Message In A Minute: Take The Detour

The town I live in is separated from the neighboring town by a good sized river. 

It’s not the Mississippi but i believe it is the largest river in the state. In order to cross this river there is one bridge in the area. Being the only bridge connecting the 2 towns, every year there is a “Battle of the Bridge”, which is where the high school football teams from both towns play. The winner of the game is deemed, the winner of the bridge. It’s a fun tradition going back for years. 

Within the last 5 years or so, the old bridge was finally replaced with a nice, new bridge. It’s wider and lit up nicely at night. And more importantly, it doesn’t make you question your sanity for crossing it like the old one did. 

My family and I don’t have a need to cross this bridge every day, but we do drive past it often enough. It’s only a mile or so from my house situated off of the main road through town. 

Inevitably, when we pass the bridge my 3 yr old son will ask if we can cross “my new bridge”. 

One night, around 8:00, it was just my son and I driving towards this bridge in order to get to our pharmacy. Of course he asks his question as we’re sitting at the red light at the base of the bridge. “Can we cross my bridge?”  My response was something along the lines of “not right now bub, maybe another time”. After all, I had to get to the pharmacy before it closed. 

As we drove on I saw him in my mirror just looking out of the window and I thought, after the pharmacy, if he wants to cross that bridge, then we are crossing that bridge. 

Sure enough, when we came back to the bridge and stopped at the red light, he asked again “Daddy, can we cross my bridge now?”

Little did he know I was already in the turn lane to cross his bridge. 

We start up the bridge to the sound of his hands clapping and as we get to the top I see him struggling to look out the window and down at the water. He was excited just for the view, and he was happy to discover that we just had to turn around and cross it again. I’m pretty sure he had a smile on his face for the rest of the 5 minute trip home. 

I will always provide what my children need. And when I can, I’ll provide what they want, as long as it isn’t harmful to them. 

God does the same for us. He provides for our needs. At times he blesses us with more.

He delights in us (Psalm 18:19). He smiles when we smile. Sometimes He finds joy in the detours. But He always tries to keep us on track and going in the right direction. 

A lot of Jesus’ ministry was detour requests of His children. His sole purpose on this earth was to die for the sins of everyone, yet he was constantly detoured by request of healing or feeding the crowd or raising the dead. 

He took these detours, not because it was required to fulfill His mission, but because His children asked It of Him. 

I know at times he got frustrated. His mission was to lead people back to God through his sacrifice. Yet he wasn’t constantly being pulled in different directions. 

“Lord, my daughter is sick.”

“If you had come sooner, my brother would still be alive.”

“The people are hungry, what are we going to do?”

“They are out of wine.”

“I just wanted to touch the hem of your robe.”

But he took the time to fulfill their requests, because he loved them. What was important to them, was important to him. Even if it detoured him from his mission briefly. He found joy in the detours. 

So, go the extra mile. 

Help others. 

Take the detour. 

Cross that bridge.

-Clay Wise

Message In A Minute: Unimaginable Forgiveness

The testimony and example of Brandt Jean got me thinking about how everyone needs forgiveness.

There is more to the story than I understand, but I know Christ-likeness when I see it.

I wrote this after considering it all…

“I am the oppressed and the oppressor, I am the student and the professor. 

I am the thief and I give away, all grown up and a child at play.

I aim to be honest but will lie to your face, I’m lost and hopeless without His grace.

I stand the tallest when I’m on my knees. I am divine royalty, and the least of these.

I’ve been hurt, and I’ve hurt others. I deeply love but forget my brothers.

I am confident today but fear the judge. I let go of wrongs while holding a grudge.

We all are empty without His love. Each are needy and seek help from above.

All fall short of His great glory. Each long to be clean but carry a story.

The ground at the cross is level for all. His mercy is enough for each child of the fall.

His passion to rescue displays our worth. His will for His children, to bring Heaven to earth.”

Father help me follow your example like Brandt Jean.

-Tom Wise 

Message In A Minute: Here I Go Again

I’ve been accused of saturating every day conversations with references to 1980’s songs.

I’ve even been called a (Maniac) for it.

People say I’m (Out of Touch), my family even told me (We’re Not Gonna Take It) anymore. But it’s (Hard to Say I’m Sorry) when I’m feeing (So Excited), and I want to show my (True Colors), that’s just (The Way It Is).

(I Won’t Back Down), I’m going to have the (Eye of the Tiger) when it comes to using whatever it takes to (Shout) God’s grace.

I want the world to know about the love of God, but some ask me (What’s Love Got to Do With It?) I mean I won’t (Push It), if somebody doesn’t want to hear it. It’s (My Prerogative) what I believe, and it’s your right to not (Jump) at the chance to accept God’s grace with (Open Arms).

Life is (Tricky), life is a (Wild Thing), you will often find yourself (Under Pressure), but instead of saying to yourself (Here I Go Again), thank God for (Every Breath You Take).

If you were (Born in the U.S.A.) you have blessings others only dream about. I can’t promise (Sweet Dreams) (All Night Long), but you can (Straight Up) trust God (Time After Time).

If you (Want to Know What Love Is), don’t be (Too Shy), I promise God is saying to you (Take On Me).

You may (Say, Say, Say) to yourself, (How Will I Know if He Really Loves Me?), well, you gotta have (Faith),

In this world, it seems like (Love Is A Battlefield), it may feel like (The End of the World As We Know It), you may sense uncertainty (In The Air Tonight) but (Heaven Isn’t Too Far Away).

Even if you feel like a fallen (Angel), God can take your (Broken Wings) and use His (Invisible Touch) to lift you (Up Where We Belong).

