Bits and Pieces

There was either a newspaper or a magazine, I don't recall which, that used to have a column entitled "Bits and Pieces." It was written about several short articles that wasn't enough, in and of themselves, to fill up the whole column, yet in their brevity they made some good points. I'm going to try using that format today.

B&P number 1. This one deals with our choices in life and I'm going to present it with the illustration of warfare (in a sense). There's an old hymn in a lot of our songbooks entitled "Stand By Me." In the second stanza of this hymn is the phrase "Thou Who never lost a battle, Stand by me." Now let's look at choices briefly.

We go through life making choices, don't we? Let me direct your attention to the most significant choice of all - choosing to follow God's laws and precepts or not. If one chooses NOT, then that one is choosing to follow God's "adversary." One of the most important things we can know from a study of the book of Revelation is, that we know who the ultimate winner will be. So, if I was going to war and was going to enlist in one army or the other, I think I'd choose the "General" who "Never lost a battle" to "stand by" and follow.

B&P number 2. We see constantly in the news (ad nauseam) the reporting of various "polls," don't we? There are pollsters running every which way and all parties and politicos seem to have one. Here's my little thought on "polls."

Why take polls? Why see who thinks what? Here's my simple take on the subject. So that they know what the popular way to go is. IE: which way the majority leans. Thus, I'll say and do what the majority thinks. My spiritual thought in this regard - I think a lot of people choose their religion by the same method. Oh, not polls, but by what's popular. What's "hot" at the moment. Who offers the best entertainment or the most perks for the attendees.

Remember what God said in Exodus 23:2? "Do not follow a multitude to do evil." The majority is not always right. What's RIGHT is RIGHT! As a matter of fact, when it comes to the religious realm, the majority will be found to be wrong. (Matt. 7:13-14) And, I have a PS for you: God has the best "perks" because they last forever.

B&P number 3. Unless you have a mind like mine, one that likes things of a "trivial nature," you've probably never heard of a man named William Linklaw. You won't be able to say that in a minute though. And, for some of us at least, he might just be an important person, as you'll see in a moment.

A couple of hundred years ago, William Linklaw was taken to court and sued by his church congregation, charged with "singing badly in church." According to the testimony of the members, he had a terrible voice. He was convicted of this charge by the County Court, but he appealed the decision to the North Carolina Supreme Court and they overturned the verdict given by the County Court. They said, "Every American has the right to sing in church regardless of whether their voice is good or bad." (See what I meant by his importance?) Now here's the tie-in to our lesson.

Mr. Linklaw was a person who wanted to obey God's Word in that he wanted to "sing" praises to God. To worship as God commanded: "Singing and making melody in your heart." (Eph. 5:19) In taking his court case a step further, here's my lesson point to this "Bit and Piece."

Many "religions" today have choirs, bands and some even orchestras that are used to offer musical praise for the rest of the attendees. Only the "good voices" get to sing the praises for the congregation. I call this "singing by proxy." My thought is, if we can have proxy singers, then why even bother to go to church? Just designate someone to attend for us. Isn't one "proxy" as good as another?

My last Bit and Piece is what I'm going to refer to as my "manifesto." Or, by definition, my "position statement" as an editorialist. Here's how I'll state it.

Pursuant to Christ's directive "to teach" (Matt. 28:19 and also 2Tim. 2:2) I believe this directive applies to all Christians. For them to use whatever ability they have in the furtherance of this command. I follow this directive, to the best of my several ability, whether in classroom teaching or in writing editorial-type lessons.

I'm going to issue a "caveat" here regarding my lessons. But first, I want to mention a passage found in Luke 10, verse 16. Notice these words: "He that heareth you, heareth me..." Hear what? Hear Christ's message to the world, the Gospel. We know by scripture that this Gospel came from God, The Father, taught by Jesus Christ and delivered to the saints by the Holy Spirit. (Reference: John 16:13, John 17:7-8 and 2Tim. 3:16-17)

Therefore, by extension, all who preach or teach the Gospel are speaking for Christ. (Eph. 3:10-11) So, my "caveat" is: always check my words and the scriptural references to see if I'm speaking "The Truth."

And now, my "manifesto:" It's my hope that in whatever I say, with tongue or pen, that I speak for Christ. That the words I offer have His blessing, and so long as I "speak the truth in love..." (Eph. 4:15) I can be assured of having it. However, should my lesson offerings depart from "The Truth" then I would not be speaking for Him and would not be blessed in my efforts. Nor should I expect to be.

And, if ever found to be speaking or teaching falsely, then I will fit that description left us by Paul in 1Cor. 15:19: "I am of all men most miserable."

Ron Covey