’s image.  Really?  The story begins focused on our conceit and it gets far more worse when we get to the cross.  Just who in the universe do we think we are?  In Romans and Galatians Paul tries to tell us we are the adopted sons of that Creator, princes and princesses destined to, according to John, sit with Him in His very own throne.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 23, 2012

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