Author: Ian Bothwell

We think some people are not nice.  Others we think of as being bad.  Then there are those we think are evil.  I’m not sure I have ever met someone I would classify as evil.  However, I realized I had never really defined evil.  Just what is it that makes someone evil?  Being rude is being not nice.  Telling lies about others is bad.  Somehow I think of evil as actually inflicting physical harm on another.  But that isn’t what the dictionary says.  My dictionary defines evil as being immoral. That certainly broadens the scope.  I finally came up with my own definition.  I think evil is the absence of empathy.  One becomes so self-absorbed there is no time to consider how another feels. We just don’t care about anyone but the person we see in the mirror.  When we say “How are you?” we really don’t care.  It is a prelude to give us an opportunity to tell others how we are.  Hurry and say “Fine” so I can tell you about me.

It is very difficult to think of ourselves as evil. We define ourselves with softer adjectives.  When we are children we are imps or rascals.   It seems harsh to describe a five-year-old as evil.   Yet the seeds of self, if left to grow, will produce self-absorbed adolescents and it will continue to worsen without intervention.   Thankfully evil does not place us beyond God’s desire to change our hearts and help us care about others.  “He is able to keep us from falling and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”  Jude 24   It fills Him and us with “exceeding joy” to do so.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 17, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Of all my blessings I count, the richness of having real friends is at the top of the list. At every stage of my life I have been surrounded by people who I would count it a privilege to give life itself.   My dearest one, of course, is the one who has shared my walk for over fifty years.   My walk has been incredibly rich with those who I believe would do the same for me. If they would not they had me fooled.

Once during the worst crisis of my life when I thought everything was gone a group of people surrounded me with amazing care.  When I took inventory of them many surprised me.  They stepped up from the background of my life.  I had not known they were there.  My crisis made my life richer.   One who did not surprise me by his presence surprised me by his depth.  He was an old friend who mailed me a signed blank check.   He told me to fill in whatever I needed.  It would be his worry to cover it.  I still have that check.

Have you ever wondered what you would want on your tombstone?  I think I would like to have the following.  “He had friends.”   And of course I must mention my friend from heaven who said to His disciples, “You are my friends.”   See John 15.

One spring day when the waters of the American River in California were particularly high and raging I had an incredible ride, or should I say swim since we were out of the raft almost more than we were in.  After hours of being bashed against rocks and gasping for air we safely arrived at our destination.  One of them seeing the glee in my eyes asked if there was ever a moment when I was afraid.  My response was heartfelt.  I said, “How could I be?  I was with my friends.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 8, 2009

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

There is a lilac bush in Lancaster, Massachusetts that doesn’t appear to belong to anyone.  There is a bank on one side and a donut shop on the other with an uncared for strip of land in between.  In the midst of the seemingly neglected land is a lush spot of beauty and fragrance.   I wonder how many of the thousands of people who pass by notice its contribution.

I know some beautiful people who are very much like that lilac bush.   They bloom.  They add fragrance to their space.  Yet I think most people just pass them by without noticing their contribution.  They rarely, if ever, get any accolades.  They live quiet lives watching others get the awards and the praise.  They must wonder what they would have to do to be noticed or maybe they enjoy the quiet life and would be embarrassed if the spotlight suddenly shone on them.

If you are one of those quiet beautiful persons allow me to say, “Thank you for making the world a better place.”  There is an interesting line in a Gilbert and Sullivan musical that goes like this. “When everyone is somebody, then no-one’s anybody.”  So I guess the somebody’s need the no-one’s so the somebody’s can be somebody.  But let’s never forget those people getting the awards couldn’t get them without the beautiful support people that actually make life work.

The writer of Psalm 84 talks about being a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord.  It leaves one with the concept of someone being so happy to be in God’s house they don’t care if they are hidden on the back row.  I don’t think that can happen.  I think God notices, loves and smells every lilac bush no matter where it is.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 11, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

On occasion we have moments of cacophony in our home.  We have a bonging grandfather clock, a clanging antique clock from my wife’s grandparents and a chiming clock from my father’s mantel.  There are times when they all are wound and set to the same time.  By the time ten or so comes around there is a lot of noise.  We really should set one a minute early, one on time and another a minute late.  That way we could appreciate each one’s unique quality.

