Roger Bothwell

In the rotunda of our nation’s capitol building hangs John Trumbull’s famous painting depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Very little of it is historically accurate.  They were not assembled when they signed.  The first signers did so on August 2 and it took several months before all forty seven affixed their names to what was then signing a death warrant for themselves.  Only a third of the country thought independence from England was a good idea.  Washington most likely would have lost the war had it not been for the support of France.  Had he lost the war those forty-seven were dead men walking and they knew it when they signed.

As I look at the picture I cannot help but make a comparison with Jesus’ twelve disciples.  While the disciples did not sign anything they indeed committed themselves to following Jesus.  However they, unlike the forty-seven signers of the Declaration, thought they were on the road to riches and power.  Jesus was the Messiah.  He was going to rule the world.  The Roman Empire would fall and Jerusalem would be the capitol of the world. They would be well rewarded for being the first on board.

Forty-seven chose to die for a noble cause vs. twelve looking for the good life.  Three years later, after being with Jesus, they were changed men.  They too would sacrifice life for the love of right. This is an amazing story of what happens to people who commit to Jesus.  He transforms us into the people we wish to be.  If you want to be a person of sterling character, if you understand that character is destiny, make Jesus the Lord of your life and you too will have a cause so noble you would not hesitate to sacrifice life itself.  Blessed is such a person.

Written by Roger Bothwell  on August 29, 2017

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I tasted my broccoli and it needed just a tad of salt.  Taking the shaker in hand ever so gingerly I tipped it over my plate and then it happened.  The lid came off and a white cascade engulfed my broccoli.  Well, so much for that plate of food.  Fortunately for me Denny’s quickly replaced it for me at no additional cost.

As I sat there surveying the damage I thought of Jesus’ description of us.  “You are the salt of the earth.”  Matthew 5:13.  I thought of how much damage can be done by people I call “Super Christians.”  We have all met them.  They are the ones who don’t just add a tad of Christ-likeness but engulf us with holy vocabulary and remind us every other sentence that God has told them to do certain things.  Can I be honest with you?  I find these people to be obnoxious and so over the top I never want to be like them or even near them.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “By their fruits ye shall know them.”  I’m very sure Jesus is speaking about being the kindest, most caring, most helpful, most unselfish people around.  These are the people who make us feel as if we ever needed help we would come to them.  These are the “Real Christians.”  Actions do speak louder than words. We do need salt.  We can’t live without it.  But it has to be added ever so delicately. If it jumps out at you there is too much.

Just today someone called and asked if there was anything at all he could do to help me.  I explained that my neighbor across the street mows my lawn, so he said, “Make a list and I will be there.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 28, 2017

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One of my favorite childhood authors was Sam Campbell.  He lived in the forest and wrote seventeen wonderful books about the animals that surrounded his home. I would read about his raccoons, porcupines and skunks and wish someday I could live in such a place. There was Inky, Salt and Pepper and many other furry characters.  Now decades later we have a raccoon that lives in a really big cherry tree outside our back window.  I have named him Itchy because the poor thing is almost constantly scratching and rubbing himself on a branch.  He must be hosting a huge colony of fleas and ticks.

If there is such a thing as big sins and little sins, the little sins have to be like fleas.  They are constantly with us, irritating not only ourselves but those about us.  Bragging (one of mine), narcissism, overeating, jealousy and nit-picking others faults are just a small sample.  They aren’t big enough to totally spoil one’s life, but real enough to steal away the quality of life.

They remind us of the woman who washed Jesus feet and dried them with her hair.  In describing her Jesus said, “I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.”  She had sins like a bad case of fleas.  But she had something else that was so much better.  She loved much.  If Jesus were speaking of us, He could say our sins are many and that they are forgiven.  But could He also say that we loved much.  I wish.  What a great thing to say about someone.  Put your name in the following sentence.  “……. has many sins.  But she/he loves much.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 25, 2017

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Ever so cautiously I pulled up behind a car to wait for the signal to turn green.  I don’t ordinarily respond to bumper stickers but I was feeling good and when I read the sticker in front of me I responded.  I’m sure you have all seen this one.  It read, “Honk if you love Jesus.”  So I honked.  The next thing I saw was a hand sticking out the sunroof of the car giving me the international sign of friendship.  Wow.   I felt betrayed.

