"What is desirable in a man is his kindness; and it is better to be a poor man than a liar." Proverbs 19:22. (NASB)
Is kindness a desirable trait? I guess it depends on what you are looking for. If you are a football coach you may not care if one of your players says "thank you" to the waitress, or if he smiles politely when he signs autographs. What you desire in this man is that he can move the football ten yards, then another ten yards. Speed, determination, drive, even a degree of ruthlessness, are what you desire in this man. But kindness?
The Hebrew word for kindness is hesed." Hesed means steadfast love or kindness. We know that there are a lot of qualities that our world values above love or kindness. Do we care if our stockbroker is a loving man who hugs his children when he goes home at night? Or do we care more that he can turn a profit for us? Do we esteem love or kindness in a boxer? Think how that can mess a match up, if a boxer pauses to apologize to his opponent for hurting him with that vicious right. "I love you man ... here let me help you up."
But God values love and kindness. My three kids value love and kindness in their dad. My wife does in her husband. When I don’t treat them with love and kindness, they hurt.
There is another word for hesed: loyalty. Loyalty is the quality of hanging in there with someone through thick and thin. "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Prov. 17:17). "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Prov. 18:24).
Solomon says, "These qualities are what God is looking for in a man. Others may value professional ability or athletic skill, but to build a quality life, a man needs love, kindness and loyalty. I’d rather see you a poor man with godly character than have you resort to a success-at-any-cost mentality. Using worldly techniques may help you achieve a level of success that will get you in People magazine, but you will not become the kind of man I am looking for."
I’m thinking of a man’s life based on this quality of hesed: love, kindness and loyalty. This man never owned a house. He was never elected mayor and was never the "Citizen of the Year." His investment portfolio was ... well, it wasn’t. He didn’t have one. These achievements never registered as important to him.
Instead, he spent his life investing in the lives of others. He was a care giver to the sick. He mourned with mourners and wept with the brokenhearted. He stopped along the trail to pat a child on the head and even stooped to give a hug. He defended the defenseless against the religious and civic power brokers of his day, placing himself in jeopardy for doing so.
This man exhibited all the qualities of hesed, but what did he have to show for it toward the end of his days? "The Son of man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20). The world may not value hesed. But God does. That is why, today, even after the world rejected Jesus, his Father honors him as the Glorified Son: resurrected, ascended, and in the presence of the Father.
What is desirable in a man is his kindness, his love, his loyalty. God desires those qualities. Your wife does, too, as does your husband, children, parents, and friends. The world might even begin to value them, if it sees hesed demonstrated in your life.
Warren Baldwin
IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
The Carters, Ronnie Lofland, Roy Bessire, Judy & Janea Tremmel, Joe Minor, Dewey Middleton, Nina Foster. Those expecting: Cinda Wolf, Nancy Jones, Meagan Bartlett, Amy Carter, Christa Murray & Jennifer Garrison.
Those with cancer: Les Ballard, Mary Turner, Levie Hughes, Gayle Caffey, Terry Pepper, Betty Jo Bartlett, Dewaine Moses, Darlene Lucero, Debbie Perry, Janett Smith, Larry Tremmel, Darris Hanes, Ryan Maturey, Valdene Huffman, Sharon Simpson, Teresa Haliburton, Lorraine Cook, John Stewart, Butch Wolf, Mark Lott, Teri Anderson & Norma Dudley.
Military: Matt Jones, Mark Aycock, Chris Maturey, Matt Cook, John Wilson, Dave Knight, Jerry Baker, Nick McGraw, Travis Kaufman, Kenneth Schwindt, Curtis Keene, Timothy Newman, Brian Kelly, Trafton Wieland, Mark Newman, Brad Anderson, Chris Brown, Jamin Hartman, Monty Duncan, Brett Scarborough, Nick Lane, Marcus Betzold, Kenny Henley, Cyrus Cole, Danny Graves, Peter Gangwer, Chance Carter, Corey Shelbourne, Jacob Bauregard & Tyler Humphreys.
AREA HAPPENINGS (info on board)
Mar. 16-19 Ski Trip
Mar. 22-24 Tulsa Workshop
April 6 & 7 LTC
SERVERS NEXT SUNDAY
Greeters: Bill & Shirley Brown
Opening Prayer: Justin Vardeman
Song Leader: Brian French
Lord’s Table: Keith Steele
Assist Lord’s Table: Harold Jones
Scripture: Bruce Foster
Closing Prayer: Kenny Kistler
Power Point (Sun & Wed): Jason King
Last Sunday - No evening services
Wed PM Song Leader: Brian French
Back Room/Aisle Workers: Rob Berry
Weekly Budget needs: $2668
Last Weeks Contribution: $2017
Attendance Last Week: 96
TODAY
Elder Contact: Tracy Caffey
Greeters: Ted & Paula Maple
Birthdays: Conner Palmer, Mackenzie Stinebaugh
TODAY: This evening we will be having a congregational meeting.
Elders/Deacons meeting at 5:00.
Youth will be meeting at the Kings home this evening at 6:00. Palmers will be providing the food.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Bakers have signed up for this weeks Wednesday night meal of Goulash & salad.
All LTC Pre-Convention items are due to Michael Tyler before February 20th!!
Linda is working on Worship Workers for March, April, May. Please get to her IN WRITING when you will be gone by Feb.18th.
Linda is working on getting the list of graduates ready. If your child is graduating from college or high school or an 8th grader promoting - please give her those names ASAP.
ULYSSES CHURCH OF CHRIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 18, 2007
THOSE SERVING US TODAY
SONG SERVICE: Ted Maple
OPENING PRAYER: Lloyd Martin
LORD’S TABLE: David Higgins, Gene Pflughoft
SCRIPTURE READING: Warren Baldwin, 1 Cor. 6:1-8
SERMONS: AM - A Host of Problems; PM - Ten Virgins Matt. 25:1-13
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Jason King
CLOSING PRAYER: Brian French
POWERPOINT: Rick Trejo
BACKROOM/AISLE: Rob Berry
The Ulysses Church exists to reach the lost, to continue to grow as a family of God, to serve our fellow man, to worship God, and to do all this in the spirit of unity.