They remind me of people, each eager to proclaim their point of view and none being patient to allow the others time to express their ideas.  Perhaps it is my inability to simultaneously listen to two or three threads of logic, but I have little tolerance for people speaking over the top of another.  Occasionally, in class I have to referee some impassioned students and fortunately being the teacher I have the clout to make them take turns.

I am so glad God is so omni.  If only one percent of the world’s population prays that still means God has to listen to 68,000,000 prayers a day.  That works out to a few more than 47,000 a minute.  I do not believe God has teams of angels handling this enormous task.  I do believe each of us get personalized attention from God Himself, our Father.   And just how does He do this?  I don’t have the slightest clue because my finite mind cannot grasp the power, the wisdom, the intellect and the creativity of such an infinite being.

Psalm 91:15 is a grand promise, “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:”

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 14, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

When I was a boy my parents bought a new couch.  It was a big deal.  It looked very nice in our living room.  That was part of the problem.  It looked so nice my mother was determined to keep it that way.  To do so she put clear plastic covers over it.  They were cold and crinkly when you sat on them and after sitting for a while they became hot and sticky.  To top it off they were reflective and really uglified the couch.  She always said she was saving the couch for special occasions and should one arrive she would remove the plastic covers.  To my memory we never had a special occasion.  I remembered this when a few days ago I got into a friend’s car and noticed they had floor mats on the floor mats.  I figured they were saving the original floor mats which were saving the car’s carpet for an occasion when someone special would ride in their car.  Obviously I wasn’t that someone special.

I would like to make a case that the most special people in our lives are the people we see everyday.  They are our children, our spouse and other members of the family.  The special people in our lives are the ones who love us enough to put up with our idiosyncrasies on a daily basis.  They are the ones who bear with us when we become intolerable and they are the ones who can laugh not only with us but better yet at us.  If you are saving something special for some stranger to visit you, please stop it.  Get out those special dishes and take the floor mats off the floor mats.

See Romans 12:10-13

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 13, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

While waiting for a traffic light to turn green I noticed a sign with the big letters, “FREE.”  Strewn around it was some of the most despicable junk I had ever seen.  I was hoping others had already taken the things of substance, if there ever was any.   The scene set my mind to thinking about yard sales and what a great story someone could write about God having a universe sale.  There could be an array of used angel robes, antique crowns, old record books that have since been replaced with a computerized record keeping system and a planet or two.

If Earth was for sale it would seem to deserve a big “Free” sign.  There could be an explanation paragraph.  “Well used, extremely polluted, rebellious population prone to warring, shaking a lot and running out of resources.”   However, no such sign would exist because God already purchased Earth.  It seems strange that He would have to purchase that which He made.  He paid dearly.

And why would God pay the price of the cross?  John 3:16 answers, “For God so loved the world.”  Isn’t that amazing?   God must be like the man at a flea market who purchased an old painting because he saw the great value of the frame.   God must see something here we don’t see.  God sees potential. He sees souls, while not yet great, but indeed on the way to becoming great. God loves great souls.  And what is a great soul?  Is it someone with tons of talent?  Not really. The talent can be added later.  A truly great soul is one who is willing to allow God to do scads of interior decorating.  The end product will be out of this world.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 12, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I watched a carpenter finish off a project by putting trim around the base of the floor.  He was adding something.  But I thought getting a trim, as in a haircut, was taking something away.  Upon reflection I remembered each December we trim a tree.  There we go adding something. I used to sail with a friend who trimmed his sails.  He neither added nor subtracted but adjusted.  When I fly an airplane I trim the moveable surfaces to take pressure off the yoke and fly level without help from me. I then remember getting thoroughly trounced at tennis and my opponent told me he trimmed me. A negotiator trims, finds a neutral position between two opposing parties. My wife has recently lost twenty pounds and is looking very trim.  I need to keep this devotional limited to three hundred words and so I trimmed it down from three hundred and eighteen words.