Betrayal is an interesting emotion.  Betrayal comes in many forms and our reactions depend on the nature of the violation.  Sometimes we are angry when a so called friend steals from us.  However, the real pain comes when love has been violated.  I cannot think of any more betrayal more severe than when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.  Actually the Greek tense in that story indicates that Judas kissed Jesus several times.  Then there was Peter cursing and saying, “I don’t know the man.”  Wow.  This came from a man who just a few hours before proclaimed his extreme love.  I have learned never to say I would never do a certain thing because under the wrong circumstances I would.  Those are moments of self-loathing.

However, just as Jesus forgave Peter (He would have also forgiven Judas). He will forgive us and the self-loathing can vanish because, after all, we are sons and daughters of the King of the Universe. It just doesn’t get any better than that.  And we will always remember that our perfection is His.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 24, 2017

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Last evening I heard a television preacher talking about the powerful spiritual  significance of today’s solar eclipse. I was overwhelmed by the self centeredness of his observations. Considering there is a total solar eclipse somewhere on our planet every eighteen days how could this be more meaningful other than it happened in front of him?  So often we humans act as if nothing else matters unless it matters to us.

We all know the old observation that goes like this.  They came for Jews and I said nothing.  They came for the Jehovah Witnesses and I said nothing.  Eventually they came for me and there was no one to say anything.  I think the moral of the story is that I should speak out in defense of the first group, therefore, defending myself. The logical end would be, if they were not going to come for me someday I need not bother to say anything.

Self is the great human dilemma. I am the center of the universe. My comfort and my safety are paramount.  What an amazing contrast this is to the nature of Jesus.  Paul wrote in Philippians 2,  Jesus, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross!”

Oh, to be like Jesus.  To care, to really care, regardless of self is the goal.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 22, 2017

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In 1962 Rachel Carson published her seminal book “Silent Spring.”  It was a sounding alarm that with our spraying of DDT we were unwittingly depopulating the earth of birds and other essential fauna.   I was reminded this summer when I realized how very few butterflies I see.  As for fireflies they are so rare I call people in the house to come and see when one lights up our yard.  As a child I would fill a Mason jar in the evenings and watch them in the darkness of my room when I went to bed.  I never did enjoy how my hand smelled after such an adventure.

This summer our nights in Massachusetts have been very quiet.  Where are the night sounds?  Finally this past Wednesday about 4 AM when I let the dog outside I thrilled to hear a chorus of tree frogs filling the darkness with their wooing of the ladies.  Last night other creatures joined them.  It is a wonderful sound rivaling any human choir.  I did not hurry back to bed but sat on the porch reveling in the symphonic beauty.  I wish you could have been with me.  One needs to share beauty.

Last summer we visited Longwood Gardens.  It is a taste of Eden.  It is a place one must never go alone.  It has to be shared so we can say, “Oh, look there and there and there.” It is why you must come to heaven with loved ones.  As grand as it will be, it will be better if we can say, “Oh, look there and there and there.”

We had to pay to enter Longwood Gardens.  Heaven is free and so much better.  The night sounds will be incredible. (Yes, I said, “Night.”)

Written by Roger Bothell on August 21, 2017

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Summer is ebbing away and it’s zucchini time. What a wonderful time of the year.  Days are toasty, nights are cool and gardens are reminding us of our heavenly Father’s prodigal ways. I have a friend who planted six zucchini plants  and I asked, “Why?”  One plant could feed Boston.  It’s a good thing the patriots chose to toss tea into the harbor because no one would have noticed had it been zucchini.  This afternoon we even had a bagful magically appear on our doorstep and we don’t even have a garden. (Thank you zucchini fairy.)

