Pastor Paul's Blog

I’ve been walking through the cities, towns and villages of Waupaca, Waushara and Portage counties for the past several weeks.  I’ve been blessed enough to spend time in, walk through and pray over the small central Wisconsin towns of Weyauwega, Fremont, Iola, Scandinavia, Manawa, Ogdensburg, Amherst, Nelsonville, Almond, Wild Rose, King, Rural and Waupaca. 

In each little town I’ve met with the people who call these small towns home.  I’ve met with working men, single women, retired professionals and blue collar workers, single mothers and married couples, recovering alcoholics and business owners.  I’ve walked and prayed with these godly people through parks, and over school grounds, down main streets and on back roads, through churches and over taverns, with individuals and with families.  I’ve prayed over fire stations and police stations, over town halls and historical societies, over family homes and nursing homes, over libraries and park benches. 

I’ve stood at the site of a gruesome triple homicide and asked God to heal the wounds inflicted on a small, close-knit community through that horrific crime.   I’ve prayed with a pastor over his small country church, asking God to use that church and that pastor to forever impact the community.   I’ve prayed with a mother who lost two sons—one to suicide and the other in a tragic accident, asking God to do what only he can do in healing and revealing himself to her.  I’ve prayed with a business owner, asking God to shine through the witness and example of that man and his business in the small town in which he lived.  I’ve prayed over the home where a close friend lost his mother to suicide.   I’ve prayed over the home and family of a community leader and with a forgotten 93 year old woman in a nursing home.  I’ve met with pillars of the community and with those who some would consider to be on the opposite end of the spectrum. 

I’ve been touring these cities, towns and villages asking God to change me in the process.  As I walk the streets, and through the public places and see the faces and the scenes of daily life in these communities, I’m asking God for two things.  First, I’m asking God to give me his eyes so that I can see these places as he sees these places.   Where I might see nameless, faceless crowds of people, God sees a collection of unique individuals whom he knitted together and whom he loves.  Where I see people coming and going and doing the daily functions of life with plastic smiles on their faces, God sees individuals who are broken and hurting and desperate for the life that only he can offer.  Where I see nearly indistinguishable towns and neighborhoods and homes, God sees unique and specific wants, needs and hurts.  So, I’m asking God to give me his eyes so I see people as he sees people.   

Secondly, I’m asking God to give me his heart.  Not only do I want to see my city and the surrounding towns the way God does, I want to do something about it.  So, I have been asking God to give me and the people from my church his heart toward these places.  Compassion isn’t compassion unless it’s met with action, and I realize it’s not enough to simply see the way God sees.  If I want to impact my town, I have to love the way God loves.  It was the love of God that compelled Him to take action and send Jesus to earth to set the sinner free.  It was the love of Christ that compelled him to reach out at touch the leper when no one else would.   It was the love of Christ that caused him to hear the plea and offer forgiveness and salvation to a criminal who was dying on the cross next to him. 

I realize that if I want to impact my city, I have to have the eyes of God and the heart of God.  I have to feel as God feels and love as he loves.  So, I tour the cities and I ask God to change me and my church.  I walk and pray with my friends and trust that God will do what he does through me and those obedient folks who take to the streets on God’s behalf. 

God, give us your eyes and give us your heart and use us—small, broken, insignificant us… to forever love, impact and change our communities for your glory.  Amen!

I remember one time when I was growing up, we had a neighbor that decided to burn off the dead grass in his fields.  This is a common practice in Montana, evidently it helps put nutrients back into the ground or something, I’m not sure.  All I know is that every spring growing up, billows of smoke could be seen rising up all around the valley as many farmers and land-owners would engage in this practice.

This one particular year, when I was probably 12 or 13, our neighbor didn’t pay close enough attention to fire he had set.  Thinking that he had extinguished all the flames after his fields were burnt, he went back into his home and was probably taking a nap or watching bobsledding or something on TV.  All I remember is standing in my front yard and suddenly noticing that rising up behind our house were huge clouds of billowing, black smoke.  I shouted to my father and we ran around back to see our field and another neighbor’s field engulfed in a raging grass fire. 

Almost in unison, all of our neighbors came scrambling out of their homes, grabbing rakes and shovels and garden hoses and whatever else was handy, and we began to fight the hungry blaze.  There were barns and chicken coops and farm vehicles and even houses that were in the direct path of this growing inferno.  Courageously, several dozen men, women and children fought the fire until finally it was contained and eventually fully extinguished. 

As a young man, I loved the entire experience.  Maybe it was the fact I got to play “fireman” for a few moments, or maybe it was just the rush I got from the moment.  But mostly, I think, it was seeing people come out of the woodwork to help one another deal with a potentially devastating threat.  What a day that was.

This morning I was reminded of that event, because as I look out my window today, I can see fires of many kinds growing in the lives of the people and families I love, and sometimes growing in my life too.  These fires may come in the form of a rebellious child, or a failing marriage, or financial stress, or emotional struggles, or... well, you fill in the blank.  I see the huge threat these fires pose to individuals, to families and even to the church body.  And as the flames grow-- the greater the threat and the more helping hands we need.   We aren’t prepared or even created to fight the fires of life on our own.   We need help... we need love.

Jesus said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples (John 13:34-35).”  The Body of Christ, the church, has to be a place where we help both others deal with their fires of life, and also where we can turn to receive the love and support we need when we’re battling a fire ourselves.    

So today, if you look out your window and see a fire of life raging on your neighbor’s lawn, run to their aide and offer your help, your support and your love.  If you look out your window, and there's a fire of life raging in your front yard, call out for help.   Simply stated, “love each other” through those fires of life that would seek to destroy, and in-so-doing, bring the miracle of LIFE!