It is a wonder anyone ever learns English.  God trims me.  He trims away my sins. He trims me with good works. I hope.  He never trounces me.  He justwatches me trim myself, self-destruct.   He trims, fine tunes, me to ease me through life’s journey with as little pressure as possible.  God never trims by taking a neutral position about me with Satan.  God is very much on my side.

Because I want the very best for you but do not know your specific need; therefore, I am going to pray a prefect prayer and ask that God will trim you today.  He will take away or add or adjust anything you need.  May He trim away your sins and trim you with glorious character growth.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 11, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Philippians two is a wonderful chapter.  In it Paul challenges us to have the mind of Jesus by being humble and obedient.  When he comes to verse fifteen he urges, “become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”  The NIV translates the last part “shine like the stars in the universe.”

Hollywood stars are people who shine by pretending to be someone they are not.  If they are really good at it they receive a small gold plated statue. God’s stars shine not by pretending but by becoming.  Each day we grow into the likeness of our Jesus, who according to Hebrews one, made the entire universe.  Instead of winning a small gold statue we win the ultimate prize, we win a crown of eternal life.

Notice the goal God has for us is to become harmless while living in a perverse world.  Because of the way we are that is almost impossible.  So often we ignorantly harm others.  We don’t know the backgrounds of those whom we contact and we thoughtlessly say things that pierce hearts. Ignorantly we belittle someone and not only make them feel small but useless.  As a teacher with a captive audience I have to be so careful and yet despite my care I still on occasion cause tears.

It is not easy to be harmless.  To be so we, first of all, need wisdom.  We need to understand others’ sensitivities.  Secondly, we need a desire to be a nurturer.  Thirdly, we need to learn to express ourselves in non-judgmental caring language. All this I have found is quite impossible without the indwelling Spirit of God’s love.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 10, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I just watched a professional basketball player, who makes millions of dollars a year for his skills, consecutively miss two free throws.  I don’t understand that.  But then again I don’t understand the pressure he was under to make those relatively simple tosses.  Psychological pressure can make the best of us do stupid and foolish things.  Free throws are well named.  That is exactly what they are.  The player can shoot the ball without having a combatant stand in front of him doing his best to block the shot by waving ten foot long arms in his face.  All this caused me to reflect on the game of life and I wondered if we ever get any free throws toward victory over sin and temptation or do we always have a combatant in our face doing his best to make us miss?

When Jesus was in the wilderness following his baptism we have record of the master tempter doing all he could to keep Jesus from pursuing His ministry.  I seriously doubt if any of us are important enough to have Lucifer himself go after us, but scripture does tell us a third of the angels are fallen, so I think there are plenty to go around.  However, by the same token, while we might not get any free throws we might, like in a basketball game, have others to guard us or screen so we have a best chance for a victory.

The point is we do not have to do it alone.  In John 14 Jesus promises to send us divine help. At the close of Matthew we are promised that He is always with us.  Being who we want to be is a team experience.  We never need to be on our own.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 9, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

When astronauts return to earth after an extended stay in space their muscles have to readjust to the downward pull of gravity.  Gravity is what creates weight.  If one wants to weigh half as much, all one needs to do is move to a planet with half the gravitational pull.  It is the pull that keeps our muscles toned.  Those pictures advertising electronic stimulation of the muscles promising wonderfully cut bodies are just not true.  Muscles develop in reaction to resistance.  Finely cut bodies are the result of disciplined hours of resistance training.

In a similar fashion our minds only develop to higher levels of performance when challenged.  Study, memorization, and critical thinking all contribute to keener perception.  Just as a couch potato gets soft and squishy so our brains lose their edge when fed a diet of sitcoms.  Resistance, hard work and discipline apply across each aspect of our lives.  Our physical, mental and spiritual natures grow stronger when challenged.

If you are a conservative be thankful for the presence of liberals.  If you are a liberal rejoice because there are conservatives present.  The conservatives hold on to tradition and values that come from centuries of lessons learned.  Liberals stimulate growth and change with new ideas.  When each resists the other something good occurs for the whole. Jesus understood this.  That is why in Matthew 5 He told us to rejoice when difficulties come.  They make us stronger.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 8, 2002

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94573

Rogerbothwell.org