God’s generosity is not limited to a vegetable.  One of my favorite verses is Micah 7:19.  “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”  Please take note of the word “all.”   But, you may ask what about the unpardonable sin Jesus spoke of in Matthew 12:31. “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”  That verse has frightened many people because they wonder if they are guilty of that sin.  As Jesus would say, “Fear not.”  The unpardonable sin is one’s refusal to yield to the Holy Spirit’s wooing.  The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict us of our sins and urge us to repent.  Thus the unpardonable sin is refusing to repent of any sin.  If you are concerned, that means He is calling you.  So just say, “Lord, I am so sorry.  Help me.”

That brings us back to all our sins being forgiven.  The last time I checked the deepest part of any ocean is 36,070 feet.  That is a long way down.  God loves mercy and is prodigal.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 16, 2017

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Romans 5:7 has been on my mind most of today. Paul wrote, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  My younger son’s wife spent over seven hours today under the knife as surgeons ever so carefully removed a tumor from her brain.

Today’s events for our family caused me to make a mental list of those for whom I would gladly, without the slightest hesitation, die. I actually surprised myself in that my list is longer than I would have at first estimated.  In the course of the exercise, while trying not to do so, I also made a list of those for whom I would never die.  That is a very extensive list.  Life is precious and should be guarded with diligence.  One should never squander one’s greatest gift. And then I come back to Romans 5:7.  Jesus, God’s only son, died for Herod, Pilate, the soldiers who stripped Him bare, beat Him to a pulp and drove nails into His flesh. “Father, forgive them”

In the course of several decades I have recounted this story over and over and pretended to understand. I don’t!  I have acted as though my degree in theology made me privy to the mind of God.  It did not!  And now I, after all these years, am at a loss to understand God’s amazing love.  If you understand I am envious of you, for I know that, even in heaven after a millennium of millenniums, I will never get it.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 15, 2017

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It will be 2021 before anyone once again hears London’s Big Ben chime over London.  Restoration has begun and the worker’s hearing has to be protected from the bongs of the huge bell. The chiming is so loud there is a very real danger that the bonging would permanently deafen the laborers.

There is an interesting story about Moses in Exodus 34.  He had been on the mountain with God and upon coming down his face glowed so brightly he had to veil it from the others.

And so there it is. The answer to today’s seeming lack of power in God’s modern church.  Too much light, too much sound, too much of any good thing can damage us if we are not prepared and ready.  Just as any good parent is careful with what gifts they give their children God is careful with us.  No good parent gives a 16- year-old a 700 horse power Corvette.  God wants us to do great things, but He also knows how much our egos and sense of self importance can tolerate without our becoming totally narcissistic.  With great power comes the need for even greater humility.

So what can we do to increase our effectiveness?  Paul gives us a few good ideas in Ephesians 6, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”  And how do we do that?  Like all good things time is required.  If we make sure we spend time with His word each day, the armor is added piece by piece.  This isn’t rocket science.  Everyone can do it.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 14, 2017

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According to the dictionary the definition of the word “inflation” means to increase in volume or value. The irony is when certain things inflate they actually decrease in value.  As a teacher one cannot help but be aware of grade inflation, GPA’s continue to rise without a corresponding correlation of increased knowledge or understanding.  Twenty-five years ago a 3.0 GPA could easily be today’s 4.0.

Then there is the size of people. Airlines have adjusted seat size to accommodate our larger bottoms.  And of course I have to mention the inflation of language.  Celebrities used to be stars.  Now they have to be super stars, even if they only had a bit part in some B grade movie.  The adjectives huge, astonishing, great, immense, fabulous and tremendous are so over-used they don’t mean much – a prime example of inflation causing deflation.  And I must confess I am overly tired of “Breaking News” followed by a news item reported two days earlier.  Cannot stations buy a thesaurus?

This brings me to one precious thing that cannot be inflated. I speak of course of God’s love for us. Paul tries to describe it but fails to find grand enough words.  “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3

His love for us surpasses our understanding, because in our eyes we cannot understand God’s obsession with us.  But, I accept.  This love is impossible to inflate. It is already mega-huge.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 13, 2017

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