Tag Archives: Grace

Message in A Minute: Honesty and Grace

I love the movie Forest Gump and I quote it often.

One of the scenes that always sticks with me occurs on a shrimp boat.

Forrest and Lieutenant Dan are having terrible luck catching shrimp. When they bring their nets up, all they get is garbage. Forrest decides to pray for shrimp and starts attending a church. Even after praying, the shrimp continue to elude the clueless deckhands.

Lieutenant Dan says to Forrest “where’s this God of yours”, and at that moment a violent storm hits. After a few miraculous circumstances occur, they have more shrimp than they ever imagined. Now that’s a great moment, but it isn’t the most interesting part in that section to me.

The part I’m thinking of may disturb some people but as a pastor, I love seeing it accurately portrayed. It’s the scene where Lieutenant Dan is high up on the boat’s mast, yelling at God. He is angry and openly questioning and challenging God.

Lieutenant Dan had been through some tragic times. He was likely depressed, full of rage, and hopeless. But, he didn’t give up, he kept working hard, even through the frustration. And I absolutely love the honesty demonstrated in the scene.

I’ve been there before myself. Not in the same circumstances and maybe not to the same level. But I understand anger, doubt, frustration and more, all directed towards God. I’ve expressed those very issues with God a few times.

The Old Testament is filled with complaints, doubts, and anger directed at God. People have questioned His supposed lack of involvement, His wisdom, His love, and His very nature. We shouldn’t be surprised something like that is portrayed in a movie.

We shouldn’t be surprised when we see it in real life.

God is big enough to take doubt or anger.
God is wise enough to handle our issues.
God is loving enough to see through our words into our broken hearts.

Later in the movie, Forrest says something about Lieutenant Dan finding his peace with God.

That’s what I would want for everyone.

I generally approach God in quiet humility, knowing He is completely holy, indescribably powerful, and wise beyond my comprehension. I suggest you do the same.

But every now and then, when life has ripped you apart, when you are at the end of your emotional rope, when you physically can’t take any more, when you feel hopeless, powerless, and useless.

Go to God.

Even if it’s in doubt or anger.

Because that is infinitely better than heading away from Him.

Be transparent with God, He can handle it.

Complete honesty from you and God’s amazing grace go together like peas and carrots.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Ornaments

We decorated our Christmas tree a few nights ago.

It’s an annual extravaganza.

Christmas music, hot chocolate, boxes of decorations, and me praying all the lights will glow. The kids are much older, life is busy, but it’s a moment that has more meaning each year.

We have ornaments that are decades old, some are brand new, but almost all of them remind us of a person, place or time.

We have beautiful store bought ornaments, traditional family ornaments, and ornaments our kids made when they were little.

You likely have ornaments like these, each ornament means something special. Each signify an important memory. Though the ornaments are made up of plastic, cardboard, or glass, they symbolize something much more important.

No one would say that a simple ornament is important on its own. But for each of us, when we see one that takes us back in time, our thoughts reveal deep importance. We see more than the material before us.

Some of these ornaments are unforgettable, indescribable, deeply meaningful, incredibly personal, unquestionably memorable.

This season, when you remember, I encourage you to stop for a moment and thank God for wonderful people from your past, the many special times in your life, and for this present moment.

God is always at work, thank Him for the past, trust Him with the future, and walk in His grace today.

Decorate your life with memories of God’s goodness.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Get Rid of It

One summer, my wife and I, along with a few great adult leaders, took a group of teens to a summer convention in Denver, Colorado.

In this group of amazing young people was a young boy who simultaneously frustrated and inspired us.

This boy rarely ever seemed like he was listening to a lesson, but would be able to repeat back everything you said with an almost perfect display of comprehension. He would goof-off in some crazy ways. On this trip to Denver for example, he wore a “Joe Dirt” mullet wig almost 24 hours a day. But to balance out things like this, a few times he would quietly get tissues for other teens who were emotionally moved at the end of a lesson or devotion.

He is an awesome man today, we never doubted that, but it is nice to see the wig has been retired.

On the first day of the trip, the whole group stopped to get something to eat at an area restaurant. This particular young man didn’t finish his chicken strips, so he got a “to-go” container, placed the chicken in it and brought it with him. He placed the container of chicken strips under the bench seat in the rental van. Where it stayed.

For days!

The young man forgot about the chicken, the rest of us never knew the chicken was in the van.

Until around day 4 of the trip, there was an awful smell. We tried to air the van out, we searched for the source of the offensive odor in the seats and in the front of the van. By day 5 the smell was unbearable, the whole group was suffering from the mysterious cloud of spoiled chicken.

Once we found out the cause, we disposed of the chicken and we all were relieved. And I think this young man was kind of proud that he had pulled off an inadvertent prank on the group.

I’ve used this story as an example for years, when speaking about properly dealing with issues in our lives.

An unresolved issue in your life tends to linger and remind you of its presence. Make sure you deal with bitterness, lack of forgiveness, or regret in the right way as soon as you can.

Get that garbage out of your life. Or you may end up with an offensive reminder.

A fowl issue can turn into a foul odor rather quickly.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Let It Snow

Years ago, when my children were very young, my family visited my Aunt and Uncle’s house for Christmas.

My Aunt and Uncle have always been great with children. This particular time, my kids happened to find some styrofoam around the packaging of one of the opened Christmas gifts. Without my wife and I noticing, our children began to make a mess.

When we realized it, we apologized and started to help our kids clean up the mess. But my Aunt and Uncle had a better perspective. In fact, my Uncle helped them make more of a mess.

My Uncle and the kids pretended it was snowing inside the house. There were small bits of styrofoam all over the carpet. The kids were covered in white and having the time of their lives. It was quite a scene.

Years later, our kids still talk about how much fun they had that morning.

As relatively new parents, my wife and I were worried about the mess. But somehow, my Aunt and Uncle knew moments of delight turn into memories that last. We were focused on the debris that would have to be cleaned up, but my Aunt and Uncle were focused on the elation each child was demonstrating.

Make sure you find wonder in the moments. Don’t let worry and stress overshadow the blessings in the present. God is always at work.

Most mistakes won’t derail you. Many circumstances we view as messes, can be seen in a different light. Best of all, God’s grace can make things right, even if the mess is overwhelming.

There will be big messes in life. There are times to be focused on the aftermath. But, those times are rare.

Don’t miss the wonder in the moment, it may turn into a lasting, joy-filled memory.

Celebrate the moment.

Let it snow.

-Tom Wise

Message in A Minute: Perspective

A little perspective from a day I welcomed a friend’s newborn into the world, and later that day spoke at a funeral for a church member.

I think each of us should be required to stand at the nursery window and quietly watch the newborn babies for twenty minutes.

Then immediately each of us should drive to a cemetery where we would quietly read the tombstones for twenty minutes.

We should do this every few months and maybe we wouldn’t waste so much time and energy on things that don’t matter.

Life is a gift, time is a treasure, and you have both at this moment.

Let go of things that aren’t meaningful, focus on the things that matter the most.

And if you are willing, let God be involved in all you do.

-Tom Wise