So (Fight the Power) of doubt and discouragement, don’t have a (Total Eclipse of the Heart), say to yourself (I Can’t Go For That). The world will have you spinning (Round and Round), but God has (Endless Love) for you.

If you are a Christian, (Don’t Stop Believing), because God is (Never Going to Give You Up), it’s up to you to follow Him (Faithfully).

If you are the (Owner of A Lonely Heart)
(Call Me) at (867-5309)

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: From Guilt to Grace

In the movie “Liar Liar”, Jim Carrey plays a lawyer who suddenly finds himself incapable of being dishonest.

It makes for many humorous situations.

Near the end of the movie Jim Carrey’s character wins a custody battle for his client. He finds a technicality in the law to sway the judge to rule in his client’s favor. The client is a shallow, bitter, self-centered woman who was using the children as leverage in the case.

Jim Carrey’s character realizes he won the case at the expense of what was best for the children. He witnesses the father of the children being heart broken. Carrey’s character approaches the judge and makes a confession about manipulating the system and explains that the children should be with their father.

The judge takes offense to the words and threatens to hold the lawyer in contempt, if he doesn’t stop his behavior. Then Jim Carrey says a line that I have always remembered, he yells at the judge “I hold myself in contempt.”

It’s a powerful scene because it displays a very deep reality.

Contempt means that a person or thing is worthless, or not deserving of respect. To be held in “contempt of court”, is to be found disobedient or disrespectful in a court of law. You can be removed or further punished in that circumstance.

It’s a good thing to face up to the consequences of our behavior when we’ve done wrong. But it’s even better to honestly and humbly face the spiritual condition that causes us to do wrong in the first place. It’s painful to admit that we’ve been overcome with selfish desires. It produces shame and guilt.

Our society tends to dismiss shame and guilt. We ignore it, distort it, drink it away, or medicate it. But it sticks with us and reveals itself through anger, hatefulness, or a variety of disorders.

Guilt can actually be a good thing, because it gives you the opportunity to make things right. It leads the way to forgiveness, understanding, and better choices in the future. Guilt can be a catalyst for deep and meaningful change in a person’s life.

When our selfish nature is surrendered to God, guilt loses its power, shame fades away, regret dissolves.

In the past, many religious people used guilt as a weapon to wield against others. We were never intended to live with ongoing guilt. In response to weaponized guilt, many people try to dismiss guilt altogether.

I understand that.

But every now and then, I find myself in contempt.

I realize I’ve done something wrong and I can’t just forget about it. I need to deal with it. I need to confess to God that I’ve failed, and it didn’t happen by accident, I willingly chose to do the wrong thing or act in a self-centered way.

God is faithful to forgive, He is willing to show mercy, and He is also able to deal with the condition that causes us all to fall short.

The Gospel is good news, but it’s a comprehensive message. Too often its presented as either a sin management plan, or a celestial nirvana causing everything in your life to be perfect.

The truth is, God loves us more than we can imagine.

That love forgives us completely, and that love can radically change our very nature.

Because that love forgives, cleanses, revives, liberates, corrects, renews, creates, directs, reconciles, transforms, and empowers us.

I encourage you to deal with any guilt or shame you sense in your heart, don’t ignore it, don’t try to earn your way out of it, don’t try to cover it up.

Give it to God, sincerely seek His love, and walk out of shame into grace, peace, and joy.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Check Your Distance

In my early twenties, I went on a beach vacation in South Carolina.

I had one of those cheap inflatable rafts out in the ocean. Even though I was on the raft, I always kept relatively close to the shore, just beyond the breaking point of the waves. I never wanted to be out further than where I was able to stand with my head above the water.

My raft started losing air, at first I didn’t notice. When I finally noticed it, I didn’t think it was such a big deal, I looked for the nozzle so I could fill the raft with more air. It wasn’t working, the raft began to lose air rapidly. But while I was trying to manage the small issue with the raft, I neglected to sense the bigger issue I would soon have to deal with.

While all this was going on, I was slowly being pulled away from the shore. When it became obvious that I was way too far out, I began to panic. The raft quickly became a deterrent instead of a help. I couldn’t touch the ocean floor, I could now feel the power of the riptide, and I started swimming as hard as I could, leaving the deflated raft behind.

I was doing all I could physically, but despite my effort I was drifting further out. I was absolutely terrified. Fortunately I had heard in a situation like that to swim parallel to the shore until I was out of the riptide. I did that, and when I finally made it to shore I laid on the sand for a long time. I was physically exhausted.

That personal incident reminds me of this famous truth from Ravi Zaccharias

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

The word “sin” may be a mystery to you, maybe it’s been defined by people you don’t trust. In some cases, it’s been purposely redefined by popular opinion. In its totality, sin is more like an underlying condition with byproducts that we label sinful, and it’s a deeper problem than we can cover here. But for our purpose you could substitute bad choices, selfishness, or willful mistakes for the word sin and Mr. Zaccharias’ principle still holds true.

Like a riptide, sin (or our substitute words) will pull us away from where we want to be. It will keep us away from better things, and cause us to pay a price we never see coming.

Many people assume the Bible gives us guidelines to take away our freedom or fun. But actually God establishes boundaries for life to protect us from awful consequences. If you aren’t a believer, I imagine you can still see the wisdom in staying away from destructive behavior.

The good news is we aren’t defined by our destructive behaviors, our addictions, or our bad choices. Even though we have the propensity to go astray, God calls us His children. He offers love, mercy, and forgiveness to all of us.

It’s healthy to check your distance from the shore every once in a while.

Don’t let anything pull you away from all the good God has for you.

-Tom Wise